yoga

A Little Help From Our Friends

Our bodies tell the stories of our life. Layers and layers of tension build up from all of our life experiences, physical injuries, emotional traumas, and simply from the way the modern world asks us to use our bodies. When any part of the body is misaligned or restricted due to injury, posture, or emotional distress, the nervous system is agitated and communication within the entire body is disrupted. Though health and vitality is our inherent nature and the body will always seek well-being the best it can, many times the compensation is not optimal and will cause stress on your entire system. Sure an alignment based yoga such as Anusara® can help us to create healthy habits in our body. A regular yoga practice will shed much of the surface tension our body holds while creating more awareness. However, if there is a biomechanical misalignment, even the way you […]

Feeling Tired? Try This Supine Yoga Sequence

Supine poses or yoga postures done lying on your back are a great way to release stress and increase flexibility in your hips and hamstrings. Opening the pelvic region of the body promotes the release of the downward flowing energy. When this energy is stuck it can contribute to anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues, and even fertility challenges for women. Use this short sequence to restore and ground yourself anytime of the day. Supta Padangustasana – (Reclining Big Toe Pose) photo – 3 variations 1. leg up, 2.leg to the side, 3. leg across the body as a twist. The main action is to press your thigh bone toward the back of your leg and maintain the natural curve in your lower back. It does not matter how close your leg is to your chest! Use your hands on the back of your thigh or use a belt around your foot. Hold […]

Food For Your Soul

Kitchari is a one pot Indian stew. It is often used in Ayurveda for cleansing and bringing the body back into balance. It is warm, grounding and good for digestion. There are numerous recipes for Kitchari, you can add or delete ingredients as you prefer. Enjoy! 3/4 cup basmati rice, washed 3/4 cup split mung beans or red lentils or yellow mung dal – washed 8 cups water or vegetable broth or a combination 1 Tbsp ghee* 1 tsp cumin seeds ____________ 2 Tbsp ghee* 1 tsp each – ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, and sea salt 1/2 tsp each hing (asafoetida), cayenne pepper, (cardamom, cinnamon, pepper and cloves can all be added too!) 2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger 1/2 onion, chopped small 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups fresh chopped vegetables (carrots, zucchini, celery, green beans, tomatoes …) 2 cups fresh chopped greens (spinach, kale, chard…) Optional garnishes – […]

Swish

Oil Pulling is an Ayurvedic process that pulls toxins from the body and has numerous health benefits. • First thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything, including water, put about a teaspoon of oil in your mouth. Coconut, sesame, sunflower or olive oil are all great options. • Swish the oil around in your mouth and through your teeth for 5 minutes. You do not have to swish vigorously, relax your jaw and let the movement be natural. Do not swallow the oil! • It might take some time to get used to doing this for so long. You can also start with less oil in the beginning and/or less time – work your way up. It’s normal to want to gag, you have a mouth full of toxins! Remember to breathe through your nose it helps. • Brush your teeth immediately. Some Ayurvedic practitioners suggest rinsing with […]

Moderation: Enjoyment in Balance

‘Tis the season to celebrate by sharing feasts, sweets, and drinks. We all have experienced the remorse of too much! Over indulgence leaves us depleted, sluggish, and hazy and our bodies need days to truly recover. The method of Anusara yoga emphasizes balanced action and the middle path. We are householders, yogis who are living in the world therefore we are not looking to renounce anything or refuse the delights of embodiment. By all means, enjoy yourself; eat, drink and be merry but use yogic discernment to know when enough is enough. Practice moderation, you will be glad you did. One of my first yoga teachers continually reminded us that too much of a good thing never proves to be good, it’s all about balance. Let the holiday parties begin!