Low Distress Tolerance and Body Image Concerns May Keep People from Yoga Practice
Yoga research is often plagued by high rates of drop out and noncompliance with practice recommendations. To date we have little information as to why some individuals stick with regular yoga practice while others do not. A study recently published
The Role of Fascia in Yoga and Movement - Free Webinar Series with Tom Myers
Could it be that most of what we’ve learned about muscle anatomy and the biomechanics of movement is wrong—or at the very least, not the full picture? For more than 400 years, the field of anatomy has been dominated by
What is Nutation and How Can It Help Our Forward Bends? Part 1
Many moons ago I had the privilege of spending an extended period studying yoga at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, India. During my time there I made it a point to watch Yogacharya Iyengar practice whenever possible.
How Can We Stimulate The Vagus Nerve with Our Yoga Practice? Part 1
Have you heard the term “stress loop” before? Here is how it works. When your mind perceives something dangerous or stressful it activates the sympathetic nervous system which dumps adrenaline and other stress hormones into your body and your body
True Yoga: A New Book by Jennie Lee that Brings the Yoga Sutras to LIfe
The search for happiness and well-being is ages old. In this modern era, we often look to scientific research to find answers to the mysteries of our existence. In study after study, scientists have tried to uncover the key elements
Supta Baddhakonasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose): Rest and Digest
Most of us know that it’s not advisable to eat a meal within two hours of an asana practice. But as with all of yoga practice, there are no hard and fast rules. There are a few poses that may
15 Natural Remedies For A Good Night's Sleep
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, about 30 percent of adults experience some form of insomnia. Some have trouble getting to sleep in the first place, while others wake up a few hours after retiring and can’t get
How Equanimity from Yoga Helps Us Live in Grace
In the summer of 1991 my good friend, Scott, began the process of dying of AIDS. A few months before Scott fell ill, I had taken a job and moved to his town, Boulder, Colorado. In the months before I
Vital Vagus: What is the Vagus Nerve and What Does it Do?
The vagus nerve can be thought of as a superhighway that connects your body and your brain- a connection we talk about a lot in yoga! It innervates most organs in the body; the messages zip along its five lanes of
What Your Savasana Can Tell You
I’ve heard it many times, and said it many times: “Savasana is the most important yoga pose. All the other poses we do in our asana practice prepare us for Savasana.” For most students of yoga, this is good news.
How Yogic Breathing Brings Relief from Stress
Yogic, or conscious breathing is the cornerstone of any yoga practice. Yogic breathing, through the nostrils, is longer, fuller and deeper, and has profound effects on the mind and emotional state. If the breath is shallow and rapid, the mind is
Richard Miller on Developing Interoception: The Power of Body Sensing in Yoga
Are you looking for ways to deepen your yoga practice and experience a whole new level of mind body integration? Attuning to the sensations in your body during your yoga practice offers a powerful gateway to connecting with the junction
Rest for Stress Relief, Healing and Strength
When we talk about physical fitness, we focus quite a bit on how to strengthen, build, exert, tone, engage, etc.... but we seem to forget the purpose and value of rest as a part of those pursuits. I am not
Restorative Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose): Relax and Replenish
Many of us are conditioned to believe that only fast-paced, kick-butt yoga can reap benefits. From the outside Restorative yoga practice might look like just lying around on bolsters and blankets, but the truth is that it changes us at