Comfort is a priority in any meditation. If the body is uncomfortable, it becomes a distraction. If you are experiencing discomfort while trying to meditate, a simple yoga asana practice can help. The following poses will create a sense of ease by opening your hips, lengthening your spine, and releasing your legs. When the body…
Understanding the Elements: Balancing Your Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether Energy
The five elements of earth, air, fire, water, and ether were originally brought into conception by the Greeks. They believed these elements made up everything there is in the world, including you. We are not only surrounded by nature; we are nature. Earth Element Earth is the most physical or tangible element. The ground, rocks,…
Move From the Core: How Pilates Can Activate Your Powerhouse
Meet your powerhouse, the center of the body: the core. Deep core engagement allows one to move with both grace and strength. When you move from your center, you remain grounded, steady, and balanced. Let’s test the steadiness of your core. If you were standing in Warrior 3 and someone poked the side of your…
5 Simple & Sustainable Lifestyle Practices
Learn easy ways to become a sustainable, ethical consumer with YogaToday blogger/ jewelry maker/ sustainable fashionista Sofia Frasca. 1. BYOB (Bring Your Own Bags) It’s the best kind of baggage to have. When you go to the grocery store, it’s great to have your reusable bags to haul everything home with. Another great sustainable switch…
Discover the Perfect Yoga Pose to Shift Your Mood
Your mood- whether that mood is excited, irritable, sad, or content- can come and go like ocean waves, and the practice of yoga teaches us to ride our moods out and remain unattached. Still, unless you are as enlightened as the Buddha, you may experience a mood from time to time that seems unmovable. The…
Try These 4 Foam Roller Stretches for the Lower Body!
When winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, or simply slogging around in snow boots have your lower body feeling tight, reach for your foam roller! These 4 dynamic stretches are perfect to practice alone or pair with a restorative yoga practice. Not sure if foam rolling is right for you? Check out this article to learn…
What is Reiki & How Can I Practice It?
Reiki has recently become a more mainstream holistic healing modality: as the pendulum swings in the modern world of wellness, different techniques for healing spend time in the spotlight at different times. Reiki is actually an ancient practice, but what exactly is it? Reiki as Universal Life Energy Reiki is an ancient Japanese healing modality….
These 6 Yin Yoga Poses Are Perfect for Winter Evenings
Wintertime is a wonderful time to practice yin yoga. The darker, colder days make for wonderful opportunities to turn inward—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Yin yoga is a slow, grounding practice that helps to calm the nervous system and bring awareness to the body-mind connection. With origins in Chinese Medicine, Buddhism, and yoga, yin yoga is…
Tight Hips and Hamstrings? Try These 3 Supported Versions of a Forward Fold
If your hips and hamstrings are feeling tight, grab a chair! These poses, inspired by Adi Amar’s new class Forward Bends for Mental Health and Wellbeing, use a yoga chair to target tight hamstrings, stiff hips, anxiety & mental fatigue all at the same time. To practice, you’ll need a few props: a folding chair…
How to Maintain a Morning Pilates Practice: An Interview with Nikki Beck
YogaToday instructor Nikki Beck is a big fan of a morning Pilates, yoga and breath work routine, so much so that she created the Rise & Shine Pilates series to help you embrace the AM, too. This week, we sit down with Nikki to explore the reasons why a short daily practice is such a…