Summer is here in all its glory, and where I live, we’re not likely to see temperatures below 90 degrees Fahrenheit anytime soon. This of course gives me yet another excuse to avoid physical exertion, including my yoga practice. Sound familiar? Thankfully, the yogic sages also contended with sweltering days, and their wisdom has giftedContinue reading “Breathing Techniques for Hot Weather”
Category Archives: Pranayama
Welcome, Summer Solstice!
Here in the Northern Hemisphere, we have officially started summer. Days are at their longest and warmest, and, as the song suggests, living is easy (or at least feels that way.) How should we adapt our yoga practice to stay in synchronicity with the season? Whether this means changing up our Ayurvedic practices, bringing ourselvesContinue reading “Welcome, Summer Solstice!”
A Fresh Look at the Eight-Limbed Path
Can you see the progression from one limb to the next? All eight are important to our personal and planetary development.
Nadi Shodhana
While I may believe that my life is stressful, I can agree that it pales in comparison to Hillary Clinton’s. And yet, the two of us have something in common – apparently, Clinton uses Nadi Shodhana pranayama. In an article for CNN Health, she is quoted as saying: “You breathe through one (nostril), and youContinue reading “Nadi Shodhana”
Some Thoughts on OM
The three major religions of the Western world all testify to the power of the spoken word. Judaism claims “And God said, ‘Let there be light.”(Genesis 1:3), while Christianity states “In the beginning, there was the word.”(John 1:1) and Islam declaims “Fear God and speak a word that is right.” (Quran 33:70). In Eastern spiritualContinue reading “Some Thoughts on OM”
A Yoga Practice for Anahata Chakra
Our heart chakra, named Anahata in Sanskrit and located eponymously, helps us to deal with relational issues. Especially during crises, we can benefit from a heart chakra practice to connect ourselves to others, to nature, to the entire world, or to ourselves. How? By warming up before practicing backbends, also known as heart openers. ManyContinue reading “A Yoga Practice for Anahata Chakra”
Re-Rail A De-Railed Yoga Practice
Like so many things about yoga, what we do on the mat is a microcosm of what we do off of it. In the big bad world out there, no one really cares that we can stand on one leg and balance into Warrior III, but everyone would agree that being able to fall safelyContinue reading “Re-Rail A De-Railed Yoga Practice”
Lion’s Breath
Lighten up and relieve stress with this pranayama exercise! While yoga is important, it doesn’t have to be mind-numbingly serious. In fact, too much emphasis on perfection – whether it be alignment, time spent in meditation, or fail-free adherence to the eight limbs of the yogic philosophy – can add rather than reduce our levelContinue reading “Lion’s Breath”
Introduction to the Vayus
Why do you practice yoga? It was first believed that enlightenment comes from meditation; asana was originally systematized as a way to make the seated body and erect spine more comfortable. Over the last century, Western yogis have moved away from this towards a focus on perfecting the body. Of late, we’ve moved again, toContinue reading “Introduction to the Vayus”
A Breathing Practice for Anxiety
It’s 2021, and anxiety seems to pervade every day. Thankfully, yoga gives us tools to feel the energy and then move through and away. Asana is always helpful, but sometimes we’re not physically able to move. In these cases, it’s nice to have experience with pranayama, or breathing practice. Pranayama is an amazing tool forContinue reading “A Breathing Practice for Anxiety”
Yoga Cielo Stellato 