The first time back to the physical practice of yoga doesn’t always feel good – I can sure attest to that!

As I mentioned in one of my previous blogs, I’ve been having some bodywork performed on me so that my body would be a little more open to returning to the physical practice of yoga after being away from it for over a year. (more…)

Last weekend was Super Bowl Sunday, which meant party time over at our house. My husband, the ultimate couch supporter, enjoys watching almost every sport, even though soccer is his first true love – come on, you didn’t think I was going to say that I’m his first true love, did you?! (more…)

We’ve now been through four out of five of my safety tips that I suggest people consider when starting yoga instruction. While there are, of course, many other concepts and considerations to bring with you into your first yoga class, my final recommendation to you for this series is to give yourself room to grow.  (more…)

So now that you have initiated your journey into yoga, things probably seem to be going great. You’re finally beginning to understand what the teacher is saying, you’re feeling more comfortable in your body, those after-class aches and pains are starting to lessen, and you’re thinking that you’re ready to take even more classes.

Be careful. Too much of anything – even a great thing like yoga – can tax the body and leave you feeling depleted if you are not bringing total awareness into your practice. (more…)

In Steps One and Two of my series on safety tips for people who plan to take up yoga, I suggested that you check with your doctor first, and then assess your personal fitness level.

Once you have consulted with your doctor and assessed your fitness, you will be ready to select which level of yoga class will best suit you, and you can begin your adventure into the exciting world of yoga. (more…)

Recently, I read an article on the benefits of yoga for caregivers and it really resonated with me. I’ve been working from home for the last four years while caring for my aging mother, who lives with my husband and me.

Although my 91-year-old mother still, as she puts it, “has all my marbles,” she’s becoming less active and more dependent on me as time passes. And my ‘Mumsie,’ always known for her sweet nature, is also becoming increasingly defiant, especially toward me. (more…)

This is the second part of my series on safety tips that people should consider when starting yoga instruction. In Step One, I talked about the importance of consulting with your doctor to ensure that you have no health issues that could affect your yoga practice.

Having consulted with your health care professional, you are now ready to move on to Step Two, which is making an honest assessment of your own fitness level. (more…)

The other day, a new student attended one of my more advanced level classes. Just as we were getting started, I found out from her that she was brand new to yoga and this was her first class.

As a teacher, this is always a difficult predicament. On the one hand, I want to be welcoming to someone who is new to the world of yoga and encourage their commitment. (more…)

So often, we find ourselves wanting to introduce yoga to other communities whose first language is not English. Most of us can probably remember how intimidating it was to attend our first yoga class and not understand many of the teacher’s instructions or yoga terms. So imagine how hard it must be for people of diverse cultures who can’t converse fluently in English.

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For Adam Levine, lead singer of Maroon 5, starting a yoga practice was never on his agenda. But when he realized that he was experiencing chronic stress and muscle tightness in his lower back, his trainer suggested he consider yoga. (more…)