They say “no pain, no gain.” Well, I’ve been attempting to practice yoga for a few months now and while there’s been a steady supply of the former, I can’t help but notice a woeful deficit of the latter. Until now.

If you’ve read any past posts, you’ll know that I’ve been experiencing some trouble with flexibility. Basically it’s been non-existent. I couldn’t even approximate some of the bends and twists. But this week, things changed slightly. (more…)

Well, I’m back from my Mediterranean cruise – did you miss me? No, I didn’t think so….

My husband and I had a fabulous time and it was just what we needed to reconnect with each other. The ports of call were amazing and the cruise was over before we knew it. As I suspected, we ate our way through most of it but, that said, I managed to keep my weight down – thanks partly to yoga on board. (more…)

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’m realizing (further) the depth of my flexibility issue. It’s time for a new approach.

Here’s the problem: My flexibility is so poor that I can’t approximate even the simplest poses closely enough to improve them. The instructor says “Sit on the ground with your legs out.” I can do that. The instructor says “Now lean forward from the hips and grab your calves or toes or the soles of your feet.” I can’t do that. I succeed only in reaching my knees – the tops of my knees, to be exact. And that’s only because my arms cover the distance. I’m still sitting upright. During any yoga routine, I suffer this kind of flexibility problem on several different poses – actually, almost all of them. (more…)

Today I thought I’d DQ something different, to borrow a phrase from the beloved dairy chain. Circumstances conspired this week - what with helping three friends move on the same weekend - to make it exceedingly difficult to attend one of the Yin sessions at the studio. In my infinite cunning, however, I remembered my copy of The Gift of Yoga, YogaHub’s very first yoga DVD.

I admit it, when it was given to me, my interest and involvement with yoga was zero. I never got around to checking it out. For that I’m sorry to those of you whose blood and sweat went into producing it. I think you know who you are. (more…)

“Isn’t yoga only for old people?”

With those words, my 12-year-old niece came perilously close to being disowned by me.

“Don’t be silly – Auntie Fran’s not old!” This was from my nine-year-old (smarter) niece, who obviously knows how to stay in my good books! (more…)

Recently, I have been feeling the presence of my yoga poses in my daily life. I truly believe that even though we have carved out a time to do a daily practice, whether it is at a studio or in our homes, the shapes of the poses will make themselves known to us at the oddest moments.

Take the Tree pose, for instance. I find it simple to do some days, but other days I fall over just thinking about it! (more…)

On my most recent trip to Vancouver, Canada, something changed.

Something changed in me and something changed with me.

As we drove to North Vancouver from the airport, it was dusk and it was raining. I was born and raised in Vancouver, but I have lived abroad for many years. Vancouver has always been a beautiful city to me, and yet this time something felt different. (more…)

Why do you practice yoga? For some people, it’s because they want to feel better, whereas for others they want to look better. Most of the time, though, it’s a combination of both – and we all know how satisfying a regular yoga practice can be.

That’s why so many actors practice yoga – being and looking fit in both mind and body is absolutely vital to their careers. (more…)

Recently, I had to take yet another flight with my son, who’s not yet two years old but is already becoming a frequent flyer! Unlike the last frustrating time, however, when I had to do everything but jump through hoops just to get my son and me on the plane, I was determined to be better prepared this time – just in case the airlines decided to change their check-in procedure or come up with countless other ways to make life challenging.

So the first thing I did when I booked my flight was to draw up a list of questions for the airline staff. (more…)

Being a realtor is not just about finding the best deals but also about being able to stay calm and focused, especially during the constant changes in the current economic whirlwind. Craig Henig, who has enjoyed a successful long-term career in commercial real estate, has found that practicing hot yoga enables him to ride out any stresses he may encounter. (more…)