Amidst the beaches of North Carolina, yoga teacher Jean Costa gathers with a group of women who have survived breast cancer and are seeking a refuge where they hope to regenerate their health and spirit.

Born from her own struggle with breast cancer, Jean Costa personally experienced the need of a restorative and supportive atmosphere for women being challenged with this disease. (more…)

It seems as though no matter what new vitamin or exercise plan is being touted these days, we are still seeking to find the source of true vitality. One of the reasons I decided to begin a yoga practice was to find a way to have increased stamina and to renew my natural energy throughout the day.

I had been gradually feeling lethargic and restless at the same time. After several days of feeling overwhelmed from work or family responsibilities I found that I was experiencing soreness in my muscles and joints. I brought this question to my instructor (more…)

Tags: true vitality

Having just watched an very good public television special called Menopause and Beyond with Dr. Christiane Northrup made me reflect on one of the most common questions asked by female yoga students: can doing yoga help with menopause? (more…)

While we’re on the subject of our menfolk–the most common complaint I heard from middle-aged male students coming in to try yoga was lower back pain. (more…)

There is an instant gratification that comes from a good sweat.

The cleansing effect on the skin and glandular system is apparent within a day or two. I was especially aware of how the lymphatic and adrenal glands are being activated through the Bikram posture sequence. (more…)

I’ve signed up for that ultimate marketing savvy yoga class offer -Bikram’s 10 classes for $10 for 10 days. In case you haven’t heard what Bikram yoga classes are about; room temperature is kept at 105 degrees and it’s all about the sweating.

Now I’m not a big fan (no pun intended!) of a lot of hot air (pun intended!). I can barely withstand a couple of minutes in a sauna cause it doesn’t really relax me when I feel like I can’t breathe! (more…)

Sleep is the best medicine. (And I don’t mean the medicated kind, despite the annoying pop-up ads that may find their way onto this web site. My apologies, I have no control over these ad searches but I repeat I do not advocate use of sleeping pills.) Even though we’re still not quite sure what happens during the sleep state, we know when we’ve gotten enough sleep to feel healthy. (more…)

I overdid a lunge yesterday. I was getting into a nice sequence of lunge/ downward-facing dog and pressed on that back heel a little too much and – tweek- felt something move all the way to my knee. Yes, I was pushing myself cause it felt good but, not knowing my limits, I set myself back instead. (more…)

The Downward- Facing Dog is not a relaxation pose!

I’ve noticed that in many of the classes I’ve attended, yoga teachers call for this pose a lot. Also known as the Adho Mukha Svanasana this pose, if done correctly, is quite strenuous as it lifts the upper rib cage, places weight on the wrists and hands and requires strong legs and already stretched hamstrings and ankles. Proper alignment, the placement and distance of the hands and feet and a release in the lower back are all important to reaping the benefits of this pose. (more…)

There is an explanation or phrase I often used to describe what happens during a yoga session: it’s as if we are creating space within our bodies. (more…)