Traveling is when I need yoga the most, and yet, why would I make time for boring yoga when I could be sightseeing or eating or meeting incredible people or having new experiences? Every single time I travel I think, this will be the time I actually use the yoga mat I brought or I’m going to meditate every morning or yoga will help make this vacation even better.
One of my favorite things to do before I walk out the door is adorn myself with a beautiful mala I bought in Bali while traveling there in 2012. I distinctly remember the experience of buying it. My friend Lisa and I searched and sought for over a week until we found the sweetest little shop with handmade malas.
More likely than not, my students request poses to open the hips. I am never surprised. Our hips are one of the most common places that tighten up the moment we look away. The reason why? Sitting. When we sit, our hips flexors tighten since they are at a shortened posture.
When I explain yoga nidra to the most people, the common response is, “Wait, so you just lie there? And that’s yoga?” Yes, aaaaaaaand there is so much more. Yoga nidra, or the yoga of sleep, is gaining attention and not without good reason.
Typically when you hear the word “detox” in the context of yoga you think twists. There are many benefits of spinal twists when they are practiced regularly and mindfully. Spinal twists strengthen, lengthen, and relax the spinal muscles, aid digestion, relieve back pain, encourage lymph and blood flow, and overall lend to a more flexible and mobile spine.
Through my yoga practice, I’ve read many books about yoga. Books about the history of yoga, the many styles of yoga, meditation, anatomy, medicine, healing, breath, the heart, the soul. What follows is a list of the books that were most helpful and illuminating to me.
What’s not to love about a yoga retreat? Yoga. Adventure. Rest. Restore. Disconnect to reconnect. Drop out to drop in.
Not all yoga retreats are created equal. I offer a few questions to ask yourself when booking a yoga retreat to get clarity on what you want and what you need.
Have you ever been asked, “What type of yoga do you practice?” and answered, “I don’t know, it’s yoga.” You’re not alone. While yoga is yoga is yoga, there are many different types (or flavors) of yoga readily available to you. Below are brief descriptions of the primary types of yoga offered at “mainstream” studios.
If you don’t know why we do backbends in yoga, think about why we do forward bends. Folding the body inward does many things at once. First, it begins the blood movement from the bottom of the spine up through the top of the head, reversing its usual course and improving circulation throughout the body.
Forrest yoga was created by Ana T. Forrest, a fierce, powerful warrior woman. She developed the practice through her own healing. Forrest yoga uses the breath, the building of heat, play, and awareness of the body to bring energy to the tight, hurt spots in the body, both physical and emotional.
Items you will need: a block or a cushion or a chair—something to sit on that frees your spine, a timer (anything from an old stopwatch to a fancy app), your beautiful self.
Do you want to know why it is so totally worth it to do your research to find a yoga mat that fits your body? Because it is literally the only thing you need to practice yoga. Blocks, straps, blankets, and bolsters can be creatively constructed using other materials, but a yoga mat that works for you cannot be invented on the fly.
