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Girl in tripod headstand pose

Weekly Class Theme: Third Eye Chakra

By Yoga Teachers

We arrive now to our sixth chakra, otherwise known as our Third Eye chakra. In Sanskrit, this chakra is known as Ajna chakra and it means: to perceive. This energy center which is located between the eyebrows is the home of our intuition and imagination.

As mentioned in last week’s post, we are now in the more ✨ ethereal ✨ realms of the chakra system. Meaning we are now more concerned with: thoughts, mental images and symbols, and divine connection. It’s within these ethereal realms where we bring our earthly self towards the divine. It’s within these realms, particularly sixth chakra, where we can start to perceive things that are unseeable and make meanings/interpretations that contribute to our experience and perception of life.

Our Third Eye chakra governs:

  • Intuition
  • Dreams
  • Pattern recognition
  • Interpretation
  • Imagination
  • Archetypes
  • Vision.

From Ajna chakra, we are able to see and gather information on our past and present to create a vision of the future. It’s our vision of the future which determines what actions to take in the present moment, which will ultimately lead to our manifested future. If you need to read that again, go ahead. 😉

Our third eye allows us to perceive our inner landscape so that we can become conscious of patterns which no longer serve us, gain wisdom from noticing said patterns, and create deeper meaning to expand our perception of ourselves and the world around us. It’s almost like our third eye gives us psychic abilities lending us proper direction in a world that can feel chaotic and overwhelming.

*Practices like journaling, story telling, meditation, and modalities to strengthen our ability to turn inward and trust ourselves can increase the potency of our third eye.

Supporting Pose #1: Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)

Girl in sphinx pose

Sphinx Pose is a great option for teaching tripod headstand as it gives the ability to teach proper activation of the biceps and a firming in of the upper back necessary for the peak. The biceps must isometrically wrap inward in tripod headstand to support the rest of the frame. If the arms are just hanging out, (which I often see), it is much easier to fall out of the pose.

How to:

  1. Lie on the ground on your belly.
  2. Take your forearms to the floor with the elbows more or less beneath the shoulders (a little ahead of the shoulders is okay).
  3. Face the fingers directly forward as you would in downward facing dog.
  4. Extend the legs behind you and press the sacrum down into the ground.
  5. Draw the shoulder blades together to firm the upper back in and widen the chest.
  6. Energetically pull the elbows back and wrap the biceps in towards one another. This will make very little to no movement to the external eye but the hope is that you feel like you are pulling your chest forward and a firmness to the inner arm which supports the chest and head.

Supporting Pose #2: Wide Leg Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana)

Girl in Wide Leg Forward Fold on yoga mat

Wide leg forward fold is a good option in prepping for tripod headstand, especially if you are entering the pose from a straddle position. This pose teaches the practitioner to straighten the legs and how to pull the crown of the head to the floor by using the legs and arms. The technique of wrapping the biceps in which we covered above in sphinx pose should be employed here.

How to:

  1. From low lunge, straighten the legs, walk the hands, and pivot the feet to face the long edge of your mat.
  2. Ensure all four corners of both feet are pressing into the ground and lift the kneecaps in order to firm the legs and fold.
  3. Place the palms flat onto the ground with the fingers and toes facing the same direction. If you are working up to flat palms on the ground and can’t reach the floor fully yet, use blocks beneath the hands.
  4. Walk the hands back so the fingertips are in line with the medial arches of your feet, while keeping the fingers in the same direction and spread your fingers as you would in downward facing dog.
  5. Bend your elbows and use the biceps by isometrically wrapping them inward to pull the crown of the head to the floor.
  6. Once the crown of the head is on the floor, broaden the shoulder blades and firm the upper back in at the same time. We are looking for a firmness to the upper back, not necessarily retraction or protraction of the shoulder blades but somewhere in between.

Supporting Pose #3: Standing Split (Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana)

Girl in Standing Split with blocks on a yoga mat

Standing split is yet another pose where students have the ability to employ the biceps wrapping in as the head is drawn downward. It also teaches good action of the legs in helping one fold (the leg on the floor) and in helping the leg find both firmness and lightness to lift (the leg that’s lifted).

How to:

  1. From low lunge (with the right leg forward), bring the hands to the ground directly around the front foot. Bring flat palms to the ground or blocks.
  2. Take the weight onto the hands and the right leg and lift the left leg into the air behind you.
  3. Firm the bottom leg but lifting the kneecap and use that leg to bring the nose towards the knee. Firm the top leg by toning the thigh, spreading the toes, and reaching through the ball of the foot. The more clarity within the back leg, the easier it will be to control your bodily movements. *Be aware if the left leg/hip is opening — try to maintain an internal rotation of the back leg to keep the hips more or less squared.
  4. Bend the elbows and wrap the biceps inward to bring the crown of the head in the direction of the floor.

Peak Pose: Tripod Headstand (Sirsasana B)

Girl in tripod headstand pose

Bringing the crown of the head down and allowing the focus, energy, and blood of the body to move towards the head is a good option for incorporating sixth chakra work into your asana practice. This pose requires a deep understanding of the body as there are many nuances to learn to enter the pose safely and effectively. Trust, patience, and space to move through the steps leading up to tripod headstand are sure to support your journey here.

How to:

  1. From wide leg forward fold as described above, press the hands, feet, and head down into the ground. Maintain a firmness to the upper back and a wrapping in of the biceps (again, this should manifest as a firmness to the inner arm near the armpit) as you start to transfer the weight into the upper portion of the body.
  2. Pull the lower abdominals in as you shift your hips above your shoulders and hover the feet wide and above the ground by keeping the thighs firm and reaching through the balls of the feet.
  3. Once your feet are in mid-air move slowly as you bring the feet in a semi circular motion to meet above the hips. Once the feet are together, reach the balls of the feet UP and keep spreading the toes.
  4. Pull the front ribs in and fill out the lower back so the spine is stacked well and you can maintain balance.

Sources: Eastern Body, Western Mind by Anodea Judith

02/09/2023
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A restorative yoga class (teacher and students)

Restorative Yoga Poses & Their Benefits

By Yoga Asana, Yoga Teachers

Restorative yoga is a very different style of yoga than styles like vinyasa, hatha, and yin. It’s one of the only styles of yoga that involves holding poses for a longer time, with props, while creating the space for your body to heal. It gives you the opportunity to finally quiet down and move away from stimulation.

This style of yoga allows you to replenish and recuperate. So many people need to allow their bodies to recover, but our daily life will often request the opposite. We are in “go mode” with our jobs, families, and simple day to day duties. Restorative yoga provides the tools to slow down and create the space where rest can happen. When your body is at rest, it can heal.

Restorative yoga isn’t exactly an ancient practice of yoga. It is fairly new and modern compared to other styles. It originated from the yoga teacher B.K.S. Iyengar, who was one of the yoga teachers who began using yoga props to support the practice. It’s a style of yoga that can also be practiced by almost everyone.

What makes restorative yoga different?

As you’ll see in the restorative yoga poses, the style of yoga is so different from other styles. There is a deep focus on relaxation and rest and allowing your body to unwind. If you feel uncomfortable in a restorative yoga pose, you will need to adjust it so you can actually relax. This is different from yin yoga because when you practice yin, you lean into the discomfort and explore it. Restorative yoga requires very little movement, which makes it almost the opposite of styles like vinyasa or hatha.

Restorative Pose #1: Constructive Rest

Alex lying on her back, knees bent with strap around the lower thigh

Suggested props: 2 blankets, 2 blocks, 1 strap

Coming into Constructive Rest Pose:

  1. Sit on the center of your mat with your knees bent.
  2. Lie back onto your elbows and lower yourself to the ground.
  3. Step your feet mat width and bring your knees together.
  4. Press into your elbows to slightly elevate your chest.
  5. Lay your arms by your sides, palms face up.

Modifications and Variations:

  • Place one blanket at the top of the mat and one standard fold blanket at the bottom of the mat, with rounded edges towards the body.
  • Lie back, with the back of the skull on the blanket and shoulders on the ground.
  • Place the balls of the feet on the blanket and the heels on the ground, mat width apart.
  • Lay your arms by your sides, palms face up.
  • Place one blanket at the top of the mat and one standard fold blanket at the bottom of the mat, with rounded edges towards the body.
  • Lie back, with the back of the skull on the blanket and shoulders on the ground.
  • Place the balls of the feet on the blanket and the heels on the ground, mat width apart.
  • Place a block, at the narrow width, between your thighs.
  • Place a block across the abdomen.
  • Place one blanket at the top of the mat and one standard fold blanket at the bottom of the mat, with rounded edges towards the body.
  • Lie back, with the back of the skull on the blanket and shoulders on the ground.
  • Place the balls of the feet on the blanket and the heels on the ground, mat width apart.
  • Place a strap around the mid-thigh area of the legs, with the buckle at center, not touching the skin.

Benefits of Constructive Rest: Constructive rest alleviates tightness in the spinal muscles, helps to release the psoas muscles, and improves posture. *Avoid this pose or work closely with your teacher if you have acute back pain or herniated discs.

Restorative Pose #2: Supported Bridge Pose

Suggested props: 2 bolsters, 4 blankets, 1 sandbag, 1 belt

Coming into Supported Bridge Pose:

  1. Lay on your mat, with your knees bent, feet hip width.
  2. Lift your hips and slide the bolster widthwise under the hips.
  3. Bring your arms down by your sides, with your palms face up.

Modifications and Variations:

  • Lay two single fold stacked blankets, lengthwise down the center of the mat.
  • Place two single fold stacked blankets across the top of the first stack, making a T-shape.
  • Sit on the center of the blanket stack.
  • Lower down onto your forearms, lift your hips, tilt your tailbone toward your heels and lower your hips back down.
  • Come all the way down onto your back, with your head on the ground and shoulders hanging off the edge of the blanket
  • Take your feet wide, with your knees touching or stack two standard fold blankets and roll into a bolster. Place across the end of the mat.
  • Lay one of the bolster lengthwise down the mat and the other bolster across the mat, making a T shape.
  • Sit on the center of the lengthwise bolster.
  • Place your looped strap around the center of the thighs and put your feet on the blanket bolster
  • Lower down onto your forearms and then lay all the way down, lengthening your legs.
  • Head on the ground, shoulders hanging off the edge of the bolster.
  • Lay your sandbag over the tops of the thighs.

Benefits of Supported Bridge: This pose strengthens the glutes and lower back. It also helps engage your thigh muscles, finding more flexibility in the back but also the shoulders.

Restorative Pose #3: Side Lying Child’s Pose

Alex lying on her side with a blanket underneath her side and one in between her legs

Suggested props: 2 blankets, 2 bolsters, 2 eye pillows

Coming into Side-Lying Child’s Pose:

  1. Place a folded blanket at the top of the mat.
  2. Lay another blanket diagonally across the mat, making a number “7” shape with the pillow blanket (top end of the blanket just below the bottom right end of the pillow fold blanket).
  3. Lay down on your left side, with your shoulder between the first blanket and second blanket with upper ribcage supported by the fold.
  4. Place a single fold blanket between the lower legs, supporting the knees and ankles.
  5. Place the bolster in front of you, pulling it close to your body.
  6. Put a single fold blanket under the left hand, for added support.
  7. Put a second bolster behind you, supporting the back body.
  8. Cover yourself with a blanket.

Modifications and Variations:

  • Place a throw pillow at the top of the mat and lay down on your side, with your knees bent. Pull a second throw pillow close to your body, hugging it in towards you. Option to move the pillow down, between the knees.

Benefits of Side-Lying Child’s Pose: This pose lengthens the side body, allowing you to find more room in your shoulders and spine.

Restorative Pose #4: Legs Elevated Pose

Alex lying on the ground with bolster beneath her sacrum and legs up against the wall

Suggested props: 1 bolster, 2 blankets, 1 chair, 1 strap, 1 sandbag, 2 eye pillows

Coming into Legs Elevated Pose:

  1. Lay a folded blanket against the wall, with some space between the blanket and the wall.
  2. Sit on the center of the blanket, with your right hip next to the wall.
  3. With your hips on the blanket, swing your legs up the wall and lay down on your back.
  4. If your hamstrings allow, move your hips towards the wall. If your hamstrings are tight, move your hips further away from the wall, or bend your knees.

Modifications and Variations:

  • Lay a bolster lengthwise against the wall.
  • Place a blanket about half way up the mat.
  • Sit on the bolster, with your right hip next to the wall.
  • Swing your legs up the wall and lower down onto your forearms and then onto your back, keeping your hips on the bolster.
  • Slide a blanket under your head, with your shoulders on the ground.
  • Option to take the legs out into a straddle, cross the legs at the ankles or bring the soles of the feet together or lay a bolster lengthwise against the wall.
  • Place a blanket about half way up the mat.
  • Sit on the bolster, with your right hip against the wall.
  • Swing your legs up the wall and lower down onto your forearms and then not your back, keeping your hips on the bolster.
  • Slide a blanket under your head, with your head resting on the fold.
  • Roll the top layer of the blanket under and then roll the bottom layer under, creating a cradle for the head.
  • Take a looped belt and place firmly around the mid-thigh area.
  • Place a blanket over the tops of the feet, tucking it between the heels and the wall.
  • Place the sandbag (or foam block) on the soles of the feet.
  • Lay one eye pillow on the abdomen. Place the second eye pillow over the forehead, just above the eyebrows.

Benefits of Legs Elevated Post: Legs elevated pose helps the circulation of blood flow in your legs and lower body.

Why practice or teach restorative yoga?

Restorative yoga is a great style to practice whenever you feel like you need to calm down or relax. If you’ve been noticing that your thoughts are always racing or if you’re constantly getting agitated, angry, or frustrated, restorative yoga can help you reset and readjust the way you respond to stimulation in your everyday life.

Teaching restorative yoga is important because almost everyone can practice this style and people really need this practice.

Related Courses:

02/07/2023
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Hands in Anjali Mudra

Your Guide to Understanding The Mudrās

By Meditation, Yoga Teachers

You may have taken a yoga class where your teacher asked you to create a certain shape with your fingers and your hands. You may have also been told to focus on a body part, a chakra, or an intention while holding your hands in that same shape. Did you fully understand what you were being asked to do… or did you just kind of do what your teacher told you to do so you could get into the asana portion of your yoga class?

Whether you’ve just gone through the motions with practicing mudras or you’ve actually been interested in them and have an understanding of them, we wanted to offer you a guide to clear up any confusion and answer any questions!

Mudras are a great way to:

  • Increase energy flow
  • Seal in intentions
  • Keep your mind focused while practicing yoga asana, pranayama, or meditation

The practice is so subtle

As you continue to practice yoga, you will find that it actually gets more and more subtle. A more advanced yoga practitioner is aware of the subtle body, the energy around them, and also how important their hands are to their practice.

The hands are the way you serve yourself and the way you constantly take care of yourself. When you’re hungry, you use your hands to make yourself food. When you’re cold, you use your hands to put on more clothing. Your hands are also the way you share information, give, and receive.

Table of Contents:

What are mudras?

The Sanskrit word mudra can be translated as: seal or gesture. However, translating Sanskrit is always a little tricky. It’s difficult to take a Sanskrit word and say it only means one thing in another language. When trying to understand Sanskrit, it’s best to think about the qualities of the word as opposed to direct translations. Some qualities of mudra may be things like: a promise, a way to activate, or even to set a mood. Mudras are typically created with the hands and the fingers and may be held during meditation, pranayama, in a yoga pose, or even while chanting a mantra.

When to incorporate mudras

Teachers and practitioners will instruct and use mudras to set a tone for their practice, to seal in a promise, to activate certain energetic channels in the body, or to deepen whatever their intention is at the time. Mudras may increase energy, concentration, or relaxation. They can also help connect the subtle body to the gross body and provide deeper focus to whatever you’re practicing.

Mudras are a simple way to connect to something that’s much deeper within you and also to things you or your students may not fully understand yet (like your energy channels and how they’re either blocked, in excess, or deficient). They’re an accessible way to access deeper connection to your body, mind, and heart.

What’s so important about the hands and fingers?

Throughout history, there has always been a focus on studying a person’s hands. When you look at someone’s hands you can sometimes tell what they do for a living or what they do for fun/leisure. You can sometimes tell where they’ve been or what they’re about to do just from looking at their palms, nails, and fingers.

In Ayurveda, (the sister science of yoga), each finger actually represents a certain element. Your thumb is connected to fire, your forefinger to wind, your middle finger to ether, your ring finger to earth, and your pinky finger to water. We are all made up of the elements and everything around us is made up of the elements as well. You move through this lifetime interacting with the elements in a unique way, so this awareness of your fingers and hands being a center for the elements is such a powerful and beautiful concept.

Mudras & meditation

Mudras are such a great addition to your meditation practice because so many of us often need an extra focal point during meditation. It’s often been said that the nature of the mind is to move towards distractions, so it’s inevitable that you may end up distracted during the practice. And by “nature” I mean that it’s something that cannot be changed. For example, the nature of water is wet and the nature of sugar is sweet. If you take the wetness out of water, it’s not water anymore. If you take the sweetness out of sugar, it’s not sugar anymore. If your mind isn’t taken over by distractions, it’s probably not a human mind… see where I’m going with this?

If you’ve ever sat to meditate and gotten very distracted by cars passing by, the phone vibrating, or the dust on your floor, you’re not alone at all. Mudras can help give your mind something to actually focus on. In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the practices of concentration and meditation are introduced and concentration is a key step to master (or at least understand) before jumping into meditation. If you’d like to use a mudra for your meditation practice, try practicing the mudra first and then coming into your meditation.

How can I incorporate mudras in yoga classes?

Using one or more mudras in your yoga classes can be both helpful and also a lot of fun!

Have you ever had a day where you just couldn’t find your balance or where you just kept confusing your right side and your left side? Have you ever tried to come into a pose like half moon or tree and, in an attempt to hold the pose, you started creating fists or tense claw shapes with your hands without even realizing it? Your hands can mirror tension or struggles that are happening within the body and mind. If you have a focus, like a mudra, you will find that a lot of that energy can circle back into your body and be used to help find focus and balance. ☯

Who do I teach mudras to?

Anyone can practice mudras! They are a fun way to get kids interested in yoga and concentration and also a very powerful way to give an energetic focus to someone who may be healing or who may be struggling.

Mudras are especially helpful for people who can’t practice a full yoga asana practice but still want to incorporate the teachings into their lives. It’s important to remember that mudras are a practice in itself and should be respected and treated as such.

Do I need a certain training?

You don’t need a specific certification to teach mudras. The best way to understand mudras is to practice them. You can certainly research mudras on the internet or find certain books that stand out to you, but it’s often better to have a lot of knowledge about one or two mudras instead of having a little bit of knowledge about a lot of them. When you can understand why you’re practicing a mudra, it becomes much more transformational and much more powerful to practice and to teach. Just like everything else in your yoga practice, the practice of them itself is important.

What are the most commonly used mudras?

Shuni Mudra

Hands in Shuni Mudra

  • Shuni mudra is commonly used because it signifies stability and discipline. Oftentimes, we may find it difficult to bring ourselves to our practice, but when we do, we are full of gratitude — thanking ourselves for showing up and for our bodies for simply being there for us.
  • This mudra also represents our patience to fully immerses ourselves in our practice and showing up in the world. Being patient with ourselves is to be kind to ourselves and being patient with others shows compassion.

Anjali Mudra

Hands in Anjali Mudra

  • One very accessible mudra is Anjali mudra. You may have heard this as “prayered hands” or even “palms together” in a yoga class. This mudra is powerful because it symbolizes how our hands that have served us for all our life are now being put into a mudra as a gesture to serve and help and support others.
  • It’s a gesture of how everything that we acknowledge as true and honest and all-loving in ourselves, recognizes these things in others and honors them.
  • It’s also meaningful because if you take a look at your hands in this mudra, not much can get in or out. Whatever is in there is sealed in. This could be a promise, an intention, or anything that you want to take with you or give away.

Dhyana Mudra

Hands in Dhyana Mudra

  • This mudra is widely used in a seated posture, sealing in your intentions for your practice.
  • Dhyana mudra is popular because it draws the true essence of why we channel prana and access our energy’s life force. Rooted in total balance, Dhyana mudra lets us know we are able to reach deep forms of meditation.
  • It is also a simpler gesture, the hands simply resting in one another to show gentleness and ease (freedom from suffering).

Will my students enjoy them?

Most students will really love mudras. A lot of us need a focus for our hands and most people appreciate this focus on how important and powerful gestures, intentions, and promises are. If you’re teaching them, it may be helpful to start with just one per class. Sometimes, incorporating too many into a class can be really overwhelming and your students can lose focus. Overall, mudras are a very special part of the yoga practice and also something that can be practiced almost immediately, from anywhere!

02/07/2023
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A diagram of the chakras

A Complete Overview of the Chakras

By Lifestyle & Wellness, Meditation, Yoga Asana

The chakra system is a system that’s discussed both in and out of yoga studios, amongst therapists, psychologists, doctors, nurses, bodyworkers, and anyone else with an interest in the process of their emotional and psychological development. You may also stumble upon chakra discussion in high schools, colleges, coffee shops, restaurants and bars. It’s definitely a topic that’s both accessible and incredibly scholarly.

According to Anodea Judith, author of Eastern Body Western Mind, “The Chakra system is a seven-leveled philosophical model of the universe.” and “A chakra is a center of organization that receives, assimilates, and expresses life force energy.” As a human being existing here on planet earth, you have seven main chakras that are stacked like a column from the base of your spine to the crown of your head.

There are other minor chakras, but you’ll usually see books, classes, and workshops on the seven major ones. The chakra system is a beautiful system to study and use in your own yoga practice, meditation practice, or as a way to navigate your thought patterns, tendencies, places of excess, deficiencies, and a path to discovering better balance.

Table of Contents:

  1. What exactly are chakras and how is the word pronounced?
  2. What are the seven chakras?
  3. First chakra: Muladhara (Root)
  4. Second chakra: Svadhisthana (Sacral)
  5. Third chakra: Manipura (Solar Plexus)
  6. Fourth chakra: Anahata (Heart)
  7. Fifth chakra: Vishuddha (Throat)
  8. Sixth chakra: Ajna (Third Eye)
  9. Seventh chakra: Sahasrara (Crown)
  10. How do I incorporate the chakras into my practice or my classes?

1. What exactly are chakras and how is the word pronounced?

Your body is full of energy and has many centers and pathways that hold or move that energy. All of these function from the three main areas that are known as nadis.

Three specific energy channels (of the nadis) in your body are:

  • Ida (left)
  • Pingala (right)
  • Sushumna (center)

Sushumna is an energy channel in line with your spine while ida and pingala meet at the base of your spine, separate, meet again, separate, meet again, and so on. The meeting points of ida and pingala are where your chakras are located. A chakra may be understood as an energetic center that’s possibly spinning like a wheel.

The pronunciation of the word “chakra”

You can pronounce the “ch” in “chakra” like the “ch” sound in the word “patch” or “chocolate.” It’s often mispronounced like the sound the “sh” makes in “shoe.”

2. What are the seven chakras?

The first chakra begins to develop while you’re still in the womb and then the next six chakras develop as you grow up and move through your life. Once a chakra is developed, it doesn’t mean it’s perfected. As you grow and learn, your chakras will also come in and out of balance along with your life experiences. Balancing the chakras is an ongoing process and even once you feel balanced, you may come out of balance again. It’s kind of like how one day you can come into tree pose effortlessly and then on another day, you constantly fall out of it.

Each chakra is associated with a color, a location, and also physical and emotional ways to spot imbalances.

3. First chakra: Muladhara (Root)

The first chakra is called Muladhara, or The Root Chakra. It develops from the time you’re in the womb through about twelve months old. This is the chakra responsible for trust, grounding, feeling at home, and security. Its color is red and it’s located at the base of your spine.

When in balance:  Good health, a sense of being grounded, healthy boundaries, and an ability to feel safe

When out of balance: Issues with boundaries, emotional eating, weight changes, and overall feelings of sluggishness

Healing practices to balance the first chakra:

  1. Receiving massages and other bodywork
  2. Grounding yoga asana
  3. Using essential oils such as: clove, copaiba, and cedarwood into your life

4. Second chakra: Svadhisthana (Sacral)

The second chakra is called Svadhisthana, or The Sacral Chakra. It develops from about six months to two years old. This is the chakra responsible for movement, sensation, emotion, pleasure, and needs. Its color is orange and it’s located at the lower abdominals.

When in balance: Healthy relationship to experiencing pleasure, the ability to adapt to changes, strong boundaries, a visible grace as you move

When out of balance: Pleasure addiction or a fear of pleasure, poor boundaries, obsessive attachment, an inability to feel

Healing practices to balance the second chakra:

  1. Working on boundaries
  2. Therapies that support healthy pleasure alignment or emotional release
  3. Using essential oils such as: cypress, clary sage, and cinnamon

5. Third chakra: Manipura (Solar Plexus)

The third chakra is called Manipura, or Solar Plexus. It develops from about eighteen months to four years old. This is the chakra responsible for power, energy, and self esteem. Its color is yellow and it’s located at the solar plexus.

When in balance: An ability to be a strong leader, confidence, healthy self esteem, and a sense of playfulness

When out of balance: Shaming behavior, physical abuse, or controlling behavior

Healing practices to balance the third chakra:

  1. Taking risks
  2. Incorporating a more vigorous yoga practice
  3. Using essential oils such as: blue tansy, rosemary, and lemon

6. Fourth chakra: Anahata (Heart)

The fourth chakra is called Anahata, or Heart Chakra. It develops from about four to seven years old. This is the chakra responsible for love, relationships, the ability to take things in and also the ability to reach out. Its color is green and it’s located at the center of the chest.

When in balance: Sense of compassion, lots of self love, good immunity, and an overall peaceful presence

When out of balance: Jealousy, fear of intimacy, loneliness, and lack of empathy

Healing practices to balance the fourth chakra:

  1. Breathwork (pranayama)
  2. Journaling
  3. Looking into existing assumptions about relationships
  4. Using essential oils such as: rose, ylang ylang, and peppermint

7. Fifth chakra: Vishuddha (Throat)

The fifth chakra is called Vishuddha, or Throat Chakra. It develops from about seven to twelve years old. This is the chakra responsible for communication, the ability to listen, and finding your voice. Its color is blue and it’s located at the throat.

When in balance: Clarity through self expression, the ability to speak with a purpose, and embodying the qualities of a good listener

When out of balance: Fear of talking or a tendency to talk incessantly, gossiping, and difficulty expressing emotional verbally

Healing practices to balance the fifth chakra include:

  1. Bodywork on the neck and shoulders
  2. Singing
  3. Chanting
  4. Telling stories
  5. Using essential oils such as: birch and lavender

8. Sixth chakra: Ajna (Third Eye)

The fifth chakra is called Ajna. It develops during adolescence. This is the chakra responsible for intuition, dreaming, and imagination. Its color is indigo and it’s located at the third eye.

When in balance: Good dream recall, strong intuition, and good perception

When out of balance: Nightmares, poor memory, difficulty envisioning the future, obsessions, and insensitivity

Healing practices to balance the sixth chakra include:

  1. Meditation
  2. Creative visual art
  3. Guided visualization
  4. Using essential oils such as: rosemary, clary sage, and lemongrass

9. Seventh chakra: Sahasrara (Crown)

The fifth chakra is called Sahasrara. It develops during early adulthood and beyond. This is the chakra responsible for belief systems, understanding, and connection to the divine. Its color is violet and it’s located at the crown of the head.

When in balance: General awareness, compassion, a feeling of being spiritually connected, and open-minded

When out of balance: Signs of confusion, over-intellectualization, learning difficulties, greed, and disassociation from the body

Healing practices to balance the seventh chakra include:

  1. Discipline in a spiritual practice like committing to prayers or japa
  2. Understanding your physical and emotional connection
  3. Using essential oils such as: frankincense, sandalwood, and roman chamomile
The chakras on an image of a woman
1
Root Chakra (Muladhara)
2
Sacral Chakra (Svadhishthana)
3
Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
4
Heart Chakra (Anahata)
5
Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
6
Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)
7
Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)

10. How do I incorporate the chakras into my yoga practice/classes?

The chakra system can be incorporated into yoga classes for kids, adults, and also used in your own offerings to individual clients. The chakras make great class themes, projects, and also meditation topics. You may also choose one chakra a week and try to incorporate some of the balancing practices into your self care while also noticing when the qualities of that chakra show up.

If you enjoy working with essential oils, you can also incorporate the essential oils associated with each chakra into your daily routine by adding them to your diffuser or into your body oils and lotions.

There are tons of yoga classes that may even have physical chakra themes like focusing on the heart chakra during a class that’s focused on back bends!

Learn more through our online courses:

SOURCES:

Eastern Body, Western Mind by Anodea Judith

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02/02/2023
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Bridge Pose

Weekly Class Theme: Throat Chakra

By Yoga Teachers

We officially enter into the more ✨ ethereal ✨ realms of the chakra system. As mentioned in previous posts, there are 7 total chakras. The first 3 (Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus) are considered the earthly chakras while the last 3 (Throat, Third-eye, Crown) are considered the ethereal/airy chakras with the middle chakra, or the heart chakra, being the bridge to tie them together.

Our fifth chakra is our throat chakra, or Vissudha chakra. Once we’ve left fourth chakra, our heart, we are now asked to take what is within the heart center and express it to the world.

The main concerns of fifth chakra are:

  • Voice
  • Vibrations
  • Communication
  • Truth and lies
  • Creativity

Symbols in the form of words, images, and thoughts are also a major component of fifth chakra.

Everything vibrates with a particular frequency which can be intentionally affected. Have you ever felt like you’re on the same wavelength as another person? Or have you ever experienced something that you referred to as a coincidence? This type of synchronization, or being in resonance with another or the universe, is the work of fifth chakra. We tend to resonate most profoundly when we ourselves are in alignment and when we are living in full expression.

A solid foundation, understanding of one’s emotions, a sense of self, balance, and intimacy are all required in order to freely express oneself creatively and effectively. And once this happens, we start to prepare to not only express ourselves but to really trust ourselves which is the work of fifth chakra.

Supporting Pose #1: Supported Fish (Matsyasana)

Supported Fish

Firming the upper back in is important for bridge pose. It’s important to remember that our upper back should have movement so that there is not too much pressure on the lower spine.

How to:

  1. Set up your blocks with one block on the horizontal medium height and the next block on the vertical high height.
  2. Lie down so that the horizontal block is going across the upper/mid back (around where a bra strap would fall) and the skull resting on the vertical block. The head should be in a more or less neutral position with the chin slightly tucked.
  3. Reach the legs long towards the front of the mat and stay for ~2 minutes.

Supporting Pose #2: Crescent Lunge with Clasped Hands (Anjaneyasana)

Crescent Lunge with Hands Clasped Behind Back

Crescent lunge is an appropriate pose for backbend prep as it helps to open the front of the hip. Hands clasped behind the back is an appropriate variation as the hands are behind the back in the peak pose.

How to:

  1. From low lunge with the right leg forward, place the back knee to the ground.
  2. Press the sacrum forward and roll to the top of the left kneecap.
  3. Reach the arms behind the lower back and clasp your hands.
  4. Press your knuckles down and back to firm the upper back in and lift the chest.

Supporting Pose #3: Half Moon Bow Pose (Ardha Chandrasana Chapasana)

Half Moon Bow Pose

Half moon can teach the practitioner to open the front body by pressing the sacrum forward. The bow pose variation is perfect as it teaches all necessary elements of a backbend with the arm behind the back.

How to:

  1. From triangle pose with the right leg forward, go forward to take the weight of the body onto the right leg and stretch the chest forward.
  2. Straighten both legs so that the standing leg is straight and the top leg is straight and aiming towards the back of the room.
  3. Take the bottom hand to the ground or to a block. I like using a block because it helps me to take the chest forward as opposed to down towards the floor.
  4. Reach the top left arm behind the lower back and simultaneously bend the left knee to catch the left foot with the left hand.
  5. Kick the left foot into the hand, firm the left shoulder blade in, and press the sacrum forward to come into the backbend.

Peak Pose: Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

Bridge Pose

Bridge pose is a wonderful pose to tend to fifth chakra. The compressing of the throat area almost massages the area bringing fluid to the throat to lubricate the muscles and surrounding tissues in order to support healthy expression.

How to:

  1. Lie on your back with the knees bent and soles of the feet flat on the ground.
  2. Press the backs of the shoulders into the ground to widen your collarbones. It might help/feel good to bend your elbows at 90 degrees to press the backs of the arms/backs of the shoulders into the ground.
  3. On an inhale, lift your pelvis off the ground. Try to keep your toes moving directly forward.
  4. Straighten your arms along the floor and then walk your shoulder blades together on the back. You can interlace your hands along the ground under your lower back if that feels okay for you.
  5. Ensure the only places touching the floor are your feet, shoulders and arms, and back of the skull. *The neck should not be flat to the ground. The natural curve of the cervical spine should be present.
02/02/2023
Love10
Patrick from YogaRenew looking up yoga classes online

Can ChatGPT Sequence a Vinyasa Class?

By Yoga Asana

If you aren’t aware – ChatGPT is a piece of artificial intelligence that has been getting a ton of buzz lately. Students have been using it to do their homework, or write essays for school. It has been able to pass university level exams, and complete some pretty neat tasks.

But when it comes to sequencing a 60-minute vinyasa class, there’s still a lot to be desired. Lets take a look at what it did well, and what it didn’t do so well….

What did ChatGPT do well?

The sequence itself was organized in a pretty typical format. It starts off with a seated meditation and then goes into a cat/cow movements… Your pretty typical start to a class – so far, so good!

From there, it starts to move into some Sun Salutations to build a little heat and rhythm. Downward facing dog, low lunge and upward facing dog…. Still looking okay, a pretty standard vanilla looking class but not that bad for a computer!

Next up, we start to move through some standing poses before it gets into seated poses. Warrior 1, Warrior 2, Triangle Pose and Extended Side Angle… Again – structurally it looks okay…

After the standing poses, we go into seated forward folds…. Specifically we see Pigeon pose, then a seated forward fold.

From there we go into some spinal twists. First a seated spinal twist and then a reclined spinal twist. Probably wouldn’t want to do those two poses back to back, but overall the sequence has been okay so far.

It closes a final relaxation in savasana and then a seated meditation.

Here’s what the full sequence looks like in order:

  1. Seated Meditation
  2. Cat/Cow
  3. Downward Facing Dog
  4. Low Lunge
  5. Upward Facing Dog
  6. Warrior 1
  7. Warrior 2
  8. Triangle Pose
  9. Extended Side Angle
  10. Pigeon Pose
  11. Seated Forward Fold
  12. Seated Spinal Twist
  13. Reclined Spinal Twist
  14. Savasana
  15. Seated Meditation

It was definitely a little better than we thought it would’ve been but there are some glaring issues here as well.

What did ChatGPT do “not-so-well”?

ChatGPT was able to put together a fairly good outline for a Vinyasa sequence, but it was really just a good starting point. There are some pretty big gaps in the sequence’s structure and organization so lets take a look at some of those…

First and foremost, there’s a disclaimer within the sequence that mentions the importance of using this sequence alongside a yoga teacher who’s qualified to deliver the class in a safe and effective way. This really highlights the importance of having the human touch in class.

The sequence doesn’t provide any guidance on modifications or how to accommodate injuries. It also doesn’t provide any guidance or cues on how to move between poses safely.

In terms of structure, it isn’t really practical to make it through a 60 minute Vinyasa yoga class with 15 poses. ChatGPT asks us to stay in each pose for 5 minutes – can you imagine?! Staying in Triangle pose for 5 minutes? Yin or Restorative classes will stay in postures for a long time to get deep into Connective Tissue, or activate restorative processes in the body however these postures are done on the floor with little to no muscle involvement.

In a Vinyasa class, we match the movement to the breath. One movement: one breath. One movement: one breath. Each breath brings a new movement, so holding a posture for 5 minutes is definitely not something we’ll be looking to incorporate into our classes anytime soon.

What can we takeaway from this?

ChatGPT is a pretty neat piece of technology, but it still has a lot to learn when it comes to building a 60 minute Vinyasa yoga sequence. Lacking the human element, we don’t get any insight or guidance on transitions, how to accommodate injuries, any information on modifications. Structurally, it isn’t realistic to hold these poses for 5 minutes or to have 15 poses in a 60 minute Vinyasa class. These are some of the reasons you shouldn’t use ChatGPT to sequence your vinyasa classes.

Looks like a point for the humans today!

Humans: 1

Machines: 0

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01/27/2023
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Yoga bolster resting on two blocks on top of a yoga mat

A Beginner’s Guide To Yoga Props: 4 Essential Yoga Props

By Yoga Asana, Yoga Teacher Training

What props do I need for yoga?

While props aren’t necessary for a yoga practice, they do come in handy. Props can be used for additional support, steadier balance and even a deeper stretch when settling into yoga poses. The type of props you will need also vary depending on the type of yoga class it is. For example, a restorative practice is probably going to use more blankets and bolsters, whereas a vinyasa flow may be reliant on blocks and straps. The utilization of props isn’t dependent on ability but rather the purpose of the pose. People in very advanced yoga classes will often use blocks when they feel they need added support to perfect their alignment in a pose, or use straps to provide a wider opening of parts of the body that may not be as flexible.

1. Blocks

Yoga Blocks

women using wooden block as help with her yoga practice poseB.K.S. Iyengar first introduced yoga blocks into his practice to better assist himself and his students’ alignment in the asanas. Iyengar would use wooden blocks, but over the years other materials have taken the place of wood. Blocks have since then been heavily incorporated into almost every style of yoga. They also come in different dimensions, with the most common being 4 x 6 x 9 inches. They have different weights as well, with the standard being around 12-13 ounces. 

Common materials of yoga blocks: 

  • Cork
  • Foam
  • Wood

When to use blocks:

Any pose that makes you wish the floor would come to meet you halfway is a good pose to use a block. For example, in Triangle pose, place a block on the outside of your front leg and rest your bottom hand on the block. Try starting with the block at its tallest, then in time work on getting it to the middle, or lowest height before being able to reach the floor with your bottom hand. You can also use blocks to help with balance, such as placing a block under one or both hands for support in Warrior III if you are unable to balance with your arms outstretched in front of you.

You can also use blocks as support under the back or legs. For example, under the sacrum in Bridge Pose, or under each leg in Cobbler’s Pose. Adding extra support allows the muscles to relax into the pose more easily.

A few more of the many options for using blocks include:

  • Placing blocks under both hands in Camel Pose or Wide-Angle Forward Fold
  • Use the lowest height under both hands in Upward Facing Dog to take strain off the wrists
  • Use as a foot stand for balance in Eagle Pose, or place under your seat in Pigeon Pose.

A yoga block is probably the most versatile of all the yoga props, so it’s usually wise to purchase them first.

2. Pillows/Bolsters

Pillows/Bolsters

women laying on ground with pillow doing yoga posesPillows and bolsters are a great way to find comfort when you need a soft, cushiony space for yourself in a pose. Bolsters are ideal for restorative and yin poses, as they add the extra support often needed in deep, restful poses. Pillows are a great addition for teachers and students to sit on when a block is just a bit too hard or rough.

When to use pillows and bolsters:

Pillows can provide extra cushion or space that can make many poses more accessible or more comfortable. In some poses, you may find you need more support from a bolster if your pillows are too flat or small.

Here are a couple ways to incorporate bolsters and/or pillows into your practice:

  • Tuck a bolster under your back in Reclined Goddess Pose
  • Place under your seat in Hero Pose or under a leg in Pigeon Pose
  • Rest your legs on pillows in Reclined Supine Twist
  • You can also use bolsters and pillows when doing Legs up the Wall or lying in Savasana

3. Straps

Straps

women using band to help with her stretchingStraps come in a wide variety of lengths and styles for purchase. Straps will help you deepen stretches without compromising the position of your back and can be used in many poses.

When to use straps:

Straps are beneficial for muscle tension, such as tight hamstrings, or when you need some extra length in stretching the shoulders or legs.

Here are a couple ways to utilize a yoga strap:

  1. In Seated Forward Fold, you can wrap a strap around the balls of your feet and hold one side of the strap in each hand; gently pull yourself toward your feet with the straps, keeping a straight back rather than hunching over to force the pose.
  2. In Cow Face Pose, if you are unable to bind your arms behind your back, hold one end of the strap in each hand and slowly wrap the strap around your wrist to bring the hands closer together with time.
  3. Use a strap to modify King Pigeon or Dancer Pose by looping it around the front of your foot, just below the toes and holding the other end with your hands to slowly bring your bent leg closer.

4. Blanket(s)

Yoga Props Essentials Beginners Guide Blanket

Blanket(s)

Folded blankets is are easy yoga props to have on hand and can be used in more ways than you might think. They are the perfect addition to savasana for added comfort and warmth.

When to use a blanket/blankets:

  • Use a folded blanket as support under the knees in any pose with the knee on the mat such as Low Lunge, Cat/Cow, or Gate Pose.
  • Use a folded blanket under the wrists, (with the wrists being higher than the fingertips), to reduce wrist pain.
  • Use a folded blanket under the wrists in Upward Facing Dog, Downward Dog, Cat/Cow, or any pose where you put weight into the hands.
  • A folded blanket under your seat in Hero Pose or Child’s Pose will work if a pillow is unavailable or too large.
  • And of course, (as mentioned above), use a blanket to be warm and cozy during Savasana.

Practical prop substitutions

If you are unable to come in contact with yoga props, household items will usually do. Books, boxes, canned goods, or other sturdy, square-shaped items can work in place of the yoga blocks. A towel or even a cozy blanket can substitute for an actual yoga blanket. Belts, towels, or rolled up t-shirts can step in for the use of yoga straps and bed pillows can make a great substitution for legitimate yoga pillows.

All of these substitutions will come in handy when practicing specific types of yoga. For example, if you are more inclined to attend or lead a restorative yoga class, you may be more inclined to keep blankets, bolsters and blocks on hand. If you’re attending or leading a vinyasa class, blocks and straps are probably more appropriate. Below are a list of the common props needed for each practice based on the movements and alignment of the poses practiced in each style.

Props for Yin Yoga

  • Bolsters
  • Blocks
  • Blankets

Props for Restorative Yoga

  • Bolsters
  • Blocks
  • Blankets

Props for a Vinyasa flow

  • Blocks
  • Straps
  • Blankets

Props for Iyengar Yoga

  • Blocks
  • Straps

Additional props you can use

Beyond these basic prop suggestions comes a multitude of additional props you can use to enhance your practice. Most of the time, it will depend on what type of class you are teaching. For example, sand bags, eye pillows, wheels, wedges, gripping gloves and socks, are all items utilized in a yoga practice to enhance the comfort, mobility and versatility of a class. Whatever yoga props you use, use them with confidence, and know that they are great tools to further your yoga practice.

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01/27/2023
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Supported fish with bound angle pose

Weekly Class Theme: Heart Chakra

By Yoga Teachers

This week we’re exploring the fourth chakra, the heart chakra or Anahata. The rainbow bridge, as Anodea Judith refers to it, is connected by the heart chakra — connecting the lower (earth) and the upper (ethereal) chakras.

Within the chakra system there are two directions of flow:

  1. The path of liberation — starts at the first (root) chakra and works up to the seventh (crown).
  2. The path of manifestation  — starts at the seventh (crown) chakra and works down to the first (root). The balance of both are what contributes to our wholeness.

The heart chakra encapsulates:

  • Balance
  • Love
  • Self-reflection
  • Self-acceptance
  • Relationships
  • Intimacy
  • Grief
  • Devotion.

In first chakra, we took the time to ground ourselves and to acknowledge our roots and our physical form. In second chakra we connected with our emotional realm giving us the ability to perceive pleasurable vs. not pleasurable. In third chakra we stepped into our sense of self and began to develop our personal willpower. Now imagine taking all of that and throwing some love into the mix.

Love for oneself and love for others (our relationships) set the groundwork for massive growth, transformation, and expression. Love brings magic into our lives and widens our perspective. Think about how your perspective shifts when you are in a romantic relationship. You might see things differently and try to intentionally understand another because of love.

It’s not just the bright side of love that presents the opportunity to shift, but with true love may come grief. The loss of love of oneself or another whether it be through a breakup or death presents an opportunity to grow through pain (if we allow it of course). The matters of the heart are surely no joke, but the heart is strong. With self-compassion, reflection, acceptance, and trust in time, things work their way back into balance.

Supporting Pose #1: Lizard (Utthan Pristhasana)

Lizard pose

The lower body portion of our peak pose definitely requires an opening of the groin muscles. Lizard is a nice choice to begin opening in that direction. It’s also relatively accessible for practitioners as there’s many ways to use props (or not) to serve each body.

How to:

  1. From downward facing dog, step the right foot to the outside of the right hand.
  2. Lower the left knee to floor.
  3. Options to have the palms on the ground or blocks, or to lower the forearms down to the ground.

*It’s okay to let the right hip open to widen the knee further and perhaps come to the outer blade of the foot, especially with this week’s peak pose.

Supporting Pose #2: Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana II)

Warrior II

Warrior 2 is another great pose for widening the groin and the chest (two focuses of our peak pose).

  1. From downward facing dog, step the right foot forward for low lunge.
  2. Swivel the left heel down so the left foot is more or less parallel to the short side of the mat.
  3. Bend the right knee at 90 degrees and bring the torso upright so the crown of the head is aiming towards the ceiling.
  4. Widen the right knee over the second and third toe so the inner thigh can lengthen.
  5. Spread the arms towards the front and back of the room and take the gaze over the front middle finger.

Supporting Pose #3: Pyramid with Reverse Prayer (Parsvottanasana)

Pyramid pose with reverse prayer hands

The legs in the split position as found in pyramid contribute to the lengthening of the groin muscles (just be careful to not shorten the stance too much). The reverse prayer portion of this pose to help to firm the upper back in and draw the shoulder blades together in service of widening the chest.

How to:

  1. From warrior I, swim the arms behind the back and join the palms together with the fingers aiming up towards the head. It helps to hinge forward a bit and “crawl” the hands towards the upper back.
  2. Straighten the legs and lift the kneecaps.
  3. Press the left heel down and draw the right hip back as the torso hinges forward.
  4. As the upper body dives down, ensure to pull the shoulder blades towards one another to keep widening the chest.
  5. Work the nose in the direction of the knee.

Peak Pose: Supported Fish + Reclined Bound Angle (Matsyasana + Supta Baddha Konasana)

Supported fish + bound angle pose

This pose may be intense for some and for others it may feel more relaxing. But in terms of really tending to the heart, I feel like this is a great pose. It opens up the front body which creates optimal space for the lungs and presents the opportunity for the practitioner’s nervous system to settle so the heart can be offered in a really compassionate way.

How to:

  1. Set up the blocks for supported fish so that one block is set up on the low/medium setting horizontally and the other is on the medium/high setting (respectively) vertically.
  2. Lie down so that the horizontal block is supporting the shoulder blades and the vertical block is supporting the head. There may be some discomfort here, but generally speaking this should feel supportive and like it can be sustained for at least a couple minutes.
  3. Bring the soles of the feet together and widen the knees. Depending on how long you are here, you can support the legs with blocks or a blanket.
  4. Allow the arms to stretch out towards the side in a comfortable manner. If the arms feel unsupported, you can place blankets or pillows under the forearms.

Sources: Eastern Body, Western Mind by Anodea Judith

01/25/2023
Love7
Alex Plante in Triangle Pose

3 Reasons to Enroll in a 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training

By Yoga Teachers

What brings anyone to do anything? Usually, general interest, right? Or is it that we seek fulfillment? Maybe it’s for the sheer fact that something random piqued our interest and it seemed attainable… 

Usually when people decide to step into their 200 hour yoga teacher training, it’s by some random bit of fate — literally the right place at the right time.

Whatever your reason, here are the top three reasons (in our opinion):

1. You’ll Reap Immense Benefits On and Off the Mat

The things you learn in a yoga teacher training course stretch beyond the mat and into everyday life. You’ll not only learn all the major poses, but you’ll also learns what it actually means to be living in the present moment (and how to be conscious of it).

Your learnings inside your training can span beyond just the physical practice, creating space for you to find peace within yourself (a feat that not too many feel comfortable coming to terms with). Some of these teachings may even spill onto the relationships you’ve cultivated in a healthy way; a more patient you can make for a more patient and peaceful circle of people around you. They say,

“If you want to change the world, you must start with yourself.”

Woman kicking foot up to prep for forearm stand

2. You’ll Get Regular Exercise + Peace of Mind

On a basic level, yoga serves as an excellent form of exercise. A lot of times, this is what initially brings people to at least try yoga — they want to be more flexible, they want to touch their toes, they want to have more mobility in their shoulders to crush it on the tennis courts, etc.

One of the most transformative benefits of practicing yoga is the fact that it bridges the connection between the body and the mind, fluidly. You may have never thought of it this way before, but the breath is the one thing we do actively when we are awake and subconsciously when we are asleep. It is the one thing that we do both consciously and unconsciously and plays an integral role in the yoga practice.

Yoga Teachers sitting in window

3. You’ll Build Honest + Life-changing Connections

A 200 hour yoga certification can also lead to valuable personal and professional connections. Regardless of whether you’re looking for new friends or are interested in networking opportunities, yoga training is an excellent setting to form such connections. There are many tales of yogis who go on to make lifelong connections from their teacher trainings, remembering their teachers/mentors along the way and the knowledge they provided them with.

It’s hard to encapsulate the feeling and speak on behalf of everyone who embarks in their 200 hour journey, but this much we know is true: the experience is more delightful than it is painful and the enlightenment that we achieve brings us that much closer to existential bliss.

 

You may just change your life…

A 200 hour yoga teacher training is the first step toward a journey inward. While you’ll meet some incredible people along the way, it is always for you. We always encourage yogis to do their research before deciding where to enroll in their YTT, and usually it tends to be at a studio they are loyal to. However, in recent years, it’s become increasingly popular to enroll in a yoga teacher training online. Both options will provide you with all the information necessary and any good online platform will offer the support, look and feel of an in-studio teacher training.

Here at YogaRenew, we adhered to the qualifications necessary to be a Registered Yoga School (RYSÂŽ) with Yoga Alliance. This means that if you choose to enroll in any of our trainings or courses, you will receive Yoga Alliance accreditation. Be mindful when deciding where to complete your yoga teacher training as this extra layer of accreditation can help speak to the validity of the information you’re learning and teaching.

 

01/25/2023
Love1

“Yoga Saved My Life.”

By Lifestyle & Wellness, Yoga Teachers

You never really know what you’re getting into when you ask someone about their life when they make a statement that powerful (something saving their life). For me, I knew the outline (more or less) of Trevor’s life, but never in the capacity in which he was able to explain it.

Trevor Vaughan, Founder and CEO of HudsonSeed and the Director of the Children’s Yoga Online Teacher Training program at YogaRenew, has lived nine lives… truly. His journey towards becoming a certified yoga instructor is a heavy one, and his path now, an enlightened one. The knowledge he learned along the way is usually only accumulated by that of someone at least 20 years older than him. But that didn’t make the wisdom any less inspiring.

Here is the story of how yoga, quite literally, saved his life…

The beginning

Trevor knew from an early age that he would want to go fast and push his luck far. Ever since he can remember, he’s always felt like somewhat of an outcast and was never really able to pinpoint what made him feel so different. He lived a perfectly normal life with two, loving Irish-American parents growing up in Queens. It just so happened he ended up with a natural affinity for booze that would eventually lead him down a path so muddy, you almost wouldn’t believe it.

Feeling like an outsider for most of his life, forced this inclination for Trevor to become something…and that something was to be a distinctive person in a room full of other humans. This longing to be accepted in social settings and his eagerness to try things (knowing he longed for a deeper jolt in life going beyond basketball at the local park or riding bikes with the neighborhood kids), pushed Trevor to make his way to one of the most fast-paced, substance abusing, free-for-all environments there is: Wall Street.

Having never really succeeded in a college setting because of his relationship with booze, despite being wicked intelligent and intellectually capable beyond his physical years, he was more interested in running an internship that eventually led him to a lengthy battle with screaming and shouting on the trading floor. This led to long nights out, battling the demons he eventually had no control over.

“For some reason, I never felt safe, or that cool or good enough…like everyone else was in on it but I wasn’t in on it…the second I had that cocktail, then I felt like I was it,” he said.

Trevor explained to me that he later learned the feeling of warmth and connection he so desperately sought was that same exact feeling you search for in yoga.

“Bliss and annihilation are kindred spirits, you know…”

As he tells me all about his journey finding his way into interning with someone on Wall Street. With his college grades suffering, he knew he had to take another route, and he decided jumping straight into work could be something better for him.

During his first few weeks, as soon as he enters the trading floor, he sees the papers flying around, numbers everywhere, and feels the high-energy of everything around him, he immediately feels a sense of being home.

Things were jelling for a while — money came easy, Trevor was able to juggle the precarious balance of his chaotic existence. Until eventually, he started getting anxiety while drinking and the drinking didn’t alleviate the anxiety…and then he found himself suffering.

“I don’t remember much of my 30s…” he went on to say.

The middle

Dear friend & fellow yogi, Lindsey Rozmes, Trevor, and other dear friend and mentor, Patrick Franco sitting in lotus pose together

First, let me paint the picture – 39 years old, taking pills in the morning to help him get through the day, after work drinking and all the other accouterments – this was Trevor’s reality…even worse, this was his life.

He starts losing a tremendous amount of weight and starts getting really sick. One day, he gets pulled off the trading floor on a stretcher (this would go on to happen more than once). He ended up spending a couple months in the ICU.

“We don’t have a time machine and now I get to experience karma,” Trevor says, as he speaks of the complete rebirth he had.

He eventually gets out of the hospital, and starts his recovery journey. Trevor starts getting real involved in service. The steps in yoga, he says, are very much tied together to what he experienced in recovery.

It was November of 2013, Trevor was still working on Wall Street, his body in immense pain, on fifteen medications a day. A friend in recovery suggested yoga.

Trevor immediately rejected the idea that his macho, money-making, party-starting, fast-paced lifestyle would do well in a yoga setting… even if his booze-riddled and arthritis-prone body would be able to handle it. He remembers thinking to himself, “You want me, a Wall Street dude, to go in and do yoga?”

But… he tried it anyway.

When Trevor first arrived at the studio, he had to walk up two flights of stairs and could barely do it. Suffering from Rheumatoid arthritis, being severely scared of people, only sharing intimate interactions with his dog (who also remains by his side to this day), Poochie, he tried his hardest to go through with taking the class.

He had to borrow a mat, he was wearing socks, thinking everyone in the room was staring at him.

And then she spoke.

“Everyone stand in Mountain Pose… and breathe,” the teacher led the class with.

There’s a song called Everyday in its Right Place, by Radiohead, that Trevor said he’s “tripped so hard to this song,” coincidentally was playing during that first class. The breathing. The movement. The song. He started crying and thought to himself, “I do believe in the universe.”

In recovery, turning it over to a higher power, resonated in Trevor’s head as he flowed through class.

“THIS WAS MEANT TO BE,” he thought.

He got into his Downward Dog. This was meant to be. He breathed in, he breathed out, it was very difficult, but he was able to get into the flow state until eventually he felt “locked into flow.”

“In Savasana I decided, this is what I’m going to do everyday for the rest of my life.”

Patrick Franco, one of the teachers at Devotion where Trevor first started practicing, eventually ended up leaving and starting his own practice known as Hudson Yoga Project (HYP) where Trevor would take his newly found love, admiration, and lifestyle.

Biological, mental and spiritual anxiety dissipating post sobriety through the power of yoga, he decided he would stay loyal to the practice.

And he did.

The end…and the beginning

Trevor and dear friend and partner for Children’s Yoga at YogaRenew, Julie Pasqual

Living, breathing, and loving yoga, he would then go on to partner with YogaRenew to create the Children’s Yoga Teacher Training. Trevor couldn’t stress the importance of service enough, and what better way to serve, he feels, than educating and interacting with the youth.

Trevor’s world-renowned program teaches kids yoga and helps yoga instructors become certified in the specific art of leading kids yoga classes. He goes to schools all around New Jersey, signing them on board to instruct and lead yoga classes for kids in different time slots throughout the day. Known as Mister Trevor, the work he does with these children keeps Trevor on a path of peace and service…and he couldn’t imagine his life any other way.

He continues to practice yoga at the YogaRenew headquarters in Hoboken and can also be found frequenting rock concerts of only the raddest of bands with fellow yogis and friends.

Trevor’s recommended reading:

The Creative Act: A Way of Being

A New Look at the Science of Yoga and How It Can Transform Your Life

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01/18/2023
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