Skip to main content
Melanie Rodriguez in camel pose with her arm up, looking at the camera excitedly

Weekly Class Theme: Love ❤️

By Yoga Teachers

When sitting down to write this class theme on love, I actually found myself getting a little stumped. I feel like the word love is heard and shared often. We talk about how much we love someone or something. We talk about how important love is. We talk about cultivating love and the joy of being in love. There are books on love, poems on love, and it always seems that the highest rated podcasts are about love.

Love is like this thing that all humans are after…and for good reason. Love is one of the highest frequency emotions. When we talk about emotions, we are talking about energy in motion. As human beings, we’re constantly emitting an energy frequency. We have the option to emit high frequency emotions such as freedom, bliss, and love or low frequency emotions such as anger, jealousy, and guilt. Living with those high frequency emotions allow us to live in and experience the present moment to the fullest.

Love particularly, whether it be shared within or with another, has the ability to break down walls and stand with integrity. Love guides us towards full acceptance of oneself and those around us. Love supports us in honoring others’ needs and boundaries while at the same time honoring our own.

Because love is so sweet, I feel as if it is perceived as something that is rare. Only to be achieved if and when we are in some sort of relationship with another. But the truth is that love can and dare I say, should, be cultivated within to live in a constant state of love. I do believe the key to life and everything we desire is love. If we can live a life where we are completely and utterly in love with ourselves, then everything we have ever wanted is within reach.

Supporting Pose 1: Hero’s Pose (Virasana)

Virasana gets the shins and ankles on the ground prepping for the eventual peak pose. It also teaches to hug the outer ankle bones in so that the ankle can be properly aligned for weight support.

How to:

  1. Sit on your mat with smooth shins, aka tops of the feet flat on the ground.
  2. Nestle your bum between your feet and hug the outer ankle bones in around the sides of your bum. An option would be to sit on a block with the outer ankle bones firming in around the sides of the block.
  3. Bring your knees towards one another so they are not splaying out unconsciously and press the shins into the ground.
  4. Sit well with the head, chest, pelvis in line with one another.

Supporting Pose 2: Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana)

Extended side angle is a great pose to prep for dancing camel. For one, it gets into the inner groin muscles a bit which assists in backbending. This pose also requires the sacrum to have some forward movement so that the hips don’t jut back into space which would put the pelvis out of alignment. And three, the arm being overhead mimics the arm position in dancing camel.

How to:

  1. From warrior 2, hinge at the right hip and bring your right forearm to your right thigh. You can also place your hand to the ground or to a block outside your leg.
  2. Widen your right knee so the inner thigh is long, press the root of your left thigh back, and firm your sacrum forward. All these actions done together hopefully create good alignment in the lower body.
  3. Take your left arm overhead and alongside your ear and open the corners of your chest. Firm the shoulder blades towards one another to assist with the open chest and the top arm alongside your ear.
  4. Turn your belly and chest towards the side wall.

Supporting Pose 3: Wild Thing (Camatkarasana)

Wild thing has many similarities to dancing camel. This pose teaches the appropriate actions of the head, neck, arms, upper back, chest, and pelvis. It also carries a similar vibe as this pose too has a somewhat “dancing” aspect to it.

How to:

  1. From downward facing dog, lift the right leg off the floor for three-legged dog.
  2. Bend the right knee and open the hip.
  3. Start to flip your dog by bringing the right foot towards the floor behind you and simultaneously rotating the left heel to ground similar to what you would see in warrior 2.
  4. Lift your right arm off the ground and as your belly and chest begin to face upward reach the right arm overhead alongside your ear.
  5. Press your left hand into the ground, press your sacrum up towards the sky, and firm the upper back in to achieve this backbend.
  6. To exit, soften your knees to flip back over to downward facing dog.

Peak Pose: Dancing Camel (Ustrasana)

Camel itself is such a beautiful heart opener. Add in the “dancing” portion and now we’re really talking about moving through the sweet flow of life. The breath and body being in sync through the fluid movements creates a feeling of coherency and love.

How to:

  1. Come to a kneeling position with smooth shins.
  2. As you inhale, lift the bum away from the heels of the feet to a high kneeling position.
  3. Firm the outer ankle bones in so there’s integrity along the outer edges of the feet and shins.
  4. Press your sacrum forward as you reach your right arm back (and bring the right shoulder blade towards your spine) to connect your right hand to your right heel.
  5. Sweep the left arm across your face and over your head alongside your ear. Firm the shoulder blades in.
  6. On your exhale, come to center (release the hand from the foot and bring your bum to your heels).
  7. On your inhale repeat on the other side. Continue to “dance” back and forth moving with your breath for 4-10 rounds or when it feels intuitive to stop.
12/13/2022
Love3
Person in Warrior I on a black yoga mat with arms up overhead

Weekly Class Theme: Gratitude ✨

By Yoga Teachers

Being immersed in the holiday spirit makes it a wonderful time to focus on the driving force behind it all: gratitude.

But, what exactly is gratitude and how do we bring gratitude effectively into our lives on a regular basis?

Gratitude comes from the latin root word “gratus,” which means “pleasing” or “thankful.”  Gratitude is a high frequency emotion, so when it is the main emotion present, lower frequency emotions such as: anger, resentment, or jealousy don’t have as much room to shine… if any at all.

When gratitude is tied simply to each present moment as opposed to being tied to attachments such as material items, life becomes a wild, beautiful ride. When we learn to be grateful not only for the categorically good things we have in our lives, but also the challenges we face and the pain that teaches us lessons, life itself becomes a reason in itself to express gratitude.

It is possible to live everyday with gratitude. We don’t need a particular day, although a particular day can indeed catalyze one’s journey!

✨ Mini practice for gratitude: Try to sit in meditation for 5-10 minutes focusing on the emotion of gratitude. Try to open your heart to the actual feeling of gratitude. You might use past experiences or imagine what gratitude would feel like in your body. Repeat this daily! (and of course, you can use your mat as an invitation to put yourself in such a state through your body and mind).

Peak Pose: Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

Girl in Warrior I on yoga mat

Whenever I take class with my teacher, Julie, at the Bhakti Center in NYC we chant the Maha Mantra when we get into Warrior I. We open our hearts towards the ceiling, reach the hands up like the hands are either an extension of or a conduit of the heart, and offer our chant up to the divine Krishna. The only way to adequately offer ourselves up to the higher entity is if we are offering from a full cup. A full cup comes from love, which I believe gratitude is the precursor for.

Supporting Pose 1: Crescent Lunge (Anjaneyasana)

Girl in crescent lunge

Don’t these poses look similar? Crescent lunge will teach the action of the front leg, the opening of the back frontal hip, and the actions of the torso.

How to:

  1. From low lunge, bring your back knee down to the floor and flatten the top of your foot to the mat.
  2. Press your sacrum forward as you reach your hands up to the sky to frame your head.
  3. Draw your shoulder blades towards one another to reach the center of the chest forward and up. Ensure the front of your rib basket is not excessively jutting forward by firming the front ribs in.

Supporting Pose 2: Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Warrior Two Pose on a yoga mat

If there were two poses that were siblings, I think it would be Warrior I and Warrior II. They are good teachers for one another as they have similar, yet slightly different characteristics. This is an open hip posture (hips open to side) while Warrior I is a closed hip posture (hips face forward). The good thing about Warrior II, is that because it is an open hip pose it is *generally* a bit more accessible compared to Warrior I and so can act as a great teacher.

How to:

  1. From downward facing dog, step the right foot between your hands.
  2. Spin the left heel down so it’s more or less parallel to the short side of your mat. Slightly turned in is okay too to encourage internal rotation of the back thigh.
  3. Keeping the front leg bent at an ideal* 90 degrees and your back leg straight, bring the torso upright and ensure the hips, belly button, and chest are facing the side wall. Sometimes the back hip will creep forward so press the left thigh and left side of the pelvis towards the opposite side wall that your back is to.
  4. Ensure all four corners of both feet are planted as you spread your arms into a T-shape at shoulder height and look over your right middle finger. Note: the left side is pictured.

Supporting Pose 3: Warrior III

Girl in warrior 3 pose

All the warriors are here today! Warrior III is a great prep pose for warrior I. It moves the body in the same place as warrior I, can teach the energy needed for the back leg to firm the thigh, and can teach proper actions for the hips and chest.

How to:

  1. From high lunge, hinge the torso forward at the hip.
  2. Take the weight onto the front leg as you lift the back leg off the floor.
  3. Flex and spread the back toes as you energize the back leg up and in line with the pelvis.
  4. Compact your hips in as your reach your chest and head forward. Ensure the front of the rib basket isn’t falling to the floor unconsciously. Pull the front ribs in to fill the lower back.
  5. Arms can be in any variation so long as there is consciousness to the integrity of the upper back. Arms reaching forward and framing the ears might better mirror warrior III or you might want arms by the side to give them a rest in preparation for warrior III.

Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

How to:

  1. From downward facing dog, step the right foot behind the right wrist.
  2. Spin the left heel down at  about 45 degrees.
  3. With the right leg bent at about 90 degrees* and the left leg straight, bring the torso upright. *Not everyone’s body will reach the full 90 degrees, and that’s okay!
  4. Ensure all four corners of both feet are planted as you reach your hands up to the sky. Bring your hands together or have them shoulder distance apart.
  5. Draw your shoulder blades towards one another and press your sacrum forward as you press your heart up towards the sky.
  6. Gaze to or between your hands and maybe chant the Maha Mantra.

The Maha Mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare!

12/07/2022
Love4
A blonde woman giving an assist on a woman in all purple laying on the floor with a bolster under her knees

9 Benefits of Restorative Yoga

By Yoga Asana

Do you ever eat something that you know is good for you, but research the benefits of it to feel even better about eating it? I do this almost every time I want to eat pizza, but prepare something that’s much more nourishing instead I research the benefits of the spices, the vegetables, and whatever additional ingredients are involved in the recipe so I don’t just grab the pizza I was craving. Pizza is easy and it’s also satisfying, but if I eat it every day, I know I won’t feel good. It’s also easy to skip my restorative yoga practice, but I never feel good about it when I do…

It’s a little too easy to lean into the things in life that don’t necessarily benefit you. It’s a little too easy to just order takeout or stay on the couch than to prepare something nurturing or to roll out your yoga mat and move. Whenever I’m lacking the motivation to do the things that are really good for me, I get motivated by reminding myself how and why they’re good for me.

There are so many amazing benefits of restorative yoga! I could go on and on about them, but some of the ones that get me excited to come onto my mat are:

1. Restorative yoga will slow things down

Most restorative poses are held for minutes at a time, so your mind and body will have a chance to slow down. If you’re coming home from work or if you just feel like your mind is moving in a million directions, the restorative yoga practice will help you create a little more space around everything that’s going on. The world we live in is naturally fast-paced — people want quick fixes and immediate answers, so it’s too easy to be tuned up or burnt out whenever you’re trying to slow down.

When you give your mind and body the space for quiet and slowness, which is what the restorative practice creates, you will begin to see what needs your attention and what isn’t really that important. You’ll be able to make decisions from a calmer place instead of giving into the immediacy life sometimes demands.

The most effective restorative yoga poses:

  • Legs up the wall
  • Supported fish
  • Childs pose
  • Supported savasana
  • Supported pigeon

2. Restorative yoga can help you sleep

Whether you’ve heard of it already or not, your body has something beautiful called the parasympathetic nervous system. When the parasympathetic nervous system is activated through restorative yoga, your body enters a state of relaxation. If you choose to practice right before bedtime, you’ll bring these benefits right into bed with you.

You’ll be less tempted to scroll through your cell phone or reach for the television remote when you’re already relaxed and ready to unwind. You’ll actually be excited and motivated to get under the covers and get to sleep. Also, your sleep may be much more peaceful and uninterrupted because you’ve already unwinded from your day.

3. You might find yourself more energized

Since restorative yoga puts your nervous system at ease, you might find yourself less burnt out. When you’re able to take quality rest, you’re more likely to move through your day with a lot more energy and with much more focus. You may even notice that you don’t have any brain fog and that you’re much more attentive.

I often recommend replacing that afternoon coffee with one or two restorative poses. There are some poses that are actually quite energizing, but in a way that replenishes your energy instead of over stimulating you. These are perfect for that afternoon pick-me-up.

Restorative yoga poses that will energize you:

  • Supported, seated wide leg forward fold
  • Supported bridge pose
  • Restorative twist
  • Sage’s twist

4. You’ll be much more in-tune with what your body needs

One of the goals of restorative yoga is to find balance in your body. When you’re in balance, you’re much more aware of your needs and potential deficiencies. Your body is so intelligent that when it’s lacking something, you’ll get a craving or you’ll feel like you need to rest or simply spend some time alone.

This practice helps your body find the balance it needs to tap into its inner intelligence. You’ll find yourself responding to calls and messages from a much more sincere place and you’ll probably be much happier with the things you say yes to. When you’re balanced on the inside, you can make decisions that keep your environment balanced all around you.

The importance of props & why modifications help!

Restorative yoga is all about the usage of props in order to maximize stretches and get the best results. Bolsters, blocks and blankets are the most popular yoga props utilized in restorative yoga. In addition, you can often use eye masks or even the assistance of another person (usually the teacher) to press on your body, known as “hands on assists,” to get you deeper into the poses. It’s also important to modify the way you use the props so that the set up is specific to your body. An experienced restorative yoga teacher will be able to tell you how to properly place your props so that you reach maximum comfort in each pose.

5. You’ll make choices that make you happier

Since you’ll be coming back to balance and understanding what you need to do to stay balanced, you’ll probably find yourself in situations that bring you joy as opposed to the ones that deplete you. Sometimes, when you don’t know what you need or want, you might say yes to everything.

Saying yes to everything can be one of the causes of burnout, so knowing what you want and don’t want is so beneficial. Restorative yoga will help you make decisions from a sincere place It’ll help you choose what’s good for you and know when to say no to what’s not.

6. You’ll probably find yourself a bit more mindful

There’s a lot of talk of mindfulness these days. That’s because it’s one of the ways to live a much more healthy and fulfilling life. When you’re tuned into how certain food, people, music, movies, and situations make you feel, it can be much easier to cultivate what makes you feel good into your life. If you don’t really know what you want, you might find yourself in situations where you’re just unhappy and unfulfilled.

Over time, the restorative yoga practice can help you make better decisions. You’ll be able to pause and ask yourself if something is good for you or not so great for you. You’ll empower yourself with the knowledge of realizing what keeps you balanced. You’ll know why you’re saying no to certain things and yes to others.

7. It’s a way to recover

Restorative yoga will definitely help you recover from any physical activity you’ve gone though, but it’ll also help you recover from the mental and emotional things as well. Anything that makes you feel sad, angry, or even lonely can be something that you actually do need to recover from. Too often, there isn’t enough time to process situations that may have caused you to cry or scream — maybe you held it all in and thought you had to just get over it.

You need to recover from anything that brings you out of balance and taking the time on your yoga mat can help you move through anything emotional that’s been brought up. Restorative poses will help you process emotions instead of ignoring them.

8. You’ll actually understand savasana

I know I can’t be the only one who used to struggle with savasana — I actually still struggle with it to this day! It’s common for your mind to wander and to think about to-do lists or whether or not you fed your cat. The nature of the mind is to move towards distractions and everyone struggles with quieting their mind. There’s just too much going on in this life and there are too many things to remember or think about on a daily basis.

The good news is that in restorative yoga, you will get a much longer savasana. It’s not uncommon to practice savasana for 10-15 minutes or longer, as opposed to a vinyasa or hatha yoga class where you might be in savasana for about 5 minutes. A longer savasana means more time to understand the benefits of it by actually feeling them and experiencing them. When you’re in a pose like savasana for that long, your mind will naturally settle down and your body will begin to receive the benefits. It’s a true reset for your nervous system!

9. You’ll feel the benefits in your other yoga classes

Once you start adding restorative yoga to your routine, you’ll probably notice that your mind is a little more relaxed in some of your other yoga classes. You will be much more connected to your breath and your body as you move through your vinyasa or hatha classes. This is because you’ll have spent so much time in your restorative practice establishing homeostasis in your body, so you won’t be seeking ways to do that elsewhere.

If you’ve ever gone into your vinyasa practice during a time when you’ve been depleted and burnt out, you probably felt even more depleted and burnt out afterwards. Once you begin practicing restorative yoga, you’ll be able to move through these other classes feeling more balanced at the end.

Let’s practice!

If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of restorative yoga or becoming certified to teach restorative yoga classes, please check out our restorative yoga teacher training. In this training, we go much deeper into some of the other benefits of the practice and also the benefits of each of the poses

Restorative yoga can be for everyone because there are endless ways to set up the poses and modify them for most people and body types. This is a practice that I believe almost everyone should be doing to establish balance and bliss in this life. I’d love to have you in this training!

12/07/2022
Love1
Melanie Rodriguez of YogaRenew in handstand against the wall on a yoga mat

Weekly Class Theme: Aparigraha

By Yoga Teachers

Alas, we are at our last stop of our journey through the Yamas! Upon the completion of reading this article, you will [hopefully] have a grasp of each Yama and how incorporating them into your life can enhance your sense of self, your relationships with others, and your perception of the world around you. In addition, you’ll have some wonderful ideas of how to plan your asana classes in order to honor each of these jewels.

So let’s talk about Aparigraha…

Aparigraha is known as non-possessiveness or non-attachment. This is the yama which asks us to fully let go of our attachments to people, ideas, things, and expectations so that we can experience all that life really has to offer us.

I believe it is much easier said than done to just “let go,” as this requires us to release our ideas of what should be vs. what is, familiarity vs. unfamiliarity, known vs. unknown. As humans, we seek to cling onto the things which have brought us joy in the past and we attempt to plan our lives to make things as predictable as possible. But, as humans we also know that these efforts turn out to be futile no matter how hard we try. And yet we try and try again.

So here’s your call to action. Why not just let go? Whatever you might be dealing with right now, how about you release yourself from the overthinking and the expectations? Let yourself be suspended in mid-air and just see where that may take you. Yes, there might be discomfort but trust that your practice will support you and you may find yourself in a better place than you could have ever imagined.

Peak Pose: Handstand Against the Wall (Adho Mukha Vrksasana)

I know, two upside down arm balances in a row?! Why not? I think handstand is such an amazing pose to highlight the principles of aparigraha. It requires us to trust our bodies, our practice, and in this case…the wall! I often find that some students have self-limiting beliefs about this pose. They think they are not strong enough, not “good” enough, or not brave enough. After preparation, those same students enter into the pose (with the use of the wall and sometimes a hands-on assist) and you can see in their faces how those thoughts are dashed. Physical and mental preparation help the practitioner with this posture, but it’s that moment where the student decides to let go and just “go for it” which ultimately gets one upside down.

Supporting Pose 1: Upward Hands (Urdhva Hastasana)

Upward hands pose is basically in EVERY VINYASA YOGA CLASS. So it would be wise to use the pose as preparation for handstand as it is essentially the same pose right side up. It’s generally accessible and familiar and you can teach the actions of handstand from head to toe all while standing on your feet.

How to:

  1. Stand with your feet either hips width distance apart or together. You might opt to have the feet together since that mimics the peak pose.
  2. Press the four corners of the feet down and lift the kneecaps up.
  3. Reach the arms to the sky and bring the biceps alongside the ears. Spread your fingers to the hands and arms are active and toned.
  4. Pull the front ribs and frontal hip points towards one another to avoid an excessive anterior tilt of the pelvis and a jutting forward of the rib basket.
  5. Keep the arms reaching up and relax the muscles around the neck. You don’t need to draw the shoulder blades down. The shoulder blades will naturally rotate up a bit so keep that but avoid tensing the muscles around the neck and upper traps.

Supporting Pose 2: Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

Warrior One Pose

Warrior I is a great standing posture to incorporate into your class towards handstand. It teaches the actions of the legs, arms, and torso and moves the body in the sagittal plane which is the same plane where handstand takes place.

How to:

  1. From downward facing dog, step your right foot forward behind the right hand.
  2. Lower the back foot down at an angle (~45 degrees) and keeping that leg straight, bring your torso to an upright position.
  3. Press the four corners of each foot into the ground. Press your left thigh to the back of the room and lift the kneecap up as you press your right shin forward and bring the thigh to ~90 degrees.
  4. Reach your arms up to the sky and bring your palms together. Press the palms into one another as you energize the fingertips up.
  5. Pull the front ribs and frontal hip points together as you take your gaze towards your thumbs.

Supporting Pose 3: Extended Hand to Big Toe A (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana A)

Like warrior I, this pose teaches the body how to straighten the arms and legs in the sagittal plane…very similar to handstand! This pose also gives the practitioner the ability to learn the action of pressing the foot forward into mid-air as if you were pressing the foot into stable ground.

How to:

  1. Start in mountain pose. Bring your right knee up towards your belly and bring your peace-sign fingers + thumb to wrap around your big toe. The elbow should thread along the inner knee as you make this connection.
  2. Press the left foot down and make the leg really clear and straight.
  3. Hug the right knee towards the right elbow while straightening the right leg (as much as you can manage) by pressing the sole of the foot forward and lifting the kneecap.
  4. Keep the heart above the pelvis, meaning don’t lean forwards or backwards in favor of straightening the leg. It’s important to keep the spine aligned even if there is a bend in the right leg.
  5. Reach the left arm up to the ceiling with the bicep alongside the ear. Energize your fingertips towards the ceiling and bring the left shoulder blade towards the spine to assist the upwards movement of the arm.

Handstand Against the Wall (Adho Mukha Vrksasana)

How to:

  1. Come into downward facing dog with your head towards a sturdy wall and your hands about 6-8 inches away from the baseboard/edge of the wall.
  2. Lift the kneecaps to tone the thighs and take a straight leg march to bring your feet halfway up your mat while maintaining the height of your pelvis. If the legs remain straight, the pelvis should actually go even higher compared to downward facing dog.
  3. When you’ve walked your feet in as much as you can and when you feel your pelvis is almost over your shoulders (or as close as you can manage), take one leg off the floor. Keep the leg clear, straight, and active. The arms should remain clear, straight, and active as well.
  4. Look between your thumbs as you bend the bottom leg in order to give a small kick to bring the pelvis over the shoulders and the top heel to the wall.
  5. Slowly bring the bottom heel to meet the top heel on the wall. Bring the legs together and spread the toes.
  6. Press your fingertips down into the ground as you scrub your heels up the wall.
  7. Let your head relax between the arms.

Sources: The Yamas + Niyamas by Deborah Adele

12/01/2022
Love10

What is Restorative Yoga?

By Yoga Asana

Restorative yoga is a style of yoga that involves holding the yoga poses for a longer period of time, the use of yoga props, and the goal to create an environment where you can replenish and recuperate.

So many of us need to allow our bodies to recover, but we don’t always give ourselves the space and time to do so. 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.

This style of yoga 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 a lot of props to support the practice. It’s a style of yoga that can also be practiced by almost everyone.

Benefits of Restorative Yoga:

  • Lowers anxiety
  • Improves sleep quality
  • Increases energy
  • Releases tension
  • Relieves stress
  • Boosts your body’s recovery process
  • Helps overcome depression
  • Calms your nervous system
  • Eases muscle tension
  • Improves digestion

The restorative yoga practice activates something called the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the system that helps your body relax. Once this system is activated, your body can enter a state of rest. This is the state that allows your body to hit the brakes and begin its recovery.

In a restorative yoga class, you can expect to use some yoga props to help support you in each pose and you will also hold the poses much longer than you do in other styles of yoga. This helps bring your body into relaxation. When your body is in a relaxed state, your heart rate and breathing may slow down, your mind can become more calm, and your muscles will have a chance to recover.

Restorative Yoga and Anatomy

Almost everyone can practice restorative yoga because of its focus on prop use and modifications. This practice can be modified for almost every body and every need. It supports the individual’s anatomy and focuses on bringing each person to their specific place of comfort.

The anatomy of restorative yoga is really the honoring of your own anatomy and your own body’s requirements. It honors the concept that what may work for one person may not work for someone else. One of the goals of this practice is to help each person understand what they need to help their body heal.

How Restorative Yoga Differs from Yin Yoga

Restorative yoga originates from B.K.S. Iyengar and was created to help people recover from injuries and other health issues. Props are used to help your body feel fully supported and there may be some passive stretching. One goal is to help your muscles release.

Yin yoga originates from Paul Greeley and incorporates some Traditional Chinese Medicine principles. There aren’t as many props used in yin and the poses will bring you into more of an active stretch to reach the deeper tissues. This practice focuses more on releasing the connective tissue as opposed to the muscles.

Read this article for more information:

The Difference Between Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga

Who can practice and what to expect in a restorative yoga class:

As mentioned earlier, almost anyone can practice restorative yoga. This is because it caters to finding the most comfortable setup for each individual person. It’s meant to be slow and relaxing, so don’t feel awkward or shy asking your teacher to help you adjust the poses. Whether you’re injured, working with an illness, or brand new to yoga in general, you can practice this style of yoga.

In a restorative class, expect to hold poses for a while and to also move gently in all directions. This means that almost your whole body will benefit from the practice. You’ll experience a deeper rest than you normally experience in other classes and your body will release tension.

Some Restorative Yoga Poses We Love:

Supported Supta Baddha Konasana

Supported Bound Angle (Sanskrit: Supta Baddha Konasana)

Supported Bound Angle (Supta Baddha Konasana)

How to:

  1. Begin by having two blankets, one bolster, and one eye pillow ready.
  2. Place one blanket where your head will go.
  3. Place one bolster with one blanket on top of it where your feet will go.
  4. Have your eye pillow close to your mat so you can reach for it when you need it.
  5. Lie down on your back and bring the blanket down to the lower part of your head, right above your neck. This should support your chin lining up with your chest. If your chin is sticking up towards the ceiling too much, simply make your blanket thicker by folding it again.
  6. Bring the soles of your feet together and place them on top of the stacked blanket and bolster.
  7. As you close your eyes, bring your eye pillow over them and extend your arms with your palms flipped up.
  8. Hold for 5-10 minutes.
Supported Wide Legged Forward Fold

Supported Wide Legged Forward Fold (Sanskrit: Upavistha Konasana)

Supported Wide Legged Forward Fold (Upavistha Konasana)

How to:

  1. Begin by having four blankets and one bolster ready.
  2. Roll two of the blankets up along their long edges and place them off to the side.
  3. Fold another blanket up on its longer edge and sit at the edge of it.
  4. Widen your legs and place your bolster in front of you.
  5. Fold up a blanket and place it on top of the bolster.
  6. Slip the rolled blankets that you’ve set aside beneath your knees and release your head onto the bolster and blanket stack.
  7. Hold for 5-10 minutes.

Supported Child’s Pose (Sanskrit: Bālāsana)

Supported Child’s Pose (Bālāsana)

How to:

  1. Begin by having one bolster and one block near.
  2. Set the block on its middle height.
  3. Place the tip of the bolster on top of the block.
  4. Come to your hands and knees facing the bolster and release your seat towards your feet and your cheek to one side on the bolster.
  5. Bring your hands forward and around the block.
  6. Hold for 5-10 minutes and then switch whichever cheek is on the bolster and hold again for another 5-10 minutes.

Restorative Yoga Teacher Training

Practice with our Restorative YTT instructor, Joanne Silver in the Energy Restoring Practice above. To enroll in a Restorative Online Yoga Teacher Training, click here: Restorative Yoga YTT

11/30/2022
Love0

Weekly Class Theme: Brahmacharya

By Yoga Teachers

Our next stop through the Yamas is Brahmacharya. Remember, the Yamas are considered jewels by which to live in order to experience life through a yogic lens (because what better way)! Brahmacharya is literally translated to “walking with God,” and is more commonly known as living with non-greed or non-excess. This Yama asks us to consider in every moment the sacredness of life and to be aware of when we are going from “enough to excess.”

Most of us may be able to relate to the feeling of eating too much, drinking too much, or sleeping too much to the point that it takes away from our ability to be fully present or content. It’s not that we shouldn’t indulge ourselves…that’s quite the contrary! But it’s the overindulgence that has us overlooking and taking for granted the pleasures of life and life itself.

Brahmacharya asks us to examine our lives in all aspects: work, play, material possessions, relationships, even our spiritual practices, and to notice when we are overdoing it. Subsequently, we are invited to create balance and rhythm in our lives between the doing and non-doing to experience a productive, yet utterly fulfilling life.

Peak Pose: Forearm Stand (Pincha Mayurasana)

If you ask me, all arm balances should have the teachings of Brahmacharya highlighted. Forearm stand (same with handstand), while we are upside down is an arm balance as opposed to being in the inversion family. It’s easy to get swept up in the “doing” of this pose…trying and trying followed by failing and frustration. I am picturing some of my students trying to get into the pose and eventually when they do muscle their way into it, the look on their face is of pure stress and strain. My personal journey to forearm stand has taken years and I’ve realized it doesn’t end when you are able to “get into the pose.” It requires us to check our ego at the door and approach it with patience, compassion, and non-excess…for overdoing it can surely put us in harm’s way physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Supporting Pose 1: Sphinx (Salamba Bhujangasana)

Sphinx pose seems like an obvious choice to get the forearms on the ground to receive feedback from the surface below. It is fairly accessible and can teach the positions and actions of the hands and forearms before balancing the entire body on them.

How to:

  1. Lie on your belly with your legs fully extended and the front of the pelvis and tops of your feet pressing down into the ground.
  2. Bring your forearms to the floor parallel with one another (and the edges of your mat) and your elbows beneath your shoulders.
  3. Press your palms and forearms firmly into the ground as you energetically drag your arms back. The arms should not actually move, but the result should be the shoulder blades drawing back and down and it should feel like the collarbones are spreading.
  4. Keep the back of the neck lengthened.
  5. To incorporate this in a seamless way, you can replace cobra with sphinx pose during your warm up portion of class.

Supporting Pose 2: Triangle with Arm Overhead (Utthita Trikonasana)

Triangle helps to teach the practitioner about strong, clear and straight legs which is necessary for forearm stand. Taking the arm over the ear resembles the arm and upper back position for the peak pose.

How to:

  1. From Warrior II, straighten your legs and lift your kneecaps.
  2. Bend at your right hip and bring your right hand down to a block (or shin or ground) on the outside of your leg. Keep the arm straight.
  3. Take your left arm up to the ceiling and then over your head so the upper arm is alongside your ear.
  4. Ensure the front of your rib cage is in check by pulling the front ribs in and filling out the lower back.
  5. Press the crown of the head towards the front of the room to lengthen the neck and then either keep the gaze towards the side wall or turn the gaze to the sky.

Supporting Pose 3: Full Wheel (Urdhva Dhanurasana)

Full wheel has multiple components which contribute wonderfully to the learning of forearm stand. Arm position, upper back action, pelvis and leg action are all ways in which full wheel helps the practitioner to prepare the body for pincha mayurasana. Depending on the level of students, you might consider doing a double peak class or doing this only if you have ample time to adequately teach/practice both.

How to:

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of the feet planted on the floor with the heels under your knees.
  2. Reach your arms straight up to the sky and then bend your arms to bring the palms to the floor beneath your shoulders with the fingers facing the heels of your feet.
  3. Press your hands and feet into the ground as you lift the rest of your body away from the floor. You can either come to half-wheel (crown of the head planted to the ground) or right into full wheel as pictured.
  4. Firm the back of your pelvis towards the sky and firm the upper back in to move your chest towards the back of the room and the head between your arms.
  5. To exit, bend your elbows and slowly tuck your chin to lay down the back of your head, the upper back, middle back, and lower back.

And finally… Forearm Stand (Pincha Mayurasana)

How to:

  1. Come to sphinx pose as described in supporting pose #1.
  2. Then, enter into a forearm plank by tucking the toes, lifting the legs, pelvis, and belly off the floor.
  3. Walk the toes in towards the elbows while simultaneously piking the hips towards the sky (like in downward facing dog). Keep the legs sharp and straight while you do this.
  4. Once you feel like the hips are at the highest point that is within your capacity, lift one leg off the floor. You can consider starting by lifting your non-dominant leg as you’ll be kicking off the floor with the dominant leg.
  5. Gaze between your thumbs as you bend the bottom leg just enough to push your lower body off the floor and towards the sky. If you are against a wall, bring your top heel to the wall and then bring your bottom heel to meet it. If you are in the middle of the room, you can use the split leg position to find a pelvic position that allows you to balance upside down.
  6. Eventually, bring the legs together, flex and spread the toes, tone the thighs as you reach the balls of the feet up towards the ceiling.
  7. Pull the front ribs in and firm the sacrum in (probably could have done this a little better for the picture!), and allow the head to drop between the arms.
  8. To exit, start by lowering one leg to the floor followed by the other and land as quietly as you can manage.

Interested in learning more about forearm stand? We have a course for that. 🙂

Sources: The Yamas + Niyamas by Deborah Adele

11/24/2022
Love10
Woman in Supported Supta Baddha Konasana

How Restorative Yoga Can Help You During The Holiday Season

By Yoga Asana

For some people, the holiday season brings a ton of excitement, anticipation, and overall joy for the upcoming gatherings, celebrations, and visits with friends and family. For others, it’s definitely a time that can bring up anxiety, overwhelm, and sometimes even a little sadness. I tend to move between both of these extremes because I love the holidays, but I also find myself saying yes to too many obligations, worrying about making everyone happy, and sometimes missing the people I can’t be with.

My yoga practice has helped me navigate extreme emotions in my life and it’s also been what’s stopped me from having a meltdown at work or snapping at the people I love. Through yoga and meditation, I’ve been able to really find that place between action and reaction, so I can take a breath and respond in a much calmer way. Restorative yoga, on the other hand, has been what’s totally saved me during the holidays.

Restorative yoga has a ton of benefits when practiced on a regular basis, but I really need it when life gets a little more hectic, when emotions are high, and when I’m just generally spread out way too thin. This holiday season, I’m relying on restorative yoga to get me through the situations I can’t avoid and the extreme feelings that I tend to feel. It’s my number one helper for the holidays and I’m so excited to share how it can help you out too!

Restorative yoga is like a big hug for your nervous system

It calms your mind and gives your body a chance to release certain anxieties, so it’s incredibly soothing for your mind and body. The soothing effect that it has on your nervous system is something that’s needed anytime tension gets a little high or stress sneaks its way into your life. During the holidays, you may be dealing with tons of phone calls from family members or added stress at work. This is the perfect time to find your yoga mat and unwind.

When your nervous system is regulated and working the way it should, your body creates the space that can facilitate energy conservation. This means that you will naturally know what deserves your attention and what doesn’t. Your ability to make decisions from a calm place is elevated and you won’t feel like you’re doing a million things at once. You’ll be way more rested and feel more refreshed as you navigate important decisions and make holiday plans.

Speaking of rest, restorative yoga helps you sleep

Your body has something really intricate called the parasympathetic nervous system. When this network of nerves is activated, your heart rate and breathing will slow down and your body will enter a state of total relaxation. Restorative yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system, so if you’ve had a long, stressful day, rolling out your yoga mat before bed can be a great way to unwind from any stressors you’ve experienced.

The holidays tend to bring up a lot of extra attention to detail, deep talks, memories that are either really sad or incredibly happy, and a ton of other things that can keep you staring at your bedroom walls all night. By incorporating this practice into your routine a few nights a week, you’ll digest the events of your day better and you’ll bring your mind to a place of ease. This will increase the quality of your sleep and you’ll wake up refreshed and ready to face a new day.

Since you’ll be sleeping better, you’ll have more energy.

It might seem like a no-brainer, but if you’re experiencing high quality sleep, you’ll wake up with a lot more energy. You can’t replace hours of sleep with cups of coffee, so when you bring your body to a place of ease and relaxation, it will reset and recharge the way it’s meant to. In fact, even if you have a few restless nights, you can replace your afternoon coffee with five minutes in a restorative pose.

A few minutes in your restorative practice will tell your body that it’s time to chill out and rest. Once your body experiences this state of rest, you’ll feel much more energized and your mind will be a lot more clear. Remember, you can’t replace a good night’s sleep with restorative yoga, but you can use it as a helper for those days when you need that little pick me up.

Your digestion will improve

If you’ve been going to one too many holiday parties or gatherings, you might be indulging in some things that aren’t part of your daily routine. Maybe you’re eating later or eating a little more. Maybe you’re eating foods that you normally don’t eat. Whatever it is, your body will thank you if you stick with your restorative yoga practice.

Restorative yoga aids in digestion, so the more consistent you are with coming to your mat, the better you’ll digest the things that probably need a little more assistance. The holidays are a great time to try new things and indulge a little bit, but you want to make sure you take care of yourself afterwards!

Restorative yoga may help you handle stress, anxiety, and holiday sadness

As exciting as the holidays may be for some people, they can also be a frantic and sad time for others. Practicing restorative yoga is a powerful form of self care because it brings your body to a place that can facilitate healing. Think about how you feel when you come home from somewhere and you’re tired or stressed or sad. You might go right to your freezer and grab some ice cream to self-soothe, sit on your couch, and watch mindless tv or scroll through your phone.

What if you got on your yoga may and gave yourself a little time in some restorative yoga poses instead? This will give you the time to actually rest and reset from whatever you came home from. You’ll give yourself some time to digest what happened during the day and figure out what healthy and fulfilling choices you need to feel better. When you take care of your beautiful body and mind, you will be more in tune with what it needs to find balance and feel well. This is such an empowering tool to have with you as you navigate the holidays.

You’ll be more kind to yourself

Have you ever been upset with yourself because you wanted to accomplish so much but didn’t get through half of your to-do list? This can happen when events and responsibilities pile on and you want to be everywhere at once. Practicing some restorative yoga poses will help you cultivate gratitude for your work, love for your body, and patience with yourself. Once you slow things down, you’ll be more open to kindness and more receptive to self love.

Once you’re more kind and loving towards yourself, you’ll also find yourself being more compassionate and caring to the people in your life. This is so important as the stress of the holidays begins to creep up and responsibilities pile on. Almost everyone is experiencing these elevated emotions, so being kind is key.

You’ll cultivate a practice that will help you start the new year right

If you start and stick with your restorative yoga practice throughout the holidays, you’ll automatically have a healthy habit under your belt to take into the new year. Sometimes new year’s resolutions don’t always work out, so why not begin healthy habits early? Restorative yoga is a self care practice that can set the foundation for other positive habits to manifest.

If you’re interested in learning more about restorative yoga or becoming certified to teach so you can share these practices with others, be sure to check out our restorative yoga teacher training. It will provide you with the tools you need to kickstart your own practice and also safely teach others. You’ll learn about how the poses are beneficial to your body and mind and also how to sequence them together to create a full length class.

Restorative yoga is for everyone and it’s designed to meet you where you’re at and support you wherever you’re seeking support. It’s my favorite way to take care of myself during the holidays and also throughout the year. It’s what keeps me on track whenever I feel like I’m lacking self care or whenever I need a little reset. The practice is so transformational and I know that you’ll fall in love with it right away!

I hope you have a healthy, balanced, and loving holiday season and I hope that you and yours are well. I hope that these tools support you as you make your way into a new year and I hope they help you find new ways to take care of yourself and to get excited for self care, self love, and continuous kindness.

11/21/2022
Love5

Weekly Class Theme: Asteya

By Yoga Teachers

As we pursue our journey through the Yamas, we continuously connect with the ways in which we ought to carry ourselves in relation to our Self and the world around us. This week’s journey brings us to Asteya, or non-stealing.

Asteya is about more than just taking from others what does not belong to us. That is part of it, of course. But Asteya encompasses beyond what our definition of “stealing” might entail. This Yama asks us to examine the ways in which we might be stealing from others not just in material possessions but in terms of our present moment awareness (or lack of it), our energy and compassion towards another (or lack of it), and/or acknowledgement of someone’s thoughts or feelings (or discount of such things).

Asteya also puts us face to face in the ways in which we contribute to a messy world for future generations to deal with and the ways in which we contribute to a damaging future for ourselves. Non-stealing is all about walking this lifetime with integrity to uphold the beauty and magnificence of the world and to consistently take time to rest, reconnect, and re-align with ourselves to ultimately live with the best and highest intentions.

Pigeon on the Back or Reclined Pigeon

Doesn’t this pose look familiar?! Getting on the back allows the muscles in the back body to relax into the floor. This can give access to other areas of the body (in this case the focus is the hip/pelvis region) in order to do the intended work in the soft tissues.

How to get into reclined pigeon:

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and soles of the feet planted on the floor.
  2. Bring your right knee in towards your chest and externally rotate the leg at the hip to place your right ankle across your left thigh.
  3. Widen your right inner thigh and knee forward as you either keep the left foot planted or lift it off the ground to intensify the stretch.
  4. Keep your head, neck, and shoulders relaxed as you notice the sensations around your right leg and hip and try to release any gripping.
  5. Hold for 5-10 breaths and then repeat on the other side.
  6. Your hands can come to your left hamstring, your left shin, or you can have one hand on your left leg and one hand on your right leg.

Wide Leg Forward Fold (Sanskrit: Prasarita Padottanasana)

Wide Leg Forward Fold

Sleeping pigeon pose requires one folded leg and one straight leg. The extent to which we can fold our legs depends on the extent to which we can straighten our legs. Working on straightening the legs fully will support the peak pose when we fold one leg and place some pressure on it.

How to get into wide leg forward fold:

  1. From low lunge, straighten your legs and pivot to face a side wall.
  2. Ensure your second and third toes are facing the side wall and are more or less parallel to one another.
  3. Take your palms to the floor so that your hands are in line with your feet, but keep the fingers and toes facing the same direction.
  4. Lift your kneecaps up to straighten your legs and use your legs to lift the hips up and pull the crown of the head towards the floor.

Tree Pose (Sanskrit: Vrksasana)

girl in tree pose with arms extended up high

Pigeon pose has one straight leg and one folded leg, which is also the case in tree pose. This posture will contribute to training the lower body about the shape of sleeping pigeon pose.

How to get into tree pose:

  1. From mountain pose, lift your right leg up and fold the leg by bringing your right heel towards your right sitting bone. Press the four corners of the left foot into the ground and firm the thigh muscles to make a clear and straight leg.
  2. Externally rotate your leg at the hip and use your hand to guide your right foot to the inner left groin.
  3. Firm your right buttocks forward as you widen your inner right knee towards the right side wall. See that the toes are facing the floor.
  4. Take your arms up to the sky alongside your ears.

Pigeon Pose (Sanskrit: Eka Pada Rajakapotanasana)

How to get into pigeon pose:

  1. From downward facing dog, fold your right leg and bring your right knee towards your right wrist.
  2. Externally rotate the leg at the hip and place the right shin down on the ground with the top of the foot pressing into the floor.
  3. Lengthen your left leg towards the back of the room and press the outer ankle bone in towards the midline of your body so the foot is properly aligned.
  4. Walk your hands forward and fold over your right folded leg while keeping the hips squared to the front of the room. Notice the sensations around the hip and if there is any gripping or tension, try to be aware of it and see if you can soften.
  5. It is okay if your shin is not parallel to the top, short side of your mat. If the leg is folded properly, your shin will appear to be at more of an angle with your right knee towards the right side of the mat and your right foot towards the left side of the mat.

Related Content:

Learn about the Yamas & Niyamas

Journey to Handstand Course with Melanie

11/17/2022
Love7
Girl in Camel Pose

Weekly Class Theme: Ahimsa

By Yoga Teachers

The Yamas + the Niyamas are the first two limbs of the eight-limbed path of Yoga. They are essentially guidelines, or ethical principles to live by.

In this article, we’ll explore the Yamas and how we can approach asana within this realm. Yamas, in Sanskrit, translates to restraints and represents areas to gain self-control over in regards to living in proper conduct with ourselves and others.

The Yamas, in English, are:

  1. Non-violence
  2. Truthfulness
  3. Non-stealing
  4. Non-excess
  5. Non-possessiveness

Today we’ll be looking at Ahimsa (in Sanskrit), translated to non-violence in English. Immediately when we see the word non-violence, it might be rather easy to tell yourself, “I’m not violent. I have never killed anyone or caused anyone physical harm.” But non-violence goes beyond these more physical forms of violence.

Ahimsa asks us to evaluate how we treat ourselves and how we show up in the world, as this has a direct impact on our relationships with the external world (when I say external world I mean everything outside of us, including other humans).

Demonstrating non-violence towards ourselves is not the easiest task and it is easy to go unnoticed. When was the last time you told yourself you couldn’t do something, and then proceeded to NOT do it? When was the last time you booked your schedule so heavily that you had no time for yourself? How about the last time you kept yourself in a spiral of victimization, guilt, or shame?

The truth is, we’ve all treated ourselves violently and this is not something to feel bad or ashamed about (as this would keep the violent streak going).

The first step in working towards true non-violence is becoming aware of when we are doing such things. And then once we’ve sharpened our eye of awareness, we can give ourselves the opportunity to make another choice. We can give ourselves the opportunity to do the thing that scares us, create more space for ourselves, and forgive ourselves even when we make mistakes. The way we treat others is a direct reflection of how we treat ourselves. The more that we can tend to our own inner peace, the more we can inspire others to do the same and feel safe within our presence.

Peak Pose: Came (Ustrasana)

I used to HATE camel and would avoid it like the plague. The reasons why I would avoid it, and why I think some other people find it not so enjoyable, is due to compression in the lower spine causing pain, light-headedness, and discomfort in the shoulders and chest causing difficulty in breathing. However, with time, patience, and compassion with practicing this posture…it has actually become one of my favorite poses – if I am prepared for it of course!

Supporting Pose 1: Bridge (Setu Bandhasana)

Bridge Pose

You might not think of putting bridge at the beginning of your asana class, but I like this pose as it establishes the firming in of the upper back (with the floor giving feedback), the sacrum moving forward (in this case up), and the outer hips compacting in to support the backbend. This would not be the very first pose I would do…I might start with some gentle twisting and perhaps a supported bridge before going into this very active posture.

How to:

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and soles of the feet flat on the floor. Ensure the heels of your feet are underneath your knees.
  2. Press the backs of your shoulders into the ground to broaden your collarbones and press the back of your skull into the ground while maintaining the curve in your cervical spine.
  3. Firm your sacrum (bony plate on the posterior side of your pelvis) up towards the ceiling to lift the pelvis off the ground. Use the support of your outer hips moving in to direct the hips up. A block between the thighs is a good idea!
  4. Firm your upper back in as you walk your arms and shoulder blades towards each other under your back and on the ground.

Supporting Pose 2: Side Plank (Vasisthasana)

Side Plank

Side plank is another great posture to emphasize the support of the outer hips in lifting your body off the ground. This is an action that will greatly come in handy in camel! Side plank also gives an opportunity to press the sacrum forward, almost like you’re going in the direction of a backbend, but in this case you are working to get the hips in line with the feet and chest.

How to:

Supporting Pose 3: Warrior I

Warrior One Pose

Yet another great pose where the outer hips compact in so you can reach UP. Warrior I, like camel, requires the forward movement of the sacrum…like you are trying to move the pelvis towards a posterior tilt in order to align the spine well. The arms going up requires the shoulder blades moving towards one another on the back. Clasping the hands behind the lower back is a good option as well.

How to:

  1. Step your right foot forwards towards the top of your mat and your left foot about 3 feet behind towards the back of your mat and turned out at an angle (~45 degrees). Your feet should be widened so it’s as if your feet are on two different train tracks. Widening the feet also lends more support to the entire frame so feel free to widen the feet as much as you need!
  2. Bend the right knee to 90 degrees, or at least until the knee is over the ankle. As you press the right shin forward, press your left thigh back while keeping the hips more-or-less squared towards the front of the room.
  3. Compact the outer hips in and press your sacrum forward as you reach your arms up towards the sky.
  4. Firm your upper back in as you broaden your chest to face the ceiling.

Camel (Ustrasana)

Girl in Camel Pose

How to:

  1. Bring your shins to the ground about hip width distance apart from one another. When I say hip width, I mean at the width of your frontal hips points or in anatomy terms your anterior superior iliac spines (ASIS) – not to the widest part of your pelvis.
  2. Smooth your shins and flatten the tops of your feet to the floor. This is traditional as in Light on Yoga, you can tuck the toes if that feels better for you.
  3. Bring your hands to your lower back/pelvis region while you firm your upper back in and aim the elbows towards the back of the room.
  4. Press your sacrum forward while continuing to dig the shoulder blades into the upper back to open the front body forward and up. Imagine you are going up and over a large beach ball.
  5. If available, walk your hands down your legs to your feet so that the palms of your hands can connect with the soles of your feet. This is an anchor point for you to continue to work the backbend shape (pelvis forward and upper back in).
  6. Allow the head to eventually fall back so the throat can be open. This is if it feels okay and does not impact your breathing.
  7. To exit, return your hands to your lower back/pelvis and guide your way to a neutral spine and into vajrasana. Avoid going into a forward fold directly following the backbend. Always take yourself to neutral first and work from there.

Sources: The Yamas + Niyamas by Deborah Adele

11/10/2022
Love12

6 Tips to Practice Mindful Eating

By Meditation

Mindful eating is mindful living. It’s a practice that we do everyday to learn more about our thoughts, emotions, feelings, our actions, and reactions in order to cultivate health and contentment. And we use the same attitudes and qualities of mindfulness in how we approach food, our bodies, and our entire lives.

Mindful eating counts heavily on the connection we have with our body, such as listening to our body cues of hunger, fullness, taste and satiety, and actively using our five senses while eating: sight, smell, touch, sound and taste.

Connecting with our Body is a Natural Capacity

This is not hard as this connection with the body is an innate capacity, babies and young children do actually have that connection with their body cues of having enough. We often see babies stop drinking before finishing the amount of milk that is recommended for their age, and we also see young children leave food or ice cream on their plates and just walk away saying, “I’m full.”

Unfortunately, this natural connection weakens over time in part due to conditioning. Oftentimes as children grow up, parents tell them that they have to finish their food even if they have had enough. There is also a growing trend of families having their meals in front of the TV, or not having proper meal times, and just eating in the car between their after school activities or while doing their homework.

Eating also becomes an activity a lot of people do without much thought or attention. They don’t pay attention to what they eat or when their body is telling them to stop eating. They don’t distinguish between physical hunger and other triggers to eat.

The good news is that we can restore this ability with mindfulness practices. A consistent practice of mindfulness meditation is key to achieve this connection with our body and observe our thoughts and emotions and also identify our eating triggers and manage them. And the great new is you can start taking small steps right away that can help you eat more mindfully. Let’s take a look at some of those tips.

Here are 6 tips you can practice for mindful eating

1. Eat while justing eating

The first, and most important, thing I’d like to start with is that in order to eat mindfully, you should plan to just eat– as in eating without doing anything else aside from eating. That is without watching TV or working or driving, for example.

2. Tune inwards

Mindful eating actually begins before you are ready to eat. It starts when you first feel the urge to eat. When that feeling comes up, with your eyes closed or open, take three deep breaths and observe your thoughts, feelings and physical sensations in your body. Notice if you experience any sensations of physical hunger, and if so, rate how hungry you are.

Then notice what are you hungry for, and if there’s a particular type of food you would like to have, then ask yourself will this food nourish my body and support my health? Will this food give me pleasure?

Then if you decided to eat…

3. Use all of your senses:

  1. Sight: With the food in front of you, notice what does it look like? Pay attention to the shape, colour, size…etc
  2. Smell: Then take a moment to smell the food, paying attention to the layers of aroma as they go through your nose. Really examine the food as if you’re seeing it and smelling it for the very first time
  3. Touch, sound & taste: As you bring the food to your mouth, slow down and chew slowly with your mind focusing on the process. Be aware of the texture of the food, the sound of the food while you chew and the taste of the food as it changes while you chew. Just don’t do anything else while you’re chewing, simply chew and pay attention.

4. Chew slowly

Keep chewing while resisting the impulse to swallow, and when you decide to swallow, pay attention to how this feels in your body and to the intention of swallowing. And as you swallow feel the food moving through the throat, esophagus and resting in your stomach.

After you swallow, rest for few seconds before you take the next bite.

5. Pay attention to your thoughts, emotions and distractions

While you are eating become aware of recurring thoughts or emotions, and when you notice that your mind is wandering, investigate your distraction and gently bring your attention back to eating.

6. Keep examining your hunger, fullness, taste & satiety

While eating gently notice your hunger and satiety levels, and then give yourself permission to stop eating when your body tells you so, when you no longer enjoy the taste as much, when you’re no longer physically hungry and when your stomach feels comfortably full and your satiety feeling gives you the signal of energy and well being.

With time and consistent practice, you can practice mindful eating, without closing your eyes, and while around people and no one will notice what you are doing.

Mastering the Art of Moderation

Each day should include moderate amounts of food that brings you pleasure. Moderation allows us to live at peace with our food, knowing that eating small amounts of the less healthy food, won’t be enough to disrupt the healthy relationship.

And with time and practice, you will master the art of moderation, you can really enjoy few bites of your favorite dessert and feel satisfied with few chips or crackers for a snack.
You can attend big holiday dinners without anxiety, and you can go to parties and buffets where multiple delicious foods are there, while feeling a sense of freedom that comes from knowing that you have mastered the art of moderation and you’re not going to overdo it, it comes from knowing that you can eat smaller portions and yet feel more satisfied.

You may not be able to do all of this today or by next week or month, but if you would like to learn more about mindful eating, check out our course where you will learn the practices and the skills to make these experiences your norm. You will lose weight if that’s your intention and maintain it without feeling deprived and without missing out on everything you love about eating.

Other Applications of Mindful Eating

Mindful eating extends beyond just eating, it also includes:

  • Planning — Being mindful while you decide on what to eat: look up recipes, make your grocery list, and being mindful while you are shopping for your ingredients.
  • Preparing for meals — Pay attention while you’re preparing your meal, washing the food, chopping, mixing ingredients, and how you present your food and set up the table when eating mindfully.
  • Cleaning up — Be mindful while you clean up after you finish eating, clearing the table, storing away leftover food, composting food or garbage, and washing the dishes.
11/03/2022
Love3
Close Menu