Supine Half Lotus Pose (Supta Ardha Padmasana): A Lotus Pose for Everybody
In 2001, I co-taught a teacher training with Donna Farhi in Vancouver, BC. The 50 attendees were experienced yoga teachers and bodyworkers from all over the world. During the training, we questioned teaching methodologies that shoehorn students into a one-size-fits-all model. One
Spine Divine - How Spinal Fluidity Keeps You Healthy for the Long Haul
Do we get older just because of age? Or do the patterns we’ve etched into our bodies decrease the fluid movement in our spines and thereby limit our movement potential? In this interview with YogaUOnline, yoga teacher, Hellerwork Practitioner, Structural
Why We Get Shorter As We Age: How Manual Therapy and Yoga Stretches Can Help You Stand Tall
The intervertebral discs are responsible for 25 percent of our spine’s overall length. Given that the average adult spine measures 24 to 28 inches, the intervertebral discs account for six to seven of those inches. In young individuals, the water-filled,
Navasana at the Wall: Yoga for Safe and Sound Core Strengthening
Navasana (Boat Pose) is a challenging yoga pose that cultivates a deep connection with your core. It strengthens several core muscle groups simultaneously: abdominals, hip flexors, adductors (inner thighs), and spinal muscles. Core Muscles and Navasana The abdominal muscles (particularly
Yoga for Healthy Wrists: Research Confirms Yoga is Effective for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
As a neuroscience researcher, I have been involved in bench work activities for more than two decades. Routine laboratory work involves repetitive hand movements, tissue homogenization using handheld homogenizers, pipetting using handheld pipette aids, reagent and chemical preparations, and tabulating
Brahmana Yoga Practice: A Quick Pick-Me-Up for Afternoon Slump
When one thinks of a brahmana practice that is supposed to build and energize the system, it is easy to conjure images of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations), challenging standing poses and fast flows. But this is not what brahmana practice is about. The brahmana
Body Intelligence: 5 Ways Our Bodies Protect Us from Pain
For the past few years, my studies in pelvic health have taken me further and further outside of the pelvis. I have learned and continue to learn how amazingly interconnected our bodies actually are. The pelvis can be influenced by the
Yoga for Stress Relief: Try Belly Breathing
This simple, relaxing yogic breathing practice can be used anytime you want to soothe body, mind, and spirit. It reduces stress of any kind—physical, emotional, or spiritual. How to Practice Yogic Belly Breathing 1. Lie on the floor, in bed, or
Happy Hips: 5 Strategies to Stabilize Your SI Joints in Yoga
In 2015 I got a brand-new left hip joint. The relief was immediate. In a matter of weeks, I progressed from being unable to walk more than three blocks to walking more than a mile—with no pain. When my surgeon
Practicing Yoga Safely: How to Protect Yourself from Hip Injuries
Are people with certain variations in hip structure at higher risk for yoga injuries to the hip? In this interview with YogaUOnline, Dr. Ginger Garner, P.T. and author of Medical Yoga Therapy, talks about why yoga asanas, the way they
Yoga Anatomy: Using Muscle Awareness to Lower Your Heels in Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Say you’ve been working hard on your Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose) and still can’t get your heels to the floor. This cue can give you and your students that extra bit of length in the calf muscles and
Chronic Pain: 4 Steps to Breathing into Discomfort
Some days when I begin my yoga practice I can feel the entire physical history of my body: here is that neck tension from staring at the computer all day yesterday, and here is that old hamstring injury from an
Hip Heaven: 3 Restorative Poses to Relax Your Hips
Tension and hips go together like two peas in a pod. Active yoga poses like lunges and the Warrior series can certainly stretch different areas of the hips, but when it comes to releasing deeply rooted stress, sometimes the best
Know Your Yoga Asana: Demystifying Sanskrit Posture Names
So far, in Part 1 we learned about how English and Sanskrit are related, so some of those mysterious words you’ve been hearing will actually be easy to remember if you connect them with the corresponding English words (for example, “sputa” for
Anjali Mudra - Simple Greeting or Divine Salute?
Few positions are more ubiquitous in yoga practice than Anjali Mudra (Prayer Position). We often practice Anjali Mudra to begin and end a class. We begin and end Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) in Anjali Mudra. On silent meditation retreats, since