Chocolate Orange Mousse

A mood-boosting and brain-boosting treat that will improve your day and keep your body satisfied! The combination of chocolate and avocado spiced with a splash of orange and a sprinkling of cinnamon whips up into the creamiest, dreamiest dessert that feels

Ground and Extend: Find Your Foundation in Every Yoga Pose

"Watch your base; be attentive to the portion nearest the floor." — BKS Iyengar I learned about the relationship between foundation and extension from Mary Lou Weprin, one of the Berkeley Yoga Room teachers who trained me to be a

Yoga for Your Core: How to Increase Stability and Protect Your Low Back

Physical therapists know this. Pilates teachers know this. Athletes and dancers know this. How come yoga teachers are behind? Recently one of the commentators on my blog, Michele, asked me: “Why don’t I hear yoga teachers talk more about “zipping

Vagus Nerve Yoga: A Mind-Body Approach to Wellness

The vagus nerve plays a central role in your emotional and physical health. The vagus nerve extends from the brainstem down into your stomach and intestines, enervating your heart and lungs, and connecting your throat and facial muscles. Therefore, any

Book Review: Restoring Prana

“Take a deep breath in,” can be a common way to cue students in modern-day yoga classes. Yet not all yoga teachers question the origin of deep, full breathing. Is matching big breathing to movement rooted in Vedic philosophy? Or

How to Stay Mindful and Safe During the Coronavirus Outbreak

“We cannot always control everything that happens to us in this life, but we can control how we respond.” ~ Lionel Kendrick The coronavirus is no longer isolated to just China. It’s here, affecting over 90 countries, and it continues

The Power of Yogic Breathing: 4 Steps to Better Health

Yoga breathing practices, or pranayama, have been based primarily on tradition, which varies greatly from one branch of yoga to another. The ranges of breathing practices are mind-boggling and can often leave yoga students wondering, “How important is a pranayama

The Role of Language in Yoga Teaching: Embodying Lightness in Your Yoga Classes

Language is a powerful tool. As yoga teachers, we use words to communicate a variety of messages, including philosophy, relaxation, and yoga asana (postures). When we teach asana, we usually speak using literal language such as “lift your arms and

Can This "Bathing Cap" Help Treat Alzheimer's?

Despite its widespread and growing prevalence and billions of research dollars, Alzheimer's disease interventions are still quite limited. A new wearable device using electromagnetic energy shows great promise in not only stopping but also reversing the effects of Alzheimer's disease.

Creating Space to Thrive: 6 Elements to Inspire Your Yoga Teaching

When I was going through my yoga therapist training about eight years ago, I was expected to complete several assignments in between training sessions. It was a struggle. At the time, I was teaching yoga full time and running a

Learn to “Levitate”: 4 Yoga Poses to Prepare Your Body for Arm Balances

Arm balances are everyone’s favorite party trick. And to be fair, they’re pretty magical. You’re balancing on your hands with your feet levitating off the floor. They look super impressive, and they’re fun to play around with. But more importantly,

Skillet Baked Oatmeal with Apples and Berries

Nothing beats the smell of freshly baked oats with cinnamon and fragrant fruit. It is the ultimate comfort food when you need a hearty (but healthy) breakfast or snack that happens to taste like a cozy treat. For the cooler

Yoga and High Blood Pressure: A Sequence to Help Reduce Stress

Chances are at least one person in your life—a family member, someone you work with, or a good friend—has high blood pressure and takes one or more pills a day to bring it under control. Why so likely? Because high

From Twinkies to Trikonasana: Yoga and Childhood Obesity

Ask someone to think about children, and they’ll likely picture little ones who generally appear healthy, playing outside with wide-eyed grins. The reality of many modern children, unfortunately, contrasts with this pleasant picture of youthful health. When once young ones

Should You Move Your Shoulder Blades Down Your Back? It Depends

Let’s talk about the shoulder blades. Recently, while evaluating my newest batch of teacher trainees during their teaching-intensive, I was surprised to hear the instructions to “move the shoulder blades toward the pelvis” when the arms were in the overhead

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