Supported Relaxation Pose (Salamba Savasana): Yoga Pose Primer

Sometimes—almost always, really—less is more. The Basic Supported Relaxation Pose (Salamba Savasana) is so simple to do and so effective, that there is simply no excuse not to give yourself (or your students) this gift as often as possible. Although

Psoas Muscle: A Key to Chronic Pain Relief?

“Where is the psoas muscle?” is a question a surprising number of students ask even after studying with me for years. How can it be that hard to remember where a muscle is? Or maybe the question is why is

Plantar Fasciitis: Yoga for Aching Feet

I remember the morning I started to get out of bed and was in excruciating pain as soon as I tried to stand. When the pain persisted over several weeks, I headed to my local podiatrist, who diagnosed me with

Swadhyaya: Refine Your Body Awareness

Swadhyaya is a fundamental yoga practice, usually translated as “self-study.” The highest meaning of this is to understand who you are—a lifelong process of understanding your deepest beliefs, your aspirations, your talents, your preferences, your challenges, your character traits, and your

Brain Health: Simple Exercise Helps

New research hints that even a simple exercise routine just might help older Americans with mild memory problems. Doctors have long advised physical activity to help keep a healthy brain fit. But the government-funded study marks the longest test of

Foot Yoga: Wake Up Your Toes

If setting down roots is the fundamental act in a yoga practice, then we’d best pay attention to our feet, the primary roots for all standing poses, and for much of our life off the mat. The more time we

Nose Breathing: A Key to Better Health

Breathing is our most important biological function. Doing so properly is essential to healing and long-term health. Most people breathe an average of 25,000 times per day, so it’s safe to say that we inhale and exhale more than anything

Back Pain: It May Not Be What You Think

A few years ago, I noticed my aunt had a major deformity in her knee. When I asked her about it, she said a long time back, and she’d fallen while putting up Diwali decorations. Since then, the leg started

Yoga and Bipolar Disorder: New Research Suggests Benefits

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that causes extreme mood swings, including periods of manic highs and depressive lows that interfere with daily life. These mood swings can affect judgment, clarity of thought, energy, sleep patterns, behavior, and feelings—which can

Introduce Yoga Philosophy into Your Classes

Introducing the yoga sutra into a yoga practice can be challenging and even intimidating. Some of the frequent statements I hear are “I’m not qualified to teach yoga philosophy,” “no one is interested in yoga philosophy, or it’s too “out

A Smart Way to Relieve Muscle Tension

At the beginning of each yoga teacher training, I like to ask my students: “If some area of your body gets tight, what do you do with it?” The answer I am given (often with a snort) is always: “You

Stay Healthy Teaching Yoga

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you practice yoga. And chances are, you practice because it feels good. If you teach yoga, you probably do so because you know the value of the practice and want to share it. But

New Research Highlights Benefits of Online Chair Yoga for Dementia Patients

Dementia doesn't just involve cognitive decline; it also involves deteriorating physical function. This major cause of limitation in activities of daily living in older adults with dementia requires safe, effective, and evidence-based nonpharmacological approaches. One such approach is chair yoga.

Yoga for Times of Change: Nina Zolotow Shares Wisdom

YogaUOnline:  Tell us a little bit about your yoga background for readers who might not be familiar with your work. Nina: I’ve been seriously practicing Iyengar-style yoga for over 25 years, and I’m a certified 500-hour yoga teacher in that

Yoga’s Yamas: Relief from Stress and Anxiety

“Yoga's Yamas contain essential advice for daily/good living. As they offer a map or guidance that allows us to have enhanced emotional and mental well-being and a more fulfilling and meaningful life, Yamas serve as the GPS for our lives.

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