Ever wondered about the Chakras? My latest post for the LOLE love blog explains in depth ~ read on or Click here
Category Archives: Yoga as Therapy
The Eight Limbs of Yoga
The Eight Limbs of Yoga : I love this photo! We often hear the label “ashtanga” – in fact the Sanskrit word for 8 is ashta …
People are often focused on one part of the system of Yoga, the physical (asana) but actually, there is more to it as you can see below, eight Limbs of Yoga.
Asana ~ I believe that the yoga mat is a great place to take your muscles to school, but you cannot do this without the breath (pranayama). The other limbs develop as you keep on practicing. Often there will be a shift in consciousness, and you begin to be able to harness the mind, build focus, concentration, and a meditative state that lasts outside of your physical practice. Once this grows, and it will if you nourish it by observing healthier choices (niyamas) and it does, there is no real yoga unless you are cultivating kindness (and the other yamas).
Place yourself in the practice and you will see how it bears fruit, like a tree. In fact, this is why Yoga is used with this analogy.
If you would like to learn the eight limbs of yoga practice, I am available to private yoga lessons and my cd, Yoga Mind is a download away from bringing you on site relaxation and meditation among other great options
A Yoga Practice Just For YOU
An ongoing yoga practice is like a good friendship, nurturing. Poses should not be painful or scary ! When you move according to your own pace, practice can heal (yogatherapy) whether you are recovering from an injury or just have repetitive strain and stress which impede your movement.
I like this quote because to me YOGA is the highest form of self care.
Check out my fantastic blend between a yoga session and a massage called Yapana® Stretch One on One. Or ~ I teach a balanced practice where we build core strength and a supple body (flexibility plus joint stability).
With my background, I can show you how to find the pose with the body you have and stay safe and also learn the more subtle – because when you are not in a class, the tools of breathing and relaxing will sustain you. In fact, you can use my Yoga Mind Cd on its own or to accompany your other practices; so find my public yoga classes in Tenafly or I am available for private yoga classes.
When Nothing Goes Right, Go Yoga
I know when you feel stiff, it is harder to get on your yoga mat, but “P” is for practice and patience,perseverance and presence. It matters how you practice because you may be repeating certain misalignments that create a painful or overly resistant practice. Yoga should heal (yogatherapy). A consistent yoga practice helps both prevent injury and work to rehabilitate when you are in pain or injured from life. I am available for private classes if you need help to stay consistent and safe.
Some students like an assisted practice, I offer a fantastic blend between a yoga session and a massage called Yapana® Stretch One on One. Or ~ I teach a balanced practice where yes, you warm up, may sweat, but also build core strength and a supple body (flexibility plus joint stability). We also learn the more subtle – I share tips some breathing and relaxing tips on my Yoga Mind Cd; so join me at 10:30 today in one of my public yoga classes in Tenafly or I am available here for private yoga classes, and we will work on your goals together; find out who you are and how yoga therapy can help cause even when nothing goes right, go yoga!
Yoga Nourishes the Mind Body Spirit
Finding what nourishes is a learning process. Sometimes it is a food hang over the next day, or walking away from a situation and feeling drained instead of energized. If you come out of a yoga class injured you know something is not right either. I have a host of nourishing ideas for you -my fantastic blend between a yoga session and a massage called Yapana® Stretch One on One. Or ~ check out my meditation tips, some breathing and relaxing tips on my Yoga Mind Cd; -and join one of my public yoga classes in Tenafly or book your private yoga class with me, we will work on your goals together
Just Learn To Breathe Properly
I have given many workshops on breathing, something I believe is so basic, yet often not practiced properly.
Breathing practice seems simple—you breathe in and you breathe out. However we tend to have patterns to our breathing that are personal – our posture, our circumstances, mind, emotions all help create them; and these patterns are often not the most beneficial to our health. Many students coming to yoga classes have limited, or even unhealthy breathing patterns, and need basic breath training before moving on to more advanced yogic breathing practices.
The breath is
-a powerful tool to inducing greater relaxation and well-being,
-healthy breathing affects our long-term health/aging
-one of the subtlest and most effective doorways to connecting to Spirit or the sacred essence of who we are, which is at the heart of Yoga practice in general.
To learn, I have a host of zen ideas for you; you can check out my meditation tips in various articles, some breathing and relaxing tips on my Yoga Mind Cd; I try to adress basics in my public yoga classes in Tenafly or am available always for a private yoga class so we can work on your untangling your knots and improving your breathing together
Calming the Mind Through Your Yoga Practice
This reminds me of a quote by B.K.S. Iyengar in Light on Life; “when you cannot hold the body still, you cannot hold the brain still, If you do not know the silence of the body, you cannot understand the silence of the mind”
I am not one of those teachers who does headstands everywhere, but I do attempt to bring a calm mind to daily situations. This may be due to my respect for a healthy neck!
Yoga helps cultivate a strong body and calmly positive mind-set, even and especially during tough times…As a yoga therapist I work with your unique body in order to create conditions of comfort.
Most people walk around sleep deprived, with headaches, digestive problems and crankiness…That being said, not all stretching is created equal. Yesterday I spoke about the hamstrings and how you want to learn how to stretch safely in order to prevent injury. Unfortunately, I do get students who are already injured, and then the emphasis is on healing and rehabilitation which is another benefit to a yogatherapy practice.
Want to get started? I have a host of zen ideas for you -you can cultivate calm in my fantastic blend between a yoga session and a massage called Yapana® Stretch One on One. Or ~ check out my meditation tips, some breathing and relaxing tips on my Yoga Mind Cd; I am also available in public yoga classes in Tenafly and available for private yoga classes.
Injury prevention with Common Sense Yoga
Injury prevention with Common Sense Yoga -This cartoon makes me want to write about using your yoga practice as a way of healing and preventing injury ~
Yoga is a practice that takes time to learn. You can’t speed it up, you can only practice and build skills that will help things unfold as the mind-body receive the re-education from tension and holding patterns to release, increased range of motion, comfort, relaxation. Sometimes a holding pattern becomes chronic and that is where you really need a gradual approach which is always different for each person. If your practice is not balanced (we tend to over-do) then you are not getting all the benefits, many of which are derived from the restoratives and other components. I just taught a group today where many of the men were runners, particularly tight in feet, calves, hamstrings, hips; so we took time to adress this ~ you can’t just “fold forward”. Click here for a great read on preventing/healing hamstring injury with yoga therapy
Yoga is a practice that takes time to learn. You can’t speed it up, you can only practice and build skills that will help things unfold as the mind-body receive the re-education from tension and holding patterns to release, increased range of motion, comfort, relaxation. Sometimes a holding pattern becomes chronic and that is where you really need a gradual approach which is always different for each person. As you can see from the photo, there is often resistance from the mind/body, so you need to differentiate and navigate so that you do not induce pain or strain. If your practice is not balanced (we tend to over-do) then you are not getting all the benefits, many of which are derived from the restoratives and other components.
Yoga is pretty popular here but I have noticed its use as fitness and cardio based exercise. Physical practice of yoga is movement, so you need to know that a potential for injury is still present. I support any teaching that has a positive impact on the students. But once in a while, I get an a new student who asks about an injury. These injuries are usually a result of one of the following:
- Overuse (repetitive stress syndrome)
- Overloading a particular area (an underused tissue)
- Misalignment
Because of my background I do my best to offer yoga as the therapy to the yoga injury. I try to give precise directions and help you find the pose from the inside of your body rather than expecting one cue to cover the masses. If you are recovering from an injury or just wanting to avoid an injury, join me or I am available for a private yoga class here in Bergen County.
Avoiding injury in your yoga practice
Yoga is a practice that takes time to learn. You can’t speed it up, you can only practice and build skills that will help things unfold as the mind-body receive the re-education from tension and holding patterns to release, increased range of motion, comfort, relaxation. Sometimes a holding pattern becomes chronic and that is where you really need a gradual approach which is always different for each person. As you can see from the photo, there is more to the hand than meets the eye – I did a video clip you might want to check out. If your practice is not balanced (we tend to over-do) then you are not getting all the benefits, many of which are derived from the restoratives and other components.
Yoga is pretty popular here but I have noticed its use as fitness and cardio based exercise. Physical practice of yoga is movement, so you need to know that a potential for injury is still present. I support any teaching that has a positive impact on the students. But once in a while, I get an a new student who asks about an injury. These injuries are usually a result of one of the following:
- Overuse (repetitive stress syndrome)
- Overloading a particular area (an underused tissue)
- Misalignment
Because of my background I do my best to offer yoga as the therapy to the yoga injury. I try to give precise directions and help you find the pose from the inside of your body rather than expecting one cue to cover the masses. If you are recovering from an injury or just wanting to avoid an injury, join me or I am available for a private yoga class here in Bergen County.
Being Light And Free Through Yoga
Word of the day – freedom or ‘jivan-mukta=living liberated; the one who is liberated and unagitated in daily life’ whether it is better range of motion for daily life or for your sport, a feeling of serenity during a busy day, the benefits to a consistent Yoga practice are fruitful. Let’s work together to keep you feeling lighter and freer. I have some breathing and relaxing tips on my Yoga Mind Cd; -or join one of my public yoga classes in Tenafly or book your private yoga class with me, we will work on your goals together