The value of knowing what you don’t know
Last night after class, I asked a student how her home practice was going. A few weeks earlier, we’d met privately to work out a routine that was specific to her: something short and simple that would address the tight shoulders, hips and hamstrings that were restricting her in the poses. It turned out she […]
My guide to home yoga practice? On its way.
Last Sunday morning before teaching, I was browsing through BKS Iyengar’s Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate Freedom looking for a quote about my current practice obsession, the centre line. I didn’t find what I was looking for, but I stopped in my tracks when I read this: “I […]
How do you end a practice break?
It’s time to come inside now. Your mat is waiting for you.Surely one of the most unfair parts of being human is that good habits are hard to form and easy to lose, while bad habits rub against your ankles like cats who’ve just heard a can opener. I could blame renovations, house guests who […]
Bathtub yoga for tight, sore hips
Yoga props: they’re everywhere.I’d hate to suggest that there’s really such a thing as bathtub yoga. We already have Broga, Doga, paddleboard yoga, karaoke yoga and Star Wars yoga; the last thing we need is another yoga gimmick. But the truth is, practicing hip openers while you soak in a hot tub can ease sore […]
Five good reasons to stick it to your yoga practice
You walk out the door after yoga class, soothed, settled, and mysteriously both more grounded and lighter at the same time. A day passes, or perhaps two, and you have time to practice. So what was that preparation for reverse triangle that made the full pose so much more accessible? What sequence led up to […]
September excitement? In spades, but I have it under control
Ah yes, September. Season of self-improvement. Inevitably, my inner child, deeply imprinted with the yearly drama of going back to school, goes ballistic with excitement. It’s a new beginning! Another chance to finally get it right! In bygone days, I wrote detailed September plans, complete with daily and weekly schedules that generally involved getting up […]