We need yoga chairs, but where can we get them?
If only we lived in Melbourne, Australia. Then we could go to EMP Industrial, makers of Pilates and yoga equipment in the nearby suburb of Malvern, and buy backless yoga chairs whenever we liked, for as little as $28 for a bulk purchase of 20 or more. Sure, they have funny looking white feet on […]
Supported Bridge Pose: cross over into quiet
As quiet as a yoga practice may be, the mat is a busy construction site. We make triangles, bound angles, side angles, plows, boats, half-boats, gates, bows, and yes, bridges. And you can’t make a bridge without raising the idea of crossing it. If you see the pose as the bridge, then Setu Bandha Sarvangasana […]
Squeeze a Brick for Strength and Clarity in Your Legs: Five-Minute Yoga Challenge
Every once in a while I read a description of Iyengar yoga that says something on the lines of: “This style of yoga uses props to make the poses easier and more accessible.” Oh no, dear hearts. Indeed, there are times when a cushy bolster, a stack of blankets or a well-placed chip foam block […]
Why I’m taking a month off teaching
By this time next week I will have taught my last yoga class for 2010. The new session starts on Sunday, January 9, and in between, except for a few private classes, I don’t plan to tell anyone how to move their thighbones, align their feet or activate their shoulder blades. Why take a break? […]
Five-Minute Yoga Challenge: Kitchen Counter Series, part one
This week’s Five-Minute Yoga Challenge is spinal stretch at the kitchen counter. It’s an easy one to tuck into your day – come into the kitchen, put the kettle on, and while the water boils, put your hands down on the counter and step back into spinal stretch. It has a special meaning for me, […]
Lose Your Counterbalance: Five-Minute Yoga Challenge
All of the standing balance poses have a counterbalance – a spot where it’s easy to stay upright because you’ve fallen away from the centre line. Most often it involves the standing leg thighbone, high in the hip socket. Let it drop out to the side, and the balance is easier. The problem is, you’re […]