PRACTICE VIDEOS
YOGA BOOSTS
(SHORT YOGA PRACTICES)
Yoga for the whole body
How does your body feel when you engage in ordinary movements? This standing yoga practice offers an honest, practical snapshot of your current movement capacity. The entire practice is done in a standing position and includes simple movements that reveal how efficiently you reach, rotate, and stabilize as you move through space.
When we move, our muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and fascia must slide smoothly over one another. This gliding quality of connective tissue allows all structures to move with minimal friction, supporting efficient movement, reducing wear and tear, and helping prevent injury.
In a sedentary lifestyle, we often tighten the muscles in the front of the body,…
Traditionally, yoga practices for young adults were vinyasa-based and centered around a Sun Salutation. Sun…
Yoga poses are meant to be “prana pumps”, because the ultimate purpose of asana is…
If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, it means that your bones have lost some…
Our bones are truly remarkable in their composition. They have the tensile strength of steel,…
There is a series of eight sequential movements in qigong called “eight pieces of brocade”…
Many years ago, I took an anatomy and physiology course in college. I went in…
At the beginning of a class, I often ask my students to close their eyes…
Your diaphragm is the primary muscle of respiration; it contracts like any other muscle and…
Lately, I find myself juggling more projects and responsibilities than ever, which often means that I…
When I was little, I loved to fly. I loved the excitement in preparation for…
Over the past weekend, I felt like the seasons clicked – the summer is now…
Many years ago I used to have a remarkable student who came to my classes…
When I was growing up, my mom never cared for action flicks or end-of-the-world type…
Your brain interprets your bodily sensations based on context and experience. If you feel a…
Did you know that holding a Cobra pose (Bhujangasana) for several breath cycles brings down…
Yoga for core and spine
Are you planning on lifting suitcases anytime soon? Shoveling snow? Hauling a Christmas tree? If…
To have a strong body, we need a supple spine, stable skeletal structure, supportive core,…
Your spine and all the surrounding structures function best when the spinal curves are stacked…
Your spine is a structural and energetic center of your body. Being upright most of…
Some yoga students view arm balance poses as an invigorating challenge and others as an…
A few weeks ago, I took my son to get a haircut, and there was…
A few years ago, when I was traveling around New Zealand, I signed up for…
Yoga for neck and upper back
Yoga for balance
Your vestibular system, working in tandem with your eyes, proprioception, and pressure sensors in your…
Last week, a blast of cold weather moved across the United States. Here in Portland,…
Our balance is challenged most when we are in motion – whether we are walking…
The best way to train your balance is to integrate simple balancing movements into your…
Some yoga students view arm balance poses as an invigorating challenge and others as an…
My son loves to watch this YouTube video of Danny MacAskill riding his bike across…
Yoga for lower back and sacrum stability
Yoga for hips and pelvic floor
Yoga for shoulders, arms, and wrists
The easiest way to work with wrists and forearms is to add different hand movements…
Some yoga students view arm balance poses as an invigorating challenge and others as an…
When a new student comes to see me about her shoulder pain, the first thing…
Every time I get a massage I have to ask my massage therapist to dig…
This yoga practice will help you stretch the sides of your neck and loosen up…
Yoga for legs, knees, and feet
Would you like to feel a spring in your step? When our hips feel stiff,…
Our feet and ankles don’t get a lot of love and attention, even though we…
Many years ago, I read a book by Mukunda Stiles called Structural Yoga Therapy. I…
A literal “pain in the butt” (injury to the hamstring tendon) is one of the…
Yoga for energy management
When did you last feel like a superhero: strong, confident, capable, and vibrant? Try this…
Do you ever feel so overwhelmed that you have to guard yourself with a stiff…
How is your holiday season going? Do you feel active and vibrant or do you…
At the beginning of a class, I often ask my students to close their eyes…
Over the past few weeks, I have found myself alternating between states of calm confidence…
Several months ago I got in a habit of going for a short walk in…
One of my favorite movies to this day is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.…
Your yoga practice doesn’t always have to be long and serious. Sometimes, all you need…
Short targeted yoga practice for energetic boost if you are feeling depleted, disconnected, or jaded
How do you feel when you wake up in the morning? Do you feel energized…
Two years into WWII, the US military realized that due to extraordinarily high levels of…
Many years ago I used to have a remarkable student who came to my classes…
When one thinks of a brhmana practice that is supposed to build and energize the…
One of the most common misconceptions I encounter regarding breathing is that many students think…
This week, I’ve been having fun with my new Instagram account – posting stuff, checking…
Yoga for the physiological systems
Your heart is small but mighty. For an organ that could fit into the palm…
According to the yoga tradition, there are three qualities, or three energetic forces, that are…
Your spine and all the surrounding structures function best when the spinal curves are stacked…
If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, it means that your bones have lost some…
Our bones are truly remarkable in their composition. They have the tensile strength of steel,…
Our digestive systems are in charge of breaking down food into its basic components, which…
Your immune system is complex and multilayered. It includes seemingly unrelated parts of your body,…
Yoga for mental-emotional balance
Your breath is a powerful bridge between your physical body, mind, and nervous system. These two practices offer two foundational techniques to help you access and strengthen this connection. The first helps maintain the strength and mobility of your diaphragm, the central muscle in respiration. The second offers a grounding technique rooted in yoga philosophy to help you release overwhelm and restore calm.
Many things in life can take our breath away. Sometimes it’s joy or awe that makes us feel overwhelmed. Other times, it’s acute pain, bad news, or stress that leaves us breathless and frozen. These strong experiences jolt the nervous system, throwing us into a heightened state of alert.
Are there certain qualities or character traits that you would like to strengthen within yourself?…
Yoga is uniquely positioned to be very effective for dealing with anxiety because it addresses…
According to Samkhya philosophy, each of us is made up of different forms of energy,…
Over the past few weeks, I have found myself alternating between states of calm confidence…
Whenever a new acquaintance learns that I am a yoga teacher, the next question they…
There is an interesting and complex connection between your physiology and your emotions. We tend…
When I was growing up, my mom never cared for action flicks or end-of-the-world type…
When I lived in Portland, Oregon, on a clear day, you could see Mt Hood…
There was a farmer whose horse ran away. That evening the neighbors gathered to commiserate…
“I just wanted to stay there forever – this pause feels so comfortable and peaceful,”…
Is there a challenge that you are dealing with right now or a problem that…
I have experienced a full-blown panic attack once in my life about 10 years ago.…
Did you know that holding a Cobra pose (Bhujangasana) for several breath cycles brings down…
Do you know how you can make somebody WHO IS TALKING VERY LOUD lower their…
Not long ago, I went to my annual physical with a new doctor. She asked…
I love this expression my teacher uses when describing a way to connect to the…
Few weeks ago my grandmother passed away. She was 87 and died peacefully in her…
My first serious yoga teacher training was a residential one, where I lived in a…
Chair yoga practices
Unwind from summer travels with this quick, travel-friendly yoga practice designed to relieve neck and upper back tension. Perfect for planes, cars, or your living room, this seated practice boosts circulation and eases stiffness, and you don’t even need a yoga mat.
Magic Three yoga poses are simple, foundational poses that most students would benefit from. They…
Over the past weekend, I felt like the seasons clicked – the summer is now…
I have experienced a full-blown panic attack once in my life about 10 years ago.…
A few years ago, I went to Paris and stayed in the tiniest hotel room…
A recent study published by Surgical Technology International concludes that when you look down at…
Short yoga practices
For your body to move with ease and fluidity, your connective tissues, like fascia, tendons, and ligaments, must be well-hydrated. In this short yoga practice, we focus on rehydrating the tissues through gentle, fluid movement and rotational patterns that target the spine.
When we move, our muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and fascia must slide smoothly over one another. This gliding quality of connective tissue allows all structures to move with minimal friction, supporting efficient movement, reducing wear and tear, and helping prevent injury.
In this short standing yoga practice, we do particular actions to help us relieve stress and decrease agitation.
There is a particular group of poses within the side-bending category that is useful for…
Yoga poses are meant to be “prana pumps”, because the ultimate purpose of asana is…
The amount of twisting we do in our daily lives is minimal, yet spinal rotation…
To have a strong body, we need a supple spine, stable skeletal structure, supportive core,…
Would you like to feel a spring in your step? When our hips feel stiff,…
Do you ever feel so overwhelmed that you have to guard yourself with a stiff…
Are there certain qualities or character traits that you would like to strengthen within yourself?…
How is your holiday season going? Do you feel active and vibrant or do you…
Long car trips make your body tense all over. It can get even trickier if…
Gardening usually involves a lot of kneeling, bending over, and moving from side to side.…
How’s your yoga practice going this summer? Do you have an opportunity to luxuriate in…
Biking keeps your body in a stationary crouched position, with your legs doing most of…
When you plan to go for a hike, particularly the kind that involves uneven surfaces…
When you get ready to play golf, you need to prepare your body to generate…
Magic Three yoga poses are simple, foundational poses that most students would benefit from. They…
Your yoga practice doesn’t always have to be long and serious. Sometimes, all you need…
There is an interesting and complex connection between your physiology and your emotions. We tend…
