Blog
Sun Salutes from the Inside Out
The Sun Salute – Surya Namaskara Surya means sun, and namaskara is a greeting, so we are greeting the sun. The sun is the soul of the world. Rig Veda 1.115.1 Sun Salutes begin the process of synchronizing body with … Continue reading
Prana ~ Ways we use it, lose it, and better yet accumulate it
Prana to yogis is vitality, energy. You may hear this word used in yoga classes frequently. Anything that is alive — or moves has prana in it Prana is a sanskrit word that when literally translated means “moving always”. Continue reading
Drishti drishti (update) for 2020
Originally posted in our TOPIC OF THE MONTHs, AUGUST 2011 Drishti update 2020 – Setting our Drishti, Drishti is our vision for our life. Our drishti is closely tied to how you perceive what you are sensing and thinking. Our brain does … Continue reading
The new ways Ashtanga is showing up
The new ways Ashtanga is showing up The world of ashtanga yoga is opening up! Now teachers that studied with Krishnamacharya the same time Pattabhi Jois did, but have not become so famous are being sought out for a … Continue reading
A New Evolutionary Response to Stress
A new Evolutionary Response to Stress What do we do with all this information we have learned about our vagus nerve? We develop a new evolutionary response to stress! I love the “new science” supporting what the yogis have said … Continue reading
Finding your Flow
Brain waves and finding your flow ~ This is a follow up to my blogs on Presence, Brain Waves, and Minding your MIndstuff, –particularly about being in the wave and less in the particle zone. We have some control over our … Continue reading
Presence
How to be present in your every day life~ What we learned through brain waves is that when we are doing a task and thinking about something else- it takes a lot of brain energy, and the brain cannot rebuild … Continue reading
Brain Waves and Minding your Mind
Different brain waves are associated with different functions in the body. When our brain waves are slower we have more of a tendency to be creative and productive along with increased ability to rebuild through lengthening telomeres and increased stem … Continue reading
Minding your Mindstuff follow up
Minding your Mindstuff follow up Follow up talk on the power of thought, Quantum Physics, and Yoga Start with short meditation – Now … if you have children running around you … it may (or may not!) interfere with this … Continue reading
Community, “real” yoga, and what is Led Mysore?
Community, real yoga, – and what is Led Mysore? Home Practice vs. Group Practice Group practice is where the community and friendships happen Home practice is where the magic happens Community is an important part of our health. Longevity studies … Continue reading
Chakras
In yoga tradition there are 7 chakras or energy centers in the body. A chakra is a nerve center, in Sanskrit chakra means circle, and they are points or vortices at which energy is filtered through our system. They act … Continue reading
Minding Your MindStuff
Mind Stuff — The Next Frontier in your Yoga Practice I realized this is over 20 pages of mind stuff trying to teach you about the power your mind stuff … So lets break it down into different areas I … Continue reading
Reducing Chemical Exposures
Reduce your chemical exposures — Everyday airborned, household, and toiletry chemicals that are prevalent and disruptive. “The human cell is an antenna for the outside world. It takes the signals from the environment and turns it into biology. It turns … Continue reading
Where I am
I have fallen out of love with the yoga industry … and I’ve even fallen out of love with the lineage aspect and some other parts of ashtanga yoga. All is not lost though, I have decided …. A big … Continue reading
Self Care at Work
Self care is the new health care … but don’t put your self-care in a box and check done for the day because you meditated and did some exercise. Self care is an all day affair. One of the … Continue reading
Mindfulness – A day in the mindful way of life
I wrote this in March of 2009 after reading Indra Devi’s book “Yoga for Americans” which she wrote in 1959 and it amazed me how she nailed the true heart of yoga back then, these days we seem to be … Continue reading
Intentions
Now is the time to set your intentions for our new year 2019. Take a minute (or 5) and sit with your thoughts of health and well being for the upcoming year. What can you, in reality do this year … Continue reading
The Four Purifications
These breathing exercises I first learned from Nancy Gilgoff, she learned them from Baba Hari Dass. They are in the book “Ashtanga Yoga Primer” by Baba Hari Dass. They are known as “The Four Purifications” and help to clear the … Continue reading
CoCreation Ashtanga Yoga
What is CoCreation Asthanga Yoga? It honors you over a system. CoCreation ashtanga yoga means there are no rules, there is no guru. CoCreation Ashtanga Yoga means we offer guidance and suggestions and share our experiences, and ask you how … Continue reading
Winterize Me
Here are some tips to prepare your body for winter to help combat cold dry air (and dry heated air) to and reduce your risk of colds and flu viruses this season in your home. Many of these recommendations are … Continue reading
Developing a Personalized Yoga Practice
For those who have been practicing yoga for a long time— and know primary series and second series, its time to learn how to apply the intelligence of the system to balance your daily life. You don’t need someone telling … Continue reading
Forest Bathing aka Shinrin-yoku
Take a moment and step into a little wooded area, it can even be in your own yard or just a short walk from your home. Take a deep breath. How do you feel? Instantly calm. rejuvenating? Clearer focus? You … Continue reading
Emotional eating … connecting your Moods & Foods
This is a big subject … with many varying opinions out there on emotional eating! Why do we crave certain foods? Sometimes it is a nutrient deficiency… but you are not going to crave cookies and sweets because of a … Continue reading
Bandhas, the short & sweet version
I get more requests to talk about Bandhas than any other yoga talks. I understand why, they are a bit elusive and mostly spoken about in esoteric languages. I have written much longer articles about them, which I will include … Continue reading
Personalizing Your Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Personalizing Your Anti-Inflammatory Diet – and what you can learn from genetics and microbiome testing What did I learn from all the testing? Complete Comprehensive blood panel, urine, hair, microbiome and genetics tests? The genetics and microbiome tests were by … Continue reading
Savory Breakfasts
Nip the sweet cravings in the bud ~ before they begin! Starting the day savory instead of sweet can help to stop the sweet tooth before the cravings begin, and having more protein and less grains or sugars for breakfast … Continue reading
Pattabhi Jois & MeToo
It was recently brought to my attention that Pattabhi Jois’s name has been added to MeToo. I’m shocked and disappointed. While he helped popularize a beneficial form of therapy for body and mind that many people have benefited from — … Continue reading
The anti-Inflammatory Diet and How to Test Yourself for Food Reactions
How can foods make you react with sinus drainage, fatigue, skin issues, foggy brain, and reduce or increase inflammation and pain? Many foods that cause problems are mostly due to our processing of foods and/or our pesticide use. Foods heavily … Continue reading
Living Aloha
Community is such an important part of our health. The more friends, family, and loving support around us the healthier we are, the safer we are, and the better we handle stressful situations — meaning the stress can help us … Continue reading
Pain Alternatives and the Anti-Inflammatory Diet
If you have pain, it is important to get out of pain now! There are many effective pain management strategies available that modern doctors do not know of. When faced with pain don’t make taking tylenol, aspirin or opioids … Continue reading
Epigenetic’s — I’m Living Proof
I got the results of my DNA testing … It was not good! After taking 24 hours to feel sorry for myself, I realized I am much healthier than my genes 😉 And thank goodness to the study of epigenetics and how we can turn on or off our genes. I have turned off a lot of genes in my lifetime. Continue reading
Eat Your Vegetables
I just returned from my 2017 teaching tour around the world. My workshops were ashtanga yoga in the mornings and health coaching, women on ashtanga yoga, food as medicine, plus so much more in the afternoon sessions. It was great to see everyone and so fun to share my passions, thanks to all of you who attended allowing me the opportunity to educate the world about the power of food and herbs and yoga 🙂 Continue reading
Ashtanga Yoga Ideally, and a little science
As I am traveling and teaching ashtanga workshops all over the world this month I could not choose if this months topic should be ashtanga yoga for real people or asthanga yoga for women … two popular workshops … instead of basing this topic off either of these workshops I want to share what ashtanga yoga would look like in an ideal situation 🙂 Utopia or Shambala or Hakuna Matata. Continue reading
Self Care is the New Health Care
With rising cost of health care, and its ineffectiveness — we need to take responsibility for our own health. As We have learned more about the human body the last couple years, very important game-changing information … many doctors are slow to adopt it — for one reason or another. Continue reading
How do you think about stress?
Last month the founder of my school did an interview with Kelly McGonigal on stress. She is a Stanford University psychologist and a leader in the growing field of “science-help.” Through books, articles, courses and workshops, McGonigal works to help us understand and implement the latest scientific findings in psychology, neuroscience and medicine.
She also has one of the most watched ted talks. Continue reading
Support your Immune System
Your immune system is your first line of defense against colds and flus as well as many other illnesses and diseases. This time of year especially you want to pay attention to your immune system and support its function so it can support you! Continue reading
Visualizations, Guided Imagery, & Mind Body Medicine
Mind body medicine has been around since the ancient times — especially in indigenous societies. Modern allopathic medicine has only been around for about a hundred years . . . As our health care system is failing miserably it is time we revisit the ancient methods that supported our health. And that is happening! Mind Body Medicine is being more researched than ever before and is receiving scientific approval these days.
We even have some new scientific words to describe them. Continue reading