I became a yoga teacher because my back hurt. At the height of my problems, I had sciatica and pinched nerves that kept me from turning my head in a normal fashion.
Clarity Magazine, Spiritual Growth, Spirituality and Science
Clarity Magazine, Spiritual Growth
When You Can’t Meditate
Before becoming pregnant, I was meditating at least two hours a day and teaching 12 – 15 yoga postures classes a week. Now, with two young children, I was doing none of that.
Clarity Magazine, Spiritual Community, Spiritual Growth
John Laurence: Seventy Years of Discipleship
The more time I spent with John, the more I felt my attunement to Paramhansa Yogananda deepening. Because of his humility and devotion, John was a powerful channel for Yogananda.
Miscellaneous, Yoga Postures
The Perfect Yoga Warm-Up
What does it mean to “warm up” the body? It means preparing the body to perform physical tasks efficiently with a minimal risk of injury. Scientific studies have provided evidence of the importance of warming up the body to prevent injuries. Without warming up physically, the body will perform poorly, and be at increased risk of injury. It’s like trying … Read More
Miscellaneous, Yoga Postures
Pregnancy Posture Tips
According to the California Pacific Medical Center’s book, A Guide to Your Pregnancy and Newborn: “One of the most important contributions to a healthy pregnancy is good posture.” The principles of posture for a pregnant woman are the same as for anyone else: her natural curves need to be maintained, and all of the same principles of alignment as discussed in the last article … Read More
Therapeutic Yoga, Yoga Postures
Healthy Hips in Hatha Yoga
Ask anyone — even a doctor — to put their hands on their hips, and chances are that all hands will go to their waists. Ask new yoga students to stand with their feet hip-joint distance apart, and you’ll see the legs widen beyond the typical, anatomically correct distance of 3 – 4 inches. Sadly, you’ll see some (yes, mostly … Read More
Ananda Yoga, Yoga Postures
Can Being too Flexible Be Harmful?
In “When Does Flexible Start to Mean Harmful?“, Lorraine Kreahling asks, “Does too much stretching cause injuries?” Ten to twenty years ago, when I was teaching yoga in San Francisco, one rarely heard of people being injured from practicing yoga. During this time I worked both as a chiropractic assistant and in sports medicine research. To the extent that we … Read More
Miscellaneous, Yoga Postures
More Perspectives on Warm-Ups
First, I’ll discuss some factors that should influence which warm-ups you choose, and how many you do. Time of Year Different seasons of the year have different effects on us. Let’s look, for example, at the choice of a pranayama technique for your initial centering. In the summer-time you might want to focus more on cooling pranayamas, such as sitali … Read More
Especially for Teachers, Yoga Postures
Helping Students Master the Asanas Part 2: Proportion
Seeing the Differences Visualize a group of students sitting comfortably crossed legged on the floor with good posture in Sukhasana, Easy (sitting) Pose. In preparation for the next pose, you give them the first instruction: “Place your left hand on the floor.” Now do you see in your visualization everyone maintaining good posture as they place their left hand on … Read More
Therapeutic Yoga, Yoga Postures
What Is Therapeutic Yoga?
What is “therapeutic yoga”? Is it just the latest yoga marketing hype? After all, isn’t all yoga therapeutic by nature? I was asked to write about this for two reasons: First, many people want to know more about the Therapeutic Yoga and Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training programs that I’m teaching at The Expanding Light. Second, the whole subject of yoga therapy has become a … Read More
