Author: Kyle McDonald Kyle McDonald C-IAYT 2017 Yoga Therapist/ Healing Arts Instructor Children’s Integrative Therapies, Pain Management & Supportive Care Department / Hasbro Children’s Hospital Rhode Island Hospital Cancer Institute Reflecting on my own journey of healing, I know that Raja Yoga, the 8-limbed path, is a lifestyle system, which affects mind, body and spirit and has the potential to … Read More
Winter is a time for comfort, staying warm, and withdrawing from outer activity. Unlike the other seasons, winter gives us the opportunity to stay indoors and take notice of the changes that are needed to create better balance in our busy lives. We know from experience, that when we become overstimulated or overexerted, both our bodies and immune systems reap … Read More
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us that Life is a Battlefield, so we shouldn’t really be surprised when two of our national yoga organizations seem to be engaged in turf battles. However, on closer examination of the reactions to Yoga Alliance’s new Policy on Yoga Therapy, we can see that the perceived controversy is probably a necessary ‘growing pain’ associated with … Read More
Autumn is a time of change: the leaves fall from the trees and the weather signals a time of transformation for nature, animals, and people. With the energetic activity of summer behind us, there is now an opportunity—with encourage from nature—to slow down, calm the mind, and go within. As animals prepare for hibernation, you too can take a mini-hibernation … Read More
Supported Bridge Pose “I offer every thought as a bridge to divine grace.” This pose will give you an experience of slowing, cooling, and introspection. It is an antidote for living in an age, which manipulates our brains and nervous systems into being fast, hot, and extroverted. This is a great pose to practice during the summer time when our minds and … Read More
I recently discovered the enormous power of Ananda Yoga Therapy to change consciousness (specifically, my consciousness!). For almost a year, I had been dealing with chronic pain in my neck and upper back. When one day my chiropractor said with dismal finality that I might need a cortisone shot, I knew I needed to get more engaged in the healing … Read More
Posture awareness practiced regularly during pregnancy can help reduce many physical discomforts. The female body, in a very short time frame, will undergo drastic changes in every bodily system. Our bodies have the incredible capability of adapting to these changes while continuing to run efficiently. While no two pregnancies are identical, most women’s bodies will respond to these changes at … Read More
For fifteen years, I’ve been teaching yoga. In December of 2012, I did something that changed the direction of my yoga teaching in a very positive way: I took a weeklong course Yoga Therapy Training: Seniors and Bone Strength at Ananda’s retreat center, The Expanding Light, near Nevada City, California. The course is part of the curriculum for Ananda’s Yoga Therapy Training … Read More
Have you ever heard Raffi’s rousing rendition of the children’s song “Knees Up Mother Brown”? It goes something like this: Knees up Mother Brown, Knees up Mother Brown, Knees up, knees up, never let the breeze up, Knees up, Mother Brown. Hopping on one foot, hopping on one foot, Hopping, hopping, never stopping, Hopping on one foot, Hopping on the … Read More
Quiz answers are at the bottom of this page. Hyperextension When the leg is straight, the knee is said to be in extension. When the leg bends at the knee it is said to be in flexion. When the knee goes backward beyond its straight position, it is said to be in hyperextension. Extension and flexion are part of normal, … Read More
