New research is bringing yoga one step closer to becoming a medically recommended treatment for depression. Findings show that yoga practice can help reduce symptoms of the condition, which is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States and worldwide, with around 16.1 million American adults alone experiencing at least one […]
Yeah right! You might be asking yourself how a steady and comfortable seat might relate to yoga postures – most of which are anything but steady or comfortable. We’re talking about asana in terms of being the third of the eight limbs of yoga, as defined in the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali. It defines asana
Looking for something new to try this year? Thinking that yoga looks cool and it is SOoooo good for you, right? Maybe you want to try it but classes don’t work for you or you just have no time / transport / spare money. Or does the idea of working out in public freak you
On June 21, Indian yogis made international headlines when 54,101 of them practiced together on Mysuru’s Race Course to celebrate International Yoga Day for the third time. Whilst it didn’t quite make a world record, it has put Mysuru on the yoga map for more yogis than ever before. Where is Mysuru? Mysuru, otherwise known
Practising on the edge. For those of you old enough to remember, the Edge used to refer to the lead guitarist of U2 (Showing my age? Perhaps!), but for those of us in the yoga world, the edge means something entirely different. Practising on the edge is a relatively recent term in yoga. It refers
Yoga may be about as good as physiotherapy for treating lower back pain, according to a new study published in a major medical journal. The results of the long-term study, which involved a large and racially diverse group of participants, come as welcome scientific support for using yoga as a therapy for back pain. Whilst
Our scapula, or shoulder blade, glides around on the chest wall allowing the complex movements that we use in our asana. It plays a vital role in keeping the scapula firmly fixed on the chest wall. Here is how to activate, strengthen and make the most of this important muscle in your classes. The When and
I wish I had a pound for every time I have told my students to ‘listen to your body’ – it’s just one of those things yoga teachers say, isn’t it? It slips off the tongue so easily, but what does it really mean? Listen through Ahimsa Listening to your body starts with ahimsa –
Were you scared this Halloween? Whilst witches, mummies and vampires may no longer scare us (not as much as our credit card bill) they do represent the unknown darker side of life and those fears can still catch us unawares. And those fears can lurk even in our yoga practice. I’ve had many poses over
Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a Japanese word meaning ‘universal life energy’ and is a beautiful system of natural healing that can be particularly beneficial for yoga teachers. Founded by a Japanese Buddhist, Dr Mikao Usui (1865 – 1926), in the late 19th century, Reiki has evolved as a result of his research, experience and dedication. What
