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 […]
In this new monthly series on yoga and parenting, Poppy Pickles explores how being a parent affects our yoga and vice versa. In this blog, Poppy explores how our children’s often irritating behaviour can actually give us a new, helpful perspective on our yoga practice. Most of us mothers are stuck in the role of
The importance of doing counterposes in yoga class. It sounds like a great title to a theatrical production of being a yoga teacher — but there is a huge significance and need for counterposes in a class. A counterpose is an asana that integrates the action of the preceding asana. For example, a pose that
The sun is out! Summer is here! And in the words of the song, “We’re all going on a summer holiday, no more working for a week or two…” And even though for most of us that summer holiday is a ‘staycation’, it’s still a joy to have a change of scene, even if it’s
Scar tissue gets such bad press. It is seen as a bad thing. Something to be avoided at all costs. But is that the whole story? Definitely not! Scar tissue is amazing and here’s why you will love it… Super scar tissue? Did you know that very few of our tissues can regenerate themselves when
We humans tend to be creatures of habit. We stick to our routines like clockwork come rain or shine because there’s a comfort to familiarity. However, sometimes it’s worth shifting gear with the seasons to take advantage of the natural vibrancy of spring. The days are getting longer and the nights are shortening. There is
Teaching an arm balance class can be pretty intimidating. I used to feel pretty scared to teach them to my students. I feared that they would get frustrated with the difficulty of the class, walk out, and never return. Or would fall, hurt themselves, and never come back. As you can see I accumulated a
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
The curse of modern life. How do you physically exist in the modern world? Hunched over keyboards and steering wheels? Carrying too much weight in our bags, or on our shoulders as we battle to stay connected in this digital age. This equates into a grotesque adult imitation of the foetal position with hips flexed
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
