Valentine’s Day Ideas: Partner Yoga

I was excited to find out that my gym would be offering a Partner Yoga class the week of St. Valentine’s Day. Basically, you can bring your significant other, a friend or be paired up when you get there, unless the class specifies “couples only.” The main idea of partner yoga is to enjoy the regular poses from a new perspective. If you go with your significant other, then you’ll be able to create closeness in a challenging, but fun way. Don’t be scared away by preconceptions that anything risqué will occur; this is intimacy without the sexuality. If you’re … Continue reading →

Play Me Something that I Can Down Dog To

If I had it my way, I would probably play nothing but Ravi Shankar in the yoga classes that I teach. His beautiful sitar playing, which is considered classical music in many circles, epitomizes what I feel when I practice yoga. Once he gets going, there are plenty of rhythmic qualities for a nice practice pace, and since yoga originated in India, I feel closer to the real essence of what I’m doing. Call me a traditionalist if you like. As you guessed, I don’t let myself have it my own way. Because I teach such a variety of students, … Continue reading →

The Yoga Path – Confidence

I recently wrote about how yoga has changed my life. In that same article, I promised to share more of this journey with you. Self-esteem has been an issue throughout my life. I wasn’t the most joyful teenager in high school and as a young adult I was often dipping into bouts of depression. I’ve slowly learned that one must accept the self on the outside by finding peace on the inside. Other forms of exercise besides yoga are easily capable of contributing to a healthy mind and body esteem; however, yoga has worked best for me. I believe that … Continue reading →

January for a Yoga Teacher

The past month has been a whirlwind of teaching for me. I believe that I’m on seven days in a row of teaching at least one class a day. Don’t get me wrong – I find my work very satisfying. It is wonderful to find something that I enjoy doing and that helps other people become healthier and maybe even happier. However, my sleep schedule is really what reveals that my body is trying to catch up. By 9:30 every night (except for “24” night) my eyes are involuntarily shutting. I know what some of you are thinking – you’re … Continue reading →

Yoga: Why Are They Telling Me to Breathe?

Everyone basically knows breathing. It’s something that the body usually does without us giving it much thought. It therefore seems strange to come to a yoga class and be told to breathe, not once, not twice, but perhaps dozens of times in one hour. In other physical activities we might be reminded from time to time, but no activity, except perhaps Pilates, requires such attention to the breath. Here are some of the top 5 reasons that your instructor is telling you to breathe – in order of appearance in your yoga class: 1. Breathe to focus. Most yoga classes … Continue reading →

How Chair Yoga Can Benefit Seniors

I took one of the Chair Yoga classes at my gym recently in case they ever needed a sub and also to see what it was all about. The class was all seniors or almost seniors. Sitting in chairs arranged in a huge circle, I noticed that some people left socks, or even shoes on. The environment was welcoming and relaxed. Camaraderie was shared by everyone in the class. This friendly community environment was the first benefit to seniors practicing yoga that I noticed. Everyone in the room looked forward to the class for social as well as physical reasons. … Continue reading →

The Oasis in Your Gym – The Mind/Body Studio

Hopefully your gym has a pleasant room, probably with hardwood floors and a window, where all of the yoga, Pilates and other group classes take place. The one in my gym is an escape from the masses right now. It appears that everyone who made a New Year’s Resolution to get healthy is at the gym every night, waiting for the parking spot, the treadmill or the free weights. Don’t get me wrong – I am more than happy that people are taking care of themselves. I’m full of hope that a great number of them will find joy in … Continue reading →

My Family Meltdown at Family Yoga

I thought I would share my teaching struggle with other parents who teach their children. Although, I’m not usually teaching my child because he goes to public school, I did have him in the Family Yoga class that I taught yesterday. I’ll start by saying that I truly respect parents who can patiently teach, coach or lead a group of kids that includes one of their own. If anyone knows what the behavioral meltdown that occurs in this situation is called, I would love to know. Something about being a yoga teacher makes me superimpose this idea that I’m supposed … Continue reading →

Rushing to Get to a Yoga Class

Countless times I have rushed myself and my son through the house trying to get to a yoga class. Unfortunately, when I’m on my way to teach the class, I have been known to get even more intense about the time. Everyone who knows me knows that I hate to be late. Sitting downstairs on a quiet Sunday morning I can laugh at the entire concept of being frantic about getting to do something which is supposed to help me unwind and make my mind and body stronger. My hysteria about being on time shows either how very much I … Continue reading →

Don’t Be Surprised If Your Yoga Teacher Asks You This

Although we never imagine ourselves admitting in front of an entire room that we have any kind of limiting physical condition (except maybe pregnancy), it may be the key to your yoga instructor delivering a safe class for you. When I first started teaching, it was in a close-knit YMCA, so I would open the class by asking if anyone had anything that might require them to modify their practice. I have since tweaked the timing of this question to better suit people’s privacy, but nonetheless, I still ask it. If I didn’t, then there’s always a chance that someone … Continue reading →