Wednesday Inspiration

A lot of people get the joy kinda sucked out of them by Wednesday, so I just wanted to choose some inspiring yoga photos today. Get outside, do your practice, and focus on loving every second of it.

Be Bold and Expressive, Laugh until you fall out of a pose, and make No Apologies.

via FuckYeahYoga

via LightWeight

via YogiMoni

via elleodian

Yoga Every Damn Day Challenge

A couple years ago I offered up the 30 Day Yoga Challenge. Well, a couple of it's videos are missing, and it's been a while - so here's a new fun current challenge being offered up by someone else.

The 2013 Yoga Challenge : Yoga Every Damn Day

Click through for Rules/Details and to Join on the the ChallengeLoop page.

by 1Shot Photography - via Tumblr

From the Description:
The #yogaeverydamnday challenge has been ongoing since January 1, and it's open to all. Every month we have had a new twist (to bring gratitude into our daily lives, to meditate etc) but there will not be a twist this month. I want us all to go back to what's at the core of any yoga practice: to practice every single day. I want you to find the joy of living your yoga, on and off the mat, and to remember that yoga is not a pose but a practice! This does not mean you have to take a full sweaty 90-minute class every day (feel free if you like!), but that you incorporate yoga into your life somehow, every single day of this month.

This is just an excerpt, so head on over there to learn how to join and share your practice progress.

Last I checked there were just shy of 5,000 participants!
There are even prizes - Yoga Every Damn Day tanks from yours truly (creator Rachel Brathen) and @seasonfive

via Yogaholics

Yoga, Meet Painting

I've mentioned before that I like to keep my yoga and my artwork separate, but earlier this month I painted a large picture that is definitely drooling yoga all over the place. Figured I'd share it here for those of you that don't follow me on Twitter. I don't actually like this painting, but I try to keep this Andy Warhol quote in mind when I create.

Titled April Flowers. Acrylics on Canvas. It's me - in king pigeon pose (eka pada rajakapotasana) with some visible internal anatomy and flowers for hair. There's some energetic buzz going on there near the heart. The whole thing is actually a little larger than life sized.

Prints available at Saatchi Online

Good Alignment is Good Therapeutics

It's an unfortunate fact of having a body - injury happens. I'm pretty accident prone, so I'm quite familiar with this fact by now. I always seem to hurt myself doing something mundane instead of something that obviously could hurt me. I hurt myself doing things like getting up off the floor, reading a book, or just plain existing. The last 2 weeks I've been healing up a mild knee sprain and it's coming along great, but I'm just now getting around to adding some really basic yoga back into the mix.

As I introduce sun salutations back into my days (and lots of lunges) I just have to remind myself that:

Good Alignment is Good Therapeutics

As long as I watch my alignment closely I can probably do almost anything and it will assist healing. By anything I don't mean playing soccer, but I do mean things like squats, lunges, inversions, backbends, etc. Mostly stationary and slow careful movements for a while. It's just another reminder to bring awareness to everything I do and practice mindfulness.

via http://fuckyeahyoga.tumblr.com/post/46435892141

Challenge Yourself to Create Balance

What have you been avoiding because it looks difficult or pulls up emotional funk? Is there something you've been ignoring that you could be working towards?

People tend to get all too cozy in their comfort zone. They don't focus on their weaknesses very often (if ever) - which allows them to get weaker and weaker. In the meantime your strengths get stronger and stronger. This creates an ever-expanding gap in your abilities. Sounds like a huge imbalance. The more advanced your yoga practice gets the more your imbalances can come back to haunt you. The smallest weak spot can completely throw off a pose and lead to injury. Easily avoidable if you just do the work - all the work, all the time.

via FuckYeahAshtangaYoga

Take a good look at your practice. Is there an entire direction you aren't moving? Is there a category of poses you avoid? Is there a tweaky chronic pain that needs to be addressed?

Don't think that being a beginner or an intermediate practitioner excuses you from this. That's exactly when you need to be creating good habits of introspection and filling in the gaps.

Challenge yourself by looking into those spaces before you have the Grand Canyon of imbalances staring you in the face.

via Yoga, Water, Sun, Light

Sometimes You Suck

Sometimes yoga is all about aiming for perfect alignment and holding a solid pose for ages. Other times you just want to get out of your head and into the flow. Sometimes you need to expand your horizons and try a new pose.

When you're in the flow - channel the breath and let go of expectations of perfection. If your practice has been slipping - your poses may not be as easy or pretty as they once were. When you're trying something new you have to get comfortable with the idea that you'll probably suck at it. You might fall on your face, your ass, and your ego. Even poses you've done a thousand times can surprise you on a bad day. Some days you will suck. And that's okay.

For teachers - sometimes your students will not be any good. Maybe they're doing their best but they're new; maybe your class is too fast-paced to get all the kinks worked out in each pose. These things can be fine. There's a place for the single beat pose class and the beginner's flail. Take care of your students, help them out, keep them safe but as one of my teacher trainers told us - Sometimes you just have to let them suck.

Shake Up Your Downward Dog

Downward Facing Dog is a classic. It's featured in almost every class and people usually love it or hate it. It's a nice hamstring opener, but it can open up more in your legs than just that main corridor down the back center if you get creative.

Throw in some goofy-footed dogs. Seriously. Try it. Especially if you've been doing calf work or you wear heels often. Take it slow and pay close attention to knee/hips/ankles - just in case. Hold for 5 - 10 breaths.

Simply by turning the angle of your feet completely changes the feeling for your legs. Keep the rest of the pose the same as usual.

Toes in, Heels out.

Heels in, Toes out.

In general, this sequence is for anyone, but please don't try this sequence without speaking to your Dr. first if you have any medical/physical problems (Especially knee/hip problems). Seek Peace At Your Own Risk! 

Yoga Video for the Winter Blues

Today is the Winter Solstice (some people think it's also the end of the world but let's focus on the more likely instance of winter).

I live in Idaho these days. In a pretty upbeat part, but still kind of northward as far as weather is concerned. Living up north can suck. I don't like wind, cold, or grey skies... and snow gets old real fast. The suckitude of winter can take an especially dark turn for those prone to seasonal depression.

Whether you suffer from S.A.D. or only get a little lacking in motivation for the darker months - you can benefit from today's sequence made specifically for Winter Blues. I guess if you're concerned about the end of the world - this might be for you too. At only 34 minutes long it won't be hard to squeeze it in.

Good for beginners. Do this as often as you feel like.

Readers via Email - Click Here for the Video.

Recycled Post: Stress Relief

Only 11 days 'til Christmas, so it must be time for a recycled post.

Stretch Out Your Stress

Shoulder stretches, for really any time of year, come in particularly handy in December.

Christmas Yoga Advent Calendar

Bonus Weekend Post!

It's always interesting to see what the yoga community comes up with to keep yoga fun for the holidays, and today's addition is no different.

At just one pose a day the Christmas Yoga Advent Calendar by Nicola Jane Hobbs makes yoga totally accessible. Start today to finish in time for Christmas Corpse Pose. If you want more - it could also be done together as a full sequence. You could even add on each day until you're doing the full sequence on Christmas.

Available to Download and/or Print. Free!

Mindful Practice Yoga Sequence

Today's sequence from The Mindful Body takes about 30 minutes -

"The following yoga poses are help to awaken the body and prepare the mind for meditation. Hold each pose for the time shown in parentheses."

For more detailed information, a printable practice, and a video of this sequence visit The Mindful Body

Yoga Sequence for Confidence & Strength

Finish off National Yoga Month with this Lower Body Sequence via Core Integrity with Cat. 

Practice awareness while strengthening your legs and core. 

I recommend holding each pose for 5 long slow breaths.

Don't forget Savasana!

Sequence for Hanumanasana

via FitnessLoveAffair who says:

Yoga for the Splits

Print this out and practice these poses everyday to gain flexibility for the splits. Start by holding each pose for 30 seconds on each side. Work your way up to 1-3 minutes as your muscles start to open up. When you’re ready to try the splits use a block or pillow under your front leg for support until you feel ready to go without.

Backbending Tips from Briohny Smyth

Readers via Email - Click Here for Video

Good Morning Yoga Sequence

What better way to start National Yoga Month than with a delightful 

morning yoga sequence accessible to all levels?

This sequence via Mind Body Green - created by Jennifer Jarrett.

Forearm Stand Tips

When people first start doing forearm stands (pincha mayurasana) they tend to want to fight about how their arms should be placed. They're supposed to be parallel to each other, but the hands want to slide towards each other OR the elbows want to slide away from each other... OR the practitioner simply wants to set up with hands together elbows apart from the beginning. They claim it's more comfortable or easier this way. One person even told me that asking him to put his arms parallel to each other was ridiculous.

What does this mean and why is it important?
Hands or elbows sliding can mean you're not rooting down properly. Elbows sliding out specifically says you're not pulling them in towards the midline enough. Practice just holding your arms and clawing your fingers in dolphin (aka pincha prep) for a while before you start kicking up.

All of these things usually point to tight shoulders. It requires pretty open shoulders/chest to comfortably place your bent arms parallel to each other and raise them overhead. If you find this totally uncomfortable then focus more on shoulder openers before attempting your forearms stands. Maybe even set aside your plans for forearm stands for a while and regularly practice shoulder opening poses if it's really uncomfortable.

 Practice with a block as seen in this post to help learn proper set-up.

This all matters because - kicking up and having your foundation sliding into this triangle shape is just practice for a rotator cuff injury. These hurt a lot, may require surgery, and will ruin all your plans for a long while during the recovery process. They're also one of the most common injuries in yoga, so be patient and safe to avoid being injured from the beginning.

You May Also Enjoy:

Baby Steps to Forearm Stands

Baron Baptiste Flow Practice for Meditation

I've been getting really sucked into meditation lately. I'm not doing it as much as I should, but sometimes just out of nowhere I feel myself drawn inward. Guided to my breath by the soft breeze and the sound of birds competing for mates and nesting materials outside.

The primary purpose of asana practice is to prepare the body to comfortably sit in meditation for great lengths of time. Here's a 20 minute flow sequence by Baron Baptiste (founder of Baptiste Power Yoga) to open the hips and spine for happy healthy meditation. Give it a shot!

   

 Readers via Email - Click Here for the Video

Resistance to Practice: Lighten Up!

Doldrums, disinterest, lack of motivation... Whatever you want to call it - it can be a veritable brick wall. The first time this happens to you isn't really much different than the 50th time. It's always uncomfortable. Everyone deals with it differently. When the last thing you want to do is practice - how do you handle it?

I suggest that you lighten up!

My asana practice has been dragging ass for a few months. The very sight of my mat kinda makes me groan at the notion of practice.

Finally I realized that if I relax my requirements of what counts as practice then I might do more yoga. I started doing yoga in my pajamas in the grass of my backyard, at the gym in the middle of the "stretching area" in my sneakers, or in the carpeted living room while wearing socks. Turns out I just need a new perspective for a while.

My practice is different (again) and I've sort of distilled it down to the pieces I enjoy the most. I've removed the "fluff" and I'm doing lots of lunges, hanumanasana, and pigeon mostly. I've made huge strides in my poses by doing this. That doesn't mean I never do the other stuff. I just mostly focus on my big loves and loosening my expectations is treating me well.

When you want nothing to do with yoga - focus on what you love.

By immersing my practice in joy and letting go of the picky details like always having to be barefoot I'm reconnecting to why I love the practice and this slump will pass.

Know Your Sun Salutation

The Sun Salutation, aka Surya Namaskar, is the seed from which all vinyasa yoga is born. Everyone should know how to do a sun salutation. It's an excellent warm-up for a larger practice; or it can stand alone. Do it once, or do it 108 times, or any number in between. If you're running low on time, or have no idea where to start a home practice - this is all you really need. 

Cardio for Hot Yoga Bods

It's about that time of year when the weather is warming up and people are realizing that swimsuits are just around the corner. This of course leads to an increase in cardio for so many people that want to burn off extra body fat.

There are lots of forms of cardio to consider:

• Jumping Rope
• Running
• Jogging
• Hula Hooping
• Yoga (yes it can be cardio)
• Plyometrics
• and tons of other combinations of fun things that get your heart rate up for a while...

Running is commonly chosen because it's one of the most effective forms of cardio there is. If you're running then you need to do more stretches both before and after your run (because it's also one of the roughest forms of cardio).

Lululemon offers a nice little article on Five pre-run poses for better running. Go Check it Out!

http://www.lululemon.com/community/blog/five-pre-run-poses/

Update: Lululemon came out with a 2nd article on Five post-run poses for better recovery!

http://www.lululemon.com/community/blog/five-post-run-poses-for-better-recovery/