do your own thing

Block used in Bound Half Moon Pose

If you've practiced yoga before, you've surely heard a teacher encourage you to modify certain postures. Drop your knees here, use a block there and don't be afraid to look different. Yet so many students would rather huff and puff their way through an uncomfortable pose than look like a wuss or use a dreaded prop. Modifying seems to have such a terrible stigma!

We know that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to their mind and body. There is no one universal diet, job, food, activity or music that is perfect for everyone and the same is true for yoga practice. Why on earth should all those different bodies look the same in any one posture? How many students are fighting through certain poses because he or she thinks that it should look a certain way or that modifying means "not good enough?" 

The real question comes down to this: do you want to practice yoga or do you want to look like you're "good at" yoga? The truth hurts. Literally. 

As a yoga practitioner and as an instructor, I ADORE seeing yogis do their own thing. It's very cool to notice someone binding a pose I wouldn't have thought to bind or heading back to Child's Pose because it feels good. But I think I die a little inside each time I see someone slamming through 12 mangled chaturangas during a sun salutation. *Note: there is a glaring and perceptible difference between having a fast-paced or spirited practice and a mindless, ego-driven practice.

When you're deeply connected to your practice, it's beautiful, quiet and obvious. Beautiful because it's creative, quiet because it's humble and obvious because it's so personal. You set a tone for those around you because you're so openly there for yourself and you're not afraid. When someone is practicing with the intention to look a certain way, it's sad because they're missing out and painfully conspicuous because they're not in control of their mind/ego. 

Spread the word: modifying is the real joy of yoga practice. Adapting each pose to make it your own means you're actually paying attention to yourself. Yoga injuries wouldn't exist in a world full of yoga blocks and rests in Child's Pose. Ever wonder how a yogi who's so "in shape" can end up with back problems, torn ligaments or knee replacements years later? Because something was wrong and they never sincerely listened. Get quiet. Know when to deepen, back off or completely stop. Pay attention to your body, your intuition, your instructors and your mind and you will learn something valuable from all of them.

#keepyogacozy

yoga selfies: to share, or not to share?

Back in July, you may have seen the New York Times article called, "Yoga Practitioners Gaze at Their Inner Selfies."Author Kayleen Shaffer examined the juxtaposition of vanity and yoga and created quite a stir among supporters and haters alike. Though nobody wants to admit it, most selfies are about vanity; but with yoga, there's another dynamic: yoga isn't supposed to be about the shape of the poses. (If it were, it would be a competition that pre-teen gymnasts would win.) If it's so much about controlling the mind, breath and ego, are we trivializing the practice by snapping photos of ourselves in awesome poses? Or are we just celebrating this beautiful practice? In a world where many yogis also enjoy photography and iPhone apps, how do we strike a balance?

As an instructor, I have a love/hate relationship with selfie yoga photos. I love the inspiration that we can glean from others photos; getting ideas for our practice or new friends for support is great. But what I dislike is the way that yoga is represented in many of these photos. Is it making yoga feel too exclusive or intimidating? Are we portraying an art form or just snapping crappy photos to show-off? Is some of it over-sexualized? (That's hilariously rhetorical.) 

Whether you're a beginner or have been mindfully practicing yoga for years, we all need to keep our wide, diverse audience in mind; they're developing opinions about yoga, creating new goals or trying new poses. Though it's up to any practitioner to monitor their body in any pose, we (as selfie-posters) still have a responsibility to express our passion in a fitting way, not always a flawless, unrealistic reality. Balance your humdinger photos with peaceful, basic asanas.

Once you've come to grips with the idea of even sharing a yoga self-portrait, consider the Instagram "yoga challenges." Each day, the host of the challenge shares a pose for followers to mimic and share their versions. Often, winners are chosen at the end. (Sometimes, the word 'challenge' is just an unimaginative synonym for the word, 'competition.') Though these can be a great way to get yogis motivated for daily practice, they also can be a perfect way to encourage mindless, ego-driven practice....a recipe for disaster and injury.

That all being said, you'll find lots of yoga photos on my iPhone, here on the blog and some on my Instagram feed, even though I still dislike the idea of selfies. This blogger explained it well:

"Yes, there are some beautiful people performing near perfect poses, but more often than not, these are people who love yoga and want to share their passion. There are teachers who now have a new outlet to teach and can break down a pose in both words and photos. Photography is also a very powerful tool. It allows me to see myself in a pose, to pinpoint the areas that I need to work on and, most importantly, to document progress."

Yoga selfies are a great way to show steps-by-step instruction

I think it's pretty cool that yogis all around the world can unite and share interesting poses in unique places or artful ways. It's fascinating to see all the different people and it's equally fascinating to catch tiny glimpses of my own practice that I never get to see. I can hang on to a moment of how I felt in these poses...free, open, balanced or strong. And other yogis on Instagram have inspired my practice or given me ideas for teaching. What do non-yogis think of these photos? I don't know. But yoga photographer Robert Sturman says, in his own words, "I often think of Rumi: 'I Can't stop pointing to the beauty.' That feels right to me." It's okay that yoga is inherently beautiful.

If you're not sure about it or you've never tried it, maybe download a timer app and try your own yoga selfie or two. You certainly don't need to share or post any of the photos, but it's exciting to see such simple beauty through yourself in any yoga posture. If you're worried about doing the pose "wrong" or not looking good enough, it's also an excellent platform to step out of your comfort zone. :) What are your thoughts?

pigeon pose breakdown

Lots of us really struggle with tight hips and hip flexors. There are many deep, powerful muscles with very long, hard-to-pronounce names located all around the hips that can make or break your comfort, posture or sport performance. If you're pulling a lemon face in full pigeon pose or find it to be totally ineffective, don't worry! There is hope for your hips to still find a deep and comfortable release in this pose.

Pigeon Pose Breakdown

1.) Begin in Downward Facing Dog. I would recommend warming up with a few other basic poses or hip openers first, maybe this little video, just to make sure the muscles are beginning to warm and loosen.

2.) From Down Dog, use and inhale to reach the right leg up, stretching straight out through the heel in Three-Legged Dog. No worries as to how high the leg is, just keep the toes flexing toward the shin.*It is VERY important to keep this foot position for the duration of the pose. It helps to protect your knee joint.*

3.) Pull the knee in toward your hands, under your body. The right heel will head over toward your left hand and the right knee will be toward your right hand. Note the position of the thigh here. Not opening too wide, but the knee is pointing toward the front of your mat, maybe slightly to the right.

4.) From there, adjust the ankle to a comfortable angle. Loosey-goosies will make a right angle and keep the shin parallel to the front of the mat, while the rest of us will tuck the heel in as much as needed, maybe even all the way in.

Viewed from above, either of these knee-bend angles are correct. Note the thigh position is the same.

5.) Adjust any tilt of the hips. This is one of the most tricky parts to grasp, but it can make a huge difference. If your hip is really rocking over toward the right, you're probably trying to come down more than you're body wants to. The solution? Prop your fist, a blanket or a block under that right hip. It's better to keep the hips straight than to allow yourself to sink over onto one side or the other.

6.) As you fold forward, don't just flop like a dead fish. Imagine rolling your left hip point toward the right heel. Then, lead with the chest, hinge gently forward from the hips.


Within reason, whatever yoga asana you dislike the most is typically the one you need the most. I'm not saying you should practice shoulder-stand if you have a neck injury, but I am saying that if you continue to baby tight muscle groups, your body will remain unbalanced. As always, enjoy your practice and keep yoga cozy!

Basic Yoga for Stiff Hips & Shoulders

Give yourself just 13 minutes to work through my new hip and shoulder opening sequence. I promise you won't regret it. :)

Namaste!

being gentle with our minds

It's easy to notice when our bodies are not prepared for a certain type of yoga class. If you've been holding tension in your shoulders, you might not be in the mood for many Sun Salutations. If you're getting sick or you've spent all day working in the heat, a hot class might not feel very rejuvenating. When certain muscles are tired or tight, it's usually very obvious as we come to our yoga mats.

But when your mind or heart is not prepared to practice, you might not know it right away. Yoga teachers often say, "honor your body" throughout class as a reminder to be mindful of each asana, but we also need to be sure we're honoring our minds and hearts. Though yoga practice is a time to get centered, mental focus sometimes can't be forced. If you're really struggling with something overwhelming, such as job loss, divorce or a death, you may benefit more from time in Savasana than anything else. 

In times of extreme sadness or stress, it's natural to seek out the peace we often find with our yoga, but it's okay if it 'doesn't work.' Sometimes we just need to offer ourselves time for equally extreme gentleness, inside and out. Though yoga can help you along the way, just be sure to take time to rest when your heart needs it.

Namaste