By Ann West Restorative yoga is for everybody It’s not uncommon to encounter yoga students who feel they don’t need restorative yoga. They come to class for other admirable reasons – to train and stretch their body, to heal from injury or disease, or to
Yoga for Core Strength and a Healthy Back
By Ann West Core facts & functions Our physical core is the collection of muscles, bones, fascia and organs located between the pelvic floor at the base of the trunk, and the diaphragm at the base of the ribcage. The term “core” usually refers to
4 Yoga Poses to Stimulate the Heart
The poses below stretch the heart and strengthen its pumping action. Poses with the arms above the head stimulate the heart and can raise the blood pressure. The continuing level poses below are contraindicated for those with non-medicated high blood pressure. Utthita Hastasana (beginner) •
4 Yoga Poses to Calm the Heart
The poses below calm the heart and quiet the brain. Supporting the head below the level of the heart in forward bends is restful for the brain and heart. Resting in Savasana on a foam block expands the chest, which encourages relaxed, deep breathing, soothing
Yoga for a Healthy Heart
“The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.” ~ Buddha According to yogic philosophy, the heart chakra is the seat of the soul and the center for compassion. A pure heart is held in high esteem. Through modern medicine we
Chaturanga Dandasana
Chaturanga Dandasana Chaturanga Dandasana push-ups are some of my favorite winter warmer poses. I usually do them in sets of 10. Great for arm and core strength, a couple of sets will soon get your heart pumping and your blood warm. In his book,“Light on
Yoganusasanam Intensive, Pune 2014
I’m glad to be home from my month long travels to India and the UK. My trip was a mix of yoga in Pune, sightseeing in Rajasthan, and an English family gathering for Christmas. I began my journey in Pune, India, where I attended Geeta
Udaipur Photos 2014
Photos from inside the Royal City Palace, Udaipur. The Palace is still home to the King of Udaipur, Arvind Singh Mewar, who lives in one wing of the Palace complex, while the rest has become a museum. The entire building had an air of decaying
Yoga Wall Ropes
A brief history of the yoga rope wall Did you know that bats and sloths are the only two mammals in the animal kingdom that don’t get arthritis? The one thing they uniquely have in common is they spend much of their lives hanging upside
Yoga Chair
Anyone who attends my classes on a regular basis knows that the yoga chair is just about my favorite yoga prop. They’re versatile, portable and easy to store. And they can be used by any level of student to adapt and deepen countless different yoga