From the category archives:
When we feel depressed, our bodies slump forward, our minds feel foggy and sluggish, and we close ourselves off from other people. For depression relief, it’s all about inversions, back bends, and chest-opening poses! Inversions bring fresh blood and oxygen to a weary brain, while calming the nervous system. Heart-openers release tension, improve posture, and [...]
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One of the main reasons I practice yoga is to manage my insomnia, which can be very severe at times. I have had episodes of total sleeplessness that have lasted 3-4 days. Seriously. When my anxiety goes through the roof like that, nothing helps, not a hot bath, or a boring book, not even sleeping [...]
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Many people suffering from depression are looking for ways to treat it without the use of psychotropic medications, which can have undesirable side-effects for many people. Lasting recovery from depression requires much more than a pill. Major life-style changes may be needed; changes in diet, activity level, and sleep habits. I was surprised to learn [...]
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The essence of my personal yoga practice is described beautifully in the following quote. I don’t do yoga to get skinny or muscular, or to be able to wrap my legs around my head. I do it because it gives me joy. It reminds me of who I am. It helps me feel gratitude for [...]
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Yoga doesn’t always have to be hard, sweaty work to be a great experience. My favorite home practice consists of holding the following poses for as long as it feels good, in a darkened, quiet room. I can feel my heart rate slowing, my mind relaxing, and my thoughts quieting in these postures.
10. Bridge Pose [...]
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How much time do you spend feeling unhappy, stressed, depressed, or disappointed? Depression is rampant in our fast-paced, competitive society, even among people with seemingly perfect lives. So many people exist in a fog of un-earned unhappiness, waiting for a better job, more money, a nicer house, a better marriage, a smaller dress-size. But the [...]
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10. Keeps your mind sharp, so you can memorize your music more easily!
9. Increases physical and mental stamina, which is vital for a singer who performs frequently.
8. Reduces tension in the neck and throat so the voice can open up and flow more freely.
7. Teaches you to connect with your authentic self, which is a [...]
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As a trained classical singer who has taught voice lessons for over 10 years, I have been struck by the many parallels between Yoga and singing. Correct singing posture is identical to mountain pose, but with hands at the sides. Deep, diaphragmatic breathing is taught in both disciplines, and although most singers breathe through their [...]
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As a singer and voice teacher, I have always been interested in the power of the voice. Vocalization was one of my most powerful tools during my labors to help me deal with the pain of childbirth. I found an interesting article on www.myyogaonline.com about this subject.
BENEFITS OF VOCAL TONING:
open throat = open birth canal
increases [...]
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I’m having a Yin-Yang struggle today. I want to be practicing my new favorite pose, Blogasana, where I sit cross legged on a firm chair, inhaling and exhaling while gazing serenely at my monitor, as my fingers tap-tap-tap on the keyboard. It is such a relaxing (physically lazy), yet energizing (fun) pose. My mind fills [...]
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