Yoga Practice

4 Ways To Practice Self-Care As A Yoga Teacher

By Desiree McKenzieYoga Lifestyle, Yoga PracticeNo Comments

As a yoga teacher, you can be many different roles to those that come to your yoga classes. Some come to class for a full body workout, which is our job to deliver for both body and mind. Some will share personal struggles, like the passing of a parent or recent job loss. Some will be healing from an injury or surgery, and will share because they will need pose modification instructions. Some have been practicing yoga for 50 years and ask ways to make the practice more geared to gentle yoga. Some tell you of their current divorce or financial worries, and they still find the money to take your yoga class. Most times you find all of this information out 10 minutes before the yoga class begins.

Our jobs as yoga teachers is to listen, offer compassion, and use the asana to facilitate openness, even if momentarily. In the high powered, maximum intensity life can sometimes feel like, yoga provides relief.

With all that we do for students, it is vital that we remember self-care. Let’s review four self-care experiences you can do as often as possible.

1. Go for a walk outside

Research has proven the scientific benefits of getting out in nature and enjoying a walk. Links to stress relief within minutes of being outdoors has been associated with reduced muscle strain, blood pressure, and brain flurry. Some days a yoga teacher can be inside a yoga studio for hours, and it’s that breath of fresh air needed after teaching that restores and rebalances. Current studies have pointed to people who walk leisurely as happier than runners, recreation tennis players, even those that practice yoga because it is about taking it one step at a time. Putting one foot in front of the other, even if for only 15 minutes, can create such joy that lifts away any depletion of energy. During the walk, our “chitta vritti”, Sanskrit for “mind chatter”, is calmed and able to process more evenly, every step of the way. Try it after teaching your next yoga class or private yoga session, and go outside for walk.

2. Practice yoga

The ultimate “practice what you teach” principle is a true self-care act. Yoga promotes better health. One hour to 90 minutes deliveries the physical and mental strength needed to perform at your highest level. Different than any other workout, yoga uses your body weight to tone and define your muscular system. In addition, yoga activates the parasympathetic system that releases tension and restores equilibrium. Full body toning, working with an injury, prescribed by your physician for aid in disease treatment, or as a way to heal and maintain your overall health, the investment in self-care will produce an invaluable return for your quality of life. Remember to keep practicing yoga when teaching yoga.

3. Meditate

Meditation benefits are abundant. Studies indicate that meditation can lower blood pressure and stress levels. Meditation allows you to tune in to, to listen internally. Noticing the fluctuations and natural course of your thinking, helps the mind find stillness. By observing, you’re able to let go of attachment to outcomes and results. Find 10 minutes a day to sit down and go inward. Begin by finding a comfortable seat. Propping your sit bones up on a blanket, cushion, etc. will make it easier to sit for an extended period of time. A mantra to begin with can be as simple as “let go”. On the inhale, silently repeat to yourself “let” and on the exhale, silently repeat to yourself “go”. Meditating is a great practice to do daily for self-care.

4. Get bodywork

All a personal preference that is healthy to explore and know, massages can be a tremendous help. Teaching yoga can take a toll on your physical body. Having regular bodywork keeps your muscles and tendons loose. Also a detoxification method by the stimulation of your soft tissues, massage frees toxins by way of blood and through your lymphatic systems. It can make all the difference for your state of mind, working with a massage therapist as often as you can is the paramount self-care for yoga teachers.

After you teach a yoga class and hear the student with the sore hamstring from a recent marathon say, “I feel so much better, that was an amazing class. Thank you. I don’t feel so tight anymore and can walk a little easier now,” you remember why you teach yoga. By caring for others, we teach an asana sequence that even if beneficial to one individual only, is the reason we teach yoga. Yet we must remember to take care of ourselves equally to remain the consistent, steady teachers we have studied very long to be. Happy self-caring!

Desirée McKenzie is a yoga teacher and writer. She trained 500+ hours as a Vinyasa Yoga Teacher in 2007, and is a certified Thai Yoga Bodywork Specialist since 2014. Her blended training in the wellness realm create classes that soothe, nourish and strengthen the body. Desirée continues to deepen her yoga studies, focusing on anatomy. She is grateful to have learned the ancient healing practices that maintain equanimity and grace.

August 20, 2019

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Yoga & Neurokinetic Therapy: The Missing Link

By Michelle KirelYoga, Yoga PracticeNo Comments

Yoga teacher training certification courses are available everywhere and at anytime: semester long classes, retreats and online. You can be a certified teacher within a month or even take a crash course in less time than that. As a teacher, it is then your responsibility to continue to improve yourself, add to your toolbox, and expand your teaching horizons. Continued education courses and additional certifications are a great way to brush up on your anatomy, explore new styles, and maybe deviate a little from classic yoga and find a way to integrate what you learn.

Shortly after completing my 200-hour certification, I found a form of manual therapy that focuses on aligning posture, rehabbing injuries and chronic pain. It sparked an interest because a lot of my yoga students often told me about their injuries or chronic pain and their struggle to find more than temporary relief. I felt like I had found the approach that cracked the code to lasting solutions to such cases.

Neurokinetic Therapy® (NKT) is a therapeutic approach based on Motor Control Theory that uses sequenced muscle-tests and soft-tissue releases to restore pain-free movement and eliminate compensation patterns in the body. Simply put, NKT allows you to pinpoint which muscles aren’t working and then tries to figure out why.

NKT changed my life. Thanks to this approach, I began thinking about the anatomy of the human body in a completely new way, understanding not only where different muscles are located but how they might work together to create certain movement patterns. I also began to pick up on typical compensation patterns that occur after injuries, persistent poor posture or simply from a sedentary lifestyle. This was a game-changer to my teaching abilities and to my students.

I restructured all of my classes. I tried to address the most frequent complaints I heard from my yogis. “My back hurts,” “my neck feels tight,” “I have shooting pain down one of my legs,” “I do ab exercises every day and don’t see any results.”

My classes focused on stabilizing the intrinsic core, breathing mechanics and proper alignment. I applied NKT concepts to how I sequenced each class. For example, I like addressing low back pain. People that spend long hours sitting down end up shortening their hip flexors. After those extended periods of time, the hip flexors have a difficult time lengthening back into their healthy length. This creates a tug on the low back that can produce chronic low back pain. It’s crucial that we reverse all those hours sitting down and return the hip flexors to a proper range in order to maintain a healthy lordosis.

With these new sequences, my regular practitioners started noticing a difference. I also started offering treatment sessions outside of my group classes. Those sessions were the most rewarding for the people looking for pain relief and more specific injury rehabilitation.

I had a female student who frequented my evening classes who suffered from a frozen shoulder. She had already tried acupuncture, massage therapy, physical therapy and could not find the relief she was looking for. After all the treatment she had received, she still only had about 30% range of motion.

In the first session, we were able to significantly increase this range to about 50%. She was in shock. She progressed more in a single session than she had with all the other modalities combined. NKT protocol revealed that the internal rotators of her shoulder, especially the pec minor, were not firing correctly, creating compensatory patterns. I assigned her corrective exercises to do twice daily and monitored her progress during yoga. It wasn’t very long before she had regained almost full range of motion and was performing chaturanga transitions instead of skipping them. She was thrilled after almost having lost hope of regaining her shoulder mobility. She put in the work, and the results showed.

Neurokinetic Therapy® is a type of treatment practiced by many professionals who use manual therapy: physical therapists, massage therapists, MD’s, DO’s, acupuncturists, personal trainers, occupational therapists, Pilates instructors and yoga teachers. Practitioners are spread out around the globe and can be found through the official website’s directory. NKT is a three-level course that can transform the practice of manual therapists and help them address issues more specifically and proficiently. As a yoga teacher who practices NKT, I highly recommend finding an NKT certified professional if you’re looking for an efficient, relatively speedy, and therefore cost-effective recovery plan.

Michelle Kirel aspires to share with as many people as possible the necessary tools to maintain a healthy, strong and resilient lifestyle. Michelle has a lifelong passion for yoga. She was exposed to yoga at an early age by her mother who is a certified Iyengar yoga instructor. It was during college when she started practicing daily and falling in love with the feeling that comes after a yoga class. Following graduation, Michelle completed her 200 hr certification training in Vinyasa Yoga to dive deeper into the ancient tradition. She currently combines her understanding of yoga with Neurokinetic Therapy to help people treat chronic pain, injuries and postural imbalances. Her goal is to continue to learn as much as possible to be able to help people move better, feel better, and stay inspired.

August 12, 2019

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Yoga Breath, Flexibility, and Balance.. On and Off the Mat

By Emily HappickYoga Lifestyle, Yoga PracticeNo Comments

When I started going to Yoga classes, I thought it was only about flexibility.
I also thought you could be
good at
Yoga. Group meditation and breathing exercises were the part of class where I peaked through closed eyelids, sizing people up to see who my “competition” would be.

I’ve always been involved in athletics. Although I wouldn’t necessarily call
myself an athlete – the competitive nature of sports has carried over into my fitness regime. I’ve always wanted to be the strongest, fastest, or comparing the number of reps I get in before taking a rest break to the gal next to me. Through my yoga practice,
I’ve learned three important things that allows me to maximize workouts so that when that competitive edge creeps up on me, I know I can crush my goals! Through finding my breath, improving my flexibility, and gaining more balance I can bring enjoyment, ease,
and productive to all activities – whether it’s running, lifting weights, or going for a 90 minute Bikram session.

Breath

I remember playing soccer in highschool, making a sprint all the way down the
field when a play changes only to feel like I was going to blackout. I always held my breath during those really intense pushes and took this practice into my workout sessions. You can listen to your personal trainer or group instructor when they say “inhale
on the way down, exhale on the way up” – but actually making it a natural part of your workout routine takes practice. The lengthening and contracting of your muscles move in time with your breath.

In
Yoga, the movements are the same: inhale, upward dog, exhale, downward dog. When you find yourself on the mat at the beginning of practice, the first thing
you do is to clear your mind, and draw yourself into your practice by regulating your breathing. By keeping a regular breath; it focuses your mind, creates
discipline in your practice, and helps you crush your fitness goals at the same time.

Breath = Discipline.

Flexibility

Gaining flexibility
allows for a deeper range of motion, so you get more out of your practice, and exercise. It also gives you access to your muscles that you may have lost over time. Flexibility strengthens and protects your muscles so you are less apt to injure
yourself in daily life – for example during a game of tag with your children
or grandchildren – or jumping over that bigger puddle in the parking lot if you need to. If you
think about flexibility in terms of range of motion, it opens up a lot more possibilities during your workouts. Increased flexibility will allow you to jump higher and step further for a deeper lunge. It’ll also keep you from getting stiff a few days later
after an intense workout.

Balance

When you think of balance on the mat, you may think of the “I can stand on one
foot with my eyes closed for 30 seconds” kind of balance. Balance in yoga helps us to bring balance into our lifestyles. As you
go through your asanas, it forces you to use several muscle groups; moving from a stretch in Downward Facing Dog to tightening the core – to hopping in between the hands – to flexing the triceps to hover just above the mat in Chaturanga. In Tree Pose, you also
encounter the need for flexibility
and
strength to find the balance you need when you tuck your foot, lift the chest, move your hands to heart center and dare to close your eyes.

But balance
can be much more deeper than that. Balance can also give you the confidence to go through your day-to-day life and not think about your physical limitations. During a particular sweaty and difficult Bikram Yoga session, I always remember my instructor reminding
the class, “you practice Yoga so your body doesn’t keep you from living your life.”

You need
balance to hop over that puddle in the parking lot. You need balance to pick up something up with your toes while cradling your sleeping child in your arms. You need balance to bound up the stairs to the front porch to wrap your loved ones in your arms.

You need balance to crush those squats while crushing your New Year’s resolution
to get in shape. You also get balance when other things align like finding your breath, staying with your breath and perhaps pushing through that 13th mile in a marathon.

One could say that practicing Yoga is an essential part of a fitness routine.
The mat is a space to find the discipline you need to stick to your goals in life and crush them. It also gives you the headspace to prepare you for the journey off the mat.

My name is Emily. I started practicing Yoga during undergrad and, after find the meaning of Yoga, made it a part of my lifestyle and fitness routine. I lead classes at work and attend classes around town whenever I can. I completed my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training with Yoga renew after the Yoga instructor at work moved on. I was given the opportunity to pursue one of my dreams and spread my passion for Yoga to others. I hope to continue using Yoga in the corporate world to bring balance and health to friends and colleagues.

April 30, 2019

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5 Ways To Cultivate Self Love Through Yoga

By YogaRenewYoga, Yoga Lifestyle, Yoga PracticeNo Comments

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection” – Buddha

With the celebration of Valentine’s Day this week, we often correlate Valentine’s Day with love for others. While our relationships with others is an important aspect of love – the most essential type of love is often overlooked — self love. I’ve created this guide to help you get in touch with and cultivate the most important relationship you will ever have – with yourself.

Yoga practice is an excellent way to reconnect with ourselves and boost our self worth. Yoga allows us the time to just be ourselves and be fully present in our bodies with no judgments. It gives us the time to be still and care for ourselves deeply – in mind, body, and soul.

Self love is about taking the time to celebrate and love yourself fully. It’s about removing negative self talk and reminding yourself just how truly awesome you are. Self love is about taking time to care for yourself and recharging when you need it. It’s also about reminding yourself that when you do love you more fully – you not only fill yourself up with more love — but that love begins to spill over and radiate out into the world.

Here are 5 simple ways that you can start cultivating self love today.

1. Take Time To Celebrate Yourself

Cultivating self love allows us to let go of our negative self talk. It gives us the opportunity to reframe and see ourselves in a more positive light. We tend to focus on the things we do wrong or our regrets instead of focusing on our accomplishments and successes.

Practice acknowledging all the amazing things you do or wonderful things that you love about yourself. You could do this by writing down a list of things you love about you in a journal. These things could be physical things, accomplishments, or traits you love about yourself. Look at your list often and take time to meditate on it frequently.

Here’s a great ‘celebrating you’ meditation you can do easily anywhere:

Celebrate Yourself Meditation: Begin lying down or sitting in a comfortable position. Bring your attention to your natural breathing cycle for about a minute; just simply observing it – not trying to change it in any way. Next, bring to mind 15-20 things you love about yourself. As you bring these things to mind, imagine feeling that love and appreciation in your heart for yourself radiating outwards into the world. Stay in this meditation for as long as you’d like.

2. Give Yourself ‘Me Time’

Many of us live busy lives in which we have numerous responsibilities to others; this includes our relationships to our loved ones, children, or our jobs. We sometimes focus so much on giving to others that we forget to give to ourselves – making us feel drained. Remind yourself the more you fill up your own cup with self love, the more love you’ll have to give to others.

Here are some ideas for your next ‘me time’:

• Meditate daily

• Practice pranayama or deep breathing exercises

• Cook and eat a lovely meal for yourself

• Take yourself out on a date

• Go for a relaxing walk

• Listen to soothing music

• Exercise

• Buy yourself flowers

• Book a massage or spa appointment

• Enjoy a nice warm cup of tea or coffee

• Read a book

• Write in a journal

• Take a long relaxing bath

• Enjoy a glass of nice wine

3. Practice Self Love Affirmations

Practice saying positive things about yourself through daily affirmations. Affirmations are a powerful practice that can change your belief systems on a deep subconscious level. Write down a few of your favorite affirmations on a sticky note and put them in places where you’ll be reminded daily. You can even make a reminder on your phone and affirm these to yourself several times a day. You could also set aside 5-15 minutes to sit in stillness and repeat the affirmations in meditation.

Here are some affirmations you can use to boost your self love:

• “I am more than enough”
• “I love myself fully and completely”
• “I accept myself as I am”
• “I love myself unconditionally”
• “I love my body and all that it does for me”
• “I am worthy of all the love, joy, and abundance in the world”
• “The only approval I need for myself is my own”
• “I release any negative judgments I have about myself”
• “I love the woman or man that I am”
• “I am strong, powerful, and full of radiant energy”

4. Set Healthy Boundaries For Yourself

Self love means setting healthy boundaries for your and knowing what your core values are. Remind yourself that you don’t need anyone else’s approval but your own to live your best true life.

Setting boundaries sometimes means letting go of negative situations or people in our lives. Meditation helps us to be more aware of our emotions and things in our lives. Take time to sit in stillness and allow your inner wisdom to guide you. If something is draining you or taking away your joy, have the courage to remove it from your life.

5. Yoga Sequence For Self Love

Practicing self love is a very soothing practice that requires surrender and peace. It’s also an empowering act that gives us strength and courage. To sequence yoga poses for self love, consider calming yoga poses combined with power poses.

Here we’ve created a mini self love sequence you can do at home easily:

Child

Delve into self acceptance and self love through the surrender of Child pose. As you hold this pose for up to a minute or longer, repeat the following mantra to yourself; “I am enough.”

To do this pose, begin on your hands and knees. Sink your hips back towards your heels and reach your arms forward. Relax your belly onto your thighs and rest your head towards the mat. Keep length in your spine and relax your neck. Hold and breathe, feeling yourself sink deeper towards the earth with every exhale.

Goddess

Get in touch with your inner Goddess or God with Goddess Pose. This power pose helps to elicits a feeling of strength and confidence. As you hold this pose using your breath, repeat the following mantra’ “I am strong and worthy”.

To come into Goddess, from Mountain pose, step your feet wide a few feet apart, turning the toes out slightly towards the outer edges of the mat to about 45 degrees. Bend your knees and come into a wide squat, working to get the your thighs parallel to the mat. Keep your knees pointed in the same direction as your toes. Hold for several breaths.

Warrior 2

Discover strength and inner peace with Warrior 2. As you hold this pose, repeat the following mantra to yourself; “I am worthy of all the love and joy in the world”.

To come into Warrior 2 from Mountain pose, step your feet apart 3 and a half to 5 feet apart. Point your front toes 90-degrees toward the front short edge of your mat and your back foot slightly in about 45-degrees. Lift your arms up bringing them parallel to your mat and bend your front knee stacking it over your ankle or slightly behind it. Hold for several breaths and switch sides.

Pigeon

Pigeon pose is a deep hip opener that creates a deep sense of surrender in the body. It also helps calm the mind and soothe the soul. As you hold this pose for up to a minute or longer on each side, say to yourself with every exhale, “I accept myself fully as I am”.

To do Pigeon pose, from a tabletop position, bring your right foot in and place it down on your mat behind your right wrist. Adjust your shin so that it’s comfortable for you. Extend your left leg back on the mat. Come up onto your fingertips and walk your torso slightly up with the chest lifting and broadening. Stay here or to deepen the pose, begin to fold towards the mat keeping your spine lengthened. You can choose to come onto your forearms or rest your head on top of a block. To further deepen, you can bring your forehead down towards the mat and extend your arms out in front of you – with your palms facing down.

Savasana

Savasana is the ultimate relaxation pose in yoga. Use this time to cultivate self care and love for yourself; staying here for up to 20 minutes or longer. You could enhance your Savasana practice by dimming the lights, lighting candles, and playing soft ambient music. You can even use aromatherapy to further induce inner peace; Rose, Jasmine, Bergamot, and Sandalwood are great essential oils to use for self love care.

To do Savasana, come down onto your back and relax your arms and legs out comfortably. Allow your palms to gently open up towards the sky. Close your eyes and relax the muscles in your face. Let your breath be soft and natural as you just allow yourself to release and enjoy the moment. Remind yourself that by giving yourself this time to reset, you’ll be able to give more of yourself to others. Stay here for as long as you’d like.

February 13, 2019

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5 Yoga Poses For A Strong Core

By Stella VersteegYoga Poses, Yoga PracticeNo Comments

Abs; we all have them. We are all born with abdominal muscles in order to hold our organs in place and keep our body balanced. So, where exactly are they hiding? The truth is, most people can’t see their abs because they are covered by a layer of fat. The yoga poses below will strengthen your core and slim down your waistline while improving your posture. A strong core is important for a confident, upright posture as well as overall balance and stability. Also, remember: 20% of abs are made through exercise and 80% through diet. It’s always good to exercise your core and it will definitely help you gain definition in your abs and you’ll see the best results if you drink lots of water, eat clean natural foods, lower your sugar intake and stay stress-free! Incorporate the following asanas in your daily practice in order to improve your posture and strengthen your core.

1. Plank Pose – Phalakasana

(Hold for 30 seconds – 1 minute)

You’re not the only one if you have a love-hate relationship with this pose. Planks are often used as a warm-up exercise for various types of exercise but it is also an important part of yoga. This is an amazing posture to strengthen the arms, core, spine and wrists. Start out with 20-30 seconds daily and ultimately aim to hold your plank for 1 minute or more. The stronger you get, the longer you’ll be able to hold the pose and slowly but surely, your core will tighten and gain definition.

Begin in Downward Facing Dog and allow your torso to move forward until it is parallel to the mat and your shoulders are positioned over your wrists. Press evenly into the mat through your fingers and spread your shoulders blades away from your spine while engaging your core. Important tip: don’t forget to breathe! This might seem obvious but when our body is under strain, we tend to hold our breath or take short breaths. Deep inhale, deep exhale; so you can receive the full benefits of phalakasana!

2. Dolphin Plank Pose – Makara Adho Mukha Svanasana

(Hold for 1 minute)

Another plank pose? That’s right. This pose is excellent because it takes pressure off of your wrists due to the fact that your forearms are supporting you instead of your hands. This pose is also ideal if you are preparing to attempt a forearm stand; it will strengthen your forearms and shoulders while conditioning your body to support its weight on your forearms. This asana increases bone density, it strengthens the core, arms and chest and it improves posture. However, consider avoiding this pose if you have a shoulder, arm, back or neck injury. Begin in table top position with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Slowly bring your forearms down with your hands pressing into the mat and make sure your forearms are still shoulder width apart. Consider using a yoga strap in order to keep your arms the correct width apart from each other. Step your feet back and make sure that your torso is positioned parallel to the mat. Important: make sure your backside isn’t sticking up into the air and your back isn’t arched. Try to keep your back straight and parallel to the mat. Engage your core and push your shoulders away from your neck to avoid hunching. Hold this pose for as long as you can, aiming for 1 minute. You can do this!

3. Side Plank Pose – Vasisthasana

(Hold for 30 seconds each side)

Yes, yes… another plank pose. However this one is great for your obliques which are your side abdominal muscles. Practice this pose daily to get those defined lines on the sides of your abdomen, you know you want ‘em! All jokes aside, the benefits of this pose are multiple; it strengthens the core, arms and legs, it improves balance and it stretches the back of the legs. To enter this pose, begin in Downward Facing Dog; slowly twist your body and stack your right foot onto your left foot so that you are balancing your weight on your left foot and your left hand. Lift your right arm towards the sky or as a modification, rest it on your hip. Engage your core and make sure to press into the mat with the fingers of your left hand as it is supporting your entire upper body and torso. Try to hold this pose for around 30 seconds and switch sides.

4. Boat Pose – Navasana

(Hold for 1 minute)

This pose is fantastic for balance, enhancing digestion, relieving stress and of course, strengthening your core, spine and hip flexors. Plus, it’s fun! Begin in a seated position on the mat with your legs extended in front of you. Using your core, bend your knees and slightly lift your legs off of the mat keeping your thighs at about a 45 degree angle to the mat. Lean back slightly trying to keep your spine as straight as possible. The more you lean back, the more you will feel your core strengthening. Extend both of your arms by your legs making sure they are parallel to the mat. Hold this pose for 1 minute if possible or to add movement to the pose and a more intense workout, you can “row your boat”! To add this Russian Twist modification, simply bring your hands in prayer position by your heart and tap them by your side on the mat alternating sides, while twisting your torso. Hold this pose for 1 minute or if you choose to add the Russian Twist modification, try to complete 15 reps on each side.

5. Balancing Table Crunches Variation – Dandayamana Bharmanasana

(Hold for 30 seconds on each side)

Last but surely not least, this pose is great for improving coordination and focus, balance and core strength. Begin in tabletop position with your wrists stacked under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Inhale while extending your right arm straight in front of you and simultaneously, extending your left leg. The idea is to make sure your arm and leg are aligned with your spine and create a straight line. You can hold this pose for 30 seconds on each side or for the optional crunches variation, simply bring your right elbow into your chest while bringing your left knee into your chest and then extend them both at the same time; that’s one crunch. Repeat this motion for 30 seconds and move onto the other side. To exit the pose, return your leg and arm back towards your body and from tabletop position, exhale and rest in Child’s Pose.

These 5 asanas are excellent for strengthening your core, correcting posture and improving balance. Try to incorporate them in your daily yoga practice, preferably at the beginning as a warm-up; over time, you will notice that your abs will gain definition and your strong core will allow you to progress in yoga and attempt more advanced poses. These poses have helped me get stronger in order to master a headstand and forearm stand. Be patient and listen to your body; if you feel as if you are putting too much strain on yourself, don’t hesitate to rest in Child’s pose and breathe. In yoga, it’s all about taking pleasure in the journey itself instead of the destination. Immerse yourself in your own unique, beautiful flow.

Stella Versteeg was exposed to yoga early in life from her father – traveling to India to practice yoga with her family. Living in ashrams and being surrounded by the beautiful and intricate Indian culture, from a young age, Stella was able appreciate and learn about the origin of yoga as well as meditation. Stella received her 200 HR yoga training from YogaRenew in 2018. She currently runs a blog, Ride Your Wave Yoga, which shares yoga tips, poses, nutrition, travel and mindfulness. Her goal is to spread honesty, love and awareness about a yogic lifestyle through her blog posts as well as create a supportive, inspired community. She aspires to share as much information as possible about the wonderful lifestyle that yoga has to offer and continuously evolve in her personal own practice.

January 29, 2019

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4 Physical and Psychological Health Benefits of Yoga

By Maribel V. AllariaYoga, Yoga PracticeNo Comments

Ever notice how you feel after practicing yoga? You are probably feeling pretty emotionally centered and energized. Yoga helps us work with how emotions live in our bodies, how they affect our thoughts, our feelings, and our behaviors. Most of us are not fully aware of how our emotions are living in our bodies. We know we feel anxious, sad, frustrated, but we sometimes fail to understand where the feelings are coming from. Yoga and its practices – the asanas (postures), breathing, deep relaxation, and meditation all help to connect the link between body and mind. Yoga has been shown to enhance overall well-being through a sense of belonging and connection to self and others, as well as, to improve the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Yoga has also been shown to have physical effects on the body, on a biological level, helping to increase the levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, a chemical in the brain that helps to regulate and calm the nervous system.

There’s a ton of research and articles on the internet for you to find on Yoga and its therapeutic benefits, which overwhelmingly conclude that Yoga and its practice yield beneficial effects on four key physical and psychological areas. These four key areas are supported and detailed by ongoing research conducted at Harvard University and Boston Medical school by Sat Bir Singh Khalsa and his colleagues. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa is a researcher in the field of body-mind medicine, specializing in yoga therapy.

1. Fitness

Yoga as a physical exercise can improve overall fitness, strengthening muscles, improve posture, breathing, flexibility, and coordination. When practiced regularly there’s an improved sense of self-efficacy in body movement and physical activity.

2. Self-Regulation

Yoga helps in teaching how to regulate emotions, regulate stress, and over time, and consistent practice helps to build resilience leading to equanimity in the face of strong emotions. This leads to an overall sense of psychological self-efficacy, mental stability and mood stability.

3. Awareness

Yoga teaches us how to focus our attention through its mediation and breathing components. This practice helps us to gain awareness of our body and our feelings as they live within our body. This leads to an understanding of mindfulness, being present and connected to the here and now, which increases concentration and productivity. With dedicated practice, there’s the development of meta-cognition, the ability to separate from oneself and step back from your thoughts. To see that you are not your thoughts, and that you have control over your thoughts, and that you can control your reactions to your thoughts.

4. Spirituality

Yoga has been shown to lead to transcendence, life-changing transformations over long-term practice due to arriving at unitive states of flow. Flow is being one with the Self, engaging with the world in a way that is aligned with who we are so that we experience positive emotions most of the time. This results in psychological change that includes new perspective and perception of life, meaning, and one’s purpose, for the better. This is what is meant by “Living my best life.”

One of my favorite mantras to meditate on, especially when dealing with anxious thoughts: “Thoughts are just visitors, let them come and go.”

These four areas are essential to one’s physical and psychological well-being; ideally, we want to be content in these areas. The more content and fufilled we are in these areas the happier we’ll feel with ourselves and in our lives. Yoga is a multi-component practice that includes – asanas (postures), breath work, deep relaxation, and meditation making it an ideal practice for improving overall well-being. Yoga practice works on both cognitive (mental) and somatic (body) components, making it beneficial to all four areas. Next time you are on the mat take notice, how do you feel?

Maribel Allaria is a psychotherapist who currently has her own private practice as a life coach, where she also offers restorative private yoga sessions. “I help people overcome challenges, improve their mindset and create a thriving winning psychology. My approach to healing is behavioral and I like to incorporate positive psychology techniques. I truly belief that mediation, mindfulness and yoga are fundamental in learning how to heal while living in today’s ever changing fast paced world. I started my own yoga journey 9 years ago, after the birth of my son left me with anxiety. After seeing a therapist I chose to use meditation, mindfulness and yoga as a path to heal myself. That path I chose has healed my anxiety, but most importantly it has become a way of life for me, one that keeps me living in the here and now, present to my current experiences and in touch with my authentic self. Mindfulness is about learning how to live in the space between the stimuli and the reaction, realizing that you can pause, observe and choose how to react, so that it is with intent and authentic of self. Yoga practice and teachings has been the mother of it all, incorporating meditation, mindfulness and the body and mind connection.”

Instagram: @maribelvallaria

http://maribelvallaria.com

December 28, 2018

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5 Restorative Holiday Yoga Poses For Stress

By YogaRenewYoga Poses, Yoga PracticeNo Comments

The holidays are meant to be time of slowing down and for spending time with loved ones. But sometimes the holidays can be a time of great stress for us. We find ourselves constantly rushing from task to task, multi-tasking, and checking off our endless shopping lists. What we fail to realize is that life is short and if we keep going in a stressed fashion – this season of connecting with ourselves and others will pass us by. We may find ourselves regretting not taking the time to just slow down and enjoy the moment. To help you get into the spirit of the holidays with no stress, we’ve created a restorative holiday sequence that you can do easily at home anytime.

By intentionally releasing the burden of stress and tension, it allows us to come to our natural state of being; of relaxation and joy. It also helps us to connect more deeply with the present moment and others around us. By taking this time for inner peace and stillness, we can find ourselves becoming more patient, calm, as well as loving towards ourselves and our loved ones.

To Begin

Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Be sure to clear your space so its clutter free to relax your mind. Set some quiet music and maybe even some candles to further set the mood for peace.

To start your restorative holiday flow, come into a simple seated Easy Pose on your mat. Begin with a counting breath pranayama practice. To do this, take a big inhale in slowly for a count of 3, hold the breath briefly for a second or two, and then exhale out slowly for a count of 3. You can slowly work up to inhaling and exhaling for a count of 4 seconds or even 5 seconds depending on your preference. Elongating your inhalations and exhalations in this way helps to induce relaxation and slow down your central nervous system.

Restorative Holiday Mini Yoga Flow

1. Child Pose

Allow yourself to let go and release tension in your body in Child pose. As you sink towards the mat and rest here, breath here for several minutes. With every exhale, feel any stress leaving your body. With every inhale, feel yourself filling up with peace.

To do this pose, begin on your hands and knees. Sink your hips back towards your heels as you reach your arms forward. Relax your belly onto your thighs and rest your head towards the mat. Take several long deep breaths here and stay here for up to a minute if needed.

2. Downward Facing Dog

Downward Facing Dog, is an inversion pose, where we allow blood to flow to our head elevating our mood. Inversions also energetically brings ourselves into a different perspective; as we are looking at the world from an upside down perspective. This analogy can relate to stressful situations in our lives. By taking time to see a situation from a new perspective, we can start to focus on the more positive things about that situation. For example, during the holidays, we can re-frame our perspective to a more positive one, by focusing on spending time with loved ones, giving to others, beautiful family traditions, and peace.

To do this pose, begin on your hands and knees. Spread your fingers wide and press your palms into the mat as you begin to lift and reach your tailbone up towards the sky. Broaden through your collarbones and look down towards your ankles or the mat in between your palms. You can keep your knees bent here or work on extending them straight to stretch your calves, hamstrings, and ankles. Stay here for several breaths, for up to a minute.

3. Bound Angle

The hips are an area where we tend to store alot of tension in our bodies. Allow yourself to melt into this pose by releasing into this stretch and holding for up to a minute.

To do this pose, begin in an Easy pose. Bring the soles of your feet together as you allow your knees to gently fall open onto the mat. Keep length in your spine as you hinge forward at the hips and lean in towards your feet. Keep your neck soft here and breath into your hips. You can use a blanket or blocks under your knees to elevate them for support if your hips are tight. You can also sit on blanket or bolster to relieve tension from your knees and hips.

4. Supine Twist

Relax your body and mind with this deep twist and hip opener. As you release into Supine Twist pose, close your eyes and stay here for up to a minute on each side. Allow your mind to be quiet and revel in this moment of peace you have created for yourself.

To do this pose, begin by lying down on your back and draw your knees into your chest. Allow your knees to softly fall over to your left side and extend your arms out to a ‘T’. Option to bring your head to gaze in the opposite direction of your knees. Hold for several breaths and switch sides.

5. Savasana

One of the most important poses in yoga, Savasana is a great way to just let go and release. Use props such as a blanket, eye pillow, or aromatherapy, to enhance your Savasana experience. Stay here for as long as you need – you could do Savasana for just 5 minutes or even up to 30 minutes if you feel you really need the release and quiet. It’s your practice so always feel free to tweak however you prefer.

To do Savasana, come down onto your back and relax your arms and legs out comfortably. Allow the palms to gently open up towards the sky. Close your eyes and relax the muscles in your face. Let your breath be soft and natural as you just allow yourself to release and enjoy the moment.

Ending Your Restorative Holiday Practice

End your practice in Easy Pose with your hands over your heart. Ground down through your sitbones and elongate the spine up towards the sky. Relax the muscles in your body and face. As in you inhale, breath in ‘Peace’ and as you exhale imagine breathing out the word ‘Love’. Feel that peace and love radiating out into the world. Repeat for several minutes.

December 12, 2018

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A Beginner’s Guide To Yoga Props: 4 Essential Yoga Props

By Carly WilliamsYoga, Yoga PracticeNo Comments

When I first started yoga, I viewed props as “crutches” to help me as a beginner and then leave behind as I developed my yoga skills. This idea was wrong in at least two ways. First, props aren’t crutches, but rather tools to help you deepen the pose and achieve proper alignment. Second, props can be used by any yogi, no matter the level of experience. This blog will outline four basic props and how to easily incorporate them into your practice. The good news is, these props can often be exchanged for common household items, allowing you to try them out in poses before spending money on the real deal.

1. Blocks

Yoga Blocks

Yoga blocks can be used for balance and support in many poses. You can use books instead of blocks if you don’t have blocks at home. Make sure to play around with different heights to find the best one for you, it may vary depending on the pose.

When To Use Blocks

Any pose that makes you wish the floor would come to meet you halfway is a good pose to use a block. For example, in Triangle pose, place a block on the outside of your front leg and rest your bottom hand on the block. Try starting with the block at its tallest, then in time work on getting it to the middle, or lowest height before being able to reach the floor with your bottom hand. You can also use blocks to help with balance, such as placing a block under one or both hands for support in Warrior III if you are unable to balance with your arms outstretched in front of you.

Finally, you can use blocks as support under the back or legs. For example, under the sacrum in Bridge Pose, or under each leg in Cobbler’s Pose. Adding extra support allows the muscles to relax into the pose more easily. A few more of the many options for using blocks include: place under both hands in Camel Pose or Wide-Angle Forward Fold, use the lowest height under both hands in Upward Facing Dog to take strain off the wrists, use as a foot stand for balance in Eagle Pose, or place under your seat in Pigeon Pose. In my opinion, the block is the most versatile prop and is a great one to try for your first prop.

2. Pillows and Bolsters

Pillows And Bolsters

From small pillows to large bolsters, the extra cushioning is great for restorative poses, which are typically held for several minutes. As with blocks, you may need to try different sizes to find the best support in each pose.

When To Use Pillows and Bolsters

Pillows can provide extra cushion or space that can make many poses more accessible or more comfortable. In some poses, you may find you need more support from a bolster if your pillows are too flat or small. Place pillows or bolsters under each leg in Reclined Goddess Pose or Cobbler’s Pose. Place under your seat in Hero Pose or Pigeon Pose. Rest your legs on pillows in Reclined Supine Twist. Finally, using a pillow for its main purpose, as a pillow under your head in Legs up the Wall or Savasana.

3. Straps

Straps

Straps come in a wide variety of lengths and styles for purchase. At-home solutions include ties, scarves, or belts. Straps will help you deepen stretches without compromising the position of your back and can be used in many poses.

When To Use Straps

I love using straps for my tight hamstrings. In Seated Forward Fold, wrap a strap around the balls of your feet and hold one side of the strap in each hand; gently pull yourself toward your feet with the straps, keeping a straight back rather than hunching over to force the pose.

In Cow Face Pose, if you are unable to bind your arms behind your back, hold one end of the strap in each hand and slowly wrap the strap around your wrist to bring the hands closer together with time. Use a strap to modify King Pigeon or Dancer Pose by looping it around the front of your foot, just below the toes and holding the other end with your hands to slowly bring your bent leg closer.

4. Blankets

Blanket

A folded blanket is an easy prop to have on hand and can be used in more ways than you might think.

When To Use A Blanket

Use a folded blanket as support under the knees in any pose with the knee on the mat such as Low Lunge, Cat/Cow, or Gate Pose. A folded blanket under the wrists, with the wrists being higher than the fingertips, can reduce wrist pain. Use a folded blanket under the wrists in Upward Facing Dog, Downward Dog, Cat/Cow, or any pose where you put weight into the hands with your wrists at a 90-degree angle. A folded towel under your seat in Hero Pose or Child’s Pose will work if a pillow is unavailable or too large. Finally, use a blanket to be warm and cozy during savasana.

Find Other Props To Expand Your Practice

These are only four types of the many yoga props available. A quick search of the web will reveal that there are lots of other options you can use as needed. For example, sand bags, eye pillows, wheels, wedges, gripping gloves or socks, the list goes on. Whatever props you use, use them with confidence, and know that they are great tools to further your yoga practice rather than a sign of weakness.

Carly Williams, YogaRenew 200 HR Graduate

I am a full-time working mother and wife. I have been practicing yoga at home for many years. I started yoga because it can be done at home on my own schedule. I stuck with yoga because it benefits the mind as well as the body. I recently finished the 200-hr YTT program offered by YogaRenew. I am enrolled in a kids certification program as well, because my favorite person to practice yoga with is my four-year-old daughter. I’m eager to share yoga with anyone and everyone because it has had such a positive impact on my life, which is why I started my website. Visit muddywater.yoga if you’re interested in more articles.

November 29, 2018

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A Yoga Sequence For Inspiring Gratitude

By YogaRenewYoga Poses, Yoga PracticeNo Comments

Thanksgiving is a time of appreciating things in our lives and for cultivating more gratitude. To help you get into the spirit of gratitude and giving this season, we’ve created a gratitude mini yoga flow that you can do at home.

It can be easy to forget all the blessings we have in our lives when we face challenges or obstacles. Gratitude is a simple and easy practice that anyone can start today to begin leading a more positive life. The simplest way to cultivate more gratitude is to take a few minutes each day or sit in meditation while you think of things you are grateful for each day. Cultivating the daily practice of gratitude in our lives can improve our relationships, make us more compassionate, and ultimately more happy. It creates a space for our lives where we can allow positive and transformative growth to occur. Gratitude can also improve our health by boosting our immunity, improve our sleep, and lower blood pressure.

To sequence a home gratitude yoga flow, focus on calming and grounding poses that help you get in touch with the energy of gratitude. Some poses you could consider are poses where your arms are stretched outwards – to symbolize the outreaching of giving to someone else. Poses you could include are Mountain with arms reaching upwards, Chair, Warrior 1, Balancing Table, or Warrior 3. Some grounding poses you could include in your mini sequence are Child, Plow, Standing Forward Fold, Happy Baby, and Supine Twist.

To Begin

Start your gratitude flow by coming into a simple seated Easy Pose. Begin to take in deep slow breaths in and out; focusing on elongating your exhalations and your inhalations. Next bring your hands to your heart center and bring your awareness to the movement of breath around your heart center or heart chakra area. Continue to breath deeply here. Bring to mind 5 – 10 things or people you are grateful for. Allow that energy of love and appreciation to fill your body, heart, and soul. Stay here for several moments and allow yourself to bask in this beautiful feeling of gratitude in your heart.

Gratitude Mini Sequence

1. Child Pose

Allow yourself to release and let go in Child pose. As you ground down and surrender towards the mat, imagine as though your hands are outreaching out to receive more things to be grateful for in your life.

2. Seated Forward Fold

Seated Forward Fold helps us to relax our mind and bodies. As you do this pose, focus on surrendering into gratitude for the things in your life that you appreciate. Feel the grounding of the earth beneath your sitbones as you root them into the ground and feel appreciation for the earth supporting you.

To do Seated Forward Fold, begin in Staff pose. Root down evenly through your sitbones. Begin to slowly hinge forward at the your hips, working to keep your spine lengthened. Reach your hands towards your ankles, shins, feet, or toes. Allow your neck to be relaxed here and feel yourself melt into this stretch.

3. Warrior 1

As you come into Warrior 1 pose, allow your arms to reach up towards the sky as if you are receiving more things to be grateful for in your life. You can also imagine as if your arms are outreaching to give to someone else

To do this pose, begin in Mountain pose. Step your feet apart several feet and pivot your back foot in about 45 degrees and bend your front knee to 90 degrees with your toes pointing forward. Keep your front knee stacked over your front ankle. Lengthen up through your ribs and point your tailbone down towards the mat as your lengthen your arms up towards the sky. Hold for several breaths and switch sides.

4. Warrior 3

Warrior 3 is a grounding and energizing pose. When in this pose, again imagine the outreaching of your arms forward are reaching to give to another person. Allow the feeling of giving to fill your heart. Feel the earth beneath your grounded foot supporting you.

To do this pose, begin in Mountain pose. Root down into one foot and leg as you reach the opposite leg behind you. Engage your core and reach your arms out in front of you. Imagine as if you are creating a straight line with your extended leg, torso, and arms. Relax your head as you gaze down or towards your fingers. Hold for several breaths and switch sides.

5. Tree Pose

Ground down through your standing foot and reach your arms upwards. Imagine the opening of your arms as if they are tree branches opening up to the sky and earth around you, ready to receive all the good and blessings in your life.

To do this pose, ground down through one foot and engage your standing leg. Lift the opposite foot and allow it to rest on your ankle, shin, or upper thigh. Engage your core and keep your gaze soft and focused in front of you. Option to bring your hands to heart center in prayer here or come into a full Tree expression with your arms reaching up towards the sky.

6. Supine Twist

Stretch and detoxify your body and mind with this deep twist. As you melt into Supine Twist pose, allow yourself to linger here for a few breaths longer than usual. Allow your mind to relax and your heart area to fully open as you express your gratitude for your life.

Ending Your Gratitude Flow Practice

End your practice in Easy Pose with your hands over your heart. Ground down through your sitbones and elongate the spine up towards the sky. Relax the muscles in your body and face. As in you inhale, breath in ‘Thank You’ and as you exhale imagine breathing out the word ‘Joy’. Feel that joy radiating out into the world. Repeat for several minutes.

November 22, 2018

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5 Yoga Poses For Lower Back Pain

By Morgan S. GertlerYoga Poses, Yoga PracticeNo Comments

Yoga enthusiasts swear by their poses to maintain feeling open, strong, and stable in their bodies. But utilizing yoga to feel good in your body and relieve pain doesn’t necessarily require a regular practice. Once you learn what areas of your body need be to refreshed and renewed, you just have to find the right postures.

In this article we will dive into a few poses that are great to help relieve lower back pain. If you experience lower back pain you’re not alone – an estimated 80% of the population will experience back pain at some time in their lives. Back pain can affect people of all ages, from adolescents to the elderly. The below yoga poses can be done at home with limited props and don’t require any previous yoga experience.

Its important to understand that back pain is not a universal experience and that those experiencing severe pain should seek insight from a professional physician, or physical therapist before attempting any poses that could potentially create further damage. As always, its important to focus on how a posture feels, and not on how it looks.

1. Child Pose

Child pose is a relaxing way to elongate your spine and relieve stress. Even though your mind might be resting, this pose offers an active stretch that helps elongate your entire back. To try it, start in a table top position (on all fours) and then begin to push your hips back so that your seat ends up on, or close to, your feet. Reach your hands forward to add length to the sides of your torso and let your forehead rest on the floor or a blanket. If your seat doesn’t reach your feet, you can fold another blanket over your heels for some extra support.

Stay in the pose for 5-10 breaths, allowing yourself to become heavier and softening towards the floor with each breath out. This is a great pose to practice before bed or even first thing in the morning to help center yourself for the day and stretch out your back after sleeping.

2. Cat and Cow Pose

Cat and Cow are poses that provide both a rounding and an arch of your back, and they flow nicely from one to the other. This set of poses is perfect for an achy or sore back and will loosen your spine while also warming up the trunk of your body for any additional movement or workout.

Starting in all-fours position, move into Cow by letting your belly drop down, your tailbone lift, pressing your shoulder blades back and lifting your chest and head forward. Stay for the inhale. When ready to exhale, slowly round your spine up by pressing into your hands and release your neck so your gaze drops to your navel. Pause for a few seconds and then move back and forth from Cat to Cow. This helps position your spine into a neutral position, relaxing the muscles and easing tension.

Repeat 7-10 times, flowing smoothly from Cat into Cow, and Cow back into Cat.

3. Standing Forward Bend

With Standing Forward Bend, its important to note that in some instances of back injury this can hurt the back further. You should have flexibility in the hamstrings while attempting this pose – if there isn’t a good stretch coming from the hamstrings, or if the hamstrings are tight – you could create further injury to the lower back. You should also do your best to keep the spine lengthened and more straightened than rounded.

A standing forward bend stretches the hamstrings and lower back muscles while providing a release for tight, tense shoulders as well.

Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees soft, not locked. On your exhale, fold at your hips – not the waist – and bend forward toward the floor. Don’t worry if your hands can’t reach all the way to the floor at first; just stop wherever your hamstrings feel a comfortable stretch. The neck should be relaxed with the top of the head facing the mat, and both neck and head in line with the spine to prevent injury. You can keep a soft bend in your knees to prevent any strain in the low back – bending forward with straightened legs together can compress the spine. If you have yoga blocks, place them under your hands for additional support. Stay for 3-5 cycles of breath and repeat as needed.

To exit the pose, bring your hands to your hips, bend the knees a bit and press yourself up to stand, but move slowly. Stand tall for 30 seconds and breathe fully into your belly and chest.

4. Supine Twist

Spinal twists can be the most dangerous for those with back injuries – however the easiest on the spine would be a supine twist. A gentle twist offers tension relief for the entire back, as well as the neck. Allowing gravity to help release the back also makes this pose ultra relaxing for the rest of your muscles and your mind.

Lay on your back and bring your arms to a T-shape or cactus shape on the floor. Allow your knees to come up and in towards your chest and then slowly lower both knees to the left until they come down to the floor. Keep your head neutral or feel free to look in the opposite direction of the bent knees. Your knees might have a little space between them – if so, grab a blanket or towel and pad up the space so that your legs feel supported. Try to keep your upper chest broad and allow gravity to keep your shoulders heavy to the floor. Inhale to find some length and use your exhale to allow the twist to deepen. 7-10 cycles of breath will bring a nice physical release as well as a mental one! To switch sides, pull your knees back to your chest, and repeat on the right side. (Hint: don’t try this after a big meal.)

5. Sphinx Pose

This backbend is a great pose to strengthen the back and also stimulate the natural curves of the spine, which we sometimes lose from sitting for too long. When we sit a lot, the lower back tends to move into a more flattened shape, which can cause pain and discomfort over time. Sphinx pose promotes the natural curvature of the lower back which aids in overall spine health.

Lay on your stomach with feet hip-width apart, and bring your elbows to the floor and rest them under your shoulders. If there is too much pressure on your lower back, bring your elbows slightly forward. If you would like a deeper or more intense bend, place a block under each elbow. Hold this pose for several breaths, feeling yourself get longer with your inhales and allowing the hips and legs to heavy on your exhale. To exit the pose, lower yourself onto the floor, turn one cheek to the side and gently allow your hips to rock side to side.

These are just a few poses to help your back feel healthy and spacious. Always take it slow and ease into postures in a safe way for your body. If something doesn’t feel right, listen to your intuition and exit the pose.

Morgan Gertler received her 200HR RYT certification in 2014 from highly esteemed Kripalu teachers and then continued her learning in 2017 by completing her 300HR RYT certification with teachers from Yogamaya and the Iyengar Institute in NYC. Morgan also completed her Yin Level 1 & 2 trainings and loves being able to teach both sides, the yin & yang, of the yoga practice. Morgan views yoga as a vehicle to get back to yourself – through movement and breath-work, we learn how to live a more authentically happy & content life and meet all situations with confidence. When not teaching or practicing yoga, Morgan can be found writing, walking around town with her two dogs, Jagger and Bowie or browsing Sephora for more make up she doesn’t need.

November 8, 2018

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