Yoga is all about connecting your breath with your movements. It's called ujjayi pranayama (pronounced oo-jai pra-na-ya-ma). Some instructors call it "ocean breath," "victorious breath," or "Darth Vader breath." It is said that Yogis performing this breath alone can create enough heat to melt snow around them. If you walk into an Ashtanga yoga class, you will be overwhelmed with an amazing and Read more

Sometimes we aren't as prepared as we wish we were. Have you ever spent the night out and forgotten your toothbrush or gone out unexpectedly from work without being able to freshen up? Well I have, and there is nothing worse than facing the public with bad breath so here are some tips to make sure you leave with fresh breath even if you don't have a toothbrush! Click here to read more Read more

In yoga, breath is just as important as the postures. Linking your breath with your movement creates complete awareness. These breathing exercises are called Pranayama, which means breath control. A while back I wrote about two different types of Pranayama. Ujayii (Ocean Breath) is used in Ashtanga Yoga throughout the entire 90 minute practice to keep your movements and your mind calm, steady Read more

Looking to try Yoga? Not sure what kind of yoga is best for beginners? I recommend you try Kripalu Yoga; it is a great place to start because these classes tend to involve slow and gentle movements. This approach makes Kripalu suitable for people working with injuries. In this style of yoga, poses are sometimes held longer than in other yoga classes, which is helpful if you are trying to Read more

Yoga is all about connecting your breath with your body, and vinyasas help that happen. Vinyasas link static yoga poses together, so your practice becomes more of a deliberate, fluid dance instead of just a bunch of random poses thrown together. Vinyasa is a series of 5 movements, kind of like a shortened Sun Salutation. You do a vinyasa between different poses and between the right and left Read more

We are all looking for ways to keep ourselves cool this summer, especially when we are working out in the hot sun. I learned a type of Pranayama (yogic breath) that has cooling effects on the body called Sitali (tongue hissing). You've probably done this without even knowing it, when you eat something really hot to cool off your mouth. Here's what you do: If you can't make a tube with your Read more

Several studies have shown Yoga to be a powerful therapy in reducing the frequency and intensity of asthma attacks. I also found that when I'm practicing Yoga regularly, I can decrease my prescription meds. Yoga is all about pranayama (breathing), which is great for meditation, but it's also good for your lungs. It increases the lung’s airflow, air capacity, stamina, and efficiency. You can Read more

If you're checking out classes at an Ashtanga yoga studio, you may come across a class called Mysore. In a Mysore style yoga class, you lead yourself, following your own breath and a series of memorized poses, either First Series or Second Series. If you are an advanced practitioner, you may even do Third Series. No one speaks - they only breathe. Sometimes the instructor may whisper to someone Read more