Why Your Favorite Yoga Pose Feels So Good 💼 👠 💻 ⛳

This morning in my Gentle class I was struck with the idea that yoga practice (asana) is the counterpose for living life. You know how in yoga class we have counterposes: backbends counterpose forward folds and vice versa, forward folds are counterposes for asymmetrical poses, etc. Basically, if we do a lot of one kind of pose, we need to balance the body by doing the opposite.

If we look at the asana practice overall, it really is a counterpose for how we use our bodies in our regular daily lives.

If you always carry your purse/bags/baby/etc. on the left side of your body, the left side of your body becomes tight. Your chest muscles may become tight, your left hip may ache. Asana practice can help restore balance.

If you frequently wear high heels, your feet, legs, hips, and back may ache. Your calf muscles may become short and tight. Asana practice can help restore balance.

If you hunch over your laptop for hours every day, your neck, shoulders, and back may ache. Over time, your posture may become difficult to un-hunch. Asana practice can help restore balance.

{Antione working on his handstand. photo credit: Antione @cluemanti}

And if you're an athlete, depending on how you use your body - running, squatting, kicking, jumping, lifting, throwing, catching, swinging, punching, etc. - asana practice can help restore balance.

So regardless of how you use your body, please make time to counterpose with regular yoga practice. Come in for classes (we always love to see you!) or practice at home. Practice at least 2-3 times per week, or if possible, for a 10-15 minutes every day for best results.

And if you're an athlete, you might want to join us for Lk's Yin Yoga for Athletes this Sunday afternoon. You can find details in the section below.

Have a great day! Zelinda

New Video - Watch it Now!

When I teach yoga, my deepest desire is to weave a practice that works for every single person in the room. I listen carefully as every person tells me how they're feeling.

And I watch even more carefully.

As you begin to breathe and move, I notice that you wince when you bring your arm overhead. I notice how you use two blankets to create padding for your achy knees. I notice that, in a seated pose, your left knee is higher than your right.

The sensations I observe in your body, I memorize in mine. This awareness helps me craft the right practice.

My brain systematically strings together poses that are specifically beneficial to what you're feeling, and weeds out poses that will cause pain, misalignment, or disrupt your ease.

This is why I show up for every class without a plan. I want to create the practice that provides the most benefit.

And this is why sometimes I pull out the foam rollers, or the straps, or the yellow balls, or even a roomful of chairs. Using any (or all!) of these props doesn't mean that you're less than, it means that you're using tools to gain the absolute best benefit.

This week I recorded a Chair Yoga video for you. It's intended to help you gain flexibility, strength, and stability, by practicing yoga with a chair. Some people think Chair Yoga is only for old people, but as you'll see, EveryBody can benefit.

You can do this 12 minute practice on your own at home, or come join us for a practice at the studio. If you specifically like Chair Yoga, join Angela for her class on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. Or if you like a Gentle practice that uses lots of props, come see us for any Gentle class on our Class Schedule.

Hope you're having a great week! See you soon! Zelinda

P.S. It's not too late to register for my Yoga for Bigger Bodies workshop which is this Saturday! Click here for more information.