YYoga

Flowers are blooming, sprouts are sprouting, the sun is out in Vancouver, which means that it’s time to do handstand!

Vancouverites in the winter know all about patience. As we wait for the days to slowly get longer and the clouds to clear, we have an opportunity to slow down, soften our impatience, and rest in the process. During this time, headstand can be an excellent choice in asana - not just because the additional circulation to the brain is a welcome refreshment, but because the pose unfolds only when we can be patient and calm.

The shoulder is actually two joints in one: the gleno-humeral joint and the scapulo-thoracic joint.

If the head is sitting too far forward, as can become habitual when we are sitting in front of a computer or driving for extended periods of time, then the muscles on the sides of the neck (trapezius muscles) have to work harder to hold the head in place.

Who doesn't like sugarcane in the moonlight? De-lish.

Walking into an Anusara class has a noticeably different feel to it. One of belonging and a feeling of being ‘seen.’ The teacher wants to know your name; he or she might repeat it throughout the class, cultivating a sense of trust, ease and safety within you.

I was thirteen years old when I discovered that my synchronized swimming coach actively practiced meditation. I remember feeling awkward when I found out. My limited exposure to meditation at the time had left me believing that it was something only strange people did.

Yoga is traditionally practiced in the early morning hours, at a time when the atmosphere is considered to be naturally conducive to spiritual practice, with calm and quiet all around. Vata energy fills the air during the pre-dawn hours, and as vata is known for movement, this is an ideal time to rouse your body, comb your mind, and salute the sun.

In yoga, studentship, or adhikara, never ends – even for teachers. I had just finished my teacher training when YYoga introduced the Mentorship Program. Mentorship seemed like the perfect next step in my adhikara journey.

"These practices, specifically, allowed me to gain my “voice” as a teacher and helped me discover the yoga teacher that I want to be." - Tori Harker, 200-hour teacher training graduate.

You catch sight of it out of the corner of your eye. There’s a perky little splash of red on one of the YYoga Events Boards. You look closer. It’s the announcement for an information session for the upcoming 200-hour teacher training.

Something inside of you starts buzzing. Teacher training, hmmmm… It sounds kind of intriguing. Imagine spending 200-hours really exploring your yoga practice, finding out more about yoga and figuring out how to really do those darn poses. And you know, it would be great to learn how people get that floaty thing happening when they jump forward….

Some 13 years ago, word on the street was that Vinyasa Yoga (aka Flow Yoga) was the “IT” thing to help people access inner wisdom and find true happiness. While I became suspicious (and still am!) of yoga teachers who would make abstract analogies of how Hanuman, the monkey God, was going to save the day, I was open to the possibility that if my breath and body moved as “one” then just maybe my life would align and get into the flow as well. And so I jumped into the flow of Vinyasa Yoga.

This April, experience the power of world renowned yoga teacher, Sadie Nardini. Join one (or all!) of her workshops as they happen around YYoga centers. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity - register today to avoid disappointment.

About Sadie

Sadie is a renowned Ultimate Wellness and Yoga expert and the founder of Core Strength Vinyasa …

About Chris Chavez, Certified Anusara® Instructor

I began my yoga path in Ireland in 1993 or 1994 (I didn’t think it was important enough at the time to remember the exact date). I was traveling around the world playing music at the time and ended up living for a few months in Dublin, where I was staying with a percussionist who was also an Iyengar Yoga teacher. One day we were hanging out playing music and talking about yoga and he said to me, “you look like a yogi, you should do yoga.” He taught me 5 yoga poses and I was off!

How can a simple, unassuming four letter word change your life? I found that answer the day I unrolled a yoga mat, had a comfortable seat and took my first conscious deep breaths. Inhale….. Exhale…..

It was the spring of 2010. At that time I was completely unaware of the miracle that was about to unfold. My mat has become my mirror. As my yoga …

Meet Rachel Scott

My yoga practice began in 1998 in New York City on the advice of a friend. “You’re a stress case,” said the friend. “Do some yoga!” Not only did yoga kick my gym rat butt, the practice also left me mentally clear, emotionally grounded, and (as predicted) less stressed. My love affair with yoga had begun.

In 2003, …