Yoga for Sciatica
Many postures can alleviate and reduce the pain caused by sciatica, however we should always be mindful not to overstretch because this can lead to injury. More tips for a sustainable Yoga practice are spinal realignment, always trying to maintain a neutral spine, pelvic tilts and focus on gentle internal and external hip rotations. It is crucial to simultaneously strengthen the supportive muscles, like the core, the pelvis and the back muscles. Last but not least, understand and apply pain management through meditation and mindfulness techniques.
Flexibility and Hypermobility in Yoga
The most sustainable way to work with flexibility is to focus on improved range of motion and improved strength together, not going too much into one direction or another, as too little stress on the joints creates atrophy and too much, progressive degeneration. If the focus is only on passive flexibility or stretching without concentrating on the strength to maintain it in time, then the risk of injury is always going to be present. Ideally we should never feel the stretching sensations in our joints directly, because this affects in time the ligaments which are not elastic by nature so they have a tendency to tear.
Is Yin Yoga ok for pregnancy and postpartum?
A great reason to practice Yin Yoga during pregnancy and postpartum is the space offered to go deeper into a meditative state, especially in a period that could feel exciting, but also confusing and complex for many women, when the hormonal processes and changes are so difficult to understand and navigate at times. The ability to acknowledge the present moment and let go of anxiety and expectations is a deep and important practice that is very beneficial to pregnant and postpartum students.
The power of Ajna chakra
Whenever you hear about someone having a sixth sense, it is the Ajna chakra we are referring to, seeing beyond words, actions and thoughts. Think about it also as a personal inner teacher, that leads us toward clarity and meaning in our everyday life. The third eye is more than just the center of intuition; it’s a portal to a reality where the spiritual and physical merge into one, understanding that we are part of something bigger and beautiful, something that transcends the ordinary.
Most to least favourite Yoga posture
I believe there is always a reason why we love the poses we love and I definitely encourage students and teachers alike to keep on practicing them, since they are meant to ground us more, to restore our bodies, to nurture our minds and our energy. However, I think also getting out of our comfort zone at least sometimes, helps us grow a lot and learn more about ourselves. How we approach a posture is also a reflection on how we approach life.
Yin Yoga and TCM: Summer season- meridians and postures
In Yin Yoga, summer's association with the Fire element and its related Heart and Small Intestine meridians can be addressed through poses that open the chest and heart and promote grounding, such as Thread the Needle, Twisted Child’s Pose, Open and Closed Heart, Banana or Crescent Moon pose and Melting Heart. These poses, when held for extended durations can help with improving digestion and calming the fire of the heart.
Trauma-informed Yoga in today's world
Yoga can support trauma healing by helping students reconnect with their bodies through asana, breathwork and meditation. If people start to become more attuned to their inner sensations, they could build more tolerance for physical experiences and develop healthier responses.
Where do we store tension in the body
More than just excessive physical exercise or bad posture, negative emotional experiences can also impact several areas of the body and cause muscular tension. Recognizing the connection between emotional and physical health is the first step toward releasing stress and achieving greater well-being in both body and mind.
But where do we usually store tension in the body and which areas are more common to experience tightness, tension and discomfort and why?
Yin Yoga and TCM: Spring season- meridians and postures
Our Western way of living, full of overstimulation can impact in a negative way the Qi/energy of both the liver and the gallbladder. When the liver and the gallbladder are imbalanced, one might experience high levels of stress, frustration, anger. Balancing the liver and gallbladder Qi can help cultivate calm, patience, a greater ability to deal with the day-to-day stress and to express oneself more freely and creatively.
Best time for your Yoga routine
What is the best time for your Yoga practice? Is it worth building your Yoga practice routine around the time you are having most of your energy? How effective is having a Yoga routine or schedule?
Yin Yoga and TCM: Winter season- meridians and postures
In TCM, the state of nature reflects what quality our everyday life should have in order to be in harmony with the energies. Winter is therefore the perfect time for introspection and introversion, time to ask the right questions and find the real answers. Time to breathe more and create more space in our minds and hearts. It is a time for slower, gentler practices, where one can really go within.
About Range of motion
The joints play a major role in everyone’s ROM and generally, it is not something that can be taken for granted; several factors can lead to a loss of ROM in time, for instance injury, improper posture, lifestyle, genetic factors or even too much movement. Respecting our boundaries in regards to our joints can help us preserve our ROM longer in time, whether we refer to our spine, knees, shoulders, hips or wrists.
Yoga and Gratitude
Gratitude is more than saying thank you out loud; gratitude is a way of seeing life, leading us to be more mindful about our thoughts, actions and speech, in order to attract more positive occurrences, people and situations, aligned with our values. Being thankful exists in the mind but gratitude comes from the heart.
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