When Yoga Heals

{"slug":"when-yoga-heals","recentPosts":[{"id":"cl8kb5f23jq1w0ciscs2h2bxw","slug":"benefits-of-yoga-for-pregnancy","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"What are the Benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Yoga for Pregnancy is excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor. Read more to understand the benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:42:36.767798+00:00","coverUrl":"kvvlqndsbow5dsckhw7i.jpg","content":{"text":"When you get pregnant, people come out of the woodworks with advice, remedies and old wives tales. Everyone’s got an opinion on how you should spend your pregnancy. But the one thing we know for sure is, yoga is great for mom and baby alike. If you’re curious about prenatal yoga, you’re in the right place. Let’s break down why this type of yoga is excellent for moms (and babies).\\nWhat is prenatal yoga?\\nPrenatal yoga was designed for women who are expecting. Rather than taking a regular class and having to worry about modifications or safety, this class is specifically designed for pregnancy. The practice can help women with common pregnancy aches and pains, ease hormonal and emotional stress and help women’s bodies prepare for birth and their postpartum journey. A regular yoga practice when pregnant has tons of amazing benefits!\\nBenefits of Prenatal yoga: \\nWe asked women who’ve done prenatal yoga while pregnant for their reviews, one said “ It’s excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor.” And they all said they’d recommend it to friends! \\nSo let's break down the benefits: \\nRelaxation : \\nPregnancy can be very stressful! But yoga will help you to relax physically, mentally and emotionally and create a safe, relaxing environment for birth. Prenatal helps you with coping and breath techniques for all stages of your pregnancy.\n\\nPreparation for birth : \\nFor first time moms, and even sometimes vets, labor can be scary. This practice will help you to learn birth techniques so you’re relaxed and ready to go!\n⁠\\nYoga can Help with Labor : \\nIn a 2015 study\\n, It was found that a regular yoga practice in the last 10-12 weeks of pregnancy can improve the mother's comfort during labor and help facilitate the labor process. The “yoga group” in this study on average was in labor two hours less than those who didn’t practice. Past your due date? Prenatal Yoga is also known to help induce labor\n⁠\\nCommunity : \\nYoga classes have always been known to help us build community but during pregnancy, it's so important to have a group of women who understand what you’re going through. Taking part in a prenatal class puts you in a group of women who get it. You’ll have a built in support system and maybe even first friends for your baby!\\nFrequently Asked Questions about Prenatal Yoga:\\nIs Yoga for Pregnancy safe?\\nYes. Yoga is generally considered safe during pregnancy. However, you should always consult your doctor & make sure you’re practicing with a teacher who understands the prenatal experience and can keep you safe. Our teachers are experts in yoga and are ready to help you on your journey. If you’d like to check out our offerings, you can get started today with a two week free trial! \\nWhen during pregnancy can you practice yoga?\\nDuring your first trimester, you can stick to your regular practice with some modifications. \\nYour second trimester is a GREAT time to start prenatal yoga! At this point, you’ll be starting to officially come into your “pregnancy body” and you’ll need to be practicing poses more specific to prenatal. The second and third trimester are considered the “prep period” for your body to prepare for labor. So it's a great time to keep moving and stretching in your new skin as you make room for the baby to grow! \\nWhat yoga poses should you avoid doing? \\nFor the most part, yoga is considered safe during pregnancy. You really only need to focus on any poses that put pressure on your abdomen. You should avoid any and all twisting poses, backbends and inversions.. \\nYoga for Pregnancy Poses you can perform at Home :\\nIt’s important to stay active during your pregnancy for both mom and baby! You should try to get in some sort of movement daily for at least 30 minutes. You can stick to low impact workouts or walks but if you want to do some yoga at home, it’s a great way to end your day. Yoga while pregnant can help with pain, help you sleep better and fight tiredness and fatigue. \\nHere are some poses you can practice at home to keep you moving! And as a bonus, most of these poses will also help your body prepare for giving birth!\\n1. Bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana) :\\n\\nBaddha Konasana pose will help you open your hips, releasing any pain in your back. It can also help to reduce swelling\\nHow it helps with labor: Opening the hips will help you to stretch the muscles needed to open the birth canal.\\n2. Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana Bitilasana) :\\n\\nMarjaryasana Bitilasana pose release back and shoulder pain and also reduce pressure from the belly\\nHow it helps with labor: Back pain is a common occurrence during the birth process. This pose will help to keep your muscles limber and help to avoid muscle spasms and pain in your back during labor. \\n3. Yogi squat (Malasana) :\\n\\nBeen sitting too long? This is a great hip opener and will also release lower back pain. \\nHow it helps with labor: This pose will widen the pelvic floor making the birth easier,which may help to reduce injury during birth.\\nRemember, if you’re practicing at home, it’s always best to consult your doctor and make sure yoga is safe for your pregnancy.\\n\\nOther ways to practice self-care during pregnancy\\nBeing a mom is the hardest job in the world. And there are no days off. Starting with pregnancy, we feel out of control of our body, its growth and the way we feel. Remember to take time during this beautiful process to practice self-care so you can be present, happy and relaxed. \\nBook a prenatal massage :\n\n⁠⁠A prenatal massage is GREAT for mom and baby. It can help reduce stress and swelling without meds, help you to sleep and get your body ready for labor and delivery.  \\nTake a bath :\n⁠\n⁠Taking a warm bath while pregnant can also help to reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. It’s a great way to relax and rest your growing body. If you’re feeling pain or swelling, it can be very beneficial to relax in a warm bath. \\n\\nAyurveda for Pregnancy :\\n\n⁠\n⁠This week, MyYogaTeacher has a special Ayurveda event running where you’ll learn how to align with your best self through nutrition and health changes. This specific class is designed to help you have your most healthy pregnancy with nutrition guidelines for a mom and foods to help with baby's development! \\n\nYou can also choose to work 1 on 1 with an instructor of your choice through your MyYogaTeacher membership! Let us help you have your healthiest pregnancy possible! \\n\\nGet started today!\\n"},"category":[]},{"id":"cl8ka13l4ionz0ck2fe0pme7l","slug":"chronic-neck-pain-relief-yoga-poses","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Are you suffering with Chronic Neck Pain? 10 yoga poses to find relief!","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:11:15.683866+00:00","coverUrl":"rbh6duxy7hy3y207sg1c.jpg","content":{"text":"Do you suffer from chronic neck pain? Nearly 30-50% of adults suffer from recurring neck pain. \\nNeck pain can be a common occurrence for people who:\\nhave long commutes or sit at a desk all day\\nwho have issues with posture \\nwho have chronic sleep issues\\nOur neck and shoulders can also be a place where we may carry tension or pain due to stress. In any case, the good news is yoga can help you to relieve your neck pain and move on symptom free! \\nDaily changes you can make to avoid neck pain\\nStay in alignment. Keep good posture and try not to carry heavy bags on one side of your body. Also, if you sit at a desk and work on a computer, move your monitor to eye-sight so you’re not looking up or down. Need help finding your center? \\nWe can help here at MyYogaTeacher! \\n\\nStay active! It’s important to stay mobilized.  If you sit all day, take breaks to move around and give your body a break from being stuck in one position. Can’t take breaks at work? Try to go for a walk on lunch or maybe before or after your workday. \\nCheck your sleep environment. Make sure your mattress and pillows are still in good shape. Look into the best pillows for your sleep type or body. Getting quality sleep will help you avoid tossing and turning and can be your remedy to wake pain free. \\nIf you’re feeling like you need to move, starting with any slower yoga practice will help! Yin, hatha and restorative classes will all leave your body feeling relaxed, renewed and free of pain. Want to flow on your own? Here are our top ten poses to try! \\n10 Yoga Poses to relieve Chronic Neck Pain :\\n1. Easy seat with ear to shoulder stretch\\nThis pose releases your neck and shoulders and helps relieve tension and stress.\\nStart by sitting with your legs crossed and a straight back. Shoulders down. Bring your ear down to your shoulder. To deepen the stretch, bring your opposite arm overhead. \\n\\n\\n\\n2. Child’s Pose\\nReleases tension in the upper body including the neck and chest.\\nBring your knees as wide as the mat and sit into your heels. You can bring your chest to the mat and extend your arms forward or come to rest on a pillow or bolster. Try to hold this pose for up to 5 breaths. \\n\\n\\n\\n3. Downward facing dog\\nHelps to relieve neck pain by strengthening the upper body and releasing the spine. \\nStart by coming onto all fours. Check your alignment- make sure your shoulders are over your wrist, and your hips over your knees. Without changing the position of your hands and feet, push up and back to bring your heels into the ground. Relax your head, neck and shoulders down. \\n\\n\\n\\n4. Bridge Pose\\nReleases chest, neck, spine and hips.\\nLay down on your mat, bring your feet as close to your glutes as possible. Bring your hands to the sides of your body palms down. Push into the feet and hands while you lift your core and back to the ceiling. Try to relax and breathe here. \\n\\n\\n\\n5. Wide Leg forward fold\\nReleases spine, neck and back. If you’re in pain perform this stretch slowly, and come up one vertebrae at a time. \\nBring your feet as wide as you can, feet facing forward. Hinge at the hips and slowly bend forward and down towards your feet. You can hang here or grab yogi toe lock around your big toe. \\n\\n\\n\\n6. Cow face pose\\nStrengthens core and spine.\\nSit up tall and stack your knees directly over one another. Reach one arm back around your waist and one arm over your shoulder with your palms reaching towards one another. If you can, clasp your hands. If not, rest them on your back, you will still benefit from the pose. \\n\\n\\n\\n7. Sphinx pose\\nThis pose will help to physically open up the shoulders and neck. Looking side to side slowly is a great addition to the pose. \\nLie on your stomach and bring your hands next to your chest facing down. On your inhale press into the ground and lift your upper body. \\n\\n\\n\\n8. Thread the Needle \\nIncreases mobility and releases tension in the upper body. \\nCome on to all fours. Check your alignment, make sure your hips are over your knees, shoulders over your wrist. Reach one arm out to the side and thread it through the opposite side under your ribs. You can stay here or open up the opposite side by reaching the hand to the back or straight up and over. Make sure to do both sides. \\n\\n\\n\\n9. Legs up the wall\\nReleases tension and stress from the upper body by reversing blood flow. \\nFind a wall near your practice space and sit next to the wall as close as possible. Lower your head, neck and shoulders onto your mat, then roll onto your back and stretch your legs up the wall. You can stay in this restorative pose for up to 10 minutes. \\n\\n\\n\\n10. Savasana\\nSavasana releases any stress, lowers heart rate and calms the body. \\nCome onto your back on your mat, and release your body down. This is known as corpse pose because it is a full and final rest at the end of our practice. Release and let go of any and all tension. \\n\\n\\n\\nClasses to help relieve neck pain \\n\\nYoga fusion for joints \\n- This class will help you roll out your joint pain and stretch your tight limbs and joints. \\n\\nYoga for Back Pain\\n - Sometimes, neck pain can be caused by tightness in the spine. Experts say yoga helps soothe muscle pains. Try this class to strengthen and lengthen your neck and back for pain relief! \\n\\nYoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain\\n - Do you sit all day at work? Struggle with your posture? This class will help relieve upper body tension. \\n\nSo if you’re ready to make your neck pain a thing of the past, join us today. Our trial includes two free weeks of group fitness classes, one on one classes and so much more! \\nGet started on your yoga journey now!\\n"},"category":["yoga_poses"]},{"id":"cl8cuq5nnh5860biyek2vhu2w","slug":"reproductive-rights-for-women-yoga-workshop","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop - Supporting Women Through Yoga","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-22T09:28:27.679552+00:00","coverUrl":"dkjwcigamkavxe0yziwq.jpg","content":{"text":"Announcing MyYogaTeacher’s first ever Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\nHere at MyYogaTeacher, we believe in the wisdom of women to make their own choices about their health. \\n\\nThat’s why we’re excited to offer the\\n Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop on October 2 from 9 AM - 11 AM PST (12 PM - 2 PM EST) for only $10!\\nIn the past, our community events have been free. So why are we charging a nominal fee for this one?\\nBecause ALL proceeds from the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop go to support the \\nCenter for Reproductive Rights\\n charity, a nonprofit organization, the \\nonly\\n global legal advocacy organization dedicated to advancing reproductive rights.\\nIn the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade and on the day before the new term of the Supreme Court begins, we think this workshop is a perfect way to silently protest this new ruling through self-care and donations to an organization like the Center for Reproductive Rights.\\nThis will also be a time of healing and processing with a couple of awesome expert yoga instructors!\\nHow to join the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop\\nWhether you’re a member or not, \\nJust click this link and register \\nas you would any other group class! Simple as that.\\nIntroducing a very special guest yoga instructor coming just for this event!\n\\nMeet Harpinder Mann, RYT-500!\\n\\n\n\\nHarpinder is a yoga, meditation, mindfulness teacher, and decolonizing activist based in Los Angeles. She works with women of color who want to reclaim their power and intuition through the lens of a spiritual, joyful, and sustainable path. Her studies have spanned from reading the Japji Sahib since she was 3, to over 700 hours of yogic training within the traditions of Raja, Vinyasa, Kundalini, and Prenatal Yoga. \\nWe’re super excited to have her lead the beginning of the workshop. Afterwards, MyYogaTeacher yoga instructor, \\nTrupti Parikh\\n, will lead us in asanas, and a discussion session will follow.\\nAre you ready to experience a workshop where we solely focus on supporting and advocating for women’s health \\nwhile\\n improving our mental, emotional, and physical health?\\n\\nJoin us for the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\n\\nTogether, we make a difference."},"category":["workshops"]},{"id":"cl8a9804vy5de0biznpg4ai2t","slug":"yoga-benefits-for-runners","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Yoga For Runners : Why Runners Should Incorporate Yoga Into Their Training?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Adopting an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Read now to learn more","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-20T13:50:56.406936+00:00","coverUrl":"tbdacuzob0fuqml8dyjd.jpg","content":{"text":"Training for a big race? Setting some goals you want to crush before the year ends? No matter what your reasons, yoga can be a great way to cross train for running from a 5k to a marathon! Running is great for your heart and body but can also be a huge strain on the muscles. Having an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Let’s dive into how yoga can help!\\n1. Breathing\\nProper breathing and breath stabilization are both incredibly important principles in Yoga and Running. If you can practice proper breathing while running, you can maintain speed longer because you will take long deeper breaths to match your long strides, instead of short breaths which cause instability and speed decline.\\nPracticing Pranayama for runners - \\nAdding a pranayama breath practice before a run can help you to maintain focus as well as speed. Even if running is a release for you, and feels relaxing, Using breathwork to relax and focus can help you clearly see the physical and mental road ahead. Pranayama can also help if things are going off course on your run. If you need to regain control, you can come back to your breath and refocus. With these practices together, your run really can be a religious experience, or a way to relieve stress! \\nTo start a pranayama practice, all you need to do is focus on controlling your inhale and exhale. Start by standing tall and relaxed, or sitting tall and calm if you prefer. Close your eyes and focus inward. Start by breathing in for two and out for two. As you continue to grow your practice, you can  build up to breathing in for six and out for six. You can even play with pausing for two to four breaths in between your inhale and exhale. When you finally build a practice you’re confident with, you can start to set intentions and visualize your success. With this practice, you’ll begin to see your running dreams come true!\\n\\n2. Flexibility/Strength\\nIt would be great if in life, we only ever needed to do one thing to get to our goals. But in reality,just like we can’t have cookies for every meal, cross training for runners is essential to maintaining a long term healthy routine. While you could easily just add weight training or stretching a la cart into your week, yoga gives you more by going deeper and getting into those smaller, harder to access ligaments and tendons you might otherwise miss with strength training . Adding yoga into your running routine can reduce the risk of injury and help to maintain your goals. The more flexible your muscles are, the less likely they are to tense up or be stressed during running so you can move with more confidence and ease. Not to mention, it’s always great to look forward to a nice long stretch after a run. \\n\n3. Conditioning \\nWe all know running is GREAT for your cardiovascular health, can add years on to your life and keep your heart pumping at its best! But it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a veteran, running can make your body sore. Yoga is great for conditioning those tired and fatigued muscles without having to “take a day off” to rest. In between your runs or on conditioning days, you can take a class focused on your back or knee health, or even a class to open tight hips after a long run. There’s nothing the magic of yoga can’t do! \\n\n4. Balance/Posture\\nEven though running is a “walk in the park” compared to ballet where balance is concerned, you still need to do your best to focus on alignment while you move.\\nYoga can improve your running form by elongating the limbs so you cover more ground in less time. You'll be PR’ing in no time! Proper alignment is also important when running because as you increase your speed, the level of impact (and injury) becomes greater. Maintaining your body's alignment during movement assures you arrive at the finish line aliment free! Love a tree pose? Want to learn to fly into a warrior? Lots of yoga poses force you to balance on one leg, which helps you to build a unilateral movement practice much like the ebbs and flows you take while running. \\n5. Stress and Mental Clarity\\nFeeling stressed before a big run? Worried about your PR? Yoga can help! Focus your breathing and set an intention. You’ve got this!\\nFocus and clarity are so important when running so you can know where you’re headed and stay on track. Add your yoga practice in before training or race days and you’ll feel your worries melt away. According to scientists at \\nHarvard,\\n adding just minutes of yoga to your week can improve your outlook, slow down the body and decrease stress. You’ll find your body will be more relaxed, focused and ready to run for those goals when you release your tension with yoga. \\nGetting started:\\nSo what do you need to get started? Simple! Yourself, a mat, some water and a quiet space are all you need! Are you ready to add yoga into your running routine? \\nGet started with a two week free trial of our classes and one on one sessions!\\n\\nLet’s figure out where your yoga practice would serve you best! \\nDoing yoga BEFORE your run will help you to warm up your muscles and ligaments. By fully warming up your body before you hit the pavement, you decrease the chances of injury, help with an easier recovery and can improve your PR as you continue to train! \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice before a run :\\nHigh Lunge - This pose stretches the legs from top of the thighs down to the ankle\\n\\nWarrior II - Helps with focus and stamina. Great before heading out!\\n\\nSide angle bend - This stretch helps to stretch the side body and release any tension in the shoulders and spine. \\n\\n⁠Prefer to do yoga after your run? That’s a great option too! Yoga is great for recovery after a run! Finishing your running routine with a yoga stretch helps you to rebalance. You can stretch muscles or limbs that became tight during your run and strengthen anything  that may have become fatigued. You can also refocus and deepen your breath to reset for the next part of your day. \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice after a run :\\nButterfly Pose - a basic hip opener to ease into your stretch\\n\\nHalf Pigeon - A great pose for multiple alignments! Working through the psoas and hip flexors. Make sure to practice on both sides.\\n\\nHappy Baby - This pose is great for finishing up your hip opener extension while giving a nice massage to the back and stretching the soles of the feet.\\n\\nWant to take a class? Try some of our favorite classes for runners!\\n\\nYoga for Strength and flexibility \\n\\n\\nYoga for Knee Pain\\n\\n\\nYoga for Back health\\n\\nReady to join us for class? \\nGet started with a free trial now! \\n\\nRemember, with a great training plan for your runs, and an ongoing yoga practice you’ll be ready to run to your greatest finish line feeling and looking your best! Just like peanut butter and jelly, yoga and running are great together!"},"category":["fitness","yoga"]},{"id":"cl81n0o6wh1g80ajz2gpco553","slug":"yoga-at-home","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"How to Start Doing Yoga at Home","subTitle":"Everything you need to know for an at-home yoga routine","seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Get a beginner’s guide to starting yoga at home with tips and suggestions for setting up your own practice, including online yoga classes and private lessons.","readTime":null,"excerpt":"Learn how to perform yoga at home with this quick and easy guide","tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-14T13:07:13.39269+00:00","coverUrl":"cqivxw3vkrcihpumlny7.jpg","content":{"text":"There are lots of reasons for doing yoga at home instead of a yoga studio, some of which include distance, busy schedules, kids, financial concerns, and health issues. The good news is you can set up your own yoga practice at home, and still get all the benefits of a regular yoga routine — without the studio. It can also be a great way to integrate yoga into your life on a regular basis, and it’s easy to do in your own home.\\nCan Anyone do Yoga at Home?\\nAnyone can perform yoga at home, and you don’t have to be an advanced yogi to try. Even beginners can practice yoga in a home environment, all you need is adequate floor space, a few (optional) pieces of equipment, and guidelines for practicing the primary yoga poses. \\nIf you’re a beginner, it’s recommended to first learn from a certified yoga instructor, so you can progress with the proper technique and alignment to avoid injury. Thanks to online learning platforms like\\n MyYogaTeacher\\n, you can still practice yoga at home with the help of a qualified teacher.\\n11 Tips on How to Perform Yoga At Home\\nThe idea of starting a yoga practice in your very own living room can seem daunting or intimidating at first, especially if you’re accustomed to attending classes in a yoga studio. But with a little bit of preparation and creativity, you can set up your own yoga space and develop a mindful yoga routine that can benefit your life.\\nHere are some suggestions to help get you started:\\n1. Make Space in Your Home for Yoga\\nIt’s easy (and fun) to make your own yoga space, and you can design it as a temporary space or a dedicated one, depending on your needs. All you need is enough floor space to move around and stretch out the full length of your body — a little more than the length and width of your yoga mat. This can be your living or bedroom floor, your kitchen, or your backyard. Just make sure there isn’t any furniture or objects lying around that could get in your way or cause injury.\\n2. Decorate With Calming Accessories\\nYou can also create a comfortable and inviting space for yoga by hanging calming or inspiring artwork on the wall, lighting a candle or incense, and keeping a few house plants nearby for a pleasing atmosphere. The more you can tailor and dedicate your space for yoga, the easier it will be to motivate yourself to keep up a steady routine. Hanging a mirror in front of your practice space is also helpful in maintaining the correct alignment while performing postures.\\n3. Be Prepared With the Right Equipment\\n\\nYou’ll want to invest in a yoga mat, and it’s wise to also keep modifying props on hand — like blocks, bolsters, blankets, and a strap. If you’re just starting out and you’d like to improvise for props, you can use pillows, blankets, and other items around the house to suit your needs. Just make sure your props are sturdy, supportive, and nearby for when you need them.\\n4. Practice Regularly\\nThe best part about practicing yoga at home is it can be done any time you want. The challenge lies in your dedication and commitment to the practice even when your couch appears more inviting.\\n \\nAccording to this study\\n, it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to create a new habit. It’s important to be patient with yourself and identify guidelines for your practice that you can realistically follow through with. \\n5. Schedule Your Yoga Session\\nSet yourself up for success by committing to your yoga practice at a certain time of day, and for a specified number of days per week. It’s best to start out easy with goals that are achievable and progress as you gain momentum. For instance, if you’ve never been an early riser, don’t expect yourself to suddenly start practicing yoga at dawn. If that’s the case, try scheduling your yoga session for late morning, afternoon or evening, and keep your existing schedule in mind when planning a time that works for you.\\n6. Keep it Simple\\nRegardless of your experience or ability level, practicing yoga at home means watching out for your own safety. Make sure you have props handy for when you need them, and avoid overdoing it with strenuous poses. When it doubt, keep your routine simple. Even if you’re an advanced yogi, those basic, primary yoga poses are still an important part of a holistic yoga practice, and may be less likely to cause injury.\\n7. Listen to Your Body\\nThe best way to avoid getting hurt while practicing yoga at home is to listen to your body. If any posture causes you discomfort or pain, stop practicing it immediately — no matter how easy or difficult the pose. Don’t push yourself too hard, and remember to focus on your alignment. If you are unsure of how to execute a specific pose, try learning it from a certified instructor before performing it on your own at home.\\n8. Take an Online Yoga Class\\n\\nBy far the best way to practice yoga at home is with an online class. This way, you get all the benefits of doing yoga at home in your own time, with the added help of an instructor who can make sure you’re performing poses safely and effectively. You can find\\n \\nonline group classes\\n for every type of yoga at\\n \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n, with over 42 classes offered throughout the day. Private, 1-on-1 instructors are also available for at-home yoga, giving you plenty of options to get the right kind of training while still practicing in the comfort of your own home.\\n9. Squeeze in a Short Practice\\nThe beauty of an at-home yoga practice means you can squeeze in a quick session when you just have 20-30 minutes of time. Even short yoga routines are beneficial for your body and mind, and performing a few of the primary yoga poses on a daily basis will change your life for the better. Try incorporating the Sun Salutation flow series into your morning routine when you first get out of bed in the morning, or practicing some relaxing poses like Legs-Up-The-Wall or Savasana in the evening. \\n10. Switch it Up and Make it Fun\\nYoga doesn’t always have to be serious, and you can make your home yoga practice fun and spontaneous for you and your family. Practicing with your kids is a great way to help them learn mindfulness and self-awareness, while stretching and strengthening their growing bodies. You can also take your practice to the backyard to enjoy sunshine and good weather, or invite friends over to share in the experience. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box!\\n11. End Every Practice With Savasana\\nWhen practicing yoga at home, it can be tempting to skip important parts of the journey due to time constraints, distractions, or disinterest. If there is one element of yoga you should never skip, it’s Savasana, or otherwise known as Corpse pose. Always end your practice with 5 minutes of relaxation to help your body integrate the routine. Keep a blanket nearby to warm your body after it has cooled down, and consider an eye pillow to help you relax. Your body and mind will thank you as you move on to the rest of your day, having given yourself the gift of healthy movement to better your life."},"category":["yoga","therapy"]}],"randomPosts":[{"id":"cl7zwz24chnlt0biyk8wtb0cj","slug":"start-hatha-yoga-practice","author":{"name":"Namrata Khandelwal","teacherMytSlug":"namrata-2","pictureUrl":"namrata-k-pro.jpg"},"title":"Interested in starting a Hatha yoga practice? 10 tips to get started!","createdAt":"2022-09-13T08:10:21.940734+00:00","coverUrl":"kwfhavtczeih1sjadbhk.jpg","content":{"text":"Are you new to yoga? Looking to develop a practice but don’t know what style or where to begin? Hatha yoga is a great choice for beginners looking to build a routine or veterans looking to deepen their practice of breathing and flexibility.\\nFirst things first, What is Hatha Yoga?\\nHatha yoga is a form of gentle yoga made up of poses and breath work and often starts or ends with a meditation. This type of practice can be challenging because in most traditional Hatha classes, poses are held for 30 seconds to a minute. \\nStyles of Hatha Yoga that we offer at \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n:\\nHatha Yoga - This practice focuses separately on each asana. Focusing on connecting each asana with the breath and deepening each pose. This practice allows for breaks between poses and is more gentle and slow paced. \\nHatha Vinyasa - Known as a flow class, adding in the vinyasa makes the practice a little more fast paced. The poses are more linked together and the movement is connected to your breath work. \\nWhat are the benefits of a Hatha Yoga Practice?\\nThere are many benefits to building a hatha yoga practice. On the surface, for your physical health, hatha can increase flexibility, strength and balance!  Hatha is proven to fight signs of aging and  help with joint or muscle pain and improve blood flow!\\nWhen you turn your practice inward, it can also deepen your sleep and with the addition of the breathwork, your practice can also help you cope with anxiety or depression symptoms. \\nHatha is a great place to start your yoga journey because you can take your time to get familiar with the poses and learn to connect them to your breath.  It’s good for the body and the mind!\\nHere are 10 tips to get you started with a Hatha Yoga Practice:\\nKnow your why - Before you start to build your practice, it’s important to establish why you’re coming to your mat. Is your reason for physical health, mental health or maybe just to press pause on your day and breathe? Each flow can be personalized for whatever brings you to your mat each day.\\nBe a student! - Take a class with us so you can learn how to flow on your own. Sometimes before you fly solo, you need a co-captain. And if you never decide to fly on your own, we're happy to have you here with us! Our teachers are the best and we think you'll love their classes!\n⁠\n⁠Check out these three Hatha classes we love!\n⁠\\nHatha for Beginners\\n\n⁠\\nHatha Yoga Intermediate\\n\n⁠\\nHatha Vinyasa\\n\\nLearn to breath - In this practice, you'll be holding in poses and breathing into the space you create. The traditional breath practice for a hatha yoga class is\\n Ujjayi breathing\\n otherwise known as victorious breath. This breathing practice is often used in yoga because it forces you to slow down and focus on your breathing and its connection to your movement. \\nChoose your asasas - While Hatha is usually a gentle practice, there is no right or wrong way to build your Hatha flow. The goal is just to focus and move your body! All you need is a minimum of three to five poses to get started! Start by reviewing the poses you know and then when you’re ready, add more as you grow.\\nPractice your pause - once you know what asanas you’d like to practice, grab a stopwatch! Work on holding each pose for 30 seconds, then 45 seconds, then a minute. Don’t forget to breathe into it. And if you can, try to find space and deepen into each pose as you practice more. \\nFind a way to beat the mental fatigue - Don’t give in to the voice in your head that says you can’t do this.  Holding the poses can be difficult at first. Have a little grace and try your best not to give up. Practice your mantras to keep you going. Our favorite? Your stronger than you think!\\nBuild a meditation practice - When building a meditation practice, it’s important to figure out what you need from it. Do you need mantras to help you keep going? Do you need to visual what's coming? Or do you need to focus inward on your breath and the current moment. Remember, there’s no wrong answer. Play with this practice. Add it to the beginning, then the end and see where it serves you. Can’t settle in for quiet reflection? Try journaling instead. \\nBe benevolent to yourself - In Hatha yoga, one of the most important practices is the principle of non-violence (ahimsa) this means do no harm to yourself or to others Try to go through your life being kind to yourself on and off your mat. For more on this practice, check out \\nthis article\\n by Yogauonline\\nRead the text- Like a lot of Yoga, hatha isn’t just based on a movement practice. In fact, there are two connected texts to teach you the foundations of this practice. \\nHatha Yoga Pradipika \\n- a 15th century Sanskrit manual on the practice and style. \\nSiva Samhita\\n - from the hindu perspective breaking “yoga” the practice, down into five parts.\\nTrack the progress of your practice - Once you’ve developed your practice, there is no ‘ end' in yoga, we can only keep coming back to deepen or extend our practice. That’s why it’s a “practice” because there is no perfect. You can always adjust. Some days you’ll need more, some days less. But all the days…you'll need yoga. \\nFive poses to get started with Hatha Yoga:\\n1. Childs Pose\\nFocus on your third eye here. Move your head from right to left to massage your forehead.\\n\\n\n2. Cat Pose\\nBreath into your spine as you arch your back away from the floor. Relax your neck.\\n\\n\\n3. Down Dog\\nFocus on lengthening your heels into the floor and pushing your hips towards the back of the room. \\n\\n\\n4. Forward Fold\\nSurrender into this pose. Reach your palms towards the floor and deepen your stretch with every exhale.\\n\\n\\n5. Savasana\\nRelax your entire body into the ground. Release all the tension and slow your breath. \\n\\n\nNow that you have the tools you need, you’re ready to go! Find where your practice fits best and get ready to feel relaxed and enlightened! If you’re doing hatha for physical health, try adding the practice in after another workout or at the end of your day. \\nLooking  to build a practice for relaxation or to wind down from your anxiety? Try starting your day with practice and a cup of green tea! \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n has tons of options available to you! See you on your mat! "}},{"id":"ckfqyvv0801ug0178j2sv3nti","slug":"when-yoga-heals","author":{"name":"Kriti","teacherMytSlug":"kriti-1","pictureUrl":"blog_42.jpg"},"title":"When Yoga Heals","createdAt":"2019-07-17T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"blog_42.jpg","content":{"text":"My journey to be a yoga teacher was completely unplanned. I was studying music and working as a photographer when my health started to deteriorate. I wasn’t able to keep up with my hectic schedule anymore. Constant antibiotics that the doctors would give me actually made my health worse and lowered my immunity. This led to me becoming depressed. \\n\\nI could hardly get out of the house. I reached a stage where I would do anything to fix my body.\\n\\nI started researching ways to heal myself and came across a meditation course and joined \\nyoga classes\\n. During my journey, I realized that all the physical symptoms I felt were just a manifestation of my anxieties and insecurities. \\n\\nMy health became better with regular practice and Ayurveda. Once I figured this out I wanted to help people, heal people and let them know there is an alternative way where one isn’t dependent on medication - which has so many side effects. \\n\\nThere are so many people who go through what I went through and I wanted to let them all know - there is another way.\\n\\nDuring one of my \\nmeditation classes\\n, a friend came up to me and said, “you have been practicing yoga for so long and are good at it. Why don’t you do a teachers training?” And somehow I ended up at a Teacher Training Certificate program, then to a course in Reiki and then to a training in Ayurveda!\\n\\nMy teachings started focusing on keeping a balanced mental health to keep the body healthy. The deeper I get into the practice and teaching, I have learned so much more on holistic living which I incorporate in what I teach. I also noticed that my voice has become better; my creativity has enhanced. Things that were creating blockages in my creativity and ability to sing fully started vanishing too. \\n\\nI found my real singing voice.\\n\\nEveryday in my practice I learn new things about how to heal different aspects of our life and being a \\nyoga teacher\\n for me is the best way to share this.\\n"}},{"id":"ckmp3ho54j1zn0b24r8778bpo","slug":"yoga-for-knee-pain","author":{"name":"Pranjal","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"4 Exercise Mistakes That Cause Knee Pain (and How Yoga Can Help)","createdAt":"2021-03-25T16:33:31.657286+00:00","coverUrl":"p4_KneePain_W1906_gi1017193182.jpg","content":{"text":"When you’re young – like little kid young, not like 20-somethings young – you probably never considered how running barefoot on the pavement through the neighborhood affected your knees.\\n\\nYou were invincible. There was no pretzel pose you couldn’t do or sit in. Literally nothing bothered you, much less your knees.\\n\\nSkip forward to your 20’s. Yeah, when you start to exercise to maintain your health, weight, fitness. Not because it’s fun.\\n\\nHow did we treat our knees in our 20’s? How \\ndo\\n you treat your knees? Are you protecting them by doing exercises properly or are you still “running barefoot on the pavement?” \\n\\nDo you think about your knees at all if they don’t hurt? No. Probably not.\\n\\nI’m here to tell you how exercise is hurting or has hurt your knees and how yoga can fix it. If you need more help in this area.\n⁠\n⁠[CTA-DEFAULT] \\n\\n\\n\\n1. Misalignment\\n\\nOne of the most common mistakes people make when working out is doing exercises the wrong way. The alignment of your joints is extremely important when working out. When they’re misaligned, it can cause injury.\\n\\nSquats and lunges are the biggest culprits of misalignment for people when exercising. Your knees should never go past your toes when doing squats or lunges. Even if you’re doing yoga. Knees should always track over top of your shoe but not past your toes.\\n\\nIf you have knee pain from doing lunges and squats incorrectly, the pain will be focused around your kneecap and in front of the knee. Runners and jumpers also tend to have this kind of pain.\\n\\nSome yoga asanas to help relieve runner’s knee pain are:\\n\\nDownward facing dog with calf stretches\\nLow lunge and its different variations\\nHamstring stretches like seated forward bend\\nQuad stretches\\n\\nDone properly, these yoga stretches will improve your knee flexibility and decrease or get rid of your knee pain. Yoga is magical like that.\\n\\nEach stretch should be held for at least a minute (more if tolerated) and should be repeated two to three times on each side.\\n\\nWhich leads me to talk about another common exercise mistake.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n2. Skipping single-leg exercises\\n\\nAre you only doing exercises with both legs? Squats, leg presses, jumps. Plyometrics are often performed using both legs at the same time.\\n\\nMuscle imbalances are normal. We use one leg more than the other. We carry a purse, bag, or backpack on one shoulder more than the other. We lean to one side when we sit. But when you work out, you should be incorporating unilateral exercises into your routine.\\n\\nIf you haven’t been, you may experience knee pain or tightness, as well as tight hips, hamstrings, and glutes. Mostly because you’ve been overusing the stronger side of your body when only doing exercises with both legs.\\n\\nThe best remedy for this type of pain? Yoga for knee pain, of course! Here are some moves that will specifically help:\\n\\nPigeon pose, either sitting or reclined\\nHalf splits\\nThread the needle.\\nDownward facing dog\\nButterfly pose\\n\\nTake a break from plyometrics, squats, leg presses, and jumps for a while. Any exercises where you’ve been using both legs simultaneously. And replace those movements with yoga moves instead! You’ll feel the difference!\\n\\nAnother common mistake?\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n[CTA-GC]\\n3. Lifting too much weight\\n\\nI’m not knocking weight lifting. Providing load to your joints does help keep them strong. But if the muscles around those joints aren’t strong enough to handle the weight you’re lifting, the overload can lead to joint pain.\\n\\nAnd your knees notoriously take the brunt of the overload like the superheroes they are.\\n\\nThe safest type of weight lifting is your own body weight. If you want to safely lift weights that are outside your own body weight, the best way is to start very light and work your way up. Progressive resistance is what the trainers call it.\\n\\nIf you’re experiencing knee pain due to weight overload, try these yoga moves:\\n\\nCrescent lunge\\nLow lunge\\nHalf pigeon or reclined pigeon\\nDancer’s pose\\nStanding splits\\n\\nThe idea here is to use your own body weight to strengthen the muscles around the joints while also stretching them. Yoga for knee pain specifically helps with this!\\n\\nA regular yoga practice is excellent for using your own body weight to strengthen and tone. myYogaTeacher offers 35+ classes each day! \\nTry a 2-week free trial and feel the difference yoga makes in your body and life.\\n\\n\\n4. The wrong shoes\\n\\nBear with me here. Choosing the wrong shoes does count as an exercise mistake!\\n\\nImproper footwear may not cause direct pain or injury, but it is a cause of misalignment and poor form when exercising. And we already know that poor form and misalignment cause knee pain and injury.\\n\\nA good tip is to choose a shoe that supports your foot shape. If you have high arches or flat feet, this will be even more important. The stiffer the shoe, the better.\\n\\nIf you work out in a private setting, I recommend doing strength training barefoot. Yes, for real!\\n\\nStudies have shown that many exercise routines are easier on your joints and knees if done barefoot! I’m not suggesting you start showing up at the gym barefoot or revert back to your childhood days when you ran everywhere barefoot as long as it wasn’t snowing. But barefoot exercise is definitely something you may want to look into!\\n\\nOne of the great things about \\nyoga\\n is that it’s always done barefoot! \\n\\nYoga doesn’t just help heal knee pain. It helps prevent it. By doing yoga barefoot, you are strengthening all the tiny muscles in your feet and ankles that are responsible for keeping you stable. In turn, your knees don’t bear all the weight - pun intended!\\n\\nSo let’s recap. A regular yoga practice isn’t just amazing for reducing or eliminating knee pain, it’s a great way to prevent it. Especially yoga for knee pain, specifically. If you’ve injured your knees due to the common exercise mistakes I talked about above, please be sure to see your doctor about it.\\n\\nThen come see me! My Yoga for Knee Pain Class is designed for people who have all kinds of knee pain for various different reasons. I’m happy to talk with you about your specific pain, give you specific yoga poses or modifications to help reduce your pain. \\n\\n\\n\\nSee you on the mat! \\n"}}],"relatedPosts":[{"id":"ckfqz7ewg022s01267mzk3n4z","slug":"free-live-group-classes","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Free LIVE Online Group Classes","createdAt":"2020-03-14T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"1-0n-1-GIF.gif","content":{"text":"We are offering Free Group Classes\\n\\n[CTA-FREECLASS]\\n\\n\\n\\nAt \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n our fundamental mission is to help people.\\n\\nIt seems like there is a lot of confusion, panic and uncertainty with the coronavirus right now.\\n\\nEspecially in times like this - yoga, meditation and breath practices can help. These practices help you feel calm, increase your immunity, and your overall health.\\n\\nWe want to help. So we've been hustling like crazy and pulling all-nighters to put this together.\\n\\nIn our pursuit for helping,  we are offering absolutely free group classes. No credit card required, no obligation to sign up after, nothing like that.\\n\\n... ... Honestly, I'm struggling to write this. You see I'm not interested in fear mongering. So I'm going to avoid saying anything about the state of things right now.\\n\\n\"The reason why you don't put your hand in the fire is not because of fear, it's because you know you'll get burned. You don't need fear to avoid an unnecessary danger, just a minimum of intelligence and common sense.\" - Eckhart Tolle\\n\\nSo, if like many others you are taking the precaution of Social Distance seriously. Then you'll probably benefit from these group classes.\\n\\nLike all our offerings, these classes are online. So you can take yoga, \\nmeditation\\n, or breath-work classes from the comfort and safety of your own home.\\n\\nAs long as we can manage it, this offer is Open To All and Completely Free. So please invite anyone you know who can benefit from these online classes - your friends, family and all loved ones. They are very welcome to join us.\\n\\nEven if you've already completed a free trial (of private 1on1 sessions) with us, or you signed up for the trial but never started, or you are currently a My Yoga Teacher Member - YOU ARE INVITED TOO!\\n\\nAfter the \\nsignup\\n, you'll see a special section to book group classes - go there and pick any class you'd like.\n⁠\\nWe're scrambling to contact our teachers and add many more classes.We're adding times, teachers, and styles so you'll have tons of options soon!\\n\\nThanks for reading this, we wish you well.\\n\\nWith Care,The Entire MyYogaTeacher team\\n\\nPS: Please share this post with everyone who will want to practice yoga, meditation, or just keep up with their fitness in this time.\\n\\nYou can tell them \"MyYogaTeacher offers \\nonline yoga classes\\n with live teachers (it works much better than you might think). The teachers are kind-hearted and extremely knowledgeable. \\nClick here to sign up for live group yoga classes online.\\n\"\\n"}},{"id":"cknfz1b6ocvjy0a81nie3aq02","slug":"yoga-for-stress-and-anxiety","author":{"name":"Rohan","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"Practice Yoga for Stress and Anxiety Relief","createdAt":"2021-04-13T11:58:36.28949+00:00","coverUrl":"yoga_for_stress_and_anxiety.jpg","content":{"text":"We've all experienced stress and anxiety at some point. It's a natural, human response to stressful situations and can even save us from danger. Sometimes, it can go deeper than that and become a full-blown anxiety disorder that disrupts our lives.\\n\\nMy class, \\nYoga for Stress and Anxiety\\n can help!\\n\\nYoga for Stress and Anxiety: The Research\\nSince the 1970s, researchers have been looking into stress-reduction techniques and tools. Meditation is one such technique that you hear a lot about, but yoga as a whole practice hasn't gotten the same level of attention until recent decades.\\n\\nAccording to researchers at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, a new study from August 2020 found that yoga was significantly more effective for generalized anxiety disorder than simple education on stress management.\\n\\nAnother study from the Ilam University of Medical Sciences (February 2018) found that yoga plays an effective part in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. The study went on to conclude that yoga can be used as complementary medicine for these conditions.\\n\\nYet another study from The Center for Health Behavior Research at the University of Mississippi (2011) found that yoga offers a host of benefits: enhanced muscular strength and body flexibility, improved respiratory and cardiovascular function, recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduction in stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improved sleep patterns, and enhanced overall well-being and quality of life.\\n\\nIf you're not using yoga for stress and anxiety management, now's a great time to start. \\nSign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher\\n and get access to my class as well as more than 35 other live, online yoga courses every single day.\\n\\nWhat Do Stress and Anxiety Look Like?\\n\\nStress and anxiety can look and feel different for different people. For some, it might be a feeling like waiting for the other shoe to drop. For others, it might be all-consuming. Here are some of the symptoms that typically signal stress and anxiety:\\nPersistent feelings of uneasiness, panic, and fear\\nMuscle tension\\nHeart palpitations or a rapid heartbeat\\nDifficulty sleeping\\nIrritability\\nConstricted breathing\\nCold, sweaty palms\\nRumination on unhelpful, negative thoughts\\nIf your feelings of stress and anxiety are keeping you from living your life, we recommend talking to your doctor about treatment options. But don't forget to practice your yoga!\\n\\nAlleviating Stress and Anxiety Through Yoga\\nOur bodies are pretty miraculous, especially with the body's ability to heal itself. Of course, stress and anxiety can drastically reduce that healing. Fortunately, yoga can help us bring calm, peace, and stillness back into our lives.\\n\\nYoga helps to modulate stress response systems, reducing the stress and anxiety we feel. And, yoga can even help us respond to stress more easily.\\n\\nWe recommend a complete yoga practice that includes more than just asanas. In addition to poses and movement (asanas), you'll want to incorporate \\npranayamas (breathing techniques)\\n, meditation, and yoga philosophy.\\n\\nYoga Practices to Alleviate Stress and Anxiety\\n\\nIn this section, we're going to talk about specific asanas, pranayamas, meditations, and mudras that will help you ease stress and anxiety with yoga. While you can absolutely practice this on your own, I would love to have you join my Yoga for Stress and Anxiety class on myYogaTeacher. You can \\nsign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher\\n and not only get access to my class but access to 35+ other live, online group classes every single day.\\n\\nYoga Poses\\nThere are several yoga poses that can help alleviate stress and anxiety. Here's a short sequence that you can practice at any time. Start seated in a comfortable position and move through the poses as feels comfortable and soothing for you.\\nSeated neck rolls\\nMarjariasana (cat pose)\\nBalasana (child's pose)\\nAdho Mukha Shvanasana (downward-facing dog pose)\\nUttanasana (standing forward bend)\\nVrikshasana (tree pose)\\nJanu Shirasasana (one-legged seated forward bend)\\nPaschimottanasana (two-legged seated forward bend)\\nSetu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose)\\nSarvangasana (shoulder stand)\\nMatsyasana (fish pose)\\nDhanurasana (bow pose)\\nSavasana (corpse pose)\\nPranayama (Breathing)\\nBreathing is a powerful tool for combating stress and anxiety. Here are a few different breathing exercises you can try when you feel stress or anxiety creeping up:\\nDeep breathing\\nNadi Shodhan Pranayama (alternate nostril breathing)\\nBhastrika Pranayama (bellows breathing)\\nUjjayi Pranayama (ocean breathing)\\nBhramari Pranayama (bee breathing)\\nMeditation\\nMeditation helps you calm yourself, grounding you and producing feelings of stability. There are several different types of meditation to choose from, but research has shown that mindful meditations are great for reducing stress and anxiety. Here's a mindful meditation that walks you through progressive relaxation:\\nFind a quiet place where you won't be disturbed and make yourself comfortable. Close your eyes.\\nStarting with your head, tense the muscles in your face and scalp. Hold this as you inhale for a count of eight.\\nOn the exhale, relax your face completely. Unclench your jaw, relax your forehead and eyes, let everything just fall away. Repeat this clenching and relaxing until your face feels completely relaxed.\\nRepeat this process down your entire body: neck, shoulders, chest, abdomen, right arm, right forearm, right hand, left arm, left forearm, left hand, buttocks, right leg, lower right leg, right foot, left leg, left foot.\\nIf you're short on time, you can focus on just your four main muscle groups.\\n\\nMudras\\nMudras can also help you combat stress and anxiety.\\n\\nA mudra is a symbolic or ritual gesture done with the hands and used in combination with Pranayama. They activate our body's potential for healing and growth, stimulating different parts of the body to improve the flow of energy.\\n\\nHere are five mudras I recommend for stress and anxiety:\\nGyan Mudra: Join the tips of your index fingers and thumbs with the other fingers outstretched and together in a relaxed position.\\nAgni Shakti Mudra: Touch all four fingers on each hand to the palms of the same hand (almost in a fist shape). Then, join the tips of the thumbs together.\\nKalesvara Mudra: Bring the tips of the middle fingers together and the first and middle joints of the index fingers together. Then, bring the thumbs together, creating a heart shape, and gently curl the rest of the fingers in. Connect the thumbs to the sternum and reach your elbows out to the side.\\nApan Vayu Mudra: Fold the index fingers to touch the tip to the base of the thumb. Then, bring the tips of the middle and ring fingers to the tips of the thumbs. The pinky finger stays straight and points outward.\\nUttarabodhi Mudra: Interlock the fingers of both hands together and keep the thumbs and index fingers extended and touching. Point the tips of extended index fingers up and the thumbs down.\\nWrapping Up\\nThere's a lot of research that indicates yoga is a wonderful way to reduce stress and anxiety. But we're all different. If you have stress or anxiety that is debilitating, please be sure to reach out to your doctor.\\n\\nIt's also possible that yoga can reveal strong feelings and emotions that you've been suppressing. Practice yoga in a place that makes you feel safe and secure. And don't forget to \\nsign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher\\n so you can join my next class!"}},{"id":"ckfqxn9ao013k0136vj4w0am0","slug":"teaching-as-a-learning-experience","author":{"name":"Pranjal","teacherMytSlug":"pranjal-1","pictureUrl":"pranjal-1.jpg"},"title":"Teaching as a Learning Experience","createdAt":"2019-04-17T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"pranjal-1.jpg","content":{"text":"Recently, one of my friends asked me “You \\npractice yoga\\n, how has it changed your life?” However, how could I know what changed when I can’t remember a time when I didn’t practice yoga? \\n\\nI was very hyperactive as a child so my parents encouraged me to play sports and other physical activities. It was my grandmother who got me to start practicing yoga. \\n\\nMy grandmother was my first guru. \\n\\nSince then I have fallen in love with practicing yoga. It makes my body feel alive and my mind refreshed. If some days I am not able to practice, it makes me restless. So, this is where my yoga journey started, almost 20 years ago, under the gentle and encouraging guidance of my grandmother. \\n\\nI loved yoga and playing all sorts of sports. So, in school I was always participating in competitions. My love for yoga kept increasing. When the time came to decide what I was going to do after I graduated high school, I had only one thing in mind: I wanted to be a yoga teacher. But back then, yoga was not booming as it is now. My parents encouraged me to look at other interests which could help me earn. I was (and still am) interested in wildlife so I completed my Bachelor’s and Master’s in Biodiversity. I continued practicing yoga and I thought I could teach it as a hobby - if not take it up as a career. \\n\\nDuring the summer break, I attended a fitness instructor course which got me a part time job at a gym. During my final year of my Bachelor's, one of my clients at the gym asked if I practiced yoga as she thought I was very good at teaching her different stretches. She then asked me if I could start yoga classes at the gym. \\n\\nI was overwhelmed. \\n\\nI had never thought that I would get to live my dream of becoming a yoga teacher! I was extremely nervous and scared as I had never talked in front of so many people! Let alone teach them anything! Also, I was only 20 years old and all my students were above 40 years of age - which was intimidating. What if no one listened to me? What if no one liked how I was teaching? What if someone was injured because I gave the wrong instructions? These were the questions running through my mind. \\n\\nMy parents, the gym manager, and the clients each encouraged me to at least give it a try. So, I decided to teach a trial class. Only 5 people enrolled that day but even that was too much for me! On the day of the class, I was up early reading up about each asana and the sequence I had chosen. When I started teaching, even though I was nervous the entire time, I was surprisingly confident. I found out that I was learning quite a lot in the process of teaching! The people who came for the class were kind and encouraged me to keep teaching, saying they would attend my classes every week. \\n\\nAt first, teaching was terrifying.\\n\\nI painstakingly planned out entire classes, posture by posture. I practiced explaining how to get in and out of poses. I searched for hours on end until I came up with a theme or focus for my classes that I truly felt inspired by. I researched answers to potential questions from students. It was time consuming but the effort was rewarding. It never felt like work. Teaching yoga gave me a sense of satisfaction and happiness that I had never experienced before. To advance my knowledge in yoga and to get a formal certificate as a yoga teacher, I completed a Yoga Instructor Course from SVYASA University, Bangalore. This opened so many opportunities for me. \\n\\nI started conducting classes at the yoga center at a very reputable hospital in Pune. Here, I conducted sessions for doctors and hospital staff. Many of my students were doctors and knew much more about the human body than I did. They gave me feedback to improve my anatomical cues for my classes. \\n\\nI went back to my yoga school to teach yoga to kids. Teaching yoga and other sports to kids was a very rewarding experience. This made me realize the importance of yoga for improving overall health and sports performance. \\n\\nI got the opportunity to teach yoga and fitness to table tennis players who take part in competitions at state and national levels. My training has helped them improve their strength, flexibility and their game. \\n\\nI conducted two sessions on yoga for Workplace Stress Management at the Amazon office in Pune. Here I taught corporate employees how to manage and relieve stress with easy asanas, breathing and meditation which could be done at their desks. I taught two \\nonline yoga \\nsessions at the College of Charleston, USA as a part of the curriculum for Indian Culture. \\n\\nI now have 7 years of yoga teaching experience. \\n\\nI have experienced the benefits of yoga and I want to pass that on to as many people as I can. My classes have been a wonderful learning experience for me as a teacher and as an individual. They helped me to overcome my fear of public speaking, improve my communication skills and develop networking skills. I think these are essential for people in all walks of life. \\n\\nJust as my personal practice gave me the confidence to be who I am, teaching made me realize that confidence is very different from the confidence you need when teaching others. My experience has helped me gain that confidence over the years and I have reached a point where I can confidently teach a class of at least 30 students comfortably. I always want to keep learning and during my Master’s I found out that I like doing research. I have decided to pursue a degree in Exercise and Fitness research. I want to get into research about yoga so that what I teach will have scientific backing and not just ancient wisdom. \\n\\nYoga has opened up so many opportunities for me and I hope to keep on growing and learning. You too can take a similar journey and find out how yoga can change your life. By taking an online class at \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n with a certified instructor, you can \\nstart your personal practice in your very own space\\n and experience all the wonderful benefits of yoga. "}}],"blogContent":{"id":"ckfqyvv0801ug0178j2sv3nti","slug":"when-yoga-heals","author":{"name":"Kriti","teacherMytSlug":"kriti-1","pictureUrl":"blog_42.jpg"},"title":"When Yoga Heals","createdAt":"2019-07-17T00:00:00+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-08-01T06:48:25.654939+00:00","coverUrl":"blog_42.jpg","seoDescription":"There are so many people who go through anxiety and depression. Regular practice of yoga and meditation helps to overcome these mental health issues.","content":{"text":"My journey to be a yoga teacher was completely unplanned. I was studying music and working as a photographer when my health started to deteriorate. I wasn’t able to keep up with my hectic schedule anymore. Constant antibiotics that the doctors would give me actually made my health worse and lowered my immunity. This led to me becoming depressed. \\n\\nI could hardly get out of the house. I reached a stage where I would do anything to fix my body.\\n\\nI started researching ways to heal myself and came across a meditation course and joined \\nyoga classes\\n. During my journey, I realized that all the physical symptoms I felt were just a manifestation of my anxieties and insecurities. \\n\\nMy health became better with regular practice and Ayurveda. Once I figured this out I wanted to help people, heal people and let them know there is an alternative way where one isn’t dependent on medication - which has so many side effects. \\n\\nThere are so many people who go through what I went through and I wanted to let them all know - there is another way.\\n\\nDuring one of my \\nmeditation classes\\n, a friend came up to me and said, “you have been practicing yoga for so long and are good at it. Why don’t you do a teachers training?” And somehow I ended up at a Teacher Training Certificate program, then to a course in Reiki and then to a training in Ayurveda!\\n\\nMy teachings started focusing on keeping a balanced mental health to keep the body healthy. The deeper I get into the practice and teaching, I have learned so much more on holistic living which I incorporate in what I teach. I also noticed that my voice has become better; my creativity has enhanced. Things that were creating blockages in my creativity and ability to sing fully started vanishing too. \\n\\nI found my real singing voice.\\n\\nEveryday in my practice I learn new things about how to heal different aspects of our life and being a \\nyoga teacher\\n for me is the best way to share this.\\n","html":"<p>My journey to be a yoga teacher was completely unplanned. I was studying music and working as a photographer when my health started to deteriorate. I wasn’t able to keep up with my hectic schedule anymore. Constant antibiotics that the doctors would give me actually made my health worse and lowered my immunity. This led to me becoming depressed. </p><p></p><p>I could hardly get out of the house. I reached a stage where I would do anything to fix my body.</p><p></p><p>I started researching ways to heal myself and came across a meditation course and joined <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/\">yoga classes</a>. During my journey, I realized that all the physical symptoms I felt were just a manifestation of my anxieties and insecurities. </p><p></p><p>My health became better with regular practice and Ayurveda. Once I figured this out I wanted to help people, heal people and let them know there is an alternative way where one isn’t dependent on medication - which has so many side effects. </p><p></p><p>There are so many people who go through what I went through and I wanted to let them all know - there is another way.</p><p></p><p>During one of my <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\">meditation classes</a>, a friend came up to me and said, “you have been practicing yoga for so long and are good at it. Why don’t you do a teachers training?” And somehow I ended up at a Teacher Training Certificate program, then to a course in Reiki and then to a training in Ayurveda!</p><p></p><p>My teachings started focusing on keeping a balanced mental health to keep the body healthy. The deeper I get into the practice and teaching, I have learned so much more on holistic living which I incorporate in what I teach. I also noticed that my voice has become better; my creativity has enhanced. Things that were creating blockages in my creativity and ability to sing fully started vanishing too. </p><p></p><p>I found my real singing voice.</p><p></p><p>Everyday in my practice I learn new things about how to heal different aspects of our life and being a <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signUp/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signUp/\">yoga teacher</a> for me is the best way to share this.</p><p></p>"},"category":["therapy","restorative"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"loading":false,"blog_content":[{"type":"HTML","value":"<p>My journey to be a yoga teacher was completely unplanned. I was studying music and working as a photographer when my health started to deteriorate. I wasn’t able to keep up with my hectic schedule anymore. Constant antibiotics that the doctors would give me actually made my health worse and lowered my immunity. This led to me becoming depressed. </p><p></p><p>I could hardly get out of the house. I reached a stage where I would do anything to fix my body.</p><p></p><p>I started researching ways to heal myself and came across a meditation course and joined <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/\">yoga classes</a>. During my journey, I realized that all the physical symptoms I felt were just a manifestation of my anxieties and insecurities. </p><p></p><p>My health became better with regular practice and Ayurveda. Once I figured this out I wanted to help people, heal people and let them know there is an alternative way where one isn’t dependent on medication - which has so many side effects. </p><p></p><p>There are so many people who go through what I went through and I wanted to let them all know - there is another way.</p><p></p><p>During one of my <a\n            class=\"inline-cta\"\n            id=17a8305c-f04e-47fc-bbb5-4cf00bfd8fbb\n            href=\"/free-trial-o?utm_source=MYT__article&utm_medium=ckfqyvv0801ug0178j2sv3nti&utm_campaign=inline_cta&utm_content=CTA-INLINE&entity_name=When Yoga Heals&entity_slug=when-yoga-heals&page_or_popup=/articles/when-yoga-heals&entity_location=hyperlink_midst_of_article&article_cta=CTA-INLINE&from_article_page=true\"\n            onclick=trigger_mixpanel_sign_up_cta(\"17a8305c-f04e-47fc-bbb5-4cf00bfd8fbb\")\n            title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" \n            data-title=\"When Yoga Heals\"\n            data-slug=\"when-yoga-heals\"\n            <u>meditation classes</a></u>        \n            </a>, a friend came up to me and said, “you have been practicing yoga for so long and are good at it. Why don’t you do a teachers training?” And somehow I ended up at a Teacher Training Certificate program, then to a course in Reiki and then to a training in Ayurveda!</p><p></p><p>My teachings started focusing on keeping a balanced mental health to keep the body healthy. The deeper I get into the practice and teaching, I have learned so much more on holistic living which I incorporate in what I teach. I also noticed that my voice has become better; my creativity has enhanced. Things that were creating blockages in my creativity and ability to sing fully started vanishing too. </p><p></p><p>I found my real singing voice.</p><p></p><p>Everyday in my practice I learn new things about how to heal different aspects of our life and being a <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signUp/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signUp/\">yoga teacher</a> for me is the best way to share this.</p><p></p>"},{"type":"CTA","value":"[CTA-DEFAULT]"}],"isSlugACategory":false,"searchCategory":"when-yoga-heals","showPopUp":false,"popUpType":null,"showedPopup":false,"windowWidth":null,"ctaPath":"free-trial-o","redirectURL":"#","ctaContent":[{"id":"ckxrz2i14tov40c25g1dpicsg","name":"[CTA-DEFAULT]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. 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Regular practice of yoga and meditation helps to overcome these mental health issues.","content":{"text":"My journey to be a yoga teacher was completely unplanned. I was studying music and working as a photographer when my health started to deteriorate. I wasn’t able to keep up with my hectic schedule anymore. Constant antibiotics that the doctors would give me actually made my health worse and lowered my immunity. This led to me becoming depressed. \\n\\nI could hardly get out of the house. I reached a stage where I would do anything to fix my body.\\n\\nI started researching ways to heal myself and came across a meditation course and joined \\nyoga classes\\n. During my journey, I realized that all the physical symptoms I felt were just a manifestation of my anxieties and insecurities. \\n\\nMy health became better with regular practice and Ayurveda. Once I figured this out I wanted to help people, heal people and let them know there is an alternative way where one isn’t dependent on medication - which has so many side effects. \\n\\nThere are so many people who go through what I went through and I wanted to let them all know - there is another way.\\n\\nDuring one of my \\nmeditation classes\\n, a friend came up to me and said, “you have been practicing yoga for so long and are good at it. Why don’t you do a teachers training?” And somehow I ended up at a Teacher Training Certificate program, then to a course in Reiki and then to a training in Ayurveda!\\n\\nMy teachings started focusing on keeping a balanced mental health to keep the body healthy. The deeper I get into the practice and teaching, I have learned so much more on holistic living which I incorporate in what I teach. I also noticed that my voice has become better; my creativity has enhanced. Things that were creating blockages in my creativity and ability to sing fully started vanishing too. \\n\\nI found my real singing voice.\\n\\nEveryday in my practice I learn new things about how to heal different aspects of our life and being a \\nyoga teacher\\n for me is the best way to share this.\\n","html":"<p>My journey to be a yoga teacher was completely unplanned. I was studying music and working as a photographer when my health started to deteriorate. I wasn’t able to keep up with my hectic schedule anymore. Constant antibiotics that the doctors would give me actually made my health worse and lowered my immunity. This led to me becoming depressed. </p><p></p><p>I could hardly get out of the house. I reached a stage where I would do anything to fix my body.</p><p></p><p>I started researching ways to heal myself and came across a meditation course and joined <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/\">yoga classes</a>. During my journey, I realized that all the physical symptoms I felt were just a manifestation of my anxieties and insecurities. </p><p></p><p>My health became better with regular practice and Ayurveda. Once I figured this out I wanted to help people, heal people and let them know there is an alternative way where one isn’t dependent on medication - which has so many side effects. </p><p></p><p>There are so many people who go through what I went through and I wanted to let them all know - there is another way.</p><p></p><p>During one of my <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\">meditation classes</a>, a friend came up to me and said, “you have been practicing yoga for so long and are good at it. Why don’t you do a teachers training?” And somehow I ended up at a Teacher Training Certificate program, then to a course in Reiki and then to a training in Ayurveda!</p><p></p><p>My teachings started focusing on keeping a balanced mental health to keep the body healthy. The deeper I get into the practice and teaching, I have learned so much more on holistic living which I incorporate in what I teach. I also noticed that my voice has become better; my creativity has enhanced. Things that were creating blockages in my creativity and ability to sing fully started vanishing too. </p><p></p><p>I found my real singing voice.</p><p></p><p>Everyday in my practice I learn new things about how to heal different aspects of our life and being a <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signUp/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signUp/\">yoga teacher</a> for me is the best way to share this.</p><p></p>"},"category":["therapy","restorative"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"recommendations_group_class":[{"session_uuid":"75ad1b8b-95f6-4935-930d-cdca5b445037","student_uuid":"e327c088-feba-44f5-97f0-1a7db39ebc4f","teacher_uuid":"9e762297-1079-4495-887c-b41db385a749","teacher_name":"Archana R","teacher_first_name":"Archana","teacher_slug":"archana-1","teacher_photo":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dgerdfai4/image/upload/v1646054216/teacher/photos/dtxftizggajugd5lnruf.jpg","group_session_name":"Breathing and Meditation","group_session_description":"Meditation stills and calms the mind. 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