Baby, it’s cold outside! There is no denying that winter is here. Evidenced by the freezing temperatures and the snow that is accumulating in my laneway right now. My boys are hoping for the first “snow day” of the year tomorrow! I confess I am not a winter person (this is bad form for a […]
How to do Breath of Joy
Breath of Joy is energizing and fun. It’s a great way to start off a yoga practice or as a pick me up throughout the day. Have a look at this video to see how it’s done. If you would like more information on the many great benefits of Breath of Joy and why I […]
Pause to Breathe in Awareness
Breathing is something of a miracle. Without any conscious effort, we breathe continuously over a lifetime, sustaining our lives. When we become aware of this remarkable process, we can derive a great deal of pleasure from it. Simply pausing to breathe in and out in awareness is a source of great enjoyment.
The Ten Tibetan Breaths
Trust me; it is only comfortable until the tiger starts dreaming… I do not know about where you are living, but what a week! Temperatures into the 32°C to 37°C range, high humidity, and no end in sight! I’ve turned into a bit of a night owl as of late, enjoying the morning until about […]
The Ten Tibetan Breaths – Part One
I have spent the last week or so touring about twenty schools teaching many different types of Yoga, Tao Chi, Kung Fu, Qi Gong, and freestyle martial arts. My thought was to return and write an interesting piece on the commonalities between each discipline and their core underlying systems. When I finished my journey, I […]
The Science of Breath
Why are we touching upon this subject again this week? In truth, it is because I have found profound benefits through regular Pranayama practice – even in the short month since I began. Following the advice and guidance in Iyengar’s Light on Yoga and Light on Pranayama, I began a twice a day Pranayama practice […]
The Yoga of Breath: A step by step guide to Pranayama
The Yoga of Breath: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pranayama Richard Rosen ISBN-13 978-1570628894 Pranayama (Sanskrit: प्राणायाम prāṇāyāma) means “restraint of the prana or breath.” The word is composed of two Sanskrit words – Prāna, or life force (particularly breath) and āyāma, to restrain or suspend. When used in the relationship to our yoga practice, we […]
Dolphin Breath
I have been having some great yoga/martial arts training sessions recently with my karate instructor, Kyoshi John Leroux. We usually begin with a warm-up to get our heart rates elevated then do a few yoga poses and finish up by going through kata(a series of karate moves in a fixed pattern) and self defense techniques. […]
Alternate Nostril Breathing for Calm and Balance
Why Practice Pranayama? Simple yoga breathing exercises can be done any time to help calm your mind or give you an energy boost. Breathing exercises in yoga are referred to as pranayama which translates to breath control. Yogis believe that the breath is not only life-giving, supplying essential oxygen to every cell in our body; […]
6 Reasons to Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing
Deep breathing is one of the easiest ways to improve your quality of life. The average adult uses only one third of their lung capacity. Chronic tension and poor posture also contribute to poor breathing and thus poor health. Many of us come to yoga as what is sometimes termed “chest breathers.” We breathe from […]