Seriously, who doesn’t want a tighter tummy?  And the older you get, the tougher it is to find exercises that help fight that little tummy drop we all go through eventually.
Here are a couple of quick and easy moves to help you keep that little pouch at bay.  They’re a perfect addition to your daily dose of yoga moves:
Abdominal Lift:
-First, stand straight with your legs about a foot apart, and place your hands on your upper thighs
-Inhale deeply and then exhale
-While the air is out of your lungs, pull your abs in and up.  Hold for about ten seconds and release
-Repeat twice
Abdominal Contractions:
-Place …read more

Regardless of what level your practice is at–beginner, intermediate, exploratory or advanced–the eight limbs of yoga (ashtanga) are vitally important stops along the way to the ultimate goal of transformation.
My last post focused on sustainability, and living a simpler, more beautiful life.
To continue along that thread, I wanted to talk a little bit about purity, or saucha, one of the observances belonging to the second limb.
Saucha is purity that operates on many levels. And it’s this purity of thought and action that can lead us to a more sustainable, contented lifestyle.
On a daily basis, we aspire to cleanliness for our bodies by washing ourselves, …read more

Yes, yoga has taught me yet another lesson. You don’t need to spend a lot of money or be a conspicuous consumer to be happy or have nice, meaningful things or a beautiful existence.
One of the key lessons of yoga is that it teaches you to appreciate the simpler things in life. To be present. To be in the moment. This practice alone has not only helped to quiet my mind, in recent months it has also saved me a lot of money.
In fact, my shopping habits have changed significantly. I buy less processed, ready-to-serve foods and eat more healthfully …read more

Just sitting here on this cold and snowy Friday in northeast Ohio, making Thanksgiving and holiday plans, and thinking about the blessings in my life.
While I can always think of something to be cautious or worry about (sorry, healthy skeptic in recovery here), I have to say, my practices–both yoga and meditation–have not only changed my life, they’ve made my thoughts healthier, too.
There are so many areas of my life where I can see change and positive energy, that in the past I had either overlooked or not even considered.  My practices have spurred me to take self-care more seriously, made me more …read more

I know I write a lot about yoga. But I also love running, and yoga actually is helping me increase my productivity on the road.  I used to run long distance before getting into my practice.  I loved it.  It was relaxing, gave me time to think, and reduced stress, too.  What it also did, I found, was make me a little less flexible. And, on occasion, I would even find myself hobbled and sidelined.
Now that I combine the two, I am finding it is a great fit.  Yoga keeps me limber and increases my flexibility, which helps me prevent …read more

Well, it’s not earth-shattering news, but apparently, there is a new category for folks who are vegetarians MOST of the time :-)  You’re called flexitarians, and around Thanksgiving, I have to admit, I become one of you, too.
 In fact, the food industry is targeting these folks, providing vegetarian fare with just a wee bit of protein on the side.  Flexitarians could and would be considered vegetarians most of the time.  But when a slice of meat or fish passes under their noses, they don’t say no.  And restaurants and grocery stores are beginning to package food and menu items just for …read more

It’s winter in the northern hemisphere, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve already seen a fair number of pretty cold days.
For me, this isn’t such a bad thing.  I use this time to turn my thoughts inward, and that normally benefits my practice and my outlook. 
What I do find helps make the transition to these homebound days a little easier is turning a private space within my home into a meditation and practice room.  I can’t move everything out.  I know that.  But I do spend a few days each year clearing out things I don’t need, moving them into another space, …read more

I do everything I can to watch what I eat.  Sometimes, too much.  Already a vegetarian.  Thinking about going vegan.  But first, I think I might go to a “sub-class” of vegetarian nutrition–the raw food vegetarian.
It makes sense. Raw vegetables, fruits and greens are the healthiest things you can put into your body.   But there are people out there who are eating what I call “raw beyond the pale”–consuming raw eggs, raw dairy products, and yes, raw meats.  Organ meats in particular. 
I can do the raw fruits and vegetables.  Nuts, legumes, etc., too.  But a raw kidney snack?  Come on.  I mean, come on.  …read more

I can be one anxious person.  Doesn’t always matter what the topic is, before I know it, I am internally tied-up in knots. But I do have a secret weapon to fight off the stress–the Bow.
Well, the Archer’s Bow, actually.  Appropriately named, because when you do it correctly, your body will look like an archer’s bow. 
Here’s how it goes:
-Lie on your belly with your arms alongside your torso, palms facing up
-Slowly exhale and bend your knees, bringing your heels as close as you can to your buttocks
-Take your hands and grasp your ankles
-Inhale and lift your heels away from your …read more

That’s right.  Got the results from my physical last week, and they were awesome. I am never sure–at least not since my bout with breast cancer a few years back–how the test results are going to come out.  But I felt pretty good going in, and I have been working hard to change my diet, de-stress whenever possible, and just plain take care of myself.
After meeting with my doctor, one message came through loud and clear–my diet is doing amazing things for my health.  I grew up a die-hard, meat-eating carnivore.  In my late 20s I changed that up somewhat, my thirties, even more so.  …read more