Yoga-based support for chronic pain & stress
Cow Pose (Bitilasana) on the top; Cat Pose (Marjariasana) on the bottom Cat-Cow is a common movement both in the yoga world and in other movement modalities. This flowing series is most often done on all fours. In Cow Pose (Bitilasana), the spine is in extension or a backbend, with the belly descending towards the… Continue reading Fresh Take Friday: Cat-Cow
Happy Friday, everyone! Today, let's take a fresh look at coming out of Balasana, or Child's Pose. Balasana is a pose that is commonly used as a place of rest in many yoga classes. I want to look specifically at how we exit this pose today, but before we get into that, I think it's… Continue reading Fresh Take Friday: Balasana (Child’s Pose)
Happy Friday! Today we’re concluding our look at Supta Padangusthasana, or Reclined Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose. If you missed the previous articles in this series, you can catch up on those here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. While this is a pose we often think of as a hamstring stretch, there are a lot of other things you… Continue reading Fresh Take Friday: Supta Padangusthasana Part 4
Happy Friday! Today we're continuing our look at Supta Padangusthasana, or Reclined Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose. If you missed the previous articles in this series, you can catch up on those here: Part 1, Part 2. While this is a pose we often think of as a hamstring stretch, there are a lot of other things you… Continue reading Fresh Take Friday: Supta Padangusthasana Part 3
Happy Friday! Today we're continuing our look at Supta Padangusthasana, or Reclined Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose. If you missed Part 1 of this series, you can catch up on that here. While this is a pose we often think of as a hamstring stretch, there are a lot of other things you can explore in this shape.… Continue reading Fresh Take Friday: Supta Padangusthasana Part 2
Happy Friday! Today, we're taking a fresh look at Supta Padangusthasana (Reclined Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose). This is a common pose done lying on the back. One leg is extended into the air, usually either with a strap around the foot or holding the big toe in the fingers. This is often thought of as a hamstring… Continue reading Fresh Take Friday: Supta Padangusthasana Part 1
Photo by Cliff Booth on Pexels.com Happy Friday! Today we're taking a fresh look at how we're doing twists. Twisting, or spinal rotation, shows up in a variety of yoga poses - standing, seated, and lying down. Like many yoga poses, we often approach twists with the idea that more is better. To twist more… Continue reading Fresh Take Friday: Twists
Photo by Tree of Life Seeds on Pexels.com Pain is definitely a sign that something isn't functioning quite right in the body, but the existence of pain is also a normal part of being alive. It's an indicator that the body is functioning correctly; it's communicating with you about what isn't working and what needs to change.… Continue reading Practicing Yoga with Pain
One of the most common requests I get from yoga students is "hip openers". A lot of people report that the hips feel tight, stiff, or limiting - and it can feel really good to get a stretch sensation in this area. But what does it mean to "open" the hips? The hip is a… Continue reading Fresh Take Friday: Can You Feel Your Hip Flexors?
Happy Friday. Today we're taking a fresh look at a common seated forward fold. I want to acknowledge Leslie Kaminoff for influencing how I'm thinking about and practicing this pose these days. Pashimottanasana (Intense Stretch of the West Pose) is a seated forward fold usually done with the legs together. It's often done either holding… Continue reading Fresh Take Friday: Paschimottanasana
Rachel Ishiguro Yoga Therapy 