Ayurveda is a 5,000 year old science that is often referred to as the science of life and also the sister science to yoga. It can be understood as the study of all of the qualities you see around you and how they interact with you.

Ayurveda teaches that you are born with a specific and beautiful blueprint that’s unique to you. Therefore the food, drinks, and activities that bring you to balance may create an imbalance for someone else. You need to notice your own personal rhythms, tendencies, and what brings you bliss.

Everything on earth, including you and everyone around you, is made up of the elements fire, water, earth, air, and ether (or space). These elements come together to create the three doshas. Pitta dosha is made of fire and water. Vata dosha is made of air and ether. Kapha dosha is made of earth and water. The doshas oversee many things in this world, including the seasons!

Ayurveda and The Holidays

The holiday season can range from stressful to exciting and from fulfilling to depleting. Depending on what you are currently experiencing in your mind, body, and heart, the doshas will show up in various ways. Let’s take a look at each of the doshas and how you can find and maintain balance this holiday season.

Understanding Vata’s Mobility

Late fall and winter, which make up most of the holiday period in some parts of the world, is typically aligned with vata season. This season is characterized by qualities of cold, light, dryness, mobility, and subtlety. Vata, made up of air and ether, governs movement and change in your body and mind. A vata imbalance can manifest as restlessness, anxiety, and physical dryness, which during the holidays, might translate into feelings of overwhelm, erratic schedules, and dietary irregularities.

Tips for Balancing Vata:

1. Favor warm, moist, and hearty meals during this time as they can provide the much-needed grounding energy. Think of nurturing soups, stews, and warm beverages. These foods counteract the cold and dry nature of vata, bringing comfort and stability during the holiday hustle.
2. Establish a routine. Regularity is key to balancing vata. Maintaining a consistent schedule for sleeping, eating, and self-care can greatly mitigate vata’s erratic nature, which often gets amplified during the holiday season’s irregularities. Try to wake up, go to bed, and have meals at the same time each day. Even if you can only do one of those things at the same time, it will be incredibly beneficial.
3. Embrace mindful practices: Integrating calming activities like meditation, grounding yoga, or pranayama, particularly during vata times (2pm-6pm and 2am-6am), is helpful. These practices offer a sense of calm, centering the mind and body, and countering the scattered energy characteristic of imbalanced vata.

Pitta’s Fire of Passion

While vata may dominate the holiday season, the holidays also have a way of igniting the fiery element of pitta, which is the dosha of transformation and is composed of fire and water. This can manifest as a passionate drive to create the perfect holiday experience, potentially leading to stress and burnout. You may also see pitta manifest as family or work drama, extreme emotions, and heated arguments.

Tips for Balancing Pitta:

1. Cool it down and try to relax! It’s important to take time during holiday preparations to relax and to literally cool down. Engage in activities that soothe the soul, like leisurely nature walks, listening to calming music, or enjoying quiet moments of reflection. Diffuse essential oils like rose or lavender and favor movies that soothe the heart (try to avoid those action movies!)
2. Eat mindfully. The holiday season often brings with it a temptation for spicy and hot foods that can aggravate pitta. Opting for cooling and nourishing alternatives can help balance Pitta’s intensity. Focus on consuming foods that are sweet, bitter, and astringent.
3. Practice patience and compassion towards yourself and towards others. The holiday rush can test your patience. It’s a time to cultivate compassion and patience, both towards oneself and others. Remember, the essence of the holidays is not perfection, but connection and joy. Write out gratitude lists, take the time to tell loved ones how you feel, and remember to savor the sweet moments as they come.

Kapha’s Stability

Kapha, constituted of earth and water, brings qualities of stability, nourishment, and care, which are essential during the holiday season. However, excessive indulgence in heavy foods and a sedentary lifestyle can disrupt Kapha balance.

Tips for Balancing Kapha:

1. Stay active! Regular physical activity, which counteracts kapha’s tendency towards sluggishness, is crucial. This could be as simple as a brisk walk, a fun dance session, or any form of exercise that invigorates the body. According to Ayurveda, taking at least 100 steps after each meal can help stoke the digestive fire and move stagnant energy. 100 steps isn’t a lot! Try to get in the habit of cleaning up your dishes after you eat or tidying up something at home or at work.
2. Choose foods that don’t weigh you down. The holidays can bring food choices that are heavy and rich. Remember, most things are okay in moderation, but if you’re already feeling heavy, avoid foods with those same qualities. Incorporate spices like ginger and Remember, being more mindful of portion sizes and avoiding overeating are key during the holiday feasts.
3. Cultivate joy and connection! Kapha thrives on love, connection, and emotional stability. Engaging in activities that foster these, like spending quality time with loved ones or participating in community events, can nourish kapha. If you aren’t able to spend physical time, try writing letters or making phone calls to the people you love and miss. Connection is key!

Some of the most simple practices in Ayurveda can be the most transformational. You don’t have to completely change your entire lifestyle to experience benefits. Many of the practices are about happiness and fulfillment and enjoying the time you have here during this lifetime. They connect us to the elements around us and provide us with the tools we need to experience them in a loving and blissful way.

When you understand nature, your body, and your rhythms, you can embrace what’s happening and celebrate everything your beautiful body is capable of and all that it does for you. So much of this practice is about paying attention and diving deeper into what makes you smile and what makes you excited to move through this life.

Ayurveda teaches us to do all things with love. When you can embody this concept, you can find ways to come back to balance and inspire others to do the same. The holiday season, with its delightful yet chaotic nature, presents an ideal opportunity to practice Ayurvedic principles for maintaining balance and wellness. By understanding and nurturing the doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) you can approach this festive period with mindfulness, joy, and deep nourishment.

These Ayurvedic tips are not just practices but a lifestyle approach, guiding you through the holidays with health, harmony, and a heart brimming with festive cheer. I used to think Ayurveda was similar to a fad diet or program, but it’s actually the complete opposite. It’s a lifestyle that leads us back to the realization that we are loving beings meant to connect to love within ourselves and this beautiful world around us.

When I was in my early twenties I was plagued with the questions of what I wish to do for the rest of my life. This wracked me with overwhelm and anxiety as I wanted a career that was fulfilling in all aspects of my life – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I may have not had this exact vocabulary at the time, but essentially I wanted to have a career that I truly loved.

Explore Your Curiosities and Notice Your Intuition

Rewind a couple of years to college where the question of “what do I want to do with my life” really took root. At first I considered majors like communications or journalism, but I quickly realized I was interested in Exercise Science. Initially I opted to work towards Physical Therapy school, which was a common pathway for students within the major, but at the last minute I decided to pursue a career in Fitness and Wellness. I didn’t really know what that meant but I knew I had a curiosity for teaching, training, and fitness programming. Teaching wise, I was specifically interested in group fitness and yoga. By this point, I had years of experience in my own body within both modalities.

What followed graduation was doubt and uncertainty. What felt like a freeing decision while I was in school, turned into overwhelm when I was out of school and living at home. I saw a bunch of my friends move onto full-time salaried positions or further schooling which led to a clear career pathway. I felt lost and like I was getting left behind. I tried going to job interviews in various fields, but nothing felt right. I felt stuck between my hearts’ longing to teach [and to become a fitness/yoga professional] and the financial pressures/societal standards of life. I was constantly stuck worrying about the future, which led to high amounts of stress and anxiety.

Take Any Step Forward (Action, Action, Action!)

As I explored other job opportunities and repeatedly either got rejected or turned them down, I decided to take any step forward that I could as it came to building a career in fitness, wellness, and yoga. I completed a Group Fitness Instructor certification, a 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, and applied to and got accepted into a Master’s Degree program for Exercise Physiology. By this point, I had decided to commit myself to this path and still had no idea what lay ahead.

I started teaching yoga in 2017 and it started by subbing classes here and there. I was probably subbing anywhere from 1-2 classes a week, and after doing this for a couple of months I was offered a class on Saturday morning at 9AM, which is a prime time spot. After this class, other offerings for classes started coming in. My confidence was building. I was making mistakes, but I was also learning and growing. I was teaching steadily for 2 years, completed my Master’s Degree, and even decided to begin a 300 Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Certification to improve my teaching skills. At this point, you would think I was all in. I mean, I was on my way to making a full on career in the field I had so desired.

Commit to Yourself

Yet, I kept doubting myself. I kept thinking that I would never make enough money to support myself by doing what I loved. I looked into potential other roles and even considered going back to school for physical therapy despite my dreams of leading teacher trainings, developing programs to further others’ teaching skills, and hosting retreats.

During this time I had also been working part-time at a college within the Physical Education Department. I had been working 12-20 hours per week teaching and running the campus fitness center. A full-time teaching position had opened up and I was slated for the role. An opportunity literally fell into my lap, and yet I still continued to question if this was the right path for me.

After much back and forth in my head between applying to PT school or taking the teaching job, I remember making the firm decision to take the teaching position. I considered my strengths and my skills and at this point something switched in me. I told myself “why not go all out? Why not fully commit myself to this career path that I love and that I have been working so hard towards?”

And so that is what I’ve done.

This photo was taken during the Bhakti immersion during my 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (2020). This weekend was a defining weekend in trusting that I was on the right path.

Keep Making the Conscious Choice

I have made the very conscious choice of stepping into my dreams. And let me tell you, it doesn’t always feel like a dream. There have been moments where I was doubting myself, moments where other people were doubting me or questioning my choices, extended time periods of hustling, and plenty of times where I lost sight of myself. And overall, I can with certainty say that I am beyond grateful for sticking with myself. While there are tough moments, I can say that I am in a place of joy, content, and deep gratitude for what I do and where I am. One time, someone asked me “what would you say is your biggest accomplishment?” And I said, “making a career out of something I absolutely love.” And as I answered, I felt it within every fiber of my being.

You must make the conscious choice, not once, but every single day to build and shift your yoga career towards that of your dreams. On a micro-level, I tend to my own asana practice, meditation practice, and write in my journal pretty much every day. On a macro level, I see a life coach every other week, participate and complete trainings and workshops, and take on opportunities such as leading teacher trainings and retreats. This level of commitment has shifted my career in ways I could never have predicted.

What I have learned and what I always share with others is that you have much more power than you believe. You have the ability to shift your life and your career in ways you cannot even fathom. This does require you to take action, reflect, and repeat. You might have to take some risks, choose to trust yourself, make mistakes, and course correct. And at the end of the day, if you don’t choose this path…it is okay, but in my experience the pros have far outweighed the cons. So why not go for it?

This was taken in 2021. This was right around the time I was attempting to launch my first yoga retreat. That retreat didn’t end up happening. My first retreat was done in 2023 with a co-teacher and was a major success.

Journal Prompts for Focusing on your Yoga Career

These are some helpful journaling prompts for you to begin to shift your yoga career (or really any career you’re trying to focus on):

• What are you curious about and what do you wish to explore? If you’re reading this blog post and got this far, I am assuming you are interested in exploring shifting your yoga career. What is it about this that excites you? Where do your curiosities lie within the practice and the sharing of it? Why is this important to you?
• What are you currently committing to in your life? This is anything that you put energy and effort towards. Relationships, children, your current job, projects, hobbies are all examples of commitments. Some commitments must stay a priority, such as your children. Is there something else you would like to commit yourself to? Do you want to commit yourself to building/shifting your yoga career? Is there something you’d like to commit less to in order to make space for something new?
• What doubts come up for you when you think about committing yourself to a career in yoga (or fitness, wellness, etc.)? What is the dialogue in your head? Does it have to do with finances, other peoples’ perceptions, confidence, self-esteem, logistical matters? Write down whatever comes to mind.
• What if everything were to go right? What would your dream career look like, or if you’re already teaching what would it look like for you to commit to it more fully? How would you feel and what would you be doing? You can even include what you want to make financially, where you want to live, and what other things you’re doing in your life. Paint the picture for yourself in as much detail as possible.
• What are some micro-level and macro-level things you can do within your life that will contribute to shifting your yoga career? Think about activities, events, and practices that you can do to help you step into you, be present, expand your perspective/skill set, and open up possibilities.

*You can use these prompts to shift anything in your life! It doesn’t have to be a yoga career. It could be a different career path or anything else that you would like to shift in order to live your most aligned life.

Shirodhara: A Mind-Balancing Treatment From Yoga’s Sister Science

You may be reading this and thinking “Shiro-what?” and that’s okay! I had a similar reaction when I was first introduced to this ancient, impactful practice. Shirodhara is made up of the two Sanskrit words “shiro” meaning “head” and “dhara” meaning “flow.” It’s a classical Ayurvedic treatment for the mind that involves pouring a warm liquid, usually oil or milk, over the third eye and allowing it to flow off the crown of the head.

My first experience with Shirodhara was when I went on a pilgrimage to India. I was staying at an Ayurvedic center and was receiving various treatments. Shirodhara was one of them. I remember being slightly agitated that my hair was getting oily, but after a few minutes, I was too blissed-out to really care.

During my studies with Boston Ayurveda School, I received a much longer treatment that also involved a full body oil massage. Although I knew what to expect, I was still shocked over how long the benefits lasted. For about two weeks, I was sleeping much more soundly, I felt way more focused, and I also had a lot more energy.

What is Ayurveda and how is it related to yoga?

Ayurveda is a 5,000 year old science that is often referred to as the science of life and also the sister science to yoga. It can be understood as the study of all of the qualities you see around you and how they interact with you. Ayurveda helps you find balance with the body you’re in and the qualities you were born with.

You are both with a specific blueprint that’s unique to you. Everything on earth is made up of the elements fire, water, earth, air, and ether. These elements come together to create the three Doshas. Pitta Dosha is made of fire and water. Vata Dosha is made of air and ether. Kapha Dosha is made of earth and water. Your dominant Doshas are set with you from the moment of conception and cannot be changed.

Traditionally, yoga is understood to be more than just the asanas, or poses. It’s a system that helps you connect to your soul and to recognize that you’re not your body or your mind. Ayurveda helps you find balance in your body and in the world around you. When you’re eating the food that helps you feel your best and engaging in work or relationships that fill your heart, the physical yoga practice is much more accessible.

What is Shirodhara and what are the benefits?

Shirodhara is a relaxation technique that nurtures the mind, body, and soul. This practice involves a gentle, continuous, stream of warm oil poured over the forehead, stimulating the senses and bringing harmony to your whole being. The gentle flow of warm oil over the third eye and forehead soothes the nervous system, clears mental clutter, promotes clarity, focus, and heightened awareness.

The benefits of Shirodhara:

• Encourages deep sleep patterns
• Improves overall sleep quality
• Helps to create a well-rested mind
• Can soothe headaches and/or migraines
• Nourishes the scalp

Overall, the experience provides a reset for the nervous system which may help support recovery and treatment for chronic pain. The benefits of a Shirodhara massage may last up to two weeks and it’s a great treatment to receive regularly.

What does a Shirodhara training entail?

Like any other practice, you do need to take a training in order to administer this treatment. I had such a beautiful time in my training because I got to connect with like-minded people who are also absolutely in love with the teachings of Ayurveda and who want to share these practices with others.

The training was really informative, but also incredibly nourishing for me. I got to give a practice treatment to one of my friends, which involved a lot of spilled oil, a little bit of worrying, and a bunch of gratitude for this ancient system of healing. There is certainly a learning curve with working with the equipment, heating the oil, and being present throughout the treatment.

Finding a Shirodhara massage near you

If you’re interested in receiving a Shirodhara treatment, you should seek out a professional who is certified to give them. Once you find your person, you may have to fill out an intake form or provide some information about your past and current health. This information will be used to figure out what liquid to use, whether or not certain herbs should be used, and also how long the treatment should be.
One important question to ask is whether or not you’ll be getting oil on your whole body. Sometimes you will only have oil on your head and other times you may have a full body massage.

If you’re receiving a treatment from me, you will only have oil on your third eye, entire forehead, scalp, and possibly your hair. Expect your hair to get oily as there really isn’t any way to avoid this. However, the oil is incredibly nourishing for your scalp and hair, so try to embrace it.

You should avoid eating anything about two hours before your treatment and arrive wearing a shirt that you don’t mind getting a little oily. I personally try my best to be as tidy as possible, but sometimes small spills happen. Bring warm socks, for your feet, an extra shirt, and a warm hat.

What to expect during your Shirodhara massage

During Shirodhara, you will be lying down on your back on a massage table. All massage tables are different, so make sure you are clear about your level of comfort and whether you need anything specific. You may be given an eye covering that’s been soaked in rose water to keep your eyes cool.

You’ll feel a constant stream of warm oil on your forehead. Sometimes, it’ll be stable and in one place and at other times, you’ll feel the stream moving up and down and side to side. It might tickle a bit at first, but as you get used to it, you’ll start to relax. You can let your practitioner know if the oil is too hot or if you’re too cold. There may be soothing music throughout the session or it may be silent. This all depends on what your practitioner thinks will help support you most. You may hear some sounds of oil dripping or pouring because the oil is constantly being heated. You may also see some plastic on the table or the floor. This is used to collect the oil and to keep things clean.

Shirodhara isn’t always a soothing experience. You may feel lots of emotions rising up or even begin to feel a bit uncomfortable in your body. This is usually because discomfort needs to be acknowledged and it needs to rise up in order for it to be released. Try to focus on the sensation of the oil and also focus on your breath. You’re there to receive and to be.

What to expect after your Shirodhara treatment

As your session comes to a close, you’ll notice that the flow of oil slows down and will eventually stop. You may be asked to focus on your breathing or to make some small movements with your fingers and toes. You will probably feel a towel come around your head to stop excess oil from spilling into your eyes.

Every session may end a bit differently, but expect to always be oily! Your head and hair will have absorbed some of the oil and you should try to leave the oil on for about two hours. You can sleep with the oil in if you choose to. Keep your head covered if you’re going out into direct sunlight or into the cold and avoid strenuous activities. This is your time to relax and to continue receiving the benefits of the treatment.

How to wash the oil out of your hair after treatment:

• Use shampoo first and then add water.
• Oil doesn’t wash out with water, so shampooing prior to washing may help remove the oil.
• You might have to shampoo two or more times.
• Be mindful that your shower floor may be oily, so take time to clean it or inform anyone who you share a bathroom with!

“Sneha” means both “oil” and “love”

In Sanskrit, the word for “oil” is “sneha” which also means “love.” During Shirodhara, you are literally being bathed in oil and in love, so keep this in mind as you move through the next few days. Notice when you feel love and notice how you can incorporate more love into your life. You may feel like you are immersed in love and support for days after, so take time to cultivate gratitude.

These Ayurvedic practices are important to help you come back to balance and remember who you are and why you’re here. When you feel love for yourself, you can bring that into the world around you and encourage your friends, family, students, and clients to do the same!

Fall deeper in love with the practice

Dissect the business aspect first, so you can concentrate on the elements of the practice you are passionate about. Even if the business aspect doesn’t initially ignite joy in your life, understanding it will help make room for the things you enjoy putting your energy into. Not only will you learn the ebbs and flows of running a business, but you’ll be better equipped to compartmentalize the aspects of your business you love and the aspects that maybe need a little bit of work; from there you can assess who you bring on the journey with you.

Enhance + control your own growth

Don’t let other people live out your dreams. They are your dreams and aspirations for a reason… stick to them. If making a living off teaching yoga is a lifelong dream/goal of yours – do it. There is no time like the present and the earlier you dive in and dedicate your time to your business, the faster it’ll grow. That’s not to say problems won’t arise, but knowing how to deal with those problems poses as a strong foundation to a sustainable business model. You get out what you put in!

Make a living doing what you love

Yoga is your life. Why not allow yourself to do what you love everyday? The business elements of a successful yoga career depend tremendously on your initial passion for the practice. Tons of people become yoga teachers and end up not making it into a full-time business venture. If yoga is what you love, your business in it should be a reflection of that.

Learn more in the video above and over at YogaRenew’s YouTube channel.

When considering how you can incorporate a yoga practice into your regular fitness routine, it can seem complicated… but it doesn’t have to be. A lot of people like to engage in different physical fitness activities, and sometimes that can mean a multitude of vastly different modalities with varying intensities.

Here is an example of how I like to work out weekly:

• Monday: 60 Min. Cycle Class
• Tuesday: 60 Min. Strength Training
• Wednesday: 60 Min. Yoga Class
• Thursday: 5K Run (3 Miles)
• Friday: 45 min High Intensity Strength + Conditioning Session
• Saturday: 75 minute Yoga Class
• Sunday: Rest

This is an example of how I may spend one week of working out, but it is based on what I could potentially do in a single week according to the activities that I currently participate in. What I am trying to demonstrate is that when it comes to our health and fitness, there are so many options and varying ways to piece them together.

A question that might come up is, “How do we approach fitting in multiple fitness modalities into our lives? How do we get better within each mode if we’re constantly spreading ourselves out?”

Your body, like anything else, has a particular tolerance for capacity. This capacity can be increased given that we dedicate time, effort and energy to do so. When it comes to the example I gave above of my hypothesized week in fitness, I’m spreading myself out a lot. My time, effort, and energy are going towards many activities as opposed to being focused on one particular activity.

Assuming you are paying attention to your body, breath, and form within each class, it’s said to be healthy to fully embrace whatever means of physical movement you enjoy. If nothing else, it is perfectly safe and effective in getting you to just simply move and feel your body; to find what resonates most with you.

However, when it comes to optimizing your body, and optimizing your performance the method of trying to fit it all in most likely won’t yield the greatest results.

In order to get stronger, we must work on lifting/moving heavy loads. If we wish to get faster, we must perform exercises which allow us to work on our speed. If we wish to generate more power, we must lift/move heavy loads at high speeds. If we wish to increase our flexibility and mobility, we must perform movements and exercises geared towards those specific components.

If you are someone who feels like you’re at a plateau and you want to see progress in particular areas or if you want to work on performance and optimization in particular areas, then this article is for you…

How does yoga fit in with strength training?

Let’s say we want to do all of the above while simultaneously deepening our yoga practice — Keep in mind, yoga postures can take us to our extreme ranges of motion, positions that are typically not our strongest. Meaning, you might have a strength goal, which is in opposition to the yoga postures you’re aiming to get better at.

How you approach your health and fitness is heavily based upon your goals at any given time.

Your goals determine what takes priority. How you train will determine what your body is capable of achieving. If you want to lift heavy weights (think about working towards your 1 rep maximum for a back squat), you must lift heavy weights regularly, focusing solely on increasing the amount of pounds each time. If you want to work on deep back-bending (think poses like full King Dancer and King Pigeon), you must work on poses and positions that support such a shape. These two things can feel like they are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to the specific physical fitness goal trying to be attained.

Using back squats and king pigeon as an example, I generally would not recommend for someone to be working on both at full capacity at the same time. Why? The muscular actions needed for each are different. Working on a 1RM (1 rep maximum) back squat requires muscular shortening in places where yoga postures like King Pigeon requires lengthening.

This isn’t to say that if you’re currently working on lifting heavy loads and King Pigeon comes up in class that you should avoid it, but this is to say that your King Pigeon will most likely not feel the best it could if you’re currently working on lifting near max loads in the gym.

Now, I don’t want this to feel limiting. Actually, I want the opposite for you. You can work on all of your goals and expand what your body is capable of in all the ways you wish in a way that is safe, effective, and efficient. It might just take a little bit more time and planning than you initially intended.

Steps towards working on strength + yoga goals:

1. Identify and acknowledge the activities you enjoy and want to spend time doing: This can be general because we’re going to get into specific goals in a second. You can approach this like, “I want to participate in yoga, strength training, running, rock climbing, swimming, etc.”
2. Determine your goals for the next 6 months to a year: Write them all down. Be more specific here. Approach this like “I want to be able to do a handstand, I want to run a 5K, I want to increase the weight I can deadlift, etc.” If there’s an event you want to participate in like a particular race or competition, this is a good place to write it down. Is time a factor for any of your goals? Perhaps there is a particular race or competition you want to participate in. These generally occur on specific dates. Maybe you are preparing for a trip or life event. Things like going on a trip with a lot of walking or preparing to have kids might be events that you want to think about in preparing your body’s strength and/or conditioning.
3. Prioritize your goals: Which goal is most important for you to work towards first? This could be determined by need, time, and/or desire. For example, you might be recently recovered from an injury and now you need to rebuild strength. You might want to compete in a CrossFit Murph workout (occurs every Memorial Day). Depending on the time you have until the intended event, you can determine the priority level for your training efforts. You might have a desire to land in and hold a scorpion handstand. This will create an “ordered list” of what goals take precedence. I want to emphasize that you can work on all your goals at the same time, but this will limit the capacity you reach in each modality. This doesn’t mean your performance will be bad, but it just means you might not be optimizing your performance.
4. Acknowledge your goals can change: You might start your strength training journey after injury and discover other strength training goals. You might change your mind and not want to do Murph anymore. You might decide that arm balances and deep backbending are not places you want to deepen your Yoga practice at this time. Nothing is set in stone. If this happens, just reevaluate and tweak.

Plan it out & try to stick to your routine

Get to work! Create a training plan with your goals and intentions in mind, giving each goal the space and time it deserves and follow your plan. Still honor all the activities you enjoy and want to participate in, but focus on your top priority goals with the most effort and intention and be aware that what you train at you will get better at. And remember that if you notice your performance declining in other areas, that it is OK!

And if you need help, know that there are people who are suited just for this kind of thing. Reach out to any instructors, trainers, or coaches whose goal is to help YOU succeed at whatever it is you want to do.

Pranayama is an ancient breath practice, commonly recognized as the fourth limb of yoga. Also utilized in the yoga practice, pranayama has more widely been known to reduce stress, ease anxiety and help alleviate other ailments as well as support healthy lung function.

When we break apart the word pranayama, we find that:

Prana = life force energy
Ayama = expansion, extension, or control
Pranayama = Expansion, extension or control of the life force energy.

There are also various types of pranayama. Some of the types of breath practices include:

• Nadi Shodhana — Alternate Nostril Breathing
• Bastrika — Bellow Breath
• Ujjayi — Oceanic Breath
• Dirgha — Three Part Breath
• Bhramari — Bee Breath

While breathwork is an ancient yogic practice originating in India, it has migrated to the Western world and been popularized as a sound healing method. It is also frequently incorporated with the yoga practice here and many yoga teachers incorporate several breathing techniques into their yoga and meditation practices.

Practicing Pranayama

As stated above, there are several different styles of the ancient breathing practice that can be used to bring certain benefits to the mind and body. In this section, we’ll review some of the most popular pranayama techniques and how to practice them.

3 Pranayama Breath Practices for Beginners

1. Alternate Nose Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)

Alternate nose breathing brings balance to the nervous system. In Sanskrit, Nadi means channel and Shodhana means purification; translating to the purification of both channels of the nervous system. These two channels are the parasympathetic (the place where we tap into relaxation) and the sympathetic (our “fight or flight” response). The left side of the body is representative of the parasympathetic and the right side of the body is representative of the sympathetic. Breathing through both channels brings balance and harmony to our nervous system.

How to practice Alternate Nostril Breathing:

1. Sit in a comfortable seated position. If you’re practicing yoga, this can look like Sukhasana (legs crossed), Virasana (kneeling), or Padmasana (legs cross and lifted onto the opposite thighs).
2. Use your right hand ring finger over your left nostril and your right thumb to place over your right nostril (with your pointer and middle finger folded into your palm).
3. Close your right nostril with your thumb and inhale through your left nostril for 5 counts.
4. Close the left nostril with your ring finger and exhale through the right nostril for 5 counts.
5. Alternate between the sides, still using a 5 count.
6. Increase the retention once you find the breathing becomes easier (by increasing the counts).

2. Three Part Breath (Dirgha)

This breathing practice is deeply calming and quieting for the mind. It also works to relax the nervous system to bring you into a state of full relaxation. Three part breath is typically practiced lying down, which makes it suitable for beginners and easier to tune inward and focus on the breath. This is also a great breathing exercise to do on a consistent basis, with the body in an easy position to begin to relax.

How to practice Three Part Breath:

1. Find a comfortable position lying down, preferably with the use of props such as: a yoga blanket and a bolster.
2. Lie down with your palms facing the ceiling, collarbone spread, and head also facing the ceiling.
3. Let your eyes close, breathe in and out through your nose with your natural rhythm of breath.
4. Breathe in halfway, emptying all the air from your body.
5. Breathe in through your nose, just into your abdomen. Pause.
6. Breathe in through your nose, into your side ribs. Pause.
7. Breathe in through your nose, into your collarbone. Pause.
8. Take a long exhalation out through your nose, relaxing your abdomen, followed by a few regular cycles of breath.

3. Victorious Breath (Ujjayi)

This breathing technique is purely to bring a strong sense of relaxation to the body. Victorious breath is namely incorporated into the Ashtanga yoga practice. In Ashtanga, each movement is tied to a cycle of breath. When others hear someone engaging in Ujjayi breath, it is usually a gentle reminder to keep breathing, as it signals others in the class to focus on their breathing. In Sanskrit, Ujjayi loosely translates to “victorious” or “one who is victorious.” Ujjayi engages the diaphragm and the pelvic floor, making it a full body breath.

How to practice Victorious Breath:

1. Sit in a comfortable seat.
2. Take a few normal breaths, in and out, focusing your mind purely on the breath.
3. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your nose for 4 counts.
4. Repeat this a couple times.
5. Take a slow, deep steady breath through the nose, making the sound of “sa” internally.
6. Fill up to the top and pause.
7. Exhale through the nose, slowly deeply and steadily with the sound of, “ha,” until you’re completely empty of air.

Why do breathing exercises help with stress and anxiety?

When we focus on our breathing, we are tapping into our body’s relaxation response. By focusing on the breath and controlling it in a way, we are signaling the nervous system to slow down. With deeper intention placed on the inhalation and exhalation of oxygen in the body, our brain notices we are trying to enter a more calm state. When the breath is slower and longer, the body and brain adapt to this steady flow of oxygen. Usually in states of high anxiety or stress, the breath is short and rapid, in turn increasing our heart rate and oftentimes signaling a “fight, flight or freeze” response. When trying to alleviate that tension, we should initially focus on the breath. Using breathing exercises to reduce stress and anxiety has not only been known to help the body enter a more relaxed state, but it can also help nurture the muscles, enhance respiratory wellness, lower pain levels, and increase overall brain function.

Breathing techniques are an ancient practice that have stood the test of time for many reasons, namely the fact that it is the function we are inherently born with, doing it both subconsciously and consciously (able to be controlled or trained). Since breathing is such a vital function of the human body in order to exist, paying attention to it and nurturing it can provide longterm health benefits that can outweigh most other mechanisms.

How can I learn more about Pranayama?

In YogaRenew’s 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training program, the basic fundamental of pranayama is introduced. Moving onto the 300 Hour course allows you to dive deeper into applying pranayama to the practice of yoga. Whether you’re a beginning practitioner, or an experienced yogi, our online courses provide you with information you may not have heard before and is broken down in a digestible way.

 

I was in college, and like most students at that age I was searching for more meaning in my life besides what I was going to major in…

I was confused and felt the pressure of trying to figure out my entire life at 18 years old. Fortunately, I was required to take a physical education class as part of my undergraduate requirements. Yoga was one of the options and the rest is history… Well, not really…

I decided to take yoga, not necessarily to reach spiritual enlightenment, but because I thought the class would be filled with people in a similar mindset as mine. This class turned out to be one of the moments that changed the trajectory of my life.

Over the course of the semester we learned about yoga philosophy, meditation, pranayama, and asana. I was introduced to the depth of yoga and I knew instantly that this was something that I was interested in and could see myself doing the rest of my life — More-so than my history and economics major. Turned out I was right, too (but more on that later).

After the semester ended, I searched around trying to find a yoga class I could attend. Being the poor college student I was, I couldn’t afford the $15 a class price that many of the studios were charging at the time. So instead of diving head first into yoga classes I started reading a lot more about not only yoga but many eastern philosophies.

I dabbled in these philosophies for a few years but never took them to the next level. I was simply implementing these ideas practically into my life. I tried martial arts, which I loved, but felt the spiritual connection was missing. I tried Zen Buddhism, but growing up as an athlete, I was craving the physicality of movement.

At this point, I had graduated college and was still trying to figure things out. Turns out a history/economics major didn’t have fortune 500 companies begging me to come work for them. Many of my closest friends became stock brokers during the boom of the 90’s and started golfing as a hobby and complement to their lifestyle. They would tell me it would be something they could do the rest of their lives.

It was that idea that brought me back to yoga. That feeling I had in college when I was introduced to yoga that it was all encompassing. It was both physical and spiritual and most importantly it made sense to me. It helped answer those questions I had about myself and my place in the universe and the insecurities I felt as a young man starting my journey through life.

I started by buying some Rodney Yee Yoga DVDs, which I was obsessed over for months. I would practice them when nobody was home, fearing that some of my friends would make fun of me if they knew. Taking his class in person years later in NYC was a highlight of my yoga journey.

When I finally went to my first yoga class in a suburb of New Jersey in 2001 all of my aspirations were embodied by my first yoga teacher, Liz Aitkin.

As much as I had my own drive and desire that got me to walk into my first class , it was her that solidified my love of yoga. Her energy, her compassion, her smile, her loving kindness and encouragement to not only me but all of her students encapsulated everything I wanted in my life. Her energy and passion was infectious and I did everything I could to learn and study with her. Even driving out from my city life into the suburbs to take class with her. Her encouragement to become a yoga teacher is one of the reasons I stand where I am today. I am forever grateful.