Have you ever felt like your yoga session simply wasnt enough?

Well now you can take your practice to the next level in the form of underwater yoga, a new activity created by the Windjammer Landing Hotel in Saint Lucia.

The classes take place 20 feet under the Caribbean Sea, and are designed to combat stress, promote healthy breathing and make new divers feel at ease in their underwater surroundings.

"The intent of the programme is to allow new divers to be able to relax under the water, because diving requires a lot of relaxing and getting comfortable in order to fine-tune your buoyancy and basically just be comfortable under there," explains Abigail Brown, Dive Master at Eastern Caribbean Diving.

"For experienced divers it's a way of just giving them another way to relax under the water, a more conscious way where they're actually thinking of their breath."

Once in the water, participants are encouraged to continue practising the deep breathing exercises they learned on the boat, as well as striking some underwater yoga poses.

The benefits of these exercises include slowing your heart rate and lowering your blood pressure, as well as inducing a feeling of calm - a key tool for those stranded at the bottom of the sea.

"The programme is also intended to allow folks to just unwind from the whole Covid situation and everything that's going on," explains Brown.

It's an introduction to yoga. So normally if we just say we have a yoga class people might not turn up. But if we have, say we have a yoga and diving class, divers might say 'ok I'm diving already let me just try it out' and that can be an introduction to yoga."

Watch the video above to find out more.

Read more from the original source:
Underwater yoga: The new travel trend you've probably never heard of - Euronews

I do yoga at least once or twice a week, but I've never tried a class specifically based on an affirmation, or even really considered it, until I found this affirmation-based, hips-focused flow from instructor Abiola Akanni, E-RYT 200. I took a class from Akanni on the Alo Moves app and loved it; she has a uniquely gentle way of teaching that helped me feel calm and grounded in the flow. My hips are always tight (lots of sitting, running, and neglecting to stretch as much as I should), so I knew I had to give this practice a try.

The best part about Akanni's hip-opening, affirmation-based flow is how completely, immersively relaxing it is. Eventually you ease your way down into Pigeon Pose and other deep hip openers, but Akanni lets you take your time getting there, starting with higher and more widespread postures like Pyramid Pose, Runner's Lunge, and Goddess Squat. And she mixes her affirmation "ease is always available" throughout the flow, encouraging you to modify a pose or go deeper as is comfortable.

Akanni explains her choice of affirmation at the beginning of the practice, saying, "As a Nigerian-American woman and a Black woman, society puts pressure on me to push myself." She says she puts herself in a box of "always trying to over-perform," and as a result, she doesn't take ease or comfort when it's available and sometimes creates barriers where there are none. To know that ease is always an option, Akanni said, "is truly transformational for me."

This affirmation infused the flow with a soft, tender feel, so I never felt like I had to pressure myself to hit a certain depth on any pose or force my body to look a certain way. By the end of the tension-releasing practice, I felt grounded in my body and comfortable with my boundaries and needs, both on my mat and off. You don't need any equipment for this practice, though I used a couple of blocks (thick books will also work) because my hips and hamstrings tend to be tighter. Watch the full video above and sink into this gentle flow!

Here is the original post:
Take a Stretching Break With This Gentle, Affirmation-Based Yoga Flow For Tight Hips - POPSUGAR

World Mental Health Day: Yoga is beneficial to your mental as well as physical health. Here are some yoga poses that can help relive anxiety and stress.

World Mental Health Day 2021: Try these yoga poses to ease stress and anxiety

Your mental health is of utmost importance. Stress and anxiety are common issues faced by many these days. If left uncontrolled, these can affect your day to day activities and physical health. This holds true for physical stress, psychological stress and emotional stress. Yoga plays a significant role in relaxing your mind and body, promoting your overall mental health. Yoga involves breath work and rhythm come together to repair and restore your body. As World Mental Health Day is almost here, here are some yoga poses that can help you manage stress and anxiety.

RELATED STORIES

World Mental Health Day 2021: This day tries to create awareness about the importance of staying mentally health. Read here to know the role of sleep for mental health.

World Mental Health Day 2020: Mental health problems are very common and can be experienced as a reaction of a person. It is important to seek medical assistance to fight mental illness. Here are 5 common mental illnesses you must know.

This yoga pose elongates your spine and opens up your hip muscles. The pose has a calming effect, bringing down anxiety, and mental and physical exhaustion.

A great pose for your lymphatic and nervous system, Balasana calms the mind by releasing stress. It stretches the muscles of the thighs, hips and ankles; and is also good for getting relief from backaches and neck pains.

This exercise is great for stretching the muscles of the entire back and hamstrings. Besides busting stress and fatigue, it bolsters digestion and liver function; and alleviates PMS symptoms.

Paschimottanasana can improve digestion and liver function Photo Credit: iStock

Another good exercise for getting rid of fatigue and stress, the Happy Baby Pose stretches out your spine and groin muscles gently and effectively.

Besides having a soothing effect on the brain, the Uttanasana vitalizes the kidneys and liver. It is also good for your lower body muscles such as hips, knees, hamstrings and calves.

The Bhujangasana stretches your chest and shoulder muscles. It gives instant relief from lower back pain and fatigue. You feel refreshed and energized.

Cobra pose can help improve back pain Photo Credit: iStock

It also strengthens the entire spinal column and makes it flexible. Further, this pose assists in reducing abdominal fat.

With Yoga, one can promote overall wellness, health, fitness, and well-being.

(Dr. Mickey Mehta, Global Leading Holistic Health Guru / Corporate Life Coach)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

Read more here:
World Mental Health Day 2021: 6 Yoga Asanas To Reduce Stress And Anxiety - NDTV Doctor

Manduka Yoga Grip Gel Helped Me Get a Grip on My Workout

As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work.

When I first started practicing Vinyasa yoga, my hands slid off of most yoga mats as slowly as thick syrup coming out of a bottle. My palms have the texture of smooth leather (on a good day), so getting a steady grip on the mat felt like it was never going to happen unless I used one of the few rubber mats that worked with my hands.

Over the years, I've been able to find a grip on the mat that involves spreading my fingertips wide, pressing down with my finger pads, and imagining scooping sand in the middle of my palms yeah, it's a bit of an intricate process. So when I got the opportunity to try the Manduka Yoga Grip Gel ($15), I was excited to see if this could've been the product to save me hundreds of dollars from rotating through yoga mats that never made me feel secure.

Keep reading to find out what the product feels like when applied, how it performs, and the ways in which it's also useful off of the yoga mat.

When I initially took the gel out of the package, I needed to figure out how to open it. At first, I tried twisting the bottle open, but I quickly realized that the way to getting the product out was by pulling the top up so the product could come out of the small hole at the top. Once I got the product onto my hands, I was mesmerized at what happened next. My hands were turning white. The instructions said the product might turn white, but I was still surprised to see my ghostly and slightly chalky hands.

Once the product was fully dry, it was time to put it to the test. I planted my hands on the mat without doing the previously mentioned intricate gripping method to find that my hands weren't sliding. Do you realize the amount of money I could've saved?! This little bottle of gel could've had my hands planted on any mat I wanted!

While it's still important to learn the proper intricate grip for poses like Down Dog, Crow, and Handstand, having this product would've made my intro to yoga so much easier. I could've paid attention to how to do the postures instead of filling my mind with worried thoughts of sliding off and face planting.

Off of the mat, I've found that this gel is useful for strength training as well as barre classes. During strength training, I'm able to get a firmer grip on the weights, and for barre, I'm able to get a secure grip on the barre, especially for Chair pose.

Overall, I believe this gel is definitely worth trying if you are like me and have leathery hands that find it hard to get a grip on your workout.

Tip: the chalky print washes away easily with a damp washcloth and warm water.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Angelica Wilson

See original here:
The Manduka Yoga Grip Gel Helped Me Get a Grip on My Workout Here's How - POPSUGAR

Krista Marzewski became a yoga teacher four years ago, after she'd found fulfillment in the practice while beginning her recovery from substance abuse.

She'd done yoga 30 years before, but at the time, it wasn't for her. In rehab, it was. "Yoga comes to us when we need it," Marzewski said, "and it's changed my life."

She started taking free classes at the Turning Point Center in Burlington, then learned about Story Yoga, a nonprofit organization that provides yoga teacher training to those in recovery. Marzewski completed the course and is a certified yoga instructor. Among the classes she offers is one that's part of a 12-step program.

She also teaches those with less mobility, including older Vermonters at Cathedral Square. That work inspired her to apply for a Teaching for Equity grant from Yoga Alliance, a Virginia-based international nonprofit. She didn't think she'd get it, but her students all wrote her letters of support.

Marzewski learned earlier this year that she was one of 25 teachers from around the world to receive the grant. It allowed her to provide 10 weeks of free classes to her senior students.

"I believe in making yoga accessible to every body every shape, size or form," Marzewski said. "Some people can't pay 15 bucks for a yoga class."

Marzewski never charges that amount; most of her classes are by donation, or her students band together to buy her a gift, such as a massage.

Marzewski has been providing in-person classes at the Lund Family Center, but most of her work remains online. The option has led to more students. While she'd sometimes draw just a few people to her Cathedral Square classes, the Zoom ones attract a bigger crowd. And local attendees have started inviting friends from across the country and around the world.

"The more the merrier," Marzewski said. "Yoga creates connection and community."

More here:
A Burlington Yoga Teacher Uses Grant to Offer Classes to Everybody - Seven Days

In This Article

The best yoga blocks of 2021 come in a variety of sizes, shapes and weights for every practice.

Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com

I'll admit, when I first started practicing yoga 15 years ago, I thought I only needed a yoga mat to find my flow. And while that's technically true, it wasn't until I started using yoga props, mainly yoga blocks, that my practice really took off.

When I was new to yoga, I opted out of using props because, for one, I was already slightly flexible in some poses and two, I didn't want to look like I actually needed blocks to deepen my practice (hello, ego!).

However, when I desperately wanted to successfully do crow pose, I struggled to maintain my balance. I practiced yoga every day, and while the strength was there, I couldn't stay off the ground. It wasn't until my yoga instructor suggested I place my forehead on the edge of a block that I finally did "fly."

Fast forward to today and I still use blocks in my practice, whether I want to deepen my chest openers, explore pose variations or find stability when practicing inversions. I also (and frequently) recommend them to my fellow yogis.

Here are the best yoga blocks to fit every flow.

As both a student and instructor, I typically prefer Manduka over other brands that I've tried (and I've tried a lot!) mainly because of the high quality and durability of its products.

Made of 50 to 75 percent recycled post-industrial and post-consumer EVA foam, this Manduka yoga block is easily one of my favorite props to use during my sessions. (I've owned a set for seven years and it's still in great shape.)

What I especially like about this one is it's light enough to use in a variety of poses such as a supported bridge pose or pigeon pose, but sturdy enough to practice inversions. It's also comfortable as a seat during meditation.

Buy it: Manduka.com; Price: $18

I've taken many classes at different studios, and at almost every single studio, I've come across this classic block. Why? It's light enough to carry around, yet sturdy enough to provide great support when moving through challenging poses.

Buy it: Amazon.com; Price: $9.99

If you're new to yoga, I recommend starting with two blocks and this set of Trideer blocks is perfect to help you throughout your practice.

No matter the pose, these blocks are both supportive and soft, helping you comfortably ease into new movements.

Buy it: Amazon.com; Price: $10.99-$12.99

Made of sustainable cork, this product is my favorite for practicing yoga in warm (sweaty) environments. Its heavier weight and easy-to-grip texture makes it slip-resistant and provides more stability than the average block.

Buy it: Manduka.com; Price: $22

The Manduka Welcome Mini is 30 percent smaller than the average-sized block, but is still a great quality yoga accessory. And it's not only suitable for travel, it's ideal for it.

I can't neglect to mention the teal and purple colors are beautiful together.

Buy it: Amazon.com; Price: $18.95

Have you ever tried downward dog with each hand on a block? Then you know why it's nice to have two on deck.

I highly recommend using these two Gaiam Essentials blocks. The price point and quality are both great.

Buy it: Amazon.com; Price: $14.99-$20.69

Sure, blocks can get a little pricey, but this one proves that you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a quality product.

The Reehut block features durable high-density EVA foam that's both moisture-proof and slip-resistant. It can stand up to even everyday use.

Buy it: Amazon.com; Price: $5.94-$6.79

Just like blocks, straps can help you modify yoga poses to be more accessible to you.

Of course, you can purchase both props separately, but this combo set is the epitome of efficiency. The blocks are also super lightweight!

Buy it: Amazon.com; Price: $14.99-$18.99

Surprise, surprise yet another Manduka block. But this one's shape sets it apart.

Because of its curved structure, it's a great complement to restorative yoga sessions, especially when you use it to support your spine. I've used this one before during fish pose and almost forgot I had a block under my spine. It's that comfortable.

Buy it: Amazon.com; Price: $20.96

These cork wedge blocks also serve as another great eco-friendly option, but they stand out for their trapezoid-cut design. This shape offers a variety of benefits, including great inversion support and even weight distribution. Try them out when practicing backbends such as wheel pose. Don't worry each block clocks in at a sturdy 1.17 pounds.

This company also provides a 360-day customer satisfaction policy.

Buy it: Amazon.com; Price: $24.99

Square: The most common, this shape is best for bringing the floor closer to your hands and adding stability to a basic Hatha yoga poses.

Curved: Less versatile, but much more comfortable under the back, this design it ideal for supporting your spine during supine poses.

Wedge: This is the least common option, but if you're advanced in your practice and want support during inversion poses like sirsasana, this shape works great.

Foam: Lightweight and with a soft feel, this material is comfortable during yin or restorative yoga classes.

Cork: Because of its durability and easy-to-grip texture, this material is ideal for hot or sweaty practices.

With blocks, small variations in size and weight can mean big differences in your flow. Larger, heavier blocks are ideal for stability. Small, light ones are best for traveling and toting to yoga class.

Go here to see the original:
The 10 Best Yoga Blocks, According to a Yoga Instructor - Livestrong

Take a moment to feel the breath in your lungs and the small movements of your face. Blink slowly, with heavy lids. Focus on the hum of noise in your surroundings and let your thoughts float by. Settle into stillness.

Guided meditation is one of the many practices that help relieve anxiety and bolster emotional well-being, and Northeastern will be highlighting these positive practices as part of Mental Health Awareness week. From Oct. 10-15, the university will host events across the Boston campus featuring yoga, mindfulness, and spirituality through art.

Mindfulness and related contemplative practices can yield extraordinary benefits for individuals seeking holistic wellness, says Alexander Levering Kern, executive director of the universitys Center for Spirituality, Dialogue, and Service. Kern said interest in mindfulness-based practices skyrocketed this fall as many in the Northeastern community continue to grapple with the fallout from the pandemic.

Calling the last year and a half a season of collective suffering, Kern says many in the Northeastern community have reached out for guidance.

Ive seen a burgeoning interest in and embrace of practices that build resilience and enable students to discover calm in the face of an often overwhelming world, Kern says.

The mental health awareness events will extend to the universitys other campuses Wednesday, Oct. 13, with a do-it-yourself candle-making station at Northeasterns Silicon Valley campus and a comprehensive look into the universitys wellness resources at 75 East Santa Clara Street in San Jose.

The intention is to be able to help students to see that theyre not alone, and that support is available wherever they may be, because we know that our students are on the move and theyre not necessarily here in Boston, says Christine Civiletto, the interim executive director of Northeasterns Health and Counseling Services. We just want them to feel supported.

Those seeking to speak with a mental-health professional can find help at find@northeastern which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If doggie kisses are where you find your bliss, several dogs including a husky, a golden doodle and the new community comfort dog, Cooper, will be at the Cabot Center tent on Tuesday. The Blackman Auditorium will air a Tuesday night screening of the Pixar animated movie Inside Out, which explores the internal and conflicting emotions of a young girl.

The sacred space at Ell Hall will host a guided meditation every day at noon, there will be sunset yoga on the Centennial Quad on Wednesday, and cooking and emotional wellness at the Xhibition Kitchen Thursday night at 5 p.m.

Kern says the spiritual centers YouTube videos provided many in the Northeastern community with tools to improve their mental health over the last year, and hes thrilled that this week can highlight some ways to seek emotional support on campus.

We have so many mindfulness offerings on our YouTube channel that were really helpful during the time of quarantine and isolation, says Kern. Now, we can celebrate being able to come together for mindfulness, yoga, spirituality, and other contemplative practices in person.

For media inquiries, please contact media@northeastern.edu.

See the rest here:
Guide to Northeastern University's Mental Health Awareness Week - News@Northeastern

Gavia Baker-Whitelaw

Internet Culture

Published Oct 5, 2021Updated Oct 5, 2021, 4:43 pm CDT

Theres an amazing array of anti-vax sentiment out there, ranging from Trump Republicans who think COVID-19 is a hoax, to conspiratorial wellness advisers who disapprove of putting chemicals in your body. And lets not forget the people who think the vaccine will make your body magnetic. This week on Twitter, a Kundalini yogi sparked debate with a particularly bizarre complaint about vaccination: It supposedly gives her clients a new (and negative) energetic imprint.

With almost 44,000 Twitter followers, Philadelphia yogi Godis Oy posts prolifically about spirituality, wellness, and the alleged perils of vaccination. One particular tweet caught peoples attention because she suggested that she might stop accepting vaccinated clients.

https://twitter.com/777_oya/status/1444466264580177926

This comment quickly drew mockery and ire from others on Twitter, including comments like, the black community is dying in droves and this girl talking bout energy lmfao, and, yall are not spiritual or healers yall are unemployed and stupid.

Is this only for the COVID vaccine? wondered one commenter. Other vaccines we got since birth pass the vibe check?

However, some people did agree with the yogis position, including one response saying, Do you also see how theres less light in their eyes? Theres a real subsection of the wellness community that believes vaccination has a negative spiritual impact.

Other commenters theorized that people get angrier after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, or begin to emit an unpleasant energy frequency. The original poster Godis Oy also chimed in with the popular conspiracy theory that vaccinated people shed antibodies, suggesting that they can spread the supposedly negative symptoms of vaccination like a disease. (Theres no scientific basis for this idea.)

Unfortunately, this isnt the first time that someone tried to block vaccinated people from a business. An Australian hairdresser made headlines last month by putting a sign in his shop window reading, Do not enter if you have been Covid-19 vaxxed. It was an intentional statement against other businesses that ban unvaccinated customers, echoing the continual conflicts over mask usage. In reality, vaccination is very effective against the more dangerous symptoms of COVID-19, drastically reducing the risk of hospitalization or death.

*First Published: Oct 5, 2021, 9:13 am CDT

Gavia Baker-Whitelaw is a staff writer at the Daily Dot, covering geek culture and fandom. Specializing in sci-fi movies and superheroes, she also appears as a film and TV critic on BBC radio. Elsewhere, she co-hosts the pop culture podcast Overinvested. Follow her on Twitter: @Hello_Tailor

Original post:
Theres less light in their eyes: Yoga influencer says shell stop seeing vaccinated clients, sparking debate - The Daily Dot

James Gaddy, the charismatic fitness trainer on a mission to teach yoga and meditation to students in Camden and beyond, was remembered as a brother, best friend, teacher, coach, and inspiration.

Under a sky that grew increasingly spectacular as the sun began to set over Cooper River Park in Cherry Hill, more than 100 people on Saturday celebrated the life of a man whose death at age 34 stunned a community he had helped to create.

The young crowd of fitness enthusiasts, people of faith, colleagues, and volunteers who share Gaddys commitment to city kids hugged and swapped stories as votive candles began to glow in the deepening darkness.

When I met him four or five years ago I thought, This guys different, said Ed Wargus, a fitness coach who lives in Mount Laurel. It was the way he commanded the room. That presence he had.

Gaddy, who lived in Oaklyn, died Aug. 29 while vacationing near his childhood home in South Carolina. His body was discovered early that morning in a grassy area near a public walkway in Myrtle Beach; there were no signs of trauma and no cause of death has been determined.

While grief was never far from the surface during the three-hour gathering on the Cooper River deck, the mood was more familial than funereal. Gaddys older brother, Hunter, the owner of a construction firm, came up from North Carolina with two of his own children.

James believed in every single person, Hunter told the crowd. Gesturing toward the sky, which at that point held little remaining light, he said: James is already in the place were all trying to get to. Hes saying Im here, I made it, and hes expecting every single one of you not to forget to be great.

Hunter and other speakers described Gaddy as someone selfless yet happy to be front and center. A person who could be loud but also cherished meditation and prayer. A leader whose energy, enthusiasm, and persuasive powers seemed inexhaustible.

Even after death, Gaddy continues to inspire the work of Project Little Warriors, the nonprofit he cofounded with Marialana Ria Curry in 2017. It offers free after-school yoga, meditation, and mindfulness instruction classes, as well as summer camps where young scholars (in Gaddys parlance) can enjoy swimming, writing journals under the trees, and yoga on the beach. The target audience is boys and girls of color who might otherwise have little access to yoga classes or summer camps.

The future of Project Little Warriors is big and bright, said Curry, 23, of Maple Shade. Were going to grow, were going to move into more schools, and were going to serve more students.

James words and his mission really echo with so many people who dont want to let this [project] go, she said. The support from the community has been absolutely stunning.

Said Haddonfield businesswoman Kathy Tully, a longtime Project Little Warriors funder: So many people have been affected by James death. Im here to support them and will continue to support the organization because theres a lot more still to accomplish. Ria knows what Project Little Warriors is supposed to be, and she has wonderful people around her to help.

Gaddys mother, Danielle Wagner, has been ailing and was unable to attend the event. During a telephone interview from her home in Clover, S.C., she recalled the youngest of her five children as a ball of energy, everywhere, all the time who could light up a room even as an infant.

I was a single mom with five kids, said Wagner. I had to work five jobs to keep us going. Most of the time we were broke. Sometimes we had no food.

James was working from a very young age. He was always running little home businesses on the side. We were baking bread, and he sold it. He was very entrepreneurial.

Despite their circumstances, Wagner said she and her children all wanted to help the less fortunate. She sees that aspiration reflected in Project Little Warriors, about which her son James was fiercely proud.

He wanted to have impact, said Wagner. He got the notion to teach the kids, and I think that was Gods work.

Although a man of faith, Gaddy also embraced lifes pleasures, speakers at the event said. He liked to drive fast, dress stylishly, dine out, and hang out. He had a way of becoming best friends quickly and keeping up such relationships over many years and at long distances.

Gaddy also was capable of great kindness. Brian Peyton, a manager at a California restaurant where Gaddy worked more than a decade ago, remembered him buying a memory card for a table of eight who had exhausted the capacity of their digital camera during a special occasion dinner.

Tierney Eifert, PLWs clinical director, said Gaddy once defused a potentially humiliating encounter at a venue where the organization was to present a program.

After seeing the blood drain from the face of a woman who realized she had double-booked the event, Gaddy, who understandably could have responded with anger, instead said it seems like you really need this, and offered the double-booker a hug, Eifert said.

We miss James [and his] ginormous hugs, she said, adding that among her favorite James-isms was his standard message when saying goodbye: Go love somebody today.

While devastated by Gaddys death, friends and family are taking comfort in his legacy.

Im thrilled at all the lives James has touched, said his mother. I dont think it stops here. I think it goes on and on and on.

The rest is here:
Little Warriors vow to push on after untimely death of their beloved yoga instructor - The Philadelphia Inquirer

10/04/2021 11:25 AM

Our Fitness Yoga classes offer a multi-level fitness experience for participants of all skill levels. Achieve harmony of mind and body through stretching and relaxation exercises at the lakeside LaBahn Hain House. The fun class format works to enhance flexibility, balance, muscle strength, and posture. Our next session runs from November 1 through December 13 on Mondays from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the LaBahn Hain House, located at 149 Hilltop Drive.

Register today at https://bit.ly/3tplvNO! The class costs $40 for Lake in the Hills residents and $48 for non-residents. Please bring water, a yoga mat, towel, yoga strap, and two yoga blocks. Any cancelled classes will be made up the week following the end date of the session.

This press release was produced by the Village of Lake In The Hills. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Reply to this articleReply

See the original post here:
Village Of Lake In The Hills: Fitness Yoga - Patch.com