Specialized Yoga

Duration: Approximately 1 hour 5 minutes

Duration: Approximately 11 minutes

 Releasing Stress and Reducing Anxiety for those who are High Energy and Intense

The following 4 videos are for those whose lifeline is the heavens, who operate largely out of their nervous systems, and who have associated elements of air and fire. Their energy tends to rise higher and higher when stressed, causing them to feel very scattered, and therefore they need stillness to allow the scattered pieces of themselves gather back together.

Open the heart in Supported Fish followed by reclined twists and Child’s Pose. (If you have already watched this video and are familiar with how to get into the first pose, you may wish to skip the beginning explanation and begin the video at minute 6.) 

Props: 2 blocks

Duration: Approximately 19 minutes

Take back extension in Supported Bridge followed by reclined twists and Goddess Pose with 3 part breath. (If you have already watched this video and are familiar with how to get into the first pose, you may wish to skip the beginning explanation and begin the video at minute 5.)

Props: 2 blocks

Duration: Approximately 20 minutes

Open the heart in Restorative Fish followed by restorative twists and Restorative Child's Pose.  (If you have already watched this video and are familiar with how to get into the first pose, you may wish to skip the beginning explanation and begin the video at minute 5.)

Props: 3 blocks, bolster, sandbag, eye pillow

Duration: Approximately 33 minutes

Take back extension in Restorative Bridge, followed by restorative twists, and Restorative Child's Pose.  (If you have already watched this video and are familiar with how to get into the first pose, you may wish to skip the beginning explanation and begin the video at minute 5.)

Props: 2 large bolsters, strap, sandbag, eye pillow

Duration: Approximately 33 minutes

Releasing Stress and Elevating Mood for those with Low Energy

The following 2 videos are for those whose lifeline is the earth, who are generally calm and grounded in nature, and have associated elements of earth and water. Stress tends to be experienced as a great weight that accumulates, pushing them down physically and emotionally, and therefore they need a means to move stress out and be lifted.

Move stress out of the body through Child's Pose, hip circles, a short series of back extension, followed by restorative twists and Restorative Child's Pose 

Props: bolster, sandbag

Duration: Approximately 33 minutes

Move stress out of the body through a short standing series of forward folds, twists, and side body lengthening, followed by Restorative Pigeon, shoulder releases, crossover twists, Restorative Child's Pose, and belly on the bolster

Props: bolster, sandbag

Duration: Approximately 42 minutes

Three Part Breath (or Dirga Pranayama) is a simple and feel good breath technique, or pranayama, that helps to reduce stress in the body by turning off the stress response through mindful diaphragmatic breathing. It also stimulates all the organs held in the torso as you draw the breath into all parts of the torso, allowing rich prana to fill the organ body and nourish cells. The inhales feed our system and the exhales carry out waste, toxins and things that no longer serve us. This breath technique or pranayama is very grounding and calming to our body, and is a great way to start your day or end your day.  This video will explain and demonstrate how to do 3 Part Breath. You may also review written instructions here. If you are already familiar with it, you may want to view the video below (Do 3 Part Breath) instead.

Duration: Approximately 9 minutes

Three Part Breath (or Dirga Pranayama) is a simple and feel good breath technique, or pranayama, that helps to reduce stress in the body by turning off the stress response through mindful diaphragmatic breathing. It also stimulates all the organs held in the torso as you draw the breath into all parts of the torso, allowing rich prana to fill the organ body and nourish cells. The inhales feed our system and the exhales carry out waste, toxins and things that no longer serve us. This breath technique or pranayama is very grounding and calming to our body, and is a great way to start your day or end your day. If this is new to you, it may be helpful to watch the video above (Learn 3 Part Breath) first.

Duration: Approximately 6 minutes

Alternate Nostril Breath (or Nadi Shodhana) is a breath technique, or pranayama, utilized to calm the mind, remove toxins, rejuvenate the nervous system, and set to balance the energy in the body and its impact on right and left sides of the body, as well as restoring balance in the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Done here in the primitive format, one can send healing energy to the right side of the body and the left side of the body while helping to clear each nadi or energy pathway that governs the right and left side of the body. This video explains and demonstrates how to do Alternate Nostril Breath. Written instructions for Alternate Nostril Breath are available here. If you are already familiar with it, you may want to view the video below (Do Alternate Nostril Breath) instead.

Duration: Approximately 5 minutes

Alternate Nostril Breath (or Nadi Shodhana) is a breath technique, or pranayama, utilized to calm the mind, remove toxins, rejuvenate the nervous system, and set to balance the energy in the body and its impact on right and left sides of the body, as well as restoring balance in the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Done here in the primitive format, one can send healing energy to the right side of the body and the left side of the body while helping to clear each nadi or energy pathway that governs the right and left side of the body. If this is new to you, you may wish to begin by watching the video above (Learn Alternate Nostril Breath).

Duration: Approximately 6 minutes

Ujjayi Breath (also known as Oceanic Breath and translated as “victorious breath”) is a breath technique to help release irritation and frustration, calm the mind and body, and provide a balancing influence on the entire cardiorespiratory system. It is both an energizing and stabilizing breath utilized to decompress rising energy and strengthen or raise energy for those who tend to operate in lower frequencies. The ujjayi breath encourages the flow of prana (life force), builds internal body heat, relieves tension, increases the amount of oxygen in the blood, regulates blood pressure, helps tone the vagus nerve thereby helping to reduce inflammation, detoxifies mind and body, increases feelings of presence and self-awareness, and establishes a rhythmic pattern for moving through a yoga practice. This video explains and demonstrates Ujjayi Breath. You may also review written instructions here. If you are already familiar with it, you may wish to view the video below (Do Ujjayi Breath) instead.

Duration: Approximately 10 minutes

Ujjayi Breath (also known as Oceanic Breath and translated as “victorious breath”) is a breath technique to help release irritation and frustration, calm the mind and body, and provide a balancing influence on the entire cardiorespiratory system. It is both an energizing and stabilizing breath utilized to decompress rising energy and strengthen or raise energy for those who tend to operate in lower frequencies. The ujjayi breath encourages the flow of prana (life force), builds internal body heat, relieves tension, increases the amount of oxygen in the blood, regulates blood pressure, helps tone the vagus nerve thereby helping to reduce inflammation, detoxifies mind and body, increases feelings of presence and self-awareness, and establishes a rhythmic pattern for moving through a yoga practice. If this is new to you, you may wish to view the video above (Learn Ujjayi Breath) first.

Duration: Approximately 3 minutes

Prana as it relates to the pathways of life force, is considered the energy of the head and is gathered from the heavens, or the energy above you. PRANA vayu is responsible for the INTAKE.

It moves downward and inward, providing the basic energy that drives us in life. It is primarily located in the head, lungs and heart. Imbalances in Prana flow can show up as anxiety, fear, anger (head); breathlessness, asthma, sleep apnea (lungs); heart palpitations or stroke (heart).

Apana as it relates to the pathways of life force, is considered downward energy and is gathered into the lower abdomen and base of the spine and carried down through the legs to connect to earth’s core. APANA vayu is responsible for elimination. It moves down and out and also helps retain things in. It is primarily located in the lower abdomen and is associated with functions of elimination, reproduction and bone health (regulating the absorption and retaining of minerals). Imbalances in Apana flow can show up as constipation/diarrhea; IBS; menstrual problems, sexual issues; bone density issues. A daily practice of gathering these two life forces helps sustain our energies from the two great sources above and below us, helping to support us both physically and mentally.

This video explains and demonstrates Prana and Apana building breathing. Additional written information is available here. If you are already familiar with Prana and Apana, you may wish to skip to the next video.

Duration: Approximately 8 minutes

Getting Started Toward a Healthy Back

This series of videos shows the 5 primary movements of the spine taken from different positions - from standing, seated in a chair, seated on the floor, hands and knees, and reclined (lying on the back). This allows you to keep your back feeling good in the way that is most comfortable for you.

This video incorporates all 5 primary movements of the spine, taken from a standing position. If you have difficulty getting up and down from the floor, this is a great short routine for you to try.

Duration: Approximately 6 minutes

This video incorporates all 5 primary movements of the spine, taken from a seated position in a chair. If you have difficulty getting up and down from the floor, or taking any movement while standing, this is a great routine for you to try.

Duration: Approximately 8 minutes