Live with an Open Heart

In all aspects of life, I believe in living with an open heart – this is especially appropriate during February, which is the official month for both heart health and Valentine’s Day.  The heart symbolizes many things, including the heart chakra (Anahata in Sanskrit), which is the energy center in our body located in the center of our chest.  This chakra is the center for love, compassion, forgiveness and well-being; therefore, it is critical to keep this energy center open in order to have balance in our body and mind.

A simple sequence to begin opening the heart is a cat/cow yoga flow.  From an all-fours position with hands under the shoulders and knees aligned under the hip bones, begin by pulling in your abdominals to flex your spine and round your back towards the ceiling into cat pose.  On an inhalation, move your spine in the opposite direction into cow pose (be mindful to always use a range of motion that feels good for you).  As you extend your spine in cow pose, notice how you can feel more space and openness in your heart center.  You can hold each pose for several breaths or flow back and forth between the two poses with your breath.

Camel Pose (Ustrasana) is also an effective yoga pose for the heart chakra.  To practice standing Camel Pose, begin standing in Mountain Pose with your feet about hip-bone width apart and bring your hands to your lower back (with proper form, the lower back should remain tension-free and stable in all versions of this pose).  From this position, begin by widening your collar bone and let your chest be open.  If your spine extension is limited or if it just feels better, this is a wonderful version of the pose.  If you it feels good and you can maintain alignment, you can also begin to extend the spine, being mindful to keep your neck in line with your spine (if there are wrinkles in the back of your neck, you have dropped your head back too far and should bring your chin closer to your chest to lengthen the back of your neck).  With each breath, imagine your heart opening more and your body feeling more balanced.

Now let’s start off February with an open heart!

Be well,

Jennifer

Resolution Solution

As the new year begins, it is often a time to make resolutions for the next twelve months.  I wholeheartedly agree with looking forward to the new year and making plans to make the new year even better than the last; however, I am reluctant to use the term “New Year’s Resolutions” as many resolutions are quick fixes that only last a few weeks before they are abandoned.  I see this often in my classes, where new students will begin practicing in January, but stop attending before March arrives.

For this year, let’s vow to make this a great year ALL year, not just the first quarter of the year!  After all, it is important to feel good in the spring, summer and fall as well.  For year-long success, I recommend following a few simple steps.

To begin, close your eyes and picture yourself on December 31st of this year.  What is really important to you?  In what ways do you ideally picture your year-end  you being different from the present version?  For example, are you excited about volunteering in your free time, learning a new language or skill, travelling somewhere you have always wanted to visit, or maybe becoming more consistent in your yoga practice?

Next, decide what specific steps you need to take to make the changes you envision.  It could be as simple as making time to attend a class or do online research, but no matter how busy you are, you will find that you can make time in your schedule for any goal that is truly important to you.  For example, if your goal is to begin meditating, try simply setting aside a few minutes a day to start or signing up for a class.

Rather than just setting your resolution in January, set aside a few minutes at the beginning of each week (or even every day!) to check in with yourself.  When you check in, picture yourself achieving your goal and feeling great.  This vision will keep you on track.  Also, if you keep this vision of yourself in your mind, you will naturally begin to make decisions to bring you closer to your goal and attract what you need to achieve it, no matter how big or small that goal is.

Committing to creating change can sound daunting (even for smaller goals!), but it certainly doesn’t have to be – just taking a few minutes out of your busy day to check in with yourself and your vision of happiness can be all you need to meet your goals this year.

Happy New Year!

Be well, Jennifer

O Christmas Tree!

Now that we are entering the second week in December, beautifully decorated Christmas trees are appearing in homes, stores, yards and town commons everywhere – it is a beautiful symbol of light as we approach the winter solstice.  Likewise, tree pose (vrksasana) is a wonderful pose for this time of year as a reminder of the light we all have within us and the balance we can create within ourselves during even the busiest of seasons so we can shine our brightest!

To come into the pose, begin by aligning yourself in mountain pose and then shift your weight to your right leg.  Next, take your left foot to the inside of your right foot or ankle, while laterally rotating from your left hip so your bent left knee opens towards the left (be mindful of your hip flexibility so you do not force or strain your joints).  If it feels okay, you can further challenge your balance by taking the bottom of your left foot to the inside of your right calf or thigh.  Begin with your hands together at your heart and then try reaching your arms overhead like tree branches (either with your hands together or apart).  As you reach your arms for the sky, try relaxing your shoulders down your back to release tension.  Balance here for a few breaths, and then try the pose again, this time balancing on your left leg.  Remember, when performing any type of movement, you should be careful to listen to your body and always give yourself the option to modify or rest.

Through tree pose, your body will release both physical and emotional stress in the hips, while clearing the mind and balancing the body.  While holding the pose, try to keep your focus on your core center, your breath and a focal point in front of you (drishti) to help you feel more balanced with every breath.

This holiday season, practice tree pose and let your inner light shine!

Be well,

Jennifer

Now through New Years!

Now that December is almost here, signs of the holiday season is everywhere - stores are busier, carols are playing on the radio, and holiday movies are on television - unfortunately, these are also signs of the time of year when people start to abandon their healthy habits.  I understand that it can be tempting to stay home and skip a yoga or fitness class because it is cold and dark outside, or to eat mindlessly while attending a party, but the holidays are not an excuse to abandon mindful living.  Mindful eating and movement boost the immune system, reduce stress, and keep our energy balanced during a time of year when we are more prone to illness, stress, and weight gain.

A simple way to help us stay motivated when we are tempted to abandon mindful movement is to use imagery – simply picture yourself after your practice. Imagine yourself at the end of your practice, sitting on your yoga mat or leaving the studio, feeling calm, balanced and fit, and let that image be your motivation to stick with it.  Remember, the better you feel, the better your holiday experience will be and the more energy you will have to give to others as well.

In addition, as I always like to remind my classes this time of year, if you stick with your mindful living throughout the holidays, there will be no need for a New Year’s resolution in January!  So let’s make a pact together to keep living mindfully throughout the next few weeks for a happy and healthy holiday season from now through New Year’s!

Be well,

Jennifer

Happy and Healthy Halloween!

The fall is one of my favorite seasons, and Halloween is always a wonderful opportunity to be silly and have fun!  Of course, Halloween and candy are almost synonymous, but since I believe in creating balance with everything, there is a way to make Halloween healthy, too!  Below are some yoga and Pilates-inspired moves to practice – by incorporating mindful movement into the holiday, our bodies will feel better we will also be less likely to over-indulge when it comes to the treats!

Halloween Cat

From all “all-fours” position (hands lined up under the shoulders and
knees under the hips), scoop your belly and use your abdominals to
draw your naval towards your spine as flex your spine, like a
Halloween cat.  As you release the cat stretch, let your spine move
in the opposite direction, looking up slightly and reaching your
tailbone towards the ceiling, extending your spine in the opposite
direction (be sure to use a range of motion that feels good for your spine and not to force the movement).

Dead Bug

Lying on your back with legs in a “table-top” position, reach both arms towards the ceiling, keeping your head on the mat.  Maintain an imprinted spine position (keeping your lower back supported and tension-free) and engage your abdominals as you reach your right arm and left foot towards the mat (only make the movement as big as you can while maintaining your imprinted spine position).  Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise using your left arm and right leg, exhaling as you reach towards the mat to help engage the abdominals and inhaling as you return to the starting position.

Have a Happy and Healthy Halloween!

Be well,
Jennifer

Toast to our Health!

For thousands of years, the healthiest cultures in the world have been eating the seasonal, unprocessed food that nature provides to nurture our bodies and minds – in some ways, the convenience of processed foods has made staying healthy and in tune with our bodies and nature more challenging.  Of course, we are busy multi-tasking and juggling our responsibilities, but our health does not need to suffer – healthy, seasonal food can be practical, too!  One of my favorites for this time of year, when the weather fluctuates between summer and fall weather (for example, it was beach weather here in New England yesterday and today we are wearing sweaters!), is a green drink.  My green drink combines warming elements for fall (and hydrating water for those warmer days!) with seasonal fall produce and the result is a delicious, balancing drink – even my one-year old daughter loves it!

To make the smoothie, simply combine 1 cup of organic baby spinach with 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup of organic homemade or store-bought unsweetened applesauce (we love to go apple picking in the fall and it is a great way to enjoy our bounty!) with a dash of cinnamon.  Combine the ingredients in a blender until it forms a thick liquid and you can enjoy your drink after only a minute of preparation time.  The fiber from the fruits and veggies, in addition to the cinnamon, helps to regulate blood sugar and keeps you feeling full, and the natural sweetness from the applesauce and warmth from the cinnamon is yummy!

Let’s raise a glass full of our green drink and toast to our healthy minds and bodies!

Be well,
Jennifer

Turn Things Upside Down!

Sometimes, one of the best things we can do to shake things up and change our perspective is to turn things upside down - literally.  Though yoga poses such as headstand and handstand may seem challenging, they are beneficial to both the mind and body – inversions give our body a break from gravity, improving circulation, strengthening the muscles of our core center and clearing the mind.  According to yoga theory, inversions will help us age gracefully, too!

While headstand and handstand are wonderful poses to practice (please note that these poses are contraindicated for people with high blood pressure, glaucoma or neck issues), there are also many inversions that do not require as much of a balancing act.  For example, try a restorative inversion with simple legs-up-the-wall pose by simply lying on your back with your legs resting up against a wall.

Another option (one of my favorites!) is Ananda Balasana, also known as Happy Baby.  For this pose, lie on your back and hold on to your feet, bending your knees outside your arms and weighting your tailbone towards the floor.  You can either hold the pose here, or gently rock side to side as you release your back and hips.  After an inversion, try resting in child’s pose for a few breaths and feel the benefits of turning things upside down for a while!

Be well,
Jennifer