The Gift of Wellness
About a month ago, I received an email: “I am the Chair of Toy Purchasing for the Rockbridge Christmas Baskets program,” it began. “We provide food and gifts to over 3,000 people at Christmas time. For our 16- and 17-year-old-girls, we have purchased 70 yoga mats and...
End the Day With Relaxing Yoga
Sometimes it can be challenging to calm down and relax, especially after a busy day with barely a moment to yourself. Yoga is the perfect way to wind down, helping to release stress, anxiety and tension. Bring your day to a close with these calming breaths, gentle...
Yoga Poses to Lift Your Mood and Increase Happiness
We have more control over our emotions than we may realize. To quote Dale Carnegie, "Happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think." Think happy thoughts. Here are a few Yoga poses that will improve your mood and...
Start the Day with Yoga to Increase your Energy!
You may think of yoga as a calming practice but it can also be an effective way to increase your energy. Taking full breaths and incorporating postures that open the chest are great ways to get moving. Before you make a beeline for the coffeemaker, carve out a few...
Reduce Eye Fatigue with Palming Meditation
Palming Meditation diminishes eye fatigue and helps relax the face and entire body. It can help soothe frazzled nerves and improve concentration. Try Palming Meditation when you’re having trouble focusing, feeling restless or unsettled. This is also a great way to transition from a hectic day to a quiet evening.
Yoga in the Summer
Nama-staying Cool as a Cucumber! During hot summer spells, here are a few suggestions for practicing some “cool” yoga: Be sure to pace yourself. Perform poses just a bit more slowly. Take longer breaths while holding each pose. Focus on long, cooling...
10 Tips for Body, Mind, and Soul
1. Try a 3-part breath: inhale, filling your belly, then rib cage, up to the collarbone; then starting from the top of the lungs, slowly exhale all the way down to your belly. Repeat 5 times. 2. Gratitude. Focus on at least 1 thing to be grateful for. (Here’s a good...
Yoga 101 for Beginners
Triangle Pose from The Healing Yoga Deck I have to thank my mother for my interest in yoga. Rusty (she’s a redhead and that’s been her nickname since she was 4) wanted to try it and I thought, why not? I did ballet as a kid and was fairly flexible so I gave it a go. I...
5 Mental Health Benefits of Yoga
The word yoga means “union,” uniting body and mind. In other words, you really can’t separate the physical benefits from the mental and emotional benefits a yoga practice provides. Deep breathing calms you down during stressful times; focusing on a posture helps pause...
5 Health Benefits of Yoga
As more people are finding out, a regular yoga practice has many health benefits. Gentle stretches and movement, deep breathing, and mindfulness can introduce wellness into our lives that extend beyond the yoga mat. You may find yourself sitting straighter, standing...
Olivia H. Miller
