Tag: yoga for mental health
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5 Ways Yoga Is an Act of Self-Care: Benefits of Self-Care & More
If you’ve ever been on a flight and heard, “Put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others,” the same sentiment can be applied to everyday life. By taking care of ourselves, we can be our best selves for helping others. If we neglect our own needs, that can lead to burnout, stress and even…
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Anjali Mudra: What Are the Benefits of Prayer Hands? How to Use Namaskar Mudra in Yoga
The Anjali Mudra, also known as the Namaskar Mudra, is one of the most common hand positions we’ll use in all types of yoga classes, especially yoga where meditation or meditative motion is a strong focus. Also known as “prayer hands” or cued as “bringing your hands into prayer,” you don’t have to be religious…
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How Yoga Is Meditation in Motion: Benefits & More
One of my favorite ways to describe what you can expect from yoga is “meditation in motion”. Yoga truly provides mind-body benefits. It’s more than moving your body into interesting and challenging shapes. A yoga practice can help quiet the mind, improve focus and make you feel more at peace with yourself. If you’ve heard…
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Yoga & Headaches: How a Yoga Practice Can Help With Headaches
Almost everyone gets a headache once in a while, with Harvard Health Publishing reporting 95% of women and 90% of men get them at least one a year. Some people experience them more frequently, with causes ranging from drinking alcohol, to sleep disturbances, to posture, to stress. Headaches may also be caused by serious issues,…
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Benefits of Closing Your Eyes in Yoga
In most of my Alexandria VA yoga classes, I’m always going to spend at least some of the time closing my eyes. During Savasana (Corpse Pose), which is typically the end of a yoga class, students are generally encouraged to close the eyes for the 5 minutes or so that close a yoga class. But…
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5 Benefits of Yoga for Kids
One of my favorite experiences is when I get to teach a child or teen yoga in Alexandria. I welcome all ages to my yoga classes and recently had the pleasure of teaching four kids who joined my video game-themed yoga class in Alexandria, VA. As I say sometimes when teaching, “Yoga is simply making…
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5 Reasons to Take a Yoga Class on Vacation
Last week, I traveled to Costa Rica for the first time. I love animals and nature, and the number one thing I wanted to do while there was see some sloths and encounter monkeys. I got to do both on my very first day right at my hotel in Manual Antonio, as there were several…
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5 Mental Health Benefits of Yoga
I was chatting with my fellow Alexandria, VA yoga teacher and friend Nilina recently, and she told me something really beautiful about how yoga has inspired her. She said: “Yoga is much more than asanas. It’s about delving deeper within us. We start seeing the real us, which is comprised of both good and bad.…
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10 Research Studies That Support Yoga Benefits
Practicing yoga can make you feel great, but there are often so many more powerful transformations happening on and off the mat as a result of a yoga practice. There are real tangible physical and mental health benefits, which are supported by research studies focusing on the practice of yoga. Consider these 10 studies that…