All posts tagged: arm balances

Review: Best Yoga Books (for yoga addicts like you)

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I collect two things in life: books and music. And according to my bank account, I apparently go a little overboard with my obsession for both. I am unrepentant. I am without question a book fanatic/literarazzi/reader-of-all-the-things. I don’t know about you, but any location that houses books in a happy place: libraries, used bookstores, Barnes and Noble, that random pop up store down the street, etc etc etc. I’m not kidding when I say I read at least a book or two a week. I will happily turn down social engagements to snuggle up with a my fat cat and a book. HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH—called my sofaaaaaaaa. Anyway, now that we all know the real reason I’m sometimes a terrible friend (those books aren’t gonna read themselves, people), I wanted to share with you several that I’ve found really beneficial to my yoga practice. Inspirational and philosophical books are pretty easy to come across, but books with a technical focus are often difficult to find. I’ve curated several gems along the way, and they’ve made …

Yoga Detox Moves

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Spring is that fabulous time of year when cherry blossoms paint DC in pink, and new life unfurls itself by way of buds and leaves and grass. Everything feels fresh and new, and we want to feel that way too. After all, why should Mother Earth be the only one to get a facial, right? “Spring cleaning” is a common phenomenon of the season, but I think it’s partly because the season powerfully awakens in us the desire to detox and start fresh. We want to plant new ideas and watch them grow. Being a little OCD and still traumatized by the show Hoarders, I live a pretty minimal life, but I do love a good scrub down. It occurred to me that while it’s important to clean out my home, it’s equally important to detox our bodies. What an awesome opportunity to re-calibrate and renew ourselves from the inside-out. And fortunately, few things benefit a good detox like yoga. While I firmly believe the best detox is from a healthy food source like clean, …

Inversion Workshop with Marie Belle

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Workshops are an amazing and frustrating experience. They’re a phenomenal way to learn new tips and tricks, but at the same time, there are some yoga skills that you simply cannot ever ever ever learn overnight. Yoga forces us to be patient and persistent. You might be able to conceptually understand how to do an asana, but your body will demand you work to obtain the strength and flexibility to get there. Time is our friend when it comes to learning yoga. We can look back and see great growth, even if it doesn’t feel like it while we’re marching on. District Yoga recently held an incredible inversions workshop by internationally renowned Marie Belle. Not only is she a phenomenal yogini and teacher, but she has the most intelligent and beautiful approach to life. Over 100 people crammed into the studio to learn from her, and she still made it feel like a group of friends just hanging out to do some intense yoga. I’m personally tremendously inspired when someone has a rare combination of …

Alis volat propriis: She Flies with Her Own Wings

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Alis volat propriis is a gorgeous and inspiring Latin phrase that translates “she flies with her own wings.” I truly believe we as individuals are meant to see, be, and do great things…but we are often prevented from realizing our potential because there are people who devote endless amounts of time and energy to breaking the wings of others or stifling their flight. I don’t understand this. I truly can’t comprehend why people would want to hurt others or even wish ill will on them. The simple truth is, there are people out there who either simply don’t know how to be happy for others, perhaps because they themselves have experienced great hurt in their own lives and merely continue the cycle. Some lovely, beautiful spirits get completely crushed and broken under the weight of hurtful words and actions of these kinds of people. What a true tragedy, because the body heals faster then the heart ever will. On the flip side, sometimes we rely far too greatly on others, and we never reach a …

How to Do Vasisthasana |Side Plank

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Vasisthasana is one of those fabulous asanas that’s a one stop shop arm balance. Not only will you get an intense ab workout that targets those often neglected obliques, but it tightens the entire core. It’s such a great pose, that it’s been borrowed by non-yoga workouts as a secret weapon for keeping abs tights and the waist small. It primarily strengthens entire core, but it also targets the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus in the hips, as well as the adductor muscles located in the inner thigh. But wait! There’s more! The secondary the side plank also works several other muscles that provide additional stability as you hold the position including the gluteus maximus, the quadriceps on the front of your thighs and the hamstrings on the back of your thighs. TIPS: Keep your shoulders, hips, knees and feet in one straight diagonal line, Important: make sure your neck and head continue the line of your spine. Keep obliques pulled up up up at all times to avoid hips collapsing. HOW TO: From downward facing down, come …

Just Be Present: Part 2

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What happens when we pursue our goals, when we dedicate ourselves to them every day? We stretch, we grow, we even begin to fly. And one day, we start soaring. “Your wings already exist. All you have to do is fly.”  We have the power to do that which inspires us, we must simply devote the time, energy, and effort to make it happen. Remember the scene at the end of the Wizard of Oz when Dorthy asks Glenda how to get home? She said, “You always had the power, my dear. You just had to learn it for yourself.” Stand firm. Don’t let life shake you, break you, or remake you into something that is untrue to yourself. The stronger a tree’s roots are, the more it flourishes. How do we grow stronger? By walking on a good path, following principles of truth and what is right. “Blessed is the man [who walks in goodness]. He will be like a tree, planted by rivers of life giving waters.” Psalms 1:3 Set goals and stay …

On and Off the Mat: Just Be Present Part 1

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Is it December already? Seriously, Time! Pull those reigns in! You’re running away from me! As the holidays roll around, it’s usually a startling reality that the year has flown by, usually in a blink of the eye. Christmas, like weddings, always seem better in concept than in reality. An entire day dedicated to love, fellowship, and joy? Sign us up, right? But people are usually wildly stressed out and haggard by the time the actual day rolls around. The planning, shopping, organizing and trying to corral everyone together can be a big fat energy zapper. Ask any bride planning a wedding or a mother trying to get things in order for the holidays. I’m not saying it’s all a miserable experience, because big events (like Christmas and weddings of course) often bring huge amounts of joy. It’s the days leading up that often cause us to focus on anything and everything but our current time and place, and to soak it up and enjoy it. I personally despise the mall and would rather trek …

An Asana of Freedom: Wild Thing Pose

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I absolutely love the yoga community on Instagram. I am constantly inspired and encouraged by the mutual journey I get to take with other yogini’s, and I am deeply moved when people take time to comment. It’s so uplifting! I try to do the same for others, because it honestly is such a lovely encouragement to me and I want to be that for others. I was recently tagged by a friend to do a stop, drop and yoga pose, and I thought over which one to do. I felt like so many people chose mind blowing poses that demonstrated such strength and inspiring skill. I was tempted to pull something similar out of my bag of tricks, but I felt moved to do one of my favorite poses: wild thing. To see tips on the pose, jump to the bottom of the page. I love the pose wild thing because it’s accessible at many skill levels, and it reminds us we’re all wild at heart and should never let life break us or totally …

How to Do: Side Crow into Eka Pada Koundinyasana

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Bakasana (or Crow pose) is usually the first pose that most people learn, but I actually like side crow even better. It flows so perfectly with a typical vinyasa practice, and not only do you get the benefits of core strengthening, but you also get the detoxing, cleansing effects of a side twist. What?! #winning! Another added perk is you get to start adding more transitioning poses and start building up your yoga practice. The Koundinyasana pose is optional, and you can add it on just as easily as leave it out. Tips: 1) Warm up with your sun salutations (review here) and crow (review here)  to get in your flow. 2) Have good contact points! Firmly connect those chatarunga arms to your legs. The key points are close to the hip and the side of the knee. 3) Use chatarunga arms as a platform to get into the pose. 4) Make a triangle of your two hands and gaze focused in front of hands. 5) Spread fingers wide! This will really help with balancing. …

Learn: Crow to Headstand (and back again!)

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Oh, Bakasana, how we love you! Bakasana (crow to those who want to keep it simple) is definitely that elusive arm balance that introduces us into the addictive world of arm balances. I’m an arm balance junkie, and I just love love love any arm balance; the more pretzel like the better! You can take crow up a notch by learning to go from crow into a tripod headstand (and back down again!) Not only will you work your core like a BAMF, but it’s a pose that’s credited for soothing anxiety, depression, and all manner of ailments. All I can say is it is just goddamn fun. 1. SET UP IS EVERYTHING! Everything! Arm balances are built on foundations we set up. There are many ways to get into crow, but we’ll start with a basic yoga crouch. Hands out about 6-8 inches in front of you with those FINGERS spread out. 2. Hike up on your haunches and place your knees as close into your armpits as possible and form chatarunga arms. SHIFT FORWARD. …