Yoga practice for core awareness and strength
Few years ago when I was traveling around New Zealand, I signed up for a white water rafting trip. Before letting us into the water the instructor said: “Make sure[...] The post Yoga practice for core...
View ArticleCorset vs pelvic tilt: to tuck or not to tuck the tailbone under
Couple of years ago Judith Hanson Lasater posted this on Facebook: “Stop tucking your tailbone! We are designed for and function best with a lumbar curve and a diagonal line[...] The post Corset vs...
View ArticleCheck out these yoga articles
Every day many articles are written on the subject of yoga. Here is a selection of several articles that caught my eye in the past few weeks that I think[...] The post Check out these yoga articles...
View ArticleShould we engage the abdomen all the time?
Let me ask you a question: if a bowl of ice cream tastes good, would a bucket be even better? Whenever one of my yoga clients encounters a yoga pose[...] The post Should we engage the abdomen all the...
View ArticleThe brain in your gut and its impact on your mood and behavior
When I studied anatomy in college many years ago my professor never mentioned the enteric nervous system. This term refers to the network of neurons lining our guts and is[...] The post The brain in...
View ArticleVital Vagus: What is the vagus nerve and what does it do?
The vagus nerve can be thought of a superhighway that connects your body and your brain. It innervates most organs in the body; the messages zip along its five lanes[...] The post Vital Vagus: What is...
View ArticleLeaning into the sharp points: How yoga can help with the grief process
“Lean into the sharp points and fully experience them. The essence of bravery is being without self-deception. Wisdom is inherent in (understanding) emotions.” – Pema Chödrön: The Places that...
View ArticleHow can we stimulate the vagus nerve in our yoga practice? Part 1
Have you heard the term “stress loop” before? Here is how it works. When your mind perceives something dangerous or stressful it activates the sympathetic nervous system which dumps adrenalin[...] The...
View ArticleVagus nerve and sound: Can you “tone up” the whole body?
You don’t need to be a scientist to know that sound (music and singing) has a profound effect on the way we feel, often in a predictable way. For example,[...] The post Vagus nerve and sound: Can you...
View ArticleShould yoga teachers be concerned about “cultural appropriation” of yoga?
In the last couple of weeks there has been a lot of talk about a controversial decision made by University of Ottawa to cancel a popular ongoing yoga class because[...] The post Should yoga teachers be...
View ArticleHow chanting OM affects your physiology
When my son was little, I used to sing lullabies to him. Unfortunately, most of the time I couldn’t remember the exact words of the song, so I ended up[...] The post How chanting OM affects your...
View ArticleFind a yoga practice you need with ease!
As we add more and more practice videos to the site, it might become difficult to find the one that you are looking for. Introducing Body Map for Yoga Practices[...] The post Find a yoga practice you...
View ArticleWhen “good posture” is not so good for your body
“Sit up straight!” my dad would command every time he saw me lean over my desk. And I would jerk myself up trying to maintain “good” posture. The problem was[...] The post When “good posture” is not so...
View ArticleDownward facing dog: alignment, release valves and adaptations
Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward facing dog pose) is probably the most overused and the most underused pose at the same time. Many vinyasa-style yoga practices are dog-heavy, meaning that the[...] The...
View ArticleFour steps to minimize the stress placed on the intervertebral disks
Did you know that astronauts get taller in space? According to NASA studies, when the spine is not exposed to the pull of Earth’s gravity, the intervertebral disks expand and[...] The post Four steps...
View ArticleMerry Christmas!
Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year! May it bring health, joy, prosperity and peace to all. With love, Olga The post Merry Christmas! appeared first on...
View ArticleMost talked about posts of 2015
It is hard to believe that 2015 is almost over! This has been an incredible year for Sequence Wiz – huge thank you to you, our readers, for making it[...] The post Most talked about posts of 2015...
View ArticleWhy do we lengthen upward? Four types of axial extension postures
Technically, the term “spinal extension” refers to the spine returning into the neutral position from flexion (1) and bending backwards (2). But the term “extension” also means lengthening. So...
View ArticleNew Image Editor for yoga poses is here!
Everybody is different, and every body is different, with its own set of unique structural, physiological and mental-emotional challenges. I was taught to take them all into account when designing[...]...
View ArticleHow to lengthen your spine without strain
There are two distinctive ways of lengthening the spine while doing axial extension postures – one that focuses on bringing the spine into maximum vertical alignment, and another one that[...] The post...
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