Challenge Pose: Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
Strengthen your back and open your shoulders and chest as you move step by step into Dhanurasana.
Strengthen your back and open your shoulders and chest as you move step by step into Dhanurasana.
According to yoga tradition, there are five currents of vital force (prana) that run through us and govern our bodies and minds: the prana vayus. When we understand them and how they can work in harmony with each other, we're able to experience life with more clarity and authenticity. YJ Influencer Lauren Eckstrom explains how to use your yoga practice to embody the vayus, both on and off your mat.
Lauren opens up about about the recent loss of her father to pancreatic cancer and how her yoga practice helped her navigate his final months.
You’ve heard a lot about—and maybe even practiced—prenatal yoga, but how about prenatal meditation?
The Live Be Yoga team hits San Francisco for a little shopping at prAna and visits Stephanie Snyder at Love Story Yoga.
There’s a myth that a strong muscle is a tight one, and a flexible muscle is weak. It seems counterintuitive, but identifying and strengthening weak areas can actually help tight areas release their grip. Your challenge for this week is to address one or two of your dormant areas with targeted strength work. Share your progress on social media with #YJflexichallenge for a chance to be featured on our @YogaJournal Instagram page!
The Live Be Yoga team spends an “incredible weekend” at 1440 Multiversity, an adult education center nestled in California’s redwoods that helps people bring more power and energy to their lives.
Is happiness a choice? Master yoga teacher and Purna Yoga co-founder Aadil Palkhivala, who began his study of yoga with B.K.S. Iyengar at the age of 7, believes it is. Here, he explains how focusing the mind and opening your heart can help you get there.
Most people think hippies and Hare Krishnas were among the first American yogis, but in fact dozens of people with remarkable backgrounds were teaching the practice in the U.S. decades earlier. You won’t believe you’ve never heard these fascinating stories before.
Need a boost? Expect this sequence from Valerie Sagun (aka Big Gal Yoga) to open your heart, silence negative thoughts, ease stress—and show you everything there is to love about your body.
As it turns out, form can affect both safety and efficacy.
Hot yoga, Tex-Mex, barbecue, and 50,000 beer cans (we’ll explain that last part in a bit). We had a blast in Houston, on and off the mat. Here are our 10 can’t-miss stops that you should hit the next time you’re in town.
Whether it’s a lifestyle or financial choice, living (or working) in a smaller space brings a host of positive benefits for the mind and body. Simplify your life and bring more purpose to everything you surround yourself with. Here is a cheat sheet for what you need to know on the minimalist lifestyle.
Did you finish yoga teacher training with more questions than you started with? That’s why we’ve recruited seasoned teacher trainer Gina Caputo to speak frankly to some of the most common post-TT questions submitted by YOU. In each of the four posts in this series, she’ll address a new subject and offer both insight and practical tips on how to work skillfully with the challenges you face as a yoga teacher.
These 10 companies promise transparency and quality with all supplements they produce.
Looking to refresh your mindfulness practice? Step outside: The flowers blooming all around you can actually be powerful meditation tools.
Once you flow into the healing, spiritual side of this common practice, you won’t go back to basic Namaskars.
Whether you're getting pumped to attend this year's ARISE Festival or just want to experience it vicariously through Spotify, flowing to this playlist is the perfect prep for a big night out.
Summer yoga festival season is here, and from sun safety SPF to lightweight yoga mats, you need the right gear. Here, our Editor-approved, one-stop packing list so you're prepped for your practice, and can practice on, worry free.
This new documentary demonstrates that we are not victims of our genes, and that in fact we have more control over our health and life than we could ever imagine.
Learn what you should and shouldn't do to make your vitamins work best for your body.
Yogi-turned-pop artist Justin Michael Williams talks to YJ about the making of his new album Metamorphosis, his support for the LGBTQ community, and meditation as the "express elevator" to his dreams. Plus, he curated a practice playlist to speak to your soul and kick-start your dreams.
Because supplements are not heavily regulated by the FDA, navigating the maze of claims and disclaimers takes both skepticism and skill.
Did you finish yoga teacher training with more questions than you started with? That’s why we’ve recruited seasoned teacher trainer Gina Caputo to speak frankly to some of the most common post-TT questions submitted by YOU. In each of the four posts in this series, she’ll address a new subject and offer both insight and practical tips on how to work skillfully with the challenges you face as a yoga teacher.
We can mitigate some of the shifts in the body that occur during pregnancy, simply by standing well. This practice will wake up the muscles that we need to maintain good structural integrity and a healthy pelvic floor even as big changes are occurring within.
Wondering whether a yoga teacher training is the right move for you right now? Take this quick quiz to find out.
Master teacher Aadil Palkhivala says technology overuse has physical, social, and emotional consequences, and it’s taking away from the self-exploration we do on the mat. Here’s what you can do about it.
Austin was like a little oasis in the middle of Texas, with a slower pace than some of the bigger cities.
Austin yoga teacher John Mackey explains why yin yoga is so important for strengthening the joints and connective tissues that support the muscles.
Our Live Be Yoga Tour ambassadors can’t get over how big the yoga scene is in Houston, with classes of up to 100 students!
What better way to find your flow this summer than high up in Denver’s vibrant skyline than with yoga on the terrace of The ART hotel, followed by bottomless mimosas and a plant-based Recovery Brunch?
Whether you aspire to open a studio or teach yoga online, these insights from biz-savvy yogis can help you craft a yoga career to outlast the trends.
Can't make it to your favorite class? Channel your coolest self with this chill, modern yoga playlist.
Did you finish yoga teacher training with more questions than you started with? That’s why we’ve recruited seasoned teacher trainer Gina Caputo to speak frankly to some of the most common post-TT questions submitted by YOU. In each of the four posts in this series, she’ll address a new subject and offer both insight and practical tips on how to work skillfully with the challenges you face as a yoga teacher.
You can count on animals to make yoga fun.
Former Kripalu CEO David Lipsius shares how he plans to support the yoga community through this period of exceptional growth and change at Yoga Alliance's helm.
It’s a complete misconception that more expensive products are of better quality than cheaper ones.
Do you have to do asana first? Is it like hypnosis? Dharma Mittra answers YJ readers’ common queries about this deep relaxation practice.
Add a calming and fresh scent to your clothes with essential oils and a dryer ball!
Live Be Yoga meets Dr. Brad Smith, a professor at the University of Houston studying ways to bring yoga and mindfulness to schools.
Master yoga teacher Aadil Palkhivala believes ancient yoga philosophy can and should be applied to many of the daily struggles we face in modern times, starting with what he calls our "rather warped lifestyle."
In New Orleans, we came to understand what it means to build a real "yoga community."
Whether you’re heading out of town for July 4th or a longer summer getaway, travel isn’t all kicking back with a book the way it was when you were a kid. The good news is, these ayurvedic tips can help balance your body and mind so you can fully enjoy each moment of your downtime.
Standards are nice—they make it much easier to learn how to guide students into the large number of poses taught in yoga classes, but unfortunately students are not standardized.
Did you finish yoga teacher training with more questions than you started with? That’s why we’ve recruited seasoned teacher trainer Gina Caputo to speak frankly to some of the most common post-TT questions submitted by YOU. In each of the four posts in this series, she’ll address a new subject and offer both insight and practical tips on how to work skillfully with the challenges you face as a yoga teacher.
The Live Be Yoga team says goodbye to amazing New Orleans, where “everyone goes to everyone’s classes” and “all the teachers in the community know each other."
Want a juicier, more meaningful flow? Shiva Rea sets you up with add-on rituals steeped in tradition.
With so many incredible yoga events around the United States every year, choosing one can almost be overwhelming! Take this quiz to find out which event is perfect for you.
What if we just decided to SLOW DOWN for the summer?
Wild Awakening founder Michael Jaidev DeNicola shares how reconnecting our children with nature could actually save the planet.
This kale salad is simple, redeeming, and delicious by design. It’s a great picnic salad, or more realistically, a great pack-for-work or dinner-after-indulgent-vacation salad. Don’t skip the celery—it’s a totally underrated component that offers some necessary crunch. Kale, quinoa, dried cranberries, almonds, and a mustard-spiked lemon dressing make for a wholesome and delicious salad.
These irresistible, coconut-dusted granola “bites” are lightly sweet, with a delicious combination of oats, nuts, and seeds inside. They are essentially my no-bake granola bars (a popular recipe on my blog) in ball form. I’ve learned that rolling the oats mixture into balls is way easier than slicing them into bars. Plus, they’re more portable this way.
Here’s a simple chickpea salad that I could eat every single day. It’s bursting with fresh Mediterranean flavors, thanks to chopped bell pepper, parsley, red onion, and celery. Lemon and garlic take it from tasty to transcendent. This salad packs well, so it’s perfect for potlucks and picnics. It’s also a great lunch option, so long as your serving is large enough. You can also pile it onto greens and drizzle some Liquid Gold Salad Dressing on top for a quick and substantial green salad.
Our Live Be Yoga ambassadors meet Dana Trixie Flynn in beautiful New Orleans and learn more about her “pay it forward” yoga center, the Church of Yoga.
Over the last decade or so, we've been hearing that mind-body practices like yoga and meditation may affect our genes. A new review of the research solidifies it.
In the past 20 years, there’s been increased focus on vitamin D, highlighting its potential for benefits beyond bone health, but is it worth it?
Opens your shoulders and chest in Setu Bandha Sarvangasana.
Modify Setu Bandha Sarvangasana if needed to find safe alignment in your body.
Open your shoulders, chest, and upper back, and practice rooting down through your forearms and lifting your shoulders away from the floor with these prep poses for Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana.
Root your forearms, lift your shoulders, curl your chest open, and extend through your spine and legs as you move step by step into Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana.
Ayurveda is practiced as a lifestyle, which means those eight or more hours you spend on the job count. While you may not control how the office fridge is stocked or whether your schedule allows for midday yoga, you can bring this handful of simple items to work.
You deserve to reap the profound rewards of the humble (yet powerful) Namaskar.
This two-minute primer traces Namaskars—and the pieces missing from modern practice—back thousands of years.
Squaw Valley Ski Resort—high above Lake Tahoe in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains—is Wanderlust country. Home to the Festival’s 2009 debut, it’s a perfect stomping ground to recalibrate your inner compass. Use these tips from area locals to make the most of summer’s bounty.
The team heads to Miami to meet Kino MacGregor, who considers herself a “pioneer” in the Miami yogi scene.
You may be comfy and relaxed, but trust us, you don’t want to sleep through the process of self-realization.
Struggle to quiet your mind? Maybe your pooch can help. One woman says her pet-centered meditation technique is an effective way to mindfully connect with both your pet and yourself.
Yoga Journal Master Class teacher Shiva Rea offers the practice below as a way to meditate on the life-giving energy of the sun (surya) with your whole body.
Yogis worldwide will be celebrating the Summer Solstice and International Day of Yoga on June 21st. Here, we picked just 10 of the events and festivals around the globe that will be saluting the season and our practice this week.
Make these island-inspired treats with popsicle molds and sticks, or nix the sticks and use the frozen-fruit concoction as ice cubes in punch, 'ade, or iced tea.
Fans of extra spice can slice 1⁄2 of 1 Fresno or jalapeño chile and put it in the poaching liquid to add subtle heat.
For a smoother soup, peel your grapes: Slice a small X shape in the bottom of each grape and blanch in boiling water for 1 minute until skins start to peel away. Drain and let cool, then slip off skins.
For a fun alternate presentation, slice daikon crosswise into thin rounds, then assemble in the style of mini tacos.
Embrace summer's chill vibes with our ambient playlist on Spotify, designed to inspire you to slow your flow.
The LBY team experiences a wide array of yoga styles in Atlanta, including practicing in an ashram.
The Live Be Yoga team gets to know Chelsea Jackson Roberts and the one studio that's making a difference in promoting black yoga teachers.
Live Be Yoga meets local Nashville yogi James Cuzzort, who started practicing yoga when he was 50 and never looked back.
For starters, it can offer the benefits of an extra four (yep, four!) hours of sleep. Here, Dharma Mittra shares why this is the practice for modern times.
Summer lovin’ is going to be a blast for Aries and Libra, but other signs will need to buckle down and do some hard work on their relationships, says Debra Silverman, astrologer to yogi Seane Corn and author of The Missing Element: Inspiring Compassion for the Human Condition. Click through our slideshow to see what's written in the stars for your romance this summer.
Purna Yoga co-founder Aadil Palkhivala shares a practice to help you align your body and mind.