How Art Helps Me Connect to Spirit
Even in the darkest times, my art has shown me that joy is possible.
Meghan Rabbitt is the executive editor of Yoga Journal’s website. She’s practiced yoga for nearly 20 years and has completed 400 hours of yoga teacher training, including Annie Carpenter’s 200-hour SmartFLOW certification. When she’s not writing and editing in Boulder, Colo., you’ll find her traveling. Recent assignments have taken her to India (where she went on the holy pilgrimage to Gomukh), Peru (where she hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu), Malta (where she meditated in megalithic temples), and Africa (where she went on a walking safari).
Even in the darkest times, my art has shown me that joy is possible.
These simple postures will help you get back to your practice safely and build a sense of integration with your body.
Your teacher might use these cues all the time—and they could be causing a lot of harm.
Chelsea Jackson Roberts, Ph.D., a Peloton yoga instructor, shares her advice for avoiding injury when your teacher isn’t in the room to spot you.
Trying to get into the perfect shape can lead to injury. Here's how to find the sweet spot without overdoing it.
Yoga can be a source of deep healing. It can also cause injuries or irritate existing sore areas, especially related to back, knee, shoulder, and wrist pain. We asked some of the world's leading yoga teachers how to practice safely—now, and for years to come.
If making a spiritual journey to the birthplace of yoga is on your bucket list—or, if you’ve been and want to return in a way that feels more authentic and connected— read on. From the must-see places and pilgrimages to top tips on how to stay healthy on the road, here’s what you need to know before you plan your trip.
Our top picks for the holy cities, historical sites, and spiritual pilgrimages in India every student of yoga should consider.
Figuring out where to go, what to see, and how long to stay can be a daunting process.
Ayurvedic practitioner and holistic health coach Sahara Rose shares her best advice for avoiding an upset stomach and keeping your immune system strong when traveling.
Learn more about the birthplace of Ashtanga Yoga and Iyengar Yoga.
For one always-on-the-go writer, learning to be more mindful while she was on the move helped her find more peace when she was still, too.
Plus, 10 ways yoga leads to better sex, and a guided meditation that’ll put you in the mood.
There’s nothing like a bad case of low back pain to make you lose your faith that you’ll ever be pain-free. Good news: These sequences will help you find relief.
Looking for a head-to-toe re-boot? This practice will balance your chakras and help you feel like a new yogi.
Here’s everything you need to know to prevent low back pain in twists, as well as use your twisting practice to help ease low back pain.
Want to eat like a yogi? Here’s what helps Yoga Journal executive editor Meghan Rabbitt stick to a sattvic, healthy diet that fuels her practice.
Want to really evolve your practice, whether you're a student or a teacher? Here's the secret, says Elena Brower and Amy Ippoliti.
On Friday, November 2, a gunman shot six people—two fatally—at Hot Yoga Tallahassee. Now, yogis around the world are questioning whether the place they go when events like this happen (read: their yoga studios) are a safe retreat after all
Yoga Journal sat down with the singer to talk about how she got her start as a musician, what singing mantras means to her, and why the new long-form Gayatri mantra is like medicine for the soul.
Nine leading yoga teachers give us an inside look at how they pray, manifest what they want in their lives, and more.
Dropping all my inhibitions changed my yoga practice.
Planning a retreat is a big undertaking—and this is especially true if your destination is abroad. These expert tips will help you avoid every common snafu.
Take a closer look at seven subtle-body healing modalities, and how to find one that will help you boost the benefits of your yoga practice.
Sure, you could teach yoga to communities in need. But this year’s Good Karma Award winners exemplify the many other ways to practice seva, or selfless service. Here are their inspiring stories, plus advice to help you find your own path to giving back.
Yoga Journal Senior Editor Meghan Rabbitt volunteered to play pincushion in the name of journalism—and beauty.
If you’d love to write but something’s holding you back, follow Elena Brower’s tips for finding your flow.
For our fourth annual natural-beauty awards, we vetted winners with our trusted advisors (naturally). Their extensive ingredient knowledge added up this list of the year's must-haves.
Steal this advice for optimizing face and body oils from Kim Rossi, director of Shankara Ayurveda Spa at the Art of Living Retreat Center in North Carolina.
It’s no secret that life can feel hard at times. This is especially true for empaths, who tend to be deeply affected by the energy of those around them, says Judith Orloff, MD, a Los Angeles–based psychiatrist and author of the new book The Empath’s Survival Guide.
Stick to your go-to greens and try some of these smoothie add-ins.
Setting an intention can be a powerful practice that helps you align with your higher goals. But keeping that intention front-of-mind so you actually follow through? That can be more challenging. Enter the DIY affirmation card.
Get a taste of the luxury resort and its “don’t worry, be happy” vibe with their experts’ tips
How a trek to holy Gomukh, the source of the mystical waters of the Ganges, deepened one writer’s understanding of yoga’s teachings.
From Maui to Mexico, world-renowned teachers share their favorite yoga retreats. Consider this the inspiration you need to book your next getaway.
Houseplants are efficient at filtering air throughout your home. Find the right plant for your lifestyle.
Nothing beats a steaming cup of hot cocoa for warming up on a cold winter day. Yet if your go-to recipe is essentially milk and sugar, it’s time to upgrade.
While most dance parties end in the wee hours, these trending events starting at 6 a.m. are inspiring yogis across the country to rise and rave—minus the alcohol and drugs.
There’s something about the new year that inspires a go-go-go attitude in most of us. But if the urge to take a break and hibernate strikes, give in, says Stephanie Brown, PhD. Turns out, there are some big benefits.
You could start a countdown to spring—or you could make this winter your healthiest and happiest yet with these tips.
To avoid oatmeal burnout this winter, try one of these simple, tasty recipes.
Ayurvedic practitioner John Douillard shares his top tips for learning to love ghee.
Finding the right yoga teacher mentor can be challenging. Here, Alexandria Crow shares her thoughts on how to tell if you’ve found a good match.
If you're wrestling with monkey mind, there’s a new mindfulness practice that’s as effective as it is pretty: the DIY glitter jar.
Coral Brown, a licensed mental-health counselor and senior Prana Vinyasa Flow teacher, shares four great mudras for this time of year.
One yoga teacher discovers how much more there is to learn about teaching yoga beyond the 200-hour YTT.
Get a taste of the spa’s rejuvenating vibe with these tips from Chief Medical Officer Tieraona Low Dog, MD.
YJ senior editor Meghan Rabbitt shares how learning to say this one little word more often empowered her to makeover her entire life.
Yoga Journal Senior Editor Meghan Rabbitt's trip to Hau Hin, Thailand, turned into the ultimate healing journey as she found herself letting go of old heartbreak.
Have you ever wanted some extra help tuning out the external world, let alone your inner dialogue, for a yoga class? Look no further than Sound Off Yoga.
These money archetypes are a way to help people tease out the factors that might be affecting their financial life on an unconscious level.
When you approach money with the same consciousness you bring to your yoga practice, your financial life can offer profound personal insight and wisdom.
Think of the word “core,” and terms like “hard" and “tight” likely come to mind. But the secret to a strong middle is actually to soften in your practice. This sequence shows you how.
From the philosophy lessons and inner work to the homework and teaching practice, a YTT is a transformative experience. A few key self-care strategies can really help.
From acupuncture and aromatherapy to reiki and reflexology, choosing the best healing modality for you can be tricky. Use this guide to 13 popular treatments to find your alternative medicine match.
Grab your journal and get to work on these final three tasks—exercises that’ll help you see that there are no limits to all you can accomplish.
There are simple steps you can take this week and return to if you ever sense yourself slipping, to ensure you stay the course—for good.
It’s time to look at the thought patterns and beliefs about yourself that may have caused you to reach for the wrong foods or overeat in the past—and might threaten to derail you now.
For the next seven days, focus on tactics that’ll help you hone the mindful-eating practice you started during Week 1.
This week is all about celebrating how far you’ve come—without reverting to old habits.
There’s a good chance you’re getting bored with your same-old green smoothie for breakfast, kale salad for lunch, lean meat-and-veggies dinners, and chia-seed pudding for dessert. Now’s the time to mix up your repertoire.
There’s always going to be something that threatens to throw you off your healthy-eating game. But how you react to—and plan for—those obstacles will be what helps you stay the course.
This week is all about noticing triggers for unhealthy eating patterns—and figuring out how to reward yourself in new ways.
Writing down what you eat can help you lose weight, and the process will also clue you in to what foods your body digests well—or not.
Science shows us that the first step to creating a new, lasting habit is to ask yourself this crucial question: What behavior do I want to create?
Like yoga, healthful eating habits are formed by intention and practice. Follow this research-backed plan to develop your most balanced, sustainable relationship with food yet.