Pain-Free Yogi

10/08/2018

I'm so excited to be back in Los Angeles & teaching Gentle Yoga at Sivananda Yoga Los Angeles tomorrow Friday August 10th from 6-7pm. Hope to see you there!

06/07/2018

Sometimes I wonder if I'm a curmudgeon. I see so many beautiful young women in yoga with low self-esteem, poor body image & desperately competing on social media while tagging themselves 'divine feminine' & 'empowerment'.

In this short video, Mark Whitwell nails what's missing in the now entrenched commodification of yoga.

Love Only.

goo.gl/WqD7bf

19/09/2017

It's that time again! LA yogis, spiritual aspirants & you, curious one, are invited to Navratri, the 9 Days of the Goddess, to connect with extraordinarily powerful aspects of the Divine Feminine.

Partake and generate blessings. Attend one or all evening pujas from Sept 21-30. No fee, donations accepted.

Sept 21-23: Durga (ferocity, protection & courage)
Sept 24-26: Lakshmi (wealth, beauty, children, abundant well-being)
Sept 27-29: Saraswati (purity, wisdom, artistic creativity)
Sept 30: Day of Victory

Click on the link below to learn more.

http://sivanandala.org/course/7194

2017 Navaratri Puja Schedule: Durga Thursday September 21st, 7:15pm Friday September 22nd, 7:30pm Saturday September 23rd, 5:00pm Lakshmi Sunday September 24th, 6:15pm Monday September 25th, 7:15pm Tuesday September 26th, 7:15pm Saraswati Wednesday September 27th, 7:15pm Thursday September 28th, 7:1...

23/06/2017

'Let your breath and gravity do the work for you' is something my students probably get tired of hearing! This 98 year old yogi doesn't believe in working up a sweat. Clearly daily practice is part of her secret. Love it!

https://qz.com/1010262/international-yoga-day-indias-oldest-yogini-says-youre-doing-yoga-wrong-if-youre-working-up-a-sweat/?utm_source=atlfb

She is 98 and has been practicing every day for nearly a century.

17/06/2017

Is it possible to quiet your mind, focus and meditate in a noisy environment? Check out this article! The answer is so obvious once you know ...

https://www.mindful.org/how-to-meditate-with-noise-a-3-minute-practice-for-anywhere/

Meditation can't always happen in blissful silence. By tuning in to the cacophony of everyday activity, we can find a space to rest and settle the mind.

19/05/2017

#2 is the Holy grail of my quest ... (:

22/03/2017

Do you have back pain? More US doctors are prescribing yoga over pharmacological interventions.

Find a certified yoga therapist who specializes in back pain to speed your healing. Yoga works!

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/13/health/lower-back-pain-surgery-guidelines.html?_r=0

A national physicians’ group says back pain is treated best by exercise, massage therapy or yoga and over-the-counter pain relievers, not medications like opioids.

21/03/2017

Come to class! If you like more personalized attention, contact me about a one-on-one session in the privacy of your home. You can only feel better (:

https://yogainternational.com/article/view/20-reasons-you-cant-do-yoga-and-why-none-of-them-are-true?utm_content=bufferc22d9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=articles

Don't let these misconceptions keep you from your practice.

16/03/2017

It's 4pm somewhere in the world ...

A meditation teacher and political columnist makes a case for considering the Internet an intoxicant that should be used in moderation.

09/03/2017

Yes! Yoga is great for depression.

On a personal level, years ago yoga helped free me from major depression where medication - tried allopathic and alternative - did not.

It's thrilling that more funding is being committed to complementary medicine studies.

http://time.com/4695558/yoga-breathing-depression/

It may even help people who haven't responded to drugs.

02/03/2017

✨Thank you to the beautiful Yogis✨🙏 who came out to Community Gentle Yoga on this gorgeous LA afternoon 👓🐬

Join our Wednesday 1pm class! 🌱 By donation at Sivananda LA in Marina Del Rey 🌱

Yoga is for everybody!! ✨

19/02/2017

When I'm having a bad day, the last thing I want to hear is 'cheer up!' But I always try to stay open to smart new information and compassionate nudges.

http://bigthink.com/robby-berman/4-things-you-can-do-to-cheer-up-according-to-neuroscience?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook =1487268187

A neuroscientific approach to maintaining emotional well-being.

07/02/2017

Compassion and understanding are key components in the process of self-care, relief and healing.

We all know that understanding and compassion can relieve suffering. This is not just a platitude; where there is understanding and compassion, there’s relief and help for ourselves and others. Our practice is to keep that understanding and compassion alive. As busy as we are, when we take the time to look a little bit more deeply, we can always find more understanding and compassion to offer.

18/01/2017

How beautiful is this?! Yoga & meditation nerds, data junkies: check out this alluring article

http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/what-is-meditation-mindfulness-good-for/?utm_content=buffer02338&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

What is meditation and mindfulness? How do you do it? What are the different types? And what does science say about the effects on the body and brain?

14/01/2017

Arthritis & yoga? A winning combination according to science!

Chair yoga reduces pain & increases range of mobility when practiced twice a week.

This is the first controlled study that shows chair yoga to be more effective at arthritic pain relief than health education programs or pharmacology.

24/12/2016

Mmmm Shirodara! Yes please, blissed out altered states of consciousness, third eye activation & calmed mind. Looking forward to 2 more weeks of this! In S Asia they call this 'detox', and it's done in conjunction with herbal oil massages, Sattvic diet, yoga and other nourishing therapies (:

02/12/2016

Don't you just love this graphic guide to beginner's yoga for plus-sized yogis?! Kudos and thanks to the mindful crew at Elephant Journal.

25/11/2016

22/11/2016

How do you stay happy and positive even on a bad pain day? It's all about connection, according to this Harvard study.

A 75 year study has discovered that the quality of our relationships - with community, family and friends - is a major factor in long-term happiness and longevity. Participants with a relationship they could lean into - that is in a friendship or partnership with someone they felt they could fully count on - found that even when they were in bad physical shape, they could stay emotionally upbeat.

http://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from_the_longest_study_on_happiness

What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it's fame and money, you're not alone – but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you're mistaken. As the director of a 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and…

02/11/2016

Can yoga really help protect you from these 17 debilitating conditions? Yes it can!

We've all heard it before - stress is a killer. Try to get your 10 minutes a day in of yoga ... in 10 days you'll be amazed how much better you feel.

24/10/2016

This holiday recipe for whipped yams and coconut cream sounds amazing! And it gets my Ayurvedic seal of approval.

In Ayurveda, fall is the season of Vata. Nature becomes cool, dry and windy making it easy for your own Vata dosha to become imbalanced. If your Vata gets aggravated you might begin to feel anxious, or talk faster than usual; your skin can get dry and insomnia kicks in.

When we eat according to Ayurvedic principles, honoring the season and our own constitutions, food becomes healing medicine. We stay more grounded and feel healthier.

So .... Can't wait to try this nourishing concoction. If you get to it before I do, please post how you like it.

These whipped yams are cooked in warm, slightly oily coconut cream and they’re revered in Ayurveda for their calming effect on the gut.

01/10/2016

Happy Navratri yoga friends! Blessings to you on these ten days dedicated to worshipping the Divine Feminine!

If you're curious about participating in a traditional Hindu ritual in a low-key and inclusive environment, or like myself just love getting your puja on, join me. Come any or all evenings from October 1-9 to the Sivananda Yoga Center in Marina Del Rey. Details and times are in the link below.

Best wishes for your year ahead. Om shanti.

http://www.sivanandala.org/course/5091

15/09/2016

Get your bliss on with me 1pm Wednesday's at Sivananda Yoga in Marina Del Rey.

One hour of gentle / therapeutic yoga followed by delicious guided meditation to see you through until the weekend.

This is a community, donation based class. See you there!

10/08/2016

Still not sure about the power of yoga therapy?? Look at how this 85 year old woman's scoliosis and hunchback are resolved. She's walking sure and straight! (:

http://nypost.com/2016/08/08/this-85-year-old-proves-yoga-can-keep-you-young/

When Anna Pesce was visiting her children in Wagener, SC, in November 2014, the then-85-year-old Orangeburg, NY, native almost collapsed trying to climb a set of stairs. “I had this horrible pain s…

19/07/2016

Today is Guru Purnima! It's a great day to thank your teachers and gurus - all those who have brought you closer to your truth. It's also a good day to reconnect with what truly inspires you. Many blessings!

14/05/2016

Are you or someone you know a Veteran suffering with PTSD? Join Miarco Tiama McMillian, Yoga Teacher and Veteran Marine, for Yoga Nidra to heal PTSD. Every Wednesday 6pm at American Legion. Post 826 in Woodland Hills, California. Contact Miarco for more information.