This morning I woke up with a pounding headache.  I think it’s from the little flu I feel coming on but it could be from anything. Headaches are very common and can be originate from countless sources.  Many friends and family ask me if yoga can help with headaches; and yes they can.  When a headache starts coming on, we often drop everything and try finding a quick fix.  I don’t like taking medication if I don’t have too.  So when I am getting a headache from dehydration, stress, tension, or anything else, I pull out the mat to do headache therapeutic yoga.

I find yogic breathing exercises along with a specialized headache sequence can nix headaches pretty quickly.  Yoga has the ability to relieve tension, boost circulation, calm the mind and can be a powerful natural remedy for headaches.

Specific poses can help alleviate pain associated with headaches and can help prevent headaches from happening in the first place.  This morning I incorporated some of these poses into my practice to prevent and treat my headaches.

1.    Deep Breathing (Pranayama) – Deep breathing releases tension in the shoulders and brings more oxygen into the brain.



2.    Cat Pose (Marjaryasana) - This is a beginner pose and is a great way to relieve tension in the spine, shoulders, and neck.  It also boosts circulation in the upper body.



3.    Child’s Pose (Balasana) - This fundamental resting pose can be a powerful remedy for stress, anxiety, and headaches.  It quiets the mind and releases tension from the back and shoulders.


4.    Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) - Not only is this pose good for headaches, it helps dealing with stress, calms the brain and helps relieve mild depression, relieve some symptoms of menopause. Overall a great pose.


5.    Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) - Calms the brain to relieve stress to prevent headaches.  It energizes the body, and relieves headaches, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue.


I hope these poses can help deal with headaches and prevent them in the future.  For more information on therapeutic focused yoga poses visit the Yoga Journal.com

Namaste.

No matter what; someone, somewhere has a harsh opinion and feels it necessary to share it.  This morning after my yoga class, I went to a café to get a cup of tea and reflect on the day to come.  There was a man very angry because the barista did not get his order right.  He was acting outrageous and spreading his negative energy to everyone in the café.  It was visible, the people sitting around him were getting physically upset.  Times like these, I am very happy I have a strong mind that can ward off negative energy.
Ever find yourself getting caught up in all the negative energy society gives off?  Sometimes it’s hard not to get consumed with the problems of family, friends, and those around.  It is important for me to find peace in the moment and let the negativity pass.  Society has such a strong hold on the minds of its citizens, it’s crucial to have a resilient mind and avoid all the criticism and negativity. Society should try to take time each day to release the destructive energy built up and allow the positive energy to flow in. 
When I come across such negativity and criticism, I try to look at it as a gift.  Whether the criticism is towards me or someone else, if it is a valid suggestion to improve, or a cruel jab, it reiterates how strong my positive energy is.  The human mind is the most powerful tool that can be used to increase positive energy in stressful situations.


Forgive and forget.  It sounds easier said than done.  Learning how to forgive those who hurt me and move on, made me live a happier life without grudges or hatred.  By forgiving and forgetting, both parties are able to move on and regain the positivity.  I have found that living without anger and hatred is living a happy life. 
When talking about forgiving and forgetting it is hard for me not to think about a story that made national headlines a couple years ago.  A father publicly forgave a drunk driver that hit the vehicle he was driving and killed his wife and two children.  That is a perfect example of forgiveness to create some sort of positive energy out of a situation so tragic and negative.  Read the story here.
I believe one of the most important components for living a positive and spiritual life are to forgive, forget, and continue being positive by living in the moment.  
I think everyone should spread positive energy everywhere by offering thanks for a healthy life, gratitude for the people around, and appreciation for the how fortunate they are.  Positive energy creates positive actions.



Namaste

As per my sister, Amanda’s request, I am going to share some tips on beginning yoga.  She has never taken a class before and wants to begin practicing after seeing how much yoga has affected my life.  Just get over the nerves about going to the first class and you’re in the clear.
When I went to my first yoga class, I had no idea what to expect.  I was nervous and didn't want anyone to watch me.  After that class, I had no desire to go back, I wasn't that good at it and I felt like everyone was watching me.  But when I stepped out of the studio and looked at the world around me, I felt something so extraordinary and unexplainable.  Since that first class I have never looked back, and made yoga and the way it made me feel an essential part of my life.


Here are some points I had to tell myself when I first began and what I recommend to my sister Amanda:
1. Remember there is no such thing as being “good at yoga”- Yoga is not something to be “good” at, it is a practice that helps to more deeply explore ourselves while learning to quite the mind.  There is so much pressure in today’s society to be perfect and get it right, but while participating in a yoga class each person has to keep the eyes closed and become the only one in the room.
2. Don’t think, just practice- When I first started yoga, just talking about going, usually made me make excuses to actually not go.  Just don’t think about going, get there, and forget everything else.  Actually showing up is the hardest part.
3. NO ONE IS JUDGING YOU- Being nervous the first couple classes are a given.  Know that in yoga, everyone is focusing on themselves and not concerned what everyone else is doing.  Just breathe, and let the mat be a personal sanctuary.
4. Listen to your body- Yoga can be challenging at first if you have never done anything like it.  Just ease in!  The way you treat your body during a practice, is a representation about how you take care of your body otherwise. When muscles are not as flexible, take time and focus on giving them what they need and let each breath get you closer to the goal.  Just listen to your body, you know what you can and cannot do.
5. Practice non-judgment, patience, and presence- Make the decision to go into every practice with an open mind and open heart.  Don’t judge yourself or decide that it is not happening or working.  Instead, welcome yoga and let each pose and breathe transport you to somewhere new.  Understanding the body’s limits works towards strengthening it from the inside, out.
And if you are still nervous about going to a yoga class, like I know my sister is?  Try doing a video at home.  There are hundreds and probably even thousands of beginner yoga classes online.  Try one at home, but it is even more important to listen to your body when at home.  If yoga is something new, there is a higher risk of getting hurting because poses might not be practiced correctly.  Take it slow and build up confidence to participate in a yoga class.
Here is a YouTube channel that is really good at easing into yoga for beginners. Click here  I would love be able to instruct everyone, especially my sister, but distance doesn't allow.



Beginning a yoga class may seem daunting, but I promise, just open your heart and allow a complete change in your mind, body, and spirit.  I know you will do amazing Amanda and everyone else how tries yoga for the first time. Good luck!

Namaste.

Today’s fast pace society puts us all at risk to panic and anxiety attacks.  I know from personal experience anxiety and panic attacks can feel extremely debilitating and happen to anyone.  Even though I consider myself a calm and collected person, I still fell victim to them in my younger years.  I was lucky because I knew techniques that would help me calm down and get through them.  Frequent exercise, yoga, and eating healthy have helped me manage them and have nearly gotten rid of them.

A few months ago, a woman joined my yoga class and asked if I knew any sequences of poses to relieve panic attacks.  She wanted to manage them without prescription medication.  Lucky for her, I had personal experience and was able to show her the sequence of poses I would use.  There are yoga poses and sequences to aid in just about every ailment.

After a couple months practicing yoga, she saw improvement but still consulted a doctor about the matter.  They told her the panic attacks were due to the hormonal imbalance of perimenopause and that physical activity, eating healthy, and natural supplements would help as well.
Here are a few of the poses I used and suggest to others dealing with panic attacks, stress, and menopause.  Make sure you listen to your body, take it slow, and focus on your breathing.

• Bow Pose (Dhanurasana) - Stay in this pose anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds. Release as you exhale, and lie quietly for a few breaths. You can repeat the pose once or twice more.


• Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) - Stay in the pose anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Release with an exhalation, rolling the spine slowly down onto the floor.


• Cat Pose (Marjaryasana) - This pose is often paired with Cow Pose (Bitilasana) Cow pose on the inhale, cat on the exhale.  Create a gentle flowing vinyasa.



• Cow Pose (Bitilasana) - See Cat Pose


• Extended Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana) - Hold for 30 seconds to a minute.


• Easy Pose (Sukhasana) - You can stay in Sukhasana for as long as you like.  Just breathe and relax.


The physical symptoms of panic and anxiety attacks such as tension, tightness, and pain sensitivity can be very uncomfortable.  These yoga poses, asanas, will help ease the physical discomfort and help release built-up muscle tension and stiffness.

Panic attacks and anxiety don’t have to take over your life, take it into your hands to be proactive in suppressing the symptoms.

Namaste