Buzz the Stress Away with the Bumble Bee Breath - Brahmari Pranayama

The word "Brahmari" comes from the Sanskrit word which means bee. The practice is named for the humming sound that bees make. The sound is soothing for a spinning mind, and the practice lengthens the exhalation without excessive strain.  The practice of Brahmari breathing (Bumble Bee Breath) calms the mind and reduces the fight or flight stress response. It reduces cerebral tension, anger, anxiety, and insomnia, while aiding in lowering blood pressure. This pranayama is very effective in speeding up the healing of body tissues and may be practiced after surgeries.  It has a calming effect on entire nervous system, especially it stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which induces muscular relaxation and is very effective in stress management. So Brahmari is very effective for relaxation of body and mind.

Brahmari can be used as a regular daily practice to encourage relaxation or as an on-the-spot remedy. Because of the buzzing sound, however, it's the kind of practice that you might not choose to do in public. If you are out somewhere and experiencing anxiety, look for a place that's relatively private, like a bathroom or your parked car.  Or you could always play it off like you’re humming to your favorite song to yourself!                                                     

Practice Brahmari Breathing:

Sit comfortably, with the back tall and shoulders relaxed. Start by taking a few natural breaths, and close your eyes (as long as closing them doesn't produce more anxiety).

Then, keeping the lips lightly sealed, inhale through the nostrils. Exhaling, make the sound of the letter M, essentially a humming sound. Sustain the sound until you need to inhale.

Then repeat: Inhale through the nose, then hum like a buzzing bee as you exhale.

Continue by inhaling as needed and exhaling with this sound for several minutes. You can practice as long as it feels good.

The longer you sustain the humming exhalation, the more relaxing the Bumble Bee Breath is likely to be—but forcing the breath beyond your capacity can have the reverse effect, causing even more stress. So don't force yourself to maintain any particular speed. Inhale whenever necessary, and let the buzzing sound last as long as it is comfortable.

Finally, spend a few breaths sitting quietly and noticing whether there are any changes in your breath or mood.

Meditating on a bed of nails.

Woke up tense with a racing mind, so I practiced my morning meditation on a bed of nails.  My Shakti Mat makes me slow down, breathe deep & be here in the moment. The tiny nails stimulate my body so intensely that it releases muscle tension, just as long as I let go & relax onto them. Just finished about 2 minutes in tadasana standing on it, & about a minute on both sides of my face!  I highly recommend it.

Don't forget to savasana

If you're a regular in my yoga classes, you've heard me say this time and time again...savasana is THE MOST important pose in your yoga practice!  It's also the hardest because most of us (if not all of us) have such a hard time letting go.  

Here in the West we've taken yoga to a very different place.  There's loads of "power" yoga classes, challenging yoga in gyms (with little to no spiritual aspect), and way to much ego-driven desires to get into certain poses.  It's a shame, because that is SO far from what yoga is.  

The relaxation aspect of yoga is crucial.  It's a major part of such a beautiful practice.  It's important to rest and relax throughout your yoga practice, in between poses so that your body can soak up all of the benefits.  Savasana is the climax to your yoga practice!  

It warms my heart to see my students melt into their mats at the end of class.  It's also a great reminder for me, as a teacher, to practice more savasana!  

Backyard Summer Meditation/Yoga Practice

On Saturday and Sunday mornings I love rolling out my mat into a patch of sunlight and flowing for a bit.  Once I start sweating from the morning sun (doesn't take much), I plop onto my meditation cushion for a few moments of zen.  I love taking in the sounds, smells, and feelings of the summer.  It's so grounding and completely recharges me from my week.  

Where is your home meditation/yoga practice?

CYH's Moment of Yoga: Inversions Flip Your World

My favorite part of any inversion is the opportunity to see the world flipped upside down.  It gives you a whole new perspective of something that you may be very familiar with...but just not from that view.  It's good to change things up both on the mat and off.  The next time it applies in your personal/professional life, imagine the situation from another perspective.  Give it a try on your mat and see what happens.  Give it a try in your life and see what happens.  

COREiculum Yoga Session

Last year I had the pleasure of working with Monmouth College student, Andy Stern, an entrepreneur and fitness expert who put together the genius idea, COREiculum.  It's a fitness program designed by college students for college students!  Keeping a student's hectic schedule, small dorm-room environment, sporadic sleeping habits, and dietary challenges, COREiculum is a student's professor, adviser, and classmate to a sculpted, toned, and well-defined bathing suit body in just 25-45 minutes a day.  I offered an "extra-credit" yoga course on the DVD and am psyched for college students to whip their health into shape by getting in their workouts, yoga, and nutrition habits into better shape!  

Check out more about COREiculum here and/or purchase your DVD!  

I enjoy the workouts each week at home even though I'm way out of college - HA!!

Savor Your Savasana

Who doesn't love a nice long savasana?  It feels so delicious!!!  Savasana (the corpse pose, or better known as the relaxation pose - pronounced SHA-va-sana), is a crucial pose in any yoga practice.  It's so important to let go and completely relax at the end of your practice so that you can really reap the benefits of all of the other yoga poses you practiced!  Try not to skip it or skimp on it.  Use those few minutes to melt into your mat and drift off to another place.  REST and savor your savasana!

These were my students resting in their savasana one Wednesday night at the Power Yoga Center.  Stop in for my class Wednesday nights at 7pm!

CYH's Moment of Yoga: Observe & Savor

"Begin your (asana practice) by sitting on the floor in any comfortable position. Feel the energy in the room. Observe the colors and shapes, and be aware of how you feel. Then close your eyes and breathe deeply, gently. Savor the air for a moment as you hold your breath, then release it slowly. Do this three times, reminding yourself that you are an integral part of the universe. Pay attention to your posture, the feeling-tone of you, and be relaxed and motionless. Then say a short prayer or invocation."   -Erich Schiffman

Birthday Yoga & Kirtan

Lammer asked me what I wanted this year for my birthday and after a few moments of thought I confidently said with a huge smile of excitement, "I want a backyard yoga party at our house. And I'm asking my friend Lisa who teaches yoga to teach it and then lead a kirtan afterwards!"  I invited some of my closest friends and all 14 of us (there were actually many that couldn't make it!) enjoyed a beautiful morning class, delicious eats and a kirtan together.  It was beyond ideal and I couldn't have asked for anything more.  I think I've started a new birthday tradition!

Mrs. Forney came to enjoy the morning, such a treat!
Her birthday is actually May 21st, the day before me.

I know I'm a huge Martha Stewart dork, but I made these cut-out
paper yoga pose ornaments for all of my guests to take on their way out.

All 14 of us fit comfortably in my backyard, next time maybe even more!

After yoga kirtan.  Click HERE for a snip of it!

The lovely Lisa B. and her doggie, Oreo.  She lead us through a beautiful yoga class
and finished us off with an amazing kirtan.

Me, piggin' out on some of the yummy eats.

Rama, Rama, Rama

Today is Lord Rama's birthday.  Gandhi's personal mantra was "Rama." As the story goes, when he was very little, he was very afraid of the dark, and a servant in his house told him to repeat the word "Rama, Rama, Rama" whenever he felt afraid. The mantra made him feel so much better, so he used it his entire life.  In fact, after he was assassinated his last word was, "Rama."  Every time I think of him uttering the Lord's name in his last breath I get the chills.  So beautiful!  

With the recent Boston disaster and the scary man-hunt that is going on today, maybe we can all chant Rama, Rama as we go about our day.  

Sacred Pilgrimage to India 2013

I've recently returned from another amazing trip to India.  

I experienced endless highlights, but below are just a few.  Click on pictures to enlarge and be sure to check out a few of the links to some sweet videos!

The poorest of children beam with nothing but pure happiness.  Look at those smiles!
Click here to see them in action.

Children at the Bhaktivendanta Mission School doing their
morning yoga routine.  Click here to see their preciousness!

ISKCON's Food for Life kitchen where they make thousands
of bowls of kitchari for children every day.  They're literally
shoveling rice here in the kitchen, that's how much food we're talking.

Their kitchari was so tasty but very spicy
...otherwise the kiddies won't eat it!  

The Bhaktivendanta Hospital is the ultimate
holistic hospital.  I felt like I was dreaming!

An authentic Indian cooking class on how to
make dosas!  So fun and of course yummy.

I was choking back tears watching such tiny beings
radaite with devotion for the Divine.

We visited a weaver's village in Mayapur.  See them here!

Connecting with Mahatma & Jahnava was such a special part of my trip.

Yoga asana is an essential part of healing at the
Bhaktivendanta Hospital...they know what's up!

Morning puja at the temple.  Flowers, incense, light & love are offered.

We had countless interactions with cows during our travels.  They're
such beautiful beings and create such a sense of calm within you when
you spend time with them.  

Jagannath Puri, an extremely sacred place.  Jagannath translates to master of the universe
so hundreds of Hindu's come to worship each day at the temple.
Below me in this pictures was a monkey doing something dirty, see here.  

An artist at work on the floor on an intricate Ganesha painting.
This will take him 6 months to complete.   !

Beautiful Krshna with a sweet little girl at his side.

Covering up from the holy-hot sun.

Way too cute!

Yoga Classes with Lauren

Join Lauren at her weekly yoga class!

Wednesdays @ 7:00pm at Power Yoga Center in Middletown, NJ

Lauren teaches a 60-minute Power 1-beginner/intermediate flow yoga class every Wednesday night at the NEW Power Yoga Center. This class is challenging.  We get a good, warm flow going but Lauren treats you to a restful relaxation at the end.  Drop-ins welcome.

Interested in a private class or a small group class at either your home or on the beach?
Lauren offers all of these!
Contact her for more information. 

Happy Feet = Happy You

Your feet are awesome.  They hold all of you up and take you anywhere you want to go.  In turn we should take very good care of them.

Warm them up.  Our feet can get cold during the chilly months here in the Northeast.  Be sure to bundle up in nice cozy socks to retain your body heat.  A relaxing habit to get in before bed is turning the warm water on in your tub while you brush your teeth.  Afterwards, sit on the ledge of your tub and soak your feet in just a few inches of the warm water while you practice some deep breathing, meditate for a few minutes or read your favorite magazine.  Follow that up with some nice lotion after drying.

Massage them good.  After bathing or soaking your feet, be sure to lather them with your favorite cream or oil and give them a good rub.  Allow your fingers to glide up and down the instep of your foot, pressing your fingers into the tops of your feet to work all of the tension out.  Squeeze each toe one at a time.  Doesn't that feel nice?  If you're not up for doing this yourself ask someone to do it for you or even better, book a pedicure!

Walk on nails.  Have you checked out the Shakti Mat?  It's a bed of nails that you can lie on, walk on, fall asleep on, etc.  It's invigorating, exciting, totally different and tons of fun.  I love keeping it at my feet while I work to stimulate every bit of my feet.  My feet are always happy and pink when I step off the mat.

Do your yoga.  Yoga stretches some of the muscles of our feet/ankles that most other physical activities do not.  Standing poses (like warriors, triangle, wide-legged forward folds, etc.) will allow you to appreciate those muscles as you hold the pose and feel your feet opening up.  When you're suffering from back aches, foot cramps or just need an excuse to kick your feet up, get a pair of Yoga Toes.  I swear by these suckers!

Go barefoot.  Shoes are fantastic, there is no doubt about that.  However, they create a barrier between our bodies and the earth, making us unable to soak up the healthy energy that our loving mother has to offer.  It's ever so important that we go barefoot as much as possible (more-so in the warmer months) so that we can directly connect to the earth's energy.  Think of how amazing it feels to be barefoot on fresh green grass outside, or how exfoliating it feels to walk on the beach where the sand gets caught in between your toes.  It's energizing on levels that we are so unaware of!

Sick Day

Yesterday I woke up feeling not-so-right.  I took it slow, made sure to eat only nutritious foods and got to bed super early.  However, this morning was a challenge getting out of bed.  As I sit and write this sipping on my "breathe easy" tea I'm trying to get work done in my office but I'm tired, fog-headed, achey and not feelin' hot.   Instead of powering through it and just exacerbating whatever illness is happening in my bod, I'm going to stand up in my comfy PJs and bed-head hair and say,

"I don't think so."

Hey sickness, I'm going to kick your ass by:

1.  Resting.  This is a hard concept for most of us to grasp, especially when we have tons to take care of.  I'm going to finish this post, heat up some hot water (to break my congestion in my face and chest), get comfy cozy in bed, turn on Netflix and catch a few movies that I can nap in and out of.  I'm going to bring my planner with me so that in between naps/movies I can at least make a few phone calls to get a few things off of my check list for the day.

My sick breakfast includes a green shake made a little different
than usual, but quite good:  Handful of kale & spinach, 1/2 banana, 2 dates,
3/4 tsp spirulina, 1 tsp hemp seeds, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup water,
1/2 the juice of a lemon, 1 tbsp almond butter, inch of ginger, & 1/2 tsp coconut oil.

2.  Eating only nutritious foods.  This means going light on foods for the next few days, but making sure that the ones I consume are going to nourish me where it counts.  I'm going to enjoy a little lentil soup for lunch and then treat myself to a nice bowl of miso soup for dinner.  Miso soup is my go-to feel-good meal whenever I'm not feeling well.  I hearty mine up to make it extra yummy.  Umm, this is usually the time where I'd include the recipe or at least the link to my recipe but I have to put it together (since it's just in my head).  I'm going to have to take a raincheck on that though...because I'm sick.  Sugar cravings while sick believe it or not can still creep up, so I'm drinking loads of water, herbal tea and broth to hydrate and kick those cravings.  I do suck on a few Manuka honey (extremely powerful and healing honey)/ginger lozenges though.  They are super yummy and also contain some echinachea.    I'm also upping my daily dose of probiotics (healthy gut bacteria), eating lots of garlic, taking colloidal silver, taking vitamin D and still eating my greens.

3.  Practicing yoga.  I'm practicing my yoga in a few ways.  Number one, I'm following Ahimsa (non-violence), by honoring my body and taking the time to step back, rest and restore when it needs some extra love and care.  Number two, gentle heart opening stretches and side bends will not only open my congested chest, but they'll further help the lymphatic system to drain.  Number three, practicing pranayama (breath work) helps to kick out the stale air in my lungs.  I like to do a few lion's breaths or bastrika pranayama while feeling this way.  (Again, this is where I'd insert directions on how to do it or at least a link...some other time!).

Hopefully the next time I'm blogging I'm restored back to health and this funkiness is long gone.  

I'm confident it will be.  In the meantime, stay healthy!

What do you do when you're feeling under the weather?  Any tips and tricks you can share?

Beautiful Brahma

It's 5:30pm on a Friday.  At this time on Friday's I am hooking up my iPad, closing the curtains and bowing at the alter before turning around to teach a class at Brahma Yoga Spa in Sea Bright...but not this Friday.

In November of 2008, I had just moved to Red Bank and was trying out classes at local yoga studios.  Brahma was the 3rd studio I had checked out and from the moment I walked into that place, I knew it was for me.  After taking my first class there I walked right up to the front desk and introduced myself to Lisa, the owner.  I confessed my love for her studio and flat out told her I wanted to teach there.  She mentioned how a teacher was just about to leave (who taught on Friday nights)...and I've been teaching there ever since.  What I loved about Brahma then has only grown over these past four years of working there.  It's a warm, rich yoga studio.  Warm with familiar faces who are each so compassionate and talented in their own way.  The array of yoga teachers, massage therapists and the many special guests that frequented that studio all brought such special touches to the studio and to the students who came to class.  The faithful students brought life and community.   Lisa's studio was warmed with colors from her tasteful decor, beautiful curtains and authentic brick wall.  The alter at the front of the class eternally lit to express devotion to our great gurus and sages of yoga.  It was rich with presence.  A spiritual presence, a loving presence, a safe presence...all of which makes a true yoga studio.  

The inside of Brahma's alter, glowing eternally.

I have been fortunate enough to visit yoga studios around the world but even before this unfortunate event has happened I would still confidently say that Brahma Yoga was one of the most beautiful spaces for yoga that I've ever had the pleasure of practicing in, let alone teaching in.  I've always been proud to be a teacher at Brahma and to explain (similarly the same way I just did above) to those who haven't been there how they must go.  

This past week, hurricane Sandy caused the worst damage recorded in Sea Bright's history - roadways covered with feet of sand and debris, wrecking the majority of homes and businesses in the small beach town...including beautiful Brahma.  My heart aches for Sea Bright, Lisa, our students, staff and most importantly those who lost their lives.  

This breaks my heart, but I look forward to

being a part of helping Brahma to rebuild

however possible in the future.  

As yogis, we can meditate on the (Kundalini) healing mantra, Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung (click for Snatam Kaur's beautiful version).  Chanting can help to settle our hearts and minds while invoking the pure power to heal and bless.  We are all powerful and have the potential to heal through our intentions and prayers, to spread healing and light where it is needed most.  This mantra literally means: “I am Thou.” It can also mean, “the service of God is within me.“  May our collective vision of light and love bring healing to the the darkness and pain we're experiencing from hurricane Sandy, and to those who need it most. 

Hari Om.

CYH's Moment of Yoga: Open your heart

Heart and chest openers are oh-so-important this time of year and for a few reasons:

1. Opening our chest and taking a few deep breaths will cleanse our lungs of any stale breath that's lingering.  As soon as we rid our lungs of that stale breath and inhale replenishing them with fresh breath, we're leaving less room to get a chest cold.  

2. Think about our habits and lifestyle each day.  Many of us are on the computer for hours at a time, driving in the car, doing dishes or cooking, etc.  What do those things have in common?  We tend to hunch forward while we do them, causing us to close off our chest area.  Let's open that area up and press our shoulder blades together on our back.  

3. As we approach Thanksgiving, a season of gratitude, it's important for our hearts to be open.  When we physically open our chest area and create that space in our chest, and then bring our attention to our heart center with our minds, we can embrace the emotions that come with this season.  When you experience feelings of gratitude you feel love.  When you feel love and gratitude it's hard to feel anger, stress or negative thoughts.  

My favorite chest openers in yoga are matysasana (fish pose) & dhanurasana (bow pose).  The easiest is  a standing yoga mudra, where you just clasp your hands behind your back, hinge forward as you lift the arms and breathe as you open your chest.  Give one a try today and see how much better your chest feels.  Make some space for some love to pour into your heart!

September is National Yoga Month

We all know that yoga is good for us, but sometimes it doesn't hurt to be reminded! Read on and try and think about taking a new yoga class this month in your area to change things up a bit. It's important to keep an open mind with your practice and be inspired by different teachers.  Click here for more details.

10 Reasons to Practice Yoga

1. STRESS RELIEF: Yoga reduces the physical effects of stress on the body. By encouraging relaxation, yoga helps to lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Related benefits include lowering blood pressure and heart rate, improving digestion and boosting the immune system as well as easing symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, asthma and insomnia.

2. PAIN RELIEF: Yoga can ease pain. Studies have demonstrated that practicing yoga asanas (postures), meditation or a combination of the two, reduced pain for people with conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, auto-immune diseases and hypertension as well as arthritis, back and neck pain, and other chronic conditions. Some practitioners report that even emotional pain can be eased through the practice of yoga.

3. BETTER BREATHING: Yoga teaches people to take slower, deeper breaths. This helps to improve lung function, trigger the body’s relaxation response and increase the amount of oxygen available to the body.

4. FLEXIBILITY: Yoga helps to improve flexibility and mobility, increasing range of movement and reducing aches and pains. Many people can’t touch their toes during their first yoga class. Gradually they begin to use the correct muscles. Over time, the ligaments, tendons and muscles lengthen, increasing elasticity, making more poses possible. Yoga also helps to improve body alignment resulting in better posture and helping to relieve back, neck, joint and muscle problems.

5. INCREASED STRENGTH: Yoga asanas (postures) use every muscle in the body, helping to increase strength literally from head to toe. And, while these postures strengthen the body, they also provide an additional benefit of helping to relieve muscular tension.

6. WEIGHT MANAGEMENT: Yoga (even less vigorous styles) can aid weight control efforts by reducing the cortisol levels as well as by burning excess calories and reducing stress. Yoga also encourages healthy eating habits and provides a heightened sense of well-being and self-esteem.

7. IMPROVED CIRCULATION: Yoga helps to improve circulation and, as a result of various poses, more efficiently moves oxygenated blood to the body’s cells.

8. CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONING: Even gentle yoga practice can provide cardiovascular benefits by lowering resting heart rate, increasing endurance and improving oxygen uptake during exercise.

9. FOCUS ON THE PRESENT: Yoga helps us to focus on the present, to become more aware and to help create mind body health. It opens the way to improved concentration, coordination, reaction time and memory.

10. INNER PEACE: The meditative aspects of yoga help many to reach a deeper, more spiritual and more satisfying place in their lives. Many who begin to practice for other reasons have reported this to be a key reason that yoga has become an essential part of their daily lives.
Text courtesy of Yoga Alliance.

Flexible On the Mat, Flexible Off the Mat!

Yesterday morning was like every other Monday morning. Alarm went off at 4:45am. I snooze for a bit, kiss the boyfriend goodbye as he leaves, then stumble out of bed, do a short yoga practice, take a shower and leave for NY. I drive my 2 hour commute and park my car in front of the office and realize...I left my briefcase on my desk chair at home containing my laptop, iPad, to-do list, planner and office access key.

Awesome. Not so much, so I thought.

For a good few minutes, I'm completely overwhelmed contemplating whether to turn back around. That would mean a good 4+ hours in the car, not even counting the other hour and a half for my commute home after work. No way.

I make it into the office (using someone else to grant me access into the building) and commit to a technology-free day. I began organizing, drafting new to-do lists, cleaning and catching up on the stack of magazines (for work) that are piled on my desk. I had only limited access to my mail and internet via my iPhone, and luckily had some gentle music playing from it all day, too. I check in with myself right before I go teach my yoga class at the end of the day and realize I feel completely at ease and happy with my technology-free yet productive day. Then it hit me - that is my yoga practice working!!!! Yoga increases flexibility throughout our body the more we practice. At the same time, when we stay true to our practice both on and off the mat, our minds become more flexible as well! Yesterday morning I was able to have a moment of pure frustration and panic when I realized I left EVERYTHING at home, but quickly snapped out of it and made the best with what I had all day long resulting in a wonderfully productive day.

I'm writing this now on my lovely laptop, with my iPad nearby, my access key on my hip and my planner open. Grateful for each one of them, but not dependent or attached! Well, maybe a little, but you know what I mean. Keep up with your yoga practice, it shifts things in such a wonderfully positive way even when you least expect it! Om.

YogiTunes Documentary Film Review: Yoga Is

Yoga Is from Suzanne bryant-cunha on Vimeo.

Yoga Is: A Film About The Transformational Power of Yoga

Yoga Is, is an inspiring, quick, 60-minute documentary on what yoga is all about. The filmmaker, Suzanne Bryant, found herself lost after losing her mother to breast cancer so she set out to explore and learn more about the ancient practice of yoga. Along her journey, both East & West, she met with some of the most prominent Western Yoga Gurus, teachers, and celebrity devotees such as Russell Simmons, Christy Turlington Burns, Michael Franti, Sharon Gannon, David Life, Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, Alan Finger, Ana Forrest, Baron Baptiste, Cyndi Lee, Sri Dharma Mittra, Eddie Modestini, Elise Browning Miller, Erich Schiffmann, Gurmukh, Krishna Das, Nicki Doane, Robert Thurman, Saul David Raye, Shyam Das. Through her journeying, she attained much enlightenment (as one could imagine conversing with such great teachers, in such spiritual places!).

What I loved most about this film was how much emphasis was put on yoga being SO much more than just a physical practice on a mat. I found myself jotting down memorable quotes that were so uplifting and true. When we step onto our mats to stretch our bodies, calm our minds, and deepen our breath, we are connecting ourselves to a higher power whether we realize it or not. We're connecting with the earth, grounding, and recharging ourselves. When we do this, we become clear. Yoga fulfills us from within, and shows us that we don't need external things to make us happy (as we're conditioned to believe through the media).

Of course, I loved how much footage was shown in India, the motherland of yoga. Any shots of India reminds me of my trips there and how simple yet beautiful their way of life is. Love and beauty is literally gushing out of every smile there. Simplifying and letting go is a huge part of yoga. India helped me understand this concept, allowing me to return home and practice it.

Music-wise, the tunes were right on. There was a continuous flow of awesome tracks from beginning to end and each made a perfect back drop to all that was being discussed. Check here for the complete list of songs.

A refreshing documentary on yoga for beginners, intermediate or advanced yogis to be inspired by. I give it a solid thumbs up, check it out!

Lauren is a guest blogger for YogiTunes, an organization that is committed to using the power of music to support positive social change.

Perky Posture

Don't be a slouch! Sit or stand tall, confident and strong. Sitting or standing up straight will allow the prana (breath) to flow smoother, providing you with more energy while improving the health of your spine. Practice mindfulness of your posture at all hours of your day, in all situations for a taller, prouder you!

1. Take a break. Most office jobs leaves us sitting at a desk for long periods of time, allowing us to sink into our chairs. Set your computer to ding every hour as a signal to stand up, stretch, roll your neck/shoulders and readjust. Get up to grab a drink of water too, it will help get the blood circulating, give your eyes a rest and rehydrate you.

2. Raise your car's rear-view mirror. Angling your mirror up slightly teaches you to sit up straighter behind the wheel and elsewhere.

3. Move your monitor. Your neck is an extension of your spine so tilting your noggin down or back to see your screen can promote poor posture. Adjust your screen's position at your desk so that you gaze straight ahead. Also, be mindful of your position as you use gadgets such as laptops, iPads, even gadgets such as phones for long periods of time.

4. Stand tall in mountain pose. Practice tadasana (the mountain pose) by balancing your weight equally between both feel and imagine they're rooted to the floor. Visualize the crown of your head being pulled from above and you keep your abs tight. An easy way to bring yourself into a correct posture at any time is to tightening your abs, that will always align your spine correctly.

5. Do kegals. Contract your pelvis as if stopping a flow of urine. Working the pelvic floor and other muscles of the core stimulates muscles along the spine that encourages it to lift and elongate. It also is a great exercise to help prevent incontinence.

A regular yoga practice will help correct your posture. In yoga we work on lengthening the spine, increasing the space between each vertebrate, resulting in a taller, prouder you!