Few of us escape lower back discomfort, whether it results from long drives, hours spent at a desk, or the aches of menstruation. Practicing yin yoga is a simple antidote that can help you undo the stresses caused by your everyday life. The long holds and mindful focus of yin yoga poses compress, stretch, and release the lower back to bring you relief from tension and discomfort.
Arrival & Breath (5 minutes) How to: Begin seated or lying on your back with support under your head if needed. Close your eyes. Take 5-10 deep breaths. Let your shoulders soften, your belly soften. Set an intention for the practice-perhaps "ease," "space," or "openness." (3-5 minutes) How to: Come to a comfortable seated position. Bring the soles of the feet together and let your knees fall to the sides (or widen your legs).
In modern society, it's considered *super* normal to strive for things outside of yourself. Call it hustle culture or rise-and-grind-either way, you're told to constantly reach for a promotion, a new car, or a fancy espresso machine (to fuel all your ambitions, ofc). This isn't a bad thing. Setting goals and challenging yourself can teach you discipline and dedication-not to mention it feels really good when you achieve them.
When that goes on long enough, the body tightens. The breath shortens. The nervous system stays braced for impact, even when nothing is immediately wrong. This is why practices that help us reinhabit the body and soothe the nervous system can feel so powerful. They remind us we don't have to live in a state of tension. We can soften. We can ground. We can exhale. That's what draws me to this upcoming Omega workshop, Sound as Medicine: A Healing Journey, with sound healer and guide Phyllicia Victoria.
Brain fog is very real. According to a recent study, "cognitive disability"-defined as difficulties concentrating, remembering, and making decisions-is on the rise in the U.S. The phenomenon is most dramatically affecting those between the ages of 18 to 39, with the self-reported impairments doubling over the course of the decade-long analysis. Potential culprits include stress, Covid, and digital overload. Fortunately, banishing-or at least minimizing-brain fog is within your power.
Legendary Italian freediver Umberto Pelizzari used to train in the Red Sea to study the breathing habits of dolphins.He was intrigued by dolphins' unique method for conserving their oxygen; whenever they dove for extended periods, they'd manage to slow down their heart rates and cling to a consistent core temperature. Pelizzari was keen to replicate these clever physiological adaptations in his own freediving.
Practicing yoga for anxiety is a balance of sitting with the accompanying emotions and moving just enough to allow new energy to flow through you. Yoga teacher Taylor Lorenz understands this. In just over 10 minutes, she moves you through calming cycles of Cat and Cow, some gently challenging seated postures, and a reinvigorating breathwork exercise, each easing anxiety while welcoming a more grounded sense of spirit.
Yoga is a way of life. For most student, practice begins on the mat, but once you find your flow, you begin to realize that yoga touches everything you do. From exploring accompany philosophy to focusing on breath and mindfulness, the effects of entering your yoga era are a perspective-shifting experience. Once there, though, you may find yourself immersed in yoga to the point where it's impossible to separate your practice from everything else. And that's kind of the point.
