Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, teaches the art of folding, for folding well keeps your belongings safely, cleanly, and beautifully stored. You and I fold things every single day. We fold laundry, linens, and yoga blankets, and we probably do most of this folding intuitively. Well, the body folds too, and the benefits are vast. From a standing and seated position, we can fold forward. From a supine position, we...
If you’ve ever experienced knee pain, you know we use our knees a lot! If the simple act of standing up from a seated position hurts, how are we supposed to workout? Well, knees always need TLC, not just when you feel pain, and painful workouts are always a big no in my book, but we can still keep moving even when our knees limit us. The key is to feel out what you can do without pain. This will be...
People have been asking if I am going to be offering weekend retreats again, and after deeply contemplating it, the answer is no. My 10year run at Kripalu with Yogini Workshop was a blast – I met so many extraordinary women. However, my passion is in creating workouts and bringing movement into daily life, and retreats are a very different wheelhouse. Also, a huge part of the retreat experience has nothing to do with me...
Struggling to get to your at-home workout space as often as you’d like? Make it feel more sacred. The space we workout in should be a sacred space. First, because we spend a solid amount of time in it. Second, because we work hard on ourselves in it. And third, because we shut out the noise of the world and connect to ourselves in it. Often, we think a space is sacred because it’s connected to religion, like...
Let me start by saying, the following 10 items are not quirky to me. They are normal to me! However, I realize they are not mainstream and might seem a bit curious. Here are my quirky health habits: 1. I take my shoes off as often as I can. In fact, if I hike with shoes, I change out of them when I get back to my car. I’ll put on a sandal or go barefoot or switch to an Ugg boot that...
The biggest beef I have with what’s going on in healthcare today is this: we seem to have forgotten the body’s brilliance. “They” want us to forget. The more we forget our self-healing potential, the less empowered we are, and the less empowered we are, the more dependent we become. TOP THREE DISEMPOWERMENT TECHNIQUES: 1. Never ever discuss nature’s remedies. Sunshine, fresh air, movement, nutritious food, meditation, love, laughter – these are potent medicines, they seem to...
I spent a good chunk of my childhood playing tennis and had a slew of coaches. “Play the ball” was one of my all time favorite coaching tips. It basically meant, don’t worry about your opponent across the net – focus on hitting your best shot. Another memorable coaching tip was when I was very intimidated playing a top seed on their home turf and there was a big local crowd watching. My coach very calmly said, “Hey, this is...
Sometimes we lose track of the why. Why are we working out? Why are we spending time, money and energy on fitness? Why? There is no right or wrong why. Your why can be to manage weight or boost mood. It can be to be better at your job or safer at a sport. It can be to keep up with your kids or to look good. Many of us have multiple why’s, and for most of us the why keeps evolving. Perhaps, what...
My niece is finally 16, and she’s obtained her driver’s permit. I’ve been taking her out driving and she’s really getting the hang of it. My biggest driving tip, which I said early on, I’ve really hammered home, and I keep repeating, is: Be sure to get settled in the car before you put it in drive and head down the road. That translates as not rushing, perhaps taking some deep breaths, making sure the...
It’s firmly summer here in Connecticut, and while I try to appreciate every season, I must admit, I live for summer! I love the sun, the longer days, the summer food and most of all, I love being warm. Warmth is not talked about all that much but let me take you down memory lane. First, air conditioning wasn’t even a thought in dance/yoga studios back in the day. Most gyms did not have it...
