Trinity Yoga

I had a question from another teacher asking “I have a student who has a heel spur on her right foot and when doing warrior I & II and south-side stretch feels pain into her achilles. Can you advise how to offer alternatives for relief?” I’m assuming that your student experiences pain in her rear foot. Planting the rear foot during these postures can over-strain the plantar fascia and achilles tendon. You can modify this by coming… More..

I came across a curious question today - “what is the symbolic meaning of tight feet”? This individual was also looking for a modification to Janu Sirsasana C. In my experience, tight feet are unable to receive support from the earth. This tight holding blocks the feminine, magnetic, “earth” energy (which provides a sense of grounding) from flowing up and enlivening your… More..

According to Light on Yoga you do use the strength of your buttocks muscles in order to lift your legs.  This is also recommended in a few other books as well.  However with this said yoga has changed and been adapted for our Western culture that does not have the same lifestyle habits as those in India where yoga originated. If your buttocks contracts slightly as you lift your legs and there is no compression on your lower back… More..

Light on Yoga by Iyengar has some great tips for this posture in his book that may be helpful.  Also you could explore drawing your legs in toward the mid line of your body thus balancing out your pelvis.  Once your pelvis is balance there will be more space for your shoulder to move as it will not be pulled back as far.  This should give you more space to level your clavicles and open your upper chest.  Practice… More..

Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries to the knee are usually caused by a traumatic event/force upon the knee at an angle. They are considered a very serious injury as the ligaments are integral to the proper structural foundation for the knee. They can be surgically addressed with generally good results. I know that yoga offers a good opportunity to re-enter a physical routine however some of the more extreme positions of the knee need to be avoided initially. One can… More..

The simplest and easiest to employ around eating is a slow, mindful, equal breath pattern called Sama Vritti as it balances the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system preparing the systems for digestion. It has many profound effects physiologically and will enhance your experience, health and enjoyment. More..

This is a very interesting question. One that I too have wondered about. After taking a hiatus from practising, as in anything, it’s important to ease in wisely.  For yoga you might consider starting with some free form dance to loosen up, reduce any tension and warm up the joints and tissues. Vigorous, free form movement can be much less hard on the muscles than jumping into a somewhat “linear” practise. When you are in the asanas, you might… More..

For many students it is challenging to create and maintain a home based practise.  One way to ensure that you get some home practice in during the week to enhance the many benefits of such a powerful practice you might like to buy a DVD or audio CD to help lead you through a series. There are many on the market. You will have to look closely to see what they offer and what focus they have. The ones… More..