Yoga on the Beach

If you’re one of the fortunate yogis who has access to sand and surf, why not take your yoga mat to the beach? This beach-bound yoga video offers intermediate and advanced sequences (with some beginner stuff) for those seeking to add a little sun and ocean view to their practice. Two women offer their individual series of twists and turns in six and a half minutes, amidst a beautiful and inspiring background. Gives new mean to sun salutation.

Iyengar For Travel Woes

This is summer and that means many of us are traveling. What better time to incorporate specific yoga techniques to ease that back pain that comes from sitting too long in the car or holding ourselves cramped in a way-too-tight airplane seat in coach? This blogger found lower back relief in an Iyengar class after enduring a flight from Canada to his hometown of Arizona. When his regular class was unavailable, he decided to take a back-care yoga class. In his blog, he describes the sequence the teacher used that turned out to be a godsend for him. Here is his detailed back-saving class in a play-by-play for those of us who need the same help: Go to theyoginme blog.

What NOT to Do

This week’s Chicago Tribune has an article from a woman I related to instantly. Despite her regular yoga practice, breath work, and massage, she still struggles with chronic muscle tension in her neck, shoulders, and back. Then she found the Alexander Technique, which is a simple practice of learning how to keep your body in its natural state. It’s based on the idea that very early on in life, we may have learned incorrect methods of posture and walking that have caused painful habitual patterns to develop. The Alexander Technique helps us un-learn those patterns through awareness of how we hold ourselves up. Concentrating on what not to do rather than what to do is a difficult concept for most of us, but this one may be worth heeding. See the article at www.chicagotribune.com.