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When the thermometer reads single digits, and the window shows nothing but wind and snow, the idea of working out can send chills down your spine, literally. The cold has a way of deterring us from fitness goals and leading us to the couch, fireplace and hot chocolate. There are plenty of indoor and fun options for staying fit and focused in the winter. Make a planAs with any time of the year, an important part of maintaining a healthy routine is by planning to commit to a daily dose of exercise.
 Try yoga asana as an exercise at homeChanging up the routine can help you make your workouts a little more exciting and give you new feats to discover. According to Healthline, yoga asana is the easiest way to stay fit in winter. You can be any fitness level to start and it can be done at home. Try a new yoga asana class this winter or commit to a fitness plan that can be done at home, with friends, or at the gym. Yoga asana can be done almost anywhere, especially indoors, which means you can stay out of the cold while you work out. There are plenty of free online classes and tutorials that can teach you the basics and get you started.
The Yoga Journal maintains that yoga asana can keep you healthy this winter. By implementing certain poses you can increase circulation and help your body clear out bacteria and viruses by filtering them out through the lymph nodes. A regular yoga routine can also help you stay warm and prevent aches and stiffness. Build your home gym Taking some time and a little investment in a simple home gym can really pay off in terms of motivation. All you need is your body and a few basic tools to help. Having a specifically designated space in your home for your workouts will set you up for success. With just a few basic tools and equipment, you can ensure a full-body and effective workout, even as the snow falls outside.
Don’t let your body down this winter. Keep it active with a creative approach to in-home training. Remember to make a plan and a commitment to yourself and your goals. Implementing exercise as a regular part of your day can bring years of well-being and health. Photo Credit: Pixabay
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Lessons Learned in the Bahamas: Always carry a MacheteAny job can be made easier if you choose the correct tools. On a trip in the Bahamas I decided to collect various coconuts in order to experience the difference between young coconut water and the meat of a mature coconut. I did my research and knew what to look for, then went around the area collecting. When it came time to open the coconuts I discovered that the only tools available to do so were kitchen knives. Oh how a machete would have made a difference! After hours of whacking, smashing, shaving, and cutting, I opened all of the coconuts and was able to enjoy the fruits of my labor. Had I a machete, the work would have taken one quarter the time.  How to Practice Hatha YogaHatha Yoga focuses on the practice of asana, pranayama and kriya. It is the most popular practice in the United States. As a result, there are hundreds of companies selling products to help you improve your practice. Traditionally, there are just 3 tools you need in order to practice Yoga everywhere: your body, your breath and your mind. However, being able to create a space and access poses with ease often requires some assistance. When you don't have your instructor near, a few tools can change everything.  Tahoe Yoga Tools: A Unique Souvenier Over time we have tested a variety of asana tools. Due to our small retail space, we carry very few. Those that are on our shelves have been tested and proven. These are the tools we use in our studio and the ones we recommend for you to use during your practice. Manduka Mats stay clean, show little wear (over years of use) and are easy to clean. Our foam blocks are lightweight which make them durable and easy to toss to the side, or lift over head. We also get a pretty sweet bulk discount from Yoga Direct. Our Yoga Straps are sold exculsively in the studio. Our director, Jenay, makes them from organic cotton and YKK clips. You won't find these anywhere else. The same goes for our Lavender Eye Sachets. Filled with organic lavender and buckwheat, they are unique to LTY.  Support Your Self, Support Small BusinessAs you begin to practice Hatha Yoga more seriously, consider the tools with which you approach your practice. Consider the source and the quality. Consider for whom you practice. Join us for a class and gain more than just awareness. Develop the physical skills to access deeper areas of your own body. Lengthen your breath and become aware of your emotions. Learn to listen to the chatter in your mind and quiet the unnecessary thoughts. Do so with the correct tools and you will develop a stronger practice. Pratyahara Package1 Manduka eKO Mat
2 Foam Blocks 1 Yoga Strap OR Eye Sachet $110 Visit Lake Tahoe Yoga to purchase. Orders may be placed online for pick-up at studio. We all know that the only way to truly prepare for Winter sports is to get out there and do them. Whether you are heading to Heavenly or Kirkwood, Squaw or Sierra at Tahoe, Yoga Asana and Pranayama as well as mindful practices can help you to feel strong, safe and aware while out on the snow. Try out these simple practices to help you enjoy this year's season. You won't regret it.  Backcountry Poser 1) Asana (Poses) There are many Yoga asana (poses) that can help you to strengthen as well as recover from your day out on the slopes. An experienced and knowledgeable instructor will be able to guide you through theses poses and teach you how to use them in a way that helps you prepare for your day out, then release afterward. To Prepare: Yudrasana (Lunge) - raising and lowering between high and low lunges. Deviasana (Goddess) - holding, and also shifting your upper body from side-to-side. Virabhadrasana Dvi (Warrior Two) - holding, as well as rotating. To Recover: Parsvottanasana - intense side stretch. Supta Virasana - reclined hero Svastikasana - auspicious pose/reclined twist variation  Ski Day with SOS Outreach 2) Pranayama (Conscious Breath) If you’re heading out to the resort you are unlikely to be the only one doing so. You can prepare for and remain relaxed while sharing the mountain by applying a simple breathing techniques. Not only will they help you to remain calm and patient in lift lines. Pranayama practices can also help you to reduce stress levels while you are out and about traveling and visiting the area. Victorious/Powerful Breathing (Ujjayi): Breathe in and out of your nose only. Constrict the back of your throat slightly so that your breath is audible to you, only. Feel your breath as it moves in and out of your throat. Slow your breathing down so that each inhale and exhale is as long as you can make it.  Costumed Fools 3) Dharana (Mindful Practice)We can easily become caught up in the cycle of activity and buzz around us while we are out on the slopes. There are people moving everywhere and in every direction. It’s a good idea to step out of the way, look around, and observe our circumstances every once in a while. Be sure to follow these simple mountain rules to keep yourself and others safe: -Move to the side of the trail if you need to stop for any reason. While waiting for friends, fixing your gear or taking a break, move out of the way of those who are riding. -Be considerate of others by keeping your backpack, poles and gear close to your body while moving around or riding the lift. Wear headphones if you like to listen to music and keep the volume at a level that still allows you to hear the liftee and those around you in the case that someone is trying to get your attention. -Stay in control of yourself, even if your friends are bombing down the slope ahead of you. Most of us don’t get to ski every day. Honor your abilities and be honest about how much control you really have over your board or skis. Everyone, including that 5-year-old grom crushing it on the bumps will have more fun when staying in control. On-Mountain Mindfulness: Find a spot on the side of the trail, pull up a chair, or head into the lodge and relax for a few minutes. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you. Enjoy the crisp air and the swish of others sliding by. To learn more about the poses, breath work and mindfulness practices that keep Jenay peaceful during Tahoe Winter visit LakeTahoeYoga.com.
Four ways to shed toxins and feel healthier through Yoga We've learned that Hatha Yoga or Union through Effort focuses on cleansing the physical body first. Unlike the practice of Raja Yoga which focuses upon the Yamas & Niyamas as the beginning of our practice, Hatha Yoga focuses on controlling the body. If we can understand how our body works, then not only can we control it but we can respect it. Cleansing isn't necessarily about using a neti or swallowing a milk-soaked rag. It's about thinking about what you're putting into your body, how you use your body and what you do to your body. When we understand our bodies, we understand ourselves and we are better able to look upon ourselves with honesty. Have you ever viewed yourself with honesty? Without denying the aspects that you dislike or fear to admit to? The saying "you can't make others happy unless you are happy yourself" is about how you view yourself not about how much money you make, the car you drive or the clothes you wear. Know yourself and you'll learn that these things are not you. Know your body and you will find out who you really are.  Maybe you overdid it this weekend. Perhaps you really like cheese. Somehow an entire cheesecake disappeared and you think it might be in your belly. Regardless of how the toxins got into you, your task is to now get rid of them. Yoga can help! 1) Kriya: CleansingOne of the most important practices described in Hatha Yoga is purification. In fact, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika explains that you cannot move toward Raja (mindfulness) until you have purified yourself completely. Hatha Yoga describes the practices of Satkarma which include cleansing of the eyes, sinuses, digestive system and areas of elimination. We must keep in mind that Yoga and the practices described in the ancient texts were identified and the practice began around 5000 years ago. I don’t recommend practicing some of the satkarma described, today, as they may not create the intended results.  Try this: Bahiranga Tratak “Eye Cleansing” Spend 5 minutes gazing upon a singular object or point of focus. Try to soften your gaze and avoid blinking. Allow your eyes to tear. 2) Parvartate: RevolveAfter using a towel or sponge to soak something up, what do you do with it? I typically wring it out to squeeze out that which was soaked up. We can do the same with our bodies. Twisting, rotating or revolving in our bodies can help to move things within us. Gentle twists can massage your internal organs and change the relationship between our bones, joints and muscles.  Try this: Supta Madhyasana “Reclining Waist Pose” Lay on your right side and extend your legs and arms at a 90° angles from your torso (reach them forward). Keep your legs stacked. Lift your left arm toward the ceiling and then reach it away to the left. Turn your head to face your left hand. Breathe deeply for 10 breaths. Repeat on the other side. 3) Viparita Karani: Inverted ProcessWe spend most of our lives upright. Like the plants that reach for the sun, we stand upon our two feet with our heads above our hearts. Yoga Asana, or postures, are categorized based upon the primary movement that occurs in our bodies when we do them. Inversions are described as a position in which your heart is above your head. When we invert our bodies we change the way in which we see things, the way blood flows, the way fluids in our bodies move and the way gravity affects our bodies. Gentle inversions create a shift in experience and perception of the world. I like to imagine that inverting my body is like turning a container upside-down. Everything on top dumps out and everything on the bottom is revealed. Shake things up and you might discover toxins that you didn’t know you had stored away.  Try this: Viparita Karani “Inverted Process” Beside your sofa or bed lay a pillow. Rest your hips on the pillow and put your calves on the bed or sofa. Stretch your arms out to the sides. Rest with your eyes closed for 40 breaths. 4) Cultivate OppositesYoga is a practice of cultivating opposites. In order to remove the toxins that result from habits, we have to identify them. If you spend most of your day sitting, you should create opportunities for walking. If your job includes managing people you should step back and let someone else take the lead in other situations. If you really like strongly flavored foods, you should include bland foods on every dish as a compliment.  Try this: Svadhyaya “Self Study” Make a list of your favorite activities and foods. Then, beside each item on the list, write down something that is opposite or complementary. Seek out opportunities to cultivate the opposite. If you would like to learn more or receive individualized guidance in any of these techniques I would be happy to schedule a session. As with any new activity begin gently and seek out guidance from a qualified teacher.
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Lake Tahoe Yoga Studio, School & Retreats
Discover Your Self ™
Zephyr Cove, NV, 89448
(775)580-7224
Design, Graphics and Photos by Jenay
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Lake Tahoe Yoga Studio, School & Retreats
Discover Your Self ™
Zephyr Cove, NV, 89448
(775)580-7224
Design, Graphics and Photos by Jenay
Except as permitted by the copyright law applicable to you, you may not reproduce or communicate any of the content on this website, including files downloadable from this website, without the permission of the copyright owner.
The US Copyright Act allows certain uses of content from the internet without the copyright owner’s permission. This includes uses by educational institutions and by Commonwealth and State governments, provided fair compensation is paid. For more information, see https://www.copyright.gov/title17/title17.pdf.
The owners of copyright in the content on this website may receive compensation for the use of their content by educational institutions and governments, including from licensing schemes managed by Copyright Agency.
We may change these terms of use from time to time. Check before re-using any content from this website.
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