​Full disclosure: before I took my yoga teacher training, I injured my lumbar spine - from doing yoga. It all started with some workshops on practicing Upward Facing Dog, an advanced backbend. Although my teachers described this back-bending pose in depth, I was doing it wrong and I kept pushing for "more", to "feel more" and to "backbend more" (whatever that means!) I started experiencing some low back sensations but misinterpreted it as "going deeper into my pose", so I kept at it.  ​

Although it may not feel like it here in Toronto, spring is just around the corner. We can finally look forward to the beginning of warmer weather. As nature does, we are thawing out, slowly coming out of our “winter hibernation mode” and embracing the sunny days, easing into “spring growth mode”.  While I believe that the time to begin yoga is always “now”, creating a new habit with the change of seasons may be powerful as you connect to the idea of spring renewal. So here are my top ten reasons (a few of them backed by science and helpful resources!) why you should consider incorporating yoga in your life, or rekindle your practice if it has waned. Hopefully one or a few of these reasons will help you create a steady yoga practice that you can call your own. 

​When it comes to golf performance, one important aspect that is too often overlooked is the foot function. It may not be a sexy topic, but one that I hope will resonate with some of you. For example, if you have flat feet, or have simply never really paid attention to how your feet can affect your golf performance, I encourage you to continue reading and watch the video listed at the end of this article.

​One important lesson that a regular yoga practice offers is the realization and eventually the acceptance that we are all unique; every person is different, and an asana (yoga posture) that “seems easy” to one person may be a real challenge to another individual. Therefore, as there are many valid factors that affect the ease of a yoga posture, comparing your yoga practice to someone else’s is irrelevant. ​​For example, the natural abilities and anatomy of a person can deeply determine if he or she will be able to sit comfortably cross legged, in what we call “Easy Pose”, the subject of our blog today.

Before you roll up your mat, always make sure you allocate some time for corpse pose, otherwise known as savasana in Sanskrit. For some students, it is exactly like the t-shirt says, “I’m just here for the savasana”.  For others…not so much. ​So, what is savasana?  Why do we do it?  Why do some of us struggle with it?  And how can we make it easier and more comfortable?  We will cover these topics in today’s blog post.

Happy Winter Solstice! For thousands of years, the shortest and darkest day of the year (today!) has been a time of celebration. Back then, it was a time to rest, a time to rejuvenate yourself, mind and body. For a few minutes today (or more if you can!) allow yourself to stop, breathe, and appreciate the darkness, and find your light using this simple meditation technique:

Many of us struggle with finding balance and joy during the holidays. The shorter days combined with the preparation and anticipation of celebrating with friends and family can make us feel depleted. That we stress or not, everything will get done so here are a few tips that may help you glide thru the holiday season with ease! ​

Cat pose offers a multitude of benefits. Primarily, it strengthens and stretches the spine and neck, as well as massaging the internal organs located in the belly. It is also known to develop coordination, emotional balance, while calming the mind. 

Tension in the upper back (thoracic spine) can significantly limit your movements and eventually affect other areas of your body. Remember, everything is connected! Over time, the body adapts and if not addressed, a tension we may consider trivial at first, can develop into a chronic one. Today, I am sharing with you a sequence that is part of my personal daily maintenance program, the key to keeping accumulated tensions at bay. 

​I was recently reminded, by a wise teacher, that yoga is not just about stretching our hamstrings. Unifying mind, body and breath, yoga is indeed a refined system that extends far beyond yoga postures. It is a way of life that is supported by what is referred to as the 8 limbs of yoga, each step preparing us for the next one, while offering guidance on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life. The 6th limb of yoga, Dharana, refers to focused concentration. ​It teaches us how to slow down the thinking process (our monkey mind!) by concentrating on a single mental object.

We all know it;  exercising regularly, eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep, and engaging in social interactions, are crucial self-care components to stay healthy. Over the years, thru my personal yoga practice, it's become a little easier to put myself first, and to fight the temptations of taking care of other people or things, before getting on my mat or going for a run. As I get older, I realize that these self-care moments feed my ability to stay focused, energized, and "perform well on the job." When 2018 came around, I felt I needed an added motivation, something different! 

Many years ago, I was an accomplished "multi-tasker". Combined with a couple of destructive personal traits and overwhelming losses, (which I won’t go into here,) I multitasked myself into a burn-out and a full-blown depression. Yoga and meditation, combined with regular counselling, played a huge part in my slow, but steady recovery. 

​"I can't meditate, my mind is too busy..." If this sounds familiar, you are not alone! Although we are very conscious of the wonderful benefits of meditation, many of us shy away from it. Here are a few tips that will hopefully help you develop a meditation practice of your own.

Incorporating yoga on a daily basis has many positive effects on one's body and mind. Yet, with life's multiple demands, it can be a real challenge to find the time for this important practice. What I discovered over the last few years is that a short yoga practice is better then none. My level of energy, my geographical location, and the time that I have, dictate my yoga practice, not the other way around. 

Stress is part of life! We can’t get away from it. However, learning to reduce its undesirable effects is accessible, and essential to our overall well-being. By consciously controlling the rhythm of our breath, we alter our state of mind and become more focused, calm, and coherent. The most important aspect of yoga, in my opinion, is the conscious control of our breathing which we do when we perform specific yogic breaths, also known as Pranayamas. By taking smooth, rhythmic breaths, we can transform a chaotic mind into a peaceful one.

Allowing ourselves to pause, even for a brief moment, can be challenging and yet, so rewarding. Restorative Yoga offers a passive way to recharge our batteries, to unplug. It allows us to stop "doing" and simply start "being". The challenge is that those who have trouble slowing down and sitting still could benefit the most from restorative yoga. I know as I am one of them!

This morning, braving the strong north-west winds, I headed to the lake for my daily walk. The sun was gloriously warm on my face, as I sat on a log to admire the view. At that point, all I had in front of me was the vastness of Lake Ontario. It was so peaceful that I decided to close my eyes and meditate. After a few minutes, I realized that, even though my intent was to clear my mind, I was thinking of my afternoon projects and everything I needed to accomplish before the weekend. 

​Fast track to December 31st, 2017... What does your year look like? What have you accomplished in 2017 that makes it the best year ever professionally and personally? If you find yourself frequently saying "I don't have time" for things that truly matter to you, what follows may be helpful (and an eye opener!) 

​Time for confession. I am a fundamentally shy and private person. I am most comfortable behind the scenes. And yet, when I look at my life, there have been numerous times where I found myself on small stages, figuratively and literally speaking.

​A friend asked me recently what I would be doing if I had no fears. “Broadway!” I spontaneously exclaimed, with jazz hands. A surprising statement based on my confession of the day. 

Autumn has arrived! A time of transition, this season will eventually bring colder weather, higher winds, and shorter days. These unavoidable changes can subtly affect our level of energy and overall wellbeing. In the Ayuverdic medicine, autumn is the Vata season. To maintain balance and counteract the windy, erratic and cool qualities of Vata, it is best to direct our efforts towards grounding ourselves and creating warmth in our lives. Here are a few tips on how to maintain balance during this wonderful seasonal shift. 

The virtues of yoga for improving strength and flexibility, as well as cultivating a sense of overall wellbeing are well known. For me, my yoga practice varies based on my mood, on how my mind and body feel on that day. One constant remains though, every time I step onto my yoga mat; the desire to create space in my body, in my busy mind. To release tension as opposed to build more. I recently came across this short text written by Rachel Brathen, an international yoga teacher, whom, I believe, captured in words the subtle goals of yoga.