#yoga

2 min

Feature Pose: Matsyendrasana

Published in Sweat Equity Magazine, Special Edition 2016 Yoga postures are typically named after objects or life forms found in nature (think Vrksasana [Tree] and Bhujangasana [Cobra]); sacred animals (“go” is Sanskrit for “cow,” which is holy in Hindu religions); and legendary saints, heroes, or warriors who were celebrated for their unique skill or supernatural power (think Virabhadrasana 1, 2, and 3 [the Warrior poses]). Matsyendrasana falls into the lattermost category an

Eryns Yoga

3 min

Spirituality Made Easy

I understood suffering and sadness from a young age. My childhood wasn’t traumatic or more difficult than most, but I somehow had a level of empathy and sensitivity that was premature for my years. At age ten, I asked my dad why baseball players got paid millions of dollars, but children around the world were homeless and starving. I agonized over the fish he caught on a hot summer’s day when he took me out on the boat. I felt the pain of writhing worms on baited hooks, of lo

Eryn's Yoga

3 min

How to Avoid Stretching Too Far

Published in the February/ March 2016 issue of Sweat Equity Magazine. Nobody can argue the benefits of a consistent yoga practice. Increased strength and flexibility, peace of mind and mental calm, and less angst over the “little things” that once were so bothersome are just a few. The more people that experience what yoga has to offer, the more mainstream it becomes. The more mainstream it becomes, the larger the class sizes and (quite often) the less personal attention avai

Eryn's Yoga

1 min

Sean Corn Spinal Twist

Published in August/September 2017 Sweat Equity Magazine Getting into the Spinal Twist: Move to a seated position with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Tent your right fingertips behind you and hook your left elbow against the outer right knee. Press your thumb and index finger together in Jnana Mudra, an expression of inner wisdom. Set the intention to remember that we are not our bodies, not the way we look, or the money that we make but that we are LOVE, we are TRU

Eryns Yoga

2 min

A Yoga Teacher's Mission

Our modern adaptation of the practice strings hundreds of stretches together and tosses them around under the title of “yoga”. It is easy for the teacher’s ego to take centre stage and have a dance with itself on the mat. In terms of choreography, this works well— where aesthetic appeal and external appreciation are the point. But in yoga, when we create sequences that tone the tush and trim the thighs, tighten our core and flatter the mirror, we risk further enslaving oursel

Eryn's Yoga

1 min

Seane Corne's Power Yoga Pose

One thing I love most about being a writer/editor for Sweat Equity Magazine is that I have the opportunity to work with some of the most inspiring men and women in the field. Seane Corn is definitely top on my list of inspirational yogis. In the September/October issue of the mag, she provides us with "7 Poses for Personal Power." This one, Eka Pada Utkatasana, "builds strength and self-confidence while creating space in the hips." Try it out! Printed in Sweat Equity Magazine

Eryn's Yoga

2 min

6 Ways to Heighten Your Awareness

Taking a step away from the “norm” as defined by cultural, educational, or familial standards is rarely an easy task. You might find yourself negotiating a fine balance between your old “unknowing” self and the new, more inquisitive you. Questioning the meaning of life and challenging our assumptions of what is “real” demands a certain amount of courage and a level of awareness that aren’t readily found in the corner cafe or among common conversations. In a society where “thi

Eryns Yoga

2 min

Feature Yoga Pose: Upward Facing Dog

Published in Sweat Equity Magazine August/September 2016 issue Upward Facing Dog is one of the most common yoga postures. You will find it within every Sun Salutation and it’s practiced dozens if not more times in any Power, Ashtanga, or Vinyasa Yoga class. These reasons alone make proper alignment and modifying as needed in Up Dog of great importance. You’ll recognize Upward Facing Dog as the transition point from Chaturanga (low push-up) through to Adho Mukha Svanasana (Dow

Crow Pose, With a Twist: Parsva Bakasana

Eryn's Yoga

2 min

Crow Pose, With a Twist: Parsva Bakasana

Published in Sweat Equity Magazine November Issue Bakasana is often translated as Crow Pose, but baka is actually the Sanskrit word for crane and kak for crow. While the two are used interchangeably in many yoga classes, some yogis consider Bakasana the bent-arm variation, while Kakasana has the arms straight. To keep it simple, we’ll go with the more commonly cited Parsva Bakasana, for our Side Crow Pose. Surprisingly, the twisting variation of Bakasana is not necessarily th

Revolved Side Angle Pose: Parivrtta Parsvakonasana

Eryns Yoga

2 min

Revolved Side Angle Pose: Parivrtta Parsvakonasana

Printed in Sweat Equity Magazine Dec/Jan Issue Parivrtta Parsvakonasana is one of the standing postures in the traditional Ashtanga Yoga sequence. Variations of this pose, (i.e., palms together at the heart centre) are often used in Power Yoga, but the classical version, with the back foot planted, lower hand pressing into the mat, and upper arm extending along the cheek, is an advanced spinal twist that should be entered into slowly. Many experienced students and teachers c

OM from Home: A Guide to Starting Your Home Practice

Eryns Yoga

3 min

OM from Home: A Guide to Starting Your Home Practice

Printed in Sweat Equity Magazine Dec/Jan 2018 As challenging and refreshing as it is to enjoy classes offered at a studio, the benefits of establishing a home practice are unmatched. For me, what strengthened the spiritual bent of this ancient art form was rolling out the mat at home. That’s not to say it doesn’t come without effort! Even as a seasoned student and teacher, mustering up the energy to get moving can be easier said than done. In this article, I hope to inspire y

Eryns Yoga

5 min

Radical Self-Love: Yoga’s New Age Wave

Printed in Sweat Equity Magazine December / January 2018 She’s not what you expect to see on the cover of a fitness and lifestyle magazine. In today’s world, heavy black women fall far on the spectrum of cover models. I did an Internet search using the phrase, “women in fitness,” and of the 160 images that came up (that’s where I stopped counting), two were black. Two! That is a gross misrepresentation of a nation with over 14.5% people of colour! The vast majority of the fem

Eryn's Yoga

2 min

67 Reasons to Be Happy

Published in Sweat Equity Magazine August/ September 2017 “Hakuna Matata” In Swahili, “No worries.” Books like The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and The Happiness Equation by Neil Pasricha represented a New Age twist on an age-old philosophy: happiness is something we choose. The yogis have known this for thousands of years, which is why they hunkered down and committed themselves to the discipline of meditation. The profound inner peace cultivated by spiritual adepts r

Eryn's Yoga

4 min

Banish Anxiety with Yoga

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), anxiety tops the list of most common mental health disorders worldwide, second only to depression, and rates continue to escalate. Between 1990 and 2013, the number of people suffering from depression and anxiety increased by nearly 50%, from 416 million to 615 million worldwide,1 with over 5 million cases of anxiety disorder (18.17%) in the UK population alone.2 A total of 8.2 million cases of anxiety in the UK were reported

Eryn's Yoga

3 min

Feature Pose: Upward Facing Staff

Printed in Sweat Equity Magazine August/Sept 2017 Upward Facing Staff Pose is considered an advanced backbend. One should be proficient in practicing Chakrasana (Full Wheel or Upward Bow Pose) and also Sirsasana (Headstand) before attempting Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana, which, from a technical standpoint, is a combination of these two. In Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar says, “Action is movement with intelligence.” This comment is especially relevant to Upward Facing Staff Pose

Feature Pose: Compass/ Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana

Eryn's Yoga

2 min

Feature Pose: Compass/ Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana

Printed in Sweat Equity Magazine June / July Issue Commonly called ‘Compass Pose,’ the English translation of Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana is Revolved (parivrtta) Sun (surya) Instrument (yantra) Pose (asana). This is an advanced yoga posture requiring a good amount of both strength and flexibility. If you’re navigating your way through this complex pose for the first time, a roadmap can be useful for guidance along the way. It’s a good idea to warm up your muscles and move your

Eryn's Yoga

2 min

Headstand Tips

Alongside Padmasana (Lotus Pose) Headstand may be considered the exemplar archetype of yoga. Perhaps it seemed simple and even “fun”when you were a kid, but a graceful entry into and exit from this dignified pose might prove to be more challenging than expected. However, it’s well worth practicing, so stick with it! A headstand practice (or any inverted posture) should be a routine part of your practice. Here five reasons why: 1. Reversing the flow of blood by raising the

Eryn's Yoga

2 min

Meditation Motivation: 6 Tips

It’s natural to feel a bit . . . blasé about something you’ve done committedly for a long period of time. Meditation can be challenging on the best of days; sitting still for 20 minutes when 100 other things need to get done shows remarkable discipline. That being said, small changes to your practice can reignite your passion for meditation and prevent you from slipping into the dull realm of habitual behaviour. Here are 6 simple ways to re-inspire your commitment to meditati

Eryn's Yoga

2 min

40-Day Sun Salutation Challenge

I challenge you to bring a new perspective to your mat today. (If you'd like some group support and inspiration for a daily practice-one Sun Salutation a day-come find me on Facebook.) The ultimate goal of yoga is to reduce and eventually eliminate suffering. Ancient yogis believed the Eight-Fold Path of Astanga Yoga was the best means to achieve this state of deep and infinite joy. Because the mind is the source of ALL frustration and hardship, if we can still the mind, we w

Eryn's Yoga

2 min

What's God Got To Do With It?

Published in Sweat Equity Magazine April/ May 2016 Issue Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra tells us that a belief in “God,” loosely speaking, is one of three requirements for success in the practice: “tapah svadhyaya isvara pranidhanani kriya yogah”(Chapter 2, Verse 1). This sutra states that Kriya Yoga consists of discipline, self-study, and devotion to God. Many people are driven to yoga by back pain and stress, not a deep longing for Self-realization, and that’s perfectly fine. Somet

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