* “The greatest influence in your life, stronger than your willpower, is your environment. Change that, if necessary. Until you are mentally strong, you can never be what you want to be without a good environment.” –Parahamsa Yogananda It took me years to fully grasp the significance of this idea: After all, the point of yoga is to create…
* * Right at the End of Your Face: Nose Oil for Better Health & Awareness * * “Nasya” means “nose” in Sanskrit, and the importance it is granted in both yoga and Ayurveda means many of us might be overlooking the obvious—right at the tip of our faces, to be precise—when it comes to good health and how…
The mission of Alligator Healing Arts YOGA is to provide an environment of contemplation, rejuvenation, and inspiration for those interested in yoga, to develop committed practice and connect with like-minded friends. Traditional hatha yoga is the foundation of all instruction, with meditation as the central goal. All offerings are taught by highly qualified, dedicated teachers with a regular meditation…
PARIGHASANA = GATE POSE This elegant yoga pose opens the hips, improves breathing, and more. Try it during your yoga practice. Pronounced: /PARE—eee—GAHZ—ah—nah/ “Parigha” refers to the iron bar or latch that is used to shut or lock a gate. During this pose, your body resembles that cross beam and latch. Pose Level: 1 Physical Description, How-To: Begin…
Try this lovely lateral bend, side stretch, and balancing pose, for a vast array of benefits. Practice it at your next yoga class or private session. ARDHA CHANDRASANA: ARDHA CHANDRASANA = HALF MOON POSE Pronounced: /ARD—hah—Chan—DRAH—sah—nah/ “Ardha” means “half,” while “Chandra” is usually translated as “moon.” “Chandra” also means “shining, glittering, luminous, having the brilliancy of light.” Pose…
Yoga Styles Taught through Alligator Healing Arts Yoga: All sessions taught through AHA! Yoga focus on the fundamentals of yoga postures, including standing, sitting, twisting, and supine poses. The emphasis always rests on doing what is right for your individual body and mind that particular day. Props such as blocks, straps, cushions, and even chairs are often used…
The most important safety technique during yoga practice is simpler–and harder–than you may imagine: Self-awareness. What are you feeling today, and where do you feel it? What parts of your body need attention, and do those parts need more work or more rest? Learning to be aware of bodily sensations and then to actually follow those cues is how you will…
A safe, beneficial yoga practice must take great care of your precious knees. Misalignment of the knee often happens over time, and through hyperextension or overexertion. Our bodies are prone to this misalignment because our hip joints are wider than our knee joints. As we age, this natural shape creates uneven contraction of the quadriceps, which can eventually pull…
In AHA! Yoga sessions, we often use yoga straps. No, it is not a strange torture device, nor is it meant to stick you in difficult yoga poses. A yoga strap can help you get all the benefits from specific postures, while maintaining comfort and ease. It allows you to practice proper alignment without strain, making your overall yoga…
Two of the best things to ensure your safety during yoga are also two of the best benefits of regular yoga practice: Self-awareness and Non-violence. Loren Fishman is an expert in medical yoga and is affectionately referred to as the “Doctor of Yoga.” Fishman is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation, as well as a practicing…
Shoulders are strong yet vulnerable parts of our bodies. Pain at the outer top tip of the shoulders is prevalent and often happens through minor injuries or overuse from everyday movements, such as bracing a fall or moving things on high shelves. Incorrect alignment in yoga poses can also aggravate such problems. Though shoulder anatomy is built to prevent such pain,…
“Eeek! I am new to yoga. What can I expect at my first class or private session?” We do gentle yoga, which focuses on stretching, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques. Most of the class time is spent stretching; these are the specific yoga postures (or “asanas,” pronounced “AHH—sah—nahs”) that most people imagine when they hear the word “yoga.” We…
* * * * * * * * According to both the American Heart Association and the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, practicing yoga benefits your heart. Remarkably, traditional yoga asana (like those taught at AHA Yoga in Lake City, FL) includes slow or moderate movements, so they are not part of the vigorous 150 minutes of aerobic exercise…
In almost any yoga class, at some point in seated positions, you will be asked to sit up on your Sitz Bones. For most new yoga students, this creates a raised eyebrow: What the heck are those, and why do we need such precise directions just to sit, anyway? Your Sitz Bones (also commonly referred to as “sitting bones,”…
Yoga is more than just asana (physical poses) and stretching; pranayama (breathwork) is crucial for a well-rounded yoga practice. One of the best Pranayama methods to soothe the brain and calm the mind is also one of the easiest. And, it’s a lot of fun! “Bhramari” gets its name, “Bee’s Breath,” from the Sanskrit, “Bhramaraka.” “Bhramaraka” means “bee,” “honey,”…
This posture is a little known sleeping beauty waiting to be discovered, as it is one of the only yoga poses that has you lie down on your side. It is also a subtle balance asana (posture), sometimes easier for those who find standing or arm balance poses frustrating or painful. ANANTASANA: Pronounced: /Ahh—Nahn—TAH—sah—nah/ ANANTASANA = “Ananta” is the…
* * What is RESTORATIVE YOGA? Restorative yoga is just what the name implies: the purpose is to help you rest and revitalize. Restorative yoga provides relief and recovery from stress, exhaustion, and injury. The origins of restorative yoga are often linked back to the yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar, a student of Krishnamacharya and one of the most important…
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Want to energize? Try this powerful breath. Imagine you could go inside your head and brush and floss all the old sensations, feelings, and thoughts that plague you. In fact, there is a yoga practice whose name implies just that. It is a delightfully refreshing and energizing practice when we need a boost of energy. It helps us shift…
* Yin yoga is a slower, more visibly passive form of yoga, yet it leads to very deep opening. The focus is upon gradually stretching to release even connective tissue around the joints, particularly the knees, pelvis, sacrum, and spine. Because this approach requires us to slow down, the mental component of Yin Yoga is also at the forefront,…
* YOGA NIDRA is a beautiful relaxation and meditation method that helps you deeply relax, rejuvenate, and therefore energize. It also increases your awareness and thus your ability to be truly present and calm. Taught at AHA! Yoga in the Himalayan Tradition, this approach to Yoga Nidra leads you to a wakeful awareness that allows your MIND as well as your body to deeply rest….
Welcome to Virginia Hill Yoga! Yoga Teachers & other wellness experts can learn about my unique Yoga Editing services for fabulous teaching materials and other professional writing. Here you will also find all the information you need to enjoy my thoughtful Yoga Classes & Yoga Mentoring that are perfect for Yoga Students ready to live well and ignite…
College is an exciting time, and a…
* “The greatest influence in your life,…