Tag Archives: Yoga
In Praise of Breathing
Pranayama. I’m besotted with it. The use of breath is one of the eight limbs of yoga. It’s all I can think about these days, which makes for disastrous conversations in grocery stores. ("Have you practiced exhaling lately? You haven’t?" Blank… Continue reading
Posted in exhalation, inhalation, pranayama, Yoga
Tagged Beginner's yoga, breathing, kristin shepherd, meditation, pranayama, Yoga, yoga humor
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Expanding the Definition of Yoga
Like most North Americans, I first met yoga as a physical practice, a sport. Unlike most sports in my life, yoga combines strength and flexibility, which is like some kind of magic trick after years of activities (trail running, cycling,… Continue reading
Posted in asana, deepekchopra, downwarddog, mediation, pranayama, sunsalutations, Yoga
Tagged Beginner's yoga, breathing, kristin shepherd, meditation, pranayama, Yoga, yoga humor
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Beginner’s Breathing
It could be that I’m getting old and that my sense of fun has changed so much that I can no longer play with others in the way I used to. It could also be that yoga is having… Continue reading
Posted in alternatenostrilbreathing, bellowsbreath, pranayama, ujjayibreath, Yoga, yogicbreath
Tagged breathing, kristin shepherd, meditation, meditation humor, pranayama, Yoga, yoga humor
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Acting Lessons
My son, the actor, says this: when someone gives you something (a word, a sentence, a feeling, a breath), receive it fully. Don’t let it just ping off your surface and give a pingy superficial response. Instead, let the word, … Continue reading
Posted in blog
Tagged breathing, kristin shepherd, meditation, meditation humor, mind-body health care, Yoga
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Putting the Yoga Back in Christmas
Christmas is a crazy-making time of year. For every lucky person who loves it (the turkey! the kids! the shopping! the religious whatever!) there is one who doesn’t (the elevated pressure to be jolly! the family! the cooking! the shopping!… Continue reading
Posted in holiday, sunsalutations, tradition, Yoga
Tagged Beginner's yoga, kristin shepherd, meditation, Yoga, yoga humor
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Sing It To Me
Can we talk about chanting? At my regular yoga studio, we begin classes with an Om or three. We finish with an Om or three and then shanti, shanti, shanti. It was embarrassing the first time. By my second class I’d fallen… Continue reading
Posted in chanting, kirtan, krishnadas, om, Yoga, yogachant
Tagged Chanting, Kirtan, Krishna Das, kristin shepherd, Yoga, yoga humor
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Beginning Again
I’ve just celebrated my one year anniversary with yoga. My classes at the studio began last October, and last December I started practicing at home so that I might not continue to die after every class.Neither the beginner’s crazy enthusiasm… Continue reading
Posted in adventure, travel, Yoga, yogaontheroad
Tagged Beginner's yoga, kristin shepherd, life humor, meditation humor, Yoga
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Retreating Lessons
It seems to me we learn lessons all day, every day. With every yoga class, every home practice, every work day, every family gathering, I learn something more about my body, my frustrations, my desires, and my direction in life.Once… Continue reading
Posted in Yoga
Tagged kristin shepherd, meditation, meditation humor, Yoga, yoga humor
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Meeting Place
f you’d asked me a year ago about yoga and my goals in practice, I would have talked about improvement. Hanging lower in forward bends, gaining strength everywhere, developing some kind of physical grace, and reversing the slumpiness I sense… Continue reading
Posted in Yoga
Tagged Beginner's yoga, kristin shepherd, Yoga, yoga blog, yoga humor
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Yoga Goes Viral
I returned to yoga last year with a feverish intensity. Within two months I’d started a home practice just for the pleasure of it, and it seems there’s no looking back. I was ripe for it.After Christmas, my lovely man… Continue reading
Posted in ashtanga, bakasana, cranepose, crowpose, family, homepractice, mysore, Yoga, yogacommunity
Tagged Beginner's yoga, kristin shepherd, Yoga, yoga blog, yoga humor
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