Kick off baking season by making a batch of these delicious, and vata-balancing pumpkin muffins.

By now, we could all use a little hope. We’re tired, ready to put the trials of 2020 behind us and move forward into something lighter, brighter, different.

If we have so many tools dedicated to opening the heart chakra, why are so many of us still feeling pain and tension in our chests and shoulders, tired, lonely, or ‘emotionally out of whack,’ as one dear friend recently described it?

What if we looked at our core in a different, more holistic way, considering its energetic qualities in addition to the physical?

With the day and night equally split, the equinox signals a time for finding balance in every aspect of our lives.

Black lives matter. Speaking up matters, too.

A breathing practice traditionally used for individuals with lung conditions like COPD or asthma, pursed lip breathing has benefits for even those of us who consider ourselves to have healthy breathing.

Deep, slow breaths, taken with a freely moving diaphragm and relaxed chest and shoulders, calm the fight/flight response and activate the SNS’ other half: the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), also known as the ‘rest and digest’ response. It sends a signal to the brain that all is well, and it is okay for the body and mind to slow down, relax, and open up. The cells of our body feel safe to tend to their maintenance, rebuilding, and rejuvenation activities. We can move energy away from survival/reactivity mode of the lizard brain and toward our executive functions of higher-level response, collaboration, creativity, and imagination.

Awareness and control of the breath is foundational to most yoga practices for a reason: it’s effective! Even-ratio breathing is a great place to start your journey into pranayama and despite it's simplicity, offers powerful benefits.

If you’re currently dealing with depression, anxiety, or an eating disorder; are finding challenges with emotional regulation or interpersonal relationships; or are working through grief and/or trauma, yoga therapy can be a huge support for your treatment program.