Trikonasana, or Tri Konas in Sanskrit is translated as ‘three angles’ and in nature, triangles tend to be one of the sturdiest shapes. Through this posture you will develop stability, leg strength, extension across the side body, and balance. In fact, this balance of 3 points has often been connected to sacred geometry, the cycle of birth, life and death, and in Indian culture; Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer of the universe. These deities also correlate with the 3 ‘gunas’ or qualities that are found in our conscious states and the actions we take in the world. These qualities are known as ‘tamas’, described as ignorance, lethargy and sluggish; ‘rajas’, distraction, agitation, and excitability; ‘...

The new moon, a new season, a new chapter, or a new year; there are plenty of opportunities in life to set intentions and develop new habits. I love when January rolls around everyone talks about “New Year’s Resolutions,” as though this is the only time suitable to make a change. In my opinion, this time presents itself many times over a year and an undefinable amount over a lifetime.

Having said all that, I invite you to set a new intention during this time prime for change. Especially with our surroundings lately - new snow laying a foundation on the earth, a glowing silvery light emerging, it feels like a fresh new start. In just a few months the snow will have melted and the blooms may just begin again to pop out from the ear...

“You can’t rush your healing. Darkness has its teaching." - Trevor Hall

This quote comes to mind each time I sustain an injury, whether it’s physical or heartfelt. As much as I’d love to share colourful bubbly imagery of how my holidays were, the truth is that I was in the process of resting a fractured sacrum caused by a bike accident. All of the wonderful parties, snowshoe adventures and whatever else had been on the menu is now postponed until next years Christmas tidings.

Amidst the frustration of lying low and resting until cabin fever set in, I eventually surrendered to a forced vacation. It’s not one that I had intended to take. Had I planned it out, there would have been heat, sunshine, palm trees, warm water swims.. you g...

Koundinyasana is one of those postures that aims to inspire. It’s name ‘Koundinya’ is derived from a wise sage that lived in ancient times. The word ‘asana’ denotes posture. Sometimes this posture is revolved, using the term ‘parivritta’. It’s an arm balance, where the upper body is in ‘chaturanga’ a half push up, and the weight transfers forward, primarily onto one arm while the legs scissor in the air. Depending on the variation, one must either focus on hip openers or deep twists as a way to safely enter and exit this posture. Both versions require arm strength, hamstring opening, shoulder and side-body stretching. Although this pose looks tough, it is quite delicate in nature - it is the ultimate balance between effort and g...

“Stop calling! I have laryngitis!” The lady across the street exclaimed loudly in an irritated and strained raspy voice. On the other side of the street was me, super nervous to be out in public afraid someone would force me to speak or be offended that I couldn’t answer back in words, well except for soft whispers. At best I sounded like a muffled cartoon squirrel. I too had laryngitis - day 3, hopeful that if I took all the right remedies, abstained from even whispering (as that tends to aggravate the vocal chords even more) then all would be well in time.

And boy did I have a lot of time - as a yoga instructor, it is not just the functionality of my body that must be in tact. No, I have clearly learned that the voice is the nu...

One of the most pertinent decisions I made over the winter and into spring, is to cut away the clutter - not just the physical clutter of objects, but particularly how I spend my time. If I am feeling low energy, I will put a nap or an early sleep above a social gathering, or high energy activity. Time is such a commodity and how we use it has a ripple effect over our week. Last month, I officially renounced Netflix as it was keeping me awake longer than was healthy for me to get the rest that I needed. I miss the accessibility of having every movie or show at my fingertips, but I certainly don’t miss the compulsion to stare at a bright screen or the wasted hours. Instead, I’ve replaced those precious moments before sleep with r...

1) Start with hot water and lemon. We love coffee; A cup of Joe is comfort at your fingertips. It does the job of waking up our bodies and minds (caffeine stimulates the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline!)to excel in our day. But did you know that coffee is highly acidic? Yes – in fact most of the foods that we crave are highly acidic: coffee, sugar, animal protein. I’m not saying avoid these things, but moderation is the key. Start your day alkalinizing your body. A simple cup of hot water and lemon squeeze will do this effortlessly, in addition to balancing your blood sugar, stimulating digestive enzymes to aid digestion and assimilation of nutrients, and can help stimulate the bowels.

2) Disconnect to connect. Studies have...

Nature provides us with the ultimate medicine. Clean air. Without it, our lungs wouldn’t last long. The soil, rocks and the roots of the trees we stand support on our hands and feet. We can reach high for sustenance from plants baring fruit, and other times we drop to our knees in reverence for the moist mud that sows our vegetables.

Many of us have grown up in cities, where the ground is covered by cement, where the trees are replaced by tall buildings; the budding flowers that would normally grow wild are pulled up and replaced with patches of barren grass, uniform and sterile. All of these shifts tend to make us forget where we come from.

Until a clue of what we are made of reminds us again: A glint of colour pops up through th...

Our all time favourite pose as we melt into the autumn months is Ardha Kaptosana. In sanskrit, ‘ardha’ means half, ’kapota’ means pigeon and ‘asana’ translates as pose. In ancient Hindu mythology Kapota was a master yogi whose vitality, agility and strength could not be surpassed. He was the graceful son of Garuda, the triumphant bird-god and vehicle of Lord Vishnu. It is said that by practicing this posture, the qualities of Kapota can be harnessed from within. Half-Pigeon Pose is quite a marvellous hip opener. The front bent leg increases the external hip rotation, stretches the outer hip, glute and piriformis while the extended back leg stretches the psoas and quad muscle. The upper body then melts over that front bent leg, l...

The world is very busy and so are our lives. We are pulled in a hundred different directions each and every day - our friends, children, work, romantic relationships, and hobbies demand our full and undivided attention. Eventually we find ourselves at the end of the day, week or even year, wondering where the time has gone. Wondering how we haven't had time for yoga, a solo weekend away, or really developing any sort of sustainable self-care routine. We avoid the reason, but it's clear: we aren't treating ourselves like a priority. We are putting everyone else ahead of us. We are letting the hurricane of life pick us up and toss us around, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.

Don't get caught up in this habit. Make yourself a priori...