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I was told to meditate to lose weight, advance my career and to become less anxious. After meditating for about a year, I became a great meditator. However, I didn’t lose a single pound, my business declined and my life became more chaotic. As a result, I was even more stressed, resentful and bitter than before I started meditating. Of course, meditation can be a powerful way to improve health – there’s l

What do mindfulness and physical activity have in common? Yoga! Unlike exercises such as weight lifting or interval training, yoga specifically encourages practitioners to be mindful throughout their exercise. Mindfulness includes being aware of one’s present experience without judging it – that is, accepting it without labeling it as good or bad. This acceptance component of mindfulness means not reacting to or bloc

At the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion, I interview people with mental illnesses for research studies. I always offer to take a break during the interview. I’ve noticed people often use that time to smoke a cigarette. Indeed, people with mental illnesses are much more likely to smoke (Cook, Wayne, & Kafali, 2014). The rate of smoking is so high among people with mental illnesses that they s

I know exercise is one of the most important ways to support my health.  Therefore, I might as well enjoy it – and I enjoy doing yoga!  There are so many kinds of yoga: vinyasa, or flow yoga; alignment-based yoga, including Iyengar yoga; Bikram or hot yoga; restorative yoga; Yogahour; and many more.  With so many options, I believe that every person can find at least one style of yoga that is enjoyable for them.  Thi

A difficult yoga practice teaches me a lot about my body. Sometimes, I have sore muscles I hadn’t known existed! Practicing and teaching an alignment-based yoga style challenges me to be aware of my entire body in every pose (looking at you, floppy back ankle!). Research suggests that these thoughtful poses have additional benefits: being more mindful of what is happening in one’s body could help people feel more men

Confession: I’ve fallen asleep in yoga class. After an exhausting physical practice, and the mental clarity I get from purposefully focusing my thoughts, it’s sometimes difficult to stay awake for savasana. Although it’s embarrassing to be caught snoozing in yoga class, I love knowing that my yoga practice is part of my active lifestyle that supports me to have better quality sleep. In my work at the Temple Universit

The more time I put into my yoga practice, the more I notice its impacts on my body and mind.  Working hard in the poses helps me build strength, endurance and flexibility. Spending time in meditation challenges me to observe my thoughts and feelings, let go of what is less helpful and nurture a positive mindset.  I know yoga (and spending time with the supportive community at Maha) helps me feel better mentally, and

Everyone has bad days.  When things aren’t going my way, I make time to go to the studio to practice.  Despite challenges that cause me to feel overwhelmed or upset, when I focus my mind and move my body through yoga, I often feel grounded again.  However, what if something happens that is more serious than a bad day?  Can yoga still help? When people face challenges that are deeply upsetting or dangerous – such as a

One of the things I value most about my yoga practice is how it offers me choices every time I step onto my mat.  What kind of pace do I want for my practice today?  Are there any areas of my body that want extra attention – more stretch, more strength, more mindfulness and care?  Even within each pose, I have choices to make.  Will a modified version of this pose serve me better?  Do I want to work on a variation to

When I am feeling less well, physically or mentally, yoga is one of my favorite self-care tools.  In addition to a warm mug of my favorite tea, and any medications prescribed by my doctor, the “do what is best for you” philosophy of yoga makes it easier to come to my mat whenever I need to feel better.  I recently learned that yoga is also a great “additional medicine” for people living with schizophrenia and can sup