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Bill Proud, a masonry contractor from Philadelphia, isn’t your stereotypical yogi. The soon-to-be 60-year-old owns a construction company, runs a restaurant and is a real-estate developer. Additionally, Bill is a father and grandfather to 14 children and grandchildren. And until five years ago, he’d never stepped in to a yoga class. Everything Bill does is with commitment, and his path to becoming a yoga enthusiast l

Wait, did I actually remember to turn the stove off?What should I make for dinner tonight? How is everyone else doing this with their bodies? Will I ever get there? Oh thank goddess, finally savasana! Sound at all familiar? At times the constant inner dialogue that underlies our lives can check us out of the embodied experience of yoga practice. Mindful movement invites us to literally slow down, become more aware, a

This is the second in a three-part summer self care series dedicated to self care, focusing on caring for yourself through caring for your home and space. All of these suggestions certainly might not fit your fancy but perhaps trying one or two might improve your daily care routine. DECLUTTERING SimpleLionHeartLife says clutter can add to housework, time and stress to tracking down what you own, make inviting housegu

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