Try this simple sequence the next time noises—external or in your head—feel overwhelming. Duck into a private space, put your phone on airplane mode, and practice moving with your breath.
About the author
Lizze Lasater translates her training in art history and architecture into carefully curated digital courses, global Restorative Yoga teacher-training workshops, and her heartfelt spirit jewelry collection. She sometimes jokes that yoga runs in the family—her Mama, Judith Hanson Lasater, co-founded Yoga Journal magazine and has been teaching yoga since 1971. Born in San Francisco, Lizzie lives in the Alps with her tall Austrian. Join the Restorative Revolution with her at www.savasana.life.
Try this variation of Savasana to give your mind, body, and spirit a break from everyday stress and a view into contentment.
When I took my first yoga class, I did not like Savasana. Not even the tiniest bit. I had enjoyed the active stretching poses, and when asked to lie down on my mat at the end of class, I felt confused about what we were doing and why we were doing it. I had negative judgments about “lying here and wasting time.” Needless to say, I was soon sold on the absolute value of being still. Now, I fly all over the world teaching people to do nothing—and I’m here to show you how it’s done.
Get your yoga glow on with our Live Be Ambassadors’ favorite poses for healthy, radiant skin.
Yoga has multiple health benefits, one of those benefits includes helping to transform our skin through detoxifying movements, increased circulation and reduced stress. Inspired by a specialized class for glowing skin at a local Denver studio, Kindness Yoga, Brandon Spratt and Lauren Cohen share their three favorite yoga poses for glowing skin.
Spend time to nurture your glow through yoga and use beauty products from companies that have a passion for environmental sustainability, like our partner DERMA E. Their products are formulated with the most potent natural antioxidants, giving us glowing skin without the use of harmful chemicals.
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Live Be Yoga ambassadors Lauren Cohen and Brandon Spratt are on a road trip across the country to sit down with master teachers, host free local classes, and so much more—all to illuminate the conversations pulsing through the yoga community today. Follow the tour and get the latest stories @livebeyoga on Instagram and Facebook.
A recent study that highlights the benefits of daily meditation practices in the workplace has people talking about the commercialization of mindfulness, and whether it has gone too far.
Is mindfulness training the solution to burnout?
It’s difficult to dispute the benefits of mindfulness, especially with a mounting stack of research published on the topic. One of the more recent studies—a paper published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes in early September, on how mindfulness impacts interpersonal relationships at work—is a good example of the empirical evidence pouring in. But are corporations and organizations now using mindfulness programs as a salve to treat overworked and highly stressed employees?
In this particular study, a team of business professors researched how the behavior of employees changed when they participated in mindfulness practices at work. At a large insurance company in the U.S., the researchers had employees meditate between seven to ten minutes a day for five days and then fill out assessments in the morning and afternoon about their helpful behaviors for the day. At an IT consulting company in India, for one day, select employees underwent a brief mindfulness intervention in the morning and then their coworkers reported on how helpful they were that day. The final study was conducted in a lab with the aim of discovering why mindfulness practices make people more helpful, while the field experiments tested if mindfulness makes people more helpful. In the lab, participants were asked to either complete a 15-minute focused breathing meditation, a 15-minute loving kindness meditation, or listen to a New York Times article as a control. The participants then had to deliver bad news to a fictitious subordinate, and respond to a survey that …
This 75-minute, heart-opening, back-bending Forrest Yoga sequence will keep your spine healthy and your heart open.
Forrest Yoga, developed by yoga teacher Ana Forrest, has predictable elements: It follows a blueprint and has at least one peak pose, or apex. It also has surprising elements, none of which are arbitrary; Forrest Yoga is true vinyasa—vinyasa krama, which means a step-by-step progression toward a goal.
This sequence from Iyengar Yoga teacher Kim Weeks will counteract the poor posture that comes from too much time hunching over devices.
Iyengar Yoga teacher Kim Weeks
These days we all feel the effects of leaning toward computers or scrolling on our phones. Technology use collapses your vertebrae, the body’s main support beam, into an unnatural C curve. This shape smushes your abdomen, impairs your back muscles, and tightens your neck. It drags you down and can lead to an array of problems, from headaches and leg cramping to carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic back pain.
Even as a yoga teacher typing this piece, I had to remember to roll my shoulders back, breathe steadily, lift my chest, and relax my eyes. Counteractive poses practiced weekly—or even one at a time, as needed, throughout the day—are the best way to smooth out the slump.
I’m a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher and founder of a wellness education and consulting company called Kim Weeks Well. My clients and students—who, like all of us, work, live, and socialize on their devices—use the poses on the following pages to stretch and straighten out their backs and bodies and to restore peace of mind.
In this 45- to 60-minute practice, you’ll confront device-hunching and the mental and emotional effects of screen use head on—which is exactly the goal! You’ll get your head back on top of your spine instead of staying slumped. You’ll do this by reestablishing circulation and integrity in your legs, toning your back and abdomen, and soothing and strengthening your upper back and neck. There are standing poses, abdominal work, twisting, and backbending, which together unwind the tension that develops from the mentally demanding yet physically stagnant use of technology. The beginning and …
This 20-minute Iyengar Yoga sequence will help you strengthen you core, reset your posture, and mitigate the effects of computer and smartphone use.
Glued to your smartphone? You need this 20-minute Iyengar Yoga sequence for “Text Neck.” Grab two blocks, your mat, and a quiet corner—at the office or home.
You know meditation is good for you. But, maybe you’re not sure how to begin. Try one of these free guided meditations from experts we love.
Are you looking to advance your practice but don’t want to pay for an app subscription or membership at an expensive meditation studio? Look no further. We’ve compiled some of the best free online guided meditations that can help you relax, channel love and compassion, find self-forgiveness, and relieve anxiety.
