Hi, I want to share part three of my four-part series of tips for specific yoga poses. Today's focus is on Baby Cobra Pose, also called Low Cobra. It's an excellent pose for strengthening your back muscles and stretching the front of your body. In this pose, you gently arch your spine backward. If you want to get technical, this kind of movement is called a spinal extension. Moving your spine in this direction helps to counteract all the forward motion and more rounded shapes you make...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi there, I hope you had a good week despite the political turmoil in our country. I'm not going into politics in this email. But whatever your political leanings, this was a crazy, tumultuous week. It wouldn't surprise me if your thoughts are racing or you're having trouble sleeping. Let me introduce you to a secret weapon: alternate nostril breathing. Alternate nostril breathing is an easy (and ancient) yogic breath technique for managing stress. If you do it regularly, it helps you relax...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hi there, I received some wonderful responses from you last week when I asked you to select one word as a guiding light for your summer. You selected some fabulous words: adventure, exploration, magical, etc. The one word that was chosen most frequently is JOY. Know that you're not alone in craving more joy. Many of us want more joy in our lives, especially post-COVID. So, I created a free 7 Days To A Vibrant Life Challenge to help you rediscover the vibrancy and joy you once felt. Click the...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Wow, I hope you managed to stay cool this week! 🥵 That was some crazy heat. In Boston, we broke a 100-year record on Wednesday for the hottest day. Thank goodness for A/C! In all this heat, you might have missed Summer Solstice on Thursday. It was the longest day of the year and the official beginning of summer. Solstice is the perfect time to set an intention for this summer. I invite you to choose one word to guide you through these warm and sunny months. Here are some words that might...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hi there, I want to share with you a book and a documentary that I loved and that you might like, too: Book: "Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs" by Johann Hari You've heard or read about the new GLP-1 weight loss drugs Ozempic or Wegovy. These new drugs let people lose up to a quarter of their body weight in six months and are touted as being much safer than previous weight loss drugs. Some predictions suggest that, in a few years, a...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hi there, I hope you are having a great week! The other day, I was having drinks with my neighbor. We were chatting about some issues in our neighborhood, and I said I would write a letter to “nip this in the butt.” My neighbor burst out laughing and said, “Did you just say ‘nip this in the butt’? It’s ‘nip it in the bud’!” We both started laughing so hard. For years, I thought the phrase was about a butt, not a bud. Even after living in the US for 36 years (as a native German speaker), I...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hi there, We had gorgeous summer-like days here in Boston this week. Now that it's finally nice outside, have you considered taking your yoga practice outdoors? It can be fun and a nice change from doing yoga inside. Here are some easy tips to help you get started: 1. Choose the right time: Practice yoga in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the hot midday sun. Look for some shade. It's cooler and more peaceful, perfect for a relaxing yoga session. 2. Find a flat surface: Look for a flat...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Did you watch the total solar eclipse on Monday? Here in Boston, we didn't get to see a total solar eclipse. But even seeing a 92% solar eclipse was an amazing experience. I want to share a bit about what I saw and the unexpected lesson I took away from it. So there I was, eclipse glasses in hand, ready for a dramatic dimming of the light. But you know what caught me by surprise? It never really got dark. Instead, it dimmed down, kind of like how it looks when the sun is setting, but it...
6 months ago • 1 min read
Have you ever heard that saying, "Breathe through it, and release anything that does not serve you"? This isn't just a quote; it's your secret weapon for those moments when you feel like you're barely keeping your head above water and are about to turn into Godzilla: your to-do list is miles long, your furbaby keeps throwing up, and you cannot shake that cough you've been fighting for over a week. Or maybe you're in the middle of an argument with your loved one. This is where this quote comes...
6 months ago • 1 min read