It’s early January. The festive lights have dimmed, the last of the holiday treats are gone, and life is settling back into a familiar pace. While the holiday season may leave you with beautiful memories, it can also bring a sense of imbalance. Your body might feel stiff from long car rides, heavy meals, or late nights, and your mind may still be humming with holiday buzz.

Now is the perfect time for a gentle yoga recovery process: a slow, intentional way to reawaken your practice and restore harmony in body and mind. Think of this period not as something to “fix,” but as an invitation to nurture yourself. Below, we’ll explore how to ease tension, rebuild energy, and pave the way for a steady start to the new year. We’ll also touch on how to transition mindfully back into more dynamic styles like Vinyasa or Ashtanga when you’re ready.

1. Start small with gentle movement for your yoga recovery

After weeks of indulgences and irregular schedules, jumping straight into intense flows can feel jarring. Instead, begin with simple, soothing poses that help your muscles gently unwind. A yoga recovery approach highlights comforting postures that release tension, especially in areas that tend to tighten during busy times—shoulders, neck, hips, and lower back.

Suggested Poses:

• Child’s Pose (Balasana): Enhance the relaxation factor by placing a yoga bolster beneath your torso. Letting go in this posture can ease tension from your spine and hips.
• Supported Bridge (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana): Using a foam yoga block under your sacrum allows a gentle backbend that opens the chest and realigns the spine.
• Neck Stretches: Slow head rolls and side bends release the neck and shoulders, helping to melt away holiday stress.

2. Rediscover your breath

To truly reset, look to your breath. Deep, mindful breathing can soften the edges of post-holiday tension, shifting your state from scattered to serene. By paying attention to each inhale and exhale, you create mental space to refocus on yourself.

Try This:

• Three Part Breath (Dirga Pranayama): Inhale slowly, filling your belly, ribs, and chest, then exhale just as steadily. This simple technique clears mental clutter and reconnects you with the present moment.

Pro Tip: Enhance this quiet time by draping a blanket over your legs. The comforting weight reminds you to slow down, settle in, and embrace your yoga recovery journey.

3. Embrace restorative yoga for deep reset

Restorative yoga is a powerful method for yoga recovery, encouraging profound rest and balance. With bolsters, blocks, and blankets, these postures require minimal muscular effort, letting you linger in each pose and gently reset your nervous system.

Restorative favorites:

• Reclined Bound Angle (Supta Baddha Konasana): Lie back on a bolster placed lengthwise along your spine, allowing the chest to open. Support your knees with blocks or folded blankets. This heart opening pose can lift holiday heaviness and welcome in fresh, compassionate energy.
• Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani): Resting your legs against a wall soothes weary legs and fosters calm. Drape a soft blanket over your belly for warmth as you let gravity and time do the work of relaxation.

4. Releasing the need to “Make Up” for the holidays

Your yoga recovery period isn’t about punishment or burning off those extra holiday cookies. It’s about healing and honoring your body’s current needs. Swap out any guilt driven thoughts for a mindset focused on replenishment and kindness. Yoga should always be a space of self respect and compassion, not a chore.

Gentle Flow ideas:

• A few rounds of Cat Cow to awaken your spine.
• Low lunges to stretch hips tight from sitting.
• Gentle twists to aid digestion and help you feel lighter.

By listening closely to your body, you create a space where yoga becomes truly nourishing rather than another stressful item on your to-do list.

5. Returning to your vinyasa or Ashtanga practices

Once you’ve spent time nurturing yourself with gentle and restorative yoga, you may feel ready to reintroduce more dynamic styles into your routine. Vinyasa and Ashtanga practices, known for their flowing sequences and building internal heat, can eventually help restore your strength, flexibility, and stamina.

Tips for transitioning back:

• Shorter Sessions: Start with a shorter Vinyasa flow or a Half Primary Ashtanga sequence. Just 20–30 minutes of focused movement can rekindle muscle memory without overtaxing your body.
• Extra Props: Even in a more dynamic practice, props are friends, not crutches. Use blocks for stability and modify postures if you feel any lingering tightness.
• Pace Yourself: Don’t rush back into advanced variations. Focus on foundational poses first. Sun Salutations, standing sequences, and gentle backbends. Only adding more complex asanas as your body regains strength and fluidity.

Remember that yoga recovery isn’t a separate world from your regular practice. It’s a stepping stone, a gentle bridge that leads you back into the rhythmic flow of Vinyasa and the disciplined structure of Ashtanga, but without risking burnout or injury.

6. Set intentions for the new year

As you navigate this yoga recovery period, consider what you’d like your practice—and your life—to feel like in the coming year. Maybe you want more patience, steadiness, or joy. Your mat can be a sacred space to set these intentions, allowing them to guide both your slower sessions and your stronger flows.

Try Journaling:

After each practice, note how you feel. Over time, these reflections become a guiding compass, helping you identify when it feels right to step up intensity, or when to continue gently nurturing yourself.

7. Consistency is key in all phases of your practice

Whether you’re easing into a gentle flow or gradually reigniting your Vinyasa or Ashtanga routine, consistency helps solidify positive habits. Start small, a few minutes each day, and trust that time will bring clarity and comfort.

Consistency Tips:

• Short Sessions: Begin with short practices to rebuild trust and stability in your body.
• Identify your best time: Mornings can gently wake you up, while evenings help release the day’s tensions.
• Visual cues: Keep your props visible and accessible. Seeing them is often all it takes to remind you of your intention to practice.

Conclusion: A compassionate path forward

The holidays may have left you feeling scattered or fatigued, but embracing a period of yoga recovery allows you to move back into harmony with yourself. By starting gently and focusing on nurturing postures, you can gradually reintroduce more dynamic practices like Vinyasa or Ashtanga as your body and mind become ready.

This new year, let your yoga journey be guided by kindness, patience, and a steady, supportive foundation, no matter which style you return to. As you step onto your mat, remember that you’re always allowed to pause, adjust, and honor the place you find yourself in today.

Ready to build a supportive environment for your yoga recovery and beyond? Explore Hugger Mugger’s mats,bolsters, blocks, and blankets to create a cozy, welcoming space that nurtures your body and spirit at every stage of your practice.

1. Yoga for Stress Management

Yoga provides an effective way to manage and reduce stress. By focusing on breath and mindful movement, yoga helps calm the nervous system and promotes relaxation.

• Practice gentle poses like Child’s Pose and Legs-Up-The-Wall.
• Use a yoga bolster for support in restorative poses.
• Incorporate deep breathing exercises to calm your mind.

2. Improve your sleep quality with yoga

Struggling with sleep? Yoga can be a natural remedy for insomnia. Gentle evening practices and guided relaxation techniques help prepare your body and mind for a restful night.

• Engage in calming poses before bedtime.
• Use a  eye pillow for complete relaxation in Savasana.
• Practice Yoga Nidra to guide you into a deep state of rest and relaxation.

3. Boost your mood

Yoga has been shown to elevate mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. The combination of movement, breathing, and meditation helps release endorphins and promotes a sense of well-being.

• Start your day with a gentle yoga flow.
• Practice sun salutations to energize your body.
• Use a quality yoga mat for a more grounding and uplifting experience.

4. Cultivate Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the heart of yoga. By staying present on the mat, you learn to observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment, fostering greater awareness and emotional balance.

• Focus on your breath when feeling stressed.
• Practice body scans in Savasana.
• Sit on a cushion and meditate for 5 minutes

5. Increase self-compassion

Yoga teaches us self-acceptance and compassion. Instead of striving for perfection, you learn to honor where you are in your practice, cultivating a kinder relationship with yourself.

• Practice yoga with awareness and listen to your body.
• Use props like a strap or yoga block  for support.
• Set a positive intention at the beginning of your practice.

6. Enhance focus and concentration

Yoga improves your ability to focus and concentrate. Balancing poses and breathwork require mental clarity, enhancing your cognitive abilities off the mat.

• Practice balancing poses like Tree Pose.
• Use alternate nostril breathing to clear your mind.

7. Release emotional tension

Yoga can help release deep emotions stored in the body. Hip-opening poses and heart openers are particularly beneficial for emotional release.

• Incorporate deep hip stretches into your practice.
• Practice heart-opening poses, like puppy pose, to release emotions

8. Support your nervous system

Yoga balances the autonomic nervous system, reducing the fight-or-flight response and promoting rest and digestion. Breathwork and restorative poses are key for nervous system support.

• Practice restorative yoga using a bolster and blankets.
• Incorporate pranayama techniques like 4-7-8 breathing.
• Use as much yoga props as needed for ultimate relaxation.

Conclusion

Yoga offers a wealth of mental health benefits, from stress relief to improved focus and self-compassion. Whether you are new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner, incorporating these practices into your routine can foster greater well-being and balance in your life.

Explore our range of Hugger Mugger yoga props to enhance your practice and support your journey to better mental health.

1. Choosing the right spot.

Making space where it feels impossible

Creating a Yin Yoga sanctuary begins with the right mindset: you don’t need a dedicated room, just a corner where you can make magic happen. Look for a spot that feels somewhat peaceful, perhaps near a window where natural light can stream in or a cozy nook away from the busyness of the main areas.

Tip: If you’re short on space, consider a multipurpose area. A corner of your bedroom or even a section of the living room can transform into your Yin Yoga retreat. You can store props easily in a nearby basket to keep it simple.

2. Setting the mood

Lighting and ambiance

Yin Yoga is all about softness and surrender, so your environment should reflect that. Dim lighting can help your nervous system calm down and transition into relaxation mode. Create a little altar, use candles, salt lamps, or fairy lights to create a gentle glow that envelops your practice.

3. The essential props

Building a comfortable foundation

Yin Yoga involves holding poses for several minutes, so comfort is key. Props like bolsters, blocks, and blankets are essential to fully support your body in each pose, helping you to settle in deeply without straining.

• Bolsters: These are your best friend in Yin Yoga, providing support in reclined poses like Supine Butterfly or underneath your back for a gentle heart opener. Bolsters come iin a variety of beautiful fabrics to suit your sanctuary’s aesthetic.
• Blocks: Even for those with a deep practice, blocks offer a good base in poses like supported Child’s Pose or to support your forehead in forward folds. Try the Cork Yoga Block for a sustainable and firm option.
• Blankets: Whether you’re tucking one under your hips or layering up for Savasana, blankets add that extra touch of coziness. The Recycled Plaid Yoga Blanket is both soft and eco-friendly and a favoirite.

4. Soundscapes and soothing rituals

Creating a cocoon of calm

Sound can significantly impact your practice. Consider soft, ambient music, binaural beats or nature sounds to promote a deeper state of relaxation. If you prefer silence, noise-canceling headphones are great or play white noise to drown out distractions, like nearby traffic or the hum of household activity.

Soothing cup of tea: A warm cup of herbal tea can become a beautiful part of your pre-Yin Yoga ritual. Chamomile, peppermint, or a calming blend of lavender and lemon balm can prepare your body and mind for deep relaxation. Sip your tea slowly and mindfully as you settle onto your mat, allowing the warmth to soothe you from the inside out.

5. Managing distractions

Finding peace in a busy household

If you have kids, a partner, or even playful pets, establishing boundaries is crucial. Let your family know about your sacred time for Yin Yoga and put a gentle reminder on the door. Practicing early in the morning or later in the evening can also minimize disturbances.

Tip: Set a specific “Yin time” where everyone in your home knows it’s your moment for stillness. You could even create a small ritual, like lighting your salt lamp, to signal that you’re stepping into your sanctuary.

6. Personal touches

Infusing your space with what you love

The beauty of creating a home yoga sanctuary is that you can personalize it with what brings you comfort. Add small plants to purify the air and connect you with nature, or display inspirational art or quotes. An essential oil diffuser can fill the space with calming scents like lavender or sandalwood, setting the tone for tranquility.

7. Your Yin Yoga ritual:

Sinking into deep relaxation

Once your space is set, allow your practice to feel intentional and nurturing. Begin with a gentle body scan, acknowledging areas of tension. Use your props to find support in each pose, and remember: Yin Yoga isn’t about pushing; it’s about allowing and time in the pose.

Example Sequence: Start with a supported Child’s Pose, then move into a gentle Dragon Pose using blocks under your hands. Follow with a long-held Reclined Butterfly, supported by a bolster, and end with a restorative Savasana under a warm blanket.

Conclusion

Creating your Yin Yoga sanctuary at home is about more than physical space; it’s a way to honor your need for rest and deep healing. By thoughtfully designing your space with the right elements, you’ll create a practice that feels deeply nourishing. Explore Hugger Mugger’s props and accessories to support your journey into stillness.

Ready to start building your sanctuary? Browse Hugger Mugger’s collection of bolsters, blocks, and blankets to make your space a true haven for relaxation.

We’re in the midst of the season of gratitude. At Thanksgiving, we’re encouraged to remember our blessings—family, friends, work, and the many pleasant experiences we’ve enjoyed in our lives. But how often are we encouraged to remember this body that carries us around every day, and allows us to enjoy these blessings?

In general, we tend to take our bodies for granted—until something goes wrong. Can we instead remember our bodies for the blessings that they are, despite their quirks, aches and pains, and what we might perceive as their limitations? If you really think about it, there’s much to be grateful for. In this post, I’ll share some ideas for practicing gratitude for your body.

A Wake-Up Call

Our bodies change. As we age, they require more TLC. No matter how well you eat, or how much yoga you practice, a human body at 60 is not the same as a human body at 30. We all carry different genetic seeds, and are subject to different environmental factors, so the process looks different for each person. But even as our bodies change and become higher maintenance, we can still have gratitude for the many joys we experience through these bodies every day.

A few years ago, my body gave me an insistent wake-up call. My body, which has always been very low maintenance, sent me a message, loud and clear: “Stop taking me for granted! How about a little gratitude?”

In 2015, my left hip was replaced because of hip displaysia. Even then, I knew it was only a matter of time for my right hip. A year and nine months later, I got a shiny, new titanium joint on the right side.

On the first day of an 18-day meditation retreat I at Spirit Rock Meditation Center that same year, I received a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer. I was fortunate in two ways: It was detected very, very early and didn’t require a lot of radical treatment. In addition, I was in the perfect setting to receive the news.

While I experienced the expected shock in the form of a substantial shot of adrenaline on hearing the words “invasive ductal carcinoma,” my mind didn’t add any drama in the entire 18 days of the retreat. In fact, I experienced a whole lot of equanimity around my diagnosis. It seems that 30 years of mindfulness practice had paid off. Of course, the diagnosis was not what I wanted to hear, but as Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 2.48 states, all the years of yoga and meditation practice had enabled me to stay equanimous in the face of bad news.

This series of body-centered events helped me remember to be grateful for this body, and to commit even more strongly to care for it.

Why Practice Gratitude?

Studies have found that cultivating gratitude actually confers health benefits. A 2015 article in Newsweek cited five proven benefits:

1. Grateful people are more hopeful and healthier
2. Improved sleep quality
3. Increased self-esteem
4. Increased helpfulness and empathy
5. Increased resilience

Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that appreciation of our bodies—not only when we are experiencing pleasant sensations, but at the times when things are just going along as usual—can be a source of happiness. He says, “If we are not aware that we are happy, we are not really happy. When we have a toothache, we know that not having a toothache is a wonderful thing. But when we do not have a toothache, we are still not happy. A non-toothache is very pleasant.” We can practice gratitude for those times when we don’t have a toothache—or any other maladies.

How to Practice Gratitude for Your Amazing Body

Here are some ways you can practice gratitude for the body you live in:

• According to the Mayo Clinic our hearts beat an average of 60 to 100 times per minute, which translates to 86,400 to 144,000 beats per day. If you’re reading this, your heart is doing just that. It, along with the estimated 23,000 breaths you take each day, are keeping you alive. Give your heart some gratitude.
• Your eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin allow you to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and sensations of our world. Of course, one or more of these senses may lose acuity over time. But you can appreciate them for the window they give you into the rest of the world all day long.
• Your nervous, digestive, circulatory, respiratory and reproductive systems all contribute to your body’s normal, healthy function. Often we don’t pay much attention to the body until something goes wrong. Take time to acknowledge your body when it’s working right, not just when it’s giving you trouble.
• If you practice yoga, be grateful that you have the means to travel to a class, get onto the floor and get back up. Be grateful that you get to experience the practice we all love through the body that gets you there.
• Give your body a nice, long Savasana after you practice. It takes 10-15 minutes for your body to achieve physiological relaxation after physical activity. Savasana allows you to integrate the energies you cultivate in your asana practice. Give your body the time it needs to recover and replenish itself.

Introduction

Growing up, I was never very athletic. I never really enjoyed team sports. I was average at baseball, soccer, and basketball—scrawny and uncoordinated. I didn’t even bother to try out for football. 

But early on, I discovered a love for running and have been running most of my life. I found joy in running, not in running the fastest or the longest but rather just in the running itself. For me, the joy comes from the solitude of a long run and from the full-body movement of running, especially when I manage a comfortable and sustainable pace. Running also clears my mind and often even feels spiritual to me. Growing up, I never felt better than during and after a long run, especially a trail run.

That is, until I discovered yoga. 

When I started practicing yoga in my early 20s I was excited to discover another activity that wasn’t a competitive sport and also left me feeling as good in body, mind, and spirit the way running did. But when I told my yoga friends that in addition to practicing yoga I also enjoyed running, they’d often raise their eyebrows above their bindi and matter-of-factly inform me that yoga and running just don’t mix. Yet as someone who does both I beg to differ. On the contrary, yoga has improved my running and has kept me running well and largely injury-free for decades. 

In many ways running has improved my yoga practice by giving me more stamina, focus, and breath capacity. However, in this article I want to explore some of the many ways that yoga can benefit runners and how incorporating yoga into your training routine can make a significant difference in your enjoyment, performance, and longevity of your running.

The Physical Benefits of Yoga for Runners

1. Better Flexibility

One of the biggest benefits of yoga for runners is better flexibility. Running primarily involves repetitive movements in a forward direction which almost always leads to tight muscles. Tight muscles contribute to reduced range of motion which means that the tighter a runner’s muscles get, the more effort they have to use to make their body move. Yoga postures stretch and lengthen muscles and help runners enjoy greater flexibility and mobility, a benefit that feels like  finally, someone has released the parking brake on your running. 

Running tightens specific muscle groups such as the hamstrings, hip flexors, and calves (always my nemesis). I maintain flexibility and freedom in these muscle groups with poses like Downdog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), Kneeling Lunge (Anjaneyasana), and Pigeon (Kapotasana) or Figure 4 Stretch. By keeping the body limber, runners not only enhance their running form but they also reduce the risk of strain and injury. Flexible bodies can adapt to the dynamic movements of running much better than tight bodies, making running smoother and much more enjoyable.

2. Physical Balance and Stability

Yoga has improved my balance, stability, and proprioception which helps me to negotiate technical terrain on trails or uneven surfaces on the road and helps prevent me from performing any unintended Pete Rose slides during a run (one of the few technical baseball terms I gleaned in my brief little-league career).

Poses like Tree Pose (Vrikshasana) and Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III) can help runners develop better balance, stability, and proprioception. These poses also help to strengthen the ankles and feet which helps to prevent runners from rolling an ankle during a run which can curb a runner with a sprain or even a break. 

3. Increased Strength

More than just flexibility, yoga is also about strength, a shared benefit for runners. Without fail, right at about mile 20 of a marathon, the nagging thought invariably pops into my head, “I should have held Chair Pose (Utkatasana) and Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) a bit longer to build up my quads and hamstrings.” Strength building poses such as these help runners move forward with less fatigue and better for. Running when you’re weak leads to poor form and increases the possibility for injuries. 

Running isn’t only about lower body strength either; it’s truly a full-body endeavor. Something I love about yoga, and why it’s such a complement to other sports and forms of movement, including running, is that yoga also benefits the entire body. Poses like Plank Pose (Phalakasana), Lower Pushup (Chaturanga Dandasana), and Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) require the activation of multiple muscles simultaneously which has a direct benefit for a full-bodied approach to running.

Yoga builds a strong upper body which is useful to maintain proper posture during runs and prevent the upper body from collapsing. Collapsing in the upper body can lead to inefficient breathing and reduced performance. A strong and upright upper body keeps the lungs open and receptive to the breath.

Then there’s the core. A strong core is crucial for maintaining stability while running. Yoga poses  that engage the core and help to build strength in this area include Boat Pose (Navasana), Crow Pose, (Bakasana) and Scale Pose (Tolasana). A strong and stable core also improves posture and prevents issues like lower back pain, which is common among runners.

4. Better Breathing Techniques

Yoga’s emphasis on coordinating movement and breath helps runners benefit greatly from learning to control their breath. Proper breathing techniques for runners can help runners stay steady and energized all the way through a run rather than sucking wind so hard that they see stars and have to stop to catch their breath. Learning to breathe well and efficiently while holding poses in yoga can also help a runner enhance their endurance and reduce fatigue. With a regular yoga practice, runners can develop a deeper understanding of their breath and learn how to synchronize it with their running cadence.

Yogic breathing exercises (aka pranayama) helps runners improve their lung capacity and oxygen intake making energy more readily available and accessible to the necessary muscles. Techniques like deep belly breathing and ujjayi breath can even be applied during runs to stay relaxed and energized, even and especially when running uphill.

The Mental Benefits of Yoga for Runners

1. Body/Mind Balance

Sure, running requires strength, endurance, and mental focus but, in addition to the benefit of physical balance, yoga also taught me about balancing my body-mind connection which helped me learn to work with my body instead of against. This body-mind balance helps runners to improve performance, prevent injuries, and ensures many years of joyful running. 

The human will is often stronger than the human body, especially with endurance sports where the misdirected motto is often, “No pain, no gain.” But “pushing through the pain” while pounding the pavement or hitting the trails can take a serious toll on the body, one that can even outweigh the physical and mental benefits of the sport and can lead to permanent injury or burnout which ultimately shortens the amount of years a runner can enjoy the sport. 

Yoga taught me instead to listen to the constant signals my body gives me during a run and helps me to work in tandem with it rather than working against it. When runners are in tune with their bodies, they can make adjustments to their stride, posture, and gait during runs, reducing the risk of overuse injuries. It also helps runners recognize when they need to rest and recover, preventing burnout and overtraining. After I discovered yoga, my new motto became, “No pain? I’m game!” Later, I discovered training methods such as the Maffetone Method which supports a slow and steady way of building strength and speed while training very comfortably within the body’s limits. With a strong mind-body connection, runners learn to balance effort and ease (a primary yoga directive) while running which leads to maximizing movement and minimizing effort, helping runners keep enjoying the sport for many years. 

2. Stress Reduction

Yes, running can be an incredible tool to help clear and center your mind. Some of my greatest insights have come midway through a long run. This is in part due to the amount of oxygen flow to the brain as well as the many endorphins released during running. Yoga provides a valuable opportunity for runners to regularly “get into the flow,” a blissful mental state that can often be found while running. In addition to the active postures, the meditative aspect of yoga encourages mindfulness and relaxation which can be particularly helpful for managing pre-race jitters, focus during a run, or post-run tension.

Plus, meditation and deep relaxation practices such as Yoga Nidra (deeply relaxing guided meditation) can enhance mental resilience, boost confidence, and improve overall mental well-being, which can positively impact a runner’s performance and enjoyment of the sport.

3. Enhanced Focus and Concentration

Running sometimes requires mental toughness, focus and concentration, especially during long training runs or races. Yoga cultivates mental clarity and concentration through mindfulness and meditation practices. Creating a rhythm with your footsteps during a run can have the same mental effect as meditation and can put a person into a blissful state, the same mental state as several repetitions of a mantra or the rhythm of a sustained shamanic drum beat for several minutes. Plus, the ability to stay focused on the present moment can be a game-changer for runners, allowing them to avoid self-limiting beliefs or other mental issues that can act as a governor for performance. 

Often, yoga incorporates Sankalpas or intentions which can help runners to set intentions and goals for their practice. This can translate into a more structured and purposeful approach to running. Whether it’s completing a challenging trail run or achieving a personal best in a race, the mental discipline cultivated through yoga can help runners stay motivated and committed, all the while listening to the real needs of their bodies.

Preventing and Recovering from Injuries

In addition to enhancing performance and mental well-being, yoga can be a valuable tool for preventing and recovering from running-related injuries. Here’s how:

1. Injury Prevention: Yoga helps correct muscle imbalances, improve posture, and increase flexibility, reducing the risk of injuries such as IT band syndrome, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis.

2. Rehabilitation: If you’re recovering from an injury, yoga can be a gentle way to regain strength and flexibility in the affected areas while avoiding high-impact activities.

3. Active Recovery: Gentle yoga, Corpse Pose (Savasana), and Yoga Nidra can be incorporated into your post-run routine to aid in muscle recovery, reduce soreness, and promote relaxation.

Conclusion

So, at the end of the day, yoga and running are wonderful complements and the value of yoga for runners is enormous. By incorporating yoga into a training routine, runners can reap a multitude of physical and mental benefits that will enhance running performance and overall well-being. From increased flexibility and strength to improved balance and focus, yoga provides runners with a holistic, balanced approach to training that can help prevent injuries and promote longevity in the sport.

Whether you’re a seasoned marathoner or a beginner looking to start a running journey, I invite you to integrate yoga into your training regimen. The synergy between yoga and running can lead to a healthier, more enjoyable running experience, helping you reach your fitness goals while staying injury-free and mentally resilient on the road or trail. So, roll out your yoga mat and lace up your running shoes—your body and mind will thank you for it. 

Scott’s Online Classes: Waking Up with the Yoga of Sleep
Scott’s Books: Practical Yoga Nidra, 5-Minute Manifesting Journal, 20 Yoga Nidra Scripts Vol. 1.

Our bodies change. As we age, they require more TLC. No matter how well you eat, or how much yoga you practice, our bodies wear out. We all carry different genetic seeds, and are subject to different environmental factors, so the process looks different for each person. But even as our bodies change and become higher maintenance, we can still have gratitude for the many joys we experience through these bodies every day.

A Wake-Up Call

A few years ago, my body gave me an insistent wake-up call. My body, which has always been very low maintenance, sent me a message, loud and clear: “Stop taking me for granted! How about a little gratitude?”

In 2015, my left hip was replaced because of hip displaysia. Even then, I knew it was only a matter of time for my right hip. A year and nine months later, I got a shiny, new titanium joint on the right side.

On the first day of an 18-day meditation retreat I at Spirit Rock Meditation Center that same year, I received a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer. I was fortunate in two ways: It was detected very, very early and didn’t require a lot of radical treatment. And I was in the perfect setting to receive the news. While I experienced the expected anxiety and sadness, my mind didn’t add any drama. In fact, I experienced a whole lot of equanimity around my diagnosis. It seems that 30 years of meditation practice had paid off.

For many years I took this body for granted. I didn’t visit a doctor for 25 years. Nothing happened to my body that I couldn’t take care of through natural means. But that changed.

Why Practice Gratitude?

Studies have found that cultivating gratitude actually confers health benefits. A 2015 article in Newsweek cited five proven benefits:

1. Grateful people are more hopeful and healthier
2. Improved sleep quality
3. Increased self-esteem
4. Increased helpfulness and empathy
5. Increased resilience

Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that appreciation of our bodies—not only when we are experiencing pleasant sensations, but at the times when things are just going along as usual—can be a source of happiness. He says, “If we are not aware that we are happy, we are not really happy. When we have a toothache, we know that not having a toothache is a wonderful thing. But when we do not have a toothache, we are still not happy. A non-toothache is very pleasant.” We can practice gratitude for those times when we don’t have a toothache—or any other maladies.

How to Practice Gratitude for Your Amazing Body

Here are some ways you can practice gratitude for the body you live in:

• According to the Mayo Clinic our hearts beat an average of 60 to 100 times per minute, which translates to 86,400 to 144,000 beats per day. If you’re reading this, your heart is doing just that. It, along with the estimated 23,000 breaths you take each day, are keeping you alive. Give your heart some gratitude.
• Your eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin allow you to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and sensations of our world. Of course, one or more of these senses may lose acuity over time. But you can appreciate them for the window they give you into the rest of the world all day long.
• Your nervous, digestive, circulatory, respiratory and reproductive systems all contribute to your body’s normal, healthy function. Often we don’t pay much attention to the body until something goes wrong. Take time to acknowledge your body when it’s working right, not just when it’s giving you trouble.
• If you practice yoga, be grateful that you have the means to travel to a class, get onto the floor and get back up. Be grateful that you get to experience the practice we all love through the body that gets you there.
• Give your body a nice, long Savasana after you practice. It takes 10-15 minutes for your body to achieve physiological relaxation after physical activity. Savasana allows you to integrate the energies you cultivate in your asana practice. Give your body the time it needs to recover and replenish itself.

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? How do they usually pan out for you? The new year seems like a good time to start with a clean slate. Resolving to change habits we don’t like and develop newer, healthier habits is a worthy practice. But most of us have found out through experience that it’s not always as easy as we think it should be.

Habits are powerful. Our repetitive actions and thoughts lay down grooves in our bodies and minds. The more we practice them, the more unconscious they become. Jeremy Dean, psychologist and author of the blog PsyBlog and the book, Making Habits, Breaking Habits: Why We Do Things, Why We Don’t, and How to Make Any Change Stick, says that habits make up about 50 percent of all the actions we perform each day.

Most of the habits we practice each day are quite useful—habits such as locking the door when we leave the house, brushing our teeth after eating, donning our seat belt or doing what it takes to be on time for work and appointments.

Still there are other habits that aren’t so useful, habits that range from the simply annoying—like biting your nails or cracking your knuckles—to habits that threaten our health and wellbeing or that of others—like habits of overconsumption (eating, drinking, smoking) or venting our anger inappropriately.

So we choose New Year’s—the time of new beginnings—to create a new intention. While our current habits do have lots of momentum, there are tools available to all of us that can help us unhook from well-worn patterns. In my experience, the most powerful tool is mindfulness.

The Power of Choice

I started practicing Insight meditation in the 1980s. It took very little time on the cushion for me to figure out that my mind was lost in thoughts, reveries, snippets of music and emotional dramas 99.9999999 percent of the time. From there, it didn’t take long to figure out that 99.9999999 percent of the mindstuff passing through was the same recycled stuff repeating endlessly. Such is the power of habit.

As I began to recognize my unconscious patterns of thinking and reacting, I started to be able to recognize them earlier and earlier in the process. This enabled me to stop feeding the patterns before they really took hold of me and created often unhealthy reactions. As I stopped feeding my habits, I found that there was space for new, creative energy.

The power of mindfulness is that it gives us choice. Because our habits are mostly unconscious, they seem entirely normal for us. Mindfulness gives us the opportunity to slow down and examine the thoughts and actions we’re investing in. When we observe them—and their power over our actions—we then have the choice as to whether to continue nourishing them or to stop giving them our energy. The power of choice is the greatest power we have.

Mindfulness and Your New Year’s Resolutions

Most of our ingrained habits stem from habits of desire or aversion. For example, if we want to stop eating impulsively, we have to recognize the energy of desire that underlies the habit. Say you have a sudden urge to binge on donuts. When you can stop and recognize the root energy of desire, and simply be present with that energy, you can watch it come and go. It’s just desire. You don’t have to act on it.

If you want to stop a habit of responding to situations by lashing out, you can be aware of the energy of anger as it arises. If you can stay with the energy as it comes, peaks and fades, you’re less likely to act out.

Mindfulness is a skill that takes years to develop. It’s very helpful to remember this and to be patient with the process and with ourselves. We can start by setting aside a time each day—five minutes to an hour or more—where we settle into a corner of our house and simply sit and watch our minds.

When thoughts arise—and they will—there’s nothing you need to do with them. Either indulging them and trying to push them away will give them energy. Simply observe. Know that thinking is happening. Some days thinking will be rampant; some days your mind will be more quiet. Over time, our habits change. Be patient.

Tips for Making your Resolutions Stick

The habit of mindfulness takes years, but what can you do right now to help your resolutions become habits? Here are a couple suggestions:

• Be specific. Rather than resolving to lose weight or start a meditation practice, picture the specific situation you’d like to cultivate.
• Then—and this is really important—think of an action that will accomplish this. Again, be specific.

Here’s an example:  Say you want to develop a meditation practice.

1. Identify how much time you’d like to spend, keeping in mind what is practical given your schedule, family and work commitments. Five minutes a day is a worthy goal if that is what you can commit to comfortably. Of course, you can always increase your time from there if it works for you.
2. Find a corner of your house or apartment where you can keep your meditation cushion set up, so that it’s not a huge effort to set it up each day.
3. Set a consistent time of day. First thing in the morning works well for most people. Phone calls, emails, meals, errands, work and relationship commitments are more likely to come up later in the day. Once that happens, it’s easy to forget to practice.

April 22nd is the day that we celebrate this beautiful planet that sustains us all. Back in 1970, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, inspired by the devastation of a California oil spill a year before and by the energy of the anti-war movement, felt that Americans should mobilize around protecting our environment. He conceived the day as an opportunity for a “teach-in” about the problems facing our most precious resources—air and water. On April 22, 1970, 20 million people took to the streets to show support. Earth Day was largely a bipartisan effort.

The EPA was formed under President Nixon, and the first environmental laws were enacted during his presidency. Everyone understood that the health of our planet concerns us all. Our own health depends on the health of our environment. Yoga can help us live more sustainably on the planet.

Earth Day Yoga: Yamas and Niyamas

The Eight Limbs of Yoga speak directly to caring for the planet. Because yoga recognizes the interconnectedness of us all, the first two limbs, yama and niyama, can teach us how our behavior influences our own health and happiness and that of everyone else. Here’s a quick synopsis of how the yamas and niyamas might speak to environmentalism. There’s a lot more I could say about each one, but I want to offer just a small bit of food for thought. Practicing the yamas and niyamas may be the most effective way to practice Earth Day yoga.

Yama: Ethical Precepts or How We Relate to the World Around Us

1. Ahimsa (non-harming): This one is the basis for all the other yamas. The others are all variations of non-harming. In practicing ahimsa toward our planet, we take time to consider the consequences of our actions in relation to the planet—not only for ourselves, but for other beings as well.
2. Satya (truthfulness): We can seek the truth about what actions humans are taking that harm or help our planet and choose to act with the intention to support causes or practices that replenish our planet. We can speak, write or otherwise inform others about sustainable living.
3. Asteya (non-stealing): We can endeavor to consume only what we need. When you buy things, look for sustainable alternatives to the usual mass-produced choices. Your yoga gear can be sustainable too!
4. Brahmacharya (wise use of creative or sexual energy): We can use our creative energy to advocate and educate—through art, music, dance, yoga (read about sustainable asana practice here), planting a garden or volunteering to plant trees. So many possibilities here!
5. Aparigraha (non-greed or non-grasping): Recycle, reuse, release the things you don’t need. Donate your time, energy and material goods. Put your good intentions to work in the world.

Niyama: Caring for Yourself with Integrity

1. Saucha (cleanliness): Keep your own space—inside and outside—free and clear of clutter. As in aparigraha, donate what you don’t need.
2. Santosha (contentment): This principle is at the root of sustainability. Being content with what you have reduces the compulsion to consume. Reflect on the blessings in your life.
3. Tapas (commitment, energy): Invest your energy into one environmental cause that resonates for you. There are so many things that need to be addressed, it’s easy to be overwhelmed and give up. Choose one thing: trees, oceans, endangered species, global warming (which affects all the others) and commit to helping in some way.
4. Svadhyaya (study): Read some of the great environmental writers such as Wendell Berry, Terry Tempest-Williams, Edward Abbey, Aldo Leopold, Bill McKibben, to name a few.
5. Isvara pranidhana (surrender to grace—or something bigger than ourselves): Remembering that we are one small part—albeit a significant part—of the larger web of life helps us put our choices into perspective. When we remember our interconnectedness with everything else, we’re more likely to treat our planet and all its inhabitants with generosity and caring.

We’d love to hear your ideas about Earth Day yoga. Please feel free to comment.

You can read more about the origins or Earth Day here.

Spring and fall are more than simply transition seasons. While they may often seem way too short, they’re the times when we who live in temperate climates can enjoy the outdoors in comfort. Right now, fall is in full swing in the Northern Hemisphere. Here in Utah, fall colors are at their peak. In the past week, I’ve escaped my computer four times to take a nature break.

According to several studies cited in an article published by Yale University, titled “Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health,” 120 minutes is the magic number for reaping the benefits of being in nature. These benefits include:

• lower blood pressure
• lower stress hormone levels
• reduced nervous system arousal
• enhanced immune system function
• increased self-esteem
• decreased anxiety
• improved mood

A Nature Break, Even in the City

I feel fortunate to live in a place where there are mountains just minutes away. I can easily spend two hours among the trees, almost any day of the week. The Wasatch Mountains are just 20 minutes away, and the foothills are a mere five minutes from my house. I can easily take a 120-minute break in the morning or afternoon, even on a work day.

But what if you live in a concrete jungle? The good news is that a nature break doesn’t have to take place in designated wilderness. Is there a city park, a field, or some other sort of green space within easy walking or driving distance? If not, simply spending time outdoors, even in the city, can be refreshing.

How to Optimize Your Time Outdoors

• Leave your phone at home, or at least, turn it off and vow not to look at it during your time out.
• Avoid using your time outdoors to go over your to-do list, or to think about some challenging situation in your life. Use the time to take a vacation from your daily life concerns. Be present with your experience. Tune into what you feel—the sun or wind on your skin, the fragrance of the air, the sound and sensation of your feet on the ground (as in walking meditation). Be present with your surroundings, the sights and sounds in your environment (as in hearing meditation).
• Mild autumn temperatures are a perfect environment for practicing yoga outdoors. Find a level spot, preferably in the shade, and lay out your yoga mat. Outdoor yoga practice is the perfect time to teach yourself how to maintain equanimity, even when your environment is not completely calm. Make the sensations around you part of your practice.

Years ago, I met an old-school yoga teacher who said something I’ll never forget. She said, “The Earth is the guru of the body. The sky is the guru of the mind.” Being in nature, present with the earth and sky, can tune us into our own essential nature. No matter where you live, take time to learn from these two gurus of body and mind. Nature holds the key.

I’ve never been much for the ceremony of making New Year’s resolutions. I’ve found that my resolve is not strong enough to form a new habit simply because the calendar has turned. My inspiration to change a habit—and the ability to effectively do so—comes more easily if I’m truly feeling the pain of that habit and am fully ready to take another path. Then I put mindfulness to work to help me implement the change.

Even then, it’s not easy. Habits are powerful. Our repetitive actions and thoughts lay down grooves in our bodies and minds. The more we practice them, the more unconscious they become. Jeremy Dean, psychologist and author of the blog PsyBlog and the book, Making Habits, Breaking Habits: Why We Do Things, Why We Don’t, and How to Make Any Change Stick, says that habits make up about 50 percent of all the actions we perform each day.

Most of the habits we practice each day are quite useful—habits such as locking the door when we leave the house, brushing our teeth after eating, donning our seat belt or doing what it takes to be on time for work and appointments.

Still there are other habits we might wish we didn’t have, habits that range from the simply annoying—like biting your nails or cracking your knuckles—to habits that threaten our health and well-being or that of others—like habits of overconsumption (eating, drinking, smoking) or venting our anger inappropriately.

So we choose New Year’s—the time of new beginnings—to create a new intention.

In some ways creating healthy habits is the work there is to do in this life—to let go of what doesn’t serve us and the other beings that share our lives, and create new habits that allow us to spread more love and happiness around us. It’s just not easy. But there are things we can do to help. In my experience, the most powerful tool is mindfulness.

The Power of Mindfulness

Back in the 1980s when I first started practicing Insight meditation, it took very little time on the meditation cushion for me to figure out that my mind was lost in thoughts, reveries, snippets of music and emotional dramas 99.9999999 percent of the time. From there, it didn’t take long to figure out that 99.9999999 percent of the mind stuff passing through was the same recycled stuff repeating endlessly. Such is the power of habit.

As I began to recognize my unconscious patterns of thinking and reacting, I started to be able to recognize them earlier and earlier in the process. This enabled me to stop feeding the patterns before they really took hold of me and created often unhealthy reactions, at least some of the time. (Is it just me, or is it true for others that the negative thoughts that generate anger, frustration and other such disruptive emotions often the most addicting ones?) As I stopped feeding my habits, I found that there was space for all kinds of wonderful, new mental formations: creative energy, a deep abiding happiness and above all, silence.

Mindfulness Equals Choice

The power of mindfulness is that it gives us choice. Because our habits are mostly unconscious, they seem entirely normal for us. We’ve thought these thoughts, performed these actions so many times that we don’t have to think about them. They have tremendous momentum.

Mindfulness gives us the opportunity to slow down and examine the thoughts and actions we’re investing in. In seeing them we then have the choice as to whether to continue nourishing them—which may be entirely appropriate—or to stop giving them energy. The power of choice is the greatest power we have.

Mindfulness is a lifelong skill that takes years to develop. Our minds have a whole lot of momentum in the direction of entropy. It’s very helpful to remember this and to be patient with the process and with ourselves. We can start by setting aside a time each day—five minutes to an hour or more. It’s more effective to practice each day than it is to practice for long periods of time.

Settle into a corner of your house and simply sit and observe your mind. When thoughts arise—and they will—there’s nothing you need to do with them. Both indulging them and trying to push them away will give them energy. Simply observe. Know that thinking is happening. Some days thinking will be rampant; some days your mind will be more quiet. Over time, our habits change. Be patient.

Tips for Making your Resolutions Stick

The habit of mindfulness takes years, but what can you do right now to help your resolutions become habits? Here are a couple suggestions from Jeremy Dean’s interview:

• Be specific. Rather than resolving to lose weight or be nicer or more gracious, picture the specific situation you’d like to cultivate.
• Then—and this is really important—think of an action that will accomplish this. Again, be specific.

How to Develop a Meditation Practice

Here’s an example:  Say you want to develop a meditation practice. Identify how much time you’d ideally like to spend, keeping in mind what is practical given your schedule, family and work commitments. Then, find a corner of your house or apartment where you can keep your meditation cushion or bench set up, so that it’s not a huge effort to set it up each day.

Also, I’ve found that now when I go to my cushion, my mind has habituated itself to quiet down a bit after so many years of sitting in the same spot. Even though I’m not a morning person, I’ve come to realize that if I don’t sit in the morning, it’s not likely to happen. Phone calls, emails, meals, errands, work and relationship commitments are more likely to come up later in the day. So I’ve developed the habit of sitting first thing in the morning—after feeding the cats, of course.

So here’s a breakdown:

Step one:  Identifying the habit you want to create:  Develop a meditation practice for x number of minutes a day.

Step two:  Identifying an action:  Commit to a time when it’s most practical, set up a space and then do it!

If you have any thoughts or suggestions of ways to cultivate new habits, please share them!