Want Better Sex? Do Yoga

Great sex is one of the ultimate mind-body experiences. So is great yoga! Not only is yoga an amazing stress reliever, but certian postures improve flexibility, enhance muscle tone, increase blood flow, and open your heart - all of which is necessary for hot sex (Sexy Yoga).

The mindfulness you learn during yoga can translate to other parts of your life, so you can enjoy sex entirely for what it is and not think or worry about anything else.

Mindfulness is only one way yoga can heat up your sex life. How about sensuality? On a more subtle level yoga helps you develop an awareness of sensations in your body. Learning to feel the weight rolling into the inside edges of your palms in Downward Facing Dog, for example, teaches you to savor every sensation in your body - including the really delicious ones that happen during sex.

Yoga's effects transends the physical. It helps us become more comfortable in vulnerable positons - whether it is a full back bend during class or a heart-to-heart conversation in bed at night.

Whatever your reasons - give your sex life a boost and hit the mat! Here is how:

http://bit.ly/K4Wxvg

What Not To Wear

If you have ever been to a hot yoga class where the guy next to you takes off his shirt and proceeds to sweat all of his yoga mat and the floor - you think to yourself - gross!! Please keep on your shirt - it's yoga etiquette. How about a girl who shows up to a hot yoga class with heavy sweat pants and an old cotton tee shirt - your thinking "haven't you heard of Lululemon?"
Well I want to save you from these fashion blunders and introduce you to the world of yoga fashion. Let's start with where the yoga industry is today
http://bit.ly/Lrzo0Q

We didn't get there overnight. It started with one budda and a loin cloth. Fast forward to 2008 - 15.8 million people were practicing yoga. The numbers are growing daily, with it,  is a increased demand for yoga clothes. Sweat pants and cotton tee shirts no longer were fashionable or comfortable. Clothing designers created a breathable, fast drying material which is the only thing to wear in a hot, sweaty class. New yoga clothing companies popped up everywhere: PrAna, Be Present, Organic Blue Canoe, Lululemon, OMGirl, Athleta, Hardtail, and Nike. Not only do your clothes need to breath and move; yoga clothing has become a fashion statement. The clothes are expensive and everyone carries them: Amazon, Victoria's Secret, Old Navy, Lucy and the list goes on.

So here is the dichotomy; yoga is the process of going inside, connecting with your body and soul. So why do you need fancy yoga clothes?

5 Benefits of Practicing Yoga

It is common knowledge that yoga is good for you, but what makes it good for you?

1. Health benefits are the number one reason that people state is the objective of their practice. In yoga you are not only stretching and toning you are strengthening your muscles by lifting your own body weight. If you are practicing Vinyasa yoga in a heated room, you are also getting a cardio work-out.
2. Mental health is the second reason most people practice yoga. Because yoga is a moving meditation, it calms the mind. I learned to deep breath my way through many challenging situations off the mat. It is an invaluable skill to learn.
3. Making a mind body connection is a great benefit of yoga. Most likely we go through our day without really paying attention to how our body is feels (what messages is it sending us) and what our body needs. In our "keep pushing" culture many times we stress our body by not sleeping enough or eating poorly until we become sick. At which point our bodies scream at us," you are not paying attention to me". A daily practice of yoga allows us to check in with ourselves.
4. Being part of a community is another benefit of yoga. I practice at the Center of Yoga and have made many friends there. I have been able to expand my circle of friends with people who share the same interest.  This is true for both face to face friendships and social media friends. There are many sites dedicated to practicing yoga and you can easily engage in conversation with your on line friends.
5. Lastly it is all about how you feel after you have finished a class. When I walk out of there I have sweated out the toxins, cleared my mind, and worked out my body. My body is physically relaxed and my mind is clear. Essentially, I feel great!

Try a few classes and let me know how you feel.          

Is Yoga Addictive?

What really is addiction? According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, addiction is:
"a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal"
Well I know that yoga is not a substance that is bad for you. But it does create physiological symptoms upon withdrawal?

I would argue yes. For me yoga does create physiological symptoms upon withdrawal. I get cranky and restless. Yoga like other exercise does release endorphins similar to a runners high. As a result of yoga's meditation in motion, you let go physical tension. The more you move and sweat, the better you feel.

Yoga has another component that I find addictive. While you are moving through the poses and focusing on your breath (and the teacher's instruction) there is no room for your monkey mind. The monkey mind is your mind bouncing around to all sorts of thought; "regurgitating your to do list, thinking about the past, thinking about the future". If you are able to detach from your monkey mind, a sense of calm comes over you. For me that sense of calm is addictive. Try it...

Wherever You Go There You Are

"Wherever You Go There You Are" is a national bestseller by Jon Kabat-Zinn. The book is on mindfulness meditation in everyday life. Mindfulness awakens us to stay in the present moment and not go into automatic pilot thinking about our "to do" list, the past or future.


Yoga is a type of moving mindful meditation; it allows you to go inward and focus on connecting your mind and body. Yoga is not about getting somewhere, or something or stacking up. It is more about releasing and emptying. As I practice I try to make space for all of those feeling and emotions that come up and "sit" with whatever it is. Advancing in yoga doesn't mean your pose looks better than someone else. It is about understanding the various layers of yourself and accepting where you are in this moment.


Yoga embodies the dual qualities of effort and ease. If there isn't a little cultivation of ease, back off and become aware, don't let your ego get in the way. You can either listen to the drama of the ego or the wisdom of the spirit. It's your choice.

Yoga On And Off The Mat

"Yoga On And Off The Mat", what does that mean? For years I didn't understand what that meant. My instructors always said at the end of class "now- take this practice with you". After practicing for more than a decade I now understand. The calm, peace and non-reactivity that I cultivate in yoga, I take into my daily life.


If you have kids you understand. Children are so challenging at times. From their two year old tantrums to driver's education, there are plenty of opportunities to "lose it". My daughter is 15 and just started driver's ed. As I drive around the neighborhood with her, I find that my breathing is shallow - a sign of stress. I also find that my stomach is fluttering and I am holding on to my seat. The situation is clearly producing physiological stress.So, I go into yoga mode... I start taking slow deep breaths, remind myself that thousand of parents have gone through this "rite of passage" and survived. I start cultivating my non-reactive mind and repeat my mantra, " it's all ok". 

Taking yoga off the mat and practicing non-reactivity in the real world has helped me stay in the moment. It really works - you should try it sometime.

Monkey Mind

My blog, Yoga Hipster, is the way I can express my relationship with yoga. Every yoga practice is different. The one thing that is consistent with my practice is the "monkey mind". Yoga uses the term Monkey Mind as a way of saying the mind has a "mind of it's own".


 The mind is incessantly working. All of those thoughts that constantly come and go throughout my day continue on the mat. Quieting my mind is the first challenge and most of the time the greatest challenge of my yoga practice. The chatter in my head starts with a list that is never ending; "I need to stop at the market", "did I take the laundry out of the washer","what am I making for dinner", "I have to stop and get gas or I will be stranded", "why can't my kids pick up after themselves" etc., etc.


 I realized that I needed to take" a break from myself", and calm my mind - that's why I turned to yoga. The first thing I do when I roll out my mat is get into child pose. Child's pose is the most basic of the asanas (postures). You literally get into the fetal position on your belly and focus on your breathing. The challenge is to focus on your breath and quiet your mind. Good instructors will always take you back to your breathing. Slow deep breathing is the greatest instrument we have to relax our mind, body and soul. The instructor will than take you through a series of postures. As I am flowing through the postures and I see my mind is wondering.....my mantra is "keep on breathing- and let it go....".