5 yoga & movement classes for a balanced mind, body & planet
If you’ve been experiencing or have ever experienced achy body parts to the extent that it throws your whole day off (not to mention your mood) – you’re not alone, and yoga can help.
Even though I’ve been diligent about my health for the sake of longevity, I’ve gotten thrown off this past year with some pretty intense soreness and weakness in my muscles and joints – especially after adding in new activities like climbing, cycling, and Alpine hiking (all have been a sincere joy and a major challenge!).
It doesn’t take extreme sports to feel an impact though – pain can often also stem from sitting in front of a computer all day, picking up and putting down kids or pets, experiencing stress or anxiety or grief, stepping off a curb or up a step in a weird way, long travel days, grabbing something from a high shelf, sleeping in a funky position…
Sometimes the disruption of these little things can result in a big feeling – physical or emotional – which can make it seem like the goal of health and longevity is farther away than we hoped or anticipated.
Whatever the case:
A. life is unpredictable; we get thrown curveballs – it’s our job to continually cultivate balance amidst the ebb and flow of health and discomfort / dis-ease.
B. being in pain feels junky in the physical body, which can often lead to a wobbly emotional state – especially if it’s an injury that prohibits you from doing something you love to do (I recently sliced one of my fingers on a can and couldn’t go to the climbing gym or use the breaks on my bike for weeks – woe is me).
Aside from exploring different supplements, methods, and modalities for my own healing purposes, I’ve leaned on yoga and functional movement for simple yet effective physical and mental relief.
This is one of the many reasons I have loved studying and teaching yoga for the past 12 years – it is a practice that can truly meet you exactly where you’re at.
So whether you’re in need of an active practice to strengthen and lengthen, or something more restorative to soothe and rehabilitate – there’s a yoga pose for that.
The act of being in an active or restorative posture alongside being calmly alert of the body and the breath (and the experience as a whole) is an incredibly transformative practice no matter how close to health and longevity you feel; no matter how experienced you are, how old you are, or where you are in the world / in your life.
Since my long term goal is cultivating the tools to optimize longevity of body, mind, and planet, I figured I would share the mind-body practices and planet-friendly props that have been supportive for me in hopes that you might feel supported, too.
By paying consistent attention to our body’s needs in lieu of ignoring them (i.e. taking action vs doing nothing when our body or mind is in pain), we can continue to sharpen said longevity tools and put ourselves on a balanced road to health.
And since it’s inevitable that the road to health will have bumps and detours, our awareness and action steps are imperative components to navigating it.
It’s helpful and important to start somewhere – so why not now (and like Olympian Noah Lyles said: Why Not You!)?
Here are a few short, free yoga classes on my YouTube channel for you to add to your longevity tool belt, and / or to inspire you to cultivate your own unique tools for your specific needs:
Classes :
- Back : A nourishing, restorative-inspired practice to relieve stiff or disruptive back pain by lengthening the spine and neck, stabilizing the shoulders and pelvis, softening the belly, creating space around the ribs, and breathing fully.
- Hips : Restorative yoga and yin postures to relieve soreness, tension, and aches in the hips and surrounding areas – whether the pain and discomfort is coming from physical or mental stress.
- Menstrual Cycle : A short, simple sequence to practice during your period – also beneficial for prenatal mamas, when working with back pain, or to make space in the abdomen (i.e. to soothe digestion).
- Psoas : Great for releasing tight or sore psoas / hip flexors, softening a tense abdomen, relieving stress and anxiety, post-rising, pre-bedtime, before / during / after traveling, during or after feeling unwell, and general stretching.
- Shoulders : Eight restorative yoga-inspired postures that can help to relieve aching shoulders – imagine the breath creating space and ease around whatever surrounding areas feel stuck or icky.
- Breathwork : Three practices to ease physical or emotional tension, guide the awareness to the present moment, and soften the nervous system. If the anxiety is affecting your breath, please regulate yourself before practicing breathwork.
Accessories:
Mats, straps, cork blocks, blankets, bolsters, towels, meditation cushions…
- Amazon storefront : a curated collection of some brands I know and trust (as an affiliate, I receive a small commission)
- Huggermugger
- Jade Yoga
- Manduka : use code SASHAMANDUKA for 15% off Manduka EU
Apparel:
- Boody
- Girlfriend Collective
- Mate the Label
- Pact : use code SASHAPACT for 15% off
- Ripple Yogawear : use code YsSashaN for 12% off
- Threads 4 Thought
- Wolven
- Poshmark (US) and Vinted (Europe) : second-hand apps
I welcome your questions, requests, and product recommendations – we are all always learning from each other 🙂
Reach out if you need support via 1:1 coaching and personalized sessions.
What tools help you feel like you’re on a path to cultivating a balanced, healthy life?
Take good care,
S
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