By Gwendolyn Ren www.gwendolynren.com Two of the things I appreciate about social media is the way it can lead to deepened relationships and shared ideas. One day, when checking my Instagram feed, I saw I was tagged in the wonderful photo of a restorative pose you see above. I saw it was from a customer who recently purchased a lot of Salamander buckwheat filled bolsters and many of them were in the photo. Not being a restorative yoga expert I was intrigued by the placements and interested in knowing more about what I was looking at. This lead me to learn of the wonderful work of Gwendolyn Ren, her poetic relationship to practice, and her brilliant and practical advice. Plus I had a chance to experience this deeply grounding practice for myself, which is a treat you will enjoy given the time and the inclination. When I went to Gwen's post I encountered these words. A LOVE LETTER TO STILLNESS // Stillness is not always synonymous with non-movement. The ways in which your body changes shape make room and takes the room, ever-evolving, morphing, adapting. The ways the mind flickers illuminates. Your stillness a synonym for autonomy - your depth of discovery untethered, limitless in its quiet expanse. Your stillness, not stillness. I love the way Gwen describes the stillness of restorative practice and I reposted this with her permission and asked her to fill me in more so I could share details of the practice in this blog. Below you will find my interview with Gwen edited for length and clarity. Also attached below is a printable "recipe" for setting up Foothills in your own home or studio. Gwendolyn Ren YLS: What is your background, training, experience with restorative practices? Gwen: To say that Restorative Yoga changed my life barely does it justice. I was [...]

Making Yoga Gentler with Props like Pune Backless Yoga Chairs might look imposing and far too advanced for your average yoga student, but nothing could be further from the truth. These chairs actually make poses easier and less intimidating by taking pressure off one area that might not bear it well like your arms or your belly and putting it somewhere like your butt or your back that takes the weight easily. Plus it can be used for all sorts of fun chair yoga exercises. Before attempting these poses on your own it is a good idea to try them in a studio that supports the use of these props. Most Iyengar studios and many others will be able to help you. Number 1 is a Supported Wheel Pose Pune Yoga Chair Supported Wheel Pose Image via nelumboyoga.com The Supported Wheel shown at left above, may look complicated but it is really a much gentler version of the traditional wheel, shown at right, which takes a lot of upper body strength to maintain for any length of time. The Pune Yoga Chair can make it possible for you to get the deep backward bending stretch associated with the wheel with much less discomfort. While this pose should only be done when you are fully warmed up, it is shown first here because it is a great example of a supported pose that takes advantage of the missing back and front support bar of this special chair. Number 2 is the Supported Shoulderstand Pose BREEZE Rectangular Bolster and Pune Yoga Chair supporting Shoulderstand Image via wikipedia.com Two things that bother many people about traditional shoulder stand shown at right above, is the extreme pressure on your neck and the arm and wrist strength needed to support your back. You can easily see [...]

New Yoga Bolster Embraced by Craniosacral Community! I love creating and sharing items that are helpful in therapeutic yoga settings, restorative yoga classes and regular yoga studios too. Recently I discovered that some of the newer items I've been making for yogis are super useful for therapists of all stripes that lay hands on their patients for extended periods. These therapists include craniosacral, chiropractic, osteopathy, reiki practitioners, and others. It is exciting for me to have something that these therapists find aids them in their work. Margery Chessare, LMT, BCST, RCST, PLLC of Turtle Back Craniosacral Education, Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy using Tadpoles for Craniosacral Therapy. How I Learned About Cushions and Craniosacral Therapy: A Big Misunderstanding Now it seems so simple, but at the time it sort of boggled my mind. In early 2014 I started getting orders for Tadpole and Salamander yoga bolsters from an unlikely source: Turtleback Craniosacral Therapy near Saratoga NY. One time when Margery the owner/director of Turtleback Craniosacral Education was placing an order I asked her how she was using the cushions and she told me that they were used to support the arms in therapy sessions. For some reason, I assumed that they were for the clients' arms and imagined that having raised arms made the treatment recipient more comfortable. I even started telling people about this! I Learned How The Bolsters are Really Used for Craniosacral Therapy Just In Time! In early June of 2014, I was scheduled to be an exhibitor at the Symposium for Yoga Therapy and Research. I was very excited about meeting a lot of people who care deeply about the proper use of props and who are working at the cutting edge of yoga and healing. I also thought it would be instructive if I could tell them exactly how the Tadpoles and Salamanders were being [...]

Thanks to Alvaro of Buzzberry.com This is a wonderful practice for clearing your mind when it is racing and needs to cool down. I have found it helpful when I wake up agitated, thinking of all kinds of things not conducive to sleep. Sometimes I don't make it through the whole thing before I fall back into slumber. Other times I have to do it twice or more, however, it always leaves me calmer than when I started. I also like it as a short meditation that helps me shift from my mind flitting from one thought to the next to focused attention. I don't want to give the impression that I advocate jumping over difficult feelings and somehow numbing ourselves with "mind-controlling" practices. I suggest that when we wake up with difficult feelings we make an effort to stay with them and see where they lead us. Discover if you can, what in your present circumstances is triggering these emotions and notice how they may connect to your past. This is important work on the path of self-knowledge and I encourage you to do it. The reason these feelings may be waking you up is that they "need to be heard". Listening to them can be very liberating. Sometimes after that process, you will feel so soothed that you relax and go back to sleep with no other technique being necessary. I love the times when that happens. However, it is often the case that charged with old feelings of fear, shame or anguish of any sort our minds will race around looking for things to glom onto in an effort to hide from difficult feelings. Focuses that seem common for this kind of thinking are all the things that we've done wrong lately, or the things that have gone wrong or may go wrong, or more [...]

Here's what I love about this week's practice. It is so simple and unobtrusive, you can do it anywhere. On line at the grocery store check out, no problem. At your desk while the boss is yelling (again) or the computer is frozen (again), no sweat. Driving with a car full of fighting kids, no worries. No kidding. This breathing exercise, appropriately named, relaxation breath, will take you back to a calm state when your fight or flight response is just getting going. My understanding is that my teacher Sri Yogi Dharma Mittra developed this practice so he could settle during his lunch hour without calling attention to himself. Since it is so versatile, effective and easy to do, it is the pranayama I teach the most and a practice I reach for regularly, when things get hectic and I feel my body tightening. Image by mrhayata, licensed by Creative Commons. Here's how: Come to a comfortable position, back straight, head erect, shoulders back and down. Inhale through the nose for 8 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 8. Repeat. That's it. Within 6 cycles you will trigger your parasympathetic nervous system, slowing your heart rate, your metabolism and your mind. You will feel relaxed and energized and be happy to wait in line, take verbal abuse or ignore what is going on in the back seat for as long as you need to. This is a rare gem of an exercise since it is so simple, versatile and effective. In 8, hold 4, out 8, repeat. 2 minutes minimum is recommended (6-8 breaths). More will only make the relaxation deeper so feel free to keep going. When you do this and have some positive experiences to share or any questions, I'd love to hear about it.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." - Luke 18:17 Relaxing doesn't always have to be closely focused on relieving tension, nor does it have to be serious. In fact, some of the best ways to become calm are downright silly and dare I say it, fun. Think of the last time you had a good laugh. A really big smile till your face hurt kind of experience. How did you feel afterward? Tense and downcast? Of course not! If you are like me, you felt happy, serene and satisfied. Why not induce these joyous feelings? "Easier said than done," you say. I'm not so sure. Try this. Smile. Are you smiling? How does that feel? I bet you are already feeling happier and more at ease than before you smiled. Voila. Instant bliss. So now we know. The way to Nirvana is to keep smiling! Well, it may not be that easy, but finding 5 minutes of bliss does not have to be very hard either. Here's a practice I love that is just plain fun. I call it Operatic Breakfast because that is when I conceived it but you can do it at any time, alone or in a group. I started doing it by myself and liked it so much I shared it with some close friends and we have had a blast with it. I smile and laugh just thinking about it. Ted Weis in The Most Happy Fella, Festival Opera, Walnut Creek, California The concept is simple. Narrate what you are doing or thinking about in an elaborate song that is overly dramatic. Use your favorite big voice and really let loose. Singing about how much I love my cereal and fruit in the morning, how white [...]

This traditional yoga practice is the most far out and groovy of any that I know. Why the ultra passe hippy lingo? Because doing this often brings on a certain kind of psychedelic bliss that can best be described as "trippy". Now don't freak out. You won't see melting walls or end up staring at a light bulb for hours. (I hear a lot of you saying aw shucks and darn it.) But I'm guessing you won't be disappointed by the light show that this practice often induces. It was while I was enjoying the practice of Yoni Mudra that I first saw the shining circle of fire I think of as the eye in the pyramid. While performing this I have experienced many cool geometric fields of lightwork lattices, brilliant universes populated by starlike points of light and even inky blackness so intense that I had to repeat a mantra to keep me company so the fear of dark nothingness would not overwhelm me. This is not for the faint of heart. Read on if you dare, brave one. Yoni mudra is an effort to seal off all your senses and re-experience the quiet of the womb. Yoni is Sanskrit for "female reproductive organ" and the yoni mudra is a gesture designed to help one crawl back to this point of origin without actually leaving one's meditation cushion, chair or yoga mat. You can do it anywhere but it is usually done sitting upright after some relaxing breathing exercises that help to set a mood of receptivity. It can, however, be done cold with no preparation, as long as you have a few minutes to spare and are in the mood to experience the eternal void. Here's how: Put your right thumb in your right ear and your left thumb in your left ear and spread your fingers wide [...]

The bheka Pune Yoga Chair has been specifically designed for maximum openness, utility, and strength. The sturdy support of our Pune Yoga Chair puts many poses into reach that were too uncomfortable or frightening without it. Backless chairs with no front bar between the legs made from heavy gauge steel with two side supports on each leg are ideal for the practice of Iyengar Yoga, Continuum Body Movement, and other practices where a platform for practice and maximum freedom of movement is required. The unique cotton wrap on the back of our chairs adds comfort, warmth and beauty. Also shown is our BREEZE  Zafu Cushion The Zafu will give you a slightly higher seat and the BREEZE version converts any hard chair into a "stability ball" chair, at a fraction of the cost. Detail of Brown,  Purple,  and Black Cotton wrap on the Pune Yoga Chair The experience of Pune Chair can be enhanced with the BREEZE Rectangular Bolster as well as our Turtle or Zafu cushions which are sized to fit the chair. The Pune Yoga Chair is great for practitioners at every level. Seat Height is about 17". The seat is 16" x 16". The Pune Yoga Chair is made in China and modified in the USA. Link to purchase the Pune Chair

The bheka BREEZE is the lightest, easiest to adjust, most travel-friendly large round yoga bolster yet devised. Plus, conscious sourcing makes it have a low impact on the environment. and safe for the workers who make it and for you the customer. On left Ami Jayprada, owner and teacher at Jai Ma Yoga Center, New Paltz, NY, demonstrates supported Child pose. On right, Ami performs a Restorative Shoulder Stand. The Breeze Round Bolster is also good to roll on for gentle fascial massage. A lightweight, high quality, low cost, eco-conscious alternative to traditional cotton bolsters.  The bheka BREEZE round bolster consists of a 7 phthalate-free pvc inflatable inner liner, covered by a 100% cotton canvas casing, colored with AZO-free dyes.  Using the state of the art valve, which has an inner flap to keep air from rushing out, each  BREEZE round bolster can be inflated or deflated in about two minutes.  The durable .03 mm thick inner liner is protected by heavy-duty cotton canvas to make a long-lasting product that should give you many years of use. For Iyengar, yin, restorative and therapeutic yoga the BREEZE offers other advantages as well.  Having an inflatable bolster means you have an adjustable bolster.  You can make it firmer or softer by changing the amount of air in the easy to access inner liner.  This also makes it bigger or smaller for use under the knees or back. In hospital settings where an antimicrobial barrier is essential, you can remove the cotton cover, wipe down the plastic insert, and re-cover with a fresh, clean casing whenever necessary. For normal use, this set up makes keeping your bheka BREEZE clean and sanitary perfectly easy. For travelers who want the comfort of their favorite prop on the road, the bheka BREEZE round bolster takes up no more room in your luggage than a [...]

The Mysore Mini Yoga Inversion strap and door fittings make a full tractioning of the spine accessible to anyone with a sturdy door. Plus you will be surprised how much fun it is to do your favorite poses on this pelvic swing. It will also give you a soothing massage to your back or internal organs while helping you to stretch in entirely new ways. The hanging experience supports sacral and digestive health as well. Below you will see 5 beginning poses plus instructions for getting into them. Rigging is very important. This strap is designed for users weighing 300 pounds or less. The old version of this strap was only rated up to 200 pounds but too many people could not use it so we have made it sturdier. Take special care each time you use the strap to make sure all rigging is secure and shows no signs of damage or wear. Where you rig is very important. We suggest that before mounting door hangers or other fittings you have an engineer evaluate the location and materials you intend to use. Door hangers are available below and ceiling mounting pieces are available here. The longer strap on this page is suggested for ceiling mounting, though a mini strap can be mounted to the ceiling as well. It may, however, be too short for poses where you want to be supported just a few inches from the floor. People who are advised not to try this form of yoga exercise are those with headaches, high blood pressure, heart disease, menstruation and late-term pregnancy. All users are advised to check with their physicians before strenuous physical exercise of this nature. SETTING UP TO HANG Part 1 Before doing anything, check with an engineer to make sure your location is suitable for doing this. While I have found that most [...]

New Inflatable Insert and Cotton Cover See the deep stretch and extension of the spine Selena gets with the fully inflated BREEZE Rectangular Bolster in supported Virasana or Hero Pose. In reclining Baddha Konasana Selena is using a less fully inflated BREEZE Rectangular Bolster to soften the curve of her back for a less strenuous more relaxing experience. bheka BREEZE Rectangular Yoga Bolsters are adjustable to give the right amount of buoyant and comfortable support for whatever pose you are into today! These pictures illustrate the versatility of the BREEZE Rectangular Bolster. To get just the right downward slope Selena uses a fully inflated bolster under her lower legs and a less inflated bolster under her upper legs and torso. Aaaahhhh....Here Selena is using a BREEZE Rectangular Bolster and a BREEZE Salamander both at less than full inflation for a deeply restorative fish pose. The large size and full shape are perfect for the deeply relaxing feeling of being fully held. Being inflatable makes the BREEZE Rectangular Bolster infinitely adjustable. The bheka BREEZE Rectangular Bolster is fully inflated for this supported version of Upavista Konasana. Fully inflated the bheka BREEZE Rectangular Bolster supports a relaxing and restorative side twist! The bheka BREEZE Rectangular Bolster is ideal for restorative practices and forward bending and side-lying poses that require support. Use your imagination to find the ways of using the bheka BREEZE Rectangular Bolster that is just right for you! The outer cover is made with a durable 100% cotton canvas which can be removed for washing. The insert is 7 phthalate-free PVC ethically sourced from China and easy to clean with your favorite, cleanser or disinfectant. The nylon carrying handle allows you to move the bolster with ease during practice. The bheka BREEZE Rectangular Bolster is 25" long x 13"wide x 8" high [...]