Dealing with “computer hunch” is becoming a more common problem today for Americans! A great way to combat the damage to your back and shoulders is with Dandasana, also known as Staff Pose. Staff Pose involves sitting on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you. Curl your toes up and rest your hands on the floor with fingers pointing forward.

Within this pose, you can shift your hips forward, lift your ribs, and drop your shoulders away from your ears. These movements are a great way to remove tension and keep your back happy.

Posted under Styles of Yoga

Our teacher for the month of November is Kathy McNames. Kathy is the founder, owner, and director of Yoga Vermont in Burlington, Vermont.

Kathy began studying yoga in California with Analisa Cunningham in 1983, and continued her studies after moving to Vermont in 1988. Her first experience with astanga was at Omega Institute in 1995, at a workshop with Beryl Bender Birch and Thom Birch. She has been a student of Beryl’s to the present day and has continued her study of astanga with various astanga teachers.

Currently she describes her teaching as “half the ashtanga traditional route, and half ‘see what happens.’” She very naturally balances her classes in this way, passing on her reverence to the ancient practice, while creating great spaces for her students to create and explore.

Kathy’s passion is always evident, whether pointing out yoga’s relevance in daily areas of life, or applying firm adjustments using hands, feet, body and soul. She gives you everything she has, and it makes her classes memorable.

Kathy is one of the most beloved and well-known teachers in the Northeast and travels extensively with her husband and son, bringing Yoga Vermont to lucky students everywhere. Visit Kathy at www.yogavermont.com or by email at kathy@yogavermont.com, and if you have chance, visit her on the mat.

Posted under Styles of Yoga, Yoga Studios

I think all of us have, at one time or another, suffered pain in the sciatic nerve. This is the large nerve fiber that runs from your lower back, through the buttocks to the lower limbs. There are yoga poses that can stretch and expand these nerves to relieve pain and numbness. Try the pigeon pose, or if your knee does not like that pose, do the relaxed variation on your back.

Other poses to try to stretch those areas are the half-moon pose, the lizard and the locust.

Posted under Styles of Yoga