Yoga Lifestyle with Melissa

Constipation Morning Routine Before you even get out of bed we can start your constipation morning routine with some simple and effective constipation yoga to pull and pressurize the ascending and descending colon. This will help to move the stool along and encourage your bowel movement in the morning. When you get out of bed we will continue with some gentle stretching to lengthen and relax the colon to make elimination of your bowels easier. Moving into the bathroom, I will show you a simple dry skin brushing technique that you can use before you get into the shower to increase the circulation to your digestive organs. In the kitchen we will start our day with: 1 tsp of olive oil to line our digestive tract and encourage elimination Warm Lemon Water which promotes peristalsis (this means the contraction of the muscles in your colon, keeping waste moving out of your body) and Overnight Oats. Oats are loaded with soluble fiber, so more water remains in the stool. Stool is softer and larger and easier to pass. If you would like my 3 Favorite Breakfast Recipes to Beat Constipation this Summer CLICK HERE and I will be sure to send it to you!

Breathing Exercise & Visualization for Sleep 1. Rub the bottom of your foot from the heel to the ball of the foot 100Xs (this is the first point of the kidney channel and regulates your mind's sleep/waking cycles) Here is the first visualization: feel the energy from your head (the thinking that keeps you awake, go from your head, through your chest, your legs and out the bottom of your feet) 2. Switch feet - rub the other foot from the heel to the ball of the foot 100xs Visualize the energy from your head - and imagine the hamster wheel of thinking go from your head, through your torso, legs and out the bottom of your feet 3. Lie down in bed. Place your hands on your belly. Breathe slow and deep into belly. 4. VISUALIZE warm energy from your head, through your torso, legs, and out your feet. Repeat this visualization for 36 breaths.

Breathing Exercise for Anxiety In this video I will share 3 acupressure points for anxiety, stress and insomnia that are combined with gentle breathing. These acupressure points along with breathing and visualization are designed to relieve anxiety, nervousness, stress and are also great for insomnia. 1. CALMING NATURE Place your index fingers on the tops of your ears, trace up to the crown point Use first and middle finger to press down, BREATHE out gently and quietly, focus on exhale Visualize anxiety leaving your body with each EXHALE Hold for 1-2 mins 2. HAMSTER WHEEL BRAIN - when mind is spinning, mental restlessness, anxiety Place middle finger on your third eye, feel calm wash over you as you focus on exhale Hold 1-2 mins 3. CALM HEART Place a middle finger on the center of your breast bone BREATHE out gently and quietly, focus on exhale Visualize anxiety leaving your body with each EXHALE Hold 1-2 mins

Vagus Nerve Exercises for Relaxation 1. Vagus Nerve Breathing Exercise for Relaxation The vagus nerve does pass through the diaphragm which supports breathing This diaphragmatic stimulation regulates your vagus nerve and stimulates your relaxation response. 2. Sounding A E I O U while rolling down through spine The vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords and the muscles at the back of your throat. Singing, humming, chanting and gargling can activate these muscles and stimulate your vagus nerve. 3. Neck and shoulder rotations Since the vagal nerve passes through your neck, stiffness, tightness and decreased elasticity in your neck may compress the vagal nerve, by doing this exercise, you are opening the passageway and allowing for regulated vagus nerve function Remember, the most important thing for vagus nerve function is safe connection. HUGS!

Self Massage for Irritation Spring can be a disturbing season with wild fluctuations of energy surging through nature. There is a strong momentum created by spring Qi. Spring bulbs thrust up through barely thawed ground. In humans the qi rises as well, moving up into the chest where it stimulates the liver with fresh vitality. Rising qi carries with it the potential for problems.This rising liver qi influences irritation, resentment and bitterness If the liver contains any stagnant blood and metabolic waste, which is normal after winter's inactivity it will obstruct the flow of qi. Any obstruction to the smooth and easy flow of qi will cause disruption to qi and blood circulation. Mentally and Emotionally this causes frustration and irritability. These exercises will release stagnation or obstruction of qi and blood in the liver. These knots can be undone with yin yoga, qigong, or self massage like we are doing today. Yin Liver Massage  Gallbladder Massage Smoothing the Gallbladder and LIver Meridian

Vagus Nerve Massage for Insomnia Eye/Neck Magic for Safe Sleep  Golden Bamboo to Release the Day  Visceral Massage for Vagal Tone and Deep Sleep  If the ventral branch of the vagus nerve is not functioning properly it is not uncommon to have difficulty sleeping.  Eye/Neck Magic for Safe Sleep  80% of the fibers of the vagus nerve are afferent sensory fibers - which means they bring information from the body to the brain. When we do an exercise like this and improve our breathing pattern and neck alignment, our body tells our brain that we are safe and this in turn facilitates ventral vagus activity.  Forward head posture reduces the space available in the upper chest for breathing.  Reducing forward head posture takes pressure off of the nerves that reach the spinal chord to the heart, lungs and visceral organs.  Improving the alignment of the cervical vertebrae relives pressure on vertebral arteries relieving some pressure between the shoulders.  Golden Bamboo  This is a point on your face that is an endpoint of a large intestine acupuncture meridian. Your large intestine meridians can support you in letting go, and in letting go of the day. This acupuncture point will also support you in improved breathing. The muscles of your face are innervated by branches of the 7th cranial nerve. Changes to tension in our facial muscles provide feedback to our brain. In this case, we are telling our brain that it is safe to let go of the troubles of the day.  Visceral Massage for Vagal Tone and Deep Sleep  This organ massage for your vagus nerve will help you “rest and digest” the day. Stimulating the vagus nerve through your viscera acts as a natural tranquilizer. It signals to your brain that it is safe for you to go to sleep.  $25 dollars off your first order of $100 + of Girlfriend Collective Yoga Clothing when you use the code MELISSA25 click here https://glnk.io/7016/yoga 

Vagus Nerve Massage Vagus Nerve Massage for Stress & Anxiety Relief  PEACEFUL CALM  DOORWAY TO THE SOUL  POOL OF WIND  Peaceful Calm - Stress and Anxiety causes hearing loss, reduced hearing and changes the range in which you can hear. Normal conversations are harder to hear and high pitches are easier to hear.  Doorway to the Soul - Your eyes are connected to your entire nervous system. Because we spend so much time on our electronic devices it strains our eyes and drains the corresponding organ system (liver and gallbladder organ but also aggravates the ventral vagus nerve system and causes anxiety). Pool of Wind - This is called your “Pool of Wind” because it tends to collect negative energy known as evil wind, when you rub here you feel a sense of calm and relaxation.   

10 Things I Wish I Knew Purification and Rejuvenation  Savasana is the most important pose followed by Tadasana Off the mat is as important as on the mat Skeletal Structures limit your Poses, but Spiritual Friendship is Magical The Buddha is the Sangha - Thich Nhat Hanh Yoga is More than Your Body The Ordinary is Extraordinary Yin and Restorative Yoga are Incredibly Powerful Trauma Informed Yoga is the Bomb Your Nervous System Needs to Feel Safe for Change to Happen   

self massage Stress and anxiety have an upward moving energy like butterflies that start in the stomach and move upward to the heart mind. These simple qigong, acupressure and self massage movements will ground and root your emotions, sending them down to the ground and calm your mind. They are simple and easy to do. You will find them soothing and calming for your mind. 

Louis Vuitton Yoga Mat Would you buy a $2,390 yoga mat from Louis Vitton? How about A Gucci one, a bargain at only $500! Chanel's luxury yoga mat offers a safe and comfortable workout for the price of $3, 304 Or you could slum it with Karl Largerfield for $200 USD or Valentino for $356 USD. I had no idea that luxury designer yoga mats existed, did you? Maybe your yoga mat is looking a little shabby and you are looking to upgrade. Would you upgrade to a luxury, designer yoga mat? Or are you looing for something more sustainable and higher end because you are committed to your yoga practice and you want your yoga mat to last and be good for the earth. I'm definitely curious about all the different materials for yoga mats, especially ones that are sustainable. I know many of you have been asking me to review sustainable yoga mats. Should we mix spirituality and profit? Should yoga products be made out of animal materials? I'm looking forward to a kind and respectful debate in the comments.

26 Yoga Poses I Don't Do Anymore In this video I share with you 26 yoga poses I don't do anymore. This video is honestly quite embarrassing. I couldn't believe that there are over 20 poses that have been dropped from my yoga practice and yoga teaching over the last 25 years. This video opened my eyes to some of the trends in yoga as well as why they got dropped in the first place. It has me thinking about some of the ways that I can reintroduce the yoga poses that I actually love and find value in. Let me know in the comments if there are any poses that you have dropped that are not in the video. In my enthusiasm, I left out a pose, can you guess what it was?

Clear Emotional Blockages This is a quick emotional release using qigong techniques that are simple to do and easy to remember. You can repeat these movements any time you are feeling excess emotions such as impatience, restlessness, sadness, grief, depression, anxiety, irritation, frustration and anger. Allow these simple movements that you can do anywhere to transform pent up emotions that are trapped in your body so that your emotions can flow with ease.

Top 5 Hidden Gem Yin Yoga Channels In this video my friend Matt Depuis and I are going to share with you some of our favourite heart centered yoga teachers who are sharing their yoga on YouTube that you may not have come across because they are “smaller” channels. These are teachers that are generously sharing their teachings on YouTube on a regular schedule, that have good sound and lighting and are offering high quality instruction. In this video we will share why we enjoy their teaching and we hope that you will check them out. 1. Claire Renee Yin Yoga for Liver Meridian I appreciated Claire's description of the meridian channels as they relate to the organs and traditional Chinese medicine at the beginning. One thing that I loved in her class was the way she used the block as a prop under the knees and then leaning back to do ankle stretch. I had never seen that and it was definitely an effective way to do a long yin hold for the fronts of the ankles. She discussed some of the symptoms of liver imbalance throughout the class. I love how she encouraged us to take up space in savasana and reflect on how we feel differently from the beginning and even just a few postures before. 2. Yoga Candy Spooky Light Yin Yoga I enjoyed this class, and it was in alignment with Halloween just around the corner. Candy is a giggly girl who makes you feel at home throughout the practice, and she is fun to follow and listen to. She takes the stress away from trying too hard to follow a yin yoga class on YouTube and makes you enjoy the practice. Throughout doing this with her, I felt connected to my inner child and had a fun time. One pose that was new to me and that I particularly enjoyed was a half frog with a strap around my ankle. The opening of my groin and hip on one side combined with the pulling of my leg and stretch in the front of my front thigh on the other was a great combination that left me feeling great on the rebound. Candy has also been on YouTube since 2011 and has over 700 videos and classes to choose from. This is one channel that slipped between the cracks and deserved to be noticed not only for all the hard work that she has put through it but also because the quality of the instructions and the fun that you get doing her classes is worth your time. 3.Zen Yin Yoga with Michelle Yin Yoga for Menopause October was menopause month and October 18th was world menopause day. Michelle started the video by sharing her journey with menopause and some of the things that helped her including her experience with hormone replacement and diet. The talking introduction was 10 minutes and then we went into a 35 minute yin yoga practice. The class was intended to calm the body, to release cortisol and bring hormones into balance, and to relieve hot flashes. It was meant to soothe the mind, body and hormones. There were two different pranayama (including sitali and nadi shodhana breath) for cooling the body and hormones. Michelle also brought affirmations into the practice. The poses were soothing, calming and cooling. We did dragonfly, wide legged child's pose, supported bridge and waterfall in addition to the pranayama, with a lot of focus on breathing in each pose. 4. Yoga with Elani Yin Yoga for Low Back Care Elani's channel features different styles of yoga, including: gentle yoga, Hatha, vinyasa, yin yoga, chair yoga, and meditation practices. The Class I did was a Yin Yoga class for low back care. This Class had a voice-over where Elani gave you very gentle and soft guidance throughout the entire yin sequence. She is very clear and calming while instructing her class, and I find that this makes her classes very suitable for beginners or anybody who just wants to jump on their mat and try a yin yoga class right away without much experience. Her soft-spoken voice combined with her smooth background music provides a very calming and relaxing environment throughout the whole class.

Abdominal Self-Massage for Constipation Abdominal massage is one of the best ways to solve constipation. You can do it right before you go to bed and right after you wake up in the morning. Usually you will feel the need to clear your bowels after doing this abdominal self-massage for constipation. 1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor 2. Rub your hands together until they are warm 3. Take your first two fingers (index and middle) and make clockwise circles around your navel 4. Now massage your large intestine. Start from the bottom right hand side, go across the top and then go down the bottom left side. Circline 9-18 times as you move up, across and down. If you find a painful spot or knot, spend more time there. 5. To massage your small intestines, come into the area inside of the large intestines. Now make small circles in this inner circle 3-9 times as you circle back into the navel. 6. If you feel a big lump while you are doing the massage at bedtime, put your palm over it and sleep with it there until morning. This will soften the knot, release pain and allow you to release your bowels more easily the next morning. Purchase Sesame Oil for Your Self Massage for Constipation from: Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3tZFeEu Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/39ktdQv (Amazon are affiliate links where I earn a small percentage if you choose to purchase) Jubel https://www.jubelnaturals.ca/products/serenity-massage-oil (as shown in video)

PART 2  What has been the most challenging part of your YouTube journey? Did you get discouraged at some point and how did you overcome it? (yogastanya) Greatest Gifts? What are the biggest lessons you've learned about YOURSELF over the last 12 years? (jupitermoon)  Congratulations! What kept you so persistent over the last 12 years?  Does Tim practice your yoga videos? Does Trinity practice your yoga videos?  Is there a comment or some feedback that stands out in your mind over the last 12 years?  What do you do outside of YouTube?  What was the hardest part of your Ph.D.? What was the best part of your Ph.D.? What was the most unexpected part of your Ph.D.? Do you want to do any more higher education?  How big is your team?  Did you take any breaks? (go on vacation?)  What are your plans for Yoga with Melissa in the future? 

INTERVIEW  Carolynne teaches empaths and sensitive souls how to create a collaborative relationship with their bodies through cozy, accessible yoga and self care practices in order to live a life filled with less doing and more being. She is a fellow Canadian who strives to offer a safe and welcoming space for people who might have felt discouraged by lack of options offered in other classes. She releases weekly either yin or gentle hatha with the intention to leave you feeling calmer, grounded and a little bit better.  How did you get so clear on your intention? How did you focus your intention so clearly?  Take us through the steps.... Tell us about feeling it out, the trials and the errors, changing it over time .....  How do you balance this between your needs as a person and the needs of your students Yoga with Carolynne Top Five Little Known Yin 

12 Year YouTube Anniversary Q & A Part 1 | Celebration! Why did you start doing YouTube? Do you still remember the first class you taught? What was your favourite filming location ever? (Brenda Bohun) When did you feel you found your style? (yogastanya) How do you always guarantee to renew your content (keep it fresh). Did you ever think about the positive impact your videos would have on people?

Rituals for Yoga In this video Sharlene Anders, creativity coach, and I will discuss yoga rituals to deepen your yoga practice.  What are yoga rituals?  When should I practice yoga rituals?  How can I deepen my yoga practice with ritual?  How can I start and end my yoga practice with ritual?  Why are yoga rituals important?  How your yoga practice can become more sacred through ritual. Morning yoga rituals to start your day. In this video we will offer you 8 yoga rituals beyond lighting a stick of incense to deepen your yoga practice. I love #7!  wrap your mala into a piece of cloth  Rolling out your yoga mat Getting dressed for the practice use essential oil have a special playlist for your practice Use a mantra. Read  a poem, or even song lyrics Write one sentence before & after or just after practice. As a creativity coach Sharlene Anders specializes in working with singers. Her approach to unlocking an artist's potential is a combination of empathy, hands-on philosophy and the teachings of Julia Cameron („The Artist's Way“) and Eric Maisel („Fearless Creating“). For a taste of her unique work check out her socials:  https://www.youtube.com/c/Shallalla https://www.instagram.com/iamshallalla/ https://twitter.com/iamshallalla hello@iamshallalla.com   Sharlene is hosting an audio summit in September called Starving to Thriving - Artists Rocking Their Money Mindset to Create Healthy Finances To find out more about it please go to https://thrivingartist.iamshallalla.com/  

#husbandwifetag Celebrate our twenty five year wedding anniversary with this sit down, casual Q & A with us from the beaches of beautiful British Columbia. When did we meet? What was your first opinion of me? When did you know I was the one? How long did it take to plan the wedding? When did we get married? How long have we been married? How did you propose? How many children did I want before marriage? What does my family think of you? What does my friend think of you? What is my worst habit? What is my best habit? Who wears the pants in the relationship? If you could get rid of one thing that belongs to me what would it be? Who is the better cook? What do we argue most about? Have you ever pretend to sleep at to avoid an argument? What was our last argument about? What was the last text message I sent you? Who is more affectionate? What is something the I enjoy doing with you? Who is the more romantic one? Who is the funny one? Who is more outgoing? Would I prefer to stay in or go out on Friday night? Have you ever lied to avoid getting in trouble with me? Have I ever gotten something for you, you didn't like? What is the best gift I have ever gotten for you? What is something I cannot live without? Use one word to describe Me? What is my best physical trait? What is my best personality trait? Who is more likely to get into a fight? 25yearanniversary #husbandwifetag #yogawithmelissa

Post Pandemic Friendships This video is about manifesting friends in the world of post-pandemic friendship. If  you are looking to recover your post-covid friendships or how to reconnect with your friends after you've grown apart in the 2020, 2021 years of coronavirus, then you are going to love my guest Andrea Schulman who teaches people about consciousness, spirituality and the law of attraction. In this session, Andrea and I talked about the impact of covid-19 on friendships and how to rekindle friendships after covid 19. We answer specific questions such as:  What did covid do to friendships?  How to have more friends in real life after lockdown?  Is it normal to lose friends during covid 19 lockdown?  Andrea uses her claricognizant abilities to offer simple, easy to follow through, baby steps for manifesting friends after the pandemic. Although this is a stressful topic she coached me through how to reconnect with friends post-pandemic  in a way that was fun and easy.  You will want to have a pen and paper with you to take notes and add this video to your favourites for repeated listening so that you can increase the size of your friend group again post covid 19.   

Book Writing Update July 2021 In this video I will take you through a day in the life of the writing of my forthcoming book The Elemental Self: Five Element Yin Yoga. A lot of you have been asking me when my book will be coming out, so I thought the best thing to do would be to film an update. This update is vlog style and I will show you exactly where I am in the writing process, you will even get to see what I was writing on this exact day. I finished an incredibly rough draft in August of 2020. Since then I have been doing major revisions of the chapters getting the book ready for editing. I am currently on the last body chapter of the book, the earth chapter. All the other chapters: wood, fire, metal and water are ready for the fine tooth comb of an editor. Once I am finished with the earth element chapter, then I will be moving on to writing the introduction and conclusion chapters for the book in its entirety. At this stage I am thinking more about the intention behind the book as a whole and what purpose I want the book to serve as it heads out into the world. The next phases of the book will be more collaborative as I work with an editor, photographer and designer for the layout of the book. Thanks for joining me for a day in the life of writing! I appreciate all your interest and support.

Best Glamping Nature's Chef Tipi is hosted by Nature's Chef Tom Kral. Tom is a private chef who forages from the land and sea just outside of Sooke B.C.  Upon arrival we were greeted with a wild, foraged charcuterie board and tepid tea infusion. This appetizer to hold us over until dinner was foraged from the land and the sea. It featured smoked bison jerky, fresh snap peas, young radishes and mustard flowers from the garden, smoked trout from the lake, pickled bull kelp from the ocean, lentil flatbread that was made specially for our gluten free dietary request and his own fermented mustard that was out of this world! Our tea was a blend of lemon balm, mint and some kind of spruce or evergreen tree that I can't quite remember right now! It was incredibly refreshing and also began the process of supporting and preparing our digestive system for the wonderful foods that were to come.  Part of what was so wonderful about the entire visit was the way that our hosts Tom and his two workaway helpers Lance and Jupiter hosted us through the entire stay. When we arrived, they greeted us at the outdoor lounge space. The space was shaded with an overhead cover. It was a lovely space to sit and enjoy the charcuterie board and share in great conversation.  From there, Tom gave us a tour of the 8 acres of land, just a 10 minute walk from the beach and ocean. It was an adventure to travel the same paths as the deer and animals to our tent (when we stayed the tipi was being repaired). These tunnels inside blackberry, salal berry and salmonberry bushes are quite an experience and added to the overall experience of staying in this special place.  When we stayed, the salmon berries were in season. As we entered into the covered pathways, the salmon berries lit up the tunnels like twinkle lights. The nukta flowers or wild roses were also in full bloom and during the daylight sunlight hours you were treated with the aromatherapy of wild roses. There is a composting toilet by the tipi. This was our first experience with a composting outhouse. I've seen a lot of them in tiny house shows and the rave reviews were spot on.  Attention to detail extended to the indoor spaces as well. Inside our tent was a double bed with comfortable bedding. Wildflowers were collected and arranged in a bouquet in the tent for our enjoyment. There was also a selection of reading for us to delve into that added to the feeling of the trip with themes from mindfulness, fishing, cooking, and foraging. Inside our spacious tent was a jug of fresh water, candles and incense to support our stay as well.  Before dinner we took a 10 minute walk down to the ocean and sat on the driftwood watching the waves roll in.  For dinner, Tom and his crew created a beautiful table setting on the picnic tables in the outdoor dining area. The fire was burning and Tom prepared most of our dinner over the hot coals of an open fire. For our main course we had wild pacific salmon sourced from Finest At Sea https://www.finestatsea.com/ which provides wild, locally sourced, sustainable fish in Victoria BC.  The first course was a wild seaweed soba bowl. The biggest surprise of this bowl were the wild spruce tips which Tom preserved in apple cider vinegar. Their citrusy flavour was a delight to the tastebuds. The soba bowls included a variety of different foraged seaweeds from the sea, soba noodles and cucumber, radishes and green onion from the garden.  The main course features wild pacific salmon from Finest At Sea over a thick and crispy pattie of brown and black rice with seaweed and salmon berries on the side as well as a blackberry reduction.   The meal was paired with a rhubarb, ginger and wild rose ferment which was incredible.  For dessert there was a blackberry brownie that was so rich and chewy, OMG! Paired with a nukta rose vanilla ice cream and salmon berry compote flamed over the fire, topped with toasted hazelnuts.

Top 5 Little Known Yoga Channels You Need to Follow Summer 2021  In this video my friend Matt Depuis and I are going to share with you some of our favourite heart centered yoga teachers who are sharing their yoga on YouTube that you may not have come across because they are “smaller” channels. These are teachers that are generously sharing their teachings on YouTube on a regular schedule, that have good sound and lighting and are offering high quality instruction. In this video we will share why we enjoy their teaching and we hope that you will check them out.    Chocolate Twist Yoga https://www.youtube.com/c/ChocolateTwistYoga/videos The classes are given by teacher Kali Sampson Alexander and feature beginner-friendly yoga classes to help you feel and live better in your body. She teaches Yin yoga, vinyasa flow, hatha, and therapeutic yoga classes drawn upon her background in Traditional Chinese Medicine and African diasporic wisdom and culture.   The class I did was a Yin Yoga class to Amplify Your Vibration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5vVsHANaCo   This class was really a beginner friendly class and she gives a lot of guidance and uses many props. She has great instructions and we went through a lot of asanas. This was definitely a great and beginner friendly yoga class and because we moved at a faster pace through the class, I felt energized and it definitely raised my vibrations.    Bea Yoga & Well Being  https://www.youtube.com/c/BeaYogaWellbeing/   Beatrice is a yoga teacher and a clinical massage therapist living in the UK. She helps people manage pain, stress and anxiety through gentle movement, meditation, self massage and she teaches yin yoga, gentle hatha, meditation and yoga nidra. Bea uploads new classes every Thursday.    I love Bea's well planned classes. For this video I practiced her yin yoga for the front body: https://youtu.be/E7j7H6yT-zE  I enjoyed every minute of this class from the supported bridges with the blocks to begin and end to everything in between. I appreciated the modification in broken wing pose and I loved the way Bea moved the blocks back in dragon pose to open up the chest. That really allowed me to breath with more ease and open the sensation down through my psoas and into my quadricep.   Karling Dallyn Yoga & Wellness https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsFVN-GUH2s8pBRBgVAdAPQ/featured   Karling has a soft spoken teacher voice and her calm energy drags you into a meditative state while doing her classes. The class I did was was a 60 Min Full Yin Yoga Class to fully de-stress the body. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mR_PHgIbvM   During this class I was able to fall into the relaxing vibe and calming practice that Karling was putting as the intention here. She was guiding me smoothly from asana to asana using plenty of time, pauses and deep holds which I find is the best way to go about a relaxing and stress relieving class. She had smooth music playing in the background which was helping get into the zone as well.    Yoga with Carolynne https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ8blZQ0C69zmG5HfEP9z6Q/videos   Carolynne teaches empaths and sensitive souls how to create a collaborative relationship with their bodies through crazy accessible yoga and self care practices in order to live a life filled with less doing and more being. She is a fellow Canadian who strives to offer a safe and welcoming space for people who might have felt discouraged by lack of options offered in other classes. She releases weekly either yin or gentle hatha with the intention to leave you feeling calmer, grounded and a little bit better.    For this video I practiced her Deep Hip Stretch for Every BODY. https://youtu.be/4TGpTnK_T1Y  If it weren't for Carolynne's loving and encouraging presence, I'm not sure I would have been able to stick with this practice. It included some super challenging for me poses including dr...

Balancing Fire Element Fire element is the most yang of all the five elements. It is outward and expansive. Fire element people get their energy from being with other people. Today we are going to talk to one of my yoga students, Magdalena, who recently participated in one of our membership challenges and courses. Magdalena has a lot of fire and earth element in her. She will share with you how she approached the fire element course and brought balance and harmony to her fire element. “I am approaching this week/challenge differently than I usually would. By that I mean that instead of going all the way, I made an intention of doing less, to receive and digest the teaching throughout the day, and doing the one pose that Melissa showcased for that day. Today Thursday, I am glad that I listen to my body and heart. All week I slept through the night, my mind has been clearer day by day, even my body feels as if I had done a whole 90 minute class. Off the mat, I have nurture myself by nature, leaving social media and sitting in silence.” Magdalena

Back Massage Chair Pad Review This video is an unboxing and review of the RENPHO Back Massager with Heat, Shiatsu Rolling Chair Massage Pad for Full Back Shoulder Neck, Height Adjustable, Massage Cushion with Heat for Full Body Fatigue Relief for Relax.  The portable massage chair combines shiatsu, kneading, rolling,vibration and heat functions to help you eliminate fatigue, stress and relieve muscle pain. The neck height is adjustable. The back and neck massage chair features 4 unique neck massage modes that offer deep tissue massage to your neck and shoulders.  You can use the chair to massage in 3 zones: Full Back, Upper back & lower Back. The spot function allows you to concentrate the kneading nodes on specific areas to pin-point panful areas and soothe your muscles. The manufacturer suggests using a blanket or towel on your back if you need a softer massage or if the intensity is too much. There are 3 different settings of intensity as well.  One issue I did find is that the way the neck part sticks out means that it is harder for it to reach my low back, but you could just focus on your low back and not do the neck and low back at the same time.  US purchase link：http://amzla.com/urv7bjqqblgk 10% off discount code: 4FMDAEJU CA purchase link：http://amzla.com/u7oitn0jyhx0 10% off discount code: RYXOVNXT

Food Therapy Kim Ashton and I met in a Yin Yoga Facebook group over a discussion about 5 element theory. Kim does something fascinating called: Qi Food Therapy.  In this interview we will talk about 5 element theory and the energetics of food.  I will ask her:  What is food energetics?  What is food therapy?  How does food energetics and food therapy affect our emotions?  How does five element theory intersect with food?  We also talk about anxiety, insomnia and racing mind and how food can help to solve these common problems.   Kim is based in Sydney, Australia. She is a Wellness coach, Chinese Medicine Food Therapist, Macrobiotic counselor, Emotional Anatomy consultant, Energy Medicine Practitioner, and author based in Australia & Asia. She teaches the Energetics of nutrition and Food Therapy workshops in Yoga training and other events. Kim spent over 16 years in Shanghai, 6 of which she co-owned China's first health food store & plant-based nutrition cooking studio. She also previously owned a small health food café.  Kim loves intuitive cooking with seasonal varieties of vegetables, sea vegetables, natural foods, and applying the 5 Element theory. She is passionate about teaching the Energetics of nutrition in relation to how food & cooking methods affect Qi, transform physical health, mood, emotional & spiritual well-being.  In 2019 Kim published a theory & cookbook “Chinese Superfoods,” in Chinese, which has sold over 7000 copies. Through the book, she encourages new generations of food therapy enthusiasts to explore Asian traditional foods, cook with everyday ingredients & get into the kitchen. She has taken many of the recipes into her new e-books and offerings at www.qifoodtherapy.com Outside of the kitchen, she loves to practice Hatha Yoga, Yin Yoga, Qigong & Meditation as part of holistic well-being, cultivating Qi, and balancing emotional health. She also loves water and swimming in the ocean.

How to be an Authentic Person Today on Yoga Lifestyle with Melissa I am going to be interviewing an incredible human being that I discovered on YouTube through my love of oracle and tarot cards. Stormie Atlantis drew me in through her honest and raw authentic expression.  So today I am going to talk to her about:  Never have I ever Tarot on Arcane Panda  How to be authentically yourself?  How to be authentic on YouTube?  How to be authentic and confident?   How to be authentic as a leader?  How to be authentic as an artist?  How to be authentic on instagram? How does she express herself so authentically and not care about what other people think? Or maybe she does care about what other people think? How does living authentically free up our life force energy? How does holding back our true selves cause us pain and suffering? What advice does she have for us to authentically express ourselves if we are scared of being judged or maybe even loss of some sort?  How do we know the difference between authentic self expression and fake expression?  How can we remove our masks in a way that feels safe and gentle?  For those of you who like the language of the chakras we are going to be talking about the throat chakra, the fifth chakra and how to balance and harmonize your throat chakra. If you want to know how to clear the blockage in your throat chakra, how to unblock your throat chakra and open your throat chakra, then you are going to love this interview. 

minimal cues yoga class vs. yoga classes In this video I am going to be talking about which is better: minimal cues yoga class vs. yoga classes with instruction. These are my thoughts and experiences on what is a minimal cues class, who they are for, when they are beneficial, why they are beneficial and why you would want to practice them. I am also going to talk about the place of yoga classes with instruction. This video will cover: What is a minimal cues yoga class? Who is a minimal cues class for? Who should avoid minimal cues classes? What are the benefits of a minimal cues class? What are the differences between a minimal cues class and yoga classes with instruction? What are yoga classes with instruction? Who are instructional yoga classes good for? When is it necessary to ditch the instructional yoga classes?

Prevent Constipation with Yoga In this video I share with you a more holistic approach to preventing constipation with yoga, one that focuses on the physical, mental and emotional bodies. There are physical postures that support us in preventing constipation and when we combine them with mindful intention and support for our mental body the healing potential of yoga is quite inspiring. In this video I will talk about some of the mental and emotional reasons why constipation happens and how the mindful aspects of yoga can support us in slowing down and relaxing so that we can let go. There are so many yoga poses that can support us in slowing down, relaxing, and opening up so that we can let go. In this video I will share some of my favourites. I will also share some inspiring mantras and phrases that we can repeat to ourselves during our yoga practice to support us in trusting and accepting the people, experiences and emotions of our life so that we can release control and flow freely. Physically it is most supportive to compress the colon with poses like knee to chest pose, elongate the colon with poses like lunge pose and twisting the colon with any yoga twist. All of these things together: physically, mentally, emotionally will support you in preventing constipation with yoga.

Today's video is about setting healthy boundaries for a balanced heart. A few weeks ago I released a social media post about tending to our “gates” Do you tend to your gates? Where in your life have you left your gate unintentionally open so that perhaps unconsciously energy is unintentionally flowing in and out without you even being aware of it? I'm talking about creating and maintaining secure boundaries within yourself that clearly express when you want to open your gate and when you need to close it to attend to our self care. We can be powerful gatekeepers to our own inner feelings and needs, allowing whatever sustains us to enter through our gates and closing our gates to whatever drains our energy. Carol responded: This is a fabulous and intriguing question and topic; where can we find more information please? With five element theory a branch of traditional Chinese medicine, the gates that open and close to our heart are a metaphor for our heart protector meridian, also known as your pericardium. Your pericardium is a sac that surrounds and protects your heart. Our heart protector is extremely important when it comes to opening and closing the gate to our heart in terms of letting in the experiences, relationships. When experiences and relationships are life giving our gates can open and let experiences flow freely in, but when experiences and relationships are depleting and toxic our gates should close protecting our heart from injury. When our heart protector is not protecting our heart we are vulnerable, but when it is doing its job it protects our heart with healthy boundaries to keep out that which is harmful and allow the trustworthy and peaceful experiences in. If you would like to learn more about fire element, five element theory and what is involved in protecting your heart I will be running a course in May of 2021 that will be starting with a 5 day challenge in April of 2021. You can register for it at melissawest.com/fire

How to Clear Your Mind with Yoga In this short video I am going to share with you how to clear your mind with yoga. I will show you which yoga poses work best to clear your mind. We will explore both the best types of yoga postures and the best yoga pose to clear your mind. This short demonstration with a yoga pose to clear your mind will help with brain fog and will cleanse your mind with a yoga pose.

Clear your mind We live in a world of noise, excess information, and overwhelm. We are often overloaded , with too much of a good thing and our bodies, minds, emotions, energy and spirits cannot possibly adapt. The result is anxiety, insomnia, poor memory, confusion, brain fog, difficulty poor concentrating and a hard time prioritizing what is important to us. In this video I am going to show you a simple and quick 3 minute guided breathing exercise that will support you in clearing your mind. The result will be a clear mind so that you have less anxiety, sleep more soundly, have a better memory and are able to concentrate and prioritize more effectively.

In this interview I have the honour of interviewing Norman Blair, author of Brightening Our Inner Skies: Yin and Yoga. I know Norman Blair as a yin yoga teacher and author of one of my most beloved and used yin yoga books: Brightening Our Inner skies. I personally go between 2 yin yoga books - Sarah Powers Insight Yoga and his Brightening Your Inner Skies. Of course, Sarah Powers wrote the forward for his Brightening Your inner Skies.  What I love about Norman Blair is the way that he embodies yin in his writing and in his teaching. I love howfor Norman, yin yoga is much more than the practice of anatomy, but that the body is a vehicle to access mindfulness, our energy body, our psycho emotional well being.  In this interview Norman and I talk about what drew him to yin yoga and what keeps him interested in yin yoga. We also talk about why yin yoga when he has such an interest in mindfulness and meditation.  We spend a lot of time talking about the principles of yin along with his current edge. We finish our interview together by talking about what captivates him most about teaching yin yoga right now and also what frustrates him most about teaching yin yoga right now.  You can learn more about Norman Blair, his teacher training, workshops and retreats at:  https://www.yogawithnorman.co.uk/

Top 5 Little Known Yoga Channels In this video my friend, and fellow yin yoga teacher, Matt Depuis and I are going to share with you some of our favourite heart centered yoga teachers who are sharing their yoga on YouTube that you may not have come across because they are “smaller” channels. These are teachers that are generously sharing their teachings on YouTube on a regular schedule, that have good sound and lighting and are offering high quality instruction. In this video we will share why we enjoy their teaching and we hope that you will check them out.  The Yoga Gypsea, Kristen Schoeffel, teaches with minimal cues. There is A LOT of silence. She basically cues you into the pose and then the rest is silence, so if you love a lot of silence in your yin yoga classes, you are going to love her teaching. Kristen offers vinyasa yoga classes, yin yoga classes, restorative yoga classes, lunar yoga classes, and gentle yoga classes on her YouTube channel.  The Yoga Gypsea https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQglR7Mmu02fi9Fp4KBRhA  Silke Van den Broeck is a yoga teacher living in Mechelen, Belgium, she started her YouTube channel because she felt inspired to share what yoga has meant for her: a safe place to experience her body and be in the present moment. Mellomrom Yoga focuses on soft and gentle yoga classes to reconnect you to yourself, moving you out of your mind and into your body. Silke offers you the gift of space  through her teachings.  Mellomrom Yoga https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI7WstYH8Bsuv2HtgKN3ebg Yoga with Sarah J Collins offers yin yoga and meditation on her channel. Sarah lives in the UK and teaches both online and in person. Sarah has a wonderful ability to hold space in her teaching and offer beautiful instruction. Melissa especially loves her video for intense emotions.   Yoga with Sarah J Collins https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj9J46_L35IMtGma4my_1_g  Yoga with Alina offers classes three times a week every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Alina is from Russia and is based in South Florida. She always says that yoga healed her mind and body, which has become the reason she made this passion into a full-time career to share the practice with as many people she can. Yoga with Alina https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCARaEaUjNIzpbXkm9ZTxfMw  Shanneuka has been teaching yoga since 2014. On YouTube she teaches no props yoga, flow yin yoga and meditation. Her intention is to provide classes that allow you to rest, relax and restore your body. She started on YouTube in April of 2020.  Yoga with Shaunneka https://www.youtube.com/c/YogawithShaunneka/  Yin Yoga with Matt https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfKzakbs3f_MpWBmQq8hUFg 

In this video I share 5 tips for transitioning from beginner to intermediate level classes: 1 Foundational Knowledge of Yoga Poses 2 Knowledge of How to Modify Yoga Poses 3. Knowledge of Props and You have Yoga Props you can use 4. Ability to look after yourself - avoid injury 5. Inner Sovereignty

Divine Feminine We all have masculine

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Top 5 Little Known Yoga Channels You Need to Follow Winter 2021  In this video my friend Matt Depuis and I are going to share with you some of our favourite heart centered yoga teachers who are sharing their yoga on YouTube that you may not have come across because they are “smaller” channels. These are teachers that are generously sharing their teachings on YouTube on a regular schedule, that have good sound and lighting and are offering high quality instruction. In this video we will share why we enjoy their teaching and we hope that you will check them out.  Yin Yoga with Matt When Melissa first found Matt he had 38 subscribers and now, not surprisingly, he has over 2K subscribers. What Melissa loves about Matt is his ability to hold space for the quieter practice of yin. I can tell he has had a depth of real life experience that to me means he has been there and so he can hold me in the shadow space.  Timberlake Yoga Brittney supports her yoga students in the slow and moving styles. You can tell as soon as you press play that she has a grounded presence that will hold you as you practice yoga with her.  Brittney's Spotify Playlist Yin Vibes Nourished Natasha If you are looking for a breath of fresh air in the yoga world, then you are going to love Natasha. Melissa loves her witchy, tarot vibe. Natasha offers yoga flow with a focus on mantra, astrology, self love and self care. I love how she creates flows for the new moons and full moons as well as equinoxes and solstices.  Yin Yoga Garage Vince has the kindest energy that comes through the screen that I have ever experienced. His  channel's mission is to be an instrument to help you be the kindest, calmest, most compassionate you through Mindfulness Yin Yoga. In my experience he has accomplished his mission.  It is called Yin Yoga Garage because all Yin classes are recorded in his home garage room which was converted into a virtual studio during the COVID19 lockdown in the Philippines. Melissa loves listening to Vince give dharma talks all through his yin instruction as well as his variations on tried and true yin poses.  Laura Goellner Laura is an Occupational Therapist and one of the most intelligent yoga teachers that I know. She brings her education and experience as an occupational therapist to her teaching. Melissa has studied anatomy with her and has collaborated with her in the past. I highly recommend subscribing to Laura's channel and checking her out.

Yoga Mudra for Constipation: Mahatrika Mudra Today I am going to show you how to do the mahatrika mudra to relieve pelvic congestion and constipation. So if you have abdominal cramping, are straining to have a bowel movement, or feel as though there is something preventing you from having a bowel movement stay with us for this simple and natural way to relieve your constipation. I don't want you to be uncomfortable or in pain. How long should you practice this mudra for? You are going to hold this mudra for 5-45 minutes. How often can you practice this mudra? To increase the healing potential of this mudra you can practice it for 2-3 shorter sessions a day. If you liked this video you are probably going to like my 2 minute massage for constipation

The Yin and Yang of a Daily Yoga Practice In this video I am going to talk to you about balancing the yin and yang energies in our daily yoga practice. What is yin and what is yang and why would we want to think about balancing them in our daily yoga practice. We tend to live in a yang dominant culture. One that values competition, goal-setting, being in action, focuses on performance and growth, and moving towards peak experience. When yang is at its fullest expression bigger is better and we are in an expanded state. Yang tends to be quite linear, focused on the mind, and involves planning a controlled and certain outcome of the future. Yin is cooperation, circulating, connecting, focus on quality over quantity, focus on endurance, intuition, focus on intuition, focus on conservation, and focus on cycles and rhythms. When it comes to our daily yoga practice we need a balance of yin and yang, we can't have one without the other. Give this video a thumbs up and put: I am balancing my yin and yang energy in the comments if you are love videos like this and share this with a friend who loves to live in balance too. Thanks for subscribing, it only takes a minute. When we are planning our daily yoga practice which is a yang oriented focus, we want to make sure we have the qualities of yin and yang in balance. If you liked this video you are probably going to like my video: Why are the principles of yin yoga important? In it I explain those yin qualities of softness, stillness and balancing yin and yang.

3 Ways to Let Go of Perfectionism in Your Daily Yoga Practice 3 mindful and supportive ways that you can organically breathe into your life that will allow you to let go of perfectionism as easily as you exhale. 1. Become aware of the ordinary moments in your body 2. Make choices that support your well-being 3. Make space for uncertainty In our membership community, I created a brand new 10 minute Daily Yoga reset that will support you in letting go of the inner pusher and perfectionist so you can tune into what is happening in your being with compassion, kindness and without judgment. In this short daily yoga reset you will tune into your human physical, mental, emotional, energetic experiences. Then you will connect with the innermost part of yourself that holds all of your experience in an unconditional embrace. When you tune into your intimate heart of hearts you will discern the most compassionate and kind thing that you can offer yourself in your daily yoga practice today. Link for members Link to become a member

How to Start and Maintain a Daily Yoga Practice  53% of my yoga students say their goal for their yoga in 2021 is to start or maintain a daily yoga practice. This is over becoming more flexible or stronger with a yoga practice.  In this video I will share with you 3 tips for starting and maintaining a daily yoga practice that are different from other YouTube videos. We will not talk about creating a physical space, but the mental space required for a yoga practice. We will talk about the planning that goes into your yoga practice. I will share with you some important questions you should be asking yourself before you plan your daily yoga practice. We also talk about how to let go of perfectionism.  If you liked this video you are going to like this video on 3 ways to increase your motivation to practice daily https://youtu.be/NBTfya8ABgA In it I share practical, easy to implement tips to increase your motivation for a daily yoga practice Yoga Essentials:  Yoga Mat Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/3eD8Pfh  Yoga Blocks Cork Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Yoga Blocks Foam Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Yoga Strap Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/358Y4hG  Yoga Bolster Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/358XYXm  Meditation Cushion Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Zabuton Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc    Melissa earns a small percentage when you purchase from the above links

Daily Yoga for Balance : Activate These 3 Things Daily to Improve Your Balance  Today we are going to talk about three things you want to do daily to improve your balance with yoga.  #1. Activate Your Vestibular System. This is just a fancy way of saying engage your inner ear. Your inner ear sense information about motion, equilibrium and spatial orientation. This information is collected in your inner ear by the utricle, saccule and three semicircular canals.  Your utricle and saccule detect gravity, that is information in a linear orientation, as well as linear movement. Your semicircular canals detect rotational movement. It is super simple to activate your vestibular system. All you need to do is come into your balancing pose and move your head slowly as if you are saying yes or no. This will challenge your balance.  #2 Your Proprioceptive System  Proprioception is defined as the unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself. We receive proprioceptive input from our skin, muscles, joints and sensory receptors that are sensitive to movement and pressure in our connective tissue #3 Your Visual System  You have sensory receptors in your retina called rods and cones. When light strikes the rods and cones of your retina, the rods and cones send impulses to your brain that provide visual cues that tell your brain how you are oriented relative to the objects around you. If you liked this video you are probably going to like my video: Beginner Yoga for Balance Video  https://youtu.be/ZvoCBc4AUQE In it I: share these 3 systems for beginners Yoga Essentials:  Yoga Mat Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/3eD8Pfh  Yoga Blocks Cork Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Yoga Blocks Foam Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Yoga Strap Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/358Y4hG  Yoga Bolster Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/358XYXm  Meditation Cushion Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Zabuton Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Melissa earns a small percentage from the above links

Eye Yoga Doesn't Work - The Way You Think it Does  So many people want to know how to improve their eyesight with yoga. When it comes down to improving our vision at home naturally we want to know:  Will it really work? How long will it take to work? Will I be able to get rid of my glasses? Will I be able to get rid of astigmatism?  So first of all, let's look at my scope of practice. I am a yoga instructor with a Ph.D. in communications and cultural studies. Which means I can show you how to do some yoga exercises for your eyes, but I am not an optometrist.  However, because I am a Ph.D. I am also good at researching, which means I was able to research exactly what the scientific data shows that eye yoga exercises can do for you and what it cannot. In this video I will separate fact from fiction and the truth of eye yoga from the lies of eye yoga.  In this video I will share with you what eye yoga can not do and what eye yoga is absolutely brilliant at doing.  Yoga Essentials:  Yoga Mat Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/3eD8Pfh  Yoga Blocks Cork Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Yoga Blocks Foam Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Yoga Strap Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/358Y4hG  Yoga Bolster Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/358XYXm  Meditation Cushion Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Zabuton Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc    Melissa earns a small percentage from the above links.

I failed at Maintaining a Daily Yoga Practice: How I'm Recovering  This video is about how to develop, commit and maintain a daily yoga practice in a way that is kind, compassionate and sustainable.  Over the last couple of months I've completely failed to commit to and maintain and daily yoga practice. Maybe you've been through periods like this in your own yoga journey. In this video I am going to share with you the road to my recovery and how the act of failing at keeping my yoga practicing going has actually been more helpful than keeping my yoga practice going in many ways.  So if you are interested in developing a daily yoga practice, committing to a daily yoga practice and maintaining a daily yoga practice and would like to learn from my experience, challenges and failing forward then watch this video.  Also just to let you know that starting in December and through the new year of 2021 I am going to be supporting our members in the 4 Ps of daily yoga practice which are: #1 Letting go of Perfectionism #2 Pondering: as in Mindset Tools #3 Practical Tips for Setting up and Maintaining a Daily Yoga Practice  #4 Planning Tips for Setting up and Maintaining a Daily Yoga Practice  If any of that sounds helpful and supportive to you there are links to join our community at https://melissawest.com  Yoga Essentials:  Yoga Mat Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/3eD8Pfh  Yoga Blocks Cork Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Yoga Blocks Foam Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Yoga Strap Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/358Y4hG  Yoga Bolster Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/358XYXm  Meditation Cushion Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Zabuton Amazon.com https://amzn.to/36afzxc Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36afzxc  Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristen Neff https://amzn.to/3lFgTOh  The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive https://amzn.to/3qruPPv  Melissa earns a small percentage from the above affiliate links

What to do on Vancouver Island: Tofino and Ucluelet I know we are all on lockdown right now and I don't know about you, but for me, it is causing my mental health to suffer. For the next few weeks in BC we have been asked to stay in place in our own cities. We went on this family trip before that mandate was in place. A few nights ago, Tim asked me to imagine where I would like to go in the future. Because of the increased restrictions my mind had gone into a fixed mindset. Just the question started to open things up. I hope this vlog will inspire us to imagine a time when we will be able to travel freely again and when we do here are some things you can do on Vancouver Island. Need ideas on what to do on Vancouver Island? In this vlog we will share accommodation in the heart of Ucluelet that still feels like you are living in the middle of a rainforest. We will share our favourite places to eat in Tofino. We also share our favourite hikes in Ucluelet: the wild pacific trail and in Tofino: the rainforest trail. Of course no trip to Tofino is complete without the mandatory road trip stop to goats on the roof. Accommodations: Elephant Cottage in Ucluelet Goats on the Roof Rainforest Trail Wild Pacific Trail Tacofino Tofino Wolf in the Fog Abbondanza Pizza Ucluelet Address: 1972 Peninsula Rd A, Ucluelet, BC V0R 3A0 Phone: (250) 266-2037 The Wild Coast, Volume 1: A Kayaking, Hiking and Recreation Guide for North and West Vancouver Island (The Wild Coast) Amazon.ca  Amazon.com  The Great Western Canada Bucket List: One-of-a-Kind Travel Experiences (The Great Canadian Bucket List Amazon.ca  Amazon.com 251 Things to Do in Tofino: And it is NOT just about Surfing Amazon.ca  Amazon.com The Wild Side Guide to Vancouver Island's Pacific Rim: Long Beach, Tofino, Ucluelet, Port Alberni, Nitinat & Bamfield Amazon.ca  Amazon.com  Tofino Guide Amazon.ca Amazon.com The Sobo Cookbook: Recipes from the Tofino Restaurant at the End of the Canadian Road Amazon.ca Amazon.com 

Constipation Relief If you do this one thing before your yoga poses for constipation your constipation will be relieved with much greater ease. You probably already know the yoga poses that will relieve your constipation, the poses that will put pressure on your colon, the poses that will twist your colon and the poses that will relax your colon. But do you know the secrets that yogis have been using every morning prior to doing their yoga that helps to aid with elimination in addition to yoga? 5 Best Hatha Yoga Poses for Constipation  Links Lemon Squeezer Amazon.ca Amazon.com Yoga Essentials: Yoga Mat Amazon.com Yoga Blocks Cork Amazon.com Yoga Blocks Foam Amazon.com  Amazon.ca Yoga Strap Amazon.com  Amazon.ca Yoga Bolster Amazon.com  Amazon.ca Meditation Cushion Amazon.com  Amazon.ca Zabuton Amazon.com  Amazon.ca

Frozen Shoulder During the pain phase of frozen shoulder there have been 3 things that have helped me most with the pain. I thought I would share them with you here today. 1. Tens Machine Amazon.com https://amzn.to/2GCFept Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36hr6uv 2. Moist Heating Pad Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kaUg3o Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/36a7CYS 3. Frozen Shoulder Pulley to Gently Increase Mobility Amazon.com Link: https://amzn.to/3n2UM5E Amazon.ca Link https://amzn.to/2JH1VtL Bonus: Epsom Salt Baths Amazon.com Link https://amzn.to/3laUcSy

You Won't Believe the Wildlife We Saw on Our First Day in Jasper National Park Join us on our road trip from Victoria B.C. to go camping in Wapiti Campground at Jasper National Park. Our trip begins at Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal in Victoria BC with a short crossing over to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal in Vancouver BC. We had a short stop at Harveston Mill in Chilliwack BC to meet on of my yoga students for lunch. We also stopped in Merrit BC for the night to rest. Our first beautiful lookout was Kamloops Lake Lookout Point. A gorgeous rest point for breakfast. As promised here are the recipes for the morning glory cookies and morning glory bread that I like to make for breakfast. The cookies travel well and make a great breakfast on the road. Roasted Root Morning Glory Cookies Roasted Root Morning Glory Bread When we arrived at Wapiti Campground in the early evening, which is a great time to view wildlife. We asked the park attendant the best place to view wildlife. She recommended we take a drive down Maligne Lake Road to Maligne Lake. You won't believe the wildlife we saw on our first day in Jasper National Park.

Yoga and Poetry: Poetry as Meditative Practice I received some wonderful questions on my YouTube channel the other day from Jessica. She asks: I'm curious how you read poetry. I borrowed a Mary Oliver book from the library and started reading it. It doesn't impact me the same way they do when you read them in class. Any tips? Flip open to a random page? Read from start to finish ? Thanks, Melissa. These are great questions. How do you read poetry so that it comes alive? Why does it come alive when I read it in class? Why was a Mary Oliver poem not enough on its own? These are questions that I answer in this Yoga Lifestyle video, where we explore poetry as a meditative practice. What happens when we enter into a meditative space? We take some time to prepare our bodies and minds to receive the poetry. Maybe you feel the earth underneath you, you align your body, you slow your breathing, you feel the space in your body and you take a few breaths. Then you turn your attention to the page. Now notice what it is like to receive this poem in an open and spacious way. Is it different? I have more tips in this video below on how I read poetry to you in our yoga classes, so be sure to click play and watch the entire video. Our community is filled with so much wisdom. How do you read poetry? Let me know in the comments below.

How to Plan a Daily Yoga Practice Today we are going to talk about how to plan a daily yoga practice. Barb's question: I would like to start doing a daily yoga practice. I would like to do Hatha some days, Yin other days etc. I have done some of the courses like the daily hatha yoga, yoga for strength and monthly themes. Wondering if you have any curated lists on the membership site of various episodes for a general continuing daily practice ? I am a bit overwhelmed trying to devise a balanced daily practice for myself that includes some hatha and yin videos and hoping there might be some curated lists on the site that I could use to create a schedule for myself. Is there a series that has both of these styles or a Hatha series and a Yin series that you recommend I combine? Every single day of the year in our community we put together a daily yoga connection. It follows our theme of the quarter, which gets further broken down by month and week. The intention is exactly as you describe, to take away the overwhelm of choice by providing a weekly reflection and 7 curated classes each week. The classes are balanced and include a variety of yin yoga, hatha yoga, and meditation classes. If you are not a member, I would recommend choosing a series on the Yoga with Melissa channel. The series tends to be well balanced with a combination of yin yoga, qigong flows, restorative yoga, hatha yoga and yoga nidra meditations. So if you went through a series in a week you would get a balance of classes. On YouTube a series is organized into playlists. I have tagged our 30 day beginner yoga challenge in this video for example, however we have lots of series to choose from in our community. This autumn, I am so happy to be sharing our Clean Home Clean Heart/Mind series for example. Give this video a thumbs up and put, I am balanced in the comments. Subscribe for more videos like this and feel free to leave your questions in the comments. Namaste, Melissa