Yoga Focus

In this lecture we will start to learn the LANGUAGE that we need to talk about the body effectively. This includes the body's position in relationship to the floor (or other supporting surface), the way that the limbs move in relation to the trunk, and the symmetry of yoga poses. These terms also give us a new way to think about the way we structure classes and create sequences.  This lecture...

In this episode we will review all of the main body systems that work together to create a functioning person.  In the study of yoga we often put all the focus on the bones and the muscles, but it is important to understand that all the systems of the body are interconnected. They all rely on each other and no system works independently of the others.  This lecture is from my online cour...

This episode is a lecture taken from my online course: "Foundations in Anatomy & Body Science For Yoga Teachers". In this segment I explain why the 30 hour "Anatomy" portion of Yoga Teacher Training is actually so much more than just Anatomy. There are a bunch of other Sciences that contribute to a well rounded curriculum.  To view sample Lectures you can go to my YouTube Channel: LauraGy...

In this episode we talk about the importance of yoga teachers having a good understanding of the body. As yoga alliance has just increased the required education for 200 hour teacher training from 20 hours to 30 hours this is a topic of debate in the yoga world. As yoga teachers we are movement professionals (if you teach any form of asana) and therefore need to understand the body to be able to l...

* In Episode 13 I talk about the 10 most important things that a NEW yoga student or BEGINNER needs to understand! These tips will help you to select the right class or teacher, progress faster in your practice and get a more complete understanding of yoga as a holistic practice.  ___________ * As always- any interesting background noises are from Redford my recording companion, as recording...

In episode 12 I talk about the topic of Impermanence- the fact that everything is changing and the way we understand these changes has a big impact on how we live our life. If we cling to things or resist changes this brings up suffering. If we instead focus on the curiosity of noticing how things are changing and look at them with "fresh eyes" we can settle into a space of gratitude for the exper...

In episode 11 we will talk about some of the questions that can help to anchor the mind and deepen your internal experience of the pose.  How to watch the breath and check in with body sensations to find the right version of the pose for you in that moment. These questions help us to develop stronger body awareness, strengthen our skills of self inquiry and learn to read our body's signals. T...

In this episode I talk about The content of my book: "Yoga Therapy At the Wall" And I explain WHY the wall is such an incredible prop with a huge amount of versatility. Balance, challenge, proprioception, support... I also talk about my upcoming collaboration video with @drmelissawest on YouTube She will be doing a give away of 2 copies of my book to her subscribers so be sure to subscribe to...

In this episode we talk about the Hands as the foundation of many poses. One of the unique things about yoga is that we often use the Hands for weight bearing and support. This is a great component to our movement practice BUT it requires some preparation to ensure strength and stability in the upper body to prevent injury.  I talk about my own experience with wrist and shoulder pain, how I m...

The FEET are often the foundation of the body, but we hardly ever give the feet the attention they deserve! In this episode we will talk about the merits of barefoot movement, my thoughts (and personal experience) on minimalist shoes, and I give you some easy ways that you can add in focused fork for the toes/feet/ankles in your practice or teaching! Next Episode we will talk about the Hands &...

In this episode we look at a unique movement that the spine can do: Articulation from Vertebra to Vertebra. I most often see this used in a "roll up" transition, BUT spine articulation can be used in all 3 planes of movement, at all 3 segments of the spine. That articulation can be performed in an ISOLATED fashion focusing on just one area, or in a globally INTEGRATED movement with the rest of the...

In this episode we talk about the special project I have been working on for the past several years...Writing a book about therapeutic yoga practice using a wall as a prop. This has been a long process, especially because I did not have any experience going into this. I discuss the reason I wanted to write this manual and ALL the mistakes and struggles that I have encountered in this process.&nbsp...

The McGill Big 3 Exercises are a foundation program that is used to create stability and endurance in the lower core muscles. These exercises have been shown to improve the tension of the core muscles so that stability is maintained over a longer period of time without fatigue/strain. Yup...tension...I know yogis shy away from anything that increases tension, but here we start to look at why tensi...

 In this episode of the Yoga Focus podcast we are talking about the 8 characteristics of Free, Natural Breathing. These are the qualities that we want to encourage in the normal breath pattern that carries us through the day. This information is based on "The Breathing Book" by Donna Farhi and some information from Dr. Andrew Weil.   In an upcoming episode I will be going over the m...

April is Occupational Therapy Month and I have been an Occupational Therapist for about 9 years now. I often see yoga teachers going back to school for Physical Therapy, and PT is great, BUT I think that Occupational Therapy is a BETTER compliment to what you do as a yoga teacher. I explain why I think OT & Yoga go together better and how being an OT can lead to a career as a Yoga Therapist.&n...

In this episode we talk about the shift that is happening in modern yoga from dictating what you "should" feel in any part of your practice to focusing on the experience of what you DO feel. This shift in teaching and learning yoga is working on empowering the student to fully experience the practice and therefore adapt it to their own needs - instead of what "ideal" alignment dictates. ...

 Here we are starting a series working through some of the information presented in Donna Farhi's "The Breathing Book".  I took this book with me on vacation to Puerto Rico, thinking that I would learn some interesting Pranayama techniques to share with my students...but was pleasantly surprised to find that the book was actually about techniques to create a natural freedom to the breath...

Welcome to the Yoga Focus Podcast! This podcast is about sharing information for yoga students & teachers to dive deeper into the layers of yoga. The Yoga Focus Method is my personal style of teaching with distinctive themes, visual aides (called a Yoga Board), and components that go beyond posture practice.  These themes tend to have a therapeutic focus as my  formal education is in...