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We have shared with you the health benefits of yoga and the mental health benefits of yoga. For September’s National Yoga Month, we want to share with you some unconventional yoga benefits. These are… Read More

Walking as an exercise? What’s that about? Many studies say walking is the absolute healthiest exercise. But walking is completely egotistically non-appeasing. You might be wondering, what are the benefits of walking? In my culture health is constantly associated with an aesthetically pleasing body. For women, this means a… Read More

Simply put yoga is about health and wellness. Gratitude is a benevolent, healthy mind state. Benevolent mind states are the root of health and wellness, not only within the body but throughout the world. It’s impossible to have gratitude more than you may already have it if you’re… Read More

I’m trying to find an answer to a question that has popped into my mind. The question is: “Where do my thoughts come from?” The answer that popped into my mind was, me! All my thoughts come from me! All of the sudden a follow-up question popped into… Read More

I have wanted to delve into this branch of wellness for a long time. I’ve always felt that yoga, its philosophy and practice has so much to offer this cultural obsession, mega-industry and health aid called weight loss. Addressing weight loss from a yoga perspective or through a yoga practice… Read More

Yoga’s physical form of poses or asana sequenced properly can be as vigorous, rigorous, and as cardio as you like. We all know calorie burning can be a helpful tool in weight loss. Well, contrary to some beliefs, you’ll be able to burn as many as… Read More

You all can imagine the lessons learned after doing something for over 40 years! I started my yoga practice 42 years ago, and I started sharing yoga with others 36 years ago. Now I even offer Power Yoga teacher training. As of writing this blog on 3/23/22, I… Read More

I’m not sure how one could think that a yoga practice and a meditation practice are separate. Maybe It is because people were trying to speak specifically to the physical exercise aspect of yoga. Yet, without the meditation component incorporated into the asana (physical yoga), the asana is… Read More

Throughout the entire history of humanity, who would have thought the abundance of food could and would wreak so much havoc, be the cause of so much disease and create so many problems. On top of all the health and emotional problems that overeating creates, the largest co-morbidity… Read More

The Importance of Practicing Yoga in Your OWN Way While Bryan Kest’s Power Yoga consists of instructor-led videos, yoga practice should be a personal journey. Here’s how to find your own. Essentially, this is how it’s done! There are 7,000,000,000 ways to do a yoga pose… Read More

It’s that time again! Here come the commitments, resolutions, and another opportunity to start something special for yourself. Yes, you could do this any time of year, but many know that New Year’s Day is an excellent time to start. With millions of others doing the same thing,… Read More

Developing the Backdrop of Our Life Health “Vitality”. Vitality represents strength, vibrancy, alertness, and energy. Vitality means “Life force”! Vitality doesn’t look a certain way as one would not expect a vital 25-year-old to look or be like a vital 85-year-old. In other words, Vitality doesn’t mean you stay young… Read More

Strangely I had never heard of the term “manopause” until recently. Menopause is a very well-known stage of a woman’s life that has been widely documented, addressed, and discussed. Most of us probably know or have known, at least one lady (probably many more) who has voiced their… Read More

If you practice yoga or not, you’ve probably heard the term “yogi” before. So what is a yogi?  There are yogis of all shapes, sizes, personalities, styles, paths, and practices. That is because a yoga practice is not defined by someone’s outer appearance; it’s defined by… Read More

Mindfulness really means “being mindful”. What are we supposed to be mindful of? The answer to the question is kind of tricky. You should be mindful of anything you want. So, what I’m saying is there isn’t anything you need to be mindful of other than the thing you want to be mindful of. Is this making sense?  Read More

Life is busy! Although technology has made some tasks easier it has allowed us to take on more! Our attention is being pulled in multiple directions, simultaneously creating much more stress than any other time in recorded history. Never before has meditation been so important to our health. Read More

Is yoga a good workout to tone your body? Well, we’ve got two reasons as to why there isn’t any other fitness regimen more ubiquitous than yoga. 1) it may be the most rational fitness regime in existence. There is no other exercise that combines strength, flexibility, stamina, balance, and cardio all while enhancing every range of motion and exposing and caring for every nook and cranny. 2) The way it leaves you feeling. Pretty much like a lover, not a fighter. In other words, you are chill, all is good, whatever happened ain’t as bad. It's a great feeling! Read More

Is yoga a good workout to tone your body? Well, we’ve got two reasons as to why there isn’t any other fitness regimen more ubiquitous than yoga. 1) it may be the most rational fitness regime in existence. There is no other exercise that combines strength, flexibility, stamina, balance, and cardio all while enhancing every range of motion and exposing and caring for every nook and cranny. 2) The way it leaves you feeling. Pretty much like a lover, not a fighter. In other words, you are chill, all is good, whatever happened ain’t as bad. It's a great feeling! Read More

I have been leading challenges for so many years now that they have become a bi-annual ritual, expected of us by our members, fans and followers. Our yearly “Holiday Sanity Challenge” is my biggest event of the year with thousands of participants. A home yoga practice is so easy and… Read More

Bryan Kest’s Power Yoga Teacher Training is bonafide and one of a kind! All yoga teacher training varies slightly (although less and less with Yoga Alliance setting standards), but our training is another type of beast. If any of you have experienced a Bryan Kest Power Yoga class, you know… Read More

There are many universal laws yet underlining all of them is the law of “change.” You cannot imagine anything that you will not have to say goodbye to because everything will change. The philosophy of yoga is rooted in the statement that all human suffering comes from one place and that place is called “attachment.” Read More

All movements can be healing. Then again, all movements can be harmful. What makes the same yoga pose healing or harmful? When I first considered this question, what popped into my head was “one’s intention within the movement.” In other words, do you want the movement to be healing or is there another purpose? Read More

The title of this article may seem absurd to some, especially if you’re an M.D., D.O., Physician’s Assistant, nurse or simply have benefitted from allopathy. Believe it or not, this piece will not be a condemnation of allopathy (allopathy has way too much good) yet it will illustrate in the writer’s view at least its absurdity. Read More

The translation here is “Yoga Sleep”. There is no doubt that this is not only a relaxation technique, but I would also say this is the premiere relaxation technique. Personally, I have been practicing yoga for 40 years and I have never seen a type of yoga practice or any practice and/or endeavor that offers the relaxation benefits that this does. Read More

Okay, you have been living under a rock the past 30 years and finally you decide to climb out. Once out, you realize you are so stiff and completely atrophied. The current fitness trend seems to be yoga so why not give it a try? Read More

Psychological fact (I’ve been told): "The more you see something, the more you believe it." What if all I’ve seen is wrong? Western-based health and wellness practices (exercises) are misguided and completely inappropriate for health and wellness. It’s like a story I’ve been told so much, I believe it. Read More

I have been having some interesting thoughts lately. My aging process is allowing me to see more--yeah I think that’s it! Our teacher is our experience, and as we age we gain experiences. Read More

I used to say originally all yoga was free. Originally yoga practices were designed to enhance moral character, ethical behavior, calm demeanor, poise, and eventually liberation. Read More

I’m excited to write about this topic mostly because of initial resistance I had to such short yoga classes and the fact that I now so appreciate them. Read More

The neck and shoulders are the most famous places within our bodies to display signs of stress in the form of tension. The tension most likely is coming from stress and that stress is displayed or deposited in this region of the body. Read More

I have been practicing yoga postures for 40 years and have spent a great deal of time in India studying yoga. Honestly, the only type of yoga pose I ever saw in India was with one person. Read More

What is yin yoga? You have heard the phrase “yin and yang” or you could say feminine or masculine. If not, I believe the words originated in China. They describe the polar opposites like feminine and masculine or negative and positive. Read More

Chakras represent the main energy centers of the body. They are essentially the container that holds your body’s energy (or prana.) Our behaviors—from what we eat to what we say to what we watch—can directly influence the health and aliveness of this intricate system. Read More

Much of what I will address here would also pertain to exercise in general, though yoga in specific. Before I delve into food before yoga or exercise, what needs to be clarified is the duration of time one takes in-between eating and exercise. Read More

A beginner’s guide to yoga could include many different topics. Honestly, it could be a book and there are probably many books on this topic. Just describing the different styles of yoga could be a book, let alone the topics that could be created in introducing yoga. When I first… Read More

I learned the importance of this muscle in my effort to heal my back injury. As I was visiting orthopedics, chiropractors, massage therapists, and many other allopathic and holistic practitioners, I started hearing about this muscle and its connection literally to the lower back area of our body. This is when I first started looking for yoga poses for the psoas. My search intensified as one practitioner told me he believed a lot of lower back issues begin with atrophy in this muscle. Read More

The title of this blog is so apropos towards the multi-faceted benefits of yoga. I will not speak about what I have read pertaining to this subject, I will only speak about my experience. So, when reading this you will know how a yoga practice has affected someone and, therefore, there’s a good chance you will get a similar effect. Read More

Free online content is as old as the internet and free yoga online is no different. This is one of the perks of the internet. YouTube is virtually all free. Most times, more so than not, we do pay for free content if that makes sense. Let me explain: You may not pay money for content but you may have to put up with ads, pop-up windows, or the likes. Same as if you want to watch the Super Bowl in real time, you have to deal with the commercials. Internet ads and pop-ups are virtually internet commercials. Same as the ads in a newspaper or magazine. Read More

Do you want to share your yoga practice and the myriad of benefits with others? If so, then you would want the best yoga teacher training right? Now, “the best” may mean different things to different people so let’s clarify. First, what type of yoga are you interested in sharing? Read More

I believe I have put to rest within the title of this blog the question: “Is yoga a good workout," or even "is yoga a workout?” Like I said, it’s the best and I’ll explain why. At the ripe age of 55, I have been deep into health and fitness ever since I can remember. Read More

This phrase “Do yoga with me” has never been more practical or even possible. The very young might not know too much differently than the internet and all that it entails, but everyone older than say, about 40 years old, knows it wasn’t long ago that to participate in a yoga class you had to show up in person. Read More

There are many great traditionalists, but the greatest of the great were non-traditionalists. They were non-conformist and they were non-dogmatic! Jesus was a non-conformist. So was Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King Jr. Mahatma Gandhi and the greatest yogi, Gautama the Buddha all had new ideas and another way. Read More

“Pure Yoga” can mean many things to many people. Like many studio names, class names, and style names, so many people are looking to differentiate themselves and their classes, styles and studios with cool, interesting names that attract people and work well in branding. For example, “Pure Hot Yoga” sounds pretty catchy. Read More

Honestly, objectively speaking, there is no “Best yoga video” because yoga is so very personal. Your appreciation of a yoga class whether it’s online or on video or in person is dependent on so many variables. For instance: your constitution, age, personality, energy level, injuries, and experience. And there are actually so many more variables. Read More

I would like to shed some light on core yoga: what it is, what the poses are, and what yoga for core strength is? What is a yoga core workout or core balance yoga? Read More

What is progress? Does it mean "To move to a better place?" Or maybe it means "to move forward or higher" or "to acquire more regardless of whether it’s a better place or more optimal." Read More

We are living in unprecedented times, both domestically and globally. With uncertainty stemming from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) swirling around us on a daily basis, now, more than ever, is a potentially transformational opportunity for us to implement our “spiritual skills” that we work so diligently to nurture and strengthen. Regardless… Read More

I like to describe teaching yoga like this: Let’s say your grandma has a great recipe for chicken soup. You love this chicken soup, it’s amazing!!! Your grandma gave you her recipe, and now you cook chicken soup all the time. One day your friend comes to your house to visit.They… Read More

When COVID-19 first started, our options for exercise classes become limited. However, this shift also made many of us realize that online fitness poses a number of positives. The list of benefits of online yoga classes could go on and on. What I have been surprised to discover is that… Read More

I sincerely hope you have been able to appreciate this rare type of quietness and downtime. Those of you who have not found any peace during these challenging times please check out my FREE Meditation for Anxiety.1) We have added a 4:00-5:00pm PST live streaming class Monday-Friday and Sunday, and have brought… Read More

Aloha Everyone! Our yoga classes are expanding virtually!Yoga will not tell you what to do. It will just ask you to wake up and see what you’re doing, and then ask yourself four questions:1) Does this help me?2) Does this help my family?3) Does… Read More

I believe most people are starting to figure out a new rhythm to their days as we are all locked down and spending much more time at home. Please take some time for your yoga and meditation practice. Here are links to two very nourishing 12-15 minute meditations. Try it… Read More

California is on lockdown and I’m sure the rest of the country will follow. I hope all of you are breathing through this completely unprecedented time. Yoga practice for us yoga practitioners is always important as it seems to have a unique ability to balance one’s body and mind, completely… Read More

 Like I am doing right now with this message, this is a time where you will see yoga instructors chime in about this global pandemic. They may give you breathing exercises or poses to help calm you. If you feel stressed or worried these practices will help so why not… Read More

Does yoga help me sleep better? Does meditation help me sleep better?If you could break wellness into parts like you cut a pie into pieces, one substantial piece would be sleep. The other parts of the pie include diet, exercise, and mental/emotional contentment!  Understanding yoga’s history and origin,… Read More

Aloha yogis!I wanted to share with you some information on a topic in the yoga world that does not garner much attention, but it is always nice to have as a reference point to guide and support you on your journey into yoga! Especially if you are completely… Read More

Wow…where do I begin? The topic of “New Year’s resolutions” can seem on the face of it, vast and daunting! For those of us who are driven and Type A personalities most likely have this innate desire to push, accomplish, thrive at whatever it is we set our minds… Read More

Power Yoga is well-suited for a diverse range of people and certainly, beginners are within that range. Personally, I feel that power yoga is the best place for beginners to start their yoga journey. Yet, I am biased toward the type of Power Yoga I share. Unlike many other types… Read More

Ashtanga yoga postures and Ashtanga yoga sequences. If you are looking for a place to go to practice Ashtanga yoga, and its lesser known pranayama (breathing technique) sequence and a few even lesser known practices like neti (cleansing of nasal passage using a waxed string), you may have to travel… Read More

You could say yoga for holiday stress is what yoga was created for! Yet the truth is yoga is for all stress! Yoga for stress is a well-documented topic. Google yoga stress relief or holiday stress and yoga, and you will find much information. Understand the stress that’s being… Read More

Yoga Means “To Yoke” What is yoga? What is the meaning of yoga? All styles, systems, and practices of yoga have the same objective: union, enlightenment, or “to yoke”. The differences would be in the methodology in attaining yoga’s goal.  So, to define yoga we have to be clear whether… Read More

How does yoga help you express your gratitude? Why do we practice yoga? The common answer is health and/or wellness. What detracts from wellness more than stress? What is more opposite of stress than gratitude? How do we incorporate a gratitude yoga practice? Yoga and gratitude are like parent and… Read More

I recently had an experience in which I was confronted with toxic and negative communication that was directed towards me and my family. Being a human being, my initial reaction was to “fight back” and to partake in similar, unhealthy communication. Thankfully, though, my yoga and meditation practice (as well… Read More

Lot’s happening here at Power Yoga, probably not too dissimilar from wherever this blog post finds you. Yet yoga is such a positive and healing addition to whatever is happening in our lives. As busy as you are, you might be interested in these new yoga… Read More

My name is Hilaire Lockwood and I’m bringing this series of yoga for cancer to you, not because I wanted a “specialty” or because I’ve had special training. I bring this series to you because I’ve lived it. In the 30 years on my mat and teaching, I have seen… Read More

Important Questions about Yoga, Weight Loss, and Wellness Let’s address these and many other questions pertaining to yoga and weight loss. Is yoga good for weight loss? Can you lose weight with yoga? What types of yoga are good for weight loss? Is Power Yoga good for weight loss? How… Read More

Having almost 40 years of yoga practice under my belt, combined with living in India for a good 1-year stint, I can say with certainty that yoga is a meditation practice. Yet so many people ask, “Can you practice yoga without meditation?” “What is the difference between yoga and meditation?”… Read More

If it is true that the oldest, living, animals breathe the slowest, shouldn’t we look at breath rate when considering longevity?  Since there is a direct connection between health and longevity, we would want to look into breath rate and its connection to health. Longevity and breath rate go hand… Read More

Vinyasa is a vigorous or flowing style of Hatha yoga. Vinyasa is actually three Hatha yoga poses: plank, cobra, and down dog. These poses are used in between most other poses as a way of connecting one pose to the next, intertwining the movements into a very yang (active) style… Read More

Finding Joy in Failure Progress is two steps forward and one step back (kind of). It could actually be two steps forward and 10 steps back, then 12 steps forward. You get the point. Yet, what is not commonly embraced is the fact that those two steps back are part… Read More

What is vinyasa flow yoga? Vinyasa is literally 3 movements: plank, cobra or up dog and down dog. These movements are used with breath to connect other poses to each other as you would connect a high-pitched sound to a low-pitched sound with something in the middle so… Read More

What if everyone had to distribute all the trash they create on the grounds of their property? No, you cannot bury it. No, you cannot pay someone to take it away. Yes, you have to scatter it around your home’s foundation and, yes, you can clear through it a walking… Read More

The future is here and online yoga seems to be the best alternative for many people. Of course, high-quality yoga classes are the most desirable so let’s look at this “high quality” thing. High-quality yoga classes might be different than a high-quality website. Obviously, both would be preferred. I have… Read More

What is yoga asana? The simplicity and practicality of yoga asana are mind-bending. We have made exercise and fitness so complicated with the multitude, or mountain, of ideas and philosophies. I like that old saying, “Keep it simple, stupid.” That’s what yoga does! Everybody knows you cannot take care of… Read More

Wow, where to begin. You know you can easily Google “yoga for health“ or “what does yoga help with“ or “physical benefits of yoga,“ and I think you would be blown away at all yoga can accomplish and yoga’s health benefits. If you’re looking to improve your overall… Read More

What is Vinyasa yoga? Define Vinyasa yoga. What does Vinyasa yoga mean What should I expect from a Vinyasa yoga class? Can I practice Vinyasa yoga via video? Is a Vinyasa yoga video equal to a class? What is the difference between Vinyasa and Hatha? What is Vinyasa flow… Read More

How to Keep Our Head Straight Through The Swirl That’s Enveloping Us When I was around 14, living with my mother in suburban Detroit, my father approached me and asked me (at my mother’s request) if I’d like to live with him in Hawaii. I said, “Sure, Dad,” even though… Read More

Wow, where to begin. You know, you can easily google “yoga for health,“ or “what does yoga help with,“ or “physical benefits of yoga,“ and I think you would be blown away at all yoga can accomplish and yoga’s health benefits. What I want to express here is my 38… Read More

How Yoga Can Improve Culture We certainly are not an advanced culture, and any thought that we are will only hinder us from ever achieving it. Truth is, I’m not sure there is one. Most cultures are still dealing with Stone Age problems like hunger, racism, crime, disease, poverty, and… Read More

Finding the Beauty of Aging This is a reflection on the powerful process of letting go, and the peace and wisdom that ensues. This reflection is a counterbalance to our culture’s negative mentality towards aging. Attention all baby boomers: the end is coming. Are you prepared? 🙂 Those in your… Read More

How body types look different and how exercise affects different bodies differently I have a six-pack – you just can’t see it. Some people naturally, without any exercise or special diet, have a very lean and cut body. It’s not common, but it exists. Some people have very fleshy bodies,… Read More

When I was in graduate school writing my dissertation, I would sit at my computer for long periods of time in the “writing zone.” During this time, I often had within arm’s reach a six-pack container of gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. I would inhale these cookies within an… Read More

A Franchised Yoga Studio vs. Independent Yoga The new yoga studio is a yoga studio owned by a corporation. Now I get it, even a mom-and-pop yoga studio might be an LLC for tax and or liability purposes. So when I say corporation, I’m talking about a corporate studio or… Read More

Overcoming Fear with Mindfulness Fear can be rational and is, at times, necessary and important. And yet, it can be totally and completely irrational. These days, a lot of the time it is unnecessary and harmful. Differentiating between the two is about as helpful and important to our health and… Read More

Addressing Toxic Masculinity The term toxic masculinity really sums up the “macho” attitude and mentality. We live in a culture that emphasizes and admires the tough, rugged, aggressive man. Our culture is certainly not alone in this mentality, actually, it is a very rare culture that doesn’t embrace machismo. You… Read More

Why is poweryoga.com the best online yoga? Well, actually we might not be! Even though many might feel we are. We do offer a high-quality experience, which means the techies who built poweryoga.com knew what they were doing; with its symmetry and ease of use, it’s a comfortable place to… Read More

The global wellness economy is 4.2 trillion dollars, more than half of the 7.3 trillion global health expenditures. My guess is that diet is a big factor in wellness spending. With so much money at stake, you will find many people and companies touting the next great thing: from vegan… Read More

Which yoga is best for fitness? What is fitness yoga? Is there fitness yoga for beginners? You might find yourself asking these questions – but first things first – fitness yoga might not be what you think of when you think of “fitness.” It might not be too far away… Read More

How would I describe my yoga classes? They’re a yoga buffet. That’s my answer to what my classes are (or at least one of them). In a sense, this is what most all classes are, except for the rigid and dogmatic styles or types of yoga classes that… Read More

Healthy relationships start with the relationship we have with ourselves! All relationships are enhanced and thrive under the same conditions, just as all relationships are hindered under the same conditions. This includes the relationship we have with ourselves. Developing the qualities that heal and enhance the relationship you have with… Read More

You could say the best yoga videos are free yoga videos. I wouldn’t say that, though. Free is nice, no doubt, but what is nicer is quality. So let’s start again, the best yoga videos are high-quality free yoga videos! High-quality is not a reference to the photography, although high… Read More

Yoga vs. Meditation is a ridiculous concept, as they are one and the same. They are inseparable and necessary to complete each other. So yes, yoga does include meditation; actually, yoga is meditation with an option to add poses. I’ve heard the question, what poses are yoga… Read More

You can find loving kindness with yoga, I did. Loving kindness is the natural by-product of my yoga practice and my growth as a yogi. To be a yogi is to desire and strive for my potential. I’m not sure how that will look yet I can keep moving… Read More

I would venture to say the best yoga classes are online yoga classes! Now certainly that’s not a rule, and there are other factors such as cost. The cost of online classes is much more affordable, which helps many to access yoga content. How about free online yoga classes? There… Read More

When I spoke to my 16-year-old nephew about success, I was reminded of the fact that society’s opinions and beliefs about success impact even our own children. These opinions and beliefs are what we all are seeing, and therefore believing. Our topic was, “What is a successful business person?” My… Read More

Is yoga on your New Year’s resolution list? Would you like to make yoga your New Year’s resolution? This is a tough topic to write about, as New Year’s resolutions for yoga seekers or anybody don’t seem to stick for very long. Why is that? If these New Year’s yoga… Read More

What is yoga? What is the meaning of yoga? The definition of yoga or its goal would be the same as the Power Yoga definition and goal. All styles, systems and practices of yoga should have the same objective of union, enlightenment or ????  The differences would be in… Read More

Most people, when searching the topic “yoga poses for lower back pain,” are either in pain or want to help someone who is in lower back pain. They want to know which yoga is best for lower back pain so I would like to share what I know. I have… Read More

Welcome to the new millennium and, to a large degree, the new way to learn. I was at lunch the other day with a very motivated and highly intelligent thirty-ish young man who answered my question as to how he learned the subject we… Read More

What’s absurd about aging? The absurdity is our culture’s attitudes towards aging. Aging is Beautiful I am 53 and, let me tell you, things have changed. In a certain sense, I’m falling apart. My hair is grey and my face wrinkled. My strength, stamina, flexibility, balance, and cardio have all… Read More

Hey, those of you new to yoga, or anybody looking for a little clarity pertaining to yoga terminology, let’s start with one of the most common Sanskrit (which is one of yoga’s original languages) terms, as most terms are in this language. Please be aware that Sanskrit was India’s original… Read More

As a clinical psychologist with an interest women’s health, I am a big advocate for integrative approaches to support emotional and physical well-being in pregnant and postpartum women. Pregnancy is life-altering for women, both psychologically and physically. As we are unique individuals, pregnancy can manifest itself in a variety of… Read More

Transformative Power of Meditation “All knowledge comes from experience; everything else is just information.” (Albert Einstein) Our teacher is the experiences we have in our life. We cannot hear our teacher if we are not paying attention. Our brains cannot think about one thing and pay attention to something else. Read More

What is Hatha yoga? If you google “hatha yoga definition“, you will get a wealth of info with lots of ancient texts, Sanskrit words, saints and sages and mythology. The Hatha yoga description can be complicated, contradictory and super interesting if you are into that type of stuff. How… Read More

Yoga classes for beginners, whether in a studio or via beginning yoga video or even a yoga book for beginners, can vary. So please know it’s possible to dislike one class immensely while really appreciating another class. How to start doing yoga or practicing yoga? Well, as mentioned above, there… Read More

I’m sure the title of this article could be jarring, and that is not its intent. The challenge of religion is simply another addition to our “Absurdity Series.”  For more on this, you can also read on The Absurdity of Yoga and The Absurdity of Competition.  Religion has important… Read More

Bryan Explains Why Online Yoga Videos Can Better Support Your Yoga Practice. The Internet and social media can be a big contributor to stress, as anything used in an unbalanced way can be harmful. The correlation between social media and depression is now apparent. So personally, when it comes to… Read More

Why Advanced Yoga Doesn’t Make Sense Doing a quick Google search of “advanced yoga poses,” it seems the going definition is contorted-like positions or very hard yoga poses. To me, this is absurd for two reasons. Now, this simply may be semantics, but considering the personal nature of yoga, labeling… Read More

Our society’s obsession with weight loss is a cultural sickness in itself. Sure, it is true that obesity is a ubiquitous problem and is considered the cause of other health issues. For the most part, even the act of losing weight is absurd, considering 80% – 90% of people put… Read More

To the Western mind, yoga is absurd. Growing up in a Christian society, we are born sinners and we need to repent. We are constantly being told in various ways, we are not good enough. Whether we are having images of “success and beauty” imprinted onto our minds (psychological fact:… Read More

Back in the Neanderthals period, we never had enough. We did not have enough food, shelter, warmth, safety, or clothing. Tribalism and fear were necessary for survival. Today most of us have enough of all these things, so why are fear and tribalism still our most dominant qualities like Neanderthals?… Read More

As a beginner to yoga and meditation, I often asked myself, “Am I meditating the right way?” I pondered more questions such as, Are yoga and meditation the same thing? How should I place my hands when I am meditating and… Read More

Yoga is highly beneficial for any stress-related issues. Yoga for high blood pressure and yoga for hypertension are powerful tools in healing these conditions, especially with no ill byproducts, only beneficial byproducts. Stress is the largest contributor to hypertension. Yoga’s most famous attribute is… Read More

If you are anything like me, at some point early in your entrée to the yoga world, you experienced a blissful high at the end of a yoga class. In the beginning you may have been pessimistic, questioning if this feeling was “real” or just some figment of… Read More

Lower back pain is prolific! I’ve actually heard that 80% of people suffer from or have suffered from back pain. Yoga for lower back pain and yoga poses for lower back pain relief is a common theme. Even yoga sequences for lower back pain have been developed. Read More

NOTE:  Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting a practice for pregnancy yoga. My pregnancy was a yoga practice in itself. When pregnant, I had so many expectations around what my practice “should” look like. And, I had a strong practice prior to pregnancy so… Read More

Disclaimer: As always, consult with your healthcare provider before engaging in any type of exercise program during pregnancy. Pregnancy is a special time in a woman’s life that is ripe for nurturing, slowing down, and reflecting. Practicing yoga during pregnancy can prepare a woman’s… Read More

Should I begin a yoga and meditation practice? Will I experience true benefits? The quick answer is yes. Mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and chronic stress are prevalent in the United States, and are considered serious health conditions alongside heart disease, cancer and… Read More

The confluence of Western psychology with Eastern mind-body practices such as yoga and meditation creates a ripe environment for working with emotional and psychological issues. As a result, the mental health field has witnessed an upsurge in these mind-body healing modalities to address issues ranging from mood and anxiety disorders… Read More

I like to describe teaching yoga like this: Let’s say your grandma has a great recipe for chicken soup. You love this chicken soup, it’s amazing!!! Your grandma gave you her recipe, and now you cook chicken soup all the time. One day your friend comes to your… Read More

Why You Should Never Compare Yourself to Others (Especially in Your Yoga Practice) Could you imagine how radiation for a cancerous tumor might affect your energy levels? What about dealing with the very recent death of a loved one? Could you imagine the limitations or discomfort of being constipated or… Read More

If you practice yoga, then you most likely have experienced the “high” that yoga offers—that feeling like you are grounded in your body, calm, connected, clear, and centered. In this space, it might feel like a dark cloud that was following you around prior to class has suddenly… Read More

It seems to me that I might as well be talking about religion. Different people, different schools, different systems, all have strong opinions on this subject and how it pertains to each pose. Even to the degree where people are drawn like an addict out of sobriety into judgment and… Read More

Power Yoga history is very much tied to the history of modern yoga. Power Yoga, a name I coined but never trademarked (thus you have its generic use), is really one of the first types of yoga that stepped outside of the traditional yoga systems, even though its… Read More

This is a great topic for me, as I remember my first class well. I also have a perspective on teaching your first yoga class, and any yoga class for that matter. Many have asked me: “How should I get started? How should I teach my first… Read More

Yoga teacher training: What to expect, how to prepare, and benefits. So apropos, as I am currently in the midst of my five-day, 40-hour Power Yoga Teacher Training & Immersion. How to prepare for yoga teacher training? You may get as many answers to this… Read More

Yoga can be applied to most all people and the age and condition of those people. The health benefits of yoga for kids are many, and kids yoga classes are many and profuse because of that. I just returned from a middle school tour for… Read More

Power Yoga is an empowering yoga practice. All yoga should have the same objective, which is, essentially, “wellness”.  Wellness can be expressed in many ways using many terms. The word yoga literally translated into English means “yoke“ or “to yoke”. You can translate yoke into join, union, harmonize, or… Read More

This is a subject that is certainly begging for clarification. As one gets more experienced in anything, one develops more insight and understanding pertaining to the endeavor or subject one is partaking in. Yet understanding more does not necessarily mean doing more and could very well mean doing… Read More

What is vinyasa hot yoga? What is vinyasa yoga good for?   Vinyasa is literally 3 movements — plank, cobra or up-dog, and down-dog. These movements are used to connect other poses to each other, as you would connect a high-pitched sound… Read More

Yoga, it seems, was built to relieve stress. So how can you do yoga for stress relief? Well, yoga does this in many ways. One way is using the yoga poses to help relieve stress. One by-product of stress is physical tension. So often, you hear people complain about neck… Read More

Vinyasa is a vigorous or flowing style of Hatha Yoga. A vinyasa is actually 3 hatha yoga poses — plank, cobra and down dog. These poses are used in between most other poses as a way of connecting one pose to the next, intertwining the movements into a very… Read More

Let’s start by defining Power Yoga: Since I coined the term (but never trademarked it), I’m a good source for its definition. Well, since it’s not trademarked (even though Beryl Bender Birch tried, but since my use and others’ use was first, she couldn’t or wouldn’t), Power Yoga is just… Read More

What is hatha yoga and why should we know what it is? Not sure, but maybe because over 30 million Americans and around 60 million worldwide practice yoga (and most of it is Hatha Yoga) and many more interested in trying–maybe even you? I decided to… Read More

Traditional Yoga vs. Power Yoga Well, I guess I’m the best person to answer this question, considering I grew up from age 15 in Traditional yoga. By Traditional yoga, I mean a vinyasa yoga practice I studied in India called Ashtanga yoga. I am also the person who coined the… Read More

Mastering yoga positions for beginners can be helpful for the asana practitioner just starting out and the seasoned practitioner alike. Basic yoga poses create a solid foundation for you to build upon in your practice. They are simple and easy to integrate with a well-established practice. Anecdotal and scientific information… Read More

The growing demands on our lives in conjunction with technology’s ability to make us accessible 24/7 can leave us feeling overwhelmed and chronically stressed. This is one of the many reasons starting a yoga practice at home is important and worth implementing into your life.  Yoga is a mind-body practice… Read More

Do you often feel run down and overwhelmed by the seemingly nonstop treadmill of life? Do you find yourself overcome by a relentless desire to reach for another cup of coffee or another stimulant to help get you through the day, all the while knowing that this will only make… Read More

When thinking about how to begin a yoga practice, it’s important to note that it can be approached in different ways. One way to learn is of course to go to a beginners’ yoga class, where you will be guided towards how to do yoga according to that school… Read More

Pregnancy is a significant transition for women on many different levels. It is a time of major hormonal fluctuation that can be associated with shifts in mood, appetite, and sleep just to name a few. In addition, expectant mamas can experience uncertainty towards pregnancy and what life will look like… Read More

Specifically, What Are the Health Benefits of Yoga for Men? Whether it’s Power Yoga or Hot Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga or Flow, Yin or Restorative, a physical practice or mental (meditative) practice, the benefits of yoga for men are far more than we realize.  Yet so many of… Read More

Yoga is the integration of mindful breathing with movement that cultivates strength, flexibility, stamina, balance and nurtures not only our physical but also psychological well-being. There are many different styles of yoga practiced in the West. One of these styles, “hot yoga”, is strongly influenced by a philosophy that suggests… Read More

Ok, this question could only exist being informed by people’s inability to hold on to their resolutions. Three ideas come to mind for me when posed with the above question: 1) Find the tools and resources to help break old habits and instill new ones Make sure you have everything… Read More

Over the past few decades, we have witnessed a confluence of Western medicine and psychological theories with ancient Eastern practices such as yoga and mindfulness meditation for addressing women’s health issues. This marriage of ideas is reflected in and supported by the many benefits of yoga for women including… Read More

It’s More Than a Trend! Beyond the holidays and all through the holidays as well. I actually rather use the word wellness, as it seems to encompass more than just an exercise routine or diet plan, yet is expected to be the result of an exercise… Read More

In considering what type of yoga is best for you, we need to consider the types of yoga practice that are directed at creating the highest level of energy, vitality, and freedom. The only way to do this is to work with yourself, not against yourself. Whether we are doing… Read More

How To Share Yoga (Excerpts from Bryan Kest’s Yoga Teacher Training) What mostly separates a physical yoga practice from all other exercises is not the movements, it is the awareness. So as students and as instructors this has to be the primary agenda. To know how to become a yoga… Read More

How Do We Reap the Best Benefits of Yoga? Throughout my travels and 35+ years in teaching yoga, I am constantly asked the question, “Bryan, how do I get the best benefits from my yoga practice?” The yoga poses and your experiences within the poses will bring your entire body… Read More