dailycupofyoga

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Kundalini Yoga’s Holistic Approach to Tackling Stress

By Ben Gutman Activate your neutral mind and stress-proof your life  There are two ways of living in this world—the way of worry and the way of relaxation. –Yogi Bhajan  Before I began practicing Kundalini Yoga, I fell in the first category. My thought process was a constant to-do list. I put all my energy into analyzing and worrying about what “needed” to be done. Ironically, this calculated…

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Focus on the Breath, Not the Pose

Focus on the Breath, Not the Pose

In the world of yoga, the allure of mastering complex asanas (poses) often overshadows one of the practice’s most fundamental and powerful elements: the breath. While the visual aesthetic of an impeccable pose might capture attention, the true essence of yoga lies in the breath. Focusing on the breath rather than the pose can revolutionize your practice, leading to profound physical, mental, and…

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The Amazing World of Yoga for Kids: Stretching, Breathing, and Growing Like Superheroes!

Kids are naturally full of energy and curiosity—they’re little explorers always discovering new things about themselves and the world around them. Now imagine if they could learn a secret power that helps them feel calm, strong, and super focused. That’s what yoga can do! But yoga isn’t just for adults; in fact, it might even be more fun when kids get involved. So, let’s roll out those yoga mats…

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The Warrior's Path: Exploring the Intersection of Yoga and the Martial Spirit

Yoga, an ancient practice that originated in India over 5000 years ago, intertwines physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation, promoting health and spiritual growth. Among the myriad of poses, or asanas, in yoga, many carry names rooted in Hindu mythology, nature, and human anatomy. Surprisingly, a significant number of these poses also echo the warrior ethos, reflecting themes of…

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Study Reveals Benefits of Virtual Yoga for Low Back Pain Relief

A recent Clinic Cleveland study, “Effectiveness of Virtual Yoga for Chronic Low Back Pain,” explores the potential of virtual yoga as a nonpharmacological treatment for chronic low back pain (CLBP). Given the physical, emotional, and financial toll of CLBP, the study aimed to assess whether online yoga could offer effective relief for patients who might face barriers to in-person sessions. The…

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Master the 4-7-8 Breathing Technique for Instant Calm

In our fast-paced world, where stress and anxiety can feel overwhelming, finding a quick way to calm your mind and body is priceless. One of the most effective techniques for instant relaxation and stress relief is the 4-7-8 breathing technique. Rooted in the ancient yogic breath practice of pranayama, this technique is a powerful tool to reduce anxiety, promote relaxation, and even help with…

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Transform Your Sleep with Gentle Evening Yoga Rituals

A good night’s sleep is essential for health and well-being, but stress, screen time, and busy schedules can often make quality rest seem elusive. The good news is that yoga can be a fantastic way to wind down before bed, helping to release physical tension, quiet the mind, and prepare you for a peaceful night’s sleep. Here are some gentle yoga poses and breathing techniques to guide you into…

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Riddled with Wonder: How to Incorporate Koan Meditation into Your Practice and Your Life

Riddled with Wonder: How to Incorporate Koan Meditation into Your Practice and Your Life

By Dr. Kaiya Ansorge What is a koan? A koan is a phrase or word that is used in meditation to train the mind. Usually, the koan is somewhat puzzling in order to invite the mind to open in unusual ways. In fact, the term is often translated as��“riddle.” Koan literature involves enigmatic sayings or questions that, when meditated upon continuously, are meant to resolve in specific ways that…

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Out of the Darkness and Into the Light: How My Military Transition Helped My Yoga Practice in the Pandemic

Out of the Darkness and Into the Light: How My Military Transition Helped My Yoga Practice in the Pandemic

By Alicia Dill Starting in 2013, I’ve been practicing regularly at the same hot yoga studio two to three times per week. Hot yoga gives me intensity, focus, mindfulness, and dripping heat you feel in your bones even in the dead of winter. While holding a complicated pose well past your comfort zone, you start to comprehend all those buzzwords you’ve heard tossed around. The point where you are…

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Lessons in Love: Practical Advice from the Yoga Mat

Lessons in Love: Practical Advice from the Yoga Mat

By Melissa Bryan Lead With Love Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu.May all beings be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and freedom for all. Valentine’s Day 2021 recently passed, and as I sit on the opposite side of that holiday having just taught my high school students to create heart maps to identify the parts of…

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3 Ways Finding My WHY Helped Me Grow

3 Ways Finding My WHY Helped Me Grow

Yoga can provide you with techniques to teach you how to, at any moment, step into the eye of the storm. – Find Your Why Foundation Let me ask you something…are you confident enough to step into the eye of the storm? Probably not. Let me ask you this…why would you want to step into the eye of the storm? Because that is where the growth is. Or how about this – do you know your WHY? Maybe…

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Growing Medical Recognition of Yoga as a Treatment for Anxiety

Growing Medical Recognition of Yoga as a Treatment for Anxiety...

By Dr. Sat Bir S. Khalsa Perceived stress and anxiety can be a normal and healthy response to life circumstances. But for some, the fast pace and uncertainty of modern society causes debilitating levels of stress and anxiety. Chronic, unmanaged stress hurts our quality of life and is responsible for an increase in health issues and disorders across the world. It is a psycho-social crisis that…

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How to Build Strength with Your Yoga Practice

How to Build Strength with Your Yoga Practice

By Kyle Shrivastava When people think about yoga, strength isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind. But this doesn’t mean it can’t or shouldn’t be a part of your practice! Traditional asana practices often feature long holds (which build endurance) and passive stretching (which increases passive flexibility). However, as yoga evolves we’re seeing a shift towards building power and…

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How Yoga Reshaped the Game of Tennis

How Yoga Reshaped the Game of Tennis

When you see the likes of Rafael Nadal battering the ball around a tennis court, it might not be immediately clear how yoga and tennis fit together. However, yoga has been a key ingredient in improved tennis fitness, and it’s changed the way the game is played.

Over the last 15 years, professional tennis has become a much more physical sport. Gone are the days of serve and volley and part time…

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Find Peace During Pandemic Uncertainty with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation

Find Peace During Pandemic Uncertainty with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation

By Shanti Kaur Khalsa

The COVID-19 pandemic has made the world far more uncertain. It’s impacted our work and finances, our relationships, and of course, our physical and mental health. Finding the sense of surety we all crave is almost impossible, which leads to stress, anxiety, and powerlessness that drains us emotionally. These feelings of helplessness can be traumatic, putting our body and…

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5 Ways Meditation Makes Us Better at Yoga

5 Ways Meditation Makes Us Better at Yoga

Meditation. Yoga. The two go together like Batman & Robin (though with less capes… usually).

As spiritual health practices that have both found popularity in the West over the past 50 years, we tend to lump yoga and meditation together. Whenever we read of one, the other usually isn’t far behind. And when we’re shopping for yoga pants it’s no surprise to see a meditation mala in the vicinity.