Category: Intro to Yoga

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YOGA OFF THE MAT

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Wait – don’t we need a mat for yoga?

yoga mat

Actually, no.

And I don’t mean you don’t need a mat to be more comfortable (because I kinda think you do!)

I mean, strictly speaking, you don’t need a mat to be practicing yoga.

Yoga – more than physical movement

When we think of yoga in Western cultures, we usually think of the physical practice of Asana. It’s what we experience in most yoga classes, for example. And yes – a mat is VERY helpful. I love mine and my body would be pretty unhappy with me if I didn’t use it during a class!

However, there is more to yoga than the physical movements. Of course, you can totally go to class and never delve into the 8 limbs of yoga, and that’s cool.

But if you want to understand a bit more about yoga and how it can benefit you OFF the mat, read on my friend!

8 limbs of yoga

Maybe you have heard of the 8 limbs of yoga or maybe it’s new to you. These are basically principles by which to live your life to allow you a peaceful existence.

While many of us already have guidelines by which we live, understanding these 8 limbs gives a more well rounded understanding of yoga itself and how to integrate it into our lives.

Most of us have a set of ethics based on personal experience, philosophy, and religious or spiritual ideals, so the 8 limbs are another way to look at things.

When you begin practicing yoga, translated to “union” you are working toward a union between mind, body, and spirit. It is to this end that the 8 limbs aim to support you with. It’s a path to integrity.

8 limbs off the mat

1. Yama: Control

The Yamas refer to moral standards in action, speech, and thought. These moral standards to which you hold yourself. There are 5 parts to the Yamas:

  1. Ahimsa – non-violence
  2. Satya – truthfulness
  3. Aseteya – non-stealing (including other’s time and energy)
  4. Brahmacharya – self-restraint or control in life and possessions
  5. Aparigraha – non-attachment, not being greedy

Sound familiar? Yes, these principles are fairly universal and found in many ancient texts. They represent the ability to find release from suffering and ignorance.

Putting them into action off the mat is not that hard to imagine for most of us; we tend to live this way anyway.

2. Niyama: Observance

Self-discipline in thoughts. Usually, our thoughts tend to be like a grade school playground. Loud, somewhat out of control, boisterous even. It’s our private world so hey, why not let ourselves get crazy here?

The trouble is, our thoughts are often liars and bullies. They make up stories about why Susan didn’t invite us to her party and then beat Susan up for it. They back us into a corner and demand our lunch money so we can’t eat lunch and tell us we are too fat/lazy/insert adjective here.

When that is what is happening on your playground, you don’t get to have a very happy life.

Shifting our focus – our self-discipline – to observing thoughts, being curious about them, and redirecting them takes work. Just like the adults keeping an eye on the playground so things don’t get crazy and no one gets hurt. Yes it takes work. But the end result is a lot happier playground!

There are also 5 parts to the Niyamas:

  1. Saucha – cleanliness, of your physical and mental space
  2. Samotosa – contentment
  3. Tapas – strengthen your passion and your will
  4. Svadhyaya – understanding what spirituality means to you so you can better understand yourself
  5. Ishvara Pranidhana – cultivating awareness of and surrender to the divine (which may mean your own higher self)

3. Asana: Physical Practice

Ahhh…this is the one we know best! Roll out your mat! Asana refers to the physical postures we practice in a typical yoga class.

More than just a workout though, these postures are about developing a sense of ease and stability in the body. We seek to release tension, train and educate our body to connect at a deeper level.

Taking care of our bodies support us in integrating the other 7 limbs in our lives.

4. Pranayama: Breath

Inhale. Exhale. So simple but also so complex.

I like to remind my classes that our breath is with us every single day of our lives. We take it for granted. But breath control, the deeper meaning of Pranayama, is a key to relating to our inner world.

Meditation, nervous system regulation, and creating a bridge between your mind, emotions, and mental state are all accessible through your breath. Breath work could easily be a class unto itself.

5. Pratyhara: Senses

Pratyahara takes a deeper dive into transcending our senses and focusing internally. It’s about connecting to our true selves, not the behaviors we do or the things we feel when inundated by the outside world.

Sometimes we practice this on the mat. You know when your yoga teacher says something like, “The pose begins when you want to get out of it”? It’s a cue to disregard the discomfort you may feel (“I’m bored, when will this end, what’s next”) and get curious about it.

We take a step back from who we think we are or should be and observe it. Maybe you see yourself as a person in constant motion, always busy, always productive. Your discomfort may come from being in stillness and how that doesn’t fit how you see yourself.

You can even take it a step further and then realize you want to cease always being a busy bee and want to be a calmer, more thoughtful person. Pratyhara helps you work toward that without self-judgment.

6. Dharana: Concentration

While Pratyhara helps us control our external distractions, Dharana turns that practice inward to our mind’s disruptions.

We live in a world of near-constant diversions. Even if we eliminate all outside interruptions, what about all the stuff going on inside our heads? That is a lot more challenging to tune out. Balancing asanas on the mat are a perfect way to practice that kind of focus. If you break your concentration, you fall out of the pose.

7. Dhyana: Meditation

This is like next-level Dharana. We ask more of our focus, and take it into deep reflection, staying present, and contemplation.

While some falsely think meditation means emptying your mind, its true purpose is much deeper. It is learning to turn that noisy kid’s playground into a calm garden of carefully cultivated flowers. When you hear the kids yelling, you simply return to the beauty of the flowers. As many times as it takes.

8. Samadhi: Enlightenment

Samadhi is when you are able to bring the other 7 limbs into alignment and find true joy and contentment. It is something you feel and experience. It’s the “goal”.

And it is not something most of us can live in all the time. But we move towards it, occasionally experience it, and with practice, can find it more easily.

Now grab your mat and notice the difference

You probably notice that there is a lot of overlap in these principles. the principles are also not uncommon and found in many people’s personal, spiritual, and religious ideals.

What can set the 8 limbs apart for you is walking into your next yoga class with them on your mind. Maybe choose one aspect and set it as an intention for your practice.

What might that look like?

Let’s say you choose Ahimsa, the first Yama. Before you even leave the house, you decide that will be your focus. On the way to class, someone cuts you off! Maybe your normal response is honking and yelling. But this time, you dial it down because, well, Ahimsa. Then you get to class and someone is in your spot! Rather than say something to them or even worse, silently stalk to another spot and fume about it, Ahimsa. When you leave you notice an even deeper sense of calm than usual. Ahhh…Ahimsa.

Mindfulness at it’s best!

laylo yoga and wellness

P.S. Let’s be besties!! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest, and join the LAYLO Shala to get the latest news and insider goodies 😍

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5 LIFE LESSONS I LEARNED FROM MY HAIR

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Life Lessons

My hair is living its own life – I’m just sort of along for the ride

And it’s always ready to school me in it’s latest life lessons.

Most of you know I started my professional life as a hairdresser, but really, my hair obsession started far earlier than that.

It started in 1973. I had always had bangs, thanks to my mother’s method of using TAPE (!) to create a “straight” line to cut my bangs. Except that I had some pretty wicked cowlicks in the front and the bangs were never straight.

I decided to let my bangs grow out, to which my mom replied with relief “yes, that is probably best.”

There I was, 7 years old and my hair was calling the shots

Flash forward a few years. 1979. I had my own money – hello babysitting – and paid for my own haircuts. I had a place that I actually liked but my mom had a coupon for a new place and talked me into going there instead.

Immediately the stylist said I should get the “Dorothy Hamill” haircut aka a wedge. I was not into it, I told her I was not into it, I even told her my father did not want me to have short hair (which was the truth).

She said okay.

Then turned me away from the mirror and proceeded to cut – you guessed it – a perfect wedge.

My school picture that year has me looking like I want to kill someone. And I did. That hairdresser.

Jump ahead another few years.

I’m in Beauty School to become a hairdresser.

That’s right – I’m now a hairdresser. In the 80’s.

Perms. Mousse. White Rain hairspray. The whole nine baby.

I had a solid decade of perm.

Then I wanted to color it too.

It was too much for my poor strands so I had to choose.

Color won out. It was the 90’s now. Perms were kind of passe. Warm reddish brown was the new me.

Life Lessons - 80's perm

Enter the phase of trying to just figure it out

After all, two young kids, an active lifestyle, and limited time and funds were the order of the day.

My life has continued to evolve and so has my hair.

I still love style products. I wear it relatively short in spite of what my dad thinks. And believe it or not, I actually like my hair (most of the time).

It all works because I realized my hair is WISE! It was doing more than just sitting on my head, causing me grief. My hair was teaching me some life lessons and I just needed to sit up and take notice.

Lesson 1: Don’t fight it!

Back in the 70’s when the whole bangs situation was rearing up (literally!) my hair was clearly saying “Hey, this is who I am. You can try to do something that doesn’t work but I will assert myself!”

There are parts of you that you quite possibly ignore, thinking they are a little too wild, a little too out there. The more you try to force yourself into a straight line, the more those parts will have to assert themselves.

If you just let it go and let it be what it is going to be, it will likely settle in after a bit and be just fine. You just have to get over the awkward grow-out phase.

We are all growing and changing. Sometimes trying out something new seems weird or out of your wheelhouse initially until you figure out the nuances that suit you.

Lesson 2: Trust your gut

That Dorothy Hamill haircut was the worst! So. Not. Me.

And I had paid for it!

I had someone that was right for me, that knew and understood my hair. But with just a little pressure – and a desire to please my mom – I ignored my gut, went to someone I didn’t want to go to even though it was my own money and paid not just with my money but my dignity as well.

I have had this lesson taught to me repeatedly. I think I was about 38 before it sunk in.

Do what works for you, not for someone else. They don’t have to live with the consequences and you do.

When I first started on my yoga journey I hated it! Eventually, though I figured out what yoga meant to me, focused on that, and then fell in love with it!

Lesson 3: Be who you really are

I loved my crazy 80’s perm. For awhile. My hair, however, eventually objected. “One more perm and I will frizz you!!”

While I liked the kinky curl that defined the era, that wasn’t my hair’s true nature. My real hair was a bit wavy in places, straight here and there, soft and even glossy.

I didn’t need all that frenetic energy. It was not me. Not for my hair and not for my personality. I am not one of those party and stay out late kind of people. I am asleep by 10p (okay really 9:30p…).

Trying to be something I am not just left me frizzy around the edges! While I loved aspects of it for other people, I needed to focus on what worked best for me.

Lesson 4: But also be whom you aspire to be

After giving up the perm I did give in to some color.

Nothing way off base. Just a little more warmth to liven things up a bit.

Still me, just a little bit fancied up.

We all aspire to be a certain way – a little nicer/kinder, more open and friendly, or whatever.

“Acting as if” isn’t about being a fake, it’s more about taking what you’ve got and just pushing to the next level, to be the person you want to be.

Lesson 5: A little control is good; too much just makes you brittle

Hairspray is kinda my first and longest love. Back in the day, it was all about shellacking the hell out of your hair.

It could not move.

It also flaked, made your hair dry and dull and definitely uninviting.

These days I still like some control – hello Kenra 25

But it’s soft, doesn’t build up, and lets my hair still feel like hair.

Life is the same way. Too much control and things may appear to be “perfect” but really your life is stiff and brittle, not organic and flexible.

You want freedom within your framework. Structure yes, but not rigidity. The ability to go with the flow is a lot healthier for you in the end.

Ahhh…now my attraction to yoga makes sense! The very heart of yoga allows you to find structure, learning to accept yourself as you are now and as you wish to be. Life lessons GALORE!

Life lessons are all around you

Yes, even in something as seemingly inconsequential as your hair (shh – don’t let my hair know I said that!)

You just have to look at things from a little bit of a different perspective. Find that space for yourself, that grace for yourself, and carve out the time to act on it.

laylo yoga and wellness

P.S. Let’s be besties!! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest, and join the LAYLO Shala to get the latest news and insider goodies 😍

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I’M TOO OLD TO START A YOGA PRACTICE – NOT!

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I started my journey as a yoga teacher at 50. It never crossed my mind that I might be too old.

However, I also have had a long history of engaging in fitness, both as fun and as a career. So my mindset is probably more open to movement-based activities than the average bear.

So I get it. Starting up a new activity like yoga, especially if it is way outside your wheelhouse can seem a little overwhelming.

Let me lay some interesting stats on you

I do love data! It tells a story for you and then you get to figure out what you want to do with it.

So let’s tell the story of yoga and age.

Did you know that:

  • Most U.S. yogis are relatively new to the practice. Here is a look at how long people have been doing yoga:
    • 0 to 1 year: 30%
    • 1 to 5 years: 44%
    • 6 to 10 years: 17%
    • 10 years or longer: 7%

This means that if you decide to fire up a practice now, you are definitely not alone. Chances are, if you head to a class today, there will be other people in there who are relatively new also.

  • Only about 19% of yoga practitioners are between the ages of 18 and 29:
    • 23% are between the ages of 30 and 39
    • 20% are between 40 and 49
    • 17% are between 50 and 59
    • 21% are 60 and older

Although social media may make it look otherwise, most practitioners are not in their 20’s! I think the presence of so many pics on Instagram, Facebook, TicTok, etc., speaks more to the users of social media than the practicers of yoga.

Why does this matter to you?

If you feel held back because of the appearance of youth representing all yoga, you now know better. It’s just that – an appearance.

Even more importantly, all these real people practicing yoga are not in it to stand on their heads. Yes – it’s cool if that is what you are doing or aspire to do. And if you want to go there, by all means, get after it!

The truth of real yoga for real people is a little more complex though. The mental and physical health benefits cannot be understated and this is much more what most yogis are focused on.

  • 94% of adults who practice yoga say they do it to improve their overall wellness, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
    • 17.5% of people practice yoga to address specific health conditions
  • As little as 3 months of yoga can help reduce stress levels, according to a small May 2017 study in the ‌International Journal of Yoga‌
  • According to the above-mentioned study, these are the top health reasons why people start yoga:
    • 61% of people start to improve flexibility
    • 56% of people start for stress relief
    • 49% of people start for overall health
    • 44% of people start to improve physical fitness
  • People who do yoga are 20% more likely to have a positive image of their physical and mental health than non-practitioners, according to Harvard Health Publishing
  • According to a 2012 National Health Interview Survey, 66% of people felt yoga motivated them to exercise more
    • 40% of people felt yoga motivated them to eat healthier
  • 79% of yogis also participate in other sports, like running, cycling or strength training, according to the 2016 Yoga in America Study

I particularly love that last stat! As someone who had taught fitness classes all of their adult life, in addition to cycling, mountain bike climbing, and hiking, I know for a fact that yoga has helped me be better in those areas.

The “sandwich” generation – too young to retire, too old to keep raising everybody?

The physical benefits are clear, for any age. And you are never too old for a little mental health pick me up either.

The needs of the “sandwich” generation for some mental TLC is becoming increasingly apparent.

If you are in this group, typically in your 30s to 50s, you are simultaneously caring for aging parents or relatives and raising your own children, often teenagers or young adults. Here are some insights to help you see the why behind the need for TLC what:

  • Population Size:
    • The sandwich generation constitutes a significant portion of the population in many developed countries, including the United States, Canada, and European nations
  • Age Range:
    • Members of the sandwich generation are typically in their late 30s to early 60s
  • Caregiving Responsibilities:
    • According to research from the Pew Research Center, about 47% of adults in their 40s and 50s have a parent age 65 or older and are either raising a young child or financially supporting a grown child (18 years or older)
    • The National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP report that approximately 11% of caregivers are simultaneously caring for their children and their aging parents
  • Financial Impact:
    • The financial strain on the sandwich generation can be substantial. They may face costs associated with elder care, such as medical expenses, home modifications, or assisted living facilities, while also providing for their own children’s education, housing, and other needs.
    • According to a study by MetLife Mature Market Institute, sandwich generation caregivers spend an average of $6,000 per year on out-of-pocket expenses related to caregiving
  • Work-Life Balance:
    • Balancing caregiving responsibilities with work and personal life can be challenging for the sandwich generation. Many may need to adjust their work schedules, reduce hours, or take time off to fulfill caregiving duties
    • According to the same Pew Research Center study, 61% of adults in the sandwich generation report that they are either “very happy” or “pretty happy” with their lives, despite the challenges they face
  • Emotional and Psychological Impact:
    • Caregiving can take a toll on mental and emotional well-being. Sandwich generation members may experience stress, anxiety, guilt, and feelings of being overwhelmed as they juggle multiple caregiving roles
    • Support groups, counseling services, and respite care can be essential resources for managing the emotional challenges associated with being part of the sandwich generation

These stats and insights provide a glimpse into the realities faced by the sandwich generation, highlighting the complexities of caregiving responsibilities and the need for support and resources to help them navigate these challenges effectively.

You are never too old and it is never too late!

Yoga is one of the best support tools for you at any stage of life. The more you have going on, the more you need to carve out some time to bolster your own mental and physical health.

And we didn’t even touch on the other aspects of yoga that many people love to tap into, like spiritual health, using yoga to support trauma reactions, build community, and end the loneliness epidemic.

So age? Not a valid reason to stay away from yoga.

Still feeling a little uncomfortable about it? Talk to people who are like you that are involved in yoga. Could be an online community, a friend, people you know at the gym, or a neighbor – we are everywhere. You just have to look.

laylo yoga and wellness

P.S. Let’s be besties!! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest, and join the LAYLO Shala to get the latest news and insider goodies 😍

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WHY SLOW FLOW IS MY WAY TO GO

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slow flow

There are so many ways to practice and enjoy yoga. Knowing what you like and wish to get out of it is key to creating a practice that you not only love but will continue to do.

That’s why slow flow is totally my jam – as a student and as a teacher!

What is slow flow? It is a Vinyasa style, but rather than going breath to movement on every posture or even most postures, you spend a little more time on holds. That usually translates to 3-5 breaths on more than 50% of the postures.

This is why I love it:

Time to master a posture your way

While it is true that we are basically constructed the same way, we each deal with many little nuances, deviations, injuries, and even limb lengths. Some of us might be working through a shoulder injury. Perhaps you have wide-set hips. Maybe you are a little knock-kneed or bowl-legged. Maybe you are tall – but do you have long legs and a short torso or short legs but a long torso?

Pretty quickly you can see how these structural differences affect your everyday life. Well, your yoga practice is no different.

The challenge I have with a fast-paced Vinyasa practice is that there is not a lot of time to figure out how to get into/out of or adapt a posture for your unique circumstances. The amount of time needed to move my short legs is going to be less than my longer-legged friends.

If I have a hip issue (which, as many of you know, I do) then half-moon is going to need some adaptation to get my hip to rotate.

The problem is, if we are just zipping through the class, we don’t get much opportunity to make those adaptations, try some different variants, or even do something else altogether that still keeps us in the flow.

The result tends to be unhealthy compromises in form, frustration with awkward positions or being left behind, and just plain feeling blah about the whole thing.

On the flip side, if we are taking 3-5 breaths in numerous postures, you have time to tweak it to fit your body or even just do something else that fits into the flow. To me, this means you have a chance to make the session your own.

Slow flow lets you get into your props

I am a big believer in using your props!

BLOCKS bring the ground closer to you.

STRAPS make your arms longer.

BOLSTERS allow you to feel supported.

These additional pieces of equipment are huge in keeping you safe while you expand your practice. One of the big reasons why people say they can’t do yoga is that they aren’t flexible enough.

That is why you use props! They give you the support you need to accomplish a posture without sacrificing your form. Props allow you the opportunity to begin to increase your flexibility, mobility, and strength while keeping you safe.

They meet you where you are and support you in getting where you want to go.

However, if we are moving in a fast-paced environment you will not have much time to get your props out and use them.

So what tends to happen is that form begins to get compromised and the potential for injury goes up. Not to mention a general lack of progress in the areas of flexibility and mobility!

This is especially challenging if you are new(er) to yoga and trying to make some gains in these areas. While it is true that you can practice this at home, realistically, many people attend classes and don’t always spend a lot of time practicing outside the class environment, especially when they are new!

Give yourself a crack at the toughest part of yoga – your mind!

This may just be a “me” thing, but the hardest part of a yoga practice/class is not the physical asanas. It’s the mental act of slowing, calming, and quieting the mind.

We are in a constant state of doing, especially in the U.S. Being, allowing ourselves to slow down, learning to see our thoughts and realize that they come and go, this is actually tough stuff for many of us.

Meditation is a great place to practice the art of simply being. Yoga is a moving meditation. If you let it, it can help you find a balance between movement – doing – and being. Yoga lets you practice observing thoughts and understanding that you are not your thoughts.

“I cannot possibly hold this position another second” but then you do. “My balance sucks” except there you are, standing on one leg and NOT falling over (at least not right away!).

Our minds are telling us crap basically all. day. long. Yoga helps us practice the art of seeing the crap and letting it go so we can get down to the reality of that moment.

As a teacher, I can accommodate more levels with slow flow

I teach in multi-level environments. I don’t really even like to say “levels” because, to me, yoga is all one level with many variations. But for the sake of this article, I will use the word levels since we have an understanding of what that looks like.

Let’s say I ask everyone to move into a Forward Fold. Some people may wish to take Rag Doll so they feel more support for their back. Others may do a Half-Way Lift to accommodate their flexibility. Still others may go into a Headstand if that is part of their practice.

If we are moving at a quick pace, there will not be time for some of those variations, or even time for me to suggest some of the variations.

In a situation where people with different backgrounds are coming into the same class, slowing down let’s me allow them to practice in the way they want to.

At the end of the day, your practice is your own. As a teacher, I am providing a map but the students are taking the journey.

All approaches are welcome!

In conclusion, I want to be clear on one thing: this is why I love slow flow. Others may have different reasons for loving it. Still others may dislike this kind of practice.

And it’s all good.

The thing I continue to marvel at about yoga is that it really is for everyone. The way you choose to practice is up to you. Perhaps you like even longer holds. Maybe going at a fast pace, one breath to each movement is your first love. You may like to focus on strength. Or a specific series of postures.

There are just as many ways to practice as there are people.

You do you, BooBoo!

laylo yoga and wellness

P.S. Let’s be besties!! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest, and join the LAYLO Shala to get the latest news and insider goodies 😍

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YOGA OPTIONS AND VARIATIONS

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options and variations

Options and variations are not dirty words, I promise!

Sometimes it feels like the attitude is push, push push. “Feel the burn” (remember that little gem?!).

Most forms of movement, including yoga, have many ways they can be performed but for some reason, there is a lot of pressure to go big or go home.

But there is a lot more to it than that.

You doing you, for you

Ultimately, most of us want to make fitness, health, and wellness a part of our lives for the rest of our lives. Sure, we may have short-term goals: lose 10 pounds for that upcoming reunion, carve out some abs for your vacation, or even train for a specific event.

Goals like these are a great way to keep you motivated – we humans like to have something to work toward!

Underlying all that is the way we feel when we move our bodies. Yoga in particular, as a moving meditation, is a way of using our bodies and minds together for our enhanced health.

The benefits of yoga are many: improved flexibility, mobility, and strength, better balance, and support for stress and anxiety. For some it takes on a spiritual undertone as well.

But what happens when you are all psyched up to get into yoga and reap all those benefits and the class you go to has movements you do not like, are uncomfortable performing, and it seems like there are no alternatives?

Variations

The good news is that there are other things you can do – lots of them! Some teachers make a point of including variations of postures to make sure you have something that works for you.

A variation is simply an alternate way to do something. Like the image of the planks above. Maybe you do them on your hands and toes. Or forearms and toes. Maybe your knees are down. All these versions of planks are valid and can be considered viable. Sometimes you may need to change up a transition to get in or out of them but that is all part of the variation adventure!

The tricky part may be that you are in a class where those variations are not taught or even mentioned. Or, far worse, mentioned but in a way that makes you feel “less than” if you take them.

You can approach your teacher after class and ask for some other ways of doing the postures in question. Most teachers are happy to give you some ideas on how else to move through an asana.

And for those that tend to look down their nose at your wish for another way to do something? Go to a different teacher! Yes, yoga teachers should be all love and light, but they are also human. As such, they follow the bell curve just like any other group of people. Some are amazing, some, well, not so much. Or maybe they are amazing for someone else, just not for you.

Options

Similar to variations, options give you something else to do other than the exact posture being shown. The primary difference between an option and a variation is that variations are basically the same movement, done differently. Options, on the other hand, are things you can do in place of the movement being performed.

Using our plank example, you may choose to put table in place of plank. While similar in nature to a plank – you are on all fours – the workload is different. If plank is problematic for you because of a back issue, table may work since there is little stress on the back.

Different but equal

The biggest takeaway here is that your practice is yours alone. Each one of us have little differences in our bodies that make some postures difficult to get into. You may have injuries to work with. Maybe you’re just tired today!

Each day you need to assess how you are feeling and what will work best for you. One day you may be ready for plankapalooza! Then the next day you are secretly hoping for an hour-long savasana.

Having options and variations in your arsenal will allow you to adapt to where you are mentally and physically every time you get on your mat. Which in turn will help you maintain your yoga habit. And that my friends is how you make fitness, health, and wellness a part of your life for the rest of your life.

It’s time to get away from ideas about advanced yoga or beginner yoga, progressions and regressions, and other terminology that puts a box around movement. Health is health, and we need to do all we can to enhance it!

Want to see some of these movement patterns in action? Check out my series on Instagram!

laylo yoga and wellness

P.S. Let’s be besties!! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest, and join the LAYLO Shala to get the latest news and insider goodies 😍

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A FEW OF MY FAVORITE (YOGA) THINGS!

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We all have some favorite yoga things that we cannot live without.

As a yoga teacher, I have a few extras that the average student probably isn’t hauling around: business cards, a QR code to my latest retreat (Vino & Vinyasa on January 27th, 2024), and an iPad for my yoga class notes and music.

But some of the other things I’ve got rolling around in there are indispensable for every yogi.

*Check out the links to my faves in the sidebar 👉

Favorite First

Actually, it’s my bag itself. The Uhawi Yoga Mat Tote is pretty awesome. I primarily love it because it is BIG! I carry around a lot of stuff and I can fit it all in there without too much difficulty. This is a big deal to me since I have gone through several yoga bags already. I just couldn’t get it all in! Or if I did it was a wrestling match to get there.

It comes in a few colors – black, grey, blue, and purple. So you have choices! It may not be as “cute” as some of my past bags, but seriously, the functionality beats the form on this one.

Second Favorite

I LOVE MY MAT! I am obsessed! My Manduka Pro mat is ahhhh-mazing. I have been through quite a few mats and this one truly is the end all be all, IMHO.

I’ve bought the $8-$12 mats at a discount store. Notice I said mats, plural. You get what you pay for. Lots of cute designs BUT no longevity! The mats flaked and stretched out. Additionally, they didn’t really have enough cushion for my joints.

Next up, I tried mats with more cushion. The problem was too much cushion. There wasn’t enough stability in balance poses and they were too stretchy. My down dog turned into a plank without me moving a muscle.

Then I got serious and got my first Manduka Pro. They are not inexpensive ($100+). BUT they have a lifetime guarantee. So if you add up what you would spend on the inexpensive mats, you will pretty quickly surpass the cost of a Manduka mat.

To make it even better, they are made to give high-density cushion. Ultra-dense, 6 mm cushioning provides superior support, stability, and joint protection, along with comfort on any surface. This does make them a bit heavier than the average mat.

Plus they are responsibly made. Each mat is meticulously handmade in an emissions-free German facility with 100% latex-free PVC that has been certified STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX.

I now have had 2 of these mats for 8+ years – and they still look and perform like new.

Fave #3

The number 3 spot goes to my cork Gaiam yoga blocks.

One of the number one reasons people give for not trying yoga is that they are not flexible enough. Answer: BLOCKS! They remove that excuse because they allow you to safely reach the floor and maintain proper alignment.

I believe blocks should be a non-negotiable in your practice. They bring the floor closer to you. Blocks allow you to begin to master positions that you might otherwise compromise your safety to achieve. You can start with the block in its tallest position and gradually work your way to lower positions. Eventually, you may be able to reach without the block!

I chose cork blocks even though they are a bit heavy to lug around. The heaviness speaks to their stability, something I feel is a bit lacking in a foam block. I will admit, foam is a little more comfortable if you are lying on the block though.

Final Favorite

Last but not least is my yoga strap. I like to think of them as making my arms longer.

Similar to your blocks, the strap allows you to reach without jeopardizing your form. You get assistance in a stretch or a position. Over time, you will be able to increase your flexibility in that position.

I don’t have a specific brand that I am hooked on; any will usually do the trick. You can even use your towel in some cases. You just need something you can wrap around the area you are trying to reach, like a foot or shin.

Favorites Thoughts

At the end of the day, the items you choose to include in your yoga repertoire may differ. These are the ones that I can’t do without.

Of course, your budget will come into play. Keep in mind, if you love yoga and practice frequently, VALUE and COST are two different things. If you buy items that don’t hold up over time, you may save a few dollars initially (cost) but spend more over time (value). You will want to weigh out what makes the most sense for you.

I would love to hear about some of your favorite items and/or brands. Let’s share the love with the rest of the LAYLO Shala! 💕

laylo yoga and wellness

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