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Regular practice of this flow will stabilize your mood and lift your spirits as well as provide a no-impact dose of fitness! A great PMS and STRESS buster as well, and at only 37 minutes, lack of time isn’t an issue! Andrea guides you through this sequence of twists, back bends, standing postures and pranayama to increase your endorphins, get your blood flowing and focus your mind on the day ahead of you. Final relaxation is combined with a Buddhist meditation to add perseverance and positive thinking to your outlook for the days when it is hard to find it for yourself. Duration: 41 min

Note: You will need a small, smooth stone that fits into the palm of your hand for final relaxation – be sure to choose your stone before you settle down for your practice.

Level: Beginner-Intermediate to Advanced

Benefits: soothes anxiety, uplifting, stabilizes mood, decreases PMS symptoms, increases perspective and clarity, increases self-esteem, improves posture, opens shoulders, hip flexors and the heart chakra

Contraindications: if you have very low blood pressure, do not over exert yourself during the pranayama portion of this class; modify the poses if you have any shoulder or lower back pain; if you have any concerns about anxiety or depression always consult your physician before beginning any treatment program

Teacher: Andrea MacDonald

Airplane, Bow Series, Breath of Joy Pranayama, Cat/Cow Stretch, Chair, Downward Dog Series, Easy Pose, Lunge Series, Mountain, Neck Stretches, One Knee/One Arm Balance, Plank, Seated Forward Fold, Simple Seated Twist, Staff Pose, Sun, God Pose, Svasana/Closing Meditation, Triangle, Wide Legged Forward Bend

Blooper! Who would have guessed that the funniest moment captured during production of YogaYak would happen during the Sadness Relief recording! The blooper stars Andrea, a Canada goose and a dog.

Teacher: Stan Lipkin

Contraindications: If you are being treated for any form of depression or mental illness consult your healthcare practitioner before beginning any form of meditation.

Much thanks to Paul Hodgson AKA Lissu Paul, AKA the Bodhisatva Coder, who recorded this class “live” in Pai, Mae Hong Son

Michael Riel leads you through a one hour yoga flow designed to release those hard-working neck and shoulder muscles as well as loosening the related muscles and joints through the whole body. This class is designed to decrease headache and shoulder pain as well as increase awareness of how the whole body interrelates. Using twists, strength building postures and backbends, this class will help you bring circulation to your body after a long day. Duration: 57 min

Benefits: tones the spine, releases the neck and shoulders, lubricates the vertebrae and shoulder joints, lengthens the hamstrings, strengthens the back muscles, releases piriformis muscle, can relieve headache/migraine pain

Contraindications: if you are recovering from any spine, neck or shoulder injury, consult your health practitioner before attempting this, or any yoga exercise. Teacher: Michael A. Riel

Simple Twist
Cross Legged Forward Bend
Cat/Cow Stretch
Downward Dog
Childs Pose
Windmill Cat
Lunge
Standing Forward Bend
Chair
Mountain
Warrior II
Side Angle Stretch
Triangle
Revolved Triangle
Knees to Chest Pose
Plough Pose
Wind Relieving Pose
One Knee Twist
Leg Stretch
Bridge Pose
Corpse Pose

With a calming sequence of backbends, heart opening postures and twists you will tone your nervous system and massage your internal organs. The opening postures will reduce the symptoms of PMS. Enjoy a special relaxation at the end as you are guided by Diane’s warm voice, deeping your experience of Savasana and leaving you feeling refreshed and open. This class will still be slightly challenging because of it’s duration. Duration: 60 min

Benefits: opens heart chakra, lengthens the spine, increases lung capacity, reduces anxiety and PMS, tones the nervous system, improves digestion, increases body awareness

Contraindictations: if you have any acute shoulder pain or lower back pain, be sure your spine and shoulders are safe at all times; always modify the poses so that you are comfortable

Teacher: Diane Jacobs

Asanas in this class:

Seated Twist
Side Stretch
Cross Legged Forward Bend
Cobblers Pose
Lateral Inclined Plane
Plank
Butterfly Pose
Downward Dog
Cobra
Crocodile
Cat Cow
(Angry Cat)
Child’s Pose
Hero Pose
Lunge Pose
Triangle Pose
Wide Legged Forward Bend
Wide Legged Windmill
Sun God Pose
Standing Side Stretch
Forward Bend
Prayer Squat
Half Moon Variation
Dolphin Pose
Seated Twist
Bridge Pose
Head to Knees
Two Knees Twist
Tree Pose
Mountain Pose
Corpse Pose

This new free approach will permit us to update the site often as wonderful classes are to be found on the net. We are so happy about this, the landscape has changed so much in our nearly 6 years of existence.

We will still produce exclusive “for YogaYak classes” like these new HD classes shot in Costa Rica:

Morning Hearth Expanding Class

Grounding Afternoon Class

Here are the 2 first classes from “partner” sites:

Yoga & the Art of Aging (61 minutes)
Yoga Class Session – Classes of 20 Yoga posture

Before starting a yoga program to treat your sciatica, it is important to have an understanding of the cause of your pain. The sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the body, running from the lower back down the back of the leg to the foot. Sciatica is a symptom of a problem at some point along the sciatic nerve rather than an ailment in and of itself. Seated forward bends, reclined & supported back bends, spine lengthening asanas and twists are the Rx for sciatic pain at YogaYak.com.

A herniated disc in the back can cause sciatica ; also, spinal stenosis and Piriformis Syndrome. For those with recurring sciatic pain, finding the specific action(s) that cause the pain can be mysterious and elusive. As always, a consistent program of moderate exercise to keep the body fit is the most effective tool against sciatica . The most common cause is a lumbar spine disorder, such as a herniated (slipped) disc in the lower back, or degenerative disc issues: These disorders not only cause lower back pain and stiffness, but compress the sciatic nerve. Disc degeneration is a normal part of aging but need not stop elderly yogis from practicing. Yoga Master B.K.S. Iyengar is still teaching in his 70’s though as a child he was prone to frequent illness; his practice of yoga has fortified his body so much that he is more supple and flexible than many young adults!

Another cause of sciatic pain is Piriformis Syndrome, which is a compression of the piriformis muscle located deep in the muscles of the buttocks under the Gluteus Maximus. When the piriformis becomes tight, it puts pressure on the sciatic nerve as it passes through the buttock. We often experience pain in the piriformis muscle when we have overdone exercise or heavy lifting (e.g., helping your friends move house – great karma yoga but not so good for the Piriformis!) This cause of sciatic pain often causes a sharp pain in the buttock, which is worsened with activities such as squatting and walking.

When seeking medical treatment for lumbar spine disorders, many patients are told to lie on a firm surface to sleep (such as the floor or a very firm mattress) or are prescribed a back brace to restrict movement in the lower back. These can provide relief, but do not treat the cause of the problem. In extreme cases, doctors may recommend surgery. While surgery can provide relief of pain, it puts restrictions on your future activity level and lifestyle. There is no guarantee that surgery will provide relief from your back and sciatic pain – it may give you relief initially, but many patients find that over time, their pain returns, often worse than before.

Consultation with both your doctor and your yoga instructor will help you determine the cause of your pain and the course of action required. It is important that you take an active role in your pain maintenance program; you know best what works well for your body. Once you know the cause, you will know which yoga postures can help and you will reduce the need to take any kind of pharmaceutical remedy; however, if your pain remains acute for more than 1-2 days or is so severe that it restricts normal every day activities, consult your doctor or chiropractor.

If your pain is caused by a lumbar spine disorder, asanas to lengthen and straighten the spine should be used (mountain, puppy dog, bound angle). Back bends (bridge, camel, cobra and fish) can also be helpful – if these are difficult for you to perform unaided, modify the poses and use supportive props wherever necessary.

Strengthening your core abdominal muscles is also essential to providing support for your spine and improving your posture – proper alignment will go a long way to avoiding a recurrence of the problem (boat, half boat, twists, reclined Cobblers Pose).

In cases caused by a tight Piriformis muscle, it is necessary to stretch the muscle to relieve the tightness so that it will no longer put pressure on the sciatic nerve. Yoga asanas to treat this type of sciatic pain should include those that will align the spine as outlined above, and those that will stretch the muscles in the hips and buttocks (knee down twist, prayer twist, pigeon, child pose, downward dog).

A combination of yoga asanas and meditation can provide partial to complete relief of sciatic pain. Deep yogic breathing helps to relax the tight muscles and reduce inflammation. On an psychological level we subconsciously tense up in anticipation of pain, deep breathing reminds us to stop and be in the moment, sending healing prana to the parts of our body that are in distress. Much of Allopathic (Western) Medicine teaches us that we do not have the knowledge to heal our bodies; a combination of Western Medicine and holistic practice can be very effective way to treat the whole person, not merely the condition itself. For many people, a feeling of involvement and control over their healing and health is both inspiring and elevating for the spirit.

Always start out slow, and listen to your body. Do not hold the poses too long if you are experiencing pain and remember that there is no competition in yoga, beginning with yourself. Use props such as a strap and bolster if you need the extra support; you can use a scarf or belt as a strap and a stack of blankets or towels will do as a bolster if you do not have these props. Over time, you can go deeper into the pose, but never, never force yourself, you can make your pain worse by ignoring your body signals. There is no pain in yoga, and in terms of sciatic pain release of the pressure along the nerve is far more important than achieving a more advanced level of any yoga posture.

In addition to your yoga practice, do not sit for long periods, and avoid activities that worsen your pain. If your pain is acute, it is recommended to rest for 1-2 days before beginning your yoga practice and avoid forward bending poses, as these can worsen the pain, and approach side bending poses with caution.

We recommend Easy Groundwork With Diane as a place to begin; this is a mat based flow that gently opens the hips and features gentle twists that are soothing to the spine and bring calm warmth to the body and mind.

Yoga practice can enrich your life in many ways; keeping a supple spine, limber hamstrings and an open pelvis are part of any program to relieve the compression and tension of sciatica. Relax, listen to your body, and enjoy relief from your sciatic pain.

Namaste.