Relaxation

It seems that in our society, yawning has become an indicator of “being bored”— or being rude for that matter—when in reality, this is likely far from the truth and is a misunderstanding.

As a retired yoga teacher and massage therapist—and simply a person who has spent countless hours dedicated to learning how to relax and take good care of myself—I feel a particular need and responsibility to write this article as an encouragement to the world at large to yawn as much and as often as possible.

If you’re not getting sleep that is arguably the best of your life, on a nightly basis, you’re just not snoozin’ like you could, and should, be. Falling asleep, and staying asleep, can be much more difficult than it sounds. We all know that, no matter how much we want to get plenty of beauty rest, actually achieving it is often up in the air; let’s face it—sleep, like that one relative we all seem to have, is a temperamental subject. However, due to its notoriously unpredictable reputation, it’s easy to overlook the little things that may be causing us to not sleep in the first place.

I don’t want to “adult” right now. By that I mean I don’t want to be responsible, I don’t want to run any errands, I don’t want to show up and engage in life. What’s interesting is I don’t want to go somewhere else; I don’t want to swim with dolphins in Maui, for instance. I want to withdraw completely. In yoga, the term for withdrawal is pratyáhára.

In a society plagued by overstimulation, all we want is a moment to relax. And while there are some go-to’s, like a glass of wine or a cookie (or two), they come with some side effects. Nothing like a headache or a sugar crash to ruin your Monday night zen.

That’s where a certain herb comes in. (No, not that one.)

Swimming can be a fun summer activity and a great way to exercise. Here are a few of the benefits you can get from making swimming a regular part of your weekly routine.

So you find yourself unable to sleep at night, and you’ve tried everything. What’s next? How about aromatherapy! But what exactly is aromatherapy you may ask? Aromatherapy uses fragrant parts of aromatic plants to help revitalize and relax the body.

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” – John Muir

Imagine walking through a forest - the soil hugs the soles of your feet, birds chirp in the distance, and the smells of moss and morning dew fill your nostrils. Sounds nice, right? Turns out, there's a science to it.