Yoga in History: Fun Facts
For over a thousand years, yoga acted as a dynamic, shared toolkit rather than a single fixed doctrine. Adapting the practice to fit our current lives isn’t a departure from tradition, but a continuation of it.
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The Path to Flexibility
Ready to improve your mobility without the intensity? Discover the fundamental principles of flexibility, from the science of sports medicine to the flow of Sun Salutations. Learn why consistency beats intensity and how to structure the perfect stretching routine for a more supple body.
Baja Sunrise Practice
A Baja sunrise and a last-minute cancellation transformed a teaching slot into a private invitation. Beyond the physical stretch, the real work lies in the negotiation of our own vitality. Today’s practice didn’t make my challenges disappear, but it redistributed the weight of a bulky, concentrated fear into something I could finally manage with grace.
Full Capacity Living
When we stop living like accountants of the soul, we move past the narrow binary of “good” versus “bad” to embrace the poignant enormity of the human experience. Transcending a transactional view of life allows us to see karma not as a celestial bank account, but as a continuous and vibrant flow of integrated actions. By accepting the entire spectrum of our story, we find the necessary space to flourish and grow in wisdom.
Love Your Backside
Think of your posterior chain as your body’s hidden engine for longevity. In the quest to age with strength and mobility, we often focus on what we see in the mirror, but the real secret to a resilient body lies behind you. From the “weightlifting belt” of the thoracolumbar fascia to the connection between your shoulder blades and neck pain, discover why moving your backside as one integrated system is the key to staying mobile for the long haul. Plus, learn why Locust Pose is the ultimate “maintenance protocol” for a healthy spine.
The Athlete’s Evolution
For a 55+ athlete, “advanced” yoga skill isn’t a handstand; it’s the ability to play three hours of pickleball and wake up without a backache.
As we mature, we have to start looking at our movements like an investment: Does the 90 seconds of a “peak” pose justify the three days of inflammation that keeps us off the bike or the water? Usually, the math doesn’t add up. Real progress isn’t about adding complexity or chasing a creative flow; it’s about the expertise to know what to leave behind so you can stay in the game for the next thirty years.
Let’s Talk Undercarriage
True core strength isn’t about how your abs look; it’s about how your body supports itself from the ground up. This month, we’re looking at the “undercarriage”—the muscle group that acts as your internal shock absorber and the backbone of your posture. If we want to stay mobile and confident in the years to come, this is the conversation we have to have.
Does Yoga Cure Us?
Yoga is often marketed as a cure-all for everything from chronic back pain to clinical anxiety. But is “curative” the right word? In this post, I discuss why shifting our perspective from curative to preventative and supportive can change our relationship with our health. Learn how yoga acts as a companion to traditional medicine, offering regulation over resolution and maintenance over medicine.
How to Start Meditating
Your doctor told you to meditate, but you don’t even own a yoga mat. Sound familiar? If the thought of meditation makes you feel more stressed, you’re not alone. I recently got a call from a friend whose doctor prescribed meditation. She felt overwhelmed—she thought she needed complicated rituals and special equipment. The truth is, meditation doesn’t require a spiritual guru or an empty mind. It’s a simple, science-backed way to flip your body’s “fight-or-flight” switch and finally start reducing the real health dangers of chronic stress (like weight gain and sleep loss). No fancy extras needed, just start a little bit one day at a time.
The 3 Minute Truth Pose:
For years, my first reaction to any discomfort or conflict was to quit and check out. I realized my avoidance habit was killing my growth. Here is the 3-minute truth about how a shaking Plank Pose helped me to understand the deeper potential in my yoga practice.
What is Functional Yoga?
Learn what Functional Yoga is and how it can help you build and maintain better mobility to do the things you love.
Yoga Tool Belt: Goals, Intentions, & Sankalpa
Tired of setting goals that fizzle out? Consider the practice of Sankalpa. This month, we explore how to turn surface-level goals (like “lose weight”) into a profound, deeply rooted intention. The secret? It’s not about acquiring something new, but recognizing the powerful truth: You already possess everything you need. Learn the “Why Exercise” to move from external desire to the present-tense affirmation: “I am complete and worthy of self-care.”
Make Yoga Your Favorite Habit
Your daily routine is busy, but your yoga doesn’t have to suffer! Consistency, not intensity, is the key. I’m sharing 6 easy, effective techniques to help you make your practice at Yoga by the Sea stick for good. Get my tips on stating your “why,” using a buddy system, and why you should commit now instead of waiting for the perfect moment. Read the post and make your mat time happen!
Stay Committed & Connected with Online Yoga
I know that staying committed to an online yoga practice can be challenging. That’s why I created Summer On Demand. With this subscription, you’ll get access to the entire yoga library for four months, from July to October. Additionally, you can join my weekly live class where we flow together and engage with our LB yoga community. We have a lot of fun, enjoy great yoga sessions, and it’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with others.
Motherhood is Yoga
Motherhood comes in many forms, Whether you’re celebrating your mom or maternal figure, children, grandchildren, fur babies, or friends, it’s a great day to reflect on the feminine strength of love, steadfastness, commitment, and devotion. Enjoy this free yoga practice, dedicated to my Mom.
Transition, Recalibration & Empathy
Transitions can often feel chaotic, uncomfortable, and at times even painful. Yet, one truth remains undeniable: change is a constant in life. So, how can we as yogis move gracefully through changes and conflict? How can our choices contribute to a more harmonious existence for ourselves and others?
All the Feels – Yoga & Embodiment
You have probably heard the phrase, “Yoga is an embodied practice.” But what does that actually mean? The term “embodiment” is frequently used, especially in yoga classes, yet it can be unclear. Let’s explore the science behind embodiment and why it is essential to focus on the underlying systems in our yoga practice.
Age with Resilience… and Yoga
Did you know that the fastest-growing yoga demographic is the 55+ crowd? It’s no wonder, as yoga significantly enhances our healthspan, allowing us to continue enjoying the activities we love. Whether you’re unrolling your mat at 30 or 99, yoga helps us age and with resilience.
Be Nice.
Being nice begins with being nice to ourselves. This is something we can truly examine through the practice of yoga. As we move and breathe, we begin to clear our minds of chaos and find a space for honest reflection without distractions. Yoga helps us develop the skill of self-observation, allowing us to cultivate our inner light.
Yoga for Beginners
Thinking about starting yoga? You’re not alone! Many beginners feel hesitant, but yoga is all about new beginnings. In my classes, you’ll find a supportive environment designed just for you. Whether it’s your first downward-facing dog or you’re revisiting it, my guidance will help you feel confident and safe. You’ll engage in meaningful discussions, build a strong foundation with proven techniques, and explore your unique practice at your own pace.
Move. Breathe. Be Nice.
Happy people create joyful communities and lead healthy lives. After years of self-exploration, academic study, teaching, and practicing yoga, I’ve realized that happiness really boils down to three simple things: move, breathe, and be nice.
The Transformative Power of a Physical Yoga Practice
In pursuit of a content and happy life, we often navigate a world filled with curated inspiration, comparison, and external validation—especially in the age of social media and the booming wellness industry. While it’s natural to seek solace in outside resources, contentment lies within us, waiting to be uncovered through practices like yoga.
Flexibility Versus Mobility
You might think that yoga is all about deep stretching when in fact, deep stretching alone can lead to instability and injury. To improve our yoga practice we need to understand stiffness and take a more integrated approach to dealing with it. Here’s why I love to teach functional yoga which applies a balance of strength and length techniques to create a more balanced yoga practice that truly benefits our bodies.
Yoga is Not Stretching (it’s better)
Stretching is Good, Movement is Better Sure, stretching feels good, but it’s only a small part of an effective wellness regime. Stretching alone is like an exhale without the inhale, or chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate. Having flexibility without strength or strength without flexibility leaves our bodies vulnerable to injury. Stretching on its own…
Up Your Pickleball Game with Yoga
Yoga and Pickleball: A Match Made in Heaven So, you have fallen in love. Not just any type of love, but the pure love of the game. Congratulations you lucky duck! Now that you have found your athletic soulmate, it is important to stay in the game for as long as possible so that you…
I Am Not Flexible Enough for Yoga
“I want to do yoga, but I am just not flexible enough” If I had a peso for every time I have heard this statement, I would no longer need to teach yoga for a living! I am here to tell you, once and for all, that a less than desirable range of flexibility is…
Injury and Mobility: Yoga Can Help
Yoga for injury Yoga focuses on the physical and mental issues surrounding injury, illness, and mobility challenges. Over the past seven years I have developed individualized programs that work in tandem with physician and physical therapy directives to integrate the benefits of yoga into my clients’ daily lives. Whether you have sustained a temporary injury,…
All You Need to Do is Breathe
What is Pranayama and what does it have to do with yoga? If you have heard of yoga, chances are you have heard something along the lines of “breath and movement” used to describe it. Fancy yoga words and complex descriptions add to the confusion of what is a very basic principle. We breathe…
Yoga Classes Begin November
Hey You… I’ve missed you! Yoga with Sarah yoga classes will begin again in Los Barriles November 2019. It’s amazing how fast summer is flying by. I can’t wait to see all of my favorite yogi hooligans in beautiful Baja this fall. It’s ALL yoga If you haven’t found your way to your…
Yoga with Sarah Vinyasa Flow
Yoga Playtime Yoga Playtime moves away from lateral inquiry and into the freedom of play. It is an opportunity to explore asana (poses) completely. We consider the layers within each pose–deep or soft, extended or subtle. In these classes I will not ask you to push your limits, but rather expand them in all directions…
The Power of Three
The Power of Three…. Triangles are Fun! Trikonasana, or Triangle Pose is one of my favorites. There is something so satisfying about reaching to stretch out that midsection and find a whole lot of space in every part of the body. Trikonasana is a standing pose that asks for balance, strength, and expansion. It is…
What’s a Drishti
Eye on the prize…. In yoga, we have a drishti, or a point of focus where we direct our gaze. It is the act of leveling every bit of focus we can muster and concentrate intention into one singular point. Athletes do it, dancers do it, and yogis do it too. Our drishtis…
Perspective is Everything
Checking in If you are human, you have probably run into your fair share of frustration, challenges, and need for re-evaluation. Yoga offers us a chance to get out of our heads and shake up our perspective. In fact, there is a reason we stand on our heads! Trendy yoga poses aside, our practice…
Just Do the Yoga
Yoga is always there… Re-entry into Los Barriles wasn’t entirely a graceful experience for me this year. As most of you know all too well, we can find ourselves in a whirlwind of packing and unpacking, cleaning, fixing, organizing, over-socializing, and everything in between. It becomes easy to loose sight of the many reasons…
How I Became a Yoga Teacher
Yoga – no excuses please! So often, I hear people express misgivings about starting a yoga practice, “I’m not flexible enough, I have xyz injuries that make it impossible, class is just too early.” We all have our way, and admittedly it is not for everyone. However, yoga is available to all. Beyond the…