Ottawa Yoga Blog - PranaShanti Yoga Centre Ottawa

“As Above, Psoas Below” with Todd Norian

October 5, 2016October 31, 2017 by Devinder Kaur1 Comment

"Most yoga students are aware that the psoas is a central player in asana, even if the muscle’s deeper function and design seem a mystery. A primary connector between the torso and the leg, the psoas is also an important muscle off the mat: it affects posture, helps stabilize the spine, and, if it’s out of balance, can be a significant contributor to low back and pelvic pain. The way that we use the psoas in our yoga practice can either help keep it healthy, strong, and flexible, or, conversely, can perpetuate harmful imbalances. The psoas major is the biggest and strongest player in a group of muscles called the hip flexors: together they contract to pull the thigh and the torso toward each other. The hip flexors can become short and tight if you spend most of your waking hours sitting, or if you repeatedly work them in activities like sit-ups, bicycling, and certain weight-training exercises. A tight psoas can cause...

Jai-Jagdeesh in Ottawa

August 29, 2016April 22, 2020 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

The Aquarian Existence. An era within which even the simplest approach to life is filled with complexities we never could have foretold. Our vocations are harder to define, trickier to manage, and, often, less fiscally profitable than jobs used to be. Relationships ask more of us. We ask more of ourselves. And ALL of the baggage of human history has come out into the open, daring us to finally deal with the heavy, scary, complex issues that have been overlooked for far too long. Fortunately we have incredible tools at our fingertips; tools that help us to process the feelings, overcome the blocks, empower ourselves, spring into action, and inspire each other. Tools like Kundalini Yoga, Meditation, and Sacred Sound Current. Tools that increase our peace and multiply our joy. How absolutely lucky we are. Join Jai-Jagdeesh for a sweet evening of practice & presence. Come move your body, melt your mind, open your voice, and be part of the frequency of change. It's...

desire map + yoga … the prequil

July 17, 2016February 28, 2023 by Devinder Kaur2 Comments

By Kate Durie Let’s be brutally honest, I never EVER thought I would be trading in suits, offices, and 4-inch pumps, for lulu pants, a yoga mat, and flip-flops. Never. But let’s be clear, The Desire Map isn’t about quitting your day job, blowing up your world, or glorifying entrepreneurial life. It’s about figuring out YOU and how you truly, actually, want to feel. In every area of your life. Then making it happen. Then making it happen (and this is big), means learning how to generate those feelings through the choices you make on the daily; doing what it takes, to feel that way. On your terms. From the seemingly mundane everyday tasks, to those big luscious, dreamy goals. THE DRIVING FORCE - a feeling? Once you’ve gone in, “done the work” {aka LEVEL 1} and know what your Core Desired Feelings are, the shift begins. You start seeing, creating, and aligning meaning + purpose around things you may never have noticed before, completely...

Featuring Baby Nia with Steffi

June 29, 2016July 15, 2016 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

Tuesdays July 5 and 12, 2016 - 10:30 am to 11:30 am Mommy or/and Daddy get their groove back! This class is for you and your baby & for pregnant women. Whether your baby is in your belly or on your belly – let’s dance Nia. Together. This is your time in. A time to bond and connect with yourself and your baby through Music, Movement & Magic. You’ll sense and express your new body and build a strong bond with your baby & improve baby’s sensory-motor development. In the womb, mother and baby move to the same heartbeat. Dancing with your baby is a natural extension of this vital rhythmic connection. Infants thrive through touch; wearing your baby close, swaying and dancing together is a wonderful way to meet this need. We dance simple choreographies and also move freely (FreeDance). You’ll gently build and strengthen your muscles, joints, connective tissue, coordination and balance, socialize with other mamas and/or papas & gain confidence as a new parent. you can join at...

Summertime Fun Savings! FREE Yoga in August!

May 31, 2016August 2, 2016 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

We're always so impressed how dedicated our yogis are through the Ottawa winter, that when it comes to summer, we want to help you maintain the benefits of a regular yoga practice for health and vibrancy through the warm months. That's why between June 1st and July 31st, 2016, when you purchase a 10 or 20 class package or sign up for Auto-Renew, you'll receive free yoga in the month of August. The class packages you purchase are good for a year from the date of purchase, and the bonus classes are valid for use between August 1 - 31st, 2016. When you purchase... A 10 class package = 5 free August classes. A 20 class package = 10 free August classes. The Monthly Unlimited Auto-Renew (studio membership) in June or July = one month of free yoga. Because the Auto-Renew is a minimum 4 month commitment, you'll pay for your first month at time of registration, and then your second month will be free,...

What is Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga? By Sadie Nardini

May 11, 2016August 2, 2023 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

What is Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga? I prefer to call Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga a “perspective” on all yoga, rather than just its own style. I created it after years of training and study where I was seeing a lack of either understanding or focus on the core of our yoga poses on all levels: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and energetic. Along the way, I was fortunate to meet one of my formative teachers, Leslie Kaminoff of The Breathing Project in NYC, and author of the bestselling Yoga Anatomy. Under his expertise in yoga, philosophy, anatomy and pranayama, I continue to evolve my understanding of the multi-faceted core. Out of my journey into deep Center came my Core Principles, ways to clarify what the core is, exactly how to instruct it and activate the core within the yoga practice. To help students experience their Center, I created my Core Poses, specific movements, postures and sequences that bring the student into more core-generated alignment, improving...

Ayurveda For Self-Healing

April 23, 2016February 28, 2023 by Devinder Kaur4 Comments

By Maria Garre We don’t have to search very far in the ancient Ayurvedic texts to find a simple definition of Ayurveda. Charaka, known as the first physician of Ayurveda, says “science where advantageous and disadvantageous as well as happy and unhappy states of life along with what is good and bad for life, its measurement and life itself” is Ayurveda. To begin the healing process, we must first inquire and comprehend what made us sick in the first place. Understanding the root cause of illness is at the heart of Ayurveda. Often we want to get rid of the symptoms, put a band-aid on what pains us, without looking deeply and connecting the dots of our actions which led us to feel ill. This is the glory of Ayurvedic medicine as stated above. We should understand how all of our actions, from eating to exercise habits along with lifestyle choices, can sometimes serve us and sometimes not. Today’s nectar may very well...

Use of Props in Yin vs. Restorative Childs Pose

March 23, 2016February 14, 2021 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

Props can be used in yoga to help the body stretch, strengthen, balance, relax or improve body alignment. They can help students experience the pose more profoundly and safely. Students often ask me what is the difference between yin and restorative poses. In yin, we hold poses for a shorter amount of time (5-10 minutes) compared to restorative poses which can be held from 5-20 minutes. In yin poses, we are looking for a stretch in the joints and ligaments (connective tissues), while still relaxing the muscles in the body. However, in restorative poses we are looking for a more gentle opening of the body rather than a deep stretch in the connective tissues or muscles. In restorative poses, we also want to support the body in a way that the muscles in the body completely relax, and feel fully supported by the use of props. When the body is fully supported, we can let go. In restorative poses, we are looking to calm...

We’ve gone mobile!

March 22, 2016March 29, 2017 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

The PranaShanti mobile app is now available! With the mobile app you can: Check the Class Schedule Reserve your space in Class Check into Class from your mobile device Enroll in workshops, events and trainings View your appointments Make new appointments View your attendance and place on wait lists DOWNLOAD OUR FREE APP! Follow the links below to either the Android or Apple store to download the new App: • Apple App Store • Google Play Store Enjoy the ease and convenience from your phone or mobile device!...

Explore The Benefits of Yin Yoga with Joe Barnett

February 18, 2016October 31, 2016 by Devinder KaurNo Comments

What is yin yoga and why is it beneficial? Before the lovely and knowledgeable Joe Barnett returns to PranaShanti this month, let’s explore what this quiet, powerful yoga is and who will benefit from a yin yoga practice. You’ve seen the Yin Yang symbol – a black and white circle divided by a curved line to form two intersecting teardrops, each with a drop of the opposite colour inside. The yinyang concepts originate in ancient China where various schools of cosmology and astrology sought to explain cosmic harmony, but dominantly drew on the notion that the sun, warmth and daytime (yang) were balanced by the moon, coolness and nighttime (yin). The yinyang symbol itself has no known origin, but is also associated with the healing system of Traditional Chinese Medicine that integrates into yin yoga. In India, yogis called the subtle energy of our beings prana and the pathways it flows along nadis. In China, the Taoists (adepts of the Tao philosophy, premised...