When I first started studying yoga I learned the Sanskrit name of the common restorative pose, Adho Mukha Virasana, which translates as Downward Facing Hero. Later I learned it is […]
Body & Soul
Outermost ways for nurturing body, mind, and spirit.
Browse all Body & Soul stories below or dive into a topic:
TO THE MAT
Taking Root in the Tree Pose
Getting grounded before the busy season, in body and mind
If you are anything like me, you suddenly have many things you want to do — too many things. As summer begins, it is easy to become scattered. This is […]
TO THE MAT
Parighasana Opens the Gate to Your Inner Landscape
Resting afterwards, imagine the spring garden you’ve cultivated there
I love this time of year. It seems so full of possibility and promise. There is a new energy in the air, and practicing Parighasana or Gate Pose is a […]
TO THE MAT
Spring Back With the Dragon Pose
A quiet approach to holding, then feeling, new energy
March is a lonely, windy month on the Outer Cape. But as it unfolds, we feel the good it brings. The days grow longer and the light brighter. Gradually we […]
TO THE MAT
Happy Hamstrings, Happy Life
Parsvottanasana means stretching your legs for your back, knees, and mind
February can be a sedentary time of year for many of us. Short days, long nights, and cold weather and wind can keep us indoors and sitting around more. On […]
TO THE MAT
The Mighty Chair Pose
A strengthening pose that’s like a smile against midwinter’s darkness
These short days and long nights of deep December can bring an inner sense of darkness. Psychologists have even given a name to this phenomenon — Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). […]
MOVEMENT
Traipsing With the Norkers
Nordic walking booms on Cape Cod’s trails
EASTHAM — Back in June, 11 curious locals holding trekking poles fashioned from flimsy driveway markers joined Carla Fogaren for a walk around Kent’s Point in Orleans. Six months later, […]
SURFING
An Epic Tale, in Dialect, With Sound Effects
Footnotes for understanding a surfer’s meaning
Have you ever overheard a conversation between two surfers and wondered “What language are they speaking?” Surfer talk is a dialect that uses borrowed terms, completely made-up words, a wide […]
TO THE MAT
The Energy-Balancing Effects of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama
Take a deep breath (in one nostril and out the other) for the holidays
Both the ancient yogis and modern-day psychologists know the power of the breath in calming the body and clearing the mind — something many of us need as we head […]
MOVEMENT
Trainers of the Four-Legged Kind
Offering accountability, companionship, and connection, dogs do a good job of keeping us moving
When it comes to maintaining a daily exercise routine, dog walkers are some of the most devoted. You know already that moving keeps people both healthy and happy. You know […]
HELPING
Where the Terms Are Set by the Chaos of War
On a trip to the border of Poland and Ukraine, a lesson in what is most needed
My family is in Poland, so in August I traveled from Wellfleet to Cracow and then to my hometown of Gliwice to visit them and reconnect with old friends. Families […]
TO THE MAT
Standing Strong and Breathing Easy in the Mountain Pose
A yoga pose that can steady you and lift your spirits
At first glance, Mountain Pose, or Tadasana, as it’s known in Sanskrit, looks simple. One just stands there, right? On closer inspection, there are many things happening in this foundational […]
MOVEMENT
Moving Through Breast Cancer
How two women refocused to gain strength in new ways after treatment
You’re going to hear a lot about breast cancer in this “awareness” month. The good news on this subject is that research is beginning to emerge supporting what has always […]
SURFING
Practicing the Art of Failing
When experience is the way to success, failure becomes an absolute necessity
I’ve always been uncomfortable with failure. As a child, I established, through some association, the belief that trying something and not achieving the expected outcome was a bad thing. I […]
TO THE MAT
The Bridge Pose Prepares Us for New Beginnings
Building strength and openness to experience the good
I can feel September in the air. I like to think of this time of year as one of new beginnings. The light changes, and the crowds on the Cape […]
