Tag: community

Sequencing Tips & Tricks for LYT Teachers
Hi all! I’m Teagan.

As a longtime yoga teacher, but newer LYT yoga teacher (I was in the 1st cohort of the online 200-hour program which graduated in April 2020 & completed the 300-hour in September 2021 – LYT Level 2 certified, woot!), and a recent addition to the LYT Prime platform, I thought it might be helpful to share some of the ways I put together my sequences for classes each week. Each class is different, and everyone has strategies that work for them, but I hope that by sharing my current process, you’ll get something useful out of it.

And I should say, first and foremost, if you haven’t taken Kristin William’s sequencing labs, then you need to get on that ASAP!

You can join me weekly on LYT Prime for LIVE Zoom classes every Thursday 8-9AM ET!
1. Find Your Theme
My classes almost always start with an idea/theme/body part, etc. – some concept that is going to be the throughline. Here are some of the ways that themes come to me:
- it may come to me during a class I’m taking
  - might be a cue that sticks with me – either from the teacher or something I come up with myself in my own body/mind
  - might be something about their theme that I want to chew on and put my own spin on, something that feels meaningful to me
  - might be some shapes or transitions that are in the class that I want to dissect and play around with more and in different ways
- because of an injury or pain I’m experiencing OR a part of my body that feels like it needs attention
  - I ask myself ‘what can I do to try to help myself with this on my mat?’
  - I know that what helps me can often be a way to help others
- from what I’m seeing working with my clients/students
  - issues they’re having in their bodies
  - concepts I think they need more clarification/work on as I watch them practice/move
- from something I’ve read or seen
- a body part or action in the body I want to know more about and am willing to do some research on OR one I want to educate others more on
  - I think choosing a body part or action is a great way to embody your knowledge and help others to really understand it too
- of course, there are all the holidays, seasons, chakras, states of matter, etc. to pull from
I keep a running list of ideas on my phone that is ever-expanding. Whenever I think of one, I just add it to the list. That way I’m never short on inspiration when I need to pull together a class. And I try to pick a theme that I’m really excited about to teach on a given week so that I’m showing up with as much enthusiasm as possible when I’m teaching.
1. Start Making a List of Poses/Ideas
The next thing I do is open up a Google doc and start listing off poses or movements that are in line with the theme. I think back on and also sometimes go back and look at previous classes that have relevant examples of whatever I’m looking to theme my class around. One of the wonderful things about LYT Daily, LYT Prime, and all the LYT trainings is that we have such an expansive library of resources to draw from. The more you practice LYT, the more the concepts, movements, and ideas become embedded into your body and mind, so start there, with what is already inside.
1. Refer to Other Resources for Inspiration
Depending on the theme/idea I will also often go to Instagram and look at relevant hashtags or YouTube and seek out videos, usually from physical therapists, addressing whatever topic. These are great resources that have really helped spark my creativity in the past. I always try any ideas I get from these places out on my body first to make sure they make sense to me and convey what I’m trying to get across.
1. Get On Your Mat
Once I have some ideas to work from, the next thing to do is to get on my mat. It’s true, I can design a class sitting on my bed (where I usually do work from at home), but it tends to be much more predictable, rote, and boring (in my personal opinion)*. When I get on my mat and start playing around with movement, the class often almost seems to write itself. And I get excited about what I’m putting together. This part somehow amazes me a lot of the time. Even though I’ve been planning yoga classes for over 15 years, the magic of the sequencing coming together still feels special. I love it.

* Although I have also considered designing a class called “The Obvious Class” and making the poses and transitions between poses as obvious as possible. I think that would be fun too!
1. Refinement
Ideally, I have a day or two to let the class sit before I come back to it. That way I have a little more time to process the movements and have some space away from it so that I can come back with fresher eyes and make some refinements. These days I often end up with a few too many ideas and need to do some culling or trimming to fit it into the allotted time frame.

I do also design classes where I simply get on my mat and figure it out from there; no specific idea or theme per se, but just allowing my body to speak to me and move me around my mat as it needs. As yogis/human beings, we want to be able to access the wants, needs, desires of our minds, bodies, and spirits. So being able to tack between these different layers of ourselves and listen to them is an important aspect of feeling well-balanced and fulfilled.

I hope, for those of you who are teachers, these thoughts/explanations might add something to your sequencing process. I’d love to hear about your strategies too. Feel free to reach out on Instagram @yogawithteagan.

And I hope to see you in class soon.

xo,

Teagan

Teagan Schweitzer, Ph.D., E-RYT 500

yogawithteagan.com
December 9, 2021
LYT Gift Guide 2021

Get that gift list ready! Our second annual holiday gift guide will have you checking things off for family and friends in no time, whether they’ve been naughty OR nice! We’ve got exclusive discounts on some of our favorite things so all you have to do is tie these perfect presents up with a bow and get them under the tree. Shopping for yourself? We won’t tell! Treat yourself—we’ve made it through 2021!

1. Vivo Barefoot

We know that spending more time being barefoot means better balance, proprioception and body awareness which all provides feedback for better foot mechanics. When we have better foot mechanics, we can optimize the hips, knees and you guessed it…THE CORE. For when the occasion calls for shoes, throw on Vivo Barefoot—they are wide, flexible and thin to mirror the fan-shaped, flexible and sensory nature of our feet.

Vivo Barefoot starts at $135

Lara’s pick: Magna FG in Obsidian – These shoes take you from city to summit – the knitted collar is engineered to allow for enhanced natural foot and ankle mobility. Lightweight, flexible and durable; this is outdoor and everyday footwear rolled into one and perfected for feet.

Save 10% with AJBARE10

Shop at https://www.vivobarefoot.com/us

2. Asha Patel Designs

“Just breathe” is the mantra of Asha Patel—a pharmacist turned jewelry maker whose designs are symbolic but simple and brimming with intention. Mixed with meaningful gems and edgy materials, her designs are about female power, strength and beauty.

Asha Patel Designs start at $55

Lara’s pick: East West Trikon Drop Necklace—it embodies light, intention, energy and prosperity—all the things we need this holiday season and into the new year!

Save 15% with LYTYOGA, exclusions may apply

Shop at https://www.ashapateldesigns.com

3. Ted’s Brain Science

Developed by neuroscientist Ted Price, his pre-clinical research found that resveratrol may reset the pain threshold in injured nerves, cutting back on false pain, while allowing important pain signals to still make it through. Now that’s advanced pain relief! Perfect for tendinitis, muscle strains, carpal tunnel, arthritis, plantar fasciitis, and sore muscles, this is the perfect stocking stuffer for anyone who needs a little R+R—relief and recovery!

Ted’s Brain Science starts at $24

Lara’s pick: Ted’s professional strength cream is made with a formula catered to the needs of neuropathy patients and patients on blood thinners or those who are allergic to aspirin or NSAIDs—relief for all!

Save 15% with LYTYOGA

Shop at https://tedsbrainscience.com

4. Nuvita

Looking for a little self-care that gives back? Nuvita CBD oils are all hemp-derived, contain less than .3% THC and comply with the 2018 Farm Bill. From helping to balance your mood and inflammation, to tummy troubles and problems sleeping, their oils have a wide therapeutic range, and every month they hand-select a charity that supports vulnerable women and children. They also have a pet-safe formula that is specifically formulated for your furry friend!

Nuvita CBD oils start at $55.50 for humans, $19.50 for pets

Lara’s pick: CBG Infused Full Spectrum CBD Oil

Save 10% with NEWLIFE

Shop at https://nuvitacbd.com

5. K-Deer Activewear

K-Deer is an LGBTQ, female-founded and led company committed to designing high-quality activewear that’s joyful, unique, supportive and inclusive of ALL HUMANS. They believe fit, comfort and confidence are connected, so their clothes are designed for performance first. Their innovative material won’t lose resiliency over time and will even shape comfortably around a growing baby bump. Their moisture-wicking fabric is H2O friendly and provides UPF 50+ sun protection. Their bold and vibrant prints inspire us to live boldly and honestly as the best version of ourselves, and we hope you will too!

K-Deer leggings start at $88.00

Lara’s pick: K-Deer’s Mabel Stripe signature design has created a movement of treating the world with love and kindness.

Save 20% with LYT20, exclusions apply.

Shop at https://www.k-deer.com

6. Florissana

We will spend a reported $15,000 on skincare products in our lifetime. But what is really in the products we put on our skin, and what is it doing to us and the world around us? If you have been looking for cosmetics that are high quality, eco-friendly and cruelty free, then look no further! Florissana is a curated store of natural cosmetics by Jana Broeckx—a member of our own LYT community!

Florissana starts at $10.00

Lara’s pick: The Dirty Pretty Things revitalising face mask is loaded with a blend of traditional herbs, spices, and antioxidants to cool and heal the skin after a long day of moving and teaching!

Save 15% with LYTYOGA

Shop at https://www.florissana.com

7. Sobrietà Boutique

Living alcohol free doesn’t mean you have to stick to water and soda! This holiday season, enjoy some healthy non-alcoholic alternatives that will surely make your taste buds happy! This boutique also has a great collection of uncommon goods perfect for any adult on your list!

Sobrietà Boutique starts at $10.00

Lara’s pick: Teetotaler White Wine—because wine not?

Save 10% with YOGA

Shop at https://www.sobrietaboutique.com

8. Baxter Blues

Sitting for too long in front of our screens leads to pain in our head, neck, shoulders, back AND hips, but it can also place a tremendous strain on our eyes! With the workforce spending an average of 7 hours looking at screens each day, we are exposed to tremendous amounts of blue light, resulting in interrupted sleep, migraines and eye disease. Block out the harmful blue light with Baxter Blues with function and style!

Baxter Blues start at $95.00

Lara’s pick: the DREW in cappuccino because why can’t we feel good and look good for all of those zoom calls?

Save 15% with code YOGA15

Shop at https://baxterblueglasses.com

9. Rovectin

“To return back to where it was” is what reverti means in Latin and is also where the name, Rovectin, originated from. Rovectin began when a brother simply wanted to help his sister restore her severely damaged skin from chemotherapy. Now it is a celebrated brand with incredible restorative qualities for all skin types. While we may not be able to turn back time, (and after the last year and a half, we might not want to) we can at least care for our skin and keep it looking healthy and fresh!

Rovectin starts at $19.00

Lara’s pick: Barrier Repair Facial Set—a cleanser, moisturizer and anti-aging oil to complete your skincare routine!

Save 15% with code LYT15

Shop at https://rovectin.com

10. Kanuda

Physical Therapists unite! A pillow that helps with alignment and posture? Sign us up! Kanuda is the perfect pillow that integrates physical therapy benefits to ensure proper neck alignment while sleeping on your side, helping to reduce pain and sleep better!

Kanuda starts at $79.00

Lara’s pick: Piano Air Pillow – this pillow is designed to provide cervical spine and shoulder support with a soft yet elastic texture.

Save 15% using code LYT15

Shop at https://kanudausa.com

11. Sohum Candle

When you light your Sohum candle, SoHum illuminates your intention—be it a room to smell good, to a life to be more enriched. Together, let’s brighten our awareness that we are safe, we are supported, we are loved.

Sohum Candles start at $15.00

Lara’s pick: Cardamom Tea + Citrus—fill your room with the scents of grapefruit, ginger, cardamom, tea, pink pepper, cinnamon, and amber, balanced by cedar and vetiver for a sophisticated holiday punch redux!

Save 25% using code LYT25

Shop at https://www.so-hum.ca

12. *NEW* LYT Yoga Mat

After this last year, we may need an extra reminder—WE CAN and WE WILL! Our new yoga mat designed exclusively by Lara gives us a compass to better align our down dog and handstand and helps us guide our directions in our practice.

Mat costs $111

Save 20% with code GIFTGUIDE

Shop at https://shop.lytyoga.com/collections/accessories/products/new-lyt-yoga-mat

13. Rollga

One of our favorite foam rollers on the market, Rollga is designed to stabilize the hips, align the back, and increase range of motion, and is ideal for muscle recovery, fascial health, and functional restoration of movement. Because of its contoured shape that fits the curves of our body, this roller reaches trigger points that are difficult to reach with ordinary rollers while naturally restoring our fascia lubrication and helping to stimulate oxygen-rich blood flow for healing!

Rollga starts at $49.99

Save 15% with ALLYBNOEL

Shop at https://rollga.com

December 2, 2021
Three Rules of Gratitude
by Professor Jeremy David Engels, PhD, E-RYT500 (@yoga.professor)

What’s your gratitude practice?

In addition to being a longtime mindfulness, meditation, and LYT yoga teacher, I am also a scholar and professor of communication. In my book The Art of Gratitude, I argue that gratitude matters. The words we use to describe our emotions are important, as they influence how we and others feel.

Here are my three rules for how to practice gratitude.
1. Practice gratitude every day
Scholars have documented the many personal, social and health benefits of gratitude. Gratitude can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and make people feel happier and more at home in the world. In general, research shows that the practice of gratitude reduces suffering and promotes individual well-being.

So the practice of gratitude each day is important – but it also requires the right philosophy and the right rhetoric.
1. Avoid the language of debt
Many of us regularly say “I owe you one,” “I owe you a debt of gratitude,” or some other phrase that means basically the same thing.

In doing so, gratitude becomes a kind of a debt incurred during daily life that I need to repay.

In The Art of Gratitude I argue that the trouble with the language of debt is that it transforms how we talk about gratitude into a transaction. When gratitude becomes a daily practice of counting and keeping score, and when we only do kind things for others when they can repay them, it’s easy to start thinking of life itself as a series of economic transactions—and this way of thinking is so limited. Life is not a transaction. Life is not a debt. The value of our fellow human beings can never be captured in economic terms.
1. Recognize interconnectedness
My academic research is influenced profoundly by yoga philosophy. I define yoga as a practice that aims to reduce suffering in the world by sensitizing us to our fundamental interconnectedness with all living beings and the earth itself. This is what it means when we say that yoga is union (from the Sanskrit root yuj, yoking, connection, union).

In the United States, it is common to speak of self-reliance. But no person builds their life alone. Everyone is supported. The yogic practice of gratitude, or “santosha,” encourages practitioners to acknowledge and give thanks for the many forms of support that allow them to live their lives.

To breathe is to take in the same air that others breathe; to stand is to stand on the same earth that others stand on. Without the air, or the earth, shared by all, we wouldn’t be here. The practice of yogic gratitude encourages people to recognize that they are part of the world, not separate from it.

It also teaches people to recognize that to reduce their suffering they must also work to reduce the suffering of those around them. Often people don’t see it this way, but there is no injustice that affects someone else that does not also in some way affect each one of us too.

True gratitude is a practice of recognizing our interconnectedness – that we are all in this together, and that we need each other to face the challenges of life in a world beyond our control. True gratitude is a practice of yoga, and yoga is a practice of true gratitude.

Feel free to reach out and tell me about your gratitude practice! You can connect with me on Instagram @yoga.professor
November 25, 2021
Jana’s skincare story

Hi

I’m Jana Broeckx, a certified LYT teacher, computer scientist and cosmetics enthusiast. I’m gonna tell you a story of how my skincare routine led me to live a more balanced, integrated life.

I’ve had dry, easily bruised, sometimes painful skin my whole life. When I was a teenager my mother even took me to a dermatologist once because the skin on my head was ALWAYS painfully itchy. He told us some teenagers get acne, some – like me – can get symptoms like dry, itchy skin. He prescribed a certain shampoo we had to special-order from the local pharmacist as it wasn’t something they usually had in stock. It relieved some discomfort, but the itch came back quickly after washing.

The shampoo had a label on it that said “no parabens”. I read it a thousand times, but one day in 2013 I became curious enough to look up what it actually meant. I found all of this information about how so many of the ingredients that are very commonly found in generic skincare and make-up items can possibly have serious effects on our skin, our largest organ, or even overall health. Many items are filled with filler ingredients that do nothing but dilute the product so you need to repurchase quickly. On top of that – which was the worst part – many of these items are tested on animals. Something I had never thought about before, I just assumed it was a thing of the past. It isn’t!

For a while there it seemed like all common products you could find had ingredients in them that I didn’t want to use anymore for various reasons. Eventually I found the green beauty community. Products that are generally made with more natural ingredients, using mostly plant oils and extracts that are often safer to use and gentler to the skin. My skincare routine went from standard lotions and creams to one-ingredient oils and flower waters for a while. As a university student this was great. These items were cheaper than what I was using before and often lasted longer as they’re more concentrated.

One thing I struggled with was the make-up part. In mid-2013 there were a lot of bad products out there. Not in terms of ingredients, but performance. It took me years to find colour cosmetics that had ingredients I liked and performed the way I wanted. At the time it felt impossible to find items that would last a whole day. By the time it was noon, it either was gone or looked unappealing. It honestly took me years to find items that I liked.

I mentioned in the beginning how this changed how I lived my life, so let’s segue into that for a second. In my search for healthier, simpler beauty products, I found a lot of blogs and websites that would mention topics like sustainability, plant-based eating and animal welfare. Honestly, this was not something that I had looked into or thought about at all.

Then in early 2014, while I was enrolled in the first year of my master’s, our schedule was so intense and my grandparents were having serious health issues. I was so stressed out I started suffering from intense stomach pains to the point I had to go lay down on the floor in child’s pose and hope it would be over soon. My doctor prescribed a peppermint oil supplement. To my surprise my pain went away almost completely. This sparked curiosity in me once more. If a supplement had such a big effect, then what would the impact of our diet as a whole be? I remembered all those skincare blogs talking about a plant-based diet. So after a lot of research I became 95% plant-based and both my skin and digestion had never been better.

In January 2015 I ended up watching several documentaries that kept popping up on blogs that I used to find skincare or make-up reviews and vegan recipes. One documentary in particular, Earthlings, really shook something in me. The impact that we as humans have on the planet and all the non-human animals living around us is enormous. Why was this something I had never even considered in my life? And what was I doing with my life if I knew all this information and didn’t do anything with it? So I became vegan and a couple months later I joined a vegan activist group here in Belgium.

For the first time in my life I felt like I was part of something meaningful. I wasn’t just going through the motions of things I thought I should be doing. I started becoming a lot more aware of the impact of my choices and actions on the people, planet and beings around me. It was a big step towards connecting – maybe for the first time in my life – to my CORE.

OK… back to the skincare part of the post. I eventually found amazing, natural (colour) cosmetics. But I was ordering them on so many different websites as none grouped all the good brands together. I was spending quite a bit of money on shipping. So I decided to start Florissana – a vegan cosmetics webshop based in Belgium with all the goodies – (in the beginning at least) as a side business. I wanted it to be easy to find good, vegan items as I know many people in my life would never put in the amount of hours I had to find an alternative that was more sustainable and animal-friendly. I can test the products so you don’t have to.

This whole journey started as something so superficial, but ended up inviting me to go deeper within. Facing your inner demons and conditioning of course comes with its own difficulties. This eventually led me to start a vinyasa yoga practice. Maybe the details of that whole journey will be a story for another day. But it was someone in the vegan activist group I joined that pointed me in the direction of the right yoga training where I met Lara. As if it was all meant to happen. LYT Yoga truly helps me to keep living in an integrated, core-connected way, to continue to learn and grow for myself and others. And it all started with a bottle of shampoo.

Are you intrigued and want to start incorporating more natural products in your routine or are you looking for alternatives for specific items? Reach out to me on Instagram (@jnabrx) and I’ll point you in the right direction!

Oh… that itch on my scalp… it disappeared when I started using gentler, greener products. And my skin? It has never looked and felt better.

Jana

October 28, 2021
Well…THAT Happened by Julie Glick

I’ve seen some really funny “Well… THAT happened” memes. There are many instances in my life when I could have or actually did utter that very same phrase.

It’s 1998 and I am still sicker than sick with Lyme Disease. It’s been four years of feeling like I have the flu every day, carrying around a head that feels like a pain-filled bowling ball. And don’t get me started on the brain fog (i.e. car keys in the freezer…). I have done Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Chinese Medicine, hyperbaric oxygen treatments, SO much more and especially food as medicine. I had to work my very full time job (which I did not love) doing my best despite feeling like an achy, tired space cadet.

So it’s no wonder I woke up one Sunday morning upset and fed up with the Universe. I had lived long enough to know that when things really suck there is usually a gift wrapped in the pain. Or at the very least, a message or a lesson to grow my soul. So I started praying out loud saying, “Please send me messages. Please send me messages. Please send me messages…” I was not going to stop until I got a message, a burning bush, something!

My two adorable cats named PacoBean and Cosmosis are milling around, meowing for breakfast. But I am intent, I will not be deterred. “Please send me messages. Please send me messages.” Cosmo is biting my hair, Paco just stepped on my belly. “Please send me messages!” I don’t know how much time passed but at some point I heard a big, booming male voice say, “NO NEW MESSAGES!” I sat bolt upright looking for God in my bedroom. Then I heard a meow so I turned around to find Cosmo — who had just stepped on my answering machine. There were like 12 buttons on that answering machine and Cosmo steps on that one?

After I stopped laughing hysterically and hugging my cats, I realized that I most definitely had received a message. No New Messages! Maybe I didn’t need to learn anything new about myself. Maybe I will be happiest AND healthiest when I just remember what I came in knowing. Thank you, Lymies. Thank you, Cosmosis. Thank you, Universe. I got the message…

My body has been my teacher in more ways than I can count. Most recently my greatest teacher has been this spine of mine. Suffice it to say, my spine ain’t what it used to be. Some vertebrae decided to take a hike and stray from optimal alignment. Some are smushed. Some decided to get arthritic, narrow the spinal canal and put pressure on my poor spinal cord. So all of THAT happened…

I was a competitive gymnast throughout high school and college so you guessed it! My pelvis got all too comfortable living in anterior tilt. I positively lived for gymnastics and spent at least 15 hours a week in the gym. Back in the day I had to tumble on a wrestling mat. I may have been in a hollow body position during my layout full twist, but I still I had to land on a 1 ½” thick mat. Now gymnasts compete on a spring floor not only to be able to tumble higher, but also to absorb the shock when they land after flipping and twisting from waaaay up high. I had no such spring and no such shock absorption so my body, especially my spine, had to deal with those landing forces.

But I stopped competing about four decades ago so I can’t blame it all on gymnastics. I kept walking around with a tilted pelvis long after I stopped sticking the landings. I carried this out-of-alignment-ness with me everywhere from marathons to yoga class.

Anything left untreated gets worse and unfortunately, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I had the best of intentions to be fit and strong. I weight trained, ran, cycled, power walked and practiced yoga – all out of alignment. Intellectually I knew what neutral pelvis was. But mine loved to tilt forward and that felt “right.” Factor in hyper-mobility plus a whole lotta stress and it’s no wonder my back pain got worse and worse year after year.

I had an MRI about a year ago. When I received the very long and scary report, I went straight to freak-out mode. The more I read the more I wondered how I was even vertical. I went to a couple of well-intentioned but fear-inducing doctors who told me to expect a life of limited mobility and activity. Thank goodness I had been practicing and learning to teach LYT Yoga at this time! Both Lara Heimann and Kristin Williams talked me off of my temporary freak-out ledge. They reminded me that MRI’s do not tell the whole story and that anything is possible, especially and including healing my spine. How could I have forgotten?

So here are the blessings literally wrapped in the pain. LYT Yoga is ALL about optimal postural alignment. I should get a t-shirt that says “Triple S It Up!” because I Triple S It Up on and off the mat. I am in love with my transverse abdominis and I no longer have snoozy glutes, thank God! I feel so much better and practice yoga like a different Julie. LYT Yoga is a fun, functional and sustainable practice. I say, “Age-schmage!” I may have made 61 trips around the sun, but I feel more aligned, powerful and LYT up each day.

Most importantly, I am on a mission to teach the principles of LYT Yoga to every student I meet both on and off the mat. I love sequencing classes together called, “No Tipping Please!” and “Psoas to Move Well.” I even teach LYT Yoga in some of the Ophthalmology offices I call on for my day job. I hear the staff saying to one another, “Zip up that low belly and turn on your glutes!” and “You have text neck – find your Triple S!” I visit my 95 year old Dad and lovingly poke him in the butt to remind him to engage his glutes.

So this spine of mine led me to LYT Yoga. I honestly would not have it any other way. The Lymies (which may or may not still live in me) reminded me that food is medicine. Plant-based and loving it! All of the above and more make me so genuinely thankful for every movement, every heart beat, every breath… I got the message. All of this had to happen for me to live my mission.

September 8, 2021