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Joanna is a career woman, wife, mother and yoga enthusiast. Somehow in all of this she finds time to share her thoughts with us, and we love her for it!

We’re only in week 1 of most businesses formally shutting down. Having to work from home PLUS having the kids home presents some new challenges. Fortunately, I’m not alone. During these challenging times, here are some of the top things I’ll be doing:

Going for daily nature walks.
Research shows that going for walks improves the mind, body and soul. Getting regular exercise helps prevent heart disease and other chronic illness, improves mood, reduces stress, improves sleep, and more. It can also give you a free daily dose of vitamin D.

Baking and cooking.
Most days, we don’t have time to bake or cook as a family. We sometimes feel rushed with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Over the next few weeks, we’ll find some of our favourite recipes and cook or bake together. We have nowhere to go, so there’s no rush.

Make tie dye shirts.

Tie dying shirts is a great way to spend some quality time with the kids. It’s also one of the best fine motor activities for promoting hand strength and coordination in a fun and playful way.

Spring cleaning.

There are some chores I avoid. Okay more than some. Now that I have 2 little helpers at home, I’ll get them to help with a few more chores. Things like cleaning the windows, blinds and baseboards. Don’t judge! Chores help teach kids responsibility. Whether they’re making their bed or sweeping the floor, helping out around the house helps kids feel capable. Doing chores also helps kids feel like they’re part of the team. Pitching in and helping family members is good for them and it encourages them to be good citizens. You can also go through drawers and toys and donate gently used items. Organizations like Canadian Diabetes Association lets you schedule a free pick up online.

Bike rides.

Riding your bike is an activity the whole family can do together. The smallest tyke can climb into a bike seat or tow-along buggy. And because it’s gentle on your joints, there’s nothing to stop grandparents joining in too. We’re hoping to explore some new trails this year now that the kids have built up their endurance.

Spa day.

What’s better than a day of self-care? Mani’s, pedi’s and facemasks are just what the doctor ordered. Something fun and silly we can do experimenting with all the colours we have.

Binge watch Netflix.

We’re a little behind the times when it comes to Netflix. In fact, we just subscribed to it less than a year ago. We typically watch a lot of sports, news and documentaries. So now, we’ll binge watch shows like Narcos, Breaking Bad and Ozark.

Camping in the basement.

We promised the girls a camping night. So we’ll set up camp in the basement, watch movies, make smores and have an indoor camp sleepover.

Practicing Modo Yoga online.

I’ve been grateful to be a part of Modo Yoga Brooklin community for many years. We find strength in community. The team at Modo Yoga hustled to create Modo Yoga Online. Modo teachers from all over the world contributed to a library of on-demand content. You can access at your convenience.

From my family to yours, may you stay safe and exercise patience during these trying times. Namaste.

Why yoga?

Why do I practice? It seems like a lifetime ago that I walked into my first hot yoga class on the advice of both my massage therapist and a family friend. I was 6 years post spinal surgery and dealing with a lot of chronic pain, muscle tightness and limited mobility. In a true illustration of the mind/body connection, the lessons I was learning about breath, patience, and compassion with regards to my injured body started to influence my mental and emotional states as well.

Do I turn to my practice when I am feeling stiff and achy? Yes. I also turn to it when my heart is breaking, or my mind is spinning. I won’t pretend that yoga is a miracle salve that fixes all my problems. I still experience periods of physical pain, emotional turmoil, anxiety… What yoga offers me is an environment to hone the skills I need to cope. To cultivate enough strength and mobility in my body to minimize relapses and re-injury. To calm my mind enough to distinguish what can be changed and what must be accepted. To develop the kind of compassion towards myself and others to make peace with the fact that we are all a work in progress.

Sometimes the need to move and breathe is so strong I feel it like an itch at the back of my neck or an aching in my teeth. Other times I don’t realize how much I needed to practice until final savasana when I notice that the tension (physical or mental) I had been carrying has melted away and the world is suddenly a lighter place.

Why do I teach? After dabbling in many different work environments, I had come to 2 conclusions. I wanted—I needed—to do something that would make some kind of positive change in the world around me. And I enjoyed teaching, especially the opportunity to share knowledge with a willing audience! On any given day, the students who cross my path will have many different needs and backgrounds. The student needing to rebuild strength and mobility after a shoulder injury. The physically healthy student struggling to cope with the grief and loss. The overworked yoga teacher who just wants to hear someone else’s voice while they practice… I’ve taught each one of these many times over, and I have been each one of these students.

Why should you, the reader, do yoga? I don’t know! As I write this, I have no idea what you’re dealing with or looking for… But if anything I have described resonates with you, come give it a try. You might share some aspect of my experience or have a perfectly unique and healing experience of your own. In any case, I’ll be here: practicing, teaching, or doing the behind-the-scenes work necessary to hold space for this beautiful family of students and teachers. Hope to see you soon <3

Dana is an Occupational Therapist, Psychotherapist and the owner and founder of Cedar Tree Therapy in Whitby. Dana is passionate about youth & young adult mental health. Dana is a runner and first came to yoga as a way to prevent running injuries, until she found that it offered so much more than that, both mentally and physically.

The Benefits of Yoga for Our Mental Health

Physical activity is good for our bodies in many ways, but what about how it benefits the most important organ in our body, our brain? Exercise benefits our mental health as it helps to reduce our level of stress and boost our happy chemicals in our brain. It improves our self confidence when we feel a sense of mastery and accomplishment after we have engaged in an activity.

In fact, exercise is so beneficial for our mental health that the research suggests that it can be used as an add on to treatment of serious mental health challenges we face such as anxiety or depression. We all experience moments of anxiety and depression from time to time, some people more than others.

How Can Yoga Improve My Mental Health?

So, why is exercise so beneficial to our mental health? Aside from the happy chemicals released, have you ever noticed that the things you chose to do impact your mood? For example, when you listen to sad music, you feel even more sad? When we stay in pyjamas all day, we feel less motivated to go about our day? Cognitive Behavioural Therapy tells us that our feelings and our behaviours are strongly connected. We know that the way we behave and the activities we engage in have an impact on our emotional state.
We often wait to feel better before we do something. For example, we may tell ourselves “When I’m feeling less anxious I will accept my friends invitation to go out for coffee”. Or, “I’ll wait until I’m feeling more motivated to go to yoga”. What we know is that if we follow the lead of our depression or anxiety, we are less likely to activate. The decision to activate can be the necessary turning point for our emotions to change. The decision to step onto our mat regardless of the fact that we may be feeling anxious or low today is the very thing that will help us feel better. Even if we don’t feel like doing it at the time.

Why Choose Yoga?

There are many types of physical activity we could choose to engage in, so why choose yoga?

It starts with the moment when we lay down on our mat. We connect to our breath, and start to slow our thoughts down. If our thoughts start to race, we are not judging ourselves for not being able to slow them down but rather just noticing that they are there and letting them float away. When we arrive on our mat, maybe we imagine ourselves melting into our mat, or imagining the back of our body growing roots that bury themselves deep into the floor to ground ourselves in the present moment .

These types of visualizations or mental images have a calming effect and benefits for our wellbeing. This kind of grounding imagery can be used at any time in our day to re-centre ourselves, it doesn’t have to just be in our yoga practice. Yoga and psychotherapy offer us tools that are very similar at times. A therapist might recommend using this kind of imagery before bed or throughout the day to pull us out of busy thoughts or worries and pull us into the present.

This use of calming mental imagery is not the only similarity between yoga and therapy. In yoga, everyone moves together in sequence through the same postures. This gives us a sense of belonging to others, belonging to a community. In therapy, we are offered a sense of community through knowing that we aren’t alone in what we are going through, in finding that there are others that understand our struggles.

One of the key elements of yoga is that it is a non-judgemental practice. Non-judgement also a key attitude of many great therapists. Yoga is not about how well you can hold your pose or about comparing yourself to the person next to you. You may notice when your eyes begin to gaze over at the person next to you in comparison, you begin to wobble in your tree pose. We can learn to notice our judgments in yoga just like we can learn to notice our unhelpful thinking styles that contribute to our anxiety and depression. By observing with non-judgement, you bring yourself back into balance both on your mat and in your mind.

If you feel that you would benefit from mindfulness, community & the development of non-judgement off your mat, or if you are looking for support for mental health challenges, do not hesitate to contact Cedar Tree Therapy.

Dana Collins OT Reg. (Ont.)
Occupational Therapist, Psychotherapist
Cedar Tree Therapy
728 Anderson St
Whitby, ON
L1N 3V6
289-768-8189
dana@cedartreetherapy.com

For many, summer is a timeless and nostalgic word that brings delight, adventure and excitement. Summer is a time when we also, however, tend to relax our routines. But don’t give up your yoga practice just yet! There are many reasons why you want to continue or even start your hot yoga practice in the summer. Below are seven.

1. Keeps your body healthy during the summer
With school out, vacations on the horizon and an excessive number of barbecues, ice cream cones and summer treats, sticking to your routine is more important than ever. If you stick to your workout, you’re more likely to stick to a well-balanced diet. And if you do splurge, you won’t feel as guilty about it because you got your workout in 😊

2. Encourages you to drink more water
When the temperature rises, so should your water intake. The rule of thumb is to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day, or 12-15 glasses in the summer months. Drinking water helps replenish fluids lost through excessive sweating and prevents dehydration. If you stay hydrated during your yoga practice, you’re likely to continue the habit outside the studio.

3. Acclimatizes your body to the warmer weather
Practicing hot yoga in the summer helps our bodies adapt to sweating and to temperature extremes. Over time, you’ll notice your reaction to the heat outside soften, and you’ll become less sensitive to temperature fluctuations.

4. Calms the mind
With today’s hectic schedules, it’s no wonder we feel stressed out all the time. Yoga leaves you feeling calm and positive. It gives you a sense of being able to cope with whatever life throws at you.

5. Allows for deeper breathing and relaxation
In hot yoga, it is common to practice ujjayi breathing, also known as the “breath of victory.” Some joke that it’s the Darth Vadar breath. Ujjayi breathing offers immense benefits such as:
• releasing tension from the body
• promoting mental clarity and focus
• fostering a profound sense of calm and relaxation in the mind and body

Yoga breathing exercises work in a similar way to meditation. They help calm and clear your mind, bringing a feeling of relaxation to your entire body.

6. Gives you quality time with yourself
You likely give your time to others before yourself, whether it’s children, aging parents or responsibilities at work. Having mobile devices makes it easier than ever to become distracted. That is why taking one hour for yourself each day is important. The better care you take of yourself, the better off others around you will be.

7. Keeps you fit for all those outdoor activities
In yoga, the different postures coordinate the breath with the movements. By holding the postures, the various muscles of the body stretch and strengthen. These postures are an ideal complement to other forms of exercise such as jogging, running, swimming or cycling. Yoga also enhances the flexibility of the muscles and joints. This means you’ll be less prone to injuries.

Contact our studio to speak with one of our yoga advisors and find out which class is for you.

If you’re already convinced, and want to get started right away, sign up for our intro month special.

This is the time of year when many athletes may be taking a break from their sports season. Some athletes continue their training to improve their performance in their sport of choice. However, research shows that complementing the sport you love, with yoga, has many benefits and can help improve your performance.

More athletes are turning to yoga
You may think it’s just for women who are already flexible, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The likes of Lebron James, Tom Brady and Novak Djokovic prove yoga can keep you at the top of your game.

How does hot yoga help athletes?
Hot Yoga helps athletes by:
1. Injury Recovery and Prevention. Hot yoga allows for deep, safe stretching and helps detoxify the skin, blood and muscles through sweat. It also helps strengthen muscles and restore the body to balance and symmetry after years of repetitive, sport-specific training.
2. Improved flexibility. More flexibility means a better range of motion for enhanced performance.
3. Better balance. Improving balance and coordination means better control over how you move your body, leading to enhanced technique and form.
4. Breath Control. Athletes who practice yoga learn to manage their breath — maximizing oxygen intake and energy for endurance and stamina.
5. Enhanced Focus. Yoga teaches you to train your mind and stay present. It helps you focus on the task at hand, stay calm under pressure and positive in stressful situations.

Find a class that’s right for you
At Modo Yoga Brooklin, we offer a variety of classes for all fitness levels. Not sure which class is right for you? Speak to one of our advisors who can recommend a class based on your needs and goals. Ready to get started? Try our intro month special.

February is Heart Month, a time to bring attention to the importance of cardiovascular health, and what we can do to reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease.
Heart disease affects approximately 2.4 million Canadian adults, and is the second leading cause of death in Canada.
We can all reduce our risk of heart disease by making healthy lifestyle choices, including quitting smoking, eating a healthy and balanced diet, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly.
This time of year is always difficult for our family, as we lost a dear friend to a heart attack just a few months after our wedding, so this month, more than any other, is a reminder to me that my health should always be number one focus.
And what better way to get a bit of exercise than practicing a Modo Yoga flow!

Downward Facing Dog Pose
An entry into strengthening of the upper body and further opening of the spine. This pose is an all-over rejuvenating stretch. The next three postures are done in a flow.

Plank Pose
This is a part of the flow that brings us from Downward Dog to Upward Dog. Beneficial for strengthening the abdominals, as well as the muscles and joints of the arms and upper body.

Chaturanga Pose
Chaturanga pose is part of the flow in the various Modo Yoga sequences. It strengthens the abdominals, as well as the muscles and joints of the arms and upper body.

Upward Facing Dog Pose
The third part of the flow, this pose provides a backbend to bring more mobility to the spine. Upward Facing Dog will challenge you to lift and open your chest.

Downward Facing Dog Pose

The flow sequence is intended to be repeated 4 times with the last Downward Dog Pose lasting for 5 breaths.
Once you have completed the above flow, make your way into child’s pose. This acts as a counter pose to the Downward Dog series, relaxing the spine, hips and shoulders.

This is just one of many series of poses to help increase your heart rate. Modo Yoga Brooklin has a variety of classes (heated and non-heated) to suit all fitness levels. Our introductory special is only $49 and you will receive 30 days of unlimited yoga! Not sure which class is right for you? Contact the studio and speak to Rachel or Jina.

Joanna is a career woman, wife, mother, and yoga enthusiast. Somehow in all of this she finds time to share her thoughts with us, and we love her for it!

New Year’s resolutions are tricky. The problem I have with them is that we set the bar so high for ourselves, and a couple months into the new year we either lose focus or give up all together.
So, this year, instead of making a New Year’s resolution, I set a series of smaller, attainable goals to improve my life in small ways.

Take more pictures
Seeing my children grow so fast has made me realize that I don’t take enough candid pictures. I want to remember all the silly, every day moments that make me smile.

Read every day
I’ve noticed recently how much more time I spend on my mobile devices and social media, especially when I’m reminded by my husband and children. It reminded me how much I used to read and how much I miss it. I’ve committed to getting a reading list together and get back to the things I love to do.

Eat more whole foods
Instead of a typical goal of losing weight, if I ensure I am eating mostly whole foods, I expect some weight will fall off naturally without me getting “stuck” on a number. And I expect I’ll feel better too

Sweat it out.
Working out makes me feel better, sleep better, clears my mind and helps me feel ready for what life throws at me. So, I will continue to sweat it out in the studio (and try to do so more often) so I stay grounded.

Focus on breathing.
I get stressed out. I’m sure I’m not alone. Between work, family, activities and life in general, sometimes I wish I could escape to an exotic island. But because that’s not realistic, I have downloaded a couple of breathing apps on my phone. Depending on my mood and how I’m feeling, I can choose a breathing exercise to clear and refocus my mind, or even help me fall asleep.

Spend 20 minutes outdoors every day.
Not that you need scientific proof to tell you that spending time outdoors is good for you. But just in case you need some convincing, some of the benefits include boosting your energy and immune system, mitigate pain and enhances creativity, to name a few.

What are your goals for 2019 that will help shape your year? If you didn’t set a January 1st resolution, no biggie… any day is a good day for goal setting – write it down or share with someone you trust.
I’m ready for you 2019…let’s do this!