If your yoga class is all movement, all effort, all flow and all doing, something is missing. Most yoga classes today lean heavily toward yang: standing poses, muscular effort, repeated transitions, faster sequencing, and continual movement. None of those things are bad. We need yang. We need strength, mobility, heat and challenge. But yoga was never supposed to be only that. A good yoga class should contain both yin and yang—and not simply because Yin Yoga has become its own popular style of...

Eye-level view of a peaceful outdoor yoga class under shady trees in Falcon Heights Finding a quiet spot for yoga near a busy city can be tricky. Falcon Heights, just a stone’s throw from downtown St. Paul and the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul Campus, might not seem like the obvious choice. But that’s exactly why it works so well. Nestled among UMN fields and tucked away from the road, Falcon Heights offers a calm, green space perfect for outdoor yoga. If you’ve ever felt cramped in an...

When people hear “Japan yoga retreat,” they may picture daily classes, long meditation sessions, and hours spent on a mat. That is not quite what I mean. On this retreat, the yoga is how we travel. You can keep these principles in mind, even if you’re going with another group, partner or traveling solo. The mat practice is only one part A hatha yoga practice is a wonderful way of interacting with beautiful natural settings; and, we’ll practice a few times during our two weeks– in parks, on...