A letter about the events that transpired in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021, from Amber Karnes to her community
Unlearning the shame we feel about being out of breath
Throughout my life, I’ve often arranged my own body to make myself appear smaller than I actually am. I’d sit on the couch and put a pillow in front of my midsectionI’d wear “flattering” clothing to hide my belly or my shapeAnd most of all, I’d catch my reflection...
Fat talk, fake bonding, and real community
Bonding over “fat talk” appears to bond us together against a common enemy, but actually ends up degrading our own self-image and puts us in competition with one another. Not to mention that the “enemy” we are battling is our very own body. Think on that for a second.
15-minute, completely seated chair yoga practice
Enjoy this 15-minute, completely seated chair yoga practice. It’s a great gentle morning wake-up or a boost whenever you might need it.
How to do Bali seal (vajrasana) sequence: for folks in bigger bodies
Learn variations on Bali seal sequence (also known as vajrasana in Viniyoga) that are more accessible for folks with bigger bodies.
Knees-to-chest yoga pose for plus size bodies
Learn some ways to make knees-to-chest pose more comfortable for larger bodies.
Restorative yoga prop setup for savasana (for pregnant folks & larger bodies)
Lying flat on the floor can be uncomfortable and painful if: you have a large chest or bigger body, you’re pregnant and lying flat is contraindicated, and/or your low back feels crunched up when you lie flat. Enter one of my favorite restorative yoga prop setups: The Recliner.
Pigeon pose: Modifications & variations for plus size bodies
For those of us having trouble in pigeon, we’re usually experiencing: knee pain or pressure, the hip of the bent leg not grounding/touching the floor (feels unstable, like you’re hanging in your joints) or it is uncomfortable to be on hands and knees to even set up for pigeon. I made this video to address these issues. We’ll look at some creative prop setups that will help us find the sensation in the outer hip that we’re looking for in pigeon pose.
Building core strength with variations on navasana (boat pose)
In this video, we’ll learn some techniques to work on core strength to build toward the traditional expression of boat pose. We’ll work with a chair and some props to start to instruct our bodies on the energetic actions we need to sustain this full-body-strengthening pose.
Bridge pose: Tips, tricks, and help with props
In this video we’ll explore: pelvis awareness: how to tuck and tilt the pelvis (and where it’s supposed to be in bridge pose), should we engage the glutes or not, how to protect the low back from compression in this pose, several arm variations that work for different bodies and ranges of motion and how to use props for resistance to clarify muscular engagement for our lower body.
Keeping your chest out of your face during yoga
This video shows a quick tip for keeping your chest away from your face while you practice. I find this especially helpful in inversions, forward folds, and even savasana.
Sun salutations without coming to hands and knees
In this video, we’ll learn how to do a sun salutation without coming to hands and knees. Using blocks to bring the floor up to us and create more space for the body, we’ll learn two transitions for getting from the front to the back of your mat (and vice versa).