From Group Classes to Something More Personal

Have you ever felt like yoga classes just… weren’t designed for your body?

Too fast. Too intense. Too focused on poses that don’t quite work for you.

In 2015, I wandered into a yoga class. The teachers were incredibly kind and supportive and the community was truly lovely. But…

Me? Not bendy. Mid-40s. Heated studio. Surrounded by handstands. Sound familiar?

I was extremely passionate about yoga (I was SO much calmer!) I was intuitively modifying poses to work for my body. I used to design training programs for a living. Could I actually marry my love of yoga and my skill at creating quality yoga offerings? A resounding YES!

So I got my first of many yoga teacher certifications and started teaching at my home.

And here’s what I discovered: most people didn’t want intense, fast-paced yoga. They wanted something that worked for their bodies—especially if they were newer, stiff, dealing with pain, or just not into getting on the floor.

So I adapted.

Over time, it became clear that group classes could only go so far. People wanted more personalized support.

That’s where one-on-one sessions come in.

Now I work privately with women across the country—tailoring movement, breath work, and meditation to each person. We can meet outdoors here in Southern California or over Zoom (yes—pajamas and pets welcome 😊).

If you’re curious whether this might be a good fit for you, I’d love to talk. Reach out at jennie@jenniemacgoyyoga.com or (703) 539-2921.

No pressure—just a conversation.

Warmly,
Jennie

The Hippy Hippy Shake

Do your hips feel tight or ache sometimes? I know mine do — especially after sitting at my desk for several hours or traveling. I have a couple of simple movements for you to try -- and they are done in a chair! So you can do them while at your desk or even after you've finished a meal at the kitchen table. I'd love to know what you think!

Confessions of a Multitasking Yogi (and a cool pose!)

I am guilty of multi-tasking, even though I've read that it's not the most efficient way to get things done. Sometimesmulti-tasking makes its way into my yoga practice. But here is a situation where I think it's warranted! It's called "Cat Pulling Its Tail" pose. If you're a curious cat (wink-wink), take a peek below.

Cat pulling its tail yoga pose. Good for quad stretch, hamstring stretch, as well as a gentle twist. Pose is taken down on the floor.

Yoga for Brain Health -- Part Five (Stress Management)

Ever feel stressed out? Yes, that was a rhetorical question. Of course you’ve felt stressed out. For many of us, this seems to be a normal state of mind. I recommend talking to your health care provider if you find that the stress in your life is overwhelming. But if you are looking to supplement the ways you currently deal with stress — or would like to dip your toes into yoga as a form of stress management — keep reading.

Research has shown that moving mindfully (e.g., taking a yoga class) can lower stress levels. Movement can lower your heart rate which in turn helps you to relax. I can’t think of one person who ever said, “I sure wish I hadn’t gone to that yoga class!” As Dr. Vanika Chawla, a board-certified psychiatrist at Stanford University said, “Yoga can counteract the harmful physical effects of stress and lead to changes in the body, brain, and mind that increase resilience and adaptability.” (https://longevity.stanford.edu/lifestyle/2023/10/03/how-yoga-affects-the-brain-and-body-to-reduce-stress/)

According to Harvard Health Publishing, breath focus (known as pranayama in the yoga world) helps you concentrate on slow, deep breathing and aids you in disengaging from distracting thoughts and sensations. There are also numerous breathing techniques that have been proven to activate your parasympathetic nervous system. This is the system that tells your body to rest and digest. Square breathing, longer exhales, physiological sigh, and 4-7-8 breathing all are breathing techniques to help you destress. You can find tutorials on my YouTube channel.

Did you know that meditation is a form of yoga? Headspace, Calm, and Insight Timer are apps that offer guided meditations. Listening to a guided meditation can be a terrific way to wash away the day’s stress and settle in for a good night’s sleep. I love to offer brief guided meditations at the end of some of my more vigorous yoga classes. Breathing techniques and meditation can lead to a continuity between heart rate patterns and breathing patterns. This coherence is associated with reduced stress and improved emotional well-being (Khajuria A, Kumar A, Joshi D, Kumaran SS. Reducing Stress with Yoga: A Systematic Review Based on Multimodal Biosignals. Int J Yoga. 2023 Sep-Dec;16(3):156-170. doi: 10.4103/ijoy.ijoy_218_23. Epub 2024 Feb 9. PMID: 38463652; PMCID: PMC10919405.)

Curious to try yoga for stress management? Contact me and set up a free 15-minute consultation.

Yoga for Brain Health -- Part Four (Mental Stimulation)

You probably already know the importance of challenging our brains to improve memory, focus, concentration, and cognitive skills. It may surprise you to learn that yoga is one way to do this! Here are some examples:

1. Challenge your proprioception. Proprioception is your awareness of your body in space. Seem obvious? Try this: while standing take your feet wide apart. Then turn both feet to the right. Next, bend your right knee. Press into the outside edge of your left foot. Raise both of your arms to shoulder level and take your gaze over your extended right hand. You just took the Warrior 2 yoga pose. Feel a little strange? Good: you’ve just challenged your proprioception!

1. Body awareness. I start every single yoga class and private session by inviting people to mindfully tune into how their bodies are feeling. I’ll mention a variety of areas of the body that often are tight, sore, or neglected. I encourage everyone to acknowledge the areas that don’t feel so great, while also celebrating the areas that feel pretty darn good — even if that’s just your earlobes! Taking the time to truly notice your body can be a real mental challenge. Yoga teachers are great guides for this.

2. Most yoga teachers will then encourage your to notice your breathing. According to the American Lung Association, we each take about 22,000 breaths per day. Yoga gives us the opportunity to focus and concentrate on this automatic activity. No need to change it at first. Sometimes I’ll ask people to notice the coolness of their inhales, and the warmth of their exhales. Or I’ll ask them to place their hands on their abdomens and concentrate on the expansion of that area as they breathe in, followed by the softening as they breathe out. It takes practice!

3. Breath work. After we’ve taken some time to focus on our natural breath, I introduce my students to a breathing practice. Yogis have practiced pranayama for centuries. Focusing on the breath and manipulating it is a great mental exercise — and the effects are calming or energizing, depending on the practice. There are a variety of practices out there. Feel free to check out a few on my YouTube channel. There is a playlist called Breathing Techniques.

4. Meditation. Did you know that meditation is a form of yoga and that it is terrific for your brain health? Now don’t worry: meditation doesn’t require you to sit on a special cushion and “empty” your brain for 30 minutes. If you’re new to the practice, start by sitting comfortably and taking five gentle breaths. See if you can keep your attention on those five inhales and exhales. There: you just meditated. Of course, you can work up to focusing on your breath for longer periods of time if you’d like. Guided meditations are also a terrific place to start if you are new to meditation. For those, you can sit, walk, or even lie down. Open a meditation app (e.g., Headspace, Insight Timer, or Calm) and have a listen.

These are some of the fabulous ways that yoga can stimulate your brain and help you keep it healthy. All you need is your brain, your breath, and the willingness to give these suggestions a try!