March 23, 2022

Coming home to myself, my postpartum yoga journey

March 23, 2022/ Jennifer Khosla

I’m so excited to have my friend Karmen Morales Sanchez as a guest blogger today! Karmen and I first connected at a small Naples yoga studio back in 2013 where we were both teaching. Karmen is now a Mom to two adorable little boys, and is going to share a bit about her journey back to yoga.

From Karmen…

My postpartum yoga journey has been a coming home to myself in many phases.

It was when I had my second child that my yoga journey truly evolved. Sure I always had to modify my poses while pregnant, and I had to ease back into my practice after my first born, but my practice then remained greatly the same.

Fast forward to parenting a neurodivergent toddler, and nursing a second baby - my body, my nervous system and my soul where BEGGING me to do something different. None of my previous practices, anchors, and tools were working. And to be honest, the last thing I wanted to do was Yoga…yoga as I knew it anyway. I dabbled with HIIT workouts mainly bc my body wasn’t losing the weight as fast I wanted it to (I know I know, but we yoga teachers are not immune to body image complexities). But my body said a hard no to that as my cortisol levels would spike and I would swell up like a big achey balloon. I hit a wall.

It was around this frustrating time in my life that I spoke to a long beloved colleague of mine and I remember her casually saying “oh I remember those early child days - restorative yoga was all I could handle.” .

Suddenly it clicked. I’d spent years avoiding restorative bc “it wasn’t for me.” However, in those moments….it was the ONLY thing that WAS for me. When I accepted and adopted restorative yoga as my main practice, my body began to unwind. Literally and figuratively. As I allowed my body to have what it desperately needed, I began to come home to myself. My body was still mine, but it needed a different kind of support, and a different kind of love now. My postpartum yoga journey became (for the first time) a true practice of meeting myself where I was (mentally/emotionally/physically) on the mat. Some days it looked like 5 mins of legs up the wall, some days a chest opening Jason Crandell restorative session, some days yoga nidra while my children napped. I learned from new teachers, and as my Yoga dogma lifted, so did the layers of pain, anxiety, and tension.

Listen, raising children is hard. Raising special needs or neurodivergent children is sometimes harder. Having to go back to work, or missing your job to become a stay at home mom - it’s ALL hard. Yoga teaches us to focus on what we CAN do, one breath at a time. That’s what my practice has finally become. I’m finally back (three years postpartum) to my original hatha style - but it took three years for my body to desire it again…and that’s ok! As a Mamá my biggest gift from yoga has been to truly cling to the phrase “right now it’s like this, and that’s ok.” (Which I also, totally credit my dear friend Lauren Wessinger for).

A few of my favorite classes and teachers currently are…
Lauren Wessinger , Catherine Allen (peri and postnatal yoga) and Forrest yoga.

Follow Karmen on Instagram @karmenyoga

August 23, 2021

How to Perform Seated Cat-Cow Pose

August 23, 2021/ Jennifer Khosla

The yoga postures cat (marjaiasana) and cow (bitilasana) are two of my favorites, they feel incredible on my spine and help to loosen up the muscles of my back. If you are one of the 16 million Americans struggling with chronic back pain, I would high recommend adding cat and cow into your daily stretch routine. These postures have also been said to be incredibly beneficial for posture and balance.

For many individuals it is near impossible to get on the floor and into a table top position to perform traditional cat/cow due to a variety of reasons. To make these incredibly beneficial stretches more accessible I am going to demo them seated for you! As you can see in the pictures below I am performing seated cat/cow. On your inhale you will look up and arch your back, opening your heart to the sky and lifting your chin, and on your exhale you will round your back and bring your chin towards your chest.

Please note that these postures (as with all yoga postures) they may look slightly different in your own body, be gentle with yourself and move in a way that honors your body today.

The beautiful thing about yoga is that much of it can be done in a chair, or using a chair for assistance. For quite some time I taught chair yoga, and it was one of my favorite experiences. I hope you enjoy the variation on the stretches below.

If you have any questions about these postures, or chair yoga please comment below and let me know!

March 03, 2021

5 Ways Meditation Has Changed My Life

March 03, 2021/ Jennifer Khosla

Hi friends! I wanted to check in with you and update you on my meditation practice. New Years Day I committed to a daily meditation practice just for the month of January, hoping to gain some clarity. I loved it so much, and deeply connected with the practice, that I decided to continue my daily meditation practice indefinitely. I have felt such a dramatic shift in my life and my personal being since committing to this practice, it has changed my life in so many ways.

Here are 5 ways my life has changed since I started meditating daily:

1. I am way less stressed…I would conservatively say that my stress level has decreased over 50%, pretty amazing!

2. I am less reactive. I am able to remain in my breath, and focus on what’s real even in challenging times.

3. I am more connected to my body and my soul than ever before.

4. I have a new found love and deep appreciation for my body. Meditation is not technically a physical practice, but it is changing my physical body.

5. Meditating has allowed me to more clearly see my life, where I am currently and where I want to be. I find that I am able to more smoothly move through road blocks and say no to projects that do not align with where I ultimately want to be.

Have you started a daily meditation practice? I would love to hear how it has changed your life.

Comment below and let me know! xx

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March 01, 2021

Beach Yoga Retreat in Sunny Naples, FL

March 01, 2021/ Jennifer Khosla

Naples, FL has been ranked as the happiest and healthiest city in the United States for years now, and it’s no wonder why. The endless beaches, sunny weather, and array of healthy restaurants lead to a very active outdoors lifestyle. I am so blessed to call Naples home, and am thrilled to invite you all to visit this May!

Edgewater Beach Hotel and I are hosting our annual beach yoga retreat May 16-19, 2021!

Relax, recharge, and renew with us beach front in this spring.

Enjoy daily yoga, meditation, prompted journaling exercises, paddle boarding, paddle board yoga, and so much more!

We always have such a wonderful group, and the women who have already signed up are incredible and inspiring. This is by far my favorite event of the year, and leads to so much change in four days. The transformations I have seen come from this retreat are magic.

Click HERE to see what past guests are saying about their experience.

For more info on the retreat and what to expect click HERE.

Space is limited, and the retreat is currently 40% full so don’t miss out on this beautiful experience. To book your retreat click HERE.