Green Options

Yoga Journal is pleased to offer a scholarship program for those that need assistance attending this winter yoga conference in San Francisco. This scholarship program is intended for yoga teachers, with limited income, who currently teach (and volunteer) yoga to underserved populations within their community.

Yoga Journal shares how practicing yoga changes lives daily. These upcoming “Share Your Yoga” conference scholarships are intended to support the participation of yoga instructors that earn a low-income that is active in contributing their unique teaching abilities to those that can not afford it. Below are the application instructions.

That just about does it for this round of Yoga for Crafters. I really enjoying putting this series together. I’ve learned some new poses, and it’s kept me focused on my own practice, too! It’s also reminding me that for years and years I thought I’d be a yoga instructor when I grew up. Maybe this was me playing that out?

Thanks so much to all of the fine folks who helped out with tips and suggestions! Below the fold, you’ll find links to all of the posts from this series. If you feel like there’s a sort of craft that was left out, definitely hit me up!

Craft show season is getting close, and that means all of you green crafty biz owners are probably working overtime to get merch ready for the upcoming fall shows! Any sort of repetitive action is tough on your body, and crafting is no different. Rather than pop an over the counter pain medication, why not take some time to relax and stretch the soreness away with yoga poses targeted at the places that take the most abuse?

As with any new exercise, please be cautious and consult your doctor before trying anything too terribly strenuous.

This week, we’re taking a look at the aches and pains that come with metal- and wood-work. All of that sawing, filing, hammering, and drilling is rough on your arms and shoulders, and you’re probably feeling pretty groggy after focusing for so long. Here are some yoga poses to help you bounce back!

Craft show season is getting close, and that means all of you green crafty biz owners are probably working overtime to get merch ready for the upcoming fall shows! Any sort of repetitive action is tough on your body, and crafting is no different. Rather than pop an over the counter pain medication, why not take some time to relax and stretch the soreness away with yoga poses targeted at the places that take the most abuse?

As with any new exercise, please be cautious and consult your doctor before trying anything too terribly strenuous.

This week, we’re looking at the aches and pains associated with hours of scrapbooking. All of that cutting, gluing, and hunching over the table is tough on your body. Maybe you’ve got a little bit of eyestrain from focusing on little details, too? Don’t despair! We’ve got some poses just for you.

Craft show season is getting close, and that means all of you green crafty biz owners are probably working overtime to get merch ready for the upcoming fall shows! Any sort of repetitive action is tough on your body, and crafting is no different. Rather than pop an over the counter pain medication, why not take some time to relax and stretch the soreness away with some yoga poses targeted at the places that take the most abuse?

As with any new exercise, please be cautious and consult your doctor before trying anything too terribly strenuous.

Since I’m not a soapmaker myself, I hit up my pal Tracy Perkins of Strawberry Hedgehog for tips on soapmaking aches and pains. She said that what gets her after hours of making soap is carpal tunnel pain, sore feet, and an achy lower back. Never fear! Here are some poses to help balance that out.

With all of these poses, the idea is not to push yourself to the point of pain. You just want to gently stretch and strengthen your muscles. If something hurts, back off a bit until you get to a comfortable place. You’ll get much better results if you listen to your body.

Craft show season is getting close, and that means all of you green crafty biz owners are probably working overtime to get merch ready for the upcoming fall shows! Any sort of repetitive action is tough on your body, and crafting is no different. Rather than pop an over the counter pain medication, why not take some time to relax and stretch the soreness away with some yoga poses targeted at the places that take the most abuse?

As with any new exercise, please be cautious and consult your doctor before trying anything too terribly strenuous.

This week we’re taking a look at the aches and pains that come with hours of knitting or crochet. From what you guys had to say on Twitter, it sounds like all that yarn work hits ravelers hardest in the wrists, fingers, neck and chest. Never fear! Here are some poses to help you recoop a little bit.

Sweat drips from my nose, rolls down my chin and runs off my chest- landing on the floor with pride. The air is thick. Mirrors, fogged over. Essential oils soak into my pores, filling my body with peace. I rest my wet forehead on my mat as I breathe through pigeon, opening up my hips farther and deeper. As I listen to the mellow music, tears begin to run down my face. Sweat and tears cover my cheeks, melding into each other, creating one beautiful masterpiece of raw spirituality. Just as confusion begins to flood my mind, not sure as to why I’m crying, the teacher explains we hold emotion in our hips and it may surface in this stretch. After she says that, we move on to a new pose and my crying fades. I’m at one with my body; my mind is nowhere but the present. This is serenity.

Craft show season is getting close, and that means all of you green crafty biz owners are probably working overtime to get merch ready for the upcoming fall shows! Any sort of repetitive action is tough on your body, and crafting is no different. Rather than pop an over the counter pain medication, why not take some time to relax and stretch the soreness away with some yoga poses targeted at the places that take the most abuse?

As with any new exercise, please be cautious and consult your doctor before trying anything too terribly strenuous.

This week’s set of poses is for the seamstresses. These are postures aimed at stretching and strengthening those sore arms, legs and feet, and upper back and neck that take a beating after hours over the sewing machine, the cutting table, and the ironing board.

Craft show season is getting close, and that means all of you green crafty biz owners are probably working overtime to get merch ready for the upcoming fall shows! Any sort of repetitive action is tough on your body, and crafting is no different. Rather than pop an over the counter pain medication, why not take some time to relax and stretch the soreness away with some yoga poses targeted at the places that take the most abuse?

As with any new exercise, please be cautious and consult your doctor before trying anything too terribly strenuous.

To kick things off, let’s take a look at common aches and pain that jewelers experience. That’s right, jewelry-making friends! I feel your pain. You know what I mean: that achy lower back, sore neck, and stiff hands after a marathon crafting session. Here are some poses just for you.

Yoga can be a fantastic family activity, a wonderful thing to do for playtime and a good example of the importance of exercise to your children.

Stronger Bodies

• Build developing strength and natural flexibility to minimize injury
• Improve body awareness and coordination
• Experience the joy of movement free from competition
• Improve breathing safely

As my wife and I write about in ECOpreneuring, if good health is important – and it should be for everyone – then a regular exercise routine along with eating right becomes a feature in our sustainable lifestyle, whether you walk around the block, do yoga or work out three times a week at a local YMCA like we do.  Or go for a hike in the woods instead of watching more TV.

Remember the last time you had the flu or a lingering cold? Get much done? When we’re healthy, we take our good health for granted. Despite what our politicians and healthcare providers might suggest, good healthcare does not necessarily provide good health. Our lifestyle and daily habits contribute to feeling great just about every day of the year.

Some companies provide a good healthcare plan when it comes to physician access and medical coverage. But what does that matter when the stress-filled, unhealthy environment in a cubicle – with no access to the outdoors and fresh air – ends up giving us poor health? The American healthcare system is great – perhaps the best in the world – if we crashed in our car. It’s designed for treatment, not prevention. It’s a healthcare system based on the poor health of relatively well-off people who can pay (by credit or otherwise) for the services it provides.

Given all the debate on a national healthcare plan offered by the United States, below are a few promising trends many people are discovering.