yoga humor, yogini style, yoga personality, yoga tips - Y is for Yogini

yoga, yoga everywhere { at wanderlust ca }

It's in our blood, our breath, our DNA. We yoga here, there, and everywhere, without even thinking on it.

All photos by Lo, © Y is for Yogini

{ Seane Corn takes Vrksasana when she checks in to hotels. }

{ His Tadasana is even more impressive when you know that this doggie is on a cable car rising 8,200 feet. Woof! }

{ These climbers find that Malasana is key to yogic and mountainous ascension. }

{ Yoga Twister. I spy a gumby lunge and a variation on Marichyasana! }

{ Ahhhh, Savasana. It's a rough life. }

{ A nice easy version of Prasarita Padottanasana while waiting in the looooong line. }

{ A slightly scandalous Parsvottanasana. }

We take our yoga everywhere. Where do you yoga without thinking about it?

turn your monkey mind upside-down { 8 inversions for mental poo-throwing }

artwork credit: etsy.com

Monkeys look most at peace when they're upside down...or picking things off each other. Let's focus on the former. You might get yourself arrested or throttled if you start thinking it's a good idea to look for fleas on other bodies.

Whether you like it or not, we have much in common with our banana-eating brothers and sisters. A. We think a lot, B. We eat a lot of freaking bananas (see: Cavendish banana extinction), and C. We're all crazy bananas. 

If you aren't in touch with your Monkey Mind, I envy you. I'm turning as green as an unripe banana as we speak. Mine is bonkers. It really is its own entity. It runs away with me, like a bad little monkey. It throws neurological poo at me. It swings me through mental trees and makes me dizzy!

One remedy I have found, thank Iyengar, is INVERSIONS.

8 Inversions for Attention Deficit, the Monkey Mind, and Temporary Insanity:

1. Puppy Dog - Be a dog, not a monkey. This first pose is doggie training and prep for Adho Mukha Svanasana.
2. Down Dog { Adho Mukha Svanasana } - Like a dog on a bone, you will FOCUS.
3. Handstand { Adho Mukha Vrksasana } - The translation is Downward Facing Tree Pose. Is there anything more grounded than a tree? I think not.
4. Feathered Peacock { Pincha Mayurasana } - Tunes you in to your own fierceness, not freneticness.
5. Dolphin - Dolphins are too smart to let their own monkey business run shit.
6. Headstand { Sirsasana } - This is what "they" meant when they said to go stand on your head.
7. Plough { Halasana } - Sow the seeds of mental acuity and ease.
8. Shoulder Stand { Sarvangasana } - The queen of all asanas, she'll leave you cool, calm, and collected.

Sometimes you have to get upside-down to get right-side-up again.

10 yoga poses to strike for love { animal asanas to attract a mate }

photo credit: dailydumper.blogspot.com

Rawwwwrrrr. It is wild out there. Lions, lionesses. Tigers, tigresses. Bears, and bears. Bearesses? Bearginis? Love is a jungle. Are you the queen or king of yours?

It is not a coincidence that many yoga poses are named after animals. Our nature runs deep; we are all kin. A peek into the mating rituals of our animal friends and perhaps a little aping of their postures just might be the thing to draw you someone to hibernate with.

10 Yoga Poses to Strike for Love:

1. Downward Facing Dog { Adho Mukha Svanasana }

• Well, there's the obvious reason. But don't ask me to explain it. YOU know.
• Knowing if we're compatible or not might be much faster (and cheaper) if we opted for butt-sniffing, like dogs do.

2. Lion Pose { Simhasana }

• First, if your potential beloved still finds you attractive when you look insane (which this pose definitely accomplishes), you've got a winner. Look no further.
• Second, Simhasana is said to cure bad breath — THE deal breaker.
• Third, how many guys do you know who DON'T think panting is hot. Yeah, that's what I thought, ZERO.
• It is recommended that you roar at the end. No, really, read up on it. Claim your territory! Let the jungle know that you're gonna get yours. Dominate.

3. Rabbit Pose { Sasangasana }

• Maintains a flexible, youthful spine. This will help you keep up with, uh, the kind of activities rabbits are known for.
• Good for the immune system...just in case you have, well, a number of romantical rabbit friends.

4. Camel Pose { Ustrasana }

• Stretches the groins, opens the heart. Translation: good way to get your game face on, if you know what I mean.
• While embodying the pose fully is always appreciated, nobody likes a spitter. Hold the saliva, k?

5. Butterfly Pose { Baddha Konasana with flutter added / Titali Asana }

• Stimulates the sacral chakra. Translation: va va voom!
• Butterflies are pollinators. :)
• Butterflies taste with their feet. You can take that fun fact wherever you like.

6. Cat/Cow Pose { Marjaryasana / Bitilasana }

• Be honest with yourself, this pose just looks sexy. And it feels wonderfully indulgent.
• There's a reason we say "Meow!" in relation to titillating things. You've heard those late-night kitty cat hollers, mrrrrows, and yowls. Yup, kitty booty call.

7. Frog Pose { Bhekasana }

• The anatomical focus here is the uterus. Just sayin'.
• Naked leapfrog is pretty hard to say no to...if you like the Frog Prince who is asking.

8. Feathered Peacock Pose { Pincha Mayurasana }

• Peacocks know how to strut their stuff better than any other animal.
• My teacher calls this "Pinch-my-ass-ana." Yow! :)
• Helps you learn to lift your tail. Um, a skill which is certainly beneficial. Er, in life. You know?

9. Fish Pose { Matsyasana }

• Come, my love, let us swim upstream...and spawn.
• A beautiful heart-opener.

10. Cobra Pose { Bhujangasana }

• A slithery, supple, sensual pose. I don't know about you, but I feel powerful in Cobra.
• On the flipside, one must understand cobras in order to be a good snake charmer. Mwahahahahaa.
• Cobras have excellent night vision. Crucial for gliding over to your prey in the dark.

The keys to the animal love kingdom are yours. Choose wisely, go forth, and get in touch with your inner animalistic yogic self.

Meow! Rawr! Hiss! Moo! Woof!

{ photo credits: 1. howdididoit.com, 2. yogainmyschool.com, 3. fullissue.com, 4. interesting-animal-facts.blogspot.com, 5. colourlovers.com, 6. allwomenstalk.com, 7. howstuffworks.com, 8. animal.discovery.com, 9. amelangeetmoi.blogspot.com, 10. noraaoyagi.typepad.com. }

sexyasana { 10 romantical partner yoga poses }

Sexyasana don't need no intro. It just be sexy. As Marvin says, let's get it on...

10 Sexy Asanas:

1. footsie-asana { tee hee. that tickles! }

2. slip-n-slide-asana { please do not get all creative and try @ home with oils. you've been warned. }

3. lookin-at-your-bits-asana { what?! girls can lookie-loo, too. }

4. let-him-do-all-the-work-for-once-asana { lol. }

5. parsva-booty-asana

6. steal-a-kiss-asana

7. love-knot-asana

8. crow-peck-asana

9. touch-the-hot-booty-asana { i know this is an adjustment. work with me, people. }

10. spoon-asana { yes, this could have been a certain numerical asana, dirty minds! keep it clean. }

Do try this at home. Any day is a good day for sexyasana. Practice makes perfect.

be my yogitine { 7 things to do for YOU on Valentine's Day }

photo credit: squee.icanhascheezburger.com

Self-love is never unrequited. Let that roll around in your mind for a bit. It's a neverending amour fest...like you've got a kick-ass hearty pink sparkly pinball machine inside you going pling-ding-kajing-aling with lurve. Yeeeeah. Now you're on board.

I want you to do something for me today, seeing as how it's Valentine's Day and all. I want you to DO something for YOU today. Sure, you can deliver a cup of sugar naked to Mr. Hot Sauce next door. And yes, make sure to give the fur babies extra snuggles and treats. If you have a sig other, by all means, V-day it up like bunnies (whatever that means to you). But you're MY yogitine, too. And my gift to you is this: a reminder to show yourself some love.

7 Things To Do For YOU On Valentine's Day:

1. Hugasana - Take a cue from Mr. Kitty above and do what my friend Maria calls hugasana...hug yourself!

2. Spend Time in Your Fave Yoga Pose - Or perhaps a looong, languorous set of restoratives is in order. I'll be hanging out in Eka Pada Koundinyasana I, waiting for James Franco to come over.

3. Tend to Your Heart Chakra - Breath of Fire cleanses the heart chakra, while Cobra and Fish Pose open it (amongst other delicious asanas).

4. Write a Love Letter to Yourself - Make a list of all the beautifully brilliant things about you and OWN THEM. You're fierce. Better recognize.

5. Just Breathe - The breath is ever-intertwined with prana, your life force. Self love means standing in your truth and receiving the blessings that are life and breath. Nadi Shodhana is pure magic.

6. Dance Like No One's Watching - You heard me. Crank up the booty-shaker you love best and boogie like a mo fo. Get crazy with it. I never feel more free than when I'm dancing. It's booty-quake time.

7. Snuggle Up and Read - How luxurious does it feel to do this?! Pick up a book you can lose yourself in.

Happy Valentine's Day, my lovelies. Make sure you do at least one of the above or I'll be forced to show up at your door, dressed like Yogini Cupid. You don't want my arrow in your asana, do you? Go forth and be good to yourself! ;)