I took my first MELT (Myofascial Energetic Length Technique) class this past weekend at a local yoga studio. I’d heard amazing things about MELT and had wanted to try a class for some time, but hadn’t had a chance yet to experience it myself. During the class we used a long, soft foam roller, multiple [...]
About Monique Minahan
Monique Minahan is a writer and yoga teacher offering her heart to the world through words that motivate, inspire, and encourage. Connect with her at mindfulmo.com.
“Too Religious” for School: Yoga Curriculum Sparks Lawsuit in Southern California
Today marks the first day of trial in a lawsuit over whether yoga is a religious practice and should or should not be allowed in schools. The case of Sedlock vs. Baird, et al., has been brought by parents and guardians of children who attend an Encinitas school that includes yoga in the curriculum. The [...]
What We Can Learn From Being Judged
We’ve all experienced the deflating feeling when someone judges us. Whether to our face or through a friend, the words carry the same weight. Someone else is saying we are less than, we aren’t good enough, we have failed, we are on the wrong path, or we are a disappointment. Even the strongest of us [...]
Why We Need to Break Free of Facebook
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by social media? Like you’ve had enough but you just can’t quit? I’ve been feeling this desire to quit Facebook for some time now, but kept pushing it away as an unrealistic suggestion. How could I even consider that? Actually deleting my Facebook account? Still, the idea kept nagging at [...]
“This is Just Yoga”: Being Spiritual But Not Religious
How do you define spirituality? I grew up thinking being religious meant you were spiritual and vice versa. When I walked away from organized religion in my early 30s, I thought I was walking away from spirituality, as well. When I would experience blissful moments of peace, connection, or unparalleled stillness on my yoga mat, [...]
How One Doctor Is Giving A Voice to Victims of Rape
Bulbul Bahuguna, M.D., is a Chicago-based psychiatrist and author who has specialized in helping victims of sexual abuse for the past 22 years. She is giving a voice to the many silent victims of sexual abuse through her sobering book, The Ghosts That Come Between Us. Her main character, Nargis, narrates on the complexities of [...]
How to Be As Patient As This Week’s New Moon
As the New Moon secretly peaks behind layers of darkness, there is often no external proof of her existence. Yet full and heavy she rises, and full and heavy she sets. There are within each of us new moons that have not yet become full moons. Projects, dreams, or aspirations that are not yet ready [...]
Are You Eating Too Much Sugar?
We all know there’s sugar in foods like ice cream or desserts, but what about foods and snacks we eat everyday? How do you know if you’re eating too much sugar? Sugar is easy to miss because it falls under many names and into many categories. Naturally occurring sugars, like lactose and fructose, naturally exist [...]
Equality For All From The Perspective of Children
On my way back from lunch yesterday, I noticed a wonderful display of children’s artwork through some glass windows. I returned later in the day to learn that it was an exhibit for Law Day. Children around the county from grades K-8 submitted their drawings around a central theme. The San Diego Bar Association hosts [...]
How to Curb Sugar Cravings
Are you addicted to sugar? It’s an interesting question because we don’t often think of sugar as being addictive in the same way as drugs or alcohol, but the pleasure we get from eating sugar triggers the same reward signals in our brain. This can make it difficult to exert self-control and can manifest as [...]
