In Part 1 of this article I looked at the human body's electrochemical activity, how it relates to the two branches of our autonomic nervous system (sympathetic and parasympathetic), and how the essential first step in becoming a more sane human being is learning to self-regulate the balance between these two. Here in Part 2, I look at four specific teaching modalities I use with students to help them (and me!) restore balance to the nervous system's electrochemical activity,

It's common to think of a human being as flesh and blood and bones and organs -- something made of matter. It's less common to think of a human being as an electrical system -- something made of energy. But we are both. Your body is permeated by electricity and its interaction with the body's chemistry. The presence and movement of electricity throughout your body is part of what distinguishes you as a living being from an inert and lifeless piece of steak, which is made of t

In my role as a meditation teacher I often feel like people don't get a chance to know the real me. They see a curated persona who speaks with a calming tone of voice, someone who spent two years living in a Buddhist monastery and has written two books on meditation and spiritual life. I can imagine those things might give them certain misleading ideas about me. Behind that persona, the truth is that I struggle a lot with anxiety. I don't mean regular garden-variety anxiety,

Resentment is something I’ve been processing lately. Until recently, I didn’t realize how many resentments I was carrying, or how toxic it was for me, until I took a hard look day after day at the thoughts that were occupying my mind. My process of grieving the loss of my mom is not over, and I'm no longer sure that grief really has an end. In any case, I will need more time than I ever imagined to feel fully functional again. But in the process of healing and getting back to

When my mother passed away I experienced a rush of adrenaline with everything that needed to be done. Saying goodbye, literally and emotionally. Dealing with hospital administrators. Funeral arrangements. Not to mention everything that needed to be done during the final weeks before her death. After she passed away I was high on adrenaline and in shock. I was desensitized from the magnitude of what had happened. In the months to come there were tears every day. Driving in the

Over the past few weeks I’ve been working much harder on my body than I used to, for various reasons: for weight loss, for endurance, for mind-body connection. I have dedicated at least an hour time every day for physical activity, whether it’s yoga, running, rolling on a massage ball, swimming, or weight training. This is not merely for fitness or health purposes. For me my exercise time is a nurturing and therapeutic time, especially my runs on the beach and my yoga in my l

It has been almost 15 years since I took my first yoga certification. And it has been probably 14 years since I became a full-time yoga instructor. My life between the ages of 25 and 39 has centered around the practice and teaching and study and business of yoga. My practice has morphed so many times, like one of those beautiful cephalopods that change color based on the environment they are in. I could definitely say that my practice has always been a reflection of my life's

We all face various obstacles in our paths. Over the years in my yoga and meditation practice I have struggled with powerful “enemies.” Some of them haunt me consistently while others seem to come and go. When they appear, they can rob the beauty and life out of the practice by distracting us, shifting our focus onto things that are not important. Beware. They are out there, and they will show up when you least expect them. Let me introduce you to eight of mine. Self. I was n

It’s part of Warrior Flow’s mission to create a positive and nurturing connection to the community. Warrior Flow provides a space for participants to connect to each other and the practice of yoga in beautiful scenarios. Every Sunday morning at 10am, Adrian Molina and the Warrior Flow team — including DJ Cisco, Emilia Garth, Amy Wong, Dennis Hunter, and many other regulars and special guests — bring together an amazing community of yogis practicing in the midst of one of Miam

I stood staring at the tiny white pill in my hand. I was supposed to believe that this pill would alleviate my pain, my fears, my inability to function, my sadness and disconnection from the things I loved, my extreme and disturbing thoughts about life and death. It took me a few minutes to swallow my pride before I could swallow the pill. I knew I was moving into unknown territory. On paper, it didn’t make any sense for me to be experiencing a “major depressive episode,” as

One of the great things about teaching many yoga classes every week in a city like New York is that you get to meet a diverse and wide range of professionals—doctors, lawyers, CEOs, celebrities, Ph.D.’s, scientists, teachers and professors. I've been blessed to have in my classes professionals of every possible field. One of my favorites to have in class are teachers. Because they know the importance of learning, and they understand and appreciate the role of the teacher. And

Over the last few months I’ve been puzzling over this.... What is the best way to handle it when other yoga teachers come to your class and decide to put extra scoops of protein and spirulina into every single posture or flow you offer? They go for the large size fries even if you offer only the small. They go for Venti even if you offer only Tall. They add extra shrimp even when the plate only comes with veggies. What's the highest road to take? Should you say something when