I recently asked this question to my students.  This blog post highlights some of their responses, allowing my students to have a voice instead of me this time.  Here’s some of what they said:

“I definitely think I'm stronger, more flexible, and have fewer daily aches than I would have if I didn't do yoga regularly. It helps me be able to get down and up off the floor, which is so important for longevity, not to mention playing with young family members. Yoga also calms my mind and helps with positivity. I take classes by watching YouTube videos, as well as in person. Thanks to all the benefits, I hope to continue with yoga well into my elder years!” - Julie

“Yoga class with Camille informs not only how I want to be on the mat, but how I want to be in my life- more pliable and balanced, yet rooted, connected more deeply to my core and to the core of the earth beneath my feet. It also helps me make contact with, and deepen, new versions of strength, yet a much needed softness, too. Bringing the practice home, I find a rare internal quiet that's otherwise been hard to access in my day to day life. Already so many gifts to my body, to my spirit, yet as I persist in the practice over time, surely they'll only continue to unfold….” - Carol

“My yoga practice has given me a full quality of life.  Fully realized at 81 years old and going strong.  My breathing, posture, flexibility, balance, and strength are fabulous as is my continuous mental well-being…Hatha Yoga is a daily practice on a mat or chair for everyone no matter how young or old.  It works for everyone and gives you what YOU need.  Yoga IS, in my opinion, "a lifeline”.” - Jackie

“I was always used to moving fast in my workouts but yoga was different and Camille was different. The class was slower paced and focused on breathing and something that I had never heard before- acceptance of what your body can do at that exact moment… My mind is only on Camille’s direction from one pose to the next. Yoga has taught me to be in the moment. Another positive from doing yoga is that my blood pressure after class is reduced. Yoga for me is a moving meditation.” - Kathy

“I love learning new body and mind skills.  It is a practice and a journey and I love that it’s not about competition but what you can do on any given day.” - Carol

“Having suffered chronic back pain for years from bulging and herniated discs, yoga is the only non-medicinal remedy I've tried that reduces the pain and keeps it manageable. Yoga has also helped with strength and flexibility as I age, and I credit my practice with helping to improve my bone density, again, without medications and their side effects. The side effects of yoga are relaxation,  improved strength and flexibility, and a greater sense of well-being” - Lois

“At the age of 83, yoga continues to primarily help me maintain some flexibility. I have met great people and so appreciate your approach to the practice. Your use of cues and  constant acceptance of individual limitations has allowed me to continue even though my ability to keep up has diminished… Overall Yoga has provided me the ability to maintain some flexibility and a calmness that is importantly needed in day to day life.” -Susan

“Yoga has helped to eliminate a lot of my stiffness. By doing these simple movements, I’m able to move with less aches and pains throughout the day. Spending an hour on my mat gives me time to do something just for me which actually has a way to settle me down and reduce any stress I might be feeling.” Donna

“Yoga has been a big part of my life for the last 35 years. It has helped me maintain my flexibility, strength and balance. It has also taught me how important proper breathing is to our mental and physical health. Practicing yoga has also taught me the importance of calm in my life.” - Jackie
​
“The most important thing to me about having a consistent yoga practice is that I am a lot healthier in many ways. I rarely get colds, sore throats, flu. Yoga keeps me flexible and able to move around more easily… and I feel that I have far less pain than most people my age. I also believe that yoga has kept me from losing as many inches in height than other people my age have.” - Kathy

“I have always been an active person and yoga has allowed me to stay that way!  My friends are impressed that I am able to get on and off the floor to play with my grandchildren.” - Betsy

"Yoga has brought me balance when I roller skate.  I am surprised that I fall less at 52 than when I was in my teens.  It has brought me awareness of my breath that allows me to stop and breathe before proceeding into a difficult situation.”  - Julie

Gentle ≠ Easy: Discover the Strength in Slow
(From Yoga International)
Many people think that when a class is called gentle, it must mean simple or effortless. But that's not the case. A gentle yoga practice is a powerful practice that requires presence, patience, and control.

Just as water shapes stone over time, gentle yoga works slowly and steadily—strengthening, grounding, and nourishing your wellbeing from the inside out.
What makes gentle yoga powerful:

• Sustainable strength: Moving slowly requires control, stability, and muscular engagement in ways that can be more demanding than fast-paced flow.
• Deeper awareness: With fewer poses and slower transitions, you notice subtler details in alignment, breath, and sensation—building both focus and body intelligence.
• Nervous system resilience: Gentle practice teaches you to stay calm in sensation and challenge. This builds capacity off the mat for everyday stresses.
• Accessible yet profound: By adapting intensity, props, and pace, gentle yoga meets you where you are—without sacrificing depth or benefit.

A gentle ≠ easy example
Try holding Chair Pose (Utkatasana) for 8 slow breaths. Done mindfully, it builds leg strength, steadies balance, and teaches you to regulate breath under challenge—all while keeping a slower, more deliberate pace. That’s gentle and strong.

My students often tell me that they would like to practice at home but they cannot remember the poses or the order they should be practiced.  I am posting a short, 20-25 minute basic practice here that you can follow to get you started.  This is for those of you who are already familiar with basic yoga poses.  You can customize it in any way you like.  See video below to follow along.
Begin lying on your back.  Tune in to body, mind and breath for about 2 minutes.  Hold each of these poses for at least 4 breaths, finding that balance between effort and ease in each one.

• ​Bridge

• Child’s pose
• Hands and knees:  Cow & Cat X 4
• Downward facing dog
• Forward fold.  Rise to standing

• Mountain
• Tree. Second side
• Warrior I to Runner's lunge.  Second side
• Pyramid(both legs straight) to Low lunge.  Second side
• Warrior II to Reverse Warrior to Triangle.  Second side

• Wide leg Forward fold

• Pigeon. Second side
• Seated Forward fold
• Reclining single bent knee twist. Second side
• Savasana (Final relaxation, lying on back)
  
  

I hope this simple practice becomes a go-to for those times when you would like to do a short practice on your own at home. See video below.
​

Yoga is widely known for reducing stress, improving flexibility and concentration, and promoting a sense of peace—to name just a few of its possible benefits. But do you know that yoga can also provide mental benefits that some may try to achieve through medications, illegal drugs or other toxic, addictive solutions?  Here are some of the mental benefits of having a consistent yoga practice.

1- Promotes mindfulness
Yoga relies on traditional Buddhist teachings on mindfulness. Mindfulness is being fully aware within each present moment. Yoga requires us to slow down. Holding challenging poses for a long period of time or directing our attention in balancing poses cultivates a deep focus and awareness. Connecting our mind with each breath allows us to really experience what it feels like being in our bodies. The mindfulness you experience while practicing yoga will radiate out to other parts of your life. Increasing your level of consciousness will change the way you experience the world. 

2- Reduces anxiety 
In times of high stress and anxiety, our bodies tend to constrict. We start to hold tension in our shoulders, necks, jaws, or elsewhere. Excessive muscular tension can then feed back to our minds and perpetuate the feeling of unease. When we experience the relaxation benefits of yoga, we can lower our physical tension, which helps release the grip that anxiety can have on us. 

3- Improves sleep

• Mindfulness can increase melatonin levels and reduce nighttime sleep disturbances in adults.

• Breath awareness and regulation are an integral part of yoga. Deep breathing is a relaxation technique that can induce sleep.
• Regular exercise. Frequent movement is an important element of sleep hygiene. Moderate exercise several times a week can improve overall sleep.

4- Elevates mood
Countless studies have shown all the wonderful benefits yoga has on your mood. One study found that daily practice significantly raised serotonin levels while simultaneously decreasing stress-induced cortisol levels. Being physically active is known to help increase happiness. Yoga is especially beneficial because of its calm, gentle nature.  

5- Increases self-compassion
Experiencing an increase of positive emotions not only increases self-esteem, but fosters a newfound sense of compassion for yourself and others. Practiced mindfully and intentionally, yoga can help us cultivate self-compassion. Because of its nature as a holistic approach to well-being designed to raise the energetic vibration of the practitioner, yoga is well-suited as a space for practicing and experiencing self-compassion.

So get on your mat today!  Join me for a class soon.

I often hear from my yoga students that they have a hard time with the breathing aspect of yoga, especially as they get older.  Building awareness around the breath is a very important component of any yoga practice.  There are so many benefits to developing proper breathing technique while in movement, while holding postures as well as in savasana, our final relaxation. Building breath awareness in yoga transfers to our everyday life, and can serve as a tool for dealing with anxiety, stress, sleeplessness and more.

When I am leading a class, my cues usually include an “inhale” or an “exhale”.  Generally, the inhales occur when the body is opening up, and the exhales, when there is a folding, twisting or releasing motion.  We strive to match the length of our inhales with the time it takes to open up, and the length of the exhales with the time it takes to come into the fold, twist or release.  There is a certain cadence, a rhythm that we want to establish where our inhales and our exhales become even in duration.  If you are not able to keep up with your yoga teacher’s cues, don’t worry about it!  Just do your best to focus on your breath. 
​ 
Awareness of the breath keeps us grounded and present. In yoga, breathing through the nose is preferable.  The nose has a natural filtration system, and it also slows the flow of air, which has a calming effect on the nervous system.  The three qualities we want to cultivate in our breath are smooth, slow and steady.  When we notice that our breath is jagged, interrupted or even held, we know we are going beyond our edge, most likely forcing too much, and risking injury.  Let the breath be your guide. After all, it is what makes yoga yoga!

At the end of each of my classes, I say “Remember that self-acceptance is the highest practice in yoga.”  I truly believe that self-acceptance is the foundation to accepting our strengths along with our limitations both on and off the mat, and the foundation to self-love.  Developing this quality takes time, honest introspection, courage and inner strength.  For most of us, it is a work in progress.

In order to move towards the ultimate goal of self-acceptance, here are a few reminders:

1. You do not have to fit into a mold that society deems acceptable.  If your self-worth is constantly dependent on other people’s reactions and opinions of you, you are stepping away from your authentic self, perhaps changing who you are to fit that mold.
2. Recognize that as a human being, you are less than perfect. Commit to accepting yourself as you are, without judgment.
3. In your yoga practice:  Refrain from judging yourself for how often you practice, how much or how little you challenge yourself or how strong or how flexible you are.  Honor yourself for showing up on your mat!
4. Self-acceptance does not mean liking or celebrating those things about yourself that you know need improvement. Rather, it is the first step toward making the necessary changes to improve yourself.

In conclusion, loving yourself unconditionally, as you are today, is the ultimate act of self-acceptance.