Guest Author - Martha McKinnon

A review of the August 2008 Issue of Fit Yoga magazine

Looking for a shot of yoga centric inspiration and education, I just picked up the August issue of Fit Yoga magazine. Edited by Rita Trieger, author of one of my favorite yoga books - Yoga Heals Your Back - Fit Yoga's tag line is 'Your path to a strong body, a stress-free mind, a calm heart.' It's a user friendly, fun, informative magazine that reports on yoga in our modern world.

Here's a recap of this month's Fit Yoga Magazine's highlights:

Happy Feet
The importance of proper foot alignment in all poses, not just standing poses, is explored. Instructions for finding proper foot alignment in several basic poses is discussed in detail. If you are in need of some great exercises to stretch, strengthen, and improve the circulation of your feet you will definitely want to read this article.

In Each Other We Trust
Have you heard of Flying Yoga? Neither had I. Flying Yoga is a form of acroyoga for partners where one person is on the ground providing support and lifting the partner in the air in various positions. Participants describe it as freeing, relaxing, awakening, and deeply connecting. It requires you to stay present and tune in to your partner and sounds like a fun way to stretch beyond your comfort zone in a safe supported way.

Light on Iyengar
A fifteen-year student of Iyengar yoga provides insight into this popular form of yoga developed decades ago by 90-year-old BKS Iyengar. It is a rigorous, vigorous, alignment focused yoga that often uses props such as chairs, straps, blocks, bolsters, and sandbags to help your achieve the benefits of optimal alignment. There's also a moving tribute to Mary Dunn, a US pioneer of Iyengar yoga since 1974. If you want to give Iyengar yoga a try three pose sequences of varying difficulty and intensity are provided.

Your Very Own Yoga
Master Yoga Teacher, Erich Schiffman's style of 'freedom yoga' where you are encouraged to make yoga your own by practicing using your inner intuition instead of set routines is explored. Although it may feel awkward at first, and even sound a little off-beat, it's a playful way to practice yoga once you begin to trust yourself and learn to listen within. I try to attend a workshop with Erich at least once a year and love his non-dogmatic approach to yoga.

This information packed issue also includes several more articles, columns, product, DVD, and CD reviews, and even a few healthy recipes I hope to try. If you are looking for inspiration to keep your yoga practice fresh pick up a copy of Fit Yoga this month. I'd love to hear what you think.