Breathe Together Yoga Logo
Search
Close this search box.

Therapeutic Tip of the Month: January

Find out the restorative benefits of cow-face pose.
Picture of Joanne Varni

Joanne Varni

As an Amazon Associate, Breathe Together Yoga earns from qualifying purchases.

Gomukhasana Cowface Pose

At first glance, this posture doesn’t look like it’s doing much, but there’s a lot more happening than simply opening the hips. Gomukhasana, or cow-face pose, benefits digestion, and when you add the forward fold, it can release the upper back, lengthening and offering release to the lumbar spine. We typically feel the sensation in the hips, so if we’re not careful, we can put stress on the back that we don’t necessarily feel. If one finds themselves rounding in the back, then simply allow the back to rest in a rounding position and place some support (such as a blanket) under the hips. If the back and hips are more open, and one can hinge at the hips, the forward fold becomes more active and leading with the heart may be appropriate. If uncertain, be gentle with yourself!

Picture of Joanne Varni

Joanne Varni

Joanne's philosophy as a yoga teacher is to help people who seek personal empowerment feel connected to their bodies, quiet their mind, stimulate a healthy nervous system, and release tension in the body caused by stress, anxiety, or trauma. Her teaching technique uses a combination of breath work, meditation, gentle asanas, somatic yoga, and neurogenic tremoring. Additionally, Joanne specializes in helping those with trauma (including PTSD) and has attended and completed her Level II certification in TRE (Trauma/tension release exercises) with Dr. David Bercelli. She is also certified as TSY teacher (Trauma Sensitive Yoga) under the renowned guidance of trauma researcher and pioneer Dr. Bessel van der Kolk (The Trauma Center at JRI). Joanne teaches classes, workshops, teacher trainings, as well as running retreats locally and internationally. She also teaches Yoga for Trauma Recovery at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Jose, California and has voluntarily taught yoga to women incarcerated at the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas and the Center for Survivors of Torture in San Jose. Joanne is an ERYT500 and earned her 200 hour and 500 hour YA certification through Jennifer Prugh’s YA certified “JOY of Yoga” teacher training. She completed her Therapeutic Yoga teacher training with Cheri Clampett and Arturo Peal and her Yin Yoga Teacher training under Paul and Suzy Grilley. A twenty-year resident of Los Gatos, she enjoys spending time with her husband John, and children, Anthony, Steven, and Nicole.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Shine Your Way to Firefly | Izumi Sato

We aim to improve the flexibility of hamstrings and shoulders, as well as the strength in the arms, thigh adductors, and the core. Variations are offered to develop the sense of balance on the arms. It is an exploration of your own expression in Firefly, whatever stage of life you’re in.

Introduction to the Buddhist Mudras | Izumi Sato

Mudras are highly stylized and symbolized as non-verbal communication. In this introduction to the Buddhist mudras, we will learn five Buddhist mudras and the mudras of the five wisdoms, or five Buddhas. After learning the forms and meanings of the mudras, it’s fun to observe the arts such as Buddha sculptures and paintings.

Chanting Gayatri Mantra With Mudras | Izumi Sato

In this mantra, the 24 Mudras are practiced while chanting the Gayatri Mantra which has 24 syllables. Gayatri Mantra is dedicated to Savitri, a Vedic sun deity. Among various translations of the mantra, I introduce the first line by Tias Little and the rest of the lines by Swami Vivekananda.

How Mindfulness Can Help You Navigate Social Media

Now that social media has become an extension of our own communities, a lot of negative perspectives and habits have made their way from the digital world to our real one. By becoming aware of your emotions and actions, you can get past the bad side of social media and enjoy the company of your social circle.

Respiración | Abril Flores

Si eres un atleta, corredor, ciclista o simplemente te interesa mejorar tu capacidad de respiracion, esta tecnica es para ti.

Joy of Yin | Dana Schwartz

Discover JOY by following this slower paced, thoughtfully curated asana flow. This is my curated approach to moving into, staying in, and moving out of longer held poses to promote experiences of grace and peace. Incorporating slow movements that encourage your body to calm and open into receptivity. We’ll use props to assist the process of deepening the opening. I provide guidance through breath practices to enhance the overall Yin experience. Lastly, cues in each posture will serve to assist your breath in finding the calmest ports of call.