Public Videos
Public Videos on Youtube:
Welcome to Yoga with Megan! This video library is intended to teach, simplify and encourage a yoga practice for everyone from anywhere. Carve out self-care space – 10 minutes or an entire hour – and decide what type of practice you need. Some options: Restorative or Yin Yoga to heal and replenish your energy (a relaxing alternative to seated meditation), Somatic Yoga for therapeutic movement to enhance the body-brain connection, or a slow flow class to create heat and improve balance, strength and mental focus.
This is only a partial list of public videos. Visit Yoga with Megan MacCarthy on YouTube for all my videos. Please share your comments, let me know if your home practice needs are being met and if there is a particular practice you would like to see.
Free Video Practices for Home:
Somatic Yoga
- Somatic Yoga to Balance and Stabilize the Sacrum
- Somatic Yoga: Body Prayer for the Lower Body
- Somatic Yoga to Awaken the Body
- Somatic Yoga for Neck and Shoulders
- Somatic Yoga Core Facilitation
- Somatic Yoga: Cross Body Balance
- Somatic Neck and Shoulder Release
Meditation, Restorative and Yin
- A practice to ground/nurture the body and calm the mind
- Legs up the Wall Restorative Postures
- Yin Yoga for the Shoulders
- Yin Yoga for Digestion
- Restorative Backbend to Energize
- Restorative Side Bend for Respiration
- Restorative Forward Fold to Calm
Learn, Stretch and Strengthen with Hatha and Vinyasa
- Yoga Fundamentals: Warrior Series
- Yoga to Stretch/Strengthen the Shoulders, Arms and Hands
- Yoga Focus: Feet, Ankles and Legs
- Salutation with Lunge – strengthen legs and hips, build heat and expand the heart
- Psoas Release
- Pitta Vata Pacifying Yoga Practice
- Awaken and Strengthen the Pelvis
- Strengthen and Stretch the Hip Flexors
- Tension Relief for Neck and Shoulders
- Side Plank at the wall
- Hip Openers in a Chair
Chair and Wall Yoga (great to do at work!)
Relaxation Pose Pick: Supported Shoulder Stand
Restorative inversions are particularly relaxing with supported shoulder stand (Viparita Karani) being a favorite due to its adaptability. All you need is a wall, headboard or even a chair to place the legs on. The yoga bolsters under the sacrum in the photo can easily be replaced with bed pillows and/or folded blankets.
Take 20 minutes to do the Legs Up the Wall Restorative video on YouTube!
Some of the benefits of supported shoulder stand include:
- Aids in return of the blood to the lungs for oxygenation by raising the feet, legs and pelvis higher than the head. Blood pressure decreases and the heart gets to rest.
- Gravity assists the downward movement of lymph. Since the lymphatic system, which is part of the bodies immune system, does not have central pump, going upside down encourages the one way valves of the lymph system to clear the lower extremities.
- By tilting the chin slightly toward the chest, the spongy thyroid gland is gently squeezed and receives fresh new blood when the pose is released. This little butterfly shaped gland regulates our metabolism.
- With the head slightly below the heart and the forward tilt in the chin, the nervous system is told to relax. Baroreceptors are like tiny little command centers that detect blood flow in your neck. If they feel your blood flow increase, they send signals to the heart to relax. If you want more on the baroreceptors and inversions, visit this blog on Yoga for Heathy Aging.
- Overall, supported shoulder stand is one of the most beneficial poses for heart health. Physically and energetically, making the heart the home for awareness is like giving your spirit or soul self a chance to reboot.
