Betty Reyes Yoga

02/11/2025

Busy day and want to spend 15-20 minutes stretching!
Here is a short sequence of 6 postures (asanas) focused in lower back and hips.
Using props to support your upper and lower body always helps to stabilize your posture. Remember to always listen to your body, soften and stretch until feels comfortable.
Performing 5-8 breaths on each side of the posture helps to release and soften the hips and lower back.
You can find the full practice at the link in the bio.
Enjoy your practice and always be aware of your body.

Namaste

03/08/2024

Happy International Women's day!
For all those beautiful women who continue to inspire me every day with their dedication, love and strength.

10/26/2023

Today I celebrate another personal and professional accomplishment!!!!

I am very happy to have completed my RYS 300hr Yoga certification (Yoga Alliance). After a long commitment to myself, many hours of study and practice I can celebrate this great achievement.
I feel blessed to be able to share this new knowledge in other yoga disciplines, such as: Restorative, Yin, Prenatal, Adaptive among others, with my students.

Thanks to my instructors at My Vinyasa Practice for facilitating this certification in an effective, dynamic way, and despite being in a virtual format, the platform used helped me to navigate the course as if I were in person.

Thanks to my family for supporting me in this process, where they were long weekends committed to the videos and face-to-face trainings.

Today I continue to learn from professionals and my students, which leads me to continue in this task of searching for new trends.

"In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn". -Phil Collins

06/21/2023

Happy International Day of Yoga!
May your practice always be the guide for a better quality of life and strengthening your spirit, body and soul.
Congratulations to all of us who practice this beautiful way of life called "Yoga".

06/20/2023

It's amazing to see how the days and months go by so fast, where we find ourselves in a non-stop daily routine. That's why I wanted to take a break and decided to take some time for myself, leave a little bit aside the role of mom, or as I call it, "mommy taxi", social media, and get back to my routine.

I started to look for those things that I love and that I stopped doing for one reason or another and make them possible in my day to day life.
For me it starts with an early wake up, where I have time to breathe and appreciate my surroundings, with just 10 minutes of connecting with myself I start a fantastic day.
Then I make this connection again during the day, in the small breaks I have during different activities, I simply pause, take 5 deep breaths to channel all the energy and turn it into positive experiences.
That's where I see the great power of my breathing and meditation practices that help me to find myself again...

For other people, the way to reconnect may be to go for a run, walk their pet, do weights, pilates, go to the spa, etc.! What do you do for yourself? When do you take time for yourself?

03/02/2023

Long day at work?
Tired after a big hike, standing up for a long period of time or long run? Relax into Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall Pose) to refresh tired legs and calm your mind.

In fact, just 10 minutes of the exercise is considered helpful to calm the nervous system and lower stress and anxiety, if any. When blood circulation increases in the body, it elevates the venous drainage, relieves tension or fatigue from the legs, feet and even the hips.

Elevating a limb, especially the legs, above the heart allows the blood to circulate back to the heart without fighting gravity. The heart still pumps blood to these extremities, but the stress on the heart is reduced. This helps to mitigate swelling and brings fresh and oxygenated blood to the limbs.

Other benefits that we can explore with this pose are:
- Activates the relaxation response (parasympathetic nervous system) and
deactivates the stress response (sympathetic nervous system)
- Helps lower or regulate blood pressure
- Calms the mind (which may help alleviate anxiety symptoms)
- Can help you wind down for bed and improve sleep
- Helps alleviate tension headaches

And remember to always be mindful!
If you feel discomfort in your lower back, come out of the pose and try coming into Legs Up a Chair, which places even less pressure on your lower back. Or positioning a folded blanket under your pelvis and back makes this pose even more comfortable. Another variation would be using a band or belt to support your legs if you want to open them up a little bit wider. Just choose your preferred one and always do what feels good to your body.

Feel free to try any of these variations and enjoy!

03/01/2023

What do I love from winter?

Being someone that grew up in the tropics and hot weather, now winter had become a wonderful time of the year.

Foggy mornings, fluffy blankets, cold air and hot chocolate—there are so many things that are special about winter. Isn't it? The shorter days and longer nights, cold air and low humidity, and the quiet weather are all the things I’m enjoying during winter.
Time to reflect, pause and reunite with yourself.
But specially days like this, with a bright sun for a great start of the month, Welcome March!!!
And you, are you enjoying it?
Have a wonderful month

02/09/2023

One of my favorite sequences "Salute to the sun".
I have observed in my classes lately that some of my students are not able to do some of the postures that make up the Sun Salutation, and that is why I want to share 4 different sequences that can help you achieve this magnificent sequence.
The first one is by resting your elbows on the mat and then slowly stretching your legs to move into baby cobra. This may alleviate any discomfort with your shoulders or knees.
The second is modified Chaturanga, where you go from table top to slowly sliding into baby cobra.
Third sequence is using modified chaturanga to complete upper cobra.
And if you feel comfortable you can do the fourth phase, where you go from chaturanga to upper cobra.

It is important to keep in mind that each of us is different and you can adapt any sequence to your needs. No matter how others do it, just listen to your body and use your breath to move from one posture to another, you will see the difference.

Enjoy the practice!

02/02/2023

01/10/2023

Yoga classes are back in-person

I am so excited to be able to teach in-person classes again, and even more honored to be part of the volunteer team at the Kelowna YMCA (H2O Gordon Drive).
If you live in the area I invite you starting today Jan 12th every Tuesday from 10:30 to 11:45 am to experience reconnecting your body and mind through yoga.
See you at the studio....

12/22/2022

Winter Solstice

December 21st marks the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s the official start to winter, and the initiation of light returning to the sky as the days lengthen, bringing the promise of spring.

Winter Solstice is the great stillness before the Sun's strength builds, and days grow longer. It can be a time to rest and reflect.

You may want to take time to honor and acknowledge the endings & new beginnings in your life in a ceremony or personal ritual that both honors your past and clears space to make room for what you wish for the coming year.
Whatever you choose to do to mark the end of the year, the coming of the new, and the rebirth of the light— whether pausing in quiet reflection, or celebrating with community or family, know that all over our planet, there are many fires burning brightly!

I hope you all had a great holiday and the love and bright energy shines on you and your loved ones.