Rachel Schaeffer

We are constantly telling stories. The ones we tell ourselves are the most important because they shape and steer our lives.

On a typical day, I hear a whole range of questions in my head, and the answers usually aren't pretty.

In the season of joy and giving, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of giving to others while we neglect ourselves, turning the season into one of overwhelm and stress. Self-nurturing falls to the bottom of our to-do list, which can result in both personal suffering and the distress of those around us. Writer and yoga teacher Rachel Schaeffer shares how she learned self-love through the practice of yoga and how we might use it to re-create this holiday—and move loving ourselves to the top of our list.

The stories we tell ourselves shape our lives. Often these stories come in the form of negative questions we ask ourselves—and sometimes they’re downright cruel.

Rachel Schaeffer, a Kripalu Yoga teacher and author, describes the 12 spiritual muscles, and how to tone and strengthen them to experience your yoga practice in powerful new ways.

We spoke to three yoga teachers about how painting, dance, and writing, respectively, enhance their yoga teaching and practice.

Change is a fact of life. Even if we take no steps to improve our lives, we’ll still grow older. Time will march forward. The question is whether we’ll move...