Rachel Ishiguro Yoga

Rachel Ishiguro Yoga Rachel (she/her) is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT) in San Diego. She teaches people with chroni

I'm a C-IAYT certified yoga therapist who supports people with chronic pain and other health conditions to reduce symptoms and thrive. My work focuses on improving movement patterns, building mindful awareness and a loving (re)connection to the body, and nurturing rest. I support my clients to:
- Reduce chronic pain and tension
- Become more responsive and resilient under stress
- Recover from or

adapt to illness or injury
- Get more restful sleep
- Return to activities that are important to them
- Improve their strength, stability, and ease of movement
- Improve their energy and wellbeing

For more information, visit rachelishiguroyoga.com or book your free online consultation at rachelishiguroyoga.as.me/FREEconsultation.

09/04/2026

Viparita Karani, or Legs-up-the-Wall Pose, is a great yoga posture to know about if you're having trouble unwinding at the end of the day. For some people, regular practice of this pose can be one component of an evening routine that promotes better quality sleep.

Viparita Karani is not for everyone, but if you think this pose might work well for you, it's good to know some variations:
🌙 Elevate your hips on a bolster, pillow, folded blanket, or other support.
🌙 Use a rolled blanket or towel under the back of your neck.
🌙 Place a block between your thighs, and fasten a strap around the outside of your legs. Feel free to substitute other objects - tissue box and scarf, folded blanket and dog leash, etc.
🌙 Get someone to wrap your feet and lower legs in a blanket, or place a blanket or another object on your feet to provide some weight for grounding.
🌙 Place a folded blanket or pillow across your abdomen to provide weight for grounding.
🌙 Use just about anything to elevate your legs. Turn around in bed and use your headboard. Place your legs up on a chair or couch. Use pillows to rest your lower legs on. Look for the most comfortable variation that works for you!

Practice for 5-10 minutes in the evening, or longer if it feels good, and notice how you feel before, during and after.

Share in the comments if you practice this pose. What does it do for you?

September often pulls us back into routines: school schedules, fuller work weeks, calendars that fill in fast. Gentle Yo...
09/02/2026

September often pulls us back into routines: school schedules, fuller work weeks, calendars that fill in fast. Gentle Yoga offers a dedicated hour each week to slow down, reconnect, and care for yourself.

Join me on Wednesdays for a nourishing practice that combines meditation, gentle movement, breath awareness, and restorative poses to support your body and mind.

🗓 Wednesdays in September
⏰ 10:00–11:00am PT on Zoom
✨ Recordings included

Whether you're settling into a new season or still catching your breath from summer, you're welcome exactly as you are.

👉 Registration link in bio.

08/29/2026

Standing warmth, no floor required.

This practice builds a little heat while staying grounded, without forcing or overdoing it. The whole thing is done standing with a chair instead of the floor, which helps if getting down to the floor is difficult, if weight bearing in your hands is painful, or if you just want a different way into some classic postures. No mat, no problem. (Hello, office yoga.)

Try it if you:
💧 Are dealing with cold weather or aggressive air conditioning
⛰️ Tend to run cold
💧 Feel sluggish, lonely, or isolated
⛰️ Know you have a lot of Kapha (or Vata) in your constitution

A note: if you tend to overheat, or it's very hot where you are, save this one for another day.

Full practice is on my YouTube channel. Link in bio.

Let's take a look at Kapha Dosha. Kapha combines the water & earth elements. As such, it has the gunas/ qualities: oily,...
08/28/2026

Let's take a look at Kapha Dosha. Kapha combines the water & earth elements. As such, it has the gunas/ qualities: oily, cool, heavy, slow, smooth, soft, stable, dense, cloudy, and obvious.

Kapha Dosha is all about stability, cohesion, and growth. When Kapha types are in balance, they have strong, healthy tissues, good digestion, and deep sleep. Mentally, they are calm, patient, and content. The stability inherent in this dosha can support loyalty and a good memory.

If you have a lot of Kapha Dosha in your constitution, you may find that you feel out of sorts in the late winter and early spring, especially if the weather is wet: rainy, muddy, foggy. The Kapha hours of the day are 6-10 in both morning and evening. Kapha’s heavy quality is good for sleep, which is why Ayurveda recommends falling asleep DURING the Kapha hours (by 10pm) and waking BEFORE the Kapha hours (before 6am).

Kapha imbalance can cause some of the Kapha characteristics to become extreme. For example, you might sleep too much, or feel lethargic or brain fogged. Your digestion & metabolism may slow, causing bloating or weight gain. Stubbornness & unhealthy attachment may show up, and possibly even depression.

We can adjust our yoga practice to help balance Kapha dosha. This is a good idea if you have a lot of these qualities in your nature, or for anyone during spring or prolonged periods of wet, muddy, or foggy weather.

Some ideas:
💧 Kapha benefits from a more vigorous practice, but may struggle to get started. A practice that gradually builds to a flowing or other more movement oriented style works best. Be active, but don’t overdo.
⛰️ Activate many levels of your practice: use movement, breath, senses, imagination, emotions.
💧 Morning is the best time for Kapha folks to practice.
⛰️ Focus on three-dimensional ribcage breathing, warming breathwork, and the exhale phase of the breath.
💧 Try standing or walking meditation, or consider meditating with your eyes open.

For practices to support Kapha Dosha, use the link in my bio to check out my YouTube channel.

If you have a lot of Vata Dosha in your constitution, you may find that you feel out of sorts in the fall or winter. Vat...
08/19/2026

If you have a lot of Vata Dosha in your constitution, you may find that you feel out of sorts in the fall or winter. Vata can also be high in the early morning (2am to 6am) so if you struggle with wakefulness during this time, it's worth considering. Finally, trauma aggravates Vata, and we see higher Vata during menstruation & post-menopause (later in life in general).

Vata Dosha combines the air & ether elements, and has the gunas/ qualities: dry, light, cold, rough, subtle, mobile, and clear. Vata can get a bad rap, but it governs movement of all kinds, and as such, plays a key role in maintaining life. We need it for nervous system & digestive function, elimination of wastes, and much more.

When Vata Dosha is balanced, expect a creative, flexible mind, energy & enthusiasm, and clear communication. Balanced Vata supports quality sleep, good digestion & circulation, and agile movement.

With Vata imbalance, look for anxiety, restlessness, and poor focus, as well as distrupted sleep. In the body, dry skin, gas/ constipation, and pain may occur. You may also be prone to weight loss or cold sensitivity.

We can adjust our yoga practice to help balance Vata. This is a good idea if you have a lot of these qualities in your nature, or for anyone during dry, cold, and windy weather.

Some ideas:
💨 Find a steady, consistent pace. Vata needs to slow down, but not so much that the restlessness becomes unbearable. A slow flow often works well because it helps warm the body.
💨 Practice daily, at the same time of day, and use a set sequence.
💨 Focus on grounding & softening into your connection to the earth.
💨 Breathe into your low belly/ pelvic bowl, or down into the legs/ feet. Focus on the nourishing inhalation or warming pranayama.
💨 Standing & seated postures, forward folds, and focus on the hips can help Vata find balance.
💨 Use guided meditation such as Yoga Nidra to help with focus & nervous system regulation. Mantra meditation/ chanting can also work well for Vata Dosha.

For some Vata practices, check out my YouTube channel through the link in my bio.

#

One thing I've found really useful in the Ayurvedic "map" of the doshas is the way it recognizes both YOU as a unique in...
08/17/2026

One thing I've found really useful in the Ayurvedic "map" of the doshas is the way it recognizes both YOU as a unique individual, and the way your circumstances affect health over your lifetime.

Western biological science is coming to a similar understanding with epigenetics, as we learn more about how our circumstances can affect how our genes (our innate nature) express.

In Ayurvedic terms, your innate nature—unchangeable and present from conception—is known as Prakriti. In terms of the doshas, this is your own unique blend of the three types. This describes your tendencies, or the ways in which you are most likely to get "out of balance".

Since we all have our own unique blend of these constitutional types, and we are ALSO affected by our environments and life circumstances, it can be hard to figure out Prakriti sometimes. There are lots of quizzes available, but you'll probably get the best understanding by working with a licensed Ayurvedic practitioner over time.

Knowing your Prakriti could be helpful. It can:
🎯 Give insight into how we respond to weather and seasonal change
🎯 Give insight into what might underlie certain symptoms
🎯 Help us understand PREVENTION - how to approach food, lifestyle, and yoga practice in order to best support our own health and wellbeing.

Regardless of whether you know the balance of types in your constitution, you can absolutely work with the qualities (gunas) that are showing up at any given time to help you move towards health.

As you read over the ideas I'm sharing this month, if you recognize certain tendencies, try out the yoga practices I'm suggesting and see if anything changes for you. Please share your questions and let me know what you notice in the comments.

08/14/2026

Ever notice that the more overwhelmed you are, the harder it is to relax? You finally sit down, and your mind picks that exact moment to start racing.

That's not a willpower problem. When your nervous system has been running hot for a while, it isn't quite ready for stillness yet, even when rest is what you need most.

So we start with a little movement instead. Slower, gentler, focused on getting grounded. Reconnect with your breath first, and the quiet has somewhere soft to land.

New grounding practice for vata is up on YouTube whenever you're ready for it. Link in bio.

If you have a lot of Pitta Dosha in your constitution, you may find that you feel particularly out of sorts in the summe...
08/12/2026

If you have a lot of Pitta Dosha in your constitution, you may find that you feel particularly out of sorts in the summer months. This is because summer can aggravate a lot of Pitta qualities.

Pitta Dosha combines the fire and water elements, and has the gunas/ qualities: oily, sharp, hot, light, flesh smelling, spreading, and liquid. It governs digestion: of food, ideas, and experiences.

When Pitta Dosha is balanced, you might see things like good hunger, digestion, and metabolism; well regulated body temperature; and good vision. In the mind, well-balanced Pitta can be seen as intelligence & curiosity, ambition, and courage.

When Pitta Dosha is aggravated, it can cause a number of issues. Some signs to look for in the body include inflammation, rashes, and digestive issues such as reflux & ulcers. You might also have difficulty regulating your body temperature, leading to feeling overheated, excess sweating, and body odor.

Mentally, you might notice restlessness. You might be irritable or impatient, demanding, or critical of yourself or others. Pitta folks tend to be quite driven, meaning that they may experience burnout.

We can adjust our yoga practice to help balance Pitta. This is a good idea if you have a lot of these qualities in your nature, or for anyone during hot weather.

Some ideas:
🔥 Slow down. Focus on cooling/ relaxing.
💧 Cultivate a non-competitive approach. Focus on self-reflection, rather than comparison or external standards.
🔥 Practice during cooler times of day.
💧 To vent heat from the body, practice poses that make space in the groin & armpits, and have straight legs. Twists and calming postures like Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall) can be helpful.
🔥 Focus on slow, rhythmic breathing, work with lengthening the exhale, or do explicitly cooling pranayama/ breathwork.
💧 Use cooling/ calming mantras & meditation. Ex. use water or moonlight imagery in meditation, Metta/ Loving Kindness, or Yoga Nidra.

For some Pitta practices, check out my YouTube channel through the link in my bio.

August has a way of feeling both full and fleeting. Before the season slips by, take an hour each week to slow down and ...
08/05/2026

August has a way of feeling both full and fleeting. Before the season slips by, take an hour each week to slow down and reconnect with yourself.

Join me on Wednesdays for a gentle, supportive practice that includes mindful movement, breathwork, meditation, and restorative poses to help you feel more grounded and refreshed.

🗓 Wednesdays in August
⏰ 10:00–11:00am PT on Zoom
✨ Recordings included

No experience is needed. Come as you are, move at your own pace, and leave feeling restored.

👉 Registration link in bio.

If you've heard anything about Ayurveda, the "science of life" and yoga's companion health science, you've probably hear...
08/04/2026

If you've heard anything about Ayurveda, the "science of life" and yoga's companion health science, you've probably heard about the doshas.

Doshas are often presented almost like a personality quiz in Western yoga culture, but they're more nuanced than that. If you've been following me for a while, you may remember that we talked about gunas or qualities a few months ago. One way to think about doshas is that they represent clusters of these qualities that can go out of balance together.

As a tool for managing health, doshas give us one of many possible maps to understand how & why we can get "unbalanced" and develop disease symptoms. Importantly, they can also help us create balance to improve health and wellbeing!

The 3 doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

✨ Doshas are made up of basic elements: Vata is air & ether; Pitta is water & fire; Kapha is water & earth.

✨ In terms of gunas, or qualities:
Vata is cold, light, dry, rough, subtle, mobile, and clear.
Pitta is hot, sharp, oily, light, liquid, spreading, and flesh-smelling.
Kapha is heavy, slow, cold, oily, smooth, soft, stable, obvious, and cloudy.

✨ Doshas can convey both strengths and weaknesses. They are neither good nor bad, they just describe tendencies. When out of balance, they can create unpleasant symptoms and eventually disease.

✨ Doshas are part of our innate nature (prakriti). Each of us is born with a unique blend of all 3 doshas.

✨ Doshas also are affected by changing factors throughout our lives (vikriti), which means that your unique mix of doshas is going to be constantly in flux. This can be influenced by factors such as time (of day, year, life), weather, food, sleep, activities, and other life circumstances.

Including an understanding of Ayurveda in our therapeutic yoga practice can help us understand how to move towards balance. I'll be sharing more information about doshas from a yoga therapy perspective all month.

Address

3517 Del Rey Street, Suite 108
San Diego, CA
92109

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 3pm
5:30pm - 7pm
Tuesday 9am - 3pm
Wednesday 9am - 3pm
5:30pm - 7pm
Sunday 9am - 3pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Rachel Ishiguro Yoga posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Rachel Ishiguro Yoga:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category