I sit with a conscious effort to draw my senses away from what's going on outside. I start to notice other places in my body. I notice my breath, my legs, my back . . . occasionally, I feel as if I am one solid unit. My mind and body are not separate. The world goes on around me. Phones ring, cats want to be fed, the neighbor's music is too loud. I remain aware of the outside world but take on a detachment from it by directing my attention inward.
I like to think stillness like this is similar to sitting by a stream in the woods. If I sit quietly and for a long enough time, animals come out to where I can watch them. Sitting with my focus turned inward, if I sit quietly and for a long enough time, my thoughts come out.
I watch my thoughts come and go, without attachment, without fear, without love. They are my thoughts, yes. But they are not me. They are imprints of experiences left in my mind or anticipation of events to come. Full of details. My Self exists in the present where there are no details.
Cooling and Quieting Moon Salutation Sequence
There are many variations of Moon Salutations. This sequence is a simple one that is suitable for all levels.
Start with Mountain pose (top center) and follow the sequence around clockwise back to the top and then repeat going counter clockwise and back to the top.
Standing Mountain Pose — Tadasana
Side Bend/Half Moon — Urdhva Hastasana
Goddess Squat — Utkata Konasana
Five Pointed Star Pose
Extended Triangle Pose — Utthita Trikonasana
Pyramid Pose — Parsvottanasana
Low Crescent Lunge — Anjaneyasana
Low Side Lunge
Garland Pose — Malasana
Low Side Lunge
Low Crescent Lunge — Anjaneyasana
Pyramid Pose — Parsvottanasana
Extended Triangle Pose — Utthita Trikonasana
Five Pointed Star Pose
Goddess Squat — Utkata Konasana
Upward Salute Side Bend/Half Moon — Urdhva Hastasana
Standing Mountain Pose — Tadasana
How much flexibility do you need to do yoga?
You don't have to be flexible to start a yoga practice. Yoga is there to help you get flexible. I've seen students, who started out stiff, gain flexibly over several months of regular practice. Will these students ever become ultra-flexible? Probably not. Most people who practice yoga have average flexibility.
If you ever felt you were “too stiff” for yoga, it’s time to put that aside and check it out for yourself. Here are some tips for dealing with tight bodies doing yoga.
Don’t be afraid to use props: Props are your best friends. Sitting on a blanket will help lift your hips, giving you more space between the seat and the floor, so those with tight hamstrings can sit comfortably with a straight and relaxed back. Use a block to bring the floor up to you. When you can't touch the floor in a standing pose, the block helps keep you aligned properly so you don't have to strain. With the use of a prop, you can comfortably stay in the pose long enough to get the benefit from the stretch.
Fold carefully: For those with tight hamstrings, any sort of forward fold will cause the short muscles to pull the pelvis down and the lower back will round. This can strain the lower back more than it stretches the hamstrings. Use of a belt or a block will help you keep a longer spine and allow the fold to start from the hips, not the lower back. With consistent practice, you will start to fold more comfortably while keeping the natural curve of the spine.
Twist tenderly: Twisting is an excellent way to massage organs and improve thoracic spine mobility. For seated twists, if you find you lower back rounding when you sit on the floor, prop yourself up with a blanket or block so the lower back can lengthen comfortably. Use your breath by inhaling to extend the spine, then exhale into the twist. Engage your abs for lumbar stability. Make sure you twist from the mid-back rather than the pelvis, lower back, or shoulders. Keep hips level.
Work the core: Strong abdominal and spinal muscles mean a more stable and supported lower back and pelvis. Regardless of your flexibility, a strong core will take you so much further, making your yoga practice more enjoyable and may help reduce the risk of injury. Typically, athletes and serious exercisers tend to be the least flexible people in a yoga class, but may excel at poses that require good core strength like plank pose, boat pose or balancing poses. Yoga will help you develop a good balance between strength and flexibility.
Pay attention to your body: By focusing on the feeling in your body, you will know when you have moved past your edge. The discomfort you feel from stretching is okay, but you should never feel pain. If a pose is painful, come out of the pose. Also pay attention to your progress. Let your body and your breath lead you. Have confidence that your stiffness will dissolve with practice. You will enjoy the benefits of a body that can move comfortably in the day-to-day world, as well as on the yoga mat.
Gate Pose "Parighasana" (pahr-eee-GAHS-uh-nuh), stretches the side of the torso from the hips to the armpits, including the abdominal muscles, spine, and hamstrings. It opens the shoulders, and helps to reduce neck and shoulder tension.
This pose also stretches the intercostal muscles which connect the ribs. These muscles can get short and tight from sitting for a long time, which can restrict the movement of the ribcage and result in poor breathing habits. Stretching the intercostals may help to improve breathing capacity.
Remember:
Kneeling Gate Pose
Seated gate pose
This pose also stretches the intercostal muscles which connect the ribs. These muscles can get short and tight from sitting for a long time, which can restrict the movement of the ribcage and result in poor breathing habits. Stretching the intercostals may help to improve breathing capacity.
Remember:
- Keep the side of your torso aligned with the thigh of the extended leg.
- Keep your torso open and lifting. Do not let your chest or shoulders drop forward.
- Only bend as far as your comfort level allows. Even if that is just an inch or two, you will still gain the benefits of the pose.
- Kneel on your mat
- Extend one leg out to the side
- Line up the foot of the extended leg with the knee on the floor
- Keep the knee on the floor under the hip
- Press the heel of the extended leg into the floor and rotate the leg to turn your knee cap up.
- Inhale and reach the arm of the bent knee side up overhead
- Place the other arm down so the hand rests on the extended leg
- Exhale and lean sideways in the direction of the extended leg
- Keep the upper arm along side your head with the bicept resting by your ear
- Reach the fingers of the upper hand toward the toes
- Stay in the pose for 5-10 breaths.
- To come out, slowly lift the torso back to center, repeat on the other side
- Sit with legs out straight along the floor
- Bend one leg, keeping the leg on the floor, so the knee is off to the side and the heal rests near the pelvic floor
- Keep the other leg straight and swing it off to the side making a V shape with the legs
- Turn your torso so your shoulders are on the same plane as the straight leg
- Inhale and reach the arm of the bent knee side up overhead
- Place the other arm down so the hand rests on the straight leg
- Exhale and lean sideways in the direction of the straight leg
- Keep the upper arm along side your head with the bicept resting by your ear
- Reach the fingers of the upper hand toward the toes
- Stay in the pose for 5-10 breaths.
- To come out, slowly lift the torso back to center, repeat on the other side
The gift of being present.
“With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
This time of year, with the days growing shorter and the Holidays upon us, anxiety and depression can run high. There is a lot going on around us to cause distraction and stress.
Try turning your mind inward, focusing on your breath, and bringing awareness to your body. Do this in a quiet place. When you notice your mind starting to wander, let go of the attraction to the thought and return your attention to your breath. Every time you do this you are experiencing "presence".
You won’t be good at it at first. Your mind will wander, until you’re no longer in the present. That’s normal. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Don’t get discouraged. Just practice.
Practice it in the morning. Practice it while eating lunch. Practice while washing dishes or folding clothes.
The more often we can practice this in our day-to-day lives, the more positive our life becomes. Being present is about surrendering to what is, what's happening in the moment. Not the way we planned it, or the way we think it should be, or the way we want to control it, but allowing it to take us where it will.
I’m not saying don’t have goals or set plans — but goals change. Plans change. We must be prepared for that change, not with more planning, but by being in the moment. Remain neutral and aware, allow events to happen and keep moving forward.
We cannot stop ourselves from thinking about the past or the future. However, with practice, we can focus on the present more than we already do.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
This time of year, with the days growing shorter and the Holidays upon us, anxiety and depression can run high. There is a lot going on around us to cause distraction and stress.
Try turning your mind inward, focusing on your breath, and bringing awareness to your body. Do this in a quiet place. When you notice your mind starting to wander, let go of the attraction to the thought and return your attention to your breath. Every time you do this you are experiencing "presence".
You won’t be good at it at first. Your mind will wander, until you’re no longer in the present. That’s normal. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Don’t get discouraged. Just practice.
Practice it in the morning. Practice it while eating lunch. Practice while washing dishes or folding clothes.
The more often we can practice this in our day-to-day lives, the more positive our life becomes. Being present is about surrendering to what is, what's happening in the moment. Not the way we planned it, or the way we think it should be, or the way we want to control it, but allowing it to take us where it will.
I’m not saying don’t have goals or set plans — but goals change. Plans change. We must be prepared for that change, not with more planning, but by being in the moment. Remain neutral and aware, allow events to happen and keep moving forward.
We cannot stop ourselves from thinking about the past or the future. However, with practice, we can focus on the present more than we already do.
Giving thanks for santosha
Thanksgiving is a day we use to express our gratitude for many things, including our family, our freedom, health and security. We may be fortunate enough to be blessed with goodness in all those aspects of our lives. But, for thousands of people who are not fortunate enough, their gratitude may lie elsewhere. Perhaps they are thankful for the meal they get today, some money they earned to hold them over to next week or for a happy moment with their children. Everyone can find happiness by choosing to be grateful for what they have in the present moment.
Yoga has reaffirmed for me that gratitude goes beyond material things. This is a concept I try to work on everyday, expressing gratitude for the moments, for the energy in my body, for the breath that gives me life, and for my connection to something greater.
In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali describes the second nyama as santosha, or contentment. Santosha serves to remind us that being content is a good way to find a fuller, more peaceful life. Santosha can be realized by expressing self-love and gratefulness in every moment. So, let's be grateful for all the things that make us content, and content with whatever comes our way.
Yoga has reaffirmed for me that gratitude goes beyond material things. This is a concept I try to work on everyday, expressing gratitude for the moments, for the energy in my body, for the breath that gives me life, and for my connection to something greater.
In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali describes the second nyama as santosha, or contentment. Santosha serves to remind us that being content is a good way to find a fuller, more peaceful life. Santosha can be realized by expressing self-love and gratefulness in every moment. So, let's be grateful for all the things that make us content, and content with whatever comes our way.
Balancing Act
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. hospitals have 300,000 admissions for broken hips each year, and falling is often the cause.
In addition to an exercise regiment that incorporates strength, stretching and endurance exercises, don't forget to include exercises for balance.
Balance exercises will help you avoid problems, and disabilities that result from falling, as you get older.
To improve your balance, practice this balancing posture five days a week. Be sure to breathe as you steady yourself. Start by standing with your feet hip width apart and place your arms at your side, palms out. Ground your feet into the floor and shift your weight to your right foot. Tighten your right thigh. Place one hand on a nearby chair or wall for stability, if needed. Bend your left knee so the left big toe rests on the floor. Pivot your left knee off to the side so the sole of your left foot rests against your right ankle. If your balance feels stable, try bringing the foot higher, up toward your thigh. If your balance is not stable, leave your toe on the floor. Inhale and bring your arms up over head. Let your eyes rest on a stationary spot, relax your face, relax your shoulders and relax your breath. Remain in this position for 5 - 10 breaths. Repeat on the other side.
In addition to an exercise regiment that incorporates strength, stretching and endurance exercises, don't forget to include exercises for balance.
Balance exercises will help you avoid problems, and disabilities that result from falling, as you get older.
To improve your balance, practice this balancing posture five days a week. Be sure to breathe as you steady yourself. Start by standing with your feet hip width apart and place your arms at your side, palms out. Ground your feet into the floor and shift your weight to your right foot. Tighten your right thigh. Place one hand on a nearby chair or wall for stability, if needed. Bend your left knee so the left big toe rests on the floor. Pivot your left knee off to the side so the sole of your left foot rests against your right ankle. If your balance feels stable, try bringing the foot higher, up toward your thigh. If your balance is not stable, leave your toe on the floor. Inhale and bring your arms up over head. Let your eyes rest on a stationary spot, relax your face, relax your shoulders and relax your breath. Remain in this position for 5 - 10 breaths. Repeat on the other side.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)