Tag: health

Lisa’s Asana 101 | Goddess Pose

5 Minutes 4 Positive Change | Lisa’s Asana 101

Goddess Pose
Sanskrit: High Malasana Squat or Utkata konasana
Benefits: Opens the hips and chest; strengthens the lower body; tones the lower body; stimulates the cardiovascular and respiratory systems
Lisa's Asana 101 Goddess Pose

Lisa in Goddess Pose

According to Sally Kempton, popular journalist on Yoga Journal, in Indian lore, Parvati comes onto the stage of mythology as a young maiden, the daughter of the mountain king Himalaya. She’s fiercely independent, and with good reason: Parvati is the incarnate form of the primordial shakti, the divine feminine power in its absolute form.

Shakti energy is one of the most important aspects of my practice as a Yogini. I utilize this posture often in my classes I teach to invoke fire energy and increase Tapas.

Goddess Pose

To start, please begin in Warrior 11 Virabhdrasana Vri.

Inhale and turn your feet to face the side of the mat, heels in, toes out, feet twice as wide as the hips.Use root lock on the inhale, Mula Bandha. Use upper abdominal lock on the exhale, Udyana Bandha.

Exhale and take Goddess Squat, stacking the knees above the ankles. hold the posture for 5-15 breaths.

Chandrasana~ Lunar Goddess Flow

Inhale and straighten the legs as you bring your arms out and up, palms facing forward, until thumbs touch overhead

Exhale as you come back into the asana

Repeat this flow, linking your pose with your breath at least 1- 2 minutes to build heat.

 

Suryasana~ Solar Goddess Flow

At the top pf the breath, inhale fully

Then as you exhale, bring your arms out and down as you fold from the hips scooping the arms on the earth

Inhale and lift to rise up lifting arms out and up overhead touching thumbs at top, reaching for the sun

Exhale and scoop arms out and down reaching for the Earth below.

Continue this flow, focusing on utilizing your fullest range of motion, sweeping the arms like a beautiful sun.

After 1-2 minutes return to Warrior 11. Focus over front fingertips. Inhale and expand in all directions

Exhale and sink into the hips, releasing tension at the shoulders into the Earth below.

Inhale and lift back heel turning it to 6 O’Clock, exhale pushing off back ball of foot and step to Mountain pose.

Bring hands to heart center. Honor your practice, finding peace, tranquility and deep release.

Namaste.

 

 

 

 

See the full article by Sally Kempton here

 

 

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Lisa’s Asana 101 | Bakasana | Crane | Crow

 

~5 MINUTES 4 POSITIVE CHANGE~

Crane Pose
Sanskrit: Bakasana
Benefits: Crane pose strengthens the arms and wrists, stretches the upper back, strengthens the core muscles, and opens the groin.

Lisa's Asana 101 | Bakasana | Crane or Crow

Lisa’s Asana 101
Just as I was a writing this I heard a very loud splat hit my window. I looked up as I saw some feathers float away. My hubby and I ran out to see what it was, and found a baby cardinal dazed and confused in the grass by my Four O Clocks.

My first reaction was to scoop him up so I did, just like a baby chick, holding down his wings. He squawked, then I began to talk to him and reassure him. I then felt Reiki energy giving him rest. He closed his eyes! He even began to slow his breathing down, as I walked around front and placed him back into his regular bush by my hummingbird feeder.

He gently walked onto the branch and is doing just fine!

What a little gift from above this Memorial Day.

When I first began to attempt this asana I would place folded blankets in front of me as a ‘crash pad’. Another prop we often use in class is setting two cork blocks end to end in the center of the mat. Come onto your hands and look up, bringing your knees all the way up to the back of your triceps or hug your knees around your arms as close to the underarms as possible. Step your toes up onto the blocks and lift up the belly.

Utilizing upper abdominal lock, Udhyana Bandha, is essential to get the lift you will need to fly! Practice lifting one foot and point the toes, then the other. Eventually you will lift both and take flight! This arm balance is very attainable. It may take you months or years, or may come easy.

I encourage you to take flight as you continue to practice Bakasana. Fall, crash, but get up and try again! The rewards of this posture are amazing.

Namaste.
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