Tag: stress

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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Simple and Effective Breathing Techniques

Many people find the active lifestyle that they lead causes tension and irritability. Lack of sleep, multi tasking and eating fast foods is a contributor to building up stress and toxins in our bodies. When daily activities begin to take a toll, the emotions begin to become affected. Reactions may not be well thought out; people become much less pro active.
By taking a few simple breaths these symptoms and stressors will dissipate. One easy and attainable breathing technique to use is called 3 Part Breath. To access this breath, simply find an easy seated position. Sit evenly on both sits bones and lift the spine through first the heart and then the crown of the head. Create space between the vertebrae. Relax the chin so its level with the earth. Sink back into the tail bone while releasing pressure on the lower back.
Now, begin to focus on the simple sound of the breath. Soften the any areas that are holding tension, feeling any habitual tension drain into the earth. Breathe through the belly, through the chest, to the top of the lungs feeling breath up through the crown of the head. Slowly release, reversing the flow through the nose, through the throat, the chest and begin to squeeze out through the upper abdominals, coming to no breath. Squeeze out any tidal volume of remaining CO2. If comfortable, pause without breath. Utilizing the pelvic floor muscles, feel the breath again rise inhaling through the nose, the belly, the chest and pause at the top of the breath. Then slowly release. Continue this pattern as long as is enjoyable, listening to the sound of breath and letting go.
Three part breath can be practiced during any activity, and brings our awareness to situations or thought patterns that disconnect us from full breathing, even while driving. As few as three breaths can make a measurable difference. As this breath becomes more natural, more awareness will begin to come into view. This will enlighten and call attention to when the breath is retained, and then can be released. We are simply energetic beings down to our very atom. It is stated that within two years almost every cell in our body will be replaced. Through connection to breath we begin to realize that we are mind, body, and spirit are it is all interconnected.

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