Asana Of The Month: Boat
- At January 05, 2021
- By Daniel
- In Asana
- 0
Boat Pose, also known as Full Boat Pose, is a continuation of Half Boat Pose. Boat Pose is a challenging balancing pose. Like other yoga balance poses, it is not uncommon to be able to do the Boat Pose one day and not the next. Like all yoga poses, being able to do a pose depends on the state of your mind and body. Fatigue and distractions can prevent you from doing a pose or poses you have done many times before. This is normal. Listen to your body.
English Name: Boat Pose
Sanskrit Name: Paripurna Navasana
Difficulty Level: 5
Start Position: Half Boat Pose
Instructions:
Step 1.
Starting in half boat pose, extend your legs while maintaining expended spine and balance.
Step 2.
Lengthen fingers beyond knees.
Step 3.
Hold for a few breaths and return to staff pose.
Physical Benefits:
- Builds core strength
- Strengthens legs, hips, groin, abdomen, and arms
- Improves balance and digestion
- Improves circulation
- Lengthens the spine
- Opens the chest and shoulders
- Improves posture
Mental Benefits
- Improves concentration
- Develops focus
Contraindications
- Neck or low back pain
- Neck or low back injury
- Low blood pressure
- Sore coccyx (tailbone)
Asana Of The Month: Half Boat
- At December 01, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Health & Wellness
- 0
Half Boat Pose is a relative simple balance pose that improves concentration and helps build core strength. For a more challenging pose try Full Boat Pose.
English Name: Half Boat Pose
Sanskrit Name: Ardha Navasana
Difficulty Level: 4
Start Position: Staff Pose
Instructions:
Step 1.
Bend your knees, lean back, and balance on sit bones.
Step 2.
Lift your feet so your shins are parallel to the floor.
Step 3.
Extend your arms parallel to the floor with your fingers reaching beyond your knees.
Step 4.
Hold for a few breaths and return to staff pose or precede into Full Boat Pose.
Physical Benefits:
- Builds core strength
- Strengthens legs, hips, groin, abdomen, and arms
- Improves balance and digestion
- Improves circulation
- Lengthens the spine
- Opens the chest and shoulders
- Improves posture
Mental Benefits
- Improves concentration
- Develops focus
Contraindications:
- Neck or low back pain
- Neck or low back injury
- Low blood pressure
- Sore coccyx (tailbone)
Asana Of The Month: Bridge
- At October 06, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Health & Wellness
- 0
Bridge pose and its many variations are core poses in many yoga classes from gentle to strenuous. Bridge pose helps improve flexibility, lung capacity, and mental alertness.
English Name: Bridge
Sanskrit Name: Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Difficulty Level: 4
Start Position: Reclining on Back or Corpse Pose
Instructions:
Step 1. Bend your knees, stepping feet on floor, with arms alongside your body.
Step 2. Press your feet into the floor, lifting hips; walk arms and shoulders towards each other.
Step 3. Place your hand on lower back or keep arms on the floor interlacing your fingers.
Step 4. Walk your feet below your knees and lift your chest towards your chin.
Physical Benefits
- Improves spine and shoulder flexibility
- Open the neck, chest and shoulders
- Stimulates your nervous system
- Aids digestion
- Increased lung capacity
- Reduces fatigue
- Reduces blood pressure
Mental Benefits
- Stimulates the mind
- Reduces stress
- Relieves mild anxiety and depression
Contraindications
- Neck injury
- Shoulder injury
- Wrist injury (omit Step 3)
Asana Of The Month: Wind Relieving Pose
- At September 01, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Health & Wellness
- 0
Wind Relieving Pose also know as Knees to Chest can help reduce bloating by helping to pass intestinal gas (flatulence). It helps stimulate digestion, relive mild low back pain, and stretches and massages the back and spine.
English Name: Wind Relieving Pose or Knees to Chest Pose
Sanskrit Name: Apanasana or Pavanamuktasana
Difficulty Level: 1
Start Position: Reclining on Back or Corpse Pose.
Instructions: Bring both knees into the chest and wrap arms around legs.
Physical Benefits
- Stretches the spine and shoulders
- Improved digestion
- Massages back and abdominal organs
- Low back pain relief
- Opens the hips
Mental Benefits
- Reduces anxiety and stress
- Calms the mind
Contraindications:
- Knee injury or pain
- Hernia
Asana Of The Month: Corpse Pose
- At August 04, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Books
- 0
Corpse pose is a simple relation pose performed before and after a yoga practice. But you can use Corpse pose to relax any time you feel anxious or stressed. In vigorous yoga classes, like vinyasa and hot yoga, Corpse pose allows the body to cool down while calming the mind. Combine Corpse pose with Complete Yoga Breathing. You can also use Corpse pose to meditate and for yoga nidra.
English Name: Corpse
Sanskrit Name: Savasana
Difficulty Level: 1
Start Position: Reclining on back
Instructions:
Step 1. Close your eyes
Step 2. Space your feet about a foot apart and let them fall apart.
Step 3. Place arms 12 to 15 inches from your side with your palms facing up.
Step 4. Relax and let go of your breath.
Physical Benefits:
- Reduce blood pressure
- reduce fatigue
- Relaxes the body
- Rejuvenates the body
Mental Benefits
- Reduces anxiety, stress and mild depression
- Calms and centers the mind
- Reduces insomnia
Contraindications:
- Lower back injury
- Spinal injury
- Pregnancy
Asana Of The Month: Embryo In Womb
- At July 07, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Health & Wellness, Yoga Benefits
- 0
Embryo In Womb takes seated Lotus pose to the next level. If you have difficult sitting in Lotus pose, you should pass on Embryo In Womb. It combines the flexibility of Lotus with a Full Forward Bend. This is not a pose for a beginner or someone with limited flexibility. Embryo In Womb takes Lotus pose with a difficulty of 3 to a difficulty of 7. To obtain the full mental and physical benefits of Embryo In Womb, listen to your body, and do not exceed your physical limits.
English Name: Embryo In Womb
Sanskrit Name: Garbha Pindasana
Difficulty Level: 7
Start Position: Seated Lotus
Instructions:
Step 1.
While sitting in Lotus pose, thread your arms under your calves.
Step 2.
Lift your legs off the floor while balancing on your buttocks.
Step 3.
Lift your legs into your chest and place your hands over your ears.
Step 4.
Remain in the pose as long as it feels comfortable and then release returning to Lotus pose.
Physical Benefits:
- Opens up the hips
- Improves knee flexibility
- Lubricates knee joint
- Relieve or prevent arthritis
- Tones abdominal muscles
- Improves digestion
- Tones back and shoulder muscles
Mental Benefits
- Focuses the mind
- Reduces stress
- Reduces anxiety
- Reduces mild depression
Contraindications:
- Low back, hip, knee, or ankle injury
Asana Of The Month: Elephant’s Trunk
- At June 02, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Health & Wellness, Yoga Benefits
- 0
Elephant’s Trunk is a moderately difficult balance pose that helps improve focus, relieve anxiety, and strengthen wrist, arm, leg, and shoulder muscles.
English Name: Elephant’s Trunk
Sanskrit Name: Eka Hasta Bhujasana
Difficulty Level: 6
Pose Type: Balance
Start Position: Easy Sitting
Instructions:
Step 1.
Staring in Easy Sitting pose, hook your left shoulder under your left knee and extend your right leg straight out.
Step 2.
Place both hands on the floor near your thighs.
Step 3.
Press into your hands and lift your body off the floor as pictured. Keep your extended leg parallel to the floor and gaze forward.
Step 4.
Hold the pose for a few breaths. Then lower your body to the floor. Return to Easy Sitting and repeat on the other side.
Physical Benefits:
- Maintains spinal straightness
- Strengthens wrists, arms, and shoulders
- Increases stamina
- Strengthens legs and buttocks
- May relieve backache
Mental Benefits
- Reduces stress
- Improves thinking
- Increases focus
- Relieves mild anxiety & depression
Contraindications:
- Carpel tunnel syndrome
- Wrist injury
- Leg, arm, or shoulder injury
Crow (bakasana)
- At April 07, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Yoga Benefits
- 0
Crow, also known as Crane, pose is a popular balance pose. While it appears to be a simple pose it is challenging for most yoga practitioners. Crow pose requires concentration and focus more than strength. It is a matter of balance like balancing a spoon or fork on the tip of your finger. If you have wrist, arm, or shoulder pain or injury you should not do Crow pose. Like all hatha yoga asanas, always listen to you body to prevent injuries.
English Name: Crow (also known as Crane)
Sanskrit Name: Bakasana
Difficulty Level: 5
Start Position: Garland I
Instructions:
Step 1.
Walk you hands in from of your feet and rise up on tiptoes.
Step 2.
Press your knees into your upper arms and lean forward to balance on your hands.
Step 3.
Straighten your arms.
Step 4.
Hold the pose for 4 or 5 breaths or as long as it feels comfortable.
Physical Benefits:
- Improves balance
- Opens up hips and back
- Strengthens abdominal muscles
- Strengthens arms and wrists
- Improves digestion
- Stretches the wrists
Mental Benefits
- Improves concentration
- Increases focus
Contraindications:
- Wrist or shoulder injury
- Carpel tunnel syndrome
- Pregnancy
Lotus (Padmasana)
- At March 16, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Yoga Benefits
- 0
No other pose is more closely associated with hatha yoga than Lotus pose (padmasana). Lotus is what hatha yoga is all about. Asana prepares the body to sit in Lotus for hours of meditation. Many Westerners associate asana with a physical workout to tone the body. Astanga and power yoga are just another way of working up a sweat and staying in shape. Its nothing more than a work-out for the body.
Yoga is not about obtaining firm abs. It is about obtaining a higher consciousness on the road to enlightenment (samadhi)- the eight limb of yoga.
Lotus can be too extreme for people with limited flexibility. Men usually find it more difficult to sit in Lotus than women. With practice, most men and women can can increase their flexibility and sit in Lotus pose. But, if it doesn’t happen do not dwell on it. You are not alone. The best I’ve ever achieved was half Lotus.
English Name: Lotus
Sanskrit Name: Padmasana
Difficulty Level: 3
Start Position: Staff
Instructions:
Step 1.
Bend your right knee, rotating from the hip, and place your right foot on your left thigh as close to your abdomen as possible.
Step 2.
Rotate your left hip and bend your left leg placing your left foot on your right thigh as close to your abdomen as possible.
Step 3.
Both knees should contact the floor. Remain in the pose as long as it feels comfortable.
Physical Benefits:
- Opens up the hips
- Improves knee flexibility
- Lubricates knee joint
- Relieve or prevent arthritis
- Tones abdominal muscles
- Improves digestion
- Tones back and shoulder muscles
Mental Benefits
- Focuses the mind
- Reduces stress
- Reduces anxiety
- Reduces mild depression
Contraindications:
- Low back, hip, knee, or ankle injury
Gentle Variation – Half Lotus
Standing Wide Leg Forward Bend II (Prasarita Padottanasana II)
- At March 14, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Yoga Benefits
- 0
All Standing Forward Bends improves and maintains leg and back flexibility. For some people, wide leg forward bends put less stress on their backs and legs than straight leg forward bends. All forward bends provide the same physical and mental health benefits.
Use caution if you have glaucoma or a family history of high blood pressure. A research study found yoga poses where the head is lower than the heart may increase eye pressure. One way to reduce the risk is by limiting your time in these poses.
English Name: Standing Wide Leg Forward Bend II
Sanskrit Name: Prasarita Padottanasana II
Difficulty Level: 4
Start Position: Mountain
Instructions:
Step 1.
Step or jump your feet about 3 feet apart or a comfortable distance keeping your feet parallel to each other.
Step 2.
Bend (fold) forward from your hips maintaining a straight back and tilting your sit bones upward.
Step 3.
Curl the first two fingers on each hand around your big toes. If possible, rest the crown of your head on the floor.
Step 4.
Remain in the pose as long as it feels comfortable. Return to Mountain pose.
Physical Benefits:
- Improves and maintains ankle, knee, thigh and low back strength
- Tones abdomen
- Stretches wrists, arms, hamstrings, calves
- Reduces minor back pain or discomfort
- Lowers blood pressure
- Reduce headache pain
- Open sinuses
- Improves digestions
Mental Benefits
- Reduces stress
- Improves thinking
- Increases focus
- Relieves mild anxiety & depression
Contraindications:
- Low back or wrist injury
- High Blood Pressure
- Glaucoma