Asana Of The Month: Happy Baby
- At February 02, 2021
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Health & Wellness
- 0
If all adults were as happy as babies, we would live in an entirely different world.
This months asana is Happy Baby. An easy asana for people of all ages that opens up the hips, massages abdominal muscles and back, and can help relieve anxiety and stress of everyday life. Hold the pose as long as it feels comfortable, and repeat it as many times as you like. As a famous song said, “Don’t worry. Be happy.”
English Name: Happy Baby
Sanskrit Name: Aanda Balasana
Difficulty Level: 2
Start Position: Reclining on back or Wind Relieving Pose
Instructions:
Step 1.
Raise your legs and hold the outsides of each foot with your hands
Step 2.
Bend your knees into your armpits.
Step 3.
Drop your sacrum towards the floor. Rock from side to side to massage your back.
Physical Benefits:
- Improves digestion
- Strengthens shoulders & spine
- Improves knee flexibility
- Opens the hips
- Relieves low back pain
- Massages back and abdomen
Mental Benefits
- Relieves stress
- Relieves mild anxiety
Contraindications:
- Knee or shoulder injury
- Hip injury or pain
- Back injury
- Hernia
Asana Of The Month: Cat and Cow
- At November 03, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Books
- 0
Cat and Cow poses are two of the simplest hatha yoga poses. There is no age limit for these poses but there are a few contraindications (see below). Cat and cow are usually done together as a vinyasa (flow) yoga routine. The pose begins with a straight back and then flows into cat bowing the spine upward followed a breath or two later by flowing into cow pose bowing the spine downward. These poses improve spinal flexibility, digestion, and circulation.
English Name: Cat and Cow
Sanskrit Name: Marjaryasana and Bitilasana
Difficulty Level: 2
Start Position: Childs Pose
Instructions:
Cat
Step 1. Align hips over knees and shoulders over wrists in neutral (straight) spin.
Step 2. Exhale and round your spine pulling your belly in and tucking your chin to chest.
Cat PoseCow
Step 3. Inhale and drop your belly towards the floor , lift the heart and head and concave your back.
Step 4. Exhale repeating Step 2.
Cow Pose
Physical Benefits:
- Increases spinal flexibility
- Increases circulation
- Opens up the lower back and abdomin
- Aids digestion
- Opens up the chest, throat, and shoulders
- Stimulates the thyroid
Mental Benefits
- Stimulates the mind
- Reduces stress
- Relieves mild anxiety and depression
Contraindications:
- Neck injury
- Shoulder or back injury
- Severe carpal tunnel syndrome
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
Eight Angle (Astavakrasana)
- At May 05, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Yoga Benefits
- 0
Frog pose takes Reclining Hero pose and turns it on its stomach rather than back. If you can do Reclining Hero you can do Frog. Frog adds extending your check like Cobra pose and grasping your feet with your hands. While Cobra and Reclining Hero have a difficulty level of 4, Frog increases the difficulty level to 6 giving your arms, back, and legs a good stretch.
Like all hatha yoga asanas, always listen to you body to prevent injuries.
English Name: Eight Angle
Sanskrit Name: Astavakrasana
Difficulty Level: 7
Start Position: Easy Sitting
Instructions:
Step 1.
Hook your right shoulder under your right knee and extend your left leg forward on the floor.
Step 2.
Place both hands on the floor on either side of your left thigh.
Step 3.
Pressing into your hands, lift your buttocks off the floor while hooking your left ankle over your right ankle.
Step 4.
Bend your elbows, move your chest forward, extend your legs to the right, and gaze forward.
Step 5.
Hold the pose as long as it feels comfortable. Release. Return to Easy Sitting, and repeat on the other side
Physical Benefits:
- Stretches leg, arm, and shoulder muscles
- Opens up the chest
- Improves lung capacity
- Improves digestions
- Increase leg and arm strength
Mental Benefits
- Reduces stress
- Improves thinking
- Increases focus
Contraindications:
- Arm, wrist, shoulder, or leg injury
- Neck injury
- Carpel tunnel syndrome
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
Standing Wide Leg Forward Bend I (Prasarita Padottanasana I)
- At March 12, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Yoga Benefits
- 0
Standing Forward Bends improves and maintains leg and back flexibility. 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 I
Sanskrit Name: Prasarita Padottanasana I
Difficulty Level: 4
Start Position: Mountain
Instructions:
Step 1.
Step or jump your feet about 3 feet apart or a comfortable distance.
Step 2.
Bend (fold) forward from your hips maintaining a straight back and tilting your sit bones upward.
Step 3.
Place both hands on the floor energizing your hands and fingers, and keeping your hands parallel with your feet.
Step 4. Rest the crown of your head on the floor, and 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
Reclining Hero (supra virasana)
- At March 10, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Yoga Benefits
- 0
Reclining Hero begins in Hero pose and continues until the upper back and shoulders lie flat against the floor. Although Reclining Hero has the same level of difficulty as Hero pose, you may find it more challenging depending on the physical condition and flexibility of your knees, legs, back and shoulders. If reclining hero is too intense for you, practice the gently variation as you increase your flexibility. Remember to always listen to your body and do not overextend yourself.
English Name: Reclining Hero
Sanskrit Name: Supra Virasana
Difficulty Level: 4
Start Position: Hero
Instructions:
Step 1.
Starting in hero pose, use your arms and walk your elbows back until your shoulders and head are on the floor.
Step 2.
Extend your arm up and over your head.
Step 3.
Breath normally and remaining the pose as long as it feels comfortable. To get out of the pose, you can return to hero pose or swing your feet out and roll over onto your side to come up into a sitting position.
Gentle Variation
If you feel tension in your legs, hips, low back or neck try supported hero pose reclining on a bolster or folded blanket.
Physical Benefits:
- Opens lower back & chest
- Improves lung function
- Improves knee, hip and ankle flexibility
- Helps relieve menstrual discomfort
- Can lower high blood pressure
Mental Benefits
- Reduces anxiety and stress
- Improves focus
Contraindications:
- Injured coccyx
- Knee or ankle injury (try gentle variation)
- Arthritis (try gentle variation)
- Pregnancy after 1st trimester
Virasana vs. Vajrasana
Common comments for the Virasana YouTube video is that the pose is Vajrasana or “what’s the difference between Virasana and Vajrasana.
All pose names in Hatha Yoga Asanas are based on B.K.S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga. Other schools of yoga can call the pose by different names.
In this case, Virasana is Hero Pose and Vajrasana is kneeling pose.
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Staff Pose (dandasana)
- At March 10, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Yoga Benefits
- 0
Staff is a deceptively simple looking sitting pose that works all major muscles and can reduce stress, improve circulation and concentration, and strengthen legs and arms.
English Name: Staff
Sanskrit Name: Dandasana
Difficulty Level: 2
Start Position: Seated
Instructions:
Step 1.
Sit on the floor upright and extend your legs forward toes pointed towards the sky.
Step 2.
Flex your feet and engage your abdomen. Your ankles should be about one inch (2.5 cm) above the floor.
Physical Benefits:
- Tones the abdominal muscles
- Improves circulation
- Opens the chest
- Strengthens legs
- Strengthens arms
- Strengthens torso and spine
- Improves leg and spine muscular endurance
Mental Benefits
- Reduces stress
- Creates focus
Contraindications:
- Injured coccyx
Frog (bhekasana)
- At March 10, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Yoga Benefits
- 0
Frog pose takes Reclining Hero pose and turns it on its stomach rather than back. If you can do Reclining Hero you can do Frog. Frog adds extending your check like Cobra pose and grasping your feet with your hands. While Cobra and Reclining Hero have a difficulty level of 4, Frog increases the difficulty level to 6 giving your arms, back, and legs a good stretch.
Like all hatha yoga asanas, always listen to you body to prevent injuries.
English Name: Frog
Sanskrit Name: Bhekasana
Difficulty Level: 6
Start Position: Lying On Belly
Instructions:
Step 1.
Bend one leg at a time next to your hips and grasp your toes with you hands.
Step 2.
Extend your chest forward and upward.
Step 3.
Hold the pose for 4 or 5 breathes, or as long as it feels comfortable.
Step 4.
Release and return to lying on your belly.
Physical Benefits:
- Stretches leg, arm, and back muscles
- Opens up the chest
- Improves lung capacity
- Improves digestions
- Increase leg and arm flexibility
Mental Benefits
- Reduces stress
- Improves thinking
- Increases focus
- Relieves mild anxiety & depression
Contraindications:
- Arm, back, or leg injury
- Wrist or neck injury
- Carpel tunnel syndrome
Easy Sitting (Sukhasana)
- At March 10, 2020
- By Daniel
- In Asana, Yoga Benefits
- 0
Easy sitting looks like a very simple pose. But, many people are not flexible enough to have both knees contacting the floor. If you are one of them, it is not a problem. Unlike other physical activities, yoga is not about no pain – no gain. Pain is your bodies way of telling you you have over extended yourself.
Yoga is not about pain, it is about peace, tranquility, and transcending to a higher level of consciousness. For many Americans, this aspect of yoga is ignored or forgotten.
While easy sitting may not be as easy as shown and described, your flexibility will increase with practice.
Easy sitting is another meditation pose like Lotus and Looking Within.
While it looks deceptively simple, easy sitting has many physical and mental benefits.
English Name: Easy Sitting
Sanskrit Name: Sukhasana
Difficulty Level: 1
Start Position: Staff
Instructions:
Step 1.
While sitting in Staff pose, bend your right foot forwards your body, rotating your right hip so your right knee rests on the floor.
Step 2.
Bend your left knee and align your left foot in from of your right ankle. Rest your hands on your knees with the palms up or down.