Benefits:
Strengthening pose.
Stretches shoulders, hamstrings, and calves.
Can help calm brain, relieving stress.
Can relieve symptoms of menopause.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Start on hands and knees, lower onto forearms and bring body up like downward dog.
Weight is evenly distributed on forearms and feet.
Heels are on ground.
The yogis and rishis of old sat in lotus, immersed in Samadhi, listening to the sounds of the ether and bringing through timeless information from the cosmos. How did they reach this state of peaceful bliss and cosmic consciousness? This article points you in the direction of the mystical kundalini energy referenced in the practice of yoga as well as introduces you to the all-important Vagus nerve, and how these two are related.
“These events are about diving deeper into what really matters: love, truth, compassion, integrity and humility. We are here to build spiritual community and bring people together during difficult times,” says Sridhar Silberfein, executive producer of Bhakti and Shakti festivals.
Benefits:
Strengthens legs.
Opens hips.
Tones belly.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Start while lying on back.
Knees are bent.
Both feet are firmly planted on the ground.
Hips are lifted up off ground.
Hands are clasped behind back.
Body is in a straight line.
Back is straight.
Certain activities might not seem compatible with yoga–heavy lifting, for example, or scuba diving–but yoga can help athletes of almost any sport improve their strength, flexibility, and mobility. Running, on the other hand, seems made for yoga. Runners don’t necessarily need the limberness of a gymnast, or the flexibility of a performer in Cirque de Soleil, but running does require enough flexibility and mobility to prevent injuries.
A couple of years ago, I got this text from my sister: “Yoga question: In the book I’m reading, part of what they do is drink their pee. Have you heard of that?”
I had, in fact, heard of “urine therapy” in books on yoga, but it certainly wasn’t a topic covered in my yoga teacher training, and I thought it was a long-dormant practice. Call me odd, but I was intrigued. I asked her what she was reading.
Benefits:
Strengthens entire back of body.
Stretches the front of the body.
Can help relieve stress.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Start laying on stomach, hands are flat on ground by your side, and tops of feet are flat on ground with toes pressing into the ground.
Either at the same time, or one after the other: lift both arms and legs.
Keep front of body engaged.
Benefits:
Stretches the hamstrings, and calves.
Can strengthen thighs, knees, and ankles.
Helps calm the brain.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Start standing in forward fold, one leg lifted. Hands can be used as second base for balance.
Keep foot of lifted leg facing the ground.
Hips are squared, lifted one is not “popping” out.
Just like reality is layered, so too is the body comprised of concentric fields that stack on each other and overlap, working with each other in order to create perfect health in this manifestation vehicle we call the body. By understanding the layers in the body and what their functions are, it becomes easier to see and hear the inner workings by the symptomatic language the body is speaking.