Connect and Relax with Yoga

You know that great feeling you have after a good practice - the one where you feel like you are a part of everything, totally connected to the world around you? Ah, yes, that's a beautiful feeling :-)  Try the following exercise to connect one on one at a deeper level.

Grab a partner and sit back to back so you are supporting one another.  Deepen your breath. Tune into each other and begin to feel one another's breath as it moves their back (and maybe even your's).  Begin to sync your breath with your partner's.  Stay here and breath as one.

Cool Yoga for Hot Days

With temperatures beginning to soar, a vigorous yoga practice can conjure images of slipping and sliding in your sweat on your sticky mat.  Yuck!  Instead, use your practice to cool down and take a mini-vacation...

Here's a few things to remember when practicing to cool your body and mind:
1.  Take it slow and take it easy.  Pushing into a posture, even while using your breath as a guide can build heat and soon have you dripping as much as a more obviously dynamic practice.
2.  As you relax, your body temperature naturally drops.  In this hot weather, this is a welcome respite!
3.  Practicing in the sun will not only heat you up but will zap your energy.  Find a shady spot or practice indoors.
4.  Even if you feel cool, drink lots of water.  If its hot out, especially in dry climates, your sweat may be evaporating before you really notice it.  Hydration is important for cooling and for keeping your muscles supple.

Ease into this cooling practice with the above principles in mind. If you find yourself heating up, take a savasana/relaxation pose.  You can never have too much relaxation!

Pranayama/Breathing Practice:  Use your favorite yoga breath or simply breath fully and completely.  For the first half of your active practice pause the breath at the top of each inhale, this will help build your capacity of your lungs and helping to slow your movements. For the second half of your active practice, pause your breath at the bottom of each exhale, this will signal your parasympathetic nervous system to do its job of relaxing and cooling your body and mind.

Begin pausing breath after inhale...
1. Prasarita Padasana.  Start on your back, knees to chest, arms by your sides.  As you inhale, lift feet toward sky and bring your arms up and by your ears.  As you exhale, return your knees to chest and arms by your sides.  Repeat slowly 8-10x.

2.  Supta Matsyendrasa.  On your back, bring your arms out to the sides in a lazy T.  Scooch your hips a few inches to the right and bend your right knee.  Take that right knee across your body, rolling onto your left hip with your shoulders still on the floor.  Hold your posture with subtle adjustments 8-10 breaths.  Repeat on the other side.

3. Uttanasana.  Come to standing and fold forward from your hips.  Let your knees bend until your belly touches your thighs and your low back relaxes.  Hang from your hips 8-10 breaths and exit the posture SLOWLY.





For the remaining postures, pause breath after exhale...
4.  Ardha Chandrasana.  Stand with your weight even on your feet, arms overhead.  As you exhale, take your hips to one side as you bend to the other side keeping your whole body facing forward and your weight even.  Inhale to center, exhale to the other side.  Repeat 5-7x each side.

5.  Baddha Konasana Backbend.  Come to seated with the soles of your feet gently pressing together.  Reach your knees downward.  Bring your fingertips to the floor behind you, bending you elbows for comfort as you draw the shoulders back and lift your sternum.  Hold 8-10 breaths.




6. Upavista Konasana.  Stretch your legs out wide.  Press through the soles of your feet as you draw your thighs gently into your hips.  Keep your knees as bent as you need to for comfort.  Keep your back straight as you fold from your hips, taking your tail toward the back of your mat.  Go as far as you can with ease and stay there 8-10 breaths.




7.  Apanasana.  On your back, bend your knees and place your hands on your kneecaps, elbows straight.  Completely relax your legs.  As you exhale, use the least amount of effort possible to bend your elbows, bringing your legs along for the ride.  As you inhale straighten your elbows, legs along for the ride.  Repeat 8-10x.

8.  Savasana.  Lie comfortably 8-10 minutes, letting your breath move of its own accord.







9.  Seated Breathing/Meditation.  Sit tall and comfortable. Bring your inhale and exhale both to a count of 5.  Repeat for 20-30 breaths before closing your practice.

A great beginning, middle or end for your restorative yoga practice :-)

The following video shows you how to set up for what I call the "Laz E Boy posture;" a supported, semi-reclined posture that really allows you to really let go.  It takes a little situating, and sometimes a little creativity with what props you have on hand (books and couch cushions are great!) but it sooooo worth it. So take a minute, set it up, and spend some time rejuvenating - anytime during your practice!

End of the Summer Gentle Yoga Class

Last class of summer term for my Gentle Yoga class at NMT last night.  Still VERY hot outside and in so we stayed low to the ground and mellow.  A lovely end to a class meant to help de-stress and relax :-)  Here's a rough outline of the class ...  Let go and practice well!

Supported Fish (reclined with rolled blanket under spine)
Dirgha Pranayam (full yogic breath)
Puvana Muktasana (reclined knee to chest)
Supta Matsyendrasna (reclined knee down twist)
Sun Breaths (seated, arms up and down with breath)
Side Stretch (seated)
6 Movements of the Spine (cat/dog, c-curves, thread the needle)
Shalabasana (locust pose)
Kapotasana (pigeon pose, up and down, then resting pigeon)
Upavista Konasana (wide angle forward fold)
Sitali Pranayama (cooling breath)
Meditation on the Breath
Savasana
Namaste!