Sitting too much? Here's a yogic antidote!

Grab your bolster (or a few sturdy folded blankets) and get ready to unwind...

First, let's let go of that hunched upper back... lay your back on your bolster with your bottom still on the ground. Leg and arm position can really change things here, so experiment and find the best spot for you. HINT: If you feel tight, keep your knees bent and your arms by your sides.  If your low back bothers you in this position, just scooch your bottom further from the bolster.  Spend some time here, at LEAST 20 full steady breaths.

Next, let's open the rib cage and upper shoulders so you can REALLY breathe :-). Keep your bolster as it is and sit on one end.  Lay your back down on the bolster, letting your shoulders hang off.  Make sure your head is completely on the floor, but the tops of your shoulders should be a little above the floor.  This will begin to open your pecs and lower ribs nicely.  Again knees bent is a little gentler on the low back.  Stay here at least 20 breaths, letting your breath do all the work.

Now let's begin to open the front of the hips, releasing that crease you'r seated position likes to etch into them... turn your bolster sideways and sit on it.  Lay your shoulderblades on the the floor and stretch your legs our as far as it feels comfortable.  You may need to scooch up or down a little to find the sweet spot.  Again, spend at least 20 breaths here, just relaxing.

Finally, turn your bolster to a comfortable height and place your knees over it as you lie back in savasana. This gentle elevation of the legs helps with circulation and invigorates the legs.  Your back will settle more comfortably on the floor after all the backbends, enjoy the feeling of your breath moving your back gently against the floor as you rest as long as you like.

Five meditations to kickstart your practice

It can be hard to start a meditation practice... it can be harder to keep a meditation practice going.  If you are looking to start or looking to stay on track, here are a few practices to play with.

Remember to set your timer so there is no need to check your clock.  Ignore any and all outside distractions while you are meditating - this time is for you!  If you are new to meditating, start with just a few minutes and gradually build up to a time that feels right for you.  And on those more difficult days, remember there is a reason it is called a practice :-)

1.  Counting Meditation - Sit, counting your breaths up to 7, then begin again at 1.  If you get distracted, just start again at 1.
2.  Meditation on the Breath - Sit, feeling each and every aspect of your breath, nothing more.
3.  Observing Meditation - Sit, watch your thoughts as they move across the screen of your mind.  Watch, without becoming involved.
4. Mantra Meditation - Sit, repeating a mantra, continually emptying your mind of everything else.  I recommend the mantra "I am" (or in sanskrit "So Ham").
5. Mudra Meditation - Sit, bringing your hands in to an appropriate mudra for you (just google mudra, you will find many options, all of which are said to elicit different responses in your body and mind), let everything else go but the sensation of the mudra.

Try one or all of these meditation practices - different practices resonate differently with everyone, sometimes you have to try a few before you find the one(s) most helpful to you.  Do not be discouraged, you WILL find it.

Enjoy!

Shoulder Relief!

Shoulders feeling tight, noisy, slumped?  Neck achy, maybe nonexistent?  This is the practice for you.  Short, sweet and effective... give your shoulders a little relief in your practice, at your desk, whereever you may be!

Click here or below to access our practice.

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What is Thai Yoga Massage?

This post is a little bit of an ad for one of my favorite things to give, receive and share - Thai Yoga Massage - I get alot of questions as to exactly what it is, so I thought I better give you an idea...

Thai Yoga Massage is the most delicious combination of yoga and massage!  Its often called "the lazy man's yoga" because the receiver is guided into a variety of yoga positions while remaining completely passive.  Once in position, the practitioner works to release muscles and open joints while the muscles and connective tissues are in gentle traction.  Great for increasing range of motion, general relaxation and helping with aches and pains, its also a really amazing way to gain insight into your yoga practice.

As your therapist moves your passive body, you begin to gain a greater understanding of new ways to position your body for more ease in your poses, how to use your breath more effectively, and especially, how much you tend to get in your own way by working too hard and over-engaging your muscles and your mind.


If you are local, know that you can book a session here at Yoga del Sol with Jordan Milne.  Jordan learned Thai Massage a while ago and is practicing to get her chops back, so she operates on a donation-only basis.  Call or email for your appt.

If you are local and would like to learn not just how to recieve Thai Yoga Massage but how to give it as well, I will be teaching Thai at NMT this spring and you can learn how to give a great massage to friends and family, as well as get alot of great bodywork for yourself ;-).  Sign up through Banweb or the Registrar's Office.

For those of you interested in getting certified, we will be hosting on of my teachers, Sukha Wong from the Lotus Palm School in Montreal this August for Level 1 - the first step in Basic Certification.  Sukha is a master of Thai Massage and a master of weaving the esoteric and the practical into one comprehensive class.

If you are not local, google Thai Yoga Massage Practitioners in your area, chances are there is someone great near you!

Whew - so many possibilities!  I hope you will take advantage of whatever opportunities to relax come your way!

Yoga for a healthy belly!

It's that time of year when indulgence sometimes gets the best of us.  Here's a practice to help your belly feel and function at its best this holiday season...

The Blissful Belly Home Practice

Seated Breathing – Inhale into the rib cage then the belly. Draw the belly in to create your Exhale.

Baddha Konasana Backbend – Feet together, knees apart, fingers behind. Inhale chest open and up. Exhale to relax.

Side Stretch – One hand to floor for support, other arm up, stretch side open with breath.

Pandangusthasana var. - Legs up, squeezing thighs, lift shoulders up and use hands to hold head up. On Exhale, take pubic bone and rib cage toward each other. On Inhale release.

Elbows toward knee - Press soles on the floor, both elbows to a knee on exhale. On inhale return to center.

Supta Mandukasana var. - Legs in frog (feet lifted, knees apart, right angles at ankles, knees and hips), lift shoulders and use hands to lift head. On exhale, draw pubic bone toward rib cage.

Vajarasana – on knees, arms up. On exhale fold forward with spine long, hands palms up to low back. On inhale, lead up with your heart.

Down Dog → Up Dog – Exhaling, lift tail up toward sky, lengthening spine (down dog). Inhaling, reach heels back and take chest forward between your arms, shoulders back. Avoid sagging, keep legs and belly engaging in updog.

Parvritti Utkatasana - Weight in heels bend knees deeply as if sitting down. Tail points to floor, legs engaged. Maintain alignment with knees over feet, hips square, weight even in feet. Twist to one side, taking hands or elbow to opp knee.

Cobra – Lie on belly, lengthen legs and press pelvis down. Inhale chest forward and up, stretching sternum long.

Malasana – Squat on balls of feet, lengthen spine.

Ardha Matsyendrasana – sitting, bend one knee and hold that knee with opposite arm. Twist toward knee. Breathe belly and thigh toward each other, spine long.

Puvana Muktasana – lie on back and draw one knee in toward chest, breathe. Move to other side. Then both legs at once.

Jathara Parvritti – Knees toward chest, arms wide. Twist to side and breathe there with shoulder blades on the floor.

Bridge – Soles on the floor, arms by your sides. Exhale the bottom and back up. Sternum and tail reach away from each other.

Savasana – Rest :-) 

My favorite Moon Salutation - core stabilizer, hip flexor opener, encourages digestive health :-)

So, it appears this is the year of the moon for me. We truly have had some spectacular moon rises (big orange half moon just the other night :-) But maybe its more about the opening of moon salutations, getting into those nooks and crannies and forgotten (avoided?) parts of the body to open, strengthen and stabilize. 

This moon salutation is a variation on my absolute FAVORITE one. I first found it in a little book called "Morning Yoga, Evening Yoga" can't remember the author but its a lovely little book. We've been playing with it in my Slow Flow class this semester and I've added some teaks lately. 

This is heavy on the kneework, so plan ahead with appropriate props and remember to back off where you need it. I have found it especially helpful with my bad knee (2 surgeries many years ago) but it demands respect and mindfulness.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Pranayama and Meditation!

Change your energy and deepen your awareness with these pranayama (breathing) and meditation practices from our Hawaii Yoga and Meditation Retreat last month. For those of you that were there, I hope this will help ground your practice once again.  For those of you that missed it, I hope this will give you a jumping off point to expand your practice!  As always, let me know if you have any questions... play, enjoy!

Breathing Practices...

Dirgha

Ujayii

Nadi Shodhana

Anuloma Viloma

Anuloma Ujayii

Om-sounding breath

Meditations

Om - neverending

Pure Sound - hearing without dialogue

Smell - smelling without dialogue

Sight - seeing without dialogue

Touch (like mala beads or hands resting on the knees)

Conscious Eating (total awareness of taste, sight, sound, smell, sensation)

Object (Samyama)

Pure Awareness - just be with yourself

Ujayii (meditating on the sound)

Movement Meditation (like Sun Breath)