YOGA
“If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into you.”
Enjoy These Musings and Insights on Yoga and Life
Benefits of Uddiyana Bandha Kriya - The "Abdominal Lock"
The practice of Uddiyana Bandha Kriya increases blood circulation throughout your body and brain. It stimulates the vagus nerve by putting a little pressure on it, which strengthens and tones your parasympathetic response, which creates a calming and balancing effect on our nervous system. Through this practice, your brain becomes healthier and you will experience more clarity in your thinking.
This bandha also massages the internal organs and on a more subtle level, it stimulates the inner agni, or digestive fire, which resides around your navel. By strengthening this fire you will experience better digestion and assimilation, and it also helps to purify the subtle energy channels, or nadis. READ MORE…
Releasing Abdominal Tension
If you are struggling with upper abdominal tension, you are not alone.
Tension and rigidity in your deep core muscles not only inhibits your ability to breathe deep and fully relax, but it can also interfere with your digestion, creating symptoms like constipation, gas, bloating, and cramping.
Using some of the techniques suggested in this video can be extremely helpful for learning to relax and release that pattern of holding tension in your abdomen, and also increase parasympathetic stimulation in order to improve the resilience of your nervous system regulation.
How To Open Your Heart
Tomorrow’s full moon is in the sign of Aries, but it is conjunct with Chiron, an asteroid that orbits our solar system, known to Astrologers as “the wounded healer.”
The asteroid called Chiron entered the sign of Aries back in February of 2019 and will remain in this sign until April 2027! Chiron, in Greek Mythology, is a healer, teacher and mentor. Whereas Aries is the ultimate warrior.
So this is a time to open your heart and ask yourself, “What do I want to fight for that needs healing within myself and within the world?” We are entering a period of deep healing and transformation. It’s time to let go of these old patterns that effect your present reality, face your fears, and confront what’s holding you back. Embrace the power that is you-here-now.
The healer resides within… Read More
Simple Ways to Stretch Your Quadriceps
Feeling like your hamstrings are a little extra tight these days?
In this Wellness Wednesday video I offer several ways to stretch your tight Quadriceps. Creating more length through the front of your thighs can help deepen your back-bends and also open up other yoga postures.
Here you will find a few variations you can play with to stretch those tight quad muscles in the front of your legs!
Supta Virasana - Sleeping Hero's Pose
This is an excellent restorative yoga posture that can be of great benefit to your back-bends and can also help heal minor aches and pains in the knees. With time and practice, this restorative posture can very easily become a resting pose that can deeply renew and rejuvenate the entire body.
How To Make A "Peacock Feather"
Pinchamayurasana translates as the “Peacock Feather Pose.” This is a challenging Intermediate Series asana that many students struggle with, especially the naturally flexible ones, as it requires a degree of stiffness and strength in the arms, shoulders, and deep in the core muscles…
One identifying feature of Lord Krishna is the peacock feather in his crown. In India the feather of a peacock is a symbol of good luck, prosperity, beauty, and wisdom. It is a protection against evil and is thought to destroy all poisonous emotions like anger, greed, and jealousy…
Why Would You Want Two Legs Behind Your Head?
To begin… there really isn’t a good “reason” to ever put both legs behind your head! However, if you practice Ashtanga yoga following the sequencing of Sri K Pattabhi Jois, then you will inevitibly reach this tricky posture about a third of the way through the Intermediate Series.
To begin with, I would recommend spending a significant amount time in the posture that comes right before this one: Eka-Pada-Sirsasana…