Combining kriyas with classic hatha asana (posture) and pranayama (breath)
This asana here is Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana (Half Bound Lotus Standing Forward Bend) that stretches the muscles in the lower back, hip, hamstrings, and shoulders. It is derived from the Sanskrit words Ardha=half, Baddha=bound, Padma=lotus, Uttana=intense stretch, and asana=pose. This is an intense forward bend pose that is in the combination of Ardha Padmasana and Uttanasana. To build up to it, start to practice half lotus and standing forward bends and then begin to combine them, starting by wrapping the arm around the body before progressing to reaching for the foot. A great way to develop balance, stability and flexibility. It activates the solar plexus chakra, and stimulates the ajna and crown chakras due to the inversion.
'When ojas is low the person is fearful, weak, worried, has deranged senses, poor complexion, weak mind, is rough and thin’ (Caraka Samhita Sutrasthana 17.73). However, a person with healthy ojas is calm, content & peaceful within, has strong immunity, digestion, potent fertility and endurance. There is a sparkle in the eye and a special ‘glow’ around them.
Read MoreWhen discussing wellness habits and routines, you might often have heard of this suggestion to wake up peacefully, without checking phones, socials, emails, calendars. Quite often a part of the 'programming' in modern life will be to reach for a device, sometimes with eyes still half closed. Without giving our psyche, energy, minds, selves a chance to recalibrate to the waking state from the dream state.
We might carry on then, overtly or subtly impacted by what we see - the ticking over our to-do lists of having to be somewhere, do the next thing; the inward groan or twinge of being reminded of something you'd rather forget... the list is endless!
Read MoreSnapshots of our Spring Wellness Day 2019!
This day was designed to coincide with the Spring Equinox (today!) and provided a space to experience the cleansing and pausing between seasons preceding a Spring routine
We started with stimulating the thymus for immunity and then practiced invigorating and flowing asana (including lots of khatu pranam from the Yoga in Daily Life System) and pranayama, followed by a yummy, nourishing Spring friendly lunch and bliss balls for snacks, magnesium foot soaks and cleansing golden turmeric teas, healing massages, time for reflection and an uplifting yoga nidra
At various points in our lives we are all faced with moments of uncertainty. Here, we often fret, fight, resist, panic, lose our power in the battle for control and guarantees. Most of us can relate to one or all of these sentiments… I want this new possession / status / growth. I need this idea to work faster. I wish he / she / they would (…your intent goes here). I want this cycle to end.
The truth is that trying to deny or fight the reality of a situation is like fighting a rip tide. The harder you push the more it resists, and the more agitated you get. There are the rare few that seem to have life come easy, seem to be ok with anything, and are rewarded with the sweetness of their desires coming true. What are they doing differently?
Learning to read and align with the reality of your circumstance, understanding yourself and the web of universal timing using pausing and reflection can help you find not just the sweet spot but also help you ride life in a way that opens up a universe of possibilities so that the world really does become your oyster with or without your need/wish/desire going the way you initially expected.
Here are a few guidelines that may help…
Read MoreThe start of a brand-new year brings with it the promise of new beginnings, growth, change and good times. While our personal perspectives of the times we’ve left behind may be very different based on the experiences leading to them, most ‘bags’ of experience come with a mix of good, bad, ‘meh’, bizarre or more (insert your word here!)… and the natural tendency afterwards is to push ourselves to increase/ replicate/ decrease/ erase these experiences.
The sentiment to consider in this instance is ‘push’. When we push, we force our energy into what I call the ‘must-have’ zone. The issue with this is if that one thing isn’t reached, it typically creates a sense of lack or disappointment (or similar). That’s not to say that purpose, direction and goals aren’t important; rather, it’s our approach that makes the difference.
With this in mind, instead of the ‘must have zone’ or that one thing, I have decided to take on the yogic approach of adopting a ‘sankalpa’ for 2019, which is similar to an intention. For instance, when life becomes about managing a whole lot of moving parts – family and friends, jobs, relationships, finances, bucket lists (in no particular order!) - most of us tend to multitask for efficiency in juggling these. The end result (typically) is less presence, more detachment, more anxiousness and lesser enjoyment of the ‘journey’ and the task. So this year, I intend on doing less, to do more.
Check out this blog post below with a few more of my thoughts on how to get more done in a day while staying balanced, relaxed and content..
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