Pranayama for the Root Chakra

Pranayama is a very powerful and focused breathing technique that directs your energy flow for self-realisation and healing. In her study of the human bio-field, Dr. Valerie Hunt found this out. She established that people who felt ungrounded and lacked vitality often missed a certain energy frequency that’s associated with that of the Root Chakra.

Ungrounded states, where you don’t necessarily feel within your body lack physical vivacity and represent an imbalance in your energy spectrum. If your Root Chakra power is low, it’s a signal that you may be drawing less of it from the Earth. This often results in forms of numbness and dissociation. 

Hypo states like hypoglycemia, hypotension, and hypothyroidism show that you’re likely to be having insufficient subtle energy in your body’s grounding realm. The same applies to depression, fatigue, weakness, and general body under-functioning. 

Pranayama is the Answer

While many think of Pranayama as breath work, it has to do a lot also with the breathing, attunement, and direction of energy. Your intention in practice is to draw in power to replace the missing frequency in your biofield. In the case of being unground, the colour red misses from the energy biofield’s spectrum. 

Steps:

• Find a disturbance-free spot

• Adopt a sitting or standing position. It’s preferable to get the soles of the feet on the floor

• Relax, turn inward to your inner stillness, and set your attention on your breath. You can utilise Ujjayi for a more in-depth focus and generation of heat

• Follow your breath for a few moments, inhaling through the nose and allowing the breath to expand the belly, lungs, and ribcage.

• Exhale through the nose

Continue with the breathing pattern above before using the following visualisation technique:

• Imagine that roots are spreading down from the soles of your feet to the Earth’s centre anchoring you to the ground.

• During the inhale, imagine you’re inhaling red life-sustaining energy from the Earth, up to the roots and through the soles of your feet.

• Continue breathing in this energy upward through the legs and into the pelvic floor and the Root Chakra’s revolving, rich red cortex. This is where you’ll feel the absorption and distribution of the power through your body.

• If you wish, hold the breath for a short natural pause at the end of your exhale

• From the Root Chakra, exhale down the legs, through the feet, and down your roots back to the Earth’s centre

• Repeat this exercise several times, focusing on how grounded your hips and legs feel with the flow of energy

As an optional exercise, you can breathe the red energy of the Earth further up your body and into the rest of the chakras. You can also do so into any of the areas that are associated with hypo-functioning to feel the energy’s stimulating effects upon it. Exhale down back to the Earth’s centre. Repeat this cycle of breaths a few times. 

Start Today

Pranayama is the best exercise when it comes to directing your flow of energy for healing and self-realisation. It helps you draw the power that’s necessary for the replacement of the missing frequency in anyone’s biofield. Try Pranayama today to get these benefits.

The Art Of Allowing: Why You Need To Stretch More

The benefits of stretching go beyond the physical side. Explore why allowing the body and mind to loosen and melt can also become an emotional and spiritual practice on its own.

We Are Our Bodies

Perhaps one of the most pervasive modern beliefs is that we merely inhabit our bodies, rather than being them, as though our physical forms were mere vehicles to carry our more important souls, minds or personalities. A consequence is that we treat our bodies like any other material object in the world—something to be manipulated, changed or handled in just the same way as a car or kitchen appliance.

And so we find ourselves with the “no pain no gain” mantra—or more generally, a relationship to our bodies that’s based on force. We assume that the body needs to be whipped into shape, controlled, or molded into the correct form through discipline and effort. We prize the mental toughness needed to foster strength and physical fitness, associating active vigor with goodness, and relaxation and release with being weak or lazy.

Nobody can deny the beauty of a strong, resilient physique. And physical prowess is an undeniably wonderful thing. But what about the other side of the coin? The silences are as important to music as the played notes; in the same way, the passive, still and yielding body is as important to our wellbeing as active effort—maybe even more so.

The Benefits Of Stretching

Rather than simply tacking on a random stretch before or after a workout, the patient and deliberate relaxing of the body can be art all on its own. To balance an overly active, forceful attitude to the body, we can make room for a completely different approach: one of complete allowing.

Instead of tightening, the body is loosened to let go of tension. Instead of focused, effortful action towards a goal, the body is allowed to melt, to simply be what it is. Sadly, many health-conscious people deplore the idea of softness in the body—we want to be toned and controlled. Even when we stretch we might be tempted to rush the process and yank and pull ourselves through it, competing with the person on the yoga mat beside us to see who’s winning the flexibility competition!

But the benefits of stretching are not limited to the physical. Rather, stretching encourages a fuller, more balanced relationship with the body based on awareness and receptivity. Stretching can be a gentle emotional and even spiritual practice, right in the here and now.

Why Stretching Is So Good For You

In the following, we will be delving into the diverse benefits of stretching for body, mind and soul.

1. Stretching encourages you to listen to your body

Unless you’re in pain or ill, how often do you pay your body careful, compassionate attention? Are you tuned into all the little flutters of your senses, your heartbeat and breath, your posture? In an abstract, mechanised world, it’s easy to dismiss the body, taking for granted that it will tick along regardless of the punishment we throw its way, or the demands we place on it despite its fatigue.

One of the benefits of stretching, however, is that you start a conversation with your body. No longer just commanding it, you consciously listen, respecting what your physical being is asking for. Stretching fosters more masterful bodily awareness and integrity, alerting you to small problems before they become big ones.

2. Stretching reminds you to take joy in your physical form

How much of the day is spent lugging the body to and fro, pushing it into one activity after the other, like it’s nothing more than a pack mule meant to serve? But the body is an exquisite gift—and you’re meant to enjoy being alive in it! It’s easy: when you stretch, you feel good.

Doesn’t it feel marvellous to release and let go? Isn’t it delicious to fully own your arms and legs, to savour a stretch right from the base of your spine to the tips of your fingers? We are not machines. Stretching reminds us to enjoy the sensation of life, relishing every living, breathing inch of our physical experience.

3. Stretching releases blocks and tensions

The next time you’re in a bad mood, notice whether you’re unconsciously holding your breath. Are you also clenching some other parts of your body?

Deliberately loosening and inviting yourself to open has the remarkable ability of letting a negative mood flow on. Many of us are chronically tight and anxious, clinging to resentments and worries just as we hold onto stiffness and rigidity in the shoulders, neck and back. You could talk about trauma, anxiety or sadness in therapy for years—but physically stretching out permits your body to process these emotions, too.

Stretching Is Always Available To You

Unfortunately, the body sometimes gets a raw deal, being demoted to the last place on life’s priority list. Even those who cherish their health and wellness may nevertheless take a harsh and punishing stance to their physical form, only engaging in order to contain, constrict or control the body.

Thankfully, stretching is an antidote. And it’s available to you right now and in every moment. To have a body is beautiful—be calm, accepting and maybe even celebratory of this fact! Practice the art of allowing. Gracefully let the body be. You are always invited to open up and let suppleness and ease take the focus for a while.

Daily stretching can be a profound spiritual practice that teaches us to let go, to loosen up (physically and figuratively!) and humbly soften to our experience, without force and without expectation.

Article Author: Isabelle Pikörn

Article Source: https://insighttimer.com/blog/benefits-of-stretching/

How yoga can help improve your gut health

A healthy digestive system is integral to living a balanced and wholesome life. The gut plays an essential role in a variety of functions throughout the body, and when undernourished and out of balance, the gut can contribute to a number of health conditions.

Some of these health issues include:

• Mood disorders (anxiety and depression)

• Autoimmune conditions

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Fatigue

• Skin conditions

• Allergies

• Headaches and migraines

• Weight gain

• Hormonal Imbalances

• Poor nutrient absorption

• Bloating, constipation or diarrhea

• Joint pain

How yoga benefits the gut

 A healthy lifestyle has the potential to profoundly benefit our gut health and act as a preventative measure to many illnesses. Yoga, in particular, is a great way to begin this journey where it can heal our microbiome through stress reduction, gentle exercise and in aiding digestion.

Stress Reduction

The gut is so important in regulating stress responses in the body, where it is involved in the production of neurotransmitters in the brain such as dopamine, and GABA, as well as the regulation of other hormones. The microbiome is highly sensitive, where it can be thrown off of balance when hormones are produced to signal that the body is in stress, be it mental or physical. Yogic breathing and meditation has been researched to activate the parasympathetic nervous system which clears stress responses within the body, thus restoring the health and balance within our gut.

Increases microbiome diversity

Consistent exercise is correlated with higher levels of microbiome diversity as well as the amount of healthy strains of bacteria within our gut. As a gentle exercise practice, yoga has the potential to support a flourishing and diverse microbiome.

Aids with Digestion

Ayurveda, the oldest healthcare system in the world and the sister of yoga, believes that a healthy digestive system is vital for optimal health. Specific asanas can promote “agni” (our digestive fire) to facilitate digestion as well as cleanse and release toxins within the body. Certain asanas can also act as a massage for the internal organs as well as improve oxygenated blood flow to a variety of organs and lower blood pressure. 

TOP 5 ASANAS TO HEAL YOUR GUT

Peacock

Yogi masters have been quoted to say that if you practice this pose regularly, it doesn’t matter what you eat. This pose places pressure and cuts blood flow to your stomach, liver, intestines, kidneys and spleen. Not only does this increase the digestive fire, but once released, fresh oxygenated blood flows to the organs, reducing the production of toxins in the intestine thus improving function. This is the perfect yogic detox pose!

Revolved Crescent lunge or Seated Twist

These poses aid in digestion, where pressure from the twist is applied to the organs. This facilitates with digestion of fluids and foods, as well as the release of toxins, and helps eliminate waste.

Shavasana

This is the perfect stress reduction pose to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, and keep your gut happy and stress free to restore balance within the rest of the body.

Bow Pose

This stimulates digestion by rocking forward and backwards on your belly, and also provides a massage to the internal organs. This also increases blood flood flow, oxygenating and revitalising the digestive system.

Sun Salutations

These are great in stimulating the digestive fire, as a few sun salutation combined with inhalation and exhalation of breath, produce heat in the abdominals, facilitating detoxification and digestion.

Article Author: Sofia Poggi

Article Source: https://www.powerliving.com.au/blog/here-is-how-yoga-can-improve-your-gut-health/

3 simple ways to stay in the present moment

The age of distraction

Writing in the Guardian, James Williams, a former google advertising strategist and Oxford-trained philosopher said, “I now believe the liberation of human attention may be the defining moral and political struggle of our time.”

It’s a bold and thought-provoking statement but one which, in the age of the internet, social media, fake news, false realities, and the omnipresent mobile phone, is hard to dispute. As I wrote this, I noted how other things I deemed ‘necessary’ to do before writing the first paragraph. Researching quotes, looking up scientific studies, reading other articles on the topic, searching for relevant yoga classes to recommend… I notice how many tabs I have open on my laptop (21), how many times I’ve paused to check my work messages or emails in the past hour… (way too many).

There is no doubt we live in the age of distraction. But why is it so important to try and combat the seemingly ever-increasing tussle for our attention?

Coming back to the present moment

If you practice meditation and yoga, you’re probably familiar with being urged to live in the present moment:
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” said the Buddha. “Happiness lies not in finding what is missing, but in finding what is present”, says Tara Brach. “Realise deeply the present moment is all you’ll ever have”, urges Eckhart Tolle.

One of the key ways to be present is by practising mindfulness. The simplest definition of mindfulness I’ve found is from Dipa Ma, an Indian meditation teacher and Buddhist master in Asia. She said: “Whatever you are doing, be aware of it.”

We cannot be aware of something that we’re doing (or feeling or seeing or experiencing) unless we are right there, in that moment. In essence, mindfulness could be described as the gateway to presence.

Benefits of mindfulness

There are many studies that attest to the efficacy of mindfulness but the fact is scientists still don’t have a full understanding of what actually happens in the brain when we practice it. Though the practice was founded in Buddhism around 2,600 years ago, studies on mindfulness really only began in the 1970s. In other words, we’re really at the tip of the iceberg in our understanding. Practice of mindfulness has been shown to:

• Reduce levels of anxiety and depression

• Improve focus and attention

• Reduce stress

• Decrease emotional reactivity

• Promote empathy and compassion

And though these longer-term benefits are worth pursuing the practice for, to instantly get a ‘feel’ for how you could benefit from being more present, you might ask yourself:

• How does my mind feel when I’m trying to juggle lots of things at the same time?

• What’s my general mood when I’ve spent an hour (or three) scrolling Instagram?

• What feedback is my body giving me? Have I noticed my breath at all?

Why do we avoid the present moment?

In Virginia Woolf’s novel, Orlando, the narrator wonders, “For what more terrifying revelation can there be than that it is the present moment? That we survive the shock at all is only possible because the past shelters us on one side and the future on another.”

Whilst this article is written to highlight the power of presence, I would be naive not to acknowledge how astoundingly difficult it is much of the time. Think of times when we’re at work, but dreaming of the weekend or being on holiday (holidays – remember those?!)…. Yet when we are lying on that beach or sipping those cocktails we’re worrying about the barrage of work awaiting us.

Right now at the time of writing (early 2021), you may also argue that the present moment isn’t exactly appealing some of the time. And you’d be right. Sometimes it’s just much easier to numb ourselves to the reality of the present moment.

Where life happens

According to the writer and professor of economics at the Hebrew University, Eyal Winter, ‘human psychology is evolutionarily hard-wired to live in the past and the future. Other species have instincts and reflexes to help with their survival, but human survival relies very much on learning and planning. You can’t learn without living in the past, and you can’t plan without living in the future.’

That being said, learning and planning are all very well but what about life? Does the warmth of the sun on your face, or the burst of birdsong in the trees, or soft purr of your cat as it greets you, or the crunch of the Autumn leaves under your feet teach you anything other than how delightful it is to experience them?

And does experiencing them demand anything of you other than just to BE? 

Indeed, for me, this is the most powerful reason of all. There’s a pure simplicity in being truly present, a kind of ‘leaning in’ to what life is offering us, be it ‘good’ or bad’. It’s a deep, undefended, uncomplicated trust that asks nothing of us but to pay attention. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed and out of touch with your body, here are three, really simple tips to guide you back into the here and now.

1. Close the tabs: Do one thing at a time

When life speeds up, we have a tendency to go faster too, in the (mis)belief that we’ll ‘achieve’ more if we double the number of plates we’re spinning. Even in our so-called downtime, we watch Netflix or a movie whilst having half an eye on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook feed.

In fact, what is known as ‘multitasking’ is actually more accurately ‘task-switching’ because our brains aren’t actually capable of focusing on two serious tasks at the same time.

So the next time you find yourself ‘multitasking’, try to focus on doing one thing at a time and do only that. Close the extra tabs on your laptop when you’re working on something, resist the urge to google the name of that actor in the film you’re watching. If you’re waiting in line for something, try and keep your phone in your pocket. And if are scrolling Instagram, fully give yourself over to it – scroll like you mean it! To paraphrase Thich Nhat Hanh’s verse, ‘Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in…’ Scrolling mindlessly, I know that I am scrolling mindlessly.’

2. Ask yourself: Are my mind and body in the same place?

Have you ever had the experience of driving somewhere and realised when you’ve got there you have no recollection of the route? Or you’re out with your dog and spent the whole walk ruminating about work? Even – and often – the briefest of activities such as cleaning our teeth, washing the dishes, or folding the laundry test our ability to be fully present. It’s little wonder Eckhart Tolle defined the human race as “lost in thought”! 

I’ve found the question above one of the simplest and most effective ways to bring myself back into the present moment. If the answer is “no” then you could follow it up with asking yourself, ‘what is here now?’ If we consider that it’s estimated the average person has up to 60,000 thoughts a day and 90% of those are exactly the same thoughts as the day before, then perhaps it’s fair to say our external or internal landscape is usually far richer and more interesting!

3. Take one breath

It’s not for nothing that many meditation teachers ask us to take a couple of deep breaths at the start of our sitting practice – it’s one of simplest and most instant ways to come into the present, into our bodies. Paying attention to our breath is a fundamental way to connect to ourselves because the breath is the invisible bridge between the body and the mind. As long as we’re alive, it’s readily available and our one constant. 

See if you can follow your breath for one full cycle. Pay attention from the moment the wave of breath comes into your body. Notice your belly soften and inflate, your ribs widen, your chest rise. See if you can follow its gentle journey all the way up to its apex. Notice the slight pause before the inhale turns into an exhale… what happens in that gap? ….and then follow the breath all the way back out again.

Article Author: Kirsty Tomlinson

Article Source: https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/practice/3-simple-ways-to-stay-in-the-present-moment

STAYING BALANCED IN THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS

As the seasons shift, our bodies cycle through an organic ebb and flow of change that serves to harmonise and create balance within us. These changes are usually influenced by the seasons themselves: hours of daylight, foods that are abundant at particular times of the year, weather patterns, and seasonally inspired activities.

Although your body will adjust to these changes naturally, it never hurts to integrate some simple tweaks into your routine to aid in the transition and link yourself more intimately with the season that is upon you.

AN AYURVEDIC APPROACH TO INNER-BODY BALANCE

The summer months are a time of light and warmth, and the energy of summer radiates at a high vibration. To balance the heat and energy of the summer season, aim to cultivate the opposite environment on the inside of the body — cool and calm.

According to Ayurveda, the science of health native to India, summer inspires the pitta dosha. The doshas are the bodily humors that help to create one’s individual constitution, and there are three different doshas: vata, pitta, kapha.

Pitta is driven predominately by the solar force, so when the natural cycle of the seasons brings us to the sunny summer months, it is important to pacify the natural pitta inside our bodies so that we aren’t meeting the hot, fiery external climate with a similar internal energy. In doing so, we allow ourselves to enjoy the full excitement and thrill that summer brings, without being flooded by too much of one energetic force.

But how do we balance that pitta energy? During this time of year, a good counter for the sunny weather would be to create a lunar current within the body by focusing on activities and foods that are cooling. This approach will nourish your system and help increase your energy levels.

COOLING SUMMER YOGA POSES

One of the best ways to encourage equilibrium in your body is through your yoga practice. Here are a few cooling yoga poses you can include in your daily routine:

1. Moon Salutations: These are a variation of your Sun Salutes. If you want to do regular Sun Salutations, try to walk forward rather than jump forward to maintain the low vibratory feeling.

2. Supported Backbends: Try Bridge Pose with a yoga block beneath the low back.

3. Legs Up the Wall: Remember to keep your tailbone flush against the wall and your legs straight up.

4. Supported Shoulder Stand: Place a blanket or towel under the shoulders, letting your neck dip off the edge.

5. Forward Folds: Try Seated Forward Fold or Wide-Legged Forward Fold.

6. Floor Twists: You can do these seated or lying on your back.

All of these poses send a calming wave through the nervous system and serve the body’s attempts to self-regulate.

BREATH WORK: COOLING PRANAYAMA

After you complete your asanas, weave in one or both of the following cooling pranayama (breath work):

• Shitali Pranayama: This technique is done by curling the sides of your tongue towards one another and sticking your tongue out through your lips. Inhale through your rolled tongue and exhale out through the nose. Repeat 5-20 times. If you have difficultly curling your tongue, try making a donut shape with your lips instead; inhale through the lips, exhale through the nose.

• Single-Nostril Breathing: This technique isolates one nostril. For the summer months we are targeting the left nostril, which is called the Ida Nadi (“subtle channel”), which is the body’s cooling channel and is located on the lunar side of the body. Plug the right side of the nostril and breathe in and out through the left nostril for 5-20 breaths.

COOLING FOODS, HERBS AND SPICES

Food is another essential component to balance the body, as it metabolises your efforts from the inside, out. Here are a few simple guidelines to follow that will align your eating with the summer season:

• Eat vegetables and fruits that have a high water content: melons, cucumbers, and leafy greens.

• Keep things light and cool — enjoy foods that aren’t dense and heavy, and ones that you don’t need to cook for very long; perhaps even things you don’t have to heat up at all before eating.

• It’s easier to get dehydrated during the summer months. Try drinking electrolyte-enhanced water. If you ever feel like you are over-heating, coconut water is very cooling to the body. (Just be mindful of how much you drink as it is a natural laxative!)

• Incorporate herbs and spices that reduce the pitta dosha, including mint, fennel, cilantro, cumin, and coriander.

Although your body will instinctively crave balance as the seasons shift, it is always a beneficial practice to offer a little assistance. Trust your instincts on these recommendations and always do what feels right for you.

Happy summer!

Article Author: Nichole Golden

Article Source: https://www.gaiam.com/blogs/discover/yoga-for-all-seasons-summer

New Year’s Yoga Resolutions and how to Keep Them

Ancient Babylonians were thought to be the first people to make New Year’s resolutions, roughly 4,000 years ago. They weren’t in quite the same format as the ones we make today (reduce my screen time), and their New Year was in March (marking the planting of the new crops).  But if we want someone to blame, we can start with them.

Every year we start the new year filled with good intentions. This year we’re going mould ourselves into a shinier, thinner, richer version of ourselves and not fall at the first hurdle and…oh, we just fell…

The same applies to New Year’s ‘yoga resolutions’. So here are some ideas about how to make New Year’s yoga resolutions and actually stick to them, so that by the end of this year, you can look back with a glow of pride, not a large helping of self-contempt.

RESOLVE NOT TO HAVE ANY RESOLUTIONS

This one might come across as a cop-out, but hear me out.

What if there’s actually nothing wrong with the old you? What if making a list of what you need to do to improve yourself and your yoga practice is just a way of always reinforcing the sense that you’re not quite good enough. That your efforts on the mat during this year are not enough? Well, what if they are enough?

Maybe you had other challenges that you had to face in your life, maybe you missed the odd class, but you were there nine times out of ten. Maybe your home practice was a bit erratic because you know, life happens, or maybe you even become. Sometimes it’s enough to just say, I resolve to not make any new resolutions but to simply continue being fabulous yogi me. Well done me.

BREAK DOWN YOUR RESOLUTIONS INTO TINY STEPS

Your list of resolutions might start out seeming perfectly reasonable and do-able, but then real life starts back up again, and suddenly putting a wash on and getting a food shop done seem much more urgent than fitting in an hour’s home practice every day.

So instead of resolving to get up at the crack of dawn like all those celebrities seem to be able to do (and still look incredible – how?), just get out of bed five minutes earlier and do one pose. Or two, if you feel like it. Downward dog, for example, is one of those poses that stretches every little bit of you and wakes your body up in preparation for the day. And once you’ve cracked five minutes, you might just find yourself doing ten minutes.

MAKE FEWER RESOLUTIONS

So your New Year’s yoga resolution might be to create your very own yoga teaching empire, by starting up more yoga classes and leading your first retreat in the Maldives. If we are too ambitious with our goals, they become overwhelming and in the end, we may not achieve any of them.

So instead of trying to do it all in one go, perhaps it might be worth thinking, what is it that I would actually like to do that would make me feel the most satisfied? Or, am I trying to do all these things because I want to, or because I feel I should? Just choose one of the goals and break it down into smaller sections that you can schedule into your diary. Then, once one of your resolutions is achieved, the others may well fall into place.

ASK FOR HELP TO KEEP YOUR RESOLUTIONS

No man (or woman) is an island”, said John Donne, and he’s quite right. We are social creatures that exist in a web of wonderful human relationships, with family, friends, and colleagues – and fellow yogis, of course.

If your New Year’s yoga resolution is to establish a daily home practice then perhaps you can buddy up, and challenge each other to keep up a home practice every day for 21 days. At the end of each practice, you could text each other an update, or keep a home practice diary and then share your updates on a weekly phone call (because that takes you back to your youth, when people actually CALLED people).

MAKE BETTER RESOLUTIONS

Have you ever considered that one reason why you might not have smashed last year’s New Year’s resolutions, is because they were things you actually didn’t want to do, to begin with?

Just because someone else can manage to be some all-singing, all-dancing yogi with bells on, doesn’t mean that’s what you need to do. Perhaps your yoga is a small, quiet practice for yourself. Maybe those advanced poses are just not for you, and that’s okay too.

This year, choose resolutions that you want to keep and then keeping them will be oh so much easier.

Article Author: Poppy Pickles

Article Source: https://yogalondon.net/monkey/new-years-yoga-resolutions-and-how-to-keep-them/