Yoga Flavored Life » Yoga Tips

Setting an Intention for Your Yoga Practice

Charlotte Bradley — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:46:29 +0000

At the beginning of yoga class or at the start of our own personal practice, we sometimes set an intention or dedicate the practice to something or someone special. Setting an intention acts like a contract between the universe and ourselves. Not a contract in the sense that we have to do things a certain way, more that we plan to devote this time to being a certain way.

Setting an Intention

Start by taking the first 2 minutes of your practice to quietly focus on your mind, breath and body. Set your intention in your mind by first scanning the myriad of thoughts that are there right now. Search those thoughts for the one that is meaningful to you today. Ask yourself, “How am I going to be in this practice?”

Set your intention with your breath. Consciously breathe in then slowly breathe out. Follow your breath, letting your thoughts flow and ride the breath.

Set your intention with your body. Acknowledge the gift of your health and your ability to move around and be in this physical world. Bring your intention into focus by aligning your body, breath and thoughts.

Setting an intention helps to bring clarity to your practice. It is also motivating to have a clear focus. It gives your yoga practice another layer of meaning.

In his book, Turn Stress into Bliss, Michael Lee suggests asking yourself, “What is it I am hoping to create in my life by doing this practice today?” Perhaps it is wellness, a sense of peace or acceptance, or maybe you would like to dedicate your practice to someone else who could use the energy.

Don’t confuse your intention with trying to attain a specific goal. There is a difference. Phillip Moffat explains it eloquently in his article for Yoga Journal:

“Setting intention, at least according to Buddhist teachings, is quite different than goal making. It is not oriented toward a future outcome. Instead, it is a path or practice that is focused on how you are being in the present moment”

Once you have finished your asana, consider carrying the intention with you into your day, expanding your yoga practice to other aspects of your life. How would you like to be today?

Prasarita Padottanasana: Can You Find Both Stability and Calm in this One Yoga Posture?

Charlotte Bradley — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:37:00 +0000

Prasarita Padottanasana (pra-sa-REE-tah pah-doh-tahn-AHS-anna) or Standing Wide Legged Forward Bend, combines the benefits of a standing posture – it energizes and strengthens – with the calming effects of a forward bend. This has always been a posture that I look forward to!

Prasarita Padottanasana stretches, releases tension and gives you a new view of your environment. It may be a difficult pose at first especially if you have tight hamstrings. Eventually, however, Standing Wide Legged Forward Bend becomes more effortless even soothing and calming. It is often prescribed for mild depression or anxiety. Try practicing this pose for a short time each day over the next week. I am sure it will leave you smiling.

Benefits

Stretches your hamstrings
Stretches the lower back
Calms your mind
Builds strength in your legs

Technique

Start with your legs wide apart, feet parallel and toes turned slightly in to protect your knees. As you inhale, expand your heart and lungs arching your back gently and either 1) bring your hands to your hips or 2) interlace your fingers behind you with palms facing each other.

Keeping your legs strong begin to fold forward at the hips. Allow your heart to lead. If your hands are at your hip allow them to come to the floor in front of you shoulder width apart between your feet – keep the hands pulled in towards each other. If your hands are interlaced, stretch the arms away from your back and overhead.

Adjust your body so that you feel your hips over your ankles and your weight intends slightly forward in to your toes.

Always be mindful of your back. If you feel discomfort, bed your knees slightly and go only as far as is comfortable. You can also place your palms against a wall or use a chair for your forearms. If your head touches the ground, it can bear some of the weight as comfortable. You can also use a block, folded blanket or bolster to rest your head.

Enjoy five full breaths or more.

To come out of the pose, press into your feet, engaging your leg muscles and inhale as you twist your torso upright. Exhale completely, let your eyes soften and smile.

Finding the Elusive “Roll and Lift” in Your Yoga Posture

Charlotte Bradley — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:50:02 +0000

When doing any yoga posture it’s important to aim for correct alignment to gain the benefits of the pose and perform it safely. An instruction that is often given by yoga teachers is to “lift and roll your thighs”, either inwards or outwards depending upon the pose. This has always been a confusing instruction for me and I never really got it.

This week I was reading the book, Cool Yoga Tricks by Miriam Austin. I came across a really good explanation of thigh rotation and how to really feel it.

To begin with, Miriam suggests a couple of alternative phrases she uses in order to think about and understand this direction:

"engage the thighs or engage the quadriceps"
"contract the thighs or contract the quadriceps"

Although it seems somewhat of an impossibility to roll your thighs in a specific direction (anyway it certainly did to me!), when done properly it helps to align the spine, creating a solid foundation for the pose and new sense of confidence and freedom.

Miriam’s Tips for Lifting and Rolling the Thighs Outward

I read the instructions for this technique and then decided to give it a try. I was really excited to discover a whole new triangle pose! I felt stronger and did not have the usual feeling of trepidation regarding my knee (I had surgery last year) as I lowered my torso into the pose. I’ve spent the past couple of days spontaneously rolling and lifting throughout my day!

Get ready for triangle by separating your feet about 4 feet apart with the right foot turned out 90° and also to turn slightly inwards about 45°.
Bend the right knee forward slightly.
As you straighten it engage your quadriceps and roll your thigh outward.
Next, slightly bend the back knee and as you straighten it roll the thigh outward.
Concentrate on maintaining this lift and rotation throughout the pose.

Deepen Your Pose With Props

Charlotte Bradley — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:20:13 +0000

With the birth of Iyengar style yoga, the use of props has increased over the last sixty years. The Iyengar tradition stresses, through the use of props, to obtain the proper alignment of the body in a pose. The use of props helps the body achieve this alignment safely even when flexibility and balance are issues. Now, many different styles of yoga have adopted the use of props in their practice.

Blankets – Blankets are a versatile prop that can be used in many different forms. Folded blankets can provide support while sitting or lying down. For example, if you have difficulty sitting on your heels in child’s pose; place a folded blanket between the backs of your thighs and calves.

Blocks – Blocks are helpful in maintaining your balance or alignment while in a pose. They can also provide relief when your flexibility limits your ability to perform a pose. Blocks are most effective during standing poses when you just cannot reach the floor. For example, many beginners have difficulty touching the floor in Half Moon Pose. Use the block on its tallest side to support the lower arm and to aid in maintaining your balance.

Straps – Straps are useful in poses where you cannot touch your hands together or cannot reach your toes. They are also useful in deepening poses. For example, in Reclining Big Toe Pose, the use of a strap is common to deepen the stretch of the hamstrings and calves.

Bolsters – Bolsters can be an essential prop when practicing restorative poses, stretching the spine, and deep meditative breathing. They can also be helpful during prenatal yoga in supporting the lower back. For example, use a bolster underneath your knees during Corpse Pose to deepen your relaxation.

Props do not have to be limited to the types or usages described above. Everyday household items can become a prop out of necessity. Neckties, walls, tables, chairs, and books can all provide assistance in deepening your practice.

Oh, My Aching Calves . . . Make Me Feel Like a Cow!

Teresa Hall — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:31:40 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I have a real problem with the calves of my legs! They tighten up and it feels like the muscles and tendons shorten up by about two inches every night. I battle with Fibromyalgia and my legs really take the brunt of it. Waking up with a positive attitude is tough to do when your body doesn’t want to cooperate. So, I went on a mission to find the yoga stretches focused on lengthening out those calf muscles and give me back the freedom to move.

I spent a lot of years waiting tables, so my legs got quite a workout everyday. Since I’ve changed things up and now spend my day (and half my nights!) at a desk, my legs don’t get the exercise they used to- and it’s starting to be very apparent in how they feel every day. Downward Dog is great for the calves, but some days I can’t even get my calves to stretch out for Downward Dog without getting a charlie horse! On those days, I need something that loosens my calves a little before I move into a pose with a full calf stretch. I think many of us are familiar with the image of a runner leaning against the wall, stretching out before the big run. Well, it just so happens that works equally well before Downward Dog!

To get the appropriate stretch in your hamstrings and loosen up the calf muscle as well, face the wall and place your hands flat against it at shoulder height. Bring one leg behind you about 2 or 3 feet, with your foot flat on the floor and your toes pointed straight forward. Now let your weight rest forward over your front leg, but keep your back knee straight and your heel flat on the floor. This will stretch the big muscle at the back of your calf (the gastrocnemius.) When you bend your back knee, with your foot still flat on the floor, you stretch the smaller muscle underneath the gastrocnemius or the soleus muscle. Now straighten out the front leg and bend the back knee. Let your head drop down, so the top of your head is facing the wall. Drop into the front leg so you stretch it as it pulls back. Repeat the forward, then backward stretches two or three times. Breathe deeply, slowly and evenly as you hold each stretch for two to three breaths. Switch legs and repeat.

The key to this wall assist calf stretch is to let the muscle stretch on its own. DON’T bounce, just lean into the wall and let the muscle do the stretching.

Once I warm up my calf muscles with this stretch, I find it much easier to do the Downward Dog and my other positions. I also use the calf stretch throughout my day when my muscles feel tight. It only takes a minute, but it helps me feel better for hours.

Give this wall assist calf stretch a try the next time your aching calves make YOU feel like a cow!

See you next time!

Yoga for Two, Please

Charlotte Bradley — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:43:12 +0000

Opening yourself up to the idea of Partner Yoga can be very rewarding. One of the principles of yoga is achieving union with others by recognizing yourself in other people. Partner Yoga can be explored through traditional yoga styles (Hatha, Tantra, Karma, etc.), along with several newer partner-only yoga styles such as AcroYoga, Satsang and Matkin yoga.

The best way to practice connectivity with your partner is to synchronize breathing. Start this practice standing apart and facing away from your partner. Focus on your own breath at first, and then each of you begins backing up toward the other. Once you are touching your partner, focus on aligning your breath and standing connected without overpowering one another.

Once this synchronicity of breath has been established, you and your partner can move into any of the partner practice sequences with which you both are comfortable. Partner yoga can include partner-assisted yoga, where you both do the same pose or mirrored poses; or you can integrate contact yoga, where you and your partner do different poses while being in contact with each other.

A classic mirrored Partner Yoga pose is doing the Tree Pose (Vrikshasana). In this pose, partners stand side by side, facing in the same direction with an arm around each other’s waist and the palms of their outside hands touching in a namaste pose. As one partner balances on the left foot, the other balances on the right. The joined palms can then be raised together over the couple’s heads. The smallest movements in one person can have a ripple effect on the other, and the Tree Pose teaches us to find balance with each other.

Practicing yoga with a partner can be like having your own yoga instructor by your side. The more you practice together, the more you understand each other’s limits, so eventually your partner can make suggestions for deepening poses without pushing you beyond your limits. Your partner’s advice can then be integrated into your personal practice quite easily.

Lay Down to Cure Your Ails – Legs Up the Wall Pose

Charlotte Bradley — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:27:14 +0000

Viparita Karani or better known as Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose is a restorative pose with a mild inversion that some yogis claim will cure any ailment. Legs-Up-The-Wall pose achieves many benefits that inversions provide but in a gentler, more supported pose. The benefits of this pose include relieving tired or cramped feet; gently stretching the calves, back and neck; may relieve a mild backache; and calms the mind. For this pose, you may want support your lower back by using a small bolster or several folded blankets placed near the wall.

Instructions:

Sit next to a wall so that your hip touches it. Bend your knees to your chest.
On an exhale, lower yourself to the floor using your elbows to support your upper body. Roll so your legs are going up the wall.
Then release your elbows and lower your whole torso to the ground.
Adjust your head so that the base of your skull is away from your neck. Lift your sternum towards you chin, but do not tuck your chin. Pull your shoulder blades down your back and let your arms rest at your sides, palms up.
While keeping your legs firm enough to remain on the wall, let their weight settle into your pelvis. Soften your belly and let it sink into your torso. Close your eyes.

If you are comfortable, stay in this position for several minutes. To let yourself out of the pose, bring your knees to your chest and roll to your side. Stay on your side for a few minutes, then rise on an exhalation.

Even though Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose is considered a restorative pose, many instructors also treat this pose as an inversion. Some yoga practitioners discourage performing inversions during menstruation. (Visit Yoga Journal here for a discussion of inversions during menstruation.)

Old McDonald Does Yoga Too

Charlotte Bradley — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:41:51 +0000

Kids live in the same busy world that we do, why not share your yoga practice with them. Children are inherently flexible, but they can also enjoy many of the other benefits of yoga. They can learn how their bodies move, how to relax, and hone skills to aid them in dealing with life’s struggles. Yoga helps improve body image and awareness, while improving their concentration and attention spans. Yoga is also a good physical activity for children who are not interested in physical or competitive sports. And most of all, it’s fun. Kids are natural yogis.

Here are some ideas on how to build a yoga practice at home with your kids:

Create a space for your family to practice yoga. You will need an area clear of obstacles and distractions. Perhaps provide your kids with their own mats if they show an interest. Outdoor yoga is also great in the summer.
Let your children choose music for the session or create a playlist in your iPod that starts with your children’s selections but ends with your choice for relaxation.
Create a sequence that flows through animal poses and incorporates a relaxation at the end. Encourage your children to make the animal sounds while they are performing the poses. Try poses like the cat-cow stretch, cobra, downward facing dog, puppy pose, and corpse pose (though you might want to give it a more kid-friendly name).
Let kids make up and name their poses. My boys’ favourite is "Exploding Volcano." Picture that one …
Keep session short and sweet, ending on a good note.

Do not expect the experience of doing yoga with your children to match that of your personal yoga practice. Your kids will likely talk, ask questions, laugh, and make animal noises. This is a part of their practice. In fact, often stories are interweaved throughout the poses in children’s classes. Doing yoga with kids can be a rewarding experience as long as we let go of our expectations regarding how yoga is supposed to be done. Relax, have fun, be creative and enjoy the time with your kids.

Living Life to the Fullest Stretch

Charlotte Bradley — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:23:15 +0000

Perhaps you have all experienced it: a great yoga class that left you feeling alive, centered and peaceful. What was different about that class? Did you focus on your breathing; bring full mindfulness to the pose at hand? Did you leave all your distractions at the door? The answer is likely “yes.” Now wouldn’t you like to retain those feelings from class every day? With all that yoga teaches us, it is not as hard you might think.

A yoga lifestyle applies the principles of yoga to your daily life by adopting healthy attitudes. If we practice being mindful in our daily activities, we will also become mindful of what we allow into our lives. This means everything from allowing time constraints into our lives to eating unhealthy foods.

Yoga emphasizes non-violence, but that doesn’t just mean non-violence toward others. We must love and respect ourselves enough not to cause ourselves harm by being overworked, overstressed, over-everything. We must love ourselves enough not only to breathe, but be aware of how we are breathing.

If you have ever tried focusing on remembering your dreams at night so you could wake up and write them down, you will notice that over time your dreams begin to change simply because of the mindfulness you bring to them during the day. Breath is the same way; the more mindful you become of breathing, the more it changes, for the better.

Thich Nat Hanh, Buddhist author of many books on breathing and mindfulness, reminds us all of the keeping the “half-smile” present in our lives. He refers to smiling as “mouth yoga,” and he offers this simple mantra to bring peace and awareness into our lives: “Breathing in I calm my body. Breathing out I smile.”

A Diet Rich in Yoga Can Lead to Weight Acceptance

Charlotte Bradley — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:25:03 +0000

Yoga practice is not a quick-fix diet pill, but it can have profound effects on your body image. Yoga can open the doorway to many transformative gifts, one of which is weight acceptance.

There are many factors in weight gain (stress, food addiction, willpower and lifestyle), so it would be unfair to point to a single solution for weight loss. However, regular yoga practice will loosen and lengthen muscles, thereby sculpting one’s body and improving range of motion. These changes may give the appearance of weight loss and improved fitness if not necessarily shedding pounds of fat. If weight loss is one of your goals, then a more vigorous style of yoga, such as Ashtanga or Power would be a good choice.

True weight loss through yoga practice comes from the changes yoga brings to your lifestyle. Yoga can reduce stress, improve digestion and improve blood circulation to major endocrine glands (the thyroid and pancreas), all of which can control your appetite, moods and sleep patterns.

Many yoga practitioners note that regular yoga practice naturally changes their diets because they begin seeking more natural sources of food fuels, such as fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Also, given that it is not recommended to practice yoga on a full stomach, eating smaller, more frequent meals becomes conducive to living a practical yoga lifestyle.

What ultimately happens with yoga practitioners is that they gain comfort and confidence in the bodies they’ve already been given.