Why do most people start yoga?

Why do most people start yoga?

So why is it that people start practicing yoga?  For some it's to help with their stress, to find their peace and inner balance.  For others, it's to increase their flexibility, or to increase their fitness levels!  For many it's to relieve some form of pain such as back pain.  These are very general reasons but most people, I find, fall into one of those categories. 

The beautiful aspect of yoga that I very much appreciate, is that ANYONE can do it!  If you are 80 something years old and have never exercised, you can do yoga!  If you are a double amputee, you can do yoga!  If you are poor, you can do yoga!  If you believe yourself to be extremely physically fit, yoga will give you that nudge you need to increase your endurance and your stamina!  There is no specific body type required to do yoga.  It's not like taking up swimming where you'll need hours and hours of lessons and training before you finally learn to swim that first lap!  Yoga is there for anyone of ANY level of yogi practice. 

Some people have purely physical reasons for doing yoga, some people have purely spiritual or mental reasons for doing yoga, most of us practice yoga for both the spiritual and physical benefits yoga can give us!

Yoga and the mind/spirit

*Increases happiness

*Improves discipline

*Enhances focus

*Improves reaction time

*Inspires better sleep

*Enhances self worth

Yoga and the body

*Increases flexibility

*Strengthens the muscles and tendons

*Increases bone density

*Improves balance and coordination

*Improves the function of the internal organs by twisting them and allowing fresh blood supply to them

*Burns energy (between 140-400 calories an hour)

*Decreases chance of injury

*Stabilizes hormones

*Decreases the chance of arthritis or other joint disease

*Decreases pain and fatigue

In short, when done properly, yoga is a comprehensive fitness program that will help you keep strong, limber, happy and healthy for the rest of your life.  Yoga lets you try new things without fear, it gives you the chance to play again (act like that tree during Tree Pose).  It teaches you about yourself, how you handle yourself with the frustration of falling for the 8th time during Crane Pose!  

If you are very new to yoga, you need to start out in a beginners class, or buy yourself a beginners DVD.  Be patient with yourself as you learn the poses, have fun with it, and know that what you are doing is extremely beneficial for your body, your mind, and your spirit.  You will be amazed at what you will learn in a short amount of time.  

Have fun with yoga.  Fall into the lap of the Yoga Gods and Goddesses and explore the possibilities and the benefits that yoga will give you.  Give yoga at least 8 weeks so that you can then decide if it is for you or not.  I would bet that you will find at least one benefit that you absolutely adore about yoga, and it will push you to keep going with your practice.

Namaste~~~  

   

What's so great about the Psoas muscle?

What's so great about the Psoas muscle?

The more I practice and read about yoga, the more I look into the anatomy of the human body.  As an RN I took anatomy in college, but lately I've been brushing up on my anatomy stumbling upon the fascinating intricacy of the psoas  muscle.  The psoas is a mysterious muscle.  Some consider it one of the most important muscles in the human body.  It affects us physically, emotionally, energetically, and mentally!  

As illustrated in the picture above, we have two psoas muscles.  One on each side of the body.  It is a long muscle that attaches to our spine at the bottom of the rib cage, running all the way down the sides of our body, attaching to the inner thigh bone (near your groin).

Physically, the psoas muscle enables us to stand upright as a species.  The lumbar (lower back) curve was created by the psoas muscle so that we could stand upright.  Secondly, the psoas muscle is the main muscle of walking, of propelling us forward.  Without the psoas we would not be able to stand up, nor would we be able to walk!  

Now here is the interesting part, the psoas muscle is the muscle of emotional trauma!  The psoas holds deep seated emotional trauma, mostly connected to our childhood.  So if you are trying to release your psoas, memories of trauma, especially those from your childhood, may resurface.   

This intricate muscle is connected to diaphragmatic (your main breathing muscle below your lungs) connective tissue.  The psoas is also connected physically to your reptilian brain, the part of the brain that is your basic survival instinct signaling stress, the fright or flight reflex

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So a fast paced lifestyle (which cannot be avoided for most of us) runs our body on adrenaline through our fight or flight reflex resulting in a chronically tight psoas.  The psoas becomes tight when we are stressed so that we can physically run from danger (the reptilian brain cannot distinguish stress, it does not know if the stress our body feels is due to immediate danger of being eaten alive from a dinosaur, or from the stress of  everyday modern life).  

So what does a chronically tight psoas muscle cause?  All sorts of trouble.  Naming only a few, it can lead to lower back pain, sciatica, knee pain, spinal disc problems, infertility, menstrual cramping, digestive problems, and breathing problems.  It can also lead to fear and root chakra issues (see my blog titled Chakras and Yoga for an explanation of Root Chakra issues).  

A chronically tight psoas signals danger in the body (remember the reptilian brain and stress), thus exhausting your adrenals (the glands that sit on top of your kidneys).  Exhausted adrenals can cause depression, loss of interest in life, feeling groggy, insomnia, feelings of being anxious, and feeling overwhelmed. 

So how can we release the psoas?  I work on it through yoga of course!  I will be putting a link at the end of this paragraph that will lead you to a youtube video on different postures you can utilize to try to relax and loosen your psoas muscle.  I will also put in a few links about adrenal exhaustion.  

Youtube video on how to stretch the psoas! 

An interesting article by Dr. Christiane Northrup MD about adrenal exhaustion, and what you can do to help yourself.

Another blog by Yoga instructor Hope Zvara about the psoas muscle.

Chakras and Yoga

Chakras and Yoga

Take a look at the image above.  Note where each chakra sits.  We have the base/root chakra which is red in color, located at the base of the spine.  The sacral chakra which is orange in color, located below the navel.  The solar plexus chakra which is yellow in color, located just beneath the rib cage. The heart chakra which is emerald green in color, located in the heart area.  The throat chakra, blue in color located at the base of the throat.  The third eye chakra indigo in color, and is located between your eyes.  And your crown chakra, which is on the top of your head and is violet in color. 

The word Chakra means wheel.  The chakras are psychic centers of energetic and spiritual experience.  They are not physical locations, we cannot palpate them, we cannot see them with the physical eye (some are able to see chakras intuitively), and they are not material.  

If you have read my blog "Why Am I Feeling So Emotional In This Pose" I talk about how yoga poses can open up, and energize or "equalize" our different chakras.  If for example, you are in a chest expansion pose, such as the camel (click here for an image of the camel) and you are feeling emotional in that pose, then most likely the asana is trying to balance and heal the heart chakra.  In my personal experience, I have noticed that the most damaged and the most difficult chakra to heal or "fix" is the heart chakra.  Love is very important, and this chakra is associated with love.  All of us have had our hearts broken at many points in our lives, and if not correctly handled will end up slugging your heart chakra, thus closing up that energy point or making it weak.

In the remainder of this blog, I will very briefly go over each chakra.  I will then post a photo or a video of one asana that will help that particular chakra.  Keep in mind, that there are MANY asana's that you can use to open up any of your chakras.  If you are using yoga to balance your chakras, be prepared to be uncomfortable and emotional.  Take your time, and be very gentle with yourself.  There are many ways besides yoga to help heal your chakras.  Color, food, prayer, reiki, cleansing, meditation, visualization---I'm sure you get the point.  

Located at the base of the spine is our first chakra, called the Root Chakra, it is red in color. It is related to our most basic survival needs, and our sense of belonging to family, group, culture, world. When this chakra is clear and energy flows through it freely, we feel secure and confident that we can easily fulfill our needs. On the other hand, blockage in this area can cause us to feel anxious and worried. This chakra connects us to the earth. It is helpful to listen to the sensations of the root chakra when we are in the process of making decisions. Uncomfortable sensations are a message to be alert and to reconsider, while pleasant feelings indicate that your decision is likely to meet your needs for safety and nourishment. It is the most physical of chakras. This chakra develops during birth up until 3-5 years of age.  A simple and basic yoga pose for the root chakra is Mountain Pose.  Mountain Pose encourages your connection with Earth, it connects you with your body, and keeps you in the present moment.  Click here for an article on how to do the Mountain Pose  

The second chakra, known as the Sacral Chakra is orange in color. It sits a few finger widths beneath the belly button (in the reproductive area), and is associated with birth and with creativity. Birth in the literal sense, as well as metaphorically to new aspects of ourselves, projects and ideas. When this chakra is healthy, we’re tapped into the source of higher energy that helps us write beautiful music, develop an innovative business, or create a loving family life. When this chakra becomes congested, we may experience a block in our creative powers and a sense of dryness or emptiness. This chakra develops between the years of 3/5-8 years of age. It is associated with the lymphatic glandular system of the body.  The Cobra pose is very beneficial for the Sacral Chakra.  Click here for a video of the Cobra Pose.  

The third chakra is called the Solar Plexus Chakra, and is located a few finger widths above the belly button. It is bright yellow in color. This chakra governs our will, self-esteem and sense of personal power. When this chakra is blocked we may lack passion, desire and motivation to move forward and accomplish our goals or find it difficult to manifest true purpose in life. When this chakra flows freely we’re confident about our ability to manifest our intentions and desires. The years of development of this chakra is 8-12 years. This chakra is associated with the adrenal glands (the glands that sit on top of the kidneys).  The easy bow pose is helpful for working on the solar plexus chakra.  Click here for a video on how to do easy bow.  

  

The Heart Chakra is located at the same level of the physical heart. It is emerald green in color. The developmental age of the heart chakra is 12-15 years of age. The heart is where tenderness and compassion are united with unconditional love, acceptance and continuity. When the Heart Chakra is flowing and open, we feel deeply connected to everyone in our life. But when it’s obstructed, we experience loneliness and a sense of alienation.  Any asana that opens up the chest is beneficial for this chakra.  A simple pose is Cat/Cow.  Click here for a video of cat/cow, this is for children but I find it beneficial in teaching adults as well.

 The throat chakra is located in the neck at the base of the throat. It is blue in color. It governs our sense of "hearing" and gives us the power to communicate openly and honestly without fear. It is linked to the development of the sense of law and order/justice. Imbalances of this chakra can represent physically as thyroid problems, weight gain, or chronic neck pain. It is associated with both speaking our truth, as well as listening. When our center of communication is clear, we’re able to express our truth without worrying about what others may think. If we have a congested throat chakra, we feel anxious about how other people will react to our views and are likely to censor ourselves. I personally find that women especially tend to have issues with their throat chakra in their mid to late forties.  A beautiful asana that will help to open your throat chakra is the Lion Pose.  Click here for a video for the Lion Pose.  

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The third eye chakra is indigo in color. It is located between your eyes and is also known as the "third eye". This chakra governs the higher self. It governs intuition, and psychic insight. It is the center of insight. When energy isn’t flowing easily through this chakra, we have a sense of self-doubt and distrust. When it’s open and clear, we feel deeply connected to our inner wisdom and trust that it guides us in our choices.  A pose that will help with your third eye chakra is down dog.  Click here for a video on how to do down dog.

The seventh chakra is located at the crown of the head, thus called the crown chakra. It is violet in color. It represents light, wisdom, and knowledge. It is the chakra that joins our soul with the spirit world. This chakra is connected with the auric body. Some say that fear of the dark, fear of spiritual abandonment, loss of identity personal and with society are related to an imbalance in the crown chakra. The seventh chakra is also known as the “Thousand Petaled Lotus,” which bursts open when we remember our true nature and experience enlightenment.  Head stands are excellent in opening up this chakra.  However, because you need a very experienced teacher to teach you how to do a headstand, as well as it taking a long time to learn how to practice headstands safely, the corpse pose is something I would suggest to practice.  Click here for a video on the corpse pose, this again is for children but I find it useful for beginners.  

**If you have any injuries, or any medical conditions, please speak with your healthcare provider about practicing any yoga asana mentioned in this blog**

Namaste 

    

Chanting OM during Yoga

Chanting OM during Yoga

Om is actually pronounced as AUM, and is a sacred chant that most people enjoy at both the opening and ending of their yoga practice or class.  A yoga session will typically begin with chanting "AUM" three times, and will end with chanting "AUM" one time.   I personally enjoy chanting Om because it is a ceremony inside of yoga that prepares me for the class, and helps me to feel unified with my fellow students.   Some students do feel that chanting "AUM" is a weird religious ritual that could possibly be at odds with their belief system or their spiritual path.  If you feel uncomfortable chanting "AUM" or Om in yoga class, it is totally okay to refrain from chanting and to sit quietly until the chant is over.  

AUM is a mystical or sacred syllable.  Some describe it as the "essential sound of the universe", the "voice of God", or "the voice of creation."  Some teachers have told me that AUM is the sum of all sounds in the universe.  The sound Om, when chanted, vibrates at the frequency of 432 Hz, which is the same vibrational frequency found throughout everything in nature and in ourselves.  

One theory suggests that there are four parts to chanting AUM, and that those four parts represent the cycle that everything must pass through during life.  "Ah" represents birth, "oooo" represents life, "mmm" represents death, and the fourth part is the silence after the chant which represents oneness or resolution.  

Physically, chanting AUM can help you to strengthen your diaphragm (the muscle that makes you breath) thus helping you to learn to control your breath.  It also has a calming and meditative effect on the body thus lowering blood pressure.  It is also good for clearing nasal congestion via the vibrations the chant produces, thus helping to ward off infection.  

Energetically, chanting AUM emanates sound from the stomach, heart, and throat thus bathing those chakra (energetic centers of the body) with positive energy.  The "M" consonant vibrates and stimulates the pineal gland thus opening up your center of intuition.  The pineal gland will also release melatonin thus relaxing our bodies.  

Om is one of the ways to bring you back to the deeper reason of why we practice yoga, which is to connect body, mind, and soul!!

Please click here for an informative video on how to chant AUM or Om. Although it is a video to help instruct children, I've found it quite useful.

Why Is Breathing Important in Yoga?

Why is Breathing Important in Yoga?

When I first started yoga, while struggling with a pose, I would vaguely hear my yoga instructor reminding me to breathe.  At first, this would irritate me, because it took my attention away from standing on one leg while in tree pose.  "Of course I'm breathing," I'd tell myself, only to realize that she was right!  I would find myself holding my breath whilst in a challenging asana.

Physically, breathing is a necessity.  But, breathing while performing yoga has many benefits!  For one, it brings more oxygen to your brain, muscles, skin, and organs while at the same time eliminating toxins from your body.  If you don't get enough oxygen, you may feel mentally sluggish, have negative thoughts, or feel depressed or anxious.  Oxygen is a vital nutrient, and yoga can help to increase the consumption of oxygen into your body.  

Certain yoga postures squeeze out old blood and toxins from certain body parts such as, for example, your pancreas (the organ that makes insulin thus helping to stabilize blood sugars, it is the organ related to diabetes).  Remembering to breathe deeply and rhythmically during such a pose is beneficial to your pancreas by helping to bring fresh oxygen to that organ thus rejuvenating it, helping to prevent disease of the organ (diabetes), and helping to prevent premature aging of the pancreas.

Click here for a link to an article showing you various yoga postures to help those with diabetes.  

Once you have become more experience in the practice of yoga, you will find that you'll be more able to focus on your breath.  Being relaxed in an asana greatly aids with deep breathing or yoga breathing.  

In yoga, the Ujjayi breath is used.  Click here for a youtube video on how to breathe using Ujjayi breath.  Ujjayi means "victorious".  In short, it is a slow, deep, and even breath.  

No breath is perfect, and everybody breathes differently.  As a swimmer, I breathe differently than other people.  A general rule is to inhale while moving into a pose, and to exhale while coming out of a pose.  Inhale while expanding or opening in a pose, and exhale while twisting or folding into a pose.  The key is to be patient.  I have found that after my 6 years of dedicated yoga practice the breath is one of the most challenging aspects of yoga!            

Yoga helped me quit smoking!

Yoga Helped Me Quit Smoking!

When asked what are one of the many benefits of yoga, some yogi's and many yoga instructors will tell you that you will learn to respect your body on a "whole new level!".  I didn't quite understand what this meant until the past several months.

9 months ago, I quit smoking....I only smoked cigarettes at work so in my mind I was "alright" as I wasn't really a hard core smoker, "I only smoke at work" I told myself!  The more I practiced yoga, and the more I focused on moving my breath with the asana's, I began to fully and deeply realize how much damage I was doing to my lungs with smoking cigarettes.   I was out of breath during yoga, and I could tell that I wasn't oxygenating my blood the way I could be if my lungs were tar and smoke free.  I also told myself "how silly of you to be practicing yoga 6-8 hours a week, yet you smoke!".  I felt like a hypocrite.  So on September 22, 2012 I told my husband "that's it I'm done, no more smoking so don't buy me anymore cigarettes". 

Another benefit of yoga, was that anytime I felt an urge to smoke, I got up and did a few asana's instead...such as holding down dog as long as I could, or holding the plank for as long as I could.  So not only did yoga make me realize that abusing my body was not healthy or sensible, yoga also helped me to quit a very bad, and nasty habit.

After a few months of quitting smoking, I was happily cleaning my bathroom one morning and as I was opening the window to let the fumes of the cleaner out into the air, I realized that I was further damaging my lungs and my body by inhaling toxic cleaner fumes.  I decided from then on to make my own cleaners.  One cleaner I enjoy making is taking orange peels, and putting them in a jar....I then pour white vinegar over the orange peels, let it sit for several weeks, strain, fill half a spray bottle with water and the rest with the home made cleaner, and there you have it...your own toxic free cleaner!  I find that my lungs are not burning while I'm cleaning, and I know I'm doing something good for my body as I'm not absorbing whatever toxic chemicals are in commercial cleaners. 

 My point is that yoga has taught me a deep respect for my body and for the health of my body.  Without my body, I would not be able to perform all the wonderful asana's yoga has to offer for me.  Yoga has connected me deeply to the needs of my body.  It has connected me deeply to the health of my body. After practicing yoga for a while, you will learn a new found and deep respect for your body.  Your body houses your spirit and you want your body as healthy as possible so that your spirit can express itself in it's purity and love.  Yoga leads you to good health so keep on practicing!

Namaste

  

    

How To Practice Yoga At Home

How To Practice Yoga At Home

  Practicing yoga at home is very peaceful, it helps me to look inward and to challenge my body at my pace without distractions.  Don't get me wrong, I love my yoga classes!  Classes are inspiring, and I always walk away learning something new.  Also, practicing with a group of people is a very positive and uplifting experience.  

  For many reasons, it may not be possible to attend yoga classes.  Developing a yoga routine, which takes a lot of self commitment, is a profound tool for deepening your relationship with yoga.  Some general tools I use to strengthen my home practice are: 

 1)  DVD's!  I personally recommend Wai Lana (click here for a link to her workout DVD selection).  She has developed four sets of DVD's which go from beginners all the way to very challenging.  The great thing about her DVD's is that if you master the beginners, you are ready for the intermediate (which if you master, you're ready to move into the more advanced poses).  She also has a 1/2 hour show on PBS if you're lucky to receive that particular television channel.  I have all four sets of her DVD's, and I always rotate those DVD's so that each week I'm using different muscles and utilizing extremely different poses.  If buying new DVD's is something you cannot afford, thrift stores and garage sales are places where you may be lucky enough to find Yoga DVD's.  Always watch the DVD's several times before practicing however, so that you get to know the routine and you have an idea of how the poses look.  If you are very new to yoga, please only get beginner DVD's or invest in beginner classes so that you don't injure yourself!

 2)  Require a minimum time of practice everyday!  Even 15 minutes of time set aside to practice yoga is beneficial and good for your home practice.  Before I go to bed every-night, I usually write down on my calender the amount of time I want to set aside for yoga practice, and if necessary what time of day to practice.  So for example I may write down "wake up--30 minutes of yoga, at 1pm--1 hour of yoga, before bedtime--20 minutes of yoga."  This is a contract to myself that I will follow and agree to, and it's a way that I know I will stick to my practice.  

 3)  Make sure to have an area in your living space dedicated to practicing yoga.  Follow a routine prior to your allotted yoga time.  For example, I always light some incense, roll my mat out, get some water, sit for a few minutes in quite contemplation, and then begin my yoga session.  This is a way for me to remind my body and prepare my mind that I'm about to practice yoga, it calms me down and opens my spirit up.  I also turn off the computer, TV, and phone so that I am not disturbed.

 4)  Go in for that tune up class every so often, it's a good way to make sure that your technique and your positioning is correct.

 5)  If you do not want to use yoga DVD's, you should form a sequence.  I have a few general tips for sequences when I practice yoga without a DVD.

a) get in touch with your breath, sit in a seated pose, or in child's pose for several minutes.

b) warm up the spine and legs by doing seated spinal twists, the cat/cow, or rocking back and forth on your back.

c) perform several sun salutations, try some variances in your sun salutations, this will get your heart pumping.

d) try some standing/balancing poses such as the tree or the triangle pose.

e) focus on core strength such as the plank/side plank/boat pose.

f) try some back bends such as camel/bridge/or easy bow.

g) end with an inversion of some type such as legs up the wall/shoulder stand

h) Savasana--lie on your back in a comfortable position, this is the "dead man's pose" where you completely relax all the muscles in your body, this is also the pose where you allow your body to integrate all the work you have just completed.

i) sit and meditate, and give thanks.

Namaste........