At Home Yoga with Laura

Beginners Hatha Yoga: Facial Yoga?

 

The woman above is doing the "Lion" pose, a yoga facial exercise designed to eliminate tension from the face and neck.  I have been doing this pose for years.  Does it mean I still look twenty-five.....ah no.  I can't claim that it has created the fountain of youth for my face and it does look kind of hokey.  It can also scare people!  One morning, years ago, my then husband came upon me doing this pose and jumped back totally startled! Nevertheless, I believe this facial pose does tone the face and neck, and it also helps to relieve sore throats.

During the past few years I have learned about a new group of yoga teachers who offer classes in yoga "facial toning."  In her book, Yoga Facial Toning, yoga instructor, Rose Hong Tran, states that her program helps return "weakened facial and neck muscles to a healthy, energized, well-toned condition" and that the various yoga facial poses she teaches helps to increase blood circulation in the face, neck, scalp and hair.

In recent years I have received compliments about my complexion - something that did not happen in my earlier days.  This might be a result of the Lion - I can't say for sure.  I do agree that it increases the circulation in your face and neck - you can feel the blood flowing after doing this exercise.  Rose Tran offers many other yoga facial exercises designed to "stimulate the 57 muscles in the face and neck."  I just haven't figured out how to incorporate them into my daily schedule. I combine doing the Lion with other exercises like the backward hand clasp.   For now, doing the Lion daily seems sufficient. In the next post, I will give you instructions on exactly how to do the Lion from my upcoming book.

Quotation for the Day: ~"Yoga facial toning promotes the production of healthier, more resilient cells and facial muscles in the gentle way Mother Nature intended, from the inside out." Rose Hong Tran, Yoga Facial Toning, p. 9.

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: How to Do the Cobra

As I said in my previous post, the cobra pose is excellent for relieving tension from the back.  Here is an excerpt from my book on how to do the cobra!

The Cobra  (Sanskrit name –Bhujangasana (boo-jang-GAHS-anna, bhujanga = serpent)

Type of yoga pose:  Backbending prone pose

Body parts targeted:  Upper back, neck, shoulders, upper arms, spine, buttocks,

How to do the pose:

1.    Lie on your stomach with your chin down on your mat with your hands at your sides, palms up, and your head resting on one cheek. Allow your body to relax totally.

2.    Gently and slowly turn your head so it rests on your forehead.

3.    Slowly raise your eyes to the top of their sockets.  Inhale as you slowly raise your head and back.

4.    When you can raise your head no further, continue raising your truck up off the mat with the top of your chest leaving the floor first until you can lift your trunk no further using your back muscles alone.  Bring your arms slowly forward and place your hands, with your fingers pointing toward each other about six inches apart, under your chin.

5.    Aided only slightly by your arms, continue to lift your trunk (breathing in and out as seems natural to you), bending your spine upward and back like a snake, vertebra by vertebra, until you can go no further comfortably.

6.    When you have reached your farthest point of flexibility (keeping the lower half of you body on mat from navel downward), hold the pose motionless for 5-10 seconds (whatever length of time is comfortable for you).  Keep inhaling and exhaling smoothly and evenly.

7.    Begin coming down out of the Cobra by bending your arms slowly at the elbows and allowing your trunk to descend one inch at a time.  In succession, your abdomen, middle chest, and finally, upper chest will return to the mat.  Your head remains up until your entire chest has returned comfortably to the mat.

8.    When you can support your upper body without your arms, bring your arms back to their original position at your sides.

9.    Lower your head and then your eyes until your forehead is once again face down on the mat.

10.                  Turn your face onto your cheek and become totally limp.  Breath easily and rest a few months before repeating the pose or going onto the next pose.

Practice time:  Start with 5-10 seconds and increase by a few seconds each week until you can comfortably hold the pose for 25-45 seconds depending on your time constraints.

Number of repetitions:  1-2 

Key benefits from this pose: 

1.    Removes tension from your back, spine, and shoulders.

2.    Stretches and adjusts every vertebra of the spine from the neck to the base of the spine and restores youthful flexibility.

3.    Strengthens and increases flexibility in the upper back and shoulders.

4.    Develops the muscles of the chest and bust.

5.    Firms and streamlines buttocks.

6.    Revitalizes and awakens entire body.

7.    Enhances libido by massaging the sex, thymus, and thyroid glands.

Special hints and Laura’s experience with this pose:

This is not a pushup and therefore your groin does not leave the ground.

Be certain to do this pose gently and in slow motion.  Very slow raise your head and trunk off the floor by taking at least 10-15 seconds to get into the pose and to exit the pose.  Keep your heels together while in this pose to maximize its effectiveness.  Go up only as far as is comfortable.  Be patient as it may take you some time to master the full pose.  But, no worries, you will still benefit.

I find this stretch to be very invigorating.  Initially, it can be a bit challenging.  You may notice your heart pounding a bit after coming down out of the position as in the bow pose.  The cobra-bow-locust poses are an effective sequence, done in that order.  I have found that I can also do the Lion pose (facial stretch) while doing the cobra.  Because this pose is especially important for the spine, back, and glands, I do it daily.

 

 

Yoga Relief for Beginners: No More Aching Back!

I rarely, and I mean rarely suffer from backaches.  I try to stay attentive to my posture and not slump while sitting.  But, the other day, I guess I allowed myself to slouch in my chair at work for several hours while completing a tedious task at my computer. Later in the day, my lower back started to ache and I felt so stiff!  It reminded me of a time when I had finished grad school and was doing typing temp work to support myself while I looked for a job in my field.  I spent an entire day without moving in front of the typewriter (remember those things?) and boy did I become stiff.  I could barely turn my head for three days!  It was one of the periods in my life when I wasn't practicing yoga consistently.  I remember soaking in a tub filled with hot water for relief.

This time my pain and stiffness were not nearly as severe, yet, I was suffering.  I felt I couldn't move as easily and I had shooting pains from my right foot all the way up to my thigh.  I went to bed that night feeling uncomfortable.  The next morning I woke up and when I began my yoga practice, I put extra attention on doing three poses - the cobra which you see above, the bow (pictured in a previous post), and the backward bend.

I made sure that I moved gingerly yet strategically and attentively - extra attentively!  Boy, did those poses do the trick!  I could feel my lower back decompress and open and release the kinks, Relief!  The aches were virtually all gone. I felt SO much better after doing those poses.  The cobra is known for helping to remove tension from the bank and spine and it definitely worked its wonders for me. The bow also helps relieve tension from the back and adjusts the sacroiliac and lumbar vertebrae.  The backward bend provides a therapeutic backward stretching of the spine.  Doing all three in eliminated the heaviness and aches from my lower back so I felt like new.  Yoga works!

Laura's thought for the day:  "The back is an area of the body where tension tends to accumulate. Gentle hatha yoga is the perfect antidote for that tension.  It gently releases tightness and stiffness from the back."

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: Conscious Stretching

  The latest issue of Yoga Journal (August 2009) has an article, "A Mindful Stretch" by certified Iyengar Yoga teacher, Roger Cole, which explains that the essence of Yoga is not about stretching, per se, but rather about consciousness and seeking "to cultivate an expansive, quiet state of mind."  Cole discusses in depth the concept of the "stretch reflex" which regulates the length of your muscles and explains how understanding the physiology of this stretch reflex can enhance your yoga practice.

Cole's article provides a wealth of information about the physiology of stretching, most of which is far more scientific and detailed than I can take the time to fully understand.  However, one concept that immediately resonated with me  was Cole's assertion that "the most effective and fulfilling way to lengthen your muscles is to lead with your mind and let your body follow."

I couldn't agree more!  As I proposed a while back, visualizing your body moving into a pose and seeing yourself achieve the full position before you can actually do so, can accelerate your progress.  I have personally observed that when I do the plough which challenges me quite a bit because my legs don't easily reach back and touch the floor, visualizing my feel touching the ground as I move into the pose, helps me extend my stretch.  This is an example  of the mind leading and the body following.  I cannot explain how this works scientifically as Roger Cole does most thoroughly, I only know that it works.  Try it!

Laura's thought for the day:~"When you practice gentle hatha yoga, gently lead with your mind and your body will follow."

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: Does a Flexible Body=Flexible Outlook?

 A few years ago, one of my astute friends commented that she had always figured that a mutual male acquaintance of ours was "rigid" in his outlook on life and in his interactions with friends and romantic partners because he held his body so rigidly.  I had never noticed that physical aspect of him but I realized that the strain that had emerged in our friendship resulted from his strict, judgmental views on how I handled my finances and a few other areas of my life.  I did not appreciate those views, at all!

If a rigid body reflects rigid thinking does a flexible body reflect flexible thinking?  And, even more important, can creating a more flexible body through gentle hatha yoga lead to a more flexible outlook on life?  In my view, this is definitely a possibility.  Just think about it, as you o- p - e- n  and  s - t - r - e - t - c - h your body and all your muscles and tendons through daily yoga practice, you become more energized and very likely, you feel more expansive and more open-minded and accepting of others.

When your muscles are tight, taut, and constricted from a sedentary lifestyle and lack of use, you are probably going to be more irritable and withdraw more into yourself.  When you don't feel great, are you really flexible in you thinking?  I think not! 

David Simon, Medical Director of the Chopra Center (founded by Deepak Chopra), touches on this very topic in the DVD, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, which I highly recommend.  Simon notes that the benefits of yoga asanas extend beyond the physical to the mental and spiritual.  Heexplains that greater flexibility of the body developed through yoga can lead to greater flexibility and open-mindedness in one's life off the yoga mat.  Yes, I believe  a flexible body can create a more flexible outlook.

Laura's thought for the day:  "Since yoga has the power to unite the body, mind, and spirit, developing a flexible body through yoga can lead to a more flexible (and fun!) outlook on  life and your relationships."

Yoga Tip for Beginners: More Tips About Abbreviated Practices

In my previous post, I suggested that if you run short on time on a given day, abbreviate your  yoga practice rather than skip it altogether.  I want to add a couple of key points that are crucial for gaining the most from your shorter yoga regime.  First,  even if you have only 10 minutes instead of 20 or 30, never rush when doing gentle hatha yoga!  Although you may shorten your hold time for a pose from 30 second to 20 or 10 seconds, still take the full 5-10 seconds to enter into and to exit the pose.  Always move slowly as if in a dreamlike state.

Second, amp up your passion and enthusiasm more than ever as you stretch.  Since your time is short, give it all you got to make the most of your time.  If you do, you will awaken and energize your body almost as much as you usually do when you can take your full 25-30 minutes!

Laura's thought for the day:  Fully engage in your yoga practice, regardless of how little time you have!

Simple Savvy Steps to Yoga Success: Abbreviated Practice Sessions

Life happens and some days your schedule may be thrown off kilter.  You feel you have no time for your yoga practice and the clock keeps ticking and you actually see you have only a few minutes before you have to go to work. take the kids somewhere. or complete an urgent task.  Some weeks I do take off one day of my yoga and aerobics regime to sleep in or catch up on some house work. However, whenever I do this, I feel incomplete. 

Once your practice is really ingrained, your body has this "je ne sais quoi" sensation that something is missing if you skip a day's practice.  At least, this has been my experience.  My body tells me that it craves the stretches and the release of tension and the stirring up of energy that I enjoy from each yoga session. If I skip the yoga, I feel like I have skipped a shower.  I can certainly get away with it for a day -no one is going to notice except me - but I feel off.

To avoid feeling off, if you have at least 10 minutes, you can create an abbreviated session on one of these off kilter days.  That was the case for me this morning.  I had forgotten to complete some camp forms for my son and they had to be finished today so my time was short.  Fortunately, a home practice gives you so much flexibility and versatility.  I had one-half my usual time to work with so the solution was simple. I simple cut my holding times for all the poses in half.  Instead of holding the complete back and leg stretch for 30-40 seconds, I held it for 15 seconds;  I did the shoulder stand for one minute instead of my usual two.  Everything else I did the same - I focused, synchronized my breath with my poses, and did all the stretches in a dreamlike rhythm. Granted, you gain maximum benefit from holding the poses for the full stipulated periods. But, if you're pressed for time, an abbreviated session gives you your yoga fix and reinforces your muscles' memory which enables you to maintain your progress.

Laura's tip of the day:  "On days that you schedule is off track, an abbreviated yoga routine done with full focus and joy can keep your body, mind, and spirit on track."

Simply Savvy Steps to Yoga Success: Practicing in Silence or Quiet

I have talked frequently about using music to enhance your practice and have recommended various artists and pieces who I have found complement my practice.

I have also noted, though, that different music works for different people and that some days, I want no music or background sounds at all.  I just want to bask in the "sound of silence", just soak it in as this woman on or left appears to be doing. She is out in nature.  Although, of course, we have to admit that she is in a but not completely silent spot.  She must be hearing the rustle of leaves as the wind blows and the scurrying of small animals across the ground or water.

Some days this can be so soothing - just to practice in silence or the quiet of nature.  This Sunday morning I woke up at 6 a.m. and decided spontaneously to begin my yoga practice within a few moments of waking up rather than waiting until after I did my aerobics routine on the mini-trampoline.  I decided to use my yoga time to leisurely awaken my body, mind, and spirit as a prelude to my 15-20 minute daily meditation.

So, no music today.  Last night's rain (we have been having so much rain....!) cooled the air and I opened every window in the house.  Soon, wonderful cool breezes wafted throughout the house and I began my yoga practice.  The birds outside chirped to usher in the new day and so I was practicing in the ambiance of not so quiet nature. The quiet was very soothing and I found myself a bit more aware of the rhythm of my breath. My yoga poses helped awaken and energize me thoroughly.  I felt tremendous.  I was able to begin my meditation time with a serene, clear,  body, mind, and spirit.

Our modern lifestyles can be fairly noisy.  So practicing yoga in the silence can be soothing and restful while energizing at the same time.  Enjoy it whenever you feel so guided.

Laura's thought of the day: Enjoy the sound of silence from time to time during your yoga practice to sooth your stressed out soul...

Simple Savvy Steps to Yoga Success: How to Do the Alternate Leg Pull- Book Excerpt!

I promised I would give you an excerpt from my upcoming book on hatha yoga for beginners.  Here are the instructions on how to do the alternate leg pull.

Alternate Leg Pull

Type of yoga pose:  Seated position.

Body parts targeted:  The legs, back, and spine,

How to do the pose:

1.     Sit erect on your mat with your legs extended straight out in front you and your toes and heels together and your palms resting lightly on your thighs.

2.     Bend your left leg at the knee and bring your left foot toward your body so you can grasp it with your hands.

3.     Using your hands, place the sole of your left foot against (not under) the inside of your right thigh, draw your left heel as closely as you can without straining, toward your groin.

4.     With your back straight and your chest high, raise both hands straight out in front of you until they are in the air slightly above eye level.

5.     Very s – l – o – w – l – y, taking at least 5-10 seconds, bend forward at your waist and try to grasp the farthest part of your leg (ideally your ankle) you can reach comfortable.  Depending on how stiff you are, you will be able to reach your thigh, knee, calf, or ankle.

6.     Once you have grasped a part of your leg, carefully bend your elbows until you can stretch no farther comfortably.  Be sure not to strain, pull or jerk suddenly during this pose.

7.     Let your head hang limply toward your knee and hold the position you can reach completely motionless for 10 seconds.

8.     Keep your eyes closed as you stretch during this pose for maximum relaxation.

9.     After counting from 1 to 10, slowly straighten your elbows, release your grasp on your extended leg, slide your hands slowly up your leg, and slowly move back into your starting upright position.  Your head should be the last part of your body to straighten up.

10. Straighten your left leg back to its original position

11. Very gently bounce both legs and inhale and exhale deeply.

12. Bend your right leg at the knee and repeat the same movements on your right side.

Practice time:  Begin by holding the pose for 10 seconds;  add 5 seconds each week until you can hold the pose for 30-45 seconds on each side.  (By the time you can hold the pose 30-45 seconds on each side, you will feel very flexible!)

Number of repetitions:  1-2 repetitions on each side.

Key benefits from this pose: 

1.     Removes tension and improves flexibility throughout the entire leg, buttocks, back, and spine.

2.     Tones and strengthens all the ligaments, tendons, and muscles of the legs.

3.     Restores the natural elasticity of the spine.

4.     Helps to firm and remove flab from the waist, thighs, and abdomen.

5.     Strengthens the upper back, shoulders, and arms.

6.     Works the entire back of the body from the heels to neck.

Special hints and Laura’s experience with this pose:

No matter how stiff you may feel when you start this pose, within a fairly short period of time, you should be to rest your forehead on your knee and have your elbows touch the ground.  When you achieve this and even before, you should experience a nice release of energy and tension as you move into and out from this pose.

When you start this pose, don’t bend your knees, despite the temptation. Just gently reach down as far as is comfortable – no straining.  In time, you will feel your body “give” and be able to rest your forehead on  your knee.

Laura's thought for the day:  Let all you do be done with joy and passion! Especially when you do yoga!

Simple Savvy Steps to Yoga Success: Relieve Headaches Without Tylenol?!

 I enjoy doing the alternate leg pull hatha yoga pose that you see right here.  No - that's not me!  I haven't yet had a chance to figure out the timer on my new digital camera so I can take photos of myself.  However, this photo would suit me fine because I would not have to reveal my un-photogenic face!  However, what this woman is wearing on her head escapes me....

In all seriousness, the head to knee hatha yoga pose is excellent for stretching and strengthening your back and toning your legs and arms.  I do this pose every other day, alternating it with the complete leg and back stretch.  I just learned that it can help you get rid of tension headaches!  The pose purportedly soothes the brain and releases tension in the neck. What a nice, natural alternative to Tylenol or aspirin!  In the next post I will explain exactly how to do the alternate leg pull by giving you a detailed excerpt from my upcoming yoga book for beginners. 

Has this pose eliminated headaches for me?  I can't vouch for it yet - I rarely have headaches. But, you can be certain the next time I have one, I will give it a whirl!

Laura's thought for the day:  ~Enter and exit your hatha yoga poses as if you were moving in total slow motion (slo' mo'!) - like being in a dreamlike state.