Yoga for Pregnant Women

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Yoga For Pregnant Women…Author: aiman

Props are a yogi’s best friend

Props are silent instructors that teach directly to the intelligence of the body, and through that direct perception the harmony of mind, body and spirit can be experienced. - Mary Dunn, Yoga Teacher (from the book “The New Yoga for People Over 50,” by Suza Francina.

Photo Credit: eHow.com

I can’t say enough good things about props. I have several blocks, both for my students to use in class and I keep four of them in my private yoga room. I also own five mats, two bolsters, several straps, a sandbag, a metal chair, several blankets, and assorted varieties of eye pillows. I carry four extra mats to the class I teach because there’s always someone who either forgot their mat or they just don’t own one. We have to be prepared.

For those of you who aren’t all that familiar with what props really are or what they can do, “A prop is any object that helps you to stretch, strengthen, relax or improve your body alignment. By providing more height, weight or support, props help you to extend beyond habitual limitations and teach you that your body is capable of doing much more than you think it can!” (quoting Ruth Steiger and Kay Eskanazi, co-founders of the company Yoga Props and authors of the Yoga Prop Usage Guides.

For people who are stiff and haven’t ever exercised but want to give yoga a try, using props will help them to get into poses they ordinarily wouldn’t be able to accomplish. If you’re over 50, chances are you have some kind of back, neck, or knee problems, or you’re suffering from an old injury. Perhaps your doctor prescribed yoga therapy to heal you and bring you back to life. Here’s where props can be your best friend.

With props you can hold poses longer, and go deeper and feel their healing effects. Props can support, allowing muscles to lengthen and improve blood circulation and allow for easier and deeper breathing.  Placing your hand on a block while bending forward will allow you to reach further without trying to strain to reach your fingertips to the floor. As you become more flexible and advance in your practice, you’ll be able to remove that block and feel the earth all by yourself. Those who can’t do the more strenuous poses can use props, such as a chair, for support and encouragement so as not to overextend themselves.

Props can be adapted to anyone’s level of flexibility, body type, and level of ability. They encourage, build confidence, help decrease pain, and support a student’s body so that he or she can be guided correctly into poses they never thought they could do before.

Restorative Yoga: Legs-up-the-Wall

This is the second in a series on restorative yoga poses that I offer as a gift to you so that you can learn about and explore these deeply relaxing poses that melt away stress and help you sleep better.  A few days ago I introduced you to Supported Bound Angle Pose.  Now I’ll show you Legs-up-the-Wall pose, or Viparita Karani in Sanskrit, a favorite of mine. Not a day goes by that I don’t find a little time to throw my legs up the wall and let it all go.

Whenever you’re feeling edgy, or not quite right, and your nerves are raw from the chaos of living, or you simply need a complete body relaxation fix, do legs-up-the-wall pose as your prescription to better health and well-being.  Not only will this pose offer complete relaxation if you stay in it for 15 or 20 minutes at a time, but it’ll balance your endocrine system, relieve fatigue, and increase the blood flow to your pelvic region.  As you lie in this delicious pose, the blood will travel down your legs and softly pool  just below your belly, sending your body life-affirming signals that it’s time to refresh itself, almost akin to a tune-up on a car.  This pose is especially beneficial right before bed to send you off for a blissful night’s sleep.

How to do the pose:

You can do this pose with or without a bolster or a blanket to raise the pelvis.  If you use a bolster or a blanket or two for lift, then place your prop about 3 inches from the wall.  Sit on the bolster or the blankets so that your right hip and side body are touching the wall.  Using your hands for support, gently roll your body around so that your right and then your left legs are up the wall.  It might take a little practice to get the right motion so that you don’t topple off the bolster.  Again, if you prefer not to have the bolster or the blankets under you, then you simply get up into the pose the same way, with your backside on the floor instead of the prop.  Keep your buttocks close to the wall but don’t feel like you need to make this an uncomfortable hamstring stretch.  That’s not what this is all about.  If you feel stiffness or discomfort in your legs, simply move a little bit away from the wall so that your legs are not quite straight, allowing for space.

Lie down so that your ribs and lower back are supported by the bolster, and your head and shoulders are on the floor. Drape your arms out to the side with elbows bent, palms up.  For extra dreamy comfort, place a lavender eye pillow over your eyes and rest in this post for five minutes or for as long as you like.

Yoga & Meditation ebook great for beginners with little time

I came across the Beginner’s Guide to Yoga & Meditation and had to tell you about it.  Even though I’m not a beginner yogi, I tend to read everything I can get my hands on because there’s always so much to learn.  If you’re struggling with stress and you can’t seem to find a few moments out of your life to just breathe, then get yourself a copy of this informative and instructional ebook that is easy to read and easy to follow to help yourself along the path to a more centered life. In this ebook you will:

• Learn basic yoga and meditation without having to attend classes
• Learn different styles of yoga and which one is best for you
• Learn basic yoga poses
• Learn how to make the most use of your personal yoga space
• Learn how to meditate for health and wellness
• Learn how to get rid of headaches with simple yoga poses
• Learn how to relieve menstrual cramps with yoga
• Learn how to do simple yoga poses at your desk to relieve tension
• And so much more!

Through the Beginner’s Guide to Yoga & Meditation you will learn basic yoga poses and simple techniques that will enhance all aspects of your life and bring peace and stillness to an otherwise chaotic existence, and you only need to put aside a few minutes a day to get started.  I don’t doubt that your daily schedule is riddled with responsibilities — work, kids, carpools, cooking, gardening, and whatever else you’ve scribbled on your calendar.  Most likely, you have no time to go to a yoga class much less get to bed at a reasonable hour.  If you want to feel better and ease that stress in your life, now’s the time to make a commitment to yourself and start a yoga practice, and the easiest way to do it is to start one at home, one step at a time.

The Beginner’s Guide to Yoga & Meditation not only teaches basic yoga poses, but it teaches you how to meditate using Universal Mantra Meditation, Relaxation Meditation, Energy Healing Meditation, Color Healing Meditation, and Centering.  It’s not that easy starting a meditation practice.  Take it from me.  But this little ebook will start you on the right track. It’s worth the time you’ll scribble on your calendar, it really is.

It’s no secret that millions of Americans today have taken to the yoga mat to bring quiet and purpose to their life.  Learn how to do it all in Mike Busch’s ebook Beginner’s Guide to Yoga & Meditation. Click Here to order your copy today!

And, not only will you get a copy of this conveniently downloadable ebook, but you’ll also get a 100% 56-day money back guarantee. And, it doesn’t stop there! You’ll also get three more downloadable BONUS ebooks, including:

• How to Eliminate Stress and Anxiety
• How to Boost Your Metabolism
• Fitting Exercise Into a Busy Schedule

Click Here to order your copy today! and start your journey toward a healthier body and a more spacious mind.  Get rid of that stress and call your life your own again. What do you have to lose but your sanity?

Namaste.

Learning to meditate takes practice

I had the pleasure of attending a workshop called “Intro to Meditation” yesterday at The Yoga Center in Holladay, Utah.  Yes, it was set for the middle of a Saturday afternoon when I could have been working in my home office or outside in the yard shaping my hedges, but I needed to do something about my meditation practice (or lack of it) so I signed up for and dutifully participated. And I’m very happy I did.  I walked away with a new sense of purpose and an inspired plan for beginning my own personal meditation practice. And I learned things I never knew before.

Led by two young men named Robin and Scott who have been studying and practicing meditation for many years, the workshop ran for three hours and it not only offered three 15-minute segments of visualization and insight meditation practices, but it also offered 60 minutes of gentle yoga and movement to help us sit for long periods of time without pain.

I learned that there really isn’t an art to meditating. I also learned that it’s okay to let random thoughts enter our minds so long as we come back to the breath. The most important part of meditating is being present in the moment and being comfortable in our thoughts. Feelings of agitation, being fidgety, and even feeling sleepy can happen and they can affect the quality of our meditation practice.

Meditation takes practice.  Its a personal process that could take many years to master. I hope to be able to get to a place in my heart where I can meditate and feel really good afterward because that’s what it’s really all about. All I need to do is listen to my breath and pay attention to my heart and see what it’s really trying to tell me. I want to set intentions for my life and my livelihood and I know that meditation can get me to that place of deeper meaning.

Just sit.  Just be.  Just meditate.  Be in the moment, and feel the joy.

Meditation Trilogy – $ 39.95 Sacred sounds to conquer fear and anxiety. 3-CD set includes: Rest and Relax; Music of the Heart; and Yoga Sound.

HEALTHY? HAPPY? RELAXED? Matt Clarkson has created a no cost
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Finding time to meditate

If you’re anything like me, I find it difficult to cultivate a regular meditation practice, although that’s one of the things I want most for myself. I want to be able to sit for several minutes a day and just let gentle stillness overtake my mind, and I want nothing more than to feel the peace. I don’t have a problem practicing yoga, so why is meditating so hard? That’s a question that needs pondering, and I really need to get on the ball.  Being a yoga practitioner, one would think I would find it easy to meditate, but no, it’s been one of my most difficult personal journeys, but I’m not giving up yet.

I’ve tried so many times to rise before dawn and listen to Wayne Dyer’s “ah” and “om” meditation CD’s and although I feel much better afterwards, and I applaud myself for making the effort, I can’t seem to get into the habit or I opt for more sleep over pre-dawn stillness.  Finding the time to meditate always seems to make it to the bottom of the list, and I’m so disappointed in myself for putting more sleep before peace of mind, because I know it will make me a better person if I can only get into the rhythm.

I usually like to sit in brief stillness after my yoga practice in the evenings, but by then I feel like I’ve had my fill and I start thinking about what to cook for dinner than choosing to ease into the flow of my breath and just let go.  I even have a beautiful meditation cushion that my husband gave me as a Christmas gift so why in the world can’t I just do it? I know I can do it, I just have to discipline myself more. And I know it will change my life, once I get the hang of it.

I have a lot of goals ahead of me, and one of them is to start a regular meditation practice that I can commit to and make it my own.

Do you have trouble meditating? Do you have a regular meditation practice? We’d love to hear your comments.

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SECRETS OF YOUR HEALTH & HAPPINESS “