Lengthen your spine in Triangle Pose

Triangle pose (Utthita Trikonasana) is one of the more popular poses in the practice of Hatha Yoga.  It’s one of my favorite poses because I love how it stretches and lengthens my spine and adds flexibility to my lower back. But it does a lot more.  First, lets talk about how to do the pose:

Stand in mountain (Tadasana) pose and step your feet wide. Inhale and raise your arms out to your side. Your ankles should be under your wrists for correct alignment. Turn your left foot in a bit and turn your right foot and leg out to the side.  Keep your legs strong and engaged, inhale, and extend your spine. Bend your waist to the right and reach toward the floor with your right fingertips, just below your right shoulder. Look up toward your left hand and hold for several breaths. Be sure that your right heel is aligned with the arch of your left foot, and that your left arm is extended directly up from your shoulder (see photo).

What does triangle pose do besides lengthen the spine and add flexibility to your back?

• Improves your digestive and circulatory systems
• Relieves symptoms of menopause
• Eases symptoms of sciatica
• Stretches the calves, hamstrings, groin and arches
• Opens and releases the throat, chest, shoulders and hips
• Adds stamina and strength to the legs and torso area
• Increases muscular endurance
• Helps you to focus and develop willpower
• Stimulates the mind and relieves stress

Don’t practice triangle pose if you have low blood pressure or congestive heart disorders. Also, if you have a neck injury, be careful when gazing up toward your extended arm. You may want to look down at the floor instead.

For a more gentler variation, use a block to rest your hand.

Yoga for Digestive Health

No matter what age we are, we need to take care of our digestive health, and that includes practicing yoga everyday to keep our abdomens soft and encourage deep breathing into our core body.  Digestive problems usually plague women as they get older, and we really can’t ignore them. Face it, poor digestion can lead to other illnesses and diseases, such as chronic indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, or irritable bowel syndrome, for example. None of these conditions are pleasant, but we can avoid them if we recognize the symptoms and do something about them before they get worse.

Take me, for example. Over the last couple of years I started experiencing heartburn and was recently diagnosed with Acid Reflux Disease and Esophagitis. My condition affects my digestive health, as I also experience bloating and, um, gas bubbles from time to time. I can’t eat the same foods I used to eat, and I really have to take care not to overindulge or else I’ll suffer the consequences. But there are yoga poses that I do to settle my digestive system and relieve my symptoms.

One pose I really like to do when I’m feeling a little full is Reclining Hero. As I lie back on the floor or supported by a bolster, reclining hero pose not only stimulates my thyroid and parathyroid productivity, normalizes my blood pressure, and calms my nervous system, for example, but it softens my abdomen and eases my digestive upset. This is one of the few poses you can do after you’ve eaten a heavy meal.

So what else can you do to help with digestive disorders?

• Stop being anxious! Those who experience frequent anxiety also experience frequent diarrhea, which is a sign of a viral infection and that your body needs to get rid of toxins. Don’t use over-the-counter remedies as they won’t help you to eliminate toxins. Instead, drink water, and herbal tea laced with chamomile, nettle or alfalfa.
• Don’t hold in your belly! Lots of women think they have to have a flat belly to be happy or beautiful. Hiding your rolls under tight panty hose or jeans will only keep the blood from flowing to your digestive tract and reproductive organs and will cause all kinds of unpleasant digestive disorders.  I never wear tight clothes, mostly because they’re so darn uncomfortable!  Do yourself and your digestive health a favor, and wear loose clothing and enjoy the freedom!
• Exercise regularly, as it will feed energy to an otherwise lethargic digestive system. If you don’t exercise, you’ll compromise your body’s natural ability to cleanse itself, and your body will hold all kinds of bad toxins day in and day out which can lead to disease. Practicing yoga, for example, will stimulate your gastrointestinal system, balance your thyroid gland, make you feel calm, and inspire healing breath, all contributors to a healthy digestive system.

So what else can yoga do for your digestive health?

• Certain poses such as revolved triangle or plough pose, squeeze blood out of your organs and then soak them with new, oxygenated blood, sort of like a “squeeze-and-soak” effect. This helps to freshen and revitalize cells and tissues and enhances your overall physiological makeup.
• If you suffer from digestive problems related to perimenopause or menopause, certain poses can help revitalize your adrenals, thyroid, and liver, soften your abdomen and ease intestinal disorders. Indigestion, acid reflux, or heartburn, common conditions as you get older, can be eased by practicing supported backbends, a kind of cooling pose which will lift your diaphragm and take pressure off your stomach.

Suggested poses for improving digestion:

• Reclining Hero Pose
• Reclining Bound Angle Pose
• Downward-Facing Dog Pose
• Head-on-Knee Pose
• Seated Forward Bend
• Headstand
• Child’s Pose
• Shoulderstand
• Bridge Pose
• Corpse Pose

Going Upside Down: The Benefits of Yoga Inversions

Scared of going upside down?  You don’t have to be. You can enjoy the benefits of yoga inversions without wearing yourself out trying to get up into a perfect handstand.  There are many yoga inversions that are perfectly doable, if you learn what they are, what the benefits are, and how to do them properly.

Yoga inversions are a gift you give to your circulatory, respiratory and immune systems. Poses such as shoulderstand and plough pose improve blood flow to your endocrine glands, as they squeeze, soak and massage your inner organs, efficiently ridding your body of old toxins and allowing new blood to flow. The result is a renewed feeling of overall health and vitality, akin to giving your body a tune-up.  By going upside down, you literally energize and stabilize your entire endocrine system, by pushing new blood into your skin and bone marrow. Most people who engage in shoulderstand, for example, radiate feelings of joyfulness, balance, energy and peace.

So, what are some inversions that you can do? Here’s a sampling of some of the best:

Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana)

Lie down on your back with two folded blankets supporting your neck and shoulders.  Your head should be resting on the floor. Exhale, and bend your knees into your chest. As you press your hands into the floor, swing your legs with knees still bent over your head. Keep your elbows pressed firmly into the blanket, and place your hands on your lower back to support it.  Slowly raise your torso so that it’s perpendicular to the floor, and bring your knees to your chest. Raise your legs so that your thighs are parallel to the floor, then extend them toward the ceiling  (see photo).  Your body should feel long and straight and there should be no strain. Be sure to move your shoulders away from your ears and keep your head steady.  Stay in this pose for two minutes or more. When you’re ready to come down, slowly bend your knees and roll down.  Shoulderstand will surely lift your spirits and calm any anxiety or irritability you may be experiencing.  Note:  don’t do this pose if you have high blood pressure, are menstruating, or have neck or shoulder problems.

Plough Pose (Halasana)

Lie down on your back with two folded blankets supporting your neck and shoulders.  Your head should be resting on the floor, your arms are by your sides, and your legs are out in front of you with feet and knees together. Exhale, and bend your knees into your chest. Expand your chest and move your shoulders away from your head.  Exhale again, and extend your legs up and over your head, placing your toes on the floor behind you. If you can’t get your toes to the floor, then place a block or two for foot support. You can either extend your arms flat on the floor (see photo) or place your hands on your lower back for support.  Breathe deeply and slowly, and stay in this pose for several minutes or for as long as you’re comfortable. To come out, roll out slowly, one vertebrae at a time. Lie back and breathe deeply for a little while.  Plough pose will surely quiet your nerves, tame irritability and anxiety, and offer your body complete relaxation.  Note: don’t do this pose if you have neck problems.

Headstand (Sirsasana)

The best way for beginners to do this pose is to do it against a wall. Place a folded blanket on the floor against the wall and kneel in front of it with knees and feet together. Some people do the pose without a blanket, but I think a blanket gives more soft support for the arms, which will be holding all of your weight.  Interlace your fingers and place your hands about three inches from the wall, keeping your elbows shoulder-width apart. You’ll be putting all of the weight of this pose into your wrists, forearms and elbows, so be sure to give yourself a firm foundation. Place your head on the blanket. The back of your head should touch your hands. Pressing your forearms into the floor, lift your shoulders away from the floor, straighten your legs and raise your hips toward the ceiling. Walk your feet in until your spine is almost perpendicular to the floor, then exhale and lift one leg at a time until your feet touch the wall.  Keep your eyes and throat soft, and your tummy relaxed.  Hold this pose for as long as you’re comfortable, up to five minutes.  To come out, exhale and lower one leg at a time.  Bend your knees and sit back on your heels and rest for a few breaths. Raise your head slowly.  Headstand encourages freshly oxygenated blood to circulate freely into your head and chest and rejuvenates your entire body.  Its a great pose if you’re feeling agitated or depressed. Feelings of joy may follow, so be forewarned! Note: don’t do this pose if you have high blood pressure, are menstruating, or have neck or back problems.

There are other yoga inversions that can be done.  Some can be done with a chair, against a wall, or with the aid or other props.  Get a copy of The Woman’s Book of Yoga & Health by Linda Sparrowe if you’re interested in learning more.

How to Use Restorative Yoga Props

In restorative yoga, we focus on simply being rather than doing. Restorative yoga is not power yoga where you work up a sweat in vigorous Ashtanga or Vinyasa yoga sequences, but rather it’s a style of yoga that allows you to sink into a supportive environment that can rid your body of stress and make you feel like a new person. If you want to know more about this style of yoga, read my prior post What is Restorative Yoga? Right now, though, we’re going to talk about what kind of props you need to get started.

Some restorative yoga poses require only a couple of props, such as a belt and a blanket, while others require a more complicated setup, but it’s worth it, though, so stay with me.  It’s important that as you learn how restorative yoga works you also learn to use props effectively.  Restorative yoga poses shouldn’t hurt and they also shouldn’t stretch you to your limits.  Restorative yoga props should support and nourish and hold your body weight so that you can sink down in delicious repose, and when you come out of them, make you feel like a million bucks.

In Judith Lasater’s book Relax & Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times, she provides the reader with a handy chart that illustrates the many props used in restorative yoga.  She also guides you into general restorative pose sequences, a sequence for busy times, and sequences for neck pain, lower back pain, insomnia, jet lag, breathing difficulties, and headaches.  She also gives us restorative sequences for menstruation, pregnancy, and  menopause.  If you’re truly interested in cultivating a regular restorative yoga practice, Judith Lasater’s book is a must and can be purchased now by clicking here.

Blankets

Blankets are the most important and versatile restorative yoga prop and you should have a few of these on hand.  Not only can they serve as insulation to place over your yoga mat, but you can also cover yourself to keep warm, and fold or roll for various supported poses.  Lying in restorative yoga poses can sometimes cool the body so keeping warm is essential.  Although you can use an old quilt from your bed or Grandma’s knitted afghan, the best kind of blanket is made of wool or at least of a firm material, should be twin-sized, and easy to fold and roll. Wool or firm blankets provide better support than, say, plush or thermal blankets. You can get good yoga blankets at discounted prices at most online yoga accessory stores. Click here for Discount Yoga Blankets.  You can also get good wool blankets from your local Army Surplus store. I bought a few blankets this way and they are very versatile, although they are a bit larger than I would have liked.

Bolsters

A large, firm bolster is a necessity for many restorative yoga poses.  A bolster can be used to drape your body in a cleansing twist, to fold your body over for supported child’s pose, or to lie back in supported bound angle pose, for example.  If you don’t have a bolster, then you can use three or more folded firm blankets in its place.  It would be wise, however, to invest in one or two bolsters.  They come in varying sizes, such as rectangular, round, junior or large, for example.  Some bolsters can run as high as $65, but there’s no need to pay top dollar for a bolster.  Click here for Discount Yoga Bolsters.  A bolster is especially important for Supported Bound Angle Pose and Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose.

Belts or Straps

Most belts or straps are six to eight inches long and about two inches wide. Some have a D-shaped buckle or a cinch ring.  Straps are used to bind the legs in poses such as Supported Bound Angle Pose so that your legs and feet don’t slip.  You can get belts for under $10 at most online yoga accessory stores. Click here for Discount Yoga Straps.

Blocks

Blocks are a must for restorative yoga poses and are used mostly to elevate bolsters or to drape your body in soft back bending poses, for example.  Blocks are pretty inexpensive, whether they be made of wood, cork or foam, and can be purchased at most online discount yoga supply stores. Click here to purchase Discount Yoga Blocks.

Sandbags

Sandbags are used to apply pressure to certain parts of the body.  For example, while lying in Savasana you may want to elevate your legs on a folded blanket and place a sandbag over your ankles to anchor them to the blankets.  It can also be placed on your lower back while lying in supported child’s pose. Sandbags can be purchased for under $10 at Yoga Accessories.com, for example. Click here to visit YogaAccessories.com. If you’re a good seamstress, you can also make your own sandbag.  Be sure that the fabric is strong and non-porous.  Fill it with sand that is coarse and doesn’t contain bleach, and should weigh at least 10 pounds.

Eye Pillows

Eye Pillows are one of my favorite props to use, especially when I lie in Savasana or in Legs-Up-the-Wall pose.  Eye pillows offer soothing and gentle pressure to the muscles around the eyes, and provide a soft, comforting and sensual end to a restorative yoga practice that allows you to sink deeper into relaxation.  Eye pillows are usually made from a soft silk or cotton fabric and filled with uncooked rice, flax seed or beads, and could be lightly scented with dried lavender or chamomille for an aromatherapy effect.  Eye pillows block out light, ease headaches, and relax tired eyes.  

Other Props

Restorative yoga props should be sturdy enough to support your body weight, so if you’re improvising with certain props be sure that they don’t flop around or cause you to fall.  If you’re using a chair for restorative yoga poses, such as for Supported Cross-Legs Pose, be sure that it doesn’t have wheels.  A metal folding chair is best. Other props that can be used are a doorknob, a table, or a wall.

If you want to buy inexpensive props that are high quality, Click here for Discount Yoga Supplies.

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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.

Restorative Yoga: Supported Bound Angle Pose

Do you feel stressed from work or family obligations? Do you feel like you’re being pulled in too many directions and you’re about to crumble physically and emotionally? Then you need a gentle and effective restorative yoga pose to quiet your mind and calm your nerves. Try Supported Bound Angle Pose, also called Reclined Bound Angle Pose, or, in Sanskrit — Supta Baddha Konasana.  This important restorative yoga pose relieves anxiety and stress, soothes menstrual cramps, and benefits those going through menopause.  Supported Bound Angle Pose opens the chest, abdomen and pelvis, and benefits those with high blood pressure and breathing difficulties.  It also helps hemorrhoids and symptoms of indigestion (in case you were wondering what else it could do!).

In her book, Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times, Judith Lasater says, “In The Yoga Sutras, Indian author and sage Patanjali writes about hiranyagarbha, a Sanskrit word which means ‘the great golden womb of the universe.’ Patanjali teaches that the entire universe is held within this golden womb.  As we practice Supported Bound Angle Pose, we are reminded of this primordial place of complete rest and ultimate protection. While lying in this pose, I have experienced being held within this force.  This experience was profoundly comforting and left me with a feeling of equanimity and well-being.”

How to do the pose:

Place a bolster lengthwise behind you and sit in front of it with your knees bent so that your sacrum touches the edge of the bolster.  Place a strap behind your sacrum and drape it forward over your hips and across your shins, and fasten it securely under your feet (see photo).

Lie back and rest comfortably over the bolster so that your legs and buttocks are on the floor.  If you feel any discomfort, place a folded blanket or two over the bolster to add some height.  You can also place a folded blanket under your head for neck support as well.  For optimal support, place a rolled blanket under the top of each thigh, and also under each arm.

Close your eyes and breathe deeply. For an even deeper relaxation experience,  place a soothing lavender eye pillow over your eyes to block out light.  Add tranquil meditation music to soften the effect even more.

To come out of the pose, bring your knees together and remove the strap.  Slowly roll over to one side and use your hands to come up to sitting.  Sit in quiet contemplation for a few minutes before getting back to your normal life.

Office Yoga: Poses to do at your desk

If you’re a slave to your desk, clicking your mouse, staring at your computer screen, and sitting for long periods of time, then you need some relief for the tension and stress you’re building up in your shoulders, neck and back.  Most likely, when you get up to fill your coffee cup, your back, neck and shoulders feel stiff and sore, and you’d rather take a walk around the block and get some fresh air than head back to the same old desk to get more of the same old upper body discomfort.

Doing yoga poses at your desk can help.  Sitting at your desk all day can get mighty uncomfortable, and there’s nothing you’d rather do than take to your yoga mat in the middle of the day. But, if you’re stuck in an office, that may not be an option.  But, you need to move around a little (well, I like to move around a lot!) to instill more balance in your workday and to ward off more serious health problems. Here are some yoga poses that you can do at your desk:

Shoulder Rolls

Sit upright in your chair. Inhale, and lift your right shoulder to your ear.  Exhale, and slowly roll your shoulder around and back, dropping it away from your ear.  Repeat on the left shoulder.  Do these three more times on both sides.  Then, inhale and lift both shoulders to the ears, hold, exhale and release.  Ahhhh.

Neck Stretch

Sit upright without letting your back touch the back of the chair. Your head should be aligned directly over your spine and the crown of your head should be lifted. If you need more stability, you can hold onto the side of the chair with your left hand.  Inhale, then exhale and drop your right ear to the right shoulder.  Be careful not to turn your head or lift your shoulder.  Take several breaths and feel the stretch on the left side of your neck.  For a deeper stretch, place your right hand over the left side of your head and gently pull your neck away from the shoulders.  Hold this pose for five breaths. Repeat on the other side.  This pose lengthens and stretches the neck, and creates space between the vertebrae in the cervical spine.

Chair Twist

Sit on the edge of your chair, with your left side facing the back of the chair. Keep your knees and feet together.  Place your hands on the back of the chair, elbows extending out to the side.  Inhale, straighten your spine, and twist toward the back of the chair from the bottom of your spine. Push with your left hand and pull with your right.  Breathe deeply, then release and switch sides.  Twists are perfect for unlocking tension from sitting for long periods, especially at a desk!

Arm Stretch

Stand and clasp your hands behind you.  If you can’t clasp your hands together, hold on to a scarf or a belt.  Lift your arms as high as you can, and lift your sternum.  Hold this pose for 30 to 45 seconds and then relax.

If you’d like to get a good book about desk yoga, may I suggest “Office Yoga, Simple Stretches for Busy People,” by Darrin Zeer.  It’s the perfect companion for those days when yoga at your desk will just have to do until you can get to your mat!

Namaste!

Yoga can ease menopause symptoms

Women in midlife who are going through menopause, or even those in peri-menopause, would fair very well if they embraced a yoga practice, not only to feel better but to ward off increased bone loss and risk for cardiovascular disease and breast cancer.  In an article by Susan M. Lark, M.D. called “Yoga for Menopause,” (Health World Online), she outlines a series of yoga poses specifically geared to help women in menopause.  Dr. Lark stresses that “Practicing yoga stretches regularly in a slow, unhurried fashion will gradually loosen your muscles, ligaments and joints.  You may be surprised how supple you can become over time.” Dr. Lark also stresses that poses should be practiced slowly and deliberately with focus and attention.

Some of Dr. Lark’s recommended yoga poses include the Locust, Wide Angle Pose, Spinal Flex, Pelvic Arch, the Bow, Child’s Pose, The Sponge, Dollar Pose, Tree, and Chest Expander.  If you’d like to learn more from Dr. Lark, click below to get her free reports and other valuable information to help you feel young again.

Cultivate awareness in Savasana

If you engage in a regular yoga practice, you should be aware that lying down in savasana (also known as “corpse pose”)  is the most important restorative pose to get good at, yet it’s the most diffiult pose to master.    

I’ve seen many students doing their own renditions of what they believe is an effective final relaxation pose, much to the chagrin of their teachers, who have spent several minutes imparting the finer points of body positioning, modifications, and breathwork. I’ve even seen students opting out of savasana entirely and immediately sitting up, ready to roll up their mat and walk out the door, impatient for the next activity. 

I guess not everyone has it in them to completely let go in a pose like savasana, but I personally couldn’t live without doing it after a vigorous yoga practice.  I presume that there is some force keeping them from relaxing completely, such as mental agitation, unreleased tension, sleeplessness (or the fear of falling asleep) or boredom. That is unfortunate, because there is a level of deep consciousness that can be achieved that they will never meet unless they are able to completely let their bodies go and let their practice integrate into their very souls.

If savasana is difficult for you, I invite you to try it again, and again, and again, until you get comfortable in your own skin.  The concept of savasana is simply to be in the present, to relax completely, and to cultivate awareness. Savasana engenders feelings of presence, purity and truth. If you are already experiencing the joys that savasana can bring, and practice it regularly, you have found peace and serenity in your life.

To learn more about the finer points of Savasana, click here.