Your Mind Body and Soul

Power Yoga For Modern Living

By Keith “Nickel” Langevin

This power yoga routine is excellent for a total body warm up before you begin your exercise program and, in fact, is a very good workout in itself. It stretches your muscles and works your breathing, as well as strengthens your arms, back, chest and legs. It is important to breathe fully and to do each part of the exercise slowly. Do not hurry through this and concentrate on your breathing throughout.

You start in a standing position with your arms hanging at your side. Slowly breathe in deeply while you look to the ceiling and raise your arms overhead. Try to touch the sky. Slowly bend forward, breathing out, and touch your hands to the floor. Keep your legs as straight as possible but it is important that you stretch down as much as possible. In the beginning, you will probably have to bend your legs. Your head is close to your body and you want to look between your legs. If you are limber, place your palms flat on the floor. Breathe in and, holding the same position, lift your head and look forward. Breathe out and walk your feet backward as you get into a pushup position.

When you become efficient at this routine, you can jump back into position if you like. Breathing in, lower your belly close to the floor, at the same time shift your feet so the top of your feet are flat on the floor and stretch your upper body upward. You stretch your neck muscles as well by looking up at the ceiling. Breathe out and move your body so that the bottom of your feet are now flat on the floor and your butt is as high in the air as possible. Look between your legs. You are in an inverted V position. Breathe in and walk your feet forward until you are back into the position where you are touching the floor with your head close to your body and you are looking forward. Breathe out and lower your head so you are now looking between your legs again. Breathe in and slowly stretch up, standing and reaching for the sky, looking at the ceiling. Now breathe out and return to your starting position, hands at your side. You have just completed one set.

Your goal is to work up to five sets eventually. Remember to concentrate on your breathing. When you breathe in, do it slowly and take in as much breath as possible. When you breathe out, exhale all your breath and try to touch your back with your belly button. Do these before exercising or do them first thing in the morning to get your body ready to face the day.

For a FREE 5 part course to help you Discover How Yoga Can Transform Your Health visit: http://fomayoga.com/yogabasics

April 29th, 2009 Posted by Colleen Lilly | Yoga | no comments

Beginner Breathing in Yoga

By Dave Benz

In yoga, many experts have the opinion that breathing is more important to successful practice than perfect pose form. You already have the basic equipment to reach your goals. Remember to consciously engage your breath and be aware of your breathing as you develop your skills. When performing Asana, keep in mind that it isn’t necessary or even possible to do it perfectly all the time. Especially for beginners, this should be more of a goal, and as with any form of meditation, you should try to be mindful and have progress, but also not beat yourself up about it.

You Don’t Need Any Yoga Props to Breathe.

We breathe all day every day, and as human beings it’s something we do as naturally as fish swimming in the water. As such respiration isn’t something we think about much. So why make such a big deal about it once you start practicing yoga? To return to the fish in water analogy, almost everything that is good to a fish comes to it through water. A fish in bad water will eventually sicken and die. A fish which cannot breathe in water will most certainly perish. Good water is necessary for fish not just to grow but to thrive. Anyone who keeps fish will tell you that the number one biggest challenge to keeping fish is water quality. People with aquariums need filtration equipment.

photo credit: stephcarter

So why are we so casual about how we consider air and breathing? We are in air all the time just like fish are in water all the time. We breathe air in and out. The air brings us oxygen, which our body uses in our brain, our organs, our heart, and blood. Air is something we all need not just to live but to thrive. Maybe you could even think of air as vitamins. You need to get your Vitamin O! Your vitamin O is being used by your body for your autonomic nervous system. So your heart rate, respiration, digestion, perspiration, and even how much your eye pupils are dilated. The equipment of your body. In addition, there is the somatic nervous system, which is the part which you control consciously. So it’s voluntary bodily movement, and sense organs. Beginning and ending.

So looking at it this way, you can see that breathing is how you bring that vitamin O into your body. It is something we need to survive. And when we exhale, waste products of our metabolism are leaving our bodies through our lungs. Our continued health and life hinges on this function. Like fish with water, air and breathing are central to everything we are.

Our breathing changes depending on our mood or situation. If you are stressed out you may breathe in a more shallow or constricted way. Others may breathe too much and hyperventilate. In another situation, maybe you’re reading in an awkward position, or slouching in a chair at work. Your breathing may be too shallow or small. Either situation needs to be remedied. To breathe as deeply as you should in yoga, you need to make sure your posture is correct. A person should not just pay attention to their posture, they should be aware of their breathing.

I wonder how it is that we don’t learn how to breathe. I guess it just comes naturally, but it is also something that is easy to forget about. When you practice, however, you become aware of your respiration, and breathe consciously, you can escape these situations where you aren’t breathing mindfully. This is even more important for beginners.

By now you’re probably seeing the connection between your mental state and the way you breathe. Scientists and physicians are aware of this connection as well as people who practice yoga. Think of the practice of breathing deeply and counting to ten when you are upset. In yoga with breathing we strive to connect mind and body. So take time in your practice to concentrate on your breathing. Be thoughtful and aware. A popular class topic for yoga teachers is breathing. You create harmony and connectedness inside and out. Visit my website if you’re interested in yoga for beginners and equipment.

Breathe deeply and regularly. Make sure your breaths are not shallow. This will improve the health of many parts of your body. Your skin will stay fresh and young. Your lungs will benefit and your heart will thank you. The different nervous systems and the brain will be nourished. Try to be a beginner every day. You don’t need equipment to do it. Mind and body will come together as one and it will be more easy to reach a relaxed, mindful state.

Dave Benz started folding origami more than twenty years ago. He has been gluten-free for over a year. He writes about origami, gluten-free diet, and horror books and movies among other things

March 24th, 2009 Posted by Colleen Lilly | Yoga | one comment