Halasan

by: yogsansthan.org

Technique:

1. Lie flat on the back, stretch the arms straight close to the body and bring the toes and heels together, stretching the toes forward. The palms will face the ground. Keep the body fully stretched.

2. Inhaling, raise the legs together slowly. Exhaling, press the palms down on the floor and raise the legs beyond the head till they come parallel to the floor.

3. Move the legs forward until the toes touch the ground. Take the toe together more forward. Chin should touch the lock of the throat. The hands will stick to the ground and bring the arms nearer to each other. Normalizing the breath, hold this posture as long as comfortable.

4. Be very careful while returning to the original position. Balancing the weight of the body on the palms and resting each vertebra of the spine on the ground, bring back the leg very slowly until they rest on the ground. The more slowly spine is brought to the ground, the more resilience it will gain. When the back rests on the floor, bring down the feet slowly towards the ground and place the heels on the floor gently and comfortably. The slow downward movement of the legs will benefit the abdomen in a big way. On return, relax.

Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle), with chair

By Andrea Ferretti

Place a chair in front of you and put your right foot between its front legs. Step your left foot back about 4 feet and turn it in 80 degrees. Place your hands on your hips and square them. Inhale, lift your torso, exhale, and fold forward, placing your left hand on the chair seat, in line with your right big toe. Place your right hand on your sacrum and twist to the right, bringing the right shoulder toward the ceiling and the left ribs forward. To go deeper, place the left elbow on the chair and raise the right arm.

Bharadvajasana (Bharadvaja’s Twist), with chair

By Andrea Ferretti

Sit sideways on a chair with your right hip facing the chair back and a block between your thighs. The chair will stabilize the lower back, pelvis, and legs, allowing you to safely rotate your upper spine. Place the hands on the chair back as you inhale and lift the spine. Exhale and twist, pulling with the left hand and pushing with the right. Allow the head and neck to follow the twist of the spine.

Tips for Regular Yoga Practice

by Michael Russell

As with everything in life, yoga is effective but it will only work if you 'work it'. For results with Yoga, as with any program, one needs to learn two simple rules; dedication and persistence. You have to be dedicated and follow the practices on a regular basis if you really want to get results. If you have bought some books on yoga and meditation, don't let them gather dust while you plan and hope you will start the practice one day.

Yoga postures and basic meditation exercises are simple enough to learn, even for a child. The major problem with most yoga 'drop outs' is not getting the techniques right, as most people have aligned their minds to believe, but the ability to establish the habit of following the practices through on a regular basis. The following tips may help you to do your yoga and meditation on a daily basis.

Determination: Start your yoga with a firm determination to see it through. Yoga begins and ends with the mind, if you can convince yourself you really want to do it, then you should be able to keep the spirit. The problem with most people is that they rush into everything that sounds interesting before they are sure of whether they want it or not. These people will usually dump a program before they even really begin it. Close your eyes, search deep within you, "is yoga really important to me?" Decide you will give it a fair try and stick to that determination. There are days when you feel low and won't want to do your yoga, remember your initial soul deep determination and you will always find the right spirit to go ahead.

Be organized: Things go smoothly and are more interesting when they are well organized. Make a regular schedule for your yoga practice and stick to it. The mere fact that you will always look forward to the period of your daily yoga practice will always keep it in your consciousness. You will get best results from yoga if you do your practice daily. No matter how busy you are, keep some time free during the day and reserve this time for your practice of yoga and meditation. It is better if you can get up early in the morning or late in the evening, when there will be fewer distractions.

Free your Mind: It is not enough to reserve a time for yoga if you can't put your all into the practice. When you decide to do your yoga practice and meditation, remember that the next couple of minutes have been reserved for the development of your mind and personality. It would be pointless, if your body were doing the practice while your mind were busy sorting out some other worries. Once you begin your daily yoga practice all other worries and responsibilities should be tucked somewhere else until you are through.

Add Some Color: Learning how to give and share is an important part of the personality yoga seeks to create in you. Add some color and fun into your daily yoga practice by involving your friends who would also benefit from practicing yoga. The enthusiasm of others would rub off on you any day you feel low and don't want to continue with your practice. Yoga is not what you keep to yourself - bring in one or two friends.

Learn Patience: It took you several years to build up your present personality and physical structure. You can't change it overnight. Although, with yoga you don't have to wait for that many years to change yourself because the regular and systematic practice of yoga postures and basic meditation can help you to make great changes within the shortest possible period. It's being human, sometimes you feel like you are getting results and other times, you feel like nothing is changing. You shouldn't worry so much about the short-term effects, what really matters is the ultimate goal you want to achieve. It takes a little time, but with dedication and persistence, your most profound yoga dreams will be achieved.

Crow - kakasana

by Yoga Magazine UK

The crow exercise is designed to cleanse the sixth chakra . Regular performance of this exercise dramatically improves its strength. According to yoga theory if you fail to exercise regularly then with the onset of old age the bones become brittle, especially the knees. By conducting the crow exercise you will make the joints of both the arms and legs stronger. Additionally you will improve your stamina.

1 Squat down onto your knees, buttocks to ankles keeping them apart. The heels of your feet should not touch the floor.

2 Place the palms of your hands facing down on floor and wrap arms in between the knees.

3 Very carefully place your body weight onto your arms. You should tilt your body forwards when doing so.

4 The heels of your feet should be used as a springing board to push you forwards.

5 Slowly raise each foot from the floor while tilting forwards. Keep your spine straight and head facing forward.

6 Now lift your whole body onto your arms and hold position for as long as possible. While doing so inhale and exhale your breath at a normal rate.

Upavistha Konasana: Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend

1. Sit in Dandasana, then lean your torso back slightly on your hands and lift and open your legs to an angle of about 90 degrees (the legs should form an approximate right angle, with the pubis at the apex). Press your hands against the floor and slide your buttocks forward, widening the legs another 10 to 20 degrees. As with Dandasana, if you can’t sit comfortably on the floor, raise your buttocks on a folded blanket.

2. Rotate your thighs outwardly, pinning the outer thighs against the floor, so that the knee caps point straight up toward the ceiling. Reach out through your heels and stretch your soles, pressing though the balls of the feet.

3.With your thigh bones pressed heavily into the floor and your knee caps pointing up at the ceiling, walk your hands forward between your legs. Keep your arms long. As with all forward bends, the emphasis is on moving from the hip joints and maintaining the length of the front torso. As soon as you find yourself bending from the waist, stop, re-establish the length from the pubis to the navel, and continue forward if possible.

4. Increase the forward bend on each exhalation until you feel a comfortable stretch in the backs of your legs. Stay in the pose 1 minute or longer. Then come up on an inhalation with a long front torso.

Shift Stress into Low Gear

By Andrea Ferretti

You might equate a stress-related health problem with a minor upset stomach or a tension headache. But physician and Yoga Journal medical editor Timothy McCall warns that stress may also fuel chronic illnesses, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. "If you are continually stressed, you leave the door open to a variety of health conditions," McCall says. Yoga is an effective stress reducer. Here are McCall's tips for using your practice for that purpose.

Focus on your breath.

The ancient yoga masters taught that moving and breathing with awareness quiet the mind. When we stop ruminating and our inner monologue slows, we tend to experience relaxation and a feeling of being centered.

Practice restorative poses and forward bends.

Both are thought to calm the nervous system. Use blankets, pillows, and bolsters to support you in the poses.

Be consistent.

Long-term, regular practice will encourage a sense of inner peace that will last throughout your day. "This equanimity and mindfulness has countless positive effects, including an appreciation for the beauty around you in every moment," McCall says. "You may even realize that some of what you've been getting worked up about really isn't that important. And that may be the biggest stress reducer of all."