Food for the soul: YOGA

Hi!

I wish happiness and Peace to all in the beginning of brand New Year. Instead of talking about resolution or a new recipe I chose to do a different post today. Life is not all about eating healthy food. A healthy life style is important to lead a happy life. When our body is physically healthy, the mind is clear, we are in touch with our inner self, with others and our surroundings on a much deeper level. Yoga is one such tool that allows us to feel connected with our inner self and in turn with the outer world.

I developed love for yoga in my late teens. I continued after marriage then after my daughter’s birth and with busy life it took a back seat. I resumed practicing yoga when my abdominal muscles became very weak after a surgery in march 2011. I am not a slim person but after a year of yoga (4-5 times a week) I got back on track and strengthened my abdominal muscles. I feel good. I am sharing some of the yoga poses that I do and are beneficial to all in everyday life.

DHYAN (Meditation):

You do not have to meditate like yogis. It can be challenging at first but will make you live in the present. I do it for 5-10 minutes putting an alarm on my cell phone. Believe me, even 5 minutes would seem too long in the beginning.

Sit back on your heels or cross legged what ever is comfortable for you. Close your eyes and feel your closed eyes in the middle of your eyebrows. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Breathe in thorough your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little. Exhale through your mouth contracting your abdominal muscles. Now the hand on your stomach will move in as you exhale, but other hand should move very little. Feel every breath when it goes in or out. If closing eyes is difficult focus on the flame of a candle or any object of your interest. Try to increase the speed of breathing pattern and observe your stomach compressing and expanding.

SARVANGASANA (Shoulder Stand):

This pose is called the mother of all asans. It increases the circulation of healthy blood to the heart, chest and head, calming the mind and encouraging concentration.

Lay on the floor with your arms by your sides and bend your knees into your chest. Straighten your legs up toward the ceiling, keeping your buttocks on the floor. As you inhale lift your buttocks swing your legs up keeping it straight. Now support your middle back with your hands and carefully raise legs straight towards ceiling. Hold for 30 breaths or 1 minute.

HALASANA (Plough):

While in shoulder stand exhale and slowly lower both feet toward the floor behind your head. Keep your legs straight and strong. It is OK if in the beginning the toes do not reach the floor. Hold for 15 breaths or 1 minute. Exhale and gently lower your knees to your forehead. Roll down out of the posture slowly.

SETU BANDH ASANA ( Bridge):

Setu means ‘bridge’ and anga means ‘limb”. So in this pose all your limbs are working to form a bridge with the body.

Lie on your back with your knees and your feet on the floor. Keep your arms straight along the sides of your body, with your palms facing down. Your fingertips should touch your ankles. Lift your hips and torso toward the ceiling. Make sure your knees don’t splay out. Interlace your hands beneath you and press your shoulders and upper arms into the floor as your hips lift higher toward the ceiling. To release exhale as you slowly roll your spine along the floor,vertebra by vertebra. After doing this pose draw your knees to your chest and hug them with your arms.

CAT COW POINTER SEQUENCE:

This pose looks simple but its not. It loosens back and spine and creates flexibility in core area.There are two poses mixed in one. To do the complete cow stretch check here. Begin on your hands and knees. Think of the spine as a straight line connecting the shoulders to the hips. Hold for a few seconds and then press your abs down toward the floor, arching your back into cat. Come back to starting position and repeat one more time. Next, Raise your left arm in front of you. Extend your right leg out behind with the sole of your right foot facing the wall behind you and your toes pointing down. Hold this position by sucking your tummy in for 5-10 seconds. Round your torso and bend your right knee, bringing your left elbow and right knee to meet your torso. Repeat on the opposite side.

Take an honest look at yourself and see if you need to make any improvement in your life. I am not promoting any type of YOGA nor am I a strict yoga follower. This is just my humble approach to a healthy life style.