Energize, Stretch and Strengthen with Yoga
Yoga is an ancient and rich tradition which combines physical postures (asanas), breath work (pranayama) and meditation. Through the practice of yoga, we become aware of the interconnectedness between our emotional, mental and physical levels as we are drawn into the present moment through the concentration on breath and form.
Yoga has been an amazing practice for me as it has transformed me both in body, mind and spirit. This post highlights some of my favorite and most challenging yoga poses – the arm balances. Go ahead, give a few of them a try and explore the many benefits yoga has to offer.
Learn The Yoga Arm Balancing Poses – Scorpion
Ready for a Challenge? Here it is!
VRSCHIKASANA (SCORPION)
Vrschika = Scorpion; Asana = Posture
From forearm stand, knees are bent. Head is lifted and feet are brought close to the head in a deep backbend. Knees separate toes remain together.
Benefits of the posture:
* creates integration and balance between upper and lower body
* strengthens and stretches the legs and shoulders
* calms the nervous system
* strengthens arms and shoulders and aligns the shoulder girdle in relation to the trunk, pelvis and legs
* increases circulation to the torso, head and brain
* teaches the body to rest while in a state of activity
* develops a sense of inner balance
Learn The Yoga Arm Balancing Poses – Firefly
Have fun with this one!
BHUJA PIDASANA (FIREFLY)
Bhuja = Shoulder, arm; Pida = pressure; Asana = Posture
From a squat position, the hands are placed six inches in front of the feet. Torso is lengthened through the crown of the head as the shoulders are relaxed down away from the ears. Gaze is soft, forehead and chin relaxed, head in line with the spine. Arms are thread between the legs one at a time such that the hands rest on the floor behind the ankles with the finger tips facing forward. Backs of the knees rest on the upper arms and the knees then walk up toward the shoulder blades as far as possible. Feet are lifted off the earth. Thighs are pressed against the upper arms and the upper arms against the thighs to stabilize the pose. Feet 
are flexed.
Benefits of the posture:
* strengthens upper body
* good for digestion and elimination
* massages and regenerates the kidneys and adrenal glands
* supports the health of the prostate and pelvic floor
* good for hemorrhoids
Great Yoga Resource
Highly recommended!!!
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Whether you are new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner, Yoga Burn offers something just right for you. Featuring exclusive Vinyasa style class downloads and DVDs, detailed posture descriptions, and basic knowledge to expand your experience of Yoga, her yoga secrets will teach you the basics or enhance and improve your current skills.
Learn The Yoga Arm Balancing Poses – Crow
This is the easiest one!
KAKASANA (CROW)
Kaka = Crow; Asana = Posture
From a squat position, hands are placed on the earth about one foot in front of the body with the arms about hip distance apart and parallel. Fingers are spread wide with a firm base of support between the thumbs and index fingers and the pads under the knuckles. Knees are drawn as close to the armpits as possible and rest on the triceps muscles. Knees press against the arms and arms press against the knees equally. Shoulder blades are relaxed down creating space across the front and back of the chest. Torso is lifted up and forward. Body comes forward as the weight of the legs and torso rest on the upper arms. Feet are lifted off the floor one at a time. Once the balance point is achieved, toes touch. As the pose is held longer, core strength is increased.
Benefits of the posture:
* builds strength and stamina, especially for the shoulder girdle
* massages abdominal organs
The Benefits of a Regular Yoga Practice
If You Can Breathe, You Can Do Yoga!
The benefits of yoga are many, from stress reduction to increased strength and flexibility and improved mental clarity. It truly does not matter if you are overweight, out of shape, inflexible, have never done yoga before, are a teen or a senior citizen, yoga is for everyone. There are many well documented benefits to a regular yoga practice.
Perhaps the most important and certainly the most noticeable benefit of a regular yoga practice is a reduction in stress. Yoga relaxes the mind, centers attention and sharpens concentration. This creates mental clarity and calmness.
Regular practice of yoga has been shown to help such diverse ailments such as diabetes, blood pressure, digestive disorders, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, asthma, varicose veins and heart conditions. According to medical scientists, yoga therapy is successful in doing this because of the balance created in the nervous and endocrine systems which directly influences all the other systems and organs of the body.
My personal favorite benefits of yoga are:
Posture: The very nature of yoga teaches the practitioner how to hold and control one’s body in a more healthful position. When I leave a yoga class, I stand tall, my head and heart are lifted and I feel fantastic.
Strength and flexibility: One of the premises of yoga is that you are using the weight of your own body for overall strength. Prior to my regular yoga practice, I was a mile away from touching my toes, now I get there with ease and then some.
Aging: Yoga stimulates the detoxification process within the body. Detoxification has been shown to delay aging. I certainly feel younger and more energized from the practice.
Weight: The exercise of yoga stimulates the metabolism which helps keep the weight in check. Additionally, the stretching of muscles longwise helps to reduce the amount of cellulite that can build around muscles.
Sleep: A lot of people find that the calming of the mind and body and release from stress allow for much better sleep.
Balance: An integral part of the yoga practice is balance and control over your body. I find that my balance in other athletic endeavors has improved overall as a result of my regular yoga practice. As we age and balance becomes increasingly more difficult this is a very important benefit.
If you are new to yoga and perhaps intimidated or uncertain about going to a yoga class at a gym or studio, it is possible to practice at home. Many books are available as well as on line instruction. Many instructors are available for private home practice. And finally, instructional DVDs and Downloads are available. Yoga Burn www.yogaburnforwomen.com provides such instruction from certified instructors who are dedicated to the conscious practice of yoga and would like nothing more than to see you enjoy the many wonderful benefits that yoga has to offer.
Whether you are new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner, I hope you can enjoy Yoga Burn program in some capacity. It offers exclusive Vinyasa style class downloads and DVDs, detailed posture descriptions, and basic knowledge to expand your experience of Yoga, Her Yoga Secrets can teach you the basics or enhance and improve your current skills.
When you download a video, you create a flexible and affordable yoga program that you can take with you anywhere. With Yoga Burn, you can leave the pace, location and schedule up to you.
Learn The Yoga Arm Balancing Poses – Side crow
Ready for a Challenge? Here it is!
PARIVRITTA KAKASANA (SIDE CROW)
Parivritta = Rotated, twisted; Kaka = Crow; Asana = Posture
From a squat position, thighs parallel to the floor. On the right side: The left elbow is brought to the outside of the right thigh. Torso is twisted to the right, and
left lower ribs are brought across the right thigh as far as possible. The back of the left arm slides down the outside of the right thigh, bringing the outer armpit as close to the outer thigh possible. The left upper arm slides several inches toward the right hip and presses firmly against the right thigh; maintaining this pressure, the upper arm is drawn back toward the right knee without allowing the skin to slide. The left palm rests on the floor just outside the right foot. If the hand doesn’t easily reach the floor, the torso is tipped to the right until the hand can be placed flat. Maintaining contact between your left upper arm and your right outer thigh, Torso leans even more to the right. Hands are shoulder width apart and positioned on an imaginary line drawn diagonally away from the right foot angled in the direction of the heel. Fingers are parallel to each other. Maintaining the point of contact between the left arm and right thigh the pelvis slowly lifts and shifts to the right. The middle of the abdomen is brought above and between the hands. Feet stay together and press out through their inner edges. Heels are drawn toward the buttocks. For the scissoring of the legs, the left hip is pulled strongly down and both feet are lifted up. Arms begin to straighten as the spine twists further. Head and chest are lifted and gaze is forward. More advanced variation weight is lifted off of the back hip and balance is on the right arm only.
Benefits of the posture:
* builds strength and stamina, especially for the shoulder girdle
* massages abdominal organs
Learn The Yoga Arm Balancing Poses – Peacock
Ready to try one more?
MAYURA (PEACOCK)
Mayura = Peacock; Asana = Posture
From a kneeling position, palms plant on the floor fingers turned back toward the torso (thumbs pointing out to the sides). Elbows are bent and outer forearms are drawn together. Front of the torso leans onto the backs of the upper arms as the elbows burrow deep into the belly at or below the navel. If the elbows slide apart they can be bound with a strap. The belly is firmed up against the pressure of the elbows. Knees straighten and legs stretch out behind the torso. Buttocks are firm and shoulders are slightly rounded downward. Head is lifted off the floor and gaze is forward. Weight shifts forward. Legs lift up off the floor as the weight is shifted and the belly and buttocks are firmed up.
Benefits of the posture:
* builds strength and stamina, especially for the shoulder girdle
* massages abdominal organs
* good for elimination
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