recovery week | RESTORATIVE YOGA: Viparita Karani

6/28/2009

0 Comments

 
Picture

pil-oga-robic | RESTORATIVE YOGA

Restorative yoga is a passive form of yoga often referred to as "active relaxation".  It is by far my favorite form of yoga and can be incredibly healing to your mind and to your heart.  For more information on Restorative Yoga, check out Judith Lasater's book Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times.

Legs-Up-The-Wall pose: Viparita Karani

1) Sit next to a wall (with legs bent and feet planted on the ground) so that one side of your body is about 2 inches away from the wall. 
2) Simultaneously lay down on your back as you swing your legs up the wall. 
3) If your hamstrings are really flexible then your booty will be touching the wall, but if you're not particularly flexible then you will be a bit farther away. 
4) Relax your neck, hips, eyes and belly.  Keep a little firmness in your legs.
5) Focus on the even movement of your breath in and out. 
6) Rest for 5-15 minutes. 

Most yogis' agree that Viparita Karani is good for almost everything that ails you, and its more advanced counterpart, headstand, is said to reverse the effects of aging. 

Relieves: Anxiety, Arthritis, Digestive problems, Headache, High and low blood pressure, Insomnia, Migraine, Mild depression, Respiratory ailments, Urinary disorders, Varicose veins, Menstrual cramps, Premenstrual syndrome, Menopause

Picture and some info from Yoga Journal

0 Comments

pil-oga-robic | MEDITATION

6/15/2009

0 Comments

 
Picture

pil-oga-robic | MEDITATIONS

Let go of the day! 
Find a quiet spot, close your eyes and move inward. 
First focus on letting go of tension in your body.  We all habitually hold tension in our bodies and it often accumulates in the muscles of the face, jaw, shoulders and neck.  When stressful or emotional things happen in our lives, our bodies often hold on to that tension even after our minds put it out of sight.  By first scanning your body for tension and then releasing it, you are setting off a chain of events that washes hidden mental stress out of your system.  Imagine that every drop of tension you come across is falling off of your body like a rain drop off of a leaf. 
Next, BREATHE.  Let each new thought roll off of you with your exhale.  Offer yourself compassion when you struggle with relaxing.  It's harder than it looks! Let your body and your mind sink in to quiet. 

0 Comments