The forward bends work the external body in lengthening hamstrings and the torso. They are very much the ‘surrender’ of all the asanas. They create peace of mind. To push and pull in forward bends creates tension in places that need to surrender. The internal body experiences enormous benefit from the forward bends: the liver is squeezed, pressure is applied to the ascending and descending colon resulting in freer bowel movements, the mind is left quiet leaving little space for mind chatter, and the eyes are rested. Forward bends done under the guidance of a qualified teacher can have remarkable recuperative results for people suffering from headaches, nervousness, insomnia and migraines.
vigour to the whole body. These poses take time and patience to master. Standing poses are a must before attempting the more advanced back-bending poses. Significant results can be achieved by supported backbends. Mild arches, achieved by placing firm pillows or bolsters under the spine, shoulder or lower back, require little effort from the student but create an opening and awakening of the spine.
There are very few moments in our life that cause us to bend backwards. Most of our daily routine is spent bending forwards over a desk or computer. In fact, if you think about it, as we age our body seems to take on a downward curve of the spine as gravity and stress take their toll.
Backbends are excellent for drawing life to the whole body. The backward arch has a huge squeezing effect on the kidney, spleen and abdominal organs, opening the lungs both front and back. Tension around the shoulders can be relieved in this position, freeing the neck and allowing the mind to think more clearly.
Shoulder stand, Sarvangasan, works more on the glands, especially the thyroid and parathyroid glands which play a huge role in the body’s metabolism. These poses are excellent for creating stronger circulation in the legs, and done with different variations, inverted practice can be extremely restorative.
For beginners an ideal inversion pose is "leg up the wall". A simple movement of swinging the legs up the wall while the torso remains flat and lying on the floor. To remain in this pose for 10 to 15 minutes each day can revitalise the body and freshen the mind. It can be done at any time as a great pick-me-up.
Yoga is for thoe individual. It must be changed as the pupil evolves, as work loads change and as outside commitments change. A pregnant woman would nt be expected to perform the same practice throughout her pregnancy as she would have done prior to falling pregnant. A business person whose workload suddenly included travelling once or twice a week would also have to modify their Yoga practice. The seasons of the year and the oncoming of age are also variables for managing practice.
Getting it all together…. Relaxation
The resting pose is one of the most difficult Yoga poses to learn. To simply lie still for 15 minutes allowing every muscle and fibre of the body to be supported by the earth is a challenge few people can comprehend. We teach students the process of releasing muscle tension one muscle at a time, then we teach breath relaxation and finally the ability to slow the chatter of the mind. .
Resting poses are done at the end of every Yoga practice to allow the body to cool and stabilise before returning to the outside stimulation of our lives. It is better to cut short the time for doing Yoga poses than to finish the practice without the normalising effects of a lie down resting pose.
Bending over backwards…. Opening up to life.
Backbends are the gem of asanas, awakening the spine and nervous system, and givingvigour to the whole body. These poses take time and patience to master. Standing poses are a must before attempting the more advanced back-bending poses. Significant results can be achieved by supported backbends. Mild arches, achieved by placing firm pillows or bolsters under the spine, shoulder or lower back, require little effort from the student but create an opening and awakening of the spine.
There are very few moments in our life that cause us to bend backwards. Most of our daily routine is spent bending forwards over a desk or computer. In fact, if you think about it, as we age our body seems to take on a downward curve of the spine as gravity and stress take their toll.
Backbends are excellent for drawing life to the whole body. The backward arch has a huge squeezing effect on the kidney, spleen and abdominal organs, opening the lungs both front and back. Tension around the shoulders can be relieved in this position, freeing the neck and allowing the mind to think more clearly.
Restoring the vitality of youth; Going upside down,
The inverted poses are usually for more advanced students of Yoga. To help the novice experience the benefits of inverted poses without the risk of injury, certain supported inverted poses have been developed. The classical upside down pose is the head stand, known as sirsasana in Sanskrit. To stand on the head as though you where standing on two feet can take many years of practice. To eventually feel as though there is a fine silk thread running from the crown of your head through the centre line of the body out through the souls of the feet is the mark of a refined practice. Because you cannot move the head or look around, the headstand is an intuitive pose. The main benefit of all inverted poses is the reversing of gravity, allowing the blood, organs and skin to freely move in the opposite direction.Shoulder stand, Sarvangasan, works more on the glands, especially the thyroid and parathyroid glands which play a huge role in the body’s metabolism. These poses are excellent for creating stronger circulation in the legs, and done with different variations, inverted practice can be extremely restorative.
For beginners an ideal inversion pose is "leg up the wall". A simple movement of swinging the legs up the wall while the torso remains flat and lying on the floor. To remain in this pose for 10 to 15 minutes each day can revitalise the body and freshen the mind. It can be done at any time as a great pick-me-up.
Yoga is for thoe individual. It must be changed as the pupil evolves, as work loads change and as outside commitments change. A pregnant woman would nt be expected to perform the same practice throughout her pregnancy as she would have done prior to falling pregnant. A business person whose workload suddenly included travelling once or twice a week would also have to modify their Yoga practice. The seasons of the year and the oncoming of age are also variables for managing practice.
Getting it all together…. Relaxation
The resting pose is one of the most difficult Yoga poses to learn. To simply lie still for 15 minutes allowing every muscle and fibre of the body to be supported by the earth is a challenge few people can comprehend. We teach students the process of releasing muscle tension one muscle at a time, then we teach breath relaxation and finally the ability to slow the chatter of the mind. .
Resting poses are done at the end of every Yoga practice to allow the body to cool and stabilise before returning to the outside stimulation of our lives. It is better to cut short the time for doing Yoga poses than to finish the practice without the normalising effects of a lie down resting pose.
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