Core is the central and most important part of anything. Without a firm core or a trunk, it would be hard to define the shape or structure of a body. While the trunk in a tree is responsible for holding its elements like branches and leaves and transportation of food, the ‘human counterpart’ holds a fabulous machinery called the internal organs inside the core. A strong core helps to keep our internal organs intact and healthy as well. These five yogasanas to strengthen your core muscles will help to tone your abs and increase the blood circulation in your internal organs and make your spinal column healthy and flexible.

Is It Really Crucial To Have Strong Core Muscles?

Strong core muscles make it easier to do most physical activities in our day-to-day life. From lifting to pushing and pulling motions, a strong core is also a core of a beautiful personality and a perfect posture. Strong core muscles are also important for sports persons and athletes.

On the other hand, weak core muscles can lead to fatigue, less endurance, injuries,  poor posture, and lower back pain…

Which are the best Yogasanas to strengthen your core muscles?

Some Yogasanas, which stretch our middle body parts, work directly on the core muscles.

Most deep stretching yoga postures can strengthen your core muscles and some holding and balancing postures are also good to tone your core perfectly.

Common Signs Of A Weak Core

Your torso, abdominals, and lower back muscles combine to form the core of your body.

These core muscles are important for the actions like balancing, stretching and bending. The same muscles also support your posture when you stand up straight or sit down.

Here are some common signs that you might have a weak core:

Lower Back Pain

If you experience frequent pain in your lower back after prolonged standing or sitting in one posture, it might be because of the weak muscles of the core. The pain may vary from dull to very sharp pain in a specific area of the lower back.

 Poor Posture

Do you often stand dropped and slouchy?

A stooping posture is a sure way to recognise the lack of core strength.

Poor Balance

It is very common to lose balance while walking, bending, or turning your head all of sudden. This is very common with aged people, but if taken care of properly from the beginning, this condition can be avoided for a much longer time. Because your core muscles are key to maintaining balance.

 Shortness of Breath 

If you get short of breath often, it can be due to a variety of health issues, one of which is a lack of core strength. The diaphragm is the internal muscle that separates the lungs and ribs from your digestive system and controls breathing. The rest of your outer core muscles help to support the diaphragm, making breathing easier. 

That said, if you are slouching ( due to the weak core muscles) you might be breathing shallow!

Excessive Body Weakness 

If you often feel excessive weakness, this could be an indication of your weak middle body. Your core is the center of your muscular system, it does affect the overall resilience of your body.

5 Yogasanas To Strengthen Your Core Muscles

💮Download My Yoga Postures Library 💮

https://www.yogarsutra.com/yoga-posture-library/

PASSWORD- ASANALAYA

Now unroll your yoga mat and start with a beautiful yoga posture- Mountain Pose.

• Stand on your feet grounded firmly on your Yoga Mat in Mountain Pose.
•  Inhale deeply and exhale very slowly.
• Inhale once again to raise your hands,  exhale to fold from the crease of your hips in Uttanasana.

Imbalances and fallings shouldn’t deter you from trying an advanced posture.

Natarajasana

• Getting into this yoga pose called the Natarajasana or Dancer’s Pose requires a strong core to balance the body on one leg while the other leg is lifted and bent from the knee. 
• The same leg is pulled behind the body with the hand drawing the foot towards the head. The other arm is also lifted at the shoulder level to reach up, fingers in Gyan mudra, and your core leaning forward.
• Apart from strengthening your core, this posture also works well as a heart opener yoga posture.
•  You can start from Natarajasana to get an idea of how stable you could be in a balancing posture.

When you try to get into Natarajasana you come to know about the strengths and weaknesses in your body.

Vrikshasana

• To get into this beautiful posture, Vrikshasana, place the sole of your feet above the knee of the other feet. 
• Press both the feet into each other to get a nice balancing point. Keep your gaze fixed at one point.

Tree pose strengthens Ankles, Thighs, Calves, Vertebral column and Stretches Groin, Thighs, Shoulders, Thorax

Ushtrasana

• Sit on your knees with knees, hips, and shoulders making a straight line (hips-knees-shoulders stacked).
• Inhale and let your ‘right hand’ reach to hold your ‘right ankle’.
• Repeat the same on your left side, with your left hand and left ankle.
• Continue with deep breathing and make sure the same is not strained.

P.S.-

Yoga blocks make it quite easier to do your first Ustrasana.

Want a complete Ustrasana tutorial? Learn here how to do Ustrasana and its benefits.

“This yoga posture Ustrasana or camel pose is also good to improve your digestion. Regular practice of this asana is known to give you strong and toned core muscles and help alleviate thyroid issues and related hormonal problems”.

Make sure you have taken two or three rounds of Sun Salutations or your body is warm enough before doing this intense backbend.

Supta Vajrasana (Reclined Thunderbolt Pose)

• Sit in Vajrasana with heels pointing upwards and big toes touching each other.
• The body is upright, hands rest on the thighs. 
• Breathe normally.
• Place the palms on the floor beside the buttocks
•  Bend the elbows and slowly lean the body back until the elbows rest on the floor. 
• Lower the head backward until the top of the head touches the floor. Bring palms together in front of the chest and hold the posture. 
• Breathing is relaxed and slightly deeper than normal, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
•  Using your elbows, slowly return to the starting position.

“Chest opener yoga postures like Supta Vajrasana or reclined thunderbolt work on strengthening your core muscles and increasing flexibility of the spine and hips and stretching the thigh muscles. This posture strengthens the lungs and helps treat asthma and bronchitis”.

Contraindications Of Supta Vajrasana

•  Pregnant women must avoid practicing Supta Vajrasana.
• To release the pose, never straighten the legs first. … 
• You shouldn’t practice this Posture if suffering from Sciatica, neck and knee problems, spine ailments, slipped disc.

Dhanurasana

• Come on your belly.
• With an inhale, bend your knees.
•  Grab both the ankles with your hands.
• With an inhale, lift your ribcage and Shoulders away from your mat, and flex out your feet strongly to come into dhanurasana.
• Apart from firming your core,  Dhanurasana or bow pose helps relieve back pain. It stretches your abdomen, chest, shoulders, front of your hips (hip flexors), and thighs (quadriceps). 

Bow Pose also strengthens your back muscles, the back of your thighs, and buttocks (glutes)

Don’t forget to rest in the child’s pose.

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Wrapping Up- Yogasanas To Strengthen Your Core Muscles

There are many yoga asanas to strengthen your core muscles. Including only three to four of them in your daily yoga practice will bring a substantial change in your core strength.

An intense practice to strengthen your core muscles involving these kinds of backbends and balancing postures should not be continued for more than 5 to 10 minutes in one go. I highly recommend resting in crocodile pose or Savasana.

Don’t forget to watch the video on YouTube, which is on the same topic- 5 Yogasanas To Strengthen Your Core Muscles| Backbends and Balancing Yoga Postures

Please subscribe to my channel to support the free and fabulous yoga on YouTube!

I would appreciate you to be a part of my “newly formed wonderful community” and follow me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and TWITTER.

Thanks, for being with me on your mat Yogis, Namaste 🙏❤️

Credits:

Fitsri

Femina India

Yoga daily life

NDTV Good Times

Yogaindailylife

Finessyoga

Image Credit:

Photo by Elina Fairytale from Pexels

The post 5 Yogasanas To Strengthen Your Core Muscles| Backbends and Balancing Yoga Postures appeared first on yogarsutra.

If your morning is busy and body is stiff, don’t worry. This “15 Minutes bedtime yoga for better sleep” will help you with deep-sleep,  weight management, alleviate joint pain and enhance your mental focus.

We know that a morning yoga schedule can do wonders for our health and fitness, mind, and overall well-being. Starting our day mindfully goes a long way and drastically improves the quality of life.

But research shows that people committed to a bedtime or an evening yoga practice experience better sleep quality, less stress and anxiety, and relief from body aches.

According to sleep foundation, Over 55% of yoga practitioners report improved sleep, and over 85% report reduced stress. 

Numerous studies prove that yoga can improve sleep for a variety of different populations. 

These studies majorly focus on the quality of sleep rather than quantity.

 So there is a need to realize that the increased time of sleep does not necessarily help with quality sleep and overall well being. 

The definition of quality sleep may vary from person to person. It is more about how energized and exuberant you are when you wake up in the morning. 

Not the number of hours you spend on your bed.

Read: How To Power Nap For Incredible Health Benefits

9  Immunity Boosting Fruits And Vegetables For Winters

What Types of Yoga Helps You Sleep Better?

There are many types of yoga that provide health and wellness benefits. 

At the beginning of the day, any type of yoga practice is appropriate, so long as you are comfortable. 

Intense forms of yoga, such as vinyasa or hot yoga, are a good type of moderate to high exercise. Such exercise, when done in the morning, can help you sleep better at night.

Since intense yoga postures may elevate the heart rate and awaken your mind, it’s best to avoid these practices right before bedtime. 

 A slower and restorative type of yoga is more suitable when you are looking for a bedtime yoga routine.

Who Can Leverage From The Bedtime Yoga

• Children specifically with the neural disorders like ASD may find it hard to fall asleep because of the different activities looping in their mind. Yoga can help to stabilize their brain activities and help to fall asleep effortlessly.

• Adults nowadays live a hectic lifestyle. Education, job and family responsibilities often hike their stress hormones which may create hindrance with the quality sleep. Such people can live a stress-free life with the regular yogic activities and committing to a yoga practice just before going to their bed.

• Menopausal women are the biggest victim of sleep disorders. With each hot flush, because of the hormonal imbalances, there are frequent chances of sleep disruption. A calming yoga schedule like this one can help to balance the hormones and alleviate joint pains at the same time.

Bedtime Yoga For Better Sleep

P.S.- You can do this yoga sequence just before going to bed. Just remember to keep a gap of at least three hours between the bedtime yoga and a large meal.

Let’s start our 15 minutes bedtime yoga sequence for better sleep with neck stretches. You can read the post or watch the video below 👇

Neck Stretches

Neck muscles react strongly to stress and this tendency can be further aggravated by long driving or sitting in front of a computer.  

And, sometimes we defend ourselves in stressful situations by tightening our neck and shoulders muscles.

This kind of consistent stress in your neck area may cause cervical spondylitis and other related issues.

Stretching our neck and shoulder muscles and joints just before our bedtime may help to have a profoundly good night’s sleep…

Also, you don’t want to rush and hush for any reason.

 The evening is about slowing down and winding up our day with a feeling of gratitude and fulfillment. 

So, better avoid fixing your next office meeting or thinking about our next meal on the menu.

Side Stretches in Gomukhasana

Side stretches in gomukhasana can help you to open your side body and release the tension from the hips, neck, and shoulder area.

A consistent bedtime yoga practice is also a great way to boost weight loss and add to quality sleep. 

Sleeping better has a positive effect on weight maintenance and weight loss. It may also help you to be more mindful of your eating habits.

Matsyendrasana

Spinal twists in Matsyendrasana can help to relieve toxic gases and improve digestion.

In general, practicing 15 minutes of yoga a day has numerous health benefits! 

When you opt for a relaxing sequence before bed, you allow your body to unwind and reset entirely!

Cat and cow

Cat and cow posture or Marjaryasana is a great way to relieve your spinal cord and avoid all kinds of back pain.

Because practicing yoga before bedtime is a terrific way to release everything you’re holding “mentally or physically” before sinking into a peaceful night of deep sleep.

Puppy Pose

From the cat and cow posture bring your hands forward and let your heart meltdown on your yoga mat.

Heart opener yoga postures like puppy pose or Anahatasana helps to open your Heart Chakra and meltdown all the anger, anguish, and bitterness you might have collected from your day-long workings.

Thread and needle Yoga Pose

Thread and needle yoga posture benefits in opening your shoulder joints and providing a gentle spinal twist. 

Try to be gentle with yourself and try to place your hands in different positions wherever you feel comfortable. 

Thus making your practice more restorative and avoiding being a strenuous activity.

Pigeon Pose

Pigeon pose or Rajkapotasana opens your hips joints and relieves you from the day-long sitting on your chair.

While doing this posture, carry on  with great grace. Bring all the smoothness possible to most of your postures.

“Being perfect in a posture is not important. That comes with time.

 We should allow our bodies to talk and to be listened to mindfully!

Paschimottanasana

Forward seated bends like Paschimottanasana helps to massage your internal organs. 

A gentle pressure in your abdomen helps to provide an etiquette compression and decompression on your digestive tracts, kidneys, and liver.

 To make your forward bend soothing, restorative, and supported, you can use cushions like shown in the video above.

Bridge Pose

To counter your day-long sitting with the  bridge pose. It helps to,

• Stretches the chest, neck, shoulders, and spine.
• Calms the body and mind, alleviates stress and mild depression.
• Stimulates organs of the abdomen
• Rejuvenates tired legs.
• Improves digestion.

Just remember to keep your thighs and inner feet parallel. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. You may rest your arms with palms down by your sides.

Bananasana

A yin yoga posture like Bananasana is an excellent yoga posture for side body stretching. 

This posture stretches the oblique stomach muscles and the side intercostal muscles between the ribs.

Savasana

Now you can release your body completely on mother earth. Sinking in Savasana is necessary to conclude your bedtime yoga practice!

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Wrapping Up- Bedtime Yoga For Better Sleep

Thank you so much for reading these lines!

Yoga practice is recommended in the morning or the early evening. 

A morning yoga session can be quite active and consist of a full practice. Remember to always finish with Savasana (Corpse Pose), no matter what time of day or season you practice. 

Don’t forget to watch the video on YouTube, which is on the same topic- 15 minutes bedtime yoga sequence for better sleep

Please subscribe to my channel to support the free and fabulous yoga on YouTube!

I would appreciate you to be a part of my “newly formed wonderful community” and follow me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and TWITTER.

Thanks, for doing this 15 minutes bedtime yoga sequence for better sleep with me! Namaste 🙏❤️ Yogis

https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/bedtime-yoga

https://youtu.be/BsKUBO_TPRk

The post 15 Minutes Bedtime Yoga For Better Sleep| Evening Yoga Sequence To Close Your Day appeared first on yogarsutra.

 Restorative yoga for relaxed nervous system will help you to calm your mind and relax after an illness like Corona. Welcome to Day 4 of yoga and energy healing from the post corona recovery series. 

If you haven’t read the previous three posts of the series, I highly recommend you to do so. You can find all the links below👇

Part 1: Yoga And Energy Healing For Post Covid Recovery

Part 2: Yoga, Pranayama, And Reiki Healing For Post Covid Recovery

Part 3: Vinyasa Yoga Flow For Post Covid Recovery

We have already rejuvenated through several yoga kriyas and Pranayama or breathwork in previous series. 

However, today’s yoga flow is special because of its restorative and calming nature. 

What Benefits Restorative Yoga May Offer…

As the name suggests, this style of yoga “restores” the body to its parasympathetic nervous system function, which, in turn, helps the body to rest, heal, and restore balance. 

By allowing time for longer asanas and deeper breathing, restorative yoga is the best form of yoga to heal from all kinds of illnesses. 

Just surround yourself with several props such as bolsters, yoga blocks, pillows, cushions, blankets to name a few.

Best Restorative Yoga For A Relaxed  Nervous System

Now Unroll the yoga mat. Let’s start with the supported child’s Pose.

For “how to do and benefits” of each posture, please download my yoga posture library 👇

https://www.yogarsutra.com/yoga-posture-library

(PASSWORD- ASANALAYA)

Child’s Pose

Slip a bolster between your folded legs and lean forward on it for the supported child’s pose.

When your body feels completely supported, you can easily turn your attention  towards your breath.

 Like a wave, each breath will rise and fall on its own. You are free to rest your mind on the waves of your breath. 

Throughout each pose, let your attention move back and forth between the earth-like qualities of your body and the fluid-like qualities of your breath.

Child’s pose gently stretches your spine, thighs, hips, and ankles.

Along with conscious breathing, the child’s pose can calm your mind, reduce anxiety and fatigue and increase blood circulation to your head.

The light compression on your stomach in this pose improves digestion.

This posture also helps to release tension in your lower back muscles, chest, hamstrings, and shoulders.

Cobra Pose

Slip a bolster below the chest and feel a mini backbend in Cobra Pose.

A cobra pose like this Strengthens the spine, stretches the chest, lungs, shoulders, and abdomen.

Regular practice of Cobra Pose or Bhujangasana tones the buttocks,

Stimulates abdominal organs,

helps relieve stress and fatigue, and opens the heart and lungs.

Unfortunately, if the illness has stressed you quite long and you have passed through the unpleasant experience of staying in hospital, taking steroids and other medicines, your body and mind knows that you need to do something for yourself to promote the process of healing, to push the willpower and to overcome from the feelings of not feeling well!

Makarasana

Resting postures in Yoga have equal importance as does any intense yoga posture.

Crocodile Pose (Makarasana) is a beginner’s yoga pose that relaxes the entire body and helps relieve pain related to other yoga poses or some activities. By lying on your stomach with your chest and shoulders resting, you let go of tension in the lower back and open up your chest and shoulders simultaneously.

“Well-propped restorative poses can offer us the experience of being cradled and protected while providing the opportunity for deep relaxation and rejuvenation”. This also allows our parasympathetic nervous system to initiate the relaxation response—something that only happens when we feel supported..  

Matsyasana

Slip a bolster just under your bra-strap lean over in a chest opener yoga posture known as Matsyasana or fish pose.

“A traditional text states that Matsyasana is the 

Destroyer Of All Diseases

This posture,

• Stretches the deep hip flexors (psoas) and the muscles (intercostals) between the ribs.

• Stretches and stimulates the muscles of the belly and front of the neck.

• Stretches and stimulates the organs of the belly and throat.

Leg Up The Wall

Inverted yoga postures are always a great way to relax the mind and increase energy.

Raising your legs up against a wall or on a couch  in viparita karani yoga posture can help to relax your mind and improve hormonal function, relieve headache, migraines, and

• Alleviate low back tightness and discomfort.
• Relieve leg and feet cramps.
• Promote lymph flow and increase immunity.

“Props keep us integrated and held, creating a deeper sense of stability and safety, which enables us to diffuse the efforts we use to hold ourselves unshaken.

Reiki Healing with the Master Reiki Symbol Dai Ko Myo…

( Heal yourself with the reiki master symbol DaI Ko Myo with this video)

Before you start this practice, it is important to know that I am a 

 Advanced Chakra and Master Reiki Healer.  I am attuned to energy healing. During the healing process, you may feel the tickling sensations in your palms, legs or any other body parts due to the Reiki energy flowing through your body. This is also normal if you don’t feel anything at all. Most importantly you are not going to be harmed with this healing session.

• Sit down comfortably or Lie on your back.
• Take a deep breath in and breathe out slowly from your mouth. 
• Breath in and breathe out gently from your mouth and prepare yourself for the wonderful Reiki healing session. 
• Today I am going to use the Master Reiki Symbol Dai Ko Myo
• This symbol has powerful healing effects by multiplying the energy manifold.
• Before applying this signal, I am drawing and activating the distance Reiki symbol, Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen. 
• This symbol connects the higher self in me to the higher self in you to promote enlightenment and peace.
• Next, I am drawing and activating the emotional symbol Dai Ko Myo.
• Now I have placed this master reiki symbol on your Crown Chakra just by opening it.
• You can feel your Sahasrara energized and balanced.
• My hand movements symbolize the actions I’m taking during the energy healing process.
• Moving up to the third eye chakra, I am placing the emotional symbol between your eyebrows.
• This action is balancing the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
• Dai Ko Myo, the master symbol is now energizing your Throat Chakra.
• Giving a healing effect to your throat, neck, jaws, ears, and nose.
• Reiki energy is now rejuvenating your Heart Chakra, making you physically, mentally, and spiritually stronger and helping you to connect with others easily.
• Now you can feel reiki energy in your Solar Plexus Chakra, just below your rib cage.
• Reiki energy is now helping you to fight any kind of addiction, physical as well as emotional.
• Following this, You can feel sensations in your Sacral Chakra just below the navel in your womb area.
• This energy is raising your Kundalini energy, the energy coiled at the base of the spine.
• Moving down your Root Chakra is taken care of by the reiki power symbol Dai Ko Myo.
• Filling your lower body with a lot of strength, empowering your feeling of security and being rooted.
• Your legs are now receiving plenty of blood circulation. 
• You can feel tingling sensations in the sole of your feet.

Now that I have healed your entire body energetically with the reiki master symbol Dai Ko Myo, all your weaknesses vanished. You are experiencing the feeling of joy and a willingness to thrive in your day in a much better way.

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Best yoga mats reviews

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What does your favourite colour predicts about you

Wrapping Up- Restorative Yoga For Relaxed Nervous System

Thanks for being with me on your mat and allowing me to heal you energetically.

Don’t forget to watch the video on YouTube, which is on the same topic- Yoga, Pranayama, and reiki healing for post corona recovery part II.

Please subscribe to my channel to support the free and fabulous yoga on YouTube!

I would appreciate you to be a part of my “newly formed wonderful community” and follow me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and TWITTER.

Namaste  Yogis!

Namaste 🙏❤️ Yogis!

Picture Credits:

Luna Activate Fitness

The post Restorative Yoga For Relaxed Nervous System| Yoga And Energy Healing From Post Corona Recovery, Part 4 appeared first on yogarsutra.

Healing Through Yoga, and Reiki: Part III involves 10 minutes of vinyasa yoga flow for post covid recovery ( or recovery of any kind of virus-borne illness).

What You Can Expect From This Vinyasa Yoga Flow And Reiki Healing For Post Illness Recovery

The first two parts of yoga for covid recovery were focused on breathing techniques, micro-movements, yoga kriyas, and Reiki Healing.

 In this part, we shall focus on 10 basic Yoga Postures and Pranayama. You may hold each posture for approximately 1 minute or so.

After the vinyasa and Pranayama, you will receive a free Reiki Healing Session from me with the symbol Sei Hei Ki for emotional and mental strength. So keep reading to feel the complete healing experience. Then you can watch the video on yoga vinyasa flow for post covid recovery.

My Experience With A Virus Borne Disease

There exist illnesses which have the very ability to leave you drenched physically and mentally! Corona is one of them.

Luckily, if you haven’t been cross-handed with this disease, there are few equivalences, though less deadly.

One such is chickenpox. Due to the availability of its vaccine and known to us since the 19th century, it causes a minimum fear when viewed vis-a-vis corona.

Why I am referring to this virus-borne disease is because it also leaves us in a similar state of post corona situations- drenched, distressed and tired.

With the difference that chickenpox doesn’t leave your internal organs half dead!

While writing the Yoga Vinyasa for post covid recovery, I have used my ‘that experience’ to create the yoga sequence for the same. 

What Does Your Body Say After An Illness Like Covid And Its Equivalent

As a 17 years old girl I never experienced any severe illness before contracting chickenpox. 

I was kept in a secluded room in my ‘own’ house, though the term Quarantine was majorly unknown to us.

Fever, aches, body rashes were irritating but these factors were somewhat less prominent than the anger of being separated from my loved ones.

After illness situations were even more traumatic. 

The usual power which helped me to navigate throughout my day wasn’t present with me anymore. Few more days of dullness passed like this. Chickenpox drastically changed my appearance and I was not happy in front of the mirror. 

• My body became entirely different from the body I had before falling ill. 
• There was a height of different symptoms of weaknesses.
• Difficult walking abilities… Altered vision… Diminished appetite…

I would have remained clueless if my father wouldn’t have intervened at that time. 

He handpicked some of the Yoga Postures, Pranayama, and healing methods for me.

With very little change in my waking up schedule and following the practices of this gift of our ancestors- called yoga, I recouped myself in a much speedy way. 

Only a few skin rashes were left to tell a tale, otherwise, I looked more radiant than ever.

Disclosure: Yoga is a holistic treatment for our mind, body, and soul. I don’t promote yoga as a substitute for medicines. In case of critical illnesses or ailments, please consult your doctor first before adopting this yoga sequence.

Vinyasa Yoga- An Important Step For Faster Post Covid Recovery

“In vinyasa yoga, the focus is on linking your breath with the movement while transitioning between the poses”.

Studies have shown that consistent practice of vinyasa yoga can lead to improved muscle tone and a better metabolic rate. 

It works great with keeping your joints healthy and losing weight if paired with a healthy, balanced diet.

A vinyasa yoga sequence also offers excellent endurance and strength training. 

Because the challenging poses are done in quick succession, Vinyasa yoga helps build muscle strength while improving your fitness.

Vinyasa Yoga Flow For Post Covid Recovery|

P.S.-

If you are new to my channel please 🌺subscribe 🌺and press the bell icon 🔔to get notified for the new releases on Chakra system and more.

I would appreciate you to be a part of my “newly formed wonderful community” and follow me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and TWITTER.

For a complete tutorial of a yoga posture please download my yoga postures library, the password is ASANALAYA

Cat and Cow Pose

Starting your yoga practice with the asana like Marjariasana or cat and cow pose gives an appropriate warm-up to your spinal cord.

Its numerous health benefits include Back pain yoga cure, weight loss, improved digestive system, and many more.

Child’s Pose

What differentiates yoga from other forms of exercise is the degree of calmness it provides to its practitioner. 

Postures like a child’s pose or Shashankasana can be used to calm your mind and take a pause after a strenuous yoga pose.

Cobra Pose 

Heart opener yoga postures like Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose offer numerous benefits to the lungs and the internal organs in the abdomen.

Always try to listen to your body for the best results. Do not stretch too much if you have any back issues and make sure that you are breathing appropriately.

Downward Facing Dog Pose

Inverted yoga postures like downward-facing dog pose or Adho mukha Svanasana help to elongate the spinal cord and build stamina after a prolonged illness.

This Posture looks like an inverted-v with your arms and feet firmly on the ground.

Adding ankle stretches and hips rotations in this posture offer extra benefits to hip joins, overall balancing, and mobility.

Uttanasana And Ardha uttanasana

Uttanasana and Ardha Uttanasana a.k.a. standing forward folds offer good stretch to your hamstrings and provide a lot of blood to your upper body parts, especially the brain.

Vishuddha Pranayama

Yogic breathing like Vishuddha Pranayama helps to tone your respiratory system and opens the energy center called Vishuddha or Throat Chakra.

This helps to enhance your authenticity, communication, and skills of public speaking.

Brahmani Pranayama

Bhramari Pranayama is a  yogic breathing technique in which you produce a sound like a Bumblebee.

With Eyes and ears closed, this Pranayama offers you an opportunity to look inside- Similar to the Pratyahara the Eighth Limb Of Yoga.

You produce the humming sound which helps to calm the mind and relieve stress and anxiety.

Reiki Healing with the emotional Reiki Symbol “Sei Hei Kei”…

Before you start this practice, it is important to know that I am an… 

 “Advanced Chakra and Master Reiki Healer.  I am attuned to energy healing. During the healing process, you may feel the tickling sensations in your palms, legs, or any other body parts due to the Reiki energy flowing through your body. This is also normal if you don’t feel anything at all. Most importantly you are not going to be harmed with this healing session”.

Sit down comfortably or Lie on your back.

• Take a deep breath in and breathe out slowly from your mouth. 
• Breath in and breathe out gently from your mouth and prepare yourself for the wonderful Reiki healing session. 
• Today I am going to use the emotional reiki symbol Sei Hei Ki.
• This symbol has powerful healing effects by multiplying the energy manifold.
• Before applying this symbol, I am drawing and activating the distance Reiki symbol, Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen. 
• This symbol connects the higher self in me to the higher self in you to promote enlightenment and peace.
• Next, I am drawing and activating the emotional symbol Sei Hei Ki.
• Now I have placed this emotional symbol on your Crown Chakra just by opening it.
• You can feel your Sahasrara energized and balanced.
• My hand movements symbolize the actions I’m taking during the energy healing process.
• Moving up to the Third Eye Chakra, I am placing the emotional symbol between your eyebrows.
• This action is balancing the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
• Sei Hei Ki, the emotional symbol, is now energizing your Throat Chakra.
• Giving a healing effect to your throat, neck, jaws, ears, and nose.
• Reiki energy is now rejuvenating your Heart Chakra, making you emotionally stronger and helping to connect with others easily.
• Now you can feel reiki energy in your Solar Plexus Chakra, just below your rib cage.
• Reiki energy is now helping you to fight any kind of addiction, physical as well as emotional.
• Following this, You can feel sensations in your Sacral Chakra just below the navel in your womb area.
• This energy is raising your Kundalini energy, the energy coiled at the base of the spine.
• Moving down your Root Chakra is taken care of by the reiki emotional symbol Sei Hei Ki.
• Most of the emotional feelings, sadness, and setbacks are stored in the base area of our body.
• With this emotional healing process, you are shedding all kinds of negative feelings such as anger, frustration, or even depression.
• You can feel tingling sensations in the sole of your feet.

Now that I have healed your entire body energetically with the reiki power symbol Sei Hei Ki, all your weaknesses vanished. You are experiencing the feeling of joy and a willingness to thrive in your day in a much better way.

Wrapping Up- Vinyasa Yoga Flow For Post Covid Recovery

This vinyasa yoga for post covid recovery is also one of the best kinds of cardio workouts. It will also help you with,

• Stability and balance.
• Lower stress, less anxiety
• Improved lungs and respiratory system.

Thanks for being with me on your yoga mat and allowing me to heal you energetically.

Namaste 🙏❤️ Yogis!

Image credit:

Unsplash

Madison Laverne

The post 10 Minutes Vinyasa Yoga Flow For Post Covid Recovery| Healing Through Yoga, and Reiki: Part III appeared first on yogarsutra.

This fun-filled and easy to do yoga pilates fusion for busy moms will help to shape:

•  Your core
• Glutes and 
• the most required self-esteem

“And DESTROY THE BELLY FAT”

You must be familiar with most of the common yoga postures which we do on a Yoga Mat. Here those poses will be fused with the Pilates workout.

Difference Between Yoga And Pilates

Pilates is indeed inspired by Yoga but there are a few ingredients that makes it an entirely different workout.

A yoga sequence is made up of  a series of static postures with some exceptions like cat and cow pose or Marjariasana.

The main difference between yoga and Pilates workout is that while yoga involves mindful stretching and holding the Postures…

Pilates is about the short body movements which help greatly to tone your core and whole body. 

Most pilates workouts put you in an unstable position and challenge your body mostly by the movements of limbs.

Movement of limbs stimulates the navel point hence brings balance in your Solar Plexus Chakra.

Much similar to the Kundalini yoga- Nabhi Kriya, which essentially energizes the Solar Plexus Chakra,  works on your abdominal muscles and improves digestion.

One exceptionally nice thing about Pilates I love the most, is that whether you are doing a core specific workout or targeting other muscle groups-

“The core is always engaged“.

So if you are a ‘mom’ and ‘busy’, this workout is going to do wonders for your body and self-esteem both.

Buttt… First…

Why Being A Mom May Make You Look Like Some Other Person (Physically Though)

After enjoying the very process of having ( and making babies) each time, twice to be precise, I was left with a fabulous mummy-tummy. 

Though, my first pregnancy, a stressful one, due to 9-months stretched nauseous feelings, witnessed a happy conclusion.

After a C-section, my gynaecologist handed me my first child and told me to kiss her.

 Perhaps to soothe me from the pain and discomfort that surgery had caused me. 

Which worked like a fairy touch! Tears bursted from my eyes.

Then I lost my consciousness. When I regained, I found my baby sleeping cozily  beside me.

First thing I checked was my tummy. 

If the baby is out, my tummy must have gotten in!

Surprisingly it was…

I didn’t gain much weight throughout my first pregnancy. 

Consuming most varieties of food was too difficult for me because of my over-activated smell glands. 

With the constant breastfeeding, I got the best of my abs without a regular workout routine!

Buttt…

The second pregnancy had something else in store. 

This time my smell-organ was not over activated, so not stimulating a nauseous feeling out of every edible thing.

So I was eating for the best health of my baby and myself!

Rest of the process was the same as my first delivery because the doctor, my gyny,  was the same. 

With the only difference being that, this time when my second child was sleeping cozily beside me, on the bed…

There was someone inside my stomach too!!!

“I was there looking like 6 months pregnant just after my second delivery”.

And let me tell you it was an stubborn belly fat. Because of being in my full time job, I was too busy to melt it away and reclaim my past body.

Here yoga came for my rescue! But I was going very mild with the postures because I was recovering from Cervical Spondylosis. Since yoga involves plenty of forward bends and back bends as well, I was worried for my neck and worsening Vertigo.

So started looking for a workout which was more lower body and core specific. And Yogis ,  this is how I gotta meet Pilates! It was not tough for me to adapt because this is also a mind body workout just like yoga. This greatly help me to soften my belly area and made the core significantly stronger.

So, my story is for you- new mommies there! If you find it hard to regain your original shape after a pregnancy, this Yoga Pilates Fusion workout may be the most appropriate solution. 

Because it has helped me a lot in shedding my weight and reshaping my core by 60 to 70%. 

I do this after each of my yoga sessions, minimum 4 times a week.

And, if you are looking for yoga sequence for the complete weight loss you can read this:

>>Kundalini Yoga For Weight Loss

Also, this yoga Pilates fusion is for you if your hormones (read imbalanced) are behaving like an ‘old school principal’ (hello menopausal). Hence destroying all the efforts of looking cool and sexy”.

This yoga Pilates fusion can greatly help to shred your stubborn belly fat, make the core strong, provide strength to your bones, and relieve symptoms like back pain and hot flashes.

The Best Yoga Pilates Fusion Workout For Busy Moms

P.S.-

In all the lying  postures, remember to keep your lower back on the floor and your core engaged throughout.

Now grab some water and a yoga mat and let’s start.

Mountain Pose

( On raised heels)

• Stand tall with your feet grounded firmly on the mat.
• Take some time to centre and feel your breath.
• Inhale and raise your hands up.
• Exhale to bring your hands to the Heart centre.
• Inhale and raise your hands once more  and simultaneously take your heels off the mat to get into your toes..
• Exhale to come on the mat.
• Inhale to take your heels off.
• Repeat for 10.

Forward Fold With Twist

• From your raised arms exhale and come to forward fold.
• Legs are hips width  apart.
• Place your left Palm on the ground and rotate from the upper hips to take your right arm up.
• Breathe here and do little pulses with your right hand.
• Switch your hands.
• This will help to tone your arms, open the shoulder joints and chest.
• Rise up in the mountain pose, hands in front of the Heart Centre in Anjali Mudra.

Cat and Cow Posture

• Come on all four, hands and knees on the ground.
• 5 rounds of cat and cow transitions.
• Inhale, open your chest Scoop your back.
• Exhale to round your back.

Leg Kicks

• While still in tabletop position, extend your right leg.
• Fold your knees at 90 degrees.
• Inhale and start kicking up.
• Go for 10 rounds.
• Repeat with the left leg.

Plank Pose

• From that 4 legged table top position, lift your knees off the mat and bring your body parallel to the ground.
• Take your belly button in and pelvis floor up.
• With your right leg,  do some micro movements called pulses* in Pilates.
• Go for 20 times on both the sites.
• Repeat with the left leg.

*Pulses are a very small range of motions in Pilates workout. 

Locust Pose

• Come on your belly.
• Slip both the palms under your thighs.
• Start pulses with your right leg.
• Count for 20.
• Repeat with the left leg.

Pilates Hundred

Pilates Hundred is an exclusive pilates workout.

• Come on your back with palms down beside you.
• Fold your knees.
• Lift your feet and bring both the shin bones parallel to the ground.
• Lift your head and neck.
• Bring your belly button in and pelvic floor up.
• Lift your palms off the mat.
• Micro arm movement for 100 count.

Savasana

Bring your legs and head down on the mat and open your legs wide.

Keep your hands away from the body. Continue with the slow and steady breathing to completely relax in savasana.

Wrapping Up- Yoga Pilates Fusion For Busy Moms

Thanks for showing your interest in this yoga Pilates workout for busy moms, and reading these lines:-)

This Yoga-Pilates fusion will strengthen all different areas of your core.

 “It would definitely work excellently in the abdominal area on a deep and superficial level both to achieve true core strength and burn the belly fat rapidly”

Don’t forget to watch the video on YouTube, which is on the same topic- Yoga Pilates Fusion For Busy Moms.

Please subscribe to my channel to support the free and fabulous yoga on YouTube!

Thanks, for being with me on your yoga mat Namaste  Yogis

The post Yoga Pilates Fusion For Busy Moms| Shape Your Core, Glutes and Self-Esteem appeared first on yogarsutra.

Pratyahara, as the 5th limb of the Astanga Yoga System, is the essential prerequisite for moving deeper into proper meditation.

What Is Pratyahara- The 5th Limb Of Ashtanga Yoga

Pratyahara traditionally translates as:

 Withdrawal From The Senses

This means that in a state of deep Pratyahara, our attention is taken away from all the usual objects that it has learnt to focus on.

The five senses – sight, sound, scent, touch and taste, although still available, in a way, become dormant.

Just closing your eyes for a few moments as we all know, shuts out all the visual stimulus.

So think additionally, blocking your ears, switching off your tastebuds and nose and skin sensations.

Imagine what this would be like for a moment…

The world in our perception would be simply blank. It would be neither hot or cold, light or dark or any other common impression we are used to.

Imagine – no city, no cars, no noise, phones, computers, advertisements, colours and everything else.

Most probably this isn’t very appealing to most of us.

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Experience The Serenity

However, in terms of meditation and ‘going within’, it is a most excellent state.

In this actually ‘peaceful’ state, we could at the very least rest a bit without all the normal worries and concerns.

We could have a very neutral view of our lives, friends, circumstances and so on.

Pratyahara The 5th Limb Of Ashtanga Yoga – An Essential Prerequisite For Meditation

So, Pratyahara, as the 5th limb of the Astanga Yoga system, is the essential prerequisite for moving deeper into proper meditation.

Of course, this makes perfect sense, since any ‘information’ coming through any of our five senses, would be a distraction.

We still have to deal with our jumpy, monkey minds as well…

But a good Pratyahara state helps a lot.

It’s not really so hard to get an experience of the process if you are keen.

To master this and enter at will into a kind of deep blank, ‘void’ state is very difficult indeed.

But thankfully we can all start simply.

How To Attain Pratyahara

I would suggest that you decide ahead of time when you are going to try this.

Say later in the evening when everything is much quieter.

” Early mornings also work well”.

• Make sure you have not eaten a large meal nor are you hungry as both will interfere.
•  No strong stimulants such as caffeine for at least 8 hours before as this will give you jumpy nerves.
•  Not too tired or wide awake and energised as well.
• I like to use a spare room if possible where I am not disturbed, use a bed or comfortable cushions, but do not adopt your usual sleeping position as this will send you straight to sleep.
• So we get very comfortable and warm. Use a blanket and wear your most comfortable clothes.
• I like a cover over my eyes and ears, but not too much weight.
• Just the darking out and a slight pressure around the head.
• Once you have all this in place, simply relax and rest for a few moments.
• I then take some very easy and relaxing breaths with a lot of emphasis on the exhalation – at least twice as long as the inhale.
•  Keep it very natural and well within your abilities.
• Pranayamas such as easy Ujjayi Breath and easy Villoma are great.
• Not too many rounds, maybe 5 or 6. See how you feel and make sure you have the intention (sankalp) of relaxing and releasing.

Pratyahara: Lying Or Seated

Hatha Yoga is the art and science of balancing the central and major energy currents in the electro-magnetic and therefore, physical body.

Although this is usually done upright, it can be done perfectly well in a lying position although the action will be different.

• To do this now in an easy ‘shortcut’ way without having to do special breathing exercises and so on, simply close and then rotate your eyes slowly in a lazy circle .
• Starting on one side, place your attention with your eyes and move slowly around with both eyes and attention to the other side.
• Keep rotating slowly side to side for a few cycles and then change direction to rotate the other way.
• Your eyes are closed, but you can imagine a bit what the room would look like or even outside the room.
• This is a good thing to do since it also helps us take our attention away from the actual five senses.
• After a little while of eye rotations you can release this and just remain as still and empty as possible.
• Let all the physical sensations empty away and try to remain absolutely motionless from out and within.

Now the inner pictures and words will be much calmer and hopefully you will notice some big spaces in between one thought and the next.

Once again, having the intention to attain this will be very helpful.

So now the last part for a while, back to imagining, see and feel yourself with your inner sense, as if you were floating in a big sphere of complete emptiness. Just nothing at all. It’s actually very peaceful and nothing bad will happen whatsoever.

On the contrary, it is a most replenishing practice to do.

Feel gradually that all your five senses have become dormant, still, empty and at rest.

After some time of this, simply decide to come back to normal and gently process yourself back.

Do this slowly and without any jerky action.

Take a few minutes to return. The whole practice could be around 20 minutes.

On another occasion, once you have done the lying down version for some days, try to sit.

It’s a little harder but with some effort we can get a good level of sense withdrawal. Then the last step if you are a committed Yogi would be to integrate the Pratyahara wisdom and knowledge into your usual meditation sessions to set you up for a deeper, quality time.

Wrapping Up- Pratyahara – 5th Limb Of Ashtanga Yoga

When done regularly and as part of a balanced program, the practice of Pratyahara will greatly assist with many common issues.

Among these would be stress release, promotes balanced all round health, sleep easier and more peacefully at night, may help to balance hormonal issues, calms down nerves and other psychological agitation, general restorative action for the body, mind and spirit.

Namaste

—

Paul Carlos

Y.A.I 500h

Yoga – Spiritual Coaching and Private Instruction.

www.sacredspiral.yoga

About The Author

Paul Carlos is the founder of Sacred Spiral Yoga School, an accredited Yoga Teachers Training provider with Yoga Alliance International. Paul has been involved with Yoga and other disciplines for the last 35 years and is further a musician focusing on sacred and classical music.

Get in touch with Paul Carlos:

https://www.sacredspiral.yoga

https://www.instagram.com/sacredspiralyoga

https://www.facebook.com/sacredspiralyoga

The post Pratyahara -5th Limb Of Ashtanga Yoga: Why Every Yogi Should Know It appeared first on yogarsutra.

This yoga sequence for strong legs and knees is specifically designed for strengthening your legs, improving mobility, and alleviating the knee joints pain.

Buttt…we have…

Leg Defining Moments In Life

As human babies, we can’t use our legs right from the time we are born. It takes deliberate efforts and around an year to walk on one’s soles independently. 

And, that is a precious moment! 

Life goes on thereafter. From the school playground to the college classrooms, we remain anchored by our legs.

And one day life demands “Paddle Own Canoe” AKA “Steer Your Own Boat” to become financially independent.

And, that is a precious moment too!

But when this happens, we observe a huge life-shift. 

From a child who runs and bicycles – to – an adult who drives and sits in front of a monitor all day long!

And, this is that precious moment when we start losing our body and bones strength.

“Firstly the legs”.

One more outcome of our sedentary lifestyle!

A Pair Of Legs- The Humans’ USP

Legs Are Unique because they distinguish us from other species. 

Widely speaking, we would have been a  perfect match with our other earthy-counterparts vis a vis the eyes, the ears, the nose, the mouth, the stomach…

These are our straight legs which distinguish us from the rest.

We are provided with a unique set of parallel limbs. Research shows that our brains developed at a much faster pace when we started in a straight posture, unlike other four-legged animals.

Our legs provide a strong basis for survival. From locomotion to recreational activities like dancing, playing and all other sports activities require a set of strong legs. Legs also support us and bear our entire body mass. With all these reasons and numerous others, having healthy legs is as important as having a healthy heart, a healthy brain, or other body parts and organ systems.

To keep our limbs Strong, we need to keep them moving by exercising and keep nourishing them with vital nutrients.

How Can Yoga Change Your Legs For Better

There are  a number of yoga poses and stretches that target all parts of your lower body, including: glutes, hip flexors, quads, adductors, abductors, hamstrings, calves and Achilles tendons.

So, first let’s have a look for a few wonderful food items that will work specially on your legs, joint strength and the entire body. Then we shall dive into the yoga sequence for strong legs and knees joints.

Foods you must eat for strong legs and knees joints

According to the Cleveland clinic, following diets and foods may help you with most of the joint pain and a sustainable bone health.

Mediterranean Diet

If you doubt what a Mediterranean diet consist of, have a look-

• Mostly fruits, vegetables, grains, olive oil and nuts.
• Some fish and poultry — and drink some wine with meals.
• Minimal dairy products, red meat, processed meats and sweets.

Healthy Fats

Such as olive oil and fish oil ( due to the presence of omega 3 fatty acids)

A 2008 Australian study is one of many that showed fish oil reduced joint pain, increased cardiovascular health and reduced the need for NSAID (Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs).

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, broccoli  kale, mustard leaves and  similar leafy vegetables.

These vegetables block an enzyme that causes joint pain and inflammation. In addition to aiding arthritis patients, it may be helpful for athletes who put a lot of pressure on their joints.

Spices and Herbs

Turmeric and ginger are spices well known for their anti-inflammatory benefit. Often used in Indian cuisine, for a healthy option for color, texture, and aroma.

 Turmeric is also used in traditional Asian medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties.

A 2006 Arizona study showed promising results, linking turmeric to the prevention of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.

You can add turmeric and ginger to teas, smoothies, eggs, or sauces for an anti-inflammatory punch.

Nuts And Seeds

Nuts. Almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts contain high amounts of fiber, calcium, magnesium, zinc, Vitamin E and Omega-3 fats which all have anti-inflammatory effects.

Garlic and Onions

These pungent vegetables contain anti-inflammatory chemicals that have shown to relieve some forms of arthritic pain. As an added bonus, they are also known for their immunity-boosting properties.

Green Tea

This mild drink contains a natural antioxidant called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).

 This ingredient has been shown to stop the production of certain inflammatory chemicals in the body, including those involved in arthritis. 

Recent studies also suggest that the same component may prevent cartilage from breaking down, helping to preserve joints longer.

Foods You Should Mostly Avoid For Healthy Bones And Joints

Sugars and refined grains, including white rice, pasta and white bread, are the worst food culprits in contributing joint inflammation.

Surprisingly, inclusion of moderate amounts of alcohol with the Mediterranean diet is helpful in joint pain.

Disclosure:

Listen to your body, and if you don’t feel right, please stop. Yoga poses shouldn’t cause unusual-sharp pain. Always be careful to avoid yoga injuries. Please read my full disclaimer.

Yoga Sequence For Strong Legs And Knees

You may require two yoga blocks and one soft blanket. Grab them if you have them nearby or use a cushion,  bolster, or pillow…

Now grab some water and unroll your Yoga Mat, let’s start standing in Mountain pose.

Our today’s intention is…

 I am strong…

💮Download My Yoga Postures Library  for complete yoga postures tutorials💮👇

PASSWORD for yoga postures library- ASANALAYA

Mountain Pose

• Stand up tall.
• Press from all the corners of your feet.  
• Get a feel of heaviness in your heels, and toes on the ground.
• Join your hands together in front of your Heart Centre.
• Take five deep breaths here.
• Lift your ankles and the arches of your feet. …
• Draw the top of your thighs up and back, engaging the quadriceps.

Mountain pose strengthens the thighs, knees and ankles, and tones the abdomen and glutes. Regular Practicing Mountain pose can help to improve posture, reduce flat feet, relieve sciatica, 

Uttanasana

• Take a deep breath in and raise both hands up and above your head.
• Breath out and fold from the crease of your hips.
• Try not to stress your knee joints.
• Used two yoga blocks on either side of the legs.
• Breathe….

Uttanasana calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression.

Stimulates the liver and kidneys.

Stretches the hamstrings, calves, and hips.

Strengthens the thighs and knees.

Chair Pose

• • Inhale to rise and sit low up to a squatting position and rise halfway in chair pose, aka, Utkatasana.

• Three breaths here.

• Then repeat.

Utkatasana or Chair pose strengthens the entire legs from the glutes and thighs to the calves and ankles.

Downward Facing Dog Pose

• In the forward fold walk your hands away from the feet.
• Stretch your tailbone and hips up towards the sky.
• Press your Palms and legs on the ground to adho mukha svanasana.
• Spend some time here. Walk your legs, open your knees and hips joints.

Downward Facing Dog Pose stretches the Achilles, calves, hamstrings and glutes.

Cat And Cow Posture

• Bring your knees on the mat. To come on all four.
• Use a blanket beneath your knees.
• Inhale open for cow pose, head and tail bone up, hollow your back.
• Exhale, round your back, lift your knees and come to download facing dog pose.

• Take a few Downward facing dog to cat and cow transitions.
• Working out on your legs, knees, and thighs.

• The more of your body parts are put to work, the stronger they become. 
• So keep pushing yourself.
• And keep breathing…

 Leg Kicks In Cat And Cow Posture

• Come to neutral, on all four.
• Lift your right leg off the ground, kick back and bring forward towards your nose.
• Make the motions balanced and homogeneous…
• Open your hips joints a bit more and kick in a diagonal direction.
• Breathe, breathe and breathe…
• Same same on the other side.

This exercise makes your legs flexible and strong along with  massaging your abdominal organs which helps with digestion, blood circulation, and lymph fluid circulation, benefitting your overall organ health

Encourages coordination of movement throughout your entire spine.

Warrior I

• Come to downward-facing dog pose.
• Inhale, raise your right leg, 
• Exhale, plant your right feet between both hands and come to a low lunge position.
• Your right knee is aligned with your right ankle.
• Left leg behind the right leg at least a two feet distance.
• Both hands join together overhead.
• Flex your right knee to come into a triangle pose.
• Make some organic movements here.
• You have the option to use two yoga blocks and make your transitions easy to do.
• Remove the blocks, lift your left me and come to warrior 1 yoga posture.
• Make sure your right ankle is just below your right knees and your left foot is away from the right foot.
• From here come to Warrior 2.

This posture strengthens and stretches the thighs, calves, and ankles and is considered therapeutic for Sciatica.

Warrior II

• From Warrior I come to Warrior Ii
• The left foot is parallel to the shorter edge of the mat..and the right toes facing forward, in heel-arch alignment.
• 90-degree angle bend in your front leg (bringing the front thigh parallel with the floor),

This pose,

• stretches your hips, groins, and shoulders.
• Open your chest and lungs.
• Energizes tired limbs.
• Stimulates your abdominal organs.
• Develops balance and stability.
• Improves circulation and respiration.
• Facilitates healing of carpal tunnel syndrome, infertility, sciatica, osteoporosis, and flattened feet.
• Builds stamina and concentration

Goddess pose

• Bend your left knee, arch your left leg, and come to Goddess Pose.
• Heels-In and toes-out
• Make some gentle bounces.
• This action is to make your legs, thighs, and ankles strong and flexible. 

With a regular practice of Goddess Pose you will never have knee pain.

Pigeon pose

• Cartwheel your hands and come to download facing dog pose.
• Once again raise your right foot and sweep through your hands to place your right ankle behind your left palm.
• The left leg is out facing the back of the mat.
• Open your chest buffet like a proud pigeon 🐦 in Pigeon Pose.
• Feel stretch in right hips flexure.
• Slightly bend the elbows, lean forward, you have the option to rest your forehead on the second height of the yoga block.
• Feel the stretch in the left hip flexor.
• Take a deep breath

Push the ground, lift your right leg to downwards facing dog pose.

Repeat Warrior 1 Warrior 2 and pigeon pose on the left side.

Pigeon Pose stretches the abductors of the front leg, the IT band, the quads and hip flexors, the shin and the top of the foot of the back leg. This is one of the best yoga poses to alleviate your leg pain.

Butterfly pose

• Come to a seated position
• Bend your knees, join both the soles and hold your toes with your fingers.
• With a deep inhale, Set up motions like a Butterfly.
• Keep breathing.

Seated meditation anulom vilom

• Come to a comfortable seated position.
• With your right hands’ thumb, close your right nostril.
• Inhale deeply yet slowly from your left nostril.
• Use your ring finger and ladyfinger to close your left nostril, release your right thumb to exhale from the right nostril.
• Continue like this.
• Keep your inhalations and exhalations equal.
• You may inhale up to count 4 then exhale to count 4.
• When you inhale from your left nostril you calm and activate the right hemisphere of the brain.
• When you inhale from the right nostril, you activate the left hemisphere of your brain.

New research suggests that moving your legs is crucial for brain health. Exercising leg muscles helps the brain to produce new neurons. 

And vice versa is also true. So rejuvenating your brain has a positive effect on your legs and other body parts too.

Savasana

Don’t forget to have Savasana and rest completely for at least 10 minutes.

Wrapping Up- Yoga Sequence For Strong Legs And Knees

Thanks for reading these lines:)

Doing above yoga poses,  may be especially helpful for improving balance, stability, strength, and flexibility in your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calf muscles. Some poses may also help ease leg pain caused by standing and day long exertion.

Don’t forget to watch the video on YouTube, which is on the same topic- yoga sequence for strong legs and knees.

Please subscribe to my channel to support the free and fabulous yoga on YouTube!

Thanks, for being with me on your yoga mat Namaste  Yogis

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Credits:

https://laurameihofer.com/exploring-cat-cow-pose-with-modifications/

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RASHMI YOGARSUTRA 

Mindbodygreen

The post 15 Minutes Yoga Sequence For Strong Legs And Knees| Yoga To Shape Your Legs And Glutes appeared first on yogarsutra.

Today on the yoga mat, we shall together do yoga to energize immune system and boost lymphatic drainage. Yoga postures would help to energize the lymph vessels and the lymphatic massage would help to boost the process of circulation and drainage.

Buttt… Drainage…?

When humans thought of coming up from their nomadic hunter-gatherers lifestyle, the first thing they did was start living in groups. This helped them lead a secure and happy life. 

The second most important thing they did, created permanent houses for living. This is how the concept of settlements, villages, and cities came into light.

Problem started when the humans, now living in large settlements, started producing heaps of waste, and remained unable to process the garbage. 

Words like hygiene and infection remained alien for those people for a long time. 

It didn’t take much time for pathogens to harbour in a filthy environment and prey on humans.

 Before people could figure out, illnesses took the form of epidemics, killing hundreds of them…

But the brainy humans very soon pinpointed the root cause behind the trouble, and took time to discover an efficient disposal system of the waste and garbage scattered around their habitats.

This is how the very concept of a drainage system came into being. It was one the most important discoveries of that time.

This not only made the lives of people  pleasant, but  was also found to be the most crucial requirement for a  healthy environment.

Our body is also made of millions and trillions of cells working day and night. 

Absorbing and processing nutrients, producing plenty of waste products and garbage. 

If this garbage was left unaddressed, it would create havoc in the body’s internal environment. 

But we all know what an excellent architecture our body is! 

 It’s natural, God-gifted and flawless!

So let’s take this pride together for having a technically highly advanced drainage system within our body called-  The Lymphatic Drainage System, the conduit for lymph fluids.

Lymphatic System- Brief Anatomy

A brief familiarity with the anatomy of the lymphatic system would make you better understand the science of yoga to energize immune system.

• Lymph is a part of our immune system, it is pale yellow and does not contain RBC and hemoglobin.
• It circulates through lymph capillaries, lymph nodes, and lymph vessels. 

• The lymphatic system is crucial to keep our body healthy. It circulates protein-rich lymph fluid throughout the body, collecting bacteria, viruses, toxins, and excess water. 

• The lymph fluid carries the waste products and destroys bacteria back into the bloodstream. The liver or kidneys then remove these from the blood. The body passes them out with other body waste, through bowel movements (poo) or urine (pee).

What is the Immune System- Our Defence System

The immune system is the body’s defense against infections. The immune  system attacks germs and  keeps us healthy.

Science Of The Immune System

Before diving into how yoga to energize immune system is going to work let’s have a look on the working of our immune system.

• Many cells and organs work together to protect the body. White blood cells, also called leukocytes, play an important role in the immune system. 

• A type of white blood cells, called phagocytes, chew up invading organisms. 

• Others, called lymphocytes, help the body remember the invaders and destroy them.

• Lymphocytes start out in the bone marrow and either stay there and mature into B cells, or go to the thymus gland, where the lymphocytes mature into T cells. 

B lymphocytes

• These are like the body’s military intelligence system — they find their targets and send defense to lock onto them. 

T cells 

• Are like the soldiers — they destroy the invaders that the intelligence system finds.

Let’s Do Yoga To Energize Immune System

P.S.- Along with the yoga postures, we shall tap the main areas on our body containing the clusters of lymphatic nodes. 

These areas are:

Above the collarbone, armpits, stomach groin, or hips crease and behind the Knees.

Let’s start seated in Vajrasana.

Neck Movements

• Sit on your heels in a kneeling position.
• Take some moments to center yourself, take two deep breaths. 
• Inhale, and  Exhale to press your neck down to your chest, roll your neck towards the left shoulder,  towards the right shoulder, back to the chest.
• Once again inhale and exhale to roll your neck towards the right shoulder, on the left shoulder, and coming back to the chest. 
• Few movements like this, to stimulate your tonsils in the neck area.

>Tap near the collar bones…and the area below your ears where your cervical lymph nodes are.

Shoulder Work

• After neck work, let’s do some shoulder work to recharge the lymph nodes in the armpit area.
• Squeeze your arms to your side body and press the skin there.
• Rotate your shoulders while still squeezing and holding the side body skin.
• This helps greatly to stimulate your lymph vessels of these areas.
• Keep rotating like this and switch directions.

Squeeze And Release Shoulders

• Let skin under the armpit be still pressed.
• Inhale, squeeze your shoulders up, Exhale and release down with force.

Hand Stretches

• Bring your left-hand overhead and bend your left elbows facing up.
• With your right-hand press the left elbow, again to stretch the skin.

>Tap near your armpits, to stimulate your axillary lymph nodes.

Repeat on the other side.

Cobra Pose

• Come on all four and then on your stomach for Bhujangasan. 
• Place your elbows below the Shoulders.
• Press your stomach and pubic bone against the ground.
• Inhale and exhale deeply, do some twisting action in cobra pose, to energize the lymph vessels in your stomach area.

Bow Pose

• From Cobra pose, release your hands and come fully on your stomach.
• Inhale and grab the ankles of both feet.
• Inhale, pull your legs, with an upthrust bring your torso up, Exhale.
•  Breathing deeply, rock and cradle in bow pose.

Child’s Pose

• Release your hands and legs, bring your palms on the ground and push back to the child’s pose.
• Breath here.
•  Apply slight pressure on your belly with your thighs.

Deep Abdominal Breathing

• Come On Your Back
• Relax, place your fingers on either side of the belly just above the naval.
• Take a deep breath, when you exhale, press your fingers to stimulate the lymph vessels in this area.
• Continue with deep Abdominal Breathing

>Tap your stomach points to stimulate your intestine lymph nodes.

forward Fold

• Curve your back, Rock to and fro, bring the momentum, and come to the forward fold AKA Uttanasana.
• Release your neck and shoulder.
• Couple your elbows. 
• Take a few deep breaths here.
• You can bend your knees in case you have tight hamstrings.
• With each exhale, lengthen your spine and fold a bit more.

Halfway lift-Ardh Uttanasana

• Place your hands on your shin bones and flap back in Ardha Uttanasana.
• Send energy to your spinal cord from tailbone to crown.

>Tap behind the Knees to activate your lymph nodes.

Malasana

• Widen your legs apart.
• Heels in and toes out.
• Settle down in Yogi squats or Malasana.
• Focus into the groin area, the front hips crease.
• With each breath feel the sensation and opening of your groins.
• Mala Sinha is an excellent posture for the second chakra- sacral chakra responsible for your creativity, productivity, and sensuality.

Happy Baby Yoga Postures

• Come on your hips.
• Hold the outer edges of your feet.
• Curve and roll on your back for Balasana or happy baby yoga Posture.
• Rock side by side and feel like a child.
• Press your knees down to open your groin area.
• Prevent your tailbone from rolling up.
• Try sinking more and more with each breath.

Reclined Bound Angle

• Release your feet.
• Bring the entire leg package down with the soles of the feet together in a reclined bound angle yoga posture. 
• If you have tight hips and feel uncomfortable, place two yoga blocks beneath your knees.

>Tap the groin, the hips creases where the inguinal lymph nodes are.

Savasana (Breath Deeply)

• Now you have covered all your main lymph nodes, by stimulating with yoga postures and activating by the action of patting with your fingers.
• Straighten your legs, release your body and relax in Savasana.
• Drink a lot of water throughout the day because it is required for an efficient lymphatic drainage system that would optimize your immune system as well.

Wrapping up- Yoga To Energize Immune System

We often experience painful swelling in our groin or the axils of the arms when we get a boil or injury in the limbs. This is an indicator of the presence of a foreign body within our bodies. The lymph nodes present in these regions tend to localize the infection and prevent it from spreading to the body as a whole.

The lymph nodes are critical for the body’s immune response and are principal sites where many immune reactions are initiated. During a physical examination, doctors often look for swollen lymph nodes in areas where lymph nodes are abundant, including the neck, around the collarbone, the armpit (axilla), and the groin.

A lymphatic drainage treatment a.k.a.  lymphatic massage can also help greatly with weight loss and general health by  Improved  lymph flowing.

 Hence help the body to shed excess weight and give a toned appearance with unclogged pores and glowing skin.

Don’t forget to watch the video on YouTube, which is on the same topic- Kundalini yoga to stay rooted| yoga for Muladhara

Please subscribe to my channel to support the free and fabulous yoga on YouTube!

Thanks for being with me on the mat, Namaste  Yogis!

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The post Yoga To Energize Immune System And Boost The Lymphatic Drainage appeared first on yogarsutra.

Spiritually and aesthetically,  this Kundalini Yoga For Throat Chakra will help you in authentic and truthful communication. 

Physically, you will have relief from  frozen Shoulders, neck pain and  thyroid. You would also feel substantial positive changes in areas of teeth and gums, the jaws as well as the listening and smelling abilities.

Buttt… first…

ABOUT AN IMPORTANT MEETING!

I was sitting in front of him. ‘Him’ was the topmost bureaucrat of the city. It was obviously an important “official” meeting. I was inside that big hall as a representative of 30 people. Just before the meeting, I was busy discussing with my colleagues about the possible conversation I might have with the commissioner.

Not to say, I was more than prepared. Having rehearsed each and every point of discussion, all the relevant documents inside the file in my hand, eyes and ears opened wider than usual…

Everything seemed perfect except numbed hands and feet!

Then, this is what happened once the discussion started and he asked me a crucial question- YES …?

And I explained everything to him with three great opening and closing sentences:

• I want to tell you our problem…
• I wanted to explain what we are facing…
• This is really crucial for us to tell you…

It is not that I didn’t say anything else apart from these three sentences. But what I had spoken, I don’t remember. But I still remember gasping for more oxygen😢 and some strength in my limbs!

And I also realised later why I was the best choice for being face to face with “The bureaucrat”.

Nobody else from my group wanted to face this. So now, whenever I feel unhappy remembering this incident, I pat my back for the reason that at least I had guts to face the situation.

About The Chakra In Honour –  Vishuddha

Our fifth chakra, Vishuddha, is located at the base of the throat, at the center of the Larynx. That’s why this chakra is also called the Throat Chakra. 

The characteristics governed by this chakra is an effective and truthful communication. This Chakra also serves as a gateway to the highest truth of our being.

Vishuddha means highly pure!

Throat Chakra also works as a beautiful bridge between your heart chakra and the third eye chakra. Thus becomes a conductor of emotions (heart Chakra) and thoughts (third eye chakra).

The colour of throat Chakra is blue and the element is Ether.

Awakened Throat Chakra Means

Observe these qualities in yourself and the people around you:

• Free and effortless communication
• Authenticity
• Resonating voice
• Emotional intelligence and balance
• Relief from the symptoms like cough cold intense toothache, etc

Throat Chakra Imbalanced?

These characteristics are the major indicator of an imbalance in Throat Chakra:

• Extra talkative
• Dishonesty
• Arrogance
• Fearfulness
• Manipulative
• Getting frustrated while trying to express yourself
• Missing the correct and crucial words during a conversation
• Fear of offending someone very dear
• Physically, hormonal disbalances, tonsillitis, mouth ulcers, hearing problems, tinnitus bronchitis, asthma.

Vishuddha – The Soul Gate

This Chakra helps you to connect with your causal plane- the world of light and blessedness, the heavenly place found in the scriptures of all the faiths and religions.

It is said to be the foundation of our existence, source of vision, point of conception, and an apex of creation. 

The causal plane is a world of realities one has to no longer deal with the emotions or conceptions, passage of time, sorrows or fear of death. 

So, throat Chakra can align you with your divine self as it holds the essence of purity without ego.

Must Read:  “Throat Chakra Balancing Complete Guide”

Answer These Questions To See The Status Of Your Throat Chakra 

1. Do you often use manipulative words?
2. Do you love gossiping?
3. How good of a listener are you?
4. Are you honest in most situations?
5. Are you a habitual liar? 
6. Do you speak with authenticity?
7. How good are you at public speaking?
8. How polite are you while communicating with your juniors?
9. Can you express your truth fearlessly?
10. While talking to someone how coordinated your thoughts and emotions are?

“Don’t worry about your answers”. 

Be honest, note them down in a journal and start reflecting and intending over them.

Start your days with throat Chakra specific positive affirmations and do these  Kundalini Kriyas to awaken your throat Chakra  for a minimum of 21 days to start experiencing the positive changes. 

You can also blend these yoga Kriyas with the throat Chakra yoga postures.

Kundalini Yoga  To Awaken Throat Chakra

P.S.-Various neck and shoulder exercises and mantras have been included here to stimulate the area of the neck, shoulders, ears, nose and the jaws.

Cat and cow Posture

• Come on all four in a table top position.
• Inhale and bring your head up, and tail bone up.
• Your stomach towards the ground.
• Exhale, curve your back and bring the head down and tailbone down towards the ground.
• Continue with cat and cow transitions for 1 minute.

When our throat chakra is blocked or misaligned, you may have issues with creativity and communication. Throat chakra problems can also lead to physical symptoms like thyroid imbalance, sore throat, and hearing difficulties. 

Vajrasana Back-bends

• Sit in vajrasana. 
• Engage fingers of both the hands on your back.
• Your fingers might touch the heels.
• Give your crown a slide back bend.
• Begin with Breath of Fire Kriya.
• Inhale deeply, exhale forcefully by pushing your navel in, 
• when you inhale chants So and when you exhale say Ham.
• Soham is a powerful Mantra that translates to I am that.
• The unifying mantra with the universe.
• This Mantra will activate your 3 upper spiritual Chakras.
• The throat Chakra is also known as the soul gate, because it opens the door for the two upper Chakras, the Ajna  and the Sahasrara..
• Continue for one minute.

Inhale, hold your breath and apply root lock by contracting your pelvic floor muscles and pushing the navel in.

Exhale completely and slowly and relax in a neutral position.

Vajrasana- Forward-bends

• With fingers still bound together behind your back, bend forward and let your forehead touch the ground.
• Your aim here is to bring your arms vertical to the ground at 90 degrees.
• Start Breath of Fire.
• Continue for 1 minute or so.

>> Apply root lock at the end of the Kriya and hold. Exhale, come back to the neutral position.

Seated Eagle Pose

• Sit on your knees so that knees are just below the hips.
• Open both the arms opposite to each other and parallel to the ground.
• Swing them back as much as you can, while inhaling deeply.
• Exhale and  come to the Eagle arms by bringing your left hand below the right and palms touching each other.
• Keep the shoulders away from the ears and lift your arms up above the heart level.
• Continue with the breath of Fire
• Disengage both the arms and reverse the process.
• Begin the Breath of Fire once again.
• Inhale and apply Mula Bandha, hold.
• Exhale, come to the neutral position, and relax.

Shoulder Rotations

• Sit all on your knees.
• Inhale and rotate your shoulders in circular motion while arms  on your sides in neutral position.
• Explore both the directions and ease your shoulder joints.
•  Breathe deeply.
• Continue for one minute.

Come to the neutral position.

 Shoulders Squeeze 

• With an inhale squeeze your shoulders as much as you can and while exhaling release them rapidly.
• Release them with a little downward force.
• Relax and massage your shoulder joints and avoid forever getting the frozen shoulders.
• Continue with the Soham Mantra.
• Chant So and squeeze 
• Release with Ham.
• Ham is also the Bija Mantra for your throat Chakra.
• Continue for one minute.

Release inhale deeply, apply root lock, hold…and…

 Exhale completely, come to a neutral position.

Neck Roles

• Sit tall, inhale and bring your chin towards the chest
• Exhale slowly to rotate your neck 360 degrees clockwise.
• Continue with gentle neck rotations.
• If you find areas of stress, breathe even more deeply into those points.
• Come to the centre.
• Inhale deeply and Exhale to rotate your neck anticlockwise.

If you have neck pain and other neck related issues such as cervical spondylitis,you will find relief with this Kriya, only remember not to stress your neck in forward direction.

Set your vertebral column by pressing from all the directions thus relieving your neck and shoulders.

The above Kriyas can also be done in Standing Posture.  But it is safer to be seated and have a sense of security and connectivity.

Seated Arms rotation 

(Clockwise and Anticlockwise)

• Hold your waist with your left hand.
• With your right hand, start clockwise Rotations of the arms.
• Breathe deeply and continue with both hands in both directions in equal amounts of time.

This exercise helps to work against gravity, the best workout for sagging of the breasts arms. 

Place your hands below the shoulders to check the muscles movements and the kind of massage you are getting with this Kriya.

Inhale, suspend your breath, apply root lock.

Exhale, come to the neutral  comfortable cross-legged position.

Neck Lock a.k.a.Jalandhara Bandha

Get prepared for the Maha-Bandha.

Mahananda has three components Moola Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha, and the Jalandhara bandha.

Today, our main focus is on Jalandhara Bandha because this is the neck lock which you will apply to confine the energy in your Throat Chakra.

Take a deep breath and when you exhale apply root lock -squeeze your pelvic floor muscles in and up, navel point in and up, bring your chest forward to rest your chin upon it for Jalandhara Bandha. 

Raise your chin up and take a few deep breaths and apply Maha-Bandha once again. 

If you have trouble holding your breath, if you’re pregnant and have high blood pressure, don’t apply these Bandhas.

Instead,

Simply sit in a cross legged position and breathe deeply, keeping your focus in your throat Chakra area.

Imagine a ball of blue colour shining in your entire throat area.

Chant the Mantra Soham… 10 times and relax in savasana.

So… ham…..

Wrapping up- Kundalini Yoga To Awaken Your Throat Chakra

Thanks Yogis, for reading these lines-:)  

Other than yoga postures and kriyas, daily positive affirmations have helped me a lot with my throat Chakra. 

You may also try these things>>

• Singing and chanting mantras is good for your throat Chakra as well as the Crown Chakra.
• Meditate very often to quiet your thoughts.
• Use the colour blue around you.
• Consume throat soothing drinks specially honey and nectar of mulethi.
• Crystals and essential oils also help greatly.

Don’t forget to watch the video on YouTube, which is on the same topic- third Chakra balancing yoga for willpower and motivations.

Please subscribe to my channel to support the free and fabulous yoga on YouTube!

Thanks for being with me on the mat Namaste  Yogis

Most Popular Reads:

Kundalini Yoga Kriyas For Weight Loss

Kundalini Pranayam For Stress-Relief And Insomnia

10 Yoga Poses To Balance Your Solar Plexus Chakra

Yoga resource centre

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How to use yoga blocks for back pain and stress relief

Best yoga mats reviews

Best yoga pants  reviews

How to use yoga wheel

What does your favourite colour predicts about you

Credit:

Doyouyoga

Image credit:

Unsplash

The post Kundalini Yoga To Awaken Throat Chakra| Authentic Communication| Relief From Frozen-Shoulders appeared first on yogarsutra.

These Yoga Poses With Yoga Bandhas will help you to understand the better and a practical way of working with your Bandhas. You need to adopt them and incorporate with each asana mindfully, initially. I can promise,  in a matter of  time, you would become  fond of these locks and would never seperate from your postures!

Summer holidays were the time when my mother had to deal with us.

 The scorching days of summers in India demand to take a nap to get away from all the exhaustion due to sweat and the household chores.

“Children tend to get more active when they find potentially inactive adults in the house”. 

As soon as we (my brother and I) would realize that mom got well-settled with her novel, we were quick on our adventures. 

The most hilarious was crossing across our garden’s boundary wall and running to the friends nearby, who were equally eager to get a glimpse of us. 

Those were smartphones-free days and children loved to play outdoor so much so that hours seemed passing in minutes. 

Back home, we were never required to topple the garden’s boundary wall again because of the widely opened gate and the mother with a household, handheld equipment.

 She would take turns on me and my brother while changing her equipment intermittently. 

And all this would end up inside a room locked from the outside by her😅

 We were given enough time to settle with our overpouring energies.

 Once attaining the freedom, our brains and bodies would be the most streamlined and focused.

 The Lock was helping us studying well and behaving with our best potentials🤣

Yoga Bandhas aka locks are no different than the lock 🔐my mother used in ‘abundance’ to get us streamlined and stay focused on our purpose.

In Hath yoga, the Bandhas or locks are the pranic, or energetic locks in different areas of the body, that confine energy. 

By engaging your Bandhas, you can control the flow of energy during your practice.

Yoga Bandhas involve muscular contractions in certain areas of the body to trap the escape of energy from those areas.  There are four basic Bandhas in hath yoga.

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. Types Of Yoga Bandhas

• Mula Bandha is the lock in your pelvic muscles 
• Uddiyanbandha is the lock in your stomach area above the navel, and 

• Jalandhar Bandha is the lock in your throat area. 

• Then finally, there is a lock which comprises of all these three locks which are known as the Master Lock or Mahabandha. 

Since these locks are done internally in our bodies, it is hard to demonstrate them visually.Therefore, today I am going to explain the Bandhas along with this yoga sequence. 

According to BKS IYENGAR, Bandhas should be learned from a guru, it could be harmless otherwise.

You may take a soft approach by going with your body. Focus more on the directional flow of the energy and area of a Bandha and less on the intensity in the beginning.

Later with more practice, you can get easy with them.

This practical drill of Bandhas will show you how they are useful and how they make our yoga practice lighter and easier. 

You may need two yoga blocks and one blanket, if you have it then fine if you don’t, it’s ok. You can prop yourself with cushions, bolsters, or hard books.

Now enroll your yoga mat and let’s start!

Want to go in-depth about Bandhas? Read this.

Our today’s intention is “I am well aware of my path… I set boundaries to stay liberated…

10 Yoga Poses With Yoga Bandhas

Mountain pose

(Mula Bandha)

• Start with standing tall on your mat. 

• Ground from all the corners of your legs and stack your knees just above your ankles, hips above your knees, and shoulders above your hips, and last your neck and crown of head above your shoulders. 
• Setup ujjayi breath by contracting your throat muscles and breathing the way you are snoring. You can hear that soft sound just like an ocean.

• Pay attention to your pelvic floor. Just release with an inhale and when you exhale contract your pelvic floor muscles upward softly.

•  Keep breathing. 

• Take 5 breaths here and repeat your intentions- I am aware of my path…I set boundaries to stay liberated…

Mountain pose is an excellent Posture for experiencing your Moola Bandha or root lock.

Raised Hands Pose

(Uddiyanbandha+ Mulabandha)

• With an inhale, take both the hands up, parallel to your ears and when you exhale, contract your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles in and up for Uddiyanbandha. 
• Continue with the Ujjayi breath…

Ardha Uttanasana

(Uddiyanbandha+ Mulabandha)

• With an exhale, bend forward and place your hands just above the knees. Complete one round of breath.

•  Inhale deeply and contract your pelvic floor muscles, exhale and squeeze abdominal muscles in and up just between your rib cage. 

• Imagining the broadening of that rib cage area and adjusting your abdominal muscles in!

Cat and cow posture

(Uddiyanbandha+ Mulabandha)

• Bring your knees down so that you’re on all fours. 
• Place your hands with fingers spread below your shoulders and with your knees under your hips.
•  Your spine is in a neutral position.
• Inhale and expand your chest, take your crown up and tailbone up in cow pose and as you exhale, lower your tailbone and crown of the head.
• Round your back and apply the locks one by one- Moola Bandha and Uddiyanbandha both as I explained to you in the previous pastures.

Repeat for three to four rounds of cat and cow pose. Continue with the ujjayi breath.

Downward Facing Dog Pose

(Uddiyanbandha+ Mulabandha)

• Plant your hands and feet firmly on the floor and take your hips up the sky.

• Exhale to release the circumference of your pelvic floor, feel an upward movement of energy (Mula) toward your navel. 
• The inverted nature of this pose also helps you access Uddiyana Bandha because your abdominal muscles are directed towards the rib cage. 
• You may feel a gravitational pull on your abdominal cavity.
• Inhale and consciously relax your pelvic floor muscles and udyanbandh both.

Pigeon Pose

(Uddiyanbandha+ Mulabandha)

• From Down-Dog, exhale and place your right knee in front of your right hand on the mat. 
• Slide your right foot in front of your left hip, right ankle behind your left wrist. Inhale, you can prop your hands on blocks (on either side of you), to sit as upright as possible. 
• Release the outer edges of your pelvic floor and feel how energy flows up through the center of it (Mula). 
• Widen your rib cage and allow the energy to be drawn into your expanded area.
• Apply a gentle muscular contraction in your abdominals (Uddiyana). 
• Bring your awareness to these bandhas and feel how they bring lightness, stability, and strength to your hips, spinal column, and rib cage. 
• Hold for a few seconds or as much as you are comfortable in the beginning. 

Come back to the downward-facing Dog posture.

Repeat pigeon pose on the other side. Bring your awareness towards the pelvic floor and abdominal area and see how the contraction here makes you feel light. Continue with the ujjayi breath.

Repeat your today’s intention…

I am well aware of my path… I set boundaries to stay liberated…

• Come back to the downward-facing dog hold for two breaths. 
• Inhale and take your right foot up towards the ceiling and with an exhale, plant your foot between both the hands and rise for Warrior I yoga posture.

Warrior I Pose

(Uddiyanbandha+ Mulabandha)

• Sense a release in your pelvic floor as you exhale. 
• Inhale and feel the rise of energy through the center of your pelvic floor (Mula).
• Feel the movement of energy up your spine.
• Inhale and allow your ribs to open. 
• With the exhalation, keep in mind the space in your ribs and energy flow up along your central channel. 
• Experience a gentle muscular contraction of your abdominals (Uddiyana). 
• The abdominal cavity will have some rigidness this time (less flexible than in downward facing dog posture), because of the upright posture where you have to work against the gravity in bringing those abdominal muscles up.

Warrior III Pose

(Uddiyanbandha+ Mulabandha)

• Inhale deeply and with an exhale, setup Mula Bandha and Uddiyanbandha to bring the lightness and take your right foot off the mat and send your legs parallel to the ground.
• while sending your torso in the opposite direction, again parallel to the ground. Stay here for a few seconds and then come back to the downward-facing dog posture after releasing your Bandhas.
• Repeat the same steps on another side. 

Take your left foot up the sky, with an exhale, plant your left foot between your hands, and rise in Warrior I and observe your pelvic floor and abdominal area.

Be aware of the two bandhas…what they are making you feel… Are they feeling you comfortable or making things complicated altogether because you are new to them. 

You are free to drop or shake…

 Repeat your intention -I am well aware of my path…

Three ujjayi breaths and then transition to warrior III yoga posture with Moola Bandha and Uddiyana bandha mindfully!

Malasana

Back to Warrior I, and bring your both foot together on top of the yoga mat in mountain pose. Inhale and bend forward for uttanasana.

Place both your legs more than hips-width apart and Sit in yogi squats or Malasana.

Place your hands in front of your heart with palms together and terms in connection with your Heart Chakra in Anjani mudra.

Crow pose

(Uddiyanbandha+ Mulabandha)

Plant your hands in front of you. You can place a yoga block at the highest position to rest your head and avoid any falling in the beginning.

 After some practice, you can do it without the block.

• Inhale and place both the knees near the armpits. 
• While exhaling contract your pelvic floor muscles and lock your abdominal muscles up. 
• Move forward to place your forehead on the block.
•  Inhale and exhale once again mindfully with Moola Bandha and Uddiyanbandha and try lifting one leg and then and there off the floor. Find your balance for a few seconds and come back to Malasana.

Repeat once again.

Jalandhara Bandha

For Jalandhar Bandha, you can sit in any cross-legged position or sukhasana. Inhale and lock your throat area as if you are swallowing something. With an exhale, bring your chest forward and neck down so that your chin is touching the sternum.

 Hold as long as possible then release your neck and take a deep breath.

 Please don’t do Jalandharbandha if you have cervical pain or any other kind of pain in the neck and shoulders, or high blood pressure.

Yogis, these were your three Bandhas.  

The last one is a combination of all these three called mahabandha or the Master lock. 

When you get comfortable with these three, you can try for Maha-Bandha, I don’t advise you to do it before that.

Mahabandha

“By contracting the perineum (moola), performing uddiyana, and locking Ida and Pingala with Jalandhar, Sushumna becomes active. By this means prana and the breath become still. Thus death and sickness are conquered” Hath Yoga Pradipika

• Maha Bandha activates three Chakras – Muladhara, Manipura, and Vishuddha
• For Maha-Bandha, take three deep breaths.
• Sit in siddhasana/Siddha yoni asana with the left heel pressing against the perineum/vagina (to apply pressure to mooladhara chakra). 
• The right foot may be placed on top of the left thigh. Or, the right heel can be placed near the left ankle in synchronization.
•  Gently exhale, and release the circumference of your pelvic floor. Next time you breathe in, take a deep, full breath from your pelvic floor—all the way up into your chest. 
• As you exhale, place your palms on your knees and fold forward. Expel all the air in your lungs. 
• Without inhaling, come back upright, pressing your hands into your knees and straightening your arms.  feel the energy being drawn up through your pelvic floor (Mula), all the way up, and hollowing out your stomach under your ribs (this is the traditional Uddiyana applied during pranayama). 
• Feel your chest rising to your chin. Lift from the top of your head, lengthening the back of your neck. 
• Then, gently move your chin down toward your chest (Jalandhara Bandha), directing energy down toward your navel. When you feel you need to breathe in again, first release Jalandhara by lifting your chin, and then of Uddiyana by releasing your belly. Inhale, and release Mula. 
• Repeat all steps 1–3 times.

Savasana

• It is crucial to lie down in savasana after your Bandhas practice. Be here at least for five minutes, release your hands legs, and other body parts one by one. 
• Mindfully check all the Bandhas one by one from Mula Banda to Jalandhar Banda.
• Release those places one by one.
• Keep breathing deeply.

Wrapping Up – Yoga Poses With Yoga Bandhas

Bandhas find their place with yoga in all the ancient and modern yoga books. 

Two more Bandhas- Hast-Bandha, i.e. hand-lock and Paad-Bandha a.k.a. your foot-lock, too find mention in modern texts. 

These two offer lightness in your arms and legs during the yoga practice.

Most yoga teachers less emphasize the Bandhas because of the technicality involved.

The thing to remember here is that you can’t go wrong until you follow your instincts and the flow of energy through your energy channels.

For more clarity on Bandhas, you can watch YOGARSUTRA this video on YouTube.

THANKS FOR ACCOMPANYING ME. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE YOGA LOCKS LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.

Namaste 🙏

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