Blog #18: The Posture Series/ Toe Stand

Toe Stand: Padangustasana
"Concentration Is The Key"

This month's featured yogi is Tammy Baggio

Dear Yogis: 

      This month's featured pose is Toe Stand or Padangustana. For most beginners, this is the pose that seems, to say the least....impossible. Don't worry though, this mission is possible with time, practice, devotion and openness to accept your body's guidance.  Let us talk about how to get into the pose, benefits and tips of Toe Stand. 

How To Get Into The Pose:

1.      Begin standing in Mountain Pose with your arms at your sides.

2.      Shift your weight to your left foot, then bend your right knee up toward your chest. Raise your right foot and bring your right heel to rest on the front of your left thigh or hip. The sole of your foot should be facing the sky, and the top of your foot should rest on your leg or hip.

3.      Allow your right knee to drop down. Bring both hands to the center of your chest in prayer position, getting into Tree Pose.

4.      Choose one spot on the floor and make it your best friend. Concentrating on this one spot will  help your balance.

5.      From there, slowly hinge forward at the hips, strongly engaging your abdominal muscles to aid your balance. Keeping your standing leg straight, release your hands and place your fingertips on the floor in front of you.

6.      Bend your standing leg and bring your hips close to the floor. The thigh of your standing leg should come parallel to the floor, and all of your weight should be balanced across the ball of your standing foot. Rest your buttock on the heel of your standing foot.

7.      Continue to gaze at a single spot on the floor four feet in front of you.

8.      Keeping your abdominals engaged, bring your left hand to the center of your chest in half prayer position. If it is possible, bring your right hand to meet your left, pressing your palms together.

9.      Hold for up to 90 seconds.

10.  To release the pose, place your fingertips on the mat in front of you once again. Slowly straighten your standing leg. Inhale to return to standing, then gently release your raised leg. Repeat for the same amount of time on the opposite side.

Tips & Benefits:

To gain all of the benefits of Toe Stand Pose, try to keep your mind calm while maintaining correct alignment. Here are some tips to help you in the pose:

·         Take it slowly. As with all balancing poses, it’s easier to enter the pose slowly and with awareness. If you come into the pose too quickly, you’re more likely to lose your balance — and it’s more difficult to re-gain your balance once it’s been lost.

·         Keep your spine long throughout the pose, extending through the crown of your head. Imagine that you’re trying to touch the ceiling with the top of your head.

·        To help with balancing, keep your standing foot as close to the central line of your body as possible.

·    Practicing Toe Stand Pose will open your hips, but tighter hips will make it more difficult to achieve the pose.

·         Regularly practicing balancing poses, such as Toe Stand Pose, will increase your ability to keep a clear and calm mind in all situations, both on and off the mat. Adding this pose to your regular routine will open your hips, focus your thoughts, and create beautiful posture and grace that will benefit your mind, body, and spirit!

Listed below is a video of how to get into Bikram’s Toe Stand:

http://youtu.be/PZxqfGvSgHo 

Sending Love, 

The little YogaGal

Blog #17: The Posture Series/ Tree Pose

Tree Pose: Tadasana
"What Kind of Tree Would YOU Be?"

Dear Yogis:

This Month's Featured Yogi is Tammy Baggio

Benefits of This Posture:

• Improves balance and stability in the lower half of the body, including the legs, ankles and feet
• Helps to ground you to the unity and balance of the earth and universe
• Develops the ligaments and tendons of the feet
• Tones the buttocks
• Creates pelvic stability
• Opens the hips and knee joints
• Builds self-confidence and esteem

Tips For This Posture:

• Stand tall in Mountain pose with your toes and ankles touching, your pelvis perpendicular to the floor and relax your shoulders away from your ears.
• Open your chest.
• Begin by having your arms are by your side.
• Focus on one spot in the mirror, don't even blink you eyes. 
• Ground your weight through your left foot, especially focusing on the big toe joint, but also make sure your big toe is not scrunched and tensed up.
• Grab your right foot from underneath, with your left hand. 
• Right leg lifts up all the way until the heel is touching the costume, sole of the foot is foot of the ceiling. Be careful of the right knee. 
• Slowly, gently let your right knee come down.
• Make sure your hips are even.
• Then push your hips forward towards the mirror, and gently, push your right knee back.
• Try to get both knees in one line from the side to open your pelvis. 
• Avoid the temptation to sink into the hip of the standing leg. This can cause a potential injury and cause you to become structurally misaligned.
• Once you have established your balance, fold the hands in front of your chest in a prayer position.
• Gaze comfortably forward, keeping the chin neutral and neck comfortable.
• Remember to stretch your spine up to the ceiling and suck your stomach in. 
• Keep your balance and hold the posture until instructed to release. Remember to continue to breathe deeply through the nose, filling up the diaphragm on the inhalation and out through the nose on the exhalation. 
• Smile at your beautiful self in the mirror.
• Repeat with the left leg.

Something to think about while in Tree: For those visual learners out there ask yourself this question: "What Kind of Tree AM I?" and envision yourself as this tree, swaying, growing, blooming and  absorbing its natural environment. This visual technique may help you to gain further balance in this posture.

A link listed below for those who want to watch a how to video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rFF2h351vk

Growing On,

The little YogaGal

Blog #16: The Posture Series Standing Separate Leg To Knee Pose

Blog #16 The Posture Series: Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose

Dear Yogi’s:

                                           

This months featured yogi: John Wisniewski    

You’re still buzzing from your high from Triangle pose and you may be thinking, “When is the floor series or when will this teacher ever shut up?” From Triangle to Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose is a good time to practice Ahimsa. Ahimsa is one of the 8 limbs of yoga and translates in English to practicing non-violence or compassion for all living things. This means practicing non-violence in your thought process as well. It is important to remember that the teacher is not your enemy or some sort of sadist. Like this posture, your teacher is there to help you grow and improve your overall sense of well-being. This posture is a wonderful for the spine, by rounding and opening it up by creating a back extension with a powerful, inner compression.

Benefits of Standing Separate Leg to Head Knee Pose

·         Stimulates the endocrine/thyroid with the throat lock

·         Works the digestive system through the abdominal lift.

·         Assists the reproductive systems by practicing the root chakra lock.

·         Helps with symptoms of depression and memory loss.

·         Decrease sugar and blood pressure.

·         Balances the regulation of the pancreas and kidneys.

Tips for Performing This Posture:

·         Remember it’s okay to bend your front knee as much as you need to for the forehead to make contact with the knee.

·         If the heel of your back foot is lifting, shorten your step until your foot is flat on the ground.

·         Use the breath to your advantage when slightly separating your hands in front of your extended foot and exhale, pushing against the floor until your front leg is completely straightened. If your legs are already strengthened, bring your hands back into “prayer” position.  

·         When your spine is fully rounded, lift up through the belly button and lower abdominals, look at your chest to help further round the spine and visualize your belly button touching your spine. 

·         Peak in the mirror to see if your pelvis is square facing the correct side. Adjust as need be to create a balance in the hips.

·         If you continue to feel unstable, ground the front foot into the floor with your inside edge and the back foot into the floor with the outside edge.  

A link listed below for those who want to watch a how to video:

Ihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI9no8f1UKI

Light Up Your Life,

The little YogaGal

Blog #15: The Standing Series-Triangle Pose

     

D ear Yogis:

The peak, the pinnacle, the summit of the standing series, it's Triangle, otherwise known in Sanskrit as Trikanasana. So you've gotten this far and your body is reaching its point of what may feel like no return, but fear not and DON'T GIVE UP! This is the pose that you will have a love and hate relationship with. This is the pose that will make you feel like you may pass out, if you haven't felt like  that already. This is the pose that will push you to your last limit in the hot room. All that being said, this is the pose that you've been working towards and it's all down hill after this. :) So give it all you got!! Weather you are a newbie to Bikram or a long time practitioner, listed below are some tips and benefits to aid you in your path to being one bad ass, conscious kind of yogi. 

This month's featured Yogi: Gordy Schils

Tips On How To Perform Triangle Pose: 

• Keep your arms in the 6 and 12 o'clock positions, (except when your arms are above your head in the beginning of the pose).
• Look at your leg that is straight and engage the quadriceps and lock your knee. This helps to protect your back, hips and knees. This also helps to give you a sense of continuous balance throughout the posture. 
• Make sure that your feet are completely flat on the floor.  If you are new to Birkam, you may be tempted to raise a portion of your foot off the ground to make things easier. Avoid doing that. This could cause not only an imbalance in your muscles, but could also cause unnecessary muscle strain. (Exception to the rule: If you have naturally occuring high arches in your feet, flex your toes up then slowly bring them back down to the floor.)
• When you are fully in Triangle, do not use your lower arm to support your own weight by pushing off the ground with your fingers.  Do not  support yourself by pushing off the knee with your elbow. If you are doing this, don't beat yourself up, with accumulated moments at a time, try to build up to the point where you can fully support yourself with your upper body. Eventually your upper body weight will be entirely supported by your pelvis, lower back and abdominal muscles.  Ultimately helping you to feel stronger then ever before. Helpful hint: Imagine you are twisting your spine and opening up your chest towards the sky. 
• While twisting the spine, if you feel that you are unable to reach the floor with your finger tips, place your hand on your shine, but never placing weight or pressure on your shine. Continue to reach up towards the ceiling.  
• Don’t let your hips move up while performing the Triangle pose as it will reduce the stretch in the pelvic area and cause a potential strain on your lower back. 
• If you have a tight neck or suffered from an injury in this area feel free to look in a neutral position.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
• Benefits: 

• This posture helps to improve the skeletal and muscular systems. Additionally, it can help to revitalize the internal organs, tissues and nervous systems in the body.
• Stretching the lower back can help to improve the flexibility of the last 5 vertebra of the lower spine. Aiding to alleviate your lower back pain.
• Triangle Pose works to condition and strengthen the entire cardiovascular system.   
• Lastly,Assists you in being able to get through challenging real life situations due to training the mind to keep cool in a difficult position with patience and endurance, in what may feel like an unbearable environment and applying that mindset out of the hot room:)                          

A link to a video on a how to get into this posture: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIyC3tqF2OI 

                                                                                                                    May the Breath be with you, 

                                                                                                                    the little YogaGal

Blog #14: Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose

Dear Yogis: 

                                      

     Lower back feels like it's killing you?  Sciatica gnawing at you day and night? Then Standing Separate Leg Posture might be the posture for you to give you some temporary and possibly permanent relief. But why you might ask? 

Tips:

     

     Let's take a deeper look into this posture. First take a BIG step to the right. Remember the wider the step, the easier the stretch. Arms parallel to the floor, shoulder height. Hinge from the hips with a straight spine and look forward at yourself in the mirror, chin forward, until you can't see yourself any longer. Try to reach your hands to the outsides of the ankles or  feet, and with all 5 fingers in your grip pull yourself further down. If this feels too difficult, painful, or knees are bending, back off and simply place your hands between your legs, shoulder width distance, and work at safely stretching your hamstrings, someday you'll get there. IF YOUR KNEES ARE LOCKED, engage your quadriceps, allowing your hamstrings to stretch. Roll the body weight into the toes.  Now, PULL,and STRETCH your forhead to the floor, elbows may bend to your shins, if your forehead easily touches you can move your feet closer. BREATHE deeply and keep the SPINE STRAIGHT. Don't be afraid to take a peak in the side mirror to see your alignment. When coming out of the posture, keep the core and arms strong, chin forward and spine straight. Feet together, stand tall and breathe. 

Benefits: 

 -This posture improves the flexibility, muscle tone, and increase the circulation to your calves, thighs, pelvis, hips and ankles. 

- Increases the flexibility of the last 5 vertebra of the lower spine.

- Grounds the Central Nervous System.

- Helps increase several bodily systems such as; brain, adrenal, reproductive and internal abdominal functioning.

-Good for helping bowel movements and bloat.

-Helps to raise the mood and decrease anxiety 

Below is a tutorial video of how to get into this posture:) 

http://youtu.be/7YM1gfvQs9U

    

     

     Remember you have your whole life to get into the "full expression of any posture", but that is never the goal. This is your yoga, your body and no one can ever tell you what is going to be 100% right for you. We teachers are only hear to guide you. Remember, you are your best teacher:) 

Om to the dome,

The little Yogagal 

Blog #13 Posture Series: Balancing Stick/Tuladandasana

Balancing Stick
/Tuladandasana

                                                     





Balancing Stick Posture

Dear Yogis:

   "This posture is designed to make you feel like you are having a heart attack, so you don't have a real one outside the hot room".  Let's be honest, this is one of the most one of the most arduous yet uplifting postures of the Bikram series.

    It is very beneficial to all of your internal organs, while helping to tone the entire muscle system of your body. In keeping your body parallel to the floor, it  helps to work you cardiovascular system. Lastly, this posture requires simultaneous focus and emptiness of the mind. 

Tips:

       Like in all the postures, remember to Breathe, Breathe, Breathe. Your breath is your best friend in and out of the hot room. It's important to note that your body will respond to your breath and read it as either stressed or relaxed. Even if you are stressed about the class in your mind,  try controlling your breath with the count of 6 on the inhale and 6 on the exhale and it will be tricked into thinking you are relaxed. It is particularly important to breathe in the posture because it intensely works your entire cardiovascular system. 

       In the beginning, when setting up in the posture, stretch your chest as you step into the posture.  Suck in your stomach and point your toes from the moment your directed foot leaves the mat. Pointing your toes is not just for looks. It helps to continue not only make your body feel lighter, but also keeps you grounded  and balanced. Squeeze your triceps against your ears and focus your gaze straight ahead in the mirror. When you hear that clap from the teacher, try to see it not as a threatening sound, but a friendly reminder to come into the posture. Come down like a flat board, all at once. Smile at yourself, as this will help you to feel less stressed and begin to enjoy the posture. :) And most importantly, if your panicking in this posture, remember, nothing lasts forever, this posture is over before you know it,  and you will get out of this posture in just a few blinks of an eye! 

Listed Below is a video link if you'd like to see the whole posture step by step. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBs2OgHv2YM
                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                          Keep, keepin' on, 

                                                                                                         The Little YogaGal

Blog #12/Posture Series Standing Bow Pose/Dandayamana-Dhanurasana

          Think of a standing archery bow. You are the bow. You are the asana…As you begin Standing Bow Pose or Dandayamana-Dhanurasana, start to focus on the balance of the body and the mind. Start from your feet, trying to keep the pressure on your big toe and extend the focus to your quadriceps. When your ankle bone is in your hand, kick into your hand before you even begin to lower your chest to the floor. When you see your kicking foot over the center of your head, continue to focus on the balance between kicking your foot upwards towards the ceiling and stretching your arm towards the mirror.

Allow your hips to be tilted upwards towards the sky. Maintain a soft gaze at one point in the mirror, perhaps in the center of your eyes or one point somewhere on your tensionless face that you feel most comfortable for you.  Also, don’t forget one of the most important factors to flowing and glowing in this posture is to breath into each motion of the pose and have fun....It's just yoga:)

 

Benefits:

-Standing Bow moves all the blood from one side of the body to the other, then back again.

-It develops balance, increases the size and elasticity of the rib cage, and firms the abdominal wall and upper thighs.

-It improves the flexibility and strength of the lower spine.

-Standing Bow builds patience, determination and concentration.