Alphabetical benefits of yoga ... from G
J is for Joints.
Let's talk a bit about #arthritis. Arthritis is latin for inflammation in the joint. There are different types of joint diseases and different forms of arthritis covers a huge percentage of these. Whilst yoga may not be able to cure the disease and is NOT a replacement for prescribed medications it can help relieve the symptoms by changing the relationship we may have towards our body. Yoga is an activity that starts on a mat and develops to become a way of being. You can take your breathing practice away from the mat and use it wherever and whenever you need. The sense of awareness of your body can be used to help connect within when you may feel a flare up in the joint or joints. Self practice does not need to be a set time on the mat it can be practiced throughout the day giving you a healthier, deeper and more balanced relationship to your body and mind. For example, doing a body scan to relax before bed or feeling the connection of your feet on the ground whilst giving a presentation or preparing the veggies for dinner, you can practice your balance whilst brushing your teeth, so many opportunities!Physically, yoga strengthens the muscles and helps us develop a relationship with endurance when holding postures for a time. It helps maintain flexibility in the joints as a yoga practice encourages you to move your joints through their full range of motion. Better balance can be obtained as an increasing awarness that you have of where and how your body is can help. Not forgetting to mention how yoga can increase your core strength and stability which has only a positive effect on balance.Most yoga asanas will be accessible if you are willing to be kind to your body by adapting a movement or by using props such as blocks, chairs or a wall. Remember where there's an asana there's a modification 😉Yoga means union. To unite mentally and physically without comparing yourself to others or to how you were yesterday. It's about immersing yourself in the moment with acceptance and without judgment.Some good yoga books for arthritis:Yoga therapy for arthritis by Dr Steffany Moonaz + Erin Byron Yoga for arthritis by Loren Fishman and Ellen Saltonstall.
H is for heart
“Our fate is within us, you only need to be brave enough to see it” Animation Brave There are so many expressions where we use this word ‘have heart’ ‘with my whole heart’ ‘listen to your heart’ all suggesting a level of honesty, clarity, strength and bravery. Through taking the time out of our busy lives and connecting within, the voice of the heart can be heard. It takes strength, love and respect for ourselves to listen to our heart and a heap more of each to respond. With a regular practice the voice of the heart becomes stronger and perhaps forgotten aspirations or childhood thoughts are recollected. Perhaps lifestyles change to become healthier and more fulfilled as a clearer picture of who we are, where we are and how we are shines through. As we revisit our heart and honour our hearts we may begin to feel more at peace with ourselves. When we love and feel loved it’s natural to treat our bodies and the beings around us with loving kindness. Perhaps this is reflected in eating more consciously, engaging in wholesome activities or surrounding ourselves with the people we care about. Through healthier choices perhaps the risk of some heart diseases can be narrowed. All in all it’s a win win for you and everyone around you. Surya Namaskar (sun salutation) is a flow incorporated in most practices. In yoga the sun represents our spiritual hearts and our hearts replicate the world, including the oceans, rivers, mountains, trees, beings, stars and the moon. It also replicates jnana, meaning wisdom of the universe. When we honour the wisdom of our hearts, let go and flow with our true hearts desires we can start feeling less stressed mentally and emotionally. This is always easier said than done so it’s back to the mat for me. Written ‘from the heart’ 😉 Thank you @ben_l_91 for the photos To see the list from A go to https://www.andbeyoga-pyreneesaquitaine.com/blog #alphabeticalbenefitsofyoga #heart #yoga #suryanamaskar#lovingkindness #healthyhappyhearts#urdvhamukha #updog #chaturanga
G is for Gomukhasana aka Cowface pose
An asana that benefits both the lower and upper body, one where you can truly feel the position releasing tension when focusing on your breath, guiding it to wherever may be asking for a bit of attention. Bastien bought it my attention that our breath only goes as far as our lungs. True to an extent… thanks to our lungs drawing the breath in, consciously or subconsciously our breath saturates each and every cell within us. The movement of our lungs expanding as our breath comes in creates a chain reaction of movement through our body. For example, notice how your belly expands as you take an inhale. If you close your eyes and direct your attention to a part of your body you may feel the effect your breath has on that area. With the right leg crossed over the left, the top knee in line(sh) with the lower, you may be able to feel the glute muscles releasing, such as the piriformis which can give relief from sciatica. It can also give the hips a good stretch! We are a nation of chair sitters, sitting the same way all the time can result in stiff hips and weak glutes; this is a great way to stretch the glutes and hips. If you’d like to go deeper into the asana then try leaning forward. Now to the top half! Holding your hands/ a strap or your top we can direct our attention to the shoulders and upper arms, feeling with each exhale tension releasing away from the body. With looser shoulders our chest may feel more open and our posture a lot straighter and our breath more fluid. It’s a great arm action to sneak in during the day as it’s the reverse shoulder motion of typing, driving or even texting. Think about it, most actions we do result in our wrists facing down so here we shake things up. Don’t forget to do the other side 😉 Pic1: #Gomukasna Pic2: Alternative for legs Pic3: Altenative for arms Video: Just for fun, inspired by #MarkStephens from the book Yoga Adjustments. #Gomukhasanaalternative#alphabeticalbenefitsofyoga#glutestretch #hipstretch#guidedbreathing #cowfacepose #yogaadjustments#yogainthepyrenees #andbeyoga