Yoga At Lake Powell

Various interpretations of my Yoga "suggestions"

Corey and Linken

In August, we spent a week at Lake Powell, like we have each summer for more than 30 years. It was wonderful, as usual.

Many times previously, I took time to practice yoga, and occasionally some family member would join me. This year we did yoga everyday, sometimes twice a day! It was so fun in our beautiful surroundings, and  it helped us be less sore and more ready for all the water activities.

Thank you Bodhi Yoga for the training. We did Vinyasa Bodhi Flow, Restorative, Prenatal and even some one on one work, addressing specific concerns.

I especially love how Linken and Kennedy joined in the fun! Here are some photos.

A little Tai Chi

Look at this little angel! 

A real "Happy Baby"

Beautiful April

Savasana...of sorts

Releasing the Psoas Muscle.

This is my second post on the Psoas, I am just fascinated by this deep muscle within our core.

Syl Carson, of Bodhi Yoga, where I have been learning and practicing, says that "Releasing tension in the psoas realigns the experince of existence... an emotional feeling of standing on ones own two feet".

According to Liz Koch, the Constructive Rest Position is an excellent way to release the psoas. This in turn relieves back, pelvic and leg tension.

Lie on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor parallel to each other, about 12-16 inches from your buttocks. I find it more relaxing if I bring my toes closer to each other and open the heels, letting the knees rest agains each other. Do not flatten the spine, allow the normal curve to be there. Rest in this position 10-20 minutes.

A variation would be to rest your lower legs on a chair or couch, while lying on the floor, knees bent.

I have so much to learn about this, but I'm beginning to notice the emotional ease that comes as I move towards allowing the release of my psoas.

The Psoas

Before I began my yoga studies with Syl Carson at Bodhi Yoga, I didn't even know I had a PSOAS muscle.

I have learned that this muscle is located deep in the abdomen and that it stretches from the lumbar vertebrae to the thigh bone. It flexes and rotates the hips, flexes the trunk toward the thigh and tilts the pelvis. As I become aware of this muscle, I am beginning to understand why it is said that the psoas is also linked to our emotions.

Our teacher training manual quotes Liz Koch:

At the very core of your physical body lies a muscle that influences every aspect of well being. The psoas muscle, critical for balance, alignment, joint rotation and range of motion, also influences the circulatory system, the functioning of organs and diaphragmatic breathing. The only muscle to link the lumbar spine to the legs, it is a dynamic psoas that massages your vertebrae, viscera and organs with every walking step. 

The sensation of being centered and grounded comes from a healthy psoas in combination with a balanced weight-bearing pelvis.

The internal awareness that develops through yoga is the most important tool for learning to release the psoas. And releasing the psoas will bring new freedom, ease and structural integrity to yoga practice. 

Is Yoga the Next New ‘Antioxidant’?

Have you ever wondered why people who do yoga often look a lot younger than their age? A new study on yoga might have some answers.

A study in the July 2015 Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that 12 weeks of yoga amped up the body’s natural defense system against toxins. Yoga raised the level of natural antioxidants in the body and strengthened the immune system....

For the complete article, go to HEALTH FREEDOM ALLIANCE. 

For more information about yoga classes, trainings, etc, go to GOBODHIYOGA.COM

The BodhiFlow™

I'm going to quote straight out of our Bodhi Yoga Teacher Certification Manual, because I want to have this definition handy to remind myself often:

"(BodhiFlow™) Honors Sattva with a moving meditation of yoga poses that flow together in a very inspired way. It is different from traditional vinyasas in that it moves slower, with the primary focus being on releasing the core tightness in the body. We do this by focusing on slow, steady movements where the individual postures cease to be separate from one another and the pace supports something called: "Time Under Tension", where the muscles, balance and mind build stronger with less repetitions, than fast paced, traiditonal vinyasas.

...we use the full breath with each movement, rather than shortening our breath to keep up with our repetitions. 

The BodhiFlow™ awakens the Prana or "Life Force" of the body, mind and spirit."

Still working on that downward dog

 In the last 15-20 years I have done many Sun Salutations, many years of traditional vinyasas. Loved some experiences, hated others. The last 6 months I have done BodhiFlow™ regularly, and I love the way it has improved my body/mind fitness level. I am much stronger and more flexible and the improvement has come gently!

Dipping a toe into the vast Ayurveda Ocean

The depth and breath of what we learn through Bodhi Yoga Teacher Training does not cease to amaze me!

Ayurveda is probably the oldest healing system in the world, has been around at least 5000 years, and is still a popular and effective alternative health option.

The elements of Air, Fire and Water/Earth combine to create the three Doshas or constitutions. Vata (air) Pitta (fire) and Kapha (earth/water). Each of us has elements of all three Doshas, but one or two are usually dominant. The aim of Ayurveda is to bring the Doshas into balance. This is done through diet, exercise (yoga), meditation, hygiene, etc.

VATA: (Air, Wind, Space) Dry, cold and light. It means "that which moves things". The air element governs sensory and mental balance.

PITTA: (Fire/Bile) Hot, light and moist. It means "that which digests things". It rules chemical and metabolic processes in the body, also the capacity to comprehend things as they are.

KAPHA: (Water, Earth, Phlegm) Heavy, cold and moist. It means "that which holds things together". It provides substance and support, the bulk of our tissues. Also provides emotional support and stability.

GUNAS

The existense of Gunas is an interesting new concept I am learning at Bodhi Yoga.

Guna is a Sanskrit word, and  Hindu philosophical concept describing the 3 qualities of energy in which all things manifest themselves in the physical plane. These qualities are rajas, tamas and sattva.

Wikepedia describes them as:

• Sattva is the quality of balance, harmony, goodness, purity, universalizing, holistic, constructive, creative, building, positive, peaceful, virtuous.^[22]

• Rajas is the quality of passion, activity, neither good nor bad and sometimes either, self centeredness, egoistic, individualizing, driven, moving, dynamic.^[4][23]

• Tamas is the quality of imbalance, disorder, chaos, anxiety, impure, destructive, delusion, negative, dull or inactive, apathy, inertia or lethargy, violent, vicious, ignorant.^[23][24]

In Indian philosophy, these qualities are not considered as present in either-or fashion. Rather, everyone and everything has all three, only in different proportions and in different contexts.^[3] The living being or substance is viewed as the net result of the joint effect of these three qualities.^[3][4]

The Gunas are relevant in Yoga, as they relate to how we move into a pose and our alignment and energy flow. Also our attitude and approach to different postures and asanas. 

I am beginning to become aware of the manifestation of the gunas all around me and in my yoga practice, but I have much to learn.