Yoga recap June 25th

Yoga recap June 25^th

Is Oxygen enough?

Last week we looked at an aspect not often considered in yoga, that is, the importance of Co2. We need both O2 & Co2. to maintain the acid alkaline balance within. Since natural CO2 is getting less and less in our atmosphere we need to be able to  generate enough through our breathing patterns. If our levels of C02 drop too low we have serious health problems.Yoga has always understood the importance of the long exhalation and in certain exercises the retention of breath. What we need to know, if our inability to hold our breath is less than 30 seconds, is that we are in serious danger of having dangerously low levels of CO2 in our bodies.

1. Always use diaphragmatic breathing in your session and at all times.
2. Try to keep the ratio of 4:4: 4 if you have a pause of 30 plus, under that you must increase your ‘Breath hunger’ as much as possible, a simple way is breath in, breath out, hold your nose and waggle your head as you count 5 or longer and keep repeating as often as you can during and after the session.
3. Nose breathe at all times.
4. We do exhale through the mouth in the Ha expulsion breath but close the mouth immediately after.

More to follow on this very important subject next time.

Warm ups.

Mini sit ups 5x     supine eagle 5x.   supine hero 5 x     supine tree 2x each side.  V leg rocks. 5x      criss cross into plough 3x  Bridge with facial exercises,( giraffe,puffer fish, gold fish, lion and owl each 3x.)

Skin rolling exercises with plastic balls. ( See Yoga tune up balls)

Asanas.1.)  Cats… knee through, pump and back curl as a sequence 4x  cosmic cat 3x and cat relax both sides.

2)Seated eagle with long exhale. Foot rotate and massage of instep, massage calf, do 3 mile acupressure point, using elbow massage thigh muscles. (Both sides)

3) Turtle breathing, stretching spine.3x 4) classic twists , hero and pigeon each 2x with pigeon side twist 2x.

5) easy plank from bent knee position  6) massage K 24 points and lymph glands.

Standing.

1)Sun Salute 2x both sides. 2)  Easy twist (bearing in mind all twisting, spiralling, slapping, massaging movements release energy from joints.)

3) rotate shoulder joints    4) spiral shoulders , knees and waist.

5) Door of life ( paying attention to spiralling hips and knees)

6)Dragon dance (spiralling hands , waist and knees.)

7)Slap kidneys, up and down sternum, sides of legs, use fists on the abdomen, smooth over the elbow joints, with fists knock on the little finger joints.

8. Qi gong exercise feeling the ball of energy and extending up to the heavens.
9. Alternate nostril breathing.
10. relaxing on a tropical beach ( 10 minutes)

Om Shanti everyone,

Yoga recap for June 18th.

Yoga recap for June 18th.
Understanding retention, lengthening the exhale, moving energy through the joints.
1. Ratio Breathing begin small with 4.2.8 and increase to 6 in .3 hold. 9 out until you can do 8.4.16 easily without strain. Check your pause.Under 20 seconds…you need to improve your breathing. ( depletion of Co2 in our atmosphere continues and it is vital to our health as it regulates the acid alkali balance) More about this important issue next week.
2. Warm ups.
Cannon ball 3x supine eagle 6x supine tree 3x . V shape legs rocking over into plough if possible 4x. Pendulum swinging both legs 3x
Cross ankles draw knees to armpits 6x. strap work lying on your side.
Bend knees and twist to one side draw opposite arm over. Bridge with facial exercises. End warm ups with skin rolling , ( on buttocks, waist, spine, thighs, calves, arms.)
3.cat poses various with cat relax. 2 minutes.
4.Sphinx to locust to lizard sequence ending with flying fish single repeat.
5.Triangle and forward and back swings. Both sides.
6.Chair work… full tree, back bends, knee bends and full knee stretch.
7.Breath and stretch and exhale to squat, rib breathing 3x, kidney breath 3x
Stuck Energy needs to rotate, spiral, be moved by slapping. Rotate and spiral shoulders 3x slap thighs . kidneys, sternum, shoulders, elbows,wrists and rub finger nails together… stand and feel the energy released.
8.Squats, standing twists, elbows pressed into inner knees and possible clown pose.
9. Crane flying 2 minutes. 10. Pair work, tree, flamingo, back warrior.
Seated. Om MANi Padme Hum. Relaxation 10 minutes.

Strengthening Spine and bones. Recap of yoga lesson June 11th.Strengthening Spine and bones. Recap of yoga lesson June 11th.

Strengthening Spine and bones. Recap of yoga lesson June 11th. Bone marrow breathing uses visualisation of pumping gold/ golden light into the crystalline structure of the bones. (Begin with each finger in turn, palms facing up, and infuse the cells with qi, pumping in light energy where the red cells are produced, let the mind carry the qi through the structure of the arms, shoulders, collar bone, down through the sternum spreading to the rib cage letting them soak up the life energy. Swirling down the spine, through the tail bone,lower legs and feet. Rest in the sensation of the bones of the whole body filled with the swirling golden light.)

Warm ups. In each of the following poses ask yourself ‘what is the spine doing here?’ The answer should be extending , lengthening, creating space between bone structure of the entire body) 1)Cannon ball 3x ,2) supine hero 2x, Supine archer 2x and supine eagle 2x. 3)stretch and tone legs lying on your side using the strap. 4) , Knees to armpits. 3x. 5)Bum lift 5x. 6)Crocodile stretch 2x both sides.7)Banana stretch 2x both sides 8) Bridge easy posture wih facial exercises ( Owl, goldfish, giraffe,puffer fish, lion).9) End with massage using soft rubber balls.

Seated. Open chest breathing, head rolls, rib cage extensionbreath and kidneys extensionbreath, with kidney massage.

Wrist work. Rotations,wrist stretches, acupressure points massaged. Backs of wrists rotations, heel of hand pressures in cat pose and heel of hand pressure using window ledges.

Water wheels bringing Qi through the spine.

4x Tortoise stretching the spine. 3x. Hawk flying stretches each side and gate stretches each side. Simple classic twist each side. hero twist with mantra Om Mani Padme Hum.

Chair work to stretch lower spine. Leg stretch toe to hand in pairs. And cobra back stretch in pairs.

Standing. Sun Salute each side. Standing twist each side.

Swinging warrior forward and back warrior 3x.

Rainbow breathing each side. Fair lady 2x each side.

Moon over water 3x each side. Bring energy down with Jack in a box

Seated. End with Sitali breathing.

Relaxation 10minutes Journey to see a wise man.

Opening up to Inner Intelligence. Recap of yoga lesson June 4th

Opening up to Inner Intelligence. Recap of yoga lesson June 4th
Listening to the wisdom of the body and engaging with the breath, is what we learn to do in yoga. But it is important to let go of all struggle and rest in that innate Open Intelligence which we all have access to if we can stop thinking just for a moment , let go and be at peace. One way to relax completely into that wide open space is to just gently follow the passage of the breath in the microcosmic orbit as the breath circulates all our energy centres.
( You should have a handout of the microcosmic orbit please let me know if not)
Stretch and do ratio breathing 3x
Warm ups.
Rock and Roll 3x
Side stretches. Raise both feet together, single leg, turning heel stretch. 3x each. Toe stretch and Maltese cross using straps. 2x each side.
Supine tree. Gyrate both legs separately and then both together.
Supine archer. Table 5 x Bridges various.
SEATED.
Shoulder stretches, back stretch. Rooster with hands interlocked and revolving.6 x
Cats, tiger, stretch into cat relax both sides.
Moon prayer to (half moon posture) repeat on the other side.
Cobra and pair cobra easing partner into back stretch from cobra.
Mountain climbing in plank running the knees into the chest. 6x
Shoulder qissage with partner on the acupressure points only.
STANDING.
1) Knocking on the Door of Life, hips, Solar plexus, lungs, shoulders.
2) Spinal breathing with Ha expulsionbreath.
3) Qi massage on kidneys using fists, slapping with flat of hand,fists on groin and flat of hand on knees, ending with nerve charging breath . (work with a partner.)
4) Warrior to Archer. 5) Flow and forward bend.6) Rishi posture and massage calves and third mile point.7) Further calves strengthening using a chair. 8 ) standing twists 9) swinging chair into side twists..
Pair work …gate standing and sitting, back warrior.
Seated. Sitali breathing 5 minutes.
Relax by a forest pool 10 minutes.
Om Shanti
Margaret.