Yoga recap June 25th
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.
- Always use diaphragmatic breathing in your session and at all times.
- 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.
- Nose breathe at all times.
- 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.
- Qi gong exercise feeling the ball of energy and extending up to the heavens.
- Alternate nostril breathing.
- relaxing on a tropical beach ( 10 minutes)
Om Shanti everyone,
Margaret Gill 