It has been a dreadfully long time since I updated this. I have been working on all sorts of things - including the incorporation of Pilates into both my practice and teaching and considering training as a Pilates teacher as well as a yoga teacher. But for now I thought it was time I put some of the postures I have been writing about together in another sequence.
Once again we'll begin lying down; knees bent, feet on the floor with the heels in line with the sit bones. Place one hand on the chest and one hand on the lower belly and observe the breath and the movement of the breath under the hands for a few moments until the breath has become steady soft and even. You can then hug the knees to the chest and rock on the back in any way that feels good for you. Finish up the centreing part of the practice with any sort of supine twist that is approriate for you. Then come onto the right hand side and come to sitting back on the heels towards the back of the mat.
Time for the surya namaska variation from my post dated 20 January 2009. Take 3-5 rounds, moving slowly with the rhythm of the breath. Finish sitting back on the heels and take a couple of conscious breaths before coming to standing.
Virabhdrasana 1 - use the practice from my post dated 13 January 2009 and repeat 3-5 times on each side.
Parsvokonasana modification - from my post dated 1 April 2009. Repeat 5 times to each side slowly with the rhythm of the breath and then hold for five breaths. Remember that this is the peak of the practice -- the central pose we have been working towards so take it slowly with inner awareness.
Padottanasana variation - from my post dated 6 May 2009.
Step back to standing towards the back of the mat in tadasana, taking a few conscious breaths before coming down to kneeling.
One more round of modified surya namaska - holding the downward dog for five breaths.
Come into savasana for a few moments
Finish the practice with some gentle pranayama. I advise 6 rounds of alternate nostril breathing with a 1:1 ratio.
I will write more on pranayama very very soon :-)
Showing posts with label breathing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breathing. Show all posts
Monday, 29 June 2009
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Padottanasana
Like standing forward bends, here is a pose that people with scoliosis can find difficult. In fact, this is a pose that anyone with tight hamstrings find difficult.
Like all yoga asana the trick is in getting the posture correct from the feet up right from the start.
Beginning with the feet wide, the pelvis square and the hands on the hips, draw the attention to the soles of the feet. Be aware of the four corners of the foot (big toe joint, little toe joint, outside heel, inside heel) and draw down with those four corners whilst lifting the arches of the feet. With the legs wide it is very easy to roll into the arches so make sure you are lifting them from the get go!
Lift the toes and place them back down gently on to the mat. This ensure the toes are soft and not gripping onto the floor.
Now to me Paddotanasana is a posture to stretch out the back of the body after poses such as Trikonasana and Parsvakonasana. It is a hamstring stretch as well but for people with scoliosis and/or tight hamstrings, there is no need to push the posture.
So from your grounded standing position with the hands on the hips, exhale and begin to hinge forwards from the hips until the body is parallel with the floor - ie, coming to a flat back position rather than drawing the crown of the head towards the floor. Make sure the feet stay grounded and the weight is evenly distributed through the heels and balls of the feet. Feel as though you are tucking your tail bone under and drawing the crown of the head towards the wall in front of you. Your gaze should be towards the floor, chin slightly tucked in and back of the neck long.
Inhale back up to standing.
Repeat five times.
On the final one you can hold the posture, draw the navel in towards the spine and hold for five breaths, coming up on an inhale.
Step the feet together and bring the hands into prayer position in front of the chest.
Namaste Yogis :-)
Like all yoga asana the trick is in getting the posture correct from the feet up right from the start.
Beginning with the feet wide, the pelvis square and the hands on the hips, draw the attention to the soles of the feet. Be aware of the four corners of the foot (big toe joint, little toe joint, outside heel, inside heel) and draw down with those four corners whilst lifting the arches of the feet. With the legs wide it is very easy to roll into the arches so make sure you are lifting them from the get go!
Lift the toes and place them back down gently on to the mat. This ensure the toes are soft and not gripping onto the floor.
Now to me Paddotanasana is a posture to stretch out the back of the body after poses such as Trikonasana and Parsvakonasana. It is a hamstring stretch as well but for people with scoliosis and/or tight hamstrings, there is no need to push the posture.
So from your grounded standing position with the hands on the hips, exhale and begin to hinge forwards from the hips until the body is parallel with the floor - ie, coming to a flat back position rather than drawing the crown of the head towards the floor. Make sure the feet stay grounded and the weight is evenly distributed through the heels and balls of the feet. Feel as though you are tucking your tail bone under and drawing the crown of the head towards the wall in front of you. Your gaze should be towards the floor, chin slightly tucked in and back of the neck long.
Inhale back up to standing.
Repeat five times.
On the final one you can hold the posture, draw the navel in towards the spine and hold for five breaths, coming up on an inhale.
Step the feet together and bring the hands into prayer position in front of the chest.
Namaste Yogis :-)
Thursday, 27 March 2008
Soft belly, soft face
We're a nation of chest breathers. Like it or not, know what I'm talking about or not, it's probably true!
Take a look and see; sit comfortably and connect with the breath, try to make the inhale and the exhale as even and steady and smooth as possible, take as long as you need. Now, place one hand on the lower belly and one on the chest and begin to feel a connection between these two points of the body, connecting them with the rhythm of the breath. Finally, bring the awareness to the movement of the two hands. Is the lower hand moving more than the upper; or is the hand on the chest moving more than the hand on the belly? If the latter, you like so many, are a chest breather.
I used to commit this terrible crime to my breath, breathing in short shallow bursts no deeper than the tops of my lungs. It's common in sufferers of scoliosis -- our lowered thoracic capacity coupled with the tension in our shoulders and upper backs from the pain brings it on. But it's not just scoliosis that is responsible for breathing into the chest. We all carry so much tension in our upper bodies; necks and shoulders especially and we're all in such a rush to go anywhere that we breath short, sharp breaths -- just enough to give our bodies the oxygen they need to get through the day. But it's never quite enough and the lack of oxygen brings on tiredness, headaches, irritablity and exacerbates that stress in the shoulders and neck. Phew! And all we need to do is take a little time each day to be aware of our breath, be aware of what it is doing, and let that belly be soft!
Flat bellies eh? Overrated. Yes, yes I know, tight abs are meant to look good, and if you've not got them hold them in with miracle pants. But who says that this looks good? While I'm not advocating fat bellies I am advocating loosening the belt, throwing out the miracle pants, giving up on the ab crunches and forgetting the six pack. It's deep transversus abdominal stength that matters, not surface hardness -- surface hardness merely stops us breathing fully into the belly and deep transversus abdominal strength is helped by deep breathing.
To breath fully we need to engage the diaphragm. This membrane that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity moves up and down on the exhale and inhale. As you inhale fully the diaphragm pushes down on the abdominal organs and the soft belly expands, as you exhale the reverse happens and the belly contracts slightly again. When the belly is moving more than the chest, the diaphragm is working, the breath is more full and you'll be surprised how much calmer and more refreshed this can make you feel.
It takes time and a little effort to break down old breathing habits. It needs 10-15 minutes a day set aside to work with the breath. The most effective practice I have ever found is lying on the floor on your back, the knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hands resting lightly on the lower belly feeling the movements. Try to keep the inhale and exhale the same length and slowly slowly with practice start to relax that belly.
And the best way to relax the lower abdomen enough to allow the diaphragm to work to its full potential is to relax tension elsewhere in the body, especially the face. Let go of the tension in the teeth, jaw, tongue, eyes and the point between the eyebrows. Soft face, soft belly.... and enjoy breathing again!
Take a look and see; sit comfortably and connect with the breath, try to make the inhale and the exhale as even and steady and smooth as possible, take as long as you need. Now, place one hand on the lower belly and one on the chest and begin to feel a connection between these two points of the body, connecting them with the rhythm of the breath. Finally, bring the awareness to the movement of the two hands. Is the lower hand moving more than the upper; or is the hand on the chest moving more than the hand on the belly? If the latter, you like so many, are a chest breather.
I used to commit this terrible crime to my breath, breathing in short shallow bursts no deeper than the tops of my lungs. It's common in sufferers of scoliosis -- our lowered thoracic capacity coupled with the tension in our shoulders and upper backs from the pain brings it on. But it's not just scoliosis that is responsible for breathing into the chest. We all carry so much tension in our upper bodies; necks and shoulders especially and we're all in such a rush to go anywhere that we breath short, sharp breaths -- just enough to give our bodies the oxygen they need to get through the day. But it's never quite enough and the lack of oxygen brings on tiredness, headaches, irritablity and exacerbates that stress in the shoulders and neck. Phew! And all we need to do is take a little time each day to be aware of our breath, be aware of what it is doing, and let that belly be soft!
Flat bellies eh? Overrated. Yes, yes I know, tight abs are meant to look good, and if you've not got them hold them in with miracle pants. But who says that this looks good? While I'm not advocating fat bellies I am advocating loosening the belt, throwing out the miracle pants, giving up on the ab crunches and forgetting the six pack. It's deep transversus abdominal stength that matters, not surface hardness -- surface hardness merely stops us breathing fully into the belly and deep transversus abdominal strength is helped by deep breathing.
To breath fully we need to engage the diaphragm. This membrane that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity moves up and down on the exhale and inhale. As you inhale fully the diaphragm pushes down on the abdominal organs and the soft belly expands, as you exhale the reverse happens and the belly contracts slightly again. When the belly is moving more than the chest, the diaphragm is working, the breath is more full and you'll be surprised how much calmer and more refreshed this can make you feel.
It takes time and a little effort to break down old breathing habits. It needs 10-15 minutes a day set aside to work with the breath. The most effective practice I have ever found is lying on the floor on your back, the knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hands resting lightly on the lower belly feeling the movements. Try to keep the inhale and exhale the same length and slowly slowly with practice start to relax that belly.
And the best way to relax the lower abdomen enough to allow the diaphragm to work to its full potential is to relax tension elsewhere in the body, especially the face. Let go of the tension in the teeth, jaw, tongue, eyes and the point between the eyebrows. Soft face, soft belly.... and enjoy breathing again!
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