Posts Tagged ‘yoga poses’

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The Need for Yoga in Preschool

Friday, January 27th, 2012

yoga instructor certificationBy Faye Martins 

Yoga is great for people of all different ages, but is it beneficial in a preschool setting? The answer is a resounding yes, and here’s why.

It might be hard to imagine preschoolers successfully performing a discipline like yoga, but with the proper modifications it’s excellent for younger children. Preschoolers often have a hard time focusing during the school day, and this is usually because the child has pent up energy that needs to be spent. Offering yoga in preschool gives children a positive outlet for their physical energy, meaning that they will have improved focus and better behavior when expected to sit quietly and listen during the rest of the day.

In addition, preschoolers are known for having very active imaginations. Many preschool aged children spend their days daydreaming in their own little world. It’s easy for these kids to fall behind their peers in terms of grade level due to simple lack of attention. Imaginative children can be exceptionally bright, but they must learn to focus in order to really let their intelligence shine. For these children, yoga in preschool is a need.

Simple, age appropriate yoga poses teach young children body awareness, and also improve muscle tone and motor skills. Preschoolers are still learning about balance and what their bodies can and cannot do. Yoga supports this type of learning. In addition, the poses in yoga practice have special appeal for young children, who will be delighted to imagine themselves as the animals the poses are named for. This gives a positive creative outlet for a child’s imagination.

Learning how to sit still and focus on breathing, if only for a short span of time, will improve a child’s sense of mindfulness and reflection. Preschoolers easily lose themselves in the emotions and thoughts that they are feeling at the time, and it can be exceptionally hard for them to reset once their minds are on a specific train of thought. Preschoolers who learn how to do simple breathing exercises during a warm up or cool down will likely have an easier time switching gears during the rest of the school day, which is essential for success throughout the school years.

Preschoolers also need structure and routine more than their older counterparts in order to feel safe and secure. Having yoga as a daily part of preschool gives young children a sense of stability, because it’s something they can count on everyday.

The ideal length of a yoga session for preschoolers should be short and sweet, since the attention span of a young child isn’t very long. Fun should always be the primary focus during these workout sessions.

By offering yoga in preschool, schools can give their students a foundation of fitness and flexibility along with improved focus, which leads to greater learning. What could be better than that?

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Teaching Yoga: Demonstrating Yoga Techniques

Friday, January 13th, 2012

yoga teacher training courseBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

The difficulty and complexity of Yoga techniques can range from quite simple to potentially complex. One of the tasks of a Yoga instructor is to simplify the process of executing the postures. It takes a bit of practice to be able to lead the students into a more complex pose or pranayama technique, step-by-step. You want the movements to be smooth and easy, the verbal cues to be concise, and your physical demonstration to be accurate.

When you demonstrate Yoga techniques to your students, it is often beneficial to give a bit of background information, such as the history of the technique, the purpose of a posture, or defining the precision of a pranayama technique. It is also important to let your students know about the benefits of each technique, as well as the potential risks or concerns. When introducing new Yoga poses or pranayama techniques, let the students watch you first, as you verbally explain it. Then, let them try it while giving verbal cues. Practice new Yoga poses a few times before adding them into a specific sequence or flow of poses.

Liability is part of the responsibility of being a Yoga instructor. In order to make sure each of your students is safe, you must know your students. Yoga teachers need to be aware if a student has a health problem, injury, or some other area of concern. When you know your students, you can give specific advice, props, and modifications to them for postures that may pose a risk. It is also beneficial to break down more complex Yoga poses into steps. Demonstrate each step, and how to progress to the next step, until the posture is complete.

Make sure you are easily visible to all of your students. This can pose a challenge when you are teaching a large class, with limited space. When the instructor is at the front of the room, facing the students, this could limit visibility for students on the fringe of the class, or students in the back. Avoid potential problems by setting up the class in a way where mats are staggered, or by forming a semi-circle around you. Be aware of the students who might not have the best visibility, and communicate with them to make sure they are with you during the entire class. You might also change the position of your mat from time to time, if it will give the students a better view of the pose.

Demonstrating can also be difficult, when you are walking around the room making physical assists and adjustments. When you are walking around the room, there are times, when it is best to briefly demonstrate in an area where students who do not usually have the best angle can see you. As your Yoga classes expand in size, it is wise to have other teachers in the room to help with adjustments. This extra attention from an assistant provides each Yoga student the optimum learning experience.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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A Sample Yoga Class Sequence for Children

Sunday, January 8th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Faye Martins

Children’s yoga classes are a wonderful way to introduce kids to yoga poses, breathing, and philosophies. Classes can easily be modified to suit many different ages, from babies to tweens. Children can begin to feel the positive results of a yoga class, making them more likely to choose yoga as a lifelong activity. There are many different ways to keep children engaged and interested in the class. Yoga instructors can build a class around an animal theme, encouraging the children to voice animal sounds, make a game out of the poses, or create an interactive story with yoga poses incorporated throughout.

Always begin with a warm-up to get the blood flowing throughout the entire body, and to focus the mind. Develop the warm-up sequence based on the age of the children. For example, toddlers will need a series of quick, active poses. Ask them to take one or two deep breaths in, filling up their bellies like balloons, then push the air out. Older students can spend a few more minutes with focused breathing. Teach them one technique each class, such as Alternate Nostril Breathing, Lion’s Breath, or Ocean Breath. To encourage body- and self-awareness, ask children to feel the air filling up their lungs as they pull it into their body, and to feel it escaping as they push it out.

After breathing, warm up the body with a variation of the sun salutation, forward bend, or another pose that incorporates the entire body. Then you can progress to the next series of poses beginning from a seated position. Begin with the Butterfly, Cobra, Head-to-Knee, Cat-Cow, or the Bridge. Choose poses that flow easily from one to the next. After the seated poses, move to standing poses like Tree, Downward Dog, Mountain, Triangle, or Warrior.

If possible, incorporate some movement around the room during the middle of the series. Children can go from mat to mat, performing a designated pose; or play a game of “Freeze,” where they can dance around the room until the music stops, then freeze in a chosen pose until the music begins again. Keep children engaged, changing the routine as necessary if they become disinterested.

Conclude with a few relaxing floor poses, which allow kids to still the mind and the body. Corpse pose is a classic end-of-class pose. Instructors can lead the class in a visualization exercise, asking children to visualize their favorite place, a particular color, or a person they would like to send positive energy to.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Yoga Poses for Snowboarders: Warming Up for the Day

Thursday, January 5th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Kimaya Singh

Practicing Yoga poses before a great day of snowboarding is important in order to warm-up all of your muscles and ligaments and to prevent injury. Snowboarding takes a great deal of balance and muscular strength. It also requires an ability to modify your snowboarding technique depending on the snow conditions and terrain. There are a number of effective and challenging Yoga poses that will help you to warm-up for the day. Before practicing specific Yoga asanas, it is advisable to begin with five to ten rounds of complete Sun Salutations. Sun Salutations help to warm-up all of the major muscle groups in the body, increase circulation and invigorate your entire body in preparation for a challenging day on the slopes.

Your snowboarding skill level does not ameliorate the need to keep your body strong and flexible so that you can take the turns to the best of your ability. Eagle Pose or Garudasana is an effective and fun Yoga pose for stretching out the shoulders, arms, upper back, neck and side torso. It also helps to hone your balancing skills, which are critical for snowboarding. Crane Pose or Bakasana strengthens and tones the abdominal muscles and the arms. It also stretches out your lower back. In addition, Crane Pose helps to develop and enhance a central point of balance in a position close to the floor that is similar to a crouching position on a snowboard.

Garudasana or Eagle Pose

To practice Garudasana, begin by warming up with several rounds of Sun Salutations. After you have warmed up, come to Mountain Pose at the front end of your Yoga mat. Pause for a moment and feel your balance. With you next inhale, raise your right foot and place it above your left knee then hook your right toes behind your left ankle or calf. Take your right arm and wind it under your left arm. Press your palms flush against each other in prayer position. Keep your arms at shoulder height and directly in front of you. Feel the stretch through your arms, neck and shoulder.

As you continue to breath, feel the rooting of your left foot into the floor. When you are ready, you can lean forward over the end of your Yoga mat and “fly” like an Eagle. This is a great posture for practicing balancing skills. This Yoga posture will also strengthen your quadriceps. To come out of the pose, with your next exhale unwrap your arms and legs and come back to Mountain Pose at the top of your mat. Repeat on the other side.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Yoga Poses to Impress

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Jenny Park

Let’s face it; some of us practice asanas for vanity’s sake. Maybe you want to impress this guy or girl who you see walking on the beach every morning. You can’t seem to find a way to strike up a conversation, but if you expose your interest in yoga, your potential relationship could go well.

Yoga postures, when practiced regularly, offer a myriad of health benefits. It can improve flexibility and stress levels, oxygenate the blood and it has been practiced for over 5,000 years. All of these aspects of yoga posture are important, but sometimes, one simply needs to ask: which yoga poses will make me look most attractive while done on a beach?

If you are looking for yoga asanas to impress others, start with positioning. Choose a spot that is out of the tidal zone if the tide is coming in, and stay out of the path of joggers. Facing out to sea is calming and presents a good visual frame for your yoga poses. Wear close-fitting clothes that don’t become transparent when damp.

Once you have selected your location, it is time to consider which yoga asanas will be most effective. Choose yoga poses in which you are confident- falling over ruins the effects. Avoid folding into forward bends, as they make the face turn red and leave the behind sticking up in the air. Poses like Garudasana or Eagle Pose contort the body and may be suggestive of needing to visit the facilities. Arm balances and headstands can be unstable when done on sand or on an incline, so proceed only with caution.

Starting in Tadasana, or Mountain Pose or Urdhva Hastasana or Upward Salute gives an air of calm and strength. Upward Salute is also known as the Palm Tree Pose, making it ideal for a beach location. For women, Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, or Bridge Pose, or Ustrasana, or Camel Pose is an excellent heart opener and provides a great silhouette. Men can try Virabhadrasana II or Warrior II Pose for a manly presence. Utthita Trikonasana, or Extended Triangle Pose, lengthens the limbs and looks attractive on both sexes.

To invite a friendly conversation at the end of yoga practice, try seated poses. Sukhasana or Easy Pose, or Padmasana or Lotus Pose are non-threatening and allow the breath to stabilize, this is all the better to discuss the sunrise with other beach visitors. If your sequence impresses others, you may be on your way to a joint Savasana or a future meeting in a yoga studio later.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Yoga Poses to Release Tension in the Hips

Saturday, December 24th, 2011

yoga teacher trainingBy Faye Martins

The hips hold a tremendous amount of tension. Yoga poses for muscular tension in the hip area also reduce lower back tension. When our lower backs are tense, our neck and shoulder areas also become tense, and our alignment is not optimally supported. Yoga poses that release tension in the hip area help to increase energy by increasing the flow of life force energy throughout the entire body. A flexible hip area also helps to support correct postural alignment. Some of the most effective hip opening postures are Pigeon Pose and Fire Log Pose.

Pigeon Pose

To practice Pigeon Pose: warm-up first with a few rounds of Sun Salutations. When you are adequately warmed-up, come to Mountain Pose or Tadasana at the top of your Yoga mat. Take one complete Yogic breath. On your next inhale, raise your arms overhead and complete a Sun Salutation vinyasa pausing in Downward Facing Dog. From Downward Facing Dog, raise your right leg behind you to hip height with your toes pointing towards the floor. With your next inhale; gently but firmly swing your right leg up to the front of your mat. Softly lower yourself down as you place the outside of your right shin 45 to 90 degrees to the left leg, while it rests on top  of your Yoga mat.

If your level of flexibility does not allow you to place your shin perpendicular to the top of your mat, place your shin at a comfortable angle for you today. With your next exhale; bend forward over your right shin until you feel a nice stretch in your hip area. To increase the intensity of Pigeon Pose, place your hands in the front left section of your Yoga mat with your arms fully extended. This diagonal placement will also stretch the side right torso and increase the stretch in your right hip. To come out of the asana, inhale and release the posture flowing smoothly back into Downward Facing Dog. Hold Downward Facing Dog for three complete Yogic breaths and repeat Pigeon Pose on the left side.

Fire Log Pose

Fire Log Pose mimics the placement of two logs on top of each other. In this case, the logs are your lower legs. From Downward Facing Dog come to a sitting position on your Yoga mat. Bend your right leg in so that it is perpendicular to the top of your mat. Next, bend your left leg and place it squarely on top of your right leg with your left foot resting on your right knee. Take one complete Yogic breath and with your next exhale, bend forward gently until you feel a good stretch in your right hip. Hold for three to five breaths. To release the pose, slowly come up and stretch your legs out in front of you. Repeat on the left side.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Drishti for Concentration during Yoga Poses

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

yoga teacher distance learningBy Faye Martins

In Yoga classes, we often hear instructions about where to focus our drishti or gaze while doing Yoga postures. A Yoga practitioner or a new Yoga teacher might wonder how the focus of our drishti impacts our levels of power and concentration when we are practicing Yoga asanas. When our gaze is not focused in any particular direction or point, our level of concentration may be diminished. As a practitioner’s level of concentration is diminished, so is the ability to hold the pose and derive the most benefit from it.

It is frequently the experience of many Yoga students and teachers that where our gaze goes, so does our mind. If we are practicing a balancing posture such as Tree Pose or Eagle Pose, an unfocused gaze and a wandering mind will negatively impact our ability to successfully hold the posture. If you have ever played tennis or golf, the effect is similar in these athletic endeavors. The tennis ball usually goes where you are looking, even if you intend for it to go elsewhere! The trajectory of a golf ball will also follow the arc of your gaze.

In order to maintain your levels of power, concentration and the internal integrity of the Yoga postures, incorporating the practice of focusing your drishti on a prescribed point will amplify your level of concentration and your ability to unwaveringly hold the posture. Let’s take the example of Warrior III Pose. This pose is also known as Flying Warrior. To practice this posture, a Yoga student usually links together Warrior I and Warrior II. From Warrior II, he or she leans over the front foot, lifting the other foot off the floor while extending his or her arms out over the end of the front of the Yoga mat and perpendicular to the floor. Of course, balancing on one foot for any length of time is challenging.

If a Yoga student focuses his or her gaze approximately six inches in front of the standing leg on a spot on the floor, and holds his or her gaze steady on this spot while practicing the posture, the Yoga student’s ability to concentrate, focus and balance on one foot will be greatly enhanced. Many Yoga poses offer optimal benefits if the poses are held for three to five breaths. Sometimes the poses are held for even longer periods of time. Practicing the recommended drishti or gaze while engaging in Yoga asana practice will increase your levels of power and concentration as well as your ability to stay in the postures for an ample enough amount of time to gain the benefits of the asana.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Yoga Poses to Cultivate Compassion during the Holidays

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

yoga teacher trainingBy Kimaya Singh 

The holiday season is a time when we are all asked to be compassionate. Compassion may come in the form of financial donations to organizations or individuals in need, or it may come in the form of volunteer work to support those organizations. Compassion is defined as the awareness of other’s distress along with the deep desire to alleviate that distress. Compassion may be self-directed, or it may be other-directed. Compassion may also be directed towards other animal species, plants and the earth. If we are very judgmental or critical of ourselves, we will have difficulty feeling compassion for ourselves and may even have difficulty feeling compassion for others.

Yoga poses that open up the heart area help to cultivate a deep sense of compassion for others and us. Practicing a brief period of meditation focused on compassion after practicing Yoga asanas that stimulate and open the heart region will help to solidify this awareness. In the past few years, researchers have been able to pinpoint the beneficial consequences of nurturing compassionate thoughts through magnetic resonance imaging devices of the brain. Not only is a feeling of compassion beneficial to others, it also helps to positively balance our own brain chemistry and prevent depression. Additionally, researchers have found that compassionate thoughts and actions actually improve the functioning of our neurological and endocrine systems. Scientists found that participants in a mindfulness meditation program study focused on compassion were less reactive to stress and were better able to handle emotionally upsetting situations.

Yoga poses that make us feel better overall will help us to feel less irritable and more compassionate. Slowing down to do a full Yoga practice will also give a Yogi or Yogini the time to think about others. In Buddhist traditions, the fruits of spiritual practice are frequently offered up as a gift for all sentient beings. Offering the well being, health and happiness of your practice up to others is a great way to increase your feelings of compassion. A wonderful Yoga asana for cultivating compassion during the holiday season is a heart-centered Shavasana or Corpse Pose. As you lie in Shavasana, place your hands over your heart. Think of a Yoga pose that was particularly difficult for you today. See yourself striving to do the pose well and possibly failing. Feel great compassion for yourself as you remember how hard you tried to perform the Yoga asana. Send loving energy into your heart chakra with wisdom, tenderness and compassion.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Yoga Poses for Forgiveness during the Holidays

Monday, December 12th, 2011

become a yoga teacherBy Sangeetha Saran

There are a number of Yoga poses that will allow you to release pent-up anger, grief and jealousy, which will allow you to forgive your transgressors. We often hold painful and difficult experiences in our bodies and minds long past the time of their occurrence. This pain, trauma and negativity affects our physical and mental health negatively. Although many people believe that forgiving others for their hurtful, selfish or inconsiderate behavior is letting them off the hook, it actually frees us up from holding onto those negative thoughts and emotions. The holiday season can be a time of great celebration and exuberance. It can also be a time that reminds us of the loss of people we loved, betrayal by those closest to us, or any number of other painful experiences.

Yoga poses that help us to release this negativity will help to support our ability to forgive ourselves and others. Depending on our individual temperaments, we may hold anger, grief and loss in different areas of our bodies. Often, sadness and grief are evident in a collapsed chest cavity. Sexual betrayal or abuse frequently resides in the hips. Somatized anger is often held in the shoulder and neck regions of the body. Yoga poses that release tension in these areas will also provide us with the opportunity to release these toxic emotions and fill our being with the freedom of forgiveness. Fire Log Pose is a wonderful Yoga asana for releasing deep-seated tension in the hips.

Fire Log Pose

To practice Fire Log Pose, it is advisable to warm-up first with a series of Sun Salutations and standing Yoga poses. After you are warmed up, come to a seated position on your mat. You may wish to sit on a blanket for added support and comfort. When you are ready, bend your right leg in and place your shin perpendicular to the front of your Yoga mat. Place your left foot and lower leg directly on top of your right lower leg. Take a few deep breaths and feel the state of your body today. With your next exhale, slowly bend forward over your legs. Stop when you feel a good stretch. Hold this pose for several breaths. When you are ready, come up with your next inhale and repeat on the other side. After you have completed your practice of the posture, sit quietly and breathe into any residual tension. Release the tension each time you exhale.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Yoga Poses to Foster Generosity during the Holiday Season

Saturday, December 10th, 2011

yoga certificationBy Sangeetha Saran

The holiday season can be a season of joy, abundance, love and laughter. It can also be a season that is quite difficult for many people. Fostering a spirit of generosity in ourselves can allow us to love and serve others in need during the holidays. Feeling generous is a feeling of expansiveness, well-being and safety. If we practice Yoga asanas that cultivate these feelings, we will be better able to be generous to ourselves and others as we celebrate the return of the light during the depths of winter. Metaphorically, we can be the light in a time of darkness for others during this beautiful season.

Generosity is defined as the magnanimous act of giving to others freely and without expectation of any kind. In Yogic terms, this act of giving to others is known as seva or selfless service. When we serve God through serving our teacher or Guru, we offer our time, energy, talents and money to the areas of the organization or individuals that need our support. The same is true outside of the context of an ashram or monastery. During the holiday season, we are often asked to support and help others that may be less fortunate than ourselves. If we have the energy, well-being and resources to contribute to others, we are much more able to be generous during this season.

Practicing Yoga asanas, pranayama exercises and periods of meditation will help to keep a Yogi or Yogini feeling healthy and balanced. This feeling of well-being will allow a Yoga practitioner to be kind and generous. A practical rule of thumb for giving to others is to make sure that you have taken care of your own needs first. In terms of Yoga, this means doing your practice regularly. Ultimately, all Yoga postures will foster generosity because practicing the poses keeps us feeling well. A closed heart usually comes with a contracted heart region. Back bending Yoga postures that open the heart will help to stimulate and nourish generous feelings and well-being. Camel Pose is a powerful back bend for opening up the heart, throat, pelvic and quadricep areas.

Camel Pose

To practice Camel Pose, kneel comfortably on your Yoga mat. Come to you knees with your legs hips’ distance apart. Place your hands on your sacrum with your fingers pointing up. Take one full breath and with your next exhale bend slowly backwards against your hands. Go as far as you are comfortable. If you have any neck issues, keep your head straight up. Otherwise, you may bend your head backwards as well. Hold for several breaths. With your next inhale, come up slowly and rest in Extended Child’s Pose. Repeat two more times. Finish in Extended Child’s Pose in order to stretch out your lower back.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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