Now more than ever it is important to look after your immune system and your mental, physical and emotional health. YOGA has been helping people do just this for over 5,000 years, so there must be something in it that works!
I wanted to share some very simple techniques with you. The simple things are often the best because you are more likely to do them more often, and so get the benefit. These particular YOGA techniques are ok for anyone to use, including pregnant women.
I have been practicing Yoga for nearly 40 years and teaching DRU yoga since 2008. I began learning YogaBirth Pregnancy Yoga in 2013 and qualified after extensive training in 2016.
For any questions on the information in this blog then please email drjones@paradiseclinic.co.uk or text 07896047660.
For more information about my classes and one to ones on this website click here for DRU Yoga for all ages and abilities or for YogaBirth Pregnancy yoga. If you want more YogaBites. Just follow my FaceBook page @Paradise ClinicAberdeenshire
Thank you and enjoy.
Melanie
If it's all "a bit much" or you are trying to work from home try this Yoga technique for a few minutes…
YogaBite. Little Gem No1. Posted @ParadiseClinicAberdeenshire
Sit or stand. Place your right-hand palm on your heart and your left palm below your belly button. Close eyes. Breathe in Peace, Breathe out Calm.
p.s. if thinking of these words when breathing in and out "doesn't do it for you" then substitute others e.g. balance. Or perhaps just focus on the breath in, and out, and feel the calm descend on you.
How can this simple technique be of any use?
Well if we just follow our breathing pattern and simply observe the breath it will self-regulate and become longer and deeper, once the relaxation response is triggered in the brain by our natural, relaxed, breathing pattern then your brain should flood your system with stress relieving hormones and you feel great. Theoretically, if we reduce adrenaline and cortisol in our system then our immune response has a better chance to work.
Any questions email drjones@paradiseclinic.co.uk or text 07896047660. For more information click here DRU Yoga for all ages and abilities or YogaBirth Pregnancy yoga on this website. If you want more YogaBites. Just follow my FB page @Paradise Clinic Aberdeenshire
Hopefully you have been able to put into practice and use Gem No.1? It is also very easy to teach young children and teenagers if required!
Add The Alignment Breath to your YogaBites toolkit. This breathing technique can be done sitting, standing or lying down.
Breathe in and visualise the breath flowing up from the soles of the feet to your heart. As you breathe out visualise the breath flowing from your heart up to and out of the crown of your head.
If you are sitting in a chair or standing then you can also feel a connection between the soles of your feet and imagine fresh energy flowing up your legs, spine to your heart area as you breathe in, and up past the crown of your head as you breathe out. Anything you want to let go of such as any negative thoughts or anxiety let them float out the crown of your head.
If you just need to calm your mind and your thoughts and focus on a task in front of you The Alignment Breath is a great mind anchor. Also great if you are feeling a bit annoyed or distracted.
I couldn't fit all this into the @ParadiseClinicAberdeenshire facebook page so here's an extra part which then turns this technique into the Heaven and Earth Breath.
Breathe in and visualise the breath flowing up from the earth through the soles of the feet to your heart. As you breathe out visualise the breath flowing from your heart up to and out of the crown of your head towards the heavens or sky. Breathe in and visualise the breath flowing down from the heavens to your heart. As you breathe out visualise the breath flowing from your heart down to the earth. Repeat....
You will find you take in more oxygen as your breath naturally lengthens and deepens into the diaphragm, rib cage at your sides and under your shoulders. Again no force is required, just awareness of the breath....And enjoy.......
Combine it with YogaBites Gem No1 for even more effect.
Savitri Pranayama
In times of anxiety, stress and fear sometimes seem to take over. The best favour we can do ourselves is to calm our nervous system.
Savitri Pranayama is a breathing technique to let the body take slow rhythmic breaths and has been in use for 1000's of years.
There are now lots of variations, so best to keep it simple and start with observing your normal in-breath. If you feel light-headed at any point go back to normal breathing.
The Savitri breath can be done sitting, standing or lying down and you may want to close your eyes if it is safe to do so.
Ask yourself; when you inhale is it 3, 4, or more seconds? Whatever the number breathe IN for that number of breaths.
When you exhale is it 3, 4, or more seconds? Whatever the number breathe OUT for that number of breaths.
Once you are happy with this cycle of breathing bring a pause for the same number of counts between the in and the out-breath and then between the out-breath and the in-breath. If you have a heart condition then best to breathe without the longer pause for breath
Once you are happy with this technique you can try breathing in for your chosen count and then breathe out for a second longer.
There is also a variation where you breathe in for a shorter time than you breathe out.
This breath aims to relax your diaphragm and your nervous system.
The body gradually lengthens the out-breath.
Enjoy!
