DAILY Lie on your back, bend knees, bring feet to buttocks. Make sure feet remain hip width and parallel. Placing a block between the thighs is very helpful. Inhale, curling tailbone up, lifting the spine, and extending it toward the knees. If you feel tight or weak, curl spine and hips up and down gently several times, awakening Kundalini energy asleep in the spine. Once you are fully extended, keep hips high, clasp hands under the back, move shoulders closer. As this is an inversion, keep eyes open. This is an active backbend, energizing, strengthening, invigorating. Backbends increase prana, helping the emotional body with anxiety, and depression. With Bridge, the endocrine and nervous systems are supported, which promotes healthier reproductive organs, and eases issues around elimination, PMS, menopause and menstrual cycles. Do not do backbends with headaches, or nauseas. In this position, the kidneys, a source of vitality, are stimulated as they release from compression, and can be drawn deeper into the abdomen. Since kidneys work with the adrenals, and stagnation, metaphysically, we are supported in releasing what is old, stagnant, and no longer supports life. As A Supported Pose: Use a folding chair, and set up in the same way you did for Viparita Dandasana, with legs through back of chair, and bolster or other support under head and shoulders. With Bridge, add a second chair for your feet as they extend out from back of first chair. As you did in Viparita Dandasana, grab back of chair, and release back until your shoulders and head rest at the same even level on the bolster, or support. Back of chair is under upper back, allowing abdomen to relax and extend. Hold 3-5 minutes, breathing mindfully. To come out of pose, bend knees, place feet on floor, and gently pull… Read more »
Read moreSearch Results for: Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Bridge Pose Lie on your back and bend knees, bringing feet as close to hips as possible.On exhale press feet down and lift or curl tailbone up, lift buttocks, lower then upper back off floor. Keep thighs parallel and feel that you pull knees away from the body, lengthening thighs, and lift pubis toward navel. Clasp hands under back and bring shoulders as close together under you as possible. Keep weight off the neck. As you advance in this pose, try to release any squeezing or tightening of the buttocks. You want to create space in lower spine and tailbone. Keep neck neutral, chin away from breast bone-sternum, rather bring sternum toward chin. Remain and breathe easily as long as you wish. When leaving pose, release hands, and move from top of spine down, tailbone last. In addition to the well known version, you can increase its difficulty by walking feet away from buttocks, and lengthening legs so the body looks like a long, lovely Chinese bridge. Place hands under back hipbones, fingers pointing toward feet, for support. A third version is to lift legs into the air from here, exteding them long and strong out, away from torso. Parsva Sarvangasana– Is when you add side extensions and plane the entire length of torso and legs out, reachint to right then left. Health Notes: As it stretches chest, spine, and possibly the neck, it improves digestion, asthma, relieves menstrual discomfort, reduces anxiety, helps with backache, headache, and insomnia. It stimulates the organs, thyroid, and lungs, calms the brain, which is why sleeping, stress, and high blood pressure are helped.
Read moreHeart Care
Care of the Heart & Cardiovascular System The cardiovascular system includes the heart and blood vessels. There are many forms of dis-ease associated with the heart. It is the number one health problem in the Western world, which makes a loud meta-statement about the state of love, for the heart is the symbol of love and security. Metaphysically heart attacks are invited into a body when the joy is squeezed out. When stress and fear outweigh nurturing and pleasure, the heart hardens. Clearly this is not the place to go into the many serious heart diseases, but it is a good space to create new possibilities of thinking about heart care. It is the perfect time to consider dietary changes, create a different work space, and up-date exercise attitudes. This is the most wonderful moment to call joy, and vibrancy into daily habits and ritual. Of course consult with your physician before taking anything, especially if you have heart and blood issues. Nutrients Important to the Cardiovascular System Coenzyme Q & Germanium improve oxygenation in the tissuesCalcium & Magnesium support the muscular aspect of the heartL Carnitine reduces triglycerides and fats in the bloodLecithin and Vitamin E- Lecithin acts as a fat emulsifier, and E speeds its assimilation.Vitamin E also strengthens the immune system, improves circulation, and destroys free radicals.Primrose oil, or black currant oil, or olive oil are all sources of essential fatty acids that prevent the hardening of the arteries.Fresh lemon juice is a wonderful blood purifier that improves circulation and helps lower high blood pressure. Drink a non-sugared lemonade first thing every morning. If blood pressure is low, drink ginger tea, add ginger to foods, along with the combination of apple cider vinegar, honey, and water, another good low pressure stabilizer. Include lots of garlic, (lowers high… Read more »
Read moreHeadaches
The common, miserable, achy-breaky headache is almost always stress-related. Therefore read notes for Anxiety & Stress as well. Astrologically, headaches come under the rulership of Mercury, thought process, as well as Mars, which rules the head. Mars is a fiery, hard-driving, take no prisoners-planetary energy. Headaches occur more often for Aries and Ayurvedic Pitta types as they tend to have a fierce life force. Headaches are the gift to bring bodies back into balance when over-thinking, over anxiousness, and over-criticalness make us feel less-than, and fearful. I am not addressing migraines here, other than to say that if the fundamental biochemistry of the body can be improved, very often the migraines disappear. Some wonderful work with increasing levels of serotonin, (This is the neurotransmitter that fights pain, by exploring ways and means of expanding blood vessels, has had success. If you are at the mercy of too many headaches, start by changing your diet. Duh. The health of the digestive system leaves you less vulnerable to the ‘Sirene’s call.’ Stabilize blood sugar levels. Low sugar or hypoglycemia triggers migraines in some. Stop and eat if you are getting tired and run down. Don’t eat sugar or caffeine. Eat foods with magnesium, and take vitamin supplements of the same. The magnesium improves the flexibility of blood vessels and supports the function of serotonin receptors. This is particularly important if you do have migraines. Partake of more B’s, especially B2- riboflavin. It mitigates headaches because it facilitates oxygen use by the tissues, especially skin nails and hair. It helps with eye fatigue and helps prevent cataracts, It aids in the metabolism of carbs, fats, and proteins. B2 is found in poultry, spinach, yogurt, asparagus, avocados, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, nuts, eggs, fish, meat, and currants. Sometimes you can abort a headache if you take… Read more »
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