27 Sep '18
History Of Yoga
Yoga is the marriage between the breath and the body. Yoga asana is a practice handed down for thousands of years, originating from the Vedas, the oldest religious texts of the Hindus. Pranayama is the life-giving energy that flows through us all, transcending the human body and connecting with the divine. B.K.S. Iyengar's Light on Yoga is a fundamental text on the spiritual connection between yoga, the divine, and the human experience. Each pose is designed to connect humans with universal life-giving energy. Some poses are designed to energize, while others are for grounding. Yoga pairs with kundalini as it unblocks chakras, muscle pains, emotional traumas, and other emotional, spiritual, and physical states of being. To honor the end of National Yoga Month, we spent the day with yogini Mikaela as she showed us her favorite poses for living the most fulfilling and vital life.
Camel Pose: Ustrasana
- Beneficial for respiratory ailments
- Mild backache
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Menstrual discomfort
Benefits:
- Stretches the entire front of the body, the ankles, thighs and groins, abdomen and chest, and throat.
- Stretches the deep hip flexors (psoas).
- Strengthens back muscles.
- Improves posture.
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Stimulates the organs of the abdomen and neck.
Reverse Warrior: Pārśva Vīrabhadrāsana
Benefits:
- Strengthens and stretches the legs, knees, and ankles.
- Stretches the groin, spine, waist, chest, lungs, and shoulders.
- Stimulates abdominal organs. Increases stamina.
- Relieves backaches, especially through second trimester of pregnancy.
- Therapeutic for carpal tunnel syndrome, flat feet, infertility, osteoporosis, and sciatica.
Reverse Prayer Pose: Pranamasana
Prayer pose is a centering pose in yoga often used as a routine part of the sun salutation series or as a transitional pose between other standing poses. This pose is often used at the beginning and/or end of a yoga practice.
Prayer pose is a centering pose in yoga often used as a routine part of the sun salutation series or as a transitional pose between other standing poses. This pose is often used at the beginning and/or end of a yoga practice.
Neutralizes the positive side of the body (right, sun, masculine) with the negative side (left, moon, feminine).
Tree Pose: Vrksasana
- Strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, and spine.
- Stretches the groins and inner thighs, chest and shoulders.
- Improves sense of balance.
- Relieves sciatica and reduces flat feet.