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Happy New Year Everyone!
For Your Practicing Pleasure in 2024!
Here are My Top 5 Asana Practices to Regularly Nourish
the Temple In Which You Live!
Both Releasing & Strengthening to
Allow Vital Energy to Flow and Rebalance!
Most of us live with modern conveniences, as such we do not use our bodies as they are meant to function. For example, you would not expect a car to sit in your driveway for years on end and expect it not to rust or get stiff or for the belts dry out. The car is meant to be driven, the wheels to spin, and move. You would not expect a bird to walk on the earth and sit in its nest all day and not fly.
Our bodies are meant to move, our spines to rotate and our feet to touch the natural earth. Since we sit more than we walk, run or jump and when we walk we walk on concrete/pavement and not grass or dirt our bodies and our minds connection to the body is forgetting how to operate. Our spirit knows it, our minds know it and our body knows it!
So, what should we do? We need to deliberately take time and actions to give our bodies the movement and function it is craving to feel well!
#1 Core Activation & Stabilizing - Navasana Diaphragmatic Breathing
Why: We must breathe before we move, this is called Vinyasa, or to place in a special way.
Link the Body to the Movement.
Where: The muscles of the core, diaphragm and transverse abdominals,
Energetically: Solar Plexus Chakra, Gut
The Element: Fire is created when we engage in breathing
Actions that Support: sort, discern, to feel empowered to set healthy boundaries for our self.
Result/Outcome: self confidence, self empowerment, individuation within the whole, our place, our part. And and Both.
#2 Quad & Psoas Release - Pigeon and Bhekasana
Why: Modern movement and conveniences have dislocated our responsibilities within the function of our body and within our energetic and emotional responsibilities.
Where: Releasing Psoas/ Iliacus as we start to redistribute effort and responsibility to the gluteus maximus for Pelvic Stabilization. Lie in the belly one arm forward for balance, bend opposite knee reach and grab with hand on that side. Draw the heel to the hip. modified one legged version of Bhekasana
Energetically: Sacral Chakra, Pelvic Bowl Rebalancing Stabilization and Strength
The Element: Water flows with power and force as well as steadiness and ease.
Actions that Support: movement of anykind spontaneous and or flowing, dance, sing, play music, paint, write, expressing emotions of all kinds flowing
Result/Outcome: self responsibility of energy and emotions, creativity, abundance.
#3 Courage to the Heart - Locust and Cobra
Why: Modern movement and conveniences have dislocated our responsibilities within the function of our body and within our connection to the Heart, creating a drive from the mind disconnected from true beauty and goodness of the Heart!
Where: In Locust position on the belly with the toes curled under the core active, the hips active and stabilized, the heart can release the burden of grief, loss and betrayal with courage. The back of the heart activates as the upper arms are rotated outward and the elbows pull forward. The shoulder blades are retracted and depressed to release the burden carried on the shoulders and back.
Energetically: Heart and Throat Chakras, Redistributing Strength to the Heart
The Element: Air and Vibration
Actions that Support: choices that serve what the heart finds beautiful, good, and true. Listening to the quieter voices during stillness. Honoring and Thanking the louder voices for their concern and protection. Saying thank you to those that have helped you grow, see, and learned to accept yourself.
Result/Outcome: Love for yourself and for others, forgiveness, expressions of your creativity, your uniqueness, of how you give and receive love, vulnerability with courage and support.
#4 Big Toe Connection & Quad Activation - Chair Pose
Why: Modern movement and conveniences have dislocated our responsibilities within the function of our body and within our connection to the Earth through the Kinetic Chain of the Body
Where: The Big Toe Connecting to the Earth by lifting the Heels off the mat or lifting with a wedge or a block to put more activation into the Big Toe and there for more connection to the Quad around the knee.
Energetically: Root Chakra, Legs and Feet
The Element: Earth and the strength to stand our ground and with our relationship to the Earth.
Actions that Support: Creating and building strong habits and actions in the physical world to nourish our body, sustain our homes, families, and communities. Good nutrition and daily wellness rituals that tend to the relationship.
Result/Outcome: reliability, trust, vitality, strength, connection, belonging, acceptance within the tribe, support.
#5 Gluteus Maximus Strengthening - Low Lunge
Why: Modern movement and conveniences have dislocated our responsibilities within the function of our body and within our energetic and emotional responsibilities.
Where: The muscles of the hips are reorganized functionally. Releasing psoas on one side and activating gluteus maximus on the other leg, then switching sides. Place front leg across the body on a bench or chair back leg reaches out behind with toe curled under. Breathe in to Stabilize core, activate glute and pelvic floor to stabilize pelvis then reach back with heel and drop back knee to floor.
Another Variation with both legs and focus just on the strength of Gluteus Maximus. Cobra on the Belly with activation of core and gluteus maximus, pelvic floor and lifting of the knees off the ground, reaching heels to the back of the mat.
Energetically: Sacral Chakra, Pelvic Bowl.and Heart Moving forward with support, responsibility, respect, and a loving open beautiful heart.
The Element: The Earth Holds you up, Water flows with power and force as well as steadiness and ease, Fire brings purpose and direction, and Heart chooses and accepts what is brought forth with love and courage.
Actions that Support: movement and actions of any kind spontaneous, loving, creative. Dance, sing, play music, paint, write, build, bring together, sort, edit, expressing emotions of all kinds flowing with a groundedness, and ownership of ones one energy, actions, thoughts, and words.
Result/Outcome: self responsibility of energy and emotions, creativity, abundance, ease in the body and the space you live. finding your place and honoring yourself and others.
MAY ALL BE HAPPY, HEALTH, FREE, PROSPEROUS, AND SAFE!
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