yGuide Yoga Software

An Introduction to the Chakra System

2010-08-03T15:54:00.000-07:00

The chakra system has come to the West originating from more than 4,000 years of yoga tradition and practice. Our exploration of the chakras will encompass the seven major chakras which lie in the column of energy that runs from the base of our spine to the top of our head referred to as the Sushumna in Sanskrit. These seven major chakras are related to our basic states of consciousness. There are minor chakras also in the hands, feet, fingertips, and shoulders.

Let’s start with a definition of the chakras. The word chakra is a Sanskrit word and it is translated as “wheel”. Chakras exist within what is called our subtle body which is our non-physical physic body and part of our energy field. A chakra is a concentration of energy within the energy field and each chakra is a spinning vortex. You can think of them as whirlpools in a body of water, part of the body of water, but distinct. They are constantly moving and flowing. Chakras are referred to as centers of consciousness, information, and communication.

In order to talk about the functions of the chakras, we must briefly touch on quantum physics. Matter breaks down into tiny subatomic particles – basically everything is energy. All matter exists in three forms:

When particle energy is vibrating slowly – solid matter
When particle energy is vibrating faster than solid – liquid matter
When particle energy is vibrating faster than liquid – gas matter

The atmosphere is gaseous in nature and is vibrating very fast, where as, our bodies are primarily liquid and solid, and they are vibrating more slowly.

Our chakras primary function is associated with these rates of energy vibration. The chakras allow energy in the atmosphere to move into the physical body, be processed ,and move out again. Remember, the vibration rate in the atmosphere is very fast. The chakras transform energy to a vibration rate acceptable for the energy field layers (in and out of the body). Chakras vitalize the energy field and thereby the body. They also bring about development of certain aspects of who we are - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

From a mystical eastern view, the free flow of our life force (prana) and the proper balance between the seven major chakras are required for enlightenment and good health. There is an eighth chakra, or aura, that surrounds the body and encompasses the other seven. The three lower chakras serve the body’s physical needs, while the five upper chakras are associated with the spiritual realm. The heart chakra (our fourth) is the bridge between the lower and upper chakras where the mind and body are integrated.

The seven major chakras relate to the seven colors of the rainbow.

The slowest vibration of visible light is red for our root. The fastest and shortest is violet for our crown. The colors in between (orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo) are steps of increasing rates of vibration. The chakras from the base to the crown are:

Root - Red
Sacral - Orange
Navel - Yellow
Heart - Green
Throat - Blue
Brow - Indigo
Crown - Violet

This ends our introduction to the chakra system. You can learn more about the chakras by purchasing our chakra meditations, Relax, Renew, Refresh. There are seven individual tracks which provide additional information as you focus and meditate on each chakra. In addition to the individual tracks, there are three longer meditations that flow through the chakras providing you with a rich and refreshing experience.

Namaste, Leslie Ottavi

Relax, Renew, Refresh is now on iTunes!

2010-06-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

Now available on-line! Download our new meditation CD from iTunes and from Amazon.

iTunes link:
Amazon link: Amazon
Our store: yGuide Yoga Software Store

Achieve balance through guided chakra meditations. The chakra system has come to the West originating from more than 4,000 years of yoga tradition and practice. Our exploration of the chakras will encompass the seven major chakras which lie in the column of energy that runs from the base of the spine to the top of the head. These seven major chakras are energy centers related to our basic states of consciousness. Chakras vitalize the energy field and thereby the body. They also bring about development of certain aspects of who we are physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

The individual chakra meditations explore each chakra so that you have a better understanding and a deeper experience when practicing the three longer meditations. Chakra Awareness, Chakra Journey, and Chakra Flow are guided journeys through your seven major chakras starting at your root to develop awareness - relaxing, renewing, and refreshing your mind, body, and spirit.

Namaste,

Leslie Ottavi

Gratitude - Thought for the Moment

2010-06-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

A lovely expression for our connection with the universe!

"By feeling gratitude towards life, I move towards light, wholeness, universal energy, love. I move beyond the bounds of my own life and discover that I am an expression or form of universal life, of divine energy".

Quote by Arnaud Desjardins

Yoga at Any Age!

2010-06-08T17:44:00.000-07:00

Introduction: Vanda Scaravelli, born in Florence, Italy, is an inspiration to anyone who wants to begin yoga at any age. She was in her 40s when she met B.K.S. Iyengar and hosted Krishnamurti’s lectures at her chalet in Switzerland. As she practiced with Iyengar, her health improved and she felt much better. Later, when she met T.K.V. Desikachar, she understood the importance of breathing. She then went on to create her own unique approach to yoga that draws from the belief that “if you are kind to your body, it will respond in an incredible way”. Her approach includes proper alignment of the spine, and uses the principles of gravity and breath to work with the body and mind to achieve wonderful results. Teachers all over the world carry on her work since her death in 1999 at the age of 91. Her book Awakening the Spine (HarperSanFrancisco, 1995), is a must read for any yogi/yogini.

In the spirit of exploring starting yoga at any age, I asked Margi Miller, a sixty year old yoga enthusiast and realtor from Half Moon Bay, California, to share her story with us.

Leslie: Margi why don’t you tell us when you were first introduced to yoga?

Margi: I was first introduced about five years ago, right after I sold my house of 23 years and decided I needed to have some different physical movement. I went to a local yoga studio doing the beginning phase for about nine or ten months and really got hooked. After that, my teacher encouraged me to move to the next level, and when I did I found that too challenging and backed off. It was kind of scary for me so I went back to the beginning stage.

Leslie: What style of yoga did you start out with?

Margi: I was introduced to Ashtanga yoga which is definitely more physically challenging and I really, really enjoyed it. What I enjoyed about it initially was the physical ability to stretch and move my limbs. I had some back injuries and I noticed immediately that I was feeling better after yoga. Then two or three months after that it sort of took on a different light when I took a look at the breathing that goes into Ashtanga yoga. That opened me up even more and has continued to do so until this day, five years later.

Leslie: And do you still practice Ashtanga?

Margi: I do. I practice Ashtanga once or twice a week in class and often on my own in my own house. I’ll do those poses because they seem to be very linear in motion and while they are definitely physically challenging they seem to move in a way that creates some continuity for my body, because I am sixty and my body has changed a lot in six years.

Leslie: So where has yoga taken you?

Margi: For 2 to 2 ½ years I did strictly Ashtanga yoga and I moved to some of the meditation stuff too and up to the intermediate phase. In the second year, after moving ahead in it, I started getting injured. I would pull this muscle out or that muscle out and then I’d be out of yoga for a month or two. I found that frustrating. I realized I needed to take a look at my own body and how to integrate my own issues with the yoga practice of my choice, which has been Ashtanga. So I got involved in Pilates which is another form of movement that is challenging mostly in the alignment area, posture wise and also working more on your physical center which are the stomach muscles. Pilates strengthens your stomach muscles which becomes the core to doing everything else. So as I have evolved, I’ve incorporated both of those. I use the Pilates methods and teaching in my yoga class so that I don’t get as injured. Because injuries really took away from my yoga practice and pushed me away. I don’t want that to happen, because yoga is like one half of a circle for my physical growth and it is so meditative. Yoga has become more a form of mediation for me, where as Pilates has become more about strengthening. So yoga is flexibility, meditation, and smoothness. Pilates is definitely about strength training. And at sixty years old, I need that also for my bones and a lot of other stuff.

Leslie: Have you tried other styles of yoga?

Margi: Yes I have. Actually, starting with Ashtanga yoga was just the introduction to a whole yoga practice that includes Bikram and Hatha. Both of those I have tried and still do. I’m even moving into some more combination type yoga where you practice a little Hatha, restorative, and Bikram which is hot yoga. I found that as I continued to do Bikram that it was more of a risk to my body, because that heat does warm your body up and that means that you can stretch more, but in the course of doing that if you don’t know your own body you risk injuries. So my whole goal in yoga and Pilates is not to get injured, but to continue to stretch my spine and my body in ways that help make it easier for it to grow older and in the ways my body wants to!

Leslie: So if you met someone who had just turned 55 and they were talking about doing yoga what would you tell them?

Margi: I went in blind and now that I have learned so much, I would encourage someone to start with the softer forms of yoga, Hatha yoga for example. I think restorative yoga is a good introduction if you are overweight, or don’t have any background at all in moving muscles in any kind of physical training. Restorative would be a good way to start and then move into Hatha. I would probably suggest Ashtanga at the end because Ashtanga reminds me a little bit of war. It is very physically challenging and as you continue to evolve it becomes even more physically challenging. If your ligaments, muscles and tendons are not growing with those challenges, you risk injury. If I would have known then what I know now, I would have started with a softer form of yoga. I would have also interviewed teachers, or gone about trying different teachers instead of hooking into just one. Your body gets into a memory pattern then, when you go to do other yoga styles you can risk injuries, because it is used to doing the kind of yoga where it is the same every time . Ashtanga yoga is the same poses every time, but in Hatha or restorative, the poses and sequences vary a lot.

Leslie: Like a vinyasa flow class?

Margi: Yes, like a vinyasa flow class. Now Bikram is the same every time too. So those repetitive yoga styles are the ones that I would caution a new person starting out to be aware of. Not that they shouldn’t try it, but to be aware of taking it slowly and listening to themselves.

Leslie: There is a broader world of yoga than just a single series of poses.

Margi: Yes, that was what I was trying to say!

Leslie: What do you see in the future for you, do you want yoga to continue to be a part of your life?

Margi: Yes I have come to the conclusion that anything to do with body work needs all the pieces to be there and that yoga is becoming more spiritual to me than physical. The breathing, the meditation, and staying in the moment have all been huge for me. You can not be in the pose and doing really good yoga unless you are right there, very present and conscious. That is how you avoid injuries, and I am going to continue to do yoga once or twice a week. I will continue to do the Pilates for strength training my bones and a different kind of breathing, which is more percussive in nature versus the deeper slower breath of yoga. But I am really beginning to see that they are each one half of a circle and they complement each other. One or the other is not for everyone, it’s experimenting and trying different things to help you stay flexible as you age. You want to keep supple, moving quickly, and flexible as you go through the various transitions of the aging process, especially for women but men too. I will continue to do yoga. I think I will withdraw a little bit from Ashtanga, and move more into the integrative vinyasa flow types, which seem to be easier on my spirit and my body.

Leslie: Have you ever looked back and wished you had gotten introduced to yoga at a different time in your life?

Margi: Absolutely. In the 1970’s which is when I was in my thirties, aerobics and jazzercise, dancing, were the big things for women to stay fit. Running was becoming important. Yoga was never introduced to me, or I wasn’t paying attention. But if I would have started yoga when I was in my twenties or thirties, I think I would have avoided some of the injuries I have received. I think when you take a yoga practice, or any kind of body work, there is more to it than just the physical - it’s mental, it’s spiritual. Yoga is an ever constant reminder that you need to live in this moment and focus on what’s going on here and now to get complete and full enjoyment of life.

End of interview.

Our thanks to Margi for sharing her story with us!

Namaste, Leslie Ottavi

(reprint from 2004 interview)

Making Yoga Fit You

2010-05-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

It is beautiful to observe someone moving in and out of a fully expressed yoga pose with ease, their breath synchronized with the fluidity of their movement. As a teacher, I have watched many students practice full expressions of poses. I have witness very few students who can move through an entire practice in full expressions of all the poses. When I say full expression of the pose, I am eluding to what we perceive as the perfect pose. But since we are imperfect beings, no one really achieves the perfect pose and it doesn’t matter one little bit. Why you ask? The pose is part of the journey, not the destination.

Yoga aims to integrate the mind, body, and spirit. Traditionally, physical postures and breath work are part of the system of yoga dedicated to helping yogis and yoginis achieve steadiness and relaxation so that they can sit for long periods of time in mediation. If you have ever tried to sit still for 5, 15, or 30 minutes, you know the types of aches, twitches, stiffness, and soreness that can limit one’s time meditating. Keeping active through moving the body with postures and breath work is not only healthy, but it is needed so that we can sit for long periods without getting stiff or tired. You can only attain a level of fitness required for extended periods of sitting by keeping your body moving.

How should we approach postures and breathing? We should learn postures and breathing by letting go and not striving for perfection. This means you must learn how to move within the structure of your own body on any given day and with the rhythm of your own breathing. Variations of postures and the use of props enable you to move within your comfort zone to produce steadiness, release stiffness, reduce stress, renew energy, and connect with your inner strength. Previous injuries, inherited traits, posture habits, previous exercise experience, age, and other factors do affect the current condition of our body and how it functions. Making yoga fit you can lead to a healthy, long-term approach for your yoga practice.

Your breath is your barometer. If you can breathe smoothly and slowly with rhythm through a posture, then you have moved in and out of the posture within your comfort zone. Sometimes, when you are trying to do something new or extending beyond your comfort zone, you may have a tendency to hold your breath during an asana. Pain will cause your breath to be unsteady. Be mindful, back off, and do not hold your breath. Listen to your breath.

Humans are quite capable of changing throughout their lives. Working within your comfort zone, finding a comfortable edge, and then proceeding deeper into poses when your body, mind, and breath are willing, retunes your body to more beneficially use your energy. Using your energy more beneficially conserves your health and can make the most of your potential at any stage of your life. Move and breathe with awareness and focus.

Namaste,

Leslie Ottavi

Variations and Props

2010-05-29T12:04:00.000-07:00

There are a myriad of ways to vary a yoga pose. Most tools to vary a pose change the structure of the pose to accommodate the current state of your body. Several common tools to vary a pose are a blanket, block, and strap. Here’s a few ways these tools can enhance your yoga practice:

Blanket –

A blanket folded several times can be used in forward seated poses to lift the hips higher than knees and tilt the pelvis appropriately to bend forward (tail bone back toward the wall behind you and tops of the hips forward).
During deep relaxation, a folded blanket can be used under the knees to enable a micro-bend that alleviates stress on the lower back and allows the student to relax more fully.
In shoulder stand, a folded blanket can be leveraged to keep your seventh cervical in your neck from being overly stressed during the pose by keeping your shoulders and seventh cervical on the blanket while the head rests on the floor.

Block –

A block can be used as an extension of your arm in a variety of poses from triangle to half moon pose. You can use any edge of the block so that you can more comfortably place your body in better alignment during a pose. It is better to find good alignment with a block than to risk over-extending the body to achieve poor alignment in a pose and risk injury.
A block makes for a great prop for supported bridge pose. You can begin using the lowest edge of the block and then ease your way to the highest edge of the block over time. The block rests on the flat part of your sacral area, not pressing on the tail bone or on near the waist.
In sleeping tortoise pose a block can be used to elevate the feet stretching the hips a bit more fully.

Strap –

A strap can be an extension of your arm or your leg in many poses. The picture of sleeping tortoise pose above shows how a strap can be used to extend the reach of your arms. This helps one to feel the alignment of the arms fully behind the back even though the fingers can’t be interlaced behind the back, opening the shoulders.
In sleeping big toe pose, a strap allows the student to fully extend their leg straight and experience a deeper stretch in the hamstring and the inner thigh. .

Variation without Props –

Of course, there are ways to vary poses without props that allow a student to be in better alignment and receive the benefits of the pose more fully. For instance:

Bend the knees while forward bending – Whether you are doing standing or seated forward bends, you can bend your knees as much as needed to better align your back. In the standing forward bend shown, you want to bring your belly towards your thighs to align the lower back (don’t round the lower back to achieve your reach), protecting the back and the hamstrings. It is more important to align the lower back properly with bent knees than to keep the knees straight and risk injury to the hamstrings or lower back.
Bend your elbows – In the example of cobra pose shown, the elbows are slightly bent to help keep the hips toward the floor and ease the stress on the lower back. Over time, as the lower back becomes more flexible, one can straight their arms.
Ease up – It is not necessary or recommended to go so deep in a pose that you lose your alignment or your breath. In triangle pose, using a block to extend the length of the arm may not keep the lateral alignment of your body. In this case, easing up and using the hand on the shin can keep the lateral alignment while gaining the benefits from the pose.

Variations and props are important tools to make yoga fit you. It is not “giving in” to use props or to vary your pose; it is honoring your body, mind, and spirit in the moment. Be present, be healthy!

Namaste,

Leslie Ottavi

Happy St. Patrick's Day and Green

2010-03-17T09:01:00.000-07:00

My morning thoughts on St. Patrick's Day have been about the color of green and our heart chakra. The meaning of our heart chakra's name, Anahata, is "unstuck". Its goal is all about love and compassion, especially in relationships of all kinds. It holds our right to be loved and to love, so it is fitting that the phrase "I love" sits within our heart chakra. Located in the mid-chest and between the shoulder blades, this chakra is associated with the element of air, the sense of touch, the state of inner harmony, and the celestial body of Venus. The bhakti yoga path is aligned with our heart chakra. For me, the key thought I am reminded of today, is that the heart chakra is the bridge between our lower and upper chakras. It is where the integration of the mind and the body occur. The lower chakras' earth and water are transformed by fire and are then able to mix within the air of the heart chakra with the sound, light, and consciousness of our higher chakras.

Whether or not you are celebrating the gaiety of St. Patrick's Day, take a moment to reflect and feel the compassion and love associated with the color of green and your heart chakra!

Namaste,
Leslie

Our Connection with Nature

2010-03-04T16:42:00.000-08:00

The tulips are coming up and the trees are budding here in Atlanta. It's warm one day and cold the next. Last week it snowed one day and was gone the next. This period of transition before the spring equinox (March 20 ,2010) can help us to remember to reconnect with nature after a period of cold and long periods of time indoors.

I was reading earlier today a passage by the 14th Dalai Lama that expresses how tied our lives once were to nature and now we are so dependent on technology that we can forget those ties. It really struck a chord with me, I hope you will find some time to read it and contemplate you tie with nature.

"In the past all of life was based on trees. Their flowers gave us nourishment, their leaves and fibers clothed us and provided us with shelter. We took refuge in their branches for protection from wild animals. We used wood for heat, and for canes to bear our weight when we grew old, and to make weapons to defend ourselves. We were very close to the trees. Today, surrounded by sophisticated machinery and high-performance computers in our ultra-modern offices, it is easy to forget our ties with nature." ---by the 14th Dalai Lama

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

2010-02-16T12:23:00.000-08:00

Dhanurasana improves digestive, elimination, and reproductive function by reconditioning the entire alimentary canal. The kidneys, liver, abdominal organs and muscles are massaged. The pancreas and adrenal glands are toned balancing their secretions. The spinal column is realigned providing a good stretch to the ligaments, muscles and nerves. It can help correct hunching of the thoracic area of the spine. Opens the chest and stretches the front of your torso.

** Note ** Don't practice this pose before sleep at night because it simulates the adrenal glands and the sympathetic nervous system.

** Contraindications ** Do not practice this pose if you suffer from a weak heart, high blood pressure, hernia, colitis, peptic or duodenal ulcers.

The steps to practice Bow pose are:

Lie with your stomach flat and forehead resting on the floor. Your arms and hands are beside your body.
Bend your knees and draw the heels close to the buttocks. Grasp the ankles from the outside and place your chin on the floor. You are now in the starting position.
Inhale as you engage your leg muscles and push your feet away from the body. As you continue to inhale, arch the back, lift your thighs, chest and head at the same time off the floor as high as you can without straining. Keep your arms straight. Now tilt your head back comfortably and gaze at your Third Eye. Your abdomen is supporting your entire body on the floor. Your legs are engaged, but the back and arms should be relaxed. Hold this position for 3-5 Ujjayi breaths.
Exhale as you slowly relax your leg muscles and lower your legs, chest and head back to the starting position. Release the pose and relax on your stomach with your head turned to one side and your arms at your side with your palms facing upward. Alternate the turn of your head if you do multiple rounds of this pose. Breath here for a few breaths.
Repeat steps 2-4 for as many rounds as you are comfortable.
Push back into Balasana (Child's Pose) when you have completed as many rounds as you are comfortable with. Once you push back into Balasana you can bring yourself upright and move into a forward bend to counter the effects of the back bending.

Namaste,

Leslie Ottavi

Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)

2010-02-16T12:16:00.000-08:00

Setu Bandhasana opens the front body and strengthens the spine. It helps improve the function of the pineal, pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands through increased blood flow.

To practice Setu Bandhasna, follow these steps:

Exhale lie flat on your back with you legs extended. Draw your feet up about 1 1/2 feet towards your buttocks. Place your feet in a duck foot position with your heels touching and the outer edges of your feet firmly placed on the floor. Your feet are not flat on the floor. You are using the outer edges of your feet to grip against the floor. This grip of the feet is going to assist when lifting your hips.
Inhale press your elbows to the floor or grab the outer edges of your thighs to pull yourself up arching your back and lifting your head up and back so that the top of your head is on the floor. Hold for 5 Ujjayi breaths.
Exhale release the pose.
Repeat steps 1-3 for 1-4 more repetitions.

There are several variations of this pose. All variations contribute to the health of the spine and function of the glands.

Namaste,
Leslie Ottavi

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose)

2010-02-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

This variation of Eka Pada Rajakapotasana rejuvenates the lumbar and dorsal regions of the spine. This is one of my favorite poses! It also increases vitality by stimulating organs such as the thyroid and adrenals (just like supine version). The abdominal organs and pubic region receive more blood. It reduces tightness on the hip sockets, and helps to open the sacrum area.

The steps to practice Pigeon Pose are:

From a sitting position, exhale your right ankle toward the top of your mat taking your foot and shin as parallel to the top of the mat as possible. Keep your left leg bent with your foot flat on the floor.
Inhale place your hands flat on the floor slightly behind your hips, lift your left leg and gently swing it out and back behind you.
Continuing the same inhale place your left hand flat on the floor in front of your right ankle and shift your weight into your right hip as you bring your leg around.
Keep your left leg straight with your toes pointed and place your hands flat on the floor in front of you.
Exhale begin to lower your head down to the floor resting your forearms flat on the floor in front of you.
Continue to lower your head down to the floor resting it in your hands or on a prop. This position moves forward and back, not side-to-side. If you want more from this pose move your sit bones back. If you are too deep, just move forward to release. Avoid dropping one hip lower than the other, keep your hips square. You should feel both sides of your body lengthening equally. Hold for 15-25 breaths or as long as you are comfortable. I sometimes hold from 3-5 minutes for a deeper stretch into the connective tissue. ** Note ** If you have any discomfort in your knees or joints, release this asana. You may try one of the other variations like the supine variation.
Inhale up and place your forearms flat on the floor in front of you.
Exhale bring your left leg back around and return to a sitting position.
Switch legs and practice with the other side.

Enjoy!

Leslie Ottavi

Tiryaka Bhujangasana (Twisting Cobra Pose)

2010-02-16T11:49:00.000-08:00

Tiryaka Bhujangasana opens the chest and strengthens and stretches the spine, buttocks, and legs. This pose massages your internal organs. It also improves circulation in the back and tones the nerves providing better communication between the brain and body. The adrenal glands are massaged and simulated improving their efficiency.

** Contraindications ** You should consult your doctor before doing this pose if your have a peptic ulcer, hernia, intestinal tuberculosis or hyperthyroidism.

The steps to practice Twisting Cobra are:

Lie down on your stomach and take your hands flat on the floor beside your chest. Elbows drawn backward and close to your side. Your forehead is on the floor. You legs are straight and separated more than hip width apart. Tuck your toes with your heels toward the ceiling.
Inhale press the hands on the floor with your fingers spreading. Lift your trunk up using your back muscles more than your arm muscles. Your arms are straight or slightly bent. Push your pubic bone in contact with the floor. Keep the buttocks active.
Exhale turn your head and the upper torso to the right taking your gaze over the right shoulder. Gaze over the right shoulder at your right heel. Feel the diagonal stretch of the abdomen, relax your back and keep your navel as close as you can to the floor. Hold this position for 2-3 complete breaths.
Inhale your head and torso forward.
Exhale turn your head and the upper torso to the left taking your gaze over the left shoulder. Gaze over the left shoulder at your left heel. Feel the diagonal stretch of the abdomen, relax your back and keep your navel as close as you can to the floor. Hold this position for 2-3 complete breaths.
Inhale your head and torso forward.
Repeat steps 3-6 for 3-5 repetitions. You may desire to lay back on the floor and start from step 1.
Exhale bend your arms and lower your torso to the floor. Push yourself back into Balasana (Child's Pose) for several breaths to release your lower back.

When I am doing Sun Salutes, I like to add Twisting Cobra into the Sun Salute to further stretch my spine and tone my adrenal glands. Try adding it to your practice and see how it complements your regular practice of Cobra or Downward Dog!

Namaste,
Leslie Ottavi

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana in a supine position (Pigeon Pose)

2010-02-16T11:39:00.000-08:00

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana rejuvenates the lumbar and dorsal regions of the spine. It also increases vitality by stimulating organs such as the thyroid and adrenals. Abdominal organs and pubic region receive more blood. It reduces tightness on the hip sockets, and helps to open the sacrum area.

Steps to practice supine Pigeon Pose:

Lay a blanket on your mat to help cushion your body. Lie down on the blanket placing your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent about 6-8 inches from your buttocks. Rest your arms at your side. Take a couple of breaths here before continuing.
Inhale bring your right knee up towards your chest.
Exhale place your right ankle on your left thigh near your left knee.
Inhale bring your left knee towards your chest and reach both hands through to clasp your shin just below your knee. If clasping your shin is not available to you, then clasp the back of your thigh near your knee or use a strap. Gently pull your left knee towards your chest and feel the stretch in your right hip. Hold this pose for 5-8 breaths or as long as it is comfortable (Sometimes I like to hold this for up to 3 minutes).
Exhale release your clasp and take both feet back to the floor with your arms resting at your sides. Take a couple of breaths before continuing.
Repeat on the other side.

This is a favorite pose for many yogis and yoginis to open the hip. Enjoy the release and the contribution to revitalize the adrenals!

Namaste,
Leslie Ottavi

Adrenal Help through Yoga

2010-02-16T11:28:00.000-08:00

What are the adrenal glands, where are they located, and how does yoga help revitalize and tone the adrenals? The adrenal glands are located on top of each kidney and they are tiny organs that perform important roles in the body. The adrenal glands produce several hormones that effect our development and growth, they help regulate kidney function, and they influence our capability to deal with stress in our lives.

The body’s reaction to stressful events is regulated by the adrenals “fight or flight” response. The adrenal glands also produce hormones that affect our blood pressure, blood sugar levels, growth, and sex drive. When the body is chronically stressed, cortisol is continually release from the adrenal glands in response to the stress, which can damage body tissues. Stimulating the adrenals long-term due to chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, and increase your risk of infection by depleting white blood cell levels.

So how does yoga help? Yoga asana practice, breathing techniques, and meditation can help to calm your mind, breaking the “fight or flight” response. This eases the burden on your adrenals because you learn to better deal with your stress. Practicing slow, deep breathing techniques like ujjayi breathing and extended exhale breathing can calm your mind and slow your heart rate. When you synchronize your breath and movements in asana practice you also help calm your mind. You can think of meditation as a deliberate practice to achieve a calm state from intense concentration on a single object until all other thoughts vanish. All that is left is an intense awareness of the object. Meditation reduces stress and anxiety.

In addition to the general support that yoga asana practice provides to help the adrenal glands, there are many poses that specifically help the adrenals. A mini-sequence of five poses that I will highlight through individual posts is:

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana in a supine position (Pigeon Pose)
Tiryaka Bhujangasana (Twisting Cobra Pose)
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose)
Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

You can apply this mini-sequence to your practice in full or in part to help revitalize and tone your adrenal glands!

Namaste,
Leslie Ottavi

Medical Community Supports Nasal Wash

2010-01-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

I have been an advocate of nasal washing with a neti pot for some time. I went to the doctor the other day at Kaiser Permanente. I noticed that in addition to medical treatment, they advocate caring for sinusitis in adults at home with a nasal wash. “Use saline (saltwater) nasal washes to help keep your nasal passages open and wash out mucus and bacteria” – quote from home care instruction sheet. Now you can clean out your nasal passages several ways with a solution:

saline nose drops,
use a bulb syringe with a saline solution (very gently in one nostril out the other),
use a neti pot with a saline solution.

My personal preference is to use a neti pot. Nose drops don’t get a good flow going that clears the passages very effectively. A bulb syringe can easily be pressed hard so the flow is too strong pushing mucus where you don’t want it to go. The neti pot is a natural flow in one nostril and out the other. In my experiences, the neti pot has proven more effective and safer.

I also find that using an aromatic salt that has essential oils provides additional benefits including relieving my allergy symptoms and rinsing away germs before they lodge in the lining of the nose. Plus I love the aroma. My favorite aromatic neti salt is by Into the Scented Garden. If you haven’t tried using a neti pot, there is great information on their site to get you started! Check it out at www.intothescentedgarden.com.

Utthita Parsvakonasana (extended side angle pose)

2009-12-29T14:33:00.000-08:00

Let’s open the side body, strengthening the thigh, knee and ankle muscles. In addition, you can reduce the fat around the waist and hips with this pose, helpful during this holiday season. It can also help relieve sciatic and arthritic pains. The full expression of the pose places the palm flat on the floor outside the leg to achieve the fullest opening. There are several variations and we present two variations: arm on knee and using a block. If you are new to the pose, start with the arm on knee variation, then progress to the block variation, and then try the full expression once your side body feels ready.

Full Expression

Inhale bend your knees and jump or step your right foot back 4 to 4 1/2 feet.

Exhale your right hand to the floor on the outside of your right foot. Keep your right knee directly over your right ankle and in line with your right sit bone. Your right thighbone is parallel to the floor. Avoiding sinking through the right hip.

Inhale the left arm up extended over your head. Your back leg is long, strong and straight. Keep lifting the arch of the back foot. Rotate your left ribs towards the ceiling, press your right knee into your right arm and extend through the left side of your body. Energy moving is from waist to fingertips and from waist to outer edge of your left foot. Opposing forces of energy on the left side of the body create this pose known as extended side stretch. As you extend through the left fingertips, to position your neck correctly, pull your nose into your armpit. Then create space between your left shoulder and left ear by pulling your armpit away from your nose. Without moving your neck, take your gaze to your left hand. Keep pressing your right knee into your right arm as leverage to open the left ribs towards the ceiling. Visualize an extended line from waist to fingertips and waist to outer edge of back foot. Hold for 5 Ujjayi breaths. ** Note ** Students often compromise their alignment in this pose for depth. When this happens they lose the direct alignment of right sit bone to the right knee and the left ribs are unable to make the rotation up towards the sky. If you are practicing full pose and you are feeling this mis-alignment, start high and in proper alignment and move from here into full pose.

Inhale coming up with straight arms and straight spine. Use breath and bandhas.

Exhale and switch your feet and move into the left side. Keep your left knee directly over your left ankle and in line with your left hip. Your left thighbone is parallel to the floor. Avoid sinking through the left hip.

Inhale the right arm up extended over your head. Your back leg is long, strong and straight. Keep the arch in your back foot. Open your belly towards the ceiling so that the ribs start to open up. Your right shoulder is down and away from your ear, gaze palm of hand. Keep pressing your left knee into your left arm as leverage to open your belly. Visualize an extended line from waist to fingertips and waist to back foot. Hold for 5 Ujjayi breaths.

Inhale and come up slowly with straight arms and straight spine using breath and bandhas.

Variation with Arm on Knee

Inhale bend your knees and jump or step your right foot back 4 to 4 1/2 feet.

Exhale your right forearm to your right knee. Keep your right knee directly over your right ankle and in line with your right sit bone. Your right thighbone is parallel to the floor. Avoiding sinking through the right hip.

Inhale the left arm up extended over your head. Your back leg is long, strong and straight. Keep lifting the arch of the back foot. Rotate your left ribs towards the ceiling, Energy is moving from waist to fingertips and from waist to outer edge of your left foot. Opposing forces of energy on the left side of the body create this pose known as extended side stretch. As you extend through the left fingertips, to position your neck correctly, pull your nose into your armpit. Then create space between your left shoulder and left ear by pulling your armpit away from your nose. Without moving your neck, take your gaze to your left hand. Keep opening the left ribs towards the ceiling. Visualize an extended line from waist to fingertips and waist to outer edge of back foot. Hold for 5 Ujjayi breaths.

Inhale coming up with arms outstretched. Use breath and bandhas.
Exhale and switch your feet and move into the left side. Keep your left knee directly over your left ankle and in line with your left hip. Your left thighbone is parallel to the floor. Avoid sinking through the left hip.

Inhale the right arm up extended over your head. Your back leg is long, strong and straight. Keep the arch in your back foot. Open your belly towards the ceiling so that the ribs start to open up. Your right shoulder is down and away from your ear, gaze palm of hand. Keep your left knee and left hip in line. Visualize an extended line from waist to fingertips and waist to back foot. Hold for 5 Ujjayi breaths.

Inhale and come up slowly with straight arms and straight spine using breath and bandhas.

Variation with Block

Inhale bend your knees and jump or step your right foot back 4 to 4 1/2 feet.

Place your block on the floor outside your right foot. Exhale your right hand to the block. Keep your right knee directly over your right ankle and in line with your right sit bone. Your right thighbone is working to be parallel to the floor. Avoiding sinking through the right hip.

Inhale the left arm up extended over your head. Your back leg is long, strong and straight. Keep lifting the arch of the back foot. Rotate your left ribs towards the ceiling, press your right knee into your right arm and extend through the left side of your body. Energy is moving from waist to fingertips and from waist to outer edge of your left foot. Opposing forces of energy on the left side of the body create this pose known as extended side stretch. As you extend through the left fingertips, to position your neck correctly, pull your nose into your armpit. Then create space between your left shoulder and left ear by pulling your armpit away from your nose. Without moving your neck, take your gaze to your left hand. Keep pressing your right knee into your right arm as leverage to open the left ribs towards the ceiling. Visualize an extended line from waist to fingertips and waist to outer edge of back foot. Hold for 5 Ujjayi breaths.

Inhale coming up with straight arms and straight spine. Use breath and bandhas.

Switch your feet and place your block outside your left foot. Exhale your left hand to the block. Keep your left knee directly over your left ankle and in line with your left hip. Your left thighbone is parallel to the floor. Avoid sinking through the left hip.

Inhale the right arm up extended over your head. Your back leg is long, strong and straight. Keep the arch in your back foot. Open your belly towards the ceiling so that the ribs start to open up. Your right shoulder is down and away from your ear, gaze palm of hand. Keep pressing your left knee into your left arm as leverage to open your belly. Visualize an extended line from waist to fingertips and waist to back foot. Hold for 5 Ujjayi breaths.

Inhale and come up slowly with straight arms and straight spine using breath and bandhas.

Better Yoga Poses

2009-12-29T14:25:00.000-08:00

As the year winds down and a new year begins, I find myself contemplating the nature of the concept to practice a yoga pose in the “correct way”. As a practitioner in a Mysore Ashtanga class, I have on more than one occasion observed or been the recipient of an adjustment by the teacher that is accompanied by the words “a better way to do this” or even “the correct way to do this.” When this opportunity to adjust my practice in a specific way occurs, I try to assess my own body, mind, and energy level at the moment as to whether or not it is a better for me. As a teacher, it is important for me to guide my students to listen to their own bodies when given an instruction and to determine if they need to do a variation that better suits them. I try to encourage my students to try easier and glide through their practice. Find a variation of the pose that feels good, use props as needed, and push gently to a comfortable edge. Forget looking at the person next to you or across the room who can easily move themselves into the full expression of the pose. Of course, there are wrong ways to do yoga poses that can cause injury at a specific time or over the course of repetitive practice. These are corrections that are important for yoga teachers to notice and to guide their students to understand and change. For instance, in Utthita Parsvakonasana (extended side angle pose), you can place the palm of your hand flat on the floor on the outside of the bent leg. Some may not be able to place the palm flat on the floor and so they bend their hand with just the fingers on the floor. Over time, this can overstretch the tendons in the hand causing stress and injury. It is better to use the fingertips or to make a fist placing the flat space between the second and third joints on the floor or to use a block.

There is also the challenge that each style or lineage of yoga (Ashtanga, Iyengar, Bikram, etc…) has its own guidance on the specifics of the full expression of a yoga pose. In addition, each teacher through their own personal and teaching experiences may find adaptive nuances that they develop as a teaching preference. For instance, an example is the differences in instruction for a simple squat. One approach is to instruct the student to have his toes and feet in a straight ahead parallel position with heels down. For some students, this works for them anatomically and if they have not had any knee injuries. For many students, it is better to keep their toes and knees in alignment which is easier on their knees and simpler to put the heels down. One of my favorite differences is whether or not your toes are pointed or flexed in a pose. In Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana D (standing extended hand to toe pose), I have been trained by my Ashtanga yoga teacher that you can point or flex your toe. However, I have been told by some Ashtanga yoga teachers to point the toe and some to flex the toe. Obviously, there are some different muscles engaging, however, every time I am instructed on a specific direction on pointing or flexing, I find myself smiling and adjusting to the instruction.

The full expression of a pose is beautiful to observe and is an expression to help guide the direction of one’s practice. However, for many of us, due to previous injuries, anatomical uniqueness, or age, we may never achieve the full expression of the pose. It’s not the goal to achieve the full expression of a pose, it’s the journey. Learning to understand ourselves, discipline ourselves, and find balance between us and the world are key events in our journey. Uniting our mind, body, and spirit is a learning process and because each of us is unique, our journey will be unique. Better yoga poses come from a practitioner’s growing awareness of themselves. Listen to your internal guidance and make your own recipe.

Virabhadrasana II to Utthita Trikonasana Flow (Warrior II to Triangle Flow)

2009-11-23T16:23:00.000-08:00

I found through my personal and teaching experience that this flow can help energize you and open the body laterally. My students have often commented that they would like “to do this in class more regularly”. Warrior II strengthens and tones the leg and abdominal muscles. It also creates flexibility in the leg and back muscles, and develops poise, confidence and endurance. Triangle Pose strengthens the legs, feet, ankles, knees and chest. It opens tight hips and stretches the lateral muscles along the spine and side body.

You can repeat the flow 2-5 repetitions. Let’s break down the steps for this wonderful flow:

Begin in Samasthiti.

Now, inhale, bend your knees, and jump or step your right foot back 4 to 4 1/2 feet (about one leg's length distance apart). Your right foot points directly to the back of your mat and the left foot turns in 45-degrees. Bring both arms shoulder high parallel to the floor with your palms facing down. You can flip your palms to the ceiling to get your shoulders to go back and down. Then keep your shoulders back and down as you turn your palms back to the floor.

Exhale lower your right knee down over your ankle. Right knee is over the right ankle at a 90-degree angle with strength in the back leg. Look over your right fingertips. Your spine is straight from tailbone to top of head. Hold for 1-5 breaths. ** Note ** to practice the correct alignment of Warrior Pose II, we focus on a straight spine from tailbone to top of head. To practice this correctly open your hips to the long edge of your practice mat. If there are neglected muscles in the hips that are holding you back from a straight spine, release the depth of the lunge and work with opening the hips first. Remember that alignment is more important the depth. As we learn how to hold our hips correctly, we can then practice moving into full pose.

Inhale push straight up by straightening your bent leg.

Exhale through the hips reaching the right hand out and then down to your foot or shin. Your left hip comes slightly around. Extend the left arm up to the sky. Your shoulders roll back, keep your neck long, tuck in your chin, and there is a slight rotation of your left ribs towards the sky. You should feel the lateral muscles supporting and lengthening your spine, tailbone to top of head. We are trying to create a straight spine and take it parallel to the floor. Avoid arching your spine. For this to happen there has to be a movement through the hips, where the left hip pushes to the back of the mat and rotates slightly forward to the long edge of the mat. There is a deep crease forming at the right hip and a straight spine extends out of this foundation. If you were against a wall, your shoulders and tailbone would be touching the wall. Hold for 1-5 breaths.

Inhale come up slowly with straight arms and straight spine. Switch your feet.

Exhale; go right down to the other side in Warrior II pose by bending your left knee. Look over your left fingertips. Your left knee is over the left ankle with a straight spine. The back leg is strong and straight. Hold for 1-5 breaths.

Inhale push straight up by straightening your bent leg.

Exhale; move into the Triangle pose on the left side. Remember, it's a shift through the hips that takes you into pose and not an arching of the spine. Extend your right arm up to the sky. Your shoulders roll back, keep your neck long, tuck in your chin, and slightly rotate your torso. You should feel the lateral muscles along your spine lengthening. Hold for 1-5 breaths.

Inhale; as you come up slowly arms outstretched by pushing straight up and straighten your bent leg.

Exhale back foot to front foot. Samasthiti. Now repeat the flow as desired.

Commentary on Healthcare and Aparigraha

2009-11-23T16:22:00.000-08:00

The debate about America’s health and the state of America’s health insurance system continues to make headlines. Our own experience has been one of surprise and frustration. Our company has a small group plan whose premiums were increased this year by 25.6%. The breakdown of the percentage increase was quite revealing, 9.31% is due to a “medical trend factor” and 14.91% is due to the group getting one year older. That’s right; the insurance company is increasing our group rate by almost 15% just because we are a year older. No significant illnesses in the group over the last year, just a year older.

Now, our group can live a healthy life style watching what we eat, meditating, and practicing yoga daily, but we cannot do anything about getting older. This made us think about the public health care debate including how to control the cost of health care and to ensure coverage. We add our voices that something needs to be done. Perhaps what is being legislated is not the ultimate solution, but getting started with legislation that will help control the cost of health care and to ensure coverage, providing all Americans with options is important and must be done now.

Why now? Assuming the intention of our current health provider is to continue to raise our premiums for every year we get older and beginning with an average of $300 for an individual policy, then in ten years the premium for just getting older will increase from $300 to $1214 a month. If the rate of increase includes the “medical trend factor” (25%), then it will increase from $300 to $2794 a month. We don’t know many people whose income is increasing by 25% a year, so having health care increase at that rate is devastating. What will the increase be if someone actually gets sick?

The last yama (discipline, restraint, attitude, behavior) is aparigraha. Parigraha means “to take” or “to seize”. Aparigraha therefore means something like “not seizing the opportunity”. T.K.V. Desikachar states that aparigraha means to take only what is necessary and not to take advantage of a situation. From a personal perspective, we shouldn’t take more than what we have earned because if we do, we are exploiting someone. From a business perspective, like that of the health care industry, aparigraha could be interpreted to mean that there must be a balance between profit and benefiting a broader community, our society. One way that balance could be achieved is by not exploiting Americans who want to maintain their health, get treatment when necessary, and still live a responsible and reasonable life. We hope that the concept of aparigraha can be understood and practiced by not only individuals, but by legislatures and businesses.

Salamba Sarvangasana – Whole Body Pose (Shoulder Stand)

2009-09-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

I went with a friend to her yoga class today and while I was in Salamba Sarvangasana I began to reflect on the pose and its benefits. Salamba Sarvangasana is known as the Mother of asanas. The translation begins with “alamba” which means a prop or support. Combined with “sa”, which means together or accompanied by, Salamba means supported or propped up. Sarvanga is the combination of “sarva” which means all, whole, entire, or complete and “anga” which means limb or body. The name “whole body pose” is appropriate since the whole body benefits from this pose.

The ancient sages bestowed upon the world a pose that strives to achieve harmony and happiness in our human system, just like a mother endeavors to have a harmonious and happy home. It has been spoken of it as a “panacea for most common ailments”. The thyroid and parathyroid glands in the neck region are stimulated so that they function properly and help to balance and develop the body and brain. The pose increases circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid around the neck and chest which can help people who suffer breathlessness, palpitations, asthma, bronchitis, and throat ailments. It can help to soothe nerves and ease headaches and colds. Insomnia and constipation can be relieved. If you regularly practice Salamba Sarvangasana you can feel renewed vigor and strength as the energy flows in your body and your mind. People who suffer from high blood pressure however, should not do this pose.

As I came out of shoulder stand, I experienced that sense of balance and energy flow that I have often told my students about in class. I was at peace, happy, and energized for my day. It was a fabulous reflection of how each pose we do in our yoga practice brings benefits to our body, our mind, and our spirit.

Below are some variations of Salamba Sarvangasana. If you have not practiced this pose before, be sure to get some direction from a yoga teacher who can help you find a beginning variation that is suitable and who can then help you to progress through other variations to whatever expression of the pose is best for you.

True Spirituality

2009-08-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

This single sentence by Sogyal Rinpoche expresses so clearly our inner connectedness to all living things. Please take a moment and read it over a few times and absorb its meaning.

"True spirituality is to be aware that if we are interdependent with everything and everyone else, even our smallest, least significant thought, word, and action have real consequences throughout the universe."

Leave Your Ego At The Door

2009-07-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

Leaving your ego at the door is a lesson that can’t be stressed enough because your ego can be very subtle. One of my favorite classes to take as a student is a Mysore Ashtanga Yoga class. A Mysore class is not led by a teacher who instructs the class as a group, but rather the teacher moves around the room helping each student individually by giving verbal instructions and giving physical adjustments. As a student, you practice the Ashtanga sequence at your pace with your own pose expressions, and you get more one-on-one attention from the teacher. I especially enjoy receiving the gentle physical adjustments in Downward Dog and forward bends.

When I do Ashtanga yoga, many of the poses I practice are variations from the full expressions of the pose. One pose in particular I have always varied in some form. That pose is Supta Kurmasana or Sleeping Tortoise Pose. I love this pose in its many variations because it tones the spine, creates energy, and refreshes the mind. The full expression of this pose has your feet crossed behind your head as in the pose presented here:

FULL Expression

The full expression is for people with very open hips, hamstrings, shoulders, and lower backs. My openness in these areas varies day by day, just like my students. The most common expression I practice is where I begin to draw my feet together with my hands laying open face behind me. While doing this expression I can wiggle my feet closer together on days when my hips, hamstrings and back are more open or I can wiggle my hands up to catch a strap across my back when my shoulders feel ready. Sometimes a block under my feet can take me a bit deeper. These variations are show here:

Supta Kurmasana Variations

It is important to be aware of how your body is feeling and your breath is a great indicator of how your body is doing. There are practices where your breath is so in sync with your movements that you feel like you can extend yourself in some poses beyond what you might normally do. These are the times to be especially mindful about your subtle ego. All my injuries practicing yoga have involved that subtle ego which lures you into a place of pushing yourself potentially beyond your edge. My own personal example is Supta Kurmasana. My teacher has often helped me to position my feet together. I was feeling very strong, relaxed and in sync with my breath one day. As I wiggled my feet together I stopped short of where I would normally position my feet. My teacher began to help me as I indicated with a smile that some assistance would be good because my subtle ego wanted to go farther. She helped me gently as I requested and moved by feet not too far, but my left hamstring and lower back responded with a spasm and strain. I nursed my injury for two weeks with gentle yoga, relaxation, swimming, and walking. We learn from our mistakes, but it made we wonder how many times I must learn to leave my ego at the door.

I encourage everyone to not be attached to how far they can get into a full expression of a pose and to let go of poses they may not be comfortable doing at all. It doesn’t matter whether you can pretzel yourself into a pose or push yourself all the way to your edge. It’s about uniting your mind, body, and spirit. The only requirements are to act and be attentive to your actions. You will find that yoga not only provides physical benefits without full expression of poses, but it can calm your mind, increase your concentration, and give you the ability to cope with stress. It is a system for your personal development that promotes physical and spiritual well-being.

Remember, you must begin yoga from where you are every day and your point of departure will always be different. So set you starting point based on your condition at the present moment, make your yoga practice sensible and well structured, and construct a gradual and intelligent course for your practice. There is no competition in yoga; there is only where you are, where you are going and where you will be. Be sure to leave your ego at the door!

March 2009 yGuide Yoga Newsletter

2009-03-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

Spring is beginning to make its presence known with daffodils, tulips and trees blooming! Depending on where you live, you are seeing evidence of spring. Here in Atlanta, about three weeks ago, I saw the first daffodils on my morning walk. I was having some challenges all winter getting up and getting my day started. So with the happy thoughts of spring, I started to make sure I began my day with a small routine of breath work and stretching to get my digestion, mind and body fired up for the day. I am performing this routine whether or not I do vigorous yoga, relaxing yoga, or some other physical activities.

Here is this simple practice which has really helped me get my day started:

Agnisara Kriya Sequence –
Repeat this sequence 3 or more times.

1. Agnisara Kriya – 1 round of 9 full breaths
2. Uttanasana – standing forward bend breathing 5 full breaths
3. Malasana – squat with hands in prayer for 5 full breaths
4. Uttanasana – transition to standing

Kapalbhati Sequence –
Repeat this sequence 3 or more times.

1. Kapalbhati pranayama for 108 breaths. I start with my palms open, counting 20 breaths at a time. Each time I reach a count of twenty I bring my thumb and one finger together starting with my pinkie. The last count of twenty is will all fingers and my thumb touching. When I end that count of twenty I open my palm and do 8 breaths. This has been an easy way for me to count my breaths.
2. Sukhasana with forward extension for 5 full breaths.

For step by step instructions of the poses mentioned in the above sequences, please click here to view a PDF file.

Visit us for our March Madness Sale and save 10% on orders over $16 thru 3/31/2009, www.yoga-software.com.

January 2009 yGuide Yoga Newsletter

2009-01-11T13:23:00.000-08:00

Introduction

December is just a blur and I find myself amazed that it is already January 10, 2009. Time really does just fly by! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. The start of the New Year always makes me think about going back to basics as I reflect on various aspects of my life. One practice flow I am always drawn to at this time of year is the Ancient Tibetan Rites. This practice helps me to bring back my balance after the rush, too much food and travel of the holiday season. I have included some brief instructions and a link to a PDF of the flow below. Also, learn about Aromatic Neti Salt and the use of essential oils in jala neti from a paper I researched and wrote in December.

Table of Contents

1. Ancient Tibetan Rites
2. Aromatic Neti Salt from Into The Scented Garden

Ancient Tibetan Rites

The Great Yoga Poses II collection includes the Five Ancient Tibetan Rites. The rites are a five-pose yoga sequence that is based on observations of a British army officer, Colonel Bradford (an assumed name), when he was living in a Himalayan monastery. The rites are now famous and are practiced around the world as they are said to be "the fountain of youth" for their anti-aging properties. LINK TO PDF

Principles

The five rites consist of different movements synchronized with your breath, to stimulate and balance the seven principal energy centers in your body. We know these energy centers in yoga as chakras. You can think of the chakras as being energy centers with a spinning vortex. As you balance the spinning of the vortex, your life force becomes more directed and stronger. The rites are designed to normalize the speed of each chakra’s spinning, so that they are spinning at the same rate and are working in harmony with one another, thus improving our health and aging process. The rites do help our bodies as we stretch our muscles and joints, and improve overall muscle tone. However, the focus of the rites is on our energy centers.

Medical research can support the benefits of the rites with convincing evidence that the aging process is tied to hormone regulation. The rites are said to normalize the hormonal imbalances in the body and therefore they hold the secret to lasting youth, health and vitality. The rites stimulate our energy system to get the energy moving from our core outward to our extremities. The theory is that your kundalini (spiritual energy) is stored at the base of your spine and that the five rites enable us to access that energy in an easy and efficient manner.

Key points to remember as you practice the Ancient Tibetan Rites:

Start with 3 repetitions of each exercise and gradually increase the number over time.
Perform each exercise up to 21 times, as the Tibetans believe the number 21 is a perfect, mystical number. According to the Tibetans, doing more that 21 times can cause the rites to lose effectiveness.
The routine can take from 10-20 minutes.
Do it daily if you can. It is a great way to warm up for other yoga poses.
You should never feel exhausted. If you begin to lose your breath that it is an indication that you are low on oxygen and should slow down.
Maintain an emphasis on synchronizing your breath with your movement, not on speed or number of repetitions.
Have fun!

Contraindications If you have any of the following conditions, consult your medical professional before practicing the rites:

Chronic fatigue syndrome
Multiple Sclerosis
Dizziness
Neck pain
Enlarged heart
Parkinson’s or other Parkinson-like disease
Heart disease
Pregnancy
Heart valve problem
Seizure disorders
High blood pressure
Ulcers
Lower back pain
Vertigo
Meniere's disease
Weakness, stiffness or pain in the shoulders or legs

If you have any questions as to whether or not you should practice these rites, consult your medical professional.

LINK TO PDF

The Ancient Tibetan Rites are included in our Great Yoga Poses II Collection. Click here to view the collection.

Aromatic Neti Salt from Into The Scented Garden

Recently, I wrote a term paper for a college course I was taking on “Plants, We Eat, Drink and Smoke Them”. The assignment was to interview and write about a business that produced products that used plants. I immediately thought about a product I use every day, Into the Scented Garden Aromatic Neti Salt. Conveniently, I was visiting in California and I had the opportunity to visit Into the Scented Garden and interview the owner, Dorothy Severns. The interview provided insight on what inspired her to create Aromatic Salt for jala neti and the process she went through to determine what essentials oils should be in the aromatic blend. This is a product that I am passion about, because it has helped me so much with my own allergies and keeping me healthier with my frequent air travel. If you wonder about jala neti and how you can enhance its benefits, read my paper by clicking here.

Click here to view the Aromatic Neti Salt products.

Peace

2008-12-06T15:44:00.000-08:00

As the holiday season is upon us, it makes me more aware of the meaning of peace. We are a world in turmoil, economically, politically and socially. How do we achieve peace in such a turmoil? A reading from the 14 Dalai Lama helped me to remember that each and everyone of us must be at peace with ourselves, so that we can extend that peace to others.

"I believe that to have world peace we must first have inner peace. Those who are naturally serene, at peace with themselves, will be more open towards others. I think this is where the very foundation of universal peace lies." by The 14th Dalai Lama

November 2008 yGuide Yoga Newsletter

2008-11-24T10:27:00.000-08:00

Table of Contents

Pranayama Practice
Cleansing Your Nasal Passages with Jala Neti
Book Recommendation

Pranayama Practice

Let's review a couple of pranayama techniques which may or may not be familiar to you. Even if you are a regular practitioner of pranayama, it can be beneficial to take a moment to revisit the techniques, because sometimes we can have additional insights during a review.

Ujjayi Pranayama

This breath is known as the psychic breath as it leads to subtle states of mind. The Sanskrit word means "victorious". The breath is a tranquilizing breath as it soothes the nervous system and calms the mind. It is also a warming breath as it heats the body. This breath is profoundly relaxing and can help to relieve insomnia and aid recovery from a cold.

Sit in Sukhasana (Easy Pose). Relax your whole body and your face. We are going to get a feel for making the audible sound at the back of the throat while doing Ujjayi breath by doing a little exercise we will call the "ha" thing. Take a nice inhale through your nose. Exhale with your mouth open and say "haaaaa" in the back of your throat. This sound is the sound you want to make when you are doing Ujjayi breathing, except you want to make it with your mouth closed.

Now inhale again through your nose. This time exhale through you nose with your mouth closed and make the "haaaaa" sound at the back of your throat. Practice a few times with your mouth open and then closed to get a feel for making the audible noise at the back of the throat. You should hear an audible noise at the back of your throat that my sound a bit like Darth Vader or a soft snore of a baby. The audible breath shouldn't be too loud, but just loud enough for you to hear it or perhaps someone sitting very close to hear it.

** Contraindications ** If you are suffering from heart disease, do not combine this breath with locking your bandhas or with breath retention.

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Kapalabhati Pranayama

Energizes the mind for mental activity. It can remove sleepiness in preparation for meditation. Purifies the Ida and Pin Gala nadis (subtle passage in which the prana moves). The Ida is the nadi that terminates at the left nostril and the Pin Gala terminates at the right nostril. It balances and strengthens the nervous system as well as tones the digestive organs.
The Sanskrit work "Kapal" means cranium or forehead and "bhati" means light, splendor, perception or knowledge. So it is a practice which brings a state of light or clarity to the frontal region of the brain. Be sure to practice on an empty stomach 3-4 hours after meals. You can perform this at any time of day. You can practice it after an asana practice and before meditating.

Sit in Sukhasana (Easy Pose). Keep your spine straight and your hands resting on your knees in Jnana mudra. Relax your whole body and your face. Close your eyes. Exhale and empty your lungs. Take an inhale slowly and deeply through your nostrils filling your belly 3/4's full with air. Exhale with intention by contracting your abdominal muscles and release the air from your belly. Think of it as a "snap" of the belly toward the spine. Don't strain as you do this. You are forcing your exhale and your body will automatically take care of the inhale. Let your inhale happen passively. Your body will naturally respond to the forced exhale with an inhale. Just let it happen. There should be no effort to inhale. It is spontaneous. Repeat as rapid breaths in succession for 10 breaths. This completes 1 round of Kapalbhati Pranayama. Practice 3-5 rounds. Be sure to use your abdomen and not your chest for this breath work. You can increase the number of respirations from 10 to 20 as your abdominal muscles become stronger.

When you have completed your rounds, release the breath and sit comfortably breathing naturally. Become aware of the feelings you are having. You may feel emptiness and calm.

** Contraindications ** Should not be practiced by anyone with high blood pressure, vertigo, heart disease, epilepsy, stroke, hernia or gastric ulcer.

** Note ** If you experience any pain or dizziness, stop the practice and sit quietly for some time. When the sensation of pain or dizziness has passed, you can try the practice again with more awareness and less force. If it continues, you need to consult a yoga teacher for guidance.

Click Here to Purchase Poses Available in yGuide Yoga Software with Great Yoga Poses II

Cleansing your Nasal Passages with Jala Neti

Fall is in full swing and winter season is just around the corner, so as the season changes, we can all be more susceptible to colds, flu and sinus issues. Jala Neti is also recommended for sinus sufferers, allergy sufferers and frequent travelers. Daily practice of cleansing your nasal passages can prevent sinus congestion and reduce your susceptibility to colds and other respiratory infections. Cleansing your nasal passages keeps the little passageways that lead from the sinuses into the nasal cavity from collecting dried mucus. Dried mucus may obstruct the passageways to the sinuses and create an environment conducive to sinus problems.

With jala neti you use a warm, mildly salty solution to help dissolve and wash away mucus, accumulated dirt, pollen, mold spores, bacteria and viruses which helps the mucous membrane to function properly by freeing the sinus passageway openings. The saline solution is poured into one nostril and then it will flow out the other nostril. I know it sounds contrary to everything you were taught about keeping water out of your nose when you learned how to swim, but adding the salt to the water makes the water more dense and compatible with the mucus membrane. It really does flow in one nostril and out the other quite easily. It may feel a bit strange the first time, but after you have finished, you will notice immediate results.

Into the Scented Garden neti pots and aromatic neti salts are designed to provide you with a comfortable, pleasant and effective experience from nasal washing for better health. There is a starter kit which comes with a pot, small salt and detailed instructions (with pictures) for practicing jail neti.

Click Here to Review and Purchase Neti Pots and Aromatic Neti Salts

Book Recommendation - Science of Breath, A Practical Guide by Swami Rama , Rudolph Ballentine, M.D and Alan Humes, M.D.

It is perhaps hard for us in Western cultures to think about a book entirely about breath, but this book is written in a very clear, interesting manner as it presents both the Eastern concepts surrounding breath and the Western medical understanding of how our breath works. If you are curious how some of the yogic breathing practices might actually work, this is a book that can answer your questions.
When you are in a yoga asana class, you probably hear the teacher instruct you to use a certain breathing practice as you do your poses and to pay attention to your breath. Your breath is your barometer which tells you how you are doing in your asana practice and it helps you connect the mind and the body. For instance, if you can’t breathe smoothly while doing your asana practice, like ujjayi breath during an Ashtanga vinyasa class, then it is an indication that you need to rest in child’s pose and regain the flow of your breath.
I enjoyed reading this book and it gave me a deeper understanding about the significance of breath in my yoga practice and in my life. As Swami Rama states, “Controlling the breath, is a prerequisite to controlling the mind and the body. “

Click Here to Purchase Science of Breath on Amazon

Newsletter by Leslie Ottavi

Love

2008-11-17T12:22:00.000-08:00

I have been on vacation visiting family and friends. It has been wonderful and I have been filled with love. So the following quote hit home with me as I work to overcome my own discontent with more love and compassion for others.

"Love is the only answer to hatred." -- Dilgo Khyentse Rinposche

Compassion

2008-11-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

As you may have guessed, I am into the readings of the 14th Dalai Lama. Here is a wonderful quote about how to develop compassion.

"Compassion can be roughly defined in terms of a state of mind that is non-violent, non-harming and non-aggressive. It is a mental attitude based on the wish for others to be free of their suffering and is associated with a sense of commitment, responsibility and respect towards others.
In discussing the definition of compassion, the Tibetan work tse-wa, there is also a sense to the word of its being a state of mind that can include a wish for good things for oneself. In developing compassion, perhaps one could begin with the wish that oneself be free of suffering, and then take that natural feeling towards oneself and cultivate it, enhance it, and extend it out to include and embrace others."

The 14th Dalai Lama

Emotions

2008-11-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

I read this quote from the 14th Dalai Lama about emotions and was struck by the truth of it.

"If we lack inner discipline and we let all the emotions that go through our heads come out, on the pretext that they must be expressed, we will reach a point of considerable excess and may even have difficulty in respecting the laws of our country. Human emotions have no limits, and the strength of negative emotions is infinite."

October 2008 yGuide Yoga Newsletter

2008-10-22T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hips, hips and hips. This month's newsletter is going to focus on opening our hips. We all know our body is an intricate system and so many functions are interrelated so let's begin with a brief review of the pelvic bowl which is comprised of our two hip bones and sacrum. The sacrum is the lowest four main segments of our spine. One purpose of our pelvic bones is to link the spine with the thighs, legs and feet, so it is no wonder that when we do poses to open our hips, we are usually also opening our backs, legs and feet. It also works in reverse, when we open our backs, legs and feet we are usually also opening our hips.

Let's take a look at Janu Sirsasana A, head to knee pose, to open our hips and see how it also opens our back, legs and ankles. First, let's look at a picture of the pose.

Now let's give it a try so you can feel the opening in your own body. Begin by sitting on your mat.

Park the heel of the right foot securely in your groin. The sole of your right foot is positioned into the inner left thigh. You thighbones are creating a 90-degree angle. The left leg is straight. Toes pointing upward.
Inhale your arms up towards the sky.
Exhale forward bend clasping both hands to the left foot. Bring the right ribs forward feeling a gentle twist through the waist as to lengthen both sides of the spine equally.
Inhale look up with straight arms and straight spine.
Exhale full forward bend, extending your spine out over your left leg. Bring your right ribs forward and keep your shoulders away from ears. Hold for 5 Ujjayi breaths. As you are here, feel the stretch in the right hip and the stretch in the hamstring. You may also be able to feel a stretch in your calf, ankle and the bottom of your foot. Breath into the areas where you are feeling the stretch.
Inhale look up and switch sides. Notice the differences between one side and the other.

As in all forward bending positions, we want to avoid rounding out the spine. So the focus is chest to knee and not head to knee. We also want to bring awareness into the right hip. Creating opposing forces of energy, we ground out through the right hip as we pull forward and down through the right ribs. This alignment would be contraindicated for people with sacroiliac problems. In this case, instead of creating opposing forces of energy between the hip and the ribs, allow your hip to travel energetically in the same direction as the ribs. This will minimize the torque which can aggravate the sacroiliac area.

Now, let's try a squat, Malasana. When I was doing my teacher training, we did Malasana for 3-11 minutes. I can tell you that extended squatting really opens the hips and low back. First a picture of Malasana.

Stand in Samasthiti in the center of your mat and face the long edge of the mat.
Step your feet to a wider stance, more than hip-width, with your toes out.
Inhale your arms over your head keeping your gaze forward.
Exhale full forward bend taking your hands to the floor in front of you.
Take an inhale while you are in your forward bend.
Exhale begin to squat by lowering your pelvis toward the floor to a comfortable but strong position. Keep your knees in the same direction as your toes.
Inhale your hands into Namaste (prayer position). Feel yourself lengthening your spine out of your pelvis to the top of your head as if someone has a string on the top of your head pulling you toward the ceiling. You should feel a nice stretch in your inner thighs/groin area. Hold this pose for few breaths up to several minutes. You decide!

Squatting opens your pelvic area and hips. It also can help relieve lower back discomfort and stiffness. You can also try this pose with the wall and with a block so that you can relax into the pose. It is a more passive variation than a freestanding pose.

As you do your regular practice, take the opportunity as you a breathing into your pose to really feel not just the obvious areas where you are opening your body, but the more subtle areas too.

Namaste,

Leslie Ottavi

Past yGuide Yoga Software Newsletters

2008-10-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

We are very excited about our new venture into blogging for our newsletters and other articles! This post is to provide links to our two most recent past newsletters.

September 2008 yGuide Yoga Software Newsletter

July 2008 yGuide Yoga Software Newsletter