5 Heat-building Yoga Poses

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breath yoga, cold weather yoga, healing yoga, Longon yoga, warming yoga, winter yoga, yoga headstand, yoga poses, Yoga With Paul

Winter challenges the body. Daily cold and damp can weaken our immune system, stiffen our muscles, slow our digestion and lower our mood. All of this makes us susceptible to a range of physical and mental illnesses.

With the pandemic battle far from one, it is more important than ever to stay strong. That means keeping our metabolism and cardiovascular system in gear, strengthening our respiratory system, working our muscles and, above all, keeping our minds clear and positive.

Daily yoga is the best way to make this happen. If doing a full 60 or 90 minutes is too much, do 45, or 30, or 15. How much and when is less important than just doing it. These 5 heat-building yoga poses can be done as a sequence, mixed into a longer sequence, or piecemeal as you have time.

Kapalabhati (Shining skull breath)

This is one of the most powerful forms of breathing to heat, energise and detoxify. Kapalabhati consists of short, explosive exhales alternating with longer, passive inhales. The rhythmic compression of the abdomen during the exhales energises the organs and heats your core. The Yoga Journal has a great step-by-step  guide to doing the breath, if you are not familiar.

Crescent lunge

Anjaneyasana (Crescent lunge)

This challenging move will get your heart pumping and blood rushing to your large muscle groups, warming the body and building strength and stamina. Do repeats to rapidly heat the body; hold the posture for longer to create a slow, steady release of energy.

Four-limbed staff pose

Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-limbed staff pose)

This total-body power move activates major muscle groups in a smooth, flowing sequence that builds heat, strength and flexibility. The ‘yoga push-up’ engages the whole body from hands to toes, via the core, legs and arms — giving every part of your body a chance to activate and energise.

Shirshasana (Headstand)

Headstands are a terrific posture for the circulation and lymphatic system, which transports immune cells through the body and works to detox the blood. This makes it a vital pose for winter, as it boosts your immune response while building heat in the core, arms and shoulders.

Headstand

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward-facing dog)

Downward-facing dog is a terrific static strengthen pose that stimulates the digestion and metabolism, pumps up your cardio system and tones and strengthens the muscles in your upper and lower body. Practice holding it for one, two or even three minutes to revitalise the body and build power.

What is your favourite winter yoga pose? Share in the comments or Tweet @YogaWithPaul!

4 Yoga Poses for Lungs

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breath yoga, bridge pose, cobra pose, crocodile pose, fish pose, pranayama, yoga asthma, yoga breathing, yoga healing, yoga lungs, yoga respiration, Yoga With Paul

During the cold, damp winter weather we are more prone to problems that affect our lungs, like colds and asthma. Yoga is a fantastic tool to strengthen and protect your lungs, helping you maintain a healthy respiratory system. Yogic breathing like pranayama should be a fundamental part of your routine. These four yoga poses for lungs enhance the benefits of breath-work by physically opening the lungs, increasing flexibility and strength in the chest, and activating your whole body to support your respiration.

Cobra pose

Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)

This pose physically expands your chest and helps improve the control of the breath. Lie on the floor on your belly, spread your r hands on the floor under your shoulders. Hug the elbows back into your body. You press the front of your body firmly into the floor and as you inhale start to straighten the arms to lift the chest off the floor, maintaining the connection through your hips and legs. Keep your lower body tight, like a cobra’s tail. Take small breaths at the top as you increase the arc of your spine, lifting your eyes toward the ceiling.

Matsyaasana (Fish pose):

This is a fun pose that happens to be a wonderful opener for the chest and lungs. You start by lying on your back and folding your arms underneath you. Then you lift your chest and torso, letting your head relax so the crown stays in contact with the floor. Arch your back as much as you can, using your elbows to maintain balance, and breathe in and out deeply.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge pose)

This asana activates expands your chest and lungs to increase your lung capacity and open your heart. To begin, lie on your back and draw your knees up with your feet flat on the floor, about hip width apart. Press up from the four corners of your feet, engaging the legs and buttocks to lift the hips higher. Press your arms and shoulders into the mat to lift the chest up and toward the chin.

Makarasana (Crocodile pose)

This is a relaxing, calming pose that also has great benefits for the lungs. You lie face down, cross your arms under your head, and rest your forehead on your arms. Relax into the floor, letting the legs flop. You want to breathe steadily and press your stomach into the floor as you inhale; you should physically feel your lungs filling and emptying.

Read more: Open your heart chakra, Asana and pranayama, Fight allergies with yoga

How To Do: Surya Bhedana

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breath yoga, how to breathe, meditation tips, mindfulness, pranayama, surya bhedana, yoga breathing surya bhedana, yoga teacher, Yoga With Paul

Pranayama is a fundamental element of yoga. Through the breath, we cleanse, refresh, and detoxify the body. Controlling the breath also helps us calm our minds, reduce stress, and learn to remain at peace in difficult situations.

Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash

Surya Bhedana Pranayama is a type of breathing where you inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left.

In Hatha yoga philosophy, each nostril has different energies. The right nostril is linked to your physical energy, so doing Surya Bhedana is a great way to refresh and activate your body. It also aids the nervous system and stimulates the digestive system.

On a mental level, doing Surya Bhedana is a great mindfulness practice.

The steps are simple:

• Block your left nostril.
• Inhale slowly and deeply with your right nostril.
• Block your right nostril.
• Exhale through your left nostril.

As you do this, envision the air circulating in your body, forming a cleansing rhythm that washes through all your muscles, organs, and cells. If you find seated meditation difficult, this is a good practice because you are concentrating on the in and out-breath, and blocking each nostril in turn.

You can do this anytime for two or three minutes to release tension and rejuvenate.

Questions or thoughts? Share in the comments!

Breathe Clean – Natural Air Fresheners

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breath yoga, cleansing, DIY air freshener, essential oils, hypoallergenic, natural air freshener, natural ingredients, Yoga With Paul

Most of us are conscious of what we put in our bodies in terms of food and drink,  as well as the type of cosmetics or grooming products we use. We avoid preservatives, artificial flavours and colours, parabens, and other potentially harmful substances.

But what about the air we breathe? Lots of us don’t think twice about spending time in heavily scented environments, or using conventional air fresheners in our homes or vehicles (though if, like me, you bike most places, that ‘s not an issue!)

Shop-bought air fresheners are packed with chemicals. Scientific American reported:

Some of the most offensive ingredients—volatile organic compounds (VOCs), benzene and formaldehyde—can cause headaches and nausea and aggravate asthma, and have been linked to neurological damage and cancer.

Perhaps even more worrisome, though, are dispersants known as phthalates that cause hormonal and reproductive issues, birth defects and developmental disorders. A 2007 review by the non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found that 12 out of 14 widely available air fresheners contained phthalates.

This should be enough to get you to put down the spray can and consider alternatives for creating a fresh-smelling home, office, car or yoga studio.

The following super-simple recipe from The Prairie Homestead lets you mix your favourite essential oils into a natural, non-toxic spray that you can feel comfortable using any time, without worrying about the health risks.

DIY Air Freshener Spray Formula:

• 180ml water (I use tap water, but distilled is fine too)
• 2 tablespoons vodka, rubbing alcohol, or real vanilla extract
• One of the essential oil combinations below

Place all ingredients in a 240ml spray bottle, shake well to mix before use.

1. CITRUS MINT AIR FRESHENER SPRAY

• 10 drops wild orange essential oil
• 8 drops peppermint essential oil

2. SWEET LAVENDER AIR FRESHENER SPRAY

• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 5 drops chamomile essential oil
• Use 2 tablespoons real vanilla extract in place of the 2 tablespoons of vodka.

3. SUMMER CITRUS AIR FRESHENER SPRAY

• 5 drops wild orange essential oil
• 5 drops lemon essential oil
• 5 drops lime essential oil
• 5 drops grapefruit essential oil

For more essential oil combinations, read the original post at The Prairie Homestead.

Share your favourite essential oils in the comments!

Yoga for Self-Awareness

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breath yoga, healing practice, meditation, mindfulness, self-awareness, Ujjayi, yoga, yoga mindfulness, Yoga With Paul

Self-awareness can transform our lives. When we understand why we do what we do, we have the power to change. Without self-awareness, we falter in our attempts to make even small changes — for example, or be more patient with work colleagues.

Why is self-awareness so important? Because it reveals the motivation behind our actions. If we think our irritability at work is due to a colleague’s annoying habits, we keep being irritated. If we examine the situation with the goal of becoming self-aware we may discover our irritation is actually a mask for resentment or for insecurity. Shining the light of self-awareness on a situation lets us to address the real problem.

Self-awareness is something we can cultivate through yoga, in and out of the studio. The following three practices will help to develop self-awareness and create new avenues for growth and change.

 

 

 

Awareness of breath

Breathing is a fundamental element of yoga that you can tune into at any point in your day, this makes it a powerful aid to self-awareness. ArtofLiving.org suggests this five-step Ujjayi ritual to begin a meditation:

1. Sit comfortably in a chair. You may also sit cross-legged on the ground or on a yoga mat.
2. Slowly breathe out while making a “Ha” sound.
3. Now stretch this “Ha” sound, so that it becomes a long deep breath “Haaaaaaa”.
4. Breathe in while slowly making the “Ha” sound, but this time close your mouth. Feeling the throat slightly constricted and air flowing at the throat
5. With the mouth closed, continue breathing like this, in and out, for 10 long deep breaths. As you take in a long deep “in” breath, breathe an equally long “out” breath.

If you’re on the train, at work, in a shop, or anywhere, you can tune in to consciously taking long, slow, equal in and out breaths to calm your mind. When you do this, you calm your body’s stress reactions and slow racing thoughts. This gives you the space to analyse your mind and bring full consciousness to a situation instead of reacting.

Awareness of asana

Use your time in yoga class to practice observing and understanding your body-mind connection, this will increase your awareness of how you respond to your surroundings and condition. Ask yourself questions as you move through your practice: Why do you choose your particular spot in the studio? What thoughts do you observe as you wait for class to begin? Do you anticipate or dread certain poses? How do you respond to other students’ presence and energy? What emotions arise if you fall out of a posture? As you become aware of your reactions to the asanas you begin to understand how you relate to the physical world at large.

Awareness of meditation

Meditation teaches us to observe our feelings without being carried away. When we meditate we observe thoughts and feelings that arise, without attaching to them. Emotions are waves that sweep in and knock us off our feet. When we develop self-awareness through meditation we begin to understand their origin, just as scientists, through study, learn how waves are generated. As we do so, we may find areas that need healing or care — such as grief, disappointment or loss. Once we know what needs attention, we have the chance to work towards positive change.

What is your definition of self-awareness? Share in the comments?