Choose lighter clothing:

Lightweight clothing helps in Yoga asanas. Whilst performing Yoga; we bend, stretch, jump & even stand on our head therefore the lighter the clothes; more convenient it would be for you to go into the yoga posture. Put on something comfy & you certainly will surely have a confident experience.

A gentle shower before & after Yoga:

A mild to cold water shower before your Yoga session would re-invigorate your capillaries and help you make feel bright, fresh & alert for your practice. This does not indicate you cannot practice yoga without shower . . if shower is not possible still head over to class.

Drink plenty of water:

All through the day – drink at least 10 to 12 glasses of water. It not only will keep you well hydrated but additionally keeps your joints from sore & belly from rumbling. It will enable you to have a smoother practice of your yoga poses. The standing poses target the cardiovascular & raise the heart rate which in turn causes the sweating. The losing of fluid could cause dizziness or migraines. Having enough water during the day; could be just fine during your practice.

Keep a gap of at least 2 to 3 hours between your meal & Yoga Practice:

A lot of sequences involve twisting & bending. Hence, it could be easier to practice asanas on empty stomach. Nevertheless if you feel hungry post meal (Before practice); you can have orange juice.

There is no competition in Yoga:

Yoga practice is about bettering one’s self. Yoga is the journey to the self & through the self. Everyone starts from somewhere. We all have been beginners at some point of time. It will not matter if you are not able to hold your postures . . nobody cares whose balance is off & who is not able to touch the toes. With the kind of instructions involved in the class; no student will have time to even think about what & how everyone else in the class is doing. Pay attention to the instructions provided by teacher & your posture alignment.

Yoga is a life transforming experience. You will not only notice changes in your physical body but it will also extend your thinking. You will feel aches, your body will tremble…that only means- Yoga is working. Now, what to do once the Yoga practice is over ?

• Drink plenty of water
• Take gentle shower
• If your purpose is to lose weight or tone the body – do not eat at least for an hour post yoga practice.
• Note down your likes from the yoga session you attended.
• Go out in the world & do yoga.

People with sciatica may also experience hip, buttock, leg or foot pain & even may experience numbness or weakness of the leg. Sciatica has a long painful history. Many conditions can lead to sciatica including herniated disk, trauma and degenerative spinal arthritis. It is common as we reach the middle age. Pregnancy can also lead to sciatica in some cases since the enlarging uterus puts pressure directly on the sciatica nerve.

Various tests such as MRI scans, CT Scans & others may be used to help detect the causes of sciatica.

Yoga to cure Sciatica

Yoga can be extremely beneficial to cure the sciatica pain. Like physical therapy; the stretches in yoga can help making the postural alignment corrected strengthening the affected muscles. Further, yoga can also help relieving the tension that may aggravate the condition, making the patient aware of the change that is happening internally to relieve the stress & improve the mood which can ease the pain.

The Supine Yoga poses where the spine is unloaded are the safest Yoga poses then the straight legged forward folds. Here are few Yoga poses that may help relieving the Sciatica pain however it is recommended & advisable to work with a Yoga Therapist or a teacher who is well experienced in application of Yoga poses for sciatica.

1 ) Parvatanasana – Seated Mountain Pose :

Most people spend their time sitting on desk in their sedentary lifestyle. Poor sitting habits like sitting on sacrum and rounding the spine cannot only cause the sciatica pain but also cause the Respiratory, circulatory as well as digestive problems. Anytime, when you are sitting, ensure to align your spine correctly in Paravatanasana.

1. Sit on your seat bones – the two hard knobs at the base of your pelvis. To feel these knobs; reach under your hips, gently move the flash of your buttocks aside and feel them releasing down to the seat.
2. Place your feet firmly on the floor. If it is difficult to reach the floor; place a footstool to sit comfortably. Take a moment to root down to the ground. Feel the sit bones & soles.
3. From the grounding place; extend your head high – keeping it in line with your spine which is straight & erected for the posture alignment.
4. Keep the chin parallel to the floor – do not tipping it off or tuck it in. Ensure to relax your shoulders away from ears & stake your joints.
5. Raise your arms up in prayer pose ensuring the elbows straight. The another variation is one can interlock the fingers & stretch the arms up.
6. If the chair doesn’t support this posture; you may place the rolled blanket or towel at your lumber spine or lower back.

2 ) Katimanthan I – Supine Supported Twist I

1. Lie down flat on your back – hands parallel to the shoulders – Palms face up
2. Bend the legs from the knees keeping the feet hips distance apart.
3. Take a deep breath & then on exhalation bring both the legs on right side. The feet & knees should be together.
4. Hold the pose at the side atleast for 15 to 20 breaths or maximum 2 minutes
5. Move your neck to the left side Look at the palms.
6. Repeat on the left side.

3 ) Katimanthan II – Supine Supported Twist II

1. Lie down flat on your back – hands parallel to the shoulders –Palms face up
2. Bend the right leg from knee
3. Place the left leg feet on the knee of right leg.
4. Take a deep breath & on exhalation; bend both the legs on the right side, ensuring the knee & feet are touching the mat. Hold the pose at the side atleast for 15 to 20 breaths
5. Move your neck to the left side Look at the palms.
6. Repeat on the left side.

4 ) Supta Padangushthasana – Reclined Big Toe Pose:

1. Lie flat on your back, stretch both legs & keep the knees tight.
2. Inhale & raise the right leg from the floor until it is perpendicular. Keep the left leg stretched fully on the floor and rest the right hand on the right thigh.
3. Raise the right arm & catch the right big toe. You can use the belt if it is difficult to catch the big toe keeping the leg straight from the knee.
4. Hold the pose for at least 15 to 20 breaths.
5. Exhale & without disturbing the head and trunk or lifting the left leg off the floor, move the right arm & leg sideways to the right down to the floor. Do not release the toe hold but bring the right arm in level with the shoulders on the floor. Stay in this position for at least 15 to 20 breaths without bending the right leg at the knee.
6. Repeat the pose with left leg.

5 ) Pawanmuktasana – Knees to Chest Pose

1. Lie down flat on the mat & take few easy breaths.
2. Bend the legs from the knees & bring your thighs towards your torso keeping hands on the knees. You can use Yoga belt or strip to catch your legs.
3. Inhale & straighten your arms allowing your thighs to move away from your body.
4. Exhale & bend your elbows, drawing your thighs into your body as close as possible.
5. Hold the pose for at least 10 breaths.
   Caution: Avoid this pose if you are pregnant.

Why Yoga for Kids

I have found that the Yoga can help counter this pressure. When the children learn the technique for self-health & relaxation; it becomes easier for them to navigate life’s pressure. I always emphasis Yoga at an early age since it can enhance the self-esteem as well as the body awareness with a physical activity which is non-competitive in nature. It also fosters the compassion & cooperation rather than competition, opposition & jealousy in friendship. Perhaps this is the best thing we can gift to our children.

Yoga can enormously benefit the children when practiced from early age. Physically it helps enhancing the flexibility & the strength- internally it improves the concentration & calms the mind. While doing yoga; children can connect more deeply with their inner self and this can help developing the intimate relationship with the nature which surrounds them. I could list hundreds of benefits of Kids yoga; however here are my favorite reasons why Yoga is awesome for children.

• Maintains flexibility & strengthens the growing body
• Enhances concentration
• Enhances Self Confidence
• Helps learning living & enjoying the present moment
• Sparks creativity & imagination
• Promotes healthy lifestyle
• Encourages peer & social interactions
• Teaches being disciplined & responsible

Breathing Awareness

Breathing exercise can energize the kids. Different poses named on animals & nature help kids connect to how their bodies feel as a result of deep breathing. It not only increases the focus but also enhances the lung capacity. Stress is reduced & healthy hormones are released during Yoga stretches. This makes kids feel fresh.

Balancing

The balancing poses like Tree pose teach children that with increased focus; it is natural to increase the attention. This is actually helpful for the parents with hyperactive children at home.

Stretching

People believe that Yoga is only about stretching & it can not build the strength. The fact is; the strong muscle can not move without enough flexibility. Yoga stretches makes the muscles move through integrating breathing techniques. This helps muscles become warm & flexible & Support the tender joints in a functional way.

Relaxation:

Yoga is meditative in nature. While child is holding the posture in balancing or moving through the sequence; there is going to be a calming & soothing breathing which calms the mind.

Yoga is not a destination; rather it’s a journey of a lifetime which requires discipline for a committed practice. Are your children involved in Yoga? What gifts have they been given from Yoga practice?

All of us would have encountered a bout of fatigue at some point in our life. The lack of energy, over exertion, stress, boredom, emotional turbulence & sleep deprivation could cause fatigue. A growing number of research has proven that any exercise in the form of Yoga can certainly help addressing the chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Sun Salutation can help enlivening your entire body dispensing that required lift in mood. The standing postures like Virbhadrasana Sequence (Warrior Series) works the best in unblocking the energy – Prana along the spine. It actively induces the blood circulation in the body. The poses that gently stretch the spine can help combating the fatigue making you feel the vigorousness. The backward bend postures like Ushtrasana (Camel Pose) magnifies the mood opening up your Ananhata Chakra leading you to feel loved & important on the earth. Back bending energizes the entire nervous system.

Consider these easy yet effective uplifting Yoga poses which enables you toning up your entire body by boosting enormous energy.

1) Baddha Konasana Pose (Bound Angle Pose): Perceived as the best hip opener pose.
2) Dhanurasana (Bow Pose): Get into the bow pose to feel brimming with abundant energy.
3) Bhujangasan (Cobra Pose): Opens the heart & shoulders and promotes the spine flexibility
4) Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog): Definitely one of the rejuvenating stretch
5) Shalbhasana (Locust Pose): An intense back bender fortifies the torso, legs & arms.

Surya Namaskar is always a wonderful way to welcome the new season. We celebrated the New Year dawning with 108 Surya Namaskar!

What is Surya Namaskar?

“The notion of a Namaskar to the sun is to pay your respects and surrender to the universe. This can be taken as a metaphor to let go physically – the mind follows as you move ‘inside’ the practice.”

It is often said that Surya Namaskar contains the entire practice within it. But what does that mean? If you examine which postures make up the sun Namaskar, you get a wide range of movements: forward bend, back bend, being still, lengthening the spine, grounding the feet, strengthening the upper body, stretching the hamstrings, expanding the lungs and more. That is why Surya Namaskar is the ideal way to warm the body at the beginning of a yoga practice. Even if you do not intend to practice yoga, the Surya Namaskar is a great way to start the day, as it also works on the mind. By hearing the breath, holding the gaze (dristi), these movements allow us to center ourselves and to quiet our wandering mind.

Doing the Surya Namaskar regularly will transform your yoga practice, your outlook on life and yourself.

Why do 108 Sun Namaskar?

The Surya Namaskars are usually accompanied by chanting (see below). There are many reasons for the Hindu and Buddhist belief in the sacredness of the number 108. Originally there were 54 sounds in the Sanskrit alphabet. Double 54 and you get 108, which is also the number of beads in the mala (meditation prayer beads). There are 108 Upanishads, the sacred Vedic texts. 108 is also 9 times 12, two propitious numbers in Indian culture.

Chant to accompany Surya Namaskar
Om Suryaaya Namah – Namaskar to Surya, the dispeller of darkness
Om Savitre Namah – Namaskar to Savita (Savitri) the impeller
Om Mitraaya Namah – Namaskar to Mitra, the bestower of universal friendship
Om Marichaye Namah – Namaskar to Marichi, the light
Om Bhaaskaraaya Namah – Namaskar to Bhaskara, the cosmic brilliance
Om Bhaanave Namah – Namaskar to Bhaanu, the shining principle
Om Aadityaya Namah – Namaskar to Aaditya (an aspect of Vishnu)
Om Pushne Namah – Namaskar to Pushan, the mystic fire
Om Ravaye Namah – Namaskar to Ravi, the bestower of radiance
Om Khagaaya Namah  – Namaskar to Khaga, the all-pervading
Om Arkaaya Namah – Namaskar to Arka, the remover of afflictions
Om Hiranyagarbhaaya Namah – Namaskar to Hiranyagarbha, the golden colored one (who brings healing)

Here are primary reasons to do yoga…there are many more of course…but the list would make an entire book I believe.

Yoga makes you feel better & relaxed:

It’s the reason why many people are hooked onto yoga. You will always feel better after class. Pick up a good class & go with an open mind & you will certainly feel better, more open & happier. You will be able to enjoy your present. Don’t go by my words…Just try it.

Yoga makes your body strong, supple & healthy:

A lot of people have experienced physical benefits during their first class. You will notice the flexibility in your body. Your fitness level improves, your muscles will grow stronger & your body will be suppler. Not only your body; your mind will also get stronger.

Yoga helps you make your mind quieter & calmer:

After my yoga class; I always feel a shift in my mind. I feel something has fallen into place; I feel a completely different perspective – a quieter & a calmer mind.

Yoga helps you stay focused:

Since your mind will be quieter & calmer; it is easier to divert the energy where you want to. Yoga moves me from all over the places to one thing again. You can stay in present & focus on utilizing your energies on process information more accurately. You train your mind to become aware & present. This process makes my mental abilities turn into a better resource.

Yoga makes you adaptable to the changes:

You cannot expect always a pretty rosy flow.. difficult things happen with almost everyone however to come out of that pain easily is what yoga teaches. Yoga teaches that everything changes; knowing & understanding them at a much deeper level makes it easier to accept & stay positive.

So this is the gist of it. With Yoga practice; you will become aware of everything, who you really are, your life, tendencies, what you really want & perhaps what is best for you. You will be able to develop the sense of self awareness, change the thought process & the interpretations that your mind makes. It changes your perspective to the 360 degree level. You become more receptive to changes. You will feel more self-confident & stronger…!

So, if you haven’t started yoga yet – this is the right time to stretch your arms, squizz in your abdo & get on the mat…!!

Power of Positivity

We Yogi’s favorite word is “Sankalp”. Its Sanskrit word which means determination, will or purpose. The Sankalp means to set an intention with an Yogic twist. Almost all the time; the resolution zeros in on a perceived negative aspect of ourselves – say for e.g., I wish to lose weight in new year hence no more eating out, no more ice cream or chocolate chips or cheese  While setting an intention or resolution with Sankalp in mind – we tend to explore what’s behind the thought or the feeling. Like “I crave chocolate or sweet things to eat when I am stressed out or sad. I will set an intention to become conscious of this craving and allow my feeling to pass, rather than simply filling up my tummy with fats.” This way the intention would allow making changes in your lifestyle keeping you happy & healthy all the time.

Make an Effort – it counts:

Sankalp only focuses on the nobility & appreciates the efforts put in and not on what you are doing incorrect. One of my friends told me once that the new year’s resolution leaves her feeling guilty of not keeping them. Yes right..making the resolution or settling up a Sankalp or an intention is easier than keeping it however with conscious efforts it’s not very difficult. With Sankalp – look back & let it go. Set an intention to open your heart for the new possibilities. A Sankalp has a much more of a global sense than a resolution. It helps me being softer with myself. With Sankalp; the-self hatred that arises from the continuously dwelling on past felony can begin to dissolve. In its place; it’s an exercise in effort and surrendering to the intention opens ourselves to the universe.

Sankalp Setting:

Look Inward:
It is not a day’s practice. Think constantly for several days; set aside some time & write into a journal & dwell on the thought. Mull over your typical feeling or resolution. How do they make you feel? Stressed? Anxious? Excited? Now contemplate how you would like to feel during the new year? You think you can rephrase your result oriented resolutions into something that will help you make your new year’s journey more joyful?

Rephrase It:
Creating a short sentence for your Sankalp will make the life easier. Ensure, not to set limitations based on the fear. For example; rather than setting an intention like “May life bring me only happiness & joy this year” – Consider as “May I be happy & open to what life brings me”

Be Firm but Fair:
Change is very rigid & it does not happen overnight. When you stray from the essence of your Sankalp, don’t berate yourself. Instead, gently remind yourself of your intention. However be firm. The best idea is to incorporate the Sankalp in to your daily life routine. Use it as a mantra during your Pranayam & Meditation practice. Post it on your mirror, computer, phone & on the things which remain in front of you most of the time or simply say it to yourself quietly before going to sleep.

Resolve to evolve… Set up a Sankalp…!!

Sitting in the porch & starring at the emptiness or may be you are sitting in the office & starring at your laptop for 8 hours…cool breeze touching your face & taking you in the whirlwind of thoughts. You have to shop groceries, do laundry, project deadlines, Kids exams, classes & so much on your plate…Actually the to do list goes on & on. I have been there, actually we all have been there. Those times when our tiredness is awful and the only thing we feel like doing is hibernating on sofa until our limbs melt with its fabric.

When rolling out & going on your Yoga mat is the last thing on your mind; it is actually time to pull up your yoga pants & head straight to your yoga practice. The more things you do; more things you would end up doing; your list of responsibilities is endless.

Don’t you think you have responsibility to yourself as well? Think about it. I keep telling this to my students who end up skipping classes & taking toll on their health. One hour is just 0.6% of your week. Don’t you think you need to dedicate this to the one with who you would be living with the rest of your life ..that’s you.

When you think of skipping your yoga class; remember how you felt after your last class? How you felt your skin hugging muscles you didn’t even know it existed? How exhilarated you felt after each pose? Why wouldn’t you wish to enjoy this high again?

No yoga classes nearby? Travelling? No means of transport to reach to Yoga Studio? No worries; you have your yoga studio right in front of your home. Yoga can be practiced anywhere and that is the beauty of Yoga. Just roll out your mat & enjoy the journey.

Thankfully, Yoga has never been a competitive sport. Everybody is different and have been gifted with different kind of flexibility. Listen to your body; listen to how you feel in that particular moment and find the spaces where there is a room for you to explore the pose a little bit further. Even if you don’t do anything; relax in Child pose for some time and just breathe.

Remember why you started and don’t get too caught up in life that you forget about loving yourself..!!