Tag-Archive for » yoga postures «

Apr
20

From RN Central: 28 Great Yoga Moves in the Office

My office chair is HORRIBLE!  It’s not unusual for me to hobble away from my desk, bent over like an old woman crawling out of a shoe.

Courtesy of RN Central, here are a whole bunch of great moves to keep you walking, straight and narrow, that you can do easily at your desk or in the office:

Even if you don’t think of yourself as a typical yogi, yoga can be a very beneficial addition to your day. Taking breaks at the office is integral to staying flexible and healthy during the day, and you can supplement your normal stair climbs or walk around the building with these yoga poses. Whether or not you’ve tried yoga before or have studied the health benefits of yoga, try to find a peaceful spot in your office to stretch, strengthen your muscles, and regain your composure.

  1. Side benders: The first pose on this video will stretch out your neck, core and back. Just remember to keep your shoulders back and chest open.
  2. Shoulder rolls: Even if you don’t think you’re particularly stressed at work, you probably hold a lot of tension in your shoulders. Roll them out with this pose.
  3. Chair Pose: You’ll only pretend to be sitting in your chair as you do this pose, which strengthens your thighs, hips and hamstrings.
  4. Neck stretch: Another technique to immediately release tension and help yourself relax is this neck stretch.
  5. Tadasana: One of the most basic yoga poses, all you really have to do is stand with your feet together, practicing good posture and relieving back pain.
  6. Triangle pose: Anyone can do this pose, and as you become more advanced, you can focus on opening and stretching your hips and looking up to your other hand.
  7. Big Mind Meditation: Sit comfortably on the floor in this pose to quiet your mind.
  8. Standing tree pose: This is a great pose to do at work because it centers your mind and body while calming your nerves and helping you de-stress.
  9. Chair Twist: Your back will get a good, strong stretch with this pose you can do in your office chair.
  10. Warrior II Pose: Get a good stretch while strengthening your arms, thighs and legs at the same time.

Read more….

Category: Articles, Blog, Features, health, instruction, Postures, Practice, strength, yoga  One Comment
Apr
29

In Another Life… I’d Be a Dancer…

So, in this one, I’ll settle for just enjoying the pose to it’s fullest!  Dancer’s Pose, or Natarajasana is one of the loveliest postures I know.

In the balance postures, and in particular Natarajasana, which many find difficult, it is the focus that brings light to the posture… think:  80% focus, 20% physical ability.  That should take some pressure off!

At a recent retreat, the woman with whom I shared my ‘tent-alow’, a fellow Canadian and true yogini in almost every sense of the word, surprised me the morning of our first practice, when I happened to be on my mat directly to her rear, in the row behind.

Not classically built for flexibility, or so I thought, my roommate approached the posture as we all did, but then somehow, she seemed to leave us.  As the bodies surrounding her found their place of focus and some comfort in varying degrees of the pose, for the most part, extended, reaching forward… it was as if her torso, her heart within her breast, along with her foot, clasped in both hands, were being pulled towards the sky by a string held by Shakti herself.  Her body became a circle, arced round, strong, unwavering and perfect.

From my place in the posture, I could but stare in blatant longing.  When I asked her about it later, expressing my admiration at the sheer beauty of it, she simply shrugged, claiming it was a favourite, but added quietly, “I feel love in that pose…”   Mmmmmm… the power of yoga!

I found this wonderful video, which in addition to being a brief but thorough education in Natarajasana, addresses many people’s propensity to turn slightly, which allows for taking the posture deeper, but with the wonky alignment twists the spine awkwardly, while torquing the hip outward.

Ahem.  I suppose I’ll be taking a better look at my alignment.


Category: Postures, Practice, Spirit  One Comment
Apr
02

Bridge Pose, or…. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

It was a lovely practice today.  Short but lovely.  Only half an hour as girl-child was left on the computer… please don’t judge.  Ahem.

Anyways, this posture is near heaven for me.  It’s a posture in which I can remain for days… or at least, many, many moments.  I love looking down my abdomen, torso straight and strong not to mention the power in my thighs.  Oh, my thighs.  I just love the delicious tension in this pose… feeling the work in my core… and my dear bottom!

It’s a beautiful, strong posture and is known to offer many benefits, not the least of which is rejuvenating tired legs (the thighs, remember?!), as well as stretching the chest, neck, and spine and stimulating abdominal organs.  Additionally it’s said to improve digestion and aid in the discomfort of menstruation.

I’ll bow to a higher authority to provide the technicalities, but for the love of Oprah, this is one of my favourites!

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