Cat Cow Yoga Pose - Yoga Meditation Studio Palm Beach YMSPB

Simple Cat Cow Pose 

• A very simple but beneficial Yoga pose to practice, helps to loosen the spine and relax before practicing meditation. 

•  Begin in neutral cat. On your mat - kneel on all fours, knees under hips and hands under shoulders. Nice flat back.  

• Spread the fingers wide with the middle finger pointing towards the short edge of your mat. Be aware of the pads at the base of each finger as they contact the mat. 

• Slowly inhale and look up. Lengthening away from your shoulders, keeping your neck long as you lengthen your shoulders down and away from your ears. 

• Open your chest towards the front, taking the belly button towards your mat. Feel the gluts seperate.

• Exhale, lower the head, chin towards the chest, keeping the back of the neck long as you round your back towards the ceiling.

• Firm your belly and press the gluts together.  

• Repeat for 4 to 6 breaths, moving smoothly between each move. Always practice with awareness of your breath and how your body feels. Keep it safe.

Benefits

Cat pose alleviates stress, helps stretch the back of your neck and torso and gently massages your belly and abdominal organs. When combined with cow pose, cat pose can help to develop breath control and awareness, which is one of the most important lessons you can learn from a yoga practice.

Contraindications

The cat pose is generally not advised for people who have suffered a recent back or neck injury or have acute or chronic neck or back pain. If you have a stiff upper back, it may be difficult for you to round your upper back.

Disclaimer:
Before attempting any of these stretches seek advise from your doctor. We can not and will not be responsible for any injury caused by your attempt to stretch following these instructions.

If you would like to learn how to practice this and other yoga asanas in a class environment you are very welcome to contact us. Leave us a comment along with your details and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Article used with permission
hymnetworks

Go here to check YMSPB Timetable
yogapalmbeach

Namaste
See you at class
Lalita
YMSPB

YMSA - Yoga Meditation Studios Palm Beach - Nadi Shodan Pranayama

Nadi Shodan Pranayama

There are a number of Pranayama breathing techniques that are very beneficial for our body.  One that I have been using to help keep me grounded is the Nadi Shodan Pranayama breath.  It is also called Alternate nostril breathing. This is a very nice pranayama which can be used to clear the energy centres in the body. This practice also helps move the flow of energy/chi/prana through the meridians more effectively.

Nadi Shodan breathing helps balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain while

alternately exercising the left and right lungs. This simple practice clears the blockages in both sides of the airways, you may notice this instantly when transitioning from pranayama breathing to normal breathing.

Nadi Shodan breathing has other benefits also, this practice helps to wake us up, we become more alert and at the same time our body is able to remain calm and relaxed. This has obvious advantages especially because these days our lives are so kaotic and stressful, we find that we often feel run down and tired. It's helpful to know quick rejuvenating and balancing techniques to help us get through the day and our daily chores. 

Nadi Shodan is a quick and simple practice. It revitalises, helps us concentrate and think more clearly. We feel refreshed, more centred and better equipped to deal with any problems we may encounter. 

  

It is very easy to do, so everyone should be able to find 5 minutes during the day to practice it and experience the benefits for themselves.  

If you would like to learn how to practice Nadi Shodan pranayama you are welcome to contact us at YMSA Yoga Meditation Studio Palm Beach. Leave us a comment below, along with your details. We will get back to you as soon as we can.

Namaste
Lalita and Kimmie
YMSA Team

YMSA - Yoga Meditation Studios Australia - Complete Yoga Breath Part 2

 

 

Complete Yoga Breathing (CYB) Part 2

Fully utilising the lungs helps pump lymph fluid around the body cleansing millions of cells, getting rid of toxins and waste products.  The natural undulation of the body gently moves the spine and maintains the movement of cerebral fluid up and down the spinal column lubricating and transporting valuable new nutrients and hormones to all the vertebrae, nervous system and most importantly the brain.

When you expand the ribcage the upper chest will lift upwards with new air, the lungs then contract pushing out old stagnant air, toxins and wastes. The lungs are then ready to welcome new prana into the body on the next inhale.  

The mind is focused on breathing which has a calming effect on the heartbeat, causing the heart to slow down, switching on the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system revitalises, restores and heals the body.  Blood pressure drops and a greater exchange of oxygen takes place during the practice of this pranayama.

It is natural for the body and mind to feel lighter after practising complete yoga breathing (CYB) because it makes the body feel so good.  Who would have thought that just by practicing this simple easy to do pranayama and knowing how to use your breath efficiently, you are able to easily maintain the health of your body. 

If you would like to learn how to practice this wonderful pranayama in a class environment, you are very welcome to contact us. Leave us a comment along with your details and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Go here for a class timetable yoga palm beach

See you in class.

Namaste
Lalita and Kimmie

YMSA  Team

YMSA - Yoga Meditation Studio Palm Beach - 10 Benefits of Yoga Asanas

10 Benefits Of Yoga Asanas

1) Increase Flexibility & Strength: A variety of Yogic Asanas (physical postures) involve stretching various parts of your body in a specific way. This greatly increases your flexibility

and muscle tone. It also strengthens your joints and increases your range of motion.

2) Relieve Pain: Long hours in front of the computer or excessive driving can lead to severe back pain, as the muscles and spinal cord tighten up. You can easily treat this problem with Yoga as it increases your muscle flexibility, lubricates your joints, and improves alignment.

3) Balance Your Weight: One of the most popular health benefits of Yoga is natural weight loss. This means that you can lose excess fat from your body without any side effects. Yoga increases your metabolism rate, so helps you lose weight naturally.

4) Enchance Breathing: Take up yoga and you'll breathe better. Yogic breathing or pranayama focuses on controlled breathing. Overall breathing is reduced. Although this may involve deep breaths, long pauses and slow exhales. Breathing like this can help clear up nasal passages, treat sinus & asthma problems, strengthen your nervous system. And calm your mind.

5) Flex and Lubricate Joints: Various yogic postures lubricate your joints, tendons and ligaments and increase their flexibility. Yoga is the only exercise that works on your external as well as internal organs and stimulates them to work in a healthy and efficient manner.

6) Allieviate disease: Yogic techniques are immensely powerful. They rev up each part of your body thus helping you get rid of chronic ailments such as asthma, high blood pressure, hormonal imbalances and so on.

7) Detoxification: Yoga asanas can help get rid of the toxins in your body in a natural way. The various postures and breathing techniques used in Yoga asanas help flush out the toxins from every part of your body, leaving you feeling healthier.

8) Anti-Aging Benefits - By practicing yoga asanas you'll look better, feel better, and move better. Various yogic postures and breathing exercises provide elasticity to the spine, strengthen your abdominal muscles, improve the texture of your skin, maybe even delay the onset of wrinkles, and revitalize each part of your body. The end result will be a physiologically younger you.

9) Memory - Improved memory is another health benefit of Yoga which works well for children, adults as well as the aged. This may be because Yoga asanas improve blood circulation to the brain, increases concentration, co-ordination and focus.

10) Emotional Disorders - Yoga is well known for providing relief from stress. Pranayama can help relieve anxiety, depression, fear and other emotional disorders. Yoga asanas (physical exercises) strengthen the nervous system, and have a very calming effect helping you to feel more balanced.

Yoga asanas are a way of life - they work miraculously in healing all kinds of health problems and revitalizing your entire system. The best way to learn about yoga asana health benefits is by practicing this science yourself and experiencing first hand, the wonderful effects it has on your mind, body and spirit.

 

Yoga Asana Benefits

Namaste

Lalita

YMSPB

YMSA - Yoga Meditation Studio Kingscliff

 

Dandasana

Dandasana is the basic seated pose from which all the others originate. Think of this yoga stretch as a seated version of Mountain Pose or Tadasana.

Benefits:

• Strengthens legs.
• improves alignment and posture.
• Firms the belly muscles.

How To:

• Sit with straight legs outstretched in front.

• Strengthen the thigh muscles and flex the feet. The heels may lift up off the floor.

• Gently firm the belly.

• Lift up out of your hips, feel the vertebrae and intervertabral discs decompress as the spine lengthens.

• Check that the shoulders are inline with your hips.

• Sit on a firm low cushion if you have tight hamstrings.

Arm Placement

• Think about keeping the shoulders sliding down away from the ears.

• Place the palms of your hands flat on the ground or rest them on your thighs. 

•  Take a few moments to practice your yoga breathing, close your eyes and relax.

If you would like to practice gentle yoga stretches in a class environment you are welcome to contact us. We hold yoga meditation class on Monday night,  you could come along if you like. Leave a comment along with your details and we will get back to you as soon as we can. See you in class.

Namaste
Narelle
YMSK

YMSA - Mantra Meditation Studio Sunshine Coast - Amazing Animals

 Amazing Animal Stories

When this little chimp was abandoned by his mother his future looked grim.
But thanks to the unlikely intervention of a huge bull mastiff and her adorable litter of four puppies, his life was soon a lot happier. 

 

The chimpanzee was born at a Russian zoo and was taken home by one of the staff after it became clear he had not bonded with his mother.

By chance, her 100lb bull mastiff had just given birth and the dog was soon treating the new addition as one of the family.
Endearingly, the chimp soon seemed to think he was a puppy himself, bending double to eat from food bowls with his adoptive siblings. The puppies were also great to play with – and particularly good when the abandoned baby wanted a cuddle.

Wearing a big nappy, the cheeky chimp embraces its new mum, caressing her ears and looking very content as he takes a snooze against her furry belly.
In another photo the chimp holds an apple in its tiny hands to take a bite.
This chimp is now two and is reported to still be enjoying the company of its adopted canine family.

Animal behaviour experts say dogs are normally frightened of primates, however, this is not the first cross species adoption.

• In 2005 a newborn squirrel was discovered in Seattle having been adopted by a pregnant papillon dog called Mademoiselle Giselle. Incredibly the dog allowed the squirrel to suckle on her beside her puppies.

• The same year Owen, a one-year-old hippo, was taken in by Mzee, a 130-year-old giant tortoise, in a Kenyan zoo after the big baby was orphaned. The tortoise was removed two years later.

• Golden retriever Isabella adopted three white Bengal tiger cubs on a US ranch in 2008 – they were separated for the dog’s own safety when the big cats reached a year old.

If you would like to know more about our Meditation programs be sure to leave us a comment along with your details. We will get back to you as soon as we can.

Namaste
Vanessa and Rasa