Kick Start Your Yoga Practice

The secret of getting ahead ... is getting started . Mark Twain
Posted by YMSA Yoga Meditation Studios Australia on Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Yoga Meditation says "Wake Up" A joyful practise

Wake Up

This is very interesting.

There are 2 ways to interpret this. If you were someone motivated by material goals, to achieve, to work hard for a new car, a holiday, a house, or to become a millionaire by the time you are 30 years old, you could take this to mean "Get up" don't just lie around in bed ..! OR maybe you might not sleep much at all. Many are so driven, so motivated that they sleep very little. Always thinking about their goals and how to achieve them.

In the same way a transcendentalist also has goals. Very different goals, not of this world ... but of another world. Their eyes are fixed on the spiritual world, and spiritual eternal goals. This is the second interpretation of this saying.

Yoga teachings refer to the living beings in this world as being 'asleep.' Asleep to our real life, a life which has nothing to do with this material world BUT a world that extends far beyond the reach of matter. So to "wake up" would mean to wake up to this beautiful transcendental knowledge and our true identity. To wake up and really start living.

We the living beings are eternal, full of bliss, full of knowledge.

If you are not experiencing this condition and would like to know a very simple and enjoyable practise which can help you gradually over time make this your reality contact us to find out what you need to do.

The ancient practise that we teach does not require you join anything, or pay any money, it is non-sectarian, fun and a very joyful. You can practise alone, or with family and friends. Find out how by coming to a free class.

Om Tat Sat
Peace to all 

Free Yoga Meditation Class

Yoga Meditation 4221

Yoga - Relieve back pain - Gauranga Meditation

Yoga Can Help Relieve Back Pain

Regular yoga practice will help to relieve the stress and tension that sometimes cause mild back pain, and in fact, studies have shown that yoga is the number one most effective exercise for relieving back pain. However, not all yoga poses relieve back pain, and some can in fact aggravate existing pain, so it is important to know which poses are helpful.

It is always best to do these yoga exercises under the supervision of a certified yoga instructor, and if you encounter any problems with these poses, always consult an expert.

Just a couple of sessions with a yoga instructor can help, an instructor will help you with your form and posture during poses. Here is one of the best yoga poses for relieving back pain. This pose should be done on a mat or other soft, supportive surface.


Corpse Pose: Lie flat on your back in a relaxed position, arms resting at your sides, palms down, and legs lying naturally, with knees turned out slightly. If it hurts your back to have your knees turned outward, do this pose with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Breathe in and out slowly and deeply for a few minutes while allowing any tension to leave the body. To further relax the body and the mind you could also add a Meditation to your outward breath. For instance the mantra Gauranga which is a non-material spiritually uplifting sound which brings peace to the heart and soothes the emotions. It's very simple process.

1. While in Corpse pose INHALE through the nostrils while focusing on the Gauranga meditation. As you EXHALE say outloud Gauranga for the full extention of the outward breath. Repeat for at least 5 minutes and experience it for yourself.

This practise has many physical and well as emotional and spiritual benefits making it a truly holistic practise and experience.

Yoga Pose Tadasana or Mountain Pose

I havn't posted for a few days, have been trying to sort out the spammy sites that have been using my url to try to get traffic to their nasty sites. I did think about changing my blog and starting up another one, but figure I will just wait it out and hopefully those sites will eventually disappear. To protect yourselves do not do a google search for our site, instead type the full address into the browser bar.

http://holisticyogateachertraining.blogspot.com

This is the only way you will be able to get to this blog safely.

K... lets get started. I was going to begin with the triangle pose as I did get a request for information on that particular asana. Instead I have decided to begin with Tadasana or Mountain Pose. This asana forms the stable base for all standing poses.

Tadasana / Tada = Mountain / Tadasana = Mountain Pose

Step by step instructions

1. Stand with both feet together, or with your feet hip distance apart
2. Lift and gently stretch the toes, spread them wide and lower softly to the ground
3. Now we all know what a tripod is right! It's a 3 legged piece of equipment used for stablizing and supporting a camera. We are going to use this same principle to help us achieve a strong supportive base in mountain pose
4. Lets begin by pressing the big toes, the little toes and the heels firmly into the ground. This forms the tripod, the strong base for mountain pose
5. Alright so now we are going to gently rock back and forth—heels to toes, heels to toes
6. Come back to starting position, visualise your tripod and adjust your feet so that your weight is evenly distributed thru both feet
7. Lift the inside arches and press the outsides of the feet into the floor
8. Come back to starting position, visualise your tripod and have your weight evenly distributed thru both feet
9. Become familiar with how that feels
10. Lift the 3 arches, the inside arches, the outside arches and the arches across the broad part of your feet
11. To make sure we are not dropping thru the inside arches, activate the adductor muscles, this automatically lifts the inside arches
12. Moving up the legs to the knees, gently lift the knees by activating the thigh muscles or quads
13. Now focusing on lifting the front of the hips, gently lower the tail bone
14. An easy way to achieve the best position is to first of all place one hand on our belly just below the belly button and the other on the lower back. Visualise having tail feathers and sticking out those tail feathers – next we want to visualise a dog with it's tail between it's legs and imitate by tucking the pelvis under. The best position is somewhere in between those two extremes. Experiment and feel what's most comfortable for you
15. Next, lengthening the spine and lifting up thru the sternum. Broadening thru the lungs and rib cage. Be aware that we don't want the ribs to stick out, so draw them back towards the spine. Soften and lower the shoulders
16. Rotate thru the shoulders, moving the arms away from the body palms facing forward. Extend and lengthen the fingers. Relax the arms bring them back to your sides with the thumbs facing forward. Keep the shoulders soft. Think about the shoulder blades releasing downwards towards your waist
17. Gently lengthen the back of the neck, and lower the chin down to a neutral postition, with the chin relaxed
18. Draw up through the crown of the head, imagine a string running up thru your spine and out the top of your head, softly lengthening and opening up the body growing tall

Benefits:

Improves posture, reduces flat feet, relaxing, helps fallen arches, improves circulation, improves lung capacity

Variations:

1. Can be done with eyes closed for a more focused inward experience and to improve balance
2. Can raise the arms chest height interlock fingers and raise arms over head pressing palms towards the ceiling.
3. Bring arms behind, bend at the elbow, opposite hand on opposite elbow. Switch and hold for same amount of breaths

Variations and Modifications

1. Check your alignment against a wall. Stand with heels, sacrum and shoulder blades, but not the back of your head against the wall

Practise Mountain pose a couple times a day, this will help you to feel both grounded and relaxed.

See you next time

Lil

Yoga Meditation 4221 Holistic Yoga-End of Day 2

We took alot of photo's yesterday--just remembered that...interesting.

Today went by as a blur. Alot of chatting and getting to know the other teachers in training.

All the young ones seem to eat all day long, constantly nibbling and snacking away just like little squirrels -- don't know where it all goes, they are not over weight at all.

I managed to spill my breakfast on my yoga asana book. I hate that, I like to keep everything pretty together -- so kinda off to a messy start.

*  Among its myriad of benefits, the transcendental sound Gau-ra-ang-ga balances the crown chakra, our third eye and throat chakras (calms our overactive minds) and brings peacefulness to our troubled hearts.

Am learning heaps and having fun.