Natarajasana – Lord of the Dance

by Annie on July 1, 2009

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Nata means ‘dancer’ in Sanskrit and Raja means ‘king’ or ‘lord’.  Hence we call this posture “Lord of the Dance”.  Natraj is also another name given to Lord Shiva.

Stand in Tadasana (Mountain posture).  Once you have attained your balance, shift your weight to your right foot, bending your left leg backwards so that your heal is pushed into your left buttock.  Pull the right knee cap up to maintain strength and balance.  Inhale and raise up your right arm, fingers pointing towards the ceiling as you elongate your spine upward.  Exhale and bend your torso forward, hinging from the hips, keeping your spine straight and stretch your right arm towards the horizon all the while stretching your spine through the crown of your head and your tail bone.  Breathe to bring flexibility and stability into your posture.  Hold the posture for 15 seconds at a time increasing to 1 minute with practice. Repeat on the other side.

The benefits of this posture are many:  It stretches out the shoulders and chest, vertebra joints are stretched to increase their functionality, it builds inner space and steadiness, it opens up the heart, releases tension in the ankle as well as the foot which helps to prevent injuries, it opens up the chest and lungs and increases the lung capacity, stretches thighs, groins and the abdominals, strengthens legs and ankles, develops concentration and balance, tones the leg as well as the hip muscles, stimulates the full range of movement in the shoulders and most importantly it improves one’s balance.

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Tree Posture

by Annie on June 5, 2009

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First, standing in mountain posture. Place the feet together, big toes touching each other root yourself into the ground. Imagine that there are roots growing out of your feet into the ground. Growing from the roots extend your legs taller and tucking in your buttocks, tucking in your belly, elongate your spine to extend it towards the sky. Hands are resting next to your body, fingers pointing downwards towards the floor. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.

Open your eyes and find a point to focus on.
Shift your weight to your left leg and raise your right foot up to your inner thigh. Once you have your balance and you are comfortable in this position, place your hands in namaste (prayer) – palms together at your heart and then raising your arms up, relax your shoulders down and open your hands.

Hold the posture for at least one minute increasing to two minutes as you improve on either side.

This posture tones your legs, increases stability in the entire body, improves posture and brings a greater balance to the physical, mental and emotional aspects of our self.

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Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward Dog

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Downward Facing Dog is a yoga classic, and one of the very first postures that is taught in a beginners class. To begin, one can lie down on one’s belly with hands facing down just below the shoulders. Flexing the feet, one then is able to push oneself up onto the knees and then onto [...]

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Trikonasana – Triangle Posture

May 6, 2009

This is a variation on the trikonasana where the left leg is straight and the right arm is extended towards the sky. The body weight is held chiefly in the calf of the left leg as well as on the muscles of the left arm and hand that is resting on the floor. This posture [...]

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Sarvangasan – Shoulder Stand Pose

May 6, 2009

In this posture, one’s body weight is held on the shoulders and the neck, the chin lock ‘Jalandhar Bandha’ is applied and the hands supporting the back.
Procedure
1. Exhale and while inhaling, contract the abdomen and slowly raise both the legs to a 90 degree angle from the floor.
2. Exhaling raise the waist and the hips [...]

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Forward Bend (Paschimottasana)

May 6, 2009

The front side of the body is called the east side, while the back side is called the west side. In this Asana the west side, right from the heels to the forehead, gets stretched and therefore, it is called ‘Paschimottanasana’.
Procedure
1. Only inhale.
2. Exhale, and hold the big toes of both the feet with both [...]

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Asana (Posture)

May 6, 2009

What is typically known as Yoga in the west, refers to Asana practice which in Sanskrit means “posture”. Asana is one part of a larger science which is known as Yoga. All types of Asana practice (Yoga) are Hatha Yoga which refers to the physical practice of the postures. The word Hatha comes from combining [...]

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