inspired yoga
  • Home
    • About Me
    • Contact Me
  • Yoga & Reiki
    • Yoga Schedule
    • Reiki
    • Tuning Fork Therapy
    • Waiver- Reiki
    • Waiver- Yoga
  • My Book, Meditation CD & Reiki Online
  • End-of-Life Doula
  • Class Themes/Newsletter
  • Picture Gallery
  • Death Cafe Meetings

Sign up to receive my newsletter

Add to newsletter

Yoga and Your Winter Health

12/11/2013

0 Comments

 
 

Yoga and Your Winter Health

It is ridiculously cold outside.  Someone told me it is supposed to be -25 degrees wind chill factor tonight.  So, do we forego the yoga class and stay home bundled up in a blanket? No.  Go to your yoga class and bundle up in the blanket afterwards!  Here's why...

Between the asanas (poses), the pranayama (breath work) and dhyana (meditation), you will be strengthening your immune system to help you stay healthy.

Yoga Journal's article,  "Strike a Heart-Opening Pose", explains why the heart opening poses are so beneficial.  Before I give you the quote, let me explain what a heart opening pose is.  Your heart chakra is located in the center of your breastbone.  Any pose that would have you moving the heart center forward would be considered heart-opening:  cobra, fish, wheel (or it's more compassionate counter-part, bridge), reverse warrior, camel, to name a few.

Dr. Hema Sundaram says, "Heart openers stimulate blood flow to the thymus, an organ nestled behind the breastbone that is instrumental in the growth of T-cells, the immune system's frontline."

Forward bends and inversions "relax the nervous system through the parasympathetic nervous system (rest, relax, digest) and boost the body’s innate ability to heal itself through the immune response", according to Australia's Natural Health Magazine (ANH).

And, almost all poses massage the spleen in some way, whose job it is to fight infection, but twists and side bends are especially effective at targeting this organ.

As for your breath, if you already are a "yoga breather", you are used to breathing in and out though your nose. 

ANH: "...the lungs constrict when the air coming into the body is cool, and inhaling through the nose warms the air before it enters the lungs..." 

 Your pranayama practice also encourages your use of the full lung, not just the upper region (sorry, chest-breathers!), so the lungs are stronger.  But, it is never too late to start learning how to breathe with both the lower and upper lungs.  Try googling 3 Part Breathing to start with.   In class tonight, we focused on Right Nostril Breathing to help stimulate the Pingala nadi, which is warm and stimulating as it is the solar line of energy.

To keep the mind and spirit healthy, try a short meditation.  You can meditate in silence or try out the guided meditation on my website's home page; it's only about 9 minutes long!

 

Settle in the Here and Now by Danna Faulds

settle
in the here and now
reach down into the center
where the world is not spinning
and drink in this holy peace
feel relief flood into every cell
nothing to do
nothing to be
but what you are already
nothing to receive
but what flows effortlessly from the mystery into form.
nothing to run from
or run toward
just this breath
awareness knowing itself as embodiment
just this breath
awareness waking up to truth


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Archives

    August 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    September 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
    • About Me
    • Contact Me
  • Yoga & Reiki
    • Yoga Schedule
    • Reiki
    • Tuning Fork Therapy
    • Waiver- Reiki
    • Waiver- Yoga
  • My Book, Meditation CD & Reiki Online
  • End-of-Life Doula
  • Class Themes/Newsletter
  • Picture Gallery
  • Death Cafe Meetings