I’m starting a new project. I will be posting my favorite inspirational quotes daily (hopefully daily) from here on out. I’ve realized that I’ve been hoarding my favorite quotes in a Pages document on my computer instead of sharing them… Please feel free to share them with your friends, family, fellow yogis, grocery checkers, etc. Spread the love.
Practicing yoga on your wedding day brings harmony to your body, mind and spirit amidst all of the chaos of last minute wedding preparations. It provides an opportunity for the bride, bridesmaids, mothers and aunts to share a special moment before the festivities and guarantees that each person will feel rejuvenated, balanced, and centered for the day’s festivities.
Yoga unites the body and mind and can bring balance and a sense of calm when practiced correctly and regularly. Some yoga postures are more relaxing than others, but even the challenging postures can bring relaxation as we learn to work though discomfort. The focus we apply on the mat helps us cope with stressful situations by balancing the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) and the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS).
Our SNS is responsible for our fight-or-flight response to stressors and when stimulated it releases stress hormones (including cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine), increases heart rate and respiration, increases blood pressure and blood sugar, suppresses the immune system, slows digestion, and causes loss of hearing and auditory function. In today’s world we are constantly being stimulated and bombarded with information, noise, work, etc. and we live in a state of heightened arousal and chronic stress.
Our PNS, on the other hand, stimulates our rest and digest response. It slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases intestinal and glandular activity, and relaxes the sphincter muscles. Yoga’s combination of asana practice, breathing exercises and meditation can stimulate the PNS and bring harmony and balance to the nervous system.
This restful yoga pose helps develop an inward focus by drawing attention to the breath and allowing the mind to be still. This posture also creates space in the lower back and can also be a gentle shoulder and upper back opener.
This moderate forward bend, when done safely can soothe the nervous system and relieve stress, anxiety and mild depression.
Triangle pose provides an intense lateral stretch to the side body while alleviating anxiety, reducing mental stress, building focus and developing willpower. This posture also helps improve digestion and circulation, increases muscular endurance and may relieve symptoms of sciatica.
As you come into this posture imagine that your legs, hips and shoulders are all against a wall.
This intense backbend can bring internal balance and harmony. Bow pose also strengthens concentration and mental determination, enhances elasticity of the spine, massages the internal organs and strengthens the core muscles. Backbends tend to also be energizing and invigorating, so they are best done early in the day.
Couples who practice together stay together.
5. Salamba Setu Bandha Sarvangasana aka Supported Bridge Pose
Bridge pose and it’s many variations open the heart, increase circulation to the digestive and reproductive organs, and reduce stress, mild depression and anxiety. This backbend is gentler than some of the others like Camel Pose or Wheel Pose and can be done as a restorative posture by placing a bolster or block underneath the hips.
Plough pose is a variation of shoulder stand, it’s an intense forward bend and an inversion; it enhances physical and mental relaxation, develops inner balance and mental poise. Halasana also improves circulation, massages internal organs, and can relieve cervical and shoulder tension.
Upavista Konasana soothes the nervous system and relieves stress, anxiety and mild depression. It’s also great for opening the hips, groins and shoulders, stimulating the digestive and reproductive systems, and increasing circulation to the liver and kidneys.
This posture brings peace of mind while massaging the vertebrae of the spine and increasing suppleness of the spine.
Supta Baddha Konasana is probably my favorite pose, and it’s no wonder why the benefits are endless: draws the senses inward, relieves mild depression, anxiety and stress, opens the chest and heart chakra, opens the groins, improves digestion and circulation, promotes reproductive health and relieves fatigue and headaches. This pose always helps me relax and get centered no matter how emotional or stressed my day was.
As your lower back begins to release over time you may reduce the incline of the bolster.
Savasana reduces stress, mild depression, and anxiety, calms and centers the mind, reduces fatigue, lowers blood pressure, and relaxes & rejuvenates the body. This posture can be done anytime of day for any amount of time.
Corpse pose, savasana in Sanskrit, with knees supported helps relieve tension in the lower back.
It is important to find a experienced yoga teacher to show you the proper way to warm up for these postures and the proper alignment once you’re in the postures to prevent injury. Before beginning a new exercise program please consult your doctor.
Ambuja Yoga offers Beginner’s Yoga Series‘ in Bend, Oregon and Wedding Wellness Yoga Packages throughout Oregon. Wedding day yoga is a great way to relax and unwind with friends and family before the festivities of the day begin. After your wedding day yoga session you will feel relaxed, rejuvenated and centered. Book your Wedding Day Yoga today!!!
Alright. You’ve decided to try out a yoga class. Now what? Don’t worry. Take a deep breath. Here are 10 easy tips to help your first experience with yoga go a little smoother.
Your breath is an excellent tool to calm first-time jitters. If you can manage to focus on your breath it will help keep you connected to the present moment… Which is a good thing! You’re instructor will give cues for inhaling and exhaling, just try to follow along.
Beginner yogis and advanced yogis sometimes struggle with this one. If you’re feeling pain back out of the posture! If you’re straining (rapid, shallow breath, turning red, shaking) back out of the posture! Know that you can always skip a pose (and you’re kinda expected to as a newbie). Child’s Pose is always available. Honor any injuries or special conditions and make sure that you inform the instructor BEFORE class starts.
Get to the yoga studio at least 15 minutes before your first yoga class, so you can fill out a health questionnaire/liability waiver, meet the yoga instructor, and tour the facilities. Bring a bottle of water. If you’re a prolific sweater bring a towel too. Don’t worry if you don’t have a yoga mat. Most yoga studios will provide a yoga mat for a small rental fee. Some even rent them for free.
Make sure your yoga clothes fit and are not see through. Check your top/sports bra to make sure you won’t fall out of the top when you bend over. Also, bend over in front of the mirror to check your derriere. You might be surprised that your brand new Lulu Lemon yoga pants are see-through. If you’re going to wear shorts, make sure they are not too loose, unless you’d like to share your lady/man parts to the rest of class. Also, leave your shoes outside of the studio and skip the perfume/cologne before practice.
When you walk into the yoga room keep the volume down. Don’t toss your mat on the floor. Place your mat on the floor. And when it’s time to leave silently roll up your mat, return your props, and quietly walk out of the room.
For some people their yoga mat is a sacred space. You need to respect that. And we rest our face on our yoga mats… I’m sure you’re awesome and all, but no one wants your feet or foot sweat near their face.
It’s your first yoga class you won’t be “perfect”. You won’t be able to do each pose “perfectly”. Each body is different and each day your body is different, so don’t get down on yourself if the pose doesn’t look the way you think it should. Your body will evolve, so let it. This is a great time to let go of any judgement you have about yourself or other people in the room.
Don’t eat right before yoga class. Make sure that your body has at least a couple of hours to digest food before attending class. You may also want to drink a little extra water beforehand to reduce the possibility of becoming dehydrated.
You could leave it in the locker room, in a cubby, in your car, etc. If you must bring it in make sure the ringer is turned off.
It’s okay if you don’t know it. Just follow along. And if you’re curious about the meaning, go ahead and ask the yoga teacher about it after class.
It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to fall out of a pose. We’ve all been there. Even gumby up front in the neon pants!
Central Oregon Brides if you book your Wedding Wellness Package by June 20th 2014 AND you like our facebook.com page you will receive a full 20% off of your package.
Our individually tailored Wedding Wellness Packages are designed to harmonize body, mind, and spirit through yoga, pranayama and meditation; they are a great way to connect with your bridal party and a great way to bring peace and balance to your wedding day.
Ambuja Yoga will travel to your venue or hotel for your yoga session or rent out space at a local yoga studio. You won’t have to worry about music or props.
Hope to see you soon.
Love & Light,
Autumn
Each day, each time I practice, each time I’m feeling kinda crappy I practice setting an intention. Sometimes it changes, but it’s always positive. By setting an intention I am simply asking the Universe for something I need…. sometimes I need help; this has been a big revelation for me. We are all connected and simply putting the intention out there brings more energy our way: the help, the support, the acceptance, the growth, the openness, the confidence, the love.
Setting an intention each day allows and encourages me to live according to the yogic principles, to embrace the yamas and niyamas, the locks and keys, and to conquer the distractions that keep me from being the best person I can be.
If you’re new to yoga and just trying to figure it all out. Try setting an intention each time you’re in class, or first thing when you wake up, set an intention for yourself. For example, sometimes I find myself pushing and straining and that’s when I know I need more patience. At the beginning of class I will simply set patience as my intention, the posture will come, stop straining. And each time I bring my hands to heart center or I notice the signs of strain (rapid, shallow breath, trembling, becoming red faced) I remind myself that I’m supposed to be practicing patience and that I need to back off.
Setting an intention translates well to life situations off of the mat too. When you’re starting to feel agitated with your spouse, children, work, etc. just take a moment to back off and breathe. Eventually it becomes second nature. I promise!
Ambuja Yoga