An Asana A Week : Vasishtasana

An Asana A Week
 
Vasishtasana

Vasishtasana is named after Sage Vasistha who's author of a number of Vedic hymns.

Step by step into Vasishtasana:

1-Sit with both your legs stretched out straight(dandasana). Shift onto the outside edge of your left foot, and stack your right foot on top of the left.
2-Turn your body to the left side. Place your left hand at the side of your left waistline. Make sure that your left palm is placed aligned with your elbow and shoulder.
3-Place your right hand in front of your hip and slowly lift your hip and body up sideways(left).  Support the weight of your body on the outer left foot and left hand.
4-Stabilize yourself in the position by distributing your body weight evenly. Make sure that your shoulders aligned with each other and not collapsed. Engage your core to keep your hips from sagging towards the floor. Make sure that you don't lock your elbow, and don't sink into your shoulder.
5- Stretch the top arm toward the ceiling, parallel to the line of the shoulders. Turn your head to gaze up at the top hand. Stay for 20 counts.  This is Vasisthasana.
6-You can also practice this asana with the top leg raised perpendicular to the floor. Bend the knee of the top leg, hold your big toe and stretch it up. Gaze up at your big toe and smile
7-Slowly come down to Dandasana and repeat the steps for the other leg.


Benefits:
1. Strengthens the core and abdomen
2. Strengthens Shoulders,Arms, legs and Wrists
3. Improves Balance and Concentration

Happy practicing and smile :)

#vasishtasana
#anasanaaweek
#sakthiyoga
#yogateacher

An Asana A Week: Gupta Padmasana

An asana a week

Gupta Padmasana:
Gupta Padmasana is also called the Hidden lotus as the feet are hidden under the body.
Step by step into Gupta Padmasana:
1-Sit in Padmasana/lotus pose.
2-Place the hands on the ground at the side of thigh .Slowly come up on the knees.
3-Bring both hands infront of the body. Bend the hands at the elbows, slowly lower the body and lie flat on the stomach.
4-Stretch up your shoulder and lower back and drop the torso lower.
5-Bring both hands behind, open up chest n shoulder, and place namaskara mudra at the back.
6-Hold the pose with normal breathing for about 20-30sec
7-Smile :) *this asana can also be done is ardha padmasana/half lotus or sukhasana/easy sitting pose according to practitioners' flexibility.
To come out of the pose:
Place the palms on the ground by the side of chest.
Inhale, lift the body off the ground. Slowly sit back in Padmasana.
Stretch out the legs one by one and relax.

Benefits:
1-Strong spine: This asana has a positive influence upon the entire spine. The spine is extended and the chest is opened, the vertebrae column in aligned and strengthened.
2-Better breathing capacity: As the chest is opened, the lungs can take in more oxygen. Thereby ensuring optimum functioning of the respiratory system.
3-Flexible lower body: The asana stretches all the muscles in the leg and thighs.
4-Improves upper back flexibility: While ensuring the shoulders are straight (rather than rounded), the shoulders and arm flexibility is increased.
5-Improves posture, especially good for a rounded back.

Happy practicing and smile :)

#guptapadmasana
#anasanaaweek
#sakthiyoga
#yogateacher

The Transformation is Within

2015

When I shared the 1st picture(pic was taken while i was hiking 3 years back) above yesterday in fb, many friends and students messaged me admiring the transformation in my asana , flexibility and my physical transformation. And asked me what did I do to get all these results in 3years?
My answer was, the greater transformation that happened is not physically, but within.  When the picture was taken 3 years back, I was totally broken and was working hard to collect the shattered pieces together. The hidden hands of God showed me the solution to my cries, heart break and depression through Yoga. Yoga was and is my only pill for everything. I started practicing Yoga everywhere, anywhere, all the time; work and home religiously.  Just like hiking, Yoga isn’t an easy path. But I had all my faith in it; my mat knows my sweat and how hard  I struggled to touch my toes. I gave up many things that I liked for my practice because I know that the result will worth far more than what I gave up.
Yoga has taught me to be grateful towards everything that I have, my toes, my palms, my inflexibility, all the struggles I have gone through. I stopped complaining and started appreciating every single small thing in my life. Yoga has taught me the real meaning of dharma,seva, selflessness and what love is all about. Yoga has taught me to look at life in a totally different perspective. Yoga is my shield.
What others see maybe the physical transformation and asanas, but like what my master SK Durai has always reminded me ” Yoga is never physical; Yoga is all about transforming an ordinary man to an extra ordinary man.”
Every day I pray to the Universe that everyone gets as lucky as me and gets the opportunity to practice Yoga. I try my best to inspire others to walk into this path. And I try to inspire others through my practice, practice and practice alone. I have long way to go in my personal practice. And I have big dream of making Yoga as part of everyone’s life. Let’s practice Yoga and experience our whole new beautiful life.
2nd and 3rd pics-Me happily, now.

#yogalove
#yogalife
#yogaeverywhere
#yogaeveryday


Om
Anuradha Engira Abyrami
14.03.2019