Sun Salutations on a Chair~
Sun salutations is a fluid sequence of movements that follows your breath. Close your eyes and set the intentions; whether they be for you, or for your loved ones, your community or the universe. Sun salutations or Surya Namaskar is a combination of six movements that flow with the breath; repeated on the other side making a total of twelve movements.
Sit comfortably on a chair, spine straight, shoulders back and down, place your tongue on the ridge of your mouth, above and behind your two front upper teeth. Keep your feet flat on floor aligning them below your knees. Keeping your eyes closed bring your hands to prayer pose at your heart center. Feel your heart beating as the thumbs press into your sternum. This first position is called Pranamasana, and so we begin with hands to heart, setting those goals and dreams; breathing in life exhaling uncertainty as we flow. OMmming the sounds of yoga.
Hands to Heart Pose – Breathing full deep breathes. (Pranamasana)
Hands to Sky Pose – Inhale fully as you extend your arms skyward. (Hasta Uttanasana)
Hands to Foot Pose – Forward bend over thighs, hands reaching towards the floor. Exhale. (Pada Hastasana)
Left Leg Up – Inhale as your arms reach up toward the sky (sky reaching optional) Ashwha Sanchalanasana
Head to Knees or Forward Bend – Exhale. (Parvatasana)
Forearms on Thighs – Inhale while extending spine, face and chest reaching forward. (Asthanga Namaskar)
Cobra in Chair – Continue inhalation, face rising towards the sky. (Bhujangasana)
Hands to Foot Pose-Exhale completely. (Parvatasana)
Right Leg up – Inhale as you let the breath lift your right leg, sky reaching with arms is optional. (Ashwa-Sanchalanasana)
Hands to Foot Pose – Exhale. (Pada Hastasana)
Hands to Sky Pose – Inhale as your arms reach toward the heavens. (Hasta Uttanasana)
Hands to Heart – Exhale. (Pranamasana)
Repeat six times for maximal results. A beautiful sequence of movements that flow with the breath.
Benefits:
- Strengthens the heart.
- Improves circulation.
- Lengthens and strengthens all major muscles in the body.
What is Yoga~
Yoga is a Sanskrit word that means union. Translated into English, yoga is the essence of layering breath with awareness in the stillness of movement. The breath is like a bridge, that connects the mind and the body. Yoga represents the ability to experience the union of mind, body and spirit, whether you are still or practicing a sequence of mindful movement. It always amazes me when people say they are not flexible enough to perform yoga, because I don’t see yoga as simply a physical state of being. Yoga is more than a sequence of movements or poses, it is a state of being and is good for all bodies, benefitting all physical conditions. For instance, if you wrists are weak, you can always do yoga on your back, stomach, or side without incurring additional injury. Yoga is for people of all ages, with one leg, or one arm, for the able bodied and the disabled body. Yoga increases flexibility of body and mind.
When you honor the messages of your body; your physiology, it is through yoga that you will be guided to deeper aspects of who you really are, in hopes that you will recognize that you and I are each beyond body. When we work with the perfect self and expression of self, you are performing yoga. Remember, yoga is not about the position, or asana, that is just one of the eight limbs of yoga.
Flexibility-Strength-Yoga
Remind yourself of your ethics, values, life disciplines, selfless service, and create a sacred space within your body for the full expression of your soul. Yoga is fun, and ignites creativity, spontaneity, and the natural benefits will be increased flexibility, strength, balance, and a greater understanding of the meaning of UNION.
Enjoy the yoga, trust yourself, have fun and be creative. There is no wrong or right way to perform yoga, all that is needed is your willingness.
Baddha Sarvangasana,
Deborah Shemesh
Healthy versus Unhealthy Behavior – One step at a time.
Nourish your senses.
Ama is a term used for impurities. We all experience ama blockages within our body’s from time to time. Some of us, never recognize the toxicity that builds from negative thoughts, behaviors, or conditioning. We unconsciously allow ourselves to eat impurities, tolerate negative behaviors from others, becoming filled with ama, not only our own, but that of others. In order to move into the fluidity of abundance, happiness and health, we must begin with the recognition and witnessing, articulation and expression of our authentic self by becoming consciously aware of our choices, including the people we surround ourselves with. When we slow down and witness the sensations in our body/mind, we are better able to make personal right choices. Just watch a tiny child as they begin to crawl and attempt to follow their curiosity. Become child-like, stay curious, yet cautious and pay attention to your needs, desires and wants. Do not judge yourself by thinking something is wrong with you, or thinking something is wrong with others. Simply just be aware of your feelings. Notice how you feel, remember you will always have a choice.
Practicing healthy behavior is reestablished with regular mapping of your desires, needs, and wants. Today and every day, make a list of intentions and desires, this simple step of writing things down, will result in the rewiring of old conditioned limiting patterns of thinking, acting and being. Other people will notice a shift, a change, a fluidity and predictability in your demeanor. Feeling miserable is really a choice, and we usually feel miserable when we are not honest with ourselves about what it is that we really, really want. How do we know when we are not honest with ourselves, well; all you have to do is pause and listen to the quiet stillness within your body. Notice if you have any feelings of heaviness around the heart, stomach, or if you have an inability to breathe fully into your body. Ask yourself if you are covering up the symptoms of unhappiness or unhealthy behavior with additive actions, reactions, or withdrawal. Try to be as specific as possible and treat yourself as if you were a new toddler walking in the world with new eyes with awakened senses, with more awareness on the senses of smell, taste, touch, sight, and sounds around and within your body. Notice and note the things you like, and how you feel in specific environments, pay attention to what you can, or cannot change. Learn to remove yourself from toxicity, only you can take these steps towards wholeness as all change begins within.
There are many things you can do to change your past conditioning, including diet change, exercising regularly, journaling, or expression through art or another form of medium that reflects your wishes, goals, thoughts, and present moment awareness.
I advise you to refrain from reactivity, including the impulses to mask any symptoms, by simply pausing, breathing and feeling. Through the process of witnessing, notice if you have a habitual pattern of projection. Do not judge your thoughts, or feelings as bad or good, wrong or right, simply be with the current situation, do not give way to criticism, withdrawal or citation and labeling.
I know that some stress is good for you, it can propel you into action – my only hope is that as you become more conscious; your choices will be right for you, and right for those people that you care for. As you begin to recognize sensations within your body before making any choice – begin a conversation with yourself. Ask yourself questions, such as what do I believe, or what do I expect, what motivates me and so forth.
You cannot force your behavior to change or make evolutionary choices without tapping into your needs, wants, desires and dreams. So today, make the commitment to be honest with yourself, take responsibility for your feelings, accept them because they will change as your awareness increases, and your consciousness aligns with your authentic self. Don’t do things because you think it will make other people happy, and certainty refrain from doing things to impress others, do things because it pleases you. Free yourself from the elusion of trying to impress others, this is a waste of time, and strain on your energetic body. A healthy lifestyle is balanced according to your body’s rhythms, and when you live through your bio-rhythms, you will find a life of enhancing attributes everywhere. You will eat better, slow down, select more wisely, and will find that you have a deeper sense of dignity, integrity and an authentic respect for self as well as others. The following pointers will increase your potential to align yourself to a healthier life style.
- Be pleasant and tolerant towards everyone.
- Act after due reflection and refrain from impulsive actions or words.
- Refrain from anger, criticism, and do not point out the flaws of others for their own good.
- Take time to play, add humor and excitement to your daily life, and learn to relax.
- Wake up with the sun, watch the sunset. Meditate twice a day for twenty, thirty minutes.
- Eat well, by chosing pure, natural and nutritious foods.
- Be generous, in thought, words and actions.
Remember, focus on the journey, one baby step at a time. Nourish your senses with pleasing aroma’s, foods, people, and look at pleasant things, notice your environment and how it makes you feel. Do you feel confident that you are able to provide everything you need for yourself, emotionally, physically and socially? Does your space feel uncluttered, clear and does it enhance your creativity, spontaneity? Notice if you are feeling nourished, and supported by what you see and do – if you feel deranged, and exhausted then perhaps you are not on the right path, and slow down; only you can choose your next step.
Be Peace,
Deborah Shemesh
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