Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique (Nadi Shodhan Pranayama)

A breathing technique to keep the mind calm and relaxed.
Practicing few minutes everyday helps to keep stress, anxiety and fatigue at bay.
(nadi = subtle energy channel; shodhan = cleaning, purification; pranayama = breathing technique)
Thus, as the name suggest, it helps to clear out blocked energy channels in the body and calms the mind.

 

Benefits of Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhan Pranayama)

• Excellent breathing technique to calm  and  center the mind. Our mind has a tendency to keep regretting or glorifying the past and getting anxious about the future. Nadi Shodhan pranayama helps to bring the mind back to the present moment.

• Works therapeutically for most circulatory and respiratory problems.

• Releases accumulated stress in the mind and body effectively and relaxes it.

• Helps harmonize the left and right hemispheres of the brain, which correlate to the logical and emotional sides of our personality.

• Helps purify and balance the nadis, the subtle energy channels, thereby ensuring smooth flow of prana (life force) through the body.

• Maintains body temperature.

Points to remember while practicing Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhan Pranayama)

• Do not force the breathing, keep the flow  gentle and natural. Do not breathe from the mouth or make any sound while breathing. Also, do not use the Ujjayi breath.

• In case you feel dull and are yawning after practicing Nadi Shodhan pranayama, check the time you take to inhale and exhale. Your exhalation should be longer than inhalation.

• Best to practice it in the morning on an empty stomach.

~XOX~

Photo courtesy-yogacreation.com

Difference between Cobra and Upward Facing Dog.

In upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana), you lift your entire body off the floor. Your arms, legs and core are active in this pose. Your toes are pointing out and the top of the feet is pressed into the floor.
Make sure you keep your legs together and thighs are active. Your shoulder blades come towards each other and rolled away from your ears. Power from your palm up.

In Upward Facing Dog(Urdhva Mukha Svanasana),  til je je hele lichaam omhoog. Je armen, benen en kern zijn actief in deze pose. Je tenen wijzen naar buiten en de wreef van de voet raakt de vloer. Zorg ervoor dat je je benen bij elkaar houdt en dijen actief zijn. Rol je schouderbladen weg van je oren en naar elkaar toe. Duw jezelf naar boven met je handen.

 Benefits
    Improves posture
    Strengthens the spine, arms, wrists
    Stretches chest and lungs, shoulders, and abdomen
    Firms the buttocks
    Stimulates abdominal organs
    Helps relieve mild depression, fatigue, and sciatica
    Therapeutic for asthma

 You come to this position from  Chaturanga.
Je komt naar deze positie uit Chaturanga.

Benefits
    Strengthens the arms and wrists
    Tones the abdomen
 

 In Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
You roll your shoulders back and away from your ear then lift your chest away from the floor with the help of your hand, while your hips and your legs remain on the floor. Your arms are straight or bended all depending on your strength. Your back muscles are doing most of the work.

In Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
Rol je schouders achteruit, breng je schouderbladen samen en til je borst op van de vloer terwijl je heupen en benen op de vloer blijven. Je armen zijn gestrekt of lichtjes gebogen afhankelijk van je kracht. Je rugspieren doen het meeste werk.

 Benefits
    Strengthens the spine
    Stretches chest and lungs, shoulders, and abdomen
    Firms the buttocks
    Stimulates abdominal organs
    Helps relieve stress and fatigue
    Opens the heart and lungs
    Soothes sciatica
    Therapeutic for asthma
    Traditional texts say that Bhujangasana increases body heat, destroys disease, 
    and awakens kundalini.

~XOX~

Photo courtesy- fitho.nl
-brkramyogavancouver.com 

Wat is Vinyasa yoga?

"Vinyasa yoga heeft een dynamisch karakter, doordat de ene houding vloeiend in de andere overgaat.
De overgang tussen de asana's, houdingen, is even belangrijk als de asana's zelf. Er wordt gebruikgemaakt van de zogenaamde ujjayi ademtechniek. Hierdoor hebben de series een diepaande, 'openende' en zuiverende werking op het lichaam."

Wat is Hatha yoga?

"Essentieel is het bewust ervaren van de adem en die verbinden met de houdingen. Zo onstaat een transformatie die je voelbaar dichter bij de beleving van de drie-eenheid lichaam, adem en geest brengt."

Bron: Happinez magazine