Sage Pose I & II: Bharadvajasana

Thankyou for these adaptations from:

"YOGA MIND, BODY and SPIRIT: A Return to Wholeness -
for students of all levels and traditions" by Donna Farhi

Its always a delight to discover the sensations of a new asana in your practice! Sage Pose 1 and 2 have been added to my sadhana (practice) as of this morning. What an incredible and releasing twist! It took me a few tries to align my legs properly with the pillow prop. Its not very often that I use props on the mat, but this one is especially worth providing the extra support for. These are the instructions I've worded myself so please check other resources for variety and clarity. Please offer corrections or modifications if you have them. Give it a try until the pose "feels" right for your body.

In my practice I direct poses to the left first and then the right. Traditionally we twist or move to the right first. Shifting the motions to the left first honours our feminine goddess aspect. This is especially important since we practice so many sun salutations and often leave out moon salutations in common sequences. Experiment with awareness of your body's abilities. Exercise caution at all times and use the gentleness and compassion AHIMSA (non-violence) throughout your yogic experience!

Sage Pose 1

Breathe. Kneel in Vajrasana (sitting on heels). Shift the weight of the body to the left so that both left feet are to the side of the pelvis. Put a blanket or pillow prop under the left hip so that both sides of the pelvis are level. Breathe. Inhale, lengthening the spinal column through the crown. Exhale and twist to the left with the core and both arms/hands. Maintain breadth of chest by expanding shoulders. Breathe. Reach the left arm around the back and rest it there or lightly connect to the inside of the upper right arm.
Notice and Feel! Slowly release after the bind and repeat on the other side, adjusting the prop as needed.


Sage Pose 2

Breathe. Kneel in Vajrasana (sitting on heels) and extend the left leg. Cross the foot over the right thigh into a half lotus position. Breathe. Shift the weight of your body down slightly to just inside of the bent right leg. Put a blanket or pillow prop under the left hip so that both sides of the pelvis are level. Breathe. Inhale, lengthening the spinal column through the crown. Exhale and twist to the left with the core and both arms/hands. Maintain breadth of chest by expanding shoulders. Breathe. Reach the left arm around the back to take hold of the foot from the right side of the body. Breathe. Notice and Feel! Slowly release after the bind and repeat on the other side, adjusting the prop as needed.

Benefits, Cautions and Contraindications:

Releases hips and lower back. Opens the shoulders, chest and lungs. Stimulates the large and small intestines (digestion).

Only practice in first or second trimester of pregnancy if comfortable.

Namaste

Yoga Block Asanas!

Ayurvedic Oil Pulling Cleansing Technique

AYUR = LIFE      VEDA = KNOWLEDGE  :   AYURVEDA = LIFE KNOWLEDGE!

VERY EXCITED!

OK so as I type this, I am currently finishing up my first experience with.......

 

 Ayurvedic Oil Pulling!

 

The sensation felt a bit overwhelming at the beginning and at the very end of the experience. I was able to hold the oil in my mouth for 20 minutes relatively comfortably. You will notice that later when you spit it back out, the oil has turned into a milky white substance! Its best to perform this detox method in the morning. You will appreciate setting aside at least a full 1/2 hour to relax and experience this ancient behaviour. This can be a very detoxifying process, so nurture your body afterwards! I found it best to drink lots of water and eat fresh foods that day. Sometimes detox therapies can be intense and bring up toxins of various kinds in order to be eliminated. The practice of oil pulling is complimentary to other Ayurvedic observances. Treat yourself to a long yoga practice afterwards!

Method:

1 tbsp. unrefined sesame oil (do not injest!)

Rinse after with warm salt water

Gently swish the sesame oil around in your mouth for approx. 15 - 20 minutes. This is so the oil has enough time to pull out significant amounts of bacteria. It has to be give time to transform into a milky consistency. Do not swallow anything in this process! Breathe through the nose, keep the body calm. If you have to swallow, push the oil to the front of your mouth and swallow a small amount of saliva from the back of your mouth. Recommended to dispose of it in the toilet after, as the oil will probably contribute to clogging sink pipes. I found it nice to drink a mild concoction of hot water, pure honey and lemon, avoiding food or strong drinks for at least 1/2 hour  after the experience.

The idea is, that the oil draws out toxins in the body, especially the mouth. This technique has affected many aspects of health and is said to be curing for a large variety of ailments.

"The act of swishing oil in the mouth acts as a powerful cleanser, pulling out these potentially harmful substances and thus producing a serious detoxifying effect."

This Oil Pulling Website, along with other resources such as the Wandering Bodhi (referenced above) will provide a lot more information. There are other sources that will recommend sunflower seed oil or coconut oil. I would say its important to acquire exactly the right product for this exercise.

Oil Pulling is one of many Ayurvedic cleansing techniques that clean the body. More about these topics to come in the form of future experiential blog posts : )

Happy Prana Inspirational Intention of Today:

Willingness to Experiment: the Peace of having Patience with Yourself to Do something New!

Happy Prana Kids Yoga at Grickle Grass Fest 2013

The annual Grickle Grass Sustainability & Music Festival in London, Ontario was a hit again this year! An amazing afternoon of children's programming and evening of fun for the big kids with a plethora of musical entertainment. I was honoured to have the opportunity to volunteer and teach yoga throughout the day outside London's Children's Museum. It was an interesting and inspiring experience to teach a flow of short classes when a small or large group sat down on the mats in front of me! Constant ceremony of breath and movement, continuous ritual or summoning energy and practice. A lot of the little ones were responsive to trying something new in such a dynamic and high energy setting of the outdoor space! Very Happy Prana! Thank you Grickle Grass 2013!
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Yoga Groove Workshop May 11th

An honour to host the upcoming workshop "Yoga Groove" in London, Ontario! This Saturday May 11th from 1 - 2:30pm, I will be leading a yogic dance inspired practice as we move along our bodies and breath to the beat. Here is a sample of the dub flows we will be grooving to! The cost is $20 at the door of the Downtown Yoga Holistic Centre across from the Central Library on Dundas St. Come and explore asana, pranayama and musical rhythm combined! Hope to see you there to play and flow together : )

Yoga is Radical: Toronto Conference Inspiration

Yoga is all over the world! It is amazing to observe the many incarnations and manifestations of this ancient practice. With an unlimited scope of form and content, the art of yoga has and is spreading widely and wildly. Attending the Toronto Yoga Conference last weekend was an invigorating and interesting experience. There was a lot of energy, a lot of action, a lot of frenzy over the culture of modern, urban yoga! The show floor was busy with attendees, a lot of smiles and health samples with everything from red beet crystals, to mushroom extract, to alkaline coffee.

In the middle of the show floor, there was a space with ongoing classes of many varieties. I attended a half an hour workshop of Kundalini yoga and how to de-stress as well as relax before bed. The meditations and movements from the school of 3HO Kundalini Yoga were so effective that I experienced an immediate change in my vibratory energy field. What a calming peace, emotional peace and exquisite serenity! I look forward to exploring Kundalini yoga more in the future. I received more from that short experience than I ever could have by buying into the consumer health products and fashions available. Overall it was a fabulous experience to more closely discover the range of levels and expressions in the yoga community in Toronto and beyond. The ongoing Kirtans were a special treat aswell. Hare Om!

A few highlights from the vendors were:

Toronto Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association which put on the meditation I mentioned above

The Lily Foundation - charity to benefit Vietnamese children supported by fundraising in Ontario with funds also raised from the artistic endeavours of Toronto's creative community.

Michael Moon and the Temple of Sound - healing and meditative music compositions focused on the power of sound during practices of consciousness and relaxation.

The teacher training workshop I attended was for Pre & Post Natal Yoga with Monica Voss. Learned so much about the female body and emotional landscape during pregnancy. Hopefully one day I will have the honour to guide women on a yogic journey during that sacred time. Most of all, I was inspired by the deep practice of teaching yoga in general that Monica Voss shared. She is one solid and grounded yogini! A few highlights from her class may touch you also.

Thankyou Monica! Thankyou Yoga!

"drop deep inside"

"postures give opportunity to teach the skills of life" (open, surrender, ground, expand)

"teach to the spine"



"empower women, empower yourself"

 

"'accomplishment' of poses is not important: where is our experience?"



                   "

YOGA IS NOT ABOUT CONFORMING

YOGA IS RADICAL

YOGA IS ANTI-AUTHORITARIAN

 ITS NOT ABOUT DOING WHAT WERE TOLD, ITS ABOUT FINDING OUT

                                                     "