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Yoga Tutorials

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A Heart Centered Yoga Practice

April 21, 2017 //  by Admin//  Leave a Comment

Hello EOS Community,

This week’s pose is, “Supine Bound Angle Pose,” aka “Supta Buddha Konasana,” (In Sanskrit, India’s sacred language of yoga) accompanied with the fourth of the 7 main energy centers in our body called the, “Heart Chakra,” or ,”Anahata,”in Sanskrit which translates to, “Unhurt, unstruck, & unbeaten.”

 

This green, 12 petaled lotus heart chakra is located in your chest.

This energy center governs our ability to give and receive love freely. When balanced you feel a sense of compassion for all living beings including a deep reverence for mother earth and father sky. You will have a sense of the interconnectedness between all. When others are in the presence of someone with a balanced heart chakra, they feel accepted and embraced by this benevolent force. An open heart is inspiring and not to be underestimated. When this center is out of balance, you can feel unworthy of love, untrusting, pessimistic, and reclusive. Maintaining a regular heart chakra balancing practice is necessary to feel at peace in your heart and to attract that peace into your life on an ongoing basis.

Supine Bound Angle Pose is a restorative pose. If you would like to grab a bolster or rolled up blanket to place under your spine for more itensity, please do so now. If you have tight hips, you can grab two pillows or folded up blankets that will be used underneath of your thighs and knees once we are in the full position.

Let’s begin.

1. Come
on to your mat with your back facing the mat or floor (If you are using the bolster or rolled up blanket, sit up first, slide on end of the prop to your lower back, and slowly recline your spine back down onto it, grabbing an extra pillow for underneath your head if you feel the support is needed.)

2. Breath in, and bend your knees and slide your heels in towards your sits bones.

3. Allow your entire back body to feel as though it were melting into the earth.

4. On an exhale, allow your knees to fall to either side (If you are using pillows for thigh and knee support, you can gently find the support now.) Allow you hands to rest on either side of your body, palms facing up. Close your eyes, and breath slowly.

5. Visualize your heart chakra in the center of your chest as a swirling 12 petaled green lotus flower. Every breath in you see your flower grow brighter and brighter, and with every exhale you see it spin faster and faster. As it spins, you may notice old energy leaving this energy center as dark and oily drainage. This is completely natural and to be expected during this meditation. Breathe slowly and rhythmically. Inhale through the nose slowly, and exhaling through the mouth while creating an, “O,” shape with the mouth as you exhale slowly. Syncing your breath with your visualization will enhance this sadhana or spiritual practice.

6. Stay with the visualization for about 10-20 breaths, and then slow release your chest, shoulders, neck & head back onto the mat.

7. Feeling grateful for this time that you have taken to connect with yourself, smile softly, and blink your eyes, slowly coming back into the room to continue on with your day, a little more centered, calm, and happy.

About the author: Alana Diosa Roach 

Yoga Instructor, Integrative Nutrition Coach, Reiki & Shamanic Energy Worker, Intuitive, Meditation Teacher


Alana Diosa is a world renowned Yoga and Wellness Teacher. She has been teaching her dynamic, breath centered style of yoga since 2011. Alana holds 2,000 hours of Yoga Alliance Certified teaching experience, including leadership of teacher trainings for upcoming yogis and yoginis, years of INTENSIVE Integrative Breath Work Trainings + is a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Health in NY, holding a certification as an Integrative Nutrition Coach. She harnesses an apt understanding and application of energy work both intimately and remotely as a certified Usui Reiki Practitioner, Ascension Clairvoyance, & Shamanic PLR Chord Cutting.

Category: Mindful Living, Move Your Body, Yoga, Yoga TutorialsTag: #digitalnomad, #entrepreneur, Costa Rica, destination, dreams, meditation, mobile, nomad, retreat, selflove mindfulness, spring, traveler, wanderlust, wildlife, year spiritual, Yoga

Yoga & Chakra Visualization Practice for the Full Moon & Spring Equinox

March 9, 2017 //  by Admin//  Leave a Comment

This week’s pose is, “Cobbler’s Pose,” aka “Baddha Konasana,” (In Sanskrit, India’s sacred language of yoga) accompanied with the second of the 7 main energy centers in our body called the, “Sacral Chakra,” or ,”Swadhistana,”in Sanskrit which translates to, “Your own place.”

The orange, six petaled lotus sacral chakra is located 3 inches below your navel at the lowest portion of the lumbar spine. It bares a crescent moon symbol in the center, representing the moon phases and the connection to the element of water which calls us to be fluid in thought and action during the lunar phases, because we all made up of about 50-65% water.

This energy center governs our sense of sensuality and creativity. When we desire to manifest something new in our life, it is important to harness the power of our sacral chakra. When this center is out of balance, one can become addicted to that which can not provide true fulfillment (Think substances, food, gambling, or sex.) On the other end of the spectrum, it is common to feel depressed, or a lack luster in their life whether it relates to relationships to self or other. Maintaining a regular sacral chakra balancing practice is necessary to feel grounded through life’s ups and downs while staying in touch with the way we choose to relate to the world and those in it. 

As we enter the Pisces/Virgo full moon on March 12th, we  prepare to let go of that which no longer serves us, in order to planet new seeds for the Spring Equinox on March 20th.

So, in order to get clear on what we WANT, and also to become ready to let go of what we do not, it is essential that we take the time to become centered through yoga and mindfulness practices

∞

Cobbler’s pose allows us to get in touch with pelvis while gently opening the hips, activating this energy center.

Cindy embodying her inner goddess in Playa Nosara

If you would like a more restorative variation of this pose, grab a couple of pillows and a folded blanket, and let’s begin.

1. Fold the blanket in half or thirds so that you have a half a foot length to sit on. If you have 2 pillows, place one on either side of you in arms reach. Come to sit on the edge of your blanket to gently raise the hips if your groin and/or hips are tight. Remember, the blanket is optional. First extend your legs out in front of you while breathing slowly in a soothing rhythm. Draw your awareness within your body and notice what your body feels like without judging the sensations.

2. On an inhale, bend your knees toward your chest, keeping your feet on the ground and drawing your heels as close to your sits bones as possible, and slowly let your knees drop out to the sides. The soles of your feet will be touching. (If your hips/groin are tight, your heels will be further away from you, creating more of a diamond shape with your legs. Place one pillow under each knee for support)

3. Allow your pelvis to stay neutral. Guiding the bottom tip of your tailbone towards the earth, while lengthening the crown of your head towards the sky.

4. Rest your hands gentle on your feet, massaging your feet with your thumbs for a few rounds of breath. Close your eyes, and start to center your mind by focusing on your breath. You can stay here, or if you would like to go further, draw your chin to your chest and allow your shoulders, neck, and head to be heavy as you round your cervical spine to forward fold. Only go as far as the body allows. Some may be able to draw the crown of their head to their feet, while others will feel great at a higher level.

5. Visualize your sacral chakra as a swirling 6 petaled orange lotus flower with a silver crescent moon in the center of it, 3 inches below your naval. Every breath in you see your flower grow brighter and brighter, and with every exhale you see it spin faster and faster. As it spins, you may notice old energy leaving this energy center as dark and oily drainage. This is completely natural and to be expected during this meditation. Breathe slowly and rhythmically. Inhale through the nose slowly, and exhaling through the mouth while creating an, “O,” shape with the mouth as you exhale slowly. Syncing your breath with your visualization will enhance this sadhana or spiritual practice.

Pinterest photo share

6. Stay with the visualization for about 10-20 breaths.

7. Feeling grateful for this time that you have taken to connect with yourself, smile softly, and blink your eyes, slowly coming back into the room to continue on with your day, a little more centered, calm, and happy.

Stay tuned to our blog to journey through yoga asana and the remaining 5 chakras!

 

So much love,

Alana

Alana Roach, founder of Explorations of Self, “A Mindful Travel Community.”

Yoga, Integrative Nutrition, Reiki, Tantra, Shamanista, Travel Enthusiast.

Contact me: info@explorationsofself.com

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIN.

Category: Basic Yoga, Creative Explorations, Meditation, Mindful Living, My Travel, Workshop, Yoga, Yoga TutorialsTag: #digitalnomad, Costa Rica, destination, dreams, fullmoon, grace, health, mother, selflove mindfulness, sound healing, Travel, year spiritual, yo, Yoga

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Alana’s love for yoga came from firsthand experience with just how powerful the practice is. “In 2009, Yoga found me. Inside the studio, she experienced a deep sense of belonging, but the most profound part was what happened after. “I felt as though I was at true peace. I finally knew what the word meant. Until that moment, I had just understood it cerebrally. There is something profound to be said about Peace dropping into the heart.” Read More

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