Why I love ‘Thread the Needle Pose (Parsva Balasana)’
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Opens shoulders, neck, upper
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Awesome prep pose for arm balances
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Full body stretch
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Great shoulder opener for athletes (before & after)
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Awesome prep pose for arm balances
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Gentle spinal twist
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Cleanses digestive system
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Calms nervous system
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Balances all chakras
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Centers the mind
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Mood booster
Parsva Balasana Step by Step
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Begin in table top position with your knees under your hip points and your shoulders over your wrists with your hands flat on the floor. fingers spread wide!
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Inhale and sweep your right arm open and up towards the sky to your right!
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Now sweep your right hand underneath and through your left arm, resting your right shoulder & ear on the floor.
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Breathe deeply in through your nose and out through your nose if you wish to heat up your body or in through your nose and out through your mouth if you wish to cool down your system (you will know in the moment which one is best and remember that your body will need different things depending on the day!)
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Do the other side (advanced option below!)
Author: Alana Victoria, founder of Explorations of Self
De-Stress by Balancing the Vagus Nerve & Root Chakra
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.”