1 Adho Mukha Svanasana

In Sanskrit Adho means downward, Mukha means face, and Svana means dog. Thus, Adho Mukha Svanasana means Downward-Facing Dog Pose. The pose resembles a dog stretching after a nap. It's an excellent Yogasana all on its own. It imparts power, flexibility and alertness to the body and mind & stretches the spine, hamstrings and relaxes the heart. Regular practice of this pose rejuvenates the entire body and gently stimulates the nervous system.

How To Do It

• Sit in Vajrasana. Raise your body from your heels
• Kneel with the hands and knees on the floor, hands under the shoulders, fingers spread wide, knees under the hips & tuck the toes under the feet.
• Then, on an exhale, push back with your hands, raising your buttocks up and forming a nice V shape with your legs.
• Weight should be evenly distributed between your hands and feet.
• Hold the position for a few breaths and watch as blood moves through your body. The body would feel energised.
• Exhale, lift the head up, drop the knees to the floor & get into Vajrasana. Rest in Balasana.

2 Balasana (Child's Pose)

The Sanskrit word Bala means child. The Balasana is one of the more relaxing Yoga Postures and it can be done before or after any asana.

How To Do It

• Sit in Vajrasana
• Keep your knees apart, about the width of your hips. This will create more room around the belly. It also allows deeper breathing.
• Place your forehead on the floor and then swing your arms forward with the palms toward the floor or bring the arms back alongside the thighs with the palms facing upwards. Do whichever you feel more comfortable.
• These are two arm variations.
• Be sure that while bending down in this manner, both the buttocks remain set between both the heels. They should not be raised.
• Breathe normally, when the head touches the ground.
• Remain a witness of inhaling as well as exhaling of breath.
• Remain in this position for at least a minute and allow your body and mind to relax.

How These Asanas Rejuvenate

In both these positions, the head goes lower than the heart. Hence, heart has to work lesser in pumping the blood to the brain. Therefore, blood circulation in head is increased & this increased blood circulation rejuvenates the brain cells & relieves fatigue.

Benefits

Both these asana calm the mind, relieve stress & are beneficial for mild depression, headache, insomnia, back pain and fatigue. The cerebrum, cerebellum, pituitary, pineal, thyroid, parathyroid, the lungs and heart itself get benefit.

It is advisable to practice the asanas under the guidance of a Guru or a qualified yoga instructor.

In case of any queries, contact:
Dr, Rita Khanna
2nd floor, Plot#22, Suman Housing Colony, West Marredpally Secunderabad-500026
Mobile: 09849772485 Ph:-040-65173344
Email: ritukhanna57@hotmail.com
WWW: http://yogashaastra.blogspot.com/
The Yoga Studio is open 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Many Yoga practitioners are familiar with the value of a silent retreat to an Ashram or another sacred place. An extended silence turns the mind inward, which makes us more mindful during Yoga and meditation practice. Silent Yoga retreats give us "breathing room" and allow our minds a chance to wind down.

This is all well and good, but what if you do not have weeks to awaken your inner light in the company of your favorite Guru? You completely realize the benefits of relaxing and rejuvenating in silence, but you have time commitments or financial restraints that prevent it.

What action can you take that will result in a journey of self-discovery and development of inner strength? If you cannot go to a silent Yoga retreat, there is a way to bring it to you, but it requires a commitment, and you may just discover inner strengths you were not aware of.

How many days would you like to go away? Sit down and write a realistic agreement of how many days you can wake up early and practice in silence. In order to do this, you will have to go to bed an hour or two earlier. On the following morning, you can begin to create an everyday silent retreat in your own sacred space and time.

What should you do? Let's look at the potential opportunities you have by getting out of bed early and practicing in silence. Many people think Yoga revolves around asana only. This is a good physical activity in the morning, after a warm-up, but you have a large variety of options to choose from.

Silent prayer, mantra, japa, and positive affirmations will steady your mind and purge pessimism from your inner being. The mental, emotional, and spiritual value of this practice cannot be understated.

Pranayama easily helps one connect the mind and body. However, you should practice the silent variations of pranayama, without waking other people in your house. In the case of Udgeeth pranayama, one could recite "Om" mentally, without having to make any noise.

Reading in silence is a perfect way to expand your mind and absorb motivational content. You can read scriptures or motivational books. If you can disconnect your PC, or lap top, and discipline yourself to stay off the Internet, an e-Book could also be beneficial.

The only reason for avoiding the Internet is to stay away from multi-tasking. A silent Yoga retreat is much like meditation in motion. The Internet is a valuable resource, but it is also a distraction from focusing your mind.

Meditation, of all kinds, is a powerful method for starting your day in silence. There are so many methods for meditation that you could easily choose something different each day for weeks.

You could practice a walking meditation, but do take the time to break the silence with friendly neighbors and dogs. Combining meditation, with positive visualization, can change your life with the Law of Attraction.

The positive results of starting your day, as a silent retreat, are profound. All that is required is for you to go to bed earlier and do something constructive in silence.

© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

All of the subjects mentioned below will require much additional research on your part, but let's briefly go over a question and answer session about students who need special care in your classes.

Q: Over the weekend, I met up with a student that is in her early twenties (about 23-24, maybe) and she is interested in Yoga. She is in her first trimester of her third pregnancy. Is there something I should be concerned with?

I have been to many Yoga classes in the past where there were indeed women far into their pregnancies and noted that my instructor paid some special attention to them on the dos and don'ts.

A: About the first trimester of pregnancy: There is a thread in the Yoga forums about it. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=300

Although Priyah and Hamed are the only two teachers to make posts, their information is accurate. I used to have "mothers to be" in my Yoga classes up to the birth date.

Unfortunately, the potential for liability suits has caused many of us to reconsider, and advise my students toward a prenatal specialist. It is much safer for pregnant students in a specialized class, under the guidance of a prenatal Yoga specialist.

Q: Another thing is about hip replacements: A student (in her fifties) had hip replacements about 14 yrs ago. Are there any concerns I need to be aware of or let her know her limitations?

A: Yoga for Hip Replacements: I strongly recommend researching this subject thoroughly before teaching this student. Needless to say, there are many contraindications, which relate to the specific type of hip replacement.

It is advisable to ask a student, with a hip replacement, for her doctor's recommendation or a doctor's note explaining the type of hip replacement.

The exact surgical approach her doctor took is very important. For example: Was it a total replacement? Was the implant posterior or anterior? Each of these situations is different and some postures will be modified or eliminated entirely as a result.

Q: While I am on the subject, my neighbor (late 40's) had neck surgery about 6 years ago, and I know that her cervical region is limited. Are there any concerns here?

A: Yes, there are many concerns. In the case of Yoga for a pre-existing cervical spine injury: Anything that causes her pain in the spine must be stopped.

This condition depends upon her doctor's advice, because of the type of surgery and the source of the problem. Extreme bending or twisting, in the neck, should be modified or deleted from her practice. It is important to note that neck rolls, and neck hyperextensions, should not be practiced by any student, regardless of their medical history.

Some mild bending or twisting may also cause pain. In this case, she should not push into pain. Students with pre-existing problems, anywhere in the spine, have to respect and avoid pain.

Yoga teachers should be cautious and give gentle guidance, when a student has any form of a pre-existing health condition or injury. In some cases, Yoga teachers should refer their students to a Yoga specialist.

© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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