In the previous lesson, I shared the importance of regularly relaxing the mind and body and about how relaxation techniques bring about the removal of physical and mental tension. Today I'd like to share a new shavasana/savasana practice with you :) I hope it will help you relax and leave you feeling refreshed. ❤ Today, I've included the following bits of yoga information:
My whole intention here is to help you develop your own yoga practice for a more peaceful life. Eventually, maybe, we will all be able to maintain an intuitive sadhana (spiritual practice) on our own. And... Perhaps we will all feel comfortable sharing what we are learning with the people we care about. Benefiting everyone :) ❤ YOUTUBE INTRO & RECORDINGShavasana Part 1 & 2SHAVASANA - PART 2 The two parts of shavasana comprise a whole, and as such, the second part should be practiced immediately after the first part, without a break. Technique
Regarding Sleep, Awareness & BenefitsSleep The biggest problem is sleep unless of course, you practice shavasana specifically to remove insomnia. It is the habit of most of us to sleep whenever we achieve a reasonable degree of relaxation. We seem to associate relaxation with sleep and tension with wakefulness. Yet the aim of shavasana is to gain a high state of relaxation while being fully awake. If we fall asleep halfway through shavasana, we lose much of the benefits, because, during sleep, the mind again manifests its usual patterns of worry. By remaining awake and directing awareness to the different parts of the body and the breath in the way described, our awareness is coaxed away from its entanglement with obsessive mental anxieties. So, try to stay awake, even though it is very easy to just drop off to sleep. Awareness Throughout the practice, one should try to be aware of all the processes which we have described in shavasana. However, it is very easy to think of other thoughts and become distracted from the practice at hand. You should not suppress thoughts if they arise. Let them occur, be aware of them but simultaneously continue on with shavasana. Benefits Instructions During yoga classes, the teacher gives all the necessary instructions and the practitioner merely listens and carries them out. It is far easier to gain benefits under these circumstances. However, when you practice by yourself you should develop the idea that you are the instructor. Instead of the instructor being in the form of another person, he is now in your head. Mentally repeat the instructions to yourself and then enact them. In this way, you are more likely to maintain awareness throughout the practice. Summary of the Steps of Shavasana Shavasana is a systematic technique which progressively relaxes the body and mind. Therefore, the order of practice is important so that you become more and more relaxed as you work through the technique. The following is a list of the basic steps to possibly metally repeat to yourself throughout the practice:
PAGES OF SHAVASANA (PART 1)Works Cited:
Saraswati, Satyananda. A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya. Yoga Publications Trust, 2013.
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In the previous lessons, Swami Satyananda described eight exercises to loosen up the body, particularly the legs, in preparation for meditative asanas and other types of asanas. In this topic, we will explain two of the simplest sitting positions, which can be used for various meditation, pranayama, and kriya yoga practices. The following two asanas are very useful in the early stages of practice. However, the best sitting positions are the classical meditative asanas. These are padmasana (lotus pose), siddhasana (accomplished posed for men), and swastikasana (auspicious pose for women). Your aim should be eventually to sit in one of these classical asanas. Therefore, the exercises previously given for loosening up the legs should be continued so that the more advanced meditative asanas can be mastered in the future. SUKHASANA (EASY POSE)This is the easiest of the meditative asanas, and everyone should be able to sit in it. Although it may be used for meditation practices, it has one basic drawback: most of the weight of the body is supported by the small area of contact between the floor and the buttocks. After a period of time, this area soon becomes a little painful. However, this can be overcome to a degree by using a cushion under the buttocks. The other meditative asanas have a larger area of contact between the floor and the body - the weight of the body is supported partly by the buttocks and also by the legs, which reduces aches and pains from developing. Technique
Note: As soon as one is able to comfortably perform any other meditative asana, sukhasana should be discontinued. VAJRASANA (THUNDERBOLT POSE)Many people find this asana a little uncomfortable at first because it is a sitting position that few people ever use. At first, the ankles and knees tend to ache, but with practice, this asana will become most comfortable and almost a joy to sit in. Besides being an excellent meditative asana used by Muslims and Japanese Buddhists, it is the starting pose for a large number of other asanas. The Sanskrit word vajra means 'thunderbolt.' The psychic vajra nadi, which is greatly affected by this pose, is an important energy pathway which carries nervous impulses of the genito-urinary system from the brain. It is the same word that has given the name Vajrayana to a form of Tantric Buddhism, which uses sexual union as part of its spiritual sadhana (practice). The term has various other meanings, all connected with the same subject. As such, vajrasana is said to enable the practitioner to gain control over the sexual functions and direct the energy towards expanding consciousness. Technique
ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS Beginners may find it difficult to sit on their feet without the support of the arms. A good method for loosening up the legs is to support your body weight with your arms and then slowly lower your buttocks towards the feet. Bear the discomfort for a second or so and then take support of your arms again to release the tension. Then again, lower your buttocks and repeat the procedure. With practice, you will find that the tension disappears, and eventually, you will be able to sit on the feet for longer periods without the slightest difficulty. Remember, the loosening up exercises will also help you very much to make your legs more supple and allow you to sit in vajrasana. Beginners who find that their legs and feet ache after a very short time in this position should return to the kneeling position and then sit on the floor with the legs outstretched. Bend one leg, hold the ankle, and vigorously shake the foot until all signs of stiffness have disappeared. Repeat with the other leg. Then again, sit in vajrasana. BENEFITS Vajrasana is one of the few asanas which can be performed after taking meals, as asanas, in general, are strictly contraindicated after food. We actually recommend that vajrasana be practiced for five or ten minutes after meals. The reason is simple: vajrasana is a very relaxing position, conducive to a calm mind and body, so it stimulates the digestive processes working in the stomach. As we have already explained, vajrasana is an excellent meditative asana and, in fact, is the only practical meditative asana for people who suffer from sciatica or sacral infections. Vajrasana has one notable advantage over sukhasana: one tends to automatically hold the spine straight while doing vajrasana, whereas in sukhasana there is more of a tendency to slump forwards. For this reason, vajrasana is far superior to sukhasana once it is mastered. Isabella's Aromatherapy Filled Yoga ClassesWorks Cited:
Saraswati, Satyananda. A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya. Yoga Publications Trust, 2013. ![]() Watch a cat closely and you will see that it periodically stretches its spine upwards and downwards. Marjariasana imitates this action, and though it is very simple, it is useful in ensuring the best possible health of the practitioner. It is also very beneficial for the whole body, particularly the back and abdomen. The nerves in the spinal cord, as well as the internal organs of digestion, are stretched, massaged, and revitalized. In the following blog post, you will find:
If you're reading this in your email box, then as always when there are videos, I highly recommend you view this post on your browser instead :) ~ Ashley OoOoO Look! I Share Some Extra Tips & BenefitsMARJARI-ASANA |
My MessageLove is the essence of our life. I have written this blog with love, and I offer it to you, dear reader, with the hope that the suggestions offered here will become a vital part of your self-healing and continued well-being. ~ Ashley SEARCH TOPICS
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