Category: Pregnancy Yoga

Marjariasana: Lesson 2, Topic 4.2

5/12/2020

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:

A Youtube video of me showing how the asana is done correctly, as well as some extra tips and benefits not mentioned in our textbook, "A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya".
Written directions about this asana, its techniques, as well as its many benefits (photo included)
Photos of this lesson's Daily Practice Program options

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 & Benefits

VIEW MARJARIASANA

MARJARI-ASANA
(CAT STRETCH POSE)

As always, before you begin your yoga practice, make sure to take the time to either set an intention, or to simply take a moment to express gratitude to the earth for providing the mat beneath you and the room around you. And then, perhaps take a moment to offer gratitude to yourself for even being here right now, reading this, practicing that... and giving yourself love, affection and grace through yoga and meditation. ❤

TECHNIQUE

Kneel on the ground
The knees and the feet may be separated slightly or kept together; either way is suitable for this practice
Lean forwards and place both hands flat on the floor in front of the knees
The hands should be positioned so that when your trunk is horizontal, the arms are vertical; in other words, the hands should be directly below the shoulders
The thighs should be vertical
Relax the whole body
Arch your back upwards while exhaling so that it forms a hump
Contract your abdomen to remove as much air as possible from your lungs
At the end of the exhalation your head should be between your arms, facing towards the thighs
Then slowly depress your back and raise your head as you breathe in
At the end of inhalation, the head should be facing upwards and the spine should be arched as much as possible in a concave curve (see illustration)
Expand your abdomen fully to fill the lungs with the maximum amount of air. Then raise your back upwards, while lowering the head and breathing out
Repeat the whole process again
Practice as many rounds as time will permit

BREATHING AND DURATION

Breathing should be as described, making sure that the abdomen is contracted as much as possible at the end of exhalation and expanded as much as possible at the end of the inhalation.

Try to perform the movement and breathing as slowly as possible, with full awareness. Aim to make the downward and upward movements have a duration of at least five seconds each.

This asana can be done for as long as you have time available. Ten full rounds is reasonable for general purposes. If you have any particular ailment, longer is prescribed.

BENEFITS

This asana supplements the previous asana (saithalyasana) in that it loosens up the spine. Those people with rigid spines and chronic back or neck ache are especially advised to do marjariasana regularly.

The pelvic and abdominal regions are well massaged, with a beneficial influence on the internal organs. The organs of digestion, reproduction and elimination are innervated by nerves in and around the spine. Marjariasana gently stretches and stimulates these spinal nerves. This has a supplementary influence, which improves the function of the internal organs.

Many women suffer from ailments of their sexual organs. This asana has been found to be very useful in improving the health of these organs and helping to eliminate reproductive disorders. Women suffering from menstrual irregularities and leucorrhoea have achieved enormous benefits from regular practice of this asana. At the time of menstruation, this asana can help give relief from menstrual cramps.

This is an excellent asana for post-pregnancy cases as it tightens the abdominal muscles and encourages the abdomen to resume its normal shape. It's also useful in releasing pressure off of the bladder whilst pregnant.

Daily Practice Programs Lesson 2

Works Cited
Saraswati, Satyananda. A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya. Yoga Publications Trust, 2013.

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Saithalyasana (Animal Relaxation Pose): Lesson 2, Topic 4 (part 1) - Asanas

5/7/2020

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If you have been following along lately, we are gratefully and enthusiastically working our way through our textbook, A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya! We have completed Lesson 1, which has prepared our bodies for meditation, but the work continues! Now, as we move forward through lesson 2, we are about to add two more asanas to our daily practice program.

The following asana, although reasonably simple, is very beneficial for the whole body, particularly the back and abdomen. The nerves in the spinal cord (the vital link between the body and the brain), as well as the internal organs of digestion are stretched, massaged, and revitalized.

In the following blog post, you will find:

A video of myself explaining how to practice this asana
Written directions about this asana and its benefits
Photos of this lesson's options for a Daily Practice Program

If you're reading this in your email box, as always when there are videos, I highly recommend you view this post on your browser instead :)

LOVE TO YOU ALL
~ Ashley

This pose makes you feel ALL the ZEN ;)

Saithalyasana on Youtube

SAITHALYASANA
(ANIMAL RELAXATION POSE)

Get comfortable on a mat, blanket, rug, etc.
Sit on the mat with the legs outstretched in front of the body
Separate the knees, moving the legs apart
Bend the right leg and place the sole of the right foot against the inside of the left thigh, allowing the whole of the right leg to rest on the floor
Carefully fold your left leg to the outside of the body so that the foot lies beside the left buttock
Place your hands on your right ankle
Relax your whole body
Exhale
Then, as you inhale, slowly raise your arms upwards, keeping them together and straight until they are eventually vertical above the head at the end of inhalation
Then exhale, twist the trunk slightly and bend forwards over the right knee
Try to touch your forehead on the ground directly in front of the right knee
At first this may be a little difficult, but with practice it becomes possible (you could also rest your head on a yoga block or rolled up blanket)
If you can’t touch the floor with your forehead, merely bend forwards as much as possible
Your hands should touch the floor in front of the body, with the arms kept straight, though preferably slightly bent and completely relaxed
Relax your whole body
This is the final position
Breathe slowly and deeply
Don’t strain, but try to stay in the final position for as long as you can manage
Then, as you inhale, raise the arms, head and trunk until your arms are vertical
Exhale and lower your arms simultaneously
Straighten your legs in order to repeat on the other side (remember, the transition matters. Be present, breathe deeply)
Now adjust the body position so that the left sole presses against the right thigh, and the right leg is folded backwards
Repeat the same procedure but now bending over the left knee

BREATHING, AWARENESS AND DURATION
The breathing should be as described in the technique, full and deep, slow, ensuring that it is also synchronized with the body movements.

When you are fully familiar with the asana, then close your eyes and become aware of the movement of the body and breath. In the final pose, you should be aware of deep and slow breathing.
The duration in the final position should only be for as long as you are comfortable. With practice, try to maintain the final pose for a minute or so on each side of the body, providing this does not cause any excessive discomfort.

BENEFITS
This is a good asana to loosen up the legs and prepare them for meditative asanas.

Most people have very stiff spines, so stiff in fact that it is difficult to believe the spinal column is composed of thirty-one separate bones which allow suppleness in the back and neck. This asana helps to loosen up the spine and return it to its correct condition. In the final position, the abdomen is compressed, which gives a valuable massage to the internal organs, especially those concerned with digestion. This massage squeezes out stagnant, impure blood and encourages it to flow back to the heart and lungs for oxygenation.

The deep breathing is most important for it accentuates the massage imparted to the abdominal organs.

NEXT TIME...

In the next blog post and Youtube video, I'll show you how to correctly perform the yoga pose, Marjariasana! We will also learn about its benefits like how it is actually an excellent asana for post-pregnancy as it tightens the abdominal muscles and encourages the abdomen to resume its normal shape. Just saying, this pose is awesome.

Notes: Daily Practice Programs Lesson 2

Works Cited
Saraswati, Satyananda. A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya. Yoga Publications Trust, 2013.

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A Confession & Change in Plan

4/19/2020

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We are in this new world and culture of confessionalism when it comes to what we share about ourselves and our lives on the internet. I have been thinking lately about the moment when the confessionalism becomes a commodity of sorts. Society urges writers to share as much as they can online, to publicise themselves online in their blogs, youtube videos, and Instagram.

So I wonder, am I creating this blog as a way to publicise myself? As an author? As a "thinker?" As a yogi? Has a writer's private diary been lost in our culture?

I feel myself withdrawing from it all a bit, but I also find myself clinging to the ease of it. The need for it. The need to be heard. To have my existence witnessed, if even for a moment. I want to keep sharing the things I've learned because I know that Yoga is beyond beneficial, but I can't help reflecting on the "why" I share... I just want to make sure I'm coming from a legitimate, selfless place. And if I'm not sometimes, if I get a bit "sharey" or "personal"... is that so bad?

Where will this go? Will I eventually feel write more openly... experiencing once again that feeling of catharsis that results from an open-hearted release of self? Or will I continue to write from the Underground... and from there dispense of my critiques and studies? Or, and dare I say it, will I ultimately expel myself from the internet in total! We shall see. Until then... the new plan is to focus solely on Kriya Yoga and see what becomes of it. ~ Ashley

A Change in Plan

VIEW VIDEO

The Art and Science of Relaxation

During Yoga classes, wonderful changes can be seen in people. Many people walk into class with tension written on every line of their faces and on every word they speak. Aggression pervades them. Their bodies are filled with tension, worry, and unhappiness. They start practices, not necessarily difficult ones, and slowly but surely the stress and emotional turmoil begin to evaporate, melt away. They generally don't know it, but the yoga teacher can see the transformation on their faces. The students only realize their realization at the end of the lesson when they find that they are smiling, really smiling, not superficially, for the first time in days, and that they are actually singing to themselves as they walk down the street. They find that in comparison to before the lesson, they are feeling light, carefree, and have confidence in themselves. This is not an exception but the rule. These people, by the systematic process of relaxation techniques, have changed their whole attitude towards themselves, to other people and life in general. This transformation may only last for an hour or so, but it leaves a wonderful impression on the mind and helps to permanently encourage a more relaxed attitude towards life. It is a starting point from which you can fully begin to enjoy mental and physical relaxation as a normal part of your life, whether during intense activity, sleep, or whatever, and not as something that you experience only occasionally, perhaps during yoga practices.

I want your life to be an expression of relaxation and joy. The way is by cultivating the ability to relax under all conditions and at all times. Everything you practice in yoga brings about relaxation and a thorough revitalization of the body and the mind, whether it is by means of asanas, pranayama, meditation practices, or whatever. Yet there are some special techniques which are very simple, which especially bring about relaxation in a short period of time. These will be discussed below and at various stages as we make our way through our Kriya Book. ❤

LISTEN TO LECTURE

VIEW SLIDESHOW

DOWNLOAD PAGES

PROGRAM 1 PRESENTATION

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Part Two: The World in a Raisin - A Mindfulness Meditation on Interconnectedness

4/7/2020

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Yesterday, we came to know our world through our senses -- seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, tasting -- and through the knowing faculty of the mind. We did so by eating one raisin mindfully.

As I mentioned in the last blog post and in the first edition of our mindfulness meditation practice, there's another important aspect of this meditation: becoming aware of interconnectedness. It can be helpful to think of mindful awareness as a lens. Sometimes we use it in a very focused way, as we just did with the raisin, using all our senses to observe every detail of our experience. And sometimes we widen the lens of mindfulness so that our awareness expands to take in the bigger picture. We nurture both of these aspects of awareness as we practice.

In this wider, more spacious view, we become aware of the larger context of being, in which we can see how everything is interconnected. Sometimes called, "looking deeply," this aspect of practice helps us become aware of the multitude of causes and conditions that are a very real part of our experience in this very moment. If you would like to experience this more expansive view, I invite you to follow along with a second set of Raisin Meditation instructions.

So, as promised, here is the second mindfulness meditation practice from one of the books we have been working with: Mindful Birthing: Training the Mind, Body, and Heart for Childbirth and Beyond, by Nancy Bardacke.

For this practice, you will need the following:

A raisin - or something similar that you can eat. Perhaps a grape, or a different type of dried fruit, anything that you can eat mindfully without making a mess
Someplace quiet to sit, comfortably and without disruption
A way to listen to this meditation

LISTEN TO MEDITATION

Reflections on the Raisin Meditation

Was this really a special raisin, or was it the quality of attention we brought to the experience, the face that we were really there for the eating of it, that made the taste so vivid?

Eating can be one of life's great joys. How many such moments of sheer delight are you missing every day because you're not really there for a bite of an apple or the taste of a peach? And how many other moments are you not fully experiencing, like the smell of the morning air as you step outside or the delicate shape of the flower in your neighbor's garden that bloomed overnight? And how many joyful moments of your pregnancy (or this moment of social isolation/solitude) are you missing because you are so busy rushing from one thing to the next?

Regardless of the physical discomforts of pregnancy -- the nausea, the backaches, the shortness of breath -- and all the uncertainties and worries you may be carrying about the future (even if you aren't pregnant), if you take a moment to really see, you will find that in this very moment you are a living, breathing miracle, with a new human being growing inside of you! And if you are missing this miracle, how many more such moments will you miss during the process of childbirth and parenting?

Perhaps taking a moment to stop and ask, "Where does the joy of living exist anyway?," you may find that it exists in the sweet taste of an orange, the sudden smile that lights up your baby's face, the warmth of a hug from your partner or a friend, or the sweet smell of your baby's skin. When we practice mindfulness we become more awake and alive in the present moment, for ourselves and for our children.

In many ways, the heart of parenting is about being fully present with our children. One way we can learn how to do this is by learning how to be fully present for and connected to ourselves in our own lives right now.

Coming Up...

Q&A: A Direct Experience of the Mind-Body Connection
Q & A: Encountering Resistance - Beginner's Mind to the Rescue
Recipe Time - We've been eating so many raisins mindfully lately, let's prepare something tasty and enjoy it mindfully, too!
A Story of Mindfulness in Action
The Breath: A Friend for Life
Guided Yogic Breathing Pranayama Meditation (Kriya Yoga Program)
Awareness of Breathing Meditation

Works Cited:
Bardacke, Nancy. Mindful Birthing: Training the Mind, Body, and Heart for Childbirth and Beyond. HarperOne, 2012.

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Pranayama: Breathing - Lesson 1

4/2/2020

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It is written in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the ancient text on yoga:

"Life is the period between one breath and the next; a person who only half breathes, only half lives. He who breathes correctly, acquires control of the whole being." ~ Swami Satyananda Saraswati

In yoga it is said that each person has a fixed number of breaths allocated to him. If one breathes slowly then one will live longer, for the number of breaths is allocated for the lifetime; if one breathes rapidly the given number of breaths are used up more quickly resulting in a shorter life span. Whether you accept this idea or not, there is nevertheless a great deal of truth in it. A fast breathing rate is associated with tension, fear, worry, etc. which tends to lead to bad health, unhappiness, and of course a short life. A person who breathes slowly is relaxed, calm and happy, which is conducive to longevity.

Breathing is a process that we rarely give any thought to. It occurs automatically without our awareness, yet at the same time it is often something that most people do incorrectly. If breathing is a spontaneous function of the body, how is it possible to do it incorrectly? The answer lies with our respiratory muscles which become lazy over time and cease to give optimum inhalation and exhalation (23).

How can we change the way we breathe in order to feel more relaxed, calm and happy in our day-to-day lives?

Let's continue with our journey into Kriya Yoga

To update our new readers (Hi Hannah!), over the last many blogs, we have been reading and working through two books. "A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya" by Satyananda Saraswati and another book titled, “Mindful Birthing: Training the Mind, Body, and Heart for Childbirth and Beyond" by Nancy Bardacke. In the last couple posts, we have mostly focused on building a healthy pre-meditation routine via the first yoga asana program found within the Kriya book. One (time) option for the program looks like this:

So far, I have also provided a presentation that includes photos of each individual asana/pose listed above (except for Naukasana - I'll explain that pose soon). Then I followed those items up with a brief demonstration of the poses as well as a quick Q&A regarding it. (Jala Neti information can be found here).

Let's review the breathing/pranayama portion of our Kriya Yoga program before we move on to the second lesson! :) I'm amazed at the progress I've made so far with this book. I literally feel like I am participating in my own yoga training. How do you feel about it? Feel free to comment and let me know :)

Below, you will find either a link (for email subscribers) or an audio tool (for web viewers). The audio includes our first pranayama practice! In the first half (1:00-18:00) of the recording, I take a moment to read the portion of the chapter that discusses the following important pieces of information:

A review on breathing capacities
Why slow breathing?
The mechanics of breathing
Different methods of breathing
Preparations necessary for Yogic Breathing

Then lastly, I lead an exploration into what it means to really breathe. We break down what it means to experience abdominal breathing, middle breathing, upper breathing and finally, yogic breathing. Please feel free to skip the first half if you like, but once you get to the descriptions of the different methods of breathing, I suggest a careful listen. Sometimes these lectures have so much wonderful information and context, so if you do happen to skip the first part but are left wondering if you missed something, then perhaps give it a full listen.

PRANAYAMA LECTURE & EXERCISE

Summary

A few minutes of yogic breathing daily can work wonders. It will make you much less susceptible to illness, and you will acquire more power, vitality and calmness in your daily activities. Your thinking and clarity of thought will improve.

The deep systematic yogic breathing will tend to retrain breathing nerve reflexes that may have ceased to be active by lack of use. In other words, at present you might be breathing only from the chest, hardly using the abdomen at all. Yogic breathing will start to make you breathe abdominally, intercostally and clavicularly during the day, and therefore, allow you to inhale the full amount of air that your body requires for nourishment and good health.

To develop the yogic breathing as an automatic and normal function of the body, try to develop the habit of consciously breathing yogically for a few seconds or minutes. If you feel tired or angry, sit down, or if possible lie down, and practice yogic breathing. If you can breathe slowly then your mind will become calm and revitalized.

Please, let me know if you practiced the recommended five Yogic breaths to start and how it made you feel. And don't forget, tomorrow, add two more breaths and so on. ~ Ashley

What Are We Going to Do Next?

The World in a Raisin: A Mindfulness Meditation

Works Cited:
Saraswati, Satyananda. A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya. Yoga Publications Trust, 2013.

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The Foundational Attitudes of a Mindfulness Practice - A Presentation Made with Love!

3/22/2020

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In my last entry, I wrote about how I am rereading two books, "A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya" by Satyananda Saraswati and another book titled, “Mindful Birthing: Training the Mind, Body, and Heart for Childbirth and Beyond" by Nancy Bardacke. I also talked about my desire to share this re-journey through these books because they are inspiring and accessible. Just like mindfulness and yoga ;) And so, in regards to the Mindfulness Book:

[It's] an invitation to use the life-changing process you are living right now as an opportunity for self-discovery, inner growth, and transformation. After all, you are living through the most transformative period in the adult life cycle, and your life – and the life of your partner – will never again be the same. So why not learn as much as you can from the process. (5)

www.mindful.org

What I like most about a Mindfulness Practice as described in the book "Mindful Birthing," is that its benefits apply to all people, not just individuals preparing for and/or experiencing labor. In fact, we could technically apply the benefits of this book to every single situation in our daily lives .

So how do we go about using this book? I think that, for the most part, I’ll share information about how the mind directly affects the physiology of labor and how the capacity to be in the present moment can be a critical skill for giving birth. We’ll learn ways to work with pain during labor, for most women in the process of giving birth, whether they intend to use pain medication or not, will experience some powerfully intense physical sensations we usually call pain. We’ll also explore helpful positions for laboring and birthing, partner skills for supporting the pregnant woman through the birth process, breastfeeding basics, and how to manage the physical and emotional needs of the postpartum family. Partners may be coming to understand that they themselves need these mindfulness skills, for they too will be having a birth experience and becoming a parent

[And so what if you’re not a woman or not having a baby.] It’s just that now, the present moment is where your life actually takes place; it’s the only time you have to learn, to grow, and to be fully alive. If you are constantly rehearsing for the future or rehashing the past, you’re missing this moment of your life, which is the only moment you ever really have. (11)

Learning to be fully present is a skill, and like any skill, it takes practice. Sometimes the present moment isn’t an easy place to be – like when you’re laboring to birth a baby. And so we practice meditation to learn how to be present with things as they are, however they are, even when they are challenging. And what we discover is that when we spend more time in the present, life becomes richer, more interesting, and certainly less stressful.

The Foundational Attitudes of a Mindfulness Practice

In the following presentation, I have chosen to read portions from a chapter in "Mindful Birthing" about the foundational attitudes necessary for cultivating mindfulness in our daily life. It's like an Audible recording, but of me reading... and sometimes Isabella babbling in the background. ;) And, as I said before, whether or not you're pregnant or your partner is... whether you practice yoga or you don't.... it doesn't matter. The benefits of a mindfulness practice are for everyone, right now.

VIEW PRESENTATION

Upcoming Topics

I think we should take a look at our Kriya Book and the exercises listed there for our first Asana Program regarding pre-meditation exercises. If you've forgotten what I am referring to, read the previous blog or take a look at this photo. In the meantime, consider reading up on Jala Neti or the reasons why you might want to practice yoga :)

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THE KRIYA YOGA BLOG

Marjariasana: Lesson 2, Topic 4.2

OoOoO Look! I Share Some Extra Tips & Benefits

MARJARI-ASANA
(CAT STRETCH POSE)

Daily Practice Programs Lesson 2

Saithalyasana (Animal Relaxation Pose): Lesson 2, Topic 4 (part 1) - Asanas

This pose makes you feel ALL the ZEN ;)

SAITHALYASANA
(ANIMAL RELAXATION POSE)

NEXT TIME...

Notes: Daily Practice Programs Lesson 2

A Confession & Change in Plan

A Change in Plan

The Art and Science of Relaxation

Part Two: The World in a Raisin - A Mindfulness Meditation on Interconnectedness

Reflections on the Raisin Meditation

Coming Up...

Pranayama: Breathing - Lesson 1

Let's continue with our journey into Kriya Yoga

Summary

What Are We Going to Do Next?

The Foundational Attitudes of a Mindfulness Practice - A Presentation Made with Love!

The Foundational Attitudes of a Mindfulness Practice

Upcoming Topics

My Message

Categories

Archives

Ashley's Holistic Bookshelf

My Students

❤ Ashley Cruz YOGA IS SOCIAL ❤

Subscribe To THE KRIYA YOGA Blog

THE KRIYA YOGA BLOG

OoOoO Look! I Share Some Extra Tips & Benefits

MARJARI-ASANA​(CAT STRETCH POSE)

Daily Practice Programs Lesson 2

SAITHALYASANA(ANIMAL RELAXATION POSE)

NEXT TIME...

Notes: Daily Practice Programs Lesson 2

A Change in Plan

The Art and Science of Relaxation

Reflections on the Raisin Meditation

Coming Up...

Let's continue with our journey into Kriya Yoga

Summary

What Are We Going to Do Next?

The Foundational Attitudes of a Mindfulness Practice

Upcoming Topics

My Message

Categories

Archives

My Students

❤​ Ashley Cruz YOGA IS SOCIAL ❤​​

Subscribe To THE KRIYA YOGA Blog​

MARJARI-ASANA
(CAT STRETCH POSE)

SAITHALYASANA
(ANIMAL RELAXATION POSE)

❤ Ashley Cruz YOGA IS SOCIAL ❤

Subscribe To THE KRIYA YOGA Blog