DAILY Revolved Triangle Pose Take a large step forward on the R from Tadasana-Mountain Pose. turn L foot slightly out, keep R foot directly forward, lift arms to side, parallel to floor. Feet can either be aligned front heel to back instep, or if the hips are tight, allow legs to be hip width. On inhale lift torso and extend forward, keep hips as square as possible, pulling R Humerus, thigh bone back into socket, and ground L heel as you pull forward and away from it. Once you are as long and lifted over front leg as possible, take a breath and on the exhale begin twisting toward front leg, reaching L hand down. Place it on a block, on inside of R foot, or eventually on the outside of front foot. Try not to hunch back, shift too much weight to front foot, or let hips slip. Keep pulling R thigh back, pressing outer muscles toward left. Keep head either neutral on back, or allow it to turn to R, eventually looking up at R hand. Remain in place, increasing the twist on each exhale. Health Notes: As with all twists, the digestion is helped, including constipation, lower back is strengthened, sciatica eased. The twisting stimulates abdominal organs, opens chest, helping with asthma, and breathing issues, stretches, hamstrings, hips and spine. It may help with balance.
Read moreSearch Results for: Janu Sirsasana
Janu Sirsasana
Head to Knee Pose Begin seated and draw the R foot in as high on inner L thigh as possible. If R hip is unhappy with this, place a pillow or block under R knee. You can also sit on a blanket or pillow to lift sitts bones, offering more mobility. Inhale, extending spine up, exhale release forward from the groins, keeping L leg parallel. Place hands on side of L leg or foot, or add more of a twist to pose and reach R hand over to outside of L foot, but don’t collapse the back to do this. Maintain spine as straight and long as possible. When done, repeat on other side…contemplate your breath. Health Notes: This is a lovely stretch for spine, hamstrings, and hip. It stimulates kidneys and liver, therefore improving digestion, and helps with menstrual discomfort. It quiets the mind, helping with insomnia, depression, fatigue, anxiety, and headaches. If done regularly, helps high blood pressure.
Read moreHeadaches
The common, miserable, achy-breaky headache is almost always stress-related. Therefore read notes for Anxiety & Stress as well. Astrologically, headaches come under the rulership of Mercury, thought process, as well as Mars, which rules the head. Mars is a fiery, hard-driving, take no prisoners-planetary energy. Headaches occur more often for Aries and Ayurvedic Pitta types as they tend to have a fierce life force. Headaches are the gift to bring bodies back into balance when over-thinking, over anxiousness, and over-criticalness make us feel less-than, and fearful. I am not addressing migraines here, other than to say that if the fundamental biochemistry of the body can be improved, very often the migraines disappear. Some wonderful work with increasing levels of serotonin, (This is the neurotransmitter that fights pain, by exploring ways and means of expanding blood vessels, has had success. If you are at the mercy of too many headaches, start by changing your diet. Duh. The health of the digestive system leaves you less vulnerable to the ‘Sirene’s call.’ Stabilize blood sugar levels. Low sugar or hypoglycemia triggers migraines in some. Stop and eat if you are getting tired and run down. Don’t eat sugar or caffeine. Eat foods with magnesium, and take vitamin supplements of the same. The magnesium improves the flexibility of blood vessels and supports the function of serotonin receptors. This is particularly important if you do have migraines. Partake of more B’s, especially B2- riboflavin. It mitigates headaches because it facilitates oxygen use by the tissues, especially skin nails and hair. It helps with eye fatigue and helps prevent cataracts, It aids in the metabolism of carbs, fats, and proteins. B2 is found in poultry, spinach, yogurt, asparagus, avocados, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, nuts, eggs, fish, meat, and currants. Sometimes you can abort a headache if you take… Read more »
Read moreBack Issues
Basic Tips If in pain, don’t jog, jump, do sudden moves, or wear high heels. Duh! Helpful sports are *Pilates, * T’ai Chi, Yoga, swimming, cycling, rowing, and of course-walking. Keep moving. Don’t carry heavy purses, or bags over the shoulder. Another Duh. Bones need weight bearing exercise, and lots of it, especially with age. Get your back under the professional healing hands of a body worker. Find a good Rolfer, masseuse, Osteopath, a knowledgeable physical trainer, an educated Yoga Instructor. Listen to what your body needs. In the Practice of listening we learn to hear the body’s voice. Don’t bend forward without bending your knees, especially when lifting anything. Use thigh muscles, not back. To fortify bone and joints take: calcium & magnesium Vit. D,A, B’s & E, plus zinc. Doctors are now recommending that those who do not get enough sun, which is most, take 2000-4000 units of Vit. D a day to protect bones and joints. Avoid meats as the uric acid in animal protein exacerbates pain. Herbs that help backache: slippery elm, white willow bark, burdock, horsetail. Lower back pain can be about kidney, not ligament or bone. It might also be about the large intestine. If the pain is above the waist, pay attention to elimination, or constipation. If elimination is difficult, take an enema. Cod liver oil helps with healing. Read Edgar Casey. He used Cod liver packs on the skin for all manner of ailments, to great success. If sitting for long periods of time, make your knees higher than your hips. Pay attention to your habits, especially if back pain is habitual. Make a diary of when it comes and goes, what are you feeling, thinking, eating, doing? Often buried rage that is given a moment to emerge creates back spasm or… Read more »
Read more