Friday, 13 May 2016

The Shoulder Stand Pose : Sarvangasana

Sarvagasana is also known as "Whole Body Posture." Performing Sarvangasana benefits all body parts hence it is named as Sarva (whole) + Anaga (Body) + Asana (Posture). As posture is performed standing on your shoulder, Hence it also called as "Shoulder Stand pose".

Steps to Perform the Shoulder Stand Pose : 

* Lie flat on your back in corpse pose i.e. shavasana. 
* Take a deep breath through your nostrils. Place your hand palms facing down the floor. Keep the hips on the floor, bend the knees and bring them up towards your belly while exhaling.
* Slowly inhale through both nostrils pressing down on the both hands and lift the torso from the waist up off the floor and arch the spine backwards, Straighten your arms. Keep hips on the floor. Then inhale.
* Now while exhaling, raise your leg and try to straight up in perpendicular position to floor. Support your legs by both hands if you are new to pose otherwise you can keep hands flat on floor.
* Legs in air should be straight and closed together. Toes should point towards sky and keep your head straight and press chin on your chest.
* Take breathe gently while in posture.
* Follow reverse procedure to return to corpse position.


Ideal Duration to Perform Shoulder Stand Pose : 

The Stand Shoulder Pose should be held for 2 minutes to 5 minutes. Always remember keep your comfort at most priority while performing any yoga asanas (postures). Repeat Stand Shoulder pose for 2 to 4 times every morning.

Benefits of performing Shoulder Stand Pose :

  • The Sarvangasana improves health of abdominal organs. Posture helps in constipation, piles and improves digestion power. Practicing Stand Shoulder pose boosts nervous system.
  • If you perform Stand Shoulder Pose in morning practice session of yoga fatigue caused by too much sleep is relieved. If you perform Stand Shoulder Pose in evening practice session of yoga promote sound and restful sleep.
  • It helps in relieving lower back pain.
  • It strengthens back and spine.
  • Nasal congestion, Migraine pain and headache are healed due to increased flow of blood to upper parts of body which includes mainly brain, heart.
  • All body system i.e. digestive system, immune system, Nervous system and endocrine system are invigorated.

Warning:

Pregnant woman should not do Stand Shoulder Pose.

Women should not perform Stand Shoulder pose during menstruation.
Saliva should not be swallowed while practicing Stand Shoulder Pose.
If you wish to sneeze, cough while practicing Stand Shoulder Posture then you must do so only after you bring down your legs. If do not follow this instruction your chest and neck will get slight pain.
The Shoulder Stand Pose should be practiced only on empty stomach. Empty stomach means before taking tea, coffee, water or juice in morning.
After performing Shoulder Stand Pose, you should take breakfast after a gap of 20 minutes.

Why should you practice this pose every day?

Inversion of body from neck up increases the venous blood flow to heart. Hence relaxes heart, brain and eyes and creates clarity to the eyesight.

Shoulder pose brings balance in the hormone secretion of thyroid glands in neck, thus improving flexibility.
Stand shoulder pose soothes the nervous system and hence relives high blood pressure, stress, tension and temper.
Stand Shoulder Pose increases metabolism. It is for health of spleen, liver and pancreas of your abdominal system.

 

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The Bellow's Breath- Bhrastrika Pranayama



Bhrastrika Pranayama also known as Bellow's Breath is one most important breathing technique in yogic practice. Generally, most yoga teachers suggest you to start yogic breathing with Bhrastika Pranayama. 'Bhrastrika'- a Sanskrit word means bellow. Bhrastrika Pranayama resembels to blowing of belly but in reality it is not so, you will understand it in detail while reading procedure. Primary focus of Bhrastrika Pranayama is on stable, forced and rapid , deep breathing. Due to stable, deep breathing in Bhrastrika Pranayama your body will get pure oxygen. More and more maximum oxygen body gets, it rejuvenate positivity and freshness in mind. Regular practice of Bhrastrika Pranayama along with remaining breahing techniques like Bahya Pranayama, Bhramari, Bahya Pranayama, Kapalbhati Pranayama and Anulom-Viloma Pranayama will increase your immunue power and will keep body disease free.


Steps to perform Bellow's Breath :

  1. Sit in any one yoga sitting poses as per your comfort level, it may be Padmasana (Lotus Pose), Siddhasana, Sukhasana, etc.
  2. Now, Breathe in through both nostrils till diaphragm of lungs is full. Try to keep breathe deep, stable and forced while inhaling. Do not force lungs too much to inhale or exhale. Keep in mind that breathing air is to be filled only in lungs not in your belly because there is very simple logic- No other part than lung in your body can utilize oxygen.
  3. Then breathe out slowly with same speed and stability you inhaled.
  4. Repeat process of inhaling and exhaling in and from nostrils. 
          

Ideal Duration to Practice Bhrastrika Pranayama :

  • Process of inhalation and exhalation of breath should be of 2 seconds each with rhythmic flow of breaths.
  • One should practice  Bhrastrika for 5 minutes in non-stop rhythmic way. If you are to practice, you will not be able to perform it in continuity for 5 minutes. So relax in between and keep continuing till total time of doing pranayama equals 5 minutes.
  • Bhrastrika can be done 12 times a minute. Healthy persons should practice Bhrastrika for 5 minutes, Those who are suffering from asthma, cancer, Muscular dystrophy, Vitiligo, Lung fibrosis should practice it for 10 minutes taking sessions of 3:3:4 minutes.
  • Bhrastrika Pranayama will benefit more if practiced with empty stomach. If you are suffering from mostly incurable disease do practice again after 5 hours of lunch.

Things to do while doing Bhrastrika Pranayama :

While inhaling process in Bhrastrika Pranayama think of all divine powers, nature's beauty, peace and happiness. Assume that these all good divine powers are blessing you to make you more powerful. Taking such Sankalpa (Vow) at time of inhaling would build positive power within you.

While exhaling process in Bhrastrika Pranayama think that all divine powers you have within you are expelling out all your body pollutants and negative power. Always think of Allah, Lord Shiva or Jesus as you wish. Practice of Bhrastrika Pranayama makes your lung strong and oxygen is circulated in body in adequate quantity. Cold, cough, respiratory diseases like tuberculosis, Asthma gets cured with daily practice of Bhrastrica along with other breathing techniques. Migraine pain, Tonsils and thyroid get cured from root.

Bhrastrika breathing technique brings proper balance between bio-elements (Doshas) like airy element (vatta), Pitta (Fiery element) and Watery element (kapha). Also makes body toxin free by purifying blood, it also removes foreign objects from body. It helps in stimulating kundalini.

  


Thursday, 12 May 2016

Depression doesn't have to be hard: Lets beat it..!

Laurell K. Hamilton said-"There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.” I think this the best definition of depression for a common man. 14.8 Million Americans adults have depressive disorder factor. A person suffering from a depression disorder always tries to get rid of tensed mind but he is unable to do so. Many people neglect depression by saying it as a unprepossessing situation. But this thing leads you towards stunning effects on your mental strength and which in turn affect physical behaviour.

Its very hard to overcome such nightmare by using only antidepressant tablets which only have its effectiveness till next morning. So you have to find where the shoe pinches. 

Root of all problems is mental health and mental health can only be improved with positivity of your mind, is only achieved by combined effect of meditation and yoga. Yoga will help to strengthen concentration and energizes body. In overcoming depression you will have to achieve control over blood circulation. To overcome you have to simply follow some simple breathing techniques and yoga stretches mentioned below:


Ujjayi Pranayama is best yogic breathing technique to heal depression. Ujjayi Pranayama includes following steps as shown in the embedded video:
          
  • Ujjayi pranayama is also known as Ocean breath or victorious breath.
  • Process of breathing in and out is done by nostrils. While inhaling sound is produced similar to sound of ocean hence it is called Ocean breath.
  • How to do Ujjayi Pranayama:-
  1. Sit in any yoga pose for example padmasana (Lotus pose) and keep your spine erect.
  2. Take a long deep breath from both nostrils, while inhaling try to feel air touching throat by contracting throat.(Keep in mind air should not touch inside nose)
  3. As air touches contracted throat a sound is generated like ocean's sound.
  4. Breath should be light and relaxed while contracting throat. Now close your right nostril and exhale from left nostril making sound ' hhhaaaaa.'
  • Repeat this for 7 to 8 minutes daily.
  • Ujjayi pranayama will boost positivity of mind, arouses kundalini which is most important for depression removal.

 
  • You can perform bow pose while lying down on yoga mat. This simple pose is designed to power back and throat, energizes mind. It has foremost importance in suppressing depression.
  • Steps to perform bow pose:
  1. Lie flat on your stomach on yoga mat, stretching your arms lying along side your body and gently rest forehead on the mat.
  2. Keep eyes closed and breathe for two breathe cycle.
  3. Now, move your head such that it will rest on chin. Take a deep breathe and bend your knees bringing feet towards buttocks. Grasp the ankles with your hands.
  4. Lengthen your spine and on taking in breath (while inhaling), lift your hips up. Continue taking breathe steadily and draw your shoulder blades onto your back. Try to lift your shoulders, torso and leg off the floor. Gaze straight ahead of you.
  5. Hold pose for 3 breaths, then lower your knees and let go of your feet, coming to rest on your stomach.
  6. Repeat Bow pose 2-3 times every morning.


Image sources: soulspottv.com, F-cover.com, healthandbodytips.com   

Benefits of Sun Salutation:
  • Sun Salutation helps in increasing cheerfulness of mind and enhances mental as well as physical strength.
  • Performing sun salutation in morning sun rays will keep you away from depression.
  • It enhances eye's power making it free from spectacles.
  • It helps to increase blood flow through whole body, hence controls blood pressure.
  • It increases memory power and concentration in youngsters.
  • It is beneficial for fat loss in adults as well as children.
  • It keeps you away from skin diseases.

Conclusion

 You have to remember that yoga will provide you complete relaxation and mind power to face tensed situation in your life, which medicine prescribed by your doctor cannot. Do practice all the steps mentioned in order daily in following sequence:
  1. Ujjayi Pranayama should be done for 5 minutes.
  2. Bow Pose (2-3 times in morning and if possible in evening)
  3. Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation 12 times in morning sunlight)
  4. You can also try Vajrasana, Corpse pose and Plow pose.

Wednesday, 11 May 2016

Don't just sit there! Start Getting Rid Of Fatigue At Job

Do you really enjoy working all 7 hours a day? I think only 0.23% of people working at job are willing to do so and this is real fact, and you have to accept it. How many of you take a nap in cubicle of yours while working? I think most of you working at long sitting jobs do it regularly after a full lunch break. Do you think by doing so you follow business ethics? Let it be that's another part but main question is-"Are you really fit and healthy to do a job?","Are you eating well?","Are you around negative people?" In most cases, You are not mentally strong, so you are taking nap at job's working hour. I think sitting at your cubicle for 4 days a week is the toughest part of your job if you don't have combined physical and mental strength.

So, Don't just sit there! Start Getting Rid Of Fatigue At Job..! Question is how you gonna do it? Don't be so hectic..! I'm gonna share you some tips on how to beat this job fatigue...


Don't go out seeking for antidepressant pills just start doing some morning yoga poses for just 10 minutes listed below and I assure you that you feel 100% fatigue free at your working hours and let me know in comments how you are feeling?

* Balasana (Child Pose) 
It is most relaxing yoga pose for reducing lower back pain and neck stiffness. Sit on yoga mat, kneel and bring together two knees and rest your buttocks on your feet as shown in picture. Lower your torso over thighs while breathing out. You can hold positions for more than 30 seconds. Repeat this pose for 3-4 times.

* Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
Uttanasana is best pose for weight loss and back pain. It helps in increasing flexibilities. Also stretches and relaxes spinal cord. For this pose stand straight, keep two feet close and rest arms on the sides. Now raise your hand above your head while inhaling (breathing in) and bend your torso (forehead) forward while exhaling. Try to touch ground with your hands, keeping legs straight. Don't stretch your hand if they are not touching ground.(with practice you can do so..) Hold pose for 35-40 seconds and come back normal standing position. Repeat this for 4-5 times.


* Savasana (Corpse Pose)
This is most relaxing pose for stress management. No yogic exercise for stress management can be complete without savasana. Savasana takes body and mind in divinity. In this pose you have to just lay down on mat, put your arms on side of body in relaxing position, keep your palm open and face towards ceiling. Close your eyes and take deep breath. Stay in this position for 10 minutes and think as if all your organs are dead. This will rejuvenate your mental strength.


As Bob Marley said-"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain." yeah..! music is great. When your feeling lazy after lunch try to listen to your favorite radio channel or playlist of your own. So always keep a set of headphones with you and stream some music while nodding off at desk.


Try to get up from your chair after every 45 minutes and take a walk around garden surrounding your workplace. Try to get cooler water in between and stretch your muscles little bit. See the change in your performance at work after following these rules. It can even help you maintain your health.

 Generally, You have one hour lunch break free time. So if your company allows you to use that time as per your convenience then break it in 30 minutes for lunch and remaining 30 minutes spend in another two halves for performing following any activity you may like
  • Spend some time talking with your family members.
  • Recall your achievements from childhood in solitude.
  • Observe the nature's beauty around you.
  • Try to make good relations with colleagues.
  • Make good relations with boss.

If you try these steps in your working hours, I assure you, you will definitely be free from job burnout. Best luck for your future.

Image Sources: emilyoga.com, lovemyyoga.com, popsugar.com, yogadairy.com, lovemyyoga.com.
 
One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_music.html