Adding a little different prananyama practice tonight with Box Breath, a slow gentle round of Kapalabhati with an inhale retention. Feeling how these pranayama practices move the prana through the body and how they make you feel. Pranayama is a devotional practice of breath to focus inward and to see what is going on inside of you. Feel, watch, listen and embrace.
Tonight in the Tri Yoga class at Yoga 4 All I will be adding a toe balance to the current toe stretch we are doing. The toe stretches as well as the toe balances open up the soles of the feet, ankles and all the toes so that walking and all movements in our daily lives will be easier. The new toe balance/toe stretch ~ the feet are in cobbler position as best you can (ideal sole of feet touching) now lift up so that you are balancing on the balls of the feet and knees are out to the side, shoulders over hips. First balance position hands on knees, next hands in Namaste, last hand above head finger tips touching space between the palms. Spine is long and straight, shoulder rolled back and down, heart is open. When the heart is open we allow the feelings to spread and open within us.
Why do we need to stretch our feet? The feet get shoved into shoes most days and they don’t get a chance to breathe and move as the are intended. Shoes don’t allow the full flexion of the foot and the rocking heel-toe movement that propels us forward. The soles of the feet as well as the toes get stiff and stuck. Our toes should be as mobil as our fingers. Can you pick up a golf ball with your toes? How about scrunching up a piece of paper using only your toes to slowly ball it up? Love your feet, work your feet and massage your feet they take you on your daily path.
Tonight I added in a different warm up that is not in Tri Yoga it is called the 10 churnings . It awakens the joints and moves the precious fluid around them for more ease in the practice. I will post a separate blog for the directions on the 10 churnings. This is a warm up for everybody and you can add more than 5 movements each direction. I add more for the ones I feel are a little tight that practice.
Staying with the theme of the last few weeks we will continue to work on the turns as well as longer holds in the standing asanas. Changing the turn from last week from side angle to runner tonight we did the higher level (which Sandi and I find easier) Side angle through raised runner to warrior 1 variation.
Adding in cat bows 1 &2 for upper body strength as well as the basic hand balance. We have not done the basic hand balance much but we all need to work on this. It brings strength and balance to the upper body. It also opens the feet.
Twists and aromatherapy before Savasana. Aromatherapy to night was Vata massage blend from Yoga Flow oils.
Reading will be about approaching life with an open heart.