LIFESTYLE . . . Daily Yoga
Happy Heart YOGA
BENEFITS:
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Expands lungs, ribcage, chest, and abdomen, which allows more oxygen flow to the organs, the eyes, and the brain.
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Improves and maintains a youthful posture by increasing spine flexibility and strength.
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Stimulates good circulation, energy flow, and good mood.
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Strengthens the legs, hips, wrists, arms and shoulders.
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Stretches the abdominal muscles and improves digestive system.
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All the muscles and joints are invigorated by this pose.
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Healing for the mind, heart, and soul as it brings balance into the nervous system.
By Zofia Karubin, Certified Yoga Instructor
Yoga and Surfing go together so well... Because there is something really special about surfing that brings a joy to your life, and the same is true of yoga. Giving you an experience with so many benefits that affects your life on many levels. By having more fun while surfing or practicing yoga and following your intuition, your life becomes so much more enjoyable. This powerful back-bending pose will help you get more aligned and connected with your inner-self for a better life journey and a happy heart. This pose will also help you become a stronger surfer with more style and grace, and gives you more flexibility to handle the different conditions in the water.
Before trying this pose, prepare your spine
by stretching and relaxing the entire body forward and backward, to the left and to the right. You should warm up your body first by doing several other poses gently and thoroughly as shown in my previous yoga articles (see link in bio). To prepare your spine, you may also recline backwards on a big pillow or over the side of your bed or couch for a week or two and see how it feels. You can start this pose from laying on
your back first, then lift and arch yourself up into the wheel pose to feel how your arms and legs get stronger each time in this position.
Remember: In yoga, whenever you do one pose,
always do another counter-balancing pose, and prevent any strain by breathing deeply. Be gentle with yourself especially when trying new poses, and take it really slow, little by little, because eventually you will get better and better and as you focus on your breath you will ease into it naturally. Even if you do just a few minutes a day of a couple easy poses, you’ll soon see the benefits of investing in yourself and your own well-being because you are so worth it.
Awareness of your breath is the key to health and wellness. Do you catch yourself holding your
breath when you are feeling stressed or rushed? Become aware of your breath and allow it to flow in and out naturally and let yourself feel at ease as the healing energy moves through your body. As you allow yourself to feel more at ease, your body will have less and less dis-ease. By becoming more aware of your breath, you will allow more and more well-being in your body, mind, and soul from moment to moment.
Zofia is a certified yoga instructor who resides in Los Angeles, California where she’s been teaching yoga for over 20 years and practicing yoga since childhood. Learn at your own pace how to incorporate yoga into your busy lifestyle through the online collage of yoga routines from previous issues of WSSM. Go to www.womenssurfstyle.com/yoga-by-zofia Surf Leggings: Monique Rotteveel Surf & Yoga Leggings in “Deep Jungle” (www.moniquerotterveel.com) | Photos by: OnIt Pro (OnItPro.com)
Standing Wheel Pose
(Chakrasana variation)
Please check with your doctor before doing this or any exercise program.
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Warming up properly, stretch your spine up and back, look up, reach up, and breathe, then reach forward and down several times while breathing deeply.
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Gently reach behind you and over your head slowly with one or both hands as you breathe out.
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Reaching all the way over with both hands on to the ground and breathe in. Relax your neck and head in this arched position as you breathe out. (You can stop here and gently relax the body down as you tuck your chin to the chest and then bring the knees to the chest for counter balancing as you breathe out.)
Stand in a grounded pose with your feet rooted into the earth, place your hands behind your hips, push your hips forward, while arching backwards, and keep breathing. You can also make fists and push them into your hips as the hips move forward and you arch back, and soften the knees, as you continue breathing.
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When and if you are ready, feeling stable and relaxed in this arched position, bring one knee up,
then slowly down with the breath, then lift the other knee up with the breath.
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If you are feeling like kicking it up a notch, lift the foot up to the sky, engaging the abdomen muscles, then release the leg down, and repeat on the other side, slowly and gently with awareness of the breath. TO RELEASE THIS POSE you can slowly relax the whole body down to the ground, and again tuck your chin to the chest, and then bring both knees to the chest as you breath out. You may also reverse the steps to come back
up to a standing forward bend, and then slowly bring the forehead down to the knees to counterbalance the stretch, as you allow the breath to flow. Do not worry about the perfect pose, simply breathe and allow your body to go in the right direction, and listen to your body, listen to your breath, listen to your inner voice to guide you through the process as you will blossom through this journey. Namaste: My Inner Light Bows to Your Inner Light.
Happy Heart Yoga by Zofia Karubin
| Standing Wheel Pose (Chakrasana variation)
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Breath is the most important, so feel your breath flow naturally, i no matter what you do, be gentle with yourself and do every pose slowly with deep attention to your breath as it flows in and out.
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