What better way to invite positivity set intentions, and realize your potential through your yoga practice. Now is the perfect time to reflect, strengthen and manifest what you would like to add or change in your life, and having a clear mind to assess and prioritize your desires is the first step toward having the peace you want.
Yoga heals the physical body by creating more strength and flexibility so you can move through life with ease. Yoga also uses your body as a tool to uncover areas deep within the self that need to be healed.
We can use our yoga practice and certain yoga poses to heal and inspire ourselves physically and mentally – which may be the key to helping us find our desired path of positivity and success for the New Year.
1. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Resembling a king cobra ready to strike, Cobra Pose is a great posture to invite a more gentle backbend and great heart opener into your practice.
Cobra Pose helps you feel strong, open, and grounded. This pose gives you confidence by helping you access your true feelings, voice, and intuition so you can step into your full power.
Physical Benefits:
Opens the shoulders, neck, and throat
Improves strength and flexibility in the thoracic spine
Helps regulate blood pressure and improve circulation
Energetic Benefits:
Helps you feel more alert
Opens both the throat and heart chakras, for more open and seamless communication
Increases intuition
2. Seated Forward Fold with Bound Half Lotus (Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana)
This Seated Forward Fold variation is found early in the Ashtanga Primary Series and is an excellent yoga pose to invite a calm mind and improve circulation. If the Half Lotus variation with a bind is not in your practice, try elevating your hips on a blanket or practice a seated Forward Fold with Tree Pose leg variation instead.
Physical Benefits:
Opens hips and knees
Stretches the hamstrings and spine
Tones abdominal organs and stimulates circulation to the pelvis
The digestive system is also stimulated by the heel of the Half Lotus pressing into the lower abdomen
The added bind massages and tones the kidneys with each breath
Energetic Benefits:
Releases stagnant energy within the abdomen
Can rejuvenate and energize the yogi
The bind completes the energetic loop so you feel whole and balanced
This pose takes time, persistence, and patience – a great combination and reminder for beginning the New Year. The added movement of energy from this pose can give you just the motivation you need to succeed.
3. Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
Half Lord of the Fishes Pose was named after Matsya, the first student of yoga. Shiva was deep into his discourse of yoga to Parvati when Matsya (a fish) swam close to listen. As Matsya listened with perfect attention, he became enlightened. It’s said that Matsya came back to earth as half fish (the folded legs as the fishtail) and half-human (the upright spine).
Physical Benefits:
Excellent for digestion
Brings a fresh supply of blood to the internal organs
Strengthens the spine
Energetic Benefits:
Opens the second chakra
Promotes connection, intimacy, and emotion
Can awaken kundalini energy
This pose is to honor your teachers, both who came to you directly and indirectly, and to remind us to always be a student. We are invited to move forward in our lives with gratitude and reverence for what is behind us.
4. Warrior 3
Physical Benefits:
Strengthens and tones the legs, ankles, shoulders, back, and core
Increases stamina
Improves balance
Energetic Benefits:
Improves concentration and single-pointed awareness
Promotes the connection to conscious breathing
Energizes and invigorates
Harnessing the power and determination from this pose will help you create and achieve your goals for this upcoming year. Practicing Warrior 3 will remind you that with focus and courage, you can overcome weakness and rise above. Virabhadrasana is also a reminder of the sorrow a vengeful heart can bring.
5. Supported Headstand with Lotus (Salamba Sirsasana Padmasana)
Headstand is known as the King of Asanas for its many benefits and as a foundational pose in some yoga disciplines. Although this pose is challenging, it is important to bring it into your practice when you are ready. Again, if the Lotus variation is not part of your practice, feel free to modify it.
Physical Benefits:
Speeds up blood circulation
Ensures the brain receives sufficient and well-oxygenated blood
Improves skin complexion and relieves anxiety
Energetic Benefits:
Promotes a calm mind and an overall sense of steadiness
Moves prana throughout the body
Lotus Pose seals and redistributes energy throughout the body
Adding Headstands into your practice is a great way to work through and conquer fear. Through consistent practice, you will learn to trust yourself, your abilities, and your power. Having this trust and power we generate a calming peace within.
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