Happy Tuesday, Shoeboxers.
We're finishing up part two of our guest post with Jennifer Henry, and below we have tips 5-7.
We're also still gearing up for her 3 hr master class on July 9th, (More details here: bit.ly/k9B8uT)
5. In each movement make sure to breathe in and out through the nostrils, matching each breath to each movement...
...elongating the breath, even if the heart beats fast and asks you to respirate more quickly. This makes one calm and able to proceed without ceasing in the presence of stressful experiences, both physically (i.e., running, swimming, cycling or hiking long distances w/ a heavy pack) and mentally reducees or eliminates anxiety that comes up when faced with hard work.
6. To protect the soft tissues in the wrists, whenever weight is in the hands, press down with the knuckle of the index finger that meets the palm...
...and curl the tips of the fingers into the mat. The hands and forearms have many muscles in them, but tend to be dominated by the major muscle groups of the outside layer. Many of us need an extra boost of strength in that region as the large group of muscles are not strong enough to bare the weight of the body. Pressing down through the index finger engages the secondary group of muscles in the forearm, adds extra strength we didn't know was available and takes the stress out of the wrist joint. It also enables the shoulders to fit properly into their joints, as it creates a type of rotation in the entire arm.
7. Wash hands and face before practice...
...and don't wear lotions so your mat doesn't become slippery! It is also a good ritual to remind yourself you are preparing to cleanse your system. The ancient Sutras of Patanjali explain 8 limbs for yoga practice, like that of a tree. The first and second limbs (yamas and niyamas) describe 10 personal and social codes one should follow, cleanliness (saucha) being one of them. The third limb is the practice of posture (asana), which most of us begin first.
Namaste,
Team Shoebox
No comments:
Post a Comment