yoganewtipsforeveryoneus-blog

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10 Yoga Tips for Everyday Living

1. Check your posture. Observe how you stand, sit and walk at all times. Being aware of yourself is a reminder of who you are.

2. Use your pelvic floor and stomach muscles at all times. Not only will this strengthen the spine and tone the abdominals but you will feel up lifted all day long. You will also reduce any need to do stomach exercises as the transverse stomach muscles will be working all day long.

3. Pelvic floor muscles this needs repeating, no-one wants to be an incontinent old lady - that's enough to make everyone lift them high. It's said in classical yoga that those who have control over the pelvic floor (Mulha Bandha) will regain the vitality of a youth of 16!

4. Moderation. Eat, drink, play, work in moderation. Do not do things to excess.

5. Blessed are those who live without expectation. Learn to let go of what your trying to control. You'll be surprised by the outcome.

6. Breathe well. learn to let go of your breath. Do not hold on to it. Be aware of your breathing rate and how it changes in different situations, especially when under stress.

7. Take time to be still and quiet. Next time when sitting in traffic observe your breathing whist waiting for the traffic lights to change. If you relax your face muscles and take long out-breaths you will arrive at your destination relaxed and happy.

8. Learn to relax. 20mins of relaxation is as beneficial as 5 hours deep sleep. Lie on the floor in a quiet warm space. Give your mind a rest.

9. Look at everything in a positive way. Work out your profit and loss in all situations.

10. Don't be afraid to stop. It's only when we are still that we can really move.

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I miss who I used to be. I miss being full of energy. I miss being excited to get out of bed in the morning. I miss being pulled by my vision. I miss feeling good in my body. But most of all, I miss loving myself enough to take care of myself..

I want to feel my best physically, mentally, and emotionally, but every time I start taking care of myself, I feel like something is holding me back. And I realized that it’s because I don’t believe I deserve it.. I don’t believe I deserve to truly feel my best, to truly take care of myself, to truly be happy.

And even though in the back of my mind, I already knew this, I guess I always kept burying it deeper and deeper, just as I buried my true self, always afraid to speak up, to take up space, to be true to myself..

But that’s okay.. Because do you know the saying, “The tiny seed knew that in order to grow, it needed to be dropped in dirt, covered in darkness, and struggle to reach the light.”? I’ve been buried, I’ve struggled and now I want to feel the light again, in myself, in others, and in life.

For all of you who have been buried, are you ready to start seeing the light inside of you?

Feel Free to follow me on my new  Instagram , as I will be posting about my self care journey daily. And I hope that you join me.

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@yongxianyoga

COBRA VS UPWARD FACING DOG

1. In UFD, the legs, pelvis & torso are lifted. The tops of your feet press firmly down, & palms are grounded to help support your upper body. In Cobra, the legs & pelvis are grounded, & only the torso is lifted. Note there’s a difference between High Cobra & Low Cobra – I’ll explain below. 2. Both poses are usually done as part of a Vinyasa. If you can manage a Chaturanga, the pose you’d normally flow into after that would be UFD. But if you’re lacking in upper body strength & you’re coming down into Knees-Chest-Chin from plank, you’d move into Cobra. • 

COBRA Legs & pelvis:

 Legs & pelvic bones are grounded. I like to keep my feet mat width apart (wider than usual) to arch my middle back more, instead of jamming into the lower back. Arms: In the photo, my elbows are a little bent. In (High) Cobra, there is no real need to straighten the elbows all the way – doing that may cause compression in the lower back. Keep your elbows bent as much as you need to arch your back evenly & gradually. Palms are shoulder width, slightly in front of shoulders. Modification: Low Cobra is an easier alternative. To do this, bring the belly onto the floor, so only chest is lifted. Hands will be under your shoulders, next to your chest, elbows hug in. • 

UPWARD FACING DOG Spine:

 The tendency here is pushing up through yr arms, creating an L shape in your spine, causing compression. To correct this, pull your chest forward & through by pulling yr shoulders back. Arms: Elbows are straight, but keep them micro bent, engaging your triceps. Palms are a bit closer to you as opposed to Cobra. Modification: In a Vinyasa, UFD usually comes aft Chaturanga, but pushing up from that to UFD requires a lot of core & arm strength, & if you’re lacking in upper body strength, this transition may be tough. If you’re still working on this, you can drop your knees to come into Cobra, or drop the knees first then push up into UFD. Whatever feels good! • Experiment with both and see which feels more comfortable for you. Just remember there should be no pain, and try your best to arch the entire spine gradually – not just the lower back. Be safe x #yongxianyogatips

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10 Yoga Truths Beginners Might Not Believe (Yet)

By Yoga Sol student, Emily Henry:

I started doing yoga a few months ago and have been amazed at all the yoga myths I’ve dispelled in my short but enlightening journey. Yoga is immediately rewarding and invigorating and I fell in love with it at once. From the beginning, I’ve always left class feeling energized and inspired, no matter what demons I faced during the course of practice. But yoga can also be intimidating, especially if you’re telling yourself untruths. One major myth beginners often buy into, myself included, is that you can’t do a pose and will never be able to do it because your body just isn’t made that way. I felt like this about Reclining Hero Pose, Supta Virasana. I didn’t see how it was possible to get my backside anywhere near the floor, let alone start leaning back. My thighs were in the way, I told myself, and that’s just the way I’m built. But guess what? I kept going to class and sitting in that knee-knocked, splayed leg position, and one day recently I touched the floor. I looked down at my legs and thought how strange and wonderful I looked. That’s the amazing thing about yoga: every class holds  some seemingly small triumph that has the power to change everything.

So, to all the other beginners out there, here’s a few other “untruths” I’ve learned that I’d like to share:

1. Not everyone at yoga is skinny and really flexible. In fact, the people in yoga classes are usually very diverse, ranging from high school athletes to seniors, and everything in between. There are some people who can headstand in a couple of breaths, and others who can’t even touch their toes. I’m in the latter category. 

2. You’re going to sweat more in a hot yoga class than you would doing your regular cardio routine, or maybe even if you were running for your life away from a bear. You’re going to sweat in places you didn’t think you could even sweat, like your shins and elbows. You’re going to look like you went swimming with your clothes on. But it’s worth it. 

3. You’re not sweating because you’re unfit. You’re sweating because you’re working hard and your body is trying to cool you down. Look around in class. Everyone is sweating. And if they’re not sweating, they’re not doing it properly.

4. You’re going to feel high, and low. You might feel invincible and like the king of the world in one pose, and yet insignificant and pathetic in another. You might feel sad or happy, or switch back and forth. Certain poses might even bring up old memories or sore emotional points. It’s not just crazy-hippy-yoga talk. It really is an emotional roller coaster.

5. You might feel like puking or passing out, but you won’t. Tara, the owner Yoga Sol, says she’s taught thousands of students in her yoga career and never once has anyone puked or fainted in class. More than half of the battle is mental, and some days will be better than others. Every class I know it’s coming when we start moving into Camel Pose, Ustrasana, and I remember to tell myself that it’s just a feeling and my mind is stronger than my body. Some days are better than others, but if you’re really feeling it, here’s a tip from Tara: sucking on a mint helps. I’ve tried it, and it’s true.

6. You really do need to breathe the way they tell you to. No, really. At first I thought that maybe it was just for show or to ensure you didn’t hold your breath, but I now know that practicing Ujjayi Breathing actually makes you more powerful and flexible in your poses. I don’t fully have the hang of it yet, but that’s why we call it “practice.”

7. Your mat probably sucks. If you just started yoga and you picked up some $20 mat from Target, you’re going to start experiencing problems pretty soon, like not being able to keep your feet in the proper position for your Warrior Poses because the mat is too slippy. It’s all about quality, grip and padding when it comes to a good yoga mat, and they can cost up to hundreds of dollars for the real pro stuff. But you can get a very good mat starting at about $60. Ask your yoga instructors for recommendations. 

8. The less clothing, the better, especially when it comes to taking a hot yoga class. Also, the more form fitting clothing, the better. Don’t wear sweats or t-shirts. Feel free to strip down to your sports bra, for women, or a bare chest, for men. Couple with proper yoga bottoms or shorts.

9. Yoga isn’t just meditation and stretching. It’s an intense, hard workout. Yes, you can lose weight if you stick with it and eat healthily. Yes, you can gain muscle and tone your body. Yes, you can even do yoga for cardio: see if your yoga studio offers classes such as yoga TRiX or yoga boxing. Even flow class can be a cardio workout, as you constantly move from one posture to another.

10. Your favorite pose will be last Savasana, and not simply because you get to relax, but because if you’ve really earned it — you’ll feel euphoric. You may have amazing ideas (this blog post was thought up while in Savasana), memories or spiritual insights. You may even start to hallucinate a little, in a good way. The harder you work, the bigger the pay off.

Questions? Thoughts to share? Leave a comment below.

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Yoga witchcraft tips🕉

🌙before you start, spray your yoga mat with essential oils (orange, lavender, grapefruit and mint are great)

☀️put your favorite crystals around your mat, especially any crystals that are good for relaxation or balance

🌙listen to soothing nature sounds (like ocean waves, forest, campfire, thunder, etc.) to help you focus and ground

☀️make yoga spells by combining certain positions with intent (sun salutations and tree pose for confidence and happiness, cobra and warrior for warding and banishment, etc.)

🌙do some tea, infused water, or smoothie magic before you start. This works great in combination with the yoga spells since you can match intent (and strengthen the spell)

☀️you could also make whatever you drink (or eat) before yoga correspond with energy (cinnamon, ginger, strawberry, French lavender, apple, rosemary, and citrus fruits are great energy boosters)

🌙do some yoga with your plant babies! Place your plant near your mat, as you breathe and stretch your plant will absorb the energy. It also will help you ground and meditate. (Just make sure you don’t accidently knock them over)

☀️light some incense or a candle (it can correspond with your yoga spell, cleanse the air, or just relax you)

🌙do some divination! (E.g. a tarot reading in child’s pose, pendulum in lotus position, etc.)

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Stretch your body

Exercise

Meditate

Go outside

Grab a snack or make yourself a nice meal

Make some tea or coffee

Watch an episode of a series

Watch a movie

Take deep breaths and close your eyes for a while

Work on something else

Clean/tidy up

Change your location

Do something fun (like playing a game or talk with someone)

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IG: jl.yoga More helpful tips of yoga, and remember yoga takes time 🌱

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Reachin & Bendin @snuggl3b0t #theitsybitsybooty