Seven Points of Meditation Posture

My Yoga Online has a new article by Rosalee Yagihara, Seven Points of Meditation Posture. This meditation article covers some simple and practical tips in developing a comfortable meditation posture, as well as introduces meditation techniques for anyone who is beginning a meditation practice.



As we develop a greater self-awareness with our unfolding yoga practice, cultivating mindfulness through meditation techniques is a natural progression on our path. The benefits of meditation have been proven by modern science to significantly reduce stress and tension, greatly improving our health, a necessary component to a balanced lifestyle in today’s fast paced world. The Seven Points of Meditation Posture is a key foundation to a successful meditation practice.



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Home Remedies for the Fall Season

My Yoga Online - My Yoga Online is happy to share new tips and advice on holistic healing tips with Ayurveda. This new yoga article by Maggie Reagh, Yoga Therapist, brings insight into lifestyle modifications for the Fall and addresses how the change in season requires us to calm the Vata Dosha.

Ayurveda, the traditional medicinal system from ancient India, has been healing humanity through lifestyle modifications and herbal medicine for over 6000 years. Ayur-veda, meaning the knowledge of life, suggests that our lifestyle be examined before taking medicine. These lifestyle modifications are simple things that your own grandmother might have told you, especially if she were from India. We will examine some of these simple home remedies that will help promote calmness during the fall season.

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Yoga Forward Bends and Hollow Locks

My Yoga Online - There are many techniques to improve and isolate yoga forward bends so they generate a holistic expansion throughout the back lines of the body. A simple technique that you can add to some of your forward bends is what I call a hollow lock.

A hollow lock has a similar feeling as uddiyani bandha (upper abdominal lock) where you exhale and draw the abdominal muscles and organs up and under the ribs. The hollow lock is a partial variation that still allows you easy access to continued breath, but also facilitates proper forward folding.

We are familiar with the common abdominal lock that we add to plank pose and back arches. This lock resists expansion of the core, thus holding a shortened position of the chest bone towards the pubic bone-all with the purpose to support the lower back and prevent a passive collapse into the posterior lumber spine.

Very different is the hollow lock. When we slightly hollow the abdomen, the chest actually flows away from the pubic bone. How is this important in our yoga forward bend? When we expand the chest away from the pubic bone, we are also expanding the anterior aspect of the lumbar spine, which reduces the possibility of compressing the intervertebral discs in the lumbar region. Instead of folding into the lower vertebrae, the hollow lock encourages the fold to come more readily from the hip joints.

The hollow lock also has a tendency to create a co-contraction where the back muscles (ie back extensors) also engage to elongate the vertebrae instead of collapsing forward into them.

This application of a hollow lock can first be easily learned in common standing forward bend poses:
*Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend pose)
*Padangustasana (Big Toe Hold pose)
*Padanhastasana (Hand to Foot pose)
*Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog pose)

Again, this hollow lock should be mild. Full hollowing like Uddiyani Bandha is not advised as this full lock should only be done while sitting or standing upright, and with a sustained exhale. Since we should have continuous breathing in our poses, you can only do a partial hollow to allow breath to remain fluid.

This hollow lock can be just used for a brief moment where you can hollow just as you prepare to fold forward or can be applied in the middle of the pose to add better alignment and connection to the hip motion. The main point when you are doing this hollowing is to feel your front lower ribs slide away from the hip crest and you experience a shift of pelvis forward into the thighs.

With exploration, you may find that this technique provides great benefits and you can then see how it can be integrated into other forward bends like seated poses:
*Janu Sirsasana (One leg forward bend)
*Paschimottasana (Two leg forward bend)

Not all techniques and alignment cues work for everyone. The great thing about Yoga is we can be fully unique in our practice-doing postures and variations that work for body, mind and energy. Give this hollow lock a try and see how it facilitates a better forward bend.

Childs Pose - Preventing a Compressed Back Arch

My Yoga Online - Childs Pose (Balasana) is a classic forward bending yoga posture that utilizes gravity to generate a restorative expansion of many muscle groups. When we approach a posture with a specific intention or purpose (doing Childs Pose to facilitate a forward bend), we should observe if the intention is readily translated. In Childs Pose, there is a common misplacement of the head that, with other alignment and body structure factors, can easily move the cervical vertebrae into a compressed back arch.

We should first address why we do Childs Pose?
*Childs Pose is greatly used as an immediate counter-posing forward bend to a back arching yoga posture like Cobra Pose.
*Childs Pose naturally stretches the quadriceps (knee joint flexion), the anterior muscles of the shin (ankle extension or plantar flexion), lower and mid back extensor muscles (opens the posterior aspect of the vertebral column).
*Childs Pose acts as resting pose and as a great alternative to yoga postures like Downward Facing Dog especially when wrist or shoulder conditions exist.
*Head placement on the ground or on a support provides an energetic connection to the 3rd eye (Anja Chakra)
*The pressure of the forward fold places a light massage on the internal organs encouraging improved circulation to the organs and gastrointestinal tract.
*As a slight inversion, Childs Pose can help release mucous from the lungs.

Understanding the benefits of Childs Pose brings one to appreciate the basic functionality-Childs Pose is a forward bend. Therefore, as a forward bend, the entire portion of the vertebral column should partake in the forward bending benefits to some degree.

A common contraindicated position in Childs Pose is when one places the head such that the fore head and nose come down the ground. By coming down so far on the face, the head is tilted back into a mini-back arch.

This misalignment becomes further contraindicated for those who have a tendency of having the hips lift off the heels. The more body weight one has coming forward into the head, the more compressive energy goes into the unwanted back arch in the neck. Along with potential damage to connective tissue and vertebral structures, the compression releases a negative vibration of discomfort into the nervous system preventing one from settling into the restorative state of the posture.

How Do We Avoid Creating a Back Arch in Childs Pose?

The first aspect to maintaining integrity in the neck is to start with the arms forward as you bend back into the knees. Gently find your comfortable range of motion in the knees, ankles and lower back. Once you reach your points of resistance, notice your hip position. Are the hips still high in the air?

If the hips are lifted off the heels, keep your arms forward or stack your fists to rest your head on your hands. Keeping your head elevated relative to your upper body will prevent gravity from transmitting your body weight into the neck.

If your hips settle well into the heels, place your head on the ground and slightly shift the head so that the nose moves towards the chest bone. Find that the center and upper portion of the forehead rest on the ground and not your nose. Take extra note of how it feels to have the back of your neck still long and open-not sinking and compressed.

For many people, their center of gravity sits higher in the body even if the pose feels mobile and hips lower well. When the arms are set back by the hips, the upper body weight still lifts the hips and pours the weight into the neck. Again, if this sensation of lift occurs, drape your arms forward and create a foundation of working your body weight back into the lower body.

There are other ways to modify Childs Pose to eliminate neck compression including straddling lengthwise over a booster or separating the knees to encourage the body weight to release backwards.

Remind yourself of the function of your yoga poses. Does your alignment and positioning reflect the basic function and generate the benefits desired in each yoga posture? Play with your Childs Pose and find if modifications of arms and props bring a more fulfilling state of expansion and release in this classic forward bend.

Proper Back Flexing in Yoga

My Yoga Online - My Yoga Online has posted a new article by Dr. Carla Cupido that addresses the importance of proper forward flexion in yoga poses in order to prevent injury and to maintain integrity in your yoga class.

Consider the number of times you flex forward at the waist or hips in a yoga class. Lower back flexion in yoga presents a number of risks when done improperly. We often hear our yoga teacher telling us to hinge at the hips instead of the lower back. Let’s consider what these cues really mean and offer in creating a safe forward bending yoga posture. First of all we have to go through a bit of yoga anatomy and biomechanics to understand the issues involved in this common movement.

Understand your lumbar lordosis as it is your power position in everything you do. Take care of your back by being aware of how you flex forward and never compromise your back to reach further on your yoga mat.

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