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Mantra is a word or phrase that is repeated many times and are used to help connect your breath and provide support in your yoga journey. Mantras have been used for thousands of years and are in the ancient Hindu language of Sanskrit. Mantra is the combination of two words; Ma - meaning mind and Tra - meaning tool. So mantras create a way to still the mind, provide calmness and bring joy. Mantras resonate deep in our soul and help purify the mind. Chanting mantras bring clarity and create a positive impact on your thoughts.You can sing mantras outwardly or to yourself in your mind. I encourage you to incorporate mantras into your daily yoga practice. Mantras should be repeated and can be repeated as little as three time to the ideal amount of 108 daily. The mantra I incorporate into my daily life is the Gayatri Mantra. The Gayatri Mantra is one of the oldest mantras and is about bringing light and dispelling darkness, negativity and unconscious patterns. The meaning of the Sanskrit words are: "O thou existence Absolute, Creator of the three dimensions, we contemplate upon thy divine light. May He stimulate our intellect and bestow upon us true knowledge." Below is the Gayatri Mantra, which can be read or sang. Om Bhur Bhuvah Swaha, Om Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yo Nah Pracho Dayateh I hope learning this mantra brings you join and brings light into your life. Namaste.
So you probably have done cat and cow poses as a part of your practice but never really thought much about the pose and why you do it. Let’s delve a bit deeper today as to why this should be a part of your daily practice and what this whole cat and cow asana flow is all about. Cat pose in Sanskrit is Marjaiasana. This comes from marjay which means cat and asana which means posture. Cow pose in Sanskrit is Bitilanana. This comes from bitil meaning cow and again asana meaning posture. Cat and Cow poses are a gentle flow between these two postures to warm up your body. This increases your flexibility of your spine. The two pose combination stretches your neck and the back of your torso too. Additionally the poses stimulate the kidneys and the adrenal glands The poses also strengthen your abdominal organs too. This sequence is a heart opening activity and encourages you to breath slow, steady and deep. The posture combination helps relieve stress and calms the mind. When you add this into your daily asana practice you will see it helps develop balance throughout the entire body. The cat and cow pose can help relieve menstrual cramps. Also, lower back pain and sciatic can be alleviated with this posture flow. When adding cat and cow poses to your daily yoga asana practice ensure you avoid bending the elbows and this movement is to be in the spine and not your elbows. If you have a neck injury please be extra mindful of your neck and it may be best to keep your head and your torso in alignment together. If you are pregnant you can still practice this gentle pose but please avoid forceful contraction of your abdomen. I hope you will consider adding the cat and cow asanas to your daily practice to gain the many benefits of this gentle combination.
Sun Salutations, or Surya Namaskar, are usually completed at sunrise. Surya Namaskar can be a complete asanas practice in and of itself. There are 12 poses linked in a series. The benefits of this asana practice include lengthening and strengthening muscles, increasing flexibility and distributing prana flow throughout the body. Sun Saluations also help the lungs and the digestive system. This practice helps remove energy blockages within the body. A series of Sun Salutations can, in itself, be a nice cardiovascular exercise benefiting the whole body. It is a good idea to do at least 12 rounds of Surya Namaskars each day. Remember one set consists of two rounds; right side and left side of the body. However, as a beginner to this yoga practice, you could start with two to four rounds and then gradually go up to as many as you can comfortably do. Ideally, the practice is done in sets. Here the 12 asanas/poses in order with breath for Surya Manaskar A: 1. Pranamasana or Prayer (Exhale) 2. Hasta Utthanasana or Raised Arm (Inhale) 3. Padahastasana or Standing Forward Fold (Exhale) 4. Ashwa Sanchalasana or Equestrian (right side first) (Inhale) 5. Kumbhakasana or Plank (Hold Breath) 6. Ashtanga Namaskar or Eight Limb (Exhale) 7. Bhujangasana or Cobra (Inhale) 8. Adho Mukha Shvanasana or downward facing dog (Exhale) 9. Ashwa Sanchalasana or Equestrian (right side first) (Inhale) 10. Padahastasana or Standing Forward Bend (Exhale) 11. Hasta Utthanasana or Raised Arm (Inhale) 12. Pranamasana or Prayer (Inhale) If you have any questions about Sun Saluations or about my services please contact me through this website, email or social medial. Namaste.