Lengthen up through the side body

STILLING THE MIND THROUGH MOVEMENT
One of the ways yoga benefits us in our everyday lives is how it trains the mind to be in the present moment. Through movement, and body awareness in each asana, the body is in the present moment – it’s not in the past or planning the future, it’s in the here and now. By concentrating on the physical body as we move we still the mind, give it a single focal point, and help to bring it to the present moment too. Surya Namaskara/Sun Salutations are very good for settling your attention into your practice at the start of your practice. You quickly find yourself in a meditative flow, as you move through one pose to the next, when your mind is focused on the movement and the breath. The brain works like a muscle, when you train it to settle and become still it finds it easier to reach this serene space off the mat too when needed.

YOGA AND THE SPINE
Yoga is all about the spine. It is the midline that splits left and right body and is involved in all poses. The spine is the gateway to the nervous system which quietens the mind, reduces stress, anxiety and tension – leading to a stronger immune system and bringing with it better health. Recently in my home practice I’ve been working with lengthening up the spine through side bends and lifting the upper body up out of the deep pelvic bowl. This helps to open up the space between the vertebrae, which can get quite compressed with extended periods of sitting. We have a lateral side bend of 20o in the lumbar spine (lower), 20o in the thoracic (upper) and 35o in the cervical (neck) – giving a total potential bend for 75o. Throughout this sequence focus your attention on lengthening the spine and concentrate your bends in the lower and upper spine – letting your neck follow the curve of the upper spine without much flexion. In poses where you are reaching your arm overheads along your ear, reach your arm up high rather than up and over your head. This will isolate the action in the side bend and minimise the shoulder stretch.

BE PRESENT
Winter time can be hard on the spine. We are less active and spend a lot more time indoors in the evenings. Print out the above sequence and as you flow through the practice be present with the body as it moves and hold poses. Follow the journey of the stretch. Say to yourself in your mind ‘I am reaching from my toes all the way to my fingertips, I am breathing in, I am breathing out’.

EXPLORING LENGTHENING UP THROUGH THE SIDE BODY IN YOUR PRACTICE
Before each pose take an inhale and lengthen through the spine. Notice how this helps give you space to move a little more freely into the pose. Press into your foundation to find your reach of the spine. When you have a good contact with the ground it is easier to grow and lengthen from.

ALIGNMENT CUES
The peak pose for the sequence is Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana/revolved Head to Knee. Read through these alignment cues to find you version of the pose.

• From Dandasana, open your legs out wide, bend your right knee and place your foot on the inner thigh of your left leg, press out through your left heel, right knee grounded.

• Place your right hand on your right hip. Hinge to your left from the left waist. Place your left forearm on the ground inside your left leg, palm facing up, or hold onto the inside of you left foot.

• Inhale, lift your right arm up high, palm facing left, exhale, reach your right arm up and over your right ear. Reach towards your left foot or hold onto the outside edge of your left foot. Bottom waist rolls forwards, top waist rolls back, gaze up.
  

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Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Grounding practices

WHAT IS GROUNDING?
Grounding is a word that most yoga teachers mention quite a lot, but why so? Directing our attention and energy downwards stabilises our body, centres our mind, and tunes us into the present moment. Today the world moves very fast, and the lives of most people have become so busy that high levels of stress and anxiety have become the norm. As a result, many people are left feeling ungrounded and emotionally out of balance.  

Recently I realised how important grounding is, especially in the morning as it helps to settle the mind and set the tone for the day. Practicing yoga, going for a jog or meditating are great ways to start the day - but sometimes it is hard to find the motivation to do so. It can be a challenge to ground and calm our monkey minds, especially when our smart phones are close by, or a delicious breakfast awaits! Below are some tips that help me ground my energy, particularly on days when my body is tired and my motivation is low.

YIN YOGA
Lately in these cold winter months, I have skipped my personal practice and slept in more, ending up feeling disappointed in myself for not being a ‘good yogi’. I decided to listen to my body, and realised what I really need to do was a more passive practice to help ground my energy – so I started practicing yin. Yin yoga involves variations of seated and lying poses which are held for 3 to 5 minutes – accessing deeper layers of fascia connective tissue. When practising yin I don’t need to move my body, I can just release into the pose and let gravity do all the work! Staying in each posture for a few minutes, and observing the sensations that arise in the body, is a great way to practice mindfulness. Make sure to slow down the exhalation – this will activate the parasympathetic nervous system, and will help ground the body and put it into a state of deep relaxation.

EARTHING
Recently I discovered a simple practice called ‘Earthing’ that makes me feel more alive, present and reconnected to mother nature. Earthing simply involves connecting your feet to the earth. Well why on ‘earth’ would you do this (pardon the pun)? Studies have shown that by walking barefoot on the earth, the body takes in the earth’s negatively charged free electrons. When absorbed in the body these electrons are powerful antioxidants, and help to reduce chronic inflammation, pain and stress. During these cold winter months, I wrap up warm and walk around my garden barefoot a few mornings a week, for 5-10 minutes, weather permitting of course!!

GROUNDING MEDITATION
My favourite way to ground, especially when I am stressed or anxious, is to do the following exercise which can be practiced anywhere. While seated in a chair, take off your shoes and gently press all four corners of each foot into the ground. Press your palms softly into each thigh. Root your sit bones into the chair and allow your spine to grow tall. Take a slow, long, deep inhalation into the belly. As you inhale, imagine drawing energy up from the earth through the soles of your feet, and feel it flow through the body to the crown of your head. As you exhale, soften the muscles and send the breath and energy back down the body, through the feet and into the ground. After a few deep breaths, just pause, and allow the breath to return to its normal rhythm. Observe the contact of the feet with the floor for a few moments, and then hold the whole body in awareness for a few breaths. Let go of any tension you are still holding onto, and feel the support of the chair below. After a few minutes, you will be surprised how grounded and calm you will feel!

To learn more about grounding practices join Ruth Delahunty & Aisling Conn in The Yoga Room on 3rd February, 2pm, for meditation, asana practice, relaxation and take home material on top tips for grounding.

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CON SHEEHAN
Con is currently studying a Masters in Mindfulness Based Interventions in UCD. He is a 200hr certified yoga teacher and is currently completing his 500hr yoga teacher training in The Yoga Room. He teaches in The YogaHub at 6.10pm every Monday and at 8.30pm every Wednesday.

Step gently into the new year

DROP SELF JUDGEMENT
For most people December is one of the busiest months of the year. Balancing work commitments, family expectations, and festivities can leave you feeling quite depleted by the time New Years comes around. Then just when you start to think about taking the Christmas tree down, and settling back to work, you’re bombarded by ‘New Years Resolutions’. The pressure to conform, and jump on the resolution bandwagon of self judgement and retribution for those Christmas treats you may have indulged in, is amplified by the diet and fitness books displayed in every bookshop window.

AN INTENTION OF SELF CARE
Personally, I don’t consciously set a New Year resolutions, I feel all twelve months of the years should be a time for self reflection, and deepening your journey towards leading a good life with awareness of where you fit into the world. But new starts can be a good time to remind you of your intentions or kick start a new positive affirmation. Setting an intention of self care instead of self punishment is a better way to start the year. Rather than setting unrealistic goals, that will leave you feeling like a failure and, like many people, drop it by the end of January – set a feel good intention that will give you space for self reflection. Constantly monitor how any new routines makes you feel. If your resolution is filling you with dread, review it and alter your expectations. Observe and take notes – journaling helps to simplify the thought process and makes it easier to whittle out what doesn’t serve you. Take your time and make it a new part of your lifestyle rather than a temporary quick fix. Focus on how you want to feel in yourself and move gently towards a happier and healthier you.

EXPLORING STEPPING GENTLY IN YOUR PRACTICE
This sequence is designed to help you to move with slow intention and get close to your breath. Start your practice on your back with your knees bent, feet mat distance apart. Place your hands on your belly and feel the breath move through you. Take three to five rounds of this Viloma breath – inhale for a long breath, and then exhale pause, exhale pause, exhale pause – dividing your exhale into three sections.

As you move through your practice observe how your body is responding to each movement – are you getting tetchie to move more aggressively through your practice; do you want to spend more time in childs pose, are you holding your breath; do you hold tension in your facial expression? Throughout the sequence you will be working into your hips which will help you to release any built up tension and tendencies for self judgement. Move lightly through your transitions from pose to pose with just as much awareness and care that you give to the poses themselves. Enjoy a quiet time to yourself on your mat and step into your new year gently.

ALIGNMENT CUES
As you flow through this sequence step so lightly like you are stepping into a room with a sleeping baby. Feel into every transition in and out of each pose and make them just as important as the poses themselves.

• In the first few poses give your hips plenty of time to warm up. When you are moving through the hip rotations move very slowly and make the movements as small as they need to be to really feel the top of the hip bone stirring in it socket.

• Run through Cat Cow Child Pose flow in row two as many times as you’d like. Link each movement with your breath and let the breath dictate when you are ready to move into the next pose in this mini flow. ‘+’ is an inhale and ‘+’ is an inhale. Pause in child pose after and absorb and assimilate your movement.

• For half forward fold press your hands into your shins and reach your chest forward to feel the strength in your upper back. Pause here in this mini flow of row three.

• Your final pose is a lovely restorative hip opener Supta Baddha Konasana. The yoga strap hoops around your hips, outside your shins and wraps around the soles of your feet. If you don’t have a yoga strap just place some pillows under your knees to prop them up. Stay here for your full Savasana or move to supine Savasana is you prefer.

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Ruth Delahunty Yogaru