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While toning spinal nerves, hips and thighs the cat family of yoga poses will also give quite a stretch. On all fours, sitting upright, and even standing, these 3 poses that copy members in the cat family can make bodies slim, agile and powerful; able to move with sharp senses and a quiet step.
Flexibility and Strength
The basic cat pose in yoga flexes the spine and arches the spine like an angry cat. It creates more movement in the shoulder area. Side to side movements practiced slowly, with great awareness and synchronized with the inhale and exhale makes you more limber like the smallest cat in the cat family.
The strength of the larger cat, the Tiger, is required in the Tiger pose. It is like the cat/cow pose; however it is a 3 legged pose; one knee is raised off the ground. In addition to being off the ground the whole leg moves extending and bending at the knee with the arch and flex of cat/cow. It demands a stronger core to remain stable with complete control of the movement. Can you move with the strength of this huge cat?
The last pose from the cat family is the Lion Pose. Often practiced with a loud roar, this yoga pose can be silent also. A key benefit is learning to sit very still – to keep the body motionless. The lion sneaks up on his victim to be within attack range. Sitting without moving, poised in the grasslands. How long can you sit motionless and focused like this big cat?
If we are copying from the cat family, who knows, we may land on your feet if we fall.
Heather Greaves helps health and wellness enthusiasts learn more therapeutic yoga even though their only teacher is a book. To learn more about something, teach it. Since 2005 this yoga therapist and owner of Body Therapies Yoga Training has been training yoga teachers in a certified program. For more yoga tips and information visit Body Therapies Yoga Training http://www.yogatogo.com
What’s on your mind when you start your day? When is the start of your day? Is it when you are all dressed for the day, or on your way out the door? Is it when you sit to have breakfast, or after you’ve had breakfast? Is it when you get out of bed? Is it when you open your eyes, or is it before you open your eyes?
Yoga suggests ways to deepen, maintain, or create that inner connection with ourselves right at the start of the day. Here are some ideas to “be” more at that time your “day starts”.
All Dressed And Ready to Go
Intention: What intention could I create that keeps me aligned with my highest ideals?
Breakfast
Gratitude: How many lives are connected to my life through this meal? What does the orange juice taste like today?
Feet to the Floor
Reverence: Am I aware that I am about to step on Mother Earth? How can I bring sacredness into that first step?
Eyes Open
Honoring the Body: How and with what attitude will I acknowledge those senses that are functioning; that allow me to communicate with others and my environment?
Eyes Still Closed
Connection and Continuity: As I transition from there to here, where did I just come from?
Yoga discipline include an early start to the day. Some practices include yoga exercises and practices to keep the body healthy, as well as daily meditation to help us “be” more.
To write about the characteristics of happy people, I declare myself to be one of those happy people, and ask myself what it is like to feel happy. Here are some answers.
The first response is a slow widening of my lips – a smile. For no reason, just because. Trait number 1 – a ready smile. Actually it was the thought of happiness that produced the smile. There’s a twinkle in my eye with warmth and energy circling throughout my face
To find another trait, I journey back inside with the question, “What else happens when there’s a happy feeling?” I notice my body is relaxed. Now if I were preparing to visit my physician, optometrist or financial adviser with concerns, my facial expression would be different. And if I were extremely concerned I would opt for a few deeper breaths as a safeguard against muscle tension. I would remind myself that it is another occasion to learn. With the idea of learning, I get excited and feel internal organs soften. Trait No.2 – a relaxed body.
Trait No.3 – the ability to let things go. I pondered a while about what the next trait would be. This incident illustrates the point. Smiles are usually absent between a particular staff member at a customer service department and I. I was reminded about this when I recently returned after 6 months. To work with this tension includes being gentle with myself. Accepting that this is where I am and it is okay. I resolve that next time we meet it will be different. Why? Because I just took a moment to embrace both of us with our hurting hearts. I imagined us both as babies smiling and being cared for. And see myself commissioning a smile the next time we meet. Now my heart is light and free. All is well.
From your experience, what other traits go with happy people?
Rounded shoulders and the head forward of shoulders is a fairly common posture. Exaggerate this posture as you read this. How easy is it to breathe? What is the sensation in the back of your neck? Do you feel more or less energetic? Slowly straighten again.
Lengthening the Spine
To learn how to increase height first understand through experience the role of the spinal muscles to hold us erect. This group of 3 sets of muscles run parallel to the vertebral column and are aptly named the erector spinae. Explore the first exercise again. Round shoulders, protrude the chin. Now contract the erector spinae to straighten the spine.
A long flat muscle in the front of the body, the “washboard”, runs from the pubic bone to the bottom of the sternum. It is divided into four. Let’s explore again. While sitting gently contract these muscles. Begin by breathing consciously. Then gently draw the lower abdomen in and up and continue conscious breaths. Relax excess tension. Even more gently draw the solar plexus area in and up, continue breathing consciously.
There is one more muscle to engage. It’s the strap-like muscle located on both sides of the front of the neck from the sternum and clavicle to the skull behind the ear. Draw the chin in not down, and notice the chest lift slightly. Help the ribcage to lift evenly on all four sides. Relax shoulders.
Yoga Exercise
As you enter a yoga pose, lengthen the spine. While holding the pose, lengthen the spine again. Practicing yoga exercises in this way will keep the spine safe and increase your height in and out of the pose. Who would have thought of growing taller with yoga!
Heather Greaves helps enthusiasts of natural healing learn more yoga even though their only teacher is a book. They say, To learn more about something, teach it. Since 2005 this yoga therapist and owner of Body Therapies Yoga Training has been training yoga teachers in a certified program. For more yoga tips and information visit Body Therapies Yoga Training http://www.yogatogo.com
A sign of aging is decreased strength in the legs. Have you stopped sitting on the floor because you fear not being able to get back up again? How about challenging yourself to increase leg strength with gentle leg exercises.
Assessment
How are you presently getting up from the floor?
- No use of hands, very steady and with no significant sway in the trunk. Very independent
- No use of hands, with unsteadiness and some sway
- Using one hand on thigh
- Using both hands on thighs
- With one hand on floor
- With both hands on floor
- With the help of a chair or table
- With someone standing by just in case, perhaps giving cues
- With little assistance as you make most effort (75% to 99%)
- More assistance required as you make less than 75% of physical effort
To strengthen the front of the thighs, quadriceps; To increase balance; To increase flexibility of the ankles
Feet - Standing well in Tadasana, breathe deeply in to the chest and abdomen. Begin the exhale by gently drawing the lower abdomen in. Continue for 6 breaths minimum releasing any unnecessary tension. Then shift your weight slowly from side to side, while breathing deep into the abdomen. Shift forward and backwards with the breath as well. Practice with the feet hip width apart and narrow your stance as you increase strength.
Toes - Massage your toes to help them lengthen on the ground when you stand. Practice lifting and spreading them apart while standing. Then try to lift just the big toes; then just the little toes. Feel the muscles in the lower legs workout.
Ankles - While sitting on the floor with arms supporting your body in Dandasana, knees can be bent, point toes forward as you inhale; exhale and flex foot back towards your body. You can curl the toes as you inhale and point, and spread them on the exhale. Continue for 6 breaths. Then rotate the ankles. This can also be done lying with knees bent and one leg in the air. Hold a belt around the ball of the foot.
The Warrior poses modified, Chair and a Balance pose against the wall strengthen thighs. While lying on the floor practice pelvic tilts for flexibility in the spine. Always end your session with relaxation.
Moderate the aging process by keeping the spine flexible, the legs strong and the heart happy.
And now, I’d like to invite you to claim your free download of guided relaxation when you visit http://www.yogatogo.com
Heather Greaves helps those interested in natural healing learn more therapeutic yoga even though their yoga teacher is a book. “To learn more about something, teach it.” Since 2005 this Yoga Therapist and owner of Body Therapies Yoga Training has been training teachers in a certified yoga teacher training program.
