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 does yoga mean for you? Is it synonymous with exercise, with meditation, or both? How could yoga be used for healing? What is it that is being healed?

Let’s examine three principles of Yoga Therapy and their benefits to you, and in doing so you may see the answers to those questions.

Principle 1 – Yoga Therapy is the conscious application of the many techniques and concepts of yoga to enhance health and wellness. As we human beings are multidimensional, all our levels are taken into consideration with the philosophy, psychology and techniques: body, mind, and spirit.

Benefit – If you are going through a life change, or a transition, for example, you are probably a bit fearful or anxious. Maybe you are even angry and are resisting the change. As yoga therapy is much more than a prescription for yoga exercises, other techniques are available.

A key theory in yoga is the importance of letting go, to stop the clinging. At a time of major transition understanding how to apply this theory to the best of your ability will make changes easier to handle.

Principle 2 – Yoga Therapy identifies awakening to one’s true self as the key to health and healing. What does that even mean? Yoga philosophy further states that lack of knowledge of the true Self is the source of all dis-ease and illness.

If we identify with our occupation, nationality, or status, for example, things related to our body, if these external factors are threatened, we would fluctuate,  experience imbalance that could lead to disease. When we get a hint or glimpse of our true identity, then even during the most trying of times, we will still maintain an experience of silence within, a balance of body and mind.

Benefit – Whenever there is a feeling of unease, or disquiet in the body and mind, you can see this as a signal that something is off; that there is a disconnect somewhere that needs due attention.

And further, with an understanding that the root cause of an illness or disease may remain even though symptoms have gone or are being alleviated, you know you could always dig deeper for health and healing.

Principle 3 – The uniqueness of each individual is respectfully considered. It really is different strokes for different folks. Yoga techniques of breathing, postures, mudras, etc. must be selected, adapted and modified according to your age, culture, religion, and physical condition.

Benefit – Yoga Therapy is an art as well as science. There are many scientific studies showing the health benefits of yoga exercises, breathing and meditation. If you are suffering with insomnia,for example,  you can experience more peace of mind and improved sleep through the skilful application of yoga techniques. Even if you have never practiced yoga before, the techniques carefully selected for you, will produce beneficial results when practiced with patience and persistence.

Yoga Therapy that includes knowledge of Ayurveda (yoga’s sister science) and kinesiology, offers solutions for functional and structural imbalances,  as well as the proper use of diet, lifestyle, routine, yoga and meditation.

Ayurveda teaches us how to live harmoniously with nature and each other. Understanding Ayurveda, this sister science of yoga, helps us live healthier lives and thrive with more harmonious relationships.  The essence of Ayurveda is understanding your body mind uniqueness.

When Nature is Kind

It was a natural action to sit in the shade on the beach yesterday, feel the warm breeze on our skin, the soft sand underfoot, be lost in the sound of the water, and watch as the waves came closer then move away. It was a feeling of abundance and harmony with Nature and like-minded individuals. Time was no more, even as the sun was going down.

We all knew we would get a good night’s sleep and there was spontaneous smiles at the thought. Nature was our friend.

I’d like to think we naturally gave back friendship with our appreciative hearts, off tune songs and chants, our Salute to the Sun yoga exercise, and tears of love. That in that public space where seven of us came together the harmony we created soothed Nature. Those who liked structure and those who preferred to go with the flow laughing together when the obvious differences surfaced.

Fierce Nature

The Mind thinks in opposites. So now I think of those who are experiencing the hardship of Nature’s fury: water in the wrong places or no water at all. Senses bombarded by unpleasant odors and heart wrenching scenes that seem to be everywhere.

My hope is that from time to time, their minds are able to serve them well. To recall a moment of beauty; to imagine a peaceful sunrise; or a drink of clean water. And that they are able to keep a song in their hearts.

Invitation

I invite you to make sense of your world with Ayurveda and understand your unique body mind.  Ayurveda has a wealth of knowledge that teaches the individual how to enhance the body’s healing process and restore balance. It points the individual to it’s sister science of Yoga to find the healer within through personalized yoga and meditation practices.

Ever catch the Mind lying helpless in a dark tunnel when life is pressing in on you? Just when you need a courageous ally, the mind has become disabled, a runaway soldier. If you can witness the disabled mind, there is a good chance you will want to have a serious talk with it.

Besides a good talking to, what are the techniques that have worked for you when the cowardly companion of the mind must be made into a helpful ally? Here are few I have tried. I call them the beg, borrow, or steal trio. They can give the mood a boost. One technique might work one day, and another day another one might just do the trick.

Technique 1 – Beg

This works well when there is a feeling of helplessness. You do not know where to turn. Every idea has met a dead end. You feel exhausted and defeated. This is time to pray. To feel fully the desires of your soul. To know within your heart, what you really, really want. These heart felt desires are prayers. The feelings can happen spontaneously, and you can also stop, search your heart, and elicit the feelings intentionally. I call it begging.

Technique 2 – Borrow

Borrowing works when within there is a little determination within. It is possible to recall the significant victories in the past, and just how uncertain those times were.  There is a chance you will find that magic ingredient that worked previously and is missing right now. Maybe it was faith that gave stability. Identify it, borrow it from yourself, and use it again.

Technique 3 – Steal

I find this technique works when I know and feel there is an answer somewhere.  The mind can become an ally by thinking about people that have been in a similar challenging situation. For example, it could be my ancestors, a distant acquaintance, or a religious figure. These individuals remained courageous and showed strength of character. Simply by thinking of their virtue, I feel more virtuous. It is like taking from them without asking their permission. Just think of their courage, and there it is – a courageous feeling.  Is it somewhat like stealing?

Remember the trio:  beg, borrow or steal to make Mind an ally.

Yoga practitioners develop self observation skills even during the relaxation at the end of the yoga class. Relaxation exercises are a welcome end to a yoga class; and it is very common to hear a comment like, “Ah, this is the best part” when it is time for shavasana, the corpse pose. Most times we remain alert while relaxing, though hearing a snore, even our own, will definitely perk us up more.

Researchers, from Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA) and Bangalore Institute of Oncology (BIO), tested yoga relaxation techniques on those living with breast cancer in second and third stage and found that the exercises were not only successful in fighting the side effects of the ailment, but also helped maintain immunity levels to fight the disease.

Yoga techniques include poses, breathing, hand positions, meditation and relaxation. Singling out relaxation, there are at least ten yogic relaxation techniques to quiet the mind and relax muscle tension. Benefits from relaxing mind and body affect us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. They include:

• Reduced muscle tension
• Increased productivity
• Contributes to increased energy levels
• Increase ability to communicate with others
• Reduction in compulsive and impulsive behaviour
• Increased self acceptance and inner peace
• Reduction of stress related physical symptoms

Self-observation and self assessment can be an ongoing practice, on and off the mat. In a formal yoga on the mat practice, we can pay attention to many intricate details of our physical body. And on the other hand, we may find that simply being aware of whether we are maintaining length in the spine, might suffice for self assessment of the physical.

Moving with the breath, or maintaining awareness of the movement of breath while we hold a pose, develops self-observation. And on a more subtle level, awareness and self assessment of how grounded we are, or how much lightness we experience could keep us balanced energetically.

On deeper levels, as we remain steady in the pose, we might observe how much sadness our heart holds, and/or how much determination we feel. The longer we are able to hold the pose, we may observe ourselves enveloped with feelings of softness, surrender or courage.

The more we are able to connect with all levels of our being, the more we improve health and foster the sense of well being. Energy follows our attention.

How are you developing your self-observation skills as you relate to the world?