Yoga to complement a morning work-out

Incorporating some yoga into your morning work-out can be very beneficial.

As a warm-up before your work-out:

1. Surya Namaskar A - Do one complete sun salutation A, holding each position for 5-9 slow breaths.

• Tadasana - mountain pose with arms extended overhead. Take your time to ground all four corners of the feet before you extend and lift your arms mindfully.
• Standing forward bend - folding by hinging at the hips, then place your hands on the ankles, on blocks beside the feet, holding the back of the ankles, or on the floor. By slightly shifting the weight forward, you will be able to bend deeper.
• Flat back - hands are on the ankles, blocks or floor. Be sure to engage the uddiyana banda, or energy lock, by engaging your core, lifting your belly button up towards the spine.
• Step back into downward dog, keeping the heels off the floor and pressing downwards with the heels. Keep the spine flat, lifting the ribcage to keep the back straight.
• Move into plank, with the hands spread open like the rays of the sun, wrists stacked under shoulders, and engaging the core.
• Drop on to your belly, forearms hugging the  body, and lift into sphinx. Or place your hands on the mat, fingertips in line with the shoulders, and lift yourself into cobra, opening the chest and making fingers the shoulders back, looking upwards. Or come into upward dog, with knees and hips off the mat.
• Push yourself back into downward dog.
• Return to flat back, standing forward bend, and back up to tadasana, finishing with your palms together in front of your heart centre.

2. Surya Namaskar B - in this variation hold each position for 5-9 slow breaths.

• Repeat Surya Namaskar A to downward dog.
• Warrior A - Turning the left foot outward, step forward with the right foot. Place your hands on your hips and square the hips with the front of the mat. Bend the front leg, and lift the arms overhead, following the hands with your gaze, or dristi. Hold for 5-9 breaths.
• Warrior B - Lower your hands so that your arms are extended at shoulder height, and open up the left hip slightly. Hold for 5-9 breaths.
• Step back into downward dog and hold for 5-9 breaths.
• Repeat Warrior A and B on the left side.
• Finish by moving from downward dog back to flat back, standing forward bend, and tadasana.

As stretching and relaxation after your workout:

1.    Paschimottanasana or seated forward bend - sit with your legs extended in front of you, with                   a straight back. Sit on your sitz bones. You might find it helpful to sit on the edge of a folded blanket, block or rolled up towel. Place a belt on your feet, and hold the belt with bent elbows as you fold forward with a flat back, hinging at the hips. Hold for at least 15 breaths. This will help stretch the calves.

2.    Baddha Konasana or reclined butterfly - place a bolster or two folded blankets lengthwise on the mat. Sit in front of this, with the soles of the feet together, and lie back down on the bolster so that your upper chest is open. You may place a small pillow on the bolster or blankets to raise the head slightly if you wish. Put a folded blanket or block under each bent leg so the legs aren’t floating in the air. If you wish, you can put a yoga belt around your lower back, then above your thighs, and under your feet, tying relatively tightly. Hold for 5 minutes or longer.

Benefits of Morning Practice

While I always knew that yoga is to prepare you for sitting in meditation, it wasn't until I started this daily practice - into my fourth month - that I realized that how it can transform your ability to sit for longer periods of time.

There are a myriad of the benefits of each pose:

1.    Salamba balasana - child's pose

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- opens the hips

- lengthens the spine

- stretches out the ankles

- relaxes the back muscles

- relieves tension in the pelvis

- increases blood flow to your head and neck

- stimulates the digestive system

- relieves constipation

- helps normalize the circulation before and after headstand

2.    Supta virasana - reclined hero 

- helps to reduce cardiac disorders

- stretches the abdomen, back and waist

- relieves rheumatism and pain in the upper and middle back

- aids digestion after a heavy meal

- soothes acidity and stomach ulcers

- relieves the symptoms of asthma

- reduces menstrual pain and helps treat disorders of the ovaries

3.    Supta Baddhakonasana

- regulates blood pressure

- prevents hernia as the hips and groin become more supple

- relieves varicose veins and sciatica

- reduces the pain caused by hemorrhoids

- relieves indigestion and flatulence

- tones the kidneys

- improves blood circulation in the ovarian region, and s particularly beneficial during puberty and mouse

- alleviates menstrual pain and leukorrhea

- corrects a prolapse uterus

4.    Urdhva Dhanurasana

- prevents the arteries of the heart from thickening and ensures healthy blood circulation throughout the body

- tones the spine

- strengthens the abdominal and pelvic organs

- stimulates the pituitary, pineal, and thyroid glands

- helps relieve depression

- prevents prolapse of the uterus

- helps prevent excess menstrual flow and eases menstrual cramps

5.    Salamba sarvangasana  

- alleviates hypertension

- relieves insomnia and soothes there nerves

- improves the functioning of the thyroid and parathyroid glands

- alleviates asthma, bronchitis, and throat ailments

- relieves breathlessness and palpitations

- helps to treat colds and sinus blockages

- improves bowel movements and relieves colitis

- helps to treat hemorrhoids

- alleviates urinary disorders

- helps to treat hernia

- helps to treat a prolapsed uterus and reduces uterine fibroies

- relieves congestion and heaviness in the ovaries and hips to treat ovarian cysts

6.    Plow 

- relieves fatigue and boosts energy levels

- controls hypertension

- rejuvenates the abdominal organs and improves digestion

- helps to treat genre and hemorrhoids if practised with legs separated

- relieves pain or cramps in the fingers, hands, wrists, elbows, and shoulders if practised with arms and interlocked fingers extended toward the legs

7.    Sirsasana - headstand 

- builds stamina

- alleviates insomnia

- reduces the occurrence of heart palpitations

- helps to cure halitosis

- strengthens the lungs

- improves the function of the pituitary and pineal glands

- increases the hemoglobin content in the blood

- relieves the symptoms of colds, coughs, and tonsillitis

- brings relief from digestive and eliminatory problems, when practised in   conjunction with Salamba Sarvangasana

8.    Viparita karani

- regulates blood pressure

- helps treat ear and eye ailments, stress-related headaches, and migraine

- relieves palpitation, breathlessness, asthma, bronchitis, and throat ailments

- alleviates arthritis and cervical spondylosis

- relieves digestion, diarrhea, and nausea

- helps treat kidney disorders

- prevents varicose veins

Journey into the Chakras - A Playful Exploration

Chakra-themed Potluck

Chakra Readings with Pendulum

Throat Chakra - Lion’s Pose

 

Going to Costa Dulce!!!

Am very excited to be going to Costa Dulce, a beautiful little yoga and surfing eco-resort located on the beach of Playa Escameca.

Costa Dulce

Journey into the Chakras - A Playful Exploration

This Saturday I am offering my first workshop on Gabriola in the beautiful Net Loft - there has been a fantastic response and close to 20 participants have signed up. My good friend Fran will join us from Toronto via zoom to lead us in chakra sounding, while Paul and I will be playing the corresponding notes on singing and crystal bowls. 

The Net Loft

Next, the group, who have been encouraged to come wearing their favourite chakra colours, will be encouraged to share some of their knowledge on the properties of the seven main chakras. Amy and I will lead a chakra yoga class including some partner yoga, with chair yoga variations for those who don't want to practise on the floor.

We will enjoy a chakra-themed potluck luncheon, with eight different chakra teas and tonics for the first eight chakras, followed by a discussion of the higher five, less known chakras. 

The workshop will close with a meditation on the chakras.

And all profits from this event will be donated to the Tibetan Nuns Project.

More info

Day 50!

 Well, today is day 50 of my daily yoga and meditation practice and I feel great!

Altar Talk

We are thrilled to be putting together a series of yoga and art workshops for 2023. My good friend Rhonda and I have decided to offer Altar Talk, a joyful weekend workshop of altar creation, yoga, meditation, and scrumptious vegetarian food.

About Us

Rhonda embraces many creative labels - mixed media artist, altar maker, assemblage artist, tea maker, storyteller, expressive arts facilitator, avid baker, and keeper and tender of creative flames at Casa Sanctuary Art House. Her work is often created from found, discarded, thrifted, or otherwise used up items that have lost their purpose. With vision, intention, and intuition, Rhonda creates new life from the old and gives birth to art with a whole new purpose.  

Jennie is a spiritual wanderlust, a yogini, meditation instructor, thai yoga massage practitioner, foodie, salsa loving, avid gardener and world traveller who lives on a beautiful little island on the west coast of Canada. She believes that yoga, meditation, dreamwork, and shamanic journeying can all enhance the creative process, to help you create your own reality.

Our first workshop will be taking place in March 2023 at the Stillpoint Yoga Centre in beautiful Picton, Ontario. Our next two workshops will be offered in June 2023 on Gabriola Island, British Columbia.

If we have fun with these retreats, we plan on offering week long Altar Talk retreats in beautiful tropical locations such as Nicaragua, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Belize in 2024.

Morning Practice 2022

1.    20 minutes of meditation

2.    Opening chant

OM
Vande Gurunam Caranaravinde
Sandarsita Svatma Sukhava Bodhe
Nihsreyase Jangalika Yamane
Samsara Halahala Mohasantyai
Abahu Purusakaram
Sankhacakrasi Dharinam
Sahara Sirasam Svetam
Pranamami Pantanjalim
OM

Each asana is held for five minutes.

3.    Salamba balasana - supported child's pose, with blanket between legs

4.    Supta virasana - reclined hero sitting on meditation cushion and over bolster and blankets, gradually removing props

5.    Supta baddhakonasana reclining over Tejomaya's back support, tucking blankets undrer legs

6.   Urdhva Dhanurasana - wheel pose using a ball

7.    Salamba sarvangasana - shoulderstand using two blankets

Also do half plow on each side and full plow, holding each for 5-10 breaths. 

End by sliding shoulders off blankets and rest for a few minutes.

8.    Sirsasana - headstand on one folded blanket

9.    Viparita karani

10.    Closing invocation

May we be happy

May we be well

May we be healthy and strong

May we be safe and sound

May we be peaceful

May we be at ease

May there be love in our hearts

May there be abundance in our lives

May there be peace in our world

Namaste

Evening Yoga Practice to Promote Deep Sleep (10-20 minutes)

Set an intention to do these poses gently and quietly, and let your breath be complete, smooth, and even.

1.    Prasarita padottanasana - wide-angle standing forward bend.

Stand with your feet wide apart, toes facing front. Fold at the hips, and place the crown of your head on the floor or on a block or pillows. Visualize all your burdens rolling off your shoulders. Hold for about 15 relaxed breaths.

2.    Supta baddha konasana - reclining bound angle pose.

Sitting on the floor, draw the soles of the feet together, knees apart. Place a rolled blanket across the feet and tuck the ends underneath the thighs to support the knees. Recline over a bolster or 3-4 pillows, allowing the shoulders and  chest to broaden and release to gravity. Soften the belly. Hold for five minutes.

3. Adho mukha jathara parvrittasana - downward facing twist

Sit with your hips to the right of your feet and cradle your left ankle in the arch of the right foot. With a long spin and open ribs, turn the sternum and drape yourself over a bolster, or stack of pillows or blankets. Place your right cheek on the top pillow, snuggling your belly into the support of the pillow pile. repeat on the left side. Stay for one minute on each side.

4. Salamba balasana - supported child's pose

Sit with a small roll blanket between the heels and the sitting bones, knees apart. Tuck your stack of pillows or bolster between the thighs and fold forward. Turn your head to one side. Let the rib cage melt into the pillows and the arms drape to the floor. Relax for five minutes, turning the head to the other side halfway through.

5. Chandra bhedana - pranayama for sleep

This pranayama activates the left nostril and the ida nadi, the lunar energy channel. Activating this pranic channel has a quieting effect on the brain and nervous sytem and helps facilitate sleep.

With your right hand, assume the vishnu mudra by curling your index and  middles fingers into the pad of your thumb. Your thumb and your ring and pinkie fingers are extended. Sit tall and tuck your chin slightly. Bend the elbow and close off the right nostril with your thumb. Inhale through the left nostril to the count of five. Then close the left nostril with the ring and pinkie fingers, exhaling through the right nostril for give counts Continue inhaling left, exhaling right for 15 breaths or more.

This sequence was designed by Lauren Toolin, director of The Metta Center for Yoga in Spencer, Massachusetts.

The Impact of Covid

Well, over two years has gone by since my last post. We have experienced the strangest of times, something that has impacted the whole world, and on a scale that I have never experienced in my lifetime.

When the first news of Covid hit us, with cancellation of classes and events, and the necessity of starting to wear masks to go grocery shopping, or anywhere,  I thought it was a temporary glitch, something that would last a few weeks, or at most a month or two.

In April 2020 I start sewing cloth masks for myself, friends and family. There were already shortages - the most notable being no toilet paper! - and as elastic was back-ordered I contemplated not making the masks. I actually thought it wasn't necessary. 2 1/2 years later and we are still wearing masks, though now it is optional, and despite vaccinations and boosters, many more people are getting Covid, though symptoms are much less severe.

There was a surge in zoom based events, and I started with enthusiasm, doing yoga and zumba classes online, as well as a year long course on Shamanism with Hank Wesselman. Zoom fatigue soon set in. Family visits were postponed, cancelled, rescheduled, and postponed yet again. In September 2022, I visited my son and his wife in Coquitlam and met Finn, who was born in August 2020. And yet, I have only just seen him and his brother Keegan again this week, two whole years later.

We were isolated, and for those of us living alone, it was a particularly lonely time. We were only supposed to get together with one other person. My lifeline was friend and neighbour Jinny.

Working from home is still the norm for many people. I am starting a number of new courses online, yoga, meditation, zumba, a course on Seth, and a new course with the now deceased Hank Wesselman.

And I have again - after a long hiatus - returned to my daily yoga practice. I am on Day 19 of a renewed daily practice of yoga and meditation, and yesterday added an evening meditation and yoga for sleep practice. I feel energized, renewed, as if I have spent the past two years as a chrysalid, and have finally emerged as a butterfly.

My next two posts will describe my morning and evening practices.