Posts Tagged ‘Yoga Practice’
Posted by terrepruitt on July 11, 2022
So, I had the conversation again, you may be familiar with it, in fact you may have had the same thoughts yourself. I have people tell me all the time they are not flexible enough for yoga. This comment makes me so sad. And, to be honest, it is rubbish. The comment makes no sense at all, but it may stem from the fact that people don’t understand yoga or they want to be further along in the practice than is reasonable. I have a question to answer when presented with that statement, but I seldom remember it, my question is: “Would you go to the gym only if you were strong?”
Most people don’t start resistance training when they are strong, they start it to GET strong or improve their strength. Why is it people don’t approach yoga the same way? One does not walk into their first yoga class knowing all the moves and being able to do them all. Yoga is a practice. I posted once about how I was taught yoga was actually originally created for yogis . . . people that wanted to spend their entire lives learning yoga . . . not only the poses, but all the other things involved. So with that alone, it proves that people cannot just do the poses from the very first time they try. Some take years of “doing” to be able to “do” them.
So I think the statement is rubbish because YOGA MEETS YOU WHERE YOU ARE! That is the thing about yoga. Since it is a practice you do it as you can. If you can lie in shavasana for ONLY 1 minute at first – LIE THERE FOR ONE MINUTE! Then next time it might be 3 minutes, but then the next time it might be 30 seconds . . . that is ok. If you can’t touch your toes in a forward bend, do what you can. BE where you are. If you want to be “flexible enough to do yoga” (not my words, I don’t agree with that statement) – DO YOGA.
One does not get strong by NOT lifting weights. One does not get flexible by not doing yoga. If you want to do yoga, do it. It is not meant to look a certain way, but to allow one to get into their body. In addition, it could be that your body will never get into a pose like you see on Instagram or in Yoga Journal, I have another post that talks about body design – that is a whole other story. Yoga is a practice and the only way to do it is to “do” it.
I hope this allows you to realize that you don’t need to be anything when you practice yoga, yoga can help you discover what you ARE, yoga accepts you, and gives you space to adjust and just be.
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: body design, flexible, gym, Instagram, resistance training, strength training, stretch, strong, Yoga, Yoga Journal, Yoga Practice | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 15, 2021
Continuing on with adding to my post from 2014 about favorite poses. I am posting pictures of Cobra and Upward Facing Dog (Updog). Keep in mind these are photos of modified Cobra and Updog. These poses look similar and sometimes if I am taking a fast flow class I may end up doing a hybrid of both, but they are different poses using different energy.
I have a Cobra post, and in my Updog post there is a link to a video which I think has a great explanation of the two poses. The video is still up and available on Youtube, but I couldn’t find any information regarding the place that posted it and the link to the person goes to something else now.
In short I think of cobra as being done more from the back with hands further forward than Updog. And I think of Updog as more of a front body opener than Cobra. In using muscles from the back, my cobra tends to be what so me call baby cobra.
Here are my photos for both.
Do you include either of these in your practice?
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: asana, Corbra, favorite poses, Updog, Upward Facing Dog, Yoga Practice | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 8, 2021
In 2014 I wrote a post about a list of favorite poses and how I wanted to do them everyday. I also mentioned how I would post further about them. Well, neither happened. I know I didn’t do the poses everyday and I can’t find that I made any additional posts except the one I just posted recently primarily to assist my students in learning the Half Moon Pose which was on my list but not in that post. This post along with the next few are just to add to the post from 2014 and the posts about the poses.
In the 2014, Working On My Favorite Yoga Poses, I mentioned the gate pose. I sometimes see it called Crossed Gate. Parighasana or Gate pose is an intense side stretch done on one knee that tends to also make it a balance pose. It may be that when thinking of balance poses we think standing and primarily on one foot, well since the body is stretching over to one side which also requires the engagement of muscles that we use to balance, it is somewhat of a balance pose. There may be a smidge of clicking involved for you to get the whole picture (for instructions on how to do it click Finding Balance In The Gate) but I wanted to post an actual picture as I decided it may be helpful in doing the pose.
Also mentioned in my 2014 post is Locust (Salabhasana). This is a prone pose (lying on the belly) that is excellent at engaging many muscles on the back side of the body (trapezius, deltoids, triceps, lats, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, and calf muscles). It is back bend, that for many people is small, like with all poses everyone does it different and it can be bigger, but as with all back bends it opens the front of the body. I prefer to do it with my arms behind me palms up and my feet together. As with all the asana there are many variations and modifications that can be done. I still think of it as “Icky Name, Great Pose” (where you can click for instructions). I figure a picture might be helpful.
Do you include either of these poses in your practice?
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: asana, back body muscles, delts, favorite poses, Gate, glutes, Half Moon Posed, lats, locust, Parighasana, Salabhasana, traps, triceps, Working on poses, yoga poses, Yoga Practice | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 5, 2021
So recently I participated in a discussion on Facebook that had me thinking of a few of my favorite yoga quotes. I thought I would share them here.
The last one really is my favorite.
“Yoga is not for the flexible. It’s for the willing.” -I don’t know
“Yoga is not about touching your toes. It is what you learn on the way down.” – Jigar Gor
“We don’t use the body to get into a pose, we use the pose to get into the body.”-I don’t know
People often ask me what they can do to “get into” a specific pose and the best way to learn how to do a specific pose is to DO the specific pose to the best of your ability. It is a practice.
Do you have any favorite yoga quotes? Do you have any favorite quotes about one of your hobbies or practices? Please share.
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: yoga classes, Yoga Practice, yoga quotes, yoga students, yoga teacher | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 27, 2020
Even if you don’t practice yoga you are probably familiar with this pose. It is a pose that is seen often . . . everywhere. I mean, people that do yoga and travel will take a picture of themselves doing this pose in front of famous monuments/scenery. It seems like any type of figure that is made will have this pose as one of its choices. I would say this is a “common” yoga pose. And as with most “common” yoga asana you will see modifications of it. Tree pose is a standing balance pose. There are many balance poses that are on two feet, there are even some that are on hands and knees, just hands, or just knees, but we tend to think of standing balance poses as being on one leg. In my yoga classes, especially the gentle yoga classes, I remind my students that they don’t have to take their foot off the ground when practicing a standing balance pose. In the gentle yoga classes we often have chairs so that people can hold on if they feel the need to when they take their foot off the ground. One can use a chair, a wall, a table – anything that gives them security in knowing they have something to steady themselves if need be.
Vrksanana (Tree Pose)
To do this asana we start in mountain pose. We keep the spine lengthening and straight (neutral) for the entire pose. With a tall spine shift the weight to the right foot. Rotate the left thigh out, away from the body, let the left knee and toes point out to the left. Then bring the left heel up onto the inner ankle of the right leg/foot. If you can, bring your hands to prayer position in front of your heart center. If this feels like enough of a challenge to your balance, then stay for a few breaths then come back to mountain and repeat on the other side. If you feel you can, lift your left foot higher up on your right leg, letting the left toes point DOWN. Some may even grab the left foot and put the heel at the groin with the foot along the upper inner thigh and the toes pointing down. The foot can go anywhere along the supporting leg (it is recommended to NOT have the heel press into the side of the knee of the supporting leg). If at any time the left knee starts to point forward lower the foot until you have the knee point directly to the left and allowing for the stretch in the inner thigh.
Put your hands wherever it best supports you in the pose. Some people like to have their hands in prayer position at heart center. Some people like their arms up with their hands over their head and facing each other. Some people like their arms to be out. When arms are lifted whether they are up or out, the shoulders need to remain relaxed. I remind my students that they are trees and their arms are branches and they can go wherever is best for them.
The supporting foot’s toes are not gripping. The foot is relaxed allow the toes to be like roots spreading out and giving support.
As with all balance poses looking at one spot can help steady you. Also breathing is key. Holding the breath may happen, but breathing is what will allow the pose to be held – so breathe.
Remember to do both sides. Also remember that, while our sides may have been created equally, they do not function the same so just honor each side and see what it can do.
Balance poses require concentration so the idea is if you are having trouble concentrating try doing a balance pose to help your mind focus. But remember to be safe and have a chair or wall nearby if need be. This pose helps strengthen legs and feet and may even help calm the nerves. If you sense an inner thigh stretch then you are getting some flexibility in the inner thigh and hip joint.
Do you include Vrksanana in your yoga practice? Have you seen this pose before even if you don’t practice yoga?
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: common pose, concentration, hip stretch, standing balance pose, Tree pose, Vriksasana, Vrikshasana, Vrksanana, Yoga Practice | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 16, 2019
I’ve been preaching about the four principles of a Yin Yoga practice. The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga calls them tattvas and it lists three. Tattva is Sanskrit and it is said to mean truth or principle. Some say it stands for “thatness” or reality. So we could say that these are four intentions or goals of a Yin Yoga practice.
1) Come into the pose at the appropriate depth.
I was actually taught to come into a pose about 80% of what I can do or could do. So, first of all, there is a difference between what you can do in a 30 second hold and what you can do in a three to five minute hold. Start in a pose at 80% of what you can do and hold. Then see how it goes. There is always time to go further into the pose. Often time there is “sinking” or “relaxing” into a pose and if you started out at that 100% mark there would be no room to sink and relax. So starting out at about 80% gives you room to lengthen into it.
2) Resolve to be still.
It is such a challenge to be still. Sometimes movement might not even come because there is discomfort we might just feel the NEED to move our hair, adjust our clothes, or examine that spot/lint/crumb on our pants/leg/mat. But the change comes from the stillness. The Qi moves when there is relaxation in the muscles and there isn’t something – a muscle contraction – blocking it. So resolve to be still, this does not include the sinking or relaxing into a pose. What I have experienced and what I see is that just happens and is almost imperceptible if not something that the participant is not even that aware is happening. It is the actually moving around that you don’t want to do.
3) Hold for a time.
Since the tissue we are working with is not elastic and it really won’t stretch in the same way a muscle can be stretched it needs time to change and “lengthen”. Again, most of that sinking from relaxation doesn’t even come until after the one minute mark so the longer you can hold the more time the tissue will have to change.
4) Play your edge.
This comes after the “appropriate depth” idea. Once you have come into a pose at the 80% of what you can do, you want to push the boundary. That does not mean push into a pose that just means allow your body to sink into or relax into it until you are sure you can’t go any more. That doesn’t even mean go to you 100%, necessarily, it could . . . but it just depends. Remember every time we come to the mat it is different. There are days that we know we shouldn’t be doing what we consider to our 100% and then there are days that we are convinced we can do 110%. So that edge, that 100% is constantly changing and we can play that edge every time. That is where we affect the change.
So these are four principles that I learned that should be applied every time we come to the mat for a Yin Yoga Practice. Starting at 80% will allow us space to sink/relax and give the body a change to lengthen. Staying still will allow the Qi to flow. Holding the pose give our bodies the time it needs for us to sink/relax and the Qi to flow. And playing that edge ensures we will allow for change.
Do you have any tattvas you bring to you mat when doing Yin Yoga?
Posted in Yin Yoga | Tagged: intentions, principles, sanskrit, stillness, tattvas, Yin Yoga, Yoga Practice | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 21, 2018
There are so many different ways to practice yoga. I like to try different things aside from taking classes. I have applications on my devices, I’ve moved along with Youtube videos, I have created my own routines, I have just done what comes to mind, and I have practiced other ways. I recently purchased Yoga Dice. It is a fun way to do some poses. There are so many ways you can use the dice. Each dice has five poses and their related chakra on it. There are seven dice which you can just shake in the tub then roll out.
I have been rolling out all the dice and then arranging them in the order I want to do each pose. Then I do all the poses then roll them again. I do this several times to end up with an hours worth of “routine.” When it lands on the chakra I just roll that dice again so it will be on a pose.
In addition to the poses on each dice being related to a chakra the poses are also split up into types of poses. So one dice is Sun Salutation Poses, one is standing poses, one is balancing poses, one is seated, one is forward bends, one is back bends, and one is core poses. So you could decide to just do one or two types of poses and only roll those dice. You could also decide which dice to roll uses the chakra.
Really, there are so many ways to use the dice it is quite fun. It is just another way to put together poses to get a yoga workout in, another way to practice. I like to use the dice because then I don’t really have to think about what poses to do. The way I have been doing it there is a little thinking as I need to arrange the dice that I have rolled into a sequence that makes sense for me, but you don’t even really have to do that if you want.
As I said, there are so many ways to practice yoga it is up to you if these dice would be something you would like to do. I like it as it is just another way to practice. I will probably end up posting again about how to use these dice because the possibilities just seem endless.
Can you imagine all the ways you can use this dice?
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: chakra poses, roll a yoga routine, yoga dice, yoga poses, Yoga Practice | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 6, 2018
It is funny how time is. It might seem like you just saw a friend a couple of months ago, but it turns out to be a year or two. You might think you just got your nails done – because they look good still, but it has been three weeks. You might think you just saw a movie, but it turns out it have been years. The same kind of thing bleeds into writing a blog, at least for me. Sometimes I think I want to write about a topic and I think, “I just wrote about that.” Then when I look it up it was years ago. Or the really funny ones to me are when I can’t even find that I posted about it at all! I have been wanting to write again about shavasana, but I was thinking I had just written a post about it. But it turns out I posted about it four years ago. That is so amazing to me because I can hear and see the person (the one I mentioned in the post) talking to me. Anyway, I wanted to say some additional things about shavasana.
Let me alert you to the fact that if you come to my one of my classes, I always reserve time for shavasana. I like to start it at 10 minutes before the class ends. I like to give students about eight minutes. I consider shavasana a very important part of a class. I think of it as a sacred time. It is part of the yoga practice. It is part of the yoga routine. Just as much as all of the other poses, shavasana is about you, the student, and your body. Just like the prior portion of the class it could be the only time in my students’ day where they really are just doing something for themselves. There is nothing to be thinking of and no movement to be made. It is all about relaxation.
I feel it is very important to have this time in the day. Especially with the busy-ness of society. Just taking about 8 minutes to do nothing can help with so much.
Since I whole-heartedly consider this time to be sacred I ask anyone that has to leave before the class is over to leave before shavasana starts. The best way to go, if you have to leave, is to gather your stuff as quickly and quietly as you can and go. None of us mind putting away any props that were used (we only have chairs available) because the remaining students want to get on with their relaxation. When someone leaves – and there are times it is necessary – it kind of changes the atmosphere in the room so the sooner the departure the better so we can get back to the calm.
I usually talk for three to five minutes, slowly having the students focus on relaxation from toe to head. Then they just relax as the music plays. This is the time where the body is allowed to enjoy the sensation – even on an unconscious level – of the poses they just practiced. It allows the body time to adjust before it rushes back into the go-go-go. It is the same for the mind. Shavasana is time and space for the mind to rest. That doesn’t mean that thoughts won’t crop up, but it is the time where you are allowed to just give thoughts a nod and a little push, so they go away and you focus back on your body and your breath. This is the time when you can also take a break from emotions or just let them flow. Also a time when your spirit gets to rest and relax. No need to exercise anything but stillness.
I know it is so difficult for some people in the beginning, but just like with any practice it gets to be something one can do. And just like all poses some days you may be “better” at it than others. It is all great, because it is all part of the practice. The important part – at least to me – is to not skip it.
What are your thoughts on shavasana? Do you like it? Do you not like it?
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: corpse pose, quiet post, relaxation, relaxing pose, resting pose, shavasana, stillness, Yoga class, Yoga Practice | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 5, 2016
What? “cow guy with needle in haunch.” That came up in the “top searches” on my blog. I read it over and over thinking, “What?” And even more disturbing . . . “it sounds familiar.” The more I think about it, the more I think I know something about it, but I can’t remember what. This situation is very weird and disturbing to me. Cow guy with needle in haunch . . . . . . . . hmmmmm . . . it will come to me. I bet just as I am about to press publish I will remember and then I will have to scrap this whole thing and think of another post. It is at the edge of my brain. I am sure it has to do with a TV show that my husband and I watch because I have no other connection to a “cow guy.” I might have a connection to a needle in a haunch, but more like the skin of neck. Hmmmmm . . . . don’t you hate that? When you think something is familiar but you have no idea why? It is like that thing on the tip of your tongue. Or the thing on the edge of your brain or in the corner of your mind. But what I don’t know is why that is a top search on my blog. Even if I was searching for it because it has to do with a TV show we watch, why is it on my blog?
Next top searches are: wrist blood pressure higher than arm, granola for gout, piyo satya. The search terms used to be so much more useful but then a long time ago Google changed the way they did things and so the information we get on WordPress is pretty useless. At least WordPress claims it was Google’s fault for the change. I don’t really know. I do know that at one point I used the searches to sometimes come up with post topics. I figured if people were looking for the information I could write about it.
But in this case (“cow guy with needle in haunch”). I got nothing. I am somewhat wondering. Is it the cow with the needle in its haunch or the guy who has something to do with cows? Kinda sounds like there is a guy who has something to do with cows so he is called “cow guy” and HE has a needle in his haunch. What kind of needle? This search just really raises a lot more questions then there could ever be answers, don’t you think?
I kind of wish that people would have to explain WHY they were searching for the things they do. But then I think about it more and realize that something like that could actually be pretty terrifying. Eeeeek!
The highest search that comes up on my blog is the wrist monitor for blood pressure. Always surprises me. That is always the top search. Which takes people to my post Blood Pressure Monitors – It’s All In the Wrist.
In regards to that, a few months ago, my father, my husband, and I were sitting around the table and my wrist blood pressure monitor happen to be on the table. We were talking about the accuracy of it. My husband took his blood pressure. Then I took mine. After I took mine, my father said, “Oh so it doesn’t work. It must be broke.” And I just smiled and said, “I don’t know. Ok. Take yours.” Then he took his and it came up accurate according to his normal rates (my dad takes his blood pressure enough and has it taken enough he knows what his is). And he said, “Oh.” He felt it was pretty accurate. I always take it three times when I take it. I just took it now: 91/62 ❤ 55 and 103/65 ❤ 60 and 84/65 ❤ 60 I honestly think it has a lot to do with Nia.
Everyday I see more and more post on Facebook with links to how dance is really good for you. I don’t read any of them, because I know. I don’t read them because if you don’t like to dance then it doesn’t really matter. Me telling you that they have done studies about how great it is for your health, if you don’t like to do it, you’re not just gonna start because it is good for you. And I don’t need to read it for me, because I know. I do believe Nia helps blood pressure, just like any mind-body or body-mind practice.
Anyway . . . I started off wondering about an odd search term and ended up on blood pressure which brought me to Nia because I think Nia helps with mine. How is that for sitting down and just typing/writing?
What kind of search odd search terms do you see on your blog? Do you do any type of mind-body or body-mind practice? Yoga? Pilates? Meditation? Chanting?
Posted in Misc, Nia | Tagged: body-mind practice, chanting, cow guy with needle in haunch, dancing is good for you, granola for gout, lower blood pressure, meditation, Mind-body practice, Nia, Nia Practice, Pilates, PiYo, top searches on Wordpress.com blog, wrist blodd pressure monitor, Yoga, Yoga Practice | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 23, 2016
I have written and posted about shavasana (savasana) before. This asana can be used to start a class or be done anywhere in the sequence that you see fit to use it. It is used in many yoga classes as the final pose. I think of it as a Challenging Easy Pose. It is a challenge because many of us have busy lives and things to do all the time. Many of us have a lot to think about. Many of us are challenged with quieting the mind. Not necessarily having no thoughts because I am not sure that is even possible, but not having a lot of chatter in the mind. Having focused thoughts. The thoughts focusing on breath, body, and the practice just experienced. Some people are further challenged with just being still. So in addition to the busy, moving mind, there is the busy, moving body. For some just relaxing and not fidgeting is a challenge. I find that being comfortable really helps. When doing shavasana as the final pose, I instruct my students to put on their jackets, if they want. I encourage them bring blankets. I almost plead with them to bring sock, nice, comfy, fluffy socks — and use them during shavasana.
I think this one simple thing will change your shavasana. It doesn’t matter what the temperature is. The room could be hot and the last thing you would think to do is put on socks, but I invite you to try it. I reserve at least 7 minutes for shavasana. I shoot for 10 minutes but sometimes that doesn’t work. But we do at least 7 minutes. So there is plenty of time to sink into relaxation. It could be that in my classes, with all of that time the feet have a chance to cool off so socks are great. When the feet are chilled it might keep you from completely relaxing. You might not even realize they are chilled. So socks can help.
Also air moving around your more than 7000 nerve endings (in each foot) might distract you. With many yoga classes there are some standing poses, so you’ve activated the nerves in the feet. Perhaps sensitized the feet during the class. So nice socks could help keep the distraction to a minimum. COMFY socks might help bring some calm back to those nerves. So if possible use warm and comfortable socks. Not dress socks, because those do not help with warmth.
I am not sure the ancient yogis would endorse or even agree with such a recommendation, but I think of socks as a prop to help me achieve the purpose of the pose. If props are used and recommended for other poses why not shavasana. I do know that some people use bolsters when they are available, so why not use socks?
For me, once I started using socks, my shavasana changed. I hadn’t even really thought about my feet affecting the pose until one day I decided to put on socks. The few students of mine that have decided to use socks during their shavasana mentioned how it made a difference. We all marvel at how it did!
So . . . whether you love shavasana or not . . . whether you are challenged by it or not . . . I suggest trying it with socks on. See what you think. Then let me know.
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: 7000 nerve endings in your foot, asana, bolsters, fluffy socks, relax with socks on, savasana, shavasana, yoga poses, Yoga Practice, yoga props, yoga sequence | Leave a Comment »
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