Manic: As I fill out the back-to-school calendar with a ton of dates, times and committments, the searing heat isn’t giving me th energy I need to embrace the busy back-to-school seaon!
Managed: Asked Roman for a yoga pose that provides relief for tension and stress. What he recommends is very interesting, but be sure to read the entire post, as he also cautions that this pose is not for everyone. But for those who can do it, this is good stuff! Take a look.
Roman Says:
Cooling Breath – Shitali Pranayama
Benefits:
*reduces mental tension and emotional excitement
*relaxes the muscles
*purifies the blood
*tones the liver and spleen
*reduces stomach acidity and improves digestion
*reduces blood pressure
The summer heat can cause serious wear and tear on the body and mind. As we deepen our practice, we advance the quality of our breath. This breath, when practiced correctly, will cool the body from the inside out. Use this cooling breath during the summer when you feel hot, exhausted or overwhelmed in both your daily routine and yoga practice. Duration: 5 min
1. Come to a comfortable seated posture with legs crossed in either sukhasana (easy pose), ardha padmasana (half lotus pose) or padmasana (lotus pose). Beginners may choose to sit on a block as this releases the hips and makes for a more comfortable posture to hold for a longer
period of time.
2. As you ground through your sits bones, lengthen your spine and draw your ears back to line up over your shoulders. Draw your hips inward as you pull your navel in toward your spine and lift it up towards your heart.
3. Relax your shoulders down away from your ears and press your shoulder blades inward and down towards your hips.
4. Exhale all the air out of your lungs and curl your tongue lengthwise until it forms the shape of a straw. If this is difficult for the tongue to make this shape, gently place your teeth together and create an opening on either side of the corner of your lips.
5. As you begin the inhale, slowly breathe in through the tongue, or the corners of the lips. Allow the inhale to begin at your pelvic floor and slowly move up through the torso until it reaches the tip of your breast bone and all the way between your shoulder blades.
6. With the next exhale, allow the breath to leave the body through the nose, first leaving the upper back and chest, then torso and finally hooking at the pelvic floor. This motion of inhaling and exhaling will simulate an ocean wave through the torso.
7. Keep the navel and hips drawn in throughout this breathing exercise, but let the upper stomach above the navel and ribs freely expand with the breath.
Contraindications:
*Avoid this breath of you have any heart condition, asthma, bronchitis or emphysema; if you are normally cold as opposed to warm, you may wish to try a warming breath; also, if you suffer from chronic constipation avoid this breath.
About Roman:
About Roman Acevedo, Yoga Instructor
Roman began practicing yoga in 2000 to complement his rigorous workout and hectic work schedule. Leading to increased strength, concentration and flexibility, he found yoga far more beneficial in restoring peace in any stressful environment. Studying under Andrew Eppler and local instructors Dave Oliver, Cheryl Oliver and John Salisbury, Roman is currently working towards the 500 hour advanced Yoga Instructor training.
Read more about Roman on our team bio page.
What is your favorite yoga pose? Tell us in the comments section.
