Yoga & Meditations June Style

Yoga & Meditations June Style~

Back in action for the summer! This is a great time to get into sun salutations. Start your practice with with some easy breath work while moving into some cat-cows to loosen the mid-body. Step to the top of your mat to powerful mountain pose. Tucking the tailbone under, drawing the belly up and back, draw the chin in and release the shoulders down the back. Inhale deeply as you raise the arms overhead taking the gaze upward. Exhale and bend forward from the hip joints and draw the torso and of the groins and open space to pubis bone up to sternum. The idea is to lengthen the front torso. If possible bring fingertips to the floor slightly in front beside your feet or bring palms to back of ankles. Turn the thighs slightly inward during the fold. Lift and lengthen with each inhalation and each exhalation move fully into the forward fold. Inhale and raise half way to a flat back position and exhale fold again.

From standing forward fold move into high lunge, bending your knees on an inhale send your left leg back while laying your torso on the right thigh. Exhale and step the right foot back into high plank looking forward and lifting the chin.  In plank pose draw the belly up and back towards the spine making sure your wrists are beneath the shoulders. Press the outer arms inward and widen the shoulder blades. From this position lower to 4 limb staff pose or chaturanga.  With an exhalation lower the body and legs a few inches from the floor while thighs rotate slightly inward.  Keep space between the shoulder blades and do not let the elbows splay out to the sides.

From 4 limb staff pose move to upward facing dog. Inhaling pressing the hands firmly into the floor with tops of feet to the mat as if you were trying to push yourself forward along the floor. Straighten your arms and lift the torso and legs off the floor on the inhalation keeping the thighs firm and rolling slightly inward. On the exhalation shift to downward facing dog. Lift the sitting bones towards the ceiling while pressing the heels towards the floor. Do not lock out the knees and make sure you widen the shoulder blades. Take a few breaths here and step the right foot up between the hands back to high lunge followed by the left foot into your forward bend.  Inhale and reverse the swan dive with arms over head and exhale to mountain pose.  Repeat this sequence and often as you like while bowing to the light above and within.

Simple Meditation to Follow:

Sit in easy pose allowing the sitting bones to root into the earth. Lengthen the spine and slightly tuck the chin. Allow the backs of the hands to rest on the knees and tuck the thumbs inward allowing the remaining fingers to wrap around the thumbs. This is a very grounding and relaxing hand mudra position. Take several rounds of Hum Sa breath - in through the nose and release out from the nose repeating the sound "Hum" on the in breath and the sound "Sa" on the out breath. Turn the gaze inward and focus on the point between the brow. Take in the ambient sounds of nature and capture the peace within.

Om Shanti!

Mary Jane Kasliner - Feng Shui Master & yogi
www.fengshuiyoganj.com