Yoga Poses to Strenghten Your Spine!

Tip of the Day: If it doesn't challenge you it doesn't change you...

     Everything you do depends on the strength and flexibility of your spine. In order to move through a wide range of motion on a daily basis, your spine needs to be strong and flexible. Unfortunately, at some point in our lives, we are bound to experience back pain. Why not take a preventative approach and strengthen your spine with these yoga poses. 

• Seated Spinal Twists
• Windshield Wiper Twists
• Plank Pose
• Down Dog
• High Lunge
• Plank Pose with a Twist
• Goddess Pose with a Twist
• Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend
• Pyramid Pose
• Twisting Triangle
• Happy Baby Pose
• Reclining Spinal Twist
• Corpse Pose

    

Practice these poses, or string them into a sequence for a healthy spine. You'll notice the difference right away. Make sure you breathe deeply while performing each pose, especially those that include a twisting motion. You'll want to practice the aforementioned poses at least every other day to give your back the self-care and self-love it needs and deserves.

Here's to a strong and flexible spine!

Mary Jane - Feng Shui Yoga Girl - www.fengshuiyoganj.com

July Energy Forecast - Illumination - Clarity - Vision!

The Journey Forward View this email in your browser July: Illumination - Clarity - Vision Welcome all!  Illumination - Clarity and Vision is the theme for the month of July. The combination of earth, double fire and wood provides a rich yet stable quality of energy that bodes well for creating a strong vision for your mission in life. The elements work together in a building process that requires a strong and stable base. Wrangling in your thoughts and working in a cohesive nature with others bodes well. In today's newsletter, I'll review the qualities of the energy combinations and the best way to navigate through them while having some fun in the process! Also enjoy links to helpful blog soundbites to tuck away for future reference. Elevate Your Consciousness! Mary Jane   Illumination - Clarity - Vision: This month the 9 fire illumination element takes front and center. Fire greets fire in the month of July through the summer cycle and the hidden stem of the Sheep archetype. The assistance to fire brightens the light or portal to the crown chakra - the point of illumination or enlightenment. Nothing can be hidden from the light, so whatever it is you are working on, it is time to share it with others. The Sheep archetype supports  partnering energy. You can accomplish more with the assistance of others, rather than taking it on yourself. It is important to work with the energy of fire in a way that fuels stability -a sense of feeling grounded, otherwise you will burnout and it will take double the effort to move forward. The 9 fire trigram (Li), is yin or receptive in nature. It is closely associated with the ida channel and therefore is best utilized by slowing the pace, getting quiet to create a lightness of consciousness, or what is known as the guna - Sattva. Think of it as the center of the Tai Chi where yin and yang meet for perfect balance. Now, easier said than done, as 9 Li or fire chi has a "get up and go" type of quality. To add fuel to the flame, there is the hidden stem of wood found within the Sheep branch this month that will really catapult overactivity. Balancing the action with inaction is the key to working with fire to leave behind the ash so the earth or stability can propagate. Putting the Three Together: Wood is the element of creating. It is like the quality of Rajas - the Guna of movement and action or creation. Since this element shows up as a hidden stem in the Sheep branch, it is shielded or hidden behind the veil. Therefore, it may require a little work to get things in motion when it comes to developing a project, idea or new work venture. The fire trigram (9-Li) combined with the hidden stem of fire in the Sheep branch will shed light on things you may have been pondering. This includes new direction of your goals and soul's mission. Clarity or illumination is the benefit we can all draw from with such rich light. To further enhance your vision, include inversions in your yoga practice to activate the petals of the crown. Follow through with grounding or standing poses to stabilize and capture the earth or main quality element in the Sheep. We can't always be up in the clouds, we have to ground down through our feet and absorb the earth frequencies. If yoga isn't part of your routine, simply spend more time outdoors to absorb the earth chi through your feet and heavenly chi through the top of your head. Doing all this while sitting under a tree will activate the refined wood chi. The trees are the place of knowledge or study, as we sit beneath their canopy that rises towards the light of the sun.   Environment:  The 9 Fire star represents the south portent of your environment. Here are a few pointers for this direction: Add a strong wood feature such as a healthy flowing plant to represent growing knowledge for your soul's path.   Incorporate columnar or pointed-triangular shapes. Keep the quality of 3's or the triad here. Add bright lighting, candles or oil diffuser. Images of fire such as the sun, people, animals or a representation of your soul's path - what makes your heart sing.    Foods: 9 - Fire element prefers wood and fire foods such as green vegetables, citrus, nuts, seeds, potatoes, buckwheat and rice.  Other Areas of Concern: When nine-fire is the highlight trigram for the month, the remaining trigrams move to different positions. On a very basic level, we are able to see how other aspects of our life take on this moving energy. Here are some things to consider:     When it comes to family this month fun and creativity is the name of the game. Think about venturing out to a lake as the trigram that moves to this portent represents the lake that surrounds the mountain. Serenity is the result. Wealth and finances are a natural resource. There is plenty to gather and enjoy. Real estate is also a big quality to this trigram, so if you own it, enhance it! Leisure reading and some research is beneficial to build on goals and direction you are thinking about taking. Travel with partner this month. Even if it is a short trip, it is fabulous for relationship. Potential opportunity arises but requires a long-term strategy. Take time to get introspective to seek answers to question that you may have. Don't take on anything new when it comes to career this month as the energy is a bit chaotic - Murphy's Law principle. Best to go slow and steady and be methodical! Yoga Poses: Helpful poses for the Fire trigram this month are as follows: Sun salutations Inversions Plank Boat Balancing Poses These will all help to arouse the crown portal and the manipura - the seat of opening powerful intention and open heavens gate.   Take time to check out my blog posts! bodyspacealignment.blogspot.com fengshuihealthydesigns.blogspot.com     Enjoy my Breathing Wealth Video! Shop the Feng Shui Store Copyright © 2018 Body Space Alignment, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in to our newsletter at our website, or one of our live classes or seminars. Our mailing address is: Body Space Alignment 287 Daniele Dr. Ocean, NJ 07712 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

Clearing the Pathway to Your Heart!

From the book Journey to the Heart, Melody Beattie talks about clearing the path to your heart. In her discussion, she points out the importance of feeling the full range of emotions, reactions and responses to the life line the pathway to the heart. We need to feel them all - the angler, hurt, sadness, irritations - in order to feel joy. Everything in the universe works on the premise of opposites and a balance between these opposites is what brings a level of light consciousness. 

If the tendency is to block out the hurts and unpleasant feelings, we end up blocking the pathway to the heart. All our emotions are important; all need to be recognized. The energy of each needs to be acknowledged and then released. This clears the pathway for love.

Trust your emotions. All of them.

You're not off path. They lead to the path you are seeking. 

They are the journey to the heart. Let them flow freely.

And as sure as Old Faithful, your heart

will come gleaming, shining through.

Take some time today to practice heart opening poses such as bridge, wheel, camel or hero pose. This will move the energy freely to the heart!

Om!

MAry Jane - Feng Shui Yoga Girl - www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Goddess Ganga- Legs Up a Wall Pose

Goddess Ganga - The river of heaven, the milky way. 

There was a request from the gods that Ganga visit the earth. Her compassion for mankind leads her on the journey. However, her fierce power presented with a dilemma as the earth could be destroyed. Shiva was the only one who could catch her, and so he did while sitting at the top of Mount Kalish - the highest peak closest to heaven. The long tangled hair on Shiva's head would provide the channels for the rivers to flow so the earth would not be overwhelmed. Mother Ganga becomes a permanent fixture upon the earth as the River Ganga. A love for the souls of humanity, she provides a place for the soul to be purified.

Om Shanti!

Mary Jane - Feng Shui Yoga Girl - www.fengshuiyoganj.com