Monday, November 15, 2010

Refresh with a Seated Forward Bend

The most important pieces of equipment you need for doing yoga are your body and your mind.
RODNEY YEE, Yoga: The Poetry of the Body

Seated Forward Bend
The Seated forward Bend is one of my very favorite yoga poses. You can do it anywhere - in front on the TV, outside, or in a quiet room. It opens the whole back side of the body. It is great for going within as the head draws down as we reach toward our ankles.
Benefits:
  • Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
  • Stretches the spine, shoulders, hamstrings
  • Stimulates the liver, kidneys, ovaries, and uterus
  • Improves digestion
  • Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause and menstrual discomfort
  • Soothes headache and anxiety and reduces fatigue
  • Therapeutic for high blood pressure, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis
Take a few minutes each day or before bed to do the seated forward bend. It will do wonders for you!

1. From seated position with the legs straight in front and the hips square and spine straight, bring the arms straight out to the sides and up over your head.
2. Inhale and draw the spine up long.
3. As you exhale, begin to come forward, hinging at the hips.
4. On each inhale, extend the spine, and on each exhale, come a bit farther into the forward bend.
5. Keep the neck at the natural extension of the spine.
6. Do not round the back.
7. Take hold of the ankles or shins, whichever you can reach.
Beginners: Put padding under the sit bones if necessary. Imagine the belly coming to rest on your thighs, rather than the nose coming to the knees -- this will help you keep the spine long instead of curving over.

*note: Many of the photos are taken of my by my eight year old son on our walnut tree farm. We have had fun doing this.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks 4 this ... so much more informative ... than from someone I've never heard of and I really like it as an addition to your art/food blog but I think, there will be times when you can cross/blog as they both are important to your artistic healthly life style approach!

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