Yoga

Our Yoga Studio: Angea Yoga Studio

 

 

 

Supta Baddha Konasana (Supine Bound Angle Pose)

Supta = Supine, Baddha = Bound, Kona = Angle, Asana = Posture is a gentle restorative posture that opens up the energy of our pelvic girdle, stretches out our inner groin and thighs, opens our heart and calms the mind.

This posture is an essential posture for Yoga for Fertility.  The essence of this posture is to create space and openness both physically and mentally in order to prepare for conception.  As we recline into Supta Baddha Konasana, we begin to ground our feminine energy. Our spine is in neutral alignment allowing the expansion of our breath. Deepening each breath we begin to feel our body.  Where are the areas that we store our tension? Is it in our hips, shoulders, neck, or belly? Explore your body with your breath.

This posture gives us permission to be open.  Generally speaking, the only time we have this sense of being open is during sex or when we're giving birth.  Normally, we are closed off sitting our desks for long periods. There is that constant internal rotation of the hips.  When our legs are supported in this posture with bolsters, our hips are also supported.  With our feet bound by our strap, our inner groin, belly and pelvic area can begin to soften.  The pelvic girdle is a part of the body where we store and hold emotions. There is a lot of connective tissue that forms a web of forgotten memories and repressed emotion. When we release tension in this area with breath we allow circulation to flow.  Fresh blood can circulate into the pelvic region and reproductive organs.  

The pelvic girdle is also the seat of Svadisthana charka the second energy charka.  It includes the hips, sacrum, genitals, lower back, womb and bladder. This charka is associated with the task of allowing emotional and sensual movement into our life. When we learn to open the energy of this charka and essentially go with the flow we can experience sensuality, sexuality, emotions, orgasms, intimacy and desire.
As we breathe into Supta Baddha Konasana we breathe into honesty, space, opening, persistence and commitment, releasing tension by breath and allowing freedom of movement into the pelvis.

As I lie with a bolster underneath my back, my head supported and spine in neutral alignment. My hips are supported with bolsters under my legs; my strap binds my feet. My left hand is on my heart and my right hand is on my womb space. On each inhalation I inhale and allow my body to be completely filled with my breath, the breath of life, opening my conception vessel (ren mai) connecting my heart space down to my uterus. I open to grace.

Benefits

·       Improves blood circulation in ovarian region

·       Alleviates menstrual cramps

·       Balances hormones

·       Softens the pelvis

·       Opens the heart and calms the mind

·       Regulates Blood Pressure

·       Opens up the conception vessel. 

·       Move through the world with grace and ease

It's a beautiful metaphor for life now and what's to come in my life.

KEEPING OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IN CHECK

Our immune system is our first line of defense. Yoga helps to strengthen our immune system. This winter my clinic has been rife with colds/flu, however this is the first winter I haven’t contracted a cold or flu and I’ve put it down to my regular yoga practice. There are various yoga practices that can keep our body in check.

Yoga creates balance and calms the nervous system by reducing stress levels. It takes the body into parasympathetic dominance by lowering the stress hormones that compromise our immune system.  Daily practice that combines asana with pranayama helps to strengthen our respiratory and circulatory system to stimulate the lymphatic system to move toxins out the body and bring in fresh oxygenated blood.  

The use of Ujjayi breathing stimulates the thymus gland strengthening and boosting our immune system. It also creates tapas (fire) in the body which helps ward off infections. By creating heat (tapas) in the body through breath and asana our internal body reaches a thermal temp of 36° C. Viruses and bacteria cannot survive in this environment.

Our thymus gland is the described as the locust of the immune system. Both the thymus and immune system are stimulated by any posture in which we open the chest and breathe deeply into it. As part of the immune system, the spleen also performs vital functions including removing unwanted materials from the blood and helping to fight infection.

Twisting poses in yoga as well as hip openers activate the secondary organs of the immune system, including the spleen and the lymph nodes. Yoga poses that twist or compress the thymus, spleen and lymph nodes increase our immune function. These organs are involved in generating and circulating immune cells and antibodies. Meditation and relaxation also play a major part in strengthening the immune system. Finally, relaxed yoga postures and deep pranayama, the focused, deliberate control of the breath, help relax the nervous system and boost immune response.

Five Postures that can help strengthen the immune system.

·      Kurmasana (Tortise) helps stimulate thymus gland

·      Ustrasana (Camel): opens rib cage, lungs and digestive system, great for lungs

·      Bhujangasana (Cobra): increases immune function of thymus

·      Trikonasana: massages spleen and reconditions immune system

·      Matsyasana (Fish): Acccording to traditional text, Matsyasana is considered as the destroyer of all diseases.  Blood circulation is increased as your cervical, thoracic and lumber regions are stretched.