8 Simple Yoga Poses You Should Do Every Day It's not always easy to get to yoga class. Whether it's a late night at work or something else, we get it; sometimes that hour of downward dogging just doesn't happen. There's no reason not to strike a few poses throughout the day, though. Here are 7 yoga poses to do every day -- yes, even at the office. When You Wake Up Cat-Cow (Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post) Cat-cow is the perfect way to wake up the entire spine after it's been resting for a solid seven to eight hours (we hope). Downward Dog Downward dog stretches out the back, legs and arms. Mid-Morning Standing Forward Fold When you've been sitting all morning, a standing forward fold is a great (and not all that noticeable) way too stretch your legs and back. After Lunch Seated Forward Fold Seated forward folds are great for digestion, so taking this pose after lunch is a wise choice. Mid-Afternoon Warrior 2 If you fall victim to the 4 p.m. slump, instead of reaching for sugar or caffeine, try taking Warrior 2. Evening Pigeon Pose Child's Pose
6 Ways to Open Your Life up to Cosmic Energy Anna HuntWaking Times As mainstream science starts to more-openly recognize the effectiveness of practices such as yoga, meditation, acupuncture and so forth, more of us are learning that we are energetic beings, who must consider how other energies affect our well-being. As believed from an early age by Taoist Masters in China, and later proven by quantum physics, we are all connected; even through the outer reaches of space and time, we are all connected to the “Way” of the cosmos, the Tao. With this knowledge, it is up to each of us to decide if we want to connect to the flow of this loving energy that surrounds us, or do we ignore it and close ourselves off from it. 1. Sometimes we don’t even realize how besieged we are with negativity. Do you complain? There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. 2. 3. “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” ― Wayne W. 4. 5. 6. About the Author
10-Minute Yoga ‘Supersets’: Better than Another Hour of Yoga This year, after 15 years of yoga practice and transforming my body, I found myself hitting a plateau. Though my practice regularly involves power moves like jumping forward into Crow Pose and holding Warrior Pose for a long time, my muscle tone seemed to be stuck on autopilot: never decreasing, but never really going to that next level, either. My body, it seems, has become accustomed to the level of my practice. Whether it’s in weight loss or athletic training goals, hitting a plateau is normal. It’s the balancing point that happens any time the body gets used to what you’re asking of it, especially if you don’t ask any more. To move past the plateau, I could have just started practicing more. I know what some of you are thinking: “This chick owns a yoga studio and practices a ton … I don’t have that much time.” The magic word here is “supersets” In yoga we often do one repetition of any given pose — say, Chaturanga (Pushup Pose) — then move on. Chaturanga Knee-down Pushups Cobra Waves
5 Tips to Improve Your Concentration When TV newscaster Diane Sawyer was asked the secret to her success, she said, "I think the one lesson I've learned is there is no substitute for paying attention." Are you thinking, "I agree, but how do we improve our ability to focus and maintain attention -- no matter what?" These five focus tips can help you concentrate better -- whether you're working in a busy office, studying at school, sitting in a meeting, or trying to finish a project. F = Five More Rule There are two kinds of people -- those who have learned how to work through frustration, and those who wish they had. Read five more pages. Just as athletes build physical stamina by pushing past the point of exhaustion, you can build mental stamina by pushing past the point of frustration. Just as runners get their second wind by not giving up when their body initially protests, you can get your "second mind" by not giving up when your willpower initially protests. O = One Think At a Time C = Conquer Procrastination
The Science of Sleep: Dreaming, Depression, and How REM Sleep Regulates Negative Emotions by Maria Popova “Memory is never a precise duplicate of the original… it is a continuing act of creation. Dream images are the product of that creation.” For the past half-century, sleep researcher Rosalind D. Cartwright has produced some of the most compelling and influential work in the field, enlisting modern science in revising and expanding the theories of Jung and Freud about the role of sleep and dreams in our lives. In The Twenty-four Hour Mind: The Role of Sleep and Dreaming in Our Emotional Lives (public library), Cartwright offers an absorbing history of sleep research, at once revealing how far we’ve come in understanding this vital third of our lives and how much still remains outside our grasp. One particularly fascinating aspect of her research deals with dreaming as a mechanism for regulating negative emotion and the relationship between REM sleep and depression: The more severe the depression, the earlier the first REM begins. Donating = Loving Share on Tumblr
Yoga Breathing Exercises - Pranayama Yoga breathing exercises, which are called pranayama in Sanskrit, may be done in association with yoga poses or just while sitting quietly. Here are some of the most common types of yoga breathing exercises and their benefits. Introduction to Pranayama Breathing ExercisesExplanation of pranayama and instruction for calming and invigorating breathing exercises. Alternate Nostril Breathing – Nadi SodhanaCalm yourself with Nadi Sodhana. Equal Breathing - Sama Vritti PranayamaIn sama vritti, you focus on inhaling and exhaling for the same amount of time. Cooling Breath - Shitali PranayamaHow to Practice Cooling Breath - Shitali Pranayama. Ocean Breath – Ujjayi PranayamaOcean Breath – Ujjayi Pranayama is an important part of a vinyasa yoga practice. Skull Shining Breath – Kapalabhati PranayamaWarm up with Kapalabhati Pranayama. Three-Part Breath – Dirga PranayamaLearn to calm yourself with Three-Part Breath. Lion's BreathRoar!
How to Heal Emotional and Spiritual Blockages HJ: The only thing keeping you from having what you want — particularly the life, happiness and fulfillment you want — are emotional and spiritual blockages. Emotional states create outcomes. Your emotional state determines what you are capable of doing and becoming. High level coaches and high achievers know that at the end of the day, it’s all about state management. One of the most important things for us to learn how to do is emotional processing. Emotional processing is not something that we have to do consciously because it occurs naturally when we focus on growth. Emotional Processing Dissolves The Ego The ego itself is the result of unprocessed energies and emotions. The ego (what is ego?) To heal this suffering, we need only to find balance which is achieved through meditation by establishing and cultivating inner peace, and internal silence. These barriers are emotional, mental, perceptual, and spiritual blockages which will be released by emotional processing.
Six Steps to Meditation This meditation lasts 15 to 20 minutes. It is a meditation of SIX steps. Each step will take roughly two and half to about three minutes. I will first explain to you all the steps and then you can start. The FIRST is the step of rhythmic breathing. The SECOND is the step of detached observation. Then we come to the THIRD step. Then we come to the FOURTH step. The FIFTH is meditation on your immortality. And now we come to the FINAL, the last, the SIXTH step. And now if you are ready, we shall begin with the meditation. The FIRST step, the step of rhythmic breathing. Now we come to the SECOND step; it is the step of detached observation. We move to the THIRD step. We now come to the FOURTH step: It is the step of realizing the oneness with all that is; all human beings, all creatures, all birds, all animals, fish and foul, insects, even mosquitoes, all trees and shrubs and plants. And now we come to the FIFTH step. By GOD’S grace, our period of silence is over.
Selbsthilfe Beratung bei seelischen Problemen