Activating the 3rd Manipura Chakra

“The energy lies within you, but, like a furnace, it needs to be ignited and channeled appropriately.”

We first connected with our physical bodies, the environment and the earth in the Muladhara chakra. Second, we awoke our creative and sexual energies in the Svadisthana chakra. With these roots established our energy levels rise, the fire within us is stoked, and we are able to transform that energy into positive action. In Sanskrit, this fire is called Tejas. Strong Tejas gives us the inner drive needed to move forward and accomplish our dreams. With a balanced third chakra, we are self confident, motivated and have a strong sense of purpose.

Location: Above the navel, slightly below solar plexus
Color: Yellow

Healing stone associated with the Manipura Chakra-Yellow topaz, golden yellow labradorite, and tiger-eye stones are all great gems to enhance your sense of personal power.

Deficient Qualities- Weak, Passive, Tired
Excessive Qualities- Controlling, Dominating, Constantly Active

Physical Association- Digestive system, digestive fire, metabolism. Keep balanced by avoiding overly spicy foods, drinking too much alcohol/caffeine/soda, not overeating, and drinking room temperature water.

Focus in yoga practice- Bringing heat to the solar plexus area. Mentally, practice visual manifestation and imagine yourself achieving your goals. Repeat mantras of power, focusing on the qualities you like about yourself. Words and thoughts are powerful. When we master control of them, happiness is in our control. Spiritually, surrender to your inner dreams and desires. As you meditate in asana practice, observe your mind, allowing ideas and repressed dreams to surface.

It’s your practice.
Your body.
Your mind.
Your spirit.
Only you can master it.

Asana Flow For 3rd Chakra:

Optional breathing exercise: Kapalabhati, “breath of fire”

1. Standing side stretch

2. Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward facing dog

3. Virabhadrasana/Warrior I, II, III

4. Trikonasana, Triangle

5. Ardha Chandrasana, Standing Half Moon

6. Utthita Parsvakonasana, Extended Side Angle

7. Phalakasana, Plank

8. Paripurna Navasana, Boat

9. Desk Pose

10. Purvottanasana, Inclined Plane

11. Vasisthasana, Side Plank

12. Parighasana 1, Gate Pose

13. Salabhasana, Locust

14. Dhanurasana, Bow Pulling Pose

15. Ardha Matsyendrasana, Seated Twist

16. Savasana

Aligning the Svadhisthana Chakra

“Physiologically, the feelings of the second chakra move towards the satisfaction of hunger and sexuality. Emotionally, the seconds chakras drive is toward connection and fulfillment. Spiritually, the urge is toward a higher consciousness, liberation, and connection to the Divine.” Anodea Judith

The Sanskrit name for Svadhisthana means one’s own place. Emotional and sexual blockages are held here. Moving and activating the hips, sacrum, abdomen, sexual organs, inner thighs, and knees will help to release blockages of prana in the second chakra.

Polarity is a key focus when aligning the second chakra. The greater the polarity, the more lines of energy expand and the higher the electrical current of prana flows.

-Rooting down/ Rising Up

-Containment/ Freedom

-Will/ Surrender

-Holding/ Releasing

-Action/ Resistance

-Masculine/ Feminine

It is important to keep your center in your practice, while also extending outwards to your limits. This is true both in physical asana and in life action. We need to keep grounded in our roots and connected to ourselves, while also exploring new ideas and people.

Asana Flow for Second Chakra:

1. Pelvic Pulses

2. Windshield Wiper legs

3. Knee Circles

4. Supra Badha Konasana, butterfly pose

5. Ananda Balasana, happy baby

6. Suciramdhrasana, eye of the needle

7. Jathara Parivartanasana, knee down twist

8. Open leg twists

9. Baddha Konasana, bound angle

10. Upavistha Konasana, open leg forward bend

11. Agnistambhasana, fire log pose

12. Uttanasana, standing forward fold

13. Adho Mukha Svanasana, downward dog

14. Anjaneyasana, deep lounge

15. Uttan Pristhasana, lizard pose

16. Open leg child’s pose

17. Hanging cobra

18. Supta Baddha Konasana, savasana with open legs

✨Savasana✨

“Ultimately you move from earth to water, or from solid to liquid, by melting. When you can melt into a pose internally while firmly holding the external shape, you have the combination of matter and movement that is the first and second chakra combined. It is from this combination that we create power in the third chakra.”

 

Awakening the Root Chakra

“A chakra is a chamber in the temple of the body that receives, assimilates, and transmits life force energy.”

There are a total of seven chakras in the energy system, each a gateway for a particular kind of energy. In order to keep our chakras balanced, we need to make sure that the nadis, energy channels in our body, are clear. Nadis help distribute energy to the chakra system, so when there are blockages, energy flow to the chakras can become imbalanced. In order to remain balanced, we need to clear the nadis through yoga asana, pranayama (breathing techniques), right action (karma), and meditation.

Over the next 7 weeks, I’ll be doing a seven part chakra series, going through a new chakra each week. This week I’ll be starting with the Root Chakra, or Muladhara  Chakra. The root chakra is associated with the Earth element, providing solidity, support, and a foundation.

If unbalanced:

-heavy, lethargic, overweight

-scattered, ungrounded, ephemeral, underweight

If balanced:

-stability,beautiful form

Yoga Asana for Balancing the Root Chakra:

Focus on pushing downwards in the asanas, penetrating  your roots into the earth, pushing energy into matter. Surrender to gravity. Draw up nutrients from your roots, dispersing the vitality through your body.

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

1. Apanasana: knees to chest pose

2. Opening  the leg channels

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

3. Supta padangusthasana: reclining hand to big toe pose

4. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana: bridge pose

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

5. Salabhasana: locust and half locust

6. Bhujangasana: cobra pose

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

7. Adho Muhka Svanasana: downward facing dog

8. Uttanasana: standing forward fold

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

9. Reverse lunge (can also do high lunge)

10. Standing Bioenergetic Grounding

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

11. Utkata Konasana: Goddess squat

12. Vrksasana: tree pose

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

Processed with VSCO with f2 preset

13/14. Utthita Hasta Pasangusthasana: extended hand to toe pose

15. Balasana: child’s pose

16. Savasana: corpse pose

Homeopathy and Yoga for Anxiety and Depression

Sadhaka Agni, in Ayurvedic medicine, is that inner fire that helps one digest and process emotions. It is a connection between your heart and head. What makes us aware of our feelings, accept, and process them in a graceful and efficient way. When this is unbalanced, feelings of depression and anxiety can surface.

I was recently asked to create a natural treatment plan for a friend coping with depression and anxiety. Yoga is an excellent way to both treat and prevent depression, because it helps us to find balance, both physically and spiritually. Life is chaotic and we often forget that taking care of ourselves goes far beneath the surface.
We have to feed our souls.
Self compassion.
Self forgiveness.
Self love.

The following yoga asanas are all beneficial for people coping with depression and anxiety:

1. Head-to-Knee Forward Bend (Janu Sirsasana). This pose stimulates the liver and kidneys, is calming for the mind and relieves depression.
2. Camel (Ustrasana).This hip and heart opening posture brings emotions up and out of the body for a great emotional detox.
3. Forward fold (Uttanasana). B.K.S. Iyengar said, “Any depression felt in the mind is removed if one holds the pose (Uttanasana) for two minutes or more.”
4. Supported Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana). Referred to as the “king of all asanas.” Inversions, like headstands turn your body and mood upside down and provides your brain with fresh oxygenated blood.

In addition to yoga, Ayurvedic medicine and Aromatherapy are very beneficial for depression and anxiety.
I created a set of essential oil blends that can be used throughout the day to help relax, uplift, and energize.

Morning Mist:
Rose and Chamomile water, lemongrass oil blend. Spritz on face in the morning as a toner.
🌹 Rosewater is a great facial toner, balancing skins pH, providing anti oxidant, anti bacterial, anti aging and moisturizing properties. Helps alleviate anxiety
🌹Chamomile water soothes and calms the mind. Tones, brightens, and moisturizes skin. Also lightens under eye circles.
🌹Lemongrass oil is uplifting, improving mood and infusing the body with energy, making is a perfect AM staple.

Anytime Tranquility Oil Blend:
Bergamot, Lavender, and Frankincense
Apply to wrists and pressure points on the body.

🌸 Bergamot oil helps reduce cortisone response to stress.
🌸 Frankincense oil provides a calming and tranquil energy. It is spiritually grounding and can be helpful during meditation.
🌸 Lavender oil is well known for its relaxing properties. It helps to reduce nervous tension and stress, and has natural cleansing properties.

Nighttime Oil Blend:
Lavender, Vetiver, Clary Sage, and Ylang Ylang
🌱Vetiver oil has calming properties that help dispel anger and irritability. It can help with insomnia, due to its tranquil, grounding, and reassuring energy.
🌱 Clary sage oil is an anti depressant, and helps to induce euphoria. Sage has cleansing properties, and applying it nightly can provide energetic cleansing.
🌱Ylang Ylang oil is great for increasing libido (making it a good nighttime essential😻) Many people experiencing depression and anxiety have a difficult time maintaining a healthy sex life, oftentimes not having much libido, so this oil can be very helpful either applied topically to pressure points or diffused throughout the room.
Ylang Ylang also reduces fearfulness, and increases courage and optimism.

Ayurvedic herbs for depression and anxiety (Organic India is a great brand) These can all be taken as daily supplements, try picking one or two and see which work best for you over a 30 day trial period.

Arjuna
Ashwagandha
Clove
Amla
Shatavari
Brahmi
Vacha
Cardamom

Kava Kava extract is a great remedy when faced with stronger feelings of sadness or anxiety. Think of it as nature’s Xanax. I recommend using the liquid form, sold at most health food stores. Used on an as needed basis.

Yogic Philosophy in Your Daily Life:

Creating rituals for yourself is a great way to show self love. And self love is essential in manifesting happiness. The following are great, simple, and quick rituals you can slip into your daily routine:
1. Start your day with a short reading to cultivate positivity. I really enjoy Meditations from the Mat, by Rolfe Gates and The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle
2. Instead of an alcoholic nightcap to relax, switch to an herbal tea. Yogi bedtime tea is 👌🏼
3. Create a mantra. This is a short affirmation to repeat to yourself throughout the day, setting a positive mindset and promoting self love. Examples:
I am beautiful.
I am enough.
I am loved.
I am powerful.
I am in control of my life.
You can repeat the same one daily or switch it up depending on your mood! This little girl is def a yogi in the making https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg
4. Practice five sun salutations in the morning, thanking the sun and pacha mama for creating life and light✨ Showing gratitude can uplift our spirits, create humility, and remind us of the good in our lives.
5. Start a journal. You can either fill it with your thoughts and feelings, or I like to fill mine with poetry, quotes, and inspiring things I see, read or hear throughout the day. Whenever I’m feeling down, I like to read through my journal and be reminded of thoughts I find uplifting.
6. Absorb prana from nature. We are all a part of nature, and we have to remain connected to its elements; walk in the soil of the earth, feel the heat and light of the sun, bathe in nature’s water, and breathe in the air from the trees. Make an effort to connect with nature every day.
7. Meditate. Try the “smile inside” technique of meditating. Sitting comfortably, close your eyes and from head to toe, visualize positive waves of energy being absorbed into each part of your body. Allow yourself to feel ignited within, and it will resonate outwards the more you practice. Start at 15 minutes twice daily, and increase to 30 minutes as you become more comfortable.

There is no magic potion to cure depression or anxiety. But, creating a more loving environment for yourself, from within, is a great first step towards Samadhi. Bliss.🙏🏼

An Intro to Yin Yoga

Yin yoga is thought to derive from the gentler Hatha tradition; which focuses on physical conditioning through prolonged meditation. This style of yoga targets the connective tissues of the body. It is a passive form of exercise; the majority of the positions are on the floor and involve slow movements and holding a pose for a long period of time. In contrast, more mainstream yoga has become known as yang and is focused more on physical strength through holding poses in short bursts. Yin yoga is much slower paced and forces a participant to review their own feelings, emotions, physical capabilities and the sensations of the world around them. It is this need to face your own flaws that makes Yin Yoga an excellent part of therapy for recovering addicts, trauma victims and even those with eating disorders.

Give the following Yin sequence a try ( :

1) Saddle- Sit on your heels, knees slightly wider than hip width. Moving slowly and evenly, lean back until you reach an appropriate edge. You may be able to bring your head or even your upper back to the floor; otherwise, place a support (blankets or a bolster) under your middle and upper back. Come out of the pose on an inhalation, using your arms and abdominal muscles and trying not to torque to one side.

Benefits-Restores and maintains the arch of the lower spine; restores and maintains full knee flexion; lengthens quadriceps.

2) Caterpillar – Sit on the floor with both legs straight out in front of you. Fold forward over the legs with forearms resting on the floor, allowing your back to round.

Benefits – Aids digestion and stretches the spine, plus the forward bend allows for introspection and reflection.

3) Melting heart – On your hands and knees, walk your hands forward, allowing your chest to drop toward the floor. Keep your hips right above your knees.

Benefits-This gentle back bend lubricates the spine and the heart opening qualities of the postures can release negative emotions.

4) Sleeping Swan-From One Legged King Pigeon (Preparation), begin bending forward from the hips, with the hands on the ground and outstretched in front of you. Keep the weight back into the hips as you lower yourself to the ground. Move down first to the forearms, then to the forehead, and eventually to the chest, as flexibility allows. Stretch your arms out as far as they may reach.

Benefits-Provides a gentle, potent opening of the hips, and external rotation of the front hip. Stretches the quadriceps and hip flexors of the back leg.

5) Dragonfly-Bring your legs into a straddle, exhale, and bend forward from the hips. Place your hands on the floor in front of you, or rest on your elbows or on a support like a bolster or folded blanket. If it feels natural, come all the way down onto your belly. If your knees are unstable, back off the pose and engage the quadriceps from time to time. Attempt to hold this pose for 5 minutes or more.

6) Child’s Pose (Balasana)—In this posture, the sixth chakra is activated by gently resting the spot in the between the eyebrows on the mat. The rest of the body should be as comfortable as possible, so students can choose to have their knees open or closed, the arms stretched out or resting alongside the legs. If people have stiff ankle joints, slide a rolled up towel or yoga mat under the ankles.

7)Frog-Start in Child’s Pose and slide both hands forward, separate the knees, but remain sitting on the heels. This is also known as the Tadpole.

Benefits-Deep groin opener (especially the adductors).
Provides a slight back bend, which compresses the lower back.
Aids digestion and relieves cramps (both menstrual cramps and those from eating.)

8) Shavasana- not just a time to relax the body; in this quiet time the mind should remain alert, yet relaxed and aware of the body relaxing. Pay attention to the energies flowing. This is an ideal time to develop your ability to feel your energies. It is difficult to do this when you are in the postures. Practicing watching the energies during your Shavasana will assist you to feel energy flowing at other times. As you actively relax, watch the flow of Chi or prana into and out of the areas you worked in the asana practice.

 

Looking for a challenge? Advanced Vrischikasana Transition

Once you’ve mastered headstand, it’s fun to move onto forearm stand. A great way to gain strength for this asana is to practice dolphin pose, which is really just downward facing dog but with forearms pressed into the mat instead of your hands. When you feel comfortable there, practice kicking your legs up and balancing on your forearms, evenly distributing the weight of the body from elbow to fingertips. Practice balancing against the wall first, and as you gain confidence, slowly move further away from the wall.

*It sometimes helps kicking up with staggered legs, the same way extending your arms sideways helps when your walking across a balance beam.

*Wheel pose, or chakrasana, is a difficult back-bending asana. It increases circulation in the body, and saturates the brain in fresh oxygenated blood (great for decreasing anxiety). Additionally, it opens up the heart chakra and improves lung capacity.

When combining headstand, forearm-stand, and wheel, you get the following transition. It helps to impart balance and harmony to the entire system:
1. Start by entering into supported headstand. Hold for at least 30-60 seconds as your body adjusts to being upside down.
2. Slowly bend your knees while also releasing your fingers and pressing your hands onto the mat.
3. Gradually lift your head off the ground while bending your back. Lowering your feet towards your head. Bam, you’re in Scorpion/Vrischikasana!!
4. Hold for another 30 seconds, and exit the same way you entered into the asana. You can also play around and from scorpion bring one leg behind you while holding one in front, entering into a split. You can easily exit from here as well by simply lowering the back leg to the ground and following with the opposite leg.
5. Rest in child’s pose for at least one minute afterwards, as the blood slowly re-disperses itself throughout the body.

*check out the video below

Vrischikasana Transition

Yoga for Asthma

 

-Bronchial and Asthma Mudras-

My mother, cousin and I all have asthma, and are constantly trying to find ways to relieve our symptoms without puffing our inhalers all day and taking rounds of prednisone. I’ve found that using humidifiers with eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils can help, as well as adding a few drops to a steaming hot shower. But how can we prevent these symptoms so we don’t have to later relieve them?

When I started practicing yoga, I realized that my asthma symptoms noticeably reduced. I always knew that yoga was an art of healing, but it was incredible to experience it firsthand. I didn’t develop asthma until high school, a couple of years after quitting gymnastics and switching to field sports. It never occurred to me that by quitting gymnastics I would also be losing my preventative asthma medicine. As a gymnast, you are constantly turning upside down, twisting your body, and stretching the back and chest. All of which are similar body postures to asanas that yogis practice. It makes sense that I never experienced any asthma attacks during that time.

In my teacher training, I studied Iyengar style/therapeutic yoga. BKS Iyengar is one of the most renowned yoga gurus from India. As a child, he also suffered from asthma and began to study yoga as a way to heal his disease. Throughout the course, I paid close attention to the asanas that were most beneficial to asthma, and even learned some mudras that can help alleviate the symptoms.

The following are all asanas that can be beneficial to people suffering from asthma:

 

Urdhva Hastasana

Parivrtta Trikonasana

1. Urdhva Hastasana- stretches the belly, improves digestion, stretches the armpits and shoulders, and helps relieve mild anxiety.
2. Parivrtta Trikonasana- stretches hips and spine, opens the chest to improve breathing, relieves mild back pain, stimulates abdominal organs, improves sense of balance.

Ustrasana

Marichyasana

3. Ustrasana- opens up the chest, increases blood circulation in the lumbar region. Counter pose go into child’s pose.
4. Marichyasana- stretches the shoulders, relieves mild backache and hip pain, massages abdominal organs.

5. Supta Virasana- stretches the abdomen, knees, ankles, thighs and deep hip flexors, improves digestion and opens up the chest. Hold for up to five minutes.
6. Setu Bandasana- stretches neck, chest, and spine, calms the brain and helps alleviate stress, therapeutic for high blood pressure, osteoporosis and sinusitis as well.

7. Urdhva Dhanurasana- stretches chest and lungs, stimulates thyroid and pituitary, increases energy and counteracts depression.
8. Salamba Sirsasana- tones abdominal organs, strengthens the lungs, stimulates pituitary and pineal glands, calms the brain and helps relive stress.

9. Matsyasana- “destroyer of all diseases” in traditional texts. Stretches the intercostals, abdominals and throat, strengthens muscles of the upper back and neck.
10. Savasana- one of the most beneficial asanas for relaxation, which provides breath and stress management.

*The Mudras pictured at the top of this post are very good for respiratory problems and can be done with both hands. For prolonged treatment these two Mudras can be done five times every day for five minutes.

Bronchial Mudra- Place the little finger at the base of the thumb, the ring finger on the upper thumb joint and the middle finger or the top soft portion of the thumb. The index finger should be extended. This can be done for a few minutes everyday.

Asthma Mudra- Press together the fingernails of the middle fingers while keeping the other fingers extended. This is effective for asthma attacks.