4 ways to beat stress

Today we are rewarding our most engaged members... make sure you read below to find out if you won! 

In Today's Email: 

• 5 Sanskrit Words Every Yogi Should Know: Looking to expand your knowledge about this ancient language...

• Our first-ever rewards program and the winner is...

• 4 Yoga Poses to Beat Stress: Release tension and find stillness at the end of a hectic day with poses and breathwork that revive your spirit.

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5 Sanskrit Words Every Yogi Should Know 

Looking to expand your knowledge about this ancient language and take your yoga practice to a deeper level? This is the place to begin.

AhimsaNonviolence or no harm.“Ahimsa paramo dharma” is an ancient saying embodied by Mahatma Gandhi roughly meaning, ”It is our greatest duty to reduce and eliminate harm.” Ahimsa is not absolute; rather it can be considered as action (kayaka), words (Vachaka), and even though (Manasika).

AnandaBliss; the highest state of being. A highly respected yogi or guru is often bestowed with the suffix “Ananda,” such as Vivekananda and Paramahansa Yogananda.

Asana Seat; Posture The third limb of ashtanga yoga.

AshtangaThe eight-limbed (eight-part) holistic practice of yoga.Ashta means eight. Anga means organ or body part. Yoga can be considered a multifaceted “body” made up of eight categories of practice: Yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, Dharana, dhyana, and Samadhi.

Avidya Ignorance; is the absence of knowledge.A means “absence of.” Vidya means learning knowledge. In Yoga, avidya is often referred to as living with the conviction that what is impermanent is permanent, or seeing ourselves as separate for example.

Kapalabhati A Breathing Exercise

Kapalabhati is a very important asana and it should be part of your daily practice. This pose is also known as the Fire Breathing Pose, due to intake and outlet of air, with force. The exercise purifies your lungs and nasal passage. It is one of the powerful breathing exercises which help the entire body. It is one of a kind of breathing exercise in Pranayama. Kapalabhati helps to make the motions of the diaphragm very easy and controlled. This helps it to discard the muscle cramps present in bronchial tubes. A lot of force is used to do this asana. While exhaling the process is very strong and while inhaling it is done very calmly. It is a very energizing technique to re-boot all your muscles. It is a cleansing technique that emphasizes on cleaning your air passages and blockages in your chest.

This technique helps to remove the toxic air and takes in the fresh air. The breathing mainly takes place from the abdomen rather than the chest which helps to remove the toxic air. Kapala means ‘the skull’ and bhati means ‘brings lightness'. It lightens your skull by extracting problems like sinusitis. It is an invigorating and an energizing asana as it clears your stuffy skull with fresh air. It is one of the great exercises for asthma patients and people suffering from respiratory problems. It is useful in removing impurities from the blood. It is a very stimulating asana which can do wonders to every single tissue of your body. This asana invigorates your spine due to the breathing technique.

It clears your body from constant intake of toxins, thus detoxifying it. It is very useful for maintaining your blood pressure. The abdominal organs get strengthened due to the pressure applied on these organs while breathing and exhaling. It increases blood circulation due to a fresh supply of blood. It also improves the bowel movement which means getting rid of the basic troublesome diseases. The abdominal area is toned with the help of the breathing technique. A sense of calmness is achieved due to the lightness of the skull. It helps you to think better and take decisions quickly. It also keeps your mind alert. It helps clear your entire nervous system which proves to be very useful in making your body fit and fine. It is a great breathing technique to help your mind and soul. It helps to awaken your spiritual power which heals many problems you keep facing most of the times.

Warning: All readers should exercise all precautions before following any of the asanas from this issue. To avoid any problems while doing the asanas, it is advised that you consult a yoga instructor. The responsibility lies solely with the reader. 

❔ Questions from readers:  

Emma S. asked: What are the best yoga poses for upper back and lower back pain?

Back pain is not something that appears overnight, and hence it is not something that goes away overnight, it needs care, attention, and patience. As such I really would be wary of anyone recommending just a few poses, for two reasons, a) they may help but only for the short run if not done consistently and b) there could be a desire to try them by yourself without assistance, and maybe cause further pain.

I used to have back pain, and in order to heal it the approach is long-term, we need the back to work for all of our life span, not just a few days...

The best way I have found is to start a daily practice of yoga, and the system I chose is Ashtanga yoga because it is:

1.      customized to the individual

2.      Includes poses for back pain relief right away

3.      the first series is all dedicated in its entirety to healing the body, of ALL aches and pains

4.      It is taught pose by pose

5.      it is a daily affair one falls in love with

6.      It brings about health not just in the body but also mind and spirit

7.      it is pretty magical, but that of course needs to be experienced.

The back opens and heals slowly, with daily practice, so this is what I would recommend for true, lasting results.

Good luck!

Rewards for the Most Engaged Subscribers

In order to reward our wonderful community, we decided to do a weekly giveaway every Wednesday to our most engaged readers.

And when we say reward… we really mean it!

We will be sending out one free chakra black lava stone bracelet and one free chakra necklace, every Wednesday to one lucky winner (no matter where you are located in the world).  

That’s the least that we can do to thank you for your support! Oh and we are calling it the “The Top Weekly Yogi”. 

The Winner: In order to kick off our weekly rewards, our first-ever winner is: Christal Alexander

If you are reading this Christal, then we have already sent you an email. If you can’t find it please reply to this email.

Here is what she wrote to us a few weeks back and we couldn’t be more grateful for her kind words.

How You Can Win: 

1. The more you read our newsletters the higher chance you have of winning. Make sure you save our newsletter in your primary inbox to read every issue we release.

2. Send us comments and feedback and you instantly get on our rewards list.

3. Generally the more you engage with us the higher chance you have of winning.

Thank you to all for your support and now it’s time to get rewarded!

• Notice: Next issue on Friday, every reader will get a free digital gift from us!

4 Yoga Poses to Beat Stress:

Release tension and find stillness at the end of a hectic day with poses and breathwork that revive your spirit.

AS YOU PRACTICE Take long, slow breaths to move prana downward. On your inhalations, fill your lungs to near capacity— a “middle ground” breath that’s not too long (which can create tension) and not too short (which may not sustain your energy). Let the breath create a sense of spaciousness and opening in your chest, and try releasing long, grounding exhalations. Hold each pose for three to five breaths, unless otherwise noted.

Level: Beginner–intermediate  

Good for: Restoring energy

Props needed: One blanket

Intention: Breath

Reflection: As you inhale, silently repeat the sound So, and as you exhale, silently repeat the sound Hum. So Hum means “I am That, That I am” in Sanskrit.

Additional benefits: Stretches the back, hips, and hamstrings

1.       Siddhasana (Adept’s Pose), variation After warming up with several rounds of Cat-Cow Pose, sit cross-legged with your right leg in front. Hinge at your hips as you walk the hands forward. Pull your shoulder blades down your back, and extend your sternum forward. Come up, switch legs, and repeat.

2.       Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing Dog Pose) Come to your hands and knees. On an exhalation, lift your hips up to the sky. Try to evenly distribute your weight between your arms and legs. Press your arms forward as you pull your thighbones back.

3.       Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge) Step your right foot forward between your hands. Drop your left knee to the ground. Inhale, and reach your arms up. Exhale, and reach your tailbone down. Step back into Downward Dog, then switch sides.

4. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) Lift your hips into Bridge Pose, with your feet hip-width apart and knees stacked over your ankles. Interlace your fingers behind your back, and extend your arms toward your feet. Exhale to release. End with Savasana.

Meme

NAMASTE ❤️

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