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Ujjayi Breathing - Expanding Conquest of Life-force Energy
noreply • Apr 12, 2020
One of the most important aspects of a yoga practice is your pranayama practice. By developing a deep awareness of your breath, and by mastering various pranayama techniques, you can experience numerous benefits.
Many people do not realize that they do not breathe fully, so that stale air remains trapped in the lower portion of the lungs. Ideally, the inhale will be long enough to fill the lungs completely, and the exhale empties the lungs. For your yoga practice, it is helpful to know that inhales go with opening up, and exhales go with folding or closing.
The benefits of ujjayi breathing:
- relieves depression and boosts confidence
- normalizes blood pressure
- invigorates the nervous system
- alleviates cardiac disorders
- and alleviates asthma
Pranayama is not simply inhaling and exhaling, but rather a means to link our physiological and spiritual dimensions.
Ujjayi Breathing in Four Parts in Savasana
For Stage 1, breathe naturally and consciously, expanding the chest fully, and exhale fully, for ten breaths. The inhale and exhale will be the same length.
Stage 2 involves normal inhalation and deep exhalation, for 15 breaths.
Stage 3 involves deep inhalation and normal exhalation for 15 breaths.
Stage 4 consists of deep inhalation and deep exhalation for 15-20 cycles.
How to Use Ujjayi Breathing in your Vinyasa or Ashtanga Asana Practice
Standing in Tadasana (mountain pose) slow down the breath. Be aware of your posture, with a straight back, feet well grounded into the earth and crown of the head lifting to the heavens. Now imagine that there is a string at your belly button that is pulling it towards your spine. This is to engage the uddiyana bandha, or energy lock, at the solar plexus or Manipura chakra. As you deepen your awareness, you will notice that this subtle movement naturally engages the mula bandha. Mula bandha is similar to doing Kegel exericises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, at the subtle energy level, and is used to contain the energy of the root chakra. Engaging the bandhas can help alleviate stress and mental restlessness, and bring about inner harmony and balance.
Now as you inhale and exhale, feel the breath enter and leave the throat area. You may make a soft noise, as if you can hear your breath as a deep sea diver.
Whenever you come to a resting asana, such as Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog), bring your focus back to your breath.
Incorporating some yoga into your morning work-out can be very beneficial.
While I always knew that yoga is to prepare you for sitting in meditation, it wasn't until I started this daily practice - into my fourth month - that I realized that how it can transform your ability to sit for longer periods of time.
Chakra-themed PotluckChakra Readings with PendulumThroat Chakra - Lion’s Pose
Am very excited to be going to Costa Dulce, a beautiful little yoga and surfing eco-resort located on the beach of Playa Escameca.Costa Dulce
This Saturday I am offering my first workshop on Gabriola in the beautiful Net Loft - there has been a fantastic response and close to 20 participants have signed up. My good friend Fran will join us from Toronto via zoom to lead us in chakra sounding, while Paul and I will be playing the corresponding notes on singing and crystal bowls. The Net LoftNext, the group, who have been encouraged to come wearing their favourite chakra colours, will be encouraged to share some of their knowledge on the properties of the seven main chakras. Amy and I will lead a chakra yoga class including some partner yoga, with chair yoga variations for those who don't want to practise on the floor.We will enjoy a chakra-themed potluck luncheon, with eight different chakra teas and tonics for the first eight chakras, followed by a discussion of the higher five, less known chakras. The workshop will close with a meditation on the chakras.And all profits from this event will be donated to the Tibetan Nuns Project.More info
Well, today is day 50 of my daily yoga and meditation practice and I feel great!
We are thrilled to be putting together a series of yoga and art workshops for 2023. My good friend Rhonda and I have decided to offer Altar Talk, a joyful weekend workshop of altar creation, yoga, meditation, and scrumptious vegetarian food.About UsRhonda embraces many creative labels - mixed media artist, altar maker, assemblage artist, tea maker, storyteller, expressive arts facilitator, avid baker, and keeper and tender of creative flames at Casa Sanctuary Art House. Her work is often created from found, discarded, thrifted, or otherwise used up items that have lost their purpose. With vision, intention, and intuition, Rhonda creates new life from the old and gives birth to art with a whole new purpose. Jennie is a spiritual wanderlust, a yogini, meditation instructor, thai yoga massage practitioner, foodie, salsa loving, avid gardener and world traveller who lives on a beautiful little island on the west coast of Canada. She believes that yoga, meditation, dreamwork, and shamanic journeying can all enhance the creative process, to help you create your own reality.Our first workshop will be taking place in March 2023 at the Stillpoint Yoga Centre in beautiful Picton, Ontario. Our next two workshops will be offered in June 2023 on Gabriola Island, British Columbia.If we have fun with these retreats, we plan on offering week long Altar Talk retreats in beautiful tropical locations such as Nicaragua, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Belize in 2024.
1. 20 minutes of meditation2. Opening chantOMVande Gurunam CaranaravindeSandarsita Svatma Sukhava BodheNihsreyase Jangalika YamaneSamsara Halahala MohasantyaiAbahu PurusakaramSankhacakrasi DharinamSahara Sirasam SvetamPranamami PantanjalimOMEach asana is held for five minutes.3. Salamba balasana - supported child's pose, with blanket between legs4. Supta virasana - reclined hero sitting on meditation cushion and over bolster and blankets, gradually removing props5. Supta baddhakonasana reclining over Tejomaya's back support, tucking blankets undrer legs6. Urdhva Dhanurasana - wheel pose using a ball7. Salamba sarvangasana - shoulderstand using two blanketsAlso do half plow on each side and full plow, holding each for 5-10 breaths. End by sliding shoulders off blankets and rest for a few minutes.8. Sirsasana - headstand on one folded blanket9. Viparita karani10. Closing invocationMay we be happyMay we be wellMay we be healthy and strongMay we be safe and soundMay we be peacefulMay we be at easeMay there be love in our heartsMay there be abundance in our livesMay there be peace in our worldNamaste
Set an intention to do these poses gently and quietly, and let your breath be complete, smooth, and even.
Well, over two years has gone by since my last post. We have experienced the strangest of times, something that has impacted the whole world, and on a scale that I have never experienced in my lifetime.
