Good day, Steemians!
Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self. -- Bhagavad Gita
I'm getting really excited to go to Steemfest!
Traveling is one of my specialties;
I am especially good at packing,
and I've never been to Amsterdam!
I get to enjoy 4 of my greatest loves in one go:
yoga, Steemit, travel, and @everlove.
How marvelous!
Yoga is a serious trip in itself:
from "I can't" to "I nailed it!",
from unconscious to aware,
from fear to love,
yoga is a path to wholeness.
I'm so grateful to share it with you dear Steemians!
This is Head to Knee Pose
AKA Janu Sirsasana in Sanskrit
(janu = knee, sirsa = head, asana = pose/posture)
Head to knee is super restorative.
Western yogis love the word "restorative",
and basically it means it's a gentle practice
where you hold poses for a bit
and get a chance to decompress.
A focus is stress relief.
All yoga benefits the nervous system, of course,
but restorative practices hold the intention
of calm rather than say, strength building or stamina.
This pose also aids digestion, because
you're building up
super oxygenated blood and prana to rush
to the abdomen upon unfolding,
in addition to stretching and squeezing the internals.
It's tasty for the legs
and even the chest and shoulders
if you use your grasp around the foot
to pull and leverage yourself in it.
There are many foot variations for the bent leg;
sole of foot to thigh is a great place to start.
Also, you could loop a strap around the foot if you like.
Yoga is fully customizable!
Alignment is still important.
Maintain the length of the upper body
rather than curling the back and shoulders
for full effect.
How to HEAD TO KNEE POSE:
- From seated with legs extended (staff pose), draw the sole of the right foot to the inside of the left thigh.
- Straight leg is fully engaged with foot flexed.
- Inhale and lift up through the crown of the head while rooting through the sit bones. Roll the shoulders back.
- Exhale and fold forward. Reach for the foot, but your hands come wherever they come; it's totally cool.
- If you can reach around the foot, grasp the wrist of the right hand with the left hand, and try taking a mudra (finger placement)!
Breathe in, breathe out.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Breathe in, breathe out.
💛 Sara!
We make custom Steemit gear!
Thank you @everlove for the lovely photography--super stoked to play with you in Amsterdam!!
and THANK YOU @quinneaker for living YOGA and showing me a better way!
>:< ૐ >:< ૐ >:< ૐ >:<