Life flows at a rapid pace. It often takes us with it. Instead of remaining cool and collected, we lose our minds trying to tackle too many things at once. And guess what? Things are then done sloppily. Also, whoever asked for you to do the job is not satisfied—neither are you.

• First and foremost, things start from within. Analyze how you respond in instances when you don’t get what you want. 
• Notice how you deal with people who are not in the mood to hold a conversation with you.
• How much control do you have in overindulgence in the things that you know are not good for you? How does it make you feel when do you allow yourself to overindulge?
• How do you deal when you can’t control the situation you’re in? What emotions overflow you then?
• How do you deal when you’re surrounded by negativity? Are you able to break from it?
• How do you face challenges?
• How flexible are you when plans go awry? How quickly can you adapt to unpredictable situations?
• How do you deal with change? It can be a new environment or a new job. One such minor adjustment could be evaluating new technological devices and updates on them and making you feel momentary.
• Look at how you respond in stressful situations. Do you tend to worry and lose yourself in your own thinking? Or does the situation overwhelm you to the point of numbness? 
• How do you act in situations when you’re thrown outside your comfort zone?
• What happens if you are rejected? Do you take it personally, or does it give you strength and courage to work even harder towards your goals?
• How do you react when you’re misunderstood? Can you keep calm to explain things again and be heard the correct way?
• How can you motivate yourself in various situations?
• How much of what you say, do you also follow through? I know people who speak very little but do a lot, and that is a quality that cannot possess anyone—but preferably those who are very self-aware.
• How do you feel when emotionally, things are out of your control or don’t have a say in them?
• How do you respond when you hear negative comments about yourself? Can you accept constructive criticism? And how good of a listener you are?
• What is your reaction to not succeeding? And how do you feel when you make a mistake? Are you mature enough to admit and correct it, or do you shy away from it and try to make it go away?
• How do you deal with people whose behavior is not appropriate to the situation? And how do you react when they are making you feel unpleasant?
• How do you deal with the element of uncertainty? How do you feel when you know of a future event, you’ll have no control over? How much energy do you invest in it, and how does it make you feel?
• How do you deal with those who have hurt you in the past?
• How do you perceive obstacles and hurdles that cross your way?
• How do you spend your free time? What consumes most of your energy in your free time? Is it a physical one, mental, or emotional?
• What do you do to recharge energy levels?
• How do you prioritize things in life?
• And, last but not least, how fulfilled do you feel?

There is always an option of pulling out your cutest sports attire, detaching yourself from work, and indulging in a good sweat session that will restore your energy levels and hopefully balance your emotional well-being.

Yoga is a discipline that helps improve body elongation, strength, balance, and improves the overall performance of people in their daily activities. It is achieved through the practice of asanas and meditation, promoting control over the body and mind. The practice of yoga leads to a path of holistic well-being, accentuating our greatest potential as unique beings and integrating the mind, body, and spirit.

This practice merits certain tools, such as yoga mats, comfortable clothes, and props, to contribute to the advancement and strengthening of yoga practice. Yoga mats for yogis are magical carpets, where the body rests, and the mind calms down. It is a tool that allows them to experience body movements and other physical or recreational activities comfortably.

That is why it is vital to pay attention to the type of tool we choose when doing an activity such as yoga or pilates. These activities can be performed in various places such as the office, the bedroom, gyms, the park, the beach, and others.

The comfort offered by a mat is as paramount as the guidance of an excellent teacher or instructor. It is recommended to preferably look for yoga mats made with biodegradable materials, made with rubber, organic or natural cotton and jute. The yoga mat made of rubber is considered to be more respectful of the environment.

Currently, there are several brands of yoga mats on the market that offer comfort, attractive and durable styles where the hands and feet feel safe and firm when performing the asanas. It is essential to select an elastic, non-slip, and light mat. Stretch types in most cases have similar measures such as 60 cm wide by 1.73 cm long and 4 mm or 6 mm, standard size handled by commercial brands with colorful and fun signs that give the public diversity and personality in your favorite tools.

 

Some of them are:

• Manduka Yoga Mat: offering different thicknesses and carpet designs.
• Gaiam Yoga Mat: offers a fresh and fun style in accessories and tools to practice yoga and exercises in general.
• Prana Yoga Mat: It has classic designs, and a textured surface with natural anti-slip properties, among others. Most brands of yoga mats are made of TPE thermoplastic elastomer.

The yoga mat is an excellent and indispensable tool that contributes to the stability, permanence of the asanas, and the movements. The practice of yoga is universal, and the yoga mat makes it possible for spaces and moments to emerge comfortably.

Tips: 

• Make sure the mat is non-slip.
• Cover it with a cotton towel of the same size as the mat (for sweat)
• Have a mat to use it outdoors (grass, dirt, sand) and another to use it in a yoga or gym studio
• As much as possible, try to make yourself the only person to use your mat for hygiene and comfort
• Select mats that are made with organic materials.

What Iѕ Pеrѕоnаlіtу? 

Humаn personality іѕ a very соmрlеx topic by іtѕеlf. Thеrе are many definitions of реrѕоnаlіtу. Fоr thе sake of simplicity, wе саn consider it аѕ a соllесtіоn of physical, mental and behavioral traits аnd раttеrnѕ that we exhibit in оur lіfе. 

Oftеn реrѕоnаlіtу development іѕ either misunderstood or іgnоrеd. It is асknоwlеdgеd mоѕtlу іn рrоfеѕѕіоnаl fіеldѕ. Cоmраnіеѕ conduct trаіnіng рrоgrаmѕ on соmmunісаtіоn ѕkіllѕ, lеаdеrѕhір ѕkіllѕ, and сrеаtіvіtу and so on. They соllесtіvеlу call thеѕе trainings “Pеrѕоnаlіtу Dеvеlорmеnt”. Unfоrtunаtеlу thеу аrе talking about оnlу оnе ѕіdе оf thе соіn. No dоubt thаt thеѕе trаіtѕ аrе important but thеу аrе just “external”. Thеѕе programs mіѕѕ the more important factor – bоdу аnd mіnd. Thеrе are hundrеdѕ of bооkѕ аvаіlаblе іn thе mаrkеt whо аrе ѕuрроѕеd to tеll уоu “hоw tо win” оr “hоw tо bе happy” but how mаnу rеаllу gеt benefited juѕt bу rеаdіng the books? Bооkѕ will tеll you tо think positive but the рооr іndіvіduаlѕ dо nоt know how. Juѕt bу thіnkіng that “I will thіnk positive” you саnnоt bе positive. It rеԛuіrеѕ рrасtісе аnd fіnе tunіng оf bоdу аnd mіnd. Unless уоu hаvе рrореr fоundаtіоn of bоdу аnd mіnd уоu ѕіmрlу саnnоt build аnу superior реrѕоnаlіtу infrastructure. 

Dо I Need Pеrѕоnаlіtу Dеvеlорmеnt? 

Some оf the people fееl thаt they аlrеаdу have a dеvеlореd personality and thеу dоn’t nееd tо еnhаnсе іt further. Aftеr аll thеу have been wоrkіng іn a рrоfеѕѕіоnаl and реrѕоnаl sector fоr уеаrѕ! But let mе tеll you thаt іf уоu аrе thіnkіng thе ѕаmе lines then іt’ѕ tіmе to іntrоѕресt. Thе first ѕtер іn реrѕоnаlіtу development іѕ to асknоwlеdgе that уоu need tо іmрrоvе уоur реrѕоnаlіtу. 

Hоw dо you know whether you nееd fіnе tunіng оf thе реrѕоnаlіtу? 

Juѕt sit peacefully аnd trу tо answer the fоllоwіng questions: 

• Dо уоu feel thаt you wоrk hard but ѕtіll dоn’t get еxресtеd returns? 

• Do уоu оftеn feel that уоu dеѕеrvеd a promotion but somebody еlѕе grаbbеd it instead? 

• Dо you feel drаіnеd аftеr уоur jоb hоurѕ? 

• Do you fееl ѕtrеѕѕеd – physically аnd mеntаllу? 

• Does your jоb affect your hеаlth? 

• Hоw аrе уоur interpersonal relationships? 

• Dо уоu feel vоіd іn уоur life? 

• Dо you often fееl unhарру (mаnу tіmеѕ not knоwіng whу)? 

• Dо уоu feel that you саnnоt dеlіvеr 100% of уоur роtеntіаl? 

Thе аnѕwеrѕ to the above ԛuеѕtіоnѕ wіll tеll уоu whеthеr thеrе іѕ аnу frісtіоn wіthіn уоurѕеlf. 

Thе Yоgіс Vіеw Of Personality 

As реr Yoga, the human body соnѕіѕtѕ оf fіvе ѕhеаthѕ оr lауеrѕ. They аrе: 

1. Conscious рhуѕісаl sheath (Annayama Kоѕhа)
2. Subconscious рhуѕісаl sheath (Pranamaya Kosha) 
3. Mеntаl sheath (Manomaya Kosha) 
4. Intellectual Shеаth (Vіgуаnmауа Kоѕhа) 
5. Blissful ѕhеаth (Anаndаmауа Kosha) 

The Annamaya Kоѕhа is rеlаtеd to our соnѕсіоuѕ рhуѕісаl deeps including walking, tаlkіng, viewing and оthеr ѕuсh funсtіоnѕ. These аrе the funсtіоnѕ thаt wе perform uѕіng оur рhуѕісаl body dеlіbеrаtеlу. 

Thе Prаnаmауа Kоѕhа dеаlѕ with рhуѕісаl activities thаt wе dо in ѕubсоnѕсіоuѕ ѕtаtе. Dіgеѕtіоn, movement оf thе heart аnd lungѕ fаll іn thіѕ category. We nеvеr dо any deliberate efforts for thеѕе actions; still thе bоdу knows how to реrfоrm thеm. 

The Mаnіоmауа Kоѕhа dеаlѕ wіth mіnd, еmоtіоnѕ аnd thoughts. All оur grоѕѕ thinking and еmоtіоnѕ fаll іn this саtеgоrу. Intellect іѕ that faculty thаt dесіdеѕ whаt іѕ gооd and whаt is bаd. It іѕ thе аbіlіtу fоr rational thоught оr іnfеrеnсе оr discrimination. 

The Vigyanmaya Kosha hеlрѕ us to identify truе frоm fаlѕе. Wе саn choose thе соrrесt раth іn thіѕ “mауа” fіllеd wоrld wіth thе hеlр оf nоurіѕhеd Vigyanmaya Kosha. 

Anаndаmауа Kosha оr bliss is a pure ѕtаtе оf hарріnеѕѕ and jоу whісh is bеуоnd аnу mаtеrіаl pleasure. Sаmаdhі оr deep mеdіtаtіоn gіvеѕ such a joy. The Anаndаmауа Kоѕhа іѕ the іnnеrmоѕt ѕhеаth wrарреd by оthеr sheaths іn ѕuссеѕѕіоn. 

If уоu оbѕеrvе саrеfullу you will realize thаt еасh ѕhеаth аffесtѕ сеrtаіn раrt оf оur реrѕоnаlіtу. Aссоrdіnglу wе саn classify оur реrѕоnаlіtу as fоllоwѕ: 

• Cоnѕсіоuѕ рhуѕісаl реrѕоnаlіtу 

• Subсоnѕсіоuѕ рhуѕісаl реrѕоnаlіtу 

• Mеntаl реrѕоnаlіtу 

• Intellectual реrѕоnаlіtу 

• Sріrіtuаl реrѕоnаlіtу 

Hоw Yоgа Can Nourish Thеѕе Pеrѕоnаlіtіеѕ? 

Thе conscious аѕ well аѕ ѕubсоnѕсіоuѕ рhуѕісаl реrѕоnаlіtу can bе grеаtlу іmрrоvеd bу Yоgа postures. Yоgа роѕturеѕ ѕtrеtсh уоur body and іnduсе rеlаxаtіоn. They аffесt thе vіtаl force оr Prana аnd саuѕе іt tо flow іn ѕресіfіс раrtѕ оf the bоdу. Thеу аrе еxсеllеnt rеmеdу fоr bасk aches, dіgеѕtіоn problems аnd hеаrt рrоblеmѕ. Thе modern life fоrсеѕ uѕ tо sit at a place without muсh physical effort. Yоgа роѕturеѕ саn ѕtrеngthеn thе joints and various раrtѕ оf thе bоdу. 

Thе mental реrѕоnаlіtу іѕ grеаtlу аffесtеd thrоugh Prаnауаmа аnd соnсеntrаtіоn. Our mind rеmаіnѕ fосuѕеd at оur wоrk аnd in home enabling us to do thе thіngѕ wіth full dеdісаtіоn аnd іntеrеѕt. It nаturаllу results іn bеttеr реrѕоnаl and рrоfеѕѕіоnаl gаіnѕ. 

Mеdіtаtіоn enriches the intellectual реrѕоnаlіtу. Yоur mind becomes calm and сlеаr. Yоu саn think wіth mоrе care аnd аffесtіоn fоr others. Mауа саnnоt dеludе уоu аnуmоrе. Yоur dесіѕіоnѕ рrоvе tо bе correct. 

Fіnаllу, thе deep meditation оr Sаmаdhі brings уоu thе ultimate bliss. Thе jоу thаt іѕ impossible to асhіеvе thrоugh wоrldlу еnjоуmеntѕ. This is the fіnаl аіm fоr аnу Yоgі. 

In summary, рrасtісіng Yoga rеgulаrlу nourishes аll these five personalities and mаkеѕ уоur lіfе joyous, happy аnd healthy.  

Carrying a baby for 9 months (let’s be honest, it’s more like 10 months) takes its toll on a woman’s body. When you feel exhausted all the time, trying to stay awake at work, accepting that you indeed have a “baby brain,” and wanting to maintain a healthy lifestyle are all difficult tasks for a pregnant woman to do.

We know that exercise is important, but finding the energy to do it is sometimes not even an option. Before I was pregnant with my first son, I used to do a variety of exercise classes, from cardio to a few days of yoga mixed in between. As my pregnancy progressed, I found that I didn’t have the energy to keep up with my many classes, but yoga was something that helped me throughout the difficult times for the 9-month duration.

Making sure that your body has the strength to endure a possibly long labor or a difficult recovery is an important consideration for all mommies-to-be. Wear comfortable shaping leggings. When continuing your yoga journey through your pregnancy, you will want to modify some of the poses you perform; plus, focus on those that are more nurturing for your pregnant body. This includes areas such as the upper and lower back, the neck, avoiding twisted poses, and anything that puts pressure on your stomach.

Poses for Your Back

Carrying a belly with a baby about the size of a watermelon puts a lot of strain on your back. One of my all-time favorite prenatal poses, even now post-baby, is the combination of cat and cow.

1. Begin on all fours with your belly pointing down towards the mat.
2. Inhale and curve your back pointing your head up to the sky.
3. Exhale and curve your back inward like a cat with your head pointing down to look at your chest.
4. Repeat as necessary.

This pose is great for relieving tension in the lower back and can be performed throughout the day as needed, from first thing in the morning to before you go to bed.

A wide-legged child’s pose is a must-do for any pregnant woman. When else can you use the excuse to take it easy if not when you are carrying a child?

1. Begin on all fours and then sit back so that you are kneeling.
2. Spread your legs apart and carefully lower your body so that your belly fits between your legs.
3. If you choose to keep your arms by your side, this will focus on your lower back.
4. If you want to stretch out your shoulders and neck, then reach your arms above.
5. Breathe in to lengthen the body, and maintain this position for as long as you like.

Poses to Calm and Clear the Fog

Often, as a first-time mom-to-be, we can feel anxious and nervous about the future. We are also so tired from trying to maintain our regular schedule that we sometimes walk around in a fog. Leg strengthening poses, such as the warrior pose, are great for moving blood circulation throughout the body and awakening the senses.

1. Begin in a wide-step sideways.
2. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees while keeping your back straight and your arms raised so they are parallel to the floor.
3. Exhale and bend your right knee so it is aligned with your ankle.
4. Inhale and turn your head to look past your outstretched arm.
5. Remain for a couple of breaths and repeat on the other side.

The forward fold is another great pose for creating movement within your blood flow, which is important as our internal organs are being compressed by the little one inside us, and this affects our circulation. This pose allows us to stretch out the back once again and also rejuvenates us and will help clear any brain fog you may be experiencing.

1. Begin in a seated position with your legs outstretched in front of you.
2. Raise your arms with an inhale and reach as far as your baby belly will let you go with an exhale.
3. Stay here for as long as comfortable, but do not push yourself.

Maintaining your yoga practice throughout your pregnancy is good for both you and your baby. If you feel unsure about what you can or cannot do, talk to your doctor and your yoga instructor for clarification. Most importantly, take it easy, and only do what feels good to you. Enjoy taking your baby along for the ride within your yoga practice.

 

Mastering your own weight and how you can creatively express your spirit through movement is one of the greatest investments you can have. A passion that requires effort, time and discipline. Something that no money can buy. Not everyone is willing to embark on this journey for a lot of reasons. But when you firmly have the intention in your heart and mind, you won’t be disappointed with the discoveries you’ll come across.

Fully Open Your Back

The practice of Yoga is about transforming the material-based ego to a more conscious Self. It is a humbling experience to realize that being caught up in the modern world suppresses our spirit’s potential. But with regular practice and an open heart, it is not impossible for an individual to creatively express himself/herself with awareness, on both the physical and spiritual plane.

Asana(s) or Yoga postures challenge a person’s will power to unmask his/her body’s strength and his/her mind’s capabilities. One of the most advanced Yoga asanas is Chinstand, also known as Ganda Bherundasana in Sanskrit. This Pose requires the back to be fully open. That means that the hips and shoulders should be open as well.

Preparatory Poses

Before attempting the full posture, make sure that your body is properly warmed up. Chin stand is an advanced pose. There’s no need to rush. It requires patience and perseverance to slowly and safely progress. Here are some poses that will help open the areas that will be engaged throughout the whole posture.

1. Ankle to the knee.
2. Begin by placing your ankle parallel to your knee, keeping your back straight.
3. Make sure that your feet are flexed to avoid injury in your knees.
4. Keep the shins stacked at top of each other.
5. If the ankles and knees do not touch, use a cushion to fill the space.
6. Do this on both legs to open the hips.

Warrior Pose

1. Start in a Down-Dog position.
2. Inhale, fill your lungs and exhale bringing your right foot forward between the hands.
3. Lower your left knee to the ground and take your hands in prayer.
4. Inhale, extend your arms up, sinking your hips deeper.
5. Stay in this position for 3-5 breaths and exhale bringing your hands down and your right foot back to Down-Dog position.
6. Do the same technique on the other leg.

Gentle backbends

1. Begin with cat/cow stretch with hands and knees planted on the ground.
2. Inhale as you arch your back, bringing the scapula closer to each other while keeping your gaze at the sky.
3. Exhale as you round your back, activating the shoulders by pushing the ground away.
4. You could choose three variations of backbends from bridge, camel and bow pose.
5. Stay on your chosen backbend for 3-5 breaths.

Yoga block to full posture

1. You have opened your hips and shoulders, and warmed up the spine for a deeper backbend.
2. One way of preparing the body and familiarizing yourself with the technique without fully approaching the posture is by using a Yoga block.
3. Place the blocks under your shoulders for support while your elbows are bent and brushing against your side.
4. Let your chest, chin, and knees to rest on the ground. Inhale lifting one leg up to the sky and exhale lifting the other.
5. Stay in this pose for 3-5breaths.
6. Use the same techniques mentioned but remove the Yoga block to approach the full posture.

Remember that your chin shouldn’t carry a lot of weight and pressure. Your breastplate and arms serve as the base that carries the weight of your body. This posture is good for strengthening the hips, legs, and back. It also releases tension on spinal nerves, improves the mobility of the spine and develops a sense of balance. If you are suffering any back and neck injury, avoid doing a Chin stand. People with high blood pressure, a heart ailment and hernia are also advised to refrain from doing this pose.

Always practice with good intentions and allow the practice to naturally develop your body and mind’s capabilities. Do not force anything that hurts. Be patient and one day your Chin stand will surely come!

A thoughtful, insightful, honest, and well-written beginner’s yoga DVD review will help you make up your mind about your practice of yoga before it guides your choice of the best yoga DVD for beginners for you.

Are You Absolutely Sure You Want a Yoga DVD For Beginners?

Are you absolutely sure you want to begin the practice of yoga? Yoga does wonderful things for your body, mind, and spirit, but it will not shred and striate your muscles in the next month. Yoga will stretch, strengthen, and tone all your major muscles, but the practice of yoga may never burn enough calories for you to shed a single pound. Yoga will develop your self-control, body awareness, and grace, teaching you to move languidly and fluidly. Yoga will never increase your vertical leap, help you throw a ball faster, or fire-up your bat speed. Because yoga leads to union with the divine and eternal life in all things, it will contribute to your sense of calm contentment. Frankly, if you want to become a tougher, more intense competitor, yoga probably lives at the antipodes of what you want. So, are you sure you really want a beginner’s DVD?

Yoga is among the world’s very few zero-impact exercises. When practicing yoga, you always move, touch, flex, stretch, expand and contract gently, all while breathing into your motions and feeling each movement practically down to the fire of each tiny synapse. Practice of yoga packs no punch. It does, however, hold tremendous power. So, are you sure you really and truly want a yoga DVD for beginners?

What to Do with a Beginner’s Yoga DVD Review

If zero-impact, slow and deliberate stretching, and strengthening sounds good to you, let a proper beginner’s yoga video review guide you to the video that will fire your enthusiasm for yoga, making you eager to continue your practice day by day and pose by pose. A good beginner yoga video review, naturally, will summarize the video’s contents-how many workouts for how long with what kind of emphasis, and all the usual stuff you absolutely need to know. A helpful review, however, will focus on both the video’s continuity and its evolution; because, as you get stronger and evolve from practice to practice, you want to feel as though you resume where you left-off. You also want to feel as though you end each practice a little more powerful and proficient than where you began. Your reviewer will assess that stuff.

A good yoga DVD for beginners review also will evaluate the video’s mood and tone. Some beginner yoga DVDs have exactly the right content developed in exactly the right sequence, yet they seem so shrill and annoying no one can survive even the first twenty minutes of the two-hour disc. Some beginner yoga DVDs have all the best visuals and none of the right audio. Hip-hop music and proper yoga practice really do not mix. A good DVD review will look for harmony among all the workouts elements.

When you finish a good beginners yoga review, you should feel confident you want to pursue your practice of yoga, and you should feel equally confident that you know which beginner’s yoga DVD will guide you.

Do you worry about anxiety? Me too. After the fabulous clothes (like cute yoga pants), finding a non- pharmaceutical fix for anxiety is a top reason people take up yoga. Whether you suffer from a diagnosed disorder or grapple with generalized malaise, yoga can clear your mind of panic. Below are some poses to alleviate your worries—not all of them (that would be a very long post), but a good starting point for an anti-anxiety yoga regimen.

The Big Toe Pose, or Padangusthasana

This pose lengthens tight hamstrings. If you live through this, you’ll be grateful enough to never worry about anything ever again.

One: Stand with your feet six inches apart. Using your adductor muscles on insides of your thighs, lift your kneecaps. Exhale and bend forward from your hips, keeping your legs as straight as possible.

Two: Grip each foot with your fingers. If you cannot reach your toes, modify with an elastic band until you can perform without rounding your back.

Three: Inhale, lift your torso without letting go of your feet, straighten your elbows and lengthen your torso. Exhale again and lift your sitting bones. Release your hamstrings and exhale, lifting your belly toward the back of your pelvis.

Four: Lift the top of your breastbone as high as you can without lifting your head and compressing the back of your neck. Keep your forehead relaxed.

Five: Inhale while lifting your torso, contract your front thigh, lift your sitting bones, and relax your hamstrings.

Six: Exhale, bend your elbows out, pull up on your toes, lengthen your torso and lower your back into forward bend.

Seven: Advanced yogis, Plastic Woman, and/or those with unusually long hamstrings can pull their foreheads to their shins here. Everyone else should ignore this and focus on gritting your teeth and breathing.

Eight: Hold the final position for one full minute. Release your toes, bring your hands to your hips, and re-lengthen your front torso. Inhale, swing your torso and head back to an upright and standing position.

The Cat Pose, or Marjaryasana

This pose stretches out the back and neck muscles and gently massages the spine area and intestinal organs. Not only is it far more pleasant to perform than the Big Toe Pose, it also relieves stress in the lower back and increases flexibility for forward and backbends. It’s thought to be conducive to increased emotional balance and stability of the mind.

One: Begin on your hands and knees in the table position with your knees shoulder length apart and your upper body perpendicular to the floor. Your knees must be directly below your hips. Your head should be in a neutral position, with your eyes on the floor.

Two: Exhale, round your spine upward to ceiling, lifting the middle of your back upward as if it were attached by a string to the middle of your spine. Keep your shoulders and knees in the same position. While lifting, release your head from the neutral position, but do not push into your chest.

Three: Inhale and return to a neutral, table position. Repeat.

Child’s Pose, or Balasana

This pose makes you feel better immediately, and that’s why I’ve saved it for last. It releases tension in the back, neck and shoulders; where most people store stress. It also fosters relaxation by encouraging conscious notice of breathing.

One: Kneel with your big toes touching, then separate your knees about as wide as your hips. Your hands should be directly under your arms.

Two: Exhale, bow forward between your legs. Rest your chest between your thighs and bring your forehead to the mat.

Three: Extend your arms out in front of you and place your hands on the floor, palms up. Breathe and hold this position for as long as you desire. When finished, use your hands to walk back to an upright and sitting position.

Breathe easy and enjoy the rest of your day!

Thai Yoga Massage is the combination of traditional yoga and massage. It came into existence around 2,500 years ago within the temples of Thailand. Thai Yoga Massage was originally called the Old Thai Way of Healing with the Hands. Jivaka Kumarbhacca is the founder of Thai Yoga Massage and was a doctor and yoga instructor. He was Buddha’s doctor and treated him using Thai Yoga Massage. It was originally used more for medicine than for relaxation. Today, Thai Yoga Massage is still used to heal the body but focuses more on the relaxation and rejuvenating component.

Thai Yoga Massage originated within the Buddhist religion but it can be performed by people of all faiths because it is non-sectarian and non-dogmatic. A class can involve religious Buddhist traditions or it can be a simple massage session. It is completely up to the individual. Not all Thai Yoga Massage instructors are connected to the Buddhist religion in any way. It’s just about finding the right instructor that fits your religious views and fits what you want to get out of the practice.

During a Thai Yoga Massage class, the instructor guides the client through a series of poses. These poses are used to bring relaxation and open up certain parts of the body to the instructor. While the client moves through these specific poses, the instructor uses their palms and thumbs as tools to help heal and rejuvenate the client’s body. The instructor rubs their palms and thumbs along specific energy lines and pressure points to help the client accomplish total relaxation and release. There are no special tools used during a Thai Yoga Massage session except a traditional yoga mat.

The benefits that come along with Thai Yoga Massage are almost endless. There are both physical and psychological benefits. Thai Yoga Massage promotes well-being and long life. The combination of yoga and massage provides a full body treatment.

Physically, Thai Yoga Massage relieves muscular tension, improves circulation, boosts the immune system, balances the body, lowers risk of injury, improves range of motion, elevates level of alertness, improves sleep, revitalizes the skin through increased blood flow, and helps prevent and fight migraines, sinus pressure, sprains, stiffness, whiplash, digestive disorders, arthritis, asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetes, and chronic fatigue.

Psychologically, Thai Yoga Massage increases serotonin levels, improves emotional balances, brings clarity and calms the mind, increases mind and body concentration, helps with depression, helps with PMS, reduces stress, boosts energy, brings self-awareness, and improves overall vitality.

Thai Yoga Massage has been around for thousands of years and for a good reason. It has been proven that Thai Yoga Massage can extend a person’s life. This is because it focuses on healing both the body and the mind. It takes the benefits of both massage and traditional yoga to leave the body feeling rested, restored, and rejuvenated.