Yogic Philosophy of the Week - Pranayama (breath control)
This week with friends and family, I’ve been asking them what their BITHs are. So, with regards to the whole of 2019 - what was the Best part for them, what could be Improved and what are they Thankful for? And what do they Hope for in 2020? BITH. It’s made for some funny, lively and occasionally thought-provoking discussions that would probably never have happened otherwise.
A dear friend mentioned how he notices his breathing is really quite shallow and gets even shallower at times of stress and that he wanted to focus more on stress relief and his breathing in 2020 which led to a great chat about pranayama.
Pranayama has been one of the most beneficial things for me in my own journey of yoga - it’s kinda amazing how much conscious breathing can have an effect on your mind. There are many different kinds of conscious breathing or pranayama but one of my favourites is alternate nostril breathing - it’s such a great mood stabilizer. Even Hillary Clinton used this type of pranayama after losing the 2016 presidential election to manage the anxiety of it all!
To do alternate nostril breathing:
Sit in a comfortable position with your legs crossed - you could sit on a blanket or a cushion to make yourself even more comfortable.
Place your left hand on your left knee.
Lift your right hand up toward your nose.
Exhale completely and then use your right thumb to close your right nostril.
Inhale through your left nostril and then close the left nostril with your fingers.
Open the right nostril and exhale through this side.
Inhale through the right nostril and then close this nostril.
Open the left nostril and exhale through the left side.
This is one round.
Continue for up to 5 minutes.
Always finish the practice by finishing with an exhale on the left side.
Pose of the Week - Half Lotus pose
This week I’ve really been enjoying the Half Lotus pose alongside conscious breathing and meditation. Some weeks I just love a sweaty yoga flow to blow away the cobwebs - but this week has definitely been a time for a more contemplative yoga practice. And I’ve been drawn to doing the half lotus pose swapping legs every time I do the pose. The Half Lotus pose strengthens the back, the hips, knees, ankles, and thighs. Sitting upright with your spine aligned calms the mind, reducing stress, anxiety, and mild depression and this pose also improves circulation and blood flow in the pelvis. The soothing effects of this pose can give you greater awareness of your mind, body, and spirit which can spill over into your every day life. This pose is also said to bring you peace - and we all need a bit more peace in our lives don’t we :o)
