SoHam Meditation

September 28, 2009 Yoga Session #7
Monday Week 5

Ive done yoga for the full hour and a half six times now in the last five weeks and I feel great. I definitely feel like my balance is better, my flexibility is better I can almost touch the floor with my fingertips with my legs straight, I’m sweating more, my stamina is increasing even when I'm running. And surprisingly my back is getting better.

Today in class we did a lot of yoga poses that I have talked about and today I think ill run through some of the basics of how to do them. We also did Sun Salutation B, we did the So ham Mantra Meditation, and we did a visualization of a tropic beach on our own. We did the half-moon today first against the wall and than on the floor. That was actually really hard for me I kept falling and tipping over.


But physically it is suppose to be really good for you. If you do it properly and enough it strengthens and tones the legs, opens your hips and it’s even suppose to build confidence. How to do it: Begin in Triangle pose with the right leg in front, lower the left hand to the left hip, place your right fingertips on the floor a foot in front and to the right of the right foot, slightly bend the right knee, and as you straighten it lift the left leg off the floor until it’s in line with the left hip, roll the left hip open toward the wall behind you, lift the left arm straight up, spread the fingers.

The soham mantra meditation we did today was really cool. Sharkie put on some music so that I could visualize a tropic location...I did. It was actually somewhere I had been before or a couple places all in one. I visualized a beach off of Italy, on one of the smaller islands, with one of those cabanas like in Las Vegas with the big chairs, and the type of sunsets you see over the beach. It was amazing. Very relaxing, but I wasn’t alone. It was weird like a dream but I was awake. All my friends were there and we were all just relaxing each in our own day bed. It was perfect.

We did the bridge pose today which is becoming one of my favorite poses along with child’s pose. The bridge strenghthens the gluteals and hamstrings and stretches the abdominal and chest. To do the bridge we start on our back and bend our knees, we lift the hips and push down on our heels and we open and expand our chest by pressing our shoulder blades together.

Yoga is easily my favorite part of Mondays and Wednesdays. Physical the bridge feels amazing on my hips, but I think its because I’m doing it wrong I think I am suppose to do it with my fingers pointing inwards (towards my head) because it should strengthen the neck and back, build wrist flexibility and open up my hips.

How to do the bridge: Lie on back, feet flat on floor, palms down, lift hips and torso off the floor, pressing into palms and feet, interlace hands and press shoulders and upper arms into the floor, lift hips higher toward the ceiling

yoga

September 23, 2009 Yoga Session #6

Wednesday week 5

Last week we did a few sun salutations and some balancing poses. My Balance and posture is improving greatly. This week we did some more sun salutations. We did the warrior pose and the crescent poses. And we started moving faster and to our breath. We also experienced this cleansing relaxation walk through with the instructor into our pond of dreams.

The Cleansing walk through

This was different than the staircase effect, maybe I was a little more tired but I didn’t experience it like Sharkie spoke about it. She said we would feel like we were actually going in the water and I just saw nice pictures of the ocean on a beautiful day. But I think it was still a good exercise because it really calmed me down. Although I think I might have fallen asleep at the end.

We did a very momentum driven warrior pose swinging our arms back and forth and it was very rewarding. I definitely broke a sweat this class and I can start feeling the change in my overall body shape just four weeks after yoga :) Overall I really like yoga. The tree balance poses are great on my back.

We also did a freefall exercise where we got to choose our own pose and do it for a couple minutes it was amazing. Everyone did something different. I decided to do the child’s pose because it was one of my favorite things.
The Crescent Lunge
The crescent lunge stretches the whole front of the body and strengthens the front leg, its also to help you work on your balance. The way to do it is start at the runners lunge and lift the body up. Lift your arms up and make sure your thigh is parallel to the ground with your knee over the heel. Move the hips forward and straighten the back leg without lowering your heel and reach back.

The pigeon pose

September 21, 2009 Yoga Session #5
Monday Week 4

We learned a few thinks in Yoga this Monday. It was an amazing way to start the week, I feel so energized and happy. I also started using iyogalife.com this week. Just to learn more about the history of yoga and how to practice the art at home.

We did some stretching as we usually do and then we did sun salutation A, the pigeon, and a mental exercise. This isn't the first time we do a mental exercise; about a week ago we did the crystal cove exercise. The yoga instructor took us to the bottom of the staircase with a light at the top and told us to relax that easy small steps will guide us to the top. It was an awesome exercise and I really enjoyed it. It was relaxing as was the rest of the yoga class.


The Pigeon.

Today we did the Pigeon which was a very great stretch of the hips. Although in iyogalife.com it says to start from downward facing dog we started it from tabletop and moved into it. We did a few long breathes and it felt amazing on my hips. I have been stretching and practicing with my hips a lot because a lot of the poses require it. The warrior pose the crescent moon and others. But the pigeon really opened us up and it was amazing.
The pigeon is a hip opener exercise which stretches the hips and releases tension from the body. We start in table top and take one knee to the wrist and then take that foot and push it toward the opposite wrist, and then we lower our body making sure we keep it straight. It felt really good on the hips and Sharkie said that later we would be ready to do a variation of the pigeon.

Sun salutation A

It wasn't the first time we practice a sun salutation with our breathing. We did sun salutation C but Sun Salutation A was different because there was more jumping and movement involved. It was a great practice regardless of my personal preference for Sun Salutation-Classic. When I got back from the yoga class today I really focused on finding out what were the benefits of the exercises we were doing and Sun Salutation-A opens and strengthens the front and back of the body while emotional balancing my mind and body with my breathing. It is a great reaction to do when you are low in energy or have bad body circulation; it is also one of the most practiced Sun Salutations.

The Sun Salutation A starts in the mountain pose and then we swan dive to tough the floor and hang in the monkey for a breath. Then we step back (later we will be able to jump back) into a high push up and slowly drop our bodies to lay on the mat and then go into upward dog. We slowly push ourselves into downward facing dog and then step back into forward fold and breath up into Namaste.

The Mind Exercise

Today our objective was to follow our thoughts without feeling and or judging. This I thought would be a good exercise for me because I always feel like I have a million thoughts in my head and I can’t think straight sometimes because I'm distracted with another thought. But when I sat down to follow my thoughts I couldn't think one thought besides how do you follow a thought, this is so dumb. But then I realized that's the point it stops you from thinking.

Yoga Assessment

September 16, 2009 Yoga Session #4
Wednesday Week 3

Today we didn't have a yoga session but it was still intense because I really pushed myself during the self assessment test. We did a lot of exercises that we had to hold for about a minute, there was one I did need improvement on, the V shape sitting on your butt!

We also did a lot of stretches and I was actually better than I thought but the leg straight up definitely needed improvement.

The other thing that I do need to focus on is breathing. I need to learn to breath deeper and not so shallow. It would also be nice for my exhaling to equal my inhaling.

Sun Salutation C

September 14, 2009 Yoga Session #3
Monday Week 3

I feel like I am finally learning to breathe to enjoy life. I think being an American we are accustomed to this fast pace life and we do things because we have to and not because we want to. But yoga is allowing me to breathe to enjoy it and release stress I can actually feel the air come in and out as I move from position to positing. I move as I exhale or as I inhale and I have stopped thinking. Or am trying to stop thinking and just focus on my breathing and my movements.

I feel that with a few more sessions I will finally be able to do yoga with my eyes closed and this will be beneficial to me because I will no longer feel like I have to compete with those around me that have been doing yoga since the womb. Lol. I am trying not to be competitive but it is in my nature.

Anyways down to real yoga. We practiced a modification of sun salutation C. This was very relaxing. I really enjoy yoga and I do feel the workout. At first I thought ah man I still have to go workout Monday/Wednesday because yoga just does not feel intense enough for me. Oh what a mistake I was feeling it the next few days.

Sun salutation C was great we did a lot of back stretches which was really great for my back, my posture and metabolism. We also did a few balancing positions that were great and although I was shaking it was relaxing. It was a perfect way to start my Monday

Sun Salutation C is the easiest of three and we can make it even easier if we drop out knees to the floor. We start in mountain pose and swine dive to touch the floor and hang in the monkey for a breath. Then we go into a lunge to a plank and hold then we lower our body to lay on the mat slowly and go into the cobra and then into downward dog, back into a lunge and then another forward fold and then stand up and do it again with lunging on the opposite leg. I like it it feels good.

A week later

Sept 9, 2009. Yoga Session #2
Wednesday Week 2

It’s a week later from the last yoga session, and this time it’s a lot better. Not only am I no longer stressing about my MCAT exam, but I had a good holiday (Labor day) and have finally taken exercising and eating healthy seriously. It’s much easier now that I'm getting full nights of sleep although I do wake up in the middle of the night and have to read myself back to sleep.

Yoga was interesting today, although it was relaxing I felt myself wanting to compete with those around me. The two girls to my left seemed like they had been to yoga before. Or at the very least seemed flexible. Extending their kicks and holding up positions without their legs twitching like mine did. Actually my whole body was shaking; it seemed like today’s sonic boom. But I’m not worry I know right now I have a week body core, my center position is really off and my studying hasn’t helped align my back. But the yoga instructor said it’s normal to shake and sweat.

Sweating is kind of a problem and I must remember to bring a hand towel because my hands and feet and the rest of me sweat, not a lot but enough so that I feel like I am slipping on the mat. I tried looking around and no one else seems to be slipping but hey maybe they don’t sweat as much as I do. Its good to sweat in yoga it releases all the negative toxins. I have also noticed that yoga is improving my digestive system and I am very happy about that because I believe it will improve my metabolism.

The poses we did today were Warrior One. Warrior one is suppose to help tone the hips and legs and release the stiff in your shoulders and back. I have to remember that when I am menstruating I should practice this poses because it alleviates cramping while toning my abs. Start in a runner lunge but standing, with your front leg bent at a 90 degree angle and the back leg straight. Make sure the heels are in a line and your back toes should be facing to the side. The hips should be squared and facing forward and your arms high in the air straight.

Overall I am really enjoying yoga, and hope I do well!

First Day of Yoga

Sept 2, 2009 Yoga Session #1
Wednesday Week 1

It’s the first time I've actually ever taken Yoga. I tried it once I did a five minute intense session at Huntington beach about a year ago. It was hard, I think what happened was that I did it with a few little girls and they were really good, both they’re parents were hippies and loved yoga and taught their kids yoga.

So I walked into this session a little scared of what I was up against, but I'm a fighter, I like to try and do new things and I usually won’t give up just because it starts off hard.

The session went well I really enjoyed it. I am usually an active exerciser and I really like to go running or hiking. I love going to the gym and being on the treadmill or elliptical machine....and I rarely ever stretch. I know its bad for me. But I figure I work out just under an hour so it’s not horribly bad and it’s not like I’m lifting weights....so doing yoga was great because it was stretching with style and also a work out but very relaxing. I did notice that I did sweat, but I didn’t feel my legs or muscles cramping and I think it was because of the deep breathing.

Doing yoga I felt I was concentrating on my breathing and following the routine, so my body wasn’t short on oxygen like it usually is when I exercise, so my muscles didn’t feel heavy because there was no lactic acid build up.

Today we did the beginner poses (The Asanas). We started with Tadasana which is just standing straight up feet together and you can go into many other poses, like the Mountain pose which is suppose to teach us how to properly stand and make us aware of our body. When we focus on the Tadasana we want to spread our toes, lift the rib cage, tighten our buttocks, tuck the tailbone in and pull the shoulders down.

All in all I really enjoyed the first session of yoga