blessed

WARRIOR II INTO EXTENDED SIDE ANGLE POSE MINI CHALLENGE (the transition to be present)

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Hi Friends!

Try the following yoga poses staying in each pose for 5-10 deep inhales and exhales with your left leg forward. Then repeat each pose with your right leg forward. Then try repeating both poses with each leg forward a few more times.

Warrior II Pose and Extended Side angle Pose are pretty common  yoga poses that you will probably see in every different school of yoga. You may find your yoga teacher using them together or as a transition into more difficult poses. Each pose develops core power and leg strength, while toning your arms, shoulders and back.

Holding these poses with steady deep breathing will bring you to the present moment. This will encourage your nervous system to relax into a state of deep rest. This has the power to alter your physical and emotional reaction to stress in a positive way. Practicing yoga poses with deep breathing regularly can improve your overall health.


Our physical bodies may benefit from deep breathing while practicing yoga but our minds may be so stuck on our worries that it can be extremely difficult to pay attention to the present moment. However, Jesus says “Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or wear, “(Matthew 6:24, 27)

Then He continues, “Look at the birds, consider the lilies, if God so clothed the grass of the field, will he not much clothe you?…Therefore do not worry.”(Matthew 6:25-30) By being mindful of the fact that since the beginning, the creatures of the earth have been continually provided for, we can recognize that we are continually being provided for. This offers us a choice. Will we continue to react to negative thoughts of our cares and worries and let these thoughts run our lives? Or will we take a deep breath, pause for a moment and realize we now have a choice of how we will respond? It’s easier said than done right, but we can try. I’m in. How about you?

…may your day be blessed with no stress!

xxoo

 

 

 

 

STRETCHING YOGA CHALLENGE

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Join me in this quick stretch to loosen up your tense muscles and get a new perspective on stretching!

If we are willing, we can stretch ourselves to achieve great things – but God has better for every one of us!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5-6

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Luke 1:37

Do you remember? Peter walked on water. Sarah gave birth at age 90. Mary was a mother with out knowing a man. Jesus’ disciples fed over 5,000 people from one kid’s lunch. Moses parted the entire Red Sea for the Israelites to cross. Little boy David killed an armored giant with a stone. Daniel a slept all night in a den of lions. Deborah saved a nation. The list goes on!

Though the people of the Bible were just normal people, they did amazing things! But they had one thing in common: they were stretched! Day by day, year by year, little by little, God stretched their faith. At the point when they were fully able to rely on Him, God blessed them; they accomplished above and beyond what they could possibly imagine!

Now is your opportunity to go deeper in your yoga practice with these Asanas below. Remember to breathe deeply, this will relieve stress and tension, allowing you to stretch deeper. I know God is stretching me – where might God be stretching you?

1.) Standing Stretch

Start by standing tall with your abs pulled in, your butt tucked under, your chest lifted, your shoulders down and your neck lengthened. Lift your arms to the sides, inhale deeply, and stretch them up. Exhale deeply and lower your arms. Repeat 5-10 times, depending on how much time you have.

2.) Forward Bend

In this stance, when you exhale down, extend your torso over your legs. Whereever your hands land on your legs is the perfect place for you. Once you feel comfortable in the Forward Bending stretch, put your left hand near, in front of, or touching your right foot. Stretch your right arm up and gently twist. Repeat on your other side. Stretch each side 5-10 times.

To make it slightly easier, bend your knees. You can also play around with your legs by bending each one separately.

Do number 3-8 with your right leg forward. Then do number 3-8 with your left leg forward.

3.) Intense Pose Reverse Praying Hands

Extend your right leg to the side with your toes pointed. Slightly turn in your left toes. Press your palms behind your back in a praying positio,n lifting the palms as high up your back as you can go. Stretch your entire torso back with a deep inhale. With a deep long exhale, extend your torso out and over your front leg. Lead with your chin. Stretch as far as you can go in this position.

You can always step your back leg in to make it easier, or slightly bend both legs. You can also place your hands on your hips, or clasp your wrists in back instead of the reverse prayer hold.

4.) Intense Pose Stretch

Once you can no longer hold the Reverse Prayer Position, release you hands and stretch deeper over your leg. Try to get your head to touch your knee and breathe deeply, for up to 10 counts.

Step your back leg in for less intensity and slightly lean forward to make this pose less challenging.

5.) Deep Lunge Pose

Bend your right knee. Place your hands on your mat on each side of your foot. Step your back leg in for less intensity, or place your knee on your mat. Breathe deeply for up to 10 counts.

You can always bend your back leg for less intensity or place your hands on your thigh.

6.) Lunge Pose Twist

Raise your right arm and look up. Stretch that body. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths.

Bend your back knee if it becomes too challenging.

 


7.) Deep Lunge Stretch

Drop your back knee to the mat. Stay here and breathe deeply for up to 10 counts. If you can, grasp your foot; stretch and hold this position for 5-10 breaths.

Take it farther by lifting your forward arm up and pulling your foot to meet your sitting bones. Breath 10 long and deep breaths again!


8.) Bended Knee Prayer Position

Place both your hands on each side of your foot and slide your knee below your sitting bones to come out of the intense stretch. Then bring your palms together. You are ready to pray!

Sit and breathe for a few moments. Enjoy the rewards that any kind of stretching can bring!

Let me know how it goes…

yoga on

xxoo

<3

YOGA CHALLENGE FOR FLEXIBILITY

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Beloved, you can become uber flexible. Simply include this Challenge directly after any of the other Halleluyah Yoga Challenges  at least 3 times a week. Soon, you will see all of your yoga poses enhanced by these few simple stretches that target the big muscle groups like your legs, hips, back and spine muscles. When these muscles get stretched and lengthened, they release stress in those areas. The less stress, the deeper the stretch and the more flexible you become. Get stretching! They will prove a great compliment to any Yoga Challenge and a nourishing cool down at the end of any of your work outs. Your insides will be thanking you too!

You know the saying…

…”Blessed are the flexible for they will not be bent out of shape!”

or, as 1 Peter 5:7 says,

Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.

1.) Seated Forward Bend Warm -Up

With your legs straight out in front of you, sit tall with hips below your shoulders. Lean back slightly without hurting your back with a big inhale. Quickly lean forward with a big exhale. Lead with your chin. This method will keep your back lengthened for a deeper stretch. Repeat this process 10-50 times. The more you do this, the deeper you will be able to stretch.

2.) Butterfly Pose

Bring your feet in. Press the bottoms of your feet together. Pull them toward your body. Let your elbows keep your legs down. With a big inhale bend forward, leading with your chin. Remain at a good stretching area that is comfortable for you. Breathe deeply for 10-20 counts. Again, the longer you stay in the stretch, the more flexible you will become!

3.) Seated Side Angle Stretch

Extend your left leg out to the side. Look at the opposite side. Lift your right arm and lean over your extended left leg. Inhale when your body is up ight.  Exhale when you lean to the left side. Try to look up at your arm. Repeat 10 times or more time, then repeat with your left leg extended.

4.) Wide Legged Stretch

Extend both your legs out to the sides. Inhale and sit up tall. Exhale as you walk your hands forward. Again, lead with your chin to lengthen your back. When you’ve stretched as far as you comfortably can, stay there for a few big breaths, then walk your self back. Continue walking out and back 10 times, or stay in the stretch for a while. You will notice you will go deeper the longer you stay in the stretch. The steady deep breaths will release tension in your muscles – so don’t forget to breath!

5.) Seated Forward Bend

Sit up tall with hips below your shoulders. Clasp your hands together and stretch your arms up over your head with a big inhale. Leading with your chin fold over your legs with a big exhale. Whereever you find yourself in the stretch is your starting point. Stay for a few big breaths. Then stretch up and fold again over your legs for a total of 10 times.

6.) Runner’s Lunge

With right knee directly over your foot and hands on each side for support, stretch into a lunge. Hold it for a few big breaths. Now bend your back leg. Move your sitting bones back. Straighten your forward right leg and stretch over it while sitting back. Breathe deeply for 10 counts. Move forward and backwards several times. Feel a good stretch and stretch for a while! Repeat with your left leg forward.

7.) Split Position

Start your split from the lunge position above. When you stretch back, that is the position that will ease you into the split. Let the forward leg stretch forward as you straighten the back leg and split! Try to keep your hips facing forward. Look up and stretch. Fold forward and stretch. Breathe deeply and hold the position as long as you feel good in the stretch. Move into the split a few times and come out. Keep a steady breath. You will discover the longer you split the deeper you will fall into it.

We may never have a full split but our bodies will still benefit from every effort that we make!

Drink in the soothing effects that stretching provides and find joy in a fresh perspective!

Halleluyah!

FLEX AND STRETCH

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Time on your mat invites you to stretch not only your body, but your emotional, mental, and spiritual self as well. Let yoga serve as an exploration, so that God can use to move you ever closer to that lovely state of balance where you feel alive and awakened, energized yet relaxed, refreshed and rejoicing, peaceful and loved… all in the same moment!

Being physically flexible is not just about being able to get into into pretzel like positions as in yoga. Actually, flexibility is the ability to move muscles and joints through their complete range of motion. Increasing flexibility improves and stretches your range of motion, thus enhancing daily life in a multitude of ways. Flexing and stretching improves circulation by increasing blood flow and nourishing muscle tissue. Frequent flexing and stretching helps reduce tightness in muscles and allows you to maintain better posture. Flexing and stretching also relieves tension, enhances coordination and balance, increases energy levels, aids in pain relief and improves your sense of well being. Flexing and stretching can also be an attitude that invests and transforms the mind. Flexible minded persons are able to take advantage of opportunities, flourishing and growing in the process. It challenges us to leave our comfort zones and offers us new ways of experiencing God, ourselves, and the world.

Researchers at the University of California, at Berkley, introduced an amoeba into a perfect, stress free environment (the amoeba is a single-celled organism that lives in marine environments). The temperature, moisture level and food supply were all perfect for the amoebas survival. The amoeba needed to make no adjustments to improve its life. One would think that the amoeba simply lived the good life, right? Unfortunately for the amoeba, it died. The saying “you’re either green and growing or ripe and rotting” is quite true here. The amoeba needed challenge in order to multiply and grow. Without challenge in life, it could not survive.

In the Bible, God used example after example of men and women who left their comfort zones and were able to accomplish amazing things. Moses, David, Joshua, Ruth, Debra, Paul, Mary and Jesus are just a few! Think about their lives and the way they allowed themselves to be flexible before God.

Some people say the moment you leave your comfort zone is when life really begins. I don’t know about you, but I call that faith!

 

 

…” I came that you may have life and live it more abundantly”-

John 10:10

HALLELUYAH!