God

WE GOT A SECRET MY SISTER AND I

Posted on by pennyjoliver

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I thank God for giving me yoga, a fit and able body to practice it, a mind to comprehend it, and a sister to laugh and experience it, the resources to learn about it, and the desire to share it with you!

My sister and I try to meet once a week for coffee and catching up on life. We discuss many things, especially now that she is a grandmother, but we always have something to share about yoga. It may be something we learned or something we have discovered about ourselves. We used to get together to only do yoga. Then we discovered it’s more fun sharing our discoveries with one another. It’s funny though, we don’t just do yoga. We are more “borderline obsessed” with it. Thank God for Google because we have discovered amazing things about how it can help us physically, medically, spiritually and more! I know only God is responsible for our health and fitness, but I would say that He is working in mysterious ways through yoga because we feel great!  We are in our fifties and we feel even better than when we were in our forties. Halleluyah!

Today, while talking,  my sister said precisely what I have come to believe, “Yoga is like this big secret that I have. I do it and feel so awesome after. I could be having a miserable day and there, right there after I do yoga, I feel so much better.” Well, she let the secret out! There is so much more to yoga than meets the eye. It’s not simply an exercise system. It’s also a health enhancer, an energy giver and an ailment reliever. It’s a God finder and a you improver and a journey waiting for you to explore!

Everyone knows that sisters can’t keep secrets. Yet, the secret remains true. There is more to yoga than what you can see. Won’t you give it a try?

HALLELUYAH!

 

 

 

WHY NOT YOGA?

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Why yoga, you might ask? The real question we all should be asking is: why not yoga?

There are 20 million people practicing various forms of yoga in the U.S. today. There is a growing number of case studies, polls, and the entire medical community talking about yoga’s potential to help, prevent, heal, or alleviate specific conditions. Yoga is also beneficial as a technique for relieving stress and coping with chronic conditions or disabilities. Most studies publish results that yoga is not only a form of exercise, but can act as a treatment and as a preventative form of medicine and healthcare.

Yoga is already a commonly used mind-body intervention for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and post traumatic stress. It’s used as a therapy for asthma and arthritis. It’s proving to be effective in cognitive problems and fatigue in cancer survivors. It’s proving that yoga can be an effective strategy in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cardiac function and also COPD , migraines, metabolic syndrome, restless leg syndrome and weight management.  It can be a management for hypertension, menopause, GERD, and chronic heart failure, stress management and fatigue. It can also aid in chronic pain such as back and neck pain. It improves sleep and helps with all stages of pregnancy. Seniors get stronger, flexible and balanced, as does anyone practicing this form of exercise.

As you can see the benefits of yoga are phenomenal and growing. Anyone can do yoga and reap it’s rewards. You don’t need to be fit or flexible either. If you can breathe, you can do it! What do you need to know to get started? Inhale. Exhale. Repeat. Don’t let anyone fool you. It’s not much harder than that. Let go and let God show you how good you can truly feel from the inside out!

YOGA MINI CHALLENGE FOR KNEE STRENGTH (so you can pray!)

Posted on by pennyjoliver

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Since prayer is the Christian’s most deadliest weapon, may we always be poised for victory, for we never know when we may have to fight a battle!

This segment will stretch, strengthen and flex our back and lower body muscles making it easier for us to stay on our knees and pray!

Complete each pose on the same leg during the sequence then switch to your other leg after you have completed all 6 postures.

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1.) Bended Knee Praying Position

With bended knees and hands in a praying position, sit on your heels. Inhale long and deep and exhale long and deep up to 10 times while dwelling on this verse of Scripture.

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2.) Rising Knee /Arm Stretch

Inhale long and deep with hands clasped behind your back as you rise up on your bended knees. Look up. Arch back. Pause and pull your stomach in. Exhale long and deep as you slowly come down to your heels. Let your head rest on your mat and try to lift your arms upwards behind you.

For a less vigorous approach breath long and deep and do the arm movements from the seated position.

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3.) Deep Lunge

Rise up from your heels and step forward and bend your left leg. Place your arms on the ground for support. Inhale long and deep, up to 10 inhales and exhales.

For more intensity bend your right leg and sink your hips. Stretch your arms overhead or place them in a prayer position.

For a less vigorous approach bend your back leg.

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4.) One Knee Forward Stretch

From a lunge position move your body slowly backwards. Try to straighten your left leg out in front of you. Extend over your straight leg. Inhale and exhale long and deep for 3-10 times.

You can also move into lunge pose with a long and deep inhale then exhale, moving back to a one knee forward stretch. Repeat up to ten times.

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5.) Deep Lunge/Back Leg Bend

Slowly step your left foot forward, letting your hips sink. Be gentle with your knee as you bend it, picking up your right foot. If you can, lift and stretch your left arm up. Inhale and exhale 3-5 times long and deeply.

For more intensity really let your hips sink.

For a less vigorous approach don’t sink your hips and don’t lean forward. Also, you can place your left arm on your hips or forward leg.

 

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6.) Full Body Bow

With hands in praying position, slide them forward, letting your head follow. Let your entire body be in a praying pose before God. Try and do 10 long and deep inhales and exhales. Stay as long as you like.

Lie back and relax, inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply.

Go forth and be a person who is always ready and poised for victory!

 

HALLELUYAH!