stability

THE SIMPLE PRAYING TREE POSE

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Welcome to “Yoga with Penny.” This month I present to you the simple yet elegant, Praying Tree Pose!

Although this position is a very basic yoga position, a Praying Tree Pose offers an array of vibrant healthy benefits. Best of all it is a yoga position that can easily be approached and when you are ready it can progress into a very challenging position. Where ever you may find yourself in this pose you will be continually strengthening your feet, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, hips, spine and core. With simple props like a chair, table or a wall that you can use for support, even beginners will be building a firm foundation while improving balance and coordination and focus too.

Tree Pose Directions:

  • Stand with your feet hip width apart and your feet firmly on your mat with your toes spread wide.
  • Find an object or piece of a wall directly in front of you to focus on.
  • Place your hands on your hips.
  • Lift your left foot and place it on your right ankle.
  • Stay here and balance, breathing deeply for three counts.
  • Now if possible, lift your foot up your leg as high as possible.
  • Let your knee extend out to the side like a branch.
  • Press your palms together at your heart center and breathe deeply for ten counts.
  • Send up a prayer of thanks if you like.
  • Remember to make a tree with your other leg.
  • While balancing, ensure your shoulders and hips face forward equally.
  • Also ensure your shoulders are pressed down and your is chin up.
  • Try to maintain a straight back as much as possible.
  • If you fall over simply get back up.
  • Remember that you can always hold onto a wall, chair or table for support.

Being a “Tree” also boosts our brain power. Our feet contain thousands of nerve endings that send signals to our brain. Balancing on one leg creates new neural pathways that establish stability for balancing on one leg.

A Praying Tree is good for our heart. Sending up prayers to Heaven helps to regulate our heartbeat by allowing it to be less stressed. Less stress helps our bodies to heal faster and gives us hope which naturally relieves stress. Since stress is linked to the six leading causes of death it is worth the effort!

I hope you enjoyed being a “Tree” with me and that you practice this position everyday to maintain good balance, stability, strength and a happy hopeful heart!

Penny!

 

THE HALF MOON POSE YOGA MINI CHALLENGE

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Welcome to Yoga with Penny!

This month, I will teach you how to shine in Half Moon Pose.

Balancing on one leg appears very intimidating for a beginner yogi. Yet, just like the moon has phases, working to full extension with our Half Moon Pose also takes time. At the beginning, use a chair or a wall for support. Because yoga is about being kind and loving to ourselves it is perfectly acceptable to use props to help us get into and out of certain postures. And because the Half Moon Pose is very beneficial to our over all health and well being, it is a yoga posture worth our time and effort.

Practiced on a regular basis, this posture will greatly improve our proprioception. This is the medical term for how our body knows what position we are in. It also informs our body when unanticipated events happen. For example, if we are walking on rocks and we feel unstable, our foot and ankle will send this info to our brain. Our body will then respond immediately by extending our arms to balance. Our eyes will then quickly find a new rock ahead to regain stability. Keeping our proprioception activated will help us to live stable, injury-free lives, especially as we age.

The Half Moon Pose

Place a chair on your right side for support.

Place your feet hip width apart.

Turn your right foot to the right side.

Bend your forward right knee and lift your back leg.

Try to keep both hips facing forward.

You can place your right hand on the chair or mat for support. Keep your hands directly below your shoulders.

Lift your left hand up or place it on your hips.

Turn your head forward.

Try to breathe deeply for 10 deep breaths. If you fall, try again.

You may feel a tendency to fall backward. Even so, try to align your entire body directly over your standing leg.

You may only be able to lift your leg an inch. That’s the perfect place for you to start!

Try a few times on the right leg, then repeat and balance on your left leg.

Practice often. You will see and feel results. Know that every time you shoot for the moon, you will be doing your body a world of good!

Thanks for joining me.

peace and love,

Penny!

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOGA CHALLENGE SUITED FOR ROYALTY (yoga shot on castle grounds)

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Let’s have some fun! Join me in fifteen of my favorite standing yoga poses; everyone is invited! Each pose comes with instruction to modify or intensify each position, so that each pose will benefit everybody! Together, we will be stretching, strengthening and building our entire bodies while improving focus, concentration, stability, balance, and body awareness. We will be providing our insides an opportunity to detox, while boosting our metabolism and circulation. Our respiratory system will fire up, bringing fresh oxygen to our all of our cells. It’s a total body workout suited for royalty!

Imagine the biggest castles in the world. Now imagine every castle in the world that was, or is now, or ever will be. Now place yourself in the middle of all those castles combined. Think how protected and impenetrable you are, standing inside millions of stone walls. Now wrap your brain around this:

The Lord Most High is your Fortress. Run to Him for safety.

Psalm 91:9

Take a moment to relax and get into the mood of these yoga poses. Close your eyes, breathe and flood your mind with thoughts of how loved, protected and unconquerable that you really are!

Complete the entire 15 poses with your right leg forward and as the leg that holds you up in balancing poses. Then complete the entire 15 poses with your left leg forward and for balance!
1.) Warrior I

Step to the side, bending your right knee. Do not extend your knee beyond your toes. Keep your back leg straight with toes slightly pointing inward. Open your arms wide to the sides. Keep your neck tall, with chin up and shoulders down. Try to pull up and out of your hips. Pulling in your stomach will help. Breathe deeply up to 10 counts. Step your back foot in for less intensity. For more of a challenge step your back foot out.

2.) Triangle Pose

With heels on the same line, point your forward right foot to the side. Point your back leg’s toes slightly inward. Keep both legs straight. Fold over your front leg. Open up your arms. There should be a straight line from hand to hand. Where ever your hand falls do the Triangle from that place. Meaning you can still attempt to open up your arms with your hand higher on your leg. Stretch and breathe up to 10 counts.

3.) Open Arms Warrior I

Simply bend your forward leg and open your arms generously to the sides. Breathe deeply for 10 counts. Bend deeper  for more of a challenge and hold the position for 1-3 minutes breathing steady and deeply. Step your back leg in for less intensity.

4.) Deep Lunge Pose 

From Warrior I Pose, turn your hips to face your forward leg with toes pointing forward. Raising your back heel will enable the turn. Keeping your heel up, lift both arms, and look up. Breathe deeply again for up to 10 counts. Stepping in your back foot will lessen the intensity a bit! You may also hold the pose with your hands on your hips, looking straight.

5.) Lunge Pose Twist

From a Deep Lunge position, place your back heel on the mat for stability and press your palms together in prayer pose. A big inhale will provide space for you to twist; with a big inhale, twist your torso to the right side. Pressing your palms will also help with the twist. Eventually, you want your left elbow going beyond and to the outside of your forward right leg. Once you have arrived, continue pressing those palms together. Breathe steady and deeply for up to 10 counts.

6.) Standing Forward Bend

Stand tall with legs together. Inhale deeply, stretching your arms up overhead. Exhale deeply, folding over your legs. Repeat up to 10 more long and deep breaths. Stretch only as far as you can go. Then do the exercise from your position.

Once you have completed the Forward Bend, remain folded over your legs. Try to touch your toes, but any part of your leg will do. Inhale deeply with your head up, looking straight. Also keeping your back straight with your head and chin up. Then exhale, lowering your head as close as you can to your knees. Repeat the Forward Bend up to 10 times with big inhale and exhales.

7.) Chair Pose 

With legs together, gently sit back as if there was a chair behind you. Lift your arms up as you do. Make sure that your knees remain behind your toes. Sit back to the place that is comfortable for you. For more stability, widen your legs. For more intensity, keep your legs and feet tightly pressed together while sitting back as far as you can. Breath deeply again, for up to 10 counts.

8.) Chair Pose Twist

From Chair Pose, press your palms together. With a big inhale, twist your torso to the right. The inhale lifts you so press those palms together and twist. Try to get your left elbow to the outside of your right thigh. Stay where you find your twist and breathe deeply for up to 10 counts. Repeat on your left side.

9.) One Legged Chair Pose

If you can, sit back into Chair Pose as you lift your left leg and place it over your thigh. Stretch your arms out to the sides and breathe deeply for up to 10 counts. The bending forces your torso forward and stretching your arms, giving you stability. Don’t forget to smile!

10.) Warrior I

Step out with your right foot and bend your knee. Keep your knee behind your toes and your back leg toes slightly turned in. (Mine are not turned in as much as they should be!) Stretch your arms out and breathe deeply for up to 10 counts.

10.) Half Moon Pose

From Warrior I Pose, dip your forward shoulder and raise your back arm. Slowly and gently pick up your back leg. Find your mat with your forward right hand. You should keep your knee bent for better stability. If you are balancing well at this point, lift your left arm up and look up. This will open up your body into Half Moon. Hold for up to 10 big breaths. Remember that even lifting your back leg up 2 inches is great when your starting out! You can use a sturdy chair or table for stability as you practice Half Moon Pose.

11.) Half Moon Pose Stretch

From Half Moon Pose, bend your lifted leg and hold unto that foot. Pushing your foot away from your hand  will provide a deeper stretch. Use a sturdy chair or table as you begin. With consistent practice, you will see results in all that you do!

12.) Tip Toe Extended Leg Squat

Bend your knees and squat down, placing your palms together in Prayer Pose. If your legs are feeling sturdy, extend your left leg out to the side. Breathe deeply for 10 counts and repeat with your right leg extended. If you can’t do this yet, stay on your tip toes in a squat position without extending your legs.

13.) The King’s Pose

Pick your left leg up. Squeeze your knee into your chest. Slide your left hand slowly down your leg, clasping your ankle and dropping it behind your body. You should only be holding onto your ankle at this point. It’s easiest if you grasp your foot. I like to grasp my fingers on the outside of my foot. Slightly bend your standing leg at first. I have seen it done all ways. I think if you can actually get in this position, you don’t care where your hand holds your foot. Now just lean forward a little. Then lean little more. Pressing your foot into your hand helps with deepening the stretch. Try to lead with your chin and breathe 10 big breaths. Use a chair or sturdy table to help hold you up if it’s still difficult.

14.) Praying Tree Pose

Stand tall. Gently place your left foot anywhere on your right thigh. The higher the foot, the deeper the stretch; you are improving balance and coordination. Breathe deeply for 10 counts. Try to keep your back straight, shoulders down, neck long, and palms pressed together. Also, try not to let your lifted leg sneak forward. Keep your extended knee directly out to the side.

15.) Warrior I Pose

Bend and step your right leg forward. Move your back toes slightly in, keeping your back leg straight. Pull in your stomach and sink your torso to deepen the stretch. Lift your arms up to Heaven and breathe deeply up to 10 counts!

Lie down for a bit to let your muscles relax – you worked hard! When you are ready, rise up, take courage and remember to who you belong!

stay strong

and yoga on!

xxoo

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