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12 Yoga Poses For Pickleball
Pickleball is the new sport that’s spreading across the US. Although the courts are smaller than tennis and the bats are lighter it doesn’t mean you can’t get injured. Here are 12 yoga poses you can use in a sequence. This pickleball prehab yoga will help you avoid injury and improve your game.
How Yoga Helps Your Game
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Improve Flexibility
Yoga stretches your muscles and tendons. Over time with repeated practice, you will notice you become more flexible. Better flexibility leads to an increased range of motion.
When your range of motion improves you notice you can reach balls you couldn’t get to in the past. You will find it easier to get to overhead balls and get down to those low balls too. With a full range of motion, you can twist more easily which will make you more nimble getting around the court.
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Prevent Injury
Knees, hips, shoulders, and backs, can all take a beating. Ankles and wrists might start to complain too. Yoga helps your joints by strengthening the muscles around them. Pre-game yoga poses & stretching improve blood flow and help prevent muscle soreness and stiffness. This can all help muscle repair and recovery.
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Improve Balance & Posture
Anytime you take a yoga class you spend the hour stretching and straightening. So you leave class feeling like you’re walking a little taller. Better posture avoids being one-sided and helps prevent the joints from overloading. This of course helps prevent injury. . Lots of yoga poses need good balance, so you get lots of practice in a yoga class. Each time you are wobbling and righting yourself in tree pose, remember you are working your core and all the small muscles in your feet as well as your leg muscles.
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Mental Clarity
Yoga allows you to find mental clarity. Intentional breathing, mindful movement, and connecting deeply with your body during a yoga sequence lets the mind quiet its chatter. If you include a small meditation in your practice you start to notice improved focus and calm over time. Some deep, calming breaths before a serve can allow you to settle and be more focused.
12 Great Yoga Poses for Pickleball Players
Here are some poses for you to try. Never stretch beyond your limits. You may notice an element of slight discomfort but you should not feel pain. Remember you can ease back and use extra props. Yoga is a balance of effort and ease, you should always be able to breathe fully in the poses. If you are holding your breath maybe you are stretching too deeply, ease back.
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Cow pose
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Cat pose
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Downward facing dog
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Cobra
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Childs pose
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Side plank
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Twisted triangle
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Tree pose
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Pigeon pose
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Bridge pose
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Supine twist
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Legs up the wall
Do the poses in order to create a home yoga practice
Releases tension in spine and hips
Stretches back of legs and back, strengthens arms, shoulders and legs
Stretches psoas, and hip flexors, strengthens back and glutes
Counter pose to back ends (cobra) stretches lower back
Strengthens arms, shoulders and core & works on balance
Balance, strengthens legs and core, opens chest and shoulders
Balance, core strength, leg strength & focus
Hip opener
Strengthens glutes, back and core
Release tension in lower back
Stretch for back and legs (for some bodies), relaxes leg muscles
Conclusion
Yoga is a great compliment to your pickleball game. Not only will a yoga practice help improve your game it will set you up for greater flexibility, increased strength, and improved focus. Tag onto that lowered stress levels, feeling more relaxed, and increased general wellbeing. What’s not to love.
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8 Yoga Poses for Menopause
What is menopause?
Menopause is when your period stops for good. There are many symptoms, for example, hot flashes, brain fog and night sweats Here are 8 yoga poses that you can try to help with menopause symptoms.
Some Definitions
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Peri-menopause
Or menopause transition usually begins 8-10 years before menopause. The ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen. It usually starts in your 40s but can start in your 30s or earlier.
Peri-menopause lasts up until menopause. Menopause is when your ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last 1 to 2 years of peri-menopause, the drop in estrogen speeds up, and you can start getting menopause symptoms.
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Menopause
Is when your periods stop. It marks the end of your reproductive years.
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Post-menopause
Women are post-menopausal when they have not had their period for a year.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
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Hot flashes
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Night sweats
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Brain fog/ memory problems
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Mood swings
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Depression/Anxiety
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Fatigue
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Insomnia
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Vaginal dryness
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Discomfort during sex
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Lower sex drive
Some facts about menopause
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The symptoms and cultural significance of menopause are different around the world. For example, in Japan, women report symptoms of mainly joint & muscle problems but not hot flashes.
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Hormone levels are influenced by how we eat, sleep, and exercise. A recent study has shown there is a direct relationship between diet and menopause symptoms. So eating lots of soy products in the traditional Japanese diet may be why Japanese women don’t seem to experience hot flashes like those in the West.
8 yoga poses to relieve menopause symptoms
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Forward bend
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Reclined bound angle
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Seated forward bend
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Legs up the wall
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Shoulder stand
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Triangle
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Bridge
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Plough
made with canva
What are the benefits of yoga for menopause?
Forward bends are good for anxiety, irritability and insomnia
Forward bends can help reduce anxiety, irritability, and mental tension. Folding forward and shutting out external stimuli can soothe the mind and reduce the effects of stress. Then the nervous system is signaled that all is well, and the adrenals and sympathetic nervous system stop working so hard.
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Standing forward bend – generous bend in the knees and fold from the hips. Head loose and hang like a rag doll.
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Seated forward bend – bend the knees if you need to, fold from the hips, put a pillow on your lap to support your upper body. Let your head hang, maybe build up the pillows to rest your forehead.
Backbends help with fatigue, supported backbends help with hot flashes
Gentle-supported backbends encourage the chest and the heart to open and bring renewed energy. It also improves respiration and circulation and helps lift spirits. Any tension in your body can make hot flashes worse. Use bolsters, blankets, or blocks to support your entire body. Reclined poses with proper support should cool and ease hot flashes.
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Reclined bound angle pose – soles of the feet press together, legs open like a butterfly. Put pillows on the outside to support your legs as they open. Recline and use as many pillows you need to support your back. Your head can be level with your back there is no need for a big arch in the back bend.
Inversions help with depression & brain fog
Everything you do with your body can affect your thoughts and attitude. Sometimes something as subtle as a shift in posture can lighten a dark mood. Inversions can help improve a depressed mood. In effect, they are turning everything upside down. Of course being upside down also increases blood to the brain.
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Legs up a wall – start by sitting sideways to the wall with your hip pressed against the wall. Lie back and swing the legs up. Use a pillow under your head if needed. This should feel comfortable.
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Shoulder stand – inversion – helps with depression & brain fog
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Triangle pose -is good for preventing osteoporosis, as it is weight-bearing. It stimulates the abdominal organs, including the reproductive organs, and calms the nervous system. It also helps reduce anxiety & can help digestive issues.
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Bridge pose – back bend – helps with fatigue
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Plough pose – inversion – helps with depression & brain fog
More therapeutic yoga to relieve menopause symptoms
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Positive self affirmations
These allow you to challenge negative thoughts and, by doing every day, can start to retrain the way you think. You remove the negative self-talk and increase self-esteem. Here are some examples of affirmations that resonate with me. But do try to make up affirmations that work for you.
The morning is a time to create an intention for the day.
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I am strong, capable & kind.
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I have the power to change my story.
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I am healthy, happy, and radiant.
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I choose to respond to this challenge with grace and positivity.
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I will not worry about tomorrow. I will enjoy today.
At night is a more reflective time. Perhaps a time for gratitude
I am grateful for my supportive family & friends.
I am grateful for the growth I experienced today.
2. Yoni mudra
Mudra means seal mark or gesture in Sanskrit. Mudras are practiced to intensify the effects of your yoga or meditation practice and enhance the flow of energy. The Yoni Mudra is dedicated to the female Hindu goddess Shakti. Yoni means womb. The practice of Yoni Mudra brings strength and power.
You place your thumbs together and pointed upwards, index fingers together pointed downwards, press the other fingers together. Sit comfortably and follow your breath.
Let’s connect & you can find out more about yoga therapy online
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10 Ways Couples Yoga Therapy Can Strengthen Your Relationship
Using couples yoga therapy to make strong bonds
What shows up on a yoga mat can help you gain insight into your relationship. When you experience a couples yoga therapy session you engage in conscious breathwork, mindful movement, and embodied awareness. These tools allow you to see yourself, your partner, and your relationship from a different standpoint. Allowing you to gain a fresh perspective.
Here’s how couples yoga therapy can improve your relationship;
1. Strengthen your relationship with yourself
Self-love is the start of a happy relationship. Understanding yourself and being ok with who you are gives you a certain strength and resilience. To make a partnership work your strength will be called upon often. If you do not love yourself, you won’t feel you are worthy of love from others. In your relationship, you want to be able to accept wholeheartedly the love your partner has to give.
When working together in couples therapy, as well as seeing your partnership from a new lens you often see your self in another way and this in turn allows you to gain an acceptance of that self.
2. Improve your communication skills
Strong and healthy relationships are built on good communication. To communicate well you first have to learn to listen. Listening is more than hearing. It’s about understanding what your partner is trying to communicate to you.
In couples yoga therapy we work together, so you can learn the tools needed to communicate well. It takes a little practice to be an active listener but it is a valuable tool in any relationship.
3. Spend time together
Spending time with each other allows you to have shared experiences which strengthens the bond of any relationship.
Life can be busy. It’s easy to put your relationship to the back of the queue while you deal with other priorities. But this is a mistake that will be paid for down the road. Carving out us time to take a couples session sets the intention to spend time with your partner now.
4. Create something together
Making something together is another way of having a shared experience. But you are making something tangible. Creating something together can be a powerful experience. Making yoga poses together can make you laugh and sometimes make you cry but the experience is something you get to share.
The yoga poses in couples yoga therapy are created by 2 people coming together to form one pose. You co-create a shape. The shape is created by communicating with your partner and together you find the shape that fits your 2 bodies best.
5. Connect deeply with your body and self with yoga
When we can connect with our bodies we can notice thoughts, feelings, and emotions whilst letting go of the chatter of our mind. Connecting to our inner selves can help us be present in the moment. Feel what is true and alive for us right now, and help us move away from our usual unhealthy behavior patterns. Bringing the felt sense into our relationships means making a deep connection with your partner.
Embodiment is when you are in a state of focused awareness, feeling fully present and grounded in your body. During a couples yoga therapy session, you will be coached to become embodied in your poses.
6. Rediscover intimacy
When co-creating shapes and poses you will see each other in a different light. You may be reminded of your partner’s positive qualities. Their strength, their humor, or their ability to be vulnerable. Sitting together, breathing together, and being held creates a special sort of intimacy.
7. Yoga helps you to set boundaries
Setting boundaries allows you the space you need, to flourish. In a relationship setting boundaries allows each partner to carve out the space needed for mental and emotional well-being. And to agree on what behavior is appropriate for that relationship. Setting boundaries helps you know when to walk away from a toxic situation.
In a yoga practice you model boundary setting. Stopping before a stretch is beyond your limits. Reigning back if you feel you have gone a little far in a posture. Your body experiences the feeling of space and freedom in certain poses. This feeling in your body can help reinforce a behavior.
8. Yoga lets you just be
Being able to just be with what is. Being accepting of yourself for who you are. Accepting your partner for who they are. Accepting the situation you are in right now. Rather than passively accepting and doing nothing about your situation. You are taking stock, mindfully seeing things for what they are, and letting go of judgment and ego. You then see your situation with a newfound clarity. Now you can make changes and move forward in a mindful, meaningful way.
The practice of acceptance comes up time and time again in yoga poses. What you practice on the mat you can take away with you and use in your life.
9. Yoga can release trauma
Trauma lives in the body. Yoga can release energy or trauma that gets trapped in our bodies at some point in our lives. In a yoga session, you may notice thoughts, feelings, and emotions coming to the surface during a pose. Our bodies, minds, and nervous systems have been present throughout our whole lived experience, so it is not surprising that some stuff from our pasts may live in the body. The more embodied you are, the deeper you have dropped in, the more likely it is that stuff will surface.
Couples yoga therapy is a safe space for you and your partner to explore what comes up for you. during a session. When emotions, or things from the past arise this is the space where you can make sense of things to move forward.
10. Learn self-love through yoga
The yoga mat is a great place to remind yourself, your body and mind are strong. You may experience gratitude for the body working through the poses and appreciation for the breath that keeps you steady and grounded. You start to form a connection with your body that is one of appreciation and gratitude. You learn to love yourself. It is easy to take your body for granted and forget it is magnificent. It is the same in a relationship. It is easy to take things for granted and sometimes forget to say “I love you”.
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What is Yoga Therapy?
A lot of people ask me, WHAT IS YOGA THERAPY?
“Yoga therapy is the process of empowering individuals to progress toward improved health and well-being through the application of the teachings and practices of Yoga.”
-International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT)
Are you curious about what a yoga therapy session involves? The International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) provides a simple definition of yoga therapy, but it’s not enough to prepare you for an actual session. With various styles and modalities, yoga therapy can be prescriptive and use different poses to treat various ailments. As a Phoenix Rising Yoga therapist (PRYT), I specialize in a unique body-based style of Yoga therapy.
My teacher describes PRYT as
“Combining breathwork, gentle poses, meditation, and guided self-inquiry, designed to help practitioners safely embrace their physical limits in order to gain mental and emotional insights into themselves. It does not replace psychotherapy (talk therapy), but rather provides a somatic pathway to a deeper understanding of the self.”
-Michael Lee, Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy
So, what does a typical yoga therapy session look like with me? I start each session with a warm-up to connect your body and breath and prepare for the simple yoga poses that follow. These poses, often supported with props and can be practiced while lying down, are followed by a rest pose, a short meditation, and an opportunity to reflect on any insights gained from the session.
During the session, we’ll explore “the edge,” a feeling of discomfort during a pose that allows you to focus and connect with your body. You’ll become more aware of your body’s sensations, thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and guide yourself to embrace whatever you notice in your body.
With simple poses like bridge, cobra, and supine twist, we’ll achieve the state of “dropping in,” where you feel a deep connection with your body, slow down your thoughts, and observe your sensations and emotions without explanation. This state is followed by savasana, where you’ll relax and integrate the experience.
The 6 Phases in a PRYT Session
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Warm-Up
The warm-up is all about connecting your body and your breath. It’s like a little dance that gets you ready for the poses that come next.
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Edge Coaching
When you experience discomfort, such as during a yoga pose, being present in that moment can help you focus and connect with your body. This feeling of discomfort is referred to as “the edge,” where you can feel the sensation without being overwhelmed and can remain present. In this state, you can become more aware of your body’s sensations, thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
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Dropping In
“Dropping in” is a state where you feel a deep connection with your body. Your thoughts slow down and you become aware of the sensations and emotions arising within you. In this state, you can observe these sensations and emotions without the need to explain or attach any meaning to them. You are guided to embrace whatever you notice in your body.
This state is achieved through simple poses like bridge, cobra, and supine twist, which are then followed by savasana.
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Meditation
Reaching a meditative state is easier after body-breath work. The mind is quietened and can be centered. During meditation, you can tune in to your body and your breath. The meditation is primarily breathwork.
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Listen to your body
When you connect deeply to your body you might notice thoughts, feelings, and maybe images arising. This can provide insight.
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Insight to action
At the end of the session, we will explore some ways in which you can effectively integrate these valuable insights into your daily routine. For example we could consider mindfulness exercises and journaling. We may talk about what holds you back from achieving your goals and discuss actionable steps you can take to move forward. This will help you to make the most of your experience.
What Can Yoga Therapy Do for You?
♡ Reconnect with yourself
Are you feeling disconnected from yourself? Do you find yourself struggling to navigate through life changes? Yoga therapy can help! By combining modern psychology and mindfulness techniques, yoga therapy can help you connect with your body on a deeper level.
♡ Navigate change
Through yoga therapy, you can gain clarity and discover what is holding you back from living your best life. You can learn how to navigate change and move from feeling stuck to feeling fulfilled.
♡ Live a life more fulfilled
By investing in yourself and practicing self-care, you can befriend your body and discover what it looks like to be your best self. When you know and understand yourself, you can find the path that allows you to flourish and thrive.
♡ Let transformation happen
Don’t let stress and trauma hold you back any longer. Take the first step towards a more fulfilling life today with yoga therapy.
In conclusion, my unique PRYT style of yoga therapy is designed to create a safe space to explore your physical, mental, and emotional limits. It’s an opportunity to connect with your body, gain insights into yourself, and achieve a deeper understanding of the self.
Let’s connect and you can find out more about my sessions.
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How to Unblock Your Throat Chakra
Fifth of the chakras, in sanskrit, Vishuddha is found in the throat, governing both truth-telling and self-expression.
Tell me about the Throat Chakra?
Vishuddha, is the first of the three spiritual chakras. In the area of the throat, it governs the anatomical regions of the thyroid, parathyroid, jaw, neck, mouth, tongue, and larynx. To be open and aligned in the fifth chakra is to speak, listen, and express yourself fully. The element corresponding to the fifth chakra is ether or space, and the sense is hearing.
The energy of the Throat Chakra is an awareness of your own power and the knowledge that you have free will
If the Throat Chakra is out of balance
If we feel we have no authority or power of choice in our lives and feel we are succumbing to societal pressures regarding what we should and shouldn’t do. We might find that we have Throat Chakra blockages. A deficiency of this energy can make a person seem timid, afraid to speak up, and insecure about communicating their wants and needs.
An imbalance of the throat chakra can be experienced as
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Thyroid issues
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Sore throats
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Ear infections
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Neck and shoulder pain
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Issues expressing yourself
An overactive throat chakra leads to
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dogmatic persona
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arrogance
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excessive talking
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gossiping
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complaining
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self-righteousness
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inability to listen to others
What to do for imbalance
Say “No” if something does not resonate with you. Do not be afraid to vocalise what you want, what you believe in, or who you are.
1. Breath work
Ujjiai breath or ocean breath,
As you inhale and exhale
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Keep your mouth closed and breath through your nose
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Constrict your throat to the point that your breathing makes a rushing noise, almost like snoring. You can think about breathing on a pane of glass, to clean it, but with your mouth shut
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Control your breath with your diaphragm
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Keep your inhalations and exhalations equal
2. Yoga
Some poses to engage the throat chakra
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Lion Pose -Kneeling, sitting on your heels. Hands on your knees. Inhale deeply through your nose. Open your mouth wide, stick out your tongue as far as possible, and exhale forcefully by contracting the abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor. At the same time, roll your eyes up and focus between your eyebrows. Engage your entire body by lifting slightly off your heels as you push your hands into your knees, fingers spread.
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Fish
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Legs up the wall
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Seated cow/cat -Sit in a chair. Rest hands on your knees. As you inhale, arch your spine forward and gaze up, creating a backbend in the spine. Squeeze shoulder blades together (cow). Exhale, pull the tummy in, chin to chest and round the spine (cat). Repeat as many times feels good.
These poses will stimulate the thyroid and parathyroid glands as well as bring energy to the area of the throat.
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Shoulder stand
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Plow
Jalandhara Bandha or throat lock is associated with the throat chakra. If engaging bandhas is part of your practice be sure to try this.
3. Chanting
Chanting, singing, humming, and reading aloud are wonderful ways to open the fifth chakra. The mantra sound for this chakra is HUM
4. Positive Affirmations
Affirmations, prayers and speaking intentions all benefit the throat chakra. Find an affirmation that resonates and repeat while meditating and say throughout the day
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I speak my truth.
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My words are powerful.
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I am able to express myself freely.
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I can be honest about who I am.
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My truth becomes clearer every day.
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My voice matters.
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I speak with courage, compassion, and love.
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I value the words of others.
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I choose authenticity over perfection.
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I have the courage to be my true and authentic self.
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When I share my words, I share my light.
5. Enriching Exercises
Forgiveness
Symbolically, the Throat Chakra resonates with forgiveness. The act of saying out loud, I forgive you, can be liberating and may promote healing. When we forgive, we let go of any guilt or hurt. Enabling us to express, give, and receive love.
Vocal expression
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Sound release – shouting, yelling, sighing, animal noises, humming, Ohming
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Reciting poetry
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Storytelling
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Singing
Healing sounds & frequencies
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Music
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Nature sounds (birds, running water, fire)
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Instruments like crystal singing bowls, drums, chimes
The rest
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Gargling
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Kissing
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Laughing
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Tongue exercises
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How to Unblock Your Heart Chakra
Fourth of the chakras, in sanskrit, Anahata means unhurt, unstruck and unbeaten. This chakra serves as our center of love for ourselves and others. For compassion, empathy and forgiveness.
Tell me about the Heart Chakra?
Anahata is associated with unconditional love, compassion, and joy. It is the bridge between the lower and upper chakras integrating the earthly with the spiritual. Anahata is associated with air. Working with the other chakras, you can support heart chakra work. The first chakra is earth, grounded and steady; the second chakra, water brings creativity; the third chakra is the “fire in the belly” required to transform your creative spark into positive action. The air element associated with the heart chakra integrates compassion and connection.
Those with an open, well-balanced heart chakra are full of love, forgiveness, and compassion. But if this chakra is blocked, anger, grief, hatred, and jealousy can manifest.
The heart chakra is related to transformation and change. This chakra also enables you to grieve.
Where is the Heart Chakra?
The heart chakra affects the heart, lungs, chest, arms, and hands. When misaligned, poor circulation, high or low blood pressure, and other heart and lung conditions can result.
If the Heart Chakra is out of balance
This chakra also enables you to grieve. It helps us attain tranquility and inner peace amid conflict.
An imbalance of the heart chakra can be experienced as
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loneliness and separation
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feeling like you don’t belong or fit in
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feeling disconnected
A blocked heart chakra can show up as
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co-dependence
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manipulative behavior
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feelings of unworthiness
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inability to trust yourself or others
Physical symptoms of imbalance
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poor circulation
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high or low blood pressure
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heart and lung conditions
What to do for imbalance
1. Breath work
The fourth chakra element is air so breath work is a gateway to opening your heart chakra.
Since heart chakra represents the balance between two seemingly opposite energies, one of the best breath work techniques is nadhi sodhana or alternate nostril beathing. This balances your right and left brain hemispheres and also opens your heart.
How to do alternate nostril breathing
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Start by taking a full inhalation followed by a slow exhalation. Do this several times.
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Using your right hand. Fold the tips of the index and middle fingers inward until they touch the palm at the base of the right thumb, this is Vishnu mudra. You will alternately use the right thumb to close the right nostril and the right ring and pinky fingers (together) to close the left nostril.
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Inhale through the left nostril. Use the right thumb to close the right nostril. Inhale through the left nostril and deep into the belly. As you inhale, allow the breath to travel upward along the left side of the body. Pause briefly at the crown of the head.
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Exhale through the right nostril. Use the ring and pinky fingers of the right hand to close the left nostril and simultaneously release the right nostril. Exhale through the right nostril down the right side of the body. Pause at the bottom of the exhalation.
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Inhale through the right nostril. Keeping the left nostril closed, inhale through the right nostril, allowing the breath to travel up the right side of the body.
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Exhale through the left nostril. Use the right thumb to close the right nostril. Exhale through the left nostril.
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Repeat the sequence for several rounds of breath.
2. Yoga
Camel Pose
Half Camel Pose is a deep backbend for your upper back, and literally and metaphorically opens up your heart space.
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Kneel with your shoulders stacked over your hips and your hips stacked over your knees
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Bring your palms, fingers facing down, onto your glutes. Like putting your hands in your back pockets
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Start to press your hips forward as you arch your back
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For more advanced yogis bring one hand to your Heart Chakra, and grab your heel with your other hand
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To come out, activate your core and slowly re-stack your shoulders and hips
Bridge Pose
Bridge Pose is a gentler variation of Wheel Pose and it begins to create flexibility and strength in your spine. This pose also lifts and opens your heart towards the sky.
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Start on your back with your feet on your mat and knees to the sky
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Bring your arms by your sides with your palms face-down by your hips
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On an inhale, press into your feet to lift your hips toward the sky
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Try to evenly distribute weight between your feet and the base of your shoulders, without putting too much pressure on your head and neck
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For more intensity, interlace your fingers under you and squeeze your shoulder blades together
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To come out, slowly lower your spine on an exhale
A gentle way to practice is to do a supported bridge. Place a yoga block under your sacrum for support.
Warrior 1 Pose With Heart Opening Backbend
Warrior 1 Pose strengthens your quads while creating flexibility in your hips. Adding a backbend to this pose opens the Heart Chakra.
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Find a Warrior 1 stance with your front knee stacked over your front ankle and your back foot planted firmly down at about a 90-degree angle
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Bring your one or both hands to your low back, and slowly start to inch them down your back leg
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As you do this, keep your hips moving forward as you allow your chest to lift up
Upward Facing Dog Pose
Upward Facing Dog strengthens and tones your arms while creating flexibility in your spine. It’s a great, gentle pose to practice if you spend a lot of time on a computer.
Reverse Plank Pose
Reverse Plank Pose strengthens your arms, legs, back, and core while opening your heart
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Begin seated on your mat with your legs extended
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Bring your palms by your hips, fingertips facing your toes
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Inhale to press into your hands and feet and lift your hips toward the sky
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Option to bring your gaze behind you, opening your throat, for more intensity
3. Chanting
The mantra for the anahata is YAM.
A special mantra to help expand love and compassion is OM MANI PADME HUM.
“Praise to the Jewel in the Lotus.”
4. Positive Affirmations
Find an affirmation that resonates and repeat while meditating and say throughout the day
“I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
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“I am wanted and loved.”
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“My heart is open to love.”
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“I forgive myself.”
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“I live in a state of grace and gratefulness.”
5. Enriching Exercises
Empathy and compassion create openness
When you encounter hurt feelings from your past or present, you can choose to feel them fully and let them go or hold onto them. By letting them go, you’re able to open your heart to new people and new experiences with compassion, love, and understanding.
Give love to receive love
The best way to receive love is to give it.
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Smile at everyone you see daily
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Forgive and move on
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Give friends, family and co-workers positive affirmations and feedback
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Go one day without criticising anyone or anything, including yoursel
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How to Unblock Your Solar Plexus Chakra
Third of the chakras, in sanskrit manipura. Translated means City of Jewels. Does inside our belly look like jewels? Well the organs are reddish/pink due to oxygenated blood flow and shiny looking too.
Tell me about the solar plexus chakra?
The solar plexus chakra is associated with self-esteem, a sense of purpose, and personal identity. It encompasses metabolism and digestion. When this chakra is in balance, you feel empowered and are motivated. You will have a sense of who you are and why you are here. If you’re experiencing chakra imbalance, you can suffer from low self-esteem, have difficulty making decisions, and may have anger or control issues.
Where is the solar plexus chakra?
The solar plexus chakra is located behind the naval.
Imbalance
With chakra imbalance, you may notice;
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Difficulty in expressing yourself
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Aggressive, rigid or controlling behaviour
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Angering quickly
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Being a victim
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Neediness
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Lacking direction or focus
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Feeling afraid
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Poor self-esteem
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Feeling stuck
When Manipura is out of whack, digestive problems can arise. These can show up as improper processing of nutrients, constipation, or irritable bowel syndrome. Imbalances in this energy center are also associated with eating disorders, ulcers, diabetes, and issues with the pancreas, liver, and colon.
What to do for Imbalance
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Meditate
If you are stuck with a decision or are at a crossroads and aren’t sure which way to go, consider looking to your solar plexus chakra for guidance. To cultivate your gut feeling, sit comfortably and meditate;
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Close your eyes, and put your hand over the area slightly above your belly button.
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Bring to mind the problem or dilemma.
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Notice how your third chakra feels when you give it choices. A sinking or nauseated feeling may tell you that the decision is wrong.
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If you present your solar plexus with the right choice, you may feel lightness in your belly or feel like you can breathe more easily.
2. Yoga
Any yoga pose that brings heat to the area of the solar plexus is good for stimulating a sluggish third chakra.
These poses include
3. Cultivate some digestive fire
To help the Manipura chakra remain open and aligned, keep your digestive fire (called agni in Ayurvedic medicine) healthy. Here are some Ayurvedic tips.
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Drink beverages at room temperature or slightly warmed; avoid adding ice.
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Eat about two cupped handfuls of food at every meal to avoid overeating.
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Stay away from spicy foods if you are a Pitta type.
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Take small sips of water while eating, and avoid soda, alcohol, and fruit juice. Drinking lots while eating tends to dilute the digestive acids. Drinking alcohol can give you excess acid.
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Let your stomach rest between meals. Grazing and frequent snacking don’t give your body time to replenish its digestive fire.
4. Chanting
Chanting or toning sounds can also help bring you back in balance. Sounds create vibrations in the body. The mantra sound that corresponds to the root chakra is RAM. You can also chant om.
5. Positive Affirmations
As you work with this chakra, cultivate a willingness to gain insight into your understanding of power, individuality, and identification. Are there areas of your life where you feel powerless? How does this manifest?
Find an affirmation that resonates and repeat while meditating and say throughout the day
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I will be my authentic self
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I use my power for good
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I accept myself unconditionally
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I forgive myself for past mistakes and I grow from them
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I release the need to control
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I am confident and powerful
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Everything I need, I have within
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I will be my best self
6. Breath Work
Ignite the fire in your solar plexus chakra with Kaphalabhati or skull-shining breath.
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Sit and close your eyes.
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Touch the forefinger and thumb together on each hand.
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Inhale through your nose
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Quickly exhale through your nose as you draw your belly back toward your spine.
The inhale is passive, and the exhale is sharp and quick. You can go fast or slow. Try both and see which you find more beneficial.
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How to Unblock Your Sacral Chakra
Second of the chakras, in sanskrit svadhishthana means where your being is established. Swa or sva means self and adhishthana means established.
Tell me about the Sacral Chakra?
The sacral chakra is associated with water and gives rise to flow, flexibility, and fun. Its all about creativity, sexual energy, sensuality, pleasure and enjoyment of life. Someone with a balanced sacral chakra radiates warmth, confidence, and generosity.
The sacral chakra is all about creative expression, so it makes sense that tapping into your artistic side and doing something creative would help open up this energy center.
Where is the Sacral Chakra?
The sacral chakra is found in the sacral area of the abdomen, pelvis, and genital region. It governs the lymphatic and circulatory systems, reproductive organs, bladder, kidney, and large intestines.
If the sacral chakra is out of balance
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feelings of fear
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depression
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emotional instability
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unhealthy attachments
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poor boundary setting
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loss of creativity
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addictive behaviours
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sexual dysfunction
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reproductive issues
Physical symptoms of imbalance
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pain and stiffness in the lower back and hips
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sciatica
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low back pain
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urinary and kidney problems
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ovarian cysts
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other reproductive issues
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urinary tract infections
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impotence
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pain during intercourse
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pelvic–lower abdominal issues
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constipation
What to do for Imbalance
1.Meditate
Sit comfortably and spend a few moments focusing your awareness on sensations in your physical body and your breath. Once you feel your attention moving inward, bring that focus to your lower abdomen and pelvic region. Breathe and notice. As you inhale, feel your body change shape with the expansion of your inhale, and return to normal as you breathe out. Visualize a little ball of faint orange light behind your belly button. With every inhale, let the ball of light grow bigger and brighter. As the light starts to fill your body, feel the sensations of warmth, and creativity. Allow that orange energy to fill your entire being.
2. Yoga
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Hip-opening stretches like supine figure four
Lay flat on your back with your knees bent. Bring your right ankle to your opposite thigh and allow your right knee to fall gently forward. You can stay here if you feel a stretch, or reach around for the back of your left knee and draw both knees into your chest. Repeat on both sides.
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Baddha Konasana, cobbler’s pose
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Bhujangasana, cobra pose
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Seated torso circles
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Utkata Konasana, goddess pose
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Ananda Balasana, happy baby pose
3. Chanting
Chanting or toning sounds can also help bring you back in balance. Sounds create vibrations in the body. The mantra sound that corresponds to the sacral chakra is VAM.
4. Aromatherapy
Lavender is the universal essential oil for nourishing all the chakras also recommended to fire up your creativity are;
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ylang ylang
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rose
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sweet orange
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tangerine
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patchouli
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helichrysum
6. Positive Affirmations
Find an affirmation that resonates and repeat while meditating and say throughout the day
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Inspiration is flowing through me
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I invite joy into my life.
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I embrace intimacy.
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I am a creative being.
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I welcome sensuality into my life.
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I am a lovable and desirable being.
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I am comfortable in my own skin.
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I allow my creativity to flow through me.
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I breathe in powerful golden light.
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I feel powerful in embracing my sexuality.
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I am grateful for the joy of being me.
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I trust my feelings
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I celebrate my sexuality.
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I am radiant, beautiful and creative.
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I attract people who support and love me for who I am.
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I am creative, passionate, and inspired.
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I feel joyful, energetic, and alive.
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I am at home in my body.
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My creativity is endless.
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I deserve to be joyful.
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I make space in my life for play.
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I embrace intimacy with others.
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I can only control my own actions and that is enough.
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I am worthy of being desired.
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I am deserving of respect from myself and others.
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I am open, honest, and compassionate.
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7. Enriching Exercises
The sacral chakra is all about creative expression, so it makes sense that tapping into your artistic side and doing something creative would help open up this energy center. So whatever you like really, writing, baking, playing music, creating a garden, painting, quilting, knitting anything to get those creative juices flowing.
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Yoga Therapy To Unblock Your Root Chakra
First of the chakras, in sanskrit muladhara. Mula means root and dhara means flux.
Tell me about the root chakra?
The root chakra relates to whatever makes our life stable, our self-esteem, and our feeling grounded in ourselves & the world around us. If our primary needs (food, water, and shelter) are in place, we feel grounded and safe.
Root Chakra energies help us feel grounded and connected to the Earth, letting us take root and allowing us to move forward on our life journey. When these energies are stuck, imbalanced, or blocked, our vitality and zest for life are compromised. When our sense of belonging is under threat or when we experience trauma, we are left feeling deeply insecure.
What does my childhood have to do with it?
Whether or not you feel secure now often has less to do with what you have at your disposal and more to do with how safe you felt as a small child. Considering psychologist Erik Erickson’s stages of development, the first stage—trust versus mistrust—is closely related to your root chakra development. As infants, if your caregivers gave you what you needed to survive with consistency, you felt secure in the world. You understood that the world was somewhere you could trust to provide for your basic needs. If your caregivers withheld or delayed in giving you what you needed, or were inconsistent, you may find you have first chakra blockages.
Where is the root chakra?
The Root Chakra is located in the area of the coccyx and the first three vertebrae. It is understood to include the adrenal gland, which governs our fight or flight response. Organs associated with the root chakra are the bladder, colon, large intestine, skeleton and feet.
Imbalance
If there is an imbalance in the Root Chakra you may experience anxiety, or nightmares. Physical imbalances may manifest as problems in the colon, with the bladder, with elimination, or with lower back, leg, or feet issues. In men, prostate problems may occur. Eating disorders may also be a sign of a root chakra imbalance.
What to do for Imbalance
1.Meditate
While meditation does connect you to a higher spiritual plane, it also serves to ground you. You may not always be able to trust that the world will give you what you need to survive, but connection to your higher self can give you what you need to feel safe.
The sense organ that corresponds to the first chakra is smell. While meditating, focus on the tip of your nose to help align the root.
For root chakra meditation, go outside if you can. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Feel your seat and legs connect to the ground. Feel that sensation and breathe. With each exhale, let yourself feel a deeper connection to the Earth.
Imagine a small ball of red light at the base of your spine. In this ball is what you believe about safety, stability, support, and your right to be here. With each inhale, feel the ball get bigger. Allow red light to flow around your body. As the ball gets bigger, try to feel safer, more secure, and more grounded. If you want to use a mantra to support yourself, try repeating I am here.
2. Yoga
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Pavanamuktasana, knee to chest pose
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Janu Sirsansana, head to knee pose, no need to fold all the way forward. Just tuck your chin and breathe.
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Padmasana, lotus, variation half lotus.
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Malasana, squatting pose, remeber you can sit on a block to support yourself and be more easeful.
3. Pelvic Floor Exercises
Women can do Kegel exercises. Both men and women can practice Mula Bandha in their yoga practice, to help bring strong energy and strength to the area of the first chakra. Here is a great article in yoga journal on how to practice mula bandha
4. Chanting
Chanting or toning sounds can also help bring you back in balance. Sounds create vibrations in the body. The mantra sound that corresponds to the root chakra is LAM. You can also chant om.
5. Aromatherapy
Smell is the sense for this chakra, to activate a sense of rooting and grounding these essential oils are recommended
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Benzoin
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Cedarwood
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Frankincense
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Myrrh
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Oakmoss
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Patchouli
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Spikenard
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Vetiver
6. Positive Affirmations
Find an affirmation that resonates and repeat while meditating and say throughout the day
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I am connected and grounded to this earth.
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I am worthy of respect.
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I belong.
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I am safe and I am grounded.
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I am here.
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I have a right to be here.
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I am supported by Mother Earth.
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I am connected to my body.
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I have everything I need.
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I nurture my body with what it needs to flourish.
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I trust in the good of the world.
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With every breath, I release anxiety and fear.
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I am at home in my body.
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I am supported by those around me.
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I am all I need to be happy.
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I am worthy of love.
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I am rooted in this present moment.
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I am strong, steady, and grounded.
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I am exactly where I’m meant to be.
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I have everything I need.
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I feel safe in my body.
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My body is my home
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I inhale peace and exhale anything that no longer serves me.
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I am loved.
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I am strong.
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I am nourished.
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I am protected.
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I stand tall on my ancestors’ shoulders.
7. Enriching Exercises
Here are some exercises and experiences that connect to the root and can be practiced at small moments throughout the day;
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Rolling feet out with a spiky ball, tennis ball
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Foot massage
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Breathe and visualise roots growing with your breath
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Feet on the earth…barefoot walking on grass, stones sand etc.
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Lie down and notice your bones, feel the weight of your bones supported against the earth.
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Do a body scan your body noticing muscle and bone as you move through the body.
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Sensory experiences that create an Introduction to safety, such as savasana using a weighted blanket
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Gardening is close to the earth and can feel grounding
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