Corpse Pose

The corpse pose is also known as Savasana in Sanskrit. It is a post of complete relaxation that distresses your body. It must be practiced in each and every yoga session.

How To Perform The Pose


  1. Step 1 – While performing the corpse pose, you need to remain in a neutral posture. Be seated on the ground and bend your knees, keeping your feet on the ground and lean toward the back. Slightly lift your pelvis off the ground and, using one hand, push the back of your pelvis toward your tailbone. Finally, push your pelvis to the ground. While inhaling and pushing through your heels, gradually extend your right leg, followed by the left. While softening your groin muscles, release both your legs and make sure that your legs are angled in an even manner relative to your torso’s middle line as well as your feet are equally turned outward. Finally, soften the lower part of your back and make the front of your pelvis narrow.
  2. Step 2 – With the help of your hands, lift up your skull’s base from the back of your neck and release it toward your tailbone. If you face any issues while performing the pose, support the back of your head and the neck on a neatly folded blanket. Try to broaden the skull base and the crease of your neck diagonally into the center of your head. Make sure that your ears remain equidistant from the shoulders.
  3. Step 3 – Keep your arms perpendicular to the ground. While rocking from one side to another, make the ribs broad as well as keep your shoulder blades and spine away. Now, release your arms to the ground. Turn your arms outward and keep them stretched away from the spacious center of the shoulder blades. Rest the back of your hand on the ground close to the knuckles of your index finger. Rest your shoulder blades evenly on the ground. 
  4. Step 4 – Try to soften all the various sense organs. Soften your nose wings, the tongue’s root as well as the skin of your forehead. Sink your eyes to the back of your head, followed by turning them downwards to look at your heart. Release the brain to the back of your head.
  5. Step 5 – Practice the pose for around five minutes. In order to exit, while exhaling roll on one side, the suggested side being right. Take a couple of breaths. While again exhaling, press the ground by your hands and lift the torso. Gradually drag your head against the ground and lift the torso. Make sure that the head comes at the end.

Benefits


  • Calms your body
  • Helps in lowering your blood pressure
  • Reduces insomnia and headaches as well as fatigue 
  • Calms down your mind and works as a stress buster
  • Helps cure mild depression

Mistakes And Contradictions


During pregnancy, raise your head and chest high on a bolster while performing this pose.

How To Perform The Pose Perfectly


In order to perform this pose with perfection, follow the steps, and take the help of a professional yoga expert. Wear loose-fitting clothes to ensure you remain comfortable.

What is Vipassana?

Vipassana means insight into your true nature and the true nature of reality. It is typically boiled down to: everything is impermanent, suffering is inevitable, and coming to realize the non-self. It is rooted in Buddhism and the teachings of Buddha as it was discovered by Gotama Buddha almost 3,000 years ago. It aims to bring happiness through full liberation.

When people hear the word “Vipassana,” they are often thinking of the Vipassana movement, or the 10-day silent meditation retreat offered free of charge all over the world. Satya Narayan Goenka is one of many who are often credited for the modern movement as he was a Vipassana meditation teacher who helped establish Dhamma meditation halls all over the world. 

These Dhamma Vipassana centers show tapes of Goenka instructing throughout. If you want to participate in one of these 10-day silent meditation retreats, you can expect to focus deeply on this style of meditation. Students are expected to renounce any other meditative and religious practices during the ten days. You can take the 10-day course up to two times free of charge. After this time, you must choose if you will continue on the path of Vipassana exclusively or not. If you choose to maintain other types of meditative practices, you may not return to another Vipassana course. 

During the course, you must abstain from sex, stealing, killing, lying, and intoxicating yourself. That is because it creates agitation in mind and would make it impossible for you to complete the course. 

Vipassana meditation is sometimes also referred to as insight meditation. The goal is to calm the mind by turning it inward through analyzing and investigating the self. If you are choosing this type of meditation, you will first explore the body and the mind. You will investigate how they connect as one whole. You will see how your mindful breathing and awareness of the impermanence of reality allow a real insight into the nature of what is inside and what surrounds you. Everything that you investigate shows you that our suffering cannot be supported knowing that everything is impermanent. You will notice that bodily sensations can come and go. You will find happiness, deep concentration, and control over your emotions in this process. As you become comforted by gaining real insight, you will quickly lose this comfort as every phenomenon you experience or observe will dissolve. At this time, you are liberated. You are free. Everything is impermanent. 

Vipassana allows the self to transform through a practice that is entirely experiential truly. It needs to be performed with strict discipline to be actualized, which is why you should consider attending the 10-day silent retreat to give it a fair chance. You will learn more about yourself in these ten days than you possibly imagined, as you become aware of your thought and feeling patterns, and ultimately, your true nature. Vipassana is a rigorous training of the mind. Much like modern, westernized yoga is thought to be the training for the body, Vipassana trains the mind while simultaneously using insight gleaned from the body. It concludes with a meditation encouraging love and compassion for all. What a world would it be if everyone tried Vipassana?

5 Insider Secrets to Identify High-Quality Waisted Leggings Revealed!

High-waisted leggings are here to stay because they have become an integral part of fashion, yoga practice and workout – both for daily fashion and active wear. However, investing in the right pair of leggings that will really go the distance is very important with more than a few options available to choose from. 

Here’s how you can spot the high-quality waisted leggings for your yoga practice. 

Secret #1 

The Price 

To be factual, some waisted legging brands for women are outrageously costly. It’s essential to bear in mind that a high price doesn’t always equal high quality. Therefore, as a rule of thumb, you are spending too much if you invest more than your monthly Internet or phone bill on a pair of leggings! It simply means that the level of quality doesn’t actually increase beyond this point. On the other hand, you won’t find quality waisted leggings at an extremely or ridiculously low price. 

Secret #2

Quality Of The Fabric

When it comes to fabric quality, always remember the acronym SCAR (Stretch, Compression, Airy, Retention). In the technical aspects and product details of a legging, look for keywords such as bounce-back shape retention, ventilation, and sweat-wicking technology, lightweight compression, and 4-way stretch.

While the 4-way stretch of the waisted legging gives you a hugged fit for all-day comfort, lightweight compression supports and shapes your legs. On the other hand, the sweat-wicking intends to make you stay dry by drawing the moisture from your skin.

In addition, stylish treatments such as the laser cut puncture or mesh insert encourage ventilation and enhance the cool factor (factually and figuratively). As you want to be able to wash your waisted leggings and have them retain their original fit without looking baggy and loose over time, shape retention is the solution. 

Secret #3 

Coverage

Coverage is essential to a great pair of waisted leggings and goes hand-in-hand with the fabric quality. Search for leggings with gusset or crotch panel to ensure quality coverage. Furthermore, search for ventilation at the inseam gusset to make sure you are getting fresh sensation wear upon wearing. 

Secret #4 

Functional Details 

All you want in a yoga practice is the ability to securely and safely carry your essentials. Moreover, it’s vital to get details that make the wear and care of the workout leggings easy.

Here is a list of some details to look for:

  • Hidden, inner waistband pocket for keeping your keys.
  • External side or back zip pockets for protection
  • Several carrying alternatives such as built-in side pockets for electronics
  • Ankle edging zippers for wearing and pulling of fitted leggings
  • Unremitting drawcord means that you’ll in no way lose it to washing
  • Machine washable or dryable waisted leggings for easy maintenance
  • A broad waistband with supportive and helpful panels for all-day comfort

Secret #5

Customizable Size

Look for customizable options that will allow you to adjust size features if you want your waisted leggings to fit perfectly and unique. The key is to add internal drawcord as it will let you adjust the fit of the waistband as required. 

Conclusion

Following this secret will help you discover best high-waisted leggings for a living – for yoga practice, workout and rest with technical fabrics and intelligent design. There are workout leggings for women, waisted leggings, yoga pants, and body shapers, from statement-making styles to the foundational you can choose from if high-quality is all you are looking for.

 

Yoga And Spiritual Consciousness

When you step onto your mat, the outside world is paused in order to be present in your practice. Whatever conscious thoughts, feelings, and issues that have been anchoring you down are now ceased until your practice is over. Stepping onto the mat becomes your sanctuary, healing place, and therapy. It is a routine to schedule time in our busy lives to practice yoga. It is a time to practice who we are in the world and come to an understanding of our consciousness. The divide between who we are in the world versus who we desire to be, requires a self-transcendence. It is no doubt that yoga can be a spiritual journey for those who seek awareness or a higher self. The higher self may be the highest form of who we are. It is a supreme-being or a supernatural divine power that exceeds limitations. Yoga is not associated with a specific religion; although, it does have ties with the Hindu. It is not a doctrine that glorifies any God or deity. It is merely an exploration of one’s spirituality, and that definition may vary depending on the individual. 


  • Self-Actualization 

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a framework of five levels of needs that human beings must fulfill. The highest level is self-actualization, whereby an individual has reached a full revelation of his/her skills, qualities, and potentials. Yoga and meditation emphasize unconscious and subconscious thoughts that reflect occurrences in the present. These thoughts can sometimes be daunting or helpful either way we look at it. It is making us aware of our cognition and promoting a gradual progression. With this information, one may want to change specific characteristics or flaws they no longer wish to be associated with. The consistent practice of yoga will urge people to learn how to deal with their hindrances. 

Ujjayi breathing and meditation are tools to connect deeply with the inner self. 

  • Imagine yourself in a seated position or laying down in stillness. 
  • The heaviness in your heart, the ache in your body, the stress in your mind are relentlessly nagging and pulling you down. Slowly inhale and exhale to reset your focus and shift inward. 
  • Remember that distractions are constant, but with our consciousness, we can better control them. Breathing through our poses is not just helping us through our movements, but it is helping us to breathe through our thoughts. 
  • We breathe through poses that are challenging to us so we can learn to endure the stretch. Such as breathing through our poses, we learn to breathe through our troubles, and we become vigilant about what is bothering us. 
  • During meditation, it may be revealed that whatever situation you are dwelling on isn’t as huge as you make it seem. It may teach you how to rise above it by simply letting the fear go — learning not to let your emotions control you. 

It is the self-awareness that derives from the spirituality of yoga. It can also unveil to us that we should let these situations go and rise above them. Always keep in mind that the goal is to reach a higher consciousness. 

Yoga Fashion Tips

Winter demands a change in general clothing and your yoga wear is no exception. While selecting yoga tops and leggings for women, choose well-fitted items in dark colors, such as black, slate or dark grey. With the right kind of yoga wear in your wardrobe, nothing can stop you from reaching fitness goals even during the harshest of winters!

While choosing workout clothes for women, keeping fashion in mind is necessary. Bootcut yoga pants are in this year. Keep the tops basic and simple as a lot of experiment is being done with bottoms. Let’s dive in deeper to unravel some more winter trends.

 

Multipurpose Outfits
Ideal yoga pants and tops are those which can be worn indoors and outdoors as well. Whether you are practicing outside or inside, they should keep you warm.

Stick to the Trends
As we mentioned before, winter is all about dark solid colors; therefore, avoid buying prints and florals and stick to warm fleece leggings that can be worn with any top.

Layering is the key
Buying only yoga wear is not sufficient this winter. It is also advisable to choose a few layering options with it to keep you warm. Purchase a shawl or a jacket along with gloves to retain your body heat.

Wear Your Capris
If you own a pair of capris which you can’t wear in the winter, we have the perfect option for you. Wear leg warmers with the capris to keep your legs warm and to be able to use it even in winter.

Keep Your Feet Protected
If you have experienced chills upon removing shoes and socks before you begin your yoga session, then wearing knit socks is the best option. This will help you achieve your usual feet-related poses with ease—without frostbite!

Cozy Up in Your Workout Clothes
In winter, ditch those Lycra leggings and put on buttery soft leggings that will keep you warm. Pair them with a long-sleeve shirt and you are good to go.

Opt for Heavier Fabrics
As it is winter, choose yoga wear that is made from heavier fabrics like tweed and fleece. These materials not only help keep you warm but do not restrict movement during yoga practice.

General tips
Make sure you have everything you need before you go to yoga class. Even if you are practicing yoga at home, make sure you wear warm layers as a protected body is less susceptible to injury.
Also, ensure that you carry an extra pair of warm clothes with you to your class as a sweaty outfit can give you a chill when you step outside. This can have an adverse effect on your immune system

Overall, it is necessary to understand that yoga is different from other workouts. It is not about only following the latest trends, it is also about discovering oneself and paving a path to complete fitness and transformation. However, you can have more fun when you buy clothing keeping fashion in mind as it helps you feel more beautiful and gracious inside out.

Trikonasana – Triangle Pose

The well-known triangle pose is also called the Trikonasana. As you have probably guessed by now, Trikona means triangle and asana. Well, we all know what that means – it is in every yoga pose. This specific pose is special because you must keep your eyes wide open during the entire time to maintain your body balance. Here are the necessary steps and effective tips to master this pose.

Main Steps to Perform the Triangle Pose

1. Starting Position
Stand up and keep your feet at a hip-width distance. It is best to place your soles on a mat. Your arms should remain in a resting position near your torso. Take a moment to breathe deeply, and clear your mind. Let your thoughts pass to make sure you’re ready for this pose.

2. Feet Spreading
Now it is time to spread your feet. Do this slowly. Otherwise, you might risk a fall or an injury. The risk will be a lot lower when you work on a yoga mat. Try to maintain a distance of four feet between your legs. If you cannot spread that wide, a three-feet distance is also a good start.

3. Feet Positioning
To manage and maintain the triangle pose easily and correctly, your feet must point in different directions while creating different angles. Let’s start with the right foot. Turn it away from the body until the toes point outward. It should create a 90-degree angle. Move your left foot slightly inward until your toes form an estimated 45-degree angle.

4. Arms Positioning
Your arms must be extended on your torso’s sides, being parallel to the mat or the floor. So, raise your arms until they form a straight line. Don’t forget to align your body, especially arms and shoulders. Keep your fingers pointed in line with the rest of the arms. Another important detail to remember is that your palms should always face towards the floor.

5. Doing the Actual Triangle Pose
Inhale slowly and deeply, and start bending your body especially the upper part to your right. During the bending part, you should exhale. You can start on the right side. Both your arms’ positions should form approximately a 90-degree angle. One hand is pointing down while the other is extended towards the ceiling.
To avoid injuries, keep your spine neutral and straight and bend your body from your hips. Place the right arm on your right ankle as low as you can reach it. Stretch your body as much as possible.

6. Finishing Touches
Turn your head until your face is almost up while gazing at the extended arm. Make sure not to push yourself too hard. It might take some time until your body becomes more flexible. Hold this pose for at least 15-20 seconds or until it stops feeling comfortable.

When your muscles feel strained, release the pose slowly while being in control of your movements. Then, you can return to the initial position. For better results, you should repeat the triangle pose a couple of times.

Bottom Line
The triangle pose has a lot of physical and health benefits such as burning fat, boosting muscle mass, lowering back pain, improving posture, and more. However, if you have serious back pain issues, you should seek a doctor’s advice before trying this asana.

 

Yoga and Placebo


The term “placebo effect” has been around for a very long time, and it is popularly associated with the mind manifesting physically. What you think is what you get. Meaning that the concept’s effectiveness depends on an individual’s perspective. This is mostly used in the medical field, especially in treating diseases. The belief that the mind has the power to heal the body from within has been lingering for decades, but it is only given more attention recently after a “sugar pill” has proven the miracles of the mind.

Placebo means giving a patient a dummy drug that contains sugar or saline, and the main factor that causes healing is faith. The experiment that included the “sugar pill,” or a fake pill that is nothing but sugar, is a study in which one out of three participants experienced the same healing effect as to those who took the real medical drug without experiencing any side effects. This proved how the mind can strongly affect human’s biochemical composition through therapeutic belief. Since this experiment, the placebo effect has been in the limelight in the medical world.

Mind and Body!
Another story that hyped science about placebo is a story of a patient who suffered from metastatic tumors in 1957. A drug called Krebiozen was introduced to the public as an effective solution to cancer. The patient was desperately asking for it from his doctor, who happened to be a part of the Krebiozen’s research team and allowed him to take the drug. His tumors were dissolved and his life was almost back to normal in no time. But, reports that Krebiozen wasn’t as effective as it claims to be. Upon hearing about the reports, the patient’s health degraded. In desperation, the doctor tricked the patient by offering a new and more effective solution of Krebiozen, which is nothing but distilled water. The patient recovered and was back to his functional self. But after two months, the official findings that Krebiozen was totally ineffective went out and the patient died days after hearing the news.

In accepting that placebo is effective, the counterpart of the effect must be taken into consideration. Nocebo effect happens when negative thinking plays the role. When a patient believes that the placebo drug–or even a real medication–can’t help improve his health, then the drug will fail.


Perspectives!
Yoga is the most effective way that promotes the placebo effect. The “journey,” in which people who practice Yoga are taking, is a path that leads to the realization of self and the discovery of possibilities that are hidden within. The practice allows a person to overcome obstacles through faith, both on the practice and oneself. This includes positive thinking, changes in perspectives and belief system which one adopts to help progress and improve his/her overall being.

How the mind is transformed along with the benefits of the physical practice to the body is one of the common motivational grounds why people invest effort in the practice. As one gets deeper into it, the understanding of one’s capabilities is opened as a result of discoveries made along the way. Trust within the self, both to the physical and mental potentials is built. The mind is conditioned to look on the brighter side of things. This also creates a mentality that whatever the mind can conceive is achievable. A stronger faith towards healing, development and awareness is constructed.


This is how placebo effect plays role in Yoga. As one changes and upgrades to higher frequencies, they develop a happier environment from within. This is added to a positive outlook about life, and the physical manifestations of thoughts and emotions which fruit healthier individuals who continuously heal and develop.

Yoga Practice for Plus-size People

Who Is Best Suited for Yoga

There is a general feeling or perception that yoga is a practice for slim, small sized people. It is understandable how this perception came to be mainly because of the advertisements. The products that are sold in the market; especially the clothes, shoes, mats, and other supplies seem to target only smaller sized people. It is no wonder that plus-sized people generally keep away from yoga classes or are afraid to ask about it.

However, it is important to dispel this notion. In fact, there is no perfect yoga body. Yoga is a practice that is designed to benefit everyone, even those who consider themselves to be big. In addition, there is more to yoga than the poses and the exercises. For example, meditation can be helpful to just about everyone since it teaches students how to understand and master their thoughts.

For the sake of those who feel uncomfortable about joining a yoga class due to the body size, here are a few tips that can help you in seeking out and joining a yoga class.

Choose the Right Type of Yoga

There are many types of yoga that currently exists. Each variant is designed to benefit individuals in one way or another. For example, Vinyasa yoga is a slower paced style where poses take much longer than in most other types. Therefore, it is possible to attend the class thatbest works for you, instead of forcing yourself into a class all your peers attend.

Do Not Force It: Listen to Your Body

Whichever class you choose to join, listening to your body is key to succeeding in yoga. Remember, the goal is not to break your bones or hurt yourself. Therefore, if you start out on a pose and it starts to hurt, leave it and start on a different one. Do this and take time until it suits you. Learn how your body operates and proceed at your own pace.

Skip Some Poses When They Do Not Work for You

Understand that when you are taking certain poses, you have to keep in mind how much weight you carry. For example, when you do a hand stand, it means that your hands will have to accommodate the weight of your body. If you are not careful, it is easy to injure yourself while doing that.

Instead of taking the risk, skip the pose and do something that is related instead. For example, you can you can lie on your back and trying to lift your feet into the air with the assistance of your hands. By doing so, you achieve something close to the skipped pose.

Use Props and Straps

The reason why items like props, straps, and blocks are incorporated into yoga is to offer assistance. For example, it may not be possible for a plus-sized person to do a hamstring stretch. But with the assistance of a strap, you can easily touch your toes with your hands.

Work with an Understanding Instructor

Each trainer has his or her own method of running their yoga practice. There are those who can be understanding to individual student, but there are also those who may not have as much grace. Instead of giving up on yoga, identify a teacher who will accommodate your specific needs.

You don’t have to sacrifice your style to look great in active wear. Shop the above look here.

Remember, yoga is not designed for people with a given body type. Therefore, your self-confidence matters a lot when choosing to take a yoga class.

Yoga Exercises for Beginners

There are umpteen ways of becoming fit and maintaining that fitness for life. However, yoga is a kind of exercise program that will target every single bone, joint and muscle in your body until it vibrates with renewed energy and enthusiasm. Just get into a 30-minute program every day and observe the difference it makes in your life.

Important Rules to Remember

Yoga is intense in nature, intended to bring about holistic healing. You may have to reactivate sleeping muscles or urge painful joints to cooperate, in order to bring about the rejuvenation of a fatigued and stressed mind, body and spirit. Towards this end, therefore, your movements have to be graceful and flowing, not jerky or rapid. Furthermore, there has to be coordination between breathing and bodily movements.

Yoga is not something that you can begin on your own. Only a qualified instructor can take you through a specified routine, ensuring that you do not injure yourself. With the aid of the instructor, you will feel more comfortable about the limits of your own body, and learn to focus on breath always. You are welcome to proceed at your own pace until your body acquires greater flexibility, endurance, and strength. Soon enough, you should be able to stretch, bend, jump, twist and balance with joy!

Oh, yes, in case you have medical issues, do not hide these facts. You may even consult your regular physician before proceeding with yoga. There may be certain poses that will not prove suitable for your condition.

Yoga Poses for Beginners

There are numerous yoga poses. A few stretching exercises should prove best for beginners.

Tadasana or Mountain Pose

 

  1. Stand straight, with your arms hanging loosely by your sides.
  2. The heels should be slightly apart.
  3. Bring your arms together above your head, such that the palms touch each other in a ‘Namaste’ position.
  4. Take a deep breath (inhalation). As you inhale, lift your body up on the toes.
  5. Stretch and stretch as much as you can. Your ankles, hips, shoulders, and ears should be in one straight line.
  6. Hold your breath for eight counts. Exhale gradually.
  7. As you release your breath, return your arms and feet to their original positions.

Vrikshasana or Tree Pose

 

  1. In this variation of the Tadasana pose, you should place your right foot firmly onto your left thigh.
  2. Go through the motions of inhaling and exhaling, as you did in the previous exercise.
  3. Bodily balance improves, and so does your aching back!

Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose

 

  1. Keep your toes flat and feet together, while lying down on your stomach.
  2. Place your hands, palms touching the floor mat, just below your shoulders.
  3. Inhale deeply.
  4. While inhaling, raise your torso and take it back, until the upper half of your body forms a right angle with the lower half.
  5. Ensure that your raised elbows are straight.
  6. Even your head must tilt backwards as if you are a serpent getting ready to strike.
  7. Hold for a count of eight and slowly exhale.
  8. While exhaling, return to a supine position.