Triangle

Trikonasana (trik-o-na-sana) or triangle pose is another bread and butter pose of Yoga. Triangle is a basic hip-opening standing posture that stretches laterally and involves balance and strength of arms, legs, hips, core muscles and much more. In this pose both legs and arms need to be straight and you want to imagine that you are in between two planes of glass, that's how aligned and straight your body needs to be here. Keeping the front leg straight will stretch the hamstrings, using the weight of the body to intensify the stretch. The back foot should be turned inwards at a 45 degree angle and the front foot is at 90 degrees. The Drishti here is at the thumb of the arm pointed to the sky (same arm as the back leg) and the other arm is simply resting on the inside of the front leg. Eventually with practice you will be able to touch the front foot or even the ground and have your torso parallel to the ground and your spine still straight. The general alignment here is heel to heel and fairly wide, but this can be adjusted for individual bodies. The key to this posture is stability and balance and the idea that everything is stacked, hand over hand, shoulder over shoulder and a perfectly straight spine. Try and hold the posture for five breaths.

Gita Verse

Chapter 2 verse 55-57

Sri Krishna: (about the enlightened ones)

They live in wisdom, who see themselves in all and all in them, who have renounced every selfish desire and sense craving tormenting the heart.
Neither aggravated by grief nor hankering after pleasure, they live free from lust and fear and anger. Established in meditation they are truly wise. Fettered no more by selfish attachments, they are neither elated by good fortune nor depressed by bad. Such are the seers.

I think this is a very significant couple of verses. First off, the selfish desires Krishna is referring to are fulfillments of personal desires at the cost of others, and the sense cravings are those that are negative. For example, one may think that buying a pair of shoes might make them happier about their troubles. And while it might for that day, it does not solve the problem, nor does it make the person have no more problems. It's a quick fix. Those who are enlightened can get to the root of the problem and fix it or simply let it go, they have no need for retail therapy. However, just because they can get rid of things faster does not mean that they do not feel. They are still human, and human emotions will rise up, they are simply able to control their emotions, and not have their emotions and mind control them. They are not attached to anyone or anything. Again, this does not mean they don't love. On the contrary, they love completely and unconditionally, in a way deeper than most people can imagine. But when they lose someone their grief is less because they are not attached. Usually we grieve for selfish reasons, because we miss the person and we feel sad, but there is no selfish attachment here, so once the emotions are released, there is a realization that there is no reason to grieve because what is pure, free, whole and complete- as all beings are- is never born, and can never die. It is constant and unchanging. Those who are enlightened don't give up their senses, they simply master them.

Namaste.

Bugs B Gone

B vitamins have many benefits in the body. They are great for hair, skin and nails, energy, cell division and growth, metabolism and a slew of other things we know about and I'm sure some that we don't. B vitamins work together in a group, and while you may be recommended to take only one for a certain issue (eg. vegetarians need more B12) you should start by taking a B complex that contains all of them, and take the separate one in higher doses. B vitamin supplements can be purchased at all health food stores.

But today I want to talk about vitamin B1 or Thiamin. In the body Thiamin has a direct correlation to energy. it helps the body metabolism by breaking down fats and carbs. However as essential as it is, the recommended dose is only about 1.5 mg daily, an amount that we can get easily from food.
But taking B1 in larger doses may have more benefits. Some nutritionists suggest taking 100mg daily this summer to keep away mosquitoes. Those pesky pests are apparently repelled by the sent that B1 leaves on your skin when you sweat it out. All B vitamins are water soluble, which means that they are used up as needed by the body and the extras are excreted from the body via sweat and urine (that's the part of your multivitamin that makes your pee bright yellow). The chemical compounds of Thiamin in your sweat have a swell that humans can't smell, but really irritates female mosquitoes, causing them to just stay away. It is recommended that you start taking 100mg of B1 (on top of a B complex or multivitamin) two weeks before a known outing where there will be mosquitoes, but since we have them even in the city, just talking it all summer would be best. You can not overdose on B vitamins, whatever your body doesn't need it just excretes (which is the whole point here) and you might even have shinier hair and more energy too!

Namaste

Tree

Balancing postures are some of the most challenging poses that exist. A lot of people struggle with calming their mind enough to maintain the balanced state that is required. Tree pose or Vrksasana (vrik-SHAHS-anna) is a basic asymmetrical standing balance.
Stand up tall with your spine lengthened and shoulders back and down. Begin to shift the weight of your body to one foot, letting the opposite one grow light. Find balance in the standing leg and when you feel ready move the foot with no weight and place in anywhere on the standing leg above or below the knee. The main thing here is not how high you place the foot but the state of balance that you create. The foot can be placed at the ankle so the toes still remain on the ground, or it can be placed as high up into the groin as possible. Do not place the foot on the knee, the added pressure is detrimental over time. You want to focus on bringing you bent knee out to the side, not in front of you, and close your eyes or focus them on something just ahead of you on the ground that is not moving. Focus on your breathing and hold the pose for as long as you can.

This posture works the entire lower body as well as chest muscles and arms depending on their position.

Gita Verse:
Chapter 3 Verse 17

Sri Krishna:

But those who realize the self are always satisfied. Having found the source of joy and fulfillment, they no longer seek happiness from the external world.

To me this means that once you realize that you are pure, free forever and nothing matters, you still need to eat, have a home, have clothes and possessions. And there is nothing wrong with that. Some people choose to sell their possessions and move to ashrams, and others continue with their regular lives. There is simply a realization from both that none of it matters. When you achieve a true state of happiness you no longer seek out happiness through attachment to people or objects, everything you need you already have.

Namaste.

Warrior 2

Virabhadrasana II (veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-anna) or Warrior 2 is one of the best postures for strengthening legs and opening up the hips. The front foot is at 90 degrees and the back foot is at 45 degrees, turned slightly inwards. A heel to heel or heel to arch foot alignment is best here. The importance here is to keep your torso straight, as if there is a rod through your spine. Make sure your bent knee is right over the ankle, many people struggle with this, it is very important, a knee that is too far over the ankle will cause strain, and a knee that is not bent enough will not allow the full benefit of the pose. Arms are up strong and at shoulder level, and the Drishti is at the thumb of the front hand. Pose is usually held for five breaths.

Muscles working: Gluteus minimus, medius and maximus. Hamstrings (back leg) and quads (front leg). Not to mention, triceps and biceps, shoulders, pecs, and neck muscles (scalenes).

Step it up: For more intensity here, have a wider stance, that will make front leg quads work harder, and hold 2-5 pound weights in your hands, this adds to the arm workout.

Gita Verse:

Chapter 4 Verse 14

Sri Krishna:
Actions do not cling to me because I am not attached to their results. Those who understand this and practice it live in freedom.

This is one of the biggest mistakes people make. We are going to a friend's house, someone who we always have fun with but who is very introverted, a night with him would mean watching a movie and keeping it low key. As we are about to leave another friend calls inviting us out to a party at his place, sure to be a good time. So what are the options. We can ditch the first friend, make up some excuse and go to the party, where we assume we will have more fun. Or we can not assume anything. We can keep our integrity intact and visit the friend we said we were going to and have the most fun that we can in that night. The fallacy here is that we don't know how much fun we could have had at the party because we didn't go. So why assume that it was more fun than what we choose to do? If we tell ourselves that we had a great night, then we did, but if we tell ourselves that the party would have been more fun we are disappointed. Either way, that doesn't change the outcome of our evening, and dwelling on the results will get us nowhere.

Namaste.

Waterfall

A Large part of Yoga is actually focusing on the breath and finding a deep state of relaxation. For many experienced Yogis the practice becomes much like a meditation, and traditionally postures are regarded as a means to tone and shape the body for meditation. We are the cause of most of the suffering in our own lives, we create it, both mental and physical. We are constantly thinking of the past, what we did or didn't do, or the future, what we need to do. We think about these things so much that we forget to be in the present moment, the only actual moment we have to worry about. If we were always aware of our present moment, we would never misplace our keys, or forget to turn the oven off, because we would always be aware of what we are doing as we are doing it. Yoga is an attempt at allowing you to be completely present and attuned to your body and mind. Therapeutic or restorative yoga is just as important, if not more important to practice for this very reason. How often in a day are we simply present to our own being.

Waterfall, or legs-up-the-wall pose is a great way to not only have a physical benefit, but an emotional one as well. While in this posture we are changing the flow of blood from what our body is used to. As will all inversions it has a great benefit on the mind because of increased blood flow to the brain. Having our legs elevated releases their fatigue and swelling as well as enhances the immune system.
Most people find this posture very relaxing, and it is great to do before bed or if you suffer from insomnia. It's simple and easy to get into and put of, the most important thing here is to have your bum as close to the wall as possible, preferably touching it.
As with any inversions there are contraindications if you suffer from high blood pressure, or have a history of stroke or heart attack, and if you have any kind of eye disorder such as glaucoma or detached retina.
Traditionally legs are kept together and straight, but I Have included some variations that I like. The Pose can be held from five minutes to 45 minutes, it is normal for legs to possibly fall asleep, but not be uncomfortable.

Gita Verse:

Chapter 5 Verse 26

Sri Krishna:
Wherever the mind wanders, restless and diffuse in its search for satisfaction without, lead it within; train it to rest in the Self. Abiding joy comes for those who still the mind. Freeing themselves from the taint of self-will, with their consciousness unified, they become one with Brahman.

This one is easy to understand. All through out the Gita we are reminded that whatever it is we seek, we already have. TAT TVAM ASI- That thou art. If you are looking for confidence, look inside your self, you have it. Success, beauty, love you are all of these things, they are all inside you as part of your true Self. We often forget this and search for these things in the material world, or expect others to provide them to us. Look inside your self, but beware, you can also be hatred, anger, resentment, you are what you choose to be, so choose a positive thought.

Namaste.

Fierce Pose

Utkatasana OOT-kah-TAHS-anna, fierce pose or chair pose, is another favourite of mine. It is very challenging because it uses so many muscles at one time. Depending on your core strength you may feel it more in the legs, or shoulders. You can feel it's effects in the hips and lower back as well. You want to have your spine straight and as lengthened as possible. As always focusing on breathing is essential. Your chin should be over your knees and your nose should be over your toes. Drishti (gaze): thumbs. Your weight should be back, grounding into the heels and shoulders are relaxed down. Have your feel together ideally, but for beginners hip-width apart is fine. The resistance of gravity and finding a balance are the obstacles with this pose.

Muscles working:

Spine: intertransversarii (small muscles in between vertebre), interspinalis, transversospinalis group (all down the back), erector spinae psoas minor.

Shoulders and arms: upper trapezius (lower neck, upper shoulderblade) , serratus anterior (side of upper ribs), deltoids (sholders), biceps, triceps, abs.

Legs: gluteus medius and minimus, quads, tibialis anterior and soleous (shins, calfs), intrinsic feet muscles.

Gita Verse:

Chapter 3 Verse 32

Sri Krishna:

Those who violate these laws, criticizing and complaining, are utterly deluded, and are the cause of their own suffering.

The laws that Krishna is referring to is staying free from the "fever" of the ego. For a lot of us our ego runs our life. You can distinguish your ego by recognizing it as the voice in your head that judges, complains, wants and decides based on those wants. What I think Krishna is trying to say here is that we choose whether to listen to this voice, and those who constantly do are deluded into thinking that there is no other voice. Listening to the ego is a choice because we attach meaning in our lives, and we choose what is important and what we can let go. If it were up to the ego everything would be a big deal, the ego is chronically dissatisfied and that is a recipe for a very stressful life.

Namaste.

D-DAWG

I chose to write the first of the Yogition blogs, which will be mainly about yoga postures and philosophy as well as nutrition, about Downward facing dog pose, in my opinion the bread and butter of yoga.

Downward dog, or Adho Mukha Svanasana (AH-doh-MOO-kah shvah-NAHS-anna) is my favourite posture because it works so many muscles and one can see a great improvement in shoulder, arm and wrist strength, as well as a stretch for everyone's tightest muscles, the hamstrings. In this posture we are working and lengthening our arms, legs and spine. The motion of d-dog is up and back. In this posture we work to have our bum pointed up into the air as high as we can, while at the same time pushing back and down into our heels. This is what makes the posture so difficult but rewarding. The gaze or drishti here is ideally at the navel and the posture can be held from anywhere between five breaths and five minutes.

Muscles working:

Triceps, deltoid, serratus anterior, latissimus dorsi, gluteus maximus , rectus femorous, hamstrings, gastrocnemius.

Today's Gita verse:

The Bhagavad Gita is an ancient Hindu scripture used by Yogis as a timeless, practical manual for daily living.The date and authorship of the Gita is unknown but the general scholarly opinion is that the scriptures date back to between the 5th and 2nd century BCE.
The Gita is a conversation between a manifestation of God, Krishna, and a man, Arjuna. Arjuna is on the battle field in a war against his cousins and is having an ethical dilemma about fighting. Krishna comes down to help Arjuna learn very valuable life lessons, and it is these teachings about living a positive, good life that make it one of my favourite and most valuable possessions. In each entry I will incorporate an important lesson from the Gita to enrich your practice and your existence.

Since we started with my favourite posture, perhaps we should include my favourite Gita verse as well. It is chapter 2 verse 23-25.

Sri Krishna says:

The Self can not be pierced by weapons or burned by fire; water can not wet if, nor can the wind dry it. The self can not be pierced or burned, made wet or dry. It is everlasting and infinite, standing on the motionless foundations of eternity. The Self is unmanifested, beyond all thought, beyond all change. Knowing this you should not grieve.

The reason this is my favourite verse is becasue it spoke to me and I had a deep understanding of it's meaning to me. Every verse is interpreted differently by each individual, I believe that it is meant to be that way. For me, this verse became fundamental in my grieving process. Luckily I have not had to deal with many deaths of loved ones, and for that I am fortunate. But when I have to deal with something like that I always revert back to this verse. Krishna is talking about the Self. In Hindu and Yogic philosophy the Self refers to that which is pure, free forever, unborn, undying and unchanging. This is the very essence of all living things. We are never born so we can never die. In western religious understanding one might equate this to the soul. The Gita stresses that that essence is the same for all of us, we are all that essence, that purity that is unchanging. So when someone dies it is their body that dies, not they themselves. The body is a temporary vessel for this existence. It is our temple to lead us to enlightenment. If enlightenment is not reached in this existence we are given another body to use and another life, but our essence remains the same for all eternity.

Namaste