A curious approach to sitting and back-bending

Sitting baby

By guest author Oli Wiles, Free to Move Find sthira sukham at your desk and on the mat A friend recently posted a pic on Facebook of his 3-month-old boy sitting propped up on a sofa. The caption read: "Propped up at 3 months, eventually he toppled." It got me thinking about sitting and back-bending … Now, as you sit at your desk, it is likely that the muscles of your back are stopping you from toppling into the keyboard. In playing this important role, however, parts of your back … [Read more...]

Practices for the Heart Chakra, Part 2

Heart Chakra

Embodying the Heart In Part One, The Meaning of Anahata, I wrote about the energy of the heart center, the compassion and love that it exemplifies and gave simple breath-focused meditation exercises to help you turn towards the sweetness within.  Here in Part Two, I’d like to offer a few body practices to further your journey toward Anahata. That backbending postures open the heart is a familiar concept to most yogis.  Physically a backbend straightens the thoracic spine, it does not … [Read more...]

How to surrender into back bends using a sankalpa

Lauren joyfully lifts into urdhva dhanurasana at Oriental Parade

by guest author Trudi Collins, Yoga teacher at Synergy Fitness, Napier After reading Kelly’s article about sankalpa’s, and KL’s inspiring 40 day commitment to Sodarshan Chakra Kriya pranayama, I thought I would share my experience (so far this year) with my sankalpa – to improve my backbends. … [Read more...]