I planned for this year to be my year of trying new things and learning how to be brave.
The reason behind this was to show myself that I could do all the tough things out there no matter how anxious I was.
Anxiety has been part of my life for a long time. I for sure had it growing up but back then I had no idea what that feeling was.
I have consciously dealt with anxiety for the last seven years or so.
I have noticed that any time I push through my anxiety, I get a sense of pride and achievement.
My confidence changes, my body language and general mindset lift.
I wanted to dedicate this year to that exact feeling so I contacted a handful of people to see if they would help me and so many of them happily offered a helping hand.
January - Start yoga, do a one to one yoga session, attend a hot yoga class. I was able to do everything but book into a hot yoga session.
I started Yoga in January. I got in touch with a beautiful soul online @Deepa4yoga.
Her passion for yoga shines through her online presence.
She agreed to give me an online session from the UK and teach me sun salutation also known as Surya Namaskar.
I have been practicing ever since. I now start most mornings doing yoga. Deepa wrote an article about sun salutation.
Here is an article by Deepa of @deepa4yoga
Sun is the nurturer of life and hence in the ancient religions over the world, worshipping the Sun became prevalent in expectation of health and happiness. The same can be noted in Mayan, the Egyptian and the Hindu religion. The wonderfully exceptional feature of the Hindu Sun worship is the integration of yogic postures. This helps complete the overall well-being of the body and cure all ailments. It not only nourishes the body but also refreshes and relaxes the mind and sharpens the intellect of the person who regularly practices the Sun Salutation.
Surya Namaskar can be learned or practised any time of the day but the best effects are got when practised in the early morning. The yogis and Rishis all practice the Sun Salutation regularly. They know of the wonderful therapeutic effect of the Sun Salutation and the concentration and energy it brings in the body and mind. It is a great mood elevator and is said to bring up one at the spiritual level within a short span of time if regular practices are done. This yogic practise helps ease the breathing system.
The Surya Namaskar is a complete yoga package in itself and you can just practise the Surya Namaskar and be fit throughout your life. It looks after the overall fitness of the body. First of all, it mobilizes the limbs and stretches and relaxes the muscles. It makes you more flexible and inculcates in you the habit of maintaining the right posture, thereby bringing in the right balance of the body.
The Sun Salutation helps in easy circulation in the body and removes the stress hormones. It helps in the right inhalation and exhalation and removes the breathing ailments in the body if the system if there is any. It is a wonderful therapy for people with COPD or cardio-obstructive pulmonary disorder. The asanas help to pump the right amount of oxygen in the blood vessels and keeps the heart and lungs in a better functioning condition. The body has an unobstructed flow of blood and lymph.
The best action of the Sun Salutation in the body is that it activates the solar plexus and increases the digestive power. This is the crux of being healthy. The solar plexus when functions well help to put in check blood sugar, cholesterol, harmful fatty acids, etc. People suffering from GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease, that is caused by the acid formation in the digestive system, are largely relieved by practising Sun Salutation
All the glands in the body including the endocrine gland, the thyroid gland, and the pituitary glands function exceptionally well. As the secretion from the glands is regular, the body functions well and the minor and major diseases are slowly either overcome or checked. The yogic Shastras says one who practices the Surya Namaskar regularly possesses sound health, mind, and spirit over time which is a mark to gaining prosperity. However, the postures need regular practice and the supervision of an able guide.
What Surya Namaskar is all about
The Sun Salutation comprises twelve poses or postures which take care of the functioning of the complete body. The Asanas are given as follows. Each has specific instructions and breathing techniques which only an able instructor/yoga therapist can guide. In this case, contact Deepa4Yoga.
The Tadasana or the standing position. It is the start of the Asana and the posture starts with a relaxed mode. The breathing technique is excellent for the heart.
The UrdhvaHastasana – The arms are raised in this position. As the words suggest, it is the lifted hand position that helps to stretch your limbs, works on the deltoids and triceps in a gentle way and also acts on the solar plexus. It clears the obstructions in the throat.
Padahastasana- The feet and hands position. It works on the knees, the hips, the pelvic muscles and helps indigestion.It activates the sacrum
AshwaSanchalanasana – The posture of a moving horse or the equestrian pose. Strengthens the muscle of limbs, cures back pain and gives strength to the spinal cord. It is said to develop intuitive capacity.
Parvatasana – The mountain position. Increases the flexibility of the waist reduces fat, helps to gain the balance of the body
Ashtanga Namaskar – The pose of the caterpillar. Increases the ability of the solar plexus, activates the endocrine glands and helps in easy blood circulation.
Bhujangasana – The cobra position. Gives immense strength to the neck, waist, limbs, deltoid, and triceps. Increases digestive power. Increases the flow of oxygen in the brain
(From the eighth position there is a repetition to come back to the normal postures). Parvatasana – the mountain pose
9. Aswasanchalanasana – The moving horse pose
10. Padahastasana – Hand, and feet pose
11. UrdhvaHastasana – The elevated arm pose
12. Tadasana – The standing pose.
In India, the Sun Salutation comes with twelve mantras to worship the Sun God with his twelve names.
How you can benefit with Sun Salutation
Those of you who are looking for a quick regime of health that will enable you to stay fit without too much exhaustion should think of the Surya Namaskar. It helps you keep healthy and maintains the body mass index. It brings in the right balance in the body in every aspect. Enjoy the steady reduction of the wasteful fat in your body and get a trimmed figure which will be the mark of your great personality.
Those who are suffering from digestive problems, bid adieu to your ailments and get a healthy life. Acid reflux and indigestion will be gone forever. It helps ease the breathing system and helps you to clear the congestion in breathing.
Immense strength and flexibility are gained for the back, the waist, the spine, and the limbs. There will be no joint pains and back pains and movement will become all the more easy and flexible.
Women are especially benefited as it strengthens the immunity of the body and helps remove the irregularity in the period. The removal of excess fat from the lower abdomen helps in the ease of child-birth.
Thank you, Deepa! @deepa4yoga
I appreciate you teaching me this beautiful practice. Hopefully when lockdown is lifted I can book myself into a yoga class :)
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