d a n c i n g w a r r i o r Y O G A

Viparita Karani is a restorative and a gentle inversion. It achieves many of the benefits of inversions in a supported and gentle way.

It is also said to be the fountain of youth pose, anti aging! It is very popular in the Dancing Warrior Yoga studios as it automatically centers and calm the mind, helping to cease endless mental chatter.

Sit next to a wall with the side of your body touching the wall and your knees bent into the chest area.
Bring the lower spine onto the floor while bringing the legs up the wall.
Lower the whole spine onto to the floor. If you have tight hamstrings it is best to have some distance from your buttocks to the wall, a six inch gap.
You want to make yourself comfortable and rested. The back of the palm rests on the floor by the hips, your palms facing upwards. The shoulders should be flat and the back of the neck long.
Close the eyes.
Check in with your breath and try to slow the breathing down. Practice quiet breathing: breathe in for 3 seconds, pause and hold for one second and then out for 3 seconds, pause and hold for one second. Focus on the heart center and imagine the heart as the sun, radiating vital energy though your whole body.
This pose can be held for 5-10 minutes at a time. If the hamstrings start to ache then move further out from the wall. To come out, bring the knees into your chest and roll to your side.

You may wish to support the low back with a bolster or several folded blankets placed under the hips. This also increases the angle of inversion and opens the diaphram.

You may try different positions with your legs, such as with the knees bent and the soles of the feet touching as in the Cobbler's Pose - Baddha Konasana.

Nadi shodhana, alternate nostril breathing is said to soothe anxiety and stress, calm the mind and promote clear thinking. It is also known as the sweet breath and is suitable for most people.

Nadi means channel and refers to the pathways through which energy flows. Shodhana means cleansing. You can practice this whenever you start to feel stressed, impatient or uptight, as it will help to calm you down. It can be done at work, behind your desk, when you have a spare couple of minutes.

Sit in a comfortable position either in a chair or on the floor with you're your legs crossed, adjust your spine so it feels straight and tall.

Place the right Index finger and third finger onto the third eye centre just between the eyebrows. Place the thumb on the right nostril and the fourth finger on the left.

Close the right nostril by pressing gently against it with your thumb, and inhale through the left nostril for 3 seconds. Pause and lightly hold the breath in for one second.
Close the left nostril by pressing gently against it with your fourth finger and open your right nostril by releasing your thumb and exhale fully for 3 seconds, pause and lightly hold the breath out for one second.
Inhale through the right nostril for 3 seconds, pause and lightly hold the breath in for one second and then exhale through the left nostril, pause and lightly hold the breath out for one second.

This so far, is one complete round of Nadi shodhana. Start with 5-10 rounds and build upon this once you feel comfortable with its effects. The breath should be slow and steady and the inhale should be up to 70% lung capacity each cycle. It is best to close the eyes and focus purely on the sound and subtle qualities of each breath. Observe the coolness of the inhalation and the warmth of the exhalation.

It is best to have an experienced yoga teacher guide through more of the complex breath patterns, however Nadi shodhana is one of the safest techniques available to most healthy people. Just stop if you feel light headed, faint or dizzy.

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