December pose: office chair twist

parivrtta sukhasana variation

How to do it:

1. Sit comfortably at your desk with both feet on the ground.
2. Lengthen the spine and reach up through the crown of the head.
3. Take a deep breath in to sit up tall, then as you exhale bring your left hand to the outside of your right knee and twist to the right.
4. Bring your right hand to the arm rest to twist from your belly and look over your right shoulder. If you want to go deeper, bring your hand to the top of the chair.

Stay for 5-10 steady breaths then release and switch sides.

Benefits:

• Increases the flexibility of the spine and back
• Relieves stiffness of the neck
• Helps with digestion

november pose: supported bridge

setu bandha sarvangasana

Props needed: one block

How to do it:
1. Start lying down on your back. Bend your knees, bringing your feet hip width apart.
2. Walk your feet back, until you can touch the back on your heels.
3. Press into the soles of the feet and start to lift the hips. Place the block on the lowest level under your sacrum, right at the base of the spine (you may bring the block higher for a deeper backbend)
4. Keep your feet parallel
5. Soften into your low back, relax the arms and breathe.

Stay for one to five minutes, then slowly lift the hips and remove the block. Lower the hips down slowly, pause then hug your knees into your chest, rocking from side to side to massage the low back

Benefits:

• Opens the chest and spine
• Stretches the front thighs
• Helps relieve back pain

october pose: mountain

tadasana

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Mountain pose makes you feel strong and powerful. It improves your posture, strengthens your thighs, knees and ankles and helps firm your core.

How to do it:
1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Root down through your heels, spread your toes and balance on all four corners of your feet.
2. Lengthen the spine and reach up through the crown of your head.
3. Keep a neutral pelvis and find a comfortable position for your hands (either on your hips, by your side or palms together in front of your heart)
4. Breathe deeply in and out through your nose. You may close your eyes and focus inwards.

Maintaining a balanced diet and active lifestyle can decrease your risks.
Spread the word so we can save more lives.

image source: Bankers Healthcare Group

september pose: gate

parighasana

How to do it:

1. Start kneeling on the mat, keeping your hips stacked over your knees.
2. Bring your hands to your hips and extend your right leg out to the side, aligning your right heel to your left knee.
3. Inhale, reach your arms up and over your head
4. Exhale, slide your right hand down to your leg to your shin or ankle as you open your chest, reaching your left arm up and over along side your left ear.
5. Keep your torso facing forward, and gaze towards your extended hand.

Stay for 10-15 breaths then slowly release and switch sides.

Benefits:

• Stretches the sides of the torso
• Stretches the shoulders
• Engages the core and opens the lungs

august pose: toppling tree

patanvrkshasana

How to do it:
1. Start by standing up tall with your feet about hip-width apart
2. Interlace your hands behind your back
3. Begin to shift your weight onto your left foot, as lean your weight forward and lift your right leg up and back behind you.
4. Keep your hips squared, engage your belly and focus on a point for balance.
5. Lift up through your chest and keep both legs strong and engaged.

Hold for 5-10 breaths, then slowly come up and repeat on the other side.


Benefits:

• Strengthens and stretches the thighs
• Improves balance and concentration
• Stretches the shoulders 

july pose: balancing table

dandayama bharmanasana

How to do it:

1. Start on your hands and knees. Ensure that your shoulders are stacked right over your wrists and your knees under your hips.
2. Shift your weight to your left hand as you reach your right arm out in front of you, in line with your shoulder.
3. Focus on a point for balance and raise your left leg up, keeping it parallel to the ground and ensuring your hips are squared.
4. Reach back through your left heel and reach forward with your right fingertips. Keep your spine nice and long and avoid arching into your back.

Hold for 5-10 breaths, then release and switch sides. Complete about five rounds alternating between sides, then rest in child's pose. 

Benefits:

• Strengthens your core 
• Helps relieve tension in the low back
• Improves balance, focus and coordination

june pose: bound extended side angle

baddha utthita parsvakonasana

How to do it:

1. Starting in warrior II, reach your right hand down to the floor on the inside of your foot.
2. Raise your left arm up.
3. Bend your right arm, reach your hand through your legs and reach your top arm back behind you clasping your left wrist with your right hand.
4. Lift and open your chest and look up and over your left shoulder.
5. Keep your legs strong and your face relaxed

Hold and stay for 10-15 breaths then release and come back up to warrior II. Repeat on the other side.

Benefits:

• relieves stiffness in the shoulders and back
• stretches groins and hamstrings
• strengthens legs, knees and ankles
• improves stamina

may pose: goddess

utkata konasana

How to do it:

1. Start standing with your feet about 3-4 feet apart and turn your heels in and your toes out about 45 degrees.
2. Keep your hands on your hips for balance and start to bend your knees, keeping them pointing in the same direction as your toes.
3. Tuck your tailbone under, press your hips slightly forward and your knees back
4. Keep your spine long and begin to open your arms out to the side, bending at the elbows. Slide your shoulder blades down your back and lift the chest.

Stay for 5-10 breathes and slowly straighten your legs to come back up and release the arms by your side

Benefits:

• Stretches your hips, groins and chest
• Strengthens your quads and inner thigh muscles
• Increases circulation in the body 

Banana Tropics smoothie

1 cup of almond coconut milk 

1 whole banana

1 cup of chopped pineapple

1/2 cup of frozen mangoes

1 tsp of cinnamon

add ice cubes and blend

garnish with pineapple and cinnamon

ENJOY :) 

april pose: forearm plank

ardha phalakasana

How to do it:

1. Start lying down on your belly. Bring your forearms onto the mat, aligning that your elbows are directly underneath your shoulders.
2. Spread out through your fingers, and start to engage your core, by pulling up from your belly
3. Curl your toes under and lift your knees off the floor
4. Tuck your tailbone under and create a long line from the crown of your head all the way to your heels

Engage your thighs, push out through your heels and hold for 5 to 10 breaths. Release by dropping your knees and sit back into child's pose.

Benefits:

• Strengthens the arms, legs and core
• Calms the brain
• Tones abdominals and glutes

march pose: reverse prayer

pashchima namaskarasana

How to do it:

1. Ensuring you have a nice long spine, bring your arms behind you. Bend the elbows and slowly start to rotate your wrists as you bring your palm togethers (modification: you may grab opposite elbows or place your palms flat on your back, one on top of each other)
2. Keep your collarbones broad, spine long and breath steady.

Stay for 5-10 breathes, then come out slightly.

Benefits:

• Strengthens the wrists and forearms
• Stretches elbows and shoulders
• Expands the chest, allowing for deeper breath 

february pose: revolved side angle

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana

How to do it:

1. Start by standing tall at the top of your mat with your hands on your hips
2. Bend your knees and step your left leg back towards the back of your mat coming into a high lunge
3. Ensure that your front knee is bent 90 degrees and your knee is directly over your ankle
4. Keep your back leg strong, lift up from your thigh and push back through your heel, staying on the ball of your foot. *modification: you may bring your back knee down
5. On an inhale, raise your arms up (crescent pose). On an exhale, bring your palms together and down to the centre on your chest as you twist to the right, bringing your left elbow to the outside of your front knee.
6. Press into your palms, lift the heart up and look over your right shoulder

Stay for 5-10 breaths, then release and repeat on the other side.

Benefits:

• Stretches and stretches the legs, knees and ankles
• Stimulates abdominal organs
• Increases stamina and improves balance 

Image source: Laura May photography 

January pose: reclining bound angle

Supta Baddha Konasana

How to do it:

1. Start lying down on your back.
2. Bend your knees bringing the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall to the side
3. Depending on how open or tight you are, your heels can come closer towards you or further away.
4. For support, you may place blocks under your thighs

Relax and breathe. Settle into the pose anywhere from five to ten minutes. To come out, slowly draw your knees together and hug them into your chest, rocking side to side.

Benefits:

• Stretches the inner thighs, groins and knees
• Stimulates abdominal organs 
• Calms the mind and helps relieve stress 

Happy 2015!

Happy New Year everyone! As we embark on a new year, here is something to reflect on everyday of your life. Be inspired from the Be the Breath mantra: