Yoga for your period: Queen’s Pose

How to practice yoga during your period? Today we’ll do Queen’s Pose, one of the best yoga poses to do during your menstrual cycle. Queen’s Pose helps relax, recharge your batteries and honor your monthly flow. Ready for royalty? Here we go:

Why practice yoga differently during your period?

Menses are part of Apana Vayu, the “eliminating or downward breath.”

When practicing yoga during the Moon Flow, the invitation is to respect their natural elimination function. We do this by avoiding postures that go against the downward movement (like upside-down poses), and by making our practice more gentle.

More on how to adapt your yoga practice during your period in this article: When the period flows: yoga or no yoga?

And now, here’s the number one posture that ticks all the boxes: Queen’s Pose!

What is Queen’s Pose in yoga?

A Pose Fit for Queens: Supta Baddha Konasana, Reclined Bound Angle Pose or Butterfly Posture

Let’s first set the record straight. Queen’s pose is not a classic asana name! In fact, in classical yoga, the pose considered to be the Queen of Asanas is Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana or Salamba Sarvangasana), and the King of Asanas is Head Stand or Sirsasana.

But Queen’s Pose has so many benefits when you are on your menstrual cycle that it deserves the royal title. And you deserve to be the Queen of yourself!

The pose’s Sanskrit name is Supta Badha Konasana, or Reclined Bound Angle Pose. You may also be familiar with another name for this asana: Reclined Butterfly Pose.

How to do Supine Bound Angle Pose or Queen’s Pose?

Supta Baddha Konasana with bolster — Queen’s Pose – with bolster

Queen’s Pose can be done with or without a bolster. But for extra cushy comfort, I highly recommend a bolster, like in the picture.

So let’s do it! Here are the steps for Supta Baddha Konasana, Supine or Reclined Bound Angle Pose:

Sit on the floor (or on folded blankets)

Place a bolster lengthwise behind you.

For added comfort, you can place a folded blanket behind your head.

Place the soles of your feet together (they do not have to touch completely)

Release your thighs and knees to the sides

Using your hands, lie your back down on the bolster

Place 2 yoga blocks as supports under your thighs or knees if it feels tight inside your thigh

Stay for a few minutes, or up to 10 or 15mn.

If you’d rather do Queen’s Pose without a bolster, here’s how you can set up with a blanket rolled under your neck:

To come back:

Bring your knees together with your hands

Turn on your side and come back to sit

What are the benefits of Queen’s Pose, Reclined Bound Angle Pose?

Queen’s Pose, or Reclined Butterfly has many benefits:

It relaxes the lower abdomen.

It encourages deep breathing.

By relaxing the inner thighs and by extension the pelvic floor and the lower abdomen, the pose also helps relax the organs which work more during the menstrual cycle.

As it is a supine or reclined posture, it helps to relax the entire body, and invites us to prolong the moment of relaxation, because it is so good!

And beyond the physical benefits, Supta Baddha Konasana, Queen’s Pose, teaches us to take care of ourselves during the flow phase of the menstrual cycle.
This is a key moment during which we may feel more tired, but also more open to introspection and intuition. This is very important too!

Not 100% comfortable when in the pose? Below are tips for doing Queen’s Pose, hum… well… like a Queen!

Best tips for Supta Baddha Konasana

1. Lower back or sacrum are sensitive:

Move your buttocks away from the bolster

Or sit on a folded blanket

2. Inner thighs feel tight:

Place 1 folded blanket or yoga block under each thigh to support the leg.

Supta Baddha Konasana with blocks under the thighs

3. Pain or tension in the neck pain in Supta Baddha Konasana:

Place a folded blanket under your head, on the end of the bolster, like a pillow

4. To help your body relax

Try covering your eyes with an eye pillow or an eye mask.
Both help to soothe the body and mind by blocking out light. The eye pillow also adds a nice grounding weight on the eye area, helping soften and relax the eyes.

Contraindications of Supta Baddha Konasana

Are you injured in your knees, pelvis or inner thighs? You may think Queen’s Pose is better avoided. But before you ditch the pose completely, try yoga props as support. Props are your friends: don’t skimp on them!

Try the tips listed above :

Place yoga blocks or as many folded blankets as needed under the thighs to reduce tension in the inner thighs.
Use folded blankets under the buttocks to relieve low back tension, or under the head, to relieve neck tension.

Most often than not, Queen’s Pose is accessible to everyone, with the appropriate supports.

And, if despite the tips and yogic accessories, Queen’s Pose is painful for you, it’s also OK to stop!

In conclusion, the next time you’re on your flow, bring on Queen’s Pose.

The Queen of the Inner Worlds awaits! This is her prescription: do one Queen’s Pose, Supta Baddha Konasana daily when on your period, especially for the first few days.

And you may even want to keep it up every other day of the month to rest and recharge your batteries!

Yoga for stage fright

Do you suffer from stage or public speaking fright? You have perfected your performance or your speech. And now you’re about to step on stage. But suddenly you are paralyzed, your heart is racing and your palms dripping in sweat. It’s the dreaded stage fright! The good news is that yoga can help! Here are 5 ways yoga helps manage stage fright.

What is stage fright?

Stage fright shows up in different ways in different people. However, there are many common expressions. One often experiences a higher heart rate and shallow breathing. Some sweat profusely, or suddenly feel cold or hot. Others have knots in their stomachs, or throats, or legs that go soft. Sometimes, we feel all that at the same time!

Basically, stage fright is a very strong or exaggerated response to the stress of an impending event. And it turns out, managing stress is one of yoga’s benefits!

How does yoga help manage stress and stage fright?

Yoga’s effect on breath and heart rates

In yoga asana, we focus on breathing deeply and smoothly. And breath is precisely one of the keys to managing stress and stage fright.

Why? Because our nervous system is closely linked to the rhythms of the breath and the heart.
When we are feeling stressed out, our heart speeds up, our blood pressure increases and our breath becomes fast and shallow.
On the other hand, when we’re at peace and safe, our body relaxes, heart and breathing rates slow down, and our blood pressure drops.

The good news is that we can directly reduce stress and stage fright by working on… the breath! And this is very efficient, even without being a longtime yogi. (and even without being a yogi at all!).

Benefits of a regular yoga practice on stress management

However, as a yogini for over half of my life, I *must* share the benefits of regular practice on managing stage fright!

So here are the benefits:
From a physiological perspective, regular yoga practice improves the body’s ability to respond to changing heart rates. These rhythm amplitudes are called Heart Rate Variability.

When we are under stress, breathing accelerates and the heart beats faster. With a regular yoga practice, our heart is accustomed to handling these differences in rhythm better, and can return to a slower rhythm more quickly. This is true during the yoga session itself, but also off the mat. With regular practice, yoga helps the heart and breath calm down more easily. Hence, stress becomes easier to manage.

Additionally, beyond the benefits on the breath and the heart, the practice of yoga helps us put unpleasant moments of life into perspective. Is the moment as unpleasant as we make it? Can we keep our cool? Will this moment pass?

Yoga to manage stage fright

So concretely, how can yoga help manage stage fright?

1- Set up a regular yoga practice

OK, let’s start with the most obvious. A regular practice of yoga, meditation and pranayama helps to manage daily and exceptional stresses, such as stage fright. The more regular the practice, the more a calm body and mind come naturally, on and off stage.

2- Lion’s Breath to Release excess stress and prepare your voice

Lion’s Breath comes from Simhasana, Lion’s Pose.

Lion's Breath for stress management and stage fright — Open up and say “HAAA”! Meet my tongue and I with a ferocious stone lion in Angkor, Cambodia

How to practice Lion’s Breath:

Stand or sit backstage. Take a deep breath in.

On the exhale sound “HAAAAAA”. Open your mouth wide, roll your eyes, and stick your tongue out as much as possible, as if you want to touch your chin!

And then breathe in and repeat: “HAAAA” like the roar of the lion.

Continue for 1-2 minutes, or 5-10 full breaths.

Lion’s Breath helps release the neck and face muscles, as well as the tongue. Making the sound HAAAA helps release the throat and prepare to speak with the poise of a lion or lioness!

3- Deep breaths to quickly calm down

The breath is directly linked to the nervous system. Acting on the breath allows you to act directly on the physical effects of stress.

Deep breaths now!

Deep breathing for stress management and stage fright

How to practice long deep breaths :

Stand or sit, in your dressing room or in your bubble amidst the excitement behind the scenes.

Take long and deep breaths.

Place your hands on your stomach. Breathe in the belly, in the rib cage. Let each big inhale fill the belly, the rib cage. Let each exhalation empty without forcing.

Focus on this movement of the breath going in and out. This concentration will help you “empty” your mind. Repeat for 2-3 minutes, or 10-20 full breaths.

Taking long, deep and smooth breaths directly and effectively calms the nervous system. We instantly (or nearly) feel more relaxed and our heart rate slows down.

4- Spray lavender essential oil

Use the potent magic of smells and perfumes! Smells bypass the barriers of the rational mind. You’ll relax “in spite of” yourself!

How to use essential oils to manage stress:

Choose an essential oil that appeals to you and has relaxing characteristics. Some suggestions that I personally like include Lavender, Ylang-ylang, Bergamot, Petitgrain, Palmarosa…

Dilute a few drops in a bottle of water with a spray nozzle, and shake before spraying around you.

Or, in a simpler version: pour a few drops into a tissue and breathe deeply.

More on sacred plants to purify a space in this article.

Using essential oils for stress management and stage fright — Inhale calming essential oils for stress relief

5- Visualize your perfect performance

Visualization is a powerful tool. Let’s apply it to stage fright, performing and stress management!

How to use visualizations to manage stage fright:

Visualize yourself coming on stage with confidence, ready to give joy to the audience, ready to share your important message or teaching.

Visualize your performance. See yourself from start to finish (fast-tracked of course!), relaxed, confident, happy to be there, embodied by your mission.

And visualize your exit, satisfied with your performance, your speech, your course.

Meditating girl cartoon by fissosworld.com

With these 5 yoga tips to help you manage stage fright and stressful moments in life, you’re ready to give the best show ever!

Lights, camera, action !

Sit all day? Do these 3 Yoga Poses to counter sitting for a long time

Sitting all day? Feeling like you have fused with your desk chair or your couch? Sitting all day can cause a lots of not-so-fun physical and mental issues. Back and hip pain are just one example. So, here are 3 Yoga Poses for the hips and lower back to counter the effects of sitting all day.

What are the health risks of sitting all day?

When we sit for prolonged periods of time, what happens? Here are the effects of sitting all day on the body and the mind:

Prolonged sitting shortens the hip flexor muscles (the ones at the front of hip, at the top of the front thigh)

It also weakens the muscles of the legs and torso

Can lead to postural and spine misalignment, because let’s face it, it’s hard to stay seated nice and tall all day

May also lead to stiffness in the shoulders and neck, especially if we’re leaning over a screen or desk

Also causes poor circulation in the lower body. This means blood and lymph end up stagnating in the pelvis, legs, and feet.

Many studies also show that sitting for long periods in a chair increases the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular problems and weight gain. Prolonged sitting may also lead to greater risks of developing depression, dementia or cancer… Wow. And this is true for other types of prolonged sitting, like driving.

(yikes that’s a lot! So let’s pause and stand up for a few moments.
OK we can sit down again – if we dare!)

Today we’ll focus on what happens to the hips and lower back when we sit all the time. And more importantly, let’s see what yoga poses you can do to help balance the effects of prolonged sitting!

Sitting all day? Do these 3 yoga poses:

A little goes a long way! Doing these 3 yoga poses at break times can really make a difference.

1- Yoga to counter sitting all day: Anjaneyasana, Crescent Pose

Sitting in a chair for long periods of time shortens the hip flexors, especially the iliopsoas. The hip flexors are the muscles at the front top of the thigh.

Think about it: when we are standing, the angle between the thighs and the torso is 180 degrees (a straight line). But when we are sitting, this angle is about 90 degrees! Talk about a lot less… No wonder sitting shortens the hip flexors over time!

How can yoga help?

Practice: Anjaneyasana, Crescent Pose:

Crescent pose to counter sitting all day by Yes Yoga Be Well

Benefits of Crescent Pose, Anjaneyasana:

Stretches the hip flexors and quadriceps (thigh muscles),

Stabilizes the torso,

Strengthens the muscles of the torso and legs.

For more core and leg strengthening, you can also do Crescent Pose with your knee off the floor:

2- Counter sitting all day with Prasarita Padottanana or Wide Leg Forward Fold

Sitting all day in a chair very often affects posture. Yes, keeping your back and neck long and the curves of your spine aligned for hours is no easy feat! Add craning our necks or leaning over a laptop (or a phone), and what do we get? A posture that’s out of whack and (with time) pain in the neck, shoulders and back.

How can yoga help?

Practice: Prasarita Padottanasana, Wide Leg Forward Fold:

Benefits of Prasarita Padottanasana, Wide Leg Forward Fold:

Stretches the back and helps decompress the lumbar spine (lower back) and cervical spine (neck)

Stretches the hamstrings (the muscles at the back of the legs)

Helps calm the mind and change perspective! That makes Prasarita Padottanasana a perfect pose for a short mental break too!

3- Yoga to counter sitting all day: Baddha Konasana, Cobbler’s Pose or Butterfly Pose

Spending extended periods sitting in a chair often creates tension and poor circulation in the pelvis and hips. This is even more acute if your chair seat is too hard, leans back or is shallow.

How can yoga relax the hips and improve blood circulation in the pelvis?

Practice: Baddha Konasana, Cobbler’s Pose or Butterfly Pose:

do yoga posture Baddha Konasana if you sit all day

The benefits of Baddha Konasana, Butterfly or Cobbler’s Pose:

Stretches the hips,

Stretches the adductors (the muscles on the inside of the legs)

Relaxes the pelvic floor

Increases blood circulation in the pelvis

For more intense hip stretching, here is Baby Grasshopper Pose and Grasshopper Pose!

And so there you have it! Three simple yoga poses that pack a punch to counter the effect of sitting all day! Also remember that simply standing and moving regularly throughout the day will make a huge difference. You don’t need to run a half marathon between each report and meeting. Just move a little, every 20-30 minutes. Get up, stretch, breathe and do these 3 yoga postures!

That’s it for me! I’m standing up now. What about you?

Here’s another mini yoga sequence to do over break time : 3 yoga poses for Energy!

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Can yoga help weight loss?

“Does yoga help for weight loss?” That’s a great question I get asked every now and then. We’ll have a look at calories burned, but also at how yoga helps manage stress, change your relationship with your body and even sleep better. And how yoga – even the more gentle styles – can help shed the pounds AND keep them off.

Yoga as a low impact sport

From a purely physical perspective, yoga is considered a low to medium impact activity. Of course, some yoga styles burn more calories than others: 2 hours of vigorous Astanga Yoga will burn more calories than a short Yin Yoga practice.

But overall, if we are just counting calories, you’ll burn approximately the same amount of calories in a one-hour all-level yoga class as brisk walking for an hour (about 150-200 calories for an adult). So, I totally understand if most people do not naturally reach for the yoga mat to lose weight and slim down.

However, weight loss is not only about how many calories you burn while exercising. It is also about what we eat, calories-wise and quality-wise (we all know that eating a 100-calorie cookie is not the same 100 calories as a bowl of feta and olive salad –also about 100 calories).

Staying in shape is also about mental well-being and stress levels. The more stressed we are, the more we likely we are to make choices that do not really serve us: eat a tub of ice-cream, have the 4th coffee of the day, snack on a bag of chips… Similarly, if we are chronically sleep-deprived, we also tend to gain weight.

And this is precisely how yoga can help for weight loss. And for keeping the extra pounds off!

How yoga helps in weight loss -and keeping it off-

Yoga helps you eat better

Yoga increases your awareness: the more you practice, the more in-tune you are with your body and mind. It can change how you perceive yourself, your body, and your life!

This may not happen overnight, but in the long run, this is what will give you the power to change your eating habits. Being more mindful means we can tell more clearly when we are hungry, or if we are eating to fill an emotional need. Overall, yoga makes us more mindful. This in turn helps us listen and respond better to our body’s needs.

Need some chocolate? A glass of water? Or maybe just to talk to a friend?

Yoga helps you make lifestyle changes

Being in tune with your body and mind can not only help you change your eating habits, but also help you make lifestyle changes, for the better! Yoga teaches us to be more mindful and better listen to our body.

Over time, it becomes easier and easier to understand when the body tells us it needs more rest, or when it craves a peaceful or more energizing environment. Or more loving and supportive company.

Basically, the takeaway is this: yoga can help you make better choices for yourself, whether this concerns food, people, activities or habits. And often, the benefits of your choices and changes will ripple out and touch your loved ones, your community and even the planet.

Yoga helps relieve stress (and lose weight)

Is it the mindful breathing, meditative moments, final Savasana, the teacher’s or the group’s feel-good vibes, or the thousand-year old movements done by generations of yogis before us? Well, maybe all of the above!

Yoga helps the body lower its cortisol its levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone. It is totally natural and essential to the body. Cortisol regulates blood pressure, blood sugar, sleep cycles, the use and storage of fats, carbohydrates and proteins… A great synergy.

The problem is when we are permanently in a state of stress. The body produces more cortisol, and this disrupts the functions that depend on the hormone. As a result, blood pressure and blood sugar levels rise, sleep cycles get disrupted, and the… body stores more fat!

Yoga helps relieve stress, and thus, lowers the body’s cortisol levels. That’s why less stress has a direct impact on your health, on the quality of your sleep, and yep… that’s how yoga can help on weight loss (or rather, fat-loss)!

Get down to your meditation and do Savasana!!

Yoga tones the body

Hold a yoga pose long enough and you’ll feel your muscles working. Yoga poses very often involve different muscle groups at the same time. For example the quadriceps, glutes, torso muscles (and even arm muscles) are all working in Warrior 2, Virabhadrasana 2.

In yoga, we’re not using weights to build muscle, just the weight of our own body. That may seem pretty accessible in Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) or even in Plank pose. However, carrying your own weight gets harder in Crow Pose (Bakasana), or whole-body inversions such as the Handstand or Pincha Mayurasana, the Feather of the Peacock Pose (see below!).

As we journey through many of yoga’s weight-bearing poses, we’re toning the body, AND learning to love it more.

Feather of a Peacock Pose, Pincha Mayurasana – here at Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Side effect alert: Yoga’s weight loss side-effects!

Yoga does not necessarily make you lose weight if you only look at the number of calories burned.

But staying in shape is more than numbers!

What also helps shed pounds and keep them off? Becoming more aware of your relationship with your body, with food, your well-being. And also being less stressed-out and sleeping better.

All these are yoga’s side-effects and perhaps the secret to having –and keeping- the weight that’s the most adapted to you.

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Get into Embryo in the Womb Pose and laugh out loud!

Garbha Pindasana, Embryo in the Womb Pose, is one of those funny-looking yoga poses that make you go mmmmh?!

Yep, you heard it right: Embryo in the Womb Pose. Do baby yogis sit in Lotus Pose (and hold their ears) while in-utero? I don’t know (and definitely not my babies, from what I saw on the ultrascans!), but hey, that won’t prevent us from having fun with this kinda crazy yoga posture.

What is the Embryo in the Womb Pose?

Garbha Pindasana comes from the Sanskrit “Garbha”, uterus or womb, and “Pinda”, embryo. It is a variation of Lotus Pose, Padmasana, or Kukkutasana, Rooster Pose. Basically, Embryo in the Womb Pose is a buttock-balancing Padmasana, with arms going into the (very) small space behind the knees, and the hands coming out in front.

I think a picture here is worth a thousand words:

Garbha Pindasana, Embryo in the Womb Pose

Why do Embryo in the Womb Pose?

Wondering what are the benefits of compacting your body into an itty-bitty ball – like an embryo in the womb – AND trying to balance on your butt while trying to hold on to your ears? Sounds pretty crazy.

Well here goes: the benefits of Garbha Pindasana:

Garbha Pindasana is a deep forward fold, which also requires enough hip opening to do Lotus Pose.

It also works the deep abdominals (to stay in a compact ball).

And Embryo in the Womb Pose also works your sense of humor, because honestly, when you’re trying to get into Garbha Pindasana (or its simpler variations that I’ll post about shortly) in yoga class – or right in front of a mirror, it’s hard not to laugh out loud! Crazy Yogis!

How to do Garbha Pindasana?

Start in Padmasana, Lotus Pose.

If Padmasana isn’t part of your practice yet, you can do a half lotus pose – one leg in lotus, or cross your legs in Sukhasana, with your feet as close as possible just below the knees.

(Important note: don’t force on your knees to get into Padmasana. Work on hip opening instead with postures such as Half Lotus, Marichyasana, Janu Sirsasana, Baddha Konasana, Supine Figure 4 Pose (Thread the Needle), Fire Log Pose…)

Embryo in the Womb Pose Step 1 : Padmasana

From Padmasana, thread your arms through the (tight!) space between the lower legs and the thighs, as if coming into Kukkutasana. Go all the way until the elbow! Sometimes it helps to go sideways, rather than straight. Some yogis also wet their forearms (to help slide). And if you’re a bracelet-wearing yogi like me, take them off!

Garbha Pindasana Step 2 : Thread your arms!

From there, bend your elbows and grab your ears with your hands! I haven’t found my ears yet in Garbha Pindasana, so I put my hands in prayer or gyan mudra!

Then, to come out of Garbha Pindasana, put your hands on the ground and pull your arms out from your Lotus. OR, stay in the pose, curl up into a tighter ball, and roll back and forth on your yoga mat. You can also roll in a circle – usually done clockwise in the Astanga Yoga first series. It’s a super nice back massage and a very energizing movement!

Who’s a Happy Embryo after rolling around in Garbha Pindasana?

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Tune in to the Universe with Gyan Mudra!

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Do you make a circle with your thumb and index finger when you meditate? That is Gyan (or Jñana) Mudra! What does it mean? And how can this mudra help?

Gyan Mudra, the Mudra of Wisdom

“Gyan” or “Jñana” is a Sanskrit word meaning “knowledge, wisdom”. A mudra is a symbolic or ritual hand gesture.

See What is a mudra?

Hence, Gyan Mudra is known as the “Knowledge or Wisdom Mudra”.

When placing hands on the thighs or knees, this mudra can be done either with palms facing up, or palms facing down.

When palms face down, it is often also called Chin Mudra, the Mudra of Consciousness. And when palms face up, it is called Gyan Mudra.

(Note: There are different variations around the names of Gyan (or Jñana) and Chin Mudras. Some teachers call it Gyan Mudra when your palms are up, others when they are down. Some speak of Chin Mudra when the palms are up and Gyan when they are down. For this article I based the info on Indu Arora’s extensive work on mudras, in which Gyan Mudra = Palms up and Chin Mudra = Palms down). Just know you’ll find the same mudra called differently).

How to do Gyan Mudra?

Make a circle with the tips of your thumb and forefinger touching. Soften the other fingers.

When to use Gyan Mudra?

A mudra for better concentration, and –say the sages- to get a step closer to wisdom!

So get your Gyan Mudra on in meditation and in pranayama practice!

A mudra : for a sharper mind and better focus (hint : Great for Studying!)

Besides meditation and pranayama, Gyan Mudra helps concentrate when learning / studying, and when taking an exam (pen in one hand, mudra in the other!).

I remember learning this mudra when I was in elementary school, and doing it to study for assessments (it wasn’t as convenient for piano lessons)! Then, by the time I was in high school and university, I no longer practiced this mudra for exam cramming. Sigh! Maybe a more regular practice would have saved me long evenings in front of my books!

In yoga, Gyan Mudra (Wisdom) or Chin Mudra (Consciousness) are most often done sitting, for meditation or pranayama.

For example, you can place your hands on your thighs, in Sukhasana (sitting cross-legged), in Virasana (Hero’s Pose), in Padmasana (Lotus Pose)… Many yogis also do this mudra in more active postures, like Vrksasana (pronounced “Vrikshasana”), Tree Pose, or any other pose where the hands are free!

What does Gyan Mudra mean?

It symbolizes the Connection to the Universe

In Ayurveda, the Thumb represents the element Fire (Agni), and the index finger symbolizes Air (Vayu). In this mudra, you connect the thumb and index, meaning your are connecting the elements Fire and Air. From an Ayurvedic point of view, this mudra increases the element Air in the body. Air, or Vayu, is associated with the functions of the nervous system and the brain (among others things). This explains the effect of this mudra on concentration and relaxation.

The index is also associated with the Ego, the Individual Self or Individual Consciousness. The thumb is associated with the Universal Self or Universal Consciousness, with the Universe.

With this mudra, we are connecting our Individual Self to our greater Self and the Universe that is greater than us.

Well, that’s quite a feast! Rock your Gyan Mudra and become the entire Cosmos! WOOT!

For more on mudras and meditation

More on mudras and the elements (Fire, Air, Water, etc.) associated with the fingers, check out: What is a mudra?

Info on mudras in meditation, pranayama and asana and how to use them to deepen your yoga practice, see How to use mudras? (coming up – Read it in French!)

And here are some other mudras to inspire your hands, body and soul!

Vishnu Mudra, the Mudra for Alternate Nostril Breathing (coming up)

Ahamkara Mudra to live the life you want!

Ganesha Mudra, to cultivate courage

Abhaya Mudra, to dispel fear and be You!

Padma Mudra, Lotus mudra, to open up your heart to Love

Merge with the Cosmos with Gyan Mudra – image by Gert Altman

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Why is the number 108 special in yoga?

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108 beads on your Mala, 108 Sun Salutations, chanting OM 108 times… What does the number 108 have to do in all this? Magic? Mathematics? Sacred number? The mysteries of 108!

108 beads on my Mala

What is a Mala?

“Mala” means “garland” in Sanskrit.

Malas are Hindu or Buddhist prayer beads, or “rosaries”. Malas are used to recite mantras and prayers : touch a bead, say your mantra, then touch another.

Long malas have 108 beads, with an additional head bead or guru bead, most often a bigger or different bead.

But why 108 beads? Let’s get to know more about 108:

108 Disciples, 108 sacred texts

In Hinduism, Shiva and Krishna are known to have 108 assistants each. There also are 108 Upanishads or Vedanta, sacred texts from the Vedas. (note however that some sources say there are over 200 Upanishads, that’s more than our number 108!).

In Buddhism, 108 turns up as 108 sacred texts, as well as 108 kleshas, the “afflictions” or mental states that are at the root of all suffering (think: ignorance, jealousy, anger … and list 108!). Some schools also count 108 temptations to turn your back on in order to reach Nirvana.

Yep, these are pretty good reasons to have 108 beads on your mala!

108 in the stars

Sky side, we find 108 too.
Astrologers talk about the 12 houses of the zodiac, and 9 planets – including Pluto, like astrologers do! My complex scientific calculation tell me that 12 x 9 = 108.

And, this is one of my favorite 108 facts: the distance from the Sun to the Earth = 108 times the diameter of the Sun, and the distance from the Moon to the Earth = 108 times the diameter of the Moon. (approximately!)

I’m a fan of 108, are you? I’m up for 108 Sun Salutations now!

Or shall we repeat OM 108 times instead?

How to do Savasana, Yoga’s most difficult pose

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Savasana, yoga’s toughest pose?

A friend of mine comes to yoga class with a T-shirt that says “I came for Savasana”. It always makes me laugh, because I’m probably more often in class determined to work hard on crazy inversions!

After all, what could be easier than lying down and doing nothing?

Aha! Well, Savasana (pronouced shavasana) or Corpse Pose (or Final Resting Pose, as I also call it in my classes), is often considered the most difficult of all yoga poses!

Why? Lie down and see for yourself! Thoughts start zooming through your mind at full speed. Muscles refuse to surrender to the mat. Or perhaps savasana sends you straight to sleep (and now you’re snoring!).

Savasana, yoga’s most important pose

Tempted to skip Savasana at the end of practice? Don’t make that yogic mistake: Savasana allows the body to rest and relax deeply, integrate your yoga session, and connect with yourself. And don’t we all need some down time?

Mmmm! Yum! Let’s go?

How to do Savasana for a queen:

– Lie down on your back, and notice how you feel before adjusting.

– Adjust the pelvis so that it is neutral (lower back not arched nor flat on the mat).

– Adjust the head so that it is straight, neck extended, shoulders away from the ears. If you want, put a folded yoga blanket under your head.

– Extend your arms along your body with space between your side body and arms. Turn your arms so that the palms of your hands face the sky.

– Let your breath flow. Soften your body.

– Sink into your mat.

– Welcome to yourself!

– To transition out of Savasana, start by waking the body gently.

– Return quietly to a sitting position.

Want to decline Savasana in an infinity of ways (or nearly!)? There are lots of Savasana variations, we’ll talk about in another post.

Are you addicted to the peace that Savasana brings? Or do you just need some rest ? Discover the benefits of Restorative Yoga, perfect for nourishing and recharging deeply (post in translation).

Are you pregnant? After the 2nd trimester, you may not feel great to lying flat on your back. It may compresses the vena cava and may not be pleasant for you or your baby. Very soon, I’ll post How to do Savasana when you’re pregnant. Look out for it!

Welcome Spring with BABY GRASSHOPPER POSE!

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Warm up to spring with fun and invigorating Baby Grasshopper Pose! Read on and hop on your mat!

WHAT IS BABY GRASSHOPPER POSE?

Baby Hopper pose isn’t a yoga classic – but may become one day! Plus, it’s fun to do!

It also stretches the legs and hips. The forward fold and slight twist fire up the abdominal muscles, wake the body up and massage the belly area.

This pose is an easier variation of Grasshopper Pose, a twisting arm balance. Grasshopper Pose is a strong hip opener, and requires a little more core strength.

We’ll keep “Mom Grasshopper” Pose for another post. For today, we’ll keep the Baby!

(note: we’re not talking about Salabhasana, Locust Pose, sometimes also called Grasshopper)

step by step to baby grasshopper pose yoga — Welcome Spring and Baby Grasshopper Pose

HOW TO DO BABY HOPPER POSE?

Start by warming up and stretching the hamstrings and hips. You can do some Sun Salutations and seated postures such as Pascimottanasana (seated forward fold) or Marichyasana C (seated twist), for example.

When you are ready to get your Baby Grasshopper hopping:

1. Sit on the floor, legs stretched out in front of you.

2. Cross your left leg over your right thigh, and place your left foot on the mat just outside the right knee.

3. Turn your torso to the right.

4. Bend your elbows and place the palms of your hands on either side of the left foot.

5. Lean forward towards the floor.

how to do baby grasshopper pose yoga — Baby Grasshopper Pose Prep

6. Hold your right foot (the foot of the straight leg), with your left hand (the hand closest to the right foot).

7. Keep leaning towards the floor, lift the pelvic floor up into your body, use your abs, lift your hips. And there you go : you are a Baby hopper!

Have a hopping weekend!

FIND your VOICE with the MANTRA HAM

Express the depth of your ideas and emotions, flow as you speak in public, and get clear about your path. Give YOUR VOICE some oomph with the Mantra HAM!

YOUR VOICE AND THE THROAT CHAKRA

The Throat Chakra, or 5th Chakra is called Vishuddha. In Sanskrit Vishuddha means “pure, purifying”.

The Throat Chakra is located between the Heart Chakra (the 4th, Anahata Chakra), and the 3rd Eye Chakra (the 6th Chakra, Ajna Chakra). Vishuddha links your heart to your head!

EXERCICE: BALANCE YOUR THROAT CHAKRA WITH YOUR VOICE

The Throat Chakra’s elements are ether and sound. For today’s Chakra harmonizing exercise, you’ll just need your… voice!

We’ll use the Throat Chakra’s Bija Mantra, HAM.

The musical note corresponding to Vishuddha is usually G (So). But go ahead and try different notes and see which works best for you.

(HAM’s “A” is pronounced as in “arm”, not as in “green eggs and ham, Sam I am“)!

How to : Throat Chakra Meditation with the Mantra HAM:

1. Sit comfortably, or lie down if you prefer.

2. Take a few deep breaths to center. Close your eyes if you want.

3. Inhale and chant the Bija Mantra HAM: “HAAAMMM”

4. Let the vibration of the Mantra HAM resonate in your throat, and surround you.

5. Inhale and start again! Chant HAM for as many or as few breaths as you wish!

6. When you are done, resume regular breathing.

7. Gently open your eyes!

How do you feel ? Ready to speak with your true voice!

Find your Voice and your path with the mantra HAM!

HAAAAMMM!