Outside of these mechanics of breathing, in the ancient Vedas, specifically in the teachings of Ayurveda, breath is defined in terms of prana. Prana is defined as breath, considered as a life-giving force. Prana is seen as "a universal energy which flows in currents in and around the body."

These currents move energy in and around the body and can be used for healing and can bring about heightened states of awareness.

The practice of controlling and harnessing this life force is called pranayama. There are practices can be taught on how to control the flow of this energy through various breathing techniques, which are all very powerful, but need to be practiced carefully and draftlly under the instruction of an expert or teacher.

Read: The Power of Breath: An Introduction to Pranayama

Pranayama and Sanskrit

What if there was a way to include sounds or mantras with the powerful techniques of pranayama? What if there was a way to harness the power of sound and breath enhance our mental state?

There is when we use the Sanskrit language! Mantras, when pronounced properly, take on the energy and breath control that is in pranayama. In other words, Sanskrit mantras, when chanted correctly contain within them pranayama.

This is such a fascinating topic and my sister and I, as part of our music group Shanti Shanti, really enjoy teaching Sanskrit workshops because it gives people the tools to enhance their mantra practice and deepen their understanding of Vedic knowledge.

Mantras are a repeated sound or word that can be used for chanting, as an affirmation or for meditation. Mantras are draftlly in Sanskrit as that is where the whole concept of a mantra came from. While it is a modern concept to repeat an English phrase or word as a mantra, for the sake of this conversation, I will only be referring to Sanskrit mantras.

Read: 5 Beautiful Mantras to Add to Your Practice

Sanskrit Pronunciation

Let us turn our attention to the foundation of a mantra, which is the Sanskrit language. The Sanskrit alphabet contains the building blocks for all mantras, so if we understand that, we understand all sounds and mantras that emerge out of this ancient language.

The Sanskrit alphabet is structured in such a unique way and it will allow me to illustrate the link between the breath and mantras.

The Sanskrit alphabet is laid out in groups to emphasize the position of the mouth, lips and tongue and is very specific in order to be accurate. This is also very important in the use of breath. Every syllable in the Sanskrit alphabet is very specific in amount and what kind of breath is used. Let us briefly address a couple of foundational elements of the Sanskrit alphabet to illustrate this important point.

All of the short vowels, as shown below, all use a short breath, about one beat.

All of the long vowel sounds, as shown below, use a longer breath and are held for twice as long as the short vowels.

The consonants are laid out in rows and columns which help us see the important patterns of breath use. Each row holds those sounds in a single part of the mouth. For instance, the first row is all pronounced in the back of the throat and the last row of consonants is pronounced with the lips. Each row is a mouth location.

Next I want to draw your attention to the actual letters of the consonants. The first letter is hard and the second letter is the same, but pronounced with an aspiration or a small puff of air. The third letter is always soft and the letter after is the same letter, but pronounced with an aspiration, or small puff of air. The final letter is made by sending the sounds through the nasal cavity and thus is called a nasal. So the pattern is: hard, aspirate, soft, aspirate, nasal.

Read: Yoga and the Sanskrit Connection

Using Your Breath

Now that you have a quick overview of the breath control that is tied to the way you say a mantra you can apply it to all of the mantras you say, sing or meditate to. I encourage you to notice and use the diacritical or pronunciation marks written on a mantra to ensure that you are pronouncing it correctly.

Keep saying it out loud until it flows. Notice how it makes you feel. Let the natural rhythm of the syllables and words align themselves with your breathing.

This may sound overly complicated, but this knowledge is easy to apply to your mantra practice and the benefits are amazing. You can feel when a word or phrase falls into the correct rhythm. You will feel your mind become clear, your breathing slow and the peace of your mantra practice will expound much further than when you just quickly and thoughtlessly run through your mantras.

Just as an example, the word “dharma.” There is an aspiration at the beginning and the two “a” sounds in the word are short. Say it once without the aspiration and then say it with it and then notice the difference.

We like to jokingly point out that it sounds “sexy” when you aspirate or say it with the correct amount of breath. But most importantly, it has a different feeling which will affect you much more profoundly when you say it correctly.

Let's look at Om namo. Om is long, you can say it on an inhale. Namo is composed of two syllables: na is short and mo is long and both can be said on an exhale. You can also say them both together on an exhale or inhale. Feel how you become aware of your breath and mind. Feel how your mind focuses and clarifies and how the rhythms of your body slow and align.

Read: Breathe Easy With These 5 Yogic Breathing Exercises

Next Steps

If you wish to even go further into the practice of mantras and the rhythms and breath control, learn the Sanskrit alphabet; the building blocks of all mantras. But for the time being, take notice of the mantras you practice. What are the long and short sounds? Are there any aspirated sounds? If they are not shown to you with markings, you can usually look it up.

If you are wondering if there is a link between your breath and your mantra practice, I assure you that there is. The more you focus on the construct of the mantra the easier it is to link them.

Let the mantra set the rhythm and align your breathing so that you can experience the powerful benefits to you, mind and body.

The post Linking Breath and Mantra appeared first on Yogapedia.

However, it’s also safe to say that some of these techniques have evolved with the times as well, perhaps making them only slightly more comfortable and even simple.

The shatkarmas, also known as shat kriya, are six cleansing techniques or actions, that were first described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Swami Swatmarama in the 15th Century. Today we would probably call most of these cleansing techniques part of a detoxification process.

Some of them have even been turned into expanded detoxification methods where people go to centers for long wellness retreats to return to a state of good health.

Read: Panchakarma: How to Prepare for Ayurveda's Most Complete Cleansing and Detox System

According to yogic philosophy and science however, if these techniques are performed regularly good health will be constantly maintained, without the need to take an extended detox holiday.

The word shat means six and karma means action. The six actions can be thought of as purifications for the physical body, which needs to be cleansed on the path toward enlightenment.

Physical purification is just as necessary as purifying the mind and also often a necessary precursor because everything is interrelated. This also mirrors the eightfold path of Ashtanga.

The path (or Eight Limbs of Yoga) is laid out by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras which dictates the way toward samadhi, or enlightenment, from the external world (bahiranga yoga) to the internal (antaranga yoga).

So, what are these cleansing techniques known as the shatkarma exactly? Some of them you are probably already familiar with! They are outlined as follows:

1. Neti– nasal rinse
2. Dhauti– digestive cleansing
3. Nauli– abdominal massage
4. Basti– colon cleansing
5. Kapalabhati– frontal lobe cleansing
6. Trataka– candle gazing (or single spot gazing)

Although there are six categories of cleansing actions, within each one are specialized variations that range from basic to advanced.

Neti

The most common or popular form of these techniques is jala neti, which is a form of nasal irrigation where the user mixes warm, sterile water with non-iodized salt in a small neti pot and pours it through one nostril so that it drains out the other side. They are commercially sold as kits worldwide in the West at big-name supermarkets.

Jala neti is particularly useful for allergies, sinus congestion, minor colds, and other similar maladies. It is important to ensure all of the water exits the nose afterward via sharp, percussive breathing. Kapalabhati is often recommended for this.

Read: Better Than Coffee: Drink in the Benefits of This Yogic Brain-Boosting Cleansing Technique

A less common form of neti is called sutra neti. The word sutra means thread and, in this case, the practitioner passes a thread-like catheter down from one side of the nasal passage and out the throat, through the mouth. Then you gently rub the thread back and forth in a flossing motion, so it can also be called nasal flossing.

It’s often looked at with some raised eyebrows but it is also helpful for removing excess mucus from the nasal passages and is beneficial for those with a deviated septum. It is said to be able to remove nasal polyps.

Sutra neti is commonly taught on yoga teacher training courses in India and is best learned under supervision.

Dhauti

Dhauti is cleansing of the digestive tract. The practice of agnisara dhauti is commonly taught on Hatha yoga teacher training programs and is one of the safer versions to try or practice unsupervised. It is performed by quickly flapping the abdomen in and out to create heat in the digestive system with rhythmic, often panting breath.

Perhaps you are familiar with the image of a yogi swallowing a piece of fabric. This is called Vastra dhauti and is said to be cleansing for the entire stomach region. It is not as commonly practiced and should be learned under supervision for the risk of choking.

A more common practice is vamana dhauti, also known as kunjal kriya, which is performed by drinking several cups of warm salty water and then subsequently vomiting it out. This is to rid the body of bile and other impurities that lead to disease.

Nauli

The practice of nauli is a bit more simplified in the sense you do not need to expel anything out of the body, although some people may look at it the first time and think it’s impossible.

It actually may even be mistaken to look like a form of belly dancing, except you may be watching a male Indian yoga teacher perform it, not a belly dancer.

Nauli is an abdominal massage and is performed by churning the abdomen, or rolling it, to massage and lift all of the organs of the abdomen. It is subdivided into the right, left, and central columns of the abdomen, which can be performed and mastered individually before performing the full roll between all three columns going clockwise and counterclockwise. Prior to performing nauli, one will usually practice Uddiyana bandha pose.

Read: Finding Center: An Exploration of the Bandhas

Basti

You can think of basti as the ancient version of an enema which evolved into what we would call colonic irrigation today in the 21st century.

While dhauti cleanses the upper abdomen, which is the digestive tract, basti cleanses the lower tract of the stomach, which is the elimination tract. It is said to relieve diseases of the colon, as well as symptoms of constipation and gas.

Traditionally, basti was performed by sucking water into the anus and letting it fill the large intestine. The water is then held for some time while full and then expelled completely until the bowels are cleansed.

The process is repeated several times until the practitioner is finished. The practices of ashvini mudra, mula bandha, Uddiyana bandha, and nauli kriya all greatly help this process.

Obviously, this method should be learned under a trained instructor and one can only imagine yogis in ancient times perhaps performing this in the rivers of India that were once cleaner and less populated than they are now. However, now in the 21st century, we’ve made the process of basti kriya much easier.

Today, you can use a tube to insert the water into the rectum. This is called an enema. A popular method for cleansing is a coffee enema. Cleansing the colon is important because toxins can build up along the walls of the intestine if not excreted properly.

It is particularly useful for people who are fasting as they will not have regular bowel movements and the toxins will remain stuck. The enema or colonic irrigation will help eliminate these impurities.

Colonic irrigation is a fancier system set up in medical and health detox centers. With this system, a supervisor will assist in the process with a machine that inserts the water into your anus and then subsequently sucks it out several times.

This is usually accompanied by abdominal massage clockwise in the direction of the colon until the colon is cleansed completely. It is popular at juice fasting retreats in countries like Thailand and Mexico.

Kapalabhati

Both a shatkarma and pranayama (breathing technique), kapalabhati translates to "skull shining". Not only does it cleanse the sinuses through its rapid, percussive exhales through the nose, it also cleanses the brain cells and stimulates the digestive system.

Along with the quick, rhythmic breathing through the nose, kapalabhati is accompanied by simultaneously pulling the abdomen back toward the spine which each exhale.

Additionally, with the eyes closed, the internal drishti, or gaze point, is at the third eye in the center of the eyebrows. This helps to raise the kundalini energy upward.

Trataka

The word trataka means gaze point or to look. It is the deepest shatkarma on the journey inward of purification from the external world. Trataka is traditionally performed by staring at a candle and is thus known as candle gazing.

One can also practice trataka by staring at a single point, such as a black dot, the moon, or a photo of their guru. The point is to look at one thing in order to stop the processes of the mind.

The practice of trataka helps promote the concept of eka grata, or the single-pointed focus. In the state of eka grata, no thoughts will arise and thus yoga can be achieved. This lines up with Patanjali’s famous sutra yogash chitti vritti nirodah, which translates to "yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind."

Read: How to Practice Trataka, the Practice of Candle Gazing

Conclusion

In the end, there are many paths to achieve this stillness, and the journey to reach it is unique to each individual. Yoga outlines many ways to get there and the shatkarmas are just one step along the way.

They are useful to know whether you are a serious seasoned yogi or simply a health advocate desiring your best life. The evolution of the shatkarma from the 15th century to the 21st century can apply to anyone as a system for health, wellness, mindfulness, and spiritual evolution.

The post The Practice of Shatkarma in the 21st Century appeared first on Yogapedia.

Chances are you've practiced lion's breath in one yoga practice or another. It's a powerful pranayama or breathing technique that helps to release stress and tension. Lion's breath is practiced most commonly in lion pose, or simhasana.

Simha means “lion” in Sanskrit and, according to B.K.S. Iyengar, it is dedicated to the man-lion incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Practicing simhasana and its accompanying lion’s breath is a great way to scare off your inner demons and inject some humor into your yoga practice.

Lion’s breath can be done in any asana by beginner and advanced yogis alike. Although it is traditionally done in tandem with it’s namesake pose, it is also commonly practiced seated in vajrasana (thunderbolt pose). On days when I need a little extra boost, I'll do lion’s breath in downward-facing dog to blow off steam.

How to Do Lion’s Breath

• Start by coming into vajrasana by sitting on your heels with the top of the feet on the ground and the sit bones resting on the heels.
• Bring the hands to the knees, palms facing down, and spread your fingers wide, keeping your middle finger pointed straight ahead.

• Check in with your upper body making sure that your head, neck and torso are extending in a straight line.
• Engaging mula bandha and uddiyana bandha, lift yourself up off your heels a couple of inches.
• Then, lean your torso forward and straighten your arms. Make sure you are mindful not to lock your elbows once your arms are straight.
• Bring your drishti (gaze) to your third eye (the center between your eyebrows).
• As you open your mouth wide, stick out your tongue as far as it will go toward your chin.
• Now exhale strongly while making the sound of a fierce roaring lion.
• Don’t be shy! Let your inner lion roar and watch as negative thoughts and emotions run for their lives!

ReadL: The Power of Breath: An Introduction to Pranayama

The Benefits of Lion’s Breath

There are many benefits associated with practicing simhasana and lion’s breath:

• It can free us from negative emotions allowing us to feel more grounded and centered.
• It is a powerful energizing breath that awakens the body and calms the mind, helping to expel pent-up anger, frustration and stagnant physical energy.
• It helps us invoke a fiercely courageous attitude, and face our lives with a renewed sense of pride, dignity and bravery.

It Clears Energy Blockages

In one of the most definitive texts on Hatha yoga, the ancient "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," it is stated that simhasana, along with siddhasana, padmasana and bhadrasana, are the most important seated asanas to master. This is because these four asanas are key to accessing the subtle body and pranic pathways in the body by clearing energy blockages in the nadis.

The nadis are a network of thousands of energetic pathways in the subtle body through which life force flows. Simhasana in particular helps yogis access the three bandhas: (or energetic locks): mula bandha, uddiyana bandha and jalandara bandha.

These bandhas are important because they work as pranic gateways to control the flow of life force energy through the nadis. Clearing away energetic blockages by learning to regulate the movement of prana through the bandhas is a powerful way to bring about health, restore inner balance and, according to some, develop yogic powers (or siddhis).

One of the ultimate goals of the Hatha yoga tradition is to awaken kundalini shakti, which normally lies dormant at the base of the spine. Awakening this kundalini energy leads to ultimate liberation, but in order to achieve this liberation, yogis need to learn to focus and control the movement of prana.

Read: Kundalini Shakti: The Meaning of the Sleeping Serpent

It Stimulates the Throat Chakra

Simhasana stimulates the throat chakra (visuddha), which is the center of communication and self-expression. Activating the throat chakra encourages the movement of prana in the kurma nadi. This nadi originates at the muladhara region at the base of the body and travels up into the base of the throat.

The kurma nadi helps to regulate feelings of groundedness and stillness. Lion’s breath clears out any pranic blockages, freeing prana to flow unobstructed through the kurma nadi. This action leaves us feeling deeply centered in our body and helps quiet the chatter of the monkey mind. It also dispels negativity and clears emotional blockages.

Read: Balancing Visuddha: How to Realign Your Throat Chakra

It Relaxes Facial Muscles

On a physiological level, simhasana works to relax our facial muscles, from our throat, nose, eyes and ears. It engages the platysma muscle, a thin broad band of muscles that runs from the top of the chest over the collarbones and up to the top of the chin.

It tones the face and neck, making it an excellent anti-aging asana! Engaging the platysma also works to strengthen our vocal chords and by increasing circulation to the throat region, it helps us to develop a rich sonorous voice. Some yogis also claim that it cleans the tongue and can clear the breath.

Unleashing Your Inner Lion

As you can see, lion’s breath is an incredibly effective breathing technique for energizing your yoga practice. I recommend it anytime you’re feeling down, have low energy or are feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of modern-day life. It’s a great way to liven up your practice and bring a smile to your face.

So go ahead, what are you waiting for? Unleash your inner lion!

The post How to Practice Lion’s Breath appeared first on Yogapedia.

One reason is that it is the eight limbs in motion. When you look at specific elements, in particular the tristhana method, you begin to understand that Ashtanga is the 8-limbed path manifested in the physical world as a ladder toward samadhi, or enlightenment.

Ashtanga vinyasa as we know it today was codified by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in the small Indian city of Mysore. This royal city was once the capital of India and is now known as the hub of Ashtanga vinyasa worldwide. He learned directly from his teacher, the esteemed father of modern postural yoga as we practice it now, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. Now, Ashtanga is taught by many teachers around the globe. Sometimes there are slight variations in the technique, but one thing remains the same: the embodiment of the tristhana.

Read: The Myesore Experience: The Heart of Ashtanga Yoga

Understanding Tristhana

The tristhana is made of three specific elements that are incorporated into every posture of every Ashtanga series (there are six series, each one becoming progressively more difficult.)

Tri means three in Sanskrit and sthana means place. In particular, they are actions that are taken in specific areas that provide control over the body and mind. While they are three separate elements, they are performed together as one action.

Independently, the three elements are known as:

• Ujjayi breath.
• Asana and bandhas (poses & energy locks.)
• Drishti (gaze point.)

These main entities help to purify the physical body, irrigate the nadis (energetic body), stimulate the nervous system and steady the mind.

Additionally, the series of postures laid out by Ashtanga vinyasa also follow this same concept (the primary series cleanses the body, the second series focuses on the nadis and nervous system, the third series for the mind, and so on.)

Thus, the tristhana is integral not only just for the poses themselves but also for the aspect of vinyasa—the systematic linking of movement with the breath.

When you begin to dive deeper into this, you can link each element of the tristhana method to a specific limb of yoga, beginning after asana itself.

Read: Not All Asana: The 8 Limbs of Yoga and What They Mean for Your Practice

1. Ujjayi Breath

The next limb is pranayama, which is activated through the use of ujjayi breath, or the victorious breath. Ujjayi breath is an audible sound as well as a heating breath for the body.

Pranayama means the control and expansion of life force energy, which is performed with ujjayi breath throughout the practice.

This begins the journey of moving deeper inside from the manifested, physical world of the body to the internal, unmanifested state of being.

2. Bandhas

This then brings us to the fifth limb of yoga, pratyahara. This limb of yoga refers to withdrawing the mind away from the five senses. The filtering of the senses through the citta (consciousness) is the source of much attachment and suffering.

Read: The Gateway of Pratyahara

In order to “starve” the citta, it must be given “alternative food”, which is one translation for pratyahara. This comes in the form of the bandhas or energy locks.

Although the bandhas are not used to 100% capacity during every posture, they are still subtly engaged in order to redirect pranic energy through the central channel of the spine (sushumna nadi.)

Mula bandha, the root lock, is of utmost importance, because it turns apana, the downward current of energy, in the opposite direction—upward. This is performed by a gentle lifting and squeezing action of the pelvic floor upward.

The redirection of energy upward is further emphasized by the abdominal cavity gently sucked back and up. This is the navel lock, uddiyana bandha, activated to a smaller degree. This also helps massage and lift all of the abdominal organs as well as protects the spine.

Finally, jalandhara bandha, the throat lock, is activated by gently drawing the chin back toward the throat so the neck is completely aligned with the rest of the spine. While not a full chin lock, it is important to prevent poor posture and misalignments in the neck and shoulder area.

This way the pranic energy continues to flow through the filter of the neck toward the third eye (anja) and crown chakra area.

3. Dristhi

The final piece of the tristhana puzzle is the use of drishti, or gaze point, which is linked to the 6th limb of yoga, dharana also known as concentration. Within Ashtanga vinyasa, there are 9 key drishti:

• Nasagra (nose)
• Ajna (eyebrow center)
• Nabi chakra (navel)
• Angusthamadhye(thumb)
• Hastagrahe (hands)
• Padayoragre (toes)
• Antara (up)
• Parsva (right or left)

The most common drishti employed during Ashtanga practice are the nose and eyebrow center, followed by the navel center. They are used exclusively in the surya namaskar, or Sun Salutation, practice which emphasizes extension and flexion of the body.

The middle part of surya namaskar (which consists of chaturanga, upward dog, and downward dog as a sequence that links the poses of each series together) uses these three gaze points.

The navel center is essentially an extension of the nose point in downward dog. It is said that if you follow these gazing points, your body will align naturally over time to the posture because it influences your spinal position. When you control the eyes, all of your senses will follow.

The purpose of the tristhana method is to still and quiet the mind toward a single point which eventually leads to meditation (dhyana) and samadhi (concentration).

The eyes align the spine, the bandhas hold your energy and the breath controls. It teaches us to use the breath to control the spine and the spine to control the mind. This further helps us understand our true nature.

Read: The 9 Drishti of Yoga

In the end, the Ashtanga vinyasa system is an energetic circuit comprised of asana, pranayama, pratyahara, and dharana so that the final two stages of yoga can arise, dhyana and samadhi.

Thank you to my teacher Kushal Ram N for his guidance in helping me understand these concepts.

The post Tristhana: The Three Elements of Ashtanga Vinyasa appeared first on Yogapedia.

It’s tricky to practice acceptance when your world seems upside down, but without it, there can only be suffering. The opposite of acceptance is resistance. In other words, any way in which we’re not embracing the present moment exactly as it is.

We all experience some form of resistance each and every day, even over the things we know are enjoyable or good for us. Noticing this resistance is the first step to change.

With a little cultivation, we can use this awareness to switch from resistance to acceptance, developing a greater sense of resilience to life’s challenges along the way.

Resistance Is Suffering

Resistance shows up in a multitude of forms. As I sit here writing this, aware of the blazing summer sun high in the crisp blue sky, resistance is sitting right beside me.

I wish I could be sunbathing.

I wish the heat didn’t make me so sleepy.

I crave the feeling of sunshine on my skin and I feel aversion to the foggy mind I find myself inhabiting.

This is nothing special. In fact, it’s simply one in a large handful of ways in which resistance has shown up for me already today. When exploring resistance, it’s vital to remember that it’s as inevitable as it is relentless—after all, we are only human.

Sometimes resistance is subtle, a nagging feeling deep below the surface. Sometimes it’s more obvious, like those broken records that go round and round in your mind.

Have you ever been caught up in a loop of thinking about how little sleep you had last night, how much you long for the pandemic to be over or why your back won’t stop aching when you meditate?

Chances are, you and resistance are old friends.

Read: No Mud, Not Lotus: Why the Difficulties in Life Support Our Spiritual Growth

Raga and Dvesha

At the root of all resistance is suffering. From the yoga perspective, suffering is caused by various afflictions of the mind known as kleshas.

There are two distinct kleshas that make up resistance: raga (attachment) and dvesha (aversion).

Raga (sometimes spelled raaga) is characterized by craving, clinging and greed; a kind of grabby, anxious energy that pulls us away from life as it is.

On the other hand, dvesha is the tendency to lean away from things or bury our heads in the sand, anything to avoid a direct experience of what is happening right now.

The constant tug-of-war against the present moment keeps us almost continually uncomfortable in our own skin.

Read: Exploring Aversion (Dvesha): 3 Ways to Better Handle This Unwanted Feeling

Awareness, Equanimity & Tolerance

Of course, resistance can sometimes be useful. From an evolutionary perspective, it is a large part of what has allowed us to survive in the face of danger and uncertainty.

However, if we allow resistance to drive our decisions and behaviors without awareness, it’s all too easy to become agitated, restless and ill at ease.

When our actions are guided by draftlized notions of how things should be, we become separated from a real and direct engagement with life, exactly as it is. Both attachment and aversion tend to color our perceptions, making things appear worse than they really are. As such, it becomes impossible to enjoy our mind’s natural equanimity.

Whilst more resistance ultimately leads to more suffering, actively choosing a path of less resistance builds tolerance.

If we can learn to be present with our emotions and sensations rather than trying to escape them or change them into something else, we have an opportunity for growth. We develop a capacity to push our boundaries that little bit further.

Read: Dissolving Resistance

However, when it is so pervasive, how can we possibly begin to transform resistance into resilience? The first step is awareness, which is why mindfulness is vital.

Simply tracking sensations can help us to see that resistance often shows up as an embodied, physical "squirmy" feeling. Next time you realize you’re avoiding the pile of assignments building up on your desk or desperately craving a beach holiday while at work, stop what you’re doing and take a deep breath.

Notice how each part of your body is feeling and try to determine where there are areas of tension or tightness – perhaps at your jaw, your chest or your belly.

More often than not, the simple act of observing and accepting the presence of resistance is enough to make it evaporate. After all, it is as transient as everything in life. Realizing how quickly it comes and goes can turn down the volume of suffering in itself.

Transforming Resistance

In transforming resistance, a mindful and non-reactive approach is key.

Instead of judging what comes up, open yourself to simply experiencing it. Get intimate with it. Remember – it’s not about making it go away. Instead of always analyzing and critiquing what you find, approach yourself with a childlike sense of curiosity.

Treat this practice as a life-long experiment of self-exploration, knowing that resistance to life’s inevitable challenges will give you endless material to uncover.

Formal meditation provides a particularly direct means of examining resistance, since at some point most of us will either start to feel horribly uncomfortable, or so blissed-out that we don’t want the experience to end.

In life, we so often lean away from the things that feel uncomfortable, or cling to the things that feel good, willing them to stay the same forever. Watching these tendencies unfold from a neutral, non-reactive place of meditative stillness is unparalleled training for learning to be with that same discomfort in real life.

When we learn to accept rather than resist the present moment, life becomes more fluid, more malleable, and we gain a greater tolerance for change.

Read: What the Ego Wants You to Believe About Meditation

Rather than running away from life or grasping onto how things are, we can approach adversity as an opportunity for transformation. Now is a challenging time, but hardships are what shape resilience.

As the current global situation has reminded us, we cannot always choose our circumstances – but we can choose our reaction to them. Our minds are the filter through which we perceive all experience; the good, the bad and the ugly.

If we can alter our perceptions and learn to find acceptance, we can effectively change the world around us, regardless of our circumstances. With resistance, challenges will ultimately break us. With acceptance and resilience, they can break us open.

The post From Resistance to Acceptance and Resilience appeared first on Yogapedia.

Do you ever feel paralyzed by indecision? Is your problem not a lack options, but a lack of clarity about which options to pursue? Do you ever just wish you could just surrender, and let someone wiser tell you what to do? If this sounds familiar, balancing your ajna may help.

What Exactly is Ajna?

Ajna is the Sanskrit name for your third eye chakra. Located at the brow point between your eyes, it is associated with inspiration, as well as insight and intuition. When ajna is in balance, we experience deep understanding of our inner and outer worlds.

While our physical eyes are associated with the past and the present experience as it unfolds, it’s said that ajna looks to the future. Freed from the distractions of doubt and confusion, we can visualize our next steps with confidence and clarity.

Even if you don't resonate with the concept of chakras, you can think of ajna in more tangible terms as your inner wisdom, imagination and intuition.

What Happens When Ajna Falls out of Balance?

Most typically, our ajna can become under-active causing us to lose our connection with our own true wisdom. This leads to the experiences described above, feeling lost and without purpose, ultimately even succumbing to depression.

Less common, but still possible is the opposite, where ajna is overactive and needs calming. Overactivity causes us to become too introspective and judgmental. We may lose our connection with others and become dissociated from the manifest world.

Read: How to Know Which Chakra Is Out of Balance

How can We Bring Ajna Into Balance?

The good news is there is a lot you can do to support, nurture and balance ajna. Any meditation, mantra or yoga practice can be performed with a focus on the brow point, encouraging your inner eye to come into balance.

1. Using a Bija Mantra

The bija mantra or seed syllable of ajna is "om" or "aum." Chanting om with your eyes closed and a focusing on the brow point is an draftl way to connect with your insight and intuition. It can be particularly powerful first thing in the morning or at the start of an ajna-centered yoga practice to help you set your intention.

Read: 5 Benefits of Chanting Om.

2. Working with Hakini Mudra

Hakini mudra is associated with ajna and is thought to promote the awareness and focus that leads to better insight and intuition. It’s also a mudra that many people will intuitively adopt when thinking deeply – perhaps they sense its benefit in connecting with wisdom and insight.

To practice it, bring the hands together with the fingertips and thumb tips in contact, and space between the palms. Have the thumbs pointing towards the body, arms relaxed and elbows pointed out the the sides. Hold the mudra for several minutes in meditation.

3. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama

As a practice on its own, nadi shodhana pranayama, or alternate nostril breathing, is already known for its balancing effects. Its effects on ajna can be enhanced with this variation:

1. Place the index and middle fingers of your right hand on the brow point, to keep the focus on ajna.

2. Close your right nostril with your right thumb and inhale through the left nostril for a count of four.

3. Close the left nostril with the left ring finger, release the right nostril and exhale for a count of four through the right.

4. Keep the left nostril closed as you inhale through the right for a count of four.

5. Close the right nostril with the thumb, open the left nostril and exhale for a count of four.

6. Repeat the steps 2-5 for several minutes, perhaps increasing the count to 6 or 8 to further calm and steady the mind.

Once the breath practice is complete, allow yourself a minute to return to your natural breath, and tune your awareness into your present experience.

Read: Hidden Magic: The Power of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama

Ajna Balancing Asanas

Balasana or child’s pose is the pose most often associated with ajna. This is for two main reasons. Firstly, the forehead can come to the mat, physically grounding the brow point and connecting it to earth.

Gently rocking the head from side to side can give an extra massage to this area. Secondly, child’s pose is a gentle and supported forward fold. Forward folds can help encourage introspection and self-study.

Other forward folds that can help balance ajna include uttanasana (standing forward fold) and prasarita padottanasana (wide legged standing forward fold). Placing a block or bolster under the forehead will provide additional stimulation.

Meditation

Meditation is already a powerful practice for awakening and connecting with ajna. To enhance this, begin your meditation with a visualization of the third eye chakra as a radiant ball of indigo light swirling at the brow point. Imagine this spinning vortex growing brighter, as the light radiates into every cell of your being, then gradually allow it to resettle into the ball at your brow point, perfectly balanced and in harmony.

Another meditative practice that can be beneficial is trataka. Sit in front of a lit candle and settle your gaze on the flame, holding it there gently without blinking for around two minutes. Then close your eyes and continue to see the flame in your mind’s eye. This is thought to open and enhance the power of ajna.

Other Strategies

Yoga and mediation are all very well, but what about when you want to integrate a bit more intuition and insight into the rest of your day? Fear not, there’s lots you can try.

The smell of patchouli, myrrh and frankincense are all associated with this ajna. Try scenting your home with these essential oils or placing a few.

If you find yourself with a little free time in the evening, both stargazing and listening to classical music are said to be good for balancing ajna. If nothing else, they’re great ways to relax and recharge, which is bound to help you reconnect with your own wisdom and imagination.

A Final Word to the Wise

“What you seek is seeking you.” ~ Rumi

Remember as you move through these practices to be gentle with yourself. The only objective is to stay present with your experience. Your intuitive power is already within you, so you don’t need to force it to come to the fore.

Instead, trust that it will awaken, and simply give it the space and encouragement it needs.

Try to let go of any expectation of effect, but at the same time be open and receptive to any insights that may arise. In time, with attention, practice and sensitivity, you’ll receive the guidance and clarity you need.

The post Balancing Your Ajna: How to Realign Your Third Eye Chakra appeared first on Yogapedia.

As we exchanged pleasantries in the cafe that wet, cold afternoon, I learned we had much in common. Like me, Bill had been living a car-free lifestyle for the past decade—not an easy feat in the breadbasket of America. We talked non-stop for over an hour and exchanged our contact information.

Fast forward a couple weeks and he’s inviting me to his yin yoga classes in Kansas City’s beautiful Loose Park. This environmentally-minded man wooed me with his Nature Yoga classes, in which he taught a simple yin sequence he’d developed himself. This is how he describes it:

Yin, like all other forms of yoga can be made unnecessarily complicated. As a 56-year old man, with multiple sports injuries, and being an ultra endurance athlete, I wanted to have a simple sequence that would work for me, and people of all ages. I have clients in their teens, and clients in their late 70’s and early 80’s. I found that a simple core warmup, followed by just four or five main poses was sufficient.

A Simple Yin Sequence

In a nutshell, Bill’s yin yoga sequence looks like this:

• Child’s pose

• Sphinx pose

• Various breathing and stretching exercises to lengthen the spine
• Transition into full spinal twist

• Transition to pigeon

• From pigeon, rest the body in embryo pose for a reset.

• Finish off with a chest opener
• Attach butterfly pose as an option, as well as a throat opener to stimulate the lymph nodes.

• End with savasana.

I continued to take Bill’s yin yoga en plein air classes, amazed by the synergistic effect of doing yoga in nature.

After all, this was how the ancient yogis did it, I thought to myself in wonderment as a blanket of calm washed over me while Bill’s soothing voice invited us into deep states of relaxation.

As we held the yin postures, he guided us into mindfulness practices, deep breathing exercises, and even used his storytelling skills to weave anecdotes throughout class.

Read: Grounding Through the Senses: Mindfulness Techniques to Help You get Grounded

Ground Yourself on the Earth

One reason I think Bill’s classes have such a profound effect has to do with the grounding nature of practicing yin on the earth. Most of the poses take place on the ground, and students can use a mat, a blanket, or nothing at all.

Getting close to the earth, touching it, feeling it, and resting the body on it is deeply calming. It’s a powerful reset, as Bill calls it, and one that’s believed to help balance the root chakra. Yin gets infinitely better when practicing it on the earth.

Read: Getting Grounded: What It Means and How to Get It

Mindfulness of the Sensorial Experience in Nature

Practicing a mindfulness technique, like that of moving your awareness from one sense to the next, is a powerful way to connect oneself to the present moment.

Doing the same while being outside in nature is a powerful way to connect oneself to the rhythms of the Universe. This is something you just can’t experience within the indoor confines of a yoga studio.

Read: Deepen Your Connection to the Five Natural Elements With These

Experiencing the Laws of Gravity Within the Pose

During yoga class with Bill, he often talks about how doing the poses on the raw earth allows us to surrender to the laws of gravity. Here’s how he puts it:

The laws of gravity are pretty simple. As the earth rotates, gravity is initiated, and as we inhale, we lengthen parts of our body, (our spine, for example). As we exhale, we find ourselves getting more grounded towards the earth. The inhales lift us up from the earth, while the exhales bring us closer to the earth. In the moment between the exhale and the new inhale, gravity brings us even closer to the earth. Then we begin the process over again.

Gravity also helps with hip openers such as butterfly pose. Gravity helps us twist more deeply into a supine spinal twist. It’s not only you and your body opening up, it’s the natural laws of gravity that help you open up even more—which is in my opinion—extraordinary.

Connecting to Each Other While Immersing Ourselves in Nature

Nature is innately humbling. There’s no such thing as a division between age, skin color, or social or financial class. This fact is realized experientially while practicing a very down-to-earth yin yoga class. We realize how small we are in the grand scheme of things, while holding each pose and breathing deeply.

When we do it together, we understand how at the most primordial level, we’re all the same. I’ve no doubt that if we all experienced this together, on a regular basis, peace would be within grasp.

Read: Get Grounded This Earth Day and Try 'Earthing'

Breathing in Fresh Air

Oxygenating our bodies with fresh air is one of the healthiest things we can do for ourselves. Bill encourages his students to breathe audibly, to hear their breath, and even exaggerate it. When I follow his lead, I naturally elongate both my inhalations and exhalations. Doing this outside has a more profound effect than doing the same in a yoga studio or home.

Using nature and all our senses as a means of tapping into the beauty of our innate connection with one another and the planet, Bill’s yin yoga classes are like no other I’ve ever experienced.

To connect with this Kansas City based yin yoga teacher, and read more about his yoga classes, bikepacking classes, and outdoor wilderness school, check out his website here: https://yinyogakc.blogspot.com

The post Celebrate Earth Day by Doing Nature Yoga appeared first on Yogapedia.