A little information about "Anjali Mudra"

Anjali Mudra (ON-jol-ly MOO-drah)

anjali = a gesture of reverence, benediction, salutation (from anj, "to honor, celebrate")
mudra = seal (The gesture "seals" energy in the body and "seals" your relationship with the Divine.)

Step by Step
Sit comfortably or stand in Tadasana (mountain pose).
Inhale and bring your palms together. Rest the thumbs lightly on
your sternum.


Press the hands firmly but evenly against each other. Make sure that one hand (usually your right hand if you are right-handed, your left if left-handed) doesn't dominate the other. If you find such imbalance, release the dominant hand slightly but don't increase the pressure of the non-dominant hand.


Bow your head slightly and lift your sternum into your thumbs. Lengthen down along the back of the armpits, making the back elbows heavy.

Practicing Anjali Mudra is an excellent way to induce a meditative state of awareness. Start your practice sitting in meditation in Anjali Mudra for 5 minutes. You can also use this hand position in Tadasana prior to beginning the Sun Salutation sequence, contemplating the "sun" or light of awareness the yogis say is resident in your heart.

It is important when we do our yoga practice to understand the reasons why we are doing what we are doing, and not only doing it just to follow a procedure. You may find that the Anjali mudra sign has many meanings. However, the explanation given by Krishnamacharya is a good one:

This gesture signifies the potential for an intention to progress to greatest spiritual awakening. When done properly the palms are not flat against each other; the knuckles at the base of the fingers are bent a little, creating space between the palms and fingers of the two hands resembling a flower yet to open, symbolizing the opening of our hearts.

We can apply this gesture to many asanas instead of keeping our hands separate; it can be a reminder for us to keep an inner attitude of peace during our practice.

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Let's Pause for a Pose...

The other day in class we were discussing HERO pose.
Below is some information from "Yoga Journal" that might help us understand what it takes to be a yogie "hero"...

HERO Pose (veer-AHS-anna)  vira = man, hero, chief


Getting into the Pose
1. Kneel on the floor (on a folded blanket to pad your knees, shins, and feet if necessary), with your thighs perpendicular to the floor, and touch your inner knees together. Slide your feet apart, slightly wider than your hips, with the tops of the feet flat on the floor. Angle your big toes slightly in toward each other and press the top of each foot evenly on the floor.
2. Exhale and sit back halfway, with your torso leaning slightly forward. Wedge your thumbs into the backs of your knees and draw the skin and flesh of the calf muscles toward the heels. Then sit down between your feet.
3. If your buttocks don't comfortably rest on the floor, raise them on a block or thick book placed between the feet. Make sure both sitting bones are evenly supported. Allow a thumb's-width space between the inner heels and the outer hips. Turn your thighs inward and press the heads of the thigh bones into the floor with the bases of your palms. Then lay your hands in your lap, one on the other, palms up, or on your thighs, palms down.
4. Firm your shoulder blades against the back ribs and lift the top of your sternum like a proud warrior. Widen the collarbones and release the shoulder blades away from the ears. Lengthen the tailbone into the floor to anchor the back torso.


At first stay in this pose from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Gradually extend your stay up to 5 minutes. To come out, press your hands against the floor and lift your buttocks up, slightly higher than the heels. Cross your ankles underneath your buttocks, sit back over the feet and onto the floor, then stretch your legs out in front of you. It may feel good to bounce your knees up and down a few times on the floor.

Anatomical Focus
• Upper back
Benefits
• Stretches the thighs, knees, and ankles
• Strengthens the arches
• Improves digestion and relieves gas
• Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
• Reduces swelling of the legs during pregnancy (through second trimester)
• Therapeutic for high blood pressure and asthma
Contraindications and Cautions
• Heart problems
• Headache: Practice this pose lying back on a bolster.
• Knee or ankle injury: Avoid this pose unless you have the assistance of an experienced instructor.
Beginner's Tip
Often the inner top feet press more heavily into the floor than the outer top feet. Press the bases of your palms along the outer edges of the feet and gently push the pinky-toe sides of the feet to the floor.

You Deserve a Break Today!

Sometimes we need to step back from what occupies our minds and take a break - much like touching the reset button.
Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in our thoughts that we wind up going round in round in circles, finding it difficult to concentrate on things and, because we are so distracted, not really accomplishing much. There may be signals—mental, emotional, and physical—that tell us we need to slow down and relax. Since we are so involved in things that are external to us, however, we may easily overlook what is really going on inside of us. It is during these times that we need to step back from the things that occupy our minds and take time out to connect with our inner self, giving our minds, bodies, and spirits the time they need to reenergize and heal.
At first it may seem that by taking a break we may not be as productive as we would initially like. In reality, a healthy period of rest is something that gives us a real sense of the unlimited nature of our true potential. Spending a couple of minutes walking outside, doing a few yoga poses, meditating, or simply becoming attuned to the rising and falling of our breath enables us to let go of our worries. This act brings our focus back to the things that are truly essential for us, such as our sense of oneness with the universe and our inner peace and well-being. As we begin to get in touch with this part of ourselves, we will find that our usual everyday troubles and worries become less critical and that we not only have much more room in our lives to really reflect on the issues that mean the most to us, but we are also able bring to all the situations we encounter a much more positive and healthy outlook.
Giving ourselves respite from our daily concerns is like giving a gift to ourselves. By stepping away from the problems that seem to saturate our thoughts, we lessen the weight of our troubles and instead become more receptive to the wisdom and answers the universe has to offer us.


This article is from DailyOM - Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day.

Happy New Year!

In case you didn't know...my Blog has been expired for awhile and it took perserverance to get back up and running again! Thanks, Sharon! One of my New Year's Resolutions is to try to post interesting bits about our yoga  - on and off the mat. If this is coming to you in an e-mail from me, chances are you haven't registered on the blog yet....please go to http://www.pleasantvalleyyoga.com/ and sign up. If the return address with the post below is "pleasantvalleyyoga"...then you are still signed up! Believe me...you will only receive information from me, this is a "private" blog for those of you who attend yoga classes at my Pleasant Valley Yoga studio regularly...and for some of you who wish you could! :-) 

Here are some thoughts for the New Year...

Let this coming year be better than all the others.

Vow to do some of the things you've always wanted to do but couldn't find the time.
Call up a forgotten friend.
Share a funny story with someone whose spirits are dragging. A good laugh can be very good medicine.
Make a genuine effort to stay in closer touch with family and good friends. The sure way to have a friend is to be one.
Find the time to be kind and thoughtful.
Give a compliment. It's sure to give someone a badly needed lift.
Think things through.
Forgive an injustice.
Listen more. Be kind.
Apologize when you realize you are wrong. An apology never diminishes a person. It elevates him.
Don't blow your own horn. If you've done something praiseworthy, someone will notice eventually.
Lighten up.
When you feel like blowing your top, ask yourself…"Will it matter in a week from today?"
Laugh the loudest when the joke is on you.
Don't discourage a beginner from trying something risky. Nothing ventured means nothing gained.
Be optimistic. The can-do spirit is the fuel that makes things go.
Don't abandon your old-fashioned principles. They never go out of style.
When courage is needed, ask yourself, "If not me, who? If not now, when?"
Walk tall, and smile more. You'll look 10 years younger.
Don't be afraid to say, "I love you".
Say it again.
They are the sweetest words in the world.

Namaste! and Happy New Year!