EVERYDAY ASANAS AND THEIR BENEFITS

Are you always fatigued and lethargic, despite the fact that you have no underlying medicalcondition? A 10-minute yoga programme might help you feel more energized and regain body-mind harmony on a regular basis.

While many people believe that yoga isn’t as effective as cardio or heavy-duty high- intensity interval training, studies has shown that yoga can help with anything from weight loss to period pain relief, heart health, and digestion. Plus, yoga positions don’t necessitate any specific equipment or studio space.

Today we will talk about ten everyday yoga asanas and how they and how they might benefit you if you practice them regularly.

1. Standing Side Bend: As you inhale, stand tall with your feet and legs together and stretch both arms straight up overhead. Exhale as you lower your right arm down the right side of your body and lengthen your left arm over your head, gently bending your body to the right. Repeat on the left side, inhaling to return arms overhead to center and exhaling to return to the right side.

Standing side bend strengthens the side ab wall while targeting the external and internal oblique. This exercise tightens the core, sculpts the waist, and improves posture and stability.

2. Downward Dog: Downward Dog is an excellent pose to rest the spine. Begin by kneeling on your mat with your hands right under your shoulders and your fingers extended wide. Now push your torso up off the mat, leaving only your hands and feet on the mat. Tuck your toes under and engage your abdominals as you do so. Moving your chest gently toward your thighs and your heels gently toward the floor, press through your hands.

The upper body, arms, shoulders, abdomen, and legs are all strengthened. Back of the body, ankles, calves, hamstrings, and spine are all stretched. It relaxes the mind and blood circulation is also stimulated.

3. Cat & Cow Pose: Begin by forming a “tabletop” position with your hands and knees. Make sure your knees are directly underneath your hips. Your wrists, elbows, and shoulders should all be parallel to the ground. Maintain a neutral position for your head. Lift your chest toward the ceiling as you inhale, allowing your belly to drop toward the floor. Raise your brows and look straight ahead.

Exhale and return to your original position. This asana warms the body while also allowing the spine to be more flexible. “This asana strengthens the abdominal organs while stretching the back torso and neck,” says the author.

4. Boat Pose: Lay on your back with your legs crossed. On the floor, keep your hands on your thighs or near to them. Take a deep breath and elevate your head, arms, and head off the floor at a 30-degree angle.

This asana improves the function of abdominal muscles, improves digestion, and lowers belly fat. It also strengthens abdominal organs and leg muscles.

5. Cobra Pose : Lie down on your stomach on the floor. Place your hands on your shoulder and close your eyes. Raise your head and gaze up towards the sky. The stretch in your midsection is palpable.

This position increases back flexibility while toning the abdomen, neck, and shoulders. It promotes blood circulation and relieves weariness and stress.

6. Legs Up The Wall: Lie completely flat on your back. Bring both legs together and raise them up. To elevate your lower back, take your legs slightly behind you. Place your palms on your lower back and your elbows on the ground to support your back. Maintain a 45-60 degree angle between your back and the floor with your legs perpendicular to the floor. Take a normal breath. Begin with one minute of practice and gradually build to ten minutes.

Practicing this activity on a regular basis helps strengthen your digestive system. Your appetite will grow stronger. it can prevent premature greying of hair and heal disorders such as swelling of the feet, and blood-related ailments such as boils, pimples, and itching.

7. Pigeon Pose: One of the most effective hip stretches available. Do pigeon posture as a hip opener, using padding beneath your hips if necessary. Bring your right knee forward to the floor on the outside of your right hand, starting in downward-facing dog.

Allow your left knee to fall to the floor. Your hips should be squared to the front of your mat. Bring your torso down into a forward bend over your right leg if you feel steady.

This position emphasizes on opening your hips, which promotes hip mobility and flexibility. Pigeon Pose also extends your hip flexors and lower back, which can become stiff from sitting for lengthy periods of time. Stretching these muscles on a daily basis can help to relieve minor lower back and hip pain.

8. Happy Baby Pose: A relaxing stance! Your groin, inner thighs, and low back will also be opened. Start by lying down and grasping your big toes with your index and middle fingers. Pull knees toward shoulders by gently drawing toes down. Knees should be gently pushed open with elbows. Relax and take a deep breath. Hold the position for 30 seconds.

This pose reduces lower back pain by opening the inner thighs, hips, and groin; realigns and extends the spine; relieves tension and anxiety; and improves exhaustion and lethargy.

9. Cow Face Pose: When most people think about hip openers in yoga, they imagine poses with their legs spread wide apart. However, hip stretches like Cow Face, in which the legs are brought together, stimulate the musculature surrounding the pelvis in a different way.

This position may aid in the correction of your posture and the beginning of flexibility equalization. It’s a terrific posture for folks who sit for long periods of time at work since it opens your hips and chest, which helps to offset the slump that many people develop while sitting. It’s a grounding and relaxing stance.

10. Corpse Pose: Rest in corpse pose for a few minutes to allow your body to absorb the benefits of your practice before continuing on with your day. Adding objects to this stance might make it more comfortable and soothing.

There’s one thing we all have in common, no matter where we are on our fitness journey: the urge to stretch. Why? There are a variety of causes, as it turns out.

Practicing these basic poses for 10 to 15 minutes a day will improve your yoga practise.You’ll notice that completing these stretches on a regular basis has a favourable impact on your longer practice sessions over time.

Dragonfly is always there to help you in your yoga journey. Feel free to contact us for any support or guidance.

Nida Zakaria

YOGA AND ITS EIGHT LIMBS

Being a yogi , you must have heard at least once in a class that yoga is more than simply fitness. Of course, some styles of yoga can be physically taxing and aid in the development of amazing strength, but there’s a hint of something more, something deeper, and something rooted in ancient wisdom, alongside the sweating and stretching.

With each passing day more and more people are joining and learning yoga which indeed had transformed the lives of many. However, as yoga has become a more accessible and modern practise, the ancient roots of yoga appear to be gradually fading amongst new genealogies.

PHILOSOPHY PROVIDES CONTEXT

It may appear at first glance that learning something so ancient is unimportant in today's modern and forward-thinking society, where yoga practises are combined with mindfulness, mind-body medicine, and progressive anatomy understandings.

Why would we want to look back at something cocooned in dogma and Sanskrit language, with all this new information and exhilarating advancement?

And the only reason to dig into some ancient history is because philosophy provides context. The ‘Ashtanga Yoga System; or ‘Eight Limbs of Yoga; is described in Patanjal’s Yoga Sutras as an eight-fold route leading to freedom. And it explains why yoga was created in the first place, what was going on in the world at the time, and where the meanings of yoga poses come from. It transports us to a time when the gods and goddesses were a part of everyday life, and where yoga was so revered that thousands of writings were written about it.

The Patanjali Yoga Sutras are a favourite source of inspiration and direction for modern yoga practitioners on how to live a balanced and ethical life both on and off the mat. Many of our understandings of the Yoga Sutras have been filtered through multiple commentators on the original verses, according to the history of the work.

Our interpretation of the eight limbs takes into account the historical context in which they were created before attempting to adapt them to modern life.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (which are obligatory reading in most Yoga teacher training programmes) are considered to be a road map that leads you to Samadhi, which is sometimes referred to as bliss or enlightenment. Each of these eight limbs might be thought of as a rung or step on a ladder, with each level intensifying the yogic practise. It's critical to realise that this particular yogic practise. It's crucial to remember that yogic philosophy is just one of many; other philosophies include Buddhism and Tantra, both of which are as rich and fascinating.Starting with morals and guidelines and progressing via numerous meditation practises, techniques, and states, the practitioner is supposed to eventually arrive at Samadhi, the final limb of joy.

THE 8 LIMBS OF YOGA

• Yama

• Niyama

• Asana

• Pranayama

• Pratyahara

• Dharana

• Dhyana

• Samadhi

1. Yama: Yama is the first limb, and it refers to vows, disciplines, or practices that are primarily concerned with the world and our interactions with it. The five yamas (nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, correct use of energy, and non-greed) are universal moral pledges and observances that apply to everyone and everything. These five morals apply to them, us, and everyone around us, regardless of where they come from, their social level, current life situation, or previous experience. Yama’s can be viewed of as little disciplines or constraints that we can all practice in order to be better individuals. These tiny disciplines, in turn, have a cascading effect, resulting in a more harmonious community and a more peaceful planet.

Ahimsa (non-violence),

Satya (truthfulness),

Asteya (non-stealing),

Brahmacharya (right use of energy), and Aparigraha (non-greed or non-hoarding).

2. Niyamas : “Ni” here denotes that these five observances are more about how we engage with ourselves, how we direct our consciousness inward to our own acts, and how those actions may affect those around us. While the yamas are universal, the niyamas are only for people who seek to further their personal and spiritual development.

Saucha (Cleanliness),

Santosha (Contentment),

Tapas ( Burning of desire),

Svadhyaya (Self-study or self-reflection),and Isvarapranidaha (Surrender to a higher power).

3. Asana : The physical part of yoga is the third step on the way to freedom, it refers to the seat you would assume for meditation. It is said in the practice of Asana that the posture for meditation should have the attributes of steadiness and ease, meaning that it should be sturdy enough to sit for a long time yet relaxed enough to allow the breath to flow easily.

Hundreds of physical postures and movements have been developed over thousands of years to aid in the clearing and revitalization of the body.

4. Pranayama : Prana is a Sanskrit word that means “energy” or “life source”. It can be used to express both the essence of life and the energy that pervades the cosmos around us. Prana is also used to describe the breath, and dealing with the way we breathe has a direct impact on the mind.

These strong techniques are a vital aspect of yoga, from the gentle practises of alternate nostril breathing to the more rigorous Kapalabhati and long breath retentions. Extended breath holding is reported to have been practised by the Buddha, and all physical yoga practises in pre-modern India were largely concerned with breathing techniques.

5.  Prathyahara : Prathya means to 'withdraw’, and ahara refers to whatever we 'take in' on our own, such as the many sights, sounds, and odours our senses take in on a regular basis. When we sit for a formal meditation practise, we are inclined to focus on ‘drawing in' as the first thing we do when we think we are meditating. Focusing inward is a type of drawing within.

The five senses of smell, sound, sight, touch, and taste all contribute to the richness of life, but they can also pull our attention in different areas. An uncomfortable seat, a strong odour, or the beeping and buzzing of a mobile phone might make it difficult to focus on a meditation practise or simply being present in a discussion.

6. Dharana : It is the lingering moment of meditation in which the practitioner maintains their meditation object steadily, whether it is the breath, a mantra, a symbol, or a visualisation. It's easy to slip out of dharana and back into your thinking mind — you could notice this when you suddenly “realise” you’ve been meditating and are yanked out of it.

Dharana includes activities like candle gazing, visualisation, and focusing on the breath, and it’s this stage that many of us reach when we think we’re meditating.

7. Dhyana: The seventh limb is referred to “meditative absorption” which occurs when we become entirely absorbed in the subject of our meditation.

This is when we are truly meditating. All of the skills we learn in class, online, or from a teacher are only ways to assist each person calm, focus, and concentrate; the actual practise of meditation is not something we can actively ‘do’.

8. Samadhi : ‘Sama’ which means ‘same’ or ‘equal’, and ‘dhi’ which means ‘to see. It’s called realisation for a reason: achieving Samadhi is’nt about escape, flying away, or being ecstatically happy; it’s about realising the life that lies ahead of us. Many people think of enlightenment or bliss as a state that can be entered and exited. Free flowing consciousness is an excellent illustration of a Samadhi state, in which we are completely oblivious, completely focused on one thing, and completely content in the present now. Each day, you may have numerous moments of Samadhi, and the more we have via meditation and daily action, the closer we are to liberation.

After considerable study and reflection, I’ve come to the conclusion that the word “Samadhi” does not necessarily imply a fireworks show of delight and bliss, but rather a calm and humble serenity that is available to everyone. The Sanskrit word

‘sama’ denotes ‘same’ or ‘equal’; while the ‘dh’ refers to an understanding or connection, as previously mentioned. We can see that the ‘end’ has a new meaning with this new definition.

Nida Zakaria

How to build confidence with meditation?

In today’s world which has people running and gunning against each other, often we find ourselves questioning our sense of self-worth. The question becomes even more profound in the face to tough times such as the ongoing pandemic that has forced everyone to work and live out of silos. The situation demands us to persist and believe in ourselves every day.

This is where we need engaging activities which help us build self-confidence. It is somewhat an easier said than attained feat and remains elusive in people. In such a situation, lack of self-confidence often leads to complex conditions like mental breakdowns and depression, pushing people to often take extreme steps. Meditation and mindfulness are proving to be tried and tested methods by which individuals can master their lost confidence.

Meditation is one of the most powerful ways in which one can their sense of our real and innate worth. Our inner genuine confidence comes from our innate sense of self-worth, which can be awakened using meditation. The tools and technique are our ticket to break cycles of negativity and co-dependency and look deeper into our own wellbeing.

But how does meditation really help you? To start with, it is not just sitting with your thoughts, but observing them, noticing every moment that you are thinking and then finally you come back to the breath. Each time, while meditating, you eventually revert to the basic sense of being in the moment, where you can introspect, cut down the noise from the outer world, and find some ‘Me Time’ for the soul. A regular practice helps you finally overcome your own thought patterns and you begin to distance yourself from those.

This is so because in meditation you can let go, and lead to a profound sense of wellbeing. The technique helps you return your calm, where you can take better decisions, and see the larger picture. This sense of being, helps build that lost confidence, which emerges out of your inner self. In one’s natural state of mind, you can relax, in the absence of the external confidence-eroding triggers, you can start finding yourself back, and build your confidence.

Meditation and mindfulness are becoming increasingly important in today’s times, to help individuals boost their confidence levels. It helps you be in the moment, with no references and you end up feeling fulfilled and happy. One can easily check out various online meditation courses and guides for success, happiness, and self-esteem. When one feels happy from within, this confidence will be translated into your life, your relationships, personal and professional growth etc. In the long run, a regular practice helps us distinguish from between healthy and toxic patterns and relationships, which ultimately leads to a higher sense of self belief.

Techniques like grounding oneself and vipassana meditation amongst others are some ways to make the most of meditation. It is also important that the right posture is maintained when one is practicing. In a nutshell, Meditation can offer plenty of ways to improve and boost one’s confidence levels, it is up to you as to how and what techniques we adapt to suit the needs and situations. For a healthy and balanced life, a healthy mind is a critical ingredient. Meditation for the mind is what food is for us. It is indeed imperative, that every individual takes to meditation, for higher thoughts, higher vibrations, and a successful life.

Advantages of Meditation (for confidence)

Meditation has numerous health benefits (all of which have been established in scientific studies):

• Boost immune system

• Lowers blood pressure.

• Improves digestion

Other studies have used MRI scans to discover that meditating can actually increase grey matter concentration in areas of the brain linked to emotion regulation, introspection, and empathy... while decreasing grey matter in areas linked to anxiety, fear, and stress. Simply said, meditating can change your brain to make you feel less worried and more confident!

Let’s get you started

STEP 1: Find a pleasant, quiet spot.

STEP 2: Sit comfortably in a straight-backed chair or cross-legged on the floor. Sit with your

back against a wall if you slump. The trick is to maintain a straight spine.

STEP 3: Use a chant to divert your attention away from your racing thoughts. It's best to go

with something simple like "Peace. Space. Calm." Now visualise (think) your ideal

atmosphere for “Peace, Space, and Calm.”

STEP 4: Place both hands on your stomach. Count to three and take three slow, deep

breaths. Take a deep breath into your belly button and feel your stomach push your hands

up. As you breathe, try to maintain your shoulders relaxed and loose.

STEP 5: As you breathe in, say the mantra “Peace. Space. Calm,” hold the breath for two seconds, and then exhale with the mantra “Peace. Space. Calm.” It’s as easy as that. Repeat this practise twice a day for 5 to 10 minutes each time.

Positive Talk

Spend a few minutes before or after your meditation sessions speaking pleasantly and compassionately to and about yourself. For this activity, I generally read some positive quotes and repeat it aloud.

It’s usually important to keep your statements short and simple. Say words that you can easily agree with so that your subconscious mind agrees with you.

For example :

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” – Winston Churchill

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there” – Theodore Roosevelt

So my friends,

• Try and keep your feet on the ground. A lack of confidence is frequently caused by a whirlpool of thoughts in our brains that cause us to doubt our skills or ourselves.

• Become aware of unpleasant feelings and thoughts.

• Raise your spirits.

• Visualize yourself achieving your goals.

• Face your fears head on.

When it comes to boosting confidence, meditation has a lot of alternatives. Choose the option that best meets your requirements and circumstances. Above all, employ meditation to enhance your efforts to boost your self-esteem. Outside of meditation, there are other strategies to increase confidence.

And for more such meditation exercises visit and join the Dragonfly Yoga Studio. Book your classes soon.

We are always there to help!

Nida Zakaria

Six Simple Ways to Clear Negative Energy

In our day to day life we come across various sort of energies which influences our mood and mind. These energies comprises of both – the good and the bad. There are moments when we find ourselves engulfed by some bitter, toxic vibe and knowingly or unknowingly that ‘vibe’ destructs and disrupts our mind and body.

This can be termed as negative energies.

Negativity is poisonous to our entire system and one must find ways and method to combat with these energies for a holistic well-being. It can make us feel gloomy, heavy, upset, anxious and emotionally and physically feeble. It’s very important for all of us to get rid of this energy as it deeply affects our mind and body. Here are some easy methods to be incorporated in our daily routine.

SIX WAYS TO CLEAR NEAGATIVITY

 1. Practise Yoga : Yoga has proved to be helpful in combating negative energies since time immemorial. It is often advised by doctors and mental health therapist for clearing negative energies. 

 The following  yoga poses must be practiced for clearing negative energies

A) Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (upward facing dog) :

 This pose is not mentioned often but it is considered to be the best yoga poses for clearing negative energies. It helps in fighting depression and fatigue.

 B)   Marjaryasana (Cat-to-Cow) :

The Cat-to-Cow pose is beneficial as it calms the mind, relieves stress amd releases tension in the shoulders and neck.

C) SUKHASANA (Easy Pose)

The “Easy Pose” is one that helps in bringing peace to the helm. A forward bend, when practiced correctly, can aid in bringing calm.

Some of the other poses recommended for clearing negative energies are :

· Bound Angle Pose

· Supported Headstand

· Standing Forward Bend

· Tree pose

· Plank pose

2. Accepting Nature : 

 Nature is the mother of purity hence extremely beneficial for cleansing our souls. The beauty of ‘mother' nature can make it very difficult for any negative energies to come around if you go for a walk in the park on a daily basis.

You can bring nature into your home by surrounding yourself with flowers and plants. 

3. Meditation :

Meditation has a powerful healing effect in both mind and body. Self-fulfillment can be attained by eliminating all distractions and focusing on yourself. Great method to zone out spiritually from the worldly affairs and clear that negativity.

4. Keep your space clean

 Take quick and practical steps to get rid of something that isn’t adding value to your life. Bad vibes are attracted to clusters and an urorganised atmosphere, so sweeping and keeping the surroundings clean does wonders.

 5. Include Essential Oils in your daily routine

 Essential oils have been used to help release negative energy and foster positivity since ancient times.  They have the ability to change your present mood and transport you to a more optimistic state of mind. There are hundreds of oil to choose from, so trust your intuition and  your spirit lead you to the ones right for you.

6. Bathe in salt water to cleanse and dispel negative energies.

 A relaxing soak also aids in relaxation to help relieve tension and negativity by removing built up lactic acid and provising relief to sore muscles. While you are soaking, set a goal to release all negativity and aid in the cleansing of your body and aura.

As humans, we are constantly surrounded by force, whether negative or positive, and it is always there, even if we don’t realize it. You can maintain positive energy simply by accepting responsibility for your mistakes or appreciating the good in others and yourself. Simple exercises, meditation, yoga, passing a smile and cutting the cord to the past have always been successful in clearing negative energies.

 Nida Zakaria

Best Poses for Pain Sufferers

Yoga has proven to be extremely useful to reduce body pain. One can tackle pain both physiologically and psychologically with regular yoga practice. Often, body pain is due to several reasons including prolonged screen time, stress, anxiety, and unhealthy dietary and sleep patterns etc. And what sets yoga apart from most other exercise programs is that it places a great emphasis on achieving physical as well as mental fitness.

Can yoga help with chronic pain?

There have been several medical studies which indicate that yoga can be effective in dealing with chronic pain issues such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraine, lower back pain, and several other chronic pain conditions. According to a study that appeared in Annals of Internal Medicine, 313 people with chronic low back pain, who took a weekly yoga class, had enhanced mobility when compared with standard medical treatment for the condition.

Research also suggests that yoga responds to chronic pain on a neural level, improving the endurance of grey matter in the brain. Another meta-analysis of 17 studies conducted on over 1,600 volunteers suggests that yoga can be extremely beneficial to improve daily function among people with spinal and lower back pain issues. Moreover, yoga also improves mood and psychosocial well-being.

Thus, it offers a holistic care to an individual.

Poses for Pain Sufferers

1. Downward Dog: It calms the brain and helps in stress and depression. A must yoga for arthritis, headaches, fatigue, and back pain. It has good results for high blood pressure and asthma too.

2. Child Pose: Child Pose is a beginner yoga pose often practiced and suggested by trainers for lower back pain. This posture takes the pressure from your lower back by stretching and aligning the spine, giving your body a nice stretch. Child pose helps in promoting flexibility, stress relief and helps circulation to the muscles, joints and disks of the back.

3. Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing:  This pose has a ton of benefits for people who complain of health issues and pain. Our nervous system calms down when we breathe with our diaphragm. In doing so our body deals smoothly with our aches and pain. Belly breathing helps in strengthening our diaphragm which in turn reduces depression and anxiety related issues, helps in lowering our blood pressure and improves core muscle stability.

4. Cat/Cow Pose : The Cat/Cow Pose is an excellent way to warm up the spine. Talking about the physical benefits of this pose it helps in toning the gastrointestinal tract. This posture is helpful for relieving menstrual cramps and lower back pain. Cat/Cow Pose increases flexibility of the neck, shoulders, and spine. The movement also stretches the muscles of the hips, back, abdomen, chest, and lungs.

5. Supine Twist : This posture is extremely beneficial for entire back pain. It also helps in increasing the flexibility of the hips, upper back shoulders, and ribs. Adding to it, this pose does wonder for painful bladder syndrome.

6. Leg up the wall: A wonderful posture for tired feet and it also helps in easing lower back pain, headaches, and fibromyalgia.

There are many other postures that will surely help you in relieving pain and aches. Next time do consult your trainer or check our blogs for more inputs. And remember miracles don’t happen in just a day so it’s very important for every individual to be determined, giving the body the time to heal with these brilliant yoga positions.  Definitely practice and patience is the key to success and happiness.

Nida Zakaria

Yoga’s Medical Recognition as a treatment for anxiety

In the fast-paced and uncertain world of modern society, stress and anxiety can often rise to debilitating levels. Chronic and unmanaged stress can impact our quality of life, and is responsible for an increase in health issues and disorders that span the globe. With the rise of COVID-19 that has only exacerbated matters. Negative emotions are not only traumatic but they also affect our immune system. Managing these emotions can be draining but is certainly doable.

Yoga as a treatment for the mind and body:

If anxiety increases it can start to interfere with your everyday activities and general well-being and can bring on anxiety disorders such as –GAD ( generalised anxiety disorder,) which keeps you in a state of exaggerated worry and the inability to relax. However a lot of the symptoms related to anxiety are physical, such as muscle tension, sweating and insomnia which is caused by the “fight” or “fight stress” response which prepares the body as if there is a real threat on the horizon.

Conventional medical treatments don’t always address the underlying causes of anxiety. Given that anxiety also appears in physical symptoms, it stands to reason that if an anxiety treatment is to be successful it should treat both the mind and body. This is where yoga comes in, it can provide you the strengthening tools which are needed for emotional regulation.

Feelings of anxiety can quickly become overwhelming, this leads to automatic reactivity with no interval for a response. By practicing yoga the patterns responsible for this reactivity behaviour can be broken through, the meditation component of yoga works on improving self-regulation and the attention networks in your brain. The physical component of yoga works on tackling the anxiety symptoms in the body, whilst also having an impact on the mind-body connection.

Overall having a degree of control over our emotional state and how we respond to stressful events is key to both our mental and physical well-being. The mind-body practice of yoga make it a powerful tool to have to help you become in a state of piece within you and your environment.

 Scientific Community Evidence:

Yoga’s positive impact on the world of anxiety and anxiety disorders has been supported by a growing body of research. Recently published studies have concluded that yoga can be a safe and effective intervention for those individuals who have an anxiety disorder or elevated levels of anxiety, this is a welcome development especially in the light of the fact that anxiety disorders are on the increase in younger people.

 Start practicing at home:

Whilst the research is continuing to make a case to the medical establishment for yoga to be seen as a treatment strategy, there is nothing stopping you from beginning the practice yourself.  No specialist equipment is required –though a yoga mat is useful- from starting the practice in your living room. The best way to start this practice is to join one of Dragonfly Yoga’s upcoming classes, click here to view the timetable for available classes, and start to awaken your potential today!

How Yoga Compliments and Strengthen Athletes Training Regimen

INTRODUCTION

The practice of Yoga usually involves exercises like asanas, pranayama, breathing modification, meditation, and sometimes chanting. It is a great inclusion to any exercise regimen, accompanied by a multitude of benefits that will help improve exercise performance.

One of Yoga's unique features is that athletes of all ages or experience can partake to ensure better mental and physical health.

For example, many yoga poses are most effective when breathing matches movement. By matching breathing with movement, endurance athletes such as cyclists, runners, and swimmers will benefit from the exercise.

How Yoga Compliments and strengthens Athlete’s Training Regimen

●    FLEXIBILITY: Flexibility is most beneficial to athletes; Yoga improves joint and muscular flexibility, vital to the body's overall structural effectiveness. Enhanced joint and muscle pliancy makes certain movements easier.

 This increased range of motion provides a greater ability to relax the mind and body, sharpen concentration, free the spirit, and condition muscle strain. Beyond physical flexibility, Yoga builds mind flexibility as the peculiar poses, breathing exercises, and meditation practices encourage better focus.

 Maintaining flexibility in such areas that are prone to holding tension enhances ease of movement, which means that you'll be able to maneuver your body in more ways than usual.

 ●    INCREASED CORE STABILITY: Asana's practice increases core stability, which is important to sport performance and injury prevention in sport. This practice focuses on proper muscular and skeletal alignment. The outcome of a systematic Asana practice is an increased sense of balance and strength for whole-body movement.

 ●    INCREASED RELAXATION: Sports demands a lot from your heart, bones, joints, mind, muscles, etc., not to mention the anxiety and pressure that accompanies competitive sports.

The yoga session usually ends with 5-10 minutes of relaxation in a corpse pose (Shavasana). During this pose, the mind/consciousness is trained in such a way that it can be indrawn/internalized.

 The importance of this relaxation to an athlete cannot be overemphasized, as this relaxation ensures that muscles return to a balanced tone allowing the athlete to flush those stress hormones from the body.

 ●    STRENGTH: Yoga strengthens the whole body as a unit. The exercises involved are all closed-chained and can be performed with hands and feet in contact with the floor. Yoga increases an athlete's core strength and helps to create whole-body functional strength.

 While your sport can make you strong only in specific areas as required by your sport, Yoga practice tailored for your sport builds your undeveloped muscles and restores balance to your body by promoting full-body strength.

 ●    BALANCE: Yoga enables balance; such balance will strengthen your lower legs as an athlete and hone your proprioception such that you'll grow to be more aware of where your body is in space.

 Yoga poses also teaches you ways to be aware of your body's center of gravity in different positions. Also, it gives you dimensional balance.

 ● INJURY PREVENTION: The strength, flexibility, and improved body mechanics you achieve from constant yoga practice help your body maintain a healthy body and healthy joints. These joints are often prone to injuries due to repetitive training.

Suppose there is an imbalance in the body that causes it to function out of alignment. In that case, continuous athletic training with this abnormality can lead to inflammation of the body and excessive wear on the tissues. However, constant yoga practice helps align the body by correcting the soft tissues' strength and flexibility.

 Yoga poses can also enable a self-awareness that can help you as an athlete notice your skeletal misalignments.

●    MENTAL TRAINING: Most athletes are constantly training to exceed their physical limits, but it is often an athlete with a great mental strength that perseveres.

 Yoga practices and poses like the back-bending pose, sitting quietly in mind and body for 30minutes regardless of uncomfortable sensations, teaches you mental toughness. This skill is very valuable, especially when you encounter a similar intensity in your athletic training.

 Yoga practice makes you put yourself in challenging situations and teaches you how to cope with these challenges.

●    CONTROL: Yoga helps with every aspect of control, such as breath control, mind control, and movement control. Mind control is developed from the objective of Yoga, which is to stay present and focused.

Movement control is acquired from an improved mind-body connection. When you control your breath and accurately pair such control with your movement, it will improve your oxygen intake and output, efficiency, and muscle function and help you reduce muscle fatigue.

Yoga in sports is vital as it complements and strengthens athletes' training regimen in multiple ways and on different levels. It can help athletes have an evenness and control over their mind, movement, and thoughts even during stress. Yoga plays a key role in cultivating concentration, which helps athletes perform at their peak.

How Can Yoga Help You Recentre Yourself

These are the most unprecedented and difficult times we all have ever face. With the new COVID strain and another lockdown life is just not getting back to normal. These are the times when our mind is stressed beyond measures, with such grave changes happening in day to day life. And this is when yoga comes to our rescue.

Practicing yoga definitely helps us in focusing inward with compassion to reduce stress and recenter.

Here we will be talking about a few yoga postures that helps to de stress. But before you begin it’s important to focus on your breath and your surroundings, once you have calmed down take a deep breath and center your thoughts to make a start.

EIGHT POSES TO RECENTER

1. Sukhasana (Easy pose)

The Easy Pose considered being a great posture that helps in calming down the mind and eliminating anxiety. Mental and physical fatigue stays under control if we regularly practise ‘sukhasana’.

2. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

Forward bends helps in increasing the exhalation and relieving stress. In addition, with the arms behind the back, we discharge shoulder pressure. Uttanasana also helps in releasing the hamstrings which might get attached up when we are stuck in fight or flight mode. Traditionally it is also said to relieve insomnia.

3. Rabbit Pose (Sasangasana)

Yogis find the rabbit pose an extraordinary pose when stressed, panicked or exhausted. This pose gives a feeling of unwinding of the breathe out and solace of being nestles into a ball., We also get a shoulder release while we add the hands intertwined behind the back and lifting & lowering of hips.

4. Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana)

As mentioned above forward bends helps in increasing the exhalation and relieving stress. In addition to it the wide legged forward bend help in releasing some of the pressure in the head.

5. Paschimottanasana (Seated forward bend)

Paschimottanasana stretches the spine, hamstring and lower back, helping to open up the hips. It is also considered to be a calming pose which helps in relieving stress, reduces fatigue and improves our mood.

6. Balasana (Child’s pose)

Balasana is helpful for our lymphatic system and nervous system. It helps in calming our mind and releasing stress.

7. Ananda Balasana (Happy baby pose)

This pose helps in stretching the inner groin, hamstrings and the lower back. It is also beneficial in calming the mind and getting rid of fatigue and stress. On doing this you will definitely get the attitude of happy baby.

8. Plow Pose (Halasana)

Halasana helps in stretching the spine, shoulders and back of the legs. A great pose for reducing stress and fatigue. Plow releases the neck, head, shoulders, and hamstrings. It also increases the exhale and turns one inward.

So, yogis the above are only some of the poses that can help you recentre yourself. Indeed yoga is a wonderful way to calm our mind and body. Then, what you are waiting for. Give it a shot.

Practice Yoga & Stay Calm.

Nida Zakaria

Yoga Basics: 101

Yoga is designed to maintain a balance between your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dimension of the individual. We are aware of the fact that yoga comprises of certain postures, spiritual techniques and breathing practice which ultimately calms our mind and body helping us in achieving a state of enlightenment.

Today we will be talking about some of the yoga basics or the eight limbs of yoga

which is the foundation of yoga lifestyle:

• Yamas – Ethical Principles

• Niyamas – Personal Conduct

• Asana – Physical Postures

• Pranayama – Breathing Exercise

• Pratyahara – Control of the Senses

• Dharana –Concentration

• Dhyana – Meditation

• Samadhai – State of enlightenment

Eight Limbs of Yoga

1.      Yama: Ethical Principles

The ‘yama’ limb is expected to look after an individual’s moral conscience or ethical standards. It basically focuses on our day to day behavioral conduct in life. We may say that it revolves around the concept of ‘karma’, which is what goes around will come around. So the five yamas are as followed:

·         Ahimsa : Nonviolence

·         Satya : Truth

·         Asteya: Nonstealing

·         Bramacharya: Comtinence

·         Aparigraha: noncovetousness

2.      Niyama: Personal Conduct

The second stage is concerned with self-discipline and spirituality. Some of the acts included in niyama are thanking God before every meal, regularly praying or reading your Holy book for developing your own personal meditation practices etc. The four major acts of niyama are as follows:

·         Saucha: Maintaing cleanliness

·         Samtosa: Contentment

·         Svadhyaya: The study of sacred scriptures.

·         Isvara pranidhana: Surrender to God

3.      Asanas : Physical Posture

Literally Asana means to be seated and in yoga it is implied to be seated for the practice of meditation. Hence the third limb is the postures/poses practiced in yoga which is asanas.  An individual develops a disciplinary habit and also the ability to concentrate through the practice of varied asanas. Vinyasa Yoga, Iyenagar Yoga,Kundalini Yoga etc are some of the different types of yoga practice each having varied poses.

Hatha Yoga:  ‘Hatha’ includes all the physical postures of yoga. It means the practice of   balancing the sun and moon energies in the body. The ten most practiced hatha yoga are as follows:

• Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

• Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

• Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-facing Dog Pose)

• Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)

• Halasana (Plough Pose)

• Sirsasana (Head Stand)

• Salabhasana (Locust Pose)

4) Pranayama : Breathing Exercise

This is the art of controlling breath,the very essence that keeps us alive. The different poses for breathing techniques modifies the mind in different wonderful ways. Surprisingly each way of breathing changes our state of being. Basically the fourth stage is structured in a way to achieve mastery over respiratory process. Once you learn creating a connection between the mind, body and breath your whole body rejuvenates.

 Some of the breathing exercises are :

·         Breath Retention (Kumbhaka)

·         Channel-Cleaning Breath (Nadi Sodhana)

·         Ocean Breath - Ujjayi Pranayama

·         Lion's Breath - Simhasana

·         Skull Shining Breath - Kapalabhati Pranayama:

5.       Prathyara : Control of the Senses

The fifth limb is the stage where we detach ourselves from the worldly pleasures. We withdraw from our cravings and develop an insight to our spiritual being. Practicing prathyara changes our state of mind and we start focusing more on our inner self.

 6.      Dharana –Concentration

 Focused concentration is ‘dharana’, the sixth limb. Dharana and Prathyara are closely connected to each other. While meditating our senses must withdraw form worldly elements, in order to concentrate properly. Tratak (candle gazing), visualization, and focusing on the breath are all practices of dharana.

 7.      Dhyana – Meditation

 The seventh stage is meditation or contemplation, the dhyana.  This is the point where we are really meditating. The genuine act of contemplation is certainly not something we can effectively ‘do’; rather it depicts the unconstrained activity of something that occurs because of everything else. A thin line lies between dharana and dhayana, where dharana is one point attention, dhyana is a state of being keenly aware without focus.

A thin line lies between dharana and dhayana, where dharana is one point attention, dhyana is a state of being keenly aware without focus.

8.   Samadhai : State of enlightenment 

 The eight limb is the state of enlightenment. At this stage, the meditator meets with their place of center and rises above the Self inside and out.  The meditator comes to understand a significant association with the Divine, interconnectedness with every living thing. Also, once our mind is unadulterated and we experience a state of Samadhi, we can keep hold of, and then we attain moksha also known as mukti, the permanent state of being liberated and free.

Trust in your highest self and begin with the magical practice of yoga.

 Nida Zakaria

How to get into yoga?

The word ‘yoga’ comes from a Sanskrit word ‘yug’ which clearly means to union. And the Oxford Dictionary describes yoga “as a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation”.

Every year millions of people all around the globe have been embracing yoga as a daily routine for a stress free and a healthier life. But many a times some of us might be reluctant and unsure of where to start with.

Here we will talk about some of the easy tips to get started with this wonderful practice.

1)  Join a beginners Class:  First and the foremost important thing is to find a good yoga studio. While you can do yoga, easily, at the comfort of your home, there are yoga studios that conduct sessions which may involve equipment like straps, belts, and blocks. So, it is up for you to decide how you want to start with the yoga practice. With virtual yoga becoming a thing today, one can simply log in and follow various yoga experts who run videos series on YouTube and Instagram.

 Generally your yoga classes will be scheduled for an hour or an hour and a half which will include a series of poses, breathing practice and mental focus.  You will be trained to keep your mind, breath and body at peace. Yoga will improve flexibility, balance, strength and stamina, while also developing mindfulness and concentration. 

2)  Embrace Yoga:  Acceptance is the next vital thing. Always remember yoga is for all ages and sizes; so once you are enrolled as a yogi try and embrace yoga as a part of your daily routine. Eventually as the day passes you will  feel the difference, yoga had on your mind and body.

3)  Learn Basic Poses:  Once you join in as a new yogi your instructor will first train you with the foundational poses of yoga. As a beginner you should be familiar and comfortable with poses like: child pose, mountain pose, downward dog pose, baby cobra pose, corpse pose, plank pose etc. It is always advisable not to hurry in learning the complex poses. Take one pose at a time and flow slowly.

4)  The art of breathing: Yoga is solely linked with your breath. If you learn the skill of focusing on your breath while practicing any basic or complicated posture you simultaneously establish a connection with your body and mind. The breathing exercise (Pranayama) helps in reducing anxiety and develops concentration.

 5)  Learn the basic terms: Maintain a diary and take down notes of the various asanas and postures for better remembrance. Sanskrit might not be easy for you hence in order to keep up and not get lost its advisable you write down everything important.

Some of the basic terms used in yoga are as follows:

·         Asanas: The  physical poses or postures

·         Pranayama: This is the breathing technique

·         Om: An elemental chant that helps to center and focus your mind.

·         Namaste: An honorable salutation, typically said at the end of class.

6)  Yoga Accessories: Frankly, you don’t need anything special to get started with yoga. All of the yoga studios provide mats and other basic equipment. But if you are practicing in the confinement of your house grabbing a good quality yoga mat should be first in your list.  Always remember to buy a non slippery mat with a solid grip for hassle free practice.

 To stay focused and comfortable during your yoga practice you need a good pair of yoga pants. Remember to always go for comfortable and skin tight pants. This gives you a fine stretch. Your leggings or pants should go with a nice tank top or a sports bra (for women). A simple tee shirt is the best to have for both men and women.

 So, what are you waiting for?

If you are looking for a positive change it’s the right time to hit the mat.

Nida Zakaria

5 Ways Meditation improves Yoga

Yoga and meditation, both go together like hand in glove. With both these spiritual health practices increasingly becoming popular over the past few decades, we tend to combine both of them together. When we become aware of one practice, the other isn’t far behind.

 However despite the correlation between the two, many people choose either one or the other. The important factor to note, is that meditation helps to relax the body, which is an important part of the process to have a relaxed mind, this in turn makes it far easier to allow your body to take on the various yoga positions, such as the Lotus position.

 Below lists the five key ways that meditation makes us better at Yoga:

1.       Meditation assists in the focus of Asana

 Practising Yoga means exercising the body, however it is also important to exercise the mind at the same time. Every time the body is in an asana pose, the focus should also be on the pose itself. With the mind focused on the body only then can asana be experienced in full. Yoga Asana is known to possess many health benefits, but in order to take advantage of those benefits the focus has to be on what the body is doing.

 Meditation is widely known to improve focus and concentration, and as a result this allows complete mind-body immersion in the Asana.

 2.       Meditation lowers oxygen consumption.

A less well known fact is that meditation changes the way the body uses oxygen. Research has shown that meditation lowers oxygen consumption rate by 10%. This increases our control of our breath during and after meditation. For anyone who gets short of breath when practicing Yoga, trying meditation before and during your yoga session and practicing mindful breathing can help regulate your breath.

 Subsequently this helps in being able to practice Yoga for a longer period of time, and assert more control of pranayama.

 3.       Obtain the philosophical aspects of Yoga:

If you would like to truly embrace the yogic lifestyle, then it is, then it is important you get in touch with the philosophical side, meditation can be of great help in this aspect too.

 The Yogic system itself has many meditations, these include – Trataka (Still Gazing,) chakra meditations, mantras, and sound meditations (Nada Yoga). Not only do these meditation techniques help to train the mind, they also play an integral part in preparing the mind-body for more advanced stages of yoga.

 4.       Experiencing a lot of sweat during hot yoga? Meditation can help.

Anyone who practices hot yoga (Bikram Yoga) knows what it can be like to sweat a little too much. Meditation can change that by reducing your heart-rate and blood pressure thereby cooling your body down and reducing the amount you sweat.

 5.       Meditation improves balance

According to a scientific study, the power of meditation can help in increasing our level of balance. According to Professor Ying Kee from Nanyang’s Technical University (based in Singapore) a study was carried whereby 32 men were split into two groups, Kee requested all members of each group to stand on one leg while holding a basin of water, Kee asked one group to be mindful of their hands, and the other group to think about anything they liked. The balance of members of both groups were tested, the results showed that being mindful of the body increased the level of balance, where as those group members who were thinking about something other than what they were doing showed a much lower level of balance.

 Time for a change?

Anybody who is serious about getting better at Yoga should take on both the physical and mental exercises. By practising meditation not only do we embrace a more yogic lifestyle, but also we prepare our mind for success in the yoga studio.

Top Tips for Beginners

Yoga, as we all know is for all shapes and sized and it’s never too late to hit the mat. But for a beginner stepping onto the mat for the first time is not always an easy task. Once you are determined to begin with your yoga journey a hundred question might pop up in your mind.

First and the foremost, whatever holds you back from practicing yoga just let that myth go away and begin with your yoga session. So here we will be discussing some important tips that you as a new yogi must be aware of. So, check out these things before you don yoga pants.

TEN TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

1. Research and Find a Good Trainer: In these unprecedented times of corona we are all quite scared of going out frequently. In this case as a beginner you will have to do your homework and find a yoga studio that operates online.

You will also have to do your research on the trainers. If you come across any good yoga studio, go for try their trial classes for a couple of days later on continue if everything suits your criteria.

2. Go Slow: The purpose of yoga is not same as the purpose to join a gym. Yoga provides calmness, strength, flexibility, and balance to your body. While you may not have to dedicate an hour to yoga every day, but a three- four hours per work works well for anyone who is starting with their yoga practice.

3. Get a Good Yoga Mat: A good quality yoga mat should be the first in your list. Always remember to buy a non slippery mat with a solid grip for hassle free practice. Your mat should have comfortable cushioning and light weighted. Go for mats which have gripping on both the sides. The upper grip holds you firm while performing a difficult pose and the grip downward securely holds the floor.

4. Eating and Drinking: It is always suitable that you don’t eat for one or two hours before your practice. It is always best to stay hydrated; you can take small amount of water before you begin your yoga. It is always advisable to avoid alcohol, sugar and caffeine before yoga.

5. Build your Foundation: Once you join in as a new yogi your instructor will first train you with the foundational poses of yoga. As a beginner you should be familiar and comfortable with poses like:child pose, mountain pose, downward dog pose, baby cobra pose, corpse pose, plank pose etc.

6. Mind your breath: Yoga is solely linked with your breath. If you learn the skill of focusing on your breath while practicing any basic or complicated posture you simultaneously establish a connection with your body and mind. The breathing exercise (Pranayama) helps in reducing anxiety and develops concentration.

7. Find your flow: Finding your flow and style can be difficult in the beginning if you are a newbie. You can take a few attempts to be comfortable with your flow and then settle for a regular practice. This way your trainer will also understand the alignment of your body and help you with your postures in a much easier manner.

8. Read Books, Blogs on Yoga : Always support your practice with some additional reading. There are plenty reading material on yoga. Expand your knowledge with some books, blogs and videos.

9. Take Notes: Maintain a diary and take down notes of the various asanas and postures for better remembrance. Sanskrit might not be easy for you hence in order to keep up and not get lost its advisable you write down everything important.

10. Comfortable Clothes: Always go for stretchy yoga pants and leggings with a nice tank top or a sports bra (for women). A simple tee shirt is the best to have for both men and women. Just be sure that your clothes are giving you the space for proper movement.

11. Balance Diet: As a beginner you will have to make some nutritional adjustments in your diet. Slow carbs and fiber are a must. Add more of green veggies, fruits, oatmeal in your diet. Always advisable to intake something light couple of hours before your practice.

Nida Zakaria

How Yoga Improves Sleep

Yoga is a delicate and therapeutic approach to unwind your day. We all know that practicing yoga helps our body and mind in numerous extraordinary ways. From developing core strength, bringing flexibility, reducing stress, and easing body pain; yoga also helps you sleep better and peacefully especially if you are sleep deprived or suffer from insomnia. Some findings found that more than 50% of individuals who did yoga found that it helped them in getting better sleep. Over 85% said yoga helped in reducing stress.

It’s a proven fact that if individuals who suffer from sleep deprivation perform yoga consistently, they get more sleep and also fall asleep quicker than before. Ultimately nights with peaceful sound sleep keeps you fresh and lively all through the day.

Therefore, Yoga comes to your rescue if you are unable to get enough sleep. Practicing yoga also helps in easing several illness, including insomnia and abnormal sleeping habits.

Good Night Poses

We will be discussing some of the pre sleep yoga poses which are ideal for preparing your mind and body for a better sleep.

Corpse Pose: This is the traditional resting pose. Just lie on the ground with straight stretched legs and relax your arms each side with palms facing upward. Mind your breath while you inhale and exhale slowly. If you want to block the lights you can cover your eyes with a folded towel.

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana): This stress releasing pose is believed to cure insomnia, anxiety and headaches. Bending your head below your heart calms the brain. Uttanasana extends and stretches your hamstrings and calves. It opens the hips and can mitigate pressure in the neck and shoulders.

Legs up the Wall (Viparita Karani): This is again an excellent pose that allows your mind and body to relax. After a hectic tiring day, if you notice a swollen ankle and feet this pose comes to the rescue. Viparita Karani helps in recirculating the blood flow. Combined with controlled breathing this pose reduces anxiety, nervousness and relaxes the whole body.

Child’s Pose (Balasana) : It is a resting pose which gently stretches your hips, thighs and ankles. Balasana provides a sense of calm and stability reliving stress and fatigue.

Reclining Bound Angle (Supta Baddha Konasana) : The ultimate goal of this pose is to reduce stress and anxiety. It helps in easing tension in your hips and is also practiced to lower blood pressure helping in relaxing the mind and body.

Janu Sirsasana (head-to-knee pose) : The head to knee pose stretches the hamstrings, hips and groin muscles. This restorative pose calms the mind and helps in relieving mind depression. It is considered to be therapeutic for high blood pressure and insomnia.

Eventually practicing yoga is therapeutic and it calms your body and mind, that’s what all you need for a good and great sleep.  So, if you are suffering from sleep deprivation try the above poses before going to bed. Moreover, doctors recommend a sound sleep for six to eight hours daily as when we sleep our body repairs on a cellular level and removes toxins.

Click here to view 24 tips from 24 people on how to sleep better.

Nida Zakaria

What can yoga do for you?

Benefits of Yoga

The whole wide world recognizes the countless benefits of Yoga. Over the years, many have shunned the gym and have become regular Yoga practitioners. But Yoga is not about stretching and the head over heels poses, it is a union of the mind, body, and soul – something that every Yoga beginner needs to know.

Researchers have always talked about the physiological and physical benefits of yoga. Every yogi notices a positive change in their body just after a week of regular yoga practice. Although the changes may vary from body to body and person to persons. Hence adapting religiously to yoga can do wonders and in this article we will talk about what yoga does to your body.

Why is Yoga Good For Your Body?

1) Eases Pain: There have been several medical studies which indicate that yoga can be effective in dealing with chronic pain issues such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraine, lower back pain, and several other chronic pain conditions. Yoga triggers a positive cycle of muscular recovery and reduced body pain which may have occurred due to lifestyle issues.

2) Reduces Stress: Yoga has proven to be magical in reducing stress and anxiety. As yoga turns out to be extremely popular, an ever increasing number of individuals are finding its advantages in bringing peace in their stressed lives. The various stretching poses and breath control exercises helps in relaxing the mind and soul. Standing Forward Bend, Rabbit Pose, Side Stretch, Thunderbolt pose, Corpse Pose are some of the few poses helpful in reducing stress and anxiety. All these poses boost the level of oxygen to our brains, leaving us relaxed and content with our selves.

3) Improves Posture: Yoga poses are very useful in perfecting our bad postures. Good body posture is important as it reduces the stress on joints and ligaments. The muscles can work more freely and efficiently if you have a good body posture. Reverse Namaste, Extended Side Angle, Plank Pose, Camel Pose, Cobra Pose and Bridge Pose are some of the most recommended postures for correcting our body poses.

4) Improves Flexibility: Enhanced flexibility is another valuable advantage of yoga. With regular yoga practice you will notice the gradual releasing and loosening in your body helping you to perform advanced poses much easily.

With improved flexibility you will also notice that aches and pain start to disappear. Additionally, yoga also extends other delicate tissue in the body, for example, tendons and ligaments, expanding the scope of movement in the joints and permitting you to move around more openly.

5) Increases Blood Circulation: Blood, as you are aware performs the basic function in the body, circulating basic nutrients and oxygen all through your body and furthermore eliminating waste from your cells. Escalating blood flow can make one feel more energized and yoga is the perfect exercise toget your blood flowing. Forward Pose, Downward Facing Dog, Legs up the wall, Pigeon Pose, Seated Twist pose are some of the postures one must practice for better blood circulation. Yoga also lifts hemoglobin levels on red blood cells, which carries oxygen to the tissue. Studies have also revealed that yoga had been helpful in improving heart health and also reduced many risk factors for heart disease. Basically it keeps your heart happy.

6) Reduces Weight: Many people believe that yoga is a much gentle exercise and one can lose weight while practicing yoga. Well! This notion is so not true. Because yoga has proven to be a wonderful method to reduce weight and maintain the body you want. Practicing yoga definitely helps in relaxing the body and mind, helping you to de stress and permitting you to get in shape normally. Scientific research has been showing links between weight loss and yoga. Plank Pose, Warrior Pose, Triangle Pose, Bridge Pose, Twisted Chair Pose are some of the most practiced yoga poses for reducing weight.

7) Lowers Blood Sugar: Yoga experts highly recommend yoga for diabetes management. For people with diabetes, yoga has been found to lower blood sugar in different ways: by bringing down cortisol and adrenaline levels, reducing weight, and improving sensitivity with the impacts of insulin. Get your glucose levels down, and you naturally decrease the risk of diabetic complications as heart stroke, kidney failure etc. Poses like Legs Up the Wall, Seated Forward Bend, Plow Pose, Upward Facing Dog, Bow Pose helps in lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

There are countless benefits of practicing yoga. The beauty of yoga is that it not only relaxes our body but also calms our soul. Also it can be adapted according to an individual needs and lifestyle. Apart from the aforementioned benefits the following are the added profits of practicing yoga:

• Improves muscle tone and strength.

• Helps in focusing.

• Boosts immune system.

• Calms nervous system.

• Regulates adrenal glands.

• Improves balance.

• Protects spine.

• Gives inner strength.

• Enhances self-esteem.

• Helps in getting sound sleep

Actually, what yoga does to our body cannot be measured in words. You should get onto your mat, practice and feel the difference.

Above all yoga gives you the much needed peace of mind.

Nida Zakaria

New to practicing Yoga? Here is a checklist for the beginners

“Yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory”

Once in a while many of us come across the idea of practicing yoga but just couldn’t begin with
it of all the many reasons. Some think that yoga is not their cup of coffee others might feel that
they are too inflexible for the poses or too old to join yoga class.
Whatever your reason might be always remember yoga is for every age and every body type. So
let the myth go away and if determined for a healthy mind and body enroll yourself for yoga
session.
There are some important things that you as a new yogi must know before hitting the mat. So
here is a list of things you beginners need to check before you don your yoga pants –

1. How and where to practice Yoga- You can perform Yoga anywhere and anytime, with
yoga props (need mats and the stretchy gear). While you can do Yoga, easily, at the
comfort of your home, there are yoga studios that conduct sessions which may involve
equipment like straps, belts, and blocks. So, it is up for you to decide how you want to
start with the Yoga practice. With virtual yoga becoming a thing today, one can simply
log in and follow various yoga experts who run videos series on YouTube and Instagram.

2. How often to practice Yoga – The purpose of yoga is not same as the purpose to join a
gym. Yoga provides calmness, strength, flexibility, and balance to your body. While you
may not have to dedicate an hour to yoga every day, but a three- four hours per work
works well for anyone who is starting with their Yoga practice.

3. Don’t even think about starting with pretzel poses from the very start- Yes, yoga is
all about being flexible and bendy, but that doesn’t imply to over exert and hurt your
muscles in doing advanced poses or asanas (arm balancing, inversions and backbends)
right from the start. As a beginner, one must begin from simple ones and gradually
move to higher levels. This is not a competition, this is Yoga !

4. Yoga is not just about exercising and body movement – Yoga as the world knows is a way of life. It is far more complicated than half an hour on the mat every day. While the essence of Yoga is in the practice, one must also try and understand the purpose behind it. Cultivating a regular practice will have a positive impact on your body, your lifestyle and overall outlook on life.

5. Which Yoga poses to begin with? – This is again connected to how one should approach practicing yoga. While starting directly with complex pretzel poses can make you fatigued, one can choose from a variety of simple asanas. In the end, it all depends on what your body is capable of and comfortable. Listen to your body, is the first basic rule to practice Yoga! It is necessary to start with fundamental poses first. Some of these can include the Mountain, Warrior, Plank, Chair, Lunge, Dog, Lifts and folds, Locust pose and many more.

6. Follow your teacher: Your yoga trainer eventually gets to know your body movement and alignment better than you. Therefore have faith in your Guru and religiously work on his/her advises.

7. Be flexible with the basics: Once you join in as a new yogi your instructor will first train you with the foundational poses of yoga. As a beginner you should be familiar and comfortable with poses like: child pose, mountain pose, downward dog pose, baby cobra pose, corpse pose, plank pose etc.

8. Mind your breath: Yoga is solely linked with your breath. If you learn the skill of focusing on your breath while practicing any basic or complicated posture you simultaneously establish a connection with your body and mind. The breathing exercise (Pranayama) helps in reducing anxiety and develops concentration.

9. Savasana is important: Savasana is the final resting pose at the end of your session. Generally many of the yogis skip this vital pose but as a beginner you should understand that savasna helps your body and mind to relax and rejuvenate after that hectic yoga session. Therefore it’s advisable to lay down for a couple of minutes and never skip Savasana.

10. Never give up: The fact is you won’t start loving yoga in a day but once you do there is no escape from it. Keep practicing until you make it a daily routine.

You do not have to be intimidated with complex inversions or backbends while researching yoga - you shall get there!

The key to become a true Yogi is years of practice and adherence to discipline. Yoga is not just a workout to lose weight or remove fat! Yoga is health and life – one must be cognizant how one approaches Yoga practice. A day of stress, and nerves in pain – all could be cured with regular Yoga practice.  While starting out, one needs to choose their style as per one’s fitness and flexibility levels. The first few times could make you feel challenged but as the body warms up and opens to the idea; you would feel a new sense of enlightenment with regular yoga practice.

Nida Zakaria

Everyday Yoga Poses

How to practice yoga when you have no time…..

Consistency is key with yoga, and one of the best ways to skill-up your yoga practice is to build in key poses into your daily routine.

Some days, we’re busier than others - and even with the best intentions, somewhere between the morning coffee, the nine o’clock meeting, the school run, and the mad dash for the train (or the mad boot-up of your laptop at 8:59, if you’re working from home), that forty-five minute slot we had planned for our morning Vinyasa Flow session gets completely lost.

So when you don’t have time for a full session, but you still want a little time and space to be present on your mat, why not have some go-to poses up your sleeve?

Here are some of our favourite poses, which strike the balance between building core strength, improving flexibility, and balancing the mind. As always, we prefer to start the day right with these poses as soon as we wake up in the mornings - but some prefer to switch this up and have an evening yoga session instead. 

Whichever way is best for you, by practising these simple poses at least once a day, you’ll soon be on the path to developing better balance in your Muscle, Movement and Mood.

Pose 1: Downward Dog

A staple, and one of the best poses to start the day with. Downward Dog is an inversion, meaning the head is below the heart in this position - which changes up the direction of blood flow. Increased blood flow to the head stimulates the mind, and kicks the brain into action.Downward Dog will also help you develop flexibility - try pedalling your feet to really work the stretch into your calf muscles.

Our top tip? Spread the fingers wide, and keep the whole palm of your hand pressed to the floor to send the hips up and away from you. 

Pose 2: Pigeon Pose

Pigeon pose is another of our everyday favourites - it’s a seriously effective hip opener and will do wonders for tight glutes. Start in Downward Dog, then raise one leg up and back, before sweeping it directly underneath the chest, with the knee bent beneath your rib cage. You may wish to stay upright at first, then slowly sink the chest towards the bent knee you have underneath your body. For an extra challenge, try gradually sinking all the way down so that your forehead rests on the floor. Stay here for at least two minutes, then repeat with the other leg in front.

This is a slow and steady pose - never rush into it, and make sure your limbs are sufficiently warm from the Downward Dog position first. As well as strengthening the elasticity in the muscles, you’ll also feel a really release of trapped energy and tension - a great endorphin booster.

Pose 3: Forward Fold

After coming back to Downward Dog following your Pigeon Pose on both sides, walk your hands back towards your feet. Once you’ve got your weight firmly back on two feet, remain hanging forward. Sway side to side a little, to stretch out both sides of your waist - you can either keep the hands hand loose, or gently fold the arms. After about one minute, slowly begin to roll the body upward - imagine you are stacking each vertebrae of your spine, one-by-one, until you reach a full standing position. Roll the shoulders back, and let the hands hang loosely at your sides, with your knees soft.

This is a great pose to remind you of your spine alignment - take notice of any points as you roll upward where you wobble slightly, as this can indicate a tendency to lean your weight more on one side than the other. Try to come up as evenly and slowly as you can - control is key for getting the full benefits of this pose.

Breathe through the pose - we often like to take a deep breath in, then breathe out while we roll upward. 

Pose 4: Warrior I

Once standing, step into a lunge, keeping your back leg straight and if you can, your back heel remaining flat on the ground. Take the arms up to reach towards the sky and hold, imagining you are stretching further and further upward. To keep the shoulders and neck in line, it can often help to visualise a piece of silk extended from the crown of your head - like a puppet string - pulling you gently up. Hold this position for a minute, then step the feet together and repeat the pose on the other side.

Warrior I is a great pose for stimulating the blood flow and building core strength. Keeping as still as possible is the challenge here. It’s also a great place to set your intentions of the day from - let your heart smile outward as you take stock of your goals for the day.

Pose 5:’Corpse’ Pose, or Savasana

Finally, come back down to lie on your back, with your palms facing upward and your knees relaxed. You could put a cushion, blanket or yoga block beneath your knees or beneath the small of the back for support here. 

You have stimulated the movement in the body, and begun to consider your intentions for the day. Savasana is that space in which you can consolidate these intentions - it’s the peace and the quiet before the business of the day begins. Allow yourself ten minutes in this pose - and if you often find you struggle to give time for being still, as many of us do in our busy lives, try to see this time as an an investment: to reflect, to listen to your thoughts and your emotions and be aware of your emotional state, to allow ideas and creativity to be renewed - which will only mean you are able to use your time in the day more efficiently. If you invest

this ten minutes now, you’ll save three, four, or five times the minutes later in the day through being more intent on your personal goals, more grateful for what you have already achieved.

We love to double-up Savasana pose with a ten minute guided meditation - try our guided Meditation For Building Trust, or have a look at the meditations available on apps like Calm or Headspace.

What next?

Try to dedicate fifteen minutes for practising these poses, each day. Our top tip? Try to do the poses in the same order each day - this will create a failsafe routine that you can fall back on when times get busy, that’s committed to your muscle memory. Building muscle memory helps the body to carry on the process of strengthening the muscles all on its own - keeping you fit for life. Repeating the poses in the same order will also help you spot and track changes to your strength and comfort each day, as you move through each pose.

And on those days when you do have the time to give yourself more space to practise, why not take a look at our timetable? We have a range of online and in-studio classes, which will help you build your repertoire of poses.

Meditation for Building Trust

“As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.”

-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Trust.

A word that many of us wrestle with at least once in our lifetimes, we often see trust as the key to our happiness. Having loved ones we trust makes us feel safe and gives us a sense of belonging that cannot be replaced by any material thing - alarm systems or membership cards. Betrayal can be one of the most challenging experiences that a person has. As a result of these betrayals - no matter how big or small - many of us experience times where we lack trust in others, sometimes dismissively labelled by others as “trust issues”, which can have a damaging impact on our relationships and wellbeing, lead to depression and anxiety, and even affect the way we see ourselves.

So what is the secret to building healthy trust?

There is no one-click fix and neither is there a one-size-fits-all approach: different methods of building trust work for different individuals. By meditating regularly, though, we can develop the self-awareness to nurture a healthy attitude towards trust - starting with our own trust in ourselves, before looking to extend this to our trust in others.

How To Meditate To Build Self-Trust

There are many meditations for trust that we love to practise here at Dragonfly - but we especially love Tamara Levitt’s meditation for self-trust. Here is our own guided meditation, with the wise words of many meditation leaders included along the way.

Start in a comfortable position - we find a seated position to be best, either with crossed legs on the floor or upright on a chair, with a small cushion placed between your lower back and the chair to keep you supported, and your bare feet flat on the ground.

Close your eyes. Notice any points of tension in the body, and breathe in to these muscles - avoid the temptation to force your muscles into relaxation, it is enough to simply notice where the body is tense and use the breath to encourage relaxation. Unstick the tongue from the roof of the mouth, and allow a soft smile to smooth the jaw. Breathe in the forehead; give the facial muscles permission to soften and melt.

We like to use box breathing to help us focus on our breath at the beginning of the meditation: breathe in for a count of four, hold for four, breathe out for a count of four, hold for four - then repeat. The breathing creates a kind of box pattern, with the holds at each end of the breath. 

Practise square breathing for four or five breaths, then allow your natural breathing pattern to return. Keep the focus on your breath - it can help to try to pinpoint the moment when an exhale turns into an inhale, and when an inhale turns into an exhale.

Maintain this focus for around two to three minutes - when the mind wanders and other thoughts begin to distract, don’t worry or berate yourself… remember that the mind is a busy place, so distraction is bound to happen, and gently bring your thoughts back to focus on the breath with no judgement or criticism for drifting concentration. Judging ourselves for not doing the meditation “right” is counterproductive; instead, offer yourself the self-compassion you deserve and keep gently tugging your thoughts back to the breath. Notice if any thoughts in particular create strong feeling or emotional reaction, but no need to feel the need to ‘fix’ these thoughts.

One great way to visualise passing thoughts, is by imagining you are sitting by the side of a motorway - which Andy Puddicombe narrates in his guided mediation app, Headspace. Your thoughts are the passing cars, and your role is simply to observe those thoughts coming and going. Some will be noisier and seem more dangerous than others: avoid the temptation to try to run into the road and control the traffic… if you imagine the effect of this in real-life, this would do far more harm than good! Instead, simply keep track of the thoughts as they pass, noticing if similar thoughts tend to pass with greater frequency or speed than others. This visualisation often helps us to distance ourselves from our thoughts, and understand that they are passing - we do not have to be defined by them, or allow them to control the way we feel.

At this point in the meditation, loosen your grip a little on your concentration, allowing the mind to go where it wants to for a minute. 

We often lose trust in ourselves through decisions or choices we make, which don’t have the desired outcome. It is much easier to remember when our choices have ended in an undesirable outcome, than it is to remember when our choices have led us to great things. One way to develop trust through meditation, is to practise the exercise of recalling times when your choices have led to positive outcomes, even unexpectedly so, and remembering in detail your feelings at the time of the positive outcome and how you made a choice that achieved it. 

There will always be times when you have made a good choice, but these can be harder to recall for some who really feel lacking in self-trust. If you feel you cannot remember any, then focus simply on the right here, right now: thank yourself for taking the time to make the positive choice that has led you to meditation practice and the intention to rebuild trust that this choice represents. After the meditation, it can help to speak to a loved one - ask them to recall a good choice that you made, and the impact that this choice had. You may find a choice you made had a profoundly positive impact on somebody’s life, without even realising!

To bring the meditation to a close, come back to the breath. When you’re ready, become aware again of the floor beneath your feet, the sounds in your immediate surroundings, and slowly open your eyes.

The Best Yoga Classes for Building Trust

It’s best to meditate little and often - the ten minutes you spend at the beginning of a day can go far to settle your mind for the rest of it. 

Meditation is included as part of yoga practice, and as meditation develops trust in the mind, yoga practice helps to root trust in your body. Our classes always include elements of meditation - why not try a Yin yoga class to help you begin your journey into meditation? Having an expert to guide you through the meditation can be a great way to begin the habit of meditation - we love Laura’s Sunday Yin yoga class here at Dragonfly to help us de-stress, and set us in the right frame of mind for the week ahead.

Above all, remember that in order to develop a healthy attitude towards trusting others, you must first trust yourself. This is not an overnight change: trust, as Brene Brown writes, is built in small moments, and once built, can be the key to a life of bravery and whole-heartedness.

Start your journey to building healthy trust today, by visiting our timetable to join a class - either in our newly refurbished studio, or online.

How To Begin With Online Yoga

“Yoga begins with listening. When we listen, we are giving space to what is.”
— Richard Freeman

Are you scared of joining back the yoga studio because of coronavirus? Are you
missing your daily yoga routine with your trainers? Or you want to join online yoga
classes but don’t know from where to start?

The fear of catching the virus has made us anxious and frustrated. And in these
uncertain times it has become very important to take care of our mental health and
wellbeing. This is where online yoga comes to our rescue.

Online yoga helps you to practice your daily yoga routine from the comfort of your
home and in your personal space. Practicing online yoga at home is therapeutic,
challenging and urges you to discover your movement and creativity.
So let’s throw that yoga mat, begin with some self-esteem and calm that anxious
mind.

GET STARTED
Once you are determined to begin your online yoga journey it’s vital to choose the
yoga studio that gives online tutorials for its pupil. Always make sure to read about
your trainers and instructors before enrolling with your selected studio. Once the
decision is made do check with your internet, tablet, smartphone or laptop. With
the availability of a good connection and a charged device you can access your
online yoga class without any pause from anywhere in the world.

EIGHT ESSENTIALS OF ONLINE YOGA

1. Find a trainer you resonate with: Yoga can be fun and easy when you find that perfect trainer, you are comfortable with. Research a bit before finalizing on your online yoga trainer.

2. Good space: Look for a peaceful and a comfortable spot in your house. Try and find a spacious area where you can stretch properly without hitting on chairs and tables. Since it’s your personal space you can be creative and add a couple of small indoor plants in the corner. You can also create some soulful atmosphere with an incense stick. Remember to look for a space
where you can concentrate without much difficulty. Also make sure that you
are able look at your screen without hindrance.

3. Get your yoga accessories : Often at yoga studios you are provided with every yoga essentials but once you start practicing at home, you are supposed to be ready with some basic yoga accessories which are as follows:

• A good quality non-slippery yoga mat.

• A pair of yoga blocks.

• A bolster, pillows or cushions.

• A yoga strap

The above four items are indeed the most used ones, your instructor might ask you to get some more props once your practice session deepens.

4. Be Attentive: While performing yoga at home you won’t be having your trainer in person to help you with your movement, so you need to carefully watch your instructor and perform your poses. Don’t hesitate to communicate with your trainer if you find some postures to be too complicated.

5. Prevent Injury: Performing yoga alone can be a little challenging as you need to be really attentive of your moves and postures. If you are a beginner then avoid poses that involves too much of stretching and twisting. Also avoid poses that can hurt your back. Don’t force your body beyond your limits and always watch your boundaries. You need to be more alert while switching poses as these are the minutes of possible risk of injury. Be mindful of your alignment.

6. Schedule your time: If you have enrolled to practice yoga online, you will be confined to a specific class and schedule. Select your days and time according to your everyday timetable. There is a difference between practicing yoga via recorded videos on youtubes and enrolling online for a live session. The former allows you to be flexible in your timings but the later
keeps you in a daily routine with proper schedule, making yoga a daily routine.

7. Find your flow: Finding your flow and style can be difficult in the beginning if you are a newbie. You can take a few attempts to be comfortable with your flow and then settle for a regular practice. This way your trainer will also understand the alignment of your body and help you with your postures in a much easier manner.

8. Keep up the Spirit: Enrolling for online yoga is just half of the work done. Now you must stay motivated and keep your spirits high. Virtual yoga sessions might not be easy for a beginner but you can do wonders once you find your flow. To make your online sessions more interesting you can practice with your friend or family member.

Indeed, the COVID emergency had enormously impacted our everyday lives and in
order to diminish social contacts we are forced to shift indoors. With the world
adapting to the new normal let’s enroll to our online yoga programmes. It is the
perfect time for all of us to strengthen our immune system and relax for a while in
these worrying moments.

Our studio has also gone online for its yogis. Check our time table. Get set and hit the mat!

Nida Zakaria

The Health Benefits of Yoga

Yoga is an investment: the more you put in, the more you get out.

For centuries, people have turned to yoga as a route to improving health and happiness - and it’s a practice that has certainly stood the test of time. But what exactly are the benefits of the ancient practice of yoga?

Psychologists and scientific researchers have conducted thousands of studies on the many health benefits of yoga. Here at Dragonfly, our yoga teachers love to combine their expert knowledge on the science behind yoga with their own unique practice style to help our yogis to develop mind, body and soul.

Read on to find out the results of the studies we rate highly, and to find out how yoga could be the next step you take to improving your wellbeing and quality of life.

The benefits can be organised into three main areas - we like to call these The Three ‘M’s: Muscle, Movement, and Mood...

Muscle

Core strength is at the heart of great yoga practice: we like to think of it as the starting point, from which all yoga poses and transitions extend. Take a look at our beginner’s guide to yoga poses, to start building up your core strength. Core strength is built by regular practice, rather than intense but very spread out workouts. Often, the best way to really kickstart good habits with core strength is to attend classes - which allow you to explore your core strength in a guided environment, on a regular basis. Pilates is also a great way to build core strength, as well as Hatha yoga classes which really focus on using strength to keep stillness in each pose.

...But it doesn’t stop at core strength! Yoga works on the interconnectivity of the muscles, visualised as energy flowing from one area of the body to another. A yoga sequence will  allow you to isolate and work on the strength in one area of your body, before transitioning this energy to another area - giving you a full body workout.

Building muscle strength not only keeps you fit, it can also alleviate chronic back pain or poor posture, as you build muscle in the body that improves the way you naturally carry yourself. For posture fixes, take a look at our guide to improving your posture.

Recovery is a key element of muscle health, and recent studies have shown that yoga practice such as Yin yoga helps reduce muscle inflammation, by breaking down the lactic acid in the muscles which is built up after exercise. We recommend doing a Yin class to help the muscles fully recover and improve flexibility, straight after a high intensity yoga practice like Vinyasa Flow or Hatha Flow - why not try this with us on Wednesday evenings?

Movement

Yoga practice is underpinned by the belief that the body’s energy must be balanced equally, and that we sometimes experience energy blocks: parts of the body where energy cannot flow freely through the body. To tackle these energy blocks, yoga works to keep energy moving through the body - or in other words, yoga helps to keep the blood circulating through all parts of the body and the breath even and consistent. 

The physical benefits that can be achieved through this balance of energy flow are better circulation, leading to a healthier heart, and open breathing, leading to healthier lungs. Flow classes, such as Ashtanga or Vinyasa, are best for cardiovascular conditioning, since these classes up the heart rate which over time, studies have shown improve your endurance, expand your intake of oxygen during exercise, and lower your resting heart rate. This is a great combat against high cholesterol and when practised regularly, can maintain a healthy heart. Those with high blood pressure have also found that yoga is proven to lower systolic blood pressure: in fact, the Savasana pose was associated with a 26-point drop in pressure, compared with simply lying on the sofa. 

It’s not only movement of blood and oxygen through the body which yoga improves, though - it also improves control, movement and flexibility of the joints and muscles. The strength which yoga builds in the muscles (as mentioned earlier), combined with the balance and spatial awareness developed by frequent practice does wonders to improve your range of movement and flexibility. This can prevent falls and accidents, particularly later on in life, when without regular exercise and balance practice we can often experience a loss in range of movement or the control over our bodies.

Mood

The physical benefits gained from yoga through the muscles and movement are mirrored in the positive impact on our mood. Yoga is based on the core principle of marrying the body with the mind, so it’s no surprise that studies have shown the benefits of yoga to extend beyond the physical, to our mental wellbeing.

The main hormone in the body that is responsible for feelings of stress is cortisol. Through exercising the whole body and investing in breathing and meditation practice, yoga is known to decrease levels of cortisol in the body - making our stress more manageable. Not only this, but even when we are experiencing high levels of cortisol due to inevitable tough times in our lives which are out of our control, yoga practitioners are significantly better prepared to deal with their stress - their good habits with meditation and exercise kicking in, allowing yogis to regain perspective on the situation much more quickly than those without meditation in their habits. 

On top of decreasing cortisol and stress, yoga can also increase ‘happy hormones’ in the body such as dopamine and endorphins. Flexibility is closely linked with decreasing stress, since stretching is known to release endorphins - giving you a happiness boost. Don’t believe us? Try including a morning stretch in child’s pose and monitor how it impacts your mood for the rest of the day.

Nothing has a greater impact on mood than good quality sleep. The benefits of making sure you get enough rest at the end of each day have been studied by psychologists for many years. Sleep is the body and mind’s vital time to recharge its resources, make repairs, and allow the brain to work through the information of the day - and without consistent, quality sleep, we can fall into patterns of depression, as well as negative impacts on our physical health.

There are many ways to improve your sleep - such as avoiding screen time (especially harmful blue light) less than one hour before you plan to sleep, turning down lights in the house in the evenings to start your body’s natural closing-down process as part of your circadian rhythm, and making sure you go to bed and wake up at similar times each day.  Restorative Yin Yoga encourages the body and mind to wind down before sleep, and also is a great way to practice breathing techniques, which allow you to develop the skill of relaxing your body and slowing your heart rate before bed. Having trouble getting to sleep or feeling constantly drained? Try going to our Yin yoga classes in the evenings, to improve sleep quality and boost your energy throughout the day.

Be it for muscle, movement or mind, there are so many benefits to taking time and space for ourselves during our busy working days to practise. It’s important to read up on the types of yoga out there, so you can select classes which will have the most positive impact. We recommend reading through the teacher bios - as these bios are insights from the experts into what they will most likely focus on in their classes. 

Definitely have a chat with your yoga teacher too, as they can use their expertise to offer bespoke advice on how yoga might specifically benefit your unique health needs. We love our individuality as human beings here at Dragonfly, so we like to make sure our advice is tailored to our yogis!

...Begin your journey to better health and wellbeing today, by taking a look at our online and in-studio classes on our timetable. We’re here to help - so if you’ve got questions about how yoga might be able to improve your personal health needs, whether for a specific area or for all-round health, then we’d love to hear from you and give you some guidance

BEST POSES FOR BEGINNERS

“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” -The Bhagwad Gita

It is true that getting started with yoga for the first time can indeed be a little intimidating as a general perception of yoga is that it comprises only of complex poses and names. Hence as a beginner, this might scare you away. However, once you start enjoying it, there is no looking back. That’s what yoga does to your body.

As a newbie, your trainer will always begin with some easy-to-grasp postures which are short and straightforward. Fortunately, you do not need to learn all the poses at once. Few of the foundational yoga postures are mutually common in position and muscular actions. Once you get a hold of the basic poses, your session moves to the more challenging ones. Also, it is important for you, as a beginner, to be familiar
with the basic asanas (poses) ahead of time, as you will be asked to do those in almost every session.

Here, I have mentioned seven (and the most foundational) yoga postures which I selected for you as a beginner.

Before you begin with your yoga journey, remember that you need to patiently absorb the poses as it helps in healing your mind and body. Listen to what your body demands and always seek the help of your qualified trainers, as they are the ones who could help you in altering the posture to the one that suits your strength and flexibility.

Let’s get started as you lay comfortably on your mat.

Seven Simple Poses for a Beginner:

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana): As the name suggests, this yoga posture gives firmness, strength, and power to the body. The Mountain Pose is the base for all the standing poses and a must to know as a beginner. Tadasana helps in improving body posture and develops perfect alignment. This yoga posture looks very simple but sometimes, it does become difficult to stand firm and still while upholding a good alignment. In this posture, the dynamics begin with the firm establishment of the feet to build up the balance. The energy, thus, drives up to the legs and thighs from the feet and spreads to the whole body. The spine is properly aligned, shoulders relaxed and head centered in the mountain pose.

2. Easy Pose (Sukasana):  Well, this is the classic yoga posture, but unlike the name suggests, it might not always be easy.  I term it as the crossed leg and a straight spine pose.  Often, the trainers start with this basic pose before moving further to the complex ones. This pose can easily be applied if you are capable enough to sit still for at least five minutes. Sukasana helps the beginners to build up a seated foundation and master the art of meditation and self-reflection.  It also supports lengthening and perfect alignment of the spine. This pose has a calming effect on the mind and body and improves one’s concentration.

3. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana): This is one of the most widely recognized yoga poses. Trainers use the downward facing dog posture as a switch between poses. It helps in toning, strengthening, and energizing the body. Also considered as an inversion pose, it helps in improving circulation of blood to the head, brain, and the neck; and reinforces the shoulders, arms, and legs. This particular pose can be a little frustrating for you as beginners, but, you will start enjoying it once trained properly.

4. Plank Pose (Kumbhakasana): Planks are commonly seen as a daily exercise which helps in building strength. You learn to balance on your hands while using the entire body as a support system. As a beginner, it is the most preferred pose if you want to tone your abs and develop strength in the upper body. One also learns to use breath strategically while performing the plank pose.  Sometimes, even the experienced yoga practitioners find planks very difficult, and for combating this, modification of the pose according to their body and strength can be helpful. Try holding on to this pose for four breaths and you will at once feel the heat building in your chest, arms, and legs.

5. Cat and Cow (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana) :  The Cat and Cow pose are the easiest to grasp and practice. When done with precision, this essential pose travels through both flexion and augmentation of the spine. Each movement leaves an individual with calmness and relaxes the body while releasing tension.

• Cat Pose (Marjaryasana): This is a delicate backbend that relaxes up the spine, extends the rear of the middle, and delivers pressure in the neck. The pose gets its name from the Sanskrit words Marjari, which means cat, and asana, which means pose.

• Cow Pose (Bitilasana): This is a gentle backbend that relaxes up the spine, extends the front of the middle, and delivers strain in the neck. It gets its name from the Sanskrit words Bitila, which means cow, and asana, which means pose.

6. Tree Pose (Vrikshasana): Yet again a wonderful and simple standing pose for tenderfoots to pick up balance, and gain focus and clarity. This pose also teaches one to breathe smoothly while keeping the body balanced on one foot. While standing in the Tree Pose you will feel grounded and strong regardless of whether or not you held your breath for a couple of seconds. Additionally, this a perfect pose to move easily from one posture to other while maintaining balance. As a beginner, it is an extraordinary standing pose to work on, as it connects to your brain, thus leaving you more focused. This pose also helps in developing clarity of mind.

7. Corpse Pose (Savasana): It has been noticed that most of the people begin with yoga to reduce stress, thus in this case, the corpse pose has been considered as one of the best yoga postures that teaches us to relax. The particular name of the asana (corpse pose) is indeed gloomy but the main idea is to forget everything for a while and relax. Relaxing in the corpse pose will permit you to relax more effectively and help you shift rapidly into the other yoga poses and this will ultimately allow you to diminish pressure and strain in your body. It’s a perfect way for practicing meditation for a beginner especially when an individual is generally not used to sitting for long hours. As a beginner, it might hurt your back while laying down flat but your trainer will always help you in modifying it according to the demands of your body.

Some Other Poses:

Of the many yoga poses, I had picked up only seven for you as a beginner. But the following postures are a must to be added in the list for you as a new learner.

·         Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana I)

·         Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana II)

·         Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

·         Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)

·         Child’s Pose (Balasana)

 Always remember:

·         To move gradually through each posture, making sure to inhale as you move.

·         To pause after postures that are challenging for you, particularly if you experience shortness of breath. In that case, restart when your breathing gets back to normal.

·          Hold each pose for a couple of slow breaths before proceeding onward to the following one.

Begin with your love for yoga:

So, once you are firm in your decision to begin your journey with yoga, you, now need to choose the perfect yoga studio led by some expert trainers. Also, in these unprecedented times of COVID-19, you might be skeptic about joining a yoga studio in person. Well, in that case, there are studios that work online with the best of coaches and trainers! With the availability of a good internet connection and smart phone, you can access your online yoga class from anywhere.

Our yoga studio works both ways.

If not now, when? Begin your journey of yoga and trod your path to a better, calmer and healthier version of you!

Nida Zakaria