by brightyoga -

Marichyasana D. How To access?

Marichyasana D is what is called core pose or gate pose in the primary series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Gate poses are asanas that have some specific requirements, that are need it to ensure a safe progress in what’s coming next in the sequence.
According to the shape of the pose, we can recognize that this Asana requieres mobility on the hips, specially external rotation of the lotus leg. Mobility of the shoulders. Internal rotation of the front shoulder (wrapping arm) and external rotation of the back shoulder

However an overall mobility in the thoracic spine is need it. If the thoracic spine is stiff, the mobility of the shoulders will be restricted therefore twist poses (seated and standing) will be challenging 

Beyond this if we look in the anatomy of the muscles layers in the back body, then we can have a clearer understanding in how to use the shoulder and head to amplified the possibilities as you twist 

We would like to talk about a superficial muscle called trapezius muscle. This muscle extend down from the occipital bone to the lower thoracic vertebrae and laterally to the spine of the scapula (see the picture below) 

 

Knowing this we would like to offer you a few tips that can help you to access to this pose 

First Tip
Many times the head tend to move forward and drops as the practitioner start to access Marichyasana D, this action will over stretch the upper trapezius limiting the mobility of the shoulder and restriction the mobility of the thoracic spine. As you twist keep the head on top of the shoulder 

Second Tip
When the gaze move back before work in the mobility of the shoulder the upper trapezius will over tense blocking the mobility of the shoulders 

Most of the students can increases their mobility in the upper spine by keeping the gaze forward or to the side as they work in the bind, when the bind is settled, turn te gaze back over the shoulder 
Working in this way will allow you to access to greater mobility in the shoulders facilitating the rotation of the spine

Let us know how these tips and recommendation work 

If you know a friend that will get benefit from this information please share it 

Enjoy your practice 

by brightyoga -

Bandhas. Accessing your inner strength

In Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, there are three spinal Bandhas. We usually heard about them in many yoga styles like Vinyasa, Rocket, and other yoga practices.

When applied, you can concentrate the energy that comes in with breath in the thoracic region and redirects through the nadis or energy channels. Knowing about their location and how to engage them will allow you to create more lightness, inner heath, and flexibility as you move.

These are Mulabandha (located around the pelvic floor, Uddiyanabandha (located three fingers below the navel), and Jalandhara Bandha (situated at the throat’s base).

 To engage them, you need to combine your awareness with muscle activation. 

Engaging the muscles described above will help you start to get in touch with the “bandha feeling.” However, it is important to mention that Bandhas are not the muscles itself. They are energy locks; in this way will be more accurate if you can combine your awareness with enough/ soft muscle activation. 

 As a general principle, enough muscle activation means that when you engage the pelvic floor, the belly, and the muscles around the throat, you have to activate them just enough to be able to feel the muscles working. If the body gets too tight and the breathing is also restricted, these are clear sing that the activation that you applied was too intense. 

Suppose you can not access your Bandhas through awareness or muscle activation. We have a perfect starting point. Using your Ujjayi Breathing will automatically engage them, engage the legs, keep the ribs moving in, and slightly point your chin down will help you awake them. This will be especially suitable for those who are new to the practice and need a more physical approach to get in touch with the energetic locks

Keep practicing and be patient. 

Always ask your teacher if you have any doubt about it.

Enjoy your practice.

by brightyoga -

Home Yoga Practice when you just MISS the Studio

By Brian Reyes 
 
We’ve been in self-quarantine for a while, and if you’re like me, you probably miss practicing in the yoga studio A LOT by now. Self-practice at home is great and has a lot of advantages, but practicing with your teachers and community at the studio just gives that extra energy and encouragement that we all love. So what to do when you miss that studio vibe, but have to stay at home?
 
Let me share with you some things that I do to feel that energy boost of a studio practice, but still remain safe and healthy at home:
 
1) Make Space: Set aside a special spot where you can put down your mat and practice in peace. Set the scene to your liking: maybe a bit of gentle lighting, yoga props, aromatherapy… the good stuff! Yoga studios take special care to create an inviting space dedicated for just 1 thing: practice! If you can recreate a space at home that makes you look forward to practice, then the battle is half won.
 
2) Make Time: Not everyone has enough space at home to dedicate specifically for practice. I live in a tiny apartment, so what I do instead is I make time: usually an hour an a half a day. For that 90 minutes, I’ve negotiated with the people I live with to let me use our common space for practice. It’s a temporary shala, but it does the trick. To me, it kind of feels like when you have a favorite time slot in the yoga studio you frequent, and you arranged your daily schedule to be sure to make it to that class.
 
3) Listen to Your Teachers: One thing I miss with studio practice is listening to the instructions of my teachers. Hearing them gives that extra support that motivates me in my practice and helps me learn new things. It’s really cool that during this quarantine, a lot of teachers stepped up to support their community by doing live online classes in different platforms such as Facebook Live, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Play one of your teacher’s recorded videos on the background, and flow with their guidance even from afar.
 
Many yoga studios and teachers also offer private sessions via online platforms such as Zoom, Google Hangouts, and even simple video calls. If you are looking for more specific instructions, cues that are just for you, and to actually interact with your teachers, this is the way to go. It almost feels like you’re in the same room again!
 
4) Practice with Others: Whether that person is your roommate who put down their mat next to you, or someone online who is practicing miles away in their own home, it is nice to share energy by flowing through the same practice together. A lot of online platforms allow multiple students to listen to the guidance of the teacher as if you’re in the same space together even if you’re in different time zones.  It’s interesting how this quarantine shows that it doesn’t mean that our community has become disconnected in this time of distancing. In fact, our yoga community is very connected and our circle is wide. It is a wonder to see that even apart, we are one in finding ways to set intentions, breathe together, practice together, and heal together.
 
—-
 
Most of us still have a few more weeks to go in self-quarantine and studios will need time to safely re-open again. In the meantime, let’s keep up the home practice. We’ll see each other in person soon!
by brightyoga -

Importancia de un profesor en la práctica

Hace unos días atrás un amigo me preguntó si es importante tener un profesor de yoga, hoy en día se escucha decir mucho la frase, “tú eres tu mejor maestro”

Esta afirmación es totalmente cierta, especialmente cuando exploramos una postura o Asana, el practicante es el que está experimentado la práctica por lo que en ese momento nadie podrá tener una percepción más clara acerca de las sensaciones y procesos que se están experimentando durante esa Asana, sin embargo, en términos de técnica y alineación anatómicamente segura, como principiante en la práctica la idea de “tú eres tu mejor maestro” tal vez no sea la mejor opción, ya que dependiendo de cuál sea tu conciencia corporal o conexión que tengas con tu cuerpo, la práctica puede ser beneficiosa o altamente lesionante

Entre los primeros 5 a 7 años de práctica es necesario tener un profesor de yoga que pueda guiarte. Al practicar yoga se empezarán a experimentar diferentes emocionales y sensaciones, es en este momento es donde la guía de un profesor y sus consejos serán de suma importancia para seguir progresando en tu camino como practicante.

Te recomendamos que la persona que sigas como tu instructor de yoga tiene que ser una persona “calificada” esto significa tener suficiente experiencia en la práctica para poder guiar a otros de forma segura

Yoga no puede ser aprendido exclusivamente leyendo libros, participando en talleres, intensivos y trainings, estas son herramientas sumamente útiles, pero la práctica es lo que te permitirá digerir, entender y desarrollar la habilidad de compartir tu práctica desde tu experiencia y no basado en la memoria. Es por esto que un profesor cualificado debe invertir tiempo en su práctica personal

En Bright Yoga entendemos que la gran mayoría de la información que compartimos con los estudiantes debe venir de cómo experimentamos la práctica

Ahora, ¿Que tan frecuente debo ver a mi profesor? En el primer año es importante visitar a tu profesor tan frecuente como sea posible, esto te ayudará a construir una base sólida en tu práctica que te permitirá desarrollar tu práctica de forma segura

Luego, de ser posible, te será de gran ayuda si puedes visitar tu profesor una vez al mes o más frecuentemente, de tal forma de tener la oportunidad de corregir hábitos que se pueden crear con facilidad cuando uno práctica solo en casa

Especialmente si careces de inspiración, practicar con tu profesor y otros estudiantes te permitirá mantener la llama de la práctica viva

A Ricardo Martin, uno de nuestros directores, le gusta invertir un mes al año en el cual pueda visitar a su profesor enfocarse en la práctica y seguir profundizando y refinando su práctica y entendimiento en el método de Ashtanga vinyasa Yoga a mayor profundidad.

Dejanos saber si tienes alguna pregunta a info@brightyoga.com que con gusto te podemos ayudar 

Buen día y bonita práctica 

by brightyoga -

Balance stability and mobility through the Ashtanga system

Mobility and stability are essential aspects of being healthy; these two translate in more agility. A mobile body is going to facilitate the flow of energy and information through our nervous system. Live in a mobile body is like living in a house with plenty of space for you to move. Stability will prevent hypermobility in the joints; this will avoid overstretching in the tendons and ligaments, preventing injuries

In Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga we aimed to bring stability and mobility into a balanced state when any of these two is overemphasize, imbalance in the body will happen, followed by tension, resulting in injure

Stability can also be understood as strength and mobility as flexibility. In a sequence like primary series, you will have the opportunity to strengthen the legs, increase mobility on the hips, and improve mobility and stability of the shoulders. When your legs are strong, hips and shoulders stable and mobile something interesting is going to happen on your body; your spine will feel more free and stable as well, a mobile spine will increase the overall freedom within the body, and it will increase the flow of energy and information through the nervous system

A healthy or free spine is critical for a healthy body, this can prevent and improve many physical problems that we hear today more often as a result of a sedentary lifestyle like sciatica pain, herniated disc, headache, fatigue, numbness in the limbs and many others

How is this possible?

Improve the mobility of the spine, is a byproduct of balance muscles in the front and back body, flexible hips, strong legs, and mobile shoulders, these will increase the movement between vertebrates due to a reduction of the pressure between these two bones, this translate as space, space that will facilitate flow of information through the nervous system and blood through the veins and vessels that run along the spine

Imagine the possibility to live in a body that is fully interconnected that can recover, and have the ability to communicate with you in a precise way as you live your life and move through the practice.

Fully connect with your body is something that everybody can achieve with practice 

Be Patient with Yourself and Enjoy the Journey

by brightyoga -

Workshops: “I’m not good at it yet!” vs “I already know it.”

 
 
By Brian Joanne Malabuyoc
 
I’ve heard these statements so many times: from myself (I’m guilty too) and from other people.
 
Recently, I’ve seen so many posts about yoga workshops on various topics offered by several teachers in different locations. I have conducted a few and attended many of such workshops and I always learn something new and valuable from each one.
 
So, why is it that a lot of people are still thinking twice about attending workshops?
 
**1) I’m not good at it yet.**
 
Often, people think that workshops are classes where only experienced students go. 
 
Actually, most workshops are tailored to be helpful to beginners. More time is allotted to cover the basics and the foundations.  There are a lot of things that teachers simply have no time to say during a regular class. But in workshops, your teacher can discuss those things at length and in full vivid detail. You can even ask questions and take time doing drills and to ask for more explanations. It’s so wonderful, especially if you are curious or have a lot of doubts.
 
For these reasons, students who are new can pick up a lot of insights on how to start their practice with good and mindful habits. This is especially important because unlearning bad habits sometimes take more time and set you back. Worse, building on weak foundations may cause unnecessary pain or injuries down the road.
 
As a beginner, all you really need in a workshop is an open mind and willingness to try. There is no expectation from you to perform or to understand everything immediately. Having a few takeaways that you can mindfully incorporate in your regular classes is already enough.
 
You don’t need to be good at things to attend a workshop. In fact, the workshop will help you get a good start in order to be good at whatever the workshop topic is.
 
 
**2) I already know what they’re going to teach.**
I understand why sometimes knowing the topic makes people uninterested if they’ve attended workshops on similar topics before. Spending registration money on newer topics may be more attractive in this case. BUT, I believe that it is still worth considering to attend workshops on things that you might have attended before. In my experience, this happens when I attend a class on the same topic for the nth time:
* I learn a different approach to something I’ve done before. For example, I recently joined a hands-on assist workshop with Teacher Joy and Ricardo of Bright Yoga. It is a topic covered in all teacher trainings that I’ve attended, a recent YACEP workshop, and I do hands-on assists and adjustments all the time in classes I teach. So, I might be tempted to say I already know how the workshop will go. But the actual lessons gave me a lot of new things that were so different from what I envisioned. It showed me a new approach to the things that I often do in class. I learned so many new things, so I’m very glad I was there!
* I am reminded of things that I have forgotten. It is impossible for me to catch every information that is given to me the first time. And I can’t remember everything that was ever told to me by my teachers. That’s ok. What’s important at that moment sticks to my mind. Going back to the same topic allows me to catch things that I might have not given as much importance to before, but are more relevant to me now. 
* I get updated on new research, studies, and best practices. Doing the same things the same way all the time makes me feel dull. If it works, it’s good. But, things can be better. It’s useful to know how to improve. Also, it’s good to evolve and constantly grow.
* Taking time to immerse myself in a topic I like always makes me happy. So what if I’ve taken a hundred (exaggerating) workshops on arm balances? It sparks joy!
 
You don’t have to know anything about a topic in order to benefit from a workshop. Often, going back on a topic that you’ve covered before allows you to be better at what you’re already good at.
 
I hope this post encourages you to take time one of these days to attend a special workshop organized by your teachers or your local yoga studio. These workshops, especially by your regular teachers, have your needs in mind when they were planned. We mean it when we say we hope you could come because we really do want to share so much with you.
 
*****
 
Do you have any questions about workshops and special classes? Have you attended a workshop lately? How was the experience? Let me know by commenting on this post or sending me a message. 🙂
by brightyoga -

Why Discipline are so important in Yoga

By: Ricardo

In yoga, your discipline will affect your practice and teachings

These days knowledge is very accessible, literally one click and you can access an ocean of information, tips about how to practice, teach, and so much more. However, all this knowledge will work to your benefit and others when it is shared in a unique way from a place of authenticity. This will happen only when all the learned information is digested through practice.

For authenticity to start to manifest, you must experience the knowledge, technique, or whatever you want to share and understand through years and years of practice and repetition. The experience is crucial to find your unique way to express the way you feel and understand the practice.

Discipline will act as the inner strength that will allow you to stand up on your mat as often as you need and increase your vision and wisdom. It is only through constant practice that you can understand deeper layers about the practice and yourself. This will give you many different tools on how to support yourself, and it will awaken your ability to support others in a unique way.

There are two types of teachers: the first one, teachers who share their knowledge from memory and more likely to burn themselves out after teaching for a while and the second type are the ones who share their knowledge from experience and keep the flame of wisdom and self-study alive. Which one you do you want to be?

Let’s keep it real and authentic through practice.

by brightyoga -

French Fries Loving Yogi

Yoga is a practice that can help us to create more balance and harmony in our lives. For me, balance means living a life with awareness without overindulging in the senses but at the same time without neglecting our human conditions by trying to restrain ourselves too much. It is about finding the middle ground in whatever we do.

In this way, if a Yogi likes French fries, eat them with moderation and awareness. There is no point in forcing our body into a certain type of diet or pose if we are not ready to organically step in to it.

Our body has its wisdom, and it’s way to evolve. It is through awareness that we understand what we need and how to adjust ourselves in life and the practice.

The Practice of Yoga can help you to cultivate that awareness. It is such an amazing tool to train your consciousness as we most of the time remain in the asana for just five breaths. If we let our awareness run behind a thought or any other distraction, you will lose connection to your body and your practice.

It is only when you train your awareness in and out of the mat, that you will know when you need French Fries and how much you should eat. Obviously, French Fries is just a metaphor and can be applied to anything. In practice, for example, awareness will let you know when is the right time to step back in a particular pose and when is the right time to go deeper.

We can undoubtedly say that if you can be aware in and out of the mat, you will have a deep understanding about yourself and your practice then your inner wisdom will play an essential role in the way you lead your life

Let’s use our consciousness to learn how to understand the secret languages of your body and life.

by brightyoga -

Chaturanga The master Key For Arm Balance

Chaturanga. The Master Key for Arm Balance

Chaturanga is the first challenge that many students face when they enter Yoga.

Many students mention that it is impossible for them to hold their body weight in any horizontal position and didn’t see the point in why they have to do so many Chaturanga.

In systems like Ashtanga and Rocket, Chaturanga allows you to build the foundation for any arm balances and transitions that are waiting ahead in the practice.  Furthermore low push up, as some teacher calls it, builds a huge amount of tricep, shoulder, and core strength.

Strong abdominal muscles will not only support you for any arm balances, but it will also allow you to support your spine as you do flexion (fold forward), extension (backbend), side bends, and twist. More than from an asana perspective, having a stable core will provide stability for the back which is necessary to avoid any injuries like slip disc, lower back pain and so on.

As you approach this asana, remember that it is not the point to go in the full expression of the pose yet if you don’t have the necessary strength to come back up or if you are holding your breath. It will be more beneficial to drop the knees, bend the elbows just enough for you to hold the pose and be able to move into Urdhva Mukha Svanasana with smooth breathing.

Now we breakdown on how we can effectively modify to train the body and the breath in chaturanga.

First, before bending the elbows, it is important to move the bodyweight forward. By doing this, it will move your shoulders in front of the wrist that will force you to use rectus abdominal (front of the belly), external obliques (side of the belly), and triceps (back of the upper arm) more. This is going to happen in high plank before you even start to bend the elbows. This little adjustment in your practice will ensure that you prepare the foundation before getting into the full expression of the pose.

Second, we move to how we breathe. I will share with you a very important secret. The secret is to completely clear out the breathing. When you entirely empty out the breath, something fantastic happens. The diaphragm will move upward that will automatically engage the rectus abdominal and oblique muscles making the pose lighter and more accessible.

Use this tips and you will see a change in your practice immediately. Keep using it and you will awaken and be surprised of the huge amount of strength in you.

by brightyoga -

Supta Kurmasana According to Body Proportions

 

Supta Kurmasana is one of the core postures in Ashtanga primary series. This pose requires: deep internal rotation in the shoulders, flexion of the spine, external rotation on the hips and flexibility in the adductor muscles

Internal rotation of shoulders

In the sequence, some poses will prepare you for the shoulder rotation that you need, asanas like Prasarita Padottanasana C, Parsvottanasana and Marichyasana A- D

If you can put the legs behind the head or cross the feet in front of the head, but you cannot reach your hands behind the back, staying in the poses mentioned above for 8- 10 breathes it is going to help you to lose the shoulders and create the need it flexibility for Supta Kurmasana.

External rotation on hips

In case that you can bind the hands but can’t cross the feet, this will be due to a lack of ability in externally rotating the hips. All the Marichyasanas will help you to work in this mobility

You can also hold Kurmasana for 8- 10 breathes keeping the legs close the side of the body and lift the heals up, this will work as well in the external rotation of the hips

Flexibility in the adductor muscles

In the standing sequence, all the Prasarita Padottanasana are excellent preparation. Bring your torso thru the legs and hold all this variation for at least eight breathes

Flexion of the spine

To achieve deep flexion of the spine, it is necessary that you can round your spine. Poses like Janu A-C will work in the mobility of the spine, instead of work with the back straight, try to bring the shin or the forehead to the knee, as you keep the hips grounded

If you have all these qualities but still can’t get into the poses, it is time to have a closer look in the proportions of the body.

Short arm and legs and long spine

This combination will make this asana extremely difficult as you will need a deep external rotation in the hips, deep internal rotation in the shoulder joint and even so, perhaps you will still need to use a strap or towel to facilitate the bind

Possess that can help you to deepen the internal rotation is Parsvotanasa and Marichyasanas. Move reverse prayer hands in Parsvottanasana and the bind in Marichyasana higher in the back

To work in the external rotation, according to the proportions mentioned above, some new poses have to be added out of practice.

Pigeon Pose

With the right shin bone parallel to the top of the mat and the foot in line with your heart center, rest your upper body down.

To go deeper in this pose walk your hands to the left away from the sole of the feet

Approach to this asana as a Yin Yoga pose, surrender and let the gravity facilitate the stretch

At the beginning can be right that you use props to assist you as you hold this asana

Stay in the pose for 2- 3 minutes

Wider Baddhakonasa

Put your legs in a diamond shape, bring your upper body down. Your face should be behind your feet and your knees as close as possible to the ground. Stay for 2- 3 minutes

Second variations walk your upper to one side stay 2- 3 minutes followed by the other side

Advise

It is also important to recognize, that if you have had a regular practice and after trying many alternatives exercises Supta Kurmasana didn’t improve, take a modification instead.

Use a modification that can bring you as close as possible to the full version of the pose that is not creating any pain in the ligaments and joints and move forward in the sequence.

Pattabhi Jois used to say that not all the poses are for everybody.

Practice with awareness and let your body gradually open, always feel your body and breathe as you move thru the sequence.