Your Sadhana

Thursday, August 28, 2008

If you don't have time everyday to practice yoga, try adding fifteen minutes to the end of your workout. If you walk, run, cycle, swim, work out at the gym or regularly do a form of exercise, an extra fifteen minutes of yoga will help you cool down, stretch and relax.

Yoga is a form of moving meditation. It quiets the mind and helps us manage stress as it also keeps the spine flexible, all the joints healthy and mobile, and the organs toned and functioning as we continue to age.

Investing in a yoga practice daily, however long or short you can manage, is as important an investment in health as cardio-vascular fitness. This is your personal practice, or sadhana. Yoga will quiet your mind, keep you lean and limber, help you manage stress. Start to practice yoga today and notice how much better you will sleep.

Try these postures after your exercise routine. Hold each posture for 5 to 10 breaths. Breathe deeply and relax into the exhalation.

Want to practice with more guidance?

My yoga DVDs levels 1-4 to support your home practice are available with Paypal on my website www.merumountainyoga.com

Level 1: Gentle Yoga for Seniors and Beginners
This is very relaxing practice, mostly seated, lying on the belly and lying on the back postures. I teach a lot of guided breathing. this is really good to relax before sleeping.
"I love this DVD. It's like being in a class with Janis. Her quiet voice completely relaxes me."

Level 2: Yoga for Beginners and Early Intermediates
This is a basic hatha yoga class, with the classical standard seated, standing, lying on the belly and lying on the back postures. It includes some standing balances, but no inversions and no sun salutations. This one is good for people who are learning the alignment of the postures and want to stretch and stregthen as they develop flexibility and breath awareness.
"Janis teaches variations so I can do the easy variation and move to a harder variation as I get better."

Level 3: Yoga for an Advancing Practice
This DVD includes two variations of Sun Salutations and more advanced postures as well as more advanced variations of postures already taught on previous DVDs.
"I love this DVD. It is a work out but leaves me relaxed at the same time."

Level 4: Advanced Yoga for Strength and Flexibility
This DVD is fast and athletic. It requires previous experience with yoga. Working with this DVD in between classes with your teacher will advance your practice quickly.

If you travel for business and want to ease stress from travel and sleeping away from your own bed, pack a DVD to carry with you and practice in your hotel room. You will sleep better, focus better, and feel radiant and loving with the human race. Your clients will profit from your serenity.

I teach regular yoga classes near Burnaby in Vancouver at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre Vancouver at Suite 280-2010 East 48th Avenue near Victoria. Free parking and easy access by transit. See schedule at www.sivanandavancouver.com