Neck Pain & Tight Shoulders – Yoga Poses For Pain Relief

Neck Pain & Tight Shoulders - Yoga Poses that Help Relieve Pain

Neck Pain & Tight Shoulders – Yoga Poses that Help Relieve Pain

Unfortunately, neck pain & tight shoulders seem to always come together.  Often in my yoga classes, I will ask students what body parts are not feeling good and what they want to work on.  The number one answer is always low back pain and the next body parts are usually tight shoulder, neck pain and also hip tightness.

I think every single yoga class I have ever done helps with low back pain, as long as the student does not get too aggressive and try to go farther in the pose than is appropriate, which is very common for very new students.  For new yoga students I am alw Pays reminding them to let go of striving and competition and if they are wincing or grimacing or worst, grunting in a pose  (yes, that happens) then they needs to stop, modify so it is more comfortable or get my attention in a big class so I can give them an alternate pose.

Neck Pain & Tight Shoulders Poses

Here is my youtube video on using tennis balls and laying on top of them to give yourself a neck and shoulder massage.

 

 

Often it is so relaxing and since I am releasing such deep tightness with the tennis balls from neck pain and tight shoulders that I fall asleep in when I am doing this.   I drop down into a deep place of relaxation that I tell my husband not to talk to me when I am doing this.  The dog also knows to give me some space when I am  working with my tennis balls.

I won’t travel anywhere without my tennis balls.   I put the balls in a sock so that they can work on  each side of my vertebrae evenly.  I probably have at least 4 pairs of tennis balls wrapped in a sock in my house, maybe even one in my car and I never travel anywhere without my tennis balls.

Another technique that works well is a very hot bath.  Sort of cliche but it is quite therapeutic.  Best to add a few drops of essential oil such as lavender and also Epsom salts which lets you relax further.  If you don’t have any essential oils, then you can also throw a few bags of herbal tea such as chamomile into your bath water to make it smell all spa-like.

Since I have been having some inflammation in my knees lately, I can’t soak in a hot tub or else my knees will start screaming at me at the top of their knee-lungs so another way to heat up this part of the body without inflaming another is I have a herbal collar that I heat up in the microwave.  I actually have my lavender, rosemary and some other yummy smelling herbs collar on right now as I am writing this.  Awesome to wear on a chilly night as well.  You have to be careful heating up an herbal collar since I actually burnt the last one in the microwave by trying to heat it up too fast.

Jill Miller Yoga TuneUp DVDs - Knee Hab

Jill Miller Yoga TuneUp DVDs – Knee Hab

I was reading a review about Jill Miller’s Kneehab video  in a recent YogaJournal magazine and decided to go ahead and order it but didn’t give much hope to  this.

A month later, after doing the Kneehab video for almost every day and feeling a LOT of relief, I figured I should also buy her DVD for upper body pain .  When you are in pain, you often are open to trying lots of different things without having much expectation to them actually helping.  Her DVD for upper body pain is divided into parts that give exercises, poses and moves for people that are just recovering from surgery to seasoned athletes.

Not all of the poses will be accessible if you have a lot of neck pain & tight shoulders .  This DVD is divided into 5 segments specifically for pain in different parts of your body such as your neck, shoulders,  The segments range from 5-10 minutes …. easy to fit into your day.  I actually do some of the moves when I am watching tv or on the toilet (am I sharing too much again?)

Jill Miller Yoga TuneUp DVDs for Neck Pain and Tight Shoulders

Jill Miller Yoga TuneUp DVDs for Neck Pain and Tight Shoulders

Even though it is called Yoga Tune Up it actually feels more like a yoga-flavored physical therapy session.  If your primary purpose is to find a very-low cost way to find your own relief from neck, shoulder, hand, wrist or knee pain, you are going to have to carve out time to do these moves on a regular basis.

It’s not a tape to do once and then have you neck pain and tight shoulders be magically healed.  It is an on-going routine that will have to become part of your life.   It’s less time to do this tape then to have to see a acupuncturist, chiropractor or physical therapist though a few times a week.

 What have you done on your own, without seeing a health-care professional to relieve pain?  Write your answers here in the comments or on our Facebook page.

Jasmine Kaloudis teaches many yoga retreats near Philadelphia and is the author of the best spiritual websites list.

 

Jasmine Kaloudis

I was reading a review about Jill Miller’s Kneehab video in a recent YogaJournal magazine and decided to go ahead and order it but didn’t give much hope to this.

A month later, after doing the Kneehab video for almost every day and feeling a LOT of relief, I figured I should also buy her DVD for upper body pain . When you are in pain, you often are open to trying lots of different things without having much expectation to them actually helping. Her DVD for upper body pain is divided into parts that give exercises, poses and moves for people that are just recovering from surgery to seasoned athletes.

Even though it is called Yoga Tune Up it actually feels more like a yoga-flavored physical therapy session. If your primary purpose is to find a very-low cost way to find your own relief from neck, shoulder, hand, wrist or knee pain, you are going to have to carve out time to do these moves on a regular basis.
Written by: Jill Miller
Yoga TuneUp DVDs – Knee Hab
Date published: 03/05/2012
4 stars / 5 stars

Couple Yoga DVDs and Book Reviews – Buoyant Bonding Tips

Couples Yoga Sex DVDs

Couples Yoga Moves for Beginners or Seasoned Yogis

Couple Yoga DVDs and Book Reviews for Buoyant Bonding

Couples Yoga is a wholesome way to learn surrender, build trust, and deepen intimacy. If you have never done partner yoga before, it is both meaningful and playful, and students say that they feel more open-hearted and can lead to a better sex life. To find a class suitable for your fitness and body type, make sure to ask the teacher before-hand if previous yoga experience is required and if the poses are physically challenging and suitable if you are unathletic and out of shape.

Some poses challenge your balance and strength.  Others require your total trust and surrender. Some exercises and breathing techniques uses the power of the partnership.  Partners can often achieve more than if they were practicing alone.  These creative and sensual practices will add both tenderness and power to your relationship. This yoga style requires no special equipment and can be done in any open space.

Since it is not always easy to find a couples yoga class or maybe you or your partner is embarrassed to practice in front of strangers, you can also explore doing these couples yoga dvds and books.

Make sure to set the scene before.  Send the kids to grandma and grandpa’s for the night.  Turn off your cell phones.  Set up soothing music, frangrant candles or incense etc.  Avoid eating a heavy meal before… no lasagne or cheesecake for dinner.  Opt for something light and easy to digest like a grilled chicken salad.

 

Together–The Art of Partnered Yoga

This  couples yoga DVD is not suitable for yoga beginners as some of the poses are more advanced and there is not much for explanation for the poses.   They do the poses quite quickly without much explanation.  I do like how there are two options to do the practice – with their explanations and one without, so you can just follow along without hearing their voice.  Ideal for a seasoned yoga practitioner but not for yoga newbies. However this is a beautiful workout and very much worth it especially for those who are in a relationship and already practicing traditional yoga together on a regular basis.

Sexy Yoga: 40 Poses for Mindblowing Sex and Greater Intimacy

First revealed over 2,000 years ago in the Kama Sutra, the link between yoga and sex has been generally recognized but widely ignored – until now. In Sexy Yoga, Ellen Barrett, popular author and instructor for New York’s Crunch studios, offers the modern yoga student a specific program designed to transform and heighten pleasure in sex and lovemaking.

Barrett’s program includes a series of asanas (postures) that use yoga’s combination of movement, breathing, and focus to release sexual power. Sensual, erotic, and guaranteed to improve sexual performance, the poses are also designed to improve one’s ability to navigate both the physical and emotional demands of intimacy. Rooted in the rich tradition of yoga but far from an esoteric Indian practice, the program in this book is suitable for everyone from new students to experienced yoga practitioners.  Not for prudes though.

Yoga Two-gether

This wasn’t filmed in a big fancy Hollywood set but don’t let the production diminish how much joy you will get from this yoga for couples DVD.   Sometimes it is hard to hear the teacher with the background noise.  Not for beginners because he does not describe in enough detail for the newbie. It is probably great for experienced yogis though. The asanas create a bond between partners that facilitates strength, flexibility, intimacy, and trust. Two people flow together from one yoga pose to another, in a sequence of more than 60 poses.  The teacher incorporates a full range of postures, including forward folds, back bends, twists, side bends, standing poses, sitting poses, and even inversions ( going upside down).

Partner Yoga – Making Contact for Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Growth

With their 30 years of combined experience in yoga, medicine, fitness, dance, the martial arts, and music, Cain Carroll and Lori Kimata, N.D., have developed a practice that blends mutually beneficial postures, conscious breathing, trust, communication and playfulness.

The 60 dynamic postures and 3 yoga flows introduced in this book offer a threshold into a provocative and exciting yoga experience. Developed with reverence for the ancient tradition of yoga, these beautiful postures are designed to help improve balance, strength, and flexibility as well as increase the level of trust and communication between you and your partner.

Tantric Yoga for Lovers by Steve & Lokita Carter

This titilating DVD offers easy-to-learn yoga routines for lovers to increase the flow of sexual energy, develop a regular practice for toning your bodies, and balance body mind and spirit – in and out of the bedroom.   Sensually filmed, they are fully clothes but this is also not for prudes. The music is quite erotically charged with pulsing drum beats.

The DVD contains three segments:
What is the Breath of Tantric Love?
Demonstration and explanation

Intimacy Spa – Sensual Yoga for Couples

The video is good, but not until the end do you actually get to the practicing. If you have done a lot of yoga already, only the last part of this video will be good for you. Though, the beginning was a good review for the avid Yoga enthusiast.  This is a worthwhile program for sharing yoga with a loved one whether you are a novice or a long-time devotee. Some of the scenes are with them doing no clothing so this tape is not for prudes. Beautifully shot, especially the postures filmed on a gorgeous stretch of waterfront. Several of the chapters give you the option of learning or practicing positions with either verbal instructions over video or written instructions over still photos… a great touch and nice tool for going at your own pace.

Lovers’ Yoga: Soothing Stretches for Two

Darrin Zeer knows it takes two to tango and two to yoga. His latest book, Lovers’ Yoga, shows how easy it is for couples to indulge in nurturing, soothing partner exercises to relax, rejuvenate, and create deep, lasting bonds. Delightfully illustrated, this little handbook outlines 60 surprisingly simple stretches organized into five chapters Playful, Powerful, Peaceful, Patient, and Passionate. The exercises build on one another, so couples can indulge in one stretch, a chapter sequence, or the entire book from beginning to end. Whether time allows for a few minutes or a few hours,  Previous yoga experience is helpful but not required to do this poses.

Intimate Yoga for Couples

Learn about the benefits of deep breathing and explore the chakras, solo positions and romantic partner positions with this couples yoga DVD. Over 270 color photographs, artful sequencing and easy to follow instructions will appeal to both novice and seasoned practitioner. With 20 years of experience as a yoga instructor and massage therapist, author Mishabae believes that if you take the practices in this book off the mat and into your lovemaking, the experience of great sex can be yours to share, nurture and expand upon.  There are plenty of tantra yoga pics  with naked people which makes this look like a kama sutra kind of book.  Not for prudes.

Yoga for Partners: Over 75 Postures to Do Together

Yoga for Partners features dozens of inspiring photos of the paired asanas. It teaches each partner how to synchronize their movements and breathing, bringing new lightness and enjoyment to any yoga practice. Following a brief introduction, 75 two-page spreads offer a full-page photo accompanied by positioning tips, a short commentary on the benefits of the posture, and advice on breathing techniques and proper focus.  Sensually photographed, many of the poses are not ideal for beginners but recommended for seasoned yoga practitioners of if you are athletic.

The Pleasures and Principles of Partner Yoga

Presents simple to advanced partner and group practices that are ideal for those with or without prior yoga experience. Over three hundred beautiful, unique photographs and illustrations demonstrating over sixty practices. Elysabeth Williamson has studied and practiced Yoga for more than thirty years. She has taught a unique synthesis of various traditions of Yoga for eighteen years.  She frequently does workshops at places like Kripalu and had quite a few youtube videos on how to do many of the sequences.  Suitable for friends as well as couples.

Dana Rae Pare’s Partner Yoga

Dana Rae Paré’s soothing voice guides you through a series of yoga poses and innovative stretches for you and your partner. With Partner Yoga you’ll receive all the physical benefits of yoga (increased strength, stamina & flexibility) as well as learning how to give, receive, trust and support your partner. What happens on the yoga mat can transcend into your personal life bringing vitality, joy and peace.


Couple Yoga DVDs and Book Reviews
Couples Yoga is a wholesome way to learn surrender, build trust, and deepen intimacy.
Written by: Mishabae, Ellen Barrett, Cain Carroll and Lori Kimata, Cain Carroll
Date published: 03/04/2012
Available inPaperbackHardcover

Best Yoga DVDs for Weight Loss

 

Reviews of Best Yoga DVDs for Weight Loss

Best Yoga DVDs for Weight Loss

Best Yoga DVDs for Weight Loss with Sadie Nardini

Sadie Nardini is a popular yoga instructor, youtube queen and co-owner of The Fierce Club, a  yoga studio in Soho. Nardini is an expert in yoga fitness and balanced living and is a columnist at GaiamLife and has written for YogaJournal and The Huffington Post.  She teaches at all the big events like Yoga Journal and Omega.

Sadie Nardini will kick your flabby butt with inspiration with her Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga Series.  Her style is more of a philosophy on yoga than an actual branch of yoga.   I actually have taken classes in NYC with Sadie.  Her classes were always completed packed with mats just a few inches apart.  She even had students that wanted to take her class even if that meant they had to do the practice in the hallway.  I also took her teacher training.  So I know this practice well and know her gutsy style as well also.  She demos the poses with confidences and integrates meditation into each practice.

This DVD includes six full workout sessions that last for an hour or more each, as well as twelve smaller, quicker sessions, each under fifteen minutes. It’s better to do 15 minutes of yoga every day then just one 90 minute session once a week.

Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga: Total Body Transformation

A highlight to this DVD is the ‘Learning How to Fly’ workout which focuses on building yourself to the readiness to do headstand, as well as other gravity-defying postures.  I don’t recommend headstand though since that pose can lead to neck pain if you do it improperly without professional supervision.

The focus on weight loss is integral to each workout. In her Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga Series, Sadie does not treat body fitness as an obsession, but simply as a result of a balanced way of living.  I love how she infuses living your life more authentically and how your practice is a metaphor for how you live your life.

 

Total Body Yoga Sculpt: Calorie Burn + Deeper Core Strength


Not another power yoga DVD that is just filled with a bunch of standard sun sulutations….. this 90-minute practice with a matrix menu with unusual poses and flowing sequences keeps you engaged while you activate deep core muscles for more sweaty weight loss.  This yoga weight loss DVD is filmed in Sedona (no voice-overs)

I’ll start this review by saying that I am a huge fan of Sadie Nardini’s dvds. However, this is probably my least favorite for a few reasons. First, this dvd seems considerably less “athletic” than the others. If you are not a traditional yogi and you prefer athletic power yoga you might prefer some of  her other dvds  This video is considerably slower paced than Sadie’s others, and much more “chatty”.   I will say that there are still some powerful, excellent strength-building sequences in here, but I found myself really missing the faster flow of her other DVDs.

I’ve done many of her classes before so I had an idea of what to expect.  The matrix menu is great because on busy days it allows me to choose what I want to focus on (it’s divided into core, standing, floor, etc). This is so useful because I can build the practice I want on any given day.

This DVD is set up with a “matrix” menu, i.e. there are 8 individual segments that you can play from start to finish or pick and choose based on time and mood. The segments are:

Warm-up (12 minutes)
Core Salutations (14 minutes)
Warrior Sequence 1 (14 minutes)
Warrior Sequence 2 (12 minutes)
Balancing Sequence (11 minutes)
Deeper Core Strength (7 minutes)
Floor Stretch (12 minutes)
Inversions/Counterposes (12 minutes)

However, I am giving the video 4 stars because it does contain very helpful, very detailed instructions, and awesome cueing. I can see how people looking for a more spiritual yoga video would love this one, but if you want a faster paced workout then  stick with her other dvds.

Sadie narrates the whole workout while still doing the routine –  no voice-overs. Her alignment tips are spot-on and her background in truly understanding anatomy shows through. She’s also very good at knowing when you’re likely to slip out of proper alignment and will remind you to straighten this or support that at just the right moment. More than just a yoga workout, this DVD truly encompasses the inner workings of yoga as well, helping you to focus and let go of things you no longer need to hold onto in your mind and heart.

 

The backdrop of Sedona makes for one heck of a beautiful and inspiring session.  There is also no cool down segment and I really missed that. If you want to end your practice with Savasana (corpse pose) you’ll either need to do the Inversion segment (includes headstand and wheel) or you’ll need to add it on your own.  I wouldn’t recommend this for pure beginners, however if you have some yoga experience  there will be something for you in this.

 

Total Belly Transformation: Whole Body Tone + Deeper Core Strength

Yay!  A core workout that’s creative, flowing and tones your whole body along with your center in 30- 45 minutes. .  Her very detailed instructions and visualizations come into both my left and right brain through her use of physiological detail and metaphorical imagery (belly bonfire anyone?) . After just 3 meetings on my mat with this DVD, I am learning how to send different kinds of instruction to my core, using deeper muscles than have become my habit.
This series of abdominal/core flows are deep and tough.  Because this DVD is easily done as either one continuous series of flows or 3 individual sections, it is very easy to insert into the middle of a longer practice when you want to focus more on core work.
If you have Shiva Rea’s Core series DVDs and wondered if this was worth having too, it is, absolutely worth having ( I have a few Shiva Rea DVDs…. her  tummy toning one and her yoga trance dance one)  It’s mucho different from Shiva’s work and would make a fine addition to a serious, yoga loving, core focused person’s collection that wants a gutsy workout.

If you have been practicing Bikram yoga for awhile and wanted a dvd you can do at home when you can’t make it to the hot studio.  (or maybe paying $20 a Bikram class just isn’t in your budget right now)  First thing I noticed is that the entire DVD is actually 45 minutes long as opposed to the 30 it says. There is a 15 minute warm up, a 15 minute standing series and a 15 minute floor series (you can pick and choose or do them all).

lose weight doing yoga

I wouldn’t call myself a beginner Yogi but some of these poses were too advanced for me to come close to completing on the first attempt. That being said: I am, again, more than ok with that. I will follow along as best I can and now I have an additional goal of learning to complete all the poses.  It’s a nice change of pace from Bikram and if you follow her instructions about the way to hold your stomach and your lower spine, you can really feel your “belly bonfire” ( she does have a way with words).

My only other suggestion would be to watch this dvd through one time and watch how each pose is done if you are unfamiliar with this type of yoga. I think it would be much easier to follow along the first time you try if you have seen each pose done first.

This video is very different from her other Sedona video, as well – no repeats here. In fact, between the two Sedona videos, this one is definitely my favorite. I found this to be a very unusual yoga workout with several moves I have not seen elsewhere – it is almost like pilates in the sense that it is very targeted towards the core.  My only complaint is that I feel as if the floor segment in particular could move a bit faster with less talking.

Overall I would say that this is a very solid intermediate level video with one or two advanced moves (crow and side crow),  which make it different from other power yoga DVDs with a bunch of sun salutations.  This is not a great fit for someone brand new to yoga…. you’ll probably feel overwhelmed unless you are very athletic.

Best Yoga Videos – Jill Miller Yoga Tune-Up Reviews

Best Yoga Videos - Jill Miller Yoga Tune-Up Reviews

Best Yoga Videos – Jill Miller Yoga Tune-Up Reviews

Jill Miller Yoga Tune-Up Videos have made such a big difference for me lately.  I think I found I found her while reading the latest issue of Yoga Journal magazine.  Since I have been having bad knee pain for awhile and it seems like it was getting worse and worse.  I teach about 5 -10 yoga classes a week.  Most of them are gentle classes and I also teach a lot of couples yoga and partner yoga classes in Manayunk.  I don’t teach a lot of vigorous yoga these days even though I was trained in that.  I didn’t even do that many standing poses since I tend to teach a lot of poses where you are seated, laying down or even in a chair.

I did not get a lot of strong anatomy training in my yoga teacher training even though I kept asking for it all the time.  I wanted to make sure first and foremost that I did no harm to my students and really didn’t know how to work with students that had a lot of injuries, pain, prior surgeries etc.  I have been teaching more and more classes these last few years and my knees seemed to get progressively more painful.  I saw a myriad of health practitioners from traditional allopathic doctors that gave me some quad strengthening exercises ( helped a bit)  to the omre alternative healers who would invoke angels to heal me, wave crystals on me.. whatever it took. I didn’t care what method it was…. just wanted to feel better.

I would often wake up in the morning with my knees on fire… actually it was worse than that… my knee pain was so intense in the morning that the pain actually woke me up.  Not a pleasant way to wake up.  I don’t know why but it was always the worst in the morning.. ( can anyone explain that)  I would often ice my knees… or they just throbbed so bad that my hottie, hunky hellenic hubbie would fetch me some ice so I could cool my knees down first thing in the morning.

I found her videos a few months ago and they have been a a gift from some higher power… I literally would pray to god to help me with the throbbing.

Best Yoga Videos – Jill Miller Yoga Tune-Up Reviews

 

I started to do the exercises in her videos every day….it took a while to do all the movements she recommended.  Most of them involved massaging certain parts from your hip all the way to the bottom of your toes.  These muscles can get dry and tight and when the muscles that affect how your knee tracks are dry, tight and out of whack, then that can affect how your knees track.    So I went ahead and bought her special yoga therapy balls. At first I was just using tennis balls but wanted to really do the massaging and exercises properly so I broke down and just ordered her special Jill Miller Yoga Tune Up therapy balls.  They’re kind of fun to play with, just don’t let your dog near them… they make for a nice chew toy.

Over the last few months I have also been studying how to do some of the classic standing poses so I can stop injuring myself.  So slowly, I have been learning to keep my knees smiling and now there is less repair I have to do on them.

The poses, sequences and routines of  Jill Miller Yoga Tune Up Program are designed to strengthen your weak muscles, stretch your tight and dry muscles and heal from head-to- pinkie toe. She has a focus on finding your body’s blind spots – areas that have become weakened due to overuse, underuse or misuse, and are now prone to stiffness, inflexiblity, pain and injury – these specialized routines will help balance out your entire physical being.

What kind of modalities have helped you find relief from tightness, chronic pain and stiffness?

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Poses Romantic Couples – ABC News Covers How Yoga Enhances Intimacy and Sex

Poses Romantic Couples are ways that couples can connect through couples yoga and couples meditation.  The aspirations of many who practice yoga  is to unite your finite self or limited-self within the bounds of your conscious mind with the Infinite Self where you feel at one with the ether of the universe. There’s no better way to enhance that journey than to practice yoga with your beloved or yoga for couples. It can be quite a deep emotional and very vulnerable experience so I don’t recommend doing this with someone you are just casually dating or planning to break up with.

ABC News, recently covered how yoga enhances Intimacy and your sex life on ABC Nightline and their Health blog. Watch this video below from ABC Nightline (30 second commercials plays first)

Sexuality and spirituality are not mutually exclusive.  The ancient yogis understood that a worshipful attitude towards your partner created a chemical change in your brain that allowed for the experience of bliss in meditation or yoga. ABC News mentioned two yoga products “The science of yoga” by William Broad and a three part DVD set “Better sex through Yoga” by Jacquie Noelle.

Most yoga classes are very internally focused and you come, lay down your mat and almost avoid eye contact with the people around you and even the teacher.  Most students never get to know the people next to them and are content to be completely immersed in their inner world during a yoga class.

Yoga does hold a myriad of benefits in terms of improved stamina, vigor, flexibility, relief from aches and pain, fatigue that can get in the way of intimacy.  When your body is free from pain, stiffness, tension, tightness and your are more freed up energetically, then there is more space in your head, heart and body for intimacy.Partner Yoga

In poses romantic couples classes and meditations, there is an emphasis on being present to your partner’s presence, breath, intention, movement and to be accepting of any limitations and levels of flexibility.  Some poses that you can do are sitting back to back and just becoming present to the rise and fall of your breath and your partner’s breath.  Then you try to synchronize your breathing pattern with your partner’s  breathing pattern.

Another exercise to try is to monitor your own heart beat and then start to notice your partner’s heartbeat.  See if you can synchronize your heartbeat with the heartbeat of your partner.  Exercises like these encourage partners to be sensitive and in tune with their significant other’s rhythms and they start to function and exist as one entity instead of two separate entities.

Men are often astounded how doing simple exercises like this can lead to profound insights they can have about themselves, their partner and their relationships.  In doing this type of work, it is critical to set up an environment where people feel safe and protected since men are not as  accustomed to being vulnerable, especially in a public setting.  Having soft music, low lighting, making sure there are no disruptions such as people coming into the room or cell phones going off is paramount.

This feeling of oneness is what leads to bonding and intimacy which makes the physical act of love a natural extension from this kinesthetic bonding that occurs in poses romantic couples classes and meditation exercises.  You start to drop into almost a trance and you get so attuned to your partner that you almost feel at one with the ether of the universe at this point.   Being in these kinds of alterered or alpha states can bring people into deep levels of consciousness and people start to go on a deep inner journey getting them in contact with their deep inner wisdom.

What Couples Yoga Looks like with Synergy by Jasmine (below)

 

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Yoga Exercises for Beginners for Weight Loss

Yoga Exercises for Beginners for Weight LossYoga Exercises for Beginners for Weight Loss

Yoga was originally a system that was just designed to help you achieve self-actualization that was developed in India thousands of years ago.  It was really just a seated meditation practice and the poses were designed later to help people feel more comfortable to be in the seated meditation poses longer.  It was originally just men that taught and did yoga.

When yoga started to become popular in the west it ended up evolving into a hip, popular exercise system that made you feel so tranquil and compassionate and oh, by the way, your abs now look like Taylor Lautner.  There are so many different kinds of yoga and it ranges from restorative poses where you can fall asleep in them because they are so passive and you are using a bunch of props like blocks, bolsters and blankets to have your body release tightness and tension to the uber-intense Bikram where you feel like you are being punished for killing people in your past life by being locked in a 104 degree room with a bunch of stinky people while you all contort your bodies into unfathomable shapes.

 

Depending on what kind of yoga you do, you can lose weight with your yoga loss weight practice.  You will probably end up doing a bunch of sun salutations which consist of classic poses designed to heat your core up, make you limber and get your heart pumped up.   Some of the poses in English are called, up-dog, down dog, warrior with variations such as Warrior 1, 2, and 3.   Also there is chaturanga, which is a like a push-up and then you lower your chaturanga, which is basically a lowered push up and then later you will probably end up doing poses like side angle, lunge and it’s cousin high lunge and triangle. Most vinyasa and even hatha yoga classes consist of a a series of sun salutations where you just do these poses for about 30 minutes and then the last part of your class you might venture into some poses that are new for you.  If my knees were not so cranky these days I would probably be going to other teacher’s classes or just doing more of these at home.  Unfortunately, knees don’t like lunges and squats and there tend to be a lot of these in most yoga loss weight classes.

If you want to do yoga weight loss system at home, I recommend buying a few power yoga DVDs and also buying Charry Morris’ Yoga for Weight Loss book.  She actually has a free guide that explains how yoga helps you lose weight by altering your metabolism and changing your perspective on food ( and your life in general)  This is not a quick fix or take a few pills and just magically lose weight.  It will require commitment, dedication, accountability and your attention and perserverance for you to really lose weight with yoga.

What weight loss programs have worked or didn’t work well for you?  

 


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