Connect With Your Inner Gratitude With Chair Yoga

“Yoga is the perfect opportunity to be curious about who you are” ― Jason Crandell
 
Every body is a yoga body!
 
Being led through a yoga practice with a yoga video is wonderful. In my own time, I create space in my day to put on a video and allow myself to let go and be led. Each word, breath and posture leads me from a busy mind and wound up body, to a place where I embody calmness and peace. It makes it easy to meditate. I feel I've come back to myself. I've united body and mind, mind and heart, the outer me and the inner me. It is wonderful.
 
Mantra: I am grateful
By using mantra’s when we practice yoga postures, breathwork or when we meditate, we create space to allow the affirmation to take root. Affirmations aren’t self-praise. They are a statement of an energy or mindset that we would like to move towards. Affirmations are about self-belief.
 
Breath: long deep breathing
Long deep breathing helps to decrease stress and increase calm. It helps improve immunity and increase energy. It’s a breathwork that focuses on using the full respiratory system, ensuring that both the belly and chest rise with each inhale, and fall with each exhale.
 
Poses:
1. Extended mountain pose
This pose helps decrease anxiety through increased focus on breath control. It helps enable the body to move more freely as you build a more secure and grounded practice. It promotes stillness in both mind and body. It brings a feeling of strength and confidence. It’s very opening, which frees you from fear.
 
2. Tree pose
With tree pose, bring the sole of the foot below or above the knee, never on top of the knee. This pose tones your inner thighs, calves and ankles. It stretches your inner thigh and groin.  Balance poses help us with patience and mental focus. They help us find stillness. It helps to enhance confidence and create a more positive level of self-esteem.
 
3. Warrior 2 pose
This pose strengthens and stretches the legs and ankles. It stretches the groins, chest, lungs and shoulders. It stimulates the abdominal organs. It helps increase stamina. It’s a pose that helps increase mental focus and concentration. It helps you connect with your inner warrior.
 
4. Triangle pose
This pose strengthens our physical and emotional bodies. It helps us create space in the body for emotional release and healing. It strengthens muscles of the back and abdomen. It stretches the side waist. It helps to reduce stress and anxiety and help you feel calmer.
 
5. Downward-facing dog pose
This pose helps to calm the brain and to relieve stress. It energises the body. It stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches and hands. It strengthens the arms and legs. Downward-facing dog is a pose that you grow into. You can’t force your body into submission. It’s about gently guiding and practicing the pose. Over time, you experience greater benefits from it.
 

Yoga Safety Tips

1. Take your time, it’s not a competition
2. Your body is the expert. Listen to it where it is now, rather than forcing it to where you’d like it to be.
3. Find the sweet spot of challenging yourself rather than pushing and straining yourself
4. Don’t buy into “no pain, no gain”. Yoga is about connecting body and mind for calmness and stillness. Pain is a sign to take it easy.
5. Allow your yoga practice to unfold over time and allow your body time to adjust
6. If pregnant, seek advice from a qualified yoga teacher
7. If injured, seek advice from a qualified yoga teacher
8. Check with your doctor before starting any exercise
9. Participation in yoga videos online are at your own risk.

 
There are many benefits to a gentle yoga practice.  They include:

1. Decreases the stress hormone cortisol
2. Improves sleep, digestion & immunity
3. Releases tense muscles & aching joints
4. Teaches conscious control of relaxation
5. Increases concentration & focus
6. Balances the nervous system
7. Activates the relaxation response

 
Work at your own pace and comfort level.
Allow your practice to build.
Your body changes day-to-day and some poses feel easier one day than the next, and that's ok.
Do not force postures.
Participation in the class is at your own risk.
 
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