Heal Emotional Wounds - Meditation

  

Sat Kriya is said to be one of the most powerful meditations from Kundalini yoga. It balances the chakras, mostly the three lower ones, massages the organs, strengthens the nervous system and the heart. It is said to protect the body from illness, heal mental imbalances and is an effective way to overcome fears and heal emotional wounds, as far back as childhood traumas.

Sat Nam is one of the most common mantras, connecting us with our consciousness as well as with universal truth. Sat Nam is sanskrit and translates to, I am truth or truth is my identity.

Keeping the arms straight stretching up also become a practice for strengthening the mind. Mind over matter, unless you experience any sharp pain of course. Keep going for one minute if you are a beginner and gradually work up to an optimal time of 3 minutes up to 7, 11, 22 or 31 minutes

Photo by Saara Oinonen

• Sit on your heels, alternatively in another position if this is uncomfortable.

• Reach your arms up above your head. Keep the arms straight with the upper arms hugging your ears. 

• Interlace all fingers except the index fingers, pointing up towards the sky. Females cross left thumb over right, men cross right thumb over left. 

• Close the eyes and keep your gaze and focus between the eyebrows, at the location for the third eye.

• As you inhale through the mouth chant Sat, drawing the navel up and back towards the spine.

• As you exhale through the mouth, almost like a sight, chant Nam and relax the belly (Naaaam).

• Keep the exhalations longer than the inhales and repeat in a pace that feels comfortable and natural. 

• To finish, inhale deeply, engage the root lock and draw the energy up from the root all the way to your fingertips and hold the breath. Exhale to slowly release the arms. 

• It is optimal to relax in Savasana, final relaxation pose, for the same amount of time you sat in meditation. 

The truth in me acknowledges the truth in you. 

Namaste

Spring has Sprung - Time to Detox?

Spring is a time for nature and ourselves to awaken for a fresh start and for the new to begin we sometimes have to clear out the old. Before its too late, when the leaves still are young, take the opportunity to spring clean your inner system with blooming natural goodies that nature provides. Without fasting or detoxing in any other way, simply add one or all of these three herbs to your diet! Dry the herbs and drink them as tea twice a day by pouring hot water over the leaves. You can do this over a weekend up to three weeks for more effect. 

1. Dandelion. Pick the leaves from dandelions when they are young because larger leaves become bitter. You can also dry the roots for tea, use the flowers in colourful salads or throw the whole plant in a smoothie! Dandelion is detoxifying, stimulates the digestive system and strengthens the liver and kidneys. 

2. Nettles. Nettles grow where the soil is full of nutritions and therefore themselves become multi vitamins, particularly rich in iron and calcium! Pick them when they are babies, wear gloves and heat or dry them before you consume them. You can make nettle soup or dry the leaves for tea or powder. Besides being rich in minerals, nettles help clean the blood, kidneys and urinary system from waste.

3. Birch. Birch supports the bodies system to flush out toxins, aids digestion and suports circulation. It also lowers cholesterol levels and boosts the immune system. Pluck the leaves as small as possible, dry them or place them directly in hot water for a refreshing drink!

Inspired by our teacher this week, Kristina Lundberg, who we have spent time with in the forrest picking greens and tasting herbs. 

Hola Yogis!

I am back in Sweden after a class trip to Spain. My folk high school year is coming to its end and this last month has been intense, therefore I have been missing in action these last weeks on the blog. 

However, I would like to through the ball to you now;

What do you want to read and learn more about? 

If you have any questions, requests on tips and sequences, don't hesitate to comment or send me an email on amanda.holmstrom.yoga@gmail.com and I will do my best to meet your needs ;)

Meanwhile, I hope you are with me on the 4 week challenge to Recharge and Improve Your Sleep in May on yogobe.com/fi/blog. In the latest post I shared a breathing technique to tap into the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for relaxation, digestion and healing. 

Click on the photo to read the whole article with information and tips on how you can effect your breath with breathing techniques. 

Stay tuned, stay rested! 

Namaste 

Top 25 European Yoga Blogs

Honored to be featured! Click on photo to view the full article. Also check out the other inspirational top yoga blogs for more amazingness. WOW!

Yin Yoga to Balance the Chakras

This yin yoga series consists of 7 poses to balance the 7 chakras to sum up this 7 month  journey through the chakras! 

Find a timer to have by your side and a quiet place where you can practice. 

Surrender into the poses beginning from the root to the crown. Find your edge, find your breath and enjoy these poses to improve your energy flow by releasing  mental and physical blockages from the main energy centers in the body.

Photos by Saara Oinonen at Wasa Yoga Center

1. The Root Chakra. The pose for the first chakra is Butterfly pose. Begin seated with the soles of the feet touching. Either remain seated leaning back into the hands or if comfortable begin to lower don into a forward fold. Remain here for three minutes as you allow the body to become heavy. You can visualize roots anchoring you from your sit bones to the earth, keeping you grounded and safe. Keep your awareness at the location of the root chakra, at the base of the spine. 

2. The Sacral Chakra. Extend the legs out to the sides to target the hips and the second chakra in wide legged pose. Either remain seated or if comfortable begin to lower down into a forward fold. Allow it to take some time to nestle in to your variation of the pose, find your edge and remain there for three minutes. Keep your awareness at the location for the second chakra, between the pelvis and the navel. 

3. The solar plexus chakra. Lower down to lie on your back, place the right foot on the left knee and begin to lower the right knee down to the side into a twist. Allow the body to surrender into a twist rather than reaching deep into the pose. Extend the opposite arm out to the side and breathe here for three minutes before twisting to the other side. Rest your awareness in your core, the location for the third chakra, located behind the navel. 

5. The Heart Chakra. Come down to lie on the belly with the elbows under the shoulders into sfinx pose to open the heart. If this is too intense you can walk the elbows further away from you. To deepen the pose you can widen the distance between the hands and begin to straighten the arms into Seal pose. Relax the buttox and the legs. Remain here for 1-3 minutes keeping your awareness at the location for the heart chakra, in the middle of the chest. When your timer goes of slowly lie down on the belly to release the lower back for a couple of breaths.  

6. The Throat Chakra. Lower down to lie on the back and extend the legs up towards the sky. Begin to lift the hips of the mat and support the lower back with the hands, fingertips facing the sky and lower the feet towards the mat above the head into snail pose. If the toes don't touch the mat it is completely fine. Allow the spine to round and keep the chin towards the chest. Remain here from 1-3 minutes, lower down sooner if your body tells you to. Center your awareness at the location for the sixth chakra, at the base of the throat. 

6. The Third Eye Chakra. Come to sit on the heels and lower down the forehead to the mat into childs pose. Allow the spine to be rounded and the forehead to rest on the mat. Anchor your awareness at the point between the eyebrows, resting on the mat, the location for the third eye. Remain here for three minutes. 

7. The Crown Chakra. Lie down on your back into Savasana, final relaxation pose. Scan through  your chakras once again. Begin at the root chakra climbing up the chakra ladder all the way up to the crown of the head, the location of the crown chakra. Once you reach the crown of the head with your awareness remain here for atleast three minutes and surrender to the deep relaxation. Allow the energy, light and love to flow freely in your body. 

Before you awaken yourself, bring your awareness down one chakra at a time, from the crown of the head to the base of the spine to gather your energy and center yourself. Slowly open your eyes and thank yourself for practicing!

Namaste

FREE SUMMER YOGA IS BACK!

Increase your energy with yoga in the sunlight and connect to your body and your breath. 

Classes for all levels will be provided, if you've never done yoga before, get out of your comfort zone and try something new! If you already do yoga, shake things up outdoors and allow your practice to blossom! 

TIMETABLE AND DETAILS WILL BE UPDATED

Click on picture for link to facebook event!

Amandas Yoga in collaboration with Wasa Yoga Center

Intuitive Eating & Gratitude

For the other chakras you will find posts on what to eat to nourish your energy centers. The sixth and seventh chakra are more spiritual than physical and therefore they nourish more from other sources than food. The sixth and seventh chakra feed on subtle energy, such as love, gratitude, air and sun light. However, foods that are pure, such as non-GMO and organic foods help keep these higher chakras open and clear. 

Instead of taking food for granted, see if you can find a new appritiation for food by cultivating gratitude. Before you eat, take a moment to be grateful for what you have in front of you. Be thankful for all the people who have been involved in the food process from the farms to the stores, for the sunlight, earth and water, for having money to buy food and for all the nutritions in the food to keep you healthy...

Our bodies constantly send us signals on what we need to create balance. The more we begin to listen and respond to the body, the more signals you will receive in order to create balance and mind-body-soul harmony. So see if you can become more curious to these signals;
What is your body trying to tell you? 

Food and diet is a hot topic in media and often discussed with friends, colleges, family. Is it possible learn to eat more intuitively? Rather than swallowing other peoples facts and opinions take a moment to check in with what is true to you. 

As with everything else in yoga and every other aspect in life, 
You are your own guru. 

Even more importantly than what you eat, pay attention and become aware of how different foods effect your energy, how does it make you feel? 

Namaste