Alamba Yoga

Yoga is an ancient discipline originating from India. It is based on unifying the mind with the body and soul for greater mental and physical wellbeing; it consists of series of poses, meditation, controlled breathing and other techniques.   By practicing yoga postures, bones are brought into alignment and muscles are strengthened, stretched and relaxed. In turn, blood is oxygenated, helping to tone the nervous system, improve circulation, promote flexibility and release tension.   Continuous practise counteracts the effects of stress and eventually bringing us to a more centred place. As a result, we become more integrated, focused and relaxed. Recently yoga has been added to Unesco list of intangible world heritage for its’ incredible positive influence into various aspects on society and proven benefits to every individual practitioner. This is followed by the endorsement of a UN International Yoga Day to acknowledge the growth of yoga’s popularity worldwide.   I...

      Chakra System Definition. It is considered that the knowledge about chakras came to yogis in the deep meditation, and they described the chakras as the flowers of lotus. Even though the chakras are located in the subtle body, they influence the physical body. The Sanskrit word chakra translates to a “wheel” and means the energy centres within the body, that help to regulate all its processes, from organ function to the immune system and emotions. There are multiple chakras in the body, however 7 of them, located along the central energetic channel, are specially connected with the person’s evolution. The chakras, located at the bottom part of the energetic chain, are connected to the basic condition of the mindset. Chakras, located in the higher parts of the chain, are responsible for a higher intellect, for the development of compassion and altruism. Each chakra is a point which connects multiple nadis. Nadis are the subtle channels through which the pran...

Here is the final part of the Pawanmuktasana series: 4 asanas for neck. The sequence is very simple and yet efficient.  Benefits: All the nerves connecting the different organs and limbs of the body pass through the neck. Therefore, the muscles of the neck and shoulders accumulate tension, especially after prolonged work at desk. These asanas release tension, heaviness and stiffness in the head, neck and shoulder region. Contra-indications: These four neck movements should not be performed by elderly people an those suffering from cervical spondylosis. The advice of an expert should be sought for any of these problems. Patients of cervical spondylosis should strictly avoid forward bending of the neck. You can find the 1 st , 2 nd  and 3rd part of asanas in my previous articles. The sequence has been developed by Swami Satyananda Sawaswati and is taken from the book Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha. 4 ASANAS FOR YOUR NECK: Prarambhik Sthiti (Base Position). ...

Here is the third part of the Pawanmuktasana Series 1 (Anti-Rheumatic sequence). These asanas concern hands, wrists and shoulders. You can find the 1 st and the 2 nd part in my previous articles. The sequence has been developed by Swami Satyananda Sawaswati and is taken from the book Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha. Benefits of the following practise: -  The hand and wrist asanas are beneficial for arthritis of the related joints. They also relieve tension caused by prolonged writing and typing. - The shoulder asanas relieve the strain of driving and office work, and are helpful in cervical spondylitis and frozen shoulder. They also maintain the shape of the shoulders and chest. The practise can be easily performed at home or even at the office desk , and will take only about 15 minutes. Base position remains the same: Prarambhik Sthiti (Base Position). Sit with legs stretched, feet close together but not touching. Place the palms of the hands on the flo...

Here is the 2 nd part of the Pawanmuktasana Series 1, Anti-Rheumatic Group of asanas, concerning knees and hips . The asanas are very simple and yet they bring great benefits with regular practice (you can do them at home!). Since the knee joint bears the whole weight of the body and has no strong muscles for support, it is most vulnerable to injuries, sprains and osteoarthritis. All the knee asanas strengthen the quadriceps muscle and the ligaments around the knee joint. Certain asanas in this series help to relieve tension in the inner thigh muscles and to remove tiredness from long hours of standing, walking of running. All these asanas rejuvenate the joint by activating the healing energies. The  full list of benefits and instructions for fulfilling these asanas were described in the previous article: https://alambhttps://alambayoga.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/pawanmuktasana-1-anti-reumatic-group.html You can find the full complex of asanas in the book of Swami Satyan...

Sometimes if you miss a yoga class, you feel like you could really do with a gentle yet efficient workout at home. Or after a day in the office, working sat at the desk most of the time, you feel like you need to relax the stiffness and muscular tension. For this purpose I would like to share a really wonderful series of asanas called “The Pawanmuktasana Series”. In Sanskrit “Pawan” means “wind” or “prana”; “mukta” means “release” and “asana” means “pose”. Therefore, Pawanmuktasana is a group of asanas that   is aimed at removing any blockages preventing the free flow of energy in the body and mind. It is one of the special contributions of the teachings of Swami Satyananda Saraswati.   You can find them in full in the book Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha. These series can be performed by a beginner or advanced, young and elderly . They should not be ignored just because the practices are simple, gentle and comfortable. In this and the next couple of publications we ...