Perseverance

Perseverance is defined by Merriam-Webster as the continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

Now that we have passed the halfway mark with our year of chair yoga challenge, do you find yourself sometimes skipping your daily yoga practice? Do you notice a difference in your mood or stress level on the days that you plow through your to-do list without stopping for a few minutes of quiet breathing?

You may think that expending effort just to relax makes no logical sense. But if we are not diligent about taking those few minutes for ourselves every day, time slips on quickly and our bodies begin to show the effects of the constant rushing and busy-ness. When we maintain a steady practice, the habit of calm silence will serve us well on the days when life gets really crazy!

There is no audio for this session today. Please enjoy this 8 minute practice in peaceful silence. 


1. Once you're comfortable in your chair, breathing only through your nose, see if you can actually hear your own breath as it enters and then slowly leaves your body.

2. You may notice that as you concentrate on your breath, it begins to slow, each inhale and each exhale getting longer, deeper. Continue 5 more breaths this way.

3. Move your hands to grasp the outside edge of your chair seat, near your thighs. If the chair armrests are in the way, you can grab those instead. Sitting up tall, fingers holding the seat edge, inhale as you lift your chest forward, exaggerating the curve of your spine and drawing your shoulders back. ("cow pose")

 4. Still holding the seat edge, on an exhale, reverse the curve, rounding the spine as you pull your belly in and shift your shoulders forward. ("cat pose")

 5. Repeat numbers 3 and 4 each 3 more times, always slowly moving with the breath. Let your hands settle in your lap when you're done.

 6. Rest back against the back of your chair, but keep a long spine, good posture. Inhale as you straighten both knees, lifting both feet off the floor, ankles flexed so the toes point upward. Exhale them back down. Repeat 3 more times, pulling the toes toward you as the calves begin to warm up.

 7. Push about 2 feet away from your desk to give yourself some extra room. Slide the legs apart so that the back of your knees rest near the very outer (side) edges of your seat. Sitting up tall again, using the belly muscles so you don't need to lean back against the chair. Inhale as you raise both hands high into the air, reaching for the ceiling. As you exhale, sweep both arms forward and down to land on the chair seat between your knees or on your thighs. As you sweep your arms down, lean your torso forward, hinging from the hips. Repeat 3 more times.

 8. Close the knees together, let your hands settle in your lap, and lean against the backrest. Return to the quiet breaths that we started with today. Keep listening for 10 more breaths, then return to your day continuing to pay attention to all the sounds around you. 

Summer

The heat is on! After weeks of rain and unseasonably cooler temperatures on the East Coast, now we can start complaining that it's too hot outside.

One yoga technique for keeping cool is called sitali breath. Here is a great description from Yoga Journal. This version adds the neck stretch, but you could also simply practice the breath with your chin in a neutral position.

The Cooling Breath

Sitali Pranayama is often translated as "the cooling breath" because the act of drawing the air across the tongue and into the mouth is said to have a cooling and calming effect on the nervous system. To practice Sitali, you need to be able to curl the sides of your tongue inward so that it looks like a straw. The ability to curl the tongue is a genetic trait. If you can't, try an alternative technique called Sitkari Pranayama, which offers the same effects.

Benefits: Can improve focus; reduce agitation, anger, and anxiety; and pacify excess heat in the system.

Try it: Twice a day, or as needed during stressful times. Sitali and Sitkari Pranayama are particularly supportive when you're feeling drowsy in the morning or during an afternoon slump when you need to improve your focus.

How to: Sitali Pranayama: Sit comfortably, either in a chair or on the floor, with your shoulders relaxed and your spine naturally erect. Slightly lower the chin, curl the tongue lengthwise, and project it out of the mouth to a comfortable distance. Inhale gently through the "straw" formed by your curled tongue as you slowly lift your chin toward the ceiling, lifting only as far as the neck is comfortable. At the end of the inhalation, with your chin comfortably raised, retract the tongue and close the mouth. Exhale slowly through the nostrils as you gently lower your chin back to a neutral position. Repeat for 8 to 12 breaths.

Sitkari Pranayama: Open the mouth slightly with your tongue just behind the teeth. Inhale slowly through the space between the upper and lower teeth, letting the air wash over your tongue as you raise your chin toward the ceiling. At the end of the inhalation, close the mouth and exhale through the nostrils as you slowly lower your chin back to neutral. Repeat for 8 to 12 breaths.

Also here is a quick video if you prefer.



1. Be sure you read through "prepare for each session" instructions before you begin. Today's practice should take only about 8 minutes.

2. Get comfy in your chair, legs uncrossed, hands resting in lap, take a deep breath as you soften your eyes, meaning: take in your peripheral vision vs. a hard stare, eyelids relaxed.

3. As you inhale lift arms over head, reaching for ceiling, palms may touch, return hands to center of chest (heart center) with palms pressed together. Repeat 3 times

4. With palms still touching, inhale, then with an exhale gently push hands more firmly together, releasing the pressure on an inhale. Repeat 3 times

5. Interlace your fingers so palms face down, elbows pointing away from your body. Gently move elbows away, creating resistance in interlaced fingers. Take a breath and release slowly.

6. Keeping fingers interlaced, straighten arms sending knuckles away from body. Arms should be at shoulder height, parallel to the floor. Breathe and notice the muscles in the your arms and shoulders. If you have flexibility in your wrists, you may want to try turning your palms out, interlaced knuckles facing your body, arms stretching long. Continue to take slow breaths.

7. Release your fingers and bring both hands to your right thigh, fingers pointing to the right, inhale as you sit up tall, shoulders back and spine long. As you exhale, begin to turn your head to look over your right shoulder, continuing the twist through your torso, seat staying planted to chair. Inhale again, using the exhale to twist just a bit deeper. One more breath as you twist, then return to center. Repeat twist to left then return to center once again, hands resting on lap.

8. Push your chair back from the desk about 2 feet. Use an inhale to reach your hands over head once again, exhaling as you slowly lower hands onto knees, hinging at the hips leading with chest toward your knees for a forward fold. Inhale as you slowly lift torso back to sitting upright. Repeat 2 more times.

9. Slide your fingers of both hands under your right thigh, lifting it a few inches from seat. Keeping knee bent and spine straight, use the hands to move the thigh in circles to open the hip joint. Switch direction after 4 or 5 rotations. Rest the right thigh and move hands under left leg, repeating same movement on this side, 4-5 rotations in both directions.

10. Let hands rest in your lap, relaxing your eyes once again, focusing on slow deep breathing, silently repeating: "in" with each inhale, and  "out" with each extended exhale, for at least 10 complete breath cycles. Enjoy your day!

Independence

Happy 4th of July! This week will bring picnics and fireworks and overall party time. Add some young fun to your yoga practice with this "fireworks breath;" intended for children, but perfect for all ages!

Let us also remember this week the history of our hard won independence. Then consider the veterans you know and the resources available (yoga!) to help them deal with their stress levels.

Exciting announcement:

Guess what? If you've been following Quick Desk Yoga since it began in January, you are officially six months into the year-long challenge. Did you miss a few days along the way? No problem! Make yourself a commitment to take a brief computer break and do your chair yoga practice at least 4 days each week. You can do it!!

Congratulations to you all on making it to the halfway mark!


1.On an inhale, lift both shoulders up to your ears, exhaling as you relax them back down again. Repeat that 4 more times, always moving with the breath: lift on inhale, lower on exhale.

2. Roll shoulders up on inhale, then back on exhale, repeat 4 more times

3. Turn head to left on inhale, face forward on exhale, turn right on inhale, face forward on exhale, 3 times each side

4. Inhale with face forward, exhale as drop chin, inhale as roll head to left side, ear toward shoulder (shoulder stays settled), exhale chin to chest, inhale as roll right ear to right shoulder, exhale chin to chest, 3 times each side

5. From chin down position, inhale as look up at ceiling, lifting chin, keep back of neck long not pinched, exhale back down, repeat 3 times

6. Lift hands from lap, on inhale squeeze into fists then exhale as splay open fingers, repeat 4 times

7. Rotate wrists 3-4 times in both directions, ending with hands pressed together (fingers and palms flat as in prayer/heart center position) in front of sternum (breastbone), take 3 slow breaths

8. Open arms widely to your side, palms down and arms parallel to floor, reaching fingers to side walls, shoulders stay relaxed notice opening through your chest, continue to breath and hold here, reaching away from your body for 5 full breaths then let your hands rest on your lap

9. Push chair away from desk enough so make room for legs to lift. Sitting up tall, tighten your lower belly, on inhale lift right foot off floor until knee is straight, toes pointed to ceiling as you lift, push into heel, exhale slowly brings foot back to floor, switch to left foot, and continue alternating lifting on inhale and lowering on exhale, repeat 4 times each side

10. Settle both feet on floor, inhale arms up with fingers reaching for ceiling, elbows can be bent if your shoulders feel tight, exhale hands to heart center position (hands pressed flat together at center of chest), repeat 3 more times

11. Let hands rest gently in your lap, lean back against chair, let your eyes close or look down at your knees, return to slow breath, letting belly rise and fall with each breath

12. Relax and breath for a full minute, count 20 deep, slow breaths, before returning to your day!

Supermoon

It's a bird, it's a plane, NO, it's Supermoon! Witness the closest, largest full moon of 2013: get outside and check out the moon! No fancy equipment required, just your own two eyes and maybe a glass of wine.

Astronomy buffs can read more here .

How about trying a gentle 7 minute Moon Salutation?

Please review FAQs. Also, if you are reading this via email, you may not be able to see the audio player. Just click through to view this on the blog page so you can use the audio.














 1. Imagine you could breathe in through one nostril then exhale through the other. Picture your breath cycle as drawing the breath up from base of your spine and up the left side of your body as you inhale through your left nostril. Then picture the exhale leaving your right nostril and traveling down the right side of your body back down to the base of your spine, where is continues into the next inhale up the left side again. Use this visualization for 3 cycles of breath then reverse direction: inhale up the right side and exhale down the left.

2. Sitting up tall in your chair with the lower belly firm, inhale your arms straight out to the sides. Exhale and bring your fingertips to your shoulders. Continue this movement for 5 breath cycles, bending at the elbow with upper arms parallel to the floor.

3. Bring hands to rest hands in your lap, still sitting up tall, lift right foot off the floor as you straighten the knee. Ankle is flexed with toes pointing up, lift the thigh right off the chair just an inch or so, using the belly muscles and holding 3 breaths. Repeat with left leg.

4.  Camel: Slide a few inches forward away from the back of your chair, bring the palms of your hands to your lower back. Look up at the ceiling as you arch your back and come into a gentle, supported back bend, hands on lower back, letting your head and neck relax and drop back. Breathe for 3 breath cycles. Slowly use your hands to come back up, then shift hands to your knees, folding at the hips to rest your belly on your thighs in a forward fold. Take 3 breaths then use your hands to push to sitting,

5. Eagle: Cross your right thigh over your left thigh. If you can, wrap the right foot all the way around the left calf. Cross your left arm over the right one at the elbow. Bend the elbows and bring your palms to touch.  Lift the elbows while dropping the shoulders away from the ears. Hold three to five breaths. Repeat with left thigh over right thigh this time.

6. Repeat #1 for 3 cycles each side, then rest for a few minutes with your natural breathing.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

I will venture to guess that neither your dad nor your husband is celebrating today at a yoga class.

Do men do yoga? I hear this question all the time and it never fails to take me by surprise. Maybe the questioner is actually asking: do REAL men do yoga? Here in the US, yoga is often considered a "woman" thing. Popular yoga classes tend to attract more women with a only a few token guys in the mix.

Don't men also need the stress-reduction and increased flexibility that can be found with yoga? Most yoga teachers will affirm that they design classes for both genders and all abilities.But very few men are walking through the door to participate. The irony is that the ancient body movements and meditative exercises were originally taught by men, for males only. Here is a great article to explore the history. 

I like to remind fitness-minded guys that many professional athletes in every sport are adding yoga to their routine. Interested future-yogis can even find a Broga class in some cities.  Broga offers a system that is more welcoming for the manly types. "Geared for men but open to all" is their motto.




 1. Neck massage: Lean your head toward your left shoulder and use your right hand to massage your right shoulder and side of your neck with a slow, circular motion of your fingers continuing for at least 5 slow, full breaths (inhale and exhale). Repeat with head tilted to the right and using your left hand.

2.Bring both hands behind your neck. Use all your fingers to massage the base of your skull down to your upper back with a slow, circular motion of your fingers continuing for at least 5 slow, full breaths (inhale and exhale).

3. Point and flex ankles: Rest your arms on the chair armrests. On an inhale, flex your right ankle, toes pointing up and heel on floor. Exhale as you lift the heel and point the toes into the floor. Repeat 5 times then switch to left foot.

4. Torso twist: Sit up straight in your chair with hands pressed together at heart center. As you exhale, still with hands pressed together, bring right elbow to rest on the left thigh, turning chest to face the left side of the room. Stay here for 3 breaths then inhale back to sitting up tall. Repeat by bringing left elbow to right thigh and twist to the right this time, again for 3 breaths. 

5. Warrior 1: Slide to the front edge of your seat and turn your body and both knees to the left side with the chair seat supporting the left butt cheek and thigh. The right thigh hangs off the front edge, perpendicular to the floor while the right knee points toward the floor. Slide the right foot back so that the right leg begins to straighten. Turn the foot out so that you can comfortably place it flat on the floor. Keep your upper body sitting tall, resting your left hand on the chair arm support and your right hand on your left thigh.  Keep your torso facing to the left, and if you feel steady on the chair, you can raise your arms up to the ceiling on a inhale. Hold 5 breaths then repeat on right side.

 6. Close your eyes and breathe slowly and calmly for one or two minutes before returning to your day.

Water

As those of us on the east coast begin to dry out from Tropical Storm Andrea's soaking, now is a good time to reflect on the significance of water in our lives.

If your yard is still flooded from the storm, you may not be finding this life-giving liquid to be very relaxing right now. But many people find that just looking at a body of water can be very calming.

Think about how you feel when you look out at the vast expanse of ocean or a cool mountain lake. Even a tiny, trickling stream running near a forest hiking trail soothes our senses.


This week, focus on hydration for your body and spirit by trying these two water-themed exercises:


2 minute water guided meditation


16 minute water yoga flow series




1. Become aware of your breath by placing one hand on your lower belly and the other hand on your chest. Just notice the rise and fall: where do you sense the beginning of the inhale and what changes come with the exhale? Stay here and pay attention for the next 5 breaths until you feel calm and focused.

2. Use your left hand to slowly massage your right forearm, moving the thumb in wide circles with gentle pressure. Continue to massage the wrist then the palm of the hand and finally each individual fingers. Take your time, breathing calmly as you feel the tension melt away. Repeat with left forearm and hand. 

3. Sit up straight with shoulders relaxed back. Bring your forearms across your chest so that you can use your hands to clasp the opposite elbow. Still holding your elbows, lift the arms to shoulder height and tuck in the lower belly. Taking a deep inhale, fold at the hips and bring the forearms down to rest on the thighs, still hand-to-elbow. Tuck your chin to your chest and keep your back flat, belly tucked in. Breathe here for 5 full breaths.

4. Come back to sitting upright, sitting tall with belly tight, straighten one leg with the foot flexed, toes pointing up. See if you can lift your thigh off the chair seat, just an inch or two. Slowly pulse the leg up and down with your breath: lift on an inhale and lower thigh to the chair on an exhale. Leg stays straight the whole time. Lower the foot back to the floor after 5 lifts then repeat with your other leg.

5. Warrior 2: Move to the edge of the seat and open with legs wide, with left knee turned out to the left side and right leg straight out to the right with foot flat on the floor. Torso, with belly tightened, stays facing forward toward your PC monitor. Use an inhale to lift both arms out to the sides, parallel to the floor. Turn your head to look out over your left hand. Take 5 full breaths here then repeat on right side.

6. Settle back comfortably in your chair and repeat #1 for 10 breaths before returning to your day.

Travel

Let's hit the road! June brings the start of the busy travel season. Whether you plan to escape via car, bus, train, airplane or rickshaw, sitting for hours on end in a cramped space is not the best for your body. Since you've been doing chair yoga for the past few months, there is no reason to to leave your practice at home!

If you will be in the car for extended periods, check out this list of ideas:


Did you know that three US airports now have yoga rooms? If you happen to be flying through San Francisco, Dallas-Fort Worth, or Burlington, Vermont, give your body a break with a visit to their new yoga rooms. In any other airport, you can always just do your chair yoga sitting in the terminal waiting for your flight to be called. The other passengers will be entertained and may even join you!





Please review FAQs. Also, if you are reading this via email, you may not be able to see the audio player. Just click through to view this on the blog page so you can use the audio.



 1. Let's begin with the 3-part breath. Breathing through your nose, inhale and notice that your belly lifts, your ribs expand, and your chest rises. As you exhale, your chest drops, your ribs contract, and your belly softens and lowers. As you continue to breathe, keep your awareness on this three-part movement. Close your eyes and continue for 5 full breath cycles.

2. Sit up tall in your chair and extend your arms straight out to the sides so that they are parallel to the floor. Flex at your wrists so fingers are pointing up and palms face away from your body. Keep your arms straight as you push through your wrist, as you rotate your shoulders making small 5 circles in each direction with your hands and arms. Maintain the 3-part breath throughout. Still with arms extended, now flex your wrist down so that fingers point to floor. Repeat mini-circles, 5 in each  direction. Then let hands rest in your lap.

3. Lift your right foot about 4-6" off the floor. Rotate the ankle a few times in each direction, then place the heel on the floor with your toes flexed up. Take a breath here and allow the calf and Achilles to open. Next breath, point the toe onto the floor as you lift the heel. Now slowly alternate with each breath: inhale and point, exhale and flex. Complete 5 rounds then let the right foot rest and repeat on the left side.

4. Check to see if you are still sitting up tall in your chair. If your seat back is higher than your shoulders, you'll need to move to the edge of the seat. Extend your arms straight out to the side once again as in #2. This time palms face up toward ceiling. Take an inhale then bend your elbows, slowly exhaling and bringing fingers to touch your shoulders. As you inhale, twist the entire torso toward the right, still with hands on shoulders and elbows pointing out. Your lower body stays still in the chair. The exhale brings you back to center, then inhale as you twist to the left. Complete 3 full cycles of this torso twist to the right and left.

5. Supported high lunge: If you are not already sitting on the front edge of your seat, slide there now. Turn your body and both knees to the left side with the chair seat supporting the left butt cheek and thigh. The right thigh hangs off the front edge, perpendicular to the floor while the right knee points toward the floor. Slide the right foot back so that the right leg begins to straighten while the right toes are balancing the foot, heel is lifted. Keep your upper body sitting tall, resting your left hand on the chair arm support and your right hand on your left thigh. Guide the right leg to straighten even more by breathing into the back of the right knee as you push through the right heel. Stay here for at least 5 full breaths then slide the knees over to the right and repeat with the left leg extended behind you this time.

6. Sit back in your chair and relax. Return to the 3-part breath that we started in #1. Close your eyes and complete 10 full rounds of the 3-part breath.