Working with Grief

Holidays can be a difficult time of year for people dealing with a loss of a loved one. This week we work on ideas to make this time an opportunity to forgive those we have lost, forgive ourselves, and feel well.

One idea comes from a dear friend of mine who lost her younger sister this year. For Christmas, her family put up a stocking for the sister who had died in a hospice. They filled the stocking with gifts for the hospice and after the holiday, they donated these items in the sister's name.

Anything that you can do to honor and celebrate the life of a loved one can be beneficial. Ignoring the loss is the worst thing you could do.

We used backbends to open our hearts and uplift our spirits, such as a variation on Camel pose (Ustrasana).

The affirmation we used during meditation was based on Louise Hay's suggestions for dealing with almost any emotion tied to relationships:

"I forgive you. I forgive myself. All is well."

Happy Holidays,

Kris Kramer
www.TotalHealthYoga.com
http://www.TotalHealthYoga.Blogspot.com

Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

Yoga - Backbends - Posture

Open the Cave of Your Heart

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Last week, we worked with forward bends. The one thing that became apparent by the end of the week was that many of us round the upper back so much that we miss the lengthening in the front body.

Yes, a forward bend is more lengthening for the back body, but the front body should not collapse.

If you work at an office, take a look around you and notice how many folks are slumped in their chairs. As we get older, many of us begin to collapse in the front and chronically round the spine. Thus the poor posture that we so often see or even experience. In an extreme case, kyphosis occurs.

So, this week we'll work with backbends and expanding the heart fully. One of the greatest benefits of backbends is a fullness of breath. The rib cage opens up, the heart has more space, and the diaphragm can move freely. The biggest risk point, is the low back. Be sure to keep the tailbone moving towards the pubic bone and the pubic bone lifting up the front body.

Just as in the forward bends, the tendency is to collapse the front body; in backbends, the tendency is to collapse the low back. Resist this by first warming up the body and starting with easier backbends, simple twists, and some lateral openers.

This week beginner's challenge asana will be dhanurasana (bow) and continuing students will explore pincha mayurasana (forearm balance).

Enjoy and see you at class,
Kris
www.TotalHealthYogaClasses.com