The Highland Lake Inn is pleased to announce a new ‘Wellness Week’ series for 2010 dedicated to guests who are looking not only for a few days ‘away from it all’, but a program to take home for sustainable habit change and improved quality of life . BodyVision Health Coaching company has created a program exclusively for the Highland Lake Inn, all details are available just by clicking HERE.
Health Coaching, Stress Management, and Yoga will be the key features of the 2010 series. Below, specialist Jeanne Lurie shares a great introduction to yoga and her approach, based on 30 years of experience in the health world and a deep understanding of individual needs. Read PART II below…
Explanation of the different components involved in a kundalini yoga class:
Kundalini yoga or the yoga of consciousness is one of the most powerful and complete forms of yoga and considered to be the mother of all other styles of yoga. With the practice of kundalini yoga it is possible to attain health, happiness and harmony. Kundalini refers to the awakening of the energy of consciousness or the serpent energy found coiled dormant in the base of the spine.
Kundalini yoga consists of ancient kriyas or formulated sets of exercises which were passed down through the centuries and were brought to the west by Yogi Bhajan in 1969. Each kriya or yoga set is designed to target specific issues within the body by focusing on the individual systems or muscle groups. The kriya is designed to be performed in a specific sequence whereby the sum is greater than any of the individual parts. By consciously combining specific methods of movement or stretching (asanas), body contractions (bands or locks), meditation, mantras, hand gestures, (mudras) and breathing (pranayama) this practice promotes amazing immediate results and lasting long term physical, emotional and spiritual benefits.
Asanas are stretches or physical postures designed to ease and release physical or muscular tension, as well as to activate different body systems such as the digestive system, circulatory system or nervous system. Body awareness is achieved by establishing communication between mind and body and the mind is silenced to prepare for meditation. The asanas sistematically apply pressure on the intermal organs thereby improving circulation to these organs and achieving rejuvenation and renovation of all the body systems.
The practice of mantras is considered the “yoga of the mind”. A mantra is a word or a syllable or a phrase in one of the sacred languages like Sanskrit or Ghurmuki or sometimes in English, which elevates or modifies consciousness through its meaning, the sound itself, rhythm, tone and even the reflexology of the tongue on the palate. Mantras can be performed in a normal strong voice, or in a whisper or mentally or silently.
There are two things you can do to make the use of a mantra more powerful, regardless of how you recite. One is to see the mantra, as if it is being written as you say it (visualization), and the other is to actively listen to it as you say it.
Breathing or pranayama exercises are practiced to channel and direct the flow of prana and thereby alter consciousness and the physical state. The most frequent are long deep breathing, (calming and produces an automatic high) the breath of fire, energizing and detoxifying (2-3 breaths per second), alternate nostril breathing (left is tranquilizing and right is energizing) to create balance and harmony in the hemispheres of the brain.
Meditation involves the stilling of the rational, reasoning dualistic egotistical mind to allow the neutral mind to focus awareness on inner reality beyond intellectual concepts, and on outer reality beyond physical, earthly objects. Meditation uses many techniques to achieve this purpose, and produces a calm, sensitive, less emotional, alert, intuitive, effective, efficient and self controlled personality and an enhanced sense of being and consciousness.
Consistent meditation promotes inner peace, happiness and higher consciousness or transcending the limitations of normal consciousness.
One of the most important factors in maintaining a healthy body is a flexible spine. The yogis say that youth is determined by the flexibility of the spine, and old age is characterized by rigidity. When the spine is flexible, so is the mind.
Low back pain and upper back and neckaches are often caused by stress and are some of the most common health complaints of adults. Poor posture or habitual postures are almost always at the root of back problems.
The best way to avoid backaches is to take care of the spine on a daily basis.
This kundalini program of simple postures and breathing exercises helps to give flexibility and strength to the spine and to the supporting muscle groups, it is ideal for preventing as well as for alleviating back problems.
Learn how to apply these techniques at the Highland lake Inn Wellness Weeks program of 2010 and get the lasting changes you want in the lifestyle you lead. To meet Jeanne and to work with her is a true experience and her education-based style will give you a toolkit to use for years to come.
Great Topic! I often start with mobilizing the hips and getting the glute to fire. This usually helps relieve low back pain
I have been treating shoulder pain with the Graston Technique for a while now. It’s great, resolves pain and restores function