Hi Everyone,

Here a video in which I demonstrate a pranayama technique, the breathing science of yoga. The technique I will be explaining about is alternate nostril breathing, also called in sanskrit, nadhi sodana.

Normal breathing does alternate from side to side, with that I mean that one nostril is more open than the other, you can say is dominant. In a healthy person they say that the dominance changes about every 2 hours. The ancient yogis say that if the change over takes longer it is because someone is ill. So according to that way of thinking practicing alternate nostril breathing could prevent serious illness or cure it if you apply it in such a way that you start to breath through the one that is closed for longer periods to balance it again.

I personally use it as a preparation for meditation when my mind is racing.  It calms the mind down by balancing the right and left hemispheres of the mind. The right hemisphere is connected with the left nostril and connected with your analytical side, while the left hemisphere being connected to the right nostril is more connected to your emotional side, creative side.

Alternate nostril breathing is a great way to quiet the mind and through that calm the  body down when you are anxious. As well it promotes a healthy changeover in which nostril is dominant when you breathe, through keeping them both open enough to use.

Give it a go and let me know what it does for you!

love Esther

Hi Everyone,

Here I answer the question I get asked a lot:

“Does yoga help to build muscle?”

so get at it and enjoy the results!

Esther

Hi Everyone,

Here is the next video on the main poses in the asthanga yoga standing sequence. if you do sun salutation A and B and than the padangustasana, padahastasana video followed with this video you are getting a nice practice going. You can read up on my website about the benefits of triangle pose / trikonasana .

some of the benefits of revolved triangle pose / parivrtta trikonasana are: stretches and strengthens the legs, opens the chest, stimulates the abdominal organs, stretches and opens the hips, strengthens the core, can relieve backpain, improves balance.

Hope you enjoy the stretch!

Esther

Hi everyone,

Here is part number 3 of the ashtanga yoga series. I demonstrate here

padangustasana / big toe pose

padahastasana / hand to foot pose

Both are forward bend poses.

With these 2 poses you begin the standing series in the ashtanga yoga tradition. Before these 2 poses you do a few sun salutations A and a few sun salutations B to warm up the body.

Remember your options of bending the knees or holding the back of the legs if the feet are too far away!

Esther

Hi Everyone,

Here the sun salutation B as done in the ashtanga yoga. Its longer than sun salutation A, it incorporates the warrior I pose / virabhadrasana I, and chair pose / utkatasana.

Its a great way to build up heat in the body and to build up stamina. Originally sun salutation A is done 5 times before B, also 5 times. If I want to build up some stamina I incorporate them before any other practice I do. Do as many as you can and you can hold every pose for a few breaths to start with, going faster as you get to know the sequence well.

enjoy,

esther

This meditation is based on a technique called heart coherence. By bringing the focus on your heart, being present, you activate your heart center. That in itself refocuses your emotions and releases stress.

Once practiced it only has to take minutes to achieve and can really help you in challenging situations, because when the heart center is activated and you are out of your head it most likely changes your point of view.

Try it out for yourself..  personally I love doing this and its a part of my daily meditation.

Esther

hi Everyone,

I’m sorry to pass on the message that Sri K Patthabi Jois, also known as Guruji, passed away on the morning of may 18th. He was almost 94.

Guruji was well known and loved by millions of yoga practioners, many went to study ashtanga yoga with him in Mysore (India). He was loved for his joyful presence, humour, his devotion to god, yoga and his family.

He will be missed..

With love, gratitude and deepest sympathy for his family…

Esther

Hi everyone,

Here another practice you can do in the evenings if you want to wind down. I can really recommend this just before you go to bed, you will sleep much more restful and will wake up more rested. Doing something to bring your awareness from your head into your body should be standard practice every night, whether it is meditation or yoga or some other form that works for you. The thing to keep in mind though is to do something that slows you down.

Have a good nights rest with this one!

Esther

The poses I demonstrate in this practice are:

sphinx pose

reclining big toe pose / supta padangustasana

supine eye of the needle pose

butterfly pose / baddha konasana

wide legged forward fold / upavishta konasana

head to knee pose / janu sirsasana

cross legged forward bend

supine spinal twist

Hi Everyone,

Here is a moon salutation that I personally like. There are a few different versions out there but this is my favourite. A moon salutation is less stimulating than a sun salutation. This sequence takes you more inward and thus is more suitable to do in the evenings, than a sun salutation would be. Sometimes I do this right before I go to bed, it takes me out of my head, into my body and makes me aware and present in a relaxed way, so I can fall asleep aware of the present and in a relaxed way. Try it out

Esther

Some of the poses incorporated in the moon salutation are:

mountain pose                                        /  tadasana

triangle pose                                          /  utthita trikonasana

pyramid pose / intense side stretch       /   parsvottanasana

standing side stretch

squat

high lunge

crescent moon pose

side lunge

wrist stretch

Hi Everybody,

After many requests, here is my first part of a few video’s on ashtanga yoga. In Ashtanga yoga they warm up with 5 x sun salutation A and than 5 x sun salutation B, which will be one of my next video’s. After that I will focus on the rest of the standing poses and how they perform them in ashtanga yoga.

Hope you will enjoy it, its a great way to build up strength and stamina.

Esther

Hi Everyone,

Here the sequence I did to help get me started today, I used some backbends and twists to open and strengthen my chest and shoulders. Enjoy it!

The poses I practice in this sequence are:

mountain pose / tadasana

chair pose / utkatasana

standing forward fold / uttanasana

half standing forward fold / ardha uttanasana

downward facing dog pose / adho mukha svanasana

virabhadrasana I / warrior I

upward facing dog pose / urdhva mukha svanasana

wide legged forward bend / prasarita padottanasana

variation of wide legged forward bend

garland pose or squatting / malasana