Spa in Spain's Blog

Posted: 17 Apr 2020 04:57 AM PDT

Asanas, Yoga postures, sleeping pigeon pose

We proudly present our very own in-house Yoga teacher MARTA!! Since Yoga is in her blood, we thought it would be a nice idea to let her tell you some more about the benefits of certain yoga postures, as we can all do with a little inspiration in these challenging times!

¨I have chosen the postures that seem to me to be the simplest and most accessible to almost everyone, and which also represent the essence of classic Hatha Yoga.¨

Today´s suggestion is the Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Sleeping Pigeon Pose)
This is a very comfortable asana and it provides significant and long-lasting benefits, it can even be performed by beginners but there are some things to bear in mind: you should listen carefully to your body whilst performing this asana, don't try to go beyond your capability and be gentle with your body. If you suffer from high or low blood pressure, migraines, insomnia, or any serious lower back or neck injury then you should avoid this asana.

This pose also provides emotional benefits by boosting self-confidence and sense of self-love.

But in addition…

It opens up the hip joint and provides flexibility to the body.
Helps in lengthening the hip flexor.
Offers an excellent stretch to the thighs, gluteals and piriformis muscles which tones the lower body.
Stimulates the internal organs.
Helps in reducing substantial pain in the lower back and stiffness throughout the body.

I hope you enjoy it!

With love,
Marta.
Hari Om Tat Sat

The post YOGA BY MARTA; THE SLEEPING PIGEON POSE appeared first on Spa in Spain's Blog.

YOGA BY MARTA; THE DANDASANA POSE

Posted: 17 Apr 2020 04:23 AM PDT

¨I have chosen the postures that seem to me to be the simplest and most accessible to almost everyone, and which also represent the essence of classic Hatha Yoga.¨

Before explaining the Dandasana pose, I would like to say something else. We here in Spain are already in the 5^th week of our isolation caused by the COVID 19 pandemic, an isolation that we have no idea how long it will still last, an isolation that has separated us, that has created fear and uncertainty. For this reason, I would like to offer a piece of advice in addition to a yoga pose if I may.

Don´t let those negative feelings take over, feelings which of course are perfectly normal, recognize them and then try and park them, don´t cling on to them. Let´s take advantage of this current situation and try and take the good from it.

And so, I invite you over this next period of time, while we are forced to stay at home, to create a time and space just FOR YOU, a space with no specific objectives. Choose a time of day (mornings tend to be preferable), light a candle if you like to create a more intimate atmosphere and sit in any comfortable position in silence for a few moments (eyes closed or open, you decide), just stay there, in silence, creating a space in which to connect with your body, with your sensations, with your breath, and just be, simply be, and when your body asks you to start moving, then gently, little by little, start to mobilize the whole body with some postures. Take it easy, choose simple postures (like the ones I am proposing in my blogs) or more complex ones if you feel comfortable, on the internet you have endless sources of information.

And well, regardless of the postures you do and the direct benefits you get from them, the greatest benefits of all will come from creating YOUR space of silence every day, of having some alone time, of letting go, of switching off from the news, the noise, our own internal conversations that exhaust and keep us on a constant journey to the past and future, bringing us only uneasiness and restlessness. Create YOUR space to connect with wholeness, with love, with the certainty that everything will be fine.

Today I have chosen the DANDASANA POSE (Staff Pose or Base Pose). As you can see in the picture this pose might look straightforward, but there’s more to Staff Pose than meets the eye!

Just as Tadasana, or Mountain Pose, is the foundation for all standing poses, Dandasana (Dahn-DAH-suh-nuh), or Staff Pose, is the foundation for all seated poses. It establishes the patterns of muscular engagement, alignment, and breathing that will inform every other pose that is to come once you get down to the floor in your yoga practice.

It is also a powerful pose in its own right and is surprisingly difficult to hold for extended periods of time.