Basic Chaturanga Flow - Not taught very much in classes.

Chaturanga is part of a four  pose flow that brings you from Plank to Down Dog.  It is part of the Sun Salutation sequence,   but many times,   you are asked to do a flow when moving from pose to pose.

The flow involves Plank, Chaturanga Dandasana,  Up Dog and then Down Dog.  (See the flow below).   It is a great flow because it is a core,  shoulder,  arm, pelvis and hip strengthener.   It is also great because the breath for each pose is very self evident.  The flow also allows you to stay in Down dog for up to five breaths to relax and return to your regular breathing.   This is very important after an intense standing sequence, for example,where when you are done,  you go through a flow to go to down dog to relax for five breaths.   



For a long time,  I was doing my Chaturanga flow incorrectly (well less incorrectly than I am doing it now because no matter how long your practice,  you can always get better) .     I was under the impression that when you go down from Plank to Chaturanga,  you were supposed to bring yourself all the way to the ground and then go up to Up Dog.    I see lots of people do this but a few months ago , one of my instructors went through the process of explaining the step of going down  (sort of like a reverse pushup where you slowly go down with your elbows to your sides) and then before your chest hits the ground,  you flip your feet and rise up to Up Dog.    This was the first time in 2 years anyone explained how to do this.     In the past week,  with people new to Yoga in each class that I was in,   not one teacher explained the basics of this very fundamental and critical linchpin in the flow of Yoga.  I especially saw the new people doing it somewhat wrong.      I am glad that I was shown how to do it better and I really wanted to stop and say,  this is how you do it.   But then, that is not my place is it.



 
 (I will explain my feelings about teaching versus instructing in a different post) . 

Kudos to the one who took the two minutes to show us how to do our flow better. 




Here is a link to a good video flow

Plank

Chaturanga

Upward Facing Dog

Downward Facing Dog

Good to see new people in class / Facebook Post by an old friend.

My current home studio expanded to a second site that is only 5 (really) minutes from me.   This makes going back and forth much easier  (versus 15 minutes for the original one).  While I like the Karma of the first studio much more and many of the teachers I liked are still in the first studio, it is nice to not have an excuse to drive over if I do not plan on practicing at home.

Over the last week,  there has been 4 people in the three classes I took who were new to Yoga.   For two of them,  it was their first class.   This kind of makes it hard on the teacher (and they tend to hold back on the class is my observation), but it is good to see people getting out and trying.    One woman I saw two days later and she came out of the class (I was going in) smiling and happy.   She said she had a great class.  That is a good sign.   I hope she sticks with it.  

I posted this blog on facebook.  One of the comments was as follows ;

"Looks like so much fun - not! Was considering it but you just put me off it."

There is no doubt that a solid Yoga practice is hard work.    You sweat, you strain, you are uncomfortable,  you are sore the next day.    The results of strength, flexibility, stamina and good feelings are worth it.    Once you are past the first trials of learning about Yoga,  the basic asanas ,  breathing and learning your own strengths and limitations,  it is a wonderful thing.      You do not have to be 100 pounds an an ex gymnast.      You have to be committed to improving yourself as the practice is within yourself.  

Well good day and Namaste.

How Sick can this get.. Pill that increases up to 100X in your stomach.

  I heard this about 5 times on the radio the other day while on a long drive.    It was an ad for a pill that expands up to 100x its size in your stomach.    This way you eat less.    I find this hard to swallow (pun intended) .  Have we  gotten so low that we cannot control our weight without something like this?        Oh well.   Rant for the day over..

Chocolate Peanut Butter - Banana Smoothie ala Leigh Ann (Vegan)

Inspired by one of my Yoga teachers who gave me the base recipe that I tweaked a bit.

1 cup of soy milk
1/4 cup raspberries
1 banana
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa (or hot chocolate mix but then it is not vegan and sweeter)
1 tsp flax seeds
1 tbs  peanut butter  -  either smooth or crunchy.  With crunchy you get nice PB bombs :)


Sort of like a fine wine with great hints of peanut butter.  

The raspberries make it a nice purple color but you do get seeds from them.

Spicy Zucchini and Tomato Curry and Raijta Recipes - Vegetarian and/or Vegan

Spicy from chillies, sweet from raisins, protein from nuts., lots of good veggies..   takes about 30 minutes to prepare.

Raijta  (let sit for 1 hour before eating)

½ Cup of Non Fat Greek Yogurt  (or plain soy yogurt if vegan)

4 inches of cucumber cut into small pieces

¼ of a pepper cut into small Pieces

1 baby carrot sliced very thin

A little cilantro

Mix above with a pinch of salt.  
 

Curry

Use a heavy somewhat deep frying pan 

1 Medium Onion

1 Large Tomato

2 medium zucchinis

1 inch Fresh Ginger or equivalent Powder

2 Cloves Garlic

1 Tsp. – Cumin Seeds

1 Tsp. – Coriander Seeds crushed

1 tsp. – Turmeric   (bright yellow)

1 tsp. -  Mustard Seeds  (tiny black ones) 

5 cloves

1 tsp. – Garam Masala  (red powder that looks smells a bit like cinnamon)

1/4 cup raisins

1/3 cup cashews or peanuts 

Jalapeno or other chili pepper  to suit 

Salt to suit 

1 cup water or veggie stock

Olive Oil

Cut onion and tomato up into small pieces

Mince Garlic, Chili Pepper and Ginger

Cut up  zucchini into quarter then about 1 inch in lengths so they are chunks and not slices

Put oil into pan coating bottom and heat on medium

Add Cumin,  Cloves, Coriander and Mustard. 

When Mustard Starts Popping  add in Onions,  Garlic, Chili and Ginger

Fry until onions are somewhat translucent

Add tomatoes and salt and cook for 3 minutes

Add in zucchini,   water (or stock) and turmeric.   Mix well

Cook until zucchini are almost done

Add in Raisins and Cashews/Peanuts

Cook another 3 minutes

Add in Garam Masala

Service with Basmati Rice and Raijta