December 19, 2011 ONE YOGA Class " Me and my Bolster"
Tonight's class focused primarily on floor work utilizing the bolster to promote lumbar-sacral proper movement and stability!
I reintroduced the "Buddha's Breath", 4-7-8, while we sat in a comfortable seated position.
Then we worked supine, laying with the bolster running from Lumbar 5 through the thoracic vertebra up to the cervical spine. The sacral base was placed on the mat, thus the lumbar sacral junction was supported in its proper kyphotic curve.
Utilizing Rotatory stretches, we opened up the hips, shoulders, and lengthened the spine. Interspersed with these stretches, we worked the core with spinal flexion - forward bends.
Taking turns lying on each side, we explored side bending stretches. Then, we lay on our bellies, pelvis on the mat, chest and abdomen on the bolster; in supported cobra. Various cobra poses were explored deeply.
Prior to the final relaxation, we moved through a progression of bridge poses.
The final relaxation explored the use of breath to revitalize the tissues of the body during inhalation and releasing tension, strain patterns, metabolic and inflammatory mediators. Deep repose was experienced by the class and restorative peace was shared throughout the room.
Happy Holidays 2011.
The final ONE YOGA Class of 2011 will be next week, Dec. 26, 2011 www.drerskine.com
Monday, December 19, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
ONE YOGA Dec 12, 2011
Last week's blog seems to have vanished!
I will keep it brief tonight, to confirm that it has been posted. Have you felt like your life is at risk of going topsy turvy with the end of the year holiday activities and responsibilities? Well to counterbalance that tonight, we went from floor to the wall tonight. Imagine that the wall was the floor and then we moved through the evening from that perspective. Opening up the shoulders, upper extremities, and the neck, we did lots of rotatory stretches tonight, coupled with deep forward folds in a restorative fashion, holding the fold, breathing and letting go.
Deep final relaxation going deeper and exploring harmony, balance, and repose.
Best wishes to you and stay healthy!
Yusuf Quddus Erskine DO
I will keep it brief tonight, to confirm that it has been posted. Have you felt like your life is at risk of going topsy turvy with the end of the year holiday activities and responsibilities? Well to counterbalance that tonight, we went from floor to the wall tonight. Imagine that the wall was the floor and then we moved through the evening from that perspective. Opening up the shoulders, upper extremities, and the neck, we did lots of rotatory stretches tonight, coupled with deep forward folds in a restorative fashion, holding the fold, breathing and letting go.
Deep final relaxation going deeper and exploring harmony, balance, and repose.
Best wishes to you and stay healthy!
Yusuf Quddus Erskine DO
Monday, December 5, 2011
Dec 5, 2011 SUPIINE YOGA CLASS -ONE YOGA
www.drerskine.com Greetings!
(NAMASTE!)
Tonight, the first Monday of December, 2011, I focused on presenting a supine class of ONE YOGA. Lying on our backs, we worked progressively through hip and lumbar rotations, limbering our bodies from the tips of our toes to the tips of our fingers. Building on our previous stretch, we progressively unfolded our bodies, utilizing restorative holdings of the postures as we breath, deeply, and rhythmically. Interspersed, we incorporated flexion and extension poses as appropriate.
But first, we started with a presentation/ sharing on the "Buddha's Breath", otherwise known as the 4-7-8 breath. Intended to restore balance to the autonomic nervous system, by dampening the overstimulated sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) and promoting the parasympathetic nervous system (the mellow state promoting metabolic health).
Buddha's Breath Instructions
-Inhale through the nostrils to a count of 4.
-Hold the breath through a count of 7, ideally with the tongue resting on the palate just behind the front teeth.
-Exhale through your open rounded mouth, through a count of 8.
- Repeat the sequence for 4 breaths.
You may repeat the sequence initially, up to four times a day.
Ideal to calm the mind before going to sleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night. Also to calm yourself before a stressful activity.
More information on the Buddha's Breath is available in the book, Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom by Rick Hanson.
Good Health!
Yusuf Quddus Erskine DO
(NAMASTE!)
Tonight, the first Monday of December, 2011, I focused on presenting a supine class of ONE YOGA. Lying on our backs, we worked progressively through hip and lumbar rotations, limbering our bodies from the tips of our toes to the tips of our fingers. Building on our previous stretch, we progressively unfolded our bodies, utilizing restorative holdings of the postures as we breath, deeply, and rhythmically. Interspersed, we incorporated flexion and extension poses as appropriate.
But first, we started with a presentation/ sharing on the "Buddha's Breath", otherwise known as the 4-7-8 breath. Intended to restore balance to the autonomic nervous system, by dampening the overstimulated sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) and promoting the parasympathetic nervous system (the mellow state promoting metabolic health).
Buddha's Breath Instructions
-Inhale through the nostrils to a count of 4.
-Hold the breath through a count of 7, ideally with the tongue resting on the palate just behind the front teeth.
-Exhale through your open rounded mouth, through a count of 8.
- Repeat the sequence for 4 breaths.
You may repeat the sequence initially, up to four times a day.
Ideal to calm the mind before going to sleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night. Also to calm yourself before a stressful activity.
More information on the Buddha's Breath is available in the book, Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom by Rick Hanson.
Good Health!
Yusuf Quddus Erskine DO
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