 Adho Mukha svanasana is an arm balance, a partial inversion, and a restorative pose. It can be an active pose for stretching and strengthening various regions of the body or a pose we return to for resting during practice.
Below are some benefits of this wonderful pose:
When coming into this pose it's important to keep the hands shoulder distance apart and the feet hip distance apart. Check that the outer sides of the feet are parallel to the sides of the mat. Draw the heals towards the mat, it is perfectly fine if they don't touch the mat - with practice and time this will naturally happen. Bring your awareness to your hands. Are they flat againts the mat? Check that your entire palm is resting firmly into the mat, finger by finger including the thumbs. Think about pushing the mat away from you. Externally rotate your shoulders outwards keeping your arms straight. Bring your gaze to your naval or toward that direction. This posture is known as a resting posture in yoga. Having the head beneath the heart makes this inversion a wonderful, safe, sturdy pose to practice the many benefits listed above. Remember to practice pranayama here, consciously breathing in and out, equal inhalations and exhalations. And above all, don't forget to smile! Anatomical Description of Adho Mukha Svanasana Arms and Shoulders Triceps straighten the elbows. The front (anterior) deltoids lift the shoulders and arms over head. The infra spinatus anterior minor roll the shoulders outwards. The rhomboids and middle trapezius draw the shoulder blades towards the midline. The lower trapezius draws the shoulders away from the neck. Trunk The erector spinae arches the back slightly. The abdominals contract to draw the internal organs inward and flex the trunk. Pelvis and Legs The psoas, pectineus, and sartorius combine to flex the hips and the trunk. The quadriceps straightens the knees stretching the hamstrings, gastrocnemius, soleus muscles. The tensor fascia lata aids in extending the knees and combines with the frontal portion of the gluteus medius and rotates the thighs inwards. The tibialis anterior and extensor halluces draw the top of the foot upward, causing the heel to sink to the ground, thus grounding the pose. Namaste. Lizette References The Key poses of Yoga: Your guide to Functional Anatomy in yoga, by Ray Long Yoga Anatomy, by Leslie Kaminoff Anatomy of Yoga, By Angus and Robertson
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 There are many important skills, duties and responsibilities involved in the role of a yoga teacher. The following section is an outline of the considerations to study when choosing a good yoga teacher:
A good yoga teacher dedicates ones life to yoga – by study, practice and teaching. A good yoga teacher guides the student without too many cues and adjustments. The main focus of yoga practice is uniting the mind, spirit and body through the breath or prana. The teacher commands the room like a conductor conducting an orchestra, with a confident voice that inspires students to work for the 60-90 minutes of the class with passion, clarity, integrity, ease, grace, authenticity, compassion, equanimity and love. Service to others Being a good teacher is very different from being a good practitioner. A good yoga teacher is one who wants to be of service to others, often dedicating ones life to the propagation of a correct yoga practice. Strong personal practice A good yoga teacher has a strong personal practice. Teachers should have a solid relationship with their own practice, so that they understand why they are teaching yoga and what they have to offer. Having a strong personal practice also allows the teacher to relate first handedly to the students experience for example when practicing asana the teacher will know how to adjust a student, or give the right cues to allow the student to achieve the right alignment. Sri Pattabhi Jois writes “Yoga is 99 % practice and 1% theory” Always a student A good yoga teacher must always have a teacher. The reason for this is that the student always remains humble. There is so much to learn in life, it would be very arrogant to say one has reached a ‘know it all’ stage. There is always more to learn, so one should be humble in one's knowledge, and always keep learning, studying with other teachers. Buddhist Philosopher Daisaku Ikeda writes “Without a mentor [teacher] in life, one can easily succumb to folly. Without a mentor [teacher] in life, one can easily become self-centered, capricious and arrogant.” Study To teach something, study is essential. A good yoga teacher spends a large part of their life studying in order to propagate the right teaching of yoga. Kundalini Yogi Bhajan says "If you want to learn something, read about it. If you want to understand something, write about it. If you want to master something, teach it." Personal integrity (Authenticity) A teacher must walk the talk, and be authentic in all aspects of life to be the example for the student. In other words, a teacher should not only be a teacher inside the class room, the teacher must be a teacher outside the classroom as well. There is no denial that the teacher is human and not some supernatural being, so their life does represent that of the human experience. However, the teacher must take responsibility for their actions (specially of what is taught!) to be the example to the student and those in the direct environment of the teacher. On a personal note I feel great appreciation to my teachers who not only guide me in my practice, but also provide great inspiration in the way they carry their life. Each day I determine to be the best possible teacher I can be, guiding my students with the utmost respect and care they deserve. References: Kundalini Research Institute http://www.kundaliniresearchinstitute.org/teachertraining.htm Yogi Times, What I look for in a yoga teacher by Isa Israel http://www.yogitimes.com/article/what-is-a-good-yoga-teacher-choose/#sthash.Fc9Jrn8i.dpuf Ikeda Quotes http://www.ikedaquotes.org/mentor-disciple/mentor-disciple605.html  Today I went out on a special shopping trip… I went to visit a wheatgrass farmer! I bought two trays full of grown green goodness, and a kilo of seeds and a few trays to start growing my own.
You may be wondering why I bought wheatgrass and not a new pair of shoes? But the fact is Wheatgrass is cool, and I will prove to you why. Wheatgrass increases red blood-cell count and lowers blood pressure. It cleanses the blood, organs and gastrointestinal tract of debris. Wheatgrass also stimulates metabolism and the body’s enzyme systems by enriching the blood. It also aids in reducing blood pressure by dilating the blood pathways throughout the body. It stimulates the thyroid gland, correcting obesity, indigestion, and a host of other complaints. Its a magic bullet guys. Chop a handful and throw it in your juicer. Research suguests first thing in the morning when you break-fast gives the best results, but any time is good in my books.Just remember the nutritional content of the grass diminishes every time it grows. There is diferent studies that suguest only using the first sprout, to some that say you can use up to five times. Let me know about your wheatgrassing experience! Lots of love, Lizette x  Ginger has become a family friend in my household. I love its unique spicy – zingy taste. I brew it in an infusion on most winter mornings, or make ginger ice tea in summer, juice it with my veggies (ginger, apple and carrots – hello!) and like cooking with it in my stir fries. Ginger becomes my best friend when I’m battling a cold or overdone it in Bikram and feel nauseous, thanks to its unique healing properties. The healing property of ginger comes from the volatile oils, such as gingerols, that are responsible for its strong taste. The rhizomes from younger ginger plants are generally used for cooking because the older the plant is, the more essential oils are present and the stronger the flavor. Rhizomes from older plants are harvested for medicinal uses. It has been used in Ayurveda for thousands of years thanks to its incredible health benefits. Fresh ginger is used for asthma, coughs, colic, heart palpitations, swellings, dyspepsia, loss of appetite and rheumatism, while the dried root is used to “strengthen” the stomach. Benefits of Ginger
 Ginger is available all year around. If peeled it can stay unrefrigerated for 3 weeks, or you can freeze it and go using it as you please for up to 6 months i.e. grate it, cut parts off etc.
Why not try a cool summer drink, by cooling your brewed ginger tea, with some squeezed lime and a few drops of stevia to sweeten. How do you use ginger? Love, Lizette xx IMPORTANT: If you are taking medications, consult a health practitioner, as all herbs can interact with other medications.  Spirulina is the best present we can give our beautiful bodies. It is considered to be the best supplement, and in my opinion the ONLY supplement we should supply our system with. Spiriluna is a microscopic aquatic plants called blue-green micro algae that have inhabited the earth for several million years. In it’s natural state, Spirulina has been discovered in the lakes and waterways of Africa, Central America and South America and has a huge array of benefits. The Key benefits of Spirulina are:
It also helps in treating and even reversing the following conditions:
Spirulina is particularly useful for:
 Spirulina contains a high amount of protein, vitamins, and minerals. It is about 60-70% protein, which is greater gram for gram than both red meat and soy. It also contains all of the essential amino acids, which makes it a complete protein; this is not very common in plant foods. It contains a large amount of Vitamin B12, which is very difficult to find in other plant foods. Spirulina will be your best buddy, making sure you are nourished and healthy increasing your energy levels, and making your skin glow! I use 100% Organic Spirulina 500mg Tablets by Synergy Natural, and take on average 6 per day (2 tablets 3 times per day). But you can also get Spirulina in powder form and put a few spoonfuls in your smoothies and juices, or sprinkle on your salads, veggies, soups… up to you! Spirulina really works from the inside out! Love, Lizette x  |
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