The Best Ways For Couples To Bond Using Yoga

The world we live in today is hectic, to say the least. Relationships can be ruined in a heartbeat. To really connect and form a loving bond with your partner, try yoga for couples. In moments when you feel the love is seeping out of your relationship; try this method called "double heart glazing."

Sit in a meditative pose facing your partner. Make sure your knees are touching and then reach out and place your right hand over your partner's heart. Your partner should mirror each move you do. Gaze intently into your partners eyes and look deeply as if to see into their soul. Feel the love flowing as you cover your partner's right hand with your left. The energy should flow between you now, from your hands into their heart and back again in a never ending circle. The sensation you should feel will be like an electrical humming. Close your eyes and meditate on the love you feel for each other.

While performing postures and exercises with your partner, you will feel a deeper connection. One such exercise that highlights this is a tender massaging of the back muscles. Your partner starts by kneeling on the floor, with their head tucked down. Their head should be close to the top of their knees. The elbows should rest on either side of the head with the palms resting on the floor.

Standing just behind your partners feet, place your hands on either side of their spine, around the kidney area. From here, you gently walk your hands up the back of the neck area. Do a gentle massage of the neck area and then walk the hands down the spine to the kidney area again. Remember to use gentle pressure and not to push on the spine. You only want to massage the muscles on the outside of the spine. You can now switch places and have your partner return the gentle massage to you.

After completing this pose, you can move right into another couple pose. Remain in the same position. Only this time, you will move your arms so that they are stretched out in front of you. Your partner moves around to the front and you gently put your hands on the ankles/heels of their feet. Your arms should now be fully extended. Your partner leans forward into a pose called the "downward dog." From here, their hands move to your hips the palms gently gripping the hips.

The purpose of this couple pose is for your partner to gently push down on your hips which will help to lengthen and straighten your spine. Your movement of holding the backs of the ankles, will, in turn, help your partner's hamstrings to be lengthened. Strong flexible hamstrings are very important. While performing this couple pose, remember your breathing. Deep breathe in and release. After performing this pose, you may switch places.

Another fun pose for couples has the larger partner lying on the floor. The legs are extended up straight so that the feet can be used for a small table top. The smaller partner, then positions themselves so that their hips are laying on the partners feet and then dangles straight down. The larger partner is now supporting all the weight of the smaller partner, which is a great bodyweight exercise for the legs. While the smaller partner is hanging down, their face should be opposite their partners knees and the hands rest on the larger partnerships.

The benefit to the smaller partner is this is an inversion exercise and the blood is headed to the brain. As well, this exercise will release any tight muscles in the back. Practice proper breathing with this exercise. These two poses are only a few that are available to you and your partner. Spending time together, exercising and meditating together can only strengthen your relationship.

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6 Surprising Health Benefits of Yoga

Yoga is an ideal exercise to body and mind. Practicing yoga offers a number of health benefits including healthy and strong body, peace of mind, increased focus & concentration, etc. Yoga has its significance since ancient times. And, it is true that Yoga has helped many of us to live calm and peaceful lives.

Here are some useful health benefits of Yoga, illustrating why you should include Yoga in your everyday routine:

Builds Muscle Strength & Increases Flexibility

Practicing this exercise strengthens your body muscles and increases flexibility. A flexible body is less prone to back pains and corrects the posture as well. And, the strong muscles help prevention of arthritis, and other such diseases.

Improves Blood Circulation

The relaxation exercises in yoga increase blood circulation and heart rate. The increase in heart rate lowers the risk of heart attack and the increase in blood flow boosts levels of hemoglobin that prevents anemia.

Lowers Blood Sugar Levels

Yoga reduces hypertension and lowers down the blood sugar levels. It helps in lowering LDH cholesterol and also boosts your immune system functionality.

Relaxes Your Mind & Body

The exercise helps you relax your body and mind. It helps you control your breath and has a calming & soothing effect on your body. Also, practicing different Yoga techniques will keep you fresh.

Improves Focus & Concentration

If you are not able to focus on work and other day-to-day activities, then Yoga is the ideal solution for you. Practicing different Yoga techniques will help in improving your focus and concentration. You will be able to perform better at work and feel good.

Boosts Self-Confidence & Self Esteem

It helps you realize your true worth. Practicing Yoga regularly inculcates better health and improves physique as well, which indirectly increases your self-confidence and self-esteem.

Why You Should Practice Yoga

It is a valuable exercise that helps you live life with peace and love. Yoga needs continued practice and you can very easily find a number of Yoga learning centers near you. These learning centers teach you different Yoga techniques that you can practice on your own as well. Researchers say that practicing Yoga for fifteen minutes daily can keep you away from many diseases. A Yoga session in the morning everyday will keep you energetic for the whole day and also helps you concentrate on work. It is scientifically proven that this therapy helps you accomplish set goals and gives a positive approach to your life.

How to Prepare for Your Yoga Session

This is the most common question in the minds of Yoga enthusiasts, especially newbies. Here are some tips to preparing for Yoga session:

• Open mind 

• Avoid eating 2-3 hours before the class 

• Well-Fitted & Comfortable Attires 

• Bare Foot

Incorporating Yoga to your everyday routine will bring a number of noticeable positive changes in you. Practicing Yoga with dedication will help you keep calm, relaxed, and happy all throughout the day. Moreover, it also helps in maintaining a slim and perfectly contoured body.

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The 24 Hour Yoga Practice

As a teacher with many years of experience I'm used to hearing some of the same questions from students over and over again: "How often should I practice yoga?" or, "How long will I have to practice before I can master (insert challenging pose here)?" Those of us who have been practicing yoga for a while know that there are no hard and fast answers to these questions. When I offer a response that encourages students to practice yoga daily, even if for just a short practice, I either get a worried look that roughly translates into, "What did I get myself into by starting yoga?" or a list of excuses why daily practice is impossible.

I understand the difficulty of finding time to practice yoga daily. Rather than argue with each individual about where yoga should fit into a priority list, making the case for daily practice, I'd like to offer an alternative - a way to make yoga as much a part of daily life as your other regular habits. Before you know it the world may be your yoga studio. Welcome to the 24 Hour Yoga Practice!

You've just awakened but haven't gotten out of bed yet:

Take a full body stretch. Lengthen your arms overhead, press out through your heels to stretch your legs. Let your shoulders relax down your back and away from your ears as you stretch. Then, come to your knees and sit your hips back toward your heels coming into Bala Sana or child's pose. Extend your arms in front of you with palms resting on the bed, again stretching the arms while keeping your shoulders on your back. Press into your hands and keep your arm bones lifted as you lengthen your entire spine in this pose.

Instead of reaching for donuts and coffee in the break room:

Practice Warrior II pose for a mid-morning boost of strength, stability, and stamina. Instead of the inevitable sugar rush/crash of a coffee break, this pose will keep you riding high for the rest of your day. Practice the pose on both sides holding for several breaths. Allow your shoulders to relax down your back as your arms lengthen away in both directions. Engage the muscles of your inner thighs by doing the action of dragging your feet towards each other while maintaining your stance.

While waiting (for a meeting to start, in the doctor's waiting room, etc.):

Our days inevitably will contain stressful situations. No one wants to face the boss to explain why last quarter's numbers look so crummy or to head to the doctor's office for a physical. Waiting for these stressful encounters to take place can heighten our fears and anxiety about the actual event. It is also a perfect opportunity to practice pranayama (breathing) techniques. In order to allow your body and mind to relax try taking an inhale for a count of 4 and an exhale for a count of 8. By elongating your exhale you'll activate your parasympathetic nervous system and you'll counteract your body's own fight or flight reactions.

Instead of watching TV after dinner:

Get up and go to a yoga studio and take a class! OK, you're tired tonight and the latest of your favorite show are on TV. No worries. During the commercials, mute the sound and practice sun salutations. This full body sequence is a terrific cardiovascular and strength workout and will turn couch potatoes into "spud studs" in no time.

Before bed:

As your body prepares for sleep it is the ideal time to practice restorative yoga poses such as supported bridge pose. Ideally, you should turn off the TV and limit other distractions for at least an hour before bedtime. Try turning on some soothing music, lighting a lavender scented candle, and adjusting the lighting in your home to promote relaxation and repose. Then practice the restorative poses of your choice. Supported bridge pose can be done easily by bringing the body into bridge pose and then placing a yoga block under the sacrum. This is a terrific passive stretch for the front of the body and is a wonderful pose in which to the close the eyes, deepen the breath, and prepare for sleep.

Try some of these ideas as a way to make yoga part of your everyday routine. You may find that you enjoy yoga so much that you'll yearn for the next time you have a few moments of downtime to check in with your practice. As with most everything in life, your yoga practice will grow and flourish as a direct relation to the amount of time and energy you put into it. So if you'd like to find yourself doing an advanced pose, taking a more challenging class, or having the stamina to take a weekend workshop or retreat -- plant the seeds of yoga during the "downtime" in your day. You'll be excited with the results!

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