Wellness Haven Yoga

Author: Umang Goel

  • Simple Stretches For Everyone

    Simple Stretches For Everyone

    Simple Stretches For Everyone

    There are many who come to Wellness Haven wondering if they will be able to start exercising their bodies that they have not done in years. When we introduce them to our Gentle Yoga Class, they are left happily surprised at how 1 hour of exercising leaves them exhilarated and  happily wondering how the one hour went by so fast! To learn more about these classes: https://btb.poy.temporary.site/wellness-haven-yoga-classes/

    As I was working one on one with one of our students Susan, I asked her which were some of the exercises she would like a little extra help on  and she was happy to let me take pictures and video as well.

    Please keep stretching for the body needs these stretches on a daily basis in order to stay healthy.

    Some of the simple exercises are as follows:

    Simple Stretches
    Restorative Bound Angle Pose against the Wall, with Blankets and Cushions for support.
    Simple Stretches
    Restorative Leg Stretch against the Wall, with Blankets and Cushions for support.

     

    Simple Stretches
    Restorative Leg Stretch against the Wall, with Blankets and Cushions for support.
    Simple Stretches
    Restorative Hero Pose on a Block, with Blankets and Cushions for support.
    Simple Stretches
    Restorative Sitting Bound Angle Pose with Arm and Shoulder Stretch, with blankets and cushions for support.
    Simple Stretches
    Restorative Seated forward Fold in Staff Pose, with wedge, blankets and cushions for support.
    Restorative Seated forward Fold in Staff Pose, with wedge, blankets and cushions for support.
    Restorative Seated forward Fold in Staff Pose, with wedge, blankets and cushions for support.
    Simple Stretches
    Restorative Seated Arm and Shoulder Stretch with wedge, blankets and cushions for support.
    Simple Stretches
    Restorative Seated Twist with Blankets and Cushions for support.
    Simple Stretches
    Restorative Puppy Pose, with blankets for support.

    We would love to read your comments below. Please remember to share your joy with others.

  • Correcting Your Posture

    Correcting Your Posture

    Correct Your Posture With Yoga

    Posture is critical to a healthy human. You may ask, “Why?”

    We have all grown up being admonished at some point or another about our posture. Posture is the body’s correct alignment and positioning of muscles, ligaments and joints with respect to the gravitational force in all body positions, whether it is standing, sitting or lying down, so that the body remains in perfect balance, and no part is stressed.  When body is correctly balanced and positioned, it is at ease. When posture is good and you use your weight distribution correctly every action the body takes – walking, sitting, running, jumping, skipping, hiking or anything else –  is also in harmony. The spine functions well, the internal organs function optimally and there is an overall feeling of well-being in the entire body.

    We work with your posture in all Wellness Haven Yoga Classes: https://btb.poy.temporary.site/wellness-haven-yoga-classes/

    Benefits of a good posture are manifolds:

    1. It boosts confidence as with correct posture you look taller, slimmer and more radiant; your clothes fit much better.
    Those who practice yoga regularly are noticed by others as having a yogic stance.

    2.  It makes breathing easier, deeper,longer and smoother.
    Those who practice yoga and pranayama regularly experience this impact.

    3. It boosts the digestive and the circulatory system by keeping the internal organs healthy and without improper compression.
    Those who practice yoga regularly notice a difference in their abdominal, and improvement in their digestive problems like constipation and acid reflux.

    4. It supports your muscles and joints through proper alignment and keeps the spine healthy.
    Those who learn yoga under proper guidance learn to align their muscles and joints. This helps them stay away from body aches and pains, especially arthritis, joint pain, sciatica, due to misalignment of the spine. It prevents muscle fatigue. This is especially helpful to those who sit at office desk for hours at a time

    5. It supports a healthy mind.
    Those who practice yoga, pranayama, and meditation regularly and keep a good  posture keep depression, anxiety, feelings of panic at bay. They develop an open and flexible mine that encourages perspectives that are positive and balanced creating a healthier and happier lifestyle.

    Practice yoga, Breathing and Meditation regularly. Maintain a proper posture. Eat well. Sleep well. That is all one  needs for a joyful life for these open up the mind to the other aspects to a happy life.

    We would love to read your comments below. Please remember to share your joy with others.

  • Extended Puppy Pose

    Extended Puppy Pose

    Extended Puppy Pose / Uttana Shishosana

    Extended Puppy Pose / Uttana Shishosana or  Melting Heart Pose can be done either from a Child’s Pose or from a Downward dog Pose and is very effective in stretching the spine in either of the 2 variations.

    To learn more about these classes: https://btb.poy.temporary.site/wellness-haven-yoga-classes/

    Benefits:

    Extended Puppy Pose is very therapeutic as it Stretches and Releases the tension in the:

    • spine
    • shoulders
    • upper back
    • arms
    • and legs in the Downward Dog variation

    Extended Puppy Pose Step-By-Step

           1. Start with Table Top Pose for either of the 2 variations: Child’s Pose or Downward Dog 

    • Arms shoulder-width-distance-apart
    • Wrists under shoulders
    • Knees under hips
    • Tops of feet on the ground, Ankles stretched on the mat (instead of toes curling under)
    • Feet in line with the knees

      2. Child’s Pose Variation

    extendend-puppy-pose

    • Walk out both hands in front of you
    • Gradually the chest will be released towards the mat
    • Hips remain over the knees and high up towards the ceiling
    • Gently release forehead to the mat
    • Spine is long
    • Arms are long and engaged. Activate both arms as you press into the palms and palms on the mat, keeping the elbows and forearms away from the mat, armpits are stretched, fingers spread out.
    • Relax the shoulders are away from the ears
    • Keep your neck relaxed
    • Spine is lengthened in both directions
    • Stay in this pose for 5 to 10 breath counts or longer for continued stretch according to your ability.
    • To come out of the pose, gently lift your head, walk your palms back towards your body and back into tabletop position.

        3. Downward Dog Variation

    • From Table top Pose, curl your toes, raise your knees and stretch back into Downward Dog
    • Stretch your feet outwards to create some distance between the feet
    • Stretch your arms further forward, but keeping the hip back (Do not walk your hip forward)

    Caution

    • As with any exercise, please consult your doctor before trying any pose.
    • Listen to your body at all times. You are your own body’s best judge.
    • Use props wherever needed such a a cushion or a blanket or a block
    • If you experience any discomfort, release from the pose slowly taking your time.

    Again exercise should always be done with caution and under the guidance of a teacher.

     

    We would love to read your comments below. Please share your joy with others.

  • Can I Do Yoga?

    Can I Do Yoga?

    Can I Do Yoga?

     

    The word ‘yoga’ has become very widely known in the recent times, and rightly so for its innumerable benefits.

    Many are wondering and questioning, “Can I do yoga?” and my response is “Yes, you can!”

    Yoga is not about being in a pose, but it is about being with yourself, being you, taking care of you by tuning in to your inner being. We are all in yoga 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for yoga is how we conduct our life. A true yogi is someone who consciously takes care by being in the present moment. Being in the present moment involves giving what you are doing 100% attention.

    Yoga Asanas or Poses is just one of the limbs of yoga. This limb simply means taking care of your physical being through exercising the body parts in such a way that the whole body is exercised inside-out, and not just the big muscle groups as many seem to think. Exercising the body inside-out can begin with basic simple stretching, strengthening, balancing and stamina building exercises.

    At Wellness Haven Yoga, we have created yoga classes for every individual who wants to get healthy in their body as well as their mind.
    Our Gentle Yoga Class is for such an individual who wants to do yoga asanas, even though they have not spent much time in any type of exercise, and the most they may have done is walk. Within a month our students of Gentle Yoga see results they were hoping for.
    Our Bliss Yoga Class is for individuals who are tired after a day’s work or simply stressed out for one reason or another. Students are completely RELAXED in this class and much more capable of handling their life situations after this rest.

    Want to know more about these classes? https://btb.poy.temporary.site/wellness-haven-yoga-classes/

    We would love to read your comments below. Please do not forget to share your joy with others.

  • Not Losing Weight!

    Not Losing Weight!

    Exercising Regularly And Eating Right But Not Losing Weight!

    “I am exercising regularly, and I am eating right, but I am not losing weight!”

    Some of you will relate to the above statement.

    Here are the top few reasons that you may not be losing weight:

    1. You may not be having all the ingredients needed in your exercise routine to lose the fat weight in your body:
    • Are you getting your internal organs completely massaged though yoga asanas 5-6 days a week, so that internal body is functioning its optimal best?
    • Are you building flexibility in your body through the yoga asanas so that all your muscles and ligaments are stretched to build up an optimal circulatory system, a healthy nervous system, an optimally functioning endocrine system, as well as healthy muscular system, lymphatic system, the digestive system? No other exercise does your body good the way a wholesome yoga asana practice does by working you from head to toe.
    • Are you building strength through yoga asanas that work with your own body’s resistance as well as low weights to build up your muscles?
    • Are you building balance through yoga asanas that provide you the very best support through all sorts of props?
    • Are you able to do a combination of yoga asana practice – from the beginner practice to an intermediate level where even the static poses works up your heart rate (which is very much needed for a wholesome practice)?
    • Remember that if you are not able to work up your heart rate quite yet because you do not have the flexibility, strength or stamina to be in asanas that get your heart rate up, then you need to invest time in brisk walking and hiking as well.
    1. You may not be getting quality sleep or the number of hours your body may need:
    • Sleep deprivation affects your metabolism and appetite.
    • Sleep deprivation affects your mood, contributes to stress and impacts the cortisol/fat impacting hormone.
    1. You are leading a stressful life:
    • Constant stress leads to increase in cortisol that leads to increased appetite and increased abdominal fat as well.
    1. You are not eating right, because you are confused about:
    • What you eat
    • When you eat
    • How you eat
    • Where you eat
    • How do you shop for food
    1. You are not tracking your muscle mass and fat percentage:
    • Women lose approximately 1% muscle mass every year after 25-30 years if they do not exercise, continue to eat what they ate when they were younger and are doing nothing different to burn calories.
    • Stick to a daily exercise routine and a healthy eating routine, change your lifestyle and there is no way you will not only feel healthier from within but also start glowing.
    • You are not tracking your eating
    • You over-indulge on vacation, holidays, parties
    • You have become an emotional eater who feels rewarded through eating
    1. You are impatient:
    • You have not given yourself the time your body needs to feel and look better. After all you have spent all these years not taking care of you; how do you expect to achieve results in a few days?
    • Remember that each person is different for each person has a different metabolism, and a different body type. Kapha body types cannot be thin Barbie dolls and still be healthy! Be patient and honor your own body type. The goal should not be to be thin but to be healthy.
    1. You may have a medical condition like the issues relate with thyroid:
    • Thyroid deficiency can decrease your metabolic activity and lead to weight gain. Besides checking with your doctor for thyroid related issues, indulge in yoga asanas especially for thyroids.
    • Find out from your doctor if you have any medical condition affecting your metabolism and weight gain.
    1. You have reached a plateau:
    • If you are trying to lose pounds and you have not budged for 4 weeks in a row, you have reached a plateau.
    • A healthy and wholesome yoga practice should come with different sequences to keep the body challenged.
    • If you are not eating enough of the right food before you exercise, you will not have enough fuel to burn the fat and will act negatively in your goal to lose weight.
    1. You do not have a daily Pranayama/Breathing practice and Meditation practice to keep you calm, relaxed and at peace:
    • Just like we eat every day, we need to exercise our lungs every day.
    • We need a daily meditation practice to create a peaceful mind that is relaxed even when presented with life events that puts one out of balance temporarily.

    10. You are at optimal weight and fat percentage for your body:

    • Not everyone needs to have a slim figure.
    • Not everyone needs to lose weight.
    • What you do need is to be HEALTHY: Exercise regularly, Eat right for your body type, Sleep well, remain Stress Free. And that is it!

    At Wellness Haven you get to be healthy and wholesome:

    1. A wholesome Yoga Asana practice suitable for your body.
    2. A wholesome Nutrition Program that takes care of your body.
    3. A wholesome Breathing and meditation practice that takes care of your lungs and your mind.

    Spend 3 months with us and see how healthy and wholesome you feel. What are you waiting for?

    We would love to hear from you in the comments below. And please share your joy with others as well.

  • Laughter Yoga

    Laughter Yoga

    Laughter Yoga

    “The more you laugh, HA HA HA HA!
    The more you fill with glee, HA HA HA!
    And the more the glee, HA HA HA HA!
    The more we’re a merrier we! HA HA HA!” ~ Mary Poppins & friends

    Laughter is contagious.
    Laughter is an instant vacation.
    We choose to laugh at Wellness Haven.
    Those who can laugh instantly are free.
    What starts off as simulated belly laughter has the ability to become a full belly laughter.

    Benefits of Laughter Yoga:

    1. Physical
    -Flushes whole body with oxygen
    -Decreases stress hormones (cortisol & epinephrine)
    -Boosts immune system (including Natural Killer (NK) cells)
    -Releases endorphins (natural pain relief)
    -Massages internal organs
    -Is a great workout for the heart and belly!

    2. Emotional
    -Cultivates playfulness
    -Supports positive emotions (contentment, optimism, equanimity)
    -Creates joyful connection with others
    -Enables you to laugh more easily at life’s travails

    3. Mental
    -Gets you out of the spinning mind
    -Loosens fixed identities
    -Cultivates insights into non-dualism and “no self”

    History of Laughter Yoga:
    In March of 1995, a medical doctor in Mumbai, India named Dr. Madan Kataria set out to write an article entitled “Laughter– The Best Medicine” for a local health journal. Discovering a wealth of evidence documenting the benefits of laughter on the human mind and body, Dr. Kataria went to a local park and recruited four people to join him in a morning laugh. The first laughter club was born. The movement has since grown exponentially, with over 6,000 clubs in more than 65 countries.

    At Wellness Haven we end every class with Laughter Yoga.  https://btb.poy.temporary.site/wellness-haven-yoga-classes/

    We would love to see your comments below. Please do not forget to share your joy with others.

  • Health Matters

    Health Matters

    Health Matters

    How unfortunate it is that it takes a drastic life event for people to start taking a deeper look at what is keeping them in a dis-eased state of being. People are investing a lot of money in food they do not need, drinks that is doing nothing towards their health, clothes and shoes that are simply going on top of already overflowing closet…and so called “friends” who are draining their energy!

    The mind controls it all and yet for many it remains in a state of chaos – unfulfilled and deprived, and without clarity.

    Instead of investing in health in its every aspect, so that it keeps one joyfully alive, people rather spend their hard earned money on things that do not really serve and buying medicine to “cure” the dis-eased state of being.

    Students come to us and tell us how unsatisfactory the short term benefit was from going to the physical therapist and how much money it had cost. And yet just 10 sessions at Wellness Haven Yoga had already made a world of difference to them.

    A conversation from this morning with 3 students gathered together:
    One with a kidney transplant
    One with high blood pressure and osteoporosis
    One with an auto-immune disease

    All three had come in dissatisfied with their current state of affairs – through a local fitness membership with gym equipment, their regime with the physical therapist, or the medicine given by their doctors. Now all three are enjoying better health through Wellness Haven Gentle Yoga Class where every part of their body is being taken care of taking them towards better health.

    At Wellness Haven, we communicate with you to understand your current state of being and we provide you with our undivided attention through Breathing and Meditation practices, Yoga Asanas, Nutritional Guidance so that you can start leading a fulfilled life. If you are facing an injury that your doctor has done all that they could and you are still in pain with no alternative, Wellness Haven Gentle Yoga or 1 on 1 session at Wellness Haven Yoga is what you may need. Always check with your doctors first.

    Which type of class would you like to begin with? https://btb.poy.temporary.site/wellness-haven-yoga-classes/

    Don’t wait for medical conditions to strike. Don’t invest in things and places that will simply waste your money and time. Take charge of your life, for you are worth it.

    We would love to read your comments below. Please remember to share your joy with others.

  • Meditation – An Answer To Chaos

    Meditation – An Answer To Chaos

    Meditation – An Answer To Chaos

    When I read the article about the movie, “The Connection – Mind Your Body,” I knew I had to share this with everyone.

    Meditation is not quite what many may think. It is not that you have to sit in front of a candle and concentrate hard to empty your mind! It is about awareness. It is about finding the gap between your thoughts. It is about resting the mind so that it can be peaceful, creative and progressive. It is about finding yourself.

    Here is an extract from the article:

    “There’s a 1 in 2 chance you’ll end up with a chronic illness.

    It’s likely you know someone, or you are someone who is sick.

    At 24 years old filmmaker Shannon Harvey was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. Her immune system had become hyperactive and was attacking normal, healthy tissues. Her muscles and joints were inflamed and she was told if her disease progressed she could end up with organ failure, or wheelchair bound. In search of a cure, Shannon tried everything from drugs to alternative therapies and everything in between. But she was still sick. There was one thing she did know. When she was stressed, she got worse and with a background in journalism, Shannon sought answers in pioneering science. On her journey to getting better, Shannon realized that in order to change her health she needed to change her mind.

    The Connection is a film about how frontier research is proving that there is a direct connection between your mind and your health.

    The film features scientists, researchers, writers and doctors, as well as remarkable true stories of people adding mind body medicine to their healing toolkit to recover from severe back pain, heart disease, infertility, cancer and multiple sclerosis. While the science is complex, the solutions for people suffering with illness are astonishingly simple. The film shows that we can counter the harmful affects of stress with an equally powerful relaxation response triggered through specific techniques such as meditation. It shows that emotions can impact the course of an illness for better or for worse and could even be the difference between life and death. The film explains the mechanisms behind belief, which scientists now know contributes 30 to 50 percent of the effect of any known biological cure and explores how scientists at the cutting edge are now learning that the mind can even influence the expression of genes and the rate at which we age.

    This is a film for people who have tried everything. It offers answers and proves that you can change your mind, change your health and change your life.”

    “We have more say in our own health than even our doctors.”
    Jon Kabat Zinn, Ph.D.
    Founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

    At Wellness Haven, our philosophy is that health begins with AWARENESS. Awareness begins with calming the mind. This can happen only when one gives priority to Self care. Self care means giving time to the self, that is finding yourself worthy of attention and devoting a part of your daily life to keeping your mind in good health. We have a class just for this purpose, where we teach you valuable breathing techniques, Breath Meditation and Mantra Meditation.

    Take charge of your life for you are the only one who can.

    We would love to read your comments below. And please remember to share your joy with others.

     

  • Blessed At Wellness Haven Yoga

    Blessed At Wellness Haven Yoga

    Blessed

    At Wellness Haven Yoga School we are very blessed to have the most positive, joyful, progressive, compassionate and kind people who come to us and become a part of our amazing community, a family of people who care and share and learn and progress together.

    This is only because we encourage and support such holistic behavior, for we truly follow the 8 limbs of yoga.  We are not just any yoga studio where one comes in for exercise and goes. We are a FAMILY. We have similar life philosophies, same wholesome attitudes.

    This is very beautifully expressed in the quote by Will Smith:
    “Don’t chase people. Be yourself, do your own thing, and work hard. The right people -the ones who really belong in your life-will come to you. And stay. ”

    We would love to read your comments below. And please remember to share your joy with others.

  • A Healthier Lifestyle

    A Healthier Lifestyle

    A Healthier Lifestyle

     

    A key aspect of any nutrition program should be to keep one healthy and not starving or depleted or in misery!

    At Wellness Haven we believe in gradually changing our lifestyle so that we are on a healthy path. We do not believe in yo-yo behavior patterns that actually destroy the lifestyle for the worse and not better.

    We also believe that “losing body weight” is simply a byproduct of changing to a healthy lifestyle and is not the soul purpose of the program. Over the long run changes in eating habits is what makes the most difference. Our students realize this, experience this and tell us that they feel lighter in both body and mind, that they have to change over to smaller size clothes, their yoga forms have improved, their families are eating healthier, many physical issues have disappeared, no more acidity or heart burns or feelings of being bloated, no more headaches, change to positive and healthy thinking, and in general are much more joyful.

    We believe that all three aspects of life need to come together for a joyful and peaceful human: PHYSICAL aspects through yoga asanas and nutrition and MENTAL and SPIRITUAL aspects through Breathing and Meditation practices.

    What else can you ask for?

    Get back on the healthy life track today for life is meant to be lived peacefully and joyfully. For those who are always concerned about the financial investment in your own body pay attention to:
    1. How ill the body feels when hit because of bad health
    2. How money flows out with hospital visits in spite of health insurance
    3. How the quality of your life suffers whenever in pain
    and
    4. How much money you spend for a few hours or a few days of pleasure when you eat out or buy materials or fly out for vacations.

    We all need to fix our perceptions for therein lies the key to health.

    We would love to read your comments below. Please remember to share your joy with others.

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