Going on a Journey

Summer road trips. We have to have them. Go to the beach, the mountains, cousins, grandma's or to that one very special ice cream place that you just have to go to each year.

Luckily, most of our cars have entertainment systems, or kids have video games, tablets, or books to entertain themselves. But what happens when those devices die? Or a child gets car sick (always have throw up bags in your car). In my old car we had an entertainment system so the kids could watch movies. My current car, we have nothing like that. 

So how do we get by in 2020?

We make it work. 

I bring books, ipad, video games and put them in the front of the car and hold out as long as i possibly can before giving them to the kids. 

Then we play as many car games that we can think of. 

- 20 questions

- I spy

- ABC

- State license plate

- I'm going on a journey

When we last played I'm going on a journey we made it through I think 3 rounds before I lost. If you haven't played it is a simple repetitive game that requires short term memory skills.

Don't worry you guys, I wrote you an example using yoga poses!

Come on children it's time to go

On a journey for us to grow

All circled up we’re together

Ready to act and mimic each other. 

One by one we will go around 

Taking turns till we have found

we finished them all, or our memory’s gone

Then we lay down and no longer go on. 

...

[ Vera]I’m going on a journey and I will take

My favorite triangle that I make

[Joe] I’m going on a journey and I will bring

A triangle, and a warrior to warn the king. 

[ Sam]I’m going on a journey and I will have to bear

A triangle, warrior 1, and a half moon in the air

[ teacher] I’m going on a journey and I will lend

A triangle, warrior 1, a half moon, and my best dog friend.

[ Vera]  I’m going on a journey and I’m going to provide

A triangle, warrior 1, half moon, downward dog, and a plank to ride. 

[ Joe] I’m going on a journey and I’m going to insist

A triangle, warrior 1, half moon, downward dog, plank and camel are not missed

[ Sam] I’m going on a journey and I can’t let

A triangle, warrior 1, half moon, downward dog, plank, camel, and bow are forget.

[teacher] I’m going on a journey and I will find

A triangle, warrior 1, half moon, downward dog, plank, camel, bow, and candlestick are all aligned. 

[ Vera] I’m going on a journey and I will see

A triangle, warrior, half moon, downward dog, plank, camel, bow, candlestick and a plow are done with glee. 

[ Joe] I’m going on a journey and I’m bringing the best

Triangle, warrior, half moon, downward dog, plank, camel, bow, candlestick, plow and finally a well deserved rest. 

Emma' s poem

So Emma evidently enjoys that I write  yoga poems, and told me yesterday that she wrote her own and I had to record it. She is so cute . It reminds me why I teach them yoga and why I have been sharing my poems- so my kids can learn in a creative environment and learn how to express themselves in healthy ways.

Then Michael got in on the action. He was enjoying Emma's poem too.

Karnapidasana

Karnapidasana

Ear Pressure Pose/ Deaf man pose

Inverted pose

Key Benefits

• rests trunk heart and legs
• helps circulation of blood round the waistline
• removes backache and flatulence

How to get into Karnapidasana

1. From Salamba Sarvangasana bring the feet to the floor and bend the knees and lower them down to the floor either side of the face, next to the ears. The toes point away from the head; soles of the feet are up, big toes together.
2. Arms either straight behind the body, supporting the back, as in Salamba Sarvangasana, or wrapped around the thing
3. Exhale raise the knees up and be in bent legs feet on the floor.

Key Point

1. Maintain the lift of the trunk and firmness of the spine
2. Move the thighs towards the abdomen so they remain together

Modifications:

• Add a brick under both knees to release pressure on the neck
• Bring toes to a chair and rest toes on a chair. 

Salamba Sarvangasana

Salamba Sarvangasana 1

Supported Whole limbs pose

Inverted pose pose

Key Benefits

• Panacea for most common ailments
• Bathes endocrine organs, ductless glands in blood- thyroid and parathyroid venous blood flows to heard wit h no strain
• Healthy blood circulates around neck and chest, suffering from breathlessness, palpitation, asthma, bronchitis, throat ailments get relief
• Nerves are soothed, headaches disappear
• Eradicates common colds and nasal disturbances
• Hypertension, irritation, shortness of temple  nervous breakdown, insomnia are relieved
• Bowels move freely constipation vanishes, system is freed of toxins one feels full of of energy
• Recommended for urinary disorder,uterine displacement, menstrual troubles, piles and hernia
• Relieve epilepsy, low vitality, anemia
• Feel new vigorous and strength and be happy and confident, new lift will flow to him
• Activates abdominal organs, relieves suffering from stomach and intestinal ulcers, severe pains from abdomens and colitis

How to get into Salamba Sarvangasana

***You need 4 blankets 1 bolster or brick, 1 strap***

1. Lie down with the buttocks on the bolster edge of your setup. Lift the hips, interlock the fingers and roll the shoulders under. Bring the buttocks down on your hands. Press down on the bolster palms and bring the legs over your head toes on the ground, bent legs. Place a belt around your arms, just above the elbows. Adjust the arms again. Bring the feet to your buttocks, then knees to the ceiling, then straighten your legs into Salamba Sarvangasana. 
2. Lower the legs one at a time down to the floor. Remove the belt, press the palms in the back roll out, and bring the legs to the original resting position. Slide off the setup so the tips of your shoulder blades touch the floor. 

Key Point

1. Press the outer shoulders down and move them towards the elbow as you take the shoulder blades in and broaden the chest.
2. Coil and lift the armpit chest  and use the hands to scoop the back flush up
3. Roll the thighs from outside in, take the thighs back and take the tailbone in as you extend  the inner legs to the inner heels. 
4. Lengthen the sides of the chest from the armpits to the hips and compact the outer hips in. 
5. Be sure the extension of the legs reaches the feet  and open the mounds of the toes. 
6. Relax the neck, face and jaw as you look forwards the chest.

Modifications:

• First learn halasana then take one leg up at a time
• If can’t breathe due to large breasts add an extra blanket
• start close to the wall and use the wall to walk the feet up into the pose

Contraindications

• High blood pressure unless first do halasana and stay less than 3 minutes
• cycle

Dandasana

Dandasana

Staff Pose

Seated pose

Key Benefits

• stretches the leg muscles, massages abdominal organs and strengthens the waist muscles
• tones the kidneys and trains one to sit straight with spine erect

How to get into Dandasana

1. Sit on blankets with your legs outstretched. Keep the legs and feet straight and together. Move the flesh out from under the sit bones and keep the sacrum moving into the body.  
2. Straighten the torso and the arms next to the body as you bring the hands next to the sit bones. Press into the blankets  and look forward.

Key Point

1. Press the top center thighs down as you lift the kneecaps into the thighs and stretch the outer knee ligaments. Roll the thighs together and extend from the inner groins out to the inner ankles as you press the toe mounds away from the body.
2. Lengthen the torso towards the ceiling keeping it perpendicular to the ground and bring the shoulder blades together and spread the collarbones and lift the sternum.

Modifications:

• Sit on blankets to keep the tailbone and pelvic floor neutral and low back straight
• Sit on edge of a bench if hamstrings are too tight, and rest feet on the floor, keep the back straight

Salamba Sirsasana

Salamba Sirsasana- best first done with a teacher

Supported Head stand

Inverted pose

Key Benefits

• seat of Brahman the soul, regular practice make s healthy pure blood flow through brain cells, rejuvenates them so that thinning power increases and thoughts become clearer
• tonic for people whose brains tire quicker
• proper blood supply for pituitary and pineal glands
• lungs gain power and resist climate  and stand up to work and relieves one from colds, coughs tonsillitis, halitosis, and palpitations, 
• keeps body warm
• show marked improvement in hemoglobin concentration on blood

How to get into Salamba Sirsasana

1. Interlock the fingers and create a cup with your hands, creating a space between your fingers and your wrist. Place that 2-3 inches away from a wall.
2. Keeping that straighten your legs as in Adho Mukha Svanasana and walk towards the wall moving the shoulder blades away from the ears. 
3. Once you have walked in as close as you can let the crown of your head touch the floor and the back of your head touch the  sides of your thumbs. With the majority of your weight on your forearms. 
4. Swing your legs up one at a time to the wall keeping your feet together. 

Key Point

• A beginner must have the assistance of a friend or do the asana against a wall. While practicing against a wall the distance between it and the head should not be more than 2 or 3 inches
• lift up the sternum so that thee cervical vertebrae are not compressed and weight of the body is not felt on the head
• lift the side ribs up and broaden the chest so that dorsal vertebrae remain concave
• keep the lumbar vertebrae erect so that the abdominal muscles are stretched and a the stomach does not protrude
• keep the buttocks a little way from the wall so that the neck and the small of the back are balance
• let the heels take the support of the wall so that you do not lose your balance.
• Press elbow joints and the forearms down; keep the elbows firm and do not move them; lift the shoulders and the armpits so that the weight does not fall on the ears and neck; keep the shoulders well away from the wrists; 
• broaden the intercostal muscles and list them up; keep the armpits well opened and extended upwards; 
• to list the sternum and broaden the chest, tuck in the dorsal spine and the shoulder -blades without disturbing the head and the neck;
• keep the sides of the trunk lifted up’
• let the ankles and the toes touch each other; straighten the feet so that they are in lien with the legs and not turning in or out and point the toes upwards.
• IF one overbalances,one should remember to loosen the interlocked fingers, relax, go limp and flex the knees. Then one will just roll over and smile. 

Modifications:

• heaviness or irritation in ututus, discharge or menstrual disorder or hernia keep heels apart and toes touching, knees slightly apart
• advisable for a beginner to do the head stand in a corner where two walls meet, placing the head 2 to 3 inches from either wall. In the corner he can touch the heels to either side of the walls. He should then stretch the back vertically up, gradually leave the support of the wall and learn to master the balance. While coming down, he can rest eh feet and hips against the wall, slide down and kneel, resting his knees on the floor. The movement of coming down and going up should be done with an exhalation.

Adho Mukha Svanasana- Hands at wall

Adho Mukha Svanasana- Hands at wall

Downward facing dog- hands at wall

Standing pose

Key Benefits

• Removes fatigue and brings back lost energy
• Good for runners who get tired after a hard race, sprinters will develop speed and lightness in the legs. 
• Relieves pain and stiffness in the heels and helps soften calcaneal spurs
• Strengthens ankles and makes legs shapely
• Eradicate stiffness in region of should blades arthritis of shoulder joins is relieved
• Abdominal muscles are drawn towards spine and strengthened
• Diaphragm is lifted heard rate is slowed down
• Rejuvenates brain cells, and invigorates the brain by relieving fatigue
• Good for High Blood Pressure

How to get into Adho Mukha Svanasana

1. Spread your thumb and index fingers wide and set them at the base of the wall and floor. 
2. Walk back about 4 feet and straighten your legs with your crown of the buttocks reaching for the ceiling. Relax your head. It should not touch the ground. 
3. Leave your heels in the air to maintain the height of the buttocks.  

Key Point

1. Press the index and thumb into the wall and roll the triceps together. As you continue that action bring the shoulder blades together and move the torso towards the crown of the buttocks.  Relax the head. 
2. Lift the kneecaps and press the top center thigh back so much that the heels come to the floor. Now lift the inner heel to the inner knee and groin to the crown of the buttocks, as you lengthen the outer knee ligament and  roll the groins from the inside out.
3. Continue to press into the hands and move the torso towards the crown of the buttocks as you press into the heel and lift the inner leg up to the crown of the buttocks.

Modifications:

• Place crown of head on bolster or blanket

Parsvottanasana

Parsvottanasana

Intense Side Stretch Pose

Standing pose

Key Benefits

• Relieves stiffness int eh legs and hip muscles and makes the hip joints and spine elastic
• While head is resting on the knee abdominal organs are contracted and tones
• Makes deep breathing easier
• Good for arthritis in neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists and for hunchback
• Calms brain cools down nerves

How to get into Parsvottanasana

1. From Utthita Hasta Padasana, bring hands into Paschima Namaskarasana turn the back foot and leg in all the way, turn the front leg out 90 degrees and turn the torso so that it is parallel ti the side wall. 
2. Extend the sides of the trunk up towards the ceiling then forward over the leg pressing the front thigh back as you extend the center of the trunk down the center of the leg. 
3. Maintain the stability of the feet and legs, press into the back foot lift the trunk up and repeat the pose on the other side keeping the hands in Paschima Namaskarasana. 

Key Point

1. Press the outer edge of the back foot and heel  as you press the inner edge of the front foot into the ground while you roll the inner back leg from the inside out and move the outer left thigh forward keeping weight in the back heel.
2. Lift the kneecaps and extend the inner front leg from the arch of the foot to the groin. Take the outer hips in and lift both sides of the trunk.
3. Keep the outer front hip back as you then then both sides of the torso down the center of the leg  ans take both shoulder blades in and open the sides of the chest as you lengthen the from of the spine from the perineum to the crown of the head, continue to roll the shoulders back and press the palms of the hands into the thoracic spine and lift eh sternum to the ceiling
4. Move the shoulders away from the ears as you relax the neck and lengthen down the leg moving your forehead, nose, then chin down the shin..

Modifications:

• Grab wrists
• Rheumatism may cross arms at the back
• If can’t fold hands behind back or balance, rest fingers on either side of right foot.
• If can’t reach floor use bricks to keep palms on them

Ardha Chandrasana

Ardha Chandrasana

Half Moon Pose

Standing pose

Key Benefits

• Beneficial those whose legs are damages or infected
• Tones the lower region of spine and nerves connected with leg muscles and strengthen the knees, cures gastric troubles
• Good for backache and dysmenorrhea

How to get into Ardha Chandrasana

1. Stand in Tadasana. Come into Utthita Trikonasana. Exhale. Place the right palm about a foot away from the right foot as you bring the left foot near the right foot at the same time. 
2. Take two breaths. Move the trunk towards the head so the left heel comes off the ground. Breathe. Lift the back leg and straighten the standing leg at the same time,  until the back leg is parallel to the ground, and the toes point forward. 
3. Extend the arms away from the center of the chest as in Utthita Trikonasana. Turn the chest to the left and balance. Bring the bottom shoulder blades in and expand the chest.
4. To come out, bend the standing leg and simultaneously,  bring the left leg down and then step as far back as you can returning to Utthita Trikonasana. Pull with the left arm to come up and repeat on the left side. 

Key Point

1. Press the big toe down into the ground as you lift the knee caps up and press the top center thigh back of the standing leg. 
2. As you maintain the stability of the standing leg extend from the inner groin to the inner knee to the inner heel. Lengthening the outer knee ligaments and lifting the the thigh up from the inner groin.
3. Lengthen the torso away from the hips evenly and bring the tailbone into the body. As you bring the shoulder blades into the back, expand the collarbones and rotate the torso to face the wall in front of you.

Modifications:

• Wall for balance support
• Use a block

Virabhadrasana III

Virabhadrasana III

Warrior 3 pose

Standing pose

Key Benefits

• conveys harmony, balance, poise and power, helps contract and tone abdominal organs and make leg muscles more shapely and sturdy.
• recommended for runners, gives vigor and agility 
• improve hearing and carriage, helps stand firmly on soles of feet gives agility to body and mind

How to get into Virabhadrasana 1

1. Enter through Virabhadrasana l -  Extend the torso over the front bent leg thigh as you pivot onto the toes of the back foot. Extend the arms forward and simultaneously lift the back leg.
2. Bend the front leg, reach back leg back to Virabhadrasana I, pull the arms up and straighten the front leg, change sides.
3. Step the back foot down, return to Virabhadrasana l, straighten the front leg, take the hands to the waist, parallel the feet, then jump the feet together.

Key Point

• Maintain the actions of the torso, arms and palms, as you elevate the rear thigh and extend the center heel back with toes pointing straight down.
• Keep the standing leg hip aligned over the ankle as you press down the big toe mound, and hug the upper outer thigh to the bone.
• Maintain the extension of the arms as you turn the back inner calf from inside out and extend the heel.
• Pin the hips in towards each other and extend the torso even more with the shoulders blades in.

Modifications:

• keep arms apart
• place hands on wall and lift leg up
• fingertips on ground, trunk parallel to the ground head up

Virabhadrasana 1

Virabhadrasana 1

Warrior 1 pose

Standing pose

Key Benefits

• 
  

  • helps deep breathing
  • relieves stiffness in shoulders and back, tones up ankles and knees and cures stiffness of the neck, strengthens legs
  • reduces fat round the hips
  • thyroid and parathyroid glands are massaged
  • make one active, alert, attentive and mentally firm. Ignite fire of will power

How to get into Virabhadrasana 1

1. Stand in Tadasana. Jump to Utthita Hasta Padasana. Rotate the arms so the palms face the ceiling and extend the arms up till the palms press into one another. 
2. Turn the right foot out 90 degrees, the left foot in 60 degrees. Bend the right leg till the thigh and calf form a right angle to the ground. 
3. Extend the  torso up and release the head back. Pull the arms up to come up turn to the front, keep the arms extended to the ceiling and repeat the pose on the left.

Key Point

1. Press into the back outer foot and lift the inner leg from the inner arch, inner knee and inner groin. As you Extend from the root of the thigh on the right leg towards the knee. 
2. Lengthen the torso away from the hips evenly as you press the  bottom shoulder blades into the spine and extend the sternum up towards the ceiling. 
3. Lengthen the outer arm as you press the palms into one another and release from the nape of the neck to bring the head back.

Modifications:

• if unable to straighten arms keep arms apart in line with armpits
• support front leg on a chair

Setubandha Sarvangasana over Crossed bolsters

Setu bandha Sarvangasana over Crossed bolsters

Whole body bridge pose over crossed bolsters

Restorative pose

Key Benefits

• relieves backache and strengthens back muscles
• rejuvenates pelvic area
• curative in conditions of inferiority complex, unsteady mental condition in menopause and high blood pressure
• good for hot flashes

How to get into Setu bandha Sarvangasana

1. Take two bolsters and cross them over each other like a (+), the bottom one is horizontal and the top is vertical. Belt your top center top thigh and Sit on the vertical bolster and lie back. your head and shoulders will touch the floor.
2. Take the arms out to the sides and roll the shoulders under opening the chest then either leave them there or take them over the head. 
3. Extend the legs one at a time till they are both straight heels resting on the floor or a brick. 
4. To exit slide towards the head till only the legs are on the top bolster and rest there for a few breathes.

Key Point

1. Press into the heels and move the tailbone towards the hamstrings as you roll the thighs towards on another.
2. Open the chest and spread the collarbones

Modifications:

• lower the arms so they are straight
• add a brick under the top bolster top and bottom to add more support for the chest and sacrum as seen in the picture below. 
• Add support for the head.