Yoga For Me Studio - Chicago, IL

Sit next to a loved one and notice how quickly your breathing falls into sync. Take a yoga class with a friend or a loved one and pay close attention to keeping your breath in sync with each other throughout the class. See the positive impact this has on your movement, energy and connection between each other. Select a favorite song and practice a sun salutation while synchronizing your breath with the rhythm of the music and your body movements, Notice your mood and energy elevate throughout the practice.

This pose improves thyroid function, relieves lower back pain, and strengthens eyes by bringing circulation to the head. Make certain you do this pose as a pelvis “lift”, to make certain you do not put too much stress on the back of the neck.

Make certain you keep your practice cool and light to avoid overheating the body. Wear breathable “wicking” clothing to keep your body temperature comfortable. Poses like seated supported forward folds, legs up the wall and childs pose are perfect for morning or evening yoga breaks. Drink plenty of fluids throughout your practice and finish with some supine Pranayama techniques, to calm the mind.

One tough series to master is standing balance poses, they require concentration, strength, flexibility and the ability to balance on one leg. To be successful, one must establish a powerful foundation with one foot before aligning the pelvis for stabilization. If you find these postures too challenging, start by holding on to the back of a chair for support. These gentle postures designed to help improve your balance and reduce the risk of a fall at any age, level of strength, flexibility and fitness level. CDC statistics state that 1:3 adults over the age of 65 fall each year. These balance exercises and yoga postures will improve your personal balance and reduce your risk of a fall. Tree, Eagle, Dancer and Warrior III are great examples of balancing poses. Give them a try!

Practicing Yoga without attention to the breath is like trying to grow a plant without water. One of the 5 prinicples of yoga is Pranayama or breath exercise. There are a variety of breathing techniques practiced in yoga and these exercises are very powerful. If not trained properly, you may experience light-headedness while praticing these techniques. It is important to learn from a trained yoga professional to maximize the benefits of your practice and avoid potential safety issues. Remember, breathing is life. Yoga is the connection of breath with movement. The union of these two activities is the foundation of your practice.
Namaste