Boost Your Immunity

Thymus gland

• produces T cells
• overtime it shrinks, no longer producing cells but still stimulating the immune system
• stress hormones shrink the thymus gland
• located in chest

Lymph nodes and spleen

• the T cells/lymphocites go to the lymph nodes and trap foreign particles – located in groins and armpits
• spleen removes old red blood cells and acts as filter – located in upper left quadrant of abdomen

Inversions

• increase circulation of the lymphatic system improving the flow of the system

If you get sick

• couch yoga if you are running a fever
• inversions if you are congested

Sequence

Adho Mukha Virasana

• arms extending overhead stimulates the lymph nodes in armpits
• support to extend time in pose

Adho Mukha Svanasana

• head down helps congestion
• support to extend time in pose

Uttanasana

• head down helps congestion

Shoulder and chest sequence

• relieves stress in neck and shoulders
• opens the chest
• stimulates the lymph nodes in the armpits

Uttanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Adho Mukha Virasana

Bhujangasana – Cobra Pose

• chest opener

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

• chest opener

Paschimottanasana

• supported for extended stay in pose
• stress reducer

Janu Sirsasana

• supported for extended stay in pose
• stress reducer

Upavista Konasana

• stimulates lymph nodes in groin

Baddha Konasana

• stimulates lymph nodes in groin

Supta Baddha Konasana

• stimulates lymph nodes in groin
• reduces stress
• show how to support to extend length in pose

Marichyasana I

• stimulates spleen and lymph nodes

Viparita Karani – Legs up the wall pose

• inversion – improves flow of the immune system

FREE day of yoga

Labor Day is the free day of yoga. Try a new style, new studio, or new teacher. I can't wait to hear about your experiences!  I'll be teaching a beginner class at the BKS Iyengar Studio of Dallas from 9-10AM. Tell your friends!

Find a class at http://www.dfwfreedayofyoga.com/

40 days

Sometimes we all need a kick in the pants. For quite some time, months really, my asana practice has been less than stellar. I went from teaching 4 classes a week to teaching 8 and with three kids on different schedules there just was no time. After hearing a Kundalini Yoga teacher share her story of committing to 1000 days of a particular practice, I realized that was just what I needed - a commitment to myself shared with a few others close to me. According to Kundalini tradition it takes 40 days to change a habit so I decided to start with that (1000 days is almost 2 and 3/4 years!). But what would I commit to?

I'm keeping it simple: 40 days of Sirsasana (headstand), Sarvangasana (shoulder stand), and Setu Bhanda (bridge pose) increasing the time in head stand and shoulder stand by 3 seconds every day. Today was day 23 and I'm up to 7 minutes and 13 seconds- which, by the way, is brutal but 5 minutes sure is easy now!

A few days a week I'm getting up early and getting my commitment done while the rest of the house is still sleeping. Other days, I get it in before and/or after a class I'm teaching or just before lunch or dinner. Some days I look forward to it. Other days, I dread the dickens out of it. But as I sit here enjoying the effects of a headstand and shoulder stand that are 69 seconds longer than when I started and knowing I can drop over in to Setu Bhanda without breaking anything, I realize the beauty of a daily practice. Mine is not long. On good days I add in a few other poses but even if I just do these three I feel better for it. I intend to complete the 40 day commitment and will continue to focus on a small handful of poses in stretches of 21 days or so at a time. I'm not picking easy poses. I'm choosing poses that I either don't like or can't do well; no longer running from what scares me. Assessment is around the corner (October 5) so bring on Virabhadrasana III!

And not to worry, I will never commit to blogging every day for 40 days...