First Chakra Poses Help Yoga Students Become Peaceful Warriors

Being present, feeling grounded, and fearless are qualities of the first chakra. This exploration seeks to discover to what extent we can experience these resources in 3 poses: Tadasana, Virabhadrasana I and Parsvottanasana. The instruction to always stay within your level of comfort might be challenged marginally. Are you ready?

Presence

How aware can you be of your whole body? How aware of the breath? The monkey mind can easily be pulled to Planet Future and swing back to Past Haunts. Are you willing to challenge your attention and train the resource to stay present to your body and breath?

Fearlessness

To be fearless means we stand against that which scares the living daylights out of us. First chakra poses can help us do that. We make a life altering decision to dig our heels in literally, peacefully stand our ground, and breathe in and out just one more time. Yes that's the sound of the heart pounding, and yes the body is trembling a bit, and there's even sweat somewhere or other. And yes it passes when I release the pose. Halleluja!

Grounding

To feel grounded I might actually have to leave the ground a bit, lifting and lowering my heels. Over and over again, perhaps bending the knees, making larger and larger arm movements, and creating a wider more secure base by stepping the feet wider. Will I break my sound barrier today and make a sound with this movement?

This is the work we can choose to do in Yoga, if and when we are ready. This is the journey of victory. There is a breath that can help us become victorious, called Ujjayi breath, the breath of victory. We breathe through the throat without distorting the face or tensing the throat. This victory is subtle. The breath helps to keep us steady. No body knows the trouble we're seeing, or the glory. Hallelujah!

Poses

The base of the pose is the foundation. We make that strong by planting our feet firmly with the four corners rooted even when we lift the toes. In Tadasana explore various hand and arm positions to increase our resources. Explore hugging yourself, placing the hands on the heart, raising arms above the head, or any other variation. When you step forward courageously in Warrior 1 ground again before and as you bend the knee. In Parsvottonasana continue exploring arm positions: arms behind the back, Cow's Head Gomukhasana arms, prayer position at the heart, even Goddess Deviasana arms. Perhaps the arms are your weapons.

In your Yoga journey, continue taking small courageous steps as you claim the title of a Peaceful Warrior on the QT.

Heather Greaves is the owner of Body Therapies Yoga Training. She organizes yoga and meditation retreats and workshops in Ontario and Barbados, and has been helping yoga enthusiasts learn to teach yoga in a certified program. For more yoga tips or to sign up for our monthly newsletter visit http://www.yogatogo.com/

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Second Chakra Yoga Poses

Second chakra deals with creativity, sexuality, reproductive system, kidney, bladder, all those watery places. Yoga poses can be used to increase sensation. Second chakra poses can be performed creatively plus a focus in the pelvic area will center energy to that chakra area.

Let's explore 3 hip opener poses: Butterfly Baddha Konasana, Cow's Head Gomukhasana, and Goddess Deviasana.

Butterfly (Baddha Konasana)

Perform this pose sitting or lying. I enjoy a deeper exploration lying with legs and feet on pillow or bolster and a light blanket over my body. The soles of the feet snug together as if creating a diamond from hips to bent knees to toes. I bring my focus back to the pelvic area and continue visualizing creatively. Breathe consciously. If this pose brings discomfort on an emotional level and you choose to stay with the pose, focus on the physical sensations.

Cow's Head (Gomukhasana)

Feels like the opposite of Butterfly. Legs are crossed at the thighs - together not apart. If done lying, knees can be brought close to the chest or moved away towards the floor. Try the pose with a pillow or bolster placed to support your legs. Find that spot that makes the pose feel natural and focus in the pelvic area as you stay for 5 minutes. You can wiggle to place one arm under your back and the other above to open the chest more. Or place arms in front of the body. Repeat and reverse arms and legs with the other leg at the top.

Goddess (Deviasana

Which goddess will you choose? From Africa - Osun, Hathor? From India - Saraswati, Rakini? From Europe - Demeter, Aphrodite? Will you speak to or for a goddess? Do you feel more or less of a goddess if you move your arms and or legs? How about moving the pelvic area itself? After all the focus is the second chakra. How are you showering blessings? With the body still, can you sense your power?

Deeply explore sensations in the pelvic area from pubic bone back to the sacrum by performing the first two poses in a restorative way on your back. End strong with the standing pose, Goddess. This might be a great way to start your day; while at the end of the day you could start with the Goddess standing pose and end with the lying restorative poses.

Close your eyes if you feel comfortable as you dive into the waters of the second chakra with yoga poses.

If you are a beginner to a joyful yoga, Heather Greaves would be happy to introduce you to your yoga. She is the owner of Body Therapies Yoga Training, organizes retreats and workshops, and has been helping yoga enthusiasts learn to teach yoga in a certified program. For more yoga tips or to sign up for our monthly newsletter visit http://www.yogatogo.com/

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Generating Energy Through Third Chakra Yoga Poses

Third chakra poses generate energy. A little more energy is just what I need right now. A little fuel to complete a few tasks before going to bed. I'm fading a bit and I want to be asleep in two hours. Sun Bird, Plank and Seated Boat are the third chakra poses I have chosen to generate energy.

Process

For centering and to invoke my Inner Guide, I sit on my heels in Vajrasana/Virasana consciously breathing for about 1 minute, then I move into Table then Sun Bird. I can feel the heat rising especially around my forehead. There's even moisture in my face. After 6 breaths Child's pose is my pose of choice - with my head up, cheeks in my palms.

Time to change sides and because a sore wrist would not entertain the idea of carrying that extra weight, I decide to extend the leg alone and keep both hands on the floor.Of course this is easier. Before I practice on this side I point the fingers backwards to release tension in both wrists.

Without the need for a rest, I go into Plank on the forearms. As I hold I feel the temperature rising. I sit back on my heels and pause in Virasana - a body check. I decide on a vinyasa for Seated Boat to avoid over heating and to be gentle. Holding the pose would light a fire. The vinyasa works well.

Paschimottanasana - seated forward bend - as a counter pose is needed. Muscles release as I hold and breathe consciously, and I drop further forward with each exhale. What a fantastic way to cool down.

A rest in Savasana is what my Inner Guide is ordering. I follow instructions happily. After Savasana I sit up in Easy Sitting Pose, Sukhasana for about 1 minute. The cooling breath I intended to practice following Savasana is not needed.

I am ready to complete the tasks ahead. The practice took 20 minutes.

My Overall Experience

There was enthusiasm to explore just how these three 3rd chakra poses would affect my energy level and mental acuity. It was natural to center before practicing the three poses and to rest as needed. I wondered how my small intestines were handling the spicy snack. The sore wrist feels much better. After the practice I checked and it was able to take the weight in Sun Bird. A few more tasks and then sleepy time.

As a footnote this 3 pose practice took 7 minutes in the morning on an empty stomach with no need for rest poses and no overheating.

Heather Greaves is an avid yoga explorer and owner of Body Therapies Yoga Training. She organizes yoga and meditation retreats and workshops in Ontario and Barbados, and has been helping yoga enthusiasts learn to teach yoga in a certified program. For more yoga tips or to sign up for our monthly newsletter visit http://www.yogatogo.com/

View the original article here