Tuesday, January 1, 2013

hangover cure!

i've been missing yoga like hell as my last class was on wed dec 19th and my next one is sat jan 5th. truth is, i am not very motivated to do it on my own, at home. will make this one of my 2013 resolutions.

today i broke the ice (and hopefully the hangover) with this.

after a few sun salutations or whatever is your usual opening sequence, try to hold these poses for at least 5 seconds each. it takes around 25 minutes if you're accustomed to the poses. this post is obviously intended for more experienced / intermediate yogis, if you happen to be a beginner and want to try this, do NOT push yourself, especially with a bellyful of wine, chocolate and pork chops!

 1. half lord of the fishes / ardha matsyendrasana

"twist"asanas are mainly recommended when wanting to detox, as by twisting you squeeze your internal organs and the blood that's clogged with impurities will be flushed out, thus making room for fresher blood! your liver will say thanks, phew!

more on the asanas that have strong benefits for your internal organs, namely forward bends:

 2. standing forward bend / uttanasana

 3. seated forward bend / paschimottanasana

 4. head-to-knee forward bend / janu sirsasana

 5. seated wide angle forward bend / upavistha konasana

 6. intense side stretch / pyramid pose / parsvottanasana - for those who are on an intermediate / advanced level, it'd be wonderful if you could use your hands for deepening the pose with a reverse prayer, otherwise just lean them against a wall or chair, especially if you can't bend towards your ankle just yet.

 7. child's pose / balasana - palms upfront. keep every vertebra aligned and scratch the mat with your fingers / palms, almost pulling it towards you.

onwards to two gas, bloating and cramps-eliminating poses.

 8. full boat pose / paripurna navanasana. use a thicker yoga mat / blanket if you have a sensitive tailbone. for beginners and intermediates, it's ok to stop when you have your knees bent, without lifting your feet up and maintaining your legs straight.

 9. wind-releasing pose / pavanamuktasana.