Nothing is the way it seems....

Dont judge a book by its cover, old lessons never get old...

One pic inspires many lessons:

- Bigger isn't always better

- Dont take nothing a face value

- Dont under estimate yourself, cause the true results might not be visible

This is...in life, in work and in Yoga.

Yoga - you might think that you are doing a posture for a certain reason, trying to get into a fancy pose but doing it wrong. It might look good/big, buts its not correct. Which can cause harm to your body.

There is always something new to learn about a posture, many hidden benefits and results to be unearthed as you continue on the yoga path.

Maybe its a new muscle to explore, some counter effort to apply, a new area to focus on, new way to challenge balance, etc. Maybe you learn the meditative benefit. Each posture has chakra benefits, opening your energy blockages (the subtle body) so things can flow better. The Pandora box. You think your doing one thing, achieving one posture and realise there so much more.

Example: Marichyasana C (pictured below). Meaning Sage, literally a ray of light. Dedicated to the Vedic Adam, and the "father" of humanity

Whats happening: stretching of the muscles on one side of the torso while the other is contracted. 

Benefits:

Physical: stronger abdomine and spine, opening of the hip flexors, strengthening the organs in the lower stomach - good for indigestion and constipation, large intestine and gallbladder are purified from the twist.

Subtle Body:

Manipura is located at the spine directly behind either the navel or the solar plexus. With the deep twist it helps release any tension and blocks in the flows of your energy.

It is also considered the center of dynamism, energy, willpower and achievement. It is associated with the power of fire, and digestion. It is also associated with the sense of sight, and the action of movement. Listening to you gut, so you make better decisions about your life.

The Sushumna Nadi is the main energy channel from the base of the tailbone to the crown, "the body's great river, running from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, passing through each of the seven chakras in its course." The twisting posture like this, stimulating sensory nerves and the awakened energy is encouraged to move freely up and down the spine.

More on the whole energy channel thing in future posts, its hard for people to totally wrap their head around this aspect of yoga or life. We get their energy on there and around us, but within us is a different thing. It hasn't been a focus of current scientific focus, but is starting to be...