Yoga Cures: Simple Routines to Conquer Over 50 Common Ailments and Live Pain-Free (33 page)

Pigeon

From your standing forward bend shoulder opener, release your fingertips to the ground, and step your left leg back to a low lunge. Move your right foot over toward your left hand and ease your knee down toward your right hand. If your hips don’t reach the ground easily place a pillow or a blanket under them to bring the floor to you. Square your hips and shoulders to face forward. Stay here for three long, deep breaths. Inhale, crawl your fingertips back, and lift the chest. As you exhale, walk the fingertips forward and either rest on your forearms or make a pillow with your hands and rest your head. Stay here for ten long, deep breaths to release tension in the hips and mind.

Lack of Self-Esteem

A regular yoga practice is known to raise shrinking self-esteem levels and get you back to a nice,

healthy confident range. Paying attention to how you feel in each pose, focusing on your breath, and

keeping your attention on the internal instead of the external will help the worries, fears, and bad

feelings about yourself fade away. The truth is, everything you need is right there inside, and always

has been; you’re wonderful as you are. Sometimes we forget, but yoga reminds us. We just have to get

back on our feet and pay attention.

THE LACK OF SELF-ESTEEM YOGA CURE

The yoga cure for lack of self-esteem involves a lot of standing poses. When you make yourself stand, pay

attention, breathe, and feel your strength, you are reminded that you are strong and capable of anything you
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set your intentions toward. The more you practice, the more your confidence builds. Watch out, you may feel
like a superhero soon from all the yoga.

Standing

Stand at the top of your yoga mat. Feet are parallel and slightly apart, under your hip bones. Your hip bones aren’t at the outside of your hips so make sure your feet aren’t too far apart. You can check by placing two fists between your feet. That’s about the width of your hip bones. Close your eyes and bring your attention to your breath. Lengthen and deepen your inhales and exhales and continue breathing at this nice slow pace for five full breaths. Gently open your file:///C|/...ures%20Simple%20Routines%20to%20Conquer%20Mlments%20and%20Live%20Pain-Free%20-%20Stiles%20Tara/index.html[5/29/2012 10:54:20 PM]

eyes.

Warrior 2

Step your legs wide apart. Turn your right toes to face your front and your left toes slightly in so your hips and shoulders are facing your left. Open your arms straight out and away from your torso, right arm in front of you, and left arm behind you, palms down. Look over your front hand. Bend your right knee so your thigh is parallel to the ground. Stay here for ten long, deep breaths.

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Warrior 2, Lift Arms Up

From your warrior 2, inhale and lift your hips and arms up. Exhale and lower back to Warrior 2. Repeat this same breath and movement pattern twice more.

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Warrior 1

From your warrior 2, bring your hips and shoulders to face forward. Adjust your feet so your arch of your back foot is in line with your front heel. Stay here for ten long, deep breaths and do the routine on the other side.

Laziness

Sometimes we get struck with a case of laziness. It can seemingly strike out of nowhere, or slowly

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build over time. Lounging around the house in vacation mode can be nice if we have some time off, but

if you indulge yourself too much, loafing can become a habit, making it tough to follow your regular

routine and attend to important tasks. A couple days of lazing around can easily lead to several more

lazy days, then turn into habitual lazing around and get in the way of living a rich, full life. Sometimes

you need a yoga cure to help you toss off the slippers and robe, throw yourself in the shower, get

yourself together, and face the day ahead!

THE LAZINESS YOGA CURE

When loafing turns into laziness, a yoga cure can surely help. A simple spark of inspiration can get you back
on track toward your optimal self. A case of laziness may or may not be clinically diagnosed, but for it to be
cured, you need to actually get up and do something about it. Luckily, these yoga poses can help revitalize
your entire system and inspire you to get back to your usual vibrant self. Try this routine daily until you are
back on track.

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