Increase muscular endurance with the Side Angle Stretch

Side Angle Stretch Pose helps you get strong.

Side Angle Stretch has these benefits:

• Stimulates digestion.
• Stretches the shoulders, chest, and groin.
• Strengthens arches, knees, thighs, calves, and ankles.
• Increases muscular endurance.

Side Angle Stretch Pose Step-by-Step:

Step one: From Warrior Two with right leg forward, place right hand by the right foot.
Step two: Tuck your tailbone under and roll your shoulders back.
Step three: Extend the left arm up over your head.
Step four: Take your gaze up to your left hand.
Step five: Spread your fingers and lift your heart.

You may also take the bind, too, as shown in the image below:

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This is an excerpt from our guide to self-care, Christian Yoga: Restoration for Body and Soul.

Christian Yoginis Lift Their Hearts to the Lord in Camel Pose

Get your strength on with Camel Pose!

Camel Pose has these benefits:

• Stretches the entire front of the body & deep into hip flexor, ankles, thighs, groin, abdomen, chest and throat.
• Strengthens the back muscles and legs.
• Improves posture.
• Stimulates the organs of the abdomen, digestion and circulation.
• Increases spine flexibility.
• Great for your thyroid.

Camel Pose Step-by-Step:

Step one: Kneel on the floor with knees hips with apart and thighs perpendicular to the floor. Shins press firmly into the mat toes tucked or feet flat with toes active and pinky toes pressed into the mat.
Step two: Inner spiral thighs, firm buttocks but don’t harden.
Step three: Hands rest on the back of the pelvis.
Step four: Base of the palms on the tops of the buttocks, fingers pointing down. Use hands to lengthen down through the tail bone. Then lightly from the tailbone towards the pubis. Heart lifts and opens.
Step five: One arm at a time, extend up through the body and then draw hand to low back or to the heel.
Step six: Heart lifts and head drops back.
Step seven: Maintain a relatively neutral position, neither flexed nor extended or allow the head to drop back.

Note One should be able to swallow comfortably.
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This is an excerpt from our guide to self-care, Christian Yoga: Restoration for Body and Soul.

Energize with Warrior One Pose

This energizing pose will lift your heart to the heavens

Benefits of Warrior One:

• Stretches the chest, lungs, shoulders, neck, belly and groin.
• Strengthens the shoulders, arms and back muscles.
• Stretches and strengthens the thighs, calves, arches and ankles.

Warrior One Step-by-Step:

Step one:From Mountain Pose (standing) step straight back and turn back toes out slightly. 45 to 60 degrees.
Step two: Back leg is active as heel presses into the floor, thigh draws up. Bend the front knee over the heel and in line with toes. Shin should be perpendicular to the floor. Try to bring right thigh parallel to the floor.
Step three: Hips and shoulders square off to the front of the room.
Step four: Fingers are active and spread as arms lift up.
Step five: Shoulder bones are pressed back into the sockets and heart rises and arms lift over the head and come back by the ears. Palms turn in to face each other; pinkies turn in slightly if desired to activate triceps.
Step six: Gaze is forward or tilted back to look at the fingers.

We encourage you to try this energizing pose.

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This is an excerpt from our guide to self-care, Christian Yoga: Restoration for Body and Soul.

Invigorate Yourself with the Wide Leg Straddle Pose

Try this pose when you need a pick-me-up

When you place the heart above the head, you give yourself an invigorating boost while calming your mind.

• Strengthens and stretches legs, feet,ankles, low back and spine
• Tones abdominal organs
• Calms the mind
• Relieves mild backache, headache and sinusitis
• Improves digestion and circulation

Step one:Stand with legs wide apart and feet parallel.
Step two: Tighten legs by drawing the knee caps up, shins in and thighs out.
Step three: Hands to the hips and hinge at the waist, heart leads you down.
Step four: Make sure your inner feet are parallel to each other.
Step five: Fingertips or palms to the mat under the shoulders.
Step six: Gaze forward with your back concave.

Note:

• You may also grab your big toes.
• Drop the top of the crown down toward the earth if you would like.
• You may also like to rest your head on the earth.

We encourage you to try this invigorating pose as you enjoy the busy holiday season.

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This is an excerpt from our guide to self-care, Christian Yoga: Restoration for Body and Soul.

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