February Focus- Sacral Chakra & Hip Mobility

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Yoga

Our focus for Februarys classes will be on our 2nd Chakra, our Sacral Chakra.

Your Sacral Chakra is located about 2 inches below your belly button.  It is said to be all about our emotions, creativity & sexual energy!  It is the colour orange & has the element of water.  It is associated with our hips & low back as well as all of the organs that are held within our hips.

With a balanced Sacral Chakra you will feel open & adaptable to changes, a strong connection to ourselves & others (non sexual as well).  You can feel creative & able to go with the flow (not feeling like you have lost control).  You feel that you can process your emotions without feeling overwhelmed  or guilt.  It can also be overactive - we may have addictions, obsessions or be overly sensitive.
Mudra for second chakra: Shakti Mudra. With your hands in front of your chest, press your baby fingertips together and ring fingertips together. Tuck your thumbs inside your palms, inside of your index and middle finger. Then press the knuckles of the middle and index fingers together wrapping them around your thumbs or keep them separate.  It is said to produce calming effects on your mind & body, especially your pelvic area only if used for a short period of time.  
In this months classes we will be adding in some extra work for our hips.  Mobility of our hips includes strength & flexibility.  We will try & work on adding strength & flexibility into all of the different ranges of movements that our hips can do.  This will include working on our deep hip rotators - our glute meds, working on our internal & external hip mobility.  Including various Eagle leg variations!

Taking Your Practice Off the Mat

Taking your practice off the mat

• Try to drink plenty of water 
• Move as much as you can - whether its walk outside or a dance round the kitchen whilst waiting for the kettle to boil!
• Find your creativity
• Listen to your favourite music
• Go for walk along the beach

Sacral Meditation

Like last month, this is a simple meditation that you can do anytime.  5 minutes is a good amount of time, but maybe start at 1 minute & then with practice build your time up.  Remember, if your mind wanders - don’t worry come back to your breath or visualisation.  Tomorrow will always be a different experience, so try again the next time & it might be easier.  Meditation, like anything, takes practice.

• Sit or lie comfortably.  You can sit in a chair or on the floor, with a cushion or not.  Lie in your bed if you prefer (try not to fall asleep though!).  If you are sitting, try to sit tall.
• Relax your forehead, eyes, mouth, jaw & shoulders.  Close your eyes if that works for you.  Lips are closed & your teeth slightly parted, your tongue rests to the roof of your mouth.  Try to breath through your nose as much as possible.
• You can hold your hands in a mudra (Shakti Mudra) or rest them in your lap, or on your legs.
• Now, notice your breath - notice where & how you’re breathing.  Over a few breaths try to slow your exhale breath down. Can you inhale to a count of 3 & exhale to a count of 6.  The video linked below can help with your pace maybe?
• Picture a setting sun - a gorgeous fiery orange - feel the warmth, the heat from the sun slowly warming you & covering you in its glow.  Imagine the orange light permeating your body & warming you from the side out.
• You can chant the Bija or seed mantra ‘Vam’ (pronounced VUM).  A Bija/seed (pronounced BEEJ) mantra is a single syllable sound that are in tune/activate our chakras.