CROWN CHAKRA (7th Chakra)

The first chakra energy centre located outside the body, and the final stop on our journey is the Crown Chakra.  It's not so much an ending point as it is a new beginning.  From here, you can either choose to journey higher up towards the 8th chakra or go back down through the body to the root chakra in order to manifest ideas into physical form.  The easiest way (though it is anything but easy!) to access this centre is through meditation, so we'll focus on transforming our practice into a moving meditation in order to turn inwards and rise up.

Crown Chakra
Sanskrit	Sahasrara (1,000 petal lotus)
Location	above the top of the head
Color	violet, gold or white
Element	consciousness
Symbol	thousand petal lotus
Purpose	awareness, unity with Divine
Verb	I KNOW
Demon	attachment
Yoga Postures (to support & open centre)	- Tadasana (mountain) - Ardha Padmasana (half lotus) - Salamba Sirsasana (headstand)

Savitri Pranayama (the Rhythmic Breath) to work with the Crown Chakra
*** this breath technique comes from the Gitananda yoga tradition
*** this breath technique uses breath retentions, so should not be practiced by those with hypertension, heart disease, asthma, ulcers or when pregnant.  If you are new to a pranayama practice, breath retentions can be intense, so please STOP if you feel any strain, irritation or cramping.

The best way to open, activate and work with the Crown Chakra is through meditation.  This breath is great to do as a meditation or to begin a meditation practice as it calms the mind and the nervous system.

This technique involves a four-part breath:

• inhale for a count of 6
• hold the breath (with the lungs full) for a count of 3
• exhale for a count of 6
• hold the breath (with the lungs empty) for a count of 3

Continue this pattern for at least 9 rounds.  For a 10-minute audio recording to make this breath into a meditation, you can visit my site by clicking here.

Feel free to connect with any further questions about any of these energy centres.

See you on our mats!

Roxanne

Playlists from 2015

I have a few old playlists on my phone. I thought I would share. Great tunes. Salli

Salli's Yoga Jam-Feb 20,16

THIRD EYE CHAKRA (6th Chakra)

The sixth and final stop along the body in the chakra ladder is the Third Eye Chakra.  The third eye involves inner vision.  What do you see when you close your eyes?  What colours, what shapes, what images are there or what pictures do you create in your own internal darkness?  The third eye chakra is located between the eyebrows.  As we move up along the body and along the chakra energy centres, the focus becomes less on the physical body and more centered on the mind.  The third eye centre is about balancing the body and the mind (finding the value of both the left, logical, analytical side of the brain and the right, imaginative, intuitive side).  We'll focus on balance poses to help find this physical and mental balance, and to recognize what pictures and expectations we are actually creating for ourselves.

Third Eye Chakra
Sanskrit	Ajna (to perceive & command)
Location	between the eyebrows
Color	indigo
Element	mind
Symbol	circle with two side petals
Purpose	insight, mind development
Verb	I SEE
Demon	illusion
Yoga Postures (to support & open centre)	- Garudasana (eagle) - Balasana (child's pose) - Virabhadrasana III (warrior III)

Manas Mandala Pranayama for the Third Eye Chakra
*** this breath technique comes from the Gitananda yoga tradition

This technique involves a simple in and out of the breath done to a count:
     - inhale for a count of 6
     - exhale for a count of 6

As you focus on the space between the eyebrows and the colour indigo, continue this pattern for at least 9 rounds.  The count can be decreased to 5 or 4, or increased to 7, 8, or 9.  Focus on how the inhale and the exhale are balanced with the same count - both are needed equally and both have equal value.  For an audio recording that includes a visualization for the third eye chakra that can be used with this breath, you can visit my site by clicking here.

Happy breathing and allow yourself to find balance and to notice the pictures you are creating within.

See you on our mats!

Roxanne

Salli's Love ❤️ Yoga Jam

Valentine's Day is a celebration of love. Thanks for being my Yoga Valentine. Enjoy these love songs. Salli

THROAT CHAKRA (5th Chakra)

The fifth stop on the chakra journey is the Throat Chakra.  This centre is located at the throat and involves communication, expression and creativity.  Physically, we'll focus our practice on releasing tension from the shoulders and neck.  Energetically, we'll focus on communication from the aspect of deep listening.  What sounds can we hear from our breath, from our body and from our mind as we flow through our practice?  Do we take the time to listen to hear what our body, breath and mind are trying to tell us?

Throat Chakra
Sanskrit	Vishuddha (purification)
Location	at the throat
Color	blue
Element	ether
Symbol	oval egg
Purpose	expression, deep listening, creativity
Verb	I SPEAK
Demon	lies
Yoga Postures (to support & open centre)	- Matsyasana (fish) - Sarvangasana (shoulder stand) - Halasana (plow)

Akash Mandala Pranayama for the Throat Chakra
*** this breath technique comes from the Gitananda yoga tradition

This technique involves a simple in and out of the breath done to a count:
     - inhale for a count of 6
     - exhale for a count of 6

Continue this pattern for at least 9 rounds focusing on the throat centre and the colour blue.  You can either decrease the count to 5 or 4, or increase the count to 7, 8, or 9.  Just ensure that the inhale and the exhale have the same count.  For an audio recording that includes a visualization for the throat chakra that can be used with this breath, you can visit my site by clicking here.

Happy breathing and allow yourself to deeply listen for all of those sounds that come from within.

See you on our mats!

Roxanne

Salli's 2000 Yoga Jam

HEART CHAKRA (4th Chakra)

Up next in the chakra ladder is the Heart Chakra.  This centre is located at the heart and involves all the good things in life - love, joy, compassion, connection, etc.  The element for this centre is air, so physically it is fairly easy to connect with this chakra simply by breathing deeply and focusing on our breath.  We'll also focus on opening and expanding the chest.  How often do you let your heart lead?  Does it feel natural to allow your chest to open, or do you tend to hunch the shoulders and close off?  Open the heart and find all of those things that you enjoy about your practice and every pose that you're in.

Heart Chakra
Sanskrit	Anahata (centre of unstruck sound)
Location	at the heart
Color	green
Element	air
Symbol	two intersecting triangles (forming a star)
Purpose	love, joy, compassion
Verb	I LOVE
Demon	grief
Yoga Postures (to support & open centre)	- Salabhasana (plank pose) - Ustrasana (camel) - Bitilasana (cow pose)

Vatu Mandala Pranayama for the Heart Chakra

*** this breath technique comes from the Gitananda yoga tradition

*** this specific technique uses a breath retention so should not be practiced by those with hypertension, heart disease, asthma, ulcers or when pregnant.  If you are new to a pranayama practice, breath retentions can be intense, so please STOP if you feel any strain, irritation or cramping.

This technique involves a three-part breath:

• inhale for a count of 6
• exhale for a count of 6
• hold the breath (with the lungs empty) for a count of 6

Continue this pattern for at least 9 rounds.  You can decrease the count to 5 or 4 or increase the count to 7, 8, or 9 as long as the inhale, exhale and hold are all the same length.  For an audio recording that includes a visualization to go along with this technique, feel free to visit my site by clicking here.  

Happy breathing and allow yourself to experience joy in your practice.

See you on our mats!

Roxanne