Santosa Programs Archives – Page 8 of 10

Yoga – Cat and Cow Pose

Feb 13, 2015 | Santosa Programs

“The Cat and Cow poses are simple and provide great benefits, including opening the lungs for better breathing.” – Andrew Weil, M.D.

Both the Cat and Cow poses stretch the lower spine, hips, back and core muscles. They also open the chest and lungs allowing for easier breathing. Practicing the Cat and Cow poses may improve posture and promote a healthy spine.

This is how you do it:

Begin on your hands and knees in Table Pose. Your hips should be set directly over your knees and your shoulders, elbows, and wrists should be in line and perpendicular to the floor. Keep your back straight (like a tabletop) and your spine in a neutral position. Let your neck be long and your eyes soft, looking at the floor. Stabilize your shoulder blades by drawing them down your back.
Once you have established Table Pose, move into Cow Pose. As you inhale, simultaneously lift your sit bones upward, press your chest forward, and allow your belly to sink towards the floor. Lift your head, relax your shoulders away from your ears, and gaze straight ahead.
As you exhale, come into Cat Pose. Simultaneously round your spine outward, tuck your tailbone, and draw your pubic bone forward. Release your head toward the floor, but don’t force your chin to your chest. Note: if you have a neck injury, keep your head in line with your torso throughout Cat-Cow.
Go back and forth between Cow and Cat on each inhale and exhale, matching your movements to your own breathing. Do this for 5-10 breaths and try to keep an even distribution of weight between your hands and knees. After your final exhale, end the stretch in Table Pose
Note: If you have wrist pain and are unable to place weight on your wrists during the pose, you can drop down to your elbows and rest your forearms on the floor as you do the poses. If you have neck pain, keep your head in a neutral alignment with your spine during the poses and do not raise or lower your head.
You can roll up a yoga mat or towel and place it under your knees for support. This can alleviate pressure and pain in your knees while on the ground.

This is what it does for you:

Stretches muscles of the hips, back, and abdomen
Stimulates and massages your organs
Aids breathing by stretching chest and lungs
Relieves lower back pain and sciatica
Increases coordination

A study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies compared the effects of yoga sessions, massage therapy, and support groups on prenatal depression. Researchers separated 84 prenatally depressed women into groups of yoga, massage therapy, or standard prenatal care support groups. Both the Cat and Cow poses were included as poses in the yoga sessions among other poses. After the 12 weeks of twice-weekly yoga or massage sessions, both groups had a greater decrease in depression, anxiety and back pain compared to the support group.

Osho Chakra Breathing

Feb 3, 2015 | Santosa Programs

Knowledge of proper meditation techniques leads to self healing and spiritual awareness. Meditation is the backbone of spirituality and a journey that will increase your spiritual experience.

The Osho Chakra Breathing meditation can help you to become aware of the energy flow in your body. It is an active meditation that uses deep rapid breathing and body movement, accompanied by musical sounds to open and bring awareness and vitality to each chakras.

In Yogi traditions and other belief systems Chakras are energy points or nodes in the subtle body. There are seven chakras in our body:

Muladhara or Root chakra on the base of spine
Svadhishthana or Sacral chakra situated in the lower abdomen
Manipura or Solar plexus chakra situated in the solar plexus
Anahata or Heart chakra located at the chest center
Vishuddha or Throat chakra in the throat
Ajna or Third Eye chakra located at the forehead center
Sahasrara or Crown chakra at the top of the skull or head

Chakra breathing will assist in improving the flow of energy in and out of your body through the various chakras located in the different parts of your body. Breathing while putting your awareness over each chakra will create harmony and balance positive energy flow in your body thus keeping you healthy physically and emotionally.

Hot Stone Massage

Jan 21, 2015 | Santosa Programs

Originally hot stones were used by Native Americans who warmed them by fire to treat aching muscles.

Hot stone massage is a specialty massage where the therapist uses smooth, heated stones, either as an extension of their own hands, or by placing them on the body while they massage other parts of the body. Before beginning the actual massage heated stones are placed on trigger points of your body. The heat can be both deeply relaxing and help warm up tight muscles allowing the massage therapist to manipulate your deep tissues more effectively. Overly tense muscles can hinder the massage procedure, so if your muscles are extremely tight or stiff, the heated stones may provide the extra relaxation you need for the massage to be beneficial in releasing tension and easing sore muscles.

Hot stone massages are beneficial on both physical and emotional levels.

As the heat from the stones penetrates into your deeper body tissues, your blood vessels open, resulting in improved circulation. Poor circulation can lead to fatigue, which tenses the muscles, and a buildup of fluid and lactic acid in the muscles. Increased circulation delivers more oxygen to the muscles, which can help ease aches and pains.

You may also find that the relaxation afforded to you through a hot stone massage helps ease some of your mental stress and tension. A hot stone massage may also help you combat some of the symptoms of anxiety disorders and depression. While massage therapy is not a substitute for traditional medical or psychiatric care, it can be an integral part of your treatment plan.

Shirodhara Oil Treatment

Jan 11, 2015 | Santosa Programs

Shirodhara oil treatment originates from India and is based on the ancient principles of Ayurvedic medicine that has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. The term Shirodhara is derived from the two Sanskrit words: “shiro”, meaning head, and “dhara”, meaning to flow. It involves the warm and consistent flow of aromatic oils on the forehead, specifically on the “third eye.” This is the chakra point just above and between the eyebrows and is said to be the seat of human consciousness. The oils flow over the scalp and through the hair, nourishes them and creating a blissful sensation.

Lying on your back, your head will be positioned under the oil “fountain” – a copper vessel with a slow-flowing spout from which the oils stream gently onto your forehead. The soothing and fragrant oils flow in a continuous stream for about 30 minutes. You’re quickly transported to a calm place! All your mental demons, like fear, anxiety, anger, or irritability, dissolve into an ocean of calm. Your mind is lulled into a state of serenity and some people even experience a state of expanded consciousness.

As the oil flows onto the third eye, it has a balancing effect on the deepest recesses of the brain, while stimulating the endocrine system’s pituitary and pineal glands. The procedure is also said to synchronize alpha brain waves, enhance blood circulation to the brain, improve mental clarity, and release deeply trapped toxins.

Once the oil flow is complete, you then receive gentle massage of your head and then relax for a few minutes to assimilate the experience.

Shirodhara is an effective and easy way to achieve instant calm and rejuvenation.

Taoist Qi Gong

Dec 9, 2014 | Santosa Programs

We live in a field of qi, “vital breath” or “life energy. ” Nevertheless, like a fish in water or a bird in flight, we are not aware of the medium that helps us. Qi Gong means “working with qi.” It will be the ancient Chinese art and science to become aware of this existence energy and learning tips on how to control its flow by way of a precise choreography of healthy posture, movement, respiratory technique, as well as meditation. Like biofeedback, Qi Gong instructs psychophysiological self-regulation; the student becomes conscious of bodily functions conventionally considered involuntary– blood pressure, the respiratory system rate, even the blood circulation and nutrients to central organs– and learns to revive a healthier balance. Even so, unlike biofeedback, no technical devices are expected. Qi Gong is one of the very cost-effective self-healing methods on this planet. The only investment required is time, a half-hour to an hour each day; the actual dividends of better well being, increased vitality, and peaceful alertness accrue daily and are cumulative.

Want to relax, refine your movement and increase energy?

This seminar will explore the practically unlimited applications of Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques of Tai Qi and Qi Gong to personal health, energy generation, empowerment, and healing others. We will touch on the microcosmic orbit, the five elements, Taoist healing touch, and the origins of acupuncture and the meridian theory of energy flow.

Please join us for fun filled interactive class with movement, touch, and knowledge this Saturday at 2.30pm in Santosa.

What is Moxibustion healing?

Dec 7, 2014 | Santosa Programs

Using mugwort in moxibustion heat therapy is amongst the oldest forms of Chinese traditional medicine which is used to stimulate the actual flow of qi and maintain general health. It specifically dispels cold and water.

Moxibustion Healing is the process of focusing heat upon acupressure points. This method can treat pains and aches and is even recognized to relieve menstrual cramps.

Traditionally it meant burning moxa – mugwort along with herbs – directly on the skin over acupressure things. Because of pain, burning and in many cases scarring, this method will be seldom used. Sometimes the burning moxa can be placed on some ginger, salt or additional compound – carefully, by a skilled practitioner, so it heats but does definitely not burn.

Today, indirect moxibustion involves burning a moxa stick an inch or maybe more above the skin, or maybe combining moxibustion with acupuncture. Within this method, an acupuncture needle will be inserted and heated by burning moxa – thus heat is conducted through the needle in the body.

All moxibustion will involve burning mugwort (artemesia vulgaris), a tiny, spongy herb, compounded along with other herbs, depending upon requirements. Mugwort, the plant based essence of moxibustion, is fabled worldwide for preventing the evil eye in addition to maintaining health.

Moxibustion dates back to the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-770BC). The actual Chinese characters for acupuncture zhen jiu, which translated literally means “acupuncture-moxibustion. ”

Because the two therapies share a similar purpose, improving the flow of energy, they were often utilised in pairs. However, moxibustion has its very own special benefits.

“Both acupuncture and moxibustion make an effort to unblock the energy channels and thus stimulate the energy stream, yet moxibustion is more appropriate in dispelling coldness in addition to dampness while warming the actual meridians. This is a result of the characteristics of mugwort, the actual raw material of moxa, ” claims Cao Yinyan, the chairman at Yinyan Indirect Moxibustion Wellbeing Resort.

Cao Yinyan used to be a plastic surgeon, but has taken on the study and practice of TCM and moxibustion about several years ago when she observed Western medicine inadequate as being a holistic approach. She now operates three moxibustion health resorts as well as a moxibustion training school.

“The human body is like a running machine. Water will rust it though coldness will freeze that, ” says Cao. “Therefore, apart from adding oil to help it to run again, we should also help it eliminate the unfriendly damp and chilly environment. And that’s exactly what moxibustion does. ”

You’ll find three common types involving moxibustion: direct moxibustion having a moxa cone, moxa needle (acupuncture) therapy, and indirect moxibustion having a moxa stick.

In moxibustion having a moxa cone, a small, cone-shaped piece of moxa is placed along with an acupuncture point in addition to burned. It can be placed directly on the skin or placed on some ginger, aconite herbal wedding cake, or salt.

Moxa needle therapy, or wen zhen (warm needle), will be “acupuncture-moxibustion. ” Needles are generally inserted into acupuncture things, while the top on the needle is wrapped inside moxa and ignited. The needles conduct heat into the energy routes. Moxa is absorbed over the skin, and inhaled.

Moxibustion having a moxa stick, xuan jiu (indirect), is the most popular because there is dramatically reduced risk of pain or maybe burning. A practitioner lights one end of your moxa stick, roughly the size and shape of a cigar, and holds it near the area being treated for a few minutes until the area turns red from the heat.

“With preparation in addition to back work (including mugwort rear massage), the moxibustion therapy will be relaxing and pleasant, ” claims Cao.

Patients first bathe their feet in warm herbal liquid medicine, which helps open the acupuncture points and stimulate the blood flow. Then essential mugwort oil is massaged in the back of a patient lying on his or her stomach. The aromatic penetrating oil will stimulate the flow of energy.

Then comes the key part – moxibustion. The moxa stick could be held one to three inches above skin.

Many people find the actual moxa aroma relaxing. The moxa sticks are generally compounded with mugwort and different herbs for different ailments, such as deficient yang electricity, excessive internal heat, or maybe dampness.

When the heat on the burning moxa stick penetrates the acupuncture point, the muscle and surrounding area will be warm. The warm area expands as the stick is kept inside the same place for several minutes.

As your energy channel becomes more free, the faster the warm area stretches. The coldness or water will actually come right out of the acupuncture point in the method, and the practitioner may feel it. If that you are seriously suffering from water, the emerging dampness will even moisten the burning moxa stick and change its shape from the cylinder to a cone.

Therapy takes about 90 a few minutes, then you eat the cup of white candida soup. The sound of “great mercy mantra” from the tape or CD occurs with full treatment, helping someone to relax physically and emotionally.

Have more questions? Or want to book your moxibustion treatment today? Contact us here.