Christmas Sun Salutation

TAKE SOME TIME
Christmas can be a hectic time of year. It can be hard to find a moment to take time for yourself. Sometimes all it takes is 10 minutes to breathe and slow down. The Surya Namaskara/Sun Salutations has an array of movements that strengthens and stretches all the major muscle groups. The repetition of the sequence can be very calming. With each movement linked to an in-breath or out-breath, it encourages a slow and calm breath. Why not try the above sequence for 10 minutes on Christmas morning, or throughout the festive period, to give you space to take on all that comes with this busy time of year.

The above sequence can be repeated as your full practise, or as a warm up for further asana. For the first few sequences start with your knees softly bent in the forward folds, to allow the hamstrings to warm up. Each full Surya Namaskara/Sun Salutations C consists of two rounds of the above sequence. In the first round you step your right leg back from your first forward fold, and step it forward from your second downward facing dog. In your second round you step your left foot back and forward. 

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Hamsa hand of protection

The symbol in the Yogaru logo is called a hamsa hand. It is an ancient symbol of protection, and you’ll find a small hamsa on all my jewellery designs. It brings the wearer happiness, peace, luck, prosperity and protection from The Evil Eye. You’ll see the amulet frequently in the context of yoga. The word hamsa means five, referring to the five digits of the hand. Each digit represents one of the four elements (with the addition of ethereal); one of the five senses; and five of the seven chakras (energy channels found along the spine).

The symbol also has the quality of ‘taking a pause’ or stopping, which is what Yogaru is all about. When you wear your piece it will protect you and keep you safe.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Finding the pause between breaths

KEEP CALM AND BREATH
Take a moment to examine a long, deep breath. Notice the quiet moment between the in-breath and the out-breath. Like a change in direction, there is a moment of pause where everything is still. In this moment alone, the body is peaceful and the breath rests.

Life has become busier and the pace of life faster. We move from one job to the next, spend hours in front of computer screens and eat food on the go. Although we’ve become more aware of the need to slow down and recalibrate, it can be hard to find the time or the know how to do so. ‘Finding the pause’ can be as simple as stopping and breathing. Just take five long breaths to clear your mind, calm your system and be ready to start again into the next job. Connect with how you’re feeling now, in this moment. Let the completed job go and the next job wait.

SLOWING DOWN
I find the busier I get, the faster I move and the more I take on. It’s as if life is moving in constant circles getting faster and faster until something, eventually, has to give. Then I get a reminder that I need to slow down, pause and breath. It can seem impossible sometimes to stop but the next time you’re in the throes of a hectic day scan your body. Are your shoulders tight, are you holding tension in your back, are you breathing shallow breaths or even holding your breath! As a result we make a list of things we intend to do to remedy this tension when sometimes it’s as simple as taking a deep breath. Becoming aware of how you feel is the first step to making changes. Find the pause between breaths, between jobs, between meetings, waiting at traffic lights; you can even find it between asanas in your yoga practice.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru