Breath and Imagery
This is a guest post from Maria Battista, Sacred Mountain Yoga
“At our retreat on July 1st we acknowledged the beautiful nature that surrounded us on Sonoma Mountain. Our yoga practice focused on breathing with the many oak trees all around. We drew deep into our lungs and blood stream the rich oxygen that the trees and plants were offering to us. In return we gave back to them what our cells no longer needed so that they could create more oxygen. Giving and receiving through mindful breathing we felt our mutually nurturing connection to the earth and to each other. In our asana practice we opened up our bodies to remove the tightness, and the blockages. Each of us, at our own level was able to expand to receive and to give back with more abundance. We were energized and fed, calm and grounded.
Our retreat on September 7th will be about balancing our hormones. In the yoga portion, we will focus on the endocrine system. Using movement and posture we will gently massage each of the organs of the endocrine system to tone and balance. Movements of the neck will tone the thyroid and parathyroid. Chest openers will enliven the thymus gland behind the breastbone, twists for the pancreas and ovaries. Using forward bends the adrenal glands at the back of the waist will be calmed and restored. Gentle inversions will bring blood into the brain to feed the pineal and pituitary glands.
Using breath and imagery we will touch each of these organs with the healing power of intention and light in a guided meditation. This meditation will move us into a deep place of connection with ourselves resulting in letting go of stress and striving. The endocrine system and hormonal secretions are very much affected by stress. In deep relaxation (also known as Yoga Nidra) the body moves out of the sympathetic nervous system and the reactions of fight and flight. Instead, we live in the parasympathetic state of peace and calm benefiting us in body, mind, and heart.
I look forward to sharing the powerful healing practice of yoga with all the the women who attend our September 7th women’s retreat. Namaste — Maria Battista
Maria Battista
Sacred Mountain Yoga
