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Archive for the 'Yoga Timer' Category

Yoga Sequence of the Day: Sun Salutation – Use Your Yoga Timer

Orchid

Orchid

Sun Salutation
Perform asanas each time with a fresh mind and with a fresh approach.

1. Tadasana
Translation
Mountain Pose

yoga mountain pose

yoga mountain pose

How to Do It
Stand with big toes touching, heels slightly apart. Create a straight line from ear to shoulder to hip to knee to heel. Relax your shoulders. Engage the legs; lift your kneecaps. Bring your hands together in front of your heart, keeping the collarbones and chest broad. Lift the crown of the head upward, as you take deep breaths in and out through your nose.

Modification
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes facing forward.

What It Does
Energizes the legs and focuses your attention, grounding you in the present moment.

yoga upward hand pose

yoga upward hand pose

2. Urdhva hastasana
Translation
Upward Hand Pose

How to Do It
On an inhalation, sweep your arms out to your sides and bring the palms to touch up above your head, keeping your shoulders down. Reach through the sides of your body so your torso becomes long, gently bringing your gaze to your hands.

Modification
If you begin to feel compression in the shoulders, keep your hands 6 inches apart, palms facing each other, and look straight ahead.

What It Does
Opens the chest area and the lungs, increasing your lung capacity. “From the yogic perspective,” says Rea, “this pose activates the solar, or expansive, energy in your being.”

yoga forward bend

yoga forward bend

3. Uttanasana
Translation
Standing Forward Bend

How to Do It
As you exhale, sweep your arms out to the sides and bend at the hips to come into a deep forward bend. Bring your fingertips to the floor alongside your feet. Let your head gently release toward the floor.

Modification
If you feel tight in your hamstrings or lower back, bend your knees so that you can bring the fingertips to the floor, or rest your hands on blocks.

What It Does
Stretches the backs of the legs and lengthens the spine. “This bowing forward is the essence of the Sun Salutation,” Rea explains. “You are bowing to the perfection of our solar system — how we’re moving around the sun and how it forms the rhythm of our life.”

yoga lunge pose

yoga lunge pose

4. Lunge Pose
How to Do It
Keeping your fingertips where they are, inhale and take a giant step back with the right foot. The left knee bends at a 90-degree angle. (Note: In your subsequent rounds of Sun Salutation, alternate the lunging leg to keep both sides of the body evenly balanced.)

What It Does
Opens the legs and pelvis; warms up and energizes the base of the body; elongates the spine.

yoga plank pose

yoga plank pose

5. Plank Pose
How To Do It
As you exhale, bring your palms to the floor and step the left foot back to meet the right (a starting push-up position). Grip the mat with your fingers to take the weight off your wrists. Reach the top of your head forward and your heels back. Engage the abdominal muscles to come into one even line. Be careful not to let the hips either rise up higher than the lower back or sink down toward the floor.

What It Does
Activates the entire body; builds upper-body and core strength; creates heat; develops your sense of confidence and power.

yoga four-limbed staff pose

yoga four-limbed staff pose

6. Chaturanga Dandasana
Translation
Four-Limbed Staff Pose

How to Do It
At the end of an exhalation, bend your elbows straight back and lower your body down to the bottom of a push-up. Keep elbows close to your sides. Continue lengthening through the heels and the crown of the head to keep your entire body long and engaged, as you draw the navel in to activate your core muscles.

Modification
Lower the knees to the mat, coming into a modified push-up.

What It Does
This pose helps to build strength throughout the entire body. “Being strong is just as important as being flexible,” notes Rea.

yoga upward facing dog

yoga upward facing dog

7. Urdhva mukha svanasana
Translation
Upward-Facing Dog

How to Do It
As you inhale, roll forward over your toes and straighten your arms. Your hips, thighs, and shins should all be off the floor. Press into the tops of your feet and palms, as you melt the heart forward past your arms. Gaze straight ahead.

Modification
Come into cobra pose instead: Rest hips and legs on the floor and straighten the arms comfortably, reaching the chest forward through the arms.

What It Does
Creates suppleness in the spine while opening the chest, lungs, and heart. So vital to our well-being, this area is frequently compromised by chronic bad posture. “Creating openness across the chest is strengthening and revitalizing,” explains Rea.

yoga downward facing dog pose

yoga downward facing dog pose

8. Aadho mukha svanasana
Translation
Downward-Facing Dog

How to Do It
As you exhale, roll back over the toes and lift the hips to come into an inverted V shape. Press your fingers into the mat and reach the thighs back, lengthening the sides of the body and the spine. Keep your shoulders down. Release the weight of your head.

Modification
If the hamstrings or lower back feel tight, bend your knees slightly. If you are unable to keep your arms straight, bring the knees to the floor and push back into Child’s Pose.

What It Does
Serves as a counterpose to Upward-Facing Dog; cools the mind; improves circulation.

yoga lunge pose

yoga lunge pose

9. Lunge Pose
How to Do It
As you inhale, step forward with the leg you initially stepped back with, coming back into Lunge pose. Keep your front knee at a 90-degree angle and your fingertips on either side of the front foot.

10. Uttanasana
How to Do It
Exhale and step your back foot forward; fold over your straightened legs, keeping your fingertips on the floor. Take a moment to notice whether your hamstrings or back muscles feel any looser than they did at the beginning of the cycle.
12. Tadasana
How to Do It
Exhale and float your arms back into prayer position. Keep the chest broad, the legs engaged, and the spine long as you enjoy the stillness of this pose. You can choose to end your session here or go on for another round.
Use our unique “Zen Clock” which functions as a Yoga Timer.  It features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings your meditation or yoga session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal. Our Yoga Timer & Clock can be programmed to chime at the end of the meditation or yoga session or periodically throughout the session as a kind of sonic yantra. The beauty and functionality of the Zen Clock/Timer makes it a meditation tool that can actually help you “make time” for meditation in your life. Bring yourself back to balance.
adapted from Body + Soul Magazine
Digital Zen Yoga Timer in Walnut Finish

Digital Zen Yoga Timer in Walnut Finish

Now & Zen’s Yoga Timer Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks, Chime Alarm Clocks, Japanese Inspired Zen Clocks, Yoga Timer, Yoga Timers by Now & Zen


Finding a Yoga Style to Fit Your Intentions – Use Your Chime Yoga Timer with Singing Bowl

yoga

yoga

To find a yoga style that jibes with you, first consider whether your intentions are mainly physical, emotional, or spiritual, says Hansa, president of Yoga Alliance, an organization that registers yoga teachers nationwide. (She uses only one name.) Some people practice yoga for strength and flexibility, some crave relaxation, and some seek a connection with a higher power. (Some want all four.) There is no right or wrong reason to practice yoga, but different styles fulfill different needs. Just as if you were placing a personals ad, you need to think about what you want before you get started.

class consciousness
Yoga’s popularity has exploded of late—18 million Americans now regularly twist themselves into pretzels, more than double the number in 1997. But the sheer variety of classes to choose from can be daunting. Here’s a primer to help you decide what’s right for you.

partner yoga

partner yoga

ananda
founder: Swami Kriyananda

What it is: A gentle approach to postures, ananda yoga emphasizes calming the mind in preparation for meditation. Holding the postures is said to create self-awareness, and affirmations are often incorporated to enhance the poses.
Sign on if: You’re looking for a deeply spiritual experience that also builds strength and balance.
For more information: www.expandinglight.org

ashtanga
founder: K. Pattabhi Jois

What it is: The foundation of many “power yoga” or “power flow” classes, this fast-moving series of breath work and sweat-inducing poses is said to purify the mind and body. The room isn’t heated, but you’ll sweat anyway.
Sign on if: You like pushing your muscles to the max and conquering new heights of cardio endurance.
For more information: www.ayri.org

anusara
founder: John Friend

What it is: A dual focus on principles of alignment and physical expressiveness gives practitioners an in-depth understanding of the poses as well as a strong dose of spirituality. Although physically challenging, the style emphasizes accepting each student’s abilities.
Sign on if: You seek a physical and spiritual workout and are internally driven.
For more information: www.anusara.com

bikram
founder: Bikram Choudhury

What it is: Known as “yoga to the stars” because of its popularity in Hollywood, Bikram consists of a 90-minute series of 26 poses. Ideally, classrooms are heated to 105 degrees with 60 percent humidity to facilitate stretching and loosening of muscles and tendons.
Sign on if: You have a high tolerance for heat and respond well to a highly charged, athletic environment.
For more information: www.bikramyoga.com

iyengar
founder: B.K.S. Iyengar

yoga

yoga

What it is: Precision, alignment, and symmetry are key elements of an Iyengar class. Postures are held up to five minutes to build strength and encourage deep release. Props, such as blocks, belts, and blankets, help students hold difficult poses, but can also create a start-and-stop pace that some people don’t like.
Sign on if: You’re a detail-oriented person who likes to get things right, no matter how long it takes.
For more information: www.bksiyengar.com

kripalu
founder: Swami Kripalvananda

What it is: Slow-paced classes focus on creating an emotionally and physically safe learning environment. Offers a strong emphasis on mind-body integration.
Sign on if: Relaxation is just as important to you as building strength and increasing flexibility.
For more information: www.kripalu.org

kundalini
founder: Sikh master Yogi Bhajan

What it is: The focus is on freeing energy by awakening kundalini, the coiled energy located at the base of the spine. Despite its sexy reputation, kundalini emphasizes breathing exercises and chanting in lieu of a more physical practice.
Sign on if: The spiritual and emotional dimensions of yoga interest you more than getting a workout.
For more information: www.3HO.org

viniyoga
founder: T.K.V. Desikachar

What it is: A gentle style that incorporates asanas, chanting, breathing practices, and meditation, Viniyoga focuses on an individual’s needs and abilities.
Sign on if: You’re looking for a supportive and nurturing environment where your limitations are taken into consideration in each asana. Especially good for people with chronic health problems.

Use our unique “Zen Clock” which functions as a Yoga Timer.  It features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings your meditation or yoga session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal. Our Yoga Timer & Clock can be programmed to chime at the end of the meditation or yoga session or periodically throughout the session as a kind of sonic yantra. The beauty and functionality of the Zen Clock/Timer makes it a meditation tool that can actually help you “make time” for meditation in your life. Bring yourself back to balance.

Singing Bowl Yoga Timer

Singing Bowl Yoga Timer

excerpted from Natural Solutions, June, 2003 by Catherine Guthrie

Meditation & Yoga Timers and Clocks

Meditation & Yoga Timers and Clocks

Now & Zen’s Yoga Timer

and Chime Alarm Clock

Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

Posted in Chime Alarm Clocks, Japanese Inspired Zen Clocks, Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, Now & Zen Alarm Clocks, Yoga Timer


Body, Mind & Spirit – Use Your Yoga Timer with Gentle Chime

yoga practice in bamboo

yoga practice in bamboo

As Robert Svoboda attempts to summarize the three major paths of the Vedic knowledge, he writes:

Because every embodied individual is composed of a body, a mind and a spirit, the ancient Rishis of India who developed the Science of Life organized their wisdom into three bodies of knowledge:  Ayurveda, which deals mainly with the physical body; Yoga, which deals mainly with spirit; and Tantra, which is mainly concerned with the mind.

The philosophy of all three is identical; their manifestations differ because of their differing emphases.  Ayurveda is most concerned woth the physical basis of life, concentrating on its harmony of mind and spirit.  Yoga controls body and mind to enable them to harmonize with spirit, and Tantra seeks to use the mind to balance the demands of body and spirit.

Use our unique “Zen Clock” which functions as a Yoga Timer.  It features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings your meditation or yoga session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal. Our Yoga Timer & Clock can be programmed to chime at the end of the meditation or yoga session or periodically throughout the session as a kind of sonic yantra. The beauty and functionality of the Zen Clock/Timer makes it a meditation tool that can actually help you “make time” for meditation in your life. Bring yourself back to balance.

adapted from wikipedia.org

Meditation & Yoga Timers and Clocks

Meditation & Yoga Timers and Clocks

Now & Zen’s Yoga Timer Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

Posted in Chime Alarm Clocks, Japanese Inspired Zen Clocks, Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, mindfulness practice, Progressive Awakening, Well-being, Yoga Timer, Yoga Timers by Now & Zen, Zen Timepiece by Now & Zen, Zen Timers


Tibetan Singing Bowl Alarm Clocks – Never Hit Your Snooze Button Again

Zen Timepiece, tibetan singing bowl timer and clock

Zen Timepiece, tibetan singing bowl timer and clock

Singing bowls (also known as Himalayan bowls, rin gongs, medicine bowls, Tibetan bowls or suzu gongs in Japan) are a type of bell, specifically classified as a standing bell.  Rather than hanging inverted or attached to a handle, standing bells sit with the bottom surface resting.  The sides and rim of singing bowls vibrate to produce sound.

Singing bowls were traditionally used throughout Asia as part of  Bon and Tantric Buddhist Sadhana.  Today they are employed worldwide both within and without these spiritual traditions, for meditation, trance-induction, relaxation, healthcare, personal well-being and religious practice.

Singing bowls were historically made in Tibet, India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Japan, and Korea.  Today they are made in Nepal, India, Japan and Korea. The best known type are from the Himalayan region and are often termed Tibetan singing bowls.

Our Zen Timepiece’s acoustic 6-inch brass bowl-gong clock is the world’s ultimate alarm clock, practice timer, and “mindfulness bell.”

Singing Bowl Alarm Clocks - Never Hit Your Snooze Button Again

Singing Bowl Alarm Clocks - Never Hit Your Snooze Button Again

It fills your environment with beautifully complex tones whenever it strikes. In the morning, its exquisite sounds summon your consciousness into awakening with a series of subtle gongs that provide an elegant beginning to your day. Once you experience the Zen Timepiece’s progressive awakening, you’ll never want to wake up any other way. It also serves as the perfect meditation timer. Available in 5 wood styles, including bamboo.

adapted from wikipedia.org

Zen Timepiece, a bowl/gong alarm clock and timer in cherry finish

Zen Timepiece, a bowl/gong alarm clock and timer in cherry finish

Now & Zen’s Singing Bowl Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Chime Alarm Clocks, Japanese Inspired Zen Clocks, Well-being, Yoga Timer, Yoga Timers by Now & Zen, Zen Clocks and Dream Recall, Zen Timepiece by Now & Zen, Zen Timers


Tip of the Day: Meditate for Minutes to Boost Memory – Use Your Zen Meditation Timer with Chime

Cherry blossoms

Cherry blossoms

Researchers recently found that minutes-long meditation increases blood flow to the region of the brain that’s linked to learning and memory. In the morning, meditate for ten to 12 minutes before your cup of coffee or tea. (Caffeine can slow blood circulation to the brain.) Sit comfortably, let your eyes close and focus on your breath. If your thoughts start to wander, bring your attention back to your breath.

adpated from Natural Healing Magazine, November 2008

Zen Timepiece, a brass singing bowl clock and timer

Zen Timepiece, a brass singing bowl clock and timer

Now & Zen’s – The Zen Clock & Meditation Timer Sore

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks, Chime Alarm Clocks, intention, Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, Now & Zen Alarm Clocks, Well-being, Yoga Timer, Yoga Timers by Now & Zen


Outdoor Yoga Routine – Mountain Pose – Use Your Yoga Clock & Timer

Yoga Moutain Pose

Yoga Moutain Pose

Grounding, Balance
Finding balance in the midst of challenge is exactly what we try to achieve in our daily lives — and the practice of yoga is one that seeks to help us do it. One of the first things people notice when they bring their yoga practice outside, says Van Otten, is that unlike the flat surfaces we’re used to, the earth’s naturally uneven terrain presents its own challenge. You have to become more tuned in to where you’re putting your feet, with an eye out for rocks, tree roots, divots, and inclines. This constant conversation between mind and body keeps you mentally as well as physically engaged.

Earth Exercise
1. Begin in Mountain pose, bringing hands into prayer position.

2. Visualize breathing in the energy around you and breathing out love. The idea is not just to discard tension and anxiety but also to build reciprocal energy between you and your surroundings.

3. Reach your arms as high as you can, with heels planted and feet flat. Next, try reaching higher on the right side, then the left, three times on each side.

4. Round down into a forward fold. Hold this pose for five breaths with soft knees, hands flat on the ground.

5. Bend your legs a little, lowering your pelvis. Exhale as the knees bend; inhale and straighten. Do this three times.

6. Roll up slowly.

7. Stretch arms wide, then clasp your hands behind your back. Separate your feet to shoulder-width.

With a gentle backward bend, look up at the sky, drawing in solar, lunar, and stellar energy. Hold this pose for several breaths, then slowly return to Mountain pose.

To Experience the Earth
Practice barefoot. Do yoga on the grass; sense its coolness against your feet and palms. Imagine that the centers of your feet are over an energy spout — draw the energy up from the earth’s core, then let it flow out through the top of your head.

adapted from Wholeliving Magazine, July/August 2005 by Terri Trespicio

Use our unique “Zen Clock” which functions as a Yoga Timer.  It features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings your meditation or yoga session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal. Our Yoga Timer & Clock can be programmed to chime at the end of the meditation or yoga session or periodically throughout the session as a kind of sonic yantra. The beauty and functionality of the Zen Clock/Timer makes it a meditation tool that can actually help you “make time” for meditation in your life. Bring yourself back to balance.

Digital Yoga Timer in Solid Walnut

Digital Yoga Timer in Solid Walnut

Now & Zen – The Yoga Timer Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in yoga, Yoga Timer, Yoga Timers by Now & Zen


Outdoor Yoga Routine – Use Your Yoga Timer

outdoor yoga routine

outdoor yoga routine

Sometimes it’s hard to see that yoga is far more than a physical activity confined by time, space, and a mat. Too often we rush to class to secure a spot on the studio floor and begin our practice without taking note of our surroundings. We may compare our poses with those of others; we can get distracted by people wandering in and out of class or maneuvering for elbow room.

By getting out of the studio and into nature, you can experience yoga as it was originally intended. “Being outdoors gives you access to a whole other world of sensations. It helps you feel part of a boundless existence, at one with an intelligent and sympathetic universe,” says Garrett Sarley Dinabandhu, president of the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Massachusetts’s Berkshire Mountains. The pure unpredictability of being outside and exposed to the elements can strengthen an existing practice or inspire a new one, Dinabandhu says.

Working with Michelle Van Otten, owner of Ultimate Outdoor Fitness in Los Gatos, California, and E. Barrie Kavasch, an expert in Native American wisdom and author of “The Medicine Wheel Garden,” we’ve developed a unique yoga-based routine that’s meant to be an out-of-studio experience.

This Four Elements Ritual — Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water — is designed to awaken your senses, enhance your focus, and help you reconnect to the natural world.

Tips for Outdoor Practice
To refresh your experience when you go outside, keep these four points in mind.

Find Your Place of Peace and Power
Everybody has access to some spot of natural power. It doesn’t have to be the Grand Canyon; it can be Central Park, a river, a stream, a hillside. Maybe it’s a place made special by its juxtaposition to what’s around it — an old oak tree next to a housing development or a water fountain in the middle of a city. If you open yourself to it, you can find lots of what Dinabandhu calls “little doorways into the natural rhythms of nature.”

Be Present
To most people, the outdoors is a transitional place — something they rush through on their way from one indoor environment to another; they’re not fully conscious of the world itself. The rewards of being present in nature are very fulfilling — but it’s an awareness you have to cultivate.

Start with Your Breath
Do a few ujjayi breaths to relax and slow down. Breathe slowly through your nose, allowing your belly to expand; slightly contract the back of the throat as you inhale and exhale to create the audible sound of an ujjayi breath, like ocean waves rushing over pebbles. Listen for the gentle rhythms of nature and allow your breath to fall in sync with it. With each breath, reach your sensory awareness toward your inner self and out into the world around you.

Go Slow and Slower
When you practice yoga outside, it’s not about how many asanas you do, but the quality of movement that enriches your practice. Think of moving from the inside out, following your body’s natural inclination and rhythms. Feel the currents of the air across your body and let that direct you. Enjoy the flow of one pose into another. Take your time.

adapted from Whole Living Magazine, July/August 2005 by Terri Trespicio

Use our unique “Zen Clock” which functions as a Yoga Timer.  It features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings your meditation or yoga session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal. Our Yoga Timer & Clock can be programmed to chime at the end of the meditation or yoga session or periodically throughout the session as a kind of sonic yantra. The beauty and functionality of the Zen Clock/Timer makes it a meditation tool that can actually help you “make time” for meditation in your life. Bring yourself back to balance.

Bamboo Zen Alarm Clock with Chime, yoga timers from Boulder, CO

Bamboo Zen Alarm Clock with Chime, yoga timers from Boulder, CO

Now & Zen – The Yoga Timer Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Chime Alarm Clocks, Japanese Inspired Zen Clocks, Well-being, yoga, Yoga Timer, Yoga Timers by Now & Zen


Stress Relief: Use Your Yoga Timer to Melt Stress with One Yoga Pose a Day

yoga supported fish pose

yoga supported fish pose

Beat the Blues

You can see next week’s deadlines and responsibilities building up like a wave about to crest.

Take a few moments of silence to coil your energy before you dive into another week. This pose helps ward off the Monday-morning blues, inviting energy into your body and mind.

Supported Fish
What It Does
Stretches the shoulders, neck, and chest; improves posture and deepens breathing, countering a forward hunch. Opens the heart and the throat chakras, bolstering courage and encouraging authentic expression.

How to Do It
Set your Zen Yoga Timer in Bamboo to chime after 5 minutes.  Roll up a thin blanket and lie on your back, resting your shoulder blades on the blanket. If your head doesn’t comfortably reach the floor, place another blanket or small pillow underneath.

Let your breath rise and fall naturally, and stay here for 5 minutes, or as long as you like.

adatped from Body + Soul, 2010

Bamboo Digital Chime Clock, a calming timer and alarm clock made from natural materials like bamboo, walnut, and maple

Bamboo Digital Chime Clock, a calming timer and alarm clock made from natural materials like bamboo, walnut, and maple

Now & Zen’s Yoga Timer Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks, Japanese Inspired Zen Clocks, Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, Now & Zen Alarm Clocks, Yoga Timer, Yoga Timers by Now & Zen


Here and Now, a Meditative Study: Use Your Chime Timer for Your Mindfulness Practice

cherry blossoms, Now & Zen Inc. makers of Zen Timers

cherry blossoms, Now & Zen Inc. makers of Zen Timers

Meditation has been defined as:

“self regulation of attention, in the service of self-inquiry, in the here and now.”

-Maison, Werheimer, & Kabat-Zinn (1999)

The various techniques of meditation can be classified according to their focus. Some focus on the field or background perception and experience, often referred to as “mindfulness”; others focus on a preselected specific object, and are called “concentrative” meditation.

In mindfulness meditation, the meditator sits comfortably and silently, centering attention by focusing awareness on an object or process (such as the breath; a sound, such as a mantra, koan or riddle-like question; a visualization; or an exercise).

wikipedia.org

maple zen timer for meditation and yoga

maple zen timer for meditation and yoga

Now & Zen’s Meditation Timer Shop

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Cherry Blossoms, Japanese Inspired Zen Clocks, Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, Natural Awakening, Now & Zen Alarm Clocks, Progressive Awakening, Well-being, Yoga Timer, Yoga Timers by Now & Zen, Zen Timers


Yoga Pose of the Day: Downward Dog – Use Your Yoga Chime Timer

yoga downward dog pose

yoga downward dog pose

This multipurpose pose stretches and releases tension in key parts of your body (shoulders, legs) while at the same time strengthening and toning them. Make it part of your regular practice and feel your energy soar.

Here’s How To Do It
Start on all fours on a yoga mat, with your hands aligned with your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. The tops of your feet should be on the mat.

Inhale, curl your toes under, and spread your fingers. Exhale, raise your tailbone, and push into the mat with your hands. Elongate your spine, and straighten your legs. Keeping your head neutral and your back flat, activate the muscles in your arms and legs. Push your heels down toward the floor. Hold for four to five breaths. Bend your knees and relax. Set your Zen Yoga Timer to 30 seconds.

Refine Your Technique
As you incorporate the pose into your practice, use the following strategies.

1. Spread your fingers as wide as possible, pressing the base of your index fingers into the floor.

2. Keep your head between your arms or let it hang, whatever feels more comfortable.

3. Lengthen your spine, lifting your sitting bones up; imagine someone pulling your hips and back.

4. Keep your knees straight, but not locked. Hold the outer thigh muscles firm, and roll the upper thighs slightly inward.

5. Your heels may or may not reach the floor; keep stretching them, but don’t strain.

6. Hold your shoulder blades firm, drawing them in and down, toward your tailbone.

adapted from Body + Soul Magazine, November 2009 by Tania Hannan

Use our unique “Zen Clock” which functions as a Yoga Timer.  It features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings your meditation or yoga session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal. Our Yoga Timer & Clock can be programmed to chime at the end of the meditation or yoga session or periodically throughout the session as a kind of sonic yantra. The beauty and functionality of the Zen Clock/Timer makes it a meditation tool that can actually help you “make time” for meditation in your life. Bring yourself back to balance.

Digital Zen Alarm Clocks, yoga timers with a chime

Digital Zen Alarm Clocks, yoga timers with a chime

Now & Zen – The Yoga Chime Timer Store
1638 Pearl Street
Boulder, CO  80302
(800) 779-6383

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks, Chime Alarm Clocks, Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, mindfulness practice, Now & Zen Alarm Clocks, Well-being, Yoga Timer, Yoga Timers by Now & Zen


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