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5/16/2020 0 Comments

Retrograde Planets Part 1 - Pluto

Retrograde Planets (Part 1)– Rather than try to get through all the retrogrades in one post, I’m separating it into 4 shorter articles – one for each planet retrograde – so things are a little easier to manage! I’ll give at least a day between postings so you can sit with one planet’s influence before you dive into the next one! Thank you to those of you that ask for this information. My sincere hope is that you find it helpful. Let’s dive in!

First-, 3 of the 4 planets going retrograde within the next week are “outer” planets, so they will bring a subtler energy than “inner” planet retrogrades (Venus will be the inner planet in retrograde). Outer planets have more of an effect on broader patterns in our lives overall, while inner planets (like Venus) have a more direct effect on specific areas of our lives at the time of retrograde.

Pluto – transformational energy. Pluto retrograde is from 4/25/2020 to 10/4/2020 – so it has already stationed retrograde in Capricorn. The general focus of Pluto in Capricorn is business; and it’s an outer planet so it is about patterns of business in our lives in a broader sense. With the transformational energy of this planet, now is the time for us to look at not just how we go about business in our own lives, but also about how business IN GENERAL affects the world. For example, people are questioning the process of the PPP for aiding small businesses, questioning the way banks do business, and scrutinizing what and how we are being told things by the government in unprecedented ways. The transformation that Pluto brings can only happen when we look at the shadowy issues we would rather ignore.

As individuals, Pluto intensifies and amplifies energy for us. We may feel a little stuck in areas of ambition and organization, so if you haven’t done all the “pandemic” cleaning and learning that is posted all over social media, just blame Pluto retro! Pluto helps bring about cathartic changes as it helps us discover shadowy issues that we might rather ignore. These won’t be epiphanies or “a-ha” moments. This is a long retrograde (almost 6 months) so the shifts will be subtler- -a realization over time that we don’t need the unhealthy attachments we have to people, things, ideas, etc. You may feel as if you are resisting change – but this is illusion. As we move deeper into the retrograde, you will begin to see the subtle shifts and you are reaping what you have sown. By the end of Pluto retrograde, you may see that subtle, but profound, changes have occurred in your life.

Get ready and be ready for expansion and the transformation that comes with letting go of old patterns. Pluto retrograde is a great time to work self-empowerment, breaking old habits, and letting go of old ideas and ideals that don’t feel like they are working for you anymore.
The next post will add Saturn retrograde energies to the mix! I look forward to reading your comments and answering any questions! My resources include Chani Nicholas, Refinery29, Astrology King, Café Astrology. Image by 272447 from Pixabay.j As always, it is my honor and pleasure to put together these posts. Blessings ~Eva

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4/16/2020 0 Comments

Breathe! Part 2

Starting from where we left off:
Now that you have observed the breath, and prepared for pranayama practice, let's get into the techniques.
Breathing Practices:
As a general guideline, if you feel a little lightheaded, discontinue pranayama and return to a comfortable breath. You will find that the more often you practice, the longer your sessions can become.

3 Part Breathing (Dirgha Pranayama or full yogic breath) – promotes focus/concentration, stimulates the vagus nerve to promote “rest and digest” and relieve “fight or flight”

Place one hand on the solar plexus and the other on the upper chest.
Inhale slowly and deeply to feel the belly push into the lower hand, then allow the breath to continue in the lower ribs, then allow the way up into the upper rib cage under the hand on the chest.
Exhale, slowly releasing the breath from the upper chest, lower ribs, then abdomen
Repeat for up to 5 minutes, feeling the lungs filling and emptying
To bring a deeper sense of calm, make sure the exhales is slightly longer than the inhale.

Kapalabhati – forceful exhalation through the nose – diaphragmatic movement, energizes without nervousness, strengthens the primary muscles of respiration, pumps lymph,clears out the sinuses and nasal passages, clears air from the base of the lungs
- The exhalation is forceful, using the diaphragm to push air out, the inhalations are passive. You allow them to occur between exhales. Practice 3 rounds. As you become comfortable with the practice you may add up to 5 breaths per round.
- Round 1 – take a deep breath in, 15 forceful exhales –then, inhale, tuck the chin to the chest, hold the breath in as long as is comfortable, release the breath gently, lift the chin, inhale prepare for round 2
- Round 2 – same as round 1, with 20 exhales
- Round 3 – increase exhales to 25
- Come to comfortable, natural breathing for a few moments before the next practice.
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhanam) - balances hemispheres of the brain, energy in the nadis (energy channels), has a calming effect, promotes focus and concentration
Using the thumb and ring finger of the right hand (called Vishnu Mudra), alternately close nostrils

Take a few comfortable breaths through both nostrils to prepare
Inhale both nostrils, close off right nostril with right thumb
Exhale out the left, inhale through the left
Close off left nostril with the right ring finger
Exhale out the right, inhale through the right
Close off the right nostril with the right thumb
Repeat for as long as your feel comfortable – (up to 5 minutes)
Note: you could keep the inhales/exhales equal in length or shift to a more calming breath making the exhale about twice as long as the inhale
Viloma Pranayama stage 1 – could be practiced to relax before sleep. This breath may help to expand the lungs and increase lung capacity.
1. Separate your inhales into equal thirds (you could go 4 or 5 parts if you prefer smaller inhales) As you hold the breath in between inhales, be sure not to relax the diaphragm. If you feel any strain while breathing, decrease the amount of breath you are taking in or separate the breath into 4 or 5 parts.
- Inhale (1/3 of the way), hold for 2-4 seconds
- Inhale (another 1/3 of the way), hold for 2 – 4 seconds
- Inhale to comfortable capacity, hold for 2-4 seconds (or longer without strain)
- Exhale slowly, smoothly and completely with no interruption
- Practice from 2-4 minutes. Expand the practice by lengthening the hold times
You may practice all the exercises; or choose the pieces that work for you. I suggest starting with 1 to 2 minutes of comfortable breathing and the awareness of the energy centers (see Breathe! part 1). If the practice of kapalabhati is too energizing during evening practice, reserve that technique for morning or afternoon only. If you have any question about breathing practices, please email [email protected]

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4/14/2020 0 Comments

Breathe!

Basic Pranayama Practices for Health & Well-Being (w/ Eva Leobold)
Part 1 - notes and preparation!
Note: While pranayama is not a cure all (and this is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition), it can be great help in maintaining health as well as aiding/supporting recovery (while under medical care) from illness in many cases.

One Yogi's Perspective

Disciplined breathing helps with concentration by promoting focus and clearing the mind; and helps the practitioner maintain health.
Energetically – pranayama helps clear the nadis (energy channels), balance the hemispheres of the brain and activates the chakras – changing the energetic and mental attitude of the practitioner.
Physically, breathing exercises helps to tone and strengthen the primary muscles of respiration (the diaphragm, the external intercostals and a portion of the internal intercostals – between the ribs), in turn allowing the accessory muscles of respiration (neck – sternocleidomastoid, scalenes, , facial, chest – pectoralis – and abdominal muscles) to relax
As the diaphragm (the main muscle of respiration) strengthens, it not only decreases the amount of effort used to breathe, it helps to pump lymph through the body – allowing it to reach the lymph nodes to be cleansed – promoting general good health.
Pranayama may help expand the lungs and aid circulation. Healthy lungs more efficiently exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide which helps keep ketones and hydrocarbons from building up. (It is thought that exhalation slightly longer than inhalation helps facilitate this.
Pranayama stimulates the vagus nerve – increasing vagal nerve tone…. This stimulates (or activates) “rest and digest” reaction and relaxes the entire system. The vagus nerve is a long nerve that connects the brain and GI tract while serving the heart, lungs, upper digestive tract and the other organs of the chest and abdomen.
In times of stress/anxiety, increasing vagal tone may help us move beyond fear, anxiety, stress and panic to reach a state of calm awareness and clear thinking.

Observing “Baseline” awareness for your breath

The ability to hold one’s breath is dependent upon many conditions – physical fitness level, natural lung capacity, age, weight, diet, and underlying conditions like COPD, asthma, spinal cord injuries, to name a few. What is important about knowing a baseline is that it allows you to be aware of change.
While “holding the breath” for a given length of time isn’t a “test” for any condition/illness, it can help make you more aware of your own breathing habits and patterns.
- Note: Many things can change your ability to suspend your breathing on any given day – stress, activity level, not being rested, atmospheric humidity level, body position, hydration - so don’t stress out if you can hold longer one day than another – you want to notice patterns. You may begin to notice increased comfort and ease in breathing and then more acutely determine discomfort (perhaps allowing you to seek medical help sooner.)

Finding your “baseline” :

When you are in a relaxed state (many people find this to be soon after waking, but it doesn’t have to be – you may actually have more nasal congestion upon waking than perhaps an hour later)
take a few comfortable breaths, and then fill your lungs comfortably to capacity, time yourself while holding the breath in as long as you can without straining. This length of time would be considered your "baseline". Theoretically, as you practice breathing exercises, this number will increase. (Please note that this is not offering any ability to diagnose an illness/condition – the only way to determine that conclusively is to have pulmonary testing done.)

Preparation for Breathing Practices
Practice one or all of these before pranayama to calm the body/mind and help you center and focus

Awareness of Breath: Find a comfortable seated position with the spine long. Focus on your natural breathing without trying to change it in any way.
1. After a few breaths, rest the hands, with palms down, on the knees or thighs. Become aware of the belly rising and falling – breath this way for anywhere from 30 second to 3 minutes
2. Then turn the palms upward, resting the backs of the hands on the knees or thighs. Become aware of the rib cage/chest expanding and contracting – breathe this way for anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes
Awareness of Energy Centers: Focus on your natural breathing for 3-5 breaths
1. Move focus to the space between the eyebrows (you may touch the point lightly with your fingertip to create focus) and imagine/feel the breath moving in and out of that space. (1 to 2 minutes)
2. Move focus to the tailbone/sitting bones (you may sit on your hand for a moment to draw focus there) and imagine/feel the breath moving in and out of that space (30 seconds to 1 minute)
3. Move your awareness to the center of the chest (you may gently rest a hand on the heart) and imagine/feel the breath moving in and out of your heart center (1 minute or longer – until you begin to feel calm)

Movement:
Helps gently stretch the muscles between the ribs, lengthen the spine and release tension from the neck, shoulders and upper back

Sun Breath: Start with the arms alongside the body,
1. inhale to raise them out to the side then up overhead, clasping hands, exhale as you arch to the right
2. Inhale up to center, exhale as you arch to the left
3. Inhale up to center, exhale as lift the rib cage and draw the arms and shoulders back
4. Inhale up to center, exhale hands to prayer at the heart and then down to the sides.
5. Repeat "a" through "d" at least 3 times

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11/5/2018

10 Postures Every Beginner Yogi Should Learn

10 Postures
Every Beginner Yogi Should Learn

So…you’ve decided to go to a yoga class! It sounds great, but maybe you’re a little unsure about knowing what to do when the instructor calls out posture names and you don’t know them. Here are a few tips to get you started. First, don’t be intimidated; find a “Beginner” or “gentle” class to start in. Second, the instructor will be helpful and give explanation and instructions. Third, the instructors often demonstrate postures. (Insider secret: Instructors don’t expect every student to know every posture).

Just so you’re not totally “in the dark”, I’ve compiled a list of some popular yoga postures for you to get to know a little about before you head to that class. Here are 10 poses, their names in Sanskrit (in case your teacher uses the traditional language), a little bit about why it’s popular, and a hint or two about being comfortable in the pose.

1) Mountain Pose (Tadasana). This is the foundational pose for all standing poses. Stand tall! It’s the beginning posture for many sequences in class.In this simple standing posture, your arms may be in several variations depending on the teacher’s instruction. Hint: Keep your feet about hip width apart to start, and place your weight equally in the left and right foot.

2) Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana) is often used alone to relax the lower back or in sequences as a transition from standing to lunges. You’ll often move into this posture from Mountain Pose. Tip: remember that you hinge at your hips, not your waist! Hint: try not to lock your knees AND if your hands don’t reach the floor, you can rest them on your legs to keep from straining your back.

3) Child’s Pose (Balasana). This is one of the most popular resting poses. You’ll see it in most yoga classes. Often you will start on your hands and knees and be asked to bring your hips back to your heels. Hints: Your glutes don’t have to touch your heels, especially if that bothers your knees at first. There are lots of arm positions so the teacher may offer a choice..

4) Easy Pose (Sukhasana). Most classes will begin (and probably end) in this posture. This cross-legged pose is also used for breathing exercises and meditation practice.Tip: Cross your legs comfortably at the ankles. If your knees are higher than your hips, sit on folded blankets or a low bolster. This will be more comfortable for your hips.(Most studios will have blankets or bolsters for use in class.)

5) Table or Table Top (Bharmanasana). On your hands and knees, this posture is commonly used during the warmup section of class and in transitioning from floor to standing.Hint: Try to keep your knees directly under your hips, your feet behind you knees and your wrists directly under your shoulders. This is the foundation and you can adjust if you need to.

6) Corpse Pose (Savasana). It’s actually the name of the posture, not the name for relaxation. They’ve become almost interchangeable because it is the most common posture used for relaxation at the end of class. Tip: Lie flat on your back with the palms facing upward. Try it without props for a few breaths. You can add a blanket roll or bolster under the knees if the lower back is uncomfortable. You can place a blanket under the head if the neck is uncomfortable.

7) Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana 1) is a high lunge with the torso upright and the arms overhead. It strengthens the legs and back and creates heat in the body. It’s sometime practiced alone, but often added to posture sequences. Tip: for better balance, keep your feet in line with your hips, not one foot directly behind the other. If you keep the back heel up, it will challenge your ability to balance.

8) Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana 2) is one of the primary “wide-stance” postures (with the feet wide apart). You can move into several other postures from this basic pose. You’ll bend one knee and lift the arms parallel to the floor. Hint: for knee safety, make sure that your bent knee is directly over the ankle.

9) Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Most people have heard the name of this pose (they even use it in advertising). It’s an integral part of the Sun Salutation sequence of postures. Hint: However you’ve been instructed to get into the pose, be sure to keep the thumb side of the wrist connected to the floor and remember, the heels DON’T have to come all the way to the floor!

10) Cobra (Bhujangasana) is a simple, supported back bend to help create spinal flexibility. You’ll start belly down on the floor with your hands under your shoulders. “Curl” the body upward - head, then chest, then belly – with the hands supporting you. Tips: In Cobra, the hip bones don’t come off the floor and the elbows don’t have to straighten. You move only as high as your back is comfortable.

So that’s it –three tips and ten postures to get you started and help you feel comfortable in class. Put on some stretchy, comfy clothes, grab a bottle of water and a mat if you have one (if you don’t, most studios have some to borrow or rent) and head out! When you get to class, let the instructor know you’re a beginner. Follow their instruction (not all yogis instruct the same way) and REMEMBER it’s your body and your practice. Look for stretch; but avoid PAIN.

Do what you can and rest when you need to – that’s what makes a true yogi Have a great class and welcome to the practice.

Forward>>

Hi! Welcome to the Blue Moon Blog....I'm Eva Leobold and when I say that "in the midst of chaos, you can find your center", I mean that we can all be empowered beings, moving through life with grace and ease. That won't keep us from challenges and turbulent times, but with the right spiritual and energetic "tools", we can navigate wisely. My intention at Blue Moon Yoga is to help you discover the techniques that work best for you.

We are all on a unique journey. We all deserve to feel honored and empowered in our own lives. I've been studying and practicing metaphysics since middle school . I've worked in retail, and civil engineering, but my yogic journey has, by far, been the most rewarding part of my life other than my family. I've been practicing yoga for more than 25 years, teaching for more than 20 years, and training yoga teachers for more than 12 years. As the owner of Blue Moon Yoga, I've chosen to create a space of non-judgement and safety in which practitioners can become empowered by exploring their unique spiritual journey, no matter what their level of experience. We offer guidance, techniques and tools to help everyone.

Here, you will find techniques, topics to spark your interest, information about the moon phases and planetary influences, and more! If you would like to suggest a topic, email me at [email protected]. I may not be able to get to them all, but your input is important to me! ~E

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Retrograde Planets Part 1 - Pluto

Breathe! Part 2

Breathe!

10 Postures Every Beginner Yogi Should Learn