Buying a new home helps your yoga practice.
When buying a new home there is short list of critical things to look for to make sure you are getting a good quality home that you will be happy with for a long time. This list has nothing to do with the number of bedrooms, how modern the kitchen nor how big the garage is. This list is very fundamental and is the bedrock on which everything else depends.
Your home needs to have:
- a strong foundation
- a solid structure
- Good air quality
There are many other things to consider like the neighbourhood, and the grounds but you need these first three right before the rest even matter.
Similarly in your yoga practice you need to get these three right in almost every pose your practice:
- A strong foundation
- A solid structure
- Good air flow
Everything in your house choice and in your yoga practice depends on a solid foundation.
1 – Build on a strong foundation
The first thing you check out when you are looking to buy a new home is the foundation. Is it solid? Does it support the rest of the house? Are there any leaks that will need to be repaired?
You need to get your feet setup correctly in your standing poses to provide the proper support and protect yourself from injury.
In seated poses you look to your sitz bones to find your foundation. Get your hips setup properly on the mat and the rest of the pose will flow smoothly from there.
Your foundation is your hands and feet in Downward Facing Dog. Getting them in correct alignment and with the proper weight distribution will make this pose a joy rather than a challenge.
When checking out that new house you need a strong and stable foundation before you move on to the rest of the structure. It is the same way in your yoga pose. Establish a stable foundation and then move on to build a solid pose.
2 – A solid structure
Are the walls solid? Is there any rot? Is anything sagging or out of line? There is lots to check in the structure of a new house just like there is in a yoga pose.
Have you engaged your quadriceps of both of your legs? This action will protect your knees from hyper extending and getting injured.
Is your torso long or is it curved and bent? Lengthening your spine will increase the space in your abdomen and give your organs some much need space and stimulation. Creating space between your ribs and hips will cause your spine to straighten and lengthen. Watch out you may discover that you get taller over time.
Are your ribs and tail bone sticking out? This is the opposite motion. Instead of compressing your abdomen are you arching your back? Draw your bottom ribs in slightly and lengthen your spine. This will take compression out of your lower back.
In your yoga pose first you establish a firm foundation and then you move on to build a solid structure on top of the that foundation. The most important part of the pose is not visible at all. It is your breath.
Are you shoulders in the right place? If they are up around your ears, bring them down your back and let them relax. You create a lot of tension and stress in your shoulder and neck muscles when you let the shoulders move out of alignment.
Once you know that the house has a solid structure it is time to move inside and check the air quality.
3 – Good air flow
When looking to buy a new home you check the quality of the air. Is there good air flow? Does the house smell fresh? Is there an air exchanger in place to insure the supply of fresh air that is needed in your new home?
In your yoga pose first you establish a firm foundation and then you move on to build a solid structure on top of the that foundation. The most important part of the pose is not visible at all. It is your breath.
What is the quality of your breath? Is your breathing restricted and harsh or is it easy flowing and relaxed? You want your breath to be between these two extremes. Your breath should be challenged slightly as you work on your yoga pose.
The quality of the breath tells you where you are compared to your edge. The edge is that comfortable but challenging place to be in a yoga pose. The edge is where you get the maximum benefit from your yoga pose without causing injury.
If your breath is restricted you have gone beyond your edge and are at risk of being injured. If your breath is totally relaxed you have not come close enough to your edge to get the most benefit that you could. If your breath is slightly challenged then you are in the right place to get the maximum benefit from your pose.
Monitor your breath as you move towards your edge.
Summary
There are many things to consider when buying a new home and there are many things to consider when you are doing a yoga pose.
Check your foundation, the structure of your pose and the air flow while you are in the pose. Check these three each time and you will have an injury free yoga pose that will give you the most benefit.
Additional Reading
To find out more about the Edge read Goldilocks and the 3 bears find the edge
You can learn more about the Breath when you read How the Ujjayi breath improves your yoga practice
Yoga can make you taller. Find out how here How to get taller: try yoga
Dont risk injuring yourself read How to avoid yoga injuries: follow these 5 great guidelines
