7. Share with us 3 steps to start our mornings with abundance?
As you open your eyes, thank heavens for this ability to be alive another day, to be in this body and to have another day to be great! Thank all of the beautiful relationships and experiences you will cultivate today.
Take a shower and feel the water on your skin. Close your eyes and take 10 deep breaths as the water graces your body. It's an amazing way to consciously set your energy and intention towards your day.
Bless your breakfast, your coffee, and your green juice! Consume slow and consciously, notice the textures and the feelings on your lips. It was made with so much love and intention, and it will nourish you so you can crush this day!
8. What 3 yoga poses do you recommend to the community to use on the daily basis?
1. Cat/Cow spinal flexion: If you only have three minutes in the morning to dedicate to your yoga practice, this simple exercise is the one I recommend most to eliminate brain fog and fatigue, which are two of the most common symptoms of thyroid imbalances.
Why? The movement of cat-cow, known as spinal flexion, increases the circulation of the spinal fluid, which contributes to greater mental clarity, according to Kundalini Yoga, because all 26 vertebrae receive stimulation and all the energy centers receive a burst of energy.
Begin on hands and knees, with knees under hips and palms directly under the shoulders. As you inhale, press your chest forward past your upper arms and spread apart your sitting bones, making sure to keep your arms straight, shoulders and knees in position. Be sure to lengthen through the lumbar spine and broaden your shoulders as you press your breastbone forward.
Try to speed the movement up to a rapid and rhythmic pace to promote energy flow, which in turn presses out the stagnant energy and decreases inflammation, releasing blockages that have been stored in the organs and glandular system. Keep up for 3 minutes.
2. Three minutes of Frog Lifts.
This exercise incorporates yoga asana (movement) and pranayama (breath work) to stimulate the glandular system and balance the metabolism.
As you inhale, squat down, balancing on the balls of your feet, heels touching and raised up. Place your fingertips on the ground between your legs and slightly in front, spine arched, and chin slightly lifted. As you exhale, bow into your legs drawing the navel point inward as you straighten your legs, heels remain touching and lifted, and fingertips remain grounded. The movement is rapid.
3. Chair pose with the eagle arm variation
This particular arm variation is one of the best ways to nourish your thyroid because you are creating space in the throat region, through the leverage created by the hook of the chin over the upper arm.
Each time you finish the pose, notice the warmth around the neck region. This powerful exercise strengthens the lower body while it flushes chronic stress and stagnation from your adrenals and activates your thyroid.
Instructions
Stand in Tadasana, mountain pose and take five deep breaths here, feeling your feet connected to the earth Take five deep breaths in Chair Pose, knees bent and seat back, with arms alongside ears, then return to Mountain Pose and ensure your feet are still set at inner hips width apart, toes facing straight forward.
Wrap left arm under right and lift the elbows up and out, tucking the chin into the elbow crease of upper arm, and breathe deeply into the back of the throat. Take five deep breaths here; repeat with the other arm on top.
Keep sending your seat back while lifting your elbows out and up, as you move your shoulders down away from your ears. Swallow to stimulate release of any congestion around your throat. Try to keep your face relaxed as you take three deep breaths. Find comfort in the boundaries, and breathe space into the back of your throat. Then release your arms and pause in Mountain Pose, standing up tall with your arms alongside your body.
This pose may feel uncomfortable and tight at first. If your palms are not pressing together, that is okay. Just take a hold of the higher wrist and try to pull your wrist up as you lift your elbows. As you do this, squeeze your elbows and forearms together.
Certain biochemical imbalances in the brain can adversely affect the body and emotions, such as hormone imbalances and challenging afflictions such as anxiety, food cravings, and emotional eating. Balance sequences trigger the right and left sides of the brain, realign electrical circuitry, and restore biochemical balance in your body, according to the teachings of Kundalini Yoga.
Finish your sequence with a forward fold, feet hip width apart and hands holding opposite elbows. Take 10 long, deep breaths here as you allow your head to drop heavy and your neck to lengthen. This pose brings release to the adrenals, so invite your lower back to expand while you keep your knees bent!
To come out of this pose, slowly release your arms and roll up to stand, bone by bone, head coming up last. Take a few breaths in mountain pose, standing tall with your eyes closed to notice the effects of these movements and the healing you have offered your body as the breath circulates around your organs.
