A "Hot" Yoga Practice: Making the Hips and Groins Groan!

A "Hot" Yoga Practice: Making the Hips and Groins Groan!
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by guest blogger Holly Walck Kostura, BSN and certified Iyengar Yoga teacher

It has been exceedingly hot and humid in my part of the world lately, and my students have been feeling the proverbial burn. As their teacher (and yours!) it is my duty to adjust the sequencing so that their inner environment is in harmony with the outer environment.

The body has several "hot spots" that retain heat, one of which is the inner, upper thighs, also known as "the inner groins." Lengthening the inner thighs towards the knees invokes the element of water and is cooling for that part of the body, removing any heat that has built up and caused the energy to stagnate.

I call this sequence
and encourage you to take it on as a practice you do three times a week for a month, observing the sensations in your hips, groins, pelvic region, and mind--and watching the changes that occur in the following:
  • The upright stage of each variation of Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana) to the half-forward extension stage to the full forward extension stage;
  • From one variation of Baddha Konasana to another (mild, medium, intense);
  • From the first time you practice "The Baddha Konasana Project" to the next, from one week to the next, from the beginning of the month to the end.

Think of this sequence as all natural, non-toxic Yoga air conditioning!

Namaskar,

Holly

Holly Walck Kostura uses the healing practices of Ayurveda and Iyengar Yoga to secure her to the core of her being. Combining her bachelor's degree in nursing with her certification in Iyengar Yoga gives her the ability to approach her students from a place of wholeness and infuse her yoga classes with a unique flavor. Find her online at yogawithholly.com.

For more from Maria Rodale, visit www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com

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