​​​​​​​Cheryl Fenner Brown C-IAYT​, E-RYT 500, YACEP
yogacheryl.com
  • CONTACT
    • Chat with Cheryl >
      • Yoga Therapy Consultation
      • Reiki Consultation
      • Teacher Chat
    • Bio
    • Resume'
    • Press
    • Join Mailing List
  • BOOK NOW
  • YOGA
    • Schedule >
      • Yoga Nidra Series
      • Scholarship Application
      • > Prop Recommendations
    • Yoga Therapy
    • Seasonal Self-Care Challenges >
      • 5 Days to Intention & Personal Mantra
      • 21 Days to Spring Self-Care
      • 21 Days to Summer Self-Care
      • 21 Days to Autumn Self-Care
      • 21 Days to Holiday Bliss
    • Introduction to Yoga Course
    • Exploring Your Chakras Course
    • Custom Yoga Nidra
    • Thai Yoga Massage
  • REIKI
    • Reiki Sessions
    • Chakra Balancing Reiki
  • TEACHER TRAINING
    • Mentoring
    • Cancer Teacher Training
    • Yoga Nidra Training (10 hrs)
    • Subtle Practices Training (15 hrs)
  • CANCER
    • Cancer Teacher Training >
      • 60-hr Cancer Certificaiton Training >
        • Cancer Training Intro and Q&A
        • Client Application for Teacher Practicum
      • Cancer Immersions
    • Classes for Patients & Survivors >
      • Private Cancer Facebook Group
    • Private Yoga Therapy for Cancer
    • Teacher Registry
    • Cancer Survivorship Home Practice Course
    • Yoga Nidra for Cancer
    • Articles & Sequences
    • Yoga Research
    • Cancer Patient Resources >
      • Cancer Resource Request Form
  • YOGA NIDRA
    • What is Yoga Nidra?
    • Setting Your Sankalpa
    • Free Body Scan
    • Free Yoga Nidra
    • Buy Yoga Nidra MP3s
    • Yoga Nidra Scripts
    • Yoga Nidra Training (10 hrs)
  • YOGA ENCYCLOPEDIA APP
  • BLOG
  • STORE
  • CONTACT
    • Chat with Cheryl >
      • Yoga Therapy Consultation
      • Reiki Consultation
      • Teacher Chat
    • Bio
    • Resume'
    • Press
    • Join Mailing List
  • BOOK NOW
  • YOGA
    • Schedule >
      • Yoga Nidra Series
      • Scholarship Application
      • > Prop Recommendations
    • Yoga Therapy
    • Seasonal Self-Care Challenges >
      • 5 Days to Intention & Personal Mantra
      • 21 Days to Spring Self-Care
      • 21 Days to Summer Self-Care
      • 21 Days to Autumn Self-Care
      • 21 Days to Holiday Bliss
    • Introduction to Yoga Course
    • Exploring Your Chakras Course
    • Custom Yoga Nidra
    • Thai Yoga Massage
  • REIKI
    • Reiki Sessions
    • Chakra Balancing Reiki
  • TEACHER TRAINING
    • Mentoring
    • Cancer Teacher Training
    • Yoga Nidra Training (10 hrs)
    • Subtle Practices Training (15 hrs)
  • CANCER
    • Cancer Teacher Training >
      • 60-hr Cancer Certificaiton Training >
        • Cancer Training Intro and Q&A
        • Client Application for Teacher Practicum
      • Cancer Immersions
    • Classes for Patients & Survivors >
      • Private Cancer Facebook Group
    • Private Yoga Therapy for Cancer
    • Teacher Registry
    • Cancer Survivorship Home Practice Course
    • Yoga Nidra for Cancer
    • Articles & Sequences
    • Yoga Research
    • Cancer Patient Resources >
      • Cancer Resource Request Form
  • YOGA NIDRA
    • What is Yoga Nidra?
    • Setting Your Sankalpa
    • Free Body Scan
    • Free Yoga Nidra
    • Buy Yoga Nidra MP3s
    • Yoga Nidra Scripts
    • Yoga Nidra Training (10 hrs)
  • YOGA ENCYCLOPEDIA APP
  • BLOG
  • STORE

1/18/2016

0 Comments

Open Heart Benefit: In Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was a teacher, activist, father, husband, minister, nobel prize winner, author, and humanitarian who believed strongly in the first two observances of yoga, non-violence (ahimsa), and truth (satya). He was a warrior for peace who fought tirelessly to ensure that people of color were given their inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as guaranteed in the constitution. We dedicate the fruits of our practice today to honor his life and death, and to cultivate these same qualities within ourselves. A reminder to approach every human interaction as with the beloved, even when faced with someone who does not share your gender, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation. 

As you move through your days remember to treat one another with acceptance rather than fear; with love rather than hate, with justice rather than injustice, with peacefulness rather than violence, with unity rather than division, and with compassion rather than indifference.

Picture
Kapota Mudra
Dove

Begin with palms together. Create space between palms keeping finger tips, thumbs and heels of hands together; hold at the heart.
Benefits: Activates the heart center
Practice Tips: Use when depressed
How it Works: The two hands represent the duality of spirit and matter and are brought together with a precious space within representing spaciousness for the breath.

Picture
Padma Mudra
Lotus

Place hands together at the heart, keep thumbs and little fingers together, open other fingers and create cup shape between palms.
Benefits: Elevates heart energy, integrates body and mind
How it Works: The flower shape of the hands acts as a funnel to draw energy into the heart. The lotus grows under water from mud towards the sun to bloom on the surface of the water representing the groundedness and detachment needed for deep spiritual practice. 
Practice Tips: Use yo heal your emotional heart

Picture
Cat/Cow Tilts
Marjaryasana 


Cat: Exhale round the back and drop the head and tail bone towards the floor. 
Repeat with your breath 10 times.
Cow: Begin on the hands and knees, toes pointed. Inhale lift the sternum forward and drop the pubic bone back between the legs to arch the spine. 
Therapeutics: Massages the internal organs and warms-up the muscles along the spine.

Picture
Crescent Lunge to Runner's Lunge Flow 
Anjaynasana to Ardha Hanumanasana Vinyasa


Begin on all fours and bring left foot between hands. Inhale sweep arms forward and up to the heart (shown) or overhead pressing pelvis forward. Exhale touch floor on either side of foot as you press pelvis back evenly and extend chest over the straight leg. You may also use blocks under the hands if it is difficult to reach the floor.
Repeat to both sides 5 times with the breath.
Therapeutics: Stretches hip flexors and strengthens legs.

Picture
Extended Child's Pose to Cobra Pose Flow
Uttita Balasana to Bhujangasana Vinyasa


Begin in Balasana with the arms overhead on the floor. Inhale keep hands where they are and move torso through arms to come first into a knee plank position with the shoulders over the wrists, the torso and thighs in a straight line. 
Then exhale back into Balasana. 
As you inhale a second time, bring the shoulders over the wrists, lift the heart and come into a gentle backbend with pelvis pressing towards floor. 
Exhale return to Balasana. 
Repeat 5-10 times with the breath.
Therapeutics: Alternately stretches and strengthens front and back of body.

Picture
Downward Facing Dog
Adho Mukha Svanasana
 
Begin on all fours with hands slightly forward of shoulders. Turn toes under and lift knees off floor. Keep shoulders wide and palms flat, press thighs and sit bones back, scooping belly in as you ground heels towards the floor.
Hold 1-3 minutes, release into Child's Pose.
Therapeutics: Strengthens arms and shoulders, stretches back of torso and legs

Picture
Warrior II
Virabhadrasana II 

Stand with feet wide apart. Turn left foot out 90 degrees and right foot in 30 degrees. Inhale arms out from shoulders. Exhale and bend left knee. Keep torso upright and do not lean over bent leg. Gaze towards left hand. 
Hold 5-10 breaths then release and change sides.
Therapeutics: Strengthens legs and increases balance

Picture
Warrior I
Virabhadrasana I 

Begin standing in Tadasana. Step left leg back about three feet keeping feet hips width apart. Keep right toes turned forward and left foot turned slightly out. Turn hips gently towards front foot and balance weight on both feet. Inhale arms overhead. Exhale and bend right knee. Draw belly up and release tail bone towards floor. 
Hold 5-10 breaths then release and change sides.
Therapeutics: Opens front body and psoas, strengthens legs, improves balance

Picture
Standing Wide-Legged Forward Bend
Prasarita Padottanasana 

Stand with feet wide apart. 
Variation II: Bend forward from hips release spine forward with crown of head facing floor. Reach hands out to hold the outer ankles. Hold up to 1 minute, then return to standing by drawing hands onto hips and lifting entire torso up as a single unit.
Therapeutics: Intense hamstring stretch, opens back of body

Picture
Chanting

Chant "Om aham shanti namaha" nine times.

Translation: "I honor the peace that lives within."


Picture
Supported Heart Opener
Salamba Uttana Merudandasana


Set up two bolsters perpendicular to mat with folded blanket on the one toward the back of the mat. Sit on folded blanket or on floor facing away from bolsters. Lie back so that shoulder blades and upper back are supported by shorted bolster and the head and neck are supported by the taller bolster. The upper line of the shoulders and arms should fall in between the bolsters. If the elbows to not readily reach the floor, support with more folded blankets. Either straighten legs out to floor or rest knees over bolster.
Therapeutics: Opens heart and releases tension across chest, shoulders and neck

Picture
Vajrapradama Mudra
Unskhakable Trust


Clasp fingers and open palms toward heart; point thumbs upwards. Hold a few inches away from the chest.
Benefits: Builds confidence, security, opens the heart very gently
How it Works: The hands are brought together to create a secure net at the heart to hold all doubt and indecision in compassion. It also represents the interconnectedness of all people and things awakening compassion.
Practice Tips: Use when frightened or anxious

Picture
Corpse Pose
Savasana 

Lie on back with legs straight and feet relaxed to sides. Move arms away from sides slightly and turn palms to face ceiling. You may use support under the knees for low back pain; and a folded blanket under the head if needed. Rest 5-15 minutes.
Therapeutics: Allows for integration of mind and body after asana practice, promotes restful awareness
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Cheryl Fenner Brown, C-IAYT
    I am an integrative Yoga Therapist with over 20 years of experience working with beginners, older adults, and cancer patients as well as teaching teachers adaptive asana, pranayama, mudra, sound, and Yoga Nidra to help special populations.
    • Asana
    • Anatomic Focus
    • Chair Yoga
    • Chakras
    • Eight Limbs
    • Koshas
    • Prana Vayus
    • Pranayama
    • Sun & Moon Salutations
    • Therapeutic
    • Vowel Spiral
    • Yoga for Cancer 
    • Yoga Nidra
    • 2015 India Trip

    Categories

    All
    Asana Practices
    Breath Practices
    Healing Yoga For Cancer
    India
    Mudra Practices
    The Chakras
    The Vayus
    Yamas & Niyamas
    Yogic Reflections

    Archives

    March 2025
    January 2025
    September 2022
    August 2021
    August 2020
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    January 2011
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008
    January 2008
    December 2007
    November 2007
    October 2007
    September 2007
    August 2007
    July 2007
    June 2007
    May 2007
    April 2007
    March 2007
    February 2007
    January 2007
    July 2006
    June 2006
    May 2006
    April 2006
    March 2006
    February 2006
    January 2006


    RSS Feed

    I attend Cheryl's class regularly and feel that my practice has improved immensely over the past few years due to her expert coaching. Her teaching style is clear and compassionate and her previous experience in teaching adults is evident in her organized approach and easy to understand instructions. I also appreciate that Cheryl not only teaches us about how to correctly position ourselves, but also touches on many aspects of yoga philosophy, which in turn has deepened my personal practice and heightened my awareness of the connection between mind and body, breath and relaxation.​
    - L.G.

Vertical Divider

​Chat with Cheryl
   |   ​Bio   |   Press
Contact   |   ​Join Mailing List
Vertical Divider

​Classes & Workshops
   |   Self-Care Courses   |   ​Private Yoga Therapy      Reiki
Vertical Divider

​Mentoring   |   Teacher Training
​Yoga for Cancer   |  ​ Yoga Nidra

Yoga Encyclopedia App
​
​Blog   |    ​​Store   |    Malas  


Picture