...Even Gray Days Are Beautiful...

Here in Ocean Beach the sky is gray and there is a slight mist in the air...no need for sweaters or jackets though!...ok maybe a light sweater but with all the walking I do my body gets pretty heated up, I love it!...I almost wanted to sleep in, thinking it was the perfect day to do so...but it's not raining and I have better things to do than just sleep...and how right I was!...went to The Vault and did some figuring out with the owner Phil about time slots for Yoga classes...whew! this is so exciting there is gonna be a lot going on for me starting in November...Yoga and massage, they go hand in hand!...I am even going to have a free weekly community class for people that want to check me out and for people that cant afford to take regular classes...The Vault is very reasonably priced with awesome instructors, it's all for the good of the people!...for this day I choose Camel Pose~Ustrasana...this pose is a little advanced but great as a mini backbend to open up the chest and abdominals...this pose is very liberating to me and doesn't have to be done with Yoga clothes...you can do it anywhere and when you rise back up you notice right away an amazing liberation and awakening!...please do this pose with care and awareness of your body...take a moment after you rise up to sit back on your heels to sit in a silent quick meditation to feel every sensation this pose gives you...Ustrasana: Kneeling   on your knees, pelvis and torso and head erect and facing forward, your knees come apart slightly wider than your hips, the tops of your feet resting on the floor and slightly together so your legs are forming a triangle...placing each palm on each butt cheek start to slowly bring bring your head back and begin to arch backwards, at the same time reach your right hand back to rest on your right heel and when you are ready your left hand comes back to left heel...also as you are arching back squeeze your buttocks lightly and bring your pelvis forward, this will bring you stability...stay in this pose for as long as you want...if you get dizzy slowly come back up and fold forward into Child's Pose...when you are ready to come back up bring your right palm to your right hip and start to raise up and bring your left hand to your left hip to assist...if you want to meditate in Child's Pose you can do so or just chill with your eyes closed sitting on your heels...I do it either way, depending on how I feel...every day is different, so listen to your body and do whats best for you at that moment...Camel pose is an intense stretch for the digestive system, especially the esophagus...It lengthens your pectoralis major and minor, coracobrachialis, biceps, and anterior deltoids, stomach muscles and thighs...Also another helpful hint is to breath in deeply before you go into the stretch and breath out long and gently as you reach back...Have fun!