5 Moves to Sculpt Your Arms, Firm Your Back Side and Strengthen Your Core: Breaking Down Chaturanga Dandasana

By Liz Lindh

I love Chaturanga Dandasana because it makes me feel strong. This asana is the key to every arm balance and requires a very clear body awareness. It also takes strength in the arms and shoulders, and an integrated back, core and side body. In chaturanga, the entire body is engaged from high plank as the elbows bend straight back to hug the waist until the shoulders are even with the elbows. This is where a lot of folks go wrong. Either they don’t have the core strength to lower down with integrity, their back sags and their shoulders collapse; their triceps or shoulders aren’t active enough and the elbows bow out to the sides; or the body awareness just isn’t there and the shoulders come down lower than the elbows. These are all great ways to injure the shoulders or strain the back.

Try these 5 techniques to cultivate the strength and awareness necessary to refine your chaturanga while toning and stretching the muscles in your arms, shoulders and back. It won’t take long for you to feel and see the results!

Sphinx

Method:

Lay on your belly. Stretch your legs back one at a time. Place your feet shoulders width apart and subtly press the tops of them into the floor. Gently press your pubic bone into the floor as well while you pull the navel and lower ribs in. Place your elbows directly beneath your shoulders and arrange the forearms so that they are parallel to one another. Widen through the collar bones and draw up through the crown of the head to lengthen the spine. Activate the entire body.

Reason:

Introduces a parallel relationship between the left and right arms, and reminds the elbows what a 90’ angle feels like.

Arms are hugging the body, just like in chaturanga.

Encourages the collar bones to spread without weight bearing. This awareness prevents collapsing through the chest in chaturanga and other arm balances.

Cultivates space between the ribs and activity in the side body.

Strengthens the arms and back. 

Down Dog to Up Dog

This kriya is inspired by one of the Five Tibetan Rights of Rejuvenation. Repeating this movement 21 times per day is said to promote perfect health and longevity, and to strengthen, purify and balance the energy body. 

Method:

Place your hands and feet on the floor while making your body into an upside down “V” shape.

Keep your tiptoes on the mat. Inhale as you lower your hips toward the mat without allowing the thighs to touch down.

Exhale to lift the hips back up to the sky.

Repeat 21+ times with breath.

Reason:

Strengthens the shoulders, arms, back and core.

Enhances flexibility in the shoulders and back.

Stretches and massages the whole body.

Creates a muscle memory (somatic imprint) for parallel arms and body symmetry.

Enhances body awareness.

Firms arms, bum and belly and tones the back body.

Bench Pose Kriya with Tricep Squeezes

This kriya is another inspiration from the Five Tibetans for longevity and positive energy.

Method:

Place the hands beneath the shoulders with fingers pointing forward towards the heels.

With knees bent and feet flat on the floor, press into the feet to lift the seat up off the ground.

Lift the hips as high as they will go. Gaze forward, to the sky or to the space behind you, as long as your neck is comfortable.

Inhale to swing the hips back through the wrists as the legs straighten.

Place your hands on blocks if your bum drags along your mat.

Exhale, press the hips up to the sky. 

Repeat 21+ times.

Once complete, hold the hips in the lifted position and pulse the elbows to bend and extend as many times as you can while keeping the shoulders over the wrists.

Reason:

Strengthens the triceps, which are the key arm muscles in chaturanga.

Develops the muscles which spread and stabilize the collar bones.

Strengthens the neck, back and shoulders.

Lifts and firms the bum and the backs of the thighs.

Harmonizes body and breath.

Reinforces the parallel arm relationship and symmetry in the body.

Side Plank (Vashistasana) Pulse

Method:

From Vashistasana (Side-plank), bend the knees and reach the top arm down past the ankles as you exhale, inhale as you straighten out the legs and spring back into a lateral arching side bend. 

Repeat 4-16 times on each side.

Reason:

Strengthens the shoulders, arms, legs, core and back.

Cultivates body awareness.

Trims the waist.

Activates the back, core and sides.

Integrates breath and movement through expansion and contraction of the body.

High Plank Push-ups

Method:

Place palms on the floor, legs straight, body firm, on the tiptoes.

Press the heels into the space behind them, draw the inner thighs toward the sky, lengthen the low back and pull the lower belly in.

Squeeze the inner arms against the ribs and side body. Inhale as you bend the elbows towards the waist until the shoulders are even with the elbows. If you can't lower all the way down at first, gradually bend your elbows a little deeper each time you do this to develop your muscles.

Exhale and straighten the arms out again so the shoulders are over the wrists.

Repeat 3-12 times.

Reason:

Works and develops all of the same muscles that chaturanga does in the shoulders, arms, legs, back and core.

Creates a somatic imprint for the placement of the arms, the degree of the bend in the elbows, and the physical sensation of the straight lines running along the front, back and sides.

Strengthening the muscles in the shoulders, chest and back will prevent yoga injuries.

For more ways to deepen your yoga practice, sign-up for one of our yoga teacher training certification programs in Costa Rica! Visit our calendar to find the dates and the yoga teacher training certification program that is the best for you. If you are interested in getting fit and really refining these moves, check out our New Year's Bamboo Body Boot Camp Detox Yoga Retreat January 4-10, 2015!

Feel free to comment below or contact me if you have any questions!

Special thanks to Lela Pigott for the photos!

Costa Rica Yoga Retreat Featured Teacher: Melissa Eisler

By Liz Lindh

Meet our featured yoga teacher, Melissa Eisler. I met Melissa at a Yoga Teacher Training New Year's Retreat in Costa Rica a few years ago and am so happy that she will be hosting her own yoga retreat here at The Sanctuary at Two Rivers this November. She is lovely in all ways, and I am hoping that she is going to bring her guitar and make some music for us! This week, Melissa answers our interview questions and shares her inner most self with clarity and inspiration.

SATR: What is your idea of perfect happiness?

ME: To be healthy, at peace, and surrounded by love. (and traveling the world)

SATR: What is your most marked characteristic?

ME: My unrelenting curiosity and creativity

SATR: What do you consider your greatest achievement?

ME: Allowing that curiosity and creativity to be part of everything I do, from my full-time work as a writer and content strategist to my yoga practice, to the musician, traveler, and bookworm within …

SATR: What is your greatest fear?

ME: I have a great fear of being boring or uninspiring. I also fear rejection (but who doesn't, right?)

SATR: What historical figure do you most identify with?

ME: Can it be a deity? I think I would choose Saraswati. She’s the goddess of knowledge, learning, creative arts, music, and science. If you look at photos of her, she always looks wise and graceful. While I’m not always graceful, I aspire to be. Like her, I also have a passion for learning new things and taking in new cultures. And I’m a musician, so those sides of me really identify with Saraswati.

SATR: Which living person do you most admire?

ME: No one specifically as being #1 here. But I admire anyone honest, open and vulnerable. And those who answer the call to lead and inspire others. 

SATR: Who are your heroes in real life?

ME: My dad

SATR: What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

ME: My tendency to overcommit to things and not have the restorative space I enjoy

SATR: What is the trait you most deplore in others?

ME: Dishonesty

SATR: What is your favorite journey?

ME: Tough one. On a literal level, I think I would choose my first solo backpacking journey in 2009, when I spent a few weeks wandering around SE Asia on my own. This led to many other adventures with just me, my backpack and my guitar.

SATR: What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

ME: I don’t think there are any bad virtues. 

SATR: Which word or phrases do you most overuse?

ME: I overuse the word fabulous. 

SATR: What is your greatest regret?

ME: Not spending more quality time with my dad when he was alive. 

SATR: What is your current state of mind?

ME: Curious

SATR: If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?

ME: Nothing, even the challenges are lessons

SATR: What is your most treasured possession?

ME: My guitar

SATR: What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

ME: Being stuck, stagnant, and unwilling to change.

SATR: Where would you like to live?

ME: Somewhere warm, with all of my friends and family within walking distance, where you can also find waves, mountains, and rainbows without traveling too far. (Hawaii? Costa Rica?)

SATR: What is your favorite occupation?

ME: I love to teach, train, guide, and coach. Yoga and writing are the subjects.

SATR: What is the quality you most like in a man?

ME: Vulnerability, self-awareness, intelligence, confidence. Don’t make me choose.

SATR: What is the quality you like most in a woman?

ME: Compassion, Courage and Independence

SATR: What are your favorite names?

ME: Bodhi. Stella. Mala. Sage. Mambo. Yoshi. Cilantro. (This is a combo of favorite names for children, pets and friends)

SATR: What is your motto?

ME: I don’t have one. But I saw this quote recently and liked it. “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” (I don’t even know who said it!)

Melissa teaches Vinyasa classes at her favorite yoga studio in San Diego, meditation and yoga to kids and families in the oncology ward at Children’s Hospital, and yoga classes in corporate settings. Melissa’s favorite part of teaching is the challenge of discovering where people are in their journey, and figuring out how to open them to the practice with that understanding. It’s encouraging her students to challenge their bodies and open their minds and hearts each time they step onto the yoga mat. It’s finding the right way to connect with them … so they can understand, relate, and benefit from the practice of yoga and all of its teachings. 

If you would like to get to know her in person, journey with us on a healthy vegetarian Costa Rica Yoga Retreat November 9-15, 2015! Get the full details here.

3 Reasons Why August is Magical at The Sanctuary at Two Rivers

By Liz Lindh

August is a magical month at The Sanctuary at Two Rivers Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica for many reasons. Here are my top three:

1.) August is one of our Yoga Teacher Training Certification months. Today, we are at the half-way point of a three week 200hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification Program intensive. I am learning and growing by participating in several aspects of this yoga teacher training myself. I am a guest yoga instructor so I spend my afternoons at the yoga pagoda teaching posture clinic, pranayama, and how to create a yoga class. This is one of my favorite ways to spend time. It is a remarkable process to be a part of the transformation and development of the beautiful souls that have showed up from across the US and Canada to attain their yoga teacher training certification. I am bearing witness to bodies getting strong, minds becoming clear and lifetimes of conditioning being questioned. I can see the awareness and confidence building everyday as this group of seekers dives into the timeless wisdom of yoga.

The Sanctuary herself is the primary teacher of our trainings. Individuals must confront their fears here. For example, a fear of spiders, bats, being alone in the dark, conversing with strangers at dinner, or simply a fear of the unknown may surface and our guests must then realize their intrinsic power and connection to Nature. This empowerment provides a new outlook on life, one with less constraint and fewer limitations. 

2.) Our Resident Yogis have collaborated over the past two months designing a three week menu of the

most delicious meals I have ever eaten. We have mindfully created unique dishes inspired by global flavors using the freshest local organic ingredients available.  Our entire menu is gourmet vegetarian, and much of it is vegan and gluten-free. I have been spending some time in the kitchen and love preparing sensuous, nutrient dense food from the highest quality vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices, whole grains and legumes. I love picking the fresh herbs and smelling their aromas. I am fascinated by the alchemy that takes place when the components are combined into something much greater than the sum of the individual parts. The action of preparing food to nourish myself and others is a very deep form of spiritual practice. It goes beyond being of service, it is the magical ability to evoke the sacred in daily tasks and to live life as art. If you thought the food was good the last time you were here, we have taken it to a whole new level.

3.) It’s the Green Season in Costa Rica! The Sanctuary at Two Rivers is located in a tropical dry forest which does not get any rain from December to April (this is a welcome reprieve from the harsh winters of the northern hemisphere). From May through November the rains come; sometimes soft and warm, sometimes fierce and dark, always cleansing and lovely. Mother Earth is happy to receive the frequent tropical rains that replenish her. The Green Season is luscious and fertile. The gardens are bursting with scented flowers, butterflies are flitting past at every moment and the rivers are full and clear. The sky is rich with color as the sun rises and sets. The Pacific waves at the end of our driveway are majestic and good for surfing. We are immersed in Natural beauty. This season is a time to revitalize.

Perhaps I will see you here next August to experience the magic for yourself. In August 2015 we have a very special yoga teacher training certification program on our calendar, Tantric Alchemy with Marg Mahan and myself, Liz Lindh. In this unique training, we will be learning about jyotisha, palmistry, ayurveda, samkhya, and vastu as well as exploring asana, pranayama and meditation. Visit http://www.thesanctuarycostarica.com/universal-wisdom-yoga-teacher-training for the full details.

4 Natural Ways to Protect Your Skin From Sun Damage

By Liz Lindh

I live at a Yoga Retreat and Teacher Training Wellness Center in Costa Rica. Yes, it is amazing. I am exposed to the sun all day, nearly every day, all year long and I love it. I’m not very tan though. I have never been a sun worshiper, I have naturally light skin so I have learned over the years how to protect myself from the sun with out cramping my style or my enjoyment of the great outdoors. When it comes to caring for my skin, I know that what I put into my body is just as important as what I put on my body. I believe in natural, non-toxic products and have not found any sunblocks that I love to use. As an alternative putting commercial sunblock on my skin everyday (did you know that 80% of what you put onto your skin is directly absorbed into your body?) I incorporate these simple techniques into my daily routine to protect, nourish and hydrate my skin while keeping it soft, supple, healthy and beautiful.

Eat lots of Anti-Oxidants

Anti-Oxidants actually repair and strengthen your DNA. The harmful ultra-violet rays of the sun will damage and mutate the DNA of your skin. This can lead to cancer, even if you have dark skin or tan easily. Anti-oxidants are found in brightly colored berries, fruits and veggies. The more colors you eat every day, the better. 

Carrot beet juice is a skin superfood packed full of anti-oxidants. Carrots contain beta-carotene which gives the skin a gorgeous golden hue, and the red pigment in beets, betalain, gives the skin a healthy rosy glow. Drink a glass of fresh carrot beet juice every day for a subtle self-tanning effect.

If you spend a lot of time in the sun, consider taking an anti-oxidant supplement of vitamins A, C, E, selenium and zinc to be sure you have enough nutrients to heal your DNA by quenching those nasty free-radicals.

Stay Covered

 I don’t go anywhere with out my sunglasses and a hat on. Make sure your shades have good lenses, it is worth the extra money. Larger frames cover more area and offer more protection. You won’t find yourself squinting in the sunlight, so you will prevent unnecessary wrinkles from developing around your eyes and forehead, and the tinted lens will block sun damage to the delicate skin around your eyes.

A hat allows you to bring the shade with you. Hats come in all shapes and sizes. I dare to say that there is a hat for every occasion. Find one, or start a collection, to complement your personality and style, and wear it whenever you are outside.

I love sitting on the beach in my bikini, it feels so great to expose my skin to the fresh air. I always seek the shade, though. Bring an umbrella to the beach and use a parasol when you go out on walks. If you know that that isn’t an option, wear light cotton clothing, a sarong or a long sleeved rash guard to cover up. 

Avoid the mid-day sun. The sun is at it’s strongest between 10am and 2pm, it is a must to stay covered during the peak of the day. I don’t worry about it before 8am and after 4pm, even in Costa Rica I can be out in the sun during those times to replenish my Vitamin D supply without getting a burn. 

Use Coconut Oil 

Coconut oil is food for the skin. It nourishes and repairs the tissue on a cellular level, fortifying the cell membranes and organelles. 

I slather myself with organic coconut oil at night before bed and in the morning before I get dressed. I even re-apply if I am at the beach. It protects my skin when I am swimming in the ocean and acts as an SPF of somewhere around 6.

Do not lather up with coconut oil and then sun bathe. If you tend to burn, you will burn even more. If you tend to tan, you will get a deeper, more golden tan, but deep tans cause wrinkles, sagging, discoloration and DNA mutation...not sexy.  The sun will weaken the collagen and elastin fibers that maintain the structure and firmness of your skin. Wrinkles and sagging aren’t the end of the world, but even darker skinned folks are at risk for melanoma. Remember how strong the sun is and the wear and tear it causes on cars, boats and fabrics!

If You Can’t Avoid the Sun, use a Mineral Based, Non-Toxic Sunscreen

There are times when it is necessary to wear sunblock. If you are an athlete, on a boat or in any

situation where there is no way around it, than find a product you like and use it. There are many products on the market today that are mineral based and offer amazing sun protection. Mineral based products create a physical barrier of protection between your skin and the sun and are generally non-toxic. I recommend the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit public health organization, as a great source to refer to for researching your products. They even have a mobile app you can use when you are out shopping. Educate yourself and make informed choices about the products you use. Make sure you aren’t coating yourself in poison on a regular basis if you have other options.

When you join us on a yoga retreat or yoga teacher training certification program at The Sanctuary at Two Rivers in tropical Costa Rica, keep in mind that the sun here is probably much stronger than what you are used to. Enjoy the sun in a healthy way. Spend time outside, love your body, respect Nature and take good care of your skin now, no mater your age. I promise, you will thank yourself someday.