How does detox with yoga work?

There is a variety of poses/asanas aimed at detoxifying and regenerating the body. Through these yoga poses, breathing exercises, and meditation, we support our organs in detoxification, strengthen the immune system, and promote our inner balance.

In spring, our bodies are particularly receptive to this type of cleansing. It’s the ideal time to release old blockages, both physical and emotional, and make space for new things.

According to Patanjali, an ancient Indian scholar of grammar, linguistics, yoga, and medical treatises, Saucha, inner and outer purity, is a central element of the yogic path. In the sacred language of Sanskrit, this term refers to purification on all levels – physical, mental, and emotional. Saucha is not only a concept but an active process that frees both our body and mind from negative influences and creates space for more energy, clarity, and well-being.

Saucha is the first of the 5 Niyamas (principles) that help us live a fulfilled and harmonious life. The Niyamas relate to our relationship with ourselves.

This specific form of detox through yoga aims to cleanse the body of toxins and enhance well-being. It combines physical movement, breathing techniques, and meditation to promote detoxification on various levels.

It is important to regularly align everything we take in, such as food on a physical level, as well as mental and emotional nourishment, in order to maintain and enhance health in the long run. Only through continuous practice can we maintain the balance between detoxification and nutrient intake on a physical, mental, and emotional level.

Body and Breathing Exercises that Help Detoxify the Body

We have prepared an effective selection of body and breathing exercises for you to try at home. These exercises detoxify your body, promote digestion, support the liver, and stimulate metabolism.

Breathing exercises that promote the detox process are a wonderful practice that helps free the body from toxins and boost vitality. These breathing techniques are often part of yoga practices and help increase lung capacity, improve circulation, and clear the mind.

Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)

One of the most well-known techniques with a high body and mind detox effect is Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana), a yoga breathing technique that calms the body and mind, harmonizes energy flows, and enhances concentration. It is often used as a method to cleanse and balance the Nadis (energy channels).

Step-by-Step Guide to Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana):

1. Preparation

Sit in a comfortable, upright position. Your legs can be crossed in a comfortable meditation posture or in another position that works for you. Ensure that your spine is straight, and your chin is gently tilted towards your chest. Close your eyes softly and breathe calmly through your nose.

2. Hand Position (Vishnu Mudra)

Bring your right hand into a specific hand gesture (Vishnu Mudra) by folding the index and middle fingers inward, while keeping the other fingers (ring finger, little finger, and thumb) extended. The thumb will be used to close the right nostril, and the ring finger or little finger will be used to close the left nostril.

3. Begin the Breathing Exercise

Close the right nostril: Use the thumb of your right hand to close your right nostril. Inhale deeply and calmly through your left nostril.
Open the right nostril, close the left nostril: Now close the left nostril with your ring finger or little finger, and at the same time, open the right nostril. Exhale fully through the right nostril.
Inhale through the right nostril: Slowly and deeply inhale through the right nostril while keeping the left nostril closed.
Open the left nostril, close the right nostril: Close the right nostril with your thumb and open the left nostril. Exhale slowly and completely through the left nostril.

4. Repeat the Cycle

This completes one full cycle of Alternate Nostril Breathing. Repeat this cycle for 5 to 10 minutes, or as long as it feels comfortable. You can hold your breath (Kumbhaka) between inhalations and exhalations if you feel comfortable doing so, but avoid forcing the breath. Your natural breathing should remain calm and relaxed.

5. Conclusion

Finish the practice by gently placing your hands on your knees and taking a few deep breaths through both nostrils to integrate the effects of the practice.

Positive Effects of Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)

• Calming the mind
• Promoting mental clarity
• Balancing the energy channels (Nadis)
• Increasing oxygen intake
• Reducing anxiety and nervousness
• Promoting inner peace and well-being
• Improving breathing and breathing patterns
• Strengthening the parasympathetic nervous system

Detox Asana No. 1: Wide Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana)

This asana is excellent for your hamstring muscles, and because your heart is literally “upside down,” it stimulates blood flow throughout the body. Additionally, the forward fold massages the abdomen, promoting digestion. This particular asana calms and grounds us, offering not only numerous positive effects on the body but also an opportunity to practice letting go and arriving fully in the present moment with yourself.

Instructions for Wide Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana):

• Start in a Standing Position: Stand with your feet about 1 to 1.2 meters apart. Keep your feet parallel to each other, with your big toes pointing forward (12 o’clock) and the outer edges of your feet parallel to the edges of your mat.

• Extend Your Arms: Stretch your arms out to the sides, making them parallel to the floor. Your palms should face downward.

• Inhale and Lengthen Your Spine: As you inhale, elongate your torso.

• Exhale and Fold Forward: On the exhale, hinge from your hips and begin to fold forward. Keep your back straight as you lower your torso toward the floor.

• Hand Placement: Place your hands on the floor, on a block, or on your ankles, depending on how far you can bend.

• Relax Your Head and Neck: Let your head hang loosely, keeping your neck long. Ensure you’re not pressing your head downward but keeping it in a neutral position.

• Activate Your Legs: Engage your legs by tightening your thigh muscles, keeping your feet firmly grounded on the floor.

• Breathe Deeply and Steadily: Maintain a steady, deep breath. Hold the pose for several breaths, feeling the stretch in your legs and back.

• To Come Out of the Pose: Slightly bend your knees, inhale, and slowly rise up with your torso, lifting your arms back to the sides.

Detox Asana No. 2: Chair Pose with Twist (Parivrtta Utkatasana)

The twist in this asana creates gentle pressure on your kidneys, liver, and spleen, which stimulates digestion and supports the flushing out of toxins. Additionally, this asana strengthens your thighs and helps tone your glutes.

All twists from the center have a detoxifying effect that benefits your body. In our Power Yoga Flow on Soho, you can experience these refreshing exercises live and feel how they revitalize your body.

Instructions for Chair Pose with Twist (Parivrtta Utkatasana):

• Stand upright on your mat and bring your feet together.

• Stretch your arms upward, with your palms facing each other.

• Slowly bend your knees as if you were about to sit on a chair. Tilt your pelvis slightly back, keeping your heels firmly grounded on the floor.

• Bring your hands into a Namaste position in front of your chest, twist your torso to the left, and press your right elbow against the outside of your left knee. Your left elbow should point straight upward (the photo above shows the pose on the other side).

• Make sure your knees remain at the same height in this position.

• Hold the pose for a few breaths, then switch sides.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness also play a crucial role in the detoxification and cleansing process. With meditation, we can calm our minds, reduce stress, and regain our inner balance. Practicing mindfulness in everyday life helps us become aware of our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations, allowing us to release negative influences.

In Conclusion

Incorporate this beneficial routine into your daily flow and experience how quickly the detox and cleansing processes begin. Let yourself be inspired by the energy and lightness you gain from it.

Remember, every breath is a new opportunity to renew yourself. We wish you a refreshing and purifying yoga practice!

Peace in the world starts with peace in oneself. If everyone lives mindfully, everyone will be more healthy, feel more fulfilled in their daily lives and there will be more peace.

– Thích Nhất Hạnh

Namaste,
Karin & Team

Cool, right? And also possible!
To evolve and make space for new things, it’s important to let go regularly. This is an ongoing process and doesn’t only apply to material things. You might cling to the desire for a million euros from the lottery, to work, to grief over a loss, to anger, to a relationship, to our children, to cigarettes, to food, to a health history, to sports, to our phones, to possessions, to limiting self-judgments, to beliefs, or to recurring thoughts and emotions.

When and how can you free yourself from these attachments?

Every day, you have the opportunity to release these attachments. When you hold on to negative thoughts or emotions—and that’s easy to do since negative energies can also be driving forces—it prevents you from reaching your full potential. We often live in the past or worry about the future instead of enjoying the present moment and truly living life.

So how can you break this cycle?

The key is in “letting go”. This practice is deeply rooted in yogic philosophy and helps you to recognize your true self. By letting go, your mind becomes freer and more open to new experiences and the quality of your experience determines the quality of your life.

How can you practice letting go?

• Awareness of your breath: Your breath is a powerful tool. Take time to breathe consciously. Let go of the tension with each exhalation. You will quickly feel a feeling of “everything is OK” spreading within you
• Mindfulness and acceptance: Accept what is right now. Instead of fighting, accept everything you feel – be it joy, sadness or fear and feel right there “feel what you feel”. This acceptance opens up the space for change
• Gentle asanas: Practice postures that stretch and relax your body. Forward bends and hip openers are particularly helpful for releasing tension
• Letting go of thoughts: Observe your thoughts without dwelling on them or getting caught up in them. Let them pass by like clouds in the sky. You are not your thoughts
• Meditation and mantras: Meditate and repeat a mantra like “I let go”. These practices help you calm your mind and focus on what is important
• Reminders in everyday life: Write little sentences like “let go” or “trust” on pieces of paper and place them in places you see often. These reminders are a support for your letting go practice

Three yoga poses that help you let go – relaxation for body and mind

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

This pose calms and relaxes. It helps you reduce stress and feel safe. This pose carries a deep psychological memory of our childhood. Use the exhalation to actively let go of things you no longer need or that are no longer helpful to you. It also promotes flexibility in the hips, thighs, and back, and calms the mind while relieving tension.

Instructions:

• Start in a tabletop position and bring your big toes together behind you, with your knees at the edge of the mat
• Slowly sit back onto your heels, bending your upper body forward and gently resting your forehead on the floor
• Your arms can either be extended forward or placed along your body
• Breathe deeply and evenly in and out through your nose to let go and relax your body

Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)

This pose promotes a connection to your body and helps release tension. It stretches the back muscles, calms the nervous system, and helps in releasing mental blockages, fostering inner peace.

Instructions:

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you
• Bend forward from your hips and try to reach for your feet
• Make sure to keep your spine long and avoid pulling from your back
• Breathe deeply in and out to further relax your body

Pigeon Pose (Kapotasana)

This deep stretching pose opens the hips and stretches the entire lower back. Through this practice, you can release emotional blockages and promote letting go.

Instructions:

• Start in a tabletop position or Downward-Facing Dog. Bring your right knee forward and place it bent in front of you. Extend your left leg straight behind you and tuck your toes
• The right foot can stay close to the hip, or you can move it further forward until the shin is parallel to the front edge of the mat
• You can either place your fingertips to the right and left of your hips, lift your torso upright, and even arch your back, or you can slowly lower your upper body forward and down, resting it on the floor
• Hold the position and breathe deeply in and out through your nose to open the hips and release emotional tension, then switch sides

The Power of Letting Go

Regularly practicing “Letting Go” has a profound impact on both body and mind. You’ll notice that you feel lighter and freer. By letting go of negative thoughts and emotions, you create space for joy and tranquility. Your mind will become clearer and more open, helping you face challenges with greater ease and even courage.

Life is a gift full of possibilities. Embrace it, enjoy every experience, and find freedom in letting go. Take the first step—you’ll be amazed at how much lighter and more fulfilling your life can be.

With love,
Karin & Team

These 7 energy centers in our bodies have a significant impact on our physical health as well as our emotional and spiritual well-being. The chakras run along the spine and they play a central role in the distribution of life energy, also known as Prana, within our bodies.

A harmonious and balanced chakra system greatly contributes to our overall well-being. On the other hand, blockages in these energy centers can lead to various health and emotional challenges. Let’s dive together into the fascinating world of chakras and discover how we can enhance our energy balance!

When the chakras in our daily lives are in balance and harmony, they have an enormously positive influence on our entire life. A balanced chakra system allows our life energy, Prana, to flow freely. This leads to numerous benefits on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels.

When the chakras are functioning harmoniously, we feel vital and energized. Physical ailments are reduced or disappear entirely, as the blockages that often cause pain or discomfort are released. Furthermore, we experience increased emotional stability. We are better equipped to handle stress and daily challenges, regulate our emotions, and maintain positive relationships with ourselves and others.

On a spiritual level, a balanced chakra system fosters a sense of connectedness with ourselves and the world around us, creating a sense of unity—exactly what the word “yoga” means. We develop a deeper understanding of ourselves, our life goals, and values, leading to a fulfilling and satisfying life.

Overall, the balance and harmony of the chakras help us not only feel better but also unlock our full potential. By regularly incorporating practices like meditation, yoga, breathwork, or mindful eating into our daily routines, we can actively support our chakras and lead a harmonious life.

The Chakras in Detail

Science already mentions 114 Chakras. Let’s dive into the first 7 Energy Centers to start with.

1. Root Chakra (Muladhara)

• Color: Red
• Location: Base of the spine
• Element: Earth
• Foods: Root vegetables like carrots, beets, potatoes & protein-rich plant foods
• Yoga Poses: Tree Pose (Vrikshasana), Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)
• Tip: Ground yourself with a walk in nature

2. Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)

• Color: Orange
• Location: Lower abdomen
• Element: Water
• Foods: Oranges, carrots, pumpkin, mandarins
• Yoga Poses: Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana), Cobra (Bhujangasana)
• Tip: Take a relaxing bath to boost your creativity

3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

• Color: Yellow
• Location: Upper abdomen
• Element: Fire
• Foods: Yellow fruits and vegetables, like bell peppers, bananas, pineapples
• Yoga Poses: Boat Pose (Navasana), Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
• Tip: Engage in breathing exercises to activate your inner strength

4. Heart Chakra (Anahata)

• Color: Green
• Location: Chest area
• Element: Air
• Foods: Green leafy vegetables, avocado, broccoli
• Yoga Poses: Camel Pose (Ustrasana), Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)
• Tip: Practice gratitude to open your heart

5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)

• Color: Light blue
• Location: Throat
• Element: Ether
• Foods: Blue and purple fruits like blueberries, blackberries
• Yoga Poses: Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana), Fish Pose (Matsyasana)
• Tip: Express your truth, whether through speaking, singing, or writing

6. Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)

• Color: Indigo
• Location: Center of the forehead (Third Eye)
• Element: Light
• Foods: Dark chocolate, berries, grapes
• Yoga Poses: Child’s Pose (Balasana), Eagle Pose (Garudasana)
• Tip: Meditate daily to sharpen your intuition

7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)

• Color: Violet or White
• Location: Crown of the head
• Element: Spirit
• Foods: Fasting or light, pure foods like herbal teas and smoothies
• Yoga Poses: Headstand (Sirsasana), Lotus Pose (Padmasana)
• Tip: Connect with the Higher Self, transcend your consciousness

Conclusion: Our chakras are the key to holistic well-being, vibrancy and life-force. We invite you to explore your energy centers and discover how they can influence your life positively.

Stay grounded and balanced,
Karin & Team

Solar Energy

Surya Namaskar is also known as Sun Salutation. Start your day with a deep practice of Sun Salutation to harness the power and warmth of the sun. This dynamic sequence of asanas helps energize your body and clear your mind. Use the calm and peaceful energy of the sunrise to start your day. A short meditation session in the first rays of the sun gives you clarity and focus as you enjoy the stillness of the morning. The sun is a natural source of vitamin D, which is essential for your health. Outdoor yoga allows you to get this vital vitamin while enjoying the nature around you.

Lion Power

Asanas for strength and courage. Focus on powerful poses like the warrior, plank, and lion pose this month. These asanas will help you develop inner strength and embody the courage of the lion in your practice. Use yoga techniques to boost your confidence. Asanas like the hero pose (Virabhadrasana) help you feel strong and confident, both on the mat and in everyday life.
The lion’s breath is a powerful breathing exercise for stress reduction and strengthening the voice. The lion’s breath (Simhasana) helps relax facial muscles, loosen jaws, and relieve stress. This technique improves breathing and increases oxygen levels in the body, leading to more energy and alertness. It also activates the thyroid and throat chakra, promotes communication, creativity, and self-expression, and even boosts your self-confidence. The exercise is performed by breathing deeply in through the nose and forcefully exhaling through the mouth, sticking out the tongue and opening the eyes wide.

Yoga is a light which once lit will never dim, the better your practice the brighter your flame.

B.K.S. Iyengar, indian Yoga teacher, 1918-2014

Connecting to the Solar Plexus Chakra

Self-Confidence through Yoga. August is the perfect time to activate your solar plexus chakra which is located underneath your belly button, the center of your personal power and self-confidence. Asanas such as the boat pose (Navasana) and the bow (Dhanurasana) strengthen this chakra and encourage your inner fire. Incorporate powerful vinyasa flow sequences that engage your solar plexus chakra and encourage your inner strength and self-discipline. These flowing movements help you connect with your inner warrior. Perform a meditation focused on the solar plexus chakra to increase your self-confidence and let your inner light shine. Visualize a bright yellow light emanating from your solar plexus, filling you with energy and power.

Harvest Time and Abundance

Yoga and Nutrition. August is the time of harvest and abundance. Incorporate fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables into your diet to nourish your body and support your yoga practice. Practice gratitude by appreciating life’s little pleasures. A daily gratitude meditation helps to open your heart and brings positive energy into your life. Spend more time in nature and incorporate yoga sequences into your outdoor activities. Harvest time offers a wonderful opportunity to consciously experience and enjoy nature’s abundance.

Summer Self-Care

Take good care of yourself by drinking enough water and using natural skincare products. Sweating during yoga helps remove toxins from the body and cleanse the skin. This not only promotes your physical health, but also contributes to a feeling of renewal and vitality.

We hope you incorporate the powerful energy of the Sun and Leo into your yoga practice this August and enjoy the abundance of this special time. Be inspired by the magic of summer and find new ways to let your inner light shine.

Yours, Karin