An excellent example for the use of props is the position called Vajrasana. The two straps “teach” our legs the correct alignment. Our body, so as our mind, has its own memory. At the beginning of practice we can use the straps to “teach” our legs and ankles the proper alignment, make a frame of the position, so that the body will used to it and automatically align correctly without the use of props.

How does the strap around your knees affect your body alignment?

Vajrasana with yoga strap on knees

Place a loop on the top of your knees on a hard, bony part; it should not slide on the quadriceps or cover the knee cap bone.

• It allows you to align the external and internal knee at the same distance from the ground, preventing thereby rolling your knees to the sides. We want the outer thigh to go up so that the inner knees would be heading down and in this way the load exerted on the inner and outer sides of the knee would be equal.
• The strap acts more physical , taking the outer sides of the knee up. This solution enhances the movement of the outer knee upwards. Although the strap is placed on the hard structures of the knee, it rotates also the muscles from the outside to the inside.
• The rotation of the thighs inward in vajrasana and tying them up with a strap helps to relax the sacroiliac joints. The closer your knees are together, the more you will expand your lower back, which is important for people with back problems.

How does the strap around your feet affect your body alignment?

Vajrasana with yoga strap around ankles – front view

The loop around your ankles is tight enough to rotate them inward, but at the same time gives enough space between ankles to avoid pain while sitting. Remember, the knees and ankles “roll” to the side, when we sit in Vajrasana, so do not tie the straps too tight.

Vajrasana with yoga strap around ankles – side view

• Brings the inner ankles together
• Sets the ankle joint in line with the knee, which is not possible when the ankle “rolls” to the outside
• Forces the stretch of the foot which makes it easier to align the knee in line with ankle joint.

At the beginning the use of straps will cause discomfort because our ankles are rigid structures that are difficult to break. The flexibility of these areas increases relatively hard, but by regular practice of this pose with straps our body will get used to the correct alignment.

What is AcroYoga, I will write soon in a separate post. What however AcroYoga is for me? I do not know yet, because I haven’t had the opportunity to try it. But I will surely tell you, when I find out, because I can say with absolute certainty, that I will take the challenge!

But in the meantime I watch the movie again and agian, hoping that I can soon prove myself in the role of flyier. With 50 kilograms and 167 cm I seem to be perfect for this. There is something beautiful in this game of yoga and acrobatics. Fluent and subtle movements, grace and apparent ease of the most difficult bends and configurations command not only respect, but also arouse a lot of other emotions. How much trust does it take to follow your partner? You have to feel confident with your partner, who is your basis in these evolutions. It’s almost like a dance, where you allow your partner to lead. You just simply glide in response to his signals. This is a unique combination of mysticism of yoga and creativity of acrobatics. Experienced practitioners are free in the performance – imagination is the only limit.

Although it is known, that this kind of practice is not closely related to yoga in its purest form, but with yoga it is like with everything else in the world – it evolves and transforms into various directions. It is certainly something worth to try, if you like challenges, constantly want to prove yourself, leave the comfort zone, experience new emotions, or, like me, you find pleasure and satisfaction in the process of continuous learning and improvement. What fascinates me in yoga, and also what I see in this modern form of it is the grace combined with a strength and endurance. If there is any activity that combines all these elements, it is certainly yoga. But the passion for disciplines, that require more strength, I inherited from my father, who was engaged in sports gymnastics. The image of the silhouette suspended in the air and retained in the frame somehow stuck in my mind as a symbol of the pursuit of what may seem unattainable, the symbol of continuous improvement. What better reminds us to reach the stars as a picture of a man rising into the air against all the laws of physics?

Read the following questions and circle the answer that best describes you.

Physique

• V) I am a slender person, I hardly gain weight
• Q ) I am medium built
• K) I am well built, I have a tendency to gain weight no matter what I do

Skin

• V) my skin is thin , delicate and dry,
• P) my skin is flushed with plenty of birthmarks and freckles
• K) my skin is strong and thick, sometimes looks pale

Face

• V) my face is oval
• P) my face is triangular
• K) my face is round

Activity

• V) I am a very active person , always on the go
• P) Always think before I do anything
• K) I am calm , I do not like to rush

Actions

• V) I walk, talk and I drive fast
• P) my actions are very thoughtful and precise
• K) I’m rather slow, I do not like to rush and I Take my time

Dream

• V) do not sleep soundly, I toss and turn, and I sometimes wake up early in the morning
• Q ) I am a light sleeper
• K) I’m a heavy sleeper , I sleep like a log

Appetite

• V) varies , sometimes I feel hungry, and sometimes not ,
• V) I often feel anxious if I feel hungry;
• Q ) I always feel hungry,
• P) if I do not eat , I get irritable / angry;
• K ) I do not feel hungry, I rather don‘t have appetite,
• K) I can go without eating all day

Bowel movements

• V) have a tendency to constipation
• P) I defecate regularly, tend to get diarrhea
• K) I have no problems with bowel movement

Emotions

• V) I have a lot of concerns ,
• V) my moods are variable
• V) often feel anxious and nervous
• P) if things do not happen my way, I feel very irritable / angry
• K) my mood is stable

Weather preferences

• V) I love hot and humid weather
• Q ) I like when it’s chilly, I hate hot weather
• K) I like when it’s warm and dry

Sweating

• V) I hardly sweat
• Q ) I’m sweating even after taking shower
• K) I sweat only if Iwork very hard

Ability to acquire information

• V) I learn quickly, but forget quickly too, I have an average short-term memory, poor long-term memory and excellent sound memory
• Q ) I remember what I want to remember and never forget, I have a good short-term memory, selective long-term memory, very good optical memory
• K) I learn slowly, but once I learn, I never forget, I have a very good short-term memory, good long-term memory

Strength

• V) I easily get tired
• Q ) I am an average stamina
• K) I can work long hours, I have a good stamina

Mind

• V) my mind is often troubled t
• P) I easily lose patience
• K) it is difficult to make me mad, I’m very calm

Personality

• V) “Can I still change my mind?”
• Q ) “We do it my way or not at all”
• K) “Cheer up! Tomorrow is another day “

Sport

• V) I like physical activity
• Q ) I like to win
• K) I like to have fun

Health problems

• V ) the frequent pain,
• V) constipation,
• V) anxiety and depression,
• V) insomnia,
• V) migraine
• P) skin diseases,
• P) heartburn,
• K) allergies,
• K) overweight,
• K) digestive problems
• K) diabetes,
• K) chronic colds

Hobby

• V ) arts (drawing, painting),
• V) dancing,
• V ) travel ,
• V) cinema,
• V) reading
• P) sport
• P) philosophy
• K ) nature
• K) gardening
• K) nature
• K) cooking

Once you have chosen the answers which best define you, sum up the number of letters V, P and K and see which letter prevails. If any of doshas is 50% or more, then we talk about pure body constitution. Thus, you can specify your constitution as vata, pitta or kapha.

However, we are rarely able to definitely identify ourselfs as one of these types, and most of us is double-dosha type. This means that two doshas are dominant and the third is relatively low. For example, if the test shows that about 40 % of the answeres fall into category pitta and kapha and around 20 % into vata, it means, that you are a pitta -kapha type. Depending on the number of answers wihich prevails, you may be either kapha – pitta or pitta-kapha type. Other possible doshas combinations are following:

vata – kapha (or kapha – vata )

vata – pitta ( vata or pitta )

Each of us is a unique combination of vata, pitta and kapha. Fluctuations of these energies have an impact on our physical condition and health. Read my next articles to find out how you can affect for example your mood through diet depending on your body constitution.

• lessons for beginners will be marked in green

• lessons for intermediate will be marked in yellow

• lessons for advanced will be marked in red

Icons placed in the logo perfectly reflect the stage of practice of beginner, intermediate and advanced. I hope you will find the system useful in daily practice at home

1. If you are pregnant or have health problems consult your physician before you start to practice. Your doctor will help you determine the type and level of exercise intensity.
2. Know your limits and accept them. Do not force your body to achieve the full version of asana as soon as possible. Yoga is primarily a trip, a journey, not a goal in itself. Learn to enjoy and accept with gratitude the state in which you currently are.
3. Take your time. It’s not a competition. Before you attempt the more challenging poses learn the basics, such as proper breathing and the ability to maintain balance.
4. Remember to warm up before each session of asanas. Cold muscles equals greater risk of injury.
5. Wear suitable clothing. Wear clothes that allow you to move freely.
6. Pay attention to what your body tells you. Yoga should not hurt us. If you feel pain, stop. Stop the session, if you have chest pain, weakness, overheating or dizziness.
7. Before you start a session of asanas, wait an hour after consuming smaller meals, and at least two hours after larger one.
8. Do not exercise when you feel sick.
9. Do not overextend your body. Practice only as much as your body allows you to.
10. If you have difficulties to breathe and controll the performance of asanas at the same time, concentrate first on the asanas and breathe freely. Under no circumstances should you feel discomfort or tension in the breathing.
11. Women during menstruation should not perform inversions position and twists.

So let’s get to the work:

What will we need?

• 250 g wholemeal rey flour
• 20 g of wheat bran
• 20 g of oatmeal
• 15 g of a dark cocoa
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 egg
• 80 ml of skim milk
• 1 small ripe banana
• 20 g of butter
• 60 g of honey
• grated orange peel (let’s say a teaspoon)
• cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves
• dried or smoked plums (I prefer the smoked one; they have a stronger flavour)

Note: you may also add 10 g of suggar. I don’t use it, because I don’t like when the gingerbread is too sweet. The honey is form e enough.

Learn from my mistakes:

You’d better prepare all the ingredients before kneading the dough, because then it can be hard to grab something from the kitchen cabinet with chocolate brown sticky hands:)

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Melt butter with honey and cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves and grated orange peel in a saucepan. Do it as first, because you will have to wait till the mixture will cool down.

Now blend banana milk and egg.

When the butter with honey will reach the room temperature, pour it into the mixed banana, milk and egg.

You can blame it on banana

Now it’s time to mix all the liquid ingredients with the dry one and knead the dough. I warn you – it’ll be sticky but don’t worry – it hast to be so, so that the cake won’t be too dry after baking. It’s banana what makes the cake sticky.

I do not roll the dough but make patties from it, put a plump in the middle and then I form sweet meatballs.

Before you put them in the oven spread it lightly with melted honey and milk . Bake at 175 °C for 20 minutes.

My version of gingerbread is not only delicious but also aids digestion due to high fiber content!!