Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; for it becomes your destiny. -- Upanishads
A regular yoga practice ....
eliminates toxins
lubricates joints
strengthens bones
expands lung capacity
Teachers Corner with Patricia Low: Downward Dog
Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 04/16/2009 - 10:24.
16
Patricia Low has been with Westcoast Hot Yoga since April 2007 and teaches regularly in our Yaletown location.
I have been practicing yoga for over 10 years but I did not take it seriously until 5 years ago when my chiropractor warned me that if I do not take care of my body, I will continue to have pain and aches for the rest of my life. At that moment, I decided to stop running and try out Hot Yoga, and as they say “the rest is history.” 9 months later, I attended my first teacher training course and I have been teaching ever since.
Yoga has literally changed my life. I went from a stressed-out banker to a yoga teacher, and I am now a Registered Acupuncturist (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and CranioSacral Therapist.
Today, I am truly blessed to be doing what I love. I teach yoga (Hot, Hatha, Yin, Flow) and I am a Registered Acupuncturist. I have practiced Power, Hatha, Iyengar, Hot Yoga and Yin Yoga. The teachers that have made a difference in my practice include SHIRLEY DAVENTRY-FRENCH, TED GRAND, BIKRAM CHOUDHURY, and my students. My goal is to heal one person at a time and to encourage my patients and students to connect & balance mind, body and spirit through Yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Patricia Low R.Ac. B.Comm
Email: patricialowtcm@yahoo.ca
Website: www.circleofhealing.ca
Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward Dog
Adho Mukha = Downward
Svana = Dog
This pose looks like a dog stretching itself with head and forelegs down and the hind legs up. 
How to:
* To begin, place your hands under your shoulder and knees under your hips. Make full contact with your palms flat on the floor, middle fingers pointing straight forward and thumbs pressing down on your mat. Make sure there is no space between the floor and the hands.
* Take an inhale, as you exhale, lift your hips up and then backwards. Straighten your legs and engage your arms. Your feet are hip distance apart and reach your heels down towards your mat. If might take a few classes for your feet to touch your mat.
* Keeping your gaze on your big toes, draw your navel in and reach your heart towards your shins while pressing your palms flat down and forward (imagine you are stretching your mat forward another 3-4 inches)
* Hold for 5 calm breaths.
Tips
* The most common mistake in this pose is where due to tight hamstrings; students have a hard time moving the hips backward and up. This in turn puts a lot of pressure on your shoulders and hands.
* While you are in this posture, there should be very little pressure on your hands; you can achieve this by shifting most of your weight to your feet. In this case, keep your knees slightly bent.
* Eventually, this posture becomes a resting posture.
* For experienced students, rotate your inner thighs towards they sky and turn your heels slightly away from each other.
Benefits
This pose is great to relief pain and stiffness in the heels and will soften the calf muscles while building upper body strength. It strengthens the ankles and strengthens the leg muscles.