Mantra Monday: Navasana

This Wek's Mantra:  A solid foundation keeps my body strong

Building a solid foundation in you life, whether it be physically, mentally, or socially; is one of the most productive ways to give yourself the strength to become your best self.  Think about your home for a moment.  Now, take away the solid foundation it was built on.  It may still be standing for awhile, but sooner or later, the earth will shift beneath it and the walls will begin to crumble.  This same scenario plays out in all aspects of our lives.  In the following bullet point, I will point out how it can affect our social, nutritional, and physical lives:

• Social:  This type of solid foundation means loving relationships.  Humans are social creatures.  Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, or somewhere in between, you need human love in order to grow.  So, find a support team.  It can be family members, great friends, or even an online community.  No matter how many people are part of this support team, as long as you have one, you will be better able to grow as an individual.
• Physical:  With "toned" and "shredded" bodies being in fashion now, it can be easy to get caught up in the hype of wanting a single digit body fat percentage.  Let's be realistic here for a moment though, ok?  There is no doubt that having a strong abdominal wall is healthy.  Your "core" supports you in everything you do from sitting to standing and every extreme between.  This is your body's foundation.  When you strengthen it, you are also protecting your spine and organs as well!  And no, it is not necessary to have a 6 or 8 pack in order to have a strong core...key things to focus on are balance and pulling the navel in and up to support the spine. (See Navasana below)
• Nutritional:  Ah nutrition, I love it!  Having good nutrition is your foundation to a long and healthy life.  Enough said.  But seriously, eating loads of fresh fruits and vegetables never hurt anybody.  It fuels your cells with all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to not only survive, but thrive!  So, here's a challenge for this week:  Try to strengthen your nutritional foundation this week by getting AT LEAST 5 cups of fresh fruits and vegetables into your belly every day!

This Week's Asana:  Navasana (Boat Pose)

Be sure to warm up for 5-10 minutes.
Start in a seated position, with your knees bent and feet on the ground, and palms on the ground behind you, fingers facing towards you.  Lean into your hands, lift your toes off the ground, either keeping your knees bent or straighten your legs.  When you feel comfortable, bring your arms forward, palms facing toward you.  Keep lifting the chest, and drawing the belly in.  Hold for 5-10 breaths (or as long as you feel comfortable).