Did you know bowing is an art and a vigorous physical exercise that can tone, stretch and strengthen muscles as well as center your mind? To celebrate the Summer Solstice and get in shape, consider this
Bowing Meditation exercise.
Bowing Meditation brings your body through a similar sequence as the Hatha yoga Sun Salutation. From the standing upward prayer, holding your arms overhead with hands in prayer pose, to forward bending then kneeling into ‘Rebirth’ pose, which is the same as Child’s Pose in Hatha.
You can repeat Bowing dozens or even hundreds of times for a calming, breathing meditation that works your core muscles and strengthens joints.
Benefits of Bowing
Circuit Training for Cardio Health
Not only do Sun Salutation and Bowing Meditation offer a low impact workout. Repeating a standing-stretching-kneeling circuit works the cardiovascular system and provides resistance training, also known as cross training, that increases muscle mass and enhances circulation. Both offer overall body toning and stretching.
Bowing Meditation has fewer steps than Sun Salutation, but both are designed to focus the mind, increase our qi or life force in the meridians and help align the chakras.
Improved Breathing
Called prana in Sanskrit, the breathwork involved in Sun Salutation or Bowing Meditation acts on the subtle energies, both magnetic and electrical, in our energy body and meridians.
Mental Focus
Pranayama helps both physical and mental states in releasing blocked emotions, stagnant qi and increasing higher awareness about our connection to the world.