The farmer of orchids is superior above other men. He belong with a sparkly-eyed fraternity, to whom, each small task, accomplished in its walk for the better ethnicity of his orchids, is a supplier of never-finish and absorbing delight. The beauty of the orchid's line and flush is known to all who bask in the offerings of the florist's chance.
The appearance of each new advance and burrow begin for delight; the slippery show of a snail or the cottony alarm of the presence of mount root for distress. The behavior and idiosyncrasies of every species and bury question to absorb examine. Different methods of upward and the relative virtues of hybrids and species are endlessly discussed among fellow growers. The orchid grower checks his mundane qualms at the door of the greenhouse and enters a world that offers surcease even to the middle heftily fraught with regret and hurt.
The beginnings of the orchid family are shrouded in mystery. Since most orchids are epiphytic - that is, having aerial roots through which they hear sustenance from the reserves in the moisture-loaded air of the tropics - they have left no traces such as the fossilized remains of ground-mounting plants.
Dr. E. Soysa, text in Orchid Culture in Ceylon, advances the delightful and plausible, if unproved, concept the orchids antedated the fossil era, but in their ardor of light ascended leaves to discharge the advancing jungle. There they lived, died, dried up, and floated away, departure no tinge. Whatever the origins of the orchid family, it cannot be doubted that the orchid family is very old, judging both by its great mixture and its kindly center structural development, attainable only through the passage of time.
The orchid is among the major and most kindly developed of the stand families, with some fifteen to twenty thousand species. A wise nature has lavished every means to insure the perpetuation of this preferred newborn. She has provided the flower with all the charm and appeal of a fairy princess to win insect vassals to stage the examine of angry-pollination.
The insects performing the service of traverse-pollination modify with the species and are as diverse as the ingenious contrivances by which the orchids employ them. It is in every reason a reciprocal arrangement, the conceal receiving the payback of fertilization, the insect the largess of food and swallow. Each species generally has its particular insect, as is shown by the unusual means each flower uses to attention its insect.
Darwin first famous a stunning example of this specialization. On a slip to South America he had an opportunity to see a plant of Angraecum sesquipedale. This starry-fair flower, an uncommon orchid of Madagascar, has a strangely elongated lip containing a nectary, about eleven inches long, that holds one-and-a-half ounces of the adorable fluid twisted by the sweetie-secreting glands.
Darwin immediately predicted that some day a moth with a snout at least twelve inches long would be discovered to be responsible for frustrate-pollination of this abnormal orchid. In time such a moth was found and was duly named Xanthopan morgani praedicta.
This specialization is reflected in the extremely sundry forms of the reproductive organs. These organs lie within the lip, more scientifically known as the labellum, along an ample enlargement called the pole.
The labellum serves in three capacities: it provides storeroom window for the pollen, an antechamber to the ovary, and a feast room for the insect. On inflowing any orchid flower the insect must first brush the pointless stigmatic hollow in his hunt for the nectar or other food.
Drunk with the meal, he blunders out, the narrow passage compelling him on the way to brush ancient the pollen ample, which become dislodged and, because of the sticky fluid, adhere to him. These lots confine strongly until he enters another flower of the same species. The feeding thinking is ideal for depositing the pollen.
Such are some of the secrets of the orchid. The wonders prolong as the orchid grower learns more and more. Enjoy an existence of interest and delight with orchids!
Whether you are have a program of flexibility you are just getting ready to start one, you want to get the most from your efforts. Before we discuss the specifics of how to stretch effectively lets briefly look at some of the benefits of stretching which include: improved flexibility, enhanced sports performance, increased space in the body, feel better in your body, improved energy flow, and counter the effects of aging.
Stretching helps to produce better overall health. And when your health is good you have more choices in your life. When things you want to do in life are restricted by an inability to move then possibilities for happiness and satisfaction in life start to dwindle. Life becomes smaller. The more choices we have in life the happier we can be.
What limits stretching and flexibility? Here is a list of things that influence your flexibility:
Fear - afraid of going further which simply sends a message to your nervous system to stay stuck Inability to relax. Tight muscles don't stretch that far! Genetics Lifestyle - stress / diet Repetitive motion (causes cross linking of cells) Past injuries Temperature - a 1-2% increase in temperature improves flexibility Time of day - less flexible in the morning - more flexible in afternoon peaking from 2-4:30 Gender - women are generally more flexible than men Lack of a regular flexibility program or practice and inactivity Overly developed muscles Too much tissue or fat in a specific area How healthy is the joint where you are stretching - joint diseases? Arthristis? bursitis? Calcium deposits? Bad bio mechanics - not stretching properly/effectively
Five basic principals of flexibilty
1. Your muscles must be relaxed; sometimes we need to trick them into relaxation. 2. You must feel safe or your nervous system will refuse to relax: use props, chairs, blocks, partners etc. 3. Repetition and intensity will reset your ability to stretch tissues longer. 4. Stretching must be done slowly for at least a minute. 5. Start with simpler streches and work towards more challenging ones. Warm up is important.
Listen to your body and playing the "edge"
In yoga the term "edge" refers to the place where sensation gives way to pain. Most often the edge is physical, but it can be psychological as well. Think of the edge as a continuum, where at one end you feel slight sensation and at the other end pain. As you approach your edge you feel more and more sensation until you feel pain. If we continue to push through the pain we risk injury. This is an important concept to grasp because as you spend time in different asanas, it is natural for you to want your body to open and deepen into the postures. By recognizing your edges and working with them in appropriate ways you can effectively and safely accomplish this.
Let's first look at what is happening on a physiological level. Within your muscles are special sensors called "muscle spindle apparatus". The muscle spindle apparatus run parallel to the muscle fibers, and their job is to report how much the muscle is being stretched to the central nervous system. If the muscle stretches too hard and too quickly then the muscle contracts in a protective response known as the "reflex arc". This of course is the opposite of what you want. In order for the muscle to lengthen over time you need to reset the muscle spindle apparatus. This is done by taking the posture to your edge - where you are feeling lots of sensation- not pain! This should be done slowly with lots of awareness and use of the breath. This process done over and over again - helps to reset the muscle spindle apparatus and allow the muscle to lengthen.
So, an important concept in working with your edges is to become aware of them, to tune into your body and feel what is happening when you are in a posture. It is helpful to keep in mind that your edges change from day to day, depending on how you feel mentally, emotionally and physically. Sometimes you feel strong and willful, desiring to push your edge. At other times you might be tired or find your body is particularly tight and you want to go easy. Remember, honoring where you body is at in the moment is very important. It is not about pushing beyond your edge as this is a good way to risk injury. Tuning into the relaxed side of the edge give you time and room to explore the exercise/ posture safely. Too often I see people just go into and out of postures quickly - more injuries occur this way than in the exercise/posture itself! Take your time going into an exercise/posture , and coming out - with awareness and with the breath.
Safety Guidelines
1. As mentioned above do not go to a point of pain - just sensation - pain causes injury resulting in scar tissue which only reduces flexibility. 2. Do not bounce or make jerky motions (ballistic stretch) can result in microscopic tears which will only make your body tighter - less flexible 3. Some stretching techniques that you will learn are very powerful - Add just 1'to 2" at a time and then go back and do the exercise again. 4. Do not stretch past normal range of motion. 5. Ideally we want to find a balance between strength and flexibility - do not let a joint become overly loose.
Both Jules Sims & Howard Vanes are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jules Sims has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Computers and The Internet and Gardening. Read about and. Jules Sims's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.
Howard Vanes has sinced written about articles on various topics from Gardening, Yoga Practice. Howard VanEs, M.A. has been practicing yoga for over fourteen years and is a certified yoga teacher teaching in the Bay area of San Francisco. He is author of "Beginning Yoga: A Practice Manual", co-creator of the audio CD "Shavasana / Deep Relaxation" an. Howard Vanes's top article generates over 1000 views. to your Favourites.