Yes! You Can! (Part 2)

Last week's blog entry introduced you to an intense pose: Handstand. Continuing on that theme, this week's yoga pose is another intense pose: Chair Pose. Now, I know that Chair Pose doesn't sound as intense as standing on your hands, but the way that you perform this pose will certainly bring a little more excitement to your practice. Chair Pose is a standard pose that is seen and performed while flowing through the Sun Salutation Series B. But there are some things you need to know about Chair Pose. Yoga instructors call this posture Chair simply because it LOOKS like you're sitting in a chair. (It also resembles the shape of a Thunder Bolt which is another nickname for this posture.) Being IN Chair Pose, however, does not mimic actually sitting in a chair. The Sanskrit for this posture is Utkatasana which translates to intensely fierce or powerful pose. While holding this pose, you will certainly experience the intensity. Let's start with your intention while standing in Mountain Pose. With your hands at your heart center, bring to mind some challenging circumstances you may have had to manage in recent times. Maybe you were faced with situations that seemed nearly impossible to get through. While in the middle of the situation, you may have even thought to yourself, "how will I ever get through this?" No matter how challenging an event may be, remember that you have the power and strength to make it through. You WILL see the other side of the situation. After you set your intention of KNOWING your inner strength, power, and endurance, inhale to extend your arms toward the sky. Exhale and sit back into "chair pose." While you bend your knees, you will hinge your hips and sit back as if you were sitting into a chair. Keep your arms extended upward past your ears. Now....hold this posture for at least TWO MINUTES. Yes, that is a long time, but do your very best. Resist the urge to move or drop out of the pose. Remember your strength and ability to get through challenging situations, Here are some things you can do to help maintain Utkatasana. Recall the resource of the breath. Allow yourself to take deeper (and perhaps audible) breaths here. Inhale to maintain a full length through the arms and spine. Exhale to engage your core - draw your navel in toward your spine. Be aware of your foundation: secure your feet firmly into the floor. (You may want to shift some weight back into your heels so that you do not force too much pressure into your knee joints.) Imagine you have a block between your thighs and squeeze it. This will give you more strength in your hips to stay solid in the pose. Your arms and shoulders may get tired, but keep the breath strong and remember you CAN do this. It's ONLY 2 minutes! I can guess you have been in worse situations for longer periods of time, right? Complete your 2 minute intense pose by standing tall with an inhale - arms still extending toward the sky. Exhale to bring your arms down by your side. You're done. Stand here for another minute or so to allow the body to relax after this powerful pose. Smile! You did it! It may not have been easy, but you got through it. Remember that you can do the same thing off the mat. Use your inner strength and resources to get through those moments in life that seem nearly impossible to get through. Trust yourself. You CAN do it. Namaste.

Yes! You Can!

An amazing and dynamic pose to add to your yoga practice is Handstand! Yes...Handstand! Don't think you can do it? Afraid that you might fall? These are common statements when a pose like Handstand is before them. This posture can be a great way to face your fears and accomplish something you thought to be impossible. In Sanskrit, the word for Handstand is Adho Mukha Vrksasana. This translates to Downward Facing Tree. As you attempt this pose, you might want to create the image of an upside down tree in your mind to help guide yourself into the posture. A tree that is right side up has its roots planted securely into the earth. The strong trunk of the tree is sturdy enough to withstand many challenges (i.e. wind, rain, and even the occasional squirrel or woodpecker!) The branches of the tree, although strong, are flexible, as they rise high into the sky. The only direction a tree wants to move is upward. We can take this image of the tree, turn it upside down, and still have the same structure. While in Handstand, the hands become the roots, so you'll want to create a strong foundation with straight arms while in the pose. The torso resembles the trunk of the tree. While engaging a strong core, your body will remain firm and sturdy like the tree trunk. The legs, feet, and toes, will reach high toward the ceiling acting as branches ever wanting to move upward. To begin the pose, start in Downward Facing Dog near a wall. (Use the wall to help hold your balance once you are in the pose.) Perhaps it is here that you set your intention. Maybe you're wanting to move forward with something that feels completely new or foreign to you and you're a little afraid of the unknown. You're not sure how things are going to turn out. Sometimes we have to act with a little blind faith. Trust that everything is going to be okay. Know that you have a secure foundation, that you are a strong individual, and you are flexible when the unexpected twists and turns come your way. The ultimate outcome is that you have done your very best to move upward. While in Downward Facing Dog, keep one foot on the floor while lifting the other. The foot on the ground will be used as your "launching pad" to help lift yourself up into the air with a kick. The other leg will be used as a "rudder" to help guide your body upward into an extended structure from top to bottom. The rudder will also stop you from falling over because it will land on the wall. When you're ready, using a powerful exhale, kick yourself up into the posture. You may want to start with a few light hops just to get the feeling of lifting up into the air and balancing on your hands. When you have gained trust in your body, perform a stronger kick to bring yourself all the way to the wall. Once you have both feet against the wall, root down in the floor with your hands so your arms are straight. (You may also want to hug the arms toward each other to feel even stronger in this Handstand position.) Engage your core so that your torso is also extended. Finally, since your heels may be against the wall, keep your feet flexed to feel the lengthening sensation of your legs along the wall toward the ceiling. Hold the pose for at least 10 breaths. Complete the pose by bringing one leg down, then the other, and come to Child's Pose. Stay here for as along as you need to re-orient the body, mind, and breath. Remind yourself that you ARE able to accomplish feats that may seem daunting to you at first. But with patience and practice, you WILL reach your goals. Namaste

Potential

"Open yourself up to your greatest potential." That could certainly be a person's mantra or motivational quote that they have taped to their bathroom mirror! It could also be the intention behind any yoga practice. But what does it really mean? I have often defined yoga to my new yoga students as the practice of finding greater awareness of self by focusing on breath and movement. When you focus on these areas, you find and feel a clarity about yourself that seems to open many doors. You find that you have greater strength, ability, focus, balance, integrity, peace of mind, and the list goes on. Yoga can be the practice that opens the doors to many possibilities. One can start simply and easily to find those inner openings; to discover your own greatest potential.

Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
Also called Cobbler's Pose, named for the Indian cobbler as he sits and builds shoes, this yoga posture is essentially a hip opener, but can also demonstrate that inner potential one seeks to discover. Start by sitting on the floor and bring the bottoms of your feet together. Draw your heels closer to your pelvis. Your knees will naturally drop down to the side. Don't worry if your knees do not touch the floor. They don't need to. If your hips are little tight, this is great pose to begin that release. Hold onto your toes, ankles or shins so that you are able to sit up tall with an extended spine. (Feel free to practice this pose sitting against a wall. You can also do Supta Baddha Konasana, or Reclining Bound Angle Pose which is done lying on your back.)

Once you have established the pose, set your intention. Perhaps you want to be more extroverted or be able to speak your mind more freely and with confidence. Maybe you feel stuck in a rut and want to find a way to move forward; created a change in the old routine. When our minds and bodies are opened, we can see the possibilities; the doors begin to open. Cobbler's Pose can guide you toward feeling more alive, free, and open.

Hold here for 10-15 breaths. Allow the natural release and the opening to occur. If you focus on the exhale, this can assist the release of any tightness in the inner thighs and hips. Further, if your intention is to open yourself up more, then this, too, will happen with the practice of this pose. Remember your initial intention and experience the revealing of your natural potential.

Namaste.

Inner Strength

Sometimes we can experience a lack of strength in some life situations. You feel like you couldn't manage a difficult job at work, you didn't feel you had the strength to help a friend in need, or it may be you just couldn't push that heavy weight at the gym this morning. What ever it is, sometimes we would like to feel stronger. Often, too, we look for strength from the outside....someone or something else is going to give us the strength that we need or desire. You go to your clergy person to seek guidance; you read about a new device or technology that will improve your memory; you try a new supplement that will give you more energy in the day. All of these are external ways to improve strength AND they can be very effective. One thing to remember, though, is that strength can come from within. YOU have the power and strength within YOU to achieve better direction, memory, or health. Believe in yourself and the power comes.

The pose for your home yoga practice is a modification of plank pose. You will do it on your forearms which brings more attention to your abdominal muscles. Often when we focus on core strength, we think of our abdominal muscles. A reminder that your core incorporates the entire trunk of your body. In yoga we often focus on the low back and abdominal muscles. This is one such pose.

Start by coming to your hands and knees on your yoga mat. Gently lower yourself so that you are on your forearms and on your toes. Create a strong straight line with the entire body. (If you need to, it's ok to lower your knees to the floor, but keep your core body engaged.) Be aware if your low back is sinking or if your rear is lifted to high in the air. Create a sturdy table-top-like posture. This will involve engaging your core muscles. Do so by titling your pelvis AND feel your belly button pull up to your spine. This will be easy to do when you focus on your exhales. When you release the breath, also feel the tilting of the pelvis and the navel pulling upward toward your spine. Here, you are engaging an abdominal lock so you can feel solid in your pose. Also, feel the forearms hug together as if you were a squeezing a ball between them. This is how you experience inner strength: hug toward your center.

I tell my students that when you hug/hold inward, you create more strength inside of you. Imagine a person climbing up a pole. The tighter they hold on, the longer they will remain on the pole and perhaps the higher they can climb. Once they loosen that grip, they fall. Holding this plank pose can be the same; be sure to feel a sensation of holding onto your mid-line - your spine. Hold this pose as long as you can. If you happen to have a timer, 30 seconds to 1 minute would be quite effective. Or take 10-20 breaths. Afterward, come to Child's Pose to relax the entire body. Here, remind yourself of the strength that you hold within you. You'll find that you can climb higher and reach all of your goals.

Namaste.

Alice In Wonderland

Soon her eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under the table: she opened it, and found in it a very small cake, on which the words "Eat me" was beautifully marked in currants. "Well, I'll eat it," said Alice, "and if it makes me grow larger, I can reach the key....." She ate a little bit,..."now I'm opening out like the largest telescope that ever was! Good-bye feet!".....
Just then her head struck against the roof of the hall: in fact she was now more than nine feet high, and she at once took up the little golden key and hurried off to the garden door.
Poor Alice! It was as much as she could do, lying down on one side to look through into the garden with one eye; but to get through was more hopeless than ever..."

This, of course, comes from the classic tale "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll. It's an intriguing story of a little girl's travel through an obscure land of characters and escapades that could certainly leave your head spinning! I chose this passage because there is a pose I sometimes teach in my yoga classes that reminds me of this moment when Alice eats the small cake and grows too large for the room in which she's trapped and cannot get out. The pose itself is a twisting posture and it also helps to open the back of your shoulders.

As an intention, we can borrow from Alice's dilemma: she is stuck in a small space and must figure out a way to escape. Have you ever felt bound, stuck, or trapped in a situation where it is a challenge to move forward? Perhaps this pose can symbolize that experience with the further intention that this situation does not have to be permanent. You WILL discover the proper solution to the problem so you, too, can escape from the tight enclosure.

First, come to your hands and knees. Your hands will be directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Slide your right hand forward about 1 foot, move it a few inches to the right (it may even move off of your mat), then turn your hand counter clockwise so your middle finger is pointing inward (about 10 o'clock on an imaginary clock.)

Second, begin to slide your left hand behind the right. (We sometimes call this "thread the needle.") Your left shoulder will come to the floor. Meanwhile, the right arm will form a right angle as you lower yourself closer to your yoga mat. Continue to slide the left hand and arm through this little "doorway" you have created. Move as deeply as you'd like into this posture. You may feel a stretching sensation in the rear portion of your left shoulder. You are also a creating a twist in the spine. (Be sure to continue lengthening your spine in this twist to experience the greatest benefit. Lengthen by feeling your hips move toward the back of the room as the crown of your head continues to move forward.)

Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths. In this posture, you have created a simulation of Alice in her 9-foot state trying to pass through the tiny door to enter the garden. Return to your intention. You know that there are good things (like Alice's garden) on the other side of this door, but at the moment you feel trapped. However, you have the resources (the key) to eventually pass through this door. Remain positive and patient. As you clear the mind (perhaps using deep cleansing breaths) you will create an opening from within. You'll soon notice that your situation is not that dire. You will eventually see clearly that you CAN move forward.

After the desired breaths on this side, carefully release the pose and repeat it on the other side. Use the breath as your tool, your key, to unlock the trapped feeling you may have inside. Explore the potential and possibility of the garden that awaits you.

Namaste.

Turn Things Around

Ever find yourself in a rut? Going through the motions of the same routine day after day? Maybe it's time for a change. Or perhaps begin to look at your regular routine in a new way. This home yoga practice introduces a simple maneuver that will change the perspective on a common yoga pose as well as your perspective on life.

This simple sequence of poses will allow you to look at yourself and your everyday life in a new way. Start by standing in Mountain Pose. Here, set your intention. Be mindful of your daily routines and the desire to shift and/or change to bring a fresh look to what seems mundane.

Sun Salutation
Inhale to extend your arms over head. Extended Mountain Pose.
Exhale and Swan Dive to Forward Fold.
Inhale to lift up half way. Be sure to extend your spine and lengthen your neck.
Exhale and jump or step back to Plank Pose.
Inhale to continue lengthening your spine and legs in this posture.
Exhale to lower yourself down to finish the push up (Chaturanga Dandasana).
Inhale to Upward Facing Dog.
Exhale to Downward Facing Dog.
Inhale to lift your right leg into the air behind you.
Exhale to step your right foot forward near your right hand. Lower your left heel to the floor to ground yourself.
Inhale, extend your arms forward, and rise up into Warrior One.

You will remain here in this pose for a few breaths. Gather yourself. Be aware of your posture, your breath, and how you're feeling in the pose. Be sure your feet are well grounded into your mat. Your right knee is bent at 90 degrees and directly over your ankle. Your torso is facing forward. Your Dristi (gaze) is forward and your arms are extended directly over your head.

As you gaze forward, be aware of what you see in front of you. Bring to mind your daily routines. Recognize how common things seem to be because you are always looking in the same direction or doing the same thing repeatedly. Now, without turning your head, be aware of what is happening behind you. Start by focusing on your left leg. It is straight and strong while the outer edge of the foot is pressed firmly into the earth to secure your stance. The awareness of the leg and foot alone only gives you a partial awareness of what is happening behind you. Follow the next set of instructions to change the position of the posture and your perspective.

Extend your right leg so it is straight. Turn your feet all the way around so that your left foot is now pointing to the back of the room. (You will also need to turn the right foot at the proper comfortable angle.) Bend your left knee until it is at 90 degrees and directly over your left ankle. Your arms will remain extended over head as you make this transition. Now you are in Warrior One facing the back of the room.

The pose is relatively the same, but your view is now different. Perhaps your life can resemble this shift. Our routines can be the same everyday, but we can view them differently. Open your eyes to things you may not have noticed before. Open your mind to new ideas.

After holding here for about five breaths, windmill your hands to the floor on either side of your left foot. Slide your left foot back until you are in Plank Pose. Finish the flow....

Exhale. Chaturanga Dandasana.
Inhale. Upward Facing Dog.
Exhale. Downward Facing Dog.
Hold for 5 breaths.
Jump or step to the top of the mat.
Inhale. Extend the spine.
Exhale. Forward Fold.
Inhale. Stand up all the way to Extended Mountain Pose.
Exhale. Lower your hands to heart center.
You are still facing the back of the room. Hold here to contemplate this new view from a familiar stance.

(Feel free to repeat the entire sequence until you are facing the front of the room again. Or you can simply end your practice here.)

Life does not necessarily have to be boring and mundane. Bring new life to your routine. It can be easy to turn things around.

Namaste.

Do Your Best

I've been doing some more reading about some common yoga poses and came across an interesting story about Side Plank Pose. But before I get to that, I want to mention that when I work with students individually or with students in a group yoga class, I'm not too concerned if the poses they are performing are absolutely perfect. I just invite my students to do their very best. I offer cues for better alignment and breath flow so that the student feels comfortable in their yoga postures.

Recently, I have been working with several students who are new to the yoga practice. One of their main concerns is if they are doing it "right" so they don't look "stupid." I encourage them to not worry too much about "doing it right." The yoga postures are new to them, so it may be challenging at first. I provide plenty of visual and audio cues to help them through the process. The idea is for them to learn the basic concepts to get a general feeling of some of the poses and to experience the yoga breath. Modifications are also demonstrated to help guide them into poses. If they continue to practice yoga, they will see a natural improvement. Again, all I ask is that they do their best. Put in the effort and the time, and they will experience the wonderful benefits of yoga.

I ask only the same thing of you here with this blog - just do your very best. Set an intention, try a pose, and experience a success.

The pose I was reading about was Side Plank Pose. In Sanskrit, the language of yoga, it is Vasisthasana (vah-sish-TAHS-anna). Vasistha literally means "most excellent, best, or richest. I thought it would be the perfect pose to write about if you're new to the yoga practice. Yoga can be challenging. It takes energy, strength, effort, and time. But when done with intention and you do your very best, you will have a successful yoga practice.

Even if you're a seasoned practitioner and you're dealing with things in your life right now where you don't feel quite as adequate or confident in yourself as you'd like, consider practicing Vasisthasana. Perhaps you're working on project at work and you're having trouble getting motivated or you're stuck. Or maybe you made a mistake while answering a question at school. Or maybe you didn't "feel like your normal self" around your family or friends. All of these scenarios can make you feel a little down about yourself. Remember, though, that we ALL make mistakes, get stuck, or say things we do not intend. Overall, we are still trying to do our very best on this life journey. Remind yourself of that as you practice Side Plank Pose.

Side Plank Pose
Start in Plank Pose. It is basically the top of a push-up. You may also place your knees on the floor as a modification if you feel you do not have the upper body strength for this pose. Plank is a very dynamic posture and can add great upper body and core strength. Be sure to feel an energetic movement forward through the crown of your head. At the same time, feel an energetic movement through the heels of your feel. It should feel like you are extending in opposite directions. Further, be sure to engage your core by drawing your navel up toward your spine on an exhale. Maintain this bodily sensation as you move into Side Plank.

Keep your right hand on the yoga mat as you open your body sideways. Your left leg will be stacked on top of the right and your left hand will be reaching up to the ceiling. (Modify the pose by placing your right knee on the floor directly under your hip to help support this posture.) In this posture, feel free to stack your feet (the inner edges of your feet will touch), or stagger your feet so one is in front of the other for greater stability.

So that there isn't too much pressure in your wrist and shoulder, gently push your pelvis forward on an exhale and lift your left hip up toward the ceiling. You will create a bit of a bend in the body that will send energy and strength down the legs and core body so that the arm does not take the load of this pose. If you are able, left your left leg up so it is parallel with the floor. Keep extending that leg and foot toward the wall to maintain energy in the leg. Also, feel the right inner thigh lift up toward the left inner thigh. This, too, provides great stability for the pose. In this "star" shape, you are now in Vasisthasa - the most excellent and best pose! Hold for 5 slow breaths, return to plank, then proceed to the other side.

While in Side Plank Pose, you will feel the entire body shine; it is fully engage from head to toe. The energy you experience while performing this posture can help you in everyday life situations. When you're down, confused, lacking self confidence, or you don't feel motivated, re-energize your body, mind and spirit with this excellent posture.

Namaste.