Fall is here, and with it, I’ve been falling. Literally. First, I fell sick for about 10 days. Then, while on a trip, I was walking on the street and fell. Sprained my ankle bad enough that the doc gave me a cast. (No crutches, mind you, just a cast. A cultural difference in medical care I just don’t care for!)

So while I’ve been laid up, it’s been a bit harder to practice yoga asana. Still, I’ve managed to figure out a few poses that are possible.

1. With a cast on your leg, you can still perform a few seated poses, such as navasana, dandasana, and peace pose.

2. You can also work on poses such as 1/2 frog on your stomach, seal, and cobra.

3. If you’re just in bed (with no cast), try heart opening restorative poses such as supported bridge. Also a forward fold like supported child’s pose can really calm and ease you. And of course, an all-time favorite, legs-up-the-wall. Viparita Karani is a relaxing pose that makes you sleepy.

4. Most importantly, since physical posture is tough, now is a great time to focus on breathing techniques. Breath into the area that is in pain, sending positive energy and love to that region of your body.

Falling doesn’t have to be a burden. Just pick up your pranayama and dhyana practices, and you’ll see how light you can be on your feet.

Image via Wikipedia

Depression and anxiety are two illness that can completely debilitate people.  They can create feelings of loneliness, separateness and unworthiness.  Anxiety can make people feel trapped inside their own bodies, like they’re suffocating or being strangled.  Both anxiety and depression can cause people to completely withdraw from social situations and family life.  Yoga is a great method for alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety.  Yoga calms the nervous system, slows the  breath and steadies the focus.  When we begin to slow down we notice more of what is going on inside our bodies, and in turn, begin to awaken to our lives.  Check out these six yoga poses for depression and anxiety from Huffington Post.

Related articles

• Huffington Post – 6 Yoga Poses for Depression and Anxiety (thorns2roses.wordpress.com)

Huffington Post – 6 Yoga Poses for Depression and Anxiety

Posted by 4love2love on July 6, 2011

The Huffington Post Posted: 07- 5-11 11:22 PM

Yoga — the ancient Indian word for the union of mind and body — is more than a fitness regimen. Despite its current avatar, yoga is really about calming the mind through a combination of breathing and physical poses. The names of the various asanas or poses are in themselves indications of the purpose they are supposed to fulfill: warrior pose for confidence and strength, wind-releasing pose for stomach problems and so on. Combinations of poses can also be used for specific conditions: slow stretching poses for better sleep or a specific set of asanas for pregnancy.

This series of images describes six yoga poses recommended by Virayoga’s Elena Brower that lend themselves to the alleviation of anxiety and depression — from the warm, comforting embrace of the child pose to the relaxing stretch of the cat pose.

Child Pose

Child pose or balasana is perhaps the most comforting yoga pose. “It can bring groundedness and humility and quiet to the body,” says Elena Brower, who owns Manhattan’s Virayoga. For those suffering from anxiety, it can create peace and silence.

Photo: Tiffany Assman

---

Forward Bend

A forward bend, or uttanasana, where you bend forward and reach for your toes and bring your head close to your knees, is, according to Brower, “really good for generating a contemplative, connecting state in us.”

---

Legs Up The Wall

Legs up the wall or viparita karani, where you rest your legs against a wall, is a great pose for groundedness. “It’s really good for insomnia, great for bringing you back to the present moment and re-routing circulation,” says Brower.

Photo: kellinahandbasket

---

Cat Pose

Cat pose or marjariasana, the multi-step asana that resembles the stretching of a cat, helps with relaxation. “It is good for bringing awareness to the breathing which is usually in short supply when one is anxious. it can soften and slow down the process of being anxious,” says Brower.

Photo: joeyogaportland

---

Backbend

Backbends are usually quite advanced and can be very stimulating. However, Brower recommends a back bend done over a roll. It can help you open up the heart and free up the energy that’s blocked there,” she says.

---

Headstand

Headstands or shirshasanas are well known for their ability to increase circulation to the brain and reduce anxiety and insomnia. However, says Brower, it is only meant for advanced practitioners. (note from 4love2love : This can also be done by using a wall as the backboard to holding yourself upright. It is much safer and can be used with a pillow under your head to make you more comfortable)

© 2011 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.

Scorpion pose or "vrischika asana"

Yoga really explores my potential. I never thought I could bend my torso like this before.

So here I try to compile some of my most favorite pose and several details you may find interesting:

SCORPION POSE (VRISCHIKA ASANA)

At first I tried this once and I felt like my waist was going to break into two afterwards. These are the details:

Type of pose: inversion, backbend

Benefits: strengthens the shoulders (wish they were bulkier so as to create a bigger body image I’m dying to have), strengthens abdominals and back (definitely, my waist was terribly aching at my first attempt), improves balance (not an expert myself, so I still need wall as an aid)

Any menstruating women should never try to perform this pose, or any of inversion poses. Or try at your own risk!

For advanced yogis/yoginis, a more challenging version of this pose entails bringing the feet to rest exactly upon the head. At least for now, I am not going to do that. I’m not that flexible a guy after all.

Natarajasana (king of dancers pose)

KING OF DANCERS POSE (NATARAJASANA)

The type of pose is standing and balancing. And the benefits are to strengthen legs (because you have to support all your body weight only with a single leg), to improve balance (yes, balance really matters in yoga), to stretch shoulders (I feel like someone pulls my arms and torso backwards).

Want to give it a try? First of all you stand in tadasana (mountain pose), shift your weight onto the right leg. Bend the left knee and grasp the inside of the left foot with the left hand. Start to bring the left foot and the right arm toward the ceiling as you bring your torso forward. Hold 5-10 breaths. Repeat on the other side. Try to fix your gaze on something that doesn’t move so you’re not losing balance.

CHAKRA ASANA (WHEEL POSE)

Chakra asana (wheel pose)

The type of pose is backbend, obviously. The benefits are  having your spinal flexibility a lot improved, stretching the shoulders and chest, and strengthen the arms.

As you may know in high school, you just have to lie on your back and lift your torso upwards. But one piece of advice is never try this after having a huge meal or else you’ll end up puking all over.

Sarvanga asana (shoulder stand)

SARVANGA ASANA (SHOULDER STAND)

Next to the headstand, this posture is considered one of the best asanas. Why? Because by performing the pose, the thyroid gland works at peak efficiency. The gland is responsible for our ideal weight and youthful appearance. Besides that, it regulates the sex glands. It vitalizes the nerves, purifies the blood and promote good circulation, strengthen the lower organs and helps them to stay in place.

It is advisable that we retain this position  for 15 seconds to 6 minutes, adding 15 seconds per week.

The Huffington Post Posted: 07- 5-11 11:22 PM

Yoga — the ancient Indian word for the union of mind and body — is more than a fitness regimen. Despite its current avatar, yoga is really about calming the mind through a combination of breathing and physical poses. The names of the various asanas or poses are in themselves indications of the purpose they are supposed to fulfill: warrior pose for confidence and strength, wind-releasing pose for stomach problems and so on. Combinations of poses can also be used for specific conditions: slow stretching poses for better sleep or a specific set of asanas for pregnancy.

This series of images describes six yoga poses recommended by Virayoga’s Elena Brower that lend themselves to the alleviation of anxiety and depression — from the warm, comforting embrace of the child pose to the relaxing stretch of the cat pose.

Child Pose

Child pose or balasana is perhaps the most comforting yoga pose. “It can bring groundedness and humility and quiet to the body,” says Elena Brower, who owns Manhattan’s Virayoga. For those suffering from anxiety, it can create peace and silence.

Photo: Tiffany Assman

---

Forward Bend

A forward bend, or uttanasana, where you bend forward and reach for your toes and bring your head close to your knees, is, according to Brower, “really good for generating a contemplative, connecting state in us.”

---

Legs Up The Wall

Legs up the wall or viparita karani, where you rest your legs against a wall, is a great pose for groundedness. “It’s really good for insomnia, great for bringing you back to the present moment and re-routing circulation,” says Brower.

Photo: kellinahandbasket

---

Cat Pose

Cat pose or marjariasana, the multi-step asana that resembles the stretching of a cat, helps with relaxation. “It is good for bringing awareness to the breathing which is usually in short supply when one is anxious. it can soften and slow down the process of being anxious,” says Brower.

Photo: joeyogaportland

---

Headstand

Headstands or shirshasanas are well known for their ability to increase circulation to the brain and reduce anxiety and insomnia. However, says Brower, it is only meant for advanced practitioners. (note from 4love2love : This can also be done by using a wall as the backboard to holding yourself upright. It is much safer and can be used with a pillow under your head to make you more comfortable)

© 2011 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.

Balasana. Child’s Pose. Earth. Center of Gravity. Center Line Balance. Spine. Feet. Hands.

Balasana, aka Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose, or Balasana, is many yoga student’s favorite pose. Balasana may start a yoga practice session or close it. Or it may just be a welcome break or pause in a vigorous flow. For some students, however, Balasana is not comfortable. For these students, child’s pose can actually a source of frustration and stress. While everyone else is blissed out, they feel pain in their ankles, knees, hips, neck, you name it. If you find Balasana uncomfortable or even painful take note!  This supported variation can give even the most cranky bodies a chance to delight in Balasana.

Child’s Pose Benefits

Child’s pose naturally brings the body into fetal position. It is soothing and comforting. Think of a baby being cradled and rocked over its mother’s arm.

In this position the limbs protect the soft abdominal and pelvic organs. The back of the heart, the kidneys, and the sacrum are gently opened as they are exposed to the sky.

The posture allows you to feel the breath in the back body. We normally live in the front body–our eyes and line of sight propels us forward. We are on constant alert to protect our vulnerable organs from “attack” in front of us.

Child’s pose allows us to settle into the back body. Your attention shifts and you feel grounded.

The gentle cradling of the abdominal cavity allows the abdominal organs to soften, supporting digestion. The kidneys gently open.When done correctly (i.e. hips well supported) the low back releases. The groundedness of this pose can also help calm anxiety, stress, and scattered minds.

How to set up the pose

Traditionally, the instruction for regular Balasana  is to come to hands and knees, uncurl your toes, bring the big toes together and bring the hips back towards the heels.

In this restorative version, first build up a support with (firm) blankets or a bolster. If blankets aren’t available, try firm pillows or lots of firm towels. I usually tell students to start with a support that is higher than you might think. You can always lower the support height.

Then place the knees to either side of the support, set your hips down on the support, and reach your belly over the length of your support. Rest your forearms on the floor along the support. Place your head so you neck is most comfortable (for example, place your forehead on the support or turn your head to one side.)

Tips and Hints:

• Make sure your hips are entirely on the support and not floating in the air. Well-supported hips = happy low-back.

• If your knees feel compressed (especially if child’s pose is usually uncomfortable for you): try adding more height to your support. 
• If your knees or forearms don’t comfortably rest on the floor: place a blanket or pillow beneath them.
• If your ankles are uncomfortable: place a rolled up towel between the floor and the tops of each ankle.
• If your neck is cranky and uncomfortable : try placing a small pillow or folded towel or blanket beneath your head. Also, try turning your head to one side and resting on your cheek.

Close your eyes if this is comfortable. Allow the skin of your face to relax.

Let the entire weight of your body drop into the support. Especially feel the support under your pelvis/hips, under your heart, and under your head.

As your weight settles into the bolster, blanket, and floor, watch your breath. See if you can observe the inhales expand the back body. Work your way down your back. Inhaling into the back of your heart, the back of your ribs, the backs of your kidneys, the lower back, and finally into the sacrum.

Turn your head to the other side half way through.

Stay as long as you feel comfortable sweetness.

To come out of the pose

As always, move slowly. First bringing awareness through the feet, legs, and hips. Then become aware of the low back, mid back, shoulders, arms and  hands. Find the ground beneath your hands and gently press up to seated.

Slide off the support and sit quietly for a few moments, allowing your body to adjust to gravity.

Smile.

Disclaimer: Consult with your doctor before trying these postures or those of any  exercise program. Yoga In The Sky, this website, and its contributors are not responsible for any injury, pain, or harm that may result from the information contained herein. You are responsible for your own health.

Please use common sense. Pain is NEVER good.

Balasana represents ourselves as infants both physically and psychologically.
It is not a physically challenging posture for many, but mentally it can be quite testing as we need to adopt a state of “non-doing” while we surrender to gravity.
Balasana can be practiced at any time during your yoga sequence or as a restorative posture to alleviate back pain and menstrual discomfort.
Start by sitting on your heels. As you exhale slowly take your forehead down to the mat in front of you as you extend forwards from the hips.
When the forehead touches the ground place the arms alongside the body with the palms turned up, arms and shoulders relaxed.

Close the eyes, breathe normally. Become aware of the change in focus of the breath as you now move the awareness from the front of the rib cage to the back of the lungs and rib cage as the front of the body is slightly compressed with the abdomen against the thighs. Try to tune in to a deeper, steadier breath and visualise relaxation flowing effortlessly through the body.
With pressing the forehead to the mat, Ajna Chakra, our 3rd eye, intuitive centre is activated. This is also seen as our guru connection. Here you can take the time to access and acknowledge the teachings of all those that have aided you on your spiritual journey, be it your yoga teacher/s, family members, friends or a passing stranger. Take this time to connect and acknowledge all the positive teachings and blessing in your life.

Variations:
Try parting the knees slightly or placing a pillow under the forehead. You can make two fists of your hands and stack them under the forehead or lie over a bolster for better support.

_______________________________________________

Nina Saacks, yoga teacher and publishing editor of YAA, loves life’s little challenges and when she’s not teaching or practising yoga you can catch her spending time with her dog and friends on the mountain www.saacks.com | info@yogaaa.co.za

Image: Angus Maresch – angus@awaywithwords.co.za

______________________________________________

We think you might like this…

Natural Yoga Mats by Prana

One of the best aspects of yoga, besides the gained flexibility, balance and strength, is that yoga causes us to be present in the moment.  Some days we begin our yoga practice, if you have attended a number of my classes by now, by calling to mind thoughts from the past, i.e. what we were doing before arriving in our yoga space.  We then set these thoughts behind us into our past for the next hour (or however long your yoga session may be).  We image these thoughts as a train or as on imaginary sails, and let them slip away, and then come back into the present moment.  We then call to mind thoughts of the future, i.e. the rest of our day or week, what we are excited for or nervous about.  We set these thoughts before us in the future, and let them hang there and wait, so that we are able to come back into the present for the next hour.  Often we come back to being present by using our breath (for instance, counting the inhale and exhale).  Being present takes practice, so we never judge if our thoughts stray, but we recognize this and return to our breathing and movement throughout our yoga class.  This is one of the ways in which yoga is so very relaxing.  It gives us permission to forget worries for a whole hour, and overtime teaches us to be more present throughout our lives, whether we are practicing yoga, at school or work, at a party, with friends or family, etc.  When we do this, when we come into the moment, even if only during our yoga class, we are the exception to Emerson’s quote.  We are not preparing to live (the future), or reconsidering how we have lived thus far (the past), but we are instead living (the present moment)!

I invite you to join me in starting our weekend off right and living!  Take a few moments to clear your head and move your body – it can literally be 15 minutes!

Mini Yoga Friday lesson:

• Begin by taking a comfortable position sitting or lying on your mat (or the ground).  As this is a mini-lesson, let’s create a relaxing breath throughout.  Silently count your breath, inhaling on three and exhaling on six.  Observe the parts of your body touching the earth (without judgement, simply becoming aware of your body).  Breathe (3:6).  After a couple more breaths, take a few moments to consider your day/week up until this point.  Then set these thoughts one by one behind you into the past.  Come back into your breath.  Now take a moment to consider the rest of your day/weekend after this lesson, what you are excited for or nervous about.  As these thoughts come to mind, let them slip back out as if on imaginary sails, and lay these thoughts down in front of you into your future.  Come back to your breathing on 3 and 6.
• Stretch your neck: If lying on back – turning head gently side to side, head can remain on floor, as if looking over one shoulder and then the other.  Repeat slowly.  If seated – drop your right ear to right shoulder, and trace your collar bones with your chin until your left ear is above your left shoulder.  Repeat in the opposite direction.  Do each rotation a few more times, slowly (these are 1/2 neck rolls or neck circles).
• Circle writs and ankles to stretch joints.  Circle in other direction (clockwise & counterclockwise) as well.
• Let’s come to a table top position (on our hands and knees with a flat back).  Our knees are under our hips, hands under shoulders or slightly forward.  Move into cat/cow.  We inhale as our spine, our belly drops to the mat.  Tailbone tips upward to the sky slightly, as does chin and head.  This movement begins with the breastbone.  This is cow.  Beginning with the tailbone (tipping it downward/ curling it under), curl the spine (one vertebrae at a time) to arch upwards toward the sky.  This is cat.  Think of a halloween cat.  Move following your breath to inhale to cow, and exhale into cat.  Repeat this gentle vinyasa four-five more times.  Then, from your final cat stretch, sit back into child’s pose.  Sits-bones go to heels, and arms can be outstretched long, or down by your sides.  Forehead rests on your mat.  Breathe here (3:6), and feel the breath expand in your back.

Top to bottom: Cat, Cow, Child's pose with arms out long. Image from: fitnessmagazine.com

Halloween Cat (image from: leehansen.com/clipart)

• Slowly, on an exhale, with your hands out in front of you, curl your toes under and come into downward facing dog.  Push the tailbone nice and high, up to the sky and back away from your body.  Ground through your hands (see hands and feet lesson), and push energy from there, while shifting weight into your feet, heels coming towards the earth.  Shoulders relax away from ears and down your back.  Let’s take a walking motion here in our downdog, so bend one knee and then the other, repeating slowly to stretch your legs.
• Step or jump your feet to meet your hands – forward fold.  On this fold, let’s hang like a ragdoll: soften you knees, or even slightly bend them.  If possible, rest your upperbody on your thighs.  Let the shoulders, back, arms, neck and face hang and relax.  Arms can hang down, or you can hold each elbow with your opposite hand.  Take three deep breaths.

Forward Fold with Ragdoll Arms (image from fannetasticfood.com). I recommend a bend in the knees here as well for a more restorative pose.

• Inhale and reverse swan-dive up (arms go out to sides and up, back comes up flat) to standing; exhale arms to your sides (mountain pose).
• Step your left foot long and back behind you, so that your hips open up and square between your legs, versus over one leg.  See image here.  Front foot (right foot)’s heel is aligned with back foot’s arch.  Bend your right ankle directly over right foot (do not pass the line of your toes with your knee).  Bring arms up and out along your sides and parallel to the mat (consider photo).  Shoulders relax down your back.  Look over your right hand, or close eyes.  Take five breaths here, feeling your belly expand and release with your breath, and feeling the strength in your feet and body.  Welcome to Warrior II!
• Bend your right elbow and bring it to right thigh.  Other hand goes to hip, or palm flips up to sky and then reaches up to the sky and overhead.  This is side-angle pose.  Consult photo:

Modified Side Angle Pose - notice the elbow on thigh. Image from: traditionsinmovement.com

• Inhale to rise back into Warrior II.  Straighten bent knee to a soft knee, and bring your hands to your hips.  Rotate through center to second side for other side’s Warrior II:
• Repeat Warrior II on opposite side (so step right foot long and back; check alignment of feet, hips, spine, shoulders, arms); left knee bends over left foot; gazing over left hand or closed eyes; breathe).
• Repeat Side-angle pose on this side (left elbow to left thigh, etc.).
• Step both feet to the top of your mat and back into standing (mountain pose).  Inhale arms out and up, exhale and fold gently back into Forward fold.
• Step both feet back into Downward facing dog.
• Bend your knees and bring them to the ground; sit back into child’s pose.  Breathe.
• Come to lying on your stomach on your mat from child’s pose, then simply roll over to your back, so that you are lying on your back.  Arms are by your sides, palms facing up.  Legs are out long, or feet can be on your mat a little more than hips width apart with knees bent and knees resting in against each other (whichever feels better on your low-back).  If being on your back is uncomfortable, such as due to an injury, or if you are pregnant, please come to lying on your side (preferably the right side, as that is supposed to be more relaxing).  I invite you to close your eyes.  Come back into that 3:6 breath.  With each exhale release tension.  With each inhale bring in relaxation.  Exhale fear, and inhale peace.  Take a few more deep breaths here.

Lying on Side (image from: http://www.ehow.com/video_4399431_yoga-side-lying-pose.html). This can be done without pillows as well during your practice, such as bending the bottom elbow and resting your head on that hand.

• Begin to wiggle toes and fingers.  Roll head gently side to side, and ankles and wrists in circles.  Roll over to your right side (if on your back), and slowly rise to seated – a comfortable seat with your spine nice and long, for example: cross-legged pose.  Bring your hands together at your hearts center in a prayer-like position (also called Anjali mudra; a mudra is a hand position which represents certain traits, in this case greeting, respect, and unity of body and mind).  Namaste!

Hands at Heart Center. Image from yogajournal.com

Happy weekend everyone!

Debbie

January 7, 2011

My teacher here in Playa Del Carmen is Ellen De Jong.  She recently said,  “Listen to your students with awareness.”  To listen is the very heart of yoga, teaching, and grace.  Last month at Kripalu, I had a teacher who listened.  I did not know if I would ever teach yoga, before that moment.

Tao Lynn Porsche has been forty years teaching yoga. She is ninety-two. After a session, I asked her about a book she had mentioned, “How To Know God,” and told her I had been exploring asanas as prayers.  Tao listened.

She lit up.  “Would you read to the class tomorrow?” I do not refuse my teachers. As I said, “I’d be honored,” I had nothing written.  Tao read me.

“Just write.  Write.  Write.  It will come.”

Here is the prayer:

“Thank you for the amazing slipstream of grace bringing us to now.

Hi God.

I am right here on my mat, in child’s, telling you “hi”.

My head bows in gratitude,

I flow down to the perfect care of your gravity.

My hands on this mat are your hands.

I am yours.

Your gift of this magic carpet mat: sanctuary.

Whichever direction I set out in, it takes me toward your grace.

You are welcome on this mat with me.

Accept my movements.

Speak to me in breath and stillness.

I am here to grow closer to you.

I am listening.”

Reading it, looking at all these yogis who I love, in balasana, listening,

I knew then, I would teach.  Thank you Tao!

Savasana - Position of total relaxation.

Balasana - Position that brings the sensation of peace and calm.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana - This position calms the brain and heals tired legs.

Marjayasana - Position stimulates the midriff area and the spinal column.

Halasana - Excellent for back pain and insomnia.

Dolphin - Excellent for the shoulder area, thorax, legs, and arms.

Salambhasana - Great exercise to stimulate the lumbar area, legs, and arms.

Ananda Balasana - This position is great for massaging the hip area.

Malasana - This position, for ankles and back muscles.

Enter the ever so humble and gracious Hump-asana pose of the week: Balasana or Child’s Pose

It’s hard to be ego-driven in child’s pose, so I think we can all use a dose of it as a reminder to reel in our egos and remain humble yogi servants [and not act like yassholes/yogi-dons/yogi-princesses]. Plus, it feels nice, especially if you’re seeking a release in the low back.

Photo Credit: FitSugar

Check out FitSugar’s spin on balasana here.

Feel free to extend your arms out in front of you to make this pose a bit more active – as long as you press down into your hands to lengthen your spine. If you do extend your arms, just be sure to actively relax your shoulders down. I have a tendency to scrunch up my shoulders at any given opportunity, so I prefer to wrap my arms around the backside of my body (as pictured above). If, like many, you experience any knee pain and have discomfort sitting on or near your heels, stick a block [or two!] under your butt.

Go within and enjoy!

Happy Hump-asana Day, fellow yogis! Get your minds out of the gutter – Hump-asana Day, traditionally known as Wednesday or “Hump Day” in lamens/working-folk tongue, is a mid-week yogi treat. Hump-asana Day features a snippet of a pose worth spending some time exploring. And since they’re ALL worth exploring, we’ll never run out of poses for Hump-asana Day – rejoice!

Image via Wikipedia

Many people use it as resting pose between more challenging poses
but I use it as a stand alone pose, often.
It’s such a loving pose to practice. Child’s pose
is great for helping gentle stretch your body. I have found it particularly helpful for my neck.
By the way, it is super relaxing, too.

I like to do this pose with my wide knees 
and my hands extended over head a trick
I learned from a Cyndi Lee video. I often wind up
staying in this pose about 5 minutes.
On a really stressful day, maybe more.

In my mind, this pose is the perfect
way to bring a bit of relaxing energy
into your weekend. If you yoga
do you have a current favorite pose?

{For basic child pose info look here.}
{For wide knees pose info try this.}

Hope your Saturday is awesome,
k

image via Wikipedia

Spoiler alert: I will not complain in this blog post! I will also try my very best to never ever complain on my blog. As a matter of fact, I think I will add that on to my yogic list of things to do/not do. I will tone down my complaining habits. There. Now that it’s “in writing”… So, we embrace the situation, make the best out of every moment and, in the words of a former colleague, “figure it out”.

I’m going through some changes at the moment that I have been a little preoccupied with, mostly mentally. To make the best out of the situation I am in right now, I am blessed with the opportunity to teach more yoga classes and work on my head stand. In the spirit of [not] complaining, I’m just going to mention in passing that I might never be able to get into a head stand on my own. Now that we got THAT off my chest, let’s break it down. When being taught how to get into a head stand, the first point everyone focuses on is: it’s all about the core. I never quite understood exactly what that meant until last this week, when my abs were sore after practicing getting into the pose.

A head stand is one of those poses where you either get into it easily and probably from the first time, or have to practice for weeks (maybe months and years) until you finally get your legs up in the air and hold for a couple of minutes.I am one of those people who had to practice keeping my fingers clasped together while tucking my legs in to my chest. Next step is maintaining a strong and stable foundation. When you clasp your hands together, tuck your right pinky finger in to form a stable base with your hands. Then, take a look at your elbows and be conscious of how far apart they are from each other. Essentially, your elbows should be about shoulder-width apart. Now that you have your triangular foundation, place the crown of your head on the mat and cup the back of your head with your hands. Once you begin to come onto your toes, make sure that you do not collapse into your shoulders. If you manage to be aware of the difference between collapsing and not collapsing into your shoulders, you’ll be able to understand how most of your weight is shifted on to your arms – which is what helps you lift into a head stand.

For some people (like me) who might have long necks and slender neck muscles, and are not extremely open in the shoulders, you might need props to practice getting into a head stand. Bring two towels, double-fold each towel and place them directly under your arms (so, form 2 sides of a triangle with the towels). This way, you get to work on strengthening your neck muscles (thanks Peewee!). Come onto your toes and start walking your feet in as close as possible to your chest. It’s best to practice against a wall (close enough that you’ll only touch the wall IF you fall back) for the first couple of times. Once your bum is slightly over your head (and leaning towards the wall a little bit), begin to tuck one foot at a time until all your weight is shifted mostly onto your forearms and until you’re slightly using your shoulder and neck muscles to support you. As you begin to straighten your legs in the air, you torso is shifted back to center and your feet, legs, upper body and head are in perfect alignment.

It sounds pretty simple. The worst part is, when people show you how to get into it, they make it seem SO simple! Yeah.. I’m still struggling. Now that module 2 has come to an end and we meet again in 1 month, I have all the time in the world to practice my head stand. For this week, yours truly has managed to master the tuck! (for 2 breaths…)

Don’t forget to come into Balasana (child’s pose) and do a couple of neck releases (cat and cow poses) once you come down from your head stand!

I did a spot of teaching belly dancing about six years ago, but I never really noticed it then. This teacher-y thing.

And so far, I’ve had a grand total of five bods through the door in two different classes (if you remember, no one showed up to the first class!). Not a lot, but seems like that’s enough to get things going.

Had a bit of a plan for last Saturday’s class, based on some of what I’d observed my students doing the previous one. Not that I can expect too many repeat customers. I do have one though. She came back this week and I was excited to see her! Also, this week I had a guy join the class, all coughing fits and mis-matched socks and truckloads of concentration that prompted me to say: Soften the face, the belly, the arms, the hands, the heart…

I don’t ask where these people come from exactly. I know they or their social worker or someone has read an ad placed in various drop in centres around St Kilda on my behalf. I figure the rest doesn’t really matter as long as they’re happy to turn up and do a little breathing and moving with me.

So even though it wasn’t the same line up of students (I hadn’t expected it to be), my class plan was inspired by the previous class.

First part was simply planning to do less. I mean, we didn’t get through my entire class plan anyway, so it was time for a readjustment in that respect. This is a very beginner-y group, after all.

The second part was getting people to do some work at the wall. Asking them to start noticing their body a little more, and which part of the feet they’re placing their weight on. Insides? Outsides? Ball of the foot? Heel of the foot? Is one hip higher than the other? Is the spine a bit twisted? Are the shoulders rounded forward? And doing some sanding asana at the wall to really accentuate that awareness by seeing what touched the wall as they moved. Or how their weight distribution changed.

So that was cool. Then I introduced the class to sun salutations. A basic version that drops the knees to the mat and then into balasana before coming forward into upward facing dog. Gently does it with people that find down-dog and touching their toes to be challenging!

But I also had to create a REALLY modified version of sun salutes for one student (full disclosure: a friend of mine who was there to pad out the numbers). She has quite a nasty case of carpal tunnel, and also, arthritis in her toes. So too much weight on the wrists or the balls of the feet is just not good for her.

Just like Linda’s and Rachel’s recent posts on the myth of “perfect asana”, I wanted to find a way for my student/friend to experience sun salutations without all sorts of crazy pain.

What we devised between us (I needed her feedback to ensure it was doable) was sun salutations that used forearms instead of hands and kneeling instead of feet. So down dog was like balasana but with hips in the air (thighs at a 90 degree angle to the floor) and forearms reaching forward. Sphinx replaced up-dog. Transitions were on her forearms and knees, too. The rest she could manage. And as long as there was a focus on the breath and finding a flow to the movement, it worked for her just fine!

Funny thing is, she’d been to my practice classes when I was doing my teacher training and had never mentioned how much physical pain she was in. She didn’t think of explaining it to me until afterwards. She also didn’t think of not doing what the person leading the class asked her to do, regardless of her physical discomfort.

Which is interesting in itself. Students won’t always be honest about how they feel/what pain they’re in for unexplained reasons. That’s a good to know, right?

This teacher-y thing I mentioned? Well, it’s all of the above. To summarise, seems like it’s a sort of hyper-awareness of one’s students. Of what their needs might appear to be – which won’t necessarily be what is actually needed. And a responsibility to help people explore, learn more about their body and themselves in the process.

Also, I realised that mirroring (saying “take your left leg back” while demonstrating with my right) isn’t as hard as I’d previously thought. Well, sort of. As long as I look at the limb I’m talking about, I can manage to say the opposite one!

Finally, here’s something else I noticed. As a teacher, it’s very easy to infect the class with my state of mind. So, if I’m all about concentrating on saying the right things, not screwing up, and being precise… then I’ll have a very focused and probably quite tense group of people on my hands. But if I loosen up, and add in instructions like: Now take both the left and right corners of your mouth and turn them upwards…

Then they’re gonna have a bit more fun. And so will I. Yeah.

~Svasti