(Found here)

Pose of the week

Savasana (Corpse Pose)

Savasana is a pose of total relaxation, which can make it one of the most challenging poses to be in.

  

After a balanced practice, the entire body will have been stretched, contracted, twisted and inverted. Savasana allows the body a chance to regroup and reset itself.  This means that even the deepest muscles will have the opportunity to let go and shed their regular habits, if only for a few minutes. Most importantly the physiological benefits of deep relaxation are numerous.

In the classic pose you lie out flat on the ground, like the image above, with no support, but this isn't a truly comfortable position for us all. Comfort is essential in the pose! The fairy tale of The Princess and the Pea always comes to mind when preparing for this pose. The slightest point of discomfort can be endlessly distracting. There are a few things you can do to support the body in this posture, for example placing a bolster or rolled blankets under the knees to help relax the low back, or placing a blanket under the head to help lengthen the neck and release tension at the base of the skull. You might also like to have something over the eyes, if that helps you soften the face,  and make sure you are warm enough.

Savasana can come at the beginning and/or at the end of a practice. I often start and always finish my practice with a version of corpse pose, and there are loads of visualisations for relaxation out there, but i like the simplicity of melting, with a focus on the breath.

When you come into the pose it's nice to start by internally patrolling the body, you cannot release tension until you know where it is! See if you can let go of that tension bit by bit, from the crown of the head to the tips of the toes. Have the idea of simply allowing your body to melt as a whole, like butter, into the floor.

As you continue to let go you'll feel like your body is spreading into the ground, the whole of the back of your body literally taking more and more space.

Just enjoy watching all your muscle tension melt with gravity and an easy breath into the ground. It's bliss!

One of the most challenging aspects of this pose is keeping your attention on what you are doing as you are doing it...a challenge in all yoga asana!

Your attention often seems to want to run ahead of you, so that you feel like you are constantly trying to keep up with it. It may help to think of your attention as a young and eager puppy. Every time you catch yourself wandering off call your attention to heel so that it follows what is happening rather then trying to lead. Over time you'll find that you've trained it into to staying with you for longer and longer.

Last of all, and most importantly (i think) is to be careful not to judge what you you come across when relaxing. See if you can be with yourself without judgement and accept what ever you come across in each moment. Let yourself be, allowing your attention to linger in the places that you feel it might benifit from most. 

image from here

Pose of the week

Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

Ustrasana is one of my favorite back-bends. It gives my body a great energy boost when i'm feeling drained and it has the potential to help you find great openness in the thoracic spine—the upper back—where many of us are relatively tight. Most people tend to be more mobile in their cervical spine (neck) and lumbar spine (lower back).

Practice: When backbending it is less about 'bending back' and more about lengthening the spine and lifting up to move back.  Getting the right amount of space and lift in the upper spine and chest is crucial in Ustrasana to avoid compression in the lower back and to help free the neck. This article describes how to practice at the wall with props to aid that lift before coming into the full pose.

Bringing the head back is not necessary to reap the benefits of this pose. If you can comfortably maintain the lift of the thoracic spine and chest enough to comfortably follow through with the neck then fine, but keep the chin gently tucked towards the chest if it is at all uncomfortable. The neck should not be held in a state of collapse. 

As always you need to be completely aware of what your own body is capable of in this pose. Use the time between trys resting and assess how the back feels before continuing.

Sequencing: Poses like Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana and Salabhasana are all great for preparing the back, but you will also need to stretch the muscles and skin of the front thighs, ankles and feet. Try Virasana, Supta Virasana and a little low lunge sequence to warm up. To follow it is wise to twist, try Ardha Matsyendrasana, before taking a forward bend like Balasana or Paschimottanasana.  A pose like Malasana can also be beneficial afterwards if the lower back feels a little compressed.

Benefits: Stretches the entire front of the body, the ankles, thighs, groins, abdomen, chest and throat. Stretches the deep hip flexors (psoas), Strengthens back muscles, energy boost. 

Cautions: Take care if you have high or low blood pressure and do not practice if you have serious neck or lower back injuries...also not so great if you have a migraine...

 images from here and here.

Pose of the week

UTTANASANA (Standing forward fold) 

Uttanasana is the basic forward fold. Everything you learn here will be applicable to all forward folds. There are many variations so, as always, find what works for you in each given moment and work to your own edge. Whatever stage you are at will be perfect.  

Practice  I like to think of Uttanasana as lengthening down.
Start in Tadasana and ground yourself from the top of the pelvis down, firming the legs and spreading the soles of the feet. Allow the upper body to soften and watch for the exact moment at the very end of your exhalation. Let you spine 'catch' the rebound - feel space rippling up your spine like a snake - and at the bottom of the exhalation see if you can feel space opening up at the base of the spine - just above and around the sacrum.

Use that space! At the end of an exhalation hinge slowly and gently down over a quiet pelvis. You can keep the hands on the hips or float them upwards lightly as you fold forward. Which ever you chose keep your shoulder blades on the back and as soft as possible. Try not to let any tension into the upper body and do not disturb your strong roots.

As you hinge keep breathing down evenly through the soles of your feet, heels and tips of the toes included, and try not to let the weight of your head or arms drag on your spine. You are not pulling or pushing to come into this pose so keep the belly soft and don't 'flatten' the back. Once in the pose bring the finger tips to the floor or clasp the elbows over the head.

There are a few visualisations that help me with the quiet internal feeling forward folds give you....

1. As you lengthen forward into your fold, visualise your pelvic girdle as a fan. This fan has the potential to open enormously - being pulled in two directions; the weight of the head Vs. the tail and heels creating space all around the sacrum and lower spine. The opening of the fan as you lengthen forward should help you feel the whole lower back really open and begin to soften.

2. As you breath into the pose keep your awareness in your spine and see if you can feel the individual vertebrae of your spine moving away from each other.

3. As with all poses it is important not to hyper-extend the backs of your knees. you want to allow your kneecaps to engage and lift evenly to open the backs of the knees, but don't lock back. As you firm the legs try not to allow any other areas of the body to tense in sympathy. To keep your knees open without hyper-extending or tensing, rest your attention at the back of the knees, like you have eyes there...just let it live there for a little while.
Can you feel feel the direct relationship between the backs of the knees and the heels? Between the four corners of the feet and four corners of the kneecaps?

Sequencing  Tadasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana,  Supta Padangusthasana and Malasana are all good preparation for Uttanasana. It can also be benificial to stretch the front thighs with Virasana or lunges to help open the hamstrings.

Benifits Calms the brain, stimulates the liver and kidneys, stretches the hamstrings, calves, and hips, strengthens the thighs and knees, improves digestion.  

Cautions Uttanasana can be dangerous for the lumbar discs so it is important not to bend forward from your lower back. Instead fold from your hips and allow your groins to deepen and soften. Strive for the feeling of moving from your groin area like a fulcrum. If the lower back is already an issue do this pose with bent knees, or perform Ardha Uttanasana (with your hands on the wall).

 Image from Shirley Srey

pose of the week

Tadasana (Mountain Pose)


"You want to stand on your head and you don't even know how to stand on your feet." 
-- B.K.S. Iyengar


Tadasana is the foundation of the asana yoga practice, everything comes back to Tadasana! Tadasana is also called Samasthiti, which translates as equal standing. For me the art of standing correctly starts with this pose.

Practice always begin Tadasana by placing the feet properly and work up from that foundation. Traditionally you have the feet together in this pose, but if you are new to it or find it hard to balance then start with the feet hip width apart. This description by Brad Piddy is the most precise i could find.

Sequencing whenever and wherever you like! Do it to establish strength and balance in your feet, legs and spine before standing poses, after standing poses, a the beginning of a session, at the end, when you are standing in line at the supermarket or waiting for the bus....

Benefits improves posture, Strengthens thighs, knees, and ankles, is said to relieves sciatica and reduce flat feet.

pose of the week

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose)

This pose takes practice and preparation. Slow and steady is the key. I always find backbends are brilliant for training yourself to work with integrity...always chose a variation of the pose that is the most challenging to you in each given moment, but that remains its integrity. Oh and focus on the journey, not the end product.

Practice This guy has the details of the pose nailed so have a read here for a good description.


Sequencing There is lots you can do to prepare the body for this pose... standing poses, Adho Mukha (Downward-Facing Dog), Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand), Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance), Ustrasana (Camel Pose), Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog), Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose), Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose), Kapotasana (Pigeon Pose), Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana I and II (One-Legged Inverted Staff Pose) will all be useful. Follow up with a twist or two before you fold forward. I like to follow up with Ardha Matseyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose...good name!)

Benefits Stretches the thighs, groins and psoas, abdomen, chest and shoulders, and neck. Opens the shoulders and chest.

Contradictions  Sacroiliac injury, Ankle injury, Knee injury, Tight hips or thighs.

image from here