This week the focus asana will be a modified Vasistasana or Side Plank pose. Yes, it's technically a hand balance, but you still have your feet on the ground. As with all poses, do it in stages and enjoy where it takes you.
One of the key factors in this posture, and all hand balances, is to keep the shoulders integrated. So, first we'll warm up with poses like Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II), Tadasana (Mountain), and Utkatasana (Chair)--all with a focus on shoulder alignment.
To get this alignment, take the arms in front of you while standing. On an inhale slide the heads of the arm bones back and feel the shoulder blades flatten on the back. Keep this, as you lift the arms overhead or out to the sides.
Arm balancing takes a combination of strength and flexibility. As Yogis, we take this into our lives as commitment and open-mindedness.
See you all next week,
Enjoy your practice time :-)
Kris K
www.TotalHealthYoga.com
www.TotalHealthYoga.Blogspot.com
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Let's Twist Again, Like We Did Last Summer
You guessed it, this week we'll focus on twists.
The 3d most common reason that current students at Total Health Yoga come to class is to release stress. Stress happens in everyone's life. The question is how do we handle it?
I believe that when you live from a centered place, stress is much easier to cope with. It's like standing on a ship in a storm, if you don't have a firm footing, a center, then you are easily tossed about. Twists are all about moving from you center.
Start by aligning the crown of your head over the center of your pelvis. For men think of the area just in front of the perineum, and ladies align with the cervical wall. These are, also, the areas to lift from for mula bandha or root lock. When you twist, keep this central channel, the sushumna, aligned.
Beginners will work with variations on Marichi III and continuing students Parsva Bakasana.
After a twisting practice, be sure to release and stabilize with some simple forward bends, such as lying on your back with the knees drawn into the chest.
Until next week,
Kris
www.TotalHealthYoga.com
www.TotalHealthYoga.Blogspot.com
The 3d most common reason that current students at Total Health Yoga come to class is to release stress. Stress happens in everyone's life. The question is how do we handle it?
I believe that when you live from a centered place, stress is much easier to cope with. It's like standing on a ship in a storm, if you don't have a firm footing, a center, then you are easily tossed about. Twists are all about moving from you center.
Start by aligning the crown of your head over the center of your pelvis. For men think of the area just in front of the perineum, and ladies align with the cervical wall. These are, also, the areas to lift from for mula bandha or root lock. When you twist, keep this central channel, the sushumna, aligned.
Beginners will work with variations on Marichi III and continuing students Parsva Bakasana.
After a twisting practice, be sure to release and stabilize with some simple forward bends, such as lying on your back with the knees drawn into the chest.
Until next week,
Kris
www.TotalHealthYoga.com
www.TotalHealthYoga.Blogspot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
