Thoughts Provoked On Breathing
From Down Dog, bend the elbows, pressing them inward until they line up under the shoulders, spread fingers wide, releasing energy. Keep back long, lifting tail bone, pressing heels down, breathe into the back, shoulder blades lengthen toward tail bone, head is between upper arms, not touching floor. Feel the joy of diving into secret [...]
Read more Dolphin & Dolphin Kick up to Pincha Mayurasana
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Asana: Astavakrasana- Eight Crooks Pose, dedicated to the sage Astavakra. Begin with feet about 20 inches apart, knees bent, R hand on floor between feet and L hand on outside of L foot. Lift belly and bandhas to bring R leg over R arm, resting thigh on back of bicep, above elbow. Extend L leg [...]
Read more Astavakrasana-Eight Crooks Pose
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Kapinjalasana/Bird Drinking Raindrops Pose, or a mundane Partridge, one that lives on raindrops and dew. Nice. Iyengar writes that it is a cross between Vasisthanasana and Padangustha Dhanurasana, an extreme Bow Pose. Enter it from Vasisthanasana, with body turned sideways to R, balancing on outer edge of R foot and R hand. On exhale, bend [...]
Read more Kapinjalasana-Bird Drinking Raindrops Pose
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Asana: Hamsasana/Swan-Another beautiful, impossibly difficult bird pose. The difference between last week’s Mayurasana/Peacock Pose, and this week’s Hamsasana lies only in the position of the hands. In the Swan, fingers face forward, toward the head, making this more difficult than the Peacock. begin on all fours, Bend elbows, with forearms as close together as possible, [...]
Read more Hamsasana-Swan Pose
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The third of the Vira’s, or Power Poses, steps out on the R foot, lifts L leg, arms and torso up and over until the entire line of the body is a flat table top, hips even, L leg rotated inward, foot flexed, and standing leg strong. Keep neck part of back and do not lift [...]
Read more Virabadhrasana III-Strong Warrior Pose
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Like all inversions, handstands are wonderful for happiness and confidence. Make sure arms and shoulders are strong enough to support you before attempting the pose. Move from Down Dog, placing fingertips 1-2 inches from the wall, and spread wide. Without moving hands, rotate upper arms out and up. Step into it on R, kick up with L leg, [...]
Read more Adho Mukha Vrksasana-Handstand Pose
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There are many variations to the basic pose. The simplest version is to come onto all fours, hips over knees, shoulders over wrist. Lift L leg up and contracting the abs, bringing head down, pull L knee toward head. Another, more well known version is to extend L leg up and back behind, lifting chest [...]
Read more Vyaghrasana-Tiger Pose
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Asana: Mayurasana/Peacock. Not to be confused with Pincha Mayurasana/Tail feathers of the Peacock. This is a down and dirty pose, requiring as much trial, error and re-do as the Pincha Version. What is it about these graceful Birds that demand we grow tough and resilient through arms, legs and back? This Mayurasana begins on all [...]
Read more Mayurasana-Peacock Pose
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Asana Bakasana-Crane Pose. If you are a beginner, place a block under your forehead until you feel safe enough to lift off. This is a powerful pose that lifts the mula bandha roots up as you press hands down into the earth to fly. Begin in Down Dog. If you are advanced, jump into the [...]
Read more Bakasana-Crane Pose
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Asana: Eka Pada Bakasana/One legged Crane Pose. Many bodies struggle with this as it requires strength, balance, and flexibility in equal measure. You can enter it from Bakasana, extending one leg back. You can enter it from Plank, pulling one knee into the upper arm, releasing the back leg up. You can also enter it [...]
Read more Eka Pada Bakasana-One Legged Crane Pose
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Asana:Bhujapidasana/Shoulder Pressing Pose. Spread the feet, bending the knees in order to place palms about 18 inches apart, between legs so you can rest the back of thighs on upper arms. Bend elbows, and exhale as you lift feet off floor, squeezing the knees over the arms. Interlock ankles, lifting abdominal muscle and mula bandha. [...]
Read more Bhujapidasana-Shoulder Pressing Pose
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Asana: Eka Pada Galavasana- A great pose of strong polarity where we are tethered to earth, yet lift off and ‘fly high’ through the power of holding the center. You can come at this from Utkatasana, (or tripod headstand.) The easier is from Utkatasana: Feet together, extend arms up, bend knees, lift Bandhas, lengthen back, [...]
Read more Eka Pada Galavasana-Crossbow Balance
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Asana:Tittibhasana/ Firefly. An easy entrance to this Pose is from a low Malasana, feet open and wide, Sitts bones dropped toward the floor. Place palms inside the feet, fingers face forward, open the elbows, placing back of thighs over upper arms. Keep chest relating to the floor, lift lower Bandhas, release feet out, stretching toes. [...]
Read more Tittibhasana-Firefly
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Asana: Urdhva Upavistha Konasana/-Upward Facing Open Angle Pose. You can move into this Pose from rolling back and forth, massaging spine, with knees curled at chest. Roll up to Sitts bones, slowly extend legs as far as possible. Grab big toe, legs, or outside of feet, while keeping a steady Drishti/focus for balance. You can also take [...]
Read more Urdhva Upavistha Konasana-Upward Facing Open Angle Pose
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Asana Vasisthasana- One foot/-one arm extended balance. Come into Pose from Down Dog, move into plank. Open to left side, balance on R hand, under R shoulder, and stack L feet on top side of R foot. Open the chest and reach L arm up, opposite R arm. Remain here for 5-10 breaths. You may [...]
Read more Vasisthasana-One Foot-One Arm Extended Balance
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Asana: Dekasana/lifted Vira III. This is a new pose, but very like the old pose of Virabradrasana III. Move onto one leg, lifting the other up behind as you tilt forward, parallel to floor. Keep the hips level. In Dekasana, lift the torso up, arms back, as though in flight, instead of the flat back, [...]
Read more Dekasana
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Asana: Vrksasana- Tree Pose. Stand in Tadasana, bringing R foot up as high as possible inside L thigh, toes point down. Press foot into thigh and thigh into sole of foot. Inhale, lifting arms up, balance. Pay attention to how you are standing on the foot. Is weight evenly distributed? If you are touched by [...]
Read more Vrksasana-Tree Pose
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Take a large step forward on the R from Tadasana-Mountain Pose. turn L foot slightly out, keep R foot directly forward, lift arms to side, parallel to floor. Feet can either be aligned front heel to back instep, or if the hips are tight, allow legs to be hip width. On inhale lift torso and [...]
Read more Parivritta Janu Sirsasana-Revolved Triangle Pose
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This is a moderately difficult pose requiring arm and back strength before success. The easiest entry is to move to the wall with your mat, placing fingertips close to wall. Go into Adho Muhka Svanasana-Down Dog, lower arms into Dolphin, pressing into open palms, rotate hands and arms inward, with parallel elbows. It helps to [...]
Read more Pincha Mayurasana-Feathered Peacock Pose
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Asana: Ardha Chandrasana/Half Moon Pose. Begin from the long low side stretch of Utthita Parsvakonasana/Extended side Angle Pose. As you lift up and out, over the R leg, balancing, with the R arm, parallel to that leg, feel yourself lifting into your dreams, opening your heart to the moon, to that feminine Self within that [...]
Read more Ardha Chandrasana/Half Moon Pose
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