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Sukhasana: Are You Really in Sukhasana

Are you really in Sukhasana (Easy, Cross-Legged Pose)? There are many cross-legged positions in yoga, each with its own purpose, so let's figure out what you need to do.

Here is Swastikasana (heals line up in front of the perineum):


Here is Siddhasana (heals stack on top of each other):



And HERE is Sukhasana (Shins are virtually parallel and feet are underneath the opposite knees):


Each cross-legged pose has a different purpose. Each opens the hip joint a bit differently, of course. I also find I enjoy each for different purposes. I find Sukhasana very stable for doing upper body work such as shoulder rolls and neck stretches. I like the stability for forward folding and twists. (Experiment with this one. Do a forward fold in Siddhasana or Swastikasana. Your sit bones pop up.) I prefer Siddhasana for meditation. I find the groundedness of the thighs beneficial for calming my mind.

What do you discover? Add these ideas to the other Study Points we suggested!

Uttanasana: A More Engaged Uttanasana

Uttanasana: Better Align Your Uttanasana

April Study Points: Sukhasana

Are you really in Sukhasana? Shins need to be parallel with feet hidden under opposite knee.

Sit in the pose for a long time – 5-10 minutes. What comes up?

Compare being on a lift and not. What changes?

How is this pose different from Siddhasana? Compare the two. When would one be more appropriate than the other?

Study Points: Uttanasana

With about 10 days to go on this pose, here are some thoughts for you:

Put a block between your legs to engage your inner thighs. How does that feel?

Do the pose with your back to the wall. How close can you be to the wall and not touch it?

Do the pose standing on two blocks. What changes?

How does Uttanasana compare to Prasarita Padottanasana for you? Physically AND energetically?

Uttanasana: Finding Love

Uttanasana used to be a dreaded pose for me. I still have difficulty putting words around what it was precisely that challenged me most. I felt challenged in my hamstrings (used to be very tight and then, after a pull, 13 years of “extra tightness” and discomfort). But even more than the hamstrings, it was the forward fold. I felt uncomfortable in any forward fold and especially this one. One of my teachers once said as just as an aside to me while I was in Uttanasana, “You will be amazing when you finally use your legs.” That was at least 11 years ago and last year I got it. I have studied for a couple of years how to effectively use my feet and legs to engage them and feel the energy. Once I “got” how to use my legs better, this pose felt great!

If It's March - It's Uttanasana!

Happy March! With March comes a new pose here at Musasana - Uttanasana. Here is a study point to get you started:

How does the pose change when your legs are straight versus bent?

Have fun playing and let us know what you learn.

What is Virabhadrasana I About?

This pose is about courage. Courage to hold your ground, fact your fears and be confident in what you want and believe in...Phew!

A Virabhadrasana aha!

So, to continue my saga, I was reviewing my Practice Journal and noticed in 2005 not only was this pose on my "dislike" list, it was at the top! So, I found out some interesting things about myself and the pose...Read more here.

Breaking the Rules

It seems like there are many rules to follow when doing Warrior I pose--the back foot down, the hips square (oops, the back foot came up when I squared my hips). The tailbone tucked to protect the lower back while extending and back bending (oops I feel it in my lower back because it is really challenging to tuck the tailbone while extending and doing a back bend when my legs are in this position). So I decided to break the rules for myself and my students this week in class. I told them to focus on grounding the back foot and let the hips go where they are comfortable. Then extend the arms at sides or overhead (or keep them at the waist) and just focus on grounding the back foot and keeping the back leg active and engaged. Extend the spine and bring the chest forward (rather than bending the back). The pose was much more comfortable and enjoyable this way and the yoga police did NOT show up at the door to arrest us for breaking the rules!

Study Point of the Week: Virabhadrasana I

This pose needs the back body fully engaged. What do you need to do to engage it?

I Don't Know Why They Call It ONE

It is not my first choice! Actually, I do know why they call it ONE and it still is not my first choice. Ask me about Virabhadrasana II or Virabhadrasana III. I love both of those versions - strong and open and free! Virabhadrasana I has never felt like my pose in all of the years I have done it. There is something about that back leg, and there is something about that front leg. Oh yes, and there is something about the lower back and the extended arms. It doesn't feel strong and it doesn't feel balanced and it doesn't feel free. Does anyone else agree?

Maybe someday I'll learn to love it - just not today.

A Stronger Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)

Virabhadrasana I: The Saga of a Pose

There is no other pose in yoga in which my opinion has changed more. When I first started yoga, I loved this pose. I felt strong and noble and courageous. Then, as I played in it more, I began to feel I didn't know anything about the pose. I didn't know where to put my hips, my back heal, my arms. Now, I am back to loving it. I spent much of last summer playing in it, learning about where I wanted my body to be in the pose, and engaging the back body. Now it feels strong and lovely and I enjoy the personal power it brings me! I am looking forward to doing it more this month...

Virabhadrasana I Inspiration

Our pose this month is Warrior I. Here is some inspiration for studying the pose.

Play with the position of your arms (hands together, hands apart) and feel the effect on the entire pose.

Please leave a comment with your thoughts.

A More Effortless Vasisthasana

Vasisthasana: Variations

To get you started on your month of study, here are some of my favorite variations to teach. The two challenges in this pose (what? Only two?) are balance and strength (mostly core). So the prep variations help with one or the other. Notice in some variations I have my arm down. This modification can be used in any of the variations to make them easier.

You can also put your back or feet to the wall to help with balance. I recommend placing the feet at the wall rather than the back, if you can. The wall to your back quickly can become a crutch.

This is my favorite for making the pose easier. It is a bit hard to see in the photo. I have my bottom leg bent at 90 degrees and the top leg is like the final pose. I am also on my elbow which makes the balance easier.

In this varation, the top leg is coming over the bottom to stand on the floor. Eases both balance issues and strength. Make sure the toes and knee are pointing in the same direction to keep the knee aligned.

Here I have one foot in front of the other. This variation makes the balance easier and takes the full strength of the full pose.


Although technically not the "full" pose (the full pose is the bottom photo), I use this pose as the final pose in most classes. The full pose is significantly more difficult and unapproachable (not to mention scary) for many of my students.)

Having said that, many can move toward this variation. What I like about this one is you feel the balance necessary in the complete pose without the flexibility necessary:

And, voila! The full pose:

Inspired Vasisthasana

Just had to share what MuseBeth did one day when I challenged her to make her day unforgettable. Yep, she is on her desk! Want to see her Downward Facing Dog on her desk? Her poses on her desk not only made her day unforgettable for her but also for me (and, I am guessing, her secretary who took the photo)! She has inspired me to do more each day to make my days unforgettable. Thanks, .mB.!

Vasisthasana

Okay, here we go. My students will be exploring this in each class...probably good they don't know it! :-)