Savasana "Did You Knows"

Did you know...

...it takes 15-17 minutes for the body to relax? It is then that Savasana really begins...

...your hands and feet must be warm for your body to relax?

...the room must be darkened?

...there are three stages of Savasana:
1. Physiological relaxation
2. Pratyahara -- When you are no longer distracted by your senses.
3. Ashunya -- You only know you have achieved this after the fact. You have a feeling of having "returned" from somewhere. Your teacher maybe had to "wake" you but you know you weren't asleep.

...Savasana is the MOST important of all the poses and

...I suspect the one most skipped...

...Savasana will help reset your nervous system barometer to a slower level. (In other words, it helps you relax.)

...Savasana helps you reset old patterns, physiological, emotional, mental, spiritual, you name it!

...Savasana helps you absorb the benefits of your practice.

...can be done anytime, not necessarily right after your asana session. Do it right before bed!

Savasana: This Month's Challenge

We challenge all of you! Do Savasana every day for the month of September. Let us know how it affects you! If you need some assistance, here is a podcast from Laura for a guided 20-minute Savasana. Enjoy!

Maricyasana III: Study Point of the Week

How can you get more deeply into your upper back? When we twist, we tend to keep the twist in the mid-back, around T-11, T-12, and L-1. Getting it into the upper back is a powerful way of increasing the twist and making it deeper.

Maricyasana III: Study Point of the Week

There are two ways to turn the head in this pose, looking behind you and looking toward your toes. Play with each one. Which do you prefer? Why?

Bhujangasana and the Core

(Laura) I have never spent much time studying Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose). I used it to warm up and strengthen my back and breezed past it whenever I was doing Sun Salutations. This month I studied it and taught it. In fact, I challenged myself to teach it each week in one class so I needed to come up with fresh information each week which necessitated new insights.

My most illuminating insight came from the importance of the core in Bhujangasana. I knew that extending the legs was important but I didn’t realize that I wasn’t using my inner thighs enough and, therefore, wasn’t engaging the core muscles in my torso. Without the core of my torso, my backbend sat in my lower back.

So? Practice this idea in Vajrasana or Sukhasana. Feel the length in your spine. Arch high up in the upper back. Now, from that position, let your belly go slack. Feel the back bend sink to your lower back.

The same thing happens in Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) when you allow your legs to go slack (the legs support the work of the core muscles in the core – something you can feel in Tadasana (Mountain Pose)). When legs go slack, the backbend sits more in your lower back. The key to effectively activating the core is the inner thighs of the legs. Use those muscles to get the action into the torso as well.

Boojangasana

(by Marya) Cobra has to be one of my favorite poses recently. As I've grown more open in my back and upper body it has become easier and more comfortable. I often choose to do it instead of Up Dog - I think because it feels more grounding.
Tonight on my way to teach a yoga class I accidentally hit my elbow on the car (one of those chasing kids not really watching where I was going things). I didn't hit my funny bone, although either way it wasn't funny. It hurt a little but I was doing fine in class demonstrating and moving. Then we did (or didn't in my case) bhujangasana. I couldn't do it! My new bump/bruise was apparently in the non-cobra-doing spot of my arm. What a bummer! Is my body trying to tell me something? Maybe, slow down and stop chasing?

Bhujangasana: This Week's Study Point

Does where you place your hands affect how you experience the pose?

Bhujangasana: This Week's Study Point

What is your greatest challenge with this pose?

Vrksasana: This Week's Study Point

Do you prefer hands in front of your chest or overhead? Why? Let us know...

Vrksasana: This Week's Study Point

On which foot to you usually or always begin? What happens when you change sides? Why?

Find Trikonasana

(by Karen) When teaching, I always remind my students to "find" their pose. Anyone can do a pose, but is it your pose?

Trikonasana is one that I don't usually find quickly so it is usually added to each practice more than once and spread around. The first one is to remind my body of the technical side, but it never feels like mine. The second time is usually easier to get into and my body is "remembering" it but still not mine. Usually, the third time is it - body and pose as one. At this point, I could stay there for an hour (at least it feels that way, never tried it :-)

Trikonasana with a Twist!

(by Laura) So I have been playing with seeing Trikonasana as a twist – very interesting! I set my legs and ground myself and then breath softness into my torso and revolve. Quite delicious!

I 'Heart' Triangle

I thought it fitting to say I 'heart' Triangle, in place of I love Triangle, as it is such a wonderful open hearted pose. I do love Triangle pose (Trikonasana) - it is one of my favorites. But why? Good question. Part of my exploration this month is to find out just why I enjoy it so much.
Is it the feeling of strength and stability and grounding in the legs?
Or because my knees are hyper-flexible and I've been able to strengthen them by learning alignment and having more awareness?
Is it because my hips are fairly open and flexible already?
Is it because for many years my upper body felt so caved in and triangle really lets me open up in the heart?
Maybe its because for a long time I felt an inner strength and through my physical work in yoga have created a body more able to express that strength. When I do Trikonasana I just feel like "here I am!" and it feels good.
How do you feel in Triangle?

My Equilateral Triangle!

I have been working on more firmly engaging my legs in Trikonasana. My legs have been quite a study for the past three years, all in the evolution of my first chakra balancing. I never knew how solid one could feel when the legs are fully engaged! (And I am not sure I am fully engaging them yet – exciting for me!) So, once I have turned my feet, I press the inner edge of my front foot down, lift the inner ankle and continue lifting up to the inner thigh/groin. Then I do the same for the back leg. I then move into the pose, paying particular attention to the back leg, especially the inner thigh. I find my inner thigh likes to sag and when it does, the pose “melts”. When I come out with an engaged inner thigh, wow! I think of coming out by lifting the back inner thigh. I am so solid! I feel as solid as an equilateral triangle!

Trikonasana: So Solid!

(From Laura) I had an amazing month playing in Tadasana. My pose has become infinitely more “mountain-like” in grounding and presence. As a result, I have been playing with firming my standing poses. The legs and arms are the “strength” of the poses so the body and heart can be open and light. I have been finding my Tadasana – a strong Tadasana – and then taking my arms overhead, lengthening them out of the lower back. Then I take them out to the side and separate my feet. My arms feel incredibly strong and mimic the strength in my legs. I then turn my feet and, maintaining the strength in my arms and legs, move into the pose. Watch in particular to the back leg and arm, their action can easily be lost in the movement into the pose. If the arms and legs are firm enough, weight on the bottom arm is unnecessary and you will have plenty of “umph” to get back out of the pose when you are done. Don’t you feel incredibly solid?