tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78204426533665299832023-12-04T18:04:35.944+11:00The Itinerant YoginiYogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.comBlogger206125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-66391678448508189382019-08-20T14:28:00.001+10:002019-08-21T09:42:30.339+10:00What's in a name? An Apology.Dearest readers,<br />
<br />
It's now been 5 years since I stopped blogging regularly. Am I about to return? It's something I'm strongly considering, having gotten to a place where I have a bit more room in my life again. Writing this blog for all those years was such a labour of love, and I have definitely missed it!<br />
<br />
In the meantime, something serious has come to my attention that I want to address, and it's regarding the name of the blog. When I named the blog "Yoga Gypsy", I intended it to be a light-hearted reflection of my life as an international traveler. I didn't at the time realize that the word "gypsy" is considered by the Romani people as an offensive slur. I have now been made aware of this, and I'd like to formally apologize for perpetuating the type of romanticized stereotype that appropriates the culture of the Roma people and glosses over the discrimination they face. It's my intent to rename the blog, although I have not yet been able to determine whether I'll be able to change the URL of past articles.<br />
<br />
So, there you have it. I am humbly grateful to the anonymous commenter who made me aware of this - thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn and to do better. Part of yoga is a lifelong commitment to learning and educating yourself, in order to combat <i>avidya</i>, or self-ignorance. Any form of prejudice, discrimination or racism is by definition in contradiction of the yogic principle of <i>ahimsa</i>, non-harming. One of the most important ways that we can fight against such ignorance is to recognize it in ourselves, and correct it. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to do just that.<br />
<br />
Yours sincerely,<br />
<br />
A yogini in search of a new name ;)Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-44298211005372621302015-03-03T05:50:00.001+11:002015-03-03T05:50:24.442+11:00A little updateDearest readers,<br />
<br />
It's been a long time since I posted, and sadly, I am not writing this post to announce my return. Let's just say it's been a busy year - I've moved (again!!), and started a new day-job that is consuming all my spare time.<br />
<br />
For my long-term readers, I'm afraid that there will be no new content any time soon, but I hope you'll continue to enjoy the posts here.<br />
<br />
For new readers, welcome and take a tour around by visiting the <a href="http://yogagypsy.blogspot.com/p/sequences.html">Poses & Sequences</a> page or searching the word cloud. And don't forget to check out some of the great blogs listed on the lower right-hand of the page!<br />
<br />
And no, I am not planning on hanging up my yoga towel just yet... just taking a blogging sabbatical.<br />
<br />
Namaste and keep practising!Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-83091294535409901272014-07-04T13:54:00.001+10:002014-07-04T13:54:21.708+10:006 great exercises to build core strengthIt took me years of practicing yoga to realise just how important core strength is in maintaining a healthy, injury free practice.<br />
<br />
In fact, core strength is important for maintaining a healthy, injury-free <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>life</b></span>. However, building true core strength in the transverse abdominis (the deep core muscles) can be tricky, and a lot of modern core work focuses on the superficial abs, the rectus abdominis, which look pretty but are too superficial to, say, be much help in preventing you from putting out your back.<br />
<br />
Thankfully, it gets easier thanks to a simple anatomical reality: that when you breathe in your belly, the movement of your breath also moves the deep core muscles. So, <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>you can use the simple act of breathing to help you begin to engage and strengthen these critical core muscles</b></span>.<br />
<br />
With this in mind, try the first exercise below. Lie on your back on the floor, with your legs bent. As you breathe in, notice how your lower back lifts gently off the floor. As you breathe out, gently flatten your lower back against the floor. As you do this, try to pull your belly button down towards your body, and at the same time engage your pelvic floor by trying to draw the skin above your pubic bone upwards (there's lots written about pelvic floor, so if you're not sure, go on and google it and then come back here!!). This is basically mulha bandha, the "root lock" your yoga teacher may have told you about.<br />
<br />
It's a subtle feeling, so it might take you a few times to get the hang of it. Try it about 10 times, slowly. The more you practice, the more strongly you will be able to press your lower back into the floor.<br />
<br />
Once you've got that, try the rest of the exercises below. <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>If you are just getting started, it's really important to get the breathing right</b></span>, so that you can take advantage of the natural way the breath and the deep abdominal muscles work together. <br />
<br />
<i>NB: All of these exercises are safe to do postpartum (after 8 weeks or with doctor's permission). If you are trying to build your core strength back after having a baby, I would recommend doing the exercises below as a 10-week programme, doing the exercises every day or every other day and adding one new exercise per week. If you had a c-section or experienced abdominal splitting, consult your doctor and/or physiotherapist before beginning any core work.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>If you are recovering from a lower back injury, some of these exercises may not be appropriate for you. Please consult your doctor first!</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KCQDfJswfiuugJcViFHAXiGBivE2PJnQAhiZ9wX7e0Y9UOvqN1VZxGweArvvDtQqG_XPzdZIV89pmSycmeF1I5J2p3De4nr0BTchGkE_i9qU7QUMO5tcnfLG7SENI1EoHhTIQldcVAo/s1600/core-exercises_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KCQDfJswfiuugJcViFHAXiGBivE2PJnQAhiZ9wX7e0Y9UOvqN1VZxGweArvvDtQqG_XPzdZIV89pmSycmeF1I5J2p3De4nr0BTchGkE_i9qU7QUMO5tcnfLG7SENI1EoHhTIQldcVAo/s1600/core-exercises_1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />When you are done, <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>don't forget to counter pose</b></span>! Try a gentle bridge pose or sphinx pose to stretch out the abs, and then hug your knees to your chest to stretch out the lower back.<br />
<br />
Once you're feeling comfortable with the exercises above, you can
start to challenge yourself a bit more! Here are 3 more exercises that
will add a nice core focus to any yoga practice or workout.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAixf9MPK8EMby2ykvIeilJe4ITUyty9USGqPHfAJIW7Vg6vrqoARy54dsWrSyS248EvoUeSDPZHJhZAP0_JVNFIesAtFwb9KvPYtvQimvNJes-2QXWt7K9qCklkqrU3pYhPlaffdwAac/s1600/core-exercises_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAixf9MPK8EMby2ykvIeilJe4ITUyty9USGqPHfAJIW7Vg6vrqoARy54dsWrSyS248EvoUeSDPZHJhZAP0_JVNFIesAtFwb9KvPYtvQimvNJes-2QXWt7K9qCklkqrU3pYhPlaffdwAac/s1600/core-exercises_2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Questions? Comments? Requests? Leave them below!! </div>
<br />Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-77388689892388049282014-06-24T15:06:00.002+10:002014-06-24T15:06:33.114+10:00Yoga Tip Tuesdays: the 'other' shoulderstandWhen you think of shoulderstand, you probably think of the popular images of someone upside down with their legs ramrod-straight in the air, their body folded nearly in half at the neck, their chin pressed to their chest. Yet let's face it - the modern, "gymnastic" version of shoulderstand that we are used to seeing is simply not practical - or safe - for everyone. It requires a high degree of backwards flexibility of the shoulders, for starters. It also requires nearly 90 degrees of forward flexion at the cervical spine and places a lot of the body's weight on the delicate vertebrae at the back of the neck. Not to mention that if you are a woman with anything over a C-cup, you may feel like you're at risk of smothering yourself!<br />
<br />
Thankfully, there is an alternative variation of shoulderstand that gives you exactly the same benefits as the "gymnastic" shoulderstand. In sanskrit this pose is often referred to as "viparita karani asana." It's basically a slightly modified version of shoulderstand, where instead of trying to get your body straight up and down, you allow your body to settle in a 'pike' pose, with a comfortable angle between the torso and legs. This allows you to take more of the weight of the body in the hands, elbows and arms, which decreases the weight and pressure on the cervical spine. It also creates more 'breathing' space between the chin and the torso - ideal for bodybuilders with tight pecs and shoulders and for busty women. The pose has a beautiful, mudra-like feel to it and allows you to breathe deeply into the belly. Drishti is either straight up, or at the belly if you can do this while still keeping the chin lifted high.<br />
<br />
I can not say enough how much I love and prefer this pose!! Personally, I now only practice this asana instead of shoulderstand and I always teach it in classes (I call the two versions "classical" shoulderstand and "gymnastic" shoulderstand) - yet it took me years to come across it simply because it isn't taught in our modern asana classes. So without further ado, here you have it: viparita karani asana.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwiuaoIkNJ4BWoQdBHLVc25vqOH5UZQxXm54cE-KT0D3wNcwH7MhRzp7kbDervIUmfE8JtxnB_dbeCcWYN_SJlwm03L_FnNksaB2uzPqWaANW-QnrP-S8L24v-imjezoFzufJApPyqoA/s1600/viparitakaraniasana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwiuaoIkNJ4BWoQdBHLVc25vqOH5UZQxXm54cE-KT0D3wNcwH7MhRzp7kbDervIUmfE8JtxnB_dbeCcWYN_SJlwm03L_FnNksaB2uzPqWaANW-QnrP-S8L24v-imjezoFzufJApPyqoA/s1600/viparitakaraniasana.jpg" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
(NB: The usual counter-indications for this pose apply: you
shouldn't be practicing inversions if you have untreated high blood
pressure, angina, glaucoma, or osteoporosis of the spine, wrists or shoulders.)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>Readers, what poses would you like to see modifications for on the blog??</b><br />
<br />Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-83854656407729205342014-06-12T11:54:00.000+10:002014-06-13T08:42:13.854+10:007 stretches for neck and shoulders you can do at your deskDearest readers,<br />
<br />
Well, I've been absent from the blog for much longer than I intended! Life has been busy these past few months, both personally and professionally. But in any case, I'm back and have some reader-requested posts lined up for you!<br />
<br />
Thanks to all of you who have continued to visit and comment on the blog while I've been away - I especially appreciate those of you who have reached out by email or on Facebook to ask your questions! Keep them coming.<br />
<br />
So without further-ado, a long-awaited reader request: 7 simple stretches for tight shoulders that you can do right at your desk! It's a simple sequence that takes about five minutes - enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2pfuTwWpBrWHS2qye1KtXRaVU-KCRl1zwKa49F1jEq8MQ0FimBUqNTdCBB0zVRN_r3Ex6FzZM9-2PHOax7gj5wxB8g-vYLRjyJJCqzux2q_vhYhPJnL87KI1B6bsJVvjTSRLS1kYb2s/s1600/shoulders_800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2pfuTwWpBrWHS2qye1KtXRaVU-KCRl1zwKa49F1jEq8MQ0FimBUqNTdCBB0zVRN_r3Ex6FzZM9-2PHOax7gj5wxB8g-vYLRjyJJCqzux2q_vhYhPJnL87KI1B6bsJVvjTSRLS1kYb2s/s1600/shoulders_800.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-25570721961711012442014-02-12T23:23:00.003+11:002014-02-12T23:23:55.016+11:003 simple, awesome hamstring stretchesI have been meaning to write this post for ages, and was reminded of that intention by a reader comment the other day requesting some stretches for the back of the knee. As you might know, that big old hamstring muscle attaches at the back of the knee, so here are a few stretches to help you get into that tight area.<br />
<br />
There are lots of ways to do this, but I like these ones because they are simple, straightforward, and safe on the back, which many hamstring stretches are not. I don't think any additional descriptions are required, but if you have
any questions, just ask in the comments! And don't forget to let me know
if there are any things that YOU'd like to see covered on the blog.
Enjoy! <br />
<br />
<i><b>[NB: Knee pain, especially from bent knees, can be a symptom of wear to the knees' precious, protective cartilage. If you experience joint pain in your knees - and especially if you are high risk for cartilage damage, e.g. you are a runner or have a history of being overweight - you should definitely see your doctor! These stretches will ease muscular tension only.]</b></i><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCSyZF9p2K1fubfGXd_iCCv6LoDqvEvTYTekGUPZNe_C-IJL75tN5_UnEVufIEGxNg1VEI7Om4QkBOthtuf-0pZS6UFcb3bs3wPCJl3yd0QwHIY4bWAgEPyhd7qPhtPznOBHphYXBMKM/s1600/Hamstring+stretches-01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCSyZF9p2K1fubfGXd_iCCv6LoDqvEvTYTekGUPZNe_C-IJL75tN5_UnEVufIEGxNg1VEI7Om4QkBOthtuf-0pZS6UFcb3bs3wPCJl3yd0QwHIY4bWAgEPyhd7qPhtPznOBHphYXBMKM/s1600/Hamstring+stretches-01.png" height="640" width="329" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(click to see a larger image)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXDAuwLYKsD6y534q4inef6G1Jp_RT0Q2JXEbzDkwnLY581zWnqDVe6jz-fcSa5UDzcJyKwfY54KXhDYY2NwO2JUBejkIobKoubRTmCzrwmt4n4MmeS0C2c8swm_ix3cPNvmTSXCXYJE/s1600/Hamstring+stretches-02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXDAuwLYKsD6y534q4inef6G1Jp_RT0Q2JXEbzDkwnLY581zWnqDVe6jz-fcSa5UDzcJyKwfY54KXhDYY2NwO2JUBejkIobKoubRTmCzrwmt4n4MmeS0C2c8swm_ix3cPNvmTSXCXYJE/s1600/Hamstring+stretches-02.png" height="640" width="390" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(click to see a larger image)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i>[For the anatomy geeks: These stretches are based on the principle of isometric muscle activation. Essentially, in the body's everyday movement, muscles work in pairs: when the quadriceps (thigh muscles) contract, the hamstrings lengthen. So, by strongly contracting the thigh muscles in short bursts, we encourage the hamstrings to lengthen. It's a great, no-pressure way of stretching.]</i>Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-56978886994418133932014-02-04T11:54:00.001+11:002014-02-04T11:54:19.758+11:00Yoga Tip Tuesdays: Sage Balance II (Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2)This week's yoga tip is a about a challenging arm-balancing posture, eka pada koundinyasana 2 (one-legged sage pose 2), EPK2 for short! This pose often follows <a href="http://yogagypsy.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/yoga-tip-tuesdays-lizard-pose.html" target="_blank">Lizard Pose</a> in more challenging vinyasa classes, and for those of you who are comfortable in Lizard and want to challenge yourselves a bit more, the preparatory steps towards EPK2 are a great way to explore your boundaries and push out of your comfort zone a little.<br />
<br />
Before you start working on this pose, <b>make sure that you have warmed up the hips, hamstrings and upper body</b>. You'll need a nice strong chaturanga to take the full balance, but if you are still working on that, the preparatory postures are good at building strength, too!<br />
<br />
Remember if you are just starting to work on this pose to take it easy! There's no rush. You may play with each step in the process for weeks or even months at a time. Take each challenge as it comes, be patient with yourself, and be consistent, and you will see results in time. As a guideline, you should aim to be able to hold each step comfortably for up to a minute before progressing to the next step.<br />
<br />
Start by taking a long, deep Lizard Pose on each side to warm up. Then come back into Lizard pose on the first side.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>If you can get your elbows to the floor in Lizard, begin by walking your elbows back as far as you can. If you can't get your elbows quite there, then walk your hands back. Either way, you should end up with your <b>arms in chaturanga</b>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>As you bring your arms into chaturanga, one arm will come into contact with the back of your leg (in the photos below, the left arm and left leg) and <b>the weight of the leg will start to transfer to your upper arm</b>. This contact point is really important so play around with it until it feels comfortable. As a general rule, you can't to get the contact point <b>as high on your upper arm</b> as you can. (2nd picture, below)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Once you feel comfortable, begin to <b>walk your front toes forward and out on a diagonal</b>. You'll feel more of the weight of the leg transferring onto your upper arm. At this point stop and make sure your body is properly supported: squeeze your upper arms towards the midline and press strongly through the pads of the fingers, lift from the core (like in plank pose), and strongly engaging the back leg and heel.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Now we're going to try and straighten the front leg. To support yourself in this half-balance, you'll need to <b>drop into a strong chaturanga</b>. At this point I find it helpful to <b>turn my head</b> and look towards my toes: this helps me focus my efforts on what I'm doing!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Next, <b>extend strongly through the front thigh and begin to straightening the front leg</b>. Really think about lengthening, not about lifting: by virtue of extending, your toes will eventually lift off the ground.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Once you can get the toes off, refine the posture: flex or "floint" the front toes, keep the back leg super-engaged, and see if you can come up onto tiptoes on the back foot. When you can get the back foot high, high on tiptoes, then you're ready to try the next stage.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQeTnIwd8Cx1FbiJ3BRbwfUmYiVbeWfokb0kczCbavaYhl0FUH-f65OM6_1EuAlzwNINiPxTOs2L-j_VJfCp5YZ1ZD2ZJm0bSVTOSMPsPMl6lsglMLOChGOCeEq7i9V3Oo8CrNOaoPhAA/s1600/Sage-Balance-Prep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQeTnIwd8Cx1FbiJ3BRbwfUmYiVbeWfokb0kczCbavaYhl0FUH-f65OM6_1EuAlzwNINiPxTOs2L-j_VJfCp5YZ1ZD2ZJm0bSVTOSMPsPMl6lsglMLOChGOCeEq7i9V3Oo8CrNOaoPhAA/s1600/Sage-Balance-Prep.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Think of the body as a seesaw, with your elbows as the centre. The easiest way to get the back toes up, is for the weight of your front body to move forward and down. So this critical stage is mostly about <b>pivoting your weight forward until your back toes can't help but lift off</b>. Keeping the front leg strongly engaged and extending will help you bring your weight forward without collapsing onto the mat.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>When you're just getting started with this pose, it can help to take tiny 'hops' to lift the toes off the ground. Keep in mind though that these hops should be really tiny and that the main "work" of this stage is shifting your weight forward enough so that the back leg becomes light. I also find that it really helps to turn your head to the side here. This eliminates any risk of nose-squash if something goes wrong and helps keep your focus on your front leg, which needs to stay really strongly extending through this step.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Once you have a bit of lift-off, keep the forward leg strongly engaged, keep squeezing in through the upper arms, and keep lifting from the core. It's hard work!!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Over time, refine the pose by trying to find a more even distribution of weight, lifting the chest away from the floor, extending from the breastbone, and bringing your gaze forward.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojrQFxIcu-3-Ko8hSaNS_VENv5xWHEdQfCcGEGfUTH0L8bPHCsLMTAUlwNKHwHKOt7IfdfBmU3Q_47BqYRTcq4FD9cRfmBMNHdbuZj1upB7I1B9bzP3VGJ_l_YrfgmJ9Prgg93rdETbs/s1600/Sage-Balance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojrQFxIcu-3-Ko8hSaNS_VENv5xWHEdQfCcGEGfUTH0L8bPHCsLMTAUlwNKHwHKOt7IfdfBmU3Q_47BqYRTcq4FD9cRfmBMNHdbuZj1upB7I1B9bzP3VGJ_l_YrfgmJ9Prgg93rdETbs/s1600/Sage-Balance.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>PS: I've included a picture of the other side here, because when I was first starting out with this pose I couldn't figure out what to do with my other arm. In fact when I first played with this pose, I used to cheat by sneaking that free elbow underneath my hip. I don't discourage this little 'cheat' if you are just trying to get a feel for the pose, but in the full pose the elbow is free and hugging strongly into your side. Squeeze as if your life depended on it!! (Note how you can really see that this is my weaker shoulder from the photos!)</li>
</ul>
<br />
I hope this was helpful! Readers, are there any poses that you'd like to see on this blog?Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-19858017053348378462014-01-31T10:53:00.000+11:002014-02-01T09:50:37.296+11:00How soon after eating can I can do yoga?As a teacher and a blogger, I hear this question a lot, so here is a quick post on the food & drink before (and after) yoga question!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtn7J9YbmdU3Z-uG6IakTnXhLbHPQ4fLhSEsheYlCGVS1o3AbXvIyehr96sOQxiKHpkx8niVajbBnC5xlSd4MtLXg5KECYMVIQN3h6UPHTDbmR3ww8F48D12kggLcV5gRZOg-IYYB-XU/s1600/images-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtn7J9YbmdU3Z-uG6IakTnXhLbHPQ4fLhSEsheYlCGVS1o3AbXvIyehr96sOQxiKHpkx8niVajbBnC5xlSd4MtLXg5KECYMVIQN3h6UPHTDbmR3ww8F48D12kggLcV5gRZOg-IYYB-XU/s1600/images-2.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmmm….</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You have probably heard that yoga is ideally practiced on an 'empty stomach.' Anyone who has accidentally tried to do a vigorous yoga class after a big lunch can relate to the truth in that! But that is more or less where the advice begins to diverge.<br />
<br />
When considering this question, remember above all that in the yogic worldview, everyone is different. While yoga teachers often try to give simple and straightforward answers, because we think that is what people are looking for, the truth is that every individual has a unique ayurvedic constitution, meaning that there are no 'hard and fast rules.' Rather, think of these as guidelines that you then need to explore to see which is the most appropriate for you.<br />
<br />
There are so many variables here (ayurvedic type, climate, season, diet, lifestyle, what else is going on in your life…) that I think the 'ideal' answer requires a solution that is tailored to your unique needs. One way to think about it is to keep a journal detailing what you ate before practice, when you ate it, and how you felt. Over time that may help you to hit upon the right solution for YOU.<br />
<br />
Remember also that your needs are going to change throughout your life, depending on what else is going on - so just when you think you've got it figured out, you may have to change it up again!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;"><i>If you practice in the morning:</i></span><br />
<br />
Many schools of thought teach that yoga should be done first thing in the morning, before you eat or drink anything (other than room temperature water). Some people find this pretty comfortable, but I know others who feel light-headed or even faint if they so much as attempt a sun salutation on a completely empty stomach.<br />
<br />
If you wake up hungry (which in ayurvedic terms is a good thing!), if the length and intensity of your practice requires a bit of fuel, or if you struggle with low blood sugar in the mornings, try the following:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Have a glass of room-temperature or warm milk 15-30 minutes before practice. Milk temporarily buffers stomach acid, so it can be good to tide you through your practice. However, once the milk is digested your stomach will produce even more acid, so if you are in the habit of drinking milk, make sure you eat a nice alkaline breakfast after your yoga. </li>
<li>Have a (small) cup of milky coffee or tea 15-30 minutes before practice. Yoga guru BKS Iyengar began all of his days like this, and, well, he's going on 96 so it must work for him! Coffee also helps to empty your bowels which is another (less often quoted in a public yoga class!) recommendation for before you start practicing asana or pranayama.</li>
<li>Have a small piece of fruit about 15 to 30 minutes before practice. It should be something light, like a peach or an orange, not a banana, and if possible, something fresh, not tinned. I prefer solid fruit to fruit juice because with solid fruit you get fibre as well as just liquid and sugar, but then, that's just me!</li>
<li>You don't have to wait too long after practice, even an intense practice, to head straight to a nice big breakfast. Wait about 15 or 20 minutes (just time for a shower and to get dressed) and then tuck in!</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<i style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">If you practice in the middle of the day:</i><br />
<i style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><br /></i>
If your favourite class is in the middle of the day, it's going to be a bit of a balancing act to figure out the right times to eat before and after practice. In the middle of the day, your energy is high and your digestive fire is at its peak. You might find that this means you are able to eat a light snack before practice and burn right through it, or you might find that you do better eating a big meal after practice. Try some of the following and see what works best for you:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Have a light or normal breakfast followed by a high-energy mid-morning snack. The usual advice would be not to snack on anything within an hour of practicing.</li>
<li>Have a big breakfast and don't eat again until after your practice.</li>
<li>If you are hungry right before your class, try having a piece of light fruit about 15-30 minutes before class.</li>
<li>You may find that you need to leave a bit of time after practice in order to be able to digest a big meal. If you are hungry right after practice but when you eat, you feel like it doesn't digest well, try having a light snack (fruit or a granola bar) right after practice and waiting about an hour before having a meal.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<i style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">If you practice in the evening:</i><br />
<br />
Personally, I find evening practices the most difficult to schedule healthy eating around. Eating too late is bad for my digestion and sleep, but so is a vigorous practice late in the evening. If you have similar issues, try the following:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Try swapping your biggest meal of the day to lunchtime. Make sure it is a balanced meal that will give you enough 'fuel' to make it through the rest of your day and through your yoga practice. Then, have a light meal for dinner after practice (a soup or a salad for example). Remember that if you usually eat with your family you might have to warn them in advance on those days, too!</li>
<li>If your class is too late for you to have dinner afterwards, try mixing and matching your breakfast and lunch quantities and timings (e.g. big breakfast, medium lunch, or small breakfast, big early lunch) so that you can eat an early dinner of something small and light. Try to leave at least 2-3 hours between dinner and your class for ideal digestion.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-44082426934191258872014-01-17T14:41:00.001+11:002014-01-17T14:41:48.265+11:00Quick Tip: How to check your knee alignment in Warrior II and similar posesKnees are delicate joints, which is why yoga teachers tend to go on (and on!) about correctly aligning the knee in yoga poses. Unlike hips, which can move in many directions, knees are designed only to move in one direction. So when we do yoga poses, it's important to respect the way that knees are designed to move, otherwise we risk injuring this relatively delicate joint. Knees are hinge joints, designed to move on a single axis, just like the hinge of a door. And just like a hinge, they are especially vulnerable if you twist them away from that axis.<br />
<br />
In standing poses where the knee is bent, correctly aligning the knee is especially important because the knee joint is bearing weight. In poses where the hips are facing forward, the body finds a safe alignment fairly naturally, just as it does every day when we walk or run. However, in poses such as Warrior II and extended angle pose (and Warrior I to a lesser extent), we put the body in an un-natural stance, with the pelvis facing sideways and the front foot facing forwards. When we then bend the knee, our body often comes out of its safe alignment, for a number of different reasons (stiffness in the hips, short adductor muscles, distraction…).<br />
<br />
You'll often hear teachers cue "bring your knee over your ankle" to try and correct for this. But we all know that bringing the knee directly over the ankle in these poses can take years of practice! Instead, don't worry about how far forward your knee is: check the alignment of your knee by thinking about lining up two straight lines. The first (in pink) is a line that goes through the middle of your foot: approximately from the base of the second toe to the middle of the heel. The second (in blue) goes from your hip socket in the middle of the upper thigh to the middle of the kneecap. When those two axes are in line, you are good to go!<br />
<br />
The pictures below hopefully makes it pretty clear. In 1) and 2) I've shown two common mis-alignments that I often see in class, just to help illustrate the point. 3) shows what it should look like.<br />
<br />
(PS: You usually can't see your foot from standing in Warrior II, so lean forward to check your alignment, and then straighten up again).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPzNXuG6CNxl5-2e3aOfiacHgEsBcxeT7DK99Mw3zMh8ZhFcCYbctSMT2ruhH8RPU6Cleg2i5c_LHw3bPgk9oEimxefdXSOxDFQ2XjskPhRKaC45DyCYZ7CmaG3uDBORRKLndRWcmykE/s1600/knee-alignment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPzNXuG6CNxl5-2e3aOfiacHgEsBcxeT7DK99Mw3zMh8ZhFcCYbctSMT2ruhH8RPU6Cleg2i5c_LHw3bPgk9oEimxefdXSOxDFQ2XjskPhRKaC45DyCYZ7CmaG3uDBORRKLndRWcmykE/s1600/knee-alignment.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: start;">My cat has recently been taking a renewed interest in disdainfully watching me do yoga, so you also get a bonus of some cute little cat feet off to the side!!</span></div>
<br />Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-54866175344834146742014-01-10T17:30:00.002+11:002014-01-10T17:38:52.841+11:00Yoga Tip Tuesdays: Lizard PoseHappy new year! Yes, readers, I'm back at the blog. The final 3 months of last year for me were very intense work-wise, and blogging just didn't fit in. But now all that is behind me and I have lots of time for all things yoga - hurrah!<br />
<br />
Now, we bloggers tend to start the new year with deep, reflective posts, but I'm going to skip that step and launch straight into a post requested by a reader a little while ago, on a lovely but challenging hip opener called Lizard Pose. Also, stay tuned for the sequel on how to use Lizard Pose as a starting point to work towards a challenging arm-balance: eka pada koundinyasana (sage pose) II.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
-----------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A little while ago, a reader contacted me through Facebook and asked for advice on modifying Lizard Pose. She commented: <i>"My thigh can't seem to stay straight - it wants to poke out to the
side. Then I am having problems with my shoulders. Even getting to where my shoulder is by my knee is troublesome."</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
First of all, from my perspective, it's totally OK for your front thigh to be angled outwards. After all, your femur sits side-on and forward of your hip joint, as shown in the picture below. As you can also see, this is more exaggerated in women than with men.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh868ZMJc8rtaaeYX_CAyh57fKVkBrlZF2n-KgQBVWnGVktsyCYEqZM6PLrc9eIrOAP9vsULrYHB5INBYnuu6ivzllEobKtQbnd7pqoH6PMSzFday6TCjt6mVVDxcfd92nEEQBWKkvhQlk/s1600/hip_joint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh868ZMJc8rtaaeYX_CAyh57fKVkBrlZF2n-KgQBVWnGVktsyCYEqZM6PLrc9eIrOAP9vsULrYHB5INBYnuu6ivzllEobKtQbnd7pqoH6PMSzFday6TCjt6mVVDxcfd92nEEQBWKkvhQlk/s1600/hip_joint.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKTewDALlqEDVVZ3wxg6SXV7ENeRBU_K9KTVZGwUPls4u1NgoNu8PPp5PiYObQxtDltz8zuXAN_SdCy_rkJHyHYWkPG8iM47w6DpQIPWgjk-XFjS5T6eod23uRD9RIVa0VhahgwvP43w/s1600/q+angle+men+vs+women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKTewDALlqEDVVZ3wxg6SXV7ENeRBU_K9KTVZGwUPls4u1NgoNu8PPp5PiYObQxtDltz8zuXAN_SdCy_rkJHyHYWkPG8iM47w6DpQIPWgjk-XFjS5T6eod23uRD9RIVa0VhahgwvP43w/s1600/q+angle+men+vs+women.jpg" height="320" width="296" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The way that the femur and the hip are aligned means that in forward-facing hip-openers (like Warrior I, lunge and lizard), you should <b>always set up for the pose with the feet at least hip width apart on your mat</b>. For women, aim for shoulder distance. This means that the right foot is to the right side of the midline, and the left foot is to the left side. This alone might alleviate any discomfort you're feeling by creating more space for the hip joint to move through.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Next, you can create even more space for the hips with one simple movement: <b>turn your forward toes outward</b>, towards the front corner of your mat. This <b>reflects the natural alignment</b> of the femur, so when you come deeper into the pose, bringing your hands to the mat, you should feel more spaciousness in the hip joint. You can walk your foot further out to the side to get even more room.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
When you can comfortably hold the pose for 5 breaths with your palms flat on the mat, you can play with coming a bit deeper into the pose by bending your elbows. Another way to explore this pose is with the back knee on the ground. This takes some of the weight off the hip joint and can be a great variation for those with especially tight hamstrings.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Eventually you might place your elbows on a bolster, block, or on the floor. However remember that this pose is <b>not about how far down you go</b>. It's totally fine if your shoulders never go lower than your knee - as long as you are feeling a good stretch in your hips, glutes and hamstrings. Be respectful of your body: since hips are joints, there is no joy to be had in straining to push your limits. Rather, let go of your ego, breathe deeply and work on holding the pose longer while staying relaxed through the breath, allowing your body to slowly change old patterns of movement.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Lizard Pose is a big hip opener, so before coming into this pose, do some warm ups like hip circles, supine pigeon, and lunges. Enjoy!!<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyi_iCDRsLUfvhAp5XcV1HrAG_b5DNuXwcZNbIyBYTMJSdPlNuP9dwUmCemPxex4VdBCglooJVmXOmUJpDSsVXska1VHImjYO0L-drPO7KqmASL3yx_MOABd_BGI4ibtCFeZq1gXkakE/s1600/Yoga-Gypsy-Lizard-Pose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyi_iCDRsLUfvhAp5XcV1HrAG_b5DNuXwcZNbIyBYTMJSdPlNuP9dwUmCemPxex4VdBCglooJVmXOmUJpDSsVXska1VHImjYO0L-drPO7KqmASL3yx_MOABd_BGI4ibtCFeZq1gXkakE/s1600/Yoga-Gypsy-Lizard-Pose.jpg" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>Readers, what are some poses you'd like to see featured on Yoga Tip Tuesdays?</i> <i>And yes, I know it's not Tuesday today, but whatever! ;) The name is catchy. </i></div>
Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-23000765607940382342013-12-19T17:31:00.000+11:002014-01-10T17:36:27.668+11:00Arjuna and December (in which I manage to bring Jesus, Arjuna and Harry Potter into the same blog post)Well, yogis, it's December, which means a lot of things. Firstly, I will be returning to regular blogging soon since my assignment in East Timor is nearly done! Secondly (and a bit more universal), it's hard for most of us not to notice that Christmas is coming.<br />
<br />
Which makes me think about Arjuna. (Oh yes, it's one of those posts).<br />
<br />
'Uhhhhhh, what?' I hear you asking. Well, let me explain. It all started last year when my partner and I had Christmas with our five-year old niece. By the end of the holiday, after a week or so of "brush your teeth or you'll be on the naughty list" culminating in a paper-shredding-present-opening-crazy-fest, we felt pretty spiritually disenfranchised. The pop-culture-materialistic version of Christmas, as you may have noticed, is pretty hard to avoid these days, whether you are a Christian (my partner is) or not (I am not). So we reflected a bit on what the deeper meaning of the season is for us, and how we could create new traditions for ourselves that possibly wouldn't involve quite so many plastic toys discarded moments after being torn out of the wrapping paper. We reflected on the transition to a new year, marked by the solstice and the calendar. The commemoration of another year of life on this planet shared with people that we love. The commemoration of the birth of a man who tried to teach those around him the values of love, generosity and a moral life.<br />
<br />
Which, ironically, every time I come to the christmas season, feels like more of a battle than usual.<br />
<br />
Which is what brings me to Arjuna. For those of you who haven't read the Bhagavad Gita (on which I am no expert), Arjuna is a prince who, on the eve of a terrible battle, has a crisis of faith. Paralysed by the realisation that he must fight against his own uncles and cousins to win back his rightful share of the kingdom, he freezes, confused, and his bow slips from his hand. He calls upon Krishna (who happens to be his charioteer, sweet!) for guidance. Krishna responds by introducing Arjuna to Yoga, a practice for self-realisation. Krishna goes on to say that through Yoga he can gain control of his mind and liberate himself from the 'false reality' of the senses. In this state, the yogi can perform actions without any mental or emotional attachment to their consequences. So he can fight because it's the right thing to do, and not be distraught by the result of his actions.<br />
<br />
Now, wait, says Arjuna, surely if I become all enlightened, there is no need to perform action at all? Shouldn't I just withdraw from the world and contemplate it all from a cave somewhere? But Krishna points out that abstaining from action is an action in itself, but not a very constructive one. Better to continue consciously performing actions, because as an enlightened person you can do actions for the good of the world. Krishna tells Arjuna that each person should do his duty according to his nature, performing actions without attachment. This is the Yoga of Action.<br />
<br />
There's more to the story, but we've come to my essential point. I remember reading the BG for the first time and struggling immensely, as Arjuna did, with this concept. How could it be right to go to war, to kill his kin for a kingdom? What kind of spiritual teaching is that? And how did this text become an inspiration to Ghandi, the man who led India's peaceful revolution?<br />
<br />
But I was missing the key point, which is that it's a story, a metaphor, not to be taken quite so literally. In the story, Arjuna is a warrior. It is what he is born to, it is his destiny, and therefore it is his duty to fight. It is the right thing to do, and nobody else can do it. He's basically your ancient Indian version of Harry Potter (who after all, could have just hopped on a Thestral and flown off to Australia, right?).<br />
<br />
What the BG is saying, then, is that yoga is really about is doing what's right, according to our own individual nature. Now I am not a warrior (maybe some of you are, readers, or wizards!). But I am many other things: a friend, a daughter, a sister, a partner, an employee, a teacher. And with each of those 'destinies' comes a set of 'rights,' a set of choices about how I live my life (horcruxes or hallows?). The path of yoga is the path that leads me to choose my actions wisely, to do the right thing in each set of circumstances not because I am seeking personal gain or seeking to please others, but because it is the right thing to do. Not to put off doing something because it is hard or because I am afraid, but doing it because it is the right thing to do. The right thing according to me, to my true self, to my true nature, not to what others tell me to do or want me to do.<br />
<br />
And the practice of yoga, the practice of inquiry in order to gain self-knowledge, of course, is there to help me to make those choices based in true wisdom, free of attachment or ego or self-deception.<br />
<br />
So, readers, if you are still with me, that is what I will be reflecting on this December. On who I am, and on doing Right Things For Me because they are Right Things For Me, and not for any other reason. On what my battles (choices) are and how to 'fight' them with wisdom and integrity.<br />
<br />
Happy new year everyone!<br />
<br />
La GitaneYogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-52323381186755048842013-11-14T00:07:00.001+11:002013-11-14T00:07:35.903+11:00On remembrance, action and typhoon HaiyanYes, I am still out here in the universe, and very much alive. Although you wouldn't know it from reading the blog of late, I have been soaking up life like a sponge, and I can promise you that many new posts and other things are in the pipeline. Patience, and all is coming! As you may remember, I am currently back in East Timor, which I called 'home' for many years and apparently is not finished with me yet.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;"><i>On Remembrance</i></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Yesterday was a big day here: the 22nd anniversary of the 1991 Santa Cruz massacre, when occupying Indonesian troops opened fire on a crowd of several thousand unarmed civilians. The people, mostly young, had come to demonstrate at the grave of a young man who was shot in cold blood by Indonesian soldiers. It was an act of resistance for which many paid dearly: when the crowd reached the large cemetery in the centre of town, the troops opened fire. At least 250 people were killed in under an hour.<br />
<br />
This horrifying event also marked a turning point in East Timor's fight for independence, as it was witnessed by several foreign journalists including one who managed to capture the massacre on film and smuggle the footage out. When the footage was released to the world, it sparked an international solidarity movement for East Timor's self-determination, and brought the governments who were supporting the Indonesian militarily under strong criticism - including the US which had trained the Indonesian military and sold them the weapons they used to invade and force the country into submission. Many regard it as the first step on East Timor's path to independence, which they would finally achieve 8 years later.<br />
<br />
Each year the massacre is marked by a national holiday, and the day closes beautiful tradition: after sunset, every household goes out into the street and lights candles in memory of those who died. Children play in the streets and adults sit and remember the past as they watch the future generations frolic with a lighter spirit than in the days of occupation or colonisation. Wherever you are in East Timor on 12 November, the streets will be lined with row upon row of lit candles. In the years before independence, it was a brave thing to do, a sign that the spirit of the East Timorese could not be quashed by intimidation and violence. Now it is a holiday of particular, poignant beauty, all the more so when the post-independence road is rocky, and national unity feels fickle and evasive.<br />
<br />
As a foreigner, I can't help observing the contrast with the traditions of my own country, which by contrast feel trite and commercialistic. <b>Tinny christmas carols in shopping malls and chocolate Easter bunnies feel pretty empty compared to such a powerful, simple thing as an entire nation lighting candles to remember.</b> It makes me realise how much my heart cries out for more meaningful traditions, how much I hope to create those for my present and future family.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVB1cYXksSwFLc2NpunWUO_HZx3_M6uVBCVciMb04yx20MwI_wPxNvLzav713FkWyEqtHtyUC4Kpd4VSSl55eC9HC2yq4CVSXqpP6OnS8Yk9DQ-F605JXNDvn3tGzX320-ag5MMTq5Bc/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVB1cYXksSwFLc2NpunWUO_HZx3_M6uVBCVciMb04yx20MwI_wPxNvLzav713FkWyEqtHtyUC4Kpd4VSSl55eC9HC2yq4CVSXqpP6OnS8Yk9DQ-F605JXNDvn3tGzX320-ag5MMTq5Bc/s320/image.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A father and his children light candles in remembrance, Baucau, East Timor, 12 November 2013</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;"><i>What does this have to do with yoga?</i></span></b><br />
<br />
Well, nothing and everything honestly. When I reflect back on the Santra Cruz massacre and the thousands of other, un-rembered acts of resistance (whether noble or stupid), I am reminded of Arjuna in the Baghavad Gita gearing up to fight. Knowing that the consequences would be terrible, but acting anyway because it was for the greater good.<br />
<br />
Yoga is action - and this, we must not forget. It is showing compassion to those in need, it is speaking for those who cannot, it is a thousand nameless acts of kindness or one single act of bravery. Each of us is called to act in different ways, each day we are presented with dozens of opportunities to do something good, something right, something that challenges our apathy. Something that stills the vicious tongue of our ego-self, the voice that fills us with scepticism and doubt, the voice that says "I can't make a difference, why bother, someone else will take care of that, it's not my problem."<br />
<br />
Through action we <a href="http://yogagypsy.blogspot.com/2013/07/unpacking-karma-badly-illustrated.html" target="_blank">change our karma and purge our samskaras</a>. Through action we put our fundamental beliefs to the test. Through action we open up to our true natures.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;"><i>A post-script: Typhoon Haiyan</i></span></b><br />
<br />
This post was not intended as a call to action on Typhoon Haiyan. But it is in the news, and as someone who has worked on humanitarian issues and responses, I shouldn't be surprised to have found myself here.<br />
<br />
If you are distressed by what you see, if you wish you could help but your ego-voice is telling you that you can't make a difference, why bother, other people will take care of that, it's not your problem, please know that your donations, however small they may seem to you, really do help. Forgo your weekly coffee and donate $5, or your weekly lunch date and donate $25. It's not about how much you give - it's about taking action if your soul is calling for it. Because it's the right thing to do.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://marianne-elliott.com/2013/11/avoiding-despair-when-disaster-hits-aid-advocacy-action/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ZenPeacekeeping+%28Zen+and+the+Art+of+Peacekeeping%29" target="_blank">Marianne Elliot has put together a wonderful post</a> with some advice on what kind of help is most useful - I encourage you to read it, but don't stop there. Take action, however small. If you are called to help, listen to your true, compassionate nature.<br />
<br />Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-52276001973013428952013-10-14T10:22:00.001+11:002013-10-14T10:22:55.162+11:00Finding relaxation in a busy life: a guest post
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>A few weeks back, Alisa won the <a href="http://www.barefootyoga.com/" target="_blank">Barefoot Yoga</a> silk eye pillow in a giveaway here on this blog! I asked her to review it for us so you all can hear about it, and I love what she has written: an honest story of a mom, student and yogini trying to find relaxation in a busy, multi-tasking life. Thanks for sharing your story Alisa, and keep remembering to relax!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>----------------------------------------------</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hi, my name is Alisa. I am a wanna be yogini. I have been doing
yoga for 2 years, and am in love with not only practicing yoga but reading
about yoga! I am a new mom and wife,
and a full time student in a demanding program. I am really so lucky I won the silk eye pillow
give away, because my life can be very stressful (as I’m sure most of yours
are) and this eye pillow has given me the desire to meditate and relax more!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The day after I received my new amazing
silk eye pillow I was walking and slipped on some liquid and fell right on my
tailbone. It HURT really bad for a couple of weeks. I couldn’t practice yoga like I wanted to,
and I knew my body needed lots of REST!
Sometimes these bad things happen for a reason, to remind us to slow
down and rest, something I am working on!!!!
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The silk eye pillow is the perfect
accessory for my resting! After I hurt my tailbone, I would lay down in bed
with lots of pillows and support for my poor tail bone, and put the eye pillow
over my eyes. Breathing in deeply, I
immediately loved the light lavender scent (which is not too strong, but strong
enough to enrich my nostrils with calming lavender with each inhale) I continued to breathe deeply and relax my
stressed, sore, tight body...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">After a few minutes I realized that I LOVE
the slight pressure the silk eye pillow puts on my eyes and surrounding area.
It wasn’t too light or too heavy, but the perfect amount of pressure to help
remind me to relax my face and all of the tension I hold there. I feel like sometimes we are so used to
relaxing the rest of our body in savasana and meditation but we forget to relax
our face!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Some
other things I love about the silk eye pillow are: the silk case it comes in –
perfect for storing it, and the beautiful pattern and silkiness/softness of the
fabric that feels almost cool on your eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">After having the silk eye pillow for a
couple weeks, and testing it at least a few times a week, I realized that
consciously relaxing my face really helps me a lot with relaxing my racing
mind! Which in turn helps me relax my
whole body too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">This being the first eye pillow I’ve ever
used. I was surprised by how much I love
it. The silk eye pillow has definitely took my savasavas and lying down
meditations to a whole new level </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I also have a little advice with using the
silk eye pillow: Make sure you have some
time to ease back into reality after using your eye pillow. The eye pillow
blocks out light completely! So I found
it rewarding to take a couple of minutes to keep my eyes closed after I took
off the eye pillow ……slowly easing back into the bright world eased the
transition!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I think the Barefoot Co.’s silk eye pillow
would make a good gift for anyone really, but especially for those women in
your life! I feel like a lot of women
these days worry too much, or stress about everything, trying to carry the
world on their shoulders. I know that
ALL women have those days, and life is busy!!! But our lives would really improve
if we took the time to settle down and relax our bodies and minds! The silk eye pillow could benefit both those
who are already familiar with savasana and meditation, and those who have never
done it before! I ordered my mom and
mother in law a silk eye pillow for Christmas, and I’m going to include with my
gift instructions on how to do a full body scan, relaxation meditation. I’m hoping it will help them!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-29614539684070948522013-10-02T21:33:00.000+10:002013-10-02T21:33:51.135+10:00The yoga of connecting; simple is enoughHello dear readers,<br />
<br />
Technically a blog has no obligation, but every time my life gets away from me and keeps me away from my blog, I always feel the need to apologise! So readers, I'm sorry for the long absence from this space, and I'll do my best to keep the posts coming for the next little while.<br />
<br />
True to my gypsy name, I am traveling at the moment, this time a long work trip that will keep me away from home for 3 months. I'm once again visiting the half-island nation of East Timor - long time readers will remember that I used to live here. It seems that my fate is entwined with this place, for life keeps drawing me back. With a whole world out there, incredibly I am sitting in an office that is only a few doors away from the very first office I sat in 9 years ago when I first came here. Perhaps some places are truly magnetic to our souls, or there is some karma that I have with this place that I have yet to work through.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdJAHtXGPXGk-tcNf-Q7BFazV1p5giek_JCLuOM_F6b10v2vcfjlVSyUf_BlUoqlDoNZ3vHTHK0_6JWiw0bfho6Dsp_CG_ZP-fa6_DtWEHVP9V2sUNRa3R3hTOAESYl6nnFbvK2N5glo/s1600/IMG_2395_bis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdJAHtXGPXGk-tcNf-Q7BFazV1p5giek_JCLuOM_F6b10v2vcfjlVSyUf_BlUoqlDoNZ3vHTHK0_6JWiw0bfho6Dsp_CG_ZP-fa6_DtWEHVP9V2sUNRa3R3hTOAESYl6nnFbvK2N5glo/s400/IMG_2395_bis.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning commute ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This time I have the wonderful opportunity to be spending most of my working hours traveling around the country and talking to local people. I will be on the road a lot and my yoga physical yoga practice will most certainly suffer from it, but there are other kinds of yoga. The <b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">yoga of connecting to people</span></b> is one that we so often neglect. The yoga of getting to know other human beings, of asking for their perspectives and listening to what they have to say. We get so engrossed in our personal practice that we forget that <b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">the real practice is how we live our lives</span></b>, minute by minute, day-by day.<br />
<br />
<br />
Being back at a desk job is also a shift for me. Gone are the long, leisurely morning practices that I have had over the past few months. Now, I am rising in the hot, humid darkness, stepping on my mat still half asleep, swatting mosquitoes. Every step between bed and the mat is a struggle with myself, trying to keep the fire of <i>tapas</i>, discipline, burning long enough to get me to the first breath. But once I am there, everything flows. One breath turns into another and before long a thin sheen of sweat has sprung to my skin, and my body moves into life.<br />
<br />
These mornings feel like a homecoming, an echo of years worth of morning practices. To do them (and still be at the office by 8am!), I have stripped back my practice to the basics, trying to get the most out of my limited time on the mat, and <b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">it has surprised me how well this simplified practice "fits."</span></b> It's as if I have stripped away everything that was not serving me, and am left with a practice where every breath, every asana, meets a need. Nothing is extra, no energy is wasted, no thoughts or emotions flung into attachment to "goal poses" or the length of my practice. The reward: I am calm, focused, and (I think!) pleasant to be around. I can go about my day of listening to people with ease and relaxation. I notice a huge increase in my productivity at work on the mornings I do yoga, and a huge loss of focus on the mornings when I trade my practice for an extra hour of sleep. It's nice to be reminded of the transformative power of a simple practice and to remember, in the midst of our complicated lives, that <b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">simple is enough</span></b>.<br />
<br />
Dear readers, I promise shortly a return to our regular programming, with some highlights from trips around East Timor thrown in as a bonus.<br />
<br />
For now, go on, get on your mats - or get off them - and see what happens. :)<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-79149798330937313542013-08-23T14:36:00.000+10:002013-08-23T14:36:22.483+10:00How to create a yoga habitHello readers! First of all, apologies for the long silence - things in the non-virtual world have been super busy lately, chiefly because my partner and I have been moving house - an exhausting task now complete! Yes, as I type this I'm sitting in our new apartment that will be our home for at least the next 12 months. For a gypsy like me, that's pretty darn exciting... Too bad I'm off on a 3-month work trip in a few weeks!! <br />
<br />
Anyway, as part of last week's giveaway, I asked readers to leave questions or suggestions for posts on the blog, and this post is in answer to one of those comments (don't worry, the rest will be coming along!). The request was for a post on how to make a daily commitment to yoga as part of a healthy lifestyle.<br />
<br />
SUCH a good question! We all know that we feel better when we do some yoga - but many of us get to a point where we are going to as many classes as we can - a few times a week, or maybe only a few times a month - but we want to get more out of our yoga! Yet making the transition from practicing in class to a <b>daily practice</b> can be daunting and many of us don't know where to start.<br />
<br />
First of all, many of us might ask: is it worth it? Well, if you are feeling the urge to bring more yoga into your life, then of course it is worth it! Everytime you follow your instincts, you come closer to living a lifestyle that allows you to express who you really are. I have had a regular home practice since about 2005. Now, I can hardly
live without my yoga - and those who live with me would agree! My
regular practice (usually 5 days a week) helps me stay happy, healthy,
balanced, and be generally a nice person to be around.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">How to create a yoga habit</span></b></span><br />
<br />
Building a home practice is like creating a new habit. The good news
here is that people are creatures of habit. Just try depriving us of our
morning cup of coffee or our 2pm cookie-break and it becomes clear: we
gravitate towards our habits, in fact, we crave them. So the secret to
creating a home practice is to let yoga become a new habit. Thankfully this is something that people have been researching for years! <a href="http://zenhabits.net/habitses/" target="_blank">Read some fascinating insights from a Zen perspective, here</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><i>Step 1: Make it so easy you can't say no</i></span></span><br />
The most critical part of creating a new habit is to make it easy for yourself. For most of us, the idea of taking 90 minutes every day to practice yoga is not easy. So while a 90-minute home practice might be your eventual goal, you won't be doing any favours by trying to make it a habit right away. In fact, trying to do your full goal straight away is one of the top reasons that people fail to make the changes in their lives that they dream of.<br />
<br />
So instead of picking something difficult that you will then have a hundred excuses not to do, pick something that is <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>SO EASY YOU CAN'T NOT DO IT</b></span>. And once you've picked that, <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>REALLY COMMIT</b></span> to it. The easier you make it, the more certain you will be that you can fulfill your commitment.<br />
<br />
My recommendation? <span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">7 minutes.</span></i></span> 7 minutes is a perfect amount of time to start out with. It's more satisfying than 5 but not as long as 10. Even the busiest among us can carve out 7 minutes (say, the time we spend staring at Facebook) in our day. Now, you might not be busy - you might be able to immediately commit to 10, 15, or even 20 minutes. But remember that when you're starting out, keep your minimum commitment to something that you can really do. If you do more, great, but make sure you can always do that minimum.<br />
<br />
Then, decide what you're going to practice. Again, the key at this stage is not what you do, it's simply doing it. So start with something familiar and easy - perhaps cat and cow, followed by a few sun salutations. Or, choose a short online class and follow along.<br />
<br />
Whatever you do, don't give in to negative thoughts! Acknowledge them, let them go, and stick with your plan.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Step 2: Pick a reminder from your daily routine</span></i></span><br />
One of the hardest things about creating a new habit is to remember just to do it! And the best way to do this is not to rely on our fickle human memories, but to make sure that we are reminded.<br />
<br />
A good reminder is not the same as a beeping noise from your smartphone. To be really effective, it should be connected to something that you already do in your everyday life, so that your new habit becomes a part of your daily routine.<br />
<br />
First, think of the time of day when you would like to practice. For the purpose of forming a habit, it's really helpful if this can be the same time everyday, or at least a scheduled time if your daily routine varies too much. Then, think of other things that you regularly do around that time of day and make a list of the things that you do without fail.<br />
<br />
For example, my morning list (without yoga) might look something like this:<br />
<br />
- Get up<br />
- Shower<br />
- Make coffee<br />
- Drink coffee<br />
- Check my email <br />
- Have breakfast<br />
<br />
Next, decide where you want to insert your yoga practice. For me, it comes after I check my email. If you are able to pick the right spot for your practice and regularise the sequence of events around it, your yoga habit will form MUCH more easily. <br />
<br />
Second, when you are starting out, use a strong visual cue that can't be ignored.<br />
<br />For example, when I used to practice in the mornings before going to the office (now I work from home), just setting an early alarm clock was not enough, so I would do 2 things to remind myself to get up for yoga in the morning. First, I would get out my yoga clothes and set them by my bed. Second, I would move my furniture and unroll my yoga mat. Setting the alarm wasn't a good enough reminder for me - I had to a) make it easy for myself and b) give myself a visual reminder that made sure I got on my mat in the mornings.<br />
<br />
So, if you want to practice in the morning, you could unroll your mat the night before and set up your yoga space. Or, if you want to practice in the evening, unroll your mat before you leave the house, to remind you to do yoga when you get home.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><i>Step 3: Reward yourself when you stick to it!</i></span></span><br />
Getting a reward is a critical part of habit formation. Your subconscious will be much more likely to stick to your new habit if it knows that a reward is coming. For example, my reward after my morning practice is a nice hot shower and a good, big breakfast. Your reward can be as simple as just saying to yourself: "I did it! I'm awesome!"<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: large;">Step 4: Take your practice with you, everywhere</span></span></i><br />
<br />
The wonderful thing about yoga is that it's so much more than just a few postures or meditation. The practices that underpin yoga are things that you can take with you everywhere. I like to call these things "tiny yogas" - breath and body awareness, being present, taking a few deep breaths, and practicing the yamas and niyamas - things you can do anytime, anywhere.<br />
<br />
Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-81092125980538635292013-08-12T12:23:00.002+10:002013-08-12T12:23:43.911+10:00And the silk eye pillow giveaway winner is...Hey everyone, apologies for the delay in announcing this, but we have a winner!<br />
<br />
The winner was chosen by assigning all the entrants with a random number, and then choosing a number using a random number generator. So, without further delay, the winner is...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Alisa Rosenkrance</span></span></i></div>
<br />
Congratulations Alisa! If you send me an email to: lagitane (at) mac (dot) com with your postal address, Barefoot Yoga will mail your gift to you.<br />
<br />
Once you get it, enjoy it for about 2 weeks and then send back your review and I'll post it on the blog.<br />
<br />
Hopefully, dear readers, I'll have some other goodies for you soon. :)<br />
<br />
Namaste!Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-89715176418906119872013-08-06T14:20:00.000+10:002013-08-07T12:00:57.528+10:00Yoga Tip Tuesdays - Triangle Pose: Choosing what's right for you, with 5 awesome variations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyytr9AWmxLjEtjv11tUl5svq415w9hewNV66vkOhgSj0kh_gb-AaiaX4mLgQkAvaH6L3hYp55tNIS_FP5EUAfPh0j71NXTFdtPnKV9HCz14kRmVyoe0Bkbee1fhcWN1h3JMP2yg7ZJIM/s1600/trikonasana-01.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyytr9AWmxLjEtjv11tUl5svq415w9hewNV66vkOhgSj0kh_gb-AaiaX4mLgQkAvaH6L3hYp55tNIS_FP5EUAfPh0j71NXTFdtPnKV9HCz14kRmVyoe0Bkbee1fhcWN1h3JMP2yg7ZJIM/s1600/trikonasana-01.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Ah, triangle pose (<i>tri-kon-asana</i>
- three-angle-pose). It's one of the foundational postures of modern
yoga (ancient yoga didn't involve any standing postures) and you will
probably find it in nearly every yoga class you go to. Because of that,
you'll probably find that different yoga styles approach this pose
differently, and you may have seen different teachers doing quite
different variations of this pose. So all that might leave the yoga
student wondering: "which one is right?" Which is totally
understandable, but it's not the right question.<br />
<br />
The real question is: "<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>which one is right <b>for me</b>?</i></span></span>" Now that question, we can work with! <br />
<br />
When
exploring a yoga pose, whether it's a new one or one you've done a
hundred times, there are three simple steps that I have found really helpful
over the years.<br />
<br />
1) Start with the foundation, and work your way up and out.<br />
2) Remember: function over form! <br />
3) Try different variations<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Triangle: The foundation</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmD4DD1yOD0ix7q2WdjWWBrTcXy27Tngiw9HrCzccOUB3O9TynxGtbtz542uxJQUJ7Jd5LVSv2n3RhCPJJC7upvfqyTCv75aGlAsUmcM5LJvisIxyfqbFKAeMUSqChQ1t5kxU5F2YPL9Y/s1600/trikonasana-02.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmD4DD1yOD0ix7q2WdjWWBrTcXy27Tngiw9HrCzccOUB3O9TynxGtbtz542uxJQUJ7Jd5LVSv2n3RhCPJJC7upvfqyTCv75aGlAsUmcM5LJvisIxyfqbFKAeMUSqChQ1t5kxU5F2YPL9Y/s1600/trikonasana-02.png" /></a></div>
<br />
The
foundation of triangle pose is, of course, the feet, which form the
base of the pose. The classic alignment cue for the feet is to turn your
front foot forward 90 degrees, turn your back toes forward between 30
and 45 degrees, and align the heel of the front foot with the inner arch
of the back foot. This is picture b), above.<br />
<br />
However,
triangle pose requires a fair degree flexibility and range of motion in
the hip joint (not to mention flexibility in the hamstrings and groin),
so if you are just starting out, if your hips are stiff, if you have
trouble balancing (for example because you're pregnant!) or if you're
recovering from, say, hip replacement surgery, you can make the base of
the pose more stable by having your feet hip-width apart, as shown in
a), above. Some teachers cue this by asking people to imagine that their
feet are on "railroad tracks," so if you stand with your feet hip width
apart, you can move the feet forward or backwards but not wider apart
or closer together than hip width. This (a) is the most stable, safest
placement for the feet.<br />
<br />
Finally, a note on what not to
do: don't let the back heel stray backwards of the mid-line of your
body! This really destabilises the pose and puts unnecessary strain on
the hip joint.<br />
<br />
[There is actually a third option which
is to keep the feet parallel - we'll talk more about that in the
Variations section, below.]<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Function over form</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQ0ExY1S4Lb4Fw-XEfQI0NyXREbLE0H6vm3NlsECj6-37-PoZPTi2KpiyglBMqotJFjFuqYW9EmBJP30LBT1dZJX89gbYqM8gj2Cvu0XXGakxzfeDfcCo8_KQv-Rr7lKzG6KR51SNBD0/s1600/trikonasana-03.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQ0ExY1S4Lb4Fw-XEfQI0NyXREbLE0H6vm3NlsECj6-37-PoZPTi2KpiyglBMqotJFjFuqYW9EmBJP30LBT1dZJX89gbYqM8gj2Cvu0XXGakxzfeDfcCo8_KQv-Rr7lKzG6KR51SNBD0/s1600/trikonasana-03.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Ok,
let's be honest. We have ALL seen the photos in the yoga magazines with
people doing triangle pose with one palm resting flat on the ground.
And even though we are trying to be all "one with where we are," we just
can't help it: we WANT that hand to touch the ground. So we creep a bit
lower, and a bit lower, and a bit lower, and even though we have kind
of lost the stretch a bit, we finally arrive, triumphant, with our palm
flat on the mat. Victory! Or not?<br />
<br />
Well, have a look at
the first picture, above, for an idea of what this kind of thinking
actually looks like on the mat. It's a pretty typical illustration of
how the mind plays tricks on us and gets in our way (what Patanjali
called "false perception," (1.30))! We are confusing the form of the
pose, a form that we have seen in a picture, with the actual function of
the pose. Our ego drives us to achieve the form, and suddenly we are
out of our bodies and our breaths and catapulted into a mentality of
hand-to-floor-OR-DIE!, when in fact the function of the pose has
absolutely nothing to do with where your hands are.<br />
<br />
The <b>actual functions of triangle pose are to stretch the front hamstring and psoas, and the upper side and back muscles</b> (with a secondary stretch in the back hamstring and groin muscles).<br />
<br />
So
keeping that in mind, if we look at the first picture above, in my
desire to get my palm to the floor, I have lost the lengthening stretch
in the upper side and back. The photo shows just how far off my
alignment I have come, all because of that pesky fixation on the floor!
In order to get the stretch that I am supposed to be getting, I want my
hips and shoulders to be more or less in line with back foot, creating a
big lengthening stretch in the upper side-body. Depending on the day,
the temperature, the time, and of course, on my body, I may want to
explore a number of different variations to get that wonderful,
therapeutic stretch from this pose.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Variations</span></i></span><br />
<br />
Triangle
pose probably has the most variations of any pose I know! ALL of the
poses shown below achieve the function of the form. Once you've understood what the function of the pose is, try them all to see how the different variations feel, and which one gives YOU the best stretch.<br />
<br />
PS - the "ticks" and "xs" below are definitely not a comprehensive list of recommendations or contra-indications for these poses... Just suggestions. We are all different! If you are recovering from an injury or have a condition like osteoporosis, work with an experienced teacher to find out what's right for you! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWn7Mb98kEjq3rQ3LLyCKQFpaAg2GPh8NFX0GobGvx7Tw1N5AVNap8lG-cx_bbJgeg2vX6XbZqxePhaBE6QKwWMkLMlyWSgGoKJvPbvJeLbzu1Zbfm0FZ4QjuEPE6SBU_btOzru80Xt0/s1600/trikonasana-04.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWn7Mb98kEjq3rQ3LLyCKQFpaAg2GPh8NFX0GobGvx7Tw1N5AVNap8lG-cx_bbJgeg2vX6XbZqxePhaBE6QKwWMkLMlyWSgGoKJvPbvJeLbzu1Zbfm0FZ4QjuEPE6SBU_btOzru80Xt0/s1600/trikonasana-04.png" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Hand-to-shin variation:</b> This variation is definitely the most versatile and accessible (no props required!).
Simply place your hand on your shin, below the knee, as you extend
sideways. To get a deeper stretch, bring the hand lower on the shin,
towards the ankle. <b>I don't recommend this variation if:</b> you tend
to hyper-extend the knee backwards (because the weight of the hand can
make this worse), or if you have weak joints or osteoporosis (same
reason).</li>
<li><b>With a block: </b>This variation closely resembles
the previous one, but using the block is safer for the knee joint
because you can put weight on the block, instead of on your knee! For
that reason, this variation is excellent if you are very heavy set or if
you are pregnant. Depending on the person and the height of the block,
this variation might be suitable if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis,
but because yoga blocks are generally quite low to the ground it does
still require a fair range of motion in the hips, which is not suited to
everyone. <b>I would not recommend this variation if:</b> you have a lower back injury, or if you have severe osteoporosis. If you have had hip replacement surgery and have recovered your normal range of motion, this would be a good variation, but not during the recovery phase.</li>
<li><b>With a chair:</b>
This variation is, in a word, awesome. Using the chair creates a safe
support for the stretch that makes it accessible to almost anyone. For
extra stability and support (helpful if you are heavily pregnant or for
older people who are afraid of falling) you can also do this stretch
with your back against a wall to make it safe, supported, and truly
sweet.</li>
<li><b>Viniyoga triangle:</b> This is a fantastic variation
if you have a more limited range of motion in your hips. This might
apply if you are still recovering from a hip replacement, if you have
osteoporosis, or for any other reason. In this variation, your feet
remain parallel and you simply stretch to the side. You lose the
hamstring stretch, but there are other ways to get that. The side
stretch is spot-on!</li>
<li><b>Open chain triangle:</b> This is a good option if you
have strong joints and are generally injury-free, and want to add a
strengthening aspect to your triangle pose. Doing triangle pose
"open-chain" (without the support of the hand) means that the
side-stretch also becomes load-bearing, so you are strengthening and
stretching at the same time. This also creates a greater risk of injury,
so <b>I would not recommend this variation if:</b> you have lower back
injuries, if you have weak/injured joints or osteoporosis, if you are
still recovering from a joint replacement. <b>If you have hypermobile hips,</b>
I would not recommend this posture until you have some yoga experience
and have built up the strength in your lower back and core, because
otherwise you are likely to "hang" into your hips and put extra pressure
on the joints. However once you have built up your strength and know
how to support your joints, this is an excellent variation for you.</li>
<li><b>Fully extended triangle:</b> These versions are
the ones you are most likely to see in books and magazines, and they are
wonderful if you have a strong, flexible and healthy body, and no
injuries or issues with your lower back, knees or hips. <b><i>Just make sure that you are retaining the function of the posture as you work towards the form! </i></b>Note that if you have hypermobility, generally the most extended versions of postures aren't recommended.</li>
</ul>
<i>[NB: I've shown different variations here mainly focusing on the hips
- if you have a shoulder injury you would also adapt this pose by
changing the position of the arms.]</i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Yoga is about self-inquiry - so be curious!</span></i></span><br />
<br />
Don't
forget that yoga, fundamentally, is about self-inquiry. Use the poses
as a chance to express your curiosity ("what happens if....") and try as
many variations as you can. With each variation ask yourself: "how does
this feel?" "what feels different?" "what feels good or not good?" And
when you find the one that feels best for you in that moment (because
everything changes, always!), be bold, and express yourself, no matter
what everyone else around you is doing. Because at the end of the day,
it's YOUR yoga.Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-89577182279100360182013-08-03T10:00:00.000+10:002013-08-03T10:00:02.976+10:00Interview with Kino MacGregor: Thoughts on meditation, menstruation, pain, and chocolate <i>A few weeks ago I <a href="http://yogagypsy.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/book-review-kino-macgregors-power-of.html">reviewed Kino MacGregor's new book, The Power of Ashtanga Yoga</a>, on the blog. As a follow-up, Kino agreed to answer a few questions for the blog! I am super honoured and appreciative that she took time out of her busy schedule to answer my random philosophical musings... So please read, digest, enjoy, and comment!</i><br />
<br />
<i>Oh, and have you entered the <a href="http://yogagypsy.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/giveaway-win-silk-eye-pillow-from.html">giveaway yet for the chance to win a fabulous lavender silk eye pillow from Barefoot Yoga</a>? No? What are you waiting for?</i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i>------------------------------------------------------------------------</i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39SVYk6Npnf3MC-jz0KM9nSsjyl2eiSOvZnic_Tj-qctPZQ_pnJk9wSNUInSpga1GoQWeERSxdlRNU66oyfuCiyzMP5EJ0qjDMtCspqZuW34m9xdd8HGf6fxxFnhXRFx-YYKHp5te524/s1600/Kino_Ashtanga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39SVYk6Npnf3MC-jz0KM9nSsjyl2eiSOvZnic_Tj-qctPZQ_pnJk9wSNUInSpga1GoQWeERSxdlRNU66oyfuCiyzMP5EJ0qjDMtCspqZuW34m9xdd8HGf6fxxFnhXRFx-YYKHp5te524/s320/Kino_Ashtanga.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<i>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:36.0pt;
mso-footer-margin:36.0pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
</i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #674ea7;">Interview with Kino MacGregor</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>YG:</b> You don't talk much in your book about meditation, but I
know from your other writing that you have a personal meditation practice. I have heard
Ashtanga practitioners argue that the Ashtanga asana system is a complete
practice that already incorporates elements of pranayama, pratyahara, dharana
and dhyana, so there is 'no need' to meditate. What brought you to a meditation
practice and what are some of the effects that you have experienced?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>KM:</b> My interest in Ashtanga Yoga came from a desire to quiet my
mind and live a more peaceful life. When I went to Mysore to study with Sri K.
Pattabhi Jois I would ask him whether I could try meditation practice and he
would often respond that if I tried to sit for a long period of time my mind would
not be settled. The tool of the physical practice of Ashtanga Yoga is meant to
train the body and mind to be strong and steady so that it is fit for deep
states of concentration (dharana). The experience of meditation (dhyana) is
only possible when the mind is able to maintain continuous unbroken connection
with the object of meditation. Most often we experience distractions that draw
the mind’s point of focus away. It is not that the traditional practice of
Ashtanga Yoga does not recommend meditation but that it is only recommended as
a practice when the student is ready. Guruji would say that it would never harm
us to sit and try to meditate but that if we merely sit and think for the whole
time devoted to meditation that it was “no use”. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My mind is not naturally calm, in fact, it is more naturally
jumpy and kinetic. I turned to the discipline of Vipassana meditation to train
my mind to steady and strong. I’ve done three 10 day Vipassana meditation
courses and I plan on taking another. My daily sitting practice settles my
mind. Working with the mind without the addition of a physical posture helps me
focus more clearly on the subtle body and the subconscious emotions. Some days
(maybe most days) I end up just sitting and thinking as Guruji warned, but other
days I am able to slip into a thoughtless, wordless connection with the inner
self. When that happens my sense of peace is restored as a deep and fundamental
level. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think every student of yoga can
benefit from at least five minutes of seated meditation practice as a
supplement to daily asana practice. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>YG: </b>I was so appreciative to find that your book had such an
emphasis on the spiritual journey that is the heart of yoga, especially given
that modern yoga sometimes seems so far removed from its roots as a journey of
self-realization. On my blog a while back I mused about how as a yoga teacher,
I often contribute to this narrative by assuming that my students are seeking a
predominantly physical practice and being too 'shy' to introduce the idea of spiritual
transformation for fear that students will run away screaming that you're
trying to induct them into a cult. Can you share any advice for teachers who
are hoping to incorporate some of these teachings into their asana classes?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>KM:</b> The thread that connects all human beings is inherently
spiritual. We are drawn to yoga in yearning for a direct experience of the true
self.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The epiphany moments of our lives
are not based in purely physical experiences, but are a blend of the emotional,
physical, mental and spiritual. If you speak from your direct experience of the
inner work of the yoga practice you will open a door for others to attain that
same experience. If you want to introduce the spiritual essence of the practice
to your students the key is to keep it based in your real world experience. If
you find yourself speaking too esoterically or too intellectually then people
won’t be able to relate. The spiritual side of the practice is an invitation to
go deeper. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>YG: </b>In your book you talk about how the practice of yoga is
not just about <u><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">performing</span></u> asanas, but
is about <u><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">transforming</span></u> the way we live
our lives and our relationship to ourselves and the world around us though the
yamas and niyamas. You talk passionately about adopting a vegetarian diet as a
way of practicing ahimsa towards our planet. What are some of the other
practical ways that you live your yoga off the mat?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>KM: </b>Ahimsa, non-violence, is the first of the yamas on the
Ashtanga Yoga path and it is a conscious choice to allow peace to be a value.
Not only is it asked to live a non-violent life but true ahimsa asks you to
leave the world a more peaceful place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If it is possible to do less harm by eating a vegetarian diet, is it
possible to actually heal the planet with a new type of agriculture or paradigm
about food?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it is possible to do the
daily sadhana of Ashtanga Yoga, is it possible live every moment in accordance
with the yoga lifestlye? For example, when you speak are your words aligned
with the yogic path? Adopting a non-violent style of communication is an
important conscious step for yoga practitioners. This speaks to the ability of
yoga to transform your personal life because our personal relationships are our
foundation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>YG:</b> Related to that last question, there has been some
critique within yoga community in recent years for being too inwardly-focused,
or glorifying the personal journey at the expense of a healthy engagement in
the outer world. What led you to look outwards and commit yourself to teaching
and sharing yoga with the world?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>KM:</b> At some moment there is no difference between the outer
journey and the inward journey because what you seek to share with the world is
what you seek to discover within. As you delve deeper and discover new layers
of the inner self then you will be drawn outward to share that with others. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>YG:</b> There is quite a discussion going on in the blogosphere
at the moment about pain and Ashtanga. You talk a little bit about pain in your
book - what advice do you have for people who are trying to decide whether to
"take it and practice with it" or to "back off if it
hurts"?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>KM:</b> Pain is an important part of the yoga student’s journey. The
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali state that when <i>dukha</i> (suffering) arises it is associated with the
purification of obstacles. If you run from every painful circumstance you will
create aversion towards pain. Aversion towards pain is a stated obstacle in the
Yoga Sutras. That being said, when pain arises we do not necessary need to
hunker down and just “take it”. It’s a sign from the body that some obstacle has
arisen and we need to develop a new way of relating with that pain. For
example, instead of fighting against it or running from it a way to practice
when pain arises is simply to “be” with the painful experience, not going any
deeper and especially not to the point of injury, but just allowing the pain to
be as it is without any judgment, placing the pain in the purity of the light
of awareness. If you allow the pain to simply speak to you it might tell you
that the muscle fibers are burning but not being hurt or it might tell you that
the joint is impinged and that you are at risk of injury. Once you have that
clear sight you can take appropriate action that is based on clarity rather
than fear. This is the liberation that the practice offers all students. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pain in the practice is a great teacher of our emotional
response to pain in our life. What do you do when you experience uncomfortable
life experiences? Do you run, escape, avoid, fight or collapse? The experience
of pain in your yoga practice gives you the forum to develop a new neurological
response to adversity in life so that when you come face to face with
difficulty you will learn how to walk the middle way between attachment and
aversion into a clear, strong path forward and appropriate action.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>YG: </b>In my review, I mentioned that I’m surprised that your
book doesn’t include any mention of contra-indications for the postures, could
you explain what your reasoning was behind that choice?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>KM:</b> I believe that with practice and careful direction from a
teacher all the postures of the Primary Series can be made accessible over
time. It is more important for me to focus on technique that will one day lead
to your experience of the posture. I gues I believe, perhaps, naively, in the
limitless potential of the human spirit and that yog is an expression of that.
In my book I advise students to follow the traditional method and not skip
ahead more fun looking postures but to stay at their places of difficulty allow
those postures to teach them. While there are clearly some medical conditions
that requires extreme care, such as people with auto-immune disease, people who
have suffered a heart attack or stroke, or diabetics, the postures can be
modified to suit their conditions with the guidance of a qualified teacher.
Pregnant women can also continue their practice under the guidance of a
qualified teacher. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>YG:</b> I really enjoyed the section in your book when you talked
about overcoming gender stereotypes (your own and other people's) in your
practice. (I was particularly amused by the quote you shared from P. Jois
saying that "before, not possible" that women could have performed
"correct asana!")<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One issue
that has always brought up passionate discussion in my teacher trainings has
been whether or not to practice during your menstrual period. If it's not too
personal, would you mind sharing how you deal with this in your personal
practice and/or any advice you have for women practitioners?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>KM: </b>Guruji advised women to take the days of heaviest flow of the
menstrual cycle (usually one to three days) totally off. The downward flow of
energy during that period directly opposes the idea of yoga practice which
seeks to bring energy up the spine. The<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>ovaries are also in a state of flux during which it is not advised to squeeze
on them with the deep work of the bandhas. I’ve noticed that women who practice
too regularly during their menstrual cycles sometimes experience disruption of
the cycle or even infertility. If a woman wants some activity during the cycle
I recommend going for a walk, taking a bike ride or even doing some easy
restorative yoga but not the intensive Ashtanga Yoga practice. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>YG:</b> Ok, enough of the heavy stuff! You and your husband are not only married but you run
Miami Life Center together. I'm marrying my partner and best friend early next
year, any advice?
</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Kino: </b>If you are going to work with your life partner I can
suggest to set up clear boundaries for work and private life. Tim and I
recently switched roles, where he is now the Director of our yoga center in
Miami, Miami Life Center and I am focusing more on developing my own teaching
both at the center and in my workshops and trainings. I wanted more time to
focus on my writing, my online classes and videos and new ventures that I
simply didn’t have time to look at while I was involved in the daily operations
of a business. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>YG: </b>I travel a lot so I know the importance of getting your
luggage right. When you travel, what is in your suitcase that you simply can’t
live without?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>KM:</b> I am attached to my electronics and I love watching movies
on my iPad on longer flights, so I need a constant power source. I always have
a power adapter for international travel and a double USB cigarette charger
with me to plug into the power outlets on airplanes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>YG:</b> Anything else you'd like to share with us? Such as, your
thoughts on chocolate-chip cookies or any great books you've read recently?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>KM: </b>My favorite chocolate dessert is a really rich lava
cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a little obsessed with sprouted
almonds right now—I think they’re amazing with a little sea salt<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and dehydrated to be super crunchy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love a really good novel. One of my favorite all time
books is The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Marukami.</div>
<br />
<b>Kino MacGregor is an international yoga teacher, author of two books,
producer of six Ashtanga Yoga DVDs, writer, vlogger, world traveler,
and co-founder of Miami Life Center (<a href="http://www.miamilifecenter.com/" target="_blank">www.miamilifecenter.com</a>). You can find details of her current book tour, her books, DVDs, videos and other goodies at <a href="http://www.kinoyoga.com/">www.kinoyoga.com</a>. </b><i><br /></i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i>------------------------------------------------------------------------</i></span></div>
<br />
<i>Wow. Some amazing and inspirational words there! I suddenly have a massive craving for chocolate cake... What about you, readers?</i>Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-61758230176578202762013-07-31T08:35:00.000+10:002013-08-01T18:18:15.435+10:00Giveaway: win a silk eye pillow from Barefoot Yoga!I'm excited to be collaborating with <a href="http://www.barefootyoga.com/" target="_blank">Barefoot Yoga</a> to offer Yoga Gypsy readers a giveaway! Barefoot Yoga is an India-inspired, Seattle-based company offering environmentally friendly yoga products.<br />
<br />
Originally, I was going to do a review of one of their products for the giveaway, but given the cost (both financial and environmental!) of shipping things all the way to my current location in Australia, we came up with an even more brilliant idea, which is that the giveaway winner will write their own review, which will be posted on the blog.<br />
<br />
So here's how it's going to work!<br />
<br />
<b>1) To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this blog and/or on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/YogaGypsyBlog" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> before Friday, August 9th. Sadly, they can only ship to the US or Canada so if you enter, you will need an address there.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>2) In your comment, ask a question or make a suggestion for a future post you'd like to see at Yoga Gypsy. Be as specific as you like!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>3) Be sure to include your name in a way that will be unique and easy to recognise, because the winner is are going to be chosen by a random generator, and we don't want any confusion over who the winner is!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>4) By entering, you agree that if you win, you will write a review of the product for the blog within 2 weeks of receiving it at home.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>5) The winner will be announced on Saturday, August 10th. </b><br />
<br />
And now, here is what you could win:<br />
<br />
<b>A Barefoot Yoga Silk Eye Pillow! </b>And here is the gorgeous product itself:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJdBd6GxH7jchQ0YpcvXYPUUfmcRZrT27iHI5Y0XuyaA362gzk167VwXIV0y2hOdW0yAojp_fIfDBndmjiVcXbRbd1ejSoWknUftUB7TjQ3lfd3DVJjz68e1AFyTV035BUNYRzQVyO_Q/s1600/image001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJdBd6GxH7jchQ0YpcvXYPUUfmcRZrT27iHI5Y0XuyaA362gzk167VwXIV0y2hOdW0yAojp_fIfDBndmjiVcXbRbd1ejSoWknUftUB7TjQ3lfd3DVJjz68e1AFyTV035BUNYRzQVyO_Q/s320/image001.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
<br />
<br />
Here's what Barefoot has to say about it:<br />
<br />
<i>Escape from it all with our 100% silk aromatherapy eye pillows. Made in India from ceremonial sari designs. Filled with flax seeds and dried lavender, these soft and cooling eye pillows work as a mood tonic, antidepressant, headache remedy and detoxifier.<br /><br />The shape of the pillow contours to your face adding gentle pressure and blocking out light, relieving tension and calming active muscles around the eyes. Used for deepening relaxation during Savasana, meditation and afternoon naps. The pillows are hand-washable, refillable, and adjustable (zippered opening).<br /><br />All of our silk eye pillows come with a storage pouch with zipper closure, and the eye pillows are not microwavable.</i><br />
<br />
So, what are you waiting for?<i> </i>Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-61848539355740705202013-07-27T06:00:00.000+10:002013-07-27T06:00:01.187+10:00Unpacking Karma: a (badly) illustrated philosophy lesson If there is any sanskrit word that has become completely mainstream in western culture (other than yoga, of course!) it's probably <i>karma</i>. We use it in everyday conversation and we think that we know what it means. We interpret karma as an invisible force that ensures that "what goes around comes around:" Like, if you throw your gum on the street and then the next week you step on gum - karma, right? We tend to see Karma as some type of avenging angel who will mete out justice to those who have done us wrong, or we believe that karma somehow explains why bad things happen to people: "you get served what you deserve."<br />
<br />
Once you start on the yoga path, however, it's useful to back away from our Hollywood appropriation of Karma as a stiletto-wearing-bad-girl-avenger type, and dig a little deeper to understand how yoga and karma are linked together. To help with this, I've created some little drawings, which if nothing else clarify that I do NOT have the karma of an artist. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>What is karma? </i></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoTrMNX_QZtYoA1DlpeXonpjytOKzXy6TMwBr-vIUJivVcsPw0vKsNwFYi0jXz-BWU3sxSF0Y5ghcN1Y852J4DDjB8BFRzin3pD39aDCv-ftgMcYAmXCHgkztTHvIliI3JGggfCy0ReM/s1600/karma1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoTrMNX_QZtYoA1DlpeXonpjytOKzXy6TMwBr-vIUJivVcsPw0vKsNwFYi0jXz-BWU3sxSF0Y5ghcN1Y852J4DDjB8BFRzin3pD39aDCv-ftgMcYAmXCHgkztTHvIliI3JGggfCy0ReM/s1600/karma1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Karma</i> in sanskrit means <b>action</b>. At the most basic level then, <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>our karma is simply the sum of our actions, thoughts and words</b></i></span>. And like any moment in time, our thoughts/actions/words don't exist in isolation, but they build upon what we have already done/thought/said, and play a role in creating our future thoughts/actions/words. In modern behavioural science, we call this habit formation, and it's an essential part of being a human being - on a basic level we use our talent for habit formation to learn language (associating words with objects or feelings), remember people's names, pick up essential motor skills like walking, or learn how to do new things, like swimming or standing on one leg.<br />
<br />
In yoga philosophy, <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>every action leaves an imprint</b></i></span>, like an echo or a small seed planted as a result of this thought/word/action. These imprints are called <i>samskaras</i>, and they accumulate in our subconscious. The more we repeat a particular type of thought/word/action, the more seeds are sown, and similar seeds group together to become clusters. These are called <i>vasanas</i>, and as you might imagine, the bigger the cluster, the more ingrained the habit.<br />
<br />
These patterns begin forming from the time we are just infants. As children we are not born into a neutral environment: we are born
into a family, a place, a culture, and the karma of the world around us
begins to imprint on us from a very early age. As we grow up, we emulate the actions/thoughts/behaviours that we see around us, thus planting the first seeds and starting the accumulation of <i>samskaras</i>. In
traditional philosophy, we are also born with <i>vasanas</i> that we have
inherited
from our previous
incarnations, and we take them with us into the next incarnation.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><i>You are creating your karma every day </i></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKZpyPYRl9jhqZ-lkl1MLlzhJeYWmr-Ow3dvaexuJru_nQlpySwkS5YxIc84KA7RSR5LRD2lQJfTfaCPgNjWCaCSazFGeP9IZuOhcP_-Vf2rw02r9_cllgYKEANp8zHzGBMJFlH1N5hk/s1600/karma2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKZpyPYRl9jhqZ-lkl1MLlzhJeYWmr-Ow3dvaexuJru_nQlpySwkS5YxIc84KA7RSR5LRD2lQJfTfaCPgNjWCaCSazFGeP9IZuOhcP_-Vf2rw02r9_cllgYKEANp8zHzGBMJFlH1N5hk/s1600/karma2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
The key thing to understand is that <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>karma is not some scales-and-balances system</b></i></span>, with all the <i>vasanas</i> waiting passively around to be weighed out on a final judgement day. The cycle of <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>karma is an active, ongoing, day-to-day process</b></i></span>. Our <i>samskaras</i> and <i>vasanas</i> manifest in our daily lives as subconscious desires, and around these desires we form habits that, over time, become deeply engrained patterns. As we act out these patterns over and over, the <i>vasanas</i> grow and become like powerful magnets: we become subconsciously attracted to people or actions of the same nature, and go around the wheel again. The bigger the cluster, the more powerful the attraction. As the saying goes, "like attracts like." The <i>vasanas</i> are so powerful that they become compulsions: we think we are making choices, but in fact our lives are being directed by our subconscious impulses.<br />
<br />
It's important not to immediately attribute judgement to this picture. <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>Some of our vasanas are our highest qualities</b></i></span>, and these increase our joyfulness. But we also have <i>vasanas</i> that manifest in ways that make us unhappy, too. Have you ever found yourself emotionally over-reacting to something small, and taking it out on others? Do you make poor choices and then wonder "why did I choose that?" Have you ever mused to yourself "why do I always do this to myself or to others around me?" Do you freeze when you wish you had acted, or act impulsively and then wish you had not? Do you constantly revisit a choice you made and hold on to regret or bitterness about that situation? <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>These are some of the symptoms of vasanas that are NOT serving you. </b></i></span>When these <i>vasanas</i> hijack our choices and our relationships, it causes us suffering. This is <i>samsara</i> - being stuck in the endless wheel of karma, hostage to our own subconscious. <br />
<br />
Anyone who has dealt with addiction (theirs or someone else's) can probably relate to this. Or, just watch any soap opera ever made!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Yoga helps us become aware of our karma </span></i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiqROJ2jeJFM2_0QHnsDU8AWGerxkCL-qCXZP-jjni5uEuE-KUsm1ZoFmyLroqDJN7ATy7aWBw-mmMCX_5PQQuGj7wDH_LJTbulopryog-i1e7pNSnNfBeW6JqDCd5MSXN5tqIwmvq00/s1600/karma3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiqROJ2jeJFM2_0QHnsDU8AWGerxkCL-qCXZP-jjni5uEuE-KUsm1ZoFmyLroqDJN7ATy7aWBw-mmMCX_5PQQuGj7wDH_LJTbulopryog-i1e7pNSnNfBeW6JqDCd5MSXN5tqIwmvq00/s1600/karma3.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
There are two things that are important here. One is to understand that
our "karmic" addictions here are not just physical, but they are mental,
behavioural and emotional patterns as well. The second is that <span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>karma is not an
external force striking blows for or against us: we actively create our
karma every day</b></i></span>, through our thoughts, our actions and our words. This is fantastic news, because it means that by changing our words/actions/thoughts, we can sow new seeds, and grow new clusters, and create new magnetic forces that attract happiness instead of suffering. But of course, first we have to become AWARE of our subconscious habits, which is trickier than it sounds. <br />
<br />
This is where yoga comes in. The practice of yoga is the practice of self-awareness. What we are learning through yoga is to observe ourselves so that we can become aware of our <i>vasanas</i>, our deeply rooted patterns. What we encounter on the yoga mat is ourselves: our thoughts, our emotions and our reactions to our practice are a mirror for our everyday lives. We seek to become aware of ourselves so that we may transform our thoughts, actions and words, and create new habits, new patterns, that don't cause us pain.<br />
<br />
The eight limbs of yoga are a roadmap for this transformation, with the ultimate aim being liberation, moksha, to free ourselves from the wheel of karma and from the compulsions of the subconscious. To be self-realised is to be mindful of our every action, thought and word, allowing us to create our own destiny.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjk71U7rp5tKlQYqPuF0006QjNZqbBlaWYkZQkhpYubsNGppLF5bHJRRkMk-PmeBmZcMLek-R30IFOcD_1fD5vnejRIzgS90RZkuNhYRXWU-nzN2TCNhrPUFtO00ek-HrxF3Q1Ke9ih14/s1600/Lao-Tzu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjk71U7rp5tKlQYqPuF0006QjNZqbBlaWYkZQkhpYubsNGppLF5bHJRRkMk-PmeBmZcMLek-R30IFOcD_1fD5vnejRIzgS90RZkuNhYRXWU-nzN2TCNhrPUFtO00ek-HrxF3Q1Ke9ih14/s1600/Lao-Tzu.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
------------------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Readers, was this interpretation of karma useful to you? Has your yoga practice helped you let go of any habits or break out of any patterns? I'd love to hear about it!</i></div>
Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-82696992127266525232013-07-24T13:08:00.000+10:002013-07-24T13:08:45.164+10:00Thoughts on pain in yoga: 4 types of pain and how to practice with them<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRErG2KccLEJTnHTrQlemgUZ-X391CFleToNueU2zwAflyKkCjLxFEpLNrgheQ42_VEeuKzFVxZwMth6QERUcetm_F69__l3_pzJ4tfPahcS60MA2xIoiBe5hOaUSQuEmgbyob4JosVpE/s1600/ffb0af1f601a6cfc72d3490038cbf707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRErG2KccLEJTnHTrQlemgUZ-X391CFleToNueU2zwAflyKkCjLxFEpLNrgheQ42_VEeuKzFVxZwMth6QERUcetm_F69__l3_pzJ4tfPahcS60MA2xIoiBe5hOaUSQuEmgbyob4JosVpE/s320/ffb0af1f601a6cfc72d3490038cbf707.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Last week there was some lively discussion in the yoga blogosphere about pain in yoga practice. As you can imagine, commentators had a wide range of opinions, ranging from: "if there's no pain you're not practicing hard enough" and "injury is inevitable in yoga, just get on with it", to, on the other side of the spectrum "if your practice injures you, you are letting your ego dominate" and "if it hurts, you're doing it wrong," and of course everything in between.<br />
<br />
I remember my early yoga teachers talking on occasion about "good pain" versus "bad pain", which is pretty vague and therefore not very helpful. In addition, pain is highly subjective and each individual has a very different tolerance to pain depending on their individual physiology and their past experience (just imagine if a full-grown woman began screaming and wailing in public over a skinned knee; yet it's perfectly understandable that a 4-year old would). <br />
<br />
From my perspective, it's not very useful to make generalisations about pain except to say that we will all experience it at some point or another. You really cannot know what another person's individual experience is, or judge whether their pain is "transformative" or just really, really annoying.<br />
<br />
I do think it's useful to reflect on a few different types of physical pain and how these might affect our yoga practice. Here are four main types that I can think of:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>1) Muscular pain:</b> </span>It is perfectly normal when you are working the body in new ways and pushing your limits to experience some soreness afterwards. This kind of muscular pain is usually isolated in areas of the body that you've been working hard, and might feel like tightness, stiffness, achiness or soreness, and is a sign of a normal, healthy body that is getting stronger and more flexible. Especially if you are practicing on a day-to-day basis, you are going to
feel the residue of yesterday's practice when you first step on the
mat. Generally with muscular pain of this kind, you can take a few deep breaths, observe the sensations, and keep going through your practice.<br />
<br />
There is a big difference between observing pain and ignoring pain. In yoga, we never ignore any sensations. <b>Observation</b> is critical: if you have muscular pain that gets steadily worse, or the area where you feel pain starts to become inflamed, you may have an injury.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>2) Joint pain: </b></span>Joint pain is probably the most important type of pain to recognise in yoga. Joint pain can be dull or acute, but generally it's pain that you feel
deep within your body around your critical joints: ankles, knees, hips,
shoulders, or anywhere along your spine. It might feel like pressure building up against something solid. Other symptoms of unhappy joints include swelling, unusual stiffness or soreness in these critical joints, and continued discomfort when you use the joint throughout your day.<br />
<br />
Joint pain is a serious sign telling you that you are doing something that is wrong for your body. <b>If you try to "push through" joint pain you may end up with a very severe injury - the kind that will be with you for the rest of your life.</b> In my experience, joint pain in yoga often occurs when people try to force their way into a pose that their body is not fully ready for: for instance, injuring your knees while trying to force your body into full lotus position. Joint pain is the type of pain that you work around in your yoga practice, never through. Often this might mean refining your technique or changing your alignment to reduce stress on joint, or modifying a pose.<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>3) Acute pain / injury:</b> </span>Acute pain is a sharp, intense pain that can't - and shouldn't - be ignored. Pain from an injury is not necessarily acute - it may vary in intensity, but it will usually be accompanied by other symptoms include feelings of heat, swelling, or redness over the affected area. <br />
<br />
Unfortunately, injuries can occur suddenly and there may not be any warning signs. In yoga, especially if we are pushing our physical limits, injuries can occur in any number of ways. They can happen to you in your very first class or your thousandth, while trying a new pose or doing a pose you've done a dozen times. Often injuries occur when we push ourselves too hard or try things we are not quite ready for, trying to run before our muscles have really got the hang of walking. Sometimes we don't fully realise that we've injured ourselves until after our practice is over. The first few hours after an injury are critical, so it's important if
you do injure yourself to immediately stop and look after yourself,
whether that means applying an icepack or seeing a doctor. This can make the difference between a speedy recovery and a long, slow one.<br />
<br />
When you're dealing with an injury (whether it happened in yoga or off the mat), the only yogic thing to do is to practice ahimsa (non-harming) and to <b>let the injured area rest, so it can heal</b>. <br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>4) Chronic pain / recovering injury pain:</b></span> Many people come to yoga because of pain. This is a totally different type of pain than the previous three, which we are assuming occurred during your practice, because this is pain that you are living with everyday, and bringing to your yoga mat.<br />
<br />
Chronic pain or the pain of a recovering injury is different for everyone, so there's not a lot of use generalising here. The best advice I can give is to work with an experienced teacher or a yoga therapist to find the right mix of practicing with, through and around your pain, and devising practices that will help you feel better, and not make your pain worse.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>So to sum up:</b><br />
<br />
<table border="1" style="width: 560px;">
<tbody>
<tr><td><b>Type of Pain</b></td>
<td><b>Feels like</b></td>
<td><b>Practice recommendations?</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Muscular</td>
<td>Soreness, tightness</td>
<td>Breathe through it and observe how it changes.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Joint</td>
<td>Pressure, swelling, stiffness, inflammation</td>
<td>Practice around it, never push through!</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Injury</td>
<td>Acute pain, swelling, redness, heat</td>
<td>Rest and heal! Practice around it.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chronic</td>
<td>Constant, of varying intensity</td>
<td>Practice with, through or around, depending on the individual case.</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="background-color: #3d85c6;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><b>Readers, what are your thoughts and experience? Would you group things differently or could you add to this summary from your experience?</b></i></span></span><br />
<br />Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-50284400594434150002013-07-20T00:30:00.000+10:002013-11-13T23:40:36.088+11:00Yoga with hypermobility<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yu4_x8CScNC9iwP6PAJoFVyTWTxuOPd5e473WgpM7B28rd9Kp2l4OOZW5smito1ifecIJi0SVd3iI2FtxP10o93XoihfkdcVY463sexUwgV4dxF0Ctu_TLlfuNd2_-ZypLODdweduUk/s500/2a6663600d858117631db3d7346b377b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yu4_x8CScNC9iwP6PAJoFVyTWTxuOPd5e473WgpM7B28rd9Kp2l4OOZW5smito1ifecIJi0SVd3iI2FtxP10o93XoihfkdcVY463sexUwgV4dxF0Ctu_TLlfuNd2_-ZypLODdweduUk/s320/2a6663600d858117631db3d7346b377b.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
<br />
The benefits of yoga have become so popularised these days that even my 5-year old niece can rattle a few of them off. But with that popularisation has also come a process of questioning whether yoga is really good for everyone, a discussion in part started by stories of yoga injuries. Generally we associate these yoga injuries with people who are stiff or inflexible trying to push or pull themselves into a pose; but what about the opposite? What about the people who are so flexible that they can fold in half without even trying?<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">What is hypermobility?</span></i></span><br />
<br />
People whose joints have a more-than-normal range of motion are called hyperflexible or hypermobile - the clinical term is joint hypermobility syndrome (HMS), which may also be an expression of the more serious Ehlers Danlos Sydnrome. Research suggests that up to 3 in 10 adults may be hypermobile to some degree, with women being more likely to be affected than men due to the relaxing effects of female hormones. Many people with hypermobility have a 'harmless' variety: that is, they experience no unusual effects except being more bendy than the rest of us. But for others, HMS can be debilitating, causing chronic pain. In either case, people who are hypermobile are generally more prone to injuries, fractures and dislocated joints, because their joints have more mobility than stability.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Yoga and hypermobilility</span></i></span><br />
<br />
Hypermobile people may come to yoga because of an injury, one of
those inexplicable "I was just walking/running/surfing/playing tennis
and then I felt this pain..." injuries that are common among the super-flexible. Or they naturally
gravitate to yoga because of their flexibility. Once in a yoga class, super bendy people are often told they are "amazing" by teachers who don't recognise or understand their hypermobility. Some may even quickly want to become teachers themselves, since after only a few months of practice they find themselves doing "advanced" poses with ease. And in a yoga culture that increasingly idolises the physical performance of postures that require extreme flexibility (just do a pinterest search for yoga if you don't believe me!), it may be hard for people to believe that extreme bendiness is not actually what yoga is all about.<br />
<br />
However, underneath that ease in bending a hyper-flexible body is the danger that hypermobile joints are lacking the muscular resistance to properly support the joints in the range of motion that yoga puts us through. This may manifest slowly, through unexplained aches and pains after a seemingly "easy" practice; or it may manifest all of a sudden through an injury: a dislocated joint, a chronic pain, or a repeatedly inflamed muscle or tendon.<br />
<br />
And yoga is not a miracle-cure: over time, the sustained practice of yoga without counter-balancing hyperflexibility can lead to a dangerous instability in the joints, that can manifest in chronic joint pain and even symptoms of early arthritis. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">How can I tell if I'm hypermobile?</span></i></span><br />
<br />
You may be hypermobile to some extent if any of the following sound familiar to you:<br />
<ul>
<li>You have always been able to place your hands flat on the floor in a forward bend or flop into the splits</li>
<li>Your friends and family all remember your "crazy" flexibility as a child</li>
<li>You feel a constant need to stretch but it never seems to satisfy you</li>
<li>You are deep in a pose that is supposedly challenging, but you don't "feel" anything</li>
<li>After hardly any time at all, you put your body into the positions of 'advanced' yoga poses such as the splits, one-legged king pigeon pose, or touching your head to the ground in wide-legged standing forward bend</li>
<li>You sometimes feel fatigued after simply stretching or doing gentle yoga</li>
<li>You find it hard to sit comfortably in a chair for a long time and are constantly folding yourself into different positions</li>
</ul>
In addition, you may be hypermobile in some joints while having a normal or less than normal range of motion in others. <br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">So, should hypermobile people do yoga?</span></span></i><br />
<br />
It's easy to understand why many doctors and physiotherapists who work with hypermobile people advise against doing yoga. However, many hypermobile people find that the right yoga practice can help them a great deal by building body awareness and helping them to develop the strength that they will need to balance their natural flexibility. The key thing to remember is that <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>yoga is about balance</b></span>: in this case, achieving a balance between flexibility and strength.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Guidelines for choosing a yoga class if you are hyper flexible:</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li>Find an experienced and well-qualified teacher, preferably someone with some yoga therapy experience or someone familiar with hypermobility, and make them aware of what you are working with. Get them to help you create some goals for your practice that don't rely on flexibility alone.</li>
<li>Avoid styles of yoga that emphasise short, fast movements, such as ashtanga or vinyasa flow, until you have built up a solid foundation of strength that will keep you stable and safe from injury in these movement-oriented styles. </li>
<li>Instead, choose styles of yoga that emphasise proper alignment, stability and strength, such as Iyengar yoga or Viniyoga.</li>
<li>Complement your yoga with simple strength and resistance training, and with core strength building exercises like pilates (again, with an experienced teacher who understands hyper mobility) that will help you isolate important muscles and begin to build strength in key areas.</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Some advice for practicing yoga if you are hypermobile:</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li>If you can, see a qualified yoga therapist for a one-on-one session to get a personalised assessment and advice.</li>
<li>Avoid starting a practice on your own or with a DVD: until you have more experience, you should work with a teacher who can tell you if you are hyper-extending.</li>
<li>Don't move too quickly in and out of poses. Take your time to get into poses, making sure you are engaging your muscles during the transitions. For example in any forward bend, strongly engage your quadriceps and feel as if you are trying to "suck" the floor up through your leg muscles. </li>
<li>Once you are in a pose, avoid the temptation to go as deep as you can. Try practicing to the "80%" rule - only going 80% of the way into a pose, and stopping there to work on stability. Focus on engaging the muscles around your key joints: ankles, knees, hips, shoulders to make sure they are all strongly supported.</li>
<li>Make sure you always put a micro-bend in your knees and elbows to avoid putting too much stress on your joints - combine this with muscular engagement, and you will be properly supporting your joints!</li>
<li>Keep your head supported by your neck muscles, and avoid the temptation to let your head flop all the way back in upward-looking poses or backbends.</li>
<li>Consider 'gapping' your joints - for example placing a small rolled up towel in between your belly and your thighs in a standing forward fold, placing your hands behind the backs of your knees in a seated forward fold, keeping your feet on "railroad tracks" for Warrior I and other front-facing poses.</li>
<li>Avoid hyper-extending backwards in backbends by strongly engaging your abdominal muscles and focusing on the sensation of lengthening your spine instead of letting yourself "flop" backwards.</li>
</ul>
<b> Advice for teaching hypermobile students:</b><br />
<br />
Check out <a href="http://movingprayer.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/teaching-yoga-to-people-with-hypermobility/" target="_blank">this great article</a> for lots of advice, written from the perspective of a hypermobile person who is herself a yoga teacher.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Readers, are you hypermobile or do you think you might be? What have you learned along the way in your yoga practice?</b></span>Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-82930278136563623802013-07-18T11:31:00.001+10:002013-07-18T11:31:54.025+10:00A question for my readersHi everyone,<br />
<br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Through
Yoga Gypsy I often get offers to review various yoga products and
services, host giveaways etc. So far I have kept the blog yoga-product free, but since this blog is just as much (probably more!) for you as for me, I'd be really interested to know what you
think, friends and readers? Would you like to see reviews of things
like yoga mats and yoga clothes on Yoga Gypsy? I'd love to hear your
thoughts & opinions! I asked this on my Facebook page, too, so if you like you can comment there.</span><br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><br /></span>
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Thanks for sharing your thoughts!</span><br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><br /></span>
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">And now, here's a totally gratuitous picture of some kittens....</span><br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5FXxrKHRxgF_CN6wwXn4PjkhjT_G799WqVl7owOE-IC8iI7OZLXVfaE0N-8dyalVi30X6SZvh4Ch5eSqGkOrJuopmOFsyJgcjkzTuyrubwnJOsTPoJ26BZTeqOOhx8mWDgzaE-frfjg/s1600/542fd0b3d43101d5bcbefc24a7fd958f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5FXxrKHRxgF_CN6wwXn4PjkhjT_G799WqVl7owOE-IC8iI7OZLXVfaE0N-8dyalVi30X6SZvh4Ch5eSqGkOrJuopmOFsyJgcjkzTuyrubwnJOsTPoJ26BZTeqOOhx8mWDgzaE-frfjg/s1600/542fd0b3d43101d5bcbefc24a7fd958f.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><br /></span>Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-27285541450548861212013-07-13T00:00:00.000+10:002013-07-14T12:08:33.701+10:00Book Review: Kino MacGregor's "Power of Ashtanga Yoga"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerOU34RSvRnhvtk119qzfQDMovqgqydQwn9AwNA6YiBVe2ATvfNgE78Xr2mbZ5ZHgxcIlYT_35Zh7i3gBu4BCi5bbNuasQmbVV0SpRK1TIYQoVpooKwHC9QFLbVsl88fZOByBKxMahSI/s1600/Kino_Ashtanga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerOU34RSvRnhvtk119qzfQDMovqgqydQwn9AwNA6YiBVe2ATvfNgE78Xr2mbZ5ZHgxcIlYT_35Zh7i3gBu4BCi5bbNuasQmbVV0SpRK1TIYQoVpooKwHC9QFLbVsl88fZOByBKxMahSI/s320/Kino_Ashtanga.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
A few weeks ago I was pleasantly surprised to receive a copy of Kino MacGregor's <i>The Power of Ashtanga Yoga</i> in the mail - I had quite forgotten that I had agreed to review it!<br />
<br />
Regular readers of this blog will be aware of my personal journey with ashtanga yoga, and why I decided to move to a different asana (postural) practice. So in reviewing this book I have both personal experience with an ashtanga practice, but also some distance from it.<br />
<br />
The book is large-format and about 200 pages. It stays open easily if you lay it flat on the floor, which is always a bonus for a yoga book! The book is divided into two main sections: Part One: Theory, and Part Two: Practice, and it also includes an introduction and some appendices (mantras, full vinyasa count, full primary series in pictures). As a bonus it has a helpful sanskrit glossary at the back.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>Part One: Theory </b></i></span></span><br />
<br />
I think that, for me, the strength of this book is in the way in which Kino shares the philosophy behind yoga as a transformational and spiritual practice. This is obviously a testament by someone who has undertaken - is undertaking - a deep and powerful spiritual journey, not just someone who is strong and bendy and famous. The depth of her personal journey shines forth in every word of the book, and for that I have the utmost respect.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>History and Tradition </b></span><br />
Right from the outset, Kino presents yoga as more than just a physical practice, and she has a humble and accessible tone as she weaves yoga theory into her introduction to the Ashtanga tradition. She starts with a brief history of yoga poses from ancient to modern times, including the evolution of Pattabhi Jois' Ashtanga yoga and an overview of Patanjali's Ashtanga yoga, the eight-limbed spiritutal path of yoga of which the physical practice of asana is one limb. <i>[I have to say here that I am not really comfortable with the way she uses the term Ashtanga interchangeably to refer to Patanjali's and Jois's systems. She does clarify that in her view, Jois' system is a blend between the Ashta-anga yoga of Patanjali and the Hatha tradition of postural yoga descended from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, but nonetheless uses the same label to refer to both throughout the book.] </i>She then goes into more detail about the physical elements of (modern) Ashtanga yoga and the theory of how spiritual transformation - letting go of or becoming free from deep-rooted patterns - is realised through physical discipline, which is in itself 'heroic' in nature.<br />
<br />
<i>[Oddly although she explains that ashtanga is a six-day-a-week practice, I can't find anywhere where she talks about not practicing on moon days, nor where she discusses whether or not to practice while on your menstrual cycle. The latter seems to me a missed opportunity given that this is one of the only ashtanga books out there actually written by a woman. Did I just miss it?</i><br />
<br />
<i>It also irks me a little that the book presents ashtanga yoga as the
only type of yoga - equating modern ashtanga with Patanjali's
Ashta-anga, and not mentioning how the other types of yoga, both
asana-based and non-physical, fit into the yogasphere. Obviously I get
where Kino is coming from, but in an otherwise relatively thorough
discussion of yoga's history, it feels like a gap to me. Readers, what do you think?]</i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Tristana</b></span><br />
Kino then goes into quite a bit of descriptive detail about the heart of the Ashtanga method, the tristana: breath, pose and gaze, and talks a little about how the practice works to free up blockages, or <i>granthis</i>, in the energetic body. She describes the origins of the Vinyasa 'ritual' as a sacred, purifying practice; an oblation to burn away our negative habits and set us free.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>The yogic diet</b></span><br />
Kino devotes an entire section of her first chapter to the yogic diet. She talks in a very grounded way about the practical and ethical arguments for a vegetarian diet and how these relate not only to the physical practice of yoga but to a spiritual and ethical awakening that stems from the practice. I appreciate that despite her obvious passion for ethically-rooted vegetarianism, Kino takes the time to point out that the desire shift to a vegetarian diet needs to come from within each individual practitioner, and that practicing the ritual of vegetarianism without a true commitment to <i>ahimsa </i>- nonharming -<i> </i>is not truly 'yogic.'<br />
<br />
One sentence strikes me as particularly important: "If you force yourself to eat a strict vegetarian diet, you may be committing a subtle act of violence against yourself. It is not useful for force yourself to be a vegetarian or anything else. Instead, the path of yoga patiently waits for a day when you feel the desire to change your lifestyle into a more peaceful relationship with yourself and your planet." I wish she had emphasised the first part of this sentence more, because I don't believe - and more pertinently nor does Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of healing through diet - that strict vegetarianism is the right health choice for everyone. Also, it is entirely possible that a vegetarian diet can be harmful to the planet (google how soy bean cultivation contributes to the deforestation of the Amazon for example). Anyway, that is perhaps fuel for another post.<br />
<br />
Suffice it to say that Kino is evidently passionate that developing a healthy and nourishing relationship with food is fundamental to a yoga practice on both a physical and spiritual level, and I think it's a fantastic and important inclusion in a 21st century yoga book (a century in which the state of both human excess and suffering will be increasingly defined by our relationship to food and the food chain, given the necessity of feeding 7-9 billion human beings).<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>The spiritual journey of asana</b></span><br />
This section gets to the heart of yoga as a spiritual practice. Kino blows away the temptation to become obsessed with the physical accomplishments of yoga, recounting Jois' words when presented with a photograph of someone doing an impressive physical posture: <b>"That not yoga. That only bending. Yoga means self-knowledge."</b><br />
<br />
The emphasis of this section is that the cultivation of a healthy body is part of a spiritual practice, in that it provides the spirit a clean and healthy environment in which to reside. It is not a goal in and of itself. The real transformation of yoga, Kino says, occurs when you let go of your deeply entrenched psychological and emotional patterns. The practice of asana puts us in honest, often brutal confrontation with these entrenched patterns that dictate how we see the world and see ourselves. Through the journey of asana, we come face-to-face with our fears, anger, frustration, tears, laughter and joy. We learn to experience these states of being instead of running away from them, and over time, we experience powerful releases that eventually transform us and liberate us from those deep-rooted patterns (<i>samskaras</i>) and towards a place of knowing our true self and being at peace with ourselves. The practice of asana without that transformation is "only bending."<br />
<i><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: large;">Part Two: Practice</span></span></i><br />
<br />
The second part of the book is a pose-by-pose rundown of the Ashtanga Primary series. I think Kino has achieved a very difficult thing here, in that she gives information that is both suited to beginners but that will also satisfy the experienced practitioner. She also gives tips for how to approach the Primary Series if you are new to it, in terms of 'gateway poses' and suggestions for where to check your energy levels and consider moving to the finishing poses.<br />
<br />
She rounds up Part Two with a section on strength, where she explains the bandhas
and the concept of strength from the inside out, and provides some tips
on working towards jumping through, jumping back (including from
lotus), and chakrasana. She also has a few paragraphs here countering
the contemporary gender dogma of "man strong, woman bendy" and other
such assumptions that we may be bringing to our practice or that others
may bring to us.<br />
<br />
For each pose Kino gives a very detailed description - sometimes more than a page - of the alignment, energetic focus and effects, and benefits of the pose. This could be massively overwhelming for someone new to yoga, and thankfully she also offers beginner's variations (including photographs) and tips for working towards the full poses.<br />
<br />
The one thing I think is missing here is a discussion of contra-indications for the postures. Some of these may seem obvious to someone who has been practicing yoga for some time: if you have a herniated disc you should generally avoid forward bends, if you have high blood pressure you should approach inversions with caution, if you have recently had a hip replacement then you want to avoid weight-bearing hip openers, etc. But for the yoga newbie, none of that is self-evident. More and more people are coming to yoga because of health issues that they have in their life: diabetes, stress, chronic fatigue, back pain, sports injuries, the list goes on. The risk here is that if people pick up this book and read about all this incredible transformation that is possible through the practice of yoga without having any guidance as to what may or may not be right for them, they may undertake a practice that is harmful to them or worse, cause them injury or pain.<br />
<br />
As a book that markets itself to beginners, I think that's an unfortunate omission. <br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Recommendations</span></i></span><br />
<br />
I would <b>strongly recommend</b> this book to current Ashtanga practitioners (or other hatha yoga practitioners) who want to grow their understanding of the roots of the system and seeking to deepen their knowledge of the philosophy behind the practice of postural yoga as a spiritual or transformational discipline.<br />
<br />
I would <b>recommend</b> this book to people who seeking to begin an Ashtanga practice and who are generally healthy and have no current medical conditions, although I would of course advise them (as Kino does) to seek out an experienced teacher as a complement to a home practice.<br />
<br />
I would <b>not recommend</b> this book to people who are seeking to begin a yoga practice and who have a medical condition, have recently had surgery, or who are looking for a healing practice for an immediate physical condition. In my opinion the book doesn't provide enough guidance on contra-indications to make it a safe option for someone dealing with an immediate physical injury or health issue, and the rigid sequencing of the Ashtanga series may not suit people dealing with certain medical conditions or injuries. Instead, seek out a yoga book with a therapeutic orientation such as the thereapeutically-oriented work of BKS Iyengar, Gary Kraftsow or Mukunda Stiles. Still better, find an experienced yoga teacher, preferably a yoga therapist, and work with them one-on-one to get recommendations for what type of yoga practice is best suited to you. Once you have some personalised guidance and experience working with your body in a healthy, holistic way, then this book would be a nice complement to that.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></span>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">And finally, to wrap up, some great quotes:</span></span></i><br />
<br />
"Yoga is a sanctuary where you learn to listen to your body."<br />
"At its best, yoga is a nondogmatic, nonreligious path toward self-realization." <br />
"The untrained human mind runs toward pleasure and away from pain, and this constant effort fuels the cycle of suffering. Regular asana practice teaches yoga practitioners how to maintain a balanced state of mind and ultimately break free from this addictive pattern."<br />
"The best gift that yoga gives you is the retraining of the mind's habit patterns to help you face difficulty directly with a brave heart." <br />
"Toning the body or perfecting a high level of physical performance is never an end in itself. In fact, yoga actually teaches you how to release attachment and identification with your body, as well as your mind and emotions. It helps you learn how to identify with the seat of the soul within yourself."<br />
<br />
<br />
If you do decide want to purchase the book, it's available online through the publisher, Shambala Publications, <a href="http://www.shambhala.com/the-power-of-ashtanga-yoga.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-24754242400329609762013-07-09T23:00:00.000+10:002013-07-09T23:00:11.708+10:00Yoga Tip Tuesdays: 3 great ways to modify Pigeon PosePigeon pose (we are talking about supta eka pada rajakapotasana here, to be precise) is a hip-opening forward bend that is a staple of modern vinyasa-style yoga classes. And for good reason - it stretches the psoas and hip flexors of the extended leg, and the gluteus minor of the bent leg, all the while opening the hips. Yum!<br />
<br />
However, supine pigeon can be a tough pose if you have a more limited range of motion in your hips, or if you have delicate knees (the two are often connected by the way). So here are three great ways to modify your pigeon pose in class or at home, and stay safe while still getting all the great benefits of this pose.<br />
<br />
<b>Note:</b> If you have recently had hip or knee surgery including a hip or knee replacement, the third pose - Upside-down pigeon - is the one for you! I wouldn't recommend the other two until you have recovered at least 70% of your normal range of motion - and even then, practice them carefully and preferably with the supervision of a qualified and experienced teacher. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #674ea7;">Alignment </span></i></span><br />
<br />
First of all, a few thoughts on the alignment of this pose. As a teacher, I see a lot of lop-sided pigeons: that is, where people's bodies create an 'escape valve' for the big hip-opener by collapsing off to one side. I suppose that a lop-sided pigeon probably doesn't do anyone any harm - but I'm not sure it ever did anyone any good, either. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7YGcpJY_b5JbR9fDRA7Z-6ta3BRwf7xIFWWd6KVIOHx7qfttwB1xTpjkekhUtGP3mbV-qeJWahU-_A4iIwLHZWMzvysOx9EiIMylVpFeManmNG1bgqmpkMFec60o6jKuTK_QFp7Rzz0/s1600/pigeon+variations-04.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7YGcpJY_b5JbR9fDRA7Z-6ta3BRwf7xIFWWd6KVIOHx7qfttwB1xTpjkekhUtGP3mbV-qeJWahU-_A4iIwLHZWMzvysOx9EiIMylVpFeManmNG1bgqmpkMFec60o6jKuTK_QFp7Rzz0/s1600/pigeon+variations-04.png" /></a></div>
<br />
To truly get the benefits of pigeon pose, you ideally want your pelvis to remain
square towards the front of the mat, with the hips more or less at the
same height. Now, unless you have naturally very open hips, this is
going to be tricky for most of us - which is where these modifications
come in.<br />
<br />
Now, I have encountered many yogis and yoginis who are reluctant to modify poses, especially if it involves using a prop. Personally, I think this attitude is more likely to be driven by ego than by wisdom, although to each their own. In any case, I like to think of it this way: doing poses with the
appropriate modifications and props is like taking practice questions before an exam. It's
not a 'cop-out': it's a smart way to prepare your body for going
deeper and, above all, to protect yourself from injury. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">1. Propped-up pigeon</span></i></span><br />
<br />
This is a perfect modification for those people who can approach the shape of Pigeon but feel a bit of a twinge in their knee when they try to bring the front leg a bit more parallel to the mat. It is also ideal for those who feel restricted in the groin area while doing this pose.<br />
<br />
Let me start by saying that I am a HUGE fan of this variation. It's simple, retains the form of the pose, and all it requires is for you to grab a blanket, block or bolster at the beginning of your practice and have it handy by your mat. Then, when you come into pigeon pose, simply place the blanket/block/bolster underneath the buttock and upper back of the thigh of the leg with the bent knee. Et voila! A propped up pigeon that will allow your pelvis to be forward-facing and even so that you can externally rotate the front hip, bringing the front knee more parallel to the front of the mat for a deep but safe hip-opener.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAUz_jwvu3316z6J5r6KBS5KHw3CPLT6hhZ-pFwInPLhC9VVXGBevJ5cI05Kyi0cptQjmeQFqudl-QCXitI7Rw5q8H58EopVRQaiJRXv-p8UB2vk0_ozKN-WkAWN77b-YXL6R33pnF8M/s1600/pigeon+variations-01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAUz_jwvu3316z6J5r6KBS5KHw3CPLT6hhZ-pFwInPLhC9VVXGBevJ5cI05Kyi0cptQjmeQFqudl-QCXitI7Rw5q8H58EopVRQaiJRXv-p8UB2vk0_ozKN-WkAWN77b-YXL6R33pnF8M/s1600/pigeon+variations-01.png" /></a></div>
NB: You will probably find that you need to work with different heights on different sides of your body, as most of us have one hip that is more open than the other. That's normal - embrace the difference and don't try to force both sides to be the same.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">2. Swirly pigeon</span></i></span><br />
<br />
I call this second variation 'swirly' pigeon, because your legs are doing a sort of a swirl around your body. [Points to the reader who comes up with a better name!]<br />
<br />
For this variation start by sitting with one knee bent (this will be the back leg) and the other shin reasonably parallel to the front of the mat. Slowly swing the bent knee back so that your back thigh is parallel to the front shin. At this point you can asses whether it will help you to add some padding underneath the buttock of the front leg - I recommend it! Finally, twist your torso slightly so that you can place your hands on either side of the front thigh. Either stay there, or deepen the stretch by coming into a forward fold.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUc9OuN1U9qs1lCQYqwtdOQpWc5Z3ss3AiqgPkHtV6mPZ5FUbRGlYaJrJiMFpAGm2rhS5TrYZNFgCERpvHONJEUo_KaIfRCbNLgQeONYgkxKgyPCfi7gyhEQ0eA4jDteRJDRZiJ2bVTJc/s1600/pigeon+variations-03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUc9OuN1U9qs1lCQYqwtdOQpWc5Z3ss3AiqgPkHtV6mPZ5FUbRGlYaJrJiMFpAGm2rhS5TrYZNFgCERpvHONJEUo_KaIfRCbNLgQeONYgkxKgyPCfi7gyhEQ0eA4jDteRJDRZiJ2bVTJc/s1600/pigeon+variations-03.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">3. Upside-down pigeon</span></i></span><br />
<br />
Of the three, this variation is the safest and most accessible. You can do this variation even if you have recently had a hip or knee replacement or any other kind of surgery on those areas. This is also a safe and satisfying hip opener for anyone with lower back or sacrum issues, because your back is fully supported by the floor. And, it means that you don't have to sit this pose out while in a group class: simply flip it upside-down and get exactly the same stretch, without all the strain.<br />
<br />
For this version, start by lying on your back with one knee bent. Gently bring the other knee towards your chest and
carefully place the ankle of the lifted leg over your knee. Next, reach
your hands either side of the grounded leg and clasp the back of the
thigh or front of the shin, using a small towel or strap if appropriate - your head and shoulders should stay on the ground. Slowly draw your grounded leg in towards your body until you feel a deep stretch in your floating hip and buttock. Breathe deeply and try to relax! To get a deeper stretch, try to open your floating knee away from your body as you draw the other leg closer.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyx-ydLwZhpKCOvpCqlPgWrZXVo-iq00cYtOQDq_aFVwqhR79q8i98BXpmhA5fSz3Vj6Sw2_JiOj3F6hzhHHoFymbWyOeuMPCDGlwJyIrYhRoVL2tE1i9l9-xDYAJ7gtTsivWvwSNbe4M/s1600/pigeon+variations-02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyx-ydLwZhpKCOvpCqlPgWrZXVo-iq00cYtOQDq_aFVwqhR79q8i98BXpmhA5fSz3Vj6Sw2_JiOj3F6hzhHHoFymbWyOeuMPCDGlwJyIrYhRoVL2tE1i9l9-xDYAJ7gtTsivWvwSNbe4M/s1600/pigeon+variations-02.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I hope that was helpful! I'd love to hear your experiences with pigeon pose and any tips and tricks that you've picked up along the way to make this pose enjoyable and safe. :)Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.com9