Yoga Tip Tuesdays - Triangle Pose: Choosing what's right for you, with 5 awesome variations

Ah, triangle pose (tri-kon-asana - 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.

The real question is: "which one is right for me?" Now that question, we can work with!

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.

1) Start with the foundation, and work your way up and out.
2) Remember: function over form!
3) Try different variations

Triangle: The foundation

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.

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.

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.

[There is actually a third option which is to keep the feet parallel - we'll talk more about that in the Variations section, below.]

Function over form

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?

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.

The actual functions of triangle pose are to stretch the front hamstring and psoas, and the upper side and back muscles (with a secondary stretch in the back hamstring and groin muscles).

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.

Variations

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.

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!

• Hand-to-shin variation: 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. I don't recommend this variation if: 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).
• With a block: 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. I would not recommend this variation if: 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.
• With a chair: 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.
• Viniyoga triangle: 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!
• Open chain triangle: 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 I would not recommend this variation if: you have lower back injuries, if you have weak/injured joints or osteoporosis, if you are still recovering from a joint replacement. If you have hypermobile hips, 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.
• Fully extended triangle: 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. Just make sure that you are retaining the function of the posture as you work towards the form! Note that if you have hypermobility, generally the most extended versions of postures aren't recommended.

 [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.]

Yoga is about self-inquiry - so be curious!

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.

Yoga Tip Tuesdays: 3 great ways to modify Pigeon Pose

Pigeon 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!

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.

Note: 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.

Alignment

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.

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.

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.

1. Propped-up pigeon

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.

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.

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.

2. Swirly pigeon

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!]

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.

3. Upside-down pigeon

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.

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.

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. :)

Tips for the traveling yogini (re-post)

[Originally posted on December 2nd 2009... slightly updated since then to reflect bits and pieces that I've learned along the way! By the way, this mainly applies to long-distance travel where you can't simply throw everything into your car, and every added pound of luggage matters!]

My luggage - all of it! - on my recent 3.5 week trip to Congo. I loved how light the travel yoga mat was - but I wish I'd put it in a mat bag, because it got pretty dirty along the way!

More and more of us are traveling in this day and age, for work or for pleasure, or both. And like everything else in our world, travel today is faster than ever before. 100 years ago, it took weeks or months to travel from, say, Europe to America. Now it takes only a few hours. And as anyone who has experienced jet-lag knows, this puts a heavy strain on our body and our metabolism. Our sleeping and eating habits are disrupted, and our bodies can be confused by sudden changes in climate.

With all this going on, maintaining a regular practice while on-the-go can be very challenging: strange cities, foreign languages, jet-lag, busy schedules, cramped hotel rooms and smelly old hotel carpets are only a few of the limitations! All this assuming that you are able to practice on your own, away from your favourite classes and teachers.

If you are planning an upcoming trip, here are a few simple questions and answers that might help you prepare to take your practice on the road!

Before you go

How many yoga outfits should I bring?

Ok, if you are like me, packing is a serious exercise in making tough choices. But from my experience: Pack yoga-light. Unless you're going on a yoga retreat, realistically you'll only need one set of clothes (gasp!) for your holiday practice. However, with how stylish yoga clothes are getting, if you are going to be doing a lot of sightseeing or hiking you might be able to create other outfits with your yoga gear, too. And don't forget to think about the climate where you are going - if it's different to where you came from, you may want to pack a yoga outfit that you can layer up or down. 

Should I bring my yoga mat?

Ok, the hard answer to this question is: probably not. A yoga mat is a real pain to lug around when you are on the move, and unless you are a SERIOUSLY committed yogi or yogini who maintains your daily practice even if it means missing the bus to go see the Acropolis, you probably won't use it enough to justify carrying it around.

However, if you do have a home practice, I do recommend investing in a travel yoga mat! One that I have used is the YogiToes skidless "yoga-towel", which to me is a great compromise. It's not perfect on hard floors, but laid out on a hotel carpet it's fairly grippy and a lot easier to pack. Plus, easy to wash!

Recently I did a 4-week trip with the Lululemon Travel Mat, which was also pretty good. Again, it doesn't give you any support on hard surfaces, but weighing less than 1kg it was pretty great given that I was traveling on small planes where the maximum weight limit is carefully monitored.  I liked that it feels like a regular yoga mat and is just as grippy. It weighs about the same as the yoga towel, but it's not as easy to pack or to wash.

How will I practice?

If you don't have a regular home practice, it will be worth spending time to write down a sequence you can practice while you're away. Use your favourite book or DVD, or ask your teacher to help you - I would advise aiming for a 45min-1hour sequence. If you do have a regular home practice, see the next section.

While you're there

How much will I practice?

You can practice yoga every day, but your holidays may only come around once in a while, and you want to make the most of that time!! So be prepared to modify your practice and accept that you probably will not practice as much as you do at home. A rough guideline based on my experience when traveling as a tourist is half as often, and half to 3/4 of the usual length of practice.

What kind of practice should I do?

Travel can be stressful to your body, and we all carry that stress in different places. Be prepared to listen to your body's needs and modify your practice accordingly. If you are carrying heavy bags, you may want to focus on poses that loosen up your back, neck and shoulders. If you are doing a lot of walking, you might want to go easy on the standing poses and practice a sequence of restorative forward bends and some inversions to give your feet a rest. Feel uprooted from the air travel? Try solid, grounding standing poses that open up your hips and, hopefully, your mind.

How will I squeeze my regular asana practice in?

When it comes to asana on holiday - practice non-attachment! Yoga is much more than just doing your asanas. Engage in the Yoga of action as you see new places and meet new people. Allow yourself to be open to the other types of transformation that a voyage opens up in us.

All the new sensations, sights, smells and tastes you encounter when you travel to a new place can be overwhelming! Try to make time in your busy schedule for meditation or a restorative practice, or keep a journal of your trip. Whatever works for you, give yourself some you-time to process all your new experiences.

When you get home

Sometimes it can be hard to get back into your regular routine. My advice: start straight away (or as soon as your jet-lag permits)!

 
Sometimes, returning from a trip is also an ideal time to start a new routine, maybe something you've been meaning to do or let slip along the way. Again, the best time to start is as soon as you get back, before you get swept up again in your old routine.

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Those are a few things that I've gleaned from my travels - as always I would love to hear your experiences, comments and feedback! Have you done 

10 ways to incorporate yoga philosophy into your teaching or practice

Last week or thereabouts, I wrote about my dissatisfaction with the way that I teach yoga as a mainly asana-centred discipline, and haven't really found a good balance of also imparting the philosophy of yoga. (NOT as a religious discipline, as discussed in this post about why yoga is not a religion.)

The post generated a lot of comments, and made me think, a lot, about how to practically incorporate more philosophy into your average asana class. This is a mish-mash of my own ideas, and commenters' suggestions - I can no longer really remember who said what, but if you'd like to take credit for your ideas, feel free to leave a comment!

10 practical ways to incorporate yoga philosophy into your teaching (or your practice)

1. Speak from the heart, and don't be afraid!  Talk only about things that resonate deeply with you. Don't just throw in a bunch of waffle because you feel you have to - if it doesn't resonate with you, it won't resonate with your students, either.  If you are among those who believe that yoga is more than just asana, know that you are not alone! Take the plunge, and know that you are doing exactly what you are meant to be doing. :)
2. Tell stories that people can relate to. Tell a story from your own experience, something you learned, or relate a philosophy concept to something everyday. Yoga philosophy is about life off the mat, and this is a nice way to get people thinking about how to apply it to their lives. The best stories often come from our own questions or mistakes, and it lets your class know that you are just a person struggling with it all, too.
3. Use the yoga sutras as a class theme or as the basis for a pre- or post-class discussion. Take a few minutes before or after the asana practice to have students sitting quietly with their breath, and during those moments, talk briefly through a point in the yoga sutras and allow students to meditate on that concept. If it's your style, weave the theme from beginning, throughout the asana practice, all the way to closing.  There are so many interesting sutras to choose from, you could probably do this for years without ever getting stuck for new material! Possibly best to avoid the ones about levitating, though. ;)
4. Go back to the basics. Ideas like concentration, gaze, focusing on your breath, listening to your body - these may seem like a given if you've been doing yoga for a while, but for new students the simple things are still new. Don't underestimate the power of going over the simple concepts again and again, even if it's just a mention of how asana is only one part of an eight-limbed practice.
5. Use concepts from yoga philosophy as the basis for guided meditations. For example, the koshas (sheaths), yamas (restraints), niyamas (actions), prakriti/purusha (ego/true self), moksha (freedom), or other concepts. The koshas work particularly well here, but really, you could script a guided meditation around almost anything.
6. Market your yoga classes as "asana with a bit of philosophy". Errr, ok, it might need to sound a bit cooler than that. "Roots of yoga?" "Deepen your practice?" Anyway, offer an asana practice with a slightly longer discussion / philosophy time built on. Or, if you are a sequencing genious, sequence the asanas around the philosophy somehow.  You could do something similar with pranayama.
7. Hold an "introduction to yoga philosophy" session, or regular weekly discussions of yoga philosophy.  Just go for it! Talk to your studio / coffeeshop / wherever about hosting a brief philosophy talk. Make it donation-based, bring cookies, and encourage lots of discussions and questions. Or make it a workshop and get people to actively come up with their own interpretations of things like the yamas and the niyamas.
8. Keep it non-denominational. Yoga as a philosophy embraces all possibilities and can be accessible to people of all faiths. Since you don't know if your students are Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Atheist, Pagan, Hindu or any other religious inclination, don't alienate people by speaking from a religious perspective. Always offer non-denominational alternatives so people of all beliefs feel welcome.
9. Yoga is about self-exploration: empower people to think for themselves! Don't try to tell people what to think or what to do. Use yoga philosophy as a point for discussion and to stimulate thoughts, not as a soap-box. So, instead of saying "ahimsa tells us that to truly practice yoga you have to be vegetarian", say, "ahimsa is about not doing harm with your speech or your actions, think of a few ways hat you could integrate this idea into your life on or off the mat". Empower people to choose for themselves if and how they want to interpret the philosophical teachings into their lives.
10. Relate it to science. Science is something that most people nowadays, at least those with a modern education, relate to on a very fundamental level. The Dalai Lama has written a whole book on how Buddhist philosophy (very similar to yoga philosophy in many aspects) and modern science are converging in astounding ways. The concept of karma - actions creating similar actions - can be related to the new science of neuroplasticity, the concept of interconnectivity ("OM"...) explained in terms of sharing atoms.  There are more and more studies available documenting the benefits of yoga on a scientific level - even some of those that can't quite be explained!

And I guess, one more that goes without saying: always study, always seek to deepen your own knowledge. Read, talk, write, discuss, and most of all, experiment with living your interpretation of yoga philosophy, and continue to deepen your own journey.

Practical tips for accommodating late students, and other reflections

There is a wonderful discussion taking place on Nadine Fawell's blog which was sparked by a post on being late for yoga class.  It started with a post about the role of a teacher when students are late for class and evolved into a discussion of the idea of "individual sovereignty" in your yoga practice. There are some great discussions in the comments section, which is actually where this post started.

I agree in principle with the idea of individual sovereignty, and agree totally that respect for a teacher must be earned through a process of relationship - not automatically given. But I don't agree that my sovereignty as an individual entitles me to behave in a way that might be disruptive to those around me, and in a class setting, that sometimes that needs to be enforced.  And so there is really a contradiction in group yoga classes, because while we constantly hear that "your practice is all about you", it's not actually ENTIRELY about you as long as there are other students with you in the room.

Reading the discussion makes me reflect on how, as a teacher, I struggle to find the balance between showing compassion and being accommodating for the one or two or five latecomers, while still showing the same compassion and respect for the 5 or 10 or 15 students who were on time.  I struggle to create a safe space for ALL our students to practice - which may mean understanding and accepting people who arrive late, but it also may mean setting boundaries so that their lateness doesn't have a negative impact on other students.  This of course depends on the setting (is there plenty of space, or will students have to shuffle around to make room for the latecomer?), the timing (is everyone a bit late because traffic was awful, or is the same person constantly walking in during meditation and noisily unrolling their mat?), and other specific factors.  I don't think that teachers should set rules arbitrarily - but I have observed that sometimes individuals behave in a way that negatively affects others, and as a teacher we do need to mitigate the effects of those actions.

It seems to me that there are 3 approaches that teachers (or studios) can take in dealing with lateness:

1. Have a strict on-time policy and lock the doors when class starts
2. Have a 5-10 minute grace policy but don't allow people in who are more than 10 minutes late
3. Allow people to come into class whenever they arrive

Personally I teach somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd options. I think we need to be flexible - if a student arrives late, and I know that the person can warm up and safely join the practice, and if there is space for them to do so without disrupting anyone else, then I don't see why they shouldn't come in for what's left of the class.  But if I think the student might injure themselves from not being warmed up, or if other students would have to interrupt their practice to make room for them, I would ask the person to come back next time.  And if someone was chronically more than 15 minutes late I would likely talk to them to understand their circumstances and see how we could work around them. This approach suits my space and my circumstances - I teach dontation-based, drop-in classes that are often large groups - if I were teaching in a more intimate space with small groups, I might enforce Option 2.

If you are going to have students walking in after class has begun (which, let's face it, most of us always will) are some other practical things you can do to minimise the disruption on other students:

• Ask students to leave some free space near the door so latecomers won't be stepping over anyone when they arrive.
• Encourage students to set up a mat for a friend if they know s/he is coming late.
• If the class is full and can't accommodate any latecomers, put a sign on the door explaining the situation so the class won't be interrupted unnecessarily.
• If people enter during a meditation or breathing session, ask them to wait outside or to sit quietly by the wall until the meditation is over, OR
• Don't schedule a meditation period at the very start of the class if you know for sure that people are going to be coming in late. Instead teach warm ups first and leave time for a period of stillness during or at the end of the class.
• Hold discussions in class to get feedback about how people feel about lateness. Encourage people to be on time while also encouraging others to be accepting and compassionate of latecomers.

What else have your teachers (or you) done to ease the disruption of students coming in late? I'd love to hear your experiences or ideas.

Simple excercises for wrist pain

Wrist pain can be a serious disturbance, both in daily life and on the mat. Although by no means a substitute for seeing a qualified doctor or therapist, here are some simple exercises that can help to release strain in the wrists and build up their strength and flexibility.

You don't have to have done any yoga to do these stretches! However, keep in mind that these are NOT intended for anyone who has or is recovering from a serious injury, and remember that in yoga, pain = no gain: so if you feel pain in any of the stretches, stop doing it immediately.

I'll start with some simple exercises, and then include a few general tips about wrists in yoga practice at the end of the post. Unfortunately I don't have my camera handy, but I will update this post at a later date to include some pictures!

Simple exercises for stretching and strengthening the wrists

Remember that yoga works through a combination of movement, intention and breath! So before you do these stretches, establish a deep, even breath. As you go through the exercises, keep the rhythm of the breath in mind, and focus your awareness on the sensations you are feeling.

1. Circles with fists

• Start in a kneeling position, and stretch your arms out to either side (keeping the shoulders relaxed as much as you can).
• Beginning on an exhalation, make fists with the hands, squeezing tightly. As you inhale, flex the fingers and thumb out as wide as they will go.  Repeat this 5-10 times.

2. Press/pull

• Next, inhale and press the palms away from you and spread the fingers wide (as if you were pushing away two walls on either side of you). Exhale and bring the tips of the fingers and thumb together in a "point", and draw the point down towards the floor and maybe even farther back towards your body.
• Repeat this inhale/exhale 5-10 times
• Come to the inhale (palm press) position. Engage the arm muscles and really press outwards through the palms as if you were pushing away two walls on either side of you (recollections of Star Wars, anyone??). Stay for 5 breaths.
• Come to the exhale (pointing) position. Draw the "point" towards your body and stay for 5 breaths.
• Experiment with moving the wrists in slow circles, with the hands in either the palm press or the "point" position. Do this for 5-10 breaths and then switch directions. Get creative - see if you can have one wrist go one way and the other wrist move in the opposite direction!
• Shake out the wrists

 3. From all fours

• Begin with the palms flat on the mat, fingers spread wide. Lift all the fingers up off the mat, and then from thumb to pinky press them all down again, and then from pinky to thumb, lift them up again. Do this a few times.  You can also lift one finger at a time and then replace it.
• Very gently, turn the right fingertips back towards the body, placing the palm on the floor, and stretch the wrist in this reversed position. If it feels ok, you can also gently wiggle the fingers and thumb here. Hold for about 5 breaths then repeat on the left hand.
• If the above two felt good, you can also repeat this turning the hands to the right, and then to the left. so that if you had an imaginary compass, you would have completed the exercise with the fingers pointing in all four main directions.
• Very gently, lift up the right hand and place the back of the hand on the floor, with the fingertips pointing towards you.  Waggle the fingers and thumb slowly a few times. Then draw the tips of the fingers and thumb together in the "point", lifting the fingertips off the floor to point up towards your body. Be very gentle and only go as far as feels ok.  After 5-10 breaths, release and do the other side.
• Come back to kneeling, and gently massage the wrists and lower arms, or shake the wrists out to release any other tension.

 Some general tips about wrists in yoga asana

source: yogatuneup.com

If you practice yoga asana, some types of postures can put a lot of strain on the wrists, which are pretty complex and delicate things!  In particular, downward facing dog can really put the wrists under stress if you are new to yoga or holding the pose for a long time.  Here are some tips that hopefully can help.

1. Always check the alignment of your hands in downward dog. Ideally, your hands should be as wide apart as your shoulders. Wrist pain in yoga can sometimes originate from the shoulders, so really check this if you aren't sure! You can use a bit of chalk or a crayon to mark where your shoulders are on the mat if you are lying down, and then place the hands accordingly. Next, fingers should be spread, with the middle fingers pointing straight forwards and the thumbs pointing towards each other. This should make it so that the creases of the wrists are aligned parallel to the front edge of the mat.
2. Practice your alignment and taking weight onto your hands by using a wall: placing your hands at shoulder height, palms against a wall, fingers spread as wide as you can, and push your palms strongly into the wall.  Practice pressing evenly through the palms and engaging the muscles of the arms. Then, gently lean towards the wall, bringing a bit of weight to bear onto the hands, and practice holding for 5-10 breaths.
3. Try to press evenly through the hands, especially by pressing through the base of the thumb, the base of the index (pointer) finger, and the outside edge of the hand.  Also, take some of the load into the lower arms by pressing the fingertips into the mat and strongly engaging the muscles in the forearms.
4. Consider using some support, especially if you are new to yoga or have very delicate wrists. One option is to place a foam block under each hand - this is a great way to do downward dog in general, and also works for other poses with funky wrist alignment (note: if you are doing this, it helps to put the blocks against the wall to make sure they don't slip, especially if doing a pose like urdvha dhanurasana).  Another option is to use a rolled up yoga mat or a nice firm blanket at the top of your mat, and place your hands on it rather than the floor.
5. Modify the pose: Respect your body and don't push it too far! For downward dog, another alternative if your wrists are bugging you, say in a vinyasa class, but you still want the benefits of the pose, is to bring your forearms to the floor for a modified downward dog (also called dolphin pose).
6. If you are doing stronger postures like arm balances, you can create a more forgiving surface for your hands by folding up your mat or using a firm folded blanket or a towel (make sure your hands won't slip).

I hope that helped! Any experiences or tips to share?

[top image from: source: biggmotivation.com]

6 tips for practising yoga in winter

A while back, I wrote a post on practising yoga in the cold, and got some great replies and tips in the comments. A friend of mine commented recently, giving some great ideas and asking if there is anything else that I learned.  Now that I am back in the tropics for a while, those cold dark mornings seem far away, and the distance makes it easier to reflect on practising through the winter.  So here are a few general reflections I have on how to maintain your practice during the winter months.

1) Get enough sleep: it's already hard to wake up early on a cold dark morning, or step on your mat after the sun has gone down. A well-rested body is absolutely key!

2) Brighten up your space: turn the lights on, drape furniture in bright cloth, wear bright colours, play music - add some cheer to your space. This really helped keep me going for my morning practice - I don't usually practice to music but in the winter I found it absolutely life-saving!

3) Add some heat-inducing pranayama to your practice, such as: Ujayi breath, Udiyana kriya / nauli, bhastrika & kaphalabati.  (If anyone wants more info on those, just ask!)

4) Warm up properly! In winter (especially with a morning practice) I found I really needed to warm up the body more. I added sun salutations to my warm-up, and kept up a brisk pace through my practice.  If you have a flow practice with a varied routine, winter is a great time to add dynamic standing poses, balances and twists that generate heat from the core, like Utkatasana (chair pose), parvritta trikonasana (reverse triangle), parvritta parsvakonasana (reverse extended angle pose), Warrior III, Garudasana (Eagle Pose), Plank Pose & Side Plank Pose. Be more cautious about going into deep forward bends, hip openers or backbends, since your muscles may not be as warmed up as they are in the summer months - take lots of time to warm up to these. Take vinyasas between sitting poses to keep the body heated, and keep some warm socks and a sweater / blanket ready for your meditation and savasana.

5) Modify your diet: Eat warm, cooked foods in winter to balance out the cold.  If you are a student of yoga, chances are you have come across Ayurveda, the yogic lifestyle science, (if you need a refresher, have a look at this post), which allows you to look at the elements of your individual constitution, and identify imbalances. Cold, dry winters are most likely to aggravate Vata, and cold, wet winters are most likely to aggravate Kapha, which may cause imbalances. If you feel that winter throws you particularly out of balance, it might be worth delving deeper into your ayurvedic type and adopting some of the lifestyle recommendations specific to you.  Ayurveda also offers some suggestions for what type of physical practice might suit you best or balance your imbalances.

6) Practice at different times: Some people (like me!) really benefit from having a regular practice time and sticking to it, but others may find that varying your practice time can help you maintain a practice during the winter months.  If you are able to, try practicing at different times of day and see what suits you best.

7) If you are teaching in winter, you can also include many of these tips in your teaching routine. Winter classes can be a great opportunity to bring your students into challenging standing sequences, and work on core strength. Make sure your students are properly warmed up by adding heating poses to your warm up sequence, like cat / cow balance (opposite arm and leg raised), one-legged cat/cow (on inhale, extend one leg out behind you, on exhale hug the knee to the chest and engage the core), plank pose variations (one legged plank or side plank), utkatasana with twists. Warn your students to be especially cautious with hamstrings, hips and lower back, and to make sure they feel properly warmed up before trying deep poses in these areas.

And, just for fun, check out this page for some yogis who thought they'd take their winter practice a bit farther and practice yoga in the snow!!  Also, check out more amazing snow crystal photos like the one above at Snow Crystals.com!

Yoga for your Dosha

I recently put together a workshop and compiled some advice on Yoga practices for different Ayurvedic types, and I thought I'd post them here.

Without going into too much detail, Yoga and Ayurveda are sister-art/sciences that are deeply connected to one another. Yoga is the spiritual path, while Ayurveda is therapy- and lifestyle-oriented. The Ayurvedic "doshas", Vata, Pitta and Kapha describe three different energy types, and everyone's basic nature, or prakriti, is made up of a composition of the three. Usually people have a dominant Dosha, or two Doshas share dominance (although in rare cases there are people who have even amounts of all 3). In addition, the equilibrium of the doshas, or vikruti , will fluctuate throughout your life, and can be made balanced or imbalanced by factors in your lifestyle, diet, environment, and physical habits, as well as by age, season and even time of day.

Cue: Yoga and your dosha. Since any regular activity in your life can either help to balance your dosha or cause imbalances, so will your Yoga practice. So, Ayurvedic theorsists provide us with some guidelines on what type of asana practice works for which Doshas. [At this point, if you don't know what your Dosha is, head over to google and search for "dosha quiz" and take one of the many online dosha assessments. As a starting point, there is a simple 12-question quiz on Deepak Chopra's site. Also, see lower down in the post for tips on assessing your dosha.]

Got your Dosha yet? Good. If you have multiple doshas, I've put a few tips below to help you begin to sort through things.

Advice for VATA

People of Vata nature or with Vata imbalance are most complimented by a yoga practice that is grounding, calming, and slightly warming. This practice will help to balance out Vata's tendency towards anxiety, insecurity and spaceyness. In addition, since imbalances in Vata mostly manifest in the large intestine and lower back (2nd chakra) as well as joint pain, people of Vata nature can benefit from poses that strengthen the lower back and work the lower abdomen.
Best Asanas for Vata: All standing poses, especially Warrior II and Uttanasana, Paschimottanasa, Balasana, Dhanurasana, Padmasana.
Asanas to Avoid: Avoid over-stimulation through many fast repetitions of sun salutations or similar sequences. In addition, because Vatas tend to have prominent joints, use padding on asanas that put pressure on your joints such as shalabasana, salamba sarvangasana and halasana.

Advice for PITTA

People of Pitta nature are most complimented by an asana practice that is calming and cooling. Pittas tend to be naturally assertive and driven, so when practicing asana they should focus on keeping a steady breath and keeping softness in tense areas such as the shoulders and face. Furthermore, pittas are prone to imbalances in the small intestine (3rd chakra), so practicing backbends that stretch out the solar plexus area can be very beneficial.
Best Asanas for Pitta: Ustrasana, Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana.
Asanas to Avoid: Avoid over-stimulation through many fast repetitions of sun salutations or similar sequences, which can generate excessive heat. In addition, Pittas should avoid holding inversions such as headstand for prolonged periods, as they generate a lot of heat in the head and the belly.

Advice for Kapha

People of Kapha nature are most complimented by a heating, stimulating practice. Kaphas tend to be slower-moving and are prone to congestion in the lungs, so a fast and hot practice is the best tool for bringing Kapha back into balance.
Best Asanas for Kapha: Ustrasana, Salamba Setu Bandhasana (to open up the chest and help prevent congestion), repetitions of Surya Namaskara A and B.
Asanas to Avoid: Almost all asanas are good for Kaphas, but since their weakest areas tend to be kidneys and lungs, avoid prolonged holding of poses that place pressure on the lower abdomen, like Dhanurasana.

Advice if You have More than One Dosha

If you have a combination dosha, it may be tricky to navigate the advice above. For example, if you are Pitta-Kapha, you are supposed to avoid heat on the one hand, but generate it on the other? For dual dosha types, I can make a few recommendations, although obviously nothing substitutes for an actual ayurvedic/yoga consultation!

Firstly, try to determine if you have a dominant dosha. Sometimes you can do this by taking a different dosha quiz - if you took a long quiz, try taking a shorter one and see if you get a clear majority. Secondly, you can analyze your results and see if your physical (as opposed to temperamental) attributes fall more into one category than another - this might help guide your physical practice. Thirdly, take the quiz with an "adviser" - a spouse/partner, sibling or parent who can give you objective answers to some of the questions - you'd be surprised at the difference sometimes!!

If you still have a tie, you will need to do some self-study to find what is right for you. Going back to our Pitta-Kapha example, you may find that in the mornings you have lots of fiery energy typical of Pitta - so then a morning practice should be slow and calming. Or you may find that at this particular time in your life, your Kapha is dominating, and you can compensate with a more stimulating practice. This is also the case if you are one of the rare people who is a balance of all 3 doshas - you will need some careful self-examination to determine which dosha applies to which of your physical and personality attributes.

Learning about your Dosha is not the end of the journey - it's just the beginning!! The balance of the 3 elements in your life will fluctuate with the years, seasons, even the time of the day. But Ayurveda gives us some handy tips for how to keep those elements in balance and get in touch with your unique "dosha pattern" and your true nature. :)

Tips for the travelling yogini

Well, it's been a while since I blogged, because I've been travelling.

For the yogini, travel poses a different set of obstacles. More and more of us are travelling in this day and age, for work or for pleasure or both. And like everything else in our world, travel today is faster than ever before. 100 years ago, it took weeks or months to travel from, say, Europe to America. Now it takes only a few hours. And as anyone who has experienced jet-lag knows, this puts a heavy strain on our body and our metabolism. Our sleeping and eating habits are disrupted, and our bodies can be confused by sudden changes in climate.

With all this going on, maintaining an asana practice while on-the-go can be very challenging: jet-lag, busy schedules, cramped hotel rooms and smelly old hotel carpets are only a few of the limitations! All this assuming that you are able to practice on your own, away from your favourite classes and teachers.

Here are a few things that I've found helpful along the way, maybe with the holidays coming up and many of us preparing to pack up and go, some of these will be helpful!

Before you Go:
- Pack yoga-light. Unless you're going on retreat, realistically you'll only need one set of clothes for your holiday practice. Think about the climate where you are going - it may be different to where you came from, so you may want to pack a yoga outfit that you can layer up or down.
- After years of travelling with a cumbersome yoga mat, I have discovered the skidless yogitoes "yoga-towel", which to me is the perfect compromise. It's not perfect, but laid out on a hotel carpet it's fairly grippy and a lot easier to pack. Plus, easy to wash! [I also bet "yoga paws" would be great to travel with but I've never tried them].
- If you don't have a regular home practice, it will be worth spending time to write down a sequence you can practice while you're away. Use your favourite book or DVD, or ask your teacher to help you - I would advise aiming for a 45min-1hour sequence.

While you're there:
- Be prepared to modify your practice and accept that you probably will not be able to practice as much as you do at home. A rough guideline based on my experience when travelling as a tourist is half as often, and 3/4 of the usual length of practice.
- Travel can be stressful to your body, and we all carry it in different places. Be prepared to listen to your body's needs and modify your practice accordingly. If you are carrying heavy bags, you may want to focus on poses that loosen up your back, neck and shoulders. If you are doing a lot of hiking or walking, you might want to go easy on the standing poses and practice a sequence of restorative forward bends. Feel uprooted? Try solid, grounding standing poses that open up your hips and, hopefully, your mind.
- All the new sensations, sights, smells and tastes you encounter when you travel to a new place can be overwhelming! Try to make time in your busy schedule for meditation or a restorative practice, or keep a journal of your trip. Whatever works for you, give yourself some you-time to process all your new experiences.
- When it comes to asana on holiday - practice non-attachment! Yoga is much more than just doing your asanas. Engage in the Yoga of action as you see new places and meet new people. Allow yourself to be open to the other types of transformation that a voyage opens up in us.

When you get home:
- Sometimes it can be hard to get back into your regular routine. My advice: start straight away (or as soon as jet-lag permits)!
- Sometimes, returning from a trip is also an ideal time to start a new routine, maybe something you've been meaning to do or let slip along the way. Again, the best time to start is as soon as you get back, before you get swept up again in your old routine.

Those are a few things that I've gleaned from my travels - as always I would love to hear if anyone has anything to add! Namaste everyone and enjoy.