Healthy Living Club

In Corpse Pose, students symbolically “die” to their old ways of thinking and doing. The normally perceived boundaries of body image dissolve, and a state of blissful neutrality is entered. To practice Savasana, start by aligning the body. Make sure that both sides are resting evenly on the floor and that your ears are equidistant from your shoulders. Physically relax the muscles and bones. Imagine that the mass of your body is sinking down into the floor, then spreading out like a puddle of oil. Next calm the senses. Soften the root of your tongue. Cradle your eyes in their sockets and turn them down to gaze at the heart. Release the inner ears to the back of the skull (yet keep them alert to the sound of the breath). Smooth the skin at the bridge of the nose and melt it toward your temples.

Finally, surrender any and all psychological effort (or at least as much as you can). Even as you lie still on the floor, you’ll discover that you’re still trying, wondering what to “do” in this posture. Drop your brain to the back of the skull. Remember the words of the great sage Abhinavagupta: “Abandon nothing. Take up nothing. Rest, abide in yourself, just as you are.”

While recent scientific studies have shown no evidence that pre-exercise stretching reduces injuries, warming up the body is a different issue, because it maximizes blood flow to the muscles and makes the tendons more flexible. In fact, overstretching before yoga may actually defeat good intentions by tightening muscles and making them more prone to injury.

However, the need to warm-up prior to class really depends on the yoga style and the instructor. Some yoga styles, like Bikram, are performed in heated rooms, which helps loosen muscles. Also, the teacher may begin with more gentle poses and gradually ease into advanced asanas after the body has had the chance to properly prepare. In these cases, warming up is not necessary. However, if a need is felt, here are some simple steps to warm the body.

A good warm-up is exactly that: a warming of the body by increasing circulation. If walking, bicycling, or in-line skating to class is an option, take advantage of the opportunity, or climb a few flights of stairs to get the heart pumping. Be sure to find something that’s simple and enjoyable, because it’s far more likely to become a habit. Begin with at least five minutes of activity and increase it to 10 to 15 minutes, long enough to elevate the heart rate and warm the skin.

“I try to have our students elevate their core temperature before yoga by doing another type of workout, such as running, cycling, getting on a treadmill, or even taking a hot shower,” says yoga teacher Argie Ligeros, of Yoga for Athletes in Avon, Colorado.

Take advantage of yoga’s inherent focus on gradually increasing individual awareness and apply it outside the studio. The best way to prevent overuse injuries to the muscles and joints is to build a warm-up’s intensity slowly, so tissues become conditioned to stresses and then respond to them with increased strength and flexibility.

We can approach the making of our postures as a creative act, bringing them to life with our breath and our intent, just like a musician brings music to life. A musician sits in a silence that holds only the intent to play before she brings the music up out of that silence with her muscles and breath. The sounds of the music unfold through time until at some point the musician lets the silence return. But the silence is different, deeper. It holds more.We start our poses from a place of stillness. Our postures unfold through time as movements of flesh, bone, and awareness as we move through many different patterns of being, experiencing different aspects of who we can be, like the different sounds of some internal orchestra. As in life and in music there is an end to the process of a posture practice. Traditionally it is the pose of stillness and silence: Corpse Pose.

In Savasana, we allow the sounds of our postures to fade away. We temporarily give up our power to create and set our instrument upon the ground. In the end all that remains is a great flying stillness. An abiding glory nestled inside the sweet sound of our breathing.

On your mat this week imagine that all your sensations in the poses are actually sounds. From your lower body bring up the base notes that come from the earth beneath you. With your chest and arms let out the melody of your creative expression. Allow your head to be free, flowing with the score, as you adjust, watch, and surrender to the beauty of the music being created. Relax all your muscles. Imagine yourself a musician in a great and sacred hall. Your time of play is done. You are resting. All heads are bowed in reverence to the silence.

When you unroll your sticky mat and begin to move your body through the postures, you are launching yourself into the unknown. You are going on a search for grand things ruth and beauty and love ike an artist taking out your brushes to explore a vision that came to you in the night.In your yoga practice, you can have the intent of a scientist engaged in the most exacting search into a mystery, utterly clear that the outcome is unknown. You can approach the poses, patterns of flesh and wind, as if you were a sacred supplicant and your postures were prayers to the gods, your own individual way of losing yourself into the unknowable whole of the cosmos. Regardless of how you approach the practice of asana, there is one thing all intents to yoga have in common, the desire for some sense of change. We start our yoga in a certain state of mind. As the body changes through the process of the postures, we shift the nature of our experience as well.

As our minds move we also change our relationship to the world around us. We respond differently to the challenges of life than we would before our practice. The world then responds differently to us. We change. The world changes. We accept, initially on faith, that our yoga practice will help us respond to the challenges of life in a more creative and less reactive way.

We do yoga to get better. It is a natural thing to want more beauty, truth, and love. We want more truth and beauty and love because our imagination can imagine a way of being for ourselves where that is possible. We want to create a new world. In a sense our imagination calls to us from another realm. It calls us to the mat and there we find ourselves in a new way: Out of the unknown we bring a new thing.

Meditation invokes a shift in consciousness, whether it be in stillness or action. Movement meditation can be a very accessible way to restore the equilibrium of the mind. When you are in the midst of your day and your mind is restless or disturbed, doing this simple movement meditation can create an immediate shift in conciousness, enabling you to bring greater awareness and peace into the world around you.

The following meditation is based upon the opening movements of Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation. The linking of the breath with the archetypal arm movements xpanding the arms upward on the inhalation and then contracting them down the center line of your spine on the exhalation aps into the basic rhythm of life that defines our moment-to-moment reality. Our breath and our heartbeat both follow this expand-and-contract movement. The grounding force of gravity which is part of apana or “downward force” corresponds with the pulling of the arms toward the earth; a rebound effect is felt in the drawing upwards of the arms with the inhalation.

This meditation can be done while seated or standing. To begin, bring your hands together at your heart, in anjali mudra. Take a moment to become receptive by shifting from thinking mind to listening mind. Scan your body and mind and ask yourself how you are feeling. Take note of the answer (scattered, irritated, tired, excited) without investing or analyzing the content.

Now, on an inhalation, draw your arms overhead from the roots of your feet. Coordinate your breath with the movement so that at the top of your inhalation, your hands come together overhead. As you exhale, draw your arms down the center line of your spine so that your arms rest beside your hips when you complete your exhalation.

Repeat this rhythm, drawing upward on the inhalation and downward on the exhalation for as long as it feels appropriate, probably somewhere between three to five minutes. Concentrate on merging your breath and movement and being present every moment.

Mantra, the chanting of sacred words or sounds, is a central part of yogic meditation. Mantra comes from the combination of two syllables: “man,” meaning “to reflect” or “be aware,” and “tra,” meaning “tool for” or “agent of.” A mantra is a tool for reflection and the cultivation of awareness, and is used for both concentration and contemplation on the Source.

Within yoga, mantras are based upon sounds that reflect the energy of our divine nature. Om is considered to be the universal, consummate mantra. The following meditation is based upon the mantra “so hum,” (”I am that”) used within the traditions of Tantra and Vedanta. Since “so hum” also indicates the sound of the breath, it is a mantra that repeats itself effortlessly.

Find a comfortable posture for meditation (seated on a cushion or blanket, in a chair or against a wall). Place your palms facing up in jnana mudra (forefinger and thumb touching) with your palms facing up to open your awareness or facing down to calm the mind. Scan your body and relax any tension. Let your spine rise from the ground of the pelvis. Draw your chin slightly down and let the back of your neck lengthen.

Bring your attention to the tidal rhythm of your breath, feeling the rise and fall of your inhalation and exhalation. As your focus settles on your breath, begin to employ the simple mantra “so hum.” As you inhale, say “so” silently to yourself, and as you exhale say “hum.” Keep your focus on the sensation of your breath while silently repeating the sacred syllables, “so hum.” As you drink your inhalation, gently drawing your breath along the base of your throat, listen for the sound of “so.” As you exhale, listen for the sound of “hum” as your breath is amplified in the throat.

Let your mind become absorbed in the sound of so hum-in your internal chanting and your actual breath. As if you were watching the waves of the ocean, let your mind be naturally drawn into presence and stillnesso place to go, nothing to do, so hum, so hum. If a thought (vritti) arises, come back to the mantra so hum.

Rarely do I walk into a yoga class without hearing a teacher announce that yoga isn’t about poses. Yoga is far more profound than simply striking a pose, the teacher will say; it’s so much more than mastering a physical movement. I agree completely. And yet, I must admit, sometimes I feel a little guilty when I hear these words.Why? Because I like poses. I love the feeling, pure and simple, of the mindful movements of yoga. I love the ever-changing parade of poses that welcomes me each morning. Just as a child runs through the summer grass for no reason but simple joy, I love feeling my body move through space, shifting through these ancient shapes that feel so good from inside out.

When I see a yogi in an amazing pose, every cell in my body shouts, “Yes, me too!” Curiosity wells up from deep inside, and I wonder what it feels like to be inside a body whose foot is wrapped behind the head, whose hands and toes reach up to the sky in a graceful teardrop shape, or whose spine is so free it undulates like water with each breath. I am swept up in wonder at the unimaginably complex creatures that we are and at the sheer beauty of life.

Sometimes I feel a little shallow admitting my love of poses, since I know the asanas are just the door through which we set out on the shining path of yoga. I learned early on that what makes these movements yoga and not gymnastics is our intention. We practice not for the glory of impressive contortions, but for the clarity and wisdom that comes from observing our minds as we move through the asanas.

From the outside, it may appear that we’re merely playing with our bodies, but on the inside, we’re exploring and changing our consciousness. But even when I’m not as present as I’d like to be, I am amazed that simply changing the position of my body can deeply change my life.

Asanas offer me a bag of yoga tricks that help alleviate imbalances and ailments in my body. When my stomach is upset, I’ve learned that lying back in a well-supported Supta Virasana does the trick; when I’m frazzled, I ease my legs up the wall into Viparita Karani. When I’m sluggish all I need are a few Sun Salutes, and when my mind is spinning I head for a long forward bend. This pragmatic approach to yoga once bothered me a little, since it didn’t feel true to the discipline’s lofty aims. But then I decided if yoga were to offer nothing more than physical health and vitality, this gift would most certainly uplift my spirit.

I know that I’m a kinder, wiser, and more caring person when my hips aren’t aching, when my nose isn’t running, and when my mind’s a little more at ease.

Falling and Falling and Falling Again
Just because I love the poses doesn’t mean I find them easy. In fact, their difficulty only seems to heighten their allure. A tricky pose glues my mind to the present moment, forcing me to be here now. I like staring a new challenge in the face, studying it from every angle, using all my wits and intelligence and ability to mold my body into the shape of the asana.

And I love the childlike glee when I finally figure out how to balance free and clear in a big-sky backbend that has eluded me for years. I love falling and falling and falling again out of Headstand and then one day, for whatever reason, not falling. Something inside has shifted; today I can do something that yesterday I couldn’t. What does that say about all the other things in my life I think I cannot do?

Though I am not sure what you mean by Half Shoulderstand, breast size can interfere with all the Shoulderstand variations. The simple solution to your dilemma is to wear a very sturdy sports bra when you practice yoga. Of course, you will sacrifice comfort for this additional support, so this may not be an option if you can’t stand being confined.Your bra size indicates that while you are well endowed you are not a large woman. I encourage you to actively lift your rib cage off the throat while practicing Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand). As I instruct in my November 2001 Asana column on Sarvangasana in Yoga Journal, your primary support in this pose comes from this upward movement. If your lower ribs are caving in, your entire pose will weaken.

One of the great lessons of yoga is that the practice is subjective. As your practice matures, you understand what type of practice is most suitable for you and how certain poses affect you. Sometimes this insight includes realizing that particular asanas must be modified or abandoned altogether. If you cannot find the strength to lift your rib cage off of the throat in Shoulderstand (and breathe at the same time), some modification may be called for.

Rather than advising you to abandon Shoulderstand, I suggest you experiment with modifications. First, try placing several blankets on the floor under your arms and shoulders while you are in the pose. Try doing the pose with your hips angled back over your elbows more than your shoulders, and even put some support under your hips. Consult a certified Iyengar method teacher for help with these props.

Be assured that though your Shoulderstand may need to be modified, you will receive the benefits of the pose, such as improved circulation and more efficient digestion and elimination. Persevere, and you’ll profit from figuring out a way to practice this fabulous pose.

Bikram Yoga was created by Bikram Choudhury and incorporates 26 individual poses performed in sequence in a room heated between 90 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit. This high temperature allows the body to become more flexible for stretching and thus reduces the chance of injuries. Yet, as long as a person is consistent with the practice, outside temperature doesn’t make that much difference, according to Tony Sanchez, former Bikram Yoga teacher and founder of the San Francisco Yoga Studio.

“A person performing the Bikram poses in a lower temperature has to move much slower to avoid possible injury,” he says, “but as long as you move at a pace where you’re stretching without straining, then you can receive 100 percent of the benefits.”

However, first you need to learn the poses. There are several options: You can try to take the heat initially and attend some Bikram classes or study various Bikram books and videos. The important aspect, though, is to have a cumulative practice. “If you’re working on flexibility and you have the proper alignment and move at an adequate pace on a regular basis, then you’ll gain flexibility,” says Sanchez. “It’s the same if you’re trying to generate circulation. It has to be a continuously growing process.”

Bakasana, more accurately translated as Crane Pose, is the most important of all arm balances, since understanding how to do Bakasana lays the foundation for most arm balances. Arm balances are complex, and they reveal how the flexibility and strength that carry newcomers through many poses cannot replace skills mature yoga practitioners develop over years of practice.Most people who fail at this arm balance have not distributed their weight correctly. The most common mistake I see is students lifting their hips so high that their poses are too vertical?hey become diving cranes! Some people get the feet off the floor this way, but then their pose becomes very heavy on the arms. Crane Pose performed in this manner avoids the weight shift essential to understanding this asana and evolving into other arm balances. My feeling is, if you can’t go forward enough to risk falling, you won’t go forward enough to balance.

First, I want you to feel the abdominal and thigh action that is the core of support for Bakasana. Squat on your tiptoes and bend forward to position your shoulders or upper arms under the shins. (Some folks practice Bakasana with their knees pressed into the armpitsour choice). Strongly lift your head and chest while pressing the arms back against the shins. Without putting further weight on your arms, and keeping your chest lifted, pull your abdomen in and raise your hips to shoulder level. Though difficult, this action gives you a sense of where the real strength of arm balances comes from.

From this position, exhale, push forward from your feet, and move your elbows past your fingers so your arms slant forward. Keep your chest lifted! When you can do this, you will feel your weight shift from your feet to your hands, allowing the body to be lifted and supported by your arms. It’s as simple as that.

You can practice this difficult arm movement without the added burden of your full weight by kneeling and pushing your elbows past your fingers while scooping up your chest. If you look at a picture of someone doing Bakasana well, you will see the dramatic angle of the arms you seek.

So remember, use your abs and thighs to keep your hips at shoulder height, push forward to shift weight onto your hands, and lift your chest. When you become adept, refine the pose further by straightening your arms and pulling your feet as close to your hips as possible, letting your hips rise. Most of all, keep practicing!