Pose of the Week - Warrior II

Virabhadrasana II

1.  Start with feet wide.  Inhale extend arms to side.

2.  Turn your left foot in slightly (almost parallel with back edge of mat); turn right leg out directly to the side (front of mat).

3.  Keeping your legs engaged, exhale and bend your right knee to 90 degrees

4.  Hold for several breaths. To release pull legs to one another to engage the muscles, inhale and come out.

The "Big 3" Directives:

1.  Engagement - Engage leg muscles to the bone.  Draw muscular energy from the floor up into the pelvis.

2.  Alignment - Align right heel with left foot.  Keep torso vertical (meaning hips square to side of mat)  Outer spiral both thighs = Left thigh back and lifting away from floor.  Right thigh parallel to floor.  Right knee toward pinky toe = outer spiral of right thigh.

3. Gaze - Out past right fingertips.

Organic line of Energy - Heart to fingertips

Muscular line of energy - Hip to blade, knee to hip, knee to heel

"Crown-to-tail" is your Primary Line in EVERY pose.  Crown-to-tail means root your tailbone towards the Lord's foundation and lengthen your crown towards heaven and HIS wisdom.

"By wisdom the LORD laid the Earth's foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place."  Proverbs 3:19.

In class you often hear me say "action over form" - this also means "honor the primary line"- or I also often say "maintain integrity of the spine".  They all mean, come out of the pose if needed to honor the Primary Line. In this pose, for example, if one were leaning into the front leg or knee or taking the knee past the foot they would need to shorten their stance to maintain the Primary line.  Make sense?

*Final tips:

As you root down through the outer edge of your "back" foot, energetically lift the inner thigh toward your pelvis ("outer spiral").  It is the practice of giving and receiving.  It teaches us to exert but also be conscious enough (soft/supple enough)  to receive Him (Jesus)  in every thing we do.  It calls us to be intentional and present.



Pose of the Week - TREE / "Vrksasana"

Obviously "Vrksasana" is a balance pose but more than just balance it is a praise and worship pose.  With two hands extended and one foot grounded the 3 physical components of the pose go hand in hand with the 3 components of any pose - mind, body and spirit.  With my mind I meditate on you father....on your greatness, mercy and strength. (Ps. 77:12)  With my arms extended overhead, I praise you through your temple, my body. (1 Cor. 6:17 / 6:19-20)  With my heart open, your holy spirit soars through me flowing freely as grace, acceptance and love fills me so full, I overflow (1 Thes. 3:12)  For me, Tree pose is just this....an outpouring, an overflow, an offering.  Furthermore, it is a wonderful transition pose.  I often use it to flow into Virabhadrasana III /Warrior III or Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana / Standing Hand to Big Toe Pose.

1.  Spread toes and root down into 4 corners of your foot.

2.  Draw foot inward to the core and pelvis. Place above the knee - never on or against the knee cap.

3.  *Biggest Tip:  Hug the foot and the thigh together.  Use the foot against the flesh of the standing leg upper inner thigh to create deeper inner spiral.  At the socket of the standing leg's femur bone into hip - inner spiral (your bottom will stick out), then lengthen / scoop the tailbone downward.  This is not really a pelvic tilt but rather a lengthening of the tailbone down.  This will take the sway out of the back and create length.  Remember - "action over form"....Anusara inspiration.

4.  Place hands together at your heart.  Extend hands overhead into any variation as your feel comfortable.

5.  Lengthen the side body from hips to shoulders and bring shoulder blades on to back.

Modification:  Bring foot only as high as ankle / below knee.

Drishti:  Forward or upward.

Physical benefits:  Remedies flat feet, strengthens arches, ankles, calves and thighs

improves balance and circulation

Mental benefits:  Clears the mind, cultivates poise and focus

*Additional tip:  Great for runners or any athletes to strengthen ankles - close eyes as you hold the pose!



Pose of the Week - "Paschimottanasana"

What is it about seated forward folds that feels so yummy?  Especially, when used as a counter stretch.  Forward bends are calming and soothing to the nervous system.  They bring deeper internal awareness.  They release tension by opening up the entire backside of the body: hamstrings, buttocks and lower back.  They also improve digestion and increase circulation to lower extremities, to name just a few yummy benefits. The KEY to this pose *lead with your heart rather than your head.  Maybe we should also make this the key to life in general.  In fact, I think I'll try it tomorrow.  What does my heart want to do?  Dance in a field of flowers with my husband (whose been away for 4 days!), eat strawberries dipped in chocolate and laugh at his jokes until my belly hurts......

Okay, sorry back on track!

1.  Sit tall, press hands down into floor, draw lower back inward and upward

2.  Inhale bring arms over head lengthen spine

3.  Exhale grab big toes with index and middle fingers.  Press big toes forward while resisting back.

4.  Inhale and extend lower belly thru top of head. Slide hands to outside of feet, widen elbows and draw sternum toward toes.  Keep legs straight and active.  *Lead with heart not head.

Modification for tight hamstrings / lower back:  Sit on folded blanket to elevate hips.  Use strap around feet.

Variation:  For deeper lower back release, bend knees taking the hamstrings out of the equation and puff kidneys to back of mat, rock gently side to side.

Dristi ("gazing point"):  Toes (or shins)

FALL into your FORWARD FOLDS like never before.....enjoy the yummy!