Posts Tagged ‘seated yoga poses’

Samakonasana (Same Angle Pose)

Monday, March 28th, 2011

Samakonasana (Same Angle Pose) registers as 38* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty.

BKS Iyengar says Samakonasana is more difficult than Hanumanasana. As usual, Iyengar is right. Separating your legs completely apart from each other takes incredible hip flexibility and hamstring openness. I’m not quite there yet myself, but here are a few poses I use to help warm up to Samakonasana: Baddha Konasana, Upavistha Konasana, and Adho Mukha Mandukasana. Of all of these poses, I find Adho Mukha Mandukasana to be the most helpful in preparation for Samakonasana.

Is Samakonasana something you’re exploring in your practice? If so, how do you warm up to it?

 

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Hanumanasana (Pose Dedicated to Hanuman, the Monkey God)

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

Hanumanasana (Pose Dedicated to Hanuman, the Monkey God) registers as 36* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty.

In my experience as a teacher, Hanumanasana may be one of my students’ least favorite poses. Beyond being an extremely challenging yoga pose, Hanumanasana offers no short cuts – there’s no secret trick to getting your legs to completely touch the floor (unless you consider years of practice a secret trick). Iyengar said “It takes a long time to master this position and to attain it one must make several attempts each day.” Hanumanasana tests the practitioners’s flexibility and patience more than most.

To approach Hanumanasana, start by kneeling at the top of your mat, with the top of your mat folded over for extra padding. Then, place your right foot on a blanket on the floor in front of you. Place blocks at their highest height next to your hips and position your hands there. Keep your hip points facing forward and begin to push your right foot away, sliding it along the blanket, away from your midline.  At some point in your journey, your right hip may start moving forward past your right. Draw your right hip back in line with your left and allow the opening to originate from your right hamstring and your left hip flexor instead. If you find you’re hunching over your right extended leg, lift yourself back upright. Lower the height of your blocks under your hands if you find you can still sit tall with the blocks slightly lower. If you come down low enough, explore placing a block underneath your right thigh and reaching your arms up to the sky.

For me, every inch forward in Hanumanasana has taken innumerable practices on my mat. And each inch forward is a victory! True, the slow pace forward towards a pose can be frustrating at times, but it’s important to look at every tiny progression as a step forward and as an accomplishment. Those tiny movements towards greater opening are the evidence of your commitment to your practice. Celebrate them, one millimeter at a time.

Which poses do you celebrate the little victories in?

 

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Kandasana (Knotted Root Pose)

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

Kandasana (Knotted Root Pose) registers as 39* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty.

Iyengar says, “As the pelvic and other joints of the leg are rotated, it takes a long time to master the pose.” My guess is that it probably takes about 20 years to master Kandasana. Look at Iyengar’s legs! Wowzers!

Iyengar starts in Baddha Konasana, with his feet splayed open like a book – the soles of his feet facing up. I’m still working on this most preliminary stage. Until my feet completely open, I’m not ready to start drawing my feet toward my navel.

If you, like me, are puzzled by the physical possibility of Kandasana, remember: working toward Kandasana is a slow, step by step, process. It may take years! Shoot, it may not happen! In the meantime, enjoy the steps along the way – the gradual unfurling of your feet, the subtle opening of your hips, and the expansive patience generated through this practice.

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Surprising Seated Poses: Vamadevasana II (Pose Dedicated to the Sage, Vamadeva II)

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

Vamadevasana II (Pose dedicated to the sage, Vamadeva II) registers as 15* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty.

Vamadevasana II is an intense stretch for your hips, your knees and your feet. If Padmasana, Bharadvajasana and Vamadevasana I aren’t comfortable for you, Vamadevasana II may be too strenuous. But, if each of those poses feels comfortable, then Vamadevasana II may feel delicious! Despite the contorted appearance of the pose, I think Vamadevasana II feels great on my knees and hips once I’m ready for it.

Throughout this project to do all the poses in Light on Yoga, I’ve discovered many new poses that, while seemingly difficult, I find rather enjoyable. Which poses have surprised you with their juiciness, despite the way they look?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Vamadevasana I (Pose Dedicated to the Sage, Vamadeva I)

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011

Vamadevasana I (Pose Dedicated to the Sage, Vamadeva I) registers as 15* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty.

BKS Iyengar instructs the practitioner to place the left leg in Mulabandhasana and the right leg in Padmasana. If, like me, Mulabandhasana isn’t quite accessible, try sitting on your left foot instead or placing your left foot in close to your pelvis.

Vamadevasana I bears similarities to Bharadvajasana, but placing your foot underneath your pelvis, challenges your balance in this pose! If Bhardvajasana is in your practice, give Vamadevasana I a shot and observe the not-so-subtle differences a subtle adjustment can make.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Yogadandasana (Yogi’s Staff Pose)

Saturday, March 5th, 2011

Yogadandasana (Yogi’s Staff Pose) registers as 19* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty.

Iyengar says, “It takes time and practice to be comfortable in the asana, but when you are it is restful… In this pose, the spine is rested and the body relaxed.”

On first glance, Yogadandasana doesn’t look “restful” by any stretch of the imagination. But, Iyengar is right. Once your body is open and flexible enough to get into the pose, you’ll be surprised by how comfortable it is. Before you do Yogadandasana, ensure you feel comfortable in Virasana, Bharadvajasana and Padmasana. Once those poses feel easeful, give Yogadandasana a shot. Start with your left leg in Virasana, your right leg in Padmasana. Then start raising your Padmasana leg up toward your right armpit. The second you feel the least bit of discomfort in your knees or ankles, back off!

How do you feel in Yogadandasana? What are your tips for accessing this pose?

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Bringing Back Strength in Eka Pada Sirsasana (Foot-Behind-the Head Pose)

Monday, January 24th, 2011

“Until one has practised the posture, one does not realise the weight and pressure of the leg which rests on the neck.” – BKS Iyengar on Eka Pada Sirsasana (Foot-Behind-the-Head Pose)

Eka Pada Sirsasana registers as 15* on the 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga. I didn’t actually think I’d find this pose too difficult. Swinging my leg behind my head has become more commonplace as I practice more often and more rigorously. For me, the greater challenge of Eka Pada Sirsasana arose when I took my hands off the ground into Anjali mudra.

BKS Iyengar says that you don’t realize how weighty your leg is on the back of your neck until you try this pose. I would offer a more detailed statement: you don’t realize how weight your leg is on the back of your neck until you take your hands off the ground. When your hands are on the ground, you can press down into your arms to help you sit up tall and shift your leg weight off of your neck and onto your shoulders. But, removing your hands from the ground is a game-changer. All of the sudden, you must rely solely on the strength of your core abdominal muscles, your back, your shoulders and your neck to keep from collapsing under the surprisingly heavy weight of your shin.

Try this pose both ways – hands on the floor next to your hips, then hands in front of your heart. Observe the differences. What do you notice most?

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