Posts Tagged ‘yoga backbends’
Friday, May 13th, 2011
Bhujangasana II (Cobra Pose II) registers as 37* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.
In Bhujangasana II, you lay on your belly with knees bent, then lift your chest and clasp your knees with your hands. Then, you straighten your legs onto the floor. This pose requires both incredible back strength and incredible back flexibility. At this point in time, I don’t have enough of either to feel comfortable in the pose! So, instead I practice Bhujangasana I.
Iyengar explains that Bhujangasana II is a more intense version of Bhujangasana I and therefore has greater effects. While the effects of Bhujangasana II are certainly more potent given the depth of the pose, you can begin to taste the benefits of Bhujangasana II from the safety of Bhujangasana I – the lengthening of your spine, the opening of your chest and shoulders, and the strengthening of your back.
In these advanced poses, it’s important to remember that the pose’s benefits can often be accessed in a less intense variation. Savor the benefits of Bhujangasana from wherever you are in your practice.
Tags: backbending yoga poses, backbends, Bhujangasana I, Bhujangasana II, BKS Iyengar, Light on Yoga, yoga backbends
Posted in Bhujangasana II | No Comments »
Thursday, May 12th, 2011
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana IV (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose IV) registers as 40* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana IV combines Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I with Hanumanasana. Needless to say, this is a tough one! I know just a handful of people who ease into this pose. Personally, I’ve got a ways to go. Until your front leg securely rests on the floor in Hanumanasana, this pose will remain out of reach. You must start from a stable base to weave yourself into this deep backbend. If, like me, your front leg isn’t quite touching the floor, consider a modification of this pose. Place a block or two underneath your front thigh and then reach back for your back foot. You’ll get the flavor of the pose without the flailing!
Tags: backbending yoga poses, backbends, BKS Iyengar, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana IV, Hanumanasana, Light on Yoga, yoga backbends
Posted in Eka Pada Rajakapotasana IV, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana III (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose III) registers as 30* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty.
I had never tried this King Pigeon variation until now. It’s lovely! If Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I is in your practice and you are comfortable in Virasana, then try this one out. Notice, when I do Eka Pada Rajakapotasana III, I keep my heel slightly tucked underneath me. This helps me prevent torque in my knee. Be thoughtful and aware of the sensations of your Virasana knee when you attempt Eka Pada Rajakapotasana III.
Have you tried Eka Pada Rajakapotasana III? Share your thoughts!
Tags: backbending yoga poses, backbends, BKS Iyengar, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana III, Light on Yoga, Virasana, yoga backbends
Posted in Eka Pada Rajakapotasana III | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose II) registers as 29* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.
I find Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II much more difficult than Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I. Keeping your left foot on the floor with your left shin 45 degrees to the floor requires incredible ankle flexibility. Simultaneously, keeping your right quadricep on the earth requires great flexibility in your right hip flexor. And, of course, there’s also the backbend, which also requires great flexibility in your spine!
Quite honestly, I’m a bit baffled by Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II. Time and patience seem to be the keys to unlocking the path forward in this asana. I’d love to hear from you. How are you working with this pose or working towards it?
Tags: backbending yoga poses, backbends, BKS Iyengar, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II, Light on Yoga, yoga backbends
Posted in Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II | 2 Comments »
Monday, May 9th, 2011
Valakhilyasana (Pose Dedicated to The Valakhilya) registers as 45* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.
The Valakhilya, Iyengar explains, “were heavenly spirits the size of a thumb, produced from the Creator’s body.” Truly, the times I’ve seen anyone take this asana, it looks as if a spirit is springing forth from their body. The depth of this pose is almost unfathomable to me.
As you can see, I have a loooong way to go before I find Valakhilyasana in my body. But, I can offer you a suggested pathway toward the pose. Firstly, as Iyengar insists, you must feel comfortable in Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I before attempting Valakhilyasana or else you may risk injury. Once you are comfortable in Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I, work on Valakhilyasana against a wall. Place the foot of your extended leg against a wall. Then curl your upper back and reach back for the wall with your arms. Once your fingers touch the wall, begin slowly (perhaps over the course of several years!) walking your fingers down the wall towards your back foot. As always, you must honor the voice within your body that tells you you’ve reached a limit.
I know just a small few people who can do this pose. For those of you who practice Valakhilyasana or are working towards it, please share your advice on this incredibly challenging, complex asana!
Tags: backbending yoga poses, backbends, BKS Iyengar, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I, Light on Yoga, Valakhilyasana, yoga backbends
Posted in Valakhilyasana | 2 Comments »
Sunday, May 8th, 2011
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose I) registers as 28* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I is one of my favorite and, I believe, one of the most beautiful yoga poses. It took me years to settle into Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I. I was delighted and astonished the first time I pressed the sole of my foot onto my head in this pose.
BKS Iyengar takes Eka Pada Rajakapotasana one step further. Rather than placing the sole of his foot on his head, Iyengar draws his upper lip to his heel. This deepens the already intense backbend and requires an even greater amount of opening in both the chest and the hips.
But, as with so many poses, the depth of Iyengar’s pose doesn’t increase its beauty. Its the spirit of the pose, the energetic brilliance of it, that makes Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I shine – whether you’re using a strap, placing your foot on your head, or placing your lips to your heel. The fullness of heart in Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I takes my breath away. Whether you modify the pose or take it to its ultimate depths, the completeness with which you offer your heart into is what makes the pose beautiful.
Tags: backbending yoga pose, backbends, BKS Iyengar, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I, Light on Yoga, yoga backbends
Posted in Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I | 9 Comments »
Friday, May 6th, 2011
Vrschikasana II (Scorpion Pose II) registers as 33* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.
Iyengar explains that Vrschikasana II is a harder version of Vrschikasana I since, in Vrschikasana II, you are balancing in Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand). It is much more difficult to balance in this position than in the Pincha Mayurasana variation.
In his description of the pose, Iyengar provides a poignant description of Vrschikasana’s psychological benefits:
The head, which is the seat of knowledge and power, is also the seat of pride, anger, hatred, jealousy, intolerance and malice. These emotions are more deadly than the poison which the scorpion carries in its sting. The yogi, by stamping on his head with his feet, attempts to eradicate these self-destroying emotions and passions. By kicking his head he seeks to develop humility, calmness and tolerance and thus to be free of ego. The subjugation of the ego leads to harmony and happiness.
In advanced poses like Vrschikasana, ego can easily get in the way. Ego shows up as recklessness when we push past our edges for the sake of “achieving” a pose; ego shows up as self-criticism when we judge ourselves for not being able to go as deep into a pose as our fellow yogis.
Kick your ego out the door when you begin exploring these advanced poses – or any poses, for that matter! Approach them with humility and reverence. It doesn’t matter whether or not you can kick your head with your feet. What matters is the intention you’re bringing onto your mat and into your life. Purity of heart is the most advanced pose of all.
Tags: backbending yoga poses, backbends, BKS Iyengar, inversions, inverted yoga poses, Light on Yoga, Vrschikasana I, Vrschikasana II, yoga backbends
Posted in Vrschikasana II | 7 Comments »
Thursday, May 5th, 2011
Vrschikasana I (Scorpion Pose) registers as 32* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty. As Iyengar explains, Vrschikasana I resembles a scorpion preparing to strike.
In the past month or so, I’ve learned how to balance in Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Stand) in the center of the room, but I don’t feel comfortable trying this variation in the center of the room yet. So, I work on Vrschikasana I against a wall.
First, take Pincha Mayurasana against the wall, leaving about a foot of space between your fingertips and the wall. If you feel solid in Pincha Mayurasana against the wall, start exploring walking your toes down the wall, towards your head. Keep your head lifted, melt your heart towards the floor and maybe, just maybe, toy with removing your feet from the wall. I’m comfortable balancing for a bit with my feet away from the wall, but when it comes to reaching my feet towards my head, I’m not quite there yet!
As with so many of the poses I’ll be talking about in the next few weeks, in Vrschikasana I it’s important to exercise caution, patience and a very good sense of humor. Some day my feet may touch my head. Or they won’t. The fun lives in the discovery, exploration, and honoring of the edges in my practice.
Tags: backbending yoga poses, backbends, BKS Iyengar, inversions, inverted yoga poses, Light on Yoga, Pincha Mayurasana, Vrschikasana I, yoga backbends
Posted in Vrschikasana I | 5 Comments »
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
Mandalasana (Mandala Pose, or Wheel Pose) registers as 27* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty.
In Mandalasana, your head and forearms remain in Salamba Sirsasana I position. From there you walk your feet in a full clockwise circle around your body, then take a counter-clockwise circle back to your starting position. This movement requires shoulder opening and strengthening to keep your arms and head grounded in Salamba Sirsasana I, deep side stretching as you walk away from your starting point, and faith and gusto as you flip your torso face up/face down several times.
For now, I don’t practice this pose alone – only in the safety of the advanced class I attend each week, and with careful assists and a lot of encouragement! If Salamba Sirsasana I and Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana are in your practice and you’d like to give Mandalasana a shot, I highly recommend enlisting the assistance of a friend and two mats (to prevent your feet from slipping).
Check out the footage of today’s practice where we worked on this pose.
Notice how much love and care I had from Therese Chavez as she assisted me through the pose! And hear the encouragement of my fellow yogis. And thank John Madden for even shooting the video in the first place! This is the kind of yoga that builds community and makes us stronger – as individuals and as practitioners.
Many, many thanks to my kula for supporting me as I made my way through. Thoughtful assists and heartfelt encouragement are powerful keys in a practice – especially for unlocking these advanced poses! When you’re faced with uncertainty in a pose, the support of your fellow yogis can help you come full circle, straight into your highest potential.
When has a careful assist opened you to a new experience within a pose? What do you love most about your kula?
Tags: backbending yoga poses, backbends, BKS Iyengar, Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana, Light on Yoga, Mandalasana, Salamba Sirsasana I, yoga assists, yoga backbends
Posted in Mandalasana | 4 Comments »
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011
Chakra Bandhasana (Chakra Bond Pose) registers as 31* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.
As Iyengar explains, in Chakra Bandhasana all of the chakras are stimulated. You can see why! This pose is a major backbend requiring opening across the entire length of the spine – from Muladhara Chakra (Root Chakra) to Sahasrara Chakra (Crown Chakra).
As I journey toward the final twenty poses in Light on Yoga, the backbends grow increasingly challenging and, at this point in my practice, inaccessible! Given that I can’t yet reach my hands to my heels in Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana II, I’m not quite ready for Chakra Bandhasana either. But, I delight in exploring the pose from wherever I am – marveling at the power and grace of the human form as it expresses itself in my poses or in the drama of Iyengar’s. With just twenty poses out of 200 left, the goal is not to “do” the most advanced asanas. The goal is to celebrate the practice from exactly where we are on our mats, right now.
What will you celebrate in your practice today?
Tags: backbending yoga poses, backbends, BKS Iyengar, Chakra Bandhasana, Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana II, Light on Yoga, yoga backbends
Posted in Chakra Bandhasana | No Comments »
