Posts Tagged ‘yoga poses’

Happy Birthday Iyengar and Eka Hasta Bhujangasana (One Hand and Arm Pose)

Wednesday, December 15th, 2010

Eka Hasta Bhujangasana (One Hand and Arm Pose) registers as 5* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.

As mentioned in my previous post, Eka Hasta Bhujangasana can serve as great preparation for Astavakrasana. But, this yoga pose is awesome in its own right. For instruction on how to do Eka Hasta Bhujangasana, check out the Astavakrasana post.

Yesterday was BKS Iyengar’s 92nd birthday. Today, rather than focusing on the asana at hand, I’d like to take time to simply thank Iyengar for his contributions to all yogis and to me. Throughout my project to do all the poses in Light on Yoga,  I have been humbled, awe-struck, inspired and enlightened by the wisdom of BKS Iyengar’s words and the beauty of his practice. I hope that my blog provides you an outlet to share your passion for practice, and your reverence for the teachers who inspire you along your path.

Who inspires your practice? Celebrate those people today!

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Posted in Eka Hasta Bhujangasana | 1 Comment »

From Crooked to Straight in Astavakrasana (Pose Dedicated to the Sage Astavakra)

Friday, December 10th, 2010

Astavakrasana is named after the sage Astavakra. This yoga pose registers as 13* on the 60* scale of difficulty.

According to BKS Iyengar in Light on Yoga, while he was in his mother’s womb, Astavakra laughed at his father, Kagola, who made a mistake reciting the Vedas. Kagola was so angry at his son’s prenatal laughter that he cursed him to be born as Astavakra, or Eight-Crooks, and Astavakra was born crooked in eight places. Astavakra became a great young scholar, defeating the court scholar in a philosophical debate. Upon this victory, Kagola blessed his son and Astavakra’s deformities vanished and he was straight again.

The pose Astavakrasana requires crookedness to reach straightness. First, do Eka Hasta Bhujangasana (stay tuned – this is the next yoga pose in the blog). To do Eka Hasta Bhujangasana, extend your left leg long in front of you. Cradle your right leg in your arms and swing your right leg over your right shoulder so the back of your right knee is as high up your right shoulder as possible. The high placement of your bent leg on your shoulder is essential to moving into Astavakrasana. Then, press your hands down by your hips to lift yourself off the ground.

Next, bend your left leg and cross your left foot over your right. Press your feet into each other to help maintain the strength in your legs. Then begin to swing your hips over to the right and straighten your legs. Bend your elbows like you would in Chaturanga Dandasana. Squeeze your inner thighs together as much as possible and drop your torso parallel with the earth.

While Astavakrasana ultimately requires straight legs and straightening your body parallel to the floor, you can only achieve this by exaggerated crookedness in the steps leading up to the yoga pose. The crook of your knee resting on your shoulder in Eka Hasta Bhujangasana, the firm intertwining of your feet as you extend your legs, the 90 degree bend of your elbows all combine to assist you into a longer, straighter Astavakrasana.

BKS Iyengar’s method of getting into the pose differs slightly in that he doesn’t begin with Eka Hasta Bhujangasana and instead keeps both legs bent until the final moments before the complete pose. Personally, I prefer beginning in Eka Hasta Bhujangasana to remind myself to create length in my legs in the final pose. But you tell me – how do you get into Astavakrasana?

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Twisting into Pasasana (Noose Pose)

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

Pasasana (Noose Pose) registers as 15* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.

Even more so than Malasana, Pasasana develops ankle strength and flexibility. The twisting nature of this yoga pose also massages the abdominal organs  strengthens the spine. But, combining the low squat of Malasana with a spinal twist makes Pasasana a challenge.

If, like me, you cannot ground your heels to the earth in this asana, wedge a folded blanket under your heels. If you arrive into the twist and find that, like me, you cannot bind your hands together, gently rest them wherever they land on your back. From here, the real work of the yoga pose will be to learn how to both soften to your current experience of the pose and explore areas where you can create more space to twist. If none of these adjustments are sufficient, explore a twisting version of Malasana instead.

Cyndi Lee has a wonderful sequence in Yoga Journal to help guide practitioners toward Pasasana. Check it out, then report back on how it worked for you!

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Ankle Flexibility in Malasana (Garland Pose)

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

Malasana (Garland Pose) registers as 8* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.

BKS Iyengar performs this yoga pose differently than how we typically approach it during a yoga class. In most yoga classes, Malasana is performed as a more upright squat, rather than a forward fold.

The most noticeable difference between these two approaches appears in our heels. Performed upright, Malasana challenges many practitioners to bring their entire foot onto the ground. The asana requires a great deal of ankle flexibility, not to mention leg strength. But, when we practice Malasana as a forward fold, the challenge of resting our feet on the ground increases exponentially. The forward moving weight of our torsos tends to shift weight off our heels and onto the balls of our feet.

If, like me, you find that folding forward in Malasana lifts your heels off the mat, try either the more upright version of Malasana or the forward fold with a blanket underneath your heels. Grounding your heels into the earth or into the blanket will preserve the pose’s benefits to your ankle flexibility.

In Malasana I, rest the backs of your hands on the ground.

In Malasana 2, clasp your hands around the backs of your ankles.

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Posted in Malasana I | 2 Comments »

The Story Of Matsyendra: Ardha Matsyendrasana I (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose)

Thursday, November 18th, 2010

Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose) is a deep twisting asana that registers 8* on the 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.

BKS Iyengar recounts the story behind the name of this yoga pose: “It is related that once Lord Siva went to a lonely island and explained to his consort Parvati the mysteries of Yoga. A fish near the shore heard everything with concentration and remained motionless while listening. Siva, realising that the fish had learnt Yoga, sprinkled water upon it, and immediately the fish gained divine form and became Matsyendra (Lord of the Fishes) and thereafter spread the knowledge of Yoga.”

In Ardha Matsyendrasana, conjure up the curiosity and interest of Matsyendra, twisting yourself over as much as possible to hear the wisdom of yoga. Allow your thirst for knowledge to twist you from your core, from the center of your soul. May the depth of the twist be determined by the depth of your determination in the asana.

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Combining Strengths with Challenges in Marichyasana IV (Pose Dedicated to the Sage, Marichi, IV)

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

In Light on Yoga, Iyengar explains that Marichyasana IV (Pose Dedicated to the Sage, Marichi, IV) is a combination of Marichyasana II and Marichyasana III. This yoga pose registers as 11* on Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty.

Many asanas represent a combination or culmination of several yoga poses. Marichyasana IV encompasses both the hip and groin opening required in Marichyasana II and the deep twist of Marichyasana III. To perform the pose fully, as Iyengar does, you must create a great deal of opening in the lotus leg and a great deal of spinal flexibility for the twist. You will discover which of these two elements require more of your attention and focus when you begin to combine the two.

Because I have flexible hips, placing my foot into half lotus is fairly easy. But, twisting my spine enough to take the bind isn’t yet possible. So, I focus on isolating the part of the pose that most needs my attention: spinal and shoulder flexibility. Rather than forcing myself into a contorted and misshapen Marichyasana IV, I back off from the parts of the pose that challenge me the greatest so I can focus in on gently creating more space and openness where there is little.

Perhaps your struggle with the pose will be the opposite of mine. If so, take the bind and work with gently opening your hip toward half lotus. Toy with various placements of the lotus leg. Perhaps that foot can rest higher up your leg, closer to your knee, with your foot flexed. Perhaps you can come to half lotus, resting your knee on a block rather than near the floor.

As with so many combination yoga poses, draw upon your innate strengths to solidify a foundation, then explore the more challenging aspects from there. Most importantly, celebrate that which you can do. And remain curious about that which currently eludes you.

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Twisting and Binding in Marichyasana III (Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi, III)

Friday, November 12th, 2010

Marichyasana III (Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi, III) is a deep twisting bound asana, registering as 10* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.

Many practitioners are so eager to bind their arms behind their backs in this yoga pose that they slump through their torsos in order to bring their hands closer together. Ultimately, this misalignment reduces the positive benefits of the pose and can create back pain. So, pay attention to the dynamics of your torso as you begin to twist and turn toward your bent leg.If your back begins to round, you’ve reached your limit. Instead of taking the bind, bend your right elbow and place it on the outside of your left knee, tenting your left hand behind your sacrum. Your neck can turn forwards or backwards, depending on what feels most comfortable for you. This variation still provides you with many of the benefits Iyengar describes for this asana, including relief from backaches, toning the liver and spleen, neck strength, and intestinal health to name a few.

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Yoga Pose Nicknames: Bharadvajasana I and II (Pose Dedicated to Bharadvaja, I and II)

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

Bharadvajasana I (Pose Dedicated to Bharadvaja, I) registers as 1* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty as outlined in Light on Yoga. Bharadvajasana II registers as 2*.

Bharadvajasana I and II are very similar. The only difference between these two yoga poses is the placement of one hand. In these twisting asanas, you wrap an arm behind you to either grab your opposite upper arm (Bharadvajasana I) or the foot resting in the crease of your hip (Bharadvajasana II).

I consider this to be one of the most elegant, luxurious yoga poses on record. As Iyengar explains in Light on Yoga, Bharadvajasana is named after the father of Drona, a military predecessor to the Kauravas and Pandavas, the two groups who fight an epic war in the Mahabharata. I’ve always thought this yoga pose would be well named as Sri Devyasana. Sri means radiant, luminous, beautiful; devi means goddess. For me, the posture of this asana always calls to mind a beautiful goddess, seated in her splendor.

Many of us have our own name’s for poses. I’m sure plenty of us have a stream of interesting nicknames for Utkatasana, for example! What’s your favorite yoga pose nickname?

Iyengar in Bharadvajasana I (left) and II (right)

Me in Bharadvajasana II

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Core Toning and Back Strength in Uttana Padasana (Extended Leg Pose)

Monday, November 8th, 2010

Uttana Padasana (Extended Leg Pose) registers as 9* on BKS Iyengar’s scale of difficulty.

This yoga pose helps tone abdominal muscles, and strengthen back muscles. Furthermore, the extension and gentle bend in the neck stimulates the thyroid and helps regulate it’s activity.

If resting on only the crown of your head and your buttocks proves too challenging in this asana, try Paripurna Navasana instead. Navasana will still draw upon your core strength to help you tone your abs, but will not create strain on your neck.

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