Yoga pose | Musasana | Studying one Yoga Pose Month

Study Points for the Yoga Pose of the Month: Maricyasana I (Marici's Pose I)

Yoga pose of the month:  Let's study Maricyasana I (Marici's Pose I) this month.  Take this month to spend time in this pose, teach it to your students, and bring it into your practice.  Here are some ideas for you to consider:

1. Are you getting a stretch in your hamstrings (the muscle group on the back of you thighs)?
2. Play with the extension and engagement of your straight leg.  Can you use the engagement of the leg to get a longer spine?  To open your heart more?
3. We tend to forget the bent leg.  Keep it active, too.  Press into the foot, engage the inner thighs, what can you do with it to improve the integrity of your pose?
4. How much bend in the lower back is too much?  The spine does gently round in this pose, but you want to initiate the fold from the hip hinge, not the lower back.  Make sure you feel a stretch in your hamstrings before your back.

If you are a teacher, challenge yourself to teach this pose in each class this month.  Add this component:  Can you find something new to teach (and learn)?

 

Study Points for the Yoga Pose of the Month: Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose)

 

Yoga pose of the month:  Let's study Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose) this month.  Take this month to spend time in this pose, teach it to your students, bring it into your practice, and bring on a deeper sense of reflection this season.  Here are some ideas for you to consider:

1. Tip forward and back over the front leg.  Is there a position for your torso that feels more balanced over both legs?  Move into this investigation with a beginner's mind -- assume you weren't balanced before so you can honestly play with a deeper alignment.
2. Play with the pressure on your back foot.  Can you make it more balanced?  Broaden through the foot more -- does it help you use your back leg move effectively?
3. Play with the pressure on your front foot.  Is the weight balanced throughout?  Do you have more pressure in one spot than another?  As you shift your weight around, notice the effect on the thigh.

If you are a teacher, challenge yourself to teach this pose in each class this month.  Add this component:  Can you find something new to teach (and learn)?

 

Study Points for the Yoga Pose of the Month: Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

 

Yoga pose of the month:  Let's study Ustrasana (Ustrasana Pose) this month.  Take this month to spend time in this pose, teach it to your students, bring it into your practice, and bring on a deeper sense of reflection this season.  Here are some ideas for you to consider:

1. Compare and contrast doing a standing back bend (as if you are moving into a drop back) and one on your knees (into Ustrasana).  There are interesting differences and similarities that might help you gain insight into your own Ustrasana.
2. The head position can often create strife in this pose.  Take your pose to the wall so you rest your head on the wall (have your back to the wall) or have a friend hold your head so you can enjoy and explore the pose without any discomfort in your neck.
3. Play with various arm positions.  Here are a few suggestions.
4. Play with variations:  Ardha Utrasana (one foot is up in front like you are in lunge) Ustrasana Twist (while in Ustrasana, lift one arm.)

If you are a teacher, challenge yourself to teach this pose in each class this month.  Add this component:  Can you find something new to teach (and learn)?

Study Points for the Pose of the Month: Balasana (Child's Pose)

Yoga pose of the month:  Let's study Balasana (Child's Pose) this month.  I chose this one specifically during the season of giving, receiving and reflection.  Yet, this season tends to become more hectic and frenetic.  Take this month to spend time in Balasana (Child's Pose), teach it to your students, bring it into your practice, and bring on a deeper sense of reflection this season.  Here are some ideas for you to consider:

1. We have another deceptively easy pose this month.  Consider first why you do this pose.  What are the benefits for you?  There are many different variations to this pose, knees together or apart, arms overhead or by your feet, all have a different effect on your body and mind.  What do you want from the pose and are you doing the best position to receive your desired effects?
2. Where do you rest on your head?  If you rest closer to your nose or hairline, does it affect your calm?  Is it better if you lift your head onto a block or blanket?
3. Where can you rest your arms for the deepest release in your shoulders?  You want to feel your shoulder blades fall out to the side.
4. Add a weight to your lower back (sand bag or bag of rice or even simply an eyebag).  Does the weight add to your sense of calm?
5. How does your breath feel?  You want your breath to move into your back body, a deeply relaxing breath.  Is there a way you can expand your breath to be even more peaceful?

If you are a teacher, challenge yourself to teach this pose in each class this month.  Add this component:  Can you find something new to teach (and learn)?

Study Points for the Yoga Pose of the Month: Ashva Sanchalanasana (Lunge Pose)

Yoga pose of the month:  Let's study Ashva Sanchalanasana (Lunge Pose) this month.  Here are some ideas for you to consider:

1. This pose is deceptively easy.  We often lose awareness in easy poses since they are easy for us and don't require concentraly.  Have you spent time really studying this pose recenty?  Pay attention to where you are feeling each of the variations (knee down and knee up).
2. Where is the weight in your front foot for each variation?  Where do you feel changes in the pose when you put weight in the heal?  The ball of the foot?
3. Can you engage the entire body with the knee up?  Feel from the heal all the way out your head?  (You will know if you are if you change the lift of your chin and you lose the engaged feeling.)
4. Compare and contrast the knee down versus knee up position.  My students often consider the knee down a preparation for knee up.  While it is easier, it works on different areas of the hip joint.

If you are a teacher, challenge yourself to teach this pose in each class this month.  Add this component:  Can you find something new to teach (and learn)?

Study Points for the Yoga Pose of the Month: Parivrtta Parsva Konasana (Revolved Side-Angle Pose)

Yoga pose of the month:  Let's study Parivrtta Parsva Konasana (Revolved Side-Angle Pose) this month.  Here are some ideas for you to consider:

1. To take the heal down or not.  Play with both ways and compare and contrast.
2. The upper arm can be in a number or positions -- over the head (as pictured), up toward the ceiling, or even on the thigh.  What feels best for you?
3. Are you lengthening along the back of your leg well?  Are you straightening enough?  Too much (and hyper-extending the knee)?
4. What do you need to do to deepen the  twist?  What needs to change?
5. How does this pose differ from Parivrtta Trikonasana?

If you are a teacher, challenge yourself to teach this pose in each class this month.  Add this component:  Can you find something new to teach (and learn)?

 

Study Points for the Yoga Pose of the Month: Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III Pose)

Yoga pose of the month:  Let's study Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III Pose) this month.  Here are some ideas for you to consider:

1. There are two ways to enter this pose, through Tadasana (Mountain Pose) by simply tipping into it and through Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose).  Practice entering the pose both ways.  How are the two ways similar?  Different?  They each have their pros and cons.  What are they for you?
2. Two similar poses to this one are Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big Toe Pose) and Ardha Adho Mukha Svanasana (Half Downward Facing Dog Pose).  These poses are the same position but use gravity differently.  Use these poses to learn more about your Virabhadrasana III pose. 
   
3. Try different arm positions.  Take them out the side, back by your hips, in the anjali mudra (namaste), clasp them behind your back.  Experiment.  What comes up for you?

If you are a teacher, challenge yourself to teach this pose in each class this month.  Add this component:  Can you find something new to teach (and learn)?

Study Points for the Yoga Pose of the Month: Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big Toe Pose)

 

Yoga pose of the month:  Let's study Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big Toe Pose) this month.  Here are some ideas for you to consider:

1. Which do you prefer, having the lower leg bent or straight?  Practice Satya (truth, integrity) with this pose this month.  Is it time for you to challenge yourself and straighten the leg?  Or do you straighten the leg and really need to have it bent to be in alignment?
2. If you keep the bottom leg straight, can you reach those both legs equally?
3. Play with where you rest the strap on your foot.  The pose is different (and works different areas) when it is on the arch of the foot, the heal, or the ball of the foot.
4. Play with where the shoulders rest and how much reach you have with the arms.  What gives your body and pose more integrity?

If you are a teacher, challenge yourself to teach this pose in each class this month.  Add this component:  Can you find something new to teach (and learn)?

Study Points for the Yoga Pose of the Month: Upavistha Konasana (Open Angle Pose)

Yoga pose of the month:  Let's study Upavistha Konasana (Open Angle Pose) this month! 

1. Play with how far apart your feet are.  How does the distance affect the pose?  Does it affect how grounded you feel?
2. Pay particular attention to your lower back.  If your pelvis is tipped back, your lower back will be uncomfortable.  Play with sitting up on a lift and see if your lower back feels better.
3. If you have always been on a lift, begin playing with coming off the lift and being on the floor.  Are you ready?
4. Do you engage your legs in this pose?  Play with engaging your legs even more, letting them be heavy so your torso can be lighter.  Can you engage them without contracting the hip flexors?  (The muscles on the front of the thighs, right at the hip?)

If you are a teacher, challenge yourself to teach this pose in each class this month.  Add this component:  Can you find something new to teach (and learn)?

 

Study Points for the Yoga Pose of the month: Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)

Yoga pose of the month:  Let's study Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose) this month! 

1. Play with how far apart your feet are.  How does the distance affect the alignment of your pelvis?  Your shoulders?  How grounded you feel?
2. This pose needs the back body fully engaged. Is yours?  What do you need to do to fully engage it?
3. Play with your arm position.  Can you keep the arms extended firmly when you have them closer together?  Further apart?  How does what they are doing affect your neck?  The engagement of the back of your body?
4. To tip the head or not...ahhh...that warrants a separate post.  Stay tuned!

If you are a teacher, challenge yourself to teach this pose in each class this month.  (Hopefully you already do!)  Add this component:  Can you find something new to teach (and learn)?