Enjoy this addition to Musasana! My husband, Ron Erdman-Luntz, is a Tai Chi Master, specializing in helping people feel the flow of their chi. He has been guiding me in my yoga practice for years and now he is sharing it with others! He is now teaching Chi Kung for Yoga workshops and will soon be releasing a Yoga DVD.
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Categories
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) (2)
- Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) (2)
- Ashva Sanchalanasana (Lunge Pose) (2)
- Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) (4)
- Balasana (Child's Pose) (3)
- Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) (4)
- Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose) (7)
- Chi Flow (3)
- Current Affairs (1)
- Dandasana (Staff Pose) (9)
- Deepening Your Pose (24)
- Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) (2)
- How To Videos (3)
- Janu Sirsasana (Head of the Knee Pose) (4)
- Jathara Parivartanasana (Stomach Turning Pose) (1)
- Malasana (Garland Pose) (2)
- Maricyasana I (Maric's Pose I) (1)
- Maricyasana III (Marichi's Pose) (3)
- Parivrtta Parsva Konasana (Revolved Side-Angle Pose) (1)
- Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose) (3)
- Parsva Konasana: Side-Angle Pose (4)
- Parsvottanasana (Extended Side Stretch) (5)
- Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide Stance Forward Fold) (1)
- Salambhasana (Locust Pose) (4)
- Savasana (Corpse Pose) (6)
- Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (3)
- Study Points (29)
- Sukhasana (Easy Cross-Legged Pose) (3)
- Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big Toe Pose) (2)
- Tadasana (Mountain Pose) (8)
- Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) (4)
- Twists (2)
- Upavistha Konasana (Open Angle Pose) (2)
- Urdhva Mukha Danurasana (UpDog) (5)
- Ustrasana (Camel Pose) (3)
- Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose) (1)
- Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose) (4)
- Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose) (2)
- Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III Pose) (1)
- Virasana (Hero's Pose) (2)
- Vrksasana (Tree Pose) (5)
Parsvottanasana (Extended Side Stretch)
03/04/2013
03/15/2011
Parsvottanasana: Exploring Poses You Don't Like
It is far too easy to shy away from poses we dislike, conveniently "forgetting" to practice or simply making sure we don't! But poses we dislike have something to teach us. There are lessons for us physically, mentally, emotionally, energetically, or spiritually (or sometimes all of the above!) I have a personal example from this month's pose I would like to share with all of you.
A couple of years ago, I posted this:
Okay, this month's pose is one of my least favorite. I injured my hamstring 13 years ago and this pose was the one that most aggravated the injured state. About two months ago I healed the injury completely. Anyway, I taught the pose this morning and realized, even though my injury is gone, I still have animosity toward the pose! This month I vow to include it in every practice and teach it in every class. It is time to learn more from this pose. It obviously has something to teach me.
A month later, I posted this:
At the beginning of the month, I posted about how I didn't care for this pose much. I vowed to practice it and teach it in every class for the month to explore where it was my attitude came from. My students and I played with working the feet more, engaging the legs more fully, opening the heart more. I discovered what I didn't like...I have to work harder in the pose than, well, I wanted to. I wasn't working my legs enough, grounding the back heal and the ball of the front foot. I discovered that grounding the back foot helped wake up my back hamstring and the inner thigh. I also discovered that I needed to draw the femur bone in more as I drew up and over the front leg. Phew! Good stuff! Now, while I don't profess to loving the pose yet...I do understand its gift to me...
Don't let your feelings about a pose keep you from learning what it has to teach you. Face the pose with the courage of an explorer and the gentleness and compassion of a friend. Undoubtedly you will learn much about yourself!
parsvottanasana
Originally uploaded by jennasuz
03/06/2011
02/28/2011
Study Points for the Yoga Pose of the Month: Parsvottanasana (Extended Side Stretch)
Yoga pose of the month: Let's study Parsvottanasana (Extended Side Stretch Pose) this month. Here are some ideas for you to consider:
- Before moving into the pose, feel complete equality between each leg. Then move slowly into the pose maintaining that equality.
- Explore the connection between your back heal and your heart.
- How does your head position affect your heart?
- Play with where you place your arms behind your back. While reverse namaste may be the final pose, the average yoga student does not have the wrist or shoulder flexibility to do this one safely (or comfortably!) Try clasping your elbows or even forearms. What about lacing your fingers behind your back? That can be a lovely chest opener! Do you have a position you prefer? Why?
- Play with how far apart your feet are. How does the distance affect the pose? Does it affect how grounded you feel? You can play with both how far they are from each other lengthwise and widthwise. Just be careful playing with the width. When feet are crossed too far (even heal to arch) or too far apart (wider than the sit bones), it can be hard on the Sacro-iliac joint.
- Can you ground more through your back leg? Press the heal, wake up the inner thigh, put more energy into the hamstring -- get the back leg going!
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)?