 Postures
In Hatha Yoga the postures are called asanas (ah-sah-nah) and form what is commonly recognized as “yoga” today. Although there should be attention paid to positioning and alignment, it is the awareness and control of the breath (pranayama) that actually creates the depth of your asana experience. The postures are like a car without gas: you can push it, get in and out, and maybe roll it down a hill, but without the right fuel you cannot easily drive wherever you want. With controlled, even, and deep breathing, even the most basic postures will deepen your body-mind connection bring you closer to union with your true, innermost self. Tadasana - Mountain Pose
Stand tall, feet about hip-distance apart. Align the feet to parallel, knees over toes, pelvis neutral, neither tilted forward or back. Gaze straight ahead, and feel one line from the top of the head down through the center of the body into the middle of the feet. The abdomen should be slightly engaged, the ribs closed and the shoulders relaxed - not rounded forwardd or pulled back. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and try to feel the energy line running through the center of your body. Notice places that seem stressed, tight, or uncomfortable and let them open and relax. Notice the places that seem too lose or limp, and engage them comfortably, so the whole body is aligned and balanced, and so the mind becomes aware and present. Uttanasana - Forward Bend
From Tadasana, inhale and lift the hands over the head. Exhale opening the hands and diving down to a forward bend. Let the legs be straight but not locked, hold and breathe, letting the breath extend through the spine. Feel the upper body slowly drawing and relaxing toward the floor. For variations, hands can wrap around the back of the legs or the palms can be placed on the floor or on blocks. This pose stretches the backs of the legs, aligns the hips, and releases tension in the back. Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward-facing dog
One of the most-recognized asanas, Adho Mukha Svanasana engages, strengthens, and tones the whole body. Place the hands and feet on the ground with the hands shoulder-width and the feet hip-width apart. Lift the hips up and back, elongating the spine and pressing the inner corners of the hands (thumb and forefinger) into the mat. Keep the abdomen engaged and the upper body long, extending through the shoulders. The heels do not need to touch the floor; more importantly, lengthen the legs without locking the knees and then press the heels towards the floor. Hold 5-10 breaths. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana - Upward-facing dog
Upward-facing dog is an excellent way to invigorate the body and stretch the spine. Start lying facedown and place the hands palms down underneath the shoulders. Extending the arms, press up, arching the spine and lifting the chest towards the ceiling. Gaze upward and let the shoulder blades roll down and back. To full extend, straighten the knees to lift the thighs off the floor and press into the palms of the hands. Breathe into the chest and the front of the body. Ardha Chandrasana - Crescent-moon
This beautiful posture is a deep extension of the whole body. Try to curve slowly and gracefully and stop when you feel tension, pain or pressure in the back. From Uttanasana, send your right leg back to a deep lunge. Check that the left knee is directly over the ankle - not too far back or forward. Place the right knee down to the floor (if you have knee problems you can place a blanket or pad under the knee), let the top of the right foot come flat to the floor, clasp the hands and slowly lift up, stretching up and then back. Focus on stretching the front of the body and don’t collapse the back. Keep the head and ears in between the elbows and let the gaze naturally draw up and back. Breathe into the posture. Balasana - Child’s pose
A very comfortable pose, this posture is relaxing as well as a method for gathering the breath and energy. Come to the hands and knees, top of the feet on the floor. Slowly sit the buttocks back onto the heels, feeling length in the spine and a stretch through arms. Let the buttocks rest comfortably - a rolled blanket or towel can be used as a support. Let the upper body relax, especially the head, neck and shoulders. Close your eyes and focus on the breath, feeling it move deeply in and out. For pregnant women and/or to open the hips, try opening the knees a little wider and keeping the feet together. In this variation, feel the chest and belly dropping toward the floor. Trikonasana - Triangle Pose
From Tadasana, send the right foot back and turn the toes out 45 degrees. Open the hips and chest to the right side and open the arms, palms facing the side of the room. Reach the left arm forward and down toward the left leg and let the right arm extend towards the ceiling. Turn the gaze up the right hand. Keeping the knees straight (but not locked), draw the hips back and open the chest, creating one line from palm to palm. Utthita Parsvakonasana - Extended Side-Angle Pose
From Virabhadrasana II with the right leg back, place the left elbow on the left thigh, thumb and forefinger of the left hand connected. Lower the hips and extend the right arm over the head, reaching towards the left side. Both sides of the body should remain elongated. The gaze can turn up towards the right palm. More flexible students may place the left palm onto the floor on the inside of the front foot. Be sure to keep opening the chest towards the ceiling and breathe deeply. |