Pose of the month: July 2009

Bharadvajasana (bah-rod-va-JAHS-anna)

Bharadvaja: one of seven rishis thought to be the author of many sacred vedic hymns

type of pose: seated spinal twist (for an image please see www.yogajournal.com/poses/487)

benefits:

-soothes & revitalizes the spine & abdominal organs

-aides in digestion, removing sluggishness in the organs

-relieves backaches, headaches & stiffness in the neck & shoulders

-improves circulation & the flow of energy

-especially good in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy for strengthening the lower back

-relieves stress

Bharadvajasana: Forget the destination, ENJOY THE JOURNEY

As I sat down to write about bharadvajasana it occured to me that many of the twisting poses are dedicated to sages....why?

A sage is a seer, an adept, an inspired person, who is generally associated with deep states of meditation, and a strong desire to experience unity with the Divine. In order to find this unity, one must be committed to, and very adept at, turning the gaze deep inside.

Bharadvaja, more specifically, is said to have "heard" the sacred hymns of the Vedas (the oldest sacred texts in Hinduism) from the Supreme Being Brahman while he was in a deep meditative state. It seems to me, he needed to be also, very receptive to whatever his practice offered him.

Could it be that in order to be "fully" and safely in a twist, one must also be firmly rooted in concentration, and deeply in tune with the breath? One must have the ability to gaze deeply inside and be guided, not by the ego, but instead by a deep internal awareness? One must be willing to give up the image of the fullest expression of the pose, and yield to the delight of what can be discovered on the "journey of the twist".

As with all the poses we have focused on so far, this twist can be seen as a metaphor for how to find more joy and fulfillment in our everyday lives.

bE iN ThE PRESENT MoMeNt:

When we can let go of our attachment to the end product, to the destination, to the finishing line, or to the fullest expression of a pose, we are then able to be more present in the moment.

In our culture of wellness "being in the present moment" has come to sound almost cliche, and the fruits of that very notion have been glossed over, and somewhat forgotten. Being in the present moment is ultimately what yoga is. When we can abide in the present, and let go of our attachment to the past and our thoughts of the future, we are living our yoga.

So, for twists, (poses that are often rushed into in order for the practitioner to be in the deepest place), we often forget to take the time to explore all the beauty along the way. We want so badly to do the pose, to feel "good" at our yoga practice, to pat ourselves on the back and be proud of how we can contort our bodies. But when we are guided by the ego instead of grace, we lose sight of the moment, and miss out on the chance to feel the fabric and textures. Our world then, is just a bit more dull. We may feel good about ourselves for the 5 breaths that we hold that pose, and maybe for a few hours following the practice. But what happens the next time we come back to our mats and we are unable to duplicate the previous experience? Are we then bad, inadequate, weak, lazy? Is the practice not worth it because your body did not get to the end goal? What happens when we are not "perfect" in the pose or life?

The Anatomical Tips:

The anatomy of a twist is not too complicated of a notion, but is easily skimmed over. There are three basic "rules" that guide us in twisting safely and with the most benefit.

The first is to always begin by grounding down. So in the case of bharadvajasana, we first ground down through the sit bones, and feel firmly established and rooted to the earth. Then, from that rooting down, we can move into the

second rule: sit tall and lengthen the spine on the inhale. Grow taller through, not only the crown of the head, but lift through the sternum as well, lengthening both the front and the back of the spine. Once the length is established, we move into the

third rule: Deepen the twist on the exhale. As you move a bit deeper into the pose with each exhale, remember to be guided from the kidneys (ie: if you are twisting to the right, the left kidney is gently moving forward into the body). Being guided by the breath and the back body in unison makes for a pose that yields and listens intuitively, rather than charges forward with brut force and ego.

Enjoying the journey means not rushing, pushing or pulling into a place where the breath stops, or is shorten and forced. This requires VERY subtle micro movements, that lengthen and deepen the twist slowly, slowly, slowly. We SLOWLY revolve the torso around the long, lifted spine, as we ground down into the firmly rooted pelvis. Each exhale allows the belly to draw in, and the navel to reach for the back body, so that the twist can also be detoxifying and toning for the abdominal organs and the digestive system. Every inhale allows the spine to lengthen so that each one of the small muscles that link the vertebrae together are provided with the opportunity to be strengthened so that the whole spine is more mobile and flexible. When the spine is longer, more flexible and more open, the energy flows more fluidly from the base to the crown. Not only is the brain then more oxygenated, but the prana is also allowed to flow more freely through the major nadis and chakras. All of this is beneficial when we are attempting to live in a more optimal way.

Bring it All together:

This month, we encourage you to set out on the journey with us, and be committed to living more fully in the moment. Approach all poses and all situations as you would bharadvajasana......be firmly rooted to the earth, lifted and energized from the root to the crown, and connected to the quality and intention of the breath. Imagine with how much more ease you will move through not only the poses, but also your days. Your ease is contagious, so beware that the world around you may become more ease-full as well.

om shanti....om tat sat.

SUNDAY MORNING SUMMER SOLSTICE CLASS WITH MARY-ANN

 

when:SUNDAY JUNE 21st

           9:30-11am

where:Pilates & More

            129 main street dobbs ferry

Join Mary-Ann as she celebrates the power, beauty and life giving properties of the sun through a series of sun salutations, a flowing asana practice, and thoughts and meditations inspired by the transition from spring to summer.

**** also don't forget to check out the new rooftop garden yoga classes at Oasis day Spa in Dobbs Ferry with Mary-Ann on Saturday mornings @ 8-9:15 am....********

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY....but if it won't, create your own internal sunshine..BE KIND NOW.

When I came to my computer today, I was inspired by a friend's invitation to check out www.thekindnesscenter.com.  Once I viewed the site, I was inspired even more. Just the act of reading about individuals who are out in the world doing good things for others, allowed me to feel good.  It is contagious.  I can only imagine what happens when we all begin to consciously engage in kindness.  I am inspired to now ask myself periodically throughout the day "AM I BEING KIND?"  Is what I am saying and doing coming from a place of kindness?  We are our actions, and our deeds......we will become what we think, so let's think and act in kind ways.

I have faith that we can begin to create our own little ray of sunshine, by simply being kind.  You will feel sunnier inside, and the world will shine a little brighter as well.  

For inspiration on how to be kind in the everyday moments, check out the DOK (drops of kindness) page at the kindness center's website.

"my religion is very simple

my religion is kindness" --the dalai lama

"life's most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others?"--mlk jr.

"kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."--mother theresa

om shanti......

Sunday Morning Yoga By The River

June 14th

9:30-11 am

Dobbs Ferry Waterfront Park

We are moving the sunday morning class outside for this week.....come salute the sun, and flow like the river we will be looking at......

**I will provide Verification for your dashboard so that you are not given a parking ticket.**

om shanti.....

Pose of the month: June 2009

Salamba Sirsasana = supported headstand

salamba= supported sirsa= head

benefits:

-brings a rejuvenating supply of blood to the brain cells

-enhances clarity of thought, increases concentration, and sharpens memory

-builds stamina

-alleviates insomnia

-reduces the occurance of heart palpitations

-helps to cure halitosis

-strengthens the lungs

-improves the function of the pituitary and pineal glands

-increases the hemoglobin content in the blood

-relieves the symptos of colds, coughs, and tonsillitis

-brings relief from digestive problems, when practiced in conjunction with shoulder stand

Stand on your head: turn your perspective upside down

For a pose that promises so many amazing benefits when practiced regularly, it is no wonder that it is often referred to as the king of all the asanas. Some go so far as to believe that if you only had time for one pose each day, it ought to be headstand.

Okay, so take a deep breath, and just for a moment, imagine yourself standing in the center of your yoga mat, ON YOUR HEAD. Some may have no problem drawing that image in their mind. But many may not be able to even imagine or picture this....the mere thought may cause anxiety and doubts which are just too overwhelming.

I get it. I totally understand, but I insist that we all challenge these beliefs. And luckily enough, practicing sirsasana allows us to begin to question self-limiting belief systems. Sirsasana helps us to create new, more optimal, pathways in our minds, so that we can change our patterns and challenge what we have told ourselves for so many years, and have ultimately, come to believe as the truth.

Balancing on our heads also requires the courage to take a leap of faith. It requires that we not be paralyzed by the thought of falling, but instead curious about the feeling of freedom we can and will experience once that point of balance is found.

Balancing on our heads builds self confidence. It makes us realize that we are bigger and better than the ways in which we minimize ourselves, and our abilities.

Balancing on our heads allows us to feel particularly grounded in the world. Even though the feet are facing the sky, and are the furthest from the mat, the sensation of having ones head rooted firmly into the earth is surprisingly extremely humbling and grounding.

Balancing on our heads allows us to reconnect with our inner child, and remember that life is fun, and filled with experiences that can cause us to smile or even laugh at ourselves. If you have ever seen someones face while hanging out in headstand, you will know just what i am talking about. The skin sort of sags down and looks "mr. potatoe-headish"...any child would surely get a chuckle out of the funny face. And what playful child would turn down an opportunity to invert his or her body, just for the sake of doing it, so as to see what the world is like upside down?

Balancing on our heads gives us a whole new way of looking at not only ourselves, but also the room, the people in the room, and the world all around the room. This new way of seeing can inspire creativity, insight, and an overall broader awareness. Our minds are stretched to their edge, and broadened in a new direction.

Sirsasana and the Chakras:

Balancing on our heads also tones the Ajna chakra (the third eye) and the Sahasrara chakra (the crown of the head).

The third eye is the center of insight and intuition. It is the eye that is used to gaze deep within, so that we can see and experience ourselves as the divine that is inside....so that we can see ourselves as so much more than this body and this breath, but as the Atman (soul), the bliss, the radiant light that literally fills us. As inner sight develops, illusions are shattered, and we are free to interact more authentically with the world. A toned third eye center allows us to be intuitive, imaginative, perceptive and open to the wisdom that lies within.

The crown chakra is the gateway to the universal divine....to the larger Self. It is through the crown chakra that we make our connection to our higher power, developing a sense of spiritual connectedness. When our crown chakra is toned, we are open-minded, thoughtful, intelligent and aware. The world becomes our teacher, and we are open to new ideas.

"The practice of Sirsasana purges the body of impurities, bringing strength, firmness, calm, and clarity of mind" ---BKS Iyengar

I encourage you to come to class this month and allow your minds to be broadened, and your self limiting beliefs to be blown away. Step onto your mat ready to see yourself and the world in a whole new way, so that you can step off your mat able to be more authentically involved in your life and relationships. Lets create together a more dynamic, connected way to be out there in the world...so that we not only feel better, but the world around us becomes a better place as well.

om shanti om shanti ommmmmmm

mary-ann & allison.