"Stay healthy" says the Buddha

"To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not
be able to keep our mind strong and clear." - Buddha

..and he might add: "Being skinny is overrated!"

Paschimottanasana

Intense West Stretch

In yoga language, the back is considered west. In Paschimottanasana, the back is stretched intensely.

Sit in Dandasana
- press the legs into the floor
- toes and kneecaps point towards the ceiling
- the torso is straight

to get into Paschimottansasana:
on an inhalation - lift the chest
bend from the hip crease
extend the chest forward toward the feet
get a hold of your toes, the side of your feet, or a strap around your feet
take the elbows out to the side
pull yourself deeper into the pose
relax the back of your neck.

Do Your Duty

It's better to do your own duty
badly, than to perfectly do
another's; you are safe from harm;
when you do what you should be doing.

Bhagavad Gita
Stephen Mitchell's translation

Soft abdomen

I googled "soft abdomen iyengar". I was curious why Geeta always reminds her students to keep the abdomen soft, and I found an explanation:

"...A primary point is that the facial muscles, neck, and abdomen are to be soft throughout this practice. This is key to the inner exploration, discovery, and joy inherent in practicing this sequence as a whole, resulting in tremendous beneficial effects that are described in the text. ..."

Talent is Overrated

Mr. Pretzel
Credit: Flickr

Talent is overrated. What really counts is work, work and work. Norman quoted this (I forgot who though) In yoga lingo that would be sadhana or practice.

"Sādhana is a discipline undertaken in the pursuit of a goal. Abhyāsa is repeated practice performed with observation and reflection. Kriyā, or action, also implies perfect execution with study and investigation. Therefore, sādhana, abhyāsa, and kriyā all mean one and the same thing. A sādhaka, or practitioner, is one who skillfully applies...mind and intelligence in practice towards a spiritual goal."

BKS Iyengar

But talent sounds more exciting than practice, which brings thoughts of repetition, hard work, diligence to my mind. I did find a nice paragraph on practice or repetition in Paulo Coelho's book "The Witch of Portobello" though:

"...Look at a skilled blacksmith working steel. To the untrained eye, he's merely repeating the same hammer blows, but anyone trained in the art of calligraphy knows that each time the blacksmith lifts the hammer and brings it down, the intensity of he blow is different. The hand repeats the same gesture, but as it approaches the metal, it understands that it must touch it with more or less force. It's the same thing with repetition: it may seem the same, but it's always different. The moment will come when you no longer need to think about what you are doing. You become the letter, the ink, the paper, the word..."

Photo: Flickr Credit - Blacksmith at Work

Winds of Yoga

The Vayus - or winds are subtle forms of energy

Prana Vayu

governs the chest and respiration

Apana Vayu

governs the lower abdomen and elimination

Samana Vayu

stokes the gastric fire and aids digestion

Udana Vayu

which dwells in the thoracic cavity and governs intake of air and food

and Viyana Vayu

which pervades the entire body and distributes energy from food and breath.

from the Introduction of Light on Yoga

Music

"Yoga is like music:

the rythm of the body,

the melody of he mind and
the harmony of the soul create the
symphony of life."

Asanas

“My body is my temple and asanas are my prayers.”

“Do not treat the asana as a physical exercise meant to keep the organs healthy. Treat the asana as if you are using them to adore and adorn the soul.”

BKS Iyengar

Brave Choice

"The decision to relax rather than to grip, even in the face of impatience or fear, is a conscious and brave choice."

B.K.S. Iyengar


Thanks for sharing this quote, Cynthia!

Human Empathy

"Behaving morally toward other people requires that we respect them for themselves, instead of using them as a means for enrichment or glory."

OM

“The essence of all beings is earth, the essence of earth is water, the essence of water is plants, the essence of plants is man, the essence of man is speech, the essence of speech is the Holy Knowledge, the essence of Holy Knowledge is Sama-Veda (word, tome, sound), the essence of Sama-Veda is OM”
Changogya Upanishad

Are you cha-cha-chataranga challenged?

I am. Chataranga is definitely on my "do not like too much" list of asanas. A few weeks ago, I learned a way of getting into chataranga, that is appropriate for chataranga challenged yoginis like me. Thanks Margot for teaching this modification.

Start lying on your belly
Place your hands by the sides of your trunk, near your lower ribs. In the final pose, the fore arms are perpendicular to the ground.


Phase 1: Lift Trunk with Bent Knees
Tuck the toes under
Press Knees into the floor
Press into the palms of your hands
Lift the chest
Move the Shoulder blades into the body and down towards the waist
Lift the Navel towards the spine
Tuck the tailbone
Lifht the hips and thighs up (roll the inner thighs up)

Phase 2: Final Pose
Now straighten the legs, lift the knees up
Extend through the inner heel

Voila! Chataranga Dandasana. Now I just have to keep practicing, so that I learn to hold the pose for more than 5 seconds :)

No, I didn't trip when I went hiking at Ptarmigan Cirque in Kananaskis, but this is Phase 1 of getting into Chataranga Dandasana, starting with the knees on the floor. This way, it helps me to keep the integrity in the upper body...

...final pose: Chataranga Dandasana

First IYAC - Alberta Gathering

Yesterday was an IYAC Alberta gathering at the Tree Yoga Studio. which is a cosy two story yoga studio just up on Edmonton Trail in Calgary. The gathering was to celebrate Geeta's teachings from the recent AGM in Penticton.

The event started with a yoga class, led by several different teachers and it turned out to be a great way of exchanging and getting feedback on yogasana knowledge.

Marilyn demonstrating Chatuspadasana on lots of blankets. The blankets are used to learn to roll onto the tops of the shoulders and to keep the neck relaxed.

After the class, I was definitely ready to hit the buffet, and I can honestly say: I L.O.V.E. potlucks by Yogis - it's a Vegetarian's paradise: Michele's chocolate mousse and lentil soup, Isabel's Couscous Salad, Sonja's secret family recipe of almond cookies and everything else was delicious.

Good Food AND good music. Thanks for organising, Michele and thanks for playing - Musicians! Michele suggested another gathering sometime this year: sounds good to me!

Asanas for the 3rd Chakra (Solar Plexus)

In her essay "Balance Your Chakras, Balance Your Life" by Marianne Woods Cirone (click on the picture above to read the entire essay), she lists some asanas that help to balance the chakras.

For me, it is the Solar Plexus, that needs a little stimulation. And to do so, she suggest abdominal strengthening poses like Navasana (boat) and Chataranga (plank). Oh no! Totally my best friends in the realm of asanas (I am being facetious)! Oh well, I will give it try - to get the yellow disc "Manipura" spinning.

Third Chakra (Manipura)

Phalakasana (plank), stomach crunches, belly rolls. To increase fire: risk-taking, eating hot foods, avoiding iced drinks. To decrease fire: limiting spicy foods and caffeine, taking time to relax and meditate.

To enhance the third chakra, abdominal-strengthening poses: surya namaskar (sun salutations), navasana (boat), virabhadrasana (warrior I, II & III), twists. To cool the chakra: restorative, passive backbends.

Kukkutasana (cock balance), viparitakaranichakrasananavasana (reverse, or legs up the wall), (wheel), (boat). Affirmation: If I wish my consciousness to grow, I must feed it, rest it, exercise it.

"I free myself to the power of living my life to the fullest, feeling worthy of all that I receive."

Always Time for Creation

Today I experienced a special kind of guided meditation. Audrya took us on a journey with her didgeridoos - it was wonderful! Check out her website by clicking on the picture. I didn't know what kind of sounds can come out of a hollow piece of wood. But I guess, when you have your eyes closed and nothing else to do, you can discover a whole new world of sensations, vibrations and sounds from Audrya and the didgeridoo.

IYAC 2008 T-Shirt

Sthira Sukham Asanam
Yoga Sutra II.46

Asana is perfect firmness of the body,
Steadiness of intelligence and
benevolence of the spirit.

Great job in designing the T-Shirt, Sharoni!

Adho Mukha Virasana

Adho Mukha Virasana on a bolster

One of the great take aways from the weekend with Geeta: detailed instructions on how to open the armpit chest. I am not quite sure, if this term is known outside of the Iyengar yoga circle: it is the front area of the armpit and the side chest. The skin of this area moves upward towards the head. Here are the instructions:

Kneel on the floor, toes together, knees apart.
Extend the torso forward, extend the arms forward.

Rest the forehead on the bolster,
Roll the inner arms towards the ceiling,
Suck the flesh of the arms to the bone,
Move the elbows further away from the shoulders
Take the outer corners of the shoulder blade towards the spine
Move the shoulder blades towards the waist.

On the front body:

• the skin of the abdomen moves towards the head,
• the lower ribs expand towards the head,
• the middle ribs move towards the floor,
• the upper ribs and collar bones move towards the head.

The armpits move towards the floor.

Stay in this asana for a while, allow the spine to lengthen, adjust the elbows and move the bolster further away, if necessary. Take your time - focus on the breathing and allow the armpit and chest to open even more!

I think, slowly I am getting, what it means to open the armpit chest. Now I just have to keep doing it.

AGM IYAC Penticton 2008

I just got back from a wonderful trip to BC. It's amazing how a road trip through the beautiful Rockies and a 4-day yoga conference with the Iyengar Association of Canada and Geeta and Abi Iyengar can bring clarity and rest to the mind, fire and power to the body, and peace and awareness to the soul!

Geetaji came to Canada for an event put on by the ascent magazine in an ashram, but decided to stay for another week and share her knowledge and wisdom with the Iyengar Association of Canada.

Be certain that the posts to follow will be highly influenced by Geetaji's teachings, expect

• some words on tapas - and I am not talking about the Spanish appetizer, but the sanskrit tapas - a burning which involves purification and self-discipline.

• and surely something about shoulder and heart openers - my upper back has never felt like this before.

On the way to the Okanagan - at a lunch break stop at the Columbia River. Pilot Shelly was not just steering the Subaru perfectly, but was also sharing tales and stories of the area. After an 8 hr road trip and sharing a room, Shelly now knows more about me than she ever wanted to know ;). I on the other hand learned about the lake monster Ogopogo that lives in Lake Okanagan (imagine Nessie's cousin) from Shelly.

Trish celebrated her 55th birthday at the conference and Barbara picked out a wonderful cake made at the local bakery. Right on the first day, I learned a lesson of non-attachment: I was helping out in the bookstore and while I was swiping credit cards, the room where my bag was, got locked (well, it was the secured "locked" room - so this could have been expected). But I learned to let go of getting angry or upset about not having my wallet or shoes , instead I went on an afternoon trip in Penticton without shoes. If I had to pick a place in Canada: BC is probably the safest area in Canada to run around without shoes without being judged as crazy.

Oh, and it was a surprise for Trish, she didn't have a clue about the party! Some of the guests were even hiding in Trish's bedroom to surprise her on her special happy birthday!

Asana practice and lectures in the mornings and pranayama and chanting of the yoga sutras with Abi in the afternoon at the Penticton convention center. Accompanied by big dinners, one gala dinner with music and Geetaji, and a board meeting.

Ingelise, senior Iyengar teacher from West Van surprised Geetaji and the audience with a beautiful voice and thoughtful lyrics.

The leaves were out in BC, the fruit trees blooming, what else could you wish for!

Vrksasana Shelly on tree stump

There is even a beach!

At the gala dinner: the Calgary crew with special guest from BC

Kim, Nimmi, Shelly at dinner

Michelle and Trish

Surrender the head to your heart,...

...or in other words: Jalandhara Bandha, chin lock. In Light on Pranayama, B.K.S. Iyengar says this relaxes the brain and also humbles the intellect.

Jalandhara Bandha is performed by lengthening the back of the neck, then extending the chin forward, and then lowering the chin towards the chest, as if one would holds an orange between the chin and the chest. Or imagine, you are baby kitten and mama cat picks you up by the back of the neck: It is a relaxed, lengthening sensation in the neck area. The chin is not forced towards the chest, but rather the chest moves closer to the chin on every inhalation. This creates space in the throat area and allows the throat to relax, the 5th chakra to open.

Lastly the frontal brain relaxes down towards the heart, while the chest keeps lifting upwards, allowing the thinking mind to listen to the heart for a change.

Especially since I learned the cue about the frontal brain, I enjoy Jalandhara Bandha in poses such as Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana or Salamba Sarvangasana.

Ear Candling

This afternoon I tried ear candling. It was quite a surprise - my friend Heather got some candles and treated me to a treatment.

Basically I was lying on my side and had my head supported. I also had a blanket between my ankles and knees, which made it even more comfy. Heather cut out a big piece of cardboard with a hole in the middle to pass the ear candle through. The ear candle is hollow, made from beeswax and cotton. Heather sat next to me and cut off the burnt pieces of the candle, as it burnt down slowly. Knowing that Heather was there to ensure I didn't catch on fire made it a very relaxing experience.

We did 2 candles per ear; the theory being the first candle is the warm-up (literally) and the second the end spurt. Hearing the crackling of the flame, feeling the warmth enter my ear and sensing the air moving was all very soothing.

People's opinion on ear candling differ drastically. School medicine and even Health Canada say it's dangerous and should not be undertaken. They report burns and a punctured ear drum. Promoters say it's an ancient way of healing used by the ancient Greeks and Romans and Shamans and some say it can change the energy field of the body.

All I can do is speak from my experience: I neither got a burn or injured my ear drum (but I did have a competent person around). Afterwards I felt relaxed and my head felt clearer. I'd do it again.