Do you know why Ganesha had an elephant's head?

I heard, so that people would have more respect for animals and also remember the story better:

The story of the birth of this zoomorphic deity, as depicted in the Shiva Purana, goes like this: Once goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy's head in rage. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops. Hence his name 'Ganapati'. Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture.

Now you know!

Adha Mukha Vrksasana

Downward Facing Tree or Handstand

Calming for the brain while invigorating for the body

Eyes

Today I learned that we all have a dominant eye. It does make sense; I just have never thought of it. Apparently one eye is looking more intensely and it's physically sticking out more than the other; the passive eye is more relaxed, receiving and sits deeper in the eye socket. I was told that my left eye is dominant. When I put my attention to my seeing, I could actually feel it. It felt like my left eye was trying harder.

Yoga teaches us to balance. I am guessing this also applies to our eyes: From now on I will take some time (whenever I remember) to consciously make my right eye the dominant eye.

Like right now. That definitely feels weird.

Isn't the right eye connected to the left brain? Will this make me more creative?

American Yoga

In the last few weeks I have had the privilege to attend yoga classes with senior Iyengar yoga teachers in San Francisco and Washington DC. By the way, I am positively surprised by the positive vibe going on in Washington DC! I love it here! It helps that I am surrounded by fantastic people at an international symposium regarding sustainable buildings.

In San Francisco I visited the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco. I went to Janet McLeod's and Kathy Alef's class. In Washington DC I attended Giulia Mainieri's class at Unity Wood Yoga. In all three classes we did standing poses, forward bends and padmasana. We focused on the groins and shoulders. I took very valuable information from all three of these classes, the main points being:

• sitting in dandasana - rolling the top inner thighs down towards the floor
• extending the spine by elongating and relaxing - this is not a forceful movement. This allows the shoulders to relax into the correct position, rather than pressing it back
• relaxing the trapezius, outer shoulders moving back, armpit chest moving forward and up

In Padmasana:

• rotating the shin, so that the sole of the foot faces the ceiling and is high up on the thigh (ideally it presses into the abdomen)
• ensuring that the downward movement of the knee originates from the top of the femur.
• pubus moves up, so that the groins can release; lower abdomen moves in and up.

Leg Lifts

Variation of Malasana to relax the trapezius:
Squatting with your upper arms pressing down on to the knees/thighs. Elongates the trapezius down, away from the ears. Chest lifted.

Padanghustasana - looking up. Instead of thinking "looking up" Ingelise encouraged us to lengthen the throat, the seat of a vayu that is most often blocked.

Adho Mukkha Svanasana
Downward dog with blocks between the inner heels (the soft part of your inner heel, not the ankle)

Flow between Upward and Downward Dog with block between heels; can you roll your toes under in upward dog? Then do the same with block between knees

Downward Dog with block between lower arms

Chataranga with blocks between toes

Urdhva Prasarita Padasana Leg Lifts with block between heels

Jathara Parivartanasana - with block between heel; this teaches to extend through the inner heel and to keep the feet together - not an easy task!

• with partner's foot on the opposite shoulder - helps to keep the shoulder down
• with the thumb and one finger holding the ft of a chair, do this asana without pulling the chair - hard!

Variation of Jathara Parivartanasana - side leg lifts (if tired with bent legs) look up: the action is more in the lower back on the pelvic rim. Looking to the opposite side makes it rajasic in the chest area

Supta Virasana your buttocks on the bolster too, head on second bolster or block: strong stretch in the quads! keep top of shin bone down, knees moving towards each other; open chest. long front body, relaxed throat.

The Science of Yoga

First one has to study the poses. Not studying by reading about them, but by doing them. By experiencing whatever effect they have on us. Often we hear: it's not about who can be the biggest prezel. If it's not that, what is it about?

It's about the energy a yoga pose brings forward. There is nothing to get, there is nowhere to go to. It's already here. Waiting for us to discover it.

We need to understand the three energies that are the fabric of the universe, the three gunas: tama, raja and sattva. Tama is the earth energy: grounding, heavy, still. Its negative aspects are laziness, doubt, hesitation, heaviness. Raja is air; excitement, action, restlessness. Sattva is the peaceful energy that emerges when tama and raja are in balance.

Life is a play, a constant change between these 3 energies. So let's make peace with them and play with these energies! In a yoga pose, let's say tadasana mountain pose, you always want to ground with your feet and legs, that's the tamasic aspect. Tamasic in the positive way, heavy yet strong and engaged. You also want to lift: raja. Lift your chest, lift the sides of your torso equally on both sides. And suddenly there is sattva. Finding that peaceful place in between tama and raja: sattvic energy. An alert, vibrant, peaceful, joyful feeling. That's yoga.

The science of yoga is observing your body, your energy, experiencing how certain poses affect parts of your body or mind. And sometimes this science will turn into art.

"To work with these patterns is to play the music of our own body, our own mind. You count your way into the order of things." N.E. Sjoman

Anatomy

I highly recommend this book, if you want to deepen your understanding of the human body and hatha yoga. Understanding certain muscles and seeing them helps me to visualise relaxation or elongation or whatever is necessary in a certain pose. Two thumbs up!