“When there is both inner and outer cleanliness, it approaches godliness.” – Mahatma Ghandi
Weekly Focus: Saucha (cleanliness, purity)
Saucha is the first niyama (personal observance) in the 8-limb path and refers to cleanliness or purity. Saucha encourages us to purify the mind, body and our environment in search for clarity.
How quickly a space of beauty and openness can become cluttered, messy and disorganized! It’s always amazing how even in a new space, or freshly re-organized room, a vow to keep it just so — clean, organized, tidy, minimal doesn’t always last so long. (le sigh)
We can think of Saucha as the active effort to keep our inner and outer environments open and clear. Often, the reflection of our outer space shows up within the internal, and vice versa. This may not always be the case, but having awareness of both is helpful.
Consider the mind like a cluttered room. When you have things piling up, to-do lists, worries, expectations, upcoming events, reminders; it can feel overwhelming and you don’t know where to begin the work. An untidy room can feel halting, unsure of where to begin cleaning up.
Saucha encourages us to constantly check-in with how we are maintaining clarity and open space. Rather than waiting until we are full of overwhelm, we are invited to build a practice of purifying and cleansing the body, our environment and our mind. In this way we maintain the vast and open expanse of clarity and calm within us.
What practices do you hold to find clarity? Do you tend to maintain a routine of “purifying” your spaces, or do you wait until it gets out of control?
Passive Pose of the Week: Jathara Parivartasana (supine twist)
Jathara Parivartasana is a cleansing position for the body and metaphorically the mind. Like wringing out a sponge, we release excess to declutter body, mind and spirit.
- Begin lying on the floor.
- Let your knees bend and hover the legs. Take your arms wide and out to the sides, acting as an anchor.
- Drop your knees over to right right side of your mat.
- The knees can be stacked or staggered. You might also take your right hand to rest on top of the legs and weight them down.
- Hold the twist for about 7 – 10 breaths before twisting to the other side.
If you haven’t tried elevating your hips in a reclined twist before, this may be a fun new way to set up the pose! Before coming in to the twist, lift your hips and slide a stack of folded bath towels or a firm cushion behind your hips (similar to a supported bridge pose). As you twist, adjust the props so that you are supported from hip to knee. Your hips will be elevated above the chest, allowing for a deeper twist sensation. Feel free to slide a block under the feet as well so they feel support.
Active Pose of the Week: Parivrtta Anjaneyasana (twisted monkey)
Parivrtta Anjaneyasana provides a similar twisting pattern as our passive pose, in a more alert position. With the added option of binding the foot, you can incorporate a deep quad stretch or back bend as well!
- Begin in a low kneeling lunge position with your right foot forward and your left knee on the ground.
- Lower your left hand to the ground inside of your front leg. As you inhale, rotate your chest towards the front leg and reach your right arm up to the ceiling, finding a twist.
- To add the bind, kick your left foot towrds your seat. Sweep your right hand back behind you and grab hold of the foot.
- For a quad stretch, pull the foot actively towards your body and breathe down the front of the thigh.
- For a back bend, kick your foot into your hand as you pull your hand back towards your body. Press your hips forward. Breathe into your chest, ribs and belly.
- Stay in any position for 3 -5 breaths. Slowly release, take your time, and switch sides.
Grabbing hold of your foot in this bind may not be accessible or comfortable for everyone. Even if you can hold the foot, if you find it puts your front leg in an awkward position, or cuts the breath short, come out. An alternative to this pose that allows the same benefits is the “couch stretch.” Set up in front of a wall, facing away from the wall. From hands and knees (tabletop), move your left knee towards the wall and let the shin and foot angle up the wall, becoming flush. Step your right foot forward into a lunge position. Begin to lift yourself up, perhaps placing hands on a block, hands on your front thigh, or even reaching arms over head. Take big steady breaths and imagine moving the breath into the front of that back leg.
Join us in class this week to practice your self-reflection and acknowledgment of the Kleshas. See the full schedule HERE.
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