” Live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, fine eternity in each moment.” – Henry David Thoreau
Weekly Focus: Sutra 1:1 Atha yoga anusasanam (Now, the teachings of Yoga begin)
From the Yoga Sutras, Sutra 1:1 emphasizes the power of NOW, the power of the present moment. It is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of life, looking ahead or thinking to the past, but Yoga reminds us that NOW is a very special and powerful place to be.
Yoga is a constant attention to right now. To practice Yoga is to savor each moment as if it were the last; to be aware of the world around you and to take in the detail with intentionality and consciousness. Yoga keeps us from walking through the world dissociated, disconnected, disembodied and lost.
It is easy to find ourselves in a state of wandering listlessly, moving from home to work to bed. When we savor every moment, we may start to recognize the small wonders and miracles that life provides. A gorgeous sunrise, the gentle purr of our kitty friend, the beauty of a spider web dabbled with dew, the laughter on a loved one’s face. In many ways, this act of awareness can be seen as a practice of gratitude.
The practice of yoga is a vehicle to finding more peace and happiness in life, the challenge is allowing and inviting that practice into every moment both on and off the mat. Are we utilizing Yoga as a way to zone out and disengage? Or are we taking these tools as a way to feel more acceptance and ease with the present moment? What does it mean to you to feel presence and awareness?
Passive Pose of the Week: Viparita Karani (legs up the wall)
Apanasana encourages the flow of Apana, the vital force that helps us to find release, and to anchor the body and mind. This pose reminds us to shed our attachments and to sink into our grounding sense of connection. We pull the body in to itself to feel deeply into ourselves and to fully experience the earth beneath us, letting the separation become blurry.
- Begin lying on the floor on your back.
- Hug the knees into the body and grab hold behind the thighs, knees or shins.
- Let the back of the body nestle into the floor and take deepy breaths into the back of the body.
- Hold still or rock gently left and right or forward and back.
- Keep this position for 7 – 10 breaths and then release.
Finding deep compression with the belly to the thigh may be tricky for some. You can take the “half” version of this pose, ardha apanasana, by only grabbing one leg at a time. This will allow you to focus on the deep belly to thigh connection using both hands on one leg.
Active Pose of the Week: Camatkarasana (Miracle/Surprise Pose/Wild Thing)
Camatkarasana opens our heart to the miracle of the world and the wonders of the Universe! One lovely translation of camatkarasana is “the ecstatic unfolding of the enraptured heart.” 💖 Has anything ever personified wonder and awareness better?
- Come to a plank position with hands pressing into the ground and legs extended back behind you.
- Lift your right leg. Begin to open the hip and bend the right knee, as you lift your right hand.
- Let your weight shift into the left hand and flip the right leg up and over you bringing the foot to the floor.
- Your weight will rotate in the left hand and you chest, hips and belly will now be flipped, facing the ceiling.
- Press down through the left hand and lit up through the hips.
- Hold for 3 – 5 breaths and switch sides.
- To come out, you can either “flip” back to plank or gently lower your hips to the ground.
Camatkarasana can be a kind of confusing position to find but once you have it, you get it! Suddenly, surprise (!) you are in a new position! The biggest piece is to trust yourself and your body in this position. Take your time as you go through the movement at first, and when you feel ready, just take off! It can be helpful to have a blanket beneath you to pad the floor for some extra assurance.
Join us in class this week to practice your awareness of the present moment. See the full schedule HERE.
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