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the sun salutation is an ancient sequence-
a prayer, a play, a dance
you can surrender to it
it isn’t easy to plan your practice,
especially first thing in the morning
but you can slide into the sun salutation
without thinking…just being aware
of the flow of movement
From breath: the essence of yoga
I have been teaching Virasana a lot in classes these last few weeks. It’s a great pose for lengthening quadriceps and ‘helps the knees is by bringing them through their complete range of flexion, nourishing joint surfaces that might otherwise be neglected.’ However many students can find this pose uncomfortable due to tightness in ankles, hips, or more importantly because they have a knee injury.
This is an informative article on what is going on in Virasana and whether you should or shouldn’t practice the pose with a knee injury. And this is a great article on how to practice Virasana safely. To summarise:
– Don’t force
– Go slowly
– Avoid pain
– Keep feet inline with shins
– Avoid overstretching the knees
– Keep ankles near the hips
– Use props! If needed sit up on blocks or use a blanket/stick between the back of the knees as below, or use a blanket under the ankles if sitting on the heels.
My friend Maia from julia warr on Vimeo.
“… exercise is not purely physical, as if we might carve off the flesh, leaving the spirit behind. And this is a crucial philosophical message: of wholeness. The human condition involves a continual to-and-fro between the body and the mind. In fact, the nouns make these aspects of self seem more divided than they are. Thinking is embodied, and acting is mindful. We are not a ghost in a machine, to use philosopher Gilbert Ryle’s phrase: we are bodies, and these bodies are conscious.” Damon Young via Rachel Johnston
‘Being led to conform to a teacher’s personal viewpoint is inevitably disempowering for the student. All power lies with the teacher as the possessor of knowledge…If we can change our approach to yoga from one that is systematised to one that is more individualised, we can free ourselves from certain constraints. Postures can now be developed around the body, rather than the body around the postures.’
Peter Blackaby, Intelligent Yoga: Re-educating the mind and body.
This book is great for anyone looking for a grounded and fresh perspective on anatomy in yoga (and anatomy in general), and for anyone questionning what yoga means today:
‘Adopting a humanistic approach to living and to yoga, one that is centered around the theme of human flourishing, is the premise underpinning this book.’ Peter Blackaby
Image from here