My life has been very hectic the last few weeks, so my entries have been next to none, and i sincerely apologize for that. I have more to come but for now I wanted to describe some of my experiences in a recent Iyengar yoga practice.
During the past few weeks, my understanding of yoga has broadened, from a more physical view into a more holistic view. My experiences in class have fostered this development. I have gained a basic understanding of the philosophy of yoga, practiced many of the basic poses, and learned how maintaining a regular yoga practice will benefit my health and likely, my career in the future. The beauty of yoga lies within the fact that there is something for everyone at every level of practice: a benefit, a challenge, and a release.
Although I knew of the spiritual side of yoga, I didn’t necessarily incorporate a spiritual or mental awareness into my past practice. As our current practice in class deepened and we were exposed to the philosophy of yoga I began to recognize yoga, not only for its physical benefits. I learned that yoga is an ancient art which promotes wellbeing of the body, mind, and soul. Yoga is not a religion, but more of a way of life, with a prolonged yoga practice eventually leading to a sense of peace, being at one with the environment, and a realization of his or her own potential (Iyengar, 2006). In addition, practicing yoga can deliver increased flexibility, improved stamina and strength, improved joint mobility, increased relation, and increased breathing awareness (Iyengar, 2006). I was also introduced to the eight limbs of yoga: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi (Iyengar, 2006). In class we focused on learning the asanas, or poses, but we also based our practices around the five yamas, or the great universal commandments: ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (self-control), aparigraha (unselfishness) (Iyengar, 2006). The niyamas or personal disciplines, also guided our practice: saucha (cleanliness), santosha (contentment), tapas (great effort), svadhyaya (self study), and ishvara pranidhana (faith) (Iyengar, 2006).
The physical benefits of yoga are the more obvious ones and as I continue working as a personal trainer explaining the benefits of increased flexibility, joint mobility, muscular strength, and stamina to my clients (and enjoying them myself) will be straightforward. It is some of the spiritual and mental benefits that I am excited about taking into my future professional identity. When I practice yoga, I am tested in so many ways. My body is challenged, but my mind also struggles with the desire to come out of an uncomfortable pose. I struggle with the desire to quit and to stop trying. I also struggle with the desire to judge myself when I am not performing as I wish and I struggle with keeping my mind open and peaceful. I feel if I can work on my mat to overcome some of these desires then I can apply those lessons to all aspects of my life and I will become a better athlete, leader, friend, and person. If my clients can learn about yoga with professional guidance and start to embrace the struggle they may feel during a forward bend, the elation of improving downward facing dog, or even the satisfaction of maintaining mountain pose as they are waiting for the bus, then I believe they will also take these lessons learned and benefits gained into their daily living.
With yoga, as it should be with many pursuits, it is not only the outcome that should be satisfying. Each practice gives back to its students whatever they are willing to put into it. There is so much room for improvement, achievement, and challenge at any level. I plan to continue my practice in some form for many years to come and I will encourage others to try incorporating yoga into their routine as well. A yoga teacher once told me “pay attention to how you deal with struggle on your mat because it directly relates to how you deal with struggle in daily living. Your mat is like a mini-cosom of your life” (personal communication, Moksha Yoga Victoria, 2010).
Analysis of a Pose
Asana: Utthita Trikoasana Sanskrit meaning: Extended triangle pose
Entering the Pose
Begin in Tadasana and then jump or step your feet apart until you have a base of approximately four feet. Raise your arms up to shoulder height with your palms facing the floor.
Feet, Legs
Rotate your right foot and leg 90 degrees to the right and turn your left foot in towards your body. Keep your legs active with the knee caps lifted and feet grounded. Both legs should remain straight. Make sure your left knee cap is facing frontwards and not turning inwards.
Pelvis
Your hips should be as square and level as possible, creating a neutral pelvis.
Trunk
Length the spine by drawing the tailbone down and stretching the torso up through the ribs, neck, and up through the crown of the head. Then bend your torso to the left, extending and bending at the hip crease.
Arms
Your arms should still be raised to shoulder height. Stretch your arms all the way from your shoulders to the finger tips. When you bend your torso, ensure your arms follow until your right palm is either on the floor, resting on your right shin, or resting on a prop. The left arm and hand should be extended up towards the ceiling.
Head, Neck
The head and neck should still be in line with the spine, but if it is comfortable for you, turn your head and look up towards your left hand.
Coming Out of the Pose
Push on the little toe side of your left foot as you swing your arms in a controlled manor back up to center. Straighten your feet and jump or step them together. Repeat the pose on the other side and return to Tadasana.
Use of Props
This pose can have several variations to the hand placements. In my photos I most often place my lower hand on my shin and my upper hand straight in the air. This seems to be the best balance between comfort and challenge for me at this point in my practice. Our textbook suggested the lower palm could rest on the floor, but it would also be possible to rest it on several foam or wooden blocks, giving the student as much height as necessary. Sometimes we have also bent our upper arm and placed our hand on our hip. I find this really helps to open the chest and ensures there is minimal forward twist of the torso.
Challenges and Weaknesses
As illustrated by the photos, I do have some challenges with this pose. The first two photos were taken at the end of the first week of class, when my knowledge of the pose and ability to perform it correctly had not been developed. It is easy to see that I am collapsing through my ribs on the side that I am leaning towards, instead of really bending at the hip crease as we were taught. It also appears I am leaning forward slightly, probably to help alleviate the intense stretch I feel in my hamstrings during this pose. I am also not confident in keeping my balance and posture enough to turn my head to look towards my upwards hand.
Changes
When analyzing the photos, I realized my improvements in this pose are significant. First of all, my torso is bending much more from the hip and I am maintaining a more correct alignment through my spine when compared to my previous photo. My arms and legs are also straighter and I have turned my head to look upwards. A wider stance may allow me to bend further in this pose and I would like to work on moving my foot inwards slightly because it looks like it is turned outwards. Over all I feel I have improved in this pose.
Strengths
I feel that my strengths in this pose come from the muscular strength and endurance I feel in my legs, my balance, and the flexibility in my shoulders. This allows me to feel strong and stable in this stance and sufficiently open my shoulders to fully extend my arm upwards.
Benefits of this Pose
Benefits of this pose include the relief of gastritis, indigestion, acidity, and flatulence. This pose also improves spinal flexibility, massages and tones the pelvic area, and strengthens the ankles. It also may alleviate backache, shoulder misalignment, menstrual discomfort, and neck sprains (Iyengar, 2006). As well as these benefits, I also feel a stretch in my hamstrings (as I do with nearly every pose!). Increased flexibility in my hamstrings and my spine will likely allow for an improved performance in my running. Strengthening my ankles and improving my balance will benefit my trail running and hiking, and working to open the shoulders will improve my kayaking stroke. This posture also works to bring a simple awareness to the alignment of my body which is beneficial to all my physical pursuits.
References
B.K.S. Iyengar (2006). Iyengar yoga for beginners. London: Dorling Kindersley.
i spent several hours riding the surf last sunday and it was spectacular! not my surfing mind you, just the act of surfing! i have never tried a more exhausting and addictive sport. i have been surfing for years now, coming to long beach as a child, but i am still only a beginner with so much to learn! my friends and i had many rides, laughs, and wipe outs to share. i also explored the rainforest boardwalk and the bog boardwalk which were both extreme examples of our west coast environment. extremely different and extremely beautiful.
