Hotel Yoga

Being on the road gives me stiff joints and tight muscles. Is it the hours of sitting or the hotel beds? No matter what the cause, yoga helps!

I don't carry a mat, nor do I expect to find a yoga class in the hotel fitness center (unlikely), all I need is a piece of floor in the room and a towel or two.

Lying on the towel(s) on the floor, begin with legs up the wall pose (Viparita Karani) for a few minutes. This is a wonderful restorative for feet and legs, especially after a lot of walking on sidewalks or airports.

Adapting the practice to limited space, try lying on your back, knees to chest, then move into twists (Jathara Parivartanasana) with legs bent, followed by leg extensions (Supta Pandangustasana) toward the ceiling. Move into Little Bridge pose (Setu Bandha Saravangasana) a couple of times, lifting one leg then the other to balance.

Finish up with Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I) and Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III), then a brief relaxation (Savasana) and you'll feel refreshed and invigorated.

Thanksgiving Day Yoga

Restorative yoga is the best yoga for a family and food-filled day like Thanksgiving Day.

Hopefully before the "Big Meal," find a quiet space, stretch out on your back, with a blanket or towel running the length of your spine, in a passive chest opener, for a few minutes. This opens your chest and fills your heart (the 4th Chakra) with grace and gratitude.

Next, rolling onto your belly, push up into Cobra (Bhujangasana) then to Dogward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) then onto your knees, and move your hips back into Child pose (Balasana). Rest here for a few minutes, feeling the roundness of your back, the softness of your belly as it rest on your thighs, and the pressure of your buttocks on your heels.

Coming up into Staff (Dandasana) pose, feel the extension of your legs away from you in front, and the lifting of the spine as your head reaches for the ceiling, tilt forward from the hips with a flat back. Then bending your knees bring your thighs to your chest and support the chest with the thighs, arms clasped around the shins, head in line with the spine. Relax in this position, feeling the support on your belly, and the extension in the back body, down through the buttocks and back of the thighs.

Cross your legs into Cross-Legged position (Sukasana) bring your hands into Prayer position  (Anjali Mudra or Namaste). Give thanks for your body and spirit, and all those with whom you are able to share this day.

Supported Half Handstand

Half Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana) is a challenging pose (asana) even when it is supported. This photo shows how a rope wall, in this case my "Great Yoga Wall" can assist in positioning and holding this pose.

Upper body and core strength are required for handstands, but even more than strength, confidence in your ability to get into and hold the pose is paramount. Half handstand, although more strenuous than full handstand, can build the strength and confidence you need. And for assistance in the position, a strap at the top of the thighs will allow the hips to hinge, yet still hold most of the weight. Then you can move your upper body into the correct position with hips, shoulders and hands in alignment, as shown. 

Bring lightness to the pose, and you'll find this asana a good step on the way to a full handstand.  

What to expect in an Iyengar class - Part II Asanas

1. After the preparation for class described in the previous entry, asanas begin: the teacher will follow the Demonstrate/Observe/Correct methodology, that means:

a. he/she will state the name of the pose in Sanskrit (and if you’re lucky in English) and demonstrate the pose. Watch them do it, do NOT try to follow along with them,

b. he/she will then suggest you try the pose, do it according to the demonstration, not how you think it should be done,

c. he/she will move around the class and make modifications to your pose. Consider it a compliment if you are given corrections. Expect to be touched by the teacher if they make corrections.

2. If you pay attention to the poses and sequencing, you see there is a lot of planning that goes into the class. The poses build upon one another.

3. There is almost always an inversion, and sometimes you are given a choice. Example: Salamba Sirsasana (Supported Headstand) or Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulder Stand). If you are not given a choice you can actually perform, do a preparatory pose, ie. can’t do a headstand? Just do the preparation pose for the headstand. Also, it helps to practice your blanket set-up for shoulder stand before class, they will take note of your neatness and efficiency.

4. There may be a rope wall. Real ropes, actually not the webbing I have in my studio. Let the teacher show you what they want you to do, but watch other students also, you’ll learn a lot.

5. There should be a Savasana (Relaxation) at the end of class. Sometimes time does not permit this, oh well. Many Iyengar teachers figure you can do this on your own.

6. Classes are there for you to learn new things and be corrected in the things you know. You are expected to have a daily personal practice.

7. Enjoy! I know you will, Iyengar teachers are very well trained, precise in their instructions and knowledgeable about their subject. Take advantage of this by listening and working hard.   

What to expect in an Iyengar class - Part I Preparation

Preparation for the class:

1. Arrive early, dress, place valuables in safe place. No water bottles in class. If you have a chance, speak with the teacher about physical impairments before class. Classes are at least 1 ¼ hours long, most are 1 ½ hours. The upper level classes are 2 hours. Pace yourself. The teacher may sit on a raised platform, it may seem strange at first but it’s a good idea. You can actually see them!

2. Walk into the studio and gather your props: 3 blankets, 2 blocks, 1 strap, 1 mat

3. Find a place on the floor, place props very near your space, usually at the head or feet

4. Warm-up; there is no warm up period in an Iyengar class, be warmed up when the class begins

5. Sit in comfortable position, you’ll be there a while, such as Sukasana (Cross legged pose). Remember your knees need to be lower than your hips

6. Sometimes the teacher will ask if there are any medical conditions they need to know about. If you didn’t have a chance to chat with the teacher before tell him/her now about any relevant medical conditions.

7. Class may commence with the Patanjali Chant in Sanskrit in call and response mode. Here is a phonetic version (on left), and a translation (on right), courtesy of YogaCircle.com. It is a good idea to practice this before your first Iyengar class. If you listen to the audio file at YogaCircle.com you will hear the rhythm, pace and tonal quality.

yogena cittasya padena vacam		Let us bow before the noblest of sages,
malam sarirasya ca vaidyakena		Patanjali, who gave yoga for serenity and sanctity of mind,
yopakarottam pravaram muninam		grammar for clarity and purity of speech,
patanjalim pranjaliranato’smi		and medicine for perfection of health.
abahu purusakaram		I Salute Adisvara (the Primeval Lord Siva)
sankha cakrasi dharinam		who taught first the science of Hatha
sahasra sirasam svetam		Yoga - a science that stands out as a ladder
pranamami patanjalim		for those who wish to scale the heights of Raja Yoga.

An Adjunct for Exercise and Fitness

Yoga is an excellent addition to any exercise or fitness program. Most sports and fitness activities focus on a specific set of muscles and use that set repetitively. Yoga is a balancing activity which requires many areas of the body.

Many poses are practiced in both directions, to ensure equal stretch and strengthening on both sides of the body. Other poses are balanced by their very nature requiring many diverse muscle groups to perform.

A good start to a yoga practice is the ever-popular Sun Salutation, a sequence that is many thousands of years old. It is performed twice, once to the right, and again to the left to maintain balance. This will take just a few minutes and will expand and release many areas tight from other activities.  

By adding a short yoga practice before or after your sports or fitness program, you can let your body use all your muscles, not just a select few.  

Backbends: step by step

Preparing for backbends is an incremental process. First, an adequate warmup is essential for a backbend practice, ensuring supple muscles and a flexible torso. Next, when you are warmed up, set up your backbend practice so your spine flexes in small increments, either moving up or down the spine.

For example, lying on your back on your mat, position a block or firm blankets under your back to allow your shoulder blades space to release back and down. After several breaths, move the prop down your spine to the base of your rib cage, releasing at that location. The next position for the prop is just above the waist and the last is at the sacral spine. At each prop position, release into a backbend using your breath to assist in the release.

To increase the release you can use a larger prop. Be sure to support your head so as not to hyperextend your neck.

Backbends open the chest and heart chakra spaces as well as release tight shoulder and back muscles, step by step.    







  

Chair Yoga

Yoga while seated on a chair is a good way to have a gentle practice. The chair is a support that  allows modifications of many poses.

Start with a sturdy metal folding chair. Open the chair and place it on a yoga mat. This will prevent the chair from slipping during your practice.

A simple seated twist while sitting on the chair is a good start. Crossing your leg, so your ankle is on your opposite knee, and bending forward is an excellent inner and outer hip stretch. Try with a flat back and a rounded one. To create a gentle backbend, slide your buttocks forward on the seat, place your hands on the sides of the chair seat, and lean your upper back and head over the back of the chair.

Gentle poses are great for those stressful days when your strength of character gets you to practice, but muscular strength is lacking.

Mindfulness as meditation

Meditation time is all the time. While finding 15 minutes to do another worthwhile activity seems challenging, we can take the approach that meditation is now, each moment. Every second of living is a meditation. The concentration, focus and attention we call mindfulness is meditation. Through mindfulness we live neither in the memories (good and bad) of the past, nor in the anticipation or anxiety of the future.

We are familiar with mindfulness from things we do that are fully engaging, putting us in "The Zone". That is when all time ceases to exist for us, for a while. Accessing "The Zone" isn't relegated to physically demanding activities, it can be simply through taking a deep breath, bringing your awareness fully to this time and place, and being completely here, right now.

Mindfulness is a practice, just like yoga, and the more we practice the better we get. It is a life skill, and one we can practice every moment of our lives.