Dolphin Pose - Pincha Mayurasana Prep

This is a wonderful shoulder strengthener!  It also lengthens the hamstrings and opens the front part of the shoulder.  It releases the low back, if hips are drawn high and low belly engaged inward.

To enter this pose:
1- Begin on hands and knees.  Place forearms down on the ground with your hands extended out in front of you.

2- Make sure your palms are face down or in karate chop with the pinkie side of your hand down and thumbs pointing upward, to ensure writs stay in line with elbows and elbows in line with shoulders.

*Often when entering this posture our elbows like to move outward away from the body.  Make sure elbows are place on the ground right inside shoulder distance apart and wrists are right in line with elbows and hands don't move in toward each other.

3- Press into your toes, and straighten your legs.  If your legs don't straighten all the way, that's OK!  Allow your mind to focus on hips moving upward, as if someone were gently pulling your hips skyward, and pressing the hip bones down toward your heels.  Press into your heels.  Do not allow your back to round, so keep knees bent if need be to have a nice long straight spine.

4- Broaden the shoulders by allowing the crown of the head to melt down toward the mat, shoulders will move away from the ears, making them nice and square.

5- Hold this for 5 breaths.  You may play around with raising one heel up toward the sky, and then the other.

Supported Headstand - Sirsasana

One of the most exhilarating aspects of yoga for me has been my ability to conquer balance upside down.  Headstand was the first "scary" inversion I attempted to learn.  I will share with you some things I've learned over the last 18 months as I continue to learn Headstand :)

Supported Headstand - Sirsasana

• From hands and knees, come down to your forearms and hug your elbows with your hands.  This is how far apart your elbows should be and STAY as you move into headstand.
• Clasp your hands with the outside of the pinky fingers on the mat and the inside of your clasped hands, your palms, will be on the back side of your head.
• Place the crown of your head in that space prepared for it.  The crown of your head down on the mat (as if standing in Tadasana or Mountain Pose, with neck long, and chin slightly angled down).  
• As you engage your abdomen muscles or core, press into your toes, straightening your legs as much as you're able and come into a "headstand downdog".  At this point, you may feel a lot of pressure on the top of your head.  Press into your forearms, and allow the shoulders to square away from your ears, providing a solid base for you.  30-40% of your weight will be in your head - 30% in your core center - 30% in your legs.  
• Walk your toes in close to your face - bringing your hips high over your shoulders.  This requires some hamstring flexibility, so this may be difficult and thats ok!  Work with where you are and stop anywhere along the way!
• As your hips come over your shoulders, you may find some lift in the toes OR you lift one foot and tuck that knee into your chest. You may find some lift here.

NEVER kick into headstand!  Use a wall for support if needed. ***Stop anywhere along the way!

See Videos below - This will show you some ways to enter Headstand, finding lift, instead of kicking in.  It also provides some insight as to how to move away from the wall and tuck and roll out!  Remember, when your feet are extended up in the air, your balance will be harder!  The more you keep your knees bent, or legs extended wide, you may find some stability here.  One more tip - as you extend your legs - FLEX YOUR FEET!  This keeps the legs engaged and sends energy upward and not sinking into your head.  

This video shows tucked knees in and stag legs - bottom left box will show the struggle to want to kick into headstand if feet are too far away from face and hips are not over shoulders.

This video will show how to "tuck and roll" or fall out with soft surroundings :)

This video will show how to bring your feet wide.  This helps with those who struggle with hamstring flexibility.

Remember - This is your journey!  Take a look at my first headstand, and keep in time this took me diligent work.  Everyone learns their inversions in their own time. Don't compare as this will make the body feel as though it isn't "performing" for you and it will not feel safe and loved.  You want to love your body into these postures.  Allow your body to invite you in, when it's ready, not when you think it is.  

VIDEO - Classical Sun Salutations

Classical Sun Salutation - Surya Namskar

As you begin Yoga, the Classical Sun Salutations are simple and get the body warm.  It is also relatively easy for most.  As you begin these sun salutations, always remember to take extra breath if needed, and in time you will begin to attach breath with movement.  Also, remember to modify anywhere along the way.  I'll add those modifications in each picture explanation.  See Quick Tips below!

To Begin: Stand in Tadasana or Mountain Pose

INHALE: Reaching your arms up and over head

EXHALE: Bring hands in namaste to heart center.

CONTINUE EXHALE - Hinge at hips, engage core as you fold forward

Finish your exhale in Forward Fold - Beginners, please place hands on a block, or hands on shins/knees.

INHALE: step your left leg back.  You are now in a lunge.  Lift your heart forward and lower hips, so ankle, hips and shoulders are in a nice diagonal line.  Bring your gaze forward.  

CONTINUE YOUR INHALE: step your right leg back (you are now in a plank.)

EXHALE: Bring your knees to your mat

CONTINUE EXHALE: Bring chest and chin to the mat. (keep your elbows in at your side.  If you can't bring your chin to the mat, lower as best you can)

INHALE: Cobra Pose

EXHALE: Down Dog (from Cobra, move to your knees or if you have the strength, hips lead you to Down Dog (a reverse push up, AVOID hips sagging below the line of the shoulders)

INHALE: Step the LEFT foot forward - lift heart, engage right quad upward, lower hips slightly, gaze forward

EXHALE: Step the right foot forward to your Forward Fold

INHALE: Reaching arms wide to the sides of you and up to the sky

EXHALE: Bring hands to heart center in Anjali or Namaste Prayer hands at your heart.

A few quick tips about Classical Sun Salutations:

• First always begin seated tuning into your breath.  Begin Ujjayi breath before your practice.  This expands your lungs and prepares you to move fluidly with breath.
• If you linger in each of these postures, very worried about the exactness of it, your breath will be off.  That's ok.  However, I encourage you to work on a specific part of the sun salutation at any time without concern for anything but continuing to breathe deeply.  It takes time to fine tune your Sun Salutations, so in the beginning, it won't look like you want it to.  Let go of the perfection and just move.
• Memorize the movement with the breath, so you aren't shackled to these pictures and can move on your own.
• Once you have this memorized: close your eyes, if needed and just move with breath.

Do you sense a common theme?  Move with breath on your own.  Let go.  Breathe, and feel your body moving. Tune into you.  If pain happens, then adjust.  Grab a chair for balance.  Get up and move your foot forward.  It's ok to adjust for yourself!  Just don't stop.  Greet the Sun each day.  It will fill you and in time you will feel stronger.

Deepak Chopra said that if you do nothing else but Sun Salutations, it is all the workout you need.  It is a full body workout.  

Namaste

Mountain Pose - Tadasana

This posture is tough!  You will know you are doing it well, if you feel your entire body working.  Also, as you move about your day, be aware of how you stand.  This posture improves your posture dramatically as you practice it as often as you remember :)

Mountain Pose - Tadasana

• Feet sit bone distance apart (not hips width, in slightly more).
• Imagine energy flowing upward from the inner arch of your feet, up the shins and down the calves.
• Inner thigh energy flowing up and rotating outward.
• SLIGHTLY tuck the tailbone in and up. (naturally will engage your core)
• Front low ribs coming in toward each other, slightly
• open the heart space and relax shoulders
• lengthen the back of the neck as the crown of your head rises toward the sky.
• slightly tip the chin down.  Slightly!  :)
• Activate through the fingertips!

Shoulderstand - Salamba Sarvangasana

Shoulderstand is considered the Mother of all asanas!  The benefits for this pose are amazing!  There are several variations as shown above.  All of which provide the same benefits for you.

Shoulderstand Pose - Salamba Sarvangasana

1. Use of a mat or folded blanket (as shown in top right pic) under the shoulders is very beneficial and comfortable.  Anytime a blanket is used, it sends the message of safety to the mind and body, which is very important in making strides in your poses.  Please use props in your practice!
2. Begin by lying flat on your back - two options as you move into this posture
1. Option 1: Bent Knees - You may bend your knees and bring your heels in closer to the buttocks.  Keep your hands flat on the mat beside your hips, press into your hands as you draw your knees up and into your chest and over your head (as seen in bottom left pic).  Bring hands to hips for support.  Tuck your triceps underneath you, squeezing the elbows in toward each other.  Keep your core engaged the whole time!
2. Option 2: Straight Legs - Lying on your back with legs extended straight, hands palm down next to your hips.  Press your palms into the mat and engage your core as you draw your feet up and over your head, slowly and mindfully!  Bring your hands to your hips and tuck triceps underneath you.  You may clasp your hands, drawing shoulder blades together underneath you, or keep hands on hips. 
3. DO NOT MOVE YOUR HEAD FROM SIDE TO SIDE :)  This could literally break your neck.  Be very delicate as you move in and out of this position and don't forget to keep you Ujjayi breath strong!  The reasons and benefits will be listed below.

Beginner/Restorative - Legs Up The Wall Pose

A wonderful and calming version of Shoulderstand

• Lie on your back with a bolster or blanket rolled or folded under your hips.
• Bring hips in close to a wall and allow your legs to extend up the length of the wall.
• Arms may be on your belly or extended out beside you with the backs of the hands resting on another blanket (again, helping the body to feel safe and relax more readily)
• A set of blocks or another bolster or heavier pillow may be placed on top of the feet.  This is also very calming.

Advanced Shoulderstand Variations

• As hands are clasped underneath you, squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep the neck in a nice C curve.  Keep some weight even dispersed between neck and triceps.  This is your base, or where you're rooted.  Keep your Mula Bandha engaged here as you slowly move your legs in this position see below.  Squeeze inner thighs together and keep the entire body aware and engaged.

• While legs are extended above you, feel free to move your legs into a Lotus Position and bring the knees in close to your face.  Be very careful of the neck, by keeping some weight in the shoulders as you give your knees a hug. This is a very calming position, only when your body is ready for it and you have the strength, balance and flexibility. (see pic below)

Benefits of Shoulderstand

• Stretches shoulders and improves upper flexibility of your spine
• Improves digestion
• Uses your Jalandara Bandha which stimulates and cleanses your Thyroid
• Helps relieve symptoms of Menopause
• Flushes the lunges of mucous.
• Relieves stress and is quite calming.

Cautions

Do not practice this posture if you have the following conditions

• Pregnancy
• Heavy menstruation
• High Blood Pressure
• Eye or inner ear infection
• Extreme headache or migraine
• Diarrhea
• Neck or back problems

Always remember as you practice, to allow your body to move into postures safely, allowing your body to invite you there.  It isn't about the destination, its all about the journey - that is where we learn and grow the most...and in essence, the journey is the destination.  Love your body into postures.  It will respond to you :) Namaste 

Warrior I - Virabhadrasana I

When I began practicing yoga, the Warrior Variations were practiced every day.  Working on the deepest Ujjayi breath possible, and holding these postures or visiting them several times throughout my workout was crucial in building strength, endurance and balance.  If you are new to yoga, I suggest you add this posture in often.  You'll be amazed how quickly you find strength in this posture after consistent practice.

Virabhadrasana I (Warrior Pose I)

1. Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) facing the front of your mat. Step your left foot back, about 4 to 5 feet behind you.
2. Keep your front foot pointing straight ahead and your back foot pointing to the front left corner of your mat.
3. Firmly anchor the back foot and roll the back thigh inward, creating space to drop your tailbone.
4. Bring hands to hips and point both hip points forward. Square the hips forward.  The left hip will want to roll out. Continue to ground down through the outside of the back, left foot.
5. Begin to bend your front knee toward a right angle. Keep your knee over the ankle.  As you move deeper into this, you may be able to balance a book on the front thigh.  If you cannot go that deep, you may need to adjust the foot to ensure the knee is over the ankle, coming out slightly to your comfort level.
6. Keep your hands on hips or angle them forward or right next to biceps, keep them actively engaged with palms facing each other.  Avoid back bending with hands facing backwards in this particular posture.

Extra Tips:

• Keep the back thigh actively engaged as well as inner thighs, to prevent the back knee from sagging down.  
• Back heel stays ground down.  Avoid lifting the heel. If you struggle with this, place a folded towel or blanket under that back heel.
• Avoid sinking into the knee joints, and engage everything up into your core center.
• Take a look at your knee and make sure it is not bowing in or swaying out.  If so, then this is a good indication that the joints are taking your weight.
• Tuck the tailbone SLIGHTLY in and up to avoid a low back bend here.
• Relax the shoulders away from your ears (avoid shrugged shoulders). Keep your back as straight as possible.
• Find a focus point - empty your mind and remember to breathe!

Benefits:

• Amazing TOTAL body strengthener!
• Stretches the front of the pelvis of the back thigh.  
• Strengthens and stretches the feet, ankles, shins, thighs, hip flexors and core.  
• This pose literally makes you feel like a Warrior!  Who wouldn't want that?!

Namaste!