Shifting part 2: Be Limitless

People always associate yoga with being flexible physically but really what it teaches us is to be more flexible in our thinking. In shifting our perspectives on situations and when making decisions. When we find that kind of flexibility we can take hold of limitlessness. To see that whatever is at our feet or just ahead of us is limitless is the shift we need. Our daily lives sometimes make us think we need to hold back, we get bogged down by responsibility. We get conditioned to the idea that we have to hold back. Being more flexible mentally, spiritually and in our consciousness, we can see the openness that life has to offer. the limitless possibilities that are just sitting there waiting for us.

I think the importance of our alignment cue's, doing our poses in transition, step by step and practicing the present moment it...helps us to be more consciously aware and therefore we can accomplish poses that we might otherwise consider to be impossible. When we stop thinking about what it is or what its supposed to be, and before you know it you've taken the bind while balancing on one leg, come into a full back bend, jumped back from crow or come into your first head stand. Whatever those poses are that we think we'd never do, if we throw away though the "can't do it" part and be in the moment of each breath we will achieve and we ride the limitlessness.

Inspiration part 2

Why teaching others is so amazing...
In some ways I don't think being a Yoga teacher is "my thing". I don't like pushing my "stuff" on other people and acting like its what they should be doing. I am a very "do what you feel" kinda Yoga instructor. I keep things light and easy peasy...which I think makes me an OK yoga teacher and not a GREAT Yoga teacher. But it is what it is. However, teaching is super cool because I like making people feel good. I like knowing that if someone had a stressful day I gave them an hour of relief and maybe they can even take that relief with them. Even better...I like when I can help someone accomplish something they didn't think they could -like Side crow. This is one of my favorite arm balances because its a lot easier than it looks. Recently I taught 2 people how to do it. I simply showed the exact alignment for getting into it and hallelooo! Bam! Side Crow! I love that idea of people having the potential to accomplish certain things and its all about guiding them to the right tools to do so.

If you're interested in learning my alignment and break down for the pose...check out this old post.

Side crow and Ekapadakoundinyasana

Side crow or this variation of ekapadakoundinyasana is a good first arm balance to start with if you're a beginner. I definitely got my side crow down way before my regular crow. So I will go over the alignments and preparation for it.

1. Feet together, come to a squat. Hug the knees in and try to bring your heels all the way down to the mat. Don't worry if you can't! You're more likely to be able to if you have flexible ankles. More important that having your heels come down, keep your spine straight and long, back and shoulders flat.

2. Turn yourself 90 degrees to the right or left (whichever side you want to start on). Come onto the balls of your feet and bring your palms to meet in front of your heart. Try to stand up tall on the balls of your feet, feet still together, like a toe stand but on both feet. Let your knees come forward and try to parallel your thighs to the floor. Shoulders down and back, spine straight. Hold here for a breathe or two and try to find balance and stillness preparing yourself for balancing.

3. On an exhale twist your upper body towards the front of the mat, place your hands flat and square to the top of the mat, about 1 foots length away from you.

4. Bend the elbows backwards creating a shelf with your triceps and elbows.

5. Come high onto the balls of your feet, keep bending elbows back at the same time. You should be able to bring your knee and hip bone to the elbows...or at least just your knee.

6. Lean forward. Use your uddiyadah bandha or just engage your abs ALOT. Squeeze the belly in and look forward. Start to lift one foot at a time, flex both feet to lift even higher.

TADA! Side crow!

And now Eka pada koundinyasana variation.
Ok you feel good in side crow? Extend the top leg straight back and bottom leg (the one where your hip and knee are balancing on your elbows) out to the side. Keep looking forward. I sometimes use the back leg to find balance as it touches the ground behind me when I'm adjusting my positioning.

Notes:
If you're more flexible when it comes to twists this will be easier for you. A major component here is twisting and being able to keep your shoulders and upper body square while your legs and hips are facing 90 degrees to the left or right. That gives you the ability to reach your hip and knees to balance evenly on your elbows. This is also a good starter pose because you can get comfortable with the idea of arm balancing and if you get scared or feel like you're loosing balance you just look forward and you can even put your head on the ground to help with balance at first.

Benefits:
1. Strengthens your wrists, arms and core.
2. Relieves stress and anxiety while balancing.

Don't do this pose if:
You have wrist problems, carpal tunnel syndrome or are pregnant.

Because its officially September!

Lately, I have been too sweaty in class to do Crow pose. Actually, I have been able to do it, but not so well, due to the slippage. But I thought I'd share my tips on the pose:
1. Bring your feet so that they are 1 foot length behind your wrists.
2. Come up onto the balls of your feet and align your knees to your arm pits
3. Engage bandhas. Or just engage your abs and feel the lift.
4. Look forward
5. Bring up one foot at a time, slowly
6. Bring toes together when you can balance and look forward.
YAY! Bhakasana!

Tricks:
I like to put a blanket in front of me so that I am less afraid to face plant. Also gives me a focus point and reminds me to look forward.
Having heels on, actually is a nifty trick, because it already brings you to the balls of your feet!
You are already lifted to align your knees into armpits. OK, so maybe you don't want to bring heels to yoga class... start standing on a block then.
Really engaging the abs or bandhas makes all the difference!

OH, yes, and breathe.

And now onto one of my least favorite poses. Shoulder stand. I might hate plow pose more...or it could be just that its leads to shoulder stand a lot of times. Anyways, I hate it! I feel all clausterphobic in my throat area and I get bored and anxious staying up there. Often times you will see me skip it in class and do supta baddakonasana instead. Nonetheless, I know I should do it, so I do.