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Charging Scorpion

February 6, 2012

 

I’m pretty sure I was born with cement poured into my upper back.

For the longest time my tight upper back made me dread poses like Scorpion because no matter how hard I tried to ‘melt my chest’ it always felt like hitting a wall. Of course, this never stopped me from trying, but imagine my glee to discover that there was a hybrid scorpion pose called Charging Scorpion! I first saw Dharma Mittra do this pose and found myself cocking my head side to side with intrigue just like my dog does when I mention any words that have to do with calories. I immediately went to the wall to play around with this new Scorpion Pose and fell in love—my upper back moved! It not only moved, it felt divine. It has become one of the only poses where I can find movement and release in my upper back and I use the second step regularly to get my back ready and happy for deeper backbends.

Just like any Challenge Pose I post, this one can take some time! If you’re used to practicing regular scorpion this will throw you off as your gaze and chest is moving towards a hallow position as opposed to the curl we normally do. Give yourself time to adjust and remember the best way to go deeper is laugh and enjoy when you want to panic and grip. Work the Dolphin variation, when you’re ready go upside down into step two and then venture (or lightly charge) forward when you’re body gives you the green light!

Step 1:

 

 

Start on all fours preparing for Dolphin Pose with a slight variation! Interlace your fingers as if you were preparing for headstand and place your elbows shoulder width apart. Keep your head off the ground as you curl your toes under and work your legs towards straight (or as straight as they’ll go). Walk your feet in towards your elbows but instead of looking forward like you would in a traditional Dolphin, take your gaze towards your legs. Neutrally drop your neck without placing your head on the ground. Create a deep firming of the upper outer edges of your arms around the bone towards your face to gain stability. It will feel like you’re trying to shrink your arm pits into your sockets. Draw your face and chest through your arms back towards your legs until you feel a nice sensation bubbling up in your upper back. Hold for a good 8-10 breaths and repeat if wanted.

Step 2:

 

 

Create the same arm set up but this time at the wall—place your knuckles where the floor and base board meet. Take your gaze slightly forward and curl your legs back into Dolphin Pose. Lift one leg and lightly kick up bringing your feet to the wall (Note: Your head stays off the ground—it’s like a Headstand/Forearm Stand hybrid). Once your feet come to the wall, slowly take the entire length of your legs to the wall so that your feet, calves, hamstrings and hips are resting against the wall. Keep your belly engaged and tailbone lifting towards your heels to prevent any sitting in the lower back. Begin to firm the upper outer edges of your arms in and root down into your elbows. Neutrally drop your head so you’re gazing into the middle of the room and start to bring your head through your arms and chest away from the wall while the legs stay put. This should feel like a pretty amazing shoulder release, and if you feel any pain, make sure to put more effort into firming your outer arms in to protect the rotation of your shoulders.

Step 3:

 

 

Continuing on from Step 2, simply keep your hips at the wall and bend your knees with only your bottom and toes touching. Keep the core engaged, arms firming and chest/head reaching towards the middle of the room.

Step 4:

 

 

From Step 3, bring one foot away from the wall as you draw that knee in towards your chest. Start to take your gaze up towards the bent knee that’s pulling towards your heart. Take a few breaths and then switch legs. If you start to feel confident, keep one knee bent into your chest, gaze towards your knees, arms firm and play with lightly tapping the second foot away from the wall.

 

 

As you get more and more comfortable with this balance you can keep the thighs and knees squeezing together as you come into full balance. If you get to the level where you’re kicking up at a wall, try kicking up into the forearm stand with your fingers interlaced and your head off the ground. Start with a medium bend in both knees and then work the action of the chest and head pulling through the arms. Once you feel the transition in your chest, draw the knees as deep to your chest as you comfortably can and look up. Oh yes, and have fun!

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

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Eka Pada Sirsasana

January 23, 2012

I remember my budding days in the Mysore room watching 2nd and 3rd series Ashtanga yogis effortless slipping their legs behind their heads and looking serene while I struggled with Half Lotus with no knee pain. I often thought they came from a different planet where flexibility was the norm and I was their subservient inflexible minion. I watched in awe hoping that one day I could get dual citizenship into their crazy, beautiful world. I kept practicing. I made it through the first series and into the intermediate series. I practiced vinyasa flow on the weekends, held my externally rotated standing poses with strength, and spent plenty of time surrendering into my Pigeons. Keep in mind, I was never trying to put my foot behind my head. Honestly, it seemed like a silly idea to even try.

By the time I got up to the dreaded Eka Pada Sirsasana (Foot-Behind-the-Head Pose), I was shocked. It certainly wasn’t a walk in the park, but it also wasn’t pulling teeth. My hips responded, slowly working their way toward the mountain top. With patience and perseverance, I got there! My foot slid behind my head and I sat as tall as I could. The bummer was there were no angelic horns or gates of heaven opening—it just felt like a freaking foot behind my head, and it was heavy! The realization made me laugh. It’s so easy to get caught up in aesthetic of the practice and wanting what other advanced yogis do so seemingly effortlessly. The danger is we forget to enjoy all the little juicy tidbits that happen everyday on our mat: The strength and stability that Warrior II builds in the lower body and in the mind. The surrender and openness that Pigeon creates in the hips and heart. And the deep, deep gratitude toward our body for even being able to roll out of bed and stand up each day.

Sliding your foot behind your head then becomes a victory, but also a realization that you’ve been fabulous all along. You don’t need to have a deep contortion to feel accomplished—just a strong foundation and love for your everyday practice and the willingness to learn and expand.

*This sequence will help you get your foot behind your head, but I highly recommend spending some serious time in externally rotated standing poses to build heat in your hips before you dive into this pose.

Step 1:

 

Depending on the depth of your single Pigeon, have a few blankets handy. Start in Downward-Facing Dog and step your left shin bone to the front of your mat and drop your back leg and pelvis down. If your hips are nowhere near the ground, grab your blanket(s) and place them under your left hip to help level everything out. If you want a lighter hip opener, keep your front heel close to your body. If you want to intensify the external rotation, work the shin bone so it becomes parallel with the front of the mat, keeping your foot flexed. Roll your outer right thigh and right hip down toward the ground to help level your pelvis. Press down into the baby toe of your right foot and make a slight internal rotation of your upper inner right thigh. Inhale as you balance on your fingertips and lift your chest high. Exhale, walk your torso forward over your Pigeon leg and rest your head on the ground, blankets, or a block. Hold here for 8 breaths or up to 5 minutes.

*note: There should be NO knee pain in this pose. Strong hip sensation, yes, for sure. Knee pain is an indication that you’re going too deep into your hips. Either bring your heel closer to your body or prop yourself up on blankets for additional support.

Step 2:

This amped-up version of Thread the Needle is a fantastic prep pose for foot-behind-the-head on your back or seated upright (or for whenever you want a deeper hip opener). Start on your back in Thread the Needle: Bend both knees and cross your left ankle directly below your right knee. Lift the right foot off the ground and the leg in toward your chest. Reach your left arm through the gap in your legs and your right arm around the outside of your right thigh to clasp your fingers behind your hamstring. Hold here for a few breaths (keep your head relaxed on the ground).

From here you have two options: cradle or forklift your shin. If you cradle (my preference), take your inner left elbow around your left kneecap and inner right elbow to the sole of your left foot and clasp your hands in front of your shin bone as you straigthen release your right foot down onto your mat, with your knee still bent. If you forklift, slide both arms under your shin so the elbows hook at the leg. Try both and see what feels best. Once you put your right foot on the floor, you can stay like this or extend it straight, which will considerably intensify the stretch.

After holding this variation for a good 8 breaths, hook your right elbow under your shin just above your ankle and reach your left arm straight back overhead. Bend your left elbow, take the arm behind your head, and try to clasp your hands together. Press your head back into your elbow like a pillow to deepen the opening (this mimics the feeling of a foot behind your head). Hold another 8 breaths and gently release to switch sides.

Step 3:

From sitting, bend your left knee and take the forklift or cradle option from Step 2 (I’m doing the cradle variation in the photo). Once you have your left leg, sit up as tall as you comfortably can. Keep the lower back lifting and the chest up. Flex your right foot to give you an anchor in the pose. If possible, lift your left foot to be in line with your left knee (this will deepen the rotation) as well as pulling the foot side in closer to the body. Hold for a good 30 seconds or so.

Step 4:

 

Continuing on from where we left off in Step 3, it’s time to put your backpack on! Imagine your left leg is like the strap of a backpack and you’re working it up your arm so it will sit comfortably on your back. Keep your left shinbone where it is, but grab your left foot with both hands. Gently press your knee and shin out and back to the side, then put your left hand under your calf to help boost it up your arm. Do this several times until you can’t take the leg any higher.

Step 5:

Remember before you go forward: If it feels like you’re forcing something, then you probably are. You want this pose to be as effortless as possible (considering the situation), so please make a promise to yourself that you will not try to cram your foot behind your head for a painful moment of glory. You’ll get there.

Once you’ve completed Step 4, place your right hand on top of your left foot and bow your head down. Give a nice boost of your shin up with your left hand (which is still under the shinbone) to help slide the shin behind your head. Once it’s there, you’ll start a wiggle process trying to get the left shoulder forward and the chest up. Don’t think of the shin being behind your head—try go get it to the base of your neck. This will prevent the head from being forced down into your chest. You will need to press your head back into your leg to prevent the chest from collapsing and in the beginning, you might need to hold onto your foot with your right hand the entire time so it doesn’t slip off off your head immediately. Once it’s far enough down you neck, you can bring both hands to anjali mudra  in front of your heart. Press your heart into your hands, sit up as tall as you can, and press back into your pillow. Keep the bottom leg active and engaged. Broaden through your collarbone and take a few breaths here. Grab the foot with your right hand, dip your chin, and lightly slide the leg back to the ground.

 

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

 

 

 

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Eka Pada Urdvha Dhanurasana

January 9, 2012

I wrote last week about my rocky relationship with backbends, specifically Urdhva Dhanurasana. It’s easily one of the most common backbends practiced in public classes and provides immense relief when done correctl—and deep frustration when misunderstood. I highly recommend hoping over to that post before venturing forward into this one to make sure your foundation is solid, because I’m about to shake it up.

This one-legged variation of Upward-Facing Bow Pose is hands down one of the most visually stunning backbends. It reminds me of my favorite motto “Aim True.” The body creates the shape of the bow and the lifted leg takes aim as an arrow pointing toward the sky, or in my opinion, toward infinite possibility. I’ve always liked the idea that our energy doesn’t stop at the end of our limbs but rather continues on beyond our body to wherever we want it to go. As you practice this pose, set an intention first. Dedicate this pose to a person or thing that you love, and then take aim. Deliver this intention through the physical energy of your body straight into the bulls-eye of your dedication.

Step 1:

Bridge Pose is a nice way to test your comfort level in lifting one leg during a backbend. Begin on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Lift your hips up and interlace your fingers beneath your back. Rock your shoulders and outer arms under your back to help arch the chest. Lift your hips without clenching your buns as you root into your heels. Keep a slight lift in your chin to keep the front of your throat long. Wiggle your right foot a few inches inward to your midline. Lift your left foot off of the ground and continue to extend the leg straight up into the air toward the ceiling. Keep the hips lifting along with the top leg. You can help this action by deepening the pressure under your right heel as you press your shinbone back toward your body. Press the tips of your shoulder blades in toward your heart and take 5 breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Step 2:

Once you get comfy with lifting one leg at a time, make sure the base of this Challenge Pose is solid. Upward-Facing Bow Pose  was last post’s Challenge Pose and forms the base of this one, so click the link above to fully understand your backbend before you add anything fancy to it.

Step 3:

Start on your back with your knees bent and feet flat hip-width apart. Reverse your palms behind your shoulders so they are flat and your fingertips point toward your feet. Lift your hips and head so you can lightly place the crown of your head onto the ground. Hug your elbows in over your wrists, plug the shoulders into their sockets while keeping the outer arm long, and begin to curl your chest by pressing the bottom tips of your shoulder blades toward your heart. Press into both palms to start lifting the head and straightening the arms.

Once your arms are straight (or as straight as they’ll comfortably be), walk your feet in a few inches. If you experience any lower back pain, lengthen your tailbone toward your knees to engage your lower belly or leave your feet where they are and don’t worry about shortening your stance.

Now, wiggle your right foot a few inches in toward the midline. Lift your left foot off of the ground (you might start here by lifting just a few inches and holding). Bend your left knee in toward your chest to activate your hip-flexor muscle, and hug in the outer hip. Roll the upper inner thigh down and keep even weight in your palms. Press the shin bone back to help open your chest. Stay here or . . .

Step 4:

 

Keep all the work from Step 3. Take the lifted bent knee and keep the location of the hip. Gently extend from your knee to your toes up toward the ceiling to help straighten the leg. Reach your tailbone forward and keep your upper outer arms rotating in to support your chest. Relax your neck and press deeper into your standing heel to encourage more space in the chest. Flair your toes toward the ceiling and relax the left thigh bone into its socket to keep the hips level. Take 5 breaths and then switch sides.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

 

 

 

 

 

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Urdhva Dhanurasana

December 29, 2011

Ah, backbends. My one time arch enemy.

There was a time when we seriously didn’t get along. To be honest, I think I disliked them simply because I wasn’t good at them. They frustrated me. These gorgeous shapes looked like they should feel so good and yet when I attempted them I felt like I had just gotten back from a trip to the cement factory. I wanted my body to keep going but my spine wouldn’t budge. I’d look at the bendy spines around me and wonder how I missed out on the flexy-vertebra handouts.

So, I walked away defeated and kept working on everything else.

I eventually started practicing with Anusara teacher Noah Maze. This insanely talented (and flexible man) brought a new-found love to my backbend practice. He was so inspiring and diligent that I actually felt my heart opening up. I learned that you can’t “own” a backbend or “do” one—you surrender to it. These days, some of my favorite times on my mat are those where I set up my alignment and then fully let go into the pose and the moment. Don’t get me wrong—my backbends are certainly far from perfect. You’ll even see my poor little hips trying to lift in my final picture of Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward-Facing Bow or Wheel Pose) above to no avail. But hey, the point is—I’m trying my best. Which is all I ask of you. Know your body, practice your alignment, and then give it your best shot. You’ll walk away stronger with a smile on your face (and in your heart). Have a a block and strap on hand for this practice.

Happy backbending.

 

Step 1:

It’s important to understand the work of the arms and shoulders before performing this large backbend, so go grab a block! Start in a seated with your bottom resting on your heels. Take your block the wide way in between your hands. Press your palms evenly into each edge like a sandwich. Extend your arms straight out in front of you. Extend the outer length of your arms as long as you can while pushing deeper into the pinky edge of your hand. Encourage the entire length of your arm to roll down and in to broaden your upper back. Relax the base of your neck as you lift your block up several inches. Keep the outer body long and the inner shoulders soft. Notice if your ribs are starting to puff out—draw them in and root your tailbone down toward the ground. Hold for several breaths then continue lifting the block up. Keep this pattern until you can’t go any higher without bending your elbows. You want to keep the arms straight, outer body extremely long and neck soft and happy. (I should mention this looks simple but your arms will be on fire by the time you’re done. Simple yet brutally effective work!)

Step 2:

Our elbows like to splay out during this transition so it’s best to train your arms using a strap. Make a lasso on your strap measuring it shoulder head to shoulder head (where the bone enters the socket). Place the strap around your arms just above the elbows. Lie on your mat with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Reverse your palms behind your shoulders, shoulder-width apart and fingertips facing your heels. The strap will knock you in the forehead—it’s annoying, but you’ll get used to it. (Small price to pay for safe shoulders.)

 

Step 3:

Press into both feet evenly and elevate your hips like you’re lifting toward Bridge Pose. Next, press into your palms and lift your chest and head up just enough so you can open your throat and place the crown of your head onto the ground. Have minimal weight resting on the ground with your head. Hug your elbows in over your wrists (the strap will aid you there) and keep your shoulder heads plugged into their sockets (don’t reach your shoulders toward your elbows). Think “toes in, heels out” to keep your feet parallel and begin a curling action of your chest—it will feel like you’re slowly rolling toward your hairline and the bottom tips of your shoulder blades toward your heart.

Step 4:

Time to pick this bad boy up! If this is newer to you, getting onto the crown of your head will be WORK. Don’t be ashamed to hold there and then rest. Trust me, this pose will open up to you when the time is right—not when you force it. So, if everything is still going well, press both of your palms firmly into the ground keeping all the principles of Step 3. Lift your head up off of the ground several inches, keeping your elbows bent and hugging in (think of loosening the strap). Press your shinbones back toward your calves and lift your hips up. Relax your neck completely as you spiral your upper inner thighs down to release your lower back (don’t squeeze your buns!).

 

Step 5:

If the last step felt good, it’s time to deepen the pose. Begin to straighten the arms without losing their rotation—outer arms back and in to broaden your upper back. Walk your feet in a few inches toward your hands as you bring your shoulders back so they get closer to stacking over your wrists (this will help relieve wrist pain in this pose). Come onto the balls of your feet to help lift the hips. Tilt your tailbone toward your knees to lengthen your lower back. Keep the hips this high, and without changing the height at all, slowly lower your heels, stretching through your Achilles back onto the ground. Relax your neck. Walk your feet back out, tuck your chin, and keep the elbows in as you bend and lower your body back onto the ground.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

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Urdhva Kukkutasana

December 12, 2011

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This pose used to send me into a total frenzy.

I had finally figured out how to do the transition from Tripod into Crow (or Crane) Pose and was ready to expand my horizons. I knew I could get into Lotus upside down and figured it couldn’t be that much harder to transfer Lotus legs than Crow.

Au contraire my petite flying bird!

I would spend what felt like lifetimes stuck on the crown of my head trying with every ounce of my being to get my body to budge. It was horribly frustrating. But, I never stopped trying. I started noticing what wasn’t working and would check that off the list. I eventually found the delicate transfer of weight needed to get into this pose, but to this day still find it challenging.

Urdhva Kukkutasana (Upward Cock Pose) is one of those poses that reminds us good things come to those who wait. If you don’t at first succeed—try, try again! You’ll get there and when you do, it will be well worth it!

Step 1:

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Come into Dolphin Pose. Walk your feet in and place your knees onto your upper arms. Hug yourself into a tiny little package. Lift your hips up as your thighs draw tight into your chest. Stay compact as possible to help your center of gravity. Every few breaths, remind yourself to lift the shoulders and keep the elbows in. Once the hips stack over the shoulders, the weight of the legs will lessen and the core will connect. Hook through the lower belly to lightly pull the knees off the arms into a pike position in your chest. Keep the inner heels and big toes touching as the legs draw up toward the ceiling as if being sucked through a straw. Hug the inner thighs to the midline, expand through the backs of the knee caps, and spread the toes.

 

Step 2:

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I covered Padmasana in Sirasana (Upside-Down Lotus), above, in my last post. Read it here!

 

Step 3:

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Once you’ve gotten into a deep Lotus in your headstand, double check your foundation—make sure your elbows are in over the wrists and that the shoulders are lifting up to take pressure out of your neck. Start to fold your Lotus toward your body until you can rest both knees onto your arms. Once the knees land, start to walk them up the arms like a little ladder. Wiggle one leg toward the armpit, and then the next, until you can’t snuggle in any further. Reconnect to the lift in your shoulders and keep your core tight.

 

Step 4:

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Start to press the weight of the knees into your arms as you drop the hips back and toward the ground. This will bring you into a deep fold and can feel VERY heavy (which means, take your time)! Push deeply into the heels of the hands as the fingers dig in lightly to help isometrically pull the chest forward. Once you feel a shift happening in the hips, start to roll from the crown of the head toward the hair line. When you’re eyes meet the floor, then you can start to push the ground away. Firm your upper outer arms in and round your upper back. Keep gazing forward as you elevate your pose. The round in the back will create straighter arms as you press the ground away. Keep the your Lotus as tight as you can to your torso and take 5 breaths. Either bend the elbows to come back up into headstand to release, or slide down your arms like a little fire pole and have a good laugh.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

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Padmasana in Sirsasana

November 28, 2011

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Some people like a quiet room with no distractions to get some serious thinking done. I’m pretty sure some of my finest epiphanies have come from Tripod Lotus. I know, call me crazy, but there is a sense of strength and security that evolves from being in this pose. Lotus is such a compact pose for the hips. It’s neatly tight up–it offers a sense of security while you can’t help but feel strong standing on your head supporting your own body weight. Practicing this pose reminds me that I can be strong and secure–that practicing poses outside of my comfort zone frees me from fear and that the more energy I give to my strength the more powerful I make myself. I wish the same for you in this challenge pose. Make sure you have a good grip on Tripod Headstand and Lotus before you decided to marry the two together here.

Step 1:

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If you’re comfortable with your balance, set yourself up into Tripod Headstand in the middle of the room, or otherwise about 8 inches away from the wall. Every few breaths remind yourself to keep the elbows in over the wrists and the shoulders lifting up away from the ears. These two actions will keep the cervical spine safe and the shoulders supported. Once you’re in full Headstand, keep the left leg straight and externally rotate the right leg from the hip socket. This means the heel spins in and the toes spin out. Bend your right knee and drag the sole of the foot down the inner left leg until you land below your left inner kneecap. Aim to get the sole of your right food to the inner left thigh, like in Tree Pose. Keep the front ribs in (this will avoid the backbend fall-out) and tailbone lifting.

Step 2:

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From your Tree, slide the right foot over the left quad so the heel of your right foot is below the left knee. Wiggle the right ankle to slowly climb the foot down away from the knee cap towards the hip. This will be a very loose version of Half Lotus. Don’t worry about achieving a full Half Lotus here, the tightening will come later! Just do a “lazy” version of the rotation for now!

Step 3:

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It’s time to chop! Keep your right leg in the Half Lotus, then simply bend your left knee. The foot will land behind your Lotus leg. Continue this chopping action–lightly! Bend the left knee and use the chop to get the heel closer and closer to the left shin. The hips will continue to open and the knees will travel closer toward the ground (slight pitch in the lower back, just a touch!) until the chopping heel of your left leg reaches the right shin. Once the heel gets to the shin, it’s time to snuggle.

Step 4:

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Once your left heel makes contact with the right shin, wiggle the ankle until the heel slips in front of the right shin. You’ll be in an extremely loose Lotus. Time to snuggle! Wiggle both ankles leading with your heels. The right heel will wiggle towards the left hip and vice versa. Continue this snuggle action until you can’t tighten your Lotus any further. Descend your knees until the Lotus is parallel to the ground. Keep the belly in, shoulders lifting, and elbows over the heels of your hands. Keep your feet flexed (this protects the knees) and your toes wrapping around the thigh as if they were trying to hold on. Hold for 8 breaths then reverse your wiggle to unleash the Lotus. Lower into Child’s Pose and rest.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

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Padmasana

November 14, 2011

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Lotus is one of the most iconic postures in yoga. It embodies the serenity and beauty that we all strive to manifest from our practice. Some people walk into a yoga room with zero experience and whip their legs into Lotus without a second thought, while many seasoned yogis struggle with even Half Lotus. This posture requires deep external rotation in the hips, which provides quite the challenge considering most us us have tight hips from hours sitting at desks, in cars, or from years of running and sports. The best way to find Lotus is by a series of hip-opening forward folds that we’ll go over here. If Lotus is a goal, I recommend doing these on a regular basis. Try the seated sequence from the primary series in Ashtanga–this will help immensely as well. Be patient though–pushing for a deep hip opener can result in knee pain or even injury. Listen to your body. Sensation is great, opening wonderful, but pain is never OK. 

Lotus pose exemplifies yoga–when the yogi is ready, the pose will come. You can’t push or break the rules. You show up, do your practice, do your best and when the time is right, it appears.



Step 1:

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Begin in Dandasana (Staff Pose). Bend your right knee and place the right ankle directly above the left kneecap so that the right foot hangs off the side of the left leg. Keep the right foot flexed and gently encourage the right knee toward the ground (never push on your knee). If this is a huge hip opener for you, stay here. Sit up tall and continue this pose until you can sit with ease. If you’re moving on, inhale, sit up tall, exhale and begin to lengthen out over the straight leg. If you can reach your left foot without rounding your spine, clasp the foot with both hands. Otherwise, use a strap wrapped over the ball of the foot. Root the hips, lift the belly, and reach your heart up. Keep any rounding out of the spine and don’t worry if the right knee doesn’t drop down–it’s takes time (and patience) to open the hip. Repeat on the second side.



Step 2:
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Janu Sirasasana is a fantastic and accessible forward fold that opens our hips. Begin again in Dandasana (Staff Pose). Bend your right knee and bring the sole of the right foot to the upper inner left thigh. Root into the hips as you take a large inhale, and twist the torso toward the straight leg. Try to line up your naval with your left kneecap. Exhale, walk the hands toward the foot without rounding the spine. Feel free to pause along the way or use a strap. If you reach the foot, grab both sides. Rotate your torso to help square your body. Roll the right side of your waist down and extend the heart. Take 8 breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Step 3:

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We’re starting to get into deep rotation territory! You may very well practice steps 1 and 2 for a long time. Don’t be disheartened by this. Hips take some love and time, as does Lotus! Start again in Dandasana and bend the right knee and grab the heel of the right foot. Draw it toward your belly button then spin the toes toward the ground so that they rest curled over the left thigh. Keep the heel flexed and digging in toward the navel (or where ever it lands) to protect the connection to your knee. You can use a block underneath the knee for support and practice sitting tall. Congratulations, you’ve reached Half Lotus. With time, deepen the pose by adding the forward fold–elongate the spin (no rounded spine) over the straight leg using your strap on the ball of the foot or holding both edges of the foot. Roll the right ribs down toward the ground and keep the heart extending. Repeat on the second side.

Step 4:

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Full Lotus time! Make sure that all the previous steps are accomplished with ease before attempting this pose. A regular forward-fold practice will get you on a strong path to this pose, so please practice patience! 

Repeat the beginning of step 3 but begin with the left leg in Half Lotus (this is traditional). Once the left leg is as snug as it can be while remaining comfortable, bend the right knee. Grab the right foot and, lifting the entire shin several inches off of the ground, lift the foot above the left knee onto the thigh. Drag the foot up toward the left hip flexor. Once the foot arrives at the crease of the hip and thigh, re-flex each foot and sit tall. No worries if one knee lifts off the ground, it will go down eventually. Sit here for 8 breaths or as long as the knees and hips are comfortable.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

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Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana

October 31, 2011

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I’ve had an uneasy relationship with backbends. My strengths had always been in inversions and arm balances because my spine is not the most flexible in the world. I used to get anxious anticipating backbends and would experience a sense of claustrophobia as my chest would open. It’s funny since the deeper the backbend, the deeper the release. I had such emotional baggage when it came to deep heart openers that my body would shut down even before it began.

With time, an open perspective and a dollup of patience, I’ve learned to love these poses. I especially adore Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Upward-Facing Two Foot Staff Pose). The shape of this posture breaks away at the years of cement I’ve buried in my back, leaving me in a state of goofy bliss.

Enter this pose without expectation and don’t forget to breathe. Take a deep inhale before you change positions. Let movement come from the exhale. Open your heart, open your chest, open your options.

*Note: This pose is extremely deep in the chest so I recommend a few Sun Salutations along with a Headstand and several Urdvha Dhanurasana’s before you go into this Challenge Pose.

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Come onto all fours in front of a wall and interlace your fingers, tucking the bottom pinky finger in so it doesn’t get crushed. Place the knuckles against the wall and separate the elbows shoulder-width apart. Curl the toes under as the hips lift into Dolphin Pose. Keep your head off of the ground as the feet walk in towards the elbows. Outer edges of the arms wrap around the bone to stabilize the shoulders. Root into the elbows so there is no sliding or splaying. Keep the neck relaxed and the gaze slightly forward. Hold for 8 breaths and then rest.

Repeat Dolphin Pose. Lift your dominant leg and kick up against the wall. Once both of the feet are at the wall (the head is still lifting off of the mat), bring the entire length of the leg against the wall. The feet, calves, hamstrings and hips are now flush against the wall. Renew the wrapping of the triceps and rooting of the elbows. Do NOT let your elbows go wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep the legs resting against the wall with the tailbone reaching toward the heels. Draw the head and chest through the arms away from the wall. If the neck is not bothered, take the gaze towards the navel. Take 8 breaths. To release, lengthen the tailbone toward the ceiling to remove the legs from the wall. Kick back down and come into Child’s Pose to rest.

Step 2:

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Lie on your back with the knees bent and the soles of the feet flat and hip-width apart. Reverse your palms and place them down shoulder-width apart directly above your shoulders. Lift the hips, press into the feet, and come onto the crown of your head. Pause here. Practice hugging the elbows in over the wrists, drawing the tips of the shoulder blades toward the heart, and curling the chest. Next, place one forearm down at a time so the fingers are pointing in the direction of the feet. Interlace your fingers behind your head like you were setting up for Headstand. Once the hands are set, press down into the forearms to lift the head off of the mat. Continue the mantra of “triceps in, elbows root.” Imagine shrinking your armpits and firming the upper outer edges of the arms in. Gently practice curling the chest through the arms to open the throat and heart. Use the strength of your legs to help transfer more opening into the chest vicinity.

Step 3:

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Keep the curling of the upper chest and walk both feet several steps away from the upper body. Step the feet together so the inner edges touch. Push into the feet to work the legs toward straight or as far as they’ll comfortably go for you. Roll the upper inner thighs down and push powerfully into the big toes. Relax the neck and try to hold for 8 full breaths.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

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Ganda Bherundasana

October 21, 2011

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This is such a “wow” pose when you first see it, like a yoga party drug. Ganda Bherundasana means Formidable Face Pose, which basically means it ends resting flat on your face with your feet on floor, straddling your head. You don’t see the full expression of this pose often (check out page 416 in Light on Yoga, by B.K.S. Iyengar, if you want to see a master perform this particular party trick). Suffice to say, we can practice prep variations of the pose and still derive some of the benefits, including toning of the spine and abdominal organs.

In the version presented here, we’ll focus more on the core-strengthening elements, and leave the face plant to the imagination. Still, students wonder how could it be possible to create even this shape in the body. Like any pose, it is very accessible when practiced regularly. I like to say that the impossible continues to be that way until one day it simply becomes possible. I’ve noticed students for from shy and coy to popping this pose in during transitions whenever they can. There’s a lot of joy that runs through the veins of this pose. My advice is to keep at this one. It WILL feel insane at first, but you’ll just end up insanely happy if you don’t give up.

Step One:

dd.JPGGrab two blocks and place them lengthwise on their medium height. The blocks should be shoulder-width apart. Come into Downward-Facing Dog with the fingertips directly behind the blocks.

Step Two:

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Walk the feet several inches forward into a shorter Down Dog. Bend the elbows placing the shoulder heads in the middle of the blocks. Palms remain flat with the fingertips directly behind the blocks. Walk the feet in like Dolphin Pose, ensuring the lift of the hips. This action is absolutely crucial to achieve the full pose. Get the hips high and keep them there! You’ll need this height to have something to kick toward (hips low to the ground won’t give you the lift of the pose we’re going for).

Step Three:

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Focusing on the height of the hips, lift one leg high into the air. Cultivate the energy of standing splits by keeping the hips square, back of the knee spreading, and the toes fanning wide. Reach the top leg like it’s cracked out on caffeine. You need to animate this top leg so the lower one has something to match–something to reach for.

Step Four:

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Keep the top leg reaching like it’s just had five espresso shots. Bend the bottom leg and give a slight hop. Once the bottom leg has left the floor, draw it up from the pit of your belly to bring the legs together. Hug the thighs close and spread the toes as if they’re trying to grab something off of the ceiling. NOTE: Your chin may rest on the floor as long as you don’t sit on it. The shoulders continue to press into the blocks to help release the base of the neck. Keep the core engaged and the tailbone lifting to prevent pitching or sitting in the lower back. Thighs hug tight to suck the energy and weight of the legs to the sky.

Step Five:

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Keep practicing this pose with blocks until it becomes second nature. Once you’re comfortable with the supported version you can play without the blocks. Start in a short stance Downward- Facing Dog. Lift one leg and reach intensely. Keep the gaze forward and bend the elbows taking the face toward the ground and past the fingertips. As you bend deeper, keep the hands shoulder-width apart but squeeze the elbows in toward each other. (I like to call this move Push-Up Bra pose–try to smush the ladies!) Rest the chest and ribs on the triceps, making sure that your bottom is still high in the air. Bend the bottom leg and give a slight hop or energetically pull the leg up to meet the top one by engaging the core and reaching almost obsessively towards the ceiling. Again, chin CAN rest on the floor (as you’ll often see in photos of this pose) as long as the shoulders don’t collapse. Though, I recommend keeping the chin off the ground to keep the neck happy and safe. This requires more squeeze through the arms and more lift through the legs.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie
for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing
Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

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Challenge Pose: Mayurasana

October 3, 2011

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When I first saw Peacock Pose it was not in the flesh. It was an insanely beautiful picture of Chuck Miller, which to this day will be the most amazing Peacock Pose I’ve ever seen. It’s funny how seeing graceful yogis execute advanced poses effortlessly makes them seem easier. I went to my mat thinking, “He looked so peaceful in that pose–must not be that hard!” What felt like a million times later and rolling off of my mat onto my neighbor until no one wanted to practice with me, I knew that Chuck was even more special than I thought–this pose was freakin’ hard! Peacock is the major road bump pose for Ashtangis who practice the 2nd series. It requires flexible and strong wrists and an entire body engagement similar to Plank. Except it’s Plank balancing on a toothpick. I guess the moral of the story is: Don’t rush this one. It is a gorgeous pose that will unravel its beautiful feathers when the right season rolls around. Until then, enjoy the process!

Step 1: Figure Out Your Rotation


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The first thing to contemplate is the rotation of the wrists. Traditional Mayurasana is performed with the fingertips facing the body and the pinkies touching each other. Try this rotation by putting the palms flat on the floor and gently pulling back. If this causes sharp pain (some sensation is normal, pain is not), you’ll move into the second rotation: heels of the hands touching, fingertips spinning wide so they face away from each other. If this still doesn’t work, you’ll practice Peacock with the fingertips pointing forward and the hands slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.

Step 2:

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This set up is slightly awkward, but I find it is the most useful in the long run. Start on your knees with the toes curled under. Feet touch but keep the knees a little more than hip-width apart. Reverse your palms (or choose the rotation that works best for you) and walk the hands in as close to the groins as possible. The key to balancing Mayurasana is getting the elbows BELOW the navel. Bend one elbow at a time, working it as far below your belly button as possible. Again, this will feel awkward, but hang in there! Once you can’t get the elbows in any further, join the pinky edges of the hands and inner elbows together.

Step 3:

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Keep the gaze forward and step one foot at a time back into Plank so that you’re resting on the triceps and elbows. The back will round and there is a strong chance you’ll fall over. This is a slow and thoughtful transition, so remember to take your time. Once the feet are in Plank, try to either keep them at hip width or bring them together to touch.

Step 4:

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Unlike most arm balances, there is no “picking up” in this pose. The action of Peacock is to roll forward. This is why it’s so important to get the elbows low in the belly. Keep the arms firming into the mid-line. Slowly push on the balls of the feet to roll the chest forward. Extend the heart forward until the toes cannot roll and further forward. Once the feet leave the ground, broaden through the collarbone (imagine smiling through your chest), lift the chin, and extend the gaze. Squeeze the thighs together and spread the toes. Take 5 breaths–or as many as you can before falling over.

Kathryn
Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is
the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie
for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing
Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook or on her website.

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