July 31, Strong Vinyasa

5 peeps

Opening

Baddha Konasana

Janusirsasana

Pavritta Janusirsasana

Cat/Cow

Downdog

Uttanasana

Sun Sals of choice for 5 minutes

Kali Series with:

Grasshopper Chatturanga

Parsvattonasana

Warrior 3

From here we ventured into some of the poses from the Ashtanga Intermediate Series, Nadi Shodana

We played with Salabhasana Ustrasana, Laghu Vajrasana, Kapotasana and Pashasana

With this much backbending, we should be prepared for some new sensations in our body. Which is really just a welcoming way to say ‘this might make you say “ouch”’. Dizziness, falling, fear, worry, pain, suspicion may accompany us to our practice as we venture into the heart openers.

That said, as we play with these same heart openers, we could just as easily be filled with euphoria, generosity, love, felicity, effervescence, and wonder. We can never be too sure which companions will speak up as we practice.

After Ustrasana, there were some great questions about the shoulders creating a ‘shelf’ around the back of the neck. My shoulders tend to bunch up and create a similar shelf and I have a few ideas why:

1. I have long arms, as I arch back with hands on my heels there is a point where if I keep my hips lifted and reaching up with my heart, the length of my arms becomes a hindrance as the torso wants to arch back and down. My arms, being straight, jam my shoulders up around my neck.

2. Emotionally what I experience is trepidation and fear. When Im scared, my belly, heart and neck wants to be protected. The shoulders jump up to my ears to shield my neck. In Ustrasana, I am arching up and back, exposing my abdomen, heart and throat. This is an extremely vulnerable position to be in.  Add that to the fact that I am blind as to what is behind me. Can I trust myself to keep me from crashing to the floor? Similar feelings are aroused in dropbacks.

So to deal with number 1 we can engage in some fancy scapular retraction. This is when we squeeze our shoulder blades together. It can be felt if we hold our arms at our sides and bend them at the elbow so the forearms are parallel to the floor. Then attempt to bring our elbows to touch behind our back (do not ask someone to do this on a date, unless you want to act like the fratboy villains in every ’80s film). By engaging the muscles in between the scapulae, rhomboids, trapezius and latissimus dorsi, the shoulders are drawn down and away from the neck.

Number 2 is generally dealt with in the same manner. When the previously mentioned muscles are engaged, there can be a rather immense feeling of strength. These are some large muscles we are playing with here. Recognizing that we can cradle and even brace our fear by our own volition may be enough to relax and let the shoulders move away a bit.

Not to mention that when we bring energy to this area of the back, we are tilling the soil around the root of the heart chakra. Cultivating a lush, abundant little place for a root to reach up and out into its potential is basic knowledge for any gardener. If we play with this same intent, would the bloom of the heart be any different?