This is not a short pithy quote understood in a moment, but something to read, re-read, and savour. Can you penetrate to the heart of what's being revealed?
In this edition of our newsletter you will find an in-depth look Wheel Pose. This can be a terrifying posture to contemplate or attempt when we first start yoga, but once we learn how to safely enter and be in the pose, it becomes intensely liberating and free.
An In-depth look at Wheel Pose, Urdhva Dhanurasana
This is a big pose. It requires an open spine to come fully into the posture, but even if your spine hasn't opened completely, you can still do the pose and it will help your spine open.
The trick is to adjust your foundation to allow for your body.
If you're still tight through the hips and lower back, allow your feet to go wider than hip width and let your toes be slightly wider than your feet.
Yes, you could see this as cheating, as it creates ease through the hips, but as you develop greater strength and opening, you slowly move your feet back into the optimum position - which is hip width and facing straight.
Like wise with the shoulders and hands. If your shoulders are really tight, it's useful to place blocks or a rolled up mat under your hands. Make sure that whatever you're placing your hands on is stable - you don't want any wobble at all!
Lifting your hands up means you don't have to open as deep into your shoulders when you go up into the posture.
Finally, don't attempt this pose without doing a full practice first - this is the last pose before doing your closing sequence. Ideally you will have done at least 60 minutes of asana practice, including backbends, twists, shoulder openers, hip openers and forward bends.
How to set up your Wheel Posture:
Lie flat on your back. Find your breath. Feel the inhale expanding your chest and softening the front of your body. Feel the exhale relaxing you and grounding you.
Inhale and bring your feet into position - ideally hip width apart and straight up and down like railway tracks. Lift your toes up and spread them wide, feeling grounding through all four corners of your feet.
On your next inhale, bring your hands up above your head and place them on either side of your head, finger tips facing back toward your shoulders.
Take some time to breath here, especially into the shoulders and upper back. See if you can find expansion and lightness before you even move.
Entering Wheel Pose
Inhale and lift your body up off the ground but pause with the top of your head still on the ground and take a moment here. there's very little weight on your head - be mindful of your neck! - but this halfway mark allows you to readjust your hands or feet if necessary.
Inhale again and press up firmly through the hands, lifting your heart all the way to the ceiling.
Working within Wheel pose
Now you're in the posture, the real work starts.
First, keep awareness on the breathing. Allow the inhale and the exhale to be soft and long, but also strong. It's the breath that opens the body.
Be aware that your tailbone is dropping and lengthening towards your heels and your pubic bone lifting up towards the ceiling and moving along towards your nose.
This scooping motion is the opening of the lower back that frees your spine.
Second, your chest is lifting up toward the sky and back toward your nose as well. Everything - the whole body - moves toward the hands as if your feet were one day going to come off the ground (which they would if you were to do a walkover and come to standing).
This movement is really important as it's what opens the body.
Every inhale, expand and open the front of the body up and over towards the nose.
Every exhale press down through your hands and feet finding your foundation, but holding the lift through your body.
Take five or so long, strong breaths.
Coming out of the posture:
The way you come out of the posture is just as important as the way you go into the posture - maintain breath awareness all the way through.
As you exhale, release your spine down to the ground and pause, hands and feet still in the set up position.
Take one inhale and exhale here. Readjust your foundation it you need to and then inhale back up into the posture.
Repeat three times in total. once you build up strength, repeat five times.
Counterpose:
After you've done Wheel pose three or five times, come down and bring yourself into a seated forward bend. Move softly and slowly, using your breath to ease into the forward bend, focusing on surrendering to the breath and to the posture.
This is really important - you must do the counterpose! It's not just about relieving any tension through the spine, it's also about balancing the nervous system.
Final Word:
Yes, Wheel Pose can be scary and challenging when you first start out, but with patience and persistence you can slowly open up into this liberating and joyful back bend.
Try and do it at least three times a week, always after a good, solid warm up. After, do the counterpose, and then a closing sequence before savasana.
Top 5 Ayurveda Articles:
Ayurveda is the sister science to Yoga, and there is much we can learn and take form applying it's ancient wisdom to our modern lives.
Here are some of the best articles on Ayurveda from the website.
http://anmolmehta.com/blog/2007/08/14/introducing-ayurveda-alternative-medicine-for-self-healing/
In this website some members of the spiritual family have been properly introduced, such as meditation, zen, yoga, chakra, kundalini, pranayama, etc. and hopefully you are getting to know them well. Today we are going to introduce another important member of this most lovely family. Say hello to Mr. Ayurveda. Ayurveda literarily means the Science of Life and Longevity.
It is the science of natural healing which dates back almost 5 thousand years and has been evolving and gathering wisdom since then. Thus, today it is one of the most profound and complete holistic healing systems on this planet.
http://anmolmehta.com/blog/2012/05/30/ayurvedic-treatment-for-healing/
This is an excellent guide on how to use the great power of Ayurveda to heal yourself naturally and nurture yourself back to health.
Although the article is specifically about Ayurvedic treatment for addiction, the principles and methods discussed apply to any ailment or disease.
This article is from guest author Dr. Rajiv Parti, who is a rare combination of both Western medical training and Eastern holistic healing expertise
http://anmolmehta.com/blog/2008/12/09/ayurveda-yogic-tips-for-fighting-colds-flu/
According to Ayurveda, colds are a Kapha and Vata disorder and the best herbal remedy for overcoming them is ginger. Find a simple recipe for overcoming colds and flus in this article.
http://anmolmehta.com/blog/2007/09/27/healthy-ayurvedic-diet-to-burn-fat-lose-weight/
A key concept in Ayurveda is that of the 3 Doshas (humours): Vata, Pitta & Kapha. A combination of these 3 bodily humours are responsible for the makeup of our human body.
This article is focused on the Kapha Dosha, which is responsible for fat and is the prevalent dosha in those who are overweight and obese. Thus, from a Yogic and Ayurvedic point on view, in order to burn fat and lose weight one must reduce Kapha in the body.
http://anmolmehta.com/blog/2007/10/31/sweet-ayurveda-treatment-to-stop-emotional-eating-lose-weight/
More often than not, being over weight has to do with eating too much. According to Ayurveda, over eating is often due to emotional eating, which is a direct result of a lack of self-love.
In this article, a very sweet Ayurvedic treatment is prescribed to increase self-love, which will help curb emotional eating, thus helping you lose weight and get fit.
Shape Shifter Yoga for Weight Loss
Yoga is a great way to get healthy, lose weight and get fit. Last month I shared with you some of the best yoga techniques from my website for weight loss and this month I am sharing with you another yogi's yoga program that will bestow these wonderful benefits upon you.
Here is a summary for what the ShapeShifter yoga program can do for you...
- Help you lose stubborn pounds and inches.
- Flatten your tummy, slim your thighs, firm your butt, and tone those jiggly arms.
- Make losing weight, getting fit and toning your body fun and pain free.
- Help you enjoy greater energy, get rid of tension and anxiety, end insomnia and make improve your mood and well-being.
To learn more about this very popular and effective yoga program, visit ShapeShifter Yoga by clicking the image below.
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