Inspired by Laura's recent post (see Anandaville, November 3, 2009) and a rare sense of indecision when I came to my mat tonight, I opted to focus on savasana, or corpse pose.
I read through Iyengar's descriptions - jaw, tongue and pupils relaxed, breathing deep and fine, mind still. I can still my body without too much effort. The breathing really depends on the day, and today was a very good day because my entire being felt light. It's that stilling of the mind that I really need to work on...two out of three ain't bad.
One thing I know for sure, I almost always cut my savasana short during my home practice, Iyengar suggests 15 - 20 minutes. I don't usually time it, but I would guess that I rarely give it more than five minutes. I split the difference and set my timer for 17 minutes, then settled in and focused on my jaw, tongue, pupils and breath. Everything felt good, still and soft, and then it all began, a steady flow of thoughts and my attempts to release them.
'How will I describe this in my blog?' Let it go.
'I wonder how almond milk will work in the sweet potatoes?' Let it go.
'Wow, remember that time savasana brought you to tears?' Let it go.
'What will I say about this in my blog?" Let it go.
The thoughts slowed, and may have even stopped for a few moments when I heard my cat breathing, he loves to be with me when I practice. (This is the ONLY cat I have ever had who breathes audibly!) I'm pretty sure his mind was clear, but my deep relaxation was broken and I found myself wondering when the timer would go off.
Considering this was my first attempt at a non-abbreviated savasana, I was pleased. next time I will try it without the cat!
Showing posts with label savasana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label savasana. Show all posts
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Adding a little twist
I was feeling a little lethargic after a long day at work. Twisting sounded lovely. So, what pose did I choose - Parivrtta Trikonasana, a pose I have never really felt "good" doing.
On my first try, I rotated into the pose in one flowing motion down to the block (not part of Iyengar's instructions) on the inside of my right foot (also not part of Iyengar's instructions, but there is something to be said for knowing your body). In the pose, I felt totally askew almost to the point of wondering if I might risk pulling something and I couldn't quite work out the right adjustment. I didn't even hold the pose for 30 seconds. Second side, same story.
On my second attempt, I decided to focus on receiving the pose - letting it find it's way into my body, rather than forcing my body into the mold of the pose. As I moved into the pose I found myself beginning the rotation from the inside heel of my back leg and allowing the twist to work all the way up my spine, rather than including the leg as an afterthought as Iyengar's wording seemed to suggest when I read it. This time, when my hand found the block, everything felt softer. And, although I could tell my alignment was not ideal, I was able to make a few adjustments and hang out in the pose for a while on both sides.
An added bonus...reward?...in savasana my upper back felt open and amazing. It stood out very clearly because this is normally a very silent area for me. There might be something to this technique. It certainly merits some more experimentation.
On my first try, I rotated into the pose in one flowing motion down to the block (not part of Iyengar's instructions) on the inside of my right foot (also not part of Iyengar's instructions, but there is something to be said for knowing your body). In the pose, I felt totally askew almost to the point of wondering if I might risk pulling something and I couldn't quite work out the right adjustment. I didn't even hold the pose for 30 seconds. Second side, same story.
On my second attempt, I decided to focus on receiving the pose - letting it find it's way into my body, rather than forcing my body into the mold of the pose. As I moved into the pose I found myself beginning the rotation from the inside heel of my back leg and allowing the twist to work all the way up my spine, rather than including the leg as an afterthought as Iyengar's wording seemed to suggest when I read it. This time, when my hand found the block, everything felt softer. And, although I could tell my alignment was not ideal, I was able to make a few adjustments and hang out in the pose for a while on both sides.
An added bonus...reward?...in savasana my upper back felt open and amazing. It stood out very clearly because this is normally a very silent area for me. There might be something to this technique. It certainly merits some more experimentation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
