december 2017 / january 2018
yogajournal.com.sg
YOGAPEDIA
rti ll
4 Begin to shift your weight forward onto
your hands by pushing gently and slowly
with the balls of your feet and your toes.
As your feet begin to lift off the floor,
start raising your head and shoulders
slightly. When enough weight has shifted
forward and your abdominals and your
back muscles are engaged, you’ll reach
a tipping point where your feet will lift
from the floor. As your weight transfers
onto your hands, keep your elbows close
together and tucked up under your body.
This is your balance point and the fulcrum
of this asana. To avoid undue strain on your
wrists, shift your upper body forward—far
enough that your elbows are slightly ahead
of your wrists. Your feet should still be
touching as you draw in your inner legs.
This drawing-in action will add
extra stability.Just as in Shalabhasana, elongate your
body by reaching your head in front of you
and extending your toes back behind you.
If possible, keep your legs and torso on
an even plane so that your entire body is
parallel to the earth. Use your lower arms
like the central support of a seesaw. Some
people like to take their legs high into the
air when doing this asana. This is a valid
approach, but it creates a different dynamic.
Keeping your body parallel to the floor
requires a bit more control and strength,
and when you capture it just right, you’ll
feel the integrity of opposing forces. Hold
for a couple of breaths, adding more as you
progress. To exit, lower your feet to the
floor. Bend your knees and place them on
the floor. Tuck your chin, round your back,
sit up, and smile!STAY SAFE
As with most asanas, it takes
time to build endurance. Keep
your elbows close together,
otherwise your torso will
slide onto the floor between
your forearms. Don’t hurry!
It is fine to remain anywhere
in the various stages of entry
and try again another day.
Your breath is the greatest
indicator that you are safe in
an asana. If you’re restricting,
holding, or forcing your
breath, it’s time to exit the
pose and try again later.Promote prana
The goal of yoga is not to perfectly perform asana. Instead, try to increase prana (life force) in
your body, and then take this positive energy out and make the world a better place. Prana is
our fuel. Prana is life. The practice of yoga increases this life force in our being through breath
and direction of energy. By controlling and consciously utilizing your breath, you feed every
cell in your body, relax your mind, and calm your nervous system. It is important to gain some
personal benefit from your yoga practice, but it is also important to share the good vibes,
energy, and positive effects—to exude some of that nice yoga glow by shining positive light on
the world. Keep it simple and keep it real.