Yoga Journal USA - July-August 2017

54

august 2017

yogajournal.com

YOGAPEDIA

practice well

Setu Bandha

Sarvangasana

modifi cations

Eka Pada Viparita

Dandasana,

pages 58–59

Setu Bandha

Sarvangasana,

page 53

Modify Setu Bandha Sarvangasana if needed

to fi nd safe alignment in your body.

If your knees splay open,

compressing your low back ...

LISTEN TO YOUR HEART

It’s a natural tendency to thrust your pelvis up

to maximum height in Bridge Pose (especially if

you tend to be a go-getter). However, all of that

drive through the hips actually takes away from

the lift of the chest. Yoga is an invitation to open

your heart. If you find yourself really pushing

your hips up, let your butt relax back down

toward the floor and lift your sternum. While it

might not feel as rewarding, sometimes back-

ing off from trying to “achieve” (so to speak) is

exactly what your heart needs to stay present

with what is—the ultimate goal of yoga.

Eka Pada Viparita

Dandasana prep,

pages 56–57

If your shoulders are tight ...

If the back of your neck flattens,

or if you have a neck injury ...

TRY hugging a block between your inner thighs. Keeping your feet

parallel and hip-distance apart, place a block at its most narrow width

between your inner thighs. Lightly squeeze the block as you lift into

Bridge Pose. This keeps your knees in line and buttocks softer; you

might notice it feels better in your low back, too.

TRY holding a strap between your hands. Once you’ve lifted your hips

off the floor, instead of clasping your hands underneath your torso,

use a strap to take your shoulder blades deeper onto your upper back.

(Start by holding each end of the strap about shoulder-width, and then

gradually move your hands closer together.) Tug on the strap with both

hands as you walk the outer edges of your arms underneath you, lift-

ing your chest higher and broadening your collarbones.

TRY placing a rolled-up hand towel under your neck. You don’t want

the roll to be too thick, just large enough to support the curve of

your neck. This will lift your chin away from your sternum and keep

your neck and spine safe.