om body
Strong roots, soft heart. Let your
physical practice be a celebration of
your soul and the foundation of your
self. Eleonora Zampatti looks at four
traditional advanced asanas that can
help you transform your take on lifeS
etting strong roots allows trees to grow strong and tall
despite the many storms that life will put them through.
Every tree grows towards the sun, and every one of them
is a unique living entity with a different story behind its
journey. As are we when we stand on our mat, approaching
our yoga practice: strong, tall and unique, aiming to something
higher, using our physical practice to achieve the ability to find
peace within ourselves, embracing our true essence. Our body is
an instrument. We have to play the melody of our soul, and if we
set strong foundations, we will be able to bloom in every pose we
approach, as well as open our hearts completely. Now, we start to
see things in a different perspective.Shifting
yourperspective
Compass Pose
(Parivrtta Surya
Yantrasana)
Compass Pose is a challenging asana as it
stretches out the hamstrings and opens up
the shoulders. It is typically performed only by
advanced practitioners because it is a complex
pose and it should be performed with patience
and reverence. A good warm up of hamstrings,
hips, groin, shoulders and spine is essential to
prepare for the asana. In this variation we are
approaching the pose keeping both stiffness
grounded on the floor and the standing leg
close to the body. By pointing the foot we are
changing the line of the traditional pose where
your foot is flexed.
This pose requires a good amount of
strength and flexibility. A good beginner’s tip
is to always precede the pose with warm-up
exercises like Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation).
Additionally, when performing the pose bend
your knees or use a yoga strap for support.
Remember not to slump. It’s very important to
stay up on the top of the sit bones. Breathing
properly will help you maintain control and
balance yourself throughout the pose.