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june / july 2018yogajournal.com.sg4 Keep sliding until the back of your left thigh and the front of your
right thigh come to the floor, building upon the earlier work of
lengthening your hamstrings and hip flexors. If you are able to
maintain square hips while deepening the pose, point your right
toes and raise your arms beside your ears. Expand in every direction
from the integrity of your center: Press forward with your left big-toe
mound as you extend back with your right toes; enthusiastically
reach your fingertips toward the ceiling, lifting and opening your
heart. As the energy of the pose moves outward, continue to
cultivate the quality of balanced stillness (the essence of Tadasana).
The ability to remain collected at your center, even as you spread
your wings, is the ultimate yoga practice. Hold for 10–12 breaths,
then retrace your entrance, returning to Downward-Facing Dog
Pose. Repeat on the other side.Stay safe
As your left foot and pelvis move forward and
your legs straighten, it is essential to sustain your
Tadasana pelvis (your pelvis is square to the wall
in front of you and the two sides of your torso
are equally long). When your pelvis is misaligned,
either because it is uneven or spills too far forward,
your SI joint and lumbar spine become vulnerable
to strain. If you haven’t yet found openness to
bring both thighs to the floor while maintaining a
Tadasana pelvis, place a block, blanket, or bolster
beneath your upper front thigh, and continue to
use your hands for support. Never force the pose
beyond the capacity of your hamstrings and hip
flexors; it can overstretch and pull these muscles.YOGAPEDIA
rti ll
Teacher and model Natasha Rizopoulos is a senior teacher at Down Under Yoga in Boston, where she offers classes and leads 200- and 300-hour teacher
trainings. A dedicated Ashtanga practitioner for many years, she became equally as captivated by the precision of the Iyengar system. These two traditions
inform her teaching and her dynamic, anatomy-based vinyasa system Align Your Flow. For more information, visit natasharizopoulos.com.