yoga

27

december 2018 / january 2019

yogajournal.com.sg

Modify Parivrtta Trikonasana if necessary

to find safe alignment in your body.

Turn your effort

Mobility and stability have to coexist

in twists. If you don’t create a stable foundation

in your legs, there won’t be anything solid

to press your torso, hands, or arms against,

and turning will become ineffectual. On the

other hand, if you’re too rigid, you’ll lose

the possibility of opening in the pose. Effort

must be exerted to bring freedom—effort to

achieve effortlessness. Twists also provide the

opportunity to practice non-reactivity—the

ability to put space around impulses. When you

find yourself in a tight spot, knotted, or just plain

stuck, remember to breathe, stabilize, and find a

way to create more freedom.

If you struggle
to maintain your

balance ...

TRY placing the outside edge
of your back heel against a
wall to help with stability. This
will offer you something to
press into and extend away
from—thereby helping you
bring stability to your legs and
firmness to your hips. This
modification is a good way to
get a sense of direction. It can
assist with the alignment of
your spine, helping your head
and tailbone to stay in line as
your torso rotates around this
center axis.

If you have sensitivity in your lower back ...

TRY a variation of the pose with your top hand against a wall. Set the long

edge of your mat along the wall, and with your back to the wall, stand in

the center of your mat. Taking a wider stance, spread your feet about 4

feet wide. As you turn into the pose, place your bottom hand on the floor

(or a block) with your upper hand on the wall, elbow bent. If you feel

comfortable in your back, exhale, and stretch down through your bottom

arm. Expand your chest, and use your top arm to push into the wall,

which will help mobilize your ribs as you rotate

If your hamstrings are tight or

it’s difficult to reach the floor ...

TRY placing a block beside your front foot (near the arch) and bringing

your bottom hand to the block. The rotation won’t be as complete, but

this modification will allow you to remain light and lifted, gaining access

to the extension and rotation of your torso.