Australian Yoga Journal - April 2016

59

april 2016

yogajournal.com.au

neighbour around the room. You might

meow and moo when doing Cat-Cow Pose.

“Get creative, and use your asana to truly

come alive,” suggests Komitor.

If you can’t imagine yourself meowing

or barking during a class full of people, or

even in your own living room, there are

subtler ways to bring more play and

lightness into your practice. You can set an

intention at the beginning of class to relax

more into your body. In Airplane Pose, for

example, stretch your arms out to the side

and imagine gliding into the mountains

and perhaps landing atop the highest peak.

Instead of berating yourself for not nailing

Natarajasana (Lord of the Dance Pose),

notice the wonderful ways your legs, feet,

and hands move, even when falling.

“Sometimes simply smiling when we notice

that we’re taking ourselves too seriously or

laughing rather than judging when we fall

out of a pose can help us let go of some of

the limitations we’ve created for ourselves,”

says Bakken.

When we give ourselves permission to

play on the mat, a whole new yoga practice

and outlook on life can emerge. We lose our

attachment to outcomes, which limits our

effort, and instead we enjoy the moment

for what it is, explains Kali Love, a certified

instructor in yoga, meditation, and

Ayurveda at the Chopra Centre in Carlsbad,

California. “We can learn so much from

how children respond to uncertainty with

a sense of curiosity and adventure,” says

Love. “Rather than fearing that we’ll fail to

meet an expectation, we can adopt a

child’s practice of letting go, and so

much more becomes possible. We can

create more magic, inspiration, happiness,

love, joy, and laughter both on and off

the mat.”

MODELS: CHRISTEN BAKKEN AND NOAH CIEL -TILTON; STYLIST: TINA GILL; HAIR/MAKEUP: BETH W ALKER;ON CHRISTEN: TOP: LULULEMON; BRA: ZELLA; BOTTOMS: ATHLETA; ON NOAH: TOP: CHEROKEE; BOTTOMS: CHAMPION

2 WISHING CHAIR

Begin in Standing Forward Bend with feet together, weight in the heels, and hands or fingertips on

the earth. Bend your knees and reach your hips back as far as you can, as if about to sit into a chair.

Imagine that you’re picking dandelions in front of your feet (A). On the inhale, pick the flowers, lift

the chest, draw the navel in and up, and bring your elbows to touch in front of your heart. Keeping

your elbows bent, outstretch hands with palms up toward your friend (B). On the exhale, hold the

pose, blow toward your hands, and make your dandelion wishes. Repeat 3–5 times. In this pose,

believe in the power of your dreams! Reflect on what it is you truly want to manifest in your life, and

don’t be afraid to put your desires out there.

A

B

2

OUR PROS Teacher and model

Christen Bakken works with yogis

of all ages. She is a graduate of

several teacher trainings, including

a 500-hour with Rusty Wells, and

founder of Young Warriors, a business

focused on 20-hour teacher training

programs for children and adults.

Find her in Denver, Kansas City,

and throughout America teaching

fun-filled Rockin’ Bhakti Yoga classes.

Our other model is Noah Ciel-Tilton.

Writer and yogi Jessie Lucier balances

caring for her family with her passion

for sustainability and wellness.