As we approach the end of our session, let's review.
We have focused on standing poses and learning Sun Salutation.
Standing poses help bring alignment, balance, stability and awareness to the feet, ankles, knees and hips. In the process, all aspects of the skeleton are effected. Alignment, balance, etc., transfers all the way through the spine, shoulders, neck and head.
We began in mountain pose, or tadasana, learning how to balance the weight between the ball mounts of the big toes, pinkie toes and the center of the heel. We learned how to lift the kneecaps to engage the front thighs. By preventing the knees from locking, we maintained a gentle contraction in the hamstrings as well. We learned how to level the pelvis. For some, that requires the back pelvis move down some. For others, a small lift is needed.
We learned how to draw the abdomen back towards the spine without bracing the muscles hard. We lifted the breast bone, drew the shoulder blades towards the spine and gently down the back. Finally we balanced the head correctly on the neck, without jutting the chin forward or lifting it above parallel with the floor.
And then the real work began!!
Some of the salient points of standing poses include:
1. Maintaining the "plumb-line" alignment along the ankle, knee and hip joints.
2. Keeping the weight balanced evenly on the feet.
3. Carry no weight in the toes.
4. Maintain a firmness in the legs for safety in the joints.
5. Maintain a level pelvis.
As you can see, regardless of the standing pose, they are all merely variations of mountain pose.
Some of the benefits of standing poses include:
1. Developing or maintaining a healthy arch in the foot.
2. Strengthening the small muscles in the feet.
3. Stretching the calf muscle.
4. Maintaining a healthy knee joint.
5. Stretching and strengthening the thigh muscles.
6. Developing or maintaining a healthy range of motion in the hip joints.
7. Developing or maintaining a healthy gait.
8. Increasing circulation in the legs and hips.
9. Cultivating an awareness of the feet, knees and legs and bringing their actions under control.
It may seem from class to class that you're just performing poses at the teacher's direction. However, when you begin to breakdown the work that is done, and the benefits which accumulate, you may begin to see the fullness of the practice and your active involvement in it.
My hope is that you begin to feel the benefits of yoga throughout your daily life and allow yourself to be attracted to the good things that come from practice.
Although I don't mention it often, we are using the body as the text from which we gleen a greater understanding of ourselves as a piece of the universal whole. As a well-known yogi once said, "how can you become enlightened if you can't even lift your knees!"
When you practice, you end up looking like Pixie's alter ego. Isn't she fabulous.
