for the love of inversion

i love inversions. it is the opportunity where you can be at the moment, being able to look at fear, to stay present and to go into intensity of life.

my teacher-julie helping me into pincha mayurasana, translates as peacock feather pose but i ended up in Vrischika, scorpion instead. Feet just to heavy!

The peacock is the emblem of the Indian Goddess of the Arts, Saraswati. Like the goddess, the peacock is both beautiful and fierce. Most of the time the peacock walks with his beautiful fan of feathers dragging behind him on the ground. At the time the rainy season approaches or when enticing his mate with his attractiveness he lifts his splendid crown of feathers. The yogi's intention is to make themselves as attractive to god as possible. Just as the peacock lifts their feathers, the yogi adorns themselves with good intentions and an unconditional loving heart. This pose can be seen as a metaphor for this intention. There is a fierceness and a bravery to the peacock that is needed for the yogi to have an unconditional loving heart. This bravery is cultivated during this pose. The peacock can eat snakes and be unaffected by their poison. This symbolizes the yogi who can live in New York City and with its endless objects of distractions, remain steady and unaffected. The peacock feathers are adorned with "eyes" at the top of each feather. The eyes at the top of the feather remind the yogi that true sight does not come from the eyes but from the heart. While in the Peacock pose we see the world upside down with our eyes and are reminded that true sight comes from within. ~http://www.jivamuktiyoga.com
Vriscika, Scorpion; the eighth zodiacal sign, Scorpio. Some Hindu mystics say it represents Vishnu expanded as the universe: the expansion of the mystic bija (seed) of Vishnu into the universe, as a manifested emblem of creative activity. ~http://translation.babylon.com

yoga for japan

Yoga for Japan, a fund-raising event by Manasa Yoga. Let us make a difference because we can!

For details, visit Yoga for Japan on Facebook.

in praise of downward dog

Downward Facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana (wow! that's mouthful, isn't it?) is one of the most frequently practiced poses. Adho Mukha Svanasana, yogi forms an inverted V shape, with the hands and feet on the floor and legs and arms straight, hip witdth apart. Sounds easy but, if you are new to this pose, or with a tight hamstrings, Adho Mukha Svanasana might make you want to howl.

In spite of how commonly it is practiced, Adho Mukha Svanasana is complex as there's a lot to remember because so much of you is active. But, the best part of Adho Mukha Svanasana is that you don't have to be perfect to gain its benefits because it does you good at any level. Because of this, its best lesson, perhaps, is teaching you to enjoy the journey instead of reaching for the goal!


Little Oliver, cute boy of my yogini friend - Michelle, in Adho Mukha Svanasana

transition

It was about 3 years back when I first attempt to perform salamba sirsasana II (tripod headstand). And a year after that, I saw my teacher Dina (then doing teacher’s training course) was practicing the transition from tripod headstand to bakasana. That was the ever first ‘transition’ in yoga that I’ve ever known and I try it almost every time during my self-practice. It didn’t come through so I took a break, thinking that I may not be ready for such ‘transition’.

This evening, I once again practiced salaba sirsasana II –to-bakasana transition. I got into inversion and with full awareness of my body, breath and more so on gravity, I balanced and settled myself into bakasana. And into squat, I gave myself a big smile. Again, I agree wholeheartedly - practice and all is coming - Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.

Some demonstration videos i find inspiring - Om Shanti: A Yoga blog

props & accessories

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Foam Block - RM45/set
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*Pictures shown above are for illustration purposes only*

home practice

I have always love home practice. Studio practice is great to explore new poses but home practice is the time i develop a deeper connection to the practice, a better understanding of my body and asanas, awareness of my breathing and my mind.


me with my favorite red thin mat

many don't practice at home because they don't know where or how to start. I've always tell my yogi friends, start of by practicing surya-namaskar (sun-salutations). When you are comfortable, add in your favorite asanas (poses). Then, when you feel like more challenge, try some new asanas. If this is still not helpful enough, always feel free to ask your teacher for ideas on home practice or, simply google for ideas. Yogajournal features very interesting home practices and articles which I find it very very helpful.
Bringing Your Practice Home
Yoga Home Practice

Start your home practice today!

kapalbathi

last evening was our fist practice on kapalbathi. As expected, they gave me a weird look :D but, they did it anyway! kapalbathi pranayama is cleansing breathing exercise. kapala means skull and bathi means shine. so, by practicing kapalbathi regularly, the face will shine with inner radiance :D
How?
- Sit in comfortable crossed leg position with the spine long, shoulder relaxed. Palms resting on knees or in chinmudra. Face relaxed.- Inhale deeply through both nostril, expanding abdomen and exhale with the forceful contraction of abdominal muscles. (Pull the abdomen in by quickly contracting the abdominal muscles and exhale through the nose). The air is pushed out of lungs by contraction of the diaphragm.

- After exhalation, inhale but inhalation should not involve any effort. To inhale, just relax and the lungs will automatically expand and filled with air.

- As a beginner, try 15 respiration or any count as long as comfortable. After completing 15 quick exhalations and natural inhalations , inhale and exhale deeply. This is one round. Practice of Kapalbhati pranayama with 3 such rounds for practice.
So the more you practice, you will have a nicer abdomen :D as it strengthen the abdominal muscles. However, one should not practice kapalbathi if suffering from heart disease, high blood, hernia and during asthma attack.
Remember, work from the abdomen not the shoulder :D Happy Practicing!

just kidding abt the "eat a cookie" part :D