Our next stop through the Yamas is Brahmacharya. Remember, the Yamas are considered jewels by which to live in order to experience life through a yogic lens (because what better way)! Brahmacharya is literally translated to “walking with God,” and is more commonly known as living with non-greed or non-excess. This Yama asks us to consider in every moment the sacredness of life and to be aware of when we are going from “enough to excess.”

Most of us may be able to relate to the feeling of eating too much, drinking too much, or sleeping too much to the point that it takes away from our ability to be fully present or content. It’s not that we shouldn’t indulge ourselves…that’s quite the contrary! But it’s the overindulgence that has us overlooking and taking for granted the pleasures of life and life itself.

Brahmacharya asks us to examine our lives in all aspects: work, play, material possessions, relationships, even our spiritual practices, and to notice when we are overdoing it. Subsequently, we are invited to create balance and rhythm in our lives between the doing and non-doing to experience a productive, yet utterly fulfilling life.

Peak Pose: Forearm Stand (Pincha Mayurasana)

If you ask me, all arm balances should have the teachings of Brahmacharya highlighted. Forearm stand (same with handstand), while we are upside down is an arm balance as opposed to being in the inversion family. It’s easy to get swept up in the “doing” of this pose…trying and trying followed by failing and frustration. I am picturing some of my students trying to get into the pose and eventually when they do muscle their way into it, the look on their face is of pure stress and strain. My personal journey to forearm stand has taken years and I’ve realized it doesn’t end when you are able to “get into the pose.” It requires us to check our ego at the door and approach it with patience, compassion, and non-excess…for overdoing it can surely put us in harm’s way physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Supporting Pose 1: Sphinx (Salamba Bhujangasana)

Sphinx pose seems like an obvious choice to get the forearms on the ground to receive feedback from the surface below. It is fairly accessible and can teach the positions and actions of the hands and forearms before balancing the entire body on them.

How to:

1. Lie on your belly with your legs fully extended and the front of the pelvis and tops of your feet pressing down into the ground.
2. Bring your forearms to the floor parallel with one another (and the edges of your mat) and your elbows beneath your shoulders.
3. Press your palms and forearms firmly into the ground as you energetically drag your arms back. The arms should not actually move, but the result should be the shoulder blades drawing back and down and it should feel like the collarbones are spreading.
4. Keep the back of the neck lengthened.
5. To incorporate this in a seamless way, you can replace cobra with sphinx pose during your warm up portion of class.

Supporting Pose 2: Triangle with Arm Overhead (Utthita Trikonasana)

Triangle helps to teach the practitioner about strong, clear and straight legs which is necessary for forearm stand. Taking the arm over the ear resembles the arm and upper back position for the peak pose.

How to:

1. From Warrior II, straighten your legs and lift your kneecaps.
2. Bend at your right hip and bring your right hand down to a block (or shin or ground) on the outside of your leg. Keep the arm straight.
3. Take your left arm up to the ceiling and then over your head so the upper arm is alongside your ear.
4. Ensure the front of your rib cage is in check by pulling the front ribs in and filling out the lower back.
5. Press the crown of the head towards the front of the room to lengthen the neck and then either keep the gaze towards the side wall or turn the gaze to the sky.

Supporting Pose 3: Full Wheel (Urdhva Dhanurasana)

Full wheel has multiple components which contribute wonderfully to the learning of forearm stand. Arm position, upper back action, pelvis and leg action are all ways in which full wheel helps the practitioner to prepare the body for pincha mayurasana. Depending on the level of students, you might consider doing a double peak class or doing this only if you have ample time to adequately teach/practice both.

How to:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of the feet planted on the floor with the heels under your knees.
2. Reach your arms straight up to the sky and then bend your arms to bring the palms to the floor beneath your shoulders with the fingers facing the heels of your feet.
3. Press your hands and feet into the ground as you lift the rest of your body away from the floor. You can either come to half-wheel (crown of the head planted to the ground) or right into full wheel as pictured.
4. Firm the back of your pelvis towards the sky and firm the upper back in to move your chest towards the back of the room and the head between your arms.
5. To exit, bend your elbows and slowly tuck your chin to lay down the back of your head, the upper back, middle back, and lower back.

And finally… Forearm Stand (Pincha Mayurasana)

How to:

1. Come to sphinx pose as described in supporting pose #1.
2. Then, enter into a forearm plank by tucking the toes, lifting the legs, pelvis, and belly off the floor.
3. Walk the toes in towards the elbows while simultaneously piking the hips towards the sky (like in downward facing dog). Keep the legs sharp and straight while you do this.
4. Once you feel like the hips are at the highest point that is within your capacity, lift one leg off the floor. You can consider starting by lifting your non-dominant leg as you’ll be kicking off the floor with the dominant leg.
5. Gaze between your thumbs as you bend the bottom leg just enough to push your lower body off the floor and towards the sky. If you are against a wall, bring your top heel to the wall and then bring your bottom heel to meet it. If you are in the middle of the room, you can use the split leg position to find a pelvic position that allows you to balance upside down.
6. Eventually, bring the legs together, flex and spread the toes, tone the thighs as you reach the balls of the feet up towards the ceiling.
7. Pull the front ribs in and firm the sacrum in (probably could have done this a little better for the picture!), and allow the head to drop between the arms.
8. To exit, start by lowering one leg to the floor followed by the other and land as quietly as you can manage.

Interested in learning more about forearm stand? We have a course for that. 🙂

Sources: The Yamas + Niyamas by Deborah Adele

As we pursue our journey through the Yamas, we continuously connect with the ways in which we ought to carry ourselves in relation to our Self and the world around us. This week’s journey brings us to Asteya, or non-stealing.

Asteya is about more than just taking from others what does not belong to us. That is part of it, of course. But Asteya encompasses beyond what our definition of “stealing” might entail. This Yama asks us to examine the ways in which we might be stealing from others not just in material possessions but in terms of our present moment awareness (or lack of it), our energy and compassion towards another (or lack of it), and/or acknowledgement of someone’s thoughts or feelings (or discount of such things).

Asteya also puts us face to face in the ways in which we contribute to a messy world for future generations to deal with and the ways in which we contribute to a damaging future for ourselves. Non-stealing is all about walking this lifetime with integrity to uphold the beauty and magnificence of the world and to consistently take time to rest, reconnect, and re-align with ourselves to ultimately live with the best and highest intentions.

Pigeon on the Back or Reclined Pigeon

Doesn’t this pose look familiar?! Getting on the back allows the muscles in the back body to relax into the floor. This can give access to other areas of the body (in this case the focus is the hip/pelvis region) in order to do the intended work in the soft tissues.

How to get into reclined pigeon:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and soles of the feet planted on the floor.
2. Bring your right knee in towards your chest and externally rotate the leg at the hip to place your right ankle across your left thigh.
3. Widen your right inner thigh and knee forward as you either keep the left foot planted or lift it off the ground to intensify the stretch.
4. Keep your head, neck, and shoulders relaxed as you notice the sensations around your right leg and hip and try to release any gripping.
5. Hold for 5-10 breaths and then repeat on the other side.
6. Your hands can come to your left hamstring, your left shin, or you can have one hand on your left leg and one hand on your right leg.

Wide Leg Forward Fold (Sanskrit: Prasarita Padottanasana)

Sleeping pigeon pose requires one folded leg and one straight leg. The extent to which we can fold our legs depends on the extent to which we can straighten our legs. Working on straightening the legs fully will support the peak pose when we fold one leg and place some pressure on it.

How to get into wide leg forward fold:

1. From low lunge, straighten your legs and pivot to face a side wall.
2. Ensure your second and third toes are facing the side wall and are more or less parallel to one another.
3. Take your palms to the floor so that your hands are in line with your feet, but keep the fingers and toes facing the same direction.
4. Lift your kneecaps up to straighten your legs and use your legs to lift the hips up and pull the crown of the head towards the floor.

Tree Pose (Sanskrit: Vrksasana)

Pigeon pose has one straight leg and one folded leg, which is also the case in tree pose. This posture will contribute to training the lower body about the shape of sleeping pigeon pose.

How to get into tree pose:

1. From mountain pose, lift your right leg up and fold the leg by bringing your right heel towards your right sitting bone. Press the four corners of the left foot into the ground and firm the thigh muscles to make a clear and straight leg.
2. Externally rotate your leg at the hip and use your hand to guide your right foot to the inner left groin.
3. Firm your right buttocks forward as you widen your inner right knee towards the right side wall. See that the toes are facing the floor.
4. Take your arms up to the sky alongside your ears.

Pigeon Pose (Sanskrit: Eka Pada Rajakapotanasana)

How to get into pigeon pose:

1. From downward facing dog, fold your right leg and bring your right knee towards your right wrist.
2. Externally rotate the leg at the hip and place the right shin down on the ground with the top of the foot pressing into the floor.
3. Lengthen your left leg towards the back of the room and press the outer ankle bone in towards the midline of your body so the foot is properly aligned.
4. Walk your hands forward and fold over your right folded leg while keeping the hips squared to the front of the room. Notice the sensations around the hip and if there is any gripping or tension, try to be aware of it and see if you can soften.
5. It is okay if your shin is not parallel to the top, short side of your mat. If the leg is folded properly, your shin will appear to be at more of an angle with your right knee towards the right side of the mat and your right foot towards the left side of the mat.

The Yamas + the Niyamas are the first two limbs of the eight-limbed path of Yoga. They are essentially guidelines, or ethical principles to live by.

In this article, we’ll explore the Yamas and how we can approach asana within this realm. Yamas, in Sanskrit, translates to restraints and represents areas to gain self-control over in regards to living in proper conduct with ourselves and others.

The Yamas, in English, are:

1. Non-violence
2. Truthfulness
3. Non-stealing
4. Non-excess
5. Non-possessiveness

Today we’ll be looking at Ahimsa (in Sanskrit), translated to non-violence in English. Immediately when we see the word non-violence, it might be rather easy to tell yourself, “I’m not violent. I have never killed anyone or caused anyone physical harm.” But non-violence goes beyond these more physical forms of violence.

Ahimsa asks us to evaluate how we treat ourselves and how we show up in the world, as this has a direct impact on our relationships with the external world (when I say external world I mean everything outside of us, including other humans).

Demonstrating non-violence towards ourselves is not the easiest task and it is easy to go unnoticed. When was the last time you told yourself you couldn’t do something, and then proceeded to NOT do it? When was the last time you booked your schedule so heavily that you had no time for yourself? How about the last time you kept yourself in a spiral of victimization, guilt, or shame?

The truth is, we’ve all treated ourselves violently and this is not something to feel bad or ashamed about (as this would keep the violent streak going).

The first step in working towards true non-violence is becoming aware of when we are doing such things. And then once we’ve sharpened our eye of awareness, we can give ourselves the opportunity to make another choice. We can give ourselves the opportunity to do the thing that scares us, create more space for ourselves, and forgive ourselves even when we make mistakes. The way we treat others is a direct reflection of how we treat ourselves. The more that we can tend to our own inner peace, the more we can inspire others to do the same and feel safe within our presence.

Peak Pose: Came (Ustrasana)

I used to HATE camel pose and would avoid it like the plague. The reasons why I would avoid it, and why I think some other people find it not so enjoyable, is due to compression in the lower spine causing pain, light-headedness, and discomfort in the shoulders and chest causing difficulty in breathing. However, with time, patience, and compassion with practicing this posture…it has actually become one of my favorite poses – if I am prepared for it of course!

Supporting Pose 1: Bridge (Setu Bandhasana)

You might not think of putting bridge at the beginning of your asana class, but I like this pose as it establishes the firming in of the upper back (with the floor giving feedback), the sacrum moving forward (in this case up), and the outer hips compacting in to support the backbend. This would not be the very first pose I would do…I might start with some gentle twisting and perhaps a supported bridge before going into this very active posture.

How to:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and soles of the feet flat on the floor. Ensure the heels of your feet are underneath your knees.
2. Press the backs of your shoulders into the ground to broaden your collarbones and press the back of your skull into the ground while maintaining the curve in your cervical spine.
3. Firm your sacrum (bony plate on the posterior side of your pelvis) up towards the ceiling to lift the pelvis off the ground. Use the support of your outer hips moving in to direct the hips up. A block between the thighs is a good idea!
4. Firm your upper back in as you walk your arms and shoulder blades towards each other under your back and on the ground.

Supporting Pose 2: Side Plank (Vasisthasana)

Side plank is another great posture to emphasize the support of the outer hips in lifting your body off the ground. This is an action that will greatly come in handy in camel! Side plank also gives an opportunity to press the sacrum forward, almost like you’re going in the direction of a backbend, but in this case you are working to get the hips in line with the feet and chest.

How to:

Supporting Pose 3: Warrior I

Yet another great pose where the outer hips compact in so you can reach UP. Warrior I, like camel, requires the forward movement of the sacrum…like you are trying to move the pelvis towards a posterior tilt in order to align the spine well. The arms going up requires the shoulder blades moving towards one another on the back. Clasping the hands behind the lower back is a good option as well.

How to:

1. Step your right foot forwards towards the top of your mat and your left foot about 3 feet behind towards the back of your mat and turned out at an angle (~45 degrees). Your feet should be widened so it’s as if your feet are on two different train tracks. Widening the feet also lends more support to the entire frame so feel free to widen the feet as much as you need!
2. Bend the right knee to 90 degrees, or at least until the knee is over the ankle. As you press the right shin forward, press your left thigh back while keeping the hips more-or-less squared towards the front of the room.
3. Compact the outer hips in and press your sacrum forward as you reach your arms up towards the sky.
4. Firm your upper back in as you broaden your chest to face the ceiling.

Camel (Ustrasana)

How to:

1. Bring your shins to the ground about hip width distance apart from one another. When I say hip width, I mean at the width of your frontal hips points or in anatomy terms your anterior superior iliac spines (ASIS) – not to the widest part of your pelvis.
2. Smooth your shins and flatten the tops of your feet to the floor. This is traditional as in Light on Yoga, you can tuck the toes if that feels better for you.
3. Bring your hands to your lower back/pelvis region while you firm your upper back in and aim the elbows towards the back of the room.
4. Press your sacrum forward while continuing to dig the shoulder blades into the upper back to open the front body forward and up. Imagine you are going up and over a large beach ball.
5. If available, walk your hands down your legs to your feet so that the palms of your hands can connect with the soles of your feet. This is an anchor point for you to continue to work the backbend shape (pelvis forward and upper back in).
6. Allow the head to eventually fall back so the throat can be open. This is if it feels okay and does not impact your breathing.
7. To exit, return your hands to your lower back/pelvis and guide your way to a neutral spine and into vajrasana. Avoid going into a forward fold directly following the backbend. Always take yourself to neutral first and work from there.

Sources: The Yamas + Niyamas by Deborah Adele

This week’s class theme is centered around the final niyama: Ishvara Pranidhana, which translates to surrender.

It makes sense that this would be the final niyama. Each niyama has shed some light on the specific duties and observances one should use as a guideline towards self-realization. After all is said and done, after we have purified ourselves, cultivated contentment, put ourselves through the fire of transformation, opened ourselves up to deep self-study, the only thing left to do is surrender.

Now, surrender does not mean throw your hands up, come to your knees, and stop acting. It is not a way to say “FORGET IT…I GIVE UP!” This is often how I perceive people in the west to approach this concept. Rather, surrender asks us to continuously show up with integrity to do the work while simultaneously giving in to the flow of life.

Like I mentioned, often when we hear the word “surrender” it can be taken as a negative. It can be seen as a failure…like we are giving up on an opportunity or like we are not living up to some set expectation. When we are asked to surrender we are asked to let go of our “control” of life. And this can be quite uncomfortable for many people, but it is absolutely necessary if we ever wish to liberate ourselves from the worries, anxieties, and fears that occur as part of living as a human on this Earth.

Ishvara Pranidhana calls forth the feminine nature in all beings and calls for us to soften and allow the winds of life to take us as they may. And if we are open to it, we may realize that the winds are actually taking us to a better place than we ever could have imagined.

Peak Pose: Corpse Pose (Savasana)

When I think of surrender, there is no other pose that comes to mind besides Corpse Pose, or savasana. Savasana is literally preparing the body for death and is the ultimate pose to release oneself to the currents of life. It is taken following work, whether that be pranayama, meditation, or asana and brings balance to the fire we bring to said work. While savasana may look easy, practitioners know that this can be one of the hardest poses to achieve. As soon as we start to steady the body, the mind goes wild and all we want to do is fidget and move. This pose requires a calm nervous system to support a calm body and calm mind. The ideas for this sequenced class is inspired by creating a well balanced class with poses intentionally geared towards grounding.

Supporting Pose 1: Child’s Pose (Balasana)

If there’s any pose that I’d choose to begin a class with to immediately begin to calm the nervous system to ready oneself for full surrender, it would be child’s pose. The head is lowered, the body is close to the floor and in a contracted position, and the body is symmetrical.

How to:

1. From a tabletop position, take the big toes together and widen the knees enough so the pelvis can sit back comfortably over the heels of the feet.
2. Rest your forehead on the floor. If your head does not reach the ground, take a blanket or block beneath the forehead.
3. Stretch the arms forward with the palms and forearms relaxed on the ground, or wrap the arms around the legs to reach the hands towards the feet.

Supporting Pose 2: Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Warrior II being one of the main standing postures can be pretty familiar and grounding. It is one of the more accessible open hip postures and has the ability to open up the body in preparation for deeper work.

How to:

1. Facing a long edge of your mat, stand with the feet about 3 feet apart from one another with the toes parallel to each other.
2. Reach the arms out into a “T” away from the heart with the palms facing the floor.
3. Open up the right hip and the right toes and bend the knee to 90 degrees so that the knee is above the ankle. 90 degrees is ideal, but if the body won’t allow this right away, shorten the stance and bend the knee until the knee is over the ankle. Ensure the weight is equal in both feet.
4. Take your gaze over the right middle finger.

Supporting Pose 3: Supported Shoulder Stand (Salamba Sarvangasana)

Ending the class with inversions is a great way to reverse blood flow and calm the nervous system to ready the body for final rest. Supported shoulder stand is an accessible inversion for many students compared to regular shoulder stand and headstand. Legs up the wall is another option.

How to:

1. Lie on the ground with the knees bent and soles of the feet flat on the floor.
2. Lift the hips away from the ground and place a block on the lowest setting beneath your sacrum. Your sacrum is that bony plate on the back of your pelvis that combines right and left sides.
3. Bring your knees in towards your chest to lift the feet off the ground and then reach the feet up towards the sky. This should feel *fairly* comfortable. If it feels like your legs and core are exerting a lot of energy to keep the legs up, the block may need to be adjusted or taking legs up the wall may be a better option.
4. Allow your arms to rest by your sides and try to relax the head and shoulders.

Corpse Pose (Savasana)

How to:

1. Lie on your back with your legs and arms out at about 45 degrees.
2. Allow your toes to fall out naturally and allow your fingers to curl naturally.
3. Gently close the eyes as you let your breath come to its normal cadence. Allow yourself to simply rest. If it helps to concentrate on a body part or concentrate on your breathing, you can do that. But eventually the goal is to even soften concentration to let presence be present.
4. Rest for 5-10 minutes. Comfort is key. You can place a blanket underneath your head, beneath your knees, or over your body.

Sources: The Yamas + Niyamas by Deborah Adele