Parsva bakasana (aka, parsva kakasana) is not one of those “out of the box” poses—meaning, you don’t usually stick this arm balance on your very first try. Although there are plenty of exceptions to that statement (such as men with excellent upper body strength), us mere mortals will need a few things in place before […]
Asana tip sheet #36: Pincha Mayurasana
Pincha Mayurasana (“feather of the peacock” pose) is named for the lift of a peacock’s tail feathers before they spread open. Hold this image in your mind as you play with this pose to help you embody this beautiful creature and increase your success with this arm-balance inversion. This stunning Indian native with its iridescent […]
How to nail your nauli—the crown of hatha practices
The first time I saw nauli I was fascinated. I HAD to learn it. The five-year-old kid in me who had entertained herself and others by rolling her stomach (vertically though…nauli is rolling sideways) was hooked. So I tried it and…surprise! It wasn’t as easy as I, a natural born abdominal roller, thought it would […]
Asana tip sheet #31 – Padma mayurasana
If padma mayurasana isn’t part of your practice, be prepared to experience some unusually sensations when you attempt it. And it might take some building up to this pose in a number of ways, which is what makes it an intermediate to advance pose—and a delightful accomplishment when you finally achieve it. First, you might […]
Asana tip sheet #19 – Mukta hasta sirsasana
We’re featuring a more advanced headstand, mukta hasta sirsasana, this week for our Ashtanga practitioners. In Ashtanga second series, there’s a string of headstands done in a row—some with hands free or “liberated” and some with bound or “baddha” hand/arm positions. This one is called mukta hasta sirsasana B. The exit from this headstand in […]