Lasya & Tandava Yoga Workshop by Delamay‏ Devi

Open Shoulder for Backbend poses

Azmi has added the backbend poses for the Ashtanga Led 2 classes and Kapotasana is one of the poses.  Whenever I do the pose, I would feel compression in my lower back even though I am just lifting my hips off the floor with my head resting on the floor and my hands behind my ears.  Azmi has advised me to wait the pose out as my body is not ready for it as my shoulder is not opened enough for me to do the pose.   He said that the pose will come to me and it would be worth the wait like it did for Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel pose).  Meanwhile, I would need to get my shoulder to open up more and the following pose is recommended by Azmi.

Bend your elbows 90 degrees, and carefully place the backs of your elbow on the front edge of the chair seat, about shoulder-width apart or slightly closer and clasped your hands together.  Walk your knees away from the the chair until your trunk is parallel to the floor and your knees are directly under your hip joints. Draw your front lower rib cage upward so it does not sag toward the floor, and keep it there throughout the pose. Exhale and move your hips horizontally backward to lengthen your spine, slide your outer shoulders toward your ears, and draw your head away from the edge of the chair seat.  Allow your head to hang down in the space between your trunk and the chair.  Keep your hand pressed together and squeeze your elbows towards each other to find a strong and yet comfortable stretch.

This article "Shoulder Responsibility" in Yoga Journal  writes about shoulder movements require for the backbend poses which is an important aspect to prepare the shoulder opened for the poses. 

Mysore Practice

I have been going for the Mysore class on Saturday morning at Azmi’s Home Studio for the past three weeks.  Although there are a few of us in the class, everyone is doing the poses of the Ashtanga Primary series at our own pace.  

I am pleased that I have been able to remember the sequence of the poses which help me to set my pace and connect my breath to the movement.  Keeping my breath in sync with the flow of the movements helps me to be focused and energized throughout the practice.

A Mysore class is a like a self-practice but with the benefit of having a teacher assist and adjust you in the poses when he sees the need to.   I am also able to take my time to go into the poses especially when doing the binding for the Marichyasana poses which ensures that my grip is tighter in the poses which enable a deeper forward fold for Marichyasana A and B and a deeper twist for Marichyasana C and D. 

I find the Mysore class very motivating as I can see my own progress and the advances I have made in some of the poses. I am now more confident of my headstand and have started to add in a variation by opening my legs wide in the pose last Saturday and managed to stay in the pose for at least 5 breaths before coming down.   I intend to work on my jump back and jump through so that I will have better transitions between the poses which will help to keep my practice light and fluid. 

"Yoga is a light, which once lit, will never dim.  The better your practice, the brighter the flame" - B.K.S. Ivengar