Saturday is relaxing day

Matsyendrasana variation

On Saturdays I don’t practice Astanga yoga. If I cannot stop myself practicing asanas, I practice other styles of yoga. This morning I did pranayama and headstand. To change the order of the asanas makes a huge difference. In Ashtanga yoga headstand is one of the last asanas. In Sivananda yoga it’s the first asana of the series that the yogis practice. The body is still fresh in the beginning. It was easy to hold this asana rather long. I set a timer. One minute was over before I wanted to get out of the pose. Nevertheless after 40 minutes I lost interest to keep practicing. Tomorrow my yoga week begins. This one day off is needed.

We stay at home. It’s best weather here. It’s weekend and everybody wants to enjoy this spring weather outside of the four own walls. But this is dangerous. The pandemic gets worse, so we all must take care. Everybody shall stay at home. One might regret if one becomes too careless.

Not being able to breathe anymore is a horror imagination. Thinking of the possible consequences that getting the Corona virus might cause, makes it easy to stay at home. In a big city one meets people. It’s not always possible to stay away 2 meters.

Like every day I also cooked today. It was delicious. What gets attention, has the possibility to grow. Restaurants are still closed.

I have so much to do here. So many books sleep on the shelves, now I’ve time to read. I blog more often. I read journals and magazines to be informed what’s going on in this world. I’m busy as usual. But I’ll take care that I have time for yoga. This is my priority.

Take care.

Gazing towards

The forth asana of the middle part of the Ashtanga primary series is ardha baddha padma paschimottanasana. There is a similar asana called ardha baddha padmottanasana. It’s part of the standing asanas. It has the same form, but it’s more demanding, because the asana is performed while standing. The challenge is to balance. The two poses feel so differently, that’s why I discovered the similarities rather late.

Ardha baddha padmottanasana was one of the asanas I thought I would never accomplish. It will never happen that I reach my big toe with my hands, I thought….till I found out that I can twist to reach the toe. When the hand hold the toe one can twist back. In the sitting version it’s easier to focus on stretching forward. Forward is my key word. In most of the forward bending asanas we move forward.

Every asana has a gazing point. Years ago I attended a workshop with Lino Miele. The gazing points were a topic. He emphasized that one is looking towards a gazing point not at a gazing point. The example was adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog). The abdomen are supposed to be engaged. The gazing point is the navel. When the abdomen are engaged it’s never possible to see the navel. We gaze towards the navel.

Primary series consists mainly of forward bending asanas. Dristi is the big toe very often. It’s possible to look upwards or forwards with the eyes without moving the head. For me it doesn’t feel relaxed when I push the chin forward so that I can see the toe. I feel pressure in the neck when I do so. In the meantime I can put the chin on my shinbone, but this is not the main goal. The gazing point tells me in which direction I have to move, not downward to the leg, but forward. It doesn’t mean that I have to see the toe.

I checked the Bible. For me this is the book by Mr Sweeney. His neck is very curved. I prefer to keep the neck almost in line with the back. As always: experiment. Our bodies are so differently. When experimenting we get to know our own body and the asanas as well.

Practice report:

At 7 am I started with primary. It’s Friday today and no extra exercises were planned. Nevertheless it took me 100 minutes till I finished the series. I had to leave out a lot of vinyasa, because I’m not strong enough to do them. Three times I set my timer for a minute to stay longer in an asana. This is so useful. To stretch the body requires time and confidence. Repetitions and holding at least some of the poses for minimum 1 minute is effective stretching. One minute can be very long. It’s easier to have an external clue, when one minute is over in comparison to count the breaths. That’s why I set a timer.

This was my last Ashtanga practice for this week. My mantra in the beginning is ‘Yes, I can’. At the end I whisper ‘Thank you’.

Corona times:

Old people risk to die when they get the virus. Yesterday they showed old people in bed. They were without any strength. Even walking was too exhausting.

One must know that if elder people don’t exercise, they cannot keep the status quo. Inactive people at a certain age become weaker and weaker. This is why it is so important to do strength training when getting older. I’m convinced that life needn’t to aggravate with age, but one must do something for it. It’s more important than ever.

I have to persuade myself to do push ups. I prefer core training. Nevertheless to do strength training regularly is not easy. I bought apps already. Callisthenics speaks to me. Tomorrow is my yoga free day, what about some strength training exercises? I think this is a good idea.

Don’t get careless. Life is good. Times are dangerous.

Purvottanasana

Purvottanasana

Purvottanasana is a counter pose for paschimottanasana. To keep the body straight and to prevent the feet from moving apart from each other requires a certain strength. For me it’s not a back bending asana, it’s rather an asana that builds strength. Without engaging the core, one cannot keep the body straight i.e.

Before you keep reading, do yourself a favor and try a little exercise: Stand up and swing your arms around your body naturally. Don’t force anything, only move them from the front of the body to the back.

You’ll notice that the palms of the hands will show forward while you swing the arms backwards. The finger point backwards not forward. This makes it much easier to open the chest. The shoulders can move backwards easily as well. It feels awkward to point the fingers forward.

In Ashtanga yoga the fingers point to the feet in that pose. This is a burden for the shoulders. It makes it more difficult to lift up the upper body. The shoulder carry the weight of the body in a rather unnatural position. This prepares for injuries. Whatever one exercises on a daily basis or almost daily basis is worth to scrutinize.

About 2 years ago I had this back injury. Purvottanasana was no more possible for me after this sacroiliac joint injury to be more precise . I tried to find alternatives or variations for this asana and studied this pose in greater detail. The different hand position makes this pose safer for me. This pose feels much better when the fingers are posed like in the picture. Since I changed the hand position, this asana is possible again for me.

Btw, last year I practiced with the Sivananda yogis. The teacher corrected me at once when they saw my hand position that I usually practiced. I should pose the hands like on the picture above, they told me. That’s how I practice this asana at home these days.

Please experiment and tell me what feels better for you.

A new month - April

Paschimottanasana

Yesterday I reflected on the one and only habit I want to focus in April:

1. It’s getting up at 5 am. 2.

2. I want to practice yoga at 6:30.

My subconsciousness should support me that’s why I wrote down this goal in the evening. Today I woke up on time. I was tired but I left the cosy bed. It felt as if I got up in the middle of the night. One neighbor was up already. He sat in front of his PC. He seemed to be very busy. The curtains were open. He had switched on bright light.

I prepared a cup of coffee for myself and opened my mail box. I got an Email by a friend sent at 3:45 am. She gets to bed very early in the morning. She sent me a link on Corona and the consequences. When she gets to bed, I get up. We can live according to our own rhythm.

At 6 am it was still dark. I didn’t like to switch on a light. My E was still sleeping. I asked Siri: sun rise? The female machine voice answered: The sun rises at 6:51 am. My time to start practicing yoga is 6:30 am, 10 minutes before sun rise. Also today the sky became red. This is the reward when getting up early. To experience how the night fades away, and how the day begins is every day great to see. Exactly at this moment I start greeting the sun.

I don’t feel stiff that early, not stiffer than usual. But I feel weak. I’m not able to do all the vinyasa. I almost fall on the floor when I want to lower my body from chaturanga dandasana. There is a lot to do…..

Several times I a timer for 1 minute to hold asanas a bit longer than 5 breaths. I could even hold headstand for 1 minute. That’s a short time for this asana. I aim for 5 minutes.

I finished my yoga practice at 8:30. The entire day was still in front of me. After breakfast I cut the vegetables for lunch. Today I’ll prepare chickpeas with vegetables and rice. Garam masala will make an Indian meal out of it.

What else?

We shall get a tracking App in Germany, so that we can avoid people who are infected with the virus. This all shall be temporarily and voluntarily. I think I’ll use this App when available. The idea not being able to breathe anymore is a horrible thought. This can happen if one catches this corona virus. It’s easy to become careless, but the pandemic is still in the beginning.

Knowledge without action

leads to the sentence…. I should……I should have…..

Not applying insights leads to regrets.

I try to apply at least a few of my insights regarding my yoga practice.

• It’s best to practice before breakfast.

• In order to stretch effectively I hold the asanas longer than 5 breaths. 5 breaths is too short in order to see results. I set a timer. One minute I want to hold a forward bending asana, a twist, a back bending asana and an inversion (headstand). Repetitions are useful, too. What feels difficult feels easier when performing it more often.

• I need more strength. Strength training beside my yoga practice would be the best. If I don’t find a routine here, my knowledge remains nothing but words. To start modest could be a solution.

My new place where I practice yoga pleases me a lot. It’s cosy, I have a wall that I can use for back bending asanas. It’s difficult to take pictures there. A solution will be found.

We got so used already to the corona virus, isn’t t. In the beginning I listened to the news for hours. Twice a day is enough now for me. Not much changes. We all have still to take care. Stay at home is the message. Wash your hands. The task is to stay fit at home. My yoga practice helps. All restaurants are closed. I manage it to cook every day. Otherwise we must eat sandwiches all day, or Müsli. Everything gets easier and better with a daily practice. At the shop of my vegetable dealer opened a little catering shop. They prepare pizza, even vegan ones. From time to time when I’m very lazy this could be an alternative.

Daily routines don’t bore me. My yoga practice is interesting every single day. What is possible today, I wonder. I may start lame and lazy, I finish in best mood. This transformation pleases me. It’s a little miracle every day.

I like to see the sun rise. It’s for free. One must only get up early. The black cup of coffee in the morning that I sip at my desk while writing my journal is a daily joy.

These little joys are everywhere one must only find them. I stop from time to time and enjoy them consciously. It could all get worse. This is what the corona virus tells me. To know that I can breathe deeply is such a gift.

Enjoy what is. It’s a lot.

How to get ready for a yoga practice

Cleaning rituals belonged to the yoga practice of former yogis. Before practicing asanas, they cleaned the body profoundly. Only few yogis practice these rituals today before practice on a daily basis. Or does anybody clean the nose with water (jala neti) ? I don’t know of a yogi who gulps tissue to clean the stomach.

These days it’s also recommended to step on the mat with a clean body. What does this mean?

First I want to mention that our cleaning habits changed over the decades and they are different in different cultures. In our family we took a bath once a week on Friday 40 years ago. Otherwise we brushed our teeth in the morning and in the evening. We washed our face, perhaps we washed under the armpits. Few women shaved the hair under the armpits. That was it. Today we have different standards. I asked people of my age if it was the same in their families. It was.

These days being ready for a yoga practice means:

1. I think it’s important to have an empty bowl before practicing. It can become a habit to get to the toilet in the morning before practicing. The body loves habits and rhythm. Drinking water can help. A cup of coffee can also help to get into this habit. This is a tabu to talk about it. But it’s so important, it makes a difference. As a yogini I’m interested in the functioning of my body.

2. We might like to brush our teeth and to take a quick shower. This should be enough to feel clean and ready.

3. Once a week we might take care a bit more of our body. The nails need to get cut, i.e. Perhaps we want to bath to relax the muscles. Some people like to shave their bodies these days. Think of the feet?

To relfect on our cleaning habits makes sense. I write this post because many people bought a lot of toilet paper because of the corona crises and the fear of a lack of if. People bought 70 % more toilet paper than usual. Is this really necessary? It’s not. We cannot survive without water. We also need to eat. The body can be cleaned with water. In India almost no toilet paper exist. Water does the job. It’s so much better. I don’t understand why people bought that much toilet paper.

Hygiene is important especially during corona times. So wash your hands with soap when you return home. Put your hands away from your face.

Stay clean, but don’t overdo it. Don’t ruin the skin with too much soap.

We have summer time now, that is if I want to get up at 5 am, I have to get up one hour earlier. For me the first highlight of the day is when I observe how the sun rises. I can rely on it. Hello, I’m here again, it tells me. And I think, yep, I’m still here, too. Hello sun. I sip my black coffee, I write my journal and from time to time I look up to see how far the sun has wandered already. When I’m ready, that is when I brought my cleaning ritual behind me, I step on the mat.

It is possible to practice at night or in the afternoon. The best time is in the morning.

When I saw the sun rising, when I practiced yoga I had already an excellent beginning. I feel so strong that I think: Nothing can ruin my day now anymore.

Take care.

Stay healthy. Stay at home.

How to sleep well?

The better we sleep, the more awake we can be during the days. Most people remember sleepless nights. They are nightmares. There are these nights where we toss and turn because we chew on an issue. But also if life runs smoothly, sleep might vary.

There are circumstances we cannot change, some we can.

1. To go to bed every night at the same time helps a lot to fall asleep easily. Just wait. Don’t get impatient. Trust: sleep will come. Focus on the breathe. Imagine how your body gets heavier and heavier. To get up every morning at the same time is recommended as well. The body gets used to this rhythm and starts loving it. My experience is that when I established this habit, I got tired every night at the same time and I woke up at the same time even without an alarm clock.

2. Create an evening and a morning ritual. A few days back I was so busy all day, I sweated a lot. Before going to bed, I took a shower, a quick one, under 2 minutes. This made a difference. I felt clean and ready for the night. I slept very good. It felt so relaxing, that I want to get into this habit again. If someone has serious sleep issues a bath can be even better. Warm water is relaxing.

3. It’s better if the bedroom is dark. Once I read in one fo the novels by Charles Bukowski that he had a bedroom with dark blue walls. I understood at once why. Darkness creates a womb. We can feel safe. The walls of our bedroom are white. A lot of light can come in through the window. Any darkness could gulp the brightness. I consider to buy black bed linen. A few month back we were in a hotel in the countryside. The room was very dark. Outside was no light. If the mattress weren’t so bad, I would have had a most excellent night.

4. A mistake many people with a lousy sleep is that when they wake up, they look at the alarm clock to check how late or early it is. This makes the body and mind even more awake. Stay and keep breathing. When you wake up, find a relaxing body posture and pretend to sleep. Do nothing.

5. Don’t eat late at night. Don’t drink alcohol. I know countries where people eat even at 11pm. It’s OK for some time, if someone has sleeping issues, I recommend to have the last meal about 3 or 4 hours before going to bed.

6. Go out for a walk before going to bed. Exhaust your body.

7. Don't watch thrillers at night. Your subconscious might still fear to get killed. Create your own mental ‘falling asleep movie’. Imagine your ideal room and bed, imagine yourself feeling safe and tired. Let go. Sleep.

8. How is the body position? Is the cushion too high or too hard? How is the room temperature? Do you feel good in your pajamas? Improve what you can improve regarding your environment.

9. Falling asleep, sleeping and getting up on time is a skill that we can learn. To sleep is a need, but how we sleep is a skill. Trust that to sleep well is something everybody can learn or improve.

10. Don’t omit savasana after your yoga practice. I often do. Yet this asana is very important. Sometimes I think this is my most difficult asana. To set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes helps. One can learn to stop being busy, to stop worrying. It helps to stay relaxed no matter what. Feel the joy that arises when focusing on the breath. Learn to breathe deeply.

When we sleep well, we are more relaxed during the days. I’d say we’re even more optimistic. We can handle stress much better.

I write this post in the early morning, but I wish you a good night tonight and the nights that will come.

Sleep well.

It’s essential for a good live.

Corona times

A virus with the beautiful name Corona threatens us human beings. There are deaths already all over the globe. Super fast this little virus travelled around the globe and found victims everywhere. We’re connected through our breath.

In the meantime those who survived the virus can told us about the experience. Some had only a cold. Others couldn’t breathe anymore. This is a horror. One woman said: It’s as if you’re under water and you want to breathe……

We’re all asked to stay at home and not to meet friends also not at home. Many people can work from home. We yoginis can always practice at home. No need to leave the house. I love to hear that those who have a yoga studio offer now online classes via zoom. I’ll join one of the classes for sure.

In the meantime I get up early again. Early means 5 am. I so love to see the sun rising. All my neighbors seem to sleep as I cannot see a light in the windows in the building across the street. Slowly a tiny part of the sky becomes red, then yellow and bluish. It doesn’t last too long and another day has come. What a gift to live.

Since my husband is working from home I moved to another yoga place in our flat. Next to my desk I roll out my mat. It feels good to practice there. I’m not distracted. It’s calm there. I can concentrate on my breath. I don’t yet know how to take pictures there, a solution will come.

Sometimes I see children and I think they have no clue what’s going on right now. But that’s not true. A little boy lately told me something about a virus. That’s the reason why he had to play at home. He smiled and he obviously made the best out of the situation.

I always wanted to cook on a daily basis. Now I have to. Almost all the restaurants are closed. My E also needs something to eat for lunch. Me too.

To be alone with oneself can be very beautifully.

Stay healthy. Times are dangerous.

There is so much to do at home

It seems so unreal, but it’s real. This busy world must slow down. It’s good advise to stay at home, so that the corona virus cannot spread that fast.

There is so much to do at home.

Today I cleaned the kitchen and my desk. I should have taken a before - after picture.

I’ve a pile of books on my desk that I want to read.

The times invite us to meditate. Finally there is time to reflect on anything.

I work from home for a decade now. For me it’s perfect. Yet every change requires patience. The body and the mind have to adjust to the new situation.

I always try to make the best out of a situation. I cook daily for instance these days. This was always my goal, but I live in a big city with many opportunities to eat out. Often I ate lunch in one of the restaurants downtown or round the corner . Now I cook and I’m enjoying it. I love the process of preparing our meals and the meals, too.

Everything can be an opportunity for something new.

Stay healthy, my darlings. Enjoy the solitude. It won’t last forever.

It got calm here in Munich

How quickly everything can change!

Nobody can predict the future. One month ago this world looked totally differently.

In Germany we’re advised to stay at home due to the corona virus. Theaters, museums, bars are closed. Only grocery stores are open.

I feel as if I’m part of a SciFi.

The current events are a cut around the globe. Amazing how fast this corona virus could travel around the world. It shows that we’re all connected. One world, so to say.

Take care!!! Keep breathing deeply!! Stay curious. Be entertained.

Yoga and Corona virus

Don’t panic. Don’t panic. Don’t panic.

1. The corona virus is not necessarily deadly. One might get infected, but this doesn’t mean that one has to die. Remember this.

2. Eat well. This advice is a good advice at any time. It’s even more important if one wants to strengthen the immune system. Eat vitamins.

3. Move. Get out, also when it’s cold. It strengthens the immune system as well.

4. Take cold showers in the morning.

5. Walk instead of taking the subway.

6. It’s recommended to wash hands profoundly and often. Go for it. Don’t shake hands with everybody.

7. Postpone the next travel.

8. If it helps to feel better, buy food for the next months. Don’t make panic shopping. I talked with a clark at a grocery store. People bought noodles, rice and toilet paper. They went shopping during peak times. Don’t get irrational. Think what you really need. Don’t forget to buy proteins, like beans and chickpeas, peas. Go shopping when the stores are empty, that is Saturday morning for instance.

9. Cook, don’t go to restaurants.

10. Stay cool, like a yogi. Life is dangerous, it ends with the death. Always.

Choosing the issues

Issues come along all the time, issues that prevent me from practicing. Last week my washing machine broke down. Suddenly there was smoke in the room and it didn’t stop washing. This required immediate action. I had to stop this machine, I had to go downtown to look for another one and so on…….

I could go on and on with mentioning distractions that are thrown in my way.

It is so important to remind myself day after day that my yoga practice has priority. Sometimes it’s necessary to neglect other necessities. Sometimes a short practice will do. To make it easier it can be a solution to go to a yoga class.

However I fell off the wagon. I didn’t finish the January challenge on Instagram yet. It’s OK to be late.

Here I am again ready to practice. From tomorrow on my issues are again how to get deeper into urdhva dhanurasana, how to jump back, how to stay longer in sirsasana.

Thank you very much for the new likes. Welcome to my blog.

No asana is isolated

No asana is isolated.

• To get into and out of an asana belongs to an asana as well. There are often different possibilities how to get into an asana. Sometimes this makes a huge difference. How to get out of an asana belongs to an asana as well. The Ashtanga yoga practitioners connect the different asanas with a rather dynamic movement. Other styles recommend to rest between asanas. Yesterday I attended a Sivananda class. We were asked to lie on our back to relax after having performed a couple of similar asanas. The difference is huge. It can make a practice exhausting or relaxing.

• Most asanas have easier versions and more advanced versions.

• Many asanas allow variations.

• After every asana should follow a less even intensive counterpose. After twisting to the right side one twists to the left side. After inversions baby pose is recommended. Forward bending asanas are balanced via a soft back bending asana and the other way round.

If one reflects on these possibilities, the understanding of a yoga practice deepens. First stands the analysis: Is the asana a twist, a forward bending asana, a balancing asana or is it a combination of balancing and twist and so on? Once the asana is analyzed one can vary it.

• Injuries might force us to work around an asana and to adjust it to our needs.

• In order to approach a challenging asana it can be useful to exercise an easier version and to get step by step closer to the original version.

• We have all different strength. If twists are easier, why not practicing more advanced twists?

• To vary asanas keeps the mind attentive.

A simple way to challenge oneself is t hold an asana longer.

Repetitions often allow to go deeper in a pose when performing an asana the second or third time. Often the second and third time the asana seems to be easier.

Repetitions and holding asanas up to one minutes are effective learning methods.

These reflections finally allow us to create a practice that fits to our personal needs.

For me Ashtanga yoga gives me a perfect skeleton of an intensive yoga practice. After more than a decade of practicing this yoga style some asanas of even primary are not as I wish they were. I work on these asanas more intensively now instead of trying them, holding them for 5 breaths and then moving on to the next asana. This method was obviously not that effective.

Picture: It shows arch matsyendrasana. In Ashtanga yoga on arm is behind the back. If you don’t have very long arms it’s very likely that you don’t reach the thigh with your hand. The arm is then more or less in the air. If the arm is posed on the floor it can support the twist (see first picture). Tiny changes can make a huge difference.

Back bending

Thursday:

I practiced before breakfast. Before breakfast is the best time to practice. After an exhausting practice the breakfast tastes so delicious, so deserved. This is of course not the main reason. To twist and stretch with a full stomach feels awfully.

Today was my back bending day. Time flies so fast that 90 minutes are too short for a full second series. I do a lot of extra asanas.

Every day I do the splits do stretch the front side of the body. I also practice urdhva dhanurasana against the wall. I repeat ustrasana up to three times. I think that this time is not wasted. I realize progress. Repetitions and holding the asanas for 1 minute minimum is useful.

I also practice variations. To lift the arm while practicing urdhva dhanurasana might help psychologically. One arm is already up, so it seems possible to come up. Right now I’m still working on getting the hands closer to the legs.

Patience is necessary.

Yesterday Carmen (cyogalife on Instagram) published two back bending picture, one was taken in 2015 the other one in 2020. When I saw the former picture I thought that she was very close to reach her calves. It still took 5 years!!!! till she was there. Even she thought that she had been close already to catch the calves. She didn’t expect to need 5 years to reach the calves. Yoga can teach not to give up.

If something is difficult it’s also often attractive. Things that are too easy to accomplish seem boring. That’s why talented flexible strong yogini often give up the practice entirely.

In the meantime I see advantages if something is tough. One learns patience. Difficulties invite to reflect on the method. One learns to learn.

Karl Lagerfeld once said: I love the battle field.

In life we learn more when facing difficulties. It’s the same on the mat.

I know there is a long way to go to the calves. Step by step a lot can be accomplished. First the hands shall walk closer to the feet. One day urdhva dhanurasana will feel fantastic again.

The trap

Yesterday I postponed my yoga practice. I had so much to do. First I wanted to practice in the early afternoon, but it got evening till I found time again. Every single task takes longer as planned. I was no more motivated to practice at 6:30 pm, but I did it. My stomach was still full, this made the twists almost impossible.

To practice in the morning before breakfast is so much more satisfying. Today I heard my alarm clock. I got up and practiced at 7:30 am. What a difference. To practice before breakfast in the early morning is the best time.

It’s a trap to think that it’s OK to postpone a yoga practice. Finally it’s more important to practice than any other activiiy, duty, or whatever. When I practice yoga I care for myself, I take care of my health. What is more important?

As mentioned already, the older one gets the more important it is to have a daily routine. Breaks are difficult. The body gets weak and stiff very fast. To practice every day at the same time helps to create a habit.

Today I practiced primary, that is mainly forward bending asanas. I add asanas like the asana on the picture. I learn them during the January challenge created by Carmen (cyogalife). Often these asanas are challenging. It offers the possibility to explore different movements.

Now I’ve time for all the other ‘important’ activities………

Hanumanasana

I practice the split poses every day. Usually my body is upright and my hands are on blocks. Getting into hanumanasana means that one must stretch.

How to stretch safely:

1. Practice daily.

2. Be patient and trust the process.

3. Feel the stretching pain. It will fade away after a while. Go a bit deeper. How far can you go without over stretching? This is your personal knowledge you acquire. Get to know your limits and get a bit beyond them, not too much.

4. Practice stretching exercises only after a warm up.

5. Repeat this pose three times.

6. Hold the pose up to one minute. Start with a couple of breaths. Change sides. Repeat. This time it should be possible to get a bit deeper and to hold the pose longer.

7. Again be attentive. Don’t overdo. Injuries are setbacks. Practice responsibly.

I practice this pose as a preparation for back bending. When the body is upright the front side of the hips gets stretched enormously. Being flexible on the front side of the hips is very useful when bending backwards.

Keep breathing.

Marichyasana D and Ahimsa

When I saw these pictures I laughed. I practice at home these days. I swear I wash at least my face before practicing asanas, but I obviously didn’t comb my hair. It’s up and not in the way.

Interesting is to see the difference between picture three and picture four. At picture number three my hand had reached the wrist already. The back is arched. With an inhaling I stretched the upper body. Most of the time the poses allow a development. I’m sure I can bring my right shoulder more backwards. Then the twist will deepen. Most important is that this asana feels good. This is not the case in the beginning. It took me a long time till this pose felt good. But I’ve been there.

It depends on the weight if I can perform certain twists or not. I don’t even try some twists like pashasana after Christmas i.e.. To overindulge is not part of a yogic life style. Yoginis eat modest and vegan. When I started yoga teacher recommended a vegetarian diet. The reason was Ahimsa. A yogini lives a nonviolent life. To eat tortured and killed animals is so last century. These days well informed people (not only yoginis) eat vegan. It’s good for the planet, the animals and yourself. It’s not only good, it’s necessary. Then the twists are easy as well. Everybody will have to change sooner or later, but we yoginis can be role models.

Practicing only the asanas without a complementing life style is of course also good for the body, the mind and the soul, but then the activity deserves the name asana gym. Why not. It’s a beginning. The asana practice will teach that the asana practice itself becomes easier with a vegan diet. We all start somewhere. Step by step we develop. The steps might be tiny, but the direction is clear.

It surprised me that even Sharath emphasized in his last book how important it is to take care of the food we eat.

Stay healthy.

Eat vegan. Do your asana practice. Do pranayama. Meditate. Chose your issues wisely.

The one goal

The one goal in 2020 is to come up from this urdhva dhanurasana. This is part of primary. I was told that I was able to come up already by different advanced teachers. My feeling was that I needed help to come up, always. I lost strength and flexibility in the meantime, but I have a plan and a method how to get where I’ve been and beyond.

In order to perform this deep back bending strong arms are necessary. One must lift up the body. Also if one drops back, the arms must have the strength to stretch against the floor and to hold the body. Nobody likes to fall on the head.

In yoga classes students often lie on their backs, they seem to relax. I fear they try to postpone this asana at least for a couple of minutes. It seems so hard to get into the pose. This is exactly what one has to do. To lift up again and again makes the arms stronger. If it’s possible to lift up 10 times, to lift up once is a piece of cake.

To hold the asana up to one minute or longer helps to get more flexible. The closer the hands are to the feet the easier it is to hold the pose. It’s easier to come up, too. The wrists are less challenged. This can be a motivation to work on this asana.

The January challenge on Instagram is rather interesting. It’s the same since many years. Yogins publish older posts of the same asanas:

1. Many might not be part of the party anymore.

2. On some pictures I see no difference even though years are between the first picture and the last one. I don’t believe that these yoginis have reached their limits. Either they have not practiced regularly or their method to deepen an asana is not effective.

3. Then there are those yoginis who made progress a lot. 5 years ago handstand looked like a banana. This year it’s perfect. I know that hard work must be done to get an inch more flexibie. Strength doesn’t come from alone either.

4. Another group have setbacks. I belong to this group. I don’t publish older pictures. Past is past. One cannot foresee the future when looking into the back rear. I practice and give my best every day. What this is, is very volatile. Who cares…… Nothing is really important.

A daily practice and an effective method to learn an asana will show results sooner or later. It might take years, but who cares. One must fall in love with the process.

January challenge 2020

Finally at home again. I was already one asana behind with this January challenge on Instagram created by cyogalife . The new algorithm on Instagram punishes users who publish more than one pictures a day. This is what I heard and this is why in the meantime informed users only add one picture a day. Instead of more attention one gets less if one is flooding the stream with too many pictures or videos. I came to the conclusion that an algorithm won’t be my next tyrant. I’m up to date again. Today I published 2 pictures within a very short time. Haha….I hope that I’m a tiny bit more flexible and a tiny bit stronger tomorrow morning.

I got up at 5 am. My new year has started today. At home I have room. I can put my camera far away from the mat, when I want to take pictures. It’s calm here and warm. I can be alone. As much as I love traveling and visiting family and friends as much I love to be at home again.

Having a project is motivating. Being part of such a wonderful online community of yoga practitioners is fantastic. It’s still time to join.

Headstand or handstand?

Conditions are often not ideal. Yet for a headstand only a tiny place is necessary. One can be in a headstand for 5 minutes or 3 minutes or 1 minute. One can finish this tiny practice with 5 minutes meditation. Sometimes this can be enough. Every practice and might it a short one anchors the body and the mind. Focusing on the breathe is relaxing.

I’m not sure if I’ll have time for a full primary tomorrow. But I’m sure that I’ll have time for a few asanas.

Cyogalife has started a new January challenge on Instagram. It’s every year the same 28 asanas that yoginis publish, one after the other till January is over. The intention is to check if progress can be seen after a year. The first asana was handstand. I substituted this asana with headstand. I tried a handstand and was very surprised that I was suddenly up. My feet touched the wardrobe. But the shape was not good. It was a banana. It’s better and safer to build up strength first. Perhaps I post a handstand next year. Within a year a lot can happen.