Ashtanga yoga - How often shall one practice?

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Ashtanga yoga is practiced 6 days a week. This is the tradition. Usually the students of Ashtanga yoga practice early in the morning before breakfast. it makes sense. The asanas are so advanced that 6 training days every week are necessary. It’s impossible to exercise asanas with a full stomach or gut. That’s why the mornings are the best time of the day. Moon days are rest days. In August 2022 the 12th and 27th are moon days. It is said that it’s more likely that injuries happen on these days. I’m not sure. A day off gives the body the opportunity to relax and to integrate the exercises. It’a also an exercise to detach from the asana practice. A day off gives the opportunity to work on other duties.

The picture shows my habit app. I obviously had downloaded it in April 2021. I thought that it could be a good idea to record the frequency of my practice. When I remember well I didn’t use this app very often. So the result is falsified. Yet, I realised how important it is to have a daily practice. To record the practice is a very useful tool to check the reality. Feelings often deceive. I’f the feeling that I practiced more often as shown in the statistics of my app. Creating dream goals makes no sense. Making progress towards a goal might be more realistic than trying to go form almost not practicing at all to the maximum.

Since I record my pracice whenever I practice Ashtanga yoga, I also practice more frequently. To observe oneself has the power to initiate change already. It’s like a reward to see the rose color on more and more days. To practice daily in August seems doable. The conditions are almost perfect. It’s summer time. The heat supports the practice. I feel more flexible when it’s warm and I can practice at home. I’ll probably travel once. This is the true challenge. It’s not impossible to keep practicing. Many yogis travel and practice. For me it’s always a challenge to find the right place and time when on the road.

The frequency of any practice is very important. It’s the first goal. No practice means nothing happens.

How often something should be practiced varies.

  • Whatever I read about strength training is that one needs rest days. Three days of strength training every week is probably much better than practicing every day. The rest days help to avoid injuries.

  • Stretching exercises can be done twice a day. This would be very effective, yet who has so much time?

  • When learning a language It’s good to practice it every day for many hours if time allows it. This will show the best results. Living in a country is the best language school.

  • Julie Cameron suggests for creative people to have one Artist’s Date every week. For me this is enough to be inspired for one week, often longer.

It makes sense to plan the frequency of a practice.

My yoga week has begun today. There are still 5 more practices in the pipeline this week. I anticipate them.

What topic shall I focus on in August?

It will be back bending.

Knowledge versus applied knowledge

Relaxing pose, July 2022

To know something and to act accordingly are often 2 different things. Firstly it’s not that easy to find true knowledge. It became easier than decades ago. So many free sources are available in the time of the Internet, but one must also learn to be critical. Not everything that is sold as the latest insights is good and true.

Let’s presume It’s proven that sugar is not good for your health. It’s even worse than you thought. To know this and to say no to ice cream is another challenge. We have somehow connected summer and ice cream. We’re so brainwashed that we need a desert or even alcoholic beverages when we are out or when we celebrate something. Is it really a treat to damage the body with sugar and ethanol?

The author Gunther T. Verleger asks in his book ‘‘Lernen wird dich reich machen.’ what’s the difference between an unalphabet and someone who knows how to read, but doesn’t read? I think that the one who can read will lose this skill. It will become more and more difficult to read a book with 300 pages for instance. Yet when basic skills are available, one can built up from there. The one who cannot read at all must start from scratch. The one who learned to read can read the subway stations. This makes his life easier if he has to take the subway. There are differences in the definition: Analphabet includes people who cannot read at all and those who have basic skills.

The UNESCO found that 13 % of the world’s populations are analphabets. Much more people don’t read even though they could, I guess.

We all have knowledge and skills in different areas that we don’t apply. The consequences: The knowledge will be forgotten and obsolete. The skills will fade away. The one step to avoid this is to apply your knowledge and to keep practicing your skills.

Whenever we discover a ‘should’ in a sentence the question might be if unapplied knowledge is discovered. It can also be that it’s not reflected. Let’s take the sentence: Should I learn handstand? Why? Perhaps it’s not the right time yet. It can cause unneccessary pressure. To focus on key activities might be better than to work on 10 asanas or more.

Unapplied knowledge and all the ‘I should’ are guideposts. They show us the next steps. It can also be that we eliminate an ‘I should’. It can be that we reflect on something that we considered true, but that we question now and it turns out that it’s wrong. It can also be that a plan must be created to apply knowledge.

Unapplied knowledge on my yoga path:

I know that it is important to hold asanas longer than 5 breaths. I got into the habit to use a timer to hold urdhva dhanurasana at least 1 minute. It’s a challenge. I know how effective this tiny exercise is. It would be good for other asanas as well. To hold the many asana of an Ashtnaga yoga series so long is not possible as it would prolong the yoga practice unnecessarily. Yet to apply this kowledge for all those asanas which are difficult could be a leverage.

In August my focus will remain to ramp up the frequency of my practice. I’ll stick to it.

To move from target to target is rather to avoid a set challenge. September will come and then I’ll set another goal.

Today I practiced primary. It was one of these average practices that seem to make no difference, but they do. Not every day one can see progress. In a yoga class, like a miracle, I’d have more strength for the vinyasa than at home. Yet I could also enjoy my home practice.

A great weekend for everybody. Tomorrow is my day off from yoga.

Utthita parsvottanasana

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Utthita parsvottanasana, July 2022

Picture:

Utthita parsvottanasana is a forward bending asana and like all standing asanas it’s also a balancing asana. Balancing might be easy when performing this pose, yet to keep the hips parallel and to touch the leg with the chin might take some time.

I add a back bending part. Back bending got neglected over years. We have so many more opporunties to bend forward in life so that I’ve the feeling that I'd like to balance this with extra back bending exercises. The first Ashtanga yoga series focuses almost only on forward bending asanas. Now back bending is the movement in my mind.

It’s not a deep back bending, rather a warm up. The body gets used to bend backwards.

Goal no 1:

Goal no 1 is the only goal that I currently have regarding my yoga practice. It’s to ramp up the frequency of my practice. I remember myself daily that this is my focus nothing else. I record my practices in a habit app. Yesterday I realised that not all practices were recorded. I don’t care. I know that I had too many breaks during the last year. .

During the last 2 decades I had periods with almost no breaks. This was always when I could go to yoga classes. It felt as if I went to work. For many reasons (lock-down, injuries) I practice mainly at home these days. More disciplined is required. The huge advantage at home is that I can adjust my practice to my personal needs. I can add strength exercises. I can use a timer and I can hold positions longer than I usually do in a yoga class. Holding positions longer is a game changer. I add useful exercises and so on.

So today, my goal no 1 in mind, I practiced. I realised that I pulled muscles around the hip flexor slightly. That meant that I had to practice with care. I avoided stretching this area. Otherwise it was an average practice. It counts as a practice.

Often we can hear by an aspiring student of whatever: I practiced on and off. The first step is to ask oneself if the topic is really that interesting that a student wants to spend time to learn it. If yes, what was the reason to stop learning. Daily basis exercises are the foundation of everything one wants to learn. Often it’s stated: I don’t have enough time. My solution: No TV. I don’t miss it. Be creative and find time. Think of your topic as If it is your next love affair.

Tomorrow is the last practice of this week. Primary is on the schedule. Due to my pulled leg I’ll practice at home.

The wrists

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Strong and flexible wrists are necessary for many asanas especially for inversions and back bending. The wrists can get stretched.

Picture No 1: Go on all fours and turn the hands around. Then move the body backwards. Take care. Move slowly and stop when it hurts. Hold the pose and breathe.

Picture No 2: Finally one can move into downward facing dog, fingers still pointing at the toes. Stay there and breathe.

A good time to do these stretches is after sun salutation A or B.

Every day I remember my No 1 goal regarding my yoga practice. It’s simply to ramp up the frequency of my practice. At the end of July I’ll check my habit App. End of this goal is end of August. The end? Of course not. Yet in September I’d like to shift my focus to another topic. A daily practice remains the goal.

Today’s practice was hard. After 90 minutes I was glad that it was over. Also a lousy practice counts as a practice. Two more practices are waiting for me. A day off on Saturday seems merited already now and it’s only Wednesday. The world might look differently already tomorrow.

Integrating exercises

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It’s not realistic to plan a second practice during 24 hours with additional exercises. One intensive practice per day usually is enough. If there is time for more it’s great, often so many other activities need to be done. So I try to integrate exercises in my morning practice that support asanas I’d like to learn.

Examples are the hands. They need to be strong for many asanas:

Whenever the hands are on the floor it’s good advice to press them firmly against the floor. The fingers support this grip. It’s not that the hands are put nicely on the floor. They must hold the body in all the inversions. The poses become easier when the fundament is firm.

When I realised that I have to put strength into my hands I could suddenly perform mayurasana.

Yet also the vinyasa (jumping forward and backward) require a strong foundation. When the hands become like claws it’s easier to hold the body.

After utkatasana I practice bakasana (see picture). For me bakasana is not only a transition asana, I hold it much longer to get stronger hands. This pose forces to have a firm grip, otherwise the asanas is not possible or one might fall forward. The hands keep the body off from falling forward.

Strong hands are required when working on back bending. How shall my hands be able to crawl to the feet, when they are week. It’s not possible.

These tiny exercises can make a difference. It’s possible to integrate them into every practice.

Also today I practiced 90 minutes. I had a phone call at 9 am, that’s why I had to get up early. On time I was ready for the day and the duties that are part of every live. I forgot to practice urdhva dhanurasana. I don’t care that much. Till the end of August I’ll focus on one goal. It’s to practice more frequently. More frequently is rather spongily. I aim for 6 times a week. When I exceed my average frequency by 20 % I shall be happy. I can set fresh goals after August.I appreciate every day when I practice. Having a regular training is the foundation for every learning. This might sound tribe. Yet the gap between wanting and doing is often huge.

Tomorrow will be the 4th practice in a row. To practice is the goal. No additional mini goals or sub goals are planned. Focus is power. No matter how intensive the practice will be, it’s another step in the direction I want to go.

Ashtanga yoga - goals

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Soft backbending, July 2022

Reasons why people don’t reach their goals:

  1. They have no goals or too many.

  2. They forget their goals. Or do you still remember the New Year Goals? Who does remember a goal on a daily basis. Who writes down the most important goal daily? Not so many, I guess.

  3. The goals are not realistic, not precise enough. A time frame is missing. The steps to achieve this goal are not planned. There is no control system.

There are surely more reasons.

And of course there are people who are successful and reach their goals easily because they have an effective method to get where they want to be.

It felt like a shock, when I checked the frequency of my yoga practice on my habit app. My goals are often ambitious. Learning the 4 Ashtanga yoga series, focus on kapotasana and coming up from urdhva dhanurasana is one goal. I want to take perfect pictures of each asana. And I want to practice 6 days a week.

My insight: It’s distracting, too much and the path to get there is missing.

Mentally and also in my apps I deleted these dreams that shall become true one day. I pick me where I am.

All asanas improve when I practice daily.

It feels modest, but it isn’t when I focus on one goal only. I want to increase the frequency of my practice from 26% to at least 50% till the end of August. This would be a huge success. The conditions are perfect. I can practice at home. I’m not staying at someone else’s home. I’m not traveling and living in hotel rooms. My home is the best place for my Ashtanga yoga practice.

Saturday is my day off. Yesterday was Saturday.

After a break it’s usually a tiny bit more challenging to start. Focusing on only one goal concentrates all the available energy. I practiced. It felt good. The feeling to have reached a tiny step is uplifting That’s how it shall be.

Picture:

I integrate soft and challenging back bending positions into my practice.

Having realistic goals

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Back bending, July 2022

I’m a modern yogi. That means I use a habit tracker app. My goal is to practice Ashtanga yoga six times a week. It’s almost impossible to reach this goal. The app doesn’t allow you to subtract moon days. Serious students of Ashtanga yoga take a day off on moon days. These are 2 days less every month.

When I practice yoga I usually start the timer of this App. Yesterday I checked the result. It was disappointing. I only reached 26% of the 100%.

Why so less?

For about 2 months in 2022 I haven’t been at home. Is this a reason not to practice? Or is it an excuse? Perhaps a bit of both. I think more is possible. It’s a challenge to practice yoga when I’m not at home, but it’s not impossible.

At home again it usually takes some time to get back to my routines. It’s more or less sloppiness.

The frequency of any practice is a crucial ingredient if one is successful or not. This is a general rule. Daily practice is the key of accelerated learning whatever it is: It can be learning a language, becoming a better chef of mastering challenging asanas.

Before aiming for additional strength training or stretching sessions, I’ll aim for a more frequent yoga practice. It might be unrealistic to aim for 100%, yet I’ll aim for 50% in August. I can scale up the percentage, when this goal is reached.

All the special asanas goals are on hold. My focus is a disciplined daily practice. A few sun salutation don’t count as a practice. Yet to be on the mat for 30 minutes counts on challenging days. Better a few sun salutations or stretching for.5 minutes than doing nothing, but I won’t call this a practice.

Picture:

It’s an additional exercise before I perform shalabhasana. I start with being on my elbows. Then I stretch my arms. The next step is to walk the hands closer to the body to intensify the back bending. The shoulders move away from the ears. I relax, especially the back shall relax. It’s an easy exercise. First the easy exercises come, the more challenging ones follow.

Mantra for the goal Nr 1 in the morning:

I practice yoga now.

At the end of August I’ll check the statistics of my habit tracker again. I’m curious.

Yoga, a part of my life

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Shalabhasana exercise - July, 2022

Shalabhasana is the first back bending asana of the second Ashtanga yoga series. It deserves more attention and time than only 10 breaths. This asana and all the variations strengthen the back. I prefer to work on flexibility, but strength is equally important. Most asanas have three aspects: Strength, flexibility and technique. Sometimes strength is the challenge, sometimes flexibility. Using a correct technique can help enormously when performing asanas.

Before practicing shalabhasana I prepare my body for the asana.

I lift one leg (inhaling) and lower it again (exhaling). I repeat this 5 times. Then I do the exercise with the left leg. I do three sets.

Strengths training often follows these pattern. There are repetitions and usually 3 sets. 5 repetitions on each side is not much. One can work up to 12 or 20 repetitions. It depends on the time that one has available….

Another variation is to hold the leg in the above position. When holding a position a timer can help. Another method is to count the breaths. Do lift both legs at the same time is more demanding.

The hip shall stay as close to the floor as possible. The exercise aims at stretching the front side of the body as well.

When I find exercises that are useful I repeat them on a daily basis. I don’t need every day another kick in form of a new exercise. After a while I vary the exercises or focus on other aspect. This keeps the practice lively. The mind stays alert, the body, too.

This morning I listed in my journal three important ingredients of a yogic life:

  1. Eat well. Nutruition is underestimated. Sugar, alcohol and too much processed food damage the body and mind. Inflammation in the body due to malnutrition makes the practice difficult.

  2. Practice daily (asanas, pranayama, meditation). My main set backs come when I pause. Then come injuries. Discipline is a mental skill, that one can develop. When I see a flexible yogi these days I don’t think anymore that I see a flexible yogi, but rather that I see a disciplined yogi. These super bendy bodies exist, but most people have to work on asanas often very long.

  3. Practicing correctly is the third important point. I lost a lot of time because the method I applied to learn asanas was ineffective. I guess to find the best way to learn anything is a challenging in all sports and probably all areas. The learning process is individual, yet there are general rules and tips. Years ago visualisation came into play in many sports and made a difference. There is no stillstand. Self-study is important. The yoga community is huge and many share their knowledge on YouTube. It’s a precious source in the learning process.

Cook and eat healthy, practice daily, and learn how to practice smart.

Back bending and courage

Urdhva mukha svanasana is the first back bending asana in the Asthanga yoga practice. It’s part of the sun salutation. Adho mukha svanasana is the counter pose or the other way round. These two asanas are often practiced as part of the vinyasa. In order to intensify this rather soft back bending one can hold it longer. Primary series has so many more forward bending asanas than back bending asanas. In order to balance this it can be good to give a bit more attention to the few back bending asanas.

I’ll focus again on back bending the next month and perhaps longer. To look into the future is difficult these days. To plan a month shall be enough. Back bending doesn’t come easy. In daily life we often bend forward, we scarcely bend backwards. This is surely one reason why it’s so challenging to move the body backwards.

The last two years were rather challenging. Especially the last year with the threat by the German government to make vaccination mandatory scared me. This 'vaccination’ is a gene therapy and not so successful as thought in the beginning. The side effects are swept under the carpet. Whenever a person or even a population gets blackmailed one must become critical. I became critical. I read a lot. I did research and came to the conclusion that the vaccination is more dangerous than Covid-19. The Pharma industry tested a new product worldwide and the governments all over the globe forced us to be part of it. The Pharma industry had almost no clue about the effects of this gene therapy. I’m above 60 but a healthy person. Many younger people smoke or are obese. To treat 83 millions with the same therapy is nonsense. In the meantime it is almost general knowledge that this ‘vaccine’ destroys the immune system. People can get Covid despite being vaccinated three times. There are people who died after the vaccination. Despite all this the politicians want to force us to get vaccinated. Not once or twice, but up to 6 times or more often. Why?

All this scared me and weakened me. I read tweets and newspaper articles every day for hours. Sometimes I woke up at 4 am to check the news. I tried to find hope. I hoped that this all is not true, but it is.

I started to get out more often. I walked a lot. I took pictures. I focused on what I see, hear and smell. Yoga was often too challenging. I practiced irregularly. Then I reached a point where I thought that I must get back to normal no matter what, because it’s against my own interest to live in fear. Since then I practice daily again. My practice became a source of joy again. Somehow I find the energy to do this practice again. My days start perfectly with the yoga routine.

This Wednesday is a demonstration against mandatory vaccination and on Saturday is another one. In the meantime Germany is the only country in Europe that wants to force people to get vaccinated. The fines are high: 2.500 Euro each quarter till the end of 2023. Does this mean that I have to flee? It’s difficult not to desperate. In an hour or so I’ll go out, my whistle in my pocket. The demonstrations are highlights of the week. Almost always I talk to people who are well informed. They all want that our constitutional law and the right of physical integrity is respected.

Back bending requires courage and courage is needed these days.

It requires courage and strength to say ‘no’. We can exercise this.

Most people survive a Covid infection which is rather a cold. People with illnesses and very old people (above 83 years) have a higher risk to die. Looking at these figures I know that Covid-19 is not that dangerous as journalists and politicians want us to believe. Please make your own research. Then make wise decisions.

1/365

Happy New Year

Germany Dez 2021, last sunset

Happy New Year.

2022 will be exciting. Yoga will be a part of it.

Today I make plans regarding the focus of the January.

It will probably be strength and vinyasa.

I’m pleased to meet you again here…….

Yoga in winter

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Balancing pose, October 2021

Balancing pose, October 2021

I’ve a new project: Handstand.

I can imagine that the handstands drills and exercises will help me to get better at the vinyasa.

Almost one year ago I bought an online class created by Kyle Weiger. It’s a handstand specialist. He used to travel around the world to teach press handstand. Even his mother was able to press into a handstand after this 6 week course. This makes me optimistic. Time is not wasted even when I don’t manage to get into a handstand in the middle of the room. The core exercises will help me to perform other asanas with more ease.

Online classes are not easy to follow. I need gglasses to see the exercises on the screen, but when I practice I don’t need classes. To take the glasses off and on gets on my nerves. It’s an obstacle and it makes any class not really pleasant.

My method: I watch the video first. Then I write down the order of the exercises and I write down how many repetitions are recommended. Some exercises especially the stretching ones are rather easy for me. The strength exercises are difficult. I can focus on those.

When possible I integrate drills and exercises into my daily yoga practice.

I’m curious how far I’ll come with this handstand adventure.

October - a new beginning

A variation of vasisthasana, October 2021

A variation of vasisthasana, October 2021

It’s helpful to structure a day. a month and even a year.

Every day is a new beginning for me.

Every month is a new beginning as well. The past is over. The first day of each month gives a new opportunity to do something entertaining, something satisfying, something creative. It’s a reminder to reflect on one’s goals. Hints might arise what went well and what needs modification.

Some weeks are lame, some months as well. It doesn’t matter. Today was the first October. My motivation to practice was fresh. In the morning I practiced primary. In the afternoon I went to place not far away from my home to take new pictures.

Times are dynamic. Balancing poses are great to stay grounded. These balancing asanas are like a symbol, like a rock in the stormy sea. They don’t allow much thinking. Distracting thoughts often provoke that I fall out off a pose. Not to think calms the mind. There is so much worrying and even panic in the air, that it’s good to remind oneself that thoughts are thoughts, not necessarily the reality.

Lately I found a quote by Till Eulenspiegel: Even the truth is invented.

Breathing, practicing yoga, cooking, walking, all these activities can be daily joys despite all the limitations that we might experience these days.

Finding balance

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Standing asana, September 2021

Standing asana, September 2021

The world in panic.

This pandemic showed how important it is to know tools that help to calm down and that help to center. Fear is not a good advisor. Healthy habits are important. A healthy body can handle stress and illnesses so much better than a sick body.

Yoga keeps the body strong and flexible. The mind learns to focus and concentrate. The even deep breath helps to stay calm and awake.

Keep practicing.

The intensity of every practice is not so important. What makes a difference that is a daily practice.

All the best for you during those challenging times.

Relaxing practice

Padmasana, July 2021

Padmasana, July 2021

It’s July and it’s so cold here. I almost trembled when I stepped on the mat. I kept my jacket on to keep myself warm. To switch on the heater on a day in July is over the top. It’s summer.

I started slowly and practiced only asanas that I like and that are easy for me. I breathed. I relaxed. I was rather long in sirsasana. After one hour I was through my tiny practice. That’s what is called a restorative practice, I thought.

I finished this hour on the mat with savasana. I didn’t omit my Friday practice. I worked with my exhaustion and the available energy. I was creative. The body got its dose of bending and stretching. The mind was focused.

In sum I’m very happy with the last week. Very intensive practices altered with lame ones.

It can be that I do the gravity training in the evening before bed time. Since I scarcely watch TV anymore, I found a lot of time that I can use in a better way than watching a boring TV program.

Do I have ideas for the next week?

Yes, I want to start filming. Pictures and films are excellent learning tools.

Enjoy the weekend.

Gravity training - hangman

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Hangman, July 2021

Hangman, July 2021

Lucas who created Yogabody calls this position ‘hangman’. This stretch of the shoulders is part of the gravity training. When the upper body and the shoulders are stretched back bending asanas become easier.

How to do hangman?

Lie on your belly. The head must touch the wall first. Then crawl up the wall with your hands. Pose them a bit wider than shoulder width at the wall. Let the head hang forward. It intensifies the stretch. Don’t hold onto anything. This would tighten the muscles. Instead press the hands against a flat wall. The arm pits move forward. Hold this pose for five minutes. If possible.

My pranayama teacher in India used to say: Practice according your capabilities, but not beyond. When the body starts trembling it’s too much.

Learn the language of the body. Every discomfort, every pain is different and tells a different story. One must learn to work with the body not against it.

My experience with hangman:

When I did this pose for the first time I cursed. It hurt to be in that pose. It felt like hell. After decades of yoga this stretch was so uncomfortable that I almost didn’t believe it. I had a good day and held this pose for five minutes. To give up before that time wasn’t an option. I knew that if I accomplished it once, I’d be able to hold the pose for five minutes the next time as well. I focused on the breath. I counted the breath. 15 breaths are one minute. And finally it was over.

By now I practiced this pose rather often. It never hurt that much like the first time. These days it hurts more to get out of the pose than to hold it.

Why I love hangman:

For me it is one of the most effective gravity stretches. My back bending improved almost immediately. I know a lot of shoulder stretches. Often all these puppy poses are recommended. They are by far not so effective like hangman. It’s important to hold hangman for 5 minutes (if possible). It’s important to relax.

Of course one must first find out what is possible. From there the shoulder stretching journey can begin. To begin with 2 minutes is great as well. Enjoy the stretch.

Different levels of flexibility

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Urdhva dhanurasana, July 2021

Urdhva dhanurasana, July 2021

Being flexible can mean being able to do asana that require a stretched and flexible body.

Another level of flexibility is to switch easily from back bending to forward bending asanas and the other way round.

My back bending asanas feel good these days. Yet usually I practice easier back bending asanas first and then I move to more challenging ones. I start with salabhasana as recommended in the second Ashtanga yoga series. I exercise up to eight back bending asanas till I give my best at urdhva dhanurasana. The repetition of so many back bending asanas allows me to go deeper and deeper. At the end my body is soft and stretched. To bend backward feels good.

Today I practiced primary, because I need core strength. The movements between asanas are lost. It’s mainly jumping forward and jumping backwards. After all these vinyasa and forward bending asanas it was so difficult to practice urdhva dhanurasana. It felt so weakly and awkwarrdly that I consider to add preparation asanas next time.

The picture is taken yesterday without an intensive warm up. I think it’s visible. More is possible.

I’m sure that one can train the body to get fast from forward bending asanas to back bending asanas. It’s possible to switch fast from twists to balancing asanas. My body needs a bit more time to adjust.

These days I’m happy when I can get deeper into asanas. It’s OK to move from easy to challenging asanas. It’s fine to repeat asanas. There are ‘good’ days and ‘stiff’ days. The energy level changes every day. I learn to listen to my body.

Surely the more advanced a yogini is the less volatile is the practice. Nevertheless every day is different for everybody. This makes the yoga practice also interesting. Take care.

For me the playful practices are as precious as the ambitious practices.

Two more days and another yoga week is over.

Hanumanasana

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Hanumanasana, July 2021

Hanumanasana, July 2021

No day without hanumanasana.

The splits stretch the hamstring of the front leg and they stretch the hip flexor of the leg that is stretched backwards. The goal is to keep the hips parallel. To get there takes time and patience.

The legs move rather to the middle of the body. than apart from each other. This allows to bring the hips parallel step by step.

Deep breathing and holding this asana longer than one or two minutes is recommended.

To get into a position and to get out of it as fast as possible won’t stretch the body.

The path goes from discomfort to joy. Finally an asana must feel good. To relax in an awkward looking position is the goal. Being able to do this might also allow to face difficult situation in life calmly and relaxed.

The breath is a huge support when performing any asana. Sink deeper into hanumanasana when exhaling.

The bandhas are a huge support, too. They protect the body. They mean inner strength. Some asanas are not possible without engaging the bandhas.

Keep practicing.

The practice has the potential to be your best coach.

Morning practices are the best

Bakasana, July 2021

Bakasana, July 2021

The highlight this morning: Back bending felt good.

The mind is fresh and attentive in the morning. The body is strong and relaxed.

This morning the temperature was rather low. With every sun salutation I felt warmer and warmer. After 90 minutes I ended my practice, happy that I practice.

At the end of the day most of us feel exhausted. Me, too. The important rituals in my life have priorities therefore. They deserve being executed with energy.

It’s worth to find out if one is a morning person or a late riser. It can change when getting older.

Life needn’t aggravate when getting older. Following the life style off a yogi 🧘‍♂️ helps to stay fit and independent perhaps till the end.

Picture: Bakasana is a counter asana to back bending. Back bending and forward bending asanas and twists belong together.

Free style

July 2021

July 2021

Today I strolled around with my camera. A few asanas I can do without any warm up. Especially those asanas that require more strength than flexibility can be done any time. The grass in that garden invited me to take some pictures.

At home again I started with a free style practice. At 4 pm my body is different than in the morning.

This practice today was a warm up for tomorrow.

Not every day is the same.

Not every practice is the same. The one today didn’t exhaust me. Boundaries were not pushed, not even reached. It felt good to stretch. It felt good to add some strength exercises.

Five more practices are planned this week. I’m curious.