Better Yoga Practice

The heated power yoga class that you’re taking is about to start. It’s time to get present. Much like an adult birthday party invitation your “presence is present enough.” Start with a child’s pose.

The intention of a yoga mind/body practice is to shift into the present time, and out of the past and future. In order for me to acheive this personally, I come down onto my mat and consciously shift my thoughts to the present time –  and away from a rushed morning.  The reality of the yoga practice, as in life, is the fact that you can’t go around it, under it or over it- we must go through it!   In today’s world we are all guilty of being disconnected from ourselves and swept up in this emotional disconnection, by constantly doing and being distracted.  Yoga brings us back to the here and now. As my teacher Baron Baptiste says “you are either now here or nowhere- the difference is a presence”.

Just as when learning to read “… you begin with ABC”.  In Yoga you start with child’s pose, (which is also sometimes called Balasana).  This is a very basic pose & great place to start your Yoga practice.

The heated yoga practice starts in child’s pose and ends in Savasana (or corpse pose) a full circle of life in one practice. Child’s pose is technically an inversion (one of the few safe inversions in pregnancy).

Child’s pose offers the following benefits:

• calms the body, mind and spirit
• stimulates the third eye point
• gently stretches the low back
• tones the abdominal organs stimulating digestion & elimination

If you have any physical restrictions, including knee injuries, there is a variation of child’s pose where you start on your back with your feet together and your knees out wide to the sides of the room. Another variation uses a blanket under your hips, knees and/or placed under your head; spread your knees wide apart.

Child’s pose can always be used as a resting pose and is especially enjoyable after and challenging pose!

Feel free to ask me more about child’s pose or any other poses before or after class! Remember, you can always sign up for private yoga lessons at Universal Athletic Club to further explore this pose and many others!

Namaste