Those in our culture who haven’t yet practiced yoga postures – or those with limited practice experience – often think that it mainly involves holding “poses” for extended periods of time, without moving (excepting the widespread familiarity with styles that are more continuous movement-based, such as Bikram and “Power” Vinyasa). On the contrary, seeking to keep postures dynamic rather than static can greatly enhance physical yoga’s innumerable physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual benefits. Instructors can lead students to more consistently do so, in the ways that will serve their unique practices and selves, through such tools as concrete images and commonly relatable analogies.
For instance, Warrior I Posture is full of complex pushes-and-pulls in the body that practitioners can subtly refine in order to enhance the posture’s benefits; one can simultaneously work towards strengthening through the back-supporting inner leg, drawing the tailbone downwards, and pulling the opposing (of the standing leg) hip forward while the other draws back. These efforts will bring greater awareness of how safe alignment feels in the body, increased strengthening of both working legs, and a gradually deeper stretch.
Continuously refining yoga postures in these ways can engage practitioners’ minds and spirits in ways that extend their practices’ benefits farther and deeper than the physical – to yet un-encountered cognitive, spiritual and emotional realms. For example, Pitta and Vatta types might get bored with, and distracted while holding, sustained postures (especially in such forms as Restorative and Yin Yoga). Continuing to play the body’s subtle dance of its parts working together – throughout a class or private practice – can be an enjoyable intellectual exercise to prevent that. Kapha types can tend to lack motivation, so doing so is a way for them to always having something accessible to work towards.
Realizations such as that can offer healing to those who lack confidence and self-esteem, and suffer from the associated painful feelings. They can re-frame the mindset of one who has perhaps had several consecutive setbacks – to that success is possible, even if at the moment it feels like nothing can go right. For others seeking spiritual purpose in their lives, reaching a more refined and enhanced physical state can bring a powerful sense of coming closer to the Divine – whatever that term uniquely means to them.
Using concrete images and analogies can allow instructors to lead students – of any age or physical condition – closer to achieving such making space in the body. Consider the previously described yoga postures, for instance. While leading students in Warrior I instructors can advise them to imagine that their legs are traveling downwards like one of those baskets that electrical company workers travel up and down on – slow, sustained, and staying on a consistent vertical track (rather than veering side to side). From this students can reach a deeper stretch within the posture while also keeping the front knee tracking safely over the ankle. Folding – in both standing and sitting – can also become deeper, more energizing and less injury-prone with offered images such as slowly and carefully applying a line of tape or attaching a piece of Velcro.
References
“Dynamic”. Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary. 10 March 2013.
“Posture”. Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary. 10 March 2013.
Pirisi, Angela. “Yoga for Boomers and Beyond”. 11 March 2013.
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