Sunday, July 5, 2009

Adjusting myself

Every week I teach several classes of yoga students, adjusting them so they can get the most out of their practices. Put your foot here, turn your hip this way, release the shoulderblades, draw the navel in towards the spine, engage the core!

I thought it was time i cast a critical eye over some of my own practice so I asked my other half to take some photos. I was pleased with the results. I can see the things I need to work on; my right hip, my knees, releasing through the spine (I have scoliosis so of course I need to release through the spine!). It's extremely helpful to see oneself practice and a very good ego check. I know how I think the posture is meant to look but....

I am particularly pleased with the backbend work I've been doing and here is a picture of me in a modified (the legs are slightly more apart than is normal to help me open into the upper back which is where my scoliosis is) Bhujangasana (cobra pose).


And a little video of Surya Namaskara (sun saluations)


3 comments:

Eco Yogini said...

very fun! I've never seen sun salutations done that way before! That cobra adjustment- does it help protect your lower back? I find I have to be SOOO careful or I'll do way too many upward dogs, which my lower back isn't happy with.

looks beautiful!

Rachel said...

Thank you thank you:)

Having the legs a little apart helps lifting out of the hips, hence taking pressure off the lower back. Also, looking straight ahead rather than up takes pressure off the neck AND off the lower back (as the two are linked).

The sun salutations are a variation of the Satchananda ones that I devised. Because of the scoliosis I have shoulder issues which makes chaturanga and astangasana an issue. I teach these sun saluations too as I have seen so many people with shoulder injuires after too many chaturangas!

Yogini B said...

Hi Rachel, as a fellow yogini with scoliosis, just wanting to say thanks for the thoughtful cobra variation. I had not seen this one before. My scoliosis is in my lower back so I have a different set of issues, but very cool to see what you came up with!

Peace...