One of the Greatest and Simplest Tools – 2019 Kiss My Asana Offering #3 April 3, 2019

The “practice preview” below is part of my offering for the 2019 Kiss My Asana yogathon. I encourage you to set aside at least 5 minutes a day during April, to practice with today’s theme or concept as inspiration. You can practice in a class or on your own, but since the Kiss My Asana yogathon raises resources as well as awareness, I invite you to join me at a donation-based class on April 27th or May 4^th.

I also challenge you to set aside a certain amount every day that you practice with this concept/theme in mind. It doesn’t matter if you set aside one dollar per practice or $25 – set aside that amount each time you practice and donate it by April 30th.

Founded by Matthew Sanford, Mind Body Solutions helps those who have experienced trauma, loss, and disability find new ways to live by integrating both mind and body. They provide classes, workshops, and outreach programs. They also train yoga teachers and offer highly specialized training for health care professionals. By participating in the Kiss My Asana yogathon you join a global movement, but in a personal way. In other words, you practice yoga. Or, as this year’s tag line states….

do yoga. share yoga. help others.

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“Are you sleeping? / Still dreaming? / Still drifting off alone.”

– “Sleeping” by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova

“And he became old in as many days as he had slept years;”

– Diogenes Laertius writing about the philosopher Epimenides

Upon hearing that the short story author Washington Irving was born April 3, 1783, some might suppose that today’s peak pose will be Savasana. Such an assumption, however, would mean that “some” are making the same error as Rip Van Winkle.

“The great error in Rip’s composition was an insuperable aversion to all kinds of profitable labor.”

– from “Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving

Contrary to popular belief, Savasana, which is sometimes used as a starting pose, but is most commonly practiced as a final pose, is not the time to take the deepest nap you’ve taken all day. Instead, Savasana (Seat of the Corpse) marks the death of the practice and creates an opportunity to practice the final four limbs of yoga (pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and Samadhi).

Swami J of the Himalayan tradition says, “The willingness or unwillingness to withdraw attention from sensory experience is a significant dividing line between those who experience true meditation and those who experience only physical relaxation.” Pratyahara (sense withdrawal) is the fifth limb of yoga and serves as a bridge between engaging the mind-body in order to connect with the spirit and recognizing that the mind-body-spirit connection eternally exists. It allows one to direct their attention towards a single point, without distraction. That point could be light, love, the sun, God (whatever that means to you at this moment), your parents, or some aspect of the divine (such as loving-kindness, peace, or playfulness). That single-pointed focus, dharana, is the sixth limb of yoga. Over a long period of time, dharana becomes dhyana, concentration. Over a long period of time, concentration becomes meditation – maybe even that “perfect meditation,” Samadhi, which is sometimes referred to as “union with divine.” Symbolically, Savasana is the opportunity to release all worldly concerns and goods, to release your efforts and your awareness back to the source of all things.

“Rip’s heart died away at hearing of these sad changes in his home and friends, and finding himself thus alone in the world.”

– from “Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving

All that being said, it is not uncommon for people to fall asleep in “Corpse Pose.” Moving through the physical practice is preparation for a deep seated meditation; however, in a day and age where we have trained ourselves to be in perpetual motion, to multi-task, and to be sleep-deprived, calming the body and the mind, naturally creates an opportunity for a nap. This is especially true if we are holding a lot of residual tension or stress – which may be keeping us from sleeping well at night. And, it is true that Rip Van Winkle was presumed as dead as so many of his friends and family.

But, we’re still not spending the whole practice in Savasana.

“One of the greatest and simplest tools for learning more and growing is doing more.”

– Washington Irving

FEATURED POSE for April 3^rd: Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)

Washington Irving’s short story “Rip Van Winkle” is paired with “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Yes, yes, that is a story about another “sleepy” Dutch settlement and a ghost. But, it’s a headless ghost, and the last thing we want to do during the practice is loose our heads! Delving a little deeper, you will find that both stories feature the appearance and/or reference to the ghosts of Henry Hudson and the crew of the Halve Maen*, a Dutch East India Company boat whose name, in English, is “Half Moon.”

There are at least two (2) variations of Half Moon that regularly appear in the physical practice. The first, a “Hot Half Moon” can be done at any point in the practice and does not require a lot of warm-up. It can also be done seated or lying down, is prenatal approved, and can be embellished. To practice “Hot Half Moon,” come into Samastithi (Equal Standing), either standing or seated with feet together or slightly apart. Inhale arms overhead and, as you exhale, come into a steeple grip so that index fingers are extended like a church steeple or like the main mast of a sailing vessel. If it’s accessible to you, places the thumbs one next to the other. If it is more comfortable, cross the thumbs – and make sure to change the cross when you come back to center. Inhale reach up and length; exhale and lean to the left so that the left hand/arm pulls the right hand/arm over to the side. Make sure weight is balanced in the feet, legs, and hips – so that even though you are leaning left, you are still engaging the right. From the thighs, start to rotate the body up towards the left armpit and gaze up towards the right elbow (if that is accessible and comfortable). After 3 – 6 breaths, inhale to center. Like Rip Van Winkle after his long nap, notice what’s changed and then switch to the other side. After the second side, feel free to move between the sides one-breath-one motion. Ultimately release back to Equal Standing.

Ardha Chandrasana, as it appears in a vinyasa practice, is a standing balance similar to Triangle Pose (Trikonansana) or Supine Big Toe Pose (Supta Padangusthasana) without the bind. Since this variation of Half Moon pose requires leg strength, flexibility and strength in the hips, and lots of core strength, I recommend moving through a warm up sequence like Cat/Cow and/or some Salutations plus some standing poses. For the standing poses, consider an externally rotated sequence with Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II), Triangle (Trikonasana), and Extended Side Angle (Parsvakanasana). You could also practice Supine Big Toe Pose (Supta Padangusthasana) and pay particular attention to how you root down through the (heels of the) feet and stabilize with the core. In all the poses, extend through the arms and collar bones.

After preparing the body, make your way into Triangle Pose. On an exhale, gaze down. On an inhale, shift the weight into the front leg (so it appears you’re moving into an awkward Side Angle Pose). Exhale and zip up by spreading your toes, squeezing your perineum muscles like you’re trying not to go to the bathroom, and lifting the belly button up and back. Once the core is engaged, inhale and stand on the front leg. Reach the lifted foot towards the wall behind. It might be feet away, but you want to engage your lifted foot and leg as if you are standing on the wall behind you. Reach the lifted arm up with the same awareness and intensity that you’re using to reach the lower arm down. Find balance within the imbalance. After at least 6 breaths, exhale to Extended Side Angle and inhale to standing. Again, take a moment to be like the newly awakened Rip Van Winkle and then move to the second side.

Ardha Chandrasana can be practiced with your back or your lifted foot against the wall. You can also make the pose easier by placing the lower hand on a block and folding the lower arm against the back into a half bind. (The half bind will lower your center of gravity. As with the first variation, this variation of “Half Moon” is prenatal-approved: Just keep in mind that your center of gravity is continuously changing while you’re pregnant.

After practicing any variation of “Half Moon,” move into a gentle forward fold – such as Child’s Pose (Balasana) – or, sneak in another “pose of the day”: Hands-to-Feet Pose (Padahastasana), which is often referred to as “Gorilla Pose,” but today you can call it “Chimp Pose.”

Now, as you like, Savasana!

(*SIDE NOTE: The Halve Maen set sail on April 4, 1609. On July 25, 1609, some of the crew assaulted a village in Nova Scotia. In 1610, Henry Hudson headed out in a new ship, the Discovery. Hudson, his son John, and the non-mutinous members of the ship disappeared in the spring of 1611.)

### do yoga. share yoga. help others. ###