Some days are hard, I know, but don't think too much about it and just go

As I had been sick for a full week I had missed a week's worth of practice.  The following week, Monday, I told myself that I would make it to practice, that Monday I did not make it to practice, the same had happened on Tuesday as well.  

Sometimes, a lot of the time, it can be hard to get back into practice when you had missed such a long period of it.  Finally on Thursday I made it into the studio, it was a gloomy day and it had been raining earlier on, the first rain since Summer, there was a tiredness in the air, a stillness, an uneasiness that I can tell was felt by most, the students were unusually quiet.  I was significantly tired and my usual enthusiasm to be attending practice was not with me this day, it reminded me of my teenage days in high-school, getting up early in the morning to spend all day at an institution that I quite frankly, did not like.

As always, practice started on time and with my first Vinyasa I immediately began to feel better, I remembered why I love Yoga so much, my enthusiasm came back immediately, and I felt... I thought to myself, 'I'm really glad I came today'.

some days are hard, I know, but on these days you just have to go because when you finally get to class and begin your practice you will feel better.

Definition of Bhujangasana

Bhujangasana -> bhujang : serpent (or snake) -> asana : pose = Cobra Pose

Bhujangasana is pronounced (boo - jang - GAHS - anna)

Said to strengthen and stretch the spine, chest, shoulders, abdomen, buttocks and relieve stress and fatigue.  Traditional texts say that Bhujangasana increases body heat, destroys disease and awakens kundalini, a corporeal energy.   *Wiki

*Yoga Journal

Cobra Pose

1.  Lie prone on the floor.  Stretch your legs back, tops of the feet on the floor [pinky toes also touching the floor].  Spread your hands on the floor under your shoulders.  Hug the elbows back into your body.

2.  Press tops of the feet, tops and pubis firmly onto the floor.

3.  Inhale and begin to straighten the arms to lift the chest off the floor, going only to the height at which you can  maintain a connection through your pubis to your legs.  Press tailbone toward the pubis and lift the pubis toward the navel.  Narrow the hip points.  Firm but don't harden the buttocks [keeping your pinky toes on the ground as well as your big toes will help you with this].

4.  Firm the shoulder blades against the back, puffing the side ribs forward.  Lift through the top of the sternum but avoid pushing the front ribs forward, which only hardens the lower back.  Distribute the backbend evenly throughout the entire spine.

5.  Hold the pose anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds, breathing easily.  Release back to the floor slowly with an exhalation.


Some common Cobra Pose errors are over-arching the neck and lower back, recommended to keep the gaze directed down at the floor.  *Wiki

Cobra pose

Picture by Martin Sconduto

Said to strengthen and stretch the spine, chest, shoulders, abdomen, buttocks and relieve stress and fatigue.  Some common Cobra Pose errors are over-arching the neck and lower back, recommended to keep the gaze directed down at the floor.  *Wiki

*Yoga Journal

Cobra Pose

1.  Lie prone on the floor.  Stretch your legs back, tops of the feet on the floor [pinky toes also touching the floor].  Spread your hands on the floor under your shoulders.  Hug the elbows back into your body.

2.  Press tops of the feet, tops and pubis firmly onto the floor.

3.  Inhale and begin to straighten the arms to lift the chest off the floor, going only to the height at which you can  maintain a connection through your pubis to your legs.  Press tailbone toward the pubis and lift the pubis toward the navel.  Narrow the hip points.  Firm but don't harden the buttocks [keeping your pinky toes on the ground as well as your big toes will help you with this].

4.  Firm the shoulder blades against the back, puffing the side ribs forward.  Lift through the top of the sternum but avoid pushing the front ribs forward, which only hardens the lower back.  Distribute the backbend evenly throughout the entire spine.

5.  Hold the pose anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds, breathing easily.  Release back to the floor slowly with an exhalation.

Corpse Pose

Picture from Cheaty Monkey

In Savasana the body is lying on the back with both arms and legs at about 45 degrees, eyes are closed and the breath deep.  The whole body is relaxed with an awareness of the chest and abdomen rising and falling with each breath.  Any muscular tension is consciously released when found.  Savasana is the last pose of an Asana Practice which allows the body to recover from the anabolic to the catabolic state. *wiki

*Yoga Journal

Corpse Pose : Savasana

1.  In Savasana it's essential that the body be placed in a neutral position.  Sit on the floor with knees bent, feet on the floor, lean back onto your farearms.  Lift your pelvis slightly off the floor and with your hands push the back of the pelvis toward the tailbone, then return the pelvis to floor.  Inhale and slowly extend the right leg and then the left leg, pushing through the heels.  Release both legs, soften the groins and see that the legs are angled evenly relative to the mid-line of the torso, the feet should be turned out equally.  Narrow the front pelvis and soften (but don't flatten) the lower back.

2.  With your hands lift the base of the skull away from the back of neck and release the back of the neck down towards the tailbone.  Broaden the base of the skull too and lift the crease of the neck diagonally into the center of the head.  Make sure your ears are equidistant from your shoulders.

3.  Reach your arms toward the ceiling, perpendicular to the floor.  Rock slightly from side to side and broaden the back ribs and the shoulder blades away from the spine.  Then release the arms to the floor, angled evenly relative to the mid-line of torso.  Turn the arms outward and stretch them away from the space between the shoulder blades.  Rest the back of the hands on the floor as close as you comfortably can to the index finger knuckles.  Make sure the shoulder blades are resting evenly on the floor.  Imagine the lower tips of the shoulder blades are lifting diagonally into your back toward the top of the sternum.  From here, spread the collarbones.

4.  Quieting the physical body in Savasana is important to pacify the sense organs.  Soften the root of the tongue, the wings of the nose, the channels of the inner ears, the skin of the forehead, around the bridge of the nose between the eyebrows.  Let the eyes sink to the back of the head, then turn them downward to gaze at the heart.  Release your brain to the back of the head.

5.  Stay in this pose for 5 minutes for every 30 minutes of practice.  To exit out of Savasana, roll gently with an exhalation onto one side, preferably the right.  Take 2 or 3 breaths, with another exhalation press your hands against the floor and lift your torso, dragging your head slowly after, the head should always come up last.

Definition of Savasana

Savasana -> Sava : Corpse -> Asana : Pose = Corpse Pose

Savasana is pronounced (sha - VAHS - anna)

In Savasana the body is lying on the back with both arms and legs at about 45 degrees, eyes are closed and the breath deep.  The whole body is relaxed with an awareness of the chest and abdomen rising and falling with each breath.  Any muscular tension is consciously released when found.  Savasana is the last pose of an Asana Practice which allows the body to recover from the anabolic to the catabolic state. *wiki

*Yoga Journal

Corpse Pose : Savasana

1.  In Savasana it's essential that the body be placed in a neutral position.  Sit on the floor with knees bent, feet on the floor, lean back onto your farearms.  Lift your pelvis slightly off the floor and with your hands push the back of the pelvis toward the tailbone, then return the pelvis to floor.  Inhale and slowly extend the right leg and then the left leg, pushing through the heels.  Release both legs, soften the groins and see that the legs are angled evenly relative to the mid-line of the torso, the feet should be turned out equally.  Narrow the front pelvis and soften (but don't flatten) the lower back.

2.  With your hands lift the base of the skull away from the back of neck and release the back of the neck down towards the tailbone.  Broaden the base of the skull too and lift the crease of the neck diagonally into the center of the head.  Make sure your ears are equidistant from your shoulders.

3.  Reach your arms toward the ceiling, perpendicular to the floor.  Rock slightly from side to side and broaden the back ribs and the shoulder blades away from the spine.  Then release the arms to the floor, angled evenly relative to the mid-line of torso.  Turn the arms outward and stretch them away from the space between the shoulder blades.  Rest the back of the hands on the floor as close as you comfortably can to the index finger knuckles.  Make sure the shoulder blades are resting evenly on the floor.  Imagine the lower tips of the shoulder blades are lifting diagonally into your back toward the top of the sternum.  From here, spread the collarbones.

4.  Quieting the physical body in Savasana is important to pacify the sense organs.  Soften the root of the tongue, the wings of the nose, the channels of the inner ears, the skin of the forehead, around the bridge of the nose between the eyebrows.  Let the eyes sink to the back of the head, then turn them downward to gaze at the heart.  Release your brain to the back of the head.

5.  Stay in this pose for 5 minutes for every 30 minutes of practice.  To exit out of Savasana, roll gently with an exhalation onto one side, preferably the right.  Take 2 or 3 breaths, with another exhalation press your hands against the floor and lift your torso, dragging your head slowly after, the head should always come up last.

Definition of Adho Mukha Svanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana -> Adho : Downward -> Mukha : Face -> Svana : Dog -> Asana : Pose = Downward-Facing Dog

Adho Mukha Svanasana is pronounced (AH-doh MOO-kah shvah-NAHS-anna)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog) is a yoga pose in which the hands and feet are on the floor and one's rear end is pointed up so that the body is in an upside-down V.  The Downward-Facing Dog deeply stretches the back, opens the chest, and builds upper body strength. *Dictionary.com

*Yoga Journal

Downward-Facing Dog: Adho Muka Savanasana

1.  Come onto the floor on your hands and knees.  Set knees directly below your hips [your feet should be hip-distance apart] and your hands slightly forward of your shoulders [also hip-distance apart].  Spread your palms, index fingers parallel or slightly turned out [all five fingers of both your hands should be evenly spread wide apart], and turn your toes under.

2.  Exhale while you lift your knees away from the floor keeping the knees slightly bent and the heels lifted away from the floor.  Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of your pelvis and press it slightly toward the pubis.  Against the resistance, lift the sitting bones toward the ceiling [and back], from your inner ankles draw the inner legs up into the groins, [heels may be turned slightly outward so that the outer edge of your feet are parallel.]

3.  Then with an exhalation, push your top thighs back and stretch your heels onto or down toward the floor.  Straighten your knees but be sure not to lock them.  Firm the outer thighs and roll the upper thighs inward slightly.  Narrow the front of the pelvis.  [Adjust so that your sit bones are still stretching up and back.]

4.  Firm the outer arms and press the bases of the index fingers actively into the floor [make sure all five fingers on both your hands are still evenly spread wide].  From your actively pressing index fingers lift along your inner arms from the wrists to the tops of the shoulders [keep the arms straight but do not lock elbows].  Firm you shoulder blades against your back, then widen them and draw them toward the tailbone [keeping the shoulder blades pinned down].  Keep the head between the upper arms, making sure to not let your head hang.

[5.  Now while in Downward-Facing Dog adjust and align yourself, it is very easy to become misaligned while doing these steps, so take your time and align yourself correctly.   Heels hip-distance apart and turned out so that the outer edges of the feet are parallel, legs straight but knees not locked, thighs pressed back and turned in slightly and stretching towards the groin, hips and sit-bone reaching up and back, spine lengthened, back flat, tummy tucked, arms stretched straight but elbows not locked, arm muscles lengthened from fingers to shoulders, shoulder blades tucked, fingers wide and evenly spread, index finger actively pressed down, head between upper arms, neck lengthened.]

6.  The Downward-Facing Dog is one of the poses in the traditional Sun Salutation sequence.  It is also an excellent yoga asana all on its own.  Stay in this pose anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes.  Then bend your knees to the floor with an exhalation and rest in Child's Pose.

Downward-Facing Dog Pose

Picture from Illuminate Yoga

 The Downward-Facing Dog (aka Adho Mukha Svanasana) is a posture where the body forms an inverted V-shape that is said to stretch the whole body from shoulders to legs to spine and builds strength throughout the body, particularly the arms, legs and feet.  Downward-Facing Dog promotes the relief of fatigue and rejuvenates the body, improving the immune system, digestion and blood flow to the sinuses, and calms the mind and lifts the spirits. *Wikipedia

*Yoga Journal

Downward-Facing Dog: Adho Muka Savanasana

1.  Come onto the floor on your hands and knees.  Set knees directly below your hips [your feet should be hip-distance apart] and your hands slightly forward of your shoulders [also hip-distance apart].  Spread your palms, index fingers parallel or slightly turned out [all five fingers of both your hands should be evenly spread wide apart], and turn your toes under.

2.  Exhale while you lift your knees away from the floor keeping the knees slightly bent and the heels lifted away from the floor.  Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of your pelvis and press it slightly toward the pubis.  Against the resistance, lift the sitting bones toward the ceiling [and back], from your inner ankles draw the inner legs up into the groins, [heels may be turned slightly outward so that the outer edge of your feet are parallel.]

3.  Then with an exhalation, push your top thighs back and stretch your heels onto or down toward the floor.  Straighten your knees but be sure not to lock them.  Firm the outer thighs and roll the upper thighs inward slightly.  Narrow the front of the pelvis.  [Adjust so that your sit bones are still stretching up and back.]

4.  Firm the outer arms and press the bases of the index fingers actively into the floor [make sure all five fingers on both your hands are still evenly spread wide].  From your actively pressing index fingers lift along your inner arms from the wrists to the tops of the shoulders [keep the arms straight but do not lock elbows].  Firm you shoulder blades against your back, then widen them and draw them toward the tailbone [keeping the shoulder blades pinned down].  Keep the head between the upper arms, making sure to not let your head hang.

[5.  Now while in Downward-Facing Dog adjust and align yourself, it is very easy to become misaligned while doing these steps, so take your time and align yourself correctly.   Heels hip-distance apart and turned out so that the outer edges of the feet are parallel, legs straight but knees not locked, thighs pressed back and turned in slightly and stretching towards the groin, hips and sit-bone reaching up and back, spine lengthened, back flat, tummy tucked, arms stretched straight but elbows not locked, arm muscles lengthened from fingers to shoulders, shoulder blades tucked, fingers wide and evenly spread, index finger actively pressed down, head between upper arms, neck lengthened.]

6.  The Downward-Facing Dog is one of the poses in the traditional Sun Salutation sequence.  It is also an excellent yoga asana all on its own.  Stay in this pose anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes.  Then bend your knees to the floor with an exhalation and rest in Child's Pose.

Definition of Tadasana

Tadasana ->  Tada : Mountain -> asana : Pose = Mountain Pose

Tadasana is pronounced (tah-DAHS-anna)

Tadasana (aka Mountain Pose) is often a starting position in a yogic routine which consists of standing with arms straight down one's sides for balance and alignment *Dictionary.com.

*Yoga Journal

Mountain: tada (tah-DAHS-anna)

1.  Stand with the bases of your big toes touching, heels slightly apart so that the second to the biggest toes are facing straight ahead of you.  Lift and spread your toes and the balls of your feet, then lay them softly down on the floor.  Your weight should be balanced evenly on the feet, the four corners of the bottom of your feet equally pressed to the ground.

2.  Firm your thigh muscles and lift the knee caps, without hardening your lower belly.  Lift the inner ankles to strengthen the inner arches, then imagine a line of energy all the way up along your inner thighs to your groins, and from there through the core of your torso, neck, and head, and out through the crown of your head.  Turn the upper thighs slightly inward.  Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor and lift the pubis toward the navel.

3.  Press your shoulder blades into your back, then widen them across and release them down your back.  Without pushing your lower front ribs forward, lift the top of your sternum straight toward the ceiling.  Widen through your collarbones.  Hang your arms beside the torso.

4.  Balance the crown of your head directly over the center of your pelvis, with the underside of you chin parallel to the floor, throat soft, and the tongue wide and flat on the floor of your mouth.  Soften your eyes.

5.  Stay in the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing easily.

Mountain Pose

The Mountain Pose (aka Tadasana) is a basic standing posture with feet together and hands at the sides of the body.  The pose is considered to promote confidence, happiness, good posture and creating space within the body.  The creation of space within the body may allow internal organs to work more efficiently improving respiration, digestion and elimination.  The Mountain Pose strengthens the abdomen and the legs *Wikipedia.

*Yoga Journal

Mountain: tada (tah-DAHS-anna)

1.  Stand with the bases of your big toes touching, heels slightly apart so that the second to the biggest toes are facing straight ahead of you.  Lift and spread your toes and the balls of your feet, then lay them softly down on the floor.  Your weight should be balanced evenly on the feet, the four corners of the bottom of your feet equally pressed to the ground.

2.  Firm your thigh muscles and lift the knee caps, without hardening your lower belly.  Lift the inner ankles to strengthen the inner arches, then imagine a line of energy all the way up along your inner thighs to your groins, and from there through the core of your torso, neck, and head, and out through the crown of your head.  Turn the upper thighs slightly inward.  Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor and lift the pubis toward the navel.

3.  Press your shoulder blades into your back, then widen them across and release them down your back.  Without pushing your lower front ribs forward, lift the top of your sternum straight toward the ceiling.  Widen through your collarbones.  Hang your arms beside the torso.

4.  Balance the crown of your head directly over the center of your pelvis, with the underside of you chin parallel to the floor, throat soft, and the tongue wide and flat on the floor of your mouth.  Soften your eyes.

5.  Stay in the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing easily.

Definition of Pashchima Namaskarasana

Pashchima Namaskarasana = Reverse Prayer Pose

*ehow.com

The Reverse Prayer Pose is an intermediate Yoga posture that is aimed towards increasing flexibility and strength in your upper back while at the same time familiarizing your body with the internal rotation of the arms.  As becoming more and more familiar with Pashchima Namaskarasana your will be begin to feel a heightened awareness and a calming of the mind.

*Reverse Prayer Pose / ehow.com

1.  Begin on the mat in Mountain pose (Tadasana).

2.  Relax your knees, bending them slightly as you reach your arms around your back until the palms of both hands come together.

3.  Press your palms lightly together, making sure that the fingers of both hands are pointing to the floor.

4.  Rotate your wrists, turning your hands until your fingers now point to the sky.  As your turn your wrists, keep your knees bent.  This will help the natural tendency for your ribcage to jut out during this hand movement.

5.  Press the outside edges of both hands lightly into your back.  Your fingers should now be both pointing up and running parallel with your spine [as seen in above picture].

6.  Press your feet into the ground as your straighten your legs and hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.

*Keep in mind the Reverse Prayer Pose should be avoided by those that suffer from a wrist or elbow injury.  

A substitute pose for the Reverse Prayer Pose:

1.  Reach your arms around your back

2.  Grasp your lift wrist with your right hand and your right wrist with your left hand, palms facing each other.