I enjoy practising yoga and have attended classes taught by teachers with different approaches. A little like therapy, sometimes it takes a while to find a 'fit' and that fit can alter over time, and with changes in our circumstances.
My current teacher encourages and supports me to challenge myself, and regularly introduces balance postures into our practice. I find these poses give me a great opportunity to put recovery principles into practice, and was reminded of this whilst experimenting with the 'crow' recently...
"Poise and power are inseparably associated. The calm and balanced mind is the strong and great mind; the hurried and agitated mind is the weak one."
Wallace D. Wattles (1860-1911, American author)
The 'secret' is in the foundations. Strong foundations predict better outcomes. This is as true in recovery as it is on a yoga mat:
Finding the 'right' yoga class is essential. I know I get more from my practice when I feel safe. When I don't feel rushed, and am able to incline my attention towards my practice.
Yoga is founded upon the breath, and my teacher often reminds me that the breath should never be compromised. Yoga is not about striving to achieve, or contorting one's body beyond that which is comfortable. Yoga should embody compassion and the same is true in recovery.
I make time to practice. This way I derive maximum benefits from it. I like to acknowledge that I am taking time to practice, and open and close my practice with a mini-ritual; offering my practice 'up' I remind myself of the truly small space I occupy in the larger landscape of the bigger picture. Recovery is, after all, freedom from self.
Having learnt the basics from an Iyengar teacher, I have come to realise how important it is to mindfully place myself correctly in a pose, bringing awareness to the points of the body being focused upon.
To achieve a balance posture, you need to make a decision. It involves a challenge, and this requires a commitment. Trusting one's body, and the connection to the earth is essential.
Once in a posture, the breath provides the energetic focus, which enables us to hold, maintain and develop. Inhaling and exhaling. Smooth, steady, relaxed breath.
Just as in recovery, commitment is a prerequisite. Progress, rather than perfection is aimed for, and achieved through regular practice without fear of imperfection as this is how we grow, and develop.
We need to lose our balance, occasionally and just enough to remind us what our foundations feel like, and how vital it is that we attend to these, rather than our appearance.
"The key to keeping our balance is to know when we've lost it." - Unknown
Yoga teaches us to position our heads, and our hearts and to focus on these, not separately, but in unison, bonded through the breath. We are taught to look up, and ahead, rather than down and behind. We accept our limitations gracefully, with dedication to build upon these, and develop our strengths.
Serenity is to be enjoyed, not simply at the end of a practice during the time dedicated to relaxation and restoration, but throughout one's practice, moment to moment.
The 'Crow' also known as the Bakasana, or the Kakasana is an arm balance which strengthens the shoulders, arms and wrists. It is tenth in the sequence of twelve basic postures of hatha yoga.
It can be practised by following these (deceptively simple sounding) steps:
Step 1 - Squat to Start
To prepare yourself for the Crow, squat with your feet and knees wide apart.
Position your arms between your knees, with your hands directly under your shoulders, then put your hands flat on the floor in front of you.
Stretch your fingers wide and turn your hands inward slightly
Step 2 - Knees to Arms
Bend your elbows, and turn them outward.
Rest your knees against your upper arms.
Next, rock forward until you feel your weight on your wrists.
Stay in this position if you are unable to proceed further.
This exercise is still useful even if you stop at this point, as your wrists support your weight and your forearm muscles are being stretched.
Step 3 - Raise Your Feet
Slowly raise each foot, then balance on your hands for at least 10 seconds.
Aim to increase your time in the pose to 30 seconds; with practice you will be able to hold the position for up to a minute.
To come out, lower your feet to the ground, sit up, and shake out your wrists.
If and when you are strong enough, repeat the Crow twice.
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