Shoulderstand Part II

Yoga Moves,

Getting Started – Check Your Props

Some bolsters that are old or in yoga studios that have had people sitting on the numerous times for years no longer offer the support needed to have a successful shoulderstand (one that has no pain or discomfort). So a skillful teacher that knows how to fold blankets or use appropriate bolsters is needed.

How long shoulderstand should be held? If you have been a wise student and you can do a five minute bridge with shoulder stand arms you are well on your way.

Start with a supported chair shoulderstand for three minutes, working up to five minutes every other day for several weeks. No pain, no discomfort immediately after but most importantly no pain or discomfort hours later or even the next day.

A modification for shoulderstand.

Even with a chair a skillful teacher is needed. His head on the hard floor does not create ease in the posture. You need open shoulders, open spine, active strong legs, lengthened neck, and proper support under the shoulders.

I have had students tell me they were fine then the next day they were in pain … that is when I get the call for help. Some teachers have students do a 3, 5, 7 or even 12-minute supported shoulderstand when the student has either never done a shoulderstand before or they have only done it in this teachers class every now and then.

I don’t understand this. If I asked a student to do a Warrior 2 pose supported by using a wall for three minutes or more they couldn’t do it, and they stand and use their legs all the time. Why would a teacher think a student could do these hold times in an inversion?

Danger! Injury Ahead!

The best thing this yogi can hope for is to avoid injury.

This is a shoulder standish thing using blankets, either learned on own or from an unskillful teacher. This is not the yoga posture Shoulderstand. It’s an injury waiting to happen.

You’ve Reached Your Goal!

This is how a shoulderstand should look when properly performed.

This shoulderstand is a beautiful version of the posture. Start with only short holds – what’s your hurry? Work your way into longer holds or variations from a skillful teacher. Enjoy the therapeutic benefits of this magical posture.

Don’t let a teacher force you into this posture before you and your physical body are really ready. Enjoy life, enjoy this path of yoga. See you on the mat!

Shoulderstand Part I

Yoga Moves,

Who Should – And Shouldn’t

I love shoulderstand. I wish everyone did. It has a cooling aspect to the mind and the nervous system. It has many physiological aspects and can be very therapeutic. However, it can also cause severe injury if not done properly.

Even the supported shoulderstand done with a chair and bolster is not the perfectly safe posture that some lineages want you to believe it is. You still must have the basics of certain preparatory postures in your body before moving into this healing posture.

Know Your Limits

If you have tight shoulders you must first learn how to open and relax the tightness before shoulderstand. If you have a head forward position you must correct your daily standing posture before shoulderstand. If you have weak abdominal muscles these must be strengthened because weak abdominals shows up as weakness in the back. Weakness in the legs? Inner and outer thighs must be strong and steady.

Do you have cervical neck issues? Why would you want to do this posture at all? There are similar postures that will give you the same benefits without the risk of serious injury.

Is your spine stiff? Have you lost the natural curves or do you have kyphosis, excessive lordosis, bulging or herniated discs?

This is where the basic yoga postures prepare you for other postures. Yes there is a wonderful magic in shoulderstand but only when there is a steady ease within the posture.

Preparing For Shoulderstand

How do you know when you are ready to try shoulderstand under the guidance of a skillful yoga teacher? When you can do these postures with complete ease:

  • eagle arms
  • full cow faced posture (arms & legs)
  • cobra
  • locust
  • bridge pose prep
  • bridge pose with hands clasped
  • bridge pose with shoulder stand arms

Notice the difference in the two bridge postures below:

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If this is what your bridge pose looks like with or without hands clasped, you have a lot more work to do!

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If this is what your bridge pose looks like with shoulder stand arms and you can hold this for five minutes you are ready. (I would like to see this posture with some blankets under the shoulders.) Get some blankets, find a skillful instructor, and start working on shoulder stand.

Next: Shoulderstand: Who Should – And Shouldn’t Part II

Experience Yogic Sleep Meditation

Yoga Moves, ,

YOGA NIDRA / DEEP RELAXATION with Nancy MacDonald
The Lotus Pond
Sunday, July 6th, 2014 – 4:30 pm-5:30 pm

relax with NancyYoga Nidra is the deepest and most powerful of all meditations. Yoga Nidra is known as “Yogic Sleep” and forms a complete experience of deep relaxation, self healing and integration. It involves systematically relaxing the body, breath and mind as you enter a deep relaxed state much more intense than ordinary sleep.

Yoga Nidra also refreshes the physical, emotional and mental bodies and creates a systemic release of stress and prepares the mind to receive the personal affirmations you develop in class.

This practice is suitable for ALL levels of practitioners as guided meditation. No experience necessary, wear comfortable clothes and become more grounded, focused and at peace.

Cost: $15, advance registration recommended

Workshops are non-refundable.

Prenatal Yoga Class Delivers

Yoga Moves, ,
Wow! That's a lot of babies!
Poor Joseph and his aching back. Can you find the real pregnant person in these pictures??

Full moon, Mercury in retrograde and all is well! Learning and laughing during prenatal training with the amazing Jacci Gruninger at The Lotus Pond Yoga Studio prenatal yoga training June 13th.

What a wonderful weekend – thank you so much Jacci for sharing all your knowledge!

Yogi Fest At The Lotus Pond

Yoga Moves

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What a lovely way to spend a beautiful day! Crystal bowls, yoga, raw organic honey, jewelry, hooping and so much more. The Lotus Pond is a gift to the community in so many ways. A peaceful oasis away from the noise of the fast paced world, it offers a yoga summer camp for teens that’s more than just yoga.

The day ended with a Kirtan by David Newman. Peace Out

If you are looking for someplace fun and healthy for the kids this summer give them a call.

Inward focus for inner peace. Wed 7pm Yum Yum Hatha 58

Gentle Stretches, Hip Openers, Shoulder Openers

Pranayama: Sahaja, Dirgha, Nadi Shodhana propping the elbow up to bring more ease.

Opening the neck and shoulders then adding in the eyes.  We so often forget to excercise the muscles of the eyes. Shoulder joint flow, then to the back to fingers in the sand, hip side stretch, hip rotations, leg stretch, cradle, reclined butterfly. Roll up, aromatherapy and Savasana.

Aromatherapy tonight is Relaxing Blend from Yoga Flow Oils, thank you Susan

Opening the shoulders. Wed 530 Fundamentals Hatha 146

Gentle Stretches, Shoulder Openers

Pranayama: Sahaja, Dirgha over 2 blocks to allow the shoulders to drop off the front of the body.

Fingers in the sand, 1/4 dog, 1/2 dog, downward facing dog, thread the needle, toe stretch, trap squeeze.  Shoulder rolls, chest expansion, walking fingers up the wall. Half cowface pose, eagle arms, standing chest expansion, wall dog.  Eric Schiffman shoulder openers using strap. Aromatherapy, goal post arms and rocking legs, Savasana

Aromatherapy tonight is Relaxing Blend from Yoga Flow Oils, thank you Susan.

Smoothing out the shoulders. Wed 7pm Yum Yum Hatha 132

Shoulder Openers, Upper Body Strength, Wall Work

Pranayama: over noodles

Fingers in the sand shoulder openers, cat rolls, thread the needle, Vajrasana chest opener. 1/4 dog on blocks, anahatasana.  To the wall with Doug Keller work, stretching it out with eagle arms and shoulder openers on the wall, waterfall on the wall to slide down to the floor.  Twists and folds, aromatherapy, Savasana

Aromatherapy tonight will be Vata/Pitta Blend from Yoga Flow Oils, thank you Susan

Evening Practice to prepare for a wonderful nights sleep.

Yoga Moves, Yoga Reflections

I hear so often that people have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night.  Either the mind is going from “things to do” or worry or hormones.  Being careful what we feed our minds before we want to go to bed makes a huge difference in our sleep.  Stay off the computer at least 2 hours before going to bed.  No TV, no newspaper reading, no novel but some light reading or better yet something inspirational… poetry is wonderful and positive before bed.

 I have posted before the Peaceful Sleep Recipe you can look that up  in the blog and it works wonders for me however, I also do calming things while I am sipping the treat or before.  Don’t expect magic you have to participate in this process.  Gentle yoga movements will also help to release the day and to prepare the body and mind for rest.  Here is one gentle yoga session that you can practice before bedtime to stretch relax.  Give it a go and let me know how it worked for you.

E= exhale   I= inhale         E/I= exhale & inhale in that posture

Lying on floor

E/I Knees to chest

E/I partial recline– knees bent feet on floor

E extend one leg long on floor

I other leg lifts with pointed toe

E Flex foot and lower leg till heel taps floor the repeat lift & lower X4 then sustain lift and rotate ankle 5 circle each direction. Moving with the breath

Rest in Savasana for a few breaths then repeat with other leg

E/I Knees to chest

E/I Partial Recline

Moving with the breath

Bridge rolls starting with small lift of lower back Continue reading Evening Practice to prepare for a wonderful nights sleep. →

What is going on with the blog????

Yoga Reflections

Well I am changing up the blog a bit.  I am not sure where or what it is going to transform into.  The daily classes were too confusing for everyone to follow or figure out so I may just do a weekly blog or perhaps a newsletter….. I am not sure.  I need to get a new computer and am looking into that as well.  My old one makes these things difficult to do.

So any thoughts on what you all would want the blog to be??   I have thought about just having interesting information about asana or general yoga thoughts or what is going on around town that is fun and not only yoga fun.  Perhaps a listing of workshops that are around.

I will start posting what aromatherapy I used in the classes along with the dates. I know many of you like to purchase them from Susan and it is hard to remember what I used when you are in that yoga bliss state.