Tree pose outside the inn in Spencer, Mass. one early morning in June, after a rain storm

On Breathing and Yoga

On Breathing and Yoga Today , for some reason, I found myself restless in mind and spirit. I did not have a sense of satisfaction nor ease I made a greater effort than usual to focus on my breathing, to actually be aware of my inhalation when told to inhale and my exhalation when told to exhale. I wanted to see if I could quiet down the chatter that was occurring in my head during yoga. I often find that during yoga practice or any form of exercise, my mind drifts at some point and I lose focus on the present. Focusing on the breathing and thinking are often difficult to achieve simultaneously.Perhaps we were designed that way intentionally to remind us of our truer spiritual nature and to get out of our egoic thinking.

Tiger Pose

Today we did an interesting flow: We began with prep for camel. First when we sat on our knees, we tucked the tail bone toward the earth, so the back was flat and then tilted back, first with hands on our sides, then with hands stretched in front.
Then we transitioned into table top, stretched right leg out, bent it, brought it left and caught it with the left hand and looked forward and lifted the leg up against the hand. Then bent the knee to the chest, curving the back and repeated the tiger pose again. Then we lifted the bent knee from chest upward to three-legged down dog. Repeated the same thing other side.

From this we flowed into sphinx, cobra, dhanurasana. Wide leg cobra. Wide leg balasana.

Sitting with knees bent, hands stretched forward, we moved back as if to lie down and then straightened up, tilted back and straightened again--this was like a crunch. Then we lay down, knees diamond shape, brought knees together and lifted the legs as well as the hips, exhale, and then, inhale, diamond, knees together, and exhale, lifting up.  This is another crunch. Flowed into Jatara. Then one leg up, the other stretched out, head to knee, hand in toe lock. Hip opener. Both sides.

I love the tiger pose. It is powerful, the face lifting itself off the body to let out a roar, tail skyward and alert.

Emphasis on spine today.