our-yoga

This morning, I did my usual practice (full primary plus second up to Ardha Matsyendrasana) even though I was feeling under the weather. For the last couple of days, I had been having this flu (runny nose, sore throat, feverish/clammy feeling, intermittent coughing). Yesterday (Sunday) was my designated rest day (I rest on Sundays rather than on Saturdays), so it was a good time to give my body a break from the practice. But this morning, I decided to practice anyway, because I figured that getting the prana flowing would be good for me.

I was right. I am feeling a lot better now. My throat isn't half as sore as it was yesterday, and that clammy/feverish feeling is pretty much gone. I still have a bit of a runny nose, but I think I'll live :-) But because of my less-than-physically-perfect condition, there were some interesting and possibly even comic episodes during practice this morning:

(i) Somewhere in the third Surya B, I started feeling a little winded, probably because I was taking in less oxygen through my partially blocked-up nasal passages. As a result, I had to slow down a little, and try to take longer/deeper breaths.

(ii) A couple of times during primary, I had to get up and blow my nose, as the nasal blockage was making it impossible to breathe.

(iii) In Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana on the first side, bringing the right knee into the left hip crease induced a big coughing fit. I'm not sure why this happened: Maybe whatever caused the cough had something to do with whatever internal organs that are located in the left side of the stomach. In any case, the coughing caused the knee to bounce up and down in half-lotus. Which would probably have looked quite ridiculous, even hilarious if somebody had captured this moment on video. On the other hand, it could also have been dangerous if one were suffering from some kind of knee issue. Fortunately, this was my stronger knee.  

(iv) Despite feeling under the weather, I actually managed to grab both my ankles when I went into Chakrabandhasana/Tiriang Mukhottanasana after the third drop-back. Over the last week or so, I had been making steady progress towards being able to steady my breath in this very challenging backbend, so that I no longer pop back up like a jack-in-the-box. This morning, for instance, I actually succeeded in holding the ankle-grab on both ankles for five breaths before coming back up to standing. However, when I came back up, my nose was so blocked up that I had to stumble across the room to get some tissue paper to clear my nose before going into Paschimottanasana. Trying to walk (even for just a few feet) immediately after coming up from Chakrabandhasana is definitely not fun. 

Other than the above incidents, the rest of the practice went well. Talking about practicing while feeling unwell also brings to mind a few things about this topic that I have learned from my teachers over the years.  Over the last few years, a couple of teachers I have studied with have recommended that one should practice to the best of one's ability even if one is not feeling well/feeling under the weather. This is what these teachers have to say about practicing while not feeling well/feeling under the weather:

(1) David Williams: At a workshop I attended in Gainesville, Florida, a few years ago, Williams recommended that if one is able to get out of bed, one should try to do a few Surya Namaskars (or as many as one's physical condition allows), and then quickly bundle oneself under thick blankets and go into Savasana. The prana flow stimulated by doing however many Suryas one is able to do functions to enable the body to heal faster from illness.

(2) P.J. Heffernan: I studied with P.J. for a year when I lived in Milwaukee. I once asked him about practicing while not feeling well/feeling under the weather. His response was pretty much the same as Williams': Do whatever practice your body allows you to do on that day, and then rest. He also added that the only condition (other than being deathly ill, in which case you would probably have bigger things to worry about anyway) in which he would recommend taking a break from practice is when one is suffering from diarrhea and/or nausea. He did not explain further, but I'm guessing it's because it would be too much of a hassle to have to race to the bathroom every two minutes (not to mention the messy/stinky consequences if one were to, ahem, lose control of mula bandha on the mat...).   

Well, I hope you find these recommendations by Williams and P.J. useful. Actually, come to think of it, this may be a good time to do something I haven't done in a while: Conduct a poll! On the top-right-hand corner of this blog, you will find a poll on this topic. Please take a moment to answer it. And if you have any personal experiences/views to share on this topic, I'll also love to hear from you. 

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we recommend you to buy some goods below for comfort, safety and ease of your yoga activities

Wrinkles is not a disease nor any virus or bacteria but wrinkle appears on a human being as well as on animals as the age passes through, wrinkles are also considered as the sign of maturity, these wrinkles are also seen on the fingers when a person take more time in swimming pool or water.

Causes of Wrinkles:

* The main cause is the age factor and majority of people get wrinkles on skin when they cross 60-65 years of age.
* Smoking is another cause of having wrinkles on skin.
* Taking enough sun bath can also cause it.
* Heredity.
* Drinking less amount of water.
* People who works in sun exposure areas like golf course, grounds often get wrinkles.

How to prevent Wrinkles:

One should follow these steps in order to stay away with it.
*  One should use full sleeves shirts, hats or caps and other necessary dress which can prevent from direct sun light.
* Quit smoking as it is cause of dozens of other dangerous diseases as well.
* Drink enough water so that your skin does not get dry and can dehydration.

Wrinkles Treatment:

The wrinkles treatment include some creams and medicines, you cannot say that you can 100% get rid of these wrinkles but some.

My new Mysore rug arrived in the mail yesterday; just in time for Mysore (and Singapore, may I add...). This morning, I did full primary with it. I love the feel of new, tightly-knit cotton under my feet (and hands). In my opinion, Mysore rugs offer a certain reassuring, gentle stability that no generic sticky mat or Manduka mat can replicate (no offense to all of you Manduka lovers out there; if you care to read my more detailed musings on the comparative merits of Mysore rugs vs. Manduka mats vs. generic sticky mats, see this post.) This is how my new rug looks like:

we recommend you to buy some goods below for comfort, safety and ease of your yoga activities

we recommend you to buy some goods below for comfort, safety and ease of your yoga activities

On Monday, my India visa arrived in the mail along with my passport. For those of you who have never applied for a visa before, you have to send your passport along with your visa application over to the consulate of the country from which you are applying for a visa (in this case, India). And then the people at the consulate look over your application and passport. And if they decide you are not somebody who is likely to be dangerous to their country, they approve your application, and stick your visa into a page in your passport. And you're good to go.

So I'm pretty much good to go, as far as India is concerned. The only thing I need to do is to purchase the airline tickets to Singapore and India, pack, get my ass on the plane, and I'll be in Mysore in no time, right? So what am I waiting for? you may be wondering. Why am I procrastinating about purchasing the airline tickets?

Well... here's why. Due to my current immigration status in this country, I actually have to go to Singapore (where I'm from) first before I go to India: Unless I go through an interview with the U.S. Consulate in Singapore and have the guys there process the relevant immigration paperwork, I won't be able to re-enter this country after I am done with Mysore. Which means that I have to physically be in Singapore. Which means that going to Singapore is a necessary evil that has to be endured, a Dragon Gate that the carp (i.e. me) has to pass through in order to become a dragon, if you will pardon the rather self-aggrandizing metaphor here...

Oh wait! If you are not Chinese, this whole carp/dragon metaphor will most likely be lost on you, and you will probably be reading this and scratching your head right about now. My apologies. Well, let me briefly explain. In Chinese mythology, there is this magical waterfall somewhere in which many carps live. At the top of the waterfall is a magical gate named the Dragon Gate; it is so named because if a carp succeeds in swimming against the current to the top of the waterfall and going through the gate, it turns into a dragon. And a dragon is a symbol of power and good fortune in Chinese mythology. So all carps want to become dragons. But only a very small number succeed in actually reaching the top of the waterfall and passing through the Dragon Gate.

So yeah, as I was saying, going to Singapore is a necessary evil that has to be endured if I am to cross the "Dragon Gate" and make it to Mysore. At this point, I'll imagine that you are probably both scratching your head and smirking in disdain at this metaphor. First, you are probably wondering: Why would returning to Singapore, the place where you were born and grew up, be a necessary evil? And then you are probably also smirking and shaking your head in disdain/disbelief, and thinking, "I can't believe he thinks he's going to become a Dragon in Mysore! I mean, gosh, this is only his first trip to Mysore... what does he think he's gonna do, bowl Sharath over with his super-powerful and super-beautiful practice, and what, get authorized on the spot? What a big ego the man has!"

Well, I don't deny I have a big ego. Guilty as charged. Totally. I won't even bother to defend myself. But even I know better than to have unrealistic expectations of my first trip to Mysore. If all the Mysore experiences I have read so far are any indication, I'll probably spend the first two weeks in Mysore just barely making it through primary (if Sharath even lets me get that far), and I'll probably spend my non-practicing hours wondering the streets of Mysore as a super-jet-lagged zombie-fied shell of my former, ahem, glorious self. And then, before I know it, it'll be time to pack up and leave. So yeah, even though I have a big ego, I think I still know a little better than to have unrealistic expectations.

Okay, but what about the Singapore part? Why is going to the place where you were born and grew up a necessary evil? I suspect that a proper answer to this question will take a few blog posts, which I am not in the mood to write right now. Suffice it to say that, given that I haven't been back there in years (I'm not going to tell you how many), I'm going to be encountering family and friends whom I haven't seen in as many years (and with whom I haven't done a very good job of staying in touch with), and who will now probably be pointing their mental (and maybe even physical) fingers at this ungrateful asshole who is now finally, after all these years, returning for a couple of weeks just so he can go on to this wonderful yoga vacation in India.

Again, guilty as charged. Again, I won't even bother to defend myself. But let me just make this little observation: Why do so many people in this world assume that there is some special significance in the geographical location in which you happen to have been born and grew up? Okay, perhaps there are many people in this world who were born and grew up in one place, and then go on to live quite happy lives in that same place till the day they die. I have no quarrel with that. If this rocks their boat, more power to them. But sometimes I think that these people assume that just because this experience applies to them, it must apply to everybody else, and that there is therefore something "wrong" with somebody who has chosen to live his life in a place that is not the place where he was born and grew up. I honestly do not understand this mentality at all. And since I don't understand it, I guess I won't bother to critique it either: Why criticize something you don't understand?

But anyway, to cut a very long story short, this is why I have been procrastinating the past few days about purchasing my airline tickets to Singapore and India: I seriously, seriously dread going to Singapore. There, I said it. Going to Singapore is, for me, the spiritual and emotional equivalent of having my wisdom teeth pulled (except I probably won't derive any wisdom here, only a lot of unnecessary anger and mental and possibly physical finger pointing, which is all very very bad for my drishti... have you ever wondered why there is no yoga pose which involves pointing your index finger and looking at it?).

Of course, if I were more spiritually evolved than I am right now, all of this would be a piece of cake. Just go to Singapore, breathe deeply the whole freaking time, and smile or be totally indifferent to any unappealing/insulting things directed at me... after all, doesn't Yoga Sutra 1.33 talk about being indifferent towards the wicked? Okay, I wouldn't go so far as to call my well-meaning friends and family "wicked", but I think you get the idea...

The trouble, of course, is that I am not half as spiritually evolved as I sometimes pretend to be on this blog (like you didn't already know this, anyway...). I get super-mad and worked up over things that totally are not worth getting super-mad and worked up about; if you knew about the things that I get super-mad and worked-up over in my everyday life, you'll laugh your ass off ("What?! This guy actually does yoga a couple of hours every morning and writes a yoga blog? Impossible!"). So knowing myself (and unless I happen to be dead wrong about my "wicked" family and friends), I will probably be a quivering mess of super-mad energy during the two weeks I am in Singapore. And then when I arrive in Mysore, my hips will be all tight from all this super-madness. And then Sharath and his assistants will have a field day adjusting me all over the place.

Oh well. But I guess I'll get over this procrastination soon, and get those airline tickets already. After all, what are my options? Not go to Mysore? After all the crazy shit that I went through over the last couple of months on account of this? No way, no way. But it feels good to bitch about things now and again. After all, what good is a blog if you can't throw a little pity party on it every now and again, right? But hey, thanks for reading this and putting up with this pity party. At least you know I don't do this too often. Yoga in the Dragon's Den will (hopefully) presently resume its usual friendly, non-threatening, non-pity-partying tone of voice. Thanks for reading, as always.    

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Earlier today, I went to my now-monthly acupuncture session. I had originally started going to acupuncture sometime last November/December, after I injured my left knee (see this post for the gory details). Over the last few months, my knee has been slowly but steadily getting better. On most days, I can now get into lotus with little or no discomfort, if I move into it slowly when I bring the left foot into the right hip crease. I am no medical doctor or body worker (this is by way of a disclaimer, so you know I am not trying to proffer medical advice here. I'm just sharing my own very personal experience), but over the path of healing over the last few months, I have found doing the following things to be useful:

(i) Doing hip openers such as baddha konasana (modified to whatever degree you need to modify to avoid the knee pain), double pigeon and (very, very slowly and carefully) siddhasana outside of the practice. For the last few months, I have been doing these postures for between 20 to 50 breaths each before I begin the Surya Namaskars in the morning. Which usually adds about 20 minutes to my total practice time. But I have found it well-worth the effort: Doing these postures mindfully help to open the external hip rotators and lengthen the quadriceps and adductors, taking the pressure off the knee joint.

(ii) In the first few weeks (for me, it was around 6 to 8 weeks) of the injury, when the knee joint is still very inflamed, it is a good idea to modify anything involving lotus or half-lotus postures. Acupuncture really helps to reduce the inflammation, speeding up the healing process. More on acupuncture in a little bit.  

(iii) When the inflammation began to subside after a few weeks, I started slowly reintroducing the lotus and half-lotus postures. I have found it very useful  to move into these postures by engaging the external rotators and lengthening the adductors and quadriceps rather than simply pulling the foot or ankle into the hip crease. Respect the body's limits; resist the temptation to pull the foot or ankle further into lotus when the hip rotators can bring you no further into the posture.

(iv) If there is pain, you basically have two options: (i) Go no further, (ii) try to see if you can move around the pain rather than through the pain: Depending on the extent and location of your knee injury, it may be possible to bend your knee and move the foot at a particular angle such that you are able to move into lotus or half-lotus without pain (hence "moving around" the painful area). For instance, during a certain phase of the healing process, I discovered that if I close my knee joint first (as if I am going into Mari A) and then slowly move the foot towards the hip crease, I can get into lotus without pain.

Well, it is very difficult to describe things properly on a blog: Maybe I shouldn't even have brought up this idea of moving around pain in the first place, as it can be quite difficult to distinguish between moving around pain and moving through pain sometimes when one is in the heat of practice on the mat. But take this for what it is worth. Remember: I am not proffering medical advice here. So don't come and sue me if you break your knee! And remember: This approach may not work with all knee injuries. It seems to work with mine, so I thought I'll share. If in doubt, simply go no further. Remember, it's your body, when all is said and done. Take good care of it.  

Well... I originally started this post intending to talk about acupuncture, but went into this giant segue about practicing with knee injuries. Oh well. You must already know that I am famous for such digressions, if you read this blog regularly; so what's new? Anyway, I guess I should also say a couple of things about acupuncture now, while we're at it. So, as I was saying at the beginning of this post, I started acupuncture to help treat my knee injury. I have found that acupuncture is not a quick fix, at least not for me: When I first started acupuncture, my knee did not get better instantly. But what I have discovered is that acupuncture works on your body the way the tides slowly rise on the ocean. You may not notice anything in any particular body part immediately. But by increasing the level of chi or life energy in your body, acupuncture treatment raises the overall "ocean level" of your body chi over time, so that over time, inflammation is reduced, and your body can undertake the natural process of healing itself without any obstructions. I suppose you can say that acupuncture helps your body to get out of its own way, so that healing can proceed more smoothly.  At least that's how I feel it has worked for my body. Again, remember: I am neither a medical doctor nor a bodyworker nor an acupuncturist. All this is just me reporting my own experience.

These days, I go to acupuncture ostensibly to continue treating my knee. But I'm starting to think that the real reason is a bit bigger than that: I have come to see acupuncture as savasana with needles: You basically lie there for half an hour with needles in you, and just "be with the universe", as my acupuncturist would say. In many ways, I see it as the restorative yoga practice I never had :-) So yeah, acupuncture rocks!   

we recommend you to buy some goods below for comfort, safety and ease of your yoga activities

we recommend you to buy some goods below for comfort, safety and ease of your yoga activities

we recommend you to buy some goods below for comfort, safety and ease of your yoga activities

Dear readers, this sequence is very gentle but does contain a few backbends, so if you have lower back issues or injuries, proceed with extreme caution or consult a professional first.

As a therapeutic sequence, it will work best if you do the stretches once a day. You may get better results if you do it twice: morning and night, but don't overdo it. Also, if another activity that you are doing - for instance, yoga - is causing your sciatica, this may not be enough to relieve your symptoms. You may have to ease off your other activity for a while if you want to feel results.

Sciatica is a broad term used for pain relating to an inflammation or pinching of the sciatic nerve. The pain is usually felt in the lower back around the sacrum area, in the hips, or along the backs of the thighs. Sciatica is complicated by the fact that the sciatic nerve attaches at several points along the lower spine, and then runs all the way down your leg (it's the largest nerve bundle in the body after the spinal cord!), so the inflammation could be caused at any point along the nerve, and not necessarily where the pain is felt.

Sciatica can often be caused by repetitive motions or postures, such as pushing the gas pedal while driving or sitting cross-legged for extended periods. In yoga, sciatica is often associated with forward bending.



While by no means a miracle cure, this sequence  targets the SI joint and the piriformis muscle, two areas of the body where sciatic irritation often occurs. The entire sequence could take 15-20 minutes, depending on how quickly you move. If you have time you will get the best results by focusing on slowing down your breath and trying to make your exhalations about twice as long as your inhalations.

NB: One of the WORST things you can do if you have sciatica is to overstretch the already irritated areas. Although you might think that stretching it more will make the pain go away, this is actually likely to inflame the nerve even more and make your symptoms worse. So instead, use gentle movements and deep breathing to bring your body to a state of relaxation and allow it to heal.

Sciatica Sequence

1. Apanasana: Warms up the lower back while keeping the SI joint stable. Begin lying on your back with your knees to your chest. Place your hands on top of your knees. As you inhale, push the knees away from your body. As you exhale, hug the knees to the chest. Repeat 4-6 times.


2. Hip circles: Warms up the hips while keeping the SI joint stable. After  your next exhalation, as you inhale let the knees come out wide and begin a circular motion - circling the knees out and up to centre as you inhale, drawing them to the chest as you exhale. Do 4-6 circles in each direction.





3. Supta eka padangustasana: Warms up the hamstrings. Release your left knee and let the foot touch the floor, keeping the left knee bent. Clasp your hands behind the right knee - use a hand towel if you can't comfortably reach. Inhale, stretch the right leg straight up (keeping the foot active, with the toes flexed back towards you!), exhale, bend the knee and bring it down. Repeat 6-10 times, then switch sides. Optionally, proceed to Step 4 on the first side before switching. Hug your knees to your chest when done.




4. Upside-down pigeon: Stretches the gluts and opens the hip joint. Place the left foot on the floor about a foot away from your body. Bring your right leg towards your chest and gently cross the right ankle over the left knee. Keep both feet lightly flexed. Now, gently walk the left foot closer towards your body until you can reach through to grasp the back of the left thigh or the front of the shin. Use your hands (or a strap) to gently pull yourself deeper into the stretch.

You should feel a fairly strong stretch in your right glut (that's your butt, folks) and your right hip. If you feel any pain or twinging in your right knee, ease off immediately!

Hold for about 1 minute, then do the other side. When you're done hug both knees to your chest.



5. Supine Crescent pose: Gives a lateral stretch to the spine and the glut medius. Lie flat on the floor with your feet together and your arms stretched all the way out behind you. Move your right foot out to one side. Then bring the left foot to meet the right foot. Now move your right arm out to one side, and bring the left hand towards the right, so you are lying in a crescent moon shape. Breathe here for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then repeat on the other side. Hug both knees to your chest when done.



6. Jathara Parvritti: Stretches and releases the piriformis. Move both hips a few inches to the right side. Extend the left leg straight out on the floor. Place the right foot on the floor about level with your left knee, and let your arms stretch out to either side. As you exhale, let the right knee fall towards the left side (but keep your right shoulder on the ground).  As you inhale, slowly lift the right knee up about 2 inches and hold it there. As you exhale, release it back down. Repeat 4 times and then stay in the "exhale" position for about 30 seconds - then continue on to Step 7.




7. Jathara Parvritti II: Stretches the piriformis and the glut max. This is a big stretch, so be gentle and skip it if it's too much! From position 6, as you inhale, straighten the right leg. As you exhale, bend the right knee again. Repeat 4 times and then stay about 30 seconds with the leg outstretched. Use a book or a chair to support the foot so that your right shoulder stays on the ground! Now, as you inhale, lift the straight right leg about 2 inches and hold it there. As you exhale, bring it back down. Repeat 4 times and then stay in the "exhale" position for 30 seconds - 1 minute before slowly coming out.


Repeat 6 and 7 on the left hand side. When done both sides, hug both knees to your chest.

8. Bridge pose: Stretches the psoas muscle.  Place both feet on the ground, about sitting-bone distance apart so that your thighs and feet are in line with one another. As you inhale, lift your tailbone and slowly peel your spine away from the floor, coming into bridge pose. As you exhale, release your spine with control, vertebrae by vertebrae.  This should be done gently with an emphasis on keeping the length of the spine - don't go very high if you experience any pain. Repeat 4-6 times. When you are done, hug your knees to your chest for a few breaths.




9. Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose: Strengthens the lower back muscles, which stabilise the SI joint. Lie on your belly with your palms resting underneath the shoulders (elbows tucked in) and your feet together on the floor. This is position A. Exhale, engaging the abdominals. Inhale and look forward, gently lifting your chest up off the floor (the lower ribs and everything below them stay on the floor!). Exhale, come down. Theeet (1metre) apart (position C). Then work your way back to position A.



The 2nd time, bring the feet about 2 feet (60cm) apart (position B). The 3rd time, bring the feet about 3 feet (1metre) apart (position C). Then work your way back to position A.





10. One-legged Cobra: Strengthens the lower back muscles and works the SI joint asymetrically.  From Position A, above, on an inhalation lift your chest off the floor and bend the right knee. Exhale back down. Inhale, lift the chest and left knee. Repeat twice on each side. NB - the "exhale" photo shows you coming back to position A with the chest lifted - but actually you should come all the way down until your forehead touches the ground!



11. Full cobra Pose: Strengthens the lower back muscles and works the SI joint symetrically. From Position A, inhale and lift the chest and both knees. Exhale back down. Repeat this four times. NB - the "exhale" photo shows you coming back to position A with the chest lifted - but actually you should come all the way down until your forehead touches the ground!

When you are done, if your lower back is feeling a bit worked, rest a few breaths in child's pose (see step 13). If this is too intense on your lower back, skip straight to the next pose, or alternate between 11 and 12 each time you do the sequence.


12. Locust pose variation: Works the spinal extensors, the piriformis, and the gluteus maximus. Come to Position A of step 9, above, but this time also lift both feet off the floor. The focus here is not on height, but on lengthening the legs behind you. From here, turn the toes of both feet outwards, and bring the legs wide apart. Then, turn the toes inwards and bring the feet back together until the toes are touching. Come down and rest, then repeat this four times. NB - if you are like me and have a sensitive pelvic bone, put a folded up towel/blanket or a pillow underneath your pelvis when you do this pose.


13. Child's pose: Counter-pose to backbending. Come to your hands and knees, and then drop the buttocks back towards the heels. Bring your hands back towards your feet and rest your forehead on the floor (or a book/block/blanket). Stay for at least 30 seconds.




14. Savasana: Allows your body to absorb the benefits of the practice! Lie flat on your back in final resting pose, placing a rolled up towel / blanket / yoga mat underneath the knees. You can also place your lower legs on a chair seat! This releases the lower back and the backs of the legs. Stay here for a minimum of 3 minutes, breathing naturally and letting go of all tension in your body. If you enjoy visualisations try the following: as you inhale, visualise a wave of warm, pure, healing water entering your body from the top of your head and moving towards your lower back and legs. As you exhale, visualise the wave leaving your body, taking with it all tension and stress.

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we recommend you to buy some goods below for comfort, safety and ease of your yoga activities

I'm going to write this post as quickly as I can before I lose consciousness. Lose Consciousness?!! No, don't worry, I'm not in grave or mortal danger or anything... if I were, I would be calling 911, not writing this post...

Let me explain. Earlier today, a friend told me about this new Indian restaurant, Karma Indian Cuisine, that just opened in town; definitely not a common occurrence here in the upper midwest. Being lovers of Indian cuisine, we (me, my fiancee, and said friend) lost no time in going there to try out their offerings. The restaurant is situated in what is probably the least likely place you would expect to find an Indian restaurant on this planet; in a little motel off the I-94 freeway in Fargo, North Dakota. And having just opened a month ago, there are no signs to advertise its presence. So you wouldn't know it's there unless you knew it's there :-) But now you know. So if you like Indian food, and should one day find yourself marooned in North Dakota, you know where to go :-)

Anyway, once we got there and looked at the menu, I quickly saw that they specialize in South Indian cuisine, and they had Mysore Masala Dosa on the menu. I decided that I should order that in order to practice my tastebuds for my upcoming Mysore trip. If you are not familiar, a Mysore Masala Dosa is a very big crepe brushed with spicy chutney and stuffed with sauteed onions, potatoes and assorted spices, served with a side of sambar. Definitely a feast for the senses (and the stomach, of course ;-)). It looks like this:

we recommend you to buy some goods below for comfort, safety and ease of your yoga activities

we recommend you to buy some goods below for comfort, safety and ease of your yoga activities

This post is inspired by Claudia's recent post about her adventures over the past year with Laghu Vajrasana. In the video above, Kino and her model Julia Lofstrand goes into great detail about how to build up the strength needed to eventually perform the full expression of this powerful posture, whose name can be translated from the Sanskrit as either "Little Thunderbolt Pose" or "Lovely Thunderbolt Pose". Very interesting names, considering that there is definitely nothing little about this pose, considering the great front body strength and openness needed to perform it properly. As for lovely... well, you do get a lovely, strong body from working on this pose regularly :-)

Here are a few thoughts I have about this posture:

(1) In the video, Kino suggests that a good way to build up the strength to eventually do the full expression of the posture is by lowering one's head down only to the point where one still has the strength to come back up. The idea is to gradually and progressively build up the strength to bring the head all the way to the ground and then come back up. Gregor Maehle suggests the same thing in his book on the intermediate series as well.

(2) Kino's and Maehle's way of building up to the full posture is the smart way to get to the full posture. But if you are a little bit more stubborn (and maybe not so smart), you can also try the not-so-smart way of getting to the full posture: Basically, you just keep going all the way down to the ground until one day, you suddenly "find" the right muscles in your quads to bring you back up. This is pretty much how I learnt the posture; using this not-so-smart method, it took me about a month to be able to come back up from having my head on the ground.

A word of warning: It may be argued by some that this not-so-smart method of learning Laghu is a little bit more dangerous: You may bump your head on the mat, which is not fun. Fortunately, this didn't happen to me too much. And I also did not sustain any concussions or permanent head damage as a result of these head bumps... well, at least not that I am presently aware of: It is always possible that I may wake up tomorrow morning with no recollection of who I am... and then you will see the following headlines in the NYT: (A) World-famous Ashtangi Nobel sustains permanent brain damage as a result of concussions sustained from practicing Lovely Thunderbolt Posture; (B) US Government orders moratorium on the practice of yoga after recent brain injuries sustained by World-famous Ashtangi Nobel (C) Yoga-wrecks-your-body-expert William Broad to release new book linking the practice of yoga to concussions and permanent brain damage.

(3) Wow, I'm being rather self-important, aren't I? Maybe I do have brain damage, after all... Well, let's change the subject a little. As with many other postures in Ashtanga, even after you attain the full expression of Laghu, there is a distinction that can be made between the "correct expression" and the "incorrect expression" of the posture. I use quotation marks here, because it's really not so much a matter of being correct or incorrect as it is a matter of which parts of the body you are opening with the particular expression of the posture you are doing. What do I mean? Well, to begin with, there are two places the hands can grab in Laghu (i) the ankles/lower calves (which is what Kino's model Julia is doing), or (ii) the middle or upper calves.

If I remember correctly, Gregor Maehle recommends (ii) as a variation of Laghu, because grabbing the middle or upper calves allows the posture to get more into opening the chest, enabling one to achieve a deeper backbend in Laghu. For the longest time, this is what I did, because I was trying to open the chest as much as possible, in preparation for the powerful posture that comes immediately after Laghu (the famous and often dreaded Kapotasana).

But last July, at his Minneapolis workshop, Matthew Sweeney saw me doing (ii), and promptly corrected me. He told me that Maehle is simply wrong. The basic purpose of Laghu, Sweeney says, is not a backbend, but to strengthen the quads and the front body in general. Grabbing the middle/upper calves actually makes it easier to come up, which also undermines the quad-strengthening function of this posture. He also remarked that it is possible to turn Laghu into a chest-opening backbend by grabbing the knees instead of the ankles; but doing so turns the posture into a backbend, making it no longer a quad-strengthening posture. Seen in this light, he continues, grabbing the middle/upper calves is the worst deal of all: One gets only 50% of the chest-opening afforded by grabbing the knees, and only 50% of the quad-strengthening afforded by grabbing the ankles, making it a neither-here-nor-there posture. Something to think about, no? :-)


(4) I also can't help feeling that practicing Laghu Vajrasana offers a valuable lesson which we can apply to life off the mat. Just as it requires deep and powerful strength to be able to bring our heads all the way to the mat without releasing so much into the mat that the head becomes "attached" to it and is unable to come back up, it also requires great inner strength to be able to approach the many obligations and roles that we play in our daily lives with a spirit of full and total commitment, and yet be able to do so in such a way that we do not become so attached to these obligations and roles that we are unable to remove ourselves from them and move on when our obligations and roles have been fully discharged.       

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