A Fear of Falling

In my personal yoga practice, I am always eager to overcome my fears or trepidation about unfamiliar poses. It is a process that makes me challenge my conceptions of what my body can or can't do. It is also humbling to realize that MY body in a pose will look very different from David's or Amy's.  I am well aware of the fact that the yoga mat is the place where you come to "as you are". And so, quite often, my perfectionistic desires find their way to the mat as well. On Thursday morning, I kept trembling and falling..and falling....and..falling some more as I practiced  a new arm balance. Finally, I collapsed onto the mat with a huge smile on my face because I had just been reminded that an integral part of ANY venture into new-ness is incomplete without a few (or many) stumbles, grumbles and moments of insight and triumph.

Forrest for the Tree...

I have been teaching Tree Pose (Vrksasana) in my Forrest Yoga (http://www.forrestyoga.com/) classes a lot in the past 2 weeks. Below are some tips for holding this balancing pose culled from observing my students:


* Use your INNER THIGHS: Press foot-into-inner thigh, thigh-into-foot to wake up the inner legs


* Use your CORE: engaging the belly and butt msucles to tuck the tailbone DOWN so its not just the standing leg doing all the "work"


* Use your BREATH: Slowing down your INhales and EXhales as you focus a soft, relaxed gaze on a static spot on the floor or wall in front of you helps the body find and keep balance for longer

                                                                      Namaste!