Take a trip to my other blog

Phew, I started this blog when I was living in Sri Lanka teaching from my rooftop.  But I am now in Canberra and not maintaining this blog anymore.

I now put my videos and posts up on: https://yogacafecanberra.blogspot.com

I still come back to Sri Lanka regularly for retreats and workshops but not enough to keep a consistent and separate blog so hope you won't mind heading to the Canberra blog.

Happy and safe practicing.

Mountain Crow

I have made many videos about bakasana, or crow pose.

Here in the mountains in Sri Lanka I have videoed another way of coming into bakasana that I find helps many people.

Remember, you do not need to actually come into the balance--do not rush to get there.

The balance should come fairly naturally, as a consequence of all of the actions that you have been layering.  If you rush you will probably fall.  If you feel scared, perhaps you are not ready.

A few key actions I am doing:

• raising heels and firming behind my knees to come into a squat (then keeping those actions);
• in the squat I start by moving my body through my knees, pressing arms out into knees and squeezing knees into arms and just hanging out in this type of forward bend.  At the same time pushing my hips (bottom) through my legs, which should bring some firmness to your tummy;
• then taking my arms over the top of my knees--trying to get as far up my upper arms onto the top of my knees as possible.  Then pressing my arms down into my knees and pressing my knees up into my arms.  At the same time trying to push my hips (bottom) through my legs and forward.  You should feel firmness in the tummy and around the armpits;
• lift heels higher, lean forward to a point where my hands rest comfortably on the ground and I can try to lean forward.  Coming high onto my tiptoes.  I do not try to come into bakasana from flat feet or even on balls of feet.  I am really trying to get to my tip toes.  That forces my tummy to work.;
• I look forward and lean forward. My fingertips are gipping.  If I lean forward enough my feet just float off the ground because I have reached a state of natural balance.

This is best to practice with a teacher.   We might revisit this method in class soon!

Happy and safe practicing. 

Panoramic Spine and Hips

Up here in the mountains I am taking in 360 degree views.  So I am taking my yoga circular.

Since I don't use a mat I am not confined to a spot or a direction.  It's lovely.

So here is a little sequence that takes you around in a circle, moving spine and hips in different directions as well.

Happy and safe practicing

Standing Balancing Flow

I have been experimenting in the clouds.

Here I have developed a slight twist on my traditional standing balance opening sequence.

What I did was play with the idea of how to come into trikonasana.

So what you see is that I go from vrksasana (tree pose).  I keep my pelvis square, focus on external rotation at the hip (of raised leg), then extend that leg straight while maintaining that external rotation.

When you extend it straight and then go to put the leg down you end up with the foot diagonally in front of you rather than out to the side.  That is ok.

What is does is keep your pelvis in a nice position, your lower back in a nice position, and maintain the external rotation of the reaching leg.  I do a little weight shifting to get the other leg in position (and that is why the ardha chandrasana is there).

Overall, my trikonasana feels so wonderful coming in like this.

Mountain Mandala Flow

I am up at about 5000 ft in the mountains of Haputale, Sri Lanka.  It's pretty spectacular.

Here I created a mountain mandala flow.

We often do this in class but facing the one direction.

But here there are beautiful views from every direction here and so I wanted to move and take them all in.

So here I repeat the same movement pattern but just turning 90 degrees each time.

It also gives you a 360 degree view of the movements so you get a better perspective.

Ok, I realise there are wardrobe malfunctions here but those who know me know my yoga wardrobe is the least of my concerns.  Hopefully no one will be offended.

I particularly wanted to create this for Karen and Dave, my mountain friends in Nepal.  Hope this helps with your practice.

Happy and safe practicing.