Sculpture Balance

Yikes this one is tricky but fun.  

I have a vision of a group of us learning this posture and standing in a garden somewhere as human sculptures.

Not sure how long we could remain standing as it is one of our most challenging static balances.

I chose to stand on this podium to take these photos.  Which was both a good idea and a not so good one.

I wanted to get up there because I knew it would be challenging.  I can do this fairly easily on solid ground where there is not a lake to fall into.  

So I thought I'd step it up a little. Goodness fear makes it hard to do anything!

My balance was fairly disturbed up there on the podium and there was no way I could hold this for very long.  Fear can really take so much away from us, mentally and physically.  

There are a few basics to coming into this posture.  

Remember:

• when two body parts come into contact try to press them into one another.  That means pressing thigh into foot and foot into thigh, then thigh into elbow and elbow into thigh, then hand into elbow and elbow into hand, and, if you get to the top, pressing hand into chin and chin into hand.  
• try to get a feeling that you are drawing your hips towards one another.
• activate inner thighs.
• find a point to focus on, grip with the toes, and relax your face and breath--these things help with the balance.
• I create firmness in my tummy by lengthening my lower back and pressing my hips forward (though they may not go anywhere).
• have fun.
• don't hurt yourself.
• try not to fall off anything.
• it is best to learn from a physical teacher rather than the internet.
• if it feels bad it is bad so stop.
• natural breathing.

Toe forward, hips forward, hips together, inner thighs together

Lengthen lower back and move hips forward, toe forward.  Be on toe tip if you can.  If that is too difficult be on the ball of your foot.

To help with your balance throughout, try to press your outer hips towards one another.  Then, try to press your inner thighs towards one another.  You should feel that this creates some firmness on the inner and outer hips and helps to stabilise the balance.

My toes of standing foot are gripping.  For the first part I am looking with a soft gaze to the ground.  These also help with the balance.

Relaxing your face and breathing naturally will also help your balance.

Knee move forward, heel to thigh

 Move the standing knee forward so it bends.

If comfortable raise front foot and place heel above knee, on the top surface of thigh.  Press those body parts into one another.

Opposite elbow to top of thigh

 If comfortable take opposite elbow onto thigh.  It is hard to tell that I am doing that in this photo.

Press the elbow and thigh into one another.  Keep pressing hips forward and together.

Other elbow to hand

 If you have made it this far, congratulations.  It is much trickier than it looks!

Opposite elbow can come to palm.  Press them into one another.

Take the hand towards the forehead between the eyebrows and lightly press the skin up.

Head up

This is really challenging for your balance.

One of the things that helps with balance is to pick a point on the floor or somewhere in front of you and gaze softly at it.

Here we challenge that by trying to move the head up!

If you can, slowly move the head up so the chin comes onto the palm of other hand.  Press them into one another.

Enjoy!

Now, who wants to get together with me and be part of a human sculpture garden?!

Happy and safe practicing.  We will be doing this posture for the next 9 weeks in our sequence.  Lots of fun.

Much metta,
Samantha
www.yogacafecanberra.blogspot.com
www.yogacafelk.blogspot.com