A while ago I had the good fortune of attending a workshop with wonderful Anusara teacher Jamie Allison at the Atma Center in Cleveland Heights. I have taken workshops with Jamie before & have never been disappointed.
The workshop was a wonderful refresher on how to properly align one's self to avoid injury while practicing yoga asana or simply standing in line at the grocery store.
Because Jamie is an Anusara instructor, there was much talk of "loops" & "spirals" & such. Honestly Anusara verbiage can make my head spin. So, I try not to get lost in the lingo.
Here are the directions for proper alignment as I understand them mentally and feel them physically. If any Anusara instructors wish to correct or comment, you are greatly welcome to do so.
In Tadasana:
1. Stand with feet hip width apart. The outside ankle bone lines up with the greater trochanter(the big outside thigh bone) All 10 toes point forward.
2. Lift up through the toes and spread them wide. Spread the toes evenly through the great and little toe. Get the feeling of the little toe wanting to touch the heel.
3. Lift up through the inner and outer arches of the feet.
4. Draw your awareness to your heels and energetically (isometrically) lift the heels and move them back.
*we are not really lifting the feet here. We are simply finding balance between the front and back of the feet.
5. Press the shins in towards one another.
*Very subtle movement. To get an idea of how this feels, lean forward, place your hands on the outsides of your lower legs and kind of press the lower legs towards the mid line. Again, there won't be much movement.
6. Bring you awareness to your knees. Take note to neither lock the knees nor bend them. If your feet, ankles and shins are aligned, your knees will feel charged up and buoyant.
*this was the most awesome feeling. My knees are often very cranky and I let the thighs do most of the work by keeping a very slight bend in my knees. However, lining up correctly through my lower body allows my knees to be an integral part as opposed to a couple of bystanders. I don't know how else to explain it.
7. Press the thighs back and wide. Literally. take your fingers to your thighs and press them back. Now find the widening in the sit bones.
8. Engage the pelvic floor *think kegel exercises.
9. Scoop the tailbone.
10. Bring the hands to the bottom of the rib cage and lift through the side body.
11. Raise the shoulders up. This is a very exaggerated movement. Really lift the shoulders up towards the ears. Then move them back and allow the shoulder blades to move down the back and hug in towards the heart.
12. Keep the shoulders active. Relax the arms.
13. Lengthen through the sides of the neck. Find the place in your vision where your eyes are balanced between the upper & lower lids.
Rest here & breathe.
The workshop was a wonderful refresher on how to properly align one's self to avoid injury while practicing yoga asana or simply standing in line at the grocery store.
Because Jamie is an Anusara instructor, there was much talk of "loops" & "spirals" & such. Honestly Anusara verbiage can make my head spin. So, I try not to get lost in the lingo.
Here are the directions for proper alignment as I understand them mentally and feel them physically. If any Anusara instructors wish to correct or comment, you are greatly welcome to do so.
In Tadasana:
1. Stand with feet hip width apart. The outside ankle bone lines up with the greater trochanter(the big outside thigh bone) All 10 toes point forward.
2. Lift up through the toes and spread them wide. Spread the toes evenly through the great and little toe. Get the feeling of the little toe wanting to touch the heel.
3. Lift up through the inner and outer arches of the feet.
4. Draw your awareness to your heels and energetically (isometrically) lift the heels and move them back.
*we are not really lifting the feet here. We are simply finding balance between the front and back of the feet.
5. Press the shins in towards one another.
*Very subtle movement. To get an idea of how this feels, lean forward, place your hands on the outsides of your lower legs and kind of press the lower legs towards the mid line. Again, there won't be much movement.
6. Bring you awareness to your knees. Take note to neither lock the knees nor bend them. If your feet, ankles and shins are aligned, your knees will feel charged up and buoyant.
*this was the most awesome feeling. My knees are often very cranky and I let the thighs do most of the work by keeping a very slight bend in my knees. However, lining up correctly through my lower body allows my knees to be an integral part as opposed to a couple of bystanders. I don't know how else to explain it.
7. Press the thighs back and wide. Literally. take your fingers to your thighs and press them back. Now find the widening in the sit bones.
8. Engage the pelvic floor *think kegel exercises.
9. Scoop the tailbone.
10. Bring the hands to the bottom of the rib cage and lift through the side body.
11. Raise the shoulders up. This is a very exaggerated movement. Really lift the shoulders up towards the ears. Then move them back and allow the shoulder blades to move down the back and hug in towards the heart.
12. Keep the shoulders active. Relax the arms.
13. Lengthen through the sides of the neck. Find the place in your vision where your eyes are balanced between the upper & lower lids.
Rest here & breathe.
