Prepping for our upcoming beginner’s series has me digging into my most favorite things to practice and teach. While I do love to play upside-down and bend like pretzel on some occasions, my home practice is quite basic. I don’t use that term to say it’s easy, by any means. It’s foundational, grounding, fiery, and fun! I mix much of my practice with traditions as well as alignment through my own body awareness. Some poses simply don’t feel great and I’m okay with setting them aside. It’s really about understand where I’m feeling the posture, connecting with my breath, and being alive in my presence on the mat.
What’s true for my own practice is that I always have blocks nearby, whether I use them or not. If you’ve taken my classes, you receive two blocks for just in case scenarios to support your practice.
Today’s tip is for anyone that has trouble stepping to the top of their mat from down-diggity-dog. Use blocks to lift your base. Take your palms down, squeeze teach block. Sweep your left leg high, flex your foot, toes toward your chest. Hug your knee close into your belly or chest, rounding your back like a cat, and then step between your blocks.
By bringing the earth higher (base on blocks), you’ve give yourself a boosting lift to sweep and hug your leg into your body. Sometimes, we need a few extra inches in our practice. Especially, if you have shorter limbs. Some of the greatest secrets in yoga is having long limbs, aka genes, for pretzels, lifts and what-not. This is one reason I encourage you to have a block party! It’s why looks aren’t everything, understand your body and feeling yourself truly is everything.
For more, join @janna_yoga and myself in October at Solfire Yoga. 4 Monday nights, 5:30-7:15pm, for our Beginner’s (and seasoned) series. Sign up online today, email for questions, and we hope to see you there.
Prepping in my favorite soft gems: @tbnewyork. (at Solfire Yoga)