Bringing Self Love to the Mat

February yoga practice

Practicing Ahimsa: Bringing Self Love to the Mat

Ahimsa (a-HIM-sa): Respect for all living things and the avoidance of violence.
"If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete." -Jack Kornfield

When it comes to our yoga practice, it can be easy to just focus on the physical aspect of things: how deep we can get our backbends, if we can nail that inversion we saw on Instagram on our first try, or if our straddle split is as good as the yogi's next to us in class. And while those physical challenges are fun and can be a great way to stay motivated to deepen our practice, if we're not careful, we can let the competitive spirit in us get the best of us. And when that happens, we end up not only discouraged when things don't always come as easy as we hoped, but we also put ourselves at risk of overstretching, and overexerting our muscles and tendons. And when that happens, we can seriously injure ourselves. But when we step on our mats with the yogic principle of Ahimsa (non-violence) at the forefront of our mind, we expand our practice to places so far beyond the asana, and into what yoga is really about.

In this class, we'll be focusing on opening our heart center, and in doing so, become receptive to the self care that we need and deserve. We won't be going into the deepest expressions of any of the poses we do, but instead will be focusing on finding the stretch that's right for our unique practices, modifying with props whenever needed.

What you'll need:

- 2 blocks
- a bolster or a rolled up blanket
- a strap or a small towel

The Prana

In an easy seated position with hands resting on your knees, take a deep breath in to lengthen the spine. As you exhale, relax the shoulders away from your ears. With each subsequent inhale, feel your breath flowing to your heart center. With each exhale, visualize that breath radiating throughout your entire being, healing and releasing each part of the body that may need it. Allow each inhale to become just a little bit deeper; each exhale, just a little bit longer. Stay here in silent meditation for a few moments.

The Practice:

Cow Face Pose (arms):

Neutralizing the spine once more, inhale to reach your right arm overhead, bicep coming in line with the right ear. Exhale to "plug" the shoulder into your back. Bringing left arm out to your side with the palm of the hand facing the back of the mat, start to bend through the left elbow and bring the back of your left hand towards the center of the spine. As you do so, drop right hand down towards your shoulder, allowing the right elbow to face toward the ceiling. If it's available to you, connect the fingertips of both hands. If your shoulders feel tight, start with a strap or small towel in the right hand, then see if you can grasp it with your left hand. Hold for a few deep breaths and then slowly release. Repeat on the opposite side.

Traditional Cat/Cow:

Making your way onto your hands and knees, align wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Activate the core muscles by drawing the belly button in and up toward the center of your spine. Taking a deep breath in, relax through the core as you drop the lower belly and arch your back. Send your heart forward and look up towards the sky. On your breath out, press your hands into the mat as you reactivate the abdominals, hollowing out the core and rounding the back. Tuck your chin to your chest and press the back of the heart up high. Going slowly, repeat for 3 to 5 breaths in and out. Neutralize the spine once more, returning to a tabletop position.

Sunbird/Tiger:

Lift the back of the left knee towards the sky as you deepen the stretch through the entire back of the leg. Activate your core, focus on a stationary spot in front of you, and then walk your right hand forward. Taking a deep breath in, lift your left toes off of the mat, keeping the leg as straight as possible and actively reaching your foot towards the back of the room. Once you feel steady, float right hand off the mat, bringing your bicep in line with your right ear. Reach as far forward with your hand as you're reaching back with your foot. Stay here, or for an added challenge, bend the left knee and bring your foot above your back. Bring the right hand back to the foot, gripping firmly at the top of the foot. Kick your foot into your hand to open the right shoulder, heart, and left quadricep. Loop a strap around your right foot to make this variation more accessible, or for the option of "flipping your grip," pointing right elbow toward the ceiling. Hold for a few full breaths, then come out of the balance the same way you came into it. Reset in table and repeat with opposite hand and foot.

Puppy Pose:

From Table Pose, walk your hands towards the front of your mat, keeping hips stacked over knees. Breathe in deeply to lengthen the spine, and then exhale as you melt your heart down towards the mat. If available, rest your forehead, lips, or chin on the mat as you start to decompress the spine. To deepen the stretch, place blocks at the lowest level underneath your elbows. From there, either keep arms extended forward, or bend the elbows, bringing hands up and into Anjali Mudra in the center. Stay here for 5 to 10 breaths, and then release back to table. Reset with a few rounds of Cat and Cow.

Warrior 1:

From your high lunge, pivot your left heel in about 45 degrees, then firmly plant the sole of the foot into the mat. Keeping hips squared towards the front of your mat, reach arms up high. For an added heart opener, either hold a strap or interlace fingers behind your back, then draw the hands down the back leg. Keep the heart up and open.
Take 3 deep breaths.

Twisted Lunge:

Once back in Warrior 1, lift the left heel off the mat again. On an exhale, fold forward over your right leg, framing your right foot with your hands. Shifting your weight into your left hand, twist your core towards your right leg as you float your right arm overhead. Breathe in to lengthen the spine, breathe out to deepen the twist. Hold for 3-5 breaths, then release hand back down to the mat.

Cobra

Resting on your torso once more, bring hands back underneath shoulders or by your ribcage, depending on how open your spine feels. Rolling shoulders back, take a deep breath in as press your hands into the mat; lifting the chin, chest, and maybe the ribcage off the earth. Draw your attention to your hips and glutes, actively releasing any tension in those areas. Keep your gaze soft, and breath into the chest and the heart, sending your energy forward. For more support, place a bolster or blanket at just below your hips. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths, then release. Rest in Child's Pose to reset.

Open Wing Pose:

From Child's Pose, inhale to lift back up to table. Walk hands forward a few steps, and then stack shoulders over wrists once more for a modified plank. Slowly lower all the way down to rest on your stomach, then bring your left ear to the mat. Planting right hand underneath your right shoulder, walk your left arm out to the side. Keep left arm in line with your left shoulder, palm of the hand connecting to the earth. On an exhale, press your right hand into the mat as you roll over to your left side. Pause here for a few breaths, maybe bringing the sole of the right foot to the mat behind you. If you feel stable here, maybe see about lifting the right arm up and allowing it to rest behind your back. Stay here for 7-10 breaths, then slowly release. Repeat on the opposite side.

Supported Fish Variation:

From Child's Pose, lower your glutes back to the mat and roll onto your back. Taking your bolster or rolled up blanket, place it across the mat horizontally, about 1/3 of the way down. The bolster should be just below your shoulderblades, allowing you to rest with your head slightly tilted back. Bring arms out by your sides or up overhead. Allow the spine to completely relax over the prop. Surrendering into this subtle stretch. Close your eyes and breathe. Stay here for as long as you need.

The Parting Words:

"Your soul is your best friend. Treat it with care, nurture it with growth, feed it with love." - Ashourina Yalda
The light in me loves and honors the light in you.

Namaste.