Good day, Steemit!
I love you, and I want to share other things I love with you.
I'm expanding my love every single day, so this could easily become a daily exchange.
I'll start with one of my greatest loves: YOGA.
Yoga makes everything better!
Yoga changed my life!
Yoga is one of the first miracles I remember experiencing.
Yoga is the shit, as they say in the popular vernacular.
I'll gift you a yoga pose a day so that you too may have blissful, joyous, miraculous healing!
This is DOWN DOG
AKA Downward Facing Dog
AKA Adho Mukha Svanasana in Sanskrit
(adho = downward, mukha = face, svana = dog, asana = pose).
Call it what you will; this pose is incredible.
Down dog is classic.
Down dog is foundational for sun salutations.
Rodney Yee instructs to hold down dog for 2 minutes from time to time -
when I first started yoga, I thought that was impossible,
but I respected Rodney and his ponytail so I gave it a shot,
and I'm glad I did!
Now, I love down dog.
Down dog is a relief.
Down dog is a staple.
Down dog is my go-to when I need some yoga but don't have time to get full-on in it.
Down dog gets all up in that root chakra.
If you only do this one pose a day, you will reap major rewards.
This is whole body glory!
How to DOWN DOG:
- Walk/jump feet to back of mat. Look, you're making a triangle between your body and the ground!
- Feet hip width apart; hands shoulder width apart.
- Spread the digits.
- Root down through the palms of the hands, activating all your fingers. Creases of the wrists aligned with each other.
- Root down through the feet, growing long all down the back of the legs. It doesn't make any difference if your heels contact the floor; stretch into it like you're going for it.
- Weight is evenly distributed between hands and feet - it feels like you're trying to split your mat in two by actively engaging your upper and lower body.
- Lift the quads towards the sky.
- Roll the shoulders open.
- Feel the extension in the back body.
- Focus on the navel (extra meaningless yoga points if you say it in Pattabhi Jois voice).
- If you freak out or it's too intense, drop your knees. It's really not a big deal!
Breathe in, breathe out.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Stay here as long as it feels yummy,
or consider what B.K.S. Iyengar sez:
"The pose starts when you want to leave it."
💛 Sara! ૐ
Oh Sara Sara! So glad you are sharing your passion here. You are a really great instructor, and giving Steemit the treat of your is a really good pose. I also really love your Steemit t-shirt!!! Going to do down-dog. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank YOU for BEING an inspiration! Your support means mountains to me. Thank god for @everlove!!
seen this yoga pose before. never know the name till now. thanks. :-)
You're welcome! Hope it encourages you to give it a try!
Actually I've tried this particular one but I'm more of a taiji or taichi person
Brilliant idea. I just did my yoga this morning :)
Using it to try to improve flexibility :)
Thank you! Yoga can certainly improve flexibility, and so much more
Yes! Thank you for pointing out....lots of folks don't know that this is actually a resting pose! 🕉
You're welcome! It's amazing how yoga is exactly what the person needs it to be!
Thanks for prompting our bodies to get flexible and unobstructed!
You're welcome! I'm glad you appreciate it!