Short and Longer Term prerequisites for
Bakāsana or Parśva Bakāsana
include:
Utkaṭāsana
Adho Mukha Śvanāsana
Caturaṅga Daṇḍasana
Nirālamba Śīrṣāsana
Viparīta Vṛkṣāsana
Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers
Short and Longer Term prerequisites for
Eka Pāda Uttāna Mayūrāsana
include:
– Dvi Pāda Pīṭham
– Sarvāṅgāsana
– Halāsana
– Śalabhāsana
– Dhanurāsana
Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers
Our relationship with
Food can be too much,
too little, or wrong.
The same could also be
said for Āsana Practice.
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Saying that the direction of Āsana is
towards staying does not mean that the
direction of all Āsana is towards staying.
In other words the role of some Āsana is
as a secondary support Āsana and their use
is merely as a dynamic preparatory aide to
support a deeper relationship with those Āsana
within which their primary purpose is staying.
Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers
It is not enough in Āsana to just
work at lengthening the breath.
We need also to explore how to
refine the subtlety of the breath.
Whether within a single Āsana,
a number of Āsana in one practice,
or within the evolution of all aspects
of our practice over a number of years.
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.
The Breath is the activating force in all aspects of the Āsana.
For example, when comparing a dynamic performance
of an Āsana with the static performance of an Āsana,
the difference is in the degree or extent of the movement.
Thus, from a Viniyoga or application of Āsana perspective,
whether the extent of the movement is what is seen
as long-range, mid-range, short-range, or even micro,
the activating force of the Breath is integral to the Āsana.
From a developmental viewpoint, as in a longer-term
Vinyāsa Krama, this a journey from those Āsana that
mainly favour long-range movement, towards those Āsana
and Mudrā that mainly favour micro-range movement.
Within this developmental refinement in the relationship
of Breath as the activating force, sit the place and roles
of mid-range movement and short-range movement.
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Inherent within the application of Śavāsana
as an Āsana within a Śikṣaṇa Krama practice,
is the active cultivation of a quality of Nirodha,
or what can be described as ‘witness awareness’.
As in the notion of the Cit observing the Citta.
Thus, a key to directing the attention in
Śavāsana, is to intentionally cultivate
a quality of passive observation.
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The role of Śavāsana within the Viniyoga of…Within the application of Cikitsā Krama
Śavāsana is a position for relaxation.
Within the application of Rakṣaṇa Krama
Śavāsana is an Āsana for resting.
Within the application of Śikṣaṇa Krama
Śavāsana is an Āsana for observation.
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Within the teachings of T Krishnamacharya,
as transmitted to TKV Desikachar,
the role of Śavāsana within an Āsana practice was as
a transitional link pose between categories of Āsana.
For example between Standing and Lying Āsana,
or Lying and Inverted Āsana,
or Inverted and Prone Backbends,
or Prone Backbends and Seated Āsana,
or Seated Āsana and Sitting Practices.
The extent of its use and length of rest at each stage,
when transiting from one category to another within our
Āsana practice journey, was dependent on the facility
of the practitioner and the intensity of the practice.
Within this individualised variance is the guiding
principle that the role of Śavāsana is to facilitate a
smooth transition for the flow of the breath and also
the pulse through and beyond the Āsana practice,
as a marker for the practitioner’s state of mind.
However according to Desikachar the Viniyoga of
Śavāsana was seen in terms of recovery from the
fatigue of the preceding aspect of the practice rather,
than say recovery from the preceding aspects of one’s life.
Regarding the approach for the recovery
from the preceding aspects of one’s life,
amongst other things such as Āhāra and Vihāra,
the wider purpose, content, duration and frequency
of the Āsana practice must be carefully reconsidered.
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We might want to consider the notion that the
most important standing Āsana is Samasthiti.
Its role is to ensure we engage with the next Āsana
from a place of attention and aware anticipation,
and after it, return to a place of fullness and reflection.
As if we are experiencing the fullness of the aftertaste
that naturally follows the ingestion of well-cooked food.
It’s learned Bhāvana is a quality of stillness within any
moment of inaction, ere to a transition to the next action.
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When moving from Standing Āsana to Lying
Āsana, consider the role of Samasthiti to be one
of recovery from the efforts of, and exploration
of the effects from, the preceding standing Āsana.
Whilst also considering the role of Śavāsana to be one
of transition to lying and the exploration of lying Āsana.
Rather than the other way around, in that, we are taking
Śavāsana as a place of recovery from our preceding efforts.
In other words, choose to stay in stillness within Samasthiti
until you feel as if you do not need to lie down to recover.
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How do we know that a student is ready to attempt
a more progressive Āsana such as Sarvāṅgāsana?
From following a core principle in the teachings of Vinyāsa Krama.
In that, the Pratikriyāsana for a particular Āsana needs
to be mastered before that particular Āsana is attempted.
For example, if we want to teach Sarvāṅgāsana,
because it will have a specific potential for the particular student,
then we teach the Pratikriyāsana Bhujaṅgāsana first.
So the student first works around Bhujaṅgāsana
within their personal practice and the information that arises
guides the teacher as to their readiness for, in this case, Sarvāṅgāsana.
The information arising from observing how
the student practices Bhujaṅgāsana guides
the teacher as to the appropriateness of Sarvāṅgāsana.
The information that feeds back may be on the level
of Annamaya, Prāṇamaya, Manomaya or beyond.
Obviously, this implies that we are observing the student’s practice directly.
Once the student shows an adequate performance of Bhujaṅgāsana
and it can be integrated into their existing personal practice,
then we can be more secure that the student is ready to approach
integrating Sarvāṅgāsana into their regular practice.
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Pratikriyāsana have counterpostural, compensational and transitional roles
and are applied at specific points in the practice in order to
maintain a sound physiological and psychological base.
This principle has an important role in how
we link the different aspects of the Āsana practice,
how we close the practice or how we integrate the Āsana
element of the practice into other aspects of our Yoga practice.
There are specific guidelines around how
they can be integrated into the practice,
the first of which is that the counter posture needs to
be mastered before a particular Āsana is attempted.
This principle is especially important when
attempting to integrate more complex Āsana such as
Sarvāṅgāsana and Bhujaṅgāsana into our practice.
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When considering the Viniyoga of Pratikriyāsana
within a student’s personal practice,
it may help to look at the integration of
their intended role from three perspectives.
– Firstly their intended role as a counterposture,
thus more from a physiological perspective.
– Secondly their intended role as a compensation,
thus more from a psychological perspective.
– Thirdly their intended role as a transition,
thus more from a sequential perspective.
Appropriate integration of these three
principles constitute an essential component in
the Vinyāsa Krama utilised within practice planning.
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In Bhujaṅgāsana the Bhāvana is in the chest
and on keeping the legs down.
In Śalabhāsana the Bhāvana is in the legs
and on keeping the legs up.
In Dhanurāsana the Bhāvana is in the legs
and on keeping the chest down.
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The mortar must be a strong base,
for the pestle to be worked strongly.
In other words,
the pelvic area must be a strong base,
for the spine to be worked strongly.
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In terms of the transition within
a Vinyāsa Krama from standing
Āsana to lying Āsana and beyond.
Choose not to lie down for Śavāsana
until you feel you don’t need to lie down.
Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers
In keeping with the Bhāvana in Parśva Uttānāsana
around the intelligent leg being the rear leg.
Consider when entering and leaving the pose dynamically
paying attention to the rear leg remaining a working leg;
within the tendency for the front leg to increasingly
become the supporting leg as the body lowers and
the bracing leg as the trunk is raised upwards.
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In terms of weight bearing pressure on the front foot and rear hand.
Keep all the toes on the front foot as if nailed to the ground, and the
ground contact weight in the rear fingers, as if as light as a feather.
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