
深入练习的价值1————Iyengar
当我开始练习瑜伽时我并不清晰瑜伽到底是什么。我的Guru并没有给我解释瑜伽是什么。他只是说:“为了你的健康去练习。”我把瑜伽当做曼陀罗。至我出生的时候就常生病,我花了六年时间练习才感受到健康和好的状态。当人们来找我学习瑜伽,让我意识到少量的练习和表达的不准确不足以教授学生并使他们感受到这个学科。我开始从我的身体和头脑(mind)中仔细观察和学习内在的观察,反思行动和非行动,开始学习融合我的学习在每个体式中。但我的身体不愿意时,我的头脑(mind)常常会强迫身体进入体...
深入练习的价值1————Iyengar
当我开始练习瑜伽时我并不清晰瑜伽到底是什么。我的Guru并没有给我解释瑜伽是什么。他只是说:“为了你的健康去练习。”我把瑜伽当做曼陀罗。至我出生的时候就常生病,我花了六年时间练习才感受到健康和好的状态。当人们来找我学习瑜伽,让我意识到少量的练习和表达的不准确不足以教授学生并使他们感受到这个学科。我开始从我的身体和头脑(mind)中仔细观察和学习内在的观察,反思行动和非行动,开始学习融合我的学习在每个体式中。但我的身体不愿意时,我的头脑(mind)常常会强迫身体进入体式。幸运的是,来这里学习的人们都很聪明,他们会对瑜伽有很多疑问,使我在练习中睁大了眼睛并训练我的头脑(mind)去判断和去获得在体式中身体每一个部分中的感觉。
无可置疑,这花费了我大量的时间使我的身体和头脑能够在体式的移动中同步。多年不间断的练习体式让身体层面和智力层面相互渗透,我成功使我的练习充满活力,为此感到大受鼓舞。当我的练习进步了,我智性的眼睛开始能判断在每个体式中身体和头脑(mind)的移动。我的眼睛常常不能看到的,我智性的眼睛就没有错失过。它帮助我洞察完美的体式。我沉睡的智慧开始萌芽,让我的身体(body)和心(mind)去延展和扩展充满整个区域。这使我感激瑜伽如同感激神并将奉献于体式(asana)。通过观察,我能够注意控制身体移动时杜绝身体的扭曲,甚至消除那些头脑(mind)里的虚幻想法。因此,我早期的学生的问题帮助我去学习,没有学过的体式和重复学习体式,这也使我在体式中提升我的表达能力。感谢在那段时期我那些聪明的学生们,他们为我点燃了一盏灯引领我在练习中的学习。
对体式(asana)正确的理解也让我的引导词吻合生理解剖体系。我学会在Sirsasana、Sarvangasana、Ardha Matsyendrasana中保持Tadasana的胸腔的宽阔。通过融入解剖体系的自然状态让所有体式能够去运作,使我在延展和扩张我的身体的同时智性能够扩展并均等的平衡在全身。
Astadala Yogamala volume7
4.2 Deeper meaning of practice
深入练习的价值2
———B.K.S Iyengar
一条河流会有两个河堤,这让我通过联想到身体也有两个河堤。如果说身体其中一边的河堤是皮肤,另一边就是就是智性。我让智性的河流从它的源头去流动去均匀的触碰皮肤内在的表面。这使我能够通过智性演示体式而不只是让身体折叠,意识也同样如此。智性和意识的连接使我去感觉身体这个容器的核心。带着智性和意识在练习中引导我在身体中充满觉醒的连接自我(self)和能量(prana)。...
深入练习的价值2
———B.K.S Iyengar
一条河流会有两个河堤,这让我通过联想到身体也有两个河堤。如果说身体其中一边的河堤是皮肤,另一边就是就是智性。我让智性的河流从它的源头去流动去均匀的触碰皮肤内在的表面。这使我能够通过智性演示体式而不只是让身体折叠,意识也同样如此。智性和意识的连接使我去感觉身体这个容器的核心。带着智性和意识在练习中引导我在身体中充满觉醒的连接自我(self)和能量(prana)。我观察到智性纵向的延展来自我的头脑,而智性横向的扩展来自我的心,这帮助在身体各处从头脑的中心到四肢的中心找到身体的中心。这让我领悟正位的重要性和直觉的方法。我用这种方法培育身体(body)、意识(mind)和智性(intelligence)。我让自我(self)能够在我的练习中感受它的流动。
我相信如果我们专注在身体的整个细胞体系保持觉醒和专注,在练习中都会经验到我所说的。在我练习体式自我专注在细胞层面让我远离身体的意识。我感觉到灵魂可以无限的连接我身体的每一个部分。假设帕坦伽利说的从体式中感受到的灵魂是真的,我开始经验到这些并获得灵性的健康和灵性的目标。
我带着友好和热情在体式的学习如帕坦伽利所给出的建议。当身体需要时,我会使用这些武器。如果身体(body)和头脑(mind)能够协调合作,我会有所领悟。当头脑(mind)开始耍花样,我会冷落头脑继续我的练习。瑜伽经1章第33句经文说:通过培育友谊、仁爱、喜悦和平等心去面对快乐的和痛苦的,值得的和不值得的,意识变得平静、仁爱、纯洁。有的时候头脑(mind)在反抗,而另一时候却是身体在反抗。我常说在体式的练习中,我用智性的线穿过意识的针去融合身心灵。
如果要将一块撕裂的布缝合,我们使用针线要像用缝纫机缝合撕裂部分一样。让我联想到每个体式(asana)就像一块布,使用意识就像针,智性就像针眼,心(mind)就像线头,线交织的纤维就是布。
我透过眼睛移动意识的针,通过无数交织的线(mind)缝合身体body这块布,并牢固将身体(body)和灵魂(Soul)融合在一起。我的练习仿佛要将身体每一个鞘融合在一起,使我从身体都核心都保持一致。
我用这种方法赋予每个体式更深的价值,同时我也确信每一个体式都能够将我们带到瑜伽境地的顶峰。
Astadala Yogamala volume7
4.2 Deeper meaning of practice
Richard Agar Ward 广州艾扬格瑜伽工作坊
----关于辅具,这是我上过的使用辅具最少,但是关于辅具使用最精彩的瑜伽课堂。
Richard老师的第一堂课就用一个精彩的开始这次的瑜伽的工作坊。Richard老师说把所有的辅具都放回原地。大部分的学生都留下了自己的瑜伽垫,将毛毯、瑜伽砖、伸展带放回到原处。“为什么留下瑜伽垫?难道瑜伽垫不是我们使用的辅具吗?”课堂的开始就让人引发深思!接下来的四天,我想说这是我上过的使用辅具最少,但是关于辅具使用最精彩的瑜伽课堂。
辅助瑜伽这个词在当今市场上已经变得陈词滥调了。辅具到底赋予我们什么意义,而我们又赋...
Richard Agar Ward 广州艾扬格瑜伽工作坊
----关于辅具,这是我上过的使用辅具最少,但是关于辅具使用最精彩的瑜伽课堂。
Richard老师的第一堂课就用一个精彩的开始这次的瑜伽的工作坊。Richard老师说把所有的辅具都放回原地。大部分的学生都留下了自己的瑜伽垫,将毛毯、瑜伽砖、伸展带放回到原处。“为什么留下瑜伽垫?难道瑜伽垫不是我们使用的辅具吗?”课堂的开始就让人引发深思!接下来的四天,我想说这是我上过的使用辅具最少,但是关于辅具使用最精彩的瑜伽课堂。
辅助瑜伽这个词在当今市场上已经变得陈词滥调了。辅具到底赋予我们什么意义,而我们又赋予辅具什么意义?特别喜欢Richard老师课堂引导学生的方式。他总用这样的方式引导:总有那么一个时机,你的练习要开始去体会辅具给你带来的意义。“每种辅具都有它的益处和不好的地方,它有加有减,我们对这种加和减是否清楚呢?所以要有这种辨别力。”这样的引导在接下来的几天都被不断的使用。“总有那么一个时机,你开始把呼吸引入体式,看看能否把你的气息带到你专注的点上。”;“总有那么一个时机,你开始观察身体那些不能被眼睛看到的背部区域,你总不能永远都在初学者吧。”;“总有那么一个时机,体式的练习给你带来对生活乃至生命的理解。”
“我们会发现,辅具的含义能够被合理地拓展,如果我们能发散我们对“辅具”的理解,理解它的真正含义和真正用途,我们就能提升对体式的理解。有那么一个时机,我们对体式的习练在广度、复杂度和深度上都有极大地提升,这也许最终会成长为名符其实的瑜伽习练。”整个课堂我深刻的感受到,Richard老师在创造着这么一个时机让我们开始转变。
【Day1am】Richard给我们展示了三角伸展式(Utthita Trikonasana)使用辅具的程度。对于大腿用力不足同学前脚掌下方使用斜板改变脚底皮肤伸展的方向,而改变大腿小腿之间的协作。我们能看到很多在使用辅具时,改变使用程度的例子。
【Day1am】Richard展现了有无辅具的交替使用学习。这么一个时机,我们收起了瑜伽垫去感受地板上的山式 (Tadasana) 、三角伸展式(Utthita Trikonasana)、侧角伸展式(Utthita Parsvakonasana)。观察瑜伽垫给我们带来了什么,又让我们失去了什么?在瑜伽垫上给我们双脚增加了摩擦力,防止我们向外滑,瑜伽垫就像把双脚吸住,给了我们稳定性。同时瑜伽垫将我们的重心也向下拉,在长期的垫上练习让我们的大腿变得昏沉。像在三角伸展式(Utthita Trikonasana),我们让小腿过度的工作,而大腿却没有做它该做的工作。但是如果马上不使用瑜伽垫,再做这个体式,我们必须改变双脚的用法,调动大腿和小腿之间的沟通协作以及脚底皮肤的发力方式从而维持体式。当我们重新回到瑜伽垫进行体式习练,会感觉双脚比之前只在瑜伽垫上练习时完成得更好。
就像Richard老师在《To Prop Or Not To Prop》说到的“主观心智的改善归功于辅具的交替使用。因此一个人必须学会创造“内在”的瑜伽垫。脚上出现了什么感觉?我们能记住并再现它吗?这难道不算是练习中的创造力吗?这是用辅具来训练意识的例子。”
【Day4am】进入三角伸展式(Utthita Trikonasana)观察大脚指下方的皮肤发生了什么?皮肤会缩回去,而半月式这个体式对脚有特别的应用。当大脚趾不伸展向前时,股骨头就会出来。半月式(Ardha Chandrasana)下方站立腿大脚趾下放置一个小楔子或伸展带帮助伸展大脚趾。随后Richard更是扩展了辅具的使用,将体式序列作为辅具。
在三角伸展式(Utthita Trikonasana)观察外脚踝怎么失去了敏感向外突出。再进入半月式(Ardha Chandrasana)中,调整外脚踝能否容易一些进去。再回到三角伸展式(Utthita Trikonasana)看看外脚踝是否能够进去一些。老师说:“有没有感觉到其实不重要,瑜伽的奇妙之处在于你觉得自己成功了,但其实也是失败的,但是你觉得自己失败了却也是成功的。”在这里我解读为:当我们认为第一个三角伸展式是成功的时候,其实是失败的因为相应的行动在半月式中并没有作出来,但当我们认为半月式是失败的时候却发现第二个三角伸展式是成功的将半月式的努力应用出来。
“除了实物性的物体,辅具有更多的微妙形式,我们也可以使用不同顺序的体式来替代实物辅具。当一个体式成为了辅具,那么该体式可以成为另一个体式的辅具。同样,我们接下来要做的体式也会变成当前体式的辅具。如果习练者在练习三角伸展式时意识到下一个要做的是半月式(Ardha Chandrasana),那么他就会提前准备改变三角伸展式;此外,习练者不必在事实上习练半月式,而只要将注意力集中到如何将三角伸展式转变为半月式的过程中,通过此法他能发展出更为卓越的敏感度和娴熟度。
我们可以变换体式得到其他的效果,如:习练者也可以在半月式之后练习三角伸展式,以体验半月式中肌肉到骨骼的运动是如何转移到三角伸展式中的。此举能帮助习练者理解体式中“连接”的含义,并学会发掘体式的潜力。
因此,辅具并不一定是一个实物性的物品,它可以是另一个体式,也可以是将一种体式倾注进另一个体式,甚至是将一个体式的理念灌输到另一个体式的习练上。”(《To Prop Or Not To Prop》) 。
整个工作坊Richard老师引导我们通过辅具学着“做”体式,随后是依靠辅具完成,到重新使用辅具时我们边“做”边学。当通过越来越少辅具的“做”完体式后,又引导我们是否不依靠辅具而领会学习过程中身体、意识、呼吸之间的互动。
Story: Meeting Krishnaji 遇见克里希那穆提
在1946年,克里希那穆提(J.Krishnamurti)在普纳(Pune);他有很多的追随者。有人告诉我他是20世纪最伟大的思想家和世界名人。我没有读过他的书和文章,我并不知道这个人和他的事迹。梅纽因Yehudi Menuhin 在他的书也曾经说过当我见到他时就像和一个普通人一样谈话,艾扬格并不知道我是一个国际著名的小提琴演奏家。
我的学生Mr.F.P.Pocha是克里希那穆提Krishnaji的老朋友,刚好去看望他。在他们的谈话中,我的名字和瑜伽练习被提及。Mr.Pocha安排我和克里希那穆提见面,...
Story: Meeting Krishnaji 遇见克里希那穆提
在1946年,克里希那穆提(J.Krishnamurti)在普纳(Pune);他有很多的追随者。有人告诉我他是20世纪最伟大的思想家和世界名人。我没有读过他的书和文章,我并不知道这个人和他的事迹。梅纽因Yehudi Menuhin 在他的书也曾经说过当我见到他时就像和一个普通人一样谈话,艾扬格并不知道我是一个国际著名的小提琴演奏家。
我的学生Mr.F.P.Pocha是克里希那穆提Krishnaji的老朋友,刚好去看望他。在他们的谈话中,我的名字和瑜伽练习被提及。Mr.Pocha安排我和克里希那穆提见面,希望我教授他练习瑜伽。克里希那穆提会呆在印度服务于社会。
我们见面那天,他全神贯注的看我做展示。在展示结束的时候,他对我说:“先生,你是一个瑜伽的教授。”当时我28岁,我回答到:“先生,我想你不是在夸奖我,也不知道我的信仰。您每天都有讲座?但您并不称呼自己是教授。您被邀请去演讲就像我被邀请去教课。如果你称呼我教授,那我就要称呼您演讲的教授。”对我的诚实他很震惊并惊喜的转向别的话题。
展示结束后,我让他展示他的瑜伽练习。他为难的说早上已经做过了。我离开了房间和他那些人数上百的崇拜者谈话。他把我从人群中叫出来。他非常开心让我纠正他的体式。他感觉到清新并觉得轻盈和兴奋。
同样的,他表示了希望向我学习的意愿。他说他爱学习,但是因为穷无法支付我学习的费用。我不敢相信他所说的话。然而,同样贫穷的我还是同意了在我有空闲的时间来教授他。在一番讨论后,我说我4点来教他。他说这样太晚了。我回答到:“先生,我不可能在其他时间因为我需要去挣去生活的费用。我只有这个时间可以抽出来。如果你的时间安排能往后推延一点我就可以来教你。我们的时间有一些冲突。对我来说挣钱养家比我去见某些人要更重要一些。
我和Mr.Pocha谈论了这件事。他把我教授他的两天时间换成我去教授克里希那穆提。我早上六点去教授他。2天后我需要去Mr.Pocha那,不能6点再去教授他,他同意我们4点开始。从这个伟大的人身上我学习到了谦逊。我开始教授他,我参加他的讲座在提拉克纪念寺庙Tilak Smarak Mandir建立了一观点。第一句我说听到的是:不要去批评和不要去辩解。在他的演讲中,他重复这些话语,在他的生活中也时常用这些演讲中的话语作为武器。他过去常常批评所有的宗教信仰和所有的世界领导者。我从他身上学到一些东西,我们不要去干扰和试图说服那些选择其他与你不同的人。例如,世界瑜伽大师批评我,我的瑜伽是身体瑜伽,但我从不批评他人的瑜伽。你会发现我并没有攻击和批评其他的体系。我只是非常清楚我自己在练习的是什么。我也不评论别的瑜伽。让他们按他们希望的样子去批评。我的目的只是热衷于我的练习如何演化。我不热衷于辩解我是对的,也不设想我的练习是完美的。我搜索我的心,我并不在意别人的赞扬,我不断的探索内在的身体。当然,有需要的时候我会去直接的攻击,重复的批评。这是我从他身上学到的另一样事情。有一次,我向他解释如何不伤害肌肉和关节的情况下伸展脚,他抓住我的脚踝说:“我真是太笨了,竟然不知道这么多细节。”他的口气就像一个小学生。
Adho mukha Vrksasana
[图片]
Full Arm Balance translates literally from Sanskrit as Down Facing Tree Pose, (Adho means down, Mukha face and Vrksa tree). The tangible benefits are the energy and strength that it builds. Adho Mukha Vrksasana enlivens and lifts our spirits, and is especially helpful to do early in an evening...
Full Arm Balance translates literally from Sanskrit as Down Facing Tree Pose, (Adho means down, Mukha face and Vrksa tree). The tangible benefits are the energy and strength that it builds. Adho Mukha Vrksasana enlivens and lifts our spirits, and is especially helpful to do early in an evening class or a practice to recharge us after a long day’s work. As with all inverted asanas, fresh blood is circulated to the head, brain, heart, and upper trunk. BKS Iyengar has stated, “These asanas access different centres in the brain and body helping the immune system.” Down Facing Tree Pose
Peter Scott holds a Senior Iyengar Yoga certificate and teaches with his wife Sue Scott at their centre, Yoga Jivana in Melbourne. Peter sincerely acknowledges
BKS Iyengar as the source of all Iyengar Yoga teachings and as his daily inspiration in yoga practice and teaching.
Preparatory asanas
Prior to learning Full Arm Balance, ensure that you are practising Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down facing dog pose) every day (photo A). Two further poses, Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana (One leg dog pose) (photo B) and Vasisthasana 1 (Side plank pose) (photo C) help build confidence and understanding. Start in Adho Mukha Svanasana for both these poses.
For Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana, place the feet slightly narrower than hip width, then raise each leg individually. Keep the tops of the right and left legs and back of the hips aligned from right to left.
To get into Vasisthasana1 from Adho Mukha Svanasana, raise the right foot, walk it in slightly towards and in line with the right hand, then turn the foot in and place it on its outside edge.
Hold the stretch of the outside foot firmly and sharply on the ground, lower the trunk to make a single diagonal line from the inner edges of the feet through the trunk to the crown of the head. Hold the inner thighs lifted upwards along the thighbones, so the inner body stays aligned to the outer body. Adho Mukha Vrksasana is best learned in phases. Initially, practise Adho Mukha Vrksasana with the use of the wall (photo D).
Upakrama [going into the asana]
1. Place the palms on the mat, shoulder width apart, fingers 2-4cm from the wall (photo E has a anterior view of the pose to show the hand width).
2.Walk the legs in until the shoulders are directly above the hands and the hips lifted as high as possible.
3. Hold the forearms vertical, the upper arms lifted, the elbows straight, and the shoulders steady.
4. To swing the legs up to the wall one at a time, begin by raising one leg as high as possible like the eka pada in Downward Facing Dog Pose. For the kicking action, bend the knee and come up onto the ball of the foot, then keeping the knee gripped, kick the raised leg up to the wall, following swiftly with the bouncing leg, which needs to straighten as you lift it up and over to the wall.
5. Let the head be down so the back and front of the bodylearn to lift evenly.
Sthiti [being in the asana]
The hand is the base of the pose, which in comparison to the body’s mass and length, is quite small. Open the palm to the ground and spread the knuckles, stretching from the index finger knuckle out through each to the little finger knuckle. Do not over stretch the thumb knuckle, which commonly occurs, as this drops the weight of the pose to the outer edge of the palm (the mount of the moon) and wrist, and makes it very difficult to lift the inner edge of the arms, which in turn causes the spine to dip down.
Remember the thumb is an opposable digit; it does not face the ceiling in these types of poses. Rather, roll the nail side of the thumb knuckle to the mat, then extend from there to the tip of the thumb. In fact, extend all the fingers from the knuckles to the tips on the lower floor (palmar) side of the hand and upper or ceiling (dorsal) side of the hand. Synchronously, stretch from the knuckles back to the heel of the hand as this will assist the lift of the wrist out of the hand and initiate the lift of the forearms up away from the mat.
Hold the elbows straight with the inner creases of the elbows facing each other. Grip the outer upper arms (triceps) so they hold the bones firmly. Then, engage the inner upper arms (biceps) so they lift from their insertion points on the forearms all the way up to the shoulders.
At this point, make sure you don’t do what I call ‘pushing the ground away’, as the result of this action is the creation of a concertina of the chest and spine, leading to the lower back arching back and buttocks dropping towards the wall.
On the contrary, grip the shoulder muscles (deltoids) onto the joint, hold the collarbones open from the inner edges and grip the outer edges of the shoulder blades - so they don’t splay out like a tacking sail. Press the shoulder blades forward onto the back ribs and lift the sides of the trunk and spine evenly, while coordinating the lift of the lower back away from the head. Hold the buttocks forward so the pelvis stays aligned to the trunk and extend the legs upwards and away from the ground.
Ensure that the back does not sag back towards the wall. Hold the pose steadilywith even breathing.
Upasamvhara[coming out ofthe pose]
When coming out of the pose, don’t just slump down. Hold the elbows straight with arms lifted, then extend and lower one leg at a time until both feet are on the floor. Hold yourself in Uttanasana (Standing forward bend) or Ardha Uttanasana with the hands on the wall. Don’t lower down to rest in Adho Mukha Virasana (Down facing hero’s pose), as this creates a heaviness that makes it harder to repeat the pose.
"Mastery of the pose involves holding the asana unsupported in the centre of the room.”
Learning to do the pose free standing
When you have managed this variation for upwards of a minute, then you may wish to attempt the free-standing variation of Adho Mukha Vrksasana. The art of free standing is best learned at the wall (photo F).
Similar to the description above, use the wall to kick up to, and support, the heels. Although now the placement for the hands is further from the wall, 6-8cm, so that the arms remain vertical and the top of the head lightly touches the wall.
Follow the upakrama methods as stated, though ensure you don’t bang the top of the head on the wall!
The work in the posture is almost identical. However, there is a slight arch in the body because the weight-bearing changes when you look at the ground to fix a point of balance. Maintain the extensions in the arms, trunk, spine, and legs. Hold the touch of the head on the wall as lightly as possible, while lifting the top of the head up the wall towards the legs. As the head slides up the wall a centimetre or so, activate through your spine and lower back, pressing the buttocks forward from the skin to the bone sections of the pelvis and stretch the back of the legs upwards.These actions lift the legs from the wall. Don’t take one leg off the wall at a time, as this will not teach the correct actions through the lower back and pelvis.
Observe that the lower back is neither bunched back nor dropping forward. In the article on Pincha Mayurasana (Peacock tail pose, AYL Issue 27), I wrote that BKS Iyengar teaches that matching extension of the body with expansion brings space and freedom. In Adho Mukha Vrksasana, stretch the floating ribs out from the spine and open and broaden across the back of the hip bones away from the sacrum. Keep holding the buttock muscles firmly forward to the pelvis as you extend the legs evenly along the front, back, inside and outside, and up and away from the spine.
Cautions and contraindications
• Calms the brain and brings extra blood flow.
• Improves circulation.
• Contributes to increased immunity.
• Strengthens arm and shoulder muscles.
• Opens the shoulders.
• Encourages skill in balancing.
• Avoid this pose completely with high blood pressure, and/or heart conditions and during menstruation.
• Exacerbates most headaches.
• May aggravate injuries to wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, and lower backs
Correcting common problems
The most common problem encountered is difficulty in kicking up, whether through fear of falling or generalised stiffness in the body and mind; for this a bolster is most beneficial. Stand it up against the wall, place the hands in close to the edges of the bolster, hold the elbows straight, and walk in until the shoulders touch the bolster (photo G). Pivoting the shoulders on the bolster, kick the legs up as described earlier (photo H).
If the elbows bend when kicking up to the wall, place a belt on the elbows to support the joint then follow the instructions above (photo I).
Furthermore, tight or stiff shoulders can affect the wrists and the lift of the trunk, which becomes heavier in the pose. Placing the hands on blocks allows a greater leverage of the arms to and through the shoulders, thus decreasing wrist pain and helping to create a lightness and lift (photo J).
Keep in mind that, when the hands areraised on blocks, it is more difficult to get up into the pose. Turning the handsout away from each other also assists the wrists, decreasing any adverse pressure or weight bearing (photo K); while turning the hands in towards each other decreases the bend in the elbows that occurs with an increased carrying angle (valgus) (photo L).
Localised wrist pain or inflexibility, unrelated to the shoulders, is greatly assisted with a slanting plank. Place the plank approximately 20 cm from the wall to support the heel of the hand. Press the knuckles onto the mat and stretch the heels of the hands back up onto the plank. In this manner, the wrist, in less of an acute flexion, gains a supportive lift up through the forearms (photo M).
Falling back towards the wall occurs due to a lack of shoulder opening and/or spinal lift. The best remedy for this is to use a column, although some wide doorways are quite helpful. Use the column as a support for the spine and place the feet on something solid that will not slip (photo N). Place the fingers beside the column with the thumbs lightly pressing into it, and set the shoulders directly above the wrists. The column prevents any dropping or back sliding of the shoulders, spine, and back ribs. Guide the spine, ribs, lower back, and sacrum upwards along the column. Then raise each leg individually, again using the column as a guide for lift, as well as direction to take the groin and inner thigh backwards (photo O).
摘至Peter Scott 为澳大利亚瑜伽杂志YOGA LIFE撰写的文章 http://www.ayl.com.au/