Adaptions
One insect I am thankful for is the Dragonfly. Anyone who has spent time in cottage country this time of year know how bad the bugs can be. (Yes, I am continuing with my cottage theme). Mosquitos starting in mid-May and staying around until September, being the worst at dawn and dusk. And then there’s the Black Flies that come out in mid-July and stick around until September. The Dragonfly (Scientific Name: Anisoptera) feeds on these two pesky insects, among others, thus are a friend of mine. A symbol of change and self-realization, dragonflies teach us to love life and, despite current difficulties we may face, to have faith. Fitting, when I look back at the past year and a half. Lots of changes have occurred in the world and almost everyone has had challenges to face as their lives have changed in one way or another. These changes may have forced adaptions to be made but have also created the opportunity for reflection on our own current situations. Allowing us to discover, or rediscover, what we are thankful for and determine what we want to, or may need to, change so that we are able to love life again. Especially now, as everything opens up and begins to return to some sort of new normal.
Continuing with my Summer Yin Yoga theme, known as Dragonfly or Straddle in Yin, Upavistha Konasana or Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend is another hip focused pose. Helping to increase hip mobility, this posture not only stretches the hips but the inner thighs, quads, hamstrings and calves as well within the lower body. Bringing length to the spine by stretching the muscles around the vertebrae as well as giving the shoulders and chest a stretch. The core muscles may engage as your arms take some of the torso’s weight, building strength in these muscles.
**Those with back, hip, knee or hamstring injuries should not come into this pose**
Begin seated on the sits bones with legs stretched out in front. Feet flexed, toes pointing towards the sky.
Option to sit on a folded blanket, bolster or block to raise and tilt the hips, making it easer to bring torso forward.
Start to bring the ankles as far apart as able to without discomfort, bringing the legs into a “V” shape.
Option to bring each leg out one at a time.
Inhale lengthening the spine, bringing the head towards the sky, keeping the neck neutral.
Placing palms on the earth in front, begin to walk the hands forward. Allowing the torso to lower, folding at the hips, exhaling.
Elbows bend to a varying degree, forearms may come to the earth, arms supporting the torso.
Option to bend knees and plant feet. Or place blocks, bolsters or rolled blankets under the knees as feet stay flexed.
Option to rest elbows on blocks, bolsters or folder blankets. Or to rest forehead on one or more stacked blocks or bolsters.
If folding forward is too intense or your wish to add more to the posture there is the option to fold over one leg followed by the other (because in yoga what is done on one side must be done on the other).
Another option is to come into a Seated Twist. Once legs are in a “V” shape bring the right arm along the right leg, side of torso folds over the leg. Hand rests on ankle or foot. Left arm comes up and extends over the head.
This posture can also be modified using a very under-utilized prop, a wall, in one of two ways.
The first way to use the wall as a prop is to use it to assist in keeping the legs apart.
Come into the posture as described above with feet touching the wall. Press the balls of the feet and inner arches into the wall.
Place palms on the earth behind the hips. Pressing the hands into the earth, slowly lift the hips towards the wall. Allowing the feet to move further apart. Stop once you’ve found your edge and feel a stretch.
Palms come to rest on the floor or on the wall in front of the torso.
The second way to use the wall as a prop is to have the legs up the wall.
Begin lying on the floor, arms straight out at shoulder height, bent in cactus arm or up by the head, with the hip and sits bones against the wall.
Legs are straight, together and resting on the wall. Allow gravity to pull the legs apart, towards the floor.
Option to use a closed loop strap around the feet to keep the legs a specific distance apart, as the stretch can become quite intense in this position.
In a Yin Practice this pose is traditionally held for 3 to 10 minutes, breaking the time in half for each leg when doing half Dragonfly. I would advise to start with 3 minutes, and see how you feel. Staying in the pose longer if it feels good within your body. Focus on your breath while holding the posture and let your thoughts go. Embrace any emotions that you may feel and just let them go. When your body feels ready, or your thoughts start to wander and you are unable to bring focus back to your breath, begin to come out of the pose.
From the seated or half fold variation press through the palms and push the earth away. Safely remove all props as the torso slowly rolls up, neck coming into a neutral position last. Legs come together.
From half twist begin by untwisting the torso and lowering it over leg. Lowering both hands to the ground on either side of the leg, press through the palms and push the earth away. Again, torso slowly rolls up, neck coming into a neutral position last. And legs come together.
When using the wall as a prop, again press through the palms to push the earth or the wall away and slowly roll the torso up.
Option here to bend the knees, bring the soles of the feet to the earth and bring the legs together. Or place the hands on the earth behind the sits bones to come away from the wall by lift the hips and moving back.
Once far enough away from the wall, bring the legs together.
Finally, if the legs are up the wall begin by bringing the legs together.
Option here to roll to the side, allowing both legs to come to the floor together.
Bring the knees to the chest to come into a fetal position. Or bring the knees to the chest first, then roll to your favourite side, into a fetal position. From here place the hand opposite to to the favourite side the onto the earth by the head, pressing into the earth to come up into a seated position. Give the legs a good shake, regardless of which variation you come out of, pointing a flexing the toes as well.
As you allow your body time to recover from this pose take this time to reflect on how your life has changed over the last 18 months and the adaptions you have had to make. Think about the things you are thankful for. Are there changes you need to make to allow you to love your current situation and life overall? Write these thoughts down, on a scrap piece of paper or in a journal. Remember, change takes work and time, you can still love your life despite the difficulties you may be facing in the current moment.