Living Yoga

Often when a student first begins coming to yoga, they find that down dog is one of their most challenging poses.  The longer they practice, the easier down dog becomes, yet some yogis still find themselves with wrist or shoulder pain in this and other poses.

Here are a few tips to help you find more comfort, joy and ease in your down dog.  Begin with your attention in your hands.  Spread your fingers wide and ground through the four corners of your palm.  As you ground through your whole palm, rather than just the heel of your hand, your forearms engage.  The strength of your forearms then saves your wrist joints.  For even more wrist relief, continue pressing through the four corners of your palms and simultaneously create a light gripping through your finger tips.

Let the energy of your hands move up through your arms as you lengthen through your elbows, your arm pits and your sides.  There should be one straight line from your hands, out through your hips.  Let your neck be a part of this straight line as well by placing your ears between your biceps.  Commonly in yoga classes, students are told to pull their chest toward the mat in down dog.  Some students may even reach their head nearly to the floor by doing this.  This is a dangerous practice and over the years it will break down your shoulder joints from weight bearing over extension.  Again, do not over extend!  Just create one nice straight line all the way through.

With all of this going for you, it may be necessary to bend your knees.  Go for it!  You can still stretch your legs out with your knees bent!  Add a nice little lifting sensation through your hip flexors, and wah-la, you have successfully practiced a safe and fulfilling down dog.  Remember to always be patient with your body!  If you need little breaks here and there as you gradually build up your strength, remember your physical well being is always more important than looking strong to class mates who likely won't notice anyway.  Heal, strengthen, renew.

Namaste!