The burning.... hm. Yes I can totally relate, I feel that is actually decompressing, and usually visualize it relaxing, that helps me stay in the pose and open the space. Sometimes even masage it... but I know what you mean, especially after intense backbending this counterpose is something!
Your blog is refreshingly funny--- thanks! (keep up the illustrations, they would make an awesome book to counter all the beautiful asana that's shoved in our faces!) I'd love to see Ardha Baddha on the cover of Yoga Journal!
Claudia, I kept in mind your comment about the heat coming from decompression - at the very least, it helped me focus on the sensation thoughtfully rather than, "oh man, that feels really weird!"
Liz, sometimes I feel like yoga seems impenetrable due to pictures of wonderfully advanced yogis contorting themselves with perfect ease and grace. I think if people realized that many of us are just kinda muddling our way through, trying to get better, they would be more likely to give it a try. :)
Wow, I thought I was the only one with this feeling! I actually brought this up when I went to Tim Miller's workshop at Yoga on High in Columbus, Ohio this past April. Tim put me into halasana and a very observant student immediate said, "your shoulders are not level." After making that subtle but important correction, the burning stopped. I am not kidding -- it just stopped.
Here's my theory: I carry my handbag off my right shoulder (I know this is bad, bad, bad, but it is a habit I am trying very hard to break). When I get into halasana,that right shoulder stays hiked up in relation to the left. When I let the right shoulder release to be level with the left, I think it allowed all that work to go, and the burning stopped.
interesting! i will give that a try. i don't carry a handbag or purse but i do seem to carry extra tension in my right side for some reason. I'll focus on keeping my shoulders level tomorrow morning.
thanks yogarosie and everyone! I really appreciate the tips!
Any idea why it feels like my back is literally burning when I do this posture? It feels like so much heat.
So hard to bind...
The burning.... hm. Yes I can totally relate, I feel that is actually decompressing, and usually visualize it relaxing, that helps me stay in the pose and open the space. Sometimes even masage it... but I know what you mean, especially after intense backbending this counterpose is something!
ReplyDeleteYour blog is refreshingly funny--- thanks! (keep up the illustrations, they would make an awesome book to counter all the beautiful asana that's shoved in our faces!) I'd love to see Ardha Baddha on the cover of Yoga Journal!
ReplyDeleteClaudia, I kept in mind your comment about the heat coming from decompression - at the very least, it helped me focus on the sensation thoughtfully rather than, "oh man, that feels really weird!"
ReplyDeleteLiz, sometimes I feel like yoga seems impenetrable due to pictures of wonderfully advanced yogis contorting themselves with perfect ease and grace. I think if people realized that many of us are just kinda muddling our way through, trying to get better, they would be more likely to give it a try. :)
Wow, I thought I was the only one with this feeling! I actually brought this up when I went to Tim Miller's workshop at Yoga on High in Columbus, Ohio this past April. Tim put me into halasana and a very observant student immediate said, "your shoulders are not level." After making that subtle but important correction, the burning stopped. I am not kidding -- it just stopped.
ReplyDeleteHere's my theory: I carry my handbag off my right shoulder (I know this is bad, bad, bad, but it is a habit I am trying very hard to break). When I get into halasana,that right shoulder stays hiked up in relation to the left. When I let the right shoulder release to be level with the left, I think it allowed all that work to go, and the burning stopped.
interesting! i will give that a try. i don't carry a handbag or purse but i do seem to carry extra tension in my right side for some reason. I'll focus on keeping my shoulders level tomorrow morning.
ReplyDeletethanks yogarosie and everyone! I really appreciate the tips!
your a great illustrator man! keep it up
ReplyDeleteThis is hilarious! Do you draw your own? If yes its two thumbs up from me!
ReplyDelete