Return of the position of the week

One of the fantastic things I enjoy about yoga, is how metaphorical it can be. Since my very lax practice at home, I got away from challenging myself.

This is a perfect example.

Urdhva Dhanurasana



Benefits

* Stretches the chest and lungs
* Strengthens the arms and wrists, legs, buttocks, abdomen, and spine
* Stimulates the thyroid and pituitary
* Increases energy and counteracts depression
* Therapeutic for asthma, back pain, infertility, and osteoporosis





The modification for that pose is this...

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana



Benefits

* Stretches the chest, neck, and spine
* Calms the brain and helps alleviate stress and mild depression
* Stimulates abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid
* Rejuvenates tired legs
* Improves digestion
* Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
* Relieves menstrual discomfort when done supported
* Reduces anxiety, fatigue, backache, headache, and insomnia
* Therapeutic for asthma, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and sinusitis



So I have been doing the modification. Because I was not trusting myself or my personal strength. For some reason Urdhva Dhanurasana frightens me. And I am unsure why. As a child I could easily do that pose, I could walk around like that. But as an adult, it is physically harder. But the real frightening part as an adult for me, is the fear. The fear that I cannot get into the pose, that I do not have the strength or flexibility to depend on myself.

So yesterday, when my teacher encouraged us to go into the pose, no one did. I was on my mat, and thinking..."no way, no way." And then I gave myself a small pep talk, and suddenly I was in Urdhva Dhanurasana.

I am strong enough, I am flexible, I can rely on myself.

It was nice. Even if I only stayed in Urdhva Dhanurasana for 3 breaths.