Fluid Shoulders and work towards Kapinjalasana
I'm going to challenge you today and there might be things that you can't do in this practice.
But, I'm also going to give you a framework for how to approach that experience so that you don't get stuck in your frustration.
The physical work today is lubricating the scapula on the ribcage and welcoming movement possibility to our our shoulders in safe and intelligent ways.
The learning work today is: Feel don’t force. You may have heard me say this a lot. It is something I am known from that is central to the way I teach a highly technical practice without getting bogged down in striving and grasping that pulls us out of the movement meditation.
Specifically, here’s what I mean when I say “feel, don’t force”
Instead of force use breath.
Instead of haste use technique.
Instead of focusing on the final position, notice the way you get there.
Remember yoga is a cumulative path. You don’t have to “get” everything today, you have a lifetime to practice.
Open wholeheartedly to what arises as you move through your practice, even if it is not what you expected when you set out.
Practice starts with grounding, we move into simple outer hip activation because that side plank leg is fire for Kapinjalasana. From there we flow in an unexpcted side planks like monkey bars, passing hand to hand and finding shoulder stability. We stretch our (now quite warm!) shoulders and begin to sync the breath and movement as we move through Moon Salutations. We slow down and open outer hips and lower back, twist, work into stronger standing poses and backbends. Than our peak pose: Kapinjalasana. Can you feel not force when faced with this task? Keep checking in with you how are showing up for yourself. We finish with simple folds and grounding, quieting poses, some abdominal compression and massage. I hope you enjoy!