Odes to Asanas

In mid-April, I saw a blog post on YogaJournal.com that was about Side Plank and writing "odes" to poses.  Being both an English and a yoga teacher, I was intrigued, and as I read the short piece, I smiled and thought to myself how Side Plank was one of my least favorites for some of the reasons she loved it.  A full side plank was very difficult for me, mainly because I injured my right shoulder several years ago and had never been able to do it on that side.  Therefore, I just avoided it so that I wasn't "unbalanced" in my practice, doing something on the left that I couldn't do (I thought) without injury on my right.

But then my competitive side came out, inspired by what she wrote.  It's a pose often difficult for women because we usually lack the upper body strength to pop right into it, as I'd watched with envy as most of my male students would do when I demonstrated a full side plank vs. a modified side plank when I introduce the pose in class around mid-term.  The next few weeks at the gym, I made sure that I never skipped my upper body weight routine, and each week, I increased the weight by at least 5 pounds.  My shoulders have been weaker than they should be because I have been a weenie and not pushed that right shoulder, but I found that as I pushed it, the aching stopped... I could use it more... and so I kept pushing. I went from a mere 10 pound shoulder press to a 40 pound shoulder press.  Not much, I know, but a huge accomplishment for me. I've not used my right shoulder as I should in years!

Then one morning in a class I was taking, I was shown a new way to find the pose rather than how I had assembled it before.  I did it on the left and felt it to be a much smoother transition... I just rolled right up into it!So when we moved to the right side to repeat, I thought, "Right.  We're going to do this whole-heartedly, just go for it, no 'protecting' the weakness. It's not weak any more."  With some trepidation and my "I think I can!" attitude, I rolled my body to open into the pose.  It was shaky and wobbly and not at all graceful, and while I could only hold it for a few breaths, I listened to what my body told me as I reveled in this first truly full plank on my right side in my life.  It said that I liked it.  It didn't hurt.  It didn't twinge.  That shoulder LOVED the challenge of working in harmony with all else to keep me unfurled in lovely, albeit wobbly, alignment. I could feel myself smiling from head to toe!

When it came time to deconstruct, I found my true weakness with the pose: I couldn't get myself back down!  I finally gave in and sort of flopped out, left hand crashing to the mat for support, still smiling, seeing what I really needed to "fear" now was hurting myself coming out of the pose rather than getting into or holding it.  So I had something new to work on.

For fun and extra credit, I invited my classes to think on their favorite or least favorite poses and to write odes to them.  I got some wonderful, thoughtful responses, even from students I thought weren't taking the class very seriously.  Some were so funny that I laughed out loud when reading them, especially one girl's thoughts on the unfeminine happy child/dead bug.  One made me sad as I read how child's pose was her least favorite because she got the phone call of a young family member's death while she was finishing her practice at home in that pose, and although before that moment it had been a refuge and a reward, it became a reminder of that shocking moment.  

I could write a book of odes to asanas that I love and others that I have a tricky relationship with... I can't really say I "hate" any pose.  Each offers its own challenges and shows me a new place to improve.  They bring out my competitive side.  I haven't "given up" on any, though there are many I've yet to try as I know I need to master other poses below them before I attempt them with any sort of safety or grace, even wobbly grace. :-)  Below is my ode to one of my favorites.

What asana would you choose to write your ode(s)?

Ode to Butterfly

I love the connection of the soles of my feet, snuggling together, pressing each other for support, yet relaxing after giving the rest of me a firm foundation through my practice.

I love how you let me open up my heart and breathe deep, completely filling my chest, expanding outwards at the start.

I love how your wings spread wide on some days, but on others, you remind me to listen to my body, that my hips aren't ready for that much of a stretch... yet.

I love sighing down into you on those days my hips are warm from practice and ready to accept you, folding my body, rounding my spine, collapsing into a blissful stretch unmatched by any other pose.

I love the strength you force me to find after that release, rising from my core, inhaling fully to lift and open my heart again, ready to return to life refreshed, relaxed, renewed.

Namaste.