Warrior, Savasana, Energy, Oh My!

Gaia, an online learning tool designed to teach those who seek knowledge about everything from ancient history to paranormal intrigue, is also a platform where one can learn how to partake in one of the most commonly mentioned practices in America: yoga. As a yoga beginner looking to take classes in a pandemic raging world, Gaia is extremely practical and user friendly. Each video has a different instructor, and depending on your comfort level, offers personalized recommendations as to where to start. These recommendations led me to Rodney Yee, a Hatha Yoga practicioner whose tutorials are easy to follow while still being informative and challenging. 

 

Starting at the very first practice, Yee’s “Yoga Basics,” I engaged in a half hour of carefully constructed asanas (body poses) and pranayama (breath control). Beginning at Mountain Pose - with my feet placed firmly on the ground, heels digging into the earth as my knees lifted up, arms straight at my side with palms open and stretched, lengthening myself through my waist as I aligned my chin with my torso - I struggled at first to gain control of the inhale and exhale of each movement, unused to the stillness of being that Yee was instructing of me. Only 20 seconds into practice, this stillness became an exercise in awareness as I listened to the next steps, swaying from left to right, then back and forth, shifting my weight to adequately perform. Upon shifting I would inhale, the movement of my lungs embracing air alight within me. Subsequently, upon returning to center my breath would escape, and as the practice progressed I became acutely aware of my own physicality.

 

Downward Facing Dog and Warrior II Pose in particular stood out as breakthrough asanas, specifically because they both require a certain level of focus and attention to detail. Though simple, the steps required to form these asanas correctly follows an ebb and flow. Moving from all fours into Downward Facing Dog with my legs bent, the motion of lengthening my waist as I extended my side ribs to stretch and flow to my arms and the tips of my fingers awakened me to the interconnectedness of the moment. If my extension was short or my legs prematurely straight, I could succumb to injury or completely disregard the point of the asana, forming an incorrect posture and losing sight of the practice altogether. Making a point to slowly straighten my legs, heels firmly planted on the ground as the tops of my thighs moved back before sliding into plank position solidified this feeling of connection with all of my self. 

 

Similarly, while inhaling during Warrior II, I felt this calm flow of energy coursing through me. In a show called Avatar: The Last Airbender, there is a scene where Uncle Iroh is teaching his nephew Zuko, who is a firebender, how to redirect lightening by channeling it through the same pathway as his own physical energy. Starting from the fingertips into the right arm and down into the stomach, the energy flow follows that channel before being redirected back up into the left arm and out of one’s left fingertips. This concept perfectly describes how I felt when doing the Warrior II; I was redirecting my inner energy to where I wanted it to flow. Starting on an inhale and carefully raising my arms out to my side, with my feet steadfastly grounded beneath my hands, I turned my left foot inwards at a 15-degree angle while turning my right foot out at a 90- degree angle. Shifting left while extending my arm out, with my right knee leaning towards that latter angle, placed directly over my right heel while my gaze focused squarely on my right hand, left arm and leg strong and rooted firmly, the energy shifted throughout my body, intensifying in my right side as I focused on the single point of my finger, culminating in a release of tension as I exhaled. Repeating the process on my other side after using my thighs and hamstrings to transition into the next angle on an inhale only furthered this sense of energy traveling, following the path that I was carefully setting for it; both mentally and physically.

 

One final pose that I would be remiss to mention is the Savasana, or “corpse pose.” Laying completely still, face up, legs straight and arms at a slight angle on my sides, outer palms flush on the floor, I felt a semblance of peace. Focusing on the present moment, devoid of distracting thoughts or actions, is incredibly difficult. Savasana seems to make it possible, however – while I certainly would not claim to have mastered this asana after one simple practice, I will say that it has made a lasting impression on me as a physical way to focus on my presence in the here and now.

 

Learning online is a difficult and strange experience for me, as I enjoy still and focused environments that my home life does not always offer. Thankfully, instructor Rodney Yee makes me feel like I am already in that environment, by encouraging me to find points on my wall or mat to focus on, and saying phrases such as “breathe easy” just as I am overextending myself, as well as “feel the slight wave of your body off center,” and “keep your legs strong, let the tension flow out of you.” These gentle reminders gave off the atmosphere that someone was there helping me every step of the way, guiding my attention to where it should be and allowing me to gain a glimpse into what it means to practice yoga. 

 

I am thrilled to see what new techniques and thoughts the next practice will bring me. 

 

Until the Next Reflection,
Moujnir