YIN YOGA 阴瑜伽体式详解

Inthissectionwearegoingtoexploreacoupleofdozenasanas(anexactcountdependsuponwhetherornotonewishestoincludevariationsandoptions).Thisselectionwillsufficetoworkalltheyinareasofthebodynormallytargetedinayinpractice.Tolearnmoreabouteachasanasimplyclickonthename.1.Anahatasana(akaMeltingHeart)2.AnkleStretch3.Butterfly4.Halfbutterfly5.Camel6.Catpullingitstail7.Caterpillar8.Child'sPose9.Dangling10.Deer11.Dragons12.Dragonfly(akaStraddle)13.Frog14.HappyBaby15.LyingTwists16.Saddle17.Shavasana18.Shoelace19.Snail20.SphinxandSeal21.Square22.Squat23.Swan24.SleepingSwan25.ToeSquatManystudents,facedwiththechallengeofpracticingyogaathome,aredefeatedbeforetheyevenbegin.Theyfeeloverwhelmedbythepossibilitiesofwhattheycoulddoandarenotsurehowtoproceed.Beginningteachersfacethesamequandary;whatdoIdotogetstartedwell?Toreducethesizeofthisproblemitishelpfultothinkbeforeyouevenstartyourpracticeaboutyourintentions.Onceyouhaveyourintentionsclearinyourminditbecomeseasytochoosetheasanasyouwilldo.Welookedatchoosingasanasintheprevioussection.Nowlet'slookatintention.IntentionWhyareyougoingtodoyogatoday?Youmayneverhaveaskedyourselfthisquestion,andyetyoustillfeeldriventopractice.Why?Thereisnorightanswertothisquestion.Anythingthatbringsyoutoyourmatistoberespected.Butunderstandingyourinnerdrivewillhelpyoufocusonyourgoal.Remindingyourselfofthereasonyouaredoingyogathroughoutyourpracticewillhelpyouachieveyourpurpose.Forsomestudentsthereasonfordoingyogaistogainhealth.Ifthisisyourreason,remindyourselftofeelyourstateofhealthasyoupractice,feelthehealingenergiesflowingthroughyou.Youwillhealfasterwhenyourememberthisintention.Forothersthepurposeoftheirpracticeistostrengthenthebodyoropenitup.Maybeyourintentiontodayistoworkonopeningthosestubbornhips.Perhapsinyouryangpracticeyouhavegottenstuckinsomepose,andnofurtherprogresshasbeencoming.Afteryearsofeffortinprasarita-padottanasana[wide-leggedstandingforwardfold],yourheadandthefloorarestillintwodifferenttimezones.Maybeyourwheelismorelikeasausage.Whatmaybeholdingyoubackisnottheflexibilityofyourmuscles--itmaybethatyourjointsandligamentsaretootight.Soyourintentiontodaymaybetoworkthoseareas.Perhapsyouaregoingthroughaveryhectictimeinyourliferightnow.Youneedtoslowdown.YinYogawillprovidethatbalance,andthatwillbecomeyourgoaltoday:balance.Somepeopledotheiryogaaspartofameditationpractice.Manypeopledoitjustbecausetheyknowtheywillfeelbetteraftertheyarefinished.Theylikeit.Theseareallperfectlyvalidreasonsfordoingyoga.Buttherecanbemore:wecansetanintentionbeyondourownbenefit.Thiscanbedoneatthebeginningofeachpractice.Certainlyalltheotherphysical,psychologicalandemotionalbenefitswillstillbetherebutwecanachieveevenmorethanthat.Prayerforcenturieshasbeenusedinthesamemanner;wededicateoureffortstoagreaterpurposethanourselves.Intheyogatextsthisiscalledishvara-pranidhana--asurrenderingofyoureffortstosomethinggreaterthanyourself.Asyousitorstandatthebeginningofyourpractice,bringtomindsomeoneorsomethingthatneedsspecialassistance,attentionorgratitude.Dedicateyoureffortsduringyourpracticetothatpersonorthing.Thisdedicationfillsyouwitharesolvetoactuallydothepracticewithfullattentionalongwiththeintention.Asyoupracticeremindyourselfwhyyouarepracticing.Whenachallengingtimecomesupinthepractice(anditusuallywill),youwillfindtheextrastrengthyouneedbecauseofyourdedication.Higherintentionsallowthefruitsofyourpracticetogobeyondyourself.Paradoxically,thismakesyouevenstronger,butthatisnotthepoint.1.Anahatasana(MeltingHeart)Benefits:Goodstretchfortheupperandmiddleback;Willalsoopenshoulders;Softenstheheart.Contra-indications:Becareful:ifstudenthasabadneckasthiscouldstrainit.Alternatives&Options:Ifshoulderpainpreventsthearmsgoingoverhead,movearmswiderapart;Flexiblestudentscanbringchintofloorandlookahead,butthiscouldstraintheneck;Ifkneesareuncomfortablehere,placeablanketunderneaththem;Toescanbetuckedunder;Chestcanberestedonabolster(allowingthebodytorelax).Meridians&OrgansAffected:Alongthespine:UrinaryBladderlines;Thearmmeridians,especiallytheHeartandLunglines.JointsAffected:Upperback(whichisactuallythescapulanotthethoracicspine);Mildlystressesthelowerspine;Shoulder/Humerusjoint.Holdforhowlong?Threetofiveminutes;Ifthestudentisrestingchinonfloor,theholdmayneedtobeshorter?theyhavetowatchthesensationsintheirneckcarefully.Counterposes?Lyingonstomach,orgobacktoChild'sPose.Similarto?HalfDownDog(akaPuppyDog).OtherNotes:Itisnicetodothisposeafteraseriesoflowerbackbends;Couldbeusedasagentlewarmuptodeeperbackbends;Ifstudentsfeelpinchinginthebackoftheshoulders,theymaybereachingacompressionpoint?abductingthearmsmayreleasethis.Ifthisdoeshappenhere,itprobablyhappensinDownDogandtheWheeltoo,sotheymaybewelladvisedtohavehandswiderintheseposes.2.2.AnkleStretchBenefits:Opensandstrengthenstheankles;Strongstimulationoffourmeridiansflowingthroughthefeetandankles;Greatcounterposeforsquattingortoeexercises.Contra-indications:Anysharppaininankles,backoff.Studentscantryablanketortowelunderthefeettocushionthem;Kneeissuesmaypreventthestudentfromsittingonheels:pla