by Audrey Sutton Mills
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by Audrey Sutton Mills
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How To Get Into ASTAVAKRASNA
Astavakrasana – blog
Welcome to {WEEK 3} OF #ONELOVE2014 #instagramchallenge. You’re half way there! This week is all about poses we are still working on. Please be patient & compassionate with yourself this week. Life is a journey and there is no competition or destination in yoga. The Sanskrit word LILA (LEE-Lah) means play, so this week invite LILA into your life and enjoy!
This is one of my favorite Indian Mythologic heroes. What makes Astavakra remarkable is that he crossed the line with his father, and was punished, before he even left the womb. While still in his mother’s belly, he corrected his father’s recitation of verses from the Rig Veda, a collection of India’s oldest and most sacred hymns. Enraged, Astavakra’s father cursed him, and the boy was born deformed. Astavakra’s name refers to the eight (asta) crooked (vakra) angles of his limbs; the many angles of the pose Astavakrasana evoke the curse of crooked limbs that Astavakra triumphed over by dint of his persistence, piety, and intelligence.
Despite his father’s cruel curse, Astavakra remained a faithful son. When the boy was 12, his father lost a priestly debate and was banished to the watery realm of Varuna, lord of death. Although the journey required a monumental effort, Astavakra traveled to the king’s court to challenge the man who had bested his father. Because of Astavakra’s unsightly shape, the people at court laughed at him—but only until he opened his mouth and they discovered he was incredibly learned and deeply insightful, even though he was still just a boy. Astavakra triumphed in the debate, winning his father’s freedom, and people who once mocked him became his disciples, including the king.
Astavakra’s story illustrates the human tendency to judge things by their appearance rather than by their true substance. It is also a reminder of the power of steadfast faith to triumph over ridicule and misunderstanding. According to yoga teacher Aadil Palkhivala, “Astavakrasana appears to be very difficult, but actually, it’s one of the easiest of arm balances if you just know the technique. What the pose is trying to tell us is that even when things seem extremely convoluted, if you just know how to arrange them, your situation is not as arduous as it looks.” While some poses are designed to make us work hard, others, like Astavakrasana, are actually designed to teach us to work less. “This asana requires more knowledge than effort,” Palkhivala says. “It is not a fighting pose; the primary feeling in it is a sense of freedom.”
Sanskrit Lila (LEE-Lah) means play…just play and have fun!
There are many ways to get into it and a lot of variations. Here’s how I do it:
* Prep work: flexible hips, strong core and arms. Do hip openers before trying this pose.
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Seated, extend left leg straight. Cradle your right knee into your right hand or elbow. Cradle your right foot in your left hand or elbow (do this for 10 seconds rocking it like a baby).
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Grab bottom of foot and press your foot forward, straighten your leg, then pump your knee into your armpit (for 10 seconds). Repeat this sequence 2x to open hips.
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Hook Right knee over Right shoulder like a backpack and squeeze together
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Press your palms into the mat, activate your Bandhas (pelvic floor lifts and zip up your ribs like your zipping up a corset. Keep hugging in and up and maybe your booty and left foot lift). This is the work!
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Once booty & left leg is lifted, cross left ankle on top of right ankle.
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Bend at your elbow (like chaturanga arms). Reach heart forward resting your torso you’re your forearms.
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Keep bandhas engaged. Extend both legs to the right and look right
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Flare your toes and #shinebright
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Remain in this posture for around 30 seconds and breathe. Then, bring your body back down to the ground and repeat steps for the other side.
Precautions:
- Avoid this posture if you suffer from shoulder, elbow, or wrist injuries.
- Make sure that you perform this posture under the guidance of an experienced and certified yoga instructor. This is because if you perform the posture incorrectly, you may risk injuring yourself.
- If you have difficulty in lifting up your right leg so that it comes up on your arm, you should work on the flexibility for your leg movement.
Variation: Avoid straining yourself to come into the pose, and instead, you should practice forward bending and standing poses like the Marichyasana I (Marichi’s Pose) to prepare your body and strengthen it for the Eight-Angle Pose.
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YOU ARE ENOUGH
YOU MATTER!
COME HOME TO YOURSELF,
YOUR SOUL AND YOUR TRUTH.
YOUR SOUL AND YOUR TRUTH.
HEY SOUL SISTER!
I’m Audrey | Yoga Instructor, Soul Mentor, Podcaster, Writer & New Mom
I know what it’s like to feel unfulfilled, alone, and not good enough. I’ve taken the hard journey of leaving a life I thought I wanted to discover the life I was destined to live. I’m here to help YOU walk the path of deeper self-love to the person YOU are meant to be. It’s my mission to inspire you to whole-heartedly love yourself, embody your worth and live your most expansive life. Take it from someone who’s been there.
&
YOU ARE ENOUGH
YOU MATTER!
COME HOME TO YOURSELF,
YOUR SOUL AND YOUR TRUTH.
YOUR SOUL AND YOUR TRUTH.
HEY SOUL SISTER!
I’m Audrey | Yoga Instructor, Soul Mentor, Podcaster, Writer & New Mom
I know what it’s like to feel unfulfilled, alone, and not good enough. I’ve taken the hard journey of leaving a life I thought I wanted to discover the life I was destined to live. I’m here to help YOU walk the path of deeper self-love to the person YOU are meant to be. It’s my mission to inspire you to whole-heartedly love yourself, embody your worth and live your most expansive life. Take it from someone who’s been there.
&
YOU ARE ENOUGH
YOU MATTER!
COME HOME TO YOURSELF,
YOUR SOUL AND YOUR TRUTH.
YOUR SOUL AND YOUR TRUTH.
HEY SOUL SISTER!
I’m Audrey | Yoga Instructor, Soul Mentor, Podcaster, Writer & New Mom
I know what it’s like to feel unfulfilled, alone, and not good enough. I’ve taken the hard journey of leaving a life I thought I wanted to discover the life I was destined to live. I’m here to help YOU walk the path of deeper self-love to the person YOU are meant to be. It’s my mission to inspire you to whole-heartedly love yourself, embody your worth and live your most expansive life. Take it from someone who’s been there.
&
YOU ARE ENOUGH
YOU MATTER!
COME HOME TO YOURSELF,
YOUR SOUL AND YOUR TRUTH.
YOUR SOUL AND YOUR TRUTH.
HEY SOUL SISTER!
I’m Audrey | Yoga Instructor, Soul Mentor, Podcaster, Writer & New Mom
I know what it’s like to feel unfulfilled, alone, and not good enough. I’ve taken the hard journey of leaving a life I thought I wanted to discover the life I was destined to live. I’m here to help YOU walk the path of deeper self-love to the person YOU are meant to be. It’s my mission to inspire you to whole-heartedly love yourself, embody your worth and live your most expansive life. Take it from someone who’s been there.