So far nothing overly exciting to report at this almost half way point. The poses have been pretty basic, nothing that I haven't practiced before. Some of the poses have been repeats of postures from previous challenges which has been a great way to apply changes in alignment. For example, my Downward Facing Dog pose (Adho Mukha Savasana) from the #YogEmojiChallenge which I wrote about here needed improvement.
In reference to the photos below (aside from the obvious difference in the quality of the photos, there are a few key alignment principles to point out)
1. Uddiyana Bandha, the navel lock is engagement of the abdominals, lifting your navel towards your spine. In the first photo my tummy is clearly less tucked than in the second image.
2. #YogEmojiChallenge down dog has a rounded lower spine, probably in part because I have not appropriately engaged my core (point #1 above) and also because my stance is a little bit too short. In the #DOYOUYOGAin2017 photo I have put more space between my hands and feet in order to lengthen my spine. This in conjunction with a strong navel lock creates that nice long line.
3. While your gaze in down dog is meant to be directed at your belly button your head should rest between your upper arms. In the first picture, my head is hanging down, in the corrected version, you can not see my ears as my head is appropriately aligned between my biceps.
Downward Dog is an amazing and constantly evolving pose from minute to minute, let alone day to day so enjoy your exploration. Photos and mirrors are great to be able to see exactly where improvements can be made but remember to rely on the way the pose feels in your body. Try coming into Down Dog with your eyes closed once in a while to really feel the subtleties.
And as always stay tuned for more Yoga Challenge updates. I think I'll be picking up one more this month. Two at a time? Gotta Go Hard. Love and Positive Vibes Only!!!
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