Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Supta Virasana


I think I have expressed in the past that I H.A.T.E. this pose. 'Hate' is a strong word, but I find it appropriate here. See this image? This is how I do this pose except I have a blanket under my legs, a block for my butt, and the blanket is rolled up to support my back and it STILL is soooooooo uncomfortable. I'm just not meant to bend that way. I dread this pose, yesterday in class when my teacher said we would do it, I rolled my eyes, not in front of everyone, we were in Child's pose so no one saw my stank face. I don't think I've ever reacted like that in a class before. I know it's suppose to be restorative and yummy but it is a big struggle for me. I hate this pose so much.

The moral of the story is..

I need to do Supta Virasa more.

9 comments:

smallcitystyles said...

I actually really like that pose. I think it comes easy for me because I would lay back like that as a child. The pose I hate is Utkatasana. I really hate it when my teacher makes us hold it for a long time. I know it will get easier as I get stronger and let go, but until then, I vote it as my least favorite pose.

Mary said...

I did this pose for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I'm not sure about it yet. It's definitely challenging. I've rolled my eyes a few times too during class and only last week. I surprised myself when I did it. Never thought I'd "hate" a pose and it was Bridge Pose. We've just been doing so many of them lately. I think it's more my headspace though.

Great moral... :-)

Anonymous said...

I'd honestly never done this pose until the class we took together, and I didn't have much trouble with it. However, I think the teacher knew it was a universally cringe-worthy pose and she sympathized with that, but I remember her saying that the only way it will ever become easier for you is to continue to tackle it and face your reservations, because eventually - with practice - your joints and muscles will become more open and you'll begin to feel the true benefits of the pose. I surely hope this is true, because the journey to that point is a pretty painful one for some of us.

Regina said...

Hi, Marilyn- you are such a love to come and check on me. I miss you, too...
This is a challenging pose for me as well. I need support and when I see my not-so-in-shape husband able to go straight to the floor in this one, I want to scream! But, I do love this pose. And I do find myself relaxing in it, although my right thigh usually has something to say about it!
I will have to think about a pose I hate- it's hard because I guess I don't do them!
xo

Linda-Sama said...

as Paul Grilley says, "yoga is all in the bones..."

the ability to do this pose rests in the way your femurs connect to your pelvis. for someone with preternaturally internally rotated femurs such as moi -- Paul Grilley always uses me as the example of "extreme internal hip rotation", or as I am otherwise known, "Freaky Hips" -- this is a pose that I can fall asleep in (and no, I don't mean on a bolster...I mean my back is on the floor between my thighs).

my yin students do this pose for at least 5 minutes, but I take baby-steps with them.

by the way, Paul believes that this pose and then forward fold (legs out, on floor) are the two most important poses to do for the health of your lower back. Sarah Powers also does this pose for 10 MINUTES EVERY DAY. She used this pose to rehab her back after a severe back injury (I won't say what style yoga she was doing) that lasted for about 10 years. Yin yoga saved her back.

So if you can't do this pose, don't worry about it, remember it's the way you're put together, and nothing else -- you're not a failure as a yogi!

and that should be very liberating...

Marilyn P. Sushi said...

Thanks Linda, honestly after this weekend, it sounds like I really need it. I moved this weekend I think I put a little too much strain on my lower back. I looooooooooove forward bends but I guess this can work for me too. :)

yogaglamgirl said...

Oh no! Stank face?! Wow. Sounds like a rough day in class. I imagine that your back and pelvis needs some love. You're right, more practice and more work to open both. No worries sweetie. With time, patience, practice....patience, practice (did I say that already?)

Anonymous said...

There's always some that we love and some we... HATE! lol, I haven't rolled my eye yet, but I will swear under my breath "Dang!" lol

growstudio said...

I like that pose, but for people like me its a little hard to do it, i need more practice.