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| John Scott says in his book that if you aren't supple enough to touch your head on the floor in this pose then you shouldn't go any further until you can. I still can't do this after 4 months of practice (I've been home practicing yoga although not ashtanga for 3 years) but I continue through the sequence regardless.
What is the thinking about this? Is John Scott giving the Mysore viewpoint and would it be better for me to try and get my head to the floor and leave the rest of my practice until I can as he suggests?
On another subject, do tendons and ligaments actually stretch over time as you get more flexible or do they grow longer? |
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| I had some trouble getting this one, and honestly I'm not really sure I'm there yet. Essentially I move my feet out until I get to the point that I can put my head on the floor. While this works I've also been told by several teachers that I have my legs too far apart.
As far as the not going forward, there are pros and cons to it. The pro is that you really concentrate on this particular pose and no other until you get it right. The con is that you won't get to practice a lot of other things, and your head may never get to the floor. Some people just don't have the body for it. |
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Expert Yogi
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| ian - it really depends on why your head doesn't touch the floor and we would have to see your pose to give a full answer. Care to send us photos? I am an Iyengar teacher, so I would give you a block to put your head on  |
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| I'm not sure I could take a picture AND do the pose at the same time! I think I just need to release the tension in my hips and lower back. I get a bit closer every day I practice so I'm not worried about eventually getting down there. I just wanted to hear the thoughts about waiting for the perfect pose v ploughing on through the series.
Personally I feel that some of the later poses seem to help me with the earlier ones, if you can get there or thereabouts, it helps to go on with the primary series as far as you can. eg. upavishta konasana is getting there slowly too. Surely that must help with Prasarita padottanasana? |
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Location: London, England | Hi Ian,
yes, I would say carry on-just do all the postures as well as you can, doesn't have to be brilliant. Thanks be! 
Nick |
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| Suck in the belly as well, you'd be amazed at how much this helps, and how it's held you back.
Personally, I've been taught with the plow through approach, so I like that better. However, I can understand the merits of the mysore, one thing at a time approach. |
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| Nancy Gilgoff (google her if you don't know) teaches the plow through method.
love.
ali |
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| Hmmm great question. Juicy:-) I don't know who John Scott is (but that's why there's google).
There's an energetic component in this pose, just as there's an energetic component in Sirsasana. Obvious Prasarita is not a raw inversion nor is it a raw standing pose, but it does fall in the standing pose realm from the Iyengar perspective, which I share.
Now, there are actually two poses in PP. In one, the spine resembles Ardha Uttanasana. Here the legs are spread and the hands are on the floor (or blocks people) and the thoracic spine moves toward the floor (or front body) thus concave (curving in rather than out as the thoracic spine normall does). Some I suppose would call it - yikes - "cow action" from cat-cow. The gaze is toward the top of the wall in front of the student.
The second is the opposite action in the spine - it rounds, as in "cat" (what's become of me here?).
It is in this second portion that the head descends, the crown points to the center of the earth and the hands walk back while the elbows bend to 90ยบ.
In both poses, as in all stading poses, the quadriceps must lift powerfully. This is more of a concern, this action, than if you have your head on the floor.
Use props under the head so you can place the crown in contact but not overstrain to be there. This allows the pose to be most effective and most safe - the continuum teachers often balance.
Edited by purnayoga 2007-01-19 8:35 PM
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| Thanks for that. I'm not really sure what you mean in the last post (does lifting the quadriceps involve raising the kneecap?), but I did try to suck in my belly during my practice this morning and it seemed to help a bit.
Ian |
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| Ian,
if you sit in Dandasana wearing shorts look at your upper front leg muscles (qudriceps) while they are relaxed.
Then contract the qudriceps by pressing the inner thighs into each other and the back of the thighs into the floor. With your mind draw the quads up and away from the knee and suck them into the pelvis, powerfully.
Yes I think this is often stated as lifting the kneecaps.
It is this action in standing poses that I was refering to.
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Expert Yogi
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| And if your heels come off the floor, release your legs and do it again with just the quads, not the backs of the calves. |
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| Tourist,
I don't have a problem with my heels lifting off the floor. Should I be trying to put my head forward of the line between my feet as a beginner? This would be easier I guess than what I've been trying to do, ie. lengthen my spine and aiming my head down at the spot directly below. |
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Expert Yogi
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| Yes, head in line with hands and feet is pretty tricky |
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| I know it's tricky. Should I still be trying to do it though?
Ian |
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| move your feet apart a little.
even if it doesn't look like Sharath, SO WHAT, you aren't Sharath, and should not try to be someone you aren't.
The practice of Yoga shouldn't lead you to mirror someone else or dare I say it, Yoga shouldn't lead you to be someone's disciple or follower.
You must recognize who you are and let your practice and your practicing of your practice lead you to realization. You are responsible for you, your own practice and your own learning.
If it hurts, it ain't Yoga.
Don't hurt yourself, but at the same time, learn what is right for you, explore your body and what you are capable.
Keep Practicing. Good Luck.
Edited by SCThornley 2007-01-22 3:26 PM
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| Hi all, mixing in my pinch of salt as usual!
"As far as the not going forward, there are pros and cons to it. The pro is that you really concentrate on this particular pose and no other until you get it right. The con is that you won't get to practice a lot of other things, and your head may never get to the floor. Some people just don't have the body for it". (GJ)
Guruji says "All people, all asanas". It doesn't mean immediately or even tomorrow or maybe not even next year...but one day.
And Mysore style is to stop where you are stuck in a posture, however if it is decided that you are sufficently comfortable with it that it will come soon, you move on. It's at your teacher's discretion.
You can do whatever you like, it's your practice but that's the traditional viewpoint.
Some reading:
"Each student is given their practice according to their ability. Since each posture is designed to prepare you for the rest of the series, beginners tend to have a much shorter practice than more experienced students. As they gain strength, stamina, flexibility and concentration, additional postures are given to the student. The sense of the word given in this context comes from how the practice is taught in India, where a yoga practice is something that a teacher gives to a student as a spiritual practice. In the West, people are accustomed to learning a lot of postures at once, such as in most led yoga classes. The downside is that some postures may be inappropriate for certain students, increasing the risk of injury. The advantage of the Mysore-style format is that it is for everyone because it teaches yoga according to one's individual capacity."
http://www.yogaisyouth.com/schedule/mysore.htm
(As many will know, Sharath may even stop you when you can do the asana, because there's more than the physical aspect to it.)
Edited by DownwardDog 2007-01-22 4:14 PM
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| This pose is my current favourite and I accept that I may not ever get my head to the ground. The prevailing attitude in this thread seems to favour the destination rather than the journey. I can see not going ahead with other poses if your body really hasn't opened up for the next asana but really  to call a halt in the journey for a red herring?
SCThornley - 2007-01-22 12:25
The practice of Yoga shouldn't lead you to mirror someone else or dare I say it, Yoga shouldn't lead you to be someone's disciple or follower.
You must recognize who you are and let your practice and your practicing of your practice lead you to realization. You are responsible for you, your own practice and your own learning.
Don't hurt yourself, but at the same time, learn what is right for you, explore your body and what you are capable.
Keep Practicing. Good Luck. |
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Prasarita padottanasana
