3 Strategies to Use Props for Natarajasana

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There are few poses I’ve clear recollections of doing for the first time. I don’t keep in mind my very first Downward-Coping with Canine (do you?), nonetheless for some motive, I can recite every ingredient of my first attempt at Natarajasana (Lord of the Dance Pose).

It was 20 years prior to now, and I was in my sophomore 12 months of faculty (positive, do the maths). I keep in mind seeing the trainer on the VHS tape do it and saying to myself, “Whoa, I am going to in no way have the power to do that.” They hadn’t even accomplished the variation with every palms grabbing the foot overhead.

My first few tries have been faraway from swish. I gripped the sting of any furnishings I would cling onto, leaving fingernail marks on the ground, as I shakingly kicked my foot into my hand. Over time, the pose turned easier. Finally, my relationship with Natarajasana modified from being a pose I hoped to “grasp” (irrespective of that means) to turning into a type that was simple for me to hold out in entrance of the room, with out even warming up.

Nonetheless then—as these of you who’ve been coaching for a really very long time know is to be anticipated—my relationship to the pose modified as quickly as as soon as extra.

After some pretty excessive accidents, along with my shoulder, I absolutely modified one of the simplest ways I approached my observe. I started transferring far more mindfully and pretty than letting my ego drive me to do every single pose to the nth diploma, I started to tug once more. I acquired lots a lot much less fascinated about what I was doing and as a substitute started specializing in how I was doing it.

Natarjasana is a dwelling, respiratory metaphor of the choice we get to make every day: Will we dwell from a spot of ego and exterior present or will we embrace our human limitations and take care of our far more important (however invisible) intentions?

See moreover: Step-By-Step Instructions for Natarajasana

Props keep us humble

Natarajasana is a pose that one can choose to “perform” or do with curiosity. Most conventional variations of Lord of the Dance Pose include using your hand(s) or a strap to lift the once more leg. This can doubtless tempt you to backbend deeper than is appropriate and even protected, each by tipping the pelvis forward or using your hand to lift your leg bigger than it should go.

My relationship to the pose modified after I started shifting my goal from backbending as deeply as potential to observing the place and the way in which I was transferring my physique. The most effective methods to take a look at these actions was with props.

Many faculty college students poo-poo props as making the poses too simple or pondering of them as one factor we now have to work away from in time, nonetheless props keep us honest and humble. I usually joke that, similar to the rings of a tree, you really can inform how prolonged someone has been coaching by the entire props they seize sooner than class.

The place we as quickly as may have measured our observe by our bodily means, over time we be taught that we’re really advancing as soon as we choose to not do one factor or do one factor additional rigorously.

Moreover from Sarah Ezrin: Want to Fly in Eka Pada Koundinyasana II? Attempt This Wise Prop Observe

A prop observe for Natarajasana

Strap spherical foot with increased arms at wall

Usually in Natarajasana we get the illusion of backbending deeper as soon as we are literally merely tipping over throughout the standing leg hip (which is technically a forward bend!). Partitions help us backbend really. It could be humbling at first to be taught what the physique is unquestionably doing when now we now have that type of strategies. This variation teaches us tips about how one can hold the movement of decreasing the doorway ribs, which helps us be taught to backbend from the upper thoracic. The wall moreover helps us see how lots extension we even have in our hip on the lifted leg, since we’re unable to tip forward.

Loop a strap spherical your left foot and keep the tail in your left hand. Stand straight in the direction of the wall and bend your left heel in the direction of your bum. Take every arms overhead. Bend your elbows, so your increased arms are pressing into the wall and stroll your palms down your strap. Actively elevate your left inside thigh, taking part your hamstrings, nonetheless whereas preserving your pelvis on the wall. Launch your entrance ribs down as you elevate your sternum up. Shut your eyes, if that’s cozy, or let your eyes soften. Preserve for eight breaths.

Come out sluggish, loosening the grip on the strap and decreasing the left leg. Confirm if it is important to step away from the wall for quite a few breaths sooner than switching the strap to the alternative facet.

Inclined with abdomen on bolster and reverse hand forward and on block

One different truth-teller throughout the prop world is the bottom. It is very similar to the wall in that it gives our entrance physique strategies, nonetheless on account of we’re inclined (on our tummy), the pose could also be held for for for much longer, allowing us to truly entry positive actions. Having a bolster beneath your pelvis is helpful for utilizing one different key movement in backbends, which is lengthening your tailbone in the direction of your knees. That’s moreover a beautiful variation for novices, though nothing about it is simple!

For this variation you want a bolster (or rolled blankets) and a block. Set your bolster up within the midst of your mat and place a block in the direction of the doorway. Lay onto your bolster, so that your hip bones are supported by it and place your left hand in your block a few foot in entrance of your shoulder. Bend your correct knee and attain once more, holding the floor of your foot. Press into your left hand, as you launch your left shoulder away out of your ear. Protect your neck prolonged by attempting straight forward. Preserve for 10–15 breaths.

To launch, let your correct leg go slowly and place every palms on the bottom sooner than transferring your block to your correct and taking your totally different facet.

Energetic range of motion prepare with blanket and chair

One different pleasurable variation of Lord of the Dance includes us from YogaWorks teacher coach, Jennie Cohen. Cohen is known for her creative sequencing and, as she says, “movement explorations are my considered a good time.” Cohen encourages forgoing the strap and hand assist and as a substitute learning tips about how one can elevate your once more leg by energetic range of motion. That’s as soon as we switch the physique solely with our muscle teams. It differs from passive range of motion, which is when an outside stress, akin to your hand or a prop, strikes your physique.

Natarajasana classically makes use of passive range as we traditionally keep the once more foot.  Though chances are high you will not bodily get as “far” on this mannequin, the benefit of transferring your physique on this way is that you simply simply study to work together the appropriate muscle teams wished to create the movement. You is perhaps moreover safer from the temptation to “manhandle your self into an extreme type,” as Cohen calls it.

I will be honest: This is not primarily essentially the most elegant variation to get into, nonetheless as quickly as you is perhaps in, the strategies is excellent. Stand behind a chair (or one thing you must use for steadiness). Bend your correct knee, hugging your correct heel to your bum and drape a blanket in between your thigh and calf. Preserve it tight alongside along with your leg. Tip forward at your hips barely, inserting your palms on the chair ledge, and begin to elevate your left thigh up, whereas attempting to steadiness the blanket. The blanket helps to just be sure you’re lifting your leg up with out letting the hip rotate open. Attempt lifting the blanket up even bigger. Preserve for eight full breaths.

For a pleasurable sport, try holding the blanket as you lower your leg once more down. Prepare to your second facet.

Watch this prop observe in movement

Want to be taught additional? Sarah Ezrin walks us by the three methods to profit from props to in Natarajasana.

See moreover:

An Accessible Yoga Sequence for Practising Lord of the Dance Pose

Give Me My Props (And Make Them Pretty)

Yoga Props 101 + a Sequence to Enhance Your Observe