6 - Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana/ Upward Facing Dog is the sixth asana in ashtanga yoga and still part of the surya namaskars.  In Chaturanga Dandasana remember you have given a full breath with ujjayi breathing? Now, take a deep breath with rolling your toes and remembering still to engage the bandhas. The thighs and the knees are not touching the floor, look up and the gaze should be between the eyebrows. The ears should be away from the shoulders as far as possible and the shoulders should be rolled back and must remain over the wrists.With an exhale and lifting your hip you will come into the next pose, Adho Mukha Svanasana/ downward  facing dog.

The image belongs to Ursula. She is a marvelous yogini and has an amazing yoga blog. A true inspiration I say..

By the way, remember I mentioned about an homeopathic cure for my allergies? It is called Jala Neti and I still think it's a miracle as long as the water does not come out from your eyes :)! Do you know that last week a doctor almost convinced me to a "minor" operation which he forgot to mention that I was gonna walk around purpe-blue faced for a month! Anyway I can breath and thankful to any yogic teachings once again. Oh the details about how to practice Jala Neti is here...

Have a good practice all the yogis and yoginis!

5 - Chaturanga Dandasana

Chaturanga dandasana/ four-limbed staff pose is still part of the surya namaskars/ sun salutations  in ashtanga yoga. Use your full exhale from uttasana b to come to this pose with ujjayi breathing. You can jump back, walk with small steps, or walk in two big steps, it looks like the push up, but your forearms should not go away from your body, inside the elbows should be towards where your eyes are looking. And ends of each finger should touch the ground firmly.  You are still exhaling by the way. Bring the chest down, dristhi / the gaze is at the nose. If you do not have enough strength in your arms put your knees down when you start this pose, in time you will build enough strength. With the inhale and rolling over the toes you will come into urdhva mukha svanasana/ upward facing dog. Let the breath lead you, if you think or do not follow the breath, you will realize that you become tired much more quickly... So just let the breath lead you, seriously you do not need to do anything else, ah and of course engage your bandhas always and ever. 

Have a good practice all the yogis and yoginis!

3 & 4 - Uttasana A and B

Uttasana A./ standing forward bend. Exhale with ujjayi breathing and the dristhi, in other words the gaze should be at the tip of the nose. And with Uttasana B, look at the horizon,  straighten your back and you are ready for the next pose, chaturanga dandasana/ four limbed staff pose...


Just got to Izmir today. The tatata tititi of my tiny luggage, the airports, the cars, the flight attendances... Letting go is the key for coping nowadays, we do not have any control, none at all...Sigh..

2 - Urdhva Vrksasana

Urdhva vrksasana/ tadasana, tree pose... The second step after samasthiti in ashtanga yoga, inhaling, keeping the eyes focused on the thumbs,  feeling the extension of the body, feeling the stretch.... The shoulder blades should be slided down and back, leg muscles should be engaged so as the bandhas. Imagine your spine being long, very long..With ujjayi breathing take a deep breath and the next pose uttasana a./ standing forward bend..

I am taking my lunch break and having a cup of coffee in starbucks. The library ANAMED is so cool, in every sense. My escape from the heat and the world... Although we had a little conflict in the entrance it is a nice place to study.  I finished reading an already half-way-read paper.. How I wish to finish the article I have been dragging with me every possible place you can imagine before I leave Istanbul. Let's keep our hopes high.. Very high...

In the photo my new close friend "the fan" and me, practicing in my parent's living room...I guess the fan is going for samasthiti...

1 - Samasthiti

Mountain Pose/Samasthiti/ Tadasana ... The beginning of the ashtanga practice, the beginning of the sun salutation/ surya namaskar..Where one struggles to clear the mind. ... The real form of Samasthiti can be found here. The important part of this pose is to distribute the weight of the body evenly, we need to feel grounded to the earth.

The shoulders must be over hips, hips must be over ankles. The pelvis should be tucked a little, shoulders should be rolled back, and chest need to go up with the inhale with the ujjayi breathing . Big toes must be touching. The other toes must be separated as if holding the ground. The neck should be long.  We are not just standing there, we are aligning the body. Dristhi, in other words the gaze should be at the top of the nose. Your mind should be at the top of your nose too. The bandhas/ locks should be engaged.....Inhale.... Exhale...And the next pose...

Next week, I will talk about Urdhva Vrksasana/ Tree Pose if I can, if my brain is not fried by then. When I was driving I saw a "40" on the indicator panel. First I could not comprehend, then I realized that that was the temperature! I used to be very good with the heat, but I cannot stand it anymore..I literally feel like my brain is fried, boiled and cooked... Yup, I hardly can make sense anymore..

The photo has nothing to do with samasthiti. That's my favorite outfit nowadays and I would like to keep it forever, at least this way...  And it was the closest picture I could find to the pose. How have I never taken a photo of samasthiti at all?!