Yoga: [COMP] Emphasizing the baka in bakasana

On May 26th I attempted to do 108 sun salutations in honor of my 29th birthday. For those who don't know what that is, it's a yoga practice typically done at the summer solstice, and some other events as well.

I had just began implementing a daily yoga practice at that point and was doing healthy things like working out and eating well. I felt the best I had ever felt.

I got to 10 and I was in over my head. I struggled through and eventually decided to stop at 29- to honor my birthday year.

A lot has happened since May 26th and I literally can't believe it hasn't been a month yet. My entire mindset around my body has changed. I ran over 4 miles straight last week when I hadn't been able to run 1 mile by my birthday (but I actually was happy to run on my birthday since I was building up).

Yesterday for the first day of summer, my best friend who is a yoga teacher and I decided to do the practice. I was super confident because I knew I could do it. All my limiting beliefs about what I "can't" do are falling away each day. Yesterday was no exception. I almost did the practice with ease. It was amazing and I felt so accomplished, and during it, so many lessons were floating to the surface that I thought would be nice to share.

When the going gets tough- breathe, and keep going. We are way more powerful and capable than we give ourselves credit for. We often give up because of an idea that we can't do something, but it's simply an idea. We can, most of the time, if we TRULY believe we can.
Stay committed to your goals. - around the halfway mark I started to lose steam. I didn't know if I'd make it though. But I just decided to go for it. And that feeling of accomplishment is one I can't even explain in words.
Track your progress. - I tracked mine during the practice with a mala bead and a crystal. I moved the crystal to point at each bead once I finished (there are 108 beads on a mala). Seeing this during the times it got tough was SO important. And when I got near the end, seeing my progress and how little I had left to go helped me push through to the end.
Surround yourself with supportive people. - my friend and I decided to do it together to keep ourselves accountable to actually do it. We did it together on zoom while the other person was muted. I know her being there made me power through.
Don't compare yourselves to others. - I occasionally found myself wondering how far she was into it. But it's not a competition. It's not a race. It's important to focus on your journey only. Don't get lost in anyone else's. We are all different. We all have our own way of doing things. We all have our own timeline- and you literally can't compare it to anyone else's.
Rest and modify when you have to. - I took breaks. I stood in meditation. I drank a lot of water. I slowed down and modified when I needed because my body felt like it couldn't handle anything else. And then, I picked up where I left off. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
It's about progress, not perfection. - we will never be perfect. Life is not perfect. Sometimes it's messy and gross and doesn't look pretty. Some of my sun salutations were nice looking, others not so much. It's not about being perfect. Life is about being your best self, and at times my best self was a very modified and slow version, but that's what kept me going to the end.
Have fun!- I remembered to have some fun with it, this isn't a punishment! I'm doing this because I wanted to, so sometimes I shimmied and made it my own, had fun with it! And it made it so much more enjoyable.
Be kind to yourself, and celebrate how far you've come. - leading up to the practice i would think kind thoughts and inspiring ones, proclaiming i would do it successfully even though i technically "failed" the last time. During it, I would say, "I am powerful. I can do hard things. I can do this! I am capable!" It really helped at hard moments. When I finished, I jumped up and down and cried and was SO proud. It felt good to celebrate me.

Wanted to share these lessons because I think they apply towards SO many areas of life, and maybe one person can benefit from them :)!

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[comp] learnt something new in class today, anybody know the name? improvements? at first glance, i think i need to lengthen my spine and look forward more?

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:26 AM PDT

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Take your DOWN DOG to the NEXT LEVEL (Detail & Alignment Cues by Antranik)

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 11:58 AM PDT

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advice for “rooting tops of feet” in prone poses

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:00 PM PDT

hi all. i just practice using the downdog app on beginner settings. to use cobra as an example, it usually instructs to root the tops of feet and the hips. i understand keeping my hips down and only lifting my chest. are they just telling me to keep my feet touching the floor, or should i be putting more of a foundation in that end of my body? am i just misunderstanding the term "root"? is there anything i should be more mindful of when doing similar poses so that i can root as instructed (sphinx, upward dog, etc)?

thanks for any commentary/links for info! i'm just a bit confused with it

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Thoughts on Omstars (and recs for other similar platforms)?

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 07:09 PM PDT

Namaste yogis!

I stumbled across Omstars after taking my first Kino Macgregor class via YouTube today and I'm seeing mixed reviews about it. I've been doing ashtanga for about a year and wouldn't consider myself a beginner. I find Kino a little mesmerizing to be completely honest, so I want to take more of her classes in the intermediate / challenging range.

To give a little background ab the kind of yogi I am- I'm looking for those classes that really give that extra umph to asana. I love those rare teachers that are very precise with each pose's connection to muscle, as well as teachers that emphasize spirituality and pranayama (breathwork) in their teachings. I don't care for practices that are solely about breaking a sweat or working specific muscle groups.

What are your thoughts? I'm seeing mixed reviews about Omstars (web design issues, billing problems, etc.)

And if you have any recommendations for a platform that would give me what I'm looking for, feel free to send em my way!

Thanks 🙏🏽

submitted by /u/jazzsang
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[SERIOUS TOPIC] Is anyone else noticing a troubling pattern of yoga teachers being anti-science?

Posted: 21 Jun 2020 11:21 PM PDT

Where I'm from, there's a huge division within my local yoga community as a result of the pandemic. There are a number of yoga teachers who have been organizing anti-lockdown/anti-masking protests. On social media, they often spread misinformation about the supposed dangers of wearing flu masks and even go as far as to say that COVID-19 is some kind of elaborate hoax created by Bill Gates (I really wish I was making this up!). Even before the pandemic, there has been an underlying problem within the yoga community of certain teachers using their platform as means of pushing the whole anti-vax agenda to their students.

As a yoga teacher, I can't help but feel embarrassed...

Is anyone else having a similar experience?

submitted by /u/LucidDreamer247
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Best flooring for Yoga?

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:31 PM PDT

I'm converting a room in my house to a yoga studio with the intention of heating it for hot yoga (I need to research heating methods too) and I was wondering if there was a clear winner for flooring choice. Hardwood? Bamboo? LVP(luxury vinyl plank)? We are actually leaning towards LVP. Thanks.

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Feeling sick

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 09:46 AM PDT

Do you feel sick or slightly nauseous after yoga? I did a full beginner 30 minute yoga today and afterwards my body felt more open like my chakras opened up but right after I started to feel lightheaded and nauseous a little. Is this just part of the detoxing? And what can I do to limit this sick feeling?

submitted by /u/roxanreveals
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What does lengthening the spine mean?

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 06:59 PM PDT

It might be a silly question. But are you supposed to literally breathe and elongate the spine, like lift straight up? and how you do you know if you're doing this right. what are some signs that you aren't doing this right?

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Helping a friend achieve Down Dog

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 06:01 PM PDT

Hello yogis! I'm currently about 1/4 of the way through with my yoga teacher training. Some friends have been reaching out to me for lessons (and I've asked them to let me teach them as well, to help me practice my "teacher voice.")

Most are complete beginners to any kind of stretching/yoga. So far, I've been guiding them through beginner, restorative yoga (which I am extremely passionate about) but I've reached a road block when it comes to helping them get their first downward facing dog. It's intimidating to them, so they aren't keen to practice it, but I'd love for them to nail it as it is imperative (imo) for a good, well-rounded flow. I've shown them some basic hamstring, low back, and shoulder stretches but they get so overwhelmed when it's time to practice down dog.

I've been doing yoga on and off for almost two decades, and I was a gymnast before, so it's hard for me to think of down dog as anything but a restful position, but I know it's challenging for a beginner, especially a sedentary one.

Would you care to share some insights or tips? What worked for you?

Thank you!

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Yoga deck?

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 06:00 PM PDT

My post is a little out of the norm for this subreddit. But due to many of you either having a retreat of your own or attending many along your journeys, I figure it's worth a shot.

I'm at the beginning stages of building my own Yoga retreat at my home. I'm planning on building a yoga deck overlooking the water. Does anyone have any guidance and info on how to build these yoga decks?

I'm in Canada so it'll need to stand up to our winters.

The deck will have the following:

enough room for an approximate 20 person class
built into the dry land as well as the water
roof
can also be used for ceremonial space

I'd be grateful for any help.

Thanks

submitted by /u/ImNikkiPotnick
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I've researched yoga mats enough to make my head spin and have a hard time choosing one. Help please (requirements included)

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:46 PM PDT

I've searched this subreddit, used the wiki (slightly outdated), Youtube, and Google to find a yoga mat and after hours of researching I'm just left with a headache. After doing yoga for over a year I know what kind of mat I'm looking for:

Super grippy - I sweat a lot for regular and hot yoga. And by grippy not the foamy grip but almost rough to the touch
Budget - Up to $200
Thickness - The thinner the better, but not so thin that it hurts to kneel - I do not like the feeling of too much foam
Use - For home use, not expecting to travel
Yoga type - Regular (not hot) yoga
Length - the standard size that is used in public yoga studios
Material - Not a concern unless the material smells funny (I've read some mats leave you smelling like rubber)

Thanks for your help in advance

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Resources- Honoring Yoga’s roots

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 08:50 AM PDT

As a white person in the Western world who uses yoga every single day, I feel it is my duty to learn more about yoga's roots in the Indian culture. What are some books/podcasts I can use to learn?

I should have started long ago, but I turned my head towards what was easier at the time (I.e., I'm just going to learn all the cool yoga asanas and ignore the rest). It's time to do the work and learn!

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Sharp pain lower back

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 01:26 PM PDT

Whenever I am in happy baby pose or when I try to roll from my back to a seated position, I have a horrendous pain in my lower back/coccyx. Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with this?

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Best yoga for porn addiction?

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:12 PM PDT

Background I have done yoga in the past but never on a frequent basis. I am a male 6ft 2in. 230lbs. I mostly lift weights so i am not the most flexible but gym yoga classes aren't too much of an issue for me. I also suffer from lower back pain from the Army and know that yoga will help me :) I have been struggling with a porn addiction and i think getting back into yoga will help. If you aren't familiar with porn addiction one of the issues is excess energy! What type of yoga is good for this and getting rid of excess energy but also helping me stay present/clear my mind. What youtube channels are out there? As i write this it seems almost any yoga would help haha but is there a specific type? Thanks in advance.

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Want to get into yoga but all my muscles are too tight

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:06 PM PDT

Hi! (Please don't come for my neck if this is a dumb question.)

As the title says, I've been trying to get into yoga with a mix of Youtube and the Down Dog app, but I struggled with even the most simple poses. I've always had really tight muscles, especially my hamstrings, hip flexors and hip adductors. Quarantine has only made this worse. The tightness leads to pain and deters me from working out, which then leads to me being in a bad mood.

I tried following a yoga practice aimed specifically at loosening up the hamstring, but couldn't do a lot of the poses, especially this one. (I can't do 3 legged dog either, because I can't extend my knee).

Does anyone have advice?

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Has anyone noticed real progress through YouTube yoga or apps?

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 07:14 AM PDT

If so, which ones?

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Monday, June 22, 2020

Yoga: [COMP] Emphasizing the baka in bakasana

Yoga: [COMP] Emphasizing the baka in bakasana

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