Still Standing…Standing Still

It is such a pleasure to teach yoga again after a winter break. The rooms have been full of stillness and peace. One student said: "This is the most relaxing hour I have had in the last three weeks." This Boston winter has been challenging! With endurance, we are still standing. May we find some simple moments of peace in the midst of all the chaos. It is through darkness that we become aware of and build an appreciation for light. Nature progresses and evolves. Though it may seem like a distant hope at times, the seasons will change. Let us celebrate the change of time coming this weekend, and beckon the light and warmth into our worlds. Here are a couple of yoga poses you can do at any time, even in the privacy of your office space, moving from Tadasana to Urdhva Hastasana As you stand in Tadasana or "mountain pose", keep your feet hip width apart. Lift your toes up to the sky, stretching the web spaces in between the roots of your feet. As you let the toes come back down, feel that you are balanced on the soles of the feet. Unlock your knees, engage your lower abdomen, let your chest be open and shoulder blades fall down your back. Unlock your jaw, let your tongue hang heavy. Close your eyes, and do three rounds of breathing. Inhale through your nose, and exhale out your nose. Inhale cool air, exhale warm air. Inhale to the crown of your head, exhale down through the soles of your feet. Inhale, and take your arms up overhead to Urdhva Hastasana, or "raised hands pose." Imagine you are holding the sun in between your hands. Feel warmth radiating through your body. Exhale, placing your palms together and bringing them to the heart. Stand still, and feel the stillness within you and the space surrounding you. Photo: El Salvador, Medical Mission with ASAPROSAR, February 2015