This blog post is my re-writing of a few scribbled notes. It is not all-inclusive and does not represent the incredible skill of our instructor. They are cursory and an effort for me to organize information. If you want to truly learn about Prajna Yoga and engage in an alignment based practice then please learn from a master....not from my limited recordings and observations. Friday's Class Description:
Stability and Agility: Yoga of the Feet and Bones
The feet are the foundation of the physical body and the bones are the wellspring from which blood, lymph, and stem cells are born. When we open and strengthen the feet and practice asana from the bones we build sturdy support in our bodies and minds.This session will include asanas focused on the feet and legs for dynamic stability in standing poses and provide the foundation for more advanced postures. We will close with meditation to ground the mind.
Bones, bones, bones! They are the life force...they manufacture our bone marrow and blood....they respond to pressure placed upon them...they are the keystone to every system in the body. This is why your alignment matters. If the bones are not stacked optimally our body is affected. Muscles become over-stressed, becoming chronically tight or habitually "on." When they don't align properly from the foot (talus), through the tibia, and femur; strain occurs at the joints and ligaments. Getting older doesn't mean our alignment has to deteriorate. In fact the miraculous part of bones is, like all the cells in our body, they re-manufacture themselves every 7 years. Yes, you can have a new skeleton, healthier bones and body, just by improving your alignment. We have a choice about the architect of our body. The very core or our body, that of our bones, is in constant change. How do we do this? We must learn where the bones are naturally supposed to suspend, and then practice standing and moving from that place. It can be tedious work which is why I am thankful for skilled instructors and teachers.
I began a Prajna Yoga workshop Friday evening with Djuna Mascall. A beautiful, kind, intelligent, graceful skilled yoga teacher who traveled from Santa Fe, New Mexico to present a "Prajna Immersion" alignment based workshop. Every detail that I have learned in the past few months about alignment from my friend and Restorative Exercise specialist Stacy, Djuna appears to embody. Her body moves naturally, there is no seeking posture and creating tension; rather she has ease. No "pulling back shoulders," "sucking in abs," she just floats, perfectly aligned! The thought occurs to me we should be much less concerned with muscular contraction and much more focused with where our bones stack in both our active and resting states.
Friday evening was all about the feet. I have new reverence for the bones of my feet and the job they do in effort to keep my body balanced. We did not do backbends, headstands, arm balancing postures; instead we practiced standing evenly through our feet and hips. Most people push their hips forward in standing due to hip flexor tightness. Bringing the thigh bone back, where the bone needs to sit, creates more ease in the low back and hips. We also considered maintaining our lordotic curve in forward bending, whether seated or standing, as the pelvis must roll over the thigh bones. We considered the importance of our foot arch and its relationship to the inner leg and healthy pelvic floor. While observing a skeleton, Djuna briefly discussed "forward head syndrome," (yes our computer and texting posture is now a "syndrome") and how this posture closes the space (foramen magnum, "great hole")for the brain stem/spinal cord to pass through to the skull. We practiced lifting the collar bones and breast bone, before lifting the head, to keep a healthy relationship between the skull and its axis in postures like Low Cobra and Up Dog.
Ideally, the goal of a healthy asana practice, is to diminish the need to stretch! When our body is aligned we do not feel chronic pain, muscular tightness and overuse symptoms. We stretch because something feels tight, uncomfortable, tense. A well-aligned body doesn't feel the need for excessive stretching as the relationships are balanced and even. The practice Djuna led Friday evening was one of moderation that left me feeling aligned and well. This is my goal throughout all of life!
About our Fabulous Instructor:
Djuna Mascall E.R.Y.T. 500 is a rare teacher who illuminates yoga through intelligent sequencing to allow the body, mind, and heart to open. She gracefully integrates her extensive knowledge of anatomy, alignment, and the wisdom of yoga. Each practice is unique and responsive to the individual needs of her students.
Djuna is a Prajna Yoga Senior teacher, and her primary influence comes from her ongoing work with Tias and Surya Little. She offers Prajna yoga nationally and internationally, including annual retreats at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and Esalen. She is also deeply influenced by the work of Mary Paffard, which is grounded in Buddhist meditation and a feminine approach to asana.
Djuna is currently co-teaching a teacher training at Yoga Mountain Studio in Fairfax, CA.
She was featured in Yoga Journal in August 2012 and graced the cover of the October 2012 issue.
Djuna’s teaching is inspired by her connection to nature and the sea; she sailed across the Pacific in a small engine-less sailboat and is the first woman on record to circumnavigate the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska by kayak.
She currently lives on Orcas Island, WA and teaches weekly classes atOrcas Mandala Yoga Studio.
Djuna is a Prajna Yoga Senior teacher, and her primary influence comes from her ongoing work with Tias and Surya Little. She offers Prajna yoga nationally and internationally, including annual retreats at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and Esalen. She is also deeply influenced by the work of Mary Paffard, which is grounded in Buddhist meditation and a feminine approach to asana.
Djuna is currently co-teaching a teacher training at Yoga Mountain Studio in Fairfax, CA.
She was featured in Yoga Journal in August 2012 and graced the cover of the October 2012 issue.
Djuna’s teaching is inspired by her connection to nature and the sea; she sailed across the Pacific in a small engine-less sailboat and is the first woman on record to circumnavigate the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska by kayak.
She currently lives on Orcas Island, WA and teaches weekly classes atOrcas Mandala Yoga Studio.
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