Light on Yoga Project (Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana & Garudasana.)

5th August, 2010.

Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana (p.94)
This asana worked the hips very, and they got a great stretch.
My left side was more supple then my right side.  This may have something to do with the scoliosis.
During the asana I used blocks to get to the floor.  I could put the length of my fingers on the floor, but not my whole hand.
Extended my spine which helped.
Another thing that I found which helped me, was to move the muscles in my quadriceps on the standing leg.  This helps with the forward folding, and tucking the heal of the other foot into the abdomen.
Relaxing the abdomen helps with the forward fold.
Be sure to not overdo the forward fold when you have your heal in the abdomen.  This can result in strain or discomfort after the asana is over.

Garudasana (p.97)
I could feel the stretch on the sides of my trunk.  My hips opened as my feet and ankle wrapped around the standing leg.
Overall this was a very pleasant stretch.
Shoulders relaxed nicely, and my elbows were around the level of the chin.
Spine extended from the heart up wards.
Keeping the arches of the feet active helped with the stability of the asana.

Light on Yoga Project (Uttanasana & Urdhva Prasrita Ekapadasana.)

28th July, 2010.

Uttanasana (p.92)
Extended from the spine.
The asana went well.  i still cannot put my whole hand on the floor.  I can manage all of the fingers flat, but not the palm.
I like this. Very cooling and relaxing.


Urdhva Prasrita Ekapadasana (p.93)
What can I say, but it needs work.
I could put the hand on the proper ankle, but my up leg would go above my hips, but not anywhere like straight up.
This is going to be fun to explore.  Maybe against a wall.

Light on Yoga Project (Padangustasana & Padahastasana.)

28 July, 2010.

Padangustasana (big toe) (p.89.)
Tight hamstrings.
I extended from the his and pelvis.  This helped a lot.
Gently widening the diaphragm, and stretched the shoulder blades.


Padahastasana (p.90)
This was quite nice.
One needs to extend from the pelvis.
I worked the diaphragm, and stretched the shoulders as well.

Light on Yoga Project (Utkatasana & Padangustasana.)

21st July, 2010.

Utkatasana (p.89)
Worked the thighs!
Balance was just in front of the heals.
Relaxed shoulders and breathing into the back.

Padangustasana (p.90)
Nice.
Breathed well.  I tried adding Uddhiyana Banda into the mix.  That was not a good idea!
The legs are coming along, and I got a much better stretch.

Light on Yoga Project (Parighasana & Ustrasana.)

20th July, 2010.

Parighasana (p.85.)
I found that if you maintain relaxed shoulders it really helps the performance of the asana. One thing I also found was if the foot of the extended leg does not lay flat o the floor. Putting a block under your foot really leg and hip relax more.  You then get a much better stretch.
I also noticed that my left side took much longer to relax.  This this is the side that is most affected by the scoliosis.  At first the breathing was a little labored, but relaxing the shoulders really helped the breathing become easier.
Over all it was vary nice.

Ustrasana (p.87.)
Breathed into my upper back. 
I could feel the stretch in my thighs. :)
Over all it was comfortable.

Light on Yoga Project (Prasarita Padottanasana I & II.)

19th July, 2010.
Prasarita Padottanasana I (p.81.)
I had to work at keeping the arches in my feet up.
After a while I felt as little nauseous (this was when I had my head on the block.)  I could not put the top of my head on the mat.
I kept my weight on the balance point in front of my heals.
Breathing was easy.

Prasarita Padottanasana II (p.84.)
I had my head on a block, and maintained the arches in my feet.
Knees active and pulled up.
I a slight pull in the left groin.  This happened when I engaged the Uddiyana Banda.  I also worked with the Mula Banda.
My hands were together behind my back with the finger tips up between the shoulder blades.

Light on Yoga Project (Utthia Hasta Padangusthasana & Parsvottanasana.)

29th July, 2010.
Utthia Hasta Padangusthasana p.76
The asana went fairly well.  I had better balance on the left side then on my right side.
When holding the big toe of my right foot, I could not quite extend the leg.  The right knee was still rather bent.
Breathing went well, nice and low in the tummy.
When extending the left leg, which extended further then the right did, the right hip felt rather tight.  Again the breathing went well.

Parsvottanasana p.78
In this asana the hips flexed nicely on both sides.  The breathing was from the tummy.
The sides felt a little tight at the end.
My balance was just in front of the heals. 
The asana felt very nice.

Book "The Tree of Yoga."

I just finished one of the best books on yoga that I have ever read. It is called "The Tree of Yoga." It is by B.K.S Iyengar.
The book is about what is behind yoga. How you should approch [spl.?] yoga. What makes a good teacher. The importance of the Yoga Sutras.

If you are looking for something beyond how to 'do' an asana. Then... I highly recamend (spl.?0 this book to you. It is wonderful!

http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Yoga-Shambhala-Classics/dp/1570629013

Light on Yoga Project.

Thursday 15th July, 2010.

Virabhadrasana III
I had better balance on my left leg then on my right leg, though this is not unusual.
I did not have any issues with my breath.  The focus of it was in my tummy and not up in the solar plexus.  This let me breath deeply into my back
My hips were equally flexible on either side, though my shoulders were a little tight.

Ardha Chandrasana
For this asana I used blocks, so that I could maintain the alignment in my hips.  I was more flexible on the left side then my right side.
There were no issues getting into the asana, and breathing was low in the tummy, and deep breathing was possible.

Light on Yoga Project.

Wednesday 14th July, 2010.

Virabhadrasana I
I felt activity in the feet in the area of the balancing point, or 'bubbling well.'
The hips relaxed after a moment or two which let me sink into the asana.
I held the posture for about two min on each side.
When on the right side my shoulders felt more relaxed then when I was on the left side.
I was able to avoid the 'duck back' issue.  This happens when the pelvis tilts back words.
In the final form of the asana I did not look at my thumbs, which would have had me tilt my head back.  I looked to the horizon instead.

Virabhadrasana II
What struck me about this asana was that when I was fully in the asana I noticed that there was pressure right below my sternum at the solar plexus.  This was the case for both sides. 
On a related note I also found that when I am walking and have more of my weight on the balls of my feet.  That this same feeling happens.  If I chance the weight of my step, and walk more so the the weight falls on the 'balancing point' just in front of my heal.  The pressure lowers so that it disappears, and I have the experience of normal breathing from the tummy.
I think that this experience shows that my feet were to far apart.  They were about 4.5 feet apart.  When I moved the feet closer together the sensation lessened.  I was then able to easily breath deeply into my upper back.

Light on Yoga Project.

As a project for myself I have decided to work through Mr. Iyengar's book Light on Yoga. 
What I plan to do is to work the asanam in the order that the appear in the book.  The way I hope to go about this project, is incorporate the asanam as they appear in this book in my daily practice.  As I find an asana in the book I will put it in the appropriate part of my practice.  For instance if the next asana in the book is a twist, then I will use it as a one of the asanam in the twist section of the practice.  This way in time I hope to work through the whole book.  I expect it to take a while.  Along the way I will make notes on my experience.

I started the project out with the first six asanam.
1. Tadasana
In Tadasana I noticed that if was correctly balanced in the asana that my breathing was much easier, and the breath came from the lower part of the tummy.  If I lent forward a little the focal point of my breathing shifted upwards.  Breathing became a little less easy.  The same  thing happened if I lent more on my heals.  The focal point of my breathing seemed to shift downwards, and the breathing was a little more stressful. 
I thought I would see how this worked when I walked around outside.  It took focus to maintain the balance point just in front of my heal.  Boy what a difference it made.  

2. Vrksasana
3. Uttihita Trikonasana (with blocks)
4. Parivrtta Trikonasana (with blocks)
5. Uttihita Parsvakonasana
6. Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (with blocks)

Tinnitus and Hatha Yoga.

For some time now I have been suffering from tinnitus.  It may seem odd, but up until now I did not pay attention to how much of a positive difference it has made to the tinnitus.  As I also have scoliosis I tend to spend my time seeing how the  yoga helps with that issue rather then the tinnitus.  I did not really think to use Hatha Yoga to work on tinnitus.  As I saw this issue as being one of nerve damage rather then the  structral [spl.?] that scoliosis is.
Today I set about working with asanam that focus mainly on inversions, or prepare  for inversions. I note quite a reduction in ringing.