Bridge pose

Today, I was inspired to write about bridge pose. So for you yoga practioners out there, it is one of the most amazing and frankly, challenging poses.

For those of us who over the years always lifted the chest and crunched our necks and compressed the SI, step up to the plate!! I have been undoing my past habits. Keep in mind that many times we develop these habits is because of our resistance and compensation in other areas of our body. I am particularly by nature more rounded in the shoulders and collapsed in the chest so during my yoga journey much of my focus has been on opening this area. As of late my favorite pose has been upward facing dog, now I turned my focus to bridge.

I have experienced many ways of learning this pose over the years by many teachers and you learn what you need to at the right time. At the Grand Geneva yoga conference I attended an anasura yoga class with Desiree Rumbaugh. We did bridge pose and during the class she came around and did an adjustment on me and wow......what a wake up call. I had no idea that that was where I was heading and to actually feel it at the time was amazing. But how to do that on my own is always the challenge after a teacher does an adjustment. It brought me to a new place of "what do I need to learn to experience that again". It just so happens that through our advanced study with Laura, we explored that pose again. Which was amazing to me, because I had a whole new fresh outlook on the pose itself. I came to our exploration in class with a whole new mindset. Many of the things we explored rang true for me---working in the legs more, keeping my neck neutral and of course opening the heart center. I took the notes from this class and have been playing with them more in my own practice.

Which brings me to my insight on this pose. Exloring it from the back of the body and not the front. When I think of opening the heart center it is not only expanding across the chest and opening my shoulders but it is what is happening in the back body. Laura has tryed many times over the years to bring my focus here but until recently I have not entirely understood why. This is my tightest area of tension in the upper back and trapezius so if I am tight how can I possibily feel the energy in this area? Does this sound familiar to anyone? Perservering practice as Laura always says, so what I have done is work into it more slowly. Lots of upward dog and downward dog, Supported bridge on a bolster, garudasana arms etc. Anything to loosen up that region then moving into bridge, doing it several differant ways modified until I am focusing my attention on the upper back between the shoulder blades. This takes time and is not a quick do once or twice. It is a complete focus on this one thing in order for me to find a stable balanced pose with more benefits. Then this translates into shoulderstand which is so much more grounded and benefical. Keep exploring!!!!

Peace, Denise

Fellow yoga enthusiasts

this is my first blog and I am so excited to be taking yoga to another level. I love discussing yoga with fellow students and teachers and getting more insight into how others live a yogic lifestyle.

I am now finishing up my 500 hours and am overwhelmed with the possibilites that are before me. I find that this can keep me very scattered and unsure as to what direction to take. Thank goodness for yoga. Of course, my yoga practice is scattered too so to help on and off the mat. Finding a practice that works for me was essential. Although I teach and I do yoga quite often I am not thinking of it in regards to myself, so as a teacher I notice I need to do a solid yoga asana practice twice a week. These are never the same length of time but I am always focusing on something for myself. The other days if my body is up for it I do asana, meditation and breathing. I also enjoy a good walk or run. Yoga is also experiencing many things and taking in the present moment. I also tune into myself and get inspired on walks many times in the form of what asana I would like to do when I arrive home. There is always something to explore!!