Day Eight

Day Eight

Focus: Easy Seated Pose, Sukhasana

Reading: Chapter Eight of One Simple Thing

Mouth: The Yoga Bible (pages 106 & 107)

Anatomy: The Yoga Anatomy Coloring Book, Pose by Pose (pages 88 & 89)

Instructions:

Welcome to Day Eight! Let's process, I'll we've learned from easy seat.

  1. Read Chapter Eight of One Simple Thing.

  2. Then, color page 88-9 of The Yoga Anatomy Coloring Book Pose by Pose. Practice the pose after coloring. Try different props to help you find the easy in easy seat: a block, a blanket, a blanket on a block!

  3. Finally, read aloud the cueing for this pose from pages 106 & 107 of The Yoga Bible. Practice this pose by sitting on a variety of different props--a block, a blanket folded different times--to see how it feels. Try out the suggestion to practice the forward fold by crossing one leg at a time while seated in a chair. I find I have different flexibility moving forward when I have a different leg in front.


Bonus: Since yoga is sometimes translated to mean to sit with the breath, easy seat is an ideal time to practice mindful breathing. You will learn different techniques for this as you progress in One Simple Thing, but for now try to be mindful of your breath while in easy seat.

Extra credit: Journal about the thoughts that come up for your while you try to focus on your breath, then return to easy seat and try to breath again, letting the journal carry your thoughts instead of your mind. See if you feel lighter.

My Journal Entry from Day Eight:

From One Simple Thing:

  • The discussion of bandas in the reading today inffluenced my yoga practice. Throughout the practice I kept trying to engage some of these internal locks and thought about how these bandas are impacting my vagus nerve and helping me to "hack" my nervous system. (p. 142)

From today's yoga class:

  • Key Words: Curiosity

  • Today I returned to the weekly Katonah yoga class at Harlem Yoga Studio with Spring. These classes are always so effortful and remind me of my limitations within the yoga physical postures. Trying to keep right angles in my body often spits me out of the poses. Always a practice to approach with curiousity.