April Pose of the Month
Hello Spring! Allow your practice to flower this month in Blossoming Lotus pose, Vikāsitā Kamalasana. ”The lotus flower blooms serenely and courageously despite all obstacles.” -Sharon Gannon
The transition from winter to spring, darkness to light, is a time of transformation. Just like a lotus flower grows effortlessly into the light from the dark and muddy water, allow yourself to bloom from the dark waters of winter with grace, and an open heart to the infinite potential that is waiting to unfold. Allow your true self to blossom.
Blossoming lotus pose is a balancing pose and a full body experience as it stimulates the movement of prana up the spine from the base up. It requires a strong connection with the core, hamstrings, focuses on opening the hips, and can help to relieve lower back pain.
In yoga, the lotus flower symbolizes new beginnings. What happened on your mat last week may look and/or feel a lot different than what happens on your mat today. There is always something new to be learned. As you practice this pose in class this month, use each opportunity as a reminder that every practice is a new beginning, a new opportunity to bloom fresh.
To practice blossoming lotus pose on your own at home, practice the tips below moving into the pose slowly, gracefully and with an open, brave heart.
Come into Navāsana with shins parallel to floor, hands on the floor outside of your hips.
Bring heels together, knees wide.
Round spine and thread forearms under shins.
Re-lengthen spine and extend up through crown of head, externally rotate shoulders and broaden chest.
Squeeze heels together and peel balls of feet apart.
Bring both hands to cin mudra. For cin mudra with palms facing up, gently tuck the tip of the index finger under the tip of the thumb, keeping the remaining three fingers lightly extended.
Enjoy practicing Blossoming Lotus!
Namaste
“In yogic lore, the lotus is a metaphor for how all of our past experiences, especially the negative ones can be used as fertile soil for blossoming into a more awakened being, capable of giving graciously and profoundly to others”. Sharon Gannon