March Pose of the Month
Spring forward with a positive perspective! Spring is a time of renewal, awakening, and transformation. Give yourself permission to awaken from the dark, cold months of rest and begin the transition to Spring with a positive spirit. Set yourself up for a successful season of growth and transformation by checking what perspective you’re bringing with you. Leave the negativity and toxic parts behind in the darkness, and travel to the light feeling lighter. Let go of what is no longer serving you.
While it may be easier said than done, especially in the world we’ve been living in this past year, the choice to choose positivity is always ours. While it may not always feel this way, we have the power to decide whether we are going to let our mind control us or we are going to control our mind. Our thoughts become the energy we transmit to the world. Yoga and meditation are both tools to help us gain control of our mind, so that we can in turn transmit more positive energy to the world.
Practicing positivity has always been a pretty easy, natural way of life for me. I am that cup half full, always trying to find the silver lining, bright side of things kind of person. When the flow of life gets turbulent I try to find the meaning, the lesson, the light at the end of the tunnel. Living in the pandemic for a year now has challenged this way of life that has always seemed so easy and natural for me. Like most, I have had some pretty dark days. If it weren’t for my yoga practice and for starting a regular meditation practice during the pandemic, I don’t know that I would even be able to write about positivity right now. They have both helped me immensely to find clarity and calm in the chaos of the pandemic. My practice has helped me live those dark days maintaining my cup half full, or as close as possible to half full. ;)
Pratipaksha bhavana
One of the yogic practices, one that I started practicing pretty much as soon as I was introduced to it in Yoga Teacher Training a few years ago, is called Pratipaksha Bhavana. This is the practice of substituting opposite thought forms in the mind. In Sutra 2.33 of the Yoga Sutras, Swami Satchidananda shares the practice of Pratipaksha Bhavana introduced by Patanjali. The sutra reads- “Vitarka badhane pratipaksha bhavanam.” This means, “when disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite ones should be thought of.”
Patanjali says this practice of inviting opposite thoughts will help us control our mind and obstruct thoughts we don’t want. Here Patanjali and Satchidananda tell us that positivity is always a choice. We can create a positive atmosphere, even if that means we have to change the environment they say. Another method for controlling negative thoughts before they overpower us, is to think of its after-effect. Satchidananda says, “Stop and consider. What will happen if I allow this thought to continue?”
Pratipaksha Bhavana is a powerful tool of mind control and emotional regulation. We are human. We will have negative thoughts and we shouldn’t feel bad for having them. The important part here is that we do something productive with those thoughts. We acknowledge them when they invite themselves in and then we find a way to re-frame those negative thoughts. This may also mean changing our perspective or at least being able to see the situation from a different perspective, even if it’s one that we don’t agree with. This is how we practice and cultivate Pratipaksha Bhavana which takes time, patience, and intention. However, the effort and time is worth putting into this practice to be able to live more fully from a place of truth, love, and equanimity.
In yoga, practicing asymmetrical poses gives us the opportunity to notice different perspectives of our body that we may not be able to experience in symmetrical ones. Such poses offer access to a different level, a deeper layer of awareness in our yoga asana practice. We may notice one side might challenge us more, the sensations felt on one side may feel better or worse than the other side, and those discoveries we find from side-to-side may empower us to take action to find a greater sense of balance and ease. This action can come in the form of practicing Pratipaksha Bhavana on our mat. Perhaps you notice as you’re taking a standing balance pose, like tree pose, that you can balance better on one side versus the other. Comparative thoughts might start to creep into your mind like, “I must not be as strong on this side as the other.” This is an opportunity to stop and ask yourself, ‘Is this thought helpful right now? What will happen if I allow these negative, comparative thoughts to continue?” Those thoughts take us further away from the purpose of yoga and connecting to our inner light of love, truth, happiness, peace. If we choose positivity here instead, see the outcome of the pose from a different perspective by re-framing the thought - practicing Pratipaksha Bhavana- we can celebrate the differences we experience from side-to-side instead. We can see them as a way to discover and learn more about our body and our yoga practice.
Parighāsana
The pose of the month for March is Parighāsana, which means Gate Pose in Sanskrit. In Sanskrit, Parigha means “the bar used for shutting a gate.” In Parighasana the body resembles that cross beam. This yoga posture is an energizing side body and pelvis stretch that will make you feel lighter. Furthermore, it helps to strengthen the wrists, arms, and legs and stretches the intercostal muscles that connect the ribs. These muscles get tight with poor posture which can end up restricting the rib cage’s movement and as a result lead to respiratory problems usually associated with asthma, allergies, colds, and flu. Sounds like the perfect posture to help us transition to and welcome Spring huh?!
Since Parighāsana is an asymmetrical pose it can also help us to practice ‘opening the gates’ of our mind with a fresh perspective from side-to-side. Allow the intention of your practice of Parighāsana this month inspire more positivity in your life, and when needed don’t forget the practice of Pratipaksha Bhavana to help guide you back to the bright side!
Parighāsana alignment
Begin standing on knees facing the long end of the mat with the knees directly under the hips.
Extend the right leg out to the side.
The right toes can point to the right, or slightly ahead to keep the sole of the foot grounded.
Place the right hand on the right thigh with the palm facing.
Reach the left arm beside the ear and extend up tall through the crown of the head.
On an exhalation begin to sidebend to the right, sliding the right hand down the leg.
Attempt to keep shoulders and pelvis square to the long end of the mat.
Repeat on the other side.