Eagle
Eagle is a challenging pose because your legs and arms are all twisted around each other. When you are first starting out, the twisting can seem really confusing. We recommend keeping it simple when you first start out and not completely wrap your arms and legs around each other to find your balance. As your balance improves, you can further challenge yourself by adjusting your arms and legs.
Alignment:
- Bottom foot at 12 o’clock
- Standing knee bent
- Top leg crosses over the standing leg and foot wraps around the calf
- Top leg that crosses over, use the same arm to cross under opposite arm
- Elbows at shoulder height
- Forearms pull away from face
- Face hips to the top of your mat
Modifications:
- Foot does not wrap all the way around the calf
- Foot may touch the ground for stability
- Arms cross and hands on backs of shoulders
Benefits:
- Strengthens glut and calf muscles
- Helps to stretch the muscles between the shoulder blades
- Improves your balance
Standing Leg Raise
This pose helps to create stability and strength through your legs. It helps to improve your ability to stand on one leg. It improves your focus as you move your leg from front to side, and this can be really challenging on the balance.
Alignment:
- First step
- Bottom foot at 12 o’clock
- Softness in standing knee
- Face hips to the top of your mat
- Peace fingers hold onto big toe
- Extend raised leg
- Draw shoulder blades toward spine
- Second step
- Raised leg moves out to side
- Opposite arm extends out to side
Modifications:
- Keep lifted knee bent and hand on knee
- Use a strap around the bottom of your foot
Benefits:
- Strengthens glut, hip flexor, and calf muscles
- Helps to stretch hamstrings when your leg is fully extended
- Improves your balance
Airplane
You will move from standing leg raise into airplane. You may start to feel your standing leg becoming tired and shaky here. That is normal. It is also challenging because we are moving from a standing to a bent over position and therefore changing your gaze. Anytime you change where your eyes are in balance, this will make a pose more challenging to stay in.
Alignment:
- Bottom foot at 12 o’clock
- Softness in standing knee
- Face hips towards your mat
- Torso parallel with the floor and have a slight back bend here
- Draw shoulder blades toward spine
Modifications:
- Lift chest higher than your hips
- Place hands on block for balance
Benefits:
- Strengthens glut and calf muscles
- Helps to stretch hamstrings and pec muscles
- Improves your balance and focus
Half Moon
From airplane, you will move to half moon. This pose can be challenging for many reasons, so if you struggle to balance here you aren’t alone. You have been standing on one leg for some time by this point, and your leg will likely feel pretty tired as well. Half moon also requires you to shift your gaze again, and this can make it easy to tip over here. You may also notice some days this pose is easier than other days, and that is okay!
Alignment:
- Bottom foot at 12 o’clock
- Softness in standing knee
- Hips stack on top of each other
- Bottom hand on the ground or hovering off your mat
- Top leg lifted and in line with your torso
- Top foot flexed and actively spreading toes
Modifications:
- Bottom hand on block
- Gaze at ground
Benefits:
- Strengthens glut and calf muscles
- Helps to stretch hamstrings and pec muscles
- Improves your balance and focus
Dancer’s Pose
Not only does Dancer’s Pose help you with balance, it begins to warm you up for backbends for later in the practice. The great thing about this sequence is it continues to build so that you are warm and ready for the next pose.
Alignment:
- Bottom foot at 12 o’clock
- Softness in standing knee
- Catch instep of lifted foot
- Open front of shoulder holding lifted leg
- Front arm is outstretched in front of you
- Slightly lean your body forward as you lift your back thigh towards the ceiling
Modifications:
- If you are struggling with balance, you can stand tall rather than kicking your leg back or hold onto the wall for support
- If you are struggling to catch your foot, use a strap to help you grab your foot
Benefits:
- Strengthens glut and calf muscles
- Helps to stretch hip flexor, quadriceps, and pec muscles
- Improves your balance and focus
Tree Pose
Balancing is incredibly difficult, and tree is one of the “easier” postures in equanimity. It helps to bring a calming and meditative state to the mind. This is a great pose to practice challenging your balance by changing where you are looking.
Alignment:
- Bottom foot at 12 o’clock
- Softness in standing knee
- Raised foot comes to inner thigh of standing leg
- Reach finger tips to ceiling
- Pull low ribs into stomach
Modifications:
- Raised foot rests on calf, ankle, or floor to support balance
- Hold onto wall for support
Benefits:
- Strengthens glut and calf muscles
- Helps to stretch inner thigh
- Improves your balance and focus
We hope this helps you to have a better understanding of Equanimity. Stay tuned for next week and Grounding.