[See the first half of this article here.]
Snow globe yoga: Shake it up! Inspiration comes in many forms. One of my favorite ways of practicing is to pick a pose, any yoga pose, and then imagine that pose in a snow globe. I shake up the imaginary snow globe and let the pose land in any and every possible orientation. The pose may land on its side, its back, its front, on one foot, etc. Maybe I throw a few props into this imaginary world, too. Then I practice the yoga pose variations.
You will learn so much about the components of your pose by changing its relationship to gravity. It is endlessly amusing and produces dozens of variations … many of which are even more effective for your body than the “classical” version! This satisfies the body’s and mind’s need for novelty, and will also teach you about the relationship between the muscles and tissues surrounding your joints in a given pose. Often we are unaware of how to use the many structures that are required to build integrity in a pose. When you “shake up” a pose, you shake up your practice, and your “yoga block” becomes a helpful prop rather than a hindrance in your evolving practice!
So pick a pose and get started! Here’s a series I recently did with Triangle Pose:
Good old Twisted Triangle
Twisted Triangle with a twist – there’s a block under my foot!
This twisted triangle fell to the ground!
Twisted Triangle Run Over By A Truck. This feels so good!
Staying fresh and excited about yoga ultimately boils down to being willing to see your practice — and your poses — as variable and interesting and as exquisite as real snowflakes: Even though they may all appear the same, look closer and you will see each one’s uniqueness.
Need more inspiration? Come practice with me at any one of my upcoming workshops or trainings to help step out of your yoga rut!
Read about the most important part of a yoga pose.
Learn about Yoga Tune Up at home.
Find a Yoga Tune Up class or workshop near you.
[Reprinted with permission from GaiamLife.]
The snow globe yoga is one of he most interesting, eye opening and most fun I have had in a long time doing yoga poses. It made some of the most boring poses all of a sudden the most fun. Using your imagination and using a wall, a prop or your partner in yoga to try out new sides of your body yet maintaining a similar shape is for sure helping you find the right positioning of your hip, shoulder and spine. And I just keep finding new ways to land when I shake the globe. Thank you!!
It’s very interesting how the same posture can work different muscles just changing the orientation. A lot of creativity and changing perception.
Super helpful blog following YTU training; for the “non-yoga teacher” this was a fun read to get excited about the challenges to come. Since leaving YTU teacher training, I have had fun incorporating the different poses into my physio practice and learning the importance and the skills of changing pose orientation with clients who aren’t as flexible, who have mobility limitations, or do not want to go on the ground. What a learning curve!
Great info. It’s so much fun to be creative and curious with the poses and learn how a new way feels in your body. I love being able to have the freedom to try poses in a new way and my class loves it too!
Most practical and right away applicable tool! as the most important one can say to think in more than one dimension.