Some questions about lotus asanas, breathing and Janu sirsasana

[Guest guest]

Thank you everyone for your advice!

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and for sharing your experience.

 

I think it is true that I need to open my hips more. The difficulty that I have

with it is that I do not feel my hips streching with the lotus or any of the

other asanas such as : Ardha Baddha Padmottasanana, Ardha Baddha Padma

Paschimottanasana... or worse...Marichyasana B...

When I am trying these postures, I often feel discomfort in my knees and no

streching in my hips.

But I guess I need to do heaps and heaps of hip openers before even being able

to really get started on these...

 

I have been practising yoga for 2 1/2 years very regularly so it can be quite

frustrating...

 

Another question: I also find it very difficult to do Janu Sirsasana A, and Janu

Sirsasana C. With Janu Sirsasana A I have great difficulties with my back... to

turn it from the bended leg right over to the straight one... Again, I feel

nothing in my hamstrings as most poeple do, only in my back. I have been

practising this for ages now and it is still almost the same.

With Janu Sirsasana C I guess one day it will become better... Still it is

difficult for me to get my leg, once the foot is placed into the position down.

Any advice would be very welcome... I really appreciate you reading and

commenting on this.

 

Also, Gosh... this seems now as if I would really suck... (which I maybe do...)

but I hope you have patience with me... ;-)

 

I find it difficult to keep doing the breathing during the entire sequence

beacsue sometimes my breath becomes shorter because of the effort I put into the

asanas. I have to wind down before I can continue the breathing. Any advice with

this and on how to do the breathing properly?

 

Thanks a million

Alma

[Guest guest]

You feel it in your knees because they are the weakest portion of your leg.

Basic engineering principle - stress concentrates at the weakest part of a

structure.

 

 

 

Your issue with janusirsasana is likely part of the same dynamic. For the

torso to align over the extended leg, the hips must be VERY open. Since the

hips aren't open enough to allow the necessary rotation, compensation occurs

in the lower back - ie. the weak link in this particular structure. In janu

C (which requires even more hip opening) this issue is more pronounced.

 

 

 

The judgement about all of this " Gosh... this seems now as if I would really

suck... (which I maybe do...) " is really just beating yourself up about

nothing. This is about practicing. No matter how many poses you " get "

there will always be another that is challenging for you.

 

 

 

2.5 years is not a lot of time. Give it 5, 10, or better 20 years and then

see how you feel.

 

 

 

If you are losing your breath, probably means you are pushing too hard

(muscular effort) in the asanas. Try to let breathing precede/predominate

the experience. i.e. breath into the pose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_____

 

ashtangayoga [ashtangayoga ] On

Behalf Of alma_shiva_sat_chit_ananda

Friday, July 10, 2009 12:20 AM

ashtangayoga

ashtanga yoga Some questions about lotus asanas, breathing and

Janu sirsasana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you everyone for your advice!

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and for sharing your

experience.

 

I think it is true that I need to open my hips more. The difficulty that I

have with it is that I do not feel my hips streching with the lotus or any

of the other asanas such as : Ardha Baddha Padmottasanana, Ardha Baddha

Padma Paschimottanasana... or worse...Marichyasana B...

When I am trying these postures, I often feel discomfort in my knees and no

streching in my hips.

But I guess I need to do heaps and heaps of hip openers before even being

able to really get started on these...

 

I have been practising yoga for 2 1/2 years very regularly so it can be

quite frustrating...

 

Another question: I also find it very difficult to do Janu Sirsasana A, and

Janu Sirsasana C. With Janu Sirsasana A I have great difficulties with my

back... to turn it from the bended leg right over to the straight one...

Again, I feel nothing in my hamstrings as most poeple do, only in my back. I

have been practising this for ages now and it is still almost the same.

With Janu Sirsasana C I guess one day it will become better... Still it is

difficult for me to get my leg, once the foot is placed into the position

down. Any advice would be very welcome... I really appreciate you reading

and commenting on this.

 

Also, Gosh... this seems now as if I would really suck... (which I maybe

do...) but I hope you have patience with me... ;-)

 

I find it difficult to keep doing the breathing during the entire sequence

beacsue sometimes my breath becomes shorter because of the effort I put into

the asanas. I have to wind down before I can continue the breathing. Any

advice with this and on how to do the breathing properly?

 

Thanks a million

Alma

 

 

 

 

__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature

database 4232 (20090710) __________

 

 

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

 

 

http://www.eset.com

 

 

 

__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature

database 4232 (20090710) __________

 

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

 

http://www.eset.com