Today’s session focusses on finding stability in all the poses by creating an anchor to stabilise the body and the mind. An anchor point helps keep us steady so that we can see the whole body more clearly as we move into each pose. It keeps our mind centred.
Start by lying back in simple cross legs over a bolster or two half folded blankets. Feel how the tangible support in the back creates the lift in the chest and also already gives a point of focus for the mind.
Come up to forward Virasana, observing the contact of the hands and shins with the floor.
Stand and place the hands against the wall in Half Uttanasana, creating extension by pressing the palms into the wall to lengthen the trunk and to bring the weight evenly into the legs.
Adho Mukha Svanasana, first with the anchor at the front of the body, placing the hands on the floor, index finger and thumb against the wall. Then turn around and place the heels a little up the wall to bring connection to the back of the body, pressing back from the hands towards the legs.
According to your experience, you now move into either: Half Uttanasana (Menstrual cycle), half Full Arm Balance walking up the wall or Full Arm Balance proper.
The standing poses follow. We will be placing the back foot to the wall today. Notice how this can help bring your focus to the back leg, your anchor, whilst you also extend forwards.
Trikonasana, Parsva Konasana and Virabhadrasana 1 come first. See if you can hold your attention to the back heel and leg while you extend the arms and pelvis to the side or upwards.
Ardha Chandrasana, with a block for the front hand as needed, placing the back foot at hip height against the wall. Observe how you can be in the pose more fully with the wall support, which brings you back into your centre as you turn and lift the top arm up.
Parivrtta Trikonasana: here the back foot can give you both the stability for the twisting action, and also a sense of the back leg and body to help you not overdo or underdo the back hip.
Parsvottanasana and Prasarita Padottanasana with two blocks or hands to the floor. The hands and the feet give us a steady point.
Now sit for Virasana to rest the legs. Start to notice how the part of the body that is on the floor is always the foundation. Dandasana has the backs of the legs moving downwards, the hands on the floor by the sides of the hips to then lift the trunk and spine up.
Get ready for Sirsasana preparation, or the full pose practised here into the corner of a wall for feedback and stability. If not doing a full headstand, set up for the preparation with the feet to the wall and the head off the floor.
We finish with Setu Bandha over a bolster or over two blocks and two half folded blankets, with the feet to the wall. We come back to opening the upper back and chest with tangible support under the back and the feet anchored to the wall.
Slide back and stay a few minutes in Savasana, with the legs in simple cross legs. The whole back of the body is now your anchor and your foundation.
Illustrated sequence of video
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