Teal High Heels

Standing on your feet sounds like one of the simplest of tasks, but it is something I find difficult to my students again and again. Making contact with the ground in a firm and balanced is not always automatically for a number of reasons.

Firstly, we all have our own habitual ways of standing, and the more we endure these usually become more pronounced. A teacher of mine used to say, "Let me see your better off shopping online! And then we'd all, drawing on a tripod or another, can be swung to a heel back, if bent torso. When we are tired, we tend to alternate putting more pressure on one foot then the other, when in fact we would get a lot more energy if you want it Just push down into the feet evenly.

Second, these habitual patterns create and strengthen the muscles and skeletal imbalances. In return we feel more tired, and it spreads throughout the body.

Third, our shoes can be really horrible. Much of it fails to give adequate support to our feet and legs, some advice that our pelvis and torso at odd angles (high heels, anyone?), And they can reinforce or exacerbate imbalances already present.

But fear not ... yoga is here, and it provides an easy solution in the posture called Tadasana or Mountain Pose.

This posture is essentially permanent evenly on your two feet. Try it (out in the grass if you can, it will exercise even more delicious):

Come to standing in your bare feet (important so that you can feel them.) Stand with your big toes, heels and ankles together, so this is very uncomfortable for you, try to separate your feet about 6 inches, but keep in parallel. Let your hands hang at your sides.

Begin to press your feet firmly into the ground. Can you feel each of the four sides of each foot touching the ground? Notice if there are gaps, or if you lean a little more on one side or another. Press the balls of your feet and lift your toes, then spread them as if they were fingers, and put them in one by one. Press firmly into your feet. Notice the sensations that come from the soles of your feet in contact with the earth feel the energy that is being developed and in your body.

Notice what happens in your legs while you press. Did you find a new firm? An increase in energy? What happened to the pool? Bring your awareness above and you will see the position of your chest, shoulders, neck and head. Do you feel lighter? Right? Stronger? Take note of all these things and how your whole body feels in his position in space.

In Kripalu Yoga we use energy to move down, to rise, which is the foundation of all postures.

If you're new to yoga, you are welcome to do! You can continue your sadhana (practice) every time you're standing on your two feet. May your feet always rest with joy on earth.