When it comes to the upper body, the most difficult moves for people to master are of course the ones involving the neck and shoulder. Those positions are in constant peril of injury, but this does not mean you should avoid them! In fact, the more you practice, the more you will find that your physical limitations and flexibility are diminishing, and your strength becomes more developed. The truth is that the best exercises for the upper body are the ones that do not cause too much strain on the back.
The position for Navasana is a variation of the simple one you learned in Hatha Yoga. In the early postures you were very upright with your head and neck straight forward. Your arms were over your head, and you faced the floor with your feet apart. In this position you could be quite relaxed. In this position, you can simply watch the sensations in your mind and body as you relax and calm.
In Mr KR Lautet's book, "Yoga: A Practical Guide" he suggests the following as a variation of Navasana, called "Uttanasana." Imagine that you are lying on your back and place your hands behind your head, making the knees touch the feet. You can then use these hands to hold onto the back of your head, as your shoulders are pushed down into the floor. Be careful to keep the wrists at a 90 degree angle.
Mr KR Lautet teaches us how to perform the standing poses in eight steps. There are many variations of poses and when we have mastered these, we can move on to the variations for the lower body. We will also find that these positions are not to be confused with the backwards and forwards postures that make up a majority of Yoga poses.
Mr KR Lautet also teaches us how to move in other positions, like Half Moon Pose, Crab, and Bird Dog. We can use our hands to support the pelvis and the back. Other poses include shoulder stand, and Prasarita Padottanasana. The principle is to use the benefits of our alignment with our arm and hand support to guide us through the various positions of the body.
The descriptions of the positions used in Navasana are often given in a sequence. As an example, you might be told that in the first part of Navasana you are to move your arms out so that they form a diagonal line from your head to your feet. The next section is to open the legs as wide as possible, the next part to turn your shoulders forward and turn the head until the ears point upwards.
When I teach Navasana and many other poses, I always remind students that the position of the spine and the muscles are a matter of alignment rather than the presence or absence of neutral spine and muscle structure. Once we learn the specific positions for each pose, we can move on to the variations of the pose. In the half moon pose, there is the possibility of bending and twisting as well as remaining in a horizontal position. Other poses are positioned based, rather than location based.
There are several poses which I use as an introduction to the full range of movements in Navasana. As a beginning student, it is important to remember that just because you are learning the positions in a certain pose, this does not mean that it is the best posture for your body. This applies to all of the variations of Navasana as well.
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