sunitha-yogini-blog - Tumblr blog

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

Final 2 weeks in Singapore 😳 . Feels a little surreal. I’ve contemplates moving a few times prior to this, but this time it’s actually happening. I haven’t moved countries in about 8 years, which is the longest in my adult life. In my teens and my 20s every move felt exciting - a chance for new experiences, to meet new people and to start fresh. And of course there was an element of fear as well, but at that time the excitement overpowered fear. . As I get older, I’ve noticed the portion of fear over excitement has become a little larger than it used to be. I guess that’s normal. We get comfortable over time - change rocks the boat of comfort, and makes us a little sea sick. I have noticed the anxiety rising on occasions - it makes me second guess our decision, it makes me worry unnecessarily about the unknown and beyond everything else, all of this anxiety takes me away from the present. I end up creating problems that don’t actually exist. And in the process, I lose the beauty of the present. . And can I just put it out there that the present is pretty damn beautiful. It really is... every conversation, every plan, every hug, every moment of this move, this life. ❤️ . . . Last chance to practice with me in Singapore (for now at least!) is this coming Saturday. Check out my stories for details. Hope to see you there! (at Singapore) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuWBFcIHboa/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dj72sthvhnzb

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

“This practice is not for exercise. It is for looking at the soul” -Sri K Pattabhi Jois . Upcoming Workshop in Kolkata India! . This has been in the works for months and I’m so excited to finally be able to announce it. Swipe ▶️ for the details. Looking forward to meeting and sharing with fellow Indian yogis. See you in Kolkata ❤️ . https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt5TsZPHurS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1h7kfor19xdhv

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

Prep and Counter Poses for Backbends are just as important as the backbend practice itself (in my opinion, at least) . These are some of my suggestions on what to work on before and after backbends. The pictures show an example of a relevant pose, but you can always experiment with other types of poses that fulfil similar intention. . Before your Backbend, start with these... 1️⃣ Pelvic floor awareness (aka mula bandha) - to practice safe backbends requires awareness of the pelvic floor. So spend some time in the beginning to create that awareness, and maintain that throughout the practice 2️⃣ Spine lengthening - active forward bends are great in creating length in the spine. Spend some time on this to prevent compression when working on backbends. 3️⃣ Spinal Twist - creating mobility in the spine before backbends is like oiling a machine 😉 4️⃣ Side Stretch - keep the chest lifted, and feel the stretch as you breath into the side body 5️⃣ Hip Flexors & Quad - keep these stretches active, so as the front of the body stretch, hug the outer hips in (keeping the hips square) for stability 6️⃣ Chest & Shoulders - both active and passive assisted stretches can help to create space in these areas. . Then after your Backbend, end with these... 1️⃣ Round the spine but with active core engagement - stay for a few breaths 2️⃣ Full Range Spinal Twist - this is where the hips might be slightly lifted to feel the twist equally along the spine 3️⃣ Targeted Spinal Twist - hops are grounded, the twist moves up more towards the middle and upper spine 4️⃣ Active Forward Fold - keep the pelvic floor engaged as you fold forward to lengthen the entire spine . Stay for each for as long as you need to, with a minimum of 5 breaths. . For more #yogatutorials, use the hashtag #sunithalovesyoga Or check out my IGTV . https://www.instagram.com/p/BtxlzEPHjxK/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=oqm9kiuwti4l

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

Cat-Cow Pose is generally taught in most yoga classes as a spine warmup - inhalation to cow pose by arching the spine, and exhalation to cat pose by rounding the spine. . Take cat-cow one step further by working on spine isolation. First start the arch by isolating the arch in the lower back, then the middle back and finally to the upper back & neck. Keep everything the same, and start the round with the lower back, then middle back and finally the upper back & neck. . Don’t worry about how it looks, try to keep the awareness on each part of the spine, maybe even each vertebrae as you curve and arch the spine. Over time, try to make the movements a little smoother. . Swipe ▶️ for a video sample. You can also reverse the movements to challenge your awareness of your own spine isolation. . Do as many rounds as you wish. . Use the hashtag #sunithalovesyoga for more tutorials! https://www.instagram.com/p/BtP7YJHndNI/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1o67yrn5vcnal

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

We get bombarded each day by the idea of what our lives should look like. Maybe just take a moment to appreciate what life is right now - exactly as is. . Set aside the to-do’s, the goals, the plans, the expectations, the must-have’s, the wants, the needs, the desires... And accept the work-in-progress, the scars, the sweat, the discomfort, the unease, the uncertainty, the doubts, the insecurities.. as it is. . This, right here, right now, is perfect. . There is nothing lacking with you as you are right now. . #onebreathatatime https://www.instagram.com/p/BtBGEqZgYWr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=c87dahvb0xpd

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

Being present while experiencing new and exciting events isn’t the challenge. Being fully present in the day-to-day “mundane” tasks is the true challenge... . One of the things that put me off an Ashtanga practice for so long was the idea of how unexciting it would be to do the same thing every single day - same poses, same sequence... what’s the point of that? But over time, I’ve started to appreciate its value. . We are always looking for new and exciting things to keep us entertained - the next new challenge, the next vacation, the next big purchase... the list goes on. Perhaps over the years we may have assumed that joy can only be experienced through exciting events or ventures. And because of that, we tune out all the “boring” day-to-day events of our lives - getting ready in the morning, preparing meals, walking to work... . But these little boring moments of our day-to-day life adds to the sum of our lives. And when we allow ourselves to be present during those moments, we may start to see how different they can be every single day... We start to notice the subtlety of those differences. We start to appreciate its uniqueness. . It’s these moments that make up the majority of our lives. And it’s on the mat that we practice to be there - to be fully present - in the day-to-day grind. . #ashtangayoga #practiceandalliscoming https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs-JxfYgyeo/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=yya7fi90i6xx

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

before we can heal and let go, what ails us deeply must first come to the surface - beautiful words by @yung_pueblo . The asana practice in modern day yoga is designed to bring these ails to surface. Growth in the practice isn’t so much about our physical capabilities, but it is about working through the process of observing the (mental) afflictions that surfaces and detaching our self worth from them. . Observe and let go. Then repeat. Again and again... That is the practice. . #yogalessonsarelifelessons #practiceandalliscoming https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs49ZPRgZK8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ciuemkahtlbx

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

Life isn’t fair. It isn’t meant to be. We only obsess over this view of “fairness” when we obsess over ourselves - the me, the “I”, over everyone else. But when we see ourselves as part of this whole, fairness doesn’t even appear in the equation. All of this - this experience - is simply part of a whole. A wider bigger picture that we may not necessarily always see, but there it is nonetheless. . #theyogaoflife (at Jaisalmer) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsx12-nAu9D/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=u5vv0bujf3ff

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The most memorable lessons in life do not get taught through words, they’re taught through experiences. . . . Only a year between these two, but feels like a complete world of difference. #ayearofyoga2019 #kapotasana https://www.instagram.com/p/BssN-ZVgWHN/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=jccko6wtchza

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

Whoever said Ashtangis are too serious? We have fun too!... with our legs behind our heads, of course 😉 . Enjoyed my Sunday doing non-Ashtanga yoga (and feeling sore today!) at @yogafest_w.e with these ladies. Hope you’re having a good Monday ❤️ (at Singapore) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsnRS4uAMNn/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=fxf23v3pb5ks

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

The thing with practice is that it doesn’t demand perfection, it just requests for us to show up. . . . I avoided backbends for the first few years of my yoga practice - I made all the excuses in the world, genuinely believing them to be true. Until one day I actually heard these inner narratives for what they were. That’s when I realised I needed to start facing them, and feeling them. There was no easy way around them - they were not always easy, and they didn’t always feel great, but all that was needed out of me was my presence - to just show up & breath. . . . #ayearofyoga2019 #urdhvadhanurasana #onebreathatatime https://www.instagram.com/p/BsiIZwBgbYM/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=odhzhisc2c0u

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

“Home is where the heart is” . Over the past few years, I have attached a sense of security to my home - a physical place that I can be me. This is a very primal instinct - the need to create a cave or a nest, a place where we can feel safe. So naturally when that sense of security starts to move, I get very anxious. . It may be a very innate primal feeling, but I know through my practice that it doesn’t have to define me. My anxieties are thought processes from mental impressions - especially mental impressions that revolve around fear. And although they have the power to control me, they don’t have to. . This practice is definitely going to be put to the test for me this year. As some of you may have known (or guessed), I will be moving around a lot this year. I’m leaving Singapore permanently (in a few months) to live in Sydney. But in between that move, I’ll be spending about 4 months finding “temporary homes” through my travels. . The move itself doesn’t bother me - we’ve been looking forward to it for a while now! It’s the I’m-between travel. As exciting as it sounds, the idea of not having a “home” for 4 months brings up a lot of anxiety in me. . The thing that I need to keep reminding myself is that this sense of security doesn’t have to be a thing or a place - it’s a feeling. And this feeling it’s already within me. It’s in all of us. Deep within our hearts. All is well. . . . #yogalessonsarelifelessons (at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsfYVdFg1QI/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=z223qmpwat9v

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

If it comes it come, and if it doesn’t that’s okay too. . After all these years, that’s the attitude I now have with splits. It wasn’t always like that. I used to get frustrated. I didn’t understand why my body couldn’t just fall into a graceful split (like other #igyogis) after all these years of yoga. Until I realised that those frustrations were reflections of my own expectations. . With poses like this (at least for me), where physical progress is tough & slow, the pose becomes a great teacher. It made me question why it was so important to “achieve” it. It allowed me to notice and investigate the frustrations that came up - to also pay attention when that familiar emotion and dialog showed up in other parts of my life. . The thing with yoga is that if we listen closely, every pose can be a teacher. . . . Swipe over to see the comparison from the past few years #ayearofyoga2019 #hanumanasana https://www.instagram.com/p/BsXunK8gOE1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=2r8qd5ku3h76

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

If you’ve been to a variety of yoga classes, you may have heard chair pose #utkatasana taught in different ways. Some people may have strong opinions of one compared to the other, but in my opinion they’re both perfect depending on what the intention of the pose is!... And really, you’ll see this in a lot of other poses too. . In chair pose, some teachers would insist: • knees back, in line with the ankles • tailbone tucked to keep the spine straight • triceps by the ear Nothing wrong with any of this. This version works the thighs, the length of the spine and the shoulders. So if the intention is to work all these things, then this would be perfect alignment cues. In fact, I use these cues a lot when I’m teaching chair pose as a prep for handstand or inversions. . So does that mean the chair pose on the right is wrong? . The one on the right would be the chair pose as traditionally taught in an Ashtanga practice: • natural curve of the spine is kept - no tuck and no arch • knees aren’t too far back (to stretch the achilles) • palms together, gazing towards thumbs for drishti (to promote a one-pointed focused mind) . So why the difference? The intention of this pose in an Ashtanga practice is different. In the Ashtanga practice, the focus is on drishti and bandhas. As part of understanding the workings of bandhas, the practice focuses on learning to balance the grounding energy with uplifting energy (swipe right to see the difference). With the chair pose version on the left, the energy is balanced between forward and backwards, whereas in the version on the right, the energy is balanced between uplift and grounding. . Notice one common cue between both versions? Ribs in! Both require deep core activation... just maybe in slightly different ways. . So don’t be too quick to judge. Try them both and feel the difference for yourself. . . . Use the hashtag #sunithalovesyoga to check out more #yogatutorials. Video tutorials are on my IGTV. https://www.instagram.com/p/BsVJoGbgUMw/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=j7pxmei68wqw

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

They say in yoga you learn a lot of things about yourself when you commit to the journey of figuring out a pose. I couldn’t agree more. That 2016 me feels almost like a different person in so many ways... . . . #ayearofyoga2019 #fireflypose #tittibhasana https://www.instagram.com/p/BsSNFo6A7Kq/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1vnlwpgnoksm6

[sunitha-yogini-blog]

Let go of who you think you’re suppose to be and be who you are . . . If you read my blog ‘All the Dirt, Mess and Pain’ (link in my bio) from a few days ago, I shared how I’ve been in a rut. After an unexpected event that occured a few weeks ago, I’ve noticed a lot of anger surfacing in my thoughts and this comes out in my #ashtanga practice. . In my blog, I wrote about my experience and tried to make sense of what was happening. I didn’t a resolution, but I guess writing it down was a therapeutic way for me to arrange my thoughts and accept the experience as it is. . The interesting thing is that this acceptance through my writing somehow released me from that anger. My practice felt so different after that. And that undertone of anger I was carrying around with me evaporated. . Looking back, I think part of it was that I was initially resistant towards what I was experiencing - subconsciously I was telling myself that I shouldn’t feel this way, and I shouldn’t think this way. I was trying to be the someone I thought I should be (i.e. more “yogic”), as oppose to just being who I am now. The resistance obviously includes undercurrents of judgement. . By thinking what I should be feeling, I was judging what I was actually feeling. And this judgement obstructed my path to acceptance. Without acceptance, can we really find the space to move on? . Our minds are so complex. We hold judgement in so many subtle ways that it really takes mindful reflection to see the different twists, turns and dark corners that exist in our own unique mind. And this practice of mindfulness is the practice of looking inward - truly seeing. Then learning to draw away another curtain that hides us from our true self. . Interestingly, after this self discovery, I found my heels for the first time in #kapotasana... Could they be related? I don’t know, tell me what you think... . #yogapractice #yogablog https://www.instagram.com/p/BsNB6YvAXs7/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=114pawd5wbhev

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Found this old gem of a picture (on the right), which I never posted before. I guess we always want to show our best to the world. So here’s one for those of you who think or assume I was born bendy... 😉 I’ve been there too (and I still struggle with this pose!) . Day 2 of #ayearofyoga2019 with @cyogalife is #ekapadarajakapotasana https://www.instagram.com/p/BsKe4kvgj-z/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dqu0ph79bw3g