Standing poses, my initial thoughts were that these were purely leg strength or flexibility. Which was pretty evident when I struggled with holding poses such as Virabhadrasana 1 (Warrior 1). My thighs quivered, shook, and screamed internally in agony from the pain.
But I came to the realization that there was so much more to standing poses. It required a lot of core, the ab muscles to hold the pose comfortably without throwing out the back. There was a need to breath. Yes, I forgot to breath sometimes as I was distracted by the pain. By finding a rhythm to the breathing, the breath can be lengthened and oxygen supplied to the muscles, giving it strength and stability.
The mind in particular, was the essence of the practice. The most insightful experience was standing in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), but with my eyes closed. It was the easiest standing pose, however I could feel myself swaying minutely on each side of my feet. It was important for the mind to be conscious of the pose, how the weight should be distributed, only then would the body gain awareness to feel each pose and execute it properly.
Alvin
200 Hour YTT Feb-May’21
