close window

Soften into Fall With Staff Pose and Bound Angle Pose

written by Emily Garrettfor Venus Rising Magazine

Virgo 07 Issue

As the cool fall wind begins to blow and the sun sets earlier each night, our needs change. It is common that many of us get colds and allergies this time of year. This is why it is important for us to take really good care of ourselves as we make this transition. The better we treat our bodies, the less likely we are to get sick.

Change does not come naturally when the sun is in Virgo. The change of seasons requires a disruption of routine. This is best done slowly and consciously.  The more we can prepare for change, the more relaxed we will feel. The changes can be small, like eating dinner earlier and wearing more layers, or the changes can be big like starting back at school or increasing hours and commitments at work. 

As the seasons flux from warm to cool, I recommend staff pose as a grounding place. It will help connect the energy of the earth with the stillness that exists between changes. Staff is a linear pose that requires attention to detail. Practiced every day it will help to create a consistent routine, even as the world spins beneath us.

DANDASANA/STAFF

Begin seated with your legs straight, outstretched in front of you and your hands planted either side of your hips. Flex your feet and point your toes up towards the ceiling. Tilt the front rim of your pelvis forward, allowing you to deepen your hip creases and press into the tops of both sitting bones. Continue to press into your sitting bones, the backs of your legs and your hands as you lengthen through the crown of your head. Move your shoulders away from your ears and draw your chin gently in and back. Gaze to your big toes, breathe and find steadiness. If your lower back is rounded due to tightness in your hips and hamstrings, bend your knees just enough so that you can plant the tops of both sitting bones evenly down.

Hold for 7 breaths. 

When the sun is in Virgo we can have trouble relaxing. We can obsessively clean and organize in an effort to make things perfect. This, of course, is a fruitless battle as the world will continue to turn no matter how clean our living rooms are. It is important to notice if we are being obsessively demanding of perfection and take some time to step out of our heads and get into our body. I recommend practicing a relaxed baddha konasana pose, which will help release excess tension from the spine, calm the nervous system, and relax. Its round shape and passive quality balances an overcritical and obsessive mind. By learning to relax into the pose, we can learn to relax and soften into the changes around us. 

RELAXED BADDHA KONASANA/BOUND ANGLE

Sit with your legs in a diamond shape, the soles of the feet touching. Hang forward over your legs, allowing both your head and your arms to drape. Release the full weight of your head and try to do absolutely nothing in the pose. Let the breath flow. Watch as the sensation changes.

Hold for 3-5 minutes. 

Avoid injury! When practicing yoga, listen to your body and take responsibility for your safety. Always move gently into poses, and do not push too hard. 

close window