Venus Rising

Yoga for LivingIssue: Libra 06

Give to Yourself and Others with Cobra and Tadasana

Giving and loving

Libras love to love. The open heartedness of cobra pose symbolizes a Libra’s natural inclination toward giving, and its arching shape is aesthetically pleasing to a Libra’s keen eye. Because her belly is touching the earth and her legs are active, a Libra is able to open her heart yet maintain grounding and stability through the lower body. This allows her to give without overextending or losing her sense of self. Cobra creates the perfect balance of openheartedness and groundedness that a Libra exemplifies at her fullest. 

COBRA or BUJANGASANALie on your belly with your arms at the sides of your body with forehead down. Take a moment to feel the support of the floor beneath you. Relax into it. Bring your legs together and place your hands under your shoulders with fingertips pointing forward.  Line up the tip of the middle finger with your nipple line, and hug your elbows towards the rib cage. Feel how your chest begins to open. Activate the legs by pressing the tops of the feet into the floor. Make sure that you press evenly into the big and little toenail side of each foot because this creates an internal rotation through the legs and protects the lower back. Move your tailbone towards your heels, engaging slightly through the gluts and the hamstrings.  Press your feet more firmly into the floor. Keeping the legs extremely active, beginning to lift the head and the chest. Squeeze the elbows toward each other, moving the shoulder blades together and down the back. Press more firmly into the legs and lift through the front of the body, sending the center of the chest forward. Breathe, and relish in the opening of the heart. 

Avoid overwhelm by taking a moment to get grounded

Establishing boundaries and giving back to self allows a Libra to keep her heart open. In fact, establishing clear boundaries will keep a Libra girl feeling healthy and strong. She loves, loves, loves to give, but a smart Libra is also able to give to herself. Otherwise she gets worn out emotionally and has nothing left for others. Tadasana pose is a great way for a Libra to re-find her center, get grounded, and build the confidence she needs to say “no” every once in awhile.
MOUNTAIN or TADASANA 
Stand with the big toes touching and the heels about an inch apart. Look down, and make sure that the outside edges of your feet are parallel.  Feel your feet and begin to press evenly into the base of the big toes, the base of the little toes, and the center of each heel.  As you press into your feet engage the legs, lifting the knee caps. Bring your pelvis into a neutral position by moving the pubic bone and the tailbone toward each other. Let go of excess holding in the gluts. Breathe. Relax the jaw. Continue to press into your feet and feel a lift up the sides of the waist all the way to the armpit. Lift the top of the sternum gently toward the ceiling, as the shoulder blades relax down the back. Allow your arms to hang. Feel your skull resting easily on top of the spine. The back of your neck is long and the gaze is directly forward. Press more into your feet, and pull up support from the earth. Breathe. Feel your power.

 
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.