Venus Rising

Yoga for LivingIssue: Leo 08

Strengthen Your Center With Half Moon Pose and Follow Your Heart With Wide-Angle Forward Bends

A Leo’s center is so strong that at times it can be overpowering. She becomes the point around which everything else rotates and is unable to see things from others’ points of view. When unbalanced, Leos become self-centered and egotistical. Their strength beomes overbearing and their relationships one-sided. Caught up in the needs of the ego, they have a distorted perspective of reality. 

UNBALANCED 

To balance a Leo’s tendency towards self-centeredness I recommend a yoga practice that contains and calms the ego. A Karma yoga practice of volunteering or serving others is a good way to balance the ego. It takes the focus off of ourselves and moves it onto helping others. A Hatha practice that includes prasarita padottanasna can help to bring awareness inward and calm the mind. It is a dramatic stretch for the legs and hips and having the head bowed below the heart cultivates humility. It calms the fire and gives us room to play with the relationship between the upper and lower body.

PRASARITA PADOTTANASANA (Wide-Angle Standing Forward Bend)

Begin in a wide stance with your legs about four feet apart, your feet parallel and your arms outstretched. Pivot your toes inward so that they are slightly pigeon-toed, with your heels wider than your toes. Bring your hands to your hips. Bend your knees slightly and reach your sitting bones back toward the wall behind you creating a forward tilt of the pelvis. It will feel like you are sticking your bum out. Inhale and grow spacious through the front of the body. Exhale and fold forward from the hip creases.  Imagine reaching your navel toward the floor. Continue to reach your sitting bones back as you fold forward. Once you have folded all the way forward, place your hands on the floor in between the feet and once again, lift your sitting bones up toward the ceiling.  The knees can be slightly bent here. With each inhale continue to lengthen through the front of the body and with each exhale deepen the forward fold. Once you feel like you have reached your maximum extension in the pose, roll the inner thighs back towards the wall behind you and allow this action to straighten the legs. Continue to roll your inner thighs back as you bring the weight forward toward your toes. Breathe and imagine the crown of your head reaching toward the floor. Hold for 5-7 breaths. To come out, press into the soles of the feet and rise up with a flat back. 

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.