Venus Rising

Yoga for LivingIssue: Capricorn 06

Stay Steady with Plank Pose and Have Fun with Lion’s Breath

When balanced, a Capricorn feels steady and grounded in her body. From this grounded place, she can participate actively in the world. Capricorns maintain this structure for others as well and make decisions clearly and logically when no one else can. It is this stability that allows a Capricorn to have patience with others because she knows that she will find a way to get things done no matter what obstacles she encounters. Even when everything around her is in flux, she remains centered and calm. 

PLANK

Plank posture mirrors the stability that a balanced Capricorn embodies. It’s a great pose to practice alignment as it lines up the bones and strengthens the muscles that help hold us together. A challenging posture, plank requires that we remain steady and strong even when the sensation gets intense.

Come into a table top position with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Spread your fingers wide and tuck your toes under. Scan your awareness through your spine and feel even length through both the front and the back of the body.  The sitting bones reach back toward the wall behind you, and the crown of the head reaches forward. Draw the front lower ribs into the body, and soften the space between the shoulder blades toward the floor. While maintaining the structure of the back, extend one leg at a time until the whole body is parallel to the floor. Gently squeeze the creases of the elbows towards each other and continue to soften the space between the shoulder blades toward the floor. Now, engage the legs. Reach firmly through the heels, and lift the inner thighs toward the ceiling. Draw your navel into your spine, and move your tailbone toward your heels. As the heels reach back, lengthen the base of the skull away from the shoulder blades, and gaze to the floor just between your hands. Hold for three to five breaths, and feel the structure of the pose.