Parivritta parsvakonasana, a fundamental standing asana similar to utthita parsvakonasana, but with a twist.

I’ve just been given this asana and I’m having multiple difficulties. Firstly, I can’t seem to balance, this is not a surprise since I seem to have problems whenever balance is required in any way. When I put the arm down on the ground next to the little toe of the foot, I fall over. I try pushing the knee into the arm to propel my body into a twist, and I still end up on the ground.

Another difficulty is putting the foot of the straight leg down. There are two issues with putting the foot of the straight leg down. Firstly, how does one balance? Secondly, what angle should the foot be?

I tried to get a look at how it “should” be done by going to AYRI’s web site, but parivritta parsvakonasana isn’t listed as a fundamental asana there. I also looked in Yoga Mala by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, but Parivritta Parsvakonasana wasn’t in there either. Strange isn’t it?

Anyway, I ended up finding a picture in David Swenson’s Practice Manual and John Scott’s Ashtanga Yoga Guide. Both books show the foot of the straight leg almost at 90 degree, but how is that possible? I seem to just fall over every time I try.

This pose is frustrating me at the moment, I just can’t seem to get the feel for it yet. I can’t find the balance and it doesn’t feel “right” yet.

I guess with all new asanas, it takes patience. I’ll get it one day!

It’s good to be adjusted sometimes, you realise that your body can do more than what you thought possible. I had an adjustment in ardha baddha padmottanasana, one of the fundamental standing postures not to be confused with ardha baddha padma paschimottanasana, a sitting posture in the primary series.

In ardha baddha padmottanasana, I was instructed long ago, when I first learnt this pose, not to fold forward until I could bind. I suspected that I could bind in this pose since I could easily bind in ardha baddha padma paschimottanasana, but I was always afraid of folding forwards, so I never tried very hard to bind.

Balancing poses are the most challenging type of asana for me, and I didn’t feel ready to fold forward in ardha baddha padmottanasana. I thought that if I have such a hard time keeping my balance, how would I be able to keep my balance AND fold forward?

Well, today C came around and twisted my shoulders until I could grab my toes. She didn’t have to twist much so I suspected she knew I could bind and thought it was time for me to take the plunge. So I had no choice, I was bound, I had to fold forward.

The tip she gave me that made the world of difference when folding forwards. She said to keep the knee of the straight leg slightly bent to help with balance. To my surprise, this worked like a charm and I didn’t fall over! I wobbled a lot (and I mean a lot) but I didn’t end up on my butt so I’m ecstatic!

Yoga never ceases to amaze me as to what our bodies are capable of, if only you would push past your comfort zone.

At my yoga shala, there is a sequence of classes to take in order to learn the sequence in Ashtanga yoga. It starts with Beginners Class I, which introduced Ashtanga yoga, pranayama, bandhas, sun salutation A and B along with some standing, seated and finishing poses. Beginners Class II introduced the opening chant along with more standing, sitting and finishing poses. Next were Guided classes, probably better known as led classes, which added a few more seated poses.

Beginners Class I and II runs for 8 weeks each. Guided classes run continuously, and was designed to help students memorize the primary sequence to move onto what the shala calls Ashtanga classes, which is in fact, Mysore-style classes where students practice at their own pace and to their own breath count.

I was attending Guided classes twice a week for one month and finally felt confident enough to move onto Ashtanga classes. When I told C that, her response was “about time!”. She was kidding, I’m sure she was glad that I’ve decided to further my practice. She warned me that it was only going to get harder, not easier, especially since she’ll be giving me new poses soon.

My first Ashtanga class was a very big change, much more than I thought I would be, but it was a very good change! I loved going at my own pace, I discovered that I moved faster in some areas and slower in others and going at my own pace and breath resulted in better practice for me. I felt more relaxed and more accomplished at the end of practice than I ever felt before.

I never thought of myself as having much self-control, but Ashtanga classes showed me otherwise. I would have thought I’d rush through the asanas I don’t like so much, like the balancing poses and warrior sequence, but I noticed that I would deliberately work harder on these poses rather than rushing through them.

Now that I’m in Ashtanga classes, I don’t know why I didn’t make the switch sooner.

This was a bit of a strange phenomenon. About 3 months into starting Ashtanga yoga, I started getting pins and needles in my feet, mostly in my toes actually. I thought it was because I was becoming more flexible and my forward bends were cutting off the circulation to my feet. I tried to look up on the internet to see if I was right, but there was absolutely no information about pins and needles and yoga. I wasn’t too surprised, as I said, it’s a bit of a strange phenomenon.

I thought I could put up with it and eventually it’ll go away as the blood vessels learn to cope with the pressure. I was wrong and it only got worse and didn’t look like it was going to go away. It got so bad at one point that I couldn’t feel or wiggle my toes! So I approached C after class and told her about my tingly feet and toes and she said that problems with the feet and toes usually stem from the lower back and that she notices that I collapse into my pelvis not in my poses and also when I walk.

So ever since then, I’ve been concentrating on not collapsing my pelvis, that is, having my pubic bone stick out in front. I’m more aware of the problem during the day as well and I take particular care when I’m in yoga practice. Ever since then, my pins and needles have slowly gone away and after yesterday’s class, I noticed for the first time… no pins and needles!