A good kind of fullness
Hello, Mamas! I just wanted to acknowledge that this post is a day late, and rather than inwardly chastise myself for it, I took it as a sign that my week was too full. Do you ever get to the end of the week with that same realization?
And here we are talking about fullness on the full moon! Sometimes fullness equals overwhelm, but I’d like to invite you to, slow down and release that overwhelm. Open up to another kind of fullness, the kind that comes with space and free time. Even if that space and time is momentary, let yourself savor it. This is the essence of restorative yoga and it can be felt with even just one pose.
So here it is: Supported Seated-Angle Pose. It’s a forward bend, which means we’ll be reaching with some part(s) of our bodies. As we reach, though, let it be a gentle action, one where we can eventually release into the support of the props and just expand into a sense of rest and the fullness that comes with a moment of pause.
Hinging at the hip
How we reach for something says so much about our mindset and energetic state: do we lean forward with our heads or reach out with our hearts? Are we grounded in the lower half of our bodies, or do we fling ourselves at things?
Our attitude shapes so much of our experience in yoga poses. It’s not so much what we do as how we do it. Forget trying to look pretty or make the perfect shape (whatever that means) — the practice must have some internal components, and that’s where attitude and intention come into play.
Even though attitude is a mental and emotional function, it does show up on the physical plane. If we round forward in forward bends like Paschimottanasana or Adho Mukha Svanasana, we collapse the front of our bodies rather than expand them. This is not to say that we should never round our spines (hello, Cat-Cow Pose! We love you for that rounding and arching action:). It’s really a matter of what we’re trying to do in a pose. Give it a try yourself!
Not sure how, though? Let me give you a little guidance. This Supported Seated-Angle Pose is a restorative version of Upavistha Konasana. Get some props ready just in case (I suggest a bolster, a small flat cushion, or a firm folded blanket to place under the hips).
Experiencing Supported Seated Angle Pose
Now that you have played with the hip hinge a bit, let’s get set up for the Supported Seated-Angle Pose. If you haven’t already, gather your props, which might include the following:
1-2 bolsters
1-2 yoga blankets or other firm, foldable blanket
a chair
Breathing into the pelvis and torso
One of the gifts of this posture is that it allows us to explore a breath that is deep enough to expand our pelvic floor. You might be thinking that you need to tone that area of your body, but really, a healthy pelvic floor can engage and release.
When you practice poses like Malasana or Prasarita Padottanasana (which is really the same pose at Upavistha Konasana and Supported Seated-Angle Pose, but oriented into a standing position), the pelvic floor gets a little stretch. In those poses, it is in a great position to receive the inhalation. Think of Deergha Swasam, or Three-Part Breath and instead of beginning the inhalation by expanding the belly, here you can first expand the pelvic floor.
Here’s an article if you want to nerd out on the pelvic floor; it includes a fun visual that shows you the movement of the diaphragms in the body as we breathe (yes, we have more than one!).
Resources
There’s a wealth of information out there, but just to pare it down for you, here are two sources:
Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times by Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., P.T.
This article shows a couple of other versions of Supported Seated-Angle Pose using a chair.
Poetry of the pose
Supported Seated-Angle Pose and Upavistha Konasana both have elements of opening up and closing inward. As we bring the legs out in a wide angle, we open up the pelvic floor and as we hinge forward at the hip, we fold the front of the body inward. It’s a great reminder of learning the nuances of where in our lives we should (or might want to) open up and where we might be more conservative or inwardly focused. We don’t have to label ourselves as only extroverted or only introverted, nor do we have to be totally passive or totally active; it’s more complex than that and it calls for our relaxed, focused attention and responsiveness to ourselves in each moment.
see all those toys in the background? That’s right, I waited until my kids were asleep to do this. Otherwise, my son would probably be perched on my back in this photo:)
The other piece to this is that this folding forward with the torso actually helps facilitate the opening in the pelvic area. It’s a reminder that it’s not only important to learn the details of how each pose affects our anatomy, but also to appreciate it on an experiential level. So if you haven’t watched the video above, get out your props and give it a try! I welcome any comments or questions below:). This is a community space and I’d like for these posts to spark conversation because I’m sure you all have as much to teach me as I have to teach you.
Know someone who could use a moment of chill? I’d love it if you shared this post!
For now, all posts are free, but if you really click with my work and want to become a paid subscriber, it would make my day! It’s one way of showing your support for this little space online where I hope to inspire mamas to practice yoga despite their busy lives. Of course, if it’s just not the right time for you to subscribe, you can always show your love with a like or comment on this or any of my posts:)