Namaste Katie,
I have been getting out and about hiking and whatnot this fall/winter as much as I can. This has been fantastic, but hard on my hips. I feel like the inside of my hips, groin muscles and such, are locking up when I sit for too long. Any tips? Thanks!
Renee, Ann Arbor
Dear Renee,
Great job on all the movement. It keeps the joints more fluid and everything working. As you noted, we all experience areas in our bodies that respond differently to our efforts to stay mobile. This, as we continue to note, is based on the design of our bodies, how we utilize our bodies on a daily basis (as we accumulate stress) and where we put our attention, as well as a whole host of other factors.
For those adductors, a part of which we refer to as the groin muscles, they play key roles in the stabilization of the pelvis and help to draw the legs back in toward the body. So, when we are on unstable surfaces, there is a lot of effort placed on those muscles. A great way to both lengthen and strengthen the adductor group to the degree that you are in need of/wanting, is through an asana called Goddess or Deviasana.
To come into Deviasana we place your feet out wide—that distance will be a comfort level that feels good to you—and rotate the feel externally so the knees, when bent, are tracking over the midline of the foot. This rotation will be different for all of us, so find a fit that feels good, as well as the distance of the feet from the body. When ready, allow the pelvis to remain neutral as you bend the knees and find a squat-like stance. The amount of bend in the knees will be up to how you feel that day. If those adductors are tight (or if the knees are sore) the bend may be slight; other days you may find more flexion in the knees. If you are sinking into the spaces check the knees are not falling in, rather staying over the middle of the feet. With tight adductors they love to creep in! See if you can lift up in the posture rather than have the knees collapse inward. There is also the opportunity to flow with the breath here: inhaling pressing through the feel and lifting out and exhaling bending the knees and sinking in. Enjoy.
Namaste Katie,
I took a Mudra workshop during the shutdown and have been loving incorporating that energy work into my asana practice. Is there a particular mudra you recommend for my meditation practice?
Kasey, Ann Arbor
Hello Kasey,
There are hundreds of Mudras. All these energy locks are created for different purposes. Some Mudras are used to move energy up and activate, while others help us to ground and refine our meditation practice. Another Mudra that can support our grounding practice is Bhu Mudra. This Mudra is made by bringing the index and middle finger together and extending them long, while remaining comfortable. The ring and pinky finger tuck into the palm with the thumb resting lightly over the ring and pinky finger.
If you have the opportunity to be in a seated meditation space, lightly press the extended fingers into the earth. If not, your hands can rest comfortably wherever—in the lap or on the abdomen. You are trying to find a space where you can feel the connection of the fingers into a solid space and draw your awareness to that place.
Once you have your hands positioned in a comfortable and steady place, start to direct the breath toward that connection. Allow your concentration to be focused on the space your fingers are making contact with—the earth, or the body, notice what is happening there. Can you deepen that connection? Does the energy change? If you deepen the breath does that alter the orientation of the Mudra? See if this focus on the energy lock makes an impact on your meditation practice.
Namaste Katie,
A friend recently told me that to be a ‘true yogi’ you had to be a vegan. Is there truth to this?
Javon, Chelsea
Namaste Javon,
Anyone who chooses to practice yoga, and continues that practice, is a yogi! That said, I believe I know where this came from. This first limb of yoga is called the Yamas, and the five Yamas are the abstentions, containing that which is to be avoided. One of the Yamas is Ahimsa or non-harming and sometimes translated as non-killing. Ahimsa has deep influence in nonviolent protest movements and is the source of many peaceful practices.
One of the ways some choose to practice Ahimsa is through non-harm to animals, with the strictest interpretation being non-killing of any sort (this means bug as well!). One way to exercise this choice is through more ethical food choices which may include vegetarian and vegan eating. These choices are up to you for the situation you are in. What we eat is one of the many ways we can choose to participate in non-harming. For some, restrictive diets can be harming to the self, so yoga asks we limit the prescriptive nature of our thinking, and ask ourselves, is this decision right for me and my practice, and overall doing the least amount of harm?
More recently there has been more concentration on the more subtle expressions of Ahimsa. How do we practice non-harming thoughts, toward ourselves, our loved ones, and to total strangers? How do we speak in ways that show compassion rather than cause harm? We applaud all efforts at genuine Ahimsa and know that not all practices are for every person. Find your fit and you will be on the right path.
