“I feel weird mom!”
This was my response when asked to pose as a kid, in front of the camera and my yoga teacher.
My dancing, singing, and painting lessons weren’t enough to make me a quintessential desirable woman. And so, yoga was added to the list. From dragging me to ‘kaivalyadhama yoga center’ with the incentive of a mesmerizing view at the Marine Drive, Mumbai, to appointing a teacher at home, my mom did everything to make me love yoga. But I think, the embarrassment of the hindquarters of my body sticking out in various positions could not be comforted enough even by the sight of the queen’s necklace. I was not a warm host to ‘yoga’.
When I grew up, my 7 days a week, work schedule granted me aches and pains along with the money. It was only later when I learned to read and the reason the significance of each pose; I felt, comfortable practicing it regularly. Here are a few of my favorites.
The downward-facing dog pose
My rigid habit of sitting crosslegged like my grandmom had managed to tighten my hamstrings. The dog pose was the best one to get rid of the tightened fascia over my hamstrings & calves, relaxing my back pain.
Very few know about the sense of proprioception, and its importance. My wrist and shoulder needed a reminder where are they loitering in space; the weight-bearing on the wrist was a blessing in disguise for my joint position sense and strengthening the intrinsic muscles of the feet and hand. This pose did much more than it needed for me and Surya namaskar came easy to me as it was an integral part of the sequence.
The cobra pose
On days, when I feel nobody has my back, I reach out to Mr. Cobra to hold mine. Cobra pose activates back muscles & helps relieve stress and anxiety. It also elongates the anterior body stretching the musculature around the lungs and heart. One of the predominant statements by my mom used to put me in a habit of Yoga was:
“For those who do not want their lungs and heart cut open on the surgical table early in life, they should start stretching daily.”
I don’t know if that is true, but on some days when people get under my skin, I do wear my cobra pants and feel better.
The pigeon pose
There exist very few stretches that work on the back and front of the hip area, simultaneously. Pigeon pose is one such hip opener. The sciatic cries caused by tight hips can be relieved if this pose is practiced correctly in its variations. This has been my savior on long-standing workdays.
The hip is also subjected to holding unconscious feelings like sadness, fear, and worry as a result of repeated stressful events in life. I make sure, I let go of uncalled energy and feel as light as a pigeon. Making peace that I might not feel the high of flying every day unless I decide to jump from the plane daily, I can at least feel a little relieved after posing like you ‘piju’. Yes, that’s what I have been calling it since three years old.
‘Thread the needle’ pose
I often reach out to ‘thread the needle’, when my shoulders need some sewing, not literally. But ‘thread the needle pose’ is my favorite shoulder opener. I came in touch with this while looking for quick stretches online; this was more common than I thought. My thoracic spine and scapula now feel stable when threading the needle (pun intended).
While I wrap this piece, I am not asking you’ll to stop pouting for selfies and regress to posing like dogs, pigeons, or cobras. What I insist is, a stretch a day, be it in any form, preferably starting with the help of a specialist. I strongly feel stretching should be encouraged early in life for physical, mental, and emotional fitness. Stretching improves posture & range of motion, prevents injury, and releases endorphins that work on decreasing pain. Also, a stretch is not a warm-up before exercise. It is an essential element of our workout to be able to use our muscles daily in their full-lengths.
About me, every time, I stretch my face muscles to smile or pout, I ask myself, ‘Did I pose off-camera today for 10 minutes?’ Just in a few months, this habit of posing off-camera has given me the confidence to nail any pose on the camera.
– Dr. Unnati Jain.