Sensing Your Energy on Your Yoga Mat

Here is a way to easily feel your energy on your yoga mat (and quite dramatically.) We will do it with standing poses so if you use a block, place the block on the outside of your right leg. Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Take a moment to really feel your pose. I want you to be able to remember how you feel right now to compare it with how you will feel in a moment.

Now, do this series of standing poses: turn your feet to the right and do Trikonasana (Triangle Pose). Then turn your feet to the left and do Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose). Then to the right do Parsva Konasana (Extended Side Angle Pose). To the left do Parsvottanasana (Pyramid Pose). To the right, do Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose). Finally, to the left, do Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose). Return to Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Take a moment and ground your pose (as best you can!) Feel the imbalance? Quite significant. There is a feeling like you are tipping or twisting to one side.

We purposely created an imbalance in the body. The imbalance, though, is mostly energetic. We used all the major muscles on each side of the body so physically we are relatively balanced.

There is no magic to the order of the poses. I organized this series so you don’t need to move your block. All the poses that might need a block are on the right side. Be sure to do the series to the other side to balance yourself out!