After way too much dance and rehearsing lately (all lovely and fun but definitely contributing to tight hamstrings!) I made it back to yoga class with Scotty on Sunday morning. Ah... restorative yoga with Scotty. Not one but two shavasanas. And in the midst of all those shavasanas, I discovered a brand new pose I've become quite fond of: Rabbit Pose. It's demonstrated in the YouTube video above, which is actually a very nice explanation by two folks from Moksha Yoga in, none other than, Kerala. And, according to Bikram Yoga Portsmouth, rabbit pose does all of the following:
- Maximum stretch of the spine allowing nervous system to receive proper nutrition
- Maintains mobility and elasticity of spine
- Nurtures the nervous system, helps with depression
- Improves digestion
- Helps cure sinus problems, colds and chronic tonsillitis
- Strengthens and firms abdomen
- Stretches back muscles
- Removes tension from upper back and neck
- Improves posture
- Stimulates thymus gland, improving function of the immune system
 |
| Lotus Mudra |
Lotus Mudra is done in front of the heart center, and is considered a heart opening mudra. Most visualizations associated with Lotus Mudra involve envisioning your heart as a lotus, with the roots of the lotus connecting you to the ground and the lotus petals fanning out and upwards from your hands and heart center. The mudra is done for a variety of different reasons, but I've found Lotus Mudra is particularly useful in helping me to stop and listen to what I feel, turning away from watching thoughts swirl around my head. It's a grounding, uplifting, and accepting gesture, just as a lotus itself is a beautiful flower rooted in stagnant water. The muck, the sunshine, the beauty, and the transience are all integral to the appearance of a lotus. And Lotus Mudra helps me remember they're all integral to the appearance of a human being as well.
