{"id":2484,"date":"2012-06-13T09:28:24","date_gmt":"2012-06-13T13:28:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theyogasanctuary.biz\/staging\/?p=2484"},"modified":"2023-07-31T12:02:42","modified_gmt":"2023-07-31T16:02:42","slug":"when-in-doubt-take-childs-pose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/when-in-doubt-take-childs-pose\/","title":{"rendered":"when in doubt, take child&#8217;s pose"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In yoga class we are presented with an array of yoga postures, or asanas, each pose fitting each body differently. For example, one person may find comfort in downward facing dog while another person finds the pose greatly challenging. Throughout the class, each person will have his or her unique experience in each pose.<\/p>\n<p>In a challenging pose, the mind\u2014as modern minds tend to do\u2014often says, \u201cJust push through it. You can do it,\u201d before first checking in with the body, and specifically, the breath. This mentality might sound familiar to you. It might even sound encouraging. But if we only listen to what the mind tells us what to do without first checking in with our bodies, trouble may ensue.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5692\" style=\"width: 199px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5692\" class=\" wp-image-5692\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/childs-pose-1-300x240.jpg\" alt=\"balasana\" width=\"189\" height=\"152\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/childs-pose-1-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/childs-pose-1-150x120.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/childs-pose-1.jpg 608w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 189px) 100vw, 189px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-5692\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Child&#8217;s Pose<\/p><\/div>\n<p>If, instead, the mind first checks in with the breath, it might find a labored breath, or even a held breath. If a relatively steady breath cannot be found, this would indicate a need for softening. And one of the best ways to soften is in child\u2019s pose, or balasana. In child\u2019s pose we come to the hands and knees, and then push the hips back toward the heels while draping the body over the thighs and bringing the forehead to the floor. (Feel free to place a blanket over the calves and\/or a block under the forehead for more comfort, if needed.)<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1565\" style=\"width: 220px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1565\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1565\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/rsz_balasana_supported_2.jpg\" alt=\"supported child's pose\" width=\"210\" height=\"125\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1565\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Child&#8217;s Pose with block support<\/p><\/div>\n<p>At any time throughout a yoga practice, if steadiness and ease are nowhere to be found, take child\u2019s pose and find your breath. Even if the rest of the class is in a standing posture, if your body says, \u201crest,\u201d child\u2019s pose is always available. Taking child\u2019s pose when your body (and mind, and spirit) truly needs it, is a sign that you really understand the practice. After all, it is your practice; so it should fit you, not the rest of the class.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2091\" style=\"width: 236px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2091\" class=\" wp-image-2091\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/rsz_1balasana.jpg\" alt=\"supported child's pose\" width=\"226\" height=\"98\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2091\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Child&#8217;s Pose with bolster support<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Get comfortable with taking child&#8217;s pose when your body needs a rest, despite what the rest of the class is doing, and especially despite what the ego mind is telling you to do. Taking child\u2019s pose when needed is a powerful practice. Next time you are in class listen to your breath, and when it tells you it\u2019s time, take child\u2019s pose.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In yoga class we are presented with an array of yoga postures, or asanas, each pose fitting each body differently. For example, one person may find comfort in downward facing dog while another person finds the pose greatly challenging. Throughout the class, each person will have his or her unique experience in each pose. In [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[98,134],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2484"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2484"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2484\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5694,"href":"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2484\/revisions\/5694"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theyogasanctuary.biz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}