YOGA BITES : Getting down and happy as a playful pup

A teacher of mine said, “On the grand spice rack of yoga poses, Down Dog is the salt.”  As we explore and experiment with various ingredients in our yoga lab, much like a kitchen, we can concoct a savory stew of sensations throughout the body while nourishing ourselves on the deepest levels anytime we step into the “kitchen” by stepping onto our yoga mat.

Adho Mukha Savanasana (AH-doh MOO-kah shvah-NAHS-anna), Downward Facing Dog, is at once calming and energizing as it stretches the whole back side of the body while strengthening the front.  Down Dog helps relieve stress, mild depression, menopause symptoms, headache, insomnia, back pain, fatigue, sciatica, and much more.

Come onto all fours.  Place your hands directly under your shoulders, fingers spread evenly, wrist creases and middle fingers face forward.  Meet the ground evenly through your palms and activate your finger pads down as if you were grabbing a handful of soil or sand.  Knees are directly under the hips, toes curled under.  With a long spine root down into hands and feet as you send your hips high and back.  Breathe and soften.

Spiral your inner thighs back and wide through your sitting bones with knees bent at first.  Roll your shoulders away from your face to keep lots of space around the neck, and let your head hang like a ripe fruit on the vine.  Gazing at your feet double check that the feet are facing forward and hip-width apart.  Now bring your ears in line with your upper arms, in one long line with your spine, as you lengthen all sides of the neck evenly.  Begin to walk your feet in place, straightening one leg and then the other.  Relax your jaw.  Soften your face.  Receive smooth, steady breaths in and out through the nose.

If you’re confused about your arms here, try rotating your arms in one direction and then the opposite.  One way will feel compressed around the neck and “yuckasana.”  The other will feel spacious between the shoulders and “yumasana.”  The trick to a blissed-out pooch pose is sending your weight back over your powerful legs, and allowing the arms to remain light and buoyant.

On an inhale come up onto the balls of your feet, bend the knees a lot, and send your belly back toward your thighs.  Widen your shoulder blades and drawn them toward your tail.  Without losing the alignment of your upper body and hips, begin to send your legs back toward straight (never locking the knees here), and sink your heels toward the earth slowly.  Draw your hip creases back and wide.  Imagine your heels are full of lead.

Continually breathe life into your pose with each inhale and exhale.  Feel free to wag your tail and shimmy your hips, wave long through the heart, unravel your spine, and unwind your mind.  On an inhale, float one leg to the sky for Dog Splits.  Roll that hip open, bend and release that leg over the straight one for Wild Dog or “fire hydrant pose.”  The key is to find an enjoyable asana, one that feels juicy.  Stay for three to five full breaths.  Come down onto your knees and rest back into Child’s Pose.

If you struggle with Down Dog, be compassionate and patient with yourself.  You are not the first person with tight hamstrings or weak arms.  Meanwhile, stay dedicated to your unfolding and diligent in your practice.  In time, unfurling your body into this pose, long and lithe like a pup stretching after a good nap, will feel so delicious that you’ll experience the whole-body joy dogs exhibit in the pose.  Have patience, young grasshopper.  Practice and all is coming.

Be like a good dog, and enjoy stretching many times throughout each day.  Seek sensations of pleasure in your body.  Imagine the innate joy, patience, loyalty, devotion, playfulness, and unconditional love of a dog.  Stick your head out the window and enjoy the ride.  Howl at the moon.