POW! (pose of the week)

This week's pose: Sukhasana - "Sit easy Pose" - because we're starting over ;)

Sit easy Pose helps to focus awareness on breathing. It's great for starting a practice as it gently opens your hips and strengthens your lower back. Yoga Journal admonishes that if you're used to sitting in chairs all day (hello, Desk Jobbers!) even this simple pose can feel uncomfortable at first and take some getting used to.

So, why are we starting over? Summer is ending (for us teachers, it's our first day back from the summer break, so Summer is already over. September 21st is just a formality on the calendar...) The change of seasons always present us with a new beginning, a chance to set up a new routine, and with this, it's always good to revisit the "classics" in your yoga practice, just to make sure you're keeping up with good form.

Sukasana is one of the most commonly used yoga poses, and many instructors begin their practices in this pose. It's "easy" - you sit on the floor, buttocks grounded with your sitz bones aiming downward. You cross your legs and keep your spine lifting upward to the crown of your head. The chin is kept level. My older son says this is the "criss-cross apple sauce" way of sitting, but Sukasana lends a little more dignity to the start of your practice. Sit as long as you wish, but if you visit this pose often, be sure to alternate the way you fold your legs, just for balance.

Namaste