Question

Hello! I just have a question about inversions.

I’ve been practicing yoga for about 7 years now (I love Tara Stiles’ and Heidi’s videos!) and have been teaching flow yoga for a year. I enjoy challenging myself and moving with the breath, but am having a hard time with inversions.

I’ve always struggled with handstand and headstand. I am able to comfortably do box pose at a wall, but I am really struggling to get into headstand or handstand with a wall, or on my mat.

I’m cyclist , and I naturally practice a very core-based yoga practice. I feel that my body is ready, but my mind keeps holding me back no matter how much I am trying to relax and breathe through it.

Do you have any suggestions for those struggling with inversions? I would like to at least keep trying, as it is something that I would like to enjoy 🙂

Thank you for taking the time to read this email ! Namaste, Jenn

Answer

Hey Jenn, good evening and thanks for writing.

You’re already right on the edge of your own answer here! You mention struggling with inversions a couple of times. The short answer to making all this easier is, stop struggling.

When you’re riding, you can bear down on the bike with a lot of force; if you’re strong, it works pretty well.

With yoga, this approach doesn’t lead to great results. Bearing down on your body with a lot of force just leads to struggle.

As a near-term suggestion, let go of the pose goals a little. Focus on moving and breathing easily through every inch of your body. If you can really do this in something as simple as cat / cow, handstands become not so different.

When you do approach headstands and handstands, rather than follow rigid rules about how to position your body . . . just move and follow how you feel! As easily as you do in cat cow.

If you approach “hard” things the same way as you approach things you see as easy, they’re eventually not hard.

Hope this helps. Happy weekend!

Mike

About Strala Yoga Training

Strala combines the movement and healing wisdom of tai chi with the form vocabularies of yoga, tai chi, qigong, and Traditional Chinese and Japanese Medicine, to help people release stress, move easily through challenge, and live radiantly inspiring lives.

It begins with a mindset, that says our best way to get where we’re going is to feel good along the way. It also works miracles for whole health, helping us to find ease in our bodies and minds, and create the right conditions both for healing and optimal performance.

In our Strala Training Courses, you learn to shape your destiny on every level that counts, from your psychology, chemistry and neurology, to your chromosomes and even gene expression. The unique set of skills you develop – for connecting with yourself and others, unblocking your energy, healing what needs healing and accomplishing challenge with ease – uncovers your ability to create the life you want, and be an inspiring leader to the people around you.

Who’s What’s and When’s of Strala Yoga Training