Can't Begin to Tell You

by Nina Zolotow

Path in the Mist by Brad Gibson

It was an idyllic Sunday afternoon in Seattle, warm weather, blue skies, and the company of old friends. During a lull in the conversation, J asked me, “Nina, could you show me that yoga pose you told me about, the one for stress that you said anyone can do? And could you repeat what you told me about the relaxation response and how the pose helps trigger that?”

As I did my best to demonstrate Savasana (Relaxation Pose) with legs on a chair using the lawn and the outdoor furniture as my yoga props, I reflected on how many times I get asked questions like these by my friends. And while I quite enjoy explaining the basics to both friends and students, I’ve always wished there was a place where I could send people to look up the poses and practices when they are on their own. My hope now is for this blog to become that place, an ongoing resource of practices and information that I personally have found helpful over the years.

As a long-time yoga practitioner, I’ve been using my home practice for years to help me address my changing physical and emotional needs. I’ve learned to ask myself each day, “What is the best practice for me today? Do I need to stretch to make up for a day of hiking or do I need to do backbends to make up for day spent in front of a computer? Do my problematic shoulders need attention? Or do I need to do a calming practice to restore my equanimity after a stressful day?” When my mother was dying of cancer, I was able to spend a lot of time with her. But I also understood how important it was for me to stay strong and steady for the long haul. So after each visit with her, I would come home and spend 20 minutes in my go-to relaxation pose, Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall pose). I can’t begin to tell you how helpful this was for me (and I’m someone who in the past had terrible problems with anxiety and stress).

But what works for me won’t necessarily work for you. We all have different bodies, personalities, and needs. That’s why I’m hoping to make this blog very interactive, a place where you ask questions and request information, and where we can all learn together.

For those who are interested in trying the relaxation pose I was demonstrating to my friend in Seattle, here is a short video that’s pretty good. I have one quibble with it, however. If you pay close attention you’ll notice that although the teacher first says that the folded blanket should be at the base of the chair legs, she moves the blanket away from the chair legs just she goes into the pose. Do what she does not what she says, people! The blanket should be 6 to 12 inches from the chair legs, so that the angle of your thighs when you are in the pose is easy and comfortable, and so your calves can release and relax on the chair seat. If you find the blanket under your pelvis irritates your back, you can do the pose without it.

What I love about this pose (which goes by many names but which Baxter and I are calling “Easy Inverted Pose”) is that unlike most of the other inverted poses, which can be difficult or uncomfortable for some practitioners, almost everyone can do this one comfortably.

Tomorrow we'll have our first Q&A.

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