5 Creative Summer Additions to Primary Series, Slightly Naughty Perhaps

Uddhyana Bandha

I've been adding little bits and things to the primary series of ashtanga when I practice at home because they just soooo seem to go where they appear. I call it my own inner guru manifesting. It's likely I could be deluding myself.

I drop it all off at the Mysore studio of course. Mostly it is an experiment, but one that has slowly but surely been creeping into each private practice and that has been giving me better focus and a sense of a more rounded experience on the mat.

1.- Uddhyana bandha and nauli seem to be a default, but not within the series, they just happen before I start. I have seen many practitioners warm up before the first sun salute with it, and I can see why.

They help me find bandhas and feel oh so good. Besides the Pradipika says it delays old age, nothing wrong with that.

Lately I've been attempting the churning as well which is very difficult.  The Pradipika gives this great tip, that is you put all your hand weight on one of the legs so you can isolate the rectum abdominal muscles on that side of your belly and begin the mechanism for turning your stomach around -so to speak-.

2.- Trataka Mudra. When I read this post from Grimmly I started adding it in order to pre-engage all those locks (bandhas) within the body before doing the deep forward bends that come as soon as you start the sitting poses of primary series.

It mostly consists of laying down before the forward bend, and while on the back breathe out and hollow the belly, engaging the mulla and udhyana bandha. See Grimmly's post for a more rounded explanation.

Oh that first forward bend of the morning!

3.-  Maha mudra, the 'seal that destroys all diseases' pops up by itself into the janu sirsasanas. See this post for explanation and benefits.  The breath retention feels a little awkward I must say, but afterward the focus is just so flawless, the dristi (eye focus point) happens spontaneously, and I find myself with renewed energy for the twists of the marichis.

Garba Pindasana

3.- Lion's Pose. Further along primary, I am having trouble with garba pindasana, the one where the arms go through your legs in the lotus in a seemingly impossible way and then you go round the mat five times.  John keeps correcting me in it, because the legs tend to get wider and the position of the feet slides.

However, after coming up and staying for five counts kukutasana and removing the arms from in beween the lotus, it feels rather natural to do the lion's pose by standing on the knees (still on lotus) and sending thepelvis forward towards the floor while standing on the hands, then stick the tongue out, open the eyes, put a fierce face and let all inhibitions out.

We used to do it in Thailand. I am not putting a picture of that. Some things are best kept private.

4.-  The fourth addition is more of a subtraction.  I am saving energy so I can do drop-backs, lots of them, and therefore part of the intermediate to where I go (Laghu) is skipped.  The energy left-over has proven magical, I actually want to do the back bends.

5.- Finally, this is not a creative addition or subtraction it is just something I should have been doing all along but have not, something I have been building to but did not get fully into.  five minutes for shoulder stand and five for the headstand.  Challenging, rewarding.


So, how about you, do you get tempted to do creative additions here and there? if so, which ones?

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Related:

Recent Changes to the Primary Series


As a side note, The book in kindle hit #5 in amazon under yoga this morning!!!  It fluctuates like the practices but what does not change is my gratitude. Thank you for reading and recommending it!