Practice suggestions for...

Spring Equinox - March 20th 2009

At this time find a balance in your practice between solar/lunar, active/passive, stimulating/relaxing, energising/calming, extroverting/introverting dualities.

Cleansing techniques

Continue your spring clean with the techniques listed for Imbolc.

Posture Work (Asana)

Balance dynamic, flowing sequences (e.g. surya namaskara and chandra namaskara) and demanding poses with poses which are quieter and more passive.

Breathing (Pranayama)

Nadi Sodhana (alternate nostril breathing)

Sukha Purvakha Pranayama (equalised breathing)

Relaxation

Anu Loma Viloma Kriya (The Polarity Breath relaxation).

Lying in savasana with the head to the north...

Begin to breathe with a savitri rhythm (e.g. 8:4:8:4)…

When the rhythm has been established take the in breath down the body from just above the top of the head to just below the feet and the out breath up the body from just below the feet to just above the head.

Feel the inhalation as dynamic/vital and the exhalation as passive/relaxed.

Visualise the in breath as golden and warm and the out breath as silver and cool. If visualisation is difficult for you stay with the feelings.

Let go of the visualisation and mentally repeat the mantra OM on the in and out breaths until you feel deeply relaxed.

You may continue to rest in this deeply relaxed state for a few minutes more.

Meditation

The vernal equinox is a time of spiralling energies. Walk a spiral path or labyrinth. If you have the space you could mark out a path/labyrinth with rope, chalk, stones etc. or draw one in the sand. Alternatively make a finger labyrinth. The act of creating the labyrinth is meditative itself and then you can trace the path with your finger. How to draw a labyrinth.

Try the Dervish Sama (whirling) dance (instructions can be found in the book “Dervish Yoga” by Idris Lahore et al) or  Osho’s whirling meditation.

You can also do Anu Loma Viloma in a sitting position. The practise becomes more meditative. When doing in a sitting position practice for a shorter time than when lying.

Sitting upright with no strain or tension.

Begin to breathe with a savitri rhythm (e.g. 8:4:8:4)…

When the rhythm has been established take the in breath down the body from just above the top of the head to just below the feet and the out breath up the body from just below the feet to just above the head.

Feel the inhalation as dynamic/vital and the exhalation as passive/relaxed.

Visualise the in breath as golden and warm and the out breath as silver and cool. If visualisation is difficult for you stay with the feelings.

Let go of the visualisation and mentally repeat the mantra OM on both the in and out breaths.

At the equinox day and night are of equal length. It is a time of balance before the light triumphs and the days get longer. It is a time of spiralling energies, a time for action.

Most of the styles of yoga practised in the UK are forms of Hatha (sounds like hatter) Yoga. The word hatha implies balance. It is made up of ‘ha’, symbolising the vital life force (prana)/solar energy/pingala nadi/right side of the body, and ‘tha’, symbolising the mental energy/lunar energy/ ida nadi/left side of the body. In the body these two energies are transported in energy channels called nadis.