I offered this poem and pose to my class last night as one of the preparatory postures for stimulating the heart and throat for chanting. It is so powerful to deliver these words! As I looked out at the strong group of women I was leading embody the loving, yet threatening, 'hoods' I was in awe of the divine feminine energy that seeks to rise in each of us. We had the gift of practicing outside on a beautiful spring day evening - literally learning once again to be in love with the ground. We followed the posture by chanting Jai Shri Ma. Thank you for bringing this poem to the world! 🙏❤️
I love this poem, Corie. I envision such power and all the poise of the pose. I love Cobra, too, and will forever have the words “shed your skins of all who you thought you were” accompanying me. Thank you 🙏
"And learn, again, to be in love with the ground." I adore this closing! Cobra is another pose (again with the back-arches) with which I struggle to connect. I always feel like my arms aren't in the right place when I arch upward. Coincidentally, during one of the TRUE practices this morning that had LOTS of Cobras, I felt a teeny tiny click. It was still awkward, but something in my mind and body synced up. Sure enough, here you are in my inbox as always to further deepen that connection! "Shed your old skins of who you thought you were and how you thought everything should be." Thank you, Corie!!
It is my pleasure! Cobra is a tweaking pose for me for sure! I am perpetually moving my arms and hands back and forth right before I rise. I try to not be too hard on myself anymore and just stretch out my belly, which spent years in the shadow of a slouch.
I am grateful for the synchronicity of the poem and for journeys intersecting.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. The snake is an embodiment of awareness in Indian culture.
BhujangAsana is one of the first postures in "prone" sequences that a teacher often exposes to a student, yet one of the most challenging because it asks us to engage the whole of our spine with our hips restricted.
Opening up our legs wider, can help. Adjusting our arm positions as per one's needs can help. Using props can help. But what has helped me the most in this posture is the awareness on my INHALE and my ability to regulate my Inhalation through the movement instead of letting the breath rattle through me. When I observe my incoming breath rising within from the prAna sthAna and filling up the whole of my chest and abdomen, when I bring my total attention to the breath then no matter how high (or not so high) I may have risen - I feel complete, I rise as far as my breath can take me firmly established with my lower body on the ground.
I stay in the posture with a Sitali breath to help me raise my neck (hood) further and deepen my Inhale. I hold my breath after Inhale to enhance my awareness and exhale to 'learn, again to be with my ground'
Although a cobra raises its hood when it is in danger or when it is disturbed, I use this pose as a gentle reminder that the quality of my attention on my breath , the quality of my awareness is what makes my practice a Yoga practice.
On a different note, the image looks more like Urdhva Mukha SvAnAsana (upward facing dog) to me because of the position of the legs (the thighs and legs look lifted up) - don't you think?
Thank you for your particularly insightful comment on Cobra Pose. I will look into the image and see if it needs to be changed. It is essential the images reflect the essence of the poems and poses since I plan on creating prints and a book of all 84 poems.
I have a difficult time with Cobra because I never feel as if I'm completely "lifted" because I have a larger chest. This post makes me feel "heavy" even if I've got everything lined up. Sometimes switching to "Up Dog" gives me a lighter feel. "Love the ground"...uh, yeah. Poetry was beyond lovely and gives me hope.
You could try propping up over a rolled up blanket or bolster to get a little extra lift at the ribs. Or do you prefer sphinx? Here's to shedding old skin through this beautiful ancient practice 🙏
Thank you for your feedback. It is so interesting how each of us experience poses -- or anything for that matter -- differently in each of our bodies. I am glad you honor yours by doing what feels right. Up Dog is one of my favorites... the poems for that one is down the line (since I am going alphabetically:).
Wow. I do this pose every morning but you have given it meaning for me on another level. Thank you.
I offered this poem and pose to my class last night as one of the preparatory postures for stimulating the heart and throat for chanting. It is so powerful to deliver these words! As I looked out at the strong group of women I was leading embody the loving, yet threatening, 'hoods' I was in awe of the divine feminine energy that seeks to rise in each of us. We had the gift of practicing outside on a beautiful spring day evening - literally learning once again to be in love with the ground. We followed the posture by chanting Jai Shri Ma. Thank you for bringing this poem to the world! 🙏❤️
You embody exactly what these poems are meant to do! Thank you!
I love this poem, Corie. I envision such power and all the poise of the pose. I love Cobra, too, and will forever have the words “shed your skins of all who you thought you were” accompanying me. Thank you 🙏
Thank you! Will be thinking of you on the mat later today and remember to deepen my movements beyond the body.
"And learn, again, to be in love with the ground." I adore this closing! Cobra is another pose (again with the back-arches) with which I struggle to connect. I always feel like my arms aren't in the right place when I arch upward. Coincidentally, during one of the TRUE practices this morning that had LOTS of Cobras, I felt a teeny tiny click. It was still awkward, but something in my mind and body synced up. Sure enough, here you are in my inbox as always to further deepen that connection! "Shed your old skins of who you thought you were and how you thought everything should be." Thank you, Corie!!
It is my pleasure! Cobra is a tweaking pose for me for sure! I am perpetually moving my arms and hands back and forth right before I rise. I try to not be too hard on myself anymore and just stretch out my belly, which spent years in the shadow of a slouch.
I am grateful for the synchronicity of the poem and for journeys intersecting.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. The snake is an embodiment of awareness in Indian culture.
BhujangAsana is one of the first postures in "prone" sequences that a teacher often exposes to a student, yet one of the most challenging because it asks us to engage the whole of our spine with our hips restricted.
Opening up our legs wider, can help. Adjusting our arm positions as per one's needs can help. Using props can help. But what has helped me the most in this posture is the awareness on my INHALE and my ability to regulate my Inhalation through the movement instead of letting the breath rattle through me. When I observe my incoming breath rising within from the prAna sthAna and filling up the whole of my chest and abdomen, when I bring my total attention to the breath then no matter how high (or not so high) I may have risen - I feel complete, I rise as far as my breath can take me firmly established with my lower body on the ground.
I stay in the posture with a Sitali breath to help me raise my neck (hood) further and deepen my Inhale. I hold my breath after Inhale to enhance my awareness and exhale to 'learn, again to be with my ground'
Although a cobra raises its hood when it is in danger or when it is disturbed, I use this pose as a gentle reminder that the quality of my attention on my breath , the quality of my awareness is what makes my practice a Yoga practice.
On a different note, the image looks more like Urdhva Mukha SvAnAsana (upward facing dog) to me because of the position of the legs (the thighs and legs look lifted up) - don't you think?
Thank you for your particularly insightful comment on Cobra Pose. I will look into the image and see if it needs to be changed. It is essential the images reflect the essence of the poems and poses since I plan on creating prints and a book of all 84 poems.
I updated it. Let me know what you think.
I have a difficult time with Cobra because I never feel as if I'm completely "lifted" because I have a larger chest. This post makes me feel "heavy" even if I've got everything lined up. Sometimes switching to "Up Dog" gives me a lighter feel. "Love the ground"...uh, yeah. Poetry was beyond lovely and gives me hope.
You could try propping up over a rolled up blanket or bolster to get a little extra lift at the ribs. Or do you prefer sphinx? Here's to shedding old skin through this beautiful ancient practice 🙏
Thank you for your feedback. It is so interesting how each of us experience poses -- or anything for that matter -- differently in each of our bodies. I am glad you honor yours by doing what feels right. Up Dog is one of my favorites... the poems for that one is down the line (since I am going alphabetically:).