Points to Consider in Vanda Scaravelli’s System of Practicing Yoga
Postures (Asanas):
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take your time and let go of ambition
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the posture will emerge as tensions and imbalances clear from the
body
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there is no need to "muscle"
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find the roots of the posture in relation to the ground (feet,
sitz bones, hands, knees, forearms, upper arms, shoulders, spine,
pelvis, etc.—whichever part of the body connects with the earth)
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keep the body soft as you drop into your "anchoring"—the body part
that touches the earth
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always give attention to alignment by beginning from the ground up
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during your inhalation be passive (remain still)—then move on the
exhalation
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once stabilized and secure in your posture, watch for the
exhalations to begin to trigger
ripples of release in the spine-
sense the dropping action of the sacrum, which precedes the
multi-stage releasing of spinal curves, and which occurs at the end
of each exhalation
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as the sacrum, lumbar and pelvis release, let the exhaled breath
release you from the waist up
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the resulting wave will clear the upper spine and neck of tension
and imbalance
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spontaneous, dynamic movement may surprise you! It brings life to
the pose
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wait until you can do the pose well in this method before
deepening it or practicing a more challenging variation
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once you are grounded, postures evolve through awareness of the
rhythm of the breath and the lengthening of the spine
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“scooping” the pelvis while standing helps with discovering the
sense of a wave of release
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long natural curves in the spine are desirable as balancers of
front / back weight distribution
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flat-backed students benefit; as the deep pelvic tensions release,
a curve grows
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know that while you are in transition from a more "muscle-dependent" style of practice, your muscular corset begins to change and you are temporarily more vulnerable to injury
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when you are ready, there is no fear, and the posture arrives easily
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have "infinite time-and no ambition"
