Funky Focus | Dolphin, Standing Splits, & Somatic Meditations
Inversion Journeys: Patience, Practice, and the Blending of New Skills.
Written by LJ
Last month we focused on using inversions in our practice to support our bodies both mentally and physically; you may have noticed that we didn’t particularly dive headfirst 😉 into large, complex inversion postures, like headstands.
As we slowly make our way into a beautiful Michigan summer, there’s a bit of wisdom we can take from the nature of the spring we’ve so patiently watched unfold. A tree is not suddenly lush and full, just as the produce in our gardens is not immediately ready to harvest. Growth takes time, patience, and in our yoga journeys, practice.
This month at Funky Buddha Yoga we’re taking this inversion journey a bit farther by utilizing Dolphin Pose, Ardha Pincha Mayurasana, (This comes from Feathered Peacock, or Forearm Stand; Dolphin is the feet down version of this posture) and Standing Splits, Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (or “one foot expanding upward pose.” Urdhva; upward. Prasarita; spread out or expanded. Eka; one. Pada; foot or leg. Asana; pose.) to grow our practice towards combining arm balances and inversions.
Dolphin Pose is a beautiful bridge between Downward Dog and headstands, teaching alignment, core engagement, and all while strengthening the arms and shoulders. Standing split is a dynamic posture that incorporates balance, Proprioception (awareness of your body in space,) and engagement of core, back, trunk and leg muscles (phew! We know!)
Now, Dolphin doesn’t have to be preparatory for headstands and its many variations; this is a great place to stay if your toes have an affinity with the ground! By energetically connecting to the floor beneath your forearms and using this contact to ascend your spine and hips upward, you may discover more than enough activation throughout your arms and opening of your back muscles, to stay with this posture alone.
Both Dolphin and Standing Splits, and all the amazing additions they have to offer, can teach us the physical nuances, activations, and techniques used for more physically demanding inversions. These inversion challenges offer a plethora of benefits, from relieving stress to stimulating the nervous system and increasing energy levels. However, it’s essential to approach these powerful postures with care. Just as we’re patient for the last frost before planting seedlings, it is important to listen to our body’s wisdom, to know when our practice is ready to grow. As our teacher Matthew says often, “listen to your body, in this posture, on this side, on this day.”
As we practice these concepts on the mat, let us allow their teachings to extend beyond the cork floor. When we take Dolphin Pose, we are learning strength, and the pursuit of stability amid a challenge. We are reminded to find center amongst the chaos, to hear breath when our mind wants to race, and to find harmony within our everchanging lives. Similarly, in Standing Splits, we learn the value of balance, as we strive to maintain stability while reaching for new heights; to embrace the present in fullness and with steadfast resilience. By embodying these principles, we are so graciously taught by Yoga, we can navigate life off the mat with greater ease and grace, fostering a sense of peace and wellbeing in ourselves and our Sangha, community.
Here are a few resources to support this Funky Focus!
3 Ways To Support Dolphin Pose
Standing Split Breakdown and Variations
Downward Dog Support for Larger Bodies
Somatic Meditations; Finding Presence in the Body
Written by Larissa
Funky Buddha Yoga’s meditation focus for June is Somatic Healing Meditations. Good news, your soma is working for you right now! The root ‘soma’ means body in Greek and Latin; ‘Somatic’ translates to “of the body,” and that’s exactly where our focus begins in our meditation practices. Why do we begin with our body as our focal point? Our bodies are always present; it’s our mind that takes us on a journey elsewhere.
Our body can certainly, in a way, ‘remember’ events from the past, but when we focus on bodily sensations in the moment, we anchor into the present. This helps us with overall concentration, gives us new insights into the way our body communicates with us, and can help us see, rather than get caught in, our stress response. It also helps us choose a response to a given situation rather than reacting, as all humans do at times.
All of this from noticing a breath, or sensation in your hands? With practice, yes!
Our body is always teaching us about our stress response; it shows us where tension exists, helps us tend to pain, turns oxygen into life, and heals everything from small cuts to heartache. Sure, we know (or can look up) much of the science behind these actions, but it’s pretty incredible what your body is doing for you, right now, that you don’t even have to think about (and good thing, because if we had to think about every breath’s oxygen exchange, we wouldn’t get much else accomplished in a day!)
This body-vessel also allows us to feel the delight of a soft petal on your hand, the touch of a loved one, and the warm sun on your skin. We can smell a rose, taste delicious fruits and bake treats to savor; we can hear a symphony, one played by humans, or one nature creates with the sound of bees, birds, leaves in the wind, and the sap crackling in the trees. It’s incredible with this ‘soma’ can allow us to experience. The more we get to know these deep layers of sense awareness and add more subtle sensations like how it feels to roll your eyes in a full circle or getting to know what tension and release on purpose feels like, the more we have access to simply being present; and presence is where we experience joy.
Somatic, body-based, meditation reminds us that still, seated meditation (although, is very helpful) does not have to be the only way we bring ourselves back to the present moment. This month we’ll draw as near as the sensation of clenched fists and go as far as walking meditations, to find presence in our bodies and all the beautiful sensations they experience.
If you’d like to dive deeper, we invite you to join us for our monthly meditation circle and check out these resources:
Sharon Salzberg & Orin Jay Sofir on Somatic Meditation – Metta Hour Podcast
What Is Somatic Meditation – Article
Check out our Youtube for an overview of these concepts or a meditation practice to try them on <3
As always, we hope that you join us M-F at 7:30am for Funky Buddha Yoga’s free, live, virtual meditation to learn how to speak the language your body is communicating with you <3
