After a year and half of practice, time for some throwback and transformation pictures. A lot of yoga practitioners achieve much more than what I have till now, but that’s mostly because I am lazy sometimes 🙂 {Plus the winter turns me into a polar bear}
Natarajasana or Lord of the Dancer Pose
My goal is to do the overhand grip, like the one in below picture. The space between my fingers and toes feel like miles apart when I try to do that.
Source – YBC
Bakasana or the Crow Pose
So many times I have come close to face plant the floor, and even ended up doing an awkward frog hop. The trick doesn’t just lie in the strength of the arms and core, but also the gaze. Because the body follows the gaze.
My goal is to do a straight arm Bakasana … someday… someday … sigh!!
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| Source |
Chakrasana or Wheel Pose
This I have been practicing a lot, but my middle back and shoulders need a lot a of work.
Right now my goal is to get the technique right, to easily breath while in upward bow position.
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| Source |
Wall Handstand
Till last year, I used to practice between doorways. But somehow, after about 50 -60 jumps, I finally managed to hold a wall handstand this February. Since then I have been trying to build the strength in my arms by holding the pose a little longer.
Ok, I don’t think I will ever reach my goal {below} in this life. Probably next one would be more promising 😛
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| Source – Pinterest |
Have you started your practice yet? Let me know in comments which is your favourite Yoga asana 🙂
Very well done, Rajlakshmi!
I am terrible when it comes to exercising or Yoga (however, I have tried this.)
Thanks for sharing these.
thanks for writing in 😀
God!!!! When am I ever going to be able to do the wheel posture…. have tried to do it many times… still not as agile to get it right though. Your pics are brilliant and they make the postures look all at more beautiful.
Lots of warm up works for me… I can't go into wheel just like that too. Just enjoy feel of bridge pose 🙂
I do yoga to the extent possible over weekdays; but over weekends I have a formal class.
I am yet to try many of the asanas you've mentioned. Someday sometime…
I want to join a formal class… haven;t been to one. Practicing at one's own pace feel different I guess. Thanks for writing in.
That's absolutely incredible! It's all about practice, isn't it? As I mentioned to you on FB, I've started yoga once a week since April this year. I really should practice more at home to get better at it. We're still doing pretty basic things and I do like the Warrior pose and am still getting hang of Natrajasana. We tried Ardha Chandrasana for the first time two weeks ago and that was quite funny…could not balance!
The first few times I was always fumbling and tumbling … but with practice you get the hang of it. I haven't joined any classes but will do soon.
The improvement is quite vivid in your poses Raj… All the best for your goals in this. And did I tell how much I'm loving this new outlook altogether? The colour, the font, the layout…
Keep up the good work Raj!
Cheers
awww thank you so much girl!! Took me days to find this template 😀
Oh my good god! I want to hide somewhere now. This is an achievement Rajlakshmi. Whoa!
hahaha C'mon 😀 thank you 😀
Amazing. I practice Yoga but nothing as compared to what the above pics show. More power to you.
thank you so much Alka 😀
You have achieved a lot. I am sure people take much more time to master these poses. I am on a Yoga break and need to get back asap. But these poses are still a long way to go for me..
I am trying… trying 🙂 Hope you get back on the Yoga wagon soon 🙂
You are so inspiring! Your transformation is amazing. Way to go!
Thank you so much 😀 Glad you liked the post
Ok! This post is giving me serious complex issues! Well done, Raji. We can clearly see the improvement in your posture. Keep at it. And keep inspiring
hahaha your writing gives me serious complex Sid. Thank you so much
I never even knew there were so many yoga poses with such extreme difficulty! Your yoga posts just make my awe for you increase one notch higher! 😀
Until I started even I didn't know. It's a gradual process of learning, discovering new everyday. {Damn I sound so philosophical 😛 } Thank you so much
Wow! You're a rockstar! I haven't been into yoga but I did do a bit of these during my karate training, though it wasn't that important. But I didn't get anywhere close to this. This is great! Keep posting your progress so we get inspired to move our bodies around a bit! 😉
oh you learnt Karate… wow that's brilliant 😀 I am pretty sure you can throw some awesome kicks 😀 Thank you 😀
Good god, woman! Are you made of rubber? Seriously? Remind me to not eat cake before I come and read your yoga posts! These are spectacular! Very very commendable and you are too hard on yourself. Trust me!
No one can say no to Cake 😛 Thank you so much Shailaja. But I am really not too hard on myself … I wish I was though 🙂
Great progress and dedication… Soon you will be declared Yoga guru for Australia..
Great progress and dedication… Soon you will be declared Yoga guru for Australia..
hahaha thank you so much Vishnu. Glad to see you on my blog 😀
Every time I have issues with my back (I have scoliosis), I think about yoga. And then, I don't do it. I'm having back issues/sciatica today, so it's back to thinking about yoga. But just seeing your pictures make me hurt. I think my practice, if I ever embark on it, will have to start out a lot gentler.
Ouch!! sciatica can be so painful. Have you tried Restorative Yoga. It will help you ease your pain … it's very gentle and calming. Thank you stopping by.
Good post Raji. Keep it up!😊
thank you so much 😀
Awesome, Rajlakshmi. It's inspiring how you pursue yoga and are well on your way to achieving all the goals you have set in it.
I've just started working on Bakasana and it's tough – my arms still don't support the weight of my lower body. And I've worked out the trick for the handstand – just did it successfully last week. But the one-handed handstand, maybe even I will not be able to achieve in this lifetime.
Cheers!
tell me, tell me, what's the trick. I wish I could move away from the wall. Good luck with Bakasana, if you can do handstand I am sure you will nail that soon too.
Resting your knees on your hands, and then slowly lifting them, is helpful. And you can have someone stand behind you just to place a finger on your back to stop you from tipping over. Once you balance, s/he can remove the finger. Gradually, this helps you master the handstand.
I need to start again, Rajlakshmi. You are amazing and awe-inspiring. Need to get back into shape.
A short romance I am sharing:
https://vishalbheeroo.wordpress.com/2016/07/01/friday-fiction-love-monsoon-and-sachin/
well what are you waiting for 😛
Thank you Vishal
You are awesome, Raj! I really mean it. I am nowhere as close to you are in flexibility in my asanas. But Yoga as a discipline is spectacular. I so love it.
Thank you Rachna… but then Yoga is so much more than flexibility … I wish that could be shown in pictures too … true it's a great discipline.
Oh my god! Raj, you have achieved quite a lot in this year and a half, girl! I am so proud of you! I too am in Yoga – a kundalini Yoga – and I too observe how much I have achieved since i began last October. I didn't learn the poses you do, but I feel nice when I am able to do the tree pose without losing my balance or complete 12 sun salutations without losing my breath. But after seeing what you have mastered, I think I will just shut up and keep practicing whatever little I know and not brag too much about it!
Way to go, girl!
hahaha That's great… I always mess up my sun salutations because I sometimes add my own pose 😛 too much of innovation I tell you. Thank you so much 😀