| Pose of the Month: Camel Pose (Ustrasana) |
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| Clara Simper | |||
| Tuesday, 14 February 2006 | |||
 Open your heart in the loving month of February and practice the chest opening camel pose. This is a pose that can challenge the advanced yogi as well as the beginner because the journey the front of your body and your spine undertakes is intense whatever your experience in yoga. Do not practice this pose if you suffer from high blood pressure, a herniated disk or any other lower back problems. On an inhalation, lift up through your heart by pressing your shoulder blades towards each other and down against your back ribs. Keep lengthening the front body by tucking your tailbone and drawing your upper thighs forward at the same time as lifting through your heart and drawing your collarbones back. Stretch the abdomen towards the ribcage and keep your neck in line with your spine. Let your breath soften any tightness in your back muscles. If you are comfortable and ready to go further, lift the back ribs release the hands, and stretch the arms down to rest the palms of the hands on the soles of your feet. For beginners this will probably be too far to stretch without experiencing compression in your lower back. Rather keep your hands on your lower back or tuck your toes under and place your hands on your raised heels, they will feel a little closer to your body. If you do have your hands on the soles of your feet, soften your front ribs so that your abdomen does not harden and keep lifting your front pelvis towards your ribs. Keep lengthening your spine by lifting your lower back ribs away from your back pelvis. Externally rotate your arms so that the creases of your elbows face forward. Let your breath fill your whole body, opening the front of your thighs, expanding the chest and lungs, softening the belly and releasing the shoulders. Once you feel symmetrical through the length of the spine and strong in the pose, you can stretch through the front of the neck and slowly move the head so that the top of the head is pointing to the floor. This final stretch through the neck is optional and should be avoided if it hardens the front of the throat or strains the neck. Instead maintain the neck in a neutral position looking forward. Let your whole body blossom in this pose. The thighs and pelvis anchor the lower body so that you can flower your upper body into the camel pose. Invite the upper back, chest and shoulders to open and observe the energy that rises from your core and pervades your whole being. Hold the pose for 30 seconds to a minute. When the bloom of the pose is over let your heart centre lead you out of the pose. Take one hand off one foot and place it on your hip and then take your hand off the other until both hands are on your hips. Sit down on your heels and rest. Camel Pose is a wonderful pose for those with rounded shoulders and generally for improving posture. So it is particularly good for anyone who hunches over their handlebars or their computer for that matter! It stretches the entire front of the body, the throat, chest, abdomen thighs, groins and ankles. It strengthens the muscles of the back and thighs and also generally through the pelvis. It stimulates the organs of the abdomen, kidneys and thyroid gland. Coming into camel is a journey for your spine and your front body. For some this pose can be quite affecting, especially if you are stuck emotionally or withdrawn. If you can allow your body to blossom and expand it can be exhilarating for the body that gravity works with you as you fall backwards. Happy Valentine's Day, take a risk and let your heart crack open in the Camel pose. Namaste.
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