Seated Forward Fold

Welcome back. Thanks again to my yogi friends, Winnie, Matt, and Julie for being here. In the grand experiment of trying to show that the posture will look different depending on who's doing it. So in this next clip we'll be exploring Paschimottanasana. Now rumor has it that the yogi is always used to practice facing East. And so Paschimottanasana, the translation, is intense Western stretch because if the yogi was facing East, when she would stretch forward into Paschimottanasana, then the Western side of her would be getting a stretch. So my friends, will you please let your legs come out in front of you? Wobble a little bit. And instead of me instructing you on how to go into it, perhaps though just remember what we were exploring in Tadasana, that gratitude in the heart, okay, that ease in the base of the skull and the neck, okay, and kindness in the eyes so that as you find your way in towards the posture, letting your hands come forward towards the toes. And notice the instruction towards the toes because if I say to the toes or to the feet, then I've implied that there's a goal. And so now as our three yogi friends have found their hands towards their feet, please can you allow your eyes to admire the differences? Can you see the beautiful stretch that Julie's getting on her back? And can you see how Julie has chosen to let her feet be relaxed? Can you see on Matt how he's chosen to bend his knees to give his hamstrings more room and he's flexing his feet? And then can you see how on Winifred she has allowed her shins to become a pillow? Okay and can you see how Winifred's hands even perhaps extend beyond her feet? Now as you look at these postures, if you're looking at them, how you guys doing? Are you okay? Okay, you're doing great. As you look at these shapes, if you were under the mindset that this is how it should be, okay, then that could cause a sense of striving or work. But again these postures are designed to reveal how we are. And so the play here though always is how could it be more comfortable or even why is this the case, right? And so it depends on what you want to work. If Julie wanted to work her back a little bit differently, then she might follow Matt's lead, let her knees bend, yes, and could you see how that let her heart come a little bit more forward? Does that make sense? She could choose to bend her knees, let her heart come a little bit more forward, yes, and work more the strength of her back. Okay, but now she's you've removed a little bit of the stretch in your back and it's come more, it's a different feeling, yeah? If Matt wanted to stretch his back and less his hamstring, if he let his hamstrings get round, can you see how he gets more round here? And Winifred will you show round it as if you were sort of 1960s style, right? Winifred could also choose to work the posture like that, beautiful. Okay, last few moments will all of you just relax into what is absolutely the most comfortable way? Yeah, so pretty, so beautiful. I'm not sure much more explanation is needed at this point, but just know that if you're interested in more anatomically why this is happening, find your way over to the inner working show where we explore how all of these things are put together inside, and if you're interested on how to work with your Paschimottanasana, like how to work step by step towards a more satisfying or deeper experience of it, find your way over to the step by step show. Namaste, yogi friends. Thank you again, Winnie, Matt, and Julie, and we'll see you again soon.