balanced yoga

so once we've done hero pose, vira-asana,and the variations, we're having a connection with this really long straight spine. we didwide leg standing forward bend, we put the head down, the spine was inverted and straight.now we're upright, the spine is upright and straight. well in head balance, which we'regoing to go into next, you want the spine upright and straight. so it's the same thingwe've been doing, but the challenge is that you're balancing all of your body weight ontop of your head. that is a deep challenge. so, towards that end we start by pushing thehips up, and that'll give you a nice little prep for head balance. you put the head down,get your hips over your knees, put the head down, but instead of putting the weight onthe head we'll pull up, engaging the belly.

look i'll put my hands back. i'm on the verytippy-top of the head. i'm lengthening the neck. you see my shoulders pulling up. myribs pulling up; so, i'm just pulling as many vertebrae up, up as i can, and boy is my bellyworking hard. this is really working, it's pulling in and lifting. as i continue in ahead balance i'm going to be very careful not to roll. i'm going to stay right on thattippy-top of the head. tippy-top of the head. clasp interlaced hands. pull them in aroundthe head. still strong in the belly. now watch this transition. turn the toes under, andi'm going to sequentially stack one vertebrae at a time over the one below it, which isthe one above it if you know what i mean because i'm upside down. you know what i'm talkingabout. the head is stable, and the root moves.

this is unique; this is unusual. the headis stable, the root moves. this is where your hamstring flexibility will help you, if youhave it. watch, the root moves. the root moves over the head. stop here if you're not confidentin your head balance, balance here for a long time. but, when you're ready take foot up,take foot up. pull it together. now, once you're upside down guess what: it's just beginning.we get more and more balanced, more and more balanced over your central point pulling intowards the spine. you'll see when i'm starting and i'm talking, there's a little bit of shakinggoing on that's really normal; it's the nervous system adjusting. as i stay, i close my eyes.as i close my eyes i go into a meditation. as i go into a meditation everything is goingto become very still. i'll catch you back

here in a few minutes.