Gracefulfitness
  • I Am
    • I Travel
  • I Cook
  • I Eat
  • I Grow
  • I Move
  • I Teach
    • I Train
      • Testimonials
  • My Health

Photography

Yoga-Not Yoga

April 29, 2016 by gracefulfitness Leave a Comment

handstand

 

 

I’ve never been very confident or skilled on my hands.  My wrists were wonky for about 15 years and sometimes wouldn’t even allow me to hold downdog (thankfully I am completely healed from that issue!).

Over the last 3 years I have slowly been improving my handstands.  Physically, I’ve gained stability in my shoulder girdle and core and mentally I’ve started to believe that it’s possible to go up and stay up (still working on this one, I still find myself surprised when I actually find some balance upside-down).

Going upside-down is awesome!  It’s like a shot of espresso; I always feel a nice boost of adrenaline after just one [attempt at a] handstand!

Is doing a handstand yoga?

NO. Not necessarily.

Very occasionally I will include some handstands in my yoga practice but most of the time my attempt to balance upside-down is something else; just a fun physical challenge that makes me proud of myself because I can remember a time not long ago when what went up…came down very quickly and not very gracefully.

Can handstands be yoga?

Absolutely.

Practicing different types on jumps and arm balances on my mat as well as learning how to better stabilize my shoulders has definitely informed my handstands but that’s still just the physical.

What’s in a handstand that actually allows us to practice yoga; the union of body & mind, inner & outer worlds?

Here are a few ways to find the “yoga practice” within the “trick” of doing a handstand

  • Handstands can help you access your deep core “locks” or uddiyana bandha and mulabandha.
  • One of my favorite aspects of yoga, calming your mind even when you are experiencing uneasiness, is essential to handstanding.
  • Handstands can help bring full awareness and attention into every cell of your physical body.
  • Handstands are fleeting, even when you nail it and can chill up there for a while, non-attachment is key!
  • Yoga is not meant to be mastered.  It is a practice, not a destination. There are always new places to take explore and do the work within yoga and within handstands.

My yoga handstands have never been captured with a picture. My yoga handstands have never been instagramed.  My yoga handstands are another moment in my yoga practice no more and no less important than savasana or that first downdog. My yoga handstands are not an attempt at showing off (my other handstands sometimes are and they are also totally fun to try to capture and share :)).

This post was a bit inspired by this awesome video.

 

handstand

Full disclaimer: occasionally I get a good picture right at the crest of my handstand and it looks like I could be there forever, that forever is a max of 3-4 seconds…I have a lot of practice before I can hang out up there and before I can slowly just draw my body up into it. #truthbehindthepicture

Posted in: goals, Photography, Uncategorized, yoga, yoga Tagged: handstands

Year In Review

December 30, 2015 by gracefulfitness Leave a Comment

Middle Fork of the Salmon Put In

Faith Levine

2012-06-18

IMG_0031

IMG_0987

IX art park

petrichor

IMG_0385

Richmond Mural Project

IMG_0475

IMG_1533

IMG_0592

May your new year be full of love and happiness!

Posted in: Blogging, Photography
1 2 Next »

Hi, I'm Faith!
New? Check out I Am for my story, I Cook for recipes, and I Move for some motivation to get moving!
I'd love to hear from you,
gracefulfitness@live.com

Header photo: Meredith Coe

Like Gracefulfitness? Connect with me on Facebook!

Like Gracefulfitness? Connect with me on Facebook!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Social

  • View Gracefulfitness’s profile on Facebook
  • View @gracefulfitness’s profile on Twitter
  • View Gracefulfitness’s profile on Instagram

Hi, I'm Faith! New? Check out I Am for my story, I Cook for recipes, and I Move for some motivation to get moving! I'd love to hear from you, e-mail me gracefulfitness@live.com
Header photo: Meredith Coe

Subscribe to Gracefulfitness by Email

my photos on tastespotting

Top food blogs

Catch up!

December 2019
M T W T F S S
« Apr    
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  

Categories

Copyright © 2019 Gracefulfitness.

Lifestyle WordPress Theme by themehit.com