A
Body Posture
to Celebrate and Tune Into
Winter Solstice & Capricorn Energies:
It's useful to print this page. In any case, read thru before starting
Parvana (= mountain) asana
Overall Symbolic :
Descent - Ascent (grounded Mountain - upward Rise)
Solstice: Standstill, Stillness
Spirit descending into Matter, Matter rising to meet Spirit
the cosmic axe or axis mundi
This posture may be adapted
to all body types and conditions.
Don't force or strain. Remain open to your body's messages. Respect
your limits.
Try to contact and move from your inner energy, not just your muscles.
the Key : Awaken the inner Light Body, use your Breath to move Energy where needed, Focus.
SETTLE
Begin by getting settled
into a comfortable sitting position---
preferably by sitting cross-legged, directly on the ground, or on padding
or a cushion.
(If you're used to Lotus or a similar position use this.)
Otherwise settle in as best as you can without strain or unease.
If this presents problems, use a chair, log, or whatever.
The main point is to feel relatively at ease, grounded, with your
spine straight.
The classic sitting positions of Lotus and others, when comfortable,
permit relaxed & prolonged meditation.
Keep this in mind when finding your "settling place".
ROOTS
Take some time to establish
some "roots" in your place.
Feel the contact with the earth or floor or seat, with your buttocks
and-or feet.
Feel yourself "sinking down" to reach & connect with the terrestrial
energies.
Visualize this process, and feel your breath slowing and calming down.
Breath deeply and let go of busy mental chatter.
Tune into this moment of Solstice, a turning point in the cycle
where the Sun seems to standstill.
Feel your Stillness. Thru the seat, the body, the mind…
UNION
After some time, you may
feel a certain unity with the ground/seat.
The energies of your body & the earth mingle and meet,
knowing there is no actual barrier.
Take time to savor and explore this connection with Earth forces.
As you settle more and more into Ground, earth rises to flow up into
you.
It is reciprocal.
This reminds us, too, of the give-and-take relation we can cultivate
with Earth.
ASCENSION-DESCENSION
Now will come a time when
you're ready to "rise" or "ascend".
You will have established your sitting, stable, grounded Mountain.
The next move is to slowly raise your arms above your head,
as if forming the summit of a mountain.
Hands together in a comfortable manner, prayer-style if possible.
(Interlocking the hands while leaving the index fingers pointing straight
up is a nice solution.)
This rising to the sky gives
a polarity to the rooting and sinking of your seat.
Feel the energy flowing directly up, from you, to meet the cosmos.
"Throw" a
prayer to the heavens.
You represent the Cosmic Axe joining Heaven & Earth.
You are a cosmic lightning rod.
At the same time, don't forget
to continue sinking, settling down through the seat.
This posture can be a bit difficult if your shoulders and arms are very
stiff or tight.
Adapt as comfortably as you can to get the most dynamic yet unstressful
balance
between the grounded Mountain and the Ascension.
Your arms need not stay rigid and absolutely straight up, for example.
Try "lifting" your waist and torso upwards, and from side to side,
undulating gently, in order to lengthen spine, torso, arms.
Remind your shoulders and neck to drop and relax.
Stay open and soft.
Tune into this polarity of Descending and Ascending.
Don't forget to breathe calmly and deeply, at your own rhythm.
You can completely hold this pose as long as comfortable.
Probably not more than half a minute to a minute or so.
Lower & re-raise your arms as often as you like.
Stretch your legs from time to time, release tension in neck and arms,
begin again.
Experiment & notice how
your attitude and relaxed concentration
determine the ease and flow of the posture.
As you explore this asana,
contemplate the symbolism.
Be open to where it leads. Some questions might be:
How easy do you find grounding and settling in ?
Is there stability and calm ?
What are you "ascending" ?
(in regards to life path, professional, spiritual aspiration, etc.)
How conscious and graceful is your ascension ?
Are you straining or scrambling, insisting on "getting it right" ?
Is the mind too busy ? Is there much resistance ? Where is it coming
from ? Etc…
Once you've finished, lie down for sometime, totally releasing into the horizontal position.
Blessings ...