Upside down in Sand
Summer’s here and the beach is beckoning. I’ve been slowly working on handstand against a wall fall the last few months and August seems like the perfect time to go for the unsupported version – in the sand of course so the thought of the inevitable tumbles won’t be so off-putting.
Last year I set out with the goal of being able to do a headstand and felt a real sense of achievement when I conquered it – I was hopeless at gymnastics at school so I felt like I was venturing into lands I’d never been before. This year I want to up the ante in the acrobatic stakes with Adho Mukha Vrksasana, so I’m going to really work on it in August. For some reason my wrists feel like they’re getting stronger and are ready for the added strain so maybe my body’s ok to go … but what about about my head?
“According to Amy Cooper … who loves Handstand and has developed workshops to help others master it, the challenges of the pose are precisely what make it so valuable. Since Handstand brings you face to face with your insecurities and fears, it provides a wonderful laboratory where you can observe and work on overcoming all such emotions … you can develop self-confidence, courage, … and a curious approach to solving challenges.”
web: Yoga Journal, Standing on Your Own Two Hands, Linda Sparrowe
There are loads of descriptions, tips and videos on the internet, so I’m not short on advice but for now, I’m finding the inspirational pieces the most motivating:
“we need to remember that it is not achieving the pose that matters, it is the process, and this is where playfulness is an essential aspect of our handstand practice. Playfulness has taught me about trust and my fears … The other day I found myself in 12 inches of crystal clear ocean working with the friction that kicking out of water would represent and laughing endlessly as I landed upside down in my handstand, spattered in salt water and sand.”
web: somuchkula, Christy Punnett Eames
“Once in a great while, I would find my balance on the hard sand near the water’s edge. Time would stop and in those precious moments of exhilarating awe, I would try very hard to remember exactly what I had done so that I could repeat the experience … When we practice handstand – at the wall or free standing against Nature’s backdrop – we literally turn our worlds upside down for a moment or more of truly exploring the unknown. Within that moment, we may find the power of living in true potential.”
web: Faern-In-The-Works
Who knows, if I can crack it I might find myself in an acro-yoga class next year. Now that would be a major transformation.
