Welcome to the Flying Superman “V” Asana Lab. This section will feature the preparation and assuming of the complex Flying Cone Pose – Titibasana. To prepare for this empowering pose we start from fan pose, hinging from the creases of the hips while elongating the lower back and folding over the legs with the arms extended forward. This pose opens up the hamstrings and the hips and fires up the upper arms for the upcoming flight.
As we keep the head reaching down in fan pose we thread the arms through the legs and wrap them around the thighs to prepare the shoulder blades for the balancing position and to train how to get the shoulders into the knee creases.
Next we interlace our fingers and aim the hands all the way down to the floor, while still anchoring the head as far down as we can. We try to maintain the parallel position of the legs and fold deeper. This will help us warm up the shoulders and engage the muscles of the arms.
Then we are ready to press our hands into the mat with the fingers pointing forward and to hike the inner thighs into the upper arms while bending the elbows. As we thrust the head forward with the spine erect we create more room to extend the legs slowly and hover in a horizontal “V”. This pose tones the arms and teaches us the weight shifting mechanics in complex arm balances, when one has to initiate a gentle weight shift in order to fall into perfect alignment.
We are now ready to slide the pelvis down the arms, as we keep our elbows micro-bend and we extend our legs to point up to the sky into “Titibasana” pose. This pose strengthens the arms, stretches the hamstrings opens the shoulders, releases pressure from the entire spine and tests our ability to meet challenges boldly and fearlessly. By finding balance in a state of unease, we are reminded to transform every stumbling block into a stepping-stone. Please, do not attempt this pose if you have shoulder or wrist injuries.
To release the pressure from the arms and wrists we are asked to bring the sit bones down to the ground while holding the inner seams of the feet in a prayer and drawing the ankles closer to the chest with a straight back. This flying butterfly pose, opens the hips further, keeps the spine supple and strong, and teaches us the art of balance as an delicate state of negotiating opposites.
Yogea Asana Lab is not a yoga routine and should be regarded solely as an educational platform to reinforce proper postural alignment and improve the quality of your practice. The approach is integrated as poses are grouped into different targeted categories. Each set of poses is demonstrated only on one side. The route of assuming poses and releasing through counter-poses is mapped clearly and slowly, allowing time for assimilation and grasping. The main objective is to guide you in and out of poses safely and smoothly, as well as to acquaint you with basic anatomical and energetic principles that weave the geometry of every asana. In turn, you will be able to perform the Yogea routines with clarity, precision and abandonment. As you follow the tips of proper alignment you will feel more stable, ready to deepen your practice and eager to transition gracefully from one stage to the next both on the mat and in life.