Yes! Finally, I got the next pose! 🙂
Garbha Pindasana (Womb Embryo Pose) and Kukkutasana (Rooster Pose)
In YTT, I only encountered these poses in the 500hr advanced module Ashtanga Intermediate. During 200hr we were introduced to the Primary series but we never got a full led class and I don’t remember having done Kukkutasana and Setu Bandhasana.
Even in the advanced module, probably only half or less, or maybe even just one could actually slip in to Garbha Pindasana. The rest of us would just slip in one or tuck our knees to our chest and roll. ^_^
I have huge thighs. I have huge calfs. Plus I have massive forearms (OK, that’s an exaggeration). At least for my size.
So in full lotus, there is just no way my arms, or anybody else’s arms could go through.
I have read a lot of posts about long term practitioners still not being able to slide their arms through. The one that hit me was one of Kino’s student that she wrote about here.
I’ve read about using water and oils to slide the arms through but I never really attempted to use those in my home practice. I thought my sweat are good enough. And no they weren’t.
I kind of gave up (even before really trying) on Garbha Pindasana. Anyway, no one is making me do it. And to finish with Kukkutasana sounded frightful as I remember being told to be “careful” when balancing in the pose as there is no way to free yourself as you fall down. And you either fall on your but (no problem!) or your face (OUCH!).
Everyone else is doing it.
I don’t recall seeing anyone being assisted into Garbha Pindasana in the days that I practiced there. Everyone would just happily slip their arms through and roll around their mats. Even the slightly heavy ones.
One day, while in Matsyendrasana (Fish pose), I observed the lady behind me in peripheral vision while she was holding the pose before the roll. Her ankles seem to contort in some ways which makes sliding in so easy. Maybe it’s my ankle?
Kino, who also has muscular thighs can ease in to the pose in a blink of an eye. But she has very open hips. Maybe it’s my hips?
I’ve watched countless videos how to create space for the arms and I have managed to find that small little space to pass my hand through but it gets stuck at the wrist. Maybe it’s my forearms?
spray spray spray!
So when Chelsea told me to jump through and come into Lotus, I knew it was finally coming! I warned her I’ve never done this pose in full, only half. And I had to explain what my half meant when I saw the look in her face. ^_^
What’s funny is that I actually planned to practice in shorts that day so I don’t need to roll up my crops when I bind in Marichi C and D. I finally decided against it and came in my usual crops.
I could only roll my crops slightly past half my thighs, it wasn’t gonna go any more past there. Chelsea then sprayed on my legs, and all sides of my hands (the forearm).
first attempt. fail. i told you so!
So I slid in my right hand first and it went just halfway through my forearm. Then my left hand. The left hand went all the way to my elbows as expected. So when she tried to pull my right hand more, I felt the pain on my right calf, as expected. Trying to remain calm, I told her my calf just won’t budge anymore.
I removed both my hands for a second try.
This time I slid my right hand in with the eye of my elbow facing forward as instructed. And it went through! And with the other hand in, I was in my first ever Garbha Pindasana! Hooray!
But since I still cannot hold my lotus fully into my chest, and my elbows are just slightly out, I can only hold my arms up as far as parallel to the floor. So I clasped my hands, as instructed, held the pose for 5 breaths and I was ready to roll!
Exhale and roll on the back, inhale roll back up swiveling the hip slightly to the right to turn clockwise.
Normally, you rock nice times clockwise in this pose which represents nine months in gestation.
On the last inhalation, use more momentum and rock up to Kukkutasana. Stay for 5 breaths. In Kukkutasana, there is a tendency to fall on your back, so keep reaching your chest forward keeping the palms firmly grounded for balance.
A video of Iain Grsak showing the full Garbha Pindasana and Kukkutasana. Watch how he jumps through!
Jumping back in Lotus.
This is still a huge puzzle for me. Just like in normal jump backs, I am still lacking the hip lift action to pass my legs through. All the more to hold the legs up in lotus and release them mid-air before coming down into Chaturanga.
Some day. 🙂
For now, I just can’t wait to complete the full Primary. Garbha Pindasana is the last one in my checklist to do. The rest of the series would be refinement.
My hope is only that I won’t have to progress through to the end of the series one pose at a time after this. ^_^
The other Pindasana
I have finally managed to hold my Pindasana (Embryo Pose) in the finishing sequence! Before today I would helplessly keep losing my balance and roll on my back.
I still need a lot of work to bring my knees as close to my chest as possible.
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