Читать книгу Ashtanga Yoga - Gregor Maehle - Страница 157

Utthita Hasta Padangushtasana, vinyasa one (left), vinyasa two, vinyasa four, and vinyasa seven

YOGIC CONTEXT

Outer Structure and Inner Freedom

Yoga Sutra II.47 says that the posture is correctly performed when the effort to perform it develops a quality of emptiness.

What does this mean? Initially effort is necessary. Otherwise the gross body, which is tamasic by nature,⁹ will never become vibrant and alive in every aspect of the posture. Once the outer frame of the posture is achieved, we need to meditate on the inner nature of effort. When this is witnessed, it is recognized as the deep nature of all phenomena: shunya — emptiness.

There is effort at the surface and silence in the heart; form at the surface, formlessness at the core; structure outside, freedom inside.

Needless to say, this method does not work without first putting in the effort. Both aspects of this duality must be embraced; both need to be experienced. As Patanjali says, “abhyasa vairagyabhyam tannirodhah”¹⁰ — the thought waves cease through application of the dual means of practice and letting go.

Check that both hips are an even distance from the floor. The hip is often pulled up to escape the hamstring stretch. Check that the standing leg is still straight. Grow tall and elongate the spine up to the ceiling as the sit bones descend to the floor. The spine has the tendency to compress from carrying the additional weight of the lifted leg.