Month Yoga posture : Navasana (boat)

With Yasmin Fudakowska-Gow
www.yasminyoga.com

I thought it would be most appropriate that we would start our Posture of the Month series at Bota Bota with Navanasa. Not only because this is the boat pose, but also because it is such a great pose for stimulating agni, the digestive fire. Practicing this posture regularly increases your metabolism, boosts the immunity system, and strengthens your abdominals, deep core muscles and back. It is also the apex of the Ashtanga Yoga primary series, because we do navasana five times in a row.

Here are some tips on how to practice navasana:

1- Anchor your foundation – balance on sacral muscles, the area between sitting bones & tailbone;
2- Draw the top of sacrum into body to stabilize your lower back;
3- Engage lower abdomen, drawing navel in and up;
4- Maintain the natural curves, lengthen spine, lean back & retract shoulders;
5- Bring your arms parallel to the floor & reach through fingertips;
6- Lift chest and open your heart;
7- Lengthen your neck and reach through the crown of your head;
8- Extend your legs actively (you can also keep knees bent and even hold the back of your legs);
9- Big toes touching, heels are slightly apart.
10- Eyes focus on your big toes, smile & breathe for 5-10 breaths.

Repeat 3-5 times.

Yasmin Fudakowska-Gow has taught yoga for nearly 15 years. She is an accredited naturopath and ayurvedic practitioner. Yasmin’s roots are in Ashtanga Yoga, but her alignment based vinyasa practices are tailored to specific therapeutic themes inspired by ayurveda. She teaches regularly at Bota Bota Spa sur l’eau.