Downward Facing Dog

I am in the middle of working on a project for a course I took this summer. I am writing a creative non-fiction piece about a sport in connection to British culture. I know next to nothing about sports, so I'm writing about yoga and British colonialism. Today I wrote a piece that might become a part of my final paper.



Holding downward facing dog, I have to remember to not look behind or around me to check my form against the others in the class. Waleah reminds me, speaking to all of us, "your drishti is your navel." Drishtis, or gazing points, are what yogis use to focus on their own body and practice. They are one more thing to remind me that yoga is a non-competitive sport. I focus once again.

Arms straight, fingers spread wide on my mat, I push the front of the mat away toward the mirror. I keep my back straight, and lift my "sit-bones" toward the ceiling. The backs of my legs strain a bit as I try to push my heels to the ground, even as they stay resolutely two inches above my mat. I can feel every part of my body moving, holding position, and I relax my neck and let my gaze fall on my bellybutton. A year ago I wouldn't have thought it possible to look at my bellybutton in down-dog, and I just settled for the tops of my legs. Over time, however, my body loosened, especially my neck, and I found my gaze where it was supposed to be.

A year ago I also hated downward facing dog. It was difficult, and I often couldn't hold it for more than a few breaths. Down dog is a resting pose, but not one I found particularly restful. That is where the transformative nature of yoga can be seen in the most difficult poses. Each class I attended my arms got a little stronger and my body more used to the idea of being still in an inverted V. Eventually I did find down dog to be a resting pose - one in which I could restore my proper breathing and take stock of my body.

Now as I rest in downward facing dog I take in the benefits of my practice and I continue to try to touch my heels to the ground. It will happen someday.



So, that's what a minute of yoga is like for me.

-Kat