On a recent teaching tour in Europe, a German yogi asked me if there was a difference between my students in Berlin and in New York. He suspected the Berliners were less expressive. Though they did laugh at my yoga jokes, which I took as a good sign, for most of the weekend the Germans were quiet and undemonstrative until after the very last OMMMMMMM and final group bow. Then, to my surprise, one by one they thanked me effusively and through an outpouring of hugs, smiles and even tears, they expressed how meaningful the weekend had been for them.
Some people learn to be coconuts and some to be peaches. Coconuts may appear to be hard on the outside but inside they are milky, while peaches are cuddly fuzzballs with a rock-hard core. My Berlin students had once again reminded me of the transformative process of yoga and how we can all be both coconuts and peaches at the same time.
Different cultures have different ideas about what constitutes strength and weakness. Although it is obvious that mainstream America values big strong bodies, I was still surprised by a serious meditator friend who confessed that the reason he has resisted yoga is he doesn’t have time to add another thing to his life. He’s afraid that if he only does that wimpy yoga stuff he will lose the hunky physique he has worked so hard at the gym to obtain. There are Chinese Tai Chi masters who would call him a lobster—hard on the outside but no inner strength.
What is strong and what is weak? Haven’t you been crushed by a dirty look or melted by a smile? How is it that a blade of grass can crack the sidewalk to grow up to the sun? How is it that the falling snow can break a tree branch? How can we find the balance of both inner and outer strength? And how can we find the time for both an athletic work-out and a meditative work-in?
You guessed it! Hatha yoga is the answer. Hatha means “willful” or “forceful,” and refers to a set of physical exercises designed to align your skin, muscles and bones. The poses are a system for reorganizing your physical architecture so the drainpipe of your body becomes unclogged. This process opens the channels for your breath and energy to flow freely and for your neurological patterns to get remapped, soothed and strengthened. When this kind of balance occurs, your body begins to feel even all over. This equanimity of sensation is a support and container for relaxed awareness in the mind and heart. “Yoga” means “yoke” or “bind together,” and the parallel pulsation of body and mind brings about this state of being.
The following yoga sequence is designed to develop our coconut- and peach-like qualities in equal measure. The outer body needs to be a firm but flexible shell for the inner body, which should be fluid and elastic. In yoga we work on suppleness of the spine and inner organs while developing support through the organs of action—the arms and legs.
These exercises will develop strong back and abdominal muscles, as well as the heart, lungs and even diaphragm. Notice how your body feels as you do these poses—where you feel tight, slack, weak, bright or dull. Try to use your energy efficiently, with intelligent awareness, so you don’t over-exert. Most of us think exercise is supposed to be intense and so we work too hard. Then the activity itself becomes too hard and so do we. That’s what coconuts do. Remember too much is too much. If your body gets too hard on the outside, your organs get dry and tight and lose proper functionality. So does your mind.
By ignoring what is going on inside of us, we can get quite blocked up. An ultra-soft outer form cannot hold the space for inner movement, so the inside gets hard in an effort to find that support. We’re too peachy. That core hardness ultimately shows up as mental obstacles like being crabby or physical tension that turns into migraines.
Try to make a commitment to doing yoga on a regular basis. Use your mindfulness to observe how each session is different, how your body starts to get oiled up and opened up. You will see that what felt stressful yesterday now feels like a massage, and then how that good feeling vanishes. But that’s fine and no big deal. The next day you can take a fresh start. Watch how your mind and body find space again, which allows your breath to deepen and your mind to open even more. As you stay awake with all of this, your clarity, concentration and confidence will grow. This kind of strength helps you connect to both your coconut and peach nature—not too hard and not too soft.
Warrior Two Your feet should be approximately 3 1/2-4 feet apart. Feel as if your arms grow from your spine and extend out past your fingertips. Press your feet down into the floor and strongly engage your leg muscles. Breath deeply in this pose for 5-7 breaths, in and out through the nose.
Extended Side Angle Keep both legs strong and active. This big side bend will open up the ribs and shoulders and aid digestion. This might look like nothing, but stay here for at least 7 breaths and you will feel how it works your heart and lungs. Before continuing with the sequence do Warrior Two and Extended Side Angle to the left.
Downward Facing Dog Reach your arms right into the floor like superman and lift your hips up as high as you can. Use your legs to take some of the weight off the arms. If your lower back or legs feel tight, bend your knees slightly but keep extending your sitting bones up to the sky so your pelvis becomes a giant blossoming flower. Let your belly be soft and feel your breath moving there. Stay here for 5-10 breaths.
Dolphin Begin this exercise on your forearms and knees. As you inhale, move your chest forward until your chin comes just past your hands and then lift back up on the exhale. If this is too hard, just move your chest 2 inches toward your hands and then back. Repeat that and go farther when you can. If this is too easy, do the same exercise with straight legs and hips high, as in Downward Dog. Work up to 10 Dolphins.
Wind Relieving Pose (with twist) Don’t you love the name of this pose? You know that means it’s good for your innards (though hazardous for your neighbors). As you do this one, try to avoid strain in the neck and shoulders by moving your head slightly, relaxing your jaw, and keeping your chest open. Use your abdominals to lift up. Stay with your nose to your knee for 5 breaths, then twist for 5 more breaths.
Boat Pose As in Dolphin, take your time building strength with boat pose. Easiest variation: keep your fingertips on the floor slightly behind you, toetips on the floor in front, and lean back slightly. As you get stronger, you can lift one bent leg up, then both. Next extend your arms straight forward from your shoulders and eventually you will lengthen both legs. Try to stay in whatever variation you are doing for at least 3 breaths. Then repeat it 2 more times before continuing.
Seated Spinal Twist As you do this twist to the right, send your breath to the upper right corner of your right lung. Soften your neck and throat. Tone your eye muscles by looking to the upper right corner of your eyes and then the lower right three times. Close your eyes as you untwist. You can stay in the twist as long as it feels good.
