In ‘A Mahayana Training of the Mind’, Yogi Dharmaraksita states “In jungles of poisonous plants strut the peacocks. The masses of peacocks do not find gardens pleasant but thrive on the essence of poisonous plants”. Instead of being poisoned, the toxins are transformed into a beautiful and vibrant plumage. Just like the peacock, we can take challenging situations and through grace, love,and compassion transform them into a thing of beauty.
For some yogis, inversions can cause uncertainty and fear but once we overcome these barriers and focus on the elements required (inner strength, stability, and openness) – we can start to explore this exciting part of the practice.
Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered Peacock pose) – a.k.a. Forearm Stand, is a fun and exciting inversion to learn! I have decided to dedicate a whole session to this pose because it is one of my favourites, and I think that it could be one of yours too.
In this workshop, I will break the pose down into smaller, more approachable pieces and provide explanations on how to keep safe along the way. This will build both strength and confidence. We will also work at opening the shoulders and the hamstrings, which will allow us to transition from dolphin pose to beautiful feathered peacocks. Once you take flight, we will explore variations.
Sometimes students have questions and want to learn more about technique and that is what makes workshops so successful and rewarding! We will have time to explore your body’s unique strengths and limitations and how to work with both to get into the pose. Because the Feathered Peacock pose and Dolphin pose (and all the prep in between) are foundation poses for headstands – you may learn more than just a pose and start to understand some of the key concepts of inversions.
All levels are welcome to this workshop. Be prepared to work hard, have a good laugh with your fellow students and, most importantly, allow compassion to transform your fear into beauty. Caroline’s workshop is on July 2nd from 1:30 – 3:30pm, and is now open for booking.
Caroline’s yoga journey began seven years ago in the Canadian ski resort town of Whistler where she took her first yoga class. She has since gone on to study Power Vinyasa in Australia, anatomy with Tiffany Cruikshank, Yin yoga with The Yoga People and practises with Stewart Gilchrist and Mark Kan in London. Caroline’s style of teaching is both challenging and fun. Find her at PYC on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. carolinepegnayoga.com