Sa tu dirgha-kala-nairantarya-satkarasevito drdha-bhumih
- Patanjali’s
Yoga Sutras I.14
Moreover, that practice has a firm ground when
attended to for a long time, without interruption, and with devotion
to truth.
Ustra in Sanskrit means camel. When the body takes on this pose,
the curve of the front chest resembles the hump of the camel’s
back.
If we look more closely at the characteristics of this amazing
creature the metaphor for the yogi comes to light. A typical camel
lives in an arid, barren landscape and has thereby developed ways
to physically draw in as a means to survive. Camels can store massive
amounts of water and food in their bodies and thus can live for
up to two weeks without water and for a month without food. They
can withstand large temperature changes within their bodies and
can lose up to 25% of their body weight through sweat without suffering.
Their mouths and tongues can handle the sharpest desert thorns and
their nostrils can seal closed during a sandstorm.
When the yogi stays close to the teachings and stores them in their
body and in their mind through practice and study, then these teachings
are always available to nourish their spirit, even in the bleakest
of circumstances, the sandstorms of life. When, as recommended by
Patanjali, we attend to this practice of yoga without interruption
and with devotion, our life will be firmly grounded in the truth
of our Divine Self, and from this groundedness our thoughts, words
and actions can then extend out with compassion and love to all
Beings. We become sturdy like the camel, unaffected by the rollercoaster
of circumstance, with a deep reserve to draw on.
Sometimes when we are caught up in life’s dramas, the last
thing we want to do is practice. The body feels too heavy for asana,
the mind too distracted for meditation. When suffering through difficulties
it may seem easier to surrender to that state of mind and wallow
in the mental sandstorm. But it is exactly in these times, as the
camel knows, that we reach deep inside and reconnect to that nourishing
core, with the faith, or shradda, that our perseverance
in our practice will sustain us in all states of awareness. It is
not a blind faith, but rather a faith that knows we have created
a great storehouse of connection to the Divine exactly for these
times in our lives.
Ustrasana:
Kneeling at the front of the mat, separate the knees and feet hip
width distance (6-8 inches) apart. The feet are pointed with toes
pointing straight back and shins parallel to each other.
Bring the hands to the lower back, thumbs pressing the sacrum,
and simultaneously press down while lifting up and extending through
the sides of the body. As you inhale lift the chest up and begin
to arch the upper chest while keeping the thighs vertical to the
floor, without compressing the lower back, and keeping the chin
on the chest. Reach the palms of the hands to touch the soles of
the feet, then press the pelvis forward and allow the head to release
back. Take several breaths here. To come out of the pose without
twisting the torso, leading from the center of the chest on an inhale
lift back up to standing on the knees, and then sit on the heels.
Variations / Modifications
For the beginner or if the lower back is tight, the toes can be
tucked under so the feet are flexed bringing the ankles closer to
reach; this is Rabbit’s pose. The beginner can also practice
reaching back with one hand at a time, keeping the other arm extended
forward as a counterbalance.
If the ankles or feet are out of reach, keep the hands on the lower
back.
If releasing the head back in the full pose brings too much strain
to the neck, keep looking down the front of the body.
One way to practice keeping the thighs vertical is to do the pose
at the wall. Come to kneel right up against the wall with your thighs
pressing into the wall, legs parallel. Keeping the hip points in
contact with the wall the entire time come into the pose as described
above, continuing to press the hips forward to maintain this contact.
