Triangle Pose

My favourite way of stretching is through yoga. Each pose has a purpose and my absolute favourite pose is called "Triangle Pose" or "Trikonasana".

I confess that at the beginning of my yoga experience, I liked this pose the best because I could do it fairly easily. I have very long legs and long arms, so I thought that all I had to do was stretch them out and by virtue of their length alone, they would touch the appropriate spot on the mat. Well, not quite.

They didn't extend as far as I thought they would because my muscles were so tight: my ego was immediately given a reality check! But I persevered, breathed deeply and as Marita led us through the steps slowly and methodically, I was soon able to stretch into a position where "triangles" could be seen in my pose. I was so proud!

In this pose, we can build strength in the lower back and upper legs while releasing tension from the entire back, the hips and hamstrings. It stretches the legs and hips, opens the chest, stimulates the abdominal organs and strengthens the core.

I love it, not only because of that wonderful flowing stretch but it helps my sense of balance and contributes to my overall feeling of well-being. The yoga experts call it a "happy pose": I agree with that description.

In yoga we often refer to the mind/body connection and how we can direct the body's internal energy as we envision a flow of energy or prana (breathing) through the body. This process of envisioning our energy effects subtle changes: our bodies do respond to our thoughts.

Sometimes people express to me that they don't think they are right for yoga because they have little or no flexibility and they cannot imagine ever being able to touch their toes. I always assure them that yoga is not a race: you don't rush through it with the goal of charging past the finish line. Yoga truly is a personal journey to be taken slowly and easily. It is meant to help us get in touch with ourselves, our own personal energy.

If one day, we can touch our toes, or do the perfect triangle, great, but what really matters is the gentle journey of awareness.