I have yet another passion now....

I have yet another passion now. As if I needed yet another one :-)
I was so inspired by the introduction of partner yoga in my summer yoga class on July 19th that I borrowed a book from a friend of mine about Partner yoga over the weekend. This is particularly interesting because coincidentally, Dave and I are leaving for a weeklong yoga workshop in Hawaii on Saturday. The class we are taking focuses on individual poses, but as we both build our strength, I’m sure we can bring partner yoga into our repertoire of practice. I am so very excited. The book is called “Partner Yoga” by Cain Carroll and Lori Kimata.

In this book, the first distinction they made was the difference between partner assisted yoga and partner yoga. In partner assisted yoga, on person does the pose while the other assists. In partner yoga, both people are involves in and benefit from the pose. A good example of this is the double triangle pose, which was introduced in class, as well as is the first position introduced in the book. To get into the double triangle, you and your partner stand back to back, both positioning yourselves in the triangle posture, pressing your backs together and eventually touching hands up above you. Together you have created a new position and it creates a completely different feeling than doing the posture alone. Both of you are giving support and receiving benefits from the joint posture at the same time. Also, if one of you gets off balance, both of you topple over. So there is a lot of trust and teamwork involved. (I think Dave and I will both want to kill each other for the first few practices J !)

There are several good reasons to practice partner yoga. First, cultivating touch. In the book they talk about the many benefits of touch and how because partner yoga involves touch, that alone is a great benefit. I agree, but I don’t actually think it’s the biggest benefit. There are so many ways we get to touch people that this seems like just another way to do that.

Next they talk about the fitness aspect of partner yoga. In partner yoga, you expand your concept of fitness from just physical fitness to include physical, mental, emotional and spiritual fitness. This is the benefit of yoga in general, and therefore applies here too. Interestingly though, practicing partner yoga means using the full practice, the postures, the breath, and the partnership, to stop the mind running wild and to get the most benefit from the practice.

Other benefits of partner yoga include having fun and relaxing. Partner yoga is supposed to be playful and fun. In partner yoga, it’s not how perfectly you execute a posture; it’s how much you enjoy the posture. Here is a great excerpt from the book:

“Let’s say you’re moving into a posture and you’re not able to stretch as far as you would like. You are disappointed and uncomfortable. You’re not having fun. Here’s where those “new eyes” come in. This is an opportunity to turn pain into growth, fear into courage, and resistance into acceptance. When you can redirect your self-criticism and look at yourself instead with curiosity and compassion, you have just moved a mountain. You have found a new way of being you. If you can find the ability to laugh at your shortcomings and be amused by your insecurities, life becomes less serious and more fun.”

I LOVE THAT!!!

Another great point they make is to make sure partner yoga doesn’t end up as another item on your “to do” list. They make the statement I have heard so many times, “we are quickly becoming a race of human ‘doings’ rather than of human beings.” There are too many things that are already on our “to do” lists. Partner yoga is about learning to relax and “just be.”

And finally, they talk about partner yoga as a way to strengthen relationships. Partner yoga uses the good old buddy system that has been around for a very long time. And we all know that buddy systems work. Looking out for each other, finding safety in pairs, and watching your partner’s back are concepts that are familiar to all of us. Here is another great excerpt from the book:

“As kids, we were taught to hold hands when crossing the street and to always travel with a buddy. As we get older, many activities use this same concept. Scuba diving, weight lifting, and rock climbing, for example, use the buddy system for safety and support. Partner yoga postures use the buddy system in similar ways. If you notice that your partner is stepping way out of alignment in a posture or that his attention seems to be waning, you can encourage him back. At other times, you will be physically supporting your partner and literally watching out for his safety. Partner postures remind us of how important it is to have a buddy and what it really means to be one.”

From here they moved on to the tradition of yoga and the postures. All great stuff, but too much to write about here. I am so excited about this. Plus, yoga is really helping my dancing! Woohoo!