Lessons of the Student Teacher

Saturday, 1/26, showed signs that the chair yoga revolution was progressing. As the tour group from University of North Carolina, Harvard, Smith College and UCLA waited at the Sydney Airport for their departing flights , several practiced seated and standing yoga independent of their teacher. Yes! When I joined the group flying to Los Angeles, about 10 people received “at chair” reviews of the 90 degree rules on the airplane. We utilized pillows to support the mid back and neck (even business class has concave seats). Foot awareness was practiced by forward and back pelvic tips, and then lateral hip swings with single leg anchoring. Using the mid back pillow as a fulcrum, we focused on drawing the shoulder blades down and inward to lengthen the upper body and allow the head to move back to a position over the spine. Air safety regulations prevented me from instructing the whole cabin, as my teacher Lakshmi Voelker has done before

PS: after 30 hours of flight time, I believe the foot awareness and observance of the 90 degree rules helped me to stay very comfortable while seated. The lower pillow provided a gentle awareness for me to wrap my shoulders back, down, and around. By alternating sides in dropping one shoulder toward a raised opposite hip, upper body tension was further reduced. This took time to do effectively. The neck felt good after making a slow sweeping “smile” shaped arc from side to side. While in the airport, seated side twist, hip opening and hamstring stretches helped me to stay aligned.