the Hidden Value of Transitions: Upavistha Konasana

If you have hit that part on your yoga journey in which you feel like you have reached an endless plateau, then get cracking! This is a fertile phase in your practice for revisiting some of the transitions that perhaps might need some polishing. If you do the ground work to revamp the soil, you’ll learn that in this seemingly tedious mind-focused internal work, you can build sturdy steps that will help you get out of the funky rod.

Transitions have the power to level up your practice to a new understanding of the making of your mindset, grow internal strength, deepen your inner awareness, as it demands deep gross and subtle attention.

In the transition for Upavistha Konasana from A to B with straight legs, it serves to take extra breaths and break down the transition, so that later you can connect it all into one smooth vinyasa transition. I couldn’t do this transition with straight legs, until I dissected its component elements and focused on connecting the dots each time I practiced. Giving yourself little projects, such as this, throughout your practice will most definitely keep you focused, if you seem to have lost motivation and have hit a monotonous state.

Transition breakdown:

Step 1

From Upavistha Konasana A, inhale and lift the head. Maintain arms straight, feet flexed, and active legs. Exhale completely.

Step 2

Release the hands from the heels, and with the next inhalation lift the chest, stretch the arms out to the sides.

Step 3

As you exhale, lightly rolled on to your sacrum and point the toes.

Step 4

Inhale lift the legs and catch your heels and immediately pop the chest. Keep the toes pointing to maintain that activation of the legs and keep you from bailing out by wanting to bend the needs. Keep focused, remember!

Step 5

Draw the lower navel in all throughout. Keeping the inner core engaged helps you from bouncing back and maintain the structure of the pose.

Step 6

Tilt the head back, face towards the ceiling, as you keep sinking the heels down plugging the legs into the hip sockets.

You might get it in one shot, maybe not. Check your mindset! Are you bailing out? Or are you giving it all you got on trying not to cheat yourself out of the transition?

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By Patricia Amado

Patricia Amado embarked on her yoga journey in 2010 leading her to find the Ashtanga Yoga system in 2011, a practice she has remained devoted ever since. In 2013, she completed Miami Life Center’s very first training under the guidance of Kino MacGregor initiating her passionate path of teaching and sharing the Ashtanga Yoga method. She traveled to Mysore, India in 2015, 2016, and 2019 to study with R. Sharath Jois. Most recently, she completed a two year apprenticeship program at MLC under the guidance of her mentor and MLC Director Tim Feldman.  She is also a student of Yoga philosophy and Sanskrit recitation of the old scriptures with Professor Rao, Dr. M.A. Jayashree and Professor Sri. M.A. Narasimhan.  Patricia aims for her students to experience the stress-relieving and transformative benefits that a committed Ashtanga Yoga practice can bring into their life. She is dedicated to teaching in the authentic tradition of Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois.