Not so elegant, but still:) A pincha mayurasana variation

It is a cycling variation in the peacock feather pose. What I love about it, barring the lack of elegance (entire due to me and nothing to do with the pose:) is that it takes the challenge of the basic pose a little notch  higher. To attempt it, you must fall several times.. be willing to be clumsy, childlike, and not determined to reach the pose -- the last of which is the most common, and equally stupid, attitude when trying variations. That sort of `determined' to reach a pose often constricts everything you need for the pose, including muscles.

What if you fell down-- what would be the most hurt? U guessed it right -- the EGO.. It can be a heavy fellow, this ego, on the mat. As students advance, it bothers me that they allow the ego to grow along, monstrously.. An intermediate level of yoga practice should be sufficient to bring that spiritual clarity in your mind -- that the ego (the sense of effort, trying, feeling bad if it does not happen, feeling good if the pose happens, feeling competitve, feeling apologetic if does not happen.. so many ways the ego can manifest) ..can often ruin your practice. Any case, it is a like a fart that u did not want to happen! Or bad breath. For me, it is the ugliest thing in an advanced student. If you are an advanced student the one thing u want to watch out for, is the ego..

Any case, I am not sure what sort of a yoga teacher I am.. I cannot split asana practice from its psychological, spiritual, emotional underpinning.. I like tough poses because they can tone your mind, wear that fat of the ego away..

 Any case, what u need for the above pose:

• A strong scorpion, pincha mayurasana.
• Cycling in the headstand.
• Falling down -- an ability to do it without getting all rustled up.