I am the one in class that is wobbling around while everyone else in class gracefully holds balance poses throughout the balance series.
Odd question…but does anyone think that because I have flat feet and bunions on both feet…this could be a reason for my struggle through ALL balancing poses?
Suggestions on how to improve my balancing poses are welcome 
My experience with balance has been up and down, mostly down 
I have discovered two things though. When I can activate my core, really tighten the bandhas, and just sort of relax when I go into a balance sequence I do ever so much better.
My worst days of balance are when I am sort of sloppy and just thinking too much about balancing.
Just pick a point a few feet in front of you and focus on it while breathing and do not look at anyone else. They are all on their own journey and probably struggle somewhere where you don’t. Comparing yourself to them will never take you anywhere good.
And I have horribly flat feet and bunions and don’t think they have any affect on my good days and bad days. In my experience the good days and bad days more or less reflect where I am on the inside.
Hope this helps…enjoy the journey my friend!
Balance involves three components; physiology or biomechanics, Dharana or concentration of the mental force, and breath or control of the breath (Pranayama).
If you are only examining one then you are only attending to 1/3 of the equation and subsequently an expectation of a complete formulation is unreasonable.
The alignment and actions must of course be present. However Dharana is intriguing because it points to the eight limb path outlined by Patanjali. And that path is sequential. In other words, that which falls on the path before Dharana (Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, and Pratyahara) all need to be instill and functional in the student. And there’s a bit of a paradox in that we’re discussing how to “do” Asana and Asana (as well as Pranayama) is a requirement in order to have Dharana which is a requirement in order to balance in Asana If that doesn’t stretch your sutures of your cranial bones nothing will.
Do you take any ibuprofen, Tylenol, or any form of painkiller in the hours before you practice?
[QUOTE=FlexPenguin;70119]Do you take any ibuprofen, Tylenol, or any form of painkiller in the hours before you practice?[/QUOTE]
No, I do not take any painkillers prior to practice.
[QUOTE=BeHereNow;70116]My experience with balance has been up and down, mostly down
I have discovered two things though. When I can activate my core, really tighten the bandhas, and just sort of relax when I go into a balance sequence I do ever so much better.
My worst days of balance are when I am sort of sloppy and just thinking too much about balancing.
Just pick a point a few feet in front of you and focus on it while breathing and do not look at anyone else. They are all on their own journey and probably struggle somewhere where you don’t. Comparing yourself to them will never take you anywhere good.
And I have horribly flat feet and bunions and don’t think they have any affect on my good days and bad days. In my experience the good days and bad days more or less reflect where I am on the inside.
Hope this helps…enjoy the journey my friend![/QUOTE]
Thank you for your input…it is a journey! And I agree…some days I’m on, and some days I’m a hot mess! Namaste~
[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;70118]Balance involves three components; physiology or biomechanics, Dharana or concentration of the mental force, and breath or control of the breath (Pranayama).
If you are only examining one then you are only attending to 1/3 of the equation and subsequently an expectation of a complete formulation is unreasonable.
The alignment and actions must of course be present. However Dharana is intriguing because it points to the eight limb path outlined by Patanjali. And that path is sequential. In other words, that which falls on the path before Dharana (Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, and Pratyahara) all need to be instill and functional in the student. And there’s a bit of a paradox in that we’re discussing how to “do” Asana and Asana (as well as Pranayama) is a requirement in order to have Dharana which is a requirement in order to balance in Asana If that doesn’t stretch your sutures of your cranial bones nothing will.[/QUOTE]
Great advice! Thank you so much for the detailed response!
[QUOTE=Libra_Jess;70115]
Suggestions on how to improve my balancing poses are welcome :D[/QUOTE]
I am one of those who are strong and very inflexible, in the same time a rather quiet person who can easily concentrate. You see, I am making many friends during balancing poses 
I think, a lot of practice and time plays a role as well. One needs to build strength, find gazing points that work. Plus, those poses are not the time to look at others or laugh at the teacher’s jokes… :razz: