I need some advice about doing the camel pose.
In the SYT book, it mentions ‘leaning your head backward and look at the ceiling’. When I do this, I had to make an effort to keep my head from falling which eventually was straining my neck muscles. If I don’t want to strain my neck muscles, then I have to let my head fall (which is a common error described).
How can I look at the celing without strain in my neck? It seems unaviodable in my case.
Hi Anita!
It sounds like your neck muscles need some strengthening before you attempt the camel pose. There are many ways to do this. For example, lying on your back in Shavasana you could lift your head (while inhaling) and slowly lay it back down while exhaling. You could do a similar exercise in Vajrasana (sitting on your heels): lean back with your palms on the floor behind you (fingers facing away from your body) and, breathing deeply in this position, move your head SLIGHTLY backwards (not all the way back!) as you inhale and slowly move head forward on exhale. To balance yourself afterwards, put your hands behind your head and bend your trunk forward.
I am assuming that you don’t have any pre-existing medical conditions that would prevent you from doing these exercises. Of course, the best way would be to have a yoga instructor in your area show you these and other ways to strengthen your neck muscles.
Hope this helps!
NP
You are right that I have been having stiff neck and shoulders for some time. My neck muscles are also not strong enought to withstand carrying loads. I guess I won’t do the camel pose until I improve them.
Thanks so much…
Hari Om Anita:
After writing my previous message it occurred to me that a good pose for you would be the cobra pose and its variants. Since you are concentrating on neck and shoulders I would suggest that you take care when doing the cobra not to lift yourself up on your hands. Start lying face down on your mat. Put your hands by your chest as in the classic cobra pose but, instead of going up on your hands, lift only your head and upper chest area as you inhale, and slowly return on exhale, completing one round with your forehead on the mat. Do a couple sets of 10 rounds whenever you practice asanas. This will quickly get your neck in shape and help you to prepare for the camel.
Again, hope this helps.
NP
Hi Anita,
Two things come to mind immediately. I can’t tell you the third thing becasue I’m being watched:-) The two actions in Ustrasana (Camel) relative to the neck are to actively move the shoulder blades (not the shoulder joints) down the back body AND to draw the bones of the cervical spine in to the neck, away from the flesh of the back of the neck, and toward the front of your throat.
Now if these two things do not click with you I would strongly advise MODIFYING the pose. Many times poses are outlined in books or discussed in an "optimum pose’ sort of way that ius not “one size fits all”. Since I can not see your body I can not say what is best for your body.
Therefore you can work the pose without moving the head back too much, too agressively, or to the point of discomfort.
Additionally, in this pose, the sternum of the chest draws up toward the ceiling and this action creates a sort of synergy with the rest of your spine and MAY aid in your easy with looking up.
Hope this helps you find a deeper practice without finding a deeper practice.
So another back bend, this is a variation of camel pose. And it is starting in the same position with the hands sitting down, being really mindful here that as you begin to hinge back, you’re just stretching your chest up towards the ceiling and feeling there’s a nice stretch in front of your quadriceps. And then that would be for the first stage or two of your pregnancy. As you move along into your third trimester, you can come to it from a more seated position and lift your chest up with your hands supporting behind you and find a nice opening in the front of your quads and in your heart center.
Huh? What pregnancy are you refering to???
As another thought, I’d like to add onto InnerAthlete’s response…
If you are practicing a variation to the camel, such as one with both of your palms supporting your lower back, or one-armed, it is both easier and safer to imagine 1) a string coming from the very crown of your head and 2)one from the bottom of your breastbone. Your body will lift into the correct posture as you imagine those strings lifting your weight upwards from your thighs and hips and both strings being pulled in opposing directions.
In any bend, be it back, Imagination is a powerful motivator. Not only is our body bending or flatening, it is also extending and lengthening.
Happy practice.
Namaste
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