8 Inversions to Calm Your Monkey Mind (go upside-down!)
Monkeys look most at peace when they’re upside down…or picking things off each other. Let’s focus on the former. You might get yourself arrested or throttled if you start thinking it’s a good idea to look for fleas on other bodies.
Whether you like it or not, we have much in common with our banana-eating brothers and sisters. A. We think a lot, B. We eat a lot of freaking bananas (see: Cavendish banana extinction), and C. We’re all crazy bananas.
If you aren’t in touch with your Monkey Mind, I envy you. I’m turning as green as an unripe banana as we speak. Mine is bonkers. It really is its own entity. It runs away with me, like a bad little monkey. It throws neurological poo at me. It swings me through mental trees and makes me dizzy!
One remedy I have found, thank Iyengar, is INVERSIONS.
8 Inversions for Your Monkey Mind, Attention Deficit, + Temporary Insanity:
- Puppy Dog – Be a dog, not a monkey. This first pose is doggie training and prep for Adho Mukha Svanasana.
- Down Dog { Adho Mukha Svanasana } – Like a dog on a bone, you will FOCUS.
- Handstand { Adho Mukha Vrksasana } – The translation is Downward Facing Tree Pose. Is there anything more grounded than a tree? I think not.
- Feathered Peacock { Pincha Mayurasana } – Tunes you in to your own fierceness, not freneticness.
- Dolphin – Dolphins are too smart to let their own monkey business run shit.
- Headstand { Sirsasana } – This is what “they” meant when they said to go stand on your head.
- Plough { Halasana } – Sow the seeds of mental acuity and ease.
- Shoulder Stand { Sarvangasana } – The queen of all asanas, she’ll leave you cool, calm, and collected.
Sometimes you have to get upside-down to get right-side-up again.
artwork credit: etsy.com
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soothsayer. illusion slayer. intj/mastermind. writer + artist + strategist + innovator. california born, city of angels bred. gypset world traveler. la face with an oakland booty. queen of the jungle who doesn't lose sleep over the opinions of sheep.
I also love Rabbit.. they can’t climb trees but hells bells it feels good to rest on your head and the neck and upper back stretch would help even the chattiest monkey mind.
Me lovey shoulderstand. And my ego secretly wishes that one day, I’ll kick asana in pincha mayurasana and handstand (not quite there yet. Ok not there at all :D).
Me lovey bananas too!
Sarvangasana has always been my favorite! I never knew it was *designed* to make me feel that good! My monkey mind likes hanging out upside down. :)
I’m a monkey and I loves me some inversions! Eee-eee-eee! Gimme a nanna, covered in chocolate of course :)
I find inversions especially entertaining when there is a mirror nearby! What else is there to think about when you are busy contemplating the alien bulging veins in your face?!
Oooo Oooo Oooo Oooo AH AH AH!! (Yes that is a monkey noise!)
Don’t forget, Lo, we also have a lot in common with bananas, themselves. In fact, we share 50% of our DNA with bananas. Seriously. Says a lot, don’t it?
Must practice now before my percentage increases to 75%… p.s: love this + you.
I just like to stop monkeying around and take viparita karani because this monkey is sometimes too tired to lift anything else.
“8 inversions for mental poo-throwing”
You are tearing the shit up in yoga hyper-space Y. I’m just sitting back in awe as you continue to weave the poetry with your words…am loving this!!! Also, awesome post on YogaDork…
I’m just starting to work inversions into my practice… am I’m already hooked :)
Wish I could do these at work…
I actually started doing more inversions when I saw this post. Sweetness! I am huge fan of plough, down dog and dolphin. I have always been a bit of a wimp when it comes to shoulder stand and headstand but might try them with a wall and let the good times happen.
Was that one commenter serious about sharing our DNA with bananas?! I had some input, but that statement totally threw me off. Now I’m just speechless :)