I will wear a grin all day...Today I got karandavasana!
This is a moment that I NEVER thought would happen. Never ever. I suppose the next moment that could possibly never happen is coming up and going down with integrity, but there is no rush.
Feeling very productive and super-amped from practice, I published April's Livingmysore magazine and am now watching karandavasana videos on youtube while the sun shines in through my window. Sometimes I really like my life.
"Karandavasana" from reynoldl
"Karandavasana" from ashtangaboi
"Sanya's karandavasana" from yogayantra
"Karandavasana - Demo by Russell Case" from bestbuychi
But what I really want is to see a strong woman do it! Come on ladies, let's show 'em how it is done...
I just ordered Kino's new DVD. If anyone can do it, she can!
Welcome to the day that Hell Froze Over. Isn't it lovely?
ReplyDeleteMy girlfriend that's in India can do karandavasana...not to mention, pull up from lolasana into a handstand, and go from bakasana to a handstand and she's light as a feather...that all being said I don't think she's human.
ReplyDeleteI agree, if anyone can do it Kino can! She's super human. I'm waiting to see a woman do karanda- why aren't there any videos of it? I tell my friend, who is super strong and comes down quite nicely from it, that I'm counting on her to get it so I can study her. Unfortunately, I know its' all core strength- bhandas. I just want to will it to happen. My teacher told me to put my weight into my hands. Yeah, right. My butt is like an anvil at this point. I think there's a trick in not sinking into it too much- kind of like not letting go when doing laghuvajrasana. Once you let go, it's dead. Come on, Elise, do it so you can share your tips!!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that there is at least one woman at Yoga Sutra who can do it - Guta. She is tiny but powerful. Then at my shala in CT, I think Val can do it, as can my friend, Melissa. Maybe Oni too. I think that when you see others around you doing it, you realize it can be done. Success is infectuous!
ReplyDeleteIt IS infectious! Sneak a video YC and send it our way! Oh, I'm not tiny- by any means, so that's another thing to contend with. But at least when I land on my butt, it's cushy.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations - karandavasana is fun if you don't take it too seriously. Really tiring though.
ReplyDelete3 women in my ashtanga community can do it.
ReplyDeletehmf. I'm fresh from my practice, where I really gave coming up from karanda a good try (egged on by all this online talk about it), and it still seems impossible. So all of you are saying that you know women who can COME UP from it?? man. We must be wimpy here in Austin, Tx because I don't know one single woman who can- and there are a lot of very strong yoga students here. It's nice to know it's being done somewhere... that gives me hope. Now for videos, please. ha ha!!
ReplyDeleteI agree, there has to be a video of a woman somewhere, we have all seen the video's of the men.
ReplyDeleteIt feels almost next to impossible and I just can't seem to gain the strength to hold up on my forearms when all curled up like a ball. Yes, tips would be extremely useful...
Happy Practicing
Forgot to mention that in the video of Guruji leading Tim, Eddie, RF, Chuck & Maty in second series, there is extended footage of Karen Haberman coming into and lifting out of karandavasana.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't have the video, it should be available from Yoga Works in LA.
Congratulations! You totally deserved it.
ReplyDelete:)
so...there is hope :)
ReplyDeleteElise- and all mystified females about how to do karandavasana- I asked boodiba if she'd share some tips and she wrote a great post. Check out her blog entry on it: http://boodiba3.blogspot.com/2008/04/daffys-duck-duck-duck-not-goose-karanda.html
ReplyDeleteStill sounds impossible, but I will not give up.
My girlfriend told me the key is to keep your butt up and use your bandhas...most people drop their butt and that's when it's harder because if you've got a heavier backside all that weight will make it that much harder to come up.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, my friend has really long legs too, not sure if that has anything to do with it, but she'll literally pull her knees down and hold in her armpits and then somehow inhales and pulls up - without even coming close to grazing her face on the floor...
I don't know if this is something that eventually happens to be honest...it's not like learning to float into bakasana, it's on a totally different level
thanks for sharing the link bll!
ReplyDeleteanon-this makes sense...thanks!
Oh - and Erika Hildebrandt can do it too. I know of a girl who puts her face down on the mat to do it - but at least she can do it. So, girls CAN do it.
ReplyDeleteanon- it IS so on a different level than anything else. I think Elise's observation that there's a connection between having the strength and bhandas to lift into handstand and lifting out of karanda is dead on. Both so hard and so cool if you do it! Thanks for sharing your friend's tips- the butt in the air is a huge key (I let it go way down like a bag of wet sand). I've decided to let this go and egg on my strong friend to do it. Then I can live vicariously. Life goes on without lifting out of karanda.
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