Commentary by Anne Johnson
Namaste! In honor of Mother’s Day, I’m proud to share May’s Partner Yoga Pose. Yoga helps us breathe space into our bodies and steady our minds. Yoga isn’t about perfecting a pose. It’s about finding a balance effort and ease and living fully in the present moment. Now let me introduce Boat Pose.
We use boats to explore the water. Throughout history boats of all shapes and sizes have allowed humans to discover new worlds, build relationships, exchange goods and begin to understand the mysteries of the sea. In a sturdy boat, we can cover great distances and navigate rocky waters.
Transform into a boat yourself or with a partner. Begin sitting on your bottom with legs bent, feet flat on the floor. Roll back onto your sitting bones and hug your belly in tight to keep you strong. Reach your arms out in front of you, like you were holding oars.
Try lifting one foot away from the floor at a time, keeping your spine long to support you. Float both feet up and, for a challenge, try straightening your legs. It’s okay to wobble, but don’t sink! Use your arms to row, row, row your boat. Use your breath for steam.
Now try a partner boat! Sit face to face, feet touching and hold hands. Try to lift your legs together up between your hands. Create balance by working together.
Boat pose strengthens your core muscles in both your tummy and back. With a strong core, your whole body stays tall and upright. Like the boat allows us to enter the water, a strong core will allow you to do every activity from a more stable place.
Contributor Anne Johnson teaches kids, tots, expectant and new mothers yoga at Simply Yoga in Zionsville. As a 200 RYT registered yoga teacher, engineer, and children’s book author, Anne enjoys writing and sharing “adult ideas” in a way that makes them accessible to children.
