Yoga for the Sun’s Movement Through Gemini

As May unfolds into the Gemini season of mutable air, let’s take a versatile and adventurous approach to our yoga practice. How about trying a few partner (The Twins of Gemini) yoga postures with your friends! The term “mutable” originates from the Latin root mutabilis, which means change, so in this season of shifting, going outside the box might be fun!

 

Before you say, ‘NO WAY’, consider (Latin meaning: con – ‘with’, sider – ‘the stars’) that Gemini likes to communicate, while enjoying a bit of adventure, and ingenuity to keep things moving. This is offered in the spirit of a lighthearted, sociable, (Gemini) experience. Please read on!

 

Below are offered a few yoga asanas that are fairly easy, fun to do with a buddy and not too invasive concerning personal space. If you’d like to go deeper, there are plenty of partner yoga videos out there! But the point of this column is to offer access to yoga as a way to think about and support the energy of the season—Gemini—whose motto could be: ‘Variety is the spice of life’!

 

With the energy of Gemini filling your sails, you are supported in exploring a new way to connect! It is OK to talk through the steps of the posture together while you are doing it, have a moment of focus—an in breath and out breath—laugh, and then return to the tasks of the day.

 

Here are a couple of well known yoga asanas that can be adapted as a partner yoga postures:

 

Tree Pose is a balancing pose, but don’t let that stop you. If you feel wobbly, positioning yourselves in front of a wall (inside or outside) might make you feel more secure—you’ll have a place to fall back on if needed. There are many variations of Tree, but the basic posture is balancing on one leg with the other leg raised, the sole of the raised foot placed on the inner calve or thigh. Avoid placing the sole of the raised foot on the knee. If you feel very wobbly, the sole of the foot can be positioned closer to the ankle with the toes touching the ground. Traditionally, the hands are raised, but for the partner version of the Tree asana, your partner’s adjoining hand can be placed palm together with yours, while the outside hand is raised. 

 

 

In the two short and windy videos included here, we take on a couple (pun) more postures.

In the first video  we practice another version of Tree with the palms touching together in front, while arms are wrapped around your partner’s waist for balance. Coming out of Tree pose, we then give partnered Standing Half Forward Bend a try.

 

In the second video we move into a version of partnered Crescent pose during this very windy (Gemini) morning!

 

As always, listen to your body as a source of information and ease off any strain, while enjoying the stimulating and relating energy of this Gemini season!

 

Many thanks to my friend, Roberta and partner, Bill for their willingness to participate in this Gemini experiment!