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COURAGE HAS MANY FACES. The most visible face of courae! a"# the o"e that $e te"# to value most! is the%i"# fou"# i" fro"t&'ae hea#li"es or o" the bi scree". Heroes have it! $arriors have it! survivors have it. (t

is a )ualit* $e all as'ire to i" var*i" #erees! *et those of us $ho $or% a"# live +"ormal+ lives ofte" feel

there is little o''ortu"it* to e,ercise our 'erso"al courae.

Ho$ever! $e ofte" #iscou"t the si"ifica"ce of the ma"* little thi"s that re)uire trust! faith! a"# braver*.-ear"i" to reco"ie these small o''ortu"ities is a valuable s%ill for times $he" a bi crisis sha%es us from

our routi"e. /he" $e 'ractice hatha *oa! $e i"itiate a 'rocess that is! b* its ver* "ature! 'roressive. /e

start $ith little thi"s! a"# $ith 'ractice $e buil# our stami"a! stre"th! a"# courae.

0eter Ste"os stre"the"s his $rists!

bac%! a"# ab#ome" as

he hovers i"Lolasana.

For Beginners BY PETER STERIOS

LolasanaThis simple yet demanding pose builds courage, poise, and confidence to explore morechallenging arm balances.

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(" the mi#st of this lie the see#s for tra"sformatio"&o''ortu"ities to brea% i"rai"e# 'atter"s of reactio"!

'h*sical a"# emotio"al. Reco"ii" these 'atter"s a"# #etermi"i" $hether *ou are 'ractici" $ith oo#

i"te"tio"s are "ot eas*. Ultimatel*! the )ualit* of *our 'ractice ca" be measure# b* its effect o" *our res'o"seto the ma"* stresses that occur i" ever*#a* life. (f *oa hel's *ou to res'o"# more creativel* a"# 'ositivel*!

the" *ou are o" the riht trac%. /hether *ou are atte"#i" a bei""er class or 'ractici" at home! *our first

little ste's i" *oa ta%e courae. A"# to co"ti"ue to ta%e those ste's over the course of *our life $ill re)uireeve" more. -olasa"a 10e"#a"t 0ose2 is a bei""i" arm bala"ce that 'rese"ts a" e,'erie"ce re)uiri"

courae3 the courae "ecessar* to literall* 'ull *ourself u' off the floor. The Sa"s%rit $or# (ola ca" be

tra"slate# as +fic%le! fre)ue"tl* cha"i"! trembli"! )uiveri"! or #a"li" to a"# fro li%e a" earri".+

("teresti"l*! -ola is also a"other "ame for the o##ess of fortu"e a"# $ealth! -a%shmi! $ho re'rese"ts the'o$er of multi'licit*.

As *ou bei" this 'ose! *ou are li%el* to feel u"sure4 *ou ma* eve" tremble or )uiver $ith fear. 5ut li%e

a" earri" ha"i" lihtl* from a #elicate lobe! -olasa"a! $he" mastere#! $ill offer *ou a )ualit* oflihthearte#"ess! #ef*i" the +ravit*+ of *our situatio"! so *ou s$a* e"tl* $ith the "ature of cha"e.To

bei" the 'ose! come #o$" o"to *our ha"#s a"# %"ees $ith *our les toether a"# the to's of the feet flat.

0laci" *our riht shi" over the left! cross *our shi"s 6ust above the a"%les. 7ee' *our %"ees close to eachother a"# let *our feet tur" out. Slo$l* sit bac% o" *our heels a"# ta%e $eiht o"to *our feet as *ou lift the

riht %"ee verticall* u' off the floor three to four i"ches. ("itiall*! rest *our ha"#s o" the %"ees as *ou settle

i"to the 'relimi"ar* 'art of the 'ose. Much li%e Simhasa"a 1-io" 0ose2! this first stae of -olasa"a hel's#evelo' fle,ibilit* i" the lo$er les a"# feet! im'rovi" %"ee a"# a"%le fu"ctio".

Sta* i" this 'ositio" for three or four c*cles of breath! %ee'i" the sou"# of *our i"halatio"s a"#e,halatio"s smooth a"# eve". Althouh the se"satio"s $here the shi" bo"es cross ca" be i"te"se! have

'atie"ce $ith *our e,'erie"ce a"# visualie *our shi" bo"es softe"i"! allo$i" the co""ective tissue of thelo$er les to release.

Lolasana helps develop flexibility in the lower legs and feet, improving knee and ankle function.

THE SECON8 0ART of the 'ose i"volves lifti" *ourself off the floor a"# hoveri" above *our mat. /he" the

$rists! arms! a"#9or the ab#omi"al muscles are $ea%! etti" +lift&off+ ca" be a challe"e! a"# for ma"*!

The Lift-Off

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frustrati" to the 'oi"t of i"timi#atio". 5* brea%i" #o$" the 'rocess ste' b* ste'! *ou ca" a''roach *our

+e#e+&the 'oi"t of bala"ce "ecessar* to achieve this 'ose&$ithout 'a"ic or #es'air. /ith co"siste"t attem'ts

over time! *ou $ill #evelo' the stre"th a"# 'oise "ee#e# for a com'lete lift.From *our seate# 'ositio"! 'lace *our ha"#s o" the floor besi#e *our thihs! about half$a* bet$ee"

the %"ee a"# a"%le. /ith a" e,halatio"! 'ress #o$" i"to *our ha"#s! full* e,te"#i" *our arms! a"# slo$l*

lift *our %"ees a"# buttoc%s u' from the floor! %ee'i" $eiht o" the to's of the feet a"# the ha"#s. -ift ashih as *ou ca". /he" *ou reach *our ma,imum! ver* slo$l* lea" for$ar# u"til *ou feel the ab#ome" co"&

tracti". Sta* here for t$o or three c*cles of breath! hol#i" the co"tractio" i" the bell*! feeli" the 'o$er i"

*our full* e,te"#e# arms. This +trai"i" $heels+ versio" of the 'ose ma* be 'ractice# for $ee%s u"til *our

co"fi#e"ce i"creases. The abilit* to lift i"to the fi"al 'ose $ill come from #ee'e"i" the 'ull of the "avelto$ar# the s'i"e a"# tuc%i" the heels u' i"to the buttoc%s. Avoi# ho''i" a"# $or% slo$l* to #evelo' this

esse"tial u"#ersta"#i".

The Swing of It

AS THE -(FTre)uire# to leave the floor is achieve#! the fi"al ste' i" the 'ose is to lihtl* s$i" the les to a"#fro li%e a" earri". /ith co"ce"trate# effort! this fi"al stae comes "aturall*. /ith the les raise# off the

floor! suc% the %"ees u' hiher a"# 'ull the feet bac% a"# forth throuh the arms. As the s$i" of *our les

'ea%s! ravit* $ill hel' i"itiate the moveme"t bac% to ce"ter. As *our %"ees #ro'! #ra$ *our buttoc%s bac%a"# 'ull *our "avel i" stro"l*. (f *our feet et stuc% o" *our mat! move to a firm! smooth surface li%e a

har#$oo# floor a"# 'lace a fol#e# bla"%et bet$ee" *our ha"#s. 5* sli#i" the bla"%et bac% a"# forth$ith*our feet! *ou ca" e#ucate *our ab#ome" a"# buil# stre"th.

-olasa"a hel's stre"the" the $rists a"# ha"#s! as $ell as the muscles of the bac%. (t to"es theab#ome" a"# creates liht"ess i" the les. 5ut most im'orta"tl*! it buil#s the co"fi#e"ce! 'atie"ce! a"#

courae re)uire# for more challe"i" arm bala"ces a"# for the tur"i" of the u"e,'ecte# crises i" *our life!

both bi a"# small! i"to $o"#erful o''ortu"ities for i"siht.

Peter Sterios is the director of Yoga Centre in San Luis Obispo, California, and can be reached at

psterios@ix.netcom.com.