Moving into 4th phase

I had (have) the same problem…… I take my eyes to wear I start to feel myself shift then STAY there for a while and so on. One step at a time remember :0

Hi gummisteph

The first thing I would do is make sure you are solid in stage 3. By that I mean that you can (and DO try this) stay in stage 3 for the entire first set. That is minus the small amount of time it takes to cycle through stages one and 2 to get your elbows down below your calf muscles. In other words you should be able to solidly stay in stage 3 for upwards of 50 seconds employing all the distinctions of this pose BEFORE moving to part 4 (at another time).

What Drew mentions are issues that should already be handled by the time you are even trying to get into stage 4. Thanks Drew.

In my opinion too many people are trying to go into stage 4 without working out how to properly progress AND stay in the other parts.

In stage one is where you work out how to keep your leg and joint alignment by properly weighting your foot. Progress into stage 2 helps you understand how extending the leg may change that, so you should have this already handled when you have ‘got’ stage 2.

The pushing of the heel forward and pulling of the toes backward really starts being MORE important as you start progressing into stage 2. I said ‘more important’ because there is a hint of that element already existing in stage one where you keep your foot actively flexed (just the direction of that ‘action’ is different – relative to the floor).

As you lift your leg and push it forward towards extension you have to be engaging this dynamic and then IT DOESN’T STOP occurring for the rest of the pose through parts 2, 3 and 4.

I implore you to take a class or 2 to explore how fully you are doing all of this. Then keep those dynamics going and then bring your forehead to your knee.

This is what your question is asking. Here is what I would suggest now that you have everything else handled.

It is a challenge to constantly change your focus because for the most part you are relying on your focus to give you the balance. So you feel rather disconcerted to be constantly moving where your eyes are looking.

One thing I have found students respond to well is asking them to look through their knee to the floor. This will get you used to changing your focus and still keep it on something solid – all the while you are working on keeping all the other basics of this pose constant. While you are learning a new skill the basics can often fly out the window so this is why you take your learning in stages. Then your job will be to tuck your chin even tighter and try to look at the floor behind you when you are looking through the space between your legs. Then you will more likely be ready to tuck your chin and look at your stomach. By this stage it will be easy because you have mastered balance with a moving visual focus! :cheese:

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

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