Lands And Peoples

Sometimes yogis can take themselves a bit too seriously. While yoga is an ancient practice that focuses on bringing peace to the mind and uniting body and soul, it is also supposed to be fun. In the spirit of letting loose every now and then and stop taking life so seriously, here are 5 weird, wacky, and wonderful postures that will bring a smile to your face: 

Happy Baby

What’s happier than a baby? Does anyone or anything else on this earth exhibit more pure joy than a child who is still fascinated by everything around them? Bring some of this wonder and amusement back into your life with Happy Baby pose. Warning: giggles of amusement may ensue. 

How To:
Lie on your back with your knees drawn into your chest, grab hold of your feet, then lift your heels and spread your knees and feet apart. Go ahead and make baby sounds if you want to, no one will judge (probably). 

 
Ear Pressure Pose (A.K.A Deaf Man)

To the untrained eye, this pose just looks silly. But to a trained yogi…actually, it still looks pretty funny. Who wouldn’t feel like a big dork with their derriere in the air? But after you get over appearances, you’ll realize that along with the ordinary benefits of yoga, this pose teaches something – how to let go. 

How To: 

Deaf Man’s Pose is the next step after mastering Plow. To start, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet pressed into the mat. Next lift your feet off the floor, then your lower back, supporting it with your hands. Move your feet back until they are above your head. Straighten the legs, press the toes firmly into the mat, and lift your tailbone to the sky. This is Plow. From here, drop your knees to the mat on either side of your head, rest your shins and the tops of your feet down, and relax. 

The Exorcist Pose 

This is probably the least inviting-sounding yoga pose, but if it makes you feel better “Exorcist” is not its original Sanskrit name. A progression of Compass Pose, it was given the nickname by a popular yogi due to the wide-eyed looks people give you when you’re twisted every which way. Creepy? Maybe a little bit. But that’s what makes it so much fun!
This pose is a bit complicated and requires a lot of flexibility in the hips and hamstrings. If you think you’re up for it, look up instructional videos on the web. 

Super Soldier

At first glance, this pose invokes instant confusion. What goes where and how does it get there? But once you’ve worked out how to get into it, you’ll have a great time freaking out your buddies. 

How To: 

Starting in forward fold with your feet spread out 4-5 feet apart and reach your left arm behind your left leg, wrapping it around your back. Make sure your left foot is firmly pressed into the floor, lean to the right, then put your right leg over to the left and grab your foot with your left hand. Straighten so that your left leg and bent right leg are aligned. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get it right away, it’ll be much easier to understand once you watch an instructional video.