Principle of Alignment #3

RESPECT the movement of your joints. Knowing how each of your major joints is meant to move, and respecting that movement, will protect your joints. For example, the knee and elbow are called "hinge" joints, meaning they only move in one direction: forward and back. Forcing them into sideways movements or past their natural range of motion stresses the ligaments and other fascia, which over the long term can contribute to degeneration or serious injury. Similarly, respect the natural way of the universe, whether it is how another person acts, how seasons cycle, or the way time unfolds. Wishing or forcing things to be another way only causes suffering, while finding acceptance for how things naturally are will bring about great harmony.

You can practice this alignment principle during this module by respecting your knees in the Warrior poses. Observe your knees tracking in the same direction as your toes, and that your knees don’t go past your ankles. Other poses to pay attention to this include: Chair pose (uttkatasana), all lunges, standing goddess pose, malasana (squat).