You are stronger than you think!

Inversions in yoga lead to many advantages. The obvious is to strengthen the shoulders, arms, wrists, and core.  Another is to improve body awareness, the relationships of timing and what muscles to engage. Yest another is nourishing the brain and helping to move/flush the lymph.  Interestingly enough, with the practice of inversions, we also get to counter the settling patterns of the effects of gravity on our body, and to enhance visual acuity and perhaps change our perception of things.  All of these things should make you feel as if you want the opportunity to begin to learn to do inversions in yoga. Yoga certainly delivers here and the sense of empowerment is felt almost immediately, after even learning some smaller "preparations" for inversions. Open your mind, trust your body, get a yoga buddy and enjoy the fruits of the labor.  You are stronger than you think!

"Unity is strength....when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved."  Mattie Stepanek

First inversion to try - Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog
Find your plank, feet hip width apart, hands under the shoulders, and then lift the hips high, reaching into the heels of the hands and feet, rolling the shoulders outward and using the breath to create space between the shoulder blades. Stay 3 to 5 breaths and try to build up to a minute.  Consider too, trying down dog pose with a partner.  The first person does down dog and the second partner does a handstand preparation, grounding the partner below and having opportunity to strengthen the shoulders with the alignment for handstand: perpendicular to the floor.  Focus on the lift, on pushing the floor away and creating length in the body.  Make sure to switch so that each person gets a chance to build strength and understanding of both practices, and especially remember to thank your yoga partner. 

Essential oil to try: White Fir and Lemon

Namaste!