Twist the ball from side to side, leading with your Yoga poses strength elbows and reaching from your scapula shoulder blades. Keep your hips very still, engaging your Yoga poses strength lower abs, but not squeezing your butt, which will compromise the chest and upper body placement. Do this 8 times on a count of 3 or 4. Brace your hips, and remember to keep your back straight, finding your center of gravity. Try not to sway your rib cage forward or back. 11 BEGINNER Figure 8 BENEFITS: Restores range of motion to your upper back and shoulders. Stand with your legs hip-distance apart, knees bent. Hold the ball with both hands at waist-height.
When reading the HYP – for many representing the zenith of hatha-yoga discourse – the reader can sense how the compiler tried to pull many of these diverting discourses together -highlighting some while muting others. Clearly some ideological positioning and categorisation was taking place.
Before analysing the HYP we will first try to identify some of the social groups and discourses from which hatha-yoga finally emerged. Firstly the Kulas who represent the aspect of Archaic rituals and culture that we find within hatha-yoga.
