JULY POSE OF THE MONTH

While on vacation recently in South Carolina I enjoyed spending my evenings on our spacious back porch that overlooked a lush pond surrounded by beautiful magnolias and palmettos and a bright green manicured golf course. Most memorable though was the sound of the lowcountry frogs partying every night in the pond. It’s incredible how something so small can make such a big noise. Perhaps they weren’t partying and instead were “OMing”.

In India frogs are part of their culture and tradition. They are a symbol of reincarnation, representing the many forms a soul may be reincarnated. There is also a rather interesting, and what some of us may even consider very odd, custom in India with frogs. In some Indian villages a ceremony called ‘banger biye’ (frog wedding) or ‘Mandooka Parinaya’ (marriage of frogs) is held with hopes to appease the god of rain, Lord Indra. The ceremony is well, exactly what it’s called… a frog wedding. The villagers do this because they believe if they make Lord Indra happy, it will ensure a good rainfall to protect their tea gardens from drought.

Both “Manduka” (literally meaning the “Frog Upanishads”) and “Bheka” in Sanskrit mean frog or toad, used interchangeably. However, the yoga postures that they are named after aren’t the same. The  Māṇḍūkya (Manduka) Upaniṣad text is the shortest of all the Upanishads. It presents the theory of four states of consciousness and explains the meaning of the sound ‘Om’ (AUM) as the stages of consciousness – wakefulness,  dream state, deep sleep, and the state of ekatma (being one with Self, the oneness of Self). Additionally, the Upanishad describes how yogis leap like “manduka” (frogs)  from the waking and dream states, and further guides us on how to leap like a frog from the first to the fourth step- being one with the Self- of consciousness without difficulty. The Upanishad says that it is possible to reach the state of awareness in one leap like a frog by meditating on ‘Om’.

Om represents the union of the mind, body and spirit. It is said to be the sound of the universe, representing creation (A), manifestation (U), and destruction (M). Thus Om is essentially the whole universe joined in a single, simple sound. Yet sounds really aren’t that simple and are much more complex. Sounds are made up of vibrations which move seamlessly from the source, through the air, to the ear, and then interpreted by our brain which then tries to make some sense of it by assigning it some meaning or value. Like the frogs singing in the pond, their sounds created a vibration that traveled to my ear and then my mind made sense of it based on what I already knew from my previous experiences. Pretty complex huh?

“The word Om is defined by Hindu scripture as being the primordial sound of creation. It is the original vibration of the universe. From this first vibration, all other vibrations are able to manifest.” Syama Allard

So why meditate on ‘OM’ you may be wondering? According to Syama Allard from the Hindu American Foundation, “sound vibration significantly impacts a person’s physical, emotional, and mental state. By chanting Om, we can align our frequency with that of the original universal frequency, which is essential in spiritual practice.”

When we chant ‘Om’ the mind becomes connected with the breath, which then allows for one to experience an elevated state of consciousness. This state is called Samadhi and is a state of intense concentration, a joyful calm, that is achieved through meditation. This state is undisturbed by desire, anger, or any other ego-generated thought or emotion. In yoga, Samadhi is the 8th limb of yoga and is regarded as the final stage at which union with the divine is reached. Now this is a state, a level, even deeper or further than meditation (dhyana); however, with a dedicated meditation practice it’s possible to reach samadhi someday.

OM Symbolism

“The om symbol is a mirror of the mind's journey.” Erin Magner

What does the visual representation of Om really mean? Each part of the Om symbol signifies a different state of reality. The curves represent different states of the mind.

• The long large curve at the bottom of the symbol is the normal waking state known as “Jagratha".

• The curve in the middle represents the dream state known as “Swapna”.

• The upper curve is the state of being in a deep dreamless sleep called “Sushupti,”

• The dot is a symbol of enlightenment or transcendence known as turiyā.

• The crescent under the dot represents maya, which separates the three curves from the dot. Maya is the illusion that binds an individual soul to the material world. By chanting Om, one can transcend the three curves of material consciousness, and attain the dot of enlightenment. 

  *Source- Hindu American Foundation

Ardha Bhekasana/Half Frog Pose

To further connect to the frog-like spirit or energy, try practicing our pose of the month known as Ardha Bhekasana (ard-ha BAY-KAH-sah-nah) in Sanskrit. ⁠

Ardha - Half⁠

Bheka- Frog⁠

Asana- posture/pose⁠

Half Frog pose is a back bending hip opener. However, while it helps to increase flexibility in the back and targets the hip flexors it’s also an amazing stretch for the thighs (quads), ankles, feet, and shoulders. Furthermore, Ardha Bhekasana is great for reducing back pain and it helps to improve body posture by improving alignment of spinal column.⁠

See the alignment cues below to help you get to know the shape better so you can practice on your own!

Half Frog Pose Alignment

• Begin on stomach, with elbows under shoulders as in sphinx pose.

• Bring the left forearm parallel to the short, front edge of the mat.

• Bend the right knee and reach back with the right hand to hold the top of the foot, drawing the heel toward the buttock.

• Start by holding the outside edge of the foot, progress to placing the hand on the top of the foot with the fingertips pointing toward the ankle. (see tips/modifications section for additional hand placement.)

• Keep the shoulders and chest squared toward the front of the mat.

• Keep the shoulders activated and the chest lifted.

• Back of the neck is long with gaze forward.

• Repeat on second side.

Tips/Modifications:

• Use a bolster or rolled blanket to support the upper body.

• Use a strap to reach the foot if needed.

• Avoid any intense sensations in the knees.

• Practice side lying if pregnant or unable to put weight on the abdomen.