In the Yoga Scene: Los Angeles’ Obsession with Handstand
I was having dinner last night with a yoga teacher friend who just moved to Los Angeles from Boston. She is testing out studios, classes, teachers all over Los Angeles, so her perspective is very fresh and keen. Apparently in Los Angeles, we are obsessed with the handstand. In one of the classes she took- she explained how the instructor offered a kick up to handstand in the very first sun salute. Is there no rest for the warm up weary? Her poignant observation of this handstand phenomenon really did resonate with me- after all it is true, and it took an outsider to bring it to my attention. I even find myself subjected to this handstand judgment, both in my own mind and how I’m seeing it in the minds of others. Lately I have noticed it popping up everywhere in the various blogs and Facebook posts I’m reading. Well-known teacher Jennifer Pastiloff even poked fun at herself on a recent retreat declaring:
“I can’t press up into a handstand in the middle of the room. I’m kind of deaf. I’m disorganized. But I’m a nice person.” — Jennifer Pastiloff
Even the “Accidental Yogist” expressed she would very much like to do handstand in the middle of the room, proclaiming this on a recent podcast with teacher Karthik Dhandapani, Sivananda, yoga teacher at Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center. Karthik even offered she come to his classes where they create video of your handstand class and give to you so you can learn what exactly isn’t working. Wow, this has gone to all new levels! (Yoga Chat with the Accidental Yogist — Episode 11).
I must say I am also victim to this obsession. For me, handstand in the middle of the room is one of the last advanced frontiers. Let’s be real though, there are so many, MANY more frontiers to cross after it — and none of it really means much unless you’re breathing — but for whatever reason I have used being able to do handstand in the middle of the room as a mark of achievement for myself. Its getting closer, I can feel it coming, but not quite there.
In defense of handstand in the middle of the room- it does signify enough core and overall strength/balance to be able to perform it well. It also signifies the ability to surpass fear, which is no small feat. In many ways it’s more mental than physical.
As devil’s advocate of rocking out a handstand, who care’s if you can do it or not- are you breathing? Are you realizing that your yoga doesn’t get “better” as a result of being able to do it, meaning you don’t magically achieve a higher state of consciousness, etc.? And are we using a focus on handstand in LA as a way of ‘showing off’? Is it yet another vehicle to feed the ego during group classes? I think Tiffany Cruikshank said it best last night during her class at YogaGlo (which included many playful hops up on one leg in handstand-like preps) —
“You have to be able to stand on your feet first.”
Aka: hey kids, lets get strong in our standing poses first.
In Los Angeles the biggest offender in my opinion would be kicking up into handstand during sun salutes unprompted, which is fun/fine/dandy if that is the sort of class you’re attending — but if it is not the norm in the class, I can’t help but think those folks up front floating up are a little bit out of context. I think it helps us all to be the graceful and mindful handstanders- the ones who know when to kick up and when not to in proper context, the ones who use it wisely and with good mindfulness in group settings. Use your handstand to help, not hurt others ;0. Ok that got a little out of hand…no pun intended.
But seriously — should I fall victim to my own criticisms- meaning when one day I am floating up easily- will I do this in a vinyasa class during the very first Surya Namaskar A? If I do will you please punch me. In the face, while I’m in a handstand please. I am kidding. I will do it if the class has that flavor. If it’s a lower key class, I would do it if in the back row and nobody is affected by the fluffery. I will not handstand in a bar, I will not handstand on a car, I will not handstand in a bus, I will not handstand in handcuffs. Seuss wrote a handstand book it was just never published…there we have it.
