The three stages of a yoga pose will get you to the moon.
The Moon Rocket sits on the launching pad ready to blast off. The 3 stages of the rocket are ready to go. The first stage blasts off and once it is done the second stage takes over the journey. Once that stage is exhausted the third and final stage completes the journey to the moon.
Just like the Moon Rocket, you move through three stages one after the other when you learn a yoga posture.
What is the Moon Rocket approach
The three stages of the Moon Rocket approach to learning a yoga pose consist of the external, internal and mental aspects of a yoga posture.
- Stage 1 – Lift off. The external appearance
- Stage 2 – Into Space. The internal structure
- Stage 3 – On to the Moon. The mental challenges
You move through each of these stages in order from Stage 1 through to Stage 3 as you learn a new yoga posture. You will spend a varying amount of time in each stage. Let’s look at Stage 1 – Lift Off in detail.
Stage 1 – Lift Off
In this stage you focus on getting your arms, legs and torso in the right place or as close to the right place your flexibility will allow.
You need to figure out what to do with your hands. Where do you look when you are in the pose.
Finally you figure out when to breathe in and when to breathe out as you work your way into the pose, hold the pose and exit the pose.
Stage 1 Lift Off is all about the physical aspect and the appearance of the posture. In Stage 2 Into Space you move from the external appearance to the internal structural elements of the yoga posture.
Stage 2 – Into Space
In Stage 2 you check out the internal structure of the pose.
Which muscles should be engaged, which muscles should be relaxed.
How should the bones of the body be aligned. For example should the legs be turned slightly inwards, slightly outwards or be in a neutral position.
In Stage 2 we work on the structural support of the yoga posture. The bones and the muscles support the body in the yoga posture. Getting the internal support in place will permit you to comfortably hold the yoga pose and help you to avoid injuring yourself.
Now that you have the external and internal aspects of the yoga pose in place it is time to move on the last stage of learning a yoga pose, on to the moon where you learn about the mental aspects.
Stage 3 – On to the Moon
Once you get the body in the physical appearance of the posture and the internal structural components are in place then you move on to the mental stages.
You now become aware of the muscles and the stretching sensations. Are any of the muscles being over stretched? Stretching is good, but too much stretching can result in injury and damage to the muscles. Monitor this stretching sensation and keep it in the safe zone.
Check out your breath. Is your breath flowing easily in and out. Or is your breath being challenged because of how far you are attempting to move into the pose. If your breath is greatly constrained it is time to back off and return to the safe zone.
Is your gaze focused in the proper direction. If you are wandering around the room looking at other people, you are not focused on your posture. Bring your gaze back to the focal point and return your attention to your body and its reaction to the yoga pose.
Stage 3 is the last stage of learning a yoga pose. You move from the external appearance to the internal structural support and finally to the mental components.
How long do you spend in each stage
The answer to this question is that it depends. You spend a short amount of time learning the physical appearance of the pose.
You do not need to execute the physical aspect of the pose in its complete and full form before you move on to the second stage.
You only need to become comfortable with where you different body parts go now based on your current flexibility and where they should eventually be as your body becomes more flexible.
Once you are reasonably comfortable with the physical appearance then you start working on the internal structure of the pose.
In this stage you are working on the muscles, bones and the joints. You work on this internal structure until you become comfortable with what needs to be accomplished.
When you are comfortable with establishing the internal structural components then you start working on the mental aspects.
You never move out of the third or mental stage of the posture.
Actually you are adding each one of the stages on top of each other. Much like the moon rocket and its three stages, the three stages of a yoga build on each other.
The first stage is the foundation of the posture. The second stage builds on top of the first stage and adds the internal structure. And finally when these two stages are in place, you add the mental stage on top of the first two.
Can you skip a stage
The Moon Rocket needs all three stages in order to complete the journey to the moon.
You go through all three stages to finish learning a yoga pose. You may move very quickly, but you do move through all of the stages.
I am stuck
A lot of people think that they are stuck in the physical aspect of the posture because their body is not very flexible and they are unable to move into the physical aspect of the posture to the same extent as the teacher or other students can.
The truth is that once you become familiar with where the various body parts go or should go you move on to the next two stages. It is not necessary to get the physical appearance of the pose completely in place before you move on to the next stage.
Summary
You start your journey of learning a new yoga pose in the same way that a Moon Rocket takes off for the moon. You work through the three stages one after the other.
- Stage 1 – Lift Off. In this stage you work on the Physical appearance
- Stage 2 – Into Sapce. The Internal structure is put in place in this stage.
- Stage 3 – On to the Moon. In this final stage the mental aspects of the pose are developed.
Next Steps
The next time your teacher gives you a new pose to learn, remember the three stages of a yoga pose and work through these stages one after the other.
The Moon Rocket sits on the launching pad ready to blast off. The 3 stages of the rocket are ready to go. The first stage blasts off and once it is done the second stage takes over the journey. Once that stage is exhausted the third and final stage completes the journey to the moon.Just like the Moon Rocket, you move through three stages one after the other when you learn a yoga posture.
What is the Moon Rocket approach are the 3 stages in
The three stages of the Moon Rocket approach to learning a yoga pose consist of the external, internal and mental aspects of a yoga posture.
Stage 1 – External physical aspects
Stage 2 – Internal structural aspects
Stage 3 – Mental aspects
Stage 1 – Lift off. The external appearance.
Stage 2 – Into Space. The internal structure.
Stage 3 – On to the Moon. The mental challenges.
You move through each of these stages in order from Stage 1 through to Stage 3 as you learn a new yoga posture. You will spend a varying amount of time in each stage. Let’s look at Stage 1 – External physical aspects Lift Off in detail.
Stage 1 – External Physical aspectLift Off
In this stage you focus on getting your arms, legs and torso in the right place or as close to the right place your flexibility will allow.
You need to figure out what to do with your hands. Where do you look when you are in the pose.
Finally you figure out when to breath in and when to breath out as you work your way into the pose, hold the pose and exit the pose.
Stage 1 Lift Off is all about the physical aspect and the appearance of the posture. In Stage 2 Into Space you move from the external appearance to the internal structural elements of the yoga posture.
Stage 2 – Internal structural aspects Into Space
In Stage 2 you check out the internal structure of the pose.
Which muscles should be engaged, which muscles should be relaxed.
How should the bones of the body be aligned. For example should the legs be turned slightly inwards, slightly outwards or be in a neutral position.
In Stage 2 we work on the structural support of the yoga posture. The bones and the muscles support the body in the yoga posture. Getting the internal support in place will permit you to comfortably hold the yoga pose and help you to avoid injuring yourself.
Now that you have the external and internal aspects of the yoga pose in place it is time to move on the last stage of learning a yoga pose, on to the moon where you learn about the mental aspects.
Stage 3 – Mental aspects On to the Moon
Once you get the body in the physical appearance of the posture and the internal structural components are in place then you move on to the mental stages.
You now become aware of the muscles and the stretching sensations. Are any of the muscles being over stretched? Stretching is good, but too much stretching can result in injury and damage to the muscles. Monitor this stretching sensation and keep it in the safe zone.
Check out your breath. Is your breath flowing easily in and out. Or is your breath being challenged because of how far you are attempting to move into the pose. If your breath is greatly constrained it is time to back off and return to the safe zone.
Is your gaze focused in the proper direction. If you are wandering around the room looking at other people, you are not focused on your posture. Bring your gaze back to the focal point and return your attention to your body and its reaction to the yoga pose.
Stage 3 is the last stage of learning a yoga pose. You move from the external appearance to the internal structural support and finally to the mental components.
How long do you spend in each stage
The answer to this question is that it depends. You spend a short amount of time learning the physical appearance of the pose.
You do not need to execute the physical aspect of the pose in its complete and full form before you move on to the second stage.
You only need to become comfortable with where you different body parts go now based on your current flexibility and where they should eventually be as your body becomes more flexible.
Once you are reasonably comfortable with the physical appearance then you start working on the internal structure of the pose.
In this stage you are working on the muscles, bones and the joints. You work on this internal structure until you become comfortable with what needs to be accomplished.
When you are comfortable with establishing the internal structural components then you start working on the mental aspects.
You never move out of the third or mental stage of the posture.
Actually you are adding each one of the stages on top of each other. Much like the moon rocket and its three stages, the three stages of a yoga build on each other.
The first stage is the foundation of the posture. The second stage builds on top of the first stage and adds the internal structure. And finally when these two stages are in place, you add the mental stage on top of the first two.
Can you skip a stage
The Moon Rocket needs all three stages in order to complete the journey to the moon.
You go through all three stages to finish learning a yoga pose. You may move very quickly, but you do move through all of the stages.
I am stuck
A lot of people think that they are stuck in the physical aspect of the posture because their body is not very flexible and they are unable to move into the physical aspect of the posture to the same extent as the teacher or other students can.
The truth is that once you become familiar with where the various body parts go or should go you move on to the next two stages. It is not necessary to get the physical appearance of the pose completely in place before you move on to the next stage.
Summary
You start your journey of learning a new yoga pose in the same way that a Moon Rocket takes off for the moon. You work through the three stages one after the other.
— Stage 1 – Lift Off. In this stage you work on the Physical appearance
— Stage 2 – Into Sapce. The Internal structure is put in place in this stage.
— Stage 3 – On to the Moon. In this final stage the mental aspects of the pose are developed.
Next Steps
The next time your teacher gives you a new pose to learn, remember the three stages of a yoga pose and work through these stages one after the other.
