“Every dog must have his day.”
~ Jonathan Swift
~ Jonathan Swift
Dog Days are historically associated with the hottest days of summer and the period following the rising of the Dog Star, Sirius, from July 3 to August 11 each year in the Northern Hemisphere.
In ancient Greece and Rome, the Dog Days were believed to be a time of drought, bad luck, and unrest, when dogs and people would be driven mad by the extreme heat. However, in modern times, the Dog Days are associated purely with the time of summer’s peak temperatures and humidity.
“These are strange and breathless days, the dog days, when people are led to do things they are sure to be sorry for after.”
― Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting
― Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting
At Fun Yoga on the Bay, the Dog Days of Summer are our favorite time to practice many variations of Downward Facing Dog. Adho Mukha Svanasana is my “go to” inversion and what I believe to be the most well-rounded yoga posture. An inversion is any pose where the heart is above the head. It is also one of the safest and most accessible ways to practice being upside down.
Benefits of Practicing Downward-Facing Dog
- Strengthens Hands, Wrists, Arms and Shoulders
- Stretches Legs and Feet
- Lengthens and Realigns Spine to Improve Posture
- Boosts circulating energy and immune system
- Relieves stress and mental fogginess
Getting Started
- To get into the pose, start in a tabletop position, knees aligned under hips and wrists under shoulders.
- Inhale align the wrist creases to the front edge of the mat.
- Exhale spread your fingers wide and point the index fingers forward.
- Inhale press all areas of your hand into your mat or the earth- fingertips, knuckles, and palms.
- (this helps to distribute the weight of your body so that it doesn’t all dump into the wrists)
- Exhale tuck your toes and lift your hips (You may need to walk the feet slightly up or back to find equal distribution of weight).
- Balls of the feet touch the earth.
- Create an upside-down V-shape with your body.
- Exhale beam the heart back to the thighs.
- Stabilize your weight into the four corners of your foundation, your limbs.
- Inhale to reach your inner thighs up to the sky.
- Exhale send the parallel heels energetically down (Heels touch the mat only if you can keep a straight spine).
- Inhale wrap your outer armpits towards the ground and exhale relax your neck.
- Breathe seven slow inhales and equally slow exhales.
As the blood recirculates to the head, allow this upside-down perspective to open your inner eye to see beyond the physical world in front of you.
Once you find an understanding of your body in this pose, you can begin to enjoy it as a resting posture.
Once you find an understanding of your body in this pose, you can begin to enjoy it as a resting posture.
“You can be in Downward Dog, hating every second of it. Or you can be in this pose, peaceful and nonreactive, breathing calmly. Either way, you're in this pose. You decide the quality of your experience. Be the thermostat, not the temperature.”
— Lisa Genova
Photo Credit: Puppytoob
Fun Variations
| Puppy Dog | Dolphin | Bend Knees |
 Heels fall side to side  Fingertips  |  Open Hips 3-Legged Dog  Knuckles  |  Tiger Pose  |
On average, individuals who use inversions as part of a daily yoga practice find that they have an easier ability of staying positive and light-hearted throughout the day. The added blood flow to the face, combined with intense focus, adds a youthful afterglow to our complexion as well as a calmer overall demeaner.
Join me in a Downward Facing Dog or other inversion of your choice to feel for yourself the overwhelming joy and connectivity that comes from applying this experience of wisdom.
Join me in a Downward Facing Dog or other inversion of your choice to feel for yourself the overwhelming joy and connectivity that comes from applying this experience of wisdom.
Photo Credit: Puppytoob
“The dog lives for the day, the hour, even the moment.”
~ Robert Falcon Smith
~ Robert Falcon Smith