Yoga seems to be the thing to do, these days. I did it once. And, despite what the magazines suggest, real people do yoga. But, no one does yoga the way animals do it. Cats are the true masters, but birds have their own asanas, some of which we humans attempt to emulate. I'm sure birds must be tempted to laugh at our feeble attempts, but maybe their superior states of enlightenment allow them to feel compassion for us instead.
I don't know if this tern asana has a human equivalent. Perhaps someone can enlighten me?
All content © 2008 Pete McGregor
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4 comments:
Please don't give up on the writing for the sake of the photography.
That's a great line....'I did it once.'!
RR, there's another post not far away on pohanginapete. Should be up within a day or two. I haven't forgotten the book, either.
I suppose yoga is the thing to do these days - but I do it because it makes me feel good. Especially on those days I can almost get my feet behind my head!!
This photo suggests, to me, more of a plane coming in to land than a yoga pose. However, I think the asana this lovely tern is doing is probably a variation of uttanasana, which is some times done with arms in the air and hands linked. [Sorry, can't be bothered finding a link - just google it.]
As you say, cats are the yoga masters, although I have my doubts about whether they are enlightened. Either they're ultra enlightened, or not at all, I can't decide which. Cats would definitely scoff at our feeble efforts to do yoga; but birds, I think, would be more compassionate towards us.
My two small canine friends like yoga, especially the dog poses. Little Princess is keen on meditating, too.
Anne-Marie, I trust I'll never be in a plane whose wings are in that position when it's landing. If I ever am, my arms will be in a similar position, but in front of me, in the praying asana.
The photos of uttanasana I found looked nothing at all like this, although I can imagine some similarity if, as you say, it's sometimes done with arms in the air (it looks impossible enough as it is, I have to say). In fact, I've so far found nothing that resembles it closely, so I hereby name it "ternasana". You read it here first.
Yes, the dog poses seem to come naturally for dogs ;^) Cats can be good at meditating, too — Ming's practicing right now.
I will refrain from visualising you with your feet behind your head.
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