Yoga History and some Poses of the Week
Yoga is thought to date back to at least 3000 BC. The first comprehensive text, The Yoga Sutras was written by a legendary yogi called Patanjali around 200 BC. This text sets out a system known as Ashtanga or eight limbed, as it consists of eight steps to discipline the body, mind, breath, emotions and spirit. Thereby we can see how yoga promotes wellbeing at every level.
The eight limbs are: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhayana, and samadhi. Yama and Niyama are attitudes or behaviours, towards things and people outside ourselves and, to ourselves inwardly, respectively.
The yamas are ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacarya and aparigraha. I’ll aim to talk about one of these each week, therefore the focus this week is on ahimsa.
Ahimsa means kindness, friendliness and thoughtful consideration of other people and things. In his book, The Heart of Yoga, T K V Desikachar tells us it means that in every situation we should adopt a considered attitude in all things, that we should exercise our judgment and do what’s right rather than get stuck on principles based on what we consider are our responsibilities and duties.
Pose of the Week 27th March 2020
Warrior I Virabhadrasana I: in Sanskrit vira can translate to hero, warrior, vigorous and courageous and bhadra to good or auspicious. Virabhadra is the name of a fierce, mythical warrior. A good choice for these very unsettling times.
This is an asymmetrical standing backbend that has the effects of both strengthening and focusing. This pose strengthens our connection with the grounding energy of the earth and establishes a firm grounded foundation in the legs while fearlessly lifting and expanding the chest.
The second yama is Satya which can be translated to truthfulness. However, according to T K V Desikachar in his book The Heart of Yoga, “it is not always desirable to speak the truth come what may, for it could harm someone unnecessarily.“ We need to consider carefully what we say and how we say it and sometimes it’s better to say nothing. We still need to keep ahimsa in mind. Asteya is the third yama literally translated to take nothing that does not belong to us. Also meaning that if someone entrusts something to us or confides in us, we do not take advantage of him or her.
Pose of the Week 3rd April 2020
Seated Half Spinal Twist Ardha Matsyendrasana which translates to Half Lord of the Fishes Pose. Said to have been developed by Matsyendra a legendary teacher of Yoga. Put simply, there’s a lot happening in this pose. It’s important to begin with the spine lifting straight up from a neutral pelvis, a block under the sit bones will help with this. We should focus on the quality of the twist from the base of the spine right up to the top rather than be tempted to see how far round we can look behind us. In his book Therapeutic Yoga Dr Ali recommends this posture as “excellent for stretching the upper spine and greatly reduces tension in the neck and shoulder region, helping to keep headaches away.” Other benefits are said to include the internal organs being massaged helping to promote healthy function. This is one of my favourite postures and I always find it immensely freeing. As with Warrior 1 last week, a forward fold should be practised following Ardha Matsyandrasana.
Pranayama The fourth limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga System is Pranayama. We practise this through various breathing techniques aimed to enable us to influence the mind and can be best described as ‘conscious breathing’. Some examples are: Ujjayi, Nadi Sodhana, Sitali, Kapalabhati, Bhastrika.
To help us remain focused on our pranayama practice we need to find a comfortable position to sit in for the duration of our practice. It is important for the spine to be upright and the chest open. We can also use a hasta mudra or hand position to help, one such is chin mudra where the thumb and index fingers are formed into a circle and the hands are then placed palms up on each knee, if the fingers come apart we can notice that our attention has drifted. Probably the simplest practice is to count the inhalation and the exhalation, making both the same length to start with then making the exhalation twice the inhale. This gives the mind something else to think of!
We need to sit with our practice, whatever we choose, and each time we become aware of our mind wandering we should bring it back to our breath and be patient. I find I need a whacking dose of self-discipline to practise regularly, the physical practice of Yoga comes far more easily but I have no doubt of the benefits of a regular pranayama practice. Please let me know how you are getting on.
10th April 2020
Carrying on from last week, the fourth yama is brahmacarya. The root of this word being car which means to move and brahma which means truth, in terms of one essential truth, so a movement toward the essential. It can be thought of as celibacy but Desikachar explains it as a need for controlling the perceptual senses and desires rather than complete abstinence. Responsible behaviour with respect to our goal of moving toward the truth. The last yama is aparigraha. parigraha means to take or to seize. Aparigraha means to take only what is necessary and not to take advantage of a situation.
Pose of the Week
Vrkasana Tree Pose
This is a great posture to experience sthira and sukha, the strength and effort needed to find ease and freedom in a posture. The roots of a tree provide a strong foundation for its body and branches, as our feet and legs provide the support for our upper body to stand with strength, freedom and grace. The trunk of a tree, when firmly rooted, is immovable, while the branches can move as necessary in the wind in order for the tree to remain standing. If the branches were as immovable as the trunk something would have to give - and the tree could fall over! This posture gives us the opportunity to really improve our concentration as, if our mind wanders and our concentration dips we find ourselves wobbling or losing balance. We can train ourselves to keep our gaze soft and keep our focus thereby giving our minds a rest from its usual mutterings!
Pranayama Ujjayi
Ujjayi is sometimes called the Victorious Breath. By contracting the back of the throat the air makes a sound as it passes through. This has the effect of slowing the breath and the sound made can be very calming. Imagine you are huffing on a mark on a mirror to polish it, that sound comes from the back of the throat where the ujjayi breath starts. So to access ujjayi make the same action but with your mouth closed and the breath long. It can be used on the inhale as well as the exhale but to start with you may find it easier to get to grips with the exhale first.
17th April 2020
The second ‘limb’ of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga is Niyama following on from Yama. As with the Yamas there are five of them but they relate to the attitude we have towards ourselves as opposed to the relationship between ourselves and the outside world. The first is Sauca, cleanliness, both external and internal. Desikachar states that practising asanas and pranayama are essential for our inner sauca. The second is samtosa , Desikachar describes it as being content with what we have, rather than complain when something goes wrong, we can accept it and learn from it. The next is tapas which literally translates to heat and refers to a self-discipline to exercise and eat healthily thereby keeping the body fit and well. The fourth is svadhyaya which basically means self-study and the last is isvarapranidhana an acceptance of the outcome knowing we have done our best. These last three represent Kriya Yoga, where in our practice we challenge ourselves (tapas) we then reflect on the effects (svadhyaya) and finally accept the outcome as it is (isvarapranidhana) and learn from it.
Pose of the Week
Adho Mukha Svanasana Downward Facing Dog. One of the best known postures in Yoga, Downward Facing Dog is calming and energising. It stretches the shoulders, backs of the legs, strengthens the arms and legs and the weight bearing is good for osteoporosis. It’s termed a semi-inversion as it takes the head below the heart and gives the heart a bit of a rest. You may find it relieves headache and back pain and is certainly a posture that should be included in any practice. If the hamstrings are tight, keep the knees bent so that the spine can be free but you can get a lovely stretch through the hamstrings and calves by alternately coming up onto the toes and lowering the heels one leg at a time. The weight should be taken back, aiming for a diagonal line from the finger tips to the top of the hips, and the space between the shoulders relaxed on the exhale.
Pranayama Nadi Sodhana
Alternate nostril breathing. To practise this, we need to position our right hand so that the thumb rests against the side of right nostril and the ring finger against the side of the left nostril. The index and middle fingers are tucked into the palm. We then apply pressure with the thumb to close the right side and breathe in through the left nostril then close of the left and free the right to breathe out, then inhale through the right, close the right and open the left to breathe out. This completes one round, starting with inhaling through the left nostril and finishing with exhaling through the left nostril. This can be a very calming practice but only if your nose is clear, as with all breathing practices there should be no discomfort or force. There is a bit more on this on the ‘Articles’ page.
24th April 2020
Going back to the 8 limbs of Yoga from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, we’ve looked at Yama and Niyama and regularly practice the following two, asana and pranayama. The fifth limb is pratyahara which can be translated to a withdrawal of the senses. Our senses are continually responding to stimulants, e.g. a beautiful sunset, a good dinner cooking! The mind then latches on to these stimulants and is constantly active. Pratyahara is being engrossed solely in an activity so that you don’t notice what’s going on around you. Desikachar states that we cannot practise pratyahara, it happens by itself when we successfully practise the means to make it happen, such as pranayama .
Pose of the Week
Janu Sirsasana (Head Beyond the Knee Pose)
Rather than focusing on the head to the knee it’s better to focus on closing the gap between the navel and the knee while taking the breast-bone forward. If hamstrings are a bit tight it’s useful to sit on a block in order to keep the pelvis neutral and allow the spine to remain straight. As in all forward folds we begin by inhaling and lengthening through the spine and as we exhale fold forward at the hips. This pose stretches the arms, backs of the shoulders, hips, upper back and legs. The internal organs are massaged and it is often recommended for sciatica. As with all forward folds it’s a very calming posture but always go into it with awareness so as not to overstretch, particularly the groin area.
Pranayama
Breath Ratios In addition to the various pranayama techniques, the ratio of the different phases of the breath to each other is significant. The breath can be divided into four phases, i.e. inhale, hold the breath in, exhale and hold the breath out. The two main categories for breath ratios are firstly that all phases are of equal length, sama vrtti pranayama and secondly the phases are of different length, mainly the exhalation is twice as long as the inhalation, visama vrtti pranayama. We can experiment with different ratios during our asana practice and notice how we feel. The long exhale is useful because this is the body’s cue to relax, so we can encourage a release of tightness in a posture.
The Autonomic Nervous System in the body deals with all involuntary functions and is made up of the Parasympathetic and the Sympathetic Nervous Systems. When we make the exhale long during a pranayama practice the mind starts to relax because the parasympathetic nervous system takes over from the sympathetic nervous system, the fight or flight mode. The Parasympathetic system lowers the heart rate and increases intestinal and glandular activity. We can, therefore, call on this practice when we are feeling anxious or stressed (sympathetic nervous system dominant) and regain our equilibrium, so important for all involuntary functions of the body as well as our mental well-being.
1st May 2020
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
The sixth limb of yoga is Dharana , the seventh is Dhyana and the final, eighth limb is Samadhi. These are subtle states of being which, Desikachar points out, cannot be practised, instead, having calmed the mind through Asana and Pranayama, they may follow. Dharana is to focus on a single object, which could be, for example, the breath or a physical object, Dhyana is a deeper communication with the object and Samadhi , which means to bring together, to merge, happens when we become one with the object so that everything else disappears. Dharana could be said to be concentration and Dhyana meditation. As most of us know it is very difficult to reach these states as our ‘monkey minds’ keep chattering, however by practising Pranayama and Asana we can quieten the chatter and work towards these subtleties.
Pose of the Week
Bhujangasana Cobra and Sphinx
In the way that forward folds are calming, back bends such as Cobra and Sphinx are energising. They provide a great stretch for the front of the body, opening up the chest and releasing the shoulders. In Sphinx we rest on our elbows and find a curve in the thoracic spine which is not as flexible as the lumbar region and so we stay quite low. In Cobra we push up from our hands through our arms but need to be careful not to go so far that we lose the upper curve and merely hinge from the waist, which may cause pain in the lower back. However, when practised safely Bhujangasana helps to increase mobility in the spine.
In order to use the muscles down the length of the spine rather than the ones to the side of the body, it’s important to maintain the alignment in the arms so that the forearms stay parallel to each other and the elbows don’t fall out to the sides. A forward and lifting movement in the chest should be maintained while keeping the shoulders down and back from the ears. To help with this you can have a sense of the hands pulling back along the mat when holding the posture. Relax in Child’s Pose following Bhujangasana.
Pranayama
Here is a straightforward practice that you may like to try. Regular practice will help to train the mind to stay focused and calm but you can stop at any time during your day and focus on your breath to feel a sense of calm and control. Please note there should be no discomfort in any breathing practice.
Sit comfortably with your back straight and your legs supported. Allow your shoulders to relax back and down and have your head evenly balanced, not tilting to one side or the other. Softly close your eyes, relax your jaw and soften your face, especially between the eyebrows – don’t frown in concentration!
Start to notice your breath, breathing in and out through the nostrils. Relax your tummy and start to deepen the inhalation, allow a pause before you breathe out and then pause again before you breathe in. Remember there’s no rush, just allow the breath to gradually deepen. Then focus on the exhalation and allow it to be as long as it can be, while smooth. Note the pause before the body naturally breathes in and then follow the exhalation again. Keep ‘watching’ the exhalation, aim for 12 breaths like this and then allow the body to gradually come back to natural breathing. Take your time to gently open your eyes and sit for a few moments enjoying the stillness.
8th May 2020
Pose of the Week
Parsvakonasana parsva = side, kona = angle Side Angle Pose
Most of our everyday movements are simply forwards or backwards, so it makes sense to stretch sideways in our practice. This is a very strengthening posture for the legs as well as the deep postural muscles. As with all postures, alignment is the key issue here. We aim for a diagonal line running from the finger tips to the outside edge of the foot of the straight leg. The top shoulder should be stacked over the lower shoulder and not turned down toward the floor, thereby keeping the chest open. The weight should not rest on the lower arm and the internal side waist should not collapse, there remains control throughout the body. If this is not possible with the elbow on the bent leg then straighten the lower arm until there is good alignment. Likewise, with the upper arm, if there is stiffness or pain in the upper shoulder then keep the back of the top hand resting on the small of the back. The thigh muscles are working hard and there is a good inner leg stretch through the whole of the straight leg. A good way into Parsvakonasana is from Virabadrasana II (Warrior II).