When Breath Becomes Life

"If you continue to do one thing after this course, practice pranayama," I heard Master say as our 200 hour training course came to a close. At the time I thought that to be an easy way out. Breathing exercises seemed simple, boring even, whereas asanas seemed to be a greater challenge. As I presume many before me had also done, I worked diligently on asanas, only occasionally dabbling in pranayama. Then I injured my back. I took this as a great excuse to focus more on pranayama, but I found the discipline to stick with it fleeting. Finally I gathered the motivation to sit down and practice until I could get through a full session of Nadi Shodhana (15 rounds, 3 repetitions per round) with 12 counts inhalation, 36 counts retention, and 24 counts exhalation. I was feeling ambitious. The first round was easy. I held the retention like I was swimming to the bottom of a pool, the exhalation was relatively smooth (though it could use some work), and the inhalation was deep and full. I moved onto the second round and suddenly I felt like I was drowning. My entire body was revolting against me. I needed air!!! Fortunately, I had a fantastic scuba instructor when I was in college who taught us about this reflex when you're holding your breath. Your body thinks it needs air, but what it really needs is to exhale CO2. I kept my cool (sort of) and made it through retention to exhalation. I was supposed to be doing a 24 count exhalation, but after the battle I'd fought to get through retention there was no way this was happening. I tried my best, but I was coughing out wisps by 16. I decided to stick with it though. My inhalation which had been smooth before was an uncontrolled gasp punctuated by my attempts to slow it down. I don't know how many counts it took, but it felt like far too few to be back holding my breath again. This was excruciating! Somehow I stuck with it through three repetitions to finish my second round. I was tempted at this point to reduce my counts. But I had done it before with low counts and it was easy. I wasn't looking for easy, I was looking for right. So, I stuck with my original plan. The third round started the same as the second - my body was absolutely positive it was being suffocated - then an incredible thing happened. I broke through it. Somehow I turned off my mind and suddenly I could do it without strain. I finished the rest of the 15 rounds in this calm state. That was the turning point for me with pranayama.

It's been well over a year since this story took place. I have to admit, it's sometimes still hard to find the motivation to do a full pranayama practice, and just today it occurred to my why. Pranayama, though "just" breathing exercises, is a mental challenge. Our minds like to be in control, and true pranayama transcends that. Of course our conscious minds don't want to do it! The discipline has to come from a deeper part of us. The part of us that wants to reunite with our Soul.

Today I felt the shift from breath control to life control. As I practiced PRANAyama, control of life force, I forgot my surroundings and drifted in peace. Ohm shanti.

Pranayama "...has nothing in common with the unscientific breathing exercises taught by a number of misguided zealots. Their attempts to forcibly hold breath in the lungs is not only unnatural but decidedly unpleasant" (Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, Autobiography of a Yogi). 

image from Kerala Ayerveda blog; http://ayurvedaprograms.blogspot.com/2010/07/science-of-breath-pranayama.html

Seeing Without Eyes

The most powerful things are unseen. 

LIVING YOUR YOGA: The unseen atom holds tremendous power. There is also power in other unseen things: love, friendship, forgiveness. Today remember to trust the power of the unseen.

I moved on from my daily posts from Lasater's, A Year of Living Your Yoga, but today's coincided so wonderfully with an event that occurred this afternoon, I wanted to share.

This afternoon, after the lunchtime Yoga Nidra class, I packed up my belongings as usual to go for lunch. I put my backpack over my shoulder, turned of the light, locked the door, and closed it behind me. Then I realized my keys were inside. I knew I should just call the property manager to see if he could meet me with his spare key, but I decided to try getting in on my own first. I will save you the details, but suffice it to say I would make a terrible thief. As I was trying to move the latch with a hair clip one of my neighbors came by. Before I knew it, she and her coworker had joined in my effort. We had just pulled out the hammer to try to disassemble the hinges when the property manager arrived. We all laughed and the property manager opened the door for me. My keys were right where I left them. As I locked the door behind me a second time I was struck by one of those powerful unseen things - spontaneous camaraderie. I barely know the women who came to my aid today, but they were almost more intent on getting inside the room than I was! It was a beautiful illustration of the relationships we have the potential to form with every single person we encounter.

Just a little fun - do you see an old woman or a young woman?

Utthita Trikonasana

Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)

Utthita Trikonasana

Technique:

1. Stand in Tadasana
2. Jump or step both feet approximately 3 feet apart
3. Keeping hips squared, rotate the right foot 90 degrees, pointing toes directly to the side
4. Inhale; raise both arms to shoulder level, parallel to the floor
5. Exhale; stretch the body to the right, bending at the hip. Place the right hand on the shin or grip the big toe.
6. Extend the left arm towards the ceiling, rotate the neck, gazing up at the left hand.
7. Hold for 5 breaths
8. Turn head back to front
9. Inhale; bring the body upright
10. Exhale; lower both arms to side, jump or step feet together to Tadasana
11. Repeat on left side

Main Points:

• Body in a single plane
• Chest open
• Hips open
• Weight even on both feet
• Dristi on the upper hand

The most important point to remember in Utthita Trikonasana is to keep the body in a single plane! The most common problems with this pose revolve around this one concept. All of the "wrong" photos have both mistakes in them, one is just a bit more easily seen from each angle.

Problem No. 1 - Hips turned in

Extended Triangle Pose places a strong stretch along the entire length of the side-body. Often we will try to reach farther towards the mat than our current flexibility allows. To compensate, our hips rotate inward. Practicing against a wall is a great way to work on maintaining alignment.

Hip turned in = WRONG

Hip opened out = RIGHT!

Practice against wall

Problem No. 2 - Shoulders turned in, chest caved in

Scapulae should be together and down! Sound familiar? Think about extending the wrists away from each other. This will help with your extension and expansion across the chest and upper back.

Shoulder/Chest in = WRONG

Shoulder/Chest open = RIGHT!

Don't worry about getting your hand all the way to floor in the beginning. Practicing proper alignment is key. If you keep working on performing it correctly, the full pose will come on its own!

Beginners Variation - Hand to Shin

Effects:

Utthita Trikonasana tones the muscles of the legs and relieves stiffness in the legs and hips. This pose relieves backaches and neck sprains. It also strengthens the ankles and improves flexibility in the hips.

Contraindications:

Sciatica, recent or chronic hip injury

Bhujangasana

Today's highlight pose is Bhujangasana, Cobra Pose. With the number of hours many people spend in front of a computer it's no wonder this simple back bending pose is a favorite among many. However, the perceived simplicity of this pose makes it prone to several common errors.

Bhujangasana

Here's what Bhujangasana should look like:

• Gradual and even curvature of the spine
• Elbows are by the body
• Shoulders are down, away from the ears
• Chest is open
• Legs are active
• Dristi (focus point) at the third eye

Technique:

1. Lie on the floor face down. Extend the legs, keeping the feet together. Keep the knees straight and the toes pointed.
2. Place the palms below the shoulders, elbows close to the body.
3. Inhale, lift the head, articulating through the neck.
4. Extend the elbows, use the arms as an aid to stretch the spine further, lift the ribs and lower abdomen off the mat.

Most of the errors made in this pose are interrelated. I'm going to break them down individually for explanation purposes, but it's very rare to see just one of these problems.

Problem No. 1 - Elbows are sticking out

Elbows Out

This issue is typically the result of using your arms to push your torso up in the style of push-ups we all had to do in high school gym class. Bhujangasana is a strong pose designed to strengthen the back and core as well as improve flexibility of the spine. Although some weight will be on the arms, movement into and out of the pose is controlled by the muscles of the back. Remembering to keep your elbows tucked into your sides will help isolate these muscles, but a conscious effort will still be necessary to transfer some of the work to your back instead of your arms.

Problem No. 2 - Shoulders are internally rotated

Shoulders internally rotated, scapulae elevated/protracted

Keeping your shoulders externally rotated and your scapulae retracted and depressed (shoulder blades together and down) is a common theme in yoga! You may recognize this one from the discussion on Adho Mukha Svanasana. However, it's going to feel a little different since your arms are down in this pose. Try practicing from a seated position:

Internal shoulder rotation

External shoulder rotation

On a physical level, external rotation of the shoulders will open chest; astrally, the action will open your heart chakra.

Problem No. 3 - All the arch is in the lumbar spine (lower back)

Lumbar spine only

This is a very common mistake in Bujangasana, mostly because it's much easier to extend our lumbar vertebrae than our thoracic vertebrae due to the curvature of the spine. That and it feels like we're doing a great big back bend! But, the "bend" in the back should be a steady curve throughout the entire spine. Articulating the spine when entering and exiting the pose is a good way to ensure the cervical and thoracic spine aren't being neglected. Don't be discouraged if you need to do a smaller Cobra while your upper back gains flexibility!

Problem No. 4 - Neck is hyperextended

Aka over-correction of problem number 3. Just remember that you want a smooth continuous curve with no pinched areas.

Cervical spine only

Problem No. 5 - Legs are relaxed and inactive

It's easy to forget about your legs when your concentrating on all of the above points. In Bhujangasana your legs should be strong and active. Your knees should be together and your toes pointed.

Inactive legs

Effects:

This pose strengthens the abdominal, and back muscles. Through regular practice, this pose will relocate lightly displaced slipped discs to their original position. Bhujangasana improves flexibility of the spine and relieves backaches as well as symptoms of sciatica. This pose relieves constipation, releases gas trapped in the upper digestive tract, and stimulates the appetite.

Contraindications:

Abdominal complications such as peptic ulcer, hernia, and intestinal tuberculosis.

If anyone has any special requests for poses to feature, please let me know! And disregard the rainy day hair! =)

A Perfect Pose

As I start this new series of featured poses I thought it important to highlight the ultimate goal of all our asanas - connecting our body and mind with our soul. This is best described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

prayatna saithilya ananta samapattibhyam (II.47)

Perfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within (the soul) is reached.

The sadhaka can be considered firm in his postures when persevering effort is no longer needed. In this stability, he grasps the physiology of each asana and penetrates within, reaching the minutest parts of the body. Then he gains the art of relaxation, maintaining the firmness and extension of the body and consciousness... In yoga we are on a razor's edge and in asana, perfection must be attained through perseverance, alertness and insight. Without these we remain dull and make no progress... When the sadhaka has reached that state of balance, attention, extension, diffusion and relaxation take place simultaneously in body and intelligence, and they merge in the seat of the soul.

tatah dvandvah anabhighatah (II.48)

From then on, the sadhaka is undisturbed by dualities.

The effect of asana is to put an end to the dualities or differentiation between the body and mind, mind and soul... This is perfection in action and freedom in consciousness.

Reference, Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, by BKS Iyengar

Adho Mukha Svanasana

I received a request from a faithful follower to post various poses with information about health benefits, techniques, variations, and tips for mastering the poses.  So, I am going to start featuring poses in my blog. Sometimes there may a few days of what I refer to as "feeder poses" that will build to a completed final pose at the end of the week. Today's, however, will be all bundled into one post! Remember, yoga is 99% practice! I strongly recommend finding a good class with a teacher who does full adjustments if you really want to advance in your practice. Even with a mirror you can't see yourself properly, so sometimes you may not realize your form and alignment are off.

Happy Practicing! And let me know if you have any questions!

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)

I remember when I first started yoga I heard my teacher say that Adho Mukha Svanasana was a resting pose. The first thought in my head was, "Yeah, right!! This is the hardest pose we do!" My views on this particular asana may have changed, but I know it remains a challenging and often discouraging pose for many practitioners.

Let's first look at a proper Adho Mukha Svanasana:

• Weight is even on both hands
• Hands are firmly grounded
• Hips are aligned with shoulders and arms
• Legs are fully extended, heels touching the floor
• Tailbone feels like it is extending towards the ceiling
• Dristi (gazing point) is on the navel

Now let's look at some common problems and how to fix them:

Problem No. 1 - Feet are too far from hands

Fortunately, this one is easy to fix. Just step your feet in closer! Nearly all of my students need to step their feet in about 6 inches. Chances are pretty good your feet could come in too! Just don't come in too far! =)

Feet too far away from hands

Not a pose =) Feet too close to hands

Problem No. 2 - Pelvis is tilted posterior

This sounds fancy, but it's simply the difference between sitting up with a straight lower back and hunching over or tucking your tailbone under. The best indication of whether you do this or not is how your back looks in Dandasana:

Posterior Tilt = WRONG

Neutral Straight Spine = RIGHT!

If your hamstrings are too tight to sit with a straight back try rolling your mat to elevate your hips (above)

Problem No. 3 - Shoulders are internally rotated and scapulae are elevated and protracted

Internal shoulder rotation

When your shoulders are internally rotated, your spine won't be straight in downward dog. External rotation  of the shoulders combined with retraction and depression of the scapulae (bringing your shoulder blades together and down) will enable you to push your chest towards the mat, opening your lungs and elongating your spine. This will also help to eliminate the posterior tilt of the pelvis discussed above. To practice this try rotating your shoulders and moving your scapulae while seated:

Internal Rotation with Elevated/Protracted Scapulae

External Rotation with Depressed/Retracted Scapulae

Problem No. 4 - Standing on tiptoes

Tight calves are very common, especially for women who wear high heels. Stretching your calves out against the wall or on a small step will help you gain the flexibility you need to bring your heels to the floor in Adho Mukha Svanasana.

Standing on toes

Calf stretch at wall

Problem No. 5 - Knees are bent

This often goes hand-in-hand with standing on your tiptoes, but is more likely due to tight hamstrings than tight calves (though both may be quite tight). Forward bends are an effective way of stretching the hamstrings when trying to get into a full Downward Dog. Be sure to warm up before stretching and be patient with yourself! It takes time to gain flexibility, but you can do it!

Knees bent (plus tiptoes)

Beginners Paschimottanasana

Effects:

This is in fact a resting pose. Remaining in this pose removes fatigue and brings back lost energy when exhausted. This pose relieves pain and stiffness in the heels and strengthens the ankles. Arthritis pain in the shoulders is relieved by practice of this pose, as well as stiffness in the upper back/shoulder blades. The abdominal muscles are pulled towards the spine and strengthened. As the diaphragm is lifted to the chest cavity, heart rate is slowed. As it is a mild inversion, healthy blood is brought to the trunk without strain on the heart. Blood is also brought to the brain, rejuvenating blood cells and relieving fatigue. (Source - Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar)

Contraindications:

• Sciatica
• Lower back problems
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

As with any pose, it just takes time and practice! Before long your Crooked Puppy will look like a real Downward Dog!

Fruitless Fruit

As I waited in the studio this weekend to see if any students would come (they did!!) I picked up B.K.S. Iyengar's book, Light on Yoga. I was immediately drawn to a translation from the Bhagavad Gita:

Work alone is your privilege, never the fruits thereof. Never let the fruits of action be your motive; and never cease to work. Work in the name of the Lord, abandoning selfish desires. Be not affected by success or failure. This equipoise is called Yoga.

Setting the book back down, I closed my eyes and really focused on those words. In a state near pratyahara, I found peace in the knowledge that I was there to serve as a teacher and truly wasn't motivated by a desire to make money. As I brought my focus back to the room my door opened and in walked my first paying student! It was a humbling experience to say the least!

The entire weekend was a great success, both fiscally and spiritually!