Occasionally we need a gentle push in the right direction. Much like a five-year-old wandering dangerously out of line on a field trip to catch a train, the adult in charge gently places hands on shoulders or the back to point the child in the right direction. God also does this for us through the gift of our conscience---that God-installed inner voice of intelligence that faithfully lets us know when we're out of line with God's will for us. It's almost as if God is putting His hands on our shoulders and turning us around, manually guiding us in the right direction. He also does this when we read His words in The Holy Bible and feel convicted of a wrong attitude or behavior. Hopefully, we also allow Him to provide His wise counsel and guidance while we're yoking with Him during our private yoga practice!
One morning this summer as I was practicing last week's gentle twisting position called Bharadvajasana I, my hips and lower back felt unusually tight. Present-minded awareness of my conscience told me that my body needed more preparation before I could transition safely into the more challenging Bharadvajasana II. Thanks to my inner guru---for me that's the Holy Spirit---I then proceeded into a new but amazingly effective combination of Thai yoga massage and unilateral counterposes using gentle manual guidance. Read on and I'll explain.
This week I'm pleased to be able to share this process in a newly-developed combination of postures (asanas). To my knowledge the position doesn't have a name, but rather is a combination of two seated postures. Since the bottom leg is in a "Half-Head-to-Knee Pose"---that would be Ardha Janu Sirsasana in Sanskrit---and the other leg is in "Half Hero Pose" we'll refer to this combo of counterposes in literal Sanskrit Ardha Janu Sirsasana Virasana. (I'm hoping that all of you yoga purists out there will forgive me for taking the same liberty that many other yoga teachers have done when they've borrowed positions from gymnastics.) When practiced mindfully in combination with Thai yoga massage movements and manual guidance, prenatal students will find this week's practice to be a wonderful hip-opening, mind-opening, and lower back release.
- Physically---After prayer in "Child's Pose" to yoke with God, exhale the left hip down onto the floor just to the left of both feet and then inhale the torso to raise up into a seated position. While exhaling, use both hands to manually draw the bent left knee away from the right thigh by opening the left hip away from center (externally). The left leg will be in the traditional Janu Sirsasana hip-opener with the left heel seated at the base of the pubic bone and the sole of the left foot under the inner right thigh. The right hip will be rotated internally toward the center with the top of the right foot resting outside of the hip. Taking a long and deep inhalation while sweeping both arms out to the sides and up, ground down into both sit bones as the spine extends upward. During the equally long and thorough exhalation, the locks (bandhas) draw in and up like a drawstring, and the hands lower to the creases at the top of each hip (the groins) and manually press down and back away from the knees with the thumbs pointing toward the center. Use the triad of each hand, the v-shape between the thumb and forefinger, for "manual guidance" to gently stabilize the hip joints as one hip is in external rotation and the other is rotated internally.
- After 3-5 breaths seated in this combination position that we're referring to as Ardha Janu Sirsasana Virasana, it's time to oil the hip joints in a few forward and back, then side-to-side and whirlpool flows of Thai yoga massage. With the manual guidance of both hands stabilizing the hip joints, inhale the spine straight up and forward to the place of maximum resistance called the "edge" with the chin lifted. Then exhale the entire spine back while gently pressing the groin down and lowering the chin to the lifted chest in the chin/throat lock (jalandhara bandha). Repeat these forward and backward leans for 3-5 rhythmic breaths, bending only at the groin---not the waist or neck. Then inhale slowly back to center over the sit bones, extending up through the crown of the head, and exhale to lean to the right side while manually pressing the left hip down and back to ground it. Inhale back to center and exhale to lean the straight spine to the left as the right hand manually presses into the right groin. Repeat for 3-5 sets (one right lean, one left lean) and inhale back to center to begin the clockwise whirlpool action to the right. Inhale forward with the chin lifted but maintain even pressure on both groins, then right; then exhale back and then left with the pelvic floor and abdominal "locks'' engaged for core support and the hands providing gentle pressure and stability in the hip joints. Repeat for 3-5 clockwise cycles of rotation coordinating the leaning with the breath synchronization. This will take some practice but is well worth the time and effort to gently move the hips through their full range of motion while rotated in these counterposes. Finally, inhale back to center and begin the counterpose rotation for 3-5 breath-synchronized Thai yoga massage flows.
- Mentally---There is a great deal of mental concentration and focus (called dharana) required to combine the manual guidance, rhythmic breathing (pranayama) and engaging of the locks (bandhas) with Thai yoga massage flows in a specific position (asana). When the mind is stilled and fully engrossed in this process, you are beginning to engage in the sixth stage or component of yoga in which the mind becomes one with the Creator.
- Spiritually---Ideally, when experiencing such an engrossing yoga practice, the ego is restrained and there is no feeling of "I" or "mine", but only an offering to be open to the counsel and the hand of God. Our goal is to become so connected to our God that we know immediately when we are out of line with His divine will. Our heart will grieve in conviction and we will be "pricked in [our] reins." (The reins symbolize our mind.) Our conscience tells us when we need to listen to His wise counsel, to re-center and re-new our commitment to serve only Him, not self.
"Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before Thee. Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou has holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory." (Psalm 73: 21-24, KJV)
May we sharpen our conscience through a daily, yoked connection with our Lord. plf
