"Changing Things Up (or Down) a Bit"

It's been said, "Variety is the spice of life." If that's the case, then performing the same posture, but from a different starting position or in a different direction will add some spice to your yoga practice. As I mentioned in last week's blog, we rarely "bend over backwards" in our daily activities, so performing backward bending postures can serve as counterposes to all of the forward bends where we spend most of our time. This week we'll turn our "bow" upside down.
An enjoyable variation to last week's "Upward-facing Bow Pose" involves putting your body in the same backward bending position, but facing downward. When I was bored as a child I would play around with this week's posture (asana), called "Downward-Facing Bow Pose" (Dhanurasana) thinking it was great fun, but not realizing I was practicing a yoga position. Back then, in the 1950's before yoga became mainstream in America, we called it "rocking horse" because we could rock back and forth on our stomachs while holding both feet high in the air. As we age our spines become more rigid, and so this posture can help to bring back some elasticity in the spine while toning the abdominal organs. Besides, it changes our perspective, and it's nostalgic!
Like most things in life, a little preparation helps a lot! I like to prepare my tight shoulders for "Bow Pose" by first lying on my side in "Side Bow" (Parsva Dhanurasana) and then rolling onto my stomach. Although this side variation is slightly more difficult, for me it's especially effective in opening the pectoral muscles across the front of my chest, one side at a time, by using the weight of the body to create gentle pressure. Warning: Do not attempt "Side Bow" if you have a dislocated shoulder injury!

• Physically---To begin in "Downward-facing Bow Pose" (Dhanurasana) lie on the stomach with the arms behind the back and the weight of the head resting on the chin. While inhaling deeply, look up and engage the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles (the bandhas) during the lifting and lengthening of the torso. Exhale slowly while pressing the pubic bone down and forward in a reverse or backward (posterior) tilt of the pelvic basin. Then inhale while interlacing the fingers behind the back in a chest expansion, and lifting the head and torso as high as possible to free the rib cage. Exhale while bending the knees and reaching one hand at a time onto the outer ankles with the knees and ankles apart. With each inhalation allow the chest to lift and expand as the feet lift upward, opening the front body into a bow shape. Allow the arms to perform the action of the bow string to bend the body backward. Keep the head and the gaze lifted while attempting to lift the ribs and the pelvic bones away from the floor. If your quadriceps in the front thighs are tight, you may need to use a strap or belt wrapped around both ankles and simply hold onto the strap as close to the ankles as possible. Once the front of the body has reached the maximum stretch, called your "edge", the inner knees and ankles may be pressed together to hold your "Bow Pose" for 3-5 breaths. Due to the pressure on the diaphragm and the abdomen, inhalations may be restricted so I find it helpful to emphasize the end of each breath with rigorous exhalations, called kapalabhati breathing.
  
• To further release the shoulder joints, roll into "Side Bow Pose" (Parsva Dhanurasana), first on the right side of the body to compress the ascending large colon on the right. OR begin by lying on your right side with both knees bent at right angles and your right hand behind your back. Inhale deeply while turning the head to the left and looking over the left shoulder. Exhale and rest the back of the head on the floor as the right arm stretches to firmly grip the outside of the right ankle. On the next deep inhalation open the left shoulder as the left arm reaches behind the back to securely grip the outside of the left ankle with the left hand. Exhale slowly while releasing the weight of the torso into the right shoulder, and feel the gentle, passive stretch in all of the pectoral muscles across the front of the chest. At first, keep the knees and ankles apart until the hands and feet have stretched away from the torso to reach the "edge" and then relax the knees and ankles together for 3-5 slow breaths.
• Inhale to roll back to the centered "Bow Pose" for several breaths, and then exhale onto the left side of the body by lifting and moving the right leg to the left first. Remain on the left side for the same number of breaths in order to balance the stretch and pressure on each side of the abdomen. To finish, roll onto the back and relax for several minutes in the "Corpse Pose" (Savasana) which was described at the end of the January 24th blog.
  
• Mentally---While your body is in these backward bending poses the breath will be more rapid and seem more shallow than usual because the abdomen and ribs are almost "stuck" in expansion. Therefore, it's crucial to fully exhale all toxic gases by using the rigorous exhalations of kapalabhati breathing. Keep the mind present in the body by focusing on conscious breathing, counting the number of breaths on each side and in each variation. Notice the gentle massaging of the abdominal organs that is different from "Upward-Facing Bow Pose." Pay close attention to the lifting action as the "root locks" (pelvic floor and abdominal muscles) are engaged. Notice how the energy moves in an upward flow or direction. As always, feel your body as you find each invigorating breath.
  
• Spiritually---Hopefully we all realize how important our perspective is when experiencing anything. Only when we walk in another's shoes can we really understand---as in "stand under" the same tree! When practicing yoga positions from different perspectives we broaden our ability to understand all the repercussions of that position from different perspectives. One of my favorite chapters in the Holy Bible is found in the apostle Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth. As we yoke with our God and become one with Him, our perspective will change drastically! I look forward to knowing as I am known. plf
  

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (I Corinthians 13:11-12, KJV)