Yoga with a Christian Twist: "What's in Your Bait Box?"

Preparation for the twist to the Right first...

Right ascending colon compression


"Half Lord of the Fishes Pose" to the Left	or		*Ardha Matseyendrasana*

"Half Lord of the Fishes" twisting Left

Exactly what did Jesus mean when he saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew, fishing in the Sea of Galilee and said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." If Jesus was talking about the process of catching the attention of men the way that bait catches the attention of the fish, does any and everything work? If we put a live worm on a hook to catch a rainbow trout in a mountain stream, we probably won't get much attention because that trout is looking for flies that have just hatched. So our bait box better contain a few "dry flies" like a "Parachute Adams" that will lure the trout we're trying to catch. A sense of the appropriate bait seems most effective.
It's helpful to be mindful of this principle of using specific lures that are appropriate to catch the attention of specific creatures when trying to attract "followers" for a blog. So did I catch any fishermen this week? Yoga has become more mainstream over the past ten years that I've been teaching and so it's been easier to catch the attention of students and then redirect them into a relationship with their Creator. I pray that I'm becoming a more effective "fisher of men." Think about this as you explore this week's twisting yoga pose called "Half Lord of the Fishes" or Ardha Matsyendrasana. However, do not attempt this intense twisting posture if you are pregnant or have herniated discs!

Physically---It's best to enter any twisting posture after a few warm-up rounds of "Salutations to the Son" or at least several rounds of the lateral stretches described in last week's blog. Gentle warm-up twists can even be performed while sitting in "Adept's Pose," twisting on an exhalation first to the right after lifting and lengthening the spine on inhalations, and then to the left. (Notice a pattern here? I usually attempt to create some continuity from week to week so that "followers" can link the postures together.) Once all parts of the torso are warmed up and stretched out, sit on a fairly flat and level surface and bend the left knee to bring the left foot under the buttocks. The heel of the left foot is directly under the left "sit bone" (base of the hip bone) while the right "sit bone" rests in the arch of the left foot. If this is too uncomfortable for beginners, please modify the position and place the left flexed foot at the base of the perineum, as in "Adept's Pose." A modified version of this twist can also be performed while seated in a padded chair without arms by sitting on the left foot first.
Begin "Half Lord of the Fishes Pose" (as all twisting postures) with an inhalation while grounding the sit bones to lift and extend the spine, and then bend the right knee and place the right foot just outside the left thigh as close to the hip as possible. Exhale while hugging the right bent knee into the right side of the abdomen, using both arms at first to create healthy abdominal compression. Remain in this transitional phase of the pose for several breaths to relax the joints before stabilizing the hips and lower lumbar back. Then, twisting like a spiral staircase from the base upward, inhale while pressing the right hand behind the right hip to ground and lift the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles (the mula and uddiyana bandhas) in order to support the lower spine. At first it's important to enter this intense spinal twist without using the leverage of the arms. Never force the spine into a deeper twist!
Then slowly place the left bent elbow outside of the right bent knee with the palm facing to the right and exhale to look over the right shoulder. With each inhalation lift and extend through the torso so that there is healthy space between each vertebrae, never sacrificing extension for deep flexion. Keep the lower body, especially the hips, as a stable base for this twist and use each exhalation to explore and deepen the twist by gradually deepening the lower abdominal contractions (the bandhas.) Remain in your deepest version of the twist for 3-5 breaths, and then slowly relax the core muscles on an inhalation to come back to center. Exhale while switching to place the right foot under the sit bones or at the base of the perineum and hug the left bent knee into the abdomen for several transitional breaths. Proceed with caution as you lift, lengthen and lock the bandhas twisting to the left without the leverage of the arms at first. Once you're experiencing your deepest version of this twist to the left, remain for 3-5 mindful breaths before inhaling back to center.
Mentally---The dynamics of belly versus chest breathing can be explored effectively in this intense seated twisting pose as long as the attention is completely focused on the coordination of internal engaging and releasing of muscles in sync with the breathing. At the beginning it's easier to "belly breathe" by relaxing the abdominals at the onset of each inhalation, and then engage the side body by lifting the "flying up locks" in the waist area. Once the tension in the lower abdomen and ribs is released, this area can then be stabilized at the beginning of each inhalation by engaging the locks (bandhas) in order to experience "chest breathing" as the diaphragm action moves into the rib cage. This stable base with an active upper body greatly intensifies the rotation in the spine so it must be done gradually and mindfully. The twist on each side should begin with relaxed "belly breathing" and then progress to deepen the intensity by engaging lower abdominal contractions and maintaining these "root locks," even while initiating the next inhalation in order to experience "chest breathing." Since all parts of the torso are actively engaged to twist and look over the shoulder, it's crucial to balance the action throughout the spine by mobilizing all muscles in the torso from the waist upward.
If all this is too much to put together for beginning yoga students, try not to become discouraged! This is the time to realize the importance of studying the complexities of yoga under the supervision of an experienced and certified yoga instructor. Do your homework and research your teacher's background.
Spiritually---While experiencing this intense twist that massages all of the lower and upper abdominal organs, remember that yoga is simply a technical tool to teach a physical and mental discipline that relieves suffering. The real point to teach you to become disciplined spiritually by connecting you in a close relationship with your God. If yoga is the bait to lure you into spending quiet time alone, then don't forget to real in the true prize by connecting to your Creator, giving Him your undivided attention and gratitude while you practice.