yin Yoga Principles&Practice

yin Yoga Principles&Practice

10thANNIVERSARYEDITION

paulgrilley

WhiteCloudPressAshland,Oregon

Copyright©2012byPaulGrilley.Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybeusedorreproducedinanymannerwhatsoeverwithoutwrittenpermissionexceptinthecaseofbriefquotationsembodiedincriticalarticlesandreviews.

Inquiriesshouldbeaddressedto:WhiteCloudPressPOBox3400,Ashland,Oregon97520.Website:www.whitecloudpress.com

BookDesign:ConfluenceBookServicesPhotography:BruceBayardIllustrations:AnnDiSalvo

Firstedition:200212 13 14 15 16 10 987654321

LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData

Grilley,Paul,1958-Yinyoga:principlesandpractice/PaulGrilley.--10thanniversaryed.p.cm.

Includesbibliographicalreferences.ISBN978-1-935952-75-61.Yinyoga.I.Title.B132.Y6G6782012613.7'046--dc23

2012027786

Contents

Foreward

Prologue

1 AncientScienceofYoga

2 YinandYangYoga

3 HowtoPracticeYinYoga

4 DesigningYourPractice

5 AnOutlineofYinYogaPostures

6 Sitting

7 ChakraTheory

8 BandhaPracticestoAwakenShakti

9 PranayamaPractices

10Meditation

Bibliography

Appendix

AbouttheAuthor

Thisbookisdedicatedtomyteachers,

Dr.GarryParker,whotaughtmeanatomy,PaulieZink,whotaughtmeTaoistYoga,Dr.HiroshiMotoyama,whoseworkdemonstratestheunityofTaoistandTantricpractice.

Acknowledgements

IwouldliketothankmybeautifulwifeSuzeeforposingandforthecountlesshoursofdiscussion,AnnDiSalvo andBruceBayard for their artwork, Steve Sendar andChristyCollins ofWhiteCloud Press for their support, and most especially Steve Scholl of White Cloud Press, whoinsistedthisbookbecreatedinspiteofmyhesitations,Iowehimagreatdebt.

Foreword

Ithasbeentenyearsofstudy,teaching,andpracticesincethefirsteditionofthisbook,muchofwhich is reflected in this second edition. I have expanded the psychological and theoreticaldescriptionsofyinyogaandhavetriedtobetterpreparethestudentaboutwhattoexpectwhenpracticing.Themeditationsectionhasbeencompletelyrewrittenandthepracticeselaboratedinsystematic detail. I have tried to show that controlling one’s chi is the thread that leads fromphysicaltoemotionalandspiritualdevelopment.

Whateverformofyogathereaderprefers,Ihopeshefindstheoutlineofprinciplespresentedhereusefultoherfuturestudies.

Prologue

Itwasnevermyintentiontopromoteyinyogaasanindependentsystemofasanapracticebecauseyin yoga is, by definition, incomplete. It was and is my intention to promote yin yoga as asupplement to yang formsof exercise.Yang exercise is a broad termmeant to includenot justyangformsofyogabutanyformofexercisethatfocusesonmovingthebloodandexercisingthemuscles;examplesincludeweightlifting,running,cycling,andswimming.

Yinandyangformsofyogabalanceeachother.Themeridiansinourbodycanbefavorablycomparedtoirrigationcanals:yinformsofyogadredgethecanalofaccumulateddebris,andyangformsofyogastimulatetheflowoffluidthroughthem.

Yinandyangformsofyogaalsobalanceusemotionallyandmentally.Yinyogasoothesandcalmsus, yangyoga invigorates and refreshesus.Each formof exercise is needed at differenttimes. The modern world is very yang; life should be a balance between competition andcompassion,betweenambitionandcontentment,butthisbalancehasbeenlost.Anoveremphasisonyangqualitieshaspolluted theplanet, splitour families,andemptiedourhomeswhilebothparentsworktogetaheadorjusttostayafloat.Yinyogacanhelpbringbalancetoanoverlyyanglifestyle.

Ithasn’talwaysbeenthecasethatyangisoveremphasized.Insomecommunitiestheoppositehasbeen thecase. Inpast times“monk’sdisease”wasacolloquialexpressionused todesribesomeonewhowasoverly sensitive to anydisturbance.The antidote tomonk’s disease is yangactivity,whichisreflected in thefact thathathayoga,kungfu,chigong, taichi,andotheryangformsofexerciseoriginatedinmonasticcommunities.Ihaverecentlyheardofapsychotherapistspecializing in depression whowon’t accept clients unless they commit to a regular exerciseprogram.Yinandyangarenecessaryaspectsofahealthylife.

Anyskillrequiresdeliberatepractice.Thisisastrueofcultivatinganinnercalmasitisofbecomingoutwardlyathletic.Yinyogacanhelp.Learningtostayinaposeforfiveminutesatatimetrainsthemindandbodytobecomecalmandenduredistraction,bothphysicalandmental.Itookupthepracticeofyinyogatocultivategreaterflexibilityinmyjoints,butwhatIdiscoveredis a style of yoga that cultivates physical ease and mental calm. I have long abandoned myambitionsforgreaterrangeofmotion,butthedeeperqualitiesofyinyogahavekeptmepracticingforovertwentyyears.

Yoga ingeneral iswidelypopularandsociallyacceptable.This isaseismicshift fromthesocial norms of fifty years ago. I remember my grandmother tellingme, “If you have time toexercisethenyouhavetimetowork,”whichwasherwayofsayingmyyogapracticewasawasteof time.Butmy grandmotherwas a product of her generation—she raised a family during theDepressionandlivedthroughWorldWarII,theKoreanWar,theVietnamWar,andtheColdWar.Most of her adult life was spent doing the very real work of building up the physicalinfrastructureofthecountryshewasbornin.

Mygeneration,thatofthepost-WorldWarIIbabyboom,isheirtothelaborandsacrificesofourparentsandgrandparents.Thankstotheirworkweliveinatimeofmaterialluxury,andmanyof thephysical dangers anddiseases that threatenedour grandparents seemdistant to us.What

thenwillbeour contribution to the future? I believepart of the answer is to livenoble lives,livesofkindnessandtoleranceandgratitudeandcontentment.Butnoneofthesethingsispossibleifweareunabletocontrolourimpulsesandquietourminds.

IdonotbelievethathappinessliesincarryingDarwiniansurvivalofthefittesttoitsextreme.I do not believe that constant accumulation is the proper goal of a humanbeing. I do believe,however,thatitisnobleandpropertovoluntarilytraceacircumferencearoundourdesiresandtodeliberately increase the time we spend cultivating kindness, tolerance, gratitude, andcontentment. Ifmygeneration canpassdownpractical techniques that cultivate thesequalities,thenIthinkwehavefulfilledpartofourresponsibilitiestothenextgeneration.

ThreeThreadsofRecentHistory

What is yin yoga, and how did it get its name? This book is dedicated to three people whorepresentthethreethreadsthatarewovenintoyinyoga.ThefirstisDr.GarryParker.Dr.Parkertaught me anatomy and encouraged my first attempts at teaching yoga at Flathead ValleyCommunityCollegein1980.FromhimIlearnedtoappreciatethescientificprinciplesofhumanmovement. It was because of him that I acquired the concepts and vocabulary to competentlystudyanatomyonmyown.Myviewofyogawasshapedbyanatomyfromthebeginning,andIwillalwaysbegratefulforthis.

ThesecondpersoninthisstoryisPaulieZink.PaulieisamartialartsexpertandteacherofTaoistYoga.PaulietaughtmethebasicsofTaoistYogain1989.

I first sawPaulie being interviewedon apublic access talk showdedicated to themartialarts.AtfirstIwasimpressedbyhisgentleandrestrainedanswerstothequestionsputtohim.Heseemed tohavenoneof thearrogant swaggerorchallengingstareofothermartialartists Ihadmet.Thenhegaveabriefdemonstrationof theyoga thatwas the foundationofhismartialartstraining.Iwasveryimpressed.

I contacted Paulie and he graciously invited me to join his weekly class on Taoist Yoga.Pauliepracticedposesforfivetotenminutesatatime,chattingcontentedlyasheledtheclass.After nearly two hours of floor poses we would stand and do some moving yang forms thatimitatedthemovementsofanimals.ItwasallveryinterestingandallverydifferentfromthehathayogaIwasteaching.

IstoppedtrainingwithPaulieafteraboutayear.BythenIunderstoodthesimpleprinciplesofyinyoga.Ihadpracticedsomeofhisyangformsandhadevendabbledinsomeofhiskickingandpunchingexercises,butmyinterestswerethefloorposes,anditseemedinappropriatetotakeupPaulie’stimewhenhehadseveralstudentswhowishedtolearnallaspectsoftheTaoistYogahehadtooffer.

WhenIstartedtoteachlongfloorposturesinmypublicclassesthestudioownerswantedtoknowwhat tonamethestyleintheiradvertising.EventhoughI includedmanytraditionalhathayogapostures inmyclasses, the long, slowholdswerecertainlydifferent fromwhateveryoneelseinthestudiowasteaching,sooutofrespectforPaulieZinkIsuggested“TaoistYoga.”AndthatwasthenameIusedfortenyears.

ThethirdpersoninthisstoryisDr.HiroshiMotoyama.Dr.MotoyamaisaShintopriestandhasdoctoratesinphilosophyandphysiologicalpsychology.Hehasdemonstratedobjectivelytheexistence of both chakras and meridians in experiments. I was drawn to Dr. Motoyama afterreadinganearlyworkofhisentitled“TheoriesoftheChakras.”MywifeandIhavebeenstudentsof Dr.Motoyama since 1990.We have visited with himmany times both in Japan and at hisgraduate school in Encinitas, California. Our own yoga and meditation practices have beenprofoundlyinfluencedbyhiswork.

Dr.Motoyamahasdemonstratedthatthemeridiansofacupuncturearewater-richchannelsintheconnectivetissuesthatinterpenetrateallthestructuresofthebody.Ofthistheorywewillhavemoretosaylater,butfornowitisenoughtosaythatitconfirmsancienttheoriesandilluminateswhythesystemofyogapostureswasdevelopedandhowtheywork.

SarahPowersandHowYinYogaGotItsName

The three threadsofyinyogaare theanatomyI learned fromDr.Parker, thepractice I learnedfromPaulieZink,andthemeridiantheoryofDr.Motoyama.ButnoneofthiswouldbeofinteresttoverymanypeopleifnotforSarahPowers.

In the year 2000mywife Suzee and I presented aworkshop on Taoist Yoga in Berkeley,California.SarahandTyPowerswerepartofthatsmallgroup.WehadbecomeacquaintedyearsbeforeinLosAngeles,butSuzeeandIhadmovedtoAshland,Oregonin1994andSarahandTyhadrelocatedtotheSanFranciscoarea.SarahattendedourworkshopbecauseshewasinterestedinrevisitingtheTaoistYogashehadexperiencedinmyclassesintheearly1990s.

After thatBerkeleyworkshopSarah resumedherbusy travelingand teachingschedule.Shebegan introducing long, slowposes intoherclasses,explaining that the flowingstandingposesweretheyangofherpractice,andthelongfloorposesweretheyin.Whenstudentsaskedwheretheycouldgetmore informationabout theyinpractice,Sarahgraciously referred themtome. Istartedtogetinquiriesfromstudioownersaskingmetocomeandpresent“yinyoga”workshops,and I gladly accepted.A year later I thought it would be convenient to havemy spiral-boundmanualon“TaoistYoga”professionallyprintedbyWhiteCloudPress.Itseemedinappropriatetopublishitas“TaoistYoga”sinceabookwiththatnameshouldoutlinebothyinandyangtraining,sowepublishedthebookasYinYoga:OutlineofaQuietPractice.

IsYinYogaNew?

Yinyogaisnotnew.Itisadescriptivetermthatwascoinedtodifferentiatebetweenthissofter,moretraditionalstyleofyogaandthemodernvinyasastylesofyoga.Tounderstandtheneedformakingthisdistinction,weneedabriefhistoryofyoga’slastthirtyyears.

Hathayogahasbeen apart ofAmericanphysical culture since the1890s, but it hadneverbeen very popular. Mainstream America either thought it was bizarre or suspected it was asubversivepracticetaughtbyHinduevangelists.Exerciseinstructorswereboredbyitbecauseit

hadnoneof themovementsormuscular effort demandedby the calisthenics theywereused toteaching.Thisisbecause,withfewexceptions,hathayogawastaughtasagentlesystemofstatic,standingposes followedbygentle floorposes followedbygentlebreathingexercises. Inotherwords,yogawasyin.Yogahadfoundacceptancebythe1970s,butevenaslateasthe1980syogawasstilladistantlastplaceinpopularitywhencomparedtoaerobics,weightlifting,andanyformof sport. But this was about to change in a big way. A very yang, very strong, sexy, sweaty,muscularwaveofyogawasabouttocrashontotheWestCoastoftheU.S.andsweepallthingsbeforeit.

TheriseinthepopularityofyogatodayhasbeendrivenbythemanyhybridsoftheAshtangaVinyasasystemtaughtbyPattabhiJois.Thegentleyogaofearlierdecadeswassubmergedinanevermultiplyingnumberofflowing“vinyasa”styles.Therewereandstillareavarietyofyogastylesrangingfromtheyinofrestorativeyogatotheyangofashtangavinyasa,butitisthehotandmuscularstylesofyogathathaveattractedsomuchattentionfrommainstreamexerciseculture.

I learnedashtangain1985fromDavidWilliams.Davidhadfirst learnedthegentleyogaofthe 1960s and then went to India to learn more. While in India he witnessed a publicdemonstrationofgymnasticsthatwassointerestingheaskedwhattraditionitwasfrom.Hewastold,“Itisastyleofyoga.”Davidlookedattheacrobaticmovementsandnonstopflowofposesandsaidaloud“That’snotyoga!”David’sreactionsumsuphowbigachangewasabouttooccurintheyogaworld.

Startinginthelate1970sandearly80s,yangyogastylesinspiredbyashtangavinyasabecameso popular so quickly that when I started teaching yin classes in 1992 people thought it wassomethingnew.Thepopularityofyangyogaclassescontinues,butthereisagrowinginterestinyinformsofyogaaswell.Thisisinevitable—yinandyangmusteventuallybalanceeachotherineveryaspectoflife,includingexercise.

Mostyogis, even themostdedicatedyangyogis, eventuallydevelopayinpracticeon theirown. I have rarely presented a workshop on yin yoga where someone did not say “I havepracticedyogalikethisforyearsbutdidn’tgiveitaname.”Yinyogaisanatural,healingpracticethattalentedyogateachershavealwaysbeenrediscoveringandintegratingintotheirpractice.

CHAPTER 1 AncientScienceofYoga

ThreeBodies

Fromancienttimesyogishavepostulatedthattherearethreelevelsofhumanembodiment:

1.Acausalbodyofthoughtandbelief.2.Anastralbodyofemotionanddesire.3.Aphysicalbodyofmaterialsubstance.

Spiritualadeptsassert thatourconsciousness isnot limitedto theseembodimentsandthatwithsystematicpracticewecanfreeourselvesfromthemandexperienceaunionwithallthingsintheuniverse,aunionthatisfulfillingbeyondanythingourpresentlylimitedexistencecanoffer.

ThreePillarsofYogaTheory

The systematic practices that slowly disentangle our consciousness from our three bodies arecollectively referred to as the scienceof yoga.All scienceshave a theoretical and apracticalaspect.Thesearethethreemainpillarsofthetheoryofyoga:

1.OurthreebodiesareknittogetherandinfluenceeachotherthroughspecialcentersinthespineandbraincalledChakras.

2.TheenergythatflowsthroughthesechakrasiscalledChi.3.ThisenergyflowsthroughourbodiesinchannelscalledMeridians.

Thefundamentalgoaloftaoistandtantricyogaistouniteourawarenessandchiandguidethemintoourchakras.Aswebecomemoreskilledinthisendeavorwebecomemoreconsciousofouremotionalattachmentsandmentalmisconceptions.Ifwecanpatientlydissolvetheseknots,thenour energy and consciousness can slip free of all three bodies and expand into realms ofunimaginedwisdomandbliss.

ThreeDimensionsofChi

A yogin who sits to meditate will become absorbed by one of three manifestations of chi:

physical,astral,orcausal.Themanifestationofchiinthephysicaldimensionisawarenessofsomepartofthebodyora

pleasantsensationofenergyflowingthroughthemeridians.Ifthisflowisblockedthentheyoginexperiencesdiscomfort.

Themanifestationsof chi in theastraldimensionarememoriesanddesires.Thecontentofthesememoriesorthenatureoftheseemotionscanbesurprisingandshocking.Thisisbecausetheyaremanifestationsofourunconsciousmindthatweusuallysuppressandtrytoreject.Othermemories and desires are less shocking, but all bringwith them strong emotional content thatneedstobeexaminedifwearetobefreeofthem.

Themanifestationsofchiinthecausaldimensionaremuchsubtlerthaneitherthephysicalorastraldimensions.Asmeditationdeepens,theyogibecomesawareofthefundamentalideasthatformherorhispersonality,suchasreligiousbeliefsorideasofsocialjustice.Becomingawareofthesebeliefswillnotdestroythem,butitallowsthepractitionertounderstandwhysheorhehasthem,whichprovidesthepowertodissolve,modify,orretainthem.

TwoTraditions,OneSystem

According to several ancient views of cyclic time the world entered a period of spiritualdarknessaround800BC.Priortothisdescent,thecivilizationsofIndiaandChinahadproducedwonderfulworksofartandscience,butthisdarkagebroughtabouttheirdestructionashumansbecamebrutish,selfish,andshortsighted.Ignoranceandintoleranceledtomoreandmoreschoolsbeing closed, temples being sacked, and libraries being burned. What fragments of learningsurvived to the present age are the shipwrecked remains of once well developed sciences.Nonetheless,theskeletonsoftheseancienttheoriesarebasicallysoundandmodernscienceisonthevergeofreanimatingthem.

Twosystemsofmedicalenergeticshavecomedowntous fromthosedarkages: theIndianTantricand theChineseTaoist traditions. InTantra theenergy iscalledprana.Thecenters thatcontrol prana are called chakras, and the channels in which prana flows are called nadis. InTaoismtheenergyiscalledchi.Thecentersthatcontrolchiarecalleddantians,andthechannelsinwhichchiflowsarecalledmeridians.

Thedescriptionsofnadi-channelsintantrictextsareverysparse,butthedescriptionsofthechakra-centersareverydetailed.Itistheoppositewithtaoisttexts:thedescriptionsofmeridian-channelsareverydetailed,butthedescriptionsofthedantian-centersaresparse.Soweusethetantrictermwhenreferringtothechakras,butweusethetaoisttermschiandmeridians.Thisisadeliberateattempttopresentthesetwotraditionsasdifferentdescriptionsofthesamesystem.

Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama has painstakingly detailed the correspondences between taoist andtantric descriptions of chakras, chi, andmeridians, and I recommend his bookTheories of theChakrastotheinterestedreader.

OldWine,NewBottles

ThetaoistyogisofChinabasedthescienceofacupunctureontheirsubtlespiritualperceptionofchimovingthroughmeridians.Theydevelopedbreathingandmeditationtechniquestomovethischiintotheirspinesandslowlydissolvetheknotstyingtheirconsciousnesstotheirthreebodies.Butsittingandmeditatingforlonghoursisveryhardonthebodyandcausesthechitostagnateandcreatepainfuldistractions,sotaoistyogisdevelopedexercisestoharmonizetheflowofchiandhealthebody,makingiteasiertomeditatelonger.TheseexerciseswerelatercodifiedintosystemslikeTaiChiChuanandKungFu.Indianyogisalsodevelopedposturesandexercisestopreparethebodyfortherigorsofmeditationandtogaincontroloverthechiflowingthroughthemeridians.Thesetechniqueswerelatercodifiedintosystemsofhathayoga.Ourmoderncitiesarenowhoneycombedwithyoga studios filledwithpeoplepracticingandenjoying thebenefitsofthese ancient systems, but they might be surprised to learn that the theoretical foundations onwhichtheywerebuilthavebeendismissedbymodernscience.Thatis,perhaps,untilnow.

ModernMeridianTheory

Dr.MotoyamaisaShintopriestandadoublePhDscientistwhohasfromanearlyagepracticedthereligiousausteritiesoftheancientShintoreligionaswellasthemeditationpracticesofIndianyoga.Basing his research on his own intuitive perceptions aswell as his scientific studies ofother spiritual practitioners, Dr. Motoyama has for the last forty years been documenting theexistence of a systemof energy channels in the body.Usingmodern electronic instrumentsDr.Motoyamahasdemonstratedthatthisenergyflowsthroughwater-richchannelsintheconnectivetissue.Whatismore,thebehaviorandlocationofthesechannelsareincloseagreementwiththeancientdescriptionsofmeridians.

IftheinsightsofDr.Motoyamaarecorrect,thenwhattextbookshavebeencallingconnectivetissueisinfactalivingmatrixthatconductslife-givingenergytoeverytissue,cell,andorganinthebody.IrefertothistheoryastheModernMeridianTheory.

ConnectiveTissue

Connective tissue is not what we thought it was. That is themessage of the last three FasciaResearch Congresses held in Boston, Amsterdam, and Vancouver in 2007, 2009, and 2012.Scientistsatthesecongresseshavepresentedalargenumberofstudiesthatdetailhowconnectivetissue is an electrically conducting, water structuring, contracting and expanding structure thatregulates how cells function. All of this research is directly and indirectly corroborating,correcting,andexpandingDr.Motoyama’sModernMeridianTheory.

Every organ, muscle, and bone in our bodies is formed by a framework of sponge-likematerialcalledconnectivetissue.Allofour100trillioncellsarenestedwithinthespacesofthiselaboratelyinterconnectedsystemofpocketsandtubes.

Dr. JamesL.Oschman summarizes the current view of connective tissue andmeridians asfollows:

Theconnective tissueand fascia formamechanical continuum,extending throughout theanimalbody,evenintotheinnermostpartsofeachcell.Allthegreatsystemsofthebody—thecirculatory,thenervoussystem,themusculo-skeletalsystem,thedigestivetract,thevariousorgans—areensheathed inconnective tissue.Thismatrixdetermines theoverallshapeoftheorganismaswellasthedetailedarchitectureofitsparts.Allmovements,ofthebodyasawhole,orofitssmallestparts,arecreatedbytensionscarriedthroughtheconnective tissue fabric. Each tension, each compression, each movement causes thecrystalline lattices of the connective tissues to generate bioelectric signals that arepreciselycharacteristicof thosetensions,compressions,andmovements.Thefabric isasemiconducting communication network that can convey the bioelectric signals betweeneverypartofthebodyandeveryotherpart.ThiscommunicationnetworkwithinthefasciaisnoneotherthanthemeridiansystemoftraditionalOrientalmedicine,withitscountlessextensions into every part of the body. As these signals flow through the tissues, theirbiomagneticcounterpartsextendthestories theytell into thespacearoundthebody.Themechanical, bioelectric, and biomagnetic signals traveling through the connective tissuenetwork, and through the space around thebody, tell thevarious cells how to formandreform the tissuearchitecture in response to the tensions, compressions, andmovementswemake (quoted inHaraDiagnosis:Reflections on the Sea byKiikoMatsumoto andStephenBirch,p.164).

WhatisChi?

WhenDr.Motoyamaandotherscientistsconductresearchontheflowofenergyinmeridianstheydonotdirectlymeasurechi,theymeasureelectricalandchemicalchanges.Sowhatischi?Chiistheenergythatcoordinatestheelectricalandchemicalchangesthatscientistsmeasure.

Ananalogyfrommodernphysicsmightbehelpful.WhensolarenergyarrivesonEarthandstrikes the upper atmosphere, this energy becomes manifest as the movement of air. As thesewindsofairmoveovertheoceantheycreatewavesofwater.Whenthesewavesofwatercrashonto a beach their energy becomesmanifest as vibrations in the sand.The energy itself is notmadeofsunlightorairorwaterorsand,butitmanifestsitspresenceinthemovementsofthese“tissues”oftheEarth.Inasimilarwaychiisnotelectricityorchemistryoremotionsormemoriesor thoughts,butallof these thingsaremanifestationsofchi in thedifferent tissuesofour threebodies.

TheIllustrationatleftisaviewoftheskeletonfromthefront.

Theinsertbelowdepictsasectionofthespineandincludestheconnectivetissue.

TheIllustrationatleftisaviewoftheskeletonfromtheback.

Theinsertbelowdepictstheviewofthepelvisandincludestheconnectivetissue.

Modernmeridiantheorypostulatesthatchirunsthroughtheconnectivetissuesofthebody.

Thisillustratesthetraditionallocationofthemeridiansalongthefrontofthebody.Thesearetheyinmeridians.

Thisillustratesthetraditionallocationofthemeridiansalongthebackofthebody.Thesearetheyangmeridians.

Dr.Motoyamahasdemonstratedthatthesemeridianslieinthewater-richphaseoftheconnectivetissueoftheskin.Thisconnectivetissueiscontinuouswiththerestoftheconnectivetissueofthebody.

CHAPTER 2 YinandYangYoga

YinandYang

Toincorporatemodernmeridiantheoryanditsinsightsintoouryogapracticewemustreacquaintourselveswith the taoistconceptsofyinandyang.Yinandyangaredescriptive terms thatareusedtodescribealllevelsofphenomena.Yinisthestable,unmoving,hiddenaspectofanobject.Yangisthechanging,moving,revealingaspectofanobject.Thesetwoaspectsalwayscoexist—there is neveronewithout theother.Everything canbedescribed in termsof its yin andyang;stones,horses,thebody,life,thoughts—allhaveyin-yangaspects.

Thefollowingtableofexamplesmayhelpclarifytheconceptionofyin-yangpolarities:

YIN YANG

hidden exposed

dark light

cold hot

still moving

downward upward

Earth Heaven

calm excited

YinandYangareRelative

Yinandyangdescriptionsofanyobjectarerelative.Thedescriptionvariesasdifferentaspectsare considered. For example, when considering location, the heart is yin to the breastbonebecauseitismoreinside,morehidden.Butwhenconsideringmovement,theheartisyangtothebreastbonebecauseitismoremobile.

It can be difficult to determinewhich aspect of an object should be called yin andwhichshouldbecalledyang.Forexample,aroomismadeofwallsandthespacethewallsenclose.Wecouldsaythewallsareyinbecausetheyaresolidandthespaceisyangbecauseitisempty,orwecouldsaythewallsareyangbecausetheyarewhatweseeandthespaceisyinbecauseitisnotdirectlyperceivable.Eventhoughitistroublesometodeterminewhichisyinandwhichisyangitisnotdifficulttoappreciatethatwallsandspaceare“yin-yang”toeachother.

Thereisnosinglestyleofyogathatcanbecalled“yin.”Allstylesofyogacanbedescribedinyin-yangrelationtoeachotherandthiscategorizationwillchangedependingonwhichaspectofyogapractice isconsidered. Ifwearebasingourdistinctiononmovement-stillness, then thestylewiththemostmovementisyang.Butifwearebasingourdistinctiononeffort-ease,thenastrongseriesofstaticinversionsmightbemoreyangthanagentle,flowingstyleofyoga.Contextiseverythingandinthisbookourcontextistheelasticityoftissue.

MuscleTissueisYang,ConnectiveTissueisYin

Allformsofyogacanbedescribedasyinoryangbasedonwhichtissuesofthebodytheytarget.Apracticethatfocusesonexercisingmusclesandmovingbloodisyang.Apracticethatfocusesonconnectivetissueisyin.

Whenwemoveandbendourjointsdoingyogapostures,bothmuscleandconnectivetissuearebeingstretched.Themusclesareyangbecausetheyaresoftandelastic,whiletheconnectivetissuesareyinbecausetheyarestiffandinelastic.Toillustratethedifferentelasticityofthesetwotissues,imaginecarvingaturkey.Theactual“meat”ofthedrumstickismuscle;the“gristle”atthejointwhichmustbecutthroughorsnappedoffisconnectivetissue.

Basedontheearlierpresentationoftheall-pervasivenessofconnectivetissue,itmightseemconfusingtodistinguishbetween“connectivetissue”and“muscle.”Itistruethatthereisnosuchthingas“justmuscle,”buttheconnectivetissuesthatmakeupmuscleareintermixedwithotherfluidsandproteinsthatgivemuscleitscharacteristicelasticity.Inasimilarwaythetendonsthatbind muscle to bone and the ligaments that bind bones to each other have different elasticcharacteristics.Forourpurposetheword“muscle”referstomusclesandtheirtendons,andthephrase“connectivetissue”referstoligamentsandfascia(broadbandsofconnectivetissue).

YangYogaFocusesonMuscle

The fundamental characteristic of yang exercise is rhythmic movement. All forms of yangexercise,suchasrunning,weightlifting,andswimming,alternatelycontractandrelaxthemuscles.Muscle tissues respond very well to rhythmic yang exercise. Most popular forms of yoga—ashtanga vinyasa or power yoga—are yang. They emphasize rhythmicmovement andmuscularcontraction. Most dancers, martial artists, and gymnasts also develop their flexibility withrepetitive,rhythmic,yangstretches.

Musclesarebundlesoftubesfilledwithfluids,mostlywater.Musclesareupto90percentwaterduring intenseexercise.Theelasticityofmuscle tissuevariesdramaticallywith its fluidcontent—muchlikeasponge.Ifaspongeisdryitmaynotstretchatallwithouttearing,butifaspongeiswetitcantwistandstretchagreatdeal.Mostyogastudentsliketowarmupbydoingaseriesofmuscularstandingposturesor inversionsbecauseworking themusclesfills themwithbloodandmakesthemmoreelastic.

Exercisingmusclesalsohelpsbonesstayhealthybecausewhenmusclesvigorouslypullon

bonesthebonesrespondbybecomingthickerandstronger.Thisishowaforensicanthropologistcandetermineifsheisexaminingtheskeletonofasedentaryaristocratorapeasantwholaboredallhislife.Thisisalsowhyvigorous,notgentle,exerciseisprescribedtopreventosteoporosis.

YinYogaFocusesonConnectiveTissue

Exercisesthatcreateagentletractionoftheconnectivetissueareyin.Asimportantasitisforourphysicalandmentalwell-beingtobestrong,itisnotmuscularstrengththatgivesusthefeelingofeaseand lightness in thebody, it is the flexibilityof the joints. Ihaveknownmanymuscularlypowerfuladultswhoarephysicallyincapacitatedoruncomfortablebecauseofjointproblemsintheirbackorlegs.Athletesdon’tretirebecauseofmuscularproblems,theyretirebecauseofjointproblems.Badankles,badbacks,badknees—theseare the injuries that forceathletes to retireandoldpeopletoshufflearound.Yinyogaposturesgentlystretchandrehabilitatetheconnectivetissuesthatformourjoints.

Yin formsofexercise seemnew toourwayof thinking.Peopleaccept the fact thatmuscletissueshrinksorgrowsinresponsetoexercisebutimaginethattheconnectivetissuesofthebodyareinertandunchanging.Thisisnottrue.Allthetissuesofthebodyarechangingandadaptingtothestressesputuponthem.

Ifweneverbendourkneesorstretchourspines,theconnectivetissueisgoingtoshortentotheminimum length needed to accommodate ourmovements. Ifwe try, after years of abuse orneglect,toflexourkneesorbendourspines,wewon’tbeabletodoitbecauseourjointswillhavebeenshrink-wrappedbytheshortenedconnectivetissue.Ifwewanttomaintainourjointsflexibility, we must exercise them. But we should not exercise them like muscles, we mustexercisetheminayinway.

Isn’tStretchingtheJointsBad?

Moderatelystretching the jointsdoesnot injure themanymore than liftingabarbell injures themuscles. Both forms of exercise can be done recklessly, but neither is innately wrong ordangerous.Of course, if someonebounces into their joints theywill hurt themselves soonerorlater,butbouncingisayangactivity,andyinconnectivetissueshouldn’tbetrainedthatway.

Our teeth, for example, are anchored in bone and appear to be immobile.We know fromexperience,however,thattheychange.Still,noonewouldthinkitviableto“exercisetheteeth”bygrabbingholdofthemandwigglingthembackandforthasinyangactivity.Butwithpatient,methodicaluseofbracesandretainers,evenourteethcanbemovedandrealigned.Likewisetheconnective tissues that form our joints can be safely and desirably “exercised” by gentlystretchingtheminyinyogapostures.

YinandYangSupplementEachOther

Bothyinandyangformsofexercisearenecessary,andtheysupplementeachother.Considerasan example the modern medical practices of traction and weight training in physicalrehabilitation.Peoplewithbrokenlimbsandinjurednecksarefrequentlyputintractiontorelievestress on fragile bones that are trying to knit together. Once the bones have healed, physicaltherapymightincludeweightliftingtostrengthenthemuscles.Thisisanexampleofhowyinandyangprinciplesareintelligentlyemployedtorecoverjointmobility.Tractionistheyinprincipleof static, elongating stress applied for a long time.Moving the neck against resistance is therhythmicyangaspectofstrengtheningthemuscles.

Viewofthespineandpelvisfromthefront.

Thispicture illustrateshowtheyinandyang tissuesoverlay thebonesof theskeleton.Thewhiteareasare thedeep,yinconnectivetissuesthatbindbonetobone.Thedarkareasarethesuperficial,yangmuscletissuesthatcontractandmove.

CHAPTER 3 HowtoPracticeYinYoga

TheTheoryofExercise

Alltissuesofthebodymustundergostresstostayhealthy.Ifwedonotexerciseourheartitwilldegenerate,ifwedonotexerciseourmusclestheywillatrophy,ifwedonotbendourjointstheywillbecomestiffandpainful.Astronautslivinginaweightlessenvironmentforafewweekswillloseupto18percentoftheirbonedensityand30percentoftheirmuscularstrength.Tissuesmustbestressedonaregularbasistostayhealthy,evenifonlybygravity.IncolloquialEnglish,itis“useitorloseit.”

All forms of exercise can be classified as yin or yang based on the tissues they target.Exercisesthatfocusonmusclesandbloodareyang,exercisesthatfocusonconnectivetissueareyin. Yang exercise is characterized by rhythm and repetition, yin exercise is characterized bygentletraction.

Short-termandLong-termEffectsofExerciseareOpposite

The long-termgoal ofweight training is tomake themuscles stronger, but immediately after avigorous training session the muscles are weak and exhausted.Weightlifters boast about howmuch they can exhaust theirmuscleswith expressions such as “My legswere sowasted aftersquats I could hardly walk to my car.” So the short-term effect of weight training is muscleweakness,butafterweeksandmonthsofregulartrainingandrestthemusclesgetstronger.

Thelong-termgoalofaerobicconditioningislowerbloodpressureandheartratebutthegoalinanaerobicsclassistoraiseone’sheartrateandkeepitraisedforseveralminutes.Evenafterclassittakesanhourormoreforthebloodpressureandheartratetoreturntonormal,butafterweeks andmonths of regular training the resting blood pressure and heart rate drop to lowerlevelsthatmorethancompensateforthehigherratesduringexercise.

This is thenormal training effect: the short-termeffects of exercise are theopposite of thelong-term effects. The same is true of yin yoga practice. One of the long-term goals of a yinpracticeare strong, flexible joints. Immediately followinga longyinpose,however,our jointscanfeelfragileandvulnerable.Thisfeelingisbriefandshouldpassafteraminuteortwo.

YinPosturesShouldBeHeldForaLongTime

Dense connective tissues do not respond to rhythmic stresses thewaymuscles do.Connectivetissuesresistbriefstressesbutslowlychangewhenamoderatestressismaintainedforthree-to-

fiveminutes.Toexplainwhy,wewill revisitouranalogyofconnective tissueasasponge.Tomaketheanalogymoreaccurate,wemustimaginethespongesofourbodiescompletelysoakedwithfluidsthatbehavelikebutter.Whenthebutterissolidthespongeisstiffandhardtobend,butwhen the butter ismelted it is easy to stretch and twist the sponge.This change from stiffbutter to melted butter is called a “phase change.” Holding a stress on connective tissue forseveralminutescreatesaphasechangeinitsfluids,whichresults ina lengtheningof thetissueand a feeling of ease. This phase change also allows a greater movement of chi through thetissues,whichisbothpleasurableandpromoteshealing.

Someone new to yoga will probably experience a phase change during a posture but thephysicallengtheningmightnotbeveryprofound.Inotherwords,theywillexperienceapleasantenergeticreleaseeveniftheydonotsinkmuchdeeperintothepose.Butwithpersistentpracticethe fibersofconnective tissuewillgrowand realign toallowforagreater rangeofmotionaswell.

YinPosturesShouldbeHeldwithMusclesRelaxed

Tostresstheconnectivetissuearoundajointthemusclesmustberelaxed.Ifthemusclesaretensethentheconnectivetissuedoesn’ttakethestress.Youcandemonstratethisforyourselfbygentlypulling on themiddle finger of your left hand.When the left hand is relaxed you can feel theconnectivetissueofthefingerjointstretchingatthejointnearestthepalm.Whenthefingersofthelefthandaretensedandextendedyoucanfeelthemusclesresistthepull,buttheconnectivetissueisnotbeingstretched.

Thestretchingoftheknucklemayseematrivialexamplebutthesameprincipleappliestotheknees,hips,andspine:themusclesintheseareasmustberelaxediftheconnectivetissueistobestressedwhendoingapose.

Note that it isnotpossibleor evendesirable for all themusclesof thebody tobe relaxedwhen doing yin poses, but the muscles in the target area must be relaxed. For example, in aforwardbendyoumaywanttogentlypullwithyourarmsorcontractyourabdomentoincreasethestressalongthespine.Butthemusclesalongthespinemustberelaxedortheconnectivetissuewillnotbestretched.

ThreeLayersofaJoint

Therearethreelayerstoajoint:thebones,theconnectivetissue,andthemusclesthatmovethebones.Whenthemusclesarerelaxed,thebonescanbepulledapartandtheconnectivetissueisstretched.Whenthemusclesaretensed,thebonesarepulledtightlytogetherandtheconnectivetissueisnotstretched.

YinandYangAttitude

Allthingshaveayin-yangtothem,evenourattitude,andonewaytoillustratethecontrastisbycomparingtheattitudeofanaturalistwiththatofanengineer.Anengineerhasayangattitude,anengineerwantstochangethings,shewantstotearanoldbuildingdownorbuildanewoneup,shewantstodamtheriverordredgethecanal.Heryangattitudeistoalterandchangewhatshesees.

A naturalist has a yin attitude. A naturalist wants to know how plants or animals behavewithouttryingtoinfluencethem.Anaturalistwithaninterestinbutterflieshastogotowherethebutterflies are and then sit and patiently wait for them to do what butterflies do. A naturalistcannotmakebutterfliesflyormateorlayeggs,hecanonlywaitandobserve.Hisyinattitudeistotrytounderstandwhatheiswatching.

Whenpracticingyinyogaitisbesttohaveayinattitude.Donotbeanxiousoraggressiveandforceyourbodyintotheposes.Makeamodestefforttoapproximatetheposeasbestyoucan,andthen patientlywait. The power of yin yoga is time, not effort. It takes time for our connectivetissuestoslowlyrespondtoagentlestress,itcannotberushed.Learningtopatientlywaitcalmsthemindanddevelopsthenecessaryattitudeformeditationpractices.

Moderncultureappreciatesthestrengthoftheyangattitudeto“goforit,”butthereisnoendtoourdesires.Tobetrulyhappywemustalsocultivate theyinqualitiesofpatience,gratitude,andcontentment.

YinandYangAlwaysCoexist

Thereisnosuchthingasapureyinorapureyangattitude,justasthereisnosuchthingasapure

yinorpureyangyogapractice.Thesetwoaspectsalwayscoexist.Yinoryangmightbedominantinexpressionbuttheotherisalwayspresent.

Whenpracticingayinposesuchasaforwardbend,wewanttobeasrelaxedaspossible.Butifwecompletelyrelaxeverymuscleinourbodythenwemightactuallyfalloutofthepose.Somemusculareffortisrequiredtobalanceourselvesinaposeandtomaintainthegentletraction,soyangeffortispresenteveninyinyogaposes.

The same can be said of our attitude during yin yoga. It is yin to passively observe thesensationsthatarise,butitisyangtomaketheeffortneededtomaintainthepose.

Breathing

Manybeginnersunconsciouslyholdtheirbreathwhenpracticingyogapostures,soteachersoftenadvisethemtobreatheacertainwaytokeepthemfocusedyetrelaxed.Whenpracticingyinyogamygeneraladviceistobreathenormally.Eachpostureaffectsourbreathinginadifferentway.Itmay be that somepostureswere specifically designed to alter the breath and thereby alter theperceptions inmeditation. To force yourself to breathe the sameway in every pose is a yangattitude, and it obliterates the possibility of assessing what the posture does to your naturalrespiration.

TherearetimesinyinpracticewhenIexperimentandholdmybreathforafewmomentsorbreathe rhythmically fora littlewhile,but themajorityof the time I justpassivelyobserve theeffecteachposehasonmynaturalrespiration.

FeelingtheRebound

Afterpracticingaposeforseveralminutes it isagoodidea torelaxonyourbackandfeel therebound. Poses temporarily block chi and blood from flowing in some areas and redirect ittoward other areas. The rebound is what we feel after we release the pose and relax on ourbacks.

The physical sensations of stretching muscles and joints usually dominates our awarenesswhen we are holding a pose, but when we relax on our backs we can calmly focus on thesensationsofchi.Thiscanmanifesteitherasasenseofpressuredispersingawayfromanareaandspreading throughout thebodyorasamorespecificfeelingofenergy inourspineor legs.Afteraminuteorsothesensationsmorphandchangeintoageneralfeelingofpeacefulcalmnessthatisnotcenteredinanyparticulararea.

Cultivatingawarenessofchi isan importantpartofyogapracticebecausechi is the threadthat ties all three bodies together. Learning to feel chi in the physical body is a first step toobjectivelyexperiencingtheemotionsoftheastralbodyandthethoughtsofthecausalbody.

ReboundandCounterStretching

Theshort-termeffectsofyinpracticearetheoppositeofthelong-term.Thefeelingimmediatelyfollowing a long yin pose is a sense of fragility and vulnerability. Sometimes you can feel areboundingcontractionbuildingupthatseemsasifitwillgrowintoapainfulspasm,butifyoustay calmduring this process youwill find the dreaded painful spasmdoes not come, and thereboundingwavewillreachacrescendoandthensubside.Thiscanbealife-changingexperienceformanypeople.Ihaveheardfrommanystudentswhosufferedchronicpainforyearsbuthealedthemselvesbylearninghowtorelaxinyinyoga.

Somestudentsbecomealarmedatthesesensationsandimmediatelyrolltotheirsideorhugtheir knees or do some other simple counter pose. It is certainly permissible to do counterstretchesafterapose,buteveryonceinawhileresolvetolieonyourbackandcalmlyobservethereboundwithoutreacting.

ExerciseinAwareness

Some students say that they “Do not feel anything” when practicing asana or when they arerelaxingontheirback.Thisisnotpossible.Therearealwayssensationsarisingfromourbodies,andweonlyhavetofocusourattentiontoexperiencethem.Ourchiwillmovetowhereverweplaceourawareness.Itisalsotruethatwhereverourchimovesitwillbringourawarenesswithit.

Trythisexercise:Sitcomfortablyandfocusonyournose.Isitwarm?Doesititch?Isthereapulse?Istheinhalationinthetopofthenostril,orthebottom?Isonenostrilmoreopenthantheother?Exerciseslikethisareendlessanddemonstratetheimpossibilityofbeingwithoutfeeling—weneedonlydirectourawarenesstoit.

Ifastudentinsistsheisnotfeelingsomething,wecanonlysurmisethatheisnotfeelingwhathe imagined chi should feel like. It is a misconception to think chi only flows through themeridiansdepictedonachart.Chiflowsintoeverycellofthebody.Themeridiansdepictedonacupuncturechartsarejustthesurfacemeridiansaccessiblebyneedles.Therearelarger,deepermeridiansreferredtoas“reservoirsofchi.”Thesearethesourceofthesurfacemeridians.Chicirculates from these deeper meridians into the surface meridians and then back again. Themovementofchiinthesedeepermeridiansisfeltinthebones,muscles,andorgans.

I am not dissuading students from trying to feel specific meridian channels but I amencouraging them not to overlook the more obvious “physical” sensations of chi movementthroughoutthebodyandthepleasantcalmnessitbrings.

LearningtoRelax

One hundred years ago the American philosopherWilliam James suggested an experiment toillustrate the mind-body connection: Relax on your back and become calm. Once you havesucceededinrelaxing,thentrytomakeyourselfangrywithouttensingoralteringyourbodyinanyway.Inotherwords,trytobecomeangrywithouttensingyourmuscles,changingyourbreathing,

clenching your teeth, raising your blood pressure or your heart rate, or manifesting any otherphysicalchange.Impossible!Everythought,everyemotionputsitsimprintonourphysicalbeing.

Inourhighlyintellectual,head-orientedworldmanyofusarephysicallystressedanddonotknow it. We imagine that by masking our emotions they are not affecting us. But maskingsuppresses only the crudest outward display of our emotions—our bodies are still taking abeating. If we were more aware of the physical toll of our inner life, we might take moreprecautionsagainstundesirablementalstates.

LearningtorelaxinposeslikethePentaclehelpsustoidentifyandreleasetensionsthataredeepwithinus,not just in theskeletalmuscles.Tensionintheeyes, jaw,heart,diaphragm,andstomachcanbeisolatedandrelaxed.Thishealthyhabithelpsustodissolvethenegativetensionsthataccumulateinourbodies.Thisisavaluableskillinourheartattack-pronesociety.

LearningtobeStill

Dr.Motoyamahasdemonstratedthatthemeridiansystemandthenervoussystemareyin-yangtoeachother.Thismeansthatiftheenergyinonesystemincreases,theenergyintheothersystemdecreases. Yin yoga amplifies chi energy and reduces nervous energy; therefore a commonreactionafterdoingyinposesistodesiretojustliestillandnotmove.Whendeeplyrelaxed,theeffortittakestomovethelimbsjustdoesn’tseemworthit.

This inhibition ofmovement is a desirable state and it is a perfect prelude tomeditation.Manypeoplearesonervoustheyliterallycannotsitstillforseveralminutes.Ayinpracticecanchange this. Ifyou findyourselfwanting to extendyour restphasesduringyourpractice,don’tfightit.Recognizeandenjoyit,andthiswilldevelopyourabilitytorecreatethepeacefulstateofimmobilizinginnercalm.Whenyoucandothisyouarenearlyoverthefirsthurdleofmeditation,whichissittinguprightandrelaxedforextendedperiodsoftime.

CHAPTER 4 DesigningYourPractice

YogaPracticeShouldChangewithTimeandCircumstance

Dr. Motoyama once advised me that practicing a specific set of postures for the appropriateperiodoftimecouldsaveyourlife,butthatsameroutine,ifcontinuedfortoolong,couldcausegreatharm.IhadthisexperiencewithSnailpose.Itwasmyfavoriteposeforfifteenyears,andIdiditfrequentlyandforlongholds.ThenIstartedhavingupperspineandilio-sacralproblemswhichIdeterminedwerecausedbymyfavoritepose! Iwasgrieved,butbowed to the truthofexperience.Ididn’tpracticeSnailfornearlyayear,exceptforsomeoccasionalexperiments.Mysymptoms disappeared almost immediately and would return whenever I tried to sneak moreSnailintomyroutine.

After a year I resumed regular fiveminute Snail poses, but did only one per session andvariedmyshoulderpositioneachtime.InowagainenjoythefullspinalstretchandwholebodyrelaxationthatSnailbrings,butwithoutthespineproblems.WhytheproblemsdevelopedIstilldon’tknow.Thepoint,however, is thatouryogapracticeshouldbealiveandadaptable toourneedsaswegothroughtheseasonsofourlives.

GuidingPrinciples

Asyoudevelopyourownsequencesofposes,pleasekeeptheseideasinmind:

1. Everyyogapose isbad for somebody.Everyone’sanatomyandhistoryareunique,andthismeansthateachposeaffectseachpersondifferently.Usuallythedifferenceistrivial,butitcansometimesbesignificantandharmful.Donotbecomefixatedon“masteringapose.”Theposes aremeant tobe therapeutic, not to challengeyourpride.Someposesmaybeuncomfortablebutresultinahealthyresponse,butotherposesmightjustbebadforyou.

2. Forwardbendsareyin.Theybringtheheadlevelwiththeheartmakingiteasytopumpbloodtothebrain.Theheartmuscleisrelaxedandthebloodpressurealloverthebodyisreduced.Forwardbendsharmonizechiflowalongthemeridiansnearthespine,whichiscalmingandsedating.

3. Backwardbendsareyang.Theystimulate thenervesandinvigorate theyogi.Backwardbends do not need to be held as long as forward bends. Experiment with doingmorebackbendsforshorterperiodsoftimeratherthanlongerholds.

4. Timeofdayandseasonareimportant.Amoreyangpracticewithshorterholdsmightbedesirableinthemorningoronacoldday.Amoreyinpracticemightbeappropriateintheeveningsoronawarmday.

5. Themore yang your practice, the greater your variety of poses should be,with shorter

durationsandmorerepetitions.Themoreyinyourpractice,lessvarietyisneededandtheemphasiscanbeplacedonjustafewposes.

6. It is fine to practice yang exercise before yin, or yin exercise before yang. Just allowadequateadjustmenttimewhengoingfromonetotheother.

7. Use pillows, blankets, and bolsters to support yourself if you find poses stressful. Yinyoga should never be a strain. If you find yourself unable to relax, you are being tooaggressive.

RoundSpine,StraightSpine

If forwardbendsaredonewitha roundedandrelaxedspine, then theconnective tissuesof thetorsoarestressedmore.Ifforwardbendsarepracticedwithastraightspine,thenthemusclesofthelegsaremorestressed.Eachversionofaforwardbendhasadifferentemphasisandayogastudentcouldconsiderthemastwoseparateposes.

Fixation

Fixationisthevacuumsealthatstickstwosurfacestogether,themostcommonexamplebeingamoistdrinkingglasssetdownonacoaster.Afterafewmoments thefluidbetweencoasterandglass is forcedout to thesides,andwhenwepickup theglass thecoaster isstuck to itby thevacuumseal.Thewaytobreakthisfixationistoliftoneedgeoftheglassawayfromthecoastersothatthevacuumsealisbroken.Thisisaccompaniedwithafaintpoppingsound.

All joints are susceptible to fixation, especially the joints of the ribs and vertebra. Thesejoints have flat, smooth surfaces that are continuously pressed together by gravity andmuscle

contraction. Sometimeswhenwe bend or twist our spine the bonesmove enough to break thevacuumsealandcreateapoppingsound.Thisimmediatelyfeelsgoodbecausethejointcannowmovemorefreelyandchiflowisincreased.

SacralFixation

Thebonemostsusceptibletofixationisthesacrum,andoncethesacrumfixatesitisdifficulttomovetheboneenoughtodefixate.

Inyouththesacrumisinclinedforwardandhelpscreatethecurveofthelowerspine,butasweagethesacrumfixatesandweunconsciouslytuckthepelvisandlosethecurve.

Curvesreducecompressivestressbyflexingfrontandback.Thisiswhyorganicthingsgrowincurves—consider,forexample,thetendrilsofplantsorthearchesinourfeet.Thisisalsowhywehavecurvesinourspine.Ayouthfulspinehasnice,fullcurvesandeasilyflexesforwardandback.Anagedspinehaslostitscurvesandmaynotflexatall,andthisleadstocompressionofthespinaldiscsandbackpain.

Saddle pose andCaterpillar pose have a yin-yang effect on the sacrum.They are themosteffectiveself-treatmentIamawareofformaintaininghealthysacralmovement.

Upper-BodyStrength

Althoughthisisabookaboutyinyoga,itisimportanttosayafewwordsabouttheyangofupper-bodystrength.Inataoistanalysisofthebody,thelegsareyinbecausetheyareheavier,denser,andclosertotheearth.Thearmsareyangbecausetheyarelighter,moremobile,closertoheaven.Asweage,thelegsbecomemoreyinastheybecomeheavyandlessmobile.Bycontrastthearmsbecome more yang, less dense, and less strong. To combat these natural tendencies a yoginishould emphasize stretching connective tissue when working the lower body and emphasizemuscularstrengthwhenworkingtheupperbody.

Lower-bodypostureisinfluencedmostbytheflexibilityofthesacrumandthecurvesofthelumbar spine. But upper-body posture is influenced most by muscular strength rather thanflexibility.

Failure to do upper-body exercises like Tripod or Crocodile is disastrous for upper-bodyposture. The muscles become weak, the bones become frail, and the upper spine stoops androunds.

ThreeSampleRoutines

Thefollowingroutinesareintendedtogiveabeginneratasteof thevarietywithwhichtheyinposescanbesequenced.Thereisnoonecorrectwaytopracticeyinyoga.Differentpeoplehavedifferentneeds.Isuggestpracticingthefirst routineeveryotherdayforaweekandmakebrief

notesonhowitaffectsyou.Thenpracticethesecondroutineeveryotherdayforaweekandmakenotes.Thenrepeatthisprocesswiththethirdroutine.

Once you are familiarwith each routine, I suggest that you practice three times perweek,followingadifferent routineeachday.Betteryet,youmightchoose tocombineacoupleposesfromeachroutineandcreateyourownroutineofeighttotenposes.

Whateverroutineyoupracticeitisimportantthatyourelaxaftereachpose.Thisisthebestwaytofeelwhattheposesaredoingtoyou.Relaxingbetweenposesisalsoagoodwaytonotstrainanything.Goslowlyandenjoy!

FirstSampleRoutine

Thisfirstroutineismoreyangthantheothersandisfocusedonthespine’smovementsratherthanthehips.Anyoralloftheposturescanberepeatedasmanytimesasneeded.Ifoneortwosetsisnotenough,thendothreeorfour.Justbesuretorestenoughandtoavoidstrain.

1.LegRaises2.Snail3.Caterpillar4.Tripod5.Crocodile6.Camel7.Child’sPose8.Saddle9.FoldedPose10.Butterfly11.SpinalTwist12.Pentacle

SecondSampleRoutine

This routine focuses on the hips and legs.Anyor all of the postures can be repeated asmanytimesasneeded.Justbesuretorestenoughandtoavoidstrain.

1.SleepingSwanorShoelaceontheWall2.Half-FrogorFrogontheWall3.DragonflyorDragonflyontheWall4.Swan5.HalfSaddle6.FoldedPose7.Caterpillar

8.SpinalTwist9.Pentacle

ThirdSampleRoutine

Thisroutineisamixofhipandspinemovements.Anyoralloftheposturescanberepeatedasmanytimesasneeded.Justbesuretorestenoughandtoavoidstrain.

1.SquarePoseorShoelaceontheWall2.HalfButterfly3.Caterpillar4.Dragon5.Infant6.Seal7.Child’sPose8.SpinalTwist9.Pentacle

CHAPTER 5 AnOutlineofYinYogaPostures

PentacleWewill start our examinationof theyinposeswithPentacle.The reason for this is it is oftendifficulttofeelchiandbloodmovinginourbodieswhilewearepracticingtheposes.Theeffortrequired to do themoften obscures the subtle sensations.But ifwe relax in the Pentacle afterpracticing adifficult posture, then it is quite easy to feel thebloodand chi rush intooroutofcertainareasofourbody.Eventhediscomfortthatwefeelinthejointswehavebeenstretchingisaformofchiandwecanlearntoobserveitobjectively.Thispracticeisagreataidtolearningtoguidethechiwhenmeditating.

Pentacle is done by lying on one’s back and spreading the arms and legs out in anycomfortableandcompletelyunguardedposition.Closeyoureyesandlet thephysicalbodysinkintothefloor.Theultimatementalyinattitudeofmindistowaitwithoutanxiety.Trytofeelthevarioussensationsofchi,bloodandfluidsmovingintooroutofthepartsofthebodythatwerestressedduringthepreviouspostures.

Thebodypositionasdescribedaboveisonlyasuggestion.Byspreadingthearmsandlegs,moreofthebodymakescontactwiththefloor,whichishelpfulinlearningtofeelthebody,butanyrelaxingposturewillsuffice.

PracticePentacleforonetofiveminutesormorewheneverdesired.

HalfButterflyHalfButterflystretchesthebackofthestraightlegandthespineontheoppositeside.Ithelpstocorrectimbalancesintheflowofchioneachsideofthespine.Italsohelpstodecompressthespine,which isvaluable in a culturewhere80percentof thepopulationultimately experiencelowbackproblems.

HalfButterflyisdonebysittingwithonelegstretchedforwardandtheotherlegfoldedwiththefootneartheoppositegroin(A).Dropyourchintoyourchest,leanforwardandtrytograspholdofyourankleorfoot(B).Trynottoloseyourgripasitgivesmoreleveragetothestretch.Thekneeoftheextendedlegmaybebentabitinthebeginning,butthisisfineaslongasyoufeelthestretchalongthebackoftheleg.

Holdthisposethreetofiveminutes.

ButterflyButterflyisastretchforthelowerspineandgroin.

Sitwiththesolesofthefeettouchingtogether(A)andleanforward(B).Ifyoustartwiththefeetclosertothegroin,thegroinmusclesarestretchedmore.Ifyoustartwiththefeetfurtherfromthegroin,thelowerspineisstretchedmore.

I sometimes suggest this pose to peoplewith very tight hamstrings as it is a goodway tostretchthelowerspineanddoesn’trequirehamstringflexibility.

HoldButterflythreetofiveminutes.

HalfFrogHalfFrog stretches the hamstrings and the groin.Because the pelvis is pushed forward by theHalfFrogposition, the stretch on the hamstrings andgroin is both easier to achieve andmoreeffectivethaninHalfButterfly.Thebeginnerwillfeelthehamstringsmorethanthegroin,butasthestudentloosensupthegroinisalsostretched.

Sitwithonelegstraightandtheotherlegfoldedwiththefootnearyourbuttocks.Thefootofthebentlegmaybepointedorflexed(A).Openthelegstoacomfortablewidthandleanforward.Ifyourtorsostaysoveryourstraightleg,thehamstringsarestretchedmore(B).Ifyouswingyourtorsotowardthemiddleofyourlegs,thegroinoftheextendedlegandthehipofthebentlegarestretchedmore(C).Becarefulnottostrainthebentknee.

HoldHalfFrogtwotothreeminuteseachside.

DragonflyDragonflystretchesthebackofthethighs,lowerspineandparticularlythegroin.Thisposecanbeveryfrustratingforabeginnerasprogressseemsslowtonon-existent.TheonlyadviceIcanoffer ispersistence.Staywith itandasyouprogress in theother forwardbends thisposewilleventuallyrespondtoyoureffortsaswell.

Dragonflyisdonebysittingwiththelegsabout90degreesormoreapart(A)andthenleaningforward.Trytotouchyourhandsonthefloorinfrontofyou.Asyourflexibilityincreasestrytorestfirstyourelbowsandeventuallyyourheadonthefloor(B).

HoldDragonflythreetofiveminutes.

SleepingSwanSleeping Swan externally rotates the femur of the front leg and stretches all the muscles andconnectivetissueonthelateralsideofthebuttockandthigh.Italsogentlystretchesthehipflexorsoftherearleg.

Getonyourhandsandkneesandthenmoveyourrightkneebackafootorso.Moveyourleftfootandplaceitinfrontoftherightknee(A).Keepingyourleftfootwhereitisslide,therightkneebackwardsasfaraspossiblesoyourpelvislowerstowardthefloor.Leanforwardandtakesomeofyourweightonyourelbows.Yourpelvisshouldbesuspendedjustabovethefloorwithtensioninbothlegsbutprimarilyinthelefthipandthigh(B).Asyougetmoreflexibleyoucanmovethefrontfootmoreforwardandtrytolayonitwithyourchest.

HoldSleepingSwanthreetofiveminutesandthenchangesides.

SwanSwanaddsabackbendmovementtotheSleepingvariation.Italsostretchesthehipflexorsoftheback legmore effectively.Some students find that it also stretches the front hipbetter than theSleepingSwanandsopreferit.

SwanisdonebyfirstassumingtheSleepingSwanpositionandthenusingyourarmstopushthetorsoupandevenbackward.Ifyoudropyourheadback,thebendonthespineisincreased.Whenbendingbackwards,youshouldexperimentwithkeepingyourpelvisdownandwithlettingittwistupasyoubendback.Thesevariationswillreachintodifferentpartsofthespine.

HoldSwanaminuteortwoeachside.

SquareSquarehasmuchthesameeffectonthehipsandthighsasSleepingSwanbutalsostretchesthelowerspine.

Sitwithyourlegsfoldedinfrontofyou.Pickuptheleftlegandtrytolaytheouterboneoftheankleontopoftherightthigh,neartheknee(A).Dependingonyourflexibility,yourleftkneemaybehighintheair.YoushouldfeelastretchalongthehipandthighsimilartoSleepingSwan.Nowtrytoleanforward.Asyoudosoyourchestwillpushagainsttheleftlegandincreasethestretch(B).Ifyourhipsarelooseenoughandyoucangodownfurther,thenyouwillalsobegintofeelthestretchalongyourlowerspine.

HoldSquarethreetofiveminutesthenchangesides.

ShoelaceAvariationofSquareisShoelace.Crossyourkneessothattheyverynearlyoverlieeachother(A) and then lean forward (B). Due to indidvidual differences in anatomy you may preferShoelaceorSquare.Letexperiencebeyourguide.

CaterpillarCaterpillar is oneof themost basic and important postures. It stretches the legs and the entirespinalcolumnandbalances thechi flow. It isagreataid in relaxing themindanddrawing thesensesinward,thereforeitisagoodpreparationformeditation.

Caterpillarisdonebysittingwithbothlegsstretchedoutinfrontofyou,feetabouthipwidthapartornarrowerifyouprefer.Dropyourchintoyourchestsothemusclesandligamentsatthebaseoftheskullarestretched.Nowleanforwardandtrytograspyouranklesorfeet.Trytokeepyourlegsstraightbutdon’tworktoohard.Thethighsshouldberelaxedandaslightbendofthekneesisfineaslongasyoustillfeelthestretch.Relaxthemusclesofthelegsandspineandfeelthestretchmoveupthroughthelegsandhipsandallthewayuptotheskull.

Trytoholdthisposethreetofiveminutesormore.

LegRaisesLegraisesareamuscular (yang)exercise (seepage11). Increasing the flexibilityof the lowerspinebringswithitagreaterneedforabdominal,lowerback(quadratuslumborus)andhipflexorstrength.LegRaises effectively strengthen these areas.Some students, especially after forwardbends,alsoexperiencewonderfuladjustmentsoftheirsacrumwhenperformingthisexercise.

Lyingonyourbackplaceyourhandsunderyourbuttocks,bendyourkneesanddrawthemuptowardyourchest(A).Nowtrytostraightenyourlegsandlockyourknees(B).Liftyourchintoyourchestandslowlyloweryourfeettowardthefloor(C).Stopwhenyourfeetarejustafewinchesoffthefloorandtakeafewbreaths.Thisisonerepetition.

Youshouldrepeatthisfivetimesormore.Tovarythetraining,pauseforseveralbreathswiththelegsatvariousheightsabovethefloor.

Ifyoutiltyourheadback,thestressonthelowerspine/hipflexormusclesisincreased.Youcanalsovarytheexercisebybringingthelegsupstraightratherthanbent.

SnailSnailstretchestheentirespinalcolumnandinducesawithdrawalofenergyfromexternalsensesand turns themind inward.Mostpeople, even those forwhom this is adifficultpose, find theaftereffectspleasant.

Snailisdonebyfirstlyingonone’sbackwithhandsunderthebuttocksandthenrollingthelegsupoveryourhead(A).Beginnersshouldendeavortokeepthelegsstraightandmaywanttousetheirhandsontheirhipsforbalance(B).Thefeetmaynottouchthefloorbutthemusclesofthelegsandspinewillbestrengthenedandstretchedeffectively.

Aftersomemonthsthefeetshouldtouchtheflooratwhichtimeyoumaywanttoclaspholdofyourcalvesorankles.NotethatatthisphaseoftheSnailyoumaynotwanttorolluponyourneckbut rather keep the hips low and theweightmore betweenyour shoulder blades.This versiongivesanicestretchtothelowerandmiddlespineaswellasthelegs(C).

A final variation is to roll up onto the neck and shoulders asmuch as possible (D), evenbendingthekneesdowntowardthefloor(E).Thisversionisthemoststrenuousfortheneckandupperspine.

Useplentyofpaddingunderyourspineandshoulderssothetipsofthespinousprocessesarenotbruised.Don’tdothisposeifyouhaveeateninthepasttwoorthreehours.IfitisastruggleforyoutorollyourselfupintothisposturethenavoiditfornowandcontinuewithHalf-forwardbendandForwardbenduntilyourspineismoreflexible.Womenintheirperiodshouldavoidthispose.

TrytoholdSnailonetothreeminutesormoreandthenslowlyrolldown.

TripodTripod is a muscular (yang) exercise, it strengthens the upper body (see pg. 11) and is awonderful stretch for all the muscles of the torso. It is a nice counter to forward bends andpreparesthebodyforbackbends.

Situpandplaceyourlefthandafewfeetbehindyouonthefloor.Keepyourleftlegstraightbutbendtherightkneeandplacetherightfootnearyourbuttocks(A).Usingallthemusclesofyourbody,particularlythoseinyourarmandupperback,pushyourpelvisupashighaspossible.Turntolookatthefloorwhilereachingupandoveryourheadwithyourrighthand(B).Stretchyourwaistandribslikeyou'retakingadeepyawn.

HoldTripodoneortwobreathsandthenchangesides.SinceTripodisamuscularyangposeIsuggestrepeatingitthreetimesormore.

CrocodileCrocodile is a yang, upperbody strengthposture (seepg.11). It is the old fashioned push-up.Don'tletbadgym-classmemoriesspoilyourappreciationofthispose,itisawonderfulwaytodevelope overall body strength and confidence. Although Crocodile is feltmost keenly in thearmsandshoulders,itdevelopsthestrengthofthestomachandspineaswell.

Startingonyourhandsandknees,straightenyourlegsandkeepyourbodyperfectlystraight(A).Inhaleandthenexhaleandslowlyloweryourtorsotowardthefloor,keepingyourelbowsnearyourribs(B).Holdthispositionforafewseconds,inhaleandthenexhaleandpushbackupto the startingposition.As abeginneryoumaywant todo thisposturewithyourkneeson theflooruntilyouarestronger.

Repeatthreetimesormore.

InfantThis pose is a yang stimulation for all themuscles along the spinal column. It also stimulatesbloodcirculationintheabdominalorgans.

Lieonyourstomachwithyourarmsatyourside.Nowinhaleandraiseyourheadandchestupashighasiscomfortable.Youmayormaynotwanttoraiseyourlegsandyoumayormaynotwanttokeepthemtogether.Followyourinstinctsastowhatevervariationsstrengthenthespinemore.

HoldInfantthreetofivebreaths.Repeatifyoulike.

SealThisposeisastrongarchforthelowerspine.Thisistheareaofthebodywheremostpeopleareverystiffatbestandinpainatworst.Sealworkstoreestablishalumbarcurveinthespine.Thiscurve isabusedandeventually lostbysitting inchairs forhourseverydayforyearsandyears.Sincemost of uswill continue to be chair— bound by our jobs, cars, restaurants and socialdecorum,theneedtoconstantlycombat theabuseof thelowerspineisever-present.Ifyouareoneofthemanywhohavea“badback,”thisposturewillbeastruggleforquiteawhilebutdon’tdespair,ifyougentlypersistyourspinewillbendagain.

LieonyoustomachasinInfant,withyourhandsonthefloorinfrontofandtothesideofyourshoulders.Everyone’sbodyproportionsand flexibilitiesdiffer soyouwillwant to experimentwithexactlywhereyouplaceyourhands.Straightenyourarmsandraisethetorsooffofthefloor.Turnyourhandssothefingersareturnedouttothesides,thismakesiteasierformostpeopletostraighten the arms. The spine and belly are suspended above the floor. Depending on one’sproportionsandflexibilities,one’spelvismayormaynotbeliftedabovethefloor.SomeYogisliketotensethemusclesalongthespineandothersprefertojust“hang”andslowlyletthespineformitselfintoanarch.

VariationsoftheSealcaneffectivelyisolatedifferentpartsofthespine.Ifyoukeepyourlegsapart,thestressinthelowerspinewillbemorepronounced.Ifyoukeepyourlegstogether,thestretch is more evenly distributed along the spine. Keeping the buttocks and thighs flexed orrelaxed also changes the stress but not in a uniform way for everybody. You will have toexperimentforyourself.Ifyoutiltyourheadbackthereismorecurveplacedintotheneckandlowerspine.

HoldtheSealforaminuteandthenslowlyloweryourselfdown.Repeatasmanytimesasyoufeeltheneed.

Child’sPoseThisposturegentlystretchesthespinesoitisanaturalcountertobackbends.Italsoinclinestheheadsotheheartcanrestinsteadoftryingtoforcebloodupwardtothebrain.Ifyouarefeelingcoldorvulnerableafterpracticingpostures,thenChild’sPosehelps.

Child’sPoseisdonebykneelingwithbuttocksonheelsandfoldingforwardtorestyourheadonthefloorwithyourarmsrestingcomfortablybesideyouorinfrontofyou.Closeyoureyesandemptyyourmind.

RestinChild’sPoseoneminuteormore.

DragonDragonstretchesthegroin,ankles,andhipflexors.Italsomakesbackbendseasiertodobecausethepelvisbecomesfreerinitsmovements.

Dragon is done by placing one foot forward on the floor in front of you and resting theoppositekneeonthefloorbehindyou.Useyourhandsforbalanceandslowlylowerthethighofyour rear leg to the floor so the top/front of the thigh takes the strain (A).Depending on yourflexibility,youmightalsofeelastretchinthegroinofthefrontleg.

Ifyourstanceisnottoowide,youcanpushdownonthefrontkneeandexaggeratethestretchontheankleandachillestendon(B).Ifyourstanceiswide,youwillfeelthehipflexorsonthebacklegmore(C).FrontsplitsisavariationofDragon(D).

TrytoholdDragontwoorthreeminutesthenchangesides.

SaddleThisposestretchesthefeet,knees,thighs,andarchesthelumbarandsacralvertebrae.

Saddleisdonebysittingonyourfeetwithkneesspreadapart.Formanythisisenoughstretchfor the ankles, knees, and thighs (A). As you become more limber, try to lower yourselfbackwardsandsupportyourweightonyourarms.Ifthisbecomeseasy,gotoyourelbows.Ifthisbecomeseasy,archbackandresttheweightonyourhead(B).Ifeventhisbecomeseasy,youmayrestyourupperspineonthefloor(C).Letthelowerspinearchandtakethepressureofthebend.

Coming out of Saddle is perhapsmore difficult than getting into it. I have consultedmanydifferentYogabooksover theyearsandall advise to just“comeupoutof thepose.”Myownexperiencehasbeenthatformanyitislessstressfultorollorleantoonesideandunfoldthelegsoneatatime.Letexperiencebeyourguide.

TrytostayinSaddleoneminuteandgraduallybuildtothreeormore.CAUTION: When people cringe at the thought of overstressing a joint, this is one of the

postures theyare thinkingof—andforgoodreason.Foolishaggressivenessor impatiencecanprove disastrous here. Strong medicine can be strongly abused. It may take years for you tocomfortablydothemoreadvancedversionsofthispose.Becautiousbutdon’tbeparalyzedwithfear.Ourchair–boundsocietywithitsdanglinglegshasinjuredmanyofus,butbasicrangesofmotioncanberecoveredbyasaneandpatientyogapractice.

CamelCamel is a variationof, or preparation for,Saddle. If yourkneesor ankles are too tight todoSaddle, Camel pose will help loosen the thighs and arch the spine. Even if you can practiceSaddleeffectively,youmayliketodoCamelaswellsincethearchinthemiddleandupperspineismorecomplete.

Kneelingwithkneesapart,trytoreachbackwithyourhandsandsupportyourselfonyourfeetorcalves.Trytokeepthepelvispushedforwardanddropyourheadback.

TrytoholdCamelaminuteorso.

Half-SaddleAnothervariationofSaddleisHalf-Saddle.ThisposeismuchliketheSaddlebutdonewithonlyonelegatatime.Thearchonthesacro-lumbarspineislessthaninthefullSaddlebutthestretchonthethighismore.

Half-Saddleisdonewiththefootrestingalongsideratherthanunderthebuttock.Thefreelegcanbepositionedasonewishes(AorB).

HoldHalf-Saddleonetothreeminuteseachside.

FoldedPoseThisposeisagentlestretchforthespineandamildexerciseforthehipjoints.ItisanicewaytohelpunwindanytensioninthespinefromdoingbackwardbendssuchasSaddle.

Lyingonyourbackdrawyourrightkneetoyourchestclaspingbothhandsontheknee(A).Foragentlestretchoftheupperspine,youmaybringyourforeheadtowardyourkneeaswell.

Holdthispostureaboutthreebreaths,thenchangesides.Afterdoingeachsidedobothlegstogether(B).

SpinalTwistThis pose relaxes tension in the muscles and meridians. It is an excellent pose to end yourpracticewithsinceithelpsrelieveanykinksorstrainsthatsometimesoccurfromYogapractice.

TodotheSpinalTwist,firstlieonyourbackandbringbothkneesuptowardthechest,feetoff thefloor.Crosstheleft legovertheright(A),andthentwistbothlegstotheright(B).Youmaywanttolayyourrighthandoverthekneestoholdthemclosertothefloorandyoucanalsoturnyourheadandreachwithyourleftarmtobringtheleftshoulderclosertothefloorandmakethe twist more complete. How high up you draw your knees varies the twist so you shouldexperimentwithdifferentpositions.

Holdtheposeaminuteorsoandthenchange.

ShoelaceontheWallThis version of Shoelace is useful to anyonewith tender spines or knees, but even young andhealthyyogislikethisstretchbecauseitcanberelaxing.It isaneffectivevariationofSleepingSwan,Shoelace,orSquarepose.

Thetargetareasoftheposearethemusclesandconnectivetissueonthelateralareasofthebuttocksandthighs.

Liedownonyourbackwithyourbuttocksclosetoawallandyourlegsextendedupthewall(A).Thecloseryourpelvisandbuttocksaretothewall,themoreintensethestretchwillbe,soadjustyourdistanceaccordingly.

Bendyourkneestomoveyourfeetdownandthen,bracingyourselfwithyourarms,useyourlegstoliftyourpelvisupoffthefloor(B).

Place your left ankle just above your right knee, as shown (C).Your right foot is pressedagainstthewallforthedurationofthepose.

Slowlyloweryourhips(D).Thiswillcausethelegstofoldintowardthetorsoandcreateastretchinthebuttockorthigh.

HoldShoelaceontheWallforthreetofiveminutesandthenchangesides.

FrogontheWallThisposeisasubstituteforeitherDragonflyorHalfFrog.Thetargetareaisthegroinmuscles.

Liedownonyourbackwithyourbuttocksclosetoawallandyourlegsextendedupthewall(A).

Bendyourkneesandslidebothfeetdownthewall(B).Then,withahandoneachshin,openyourkneesandwalkyour feetout to the sides so that the feet areabout the samewidthas theknees(C).Thewideryourknees,thestrongerthestretch,soadjustyourwidthaccordingly.Thecloseryourpelvisandbuttocksaretothewall,themoreintensethestretchwillbe,soadjustyourdistanceaccordingly.

Youmightchoosetogentlyrestorpressyourhandsonyourknees,butdonotforcethestretch.HoldFrogontheWallforthreetofiveminutes.

DragonflyontheWallThisposeisasubstituteforDragonfly.Itstargetareasarethegroinandhamstrings.

Liedownonyourbackwithyourbuttocksclosetoawallandyourlegsextendedupthewall.Slowlyspreadyour legsapartandslideyour feetdown thewall.Thewideryour legs, the

deeperthestretch,soadjustyourselfaccordingly.Thecloseryourpelvisandbuttocksaretothewall,themoreintensethestretchwillbe,soadjustyourdistanceaccordingly.

Your legs do not have to be completely straight in the beginning, but as your flexibilityincreasestheywillgetstraighter.Donotrush.Itisthestretchthatisimportant,nottheaesthetics.

HoldDragonflyontheWallforthreetofiveminutes.

CHAPTER 6 Sitting

YinYogaPreparesUsforSitting

Thepracticeofyinyogaculminatesintheabilitytocomfortablysitinanuprightpostureforanextended period of time. Until we can do this, our ability to go deep in meditation will behindered.Whenmostpeople try tosit theysoonbecomedistractedbydiscomfort in theirhips,kneesorlowerspine.Acupuncturetheorysaysthisdiscomfortisduetothestagnationofchiandblood.Theconnectivetissueintheseareasissotightthatthepressureoftheposturesoonchokesofftheflowofchi.Adeepyinpracticemakesthesejointsmoreflexibleandyouwillbeabletositmuchlongerbeforechistagnationbecomesadistraction.

ValueofSitting

Theancienttextsonyogasaythatpropersittingcanhealmanydiseases.Inmyownexperiencethis seemspossible.Mystudentsand I,whensitting forahalf-hourormore,haveexperiencedsubtleadjustmentsoccurringalongthespine.Theseadjustmentsor“cracks”alongthespineareusuallyprecededbya slowbuild-upofpressure at oneor twopoints accompaniedbymuscletensionoverabroaderarea.Whenthetensionreachesacertainpoint,aslighttwistoradjustmentof the body causes the vertebrae and ribs to move with a “cracking” sound and this isaccompaniedwithawonderfulsenseofrelieforfullness.ThiswholeprocessmightrecuronceortwiceiftheYogisitslongenough.Iintuitthatthesespinaladjustmentsfreetheflowofchitoallthebodyandaffectourlong—termhealth.

Allofuscometoapracticeofsittingwithsomehistoryofinjuryorneglectofourspines,andlearningtositisgoingtobringuncomfortablesensationsduetospinalmisalignmentsandblockedchiflow.Thepracticeofyinyogahelpsminimizethesesymptoms,buteventhemostflexibleandhealthy of uswill suffer through somephysical discomfort as the body slowly readjusts itself.These symptoms are an inevitable part of spiritual discipline and sometimes recur for evenveteranmeditators.Imentionthistoencouragethosewholaborundertheillusionthattheyaretheonlyoneswhofindsomethingso“simple”assittingadifficultthingtodo.ItisnotfornothingthatovertwothousandyearsagoPatanjali,thegreatsystematizerofYogaphilosophy,listedlearningtositasoneoftheessentialskillsaYogimustdevelop.

TiltofthePelvisAllsittingposturesaimatonething—acomfortable,uprightposture.Strainingorslouchinginaposecreatesuncomfortablepressurepointsandthisinterfereswiththeflowofchiupanddownthespine.Themostfundamentalfactorinachievingacomfortablesittingpostureisthetiltofthepelvis.Theupperbodytakescareofitselfifthepelvisisproperlyadjusted.

Whenapersontireswhilesitting,thetopofthepelvisisunconsciouslytiltedbackward.Asaresultthewholebodyslouches,theflowofchiisreduced,andinamatterofminutesthewould-bemeditator gives up.When this person “straightens up,” they are tilting the top of the pelvisforward. It is this vertical or slightly forward tilt of the pelvis that establishes a comfortablemeditationposture.

SiddhasanaSiddhasana is themost popular of themeditation postures. In Sanskrit itmeans “the perfectedpose.”Onefootispulledinwiththeheelascloseascomfortabletothegenitals.Theotherfootispulledinfrontofthefirst.Youmightwanttooccasionallyalterthefootpositions.

Thehandsshouldbeplacedsothat thearmsandshoulderscanrestcomfortably.Youmightresthandsfoldedtogetheronyourlaporonthekneeswithpalmsuporpalmsdown.Isometimesassumeanasymmetricalpositionwithonehandonmylapandtheotherpalmdownonmyknee(A).

Thekeytosiddhasanaisthatthehipjointsshouldbeelevatedatleastashighastheknees,ifnothigher.Ifthehipsarelowerthantheknees,thenthetopofthepelviswillbetiltedbackwardsand thiswill quickly fatigue themusclesof the lower spine, causingdiscomfort.Sittingon theedgeofapilloworrolledblanketmakesallthedifferenceinbeingabletositcomfortablyasthisraisesthehipsabovetheknees(B).

SeizaSeizaiscommonlycalled“sittingJapanesestyle.”ItismuchlikethebeginningphasesofSaddleexceptthekneesarekeptclose.Thebuttocksrestontheheelsandthehandsrestfoldedonyourlap (A).Very flexible people sometimes sit between their feet rather than on them (B). Eithervariationismadeeasierbysittingonasmallcushionorfoldedblanket.Thisrelievesthepressureonthebackof thekneesandcalves.Manybookstoresnowsell“seizabenches”or“meditationbenches”thatworkmuchlikeacushion(C).

SittinginaChairThemostaccessiblepostureforWesternersissittingontheedgeofachairwiththespinestraightandnottouchingthebackofthechair.Thisis thepostureParamahansaYoganandataughttohisWesternstudents.

CHAPTER 7 ChakraTheory

ChakraswithinSushumna

The three pillars of yoga theory are chi, meridians, and chakras. We have explored chi andmeridians.Wewillnowelaboratethetheoryofthechakras.

Chakras are spiritual centers in the brain and spinal cord where the physical, astral, andcausalbodiesareknit togetherand influenceoneanother.Thereare severalchakras: someareconsideredmajor,someminor.Sometraditionsfocusonfivechakras,othersfocusonnine.Inthistextwewillfocusonthesevenmajorchakras.

Thechakrasarelocatedwithinaspecialmeridianthatliesinsidethespine.Thismeridianiscalledsushumna.Thechakrasarestrungalongsushumnalikebeadsonastring.Sushumnaissaidtostartfromthecoccyxandreachallthewayuptoanopeninginthetopoftheskull.Theopeninginthetopoftheskulliscalledthefontanel.Itisquitesoftininfantsandremainsthatwayuntilthebonesoftheskullgrowtogethersomemonthsafterbirth.ThisopeningiscalledBrahman’sGate.BrahmanisthenamefortheAbsolute,thesourceofallcreation.100

ChakraLocation

Whentryingtodescribewhereachakra“is,”onefindsoneselfinadilemma.Commonlanguagesuggestschakrasarephysicallylocatedinthespine,butthereadershouldbearinmindthatthisisbothtrueandfalse.A“brokenheart”isarealexperiencethatindeedseemscenteredintheheart,butthatisnotwherethefeelingsactuallyreside.Thechakrashaveaphysicalcorrespondence,buttheyaremorethanphysical.Bearthisinmindwhenreadingabout“where”achakra“is.”Don’tbelimitedbyonlyphysicalconceptions.

Dr.Motoyamawritesthatchakrasmightbedescribedashavingarootandflower.Therootsofachakraareinsushumnawithinthespine,buttheflowerofachakraopensoutfromthespineandintothebodyinasignificantlylargerbutlessdefinedregion.Somepeoplearemoresensitivetothesensationsintheflowerregionofachakra,whileothersaremoreimmediatelydrawnintosushumna.Itisbesttofocuswhereyouaremostsensitive,butdon’tforgetthatourexperienceofachakrawilldeepenandchangeasweprogress.Meditatingontherootorflowerofachakraisonlyastartingpoint.

CHAKRA ROOT FLOWER

Sahasrara TopofBrain AbovetheHead

Ajna CenterofBrain ThirdEye

Vishuddha C-7Vertebra Throat

Anahata T-7Vertebra Heart

Manipura L-2Vertebra UpperAbdomen

Svadhisthana Sacrum LowerAbdomen

Muladhara Coccyx FloorofPelvis

ChakrasandtheThreeBodies

Our three dimensions of existence constantly interplay with one another. Our causal body ofthoughts is of a different dimension than our physical body, but a stirring patriotic speech oroutrageoussocial injusticecan impactourphysicalbodyverystrongly.Thesame is trueof theemotionsofourastralbody.Ourheartrate,bloodpressure,adrenalin,indeedallofthesystemsofthe physical body, are altered by our thoughts and emotions. It is also true that altering ourphysicalstateaffectstheastralandcausaldimensions.

Thecausalbodygavebirthtotheastralbodywhichgavebirthtothephysicalbody.Butweidentifysostronglywiththephysicalbodythatwehavebecomeunbalancedinourlife’spursuits.Allof thevastwisdomof thecausalworlds remainunknowntousand thedeeper, lessselfishemotionsoftheastralworldarenotconsciouslydeveloped.Theyoginseekstoexpandhisorherconsciousnessintothesehigherrealmsbylearningtostopthemovementsofchiasitmanifestsineachdimension.Inthephysicaldimension,thismeanssittingstillandslowingthebreath.Intheastraldimension,itmeanscontrollingourresponsestotheemotionsweexperience.Inthecausaldimension,itmeanscalmlyobservingourthoughtswithoutreactionorattachment.

ShaktiandShiva

FundamentaltothetheoryofthechakrasaretheconceptsofShaktiandShiva.ShaktiistheenergythatformsallthingsandShivaistheconsciousnessthatguidesandcoordinatesthem.

Allthingsintheuniverse,fromatomsandstarstoanimalsandangels,arecomplexwebsofenergy coordinated by a guiding consciousness. But the division of things into energy andconsciousnessisnotabsolute,onlyapparent.ShaktimustbeconsciousinsomewayoritcouldnotrespondtothecoaxingsofShiva.AndShivamustpossesssomeformofenergyoritcouldnotinfluenceShakti’swork.ShaktiandShivaare theultimateYin-Yang, theultimateFemale-Male,they do not exist without each other, they are two aspects a single, indescribable AbsoluteReality.

ShaktiandShivainthePhysicalDimension

Shaktiprovidedtheenergyneededtomultiplyasinglefertilizedhumaneggcellintothetensoftrillionsof cells that compriseour physical bodybutwithoutShiva consciousnessguiding thisprocessthenthesetensoftrillionsofcellswouldhaveonlybeenashapeless,wrigglingballofflesh.ItisthepowerofShaktithatmultipliedandgrewourcells.ItistheconsciousnessofShivathatcoordinatedthisgrowthtoformourwonderfullycomplexandelegantbodies.

AsourbodiesgrewShaktibecamelessactiveandShenowsleepsinthelowestchakraatthebaseofthespine.MostofHerpowerisdormantnow,butsomeofthatpowermanifestsitselfasthechicirculatingthroughourmeridians.Afterourbodieswereformedaccordingtoourvariouskarmas,thevastconsciousnessofShivawithdrewbutleftuswithanawarenessofourphysicalbeingandonlyadimawarenessofourdeeperdimensions.

ChakraPurificationinthePhysicalDimension

The chakras are said to hold the seeds of all our past desires and habits. The function of thechakrasistomanifestthosedesirestoourconsciousnesssothatplanscanbemadeandactionscanbetakentosatisfythem.Yogictheoryisthatifwehadnounfulfilleddesiresandcoulduprootourprevioushabitsofbehavior,thenwecouldeasilyslipfreeofthesethreebodies.Becomingawareofthekarmicseedsstoredinthechakrasanddissolvingthemiscalledchakrapurification.Webecomeawareoftheseseedsbymeditatingonthechakras.Atfirstourmeditationisfocusedonthephysicallocationofthechakrasbutasmeditationdeepenstheemotionalandcausalcontentofthechakrasisrevealedtoourconsciousness.

In thephysicaldimension,purification isachievedbysittingstillandslowly restricting thebreath. Chi is consumed by ceaseless, unconscious movement and irregular breathing. Sittingwithoutmovementandreducingthebreathrateliberatesalargeamountofphysicalchithatcanthenbe transmutedby thechakras intoenergiesof theastralandcausalbodies.Thisenablesayogintoconsciouslyexploreanddevelopthesedimensions.

ChakraPurificationintheAstralDimension

Ashermeditationsbecomemoreprofoundayoginiwillstarttoexperiencethoughts,memories,and emotions that are active in the astral dimensions of each chakra. The general term forwhateveroccupiesourconsciousfieldisvritti.Vrittiliterallymeans“whirlpool,”butincontextitmeansthoughts,memories,andemotions.Theyoginimeditatingonachakragraduallybecomesawareofmemoriesandemotionsshedidnotsuspectwerethere.

Atfirstthevrittissheexperienceswillberelatedtohereverydayconcernsandrelationships,butwithfurtherpracticetheybecomethestrongerandmoreemotionallychargedeventsthathaveshapedherpersonality.Re-experiencingthesevrittiscanbeshockingandhumbling.Theyrangefromearlychildhoodeventstobeingrejectedbyaloverorbeingfiredfromajob.Theyincludenaked lustsandshamefulmomentsof lyingorcowardiceor ingratitude,orbeinghurt,orbeingunfairlytreated.Althoughsheisrarelyconsciousofthem,thesesuppressedvrittiswillcontinuetoinfluenceherbehaviorsuntiltheyareconsciouslyconfrontedanddissolved.

Nonattachment

Whenvrittisarisetheyoginishouldexaminethemwithoutattachment.Sheshouldlet thempassthroughher,notholdontothemoramplifythem.Butsheshouldnotdenythem,either.Eachtimesheobjectivelyexaminesthemtheywilllosesomeoftheiremotionalenergy.Whenshenolongerhas a strong reaction to them, theybecomeanew sourceof strength andwisdom.Shewill nolongerbeunconsciouslycompelledtorepeat thosebehaviorsorbeplaguedbyanunreconciledpast. She will become truly compassionate and understanding of others, even those whonegativelyaffecther.

Of course not all vrittis are distressing. Somememories and impulses can be a source ofstrengthandcomfort,andafterayoginihasexperiencedthemsheshoulddismissthemandreturntothefocusofhermeditation.

It ispossible thevrittisayoginiexperiencesarenotarisingfromthechakrashe is focusedupon.Theymightbeemanatingfromachakrathatjusthappenstobemoreactiveatthemoment.Whichevervrittiarises,ayoginishouldobjectivelyexamineitandthendismissitorfollowittoitssource.

ChakraPurificationintheCausalDimension

Asourspirituallifedeepens,ourvrittiswillreflectourcausalbodyofbeliefsandideas,beliefssoneartooursenseofselfthatwehaveneverthoughttoquestionthem.Wearemoreattachedtoour ideas than our physical bodies. People are willing to die or are willing to kill for theirbeliefs.Inonesenseitisnobletodieforideals;inanothersense,attachmenttoourcausalideascanprovokeustocommitmurder.

Ourcausalbodyofbeliefsandideasshouldnotbeconfusedwithknowledgeofvariousfacts.

Eventhemostignorantofmenhavebeliefsandopinionsthatguidetheirlives,andtheyholdontotheiropinionsinspiteoffactsthatcontradictthem.Ayoginishouldbeabletoexamineanyvrittiwithout attachment. This will not compel her to abandon her beliefs, but it will give her theabilitytomodify,reject,orretainthem.

Insights,Attitudes,andIdentification

Thecausalworldistheworldofwisdomandinsightaswellasofinfatuationandfolly.Insightsofacausalnaturecompelustore-examinewhatweoncethoughtwastrue.Aninsightmightbethe realization that someone has been deceiving us, and in that flash of insight a hundredpreviouslyunnoticedhintsandcluesassembleintoanobviouspicture.

Insightsintoourpersonallifeareimportantbutessentiallyself-centered.Artisticandspiritualinsightsareofahighercausalnatureandtheyareagifttotheworld.Theyarealsoindicativeofspiritualprogress.Paradoxically, thelossofconcernfora limitedself isaccompaniedbyevengreatersatisfaction.Einsteinsaid thathis insight intorelativitywasoneof themostprofoundlysatisfyingeventsofhislife.

The description of causal vrittis as “beliefs and ideas” does not capture all their nuances.Attitudes like pessimism and optimism are causal in nature, and evenmore profound are ouridentifications such as the belief thatwe are aman or awoman or thatwe are this body.Dr.Motoyamasaysthatwhenthevrittisthatpullayogini’sawarenessareofacausalnature,shehasprogressedveryfarindeed.

VrittisandVasanas

Longsuppressedvrittis arecalledvasanas.Vasanascan liedormant foryearsor lifetimes,butwhentheybecomeactivetheyaremorepowerfulthenthepresentlyactivevrittis.Dr.Motoyamalikensvasanas to inflatableballsbeingheldunderwater,eachballstackedon topof theother.Thefurtherdownaballisheldunderwater,themoreviolentlyitwillbreachthesurface.

The topballofoursubmergedstackofdesires representsoureverydayvrittisofworkandrelationships.Oncewedissolvethemthenextballofdeepervrittisrisestothesurface.Vrittisarenotaceaselessstream,andaswedissolvethemwewillexperienceperiodsofrefreshingcalm.Butwhenthenextsubmergedvasanarisestothesurfaceitwillaffectusmorestronglythanthesuperficialvrittisofourhabitualpreoccupations.

Aneverydayexampleofthepowerofvasanasisthemidlifecrisis.Everysignificantchoicewe make compels us to put aside the things not chosen. Our friendships, our schooling, ourmating,ourchosenprofession:allof thesechoicesrequireus toputasideotheroptions.Butatmidlife,manyoftheeverydayvrittisthatpreoccupiedusforsolongstarttolosetheirpower.Thisiswhenthesuppressedvasanasbreakontothesurface.Didwechoosetherightprofession?Didwemarry the right person?Wouldwe have beenmore fulfilled ifwe had pursued these otherdesires?Theseemotionallychargedvrittisstarttohauntus.

DangersofChakraMeditation

Vasanasarenotrational,buttheyarepowerful.Theyhaveseducedsmart,successfulpeopleintohaving affairs, leaving their jobs, abandoning their families, and abandoning their spiritualpractices.Afewyearslaterthesepeoplesadlyrealizethatthepaintheycausedthemselvesandotherswasunnecessary and that therewerebetterways tomake these transitions.Butvasanasbreaktothesurfacewithanurgencysimilartotheimpulsesofadolescence.Itishardnottobesweptawaybysomethingthatpromisestofulfillforgottenlongings.

Chakrameditationaccelerates thematurationprocessandtakesus throughseveral layersof“midlife crisis.” This is the danger of chakra meditation: vasanas make us believe that theyrepresentour realselves,our truedesires,and that trying to fulfill themwillmakeushappyatlast.Butifweexaminethesevasanascalmly,wewilleventuallygainthecausalinsightthatthesedesiresarenotmoreuniquelysatisfyingthanourpreviousdesires.Thiscausalinsightwillslowlyabsorb the astral energy of the emotionally charged vasanas, and they will dissolve. Thisabsorbedenergynowbecomesadeeplysatisfyingandenduringwisdom.

Wemustbewillingtoobjectivelyexamineallofourbeliefsandfeelings,andnotbeattachedto them. Every noble and uplifting thought and feeling will easily withstand objectiveexamination.ObjectiveexaminationoftheloveIhaveformywifedoesnotdiminishordissolvethatlove,butitwillpurifyitoflingeringselfishness.ReflectingonthethingsweloveiscalledBhaktiYoga;reflectingonthetruthsofspiritualteachingsiscalledJnanaYoga(pronouncedgyanayoga).

SummaryofYoga

Withsomuchdiscussionofnonattachmentanddissolvingourvasanas,itmightseemthatyogaisleadingustoadryanddesolateplace.Butthisislosingsightoftheforestforthetrees.Eachtimeweresolvehabitualthoughtsandemotions,eachtimewedissolveourattachments,theharvestisgreater strength, greater contentment, greater fulfillment, greater wisdom. Nor is yoga a pathintendedmerelytomakeuscontentwithless.

Nowmightbeagoodtimetorevisitthepurposeofyogaasoutlinedatthebeginningofourtext.

Fromancienttimesyogishavepostulatedthattherearethreelevelsofhumanembodiment:acausalbodyofthoughtandbelief,anastralbodyofemotionanddesire,andaphysicalbodyofmaterialsubstance.Ourthreebodiesareknittogetherandinfluenceoneanotherthroughspecialcentersinthespineandbraincalledchakras.Spiritualadeptsassertthatourconsciousnessisnotlimitedtotheseembodimentsandthatitcanexpandbeyondthemandexperienceaunionwithallthingsintheuniverse,aunionthatisfulfillingbeyondanythingourpresentlylimitedexistencecanoffer us. The systematic methods that disentangle our consciousness from our bodies arecollectively referred to as the science of yoga. Chakra meditation makes us aware of ouremotionalattachmentsandmentalmisconceptions.Ifwecanpatientlydissolvetheseknots,thenour energy and consciousness can slip free of all three bodies and expand into realms of

unimaginedwisdomandbliss.

CHAPTER 8 BandhaPracticestoAwakenShakti

ShaktiandChi

ChiisconstantlycirculatingthroughourmeridiansbutthevastpotentialofShaktiliesdormantinthefirstchakraatthebaseofourspine.TherelationshipbetweenchiandShakticanbelikenedtotheliquidandsolidwaxofaburningcandle.Allthechipresentlycirculatingthroughthebodyislike the liquid wax rising up the wick and being burned. The solid wax of the candle is thesleepingShaktienergybeingheldinreserve.

In traditional language Shakti is said to be sleeping. But sometimes Shakti awakens andinfusesuswiththeenergyneededforneworpowerfulevents.Asexualorgasm,thegrowthofafetus,andtheincredibletransformationsofpubertyareallmanifestationsofsomethingmorethanchi,theyaremanifestationsofapartialawakeningofShakti.

The sacred power of Shakti is vital to the tantric yogi. Practicing asana and breathingexercises can harmonize the flow of chi in the meridians, but to open the chakras requiressomethingmorethanchi—itrequiresenergyofgreaterstrengthandsubtlety.Shaktimustawakenandaddherenergytoourefforts.Shaktiisawakenedbyintenselyfocusingourchiintoachakra,bandhapracticeshelptoachievethis.

OutlineofBandhaPractice

Thereareseveralspecificmuscularcontractionsthatstimulatechiflowaroundachakra.ThesecontractionsarecalledBandhas.Bandhameanstorestrictorbind.

Bandha practices combine gentle muscular contractions with deep breathing and breathretention. They are usually practiced before meditation, but if a yogini finds her attentionwandering during meditation, she might perform bandha practice to refresh and refocus herattention.

BandhapracticesgatherextrachiintothebodyandfocusitintotheareaaroundachakraandalsohelptoawakenShakti.

Chakrameditationissubtlyfatiguingbecausebreathingisreducedtoalowlevelforalongtime.Bandhapracticesrelievethisbybringingextrachiintosushumna,andthisallowstheyoginitostaycomfortablyfocusedforlongerperiods.

Moving chi continuously in the same pattern will slowly magnetize sushumna. If bandhapracticesaresustainedforalongtime,themagnetizedsushumnawillcontinuetoinduceastrongflowofchievenafterthebandhapracticehasended.

Bandhapracticesbeginbyexhalinggentlywhilecontractingthemusclesthatfocuschiintotheareaaroundachakra.Theinhalationisinitiatedbyreleasingthebandha.

Bandhapracticesareyang,butitisimportantnottostrain.Themuscularcontractionsshouldbegentle.

Bandhapracticesare likeplayingamusical instrument—it isabout rhythmandcontrol,notspeedandpower.

Commonrhythmsforthenumberofsecondsperexhalationinhalation-retentionare:4—4—8,4—4—12,4—4—16,8—8—8,or8—8—16.Thesenumbersareforcomparisononly.Itisnotnecessarytoactuallycountwhenbreathing.

These suggested rhythms are only approximate, not strict. The essential thing is to find acomfortable rhythm of exhalation—inhalation —retention that is easy to maintain for severalminutes.

Do not close the throat (technically the glottis) during retention. Keeping the throat openrequiresthattheyogimaintainaneffortasifstillinhalingduringtheretentionphase.Thiscreatesacontinuousflowofenergyintothechakraeventhoughnoairisbeingdrawnintothelungs.

MuladharaBandha

In yogic texts this bandha is called mulabandha. The flower of muladhara is the floor of thepelvis, the area that surrounds and supports the anus andgenitals.While exhaling, contract thefloorofthepelvisandpauseforamomentwhilefocusedonmuladhara.Nowreleasethebandhaand guide the inhalation into that area.Hold your breathwith your throat open for as long ascomfortable.Slowlyexhalewhilecontractingthefloorofthepelvis.Pauseforamomentwhilefocused onmuladhara, and then start the next round. Continue in thisway for 7, or 14, or 21repetitions.

Duringexhalation,contractmuladharabandhaand imagine theenergiesofShivaandShaktiuniting inside muladhara chakra. During inhalation, imagine Shiva energy descending downsushumnafromthetopoftheheadandunitingwithShaktienergyinsidemuladharaatthebaseofthespine.Duringretention,imaginetheenergiesofShivaandShaktiareuniting.

The floor of the pelvis consists of several muscles. Exactly whichmuscles best stimulatemuladharachakravariesfrompersontoperson.Amanmightcontractthemusclesoftheanus,theperineum,orboth.Awomanmightcontracttheanus,vaginalmuscles,orboth.Practicewhatevercontractions most effectively create tension in the pelvic floor and stimulate awareness ofmuladhara.

Thedominantvasanaofmuladharaisthedesiretoexistinthisphysicalworld.Itisthepowerthatunderliesalltheothervasanas,whichiswhythischakramustbeawakened.Itmanifestsasidentifyingwithoutwardthingssuchasourbody,possessions,andreputation.Tohelpdissolveand transform these vasanas a yogini should habitually reflect upon her inevitable death. Asmuladhara opens, the awakened Shakti will give her the power to examine the deeply buriedvasanasinallherotherchakras.

SvadhisthanaBandha

Inyogictextsthisbandhaiscalledvajroli.Theflowerofsvadhisthanaisthelowerabdomen,theareabetweenthenavelandpubicbone.Whileexhaling,contract thelowerabdomenandpauseforamomentwhile focusedonsvadhisthana.Nowrelease thebandhaandguide the inhalationintothatarea.Contractmuladharabandhaandholdyourbreathwithyourthroatopenforaslongas comfortable. Release muladhara bandha and slowly exhale while contracting the lowerabdomen. Pause for a moment while focused on svadhisthana and then start the next round.Continueinthiswayfor7,or14,or21repetitions.

During exhalation imagine the energies of Shiva and Shakti uniting inside svadhisthanachakra.DuringinhalationimagineShivaenergydescendingsushumnaandenteringsvadhisthana.During retention contractmuladharabandha and imagineShakti risingup sushumnaandunitingwiththeShivaenergybeingheldinsvadhisthana.

The vasanas of svadhisthana are related to unconscious impulses of lust, anger, and fear.Theseare typicallyexpressedasoverreactions toeverydayirritationsorassecretor irrationalbehavior.Tohelpdissolveandtransformthesevasanas,ayogishouldreviewhisdailybehaviorsanddetermineiftheyareinlinewithhislife’sgoals.Svadhisthanaispurifiedbykeepinggoodcompanyandbeinghonestwithoneself.Assvadhisthanaopens,theyogistopsidentifyingwithhisbody.Thishelpshimovercomehisfearsandincreaseshisphysicalstrength.

InthetaoistandZenmeditationtraditionsofChina,Korea,andJapan,focusontheharaisofsupremeimportance.Thehara,alsocalledthedantian,istheareathatincludesbothmuladharaand svadhisthana chakras. Dr. Motoyama strongly recommends spending a majority of one’smeditation time focused on svadhisthana. Shakti sleeps in muladhara, but when she becomesactiveshemovesintosvadhisthana.Ifsvadhisthanaisnotopen,ourchicannotbetransmutedintoastralorcausalenergy.

ManipuraBandha

Inyogictextsthisbandhaiscalleduddiyana.Theflowerofmanipuraistheupperabdomen,theareabetweenthenavelandthesternum.Whileexhaling,slowlycontracttheupperabdomenandpauseforamomentwhilefocusedonmanipura.Nowreleasethebandhaandguidetheinhalationintothatarea.Contractmuladharabandhaandholdyourbreathwithyourthroatopenforaslongas comfortable. Release muladhara bandha and slowly exhale while contracting the upperabdomen.Pauseforamomentwhilefocusedonmanipura,andthenstartthenextround.Continueinthiswayfor7,or14,or21repetitions.

Duringexhalation, imaginetheenergiesofShivaandShaktiunitinginsidemanipurachakra.During inhalation, imagine Shiva energy descending sushumna and entering manipura. Duringretention,contractmuladharabandhaandimagineShaktirisingupsushumnaandunitingwiththeShivaenergybeingheldinmanipura.

Thevasanasofmanipuraarerelatedtogreedandworry.Tohelpdissolveandtransformthem,ayoginishouldputasideherjudgmentsandlistentootherswithcompassion.Asshetranscends

herownlikesanddislikes,manipurachakrawillopenandshewillbeabletoclairvoyantlyfeelotherpeoples’emotionsandintentions.Inwardlyshewilldeveloppatienceandenduranceandtheabilitytoholdthebodystillforalongtime.

AnahataBandha

In yogic texts this bandha is called ujjayi. The flower of anahata is the chest cavity. Whileexhaling,slightlyclosetheglottissothattheexhalingaircreatesasofthissingsounddeepinthethroat.Nowinhalewith theglottisstillpartiallyclosedso thatasimilarhissingsoundismadedeepinthethroat.Contractmuladharabandha,andholdyourbreathwithyourthroatopenforaslongascomfortable.Slowlyexhalewithujjayi.Pause foramomentwhile focusedonanahata,andthenstartthenextround.Continueinthiswayfor7,14,or21repetitions.

During exhalation, imagine the energies of Shiva and Shakti uniting inside anahata chakra.During inhalation, imagine Shiva energy being drawn down sushumna to anahata. Duringretention,contractmuladharabandhaandimaginetheenergiesofShaktiascendingsushumnaandunitingwiththeShivaenergyyouareholdinginanahata.

Breathingwithapartiallyclosedglottiscreatesasofthissingsound. Itneednotbe loudoreven audible, but in the beginning it is easiest to learn bymaking an audible hiss deep in thethroat.

Remembertotakeafullinhalationandallowthechestandribstoexpand.The vasanas of anahata are related to aggression and responsibility. To help dissolve and

transform them, the yogi should constantly practice gratitude and contentment.Manipura is thechakrathatreceivesotherpeople’schi,whileanahataisthechakrathatcontrolsandprojectsourownchi.Asanahatachakraopens,ayogiwilldevelopahealingtouch,usuallymanifestthroughthehandsbutalsothroughthevoice.Hewillalsobeabletoeffectivelymovehisownchiintohisspineandquiethisheartandhisbreathing.Inanahatachakraayogifindsarestfulretreat,aplacethattheceaselesssensorynoiseoftheouterworldcannotreach.

VishuddhaBandha

Inyogictextsthisbandhaiscalledjalandhara.Theflowerofvishuddhaisthethroat.Exhalewiththesameujjayibreathusedforanahatabandha.Nowinhaleacompletebreathwhileusingujjayi.Closeyourglottis,contractmuladharabandha,andholdyourbreathforaslongascomfortable.Releasemuladharabandhaandslowlyexhalewithujjayi.Pauseforamomentwhilefocusedonvishuddha,andthenstartthenextround.Continueinthiswayfor7,14,or21repetitions.

Duringexhalation,imaginetheenergiesofShivaandShaktiunitinginsidevishuddhachakra.During inhalation, imagine Shiva energy being drawn down sushumna to vishuddha. Duringretention, close your glottis, contract muladhara bandha, and imagine the energies of ShaktiascendingsushumnaandunitingwiththeShivaenergyyouareholdinginvishuddha.

Remembertotakeafullinhalationandallowthechestandribstoexpand.

Duringretention,relaxtheabdomenandribcagesothatagentlepressureisraisedagainsttheclosedglottis.Thisistheonlybandhawherethethroat(glottis)isclosedduringbreathretention.

Thevasanasofvishuddhaarerelatedtoprideandgrief.Tohelpdissolveandtransformthem,ayoginishouldmakeitahabittoseethebeautyinallthingsandyetrecognizethatallthingsarepassing.Asvishuddhaopens,ayoginidevelopstheabilitytoholdherattentiononanysubjectforlongperiodsoftime,andhermemoryimproves.Shewillalsobeabletoquicklydiscernbetweentheessentialandthenonessentialaspectsofaperson’sproblemsorworries.

AjnaBandha

AjnabandhadiffersfromthebandhasofthelowerfivechakrasbecauseitcirculatestheenergiesofShivaandShaktibetweenmuladharaandajna.Thesetwochakrashaveaspecialrelationshipandthestimulationofonestimulatestheother.IfmuladharaisShakti’shomeinthebody,thenajnais Shiva’s home in the body. Continuously circulating energy between these opposite polesmagnetizesallofsushumnaandhastensthebalancedopeningofallchakras.

Therootofajnaisthecenterofthebrainandthefloweristhefrontofthebrain.Thebandhaforajnaisthesamecontractionoftheupperabdomenthatisusedinmanipurabandha,butit isusedduringinhalationratherthanexhalation.Thiscreatesaslightliftingmovementoftheribcagethat is not present in manipura bandha. The contraction of the upper abdomen is not a largemovement;itisintendedtoprovideresistancetothenaturalexpansionoftheupperabdomen.

The bandhas of the first five chakras focus on Shiva descending during inhalation. Ajnabandha focuses on Shakti rising during inhalation. Of course the final goal is to unite bothenergiesateverychakra.

Begin with an exhale while focused on muladhara chakra. Now inhale while slowlycontractingtheupperabdomen,andimaginedrawingShaktiuptoajnachakra.HoldyourbreathwithyourthroatopenforaslongascomfortableandimagineShivaenergydescendingandunitingwith the Shakti being held in ajna. Then exhale slowly as you relax the upper abdomen andimaginetheunitedenergiesofShivaandShaktidescendingsushumnadowntomuladhara.Pauseforamomentwhilefocusedonmuladhara,andthenstartthenextround.Continueinthiswayfor7,14,or21repetitions.

Ajnachakraisthecenterofwisdomthatproperlyinterpretsourvasanasandenablesustoseethrough illusions, attachments, and misconceptions. It is the chakra through which the yoginimakescontactwithhigherspiritualpowers,and if it isnotopen thenshe is indangerofbeingsweptawaybythevasanasthatareactivatedinthefivelowerchakras.

Tohelpawakenajnachakraayogishouldmakeitahabit topauseseveral timesadayandlistentothenadaofajna.

VariationsofAjnaBandha

Variations of ajna bandha are some of the most important practices of tantric and taoist

meditation.Atextinthetaoisttraditionentitled“TheSecretoftheGoldenFlower”proclaimsthatno other technique is necessary for a yogi. ParamahansaYogananda (1893-1952), a twentieth-centuryIndianyogi,wasofthesameopinion,andinhiswritingsemphasizedvariationsofajnabandhathathecalledKriyaYoga.

Taoist versions of ajna bandha are referred to as “Circulation of Light” or “ReverseBreathing.”Intaoistpracticesthepathofenergycirculationisnottypicallydescribedasupanddownsushumna,itisdescribedasanorbit“upthebackofthebody”and“downthefrontofthebody.”Inmyexperience,energymovesbothwithinsushumnaandalongthefrontandbackofthebody.Ibelievetheenergyfeltnearerthebodysurfaceischi,andtheenergyfeltwithinsushumnais Shiva-Shakti energy. I also believe both types of energy flow influence each other.Movingenergy up the back of the body and down the front of the body influences the energy withinsushumna,justlikeanelectriccurrentmovingaroundanironbarwillmagnetizeit.

CirculationofLight

This version of ajna bandha brings energy up the back of the body and down the front. Thispracticeusesbothmuladharabandhaandmanipurabandhaduringtheinhalationphase,muladharabandha starts the inhalation andmanipura bandha completes it. Startwith an exhalationwhilebringingtheenergyofajnachakradownthefrontofthebodytosvadhisthana.Pauseforamomentandcontractmuladharabandha.Thenreleasemuladharabandhatostarttheinhalation.Continueinhalingwhilegentlycontractingmanipurabandha,thishelpsdrawtheenergyuptoajnachakra.Holdyourbreathwithyourthroatopenforaslongascomfortablewhilefocusedonajnachakra.Exhale tostart thenextcycle.During inhalation, theenergyfirstdescendsfromsvadhisthana tomuladharaandisthendrawnupthebackofthebodytoajnachakra.

ReverseBreathing

Thisversionofajnabandhabringsenergyupthefrontofthebodyanddowntheback.Startwithanexhalationwhilebringingtheenergyofajnachakradownthebackofthebodytomuladharachakra.Pauseforamoment,theninhalewithmanipurabandhaanddrawtheenergyupthefrontofthebodytoajnachakra.Holdyourbreathwithyourthroatopenforaslongascomfortableandthenexhalewhilebringingtheenergydownthebackofthebodytomuladharachakra.

SahasraraBandha

Sahasrarabandhaisuniqueamongthebandhasas itattemptsto liftShaktiupthroughsushumnaand out of the body. Sahasrara bandha purifies sushumna and is particularly helpful aftermeditation. The effort of concentration can sometimes stagnate chi in the head and createuncomfortable stuffinessorpressure.SahasrarabandhaopensBrahman’sGateat the topof the

headandallowsthisexcesschianaturalpathofescape.Brahman’sGateistheopeningatthetopofthehead,butitisneithertherootnortheflowerof

sahasrarachakra.The rootof sahasrara is the topof thebrainand the flower is imaginedasapoint in space above the head.The opening in the top of the head is a gate throughwhich theenergypasses,butitdoesnotresidethere.

The bandha for sahasrara is the same contraction of the upper abdomen that is used inmanipurabandha,butthebandhaisappliedduringinhalationratherthanexhalation.Thiscreatesaslightliftingmovementoftheribcagethatisnotpresentinmanipurabandha.Thecontractionofthe upper abdomen is not a largemovement; it is intended to provide resistance to the naturalexpansionoftheupperabdomen.

ThebandhasofthefirstfivechakrasfocusonShivadescendingduringinhalation.SahasrarabandhafocusesonShaktirisingduringinhalation.

Begin with an exhale while focused on muladhara chakra. Now inhale while slowlycontractingtheupperabdomen,andimaginedrawingShaktiupsushumnaandoutthroughthetopofyourhead.HoldyourbreathwithyourthroatopenforaslongascomfortableandimaginetheenergyofShivasurroundingandunitingwiththeShaktiyouareholdinginthespaceaboveyou.Thenexhaleslowlyasyourelaxyourupperabdomen.ImaginetheunitedenergiesofShivaandShakti descending through the top of your head and down sushumna tomuladhara. Pause for amomentwhilefocusedonmuladhara,andthenstartthenextround.Continueinthiswayfor7,14,or21repetitions.

Some yogis imagine raising their Shakti a foot or two above their head.Others imagine itrisingtogreatdistances.Experiment toseewhichimaginativeeffortbeststirs themovementofyourenergyandawareness.

Ourbeliefsdeterminehowwejudgetheeventsofourlife.Howwejudgetheeventsofourlifedetermineshowwereacttothem,andthesereactionsdetermineourpleasurableandpainfulexperiences in this life aswell as the vasanas for this and future lives.Our strongest limitingbelief is thatourbody is thebasisofourexistence,and itcolorsallother judgments.There isreally no cure for this until we consciously experience a state of existence beyond the body.Sahasrara is the gate through which a yogini must consciously pass to experience existencebeyondthebody.

To help awaken sahasrara chakra a yogini should imagine herself rising out of Brahman’sGate and try to feel herbody is insideher consciousness rather than feel her consciousness isinsideherbody.

CHAPTER 9 PranayamaPractices

YangPranayamaasanAlternativetoBandhaPractice

Someyogins donot like themuscular effort of bandhapractices, even though these efforts aregentle. Other yogins find the visualizations of Shiva and Shakti energy movement distracting,especially as a beginner. These yoginsmight prefer to use amore general yang pranayama tofocusthemindandgatherchiintothechakras.

Indian yogis tell us that the vibration of inhalation is very much like the vibration of thesyllableso, and that thevibrationof exhalation isverymuch like the syllableham.So rhymeswithtoeandhamrhymeswiththumb.TakentogetherthesesyllablesaretheSoHammantra.Yangpranayamauses thismantra to lengthen anddeepen the breath and this gathersmore chi into achakra.Yangpranayamaispracticedasfollows.

FocusonachakraandinhalewhilementallychantingthemantraSo.Drawoutthesyllableasalongsoooooooooforthedurationoftheinhalation,whichshouldlastfromfourtoeightseconds.Holdyourbreathwithyourthroatopenforas longascomfortable.ThenexhalewhilementallychantingthemantraHam.Drawoutthesyllableasalonghammmmmmmforthedurationoftheexhalation,whichshouldlastfourtoeightseconds.Repeat7,14,or21times.

Thereisayinandayangtoeverythingandyangpranayamaisnoexception.Yangpranayamacan also be donewhile chanting the syllableham on the inhalation and the syllable sa on theexhalation.Hamrhymeswiththumbandsarhymeswithsaw.ThismantraiscalledHamSaanditistheyangversionofSoHam.Itisusedasfollows.

Focus on a chakra and inhalewhilementally chantingHam.Draw out the syllable for thedurationof the inhalation,which should last four to eight seconds.Holdyourbreathwithyourthroat open for as long as comfortable.Then exhalewhilementally chantingSa.Drawout thesyllableforthedurationoftheexhalation,whichshouldlastfourtoeightseconds.Repeat7,14,or21times.

UsingtheSoHammantrahelpsthedescentofchiandShivaenergydownthespine.UsingtheHamSamantra helps draw chi and Shakti up the spine.A yoginmust experiment to determinewhichmantraworksbestoneachchakra.IhabituallyuseSoHamforthethreelowerchakrasandHamSaforthefourhigherchakras.

BreathinThreeDimensions

The first step in chakra purification is to conserve the chi of the physical body and this is

achievedbysittingstillandreducingthebreath.Butallthreebodiesinterpenetrateeachotherandbreathingismorethanphysical.Yogateachesthatourthoughts,emotionsandbreathareintimatelyconnected.Ifourbreathingisrestlessoruneven,itreflectsanemotionalordistractedmind,andifthebreathingissubtleandslow,itreflectsacalmandconcentratedmind.Itisalsotruethatifwequietourphysicalbreathwewillcalmandfocusourastralandcausalenergies.

ThreePhasesofNormalBreathing

There are three phases to normal breathing: inhalation, exhalation, and neutral.You can easilyobserve these phases by calmlywatching your breathing for a fewminutes.Watchwith a yinattitude,theattitudeofanaturalist.Donottrytoalteryourbreathing,justcalmlyobservethethreephases.

Thefirstphaseisanautomatic inhalation,agentleexpansionof theabdomenorribs that iscontrolled by the autonomic nervous system. Inhalation is almost immediately followed by apassiveexhalation.Thisexhalationisconsideredpassivebecausenomusculareffortisrequiredtoexhale—thenaturalelasticityoftheribsandabdomengentlyforcetheairoutofthelungsastheycontractbacktotheirneutralposition.

During the neutral phase there is no urge to inhale or exhale. This phase lasts for severalsecondsormoredependingonhowcalmyouare.Afterthisneutralpause,thenextinhalationwillbeginandthecyclecontinues.Allofthishappenswithoutourconsciousinterference.

YinPranayama

Thegoalofyinpranayamaistoeffortlesslyextendtheneutralphaseofthebreathcycle.Thisisvery different from yang pranayama, the goal of which is to extend breath retention afterinhalation. Yin pranayama uses the same SoHam or HamSa mantras that are used in yangpranayama,buttheyareusedinaverydifferentway.Yinpranayamaispracticedasfollows.

Focusona chakra andwait for thenatural inhalation to arise.Mentally chantSowhen theinhalation begins, and mentally chant Ham when the exhalation begins. These mantras arementallychantedjustonceandtheirpronunciationisnotextendedastheyareinyangpranayama.Inhalation and exhalationgraduallybecomeverybrief andvery shallow, and theneutral phasegrowslongerandlonger.Itisimportantnottoholdthebreathorresistinhaling,juststayfocusedonthechakraandsinkintothequietstateofnotbreathing.

Thereisayinandayangtoeverythingandyinpranayamaisnoexception.Yinpranayamacanalso be done with the HamSa mantra rather than the SoHam mantra. Breathing with HamSafollowsthesamepatternasSoHambuttheyogimentallychantsHamontheinhalationandSaontheexhalation.

The use of SoHam andHamSa effect the sensation of a chakramuch like the diastole andsystole phases of the heart beat. The effect of each mantra is felt most powerfully duringinhalation.MentallychantingSoontheinhalationcreatesanexpandingfeelingaroundachakra.

Mentally chanting Ham on the inhalation creates a contracting feeling around a chakra.Experimentwithbothtobecomefamiliarwiththeireffects.Thisistheonlywaytointelligentlydecidewhichmantraisappropriateonanygivenday.

CHAPTER 10 Meditation

ListeningtoNada

The common thread to all phases of yoga practice is controlling chi with increasingly subtletechniques.Startingwithasanaexercisesandphysicalstillness,yogathenprogressestothegentlemuscular contractionsofbandhas, and then to themore subtleyangpranayama, and then to theevenmoresubtleyinpranayama.Thenextphaseofpracticeisbeyondthebreath,itislisteningtointernalsoundscalledNada.

Theactoflisteningquietsthebreathandthemind.Trythisexercise:Pauseforamomentandfocusonasoundthatisquiet,almostinaudible,perhapsaquiethuminyourroomoramuffledsound fromoutside.Whatever it is, observe that as you listenyouunconsciously suspendyourbreathing. The more subtle the sound the quieter the breath becomes. Yogis have taken thisprincipletoitssubtlestlevelandprescribethatstudentsfocusonsoundsthatcanonlybeheardwithin themselves, sounds createdby thevibrating chakras.These sounds are calledNada.Tolearntohearnada,trythefollowingexercise.

Rest your middle three fingers on your temples rest the little fingers lightly on the outercornersofyourclosedeyes.Thiswill inhibiteyemovementandassistacalmfocus.Nowuseyour thumbs to press the tragus into your ears (the tragus is the small flap of cartilage nearlycoveringtheearcanal).Nowlistentosoundsarisingfrominsideyourears.Therightearissaidtobemoresensitive,butwithpracticeitwillmakenodifferencewhichearyoufocuswith,justlistenforsounds.

Whenyou focusonnadaas ameditation it is notnecessary touseyourhandsorpress thetragusintoyourears.Withpracticeyoucanhearthenadawheneveryouareinaquietplaceandfocusyourawareness.

NadasoftheChakras

Each of the chakras has a unique nada sound that is tabulated below. In my experience eachchakrahasasmallrangeofnadasounds,butthereisamarkeddifferencebetweenthenadaofonechakraandanother.Bearinmindthatthesetraditionaldescriptionscanonlycrudelyapproximatethe actual sounds. What a yogini hears in meditation is difficult to describe, but theseapproximationsdohelpherdecipherwhatsheishearing.

CHAKRA NADASOUND

Sahasrara OmSound

Ajna OmSound

Vishuddha Ocean

Anahata DeepBell

Manipura HarpStrings

Svadhisthana Flute

Muladhara BuzzingBees

NadaMeditation

YinpranayamaseamlesslyblendsintoNadaMeditation.Startyourmeditationwithyinpranyamaandasyougetquietlistenfornada.Thesetechniquesarenotmutuallyexclusiveanditisperfectlyfinetocontinueyinpranayamawhilelisteningtonada.Astimepasses,letgoofbreath-awarenessandfocusonlyonnada.Ifyourattentionwavers,resumeyinpranayamauntilyouarecalm,andthenslipintonadaagain.

Afterlisteningtonadaforawhileyouwillbecomeawareoftwoormorecompetingsounds.Continuetocalmlyfocusonwhicheveristhemostobviousnadauntilitfades,andthenfocusonthenextnadathatbecomesapparent.

Different chakras are more dominant than others, so do not assume that the nada you arehearingisemanatingfromthechakraonwhichyouarefocused.Itispossiblethenadaiscomingfrom another chakra that is more active at this time. Only a highly advanced meditator canselectivelyexperiencethenadaofthechakraofherchoosing.

NyasaRitual

It is good to begin and endmeditationwith nyasa.Nyasameans “to placewithin.” There areseveralvariationsofnyasapractice, somesimple, someelaborate.Theyeffectivelyprepareusforchakrameditation.

Open your meditation by imagining the vastness of the consciousness of Shiva, aconsciousnessthatextendstoallpartsoftheuniverseinalldimensionsofexistence.Imaginethisconsciousnesscondensinganddescendingdownintoyourbody,stoppingbrieflyateachchakrauntilunitedwithShaktiatthebaseofthespine.Enjoythisunionofconsciousnessandenergyforawhile,andthenbeginyourmeditation.

End your practice by drawing your energy and awareness into muladhara, then imagineyourselfrisingwithShaktiupthroughsushumnaonechakraatatime,andthenoutthroughthetopofyourhead.ContinuerisingandexpandinguntilyoudissolveintoShiva.

Bijamantras

Nyasapracticecanbeassistedbybijamantras.Bijameans“seed”andbijamantrasaresimplesoundvibrations that stimulate specific chakras.When focusingona chakra,mentally chant itsbijamantraandfeelitsresponse.Repeatthemantraasmanytimesasyouwish,andthenmoveontothenextchakra.

Thebijamantrasforeachchakraareasfollows:

Sahasrara Om Rhymeswithhome

Ajna Om Rhymeswithhome

Vishuddha Ham Rhymeswiththumb

Anahata Yam Rhymeswiththumb

Manipura Ram Rhymeswiththumb

Svadhisthana Vam Rhymeswiththumb

Muladhara Lam Rhymeswiththumb

BijaMeditation

I frequently use a variation of nyasa practice asmy primarymeditation.Using bijamantras, Icirculatemyawarenessandenergyupanddownsushumnaonechakraatatime.EachcycletakesapproximatelytwominutestocompleteandIpracticefor7,14,or21cycles.

ThroughoutthispracticeIremainfocusedonnadaandwhenIfinishthecyclesofcirculationIremainabsorbedinnadaforaslongaspossible.

MeditationRoutine

Thefollowingisanoutlineforabeginningmeditationpracticeofaboutfifteenminutes.1.Oneminuteopeningnyasapracticeendingatmuladhara.2.Sevenroundsofbandhapracticeoryangpranayamaforonechakra.3.Fiveminutesyinpranayamaonthatchakra.

4.Fiveminutesofnadameditationonthatchakra.5.Oneminuteclosingnyasapracticeendingabovethehead.

SuggestionsforMeditation

Isuggestthatbeginnersfocusononlyonechakraeverydayforaweek,andkeepadiaryofyourexperiences.Thenfocusonanotherchakraeachdayforoneweek.Insevenweeksyouwillhavemeditatedoneachofthesevenchakras.

Onceyouhave explored each chakrayoumight repeat the cycleof focusingonone chakraeachweek,oryoumighttryfocusingonadifferentchakraeachday.

Afterafewmonths,trytoexpandyourmeditationtoincludemorebandhapracticeandlongernadameditation.

If your meditation or pranayama practices create tension or discomfort, then something iswrong.Thinkofdoingyourpracticesasifyouwereachildgoingtoschool.Itobviouslyrequiressomedisciplinetoprogress,butifeverydayatschoolcreateddiscomfort,thenprogresswouldeventuallystopandthechild’ssoulwouldwhitherratherthanblossom.

Bibliography

BooksonAnatomy

Thomas W. Myers, Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and MovementTherapists,SecondEdition,(ChurchillLivingston,Philadelphia,2008).Fasciaisnotgivenenoughemphasisinstandardtextbooks.Thisbookcorrectsthatdeficiency.Itis an extensive discussion of the prevalence of fascia and its influence on movement andmovementpathology.Theillustrationsalonecanleadayogiorbodyworkerintonumerous“aha!”moments.

DeaneJuhan,Job’sBody:AHandbookforBodywork,(StationHill,Barrytown,NY,2003).Theclassicandinmostwaysunsurpasseddescriptionofhowfasciaintegratesallthesystemsofthebodyandwhytouchingandmassagingthebodyhassuchhealingeffects.

MichaelSchuenkeetal.,ThiemeAtlasofAnatomy:GeneralAnatomyandtheMusculoskeletalSystem,(Thieme,NewYork,2010).Thisispartoneofathree-volumeatlas.Itisespeciallyusefulforyogisbecauseitcombinesthemusclesandbonesofanatomywithchartsthatillustratethedifferentmovementsofeachmusclegroup.Thepicturesaregorgeousandthemanygraphsandschematicchartsareinvaluableandnotreadilyavailableelsewhere.Thisatlaswaswrittenwith theeagerstudent inmind,unlikemostreferenceworks.

AndrewBiel,TrailGuide to theBody:HowtoLocateMuscles,Bones,andMore, (BooksofDiscovery,Boulder,CO,2010).Thisisanexcellentguidetolearninghowtofeelthroughtheskinandlocatethestructuresthatarepicturedinanatomytexts.Itisliterallythehands-onapproachtoanatomythatateacherorbodyworkerneeds.

LeslieKaminoffandAmyMatthews,YogaAnatomy,(HumanKinetics,Champaign,IL,2010).This hugely popular book on the anatomy of muscles and bones shows how the muscles areworked in avarietyofyogaposes.This ismuchmorehelpful to ayoga student than the static“corpseposition”ofstandardanatomytexts.

BooksonAcupuncture

Joseph M. Helms, Acupuncture Energetics: A Clinical Approach for Physicians, (MedicalAcupuncturePublishers,Berkeley,1995).Chinese medicine and acupuncture are vast subjects that include herbs, diagnosis, needlingtechnique,andsoon.Whatismostrelevanttoayoginiiswherethemeridiansareandhowtheyinfluenceoneanother.ThisisthebestresourceIhavefoundforcogentlyandclearlyidentifyingthemeridiansandtheirfunctionalgroups.Inmanywaysthisbookisacupuncture’sresponsetotheThiemeAtlasofAnatomy described above. It takes great skill and insight to create charts and

schematics that accurately clarify a confusing body of facts, and this book is full of them.Obviouslywrittenbyamasterteacher.

ClaudiaFocks,ed.,AtlasofAcupuncture,(ChurchillLivingston,Philadelphia,2008).This stunningly complete atlas collates thework ofmost of the atlases of acupuncture now inprint.Itsmixofphotographsandillustrationwillmakeitastandardreferencebookonpointsandmeridiansforyearstocome.

Edward F. Tarabilda, Ayurveda Revolutionized: Integrating Ancient and Modern Ayurveda,(LotusPress,TwinLakes,WI,1997).Ayurveda is the ancient medical tradition of India, but like any form of medicine it has gonethrough many developments and changes in the thousands of years of its existence. Tarabildaarguesthatalthoughmanyofthebasicnotionsofayurvedaarecorrect,severalkeyideasonhowtoapplythemeffectivelyhavebeenlost.HereconstructsseveralofthesekeyideasbasedonhisoriginalinsightsintoVedicastrology.Oneaspectoftheseinsightsisthereintegrationofmeridiantheoryintoayurvedicenergetics.

JamesL.Oschman,EnergyMedicine inTherapeutics andHumanPerformance, (Buterworth-Heinemann,Philadelphia,2003).Notreallyanacupuncturebook,butitisincludedbecauseitisa350-pagediscussionofthewaysin which modern research is confirming and expanding on the basic insights of yoga andacupuncturetheory.Chaptersoncells,fascia,waterflow,liquidcrystals,electricalandmagneticsignaling,andmorearedescribedandillustratedwithpicturesanddrawings.Oschmanspellsoutveryclearlytheimplicationsofthisresearchandthenewviewofbiologythatisjustaroundthecorner.Ifyouareinterestedinwhatmodernsciencehastosayaboutancientscience,thisbookisforyou.

BooksonYogaAsana

Bernie Clark, The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga: The Philosophy and Practice of Yin Yoga,(WhiteCloudPress,Ashland,OR,2012).The strongest recommendation I can giveBernie’s book is to say it is a textbook formy owntrainingprograms.Thefirstsectionoutlinesthephilosophyofyin-yang,thesecondsectiondetailseachpose,andthethirdsectionexplainsthesciencebehindthepractice.Studentsvalueitsclear,logicaloutlineofyogaandtherelevantanatomicaldiscussion.

SwamiMuktibodhananda,HathaYogaPradipika,(BiharSchoolofYoga,Bihar,India,1998).This isamoderncommentaryonanold textofhathayoga.Theancient text isonly400verseslong, but this elaboration is over 700 pages. A serious student of any subject should knowsomethingofitsfoundationaltexts,andthisoneiskey.Amodernyogimightbeshockedtolearnhow little emphasis is placedon asanapractice.Most of the original hatha yogapractices arepranayama and purification practices. The goal was to awaken the chakra by purifying themeridians and becoming absorbed into nada. Nada meditation is emphasized as the key toreachingthehigheststatesofyoga.

SarahPowers,InsightYoga,(Shambhala,Boston,2008).Sarah Powers integrates yin and yang yoga with mindfulness practices, and this three-leggedapproachmakesherbooka trulycompleteyogasystem,not justayinsystem.Powers includesdetaileddescriptionsofmeridianpathwaysandhowtheyare related toyogaposes.Thishelpsconnect the practice of yoga to disciplines such as shiatsu, acupuncture, and bodywork.Integrationwithotherdisciplinesiskeytoyoga’sbroaderacceptanceintothemodernworld,andthisbookisanaturalstartingpointforinterestedyoginis.

B.K.S.Iyengar,LightonYoga:YogaDipika,(SchockenBooks,NewYork,1995).Everyseriousstudentofyoganeedsa referencebookofpostures,and thisone is it.Thereareothers, but none are really better. There aremore postures listed here thanmost studentswillneed,butthatisthefunctionofareferencebook.Thestep-by-stepdescriptionsofeachposehaveneverreallybeensurpassed.

CheriClampettandBiffMithoefer,TheTherapeuticYogaKit:SixteenPosturesforSelf-HealingthroughQuietYinAwareness,(HealingArtsPress,Rochester,VT,2009).IfIwereinjuredorrecoveringfromillness,thisisthesystemandthesearetheteachersIwouldstartwith.Clampett andMithoeferhavehonestlyandhumbly tested these techniques foryears.Their students range from people who are injured to the aged to cancer ward patients. Thecombinationofbook,flashcards,andCDmakeitpossibleforevenbeginningstudentstosafelylearnthesetechniques.

BiffMithoefer,TheYinYogaKit:ThePracticeofQuietPower,(HealingArtsPress,Rochester,VT,2006).BiffMithoeferhastaughtandpracticedyogafordecades.Aseveryoneknows,ateachercanmakeorbreakastudent’sinterestintheearlyphaseofstudy,andMithoeferisoneofthegoodones.Heteaches energetic principles of chi and meridians and integrates them with asanas andmindfulness.Theuseofabook,flashcards,andCDisextremelyeffectiveforaself-learner.

BooksonMeditationandSpirituality

ParamahansaYogananda,AutobiographyofaYogi, (Self-RealizationFellowship,LosAngeles,2000).Thisisapersonalbookaboutthelifeandgoalsofayogi.Oneman’sexperiencecannotillustrateeveryaspectofyoga,butyogaisthemostpersonalofexperiences.Notonlyisthescienceofyogadiscussedatlength,butthefootnotescanleadthereaderintomanyrewardingareasofscientific,historical,andreligiousstudy.

Hiroshi Motoyama, Awakening of the Chakras and Emancipation, (Human Science Press,Encinitas,CA,2003).Based on talks given to advancedmeditators, this book details the postures, pranayamas, andconcentrationexercisesDr.Motoyama recommends foreachchakra. It includesdescriptionsofwhattoexpectatthephysical,astral,andcausallevelsofchakraawakening,aswellasthesignsofproperprogressand the signsof improperpractice.This is themostdetaileddescriptionof

chakrameditationofwhichIamaware.

Paramahansa Yogananda, God Talks with Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita, (Self-RealizationFellowship,LosAngeles,2001).Thefirstonehundredpagesof this thousand-pagecommentaryon theBhagavadGita integratestheteachingsoftheGita,Samkhyaphilosophy,andPatanjali’ssutras.Itisacolossalintellectualandspiritualachievement.Ifanyofthesesubjectsinterestyou,considerthistwo-volumework.

RudolfSteiner,HowtoKnowHigherWorlds,(WilderPublications,Radford,VA,2008).This book outlines the spiritual practices of Dr. Steiner. It includes detailed psychologicaldescriptionsofthechakrasandtheirusefulnessinspiritualpractice.It isalwaysworthwhiletoreadaboutchakrasfromavarietyofbackgroundsandtraditions.

Hiroshi Motoyama, Karma and Reincarnation: The Key to Spiritual Evolution andEnlightenment,(AvonBooks,2008).MoresimpleanddirectthanmanyofDr.Motoyama’sworks,thisbookisaboutthevarietiesofkarmathataffectus.Karmaisnotjustpersonal—thereisalsofamilykarma,landkarma,nationalkarma,andtheinfluenceofgreaterspiritualbeings.

SwamiVivekananda,RajaYoga,(Ramakrishna-VivekanandaCenter,NewYork,1980).Patanjali is the codifier of yogameditation.His succinctlywritten book has guided yogis andattracted scholarly commentary for centuries. This book is a clear introduction to Patanjali’ssystem.ItincludesseveralpreliminarylecturesthatsetthestageforPatanjali’swork,aswellasthegreat swami’s versionof the sutras. It takes a good teacher tomake thematerial clear andSwamiVivekanandaisateacherfortheages.

ParamahansaYogananda,TheScienceofReligion, (Self-Realization Fellowship, LosAngeles,1953).An expansion of Swami Yogananda’s first talk in America, this book is especially helpful indelineatingthedifferencebetweenthefourpathstoenlightenment,andtheuniquecharacteristicsofyoga.

RichardWilhelm, translator.C.G.Jung,commentary,Secretof theGoldenFlower:AChineseBookofLife,(Harcourt&Brace,NewYork,1962).This is a translation and commentary on the ancient variation of ajna bandha, herein called“CirculationoftheLight.”Wilhelmhasclarifiedthemeaningofthedeliberatelyflowerylanguageusedtodescribethepractice.Adedicatedstudentwillfindthetechniquefamiliarandthenoblesentimentsinspiring.

HiroshiMotoyama,Theoriesof theChakras:Bridge toHigherConsciousness, (QuestBooks,Wheaton,IL,1982).Thisbookwaswritten tofulfill threeobjectives:demonstrate that tantricand taoistyogisweredescribingthesameenergysystem;detailaseriesofpracticestoawakenthechakras;andreport

onthescientificinvestigationofchi,meridians,andchakras.ThiswasmyfirstintroductiontoDr.Motoyama’svaluablecontributiontothefutureofenergymedicineandspiritualpractice.

RudolfSteiner,Theosophy:AnIntroductiontotheSpiritualProcessesinHumanLifeandintheCosmos,(AnthroposophicPress,Hudson,NY,1994).ThisbookoutlinesDr.Steiner’sviewsofthedifferentbodiesweinhabit.ItisilluminatingtoreadaboutthemultiplebodytheoryfromaEuropeanmystic’sviewpoint.Itisalwaysencouragingtohavephenomenaconfirmedbydifferentpractitionersfromdifferenttraditions.Thisistheessenceofthescientificmethod.

HiroshiMotoyama,Varieties of Mystical Experience, (Human Science Press, Encinitas, CA,2006).IfAwakeningoftheChakrasandEmancipationdescribes the techniquesofpractice, thisbookdescribesthegoal.Itisadescriptionofthevariouslevelsofsamadhi,thestateofspiritualunionwithhigherbeings.Itgoesintogreatdetailabouthowourconsciousnesschangesasweenterintohigherspiritualstatesofawareness.Itmakesclearwhatourattitudeandmotivationshouldbeifwewishtoconsciouslyprogress.Thisisamind-expandingandinspiringbook.

SwamiHariharanandaAranya,YogaPhilosophyofPatanjali,(SUNYPress,Albany,NY,1984).This is the book for philosophers. If Vivekananda is the popularizer of Patanjali, thenHariharanandaisPatanjali’smeticulousanalyst.Hariharanandawasadedicatedpractitioner,andhis analysis of each sutra is not meant to be pedantic but rather to uncover its explicitpsychological and spiritualmeaning.Thepremiseof thebook is anancientone, that the sutrasweremeanttobethepracticalapplicationoftheancientsamkhyaphilosophy.Studyingthistextmeans absorbing the ideas of samkhya as well as yoga, and this is what makes the book sorewardingtothededicatedstudent.

EdwinF.Bryant,TheYogaSutrasofPatanjali:ANewEdition,Translation,andCommentary,(NorthPointPress,NewYork,2009).There aremany translationsofPatanjali, and this latest one is excellent inmanyways,not theleastofwhichis thepresentationofhowcommentatorsonthesutrashavespokentoeachotheroverthecenturies.Beingexposedtodifferentpeoples’reactionstothesamematerialmakesusre-examineourown.AfterreadingRajaYogabyVivekananda,thisbookisthenextstep.

Appendix

Yinyoga is a newname, but not a newpractice.With fewexceptions, yogapracticebefore the ashtangavinyasa revolutionof1980swas primarily yin. The quotes listed below are from four yoga books, one for each decade prior to 1985. Theywere allwrittenbyauthorsconsideredauthoritiesinthefield.Eachquoteincludesafewexampleposes,therecommendedtimeforholdingthem,andtheyinattitudethatwasrecommendedwhenpracticing.

HathaYogabyTheosBernardRiderandCompany,1950

Seal:1minute10timesCaterpillar:1minute10timesorforseveralminutes.Snail:Upto10minutes

Yin attitude defined: “I was satisfied to place my hands on my ankles and let my head come as close to the knees as wascomfortablewithoutforcingit.”(p.26)

HathaYogabyShyamSundarGoswamiL.N.FowlerandCompany,1959

Seal:6minutes.Caterpillar:6minutes.Snail:15minutes

Yinattitudedefined:“Inthestaticformofexercisethewholebody...shouldremainabsolutelymotionless...fortheperiodoftimeduringwhichtheposturecanbemaintainedwithease,i.e.withoutthefeelingofdiscomfort.”(pp.80-81)

YogaSelf-TaughtbyAndréVanLysebethHarperandRow,1971

Seal:severalminutesCaterpillar:3to15minutes.Snail:5to30minutes.

Yinattitudedefined: “Theexpertkeepsaperpetual checkonmuscular relaxation . . . everything relaxes: the face, arms,hands,feet,calves,thighs,andespeciallythemusclesthatarebeingstretched.”(p.73)

TheSivanandaCompaniontoYogabyLucyLidellSimonandSchuster,1983

BackBends:2minutesForwardBends:5minutesInversions:5to10minutes

Yin attitude defined: “Above all, never risk injury by forcing your body into a position or straining to go further than you arepresentlyable.Itisonlywhenyourmusclesarerelaxedthattheywillstretchandallowyoutoadvanceinaposture.”(p.29)

AbouttheAuthor

PaulandSuzeeGrilleyhavebeen teachingyogasince1980.Theypracticeyogapostures in thestyleofPaulieZinkandpatterntheirphilosophyonthewritingsandresearchofDr.HiroshiMotoyama.Thisphilosophyintegrates themeridiantheoriesofChinawith the chakra theories of India. Paul and Suzee have developed the anatomically basedYinYoga Teacher Training programwhichtheypresentallovertheworld.

Tolearnmoreabouttheirwork;books,DVDs,andotherresources,pleasevisitwww.paulgrilley.com.

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