If you’re interested in digging deeper into this subject, senior teacher Heather Gregg is hosting a Yoga Booster Masterclass series, which amongst many other fascinating topics, will be looking at some key techniques and concepts from a whole spectrum of asana groups, to maximise your practise from an alignment perspective, while also providing clarity and understanding around what you’re doing and why. This is a fantastic opportunity to take the next step and dive deeper into your practise, to truly enrich your yoga experience both on and off the mat. Click here for more information and to secure your spot.
Beneath The Asana
There are many different reasons why people decide to take up yoga, with the most common being to address physical ailments, or to help reduce symptoms associated with mental health conditions, including stress and anxiety, however it’s extremely likely that the original reason people take to the yoga mat will change, as they begin to unearth the limitless depths and endless possibilities attributable to maintaining a regular practise.
Over recent years, yoga has been commonly marketed as a means to get fit, and while improved fitness can often be one of the ‘perks’ of a regular asana practise, it’s certainly not traditionally regarded as the primary goal. There are of course the obvious superficial physical advantages, including increased strength, flexibility, balance and improved posture, whereas the less marketed, yet arguably more profound energetic benefits are only realised by many of us once we start to feel and experience them ourselves.
When I first stepped onto the yoga mat, I knew that what I was experiencing was something far more profound than just exercise. Having spent my entire childhood training as a dancer, I only ever knew movement as a means to strive for aesthetic perfection, and the mental health implications associated with this mindset had become intolerable. This ‘yoga’ I was experiencing was different; this was movement which promoted a revolutionary concept of self-acceptance, while also establishing a body mind connection, which exposed endless new chapters of self-discovery. This newfound awareness of self, also enabled to me start feeling tangible, deep rooted energetic benefits from my asana practise, which went far beyond the realms of what I thought were possible. Being able to tailor my daily practise, depending on how I was feeling energetically was a game changer.
Interestingly, when yoga first came about around 5000 years ago, there were originally only around 90 asanas, which were developed predominantly to enable students to find and maintain a comfortable Lotus pose for meditation. Most of the asanas we know and love today were actually created in the 20th century, with around 600 different postures to choose from, which are typically broken down into different categories of poses. The energetic benefits of each category can often depend on where they are placed in a sequence, and while the following is by no means an exhaustive list, it’s is a pretty good point of reference to start with:
- Backbends are a great way to expand the chest, thus opening the heart. We can be inclined to unconsciously close our heart space due to many reasons, which include when we’ve been hurt or experienced heartbreak in a relationship. Physically opening the heart space in our yoga practise enables the prana (life force) to start flowing through the heart chakra with ease.
- Forward folds turn us inwards, which can promote calming and grounding effects. Practising forward folds can be particularly beneficial when feeling overwhelmed or experiencing stress and anxiety.
- Twists are renowned for being detoxifying and promoting balance. They’re also commonly known to stimulate circulation and aid digestion by increasing blood flow to the digestive organs, thus accelerating their ability to function.
- Inversions (generally when the head is below the heart) can provide many invigorating and revitalising benefits, due to the increased blood flow to the brain. Going upside is the perfect solution to counteract an energetic slump during the day, resulting in improved mental function and concentration.
- Balancing postures are a great way to improve mental focus and alertness. During our asana practise, when we lose focus, we lose balance, and the same can be true when applied to our everyday lives, so next time you need to be mentally prepared for a meeting at work, maybe ditch the coffee and practice a warrior 3 instead!
- Hip openers are a big one for providing emotional release. Any past or current emotional traumas can manifest as tightness in the hip area, therefore regularly opening the hips can prove to be a powerful way of releasing what no longer serves us.
- Lateral stretches are often of most benefit when practised on a morning, due to their refreshing and awakening effects, which can set you up for a great day ahead.
If you’re interested in digging deeper into this subject, senior teacher Heather Gregg is hosting a Yoga Booster Masterclass series, which amongst many other fascinating topics, will be looking at some key techniques and concepts from a whole spectrum of asana groups, to maximise your practise from an alignment perspective, while also providing clarity and understanding around what you’re doing and why. This is a fantastic opportunity to take the next step and dive deeper into your practise, to truly enrich your yoga experience both on and off the mat. Click here for more information and to secure your spot.