Sequence for Cold and Sinus Infection Season

by Baxter 

Well, it has started again—with the arrival of Fall, my yoga students are sneezing, sniffling, and coughing in class. It’s a clear reminder that we are heading into cold, flu and sinus infection season. Can yoga help with this? In the past, we have provided information on how yoga can help support good immune function, especially as a preventative tool (see How Yoga Helps Your Immune System ) But what can you do when you actually still get sick? 

To begin, I recommend that if you are at the start of any one of these acute infections—which is usually the time you are most contagious— that you consider skipping your public classes for the next week, both to give yourself the rest and attention you will need to recover more quickly and to spare spreading what you’ve got to your fellow yoga-loving class members.

But if you still have the desire to do some sort of practice at home while recovering from these seasonal intruders, I generally recommend a gentle practice, with slow, easy dynamic sequences and short static holds in the sitting and standing poses (if you have the energy for standing poses) and with restorative postures that keep the chest and head a little elevated to avoid worsening nasal congestion and sinus pressure. If you have a fever, skip practice altogether until you back to normal temps. Here is a practice for you to try out, subtracting any poses that seem too taxing as you see fit. 

1. Grounding Meditation

Set up in Easy Sitting Pose (see version 3 at Featured Pose: Easy Sitting Pose ) with your back supported by the wall. Take a moment to assess your overall energy level. Notice if your thinking in clear or clouded. Notice if you can breathe through your nose or if you have to breathe though your mouth. These observations can help guide how you practice today. Set an intention for both honoring where you are at today and for healing.

2. Seated Warm-Up

My short seated warm-up sequence (see Seated Warm-Up ) is a great option to start your practice with gentle movement. Since you have already done your centering at the wall, you can skip the Hero pose that starts the sequence and begin with the Seated Cat-Cow pose. You can also leave off the last pose, Boat Pose, if it feels to strenuous on any given day. 

3. Mountain Pose, a few breaths

From sitting, come up to standing and hold Mountain pose (see
Featured Pose: Mountain Pose) for a few breaths to see how standing feels today. If you are feeling like you have adequate energy, move on to the other standing poses in the sequence. If not, skip them and move on to Restorative Childs pose.

3. Dynamic Crescent Moon Pose, 3-6 times, side to side

The side bending in this pose is good for releasing tightness in the sides of the chest muscles that you use for breathing and coughing. See this video for instructions. Move as slowly as you want as you move into and out of this pose. 

4. Half Downward-Facing Dog at the Wall, version 3 or 4, 15-60 seconds 

This pose also releases tightness in the sides of the chest muscles that you use for breathing and coughing. But be sure to practice either of the two versions of Half Downward-Facing dog Pose where your torso and arms are higher up to avoid any partial inversion that could increase sinus pressure and congestion. See Featured Pose: Half Downward-Facing Dog Pose for instructions. Hold the pose from 15-60 seconds, depending on your energy level. 

5. Dynamic Warrior 1, 6 rounds

This is a good pose to help open up chest and shoulders. See this video for instructions Practice 6 rounds on each side or less if you are feeling tired.

6. Restorative Child’s Pose, Supported Version with Block, 2-5 minutes

This restorative pose (see version 2 at Featured Pose: Child's Pose ) is always great resting position, but for this sequence you should add a block under the far end of the bolster, so the bolster is slanted. The block at the far end (under where your head will rest on the bolster) keeps the head higher than heart, which can be helpful for those with head congestion. If nasal congestion or sinus pressure still makes breathing uncomfortable, experiment by turning your head to each side for a breath or two. 

7. Reclined Cobbler’s Pose, Restorative Version, up to 10 minutes

This restorative pose (see Featured Pose: Reclined Cobbler's Pose) is deeply restful. So, I recommend you stay in this pose for up to 10 minutes, but you can also stay longer if desired. However, I’d set an alarm to make sure you don’t fall asleep for too long. 

While in the pose, for the first few minutes, you can practice mental alternate nostril breathing (see Breath Practices for Balance) and then practice simple breath awareness or you simply 

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Yoga and Positive Psychology, Part 1

by Sandy Blaine

Afterglow by Maxfield Parrish

A few years ago, Ram wrote a lovely post on yoga and positive psychology. He spoke of positive psychology as a new and burgeoning field of study, pioneered, in its current incarnation, by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. A serious yoga practitioner for decades, I was at the time just beginning to immerse myself in the study of positive psychology, and his thoughts on the connections between this area of psychology and yoga resonated strongly with me; I also found profound connections between the two disciplines. 

Now, having earned my Master's degree in Professor Seligman’s seminal program at the University of Pennsylvania, I can say with more authority that Ram got everything right, even down to his guide to pronouncing Professor Csikszentmihalyi’s daunting name. I love what he had to say about how we yogis experience the sense of immersion and timelessness, defined by Professor Csikszentihalyi as flow, when we practice. This is one of many connections that can be made between both the study and practice of yoga with positive psychology, and here, in this series of posts, I would like to explore some of the others.

I trace my original interest in positive psychology to a time, years ago, when I happened to hear a story on the radio about the happiness set point theory, the idea that some or perhaps all of our capacity for personal happiness is rooted in our genetic brain chemistry. This brand-new (at least to me) concept struck me as very plausible, and my initial thought was how fortunate I was, as I recognized my own capacity for happiness was on the higher side. Just a little more thought, though, had me questioning to what extent my years of daily yoga practice might have affected that capacity and “set point.” 

Like many—perhaps most—modern practitioners, I originally came to yoga for the physical exercise and health benefits, and I didn’t question or look deeply into the profound boost to my overall well-being I found there; it all got filed under the general category of “feeling good.” I hadn’t even been particularly interested in yoga when a friend pretty much dragged me to my first class some 30 years ago, but afterwards I could hardly believe how great I felt. 

This was the hook that kept me coming to yoga classes, and then led me to develop my own personal yoga practice at home, something that over the years became a cornerstone of my life. The deeper psychological and/or spiritual (depending on your orientation and point of view) aspects of yoga snuck into my consciousness gradually and organically as I stuck with the practice and became serious about it. The desire to share these benefits and contribute to others’ well-being is what eventually brought me to teaching. 

Once that set-point theory was brought to my attention, the chicken-versus-egg question it sparked about the link between happiness and the mind/body connection stayed with me. Even to this day, the difference I feel before and after practicing can astonish me. In addition, it wasn’t long into my practice that I understood the benefits I was realizing were cumulative as well as immediate. No matter what else is going on, a week with more practice time is better than one with less. When I compared what seemed to be my personal set-point—my tendency to be in a good mood and general orientation toward being a cup half-full person—with family members who presumably were genetically similar to me but struggled more with emotional equilibrium, I had to wonder what accounted for the difference. Yoga was such a consistent and positive part of my life, it struck me that the possibility it was affecting my brain chemistry could perhaps be a reason. This also raised some interesting questions for me about the overall connections between physical health and mental/emotional well-being. 

I gradually realized this was something I wanted to investigate. While looking for classes in health psychology, I happened upon an introductory positive psychology class offered through U.C. Berkeley extension, and I knew immediately it was for me. This intuition was affirmed throughout the 15-week course, which I found both fascinating and inspiring. It was in this class that I read Seligman's book Flourish and learned about the Master’s program he had developed and helmed at the University of Pennsylvania, which I later applied to, attended, and ultimately completed in fall 2016. 

I came to UPenn’s MAPP program with the intention of studying and writing about happiness and the mind/body connection. What I quickly learned was that this, and anything to do with the body and our physical experience of life, is a very recent area of study in positive psychology, which is itself a relatively new field. 

Positive psychology is the study of human happiness, often referred to as subjective well-being in academia, and of how we find fulfillment and meaning in life. While I was in school and would mention I was studying positive psychology, a common question, often asked ironically and with amusement, was “As opposed to negative psychology?” 

Well, yes. Although psychology is the overall study of the mind, it was developed mainly to study and find solutions for mental illness and pathologies, and this is largely where the focus remained for the first 100 years. This is understandable; human evolution gave us a negativity bias (which I will explore in more depth in a future post) to be alert to threats and better help us survive them. Positive emotions and experiences are, in evolutionary terms, secondary to basic survival. And there is no denying that mental illness is a serious cause of suffering for both individuals and society as a whole and requires serious attention. 

Beyond that, however, there is a whole spectrum of human happiness, achievement and even transcendence to be explored. This is the realm of positive psychology: What is it that is happening when things go right, psychologically speaking? What can we learn, and teach, about the positive side of the human experience? How can we build on that knowledge to create more happiness and fulfillment for individuals, and can we expand from there to develop more positive, harmonious functioning of organizations and societies? How, in short, can we create more happiness and authentic positivity in the world? 

Although this may be slowly changing, the concept of mind/body dualism, or the idea that mind and body are separate—and that the mind is inherently superior—is a strong, pervasive bias in academia. For this reason, there have been two parallel tracks, positive psychology and mind/body science, for quite some time. Again, this is changing, largely because of those, like me, who recognize that there are many places where these two disciplines intersect, and also that our experience of happiness, and indeed, of life itself, is inseparable from our physical embodiment. 

In fact, as science is rapidly discovering and recognizing, there is no discernible separation between mind and body, and there is a growing push in positive psychology to add the physical dimension to the definition of flourishing. My work in the field largely centers around the robust and growing connections between these two formerly separate tracks, and my belief that conceptualization of mind and body as separate is an entirely false construct. We are, each of us, one amazing and fully integrated system, operating on a continuous mind/body feedback loop. While we commonly refer to this as the mind/body connection—a term that reflects how ubiquitous the idea that they’re separate is — I would actually characterize it as the complete interconnection and integration of mind and body. 

We yogis experience this profound sense of integration for ourselves through our practice. While hatha yoga may be defined as a physical activity, the majority of practitioners recognize that the sense of well-being we feel after practicing goes far beyond the physical. And few would deny that feeling better in our bodies refreshes our minds, elevates our overall moods, and brightens our days. Although yoga is popularly associated with the body and the physical practices of asana and pranayama, the broader system of yoga is also, like psychology, the study of the mind. It could even be considered one of the precursors to modern psychology.

Disciplines such as yoga that aim to support body, mind, and spirit have moved from the fringes to the mainstream over the past couple of decades, as both direct experience and academic and medical research have given credibility to the purported holistic value of these practices. When I posted this Harvard Medical School article about the health benefits of yoga on Facebook recently, another yoga teacher commented “I don’t need science tell me yoga is good for me. My body/mind tells me every day.” I agree! Yet both the validation and the specific information that science can give us are useful. 

While I didn’t need science to validate my experience, positive psychology has been very helpful in giving me language to explain it. Prominent positive psychologist Barbara Frederickson, an expert on positive emotions, coined the term “upward spiral,” which is a kind of escalating positive feedback loop that occurs when an activity gives us a felt boost in our well-being, which then bolsters our motivation to repeat that activity. This was very much my experience when I was developing my yoga practice. When people have remarked on my “great discipline” in sticking with my practice for so long, I’ve long replied that it’s not self-discipline, it’s motivation, and I’m keenly aware that there is a distinct difference. My practice has always been based on, as we say in positive psychology, intrinsic motivation rather than any sense of obligation. I was delighted to discover that there has been extensive work done in positive psychology that has delineated various types of motivation, as well as what one leading scholar terms passionate engagement with an activity, and has studied their different outcomes. 

Three decades and counting since my first encounter with yoga, these positive psychology concepts describe my experience and process exactly and explain the reasons that I have remained so consistently motivated to come to my mat more days than not in any given week. It starts with the reliable, immediate, and profound boost to my well-being, body and mind, that comes from practicing. On top of the in-the-moment benefits, this consistent experience continuously reinforces and increases both my motivation and passionate engagement. It helps get me through the plateaus and inevitable days or weeks of resistance or boredom. Most compelling, perhaps, it has also helped me develop both confidence and self-reliance as I’ve learned how significantly I can affect my own happiness, and whether I have a good day or a lousy one. 

This is the stuff of positive psychology, and why yoga has been, for me, a happiness practice.

Sandy Blaine has been teaching yoga for 25 years and has worked with all levels of students, from brand new beginners to teachers and advanced practitioners, and even elite athletes. She has a joyful devotion to her daily yoga practice, and seeks to bring these qualities to her classes, which combine her experience and training in the Iyengar, Ashtanga Vinyasa, and Kripalu methods. She is Yoga Alliance certified at the highest level, E-RYT, and also an authorized continuing education provider (YACEP).

Sandy's writing has been published in Yoga Journal, Yoga International and Ascent magazines, and she is the author of two books, Yoga For Healthy Knees and Yoga For Computer Users, both currently available from Shambhala Books. Having earned her Master's degree in positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2016, Sandy is now working on a new book about positive psychology, wellness and mind/body integration. An expert in workplace wellness, she has spoken at Kaiser and Google, and works as a wellness coach and consultant for Pixar Animation Studios as well as serving as their resident yoga instructor.

More information about Sandy’s work is available on her website www.sandyblaine.com.

Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook and Twitter ° To order Yoga for Healthy Aging: A Guide to Lifelong Well-Being, go to Amazon, Shambhala, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.

Video of the Week: Dynamic Warrior 1 with Back Heel Lift

This variation of Dynamic Warrior 1 transforms the vinyasa into a more challenging balance pose and is also a good way to stretch and strengthen your back leg calf. If you are struggling with balance, I recommend you view the original Dynamic Warrior 1 pose and master that before trying this one.

Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook and Twitter ° To order Yoga for Healthy Aging: A Guide to Lifelong Well-Being, go to Amazon, Shambhala, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.

Follow Baxter Bell, MD on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. For upcoming workshops and retreats see Baxter's Workshops and for info on Baxter see baxterbell.com.  

Friday Q&A: Supporting Your Knees

Q: Do they make an apparatus that I can wear that will support the knee while doing yoga on it? 

A: To the best of my knowledge, there is not an apparatus you wear that is specifically for knee support when doing yoga. For yoga, we use regularly use props (which are not “worn”) to support the knees in yoga poses. If you want advice on knee braces that are worn over the knee, I recommend you discuss this with an orthopedic doctor or physical therapist. In this post I will make some recommendations for propping following a knee replacement as well as for tender shins and kneecaps, for knees that are painful when folded deeply, and for those that may feel unstable. 

Although this question came in on a post about knee replacements (see Knee Replacements and Yoga ), the reader did not indicate if they have had a knee replacement or have an unhealthy knee that hurts or is unstable when doing certain yoga poses. If it is the former, the good news is that need for knee braces and props may be less important after a knee replacement then before it. Interestingly, one of my younger brothers has just undergone surgery in the last six months to replace both of his knees, due to long-standing painful arthritis. 

He is just now getting back to regular activities on both knees. When I asked if he had been warned about needing to wear a knee brace of some sort when exercising or needing to avoid any activities, he said neither his orthopedic doctor or physical therapist had not done this. He reports only mild soreness on one of his knees when kneeling. For this situation, he may benefit from using a pad, such as folded blanket, under his knees until the soreness resolves, such as we recommend in Cat-Cow pose.

I actually recommend using a folded blanket even for students with healthy knees, as the upper shin bone and knee cap have very little padding and floors, even with a sticky mat on them, are hard. 

In addition to the use of a single blanket to pad sensitive or painful knees (near top of shin and where the knee cap is), if one is insufficient to relieve discomfort, I recommend trying 2 or 3 stacked blankets, and, in some situations, even a bolster.

And speaking of an “apparatus,” there is a yoga prop called Yoga Jellies that has been around for 10 years or so, which are shaped like a thick pancake with a depression in the center. Several of my students find them useful in padding the knee/kneecap area. 

One other consideration for post-replacement knees is that following surgery the range of motion of the knees remains somewhat limited, despite the welcome improvement in pain relief. My brother, for example, was told not to expect his knee bending to be much better than it was just before his surgery, which was only about 90 degrees of flexion (compared to my 160 degrees in Child’s pose). In such a situation, in poses that require deep bend of the knees, placing a bolster or thick roll of blankets behind the knees may feel more supportive and comfortable than simply having the hips hovering unsupported high above the heels. 

For pain in knees that is unrelated to a knee replacement—especially if the pain is from arthritis—all same techniques for using props that I described above can be very helpful for you as well. In addition, for conditions other than knee replacement, since the deep bend of the knee can create compression in the knee joint—which can be painful for those with knee issues—reducing the bend of the knee or using a prop to create some space in the joint often eliminates that pain. For example, sitting on one or several blocks or a bolster in Hero’s pose may help to keep the knee joint open enough to do the pose without triggering pain. Or, you could use a thin roll behind the knee joints to create more space. ( See post: Getting Comfortable in Hero Pose) The same kind of propping can also work nicely for Child’s pose. 

Some students with knee pain complain about it in seated poses, such as Easy Sitting Pose, Cobbler’s Pose, and One-Legged Seated Forward Bend (Janu Sirsasana), especially if the knees are up as high or higher than the hips. Placing blocks under the outer knees so the knees are supported by the blocks often relieves the pain. The same type of support for the knees can be helpful for Reclined Cobbler’s pose as well. 

If there is some side-to-side instability in the knee joint, with or without pain, in symmetrical standing poses where the legs are close together, such as Mountain Pose, Arms Overhead Pose, Standing Forward Bend Pose, and Powerful Pose, placing a block between the inner thighs can be stabilizing. Place the block between your thighs on its narrow or middle width edge, whichever feels better, and stand with your feet as wide apart as the block. Then actively squeeze the block with your thighs to stabilize the knee joints. 

In addition, for some painful knee conditions, such as arthritis and meniscal tears (*excluding a tear or repair of the deep knee ligament, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)), making space in the knee joint can also be helpful, such as by tucking a rolled up towel or blanket between the hamstrings and calves in Hero pose (and poses with one or both leg in Hero pose position) as well as Child’s pose can also create space in the knee joint to relieve pain. (see version 3 of Child’s pose in Featured Pose: Child's Pose). 

You can also use a spacer behind the knee joint in seated poses where one deeply bent knee is out to the side, such as Janu Sirsasana, or pointed up, such as Marichyasana 1 and 3. 

Do you have any favorite props to support the knees in yoga poses? 

—Baxter 

Here are two other blog posts related to this topic: 

In  Friday Q&A: Alignment of the Knees I discuss the use of block between thighs for knee pain in Powerful Pose.

In Friday Q&A: Knee Restrictions  I discuss working with knee pain in the condition Patellofemoral Syndrome and who should avoid certain movements of the knees.

Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook and Twitter ° To order Yoga for Healthy Aging: A Guide to Lifelong Well-Being, go to Amazon, Shambhala, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.

Follow Baxter Bell, MD on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. For upcoming workshops and retreats see Baxter's Workshops and for info on Baxter see baxterbell.com.

All About Inverted Yoga Poses

by Nina

Although you might think of an “inverted” yoga pose as one where you are completely upside down, such as Handstand, Headstand, and Shoulderstand, any yoga pose where your heart is higher than your head is considered an inverted pose. That means there are three basic types of inversions:

1. Full inversions, where your whole body is completely inverted, as in Headstand.
2. Partial inversions, where your heart is directly above your head (or almost) but only part of your body is inverted, as in Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana), Wide-Legged Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana), and Plow pose.
3. Gentle inversions, where your heart is only slightly above your head, as in Bridge pose, Downward-Facing Dog pose, and Legs Up the Wall pose.

The reason we group all these poses together is that any pose where your heart is higher than your head has a special quieting effect on your nervous system, which makes the poses especially calming (assuming you are comfortable in the pose, of course). You can find out why this happens in my post Why You Should Love Your Baroreceptors They are also good for heart health and circulation as gravity helps return venous fluids back to your heart (see Appreciating Your Entire Cardiovascular System).

Personally, I love all these poses and have found practicing them very beneficial for times when I’m feeling stressed. And because these poses are also beneficial for circulation, especially when your legs are inverted, I’ve been practicing them regularly for my varicose veins. 

However, some of the full inverted poses, such as Headstand and Shoulderstand, can pose risks for certain people. And not everyone should be practicing poses that affect their blood pressure (which inversions do). Don’t panic, however, as you’ll find that most people can safely do the gentle inversions, no matter what. Fortunately, we have a lot of information on our blog on the benefits of these poses, how to practice them, and safety issues related to them.

First, I’ll start with background information about the poses themselves. Maybe this will help you discover some new ways to reduce your stress! Then I’ll provide links to the articles on inverted poses and sequences that utilize them. Finally, I’ll conclude with posts about cautions and safety issues for practicing them. 

About Inverted Poses

In Just in Time for the Holidays I discuss the value of practicing inverted poses and why I’m such a fan of them.

In Why You Should Love Your Baroreceptors I provide the anatomical/medical background that explains exactly why inverted poses can be so calming for your nervous system.

In Techniques for Improving Cardiovascular and Heart Health Baxter and I provide tips for using inverted poses for heart and cardiovascular health.

In All About Supported Inversions I discuss the value of practicing the supported versions of all the inverted poses and provide photos and descriptions of all of them.

In Low Pressure Tactics Victor describes how he practiced inverted poses, among other things, to help lower his blood pressure.

Practicing Inverted Poses

Because we don’t want to instruct people via writing about how to practice full Headstand, Shoulderstand, and Plow pose, we don’t have information on how to practice those on our poses on our blog. For instructions, you should consult an experienced teacher who can teach you in person. However, we do have information on the supported versions of Shoulderstand and Plow. Here are the posts that describe how to do individual poses:

Featured Pose: Downward-Facing Dog Pose (For Downward-Facing Dog pose with head support, see Featured Sequence: Easy Supported Inverted Practice.)

Featured Pose: Standing Forward Bend 

Featured Pose: Wide-Legged Forward Bend

Featured Pose: Chair Shoulderstand

Featured Pose: Half Plow Pose

Featured Pose: Bridge Pose 

Featured Pose: Legs Up the Wall Pose

Featured Pose: Easy Inverted Pose 

Here are two sequences that use inverted poses:

Featured Sequence: Easy Supported Inverted Practice

Featured Sequence: Inverted Heart Health Practice

See All About Supported Inversions for recommendations on how to sequence inverted poses.

Safety and Inverted Poses

In Friday Q&A: Caution for Inversions I provide information about who should not be practicing which inverted poses or who should approach them with caution.

In How to Stay Safe While Practicing Yoga I provide generally information about staying safe while practicing yoga, all of which applies to the inverted poses.

In the following posts, Baxter addresses safety issues related specifically to Headstand:

Friday Q&A: The Safety of Headstand (Sirsasana)

Friday Q&A: Ostepenia of the Spine and Headstand

Friday Q&A: Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD) and Yoga

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For information about Nina's upcoming book signings and other activities, see Nina's Workshops, Book Signings, and Books.

The Importance of Direction in the Asana Practice

by Ram

Venice, Looking East from Guidecca, Sunrise by J.M.W. Turner

The early yogis were influenced by nature, the environment, and what was all around them, and they used this information to name most of the yoga poses. In most cases there is logic behind the Sanskrit naming system. In addition to animals, birds, or sages, some yoga poses have the directions “west” or “east” attached to them. Have you ever wondered about why these directions and their significance? This article will focus on the direction west (paschima), which is seen, for example, in the poses Paschimottanasana and Jathara Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana.

In my post Brahma Muhurta (The Ambrosial Hours), I discussed how the time between 4:00 and 7:00 am, approximately two hours before sunrise (near the equator), was the most auspicious time for achieving knowledge and awareness of true self. Both the ayurvedic and yoga texts emphasize the immense benefits of these timings to the body and mind for various practices, including scriptural studies, mantra recitation, and chanting, and practicing silent meditation (dhyana), deep concentration (dharana), or breath practices (pranayama). At this hour the mind is clear and calm and is therefore a perfect setting for the above mentioned practices. In addition, the qualities of air and ether dominate at this time of day, and purity and lightness provide the perfect setting for meditation, prayer, chanting, and other spiritual practices. Being awake and alert at this time helps to minimize all kind of distractions and sensory inputs. Back in India, temples would open their doors at this time to encourage people to start their spiritual activities so that they receive maximum benefits. 

My grandfather used to start his morning routines during the Brahma Muhurta time and end his practices with yoga asanas. All this was done in the open courtyard outside the home. My grandfather would be seated on a simple coir mat facing the eastern horizon (sunrise). By the time he completed his mental exercises and reached the asana part, he would catch the first glimpse of the sun rays. By the time he completed his asana practice, the sun would have risen fully on the eastern horizon. When an individual is seated facing the sun in the morning, the front part of the body (anterior) faces the sunlight. The back side of the body (posterior) is sort of the shadow region and gets directly exposed to the sun rays only when a person bends forward. 

In asana names, the Sanskrit word “pachima” refers to the western part of the body (back side) when facing the sun. Other yoga poses with the word “paschima” in them include: Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana, Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana and Triang Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana. When all these poses are performed in the morning facing the eastern horizon, the back of the body becomes the western side and the forward bend you take in them exposes your back to the sun. If those same asanas were performed in the evening while still facing the eastern horizon, the forward bend exposes the back side directly to the setting sun rays in the west. Thus, while you are facing the east, your entire back side (paschima) can get exposed either to the rising or setting sun. 

In the Hindu tradition, facing the eastern direction has its own importance. Like Yoga and Ayurveda, Vastu Shastra is the Vedic system of design and architecture. According to Vastu science, east is the governing direction of the solar deity, from where all positive energy gets directed to the earth. East is recognized to bring good luck, peace, prosperity, harmony, and good health. It is for this reason that the main deity in the temples or at homes is kept facing west, so when you sit to pray facing the deities, you are facing the east. Similarly, having the home entrance facing the eastern horizon brings a lot of good fortune to the family.

You may wonder if the benefits from such poses are lost if we are not facing the east when we practice, especially in a studio setting. In my humble opinion, if you are not practicing in ab open space, you may only lose some benefits in the form of the sunlight and the synthesis of vitamin D. But the health benefits from a yoga practice will still prevail. According to BKS Iyengar, the benefits of these forward bends are numerous. He suggests that these poses calm the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression, stretch the spine, shoulders, and hamstrings, stimulates the abdominal organs, including liver, kidneys, ovaries, and uterus, improves digestion, and helps relieve the symptoms of menopause and menstrual discomfort. So, I would not get hung up on the direction issue. However, if you get a chance, do perform the asanas facing the eastern sun and notice if it makes a difference. When I visited UCLA last year, I took the opportunity to attend few beach yoga classes in Santa Monica. Facing the eastern horizon (the Angeles forest range) and doing the poses early morning did bring a lot of subtle changes to my brain, mind, and emotions. 

Furthermore, you may also wonder why other poses that not only allow the back side to be exposed directly to the sun but also causes the intense stretch of the back do not have the direction paschima=west in them. For example, Uttanasana (Intense Forward-Bending Pose, Intense Stretch Pose, Standing Forward Bend, Standing Forward Fold Pose, or Standing Head to Knees Pose) when done facing the eastern horizon exposes the back to the sun and also stretches the back, yet it does not have “paschima” in the name. I checked the literature and did not find any suitable answer. I guess it is like asking why apples are named apples and not banana or oranges. So, I would not attach too much importance to the name; instead, I would look to the benefits associated with the pose, which, of course, can still be practiced while facing east.

Based on the ancient Vedic texts and other anecdotal reports, it appears that facing the eastern sun while performing the asanas facilitates mental detoxification and clarity, which in turn enables you to achieve a deeper meditative state and sustain a healthy life. 


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Stand Your Ground with the Muladhara (Root) Chakra

By Beth

Roots by Jamie Wyeth

In part 1 of my series on chakras Chakras: Guides on the Path to Healing I offered an overview of the chakras. This post will cover Muladhara, the root chakra. 

First, let me give you some context. If you are interested in original sources and how different systems use the chakras, check out Christopher Wallis, Ph.D., at The Real Truth About the Chakras  for a deep dive into this complex and complicated topic. 

The traditional history is connected to the contemporary view by understanding that the chakras are, as Wallis informs us, prescriptive not descriptive: 

“The texts are prescriptive — they tell what you ought to do to achieve a specific goal by mystical means. When the literal Sanskrit reads, in its elliptical fashion, ‘four-petaled red lotus at the base of the body’ we are supposed to understand ‘The yogī ought to visualize a four-petaled lotus . . .” 

The specific goal can be optimal physical health, energetic balance, mental/emotional stability, or spiritual transformation. This context provides a blueprint for working with the energy of each chakra.

Muladhara Chakra 

The word Muladhara is loosely translated as “base of support.” It’s location in the body is described in various ways: 

• Between the perineum and the pelvic bone 
• Between the genitals and the anus 
• Coccygeal plexus beneath the sacrum 
• Base of the coccyx (tailbone) 

However, if we accept the purpose of the chakras as prescriptive not descriptive, then location becomes a suggestion of where our base of support can be sensed or felt. The energy of this chakra is related to the qualities of safety, security, survival, and the earth element. This chakra is generally associated with the eliminatory system, bones, legs feet, coccyx and the adrenals. An example of language that sharpens this association is the phrase “stand your ground.” 

Feeling at home in your body and in your own skin can be an indication that this energy is balanced. Feeling disconnected, stressed, and fearful can be an indication of the need to restore a sense of safety and security to enable you to stand your ground. This points to the connection with the adrenal glands, which mediate our stress response (see About Stress: Acute Versus Chronic). When we work with the energy of this chakra, our goal is to remain strong within our own process while interacting appropriately with others and our environment. 

Some physical and psychological issues that may challenge our ability to keep this energy in balance are: 

• Chronic lower back pain 
• Anxiety 
• Sciatica 
• Lethargy 
• Hemorrhoids 
• Constipation 

I’ve had personal experience with both constipation (see Yoga for Occasional Constipation) and hemorrhoids. I’ve used my growing self-awareness to notice that these conditions occur most often when I’m feeling disconnected, blocked, stuck, and dealing with financial insecurity, difficult relationships, or car problems. My yoga practice is always there to help me through. 

Here are three of my favorite practices for Muladhara chakra. See if they help you feel more safe, secure, and connected to your internal strength and wholeness. Although the focus is on Muladhara chakra, all the others are affected because everything is connected (I like rhyming words). You can also do these three practices together. I find myself smiling when I do. 

1. Physical Practice: Virabhadrasana 1 (Warrior 1)

Joseph LePage recommends standing poses, such as Mountain Pose (Tadasana), Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana), and Warrior 1 and 2. Warrior 1 is my asana of choice because I am able to keep my pelvis, spine, and head in a more comfortable alignment. You’ll find instructions, modifications, and illustrations at Featured Pose: Warrior 1) and in the book Yoga for Healthy Aging: A Guide to Lifelong Well-Being. I practice with my hands on my hips to impart a deeper sense of resilience, strength, and grounding. Start with a 30 second hold and work up to 2 – 3 minutes per side. 

2. Energy Practice: Adhi Mudra 

The Sanskrit word “adhi” means primordial and refers to our natural state of being. The Adhi Mudra is said to bring the breath to the base of the body, help with anxiety, and instill a deep sense of grounding and stillness. 

1. Sit with your spine comfortably aligned. 

2. Soften your chest and shoulders. 

3. Close your eyes or keep them slightly open and gaze down at the floor. 

4. With both hands, form soft fists by placing your thumbs across your palms and folding your fingers around your thumbs. 

5. Rest your hands, knuckles down, on your knees or thighs. 

6. Hold the mudra and sit quietly for 2 - 5 minutes, as long as you are comfortable. 

7. Focus on your natural breathing process.

8. When you are ready to come out, release the mudra and stretch your body in any way that your body needs to stretch. 

In Mudras for Healing and Transformation, LePage, states that Adhi mudra should be practiced with caution if you have low blood pressure. I have low blood pressure but am able to practice Adhi mudra regularly with no problems. 

3. Mental Practice: Roots Visualization 

I learned this Roots Visualization years ago from a yoga buddy. I use it to stand my ground in stressful situations instead of giving in to my first impulse to flee or freeze. I also practice it when I’m alone and feeling spacey and ungrounded. 

Instructions: 

1. If possible, take off your shoes, connect your bare feet to the ground, and close your eyes. If you find yourself in a place or time where you cannot take off your shoes or close your eyes, direct your attention to your legs and feet to sense a deeper to the earth underneath you. 

2. Begin to visualize roots growing from your body, starting from the base of the spine. Feel roots reaching down through your legs through the bottoms of your feet to pierce through the earth’s crust.

3. Visualize your roots branching and spreading, growing stronger, and reaching deeper into the earth. Sense the strength, support, and the stability that your branching roots send back to fill your entire body. 

4. With each inhalation, begin to draw in strength, support, and stability and allow that feeling to deepen your connection to the physical world and your place in it. 

5. Draw these qualities through the bones of your feet and legs to the base of your spine and all the way up to the crown of your head. Feel your entire body safe, secure, stable, and connected to the physical world, allowing you to stand your ground and speak your truth.

As you do this you may feel some tingling or pulsing in your feet and legs. That’s a good thing because energy flows where intention goes. You can shorten or lengthen the visualization as needed. When you attune yourself physically, energetically, and mentally to your need in the moment, you can stand your ground assertively, appropriately, and confidently. 

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For information on Beth Gibbs' classes and upcoming workshops, see Beth's Classes and Workshops and for information about Beth, ProYoga Therapeutics, and Beth's book and CD, see proyogatherapeutics.com.