Friday Q&A: The Safety of Yogic Eye Exercises

The Eye byAlfred Freddy Krupa

Q: I would like to know if it is safe for people with various eye conditions (glaucoma, detached retina, cataracts) to do yogic eye exercises - side to side, up and down, diagonal and “round the clock” eye movements? I have a number of people in my classes with glaucoma (and once I did have someone attend with a detached retina) and I would like to ensure their wellbeing in my class. Thank you. 

A: Let’s begin with a quick introduction to yogic eye exercises. Because I’m not personally familiar with the history of these practices in the yoga tradition, I wrote to Richard Rosen to see if he could enlighten me. He promptly wrote back and informed me that there is mention of certain practices in early Hatha Yoga texts, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (around 1400 CE.) and the Gheranda Samhita. One such practice, called trataka, involves prolonged gazing at a focus (such as a candle flame, spot on wall, written Om) without blinking for long periods of time “until the point where your eyes begin to tear up and flow.” This practice is credited, according only to the ancient texts, with curing all eye diseases and bestowing divine vision on the practitioner! 

In modern times, the practices as well as the claims for them are different. As mentioned above, the modern eye exercises include moving the eyes in specific directions and working the muscles that move the eyeball around in its socket. Therefore, they generally strengthen those muscles. Beyond that, it’s not clear what other benefits they actually have, though there are sometimes claims that they improve vision—so glasses may be discarded—and relieve other unwanted symptoms. For example, a recent Yoga International article claimed that yogic eye exercises have the following benefits: reducing eye strain, improving vision by strengthening the muscles that help improve focus, relaxing of facial tension, promoting better inner focus and concentration. However, the article provided no references to back them up. (See 4 Yoga Exercises for Eye Strain for additional eye exercises not mentioned by our reader.  ) It’s important to note that in my research, I was unable to find any studies or evidence to support any improvement in eyesight. 

I have personally practiced exercises similar to those our reader described with a few teachers over the years, and found them accessible, easy to learn, and generally safe. My wife, Melina Meza, recalls learning these types of practices when she trained in the Sivananda tradition many years ago. Other modern systems also teach them, including the Himalayan Institute and Integral Yoga. 

A 2012 study done in India compared western eye muscle strengthening exercises (called the Bates method) to those from the Ayurvedic tradition called Trataka Yoga Kriya (likely similar to those Richard referred to), to assess whether either method could improve nearsightedness, farsightedness, or irregularities of the lens of the eye (astigmatism). The researchers found that with both methods study participants reported some subjective improvement with symptoms such as eye fatigue, perceived near sightedness and far sightedness, watering of the eyes, brow headaches, and burning sensation of the eyes. However, none of these subjective reports were statistically significant nor was there any objective evidence of correction in vision, which they tested for. Despite this lack of objective evidence of benefit, the authors of the study still felt the Trataka Yoga Kirya practice was a safe adjunct to modern western approaches to vision care. (See A clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of Trataka Yoga Kriya and eye exercises (non-pharmocological methods) in the management of Timira (Ammetropia and Presbyopia)).

Now, let’s turn to the safety of these practices for those who currently have eye conditions. With any significant health issue involving the precious eyes, I recommend the first person to ask regarding the safety of any yoga practices is an eye doctor (ophthalmologist). And you should consider doing these eye practices ONLY if you get a clear okay from your eye specialist. That said, here is some general information on each of the eye conditions our reader asked about that can start to guide your decision about including yoga eye exercises safely into your teaching or in your practice. Let’s briefly define each condition and any general cautions that might relate: 

Glaucoma is a condition within the eyeball itself in which the pressure increases above normal—essentially a kind of high blood pressure of the eyes. Untreated, it can lead to blindness. In fact it is the leading cause of blindness in older adults. It is often treated with eye drops that help to lower the pressure and less frequently with oral meds and surgery. Aerobic exercise is considered helpful in some but not all types of glaucoma. Doing yoga inverted poses and breath retention after the inhalation are contraindicated, as both can increase the pressure within in the eyes. In my research, I could find no mention of cautions regarding simple movements of the eyes nor any mention that eye exercises could worsen or speed up the development of glaucoma. Therefore, I feel they are safe for people with glaucoma to try. Relaxation techniques that lower stress have been shown to help lower the pressure inside the eyes, therefore doing a stress management practice that does not include inversions could be helpful for these folks. 

Cataracts are a condition of the lens of the eye, which gradually becomes cloudy and therefore starts to cause the vision to blur. Aging is a big contributor to the development of most cases of cataracts. As you age, the lens of the eye becomes stiffer, thicker, and less clear. Once the lenses have developed cataracts, the only effective treatment is surgery. General aerobic exercise has been shown to lower your chances of developing cataracts in the first place, so a well-balanced yoga practice would be appropriate as a preventative measure in this regard. In my research, I could find no mention of cautions regarding simple movements of the eyes, nor any mention that eye exercises could worsen or speed up the formation of cataracts. Therefore, I feel that unless told not to by your ophthalmologist, yogic eye exercises are safe to practice for those with cataracts. 

Retinal detachment is a medical emergency in which the back layer of the eye, the retina, suddenly pulls away from the inside surface of the eye. Any sudden loss of vision or large increase in the number of floaters that occurs can become permanent vision loss if not addressed promptly. So, in our reader’s case, we are really talking about someone with a past history of having had a retinal detachment, possibly having undergone one of the surgical options for treatment. One of the biggest risk factors for developing this condition is aging! Another is poorly controlled diabetes. Normal movement of the eyeball is not considered a risk factor. 

Although there are a lot of activity restrictions for the 2-8 week period after surgery, once someone has recovered, they can typically return to normal activities. However, I still recommend running your regular yoga routine in detail, including yoga eye exercises and any inversions, by your eye doctor, since this was an emergency situation when it happened and could occur again. However, after the 8-week post-op period, these particular yogic eye exercises should be okay to try.

—Baxter

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Re: Your Request that I Stop Writing About Sexual Abuse

by Nina

Meditation, 1936 by Rene Magritte

I received the following comment on my post from yesterday Speaking Truth to Power About Sexual Abuse that concerned me:

"Please, can you stay away from this deluge of articles related to sex and sexual abuse. It has nothing to do with healthy aging. Westerners are fascinated by sex and sexual culture and YFHA is proving this true with so many articles devoted to this topic. A drum requires to be played on both sides, Same is true with all these stories. For every Guru that could not control their sensual impulses, there is a student that encouraged and advanced such behavior from the guru. Let the likes of Rain not act as puritans."

For such a short comment, it brought up so many issues. So rather than responding in the comment section, I thought I’d respond today in a second post. I will go through the comment point by point. 

1. It has nothing to do with healthy aging.

I do not agree. First, people who are sexually abused suffer from many physical and mental health problems as a result, so it harms their health. And the stress alone created by these experiences can cause serious health problems (see About Stress: Acute vs. Chronic). Second, an abusive yoga teacher will poison the experience of practicing yoga for those he has abused as well as for those who merely witness it or hear about it. This can end up robbing yoga practitioners of their practice and commitment to yoga. Karen Rain, for example, was never able to practice yoga again after her traumatic experiences. So, the abusive teacher is essentially depriving these students of being able to even have a yoga for healthy aging practice. Finally, to practice yoga for healthy aging in a productive way (after all, equanimity is an essential part of yoga for healthy aging), students need good teachers who provide them with safe spaces within which to practice.

2. Westerners are fascinated by sex and sexual culture and YFHA is proving this true with so many articles devoted to this topic.

As far as I know, there is no country on this earth, whether east or west, north or south, where rape and sexual abuse are considered normal and acceptable behavior. In fact, these acts are considered “crimes,” not “sex.” And although in the West we have ramped up our public discussion about these problems recently, partly as a result of the #MeToo movement, these issues are also being discussed worldwide. This can only be a good thing because ignoring the issue—as it has been in the past—has not proved to be a solution to this worldwide problem.

3. A drum requires to be played on both sides, Same is true with all these stories. For every Guru that could not control their sensual impulses, there is a student that encouraged and advanced such behavior from the guru.

As a yogi, a “guru” should be able to control his sensual impulses. This is done through practicing one of the yamas, brahmacharya, which is chastity or sexual restraint. As a teacher, the yoga teacher has a higher duty—regardless of temptations and/or the possible desires of his students—to insure a safe environment for his/her students. 

Of course, it is essential that yoga teachers—as well as all of us—to refrain from acting on "sensual impulses" with those who haven't explicitly consented. This is criminal behavior. 

4. Let the likes of Rain not act as puritans. 

Being against the molestation of yoga students by their teacher is not being anti-sex. Sexual acts of any kind when there is no consent are assault and are, in many cases, crimes. Please see Yoga and #MeToo: Toward A Culture With Zero Tolerance For Sexual Assault for more information.

5. Please, can you stay away from this deluge of articles related to sex and sexual abuse.

In my opinion, we are just in the beginning phases of an important conversation we need to have within the yoga community. If we are come up with real-world solutions to these problems, we need to hear both from women and men on this topic. And that includes right here on this blog.

P.S. Gratitude to my husband, Brad, who helped me with this post.


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

Speaking Truth to Power About Sexual Abuse

by Nina

The Wisdom and Truth by Pierre-Paul Prod'hon

Have you heard about the recent very long podcast that J. Brown did with Karen Rain? Karen is one of the women that Pattahbi Jois sexually abused and I wrote about her in my post #MeToo and Yoga. Well, I actually listened to the whole thing! Because it is so long, I will summarize some of the points that stood out to me. But here it is in case you want to listen to it: 

Now here are what I found to be the highlights of the discussion:

1. Rain said forthrightly that Jois was not a great yogi. In addition to sexually abusing as many as 1,000 women, he lied, cheated, and stole money. He was immoral and didn’t teach or practice the yamas. I think that's such an important point.
2. Rain said that the problems with sexual abuse are partly due to the current culture in the yoga world, which is paternalistic. In a paternalistic yoga culture, the teacher always knows what is best for you and the students will often ignore their own intuition and simply follow the teacher’s instructions. What is needed is a consent culture, in which the student knows what is best for themselves. Carey Sims expressed this very well in his post The Importance of Inquiry and Agency in the Asana Practice. 
3. After years of being silent and feeling like Jois robbed her of what was meaningful to her, Rain said she is feeling energized and hopeful because she is now speaking truth to power. I found this empowering and inspiring, and I hope many other people, of all genders, will, too. 
4. The podcast ended with a second discussion, which was requested by Rain and moderated by her, rather than him. After having listened to the other discussions J. Brown had on his podcast with other Ashtanga yoga teachers, Rain felt that he had been sexist in his approaches to the teachers, lobbing softballs to the men or letting them get away with non-responses while being much more forceful and aggressive with the women. And the accusations that about Jois that Anneke Lucas made during the discussion with her were downplayed by Brown. 

Finally, are you wondering, why is Nina writing about Patthabi Jois and sexual abuse again? In the podcast, Rain mentioned the problem of how sexual abuse accusations briefly get a lot of attention and then fade away, so that future students aren’t even aware of problems that were once reported about teachers. I've seen this play out in the SF Bay Area with Manouso Manos. In the 1991, the San Jose Mercury actually did an expose of him and his habit of molesting women in his classes during the 80s (see Betrayal of Trust”: 1991 Mercury News Investigation of Sexual Assault Allegations Against Manouso Manos). According to this article, B.K.S. Iyengar “asked the community to forgive Manos.” And it said that in October 1990, the S.F. institute’s board of directors voted to reinstate him.

Once Manos was reinstated, the story kind of faded away and women who were unfamiliar with the old accusations, like Ann West, who in 2013 was groped by Manos in a class, felt safe to study with him. 

(By the way, one of the teachers who resigned from the SF Iyengar Institute faculty after that vote was my future main teacher, Donald Moyer. Donald later told us this entire story about Iyengar and Manouso during my teacher training.) 

After hearing Karen Rain talk briefly about this problem, I wrote down on a piece of paper “We have to keep this topic alive.” So, in that spirit, I’m going to share a list of teachers who have been accused of sexual abuse some of whom there are stories about that are fading away: A List of Yoga Scandals Involving Gurus, Teachers, Students, Sex and Other Inappropriate Behaviour.

Do I know for sure that all the accusations in this list are true? No, I do not. However, while it is never the fault of a “victim” if they have been sexually abused—so I don’t want to imply that I blame anyone for studying with the wrong teacher—if you want to intentionally avoid predators or being part of a lineage that still venerates a predator, there are steps you can take. Vet your teachers in advance. Do some research. Ask teachers that you do respect for their honest assessments. Ask other students who have studied with the teacher in very frank terms. And if you do take a class and get any kind of icky feelings, no matter what kind of reputation that teacher might have, follow your intuition and leave! 

The goal of yoga is Kaivalya, independency and not wrong devotion. —R. Sriram 

Here are some other posts I’ve written on sexual abuse in the yoga world. 

In my post Yoga Teachers Who Abuse Their Students I discussed the benefits of finally talking about these issues in the yoga community, both for the healing of individuals who experienced abuse and for making changes in institutions and communities to prevent future abuse. 

In #MeToo with Names I discuss the KQED article about SF Bay Area teachers who are mentioned by name, Manouso Manos, Zubin Shroff, and Allan Nett. 

In Yoga Nidra, Satyananda Saraswati, and Sexual Abuse I discuss the credible evidence that Satyananda as well as several of his disciples were involved in sexually abusing students and even children at the Bihar School of Yoga Ashram.

In Abuse of Power in the Yoga World I discuss the accusations against Kasthub Desikachar, and quote R. Sriram’s advice about the role of the teacher and the student and his recommendations about yoga the Viniyoga community should deal with Kasthub.


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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 Inquiry and Agency in the Asana Practice

by Carey Sims

Nana Power by Niki de Saint Phalle

Some of the things that make our asana practice so effective can prove problematic if we start to misinterpret or misuse them. Many of us have experienced the hypnotic effect of linking breath, movement, and awareness. The endorphins released after a Vinyasa Flow class can be downright intoxicating and simply taking time to pause for a few minutes in Savasana can seem revolutionary in a society perpetually in the fast lane. I don’t mean to discount these experiences; I too love a good yoga buzz and am a sucker for a long Savasana. But my query is, when are we turning off our own physical and emotional feedback mechanisms and engaging in unhealthy practices in the name of transformation? 

We are told that yoga is more than exercise and that yoga is inherently good for us. In many cases these things are indeed true, but when we become addicted to the routine, the blissful feelings of our practice can cause us to tune out instead of tuning in. And if we dissociate in our practice we might not sense when the body is telling us to slow down or stop, causing us to go beyond our safe edge and careen into pain or injury. Conversely, we might be acutely aware of those signals and simply not yield to them under the guise that there is something larger at play. The solution is to stay reliably curious in our practice and keep tabs our personal agency. We will then begin to notice places of potential and also of unwitting harm. 

I have a student, Allison, who started coming to yoga because of spinal stenosis and back discomfort. I recently saw her grimacing in a posture, and when I asked her if she was okay, she shook her head “No.” I inquired why she remained in the shape if she was physically hurting? She didn’t have an immediate response, but she became interested in seeking an answer. She later revealed that she stayed in the posture because she thought the intensity meant something was “shifting.” Allison suffers from intense chronic pain and has learned to ignore her body’s feedback; something she hadn’t really explored until my question. She can sit through a level pain that many of us can’t imagine. This can be dangerous. I never want a student to hurt in a shape or movement. There is always a way to find equanimity; it just takes curiosity and exploration on the part of the student and teacher. This particular posture clearly wasn’t working and we found another option that she connected with. 

A few weeks later Allison pulled me aside after class told me that she’d started keeping a pain diary and is becoming aware of places where she is powering through her discomfort. Her yoga practice is one of those places. She has been ignoring her pain as a way to live with it. Letting the volume of her pain get too loud would be debilitating so she let it become white noise beneath the surface. I encouraged her to listen to the loudest parts a little at a time and she gathered the courage to do so. She now modifies her shapes and we check in before, during, and after class to see how she is doing. An observation in a yoga posture and a simple conversation offered her a reflection into her experience—a place she’s become curious about. The relationship to her body, mind, and spirit has the  potential to shift as a result.

At its core, our asana practice is a practice of inquiry. The shapes are merely blueprints of possibility. Our personal practice is a conversation between our body and breath where respectful listening is key. It is a process where the outcome is not as important as moment-to-moment presence and attentiveness. 

For the student and the teacher this practice of inquiry centers on relationship. As yoga teachers, we are partners with our students. When we collaborate with our students we avoid the trap of thinking we have the answers, we stay open, and we both learn. We must embody the same spirit of curiosity and skillful observation we are asking our students to employ. Our students know their bodies better than we ever will; their autonomy is key. Yoga teachers do have specific knowledge and techniques we can offer our students, but it is up to each student to explore a technique and decide if it is working for them or not.

Students you can empower your practice by realizing that your teacher simply guides you to places you can chose to explore. Yoga teachers offer options, not answers. Your physical and emotional anatomies are uniquely yours and something that works for others may not necessarily work for you. Talk with your teacher and develop a rapport that allows you to signal them when something isn’t resonating with you—it may be an alternate posture or a simple wave of your hand. If they are resistant then it may be time to find another teacher. Calling something healing, or spiritual, doesn’t necessarily make it so; our relationships to others and ourselves determine those values. 

For all practitioners, here are a few questions to consider: 

1. Where might I be ignoring my body’s feedback? Why? 
2. Where can I be more curious in my practice? Where can I listen more attentively? 
3. What myths do I hold about my yoga practice? How do they shape how I practice? 
4. Where have I given away my power? To whom or what? Where can I reassert my agency on and off of the mat?

Carey Sims, RYT500, E-RYT200 lives in Charlotte, NC, where he teaches at NoDa Yoga and offers Chair Yoga at various senior living centers in the Charlotte area. He is a student of Adaptive Yoga pioneer Matthew Sanford (Mind Body Solutions, Minnetonka, MN.) Carey’s mission is to use Yoga to help students explore their bodies in an accepting and non-judgmental way. 


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Video of the Week: Dynamic New Moon Slides

Dynamic New Moon Slides lengthen the sides of your body body and mobilize and strengthen your shoulders. In this pose, which is a variation of Dynamic Crescent Moon pose, you take only one arm up and keep the other arm at your side, with your hand pressing into your outer leg. For some people, this variation is easier for your arms and shoulders, making the pose accessible to more people. 

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: Gayatri Mantra

Summer Afternoon by Eyvind Earle

Q: I've been reading about Brahma Muhurta. I have started chanting Gayatri Mantra a few days ago and I was doing it from 6am to 7:45... Now, tomorrow morning I will do it from 4:16 am (1 hour and 36 minutes before sunrise) to 5:52 am. My question is: Is there also an appropriate time for the practice of meditation/mantras in the afternoon? 

A: The Vedic texts are replete with mantras (sacred sounds) to propitiate nature. Thus, the texts have mantras to appease the planets, stars, nature (seasons, climate (rain, summer, winter)], wildlife, crops, etc that can be recited at any time of the day. 

Specifically, Gayatri Mantra is a part of an entire SandhyaVandanam (salutations to the natural planetary transitions-in this case the SUN) and consists of recitation again from the Vedic texts. Sandhyavandanam literally means "salutation to Sun" at the different transitions (rising, noon, setting), hence the mantra is recited three times a day; morning (prataḥsaṃdhya), noon (madhyahnika) and evening (sayaṃsaṃdhya). You are welcome to chant/recite the Mantra at these different times (Brahma Muhurta time, Noon and the time at which the sun sets). 

A simple silent 15 mins meditation is also helpful if you are not into chanting or recitation. There are so many benefits of a silent meditation practice that we have discussed in this blog. I like to meditate early in the morning so my day starts of well, noon time meditation helps to consolidate the peace and calmness and evening mediation is a good practice to settle down from the day’s events.

—Ram

Four Ways to Survive the Holidays (Rerun)

by Nina

Hegel's Holiday by Rene Magritte*

We’re quickly moving into the full-blown, end of the year holiday season that is Thanksgiving followed by Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa and topped off by New Year’s Eve. For many of us, this time of year is very challenging. We have too much to do. We’re traveling through snow and rain to get some place and then a few days after that slogging home again. And when we’re together for days at a time with family members, old behavior patterns and conflicts can raise their ugly heads. Or maybe we can’t be with family—or don’t have one—so the whole season looks nothing like at all like a Hollywood movie. And yet there are always those expectations for having a “wonderful” time. So it’s no wonder this time of year many of us experience disappointment and sadness, not to mention stress and anxiety.

But this year we have our whole yoga toolbox at our fingertips, so I’m sure we can all do a better job of surviving these challenges with a measure of equanimity and grace.

After some thought, I’ve decided to suggest a two-part strategy. The first is to use the wisdom of yoga to change your attitude toward the holidays. It seems that in great part it is our plans going awry or hopes being crushed that cause so much emotional difficulty during this time. By changing your attitude, you can do your best not to get stressed out in the first place. Then because, well, some amount of stress is inevitable—even when we trying our best not to let things get to us, we tend to crack once in a while—you can use your favorite yoga stress reduction techniques to calm yourself  down and quiet your mind.

YOGA TIPS FOR SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS

 1. Consider your attachment to your plans and hopes for the holidays.

The Yoga Sutras tells us in sutra 3.3 that attachment to pleasure and aversion to pain are two of the “afflictions” that cause human suffering.

And it seems to me that one of the pleasures we become attached to is our fantasies about how our lives will turn out (see Attachment (Raga) to Our Ideas About Ourselves). So start by recognizing your attachment to your plans and hopes for the holiday season. And admit to yourself that your attachment to those plans IS an affliction. (As I wrote in Attachment (Raga) to Our Ideas About Ourselves, I sometimes think we cling to our attachments in a form of magical thinking, because we feel as if holding on to our plans and hopes will make some kind of magic that will allow us to obtain what we desire.) Then see if you can work your way to letting go of some of those attachments. 

And maybe the discomfort we feel while traveling and while witnessing—or even participating in—family conflicts is pain to which we feel aversion. Can you try to shift your thinking a bit about whether the suffering these situations causes you is inevitable? 

As the Bhagavad Gita says, “When a man has mastered himself, he is perfectly at ease in cold, in heat, in pleasure or pain, in honor or disgrace.” And speaking of family members, the Gita says this, too:

He looks impartially on all:
those who love him or hate him,
his kinsmen, his enemies, his friends

the good, and also the wicked.

2. Go ahead with your plans, but do your work with “detachment” or “skill in actions,” as the Gita recommends. 

The wise man lets go of all

results, whether good or bad,

and is focused on the action alone.

Yoga is skill in actions.

So take your trip, help with all that cooking, give your gifts, spend time with your family members, and open your home to others, all without worrying about success or failure. This is the combination of active engagement and acceptance that we’ve been writing about since the early days of the blog (see What We Need to Practice and Acceptance, Active Engagement, and the Bhagavad Gita), which is the way to achieve equanimity in your everyday life. And equanimity is definitely something we can all use a bit more during the holidays.

3. Practice yoga for stress management to quiet your nervous system and your mind.

Reducing your stress levels will support your ability to put the wisdom of yoga in to practice. After all, yoga’s relaxing practices, including meditation and pranayama, were developed specifically to help quiet the mind so a yogic approach toward life would be possible. See The Relaxation Response and Yoga. For those who are pressed for time, here are a few suggestions: 

• Mini Restorative Practice (see Featured Sequence: Mini Restorative Practice)
• One or more Supported Inverted Poses (see All About Supported Inverted Poses)
• Meditation session (see Starting a Meditation Practice)
• Body Scan or Yoga Nidra (see Audio Tracks for guided versions by Baxter)
• Breath Practices that calm you (see Friday Q&A: Breath Practices for Anxiety)

4. Let contentment lead to joy.  

Both Ram and I have written about cultivating santosha as an important part of yoga practice (see Santosha: Happiness and Longevity and Yoga and the Pursuit of Happiness). Santosha means "contentment" and TKV Desikachar defines contentment as "the ability to be comfortable with what we have and what we do not have."

To help you cultivate contentment, the Yoga Sutras recommends meditation, pranayama (breath practices) and detachment. And then there’s this:

1.33 Through cultivation of friendliness, compassion, joy, and indifference to pleasure and pain, virtue and vice respectively, the consciousness becomes favorably disposed, serene and benevolent.

Well, that certainly seems like a good approach for the holiday season. So I wish you joy—no matter what your plans are this year.


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

Go with the Flow: Swadhisthana (Sacral) Chakra

by Beth

Waterfall by Arshille Gorky

This is part 3 in my series on the chakras. See Chakras: Guides on the Path to Healing to review the introduction to the series and Stand Your Ground with the Muladhara (Root) Chakra to read my post on Muladhara (Root) chakra. This post will cover Swadhisthana, the Sacral chakra. 

Traditionally, the chakra system is a meditation practice for nyāsa, which means ‘to place’ or take the mind to specific points in the body and then place a mantra, deity, or symbol at each energetic point. The science of tantra (about two thousand years ago) opened the door to viewing the chakras as a model of the human being and using the tools of hatha yoga to explore them. As 21st century yoga practitioners, we have a responsibility to honor the source of knowledge gifted to us from the Sanskrit texts and tantric traditions while making appropriate interpretations and modifications to fit our times, cultures and lifestyles. 

From this contemporary perspective, we can view the chakras as a map for our journey through life as we evolve from basic needs toward a more subtle and spiritual understanding of existence. Joseph LePage says:

“At each step of the journey, the chakras describe an area of our lives for exploration, integration and transformation.” 

The focus of the first chakra is on grounding, stability, safety, and security, which are qualities related to the earth element. The second chakra is associated with the water element and the focus is on feelings, movement, and sensation. 

The Sacral chakra is said to be located four fingers-width below the navel and be related to the lower abdomen, sexual organs, reproductive glands, hips, and pelvis. It is suggested that here is where we work to sense, feel, and recognize our desires, creativity, and emotions, along with our need for pleasure and healthy sexuality. A key lesson is to release control over others in favor of gaining control over ourselves. 

According to yoga tradition, imbalance in this energy may, like chronic stress, be a factor in low back, hip, and pelvic pain, sciatica, obstetrical and gynecological problems, sexual potency problems, or urinary problems. Stephen Levine in his book, Healing Into Life and Death, points out that grave injury and trauma in this area through sexual abuse, abandonment, or betrayal will take time and careful work to heal and may require professional help. So, our challenge is to embrace change, take personalized appropriate action, and manage life’s flow when it is pleasurable and when it brings difficult transitions, pain, and loss. It is important to understand that a total healing may not be possible. Anodea Judith makes this point in her book Eastern Body Western Mind: 

“The second chakra is essentially a movement chakra which is never fully healed as it is constantly in a state of change. If there were a touchstone for a healed second chakra, it might be the ability to embrace change without losing one’s core stability.”

That’s a tall order, since life, like water, sometimes flows gently and sometimes requires us to navigate some pretty rough and tumble rapids. 

Since there is no scientific way to understand the chakras, we will need to sharpen our ability to sense them with intuition and insight. According to Martha Graham, the mother of modern dance in America, “The body never lies.” Fortunately, we all have bodies and working with the body through yoga is an excellent way to become aware of the connection between our energetic and physical anatomies (see Chakras: Guides on the Path to Healing). 

When I consider my ongoing work with second chakra issues, I find that movement is a natural pleasurable go-to solution. If I’m sluggish, feeling blue, or creatively stuck, I can get clarity and shift my energy by dancing, walking, doing yoga, going for a drive, or working out at the gym. 

The lesson of releasing control over others in favor of gaining control over myself is another matter. My understanding of this issue came to fruition in my adult life as a reaction to difficult experiences with boyfriends, two husbands, and a few unfortunate work and social relationships. I experienced a lot of disappointment until I faced what I was doing wrong. 

That realization came about while I was studying chakravidya (knowledge of the chakras), as part of my yoga therapy training. At the same time I was working my way through the aftermath of an emergency hysterectomy while in the middle of a difficult marriage. That perfect storm of circumstance helped me come to grips with and better understand what I sensed as a connection between my physical issues and the energetic issues in my Sacral chakra. Even now, when I scan my chakras, I can sense an imbalance and blockage in this area so I know that as a recovering co-dependent perfectionist (see Yoga Therapy for Perfectionism) I have more healing to do. 

For a deep, user-friendly dive into the contemporary view of the chakras, I recommend Eastern Body, Western Mind by Anodea Judith. To work with your body and sense the energy of the sacral chakra, I recommend the following yoga practices. 

Asana: Dynamic Cobra (Bhujangasana) 

1. Come to the floor and take a hands and knees position, with your knees hips-width apart and your arms shoulder-width apart and outstretched. 

2. Exhale as you sit back onto your heels in Child’s pose (Balasana) to generate a feeling of safety, security and self-nourishment.

3. Inhale and move through hands and knees position to lower yourself into your comfortable version of Cobra pose. 

4. Exhale and push yourself up to your hands and knees and sit back into Child’s pose. 

5. Pick a pace and rhythm that is comfortable for your body as you move through the flow. 

6. Repeat at your chosen pace for 30 seconds to a minute or more.

Pranayama: Watching the Flow of the Breath 

This should take no more than 2 to 3 minutes and can be done several times throughout the day. 

1. Bring yourself to comfortable position, either seated or lying down. 

2. Bring your attention to your breath and the fact that you are breathing. 

3. Notice your breath and the flow of its four parts:

• Watch your inhalation 
• Notice the slight pause before your exhalation 
• Watch your exhalation 
• Notice the slight pause before the next inhalation

4. Let the four parts of the breath flow naturally while you simply witness. 

Mudra: Swadhisthana Mudra 

In Mudras for Healing and Transformation, by Joseph and Lilian Le Page, the Swadhisthana mudra is said to be helpful for balancing the energy of second chakra by cultivating self-nourishment, supporting the health of the reproductive and urinary systems, and releasing tension from the sacrum and lower back. There are no contraindications. 

1. Place your right hand over your lower abdomen, with your thumb resting just below your navel. 

2. Cup your left hand and hold it facing upward at the level of your navel and slightly angled to the left of your body, with your forearm parallel to the earth. 

3. Soften your shoulders and allow you spine to be naturally aligned.

4. As your hold the mudra, watch for sensations like pulsing, tingling, or feelings of movement within your body. 

5. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths or longer if you are comfortable.

Affirmation 

The following affirmation be repeated on its own at any time or while practicing Dynamic Cobra or holding Swadhisthana mudra:

“With awareness and balance I go with the flow of life.” 

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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.