Yoga World is back! After a two year (!) hiatus, we 're back with the concluding episodes of Season 3: All About Asana.
In this episode, we discuss the nature of "alignment" throughout the last hundred years. Did older texts talk about alignment? When did it become important, and how did that change the way we practice yoga? Is alignment a good idea? We cover early pioneers such as Krishnamacharya, Shivananda and Yogendra, as well as Iyengar and Jois, all the way into the modernity of Birch. This episode is the first of two about alignment, covering the first three "buckets" of what it means. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Balancing Stick is a common posture in the Ghosh lineage. It is also in Bikram Yoga (26+2). It is essentially the same posture as what is known as Warrior 3, or Virabhadrasana 3, in Iyengar and flow styles of yoga. The purpose of the posture in the Ghosh lineage is to 1) cultivate balance, 2) strengthen the back of the body, particularly the back of the standing leg. BEFORE IYENGAR In 1938, Buddha Bose instructs to keep the hands on the hips and "bend forward raising the right leg backwards". In 1963, Dr Gouri Shankar Mukerji instructs to "balance on one leg and lift the other leg back without ending the knees (p. 119)." He says that the posture promotes balance of the body and that the muscles of the hip and back are exercised (p. 120). IYENGAR'S INFLUENCE In 1966, Light On Yoga by Iyengar is published. The impact of this book on yoga is immense. In his instructions for Virabhadrasana 3 he writes about pulling and stretching. The instructions state, "Pull the back of the right thigh and stretch the arms and the left leg as if two persons are pulling you from either end (p. 74)." Nowhere was this language of pulling and stretching found in the Ghosh lineage instructions prior. However, after Iyengar, we do see it. AFTER IYENGAR In 1978, Bikram Choudhury writes in Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class, "The only way to keep your tummy and chest and left leg safe is to stretch your torso forward like crazy by lifting, ever lifting your arms and head, while you stretch more and backward with the pointed foot and ever more forward with the fingertips, all the while lifting at front and back (p. 65)." This is a little wordy and indirect, but still introducing the idea of stretching while in the pose. However, by 2007 the instruction is nearly identical to Iyengar's. Choudhury writes in Bikram Yoga, "Imagine a tug of war: Someone is pulling your back foot toward the wall with all his might and someone else is pulling your outstretched hands as hard as she can in the opposite direction (p. 132)." CONCLUSIONS Iyengar's instructions have most certainly influenced how Balancing Stick is taught. We feel this is somewhat unfortunate for the following reason: the purpose of the posture is lost if we focus not on the standing leg and balance, but on the outstretched arms and back foot. (The concept of traction or stretching in opposite directions is also misleading, but that's for another blog....) Regardless, it's interesting to note the similarities in the postures and the evolution of the instructions. Bibliography:
84 Yoga Asanas by Buddha Bose 84 Yoga Asanas by Gouri Shankar Mukerji Light On Yoga by BKS Iyengar Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class by Bikram Choudhury & Bonnie Reynolds Bikram Yoga by Bikram Choudhury The Ghosh lineage of yoga is unique in the way it understands the relationship between effort and ease. There are three distinct ways, all of which are at play in asana practice.
In this blog series we will describe each of the three, beginning with the first and most basic: posture & rest. SHAVASANA: A VERY BRIEF HISTORY Shavasana, called Corpse or Dead Man Pose, was named as an asana (posture) in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Prior to that, it was a practice called laya yoga in which the practitioner tried to dissolve their material body. In the Ghosh lineage, rest is at the heart of asana practice. This is due to the influence of weightlifting, in which the exertion of force is followed by (sometimes a few) minutes of rest. As asana practice developed in the twentieth century, shavasana was emphasized in the practice of yoga, particularly in northern India and by weightlifters. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRACTICE In the 1960s, Dr Gouri Shankar Mukerji not only writes about the importance of shavasana but says that it must be practiced after every other asana. He writes, "Any asana that you practice gives the full benefit when you end it with Shavasana (p. 12)." Taking it a step further, he explains: "The starting position for all exercises is a relaxation pose that is called Shavasana or Dead Man Pose. This posture is also resumed after each exercise and is to be considered an essential part of Yoga, because this system is based on an alternation between tension and relaxation (p. 5-6)". Not only is shavasana an important posture, but it represents a system of effort and ease that is foundational to the Ghosh lineage style of practice. In the next two blogs, we will examine the other two relationships of effort and ease: pose & counter-pose and muscular function. For years, it has been known that Danish Lieutenant JP Muller's books were very influential on yoga as it developed in the twentieth century.* Muller wrote a handful of books on exercise, his most famous called My System. However, until now we had never realized the extent to which the warm-up series in Bikram Yoga (26+2) so closely follows Muller's exercises in My Breathing System. Muller's Deep Breathing The book My Breathing System was first published in 1914. In it, Muller teaches what he calls "Deep Breathing". Muller writes about the importance of learning to breathe correctly saying, "Of course everybody does breathe after a fashion, otherwise they would die. But few understand how to breathe, inhale and exhale, correctly." He writes about the "evils" of shallow breathing and that deep breathing must be taught. After explaining the concept of deep breathing and anatomical function, he instructs his "Five Minutes' Breathing System". You may recognize the movements! Muller's Five Minute's Breathing System "Exercise 1: Full body breathing combined with backward and forward bending of body combined with bending and straightening of both arms simultaneously." "Exercise 2: One-side full breathing during sideways-bending of trunk, combined with alternative lifting over head and stretching downwards of arms." "Exercise 3: Full breathing during twisting of trunk to alternate sides, combined with arm-raising and lowering to the sides. "Exercise 4: Full breathing during arm-raising to front and lowering, combined with quick deep knee-bending, feet apart and without heel-raising." There are five more exercises in this system, but they are less notable here. One incorporates a common practice at the turn of the twentieth century: rubbing or tapping the body. The additional exercises are also alternative versions of the ones listed above. For example, side bending is repeated but with an emphasis on pushing the hips to the side and bending one knee. And notably, Exercise 4 (deep knee bending) is repeated but with a heel raise. This becomes like the second part of Chair pose in the 26+2. Conclusion While there are many similarities between this and the 26+2, there are of course differences. The 26+2 series places the side bend of the spine before the back and forward bend and does not include a twist. What is interesting about this, is that a twist would benefit the Half Moon warm-up in the 26+2! It's the missing element in the spinal movements. Either way, it is quite stunning to see the bends of the spine followed in order by a position like Chair, with the arms held up and forward. It's also interesting to consider this in a book about deep breathing. Much more could be said about the actual instructions Muller gives and his ideas about the benefits and function of deep breathing. Perhaps we will tackle that in a future blog. For now, we hope you enjoy seeing these 100+ year old photos of what we have come to recognize as Half Moon and Chair. *See Singleton's book Yoga Body Bibliography:
Muller, JP. 1914. My Breathing System. London: Athletic Publications, Ltd. Singleton, M. 2010. Yoga Body. Oxford: Oxford University Press When we strive to be a better as a yogi, a spiritual practitioner or anything else, it is tempting to copy the traits of those we admire. We observe what great practitioners look like, how they carry themselves, what they say and how they act. While this can be helpful to observe, it is important to remember that emulating traits is not the same as doing the work. This is taught in the Hatha Pradipika, Chapter 1.66: "Success is achieved neither by wearing the right clothes nor by talking about it. Practice alone brings success. This is the truth, without a doubt." It doesn't matter what we say, it matters what we practice. It doesn't matter what we look like, it matters what we practice. It doesn't matter how much we talk about our goals, it matters what we practice... This also rings true outside of the yoga world. There is a story about the famous jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins responding to a question about players copying him. He was asked, how do you feel about young saxophonists buying and wearing the same type of shoes you wear? He responded by saying, I hope they copy the important things too. Let's not worry about the clothes. Let's just do the work. Source: Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Trans: Brian Dana Akers, Yoga Vidya
We recently had the pleasure of visiting the Mysore Place for the first time. While many ashtanga yogis venture to Mysore in southern India, we usually travel to the north. That is where Ghosh Yoga comes from. Mysore, however, is where surya namasakar and asana were combined in the early 1900s. This eventually led to "flowing" or "vinyasa" styles of yoga. This meant an acrobatic and performance based style of movement which was used for demonstration and entertainment. In the Mysore region of India, it was thought that any kind of stopping or rest in practice was a waste of time. The benefits of the practice came from continuous movement. However, in the north it was different. The principles that influenced northern styles of yoga were therapeutic function with the use of rest and stillness. The emphasis on stillness and rest within a practice originated at least in part from the influence of weightlifting. Ghosh himself was a bodybuilder and weightlifter. He wrote in his book Muscle Control: "The first most important thing that should be kept in mind is that perfect relaxation of muscles is as good as hardest contraction to build up muscles. One should feel the thrill of relaxation which is most important." Similar principles are found in other systems that originate in the north, such as the yoga taught by Sivananda of Rishikesh and his students like Swami Vishnudevananda. It's important to note these regional differences. While today they are both called asana or yoga, the underlying principles of northern and southern styles are quite different. Over the years, we have started to teach two different versions of Hands to Feet pose. We call these postures Hands to Feet A & B. There are several reasons for this, some of which are historical and others anatomical.
We will focus on the anatomical reasons in this blog, because we've previously written about the historical context. You can find that here. So, what is the difference between the two postures? Hands to Feet A is a forward bend of the spine. It uses the muscle of spinal flexion (rectus abdominis) to round the spine forward and bring the head toward the knees or thighs. If you have ever tried this posture, you probably noticed the intense engagement in the abdomen. However, Hands to Feet B is a hamstrings stretch. In this posture, the pelvis tilts forward. Not only does this require hip flexor engagement, but it also engages the back of the spine. All of this is in services of the hamstrings lengthening. Then, by using arm strength, the upper body is pulled closer to the legs. This is not a forward bend of the spine. It does not use the muscles that bend the spine forward. What does this mean in practice? Either posture is worth practicing. It depends on what we are trying to accomplish. However, it's worth incorporating Hands to Feet A into the Half Moon sequence if we are trying to bend the spine in all directions. Otherwise, if we practice Hands to Feet B only, we bend the spine sideways and backward, but never forward. Years ago, we were finalists for a job with Yoga Journal. We were excited at the potential of the opportunity. It would take us to many different places and immerse us in many different yoga communities.
But just as we started imagining what the job would be like, we were told we were no longer being considered. It was over. We were disappointed. But then we realized that this was our chance to ask ourselves important questions: What was the yoga world missing? What could we try to build that would fill in these gaps? It was at that moment that we decided to start Practice Week. We wanted to create a space that was purely for practice and study. We had noticed that so often, the next step in a yoga practitioner's path is teacher training. But what about personal practice? Even if we choose to teach, we are all students of yoga first and foremost. We had no idea if anyone would show up when we scheduled the immersion. We figured that if no one attended, we would practice by ourselves for a week. But to our amazement, people did. Practice Week became a space where those new or experienced could gather, solely for the purpose of personal development on the path of yoga. We have hosted Practice Week for years now. Each week is different because each one is influenced by the particular group that attends. Some individuals come back year after year, but each year their practice and their particular interests are different: this is progress. Practice Week is a time to explore these changes and recommit to progress in whatever way it may look next. Sometimes we reflect on what would have happened if we got the job. We're glad we didn't. Instead... we practice! All throughout this year, we are celebrating 100 years of Ghosh's College! Sri Bishnu Ghosh founded Ghosh's College of Physical Education in 1923 in Kolkata, India. The original building still stands strong today.
Since January, we have been talking about history and recording special classes for Patreon. Just recently we released a class based on Ghosh's book Yoga Cure. We also have a very special free event scheduled for July 9th. This is an online class open to everyone. We will collect donations from anyone who is able to donate and pass them along to the College for renovation efforts. RSVP here. In the next few months we will also be releasing some commemorative stickers and a very special hand made surprise! The proceeds from these treats will all go to renovating and restoring the iconic building in Kolkata. Let's make it stand 100 more years! #100years #ghoshyoga This blog discusses engagement of the pelvic floor, or what is called mula bandha, the root lock, in yoga. To get where we are now, it's useful to start with a little history. Prior to the 1700s, it was thought that the body was an alchemical vessel. Through manipulating the body, we could move the winds (vayu) or direct life energy upward (sometimes called kundalini). These were practices of hathayoga. It was also believed that life force could leak out of the openings in the body. Therefore one would apply locks and seals (bandha & mudra) to various parts of the body to prevent energy from escaping. One of these, mula bandha, involved the pelvic floor muscles. Nowadays, these beliefs have been extrapolated to mean various things. Sometimes it's taught that pelvic floor engagement makes the body more "stable". Yoga International says that mula bandha is "stabilizing and calming" and "enhances the energy of concentration". But in asana practice, this will not stabilize the body. Here's why. The pelvic floor muscles to do not move the skeleton. Therefore, they cannot make the skeleton more stable. They attach to the opening in the bottom of the pelvis, between the tailbone and the pubic bone. When the pelvic floor muscles engage, they lift the organs above them and tighten the openings of the pelvis. (This is very different than muscles that cross a joint and move the skeleton.) In short, they do not stabilize the skeleton in an asana, because they do not move the skeleton. There is also concern about over strengthening the pelvic floor. This can lead to constipation and pain. Just like any muscle, too loose is not good but too tight is not good either. In conclusion, it is good to consider whether engaging the pelvic floor is useful. If we are trying to manipulate the flow of subtle energy, it may be. If we are trying to stabilize the skeleton, it is not. Sources: Yoga International, Better Health
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AUTHORSScott & Ida are Yoga Acharyas (Masters of Yoga). They are scholars as well as practitioners of yogic postures, breath control and meditation. They are the head teachers of Ghosh Yoga.
POPULAR- The 113 Postures of Ghosh Yoga
- Make the Hamstrings Strong, Not Long - Understanding Chair Posture - Lock the Knee History - It Doesn't Matter If Your Head Is On Your Knee - Bow Pose (Dhanurasana) - 5 Reasons To Backbend - Origins of Standing Bow - The Traditional Yoga In Bikram's Class - What About the Women?! - Through Bishnu's Eyes - Why Teaching Is Not a Personal Practice Categories
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