Bend Back To Go Forward
/Dear Yogis.
I seem to be teaching more and more backbends these days. When I see my backbends on my Zoom screen after folding postures they resemble board more than bend and I feel stiff. I have to laugh when I think how people may excuse themselves from yoga because they can’t touch their toes. No one offers the excuse that they can’t walk around in crab as they used to in the primary school playground. That’s the better goal.
Here’s another thing; I feel better with backbends. Just like a morning stretch (an informal backbend!) that opens up the front of the body, stretches the internal organs, lifts the heart and makes us feel ready, backbends are like that and more. A quick google about backbends brings up articles about how miraculous, virtuous, chakra-stimulating, energy-giving, depression-fighting, stress-busting, confidence-giving, stamina-building and calming backbends are.
Here’s another thing; forward folds are about dealing with the past and looking inward; backbends are about embracing the future and opening yourself to new experiences. Does that help you understand your reaction to them? Yoga postures are asking you: ‘So, what’s up?’
Ekhart yoga says: 'As backbends open the chest and upper body they stimulate the Heart chakra (Anahata) allowing us to open more fully in our lives too; to our emotions, experiences and in our relationships. Strong backbends can sometimes release stored emotions: frustration, fear, anger, sadness as well as joy and love, so it’s not unusual to feel some of this again as it works through your body. I’ve felt irritated after a backbend class but I’ve also finished a practice with a real sense of love and compassion. Either way, for me I would rather have these emotions released!'
Training
I found this! Free Online Webinar Yoga for Respiratory Health. A simple 60 minute yogic process to boost immunity and enhance lung capacity. The write-up says: Sadhguru specifically designed this yogic process to support the respiratory system, enhance lung capacity and boost immunity. Benefits Enhances the lung capacity Enhances immunity. More info: www.innerengineering.com
If you are reading this in America, easy: Event Details Today, 23rd Oct at 6 PM PDT and Tuesday Oct 27 1 PM PDT.
For the UK, British Summer Time is 8 hours ahead of Pacific Time. Today’s 6 PM pacific Time class is 2.00 in the morning! However, Tuesday 27th’s 1 PM Pacific Time is 9.00pm here. That’s doable.
Zoom Classes
Don’t forget the Friday Ashtanga class. It’s today at 4.30. I’ll make it as stretchy and backbendy as you need. By the end of the week, full-on Ashtanga doesn’t seem to suit most of you! You can book/click here. See you later.
Yoga in the news
iNews has: Tantra at the British Museum: sex, death, yoga and the Rolling Stones ‘Tantra: Enlightenment to Revolution, a new exhibition at the British Museum, opens with an excerpt from a documentary on Tantra produced by Mick Jagger and his art dealer friend, Robert Fraser (aka Groovy Bob, a cultural lodestar of 1960s London.)’
I love this headline from the Bangkok Post: Yoga: first choice or last resort? ""And now, Yoga", the opening epithet that launches Patanjali's famous compilation, the "Yoga Sutras". His intention was to intimate to the reader that he knows you have tried everything and now, Yoga is possibly one of the last few solutions that you are exploring.”
