Discover Yoga Anatomy Day 2, Krishnamachrya Yoga Mandiram
The sessions today were a continuation of yesterday's focus on exploring the spine as central to yoga practise and philosophy. We carried on looking at the gross, physical level and during the course we will go inwards to the subtle and esoteric, although of course all these dimensions are intrinsically interlinked.
Yesterday we looked at how each element is represented in the body and today we attributed it to sections of the spine and to its function as follows. This relates to the chakras but we will explore this in further detail later.
Base of the Spine - Earth - Illimination
Lower Spine - Water - Reproduction
Naval Centre - Fire - Digestion
Chest/Heart - Air - Respiration
Throat - Space - Communication
Forehead - Sensory - Perception
Top of the head - Cognition
Pancha Maya
A key concept to the vedic view of the mind - body is the the 5 Mayas, dimensions/layers.sheaves which are fluid and affect each other:
.
Anamaya
The gross, physical body comes from food, we literally are what we eat, and then we join at this level we join the food cycle when we die. As we are starting from the outside we discussed ways in which we can define and understand Anamaya as follows:
Kosas
There are 6 kosa's (bags) which constitue the human body structure, its organs and its key functions
Svasa Kosa - Lungs/ Respiration - Nourishment
Annakosa - Stomach / Digestion - Nourishment
Mutra Kosa - Urinary Bladder - Elimination
Mala Kosa - Rectum - Elimination
Rajo Kosa - Uterus - Procreation
Viriya Kosa - Scrotum - Procreation
If the 3 primary functions, nourishment, elimination and procreation, are working correctly then we will be healthy. It is prana, life force, which provides energy for these actions.
Dhatus
From the Ayurvedic perspective the anamaya is summarised by the seven Dhatu's which is the essential structures and the various types of tissue which the human body is made of. The word Dhatu in Sanskrit means "that which forms the body". The root Dha means support and the Dhatus sustain the body. The transformation of Annam / food happens in every dhatu with the vital force of agni.
Rasa - Essential nutrition, the semi-fluid which is produced in the stomach through digestion
Rakta - Blood
Mamsa - Flesh, muscle tissue
Medas - Adipose, fat, responsible for lubrication
Asthi - Bone, provides strength to the body
Majji - Bone marrow and nerve cells
Sukra / Arthava - Reproductive fluids, semen in the male and the ovum in the female. A part of this dhatu transform itself into the ojas.
Ojas - Translated as immunity, energy, vigour and is an abstract entity with no equivalent in modern medicine. It is the interface between the spiritual and material dimensions.
Subtle / casual bodies
There are metaphysic ideas such as karma which relate to yogic philosophy as follows:
Karma An action done today will affect how we are reborn the future lives.
Sarira
A concept we have to accept within our investigation is that of the Sarira's which can be described as a body or vehicle which is impermanent and through which an ethereal entity lives and works.
Sthul SariraGross body at the physical plane. At the moment of death the soul leaves the physical body.
Suksma Sarira
Subtle astral body, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnamaya
The sould carries impressions from past lives which affect new life. For example a supremely talented musician may not be attributed to genetics but to skills mastered in past lives. Thoughts and beliefs also shaped by past experiences.
Karana Sarira
Causal, mental and bliss body.
There are many concepts which are new to me here but I am sure as the course progresses I will grasp a better understanding of the relevance of these ideas. For now I am as amazed as ever at how these ancient wisdoms defined such complex understandings of the planes of human existence!
Interpretation of Pantajali's Yoga Sutras
III 21 Kaya rupa saroyamat tad gratya sakti stamble caksuh prakasa asamprayage antardhanam
When you reflect on the body and its form you can become invisible.
This sutra is about removing identification in the physical body and shedding the ego until you become invisible, without the ego there is nothing to see. By reflecting on body and travelling inwards through the practise of yoga your mind is in a state of clarity, you become very clear about your qualities and no longer seek reassurance from others. You accept both the good and bad and can just be.
To transcend form need to go beyond the Tanmatras, the five senses, which is how we perceive the external world.
Shabda - Sound
Sparsa - Touch
Rupa - Form
Rasa - Taste
Gandha - smell
Kaya akasayah sambarolo samyama agnithimla sampattesca akasaga mama
When you reflect deeply on the link between space and body you become light and weightless.
In a literal sense this can relate to the siddhi/power of levatation however this is not accessible to most of us and more relevantly we can attribute this to the lightness of the mind which happens in the sattwic state. When we move inwards through the dimensions of the Maya's we get lighter and lighter until we reach pure soul, Atman. In this light, blissful state you can float through life and problems can not weigh you down.
We can relate these moving inwards and reflection to moving through the Bhutas which in themselves each have negative and positive attributes:
Prithi - Earth - Tamas - Relates to the Kleshas which are the obstructions which hold you back and weigh you down. On a positive side Prithi provides stability and grounding.
Water - Relates to the senses which are constantly moving and go everywhere as well as cleansing and purification.
Agni - Fire - Desire and digestion, elimination of what doesn't serve you
Vayu - Wind - Relates to Abhinevesa/ fear.
Akasa - Space - When we have moved through the elements we then have the space to change and evolve.
Application of Yogic Anatomy - Classification of the Postures
In this session we continued looking at how the ancient masters, sages and rishis classified the asanas with the central focus on the movement of the spine. Yesterday we looked at Purvatana postures which is an expansion of the East/ front/anterior of the body and today we looked at those which extend the back.
Pascimutana
Pasci - transalated as West and so relates to the back of the spine / posterior
Tana - means Stretch
Pascimutana poses work on extending and lengthening the back of the spine to enable the chakras to be aligned and prana to flow. For example Paschimottanasana, Uttanasana, Padhastasana, Prasarita Paddutanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Apanasana.
To help lengthen the spine we use Stithi in many of these postures where by after exhaling into the posture we take an inhale and stretch the spine further before exhaling to deepen the posture.
Purvatana postures are done on an inhalation and the basic idea of the posture is nourishment.
Pascimanata postures are executed on an exhalation and they relate to elimination. These posture reduce toxins, by sending what we don't need to the naval to get burnt.
Yogic Anatomy - Modifications and Therapeutic Applications
In this session we observed the spine, which is best done when person is standing in tadasana with feet together, and how you could offer modications and develop a personalised practise for someone with misalignment.
Kyphosis
Rounding of the shoulders, restricted breathing as the ribcage can't fully expand and kneck restricted. If it is severe than start with subtle movements which open up restricted areas such as standing in tadasana and inhaling arms up above the head and down, then using a wall to one arm at a time reaching up and back to begin chest opening or modified half forward bend using a table for support.
Lordosis
Excess curvature in the lower spine which causes back pain, weight of the body to be off balance and the pelvis misaligned. It is best to begin with seated forward bends as the hips are grounded and support and pelvis stabilised. Also work on core strength to support the lower back.
Scoliosis
Lateral deviation of the spine which can be identified by the hips or shoulders being not level, one leg may be longer than the other and when someone is lying down the ribcage may show different levels of elevation. When you have pinpointed how the spine is deiviated than can prescribe lateral movements such as standing up and leaning to one side - do twice on the side which needs balancing and once on the other
The sessions today were a continuation of yesterday's focus on exploring the spine as central to yoga practise and philosophy. We carried on looking at the gross, physical level and during the course we will go inwards to the subtle and esoteric, although of course all these dimensions are intrinsically interlinked.
Yesterday we looked at how each element is represented in the body and today we attributed it to sections of the spine and to its function as follows. This relates to the chakras but we will explore this in further detail later.
Base of the Spine - Earth - Illimination
Lower Spine - Water - Reproduction
Naval Centre - Fire - Digestion
Chest/Heart - Air - Respiration
Throat - Space - Communication
Forehead - Sensory - Perception
Top of the head - Cognition
Pancha Maya
A key concept to the vedic view of the mind - body is the the 5 Mayas, dimensions/layers.sheaves which are fluid and affect each other:
Anamaya
The gross, physical body comes from food, we literally are what we eat, and then we join at this level we join the food cycle when we die. As we are starting from the outside we discussed ways in which we can define and understand Anamaya as follows:
Kosas
There are 6 kosa's (bags) which constitue the human body structure, its organs and its key functions
Svasa Kosa - Lungs/ Respiration - Nourishment
Annakosa - Stomach / Digestion - Nourishment
Mutra Kosa - Urinary Bladder - Elimination
Mala Kosa - Rectum - Elimination
Rajo Kosa - Uterus - Procreation
Viriya Kosa - Scrotum - Procreation
If the 3 primary functions, nourishment, elimination and procreation, are working correctly then we will be healthy. It is prana, life force, which provides energy for these actions.
Dhatus
From the Ayurvedic perspective the anamaya is summarised by the seven Dhatu's which is the essential structures and the various types of tissue which the human body is made of. The word Dhatu in Sanskrit means "that which forms the body". The root Dha means support and the Dhatus sustain the body. The transformation of Annam / food happens in every dhatu with the vital force of agni.
Rasa - Essential nutrition, the semi-fluid which is produced in the stomach through digestion
Rakta - Blood
Mamsa - Flesh, muscle tissue
Medas - Adipose, fat, responsible for lubrication
Asthi - Bone, provides strength to the body
Majji - Bone marrow and nerve cells
Sukra / Arthava - Reproductive fluids, semen in the male and the ovum in the female. A part of this dhatu transform itself into the ojas.
Ojas - Translated as immunity, energy, vigour and is an abstract entity with no equivalent in modern medicine. It is the interface between the spiritual and material dimensions.
Subtle / casual bodies
There are metaphysic ideas such as karma which relate to yogic philosophy as follows:
Karma An action done today will affect how we are reborn the future lives.
Sarira
A concept we have to accept within our investigation is that of the Sarira's which can be described as a body or vehicle which is impermanent and through which an ethereal entity lives and works.
Sthul SariraGross body at the physical plane. At the moment of death the soul leaves the physical body.
Suksma Sarira
Subtle astral body, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnamaya
The sould carries impressions from past lives which affect new life. For example a supremely talented musician may not be attributed to genetics but to skills mastered in past lives. Thoughts and beliefs also shaped by past experiences.
Karana Sarira
Causal, mental and bliss body.
There are many concepts which are new to me here but I am sure as the course progresses I will grasp a better understanding of the relevance of these ideas. For now I am as amazed as ever at how these ancient wisdoms defined such complex understandings of the planes of human existence!
Interpretation of Pantajali's Yoga Sutras
III 21 Kaya rupa saroyamat tad gratya sakti stamble caksuh prakasa asamprayage antardhanam
When you reflect on the body and its form you can become invisible.
This sutra is about removing identification in the physical body and shedding the ego until you become invisible, without the ego there is nothing to see. By reflecting on body and travelling inwards through the practise of yoga your mind is in a state of clarity, you become very clear about your qualities and no longer seek reassurance from others. You accept both the good and bad and can just be.
To transcend form need to go beyond the Tanmatras, the five senses, which is how we perceive the external world.
Shabda - Sound
Sparsa - Touch
Rupa - Form
Rasa - Taste
Gandha - smell
Kaya akasayah sambarolo samyama agnithimla sampattesca akasaga mama
When you reflect deeply on the link between space and body you become light and weightless.
In a literal sense this can relate to the siddhi/power of levatation however this is not accessible to most of us and more relevantly we can attribute this to the lightness of the mind which happens in the sattwic state. When we move inwards through the dimensions of the Maya's we get lighter and lighter until we reach pure soul, Atman. In this light, blissful state you can float through life and problems can not weigh you down.
We can relate these moving inwards and reflection to moving through the Bhutas which in themselves each have negative and positive attributes:
Prithi - Earth - Tamas - Relates to the Kleshas which are the obstructions which hold you back and weigh you down. On a positive side Prithi provides stability and grounding.
Water - Relates to the senses which are constantly moving and go everywhere as well as cleansing and purification.
Agni - Fire - Desire and digestion, elimination of what doesn't serve you
Vayu - Wind - Relates to Abhinevesa/ fear.
Akasa - Space - When we have moved through the elements we then have the space to change and evolve.
Application of Yogic Anatomy - Classification of the Postures
In this session we continued looking at how the ancient masters, sages and rishis classified the asanas with the central focus on the movement of the spine. Yesterday we looked at Purvatana postures which is an expansion of the East/ front/anterior of the body and today we looked at those which extend the back.
Pascimutana
Pasci - transalated as West and so relates to the back of the spine / posterior
Tana - means Stretch
Pascimutana poses work on extending and lengthening the back of the spine to enable the chakras to be aligned and prana to flow. For example Paschimottanasana, Uttanasana, Padhastasana, Prasarita Paddutanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Apanasana.
To help lengthen the spine we use Stithi in many of these postures where by after exhaling into the posture we take an inhale and stretch the spine further before exhaling to deepen the posture.
Purvatana postures are done on an inhalation and the basic idea of the posture is nourishment.
Pascimanata postures are executed on an exhalation and they relate to elimination. These posture reduce toxins, by sending what we don't need to the naval to get burnt.
Yogic Anatomy - Modifications and Therapeutic Applications
In this session we observed the spine, which is best done when person is standing in tadasana with feet together, and how you could offer modications and develop a personalised practise for someone with misalignment.
Kyphosis
Rounding of the shoulders, restricted breathing as the ribcage can't fully expand and kneck restricted. If it is severe than start with subtle movements which open up restricted areas such as standing in tadasana and inhaling arms up above the head and down, then using a wall to one arm at a time reaching up and back to begin chest opening or modified half forward bend using a table for support.
Lordosis
Excess curvature in the lower spine which causes back pain, weight of the body to be off balance and the pelvis misaligned. It is best to begin with seated forward bends as the hips are grounded and support and pelvis stabilised. Also work on core strength to support the lower back.
Scoliosis
Lateral deviation of the spine which can be identified by the hips or shoulders being not level, one leg may be longer than the other and when someone is lying down the ribcage may show different levels of elevation. When you have pinpointed how the spine is deiviated than can prescribe lateral movements such as standing up and leaning to one side - do twice on the side which needs balancing and once on the other
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