Shoulder Stand is a favourite asana for many people and may be included in one’s daily practice as a “reward” for all the hard work done earlier in the vinyasa…

In this asana, the body is inverted and supported by the shoulders and arms. All that is required is the rotation of the scapulae (shoulder blades) over the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) to allow the torso to move between the arms. That’s basically it. Yet, anyone who tries to do Sarvangasana knows that it just does not work that way. There are muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia that have shortened and tightened around the shoulder joints and in the rest of the body. There are also injuries, misalignments and emotional blocks that prevent this simple movement. We need to restore the harmony.

So, the challenge of asana is to work with these obstacles as they are presented, in order to express the body/mind essence of Sarvangasana. How one approaches the removal of the obstacles in order to gain freedom of movement, can demonstrate how an individual approaches challenges present in their daily living.

Shoulder Stand, for many, is also seen as an easy place “to hang out”, a place to relax and regard life in general, i.e. “what are the kids doing at home?”; “should I invest on the stock market?”; “what’s for dinner?” And, with this “monkey mind”, we may execute what looks like a decent pose, yet it will obviously not penetrate the blocks and what can and needs to change.

The lower abdomen is considered the “seat of sickness”. Above the lower abdomen lies agni (fire) which burns bodily, emotional and spiritual impurities. In our standing, upright position, the fire is above and the impurities below. When one is inverted, this is reversed and gravity automatically moves this “dirt” downwards towards the fire. Correct, mindful breathing is instrumental in this reversal process, because it can burn impurities and remove them from the body more effectively.

Because of the position of the neck and head, the gaze is directed towards the heart. Sarvangasana is referred to as the “mother of asanas”. As a mother nurtures, Sarvangasana nurtures by allowing one to look into the heart and encourages the heart centre to open. This opening reminds one to approach the challenges, the edges of pain and fear, to see one’s limitations with love and compassion, and to understand that by facing oneself, the edges soften and move, both physically and mentally.

The neck is the lowest part of the torso. Much of the time it acts as a filter for the abundant flow of energy between the mind and the body. This causes it to be extremely subject to tension and stiffness. (i.e.). “Pains in the neck” are self created and can arise through the lack of flexibility in seeing other points of view. The position of the head and neck in this posture is a symbol for the surrender of our will. As the physical pressure is released from this neck lock, the body comes back into balance. It is said that as the ego lets go of its weight that, in its self-importance, it has imagined, the burden is removed.

Sarvangasana is associated with the fifth chakra, Visuddha, the Throat Chakra and symbol of purification. The throat chakra is the centre of sound, vibration and self-expression. It is the realm of consciousness that controls, creates, transmits and receives communication, both within ourselves and between each other. It is here that the synthesising of old ideas into something new takes place.

As much pleasure as this asana brings, one cannot stand forever one one’s shoulders. As you come down from Salamba Sarvangasana, Swami Rhada suggests the focus should be “what burdens can I put down”; “what burdens are no longer mine?”, so that you may walk lighter on the path of self-knowledge and self development.

Step By Step:

• Fold up a blanket and place it towards the top of your mat.
• Lie on your back.Lift your legs up slowly towards the ceiling, bringing your hands to the base of your back to support the lower back and spine.
• Lift your pelvis and bring your feet behind down behind your head (Plow pose). Your legs should be as straight as possible and your torso should be perpendicular to the floor.
• With your hands pressing into your lower back lift your knees into the air.
• Lift your legs into the air.
• Gaze at your chest, being careful not to move your head from side to side.
• You can hold the pose for 2 minutes up to half an hour.

Counter Pose:
Matyasana (Fish Pose)

By Arleen Francois

Emotional Yoga is a unique approach to healing that combines two proven, well-developed modalities – yoga and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).

There is nothing else like Emotional Yoga.  The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), founded by engineer Gary Craig takes a scientific approach to treating pain, disease, and physical ailments and, combined with the widespread physical, mental, emotional and spiritual discipline of yoga that unites mind, body and spirt, Emotional Yoga offers an almagimation of the best of these two disciplines.

About EFT
The premise behind EFT is the “discovery statement” that “The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.” From this discovery, it has become clear too that emotional imbalances often cause physical maladies. So whether you are suffering from physical or emotional pain, EFT will work to eliminate stored stress and help you to heal.

The miracle of the Emotional Freedom Technique is that it resolves physical and emotional issues rapidly and permanently when used correctly. And, because EFT is emotional acupressure, working on the body’s energetic meridians, there are no adverse side-effects. EFT works equally well no matter what the magnitude of the ailment or the emotion. It is effective in treating physical pain, allergies, asthma, depression, OCD, anxiety, guilt, anger, PTSD, addiction, grief, loneliness, and a host of other issues. Furthermore, the technique provides rapid relief to both acute and chronic ailments. Within minutes, the body’s energy system is revitalised and the body’s energetic equilibrium is restored.  Negative emotions and physical pain vanish.

Benefits of Yoga
The benefits of yoga are widely recognized. It is clear, too, that many practitioners of yoga report feeling strong emotional responses when doing yoga poses. By taking the time to tune-in to the inherent wisdom of the body, emotions often arise.

Emotional Yoga
The Emotional Yoga approach employs yoga as a way of getting in touch with the underlying emotional issues that keep people feeling stuck and then uses EFT to release the underlying energetic imbalances. Emotional Yoga brings the experience of EFT to the body level. Effectively, EFT functions as emotional acupressure. The technique, is designed to reduce or eliminate emotional and physical stress by unblocking energetic meridians through tapping on pressure points. Generally, the EFT practitioner works with his or her clients to uncover issues through talk therapy followed by this tapping technique.

Emotional Yoga is designed to unearth emotions that are stored within the body and then to release their energetic impact upon us. Yoga gives us a way into the body and a language for expressing ourselves. EFT releases negative energy from the body. The reason the Emotional Yoga approach can be more effective than EFT alone is that, in Emotional Yoga, both the diagnosis and the treatment occur at the level of the body. The traditional diagnostic approach for EFT relies on the mind for answers. This can be limiting because clients have to interpret their emotional experiences and use their brains to try and make sense of their feelings. Taking this approach, analysis is still essential to the healing process. However, as Gary Craig points out in his explanation of EFT, “The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.”

About Emotional Yoga
Are you suffering from persistent physical or emotional issues?
Are you plagued by any of the following:
·        Anxiety
·        Anger
·        Depression
·        Fears and Phobias
·        PTSD
·        OCD
·        Trauma
·        Addiction
·        Disordered Eating
·        Stress
·        Headaches
·        Persistent Physical Pain

Try Emotional Yoga, it can help.

About the Founder
My name is Daralyse Lyons and I am the founder of Emotional Yoga.  I’m a walking testimonial for the method, which combines yoga with the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).  Using Emotional Yoga, I have recovered from a rampant eating disorder, OCD, depression, anxiety and PTSD.  My life before finding Emotional Yoga felt hopeless. I was institutionalized 18 times at residential treatment facilities for my eating disorder and associated emotional problems. Yet, I remained stuck.

When I first began practising yoga, I used to sit in silence and emotions which I had buried deep within my body finally began to spring forth. Through yoga, I began to become aware of the stored body-pain that had accumulated over years of emotional trauma. Yet, yoga only gave me a means of recognising my pain. It did not ease the emotions that arose “on the mat.”

I had been going to therapy for many years. I went to psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, nutritionists and even hypnotherapists. I believed that if I could correct my negative thinking patterns I could let go of my bulimia and move beyond my childhood traumas.  Then, I stumbled upon EFT. I was hooked from the first session. I let go of negative emotions that I had never been able to release. Yet, for me, something was missing.

The idea to combine yoga and EFT came to me suddenly. I realised that, instead of uncovering the issues that needed to be released through my thoughts, I could get to the underlying feelings physically. The body possesses intuitive emotional wisdom. By tuning in to the body’s messages and by linking specific yoga postures with specific emotions, I could unearth negative emotions that were stored within my body. I could then perform the EFT tapping sequence in order to achieve breakthroughs. These methods have given me lasting emotional freedom.

Ever since my own healing, I have been working with others to help them break down their own emotional walls and to let go of their pain. Using Emotional Yoga, I have successfully helped clients to resolve such problems as chronic pain, phobias, eating disorders, addiction, trauma, OCD, depression, allergies, anxiety, and other physical, mental and emotional barriers to wellness. The Emotional Yoga technique (by combining yoga and EFT) requires tuning in to the wisdom of the body and allowing your body to articulate your emotional state. The practice holds that your experiences in your body and “on the mat” act as a mirror for your experiences in life.

The miracle of these techniques is that they release negative emotions. Once the attachment to the emotion or the behavior or the physical problem is gone, it will be gone forever.

Biography
Daralyse Lyons is a Certified Yoga Instructor.  She received her Yoga Teacher Training at the Yoga Education Institute (a Registered Yoga Alliance School). She has also been trained in Advanced Level EFT. She works with individuals, couples, and groups to help people transform themselves and their lives.  Sessions can be conducted in-person, on the phone, via e-mail or via Skype. Visit www.emotionalyoga.info for more information or email Daralyse on alyseL17@aol.com.

Reversed Bound Side Angle Pose (Other names: Intense Extended Warrior)

A highly grounding and energising pose, Baddha Parivrtta Parsvakonasana, is excellent for assisting digestive function…

This is a revolving latural angle posture where the abdominal organs are contracted. The blood circulates well around the abdominal organs and the spinal column, and they are thus rejuvenated. Although suitable for all levels of practitioners, this is an advanced pose and there are various modifications one can employ in order to maximise the benefits of the asana and vary the challenge according to one’s ability.

Benefits: The asana wrings out the internal organs, assiting the removal waste matter from the colon without strain. It also stretches the mid-back, opens the shoulder joint and strengthens the legs.

Basic Alignment: Start this pose in a forward lunge with the back knee on the floor and the elbow crossing the knee. If you can reach your hand down towards the floor go ahead. If you are still feeling comfortable wrap one arm under the leg and one behind the back (a strap can be used here) and try to bind the arms. Once the arms are bound, straighten the back knee and roll the chest open.

Alternatives: Remove the bind, take less of a twist and instead bring the hand to the big toe side of the foot keeping the hips level.

Step by step:

1. Stand in Tadasana. With an exhalation, step or lightly jump your feet wide apart. Rest your hands on your hips. Turn your right foot out to the right 90 degrees and turn your left foot in slightly to the right. Align the right heel with the left heel. Firm your thighs and turn your right thigh outward, so that the center of the kneecap is in line with the center of the right ankle.

2. Exhale and turn your torso to the right until you’re facing directly out over the right leg; as you do this, lift your left heel off the floor and spin on the ball of the foot until the inner left foot is parallel to the inner right foot. Then exhale again and bend your right knee. If possible, bring the right thigh parallel to the floor. Keep your left leg active by pressing the thigh up toward the ceiling and extending strongly through the left heel. At the same time, resist the lift of the left thigh by pressing the tailbone toward the pubis.

3. With another exhale turn further to the right and lean the torso down, placing the left hand on the floor inside the right foot. Dig your right thumb into the right hip crease and push the thighbone down toward the floor. Firm the shoulder blades into the back ribs and lean the torso back slightly, away from the inner thigh. Stay in this position for a few breaths.

4. If this position seems challenging enough, stay for the recommended time. If you want to go further, take the left arm through the legs around the back of the waist to open the shoulder and chest. Then take the right arm behind the back and, if possible, clasp the hands together. Do not bend forward. Go as far as your body will allow. If you are unable to clasp the hands then visualise them clasping and hold for a while, or use a strap to assist the bind.

Stay for 30 seconds to one minute. Inhale to come up, exhale to release the twist. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to the left. Then return to Tadasana.

By Hayley Alexander

There was complete silence in the room and a deep, profound sense of tranquillity emanated from the people there.  They were practising Restorative Yoga and healing themselves from the effects of stress, or, in some cases, even burnout, as they lay quietly in Waterfall (Legs up the Wall position or Viparita Karani)…

One could almost hear the bodies changing gear as the gentle, fully supported asanas gradually helped overloaded systems move down through the gears from fourth to third, to second and then neural as the body engines stopped racing and the brakes were slowly applied through regulated breathing.  Slowly they each came to complete rest as their PNS (Parasympathetic Nervous System) took over and started to bring them into balance again.

What is Restorative Yoga?

Although all forms of Yoga are able to bring great physical and psychological change and healing to many people, Restorative Yoga is particularly designed to provide a restful and restoring experience for practitioners.  It has been described as “a supported, conscious body/mind relaxation practice.” or  “active relaxation”.  The emphasis is on relaxation and rest – but not sleep.  The body is in a state of active rest as it is supported by props and does not have to work the muscles to keep upright or balanced.  Neither does it work the bones or joints to place them under any pressure.   In these wonderfully cradled positions each person can enter into a state of mediation as they observe their breath quieten and settle into the silence, stillness and tranquillity where body tissue can find release and ease from its toxic condition and restoration and wellbeing can start to flow again.

Restorative Yoga as a Healing Tool

The theory behind Restorative Yoga is that in our hugely pressurised world we seldom give our bodies a chance to settle back into perfect equilibrium after a period of intense activity or anxiety.  As a result our bodies become flooded by stress hormones such as adrenaline (short term stress hormone) and cortisol (long term stress hormone).  This leads to a build up of toxins and the body become acclimatised to being operated by our SNS (Sympathetic Nervous System) which keeps us in a state of readiness to flight, flee or free depending what stressor is around.  It is like leaving your car running all the time, rather than switching it off when you have completed the journey.  Instead of cooling down and stopping wear and tear of all the mechanical parts you would be keeping your car constantly running, all the parts would be over used and break down faster, the oil and fuel would run out more quickly and you would be stranded with a car that couldn’t be used until it was repaired and refuelled.  It is the same with our bodies.

According to the American Psychological Society stress impacts on our lives in dramatic ways:

• About half of the adult population say that stress has a negative impact on both their personal and professional lives and on their physical condition.
• About one-third (31%) of employed adults have difficulty managing work and family responsibilities.
• Over one third (35%) cite jobs interfering with their family or personal time as a significant source of stress.
• Stress causes more than half the adult population (54 percent) to fight with people close to them and one in four people report that they have been alienated from a friend or family member because of stress. 8% connect stress to their divorce or separation.

Stress affects us physically in the following ways:

• Feelings of fatigue (51%)
• Severe headaches (44%)
• Upset stomach (34%)
• Muscular tension (30%)
• Change in appetite (23%)
• Teeth grinding (17%)
• Change in sex drive (15%)
• Feeling dizzy (13%)

We have to get back into the habit of letting our bodies find homeostasis (balance) regularly or we will be kept ‘revved up and raring to go’ by our SNS and then one of these days we will splutter and fail to ignite.   We need time when our PNS is in charge again and our heart rate can return to a normal, healthy rate, our digestion can function easily and our muscles can relax instead of remaining tense.  At that time our innate body wisdom and cellular intelligence can take over and heal our bodies and minds again, reconnecting us with our souls and reminding us why we are here.

When to use Restorative Yoga

Restorative Yoga comes into its own when a person has reached a point of deep fatigue and even a gentle Hatha class feels like too much for them.  They might describe themselves as feeling a bit fragile.  A session of Restorative Yoga would give their bodies a chance to rest and begin to heal in a way that can never be achieved by lying down in front of the TV and ‘resting’ because one is tired. Lead by a Restorative teacher they would be taken through a sequence of postures, of which most would be done lying on the mat.  This sequence would gently alternately stimulate and relax their spine and move their bodies though a range of movements from forward bends to backward bends, to easing twists and very gentle inversions.  Each asana would be ‘held’ or rather, they would be held in position by props such as bolsters, pillows, folded blankets, blocks and sandbags, for anything between 3 minutes to 30 minutes, depending how familiar they were with this form of yoga.  In this totally supported position they would tune into their breath and let themselves just ‘be’ for a while, rather than working on ‘doing’ the posture.  This might be combined with the use of mudras to focus the body’s energy or chanting or short periods of guided pranayama.  Finishing with the usual relaxation pose, savasana, people usually leave a Restorative Yoga session feeling deeply at peace and reconnected with themselves.

Letting the Healing Continue

Having learnt the principles of supported postures and Restorative Yoga students can begin to incorporate them into their normal yoga class in order to give their body a little relief and be less demanding on the muscles if they are tired that session. They can also carry on using the simple poses at home – they can even be done in bed!   Waterfall, the posture mentioned that the start of this article is a great example.  Said to be the “Bringer of Youth” it is a wonderful pose that has very many benefits and can easily be ‘held’ without strain for up to 30 minutes once the correct props and positioning have been found.  It is an excellent posture for people who have raised blood pressure and who are taking medication to help to control it.  In fact it helps to lower blood pressure.  It is not good to do if you have a headache, or neck problems, ongoing heart problems or a hiatus hernia.  Once in this position the upper body and head tissues become oxygenated and revitalised with fluid which has pooled in the lower body as it is redistributed again in the elevated position.  The face can relax and rejuvenate and look fresher and clearer once the session is over.

Try it out and listen to your body as it responds to this new form of yoga – your body is likely to heave a huge sigh of relief and whisper ‘thank you’ as it senses the permission from you just to ‘be’ still, silent and tranquil for a while.

By Elizabeth Henshall

About The Author: Elizabeth Henshall lives in the Eastern Cape and Edinburgh, Scotland.   She is a trained Hatha Yoga teacher with a speciality in Restorative Yoga and Yin Yoga.  She is passionate about the use of these forms of yoga for recovering full health again after anything major and traumatic in a person’s life and in incorporating them increasingly into yoga practice as we age and have different physical requirements.  She often says that there is a time in everyone’s life when the challenge is to go back to learning how to just ‘Be’ – be still, be the you that you really are and be totally at ease in your mind, body and soul.  She has a Doctorate in psychology and is a mental health specialist on the lifelong development of positive mental health and wellbeing for children.  She has been practicing Yoga for thirty years and brings a wealth of knowledge to the workshops she runs

Visit www.restorative-yoga.net for more information or email admin@restorative-yoga.net

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A flexible mind and a flexible spine go hand in hand. When your mind is tied in a knot, so usually is your body. But we learn through yoga, that whatever is twisted can be untwisted, and the spinal twists are a great way to get started. Because twists primarily work on the Solar Plexus or Manipura chakra, the chakra responsible for overall maintenance of the body, the capacity for unlocking mental, physical and emotional blockages is profound.

Eliminating imbalances and disease, the Solar Plexus is directly connected to the digestive system and proper digestion and assimilation is the key to good health. Many yoga texts talk about the fire of the navel and much of the dormant potential of the body’s power lies in unblocking this energy centre.

Twists have a wonderful effect on the body too. The twist occurs in the spine and the trunk which helps to make the back supple and releases pain. They reduce excess fat around the abdomen while making joints stronger and more supple. The twists are excellent for pain in the hips and shoulder joints, for lumbago and backache.

Internally, the pancreas, liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach and ascending and descending colons are all contracted, making twists very beneficial to tone the internal organs and help specifically with sluggish livers and relief of constipation. Twists are also good for acidity and flatulence.

In twisting, the nerve roots around the spine are massaged and the vertebral column is adjusted and realigned. Twists improve the circulation and energy flow throughout the spine. The back muscles are pulled and stretched in a different direction than usual and this relieves them of tension.

This powerful yoga asana and its vitalising effects can be felt quickly. Remember though, whatever you do to the one side, you need to do to the other too.

Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)
Sitting in Staff Pose (Dandasana) with your legs stretched out straight in front of you, bend your knees and put your feet on the floor. Slide your left foot under the right knee to the outside of the right hip. Then, cross your right leg over the left, stacking the right knee on top of the left. Bring the right foot to the outside of the left hip. Keep the heels equidistant from the hips and sit squarely and evenly on the sitting bones. It’s most beneficial to practise pranayama in this position, specifically the alternative nostril breath (anuloma viloma) to balance both sides of the brain. Alternatively, close the pose off with a mudra (energy seal), like Gyan mudra.

Half Lord of the Fishes Pose/ Half Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Step 1
Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Bend your knees, put your feet on the floor, then slide your right foot under your left leg to the outside of your left hip and rest it on the floor. Step the left foot over the right leg and stand it on the floor outside your right hip. The left knee will point up to the ceiling.

Step 2
Raise the right arm and twist your body to the left, keeping the spine erect and lengthening through the body from the tailbone.

Step 3
Press the right elbow against the inside of the left knee and place your left hand onto the floor just behind your left buttock. You can use your hand as a further lever, holding and stretching through from the ankle. Pull your torso up and deepen the twist.

Step 4
Turn your head slowly first to the front and then ease towards the back. Release the right hand and bring it through the gap between the knees and thighs and, releasing the weight of the left hand on the floor, slowly come to find and interlock fingers into the Bound Half Spinal Twist. With every inhalation lift a little more through the sternum and twist a little deeper with each exhalation. Be sure to distribute the twist evenly throughout the entire length of the spine. Stay for 30 seconds to one minute, then release and return to the starting position. Repeat to the right for the same length of time.

Step 5
Come to sit in the crossed-legged Easy Pose (Sukasana), bringing the hands and arms alongside the body. On an inhalation, lift the arms and cross your hands over at the wrist. Extend the spine and head upwards, moving the hands backwards as you go to iron out any “creases” in the back.

Step 6
On an exhalation, lower the torso towards the floor and bring the forehead to rest gently onto the floor.

Precautions:
Women more than two or three months pregnant should avoid this practice. People suffering from peptic ulcers, hernias or hyperthyroidism should only practise this pose under guidance. People with sciatica or a slipped disc may benefit from this asana, but great care should be taken.

By Angela Wood

What is the core?

The core is a buzz word that is often used in physical therapy, fitness or Pilates training that is said to improve day to day posture, encourage pain-free posture, prevent injury and enhance physical fitness.

The key focus of developing the core is to develop a girdle of strength, (often referred to in Pilates as the “powerhouse”) between the ribs and the pelvis by co-contracting  the deep abdominal muscle called the Transversus Abdominus, the muscle of the Pelvic Floor, the diaphragm and the deep postural muscles of the spine to develop a strong trunk to hold us upright.

However the core goes beyond physical training, it is less efficient when worked in isolation and is much more efficient when integrating mind, body and spirit.  An efficiently working core is about a balance between flexibility and control in both mind and body.  When teaching movement I noticed that clients moved better the more self aware they were or the more self aware they became and that everyone’s level of awareness was different.  There seemed to be a strong relationship between the mind and body and the one influenced the other which meant that how we think, feel and behave influences our movement and changing the way we think can change the way we move or changing the way we move can change the way we think.

My Personal Journey to the Core
In my earlier days of teaching Pilates it was the Transversus Abdominis, the deepest abdominal muscle that was given a great deal of attention and it was this muscle that we began to focus on by using language like “zip and hollow”,  “engage the transversus”, “pull the navel to spine” and “close the ribs to the pelvis”, not realising that by focusing on the front of the body and using language associated with effort and strength I was actually tightening, shortening and weakening my spine. I was focusing on the outer rather than the inner being and began to feel tight and tense in my neck and shoulders by overworking and over cueing the core.

The turning point for me happened through my training with Polestar Pilates UK in 2005 who encouraged the practice of Somatic movement principles like Feldenkrais and the Trager Method.  Somatic meaning the whole person – mind body and spirit.  Moshe Feldenkrais one of the Somatic movement masters developed his Awareness Through Movement method based on his experience and practice of Jujitsu and it seems that most other Somatic movement pioneers based their principles around similar eastern martial arts practices.

Yoga refers to, Chakras and Bhandhas, unblocking to allow energy to flow in the mind and body. In other Eastern philosophies it’s about balancing yin and yang, or learning to harness and direct Chi; it’s about quietening the mind and being present in the moment. It’s about being and becoming rather than doing and achieving.  All these principles are based on awareness and a higher consciousness.  The awareness is heightened when the mind, body and spirit are interconnected.

So although eastern practitioners of movement may not refer to the “core” the way we know it, they were masters at identifying where and how it worked.

How do we experience it?
Body Sensing BQ is a method of experiencing the core with “effortless effort” by tapping into the body’s own intelligence or BQ using Tom Myers Anatomy Train’s effective communication techniques and movement inspired by yoga, Pilates, Feldenkrais and the Franklin Method.  Tom Myers is a soft tissue expert who developed an ingenious and very clever way of looking at anatomy by looking at how “everything connects to everything”. Similar to the Chinese meridian lines but describing instead the myofacial lines (muscle and fascia), the “glue” that holds us together.

He explains how the elasticity of the muscle and tissue or facia creates a structure that suspends our skeleton and when in balance this structure moves easily and efficiently.  The best way to describe it is like sheets of muscle layered on top of each going from the outermost to the innermost layer. It’s Tom Myers’ use of yoga postures to describe the meridian lines and his interpretation of the “core” that completely transformed the way I looked at the body: Instead of an isolated group of muscles of the trunk, the core becomes a 3 dimensional structure occupying space within the deepest layer of the body, from the arches of the feet to the tongue and from the “heart centre” to the fingers. What was even more significant is how little muscle strength is required for core control.  The effort is in the awareness of aligning and organising the body so that it moves with ease and efficiency.  It becomes “core control” versus “core strength”.  It becomes a body that is flexible and strong versus tight and weak.

It’s about aligning the body so that the top half seamlessly connects to the bottom half, connecting the rib cage to the pelvis.  The thorocolumbar junction, (the heart centre where the rib cage ends and the lower spine continues) is where the diaphragm, the solar plexus, adrenal gland, psoas (muscle that joins the spine to the thigh bone) blend and connect. It’s where breathing meets walking, emotion, feeling, sensing and digestion.  It’s where we often block the spine and channel of communication.  The “core” lies at the heart of this junction influencing the state of our mind, our emotions, our physical and spiritual being through the condition of our “breath” or “prana” or “chi”.

So what about the core and yoga?
Yoga is about integrating mind, body and spirit, to develop awareness and greater consciousness and is a great example of the core in training.  Meditation, breath awareness, centering, grounding, emotional awareness, energetic sensation,  awareness of our relationship with the earth and gravity are all vital for core health. Often people who end up with an injury whilst “doing” yoga are not aware of their intelligent body and their core connection, they lose the spinal alignment that connects the top half to the bottom half or like people who “do” Pilates often tense up and forget to “let go”. The more you let go both physically and mentally the better control you have.

“Natural Whole Body Breathing” allows the diaphragm to move through its full range massaging the internal organs and facilitating movement with rhythm and flow. In natural breath, the whole body expands in its entirety -  front back and sides from deep down in the abdominals. There is freedom of movement with no holding in.  The trunk in natural breath contracts automatically when the diaphragm deflates upwards allowing the abdominals to sink back. We see this in breath patterns in yoga. A backbend is facilitated with an inhalation that expands the entire spine and ribs opening up the vulnerable front line creating space in the joints of the hip, lengthening the abdominals and opening up the heart centre and throat whilst maintaining length through the back line or spine.  The forward bend works well on an exhale. On a releasing breath to decompress and open the veterbrae of the spine.

Here are a few guidelines to work the core efficiently in yoga:

1. Pay attention to the breath and work with its intelligence.  Feel how the body “wants” to breathe when you go backward, forward and sideways.
2. Maintain length through the entire length of the spine with every posture from the back of the head to the tailbone – become more aware of feeling and sensing this from the back of the body rather than the front
3. Become aware of the core of the shoulder girdle and pelvis using the natural bone rhythms in the body. When the arm bone spirals outward the collar bone widens and the shoulder blade slides down and wraps around the rib cage.  Try this in downward facing dog. The rhythm of the thigh bones work similarly for widening and opening up the hips in standing postures.
4. Set your bodies intention – how would you like it to move before you move
5. Be aware and present to the sensations in your body, if a movement feels uncomfortable or awkward acknowledge and change it to feel better.

By Yasmin Lambat

For more information on Body Sensing, contact Yasmin Lambat on 076 848 3778, email yasmin@purezest.com or visit www.bodysensing.co.za

Nia blends martial arts, self-healing and dance into a creative and energising fitness art that works to build strength, agility and flexibility in body, mind and spirit. Nia provides a synergistic workout that addresses the whole person through integration, play and sensory awareness. It’s a workout that is fun yet efficient, providing cardiovascular conditioning while inducing the feel-good sensations of dance that bring with it transformation on many levels.

Origins: Nia was born out of the aerobics craze of the 80s. In the USA in 1983, Debbie and Carlos Rosas took off their shoes and eliminated the repetitive up and down jogging that embodied traditional aerobic exercise. In 2002, The Nia Technique was brought to South Africa by black belt trainer Kathy Wolstenholme from Boulder, Colorado, who introduced Nia as an alternative and effective means of dance therapy.
The Benefits: On a physical level, Nia is designed to increase strength, flexibility, agility and grace and can be used to complement any other sport or fitness programme. With Nia, you trim, tone and define more of you, with less effort, the focus is on pleasure and potential, rather than pain and competition.
The Focus: Emphasising holistic health through conscious awareness, participants are encouraged to focus on “the joy of movement”. Nia uses three tools to stimulate, motivate and create positive change: music, movement and magic. Music is used for inspiration and as an energy in which you learn to sink, ride on and flow with. Movement is used to integrate your body, mind, emotions and spirit. The magic is you – how you do what you do, how you interact and connect, and how you create. Nia uses systemic movement, moving the entire body with grounded steps from the martial arts (Tai Chi, Tae Kwon Do and Aikido), the dance arts (Jazz, Modern and Duncan Dance) and body integration therapies (Alexander Technique, yoga and Feldenkrais Method).
Spiritual Aspects: Nia works by stimulating conscious body awareness through movement, sound and intention– the conditioning is not just physical, but “whole body”– incorporating body, mind, emotions and spirit.
What to Wear: Wear comfortable clothing to move around in, similar to active wear or yoga clothes and bare feet.
Contact: Visit www.niagp.co.za for a teacher in your area or call (011) 880 5223.
Cost: Around R60 to R80 per class. Monthly class cards are available at around R420, depending on the venue.

Compiled by Hayley Alexander

Belly dance is a Western term for the traditional dance genre known as raqs sharqi, meaning “oriental dance” in Arabic, and is an expressive form of movement that emphasises the complex movements of the hips and pelvic area. Because it is an evolving dance form, there are many styles currently practised – from the traditional Egyptian, Gypsy and Arabic Flamenco styles to the more recent American Tribal style

Origins: While the origins of belly dance remain a mystery, it can be traced back to the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Africa. Used as a social dance for fun and celebration, it was popularised during the Romantic movement of the 18th and 19th centuries when artists depicted their interpretations of harem life in the Ottoman Empire. Traditionally however, it is believed that belly dance was taught by wise women to prepare for pregnancy and childbirth.
The Focus: Uniquely designed for the female body (although males do perform belly dancing in some countries), the focus is on the abdominal muscles, hip movements, rib cage and arm movements. It is characterised by smooth, flowing, complex and often sensual movements of the torso, alternating with shaking and “shimmy” movements of the hips.
The Benefits: Suitable for all ages and body types, belly dance is a non-impact weight-bearing exercise that places minimal stress on the knees and feet. Building cardiovascular strength, it can be as challenging as the dancer wishes. Working to strengthen the muscle groups of the abdomen, pelvis, trunk, spine and neck, belly dancing also relieves stress in the back and increases the flow of fluid to the joints, improving hip flexibility and toning the arm muscles. Apart from the physical benefits, there are also numerous psychological benefits including increased self esteem, relief from stress, socialisation with others and increased concentration.
Spiritual Aspects: Belly dance movements focus on the pelvis area and therefore work to unblock and free energies that may get trapped here. Since this is the area known for strength and creativity, belly dance unlocks these potentials. It’s a dance of life and celebration and therefore through it, belly dancers learn to access the power of joy and inner sensuality.
What to Wear: Many studios loan shimmy belts to beginner students (fabric belts with coins attached). For performances, dancers wear traditional costumes such as a fitted top or bra and a skirt or harem pants, usually elaborately decorated with beads, sequins, braids and embroidery, but for regular classes, simply comfortable clothes will do.
Contact: Call Gwenyth King of The Belly Button Dance Studio on 084 769 2017 or visit www.thebb.co.za
Cost: Usually a monthly fee ranging from R150 to R250 for a weekly lesson.

Compiled by Hayley Alexander

Biodanza is a South American movement style with rhythmic and harmonising effects that facilitates a richer enjoyment of life and a healthy expression of inner instincts such as joy, creativity and vitality. Biodanza uses music, movement, expression and a sense of community to awaken human potential. It does this through creating unique intense experiences, known as vivencias

Origins: Developed over 40 years ago by Chilean doctor, psychologist and artist Rolando Toro Araneda, Biodanza is practised all over Europe and South America and has been in South Africa since 1995.
The Benefits: With Biodanza over 70 percent of communication is non-verbal, making it a practice of body language skills. Beneficial effects include the regulation of the nervous system, emotions and improved immune system functioning as well as increased self esteem and a greater capacity to relate to and communicate with others. A great practice for “letting go” and counteracting stress, most people also find it also helps develop their smile muscles!
The Focus: Different to formal dance choreography, Biodanza follows organic rhythms enabling participants to experience freedom of expression within the structure of a class and proposed dance movements. The first part of the class is more active, with upbeat and exhilarating dance rhythms, which then evolve into more relaxed and fluid dances.
Spiritual Aspects: The entire system of Biodanza is holistic as it awakens the potential to live in joyful connection with a sense of wellbeing. It addresses the totality of the human being and health in its broadest sense, including the body, emotions, relationships with others and attitudes to life. The purpose of Biodanza is to bring people back to a life-centred principle of living.
What to Wear: Comfortable clothes and bare feet.
Contact: Visit www.biodanza.co.za or call 082 901 0075.
Cost: From R80 to R100 per class. Many teachers provide discounts for a series of classes booked.

Compiled by Hayley Alexander

Meaning “beautiful movement”, Eurythmy can be put into practice as an art form, a self development process, a social team-building practice, a healing therapy as well as an educational tool. Eurythmy emphasises your whole being by integrating body, life and expressive forces with spiritual and interpersonal forces. With Eurythmy, your body becomes the moving expression for what we cannot see, through music, poetry and story

Origins: Eurythmy was initiated as a progressive art of movement at the turn of the 20th century by Rudolph Steiner, the developer of Anthroposophy and the Waldorf school movement. It is taught and practised worldwide.
The Focus: Eurythmy is a social movement experience most often explored in a group, but also as an individual practice. Group work unlocks the powers of moving as a conscious organism, sensing your own space (individuality), the space in between you and others (relationship) and the organism between (community). Individual movement encourages self discovery and expression while nurturing personal talents and helping to overcome challenges.
The Benefits: Eurythmy cultivates a connection with the source of inspiration, imagination and intuition by unlocking the many secrets of music, language, movement, nature and the human being. It nurtures the sense of wonder and beauty for life. It develops coordination, flow and mastery of the human instrument as well as spatial awareness and connection to the streaming substance of time.
Spiritual Aspects: This art of consciousness expands and enlivens your subtle senses, deepening and widening your capacity to relate to and express life. As well as working consciously with yourself and others in space, you will also tap into the stream of time. What is referred to as “time stream” is described as “the present moment constantly unfolding in a river of unformed potential”. Through intention and personal creativity, participants can shape the personal stream of movement with feeling, gesture and meaning.
What to wear: Comfortable, loose clothing is worn as a free and light sheathing. Shoes are ideally thin Eurythmy slippers. Artistic Eurythmists wear silk, flowing gowns and an even thinner silk veil which flows through the air making the dynamic air currents visible.
Contact: Call the Centre for Creative Education on (021) 797 6802 or visit www.cfce.org.za. You can also email Liz Smith on lizsmith@kingsley.co.za.
Cost: Public classes are R50 and to study it as an educational course is R24 000 yearly.

Compiled by Hayley Alexander