A Path to Article No. 2

By Pixie Lillas

In the previous article I outlined why some experience of is important before attempting to observe and channel the breath as required for the practice of yoga breathing.

In this article I describe relation postures which help the student to further prepare for deep breathing thus providing a link between asanas and pranayama.

Asana (posture) teaches us focus, awareness, timing and being passive, for some of us a degree of confusion or a degree of patience. These qualities, and others, develop even anxiety surfaces. The brain becomes very active, the over time as we continue to observe the physical body in heart beats faster, strange noises in the ears intrude and practice. We can begin to understand the effect each disturb. We therefore require preparation, guidance and movement has, the next step to take on the basis of the practice in Savasana, and this then serves as a link to consequence of the last action. We learn not just to do, pranayama. but to reflect on what we have done, to be more perceptive about the positive and negative results of our In a normal class situation students will first go through a way of practising; in short, we begin to refine our sequence of postures to both stimulate and steady the awareness in a very tangible way through the structure of various muscles and nerves and to engage and focus the our own body, its muscles, joints, skin. This self study mind. At the end of the class there will be time set aside gives us concrete reference points to which we can for relaxation. At one level this offers the possibility of connect the mind. Through the cultivation of this dispelling any residual tension, rebalancing any part of consciousness in our physical actions we can now our body which may have overworked and allows a few fruitfully begin to turn our attention inwards. minutes to quieten the breath. It is also an opportunity for inner neutrality, a time to be conscious of ourselves The first place we encounter a very specific inner focus in and the state of our mind and body at that very moment. yoga is in Savasana, the art of relaxation. Here, after In teaching Savasana we guide the students through extending the muscles and distending the nerves in a various key areas of their body, first at a more gross level more active sequence of postures, we lie still and very and then the more subtle. Most of us find that we have a consciously begin to draw the mind to particular points of degree of mental fluctuation, distraction and a sort of the body to quieten each individual part in order to reverberation in the body. Like a stone thrown into a still balance the whole. Savasana, as the name implies, is an body of water, even after the object itself sinks, there are in its own right and there is indeed an “art” to it. small ripples, little circles around the point where the Understanding relaxation requires practice and patience. stone entered the water. Similar echoes appear when we lie still in Savasana . It takes a little while for these to From the outside, it appears simple. Lie on your back and settle. relax. Yet for the majority of us this can be the most challenging of tasks. We become like small children who, In yoga, even relaxation becomes a conscious action. We when asked to close their eyes and be quiet, scrunch need to see the tensions, the residual ripples, become their eyes up, move their limbs about and keep peeping acquainted with their patterns and habits. And in order to to see if time is up. As teachers, and as beginners at some see and feel these disturbances we must first become point ourselves, we know that if you ask a class of adults still, neutral, aware. It is like lying in bed when it is late to lie down and relax, without giving them any particular and listening to sounds deep in the heart of the night. At instruction or preparation , within minutes they too first outer noises and activities distract us, until gradually, become restless and uneasy, or quickly fall asleep. as it gets later and silence further descends, we are able to pick up smaller and smaller sounds from further and For most of us our main experience of stillness is at night further away. Footsteps even a block away can be heard. when we go to sleep. The body, being a creature of habit, In yoga practice we try to sharpen our senses to the immediately connects lying down and being quiet with sound of ourself and eliminate any extraneous noises, in bedtime. If sleep is not the requirement when we are a way like putting on headphones to pick up only the music we want to hear. Some of the ground work will already have been accomplished through the active work done in the To bring the mind to that sort of quiet awareness, postures. There is also another more passive preparation sometimes referred to as a state of innocence, first the which students will encounter after about 6 months to a body needs to be led into balance. Any contraction or pull year of class attendance. It is at this point that we start to of a muscle will draw and hold our energy there so that it stay longer in the poses and specific sequences made up is no longer freely in circulation. We again need to return almost entirely of passive, supported asanas are to our tangible form, the foundation from where to start. introduced. These sequences enable us to become We begin to be mindful in the way we lie down, familiar with the organs of respiration and with the observing closely if the spine is evenly long, in the centre, muscles and body structures involved when the chest is the limbs positioned in a balanced way, the head straight required to open more fully. and even. Simply tilting the head can bring about unwanted stimulation to one hemisphere or the other of Let us look at three of the supported asanas which can be the brain. Moving the eyeballs even behind closed eyelids used in this preparation for pranayama . They are best stimulates thought. All this takes time to experience and practised a good few hours away from meals and, for it is important. beginners, will be initially easier in the afternoon or early evening. We can gradually begin to become aware of the position of our body from the inside, by the sensations we receive. Each of these postures also conditions our breath in a By withdrawing our senses from outer stimuli, by particular way, perhaps facilitating inhalation or allowing the organs of perception to become passive, the exhalation, or opening a habitually stiff area of the chest eyes, the ears, the tongue, the skin itself quiet and soft, allowing the breath to flow more freely there. The “job” we can on occasion move into real stillness, a point of here is to observe all of these things, it is to do nothing equilibrium where, though outwardly passive, we are but be conscious of the more subtle actions which take more alert than ever. This is not something we can make place inside the torso, and the effect this has on the ourselves do. It is instead a practice, a turning inwards mind. Become the witness, watch as if looking at yourself which may allow us get a glimpse of being truly quiet. from the outside, dispassionately but with attentiveness This inner silence and attentiveness is where Savasana aims to take us. With time it becomes a familiar endeavour, sometimes more successful than others. That Supta too becomes familiar. And this is the base from which to In Supta Baddha Konasana we lie back in the bound angle start observing and then guiding the breath. pose over a support and with the help of a belt. This pose has many benefits in practice, including activating and Normal breathing is what yoga master BKS Iyengar calls a balancing the kidney and bladder regions and spreading zig-zag breath, it has no set rhythm or pattern. It can be the area of the lower abdomen to allow for good blood difficult to properly watch a normal breath because the supply there. It is therefore also particularly useful during very act of observing it tends to condition or change it in menstruation. When practised as a preparation for some way. So first we need to spend some time just pranayama, with the support of a bolster placed watching the flow of breath, and we will almost certainly underneath along the spine, it helps the diaphragm to notice that it comes in and goes out of a different part of stretch out sideways, it creates space between the ribs the chest cavity each time, once more to the left lung, activating the intercostal muscles and it teaches the then perhaps more to the right upper lung etc. One side floating ribs how to open horizontally as required in of the chest responds more readily, we find it easier to inhalation. The cavity of the chest is widened and inhale than exhale or vice versa. There is no even rhythm. deepened. We begin to get an experience of how the We start to perceive ourselves through the breath, what back ribs support the opening of the front of the torso, story it tells, what information it gives. It is essential how to expand the chest and broaden across the sternum practice, it takes some time. Perception cannot be forced, plate without effort. For pranayama, physical effort is not it grows at its own rate. only not required, it makes deepening the breath as a yoga practice impossible to achieve. A deep, sustained o practise Savasana then is to be completely passive, yet and properly channelled breath with minimal physical T alert, externally still and quiet and internally more effort is needed. The supported postures begin to give us receptive than at any other time. The brain learns to an idea of how this might be possible, as well as become more of an observer, a witness, to take a less physically rendering the respiratory organs more dominant role. It tends to be new territory for most of us, responsive. a different vantage point to look out from. From this perspective we are then ready to specifically prepare the Lie back over the bolster as pictured with the feet body, that is, the chest, the diaphragm, the lungs, the together close to the buttocks. Use a blanket to support intercostal muscles and the ribs for the sustained, slower, the head and neck. A belt positioned around the middle longer and channelled breath that is the foundation of pranayama. of the buttocks and looped over the feet and ankles will new surroundings, observe the lungs, the ribs, the help to get the correct opening. intercostal muscles, live in the cavity of the chest. In Pranayama the breath will be brought to circulate Let your attention go to the physical experience of how specifically in this area. First get to know it well. the diaphragm is spread, the space between each rib, the How does the normal breath feel, where is it moving broadening of the sternum and of the collarbones, the more freely and where less? Is the inhalation or widening of the lateral spinal muscles. exhalation easier, can you feel even your upper lungs and chest here? Is inhalation or exhalation easier for you in this pose? Can you begin to actually perceive the space, the cavity within Remain in the pose 5 minutes, 10 for those who are more the chest? Explore from the inside its depth and breadth. experienced.

Practise remaining quiet and focussed on the normal To come out of the pose, bend your knees and slide back breath, the eyes soft as though the pupils were seated at to rest with your buttocks on the floor, knees still bent. the back of the eye sockets. Let the ears be passive, To relax your back further, turn the bolster sideways and throat and jaws relaxed. No tension anywhere. do simple cross leg resting the ankles and knees on the bolster, head, shoulders and back on the floor. Wait a few Stay in the pose for about 5 minutes, up to 10 as your moments there and then turn to the side and sit up. confidence and experience grow. To come out of the pose, sit up and remove your belt and Please note that women should avoid this inversion then sit with simple cross legs, bend forward from the during menstruation and should therefore omit this pose hips and rest the forehead on the bolster for a minute or from the sequence during that time. two. Keep the forehead and sternum on the same level. Remain in the same quiet state even as you come up to The last pose in this sequence is called Viparita Karani, go to the next pose. one of the most balancing and soothing of all the supported postures. It quietens the diaphragm and Setu Bandha - supported abdomen specifically and is therefore very useful in Place two blankets folded in half on the bolster preparing for pranayama . Often a great deal of tension is lengthways and have an extra flatter blanket for the head held in the abdominal area which interferes with and and shoulders. unsettles the flow of the breath. This in turn creates fluctuations in the mind and disturbs our emotions. Sit with your buttocks towards the edge of the bolster Steadiness of breath is an essential factor in bringing closest to the wall. Lie back with your feet to the wall and ourselves into equilibrium. knees still a little bent with your shoulders touching the floor. Now press the feet to the wall to straighten the Place the bolster horizontally, parallel to the wall, about legs without letting the shoulders slide further back. Let one palm width away. Fold two or three half fold blankets the skin on the sacrum and buttocks move towards the and place them on top. Taller people will need the legs. In the final posture you will be lying on the bolster additional height. Have an extra blanket or towel to put with the front edge of the bolster just below the shoulder under your head and neck once you are in the pose. blades, a little above the lowest back ribs, the shoulders resting completely on the floor and the head as in Sit near one edge of the bolster sideways to the wall. Savasana, straight, not tilting back. If the chin is lifted and Turn to place the head and shoulders on the floor and rolling up towards the ceiling, fold the blanket a little swing your legs up the wall with your buttocks remaining higher and place it under your head to bring the face to a on the bolster and blankets. Place the extra blanket passive and horizontal position. under your head with enough height to ensure that the face is soft and horizontal, the forehead skin releasing Lie quietly for a few minutes letting your body settle. In down towards the cheeks. Find the right amount of all the poses, but particularly noticeable in these supine height, one that also makes the throat feel soft and free supported postures, it takes a little time for our mind and of tension and the eyes become passive. body to quieten. Let the face, eyes, throat, tongue, skin all soften and recede inwards to a Savasana state. Allow the buttocks to release down and rest on the bolster. Position the buttock bones and back of the legs Once the outer shape has been taken observe the inner up against the wall. Keep the shoulders on the floor and shapes and spaces, become familiar with the “furniture” see that the head and neck are supported. inside the body, the interior of the physical house you inhabit. How is the chest, the diaphragm, the sternum? Stay in the pose for a minimum of ten minutes. If your See how the back body supports the front body. Let the hamstrings are tight and your legs are uncomfortable front become quiet and passive, open to the outside being upright, remain in the pose but bend your knees world, ready to receive. And then mentally explore your and place the legs in simple cross legs with your ankles on reach a point of ease with the desired effect achieved no the bolster, the knees out to the sides. matter what sort of body we have.

When the pose is correct the abdomen naturally releases The practice of these passive supine postures is an down below the floating rib to form the shape of a small important step in gaining understanding of ourselves at valley. This is important for pranayama, the ability of the another level, a quieter level where the problems of abdomen to soften and descend below the lower ribs distraction and restlessness become more apparent. giving the diaphragm room to spread and open for Here, as in all areas of yoga, we are presented effectiveness and ease in respiration. Viparita Karani, simultaneously with both the difficulty and the means to when well set up, gives you the quietness and steadiness address it. in the breath you are looking for. That is in fact an indication that you are properly positioned. It is well Become familiar with the fluctuations occurring in the worth the extra amount of adjusting at first to get into mind. Become intimate with the breath. the posture in a way which will give maximum effect. When the breath is steady and smooth it has a simplicity Notice your breath. Feel if it has become softer and if the to it, and the mind becomes more still. A sort of flow is even. Viparita Karani helps to bring balance peacefulness can be felt. This very stillness, this state of between the inhalation and the exhalation. Remain quiet silence, is something to be consciously observed. It can and attentive. bring us to what has been referred to as innocence, and it is the ideal place to come to in order to start our To come out of the pose, bend the knees and slip back off exploration of the deeper, channelled breath in yoga, the bolster until you are right back with the head, Pranayama. shoulders and buttocks on the floor. Place the legs in simple cross legs with the knees and ankles resting on the The next and final article, in Yoga Vaani – September 04 - bolster. Stay there a few minutes and relax as in will describe a basic approach to an introductory practice savasana. of pranayama.

This is the end of a sequence which can be practised to For more detailed information on Savasana, Pranayama prepare for pranayama. It may take a few sessions for and the poses mentioned in this article refer to Light On you to become familiar with the poses and how to adjust Yoga and Light On Pranayama by BKS Iyengar , Yoga a the supports to your own requirements. The guidance of Gem for Women by Geeta Iyengar or Yoga the Iyengar a teacher is recommended as they can also clarify how to Way by Shyam and Mira Mehta. modify the postures in cases of back pain etc.

Nothing in yoga is casual, every guideline or reference is Pixie Lillas holds a Junior Advanced certificate, has visited the RIMYI, important. Every small area of the body affects Pune on many occasions and teaches at the Balmain Yoga Studio, something somewhere else and they all influence our Balmain in Sydney. mental state. This is where props are particularly useful as we all have different structural requirements, our own  individual areas of stiffness and imbalance. The supports we use in the postures outlined above can be adjusted to Reference: Yoga Vaani 78 – June 2004