Wringing yourself out

When a mop is dirty, we wring it out so that it won't just slop the filth it's picked up back onto the floor we're trying to clean. I've worked with lots of different mops over the years, swabbing one deck or another, and each one required a different method to accomplish the wringing. Traditional mops were either twisted like rags or put through a wringing mechanism in the bucket. Sponge mops either had a press wringer or rollers that you passed the sponge through... all to make sure that the dirt and toxins the mop had soaked up were not re-distributed.

Our bodies need an occasional wringing out. Like the mop, many of our internal organs work to capture and soak up toxins that enter our body. Indeed, the body produces toxins that need to be removed just as much as the ones that came into the body. For example, a person who suffers renal (kidney) failure could be on the "cleanest" diet in the world, and would still need regular dialysis just to protect themselves from the internal toxins created. Often, our diets and lifestyles force more of a build-up of these toxins, and regular removal processes just don't cut it. When that happens, like with a mop, it's a good idea to "wring" it out.

There are several Yoga poses that will help wring out the organs (i.e., force the toxins out). I'll focus on two in this article. Seated forward bend and half spinal twist (images sourced from YogaJournal.com).

Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

In seated forward bend, even if your belly is getting in the way, work to relax your hips, spine and knees, until you accomplish the pressing of your abdomen. When you achieve the press, you compress your colon and digestive tract, effectively encouraging wringing of toxins.

If your hip flexors or hamstrings aren't ready to let you down that low in a forward bend yet, try Wind Eliminating poses.

When coming out of the posture, try to sit up from the lower vertebrae to the upper vertebrae. This will give an extra wringing as you release the organs.

Half Spinal Twist (Bharadvajasana)

Half spinal twist can be performed in the kneeling posture (as shown in the image above), in a seated posture with the legs either folded or the soles of the feet together, in the "full" cross-legged pose, or even in a chair with your legs crossed. To accomplish the "wringing" sit up nice and straight, lift your chest and begin the twist. By stretching the torso up you open all your organs to the twist.

Keeping the upright posture, untwist and repeat on the other side.

By wringing yourself out regularly, you will be better able to resist diseases, ease your digestion, and give yourself a regular boost of energy.

Namasté

Hatha and Raja Yoga

Bill loaned me the Hatha Yoga Pradipika last week. I "devoured" it in a day...

I consider those practitioners who only do Hatha, without knowing Raja Yoga, to be laboring fruitlessly.

Now, before you throw away your mats, I should point out that doing just Hatha Yoga at your gym will have profound effects on your health and wellbeing. However, as is pointed out in the book, to have a truly complete system, one should practice Raja Yoga as well.

What is Raja Yoga? Meditation and control of the mind. This is based on moral and ethical perfection, and control of the senses, which leads to a state where the mind can be stilled from its thoughts. When the mind is calm, pure bliss is achieved.

In other words, it's a practice of mental control which is designed to take you to the happiest place you've ever been.

Namasté

Above All... RELAX!

I've decided to make this the theme for both my blog posts this week. In all things, Tai Chi, Yoga, LIFE, it's important to relax. At this time of year, most of the people in my life are doing two things. First, they're all taking a big sigh of relief that the last year and the Christmas season are now over. And second, they're stressing. Stressing over bills, having to return to work or school, New Year's resolutions, etc.

The trick, I've found, is staying relaxed in spite of it all. By staying relaxed, you allow the energy of your tasks and goals to flow through you and give everything a much stronger chance of turning out the way you'd like it.

Relaxing into a Yoga posture may seem impossible in practice. There you are, telling your body to bend a certain way, your muscles to hold a certain position, remember to breathe, etc., and you have to relax too? By relaxing into a posture, permitting only the muscles needed to be tense and active, and then allowing all others to relax, we find that the pose becomes easier, that the position is less painful, and that we're able to remain in the posture much much longer than normal.

For example, in the Rowing the Boat posture, the active muscles are your thighs, which should be flexing to protect the hamstrings and possibly the gluts, to keep the legs open. As you bend forward, the lower back engages to bend you. Is there a need to stress your shoulders or neck? What about your stomach or your hands? What about your hip flexors? Ah! Those particular muscles you may find are the difference between your current forward bend into this posture and what you could accomplish. Often we stress our hip flexors without realizing it. When these muscles are tense, they prevent us from moving into forward bends much moreso than the hamstrings or lower back.

As you work through your Yoga routine this week, pay attention to the muscles you need to use to accomplish the posture, then focus on the muscles that aren't needed, and see if you're tensing them.