Arogya Yoga Chapter 11 - Getting Desired Effects
What is the desired effect Mr. Iyengar is talking about? Is it achieving a particular pose? Not necessarily, although in this chapter he is talking about Adho Mukha Svanasana. (Downward Facing Dog). The desired effect he is talking about is helping the practitioner find inner poise in a chaotic world.
It is about reaching a balanced, peaceful and composed state known in yoga as a sattvic state. To understand this it is important to know that in yoga philosophy everything is said to be made up of different qualities or energies called the gunas. There are three of them:
- Sattva or luminosity – has a calming influence
- Rajas or vibrancy – provides the impetus for action
- Tamas or inertia - causes lethargy as well as restfulness
“ These gunas affect the overall disposition of a human being. For a deeper study or pursuit of any subject - be it physical, mental, intellectual or spiritual – concentration, stability, peace of mind and detachment from immediate surroundings are essential. When the body and mind are unduly restless, they need to be pacified with tamo guna; when they are sluggish, they need to be propelled into action with rajo guna; when mindless action overshadows rational thought, it must be placated with the enlightening qualities of the sattva guna.”
In other words, when one guna in human nature predominates, it must be balanced by another to reach a state of neutrality.
Either a lethargic body and mind or an overzealous body and mind would be unsuitable for the study of yoga. In yoga as in daily life the body has to be alert and active and the mind peaceful and composed. Asanas such as Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog), Prasarita Padottanasana (Standing Wide-Legged Forward Bend), Parsvottanasana (Pyramind Pose) and Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)are most effective in achieving this end.
He says:
“These inverted asanas seem to be conceived for the very purpose of giving strength and restoring equilibrium to both body and mind. Prolonged practice of the inverted asanas also enables the practitioner to summon strength and equilibrium at will.”
The ancient yogis took inspiration and learned lessons from the world around us. Take the example of a dog. Even in deep sleep, the dog wakes up in response to any sound. It stretches itself from the front paws to its hind legs, gets reinvigorated and is on the move in a matter of seconds. (All without coffee!) It discards tamo guna and takes on the effervescence of the rajo guna. Every small creature of Mother nature has so much to teach us.
You can read the instructions on how to do Adho Mukha Svanasana here. I don’t need to re-type them. However, pay attention to the finer points.
The Legs in Adho Mukha Svanasana
He says that “merely straightening the legs does not amount to keeping them firm in this asana.” There is a rotational action involved in preparing the legs for an asana that must be consciously learned.
This is one of those important aspects of Iyengar yoga that I find missing in other forms of yoga where students are told to soften their knees. In this chapter he states:
“A beginner must first learn to grip the knee caps and open out the back of the knees which makes the fleshy part of the thigh and calf free for expansion.”
“Always work the legs in this order:
- first grip the knee and stretch the hamstrings.
- Then locate the inner and outer edges of the calves and turn the fleshy part from the inner edge to the outer edge in a slightly circular motion. Push the shins back along with this action.
- Then turn the front of the thigh in towards the midline and the back of the thigh out. Simultaneously move the inner and outer edges of the thigh back.
- Keep the center of the thigh, knee and shin in one line.”
Straightening the legs in this manner gives relief from cramps, pains, stiffness in the legs, tight hamstrings and sciatica. There is ample circulation to every part of the leg, which also regulates the flow of energy in the legs. If the legs are neglected, it adversely affects the back and spinal muscles. It is very important to remember that every minute action plays a vital role while performing an asana. No posture should ever be attempted casually!
Now, lets look at the arms:
When straightening the arms, spread the palms fully on the floor and make the elbow joints firm by tightening the triceps! Se that the fingers are spread evenly. Do not over spread the thumb or the pinky finger. Use the spaces between the middle three fingers as a guide as to how far to stretch the thumb and pinky. The correct use of the hands and arms helps to broaden the chest.
Instead of letting the arms collapse towards the floor, lift the arms away from the floor by pressing the hands into the floor to get an upward lift in the elbows and armpits. This lifting action continues from the armpits to the hips. At the same time that you lift the armpits away from the floor, move the shoulder blades into the back of the body and release the head down toward the floor. These are opposing actions and provide stability in the pose.
Be sure to remember the work in the arms that we do at the beginning of every class: The upper arms turn out and the forearms turn in. One of the most common misalignments I see in class are students doing Adho Mukha Svanasana with the upper arms turning in. This creates shoulder dysfunction and pinching around the neck.
Adho Mukha Svanasana stretches the entire body. The stretch exerted on the spinal cord and its vertebrae expels lethargy from the body and rejuvenates the mind.
If you’d like to read the text, you can find it here.