When Viloma Pranayama is practiced in gradual stage, without any aggressive holding of the breath, this breathing method can have a profound affect on your asana practice, giving you a new incoming breath. According to Matthew Sweeney it will help with postures that persist as being difficult or awkward in some way. By lengthening the inhalation smoothly and in stages, the lower back also tends to lengthen, giving more space for the lower lumbar and vertebral discs. This can free the spine from unwanted tension and pain.
I'm sure we all have our tensions and pain's as we connect with our bodies throughout our yoga practice. Finding those areas in our hips, shoulders, low back's and the list goes on, that have yet to be accessed prior to yoga. Now that we are telling them to wake up and join the yoga party they don't want to cooperate at all times, but I guess the ego can't have everything it's way:)
Why is it that some areas of the body seem to always seem more violent or resistant to stretching more than others? I've been told by numerous teachers, including my own that it's your body's way of opening up. Old emotions hidden deep within the muscles walls are now coming to the surface. Maybe it is that you are holding tension while practicing and not being fully conscious and aware of your body in space? Possibly so? I'm willing to stick around and figure it all out little by little with the help of this blog, my trusty body, yoga mat, mind, soul and breath.
I will continue to just smile and pay attention to both the inhale and exhale of my breath.
Namaste
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I love these pranayama posts. I don't know as much as I'd like to about these different practices, so I'm eating this up!
ReplyDeleteI believe, as you said, that those areas of the body that don't want to open up may have more emotional baggage to work through than the others. For instance, in my own body, I notice that my shoulder stiffness comes and goes, and that it's relatively easy for me to release daily and weekly stress. However, my hips and back are seriously stiff, as you know, and I realized just yesterday I'm carrying severe baggage there--deep seated beliefs that really don't serve me, fears, etc.
Thanks for your inspirational blog. Keep it up!