by Chelsea Doohan
Last Fall, Eric wrote about the joys (and agonies) of practicing yoga in the morning (you can read it here). This is a good time to mention that Solaluna is currently offering free early morning practice sessions three days a week for those so inclined (see schedule). Right now though, I’d like to say a few things about practicing yoga later in the day.
Afternoon or evening yoga practice helps clear away the muck and yuck of the day. It lets the system re-set, and in so doing, it can transform the rest of a practitioner’s day and night.
Part of what I call “clearing out the muck” has to do with reversing patterns that have accumulated throughout the day, patterns that contribute to tightness, stuck-ness, or sluggishness in the body.
One great way to reverse some of these patterns and clear out the muck is to go upside-down. Before I lose you to the but-I-can’t-do-a-headstand club, consider that there are plenty of rich and juicy practices besides headstands that give you a chance to be upside down. The best part is that they’re enjoyable to do.
Here’s one practice that is especially accessible: a standing forward bend is something that almost anyone can do, regardless of age, level of experience, or flexibility. (Folks who should NOT attempt this are those with untreated glaucoma or exceedingly high blood pressure. This can be adapted for pregnancy if need be–see the chair variation below.)
From standing with feet hip width apart (or wider), simply fold forward over your legs. (We call this bent-leg uttanasana, and it’s different from other variations of the pose that focus on lengthening the torso and straightening the legs.) Let your knees bend as much as you like, even resting your torso on your upper legs. Here’s the part that feels strange for some people: let your head hang.
Most people are so used to holding their head up all day long that it can feel quite abnormal to let it lengthen off the spine in an inverted position. Try it–as long as you don’t have the health concerns mentioned above. If you do, or if you have other concerns or complaints when you release your head down, do this chair version (also a good adaptation for third trimester pregnancy):
From standing with feet hip width apart (or wider), fold forward and place your head on a chair seat, using blocks, books, or blankets to make a surface that is exactly the right height for you. You know you have the right height if your neck can lengthen (especially the back of the neck) and the top of your head rests on the surface. You can find a relatively flat part of the head that is above the forehead but in front of the crown.
The longer you stay in the pose, the more slowly and carefully you will want to come out. If you have dizziness upon coming up, take more time in the transition up to standing, even sitting on the chair for a little while before standing up.
Placing the head below the heart does many things, physically and physiologically. It lets the back of the body lengthen, releasing the neck, decompressing the spine, and routing blood towards the head.
But there are also other effects, which could be described as both greater than the physical effects and at the same time more subtle. The gesture of forward bending is one of surrender. In many cultures, bowing the head conveys deference, humility, or trust.
I am told that (at least in some cultures) this is because when one bows, the back of the neck becomes exposed, such that an enemy could easily end one’s life with one stroke of the sword. So we bow in situations where there is trust.
When we bow forward, we are doing the opposite of protecting our backs. We are opening our backs to the world, with all of its hazards as well as its gifts. We are submitting ourselves to the safety in which we find ourselves. We are surrendering to something other than ourselves.
If any of this resonates with you, you can embody it in your yoga practice. You don’t have to do anything to make it happen; simply be aware of the felt effects of the pose, and consider how doing the pose changes your attitude or outlook. See if the world around you looks any different when you come up and out.
Forward bending poses such as uttanasana place the head below the heart. This gesture offers a surrender of the mind in deference to the heart, which can help the restless and wandering parts of a person’s attention to settle.
Understanding uttanasana in this way will be helpful for some people, and not others. I encourage you to take what feels relevant and leave the rest.
Try bent-leg uttanasana when you get home from work, before you eat dinner, or before you go to bed. There is nothing wrong with doing this pose or other forward bending practices in the morning. However, they tend to be calming and soothing, which is often more what one needs in the latter part of the day.
Notice how surrendering your head to your heart changes your perspective on yourself and what is around you.
Happy practicing!
