Asana of the Week: Ustrasana
In traditional Hatha Yoga, Backbends are also one of 6 fundamental pose categories, categorised by their energetic influence on the 6 subsystems of the body. These 6 subsystems are what the yogis call the Vayus, Chakras, Gunas, Doshas, Energetics and the Nervous System.
To keep things relatively simple, lets stick to the Vayu’s as I personally feel that these are the most tangible to grasp!
Recapping on my previous post, the Vayu’s refer to the 5 directions that prana (our energy) circulates around our body. These Vayus govern specific mental and physical functions and Backbends such as Ustrasana influence and awaken the energies of Prana Vayu. Associated with energising and revitalising, Prana Vayu is the inward and upward direction of prana within our breath. Also connected to the Heart Chakra, it’s our innate internalising force, allowing us to take more of life in. Backbends help to connect us to this Vayu as we physically open the heart space, hence why we often call backbends, heart openers!
When to practice
If negativity is clouding your mind.
Your mind feels full and you are having difficulty taking in information.
To revitalise and awaken your senses.
When feeling fatigued to rejuvenate and energise.
To shift any sluggishness and stangnancy.
To open up the heart space and invite vulnerability and openness emotionally.
To nourish the lungs and heart, boosting respiration and circulation.
How to practice
Ensure that you prepare your body for this pose by warming up your back and your psoas (front of thighs). Ideally practicing more gentle back bends first to prevent injury such as Chakravakasana (cat/cow) and Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose) and Bhujangasana (cobra).
Begin kneeling with your thighs perpendicular to the floor and your knees and feet hip-distance apart.
Your pelvis is neutral and stacks directly over your knees.
Place hands onto the back of your hips, thumbs resting on your sacrum (lower back) and draw the shoulder blades down hugging them towards each other.
Engage the inner thighs by magnetising your pubic bone (pelvis) to your sternum (chest).
Begin to lean the hips forward and with every inhale, press down firmly into your feet and lift your chest up.
The bend comes from your thoracic spine (the mid-upper back) rather than bending and crunching from your lower back.
As you reach your chest forward and up, continue leaning back, creating a deeper opening of the thoracic spine.
Don’t force your body into the pose; instead invite the opening, moving slowly and mindfully.
If it feels good, you can lean back enough to release your hands from your lower back and grab hold of your heels, you can tuck your toes to bring your heels closer to your hands if needed or use blocks.
Resist the tendency to chuck the neck back, instead keep your chin slightly tucked and parallel to the floor to contain prana (energy) in the heart space, where we intend it to go!
Continue pressing down with your feet and lower legs in order to lift up with your thoracic spine and chest.
Hold for as long as feels comfortable, then use an inhalation to slowly, slowly come back the way you came in, leading with your sternum, releasing the bend and coming back upright to sit on your heels.
Now steep and digest the experience, soaking in the after-effects of the pose.
Enjoy!
Avoid or modify if you have any shoulder or back pain, or injuries of any kind, and ease off if you simply feel any pinching or pain in your lower back as you enter the pose. Also avoid if your are pregnant.
Ideally, yoga asana should be practiced safely with a qualified teacher.