In Yoga diaryIn the Archives series, we share a curated collection of articles originally published in back issues dating back to 1975. These stories offer a glimpse into how yoga has been interpreted, written about, and practiced over the years. This article first appeared in the January 1980 issue Yoga diary. You can find more of our archives here.
Just as breathing patterns reflect mental states and mental states influence our breathing, body posture is related to both. A depressed person may express himself by walking slowly and shuffling his feet; the head may be bowed, the chest slumped and the shoulders rolled forward. They might as well shout, “I’m sad!” Yoga teaches that by changing the outward form or posture, you change the inner attitude or mental state, and vice versa.
Yoga asanas, such as Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana), are highly stylized expressions of human physical, emotional and mental states. Every body position is an asana: as we bring more awareness to each position, it becomes yoga. With this in mind, each body position can be examined in two ways: What does it say about my inner state? What effect does it have on my mental being?
What your standing forward bend says about you
The word Uttanasana can be broken down ut means intensity and tan This means stretching, which involves an intense stretch of the spine and the backs of the legs. The beginner tends to strive to touch the floor, often by bouncing up and down and exerting too much effort. This bouncing and striving represents a mentally aggressive attitude. It expresses the person’s attachment to the purpose of touching the floor, rather than attention to the quality of the action.
As you progress in the practice of Uttanasana, you will notice a softening as the body releases itself into the pose. Breathing becomes subtle and flowing, and body and mind reach a gentle state of harmony. When this happens, the posture becomes a mental attitude, an expression of an inner state of tranquility. The process of moving over time from an agitated, determined state of ‘doing’ the posture to an inwardly strong but outwardly soft ‘being’ in the posture is a process that allows the student to explore his own mind. You can clearly see how you respond to difficulties and discomfort – with surrender or resentment, weakness or determination.
How to practice the standing forward bend
When practicing Uttanasana, if you are a beginner, place your feet six inches from a wall and six inches apart. Then rest the buttocks against the wall and bend forward from the hips, keeping the back as straight as possible when going down and when coming up. (Later, the pose can be practiced standing alone.) Exhale when you bend and when you straighten, and breathe calmly into the pose. Make sure to release the back of the neck and minimize the curvature of the back.
When Uttanasana is done properly, you should feel a relaxation of the back of the legs, a rotation of the pelvis and minimal action in the spine. Aside from the obvious effects Uttanasana has on the hamstrings, calves and spine, it has a profoundly calming effect on the mind.
In a variation on Uttanasana, you bring your arms over your head while descending. This allows the student to move deeper into the pose and train the muscles between the shoulder blade(s). These muscles are often weakened by lack of exercise and poor posture. The more experienced student may want a greater stretch of the gastro-soleus or calf muscles. This can be achieved by placing a book or mat under the ball of the foot. The weight is shifted forward to maintain balance, creating a more intense stretch.
However, this position can aggravate hyperextended knees. This condition, commonly referred to as ‘back knees’, is usually caused by laxity in the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee. If this ligament is strong, it normally prevents the tibia (shin bone) from moving too far backward when the leg is straightened. When this condition occurs, a mat can be placed under the heels. The student should avoid pushing the knees back too much and should be encouraged to pull the kneecaps up more.
How forward bending teaches balance
Hatha Yoga can be translated as the union or balancing of the ha (sun), activating principle, with the that (moon), subjugating principle. Each pose has a cooling or activating effect on body and mind. The effect of a pose must also be considered in relation to the pose that precedes and follows it. Although a pose has the ability to reveal some general tendencies regardless of its relationship to other poses.
Then how does Uttanasana affect the mental states? Uttanasana is a cooling pose. “After completing the asana, one feels calm and cool, the eyes begin to glow, and the mind feels peaceful.”* For this reason, it is useful to use Uttanasana between vigorous standing poses or at the end of an overly exciting day.
The balance of ha And that is reflected in Patanjali’s The Yoga Sutras by two philosophical concepts, abhyasa And vairagyam. Abhyasa is defined as a disciplined, determined practice. It is the will that manifests and the power of individuality that expresses itself, and vairagyam is the ability to surrender and yield.
Abhyasa is represented in Uttanasana by the front of the thighs because the quadriceps femoris muscle located there must be held very tightly so that the knee does not bend against the strong stretch felt at the back of the leg. This is how you learn tenacity and willpower. It develops the inner strength needed in dealing with other difficult situations. The back of the legs, especially the hamstring muscles in the thigh, represent vairagyam or surrender. Unless you relax the muscles, the posture will be agitated and full of tension. When the firmness of the front legs is maintained, surrender of the back of the legs can be felt. In this way a balance is achieved between strength and gentleness, between resistance and letting go, between abhyasa and vairagyam.
Yoga psychology is contained in every asana. In Uttanasana one learns the lesson of propriety: it is proper for the front thighs to resist and the back thighs to surrender. Learning the right answer, whether in Uttariasana or in life, is one of the most difficult and challenging parts of self-growth.
*BKS Iyengar: Light on yoga. SchockenBooks, New York. Page 76.
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