How the body connects… Breath, Posture, Shoulders, Neck, Spine ? Yoga shows the way.
Wild thing or “Camatkarasana” in Sanskrit, is an exuberant celebration of life. This pose requires both flexibility and strength. It opens the heart up toward the sky, allowing us to tap into the energy of love, joy, playfulness and compassion. It is both an arm balance and a backbend focused on the shoulders, throat, quadriceps, and core. It also combats mild depression and fatigue.
Why in our yoga practice do we focus on neck, chest & shoulders ? How many of us are tight in this area ? How many people do you know who have shoulders, back or neck issue ? Bad posture, habits, stress, gym workouts, driving, typing… So many reasons. As our front chest (pectoralis) muscles get tight, our shoulders get pulled forward, rounding our posture collapsing our chest, compromising our core, straining our spine & neck whilst weakening our back muscles. Our arm movement becomes restricted. Watch out for a downward spiral ! It is all about balance.
Our head gets out of alignment creating neck and back strain. Our shoulders start to lose full range of motion which leads to other muscles overcompensating creating more imbalance in the body. It is like a “domino” effect. As our chest becomes tighter, our breathing becomes shallow affecting our mood and energy level. We may start to feel “fatigued” or depressed. Our digestion may also suffer as a tight front compresses the organs. Our shoulders, neck and back start to complain. If you try to do a backbend with a tight front, you are heading for trouble. Your arms and shoulders will not be moving freely to allow the expansion and your lower back will most likely take most of the compression, which will be pretty risky and uncomfortable. I know because I have been there.
For those of you, who would like to find out more about tight shoulders, please read this article from yoga journal https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/mission-possible
Strengthening is key but always check to see first which area needs to be opened and lengthened to recreate space in the body before strengthening. As we look at releasing tension, opening the chest, shoulders, upper back to recreate space and mobility, we bring the body back in balance. We improve our posture and our sense of well-being. We feel more comfortable in our own skin and move with more ease. We breathe better and find a new level of energy. We feel happier.
All my yoga classes start with a gentle warm up before our main practice and ends with a lovely relaxation. I use a mix of breath, yoga and somatics practice to achieve the best results. My students may find the practice challenging at times but always leave with a smile feeling so much better and taller. I always give alternatives to accommodate everyone. Many of them described the class as “Fantastic”.
As Vanda Scaravelli once said, “Yoga must not be practiced to control the body: it is the opposite, it must bring freedom to the body, all the freedom it needs”
Why don't you join me ? Your 1st group class is free. I offer various classes online such as beginner’s yoga, non-beginners yoga, dynamic morning yoga, meditation, Somatics or relaxation. Yoga online via Zoom during COVID-19 confinement. Classes Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. To book, Pls email yogawithbelletw@gmail.com to receive your Zoom link 24hrs prior to class.
To find out more, check www.yogawithbelle.co.uk
“Wild Thing”, a song written by American songwriter Chip Taylor and popularized by the English rock band the Troggs