Notes on From the Ground Up

Emotional pain and physical challenges can be embedded in our feet

Look at the soles of your shoes and see how they are worn. 

Feet can show the origin of our pain.

Tadasana/Samastithi is foundational yoga pose.  It teaches us to be fully upright, connected to the ground and yet reaching out and up toward the sky.

By plugging down the front of the heel, the root of the little toe and the root of the big toe we create a triangular base that vaults the inner arch of the foot upward.

The back of the body holds much of our personal history, we store past stress and anxiety behind us (out of sight out of mind) thus we end up with a tension filled back body (calves, hamstrings, back, shoulders, neck . . .) Soles of the feet are the beginning of the back body

Prasarita Padottanasana – elongates and gradually breaks apart accumulated tension in the back 

body

Working with a Tennis ball is a good way to stretch the feet.

Almost every yoga poses involves the feet so it is important be aware of the feet while you are practicing yoga

Key Concepts in BODYMIND by Ken Dychtwald

I learned a lot from Ken Dychtwald's book there were a lot of topics in it that I was so not familiar with.  For me the key ideas and concepts are:

Bioenergetics is something I have never heard of Dychtwald describes it
"Bioenergetics is a form of psychotherapy that deals with emotional health and sickness from the perspective of psychosomatic unity."
I would like to know more about this field and if it still around or if it has been folded into Somatics.

The Body-Reading process performed by John Pierrakos is something I would like to know more about.

Rolfing is something I always wanted to try.  I attempted it this week but for some reason she gave me a cranial sacral massage instead.

I have talked in 2 other posts about how much I was intrigues by BODYMIND Splits.


I like the idea of 5 Components influencing the formation of the body
1) heredity
2) physical activity and exposure
3) emotional and psychological activity and exposure
4) nutrition
5) environment


I am very interested in his reading of the body and that is what I think I will use most from this book

FEET
FLAT FEET
- ungrounded, hockey puck way of relating to the world
CLUTCHING FEET
- sometimes the tension in the feet is related to unresolved emotional crisis that involved the possibility of movement or running.  people are holding their ground by squeezing their feet.
WEIGHT ON THE HEELS
- false sense of stability, and exaggerated feeling of determination to remain stable and hold control
TIPTOERS
-have a hard time making contact physically or emotional with the earth.  They are floaters, dreamers, artistic and imaginative
LEAD FEET
- weighted down in life, strong need to be grounded and stable, more reliable than creative


ANKLES AND KNEES
- joints are psychosomatic crossroads
- grounding, stability, contact with the earth, self support, ease of movement and change, sense of ease and presence
- injuries are often about resistance to progress
- Sense of ease which we progress through our lives
- when lives are flowing our ankles and knees are flexible
- when we are stuck or conflicted our ankles and knees are rigid


LEGS
WEAK, UNDER DEVELOPED LEGS
- difficulty grounding
- weakness and fragility in self-support system
MASSIVE OVER DEVELOPED LEGS
- rigid personality
- person who is holding on
FAT, UNDERDEVELOPED LEGS
-sluggish in the ability to move through the world, difficulty initiating action or following through
THIN, TIGHT LEGS
-go getters


PELVIS
PELVIS TIPPED UPWARD
- lessening of sexual energy and focus
- holding in sexuality
PELVIS TIPPED DOWNWARD
- heightening on sexual energy and sexual focus
- sexual and feeling oriented
- perhaps obsessed with sexual contact

ABDOMINAL REGION
THE BELLY
- feeling center of the body
- emotions grow out of our guts
LOWER BACK
"Most people with lower back trouble report that they first experienced difficulty with their backs as a result of some injury or back-straining activity, such as lifting heavy heights, sitting on uncomfortable furniture, or sleeping on a too soft bed.  Yet it seems to me that the back disturbannce does not begin at the time of the acute injury, but rather that the injury occurred because the muscles and emotions of the back had been chronically held and contracted for some time, thereby predisposing the area to injury.
- stuck between the withheld sexuality of the pelvis and the stored up self-assertion and anger in the upper back
- compulsive people frequently have tight muscles in the lower back
DIAPHRAGM
- gateway between lower 3 chakras and upper chakras
- controls the way feelings are allowed to release themselves


CHEST CAVITY
CHEST
- a feeling focuser, amplifier and translator
- emotions, thought, reactions and expressions, mix and swirl in the chest continually changing forms and direction
LUNGS
- Bodymind organs involved in the process of breathing
- Many people breath shallowly and quickly when they are upset
- Shallow breathing can be a defense against experience feelings or feeling
THE HEART
- tension in the heart indicates a chronic over-self-protection
CHEST CONTRACTION
- narrow, fragile chested people
- minimal feeling and energy can flow through this region
- feelings are of emotional weakness, insecurity and depression
CHEST EXPANSION
- large overdeveloped chest
- overcharge of energy and excitation
- overpowering need to appear strong and be in control
- buried tenderness and receptivity
- underdeveloped sexuality and feelings


SHOULDERS AND ARMS
SHOULDERS
- mediators between the emotions of the torso and the expressiveness of the arms and hands
BOWED ROUNDED SHOULDERS
- person sees themselves as having the weight of the world on their shoulders
- have more responsibility than they are built to handle
- overburdened by life
RAISED SHOULDERS
- attitude of fear
SQUARE SHOULDERS
- sense of power and ability to carry the burdens
- appearance oriented
FORWARD HUNCHED SHOULDERS
- chronic attitude of self protection and fear of being hurt
- highly vulnerable
RETRACTED OR PULLED BACK SHOULDERS
- person trying not to lose their temper
- annoyed by their situation in life
WEAK, UNDER DEVELOPED ARMS
- holding in energy and expression
MASSIVE, OVER DEVELOPED ARMS
- lack of sensitivity or grace
- insensitive
THIN, TIGHT ARMS
- grasping, clutching, clawing person
- difficulty of holding on to things or people and sustaining relationships
- lack of focus
FAT, UNDER DEVELOPED ARMS
-- deadness or sluggishness of action
- buried within one's own body
UPPER BACK
- muscles that hold anger
- blocked feelings get deposited along the spine

NECK, THROAT AND JAW
NECK
- pedestal on which the head rests
FORWARD HEAD
-  person encounters the world first with his head/rational self and later the body
- head is too great a burden for the body
DROPPED HEAD
- defeat
HEAD TILT
- tilt will reflect the attitude the are experiencing or projecting
- right (Arrogance and defiance) left (Cute, playful)
LONG GRACEFUL NECK
- pride
BULL NECK
- aggression and tightness
RECEDING JAW
- sadness, anger, the urge to scream or cry
PROTRUDING JAW
- defiance
- determination
CLENCHED JAW
- over self-control


FACE AND HEAD
FACE
- Mask you present to the world
EARS
- hearing
- people can decide to lose their hearing when the are old because they want to withdraw and not hear it
- Ear canals maintain a sense of balance in the bodymind
EYES
- reflect the body's state of health or lack of
LARGE ROUND EYES
- warm, loving personality
BULGING EYES
- a lifetime of withheld expressions and sadness
NEARSIGHTEDNESS
- difficulty projecting yourself outward
- traumatized eye muscles
- inwardly focused and shy
FARSIGHTEDNESS
-  inability to perceive and relate to things that happen up close
- want to focus away from oneself and look outward
FOREHEAD
- furrowed brow is diligence and concentration

Reflections on Chapter 2 in BODYMIND by Ken Dychtwald

BODYMIND was written in 1977 but for me it seems as it could have been written yesterday.  There is so much information that I have been trying to piece together from many sources that is presented here and a comprehensive and compelling way.

Although all of the book was extremely interesting to me.  I was especially interested in the major MINDBODY splits.  I have been talking for years about the left right split but Ken Dychtwald showed me that was only one possibility.  I feel very excited by this new information.

For Mr. Dychtwald the front/back split separates the private and unconscious self at the back with the more public social self at the front.

Our unwanted and negative emotions get stored in the back of the body and the back becomes weak because it is toring emotions like anger and fear
In our body is a house the front is like the living room in the house and the back is like the attic or basement.  I had never considered this type of split before but it makes a lot of sense to me.  It is a good answer to why it is hard to work with people with back problems and why many back problems are considered psychosomatic and don't register on an xray or can.

The another split that Dychtwald mentions in BODYMIND that I had never considered before is the
Top/Bottom Split.

 I have often seen these people with very big bottoms and small tops are small tops and big bottoms and I have wondered how did the body create such and imbalance.  Dychtwald suggests that the bottom part of our body is stabilizing . moving and balancing.  In contrast, the top half is seeing, hearing, speaking thinking, expressing, stroking, hitting and holding, communication and breathing. We show out dominant characteristics by how our body shapes or our shapes effect our dominant characteristics.

Another split I was introduced to was the Torso/Limbs Split.

 I have seen these type of people skiny arms and legs and a developed torse and also the reverse. Dychtwald explains that the torso is the core and the limbs allow us to reach out and expand ourselves past our self contained restrictions and limits imposed by our torsos.  We says that weak limbs represent bottled up feelings while over developed limbs forecast a person who is a do-er and/or be-er.

The Right/Left split is the one I am most familiar with.

The Left is the feminine side of the body and the Right is  masculine.  This presents itself in injuires, flexibility or lack their of  and we can also see this imblance when people are expressing themselves by crying or  talking with their hands

The head/body split is one I feel a lot in my father's side of the family.

 The are hyper intellectuals who don't care for their body's.  The either are very obese or under developed and weak.  The body seems to be an after thought to them not connected, more like a purse to carry or luggage.  Ken Dychtwald  explains that the head and face are our most social aspects. They are the mask that we present to the world.  The body below the neck is our private self which is mostly covered with clothing.  Many people put more attention on their face and their intellect than their bodies. He says the body is the emotional, animal and less creative self and this reflects in the splits of body/mind, intellect/feelings and reason/intuition.

I loved that book. Sometimes I got tired on Ken Dychtwald talking about how attractive woman after woman in his encounter groups were.  He might have a three way split which a lot of men I know have penis/head/body.  I will add that split to his list.

Body Mind - Yin to Integrate the Split Body

I recently read the book Bodymind by Ken Dychtwald for Yoga Therapy School and was intrigued and impressed.  I have been looking for a book that articulated the types of relationships between mind and body that I have been exploring in my Yin Class for the last couple of years. The chapter that spoke to me the most was Chapter 2 which provided an overview of the major mind body splits.  I was so moved by it that I used it to teach my Yin Class on Saturday.  Here is what I did:

I started with this quote from the book:

"In my attempt to explore the terrain of my own life and being.  I have discovered that my body and my mind are reflections of each other and that the emotions and experiences which have formed my personality have affected the formation and structuring of my muscles and tissue.  As I have become more aware of my own history and the realm of possibilities that it reveals, I have also become to appreciate some of the ways that these body/mind relationships can be discovered, examined and improved up."

I then offered a Prithivi Mudra the mudra of enhancing embodiment

and the Affirmation  "I trust and honor my body"

I gave everyone a copy of this handout that I took for Bodymind with pictures of all the splits on it.


I suggested that students use this class to discover where the imbalances and splits where in their body and where the felt unity and integration.


And then we began the Yin Sequence focusing on Body Splits

FRONT?BACK SPLIT

FRONT/BACK SPLIT - BACK

Start with

BUTTERFLY WARM UPS (flapping, twisting, circling, rowing, metal triangle)

BUTTERFLY POSE LONG HOLD
Butterfly Pose is a Forward Bend that stretches the lower back without requiring loose hamstrings. According to Ken Dychtwald our back is our private and unconscious self.  Unwanted and negative emotions get stored in the back.

 Unfortunately, unwanted emotions don’t disappear a lot of times they get stored in the back.  The back can become weak because it is storing emotions like anger and fear.
Bring awareness to the back and begin to observe any tightness or holding.  Don't try to change anything just notice it.  Being consciously breathing.  On the inhale say to yourself mentally "I am breathing in" or the exhale say to yourself mentally "I am breathing out" . . .


FRONT BACK SPLIT CONTINUED - FRONT

SUPINE BUTTERFLY with two blocks

Supta Baddhakonasana is a pose with many benefits and one of them is a heart opener opening the chest and the whole front of the body,  According to Bodymind the front is the social self and the conscious self.  If the body is likened to a house then the front is like the living room in the house and the back is like the attic or basement.

As you hold this supine butterfly experience what it feels like to have your chest opened and exposed. Does this backbend feel more comfortable than the previous forward bend. How do the front and body differ in your experience today?  Is there a difference you have noticed between the front and the back? Where is the constriction in the body today?  Is it in the front or the back of the body? Is there even any constriction?


TORSO/LIMB SPLIT

ARMS

REVOLVED TABLE/EYE THE NEEDLE POSE

Bring your way to table.  Wrists under shoulders needs under hips and begin working through cat cow. As you inhale arch the back and as you exhale dome the back.  Back the hand behind the neck and shine the heart to the sky several tops with this movement up and down movement.  The extend the arm reach more something you really want and then thread the right arm behind the left for the revolved table pose.


The torso is the core body.  The limbs allow us to reach out and expand ourselves past our self contained restrictions and limits imposed by our torsos.  If we have a Torso Limb Split either our Arms and legs are weak and torso is strong or our torso is weak and arms and legs are strong.
Weak limbs can represent bottled up feelings.  Overdeveloped limbs are a sign of  a person who is doer and a be-er.


TORSO/LIMB SPLIT - 2 to 5 minutes each side

LEGS

DRAGON pose and MANY VARIATIONS

Stretches the back leg's hip flexors and quadriceps



Then we moved on to

HEAD/BODY SPLIT

CROCODILE VARIATIONS

SPHINX long hold - 3 to 5 minutes

The head and face are our most social aspects.  The head and the face are usually not covered where the rest of the body is.  The body below the neck is more private than the body above the neck.  As westerners we see the head as the place for the mind, intellect and reason.  This split represents the split on the mind vs. body, intellect vs. feelings and, reason vs. intuition.



The next split I investigated was the

LEFT/RIGHT SPLIT

BANANASANA - Both Sides  2 to 5 minute hold both sides

The left and right sides of the body, while they may seem extremely similar often mirror different aspects of our characters and personality. The Left is the feminine side and the right is the masculine. We can see quite clearly which shade is more dominant when we see people are expressing themselves: crying, talking with their hands.  We can often have a more flexible or stronger side.

Bananasana or Supta Ardha Chandrasana or Supine half moon stretches the whole side of the body as it works the spine in a lateral flexion (side bend) from the iliotibial (IT) band to the tops of the side rib cage.  It also stretches the oblique stomach muscles and the side intercostal muscles between the ribs


TOP/BOTTOM SPLIT

RECLINING TWIST

The bottom part of the body is stabilizing . moving and balancing.  The top half is seeing, hearing, speaking thinking, expressing, stroking, hitting and holding, communication and breathing
People can have big top and heavy bottom or a big bottom and heavy top.  They can have an underdeveloped bottom and an over developed top or and underdeveloped top and and over developed bottom.  This is seen in pear shape bodies or people with very large shoulders.

ENDING  YOGA NIDRA

I ended class with a Yoga Nidra where at the end of the body scan I used the splits as tools for integration and unity.

I offered "I trust and respect my body" as a sankalpa along with "I will find the write sankalpa for me" or people to use their own personal sankalpa

After I went through the body scan.  I said

Now feel  the right and left side of the body integrated and unified
the top and bottom of the body integrated and unified
the front and the back of the body integrated and unified
the torso, legs and arms integrated and unified
the head and body integrated and unified
and now the whole body together integrated and unified.


After the Yoga Nidra I directed the class to lie on their side and a fetal position, the position of rebirth and renewal together and say something kind mentally to themselves as if they were speaking to a small child or as if an ancestor as talking to them.

After that we pushed up into a comfortable seated position using prithivi mudra and again I re-read part of Ken Dychtwald's quote

"In my attempt to explore the terrain of my own life and being.  I have discovered that my body and my mind are reflections of each other and that the emotions and experiences which have formed my personality have affected the formation and structuring of my muscles and tissue
and then re-offered the affirmation."

"I trust and respect my body."

And then I closed the class Shalom, Salaam, Pace, Peace, Om.

Namaste

Yin Yoga Practice for Transforming Fear and Nervousness into Gentleness, Calmness, Will power and Wisdom

SEATED

The Kidney Meridian - Root of Life

Reservoir of Energy
Seat of Courage and Willpower

The kidney meridian is a yin meridian (flows upwards), controls the growth and development of bones and nourishes the marrow, which is the body's source of red and white blood cells.

A weak kidney is therefore a prime cause of anemia and immune deficiency.

Get an instant Face lift with Kansa Wand
Kidney Meridian Flow - www.natural-health-zone.com


In traditional Chinese medicine, the spinal cord and the brain are forms of marrow, and therefore poor memory, inability to think clearly, and backache are all regarded as indicators of impaired kidney function and deficient kidney energy. Read also: Kidney Cleanse

The Kidney meridian's vitality is reflected externally by the condition of head and body hair and is associated with the entrance hole of the ears.

Tinnitus (ringing ears) is thus a sign of kidney dysfunction.

The kidneys are the seat of courage and willpower, and therefore any impairment in kidney meridian results in feelings of fear and paranoia.

Intense fear can cause involuntary urination, a phenomenon also known to Western medicine. Read also: 7 Emotions

The kidneys are responsible for filtering waste metabolites from the blood and moving them on-wards to the bladder for excretion in urine.

Along with the large intestine, the kidneys control the balance of fluids in the body.

In addition, they regulate the body's acid-alkaline balance (pH) by selectively filtering out or retaining various minerals. Read also: Detox Diets


The Kidney Meridian is paired with: The Bladder Meridian

Element: Water

Physical Imbalances: Chest pain, asthma, abdominal pain, irregular menstruation, impotence, hernia

Emotional Imbalances: Hysteria, paranoia, depression, fear, loneliness and insecurity

When Balanced: Wisdom, rationality, clear perception, gentleness and self-understanding.

Peak Hours: 5-7 pm

Foods: Water


Light Blue


Bhay is Sanskrit for Fear

Abhaya Varada Mudra - "Gesture for Fearlessness and Granting Wishes"

"No effort on the yoga path is every lost, nor can any obstacle ever hold one back forever. Just a little progress on this path can protect one from the greatest fear."

- Chapter 2, Verse 40 - Bhagavad Gita

Affirmation  – 

With a greater sense of grounding and centering, I move forward in life fearlessly

Once out loud
Once whispering
Once to yourself mentally

SAVASANA

This poem in the Anita Diamant’s the Red Tent touched me

“Fear not, the time is coming
Fear not, your bones are strong
Fear not, help is nearby
Fear not, Gula (God) is near
Fear not, the earth is beneath you
Fear not, we have water and salt
Fear not, little mother or father
Fear not, mother of us all!”

ARDHA SAVANASANA

MANTAK CHIA’S PRACTICE FOR TRANSFORMING FEAR INTO GENTLENESS

a) Eyes closed. Hands on kidneys, Sense fear, nervousness, constriction, or imbalance. Ask for its message. 

b) Open eyes. Kness together. Inhale through the nose, sweeping arms around to place fingers below knees, thumbs linked. Bend forward, round back and look up.

c) Contact abdomen as you exhale on CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (breath only)

d) Release any fear, nervousmess, constriction or imbalance into the earth

e) Return hands to kidneys and place legs comfortably apart. Close eyes and smile to kidneys. Breath in blue light

f) Do this 3 to 6 more times.

Aligator

Fear is one of the 9 rasas

Fear is a game of the over-exaggerating mind

Fear of death, failure, loss, success

The more attachments we have the more reason for the fear rsa

More is dominated by the air element – fearful people tend to tremble and shake – causes stomach to contract

In fear all our body cells scream at us to run for our lives

Sphinx

Fear can be overcome by inner strength, love and truth

“The future will take care of itseld, so let us not sacrifice today’s happiness because of it.”

1/2 Saddle

6 Steps to Releasing Fear by Nicholas Perrin
1. Come back to the present moment.

The first step is to bring your awareness to the present moment by watching the breath.
 
In hale and Exhale sub vocally

1/2 Saddle Other Side

2. Put things in perspective.

"Now that you are present, acknowledge the experience and ask yourself this question: “What is the worst case scenario that can happen to me?”

Once we can accept this and realize we will be okay if that happens, we are free from the fear.

When I realized I’d blown things out of proportion with my fears, I was able to detach from the story and put things into perspective.

I like to imagine that in every moment I have two wolves I can feed (per the Native American myth): the fear wolf or the love wolf. The one that gets stronger and wins is the one I feed."

Full Saddle or knees bent on the back with a sand bag

"3. Become an observer of your thoughts.

What has served me well in moments like this is to say, “I’m not these thoughts. I’m not these emotions. I’m not this body. I’m an infinite being having a human experience.”

In saying this, we immediately detach from the story and allow ourselves the choice of suffering or to become the observer.

Imagine that your life is represented in a book, and the story you are living out comes from the words on the page. We can change the words of the story at any point in time."

Butterfly

"The fourth step is to place your awareness and your right hand on the heart center, which is located near the sternum. Close your eyes, take three deep breaths, and make the following command:

“I am now connected to the infinite part of who I am, which already knows how to be whole and complete. I take full responsibility and accountability for this creation, I recognize how it has served me, and I am now ready to let it go. I command that the fear energy be transmuted into unconditional love now. Thank you. It is now done.”

This process is incredibly empowering. We allow ourselves the opportunity to experience being our own inner master and a co-creator of our reality."

1/2 Butterfly Pose Sides

"5. Prevent your mind from sabotaging you.

Visualize a stone being thrown into a pond. Observe the ripples it creates when it enters the water. This is to simply distract your mind and allow the process to unfold without doubt or self-sabotage. It is only our mind that can interfere with our own healing."


1/2 Butterfly Other Side -

"6. Be grateful.

Express gratitude and appreciation for the integration and healing you have received.

—

The key to happiness is awareness. When we become aware that our mind is wandering, we can gently bring it back to the present moment. It’s only in the present moment that we are empowered and can consciously choose the thoughts we engage with.

The thoughts we focus on will determine where our energy flows, and thus what is created in our life. Each thought has a vibration, which is reflected by the feeling we experience in our body.

To be able to move from a fear-based experience to an open, peaceful experience we must first take full responsibility and accountability that on some level we created the experience, and nobody else is to blame.

The choice is truly ours. Do we choose to experience a fearful, limited life or do we choose a happy joyful life?"

Dragonfly

Fear is often caused by ignorance – we can be fearful of something that is unknown

One of the most powerful fears is the fear of death

Fear is a natural protection that keeps as away from harm

Caterpillar

Metaphorical forms of Fear:  tiredness, heaviness. Cold, nausea, exhaustion

Metaphysical characteristics of the energy of fear: internal coldness, shivering, heaviness, sudden tiredness, sleepiness, irregular breathing, cold sweating, anxiety, loss of skin color, loss of energy, loss of appetite, inability to speak, inability to look another in the eye, dehydration and nausea, legs can feel cold or numb, especially the backs of the legs, dehydration or dry lips, inability to talk to anyone, not enough energy for conversation, diarrhea, greater than normal need to pee, extreme sensitiy to touch

Snail

Some of the fear energy in the body can relate to events deep in the past and these events can have been forgotten or buried.  The conscious mind may have forgotten but the energy of those experiences can still be in the body

Feelings of blackness and stickness within yourself

Melting Heart

Dreams – pictures of thick, black motor oil or black witches or black fearful creatures

Sometimes we are blocked and we want to do something but can’t seem to – we should not call this laziness we should call it fear

There is fear of failure as well as fear of success, fear of not being good enough, fear of not finishing, fear of beginning at all,  The cure for fear is love

Dragon

Call fear by its right name – not laziness not procrastination

(give yourself permission to begin small)

Setting impossible goals

Fear of abandonment – rooted in childhood

2md chakra yoga poses can bring forward fear

Bridge

SUB RASAS OF FEAR
WORRY, NERVOUSNESS, JEALOUSY

Fear is dominated by the air element – fearful people tremble and shake and their stomaches contract

In fear, all our body cells scream to us to run for our lives

Metallic taste comes in the mouth when we experience fear

Yogic remedy for fear is wearing pearls, and stones like turquoise, red coral

FEAR and ANGER are companions, they stimulate each other

WONDER and FEAR are related – because wonderous things bring a minimal amount of fer because we can’t understand them and that makes us cautious

FEAR’s OPPOSITE iS COURAGE OR FEARLESSNESS

Reclining Twist

JOY AND CALMESS HELP TO BALANCE fear

Fear is overcome by inner strength, love and truth

When we have nothing to lose there is nothing to fear

Real knowledge and truth brings fearlessness

Love and Friendship can overcome fear

Need to make distinction between planning and worrying

Yama is the deity of fear

Hatha Yoga for Transforming Sadness into Courage, Right Action and Letting Go

Theme: Transforming Sadness/Depression into Courage, Right Action and Letting Go based on work by Mantak Chia and other sources.


Intention: Exploration of where sadness is blocked or trapped in the body and begin to release and transform it.

Sadness and Depression are found in the 3rd and 4th Chakras. In Traditional Chinese Medicine they are said to live in the lungs and Large Intestines. The Energy of Sadness is: Soft and Cold to the Touch. Sadness is found in  neurotransmitters in our brain.  The physiology of sadness is an absence of dopamine, serotonin and phenylethylamine.

We usually translate the word Karuna as compassion but it originally means sadness.  It is the sadness we feel when we need to let go of attachments. There is a practice called Karuna Sadhana.  Mastering Karuna means changing sadness to compassion.  Most people are so self-absorbed the do not understand that others problems are the same as their own.

Sadness is related to the water element.  It is seen in our tears.  The deity of sadness is Varuna the lord of the water. He is the keeper of the laws of dharma and his palace is a Submerged Mountain.

The moon influences the water element. The descending moon cycle is related to sadness.  The ascending moon cycle is related to Joy and Excitement

Concentrating on Love, Joy and Humor are powerful ways to release and remove sadness.

3 AWARENESS EXERCISE

For the Body Awareness Exercise I will use Mantak’s Healing Sound Practice for Transformation of Sadness into Courage
Healing sound: Ssssssssssssssssssss

FROM A COMFORTABLE SEATED POSITION

Close your eyes and put your hands on your rib cage.  Inhale slowly through your nose. Notice in you feel any sadness, depression, constriction or other physical imbalances in your lungs.  If you do ask them if they have a message for you.

1. Become aware of your lungs. Take a deep breath and, letting your eyes follow, raise the arms up in front of you. When the hands are at eye level, begin to rotate the palms and bring them up above the head. Keep the elbows rounded. You should feel a stretch that extends from the heels of the palms, along the forearms, over the elbows, along the upper arms and into the shoulders. The lungs and chest will feel open and breathing will be easier. Draw the corners of the mouth back, exhale, making the sound "Ssssssss", sub-vocally, slowly and evenly in one breath.

2. As you exhale, empty all feelings of sadness, sorrow and grief from your lungs.

3. When you have exhaled completely (without straining), rotate the palms down, close the eyes, and breathe in to the lungs to strengthen them. If you are color oriented, imagine a pure white light and quality of righteousness entering into your lungs. Float the arms down by gently lowering the shoulders. Slowly lower them to your lap so that they rest there, palms up.

4. Close the eyes, breathe normally, smile down to the lungs, be aware of the lungs, and imagine that you are still making the sound. Pay attention to any sensations you may feel. Try to feel the exchange of cool, fresh energy replacing hot, dark waste energy.

4. SHARING
Break into pairs and talk about your experience using active listen. 90 seconds per person.

5. MUDRA/AFFIRMATION
Pranidhana Mudra
"As I learn to let go, I naturally live with right action and courage"


6. WARM UP
tapping on lung 1 - Middle Palace
Joint Freeing Series Standing Variation
Flapping Wings
Pranayama: Breath of Joy
Qi Gong Flow for Metal

7. ASANA

SURYA NAMASKAR with Mantras
HALF MOON with HANDS TO FEET POSE
WARRIOR 2
TRIANGLE and TWISTING TRIANGLE
STAR POSE to GODDESS POSE WITH HA BREATH
STANDING SEPARATE LEG STRETCHING
STORK
DYING BUG SIT UPS
BOAT
PLANK - FOREARM PLANK - DOLPHIN
COBRA to FULL LOCUST
HALF TORTOISE/CHILD’S POSE
CAMEL
RABBIT
LATERAL DRAGONFLY
SPINAL TWIST
SAVASANA

8. YOGA NIDRA

Repeat Healing Sound Practice in Savasana

Lying in Savasana Close your eyes and put your hands on your rib cage
Once again get in touch with your lungs and large intestines the place where sadness and depression reside.

Notice if you feel any sadness, depression, constriction or other physical imbalance in your lungs.  If you do ask for a message of this feeling.  The answer may not come immediately or at some other time.  When you know the message, let it’s wisdom guide you.
Inhale deeply through your nose as you slowly move your hands a few inches away from your chest, turn your palms up and raise your arms over your head

Bring your arms over your head and rotate them to face the wall. Hold them 6 inches apart. Gently press away from you with the heels of the palms

Feel a stretch from your palms to your elbows to your shoulders to the area of your lungs

Inhale and exhale slowly making SUBVOCALLY the sound SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Exhale completely and Visualize any sadness, depression, constriction or imbalance leaving your mouth like a cloudy gray substance going into the earth to be transformed.

Breath normally now, and rotate your palms down and release your shoulders and let your hands slowly float back to cover your lungs

 Smile inwardly and outwardly, to your lungs and large intestine, feeling gratedul for the work the do in respiration and elimination. Then, still smiling, with every breath imagine you are breathing into these organs a brilliant white light.  Do this for several breaths.

Sense your lungs and large intestines are larger, softer and moister and spongier. Sadness, depression, constriction or imbalance have been released. Courage, right action and letting go have been increased

Roll over to a SITTING POSITION

9. MEDITATION
Hansi Mudra

“An inner smile radiates through out my being, awakening all my essential positive qualities.”

10 CLOSING
Each participant gives one word to encapsulate their experience
 

Yin Practice for Transforming Sadness in Courage, Right Action and Letting Go

YOGA NIDRA – SADNESS AND DEPRESSION

1. EASY POSE
Sit in Easy pose

The theme of this class is Transforming Sadness into Courage, Right Action and Letting Go
- Sadness is a soft emotional energy that is created in the lungs dwells close to the heart
- It’s spongey soft and slightly cold to the touch
- Sadness Can also be found it the latissimus muscle near the shoulder blade
- 3rd and 4th chakra
- sadness has been described as yellow
- With sadness you feel heart

sinking and you won’t be able to raise it

Benefits of Easy Pose:
Calms the brain
Strengthens the back
Stretches the knees and ankles


MUDRA for COURAGE 
- ABHAYA

MUDRA for RIGHT ACTION
- Shivalingham mudra

MUDRA FOR LETTING GO
- Pranidhana

Open the fingers and interlace them at the middle digits with the left
Place Vajrapradama mudra in front of the heart and begin to watch the rise and fall of the breath

FORWARD FOLD in Easy Pose

Vajrapradama means “unshakable trust and confidence.  The mudra is helpful for treating depression, releasing constriction in the chest, ribs and upper back, enhancing self-trust and confidence, increasing energy and enthusiasm, and enhancing sensitivity in the qualities of the heart.


SWITCH FORWARD FOLD OTHER LEG IN FRONT

BACK TO EASY POSE

MANTAK CHIA EXERCISE FOR TRANSFORMING SADNESS

Sadness and Depression are stored in the lungs. The lung sound transforms sadness and depression into courage, letting go and right action.
Eyes closed
Place hands on rib cage.
Sense any sadness depression, construction or imbalance in the lungs.
Ask for a message from the lungs.
Eyes open
Inhale deeply through the nose as your raise your palms, a few inches out from the body and over the head. Rotate palms up and leave about 6 inches between them.
Head back and elbows bent, Feel stretch from palms to lung area
Lung sound: Place your tongue behind your closed teeth and, with a long slow exhalation, make the lung sound "SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS" (like the sound of steam from a radiator).
Releasing sadness and depression
Change cross of legs after 3 times
Repeat six times


Return your hands to the lungs and smile to your lungs. Imagine a white light shining upon your lungs, surrounding them.
At the end sense that the lungs are softer, moister, spongier
Courage, right action and letting go have be increased
Let go of any lingering sadness or depression by with the eyes closed-looking left and looking right . . .

2. FORWARD FOLD IN BUTTERFLY

Begin By Tapping on Lung 1 (Middle Palace)
- Cleanses grief and emotions, opens chest and lungs, releases upper body tension, benefits all lungs and lung meridian disorders
- Breath deeply, focusing on the release of the breath to let go of stress, emotions, and all the energy that is not serving you highest essence of sense

Flap the legs to bring lightness to the body

The Sanskrit name for this pose is Baddha Konasana – Baddha refers to the quality of steadiness and Kona is the sacred space for Yoga practice.  “This asana cultivates the safety in which the yogi can relax into the sacred space of transformation, discovering a source of inner nourishment.” – Joseph La Page

Benefits:
- tones the pelvic floor and abdomen
- releases tension from the hips
- optimizes the digestive, eliminatory, urinary and reproductive systems
-cultivates inner nourishment

Benefits of Forward Bends:
There are many benefits to forward bends, both standing and sitting. They create length and space in the spine, counteracting compression, and their inward nature can promote introspection.
In forward bends each of the vertebrae are separated. Helps make the back muscles supple and strong
Make this forward bend a passive process where gravity can do the work
Forward bending is associated with bowing and humility
Difficulty bending forward can have to do with fear or indicate a stiff proud or stubborn personality
Bend from the hips and not the waist

3. DRAGONFLY - LATERAL DRAGON FLY

Simple Breathing Exercise for Letting Go
Expand your abdomen as you inhale deeply to the count of 4.

Hold your breath for 8 counts.

Exhale slowly through your nostrils to the count of 8. Expend the breath slowly, so that you have enough breath to release till you count down to 8. This action trains the muscles that support the heart and lungs and builds endurance.

Benefits of this Pose
- Lengthens the hamstings
- OPens the hips in abduction
- tractions and lengthens the spine
- supports the functioning of the reproductive, eliminatory and lymphatic systems
- calms the nervous sustem
- cultivates reverence and surrender

4. DRAGON

Anger and sadness are related
“In a well-moderated psyches. Anger is the primary emotion-the boundary-setter and sentry of the soul-while sadness acts in more interior wat to restore, flow, grounding, and integrity.” Many people it’s reversed

People whom lead with sadness are often children of addicted parents, people who lead with sadness often struggle with emotional instability, cycling depression and anxieties and unworkable relationships, and excruciating loneliness.:

Pranayama: Skull Shining Breath to Summer the Dragon


5. RELAXING CROCODILE TO CROCODILE – RAISED CROCODILE

- Tractions the entire spine
- massages the kidneys and adrenals
- nourishes the reproductive system
- cultivates peacefulness
Mantak Chia
“Painful emotions are messages from our soul telling us we are out of balance.”
Sadness is an appropriate response to loss
Important to Accept and forgive to alleviate sadness
Holding onto hatred and resentment only poisons you. It keeps you forever trapped in the past, focusing
Accepting that life will eventually knock you down hard is a stepping stone to growth. Trying to avoid hardship and pain will only prove detrimental to your health.
Each experience, each moment that you have is precious and dear. Try to make the best out of even the worst circumstances.

6. SPHINX – Variation Bent Leg look over opposite shoulder to SEAL

(back issues should put rolled towel under their hips)
- strengthens the arms and shoulders
- Aligns the thoracic spine
- Massages the kidneys, adrenals and reproductive organs
- Opens the doorwat to the heart, allowing us to receive its wisdom
Affirmations from Louise Hay:
1. All things are unfolding as they are supposed to.
2. In my sadness, I love myself.
3. I honor the love more than the loss.
4. I can find happiness in any situation.
5. I am healed.
Breath: Oceanic

7. MELTING HEART - ONE ARM AT A TIME AND THEN BOTH ARMS

Basis Rasa: Sadness
Sub Rasa: Pity and Compassion
Element: Water
Friendly Rasa: Calmness
Enemy Rasa: joy, Love
Key to Mastering: Kindly embrace both truth and ignorance

Benefits:
A nice backbend for the upper and middle back
Will also open shoulders
Softens the heart.

8. CHILD'S POSE

9. SUPINE CRESCENT MOON

- Increases the lung capacity
- Balance




10. SUPPORTED BRIDGE

“Sadness is your psyche’s water-bearer; it restores life-giving fluidity and movement when you’ve become arid and inflexible. Sadness helps you slow down, feel your losses, and release that which needs to be released- to soften into the flow of life instead of holding yourself rigidly and pushing ever onward. Sadness ask you to trust in the flow of time. . .Sadness also helps you release yourself from behaviors that take you away from your authentic self; if you can truly let go, the gentle nature of sadness will lead you to peace of mind that comes not from chaining yourself to a formal set of beliefs or ideologies, but from listening to your own innate wisdom>” p. 296 Karla McLaren
Stair Step Breathing:
a) Inhale little sips of air as if you were climbing a mountain for 6
b) hold for 4
c) exhale for 6
d) smooth 6 count in
e) hold for 4
f) exhale through nostrils in little puffs as if stepping down the mountain (8)
5 to 7 times
Next inhale in little sips hold for 4 and exhale little puffs
(x2)
End by inhaling in little sips, hold 4, exhale for 6 or longer


10. SUPPORTED BOUND ANGLE POSE

Reminds us to let go of outdated attachments you will be rejuvenated and revitalized
If you reject sadness you cannot be rejuvenated
Beware of “Unsaid words, unshed tears and grinding soul fatigue” Karla McLaren


11. FISH POSE



“When you welcome your sadness and allow it to flow through you, you may become a little weepy at first, which can see troubling if you don’t understand the healing power of tears. Don’t fight the flow.”
Tears – cleanse you eyes nd sinuses and release toxins from your body
Crying is a potent detoxification process
Welcome tears because thy release what needs to be release – they help us feel lighter and freer

The deity of sadness is Varuna. The lord of water.Varuna causes rains to fall and rivers to flow and continuously evaluates the actions of human ebings. He is the keeper of the laws of Dharma. He is the guardian of sea, heavens and terrestrial seas.  His palace is in the submerged mountain top of Pushpargiri. Souls the the drowned go to him accompanied by snakes.  He is a kind, righteous, beneveolent god ready to forgfive transgressions.

Get more active physically. Meanwhile, if you are dealing with depression, sadness, or anger, stay away from alcohol and substances, which will only magnify your pain. You are not “drowning” your sorrows. Instead, you are providing them with fuel.

What can be a practice for sadness –drop into yourself, set boundaries
1) What must be released
2) What must be rejuvenated
Make bridges to people. Sourround yourself with people who you love nd love you and you can count on.


Karuna is the word for Sadness in Sanskrit and is ruled by the water element. Mastering sadness means to convert our more self-centered sadness into compassion for other,  To understand sadness we must understand that it comes and goes. Bliss not sadness is our true nature.

12. LEGS UP THE CHAIR or WALL

How about when others are sad.  You can listen supportively. Let people feel sad as long as they need to.  Honor the sadness.  Set your boundary and soften yourself. No need to become a sage or coundelor.
“Remember to welcome your sadnesss in all its forms; as your free-flowing ability to ground and relax into yourself as you let go, as your mood-sate ability to access the fluidity of tears and rejuvenate yourself, and as the rapids-level depths of despair that can help you restore and rejuvenate your psyche after terrible loss. Welcome and thank your sadness.”

It’s transformative to Fully experience your emotions. Don’t masking their emotions. This is counterproductive and will lead to health problems in the future.
When each emotion comes, feel it. Let Your body will tell you when it’s enough. It’s fine to Cry, scream. “Let it out and submit to the beginning of a process that will take time to complete. To feel is to be human; embrace it!”

13. PLOUGH/SNAIL (time permitting)
Increases circulation to the face or brain
Optimizes the functioning of the endocrine and nervous systems
Improves circulation to the head and facilitates the venous return from the legs
Creates a sanctuary of inner silence

14. TWIST