The Body

Camel: The Emotional Explosion

By P.J. StuartBikram Yoga Paradise Valley Camel Pose It’s way more powerful than a maximum compression of the spine.  And that’s saying a lot.

The deepest backbend of the Bikram series, Ustrasana is also a shattering release of the deepest parts of our psyche.  It exposes us once again to our long-forgotten fears.  It taps lightly on the front door of our repressed anger chamber.  It relinquishes our unexpressed, perhaps self-denied joy and gratitude.  It ushers in a powerful cocktail of grief, hope, delight, frustration.  (And okay – sometimes, it just reminds us to lay off the nachos and beer.)

Knees and feet are six inches apart.  Hands on the back of your hips, fingers pointing down, thumbs to the outside … you take a deep breath …  Suddenly, your midsection is presented to the gods in its most vulnerable fashion, unleashed in full glory by the power of a 360-degree backbend, fueled by gravitation.  In nature, you will rarely see an animal expose its most susceptible region like this.  And yet here we are.  Bam!  Let it out, baby.

In my two years of practicing Bikram, I’ve been through the entire spectrum of emotions after Camel Pose.  I’ve wanted to run out of the room and vomit (and once, I did).  I’ve mourned a lost love.  I’ve plotted an angsty e-mail to a boss, expressing my dissatisfaction over their management style.  I’ve relived aspects my childhood, both positive and negative, gaining insight into my own complicated family dynamics.  I’ve wrestled with acceptance over my current life circumstances.

The power of this release is nothing short of awesome.  Each time, returning to my breath once again through all the inner turbulence, I emerge a lighter, cleaner, less encumbered version of myself.  Perhaps the singularly most intense posture of the entire Bikram series, something magical and crazy happens to each of us during Ustrasana.  It’s strangely healing, beyond the physical benefits to our spine and abdominal organs. BYPV teachers often say, “it’s normal to feel dizzy or nauseous.”  But what causes this “emotional explosion” that comes with it?

Turns out, in psychosomatic science -- which studies the link between the body and the mind -- there is a known connection between the abdominal and pelvic regions to our deepest emotions.  No wonder then, a sudden and dramatic activation of this area would cause such a fierce reaction.

According to reports from American Psychiatric Publishing, there are two reasons this connection exists.  First, the organs in our abdominal and pelvic region are connected to some of the most emotionally engaging activities of our human nature:  nutrition, excretion, sexuality and reproduction. These functions carry profound impact over our entire life experience.  Much of our emotional well-being is related to these activities, and in turn, attached to the cellular memory of these organs.

Second, the organs in this region are powered by the autonomic nervous system.  When we activate our spine in Camel, through maximum compression, we send huge amounts of nervous energy out into those organs.  In other words:  helllllo organs, hellllo emotions … let’s crank up the volume for a hot second, shall we?

So what kinds of experiences can you look forward to next time you’re in Camel?  BYPV teacher Jacquie Malvin said she recently experienced a fit of uncontrollable laughter post-Camel, one she couldn’t explain (I’m still waiting for that to happen to me).  No matter how uncomfortable, physically or emotionally, I can’t wait for my next dose of Ustrasana.  Bring it on.

Easy as ABC

By Niki Hayes "Just try the right way."

"Give it a try."

"All you have to do is try."

If you have ever taken a Bikram Yoga class you have heard these statements. The teachers repeatedly encouraging their students to try the posture the right way, leaving little to no room for options or choices. But in a world of options, (tall, grande, venti, non-fat, skinny, soy, vanilla, caramel, light foam, extra hot, etc) it can be difficult to comprehend the idea of just one option. Understanding the reasoning behind Bikram’s strict policy of “the right way is the hard way” can help you to understand the importance of trying the next time you step on your mat.

There will always be things in this life that are a challenge, especially in the beginning stages. But instead of taking a different route or option or doing an "alternate pose", Bikram encourages everyone to just try the posture. The modification comes with the depth, not the form. As you learn the postures correctly from the very beginning stages of the posture, your depth will slowly come over time. To change and modify the form of the posture in the beginning is just doing injustice for your body and your mind in the long run. Who wants to re-learn the posture after 6 months of thinking they are doing it right?!?! No one.

Think of when a child is learning their ABC's. They will most likely write the "C" backwards a few times. But with gentle encouragement from their teacher and parents and their own focus and determination they will slowly start to write the "C" the right way. But imagine if no one told the child they were writing the "C" wrong and then they get to 4th grade and start learning cursive. The backwards "C" will become an "O" and now they have a problem. They will return to their teacher and parents, and say, "Why didn't you tell me I was writing the "C" backwards?!?!"

It's the same with your yoga! Learning the right way from the beginning can be difficult and frustrating, but over time it will benefit your body and your mind much more than taking short cuts. So if you can’t “lock your knee” or “focus one spot in the front mirror” or “keep a nice, tight grip” yet, don’t worry. Just keep trying!

Bikram says, “Let me encourage you the way I encourage all my students. Can't do a particular yoga posture today? If you persist in trying the right way, a day will come when you can. Don't cheat or change the posture to conform to your individual weaknesses. If you do, the real benefit goes out the window. Would you rather suffer for 90 minutes or 90 years? The right way is the hard way, and it's up to you to make it work. Remember: It's never too late, it's never too bad, and you're never too old or too sick to start from scratch once again."