Sucking It In To Move Forward

 By Constance Bradley

“Suck it in, Constance!”

If you have practiced in the same class with me, you have probably heard the teacher give me this correction.  Being told to “suck it in” is a frequent correction for me; I hear these words several times in each class.  Before you feel sorry for me, or think that the teacher is picking on me, you should know that I ask every teacher to remind me to “suck it in.”

You see, sucking in my stomach is one of the most difficult parts of class for me.  I find most other parts of class to be somewhat effortless.  Balancing on one leg? No worries.  Backward bending? I’m all over that one.  Sucking in my stomach?  That presents a whole new challenge for me.  “Suck it in,” the teacher tells me; sweat drips down my face, and I engage my core.  “Suck it in,” she tells me again, as I realize I have let my stomach creep outward.  Is it possible for me to find some inner meaning in all of this?  I rationalize anything challenging in class as a yoga gift, and I’m eager to open new presents.   This is why I ask teachers to remind me of my challenge during class.  As for inner meaning, the only thing I can figure is that I have to engage more of my core to properly complete the postures.

As a teacher, I fully realize that engaging more of my core is a technique that will pay dividends in the postures.  I have come to the point in my practice where I realize that proper technique and good alignment are critical to success in the postures.  One of the great masters of technique, Pablo Picasso, wrote, “The more technique you have the less you have to worry about it. The more technique there is, the less there is. ”  This idea resonates for me – I know that when proper technique is mastered, everything else will fall into place naturally.  I want to cultivate a lifelong yoga practice based on precise technique such that I am able to receive all the benefits of the yoga for many years to come.

However -- I will be blatantly honest here-- sucking it in is my own personal torture.  It’s uncomfortable; a technique that does not feel natural to me.  I admit that when I’m having a particularly difficult class, it is tempting to be dismayed when I hear this correction.   It is easy to feel discouraged; sometimes I wonder if I will ever succeed in having this be an effortless part of my practice.

“Suck it in,” the teacher says; sweat drips down my face, and I engage my core.  “Suck it in!” the teacher tells me 30 seconds later.  Once more I engage my core, my body weight shifts, and just like that, I’m deeper into the posture than ever before!  Suddenly, I find more meaning in these words.

Each time I suck it in, I am cultivating habits of proper technique and mindfulness in my practice.  As a student of philosophy, I often think of Aristotle’s central teachings in Nichomachean Ethics,   this notion nicely.  “We are what we repeatedly do,” Aristotle claims, “excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”  It’s not difficult for me to see where I have worked to develop other good habits in class, such as stillness in savasana or moderating water consumption.  Through repeated action, I am striving for excellence in my practice; each time I suck it in, I foster good technique and mindfulness despite physical discomfort and emotional travail.

Suck it in. 

Sometimes, it’s what you have to do to get where you want to go. 

In Your Face!

Did you know that your face is effecting your yoga?!?! Smile to improve your yoga! Read this next blog to learn the effects of smiling.

Soft Faces of Yoga

by SCOTT KILPATRICK

Smile!

How many times have you heard this cue from a yoga instructor? If you are hearing this command in class, then likely the last thing you are thinking of at the moment is a cheekish grin. Maybe you’d oblige to showing your teeth, and maybe let out a little growl to express your disdain for the asana that you may find yourself in. This is really a nice cue, and though I will admit, it’s one command I loathed for some time, it takes a bit of deeper understanding of how a smile in yoga can empower your yoga practice. I’ll take a step back from smiling, and use the word softness since there are some of us that just take things too seriously to smile randomly, and some of us may take our yoga so serious, that a smile is not warranted. I like to think that there are poses that need a very serious gaze, or dristi, yet there are some that are complimented with a soft face or a warming smile.

A person’s facial expression is always the fastest response of the mind’s input and the most universal form of communication, transcending all language barriers between human beings. You have more facial expressions than you probably realize and they include expressions of pleasure or  displeasure , judgment or approval, understanding or disagreement.  Facial expressions send messages to those around us, but there is also two-way communication between the face and the mind.  You can test this yourself . Take a moment to cultivate a sense of awareness in the body and turn your attention inward. Experiment with different contortions of the face and watch where the mind goes. What happens when you smile? What feelings arise when you furl your brow? Does frustration arise when you clench your jaw? Do you feel attractive with fluttering lashes and a coy smile?

I’m asking you to experiment with facial expressions and their accompanied emotions, thoughts and feelings because this is a counterpart to your internal dialogue, or your mind chatter. Yoga teaches us that where the mind goes, the body follows and vice versa. But often, facial expressions are left out of this teaching.  Smiling is one of the self-evident principles taught in yoga. This is why you hear it so often.  When students are in difficult postures, the teacher may likely see contorted faces, clenched jaws and expressions that tell the story about what is going on inside the student’s body. When we smile, we instantly feel uplifted, lighter, etc, and this is due to the chemical response of the brain in reaction to a smile.

Give smiling a try. Or maybe even your version of a soft facial expression. Next time your internal voice is screaming, “I HATE THIS POSE!” See what happens if you smile. Can you tell yourself that you hate something while you are smiling? In yoga,  your face always tells the story. Change the expression on your face, change the story of your practice.

The 20 muscles of the face.

• Occipitofrontalis
• Temporoparietalis
• Procerus
• Nasalis muscle
• Depressor septi nasi
• Orbicularis oculi
• Corrugator supercilii
• Depressor supercilii
• Auricular muscles (anterior, superior, posterior)
• Orbicularis oris
• Depressor anguli oris
• Risorius
• Zygomaticus major
• Zygomaticus minor
• Levator labii superioris
• Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi
• Depressor labii inferioris
• Levator anguli oris
• Buccinator
• Mentalis

This faithful reproduction of a lithograph plate from Gray’s Anatomy, a two-dimensional work of art, is not copyrightable in the U.S. as per Bridgeman Art Library v. Corel Corp.; the same is also true in many other countries, including Germany. Unless stated otherwise, it is from the 20th U.S. edition of Gray’s Anatomy of the Human Body, originally published in 1918 and therefore lapsed into the public domain.

This article was originally published on September 24, 2012 at:

http://thoughtsonyoga.com/soft-faces-of-yoga/

Finding Your Bengal Tiger Strength

By P.J. Stuart I remember attending my first-ever Bikram yoga class and finding myself in shock when, at the end of the standing series, the teacher said, “Alright everyone … we have now just completed the ‘warm-up’ portion of the class.”

WHAT?!  Warm up?  That was more intense than most workouts I’ve done recently, and it’s only the warm up? In that same class, I heard the teacher remind us all to call upon our “Bengal tiger strength.” It suddenly dawned on me this yoga class was something else.

I’ve finally decided to find out more about what “Bengal Tiger strength” entails.  (A few months ago, I embarked on a similar quest, when I wrote a post explaining how to conjure your English bulldog determination.) There are lots of interesting attributes I could provide for you about Bengal Tigers to help you create a picture in your mind. Next time you hear those words, you’ll know exactly what they mean.

Turns out, Bengal tigers are known as the “silent hunters” of India’s forests – amazingly stealthy even though they weigh more than 550 pounds and stand more than ten feet tall on their hind legs. Bengal tigers have heavily muscled bodies, with the highest muscle percentage of muscle of any mammal (along with their friend the Jaguar). When they pounce, Bengal tigers can leap more than 20 feet to catch their victims. They’ll chase down their prey at speeds of 40 miles per hour and above, even fast runners like the ostrich.

Everything about them is strong. Their razor-sharp claws are retractable, to grasp hold of their victims more easily; and their tongues are rough, to help scrape the meat off the bones of their prey.  Their canine teeth are five inches long to sink deep into the flesh.

Yep, there’s no messing around with the Bengal tiger. Get scary, people. This is more than just a wildcat – this is a ferocious beast. Mr. Bengal tiger doesn’t care who is watching or what time of day it is; he’s strong and determined all the time.

What I found most interesting when conducting my research is that Bengal tigers have actually had a direct impact on the way we exercise today. (Not just when a BYPV teacher tells you to draw on your Bengal tiger strength, but in an even more fundamental way.)

Charles Atlas, also known as the grandfather of the modern fitness industry, popularized a form of exercise called “Dynamic Tension” simply by observing cats such as the Bengal tiger.

In the 1920s, Mr. Atlas wanted to understand how these cats developed such large muscles without -- you know -- lifting barbells at the gym. In their play, he noted the tigers became strong by pitting their own muscles against themselves. In other words – tensing a particular body part and then moving the body part as if a heavy weight was being lifted. (Imagine firming your bicep and lifting an invisible dumbbell over and over again).

I couldn’t help but think of all the tensing and firming we do in Bikram yoga class, lifting our own heavy muscles in the air against the force of gravity. Training the natural way, like Bengal tigers do. In Locust pose, aka Salabhasana, for instance: “Lock your knee, tighten the quads and gluts, and LIFT your legs into the air.” Are those some Bengal tiger legs I’m starting to see?  ;)

There are many postures which fit the bill – but maybe that’s a good place to start consciously drawing on some of that amazing Bengal tiger strength.   Go get ‘em, tiger!

You Can Balance Here Forever

By Nate Fillmore balance. balŸance (ba-ln(t)s) noun, verb, adjective. (n) a weighing device. (v) to keep or put something in a steady position so that it does not fall (adj) mental and emotional steadiness (balanced).

There are 9 definitions of balance according to Webster’s Dictionary and 3 times as many variations in the ways we use the term in our everyday lives. People are constantly trying to balance their time, between professional and personal life. Within personal life we try to balance the time between family and friends and maybe even some alone time. We balance our bank accounts (or you might let the banks do the balancing for you). However you define it, balance is a goal everyone seems to strive to achieve.

Since being introduced to Bikram Yoga in 2011, I began seeing other aspects of life’s balancing act appear in my practice. The postures themselves present lessons in balance. The pushing/pulling partnership that is seen in Camel and Rabbit. The balance required to hold Standing Head to Knee. And who can forget Balancing Stick! Even though it’s only 10 seconds, my body completely understands the full complexity balance can bring.

My favorite definition of balance states “an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady”. I think all Bikram Yogis can relate to this statement as we constantly hear our teachers in Standing Bow, “Stretch forward and kick back, you can balance here forever”.  They teach us the importance of balancing our flexibility with our strength, our determination with our patience, and our effort with our relaxation.

There is also the mental, physical, and emotional balance that exists within each one of us.  Being in a room that’s 105 degrees with 40% humidity puts that balancing act to the test.  I haven’t experienced a class when at least one of these aspects isn’t being tested. You might have a great physical class with high emotions from the day, but your focus might not be at it’s highest.  When you can find the balance of all three for 90 minutes, I presume the final Savasana is unlike any other experienced (and I will be happy to let you know if I ever find out)!

You Have The Power To Heal Yourself!

By Amy Serafin When you really think about it, our bodies are a miraculous thing. Your body is designed to heal itself. If you should cut yourself, your body will heal the cut. If you cut yourself too deeply, you may need to go to the ER to get stitches, but after the doctor stitches you up, he/she will send you home to heal.  We often forget that our bodies have this amazing ability or we lack the tools to help our bodies to heal.

To heal yourself is completely within your power and I can personally speak from experience as to how I have healed my body with Bikram yoga.

I have scoliosis with curves in the cervical and lumber part of my spine, but my thoracic isn’t exactly straight either. I have dealt with varying levels of pain every day for the past 10 years, plus many side effects that I will not go into detail about here. However, at the pinnacle of my illness, my neck pain was to the point of debilitating. My C1 and C2 vertebrae were compressed and I suffered from migraines and at times a rather cranky disposition. Sleeping through the night was nearly impossible as my rest was taken in little increments. I couldn’t turn my head at night without severe neck pain waking me up.

To add to my frustration, I thought I was doing everything in my power to take care of myself. I sought out help from masseuses, doctors, dentists (I was treated for TMJ) and chiropractors.  I worked out regularly and ate healthy, but to no avail.  And rather than getting better, I continued to get worse to the point I was starting to lose feeling in my right hand and foot at night when I was sleeping.  I was a mess.

Then two years ago, I had the luckiest day of my life and I walked into a Bikram yoga studio. When I walked into the studio, I was unaware that Bikram had specifically designed his series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises to heal the body. I was just hoping that yoga would help alleviate some of the tension in my back and neck. Wow, was I in for a huge surprise.

Every day that I stepped into that hot yoga room, I slowly learned that I didn’t need anyone else to solve my health problems. I just had to be willing to commit to sweating, compressing, squeezing and stretching in a hot room for 90 minutes every day to heal myself. Once I made that commitment, my body started to change in amazing ways.

I don’t go to a chiropractor three times a week anymore. I actually don’t go at all, only rarely. If I go to a masseuse now, it is because I want to feel better not to relieve pain. I sleep through the night. I cried with joy the morning I woke up and realized I had turned my head in the middle of the night without waking up from the pain. I can sleep on my left side, which I hadn’t been able to do for years because of the curvature in my upper back. Completely gone is the loss of feeling or numbness in my right hand or foot when I sleep. My hips are more level and my right shoulder, which couldn’t even lie flat on the floor while in Savasana, now rests on the floor with ease. The chronic dull pain in my lower back is gone, along with the migraines and headaches. But best of all, my disposition and outlook on life is 120% better. I am happier, more relaxed and my quality of life is off the charts.

I will not lie to you and say that my journey practicing Bikram yoga for the past two years has been easy. I am working on changing my physiology, which is no easy task, but is within my power. There have been great days when I walk out of the room feeling like a million bucks and like I could take on the world. Then there are the days when I feel like I have been hit by a Mack truck and every muscle in my body is sore, tired and aches with fatigue. But I will tell you honestly and sincerely -- it has been completely and utterly worth it.

And even though my recovery is not complete,  my hips and my shoulders are still uneven and I get flare ups in my lower back as my spine realigns that can last a couple of days or weeks, I am not worried. Bikram yoga has given me the tools to heal myself and as long as I keep showing up every day and keep working, I move closer and closer to my goal of being completely healed. And the biggest miracle of all to me is that I did it all on my own. No one gave it to me. I earned it. I healed myself. No surgeries, no pills, just me. I walk into that hot room day after day and give myself the gift of MY life. That is power beyond compare.