Moving into November, I can't help but notice that the change in seasons has stimulated a host of changes in the body. As the days grow colder and darker, we storm around in a sea of stooped shoulders, instinctively curling inward to conserve the heat in our core. Bracing ourselves against biting chill and icy rain, we let our necks crane forward and our chins tuck down as our shoulders shut our bodies up tight.
Indoors, the seasonal changes continue. Feeling the darkness grow around us, we close instinctively like poppies at dusk. Hunching over our desks as the natural light recedes, we hardly notice how our spine bends and our muscles contract. More often than not, we work long hours under cold blankets of electric light, only barely registering how we slump beneath their florescent weight. Slouching further, sinking deeper, we are virtually unaware of how we compensate until our contortions catch our attention with stiffness and fatigue. In addition to dampening our spirits, ignoring these subtle seasonal changes can contribute to larger physical problems over the course of a lifetime, causing or exacerbating the kind of postural kyphosis and scoliosis that eventually distort the spine.
Luckily, our yoga practice can help, which is why ustrasana—camel pose—takes center stage in class this month. Following our warm up vinyasas, camel comes in the middle of our practice, after our bodies have built up heat. Mindful of our intention to open, we enter camel by kneeling, legs hip width, thighs perpendicular to the floor, hands on the back of the pelvis, palms on either side of the sacrum, fingers pointing down. From here, we press our hands forward into the sides of our pelvic bones to open the low back and lengthen through the tailbone. Finally, we inhale and lift our hearts as we focus on opening the muscles in our front torso, drawing our shoulder blades down to marry gently at the spine. If our spine and necks are flexible enough, we may finish the pose by pressing our palms into our heels as our fingers point toward our toes. As our elbow creases face forward, our chin gradually extends upward to let our gentle gaze float back.
Perfect for balancing out the seasonal effects of hunching forward, camel pose counters kyphosis and scoliosis. It stimulates the thyroid and the nervous system to stave off depression and fatigue. Extending the stretch through the front body also has the added benefit of relieving compression in the abdominal organs to aid digestion.
On an emotional level, each time we engage in camel, we expose our throat, our viscera, and our heart to the world. Opening in these vital areas stimulates an almost cathartic release that allows our energy to circulate more freely and stokes our sense of resilience and well-being.
Spiritually, camel encourages us to lift our hearts and make them an offering to the sun in times of darkness. It reminds us that we don't have to close down and jealously guard our energy. As we open and expand in camel’s graceful arch, we remember that we are always building our own heart light. When we feel that light glow in our bodies, we realize that it’s more than strong enough to keep us warm and light our world.
Indoors, the seasonal changes continue. Feeling the darkness grow around us, we close instinctively like poppies at dusk. Hunching over our desks as the natural light recedes, we hardly notice how our spine bends and our muscles contract. More often than not, we work long hours under cold blankets of electric light, only barely registering how we slump beneath their florescent weight. Slouching further, sinking deeper, we are virtually unaware of how we compensate until our contortions catch our attention with stiffness and fatigue. In addition to dampening our spirits, ignoring these subtle seasonal changes can contribute to larger physical problems over the course of a lifetime, causing or exacerbating the kind of postural kyphosis and scoliosis that eventually distort the spine.
Luckily, our yoga practice can help, which is why ustrasana—camel pose—takes center stage in class this month. Following our warm up vinyasas, camel comes in the middle of our practice, after our bodies have built up heat. Mindful of our intention to open, we enter camel by kneeling, legs hip width, thighs perpendicular to the floor, hands on the back of the pelvis, palms on either side of the sacrum, fingers pointing down. From here, we press our hands forward into the sides of our pelvic bones to open the low back and lengthen through the tailbone. Finally, we inhale and lift our hearts as we focus on opening the muscles in our front torso, drawing our shoulder blades down to marry gently at the spine. If our spine and necks are flexible enough, we may finish the pose by pressing our palms into our heels as our fingers point toward our toes. As our elbow creases face forward, our chin gradually extends upward to let our gentle gaze float back.
Perfect for balancing out the seasonal effects of hunching forward, camel pose counters kyphosis and scoliosis. It stimulates the thyroid and the nervous system to stave off depression and fatigue. Extending the stretch through the front body also has the added benefit of relieving compression in the abdominal organs to aid digestion.
On an emotional level, each time we engage in camel, we expose our throat, our viscera, and our heart to the world. Opening in these vital areas stimulates an almost cathartic release that allows our energy to circulate more freely and stokes our sense of resilience and well-being.
Spiritually, camel encourages us to lift our hearts and make them an offering to the sun in times of darkness. It reminds us that we don't have to close down and jealously guard our energy. As we open and expand in camel’s graceful arch, we remember that we are always building our own heart light. When we feel that light glow in our bodies, we realize that it’s more than strong enough to keep us warm and light our world.