How is Yoga like The Gambler?
(For those of you unfamiliar with Kenny Rogers’ song from 1978, here’s it is on YouTube!)
Most people in the West think of Yoga as stretching. This has not been my experience.
One of the many enriching and fascinating aspects of practicing Yoga asanas is to explore the two primary energies of the universe:
1 – Pulling / hugging from the outside in – a muscular contraction that draws in toward the midline of the body to stabilize joints, integrate body parts and build strength and resilience.
2 – Extending / Releasing from the inside out – an expansive energy that pushes down and out through the bones to stretch muscles, create flexibility, and release and relax the nervous system.
These two energies can work independently from each other, or they can work together at the same time. Muscles contracting and expanding simultaneously creates a safe and mindful environment to practice Yoga asanas. For example, I can push my fingers and toes into the ground in adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog pose), pull up through the legs and arms into the core of the body, hold strength in the core while pushing my hands and feet away from each other to engage both contraction and expansion at the same time.
These two energies are built into the breath and body. Think of the ebb and flow of the breath, the opening and closing of heart valves and the rhythmic movement of digestion. These energies are also built into the fabric of the universe. Think of the waves which ebb and flow onto the shore, flowers which open and close and leaves which fall and are reborn in the spring.
Moreover, we can study how we contract and expand. Do we habitually clench (contract) or fearfully and rigidly tense our muscles, or can we hug inward sensing support and integration without creating unwanted tension? Likewise, expansive energy can be in the form of pushing away or growing or even releasing and relaxing our muscles. By studying in different poses how we can both contract and grow, we are connecting ourselves with the energy of the cosmos. And, off the mat, we might also become more aware of what and how we cling to in the world, and how and from what we may push away.
We may not go into Yoga practice with that as our goal, but one of the reasons we feel so good after a Yoga practice is just that – we are better connected with the bigger picture – the energy of the world, and with ourselves.
How much should an individual pull in and push out is an individual prescription and it can change from day to day, from joint to joint, and over time the more we practice. In other words, one of the many things we study in Yoga asanas is to “know when to hold ‘em, and know when to fold ‘em!”
Come explore some of these energies in the classes at Opus Yoga!
New Students can get 4 classes for $40! We have Gentle, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced classes, or you can relax in our periodic classes like Veterans Day Yoga on 11/11 and Yoga Nidra on 11/18 as well as in Workshops such as Restorative Yoga & Swedish Massage on 11/19.
We hope to see you! 🙏