Exercises Covered in Class & Homework Assignment:

Exercises Covered in Class:

Coming Soon
Homework:

For your homework assignment, start weaving the exercises and postures you've learned in class into your daily personal yoga routine. When relevant, extend your practice beyond the confines of the mat into everyday life. Pay attention to what is motivating your practice, what is speaking to you, and channel that inspiratoin into developing a yoga sequence aimed at the students you regularly teach, rather than just the attendees of this training. From this personalized sequence, choose an 8-minute segment to present to our training class for valuable feedback. Additionally, prepare a concise 1-2 minute introduction that summarizes what has inspired you this week, which you can share as a preamble to your sequence. While it's an added bonus, not a requirement, consider infusing that underlying theme into your teaching cues to enrich the overall class experience.

Lecture Text

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Harmony of the Back Line: Awakening, Integration, and the Power of Eccentric Tone

Overview: Welcome to a journey that bridges the biomechanics of our back line to the profound realms of Turya Consciousness. Our back line muscles, built from thick, slow-twitch fibers, serve as the unsung heroes of our daily endeavors, enabling us to stand, walk, and move against the force of gravity. However, the conventional approach of isolating muscles like the hamstrings can lead to physical imbalances and a fragmented awareness of our own body. In contrast, this discussion seeks to highlight the seamless integration of holistic movement patterns, specifically in forward folds, as a pathway to deeper layers of awareness. By understanding and applying the principles of eccentric tone and holistic movement, we find ourselves with a unique opportunity to not only optimize our physical functioning but also to connect with the transcendental backdrop of Turya Consciousness, a foundational state of awareness explored in the Shiva Sutras. Here, we venture into the intricate relationship between these physiological and metaphysical dimensions, setting the stage for a more complete, enriching experience of existence.

Awakening our Enduring Back Line: In our previous lesson, we explored how hip flexion is a habitual pattern that many of us easily fall into in our daily lives. Extension counters this and awakens the muscles on the back side of our body. Uniquely structured, the muscles of our back line are composed of thick, slow-twitch fibers capable of sustained effort. Consider, for instance, how you can keep your foot on a car's gas pedal for 8 hours during a road trip, but find it challenging to hold a coffee cup for just 8 minutes. This is evidence of these muscles' capacity to endure, but they aren’t just pressing gas pedals, they are unfurling us from the ever present force of gravity all day long, year after year. Engaging in forward folds serves as a targeted practice to nurture and enhance the capabilities of this vital group of muscles.

Isolation Injures, Integration Heals: As we previously discussed in relation to the front of the hip, the concept of eccentric stretching and working with the muscle groups in a holistic manner, rather than isolating individual muscles, offers invaluable insights for effective engagement with our back line. Take, for example, the common focus on hamstring stretching when considering the back line. A typical method employed is a flat-backed forward fold, which strengthens the upper part of the back line while stretching the lower part, mainly the hamstrings. While this does produce a sensation of stretching in the hamstrings, it comes with its own set of drawbacks. Fragmenting the muscle team in this manner leads to imbalances: the hamstrings lengthen increasingly, while the back becomes progressively tighter. The consequences of such imbalances can include anterior pelvic tilt, lumbar disc impingement, and even hamstring tendonitis, as the tendons begin to separate from their anchor points on the ischial tuberosities, or the sit bones.

Eccentric Tone in the Back Line: Rather than taking an isolated approach, adopting an integrative method, especially when we're willing to slow down and feel, can be significantly more beneficial for our back line. By focusing on the entire back line, we can relieve tension in our hamstrings in a manner that also enhances our natural range of motion across various planes. In our forward folds, the key is to maintain muscular tone throughout the back line as we smoothly bend forward. This is akin to the tension you'd initially feel in a drawbridge before it's lowered while still keeping that tension intact. First, establish the tone, and then work with it as you move. If a drawbridge doesn't resonate with you, think of the tautness you feel in a belay line as you assist a fellow climber descending a mountain face.

James Earls' research in "Born to Walk" confirms that this eccentric tone is the most functional way our muscles operate throughout the day. The skill with which you can place a mug on a table without breaking or spilling its contents mirrors the lowering of a drawbridge. Throughout your day, whether you're closing a door, tapping your phone, or petting your dog, you're utilizing the smooth, controlled motion of eccentric tone. Hence, mastering the forward fold with eccentric tone contributes greatly to the broader context of functional movement.

Recap & Reflect:

In our exploration of the back line muscles, we learned that these slow-twitch fibers support our daily movements, like standing and walking, resisting gravity's pull. Emphasizing holistic movement over isolated exercises, especially in forward folds, ensures balance, prevents imbalances like anterior pelvic tilt, and integrates the principles of eccentric tone, enhancing overall functional movement.

How do you currently work with the back line in your personal practice? How do you bring awareness to it? Is eccentric tone when stretching the back line a new concept for you?

Inner Alignment: From Eccentric Tone to Eccentric Awareness

Eccentric “Awareness”, Maintaining Our Inner Tone of Awareness: Here, we find a profound correlation with our meditation practice. Maintaining tone in the back line during physical movement is akin to preserving an inner awareness as we navigate the external world. This concept is traditionally known as the Shambhavi Mudra, the cornerstone of Shambhavananda Yoga. Sri Shambhavananada elucidates, “The Shambhavi Mudra is learning how to see inside with your eyes open. My name is Shambhavananda. It means to be immersed completely in your Inner Self while all five senses are working. You can’t close your eyes to the world and to the things that are of it. It is easy to close your eyes and daydream; it is more difficult to be present right here and now. You need to learn how you relate to the outer world. Being more in your heart won’t make you dysfunctional. It will make you more aware and more alert about what is going on around you. If you can learn how to keep your heart open and your eyes open, you will see a different world” (53, SP). By embracing this teaching, we can cultivate a more balanced relationship between our inner and outer worlds, harmonizing both our physical practice and our spiritual journey.

In this passage, we observe that the inner realm isn't accessible through our senses; it lies behind them. As Babaji teaches, though, this subtle backdrop isn't found by merely closing our eyes or letting our minds wander— rather it is by bringing our awareness inside that we discover this foundation. Attempt this now and you'll find that such focus doesn't eclipse the world around you; rather, it embraces it. This is akin to centering on the body's eccentric tone, which naturally integrates and smooths your actions, enhancing your movement quality.

The Back Line of our body, the Back Line of our Awareness: Physiologically, directing our attention to the body's back line also creates smoother, more intentional movements. Forward folds present a genuine opportunity to explore this interplay between physical and metaphysical realms. Maintaining tone in your back line as you fold forward naturally draws you into this broader context of awareness, known as Turya Consciousness.

Much like the supportive nature of our physical back line, Turya Consciousness serves as a foundational field for the waking, dreaming, and deep sleep states. This fourth state of awareness is where qualities like Being, Consciousness, and Bliss are rooted. When we successfully focus our awareness here, these qualities manifest as direct experiences in our everyday lives. However, as the Sutras emphasize, we can't force these background qualities into the foreground. They must emerge naturally over time. Yet, by consciously directing our awareness through surrender, we not only facilitate this emergence but also prime ourselves for its reception.

As Jai Deva Singh teaches in his commentary to Shiva Sutra 1.7:

“Turya consciousness always remains as the background of all we feel, think, and do, but we are unaware of it in our normal consciousness. It is always there. It is not a reality that can be produced by our effort, by any Yogic discipline or technique. If it were to be produced, it would no longer be eternal. It cannot be ordered about. Then why all this pother about gaining the turya consciousness? What is the value of the upayas or Yogic disciplines mentioned in the Siva-Sutras? The answer is that though it remains as the background of all we are and do, we are unaware of it. It is not a feature of our normal consciousness. The upayas are mentioned so that we may prepare ourselves for its reception. The Sambhavopaya is for very advanced souls whose mind is already prepared for its reception. In them, there is ut+yama (udyama). In this context udyama does not mean exertion as some have unfortunately interpreted it, but as Ksemaraja points out, it means unmajjana, udyantrta - emergence. When we are prepared by righteous living and by deconditioning our habitual consciousness, the Turya emerges from its cryptic cell, so to speak, takes possession of our normal consciousness and becomes its active feature.”

Reflecting on Turya Consciousness: In this reflection, we see a few key points. First, Turya Consciousness is always there, even though it is not a normal aspect of our awareness. Second, we can’t force this awareness into the foreground any any practice. Yogic practice itself allows us to prepare ourselves for its reception when it does emerge. Third, the Shambhava Uppaya is for advanced souls, those who know how to practice ‘emerging’. Eventually, this state of Turya consciousness emerges and takes possession of our normal consciousness and becomes the active feature of our awareness. The biggest takeaway from this caption is that our practice is less about forceful exertion and more about natural emergence. This aligns with the teachings of the Shambhavananda tradition, where "surrender" is understood as the active process of letting go of attachments, allowing our true essence to rise to the forefront of our conscious life.

For instance, when practicing forward folds, focusing solely on exertion often leads to targeting the hamstrings, which in turn can disrupt the balance of our back line, causing anterior pelvic tilt and lumbar disc compression among other issues. In contrast, the act of surrender, which facilitates emergence, is akin to maintaining tone and awareness in the hamstrings, allowing for a more holistic and integrated stretch. You are not merely stretching individual muscles; you're guiding your back line as a unified whole towards greater flexibility and release.

Empty Your Cup: The simplest approach to understanding how to engage with the back line of our awareness is simply through surrender. The more you let go, the more you arrive in this space. This principle is elegantly illustrated in the well-known Zen story:

"NAN-IN, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. 'It is overfull. No more will go in!' 'Like this cup,' Nan-in said, 'you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?’"

When we empty the cup of our mind, we make room for the heart to fill. As we soften our gaze, we discover the backdrop of our awareness. The practice of maintaining eccentric tone during forward folds offers us a tangible method to explore these metaphysical concepts. It serves as a bridge between the movements we make on the yoga mat and the deeper self-awareness that enriches our meditation practice and our lives at large.

Recap & Reflect

By comprehending the wisdom embedded in practices like forward folds, we journey towards the integration of body and spirit. In surrendering to the harmonious interplay of our back line musculature, we open ourselves to the emergence of our true nature, as expressed in timeless traditions like Zen and the Siva-Sutras. Through the practice of forward folds, we not only gain the functional asset of eccentric tone but also create a fertile ground for the emergence of Turya Consciousness. As we peel back the layers of doership and opinion, akin to emptying a cup in the famous Zen story of Nan-in, we set the stage for a deeper, more enriching experience of our own existence. Through these ancient yet ever-relevant techniques, we cultivate not just a healthier back line but a richer, more integrated life.

Reflect: Where in life do you consciously practice working with the concept of “emergence” instead of “exertion”? For example, perhaps with raising children you have found that you can’t force them to do something, but. You can lay the ground work to allow them to make the right decisions. Or perhaps in your body you can’t force certain actions, but you can invest in your body over time and allow how you can move to emerge.

Emptying Our Flexion Cup: Hip Extension Movements, Postures & Exercises

Engaging the muscles of the posterior chain to release tension in the hip flexors is grounded in the understanding of muscle balance and biomechanics. Here's why:

Antagonistic Muscle Action: Muscles in our body often work in pairs, known as agonists and antagonists. When one muscle contracts (the agonist), its pair (the antagonist) relaxes. The hip flexors and the muscles of the posterior chain, particularly the gluteal muscles and hamstrings, are such pairs. By actively engaging the posterior chain, we facilitate the relaxation and lengthening of the hip flexors.
Postural Balance: Chronic tightness in the hip flexors can lead to anterior pelvic tilt, where the front of the pelvis drops and the back of the pelvis rises. This posture can strain the muscles of the lower back and further tighten the hip flexors. Engaging and strengthening the posterior chain helps correct this tilt, promoting a neutral pelvic position that naturally alleviates tension in the hip flexors.
Functional Movement: In our daily activities and movement patterns, a balanced and coordinated effort from both the anterior and posterior muscle groups is essential. Over-reliance or tightness in one group, like the hip flexors, can lead to compensatory movement patterns. Engaging the posterior chain ensures more balanced, efficient, and safer movements.
Holistic Approach to Body Wellness: Focusing solely on the area of discomfort or tightness (in this case, the hip flexors) without considering the whole-body mechanics can lead to imbalances elsewhere. By engaging the posterior chain, we adopt a holistic approach, ensuring that as one area of the body is released, another is not inadvertently strained.
Counteracting Sedentary Lifestyles: Many people have tight hip flexors due to prolonged sitting, which shortens and tightens the front hip muscles. Strengthening and engaging the posterior chain helps counteract the effects of this lifestyle, promoting overall hip flexibility and health.

In essence, by focusing on the posterior chain, we're not just targeting one set of muscles but adopting a comprehensive approach that ensures overall musculoskeletal health and balance.

The Path Forward, or perhaps back!: Let’s embark on our exploration of hip extension by activating the glutes and the back body elements, like the lats, via single-leg bridge and swimming shalabhasana. We'll then shift our focus to enlivening and fortifying the hamstrings through familiar postures — a distinctive endeavor since we're typically accustomed to merely stretching them. This approach will stimulate the back line, paving the way for a more integrated eccentric engagement. After ensuring muscle activation, we'll methodically traverse our back line, vertebra by vertebra, using a variety of approaches, angles and positions to safely explore rolling up the spine, yielding an intuitive, boundless experience of our natural standing posture. We'll conclude by seamlessly merging these elements into a dynamic and eccentric approach to some level one, as well as upper level, hip extending postures.

Workshop: Engaging our Hamstrings

Spinal Roll Up Workshop

Spinal Rolling: Benefits, Cautions, and Spinal Health Considerations: Rolling up the spine is a natural and therapeutic movement that traces its roots to our earliest stages of mobility as humans. Here's why:

Benefits of Spinal Rolling:

Flexibility and Mobility: The action of rolling articulates each vertebra, encouraging flexibility and improving the range of motion in the spine.
Muscular Engagement: It activates the muscles surrounding the spine, including the core, enhancing postural support and strength.
Circulation and Fluidity: The gentle compression and release as you roll can promote better circulation of spinal fluids, potentially aiding in nutrient exchange and toxin removal.
Relaxation and Stress Relief: Rolling motions can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which can help in relaxation and stress reduction.

Cautionary Note for Those with Spinal Issues: While spinal rolling offers numerous benefits to many, it may not be suitable for everyone. Individuals with existing spinal conditions or complications, such as disc herniations, osteoporosis, recent surgeries, or other related issues, should approach this movement with caution. Rolling can exert pressure on affected areas, potentially leading to exacerbation of symptoms or further injury. It's essential for those with spinal problems to consult with a healthcare or therapeutic professional before incorporating such movements into their routines. Always prioritize safety and well-being.

Virabhadrasana III

Coming Soon

Standing Splits

Hasta Padangustasana

Ardha Hanumanasana