SMOOTH MOTION CURES COMMOTION WITH UTTANASANA

SMOOTH MOTION CURES COMMOTION:

THE PATH OF FLUID FORWARD FOLDS WITH UTTANASANA

INTEGRATE, NOT ISOLATE

As we said earlier, one predominant reason we find success in this during for-

ward folds is because their focus is on the back line of the body, which is thicker,

slower twitch musculature. The muscles in our feet, calves, hamstrings, and lower

back work persistently throughout the day to lift us up from a bent position. As

we engage with these steadfast muscles, our entire nervous system shifts into

a lower gear. Our awareness broadens, transforming us into observers rather

than just participants in the scenes of our lives. A crucial element in mastering

forward folds effectively is to function harmoniously as a united team along our

entire back line. This means letting go of the common approach of singling out

the hamstrings as the sole focus of our work, and instead widening our perspec-

tive to encompass the entire posterior chain on our backside. This approach not

only enhances the benefits we desire but also guards against the emerging and

prevalent issue known as “yoga butt.”

YOU DON’T WANT THIS YOGA BUTT

The term “yoga butt” used in medical circles doesn’t refer to its shape or firmness,

but rather to a hamstring connection tear at the ischial tuberosity. This often

results in a dull ache and stiffness around the buttocks, back of the thigh, knee,

or lower leg, with symptoms akin to sciatica. This condition mainly arises due to

modern yoga’s tendency to flatten the back and isolate the hamstrings in forward

folds. Just as we discussed in the context of external hip rotation, when a practi-

tioner overly emphasizes the sensation of stretching, it can lead the stretch closer

to the joint capsule, ultimately resulting in a tear in the connective tissue linking

muscle and bone. A more comprehensive approach that engages the entire back

line helps prevent this injury and transforms the experience of forward folding

into the calming journey it should be.

A FLUID PATH TO HOLISTIC MOVEMENT

Keeping our awareness on the back line as a team of muscles that work together

can help us avoid this unnecessary injury, and instead ensure that our time on

the mat nourishes these all day players in our daily posture. The simplest way

to turn on these muscles holistically is to move fluidly, because “Smooth Motion

Cures Commotion,” as Paul Reps, Zen Poet and meditation master once wrote.

Fluidity implies steadiness of awareness, which ensures that we are working from

the inside out. If you can move fluidly, and repetitiously, you can be sure your

deep core is on and your work is sustainable, as Patanjali originally described

asana practice. Forward folds offer us an amazing opportunity to play and flow

through our postures over and over again, waving and repeating so as to truly

feel ourselves moving from the source.

When we can sustain our focus on the present, we are united with this substra-

tum of consciousness, as the Shiva Sutras describe it

“Pauseless Awareness Brings Attainment… By holding the [awareness of ] that movement,

the goal of uniting the seeker of God consciousness with the God consciousness they

seek, the spiritual aspirant with that to which they aspire…is achieved.” (2.2)

This can be done in any family of postures, but the familiar nature and physio-

logical pathways of forward folding make it a golden opportunity to work more

fluidly in our postures as a means of calming the mind and experiencing a vaster

reality within ourselves.

SUMMARY & REFLECTION

Forward folds in yoga should engage the entire back line of the body, integrating

muscles from the feet to the lower back to prevent “yoga butt,” a hamstring tear

at the ischial tuberosity. Moving fluidly and maintaining awareness of the entire

posterior chain during these poses transforms the practice into a calming, holistic

experience that unites the practitioner with a deeper consciousness.

·

In what ways have you approached forward folds in your yoga

practice? Have you focused primarily on the hamstrings, or have you

considered the integration of the entire back line? How might adopting

a holistic approach impact your practice?

·

Consider the analogy between the back line of our body and our true

nature in the background of our awareness. How does this analogy

enhance your understanding of the interconnectedness of our physical

and spiritual dimensions?