Back pain? This week, we learned dhanurasana, the bow pose. Dhanurasana gave immediate pain relief. This is a good pose for home practice. This pose can be found in ” Light On Yoga,” B.K.S. Iyengar’s book on page 101. Here were the steps:
“1) Lie full length on the floor on the stomach, face downwards.
2) Exhale and bend the knees. Stretch the arms back and hold the left ankle with the left hand and the right ankle with the right hand. Take two breaths.
3) Now exhale completely and pull the legs up by raising the knees above the floor, and simultaneously lift the chest off the floor. The arms and hands act like a bow-string to tauten the body like a bent bow. (see above picture)
4) Lift up the head and pull it as far back as possible. Do not rest either the ribs or the pelvic bones on the floor. Only the abdomen bears the weight of the body on the floor.
5) While raising the legs do not join them at the knees, for then the legs will not be lifted high enough. After the full stretch upwards has been achieved, join together the thighs, the knees and ankles.
6) Since the abdomen is extended, the breathing will be fast, but do not worry about it. Stay in the pose to your capacity from 20 seconds to one minute.
7) Then, with an exhalation, release the ankles, stretch the legs straight, bring the head and the legs back to the floor and relax.
Effects
In this posture the spine is stretched back. Elderly people do not normally do this, so their spines get rigid. This asana brings back elasticity to the spine and tones the abdominal organs. In my experience, persons suffering from slipped discs have obtained relief by the regular practices of Dhanurasana without being forced to rest or to undergo surgical treatment.” (Light On Yoga, page 101)
Also this week, we were briefly lectured on the first limb of yoga. Yama. The Yamas and Niyamas, the sanskrit words, are printed on the walls of the studio. The Yamas are similar to Theravada Buddhist five precepts. 1) no lying 2) no stealing 3) no intoxication alcohol 4) chastity 5) abstaining from harming living beings. When following the precepts, or the Yamas, the mind becomes fit for meditation. A Theravada Buddhist monk gave this message. Meditation is what will change you. Yamas, ethical principles, were recommended to follow if you want to really understand yoga:
Ahimsa means non violence.
Asteya means freedom from greed.
Satya means not lying, truthfulness.
Brahmacharya means chasity, ethical sexual practice.
Aparigraha means non hording, non possessiveness.
One that is not here with the Yamas, but should be, Freedom from intoxication.
The Yoga Bridge 