Digestion and emotions: Which brain do you use?

Galavasana (Image © Robin Ellen Lucas)Digestion and emotions are connected. The belly holds a lot of power. The power center is accessed by activating mula bandha and uddiyana bandha.

The vagus nerve connects digestive system / enteric nervous system in the gut to the central nervous system. Read more here about the digestive system and its anatomy. It's important to have optimal digestion to practice Ashtanga yoga, but also in life as its dysfunction can cause a ricochet effort on other anatomical systems and optimal subtle body health.

what you cannot see

Having said that, in this pose, Galavasana,

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What is your intention? Open yourself up to find your gems held inside

Image © Yoga Robin® (Markatasana, Twisted Monkey pose)"Too often our outer posture is not representing our inner posture, our external behavior isn't matching what we're thinking or feeling, and that conflict drains us. Explore bringing consistency to both your inward stance and your outer posture." ~Elena Brower

What is your intention? You start your class or day with an interesting idea that moves you, or a more serious intent to change a behavior, and then what? Do you tuck it away in your heart? Yoga twists and heart-opening backbends unleash what's within you, allowing the Prana to circulate as you move your body. Before the words even articulate themselves, you know what they are. Often times it's in the silence.

Namaste.

~ Robin Ellen Lucas, MA

Deep twists wring out toxins

Dragonfly (Image © Yoga Robin®)This deep twist helps to wring out toxins. It also helps to give myself a beneficial self-chiropractic adjustment to my entire back, shoulders, hips, and more.

I often thank my Ashtanga yoga practice for the gifts it's given me. This yoga pose isn't quite part of my Ashtanga practice (and probably never will be as the full pose is in the 4th series, which I don't believe is in my grasp.) In the full pose, the bent leg is behind the head rather than balancing on the back of the tricep on the arm.

Thank you. I love doing this pose whenever I can, outside of my Ashtanga yoga practice. (Dragonfly, Parsva Bhuja Dandasana—a variation).

Namaste.

~ Robin Ellen Lucas, MA

Lymphatic System, Immune System and Creativity

Healing the Total Body: Where Western Anatomy Meets Eastern Spiritual Science

Healing Series, part 7

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Muscular System and Love

Healing the Total Body: Where Western Anatomy Meets Eastern Spiritual Science

Healing Series, part 3

Read on for more details...

What happens after yoga class: Where do the toxins and emotions go?

capture who you are

After yoga?

What do you do after yoga class? You went, you opened, twisted, sweat and stretched it all out. You unleashed emotions and thoughts, and sealed it all in with intention in the end (savasana).

Do you then just go on with your day?

Yoga—if done mindfully—can create euphoria and bring you to your happiest self. It can also bring you to the opposite as it acts as a sort of catalyst to making you face your darkness, as all that you hold inside your tightest body parts rises to the surface and begs for your attention.

Yoga opens you

This happens without notice with yoga poses that open the hips and shoulders, abdominal twists and mainly yoga breathing (i.e., ujjayi pranayama). With yoga, you are not only wringing out toxins, but also releasing emotions and setting energy free...

Be with what you find

Whether magical or disturbing, you can capture the essense of all that comes up in your yoga class by working with it. You can write it down (to share or not),

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The medicine of yoga and herbs

Energy or emotional boost

While hatha yoga stretches out your body, lubricates the joints, pumps blood and healthy fluids through your body while also reducing inflammation, what can you do—outside of yoga—to aid the process? When you could use an energy or emotional boost, a cool-down, or even stress management, how can you gain some holistic assistance?

Herbs.

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The secret of breath

Stop what you are doing now

Stop what you are doing now, no matter what it is, and for 15 minutes do nothing but close your eyes and breathe deeply. Try to breathe using ujjayi breath used in Ashtanga yoga or Pranayama meditation.

Make sure that you don't cheat yourself on your inhale or your exhale. Make them equal in length. Try 5 second inhales and 5 second exhales all through your nose, breathing through the back of your throat.

This breath is like an ocean with waves ebbing and flowing slowly. With your eyes closed you can even imagine waves moving to the rhythm of your breath as you look with the eyes of your soul.

While working a busy day, living a stressful moment at home, or feeling anxiously happy, this will be like transporting yourself to the beach...

You will be releasing toxins from the body and mind with this practice.

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