Downward dog

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
We spend a lot of time hanging out in Adho Mukha Svanasana/Downward Facing Dog. We flow through it in our Sun Salutations; return to it when moving from one asana to another and take a few breaths in it as a recovery asana. It is a complex pose that requires both strength in the arms and legs and flexibility of your calves, hamstrings, spine and shoulders.

Downward Dog can expose tightness in the back body. Often you will see yogis with a flattened lumbar spine (lower back) – where tight hamstring have pulled the pelvis back, and/or over rounded thoracic spine (upper back) – where tight shoulders are contracting the front of the chest.

When attention is taken in Downward Dog, it can be a lovely asana to neutralise the spine, stretch the entire back body and take an inversion. An inversion is any asana where the heart is above the head, and Downward Dog ticks that box in a lovely gentle way.

EXPLORING DOWNWARD DOG IN YOUR PRACTICE
For your first Downward Dog keep you knees deeply bent and press strongly through the balls of your feet. This will give a bit of slack in tight calves and hamstrings, and allow you to work on tipping the pelvis forward and reaching your sit bones up. As you start to feel the muscles warm up, keeping your heel lifted, slowly straighten your legs. Working on keeping your sit bones pointing up and keeping the integrity of the lovely natural curve of your spine. To give a bit of space for tight shoulders try placing bricks under your hands and start to press your heels towards the ground. Blocks (the flatter version of bricks) can also be used to give you a surface to resist against and press your heels into – further stretching the backs of the legs.

ALIGNMENT CUES
Try the above sequence and take a bit of time to explore and develop your Downward Dogs – from your first one at the start of your sequence to your last one as the body opens up and releases areas of tension.

The following are some alignment cues that you might hear in class. Print them out, along with the sequence, and play around with what makes sense to you:

• Hands shoulder width apart, feet hip width apart, press into all five knuckles of your hands and lightly though the pads of your fingers, fingers spread
• Roll your biceps forward, broaden the collarbones, back of the neck long, firm your shoulder blades against your back, head in line with your ears
• Pelvis tips forward, lift your sit bones up, stretch your heels towards the ground, draw your hips up and back
• Top of the thighs pressing back, roll your inner thighs back. Hug your outer hips to the midline, gaze to the ground under your pelvis
• Draw your navel towards your spine to support the internal organs
• Look for symmetry of the whole body between right and left side joining at the midline

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

The second brain

THE ENTERIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
Butterflies, gut feelings, gut instinct, gutsy, gut reaction, listen to your gut, that takes guts – our gut definitely seems to have a will of its own. In fact it is considered to be the ‘second brain’. The enteric nervous system of our digestive system does much more than just process our food – it absorbs nutrition and distributes it throughout the body; removes toxins from our system; 80% of our immune system is located in the gut and 95% of serotonin (the happy hormone) is produced in the bowels.

WHEN THE TWO BRAINS LINK
Gut health also has a strong link to our moods and emotional well-being. Stress leads to gut issues and similarly gut issues lead to stress. Scientists are exploring the link between optimum gut health and emotional well-being. Research is also being done into incorporating gut health into therapy for conditions such as anxiety and depression.

A balanced gut helps balance our emotions. So how do we balance our guts? Through good food and listening to how different foods make you feel; incorporating some movement into everyday and stress management.

YOGA & GUT HEALTH
Yoga promotes good gut health by stretching and compressing the whole digestive system. Yoga is also known to reduce stress by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system through breath awareness; slow mindful movement and repetitive flows which allows the mind to quieten.

BACKBENDS
Backends compress the digestive system bringing fresh blood flow – for cell regeneration, boosting the immune system, stimulating the nerve ends of the enteric nervous system. Click this link to get a full list of backbends.

TWISTS
Twists massage the digestive system aiding maximum nutrition absorption and toxin elimination. In yoga we twist to the right first to stimulate the ascending colon first, twisting to the left after, to stimulate the descending colon – aiding regular elimination and toxin removal from the body. Click this link to get a full list of twists.

Click on the sequence above to support your the second brain of the enteric nervous system and explore the effect it has on your mood. Try the Immune System Boost sequence to keep you fighting fit through the winter months and the Stress Relief sequence which also incorporates some twists and backbends.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Christmas stress relief

STRESS & THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
Stress is fast becoming an epidemic in modern society, and the main cause of increasing health issues. Stress compromises our immune systems and makes it harder to fight diseases. The immune system is already under constant attack from external toxins that bombard our system from the air we breathe; the water we drink; the processed foods we eat; the personal care and household products we use; and the computers and phones we spend most of our waking hour in front of.

SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
The two nervous systems – the sympathetic and parasympathetic – both have their purpose. The sympathetic nervous system causes the fight or flight response. It raises our blood pressure and heart rate; our muscles tense ready for action; the digestive, reproductive and organ system function decrease to increase the blood flow in our limbs. The problem comes when stress puts us in this heightened state of alert all the time the system starts to break down.

PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
The parasympathetic nervous system causes a relaxation response in the body and has a very calming effect on the system. Blood pressure and heart rate decrease; circulation  increases to the digestive, reproductive and organ systems and function returns. The mind calms and relieves stress, anxiety and muscle tension.

YOGA & STRESS
One of the main reason which brings people to yoga is stress. Yoga stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system through breath awareness; slow mindful movement and repetitive flows which allows the mind to quieten.

BACKBENDS
Backbends are energising – they stimulate the digestive system; stretch and expand the lungs and help relieve chronic pain. The digestive system (enteric nervous system) produces 95% of the serotonin (the happy hormone) of the body. Backends compress and stretch the digestive system – stimulating serotonin production and helping to counteract symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. Click this link to get a full list of backbends.

FORWARDS BENDS
Forward bends are very grounding and relaxing – stimulating the digestive system to boost the immune system; remove toxins from the body and compressing the organs in the trunk of the body which bring new blood flow and oxygen. They also relieve symptoms of sinusitis, insomnia, headaches, anxiety and stress. Click this link to get a full list of forward bends.

TWISTS
Twists are warming and energising – stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system and relieving stress and tension. They also relieve constipation which helps the body stay toxin free. A good judge of a toxin free system is at least one ‘elimination’ a day! Click this link to get a full list of twists.

Click on the sequence above and find some quiet time for yourself over the Christmas period. Take a few extra breaths in your backbends, forward bends & twists. Mix it up with the Immune System Boost sequence to keep you fighting fit through the winter months.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Immune system boost

YOGA & THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
You might notice, at this time of year, a natural urge to move towards certain asana in your home practice, and these same asana cropping up in sequences your yoga teacher guides you through in class. This is no coincidence! Our bodies are more intelligent than we give them credit for. Nature is in tune with the seasons, and sometimes we forget we are part of nature. Winter moves us into darkness and colder weather, and is the time to explore grounding (forward bends & seated) and warming asana (twists & inversions).

Late nights, Christmas parties, foods you may not usually indulge in and the mayhem of Christmas prep – all put a strain on our immune system. Yoga stimulates four systems which boost our immunity – circulation, digestion, nervous & endocrine. Twists and inversions tick all four of these boxes. The practice also brings our attention to the breath – expanding and slowing our breath down soothes the nervous system and helps our lungs fight off respiratory infections over the winter months.

TWISTS
Twists massage and bring fresh blood flow to all the internal organs – stimulating the digestive system for maximum nutrient absorption; the liver and kidneys to remove toxins; and the lymph system which supports white blood cell production. It also stokes your internal prana (life energy) generator and helps you stay warm from within over the colder periods from within. Click this link to get a full list of twists.

INVERSION
Inversions can evoke different responses. For many of us turning the world upside down can be a bit daunting and make us feel quite vulnerable. But you don’t have to spend your day Instagramming yourself in handstand to take an inversion! Inversions are any asana where the heart is above the head – standing forward bends, Downward Dog, Bridge and of course the lovely restorative Viparita Kiranai. Inversions get the blood flowing through your whole body – stimulating the digestive, nervous & endocrine systems. They also relieve stress and help with infertility, insomnia and sinusitis. Some inversions are grounding (forward bends, shoulderstand & headstand) and others are energising (handstand & peacock). Click this link to get a full list of inversions.

AMRITI
In yoga philosophy it’s said that there is a fluid secreted by the pineal gland in the head called Amriti, also known as the ‘fluid of immortality’. In our everyday upright position the Amriti flows down the body and is burnt up by prana energy. Inversions pool the Amriti back into the crown of the head and bring with them regeneration and vibrant health, allowing us to experiencing life at a higher resolution. This is a lovely idea and it's easy to see why inversions are considered the king of all yoga asana! Practising any of the inversions on a regular bases definitely brings a yoga glow to your complexion and gives you a different perspective on the world.

No article about boosting the immune system would be complete without mentioning the relationship between stress and its effect on the immune system. Stress-related illness, ranging from the common cold to obesity, heart disease and depression, are unfortunately rapidly increasing. It is well documented that yoga has a very calming and grounding effect – reducing stress, anxiety and tension in the body, a topic warranting a post of its own which will follow soon.

Click on the sequence above and try to get onto your mat as often as you can over the coming months to support your immune system. Just 10 minutes of Sun Salutations over the festive period and into the new year will make a difference you'll notice.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Sun Salutation, a closer look

SUN SALUTATION ROOTS
The origins of the Sun Salutation are uncertain. The earliest text illustrating the classic Sun Salutation we practise today, was written in the 1930s by Krishnamacharya. But it is not known if he was simply recording a sequence handed down for centuries from teacher to teacher or if he created it himself. He went on to teach the sequence to his students, including K. Pattabhi Jois and K.B.S Iyengar.

Traditionally practised in the morning as a salute to the rising sun, the Sun Salutation is multi functional and can actually be practised at any time of the day. When practised in the morning it wakes up the system and gets you ready for the day ahead. Practised in the evening it helps you unwind and relax. It is the perfect way to start building a home practice. The three versions strengthen and stretch all the main muscle groups, build stamina and prepare for more challenging asana. They also build heat and increase circulation throughout the whole system, which aids digestion and benefits all the internal organs.

The repetitive and meditative quality of the movements relaxes the mind and body, reducing stress and anxiety and increasing mental clarity. As you move through each pose in the Sun Salutation, you take either an in-breath or an out-breath. This makes it a good start to your practice and establishes the link between the breath and the movement. When done slowly it also encourages a calm breath which triggers the parasympathetic nervous system.

There are three main versions of Sun Salutation, or Surynamaskara. Sun Salutation C, also called Sun Salutation Classic, is the best version to start any practice with. You step back from your first Forward Fold/Uttanasana, to Anjaneyasana/Low Lunge, which is kinder on the joints while you give your system a chance to warm up. It also offers a softer decline to the floor through Knees, Chest, Chin, rather than Chaturanga Dandasana/Four Limb Pose. Coming all the way down to the ground offers a gentler backbend with Bhujangasana/Cobra, instead of a full Urdhva Mukha Svanasana/Upward Facing Dog. You can also incorporate a soft bend in the knees for the forward folds, allowing time for the hamstrings to warm up.

Sun Salutation A, or Surynamaskara A, is also the perfect way to start to your practice. For the first few rounds you can come down to the floor through Knees, Chest, Chin until your shoulders and back are warmed up enough to support the correct alignment of Chaturanga Dandasana/Four Limb Pose and Urdhva Mukha Svanasana/Upward Facing Dog.

Sun Salutation B, or Surynamaskara B, is actually the most challenging version of the three. It builds on the poses of Sun Salutation A, with the addition of Utkatasana/Chair, and Virabhadrasana I/Warrior I. Warrior I requires your hips to be very open, and exposes any instabilities or tightness you might have in knees, hips or lower back. It also offers a lovely stretch in the psoas, strengthens and stretches the thigh, calves and ankles, and stretches the shoulder and neck when the raised arms are added into the pose.

Click on any of the above sequences and print them out to use as a visual aid for your next home practice.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru