Sphinx
Ever notice backbends invigorate your mind and body? Since backbends open the core of the body, they produce a wonderful effect of unleashing stress and opening the heart. Mr. lyengar wrote in Light On Yoga: Backbends are rejuvenating. They give energy and courage and combat depression. They open the chest and make the spine flexible. The arms and shoulders become strong. The mind and body become alert.
On the other hand, maybe you are one of the many who have an uncomfortable or painful feelings in your lower back while practicing backbends. Indeed, invigorating backbends can even be healing for many back problems when done properly, but they can be dangerous when practiced improperly. The Sphinx pose is not as glamorous as the other backbends poses, however, it does provide a solid foundation and allows us to playfully explore the nature of backbends. I almost always include the sphinx pose in backbend routines specifically because it's simplicity makes it easy to tune inward and explore what happens during the backbend. It's during this exploration where we learn how to move the body away from pain and into harmony.
To perform the sphinx pose, you must do two things: (1) ground your body and (2) lengthen your spine. That's it - the backbend will follow. To start, we'll work on grounding.
Start by lying on your belly with your legs straight back and pressing the top of your feet into the floor. You'll want the entire length of your legs to be firmly grounded into the floor. To really feel this, lengthen each leg back through your toes and turn your thighs a little more inward - you'll feel the exact front of your legs now pressing into the ground. This bit of effort should make you start to feel you are cemented into the earth from your hips to your toes. This is good, because we will use the grounding of our legs to stretch the spine.
Now, place your elbows directly under your shoulders with your forearms straight in front of your body. With the palms facing down spread your fingers wide and feel the weight of your upper-body spread through your forearms and out through each finger. Now your body should start to look like the majestic sphinx.
Now we'll start to stretch the spine. On an in-breath, begin to push weight into your hands while sliding your shoulder blades down your back. Continue with this action by barreling your chest up between your arms. Firm your shoulder blades against your back and puff your side ribs forward. Lift through the top of the sternum but avoid push-ing the front ribs forward -this will harden the lower back. As your chest blossoms upward, your spine begins to lengthen - remember, your hips are grounded, so bringing your chest forward will automatically lengthen your spine. The geometry of the body in this position will bring the backbend to your upper back as you draw your chest forward.
Stay for a few breaths. Look forward, and then move your eyes to look up, but take care not to compress the back of your neck and harden your throat. Now tune your awareness inward. Let your inhalation fill your lungs and expand under your collar-bones to provide a greater broadness to the chest. If you feel pain in your lower back, try relaxing the bend and tone your belly in to support your lower spine. If you are truly lengthening your spine, it will be difficult to "crunch" your lower back. On the exhalation, lower yourself to the starting position.
Spend a lot of time playing with this pose. Learn what this pose tells you about your life? Does your heart open unreserved-ly; encompassing all that is, with attentive-ness, acceptance, and good will? Let your body incorporate the base needs of safe-keeping with the loving kindness of an open heart. I think it was lyengar who also said "It's impossible to be sad if your heart is open."
Amir