Inversions by Paula Stockman
Yoga has given me many gifts. When my yoga teacher introduced me to inversions, my life changed. It happened for me instantly. Every time I get to spend a few minutes upside-down, I feel blessed. Some days when I start my practice, my body feels tired and uncooperative, but just knowing that I will get to spend the last half of my practice inverting usually gives me the motivation I need. I think of my inversion practice as my reward, my ice cream sundae after a disciplined asana regimen.
My first tries at inverting were not pretty; my body didn't agree with my teacher when she told us to kick up to a handstand or to lift into a shoulderstand. At some point during the struggle, I felt the magic. I let go of my expectations about how strange it would be, and I felt good, really good. After that first glimmer, I was hooked. I worked my tail off hurling myself toward the wall attempting a handstand, I tumbled out of headstands more times than I care to recount, and I worked hard to open my shoulders and back so that I could do a shoulderstand. Finally, I am at a place where I can pause for a while in these poses and feel and understand what is happening to my body while I am upside-down.
Yoga practice really emphasizes experience over explanation. I will do my best here to use words to describe the experience of an inversion practice. To do this, I will rely on some esoteric yoga terms as well as some western anatomical terms. I will define these esoteric terms and explain the reasons for inverting as well the sensations that I have personally experienced from inversions.
First, what is an inversion? An inversion is a pose that shifts the pull of gravity from the feet to the head. In general, a pose that places the pelvis and feet above the heart is considered an inversion. Some practitioners see inversions as poses that change the relationship of the heart and the pelvis, and do not concern themselves at all with what happens to the feet. Everyone agrees that headstand (Sirsasana) is an inversion, but there is some disagreement about downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana).
The most common inversions are headstand (Sirsasana) and shoulderstand (Sarvangasana). Headstand and shoulderstand are so important that they are commonly referred to as the "king"and "queen"of asanas respectively. In his book Yoga Mala, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois describes the pleasure of headstand by saying, "Just as people feel the sweetness of sugar by eating it, so too will they experience the happiness of this asana by practicing it."(Eddie Stern/Patanjali Yoga Shala, 1999, pp 129). Many of the asanas we practice are designed specifically to prepare the body for these two poses.
The main purpose of hatha yoga is to balance the body. Hatha literally means sun (ham) and moon (tham). Through hatha yoga we bring a balance between the sun energy and the moon energy of the body. The sun force represents the physical powers and the moon force represents the mental force. Inversions are key to establishing this balance.
The life force or energy in the body is known as prana. Sometimes prana is defined as just the breath, but this isn't entirely accurate. Prana is considerably more than the breath. Prana literally translates as before (pra) the breath (ana). The concept of prana is familiar in many cultures, the "chi"or "ki"in China and Japan as well as "mana"in Hawaii to name a few. Through hatha yoga, we play with the flow of prana in the body, hoping to open up the body and bring it more in balance. By inverting the body, we change the flow of prana- we turn it literally upside down.
The life force moves through the body via "psychic nerves"called nadis. The word nadi is roughly translated as a current, motion, or flow. It can be helpful to imagine the nadi as a nerve in the body. This image is great for visualization, but not entirely accurate. The nadis are not actually part of the physical body; they are rather, on the psychic plane. There are 72,000 nadis in the body. Sometimes the flow of prana through the nadis is blocked or congested for some reason. Asana practice helps open up the nadis so that prana can move without restriction.
There are two major nadis in the body, ida and pingala. They are the currents of the two opposite forces in the body. Ida is the moon ( tham or chandra), the passive feminine energy, and pingala is the sun (ham or surya), the masculine active energy. When ida and pingala are balanced, the energy in the body can flow freely and can be used without distraction and spiritual growth can ensue.
There is a central nadi that corresponds on the physical body with the spinal cord; it is called sushumna. Sushumna begins at the perineum and ends at the crown of the head. The flow of energy in sushumna is not possible until ida and pingala are balanced and clear. When these two pathways are brought into proper balance (usually through yoga practices), Sushumna is opened and prana can flow freely up it. This opening of the central nadi is characterized physically by a mind that is quiet and focused, dominated by neither sun nor moon energy.
Situated on sushumna are the chakras (sometimes spelled cakra). Chakra literally means "wheel"or "circle" In yoga we think of a chakra as a "vortex"or "whirlpool" The chakras are whirlpools of pranic energy. There are seven major chakras in the body. Through yoga practice we work to open the chakras and move energy up from the base chakra to a place beyond the body and beyond the chakras.
Sushumna is the central channel; ida and pingala are side channels. Ida nadi begins at the left side of the perineum (mooladhara chakra) and crosses each chakra creating a crisscross path to the left side of the midbrain just behind the eyebrow center at the pineal gland (ajna chakra). Pingala nadi originates on the right side of the perineum and follows an opposite path crossing the chakras the opposite way, finally ending in right side of ajna chakra. (Please refer to the drawing at the end of this paper.)
Interestingly, the nadis and the chakras correspond to physiological places on the body. Ida and pingala correspond with the autonomic nervous system: ida with the parasympathetic nervous system and pingala with the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system (ida, moon energy) slows the body down, preparing for resting and digesting. The sympathetic nervous system (pingala, sun energy) speeds up the body, preparing it for the fight or flight reaction as well as stress, excitement and danger. It is logical that a balance between these systems is crucial for both physical and spiritual health.
The chakras correspond with the anatomical body as well. I will describe how the chakras are affected by hatha yoga in general and by inversions in particular. The chakra system is complex and the functioning of this system is beyond the scope of this paper; for more information about the chakra system please consult the books listed in the bibliography at the end of this paper.
Lying coiled within in the first chakra is a "serpent energy"called kundalini or kundalini-shakti. By balancing ida and pingala and opening up sushumna, this dormant energy awakens and travels up sushumna, through the chakras, pierces the crown chakra and creates a blissful union with the divine. The union of the worldly body (shakti) with the Transcendental Light (shiva) is a union of two opposing forces as well. Kundalini has to awaken and then travel up sushumna to the crown chakra. This journey involves a battle with gravity along with any other energetic clogs in the chakra system. Turning the body upside-down is a great way to ease the path, let kundalini and gravity work together.
The first chakra, Mooladara Chakra is the seat of our energy. All our energy, be it physical, emotional, sexual, or spiritual rests here, symbolized by the coiled serpent. On the physical body, this chakra is perineum of men and the cervix of women. It is our "root", from which all other things grow.
Kundalini moves up from the first chakra to the second, called Swadhisthana Chakra. The literal meaning of swadhisthana is "one's own abode" It is located just above the first chakra on the body, it sits just behind the organs of reproduction. Energetically, this chakra governs pleasure- particularly, cravings for food and drink and sex. (Asana, Pranayama, Bandha, Mudra.Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Bihar School of India, pp. 516-518)
Just behind the navel sits Maipura Chakra, the center of vigor and determination. On the physical body, this center governs the kidneys, the pancreas and the adrenal glands. From this chakra comes the process of digestion as well as the fight or flight response. The energetic characteristics of this chakra involve the sense of personal power, reliability and self-discipline.
The fourth center, Anahata, is the heart center. This is where we experience and express love. This chakra holds particular importance among yogis as it commonly used as an object of meditation and a vehicle to finding a personal connection with the love of the divine (The Serpent Power, Arthur Avalon, PP 371-383). This is an important physical center as well- the physical heart, the lungs, the circulatory system, the respiratory system are all under the influence of Anahata.
Just above the heart, in the throat, sits Vishuddi Chakra, the center for purification. This chakra is about expression and our ability to hear and speak truthfully. Physically, this corresponds with the thyroid and parathyroid glands. These glands are crucial to creating balance in virtually every cell in the human body (Human Anatomy and Physiology, 4th Ed., Elaine Marieb, PP 602).
Moving up the body, the next chakra is Ajna. It is located deep in the brain, behind the "third eye"(located between the eyebrows). It corresponds exactly to where the pineal gland rests in the midbrain. This chakra acts as a connection between the physical and spiritual worlds. The pineal gland is not fully understood by modern science, but what we do know for sure is that it has to do with the production of a hormone called melatonin. Many people believe that melatonin production has to do with our exposure to light and creates the internal clock that helps to regulate sleep cycles.
At the crown of the head lies the "thousand petaled lotus"of Sahasrara chakra. This chakra is at the crown of the head, the place in us that is closest to the divine. This chakra is depicted as a lotus with a thousand petals (it is widely believed that these thousand petals represent infinity) symbolizing the blossoming of the physical body into the spiritual body. It is located at the cerebral cortex and is associated with the pituitary gland. This gland plays a major role in regulating the body via hormones, but it's exact functioning is not fully understood by scientists.
When a student of hatha yoga reaches a relatively advanced state of practice, he or she is introduced to the bandhas or the energetic locks. The bandhas are designed to lock prana in the body, thus stimulating kundalini energy. Proper practice of these powerful tools enhances spirituality and morality in the practitioner. In inverted postures, the bandhas are firmly in place and the subtle energetic body is greatly affected. For our purposes, we will only consider 3 bandhas: jalandhara bandha (chin lock), moola bandha (root lock), and uddiyana bandha (abdominal contraction). Maha bandha is a combination of all three.
Inversions
So what happens in an inversion? The feet reach up towards the sky and the head is pulled toward the earth. We get to look at the world from a new perspective and turn our thoughts and ideas upside down. This change of orientation is powerful; I have found that when I feel frustrated and unable to understand a situation, I can spend some time upside down and suddenly I have a new understanding.
Inverted postures change our relationship with gravity. The force of gravity has a constant effect on our bodies. Every day, gravity pulls our bodies downward and because we are made up of more than 60% water, this strong force really affects us. As we age we notice what gravity is doing to us: our fat sags, varicose veins appear on our legs, our feet swell. In inversions, we turn this around by inviting gravity to pull on us in the opposite direction for a while. This use of gravity to control the flow of blood isn't unusual- doctors tell us to place a bleeding finger above the heart to control bleeding and to elevate swollen feet.
When upside-down, the brain is flooded with fresh blood. The brain cells are stimulated and nourished and toxins are swept from the skull. Blood that has pooled in the lower limbs is sent back through the heart, allowing for better circulation and purification of the blood.
The refreshed blood bathes and nourishes the hypothalamus, pineal gland and the pituitary gland. These glands play an important role in the endocrine system. The endocrine system uses hormones to regulate the metabolism of the cells. Hormones are chemicals that the body uses to maintain a healthy, functioning body. When a hormone is released, there is a bit of a lag time before the effect is felt, but when it is, the effect can be felt for days. For the body to remain healthy, it is important for hormones to be in proper balance. There are too many hormones for me to address all of them here, but to provide some idea, hormones control such things as urine production, maintaining blood pressure, tissue growth, digestion, sexual arousal, insulin production, and stress responses. The endocrine system is a powerful regulatory system in the body that is not yet fully understood by western science.
Interestingly, each chakra has a gland or piece of endocrine tissue associated with it. I believe that even without the benefits of modern science, practitioners of yoga came to understand and feel this system at work. In yoga texts, there are amazing claims made about inversions that seem impossible. B.K.S. Iyengar calls shoulderstand (Sarvangasana) "one of the greatest boons conferred on humanity by our ancient sages." He then makes a great number of claims about this pose, including that it cures asthma and the common cold, and relieves epilepsy and nervous breakdowns, to name just a few (Light on Yoga, Schocken Books, 1979, PP 212-213). The ancient sages used chakras and nadis to explain the physical and energetic bodies just as we use the nervous system and the endocrine system to do the same.
The heart pumps blood throughout the body all day, everyday. The heart is made of cardiac muscle fibers similar to skeletal muscle fibers. The health of muscle fibers is enhanced by stretching them. We've all heard that cardiovascular exercise is important for the overall health of the body. Cardiovascular exercise is exercise that involves the heart or blood vessels and inversions fit that role. Inversions do much the same for the body that aerobic exercise does. According to author Elaine N. Marieb, "The important factor stretching cardiac muscle is the amount of blood returning to the heart (venous return) and distending its ventricles"(Human Anatomy & Physiology 4th edition, Benjamin/Cummings Science Publishing, 1998 p 679.) Inversions use gravity to bring more blood to the heart.
Inversions have a profound affect on the coiled kundalini energy in the root chakra. The chakra system as whole gets flipped; kundali is now coaxed downward, moving with gravity instead of against it. Moving prana through the chakras is a path to enlightenment; it moves from the base to the spiritual. When upside down, the base (sexual) energy of the first two chakras is given the chance to transform into spiritual energy.
When we practice inversions, the bandhas (energetic locks) are in place. These locks work with gravity to send latent energy downward to the crown chakra (sahasrara chakra). In shoulderstand (sarvangasana) the chin lock (jalandhara bandha) is firmly reinforced. The chinlock directly acts to stimulate the thyroid and the parathyroid glands in the neck. If you recall, the thyroid and parathyroid are located at the same spot in the body as the throat chakra (vishuddi chakra).
The thyroid affects almost every cell in the human body. It is vital to skeletal system development as well as the rate of metabolism. A thyroid that is severely under- or overactive can cause serious disturbances in the body. Skin disorders, goiters, and mental retardation are a few among the many conditions that can result from a malfunctioning thyroid. The parathyroid glands play the most important role in maintaining the correct calcium balance in the bloodstream. Hormones released by the parathyroid directly affect the bone cells, kidneys and intestines.
Uddiyana bandha, the abdominal lock, may be engaged during inversions. Traditionally, this uddiyana and moola bandha are engaged during breath retention. The abdominal lock compresses the solar plexus as well as the organs of digestion, adrenal glands, and kidneys. Also, the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) is toned and encouraged to work effectively.
The bandhas trap prana in place. When we invert, the sleeping, coiled kundalini can be aroused and start to work its way up shushumna (the central channel). The locks have been described as working like a dam, so that when released, prana and aroused kundalini come flooding upward through the chakras (if inverted, the energy moves physically downward). According to Arthur Avalon in his book Serpent Power, he describes how retaining breath in the chest with uddiyana bandha and then releasing it works like a "key"to the stimulation of kundalini (Dover Publications, 1974).
After considerable yoga experience, the yoga practitioner is ready for moola bandha (perineal contraction). This pelvic lock stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (digestion, elimination & glandular function) causing an overwhelming sense of relaxation. The sympathetic nervous system is subtly affected as well. By activating the autonomic nervous system (sympathetic & parasympathetic) at the same time the hypothalamus (in charge of the endocrine system as a whole) and the limbic system (emotions) are directly manipulated.
Just as inversions change the flow of blood, they also alter the flow of energy in the nadis. Spiritual illumination takes place when kundalini is awakened and rises without obstruction to the crown chakra (sahasrara chakra). When energy flows freely to this chakra, a substance called amrita bindu is produced. This substance is believed to prolong life and increase intellectual power. Amrita, a life sustaining nectar, invigorates the body and helps the practitioner to pass beyond the cycles of birth and death. Amrita is retained in the body with the bandhas. Amrita may be the energetic equivalent to the flow of hormones in the body.
In an inversion, diaphragmatic breathing is encouraged- the breath slows down and deepens. When the diaphragm moves freely, the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, intestines, stomach, kidneys and pancreas are massaged and stimulated. By experiencing the breath in an inversion, the body relearns how to breathe. Unhealthy breathing patterns can be overcome by consciously applying lessons learned upside down to right-side-up breathing.
My Experience with Inversions
My breath has always offered challenges to me. I was prone to panic attacks as a small child. I would sit gasping for breath, yet I also felt huge amounts of fear and shame and never told anyone about these episodes. During my teenage years, the attacks were less severe and less frequent. Then, in my late teens and early twenties, the breathlessness came back along with such intense fear that I sought medical help. It was then that I realized that I had a serious medicalcondition.
I learned about my breath: I had been placed on a respirator at birth and still breathed with gasping inhales and short exhales, always searching for more breath but never finding it. My breath was 'backwards"; on the inhale, my belly and chest would deflate and swell on the exhale. This awkward movement of breath prevented my nervous system from completely relaxing, my "fight or flight"response fired almost constantly and when it hit overload, I would panic. My heart often felt like it would beat right out of my chest.
My doctor and I explored my breath, we played with it a bit but it seemed that nothing could help me and the attacks came more frequently. The solution was for me to take a prescription drug especially for anxiety. The drug definitely helped me and without it I would have been miserable, but I didn't want that to be the final solution.
I came to a yoga class for chronic shoulder pain that I believed was totally separate from the panic attacks. To my surprise, the instructor asked us to be still and breathe. It may have been her soothing voice, it may have been the quiet of the yoga studio, I don't exactly know what it was, but something felt right. Whatever it was, these exercises actually relaxed me. I kept up with the medication, but I also practiced breath work that I learned in yoga at home. My home practice taught me that my shoulder pain and panic attacks were related. Instead of letting my innercostal and abdominal muscles do the work of respiration, I was using my shoulder muscles and they were really tired.
One day, my teacher taught me a supported version of viparita karani (inverted lake posture, or frequently called legs-up- the-wall). My body immediately relaxed. I had the sense of complete comfort and of "letting go"for the first time that I could remember. In my every day life I had a manageable amount of stress and I was ok in between panic attacks but I had no idea I could ever feel this great. The thing I noticed first was my breath. It naturally dropped out of my upper chest and diaphragmatic breathing started effortlessly. I began to practice this pose regularly at home to teach my body to breathe when I was right side up.
I stopped taking anxiety medication sometime around then. Shortly after I stopped altogether with the medication, I did have some incidents that could have led to panic attacks, but with my new knowledge of how to breathe, I exhaled my way out of panic. My shoulders relaxed and I no longer had daily shoulder pain. I still use the "legs-up- the-wall-pose"anytime I feel overwhelmed.
As I mentioned earlier, I invert in my own practice regularly. I love to hold inversions for long periods of time and play with my breath while in the pose. From my personal practice I can report a variety of experiences ranging from euphoria, emotional detachment, a pulsing through my torso, to a complete stillness in mind and body. The part of the inversion I like the best is when I come down out of the pose. I lie still keeping my head down and I feel my body "flush" a sensation of a refreshing wash from the inside out and then I sense quiet and release from my core.
Contraindications
Inversions are great, but, because of their powerful affect on the body, there are times when it's not a good idea to invert. Individuals vary, so check with your yoga teacher about what is right for you and your body. In general, if you are uncomfortable in any pose, inverted or not, this is a clear sign to move out of the pose.
Women who are menstruating should not invert. Some teachers say that any pose that places the uterus above the heart should be avoided. I have found that during my menses, Uttanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana and other poses that don't involve placing the feet above the head feel fine to me, while Sirsasana and poses that do involve the feet cause menstrual cramps and discomfort. Pregnant women past the first trimester should not invert, but some find that supported inversions feel great late into pregnancy, check with your teacher.
If you have serious eye conditions including glaucoma, detached retina and extreme nearsightedness you should not invert. Inversions cause a rush of blood to head and the veins of the eyes could become overwhelmed. If you find you are getting bloodshot eyes from inversions, check with your teacher.
In general students with spinal injuries should talk to a teacher or doctor before inverting. Any condition that the effects the intervertebral discs should be brought to the attention of your teacher and he or she can help you discover which, if any inversions will be right for you. If your spinal cord and the muscles that support it are not ready to invert, you may injury yourself by causing nerve compression or irritation. Inversions are generally taught after students have some yoga experience and the teacher is familiar with their abilities and limitations.
As with any new practice, approach inversions with an open mind and a sense of playfulness. They are powerful poses that can change your life, so respect your body and when it tells you it's time to come down, listen to it. You will find that if your body is ready for it, a whole new perspective will open up to you when you turn things on their head.