Energy in Yoga

Yoga poses can often be viewed on first impressions as simply a form of exercise, but in yoga philosophy, these are one on the eight-fold path to moving towards Samadhi or at its most simple, ultimate connection. Sounds a little highfalutin when you're feeling a stretch on the backs of your legs? Well, part of the reason for yoga postures - asanas - is to help facilitate the right energy balance, distribution and exchange in the body. As we open, release and unwind areas of tension, energy can more easily move around without blockages.

At first this can feel pretty intense as we rediscover parts of ourselves that have been shut down; release can bring strong tingling nerve sensations but also shifts and waves of emotions buried or forgotten. As poor postural habits change with long-term practise, we can feel strong energetic effects from overly contracted or stretched muscle slowly moving back to their natural alignment.

It helps in yoga practise and teaching to view tension released from the bottom of the body and rise upwards and out. Looking at the positions of the chakras (energy ‘wheels' or centres) in the body can be a focus for awareness of energy and release. The chakras are often depicted as wheels or flowers gathering at positions up the spine where energy or the life-force prana is focussed. They represent more gross, experiential energies from the root at the base of the spine to the more subtle, conscious at the top of the head.

Focusing on five of the seven of the chakra positions here can help us observe the effect that breathing and yoga postures have on our bodies. This can help us breathe into areas around tension, making space and ensuring we don't practise with any force:

Muladhara - Root Chakra (red): corresponding to the pelvic floor, this is the are we link to experience, feeling and the base energies at the opposite end of the spectrum to the thinking, analytical brain. In the modern world, we can be disconnected from feeling rather than thinking and tensions in shoulders, chest and diaphragm can prevent us from breathing right down into the tailbone to connect with our root. Focussing back down to this are can help relieve pressure and stress in the brain.

Manipura - Solar Plexus Chakra (yellow): seated in the belly or navel area, where we focus breathing in yoga. We look to create soft but strong support in the belly in all postures to protect the lower back, whilst still allowing movement for breath. Western tendencies can be to either completely let go or grip the abdominal muscles too strongly in an attempt to look thin. Connection with this area is related to supporting functions of the adrenal glands, digestion and pancreas, all of which can become imbalanced with stress.

Anahata - Heart Chakra (green): in Eastern philosophies, it is the heart not the brain that is the centre of the self. Much sitting on chairs, in front of computers and slouching on sofas can shut down the chest area and leave us less able to fully breathe. Low energy in this area is associated spiritually with not nourishing oneself and heart meditations on loving kindness (metta bhavana) to ourselves - and others - can help with feelings of healing and reducing stress hormones.

Vishuddha - Throat Chakra (blue): this is the area that represents communication and also represents growth through clear expression. This is where the thyroid gland sits, which governs physical growth and metabolism in the body and can be quickly affected by stress. When we release tension up from the body, it can feel stuck in the throat and jaw, so it can help in yoga and daily life to release the face, open the jaw wide and swallow to help move through anything stuck. You might feel this is particularly relevant if you struggle to express yourself or that you have left things unsaid.

Ajna - Third Eye Chakra (indigo): situated between the eyebrows, this is referred to as the ‘third eye', named thousands of years before anatomical knowledge of this position of the pineal gland. This produces the hormone melatonin, responsible for our sleep-wake cycles and also signals to the adrenals to react to any perceived stress, be it real danger or psycho-social stress or thoughts and emotions. We can observe stress in this area from a frown, a muscular action that informs the body something amiss is going on. Staying soft between the eyebrows helps to soothe the brain and using this as a focal point for meditation or in restorative poses, not only connects with our intuition, but also actively increases blood circulation to the pineal gland.

A simple breathing exercise is to visualise the in-breath rising up from tailbone to crown of the head, noticing each of these points along the way and then back down with the exhalation.

Charlotte recommends the Chranket to cover you in relaxation mode and reflect the colours of the chakras, www.reflotherapies.co.uk

Charlotte practises as a Nutritional Therapist and Yoga Teacher in Brighton - see www.charlottewattshealth.com/yoga and www.de-stressyourlife.com