Hello Friends!
Wringing Things Out In Twists
This month one of the studios where I work asked me to write an article about twisting in asana. This is that article:
I will cover the importance of twists, their physical and energetic effects, symbolism of twists, benefits, some tips for going deeper comfortably in twists, and a few caveats.
Twists are a significant part of the practice because the central nervous system is housed in the spine (and brain). So when you want to influence the physical body and the energetic body, you have to manipulate the spine. When you are in an asana, consider what the spine is doing.
Think very simply about these poses: feel the body, what is the body telling you? Is it hot, or is it cold? etc... Based on the heat level in the body, you can feel where things are going on an energetic level, and if the spine is twisting, there is some obvious heat. You may wonder why twisting poses are known as detoxification poses-- twisting wrings out the organs, and stimulates the spiraling movement of the energy.
On a physical level, twists stretch the deepest back muscles, especially those closest to the midline of the body (the spine). As you are twisting, every organ inside you is being twisted and compressed, and when the twist is released, your system can flush fresh blood through your organs cleansing and stimulating them. Equally important, twists maintain the range of motion of the spine, both on the structural and muscular level.
Energetically, the spiraling of the spine has profound effects. If you look at a tree, or the growth of a bone, there is never a straight line, it's always in some kind of a spiral. Even as your nose is working a turbine effect, swirling and spiraling the breath through your body, your spine is making the same shape, magnifying the energetics. In my own practice, I feel the adding of a twist to a pose doubles or even triples the energetic effect of what I am doing, and sometimes magnifies or speeds things up.
Twists are very balancing in general, and can have the effect of decreasing frustration, anxiety and fear. Often as we feel these emotions, we hold our body differently, so twisting may be simply releasing the tension we hold as a result of experiencing these emotions. Regardless of whether the resistance is emotional, mental or strictly physical, this is good reason to move into twists mindfully, and without speed. Take time to feel your way into these poses, breathing the whole time. Have a sense of the twist happening in your whole spine, including your thoracic (mid back) spine, rather than isolating the twist in the cervical (neck) or lumbar (low back) spine. I often see practitioners initiate or drive the twist from the neck. The best way to approach twists, in my experience, is to keep the front of the spine as long as possible and think of articulating each vertebrae in the twist from the bottom to the top of the spine. There is a tendency for a forward or side bend when we twist, and this is not conducive to maximum twisting and comfort. It requires more effort, but go for a mild backbending of the spine first, and then twist. Play around with it in your own practice, you'll find you can twist significantly more with the front of the spine elongated.
An entire article could be dedicated to just the symbology of twists, so I'll try to keep it brief. Each pose has its own essence, and there is something you can receive each time you take a twist, although it may not always be the same every time.
In the case of twists, how many times have you heard someone say:
"They're all wound up!"
"I just need some time to unwind."
"The road of Life is full of twists and turns."
"It's a vicious spiral."
Spirals are physically, energetically and mentally ubiquitous. When you come into your next seated twist, consider how winding around and looking behind you might give you a new perspective. Twists remind us of the need to reflect on what we've done and notice as things come full circle- pun intended, of course!
In challenging twists like parivrtta trkonasana (revolving triangle pose), it becomes clear for the need to be well grounded. A strong foundation is critical for a sense of lightness and freedom as you move in all directions. What is the right balance between effort and surrender- especially when there is much to manage- and how can we relate this to how we are in the world?
In a situation where right and left become ambiguous, what does this teach us? In a world where things aren't always as they seem, how do we move from disorientation to integration?
Ultimately, your yoga practice is a microcosm of Life. The situations you encounter in the practice room have application where the real yoga takes place- with your friends, family and co-workers. If twists can teach us to let go of our attachment to the right and left sides of our body, perhaps we can also learn to relinquish our search for security through attachment to that which is transient.
Stay twisty,
Liz Doyle
Www.LizDoyleYoga.com
(Fine print: 1. Deep closed twists are not recommended for those who are pregnant. 2. Please let your teacher know if you have vertebrae, disc or sacroiliac issues. 3. Never force yourself into a twist- be well grounded and take your time breathing your way into it. 4. Have fun!)
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