TO THE MAT

Happy Hamstrings, Happy Life

Parsvottanasana means stretching your legs for your back, knees, and mind

BY JENNIFER SHANNON FEB 15, 2023

February can be a sedentary time of year for many of us. Short days, long nights, and cold weather and wind can keep us indoors and sitting around more. On the other hand, some people find themselves doing activities that they don’t do the rest of the year: skiing, skating, or snowshoeing.

Whether you’ve been a sitter or a skier, you might find that your hamstrings — the group of muscles that run down the back of your legs from the hips to the knees — are tight. And that can cause stiffness and limit your mobility. Lower back pain, bad posture, imbalances in your musculature, or knee pain can often be traced to this same muscle group.

I have just the remedy for this: Parsvottanasana. Also called the Pyramid Pose or Standing Runner’s Stretch, this pose is a deep opener for the hamstrings, and it is not just for runners. It’s a pose that can also lengthen your spine and side body and improve your powers of concentration.

Begin by standing at the far end of your yoga mat or another nonslip surface. Stand with your feet parallel to one another and hip width apart — that is, about four to eight inches apart, depending on your size.

Take a step forward with your right foot, placing it two to three feet ahead of you, depending on the length of your legs and your flexibility. Now check to see if you’re feeling stable. If not, you may need to widen your stance slightly. Put your hands on your hips.

Angle your left foot out slightly and square your hips, so that your hip bones are facing forward. Press into your feet. Feel the muscles of the legs engaging. Do not lock your knees; instead, keep a slight bend in them and lift the muscles in your thigh up and away from your kneecap. From here, bring your awareness to your pubic bone. Lift the pubic bone and tuck the tailbone slightly down towards the floor.

Elongate the spine by lifting out of the waist and staying long all the way to the crown of the head. Take a deep breath in, then, as you exhale, lift the tailbone and hinge forward from your hips. Continue forward until you feel a good stretch in your hamstrings. Keep your head in line with your spine as you lean forward, then release your forehead gently, being mindful not to strain your neck.

Breathe and notice where you are feeling the pose in your body. Are your hamstrings talking to you? If this is challenging for you, place a chair in front of you and put your hands on either side of the seat to help support your weight and stabilize the pose. Make sure the chair is sturdy and not likely to slide forward — it helps to have all four chair legs securely on your yoga mat.

If you feel like you can go deeper, continue to hinge at the hips, reaching your fingertips to your shin, your foot, or to the floor. Take a few breaths. There is no need to push yourself as deeply as possible. Going to 60 or 70 percent of your range will benefit you sufficiently and guard against overstretching the muscles, which can result in injury.

Stretching should not be painful. Find your edge with just the right amount of sensation, without sharp pain, electrical sensations, or numbness. Then hold that edge for a few breaths.

To release the pose, bring your hands to your leg and come up with a straight spine, using the leg or the chair for support. Relax your body as you stand and notice the imprint of the pose on this side.

If this felt relatively easy to do and you’d like to challenge yourself more, you may want to add the hand and arm variations. You might rest your arms behind your back, hands clasping opposite elbows. You may also leave your hands resting on your sacrum. In an advanced version of the pose, the arms are behind the back, palms pressed into each other in a reverse prayer position — but proceed with caution, as this may put strain on your hands and forearms.

Whether or not you are using the arms, be sure to repeat the pose on the other side. When you have finished the stretch on both sides, notice: was one side tighter than the other? If so, you might want to do that side again.

After practicing Parsvottanasana, consider the sensations in your back and legs. Doing this might not seem natural at first, but body awareness is something to cultivate. It will help you enjoy your yoga practice and avoid injuries. Take a walk around the room and notice what you feel.

TO THE MAT

The Mighty Chair Pose

A strengthening pose that’s like a smile against midwinter’s darkness

BY JENNIFER SHANNON DEC 21, 2022

These short days and long nights of deep December can bring an inner sense of darkness. Psychologists have even given a name to this phenomenon — Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Exercise is a good way to counteract it.

Considering what yoga can offer as an answer to this seasonal malaise, I think the Chair Pose — an energizing, strengthening pose — might be just the ticket for this time of year. The Sanskrit name for it is Utkatasana, meaning “powerful, mighty pose.” It focuses the mind and tones the whole body.

To get into the pose, you begin by standing with your feet hip width apart (4 to 8 inches depending on your size) and with your arms at your sides. Inhale and stretch the arms forward and up. Keep them shoulder width apart or wider so that you can feel a sense of ease and openness in your shoulders.

Once your arms are raised, adjust your shoulders. Roll your shoulder blades down your back and plug your arm bones into your shoulders. If you are having trouble balancing, step your feet wider apart. This pose can be demanding on the shoulders, so you may opt to keep your hands on your hips or in prayer pose at the center of your chest.

Now, keeping your feet planted and arms and upper torso lifted, bend your knees as if you are sitting back on a ledge. You are bending through the ankles, knees, and hips, yet you want your chest to stay lifted. Now is when, if we were in class together, I might say, “Imagine you are raising your heart to the sky.”

Bend your knees only as far as feels comfortable. In this pose, as in all yoga poses, you want to find your edge. This is the place where you can hold the pose without creating sharp pain, electrical sensations, or numbness. You are working the muscles but not overstraining the joints. One other thing about finding your edge: keep breathing as you do it.

In this pose, you will find it is important to use your core to help you hold the pose. To engage your core, try drawing your navel in towards your spine and tucking the lower ribs in. This is meant to be a gentle adjustment. It is effective at bringing your core on board. A strong core will protect your back and help with your alignment in the pose.

To deepen the pose, you may “sit” a little lower by moving the top of your thighs down a bit more. At the same time, keep lifting your torso out of your waist.

If your ankles are tight, you might find it helps to place a rolled mat or towel under your heels. This little lift will give you greater access to sitting back into your legs.

There are other ways to approach this pose — ways that add support, which can boost your confidence and help you feel the effects of the pose better. One that is useful, especially if you have cranky shoulders, is to place your hands on your knees. Another is to practice the pose with your back against a wall.

However you get there, consider this: you are now in the powerful, mighty Chair Pose. Breathe. And continue breathing as you hold the pose for 10 seconds or longer, up to a minute. You are strengthening your legs, back, shoulders, arms, and core.

Try smiling while you do the pose and imagine that smiling energy passing down through the chest and into every tissue and every cell of the body. Invite a feeling of unconditional friendliness to whatever is there for you.

The winter solstice is meant to be a time of drawing inward for reflection, as well as a time of celebrating the return of the light. We are regrouping for a new year, for new challenges and new adventures. We are celebrating being alive and having the strength to carry on.

May your new year be full of joy and peace. 

Jennifer Shannon is a certified Kripalu yoga teacher who lives in Truro.

TO THE MAT

The Energy-Balancing Effects of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama

Take a deep breath (in one nostril and out the other) for the holidays

BY JENNIFER SHANNON NOV 22, 2022

Both the ancient yogis and modern-day psychologists know the power of the breath in calming the body and clearing the mind — something many of us need as we head into the holiday season.

In my previous career as a psychotherapist, I taught a breath technique from yoga to my clients to help with anxiety and depression. Now, as a yoga teacher, I teach it at the beginning of my classes as a way to help people arrive fully and settle in.

I am just back from a 10-day retreat at Kripalu, in Western Massachusetts, where we delved deeply into the yogic breath work called Pranayama, which was developed to unblock and balance energy. Some breaths are calming, others are stimulating.

The ancient yogis believed that energy travels through channels known as nadis in the “subtle body” — a complex idea, but essentially one that melds mind and spirit. They called this energy prana, or life force.

It made sense even then that energy in the body can be blocked by physical or psychological factors such as injury, stress, or trauma, leading to problems in the body, mind, and spirit. Controlled breathing practices have been shown to improve respiratory function, reduce stress levels, improve digestion, improve cardiovascular health, reduce insomnia, improve concentration, boost immunity, and enhance mindfulness.

Nadi shodhana pranayama is an alternate nostril breathing technique meant to nourish your entire being with life force energy by opening the nadis, the channels. Shodhana means “to purify.” It is traditionally practiced first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. A regular morning practice of nadi shodhana will have cumulative effects over time. But it can be used at any time of day when you need to calm yourself and feel centered. Some people like to do it before bed or if they wake up in the middle of the night.

I recommend that, initially, you try it for 30 seconds to a minute and see what effect it has on you. Everyone’s body and nervous systems are different. A little may go a long way for you, or you may find a longer practice more beneficial. Remember, long slow breaths in and out. You are looking for a relaxed feeling.

Avoid this breath work if you have a sinus infection or any upper respiratory infection, asthma, or uncontrolled high blood pressure. It may be difficult to practice if you have a stuffy nose. Before you begin, take a moment to blow your nose and clear the nasal passages.

Begin by sitting in a comfortable position. Lengthen from the tailbone to the crown of the head, lifting out of the waist and creating a nice long spine. Relax your shoulders and feel the seat of your pants on the chair or cushion.

Take a long deep breath in and a long sigh out. This breath is traditionally done with the right hand in Vishnu Mudra (let your left hand rest comfortably in your lap). Mudras are hand gestures thought to enhance the flow of energy. Lift your right hand up, with the palm toward your face. Bend your index finger and middle finger into the palm. Place your thumb on your right nostril blocking the flow of air through that nostril. Take a long full breath in through your left nostril, pause at the end of the inhalation, and remove your thumb from the right nostril. Block your left nostril with the tip of the ring finger and exhale through the right nostril. Breathe in through the right and then place the thumb on the right nostril and breath out through your left. Breathe in left, close the left, breathe out right. Breathe in right, pausing for a beat at the top of the inhale, close the nostril, breathe out left, and so on.

Continue breathing this way for 30 seconds to a minute and notice the effects. You may gradually increase the time to 3 to 6 minutes. Do not hurry the breath; long slow breaths will be more effective. Let your mind focus on the breath.

If you are feeling shortness of breath, it is a sign you are breathing too hard, pushing your breath past its natural limits. Stop if you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or nauseated. Blocking the nostrils makes some people feel claustrophobic or uncomfortable. If it’s like that for you, it is possible to do this breathing exercise without using your hand. Just imagining directing the breath in this right-left balanced way can be quite powerful.

Taking the time to do this simple practice can help you get through months that can be hectic and leave us frazzled. I offer it with the hope you have a calm, cool, collected holiday season.

To begin, stand with your feet hip width apart. This is generally 6 to 8 inches, but another way to check your alignment is to draw an imaginary line from your hip bones down to your ankles: your ankles should be directly below your hip bones. If this is uncomfortable to you or makes it hard to balance, try taking a wider stance.

Press down through your feet, keeping your weight even on the inner and outer edges of both feet. Notice the balls of your feet and press down on their full width, from the big toe mounds to the pinky toes. Then press your heels into the floor and raise the arches.

From here, feel your body extend from the feet up into the legs. Get long through the legs. Contract and lift the muscles above the knees. Draw the tailbone down and your pubic bone up as you draw your navel towards your spine. Make all these adjustments gently, without forcing or straining.

Now, lift your sternum. Get long through the side body. Lift your head up and out from your shoulders. Feel the crown of the head floating up. Check to see if your chin is jutting forward; if so, draw it back slightly so your head is more in line with your spine.

Where are your arms? Start with them extended down by your sides, hands relaxed but alert, palms open, fingers stretching towards the ground.

Take a deep breath in while raising your shoulders to the ears, hold them there and hold your breath to the count of five, then let your breath go and your shoulders drop. Feel the release of tension.

You are there. Gaze ahead and hold the pose — but don’t hold your breath — to the count of 10.

There is a next step in Mountain Pose, as long as you don’t have high blood pressure or a heart condition. (If you do, practice the pose without raising your arms.) Inhale deeply and raise your arms, palms facing each other. Extend them up into a “V” shape, relax your shoulders, and lift from the armpits. Continue to breathe deeply in and out, feeling your breath as it fills and leaves your lungs. Gaze ahead and stay in the pose to a count of 10, breathing naturally.

On an exhalation, turn the palms away from each other and float them down.

Notice how you feel. Has the pose shifted your awareness of any parts of your body? How is your mood?

Mountain Pose can be illuminating because it increases body awareness — the feeling of connection to your body. Some people say it makes them feel more three-dimensional. You may notice different sensations as you adjust into the pose, though, and some people feel numbness or discomfort as they become aware of a particular part of the body. It helps to breathe and be curious about those sensations.

There is room in yoga to adjust your position for comfort. A good teacher can help you make even big adjustments. For example, you could do this pose in a wheelchair or seated, grounding yourself through the sitting bones rather than the feet.

Always be kind to yourself. You are on a journey of befriending your body.

Mountain Pose, in particular, gets me thinking about my feet and how important they are in supporting me through life. They have evolved to hold us up in our uniquely human stance. And they are amazing structures designed to help us reconcile and neutralize all the movements and forces we encounter day to day.

With our less-active lifestyles, however, our feet can get stiff. Yoga poses done barefoot can help to restore the strength and natural intelligence of our feet to better support us. If you find it hard to tell the different parts of your feet what to do, however, don’t worry — this is where being kind to yourself comes in. We build body awareness with intention and attention. The saying “where attention goes, energy flows” applies here. With practice, you will reconnect and become more familiar with your body.

We all need a pose that can help us stay strong and connected with ourselves and to practice using kindness and curiosity to help us stay the course.

Jennifer Shannon is a certified Kripalu yoga teacher who lives in Truro.

TO THE MAT

Summer Is for Butterfly Poses

Yin yoga’s cooling effect on the season’s hot energy

BY JENNIFER SHANNON AUG 24, 2022

Butterfly pose comes from a yoga tradition that is less well known than the one most people are familiar with. It grew out of the Taoist tradition, incorporating Chinese theories of how to cultivate the body’s energy, as opposed to the more active style of hatha yoga, which grew from the Hindu tradition.

A fundamental principle of Taoism is that all things are made up of yin and yang energies. Yang energy is active and hot. It is the sun; it makes things happen. The summer is a very yang time. Yin energy is passive and cool. It is the moon; it allows things to unfold. Yin energy is needed to balance the yang of summer.

The ancient Chinese philosophical texts attributed to Lao Tzu include this observation: “Nature is not in a hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” For me this is an inspiration to balance summer energy with an unhurried practice that is without striving. It is time for the Butterfly pose.

For Butterfly pose, sit on the floor with equal weight in both sitting bones. Bend your knees and place the soles of your feet together. Slide your feet forward (keeping the soles together as you do this); your legs will be folded in such a way as to make a big diamond shape.

The size of the diamond shape depends on what is comfortable for you. Focus on your hips and lower back as you settle into this position. You want some sensation in these areas, but not so much that you feel you can’t relax into it. You don’t want to feel any sharp pain or electric sensations.

Now place your hands on your ankles and lengthen your spine from the tailbone to the crown of your head. Slowly bend forward and down towards your feet. You may allow your head to gently release downward or you may keep it in a more upright position in line with your spine, depending on what is comfortable for your neck.

The distance between your head and your feet in this pose will depend on your flexibility. Listen to the sensations in your body. The object here is to find your edge — that is, the sweet spot where you naturally release into the pose. There is no need to force it.

In yin yoga, we assume the shape of the pose and then relax into it. This is a good time to breathe, relax, feel, watch, and allow.

If you need to give yourself more support to stay with this pose, please do. You can place a blanket under you for a softer place to sit. You can sit up on a cushion, which will take some stress out of the hips. You can support your knees by placing a folded blanket under them. Once you get settled with the support you need, let gravity keep you in the pose, using just enough muscular effort to maintain the shape and letting time do the work. Practice stillness.

You may find it easy to remain in this pose for three to five minutes or you may need to build up to that. These longer held poses allow the deeper tissues of the body to become revitalized. I am referring to the fascia, ligaments, tendons, and joint capsules. These tissues don’t stretch, but they can benefit from the gentle tug or pull that the pose creates.

Everyone has her own level of tolerance for staying in a position like this. If you are new to this type of practice, you may find you can hold the pose for only 30 seconds to a minute. Be gentle with your body.

I know in yoga many of us have some goal in mind. We want to look like a yogi in a magazine or like the person next to us in class, or we just want to follow the teacher’s instructions and hold the pose for three minutes because she says that’s what’s best. Let that go. Yoga is not a competitive sport.

I had a student once say to me that it was very hard for her not to push herself in yoga. She was aware of that feeling and told me, “It’s like I’m trying to win at yoga.” The real win in yoga is finding that just-right place in the pose for your body and appreciating it.

Yin yoga — and the Butterfly pose is just one example — can be a way to practice that, and an antidote to our busy summer lives.

TO THE MAT

Moving Into Balance for Summer

‘Empty coat sleeves’ is a gentle twist that warms up the body and clears the mind

BY JENNIFER SHANNON JUN 29, 2022

“I am letting go to the right. I am letting go to the left.” These few words coax me along as I swing into a simple standing movement that has become a real go-to for me. It is a warm-up I almost always teach in my classes because it does more than prepare the body for yoga class — it also clears the mind.

To start, stand with your feet apart. Place them wider apart than your hips, which might be anywhere from 10 to 30 inches apart, depending on the length of your legs. You want to feel comfortable and stable.

Soften your knees and let your arms relax like they are “empty coat sleeves” hanging from your shoulders.

Begin to swing the body to the left, turning at the waist and bringing the hips into the turn as you spin onto the ball of the right foot and lift the right heel. Let your arms and hands swing and follow the momentum of the body. Then repeat on the other side. Go back and forth at a pace that feels right for you. It could be gentle and slow one day and a bit faster another. This gives a lovely full body twist.

A lot of people find they have a tendency to hold their arms and hands stiffly, so they don’t release and swing fully. Unclench all that and let your breath follow the movement, breathing in as you twist to one side, breathing out on the other. This is where my “I am letting go” mantra comes in.

Once you feel you are relaxing and your arms are swinging loosely and easily, you can add an energy massage to this movement. Make gentle fists with your hands and allow the hand that swings back to gently tap your lower ribs as it swings. At the same time, allow the front hand to gently tap the top corner of the chest as it swings forward. Now you are stimulating two important meridians (energy channels) in the body. This is a Qigong exercise.

Qigong is an ancient practice, like yoga, to enhance health and spiritual development. It has its origins in China, though, while yoga comes from India. I find the two practices complement each other.

This twist balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain. The two symmetrical sides are responsible for the different ways we process sensory input. Conventional theory has long held that the right brain is associated with creativity, emotion, and abstract thought, while the left hemisphere is associated with being analytical and methodical, which makes the idea of seeking harmonic balance between the two sides appealing.

Recent research is showing that the right-left split is not so exact, and it is becoming clear that complex functions are better explained in terms of networks that may spread across large areas of the brain. All the better to stimulate both sides of it.

Besides, seeking balance in all ways is important at this rich time of year. There is so much to do. And there are so many more people around us. My town, Truro, goes from a population of about 2,400 to some 18,000 during the summer. All of this can be overstimulating at times. My yoga practice helps me to slow down enough to enjoy the moment. The Qigong provides refreshment.

TO THE MAT

To Be Fierce, First Be Grounded

A warrior pose balances determination and patience

BY JENNIFER SHANNON JUN 1, 2022

In these times, it seems clear that we need courage and strength as well as a bit of fierceness to carry on. Maybe that is why the Warrior I pose is on my mind. In Sanskrit, it is known as Virabhadrasana I, named for a fierce mythical warrior from Hindu tradition. In this pose, you stand firm, grounded in the legs as you lift the chest and open the heart to whatever you are facing.

To get into the pose, you want to be standing on a firm surface where you can plant your feet and not worry about slipping. It doesn’t have to be a yoga mat — just not a slippery floor. Doing yoga on grass or at the beach is something a lot of people like.

Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides, extending down but relaxed. Take several deep, slow, and full breaths to help you relax and focus. Step the right foot forward, about the length of your leg. Keep your hips, pelvis, and upper body facing forward, so the top half of your body is pointed in the same direction as the toes of your right foot.

Now inhale and, as you do, raise your arms forward and up above your head as you bend the right knee so it lines up over the ankle. Press out through the back heel and turn the toes of the back foot forward — this can help with your balance. Both feet should be flat on the floor. If that is difficult, bring the back foot closer to the front one, or place a towel or wedge under your back heel to give it support.

Breathe. Now that you are in the pose, consider a few adjustments that will settle you into it more deeply.

First, pay attention to your core, the abdominal muscles that provide support and stability. Draw the muscles just below your belly button in and slightly up. Tuck your lower ribs in slightly; this helps connect the core and gives you better alignment in the pose. These are gentle movements, and you should still be able to breath easily.

From here, elongate your spine by lifting through the crown of your head and tucking the tailbone ever so slightly as you bring your attention to lifting the pubic bone.

Notice where your arms are. Keep them as far apart as they need to be to keep your elbows straight and shoulders open. Breathe and repeat the pose on the other side.

In yoga, we are always looking to open and keep space in the body wherever we can. There is a way in which this relates to strength. In daily life, most of us develop compensatory strategies for how to move our bodies, but these can end up causing compression and pain. We may recruit muscles from one part of the body to make up for the weak or tight muscles that we should actually be using to move efficiently and without strain. For example, if you have weak abdominal muscles, you may use your back muscles more to bend and twist and support the body. This can put too much stress on the back muscles, leading to pain.

When you assume a pose in yoga, the next step is to pay attention to what it is teaching you about your body. What part of the pose is difficult to do? Where do I have limitations? What is easy? Where do I feel strong?

When I first started to do Virabhadrasana I, I could not get my back heel on the floor, and it was hard for me to balance. For a long time, I did the pose with the heel up. My legs were not very strong, so I did not step my feet far apart. I tended to let my front knee drift in toward the center, which I learned puts strain on the knee joint. For a pose that looked so simple, there was always plenty to notice and shift.

Yet I grew to love this pose for all its strengthening and grounding qualities. Yoga is a great teacher of patience. Change will come.

TO THE MAT

Yoga Twists: Like Spring Cleaning for Your Body

How to breathe your way gently into a pretzel-shaped pose

BY JENNIFER SHANNON MAY 4, 2022

It turns out that our bodies need a spring cleaning just like our homes do. Have you noticed feeling sluggish or stiff as spring comes on? In the winter, we spend more time indoors and probably get less exercise. We eat heavier foods, get less sunshine and fresh air. This all can lead to a sort of heaviness in the body.

Yoga has a fix for this: twisting poses. The seated spinal twist is a fundamental example. It’s a great way to sweep out the body’s cobwebs. (If you have osteoarthritis, however, this twisting of the spine may not be recommended for you. Ask your doctor.)

Classical yoga poses have Sanskrit names that reference their inner meanings and are known as asanas. They may describe the pose’s shape or function; some names recall Indian gods, sages, animals, or birds. The seated spinal twist is called ardha matsyendrasana, “Half Lord of the Fishes Pose.”

To set up for the seated spinal twist, place a mat or blanket down on the floor for some cushioning. Sit cross-legged with your right leg in front. If it is difficult to sit cross-legged, you may keep your left leg straight and cross your right leg over it.

Press down through the seat of your pants to make good contact with the floor. Place your hands on either side of your rib cage and lift it up and away from your hips. Feel yourself getting taller. Lengthen through the center of the top of your head, the crown, and relax your shoulders and jaw.

Now bring the sole of the right foot to the floor outside the left knee. Place your foot flat on the floor. Bring the sole of the left heel to touch the right hip so the left thigh is facing straight out from the torso (see first photo).

Interlock your hands around your shin and pull your torso upwards. Tuck your lower ribs in slightly and engage your core by drawing the muscles three inches below your navel in and up gently.

Cross the left elbow to the right side of the left knee and rest it there, elbow bent, forearm and hand pointed to the ceiling. Your right hand goes on the floor behind you — or on a block or blanket if your arm doesn’t reach the floor.

Are you breathing?

The first few times I did this pose, it brought to mind memories of people saying that in yoga it seems like you turn your body into a pretzel — this pose does look like one. It felt awkward. I had trouble breathing in the pose and everything felt crunched. It is harder to breath in a twist because your organs are twisted, lungs included.

My wise teacher at the time told me to lengthen through the spine and turn slowly from the waist, then the ribs, the chest, shoulders, the neck, and, last, the head and eyes. I had been racing forward with my head and eyes first and then bringing the rest of the body into the pose. It felt much better to work from the waist up.

I also found it important to relax as I approached the pose. My tendency was to tense my muscles and force my way into it. I found if I relaxed and thought of a wave motion, inhaling while lengthening the spine, exhaling while deepening the twist, I could flow into it with more ease and continue to breath easily. Let the breath be gentle.

Long slow breath in and long slow breath out. The breath is not meant to be forced but should flow comfortably.

After a few breaths on one side, repeat the pose on the other side.

To come out of the pose, move slowly.

As your body makes this wrapping motion around itself, your organs are stimulated. You might imagine them being squeezed like a sponge when you twist it to wring it out, and then released, with fresh new energy coming in. The pose can bring relief from backaches and sluggishness. It can improve digestion and help the spine to be more flexible and the hips more mobile.

It is a pose that can help us re-emerge from winter and begin to feel light again. A pose that’s perfect for May.

Jen Shannon is a Kripalu-certified yoga teacher who lives in Truro.