merudaṇḍa

Devanāgarī: मेरुदण Translation: the spine Related concepts:kāya, daṇḍa, meru

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Collated Related Short Posts & Quotes:

“- Know the Breath from the feelings in the Āsana.
– Choose a ratio close to that used in Āsana.
– Choose a technique to suit the day.
– Choose a proper posture for the spine.”
– TKV Desikachar Switzerland 1978

“So much happens in the spine with the breath,
we need to be aware of our breathing to have a maximum effect on the spine.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1992

“Inhale (Pūraka) from top to bottom makes sure that the spine is erect.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1992

“The lower abdomen is the dullest part of the spine,
it is the starting point for the exhalation.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1992

“Breathing should be done to have maximum effect on the spine;
so start the inhale at the top of the lungs down,
with contracted abdomen to hold spine erect, offering from top to bottom.
Inhale from top to bottom makes sure that the spine is erect.
It was believed that breathing from the bottom to the top
would send the internal organs further down, which wasn’t considered healthy,
whereas breathing from the top to the bottom lifted the organs.
It also helps to work on the upper portion of the spine, which is a very sluggish area,
this type of breathing helps to create movement.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1992

“Emphasis on the inhale brings attention to the upper chest,
with the retention of the breath after the inhale
the spine will stretch and create heat.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1992

“The breath involves the spine,
and it brings out changes in
the most vital part of the body.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1992

“One should move the spine
as you would inhale and exhale.”
– TKV Desikachar

“Don’t always visualise the physical form.
In other words not just a vertical
axis of the legs and the spine,
but instead the feeling of Uttāna.
It may be some years before it is
vertical or it may be vertical
without a feeling of Uttāna.”
– TKV Desikachar 1991

“The difference in chest to stomach and stomach to chest
breathing is minimal in the length of the breath.
How you bring about the length of the breath affects Āsana differently.
Apart from medical restrictions,
to give respect to the chest, the spine and gravity
we need to breathe chest to stomach on the inhale.”
– From personal lessons with TKV Desikachar

“Where do Āsana lead us?
1. For seated practices
(Adhyātmika Krama or Yoga Practice as a Self-Inquiry)
To stay in a stable posture with the spine erect,
for Dhyāna or preparation for Dhyāna.
2. For health.
(Cikitsā Krama or Yoga Practice as a Self-Healing)
They do something for the energy flow of the body.
3. Ability to master the body
(Śakti Krama or Yoga Practice as a Self-Empowerment)
Not necessarily to promote health,
but to show that we can master the body.
Often these are good for health,
though many are only useful as challenges.”
– TKV Desikachar
Further Reading – What is the Yoga of Krishnamacharya?

“One principle taught to me by Desikachar,
related to our relationship with our spine from a Yoga perspective,
whether on a physical, energetic or psychic level.
It is the notion that we are looking for a little movement in a lot of places,
rather than a lot of movement in a few places.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“The Lakṣana of Parśva Trikoṇāsana, or side triangle pose,
is as a movement OF the spine to the side over one leg,
rather than as a bending or arcing IN the spine towards the side.
Thus the aim is for the spine to stay straight relative to the leg,
with the intention of extending it from crown to coccyx.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“Legs are together unless some anatomical reason why this is not possible
The sides of the feet are maintained together, stretch the back of the heels
A key point here is having active hips, releasing the knees can activate the hips
Someone who is stiff in spine and legs will certainly need to release the knees
Release the knees as much as is required to extend the spine towards vertical
Someone who is flexible may also need to release the knees so as to activate hips
The mortar (hips/pelvis) must be strong for the pestle (spine) to work strongly
Shoulder blades are back, feel the channel between the shoulder blades
Back of the neck drawn up to help lift chest up
Hands or fingers on the ground back by hips but not weight bearing”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“The mortar must be a strong base,
for the pestle to be worked strongly.
In other words,
the pelvic area must be a strong base,
for the spine to be worked strongly.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“Vīrabhadrāsana represents the fighting stance of the warrior
Vīrabhadra, who is said to represent the fierce form of Maṅgala.
He was created by Śiva from a matted lock of his own hair,
in a vengeful response to the death of his wife Satī after
her self-immolation in the sacrificial fire at her father’s Yajña.
It’s a demanding standing position coupled with a backbend in the spine
to give the Āsana its opening energising and strengthening qualities.
The focus of attention can be brought to the chest and upper back
through its form and the emphasis on the breath, especially the inhalation.
Its role as an expansive, demanding standing Āsana can be
graduated to suit the practice capacity of the student.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“Supta Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana is a lying and apparently
relatively simple Āsana in its external form.
It is described as the fingers and thumbs holding the
big toes of each foot, with the legs extended straight
and held upwards at an angle of 45 degrees with the
spine and head fully in contact with the ground.
In reality, this is literally beyond the reach of most students.
Though, given consistent time and appropriate development
in accessing this Āsana, there is the possibility of deep work.
This is initially felt primarily through the effect on the legs,
Though, given time the primary effect is felt more in the spine.
As a Samāna Āsana, an equal breath would be emphasised with
a Samavṛtti ratio, perhaps incorporating the use of Kumbhaka.
The focus of attention is on the spine, from crown to coccyx,
and is accessed via the breath, which can help support the
student’s effort within the external demands of the Āsana,
such as that more often found within the tightness in the legs.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“Bhujaṅgāsana is more commonly known as the
Cobra posture and is seen in many Yoga groups
as an example of a “classical” Yoga backbend.
It is an Āsana where the emphasis is intended to be
on arching the entire spine and expanding the upper
chest forwards rather than merely bending backwards.
Its energetic opening actions also make the Āsana
an essential reference for people’s Yoga practice
as a prone backbend in one form or another.
When inhaling, the focus is to initiate
the movement of both the body and the
breath from within the Prāṇa Sthāna.
Here, the image of the Cobra expanding its hood can
be a guide to keeping the emphasis in the upper chest
and spine and not over emphasising the use of the
arms as a support. Instead, consider the role of the
arms as if to draw back from the palms of the hands
to encourage a forward movement of the sternum.
This is accompanied by a drawing away of the
feet from the hips to experience the Pūrvatāna
or front stretch Lakṣaṇa of Bhujaṅgāsana.
It may help to think of this particular category
of Pūrvatāna Āsana as engaging a wall-to-wall
Bhāvana, rather than floor to celing movement
more commonly associated with the Cobra posture.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“Another key Bhāvana for Samasthiti is on the
relationship of the neck to the upper spine with
the intention of sensitising the Prāṇa Sthāna.
We start by activating the back of the neck
through the application of Jālandhara Bandha.
Here the focus is on lengthening the spine
through lifting the back of the neck, rather
than dropping the chin towards the chest.
Engaging Jālandhara Bandha can create more
space between the earlobes and the shoulders,
a focus to be maintained when engaging the next
step with raising the arms, such as in Tāḍāsana.
Engaging Jālandhara Bandha, means the shoulders
lower, the arms extend downwards and effectively
lengthen. This activates the arms, meaning active
hands. Here, extend the fingers, feel the fingernails.
All of which is a support and preparation for
focusing on how to access an active inhalation
initiated and sustained from the Prāṇa Sthāna.
You can practice getting people to explore
access to movement in the upper spine with
and then without Jālandhara Bandha to help
experience its relationship with Prāṇa Sthāna as
the starting focus in the spine for the inhalation.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“A primary Bhāvana in Tāḍāsana is in raising
the arms forward of the body watching
that the lumbar spine doesn’t hollow.
We want to keep the lower back steady,
whilst adjusting the arms, by releasing
the elbows sideways, as much as is needed
to ensure that the lower back stays long,
and that we maintain the space between
the top of the shoulders and the ear lobes.
Inhale, raise the arms, turning the palms out,
release the elbows, keeping the lower back long.
Exhale, lowering the arms again in a forwards
movement, straightening the elbows by half way,
whilst actively engaging the abdomen to ensure
we don’t collapse the chest and the upper spine.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“Janu Śīrṣāsana, known as the head to knee Āsana,
combines the qualities of a seated forward bend with
those of an asymmetrical pose, in that it works first,
on one side of the body more, then on the other side.
In this Āsana, the physical focus is on the lengthening
of the muscles of the back, spine and the extended leg,
and the rotational effects on the joints in the folded leg.
Plus, with its seated forward bend Bhāvana, there is
a natural support favouring the exhalation, offering
opportunities to both lengthen and deepen the breath.
This support, along with its internalising and closing
qualities, offers possibilities for the student to focus on
the quality of the attention within the form of the body.
Thus, using Janu Śīrṣāsana with its seated forward bend
Bhāvana, and when linked with a mindful breath, can help
the student to experience the deeper function of the Āsana,
even if there are limitations with regard to its Śikṣaṇa form.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“In terms of feeling movement
in specific areas in the spine.
Initially, feeling where you
are not feeling any movement,
can precede feeling where you
begin to feel some movement.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“An intelligent relationship with the
breath in the Āsana can evolve into
a systemic relationship between the
spine and the breath in the Āsana.
From this, an interrelation between
the spine and the breath in the Āsana
can be developed and can mature with
a symbiotic outcome between the two.
This interaction can be experienced as
an intimacy of movement in stillness,
inseparable from stillness in movement.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“Cakra Bhāvana on the Breath within Twisting Āsana…
To present guideline focus points, when exploring the
relationship of Directional Breathing and Directional
Movement within the body in Parivṛtti Āsana.
Illustrated here within Jaṭhara Parivṛtti, as a sensing
of the breath linked to a progressive spiral movement
within the trunk, and felt within the length of the spine.
It is a descending and an ascending Cakra Bhāvana
supporting the length and subtlety of the breath within
the body on both the inhalation and the exhalation.
Here, the Pūraka, or inhalation is felt as if, from the
Viśuddhi Cakra downwards through both the Anahāta
Cakra and the Maṇipūra Cakra, to the Svādhiṣṭhāna Cakra.
Whereas the Recaka, or exhalation is felt as if, from the
Svādhiṣṭhāna Cakra upwards through both the Maṇipūra
Cakra and the Anahāta Cakra, to the Viśuddhi Cakra.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“Jālandhara Bandha needs to be in place before
interacting with the breath and the spine
through mid-range movement.”
– 108 Mudrā Practice Pointers

“In the quest for stability amidst striving in Mahāmudrā.
Do not lose the seat at the expense of holding the foot.
So hold the ankle or shin, or bend the knee slightly.
This will allow the seat to be firm and the spine to work.”
– 108 Mudrā Practice Pointers

“When working with the inhale in Mahāmudrā try
to create an effect of upward movement in the spine,
as if within Bhujaṅgāsana inhaling from the top down,
whilst arching the spine upwards through the inhale.
So straightening the spine lifting the chest upwards,
whilst keeping the Jālandhara Bandha locked down.”
– 108 Mudrā Practice Pointers

“The practice of Jālandhara Bandha requires the practitioner
to keep the spine straight, the head will be slightly forward.
So draw the head back as well, as it tends to come forward,
ie the centre of gravity in the head moves forward of the body.
If set right you will feel a little contraction in the abdomen.
So, align the spine up, draw the head and neck back, and tilt
the chin in, though not to the throat, the chest or to the heart.”
– 108 Mudrā Practice Pointers

“When beginning and throughout the Pūraka,
draw the spine upwards from the top down.
When beginning and throughout the Recaka,
draw the lower abdomen back towards the spine.”
– 108 Prāṇāyāma Practice Pointers

“Is it a misdirection within Āsana from talking
about effects on the body as if on the spine?
Thus too much focus on talking about effects on the body
and not enough on looking at the actual effects on the spine?”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“One of the key concepts in the Viniyoga of Āsana
is how to facilitate movement in the spine
rather than just movement of the spine.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“Initiating movement of the trunk,
does not automatically guarantee
initiating movement in the spine.
We need to appreciate the difference
and learn how to prioritise the latter.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“One of the primary roles for Āsana
is to make the spine a fit vehicle for Prāṇāyāma.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“Refining the relationship with mid-range movement,
refines the relationship with the spine.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“Until you have an intimate relationship with the breath,
it’s difficult to have an intimate relationship with the spine.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“The more you can work the inhale in the Prāṇa Sthāna,
the more you can experience the work in the upper spine.
The more you can experience the work in the upper spine,
the more you can work the inhale in the Prāṇa Sthāna.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

The more you bend the spine
the less you arch the spine.
The more you arch the spine
the less you bend the spine.
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“Bṛṃhaṇa Kriyā and Laṅghana Kriyā, as
expansive and contractive activities, are two
potentials explored through Āsana and the Breath.
Alongside the practice of Āsana, Mudrā and Prāṇāyāma,
they are actualised through a theoretical understanding of
the primary principles that inform Haṭha Yoga and Āyurveda.
The alchemical process underpinning this understanding
is the relationship between the two primary principles of
Prāṇa and Agni in order to influence Haṭha Yoga concepts such
as Prāṇa, Apāna, Sūrya, Candra, Nāḍī, Cakra and Kuṇḍalinī.
In terms of Bṛṃhaṇa Kriyā and Laṅghana Kriyā, the
Viniyoga of Bṛṃhaṇa effects a dispersion of Agni from
the core to the periphery and the Viniyoga of Laṅghana
effects a concentration of Agni from the periphery to the core.
Integrating the application of these two specific processes
facilitates access, through the Merudaṇḍa, Prāṇa and Agni,
to either energising or cleansing potentials, or as collaborative
outcomes within the practice of Āsana, Mudrā and Prāṇāyāma.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

Different Types of Postural Activity in Āsana Practice
“Furthermore, the consideration of the roles of
movement and stasis can be further developed through
Krishnamacharya’s teachings on application of Āsana.
For example, whether for circulation or for purification,
within both structural and/or systemic roles for Āsana.
Regarding circulation, or what he called Rakta Calana.
When you want to activate the circulation you move.
Regarding cleansing, or what he called Śarīra Śodhana.
When you want to activate a purificatory process you stay.
Both presume there is competent access to the breath,
working access to the concepts of Prāna, Apāna and Agni,
and experience of how to direct the breath in the spine.”
– 108 Yoga Planning Pointers
– The Viniyoga of Planning Principles Guidelines – Collected & Collated

“As a teacher it can be helpful to consider Āsana as
vehicles to transmit the fundamental principles of practice.
For example a cardinal principle of practice is that Āsana
have a primary and a secondary aspect within their Lakṣana.
Thus we must inquire into what is the primary aspect in this Āsana,
and what is the secondary aspect in this particular Āsana?
The idea is to maintain the integrity of the primary characteristics.
Thus we may need to compromise the secondary characteristics.
For example in Uttānāsana to sustain the primary work in the spine
we can consider a secondary compromise by releasing the knees.”
– 108 Teaching Path Pointers

General Guidelines for Choosing Āsana:
“Consider, the Physiological, Energetic
and Psychological aspects of practice.
Perhaps exploring intended learning
outcomes across five areas that practice
can enable us to interact with, namely the
Body, Spine, Breath, Mind and Emotions.”
– 108 Yoga Planning Pointers
– The Viniyoga of Planning Principles Guidelines – Collected & Collated

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