I think that many people begin practicing yoga because there is this idea that we’ll be able to “control” things in our life. It gives the idea that we’ll find more inner peace, stability, and true happiness if we choose to step on the mat.

As we progress through the practice of yoga, it becomes apparent that control is simply an illusion. And while we cannot control our life, we actually give in to the waves of life. We begin to understand that life has ups, downs, and everything in between and instead of fearing the unknown we start to embrace it.

Now, while this realization comes into play we simultaneously learn that the one thing we can control is our breath. The moment we learn to control the breath is the moment we learn to still the fluctuations of the mind.

The breath is so powerful because it is closely tied to our nervous system. Feelings of agitation, uneasiness, and/or anxiety are symbolic of our nervous system being “lit up.” Let’s take a quick physiology lesson. The nervous system has two main branches: the central nervous system (CNS – brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS – everything else). The peripheral nervous system is split up into the somatic nervous system (voluntary movements – muscular contractions and physical movements) and the autonomic nervous system (involuntary actions – heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, digestion, etc.). The autonomic nervous system is even further divided into the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system is our “fight or flight” system (aka being “lit up”), the parasympathetic is our “rest and digest” system, and our enteric system controls gastrointestinal functions.

Unfortunately in this current day and age, our sympathetic nervous system tends to get ignited more often than it should through self-judgment, self-criticism, worries about the future, and anxiety about the past. When we’re caught up in all thoughts outside of the present, the focus on the breath is lost. However, when we refocus on the breath and deepen the breath to fill the entire lung space everything literally slows down. Our heart rate slows, our blood pressure drops, respiration rate slows down and we start to train our bodies to dip into the rest and digest system. From this state we have the chance of experiencing peace, stability, and ease.

To expand the space where the lungs reside and to exercise full diaphragmatic breathing (another way of saying breathing to expand the diaphragm in all directions as opposed to just emphasizing the frontal portion of the diaphragm and chest) we are going to work in the direction of a backbend.

Supporting Pose 1: Supported Hero Pose (Virasana)

I like starting in this position for most backbends because it goes in the direction of lengthening the front of the thigh which we see in backbending postures. This pose is also great for allowing your students to settle in, sit up tall, and focus on the breath. If this is inaccessible, a great option would be to sit on a chair or to stand so posture is not compromised.

How to:

1. Place a block beneath your sit bones with your legs folded and the heels of the feet gently hugging the outer edges of the block.
2. Bring the knees towards one another so they are not unconsciously splaying open.
3. Let your hands gently rest on your lap.
4. Sit up tall without overemphasizing the forward movement and lift of the chest. Try to reach the crown of the head up and lift the sides of the chest up, not out.
5. Close the eyes and breathe consciously by extending the breath into the sides of the rib basket and into the back of the rib basket. It could also help to place the hands on the sides of the rib basket just below the breasts or one hand on the belly below the sternum and one hand on the back around the lower ribs.

Supporting Pose 2: Revolved Extended Side Angle (Parivrtta Utthita Parsvakonasana)

This pose does it all! It’s a twist and a side body lengthener, both actions which serve the goal of opening the lung space in preparation for backbends. Furthermore, with the front of the torso against the leg, it lends a similar feedback feeling like in bow with the belly to the floor. Note, the back heel lifted is a variation of revolved extended side angle. The traditional version has the back heel on the floor as in Warrior I.

How to:

1. Start in a low lunge.
2. Bring the right hand to the right thigh and left arm alongside the ear. Hinge forward like you were going to take off into Warrior III.
3. Use the right hand against the leg as leverage to twist towards the right and hook the left elbow to the outside of the right leg.
4. Start with the palms together to press the elbows and chest wide and then extend the arms towards the floor and towards the sky. Then, stretch the left arm over the ear to the front of the room.
5. Exercise diaphragmatic breathing by sending the breath not only into the front compartment of the torso (which is hopefully easily distinguishable), but also into the sides and back compartment of the torso.

Supporting Pose 3: Supported Fish with Bound Angle Legs (Matsyasana + Baddha Konasana)

This is another optimal position for backbending. This position puts the body into a supported shape to expand the lung space and it allows a widening, and hopefully the opening of the groin muscles. This helps to release any gripping which might prevent the tissues around the lungs to move freely as the breath moves in and out of the body.

How to:

1. Prepare to lie down with the thoracic spine and head supported by two blocks. Set the first block to the medium height to go beneath the thoracic spine. Set the second block on the high height to go beneath the head.
2. Lie down over the blocks. You can adjust the heights if necessary so that you can lie with a sense of ease.
3. Bring the soles of the feet together and let the knees go wide, placing support under the legs if necessary.
4. Allow the arms to rest on the ground so the chest can widen.

Peak Pose: Bow (Dhanurasana)

I believe bow is a great option for our topic today because not only is it a backbend, but with proper prep-work it’s a great position to sense the breath moving towards the side and back compartments of the diaphragm.

How to:

1. Lie with your belly down on the ground.
2. Reach the arms behind you and draw the shoulder blades towards one another to widen the chest.
3. Bend the knees to bring the heels towards the bum and grab hold of the ankles with the hands.
4. Lift the thighs off the ground as you lift the chest making a bow shape with your body.
5. Practice diaphragmatic breathing by sending the breath in all directions → front, back, and sides of the rib basket.

If you think about the roots of a plant, they burrow down into the soil. The roots are necessary for the plant to grow, receive nutrients, and stand tall. The same way that plants have roots, as do we.

Our roots can be referred to as our ancestral line which includes our parents/caretakers and generations before. Our roots can also be referred to as our past, going way back into our childhood and even into the womb. Our roots can also be referred to as how we choose to ground ourselves in the present moment.

Broadly speaking, I think that when we talk about our “roots” we can really refer to all of the above as a way to reference how we show up in the world today. How we grow, the nutrients we receive and how we receive them, and the foundation by which we stand on our own two feet are set long before this present day.

Who we are today, is whether we like it or not, dictated by our roots. The things that we do, the way we see the world, and our beliefs and values are shaped by those before us. That’s not to say that it has to remain that way. As we start to awaken to the conscious journey, we may start to understand in what way our roots have been serving us or not serving us.

I would say that if you are alive and reading this article, your roots have served you well. However, you may also agree that things from your past show up in your present self which you might wish to change. There may be thought or behavioral patterns that you feel are no longer serving you and to achieve your highest and best self it may be necessary to pivot.

In order to pivot though, we still need to turn to our roots to understand where we came from and where we would like to go. So I guess, no matter what, we always have our roots to thank because they have gotten us to where we are right now.

Supporting Pose 1: Cow Face Pose Arms (Gomukhasana)

Cow Face Pose arms are a great way to teach movement and action in the arms, shoulders, chest, and upper back. Binding is way more than just bringing the hands together, the entire shoulder girdle has to work synchronously in order to join the hands and ultimately create more space. In the case of Marichyasana, the practitioner is binding around the leg, so this pose here allows us to focus on just the arm movements for the time being bringing in other elements later on in the sequence.

How to:

1. Stand in Upward Hands pose (Urdhva Hastasana).
2. Bend your right elbow and bring the right hand towards the upper back. Notice any compensation in the spine and rib basket here. Try to keep the spine [more-or-less] neutral.
3. Swim the left arm around the back by reaching the whole arm back. Draw the left shoulder blade towards the spine to widen the chest. Then bend the left arm so the left hand also comes towards the upper back.
4. Join the hands together and use the bind as an anchor to stretch the spine and lift the chest. Look straight ahead to ensure the chin isn’t tucked towards the chest.

Pro tip: You can use a belt for this posture. To set it up, place the belt over the right shoulder. Follow the steps above, but instead of connecting the hands, the hands will connect to the belt. Use the strap to walk the hands towards one another.

Supporting Pose 2: Sugarcane Pose (Ardha Chandra Chapasana)

Sugarcane is appropriate for our peak pose because it teaches the “swimming back” of the top arm to reach the foot which assists in the appropriate action of the shoulder blade in binding. It also requires the practitioner to fold the top leg in order to connect hand and foot before coming into the backbend.

How to:

1. Start in Triangle pose (Trikonasana).
2. Shift the weight onto the front leg and come into half-moon with the top leg extending straight to the back of the room.
3. Roll the torso towards the sky as you open to the side wall.
4. Fold the top leg bringing the heel towards the bum and swim the top arm back to grab hold of the foot. Move the shoulder blade towards the spine as you do so.
5. Once the hand and foot are connected, gently press the foot into the hand to roll the chest towards the sky, firm the sacrum towards the pubis, and come into a backbend.

Supporting Pose 3: Devotional Warrior (Baddha Virabhadrasana)

Anything with the hands behind the back is a good prep for binding since it shifts the focus to the movement of the shoulder blades in order to move the arms. This pose in particular is great for Marichyasana because it also brings the head down towards the floor, guiding the practitioner in an appropriate direction according to the peak pose.

How to:

1. Start in Warrior I. For this pose, widen the feet towards the long edges of the mat to create more stability through the transition and also to maintain balance in the actual pose.
2. Swim the arms behind the back and notice the movement of the shoulder blades coming together to clasp the hands.
3. Fold forward towards the inside of the front leg. Draw the front hip back to maintain [more-or-less] squared hips to the front of the room.
4. Stretch the arms towards the sky to continue bringing the shoulder blades towards one another while the head goes down.

Peak Pose: Marichi Pose (Marichyasana I)

This pose is to honor Sage Marichi who is said to be one of the wise lords who heard Brahma’s words and translated them into Sanskrit. From these words, came the divine laws of the universe. This pose helps to stretch the spine and shoulders and brings the head down to rejuvenate the body and allows the practitioner to turn inward. The way the shape folds into itself and wraps around itself reminds me of the roots that we all have and can lean into for introspection and growth.

How to:

1. Sit on a folded blanket with the sit bones on the blanket and the legs straight on the floor.
2. Fold your right leg bringing your heel towards your bum. The more folded the leg, the less distance the arm has to travel around the leg.
3. Lean forward and then reach the right arm forward like you are reaching towards the front of the room.
4. Swim the arms behind your back. Yes, now your right arm is going around the right shin. Your hands will meet somewhere behind the right hip as opposed to behind the back.
5. Once the hands are joined (you can use a belt), extend the heart forward and then fold bringing your nose towards your left knee. Keep the left leg clear and straight.