Amrita 6: Asana through the ages - Magazine - Page 55
A New Movement Vocabulary
“Just as the prana needs to flow, for us
to realise our truth; our fascia needs
fluidity to give health and ease in the
body and mind.”
tems of these postures. My personal preference is to prepare
inversions, from simple legs up the wall viparita karani to
more complex postures using props, adapting them for each
person. So that everyone can benefit. Once we take a more
comprehensive, including the “reset” to the nervous system
through such the physiological processes of veinous return
of blood towards heart, improved lymphatic drainage, affect
on the cranial nerves, the beneficial effects on the fascia,
may sway us back to finding safe ways to integrate these
postures.
While my suggestions here present opportunities to create
a new movement vocabulary. They are also borne from the
understanding that asana never was a musculoskeletal practice. I am not seeking to “improve” asana, which I believe was
designed for the yogis of India who may already have had a
strong movement practice just to deal with the the rigours of
daily life, and who therefore benefitted from the calming, release of classical asana, preparing for mediation.
In updating our understanding of yoga asana to include
fascia, we may come closer to the yogis incredible teachings
on prana, the life force and how it flows through our being.
Just as the prana needs to flow, for us to realise our truth; our
fascia needs fluidity to give health and ease in the body and
mind. Fascia, like prana flows from the periphery to our core,
from our skin to our organs and into the central nervous system. Releasing the fascia prepares the nervous system to release into deeper meditative states, and the deeper connection to Self which has always been the path of the Yogis. A
LAURA GILMORE LEADS teacher training courses at Bristol School of Yoga and online. And classes at Bristol City Yoga, in person and online.
She continues to research fascia and share her understanding in Fascia Release Yoga Training.
For more info see bristolschoolofyoga.co.uk | Instagram @bristolschoolofyoga | @lauragilmoreyoga @bristolcityyoga
www.yogaallianceprofessionals.org
AMRITA Issue 6 / Spring 2021 53
