Venus Rising

Yoga for LivingIssue: Aquarius 07

Stay Connected with Seated Twists and Bow Pose

When unbalanced, an Aquarian removes herself from life. In an attempt to disconnect from the outside world, she can become cold and isolated. Alone with her mind, she gets caught in a constant stream of thoughts. The same mind that contributes to an Aquarian’s unique creative intelligence can become critical and overwhelming when she is out of balance. At times, it feels like her mind is moving fast and out of control. Getting her into her body can be a wonderful way to take rest from a wild mind. It forces us to notice what exists outside of our thoughts and to connect with our ability to feel. 

Donna Farhi once told me “we are unable to think and feel at the same time.” Each time that we are caught up in the stream of our thoughts, we disconnect from the feeling in our bodies. This disconnection between the mind and the body shows up physically in the form of hunched shoulders and shallow breathing. The chest muscles constrict, and we cut off the flow of breath and energy at the heart center, all in an unconscious attempt to feel less. Air stops flowing into the upper lungs and as the natural element of an Aquarian is air, its stagnation throws her even further out of balance.

One of the best ways to open the air flow in the upper lungs is back bending. As we open the upper lungs and the heart center simultaneously, we immediately increase the flow of air. Dhanurasana is one of my favorite backbends for opening the lungs and the heart. I find that it can instantaneously lift my mood when I am feeling down. It also counters hunched shoulders by stretching the chest and strengthening the area between the shoulder blades. Most importantly, danurasana makes space around the heart, allowing us to feel. This allows an Aquarian to reconnect with the world and people around her to which she contributes so much wisdom.

Bow (Dhanurasana)

To practice dhanurasana, lie on your belly. Bend both knees, and reach back for your outer ankles with your hands. Bring your knees in line with your hips, and draw your navel toward your tailbone so that the tailbone moves toward your knees. Keeping the navel center firm, press your ankles into your hands so much that your chest lifts off the floor. Keep drawing your legs toward each other as you press your ankles into your hands. Allow the heart to open by squeezing the shoulder blades toward each other and deepening the breath. After 3-5 breaths, rest with one ear down. Do once more, and rest with the other ear down. As a counter pose, stretch back into downward facing dog and then child’s pose.

Avoid injury! When practicing yoga, listen to your body and take responsibility for your safety. Always move gently into poses, and do not push too hard.