SURYA NAMASKAR - SUN SALUTATIONS
by Jimmy Barkan
www.barkanmethod.com

Pavanamuktasana

Introduction:

Some yoga asanas (postures) are named after body positions such as Janushirsasana (Head to Knee Pose) and Hastasana (Hand Stand). Other asanas are named after animals; Utrasana (Camel) and Sasangasana (Rabbit). Additional asanas are named after Hindu Deities; Arda Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose) and in the case of the “pose of the month”, Pavanamuktasana (Wind Removing Pose). Pavana means purity and refers to the Hindu god Vaya, which also means “the breath of life”. The ancient Yogis took upon themselves to name this asana in his honor. Pavana, or Vaya, was the god of atmospheric wind. He may not have been too pleased to know his name was referenced to human wind.

Beginners:

One Leg; if the front of your hips (Hip Flexors) are tight, bring the knee over toward the armpit to help with range of motion. Remember to work the breath! You are always more flexible when breathless. When we’re doing a posture that doesn’t require much strength let all the breath out of your lungs. When all the breath is out, just before you inhale, pull the knee to the chest. As we learn to time the breath during the practice of asana we will achieve greater results.

Both Legs; if the front of your hips (Hip Flexors) are tight and you find your arms slipping off your legs (due more to stiffness than to sweat), pull your arms down toward your tailbone, which should help by adding leverage.

Intermediate:

One Leg; in yoga we hold the posture so the body has a chance to understand the change taking place. Make sure once you have made any preliminary adjustments not to wiggle around and avoid the confrontation. Use the breath and trust in the proper instructions to encounter and eventually remove any resistance.

Both Legs; keep both legs completely together, knees touching. This will have a more direct affect on the hip flexors. Work on getting the back of the neck on the floor first, and then bring one vertebra at a time down to the floor. Don’t lower your tailbone if the back of your neck isn’t flat on the floor.

Advanced:

One Leg; interlacing your fingers and pulling your knee to the chest are modifications for people with tight hips. In India, and most of the Far East, people’s physiology is very different especially around the hips and spine. One theory, which I happen to agree with, is most people in the east sit or squat on the floor and do not sit on chairs. This conditions the body, and in this case the hips, to be wide open. If you have little or no resistance when pulling one knee to the chest, hook your right elbow on the outside of your right knee, grab opposite elbows making a square with your arms and shoulders while dropping the shoulders flat on the floor. This is the traditional holding grip opposed to the modified pulling grip for western anatomy.

Both Legs; the final position is to flatten the spine from the very top of the neck (medulla oblongata) to the base of the spine (coccyx). Drop the shoulders, tuck the chin, knees together and relax the breath. Even though you may not feel anything you still want to practice this position or any position that you’ve mastered. First, to maintain the flexibility and strength you’ve achieved (or maybe inherited) and second, to continue to receive the internal benefits.

 

In Spirit;
Jimmy Barkan