 |
| from a late night conversation on utkatasna nomenclature |
This post is made up of four earlier posts on utkatasna
1. Utkatasana.
2. Ardha Utkatasana
3. Long stays in Utkatsana - bandhas
4. Sharath's Utkatasana exit
4. Sharath's Utkatasana exit
*
1. Ardha Utkatasana
 |
| VIDEO LINK |
I was very ....suspicious of the bandhas for a long time, Ashtangi's seemed to refer to them as if they were pixie dust. You want to lift up in utpluthi, "engage the bandhas". You want to jump back, "engage the bandhas", you want to get to the end of the sequence without turning into quivering mush, "ENGAGE THOSE BANDHAS MARINE". I was also 'slightly' resistant to anything that seemed to hint of 'new age'. I think I tended to lump the bandhas in with the chakras, all this talk of energy locks...., no thanks.
I still don't know if I buy into the energy lock idea, jury is still out on that one but I am convinced there's something going on with the bandhas, if only on a muscular level. Yesterday in Day 3's uttanasana subroutine I mentioned how Ramaswami uses the analogy of a fishing rod. Engaging the bandhas feels like it's holding firmly the base of the spine just as you would hold the handle of a fishing rod. It helps to make your backbends more secure and I would say your forward bends also.
In Yoga for the Three Stages of Life, Ramaswami writes about the bandhas in the context of Utkatasana, today and tomorrows subroutines.
Jalandhara bandha
'There are three important bandhas. the first is jalandhara bandha, or locking the chin against the breastbone. This may be done during kumbhkas ( breath retention) and whenever the the posture requires the chin to be locked, which is normally the case during forward bends and when keeping the back erect. In backbends and twisting postures it is not possible to do jalandhara bandha'. p127
Mula and Uddiyana bandha
'The other two bandhas, however, should be practiced in most of the asanas, especially after exhalation. The first is mula bandha, which means "constricting of the anus" It is done after a complete exhalation. After the exhalation is over, the abhyasi (yoga student) should anchor the body in the asana he or she is in and then slowly and deliberately close the anus and draw in the rectum by contracting the perineal and surrounding muscles of the pelvic floor. Then as if in a continuous movement, the abdomen, including the navel, is drawn in, pushing up the diaphragm into the now almost empty chest cavity, which is then called uddiyana bandha ( drawing in of the diaphragm)... This technique is one of the specialities of yogic breathing' p127
Utkatasana is one of the best postures for first getting to grips with with the bandhas, others are downward dog and tatkamudra ( pond gesture ) from the Supine sequence.
Ardha Utkatasana comes up in Ashtanga and I practiced it for a couple of years without really thinking about it. It's one of the, how should I say, least ....complicated postures. There are no binds, no twists, you just squat a little. It's hard work but then in Ashtanga your only holding it for five breaths and to be honest it was a bit of a relief after the postures that had gone before. Later, when I began practicing 2nd series and had to do pasasana, the full squat and bind, I began to take the half squat more seriously, started to think about my alignment more, about using the badnas to help with balance,make it more stable.
I had a big shock recently when I came across Ramaswami using Utkatasana as an example of how to work towards developing the parameters of yoga asana as introduced by Patanjali in the yoga sutras, steadiness and comfort ( sthhira and sukha).
'When one is able to stay in the posture (utkatasana) for three to six breaths, then one should slowly increase the time to complete a stipulated number of breaths. Thereafter, one should remain in the posture for a predetermined number of breaths chosen by the practitioner or teacher, or for a fixed persiod, say three to five minutes. Then one's practice should be aimed at reducing the number of breaths while remaining in the posture for the same duration. for instance one may take a total of twenty breaths while in the posture. Later on, it may be possible to remain in the posture steadily and comfortably (sthira and sukha) for five minutes with perhaps only ten breaths. This is one method for attaining asana siddhi (perfection in posture) that one can test of oneself. Having achieved this level of comfort in the posture, one can then introduce the band has, which will increase the time taken for each breath. P 127
I posted on this five minute Utkatasana HERE, hard work, what you don't see in the video is the pool of sweat that poured from my forehead after three minutes.
Today I practiced the half squat, Ardha Utkatasana. In ashtanga we practice it arms above our head, palms together. In Vinyasa Krama Ramaswami gives us four arm variations but you could probably use the other hand variations from Day 1, as well. This morning, with the focus on the subroutines this project is giving me, I included all the variations below. I entered and exited each of the variations on the breath, down on the inhale back up on the exhale, twice then on the third time held the posture for five long slow breaths. Just for luck I then did the first posture again and tried to hold it for five minutes, I managed three and that seemed plenty.
In this series of posts I'm focusing on each of the subroutines, doing them as in the book with all the variations and using Ramaswami's guidelines for developing sthhira and sukha, as outlined above. I'm staying longer, engaging the badhas more fully, looking to slow the breath and employ breath retention, really milking the subroutines for all they've got.
That would be one way to practice, pick one or two subroutines and practice them in this way, include Ramaswami's key postures, Paschimottanasana, shoulder stand and headstand and you probably have an hour practice.
My own approach is to include some but not all of the available vinyasas (variations) of a subroutine in my morning practice. I tend to do a shortened version of the On your feet sequence just as on Ramaswami's TT course. We learned the whole sequence over the first couple of days but then for the next four weeks just did a shortened version.
This morning I did a few of the hasta variations from Day One and a couple of the twists from Day two and about half of Day three. This saved me time for the full ardha Utkatasana subroutine above. I didn't practice the full squat (saving that for tomorrow) but moved on to some of the other Triangle and On one leg vinyasas, again not all the options available in the full subroutines. After standing I did most of Bow sequence then some seated before moving on to the inversions followed by some baddha konasana and lotus work.
One thing that is new in my practice and that I plan on keeping up is to aim to practice at least one subroutine fully and with all the variations available, a different one every day perhaps, as in this series of posts.
NB: These are practice notes that will be tidied up and put into the new edition of my Vinyasa Yoga Practice Book along with the current sequences and subroutines. The book can be freely downloadedHERE. There is a page on Facebook HERE with all the latest sheets and updates. This book is in no way a substitute for Ramaswami's Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga.
*
2. Utkatasana
|
| VIDEO LINK |
I was very ....suspicious of the bandhas for a long time, Ashtangi's seemed to refer to them as if they were pixie dust. You want to lift up in utpluthi, "engage the bandhas". You want to jump back, "engage the bandhas", you want to get to the end of the sequence without turning into quivering mush, "ENGAGE THOSE BANDHAS MARINE". I was also 'slightly' resistant to anything that seemed to hint of 'new age'. I think I tended to lump the bandhas in with the chakras, all this talk of energy locks...., no thanks.
I still don't know if I buy into the energy lock idea, jury is still out on that one but I am convinced there's something going on with the bandhas, if only on a muscular level. Yesterday in Day 3's uttanasana subroutine I mentioned how Ramaswami uses the analogy of a fishing rod. Engaging the bandhas feels like it's holding firmly the base of the spine just as you would hold the handle of a fishing rod. It helps to make your backbends more secure and I would say your forward bends also.
In Yoga for the Three Stages of Life, Ramaswami writes about the bandhas in the context of Utkatasana, today and tomorrows subroutines.
Jalandhara bandha
'There are three important bandhas. the first is jalandhara bandha, or locking the chin against the breastbone. This may be done during kumbhkas ( breath retention) and whenever the the posture requires the chin to be locked, which is normally the case during forward bends and when keeping the back erect. In backbends and twisting postures it is not possible to do jalandhara bandha'. p127
Mula and Uddiyana bandha
'The other two bandhas, however, should be practiced in most of the asanas, especially after exhalation. The first is mula bandha, which means "constricting of the anus" It is done after a complete exhalation. After the exhalation is over, the abhyasi (yoga student) should anchor the body in the asana he or she is in and then slowly and deliberately close the anus and draw in the rectum by contracting the perineal and surrounding muscles of the pelvic floor. Then as if in a continuous movement, the abdomen, including the navel, is drawn in, pushing up the diaphragm into the now almost empty chest cavity, which is then called uddiyana bandha ( drawing in of the diaphragm)... This technique is one of the specialities of yogic breathing' p127
Utkatasana is one of the best postures for first getting to grips with with the bandhas, others are downward dog and tatkamudra ( pond gesture ) from the Supine sequence.
Ardha Utkatasana comes up in Ashtanga and I practiced it for a couple of years without really thinking about it. It's one of the, how should I say, least ....complicated postures. There are no binds, no twists, you just squat a little. It's hard work but then in Ashtanga your only holding it for five breaths and to be honest it was a bit of a relief after the postures that had gone before. Later, when I began practicing 2nd series and had to do pasasana, the full squat and bind, I began to take the half squat more seriously, started to think about my alignment more, about using the badnas to help with balance,make it more stable.
I had a big shock recently when I came across Ramaswami using Utkatasana as an example of how to work towards developing the parameters of yoga asana as introduced by Patanjali in the yoga sutras, steadiness and comfort ( sthhira and sukha).
'When one is able to stay in the posture (utkatasana) for three to six breaths, then one should slowly increase the time to complete a stipulated number of breaths. Thereafter, one should remain in the posture for a predetermined number of breaths chosen by the practitioner or teacher, or for a fixed persiod, say three to five minutes. Then one's practice should be aimed at reducing the number of breaths while remaining in the posture for the same duration. for instance one may take a total of twenty breaths while in the posture. Later on, it may be possible to remain in the posture steadily and comfortably (sthira and sukha) for five minutes with perhaps only ten breaths. This is one method for attaining asana siddhi (perfection in posture) that one can test of oneself. Having achieved this level of comfort in the posture, one can then introduce the band has, which will increase the time taken for each breath. P 127
I posted on this five minute Utkatasana HERE, hard work, what you don't see in the video is the pool of sweat that poured from my forehead after three minutes.
Today I practiced the half squat, Ardha Utkatasana. In ashtanga we practice it arms above our head, palms together. In Vinyasa Krama Ramaswami gives us four arm variations but you could probably use the other hand variations from Day 1, as well. This morning, with the focus on the subroutines this project is giving me, I included all the variations below. I entered and exited each of the variations on the breath, down on the inhale back up on the exhale, twice then on the third time held the posture for five long slow breaths. Just for luck I then did the first posture again and tried to hold it for five minutes, I managed three and that seemed plenty.
In this series of posts I'm focusing on each of the subroutines, doing them as in the book with all the variations and using Ramaswami's guidelines for developing sthhira and sukha, as outlined above. I'm staying longer, engaging the badhas more fully, looking to slow the breath and employ breath retention, really milking the subroutines for all they've got.
That would be one way to practice, pick one or two subroutines and practice them in this way, include Ramaswami's key postures, Paschimottanasana, shoulder stand and headstand and you probably have an hour practice.
My own approach is to include some but not all of the available vinyasas (variations) of a subroutine in my morning practice. I tend to do a shortened version of the On your feet sequence just as on Ramaswami's TT course. We learned the whole sequence over the first couple of days but then for the next four weeks just did a shortened version.
This morning I did a few of the hasta variations from Day One and a couple of the twists from Day two and about half of Day three. This saved me time for the full ardha Utkatasana subroutine above. I didn't practice the full squat (saving that for tomorrow) but moved on to some of the other Triangle and On one leg vinyasas, again not all the options available in the full subroutines. After standing I did most of Bow sequence then some seated before moving on to the inversions followed by some baddha konasana and lotus work.
One thing that is new in my practice and that I plan on keeping up is to aim to practice at least one subroutine fully and with all the variations available, a different one every day perhaps, as in this series of posts.
NB: These are practice notes that will be tidied up and put into the new edition of my Vinyasa Yoga Practice Book along with the current sequences and subroutines. The book can be freely downloadedHERE. There is a page on Facebook HERE with all the latest sheets and updates. This book is in no way a substitute for Ramaswami's Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga.
*
3. Utkatasana - Long Stay
I've been practicing Supine sequence all week, after practice this morning I was checking something in the relevant chapter in Ramaswami's other book Yoga for the three stages of life when I came across something interesting.... and frightening.
I love this book, every time I open it I find something I've missed or rushed over. This is what I found today.
'Chapter 8 Supine postures
Before discussing the supine postures, it may be good to introduce the band has, or locks.'
So that's where he's buried away the bandhas. It's good place, as he mentions, after going through Chapter 7's Standing postures the body becomes lighter, circulation improved, breathing longer, smoother more regular.
' Regular practice results in both more tranquility-and paradoxically- improved stamina, as revealed through one's capacity to do the postures more deliberately and with slow stretching, and in one's ability to stay in the final posture longer and for a greater number of breaths' p.126
So we're nicely prepared to take our practice a little further. The upcoming Supine sequence begins with Tatkamudra and this is an excellent posture to introduce the bandhas. First though Ramaswami has a few words to say about the breath.
'The four aspects of yogic breathing were also discussed in chapter 7. To repeat, the first is recaka, or long and smooth exhalation. the second is puraka, or long inhalation. It is possible to hold in the breath after inhalation which is known as internal holding, or antha-kumbhaka, and is the third aspect. Holding the breath out during the time interval between the completion of exhalation (recaka) and the beginning of inhalation (puraka) is bahya-kumbhaka, the fourth aspect'. p126
Ramaswami used to prowl around the room, coming up behind you to make sure he could hear your breathing. We don't employ breath retention in every posture and in the postures that we do, perhaps not all the time. It's something that's available to us and in some postures more than others.
The same goes for the bandhas.
Jalandhara bandha
'There are three important band has. the first is jalandhara bandha, or locking the chin against the breastbone. This may be done during kumbhkas and whenever the the posture requires the chin to be locked, which is normally the case during forward bends and when keeping the back erect. In backbends and twisting postures it is not possible to do jalandhara bandha'. p127
Mula and Uddiyana bandha
'The other two bandhas, however, should be practiced in most of the asanas, especially after exhalation. The first is mula bandha, which means "constricting of the anus" It is done after a complete exhalation. After the exhalation is over, the abhyasi (yoga student) should anchor the body in the asana he or she is in and then slowly and deliberately close the anus and draw in the rectum by contracting the perineal and surrounding muscles of the pelvic floor. Then as if in a continuous movement, the abdomen, including the navel, is drawn in, pushing up the diaphragm into the now almost empty chest cavity, which is then called uddiyana bandha ( drawing in of the diaphragm)... This technique is one of the specialities of yogic breathing" p127
So now I'm expecting to move onto discussion of the bandhas in Supine sequence but here's where Ramaswami scared the living daylights out of me. Before mentioning the Supine postures he mentions the one standing posture where all three bandhas 'can be effectively practiced', Utkatasana.
'When one is able to stay in the posture (utkatasana) for three to six breaths, then one should slowly increase the time to complete a stipulated number of breaths. Thereafter, one should remain in the posture for a predetermined number of breaths chosen by the practitioner or teacher, or for a fixed persiod, say three to five minutes. Then one's practice should be aimed at reducing the number of breaths while remaining in the posture for the same duration. for instance one may take a total of twenty breaths while in the posture. Later on, it may be possible to remain in the posture steadily and comfortably (sthira and sukha) for five minutes with perhaps only ten breaths. This is one method for attaining asana siddhi (perfection in posture) that one can test of oneself. Having achieved this level of comfort in the posture, one can then introduce the band has, which will increase the time taken for each breath. P 127
FIVE MINUTES!!!!!! in UTKATASANA? ouch., serious tapas.
*Note to Ashtangi's. The Utkatasana in Ashtanga's Standing sequence, Ramaswami refers to as ardha-utkatasana ( half squat or chair). He calls the full squat Utkatasana. I know you probably can't spend five minutes here in the shala but if I'm honest it was a posture I used to neglect a lot of the time. Might find it interesting to milk it a little next practice.
*Note to Ashtangi's. The Utkatasana in Ashtanga's Standing sequence, Ramaswami refers to as ardha-utkatasana ( half squat or chair). He calls the full squat Utkatasana. I know you probably can't spend five minutes here in the shala but if I'm honest it was a posture I used to neglect a lot of the time. Might find it interesting to milk it a little next practice.
So this evening Utkatasan it was. First the subroutine inculing the different hand variations. Here's the video from my Vinyasa Krama Sequences and subroutines site with the different variations.
* All quotes from Yoga for the three stages of Life by Srivatsa Ramaswami
4. Sharath's Utkatasana exit
 |
| exit from Utkatasana: nava- up on the inhale, lift up |
 |
| exit from Virabhadrasana: dwadasha, inhale, lift up |
Sharath posted a 'tutorial' on Uttkatasana and Virabhadrasana this morning, I suspect he has a bee in his bonnet (bee reference for M.) about the lifts at the end, he does seem to come back again and again to these neglected lifts.
The video above is actually the corrected version, the first version was taken down it seems because of an error in the count.
 |
| Sorry Sharath |
But they are there in Yoga Mala....
"Then doing recheka and puraka, press the hands to the floor by the sides of the feet, put the whole weight of the body on the two hands, and lift the body off the floor" p63
And here it is Virabhadrasana
"Next, place place the hands on the floor on either side of the right foot and, without allowing the legs to touch the floor, lift both the left leg and bent right leg completely off the floor with only the strength of the hands; this is the 11th vinyasa". p67
"This is the 11th vinyasa", we might try to pass the Uttkatasana lift off as' style' but here the lift gets a vinyasa count of it's very own, no excuses (hangs head).
Some screenshots of Sharath's and his grandfather's Virabhadrasana from Yoga Mala, Pattabhi Jois has a much wider stance.
But, you might exclaim, the picture of Pattabhi Jois is from his Surynamaskara pictures, true but the text does say that it's the same
"Next stand as in the 7th vinyasa of the second suryanamaskara..."
Same goes for Uttkatasana
"Jump into the 2nd vinyasa of the first Surya Namaskars..."
Manju said something interesting about Virabhadrasana, this was from a workshop a few days after the one I attended and passed on to me by J. (Thank you J.).
"He (Manju) also told me in Virabhadrasana that the back leg should feel so grounded that you can lift the front leg up in a kick—and the true warrior of old would take this stance for fighting to free the front leg for that kick".
*******
We should be careful of course reading too much into pictures, I've taken screenshots from my videos that aren't perhaps the best presentation of my asana just close enough ("they'll do"). Interestingly though, Krishnamacharya, in Yoga Makaranda makes a point of point of saying in several places "study the picture carefully", he seems to have been happy with his pictures, how I would have loved to be a fly on the wall at that photoshoot.
I have this fantasy of Manju adjusting his father's Virabhadrasana and Utkatasana
....and nightmares about what Iyengar might have to say about them ( and my own for that matter).
While on the topic of Sharath video's here's Sharath's Pranayama tutorial from earlier in the month.There seemed to be a big hush around this video, usually everyone goes nuts about Sharath clips, this one though received barely a mention, confusion?
And two last thoughts about about 'the little differences'....
 |
| Bumble bee combe |
 |
| Honey bee combe |
APPENDIX
THE OTHER VIDEO
So a couple of hours after Sharath's video was released it was taken down again but by then I'd already written this post. It seems the video was taken down because of an error in the count. I'd posted a copy of the video and went on to transcribe it in an update to better identify where the error had crept in.
Now, what to do. I could delete the whole section, posting the corrected version and pretend it never happened or I could post the corrected version and include that whole section concerning the first video here perhaps as a demonstration of how and why the confusion in these vinyasa can comes about..
Here it is...
Yesterday I saw the video early, posted on Sharath's own Youtube channel ( same as the pranayama video below). I started writing this post and downloaded the video to put on my ipad to work with at the end of my practice. After practice I finished this post but couldn't find the video anywhere. I thought (hoped) it was just a glitch so included my own version but still didn't really feel comfortable about it. This morning I checked and the video still wasn't up on Sharath's site and my blog stats had gone through the roof for this post. So I've decided to take the video down, at least until Sharath reposts (NB: Now the confusion as to why it was taken down seems to be cleared up, the mistake with the count, I've decided to repost it it below the transcript).
Here though is the general outline of the video, the important bits
Short chant
A hello and an intro, says that he's presenting a short video on utkatasana and virabhadrasana as many students are confused about the vinyasa for these two vinyasas.
Says he will show the proper vinyasa
Utkatasana
supta - jump (between hands) bend your knees hands up ( all on the inhalation)
breathe five times here
again inhale
with the exhale place both hands - ashta
nava- up on the inhale, lift up ( see screenshot above)
dasha - exhale ( back to chaturanga)
Virabhadrasana
ekaadesha exhale place both hands next to your feet
dwadasha, inhale, lift up (see screenshot above )
triodasha exhale ( back to chatuaranga)
"This is how utkatasana and virabhadrasana should be practiced".
"namaste"
UPDATE 2
It's been suggested that Sharath slipped up with the count in the video (easily done) and that's why it was taken down NB: Have reposted it below now the confusion seems to be cleared up).
Here's the full transcription,
Short chant
"Hello everyone, this is a small video about utkatasana and virabhadrasana.
Many students are confused with the vinyasa for these two asanas. Through this video I would like to share and show you the proper vinyasa for these two asanas.
First I will start with utkatasana then followed by virabhadrasana.
ekam - inhale
dve - exhale
trini - head up
chatwari - jump back ( jumps back) exhale
pancha - inhale
shat - exhale
supta - jump (between hands) bend your knees, hands up.
breathe five times here
inhale,
with an exhale keep (place) both hands - astau
nava - lift up
dasha - (jumps back) exhale
ekadesha - inhale (updog)
dwadesha - exhale (downdog)
Virabhadrasana
supta - place right leg, take up your hands, breathe five times....again inhale
with an exhale turn the other side - astau.
breathe five times here.
nava - inhale spread your hands
dont change this knee
breathe five times
again inhale
with an exhale turn the other way - dasha
breathe five times here
ekadesha - with an exhale place both hands next to your feet
dwadesha - with an inhale lift up
triodesha exhale (jumps back)
chataudesha inhale (up dog )
panchadesha exhale (downdog)
supta - jump through
sit down
This is how utkatasana and Virabhadrasana should be practiced".
*******
I've highlighted the areas where the mix up happened
And now we've cleared up why it was taken down perhaps, it see no reason not to repost it.
and here's what Sharath probably intented Utkatasana and Virabhadrasana from Sharath's Primary series.
which ties in with Sharath's recent book Astanga Yoga Anusthana
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
