The Power of the Subtle Body in Yoga and Ujjayi Breath
by Tammy Williams
Waking up to the sacredness of the breath in all of its various forms can help us relieve tension created by a confused or misinformed mind. Learning about the intelligence within the breath is part of Subtle Body Training in Yoga , infact without awareness of the Subtle what we are practicing may not be yoga , but aesthetics.
It is the breath and understanding its many directions (Winds of change known as Vayus) and the impact this can have on our psychology that makes yoga different from other forms of exercise.
One of the entry points into the Subtle Body (in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, Ashtanga meaning eight limbs) is Ujjayi Breathing.
The Subtle Power of Ujayyi
As you sit, notice a plumb line
Travelling from the crown
Anchoring into
The core of the ground
Let it be a reference point of stability and ease
Allowing the heart to float on this axis
As you begin to breathe
Sense the sit bones anchor
and coccyx drop
An effortless effort ,
Without letting the spine flop
As you ground through the root of the body
Allow the heart to feel buoyant and light
Notice the breath, set your drishti
By calming your gaze, setting your sight
As you breathe in, ribs expand
Mind settles into the zone
As you breath out, ribs drop
Pelvic floor starts to tone
If the mind drifts off the central axis
Bring it back to the breath making an aspirant sound
Lips soft, breath in and out of the nose
Helping you to ground
The eyes become steady, palate is soft
The gentle aspirant sound of “Ah”
Keeping the mind here with the body
Not drifting off afar
This breath carries intelligence
Known as Prana, connecting everything around
A doorway into spaciousness
That feels a little profound
The tongue is quiet, as you breathe
Notice the sensations in the mouth
The mind riding these waves with ease
Wonders what all the fuss was about
Noticing the complementary patterns of the breath
The upward and downward
A tool for relieving stress
Balancing prana and apana
The yogis believe
A doorway to Nirvana
Where the mind chatter is seized
Waking up this intelligence
In the centre of the chest
A non forced effort, the mind hovering effortless
Between the in breath and the outbreath
The resonance of the breath
Connecting inside and out
It’s subtle yet able to cut right through
Mistaken identity , relieving self doubt
Our breath is our best alignment
Connecting us to everything around
It helps us to sense our mind like clear blue sky
Yet with two feet on the ground
Yoga is not just about updogs and downdogs you see
It teaches us about the subtle body
To realise
We are already free
So if in doubt
Start with a few rounds of Ujayyi
From there we open up wisdom of the Chakras, Granthis, Vayus, Metaphors and more
Enhancing our asana and physical practice of yoga through the power of the subtle body as we begin to explore
Namaste
Tammy xox
To learn more about The Subtle Body and Yogic Psychology
500 hour Yoga NRG Teacher Training – click here
Introduction To The Subtle Body – click here
Private / Skype Mentoring for Remote Yoga Practitioners or Yoga Teachers available
teachertraining@yoga-nrg.com
