Greetings Friend,
Let’s meditate with these precious words of Osho as we begin the 2nd week of the “ARUN/ OSHO Yoga 21 Day Immersion”…
“Love and compassion are absolutely needed for your body and its nourishment. And the better body you have, the more is the possibility for growing consciousness. It is an organic unity.
Anubuddha, a totally new kind of education is needed in the world today where fundamentally everyone is introduced into silences of the heart- in other words into meditations- where everybody has to be prepared to be compassionate to one’s own body. It is a living organism, and it has done no harm to you…
It is inconceivable to create such a mechanism which is so obedient and so wise. If you become aware of all the functions of your body, you will be surprised. You have never thought what your body has been doing. It is so miraculous, so mysterious. But you have never looked into it. You have never bothered to become acquainted with your own body, and you pretend to love other people… You cannot, because those other people also appear to you as bodies.
The body is the greatest mystery in the whole of existence. This mystery needs to be loved… its mysteries, its functionings to be intimately inquired into. Within the mystery of the body is the very shrine of your consciousness. Any education that does not teach you to love your body, does not teach you to enter into its mysteries, will not be able to teach you how to enter into your consciousness.
The body is the door… the body is the stepping stone.” OSHO from the Series “Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti”
“Yoga” is a word that is often synonymous in people’s minds with “stretching”. Allow me play a little bit with your mental understanding of what “stretching the body” in various yoga asana really implies… i believe our language in this case is misleading, and does not tell the whole story. The hidden value of stretching for me is not really in the “stretching”… a very deep benefit is generated by the “compression” that is experienced on the “other side” of every stretch… this is ESPECIALLY true when your body is able to stay in the given position peacefully for 45- 90 seconds.
Choose almost any asana and look closely at it. Let’s pick the “Shoulder Stand” or “Candle” first: Obviously, in the Candle pose, the back of your
neck and upper back needs to elongate and become more supple and flexible to get into this position, and by staying in it, our muscles and nerves and back of the discs are beautifully stretched and a lot of tension evaporates. But look and feel what happens in the throat area… the front of the cervical vertebrae, including hyoid area, thyroid gland, air and food passage, etc. is undergoing a major “compress”. {It is a kind of self-induced “Stop Blood”, if you remember how we do that in Thai massage, which cleans the blood vessels and improves circulation}. Plus, when you stay in this “Buddha-bone” arrangement, you are reversing the impact of gravity on the spinal column, and all of your inter-vertebral discs are squeezed gently {which positively affects the sensory/motor nerve roots exiting the spine… many major blood vessels are implicated}. When we return our body to the “Shanti asana”, the affects of this “stretch & compress” send cascades of refreshing blood, endorphin, and sensorimotor energies all through our energy field… the beauty is to do nothing for a few moments after the position, and just “watch”, without trying to change anything. My experience is that the Body and its fluids are just as happy and grateful with “the compression” it receives, as it is with “the stretch”… the compression of the muscles, tissues, and especially the organs, is relieving trapped “gases in the blood”, which if left inside lead to MANY inflamations and illnesses in the body.In fact, I often pay more attention to the compression touch and its cleansing and relaxing benefits than i do to the stretch. Compressing and stretching are both important (sun & moon, yin & yang, male & female, etc) So next time you are “stretching”, keep enjoying the joy and sensations in the stretching part, but also pay more attention to the compressing part, visualizing the inner anatomy and what is flowing there.
The more you experience and feel what i am saying, the more you appreciate this “Core- Sequence” of Asanas that i am personally enjoying for 38 years now. The Spinal Column is given incredibly intelligent attention and care… this is why we are always alternating between flexions and extensions emphasizing all of our joints and their muscles.
The Candle, or “Shoulder Stand”stretches the back of the neck while compressing the
Then we arch into the “Japanese Bridge” and then “the CranioSacral Bridge”, which compress and squeeze the back, while lengthening the front
Then we go into the “Plough”, which stretches the back while again compressing the throat and now the stomach area…
The “Cobra” elegantly lengthens the front of the Spine and abdominal area while “Compressing” the many facet joints of the backs of the vertebrae.
The “half-locust” compresses the sciatic nerve and deep muscles in the back of the pelvis, while stretching the “IllioPsoas” muscle that connects our femur / pelvis / and lumbar spine…
The “child’s pose” is “one of the best” healing touches that our abdominal organs can ever receive, and it simultaneously stretches the sacral/ pelvic/ spinal area in back in a very efficient and healing way…
It is especially healing and meditative when we “allow the breath to come in and stretch all the walls of our body, and we allow it to go out, and then we wait for the next breath to come back by itself”, relaxing deeply in the postures — Anasha
The forward bends compress the front of the Pelvic joints, all of the organs and blood vessels in front, while stretching all of the fascia, muscles and discs in the back.
The Bow is giving a global stretch to the front, but the value in the compressive touch throughout the back is priceless.
The Spinal Twists are very much compressing tissues and joints in some places while simultaneously stretching tissues and joints in other places.
The Shanti Asana, or Corpse position is essential for a deep relaxation and centering. I like both names of this “Buddha-bone” arrangement… the position of peace, where i open up to deep inner peace, and also the Corpse, where i let go of my body, mind, and emotions as if “i” was no more.
Here are a few things more to see and feel relative to “compressing Yoga”. Whenever you experience a “big pull” or pain in a stretch, draw or visualize an inner circle inside that part of your body and you will find the “compression point”. Relax into that compression spot or area and let go inside. This will give a new possibility for the stretch to become softer and easier. While stretching, see if there is “something you can do” in the compression area that will create synergy and harmony with the “stretching part”. This “watching inside” will help refine your inner sense of balance and give a more graceful coordination to your movements.
One important thing more: in “Back-bending” poses, really try to keep the “compressing side” aslong as possible…don’t “jam” the vertebrae together, for instance in the Cobra and Bow… keep the curve of your neck elegantly extended. This will keep the spinal nerves open and sensitive. If you do “over-extend it” your nerves send a message of contraction and fear to your muscles, which will make the stretching more difficult than it needs to be.
My experiences of the last 35 years shows me that the benefit of many of the “Touch-based” Healing Arts, including Rebalancing, massage, shiatsu, Thai massage, Rolfing, tapping, and others is in how they “compress” the body tissues, muscles, blood, fascia, joints, etc… allowing the “inner rebound”, when the touch is released. Also, joint release movements, craniosacral touches, Feldenkrais, Polarity Balancing all owe a big part of their benefit to the compression taking place through the touching. You can not stretch the neck in one direction without simultaneously compressing it on the other side. Try to find ANY joint movement or twist or stretch that does not also have a mathematically reciprocal compression on the other side of the circle or oval. Even if you perform a classical finger/ palm stretch along the spine or neck or leg or arm or belly… you may have never noticed this before, but where your hand or finger is moving and contacting, you are “compressing” the tissues in order to create the stretch. To me, i find this very beautiful and interesting… { It is not usual to think of it that way… in fact, i have NEVER heard anyone mention this before about stretching and compressing and touching… much the same as i have NEVER heard anyone mention before that when i am touching “Any-thing”, it is simultaneously touching me! } Once you really take note of these realities, it becomes obvious, and this awareness starts to open new dimensions of what Conscious Touch really means… there is giving and receiving in each touch… there is effort and relaxation in each movement) This deepens the mystery of ARUN Conscious Touch, Movement, and Meditation in a very practical way…
So friend, continue enjoying your stretching with an inner “love press”! Feel smiles and good vibes flowing your way… with love,
Anubuddha
Beloved Anubuddha & Anasha
Thank you very much for daily message of ARUN YOGA.
I think after 21day these messages can be on a book…..
’cause everyday it is quite long & super beautiful words.
I am enjoying the touch of ARUN YOGA on my body & touch of your words for my sprit & little smile in my heart.
with love kamala
Hi Beloved Kamala, {and Rasata and Christoph},
today, some tears were coming as we looked at photos of what is happening right now in “the Land of the Rising Sun”. The damage is MUCH MORE than people thought at first… and what Rasata says is really true- the Nuclear plant meltdown could be something tragic beyond words. Let’s hope it is not going to explode. I heard from Gatasana in Kamakura that he was in a group room in Tokyo for Prasad and Alvina’s training when it happened… they all had to evacuate the Hotel from 9th floor, and all electricity, water, gas was cut for a day. Now it is ok and the group is on again. Can you imagine?!? I wonder how our friends in Sendai area are? Have you heard more? Thank you Rasata for translating the ARUN/ OSHO Yoga posts… please continue sending our deep love and concern to all of our beloved friends. It is NOW time, more than ever to go in, and let go of our separations with the Earth and with each other… ALL IS INTER-CONNECTED! Much love, Anubuddha {and Anasha}
I feel with all the friend from Japan who are joining the Yoga time with us and every other human being … to see these pictures in the news touches me very deep and makes me very sad …. I am Sending Love and Light towards Japan and the pacific region christoph
Yes Christoph & Kamala… it is very strong in Japan right now… Anasha & i also are feeling the many friends and sending all of our support and love energy… be well my friends!
Anubuddha , Anasha , Christoph and friends,
Yes, it is very strong in Japan.
Many of our friends are safe, and I `m still not sure about some friends in Tohoku(north area).
I heard that even in Tokyo there were no electricity, no mobile, no telephon, no train
yesterday. People had to walk many hours to home. And the earth is still shaking in many places. Nowalso there is a danger in the atomic power station in Fukushikma.
We are living such a strong time, yet we can remain at ease and centered.
I will write japanese people your love energy and caring support. Thank you!!
LOVE, Rasata
Hi Beloved Rasata, {and Kamala and Christoph},
today, some tears were coming as we looked at photos of what is happening right now in “the Land of the Rising Sun”. The damage is MUCH MORE than people thought at first… and what you say Rasata is really true- the Nuclear plant meltdown could be something tragic beyond words. Let’s hope it is not going to explode. I heard from Gatasana in Kamakura that he was in a group room in Tokyo for Prasad and Alvina’s training when it happened… they all had to evacuate and all electricity, water, gas was cut for a day. Now it is ok and the group is on again. Can you imagine?!? I wonder how our friends in Sendai area are? Have you heard more? Thank you for translating the ARUN/ OSHO Yoga posts… please continue sending our deep love and concern to all of our beloved friends. It is NOW time, more than ever to go in and let go of our separations with the Earth and with each other… ALL IS INTER-CONNECTED! Much love, Anubuddha {and Anasha}