Australian Yoga Journal — November 2017

70

november/december 2017

yogajournal.com.au

Movement DirectionOutward

Centred inThe core of the body, moving in and out of the extremities and in the

blood and lymphatic system.

ExpressedAs alignment. Vyana vayu integrates the energy throughout the body

so that your outward expression reflects and assimilates your internal awareness.

The PoseDwi Pada Viparita Dandasana

(Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose)

Begin on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart.

Bring your hands back by your ears, palms to the ground, as if setting up for

Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose). Press into the ground with the soles of

your feet and the palms of your hands, lifting your pelvis off the mat and reaching

your sit bones toward the backs of your knees. Rest the crown of your head on

the mat, then slip one forearm to the floor, then the other, interlacing your hands

behind your head as you would for Salamba Sirsasana (Supported Headstand).

Press down into your outer arms, lifting your head away from the mat. As you hold

this posture, notice how energy radiates from your core down to the soles of your

feet—and up along your elbows, outer forearms, and wrists (vyana vayu). Hold for

8–10 breaths.

Take it off the matThe next time you are moving through your day and

notice you’re no longer present or aligned with your highest self, practice this

simple meditation: Stop what you’re doing, take a deep breath, observe what

you’re feeling without judgment, and proceed from a place of reconnection and

awareness. When you are mindful of your internal state, you are better able to

express yourself physically and verbally—presently and purposefully—so that

your internal and external states align.

Vyana Vayu Bring the

vayus to life

The prana vayus are a pathway for inquiry,

giving your practice on the mat potential

to inform and enliven your life.

What we practice we become, and

the prana vayus help us move with

awareness, compassion, balance,

and integrity. Notice each prana vayu

in your practice. Pay attention to the

liveliness of all five pathways in

each moment or breath. Through

your own experiences, you’ll develop

an understanding that for

each direction energy flows, there

must be a complementary and opposing

flow of energy in order to achieve

harmony. Moving from this place of

awareness, watch as your practice comes

alive in every relationship you

value, beginning with the one you

have with yourself.