Bridge the Gap & Keep the Chi Flowing

Saying that Breath & Yoga are like Peanut Butter & Jelly wouldn't even do the pair justice... it's more like Peanut Butter and Peanuts -- as in, without Breath, Yoga would not exist.

As simple as it seems, breathing correctly can be the most difficult part of our practice... the same can be said of life as well. Shallow breaths and poor posture add unnecessary stress to the body and mind.

This is why yoga teachers place such a HUGE emphasis on breathing -- inhale to plank, exhale chaturanga, inhale up dog... that being said, even when the breathing cues are right on point, it doesn't mean that we are breathing correctly. Just when you think it couldn't get any more confusing, right? It's not as difficult as it seems!

One of the biggest takeaways from Yoga is bridging the gap between the body & the mind. And how do we attain this? Why, through breath of course!

When we think about how we breathe, the most direct channel between the body & mind is the neck. If the neck is constantly out of alignment, this channel is interrupted (think waterfall static on an old antenna TV). When our shoulders are rounded forward, neck arched and strained, our breath has to work a lot harder to make it from our lungs to our brain.

Don't believe me? Drop your chin down to your chest and try to breathe. Then tilt your head back and try to breathe. Now bring your head right atop your shoulders, bring your fingertips to the back of your neck and feel for softness in your neck muscles (if they're hard keep sending the head back and gently tucking the chin until they become soft). Now try to breathe. Can you feel that direct channel in action? Much easier, right?

This is what carries our chi or life force through our body. Once we lose that pathway, it's no longer yoga -- it's more like torture. Twisting, turning and stretching the body without proper fuel (breath) is like attempting to run a marathon while dehydrated.

Do you ever get that stiff feeling after looking at the phone or computer too long? How about that scrunchy crunchy feeling in a pose like Utkatasana (chair) or Navasana (boat), like you're so crunched that all you can think of is your closest escape route? How long is she going to keep us here? My legs/abs can't handle this! 

When we get stuck in our heads, we lose our yoga. If we're not breathing correctly, we lose the benefit of the pose.

Simple fix: Keep that channel open.

No matter where you are -- in yoga class, at your desk, computer, on the train or driving in the car -- make that conscious effort to keep that pathway clear of obstructions. Don't get caught in your head. Allow your heart to communicate effectively with your mind, and feel the simple difference.

Here's a few basic adjustments to keep your chi flowing:

• Bring your fingertips behind your neck, bring your ears in line with your shoulders and feel for softness on the back of your neck
• Rest the base of your wrist on your sternum and bring your index finger to touch your lip & chin. This should be roughly the right alignment for your chin
• Send the shoulders up toward your ears, then straight back and let your shoulder blades slide down your back
• Lift your chest from the back of your heart (think inbetween your shoulder blades). This is where we retreat to when we feel threatened