about hips and anatomy, Bernie?

Check here for questions about Yin Yoga and hips. (Note: discussions about sciatica are in the Spine forum.)
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Cinza
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 12:40 am
Location: Eugene Oregon

about hips and anatomy, Bernie?

Post by Cinza »

I am wondering if there are opinions on the anusara spiral of femur into hip sockets.. Keeping the curve in the spine (almost always)

I know it's not exactly a yin topic however as a teacher and practioner with a lot of hip healing to facilitate, I would like to know if the wisdom holds up..with folks who have made a deep study into the bones and their natural well being. Keeping the curve in lumbar whenever possible is concern as I practice simply arranging myself for savasana..
Bernie
Posts: 1254
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Anusara and hips

Post by Bernie »

Hi Cinza

I don't understand what you are asking. I forwarded your question to an Anusara teacher who also teaches Yin Yoga and she too couldn't understand your question. Could you please ask it again in another way?

thanks!
Bernie
Cinza
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 12:40 am
Location: Eugene Oregon

Post by Cinza »

I've been studying just a tiny bit of Anusara (right, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing)
In Anusara the curve of the lower spine seems to be a most important feature as well as rotating as to pull the femurs back into the hip socket.

every other form of movement I have studied seems to want to flatten the lower back in various positions. While the Anusara wants to keep the sacrum lumbar curved even when coming out of a bridge posture.

in my (Grilley) Yin training there was a great deal of rounding out the lower back sacrum area and no attention to sinking the femurs into the sockets.

I wrote my question last week and have lost my own train of thought, but feel that I'm arranging what might appear to be conflicting ideas about what is good or not for the lower spine and hips... (which are a major concern on my body)

Maybe there is no question, and i will resolve and integrate it all with a bit more experience in Anusara,

Thank you...
Bernie
Posts: 1254
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

What's the question?

Post by Bernie »

Let us know when you have your question worked out more clearly. But do remember that the intentions in yang styles of yoga are different than in the yin styles. We are targeting different tissues so it is natural that the instructions will be different.

Anusara is a muscular practice, and alignment is very important to protect the joints as you move and stress them. Setting the bones in the sockets properly so that when you articulate the joint there is no yang stress on those yin tissues is a goal of many Hatha styles of yoga. In Yin Yoga however, we want to stress the same joints, but in a yin way: a long held, static stress. We don't engage the muscles, because that would take stress off the joints, and we don't overly worry about alignment, because the body tends to go into the position that is natural for it.

Of course there could always be a pathology or a problem with a joint that would require more attention to its alignment. Now you are getting into yoga therapy, and more investigation and consideration is natural. For most healthy bodies, the bones and the joints can just be relaxed when doing a Yin Yoga practice.

Cheers
Bernie
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