YOGA

FASCIA,ANATOMYandMOVEMENT

JoanneAvisonYoga:E-RYT500,StructuralIntegration:KMI,CTK,CMED

Director:ArtofContemporaryYogaLtd

HANDSPRINGPUBLISHINGLIMITEDTheOldManse,Fountainhall,Pencaitland,EastLothianEH345EY,ScotlandTel:+441875341859Website:www.handspringpublishing.com

Firstpublished2015intheUnitedKingdombyHandspringPublishing

Copyright©HandspringPublishers2015Photographsanddrawingscopyright©JoanneAvisonunlessotherwiseindicated

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Dedication

Tomywonderfulparents,StephaniandWilliam;toCarolineindeepestgratitude;toBenforthequestionsaboutscience;andtoSteven,withoutwhomtherewouldbenoart.

Foreword

Yoga, alongwithmartial arts and dance – all ofwhich stretch back into themists of pre-history – iscertainly among the earliest organized attempts to change a personbymeansof bodymovement.Eventhoughmodernpsychotherapyhas largelyabandonedabody-centredapproach in favourof talk therapyand increasing amounts of pharmaceuticals, the positive effects of exercise on the psyche – Juvenal’smenssanaincorporesano–havebeenacknowledgedforcenturies.Yoga,atleastinthedevelopedtextsandadepts,goeswellbeyondthesegeneralbenefitsthatcomefromengagingthemindinacoordinatedpumpingofthemuscles.Itclaims(andinmyexperience,oftendelivers)toadvanceourpsychophysiologyintopositiveterritory,awayfromself-centred,fear-basedchemistrytoamoreserene,objectiveandfullypresentstateofbodymind.Themodern flowering of yoga owes a great deal to the late B.K.S. Iyengar, a lion of a man who

wrestled both the postures and the breathing practices of yoga into an understandable and graduateddiscipline.Evencurrentformsofyogathathaverejectedtheparticularsofhispracticeowehimadeepdebt–withouthimtherewouldbeno“artofcontemporaryyoga”.Withhim,andwiththeinterestthathasfollowedandbranchedoutfromhiswork,yogahastakenmanyforms,andoverthecourseofmyworkinglifehasgonefromafewhippiescontortingthemselvesinanashramtothecurrentubiquityofyogaclassesinnearlyeverygym,villagehall,streetcorner,andevenschoolathleticprogrammes,corporateretreats,and senior centres. Yoga itself has diversified into hundreds of branches, ranging from the athleticAshtangato theflowingVinyasatoIyengar’sprecisepositioningtomoremeditativeapproaches.Thesedays,wearespoiltforchoiceinwhichyogatochooseforourselves.Inevitably,then,yogacomesupagainstscience–“Proveit!”saytheresearchers.JoanneAvison–nota

researcherinthelaboratorysense,butratherare-searcher–isuniquelypositionedtohelpusunderstandtheresearchwehavealready,aswellasprovideaframeworktounderstandthestudiestocome.Joanne’sbackgroundincludesmanyyearsofteachingyogainavarietyofcontexts,andwithherquickmindandherability to write clearly, this book provides the contemporary teacher and practitioner of yoga with afranklyastoundingtourofcurrentthinkingthatblendsthespiritualwiththescientific,andthesacredwiththeintenselypractical.Fascia–thatlong-ignoredbiologicalfabricthatshapesus–hasnowbecomeabuzzword,oftenused

withmoreenthusiasmthanunderstanding.ThisbooktakesonthedevelopmentalsignificanceofwhatDrRobertSchleipcallsthe“neuromyofascialweb”inallitsglory,withoutboggingthereaderdowninthedetails of anatomy or biochemistry, which are relevant to “afascianado” or biomechanist, but notnecessarytodailypractice.Thetraditionofyogahasagreatdealtoteachus,butinanotherwaytheseancienttextsandformsare

entirelyirrelevant.Industrialized,electronifiedhumanityfacesachallenge–awholeseriesofchallenges–neverbeforeencounteredbyanypreviousera.Oneofthesechallengesisthelossofself-sense,asenseof alienation from thebodyand itswhisperedbut essentialmessages,dulled in the roarof theplanes,trainsandautomobiles,theblareofradio,TVandInternet,andthesheerweightofthenumberofpeopleonthisintricateplanet.Wemustfacethechallengeofhowweeducateourchildrentomoveandfeelinthe

naturalworld,andcreateaprogrammeofwhatIhavecalled“KinestheticLiteracy”forthishyper,data-rich,information-poorera.Readthisbooknomatterwhatformofyogayoupracticeorteach–infact,readthisbookifyouhappen

tohaveabody.Youwillbepulledalongamerrilyflowingstreamofancientandcontemporarythought,and youwill emergewith a fresh explanation ofwhy themany new interpretations of yoga can be soimportantintherevivificationofourbodyandmind.

ThomasMyers2014tom@anatomytrains.com

Preface

I began my yoga training aged seven, sitting beside my mother in a church hall in the mid-sixties,wonderingwhythemanatthefrontwaswearingwhitepyjamas.

Scintillate,scintillateglobalvivificFainwouldIfathomthynaturespecificLoftilypoisedintheethercapacious

Stronglyresemblingagemcarbonaceous

AtsixteenIlearnedaformofmeditationinacentreforthedeafinLondonandremainedfascinatedbysignlanguage,bycommunicatingwithmyhands.Meditationformewaslikedrinkingwater;somethingsomuchapartofmylifethatIcouldnotunderstandwhyanyonewouldwanttotalkaboutit!AfterabroadandwonderfuleducationinEnglandandFrance(languages,sciences,fineart)andacareerthatincludedtheartisancraftofthechocolatierandbeingaresidentauthorforalargepublishinghouse,abackinjuryinmy early thirties re-introducedme to yoga and anatomy. Little did I imagine that understanding thevarious properties of chocolate (a substance that responds and changes structure with movement,manipulation, temperatureand intention)wouldonedaybe the foundation forunderstanding the fascialmatrixofthehumanbody.I was originally trained in Vanda Scaravelli’s intelligent, feminine approach to yoga. Among my

teachersweremen andwomenwhoworked directlywith her. John Stirk and Peter Blackaby broughtanatomy and biomechanics from their osteopathic backgrounds, while Elizabeth Pauncz, Pat Sparrow,DianeLongandotherseachcontributedtheirownwayofbringingoutourwayofdevelopingapractice.OnedayIrealisedthatthereisnosuchthingas“theposture”andthateachposeisuniquetoeachoneofus.Isetoutalonetomakesenseofthat.Myprofounddesiretounderstandthedifferencebetweentheanatomybooksandwhathappensinthe

classroomwasnoteasilysatisfied.Forinstance,whydideveryonedotrikonasanadifferently?Iftheyallhadthesameorganisationastheanatomybookssuggested,howdidsuchavariousabundanceofbeings-in-bodiesdothesewonderfulpostures,meditationsandbreathworkandgetsuchdifferentthingsoutofthem? How did a body work out whether to contract a lateral rotator or bend to balance?Why dideveryoneIaskedhaveadifferentanswer?IhaddisparatepiecesofajigsawthatnoneoftheworkshopsandseminarsIattendedcouldfittogether.

WhenImetTomMyersin1998IstudiedStructuralIntegration,becomingateacherandadoptingAnatomyTrainsasameanstotranslatefrombodybitstocontinuities.Manyhoursspentinthesacredspaceofthehumandissectionlaboratoryraisedyetmorequestions.Whatcouldexplainthegapbetweentheacceptedscienceofbiomechanicsandtherealityoflivingpeopledoingyoga?Whydiditremovepainandimproveperformanceinsomebodiesbutseemtomakeitworseinothers,unless…?Unlesswhat?Whatwastheelusivecommondenominator?Coulditbethefascia?Working in manual practice changed my hands into finely-tuned sensors that could eventually read

“body-Braille”fluently.Irealisedthateverypersonhastheirownsoft-tissuedialect,andalightbegantodawn. Structure, form and function are not so far away from self-expression. It eventually becameobvious that we each write our own life story physically in our gestures and demeanour; our ownarchetypalmovement signatures.Thebeing in thebody,whethermeditatingormetabolizing, is there incontinuouslyjoined-up“body-writing”.Yogamovementsareawayofgainingphysicalliteracy;wecanlearntoreadandwriteinaneleganthand,eachfromauniquelypersonalhumanperspective.Fascia,theconnectivetissuetensionalmatrixholdingeveryminisculepartofustogether,fromcellsto

skin, is the very fabric of our architecture. Indeed, it is the context fromwhich we self-assemble asembryos–andcarryondevelopingrightthroughtoelderhood.Untilrelativelyrecentlyfascialtissuewascutawayin theanatomylaboratories inorder toreveal the“importantparts”–as if thesecouldmove,metaboliseandmanageuswithoutitsassistance.Thisislikeremovingthecementholdingthebricksofachurch together.As a structure in space and time, thebuildingwill not standupverywell (or containanything) without the connecting, binding material between the building blocks.We abide by specialgeometriesofliving,biologic(non-linear)structures.However,thestuffinbetween,the“transanatomicalsubstrate”,isstillholdingustogetherasonewholebeing,movingexactlythewaywedo.Fascia,forme,describesthis“in-between”hiddenworldofbodyarchitecture;thesacredgeometryof

beingsinbodies.Itaccommodateseachofus,regardlessofage,ability,politicsororigins.Idonotseeauras or angels or anatomical cogs in a movement machine. I simply recognise the common tissuedenominatorofourformandlovetranslatingitforsomeonedoingyogaintermsoftheirownanimation.Whateveryourfavouredstyleofyoga,Ihopethisbookencouragesyoutobecomeyourownguideorguruand understandmore about howwe sense our way into form (we have been doing it since wewereconceived!). Itmaycontribute tomakingsense ofwhatdoesnotmake sense if you exclude the fasciafromtheanatomicalbodystory.Liketheidenticalpoemsatthebeginningandendofthispreface,Itrulyhopeitpointssomefingersatthestarsandasksabitaboutthehiddenmysteriesoftheskyinwhichtheyshine.

Twinkle,twinklelittlestarHowIwonderwhatyouareUpabovetheworldsohighLikeadiamondinthesky

Inaweandwonderatthesacrednatureofform,andasimpletranslationoftheopeningpoem.

JoanneSarahAvison

Acknowledgements

Thelistofacknowledgementsislongerthanthissummary;forgivemeifyouarenotmentionedpersonally.Firstandforemostmyparents,StephaniandWilliam,withoutwhomIwouldn’tbehere;your loving

guardianshipremainssoprecioustome.Ben,Caroline,JimandSasha-dog,Icherishallthatyouareforme,everyday.AspecialwordtoPoupette,withlove,andtoallmyfamily(youknowwhoyouare).ToMalcolm,forallthatwecreatedandfortheartisanskillsofthechocolatier!LittledidIknowhowmuchIwaslearningabouttheliquidcrystalnatureofsoftmatter.Mydear friends and broader family;without your loving listening and encouragement thiswouldn’t

have happened. In no particular order Philippa King, TracieMorrison, Jo Ellis, Jane Priddis, AnnieWaite-Gilmer,Lindad’Antal,TrishMcElhone,Gilly(Bean)Smith,DianeWard,ShaneMcDermott,AlexFilmer-Lorch, Martin Gordon, Amanda Baker, Susie Llewelyn, Andy Forsey, Karel Aerssons, PetraGommers, EvelynBowles, RuthVinuela, JeniDodson, TraceyMellor,Nicola Brooks, StellaO’Shea,AdamClements,PaulKaye.ToEileendeHerdmanandDoreenThobigele(SesiWami)maytheyrestinpeacewithsomuchlove.ProfessionallyIthankallmyteachers;thosefromwhomIhavelearnedbydesignandthosefromwhom

I have learned, by default, (what not to do). My profound thanks to each of the graduates at Art ofContemporaryYogaforteachingmemorethanyoulearnedandforgoingoutintotheworldthewayyouhave; raising your game andmine. It was a privilege toworkwith Philippa, Alex, Linda, Diane andSteventocreatesuchafieldofGraceforusall.ThatincludesthegraduatesinTübingenfortheirpatiencewhilewe translatedmymetaphors intoGerman.To the lovelyparticipants inmyFridayClass,now inSarah’ssafeandcapablehandsandtoallmyloyalclientsandcolleagues;Thankyoueach.(EspeciallyGerlinde,GillyB,StephaniandWilliam,FrancesandPhilforattendingsomanyclasses/sessionsforsomanyyears!).AspecialwordforPatSparrow;maysherestinpeaceandknowthatherdown-to-earthandspirited

teachinginfluencedmehugely.TomandQuanMyers;youradviceto“seekmyownauthor-ity”andhereitis.RobertSchleip,withoutwhomthisbookwouldnothavehappened,foryourpatienceandenthusiasmtoignitetheprojectandjointhedotsinthenetworkinallaspectsof“fascianating”fascia.ToDrStephenLevinandSusanLowellfortheirdevotedassistanceateverycorneronbiotensegrity.TowhichendnosmallthanksgotoTomFlemons,KennethSnelsonandGrahamScarrforthevariousgiftsofexplanations,corrections,modelsandconsideration.JaapvanderWalforthegenerousgiftoftimeandreferencesinreadingthework.LeonidBlyumandDanielle-ClaudeMartinforendlessencouragement.OnwhichnoteaveryspecialthankyoutoProfessorDarrellEvans.WhenthisworkbeganasAssociateDeanatBrightonand Sussex Medical School (and Professor of Developmental Biology) your patience in all thingsanatomical and embryological was frankly saintly. Now as Vice-Provost (Learning and Teaching) atMonashUniversity,Melbourne;youfoundthetimeinademandingschedule tocheckChapter5 (whichnearly drove me mad) and help me bridge some of the gaps between academia and the movementclassroomwith access to your lectures, research andmagical margin notes! Thank you for a verticallearningcurve.ToDrWilbourKelsickforsupportanddevotiontoallthingsappliedandheart-centredinhealthandhumanperformance.

Sincethebookwenttoproofing,thepassingawayofBKSIyengar,bringsmetoanobservationaboutthematriarchybehindRestorativeYoga.ThisincrediblemantaughtVandaScaravellione-to-oneandtheircombinationofmasculineandfeminineperspectivesbroughtforththerealmweenjoyworkingintoday.Mythanksandgratitudetobothandthelegacytheyleftbehindintheirprotégés.IhavehadtheprivilegeofworkingwithbothElizabethPaunczandDianeLong,somythanksandlovetoeachofyou.JohnStirkand Peter Blackaby have also inspired me and encouraged my deep fascination with anatomy andbiomechanics. Actually, it was more frustration – which ignited the questions contained herein. MydeepestappreciationtoCarolineMyssforpersonallyandprofessionallygivingmetheconfidencetotakethosequestionsaboutthephysicalbodyandraisethemtothelevelofthesacredandmysticalindown-to-earth,realwaysthatItreasure.ThankyouforyourGraceandwisdomandtoDavidSmithfortakingitoutintotheworldandansweringmyemails!ToPhilandPatriciatosaythankyouforBillCorsamy“specialagent”,withoutallofyouIwouldhave

struggledmoreandgiggledless.ToStephaniePickeringforhermeticulouscareandlovingattentionasmidwifetoeverychapter.VickyDokasforexquisitedesign;includingthecoveronthisbook.SamiraandKatie,whatwonderfulmodelsyouwereforthe“fasciatubes”–thankstoyoubothandtoDavidWoolley,thephotographerandeveryoneforthepictures.SarenaWolfaard,myhugeappreciationforyourguidance,patienceandwarmth;BruceHogarthforsuchattentiontodetailandeveryoneatHandspring,includingthereviewers thathaveeachbeensogenerouswith their timeandcomments in reading thiswork.AveryspecialthankyoutoLindad’Antalforbeingsopatientinmodelingposturesformetoreferenceinmanyof the illustrations. To your clients and Jo Ellis formore of the same andMartinGordon for artisticguidance.Last,butbynomeansleast,oneofmyoldestfriendsanddearestcompanionsinlife;StevenKingsnorth.

YouensuredthatIstuckwithit,followeditallthrough,nurturedandliterallyfedmewhenIwaslostintranslation or just needing fresh air for inspiration.Without you there would be no art and no art ofcontemporaryyogafromwhichtotellthisstory.Myloveandprofoundgratitudealwaysandinallways.

Indeepgratitudeandawe

JoanneSarahAvisonBrighton,England2014

Contents

PARTONEActivatingtheintellectualmind:behindthenewparadigmChapter1TheArtofContemporaryYogaChapter2AncientWisdomandNewKnowledgeChapter3TheScienceofBodyArchitectureChapter4BiotensegrityStructuresChapter5TheRemarkableHumanBlueprintChapter6TheBreath,theBonesandtheDermatomesChapter7Spines,LinesandAutomobilityChapter8TheElasticBodyChapter9SenseandSentienceChapter10TheFascialForms

PARTTWOAnimatingtheinstinctivebody:applyingthenewparadigmChapter11AnimatingtheArchitectureChapter12YogaandAnatomyTrainsChapter13YogaandPostureProfilingChapter14AdjustmentoftheFascialFormChapter15TheElasticBreathChapter16YogafortheFascialBody:ASimplePractice

PARTTHREEIlluminatingintuitiveawareness:integratingthenewparadigmChapter17FreeingtheFasciafromWithinChapter18TheInnerSenseoftheFasciaChapter19PresenceandPre-senseoftheFasciaChapter20PostureMandalasChapter21ArchetypalGeometries

Index

PARTONE

Activatingtheintellectualmind:behindthenewparadigm

Chapter1TheArtofContemporaryYoga

Chapter2AncientWisdomandNewKnowledge

Chapter3TheScienceofBodyArchitecture

Chapter4BiotensegrityStructures

Chapter5TheRemarkableHumanBlueprint

Chapter6TheBreath,theBonesandtheDermatomes

Chapter7Spines,LinesandAutomobility

Chapter8TheElasticBody

Chapter9SenseandSentience

Chapter10TheFascialForms

CHAPTER

1TheArtofContemporaryYoga

“Outbeyondideasofrightdoingsandwrongdoings,thereisafield.Iwillmeetyouthere”1

Rumi(1207–1273)

Yoga means different things to different people. It can be as complex and as straightforward as theindividualswhopractiseit.Itreliesasmuchonitsinheritedwisdomasitretainsexceptionalrelevanceandvalueinamodernculture.Thereareasmanydifferent stylesofyogaandperspectivesonyogaas therearepeople to interpret

them.Therearefastandslowpractices,dynamicandstaticaspects,differentculturesandapplications.Someyogicformsembraceonlyphysicalpostures,whileothersemphasiseamoremeditativeapproach.Any yoga teacher training includes philosophy and technique, ethics and practice, anatomy andphysiology,aswellasworkonmeditativeapproachesandthebroaderquestforexpandingawarenessandconsciousunderstandingofwhat it is tobealive inabody. In truth,yogacanbecomeas far reaching,profoundandmulti-facetedaswecan.Itseekstoaccountforbody,mindandbeingasacontextforhealthandvitalityonmanylevels.Whetheryourinterestistherapeuticordynamic,forstrengthorstillness,thereisfarmoretotheartofyogathanaseriesofexercisesorshapes-in-spaceonamat.Yogahasevolvedfromancientprinciplesthathaveneverseparatedbody,mindandbeingfromeach

other,aswehaveintheWest.Wedonotleaveourmindsatthedesk,ourheartsoutsidethedoor,andtakeonlyourfunctioninganatomicalpartstotheyogaclass.Rather,weengageourmanydifferentaspectsandfacultiestoarrive(andleave)wholeandcomplete.Weactivateourselvesasoneanimatedform,uniqueandessentiallyself-motivated.Yogaisaboutmovementandqualityofmotionaswellasthepowertobestillinthatmomentofnow.

Much of its value resides in the ability to expand awareness and attention beyond the mind and itsintellectualprocessing, toa stateofpresence in thebody.Once that stateaccumulateswecanbegin tolearnstillnessthroughpoiseandbalance,practisingtheartofrelaxinginquietreflection.Thisbringswithittheabilitytoquietenmindchatter(chittavritti)andbeginstoshowushowyogagoesbeyondthinkingandindividualmovementsaspostures.Itcanbefun,actingasakindofportaltoaccumulatingvitality.Movementisnotanintellectualprocess,andnorismeditation.Bothareheart-feltpracticesofabeing

inabody.Our intellect,or thinkingmind, is justoneofourmanygifts;yogagivesusaccess toallouraspects.Theseincludethethinkingbody,themovingbody,theinstinctivebodyandtheemotionalbody,withallitssensoryandintuitiveabilitiestoexperienceembodiment.

AnatomyoftheBody

Whenwebegintostudyhowthebodyisformed,we(particularlyintheWest) tendtoveerawayfromwholeembodiment,preferringtoexaminethedetailofhowthebodycanbeseparatedorbrokendownintoitscomponentparts.Weturntovariousworksbasedonlong-heldknowledgeinthefieldsofanatomy,physiologyandbiomechanics.Thisapproachrequiresthenamingofourparts,understandingourphysicalsystems and explaining howwemove.We learnwhich parts arewhere (topography), we explain thesystemsinwhichthosepartsfunction(biologyandchemistry),anddescribethemovement(locomotive)apparatus andhow itworks under various aspects of biomechanical andneurological theory.Muscle–bone–joint anatomy is the foundation onwhichwe base our understanding of anymovementmodality.Understandingthebeinginsidethemovingbodyislargelyassignedtotheseparatestudyofpsychology.Tounderstandhowwedo thepostures,we focuson themusculoskeletal system to rememberwhich

musclesmovewhichbonesviatheirspecificattachments.Bylearninghowthenervoussystemworksandassigning specific nerves to each muscle, we can work out which actions do which movements andunderstandtheposturesaccordingly.Orcanwe?

MusculoskeletalSystemOncewehavelearnedthebasicsofmusclesandbones,wenametheligamentsthatattachthebonesoftheskeleton to each other, and the tendons that attach the muscles to those bones, and we find out how,betweenthem, theyactivate thevarious typesof leverageat thedifferent typesof joint.This iswhat isknownasthemusculoskeletalsystem.Westudyitsformanditsfunction.

Iwasinmyearlythirties,threeyearsintolearningyogaonamoreformalbasis,tryingtomakesenseofanatomy.Havingbeentrainedby osteopaths, I considered anatomy and biomechanics to be a high priority, but could not understand why there was such a riftbetweenthebooksandthepeopleactuallydoingyogainmyclassroom.IntothisconfusionwalkedTomMyers.Hestoodinfrontofalargegroupofyogateachersandannouncedtousallthat“thereain’tnomuscleconnectedtonobone,nowhere,innobody”.Togiveyouacontext,thiswasthelate1990s,inBrighton,England.Notonlywasthismanapparentlycommittinganatomicalheresy,hewasdoingitwithabiggrinandanAmericanaccent.Itshiftedafewnotionsandignitedacuriosityinmethathasonlygrownsince.

In this system, eachmusclehas a nameandposition, anorigin, an insertion (or distal andproximalattachment) and an action assigned to it, related to which nerve activates its particular designatedbehaviour(s).Thewholesuiteofmuscle–bone–jointanatomycombinestomotivateasystemofleversandpendulums that allows our bodies to move around. We can choose whether to follow up on thebiomechanics of those levers first, or the nervous system that apparently innervates their respectivefunctions. In either case, it becomes progressivelymore complex and difficult to divide topics up, orwork out what overlaps what and which functions belong to which system. We require ever morecomplicatedrules,formoredetailedfragments.Theabilitytomakesenseofthewholenessthatarrivesintheclassroombecomesincreasinglyelusive.Inyogabookson anatomy, theseprinciples areusuallypresentedviaposes (asanas),with a related

image showing which muscles are contracted, which stretched, and the point at which they areindividuallyattachedintheirso-called“antagonisticpairs”.Similarly, intheanatomyofthebreath,westudytheprinciplesoftheorgansandmusclesofbreathing:howtheyattachtoandmovetheribcageanddiaphragm,whichmusclesareforaccessorybreathing,andsoon.Agreatdealhasbeenlearned,taughtandwrittenabout fromthisparticularperspective.However, it isapersepctive that largelyexcludesakey feature,which is theroles the fasciahasbeyond its capacity to act as apackagingandconnectingtissue.

The importance of fascia has become clearer and more differentiated only comparatively recently.“Fascia”isthenamegiventoaspecific(andvariable)kindofconnectivetissuethatisthesubjectofarapidly increasing amount of research with regard to its range, capabilities and characteristics.2 Thefasciaiswhatwemightcallthe“stuffin-between”thatintraditionaldissectionhasmostlybeenremoved.Ithasbeentreatedmoreasakindofinertpackagingmaterialthatgetsscrapedawayinordertoproperlypresent the more important items, considered to be the muscles, joints, bones and materials of themusculoskeletalsystem.Wewillseeinthefollowingchaptershowthissituationaroseandwhatitisthatissovitallyimportantaboutthisexceptionalfabricofthebody.

WhatisFascia?Thedifficultyinansweringthatquestionistwofold.Thefirstconcernisthatfasciaissomanythings.Thesecondisthatiffasciareallyissomanythings,withsuchatremendousinfluenceonsomuchofourbody,movements and systems, then how has it been overlooked, in terms of its significance, for so manycenturies?Thesearegoodquestions to consider, and this firstpartof thebookwill attempt to answerthem.Wewilldiscoverthattheincreasingknowledgeaboutthefasciaiscreatingaseachange,transforming

ourunderstandingofanythingtodowiththebody.Thescaleofthiseffectisbigenoughtobedescribedasaparadigmshift.Itrevolutionisesourviewofanatomysincemoderntechnologyrevealsthatfasciaisnotonly ubiquitous (everywhere), but sensory in nature (seeCh.9) and crucial to any part of anymuscleconnectingtoanypartofanyboneinitslocality(nottomentionitsneighbouringmuscles).Webegintolearnhowveryimportant thefascia is tounderstandinganatomyandmovementsinceit is theuniversaltissue of relationship between all our parts.What is more inspiring, however, is that wewill find itbegins to make perfect sense of the very wholeness that the ancient principles of yoga endorse andespouse.Fasciacouldbedescribedasthefabricofourform.Itliterallyjoinseverysinglepartofustogether,

fromthefinestlevelofdetailwithinus,betweenthecells,totheoutermostlayeroftheskininwhichwearewrapped.Insomeplacesitissofineitcannotbeseenbythenakedeye,whileinothersitformsthick,layeredsheetsmakingupanamedentitysuchasthethoracolumbarfascia,whichsupportsthelowerandmidback. In someanatomical representationsof thebody it ispresented inwhiteagainst redmuscles.Whatisusuallylessobviousisthatitisinvestedthroughoutthosemusclesandformsthelayersbetweenthem.Itiscontinuouswith,ratherthanseparatefrom,thetendinousattachments,andmuchmorebesides.The fascia is essentiallymadeupof collagen and elastin fibres bound together to forma variety of

tissues. (The fasciaalso includes reticulin,which is immaturecollagen.)Together these tissues formatensionalmatrixthatcontainseverypartofus.Fasciaincludestendinoussheets(aponeuroses)andchords(tendons),connectingwebs(somestrongandsomegossamer-like)andtheboundariesthatdistinguishonepartfromanother.Itincludesvarioustypesoftissueswithdifferentdensities.Theycontributetotheformofjoints,attachments,relatingmembranesandcontinuousconnectivitythroughoutourbodies.Ithasbeensuggestedthattheentirebodyismadeupofvariationsonthistissuetheme:thatboneisacalcifiedformof fascia at its thickest, hardest and most compressed, while cartilage comes next, with high hyalinecontent, then ligament, then tendon, thenmyofasciacontainingnumerousmusclefibres.3These issuesofexactlywhatisandwhatisnotfasciaarenowbeingthoughtfullydebated.Itisthemainbuildingmaterialin our bodies, varying in thickness and density, extending even to the softest and most delicate ofmembranes,suchastheeardrum.Whetherornotthereisuniversalagreementaboutexactlywhatisoris

notfascia(asdistinctfromconnectivetissue),thisviewrepresentsahugeshiftinperspective,fromtheindividualcomponentstothewholenessofthearchitectureholdingthemtogether.

Allfasciaisconnectivetissue.However,notallconnectivetissueisfascia.Bloodisconsideredtobeaconnectivetissue,butitisnotfascia.(Thedistinctionismadebetweenbiologyandbiomechanics.)Therearedetaileddiscussionsofthenamingofdifferentfascialtissuesandacademicconsiderationsforwhatcanandcannotbecalledfascia.However,manyofthepioneersofwhatiscalledfasciaresearchseekaglobaltermfortheseconnectivetissuestorestoreaperspectiveofwholenesstothelivingbodythatcorrelateswiththeexperienceofmanualtherapyandmovement.5Invivoexamination(seeChs2and3)revealsthatfasciaiscontinuouslyconnectedandrelatedthroughoutoursystems,frommicrotomacrolevelsofscale.ThiswillbeexploredandreferencedthroughoutPart1.

Whateverthedifferentpartsofitarenamed(andthereismuchconjecturearoundthis–seeCh.3),thefascia certainly forms what can only be described as a matrix that surrounds everything, connectseverything,yetparadoxicallydisconnectseverything.Inotherwords,itdistinguishesonepartofourbodyfromanother,sinceeverythingiswrappedinit.Italsoholdstogethertheextracellularmatrix,thatis,thefluiddomaininwhichthecellsthatmakeupourorgansandpartsreside.Thefasciacontainsthemandourbodily“colloidsandemulsions”4initsvarietyofexpressionsasthebasictissueofourwholestructure,orhumanarchitecture.Thefasciaenvelopseveryorgan;itispartofwhatformsourvessels(theduraofthenervevessels,the

tunicaeofthebloodvessels)andkeepstheminplace.Itcoversthemusclefibrilsatitsfinest,thefibresintheirbundlesandthewholemuscleforms,aswellasgroupsofmuscles.Itformsthebackoftheskin,thesoft sliding layer between the skin and underlying structures. It forms the architecture of the heart, thelungs,theviscera,thebrainandsensoryorgans,indeed,ofourentirebodyform.Iftherestofusweretoberemoved,wewouldremainrecognisablyus,withjustourfasciaformingaghostofourentirebodyinitsfinestdetailandfullness.Allofthesefascialstructureshaveindividualnames,andsomearestudiedfrom different perspectives, for their distinct roles in the body. Although they are studied under thedesignationofseparatesystems,however,theyarenotexperiencedthatway.Whathasperhapsbeensometimesoverlookedwhenfascia is removedpostmortemis thisuniversal

connectivity. Study of fascia does not replace musculoskeletal anatomy but includes, enhances andevolves it. From a yoga perspective, studying what we could call “fascial anatomy” (variously, ifunofficially,termedosteo-myofascialandneuro-myofascialanatomy)makescompletesenseofyogaandbringstheartofyogaintoapowerfulcontemporaryfocusandholisticrelevance.Figure1.1showsthedifferenttypesofconnectivetissuesconsideredbySchleipandcolleaguestobe

includedinthetermfascia:

“amore encompassing definition of the term fascia was recently proposed as a basis for the firstFasciaResearchCongress(Findley&Schleip2007)andwasfurtherdeveloped(Huijing&Langevin2009) for the followingcongresses.The termfasciaheredescribes the‘soft tissuecomponentof theconnective tissue system that permeates thehumanbody’.One couldalsodescribe theseas fibrouscollagenoustissueswhicharepartofabodywidetensionalforcetransmissionsystem.”6

Figure1.1Thisimageshowsthedifferenttypesofconnectivetissuesconsideredtobeincludedinthetermfascia.Imagereproducedwithkind

permissionfromRobertSchleip,fascialnet.com.

Collagenfibrescanhavedifferentdensitiesanddirectionalalignmentsdependinguponwhichkindoffascialtissuestheyexpress.Thisis influencedbywhatwedo,howwedo it,andhowfrequentlywedo it (i.e. theusagepatternsor local loadinghistory)aswellaslocality in thebodyandtheamountofbodyweightusedinaparticular tissue.Ligamentsandtendons in theankle, forexample,willalwaysbestrongerandthereforedenserthanvisceralfascia.(ThiswillbeexploredfurtherinCh.3.)

Traditionally,the“whitestuff”(fasciaandconnectivetissue)andthe“yellowstuff”(adiposetissue,orfat) are removed in the anatomy laboratory in order to provide “clean” dissection and reveal theimportantpartsforthestudyofanatomyofthelocomotorsystem.Biomechanics,anatomyandtherelatedphysiologicalbasisofstructureandfunctionhaveallbeen,atleastinpart,deducedintheabsenceofthis“in-between”fabricorwrapping.Historically,ithasbeenassignedtothecadavericbins.

FarFromInert

Thisdoesnotmeanthatthesubjectoffasciaisnottaughtinanatomyclasses.Itreferstothemuchlargercontextinwhichfasciaisroutinelyremovedinordertorevealtheunderlyingorembeddedstructures,andthusthereisapossibilitythatitsfullsignificancecanbeoverlooked.Oncethetissuehasbeenthrownaway,itcannotbereinstatedasapartofthewholestructuralintegrity.Itisintothisgapthatthecontemporaryresearchhasrevealedanewrecognitionoftheroles,importanceandvariationinfascialtissuesintermsofourfunctionsandtheirrelationshipstostructure(andviceversa).

The fascia isnowconsidered tobe far fromsimplyan inertpackagingmaterialor justadiscreetunit,suchasthethoracolumbarfasciaorotherspecificpartsofdensefascialfibrestobefoundinthebody.Fasciaalsooccupiestheincrediblycomplexworldofthe“in-between”andformsasingle,body-wide,tensionalnetworkinalldimensions.Theorgans,vessels,musclesandbonesarecontainedwithinit.Thefasciacouldbedescribedasthecommondenominatorofourunifiedform.Untilrecentdecades,theideathatitsremovalwaseffectivelydistortingthetheoriesofstructure,functionandlocomotionuponwhichthestudyofhumanmovementhasbeen(andstill is)built intheWestwouldhavebeentoochallenging.Now the fascia can no longer be ignored, as we continue to experience the ever increasing body of

researchthatisgraduallychangingthebasisofmedicalpracticeandofmovementandmanualtherapies.Studies of this entity are igniting new questions and transforming the foundations upon which classictheories of anatomy, physiology and biomechanics are based. Additionally, fascial anatomy makescomplete senseof the studyofyoga in all its contemporary forms. It is a system that unifies thebody,upgradesourappreciationofmovementandconfersexactlythekindofwisdomandcongruencyweseekinthestudyofyoga.Fromthepostures(yogasana)totheabilitytomanagevariousphysiologicalsystems(i.e.respirationandmorerefinedpracticesofself-management)tomeditation,thefasciaplaysanintimateroleinourhumanexperience.Thesignificanceofthefasciatostudiesofthehumanbodyhasbeenquiteastonishinglyunderestimated

giventhat(1)itisaliveandanythingbutpassive,(2)itisasensoryorgan(seeCh.9),(3)itisliterallyeverywhereand(4)itiscontinuousthroughoutourform,oneveryscale,joiningandrelatingeverythingtoeverythingelse.Thiscombinationofcharacteristicsamountstotherecognitionofthefasciaasthemasterofoursense

ofwhereweareinspace.Thissenseisadditionaltothecommonlyheldbeliefthatwearefive-sensorycreatures.Itisdevelopingasthebasisofoursixth,veryimportantsense:theonethattellsuswherewearerelativetoourenvironmentandourselvesatanypointintime.Thisisknownasproprioception.

Proprioception

“Proprio” comes from the Latin propius, meaning “one’s own”, and “ception” comes from perception. So the translation ofproprioceptionisone’sown,orself,perception.Innatetothetermisitsmeaningasasensoryfeedbacksignallingsystem(Ch.9).Theword“appropriate”comesfromthesameorigins.So,aself-appropriatepracticeisoneinwhichourproprioceptivesenseguidesustocongruency.Thisistheinvitationforustofindourownkindofyoga,onethatspeaksthelanguageofourownessentialbodydialect,writteninitsfascialform.Thatformisinclusiveofthemusclesandwrapsthebones,profoundlyinvestedwithfasciaandembeddedinitsmultidimensionalmatrix.

Proprioceptionisthesensethattellsuswhereweareinspaceatanygivenmoment,feelingthecupwelift to drink from and the amount of energy it takes to place it accurately and sip;making tiny subtlerenegotiationsasthevolumegoesdownandweputitbackonasurface.(Aswewillsee,italsoplaysapartinourinnersenseofhowmuchwehavedrunk,itstemperatureandmaterials.)Proprioceptionisatworkwhenwemoveourfingersoverthekeyboardwetaptowriteanemailorthestringsweplucktoplay a musical instrument. Fascia is referred to as our organ of organisation and its proprioceptivequalitiesaresubtleandextensive. Inyoga it isessentially thesensingofeverypartofus, inanygivenpose,relativetoeveryotherpartandthemat.Itspeakstheinstinctivelanguageofmovementbecausethebody literally senseswhere it is andwhat it does all the time, regardless of our ability to analyse itintellectually.Current researchchallengesour traditionalgeneralnotionsofanatomy,physiologyandbiomechanics

and shakes the foundationsofmanyclassical principles.At the same time, it offers anewcontext thatunifiesnotonlythedifferentpartsofthebodybutalsothebeingthatresideswithinit.Thisisanexcitingtime to be a yoga teacher, since union is such a founding, ancient aspect of yogic wisdom and sofundamentaltothecontemporaryartofyogainallitsvariety.

TheArtofContemporaryYogaThe external spaces inwhichwe live, and aroundwhichwemove, formand informus in unique and

reciprocal relationships. We form and inform our internal world in a similar way, searching forcongruency and appropriate expression in harmony within and without. We grow, change shape andorganiseourselvesonmanylevelsall thetime,bothwithinourowndevelopmentandintheprocessofgrowingandmovingthroughourlives.Wechangethatexperiencefrommomenttomomentanditchangesus, in a relentless and intimate relationship. We weave the story of our lives like a web, a three-dimensionalmatrix, fromwhichwe emerge (and intowhichwe retreat) as is appropriate at the time.Alwaysvariousandvariouslyadapting,weformandfunction,containedbytheoutsideandcontainingtheinside as awork in continual progress.Our fascialmatrix is the changing, growing, three-dimensionalcontextofourform.Itrespondstothemostminutechanges,evenmicro-movements,tooureverygesture.Yogatakespracticebeyondthetechniquesandposturestothebeingparticipatinginthem.It includes

themany differentways ofmoving ourselves, organising our organs (ofmovement, of nourishment, ofknowledgeorcompassion)withintheorganismweconsciouslyconsiderourselvestobe,whateverandwhomeverthatis.Itisasmuchaboutawarenessofthatasitisaboutwhoisbeingawareandhowtheyfosterthatawareness.Congruencyislessaboutajourneytowardsperfection,whateverthatistoyou.Itmight be more about the ability to simultaneously adapt those aspects of ourselves to our outersurroundingsandtoourinnerworld,appropriately.Thebrandofyoga,thewayaposeisperformed,theanatomy,physiologyandphilosophicaloriginsof

thepostureormeditation, isnot themost important thing.Youare.Eachoneofus is seekingourownexpression of balance and congruency, a refinement of our proprioceptive awareness and experience.Yogadoesnotbringyoutoaparticularstatesomuchasitaccumulatesaninnerknowledgeofthestatesyou are capable of being in. It can expand the facility to explore your range of potentials and thepossibilitiesyouconsideryourselftoembody.Howweconnectthesemanyaspectsisfascinatingandthediscovery that we do so through this sensitive connecting fabric of our form enhances the foundingprinciplesofyogaandexpandsourinner-sensing.

Ouryogapractice changes aswedo, ebbing and flowingwithour lives, as an intimate part of us that simplykeepsus awake andaware.Itoffersustheopportunitytoknowanddevelopourselves,oncewefindtherighttypeofyogaforourownparticularform.Itbecomespersonal:auniquepractice thatwecanmouldanddevelop todeepenoursenseofbeing, throughposturesandsequences,movementsandmeditations.Itcanbeabeautifulopportunity torealiseourpotentialsatanyageandatanystagein life.Itchangeswithus.Wecanexploreandgrowtogether,ineverysense.

Yoga does not respond well to being fragmented, and neither do we. Nor is a static state offragmentation like life.Essentially,even ifour journey isoneofdistinguishing theparts, itonlymakessenseinthecontextofaprocessofbecomingwhole.Canweunite,orreuniteoursenseofwhoandhowweare,atanypointintime?Oncewe identify the“cogs”weseek to literallyand symbolicallyre-cog-nise ourselves.There are

manywaysofdoingthis,andyogaisbutoneofthem.Uponexploration,wediscoveryogacanbeaveryrewardingpathwayalongwhichtoseekthatcongruency.Thetreasureofcomfortablemotion,atwhateverlevelwe can embody, iswellworth the expedition to find it. This is the journey from the vitality ofmovement itself to its fullest expression into stillnessandpresence.Wecanevencarveapathof self-esteemoncewe explore becoming conscious of being, beyond “adept at doing” yoga. It is a beautifulmeanstoanendlesspossibility.

LearningAnatomyandPhysiology

Yogawasneverdividedupinthewaythatanatomyandphysiologyhavebeen.Notonlywastheyogicbodytreatedasabreathing,movingwhole,butthemind,bodyandspiritdidnotundergotheintellectual,political and religious segregation practised in Western medical and biomechanical academies. InChapter 2 we will discuss how this came about. However, we can note here that this legacy sitsawkwardlywithapracticeasnaturallyintegratedandintuitivelytunedasyogawasoriginallydesignedtobe.Thegrowingunderstandingofthefascialmatrixasthefoundationofourmovementapparatusmakesmuchmoresenseofthefoundationsofyogaandwhatactuallyhappensinayogaclass,whateverstyleyoupractise.

The sense called proprioception is not mysterious. It consists of recognising the very real and natural process of refining ourmovementsthatwetakeforgrantedaswemanagegravityonearth,instinctively,bymovingaroundanddoingthethingswenaturallydoeveryday.Werefineitby,forexample,practisingyogaandbecomingconsciousofourgesturesandmotionandinternalmotility.Mostmovementteachersandperformersalsodevelopakeenkinaestheticsense,withintheirfavouredmodalities.

Wearrivewholeandcompleteonouryogamats,withallourintellectualandinstinctive,intuitiveandemotional, physical and anatomical aspects intimately interwoven. After all, we are full-bodiedanimationsofourownspirit,howeverour individualbodiesactuallyexpress themselvesandhoweverwe choose to describe them. The recent discovery that the fascia, the very fabric of our form, isinstrumental in holding us all together (literally and symbolically) with an intelligence of its own isimpactingmanyfieldsofstudy.Thegrowingfieldoffasciaresearchisgoingsomewaytoreunitingalltheaboveaspectsofourselves,inmorewaysthananatomicalandphysiological.Newdistinctionsarenowarising, for example, between proprioception and its close cousin “interoception” (sensitivity stimuliarising within the body). They relate the overlapping fields of neurosciences, psychology and self-development.Proprioceptionincludesourabilitytoanticipate;forexample,ifwearewalkingupordownaflightof

stairswesenseimmediatelyifthelaststairisslightlyhigherorlowerthantheothers.Wewillexperiencethisasa“jolt”orevenashock,dependingonthedegreeofdifferenceandwhatinfluencedoursenseofanticipation andour ability to adjust quickly enough.This subtle function is oneweuse a lot,withoutnecessarilybeingawareofit.Proprioceptionisfundamentally,ifnotknowingly,reliedupon.Interoceptionincludes the internalawarenessor“gutknowing”weoftenrefer toasour“instinctive”

sense.Putting itverysimply, thesensorynatureof thefascialmatrixand theparticularstructureof ourformationactivelykeepusintouchwiththatfeelingof“knowing”or“gutreaction”.Newresearchaboutthesensoryreceptors(mechanoreceptors)ofthefascialtissuesinthegutareinfluencingthetermsunderwhichthisqualityofawarenessisunderstood.7Yogaatitsbestnaturallyworksonandrefinesinstinctandintuition,seekingtoenhanceourstructure

and function throughawarenessandattentionand thevariousdifferentpracticesyogacan include. It isconfirmedbythisnewwayofseeingouranatomicalpartsandphysiologicalsystems.Thestudyoffasciaand form in functionalmovement legitimatelyunitesus, returningus towholeness, andmakessense ofmanydifferentaspectsofourpractice.WewillexplorethesetheoreticallyinPart1andpracticallyinPart2.Webeginwhole,weendwhole,andatallstagesbetweenweremainwhole.Thequestionishowdo

weanimatewell?Howdoweanticipate,navigateandnegotiatesuitablechange?Canvitalityberestoredand,ifso,whatistheoptimumwaytodothat?Oncerecognised,howdowesustainit?Asthefasciaisrevealedasthebasictissueofrelationshipinthebody,joiningeverythingtoeverything

elseinonecontinuoustensionalnetwork,itisredefiningourunderstandingofhowonepartexperiences

sensationrelativetoanother.Itisofferingnewexplanationsofhowforcesaretransmittedthroughoutourstructure,modifiedandbalancedbyour innatekinaesthetic intelligence.Theevolvingunderstandingoffasciainvitesustoseeandassessmovementinwholegesturesandconsidertherelationshipsofthepartstoeachotherasparamount.Incontemporaryyoga,knowledgeof thefasciachangeshowweapplyanatomicalunderstandingina

relevantwaytoouractualexperienceofthepostures.Softtissueplaysaprofoundroleinourabilitytoadaptandsustainusefuladaptations.At thesame timewecanreleasecompensations thatare less thanoptimal. While human beings share many aspects in common, the fascia of each one of us behavesuniquely,dependinguponhowweuseit,aswewillseeinlaterchapters.

MorethanThinkingYou can read and write about yoga, philosophy and anatomy until you are weary. However, withoutparticipationandcumulativeexperienceyouwillnotincorporateitsincrediblevalueintoyourtissues.Itcomes alive first and foremost in our felt sense, and not our technical explanations. Our cumulativeexperiencechangesourtissuesandwewilllearnhowthefascialfabricofourformbearstestimonytoitsownhistoryandcanevenrecallit.One of the difficulties of teaching yoga through the template of classic Westernised anatomy and

physiology is thatyoga isessentiallyaboutcontinuityandconnectedness. It isaboutwhat thepartscanmultiplyupto,asunified,ratherthanwhattheydividedowninto,asfragmented.Asmuchaswelovetoidentify the fragments, identification must inspire or enhance our experience rather than reduce it tofunctionaldataoranatomicalconcepts.Bodyfactionsortheories,betheygenericorgenetic,arenotwhatweexperience.

TheEssenceofYogaSanskrit is an ancient language and unlike modern languages, for which we have word-for-wordtranslations between languages, it embraces a more symbolic meaning. The word “yoga” is betterunderstoodasajourneyofunifyingandconnecting,aprocess ratherthananeventorstate.Ratherthanrepresentingunityassuch,itanimatestheaction:theverb“tounify”asaworkinprogress.

Achieving all this takes time and practice for the body, time and practice for themind, and a cumulative process of growing ourawareness,appropriately,attentivelyandconsciouslyforthebeing.Itisallapartofthepartsofus,justasmuchasanytechniquesonamat.Theyarethemeanstoanever-endingexplorationratherthanasequenceofpositionsinashape-shiftingcompetition.Westudythe shapes to become adept and versatile shapeshifters and expand our experience of ourselves.We do not just learn the asanasbecauseKingPigeon(EkaPadaRajakapotasana),forexample,holdsthesecrettohelpingsciaticabystretchingorstrengtheningthepiriformismuscle.

Wearelargelyshapedinvariationsoffascia,asoft,sensory,subtleandself-awarearchitecture,andwewilltalkaboutdoseanddegreeaskeyfeaturesofhowwecontain,maintainandsustainitoptimally.Whicheverendofthescaleyouchoosetoteachyogafrom,beittherapeuticandrestorativeordynamicand powerful, bodies respond to demand and balance, congruent with their individual design andlifestyle.Ourproprioceptivesenserespondstoappropriatetraining.Thisincludeshowoftenyoudoyogaandwhenandhowyouvaryyourpractice,anditchangeswithyouasyoumatureanddevelop(seePart

2).Weeachhavetofindourownwaytomanageourmovements,“fromspeedtostillnessandbeyond”,appropriately.Yogaisfarmorethananalternativemovementpractice.Itdoesnotconformnaturallytoalistofcauses

andconditions,tobemetbyareciprocalcounter-listofantidotesandasanas.Likeanyothermovementprotocolorrandomactivity,itcanequallyharmorhealifitisnotunderstoodinthecontextofthebodyworkingwithit.Asteachers,partofourintegrityistoidentifydifferentbodytypesandtheirsuitabilityforagivenstyleofpractice. InPart2wewill consider thedifferent fascia types that correspond to aperson’s particular build andmovement preferences.One sizenever fits all, and in the context of thefascia,wehaveameanstohonourthat,giventhemanyandvariousstylesofyogaandpeoplewhocanbenefitfromit.

TheNeutralAspectInyoga,oneofthefoundingprinciplesispolarity.Itissymbolisedbythefeminineandmasculine,IdaandPingala.Theyareexpressedoneveryscaleascoexistingorco-creativeforces.Wewillstudyfurtherhowourstructurereliesprofoundlyontheseprinciples.For every active pose we invite a counter-pose. To assimilate the active asanas, meditation is the

naturalcounterbalance.Itrepresentsvitalmovementbalancedbylivingstillness.Thispolarityisinnatetoyoga,asitistobalanceandallthelawsofmotion.IdaandPingala,theenergeticchannelsofthespine,represent the moon (the feminine principle) and the sun (the masculine principle). They are also thesymbolicreferencesforourawarenessandattention,respectively.Theyrepresentthearchetypalqualityofopposites.Weonlyeverknowa thingby itsopposite force, sopolarity itself is theessenceofourexperience.

Yoga practice can provide a context of quietness to distinguish sound and the stillness fromwhich torecognisemovement.Wehave to bewilling to beunable to do something in order to accumulate andrecogniseourabilitytodoit.Ithastobeginasapparentlyfragmentedinordertobecomewhole.Thisisoneofthekeypurposesofmeditationandthecumulativepracticesofself-awareness.Itisquite

distinctfromaself-consciouspreoccupationwithhowonefeelsorlooks.Itistheinclusionofoursenseofself,beyondmind.Oneresidesinbeing,theotherprefersidentity.Botharerequired.Neithercandoitalone,anymorethanwecan.Indeed,notwoaspectscandoitwithoutathird,becauseneithercanseeitsself.Duality is notwherewe stop; it is a portal throughwhichwe can travel to the placewhere theoppositescancoexistandresidetogether.Bydevelopingtheabilitytoobserveourselves,wecreatethatessentialthirdaspectofthewitness:theneutralobserver.As soon aswe are able to observe polarity,we enter thewitness state that sees both opposites, or

dualities, at the same time. Paradox makes perfect sense here. This is a shift from two-dimensionalthinkingtothree-dimensionalbeing.Itisanessentialonebecausethebodyworksinthreeaspectsatleast,notjusttwo.Wedonotarriveflatpackedbuttakeupspace.IdaandPingalaarenotthewholestorybuttogether give rise to a third domain, the spontaneous possibility of Shushumna. This third aspect isneutral,theplaceinwhichIdaandPingalauniteandcoexistinnaturalbalance,inthesamewaythatthefasciaunites themuscles andbonesof themusculoskeletal system,giving rise to awhole systemas acombination.The fascia is neithermusclenor bone; it is distinct from them.However, it is also theircontext,thecommondenominatoroftheircombinedwholenessasasystem.

IntoThreeDimensions

Asnotedabove,althoughweoccupyspaceinthreedimensions,ourcultureoftenresidesinadomainofduality, preferring amore two-dimensional thinking. In anatomyandphysiologywe talk about specificoppositions and about “equal and opposite forces” (see Newton, Ch. 2) that are activated in nature.Musclesaredescribedintermsofantagonisticpairs.Wethinkofmusclesandbonesastheprotagonistsofthelocomotorsystemandthebreathisoftendescribedintermsoftheinhaleandtheexhale(seeCh.15).

Medical textbooksareoften illustratedwith two-dimensional iconographic images inorder to express things inunderstandableways(seeCh.3).This isnotwrong;however, in the lightoffascialresearchit is insufficient.Wemightalsoexpandourunderstandingtoincludeandrecognisethewholenessweexperience.Visually,thisisverycomplex;intellectually,itiseasiertodrawonlyoneconclusionatatime.

Inaparadox,twoopposingideascancoexistatthesametime.Thisfieldisinclusiveofbothpolarities,both opposite forces. However, it also provides a kind of “platform” yielding a combination that issimultaneously “both” and “neither”. We are calling this the neutral field or thewitness state. Thisbecomesveryimportantbecause,unlessweupgradetheconversationtoincludethislanguageofparadox,wewillnotfullyunderstandtheimpactoffasciaonformorfunction.Itwilleludeusifwestaywithintheoldlanguageoftwo-dimensionalthinkingbecausethisisawholenewparadigm.Itisthethirddimensionofthelocomotorsystem.Neutralisnotadefaultcondition,resultingfromthefailuretomakeadecision,butratheranactively

generatedstatewhichexpandsthepointofviewtoincludeallpossibilities.Thesearechallengingnotionsbecause they go beyond the mind, to the being. The mind loves the pendulum-swinging metronome,oscillatingbetweenrightandwrong,upanddown,forwardandback.Thisiswherewefindourrhythm,andsuchnotionsdonotstopbeinginnatelyrelevantinthisviewbutareincludedasanunderlyingpatterninthelargerparadigm,wherethatrhythmisexpressed.

BeyondPolarityConsideracircle.Aseriesofoverlappingcirclescanmakeabeautifulpattern(Fig.1.2).(WewillseethesignificanceofthisinPart3.)Themomentyouseethatseriesofcirclesrepresentedinthreedimensionsasaseriesofspheres, itconsumesthepatternthecirclesmade(Fig.1.3).Thereare fewer lines in theliteralsense,but,symbolically,thereismorevolumerepresented.

Figure1.2Thisisathree-dimensionaldiagramofthesameeightspheresseeninFig.1.2.ImagereproducedwithkindpermissionfromMartinGordon.

Figure1.3Thisseriesofoverlappingcirclesisatwo-dimensionaldiagramofeightspheres;onesitsbehindthecentrecircle.Imagereproducedwithkind

permissionfromMartinGordon.

Yetthecircularpatternremainswithinthespheres,albeitconsumedorhiddenwithinthem.Whathaschanged is your point of view and the depth of field.What has been transformed is your kinaestheticabilitytointeractwiththeobject.Thekinaestheticsense,ormovement,occupiesadomainthatnotonlylivesinthreedimensionsbutalsooperatesataratemanythousands8of timesfaster thanthinking.(SeeMarginnote.)The three-dimensional perspective, which resides in neutral, includes the circles that are in the

spheres. This perspective becomes essential to understanding fascia and how it integrates our fullyfunctionalmovement.Itgivesrisetoourembodimentofthoserhythmicalsumsofourparts.Wemaketheshapesinyogainordertoenquirehowwemoveandshapespaceinallouraspectsandwholeness.Weare thesumof theupand thedown, the lateralandmedial, the innerandouter.Weare the in-betweeninterface,themembranerespondingthroughforms,thedomaininwhichbothcanoccuraspolaritiesandfindthemselvesunited.

TheRenaissanceThe representation of human beings in three dimensions, rather than two, was part of a huge shift inculture, affecting every area of theWesternworld in theRenaissance. Itwas shown in art and in ourunderstandingofourplanetaswesailedtonewlands.ThisperiodmarkedaturningpointinthehistoryofEuropean thought, when science and medicine became studies in their own right. The whole periodbetween 1400 and 1800 was a time of immense changes in every field of endeavour in theWesternhemisphere. Itproducedmanyof thephilosophersandscientistsuponwhosegeniusourcurrentbeliefsrest.WewillconsidertheminChapter2,toprovideacontextforthechangesweareseeinginourcurrentage.Indeed,somesuggestweareinanewperiodofRenaissanceorrebirth,enteringthenextdimensionofseeing.

Ifyoutrytoinstructsomeonenewtoyoga,ortheyuseabook,withonlyverbalorwrittencuesandnorecoursetodemonstration,youwillbumpintothedividebetweenintellectandinstinctandtheirrespectivespeeds.Participationandpracticebringthemovesintotheinstinctiverealmsothateventually,wedonothavetothinkaboutthem.

Part1examinessomeoftheimpactsofpastandpresentchangesinthinkingonanatomy,physiologyandbiomechanics,consideringhowessentialitistounderstandthetriunenatureofourwholenessoneverylevel.Nowheredoesthisbecomeclearerthaninunderstandingthestructuralprinciplesofbiotensegrity

(Ch. 4). Triangulation is presented as a basis of our architecture and its forming. The chapter onembryology(Ch.5)presents theessenceof itall, ifwecanunderstandneutralasa thirdstateorplacefromwhichtoviewpolarity,evolvingbeyondtwo-dimensionalthinking.WhatwecannotforgetinallthisisthatthepracticeofyogaoriginatedintheEasternhemisphere.As

such,bringingittotheWestisaninvitationtoexpandourthinkingtoincludethefar-reachingnatureofitspotential. If we do not, we risk reducing and diminishing it. The range of studies and the pioneersdevelopingthefieldoffasciaresearch9havemadethatreductionismunnecessary.The tensional network of the human form unites anatomy and physiology. It makes sense of the

biomechanicsandclearlyformsthesensorybasisofourinstinctstomove.Ittransformsourunderstandingofyoga,whileyogaitselfcanactivelytransformthefascialmatrix.Thisincludesthemusclesandbones.Likethespheresabsorbingthecircles,thefasciaincludestheorgansofmovement,unifyingthemwiththewholeofthebody.Yogaisnotrestrictedtoposturesorauthenticallylimitedtomakingshapesusingthebonyframeworkof

theaxialandappendicularskeleton.Ourbeingmovesusineverysenseandoneverylevel,inourownways.Itbecomesclearthatyogaandfasciasitcongruentlytogether,makingsenseofeachotherandofourpersonal,uniqueorganisationwithinthespace–timecontinuum.Yoga is really about sentientbeings,butunlesswecan step intoneutral and seehowwearebeing,

detachedfromtheillusionofwhatwemakethatmean,wecannoteasilyrealiseourownpotencytoco-createourlivesandrecogniseourfullgraceandpotential.Thatpossibilityresidesinthedifficultyandsweetness,thecomplexityandsimplicityofmovementandstillness,astheyare.Wecanobservebothatthesametime.UnitingthemultipleaspectsofourselvesandwitnessingthatjourneyistheinvitationtothefieldofgracethatRumirefers to in thequotationat theheadof thischapter.It is thefield“outbeyondideasofrightdoingsandwrongdoings”.Asafellowyogateacher,Iwouldlovetomeetyouthere.

Notes1. Jelaluddin Rumi, The Essential Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks with John Moyne, A.J. Arberry and Reynold Nicholson,

HarperCollins,SanFrancisco,1995.2. Thenumberofpapersonfascia indexedinOvid, theMEDLINEandScopusdatabaseshasgrownfrom200peryear in the1970sand

1980stoalmost1000in2010(RobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody,ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012).

3. ForanexcellentoverviewseeCh.1,“TheWorldAccordingtoFascia”,inThomasW.Myers,AnatomyTrains:MyofascialMeridiansforManualandMovementTherapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,Edinburgh,2009.

4. StephenLevin,www.biotensegrity.com.5. IntroductiontoRobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHuman

Body,ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.6. Ibid.7. RobertSchleipandHeikeJäger,“Interoception:ANewCorrelateforIntricateConnectionsBetweenFascialReceptors,EmotionandSelf

Recognition”,Ch.2.3inRobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody.ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.

8. AlexanderFilmer-Lorch,InsideMeditation:InSearchoftheUnchangingNatureWithin.Matador,KibworthBeauchamp,2012.9. International Fascia Research Congresses 2007, 2009, 2012: www.fasciacongress.org and Fascia Research Society:

www.fasciaresearchsociety.org.

CHAPTER

2AncientWisdomandNewKnowledge

“Seeinghowgeometryshapesnature,youcanunderstandwhyancientartists,architectsandcraftspeopleofmanycultureswereimpressedbyits

poweranditsabilitytoennoblehumancreations.Theancientswereawareofnature’sgeometriclanguageandpurposefullyemployeditin

theirarts,crafts,architecture,philosophy,myth,naturalscience,religionandstructuresofsocietyfromprehistorictimesthroughtheRenaissance.Theworldtodayneedsscholarsandresearcherswhogivetheancientscreditfortheirintelligenceandunderstanding,toviewtheirartand

entireculturesinthelightofitsmathematicalsymbolism.”1

MichaelS.Schneider

There isarichstorybehindtheevolutionofanatomy.Earlyanatomistsworkedinawaythat tendedtoreduce our soft architectural individuality to the lowest common denominators. The discovery of howimportant the fascial matrix is in reuniting those same parts and recognising the significance of theirnaturalarchitecturehascomeata timeinourculturewhenweunderstandnetworks.While theInternetenablescommunicationandeducationaroundtheworld,the“internal-net”isbeingrecognisedasglobalintermsofthebody’sworld.Itliftsthegameofanatomyfromthepageandplacesitonthemat,whereyogaplaysit.How the fabric of the fascial web is structured as the basis of our physical three-dimensional

architecturewillbeconsideredinthenextchapterandthroughoutPart1.Whatfollowsinthischapterissomeoftheculturalbackground,showinghowthewholenessofhumananatomycametobefragmentedintopartsinthefirstplace.ThischapterbeginstoanswerthequestionweaskedinChapter1astohowthefasciawasgenerallyoverlookedforsomanycenturies.

EarlyWesternMedicineHippocrates(approx.460–377BC)isoftencreditedwithbeingthefoundingfatherofWesternmedicineand withmakingmedical and anatomical studies a distinct profession. Human dissection was strictlyforbiddenunderGreeklawsomedicalpracticewasdevelopedbycarefullytakingnotesconcerningthepatient’slivingexperience.Thisbuiltupabodyofknowledgegainedfromdueconsiderationofailmentsandalogicalstudyofthestagesanillnessorconditionandapatientwentthrough.

To someextent the systemofhumours shared similaritieswith theAyurvedicprinciples that are still practised inEasternmedicine.However,suchtypingwaseventuallyalmostentirelyabandonedintheWestinthelatenineteenthcenturywiththediscoveryofthecellastheprimaryunitoflife(seeVirchowbelow)asafoundingcontextinthefieldofmedicine.

The Hippocratic School united both the Asclepian principles of intervention (the doctor) and theHygeian notion of facilitation (the healer;meaning “tomakewhole”),whereby the patientmade somecontributiontotheirownhealingprocess.Thesystemoftheso-called“humours”wasdevelopedbasedonclassifyingeachindividualintotypesaccordingtothewaytheirbodyhelditsfluids.Balancewasthekey to managing the person’s health according to their type and various other conditions such astemperamentandasuitableenvironmentinwhichtoheal.Inancienttimes,thestudyofthehumanbodywasnotrestrictedorconfinedtoaparticularscience.The

study of art and architecture also required an extensive knowledge of nature, form, movement andstructureinalllivingandcraftedthings.Theideasofphilosophers(asthefoundingfatherswereknown)and the extent of their knowledgewaswide by contemporary standards but perhaps less deep in anysingleareaofspecialisation.Inearliertimesthenatureofaphilosopher’sreligiousfaithwascloselytiedintothefabricofhislife.Notably,thereproductionoftextorimagewasmadebyhand,aprocesswhichwasveryexpensive.Artistsandcraftsmenwerepatronisedbythewealthyorapprenticedtoamaster,sotheyoftenhadtofollowthefaithandsocialorculturalrulesoftheirpatrontothrive.Thusthesanctionofthechurch,theemperororthesovereignhadgreatinfluenceoverhowknowledgeprogressed.

VitruviusOne philosopher who enjoyed the favour of the first Roman emperor, Augustus, wasVitruvius (bornapprox.80BC).Thedateofhisdeathisunknown.AnarchitectwhoservedintheRomanarmy,Vitruviuswasthefirst toprovidewrittenvolumesonarchitecture.Hisworkincludedabroadscope,suchasthearchitectureofinstrumentsformakingmusic,thestudyofhumanforminitsproportionsaswellasmoreclassicalaspectsassociatedwiththearchitectureofconstructingbuildings.Hisdetailedstudyofnatureasthe source of form includedhowproportionmattered in balancingphysical forces and aesthetic formswith sensory perception. In perceiving and presenting beauty in structure and function, the architectstudied and portrayed nature and its forces, which were considered essential to any architecturalundertaking.Everydesigninnature,accordingtoVitruvius,includedthethreeprinciplesanarchitectmustfollowinanythinghecreated:

Firmitas,utilitas,venustas

Firmitas, utilitas, venustas (It should be solid [structurally sound], useful [useable, suitable for its specific purpose] and beautiful[aestheticallypleasing])

DivineProportiongave rise to theharmonyofnature and thereforedictated the ideal proportionsof abuilding,particularlyonedesigned tohonour thedivine,suchasa templeorchurch.Therulesof formwereappliedtofarmorethanbuildings,however.Whetherforaestheticharmonytotheeyeorear,ortheexperience of a shape or form, these laws were considered necessary to assure “firmitas, utilitas,venustas”ineverything,fromthedesignofaninstrument,oratool,toapieceoffurniture.VitruviustookfromPlatoandPythagoras theprinciplesofwhatwas,and is, referred toasSacredGeometry,and theproportions and ratios of the Platonic Solids, the essence of the shapes ofmatter in living dimension.

Thesearetheregularpolyhedronsinherenttoallcrystalsmakingupformsinnature,andwewillconsidertheirimportancetofascialformationinlaterchapters.

Yoga,at this timewasvirtuallyunknownintheWest.BetweenclassicalantiquityandtheRenaissance,however,bodiescametobeconsideredinverydifferentways.Fromtheaestheticsensibilitiesandsensitivitiesoftheartstotheanaestheticobjectivityofmedicineandanatomy,allsuchstudiesintheWestwereauthorisedbytheChristianchurch,sincereligionwasconsideredthesupremeguardianofthehumanspiritanditshighestinterests.

TheGoldenRatiowas found everywhere in nature, so to use it in the broad spectrum of design inancient architecturewas actually to recognise the essence of natural (and therefore sacred) form. Thearchitect did not seek to dominate or authorise this sacred form but rather to capture or recreate itsessence and beauty. Man was considered to be the ultimate expression of Divine Proportion, theembodiment of nature’s purest geometries. Vitruvius set an extraordinary challenge, whose solutionremainsapowerfulsymboltoday:

“Toanyartistorarchitecttodrawthehumanbodywithitsarmsoutstretchedsuchthatbothfeetandhandscouldsimultaneouslytouchtheperimeterofthecircleandthesquare”(ofthesamearea).2

This conundrum ofDivine Proportion in relation to the human bodywas not solved until the fifteenthcentury,whenLeonardodaVincicompletedadrawingwhichansweredthechallengevisually(seelaterinthischapter).

TheRenaissance

“Inthisonecity[Florence],atthisonetime,thereflowedtogethersomanygreatmindsandtalentsthatthecombinedstreamsofinspirationbroughtabouttherebirthofWesterncivilisation–theRenaissance.…Florence’shistoriccentreissosmall…yet, the fortuitous coming together of so many extraordinary personalities and events in this tiny area brought forth afloweringofthearts,sciencesandphilosophythatstillinfluencesourworldtothisday.”3

TheperiodoftheRenaissanceinEuropewasanexceptionaleraofexpansionanddevelopmentinmanyfieldsthroughoutthecontinent.DuringtheMiddleAges,thechurch’sdominancewasreflectedinsocialclassstructuresandinthesystemsthatgovernedorganisationsandcultures.Educationwasnotaccessibleto the masses, but remained a relatively restricted privilege of the nobility and the clergy and thosewealthyenoughtoafforditorluckyenoughtofindapatron.Communicationotherthanbywordofmouthreliedtoagreatextentonskilleduseofpenandinkon

expensiveparchment.Rare, handmadebookswere thedomainof an educated elite,wealthy enough totravel, readandwrite.Asoneof theprimarypatronsof thearts, thechurch’sdevelopmentofreligioussymbolismwasoneofitsmainmeansofdisseminatingreligiousideals.Thechurchalsosanctionedthefieldsofeducation thatdeveloped, forwithoutecclesiasticalapproval,any theoryorpracticecouldbejudgedhereticalandthetheoristwouldnotonlynolongerbepatronised,butmightevenbepunished.

Academicfieldsinformertimeswereunlikethoseoftoday.Manyphilosophers(atermformerlyusedforbothscientistsandartists)hadwhatwewouldnowconsider tobemultidisciplinaryskills.Humandissection,forexample,wasstrictlyforbiddenunderreligiouslaw,soearlyscientificdevelopmentofanatomyandbiomechanicswasrestricted to thestudyofanimals,and theorieswerederivedfromsuchdiversefieldsasmathematicsandthestudyofclockmechanisms(horology).

Gutenberg’sinventionoftheprintingpressin1440begananeraofmasscommunicationthatchangedsociety.His1455Bibleisreveredforitsbeautyofdesignandillustrationanditsiconicstatusasthefirstmajorprintedbook.Thepopularityofrelativelyeconomicallyproducedprintedbooksoversubsequentdecades extended education beyond the elite so that information and ideas could be circulated morewidely. This gradually gave rise to new waves of scholarly investigation and popular culture waschanged bywhatwas to diversify into the arts and the sciences.The ability to print and publish theirtheoriesallowedthefoundingphilosophers,writers,artists,musiciansandscholarsinawidevarietyofdifferentfieldstocommunicate theirconceptsandinterpretations.Theirability toexploreanddeveloptheirideas,however,wasintimatelyrelatedtowhethertheywereabletogainsanctionorpatronagefromthe church or from local noblemen. For centuries to come, the church’s influence over all aspects ofacademicandsocialdevelopmentwasprofound.While the sixteenthcenturywasaverysignificant time forall aspectsofEuropeanculture, thiswas

particularlytrueforthebirthofwhatwenowcallscience.Fromthisperiod,changewasrapidandmanyofthegreatphilosophersweretobecometheso-calledfathersofvariousfieldsofmodernscienceandmedicine.

PolarityThevolumeanddepthof informationbeingdiscoveredwithnew instrumentation,when telescopesandthenmicroscopesbroughttheworldsofbothheavenlyandlivingbodiesintonewperspectives,generatedexponentialgrowthinoppositedirections.Onefieldgrewonthescaleofthecosmosandtheotheronthescaleoftheuniverseinsideacell.SuchpolaritiesnaturallystretchedthespacebetweenthemandgaverisetofastandvastgrowthineveryareaofWesternculture.Agreatdividebegan toarisebetweenmanandnature,hisownnature,due inpart, ironically, to the

wayinwhichthestudyofhumananatomyeventuallycametobesanctionedbythechurch(seeDescartes,later in this chapter). Soft tissue was removed from the physical body when human dissection waseventually permitted. Since it was not recognised as playing any kind of significant role in physical,mentaloremotionalrealms, itwasrelegated toakindofunclassifiedhinterlandwhere it remainedforcenturiestocome.Inshort,itwasoverlooked.WhileartistssuchasLeonardoandMichelangelochangedtheaestheticaspectofhowhumanformwas

presented, Descartes and Borelli theorised over the anaesthetic domain of “mechanical function” andformalanatomicalstudy.Thekinaestheticaspectsofexperienceweresomewhatlostintranslation.Wewillnextconsidersomeofthekeypioneers(inchronologicalorder)fromearliercenturiesinorder

toshowthesignificanceofwhat ishappeningin this, the thirdmillennium.Agroundswellofchangeisshapingourverydifferentworlds.Thehugeimpactofprintinginthefifteenthcenturyisechoedbythatofpersonal computing in the twenty-first. Both inventions have transformed the rate and range of thedisseminationofinformation,theformeratwalkingpaceandthelatteratthespeedoflight.Itisourtasktosomehowunite theancientwisdomwithcontemporaryknowledge,and incorporate thedetailsofallthosepartsintoawholebodyofdistinctionandunderstanding.

TheCuttingEdgeGalen(AD 129–approx. 217)was a prominent physician and philosopher at the court of theRomanemperors. His reputation was gained from his extensive anatomical studies, although since human

dissection was strictly forbidden under the laws of Rome the subjects of his dissections were oftenBarbary apes on the grounds that they were similar to humans. Galen’s theories followed those ofHippocratesandremainedunchallengeduntiltheworkofVesaliusintheseventeenthcentury(seelaterinthischapter).Itwasduring theperiodof theRenaissance that the longestablishedprinciplesofantiquitybegan to

evolve more rapidly into new areas of advanced study, and creative and scientific development wasopenedup.

“TheRenaissancewas therebirthofmanoutof thedarkyearsofmedieval superstitionsandbeliefanda return to the lightofhuman reason. ItalyandparticularlyFlorencewereat theheartof thisreawakeningofthehumanspirit.WhatmorepromisingtimeorplacecouldhaveexistedasLeonardo’smilieu?”4

Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) is considered to be one of the finest examples of the archetypalRenaissanceMan.ItwasLeonardowhosolved thecircleand thesquareriddleposedbyVitruvius,byplacingtheircentresatdifferentpointsonthehumanform(Fig.2.1).Everyotherdraughtsmanwhohadattemptedtosolvethisproblemhadassumedthecentrepointofthecircleandthesquareweresetatthesameplace.Leonardo’sVitruvianMansetsthecentreofthesquareonthepubicboneandthecentreofthecircleatthenavel.ThisdrawinghasprofoundsignificanceintermsofSacredGeometry.

Figure2.1LeonardodaVinci’sVitruvianMan.Leonardo’sknowledgewentbeyondtheordinaryandhisabilitytobothliterallyandsymbolicallythink

outsidetheboxdemonstratedhisuniquemindandthebreadthofhisinsight.

ThehallmarkofRenaissancehumanismwasitscompletedeparturefromthemedievalcultureoficonic

symbolism that preceded it. The Renaissance artists sought to achieve a vivid sense of animation inportraying their living subjects. Leonardowas a leading figure in the transformation of the artist as acraftsmantothestudyofartasascienceandtheelevationofaestheticprinciples.

“artistswantedtolearnalltheycouldabouttheinnerstructureofthehumanbodyinordertocomeupto the level of expertise of the ancient Greco-Roman artists in representing the human form. TheChurchhadforbiddenanysuchdissections,since itconsideredthehumanbodyadivinemystery.Inaddition, it was still leery of perfect representations of human and mythological figures, which itthoughtmightleadtoasortofspiritualrecidivism,areturntopaganidolatry.Thisisthereasonthatmedieval portrayals of the human figure seem so flat and unnatural compared to those found inClassicalandRenaissanceartwork.”5

According to his own notes, Leonardo did not want to draw muscles as “bulging shapes”6 withoutunderstanding how the “tendinous function” caused them to actually behave in physicalmovement.Aswellasusingcadavershemadeextensivestudiesoflivingbodiesinmotion.Thiswastoexplorehowthewholebodyin“action”expressedmovementnaturallybeforeitwastransferredontocanvasorfresco.Structureandfunctionwereintimatelyrelated,andaprofoundunderstandingoffundamentalprinciplesofgeometryandmathematicswas translated intohis engineeringandarchitecturaldesigns, aswell ashisdrawings,paintingsandsculptures.Leonardo’s studies also included SacredGeometry and through his deep understanding of nature he

wasabletocapturetheessenceofhissubjectsaswellastheirform.Hissenseofthethree-dimensionalspaceandlightaroundandwithinhissubjectsisexceptionalevenbymodernstandards,withtheuseofcomputerisedanimation.ForLeonardo,thebodyhadavitalarchitecture.Itwasnotjustashape,nordiditfunctionmechanically.Heunderstoodthatstructureandfunctionwereprofoundlyrelated.HispaintingsalsoevokeanemotionalresponseandthesensethattheMonaLisaisfollowingyouaroundtheroomispalpable.Itwentbeyondtheaesthetictoincludethekinaesthetic,evokingthefeltsensefromtheobserver.This was an essential aspect of Renaissance art: to capture the charisma (“charism” meaning soul-essence)ofthesubject(s)permanently.The foundation of Leonardo’s skills, however, was in mathematical deduction and geometry. The

complexandmathematicallyaccuratestudiesbyLeonardoofthefivePlatonicSolids(Figs2.2and2.3)relate directly to the study of biotensegrity (see Chapter 4) and the most contemporary research intohumanmotion.The subjectofLeonardo’smastery,whether abodyor abuilding,was considered from thepointof

viewofitsaesthetic,itsfunctionanditsform.Itswholearchitectureandpurposewereintegratedandthefundamentaloriginsandultimate“utilitas”of thestructural shapeswere recognisedandpresentedwithartisticconscience.Leonardodevelopedartasascience,eventhoughhedidnotobservefromamedicalpointofview.He

was creating an artefact that suggested atmosphere and portrayed the vitality of the subject, earnestlystudyinghowmovementwascapturedinamomentofstillness.Hisworknowseemsveryfarremovedfrom that of the developing sciences.Here, dead bodieswere the principal source of knowledge, andfunctionwasdeducedafterthefact,afterallofthesoftconnectingtissueshadbeenremoved.Leonardoincludedthe“tendinousarchitecture”indefiningmovementandredefininghisdesignsinotherfields.(Hedesignedmachines,instruments,vehiclesandbuildingsaswellasbeingaprolificpainterandcraftsman.)Atthisperiodtheabsolutedivisionbetweenartandsciencehadnotyetbecomepartofaccepteddogma.

Figure2.2ThesmallmarginalimageisavisualreferencetooneofLeonardodaVinci’sgeometricaldrawingsinthebookDedivinaproportione.Onlytwocopiesofthisbookexist:oneinBibliotecaAmbrosianainMilan,theotherinBibliothèquedeGenèveinGeneva.(VariousLeonardoda

VincigeometricalimagesareavailableonlinefromtheBridgemanArtLibrary.)Inanattempttodrawthiscomplexgeometrywithcomputergraphicstheotherimageswereproduced–however,theyarenotentirelyaccurate.Leonardo“saw”beyondthepagetocreatethiswithonlyapencilandtheinstrumentsavailabletohim.Theypresentsomethingfarmoresophisticatedthantechnicaldraughtsman’sskills.Imagesby

MartinGordon(www.mothcreative.co.uk).

Figure2.3ThemarginalimageisareferenceforLeonardo’sexceptionaldrawingsofthefivePlatonicSolids,cleverlyportrayedinthree-dimensional

perspective.Themainimageconveysthesamesolidsusingcomputerisedgraphics–pointingtotheexceptionalvisionattheheartofLeonardo’sprofoundunderstandingofallnature’sforms,somethinghesoughttotranslateintofresco,painting,instrumentdesign,machine

designandelaboratearchitecturalventures.ImagesbyMartinGordon(www.mothcreative.co.uk).

Itisnotablethat,overtheensuingcenturies,therealismtheRenaissanceartistswerestrivingforwasgraduallyreplacedinthestudyofanatomybyevermore iconicrenditionsofschematicdiagrams.This ispartlywhytheconnectingtissuecontinuedtobeoverlooked.Clean dissection andclean, diagrammaticorgraphic representationofwhat is dissectedhaveunderlined the focuson contentovercontext. This is an important factor in understanding fascia. We have been mesmerised by iconic images of clean red musclesattaching todefinedbones, just asourpredecessorswere seducedbyChristian iconographic symbols.Onevery level,we arenowinvitedtoreconsiderourperspectivetoonethatismoreinclusiveofthecontext.

AndreasVesalius(1514–1564)wasthefirsttochallenge1500yearsoftradition,upheldbyGalen,inthefieldofanatomy.Vesaliusacquiredrareandspecialdispensationfromalocaljudgetoworkwithhumancadavers. He directly compared human bodies with those of certain non-human primate specimens,

thereby challenging classical anatomy such as it was considered to be at the time. In the TheatrumAnatomicum at theUniversity of Padua, the first anatomical theatre,Vesalius’ anatomy demonstrationsdrewanaudiencefromaroundEurope,includingartists,scholarsandmembersofthemedicalprofession.Despitethefactthathewasabletoshowthesignificantdifferencebetweenthestraightlumbarspineoftheapeandthecurvedhumanlumbarspine(lordosis),hewashighlycriticisedforhisviewsbymanyatthe time. In a culture dominated by doctrine, “proof by demonstration” did not necessarily counter“traditionbydeclaration”.Anatomical drawings relied heavily on excellent artists to produce them. After a century of

development, refined printing techniques meant that the work done by Vesalius could be more easilypublicised.Thoughacceptanceofhisworkwasnotuniversal,itrepresentedanexceptionalbreakthroughatthetimeinseveralways.First,hechallengedthe1500yearsofacceptanceofGalen’sworkonapesasthebasisofhumananatomy.Second,heconsidered thestudyofanatomyanessentialbasis forsurgery,whichwasarevolutionarynotionatthetime.Third,hepubliclypresentedhisfindingsbydemonstrationandobservation.Theseeventshave tobeseen in thecontextof their time.Theywereextraordinarychallenges to the

centuriesofbelieftheysoughttoevolve.Vesaliusredirectedthecourseofanatomicalstudyofthehumanbody from its established tradition and asserted its relevance to medicine. In 1543 he published hisgroundbreaking workDe Humani Corporis Fabrica, literally meaning “the material/workings of thehumanform”or“madefromthehumanbody”.Thebookwasbasedlargelyonhumandissectionwhichwasdoneinaparticularway.Thescalpelwasfocuseduponwhatitcuttoratherthanwhatitcutthrough.Nevertheless,anatomywastransformedintoasubject thatreliedupondetailedandcarefulobservationandmeticulousdissection,makingitasmuchanartandaskill,asascience.Hislegacywasavailableinprintand thuscontributed to theexpansionof thewhole fieldofmedicine, surgeryandanatomyacrossEurope.Manyuniversitiesopenedanatomicaltheatresasaresult,tofurtherdevelopthestudyofanatomybothasasubjectinitsownrightandasthebasisofmedicalpractice.Paduaremains,tothisday,attheforefront of anatomical authority, maintaining the official archives on human anatomy. Whatever hiscontemporaries thought about his views, through his style of dissectionVesalius radically changed thepoint of view regarding human form and the significance of anatomical organisation. His use of thescalpel(accordingtoTomMyers“atrightanglestothebody”)incuttingupparts,regardlessofthelayersorcontinuitiesinwhichtheyreside,becametheassumedbasisofthestudyofanatomy.7Galileo (1564–1638) first studied medicine at the University of Pisa but changed to philosophy andmathematics,becomingProfessorofMathematicsattheUniversityofPaduain1592.Heismostfamousforsupporting theCopernican theory that thesunwasat thecentreof theuniverse,not theearth,as theprevailingorthodoxyhadit.Thechurchforbadesuchhereticalideas,whichGalileoneverthelessputintoprint.HisworkisthoughttohaveinfluencedDescartesandNewton(seelater).Thekeypointhereisthathisfocuswasviathetelescope(inonedirection),seekingtoviewtheearthinthecontextofauniversalscale. Importantly, thedeveloping scienceof astronomyexplained themovementof theplanets throughcomplexepicycles,tojustifytheirearth-centred(geocentric)motion.ThroughGalileo’srecognitionofasun-centred(heliocentric)universe,theepicycletheoriesweremaderedundant.Theyweretranscended.This could act as ametaphor for the impact of current theories of the significance of fascia,which isevolvingtotranscendmanyclassicalanatomicalnotionsandbiomechanicalconcepts(aswewillseeinCh3).8

ThisphilosophyissignificantintermsoftheAgeofReasonthatensuedinWesternculture.IntheEasternworldoftheyogicsages,the intellectualmind and its powers of reasoning are distinct, although not separate, from themysteries of the being and the spirit

therein.Regardlessofthereligious,theoreticalorpoliticalpreferences,Descartes’meditationsinfluencedtheemergingculturalnotionthatwisdomresidedinthereasoningmindandscholarly,academicpursuitofscience.

Descartes(1596–1650)wasprimarilyaphilosopher.Hesetgreatstoreuponbreakingthingsdownintotheircomponentpartsinordertounderstandhowtheywereassembledandthen,accordingtoDrCandacePert,9“extrapolat[ing]over-archingtheoriesaboutthewhole”.Thisincludedhumanbeings.AccordingtoDescartesthemindwasdemonstrablyseparatefromthebodyandthinkingandbeingwereupheldassynonymous.Heismostfamousforhisphrase“Cogito,ergosum”(IthinkthereforeIam).Although he is known as the father of modern medicine and science, Descartes’ subjects of study

includedclocks(horology)andhewasamathematicianingeometryandlawsofmotion.Heappliedthesame intellectual reasoning to human behaviour and movement, considering the body to functioncompletely separately from the mind. Descartes sought sanction directly from the Pope to use humanbodiesforhisdissections,tostudyanatomyandproperlydemonstratehispointofviewandanalysisoffunction.Hearguedthathumanbehaviouritselfwasevidenceofthefactthatthemindandthebodywereentirely separate. Thus, when the Pope sanctioned dissection on the grounds that the church retainedjurisdictionoverthethinkingandfeelingrealmofhumanexperience,itwasaconfirmationofDescartes’larger philosophy (and possibly an act of guardianship for the soul) to sanctify the science.Body andbeingthusbecameconsideredasseparatedomains.

Descartesarguedthatbodilyhumanmotionisbasedonsimilarworkingstothosefoundinaclockmechanismanddeclaredthebodytomove like any other “automaton” (fromGreek automatos, meaning “self-moving” or “self-acting”). Thus his reasoning effectivelyreducedthemovementofthehumanbodytothatofapurelyautomatedsystemofmechanicalfunction;albeitself-motivated.Althoughthespiritofthat“self”belongedtothechurch,humanformcamedowntothebiomechanicalsumofitsanatomicalparts.

It isimportanttonoteagainatthispointthatyogadidnotdevelopundertheinfluenceofsuchsegregationofthehumanexperience.ThestudyofAncientPsychology(asitwascalled)inthemysteryschools,wasnotpractisedundertheseparticularinfluences.11

This philosophy proposed that themindwas distinct and could be elevated through study, the soulbelonged toGod, sowasclearlyunder thedomainof thechurch, and thebodycouldbeauthenticallybrokendown into its component parts for scientific analysis. Science could therefore justify furtheringintellectual knowledge of anything under examination through the lens of “objective realism”. Theanatomicalpartsoftheautomatedsystemcouldthenbelegitimatelylabelledandassignedtheirfunctionand all aspects of a human beingwould thus be understood and correctly assigned to the appropriateauthority.

“Idesireyoutoconsider,Isay,thatthesefunctionsimitatethoseofarealmanasperfectlyaspossibleandthattheyfollownaturallyinthismachineentirelyfromthedispositionoftheorgansnomorenorlessthandothemovementsofaclockorotherautomaton,fromthearrangementofitscounterweightsandwheels.”10

TheItalianphysiologistGiovanniAlfonsoBorelli(1608–1679)wasaphilosopher,mathematicianandastronomerwitha special interest inanimalbiomechanics.The twopartsofhismajorworkDeMotuAnimalium(“OntheMovementofAnimals”)werepublishedposthumouslybuthisinvestigationsintothefieldofmovementledtohisbeingcalledthefatherofbiomechanics.Inaccordancewithideasofthetime,Borelli’sanalysisofanimalmovementwasbaseduponlinearmechanicsandtwo-dimensionaldeduction,whilehistheorieswerevalidatedmathematically.Hestatedthat“musclesdonotexercisevitalmovementotherwisethanbycontracting”,extrapolatingthatthebodymovedforwardbyshiftingitscentreofbalance

viathejointanglesactingasvariouskindsoflevers.Thisprincipleisstillaliveincurrentresearch,soitis still considered tobepartof theclassicalmodelofbiomechanicalmovementof thehumangait andstructure.

Whatwasalsodevelopingratherthanauniversalunderstanding,werethedifferentfieldsofspecialisation thatweencountertoday.Disciplinessuchasphysics,chemistry,biology,botany,mathematics,biomechanics,medicineandanatomyweredividingaccordingtoreligiousandsocialorders,politicalandphilosophicaldifferences.Thepowerofcommunicationofknowledgewasincreasingandwithit the value placed on theoretical reasoning. Standards of learning were developing too, as education becamemore available to abroaderrangeofpeople.Fragmentationwasoccurringatmanylevels.

SirIsaacNewton(1642–1727)was,amongmanyother things,analchemist.Hedevotedmuch time todiscoveringthephilosopher’sstone,aswellasstudiesinthefieldsoftheology,mathematics,astronomy,opticsandnumerousotherscientificinvestigations.Heismostfamousforhisformulationofthelawsofgravity,andworkonthelightspectrumandlawsofmotionandspeedthatweretobecomethebasisofmodernphysics.Heunderstoodtheprinciplesofforceandcounter-force.Nowconsideredasoneofthemost influential scholars in the history of science, in his day,Newtonwas revered in some academiccircles but ridiculed in others as the “great geometer”. He proposed the powerful distinction that “toeveryknownactionintheuniversethereisanequalandoppositereaction”.Newtonsoughttounderstandmaninthecontextofnatureasawhole,formulatingthecommonphysical

laws of motion that govern individual and celestial bodies. He did not invent gravity so much asdistinguish it.Thecentury that saw the inventionofboth telescopeandmicroscopeopened theculturalperspectivetoincludeakindof“zoomlens”.Itdistinguishedscalefromthetelescope(“zoomedout”)tothemicroscope(“zoomedin”)asanassetorcommondenominatortoallnatureandforms.Thiscontextofscale is very important in understanding the body from a point of view of the soft tissues in currentresearch.Atthisperiodinhistoryitdidnotprevailinquitesuchinclusive,oruniversalterms.Bernard SiegfriedAlbinus (1697–1770) was a lecturer on anatomy and surgery and one of themostfamousteachersofanatomyinEurope,aswashisfather.Hewasappointedprofessorin1745andworkedwithdraughtsmanand illustrator JanWandelaar toproduceexquisite anatomicaldrawings (Fig. 2.4).12The printing presswas now 300 years old and considerablymore sophisticated, and so the speed ofchange and availability of information was expanding rapidly. Nevertheless, the reproduction ofinformation retained an aesthetic value. In order to be true to thehuman form,Albinus andWandelaarwould hang webbing with a grid marked upon it behind the suspended cadavers to give an accuraterepresentationofscaleandperspective.TheprinciplesofRenaissancehumanismwereretained, inthattheimageskeptasenseoftheiroriginalwholenessinthelivingbody,separatedoutformedicalpurposesbut nonetheless displaying a context for their original form. This aesthetic upheld the continuity ofstructure. Albinus’ famous work Tabulae Sceleti et Musculorum Corporis Humani (Plates[illustrations]of theSkeletonandMusclesof theHumanBody)waspublished in1747butgarneredmuchcriticismofthe“frivolous”backgroundstothedrawings.Itseemsthatbythelatereighteenthcenturyaestheticswere considered tobeoutofplace in the serious academic studyof anatomyandmedicine.Otherbranchesof sciencewerealsodetachingbodycontent from thecontextof thewholeand thegapbetweenhumanexperienceandhumanfactandfunctionwaswidening.

Figure2.4AlbinusonAnatomyincludesbeautifuldrawingsofthebonesandmusculature.Theoriginalworkshowswholebodypresentationsofthe

musculoskeletalanatomyinlayersandincludesmanyexquisitedrawingsofthelayersandtheirrelationships,suchasthisoneofthediaphragmanditsconnectivity.

With the increase in information availability and the cultural changes accompanying the IndustrialRevolutiontherewasarapidexpansionofeducation.Increasingspecialisationbroughtaboutaseparationoftheartsandthesciences.Thestudyofanatomybegantoberespectedforitsownsakeandthehallmarkofexcellenceinthefieldwastocreate“cleandissection”,withimagesofthedetailcompletelyseparatedfromtheirplaceinthecontextofthewholebody.Everythingotherthanthekeyelements(bone,muscle,vessel,organ,glandortendonandligament),suchasthelayersofadiposetissue(fat)orscruffybitsof“packagingmaterial”(fasciaandcertainconnectivetissues),wasconsideredinertandlargelyirrelevantto the study. It was removed and discarded apart from certain discrete elements. In the anatomicallaboratory the fascia was largely consigned to the cadaveric bins. Fascia was, and still is, literallythrownaway.Thiswasthegeneraltrendofanatomicalstudy,inthegrowingfieldsofmedicalandsurgicalpractice.

However,therewereexceptions.JohnD.Godman(1794–1830)wasananatomistandnaturalistwhodiedveryyoungandwasknown,ifatall,forhisoutstandinganatomicaldrawingsandstudiesofthenaturalworld.Hecamefromalessthantraditional medical background but his passion and enthusiasm for true anatomy were themes in hisdrawings, paintings and writings at the time. In his book Anatomical Investigations comprisingdescriptions of various Fasciae of the Human Body (1824)13 he espoused a principle of honestobservationofallthatwasinfrontofthestudentinorderthattheycouldfullyappreciatetheconnectednatureofalltheanatomicalpartstheywereaskedtounderstand.Heinsistedtheyignoredpreconceived

notionsofnamedsystemsandlookedatthepartsintheircontextofthiscontinuoustissue,thefascia.Hewentontodetailtheclassobservationsofthistissueasaconnectedwholethroughoutthetorso.

“The following investigationswerebegunwithoutreference toanysystem,andwithout theslightestwish to support any preconceived opinions. The conclusions drawnwere unavoidable, even at firstinspection,andtheircorrectnesswasmorefirmlyestablishedbyeverysubsequentexamination.”14

Itwasalmost200yearsagothatJohnGodmanwrotepresciently,attheendofhisintroduction:

“The novelty of these descriptions will, perhaps, be the greatest impediments to their generalacceptation, for it has been very correctly remarked by an illustrious anatomist, Geoffroy SaintHilaire,thattherearemanypersonswhobecomefuriousatthemereannunciationofnewideas–likehim,howeverweshallwaitpatiently,convincedthattimefixeseverythinginitsplace.”15

Thecell came tobe thecentreofmanybranchesof scientific enquiryandgenerallyconsideredas theunitof life.Thepartsbeingexaminedweregettingever smallerand thequantityof informationwasexpandingexponentially.This, in itself, raiseddifficultiesofscale and focus. Therewere evermore powerful telescopes to see the farthest reaches of the universe and evermore powerfulmicroscopestoseeoursmallestuniverse,insideanindividualcell.Whathappenedtothecontextinwhich,orfromwhich,botharise?

RudolfVirchow(1821–1902),considered tobe thefatherofmodernpathology,developedmicroscopyfurtherandstatedthatthecellwasthebasicunitofthebodythathadtobestudiedtounderstanddisease(Fig. 2.5). This was a significant turning point as the focus in medicine narrowed even more,concentratingonthesmallercomponents.Science,medicine and anatomywere about discoveringwhat is “true” and objectively,measurably

accurate.However,theydivertedattentionfromaperspectivethatwasinclusiveofwholeness,orwholebodyfunctionandstructureasaunitedandcompletebeing-in-action.AndrewTaylorStill(1828–1917)wasaphysicianandsurgeonwhobecamethefoundingfatherofosteopathy.Interestingly,Stillreferredtothebodyasamachinebutofferedtheideathatitwasdesignedtohealitself,byaforcegreaterthanitself.Hewroteoftheinclusiveaspectofthesoul,ratherthansegregatingit.

“Thislifeissurelytooshorttosolvetheusesofthefasciainanimalforms.Itpenetratesevenitsownfinest fibers to supply and assist its gliding elasticity. Just a thought of the completeness anduniversality inall parts, even thoughyou turn the visionsof yourmind to follow the infinitely finenerves.Thereyouseethefascia,andinyourwonderandsurprise,youexclaim,‘Omnipresentinmanandallotherlivingbeingsofthelandandsea…Othergreatquestionscometohauntthemindwithjoy and admiration, andwe can see all the beauties of life on exhibition by that great powerwithwhichthefasciaisendowed.Thesoulofmanwithallthestreamsofpurelivingwaterseemstodwellinthefasciaofhisbody.”16

Figure2.5ImageofVirchow’scellbiology.

ItcouldbesaidthatStillconceivedthegenesisofthescienceofbodyarchitecture.Hisworkhadtheauthoritytogivebirthtoanewschoolofmedicalthought.Hiswritingsonthefascia,nowover100yearsold,showedadeepsenseofawarenessofthisfabricofthehumanformanditsprofoundrelationshiptothebeing.Themostrecentresearchcanbeseentovalidatemuchofwhathe,andJohnGodmanbeforehim,asserted,researchedpracticallyandfoundconsiderableevidenceforthroughtheirworkandexperiences.

WritingfromaviewthatharksbacktoHippocratesinitsvaluesofworkingwiththehumanexperienceaswellastheconditionbeingpresentedatthetime,Stillsuggestedtheinnatehumancapacityforhealing.

“TheFascia:Iknowofnopartofthebodythatequalsthefasciaasahuntingground.Ibelievethatmorerichgoldenthoughtwillappeartothemind’seyeasthestudyofthefasciaispursuedthananydivisionofthebody.Stillonepartisjustasgreatandusefulasanyotherinitsplace.Nopartcanbedispensedwith.But the fascia is theground inwhichall causesofdeathdo thedestructionof life.Everyviewwetake,awonderappears…Idisliketowrite,andonlydoso,whenIthinkmyproductionswillgo into thehandsofkindheartedgeniuseswhoread,not to findabookofquotations,but togowiththesoulofthesubjectthatisbeingexploredforitsmerits,–weighalltruthsandhelpbringitsusesfrontforthegoodofman.”17

Wehaveoutlined someof thehighlightsof the rich storybehind the evolutionof anatomy in theWest.Now,afteralongdivorcebetweenthepiecesofthepersonandthepersona,fasciaresearchismateriallychanging the view and the language of the body, written in its own kinaesthetic dialect. The soft

architectureofouruniquemovementsignatureisanexcitingfieldtoexplore,restoringthewholenessthatyogainvitesustoperceiveandexpress.Iffasciadoesanything,itoffersustheopportunitytoevolveourperspectivetoincludeandtranscend

allthatprecedesit.Wecannotjustthrowoutthemusclesandbonesorbeautifuldissectionsofmanyananatomicalbook.Wecan,however,regardthemintheirunifyingcontext.Theyonlyexistinthepresenceoftheirintimatewitness,thecollagenmatrixwithoutwhichtheyhaveneitherstructurenorfunction.Thescienceofbodyarchitectureemergesasatriumvirateinmanyways,callinguponanewperspectivefromwhichtorepresentallthatwethoughtweknew,fromthemicroscopictothetelescopiclevel;ascalefreemodelthatmakessenseofthewholenesswhichincludesallofourparts.Atthesametime,paradoxically,it distinguishes them. The next chapter examines this paradigm shift that echoes the Renaissanceprinciplesofanewperspective.

Notes1. MichaelS.Schneider,ABeginner’sGuidetoConstructingtheUniverse:TheMathematicalArchetypesofNature,Art,andScience,

HarperCollins,NewYork,1994.2. There is speculation thatLeonardo had help from a dear friend, a young architectwell versed inVitruvian principles namedGiacoma

Andrea(TobyLester,“TheOtherVitruvianMan”,Smithsonianmag.comFebruary2012).3. BenjaminBlechandRoyDoliner,TheSistineSecrets,HarperCollins,NewYork,2008.4. SilvioA.Bedini,“TheUnknownLeonardo”.5. BenjaminBlechandRoyDoliner,TheSistineSecrets,HarperCollins,NewYork,2008.6. TranslatedfromLeonardo’snotes.In:TheUnknownLeonardo.7. Ch. 1 inThomasW.Myers,AnatomyTrains:MyofascialMeridians forManual andMovementTherapists, 2nd edition, Churchill

Livingstone,Edinburgh,2009.8. InCells,GelsandtheEnginesofLife,GeraldPollackusesasimilarmetaphorforthechangescurrentlybeingdemonstratedincellular

biologyandthestructureofwater(GeraldH.Pollack,Cells,GelsandtheEnginesofLife,EbnerandSons,Seattle,2001).9. CandacePert,MoleculesofEmotion:TheScienceBehindMind-BodyMedicine,forewordbyDeepakChopra,Scribner,NewYork,

1997.10. RenéDescartes[publishedinFrenchin1664],TreatiseofMan,HarvardUniversityPress,Cambridge,MA,1972.11. AlexanderFilmer-Lorch,InsideMeditation:InSearchoftheUnchangingNatureWithin.Matador,KibworthBeauchamp,2012.12. RobertBeverlyHaleandTerenceCoyle,AlbinusonAnatomy,DoverBooks,NewYork,1988.13. Anatomical Investigations, comprising descriptions of various Fasciae of the Human Body

(http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/89909#page/7/mode/1up),originallypublishedin1824inPhiladelphiabyCareyandLea.DigitizedbytheInternetArchivein2010withfundingfromBostonLibraryConsortiumMemberLibrary.

14. Ibid.15. Ibid.16. Ch.10,“TheFascia”,inAndrewT.Still,PhilosophyofOsteopathy,A.T.Still,Kirksville,1899.17. AndrewT.Still,PhilosophyofOsteopathy,A.T.Still,Kirksville,1899.

CHAPTER

3TheScienceofBodyArchitecture

“Weshapeourdwellingsandafterwardsourdwellingsshapeus.”1

WinstonChurchill

The24/7TissueIf indeed themusculoskeletal systemcannot existwithout the fascialmatrix, is it perhapsnecessary toredefine it?Adefinition suggesting that themusculoskeletal apparatus ismadeupof onlymuscles andbonesmightbeaninadequate,ifnotmisleadingnotion.ItisratherlikesayingthatMondaytoFridayarethedaysoftheweekandstoppingthere.Theyareindeed,butwhatjoinstheweekstogether?The muscles and the bones have always been considered to be the “working team” in the

musculoskeletalsystem,withthenerves,bloodvesselsandsoonpresenttodirectandfeedthem.Fascialtissue was, as we have seen, largely disregarded; removed in order to reveal the apparently moreimportantmusclesandbones.Thereisnowanewlevelofunderstandingofthetissuesofthe“internalnet”.Thesetissueswork24

hoursadaytodeterminewhereweareinspace,evenaswesleep.Nomuscleorboneanywhereinthebodyeverworkswithoutthem.Noraretheymerelyconnectingtissues,likeasortoffibrousscaffolding.Rathertheyareactive,sensoryfibres,including“antennae”indeeporganisationalrelationshipwiththeneuralnetwork,hydratedandvascularisedbythecirculatorymatrices.Wewillgoontoconsider theseaspectsindetailthroughoutPart1.Whatisimportanttonotehereisthateverythingwethoughtwastrueshiftscontextinanewparadigmandittakesawhiletore-orientateourknowledge.Wethereforehavetofindnewcoordinates.

SeeforYourself

Musclesandbonesappeartomostofustomakeupthemusculoskeletalsystembecausethatiswhatwehaveseenillustratedinthevastmajorityofbooksabouthowwearebuiltandwhatweusetomove.Wecanreadilyseetheirshapeswhenwelookatourselvesoreachother.Wecanseethejoints, theanglestheymakeat theelboworknee, for example, andmakeout themusclesunder the skinby their shapeswhentheyarecontracted.Mainstreammedicalschooltrainingreferstothe“musculoskeletalsystem”,andmostlymuscles and bones are named as themainmovers and shakers of livingmammalianmovementapparatus.The so-called auxiliary connective tissue structures (suchas tendons for example) areoftenconsidered to be part of themuscles. The key point is that the focus tends to be on amainly twofoldsystemofmuscletobone.

It is little wonder the fascia is being called the “Cinderella tissue” of the locomotor system andorthopaedicmedicine: “After severaldecadesof severeneglect, thisubiquitous tissuehas transformedfromthe‘Cinderellaoforthopaedicscience’intoanalmostsuperstarpositionwithinmedicalresearch.”2LikeCinderella,shehasbeenignored,lefttoherowndevices,butnonethelessreliedupon.Inthebody,themusculoskeletalsystemliterallydoesnotexistwithoutthefascia.Your fascia is theneutral servantofall thatyouembody,containingeverydetailofyou. It responds

withexquisitesensitivitytoyourways,yourwoesandyourwisdom,astheyareatanygiventime.Howyouexpressyourselfphysically,everymomentandmovementoftheday,isrecordedandrecognisedbythefascialnetwork,ifnotanimatedbyit.Orperhapsitisthemediuminwhichweexpressouranimation.At itsbest, it ishowwe restoreourselves tobalance,and itplays thesovereign role indefiningwhatshapewearein.It isnot thatwedonothavemusclesandbones,or that theydonot takeup the larger spacesof the

movement(locomotor)system.Itisthattheydonothaveanyabilitytoconnecttoeachotherwithoutthetissuesthatholdthemtogetherandapart, tocreateandfill thosespacesoneveryscale.Notonesinglemicroscopicfibrilofmuscleescapesthefascialwebthatweavesustogether.Itishowwegrowfromthedot-sizedbeingweareatconceptionand,withoutquestion,howwelivehappilyeverafter.Withoutitwedonotmoveorfunction,andwecertainlydonotretainourform.

GraceandPatience

Ithas takenwelloveracenturyforAndrewTaylorStill’s ideasonfascialstructureandfunction toberesearched enough to be treatedwith the seriousness theymerit (Ch. 2). Fascia is not easy to see orimaginewhenyouglanceatabody;itisnotevidentuntilyoulearntoreadshadowsanddimensionsandunderstand amatrix ormultidimensional network. Every singlemuscle fibril, group of fibrils formingfibres,groupoffibresformingbundles,groupoffibrebundlesformingthemusclebellyandcontinuouslyextendingbeyondthemusclebellytoformthetendinouspartofthemuscleisfascia.Fasciaiswhatholdsagroupofmusclestogether,whatattachesthemthroughcross-links,asagrouporindividually,toanothergroup,ortothewrappingaroundthebone(periosteum).Itisfasciathatwrapseveryboneandformsthatperiosteumandthejointcapsuleandplaysitspartintheso-calledligamentousbedbetweenthebones.Evenmoreemphatically, theembryoshowsus that the“primaryspace in thebody is fascia”.3 It is thematrixinwhichalltheotherorgansareembedded(Ch.5).Fasciaformstheconnectivetissuewrappingaroundtheorgans(visceralfascia),betweenthelayersof

tissuesthatformus.Wecallthewrappingofthebloodvessels“tunicae”andthecasingaroundthenerves“dura”.Botharepartofthefascialmatrixexpressedindifferent,butneverthelessinterconnectingforms(neurovasculartracts).Fasciaattachesourskintous,containingthesubcutaneouslayerunderneathitandtheadipose(fat)layersbetween,formingabody-widewebthathasasmanyrolesasithascharacteristicstoperformthem.Itistheessenceofourvariabilityandvarietyandittakesvariousformsaccordingtotherequirement of a given territory in the body. From heart to hamstrings, from cell chamber to bodychamber, it is organising and forming our inside-out and outside-in architecture, includingwhat is in-between.Itcommunicates,signalsandorganisesusinafluidmedium,continuously,incontinuityandinconcert.Musclesandbonesget tobe in the limelightbecause“theCinderella tissue”has thegoodgraceand

patiencetowatchoutforthemandkeepthemtogether.Researchnowaboundstodemonstratethis(seeCh.1)anditinvariably“makessense”forpeople’sinstinctiveunderstandingoftheirownlivingexperience.

ReadtheShadows

Whenyoudrumyourfingersonthetable,ortypeatyourkeyboard,theshadowsyouseeonthebackofyourhandasyoumakethemovementsarewherethetethersandlayersoffasciapermitorinhibitglide.Turn your hand over and you will seemuch less apparent movement within the tissues. They have adifferent characteristic.The fascia tethers the palmmore because youuse it differently.Whenyou seemusclesdefined, it is theborderswhere the fascial layersmeet thatyouare seeing in thehollowsandgroovesof theskin. It iswhatgivesusourshapeandourform.Youhavejust toucheduponyour innerarchitecture, experienced its sensory feedback mechanism, demonstrated to yourself the responsivesubtletiesofmovementyourbodydoesallthetimeandseenthatitrestoreditselfimmediately.Youmightnowbemoreconsciousof thehand that feltyou,or thehandyoufelt,but theyhavegoneback to theiroriginalshapeasrapidlyasyouletgo.

Ifyougentlyholdyourhand,sothatyourleftfingersareacrossthebackofyourrighthand…andwiggleyourrightfingers,youwillfeeltheglidingandripplingoftendons,musclesandbonesslidingundertheskin(Fig.3.1).Pretendyouaredrummingthetablewithyourrighthandbutinmidair.Ifyousqueezealittleharderwithyourlefthandyouwillfindtheystillglide,ifslightlylesseasily,butyoucanfeelotherstructuresunderneathwhicharedeepertissuearrangements.Thereareseveralthingsgoingonatoncehere:• Youcanfeelthetissuesslidinginthebackofthehandinsidethefluidandgel-likematrixofandbetweenthefasciallayers.• Youcanfeeladifferentqualityofslidinginthepalmofthehand.Noticeitisstifferandthicker.• Ifyouslowdownorspeedupthemovementsofyourfingers(righthand)eversoslightlyyoucanmodifythespeedreadilyandchangethesenseofthemovementsbytimingthemdifferently,atwill,inaninstant.

• Thefingersofyourlefthandaresensingeveryoneofthesesubtledifferences.

Figure3.1

Try it. Feel the glide. Notice that everywhere in your body, the skin slides over the structuresunderneathitandthenrestoresitselftowhereitwasbefore.Notethatyoucanfeelonequalityofslidingatyourear lobes(itwillbedifferent forevery individual)–howthebackandfrontofeachoneslideovereachother(ornot)–andanotherqualityentirelybetweenyourscalpandyourskullbonesoroverthebackofyourelbow.Allthatslidingisthesuperficialfascia,whichiseffectivelythebackoftheskin,movingoverthedeep

fascia,whichisoverthemusclesenclosingthebones.Betweenthemisalayerofwhatiscalled“looseconnective tissue”, sometimes referred toas the“shearingzone”.This layerof looseconnective tissuearisesbetweenvariousstructuresofthebodyandplaysakeyroleinmechanoreception(Ch.9).Itforms

part of thematrix that, notwithstanding its precise location in the bodyor particular characteristics, iseverywhere(Fig.3.2).(Pleasenotethatallfasciaeareconnectivetissues,butnotallconnectivetissuesarefasciae.Thetermsarenotsynonymous.)

Itisalsopossibletoworkoutthelayers4ortheunitswithinthefascia,orthesectionsitdefinesandthedetailsofitsorganisation,andthinkoftheminvariablyasseparatefascialparts.Thiswouldbetoretainareductionistviewpoint–theunitsyoubreakthebodydownintosimplyshiftfromchunkstosheaths.Itsubstitutesreductionistbitsandpiecesforreductionistlinesandlayers.Thisdoesnotalwaysrecognisethemasunified,whichishowtheywork.Itisalsohowweworkwiththeminayogaclass.Theymaybedistinctbuttheyworktogetherasaunifiedwholeandtheycanchangeinresponsetouse,socaremustbetakentoappreciatethenewcontextandnotjustappreciatenewwaysofseeingthecontent.

Fasciawrapsorgans,formsthewrappingsofvesselsandtubes,andensuresthattheyareallconnectedtoeachotherintherightplaces.Italsowrapsthewholebody,creatingthelayerbetweenourskinandbody walls. These areas or layers all have different characteristics but essentially, the governingprinciple is that thismatrix is subanatomical, anatomical and transanatomical; that is, it is at its finestwithin each cell. It holds the cell communities in itsmatrix, expressinghow theorganismhasordereditselfintoorgansandstructures.Itisallorganisedinfasciaeofonesortoranother;theorganismitselfisa fascial, organisingmatrix.We are formedout of variations on its theme and each part is part of thecontinuouswrapping around all the parts. It starts thatway in the embryo and that continuity does notchange as life goes on.We simply and complexly grow and specialise and adapt in all our gloriousvariety.Welcometotheworldofthe“in-between”.

Figure3.2Theinternalnetandtensionalnetworkishardtosee,oreventoimagineinthecontextofitswholenessandubiquity.Thisimagewascreated

togivethesense,albeitexternally,ofthemovinglayersrespondingasawholesoft,tensionalarchitectureorinternalfabricthroughouttheform,whatevershapesitisengagedinmaking.ImagereproducedwithkindpermissionfromDavidWoolley(www.limitlesspictures.com).

Model:SamiraSchmidli

Figure3.3Thefasciaisfoundbetweeneverymusclefibreandaroundandbetweenmuscles.Thisimageshowsasmallsectionofthetissuelayer

underneaththerectusabdominismyofascia(atthelineaalba).

Understandingfasciadoesnotreplaceourunderstandingofmuscleorbonebutreconfiguresourpointofviewofhowtheyworktogetherandapart,inotherwords,howtheyarerelatedandorganised.Thisisthetissueofrelationshipsandrelatednessandwehavetobecautiouswhenwestudyit.Itisverytemptingto get excited about fascia at the expense of the muscle–bone working team. Thewhole team workstogetherinatriumvirate,ratherthanasaduoorinisolation.The point is that the tensional network of the fascia is ubiquitous and relentlessly faithful to its

wholeness, its continuity and its sensitivity (Fig.3.3). It also changes andmetabolises in a continuum,throughoutour lives, renewingandrestoring itselfandourvitality toagreateror lesserextent.That iswhyitissocongruentwithyogapracticeandmakessense,bycontext,ofallthetinyvariationsandgrossmovementswe canmake on amat. It alsowraps us, from core to sleeve, in our own sensitivity andsensoryawareness(Ch.9).Thefasciablendsthephysicalwiththeinstinctiveandemotionalaspectsofusinmotion,stillnessand

presence.Itprovidesthemediumof,attheveryleast,ourphysicalexpressionasform.

ANewWord

“Biomotional”isanewwordthatmightbeeasytograsponpaperbutisnoteasyto“get”,sincewehavebeenbroughtupon,and reasonablynourishedby,adietofbiomechanical function inseparatemusclesandindividualbones,andtheideathatthejointsconnectthem.Quitewhythestudyofmotioniscalledbiomechanicsandhumanbodiesare treatedas if theyaredesignedasmachinesfirstandhumanbeingssecondisnotfullyansweredbyourscientifichistory.Inreality,wearenotmachines;wedonotmovemechanicallyandwedonothavemechanisticjoints.Robotshavethoseandwehavenotyetmanagedtodesignarobotthatmovesasfluidlyorasintelligentlyashumanbeingscan.5Wehaveunderestimatedthecomplexityandgeniusofthehumanform,foritdoesnotonlybehaveinabiomechanicalway,butalsoinwhatwemightcalla“biomotional”way.

Thereis,technically,nosuchwordas“biomotional”.However,theterm“biomechanical”somehowimpliesautomation,andthehumanform,giventhefascialmatrix,doesnotreallyresemblearoboticlever-armedsystem.Biomechanicalisatermthatreferstomovementmethods of the locomotor system; butwe are entirelymade of various soft tissues, including relatively compressed, hardened softtissue, i.e., bone and cartilage, and relatively stretched or folded and softened soft tissue, i.e., muscles, membranes and vessels,enclosinggel-likesubstancesandfluidflows(colloidsandemulsions).Thesemayhavevariouspropertiesbutdonotappeartoexhibitpurelymechanicalcharacteristicssuchasamachinemighthave.Inessencetheyareliquidcrystals,tensionalfabricsandcontinuouslysofttetheringsofvarioustypes,notnutsandbolts.Allofthisisatensionalnetwork.Fasciacanbelikegossamerwebbingremainingentirelyconnectedfromoneendofustotheother,in360degreesofspace-occupying/containingwholeness.Itbindstogethertoformverystrongareasofdensificationandisalsolooselywoventoformverysoftareas.Metabolicmovementisconstant;asignoflife.Itincludesthecontainmentofsolids,liquidcrystals,fluidsandgasesofthebodyinmotionandinterrelated,sentientcommunicationandexchange.Weareessentiallyemotionalbeingswith60%ormorefluidwithinourtissues.Machineshavepartswhilemammalshave

continuities.Nopartcanbe removedfroma livingbodywithoutaffecting the restbecause it iscontinuously inanunbrokenmatrix.Thustheword“biomotional”isofferedheretoenhancethesenseofsofttissueorganisationthatwewillexploreinlaterchapters.Itdoesnotreplacethetermbiomechanical;however,itseekstoexpandoursenseofmovementintheyogaclassroom.

“And thatmachine thinking comes from thenotion that thebody is built up fromparts.That is themachine-view.That isnot true: theembryoshowsus loudandclear:First thewholethentheparts.Firstthematrix,nexttheelements,firstthebody,thentheorgans!!!!!!!!!Amachineisbuiltupfromparts.ThatthesystemmightworkLIKEamachinedoesnotproveitISamachine.Thatyoucanreplaceajointbyahingedoesnotproveitisahinge.Itworkslikeahingeandthatisabigessentialdifference!!!”6

Understandingfasciaanditsfluidmedium,thecontainmentofthecellsandtheextracellularmatrixinwhich they reside, is why robotics is about mechanics and we are about individual grace and guts.Whetherinlightorclumsygestures,coordinatedorawkwardmoves,weexpressourfascialmake-upasuniquelyasweareshaped.Wearenotcloned.Wedonotconformtoarigidplan.Oursisafluid,self-motivated, sensory kind of geometry, full of choice and personal interpretation that began with ourembryonicgenesis.Weareconsciousarchetypalbeings,developingcontinuouslyfromourembryonicoriginstothebestof

ourabilitiesat the time,under thecircumstances inwhichwefindourselves.The tissuecananddoes,with the appropriate dose and degree, respond to new loading patterns, if we understand how theyaccumulate.Thebodyrepresents,essentially,timeinmotion,whichwewillconsiderinlaterchapters.

FasciaResearchThestoryoffasciaistakingsometimetofilterthroughsomelayersofourculture,althoughmanyareasofmedicine,movement andmanual therapy are in theprocessof recognising theworkof fascia researchpioneers and changing their approach. They, in turn, are influencing fascia research. As it was forVesalius,newideasarenotalwaysbeinggreetedwithenthusiasm.Evidencebydemonstrationdisturbstruthbydeclaration,especiallyifinstitutionshavebuiltthemselvesuponthe“truth”ofwhattheythoughttheyknew.Wehaveourveryowntwenty-first-centuryVesalius,oratleastasuitablecounterbalance,tochallengetheprecedinghistoryandchangecompletelythewaythescalpelisusedtodefinethetissues.Jaap van derWal’s pioneering work has become a powerful resource for the other explorers in thisrapidlygrowing field.Whathe found is alsopalpableanddemonstrablenow thatwehave the refinedtechnologywithwhichto“see”itandevenmeasureit.

AModernVesalius?

Inthelate1980s,forhisdoctoralresearch,JaapvanderWal,MDPhD,AssociateProfessorofAnatomyand Embryology (now retired), carried out a tissue-sparing dissection of the human elbow. In otherwords, he did the opposite of the required clean dissection. Instead of removing the scruffy, fibrous“stuff”inthewayofthemusclesandbonesaroundthejointcapsuleoftheelbow,hesparedthetissueandmeticulouslyremovedthemuscles,inordertoseewhatthe‘fibrousscaffolding’lookedlikeonitsown.Herevealedsomethingextraordinary,namely,thatthefibrousmaterialformedacompleteandcontinuouswholearchitecture.Therewasnowhere that it stopped,changedangleabruptlyor failed toenclose the

wholeelboworganisation.Thereweredifferentdensificationsofthetissues.Howevertherewasnopartofthejointthatwasnotundercontinuoustension,oromittedfromtheensheathing,encapsulatingintegrityofthewholearchitectureofthejointandthearm.Hesuggeststhatadifferentviewmightbethatthearmiscontinuousandtheelbowrepresentsa“disjoint”inthatcontinuity,thuspermittingmotion.

JaapvanderWalwasAssociateAnatomyProfessorattheUniversityofMaastrichtintheNetherlands.Thenewmethodofdissectionheused inhis researchprojectwasdevelopedbyoneofhiscolleagues,H.vanMameren, in the1970s. JaapvanderWalcame toworkinthelaboratoryofProfessorDrukker(thenChairman),wherevanMamerendidhisstudies,andunderhissupervisionvanderWalstartedtofollowthesameprocedureandresearchedtheimportanceofthisconnectivetissueorfasciaarchitectureintheprocessof proprioception. It came about that this “continuity thinking”, in architectural terms, fitted the way our proprioception and bodysensing is organised. Itmade sense of ourmovement sense, so to speak. “Itwas not the anatomyof bones andmuscles thatwasinstrumentalforproprioception,butthearchitectureofcontinuity.”7

Thisdiscovery shonea totallydifferent lightuponanatomical study itself and itdid (and still does)stimulatewholenewissuesofhowwemove.WhatvanderWalandhiscolleaguesdidwasacompletereversalofstandardprocedure.Inasense,hedissectedthe“negativespace”–insimpleterms,hedidnotcutoutthe“stuff”togettothe“thing”,rather,heremovedthe“thing”toseethe“stuff”.Thisconstitutedashocktothetraditionalviewnotwhollydissimilar to thatcausedbyVesaliuswhenhequeriedGalen’shithertounquestioneddissectionsofBarbaryapes.Onceagain,centuriesofassumptionshadbeenhugelychallengedbyanewcontextofcuriosity.VanderWal’sfindingswerenotembracedimmediately,anymorethanVesalius’workwas.(Asaresult

vanderWalturnedhisattentionatthetimetowardsembryology.)Intruth,vanderWal’searlierworkhasnotyetfilteredintotheanatomytextbooks,althoughthat ischangingnow,inthisnewmillennium.Afterseveral decades the message is gradually being acknowledged through manual and movementpractitionersandresearchersworkinginfascia, rather thanasauniversallyacceptedbasisformedicalanatomy.Theimplicationsofthiswork,sparingthesofttissueinsteadofslicingit,werehugeatthetimeand their impact is still authorising change in the hallowed halls of anatomy education. Van derWaldescribed what he revealed as “the transanatomical architecture [of the human elbow] and itsproprioceptive substrate”.8 Transanatomical in this sense means something beyond the (traditional)anatomicaldistinctions,inclusiveofallofthem.

TransanatomicalArchitecture

The implications of this continuity of tissue were that the separately named muscle-to-tendon, bonyperiosteum, ligament and joint capsule together formed one continuous architecture. It was thickened,vascularised, innervated and invested with different qualities at different points of connection anddisconnection.Nevertheless,thetissuein,aroundandbeyondthejointwasuninterrupted,containingandcontinuing the different facilities for movement afforded by muscle–tendon–bone–ligament and jointspace. On examination, it was also found to be sensory in nature with a density of sensors(mechanoreceptors)aroundthejointandbetweenthefabriclayers.Thissuggestedthattheperceptionofglidingmotionwithinthetissuematrixisrelevantanditraisedahostofquestions.VanderWal’sworkpointedtotheideathatthenamingofcertainligaments,andtheparticularwayin

whichtheyarecutoutfromtheirneighbouring(whole)myotendinousjointarchitectureandbone,makesthemmoreofanartefactthanadistinctfact.Apartfromveryfew“trueligaments”suchasthecruciates,whichexclusivelyjoinbonetobone,mostothersarepartofalargerarchitectureincludingelementsthat

arenamedseparately,butdonotexistseparatelyinthebody.Itimpliesthattheanatomistisusinghisknifetodesignandnameapartofthebody(assigningittheroleofaligament,forexample,bytheactofcuttingit) rather than using that knife to reveal the architecture exactly as it is in life, which is whole andcombined.Thisisaveryinterestingrevelationinafieldthatthrewoutaestheticsseveralcenturiesagoinanearnestpursuitofthefactsbehindanatomy.Itisnotactuallysayingthereisnoligamentousattachment.Itisincludingtheligamentousattachmentaspartofaparticularcontinuity:anentirearchitecturethatdoesnotseparatetheligamentousattachment,whichremainsinherenttotheintegrityofthewholestructure.Itisacontextualchangewhichimpactshowweviewthecontent.Accusing an anatomist (or several generationsof them)of designing anatomy insteadof revealing it

rockedaverybigboat.Ifeveryanimalontheplanet isafascialmatrix,notamechanicalconstruction,thenBorelli’sDeMotu Animalium (Ch. 2)would need to be rewritten in fascialwebs and tensionalmatrices,anotionthatwouldhaveitsauthorturninginhisgrave.ThefactremainsthatDrvanderWalwas revealing the body as it is, inclusive of all that is in the anatomybooks but in full-bodied three-dimensionalarchitecturewithitssubstrateintact.Heshowedithowitisbeforeitiscut,withthe“whitestuff”inplace.Actually,thisisProgresswithacapital“P”.Ofcourseitisinvaluableforsurgeonsandanatomiststo

be able to name tiny sections of our anatomy and place them on the map of the body. However, ittransformsourapplicationoflivinganatomyandphysiologyinmotiontoknowthattheterritoryisallonepiece. Whatever names you give the anatomical and subanatomical details, the transanatomicalarchitecture isunifiedat the same time.Weare aunitywalking aroundwithnamedparts, not distinctpartslongingforunity.Dr van der Wal suggests that, with the exception of very few (approximately six) specific “true

ligaments” in the body that only connect bone to bone, our joints actually form continuous “dynamicligaments”,wheremuscleandconnectivestructuresdonotonlyfunctioninparallelwitheachotherbutwheremuscleandconnectivetissuearealsoorganizedinseries.Thisechoestheearlynineteenthcenturywork of John Godman, who invited his students to observe a subject of study without engagingpreconceivedideasofsystems.Theirpointofviewwasthekey(Ch.2).Morethanacenturyandahalflater,VanderWalcoinedtheterm“dynament”asaninclusivenamethat

better represents the muscle–tendon–bone–ligament relationship from a functional point of view. Hederived this concept from the embryo, in which one could also state that muscle tissue is a dynamicspecialisation(Ch.5):“a‘synovialjoint’isacontradictioninterms.Itisnotajoint.Itisadisjoint.Hereconnectivetissue(cartilage)enablesspaceandthereforemotion”(JaapvanderWal).9Hewentontopointoutthatthenatureofthetissueitselfmadeitfarmorethanaconnector.Itformed“a

proprioceptive substrate”, a kind of “intelligent lining” around the joint that can feel itself. It knowswhereitisinspaceviathetensionalnetwork.Withadistributionofmechanoreceptorsinthetissue(theymight be said to act something like antennae), it makes the fabric of our sensory organism and theorganisingmatrix the same (Ch. 9). It shifts our perspective to recognising the exquisite detail of theproprioceptivesense.Theproprioceptivesubstratemeans that theactual tissuewearediscussing issensitive towhere the

joint is, what angle it is moving through relative to our position and what organisation or particularmovement itmight be “activating” in space. That is, the cellularmake-up (histology) of that tissue ishighly innervated, under tension. This points to particular sensitivity in monitoring movement andorganisation. So the body uses its own building material to check out where it is all the time inrelationshiptoeverythingelse.Italsosuggestsitrespondstothatinformationfromwithinthetissues:“thebranchofficesofthebrain”.10

Figure3.4Theseposesallrequiretensionalintegrityofthesystematallanglesthroughtheelbowthroughouttheposture,whetherduringpreparation,execution,completionorrelease.Whicheveryogicstyle,tissueintegrityisrequiredthroughtheorganisationofthemusclesandthebonesat

thejointsthroughoutthebody.ImageswithkindpermissionofKatieCourts.

Thismakessenseoftheyogaposturesandourabilitytodothemandmaketinyadjustmentsinordertosustainapose.Theposturesexplorerange,balanceandcoordinationatmultipleanglesanddirections,fromdetailed, subtle changes to gross ones.Ademonstrable theory that sees this detail as part of onewholeorganisationmakesobvioussense.Onesuggestingversatility,adaptabilityandflexibilitywiththeintegrityofthejointsintensionalbalanceatallanglesisakintothepracticeofyogaitself(Fig.3.4).Thisdoes notmean there is no need to learn your anatomy. It doesmean that you should recognise it as a(topographical)mapwithinacontinuous territory thatsenses itself inspaceand in response togravity,continuously:“readinyouranatomytheneglectedstorybetweenthelines;thatisthecontinuity”.11

LivingArchitecture

VanderWal’sworkwasnotpubliclypresenteduntiltheSecondInternationalFasciaResearchCongressinAmsterdamtwodecadeslater(in2009).Ithasbeenpartofamomentouschangeinfocusoverthelastten years.During this time, a hand surgeon in France,Dr Jean-ClaudeGuimberteau, hasmade furtherprogress, confirming the continuity of the tissue, this time bymaking it possible to view itwithin thelivingbody.Usingtheendoscopictoolsofthemostadvancedsciencetounravelthedeeperquestionsofatendon’s

abilitytoslide,DrGuimberteauandhisteamofsurgeonsandresearchersproducedarevelatorymoviecalled Strolling under the Skin, which was followed by Muscle Attitudes and then InteriorArchitectures.12

Figure3.5Thisimageshowstheourtransanatomicalarchitecture,foundundertheskinthroughoutthebody.ItistakenfromStrollingUndertheSkina

DVDbyDrJean-ClaudeGuimberteau,http://www.guimberteau-jc-md.com/en/

Guimberteau has transformed our view of the fascial matrix through his exceptional work in handsurgeryandmostparticularlytendontransplants.13Hediscoveredinternalmobilityandcharacteristicsatthe different levels of tissues under the skin that challenged many of the theoretical notions aboutmovementoftendonsandtheirabilitytoslide.Withtheuseoftheendoscopiccameraduringsurgery,hewasabletoviewlivingtissues.Hisfilmsofwhathappensundertheskin,throughoutthemuscleandinand around joints show the fibrouswebbing of the fascialmatrix everywhere (Fig. 3.5). This permitsmovementbetweenstructures,sothattendonsinthehandcanmoveindependentlyofbloodvessels,forexample,justasyoufeltthemmoveinyourownhandintheearlierexercise.Theyalwaysreturntotheiroriginalpositionviathefabricandthearchitecturaldesignofthefascia.Hisworkhaschangedtheviewofslidingstructuresinthebodyandrecognisesadeepshiftinunderstandinginternalmotionandmotility(i.e.,internalmovementoftheorgans,whatwemightcallbiomotion).Thethreeprinciplesofmovementandrestoration(Ch.8)arebasedonhowformation,deformationand

reformationarehappeningconstantlyinwhatappearsasfractalchaosundertheskin.Theconnectionsofthesofttissuesdirectlybeneaththesurface(thatyoufeltslidingunderyourhand)softlybreakandreformin a diaphanous dance of the fluid fibrillar matrix. The apparent chaos contains an order of its own,throughoutthelivingsystem.Herewefind,asever,perfectparadox.Inaway,wediscovertheVitruvianprinciples of architecture: “Firmitas, utilitas, venustas”, that is, formation and deformation to usefullyperform and then reform to the original integrity, once the task ormovement is complete. It is fit forpurpose–yourpurposeatthetime–anditisverybeautiful.

Form,Deform,Reform

This subject is of huge interest to a yoga practitioner, particularly when we look in Part 2 at howimportantitistoexecuteposeandcounterposewithinasession.Atthesimplestlevelofobservation,ifwemovefromaDownwardDog(UrdhvaMukhaSvanasana)(flexion)throughForwardLungeintoHalfMoon (ArdhaChandrasana) (extension),we relyupon thebody’sabilityasawhole structure to slideinternally,atallthejoints,inordertocarryouttheposeswithgraceandpoise(Figs3.6–3.8).Thereneednotbeanythingdisjointedor fragmentedabout theeffortor the transitiononcewehavepractisedandmasteredthesequence.Manymetersoftubing,vesselsandinternalstructureshavetoglidefluentlywiththemovementsandchangewithourintentiontocarryouttheasanasequence.Wealsohavetoorganisethesemovements,andthebalancebetweentensionandcompression, throughcontainment. It isatoncebeautifullysimpleandinnatelycomplex;inVitruviantermsthatwouldbeadivineparadox.We know the body can andwill do this “deform–reform” or “disorganise and reorganise”, always

returningtoastateofequilibrium,ifitcan,totheneutralfield.Thisaspectofinternalslidingishappilytakenforgranted.Itiswhentissuedoesnotslidethatwenoticeit.“Sticky”tissue(akinaestheticterm)can havemicro-tears, dehydration, inflammation or adhesion, and it is whenwe cannot do somethingeasily that it becomes an issue. We do not generally expect our students standing in Eagle Pose(Garudasana)togetlockedinthatpositiontoonesideandnotbeabletodotheothersidebecausethebodycannottranslatethemovements.Wetakeitforgrantedthattotheextentwecandoapose,wecanundoit(Fig.3.9).

Figure3.6FromDownwardDog(UrdhvaMukhaSvanasana)totransitionintoaForwardLungeaspartofaflowofmovements,thewholebodyadapts

toaccomplishthesequence.

Figure3.7ForwardLunge(flexion)intoHalfMoon(ArdhaChandrasana)(extension).

Figure3.8FromaForwardLungeposture,itisaneffortlessglideintoHalfMoonPose(ArdhaChandrasana)oncewehavemasteredthetransition.

Figure3.9

Evenintheyogaformsthatrequireaposturetobeheldforlongminutesweknowtheextenttowhichwecandoitandareabletoundoit.Thereisasystemtakingcareofthatabilityanditisnotthemusclesalone.Theyarejustpartofanorchestraofarchitecturallyorganisedtissues.Whatholdsthemtogetherandtoeachother,whatholdsthemapartandrelatesthemtoeverythingelsemakesahugedifferencetotheir

abilitytomakesuchchangesandreverseapose.Transitionisfundamentalanditisabouttheinstinctivefunctionofthewholestructureandthestructureoftheorganisingarchitecture.Thetissuesarenotseparateonamat.Theneedforthemtoglideovereachotherandremaincontainedoverallisprimary.This approach changes the foundations of study of the so-called musculoskeletal system and the

physiologyofmuscle,ofsensorycommunicationofforcetransmissionandofmovementmanagement.Wewill consider the sensory communication and the biomechanics in more detail later. For now, let usexplorethemusculoskeletalaspectinalittlemoredetail.

ClassicalAnatomyView

Figure3.10Aclassicclassroomskeleton,artfullyusedherebyJustintoplayfullydemonstratetheAnatomyTrains®LateralLinetohispeersattheArtofContemporaryYogateachertraining.Hewasdemonstratingcontinuityoftissuevs.anapparentlydisconnected(butinvisiblywired)model.

The classic basic skeleton used in schools is a traditional teaching tool inmany yoga classrooms andcertainly in the study of anatomy and physiology (Fig. 3.10). It is designed to demonstrate theapproximately206bonesof theadulthumanbody, thebonylandmarkson the livingbody,andhowthespineisorganised.Itisalsothereforyoutolearntheattachmentsitesofmuscles.Inshort,itprovidesthebasicsoftheaxial(excludinggirdlesandlimbs)andappendicular(girdlesandlimbs)skeleton.Lookingatthisparticularconfigurationofthebones,wehavenoneedtoconsidertheconnectingwires

withoutwhichwewouldbelookingatapileofrodsandknucklesonthetable.Whatisholdingthewholethingup,ortogether,orsuspended?(Thatisapartfromwiresandapolewherethespinalcordshouldbeinmostclassroommodels!)Wemustnotthinkaboutthattooliterallybecauseofcoursewe“know”thatwhatismissingfromthis

modelisthemuscles.Wehavestrippedtheskeletonsothatwecanlearnwherethemusclesattachtothebonesandworkouthowtheymovethem.Weassumethatmovementwouldbeavailableif themuscleswereholdingthelimb-bonestogetherandabletodotheirantagonistic“pairdance”whichwouldthensetthose bones inmotion at these various joints.That is, of course, according to the actions traditionallyassignedtothosemusclecomponentsofthelocomotorsystemviathenervoussystem.(JaapvanderWaltaughthisstudentsabouta“posturingandlocomotingsystem”ratherthantalkingaboutlocomotionorthelocomotorsystemassuch.Itisadistinctionthatmakessenseinyoga.)

Traditionally then, oncewe learn the bones,we can go on towork out the origin and insertion points(proximalanddistalattachments)oftheapproximately600musclesattachedtothem.Wethenlearntheirindividualactions,accordingtothecharts.Thenwehavetogroupthemintosuites,suchastherotatorcuffmuscles or the quadriceps, as we seek to link the anatomy-of-the-parts into an organised system offunctions.

Figure3.11Thisisacommonstyleofschematic,showingcleanredmuscles(thebicepsandtricepsbrachiiinthisexample)attachedtoclearlydefined

bones,touchingeachotheratspecificpoints.Thewhiterbitsindicatethetendons.Thisisanartefactofdissection.

Figure3.11showsonesuchtypicalpresentationofthemuscles.Musclesareoftenshownasworkinginantagonisticpairs,ashereintheupperarm,demonstratingtherelationshipbetweenthetricepsandbicepsbrachiimuscles.Theyarepresentedaslovelycleanredfeatures,withclearseparatedtendonsattachingtothebones.Thisistypicalofthevastmajorityofanatomyteachingmanuals.Musclescontract,therefore,whenthebicepscontracttheystretchthetriceps,andviceversa.Thisexplainsalever,whichisatwo-baropenchainmechanicaldevice.(Thisactuallymeansitexplainshowitmightmoveifsomeoneelsewasmovingit.)Allthisisdisplayedintables,showinghoweachmusclefunctionsaccordingtoitsspecificconnections to the bony framework, via the actions assigned to it from the nervous system. So, insummary,fromtheschematics,wewouldlearnsomethingliketheinformationshowninFigures3.12and3.13.

Figure3.12AtableadaptedfromtypicalexampleinWikipedia.

Figure3.13Again,thisistypicalofwhatyouwouldexpecttofindintraditionalsourcesofinformationaboutthemuscles.ThisimageisfromGrays

AnatomyviaWikipedia.

In some resources a cross-section of a real cadaver is included to endorse the positioning of thesemuscleswithinthearm.Assoonasyouseetheimageofacross-sectionsuchastheoneshowninFigure3.14,itbegsoneseriousquestionfortheschematicrepresentation,namely,whichbitinthiscross-sectionisnotattached?

ContinuousAnatomyNothinginthelivingbodyislikeFig.3.11,ever.Moreover,the"whitestuff"actuallyrunsthroughtheentiremuscleoneveryscaleandwraps thebones in a continuumof tissue.Weuseourmusculoskeletal system in life as it existsbeforedissection,not as shown inschematics.We"know"this,buthowdoweinterpretthedifferenceifallwearetaughtsuggeststhemusclesareclear,separateunits?

FromskintobonemarrowinFigure3.14appearstobecontinuousandcross-sectionaftercross-sectionisthesame,howeverfinelytheyaresliced.Inahumandissectionprogramme14ittakesliterallyhourstodissectasinglemuscle.Youmightbeforgivenforthinking(fromtheschematics)thatyouwouldbeabletojust“unhook”amuscleatitsoriginandinsertionpointsandliftitawayfromtheskeleton.However,thefirst thing thatwould strike you in the anatomy laboratory is that these points and separations are notobviousorseparatefromtheirsurroundingsinthebody.Theyhavetobetakenoutofthatoriginalcontext,the one inwhich they reside.Origins and insertions, if you leave the soft tissue respectfullywhere itbelongs, look more like continuous attachments, with densifications. The densifications form morecontinuousattachmentsandsoitgoeson.Nothingisentirelyseparateorseparablefromthewhole.Thatisjustas itappears inanycross-sectionof the limb.Asever, itdependshowyoulookandwhatyouarelookingfor.

Figure3.14Cross-sectionoftheupperarmshowingtricepsmuscle.Thisiswhatyouwouldexpecttofindintraditionalsourcesofinformation;thisimage

isfromWikipedia.

TheParadigmShift

“Thesimplequestionsdiscussedinmusculoskeletal textbooks‘whichmuscles’areparticipatinginaparticularmovement thusbecomesalmostobsolete.Musclesarenot functionalunits,nomatterhowcommon this misconception may be. Rather, most muscular movements are generated by manyindividualmotorunits,whicharedistributedoversomeportionsofonemuscle,plusotherportionsofothermuscles.Thetensionalforcesofthesemotorunitsarethentransmittedtoacomplexnetworkoffascialsheets,bagsandstringsthatconvertthemintothefinalbodymovement.”15

Recentresearch,asawhole,movesusveryfarfromseeingthebodyasaseriesofstackedbonyblockswithtwohangingappendages(arms) and two supporting appendages (legs), balancing the axial stack (spine, torso and head) in a compression structure. Thatfoundationalshifttheninfluenceshowweseemusclesasthecontractors,workinginpairsorgroups,toliftandchangetheanglesofthose stacked bones. This in turn changes how we interpret biomechanical movement and challenges the lever system and thependulumexplanation(uprightinvertedorotherwise)thatisoftenusedasametaphortoexplainthewalkinggaitofthebipedalhuman.

What isbeing revealed, at themost fundamental level, is that theconnectingwireswepretendarenotthereintheclassroomskeletonaretheonlyreasonthatthebonesstandup.Itbecomesacrucialomissioninthelightof thiscompletechangeofcontext.Furthermore, themusclesarenotconnectedto thebonesother than via this fascial interface. It contains them, integrates and interconnects them all, aswell asdistinguishingthemfromeachother.Thischallengesourattachment tomanyclassical conceptsofanatomy,physiologyandbiomechanics

andurgesustoevolvethem.Ifthoseconceptsrelyupontheideathatindividualmuscleshaveassignedactions,thediscoverythattheydonotworkthatwayre-organisesnotionsuponwhichmanylongacceptedmovementtheoriesarebased.

TheChallengetoAnatomy

Figure3.15Cross-sectionofanorange.

Togiveyouasimplewaytoseethisanatomicalcontinuity,Figure3.15showshowanorange looks incross-section.Figure3.16ishowitlooksalongthelengthsofthesegments.Thehydrationofthefruithasalottodowithhowits“softtissue”behaves,howplumpitisandhowtightlyinterwoventhesegmentsare. Ifyoucanseparate themcarefullyyouwill seeeachone is surrounded,contained in itsownbag-within-a-bag,fromoneendtotheother.Nowhereinanycross-sectionaretheyseparate.Withineachsegmentarethejuicedroplets.Theytooresideinachamberofverymuchfinerconnecting

tissuesthanthatofthesegment,whichisfinerthanthatofthepith,betweentheskinandthebodyofthewhole fruit.Chambers,within chambers,within chambers is a formingprinciple in nature thatwe seerecapitulatedeverywhere,includingourownbiology(Ch.5).Figure3.17showshowthisworksasamodelforsofttissueformation.

Figure3.16Thisisthethree-dimensionalviewofanorangecross-section;bearinglittleornoresemblancetothetwo-dimensionalversion.Notablyeachsegmenthasitsownlayers,thusmakingthelinesbetweenthesegmentsinthecross-section(Fig.3.15)veryfinedoublelayers.Noteeach

dropletofjuicealsohasitsownfiner“bag”ofthinconnectivetissuematerial.

What isevenmorestrikinginahumandissectionlaboratoryis thatbesideseverythingbeingconnectedlongitudinally,notwocadaversarequitethesame.Asnoted(Ch.4),biologicalsystemshonourthelawsofbiologicalself-assembly.16Inthecaseoforanges,whilethemajorityhavethesameoverallformat,youareunlikelytofindanorangegrovefullofidenticalfruit.Whenyouopenthemyoumaysometimesfindthereareextralittlesegmentswheretheirsofttissuedividedthemslightlydifferentlytoasiblingonthesametree.Theymayallbeinthesamefamilybut(thankheaven)theyareallslightlydifferent.Wehumansarenotmachines.Wedonotdostraightlines,flatsurfacesorexactsymmetryanywherein

thebodyandnotwoofusareexactlythesame.Wemightbeverysimilar,butthatisasnearidenticalasweget.Takealonglookinthemirror,thenlookateveryoneelse.ItgoeswithoutsayingthateveryDogPose,performedintheyogaclassroom,isunique.

Figure3.17Theformofthesofttissueintheorangeprovidesametaphorforthecontainmentoffluids,infasciaofdifferentdensitiesandregularity,asa

continuousarchitecture.Justasthesegmentsareallattachedalongtheirlengths,sotooaremuscles.Asthejuicedropletsareallcloselypackedintheirparticularorganisationwiththesegments,sotooaremusclefibreswithinthemuscles.

NewViews

Like theorange, you too aredifferent.Tubes, pockets andpouches form in similar butbynomeans identical patterns andmusclesshowconsiderablevariation.Ourfacesdonotappearthesameontheoutsideandnordoourcavities,organsandvesselsontheinside.Geneticmodificationmaybeusefulforfoodcompanies toensure theycanpackagestandardbagsoforanges thatall lookthesameandcanbemeasuredbymachines.However,notwithstandingthefactthatyoucantastethedifference,itlullsusintoafalsesenseofidentikit.

Humanbeingsdiscoveredanddesignedthelawsofscience;wewerenotdesignedbyscience.Wearenotthe product of some evolutionary historical genetic modification programme. We have far too manydreamsandaspirationsofourowntobeinanythinglessthanaco-creativedancewithlifeitself.Thisiscommon sense, and finding out that the connective tissue of the human form is common to everyone,everywhereineverybody(invariablyexpresseduniquely)isaparadoxthatistransformingscience.Thediscoverythatthefasciaisamongthelargestsensoryorgansofthebody17(Ch.9)makesitliterally

and symbolically our common sensory organ.We did not invent this important connective tissue; weoverlookedit.Wewokeuptoseeingit.Thehardpartisrestructuringwhatwemakeitmean(givenwhatwehavemadeitmeanhistorically)intermsofhoweachoneofusmovesasawholebeing.Thischangeinviewpointisreminiscentofthechangeinperspectivethatcameaboutwiththeartistic

movementknownasCubism.TheRenaissancehadmovedthevisualperspectiveofanartistfromtwotothree dimensions, including a natural environment in perspective. The Cubists, however, painted thespacesbetweenandaroundthings:thatwhichgavethemtheirthree-dimensionaldefinitionorboundaries.Theyrepresentedform,shapesandmovementsbywhattheywerenot.Shapeswereessentiallyrevealedby negative space, or the surrounding environment. Thiswill become important in Part 2 becauseweactuallyrelyonjustthatwhenweassessforminaclassroom.Infact,itisausefulwayto“realise”thefascialmatrixinvestedthroughmuscle.

“Peri”means outer, “os”means bone, “myo” ismuscle, so periosteum is the tissue around the bone and perimysium is the tissuearound themuscle. “Epi”meansonor around, soepimysium iswhatyoucan seearound themuscle fibres andbundles,within theperimysium.“Endo”meansinner,andtheendomysium,whichisnotvisible to thehumaneye, isright insidethemusclefibrilsas thegossamerwebbingwithinthegossamerwebbing.Itformsaninnermatrix,butnotseparatefromanyotherlayer.

IfwelookatFigures3.18and3.19wecanseethatifwetakethestructureofamuscleandswitchhowitisdrawn,wegetthe“negativespaces”.WhatyouseedefinedinblackinFigure3.19arethedifferent

layers of the fascia: the perimysium, epimysium and endomysium, depending on which layer you arereferring to.Thepoint is that theyareallconnected,all the time. It isacontinuousweb throughout themuscle(literallyeverywhere),liketheorangesegment.Itisamodelthatworksthroughoutnature,makingsenseofmovement,aswewillgoontoexplore.Endomysium(Fig.3.20)lookslikealoofahbrush,althoughbecarefulifyouusethatparticularanalogy

becausealoofahisdryandstiff,whereashealthylivinghumanconnectivetissueresidesinandcontainsavitalfluidmedium(Ch.10)andisheldundertension(Ch.4).

“as to the periosteum, the situation is even more clear; Bones are not ‘passively’ enveloped by aperiosteum.Theperiosteum is the skeletal element itself thatdeposited thehardosseous tissueandservestheinsertionofmuscleandconnectivetissue.Itmediates.”18

Figure3.18Thisishowamuscleisusuallyshowninanexplodeddiagramschematiconthephysiologyofmuscles.

Figure3.19ThesamedrawingasshowninFigure3.18hasbeenusedtohighlightthefasciaoftheinner(endomysium),intermediate(epipysium)andouter

(perimysium)fascialsheaths.

NewView–SameArchitecture

Thedifficult thing tograsp is that, inaway,nothinghasactuallychanged,only thepointofviewfromwhichwearelookingatandanalysingthebodyandthecontextofhowitispresentedandlearned.Wecancallthisnewwayofseeingthescienceofbodyarchitecture,todistinguishitfromtheoldwayofseeing.Itisrevealingwhatwasalwaysthere,offtheplanorsideelevationonthedrawingboard,andshowingitfullblownintothree-dimensionalanimatedlife.Ofcourse,thenewscienceofbodyarchitectureisnotrestrictedtomusclesandbonesbutincludesthe

tissue network surrounding and containing the spaces of the body. This is the “extracellular matrix”.Everythinginthebodyresidesinit.Itisthe“stuff”thatthevessels,organs,glands,bonesandmusclesaredissectedoutof. It isour internalcontext inwhich thecellsmoveandmanage, theenvironmentwithinwhichtheinternalnetsustainsandcontainsitself(seeCh.10formoredetail).There is at the present timemuch discussion aboutwhat fascia is where and the different types of

fasciaeandtheirrelativerolesandcollagentypes.However,thequestionofdetailedterminologyremainsasubjectofdebatearoundhowexactlyall these typesaredifferentiated intonamedpartsof theentirefascial matrix or tensional network. The fascia itself presents a profound difficulty when it comes tonaming itsparts since it is essentiallyubiquitousandcontinuous.That is thepoint.Moreover, to someextentweexpressituniquelyaccordingtouse,so,althoughwehaveageneralpatternwithinthespecies,weareworkingwithasymmetriesandbiologicsimilaritiesratherthanrigidgeometriesormachines.Inotherwords,youdoityourwayandIdoitmine.Wecansharetheidea,wecanevenrecreatetheprocessandmakenewpatternsandsynchroniseandmimiceachother,butwearenever identical.Youalreadyknow that inaclasswemayalldo thesameposebutno twowillbe identical.Thesciencebegins toconfirmwhythatmightbeso.

Figure3.20Thisdrawingistakenfromaphotographofanelectromyographicimageoftheendomysiumoncethemyofibrilshavebeenremoved.The

endomysiumisthedeepestlayerandcannotbeseenwiththenakedeye.Theimageshowsthelonghollowspaceswherethemyofibrilswereandrevealsthecontinuityofthearchitectureinwhichtheyreside.Ithasaslightlyrandomlyshapedhoneycombstructureandclearlyactsasapartofthecommunicationandcoordinationfacultyofwhatiscommonlycalledthe“musculoskeletalsystem”.Inthelivingbodyitiscompletely

continuouswiththeepimysium,perimysium,looseconnectivetissueandskin.

Whatthiscomesdowntoingeneraltermsforourteachingisthatwecannotusefullyseparatestructurefromfunctionbecausetheyarenotseparate.Youmoveandcreateformasyouformshapesbymoving.Weneedtokeepanoverallsenseofthewholeasmovementteachers,andasyogateacherswesitatahugeadvantage.Wearetrainedinshapes,sensoryawarenessandkinaestheticattention.

Much of this information was presented at the first International Fascia Research Congress, in 2007, resulting from the work ofpioneerssinceAndrewTaylorStillandincludingmanycuriousandcommittedscientists,clinicians,surgeons,anatomistsandbodyworkprofessionals in all fields who constitute our modern day philosophers, with a portfolio of ideas between them. Together, in acollaborativenetworkofcommunicationandscientificresearch,artisticallypresented,theFasciaCongressismovingtowardsitsfourthworldwideexhibitionat the timeofwriting.Thiswill takeplace in2015.Further informationanddetailsof thenetworkofdedicatedindividuals in every field that come together, from all over the globe, to bring this work to the rest of the world can be found atwww.fasciaresearch.comandwww.fasciaresearchsociety.org.Theyaretoonumeroustoreferenceindividuallyandnodoubtsomewillchallengespecificdetailshere.However, if thisdoesnomore thanshed lighton theneed to reconsideranatomy,biomechanicsandphysiology,andendorsethewholebodythatyogaisdevotedto,itwillhaveignitedcuriosityand,therefore,beenworthwhile.

When it comes to reading shapes andpostures,weneed tobe able to standback.We learn to readshadowsatthespeedofmovementandgetasenseofhoweachparticipantinourclassesusestheirwholebody.ThisisthebasisofPart2,butfirstwehavetoconsiderthewholeandhowitmoves.Wecanlearntoseefromadifferentpointofviewthatdoesnotinvolvementallydissectingsomeonein

motion,orreducingtheirmovements toasystemof leversorsingle/pairedmusclefunctions.Therearethreereasonsforthis:• Youdonothavetimeinamovementclassroom.• Thatisnothowwemove.• Whatyoumoveandwhatyoudon’tmove,inordertomake“amove”areofequalsignificanceintermsofco-ordinationandbalance.

Everyoneyouteachalreadyhasorganisedbodyarchitecture.Theycometoyoutoassistinrefiningandoptimisinghow theymove it, in the contextof theparticular styleofyogayou teach.Once theoverallarchitecturalprinciplesareunderstood,commontoeverycell,muscle,organandthewholeorganism,thepiecesbegintofallintoplace,literallyandmetaphoricallyheldtogetherbyourtissues.Wehavetogobacktothebeginningtoasktheembryo(yourembryonicorigins)howitformed(how

you formedyour self).Then, in the light of fascia research,webegin to seehow thewhole formationremainedwhole throughout life.Thisallowsus tounderstandourarchitectureasaself-contained,self-organisingsystemofsomethingcalledbiotensegrity.Wewillgivethissomechaptersofitsownbecauseitupgradesourunderstandingof the softvehiclewe live in, toa three-dimensional integratedwhole thatactuallymovesindependentlyofgravityandinveryintelligentways.Yogacouldbesaidtoalreadyunderstandmanyofthese“new”aspectsofthescienceinstinctively,by

incorporatingthemintoitsancientandholisticpractices,muchlikemanyofthemartialarts.Wehavetogo a little deeper, however, to confirmwhy the kinaesthetic intelligencewe explore on themat is somultifaceted.Thisisvital,otherwisewerisksegregatingandfracturingyogawithreductionistprinciples,andthereisnoneedtodothat.Yogaisabeautifulmediuminwhichtodemonstratethisworkbecauseitworksthiswayinpractice,

demonstrably.

Notesandbibliography1. SirWinstonChurchill,inaspeechtotheHouseofCommonson28October1944.2. LuigiSteccoandCarlaStecco,FascialManipulation:PracticalPart,Englisheditionby JulieAnnDay, forewordbyRobertSchleip,

Piccin,Padua,2009.3. JaapvanderWal,personalcommunication,July2013.4. “Fasciaisformedbyundulatedcollagenfibresandelasticfibresarrangedindistinctlayers,andwithineachlayerthefibresarealignedin

a different direction”, Luigi Stecco, Facial Manipulation® (http://www.fascialmanipulation.com/en/about-fascial-manipulation.aspx?lang=en).

5. The relatively new field of Soft Robotics is using the principles of Biotensegrity (Ch. 4) to create a new generation of robots. VytasSunSpiral (Thomas Willeke to 2005) is a computer scientist and roboticist at NASA who has shared many fruitful discussions andcollaborationsovertheyearswithTomFlemons.Hiswebsiteishttp://www.magicalrobot.org/BeingHuman/.

6. JaapvanderWal,personalcommunication,July2013.7. Jaap van der Wal, “The Architecture of the Collagenous Connective Tissue in the Musculoskeletal System – An often overlooked

FunctionalParameterastoProprioceptionintheLocomotorSystem”.ThisarticleispublishedassupplementtoalectureattheSecondInternationalFasciaResearchCongress,Amsterdam,27–30October2009,with the title “TheArchitectureofConnectiveTissue as aFunctional Substrate for Proprioception in theLocomotor System”. (Jaap van derWalMDPhD,University ofMaastricht, Faculty ofHealth,Medicine and Life Sciences, Department ofAnatomy and Embryology, P.O. Box 616, 6200MDMaastricht, Netherlands.) Itincludes a revised version of part of Van derWal’s doctoral thesis, submitted to the University ofMaastricht in 1988, entitled “TheOrganizationoftheSubstrateofProprioceptionintheElbowRegionoftheRat”.

8. JaapvanderWal,privatecommunication,July2013.9. Ibid.10. Ch.2inAndrewT.Still,PhilosophyofOsteopathy,A.T.Still,Kirksville,1899.11. JaapvanderWal,privatecommunication,July2013.12. SeeDrGuimberteau’swork.Jean-ClaudeGuimberteau,MD(www.guimberteau-jc-md.com/en/).BothEnglishandFrenchversionsare

availableatthisaddress.HisDVD:InteriorArchitectures, isavailableonthesamesite.SeealsoTheArchitectureofLivingFascia:TheExtracellularMatrixandCellsRevealedThroughEndoscopy,HandspringPublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.

13. Ibid.14. Theauthorwouldliketoexpressprofoundandreverentgratitudetoalldonors.15. IntroductioninRobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHuman

Body.ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.16. DonaldIngber,“TheArchitectureofLife”,ScientificAmerican,FeatureArticle,January1998.17. “Whenincludingintramuscularconnectivetissues,periosteumandsuperficialfasciaaspartofthebodywidefascialnetasoutlinedabove,

fasciacanthenbeseenasoneofourrichestsensoryorgans.Itiscertainlyourmostimportantorganforproprioception(Schleip,2003).”R.Schleip,D.G.Müller,“TrainingPrinciplesforFascialConnectiveTissues:ScientificFoundationandSuggestedPracticalApplications”,JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies17:103–115;2013.

18. JaapvanderWal,privatecommunication,includingthefollowingreferences:Drukker J,MamerenH van,Wal JC van der (1983). Connective tissue structures in the cubital region ofman and rat. Their role inguidanceofforcesandtheirroleasasubstrateforpropriocepsis.JAnat137:432.MamerenHvan,DrukkerJ(1984).Afunctionalanatomicalbasisof injuries totheligamentumandothersoft tissuesaroundtheelbowjoint:Transmissionoftensileandcompressiveloads.IntJSportsMed5(suppl.):88–92.MamerenHvan,WalJCvander(1983).Comparisonoftheorganisationoftheconnectivetissueinrelationwithmuscleandnervetissueinthecubitalregioninmanandintherat.ActaMorpholNeerl-Scand21:169.MamerenH van, GroenewegenW, RensemaH (1984). A computerized drawingmethod tomake representations of the collagenousconnectivetissuestructuresinsituaroundtheelbowjoint.ActaMorphNeerl-Scand22:253.MamerenHvan,LatasterA,RensemaH,DrukkerJ(1985).Theuseofmodernimagingtechniques(CT-scanningandNMR)inthestudyofthelocomotorapparatus.ActaMorphNeerl-Scand23:247–258.Wal JC van der (1988).The organization of themorphological substrate of proprioception in the elbow region of the rat.Unpublishedthesis,UniversityofLimburg,Netherlands.Wal JC van der (2009). The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system – an often overlooked functionalparameterastoproprioceptioninthelocomotorapparatus.IntJTherMassageBodywork(IJTMB)2(4):9–23.JCvanderWal,“Proprioception,MechanoreceptionandtheAnatomyoftheFascia”,Ch.2.2inRobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody,ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.

CHAPTER

4BiotensegrityStructures

“Thatnatureappliescommonassemblyrulesisimpliedbytherecurrence,atscalesfromthemoleculartothemacroscopic,ofcertainpatterns,suchasspirals,pentagonsandtriangulatedforms.Thesepatternsappearinstructuresrangingfromhighlyregularcrystalstorelativelyirregular

proteinsandinorganismsasdiverseasviruses,planktonandhumans.”1

DonaldIngber

Abiotensegrity structure is triangulated (see later). It occupies and encloses space in particularways. There are three aspects ofinnateforcetransmissionactinginthreedimensionsonthewholestructure.It isnotjust triangulatedgeometrically.Itoccupiesthreedimensionsand it integratesmultiplemeansof forcemanagement simultaneously.Forexample,on thescaleof the“musculoskeletalsystem”,thebonypartcanbetensionedtosomeextent,andthebonypartcanwithstandcompressiontoamuchgreaterextent,andthe fabricpart is themain tensioningand, importantly, tensioned aspect.However, it does not respondwell to compression; thetensionalpart tends to foldundercompression forces.There aredifferent qualities to all thedifferent fascialmembranesbut inconcerttheycanorchestratemultidirectionalmovementandappropriateresponsetoavarietyofdynamicstresses,bytheprinciplesofthismodel.Theyallowthecontinuoussignallingofforcestobetransmittedthroughoutthestructure.Thusoursoftpartscanfoldandthen unfold, to restore their shape appropriately. The bones, being stiffened, act like spacers. They withstand compression of thetensionedlayersaroundthem.Atthesametime,theypushorstretchthoselayersofthebodysuitintotension.Meanwhile,thewholemyofascialaspectpullsthebonestogetherintocompressionbut(hereisthepartthatishardtograsp)theyareorganisedregionallyinthebody inconcertwith thedynaments (dynamic-ligaments4) such that theyalsopull thebonesapart fromeachother at the sametime. This is clearer from the global pattern ofmuscles and bones in their connective tissue substrate. It is hiddenwhen they areremovedfromtheirlivingcontext.ItsupportsvanderWal’sfindings(Ch.3)thatajointisundertensionatallangles.

Theword“biotensegrity”isashorteningof“biologicaltensileintegrity”.Itreferstoatypeoftensional,three-dimensionalstructurethatisformedundertensionandcompression.The“bio”partmeans“living”andthesuggestionisthatitprovidesacompellingmetaphorforhowweareformedandmovearoundasalivingarchitecture.Itisachallengingidea.A spider’s web, for example, is a tensional structure and can be said to have “tensile integrity”.

However,itisnotatensegritystructureassuch,becauseitrequiresanexternalframe.“Tensegritiesaredifferent – their forms are self-stabilized, independent of gravity and need no external support” (TomFlemons2). Our ability to walk around and do yoga on one leg or balance on our heads is, in part,explainedbythesearchitecturalprinciples.Wecarryourframearoundwithus,butitlivesontheinside.Ourtissuesaretensionedaroundthatframe(astheytensiontheframeinareciprocalway)suchthatwequalifyastensegritystructures.Whatdoesthatmean?“Biotensegrity”isthetermcoinedbyDrStephenLevintodescribebiologicstructuressuchasweare.

What it means is that our forms are self-stabilising, they are independent of gravity and we need no

externalsupport.Weusetheground,butwhenwejumpordiveortilt,forexample,wedonotdeflate,orcollapse, or fall over or apart as a house would if there was, for even a single moment, no groundunderneath it.Our form, unlike a house, is not a purely compression structure.We are quintessentiallymadeofsofttissues,somerelativelyharderthanothers,somefluidandsomesoft,butalljoinedtogether,contained and organised by an essentially tensional network.Many traditional biomechanical modelssuggestweareconstructedunderlinearrulesthatapplytocompressionstructures.Biotensegrityoffersaglobalmodel that possibly explains howwe naturally organise all the elements of ourmoving “bodyarchitecture”, in all its roundness, volume and detail, as a whole animated body contained in (andcontaining) an intricate fascial matrix. Significantly, it is the relationship between tension andcompressionthatissocrucialtounderstand.Itisworthexploring.

Biotensegrity:TensionandCompressionTogetherInabiotensegrity structure there is acontinuous tensionnetwork inwhichdiscontinuous compressionelements are suspended.The compression struts do not touch each other. This is the first challenge tonotionsderivedfromgeneralanatomybooks.Ourbonesdonottoucheachotherand,accordingtoLevin,thecartilageliningourjointsinthelivingbodyisnottoughandstrong,suchaswemightimaginefromtheknuckleonachickenbone(bythetimeweseeittogetthatimpression,thatknuckleisdeadorcooked,whichmakesithard).Thecartilageinthelivingformismorelikethetextureofaboiledegg-white.Inahealthy body it is hydrated and intimately organised in the joint it is part of. It is not fundamentallydesignedtowithstanddirectcompressionforcesasthecementbetweenthebricksinthewallsofahousedoes.Unlike the drawings inmanybooks,where the bones appear to overlap, in healthyorganisationour

bones act something like spacers in the network of our tensional body suit.Their action is not simplyexplainedbyleversasif theywereoverlappedorhingedlikeamechanical jointas theycanappearinmanyrepresentations.Ifyouthinkaboutit,itisrarethatweactuallymoveourlimbsorjointsinoneplaneasiftheywerelevers.Indeed,ontheyogamat,wedothingsthatwouldpermanentlytwistorbreakaformdesignedbythelinearlogicthatsomeofthemechanicaltheorieswearemorefamiliarwithmightsuggest.Our dynamic arrangement is a tensional organisation in which the joints are perhaps more aptly

described as “floating fulcrums”.3 The intricate geometry of the whole form is organised so that thetensionalandcompressionalforcespressandpulleachothersimultaneouslyall thetime.This intimaterelationship means the compression part contributes to and elaborates the tensional aspect, whichreciprocally compresses the compression part. They work in complementary (if apparently opposing)forces.Theircombinationisthekeytounderstandingbiotensegrity.In itsentiretyandcontinuity, suchanarchitecturaldesign is resilient,and itcan rapidly transmitand

distribute forces to all parts of the structure. It is a relatively economical and lightweight design of astructuredvolume-in-space that can independentlymove andwithstanddynamic stresswhile balancingmultiple forces. It is anelegantmodel thatmakesagreatdealof sense,despite thecomplexitiesof itsfinerdetail.

LivingArchitectureOncetheoverallprinciplesareunderstood,biotensegritycanbereadilyseenasameansbywhichmanyliving things successfullymanage their architectural ability todefygravity, that is,momentbymoment,

fromtheinsideoutandtheoutsidein,throughmultipleanglesinspaceandinrealtime.Alllivingthings,fromflowerstovertebrates,sharethisfundamentalabilitytoopposethegravitational

forcespullingthemtowardsthecentreoftheearth.Thisisachievedthroughoutourvolumeinspace.Itisnot just as opposite ends of a “push-me-pull-me” or “a pressing down and pushing up” line. It is thewholeofourstructure,the“allofus”thatweexploreinyogaonthemat.How,inthetechniquesofthepostures,canweholdpositionsatallsortsofanglesandstillrestoreourshape?Howdowedothatsorapidlythroughoutapractice?

Thegenerallogicbehindbiotensegrityisappealing,ifweletgooftheconceptofindividualmuscleunitsmovinglocaljointsinisolation(Ch.9).

Despite itsappealandelegance,bycomparisonwithmany traditional, long-heldconceptsof leversand fulcrums,biotensegrity isanemergingtheory.Itisaninspiringperspectiveonhowwedoyoga.Itisalsobeingadoptedintherelativelynewfieldofsoftrobots6andresearchisgraduallydevelopinginprostheticsasinterestandunderstandinggrow.Untiltherehasbeenfurtherresearch,however,instrictscientificterms,biotensegrityissomethingofanextendedmetaphorinthiscontext.

Wewillgoontoseethatbiotensegrityofferssomecompellingexplanationsinanswertothatandmanyotherquestions.Itappliestothewholenessofourcellsandorgans.Itscalesuptoincludehowwecontaintheorganisms thatareourbodies,aswemove themaround in theirentirety. Itchallenges thepremisesuponwhichmanyclassicalbiomechanicaltheoriesarebased.“LeversandfulcrumsdescribeidealisedPlatonicconditionsthatexistinfixedstructures.”5Weare

not fixed structures; ratherwearenonlinearbiologic structures thatmovearoundandmanagedynamicforcesconstantlyandwithrelativeease.Weareself-motivated,withoutnecessarilythinkingaboutit.Theoriesofsimpleleversareclearlynotsufficienttoaccountforallthatwecanlearntodoandmake

possible inayogapractice.Norare theyeasilyexpandedintosymbolicaspectsbeyondtheclassroom,wheretension–compressionrecapitulatesthepositive–negative,attract–repelforceswecomeacrossoneverylevelofourawareness.

WhatTomFlemonsterms“acomprehensivetheory”hasyettoshowinprecisedetailexactlyhowbiotensegritytranslatestheforcesthrough the joints. It is compelling nonetheless, with clear evidence on a micro scale, as we will see. Flemons offers elegantexplanationsforsuchatheory7andadds:“it is clearly a more comprehensive account of how living structure operates on all micro-scales but to describe macrostructuralanatomy inbiotensegrity terms requiresa leap inanalysis thathasn’tbeenachievedyet.…Themostwecan sayabout the joints in our body is that they are floating fulcrumswhich forces percolate through. Ifmuscles and tendons areactinglikelevers,theyarenotsimplelevers[seeCh.7]becausethefascialnetwhichwrapseverythingtransmitsforcesacrossthejointsaswell.”8

Suchpolaritiesaresymbolisedeverywhereinyogabythemoremetaphysicalaspectsofthepractice(seePart 3). Philosophically, levers represent linear and intellectual thinking. Yoga includes and movesbeyondtherestrictionsthatkindofthinkingcanimpose.(Wecanmoveasifwehadleveredjoints,butwerarelydo;itishardlynatural.)Whatissowelcomeisanevolvingperspectivesuchasbiotensegrity,thataccountsforbody,mindandbeinginaunited,congruentwhole,beyondthesumoftheparts.Ifthefascialmatrixprovidestheweaveofourfabric,thebiotensegritymightdescribetheformasvolumethatallowsit to move around, all joined together and appropriately organised. According to Kenneth Snelson,weavingisthe“motheroftensegrity”.Tensegrityprovidestheopportunityfora(woven)fabric(area)tocontainandoccupyspace(asavolume),giventhespacers–thefloatingcompressionmembers.This,in

thevertebratebody,isrepresentedbythebonesoftheskeletonandtheparticularwaysinwhichtheyholdthesofttissuesapart,whilebeingheldtogetherbythem.Theessenceoftheresearchintothefascialmatrixisthatitischangingthenatureofenquiryintohow

wemove.Thisispermittinganewlightofcuriositytoshineonmanyhistoricallyacceptedtheories.Letuslookintobiotensegritytoseehowitpresentssuchapowerfulmetaphorinyoga.

HowBiotensegrityCameAboutPeopleoftenrefertoNewtonasifheinventedgravity.IfthisweresothenKennethSnelson(seeMarginnote,below)wouldberesponsibleforcreatinganartformcalled“floatingcompression”,thegenesisofthisconceptoftensionalintegrity,ortensegrity.Intruth,asCarolineMysspointsout,9theforceofgravityexisted long before any theories emerged. Newton’s genius was to animate and apply the idea,recognisingitasanaturallaw.Justasappleshavebeenfallingoutoftreesformanycenturies,tensionalintegrity,asaprincipleoflivingarchitecture,hasbeenthebasisofallthingsgrowingandmovingintheearth’sgravitationalfieldsincelongbeforethedinosaurs.Wesimplydidnotrecogniseit.Yogaseekstobringintellectualknowledgeintobeing,realisingitasaphysicalwisdomtranslatedinto

thebody’sownexperience.Abeautiful sequenceofVinyasaFlowYoga, forexample,doesnotbenefitfrom reductionist theory.Biotensegrity, however, offers a kinaesthetic appreciation of form thatmakesabsolutesenseofeverytwist,turnandbreathofaflowingsequenceoraslowseriesofheldposesandthebalancingacttheyincorporate.Itmakessenseofwhatactuallyhappensinclass.Biotensegrityseemstobesomuchmorethanamodel.Itoffersacontextthat illuminatesamuchfullerrealisationofformandfunctionalmovementoneveryscaleandthroughoutnature.

Levindiscussestheprincipleofbiotensegrityintermsofspinalmechanicsandshouldermovementinspecificdetail(seenotes).

WhatNewtondidwastoanimatethedistinctionofgravityasagoverningphysicallaw.Thisallowedhimtoapplyitslogicuniversally.Hewasabletoignitethediscoveryofthisexistingprincipleofforces,tomakeitmeansomethinginmanyfieldsofendeavourandgenerateitspowerasalawofnatureoneveryscale. In his day, Newton had to prove the merit of his discovery mathematically and by carefulphilosophicallogic.Thepullofgravityisalawwenowtakeforgranted.Ofcourseitgoesbeyondtheapple;italsoincludeshowtherestofthetreegrowsupwardand,crucially,maintainsitsvolumeinspiteofgravitationalforcesactingalongallitsbranchesanditsextremitiesinspace.Tensegrityistheprinciplethetreeusestosolvethatproblem.Weareinexcitingtimesaswelearntorevealitsapparentlyuniversalapplication.

AnArtFormKennethSnelson(bornin1927) isanartist,sculptorandgeometer.Hisprofoundunderstandingofhownatureshapesforminspacecanbeseenappliedtomanyaspectsofscienceandart.Hewrites:“Myartisconcernedwithnatureinitsprimaryaspect,thepatternsof physical forces in three dimensional space.”12 Snelsonwas a student of Buckminster Fuller and it was from Snelson’s floatingcompression sculptures that Fuller coined the term tensegrity, from “tensional” and “integrity”. Snelson’swork and articles can beviewedthroughhiswebsite.13Hisarticle“Weaving,MotherofTensegrity”bringsusclosertotheideaofthefascialmatrixbridgingthemicroandthemacroscalesofourforminitslocalweaveanditsglobalstructuralintegrity.

Kenneth Snelson (see Margin note) animated this principle of structure that works independently of

gravitational downward force and constantly responds to it in intimate relationship. Through hisunderstanding and development of compressionmembers “floating” in a sea of continuous tension, heidentified a companion law of nature. Tensegrity takes the application of gravity working on livingcreaturesintothree-dimensionallife(Figs4.1and4.2).ForSnelsonitwasanartform,andinthe1980stensegritywasnotgenerallyconsideredintermsofhumanbiomechanics.

Figure4.1ThisbeautifulimagefromAlbinus,drawnbyJanVandelaar,showsthehumanskeleton.Thisistheclassicalmodel.However,itcannotstand

uplikethiswithouttheconnectivetissuesthataremissingfromthedrawing.

Figure4.2Thismodelofthehumanformasabiotensegrityarchitecture,byTomFlemons(reproducedwithhiskindpermission)doesstanduponitsown.

Figure4.3DrStephenLevinstandingunderSnelson’sNeedleTowerinWashingtonDC.

Fig.4.3showsSnelson’sfamousNeedleTower.Thebars(compressionmembers)areheldinplacebycontinuouswires(tensionalmembers)thatarenotmadeofelasticmaterial.However,thenetresultofthisarchitectural form is that it contains space using the minimum of materials, with high elastic storagecapacity(seeCh.8).Itisrelativelylightandcompletelyfreetorespondtoforcesactinguponitwitharemarkable resilienceandability to restore its shape (integrityof form). If thewindblows theNeedleTowerinonedirectionitrespondsarchitecturallyasawholeandthenreturnstoitscentredposition.Itisnaturally responsive to any change in force. Importantly, however, it resists deformation and is easilymovedasawhole,despiteitsscale.(Thishugeformcanbeliftedandmovedwithrelativelylittleeffortgiven its overall size.This is part of the economyofmaterial and scale thatmakes it so appealing innature.)Forcescanalsomovethroughit.Themathematicalimplicationsofthisgeometryaretobefoundeverywhereinthenaturalworldandthe

humanformseemstobenoexception.Itcertainlyinvitesustoconsiderit,particularlygivenwhatwecandointheyogaclass.TheNeedleTowerisanexampleofhowthethirdneutralforce(seeCh.1)playsanessential role, as the uniting of two opposites, or paired structures. These two forces (tension andcompression) combine inonewholearchitectureand forma third force,orunity, to create form.Theycauseeachothertobe.Thisistheformweliveinorarecontainedin,asavolumeinspace.Thisisnotjustupanddownforce,butomnidirectional:sidetoside,cornertocorner,innertoouter,outertoinner.Thinkofa tree, solving thebusinessofgrowing(upwardandoutward), takingupspaceandmoving

withthewind,withoutbreaking.Itusestensegrityasthebasisofitsarchitecture.Thestructureandfabricitself (of the tensional and compressional elements) become the force transmission network. It isprofoundlyeconomical.Snelson’s artistic creation of a tensional network simultaneously holds the compression “struts”

together and keeps them apart, while it is held open by them. It is constructed on the principle oftriangulation,which in thisdesign formsacross-sectionof the star tetrahedronwhenviewed fromoneparticulardirection.Thegeometryof this, inplanview,isclearlyvisiblefromunderneaththestructure(Fig.4.4).“Chirality” is the term given to the spiralling nature of the structure in volume. The chirality is the

directionofitsspiral,achievedonallscales.(Chiralityintreesreferstothedirectionofthetwistofeachgrowthring.Eachlayerhascounter-chirallingpropertiessothetreecangrowupright.Researchsuggeststheyrespondtotheirenvironment;seeCh.7.)ThemodelinFigures4.5and4.6isaboutameterlongandexhibitsthesamestructuralpropertiesasSnelson’stower.10

Figure4.4TheviewfromunderneaththeNeedleTower;notethegeometricpatternofastartetrahedronincross-section.

Figure4.5Abiotensegritymast.Itbeginsascontinuousstrings,whicharenotelastic,joinedtogether,withouttension,atspecificpoints,intowhichthemetaltubesareinserted.Asthewholemasttightens,thespacerstakeuptheirroles.Itassumesthisshapewhich,whendroppedonitsend,

bouncesseveralinchesoffthegroundandmaintainsitstensionalintegrityandinnateelasticity.ReproducedinkindacknowledgementofBruceHamilton,designerofthismast.

Figure4.6AsinSnelson’sNeedleTower,theendelevationofthemastappearsincross-section,atanypoint,asaplanviewofthestartetrahedron(Ch.

2and21).

The architect Buckminster Fuller recognised the innate structural principle in Snelson’s work andapplied it to architecture. About five years later, Fuller coined the term “tensegrity” from “tensionintegrity”anddesignedthegeodesicdomebaseduponitsarchitecturaleconomyandresilientform.ThisisfundamentallybasedupontheprinciplesofarchitectureandtheSacredGeometryof theRenaissancethatweexaminedinLeonardodaVinci’swork(seeCh.2andFig.4.7).Itisnowbeingrecognisedasapossibleexplanationofourinternalorganisationoneveryscale.Thelayersoftubinginabloodvessel,forexample,areconsideredtohavecounter-chiralweave,whichgivesthemelasticityandresilienceaswellasstructuralintegrity.11Wewillconsiderthecontextofwholebodymovementshere,buttheappealisthatbiotensegrityappliesoneveryscaleofourform.In the early 1980s, Tom Flemons, another artist and inventor, was working in a different way in

Canada.Herevealedthesamefundamentalprinciples.Flemonsalsoreferstohimselfasageometerandhis own applications of tensegrity were focused on their relevance to human form and representingfunctional anatomy.StephenLevin, an orthopaedic surgeon, followed a line of enquiry along the sametheme.Levin’squestionsarose fromhisownsurgicalpractice.Hesoughtanswers inhis localNaturalHistoryMuseum,locatednotfarfromSnelson’sNeedleTower.

Figure4.7LeonardodaVincisawarchitecturewhenhestudiedhumanform.Theweaveofthemyofascialmatrix,takenglobally,expandsthepossibilities

ofhowwedefineform.

Havingwrittenexpansivelyabout this subject since theearly1980s,Levinbegan toworkwithTomFlemons in the late 1990s, and their respective approaches are gradually revealing the depths and

applicationof tensegrityprinciples in thebroadestsense,applied tohumanstructureandmotion.Theirworkistransformingourunderstandingofbiomechanicsandbalanceandcertainlyinvitingnewquestionsaboutmoretraditionalideas.ExamplesofFlemons’sworkareshowninFigs4.8and4.9.

MicrotoMacroScale

Figure4.8Thisisanewmodel,renderedbyTomFlemons,ofthepelvisandspine;reproducedwithhiskindpermission.

Oneaspecttohighlightisthattensegrityisfoundtobethebasisoflivingarchitectureonmanydifferentscales. The cell used to be considered as a bag of water, held up by hydraulic pressure. It is nowunderstood that it contains tension and compression elements and actually conforms to biotensegralarchitecture in its fullness of form andmotility. (New research suggests it is a special kind of waterstructure too.)14 Professor Donald E. Ingber,15 a cell biologist and bioengineer, has studied andresearched tensegrity principles on the molecular level while Dr Levin has sought to show howbiotensegrityappliestothewholebody–macro-movement.

“Despitecenturiesofstudy,researchersstillknowrelativelylittleabouttheforcesthatguideatomstoself assemble intomolecules. They know even less about how groups ofmolecules join together tocreatelivingcellsandtissues.Overthepasttwodecades,however,Ihavediscoveredandexploredanintriguingandseeminglyfundamentalaspectofself-assembly.Anastoundinglywidevarietyofnaturalsystems, including carbonatoms,watermolecules, proteins, viruses, cells, tissuesandevenhumansandotherlivingcreatures,areconstructedusingacommonformofarchitectureknownastensegrity.Thetermreferstoasystemthatstabilisesitselfmechanicallybecauseofthewayinwhichtensionalandcompressiveforcesaredistributedandbalancedwithinthestructure.”16

Thus the principle called “tensegrity”, now more developed and referred to by Levin as“biotensegrity”,becameanimatedthroughdifferentareasofstudyasdiverseasart,engineering,surgeryandmolecularbiology.Unitingthemallisthenatureoflivingarchitecture.Biotensegritycanbeappliedto a multiplicity of living structures and the research of the last few decades has evolved alongsideresearchonthefascialmatrix.Thesebegintoexplaineachotheratvariouslevelsofourformandinviteustonewinterpretationsofwhatactuallyhappensinwhatwecall“functionalmovement”.Iffasciaisthe

fabric, the weave, and biotensegrity is the basis of how it works in our structural architecture, howexactlydowemove?

Figure4.9Athree-dimensionalmodelofa“tensegrityspine”(A),anda“tensegritypelvis”(B),createdbyTomFlemonsandreproducedwithhiskind

permission.

FromthewebsiteofTomFlemons“BasedonthewestcoastofCanada,TomFlemonsisanartistandinventorwhofoundedthecompany Intension Designs Ltd. He has employed tensegrity principles for 30 years, designing portable structures,freestandingfences,children’stoys(Skwish),furniture,mobilesandsculptures.

Hefirstnoticedtheformalresemblancebetweentensegritymastsandvertebral‘columns’in1985,andbuiltseveralmodelsofatensegralspinewhichhesoldtodoctorsandchiropractors.Asearchofthemedicalliteratureonbiomechanicsrevealednoonewasexploring the similarityof spinesand tensegritymasts.However,anorthopedic surgeonDr.StephenLevinwaswritingabouttheconnectionandeventuallyheandTomFlemonsmetandbegantoworktogetherinthe90s.

Forovertenyears,incollaborationwithDr.Levin,Flemonshasbuiltmanybio-tensegrityanalogsofvertebrateanatomyand it has proved quite possible to model the body using tensegrity. Each iteration approaches a better accuracy and

resolution of anatomy and, in turn, sparks insight into an explanation of biomechanics that does not require levers andfulcrums.Thesemodelsoffer researchers, therapistsandhealthcareprofessionalsa ‘hands-on’experienceof the tensegralhumanbody.”

Ingber’s work shows these principles on a molecular level. Guimberteau and others (see Ch. 3)reference Levin’s (and others; see notes) work at the macro level of human movement. The specificexplanationsarenotyetwidelyagreed,asitispossiblethatseveralkindsofgeometriesareinvolvedatthe same time to manage the intricate range of movements we can do. For example, we might movegracefullythroughaSunSalutation(SurayaNamaskar)butwedonotonly“doDogPose”then“doPlankPose”, and so on.We experience the movements through subtle transitions at various amplitudes andprogressions,whilebreathingandsensingthegroundthroughfeetandfingers,insubtleandstrong,steadyand sweet rhythms. The fascial matrix works in tubes within tubes and various layered organisationsthroughoutourform.Itmakessensethatjustasthereismorethanonewaytodothepostures,theremaybemorethanonewaytotransmittheforceswithinandthroughthejoints,indeedthewholearchitecture.Wewillgoontoexplorethisinthefollowingchapters.Atthisstage,itisworthunderstandingbiotensegrityevenasametaphor,forthesenseitmakesofwhatweactuallydoontheyogamat.

BiotensegrityandYogaThe implications of understanding tensional forces in this context are exceptionally valuable for yogateaching.Thisislargelybecauseitisrelativelyeasytoseetension–compressionbalancegloballyinthebodyonceyouknowwhatyouarelookingat.Italsoidentifiesthebalancebetweenstiffnessandelasticity(Ch.8)andthiscanprovideadirectpath toorganisation thatworksat thespeedofamovementclass.Eventuallywecandevelopourown(internal)senseoftensionalbalance.Inacontextofcuriosity,findingourwayintotheposes,thisseemstobeafruitfulpathwayenroutetoconsciousmovementandstructuralintegrity(Part2).Wearealigningwithadifferenttheoryofmovementthataccountsforallofourrangeandmakessense

of what we readily do in a yoga classroom, regardless of angle, position or speed. Trees, flowers,mammals,birds,insects,fish,allfaunaandfloradothis.Theyfoldandunfoldandmovetheirvolumeasacontainedbutconstantlychangingmorphologyinperfectbalancewiththegravitationalfieldaroundthem.(WewillseethisinCh.5,asaformingprincipleinembryology.)Itisasystemofcoordinatedresistanceandsurrender,stabilityandmobility,sofundamentaltoyogapractice.Itinvitesustore-evaluateanewcontext for someof theSanskrit termswithwhichyoga is described.Theycan appear less literal andmorenaturallysymbolicofourfull,dynamicarchitecture(seePart3).Onceyoudevelopaclearsenseofhowabiotensegritystructureisdefinedandexpressed,itsimplifies

whatyouarelookingforandamplifiesthedifferenceasmalladjustmentcanmake(Ch.14).Whatcanbedeveloped as a skill is the recognition of how the parts of us can be integrated and united by theseprinciples, then translatedusefully intomovementmanagementandprecision.Here,wewill attempt todefinethelogic,andinPart2wewillapplyittoanumberofposturesandrevealitsrelativesimplicityinpractice. This does not mean biotensegrity is the answer to everything, but research that comes frommovement is intriguing. Itmakes senseofusas self-motivatedandself-stabilisingcreatures. It isquitedifferenttotakingtheoriesandtryingtomakethemovementsfitthem.Allresearchrelies,tosomeextent,onthewaythequestionisposed.Biotensegrityastheexplanationforourvolume,woventogetherbythefascialmatrixofourforms,raisesquestionsfornewkindsofresearch.Wewillfindout inPart3howeloquentlytheyarereiteratedinsomeoftheancientwisdombehindyoga.

TheGravityLineYogateachersoftentalkaboutthebodyrespondingtogravity,atleastintheexplorationofthephysicalyoga techniques and postures.We “find the gravity line” and a sense of being centred in the standingposturesinparticular.Thephrasereferstotheideaofimaginingaplumblinepassingthroughtheexactcentreofthebody,fromthecrowntoaspacebetweenthefeet,orthesittingbonesifyouareseated.Thiscueallowsthebodytosenseitselfsittingorstanding“tallandstraight”,alignedingravity.Thereis,however,afundamentalproblemwiththisvisualidea,whichisthatgravitydoesnotworkin

linesanymorethanpeopledo.Itisnotsimplyalinearforceandtheideathatitiskeepscertainawkwardbiomechanical arguments alive.These arguments arebasedon intellectual, linear and two-dimensionalprinciples.Gravityisaradialforce.Wemightimaginetheoppositedirectionofaradiantlightbeamingout from the centre of the earth; gravity draws everything towards the centre of the earth. The groundinterruptsus.Italsogivesussomethingtoresist,inordertostandupormakeadjustments.(Werelyonitso completely thatwe can take it for granted.)AsLeonidBlyumpoints out; you can’t adjust someonedoingyogainouterspace,thereisnothingtoresist.17Thuswecanall liveonaglobeandnot fallor floatoff.Howarewebuilt,at thesimplest levelof

understanding,sothatweconstantlyresistthisforceinsuchabalancedway,throughoutourform,thatwedonotgetflattenedandcompressedbyitspull,orreleasedcompletelybyrelativeweightlessness?Thesimplestanswertothisquestionis“thisway”,however“this”is.Howwemovethewaywecanis

throughaconstantbalancingofmultipleforces.Itiswhatwedo.Withsucharadialforceoperatinguponthis contained architecture, the body is originally and ideally designed to respondmorphologically totensionandcompression forces throughout itsnetwork.We live in constant counterbalance: thegroundreactionforce(Ch.7)inresponsetogravityinmultidirectionalexpressions.Tensionandcompressionarepairedelementsofourforcetransmissionsystem,i.e.anetworkthrough

which those forces are transmitted and, wemight say, translated into movements congruent with ourintentions.Yoga isaboutunifying forces;multiplyingup to thewhole, rather thandividingdown to theparts.Together,tensionandcompressionfacilitatea“thirdforce”.Thatthirdforceisthebalance,atanymomentintime,oftension–compressioncombined.Itiswhatwealreadydo.“Tensegrity systems (when talking of robotic platform design for example) have multiple paths tofailure. Tensegrity meshes redirect forces such that redundancy is built in [in the sense that, forexample,]aninjurytoalegoranarmcanbeaccommodatedbyredirectingtheforcesalongslightlydifferentpathwaysthatdon’tengagetheinjuredpartdirectly.”18The difficulty in describing this lies in the limitations of theory versus experience. The first is

restrictedtowordsonapagewhilethesecondoccursinthree-dimensionalform.Whatisimmediateandobviousinexperiencecanbehiddenfromatwo-dimensionalformatpresentedonpaper.Inarchitecture,for example, you take a leap from looking at theplanviewor side elevationon thedrawingboard toexperiencingtheactualbuilding.Whenyouphysicallyexperienceoccupyingthespacethatthedrawingisdesigned torepresent, it is almost beyond imagination. Even virtual, three-dimensional images cannotrecapitulateyoursenseinspaceofrelativerelationshipsbetweentheparts.Wehavetomakethatleaptoexplode out of the linear theories of levers and feel how tensegrity principlesmight be innate to ourstructure. From a diagram (meaning two [dimensional]) to a hologram (meaning whole) requires asensoryleapofawarenessandattention.Assoonasyouholdatensegritystructurethismakesimmediatesense;itsvolumeandresilienceresonatewithyourownthroughtheexperienceofholdingit.

StructureoftheSpineLetuslookatthespine,forexample.Wethinkofthespineasacolumnbecauseitisoftendescribedasa“spinalcolumn”,withseparatevertebraeandsegments.Thenotionisthatitstandsup,stackedvertebrabyvertebrauponthepelvis,balancedinthegravitylineatitstruestalignment(Fig.4.10).Infact,nobonesinthelivingbodyarestacked.Inahealthybodythebonesdonottoucheachother.19

Furthermore, by themost elementary rules of architecture, the spine is not a column. It does not formanything remotely like a column and if it did we would not be able to do the vast majority of yogaposturesthatweroutinelyenjoy.ChildPosewouldbreakusintolittlepieces,andhowwouldanyonegetup from Corpse (Shivasana) or survive any inversions given the journey to get to them? Half Moon(ArdhaChandrasana)wouldbeimpossible(thewristboneswouldfalloff,at least).Clearlyit isnotacolumn(seeFig.4.10).Sowheredowegoonaquestfornewexplanations?Acolumnisacompressionstructurelikeahouse,relyingonthegroundandontheforcesanddesign

that hold (andmaintain) it at right angles (Fig. 4.11). Unlike houses, which do not stay upright if thegroundunderneaththemsubsides,ahumanbeingcandoremarkablethingsonayogamat(orskislope,etc.) without breaking or deforming permanently. We can happily tilt or modify our structure toaccommodateachangeofterrain.Theremustbeadifferentarchitecturalprincipleworkinghere.

Figure4.10Theclassicalnotionthatthespineisavertebralcolumnisreiteratedhere

Atreetrunkappearssuperficiallytobemorelikeacolumn,butitdoesnotfitthedescriptioneither.Itswaysfairlysubstantiallyinresponsetoreasonableextremesofnaturalforces.Itdoesnottoppleoverorbreak,despitethespanofitscrownorupperbranches–itcanoftengrowtilted.Atreeis,ofcourse,arelativelystabletensegritystructurebutitisnotacolumneither,ornotuntilitisdeadandturnedintoone.Theoverall formof thehumanspine isan“S”. It ideallyhas tobeS-shaped, inorder tobeable to

managetherangeofpositions,loadsandmovementshumanbeingscando.Itisdesignedtomanageallthedifferentinternalandexternalchangeswhileremainingspring-loaded,asawhole.Whenthehumanspine

isnotinanS-shape,thepersonlivingarounditisoftenimpairedintheirrangeandqualityofmotion(seeCh.7). (Monkeys, for example, have relatively straight lumbar spines, and theymove very differentlyfromusover thegroundand through the trees.Theyuse theirarms toswing through,orswingfrom, inverydifferentpatternstohumans.)Intheyogaclassroom,peoplecandocuriousthingsthatsimplydonotsupportthespinebeingconsideredasacolumn(Fig.4.12).Wedonotsomuchmovearoundthegravityline.Weoccupythecontainedspacethatworksconstantly

toopposeitsradialforceoneveryaspectofus.InFigure4.12Katieiseasilykeepingthemajorityofherbodyweight stretchedoutparallel to theground,organisedaroundher standing foot.Thebonesofherspine, upper leg and arms, including all those little wrist bones and finger bones, are not stackedanywhere.Inthisposition,theywouldcollapseifthatwerethecase.Theyarealltightlyheldinplacebythetensionalnetworkthatisdrawingthemtogether.ThemusclesinKatie’sleftfootarenotstrongenoughtosupportthispositioneither.This,likeanyother,isawholebodyposture.

Figure4.11Acolumnisacompressivestructure,asseenhere,attheWhiteHouseatBeaumontEstate,Windsor,UK.

ThesamebonesareeffectivelyholdingthattensionalnetworkopentooccupythespaceKatietakesupandsurround the spacewithinherbodycavities.This tensionalnetwork ispressing thebones togetherand,atthesametime,itisalsoholdingthebonesapart,becauseofthewayitisorganisedaroundthem.ThreeforcesareactingtogethertorespondconstantlytoKatie’sresponses(tension,compressionandthecombination of the two forces: tension–compression). Without the tension element provided by theconnective tissues, the bones would fall apart. Without the compression element, there would be notensioning.Togethertheycombinetoformavarietyofpatternsandorganisations.Thisunitedpolarity,orpairedorganisation,allowsustomakeextraordinaryshapesonthemat,asawholebody.

TheThreeLawsofBiotensegrity20

First Law. A tensegrity structure is a continuously connected, tensioned network supportingdiscontinuouscompressionstruts.Thisbiotensegral continuity explainshow forces are transmitted through the entire system. InFigure

4.12thereisnopartofKatie’sbodythatisnotparticipatinginthepose.Theclearbalancesheisabletofind isnot just revealedby the fact that she isnot topplingoffher standing leg; it is in thebalance of

multiple forces that she is simultaneously managing in all directions, as one united whole. As Katiebreathes, the pose subtly changes. In spite of this, the tensional network of her body re-establishes itsbalance again, organising and reorganising out from and in to her centre, continuously connected.Hermuscles,bonesandconnective tissuesaremaintainingaversatileandcontinuousmanagement,withinatensionalnetworkthathousescompressionelementsinwaysthatleversdonotadequatelydescribe.Hermuscle tonus is even throughout but no onemuscle is responsible for this unified balance and globalorganisation.

Figure4.12Ifthespinewereacolumn,thisposewouldnotbepossible.ReproducedwithkindpermissionfromKatieCourts

SecondLaw.Abiotensegritystructureisanessentiallyself-supportingstructurethatispre-stressedundertension,whichmeansitcanmaintainitsshapeindependentlyofgravity.Katie’s body is containing and managing the internal changes of breathing. At the same time it is

organisingtheexternalbalancebetweengravity(drawinghertowardthecentreoftheearth)andgroundreactionforce(herbodyinstinctivelyresists,awayfromit).Thusherabilityto“drawin”tohersenseofhercentreandatthesametimereachandexpandoutofit,“againstgravity”,makesthisposturelookeasy.Itisessentiallyself-supportingandabidesclearlybythesecondlawofbiotensegrity.

ThirdLaw.Abiotensegritysystemisaself-contained,non-redundantwholesystem.Allcomponentsaredynamically linked so thata forceexertedonanypartof the system (i.e.achange) is reflectedthroughoutthestructure:“forcesaretranslatedinstantlyeverywhere”.21InFigure4.13Katie’sarmpositionhasbeenmodifiedandforcesareimmediatelyredistributedthrough

herwhole system, to reestablish balance and tensional integrity. Her tensegrity is able to hold her instillness,whereshechooses,inordertoexpressthepose(asana).Inreallife,Katiegracefullychangedthe arm positionwith barely a perceptible shift in the rest of the body. The new posewas organisedaround thebreathwith apparent effortlessness.This is the economyofmovement andgracewe see inanimals.Itoptimisesthenon-redundantaspectofourlivingarchitecture.Theway thebodyorganises the tissuesof the spine (in termsofbiotensegrity structure) is carefully

describedinTomFlemons’sarticle“TheBonesofTensegrity”.22Itisanemergingproposition,sotherearedifferentquestionsarisingfromvariousresearchers.Flemonsraisesthequestion:

Levinrefersto“non-redundancy”,meaningtherearenoexternalpartsrequired;everythinginoursystemmanagesmultipleforcesand

wedonothaveanysuperfluousparts.Flemonsusesthesamewordtomeanifanypartisinjured,thesystemcanredirectforcesasawholeandhas“builtinredundancy”.Bothstatementsareaccurate.

“Howdoesthefasciaassistindistributingtheloads?Thethoracolumbarfasciawrapsthevertebralbodiesindiagonalandlateralstrandslikeawovensleevewithmultipleattachmentstothevertebrae.Pre-stressmaintainstheintegrityofthespineandslightcontractionslaterallyorevendiagonallycanextendit,amelioratingcompressiveloading,separatingthevertebraeandsparingthediscs.”23

Figure4.13WecanreadilyseethatthischangeintheposturethatKatieisexecutingexpressesthefactthat“allcomponentsaredynamicallylinked”.

ReproducedwithkindpermissionfromKatieCourts.

Whateverthequestionsanddiscussionsaboutthelawsofbiotensegrity,youcannotfully“get”apracticalsense of why it is posing such an attractive explanation unless you handle a biotensegrity structureyourself. The actual architecture is so balanced and tuned that it innately resists any force applied bycounteractingitandtransmittingitthroughouttheobject.Whatthismeansisthatwhenwedoatwist,forexample,the“body”touchesapointofresistanceandstops;ittightensorresistsdeformation(seeCh.8onelasticity).Thisisanimportantfeatureofoursensoryfeedbacksystem,preventingusfromtearingordamagingourbodies.A biotensegrity system is also extremely economical because the same architecture of force

transmissionmanages thecompressionandthe tensionat thesametime,atall times.Inaddition, ifoneareaisnotfunctioningideally,itcanfindalternativepathways.Thisalsomakessenseofwhathappensinourclassrooms.Weknowthatdifferentpeopledothingsdifferentways,dependingupontheirbodytypeandstateofmobilityandhealth.

“Afterall,bothorganicandinorganicmatteraremadeofthesamebuildingblocks;atomsofcarbon,hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus. The only difference is how the atoms are arranged in

three-dimensionalspace.”24

BiotensegrityEverywhereIn the example of the orange in Chapter 3, we saw the architecture of the tissues that held the juicedroplets together and apart. This is tensegrity architecture, creating a tensional membrane networkthroughout anorganism. It contains the structural growth and expansion and containmentof fluids fromwithin.Atthesametime,itpushesandholdsthemapartsotheydonotcollapse,compresstoomuch,orleak.Itisafinelytunedbalancebetweentensionandcompression.

Theword“hierarchy”canbe slightlymisleading in this context. Itdoesnot implyahigherqualitybut rather adifferent level in theorder,repeatedoneveryscale.AmoreneutralwordisonecoinedbyKenWilbur.Hedescribesa“holarchy”,referringtosomethingthat isawholeandcompleteunitwithinawholeandcompleteunit.Awell-knownexampleof thiswouldbeasetofRussiandolls.Tensegrity structure invites thepossibilityof auniversalprinciple (of three-dimensional architecture) fromcell tobeing. Its foundinggeometrygoesbeyondliteralformtothesymbolicaspectsofyoga,tothemetaphysical(Part3).Eachleveloftheholarchyworksonthesamefundamentalbasis,unitingtocreatesomethingquiteunique,inandofitself,somethinggreaterthanthesumoftheparts.

“This phenomenon, inwhich components join together to form larger, stable structures having newpropertiesthatcouldnothavebeenpredictedfromthecharacteristicsoftheindividualparts,isknownas self-assembly. It is observed at many scales in nature. In the human body, for example, largemoleculesself-assembleintocellularcomponentsknownasorganelles,whichself-assembleintocells,which self-assemble into tissues, which self-assemble into organs. The result is a body organisedhierarchicallyas tiersof systemswithin systems.Thus, ifweare tounderstand fully theway livingcreatures form and function we need to uncover these basic principles that guide biologicalorganisation.”25

Internal spaces that remainopenowing to a structural system that operates at every level by the sameprincipleisacompellingargumentforwhatweexplorethroughpractice.Thisprincipleofarchitectureincludes thespaces inwhichthepartsreside. It isaglobalsystemforauniversalstructure thatcanbefoundincellsandvirusesonthemicrolevel,aswellasthegrossbodyasamovingmacro-organism.Inone way, it is beautifully simple. At the same time, it remains exquisitely complex. Therein lies theparadoxofworkingwithfascia.

BiotensegrityinMotionOur entire experience of yoga includes this possibility of biotensegrity. Our internal structures areenclosed,movingandchangingwitheverybreath,oneveryscale.Ourformisthecombinedorunifiedpresentationoftheholarchyinmotion,changingfrommomentto

moment. The outer kinesphere and the inner kinesphere (I prefer to call them the kinesphere and theinnersphere) form the interface between internal and external forces and the network transmits thoseforces, constantly seeking balance. This architecture allows forces to be transmitted throughout thestructure,managedappropriatelyviaourproprioceptivesense.

DrLevincoined the term“mesokineticorgan” todescribe themoving livingstructureasawhole.That includes themusculoskeletalsystem and all the tissues, vessels and supporting spaces it works around andwithin: the colloids and emulsions in the “soup”wecontain(theextracellularmatrixandalltheformscontainedwithinit).Thetermreferstoandincludesthechemistryofthestructure

anditsfunctionalmotion,aswellasitsarchitecturalcomponents.26Hedefinessomethingthatmakessenseofouryogicexperience.Itseekstounifymanyaspects,justaswedo.

“Tensegrityicosahedronsareusedtomodelbiologicorganismsfromvirusestovertebrates,theircells,systemsandsubsystems.Thereareonlytensionandcompressionelementsintensegritysystems.Therearenoshears,bendingmomentsorlevers,justsimpletensionandcompression,inaselforganising,hierarchical,loaddistributing,lowenergyconsumingstructure.”27

WholenessIt is difficult to think in whole termswhenwe are used to seeing joints locally, referencing only thespecificmusclesthatcrossthem.Inyoga,evenifweareemphasisingaposeforonepartofthebody,weare counterbalancing that partwith the rest.Biotensegrity invites us to thinkglobally, althoughwe canexpressmovementlocally.Whenyoupressonafloatingcompression(tensegrity)structure,itpressesbackatyou.Whenyoutwist

atensegritymast,itcounter-twistsinyourhands.Thearchitectureitselfrespondsbybringingbalancetotheforceapplied,evenifthestructureisinert.Thatiswhatoursensorybodiesdo,instinctively,onyogamats.Whether they are exploring yoga techniques, or sitting inmeditation, breathing in (expanding thewhole structure) or breathing out (squeezing the whole structure), the principle applies literally,symbolicallyanduniversally.Wegodowntogoup,rotateandcounter-rotate;wegoouttogoin,andviceversa.Thevariousstylesofposesdonot just relyonmuscular forces toplace them;wespringandbound,

soften and release into them at different points in our practice. Our bodies travel through space andmaintain their integrity. We use our tensional network, which is very efficient energetically. We canorganiseinarefinedandrelaxedmannerfacilitatingallkindsofmovementsatwill,fromthefluidtotherobotic.Relative toourowncapacity,wedevelop range andchoice.Wecan choosehow to train thissensitive,responsivematerialthatistheformofoursoftbodyarchitecture.Itallowsforanexplorationintodifferenttypesofyoga(oranyothermovementprotocolfrommartialartstomime).Biotensegritymakessenseofwholemyofascialslings,fromheadtofoot.(Wewillconsider“Anatomy

Trains”28inthiscontextinPart2.)Itismoredifficulttotranslateintolocalmuscleunits.Aswediscoverthatmusclesdonot function inunits (Ch.9),wecanseehowfascialarchitecture raisesnewquestionsabouthowwemovelocallyandglobally.Itsuggeststhatevenmicro-movementsareappropriatewhole-body responses to subtle forces.Biotensegritycanexplainhow thedifferentamplitudesofallkindsofforcescanbeuniversallytransmittedandmanagedthroughoutourstructure.

Treescanonlygrowup to theextent that their rootscounterbalance thedown-ness,but their spanandheightcandefy linear logic.Theyrelyuponbiotensegrityarchitecture,justaswemight.Wesearchandrecordineverydirectionourtissue’sabilitytofindbalance,regardlessofwhich lever, fulcrumorswinging joint itchooses touse inapose(justwatchgymnastics).Somethingholds thatshapetogether and simultaneouslymaintains the inner spaceswith integrity. This is tensional integrity, and nothing else answers howwemove,atthespeedwemove,andmakescontinuoussenseofourabilitytobestillortousemomentum,asamatterofpersonalchoice,asawhole.

Itisonethingtoanalysethevarietyofposturesintheclassroomfromthepointofviewofparticularantagonisticmusclepairs,leversandfulcrums,butquiteanothertomakesenseoftheminaction.Giventhat every pose is designed to affect our whole body, local analysis can fail the test of universalapplication.Weareessentiallynonlinearbiologicsystems,notonlyfromthepointofviewofwhereour

limbsareinrelationtoourtorso.Italsoappliestoourphysiology,forexamplehowthebreathactuallymovesusandhowwemovethebreath,throughoutthechangingdurationofapose.Itincludesthevisceralorgansandtheglidinglayersofourwholetissuematrix;thetransitionstoandfromthepose.Thebodyandlimbs,breathandthoughts,feelingsandcontainmentoccuratonce.Weexperienceourspinesandoursensesbefore,duringandafteranyonewholeasana,atthatmomentintime.

Whenwe stand on the yogamat, we become very interested in gravity and finding balance on one leg, two legs, hands, elbows,shoulders,head,inmultipledirectionsandangles.Ifwedidthatasastackedsystemofblockswithaspinalcolumnupthemiddleofit(alsostackedsmallerblocks),thencertainposeswouldmakeverylittlesense.WecanseethatinFigure4.14nopartofKatie’sbodyisfailingtoparticipateinorbeaffectedbythiswholepose.

Asweexploretheyogaposes,slowlyandtherapeuticallyorfastandathletically,wedosoatonewithourinstinctivestyleandform.Thesearewhole-bodyexpressionsandthemorerefined(andappropriatelytensioned) they become, themorewe can be in command of our poise and balance.We begin to findcongruencybetweenstructure,functionandself-expressionofourownuniqueform.Biotensegrity is gaining traction in the field of biomechanics as an explanation of global organic

organisation.However,itisanemergingfieldandnotyetfullyunderstoodintermsoftheorganisationofjointsandarticulations.Pioneers in the fieldsuchasLevin,Flemons,Snelson,Daniele-ClaudeMartin,GrahamScarr andVytas29 (computer science and robotics) are providing inspiring new questions thatresonate with yoga practice and many forms of movement, ancient and contemporary. They offerfascinatingwaystoexplainwhatweactuallydoinallthevarietyweseemabledoit.Whenweachievethebeautyofpoiseandgraceinthepostures,webecomeso“full”ofthesenseof

balance within and without that we take it into our lives. It becomes relevant, like a hallmark, ineverythingwedo.Itbecomesaninstinctivewayofmovingandofbeing.Inthenextchapterweexplorewhetheranatomydoes,oreverdid,reallyoccurinthebodyasseparateisolatedparts.

Figure4.14Katie’sspineisbalancingandmanagingforceandcounter-force(Ch.6)frommultipleanglesthatchallengeanyideathatitisastacked

compressioncolumn.ReproducedwithkindpermissionfromKatieCourts.

Notes1. DonaldIngber,“TheArchitectureofLife”,ScientificAmerican,FeatureArticle,January1998.2. TomFlemons,www.intensiondesigns.com.3. TomFlemons,privatecorrespondence,2013.4. JaapvanderWal–seeCh.3.5. TomFlemons,privatecorrespondence.6. VytasSunSpiral’swebsiteisathttp://www.magicalrobot.org/BeingHuman/.

7. TomFlemons“TheBonesofTensegrity”,©T.Flemons2012,www.intensiondesigns.com/bones_of_tensegrity.html.8. TomFlemons,privatecorrespondence.9. CarolineMyss,DefyGravity:HealingBeyondtheBoundsofReason,HayHouse,Carlsbad,California,2009.10. BruceHamilton’sdesignscanbeseenatwww.tensiondesigns.com.11. GrahamScarr,www.tensegrityinbiology.co.uk/, article: “Geodesic”. See also: “Biotensegrity: The StructuralBasis of Life”,Handspring

PublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.12. KennethSnelson,http://kennethsnelson.net/.13. Ibid.14. GeraldH.Pollack,TheFourthPhaseofWater:BeyondSolid,Liquid,andVapor,EbnerandSons,Seattle,WA,2013.15. http://www.seas.harvard.edu/directory/ingber16. DonaldIngber,“TheArchitectureofLife”,ScientificAmerican,FeatureArticle,January1998.17. LeonidBlyum(http://blyum.com/).18. TomFlemons,privatecorrespondence,2013.19. StephenLevin,privatecorrespondence,2013.20. StephenLevin,www.biotensegrity.com.21. LeonardDubovoy;seewww.biotensegrity.com.22. TomFlemons“TheBonesofTensegrity”,©T.Flemons2012,www.intensiondesigns.com/bones_of_tensegrity.html.23. Ibid.24. DonaldIngber,“TheArchitectureofLife”,ScientificAmerican,FeatureArticle,January1998.25. Ibid.26. StephenLevin,www.biotensegrity.com:“TheTensegrity-TrussasaModelforSpineMechanics:Biotensegrity”.27. StephenLevin,www.biotensegrity.com:“Tensegrity:TheNewBiomechanics”.28. ThomasW.Myers,AnatomyTrains:MyofascialMeridiansforManualandMovementTherapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,

Edinburgh,2009.29. VytasSunSpiralwebsiteisathttp://www.magicalrobot.org/BeingHuman/.

CHAPTER

5TheRemarkableHumanBlueprint

“Thebodyhasitsownwayoffightingillness,readjustingitselftoharmony.Weallwanttosurviveandbewellandwillfindinfinitewaystoserveourneeds.Therearenoobstaclestothistremendousurgetolive.Thebodywillalwaysstrivetoovercomethedifficultiesimpedingits

existence.Toliveisoneofthegreatestmiracles.”1

VandaScaravelli

Yogaisabouttheprocessofunifyingformandtheunionofallouraspects.Thisincludesthemind,thebeingandtheformofthebodythroughwhichweexpressourselves.Embryologyisabouttheprocessofformingfromoriginalunityasmuchasitisabouttheformationofallaspectsofus.Thetwoareintimatelyrelated.Perhapsallweeverneededtoknowaboutyogabutweretooafraidtoaskisthere,intheembryo.Itisinterestingtoconsiderthatweallbeganasembryos.Liketheacornthatsomehow“knows”howto

become an oak tree, we know what is required to become all that the remarkable human blueprintpromises. The embryo essentially self-assembles, motivated by the miraculous ability to animate thecodesandpatternsitinherits.Embryologyisthestudyofhowweachievethis.Inamedicalcontext,thisis described as the progressive stages of developmental growth. In the advanced practices of yoga itbecomesametaphorfor thesymbolicgrowthofouremergingconsciousness.Thefundamentalquestionremains:howexactlydoestheembryodifferentiate?Whicheverlenswelookthroughtoexploreourorigins,embryologyisthestoryofanevolvingworkin

progress. It isverycomplex;however, itdescribesonlyoneparticular timeframe inour development,which isaprogressionofchanges thatcontinues throughoutour lives.Eachofusgoesphysically fromconceptus to embryo, from fetus to neonate, then from newborn to baby, toddler and child. We allundertake a journey to whichever point we reach, through adolescence to arrive at adulthood, andeventuallyelderhood.Wecontinuetoexpressthisinabodythatpresents“time”bythestagetowhichithasdeveloped,inauniqueway.

EmbryogenesisTheword“embryo”comesfromtheGreekmeaning“youngone”,andcametomean“fruitofthewomb”(literally“thatwhichgrows”,fromen “in”+bryein “to swell, be full”). “Genesis”meansbeginning.At the earliest stage, onename for the fertilised egg is the“conceptus”,fromtheLatin“acollecting,gathering,conceiving”;thetermcanalsobeusedatthemetaphysicalleveltodescribetheconceptionofanewidea.

Yogaisinterestedindevelopingourawarenessofthatprocessandbecomingevermorepresenttoit.The yogic Yantra speaks of a “sacred journey”, which might describe the developmental weeks of

embryonic forming or the developmental years of a whole life. They are seen in these terms as amicrocosm of the macrocosm. The question of scale differentiates them. At this early stage ofembryogenesis, yoga views the energetic body as part of the forming process. Medical textbooks, incontrast,identifyprocessintermsconfinedtophysicaldevelopmentsandthegeneticcodesthatauthorisethem.Research into the role of the connective tissue offers some interesting invitations that seem to bring

these ideas together, at least a little. Given its unifying nature, the fascia is, perhaps unsurprisingly,evokinganewcuriosityaroundouroriginalformation.

SensingintoForm

Whenwepractisetheyogaposes,byexploringtheshapesofnewformswedevelopourphysicalbodiesaswellasourmindandbeing.Wepractisetobecomemorearticulate,developingourinnersenseasweperformtheposeswhile,withouroutersense,welistentowhereweareinspace,seekingcongruencybetweenthem,inallthevarietyofshapes,directionsandwaysinwhichwecanbalanceandrespondtoandfromtheground.Wemove in thegravitational fieldandalthoughweareno longerwrapped in thefluidchambersofouroriginalforming(morphogenesis),wemightsaywearewrappedingravity,oratleast“groundreactionforce”(seeCh.8).Muchliketheformingembryo,weinteractwithbiodynamicforces,ratesofchangeandrelationships

betweentheforms.Weexperimentwiththeforcesinwhichwearegrowingandmoving,asawholebody,allthetime:fromtheoutsidein,theinsideout,sidetoside,rotationtocounter-rotation,andsoon.Onthemat,weconsciouslyexplorethewaystheformsandforcesaffectusasweeffectivelychangethem,bymoving.Thatmightbeverysimilar towhat theembryodoes.Theearliestcellsgrowandorganise theforms bymoving and changing biodynamic forces and genetic patterns; they consequently change eachother.Yogacouldbesaidtodothesame,sinceweallexpressitsformsandpracticesuniquely.

“Ifyouthinktheadaptabilityandrangeofpossibilitiesandcomplicatedinteractionsinthebodyofanadultisabeautifulachievement,youcanmultiplythatbyamillionintheembryo.Itappearsasakindofchaos,ifyoucansaythatofsomethingthatcontainsandemergesintosuchexquisiteandvariousorder.”2

ChemistryorGeometry?Yoga’smostancienthistoryisrichlywovenwithsymbolicgeometry(seeCh.21).Itisnocoincidencethattheearliestpre-embryonicforms can be shown geometrically to present many aspects of Sacred Geometry (Chs 2 and 21) and the principles of DivineProportion.More contemporary studies of geodesic geometry4 are also providing new lenses throughwhich to view embryologicalforming.Thesymbolismisrichandrewardingoneveryleveland,dependingonwhatwearelookingfor,embryologyresonateswithmanypeopleindifferentways.

The scientific and medical books on embryology tend to take a point of view based mostly aroundgenetics.However,thatviewischanging.Advancedtechnologyininstrumentationandthenewquestionsarisingfromresearchinconnectivetissuebiologyareaffectingeveryfieldofknowledge;thestudyoftheembryonicprocessseemstoincludethemall.Frommaths,physicsandchemistrytobiologyandmusicwecan find rhythmicalpatternsandcorrelates in theembryonic formingprocess.Authors suchasRichardGrossinger,inaworkrichinmetaphor,3takeaphenomenologicalapproach,comparingtheembryotothe

galaxy,thedifferencebeingoneofscale.AnatomistJaapvanderWal(Ch.3)presents theembryoasasentientbeing,highlightingtheprimaryroleofthefascialmatrixandthesubtleexchangesthattakeplaceas it develops. Proprioception is presented as our original sense of form and van derWal describeshumanbeingsasmultisensoryandaware,unifiedfromthebeginning.Thesuggestionisthatwelearnfromtheembryo,asdistinctfromthinkingwemightexplainentirelyhowitfunctionsfromtheanatomyoftheparts. Biotensegrity stretches the point of view further, unifying the science and the symbolism in thegeometrythatisfundamentaltoboth.

TheScientificQuestionsThis point of view suggests the continuity seen in Jean-Claude Guimberteau’s films of the living (adult) matrix (see Ch. 3).Guimberteauplacesgreatemphasisonthewaytheconnectivetissuematrixisorganisedandomnipresent.Ithasmultiplefunctions,asis suggested here. The paradigm shift from thinking in terms of muscle and bone units to thinking in terms of continuity of formthroughoutthetissuesishighlightedbysuchresearchquestionsasthese.

Thepotential role of the fascia in our bodies is gaining in significance inmany fields.EmbryologicalresearchcarriedoutbyEvans(adevelopmental tissuebiologistandanatomist)andcolleagues in2006referstothefasciaas“theforgottenplayer”.5Itsuggeststhatconnectivetissuemaybemoreprimarythanmuscletissue,essentialforthecreationofthe“musculoskeletalunit”.Aswelearnthatthefascialmatrixcannot be logically excluded fromunderstanding themusculoskeletal systemor anyof ourmovements,newwaysofexaminingembryogenesisareemerging.“Connectivetissue:theforgottenplayer?…Skeletalmuscleisinvestedandanchoredtoanumberofspecialisedconnectivetissuelayersorganisedastheendo-,peri-andepi-mysium [seeCh.3].Theselayersnotonlyactasaconduitforbloodvesselsandnervesbutbecausetheybecomecontinuouswiththeconnectivetissuesofthetendonsandothermuscleattachments,theyareessentialintransmittingthemotiveforceofthemuscletotheattachedstructure(e.g.bone)asappropriate.”6

TheEmbryonicPeriodAt the earliest stage of our development, the embryo is whole and complete, so let us start from thebeginning.Howtheembryoessentiallyformsitselfisacomplexandexquisitelydetailedseriesofeventsthattake

placeoveraperiodofjustfiveweeks(fromapproximatelyweek3toweek8afterfertilisation).Inthatshortspaceoftime,atinyballofwaterjustvisibletothenakedeyebecomesarecognisable,ifbarely,developingbabyhuman,about thesizeofanacorn. Itstillhasa longwaytogo tobecomeanewborn;however,theplan(thewholeanlage,orrudimentarybasisofaparticularorganorpart)isinplace.Ithasaheartandprimitive,butneverthelessdistinctandfunctioningorgans:head,spine,bodywallandlimbs;pulsinglungs,fingers,toes,eyes,earsandnose.Theyareallreadytogrowanddevelopintotheprecisefeaturesweembodyandenjoyexploringontheyogamat.

TheJourneyTheembryonicjourneyismostlydescribedinbooksasanumberofevents,onefollowingaftertheotherinsequence,whereasinfactmanyoftheeventshappenat thesametime,inoneco-creativeprocessof

development.Eachonereliesontheother.Itisnotlikebuildingarobotormakingasofttoy.Nothingintheembryoisboltedonoraddedafterwards.

Theheartdescendsaccordingtothe(reverse)orderofthechakrasinyoga,fromtheseventhtothefourthchakra.Thethirddescendsfrom the fourth and as the spine grows down towards the tail, the second and first arise later in the sequence, during the formingprocess.Fromthispointofviewoursubtlebodyisformedoriginallyinourphysicalform,fromthecrowntowardsthetail.

We could say it is more like folding an exquisitely elaborate origami sculpture, in that the innategeometry of form has a sequence but the whole arises from the folds and interrelating layers of theoriginalpieceofpaper.Theyallcometogetherattheend,theyallrelyuponeachother,andifonefoldisinaccuratelypleated,itaffectsthewholefinishedform.Everyfold,everyenfoldment,everypatternandpulsingrhythmoftheembryonicprogressionhappens

inside chamberswithin chambers in this three-dimensional, fluid, biodynamic origami.The folds formtubesandbags;thesearevolumesratherthanflatpaperpleats.Thelayersandspacesareformedsuchthatthefoldingconsequencesbringusandallourorgans into theshapeofahumanbeing.Eachlayer takesthosesacswithitasit itselffolds,and,inlessthantwomonthsfromconception,theemergentcreatureincorporatesallofthem.Itthengrowsandexpandsintothefluidsacsfromwhichitformed.Wediscoverthat the layersandthespacesallcomefromthesameoriginal“pieceofpaper”, that is, thesingle, tinyballoffluidenclosedinamembranethatisthefertilisedegg(anditsadjacentandsurroundingchambers).

TheEmbryonicPartsareWholeIn the embryo, each tiny layer and space has been given a name (which is considerably longer in thewriting than the length of the formed embryo), in order that the sequence of metamorphosis can befollowed. In textbooks the embryological sequence isusuallypresentedvisually as a seriesofgraphicicons,cutoutofthesphericalsacsinandaroundwhichtheactualembryofoldsitself.

Theword“yoga”meansunifying.Thesinglechamberofouroriginholdsourentire remarkablehumanblueprint inpotentialas oneunifiedform.Itdividesintochamberswithinchambers,partofthisoriginalcellresidinginthenucleusofeveryothercell.Everypartofusarisesfromtheonepartofus,fromwhichweemerge.ItissomewhatlikeanEscherpaintingoraRumipoem.Theembryoisthearchitectofthearchitecturethatformstheembryo.Reasoningcomesalongtimeafter.

Dependinguponwhich textyouarereading,developmentcanbea literalandprosaicdescriptionofstages or a poetic story of transformation.Eitherway,many people (even thosewho have studied thebasicsofembryologyaspartofamedicaldegree)canlearnthefactswithoutnecessarilyrealisingthatinthreedimensions, theembryo forms from theactual layersof two tinywaterbagsmeeting,both insideanothersurroundingone(Fig.5.1).Theembryotakesthesesacswithitduringeveryfoldofthejourneytoformation.Itonlyshedsthemat

birth,havingstructuraliseditsownoutermostlayer(skin)insidewhatbecomesthesurroundingamnioticsac. This is almost impossible to represent as three-dimensional form in two-dimensionalmedia. Theessence of that continuity (and its sentience) is exactly why fascia is raising so many questions andinvitingdifferentperspectivestoaccountforouranatomy,physiologyandbiomechanics,atallstagesofourdevelopment.Fasciaseemstoplayanessentialroleineveryaspectofourformation;perhapsthatishowitearnsthetitle“organoforganisation”asitclearlyorganisesandseemstounifytheembryologicalformingprocesses.

Heart-feltBeginningsInFigure5.1weseethattheinnerchamberstoucheachother,formingtheupperandlowersentientlayersthatwill become the embryo; the futureheart starts “above the crown”before thegrowingbrain foldsoverit.Wewillalsolearnthatthefluidofthesechambers(the“embryonicsoup”)isthebasisofallthebuildingmaterials7 and connective tissues fromwhichwe form ourselves. The rhythmical beat of theheartbeginsveryearlyintheprocess,pumpingbloodtotherapidlygrowingbrain,aswewillseeinalittlemoredetailbelow.

SpacialisationInterestingresearchatTuftsUniversity,8in2011,involvedfilmingthedevelopmentofafrogembryousingamethodthatcouldcapturelight.Theclipshowsthatwhatiscalled“bioelectricsignalling”madeaholographiclight-printintheembryonictissues.Theclipclearlyshowsamidlineandthesensoryfeaturesof thehead, inamomentof illumination.Theresearchersdiscoveredthat if this light-printwasinterrupted,thetadpoledevelopedabnormally(twoheadsortwotails,forexample).Thisindicatesthatthesignalsinterrelatewithmembrane voltage and pH levels, influencing the forming process of the embryo. Their research suggests this illumination mightprecedethegenetics.Clearly,manyquestionsremainunanswered.

Theentireembryonicprocessisoneofspecialisationandspacialisation,inthattheembryomustformthecavities, the tubes and the layers which fold and enfold the organic origami pattern. They all remainconnectedandcontinuous,althoughdistinctanddifferentiated.Somegeneticistsbelievethisdifferentiationintoformisattributedtoageneticcodingprogramme,the

chemistry of the DNA. Other researchers (epigeneticists) believe that themovements of forces in theforming and growing process create the tension and compression or dynamic fields that participate inshaping the embryo into form. They argue that it is the “movement fields” (kinetic morphology) thatinitiatewhich genetic coding patterns get switched on. In otherwords,what canDNAdowithout theappropriatecellinwhichtoexpressitself?Whichcomesfirst?

Figure5.1Theembryoformsatthemeetingplaceoftheupper(futureamniotic)sacandthelower(yolk)sac.Theheartbeginsjustbeyondwherethey

join,abovewhatwillbecomethecrown.Itisnotaseedoragermbetweenthesacs.Itisthesacs.

Perhapswecouldviewthegeneticcodesas“patternpotentials”.Sincemovementisasignoflife,theneachvitalmovementcanproduceapattern.Likethecoloursinakaleidoscope,thereisalimitednumberof individual coloured pieces.However,with reflections and shifts of the structure andmotion of thekaleidoscope, infinite variety occurs down the viewfinder. Couldwe imagine that the colours are thegenesandthemovementpresentstheminuniquepatterns,withintheblueprint?Perhapsthatisawayofseeinghoworderarisesfrommanydifferentaspectsoftheapparentchaosoftheembryonicforming.Wearealluniquepresentationsofourspecies,which,paradoxically,makesusallthesame.

TheSequenceofEventsTable 5.1 highlights the key events in the sequence of embryological forming and provides a basicchronologicalreferencefortherateatwhichchangestakeplace.Whatishardertoappreciateisthattheformingprocessoccursin360degreesand,infact,manyoftheprocesseshappensimultaneously.Theydonotwaitforoneeventtobefollowedbyanother.Inmanyofthedrawingsandschematicsoftheformingprocess, the focus is mainly on the actual embryonic germ changing shape (it has to be) within thechambersfromwhichitforms.Whatwehavetorememberisthatthisissimilartocuttingmusclesoutoftheiroriginalhabitatandplacingthemseparatelyonthedrawingboard.Musclesdonotfunctionontheirown,outof thecontextof theconnectingtissuesandfluidstheycontainandresidein,andnordoestheembryo.

Table5.1Tableofembryonicprocessshowingmainfeaturesofembryonicdevelopmentindays

“Lifemakesshapes.Theseshapesarepartofanorganisingprocessthatembodiesemotions,thoughtsand experiences into a structure. This structure, in turn, orders the events of existence. Shapesmanifest the process of protoplasmic history finding a personal human shape – conception,embryologicaldevelopmentandthestructuresofchildhood,adolescence,andadulthood.Molecules,cells, organisms, clusters and colonies are the beginning shapes of life’s movement. Later on, aperson’s shape will be moulded by the internal and external experiences of birth, growth,differentiation, relationships,mating, reproducing,working, problem solving and death. Throughoutthisprocess,shapeisimprintedbythechallengesandstressesofexistence.Humanshapeismarkedbyloveanddisappointment.”9

TheBasicProcessThethreefundamentalprinciplesoftheembryonicperiodare• togetthecellsintherightpositions(thefirstthreeweeks)• tobringthebasichumanformintobeing(weeksfourtoeight)• andtolaydowntherestofthepatternoftheremarkablehumanblueprintoncethatformhasemerged.

Bearinginmindthatthewholenessofeachstagegivesrisetotheparts(nottheotherwayaround)letusconsidereachoftheeightweeksfromconception,includingthepre-embryonicperiod.

Week1

Fertilisation(theoriginalcell)takesplaceinthefallopiantube.Thefertilisedeggtravelstotheuterus,asitdividesintodaughtercells(Fig.5.2).

Figure5.2Thejourneyoftheconceptus(zygote)fromfertilisationtoimplantation(days1–9approximately).

Cleavage(fromcelltocells).Onthewaytotheuterus(Fig.5.2),thesingle-celledchamber(conceptusor zygote) must divide into two identical daughter cells. They will then repeat this division process(cleavage) to form eight daughter cells. Each one is whole and complete in itself, with nucleus andcytoplasm,smallerthanthecellitdividedfrom(seeCh.21).Onthefourthdivision,tosixteencells,theconceptusformsaballofcellsandiscalledablastocyst.

Thesurroundingmembrane(zonapellucida)hasnotexpandedinsizebutenclosestheincreasingnumberofsmallerandsmallerdaughtercells(blastomeres).Bytheseventhoreighthdivisionthereareover100ofthese.Theblastocystiscalledamorulaatthisstage,meaning“mulberry”shape,althoughitisinfactstillenclosedbythezonapellucida(Fig.5.3).

Figure5.3Theblastocyst,aballofcells,isstillwrappedinitscontainingmembrane(thezonapellucida),asignificantaspectoftheprimitivecirculatory

processesoffluidsbetweenthecells.

Fromdottodisc:AnatomistandembryologistJaapvanderWal(seeCh.3)celebratesembryologyfromamorehumanistviewofbeingandbecoming.He points out that, at the initial stage of fertilisation, the egg (ovum) is (approximately) 90% cytoplasm and 10%nucleus; it is thelargestsinglecellinthehumanbody,visible(just)withoutamicroscope.Whenspermreachtheoutermostlayerofnutritivecellsoftheovum(calledthecoronaradiata;“encirclingradiance”)theyfirstrestthereandtheeggbeginstospin.

Thespermisthesmallestcellofthebodyandismadeupof(approximately)90%nucleusand10%cytoplasm,inotherwords,theoppositeoftheegg.TheseessentiallypolarisedcellsenterwhatvanderWaldescribesasa“conversation”orsubtleexchange.Iftheymerge, the sperm completes the nucleus of the ovum and the ovum completes the cytoplasm of the sperm, and vice versa. Thus,together,theyformonewholeandcompleteoriginalcell,theconceptus,fromwhichallsubsequentdivisionsandsubdivisionsoccur.

Week2Implantation.Theballofcellsthenchangesitselfintoaballformedofcells,withadistinctouterlayerandaninnercellmassaroundacavity.Itmustreachandimplantitselfintheuterinelining(Fig.5.4).Post-implantation.Implantationconfirmsthepregnancy.Describedasthe“weekoftwos”,inthissecondweekthebiodynamicorigamibegins,andlayersandspacesformintochamberswithinchambersinsidetheballofcells.Anuppercavityformsthatwillbetheamnioticsacandthelowercavitywillbecometheyolksac,insidethesurroundingchamber.Thissimplifiesacomplexsequenceinwhichtheembryoformsitsown“livingaccommodation”within(andfrom)whichtogrow.Asmentioned earlier, the fascinating aspect of this that is hard to appreciate from two-dimensional

schemaisthattheembryonicgermitselfformsfromtheinterfacewherethesetwomaininnersacsmeet.Theinitialgerminatingpre-embryoisthein-between–themeetingplacewherethesetwo“softbubbles”touch.Theembryonicdiscactuallyderivesitsupperandlowerlayerfromwheretheoutermembranes(oftheamnioticandyolksacs)contacteachother(Fig.5.5).Membraneswillformacrossthejoinsthatwilleventuallybecomethemouthandanusateitherendof

theguttube,whenithasformed.Oncetheembryohasgrownandfoldedlaterallyandlongitudinallyintotubeswithintubestoformthebody,itwillbegintoresembleadevelopingfetus.Atthisstagebeforethefoldingbeginsitisatwo-layereddisc.Whentheembryofolds(week4),itwilltakethesechamberswithit, remainingpart of them. It folds around the lowerone as it is enfoldedby theupperone.Thus it isformedfromthecontinuityofitsownarchitecture.

Figure5.4Inthissketchthetinyoutermostchamberimplantswithinwhichthesacsoftheinnermostchambersareforming.

VanderWaldescribestheprocessofspinningas“averysubtlemutualprocessofencounterandexchangeofsignalsandsubstances,which lasts for several hours”.10 He elevates it from genetic coding reactions to a wondrous process of recreation at themutual

agreementofthefeminineandmasculinepolarities.Athirdbeing,thechild,ariseswhentheeggisfertilisedandtheoutermembraneoftheegg(zonapellucida;“transparentmembrane”)shieldstheconceptusfromtheoutsideenvironmentandothersperm.

Beforethisembryonicfoldingsequencecanhappen,thepre-embryonicdischastogofromtwolayerstothree,bycreatingamiddle.(Wemightsayit“spacialises”intothreelayers.)First,however,ithastogathercoordinatesfromwhichtoorientate,inordertoorganise.

Week3(a)Orientation,(b)gastrulationand(c)neurulation.Threekeyprocesshappeninthisthirdweek.Thediscalsodevelopsorientationwithaheadend,a tailendandsides(laterality).Thispredictsanaxis,aroundwhichthesubsequentdevelopmentalprogresswillevolve.Thetwo-layereddiscbecomesathree-layered (trilaminar) discof the true embryo.This process is calledgastrulation.The thirdprocess inweekthreeisneurulation,whichreferstotheformationofthebrainandspinalcord.

Fromabiodynamicpointofview,this“enclosure”withinacontainingmembraneisanimportantdistinctionbecauseit influencesthemotionoftheinternalfluidsandshapechangesbetweenthecells,inthetensionalmicro-network.Itmightcorrelatetoaveryprimitiveformofthemicro-vacuolesseeninInteriorArchitectures,byJean-ClaudeGuimberteau.11

The fertilised eggmust snuggle into the uterine lining and literally implant itself.Mother and future embryo respond to each otherchemically,kinaestheticallyandproprioceptivelyinanothersubtleexchange.Theyformspecialisedcirculationstoprovidenourishment(including nutrients and oxygen) at the rate the embryo will be able to receive it and send out its own circulatory by-products ofmetabolism(wasteandcarbondioxide).

Figure5.5Chamberswithinchambers.Theembryoitselfisformedwherethetwomaininnersacsmeet.Itisnotaseparateseedoragermbetween

theirlayers.Itistheirlayers.(ImagemodifiedafterT.W.Sadler,Langman’sMedicalEmbryology(seenote15).)

Letusconsidertheseoneatatime:(a)Orientation.Perhapswearedrawntothespineinyogabecauseitisoneofourprimalfeaturesof

orientation,presentevenbeforethepre-embryonicstageofdevelopmentiscomplete.Amidline(calledtheprimitivestreak)formsintheupperlayerofthe2-layered(bi-laminar)discidentifyingaxes:aleftand

arightside,aheadandatailend.(Atthistimetheembryoisabout0.23mminlength.)Wemightconsiderthat this original organisation as our “null point” (Fig. 5.6)12. It remains our movement referencethroughoutourlives.Itissomethingweconsciouslyexploreinyogapracticeandrecogniseinpositionsofthechakrasalongthespine(seeCh.21).

Thisdelicatestructurewilleventuallyformtheplacenta, theotherendof theumbilicalcord,whichsuppliesfoodandoxygenfor thedurationof thepregnancy.There is totaldependencyupon themother fornourishmentandoxygen.Fromastructuralpointofview,thereisalsoaneedforcontainment,withthebiodynamicforcesoflayeredcontainersandlimitingtissues.Thewomb,thesofttissueoftheabdominalwallandtheframeworkofthepelviswillplayacontainingroleforthegrowingfetussimilar(thoughonadifferentscale)tothezonapellucidafortheblastocyst.

(b)Gastrulation. The upper layer of the tiny germgrows themost rapidly. It is nearest the source ofnourishment.The lower layer growsmore slowly. It is furthest away.Thus the upper layer and lowerlayergrowapartfromeachotherandthemiddlespaceformsbetweenthem:

“asaconsequenceofrapiddifferentialgrowth,theectoblast[upper]glidesawayfromthehypoblast[lower] and an intermediate layer of loose tissue forms between them. Thus from a biomechanicalpointofview,thetissueinthislayerisstrainedundertensioninacircularandradialdirectionastheconceptusenlarges.Asfarasthecellsofthisintermediatelayerareconcernedtheybecomeflatterandthis leads to a loss of their intracellular fluid. This fluid collects together in the interstices asintercellularsubstance.Inthiswaythetissuebecomesreticulatedorhoneycombed.Thenetworkisthemiddleblastocystlayer.”13

Figure5.6Theflatembryonictwo-layered(bilaminar)discwithinitsgrowingchamber.AsBlechschmidtdescribesinTheOntogeneticBasisofHumanAnatomy(seenote25):“theapexoftheaxialprocesscanbeconsideredasthecentreor,better,thenullpointofthedevelopmental

movementsofthewhole[bi-laminar]disc.Theapexoftheaxialprocessprovidesanaturalreferenceforinterpretingallsubsequentbiomechanicalmovementsandtheactionofbiodynamicforces.”Modifiedafterimagesavailablefromthefollowingwebsite,wherean

excellentchronologicalvisualpresentationcanbefound:http://www.bionalogy.com/human_embryology.htm

The cells from the upper layer subsequently lose some of their close organisation or structure (de-epithelialise)andpourintothespacebetweenthelayersthroughtheprimitivestreak(Figs5.7and5.8).Thefirsttoarriveformthetrueendodermbyrestructuringtheircloseorganisation.Thereafter,theyfillthespace between the lower layer (endoderm) and the upper layer, thus becoming themiddle. The upperlayerbecomesthedefinitiveectoderm,whilethemiddlelayeriscalledthemesoderm.

Imagineabluewaterballoonplacedontopofayellowwaterballoon.Wheretheblueballoontouchestheyellowballoon,therewillbeagreen-coloureddisc,thesoftovoidshapewherethetwolayerscometogether.Wheretheymeetisgoingtobecometheupperandlower layerof thepre-embryonicdisc. Itsupper layer is the lowestpartof theblueballoon. Its lower layer is theupperpartof theyellowone.

(c)Neurulation(Fig.5.10)isthetransformationoftheneuralplateintotheneuraltube.Inconcertwiththe central part of themiddle layer (paraxial), the upper (ectodermal) layer has to fold back on itselfalongthemidlineandformtheneuraltube.Itdoesthisbyinvaginatingandjoiningthefoldedges(likeazip)alongits length.Iteventuallyenclosesandformswhatwillbecomethespinalcord, longitudinally.Thesomites,formedfromparaxialmesoderm,lineeithersideoftheneuraltubeandwillformfromthebaseof the craniumposition, growing towards the tail, inpairs, dividing the spine into segments.Thenumberofpairsofsomitesgivesrisetotheageoftheembryo,predictingandincorporatingthelengthandstructuresoftheaxialbody.

Figures5.7and5.8Cellsfromtheupper(epiblast)layerpourthroughtheprimitivestreakintothespaceformingbetweentheupperandlowerlayers.Modified

afterimagesavailablefromthefollowingwebsite,whereanexcellentchronologicalvisualpresentationcanbefound:http://www.bionalogy.com/human_embryology.htm

Intheprocessofforming,theembryocancreatestructureandreleaseit.Thismeansitcanpackcellsclosetogethertoformalayerorlining (epithelialise) or release them into a looser aggregate of cells (de-epithelialise). In thisway, tissue can respond to changes ingeneticchemistry,signals,growthpatternsandpositionbystructuralisinganddestructuralisingappropriately.Blechschmidt14 identifies“metabolicgrowthfields”thatsignificantlyinfluenceourshape-changingmovements(kineticmorphology).Fluidsandmembranesareformed into primitive precursors of networks, systems and structures where some tissues are pulled apart and others are pushedtogether,foldingandstretching,tensioningandcompressingatdifferentrates,butalwaysconnected.

Mesenchyme is defined as “any looselyorganised tissue composedof fibroblast-like cells and extracellularmatrix regardlessof theoriginof thecells”.15 It is thought to represent theprimitiveextracellularmatrixof theadult form. (It is inclusiveof thecells in theembryo.)Thismesodermallayer,containingthemesenchyme,formsthe“connectedness”thatholdstheothertwolayerstogetherandatthesametimekeepsthemapart.Theyarenotsomuchseparateentitiesasstructuralisations(layers)aroundamiddleaspectthatplaysaroleinthestructureofallourforms.

Themesoderm subdivides spatially, either side of the central axis into: (1)paraxialmesoderm (closest to the central axis),whichbecomessegmentedintosomites,predictingthevertebrae(seelater);(2) intermediatemesoderm,whichwillgive rise topartsoftheurogenitalsystem;(3)lateralplatemesoderm (outermost),whichbecomesdivided into twoparts,mainlydue to theexcessivegrowth of the embryo. One layer becomes associated with the upper layer or ectoderm (somatic mesoderm) and the other getsstretchedawayfromthesomaticmesodermtoforminassociationwiththeendodermlayer(splanchnicmesoderm).Somelateralplatemesodermalso invades thedeveloping limbbuds.These layersspecifically formtheshapes,spacesandcharacteristicsofourhead,body,visceraandlimbsoncethefoldsareinplace.

Thisprocess,calledgastrulation,confirmstheformationofthethreegermlayers.Inbiodynamicterms,themiddlepartoftheembryorepresentsmanyaspectsofenteringthreedimensions.Thetransformationofthetwo-layered(bilaminar)germdiscintoathree-layered(trilaminar)discisthetransitionfromthepre-embryonicstagestothetrueembryo.Thethreemainclassificationsforwhatthelayerswillbecomeareasfollows:• Theupperlayer(ECTODERM)becomesthebrain,spinalcord,nervoussystemandskin.• Themiddlelayer(MESODERM)becomesthebodywall,cavities,muscles,bones,connectivetissuesandblood.

• Thelowerlayer(ENDODERM)becomestheguttube.

Themesoderm.Thismiddlelayer(mesoderm)doesnotforma“derm”(layer)quiteliketheothertwolayers,aboveandbelowit.Thenetworkthatthemiddlelayerformsisalooseaggregate(ofunstructured

(de-epithelialisedcells)calledmesenchyme.Itcouldbethoughtofasa“mesenchymalmilieu”ofbuildingmaterials. These include blood cells and other connective tissue cells such as those making fascia,muscle, cartilageandbone.Theseare thearchitectural componentsof the formswithinandaround thebodywalls and cavities.Mesenchymal cells canmigrate andmove around, serving andmediating theprocessofformation.Thisso-calledmesodermcontainstheseundifferentiated“formingpotentials” thatrespondkineticallyandgeneticallytovarioussignals,forcesofgrowthandmetabolicmovement.Thisisthepatternofourspecies,thatcomestobeuniquelyexpressedbyeachoneofus.“Theprimaryconnective tissueof thebody is theembryonicmesoderm.Themesodermrepresentsthe matrix and environment within which the organs and structures of the body have beendifferentiatedand,infact,are‘embedded’…inharmonywiththeviewthattheprincipalfunctionofmesodermas‘innertissue’is‘mediating’inthesenseof‘connecting’(binding)and‘disconnecting’(shapingspaceandenablingmovement).”16

Withinthemesoderm.Themesodermalsodividesitselfspatially,intothreefurtheraspects,eithersideofthecentralaxis,outtothelateraledges(Fig.5.9).Asitforms,specialisedcellsmovetowardstheheadand form the prechordal plate, which is important in forebrain development, and the notochord. Thispredictsthespineandactsasalongitudinalsupportfortheearlyembryoaswellasasignallingcentreforcertainmolecules.Theseplayapartinactivatingandinstructingcellsinwhattodoandwhichspecifictissuestoform,accordingtothegeneticblueprint.

Thenextstageconcernsbringingthebasichumanformintobeing,predictingtheplacementofthehumananatomyandphysiology.

Week4Thisweekincludestheformationofthesomites;transientfeaturesoftheembryothatplayafundamentalroleinthestructureofthespine.Itisalsotheweekoffoldingintoformanddevelopingtheplacenta.The tiny heart awakens in concert with the somites (Fig. 5.11), orchestrating growth of the spinal

structuresandbodywalls,foldingandformingin360degrees.Thisinturncausesthewholeembryonicdisc to fold laterallyand longitudinally,growingomnidirectionally from thecentral axis,wrapping thebodyformaroundtheheart.

Figure5.9Theothermesodermcells,whichformfromtheprimitivestreak,moveoutfromthecentralaxisandforminner(paraxial),in-between

(intermediate)andmorelateralmesoderm(lateralplatemesoderm).

Figure5.10Theneuraltubeformsfromtheectodermallayerfoldingbackuponitself,alongitslength(Cshowshowthisbeginsincross-section).SeeFig

5.15foralongitudinalview.

Theectodermwillformthetissuesrelatingtoourresponsetotheoutsideworld,thatis,ourouterskinandourinnermostspinalcord,andthenervoussystem.Itisevidentthatitdoesnotdothisseparatelyfromthemesodermallayer.Indeed,sinceallthecellsformingthetrueendodermandthemesodermallayersarisefromtheectoderm,theembryoinvitesustoconsiderthattheywouldallbesensoryinnatureandprovideourinnersenseoftheouterworld.(Perhapsalsoourouterexpressionofourinnerworld?)Theymayformintospecificstructuresbuttheformingmaterialsandprocessesallarisefromthesameoriginallayer,indeed,theonecell(seeCh.9).

With theformingpotentials inplaceas three layers(and threeaspectsoneithersideofcentre in themiddle layer), the embryo creates its length (from head to tail), its depth (from back to front) and itsroundnessofformbybuckling(folding),takingtheamnioticsacwithitwhilstenfoldingtheyolksac.Themidlineofthedevelopingnotochord,neuraltubeandsomitesstiffenthebackorientation(dorsal

axis)supportingtheembryo.Theheadend,thetailendandthelateralmarginsallgrowaroundandfoldtobecomethefrontandsidesoftheembryonicbody.(Theybringthewholeamnioticsactheyarecontainedwithinwiththem,sothattheembryogrowsinsideit,surroundedbyitandexpandingintoit.)Therearethreefolds;Head,tailandlateral.Theseattempttoexplainthisbiodynamicorigamisothatit

canbeunderstoodinallitsthree-dimensional(360degrees)ofshape-changingpatterns.

EmbryonicFoldingThe head fold is first (Fig. 5.12). The embryo grows forwards and gradually buckles underneath,bringing the heart frombeyond the crown to the front of the body (ventral); the bodywallswill formaroundit.Asmallportionoftheyolksacbecomesenclosedwiththisfold,incorporatingthefutureforegut(pharynx).

Lateralfold.Thefoldingofthelateralsidesoftheembryo(alongitslength,makingitalateralfold)comes around the front towards the midline, creating a more cylindrical embryo (Fig. 5.13). As theabdominalwallforms,partoftheyolksacbecomesenclosedandincorporatedintotheembryoasthemidgut (the anlage of the small intestine) and the beginnings of the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity.Mesenchymeandsomitesformthedevelopingtorsosegmentally.

Figure5.11Theheartstartsabovethecrown.

Tailfold.Thetailregionoftheembryoislasttofold(Fig.5.14).Itgrowsbackwards,lengtheningtheaxialbodyandeffectivelydrawingthebackofthediaphragmdownwithitasthesomitesgrowtowardsthetail.Italsobucklesundertherestoftheembryo,bringingthebodystalkontotheventralsurfaceoftheembryoandincorporatingthehindgut.

FoldingConsequencesTheconsequencesofthisprocessoffoldingarethattheectoderm,whichwastheouterorupperlayeroftheembryo,nowcoverstheentireembryoexceptforthebodystalk(Fig.5.15).Theheartandthebodystalkarelocatedatthefrontoftheembryonicbodybecauseoftheheadandtailfold.Thebodystalkwillformtheumbilicus.Finallyduringthisfoldingprocess,partsoftheyolksacbecomeincorporatedintotheembryo.Thesegraduallyformintothegutregions,inconcertwiththemiddlelayer(mesoderm).

Somites:TheSpinal“Spacing”The growth of the brain, spinal cord and central nervous system is critical for somite development,differentiationandspecification(Fig.5.16).Thesomitesarerelatedtothetimingandspacingofhowthebodywalls form(geneticallyandkinetically)andhowthe internalspacesareenclosedandsegmented.Theyalsoplayaroleinlimbformation.

Figure5.12Theheadfoldbringsthehearttothefrontofthebody.

Figure5.13(A)(A)Explainingthelateralfold.

Week5Thisdevelopmentalweekmarks theappearanceof the limbbudsontheoutsideandgrowthof the lungbudsontheinside.Thelungbudsfirstappearasanoutgrowthfromthefrontwalloftheforegut,atwhichstagetheanlageoftherespiratoryorgans,theliverbudandthestomachiscloselysituatedaroundtheheart.Thecartilage,myofascial and connective tissue componentsof the lungs arederived from themesodermal layer (seenoteunderLateralfolds).Biodynamicgrowingforcesarealsoconsideredtocontributetotheformationofthelungs,suctioned

outwardsintothegrowingspacearoundtheheart thatwasformedinthefoldingdescribed.Originatingfrom the endodermal tissues, the mesodermal layer forms the sacs of the pleural cavities (frommesenchyme)andthelungbudsgrowwiththetracheallininginsidetheirowncompartment.Organisedinpart by the growingheart, nourishedby it, and reciprocally enclosedby the pericardial sac, theywillgrowtofillthethoraciccavitytogether.

During this folding sequence, there is a gap that forms in theoutermost part of themiddle layer (lateral platemesoderm),where itsubdivides into twomore layers.Thegapbecomesan internal cavity.This internal cavity thendivides again into theprimitiveheart(pericardial) cavity and the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity. They become distinct and connected to each other by two channels, intowhich the primitive lung buds form (pleural cavity). Folds form within these biodynamic origamis. They wrap the heart and formbetween the lung buds and developing mid gut. At the same time they join with a thick plate of mesoderm called the septumtransversum (“separating across”). This septum transversum will become the respiratory diaphragm through the intricate growthpatterns that ensue. Thuswhat began as a continuous tube-like structure differentiates into three distinct cavities. The pleural and

pericardialcavitiesbecomedifferentiatedanddividedfromthefutureperitonealcavity.Inotherwords,theyformthemaincontainersof theupper and lowerbodycavities.The changing,growingkinetic andgenetic signals cause the skeletalmuscle cells to infiltratethese tissuesand the“crossingdivider” (theseptumtransversum)becomes the futurediaphragm, forming the roofof theabdominalcavityandalways integratedwith theheart and lungsabove it.This is thenpulleddownat thebackby thegrowthdirectionof thesomites, as they predict the formation of the spine. It grows towards the tail as it lengthens and folds under the body.Where thisseptumtransversumisattachedtothefrontofthespinewillbecomethelegs(crura)ofthediaphragm.Inyogapracticeweseektounite breath and motion: the waves of the breath and the movement of the spine. The embryo guides us to recognise that theirstructuresemergefromtheiroriginalunity.

Figure5.13(B)Thelateralfold.

Figure5.13(C)ImagemodifiedafterT.W.Sadler,Langman’sMedicalEmbryology(seenote15).

Figure5.14Thetailfold.

Figure5.15ThefoldedembryoshowingA:someofthegutdevelopmentatapproximatelyDay31andB:theformationofthefacefolds;developingear

andeye(approximatelyDay36).Thehandandupperlimbareformingbeforethefootandlowerlimb.

“Theverydevelopmentof therespiratory tractandthe lung is thereforearemarkablydifferentiatedbeginningofthesubsequentactivitywecallbreathing.Strictlyspeakingit isincorrecttotalkofthe‘first’ inspirationafterbirth.Breathingmovements,bywhichair is sucked inandexpelled fromthelungs,are lateconsequencesof themostcomplicatedprocesses thatwereestablishedandregulatedlongbeforebirth.”18

Figure5.16Thesomitesgrowfromthecranialbasetowardsthetail.Eachpairpredictstheupperandlowerhalfofsubjacentvertebrae;prescribingthespacesbetweentheminthespine.Theyalsogrowandformthebodywall;tubeswithintubesandchamberswithinchambers.Theyplayaprimaryroleindesignatingtheformationofwhatwemightthinkofasour“growthrings”aswellastheirsegmentalarrangement.Itisinall

directions.

Somitesare transientfeaturesof theembryo(theycomeandgoduringtheembryonicperiod).Theyinitiate tremendouschangeandtransformation in that time. They form in pairs from the base of the cranium towards the tail, in concert with the mesodermalmesenchyme, into regions. These regionswill become the parts of the outermost skin (dermatomes), the inner bones of the spine(sclerotomes)andthemusclesandconnectivetissuesbetweenthem(myotomes).Someofthesomiticcellsalsomigratetoenterthedevelopinglimbs.

Somitesareparticularlysignificantforourunderstandingofthespine.Itisacommonmisunderstandingthatapairofsomitesgivesrisetoeithersideofasinglevertebra.Theycertainlycontributetothelengthanddepthofthespineinsequencedintervals;however,theydonot just predict bonyblocks.Theyprescribe the spacesbetween the vertebrae,where nerves exit and linking facets form.Eachpairofsomitesrepresentswhatwillbecomethelowerhalfofonevertebraandtheupperhalfofthesubjacentvertebra.17Theycreatethefeatureofvertebralsegmentation,predictingplacementofribs,discsandorganisingtissuesofthebodywall.

Thelimbs.Astheembryodevelopsroundness,thereisanectodermalringallaroundtheoutside,likeakindof“sideseam”oftheembryonicbody.Ascavitiesforminside,limbbudsappearattheupperand

lowerpointsof the torso.At first theygrowasundifferentiatedmesenchymalbuds, eventually formingflat,paddle-likestructures.Inthisfifthweekthereisfurtherdifferentiationoftheeyesanddetailofthebeginningsofthemouthand

jawformation.

Week6Thesesegmentsformthe“disjoints”inthespinalorganthatallowustomovethewaywecan,intimatelylinkingthebreathing,spinalandsensorystructuresofthetorso.

By this time, there is more detailed formation of the ear and development of the torso myofascialarchitecture.Astheyounglimbbudsappeartheyarefedfromtheheart,vascularisedbycirculatoryvesselsinthe

tissues.Theanlageofthebone(cartilage)growsinapiston-likemanneroutward,whilethesoftertissueis limited and tethered by the growth of the blood vessels (from the heart) on the medial side.Blechschmidt20suggeststhatthiscontributestoagrowthpatternofamediallyrotatedlowerarm.Alsoat this timein theembryonicsequence, theheartbecomesmoredifferentiated.Thelimbsgrow,

and grooves in the hand and foot paddles appear. In the following week, these will become spacesbetweenthedigits.(Wemightcallthisfurtherdifferentiationintheprocessofspacialisation.)

Week7The rays of the fingers and toes become apparent (Fig.5.17), and the eyelids begin to form. The eyeprimordiumiscompletelyembeddedinmesenchyme,whilefibresoftheneuralretinaconvergetowardstheopticnerve.Thefacebeginstochange,asthefacialprominencesfuse(themeetingofthelateralfolds)andthejawandnasalswellingsformtheupperlip.

Week8“Muscles,tendons,ligamentsandbonestakeonidentityinconcertwitharteries,veins,nervesandtheorgansandlifeplansthey serve. The overall musculoskeletal signature of a bear or walrus is different from that of a mole or owl, and thatdifferenceisestablishedbysmall,accumulatingembryonicstrokesthatproceedinwavesfromtheneuraltubeandsomites.”19

The limbs become longer and bent at the elbows and knees, with fingers and toes free to moveindividually(Fig.5.18).InvanderWal’swayofseeing,theyformthe“disjoints”inthecontinuityofthesofttissuelimbgrowth,inorderthatmovementcanbefacilitated.Thisimageshowshowtheanlageofthebonesisfirstformedincartilage.However,thisstyleofpresentationfocusesuponthebonegrowth,whenin fact the soft tissues including the fascia all play a role in the biodynamic kinetics (aswell as thechemicalgenetics) fromwhich thearchitecture forms itself. It is fromtheoriginalmeetingplaceof theamnioticsacandyolksac.Itneverceasestopresentemergentpropertiesfromthesurroundingcontextofthemesenchymalmilieuinwhichitresides.Assuch,Fig.5.19presentsitslightlydifferentlytoincludethesurroundingtissuesandgrowthdirectionsofthewholeform.

Figure5.17Fromapaddleshape,thehandbeginstodevelopasspacesareformedbetweendigits.

Blechschmidtsuggeststhatallmusclesgrowintopartofamyofascialsling:“Seenfromtheperspectiveofdevelopmentaldynamics,musclescrossjointsbecausethemusclesdevelopinsegmentsofvariouslarge[connectivetissue]slingssystemsandjointspacesarisewithinthecompassofthesameslings.…thetissueat the periphery of the space becomes stretched forming the joint capsule. Those parts of the joint capsule that areparticularlywellstretchedarecalledligaments.”21

This is thebasisuponwhichvanderWalconsidered the tissue-sparingdissectionwe referred to inChapter3.He revealed thecontinuityof the fascial slings that themusclecellsoriginally relyupon (seeEvanset al.22).With themuscle element removed, thetissuecontinuityaroundtheentirejointwasclearlyrevealed.Thisemphasisesthesignificanceoffascialcontinuityasanessentialpartof our structure and our originalmotion. Perhapswe could regard it as a kind of soft scaffolding in the formation process. It alsoendorses ideas of myofascial continuity throughout our form, as proposed in the work of Tittel23 and Myers,24 among others:“Fundamentally there are no differences between the organs of movement in the head, the trunk and the limbs”(Blechschmidt25).

Figure5.18Detailofgrowinglimbbudsintheirmetabolicfields,surroundedbytheamnioticsac,fromwhichtheembryooriginallyformedinpart.The

entiredevelopmentoftheembryonictissuesappearsasacontinuum,whichislosttothelimitationsoftwo-dimensionalschematicdiagrams.

Laying down the rest of the remarkable humanblueprint. At this point the embryonic period isconsideredtobecomplete(Fig.5.20).Thereisagreatdealmoretogrowandform;however,theprimarypurposeof (a)getting thecells in the rightpositions, (b)bringing thebasichumanform intobeingandpredicting theplacementof thehumananatomyandphysiologyhasbeenachieved.From thispoint, theembryo becomes a fetus and (c) continues to develop the rest of the pattern of the remarkable human

blueprint,asthebabydoes,afterbirthandonward.Itdoesn’tendinthesensethatthebabymightbesaidtocontinuetodevelopuponthesethemes,throughallthestagesfromchildtoelder.

Figure5.19Earlierinthischapterwenotedthequestionaboutconnectivetissue“theforgottenplayer”(seenote6)anditsprimaryroleinprovidingthe

motiveforceformuscleandboneformation.Ifitisindeedsucha“keynotespeaker”inthestoryofhowourarchitecturalself-assemblyfindsitswayintoform,howcanthesurroundingtissuesbepresentedsothattheydonotappeartohaveasecondaryroleintheschemeofthings?

YogaGenesisIn yogawe seek tomove and explore being alive in the body’s own language,with a quietmind.Weprepare the body for stillness and meditation, another stage rich with embryological symbolism. Themeditativepracticeisdesignedtoheightenourawareness,theinvolutionofourself-sensingsenses.Yetitalso allows us to absorb and reflect, cocooned in contemplation and conscious of being relativelymotionless.We can emerge, nourished andnew, reborn after a periodof restoration that is part of thecycleofrenewalthatSamsara(meaning“continuousflow”)speaksofinyoga.Howeverwedescribeit,wecontinueaspartofacontinuum,stageafterstageofongoingdevelopment.Perhapsthatis,initself,themiracleoflife.

Figure5.20ThefoldedembryoatWeek8:ApproximatelyDay49.Itisaboutthesizeofanacorn(30mm).Theeyelidsareforming,thelimbsanddigits

arepresent.Itisstillbathedinthefluidsofthesurroundingamnioticsac,fromwhichitformedandemergedoriginally,thearchitectofitsownarchitecture.

Notes1. “Themiracleoflife”,inPart1ofVandaScaravelli,AwakeningtheSpine,2ndedition,PinterandMartin,London,2011.2. DarrelJ.R.Evans,Vice-Provost(LearningandTeaching),MonashUniversity,Melbourne,Australia.3. RichardGrossinger,Embryos,Galaxies and SentientBeings:How theUniverseMakes Life, NorthAtlantic Books, Berkeley, CA,

2003.4. GrahamScarr,www.tensegrityinbiology.co.uk/, article: “Geodesic”. See also: “Biotensegrity: The StructuralBasis ofLife”,Handspring

PublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.5. D.J.Evans,P.Valasek,C.SchmidtandK.Patel,“SkeletalMuscleTranslocationinVertebrates”,AnatomyandEmbryology(Berlin)211

(Suppl1):43–50;2006.6. Ibid.7. DeaneJuhan,Job’sBody:AHandbookforBodywork,StationHillPress,Barrytown,NY,1987.8. Jonathan,2011[YouTube:Morphogeneticfieldsinthedevelopingfrogembryo].Videocanbeseenat:<http://phys.org/news/2011-07-frog-

time-lapse-video-reveals-never-before-seen.html>9. StanleyKeleman,EmotionalAnatomy;originallypublishedin1985byCenterPress.KelemanhasbeenthedirectorofBerkeley’sCenter

forEnergeticStudiessince1971.Hehassoughttoshow“thegeometryofsomaticconsciousness”basedontheideathatemotionalandpsychological reality is expressed in physical human shape. Vincent Perez (anatomist and illustrator) depicts Keleman’s concepts ofsomaticfunctioninstrongblack-white-redartwork.

10. JaapvanderWal:seewww.embryo.nlforpapersandcoursesinwhichtheseviewsareextendedandfurtherexplained.11. SeeDrGuimberteau’swork.Jean-ClaudeGuimberteau,MD(www.guimberteau-jc-md.com/en/).BothEnglishandFrenchversionsare

availableatthisaddress.HisDVD:InteriorArchitectures, isavailableonthesamesite.SeealsoTheArchitectureofLivingFascia:TheExtracellularMatrixandCellsRevealedThroughEndoscopy,HandspringPublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.

12. ErichBlechschmidt,TheOntogenetic Basis ofHumanAnatomy: TheBiodynamicApproach toDevelopment fromConception toAdulthood,editedandtranslatedbyBrianFreeman,NorthAtlanticBooks,Berkeley,CA,2004.

13. Ibid.14. Ibid.15. ThomasW.Sadler,LangmansMedicalEmbryology,11thedition,LipincottWilliamsandWilkins,Baltimore,2010.

16. Jaapvan derWal, “Proprioception”,Ch. 2.2 inRobert Schleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitow andPeterA.Huijing,Fascia: TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody,ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.

17. DarrelJ.R.Evans,“ContributionofSomaticCellstotheAvianRibs”,DevelopmentalBiology256:114-126;2003.18. ErichBlechschmidt,TheOntogenetic Basis ofHumanAnatomy: TheBiodynamicApproach toDevelopment fromConception to

Adulthood,editedandtranslatedbyBrianFreeman,NorthAtlanticBooks,Berkeley,CA,2004.19. RichardGrossinger,Embryos,Galaxies and Sentient Beings:How theUniverseMakes Life, NorthAtlantic Books, Berkeley, CA,

2003.20. ErichBlechschmidt,TheOntogenetic Basis ofHumanAnatomy: TheBiodynamicApproach toDevelopment fromConception to

Adulthood,editedandtranslatedbyBrianFreeman,NorthAtlanticBooks,Berkeley,CA,2004.21. Ibid.22. D.J.Evans,P.Valasek,C.SchmidtandK.Patel,“SkeletalMuscleTranslocationinVertebrates”,AnatomyandEmbryology(Berlin)211

(Suppl1):43–50;2006.23. KurtTittel,BeschreibendeundFunktionelleAnatomiedesMenschen,UrbanandFischer,Munich,1956.24. ThomasW.Myers,AnatomyTrains:MyofascialMeridiansforManualandMovementTherapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,

Edinburgh,2009.25. ErichBlechschmidt,TheOntogenetic Basis ofHumanAnatomy: TheBiodynamicApproach toDevelopment fromConception to

Adulthood,editedandtranslatedbyBrianFreeman,NorthAtlanticBooks,Berkeley,CA,2004.

CHAPTER

6TheBreath,theBonesandtheDermatomes

“Considerthepsoasasabreathingmuscleandthediaphragmasaposturalmuscle.Whathappenstotheyogaposturesorwalkingor

sitting?”1

JohnStirk

Wehavebeguntoreconsidersomeofthetraditionalviewsoftheanatomysystemtoincludethefascialmatrix as its connecting “transanatomical architecture”. Does that connectivity influence our classicaldefinitionsoftheindividualmusclesandhowtheyareconsideredtomove?Doesitchangehowweteachyogaandaccountforthemotionsofbreath,bonesandskinaswefeelhowthesegmentsofthebodymoveandmanagemotion?Thenewdistinctionsofthefasciashifthowweseethewholebiomotionalbodyarchitectureandinvite

new questions about how actions are allocated to individual muscles. Research presented at theworldwide International Fascia Research Congresses suggests the accepted lists of muscles and thespecificmovementstraditionallyassignedtothemviathenervoussystemaresimplynotareflectionofhowwe,asanimatedbeings,reallymoveandorganiseourbodies.AccordingtoRobertSchleip:“when discussing any changes in motor organisation, it is important to realise that the central

nervoussystemdoesnotoperate‘inmuscles’,i.e.amuscleisneveractivatedasawhole.”“To give an example: in real bodies, muscles hardly ever transmit their full force directly via

tendonsintotheskeleton,asisusuallysuggestedbyourtextbookdrawings.Theyratherdistributealargeportionof theircontractileortensional forcesontofascialsheets.Thesesheets transmit theseforcestosynergisticaswellasantagonisticmuscles.Therebytheystiffennotonlytherespectivejoint,butmayevenaffectregionsseveraljointsfurtheraway.”2Letusconsiderwhatthismeansbytakingasanexampleoneparticularmuscleindissection.Ifsomeof

the traditional actions that classical anatomy assigns to the movements of individual muscles are notnecessarilyhowwemove,thenwhathappenstomusclegroupssuchasthe“hipflexors”,forexample?Does itchange thewaywedescribe thedesignated“breathing”muscles?Whatactuallyhappens in theyogaclassroom?

Figure6.1Likealltheposes,EaglePose(Garudasana)isawhole-bodyposture.

WhenwedoEaglePose(Garudasana)wedonotactivateonearm,leverbylever,ormusclebymuscle.Howeverwemightdescribeittechnically,weintertwinethearmsaroundthetorsoinafluid,integratedgesture.Thenweentwinethelegsandstandupright,balancedandcounterbalancedinglobalorganisation,ononefoot(Fig.6.1).Inpractisingthisposetoeachside,weaskourbody(asawhole)akinaestheticquestion,initsownlanguage.Wephysicallyposethequestionofmediatingeasyrespiration,balanceandequilibriumthroughouttheentireorganism,whilegentlybreathingandcentringourselves.Weask“howcanIexpressthisposeandcanIfindstillnesshere?”,or“canItransitiontothenextposegracefully?”.Explaininghowwedo thisbiomechanically,by rulesof levers andmuscle–bone–joint anatomy,can

make itappear tobeaverycomplexprocess.Biotensegrally,by rulesof tension–compression,weareexperimenting with balancing and counterbalancing forces through the whole body in response to theground.Wearebalancingtheinsidewiththeoutside,thefronttotheback,thespiraltoacounter-spiralasawholedynamicarchitecture;includingvarioussofttissues–allatonceinagravitationalfield.Throughphysicallyexperiencing thepostureweareeffectivelyasking thebody“how is thisnow?”,

overandoveragain,momentbymoment,throughpractising.Byimitating,repeatingandmimicking(theteacher,orwhatwedidbefore), thebodylearns theposes. Itcanalsoexploreandaccumulate itsownsenseofbalanceandvariationindifferentpositionsandtransitions.Itdoessointhelanguageofbalanceandvariation. It amounts to sensinga feelingofpoise.This felt sensemightbe a significant factorofstructuralintegrity,intermsofsomaticvalue(Ch.9).

TissueGlideFarfromanybenefitsof“freeingitswings”, the“eagle”will takerootwhileyousortoutyoursupinationsfromyourpronationsand

make sense of the flexions, extensions, abductions, adductions andmedial and lateral rotations.This is before youbegin suggestingwhich plane you are in (sagittal, coronal or transverse) andwhether or not you are strictly doing an anterior tilt of one part or aposteriortiltofanother.Lordosis,kyphosisandscoliosiscanallbecomequitesubjectiveinamomentofsuspendedanimation.Inaclassofflowingyogasequences,stoppingtodefineeccentricandconcentricloadingpatternsislikediscussingpaintpigmentswhilelookingatanImpressionistpainting.Itmissesthepoint.Thebodysensesitswaythroughthemotionsmuchmorerapidlythanwecantalkitthrough.Itexperiencesthecoordinatesbytrialanderror,developingtheminprogressivelymorearticulateways,overtime.Justaswelearntowalkinourearlyyears,sowerefineourmovementsbymoving.

Lightnessandgracearedynamicexpressionsinmotion, that is,360degreesofexperience,asfeltontheoccasion.Itgetsquitetricky in a movement classroom to work on still frames in an analytical, two-dimensional format. It leaves the movement centredisengaged.This is thebodylanguage seeking to be heard. It speaks for itself in a sense. It certainly does not speakEnglish orBiomechanics;nordoesittranslateintothemeasily.Thisisthedifferencebetweenhearingasymphonyanddescribingitafterwards;theyaredistinctareasofourexperience.

Physiologically,ataglobalandregionallevel,wearealsoinvitingtissueglide,flexibilityandvariousinternal fluid exchanges by squeezing and releasing, folding and stretching, tightening and holdingdifferentpartsofthelimbsatvariableangles.Bypractisingthedifferentposes(asanas)wearetrainingthe ability to focus and organise our awareness and our attention.Aswemight practise a language indifferent situations to expand our vocabulary and eloquence, so we expand physical literacy in bodylanguagebyinvitingdifferentpositions.Weexplorebalanceandcontainmentbyvaryingtheshapesandlisteningtothedifferentpartsofthebodydoingtheweight-bearingorprovidingtheanchor.Atthegross,ormacrolevelofmovements,however,wedonotdoseparatethingsandwaitforthemtobehaveasifthey are joined together.Wework as awhole;we come fromour connectedness, animating this body-widesignallingsystemthatcommunicatesatdifferentamplitudesthroughouttheinnermatrix,toexploretheoutershape.Suchsensorylisteningmightbethekeytounderstandingthesetissues(Ch.9).Doingthedifferentasanasvariestheanglesandforcesthroughthejoints.Wecanconsciouslyfosterthe

benefitsofmobilisingandhydratingthejointfluidsandtissuessothattheyexpressthepose(asana)andourbalanceinacongruent,healthyway.Numeroussubtlethingsaretakingplacethatmakesenseifweseektodefinethemintermsofthewholematrix.Theybecomecumbersomeiftheyarereducedtomerelyanatomicaldescriptionsorclassicalbiomechanics.You can try describing Eagle Pose anatomically and/or biomechanically and making sense of the

experience of doing it in your practice. It is fun to attempt this exercise because it highlights the riftbetween the intellectual description of the pose and what your body experiences while doing it. Thedetailsof theposturalmechanics somehowbypass the feelingofaccomplishmentandsenseofbalanceyouexperiencewhenyoufindtheposeinyourownway,onbothsides!Yoga teachers are not required to be surgeons or scientists in the classroom, nor arewemanaging

machineparts.Themuscle-by-muscledescriptionofamovementcantakelongerthanthemovementitself.Ours is a participatory medium. We want to be in motion between speed and stillness, rather thandescribingit.Howdoweusebiomechanicaltermsifthebasisofdescribingmusclesasunitsislosttothefactthattheydonotoperatethatway?

KeepingBoththeBabyandtheBathWaterTemptingasitistorunwiththenewandabandontheold,fasciaaloneisnotnecessarilytheanswertoeverythingeither.Isitpossibletouniteclassicalwisdomwithcontemporaryresearchandcomeupwithsomething thatmakesmoresenseofboth?Wherecanwe look tomakemoremeaningfuldistinctions inthis triumvirate of locomoting tissues, in biomechanical terms, for the whole body, based on whatactuallyhappens?Bones,musclesandconnectivetissuesworktogether.Thefascialnetworkoftissues

raises newquestions but it does not answer themby itself, bydefinition.Howdo these united tissuesfunctioninaunitedform?Thereareseveralanswerstothesequestions,andsomeofthemwaittounfoldin our own experience. Some are even unique to certain individuals and not the same for everyoneexperiencingagivenpose.While thephysical lawsofgravity remain the same,wecan interpret themvariouslyanduniquelyatthetime.

NewQuestionsArisingIfthepurposeofagivenmovementandtheindividualyogicposturesaredividedintocategoriesofpurelybiomechanical functionandpositional references, it ispossible to lose thesomaticpoint.Reducing thebody toanatomical fragmentsatbestcreates incongruency in termsofspeedand translation intoactualmovements in theclassroom. It tends to leaveus in the riftbetween,on theonehand, the tables in theanatomybook and, on the other, the people on theirmatswaiting for instruction.Evidently, the namedactionsofgivenmusclesandmusclegroupscannotalwaysaccountforthesubtletiesofmotion,awarenessormicro-movements we (and all our students) are capable of exploring. That is not only in the heldpostures, when we are seeking stillness and balance, but also in the joined-up kinetic writing of thesequences in fast or flowing yoga practices. We do not “fall off” the asanas in transition, or pumpourselves up with enough breath to make a dash for it before the oxygen runs out.We find ways oforganising the movements fluidly, moderating the breath accordingly and sensing where we are frommoment tomoment through reflectingexactly thosepossibilities inaction.Wefeel through theskinandfeedback from theground, andour senseof theposeweare in andour relative location in space.Weguide (orwe are guided) to optimise the ease andgracewithwhichwe can flowor springor hold aposition.Howdowedothose“in-betweens”,movingintoandoutoftheasanas?Whichbiomechanicallawsmakesenseofallofthem,inrealtime?

Thebodydoesnotstoporwaittothink aboutit,oncewehavebecomephysicallyfamiliarwiththechoreographybypractisingonthemat.Arguablythisisthepointofyoga:tocreateakindofmovingmeditationwherethementalcommentarycanactuallyquietdown.Thenwe can begin to occupy our physical body from the point of view of thewitness, the attentive observer, seeing itself as theobserved.

Isthereabiomechanicalexplanationforthatwholeexperience?Aretherephysicallawsofmovementexpressedbytherangeofposturesthathonourthevariablewayswecandothem?Aretheretheoriesthataccount for what happens, including standing on one leg and balancing on hands or shoulders? Orprinciplesthatincludethestillness?Somewhere in all this complexity, semantics begin to dominate somatics if we hunt for a linear

explanation in classical biomechanical terms. For people who live happily in (and teach from) theirkinaestheticcentre,thisisputtingthingsbacktofront.

ThePowerofDistinction:AnExample

Figure6.2

Thesemusclesarecommonlytaughtasthe“iliopsoascomplex”.Iwascuriousastowhytheyarecombinedandcalled“hipflexors”(whatwecallthingsmakesusthinkthey“are”theirnamesand,therefore,functionassuch).

Onesuchcasearisesinconsideringthepsoasmusclesasapowerfulexampleofsemanticsandsomaticstryingtoexpresseachotherinrealtime(wheremovementclassestakeplace).Thisisimportantbecausewearesearching,essentially,foranewlanguageinthenewparadigm.Howdoesthisintriguingmuscle,commonlyknownasahipflexor,lookbeforeitgetsintotheanatomybooks?IrecallteachingaclassafterIhadspentalongweekintheLaboratoryforAnatomicalEnlightenment

inBoulder,Colorado,3withTomMyersandToddGarcia (2003),being trained inhumandissection. ItwasthefirsthumandissectionprogrammefocusedsolelyontheindividualAnatomyTrains™4describedinthebookofthesamename,byThomasMyers.Wewereeachinvitedtochooseafavouritemuscleandasktoseeitoneverycadaver.5Irequestedthepsoasmuscle,intriguedastowhyitisoftenreferredtoasonething:the“iliopsoascomplex”(Fig.6.2).(Table6.1shows themusclesof theposteriorabdominalwall, including the psoas major, in the classical presentation. This table separates all aspects of theanatomyandphysiologyofthepsoasandrefersittoiliacusforitsactions,assigningthemajointroleasonemuscle.)Nothing could have preparedme for the detail I saw inmy dissection programme, or for the clear

discrepancy between the classical definition and the architecture of this muscle-in-tissue, deeplyembeddedinitsoriginal,althoughnotliving,context.

Table6.1

(AfterTable32.1inK.P.Moses,J.C.Banks,P.B.Nava,D.Petersen,AtlasofClinicalGrossAnatomy,ElsevierMosby:2005.)

InAnatomyTrains, themuscles are referred to as “myofascial continuities”.We learned inChapter 3 that the fibrils, fibres, fibrebundles, formingmusclesandgroupsofmusclesareallwrapped in the“cottonwool-like”weaveof the fascialnetwork. Itappearseverywhere inside and around themuscle tissues.The deeperwithin a so-called “muscle” it is, the finer it is, being invisible to thenakedeyeattheinnermostlayers(endomysium).Assuch,wewilloftenrefertomyofasciawheretheword“muscle”mightusuallybeused,sincemuscletissueisentirelyinvestedwithfascia.

Anumberofthingsaboutthepsoasbecameapparentfromcarefulobservation:• It is intimately connected,myofascially,with the legs (crura)of thediaphragm(fascially it couldbeconsideredcontinuous).

• Itiswovenintothefabricofthespinalsofttissues,deeptothespacesbetween thelumbarvertebraeandthespinalfasciae.(Thesearestrong,toughfibres;thespinedoesnotappearasacleanbonysurfaceasitisshowninanatomybooks.)

• Its connection to the spine seemsmuchmore elaborate than that of iliacus. It appears as a kind ofguardianofthelumbarcurvefromtheinside,joiningthelumbarvertebraetothelegs,overthepelvis.Thusitwouldseemabletocontributetopelvictilt,especiallyifyouincludethefascia.Iliacusappearsto have a distinct role despite their close affiliation; it lines the iliac bone rather than having directconnectiontothespine.Theyhaveverydifferentgeometries.

• Ifitplays“bestfriend”totheiliacus,thenpsoasis“closecousin”tothequadratuslumborummyofascia(itliesimmediatelyinfrontofit).Thisintimaterelativeisclearlyamuscleofbreathing.Itanchorsafloatingribtothebackofthepelvis(iliaccrest)andspinaltissues.Whilepsoasmightplayaroleinrespondingtomovementswiththediaphragm,itscousinmightensureareciprocalbalancebehinditfortheribbasket.(Insomecadaversthequadratuslumborumcanappearverysmallforastrongstructuralrole?)

• Psoas at the front and piriformis at the back of the sacrum are most definitely BFFs (best friendsforever)intermsofgoingnowherewithouteachother’scooperation6orkinaestheticcomment.Itisinthearchitecture.

• The relationship between psoas and iliacus and all the other neighbouring continuities is far moreintegratedthananysegregatedsectionsofananatomybookcouldimplyorreveal(seeCh.8).

• Paradoxically, however, putting psoas and iliacus together appears to be a somewhat arbitraryaffiliation, in that several other muscles could be contenders for the role and be put together as a“complex”or“composite”suchasthis.Theymaysharecertainattachmentbutsodothepsoasmusclesandthediaphragmiftheyarecutoutfromthefasciadifferently.

• All these“close-to-the-spine”(paraspinal)muscles live together inassociation, intimately formingacomposition of myofascial organisation, deeply woven into the soft tissues around the spine. Theanatomy seems to tell a very different story when looking for connectivity, rather than components.Together theymanage a cavity and if fascia is a communication system, thenour range anddetail ofintegratedmotionandbreath in theyogaclass is endorsed. It calls,however, fornewdistinctions tomakesenseofthepartsasunified.

“SamebutDifferent”Intheopeningquotationinthischapter,JohnStirkplantedaseedofcuriosityaboutthepsoasanditslinkstobreathingandwalking.Wemightthink weknow from the semantic labelwhat the somatic effectof thismusclewillbe.However, seenaspartof the fascialmatrix (evendeceased) its intricacyanddetail isoverwhelming.Once invited to lookfor it, the fasciaclearlycontainsandconnectsspacesandenclosesthem,everywhereinthethree-dimensionalform.Itisexceptionallydifficulttocomefromsuchanexperienceandreturntothesamedryconclusions,basedonschematicdiagramsofparts,labelledfortheirmechanicalactions.

Besides the different views of the psoas myofascia, it was also arresting to note the anatomicaldifferences between individual donor bodies.Without realising it, one can assume thatwhat is in thebooksiswhatwillbeinthebody.Whileweallexpecttolookdifferentontheoutside,itisasurprisetodiscoverthatweareequallydifferentontheinsidetoo.(Theanatomyofvariationiswhatissofromthepoint of view of a continuous matrix: we might dare to say that the exquisite weave between thesecomponentsismorereminiscentofIndra’sNet7thanasshowninourtable.)Needless to say, from this fascinating encounter, andmany since, a similar “story” couldbewritten

aboutmany(possiblyall)“muscles”ofthehumananatomicalform.Noneappearassegregatedorabletoexistorfunctioninisolation.AswesawinChapter3,theyareallattachedthroughouttheirforms.Classifyingthepsoasasa“hipflexor”orcallingitan“iliopsoascomplex”doesnotmakesenseafter

onehasseenitsointimatelyorganisedwiththespine.

APsoasicMatrix?Themyofascialroleofthepsoasiscloselysituatedwiththelegsofthediaphragm(diaphragmaticcrura).Whatcouldbeitsroleinmediatingexactlythemovingrelationshipsbetweenthebreath,thespineandthelegsthatweexploreinsomanydifferentwaysthroughyoga.Givenitsuppermostposition(Fig.6.3), itmust surely be considered to play an intimate role in the shape of the spinal curve and its position inrelationtothelegsandthebreath.Whenwefoldourlegsatthegroin(hipflexion),doesthatactionmakesenseofthismuscle’sclassificationasahipflexor,asifitcanbetreatedexactlythesameasiliacus?Orlookingatittheotherwaydoescallingitahipflexorexplainitsmovement,orriskreducingitsscopeandassets?

Figure6.3ThisimagefromanoldeditionofGray’sAnatomyshowshowclosethepsoasistothediaphragmaticcrura.Thevisceralorgansandvessels

haveallbeenremovedandthevisceralandneurovascularfascia,aswellastheligamentousfibrouscoveringofthespinehavebeenmeticulouslyexcisedtorevealthesedeepstructures.Theouterconnectivetissuesarenecessarilydiscardedtoenabletheillustrationtobedrawnasavery“clean”imageofthediaphragm,psoasandquadratuslumborum,sothattheyappearasquiteseparateunits.Infactthey

wouldoriginallyhavebeenensheathedwithstrongfascialcoveringsforminglayeredcontinuitiesandrelationships,ofvaryingdensities,thatcannolongerbeobserved.

Manyof thesequestionsareaddressed inTomMyers’sAnatomyTrains™,assigned to theDeepFrontLine.Whetherornot thesecontinuities are considered anatomically correct or universal, the point here is that these so-calledmyofascial meridians pose newquestionswhenseenasglobalcontributorstomovement.Myexperienceofthedissectionprogrammehadnosmallimpactonmyworkinmanualandmovementtherapyandtraining:ittransformedmythinkingandledmetoadifferentquest.

IfoundmyselfprivatelywonderingifIreferredtothepsoasasthe“psoasicmatrix”inmymind,wouldithelptomakesenseofthedissectionIwasseeingandthefascialtissuesweavingitintothecontextofthe rest of the body, particularly the spine tissue? Clearly, folding the leg at the hip is a movementinvolvingthepsoas.However,onecouldreadilyseeitplaysapartwhenthelegwouldbeextended,orrotated, or many other positions. Seeing it in the laboratory, before it is excluded from its naturalenvirons,evokesquestionsandpossibilitiesofsomethingmuchmorerefinedthanhipflexion.SomethingthatmakesmoresenseofwhatIseeinclassroomandclinic.In theclassroom, inposessuchasEagle (Garudasana),HalfMoon(AdaChandrasana)andTriangle

(Trikonasana),forexample,howwouldthisso-calledhipflexorbeauthorisingorassistingtheintegratedlegmovements (not tomention animating the breath, balance and poise)?Howwould it expresswhathappensdifferently fromoneside to theother?Graceful transitionsaresomething life (withorwithoutyoga)demands.Itseemsevidentthatthereisadifferencebetweenthedetailedsculptureofthetissuesinsitu,themovementsassignedtothemandtheclassificationof“iliopsoasashipflexor”.Itseemstoreducewhathappensonthemat,makingitlessthanthearchitecturemightimply.

NewDistinctionsDuring a later dissection opportunity, Robert Schleip responded to my endless questions around thisintriguingmyofascialcomplexbysaying,“ratherthanconsideringitasahipflexor,thinkofitasaspinestabiliser and itwillmakemuchmore sense to you”.Considering iliacus as a hip flexor (with rectus

femoris)andpsoasasaspinestabiliseralsomakesmoresenseoftheirrolesinyoga,especiallyinthemorecomplexposes. I liked the ideaofmultiplyingup toa rangeof functions thatmoves towardsourexperienceofsubtlecorrectionsandbalances.Whenanasanacallsfor thebreathtobeintegratedwithbalance and folding quite differently from one side to the other, the ability to find and respond to theposition,breathingsteadily,isfarbetterexplainedthisway(Fig.6.4).Acloserelationshipbetweenthepsoasandthespine,includingthediaphragm,hastobeavailableinthelivingbody.It isevidentinthearchitectureandtheexperience.Inmanypostures,thepairofpsoasmuscles(thepsoai)havetonegotiatedifferentlyfromlefttoright,obviously,inconcertwithmanyaspectsofthesurroundingarchitectureandthebreath.This iswhatyogaexploresandIbegan toseewhy thequestionposedbyJohnStirk in thischapter’sopeningwassovaluable.

Figure6.4EnroutetofullHeadtoKneePose(JanuSirsasana).

In postures where the left psoas has to do something different from the right psoas (Fig. 6.5), thecommon denominator is the spine, not hip flexion. Doing the pose to both sides is an enquiry intoinstinctivebalance. It is thevariationandpossibilityof loadingpatternswhilstmaintaining integrityofbreathandpoisethatisthepurposeofourenquiry.Dowebringvariabilityandrangebypractisingthisancientart,sothatthesedeepstructuralmyofasciaecangetonwiththeintegratedtasktheyknowanyway,whateverwehavecalledthem?Ihavegrowntoappreciateandrespectthepsoaiasmistressesofintegrationinbreathing,walkingand

spinalstabilisation; that is, in rotation,counter-rotation, sidebending(lateral flexion)andforwardandback bending (flexion and extension) postures. They are in close partnershipwith farmore than theiradjacent iliaci.However, before further discussion about any one particularmember of our bodywidemyofascialfamily,letusbearinmindthatsuchastorycanbetoldaboutmanyindividualmuscles,beforetheyarecleanedupforpresentationasisolatedphenomena.Theroleofthepsoashereisasasymbolofanewchallenge.Howcanwemeaningfullyexpandandevolveourthinkingtoamoreglobalcontextthatmakessenseofthewholespinewithinthecollagenmatrix?Howcanwenamethehundredsofmyofascialunitsoperatinginthiswholetensionalarchitecturecalled“humanbeingdoing”or“youinaction”inanappropriatewaywithoutreducingthemto“actions”thattheyarenotlimitedto?

Figure6.5LordoftheDancePose(Natarajasana).

MapsandTerritoriesThe London Underground (subway) map provides a useful schematic, a topographical diagram thatindicatesonlytheapproximatelocationofthesystem’sstationsrelativetotheothersontheline.Itisveryuseful,as longasthereisnoexpectationthat itshowsthecorrectdistancebetweenstations,or that thestationswilllookthesameinthereal-lifeexperienceofarrivingatoneofthem.PriortothefirstdissectionIexperienced,itwasapparentthatIhadlivedwithsimilartopographical

notionsofhumananatomyasiftheyweretheterritory.Ihadcollapsedthedistinctionsofanatomyandnaturalorso-called“functionalmovement”.Oneisclearlynotderivedfromtheother,unlessyourestrictthedefinitiontoaverylimitedversionofwhatcanactuallyhappenintheclassroom.

Anatomymay provide a kind of grammar, but it does not necessarily tell the different stories these architectural components canpresentdependingonhoweachofususes them.Anyyogapractice,dancemodalityorphysicalperformanceis likea tale toldbyakinaestheticauthor:thepersoninaction.Thepointiswespeakthatsomaticlanguageprettyfluentlyinasmanyandvariousdialectsaswehavebodiestoexpress.Yogacanservetosupporttherangeandsubtletieswehaveaccessto.

EvenmyworklearningandeventuallyteachingwithTomMyers,inStructuralIntegrationandAnatomyTrains,hadnotpreparedmeforseeingmusclessointimatelyinterwovenandcontinuousinlongitudinal,lateralandlayeredrelationshipswithallourpartsandforms.Theyareanythingbutdiscreteunits,evenincadavers.Theyarecompletelyconnectedtoeachotherandsurrounded.Notevenasuiteofmusclescanoperatewithoutaffectingtherestofthematrix;itbecomesobviousoncedissectionbegins.Onceagain,Indra’sNetseemsamoreappropriatemodelthanTable6.1.Theproblemliesintheassumptionthatthe“map”(andtheactionassignedtoanisolatedschematicofa

muscle)explainsfunctionalmovementandtheformoftheterritory.Mapsaretwo-dimensionalguidesandthusdistinctfromtheexperienceoftheterritory.Theyareanentirelydifferentquesttounderstandingyogain the living body,which is unique to each of us.The latest research ismakingmore sense of that asexperience rather than reducing it to separate aspects ofwhatwe think happens.This is the shift to abiggerexplanationforglobalmovementof thewholebody.Itbrings intodistinction thecommunicatingnetwork of tissues within our whole form, working together. It does not necessarily make the

explanations/classifications for local parts wrong, but it does absorb them into a bigger context. Thepsoasdoesindeedplayapartinhipflexion;however,whilethatmaybeitsoccasionaljob,itsvocationisevidentlytoahighercalling.

EnRouteWewill goon to considerMyers’sAnatomyTrainsmap inPart2, as it helps to provide the sense ofcontinuity thatyou see in thebody, at least longitudinally, if it is suitablyapplied tomovement. It is astepping-stonetowardsrealisingthattosomeextentweeachmouldthismatrixthroughthewayweuseitthroughoutourlives.Inyoga,theAnatomyTrainsprovideausefulreferenceforassessment,guidingyouinoptimalwaystoassistaparticipant(Ch.12).Withcertainestablishedcommon(tissue)denominators,wewriteourown story inourown languageon thepagesofourown tissues inourownway. (Somewritingismorelegiblethanothers.)Whatwearelookingforisanintelligentbasisforunderstandinghowmovementforcesmovethrough

usandhowwenegotiate themaswemove.Graceful transitionsand fluid interpretationscall formoresubtleandlessmechanicalexplanationsthanthenamesallocatedtomuscleactionsmightimply.Thewaywe apply the classical versions of that knowledge iswhatwe are curious about here: seeking a newcontextforallthiscontent.Youcannotnecessarilydeducenaturalfunctionfromanatomicalclassification.

WhatThen?Seeingthe“psoasicmatrix”atsuchclosequartersignitescuriosity.Therearefourkeythingsthatstandout:(1)theunifiedwhole-bodycavities;(2)thelateraldiaphragms;(3)theoneandthealloneveryscale;(4)theproportionandprimaryroleofthespineinthebody.

(1)Unified(whole-body)cavitiesExperiencinghowcompletelyunifiedallthelayersandcavitiesofthetorsoarebridgesthegapbetweenthebooksaboutmovementandtheexperienceofmotion.Withtheorgansremoved,theabdominalcavityappearsasawholecontainer.Thelayersoftransverseabdominis,internalandexternalobliques,rectusabdominis, pelvic floor and the diaphragmoverlap andwrap to form the top, bottom, front, sides androundness of thewhole container, backed and supported by the lumbar spine curve. They enclose theabdominal(peritoneal)cavityinallitsvolume.Ratherthanconsideringthemasiftheyareseparate,ifwelookatthemtogether,theymultiplyuptoacompleteandrelativelythinlycladchamber.Theyarepiercedabove and below by the continuity of the gut, the neural and circulatory vessels and the urogenitalopenings,butotherwiseentirelyunifiedbytheconnectingtissuesofthesevariouslysoftwalls.Theydonotexperiencethemselvesasseparatelyorganisedunitsinisolation,whateverexerciseswethinkweareimposingonthem,oneatatime(likeabdominalcrunchesforexample).Wesawinthelastchapterhowthe embryo forms these cavities by enfolding them, in the original “bio-organic origami” process ofembryogenesis.Weareself-assemblingforms,kinaestheticarchitectsofourowndevelopingdesign–atalltimesawholeworkinprogress.

Figure6.6Thediaphragmformsadoubledomeacrosstheentirecavity,attachedin360degreestotheinnerbodywall.We“know”this.However,

seeingindissectionthatthepericardialandpleuralsacsaredistinctbutneverthelessexquisitelyshapedbyeachother’sneighbouringforms(includingtheuppermostlayersofthediaphragm)emphasisestheirintimateandoriginalformingrelationships(seeCh.5).Seeinghowtheir

respectivecavitiesareshapedbytheneighbouringlayersshiftstheperspectiveirrevocably.

(2)LateraldiaphragmsThe second aspect is experiencing the diaphragm as an arched, lateral myofascial sandwich that istensioned across the whole torso, between the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity below and the thoraciccavityabove(Fig.6.6).Itisdeeplyintegratedwiththeheartandformsthebaseoftheheart(pericardial)andlung(pleural)cavities:allareattachedtothesofttissuesofthethoracicspineandsupportedbyitscurves.(Thisisnosurprisetous,afterlearningthebasicsofembryogenesis,butsomehowtheyaremoreintimatelyinterrelatedthanwemightgenerallyimaginefromseparatemapsofthem.)Theheartand lungsareallenclosedby theribs,whichare likewrapping,angledbonesofacorset,

tightlyboundstiffenersissuingfrombetweenthevertebrae.Theyencompasstheuppertorsobutremaindeeplyintegratedwiththebodywallsanddistinguishedbytheirrespectivecavities,allheldopenundertension.Inasoft,living,breathingbodytheycanactlikestiffenersinthebreathing,pulsingbodywall.In a later dissection in the programme,8 the myofascia of the pericardial tissues surrounding and

forming the heart cavity demonstrate continuous connections with the throat and tongue. This makesperfect sense inembryological terms,becauseof their formingsequence (Ch.5); it ispartofourmostoriginal developmental pattern. We speak from the heart both physically and metaphorically, if theinterconnectingcontinuityofthefascialwebisincluded.Thebreathandbonesandbodywallofthetorsoarenotseparateanywhere.Mediatedbythesoft

tissuesandseptae,theirrelationshipsandabilitytoglide,stretch,expandandsqueezeandreleasearethefoundation of our functionalmovements, that is, themoves wemake to do the poses and the internalorganisationthatfollowsnaturally.Indeed,functionandformappeartobeintimatelyco-creativeelementsof our living bodies. I no longer see the logic in naming specific muscles as “breathingmuscles” or“accessorybreathingmuscles”.Partofourabilitytobreatheisinresponsetogravity,socanwewiselysegregatemusclesofbreathingandwalking?

Figure6.7Someofthefabricofthefasciainsidetheskullandaroundthebrain,dissectedintactbyToddGarcia(seenote10)andphotographedbyShaneMcDermott(reproducedwithhiskindpermission).Thisenclosingtissuedoesnotstopwhereithasbeencuthere;itiscontinuously

expressedasacontinuitythroughouttheform.

Thereisapatternoforganscontainedbycavities;cavitiescontainedbythebodywalls;adultversionsoftheembryonicchamberswithinchambers.Weappear,fromtheoutside,tomovetheseasawhole,pre-stiffenedortensionedbyourorganisation.Onethatbiotensegritymakessenseofasaconstantlychangingdanceofunitingopposingforcestobringthemtoneutralbalance(seeChs7and8).Wefeelandsensethese containers through themovements.They can yield to and authorise thosemovements at the sametime,changingwithouradaptableresponsiveness.Books describing the lateral myofascial bands and diaphragms9 begin to make sense of the body,

dividedacrossorsectionedbythebandhasdescribedinyogapractice.Therearewholecylinderswithincylinders, tubeswithin tubes, as StanleyKeleman and others have pointed out.10 The brain sits in thehighestpositionoverall,enclosedwithinthecranialvaultanditsowncontinuouscontainerofconnectingtissue(Fig.6.7).11Thereiscontinuitybetweenthesecavities,notjustfromthespine.Thewrappingandinterwovennatureofthetissuessimplyconnectsthemall,yetdistinguishesthematthesametime.Thereisaparadoxicalaspecttoit.Howdidwecometoconsiderthepartsofthebodyasanythingotherthanentirelycontinuous?Theyare

united by the fabric and forms of the axial (except girdles and limbs) and appendicular (girdles andlimbs)skeleton,wrappingtheminthecontinuousmatrixoftissuesandcontinuouslywrappedinperiost:thefasciaaroundallthebones.Intheembryo,everythinggrowsfromtheoriginalconceptus.Intheadult,theconnectivityofthewholeformisstillinplace.Nothingisseparate;everythingcanbetracedbacktoeverything else, via these tissues. They span the spaces aswell as the organs and bones, forming theextracellularmatrix.Isthereanywheretheycannotbefound?

(3)TheoneandtheallItbecomeshardtoseparateanyonefromtheall.Yogaisaboutthewholebody,honouringallofitsdetail.Thisinvitesmeasayogateacherintothechasmbetweengeneralacademicanatomyorbiomechanicsandliving,moving,breathingpeople,inallshapesandsizes,whodoposes.Dowelimitsomeone’sabilitybydesignatingamuscleasresponsibleforasingleaction?Moretothepoint,evenifthepsoasisaspinalstabiliser,orahipflexor,doweneedtoknowthat inorder todoyogawell?Yogahasbeenpractisedbeautifullyforcenturies,withoutnecessarilyknowingmuchaboutthepsoas,orthatpossiblytheleastofitsrolesisasahipflexor.Yetthepracticeofyogacananddoesfreemanyastuckpelvisordisorganisedlumbarspine,whenusedappropriately,throughthesensoryrefinementoftheindividualpractisingit(and

theguidanceoftheirteacher).Itcanfacilitatethebodytosortitselfoutandrelievepain.Doesintelligentmovementbecomemorekinaestheticallyconsciousifwenamethepartsinvolved?Canwemakeabiggerdifferencebyappreciatingtherelationshipsbetweenthosepartsashavingmorethanasubordinaterole?Whileitisclearlysousefultoknowthetopographicalmap;howdoweusefullyguardwhatwemakeitmean?

(4)TheproportionandprimaryroleofthespineandaxialskeletonThefourthpointisaboutthescaleandstrengthofthespine,thespinaljointsandthetissuesthatholdthemtogether. It isaboutknowing that, inplaces, thecollagen formationholdingourbodies togetherhas theequivalenttensilestrengthofsteelwire(Ch.10).12Thespinalsegmentsare thedominantfeatureof theaxialbody.Thelargerpartof thedepth(front to

back)ofthetorsoistakenupwiththespinalvertebrae,fromthefrontofthevertebralbodiestotheendsofthespinousandtransverseprocesses.Theirarrangementandthespaces(discs,foramen,etc.)betweenthem, authorise the shapeof thebodywall anddeeply connect themuscles, viscera andvessels.Theyinviteustorecallthesomites(andtheirechointhedermatomes)fromChapter5(Fig.6.8).Thebodywallreflectsthesegmentalringsfirstprescribedbytheembryonicsomites(theyareorgans

ofthebodywallinourearlieststagesofformation).Theyplayedanoriginalpartincreatingtheselateralrings–presentedintheskinasdermatomes(seeFig.6.8).(SeeCh.5,Fig.5.16,foranillustrationofthesomites.)Theirrolein“spacialisation”ofthespinedesignatedthespacesbetweeneachofthevertebrae,wherenervesexitfromthespinalcord,discsorganiseandribsandpsoasintegrate.Wearemorefamiliarwiththesesegmentsgroupedassectionsofthespine(sacral,lumbar,thoracicandcervical).Thespinedoesnotmakesenseifitisdescribedonlyinsections,asifthesectionsareseparateorasif

itfunctionsonitsown,asitappearsinthetypicalclassroomskeleton.Itformsonecontinuousstructure.Oursenseofitswholenessinyoga,inposturesandinmeditation,seemstobeextremelyvaluableonceithasbeenseensoentirelyconnectedindissection.

Figure6.8Thedermatomesareillustratedonthebody,sketchedasringswiththerelatedvertebrallevel,toshowapproximatelywheretheskinis

consideredtobeinnervatedsegmentally.

“Eachoftheyogaposesisaccompaniedbybreathinganditisduringtheprocessofexhalationthatthespinecanstretchandelongatewithouteffort.Welearntoelongateandextendratherthanpullandpush.Elongationandextensioncanonlyoccurwhenthepullingandpushinghavecometoanend.”13

How canwe separate breathing from sensing andmoving our innermost bones and outermost skin,communicating from the ground in anymovement class? Perhaps yoga luminaryVanda Scaravelliwasrightabouthowimportantourfocusisonthestrong,gracefulwaveoftheawakenedspine.Inpractice,itshapesthebreathandisshapedbyit.

NowWhat?Namingamuscleandclassifyingitisonething.Findingoutthatmusclesdonotworkasfunctionalunitsisanother.Understandinghowamyofascialsuiteoftissuesplaysarole,withinabody-wideweb(possiblyuniquelyforeachparticipant),isyetanotherthingtoconsider.Howisitpossibletounderstandsomethingwhole and connected; somethingmore fundamental than thenamingof functions and labellingof parts,especiallyifthatmakeseachpart(i.e.muscle)restrictedtospecificactions,whentheyarenot?IwasleftwonderingwhatcouldactuallymakeadifferencetomyclassesandgivetheteachersandstudentsIworkwithsomethingthatmakessenseforthem.

AFascialogicalContextWiththefascialtissuesinplace,differentquestionsarise.Aswelearnmoreaboutthem,theneedtoshifthowweseemovementinananimatedbodyisobvious.Anatomists portray what they see, but they see it through the lens of a historical viewfinder that

traditionallyremovesthefasciainordertoseetheparts“cleanly”.Onceremoveditishardtoputback.Removingtheubiquitousfascialmatrix(andpresentingthepartsasif theywork in functionwithout it)misrepresentswholeness,howeveryoulookatit.Despitethecommonacceptanceofitslegitimacyasamethod,inthefaceofwholefunctionitissimplynotallthatisthere.Anatomyastraditionallypresentedmaybeanexquisiteviewofwhatisleftbehindafterfasciaismeticulouslyremovedandplacedinthecadavericbins,butitisclaimedtobesomethingmore.Itispresentedasbeingaperfect,cleandissection;asifthatisthebestwaytolearnabouthowourpartswork.Paradigm shifts can be uncomfortable, however enlightening they are. If we stay tuned to the yoga

experiencewhilewetraversethelandscapeintherestofthisbook,though,wecanexpandtoincludenewpossibilitiesthataccountforwhatactuallyhappensinclass.Werecognisethatweexperiencethebodyaswholeandcompletebyvirtueofmovingit.Itmaysoundsimplisticorevenobvious,butinsomeways,unitingthepartsintoonecoherentwholeclarifieseverything.Ittakesusfromthenumerousdifferentpartsshowninthebookstotheunifiedwholebeingthatwalksintotheclassroom.Webreathe,moveourownskeleton,embeddedinsofttissue,andsensewherewearesegmentallyandgloballyaswedoso,cavitybycavity,segmentalwavebywave,andallwithbreath,bonesanddermatomesintact.

Notes1. JohnStirk,OsteopathandYogaTeacher,commentduringatrainingsession,2000.2. RobertSchleip,“Foreword”,inLuigiSteccoandCarlaStecco,FascialManipulation:PracticalPart,EnglisheditionbyJulieAnnDay,

forewordbyRobertSchleip,Piccin,Padua,2009.3. LaboratoryforAnatomicalEnlightenment,Inc.(http://lofae.com/about-us/index.html).4. ThomasW.Myers,AnatomyTrains:MyofascialMeridiansforManualandMovementTherapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,

Edinburgh,2009.AlsonotetheDVDwiththissecondeditionasaresource.5. Theauthorwouldliketoexpressherreverentgratitudetoalldonorsandtheirfamiliesforthevalueoftheirdonation.6. ThomasMyers,“Poise:psoas-piriformisbalance”,MassageMagazineMar/Apr1998.7. Indra’sNetWikipedia(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/indra’snet).Indra’snetisametaphorforthenon-dualnatureofall.8. Seewww.anatomytrains.comforDVDofthisdissectionprogramme.9. Forexample,R.LouisShultzandRosemaryFeitis,TheEndlessWeb:FascialAnatomyandPhysicalReality,NorthAtlanticBooks,

Berkeley,CA,1996.10. StanleyKeleman,EmotionalAnatomyEmotionalAnatomy;publishedin1985byCenterPress.StanleyKeleman,directorofBerkeley’s

CenterforEnergeticStudies.11. ToddGarcia,LaboratoryofAnatomicalEnlightenment,Inc.(http://lofae.com/about-us/index.html).12. DeanJuhan,Job’sBody:HandbookforBodywork ,3rdedition,StationHillPress,Barrytown,NY,2003.13. VandaScaravelli,AwakeningtheSpine,2ndedition,PinterandMartin,London,2012.

CHAPTER

7Spines,LinesandAutomobility

“Thecommonlyaccepted‘towerofblocks’modelforvertebratespinemechanicsisonlyusefulwhenmodelingaperfectlybalanced,upright,immobilespine.Usingthatmodel,inanyotherpositionthanperfectlyupright,theforcesgeneratedwilltearmuscle,crushboneandexhaustenergy.Anewmodelofthespineusesatensegrity-trusssystemthatwillmodelthespinerightsideup,upside-downorinanyposition,staticordynamic.Inatensegrity-trussmodel,theloadsdistributethroughthe

systemonlyintensionorcompression.Asinalltrusssystems,therearenoleversandnomomentsatthejoints.Themodelbehavesnon-linearlyandisenergyefficient.Unlikeatowerofblocks,itisindependentofgravityandfunctionsequallywellonland,atsea,intheairorinspaceand

modelsthespinesoffishandfowl,birdandbeast.”1

StephenLevin

Asmovementteacherswehavetohitthegroundrunning.Peoplewhosignupforayogaclasswantyoutojointhedotsatthespeedtheycanmoveandunderstandthewaystheycandoit.Theywantthosewaysoptimised, sowhat aspects of biomechanics dowe need to learn in order to enhance and ensure thisoptimalpractice?Inthelastchapterweconsideredthatmusclesdonot,infact,functionasunits;whichchangeshowwemightexplaintheiractions.Thereisstilladifficultgapbetweenclassicalbiomechanicalexplanations of movement of our parts and the natural experience in the yoga classroom of howparticipantsmove, as awhole.This is especially challengedwhen considering the fascialmatrix as atensionalnetworkundertheevolvinglawsofabiotensegrityarchitecture.Howdoesthefascialcontextshiftorexpandtheseideasinwaysthatcanhelpustobridgethisdifference?

MovingArchitectureInstandardbiomechanicsthefirstthinganewstudentisinvitedtodoisworkfromanimaginaryaxis:acentralvertical linedown themiddleof thebody thatactsasa referencepoint for theplanes:sagittal,coronalandlateral,separatingthebodyintoright/leftandfront/backandupper/loweraspects,inordertodescribehumanactionsbyreferencetotheseanglesanddimensions(Fig.7.1).

However,we do not in reality have a straight line down themiddle of us, andwe do notmove instraightlinesorflatplanes.Therearenosuchthingsinthebody,norcanthebodyexpressthem.Wedonot stand in the anatomical position and our spines do not behave as vertical columns that have to beuprighttofunction.Itispainfullydifficulttomakesenseofyogaintheseterms,evenonpaper,letaloneatthespeedofaclassroomfullofself-containedwholebodies.Doesthistheninviteustosearchforamoreuseful starting premise than this imaginary straight pole? Perhaps evolution gives us some clues.According to Serge Gracovetsky, Stephen Levin and others (see the notes and suggestions for furtherreadingattheendofthischapter)itshapesourfundamentalmovementpatternsprofoundly.

Figure7.1Bodyplanes.ImageusedwithkindpermissionfromMartinGordon(www.mothcreative.co.uk).

ContemporaryQuestionsforClassicalAssumptionsInto this inquisitive gap between the classical theories and contemporary interpretationswalkedSergeGracovetskyPhD,topresentatthefirstFasciaResearchCongressin2007,atHarvardMedicalSchool,Boston,Massachusetts.2,3

TheSpineasanEngineGracovetskyemphasisesthatthehumanformisentirelydesignedformobility,notforstability.Hisspinalengine theory (see also notes and further reading) is likewater in the overheated arguments of a drybiomechanicaldesert. It iscomplex;however, it shows logicallyhow thewhole spinemoves inall itsvarioussegments,dependentupontheintimaterelationshipsbetweenmusclesandthecollagenmatrixtotransmitforces(betweentheheadandtheearth,via therotationof theshouldergirdleandthecounter-rotationofthepelvicgirdle),toandfromtheground,thatis,viathegears(lockingfacets)ofthecurvedspine.Whenwebendforwardorliftanobject,forexample,thespinenaturallyswitchesbackandforth

withinfractionsofasecondbetweenthetensionalstrengthofthecollagenandtheactivationofmusculareffort. Rotation and counter-rotation drive the spinal engine, based upon its curved structure andmyofascial–skeletalorganisation.Hesuggests that thespinecomes firstand the limbscomeafterasanadvantage to energy management and conservation, refining our movement signature rather thandominatingit.

ItisnotacommoneventtoseeastandingovationatascientificResearchCongress.Nevertheless,Gracovetskymadesomuchsenseofwhat actually happens in the real living spine, founded in the laws ofmotion and the geometry of the collagenmatrix, that theaudiencecelebratedhiscandidandhighlyresearchedreasoningwithcheers.Hepointedoutthatbecausetherewasanassumptionthatmovementwasbaseduponthemusculoskeletalsystem,measuringdevicesweredevelopedoverthecenturiesthatbasedcalculationsalmost exclusively on examiningmuscular action, reinforcing themusculoskeletal basis of the anatomy and subsequent theories offunction.Thusanyliving(invivo)testingperpetuatedtheassumptionsandallowedsciencetobypassthecrucialroleofthecollagenmatrix in movement. Traditionally, it was overlooked both anatomically and biomechanically, at least in terms of its ubiquitousconnectivity.Recently advances in equipment andmethodsof investigation,particularlymore sensitiveultrasoundandMRIdevices,have allowed the reading of fascial layers in vivo to endorse the essential role of collagen everywhere in the body, and mostparticularlyinhowitaffectsthespine.Sciencehasalsobeguntoaskdifferentquestions,hencethisparadigmshiftandtheadventofawholenewlevelofcuriosityandenquiry.Biotensegrityfeatureslargelyinmanyoftheemergingmodels.

“Thewide rangeofhumanphysicalactivitiesobscures the relative simplicityof thephysicsbehindmovement.Fromthemomentthelegendaryfishemergedfromthewaterandlandedonsolidground,thedevelopmentofanatomywasshapedby theneed toconserveenergy. In thiscontext, theEarth’sgravitationalfieldbecameanothernaturalresourcethatourspecieslearnedtoexploit.”4

Inthegravitationalfieldonearthcreaturesmovearoundasaconstantmanagementsystem(orphysicalinterpretation)ofgroundreactionforce.

“GRFsimplymeansthatthegroundispushingbacktowhateverispushingdownonit,(Newton’s3rdlaw,foreveryactionthereisanequalandoppositereaction,Ifyoupushonawallthewallispushingback,etc.).Ifsomeoneiswalkingorrunning,F=ma(masstimesacceleration,Newton’s2nd),sotheGRFwouldbegreater.”5

SergeGracovetskyexplainsitanotherusefulway,toemphasisefurtherhowcompletelywerelyonthisforceinallinteractionsontheearth:usingthelegstotranslatetheenergywestoretemporarilywitheverystep:

“Tounderstandtheconcept,firstnotethatyouarenotinafreefall,evenifyourbodyissubjectedtotheearth’sgravitationalfield.Thishappensbecausethegroundunderyourfeetopposesaforceequaltotheweightofyourbodyandhenceyourfeetareinequilibrium.Ifsomethinghappenedtotheground(asinkholethatwouldopenup)thenyourbodywouldfalltowardsthecenteroftheearth.

Thehummingbird,welearned,cannotmaintainitsabilitytobeatitswingsatarateofapprox.100beatspersecondbasedonmuscleenergy.Themathematicsoftheenergyrequiredmeansitwouldburstintoflames.Olympicweight-liftersraisinganythingover50kgwouldroutinelyexplodeiftheyreallywererelyingonintra-abdominalpressureasthebasisoftheirpowertolift.Gracovetskydebunkswhathecallsthemythsandfairytalesofmusculoskeletalanatomy.Collagenplaysafundamentalroleinshapingandmovementofthespine,whetherornotithasbeenunderstoodoraccountedfor.Importantlyheemphasisesitscurvature.

Hencethegroundreactionforcesarenothingmorethantheforcesthatmustbeappliedtoyourbodytokeepitinbalanceduringyoureverydaylife.Whenyouwalk,thegroundmustopposeaforcetoyourfootandthatiswhatiscalledthe‘heelstrike

pulse’.When you sleep, your body shape is imprinted into the mattress because the mattress is soft andcrumpledwhenthegroundreactionforcespushUPintoyourbody.”6

Whatisgroundreactionforce(GRF)?Inthesimplestexplanation,whenyousteponthescales,yourweightrepresentstheforceyouplaceonthegroundandtheimmediateequalandoppositeforcethatreturns.Itisequaltoyourmass.

In real terms, we animate different ways of expressing this relentless dependence on the mutualrelationshipbetweengravityanditscounterforce(groundreactionforce;GRF).Wecandance“lightly”orstamp“heavily”dependinguponhowwetensionourtissues,momenttomoment,sotheexperienceofitcan change.TheGRF remains the same,butwecan activelymodifyhow the forcesmove throughourconnected tissues.We can tension their connections elastically. In all cases, we use the ground as atemporaryenergystore.If thegroundiscoveredinsnoworsand,asdistinctfrombeingaflatroadforexample, then the way in which our tissues respond, changes. We then have to tension our tissuesdifferently to account for that.Our experience then,might be less of a “bounce back” andweneed toadapt and generatemore (myofascial effort andmetabolic) energy tomove over that terrain,when itsparticlesarenotclosepacked.Wenaturallynavigatethisallthetime.Yourbodyalreadyknowshowtodothisinstinctively.Itlivesinamutualbalancebetweengravity’sradialpulltowardsthecentreoftheearthand(anycreature’s)abilitytooccupyspaceinresponsefromit;i.e.indirectresponseorreactionfromtheground.

Theground interrupts therelentlesspull towards thecentreof theearthall the time.Ourhumanability toresist thispullaffectsourwholesystem,somuchsothatwedonotevenhavetothinkaboutit.Weareitsconsequencesinspaceandtime.Notethatinouterspace,astronautshavetonegotiateaverydifferentexperience,wheretheabsenceorlowamplitudeofgroundreactionforce(relativetothechangeingravitationalpull)changestheirbonedensity.Werelyonthesemutualforcesforourstructuralintegrity,whetherornotweunderstandthem.

Ourbones(whichLevinreferstoas“starchedfascia”)aredesignedviatheday-to-daymanagementofforces,ofourreactiontotheground(orpullofgravitytowardsit).Weexistasthree-dimensionalforminrelationship to this forceandcounter-force.Wearenotcrushedandweareable tostandupandmovearound,awayfromtheground.Wecouldsaythatabilityisaunifyingoftriuneforces.Justasinatension–compressionsystemwehave threeelements: tension,compressionandcombined tension–compression,sowehavethreeelementsofgravityandgroundreactionforce–theone,theotherandtheircombination(ourstructuralintegrity:theresultoftheircombinedforcesasourphysicalexpression).Yourabilitytomove around is an expression of how you interpret gravity and ground reaction force through yourphysicalstructureatanyonemomentintime.From an evolutionary point of view,we have acquired the ability tomanage ground reaction force

(perhapswhatScaravelli refers to as our “anti-gravity reflex”) in evermore refinedways.Newton iscredited with discovering the distinction of gravity but, according to Levin, there are differentinterpretationsforthewaythatbiologicsoftarchitecturesmove,independentlyofthatgravitationalpull.ItmaybealsoaquestionofhowliterallywetranslateNewton’s laws.Anequalandoppositeforceisatworkinbiotensegritystructures(tensionandcompression)atalltimes.However,theyresistdeformationnaturallyinomnidirectionalways.Studiesofhowourtissuesrespondtostressandstrainsuggesttheydosoinnon-Newtonianandnon-Hookean(i.e.non-linear)ways.

“This[tensegritystructuralbehaviour,measuredinastress-straingraph]isradicallydifferentfromthe

Hookean, linear behavior ofmost non-biologicmaterials and structures. InHookean structures foreachincrementofstress,thereisaproportionalstrainuntilthepointofelasticdeformationjustbeforeit breaks. Hookean structures weaken under load. In the tensegrity structures, there is rapiddeformationwiththeinitialloadbutthenthestructurestiffensandbecomesmorerigidandstronger.”7

Levin goes on to explain how tensegrity structures explain our omnidirectional strength and ability toresistdeformation.Thischallengesthe“springanddashpot”modelassomewhatcontrivedandsuggestssomethingactuallymoredirectforthewayweseestructure,givenhowwenaturallymoveandrespond.

EvolutionaryMovementRequirementsAccordingtoGracovetsky,ourspinesoriginated(evolutionarily)increaturesthathadtobeabletomoveover slippery mud when they emerged from the sea, and had to adapt accordingly. The side-to-side(lateral) motion of fish was not so efficient over land. The forward and back motion (flexion andextension)hadtodevelopiftheanimalbodywastomoveoverrockyterrainandeventuallyfinduprightmotion.Todothis,thesetwoplanesofmotiongaverisetothehelicalmotionpotentialthatcouldexploitthegravitationalfield,ratherthanbedefeatedbyit.Thiswasrotationandcounter-rotationbetweentheshoulder and pelvic girdles (the key drivers of the spinal engine8). This occurred in concertwith thecurvature of the spine and the evolutionary development of the limbs and extremities on land. Theevolvinggaitpatternsproducedanintegratedwholebodymovementcapacitygreaterthanthesumoftheparts.

SpineFirst“If the present paradigms of Newtonian based biomechanics hold true, then the calculated forcesneededforagrandfathertolifthisthreeyearoldgrandchildwouldcrushhisspine,catchingafishattheendofaflyrodwillteartheanglerlimbfromlimb,andthelittlesesamoidbonesinourfeetwillcrushwitheachstep.”9

Gracovetskydebunksthetheorythatthelowerlimbsdrivegaitbyaskingwhathappensiftherearenolimbs.Doesthatmeanthespinedoesnotwork(or“walk”)?Hefilmedandmonitored(withsensorsalongthespine)amanwithoutlimbs,whocouldneverthelessmovealongthegroundinanaturalwalkinggaitpattern.Gracovetskyanalysedthetorsomovements,whichmatchthoseofapersonwithlegstowalkonandarmstoswing.Anytheoryofwalkingthatpresumesinitiationinthelegsischallengedbythisresearch.(Inclose-upfootageofthespineitwasimpossibletodetectthatthepersonwalkinghadnoarmsorlegsandwalkeddirectlyontheirsittingbones.)

Manytheoriesofuprighttwo-legged(bipedal)humanmovementsuggestthelegsauthoriseorinitiategaitand the torso, or axial body, “travels along as a passenger”. As Gracovetsky points out, from anevolutionarypointofview:“Locomotionwasfirstachievedbythemotionofthespine.Thelegscameafter as an improvement, not as a substitute.”10 (This recapitulates the embryonic forming sequence,sincethelegsareamongthelaterstructurestogrow,someembryologicaltimeafterthespinalstructuresareinplace.)Gracovetskyshowsthatinhumanwalking,thelumbarcurveofthespineisparamountinthetranslation

of forces to and from the ground, via the legs. It is not a passive passenger, carried along by them.AccordingtoGracovetsky,thespinedrivesthelimbsfromabove,whichallowsthelegstotranslatetheamplitudeandqualityofthemovementforcestoandfromthegroundusingitstepbystepasatemporary

energy store (via the heel strike pulse). As yoga teachers, we are well served by understanding thisstructureandGracovetskyprovidescogentreasonswhyit isanadvantage tokeep thebodysuppleandmobile,tonaturallytranslateenergyasefficientlyaspossible(hisworkisreferencedthroughoutthenotesandinthefurtherreadingsuggestionsattheendofthischapter).11The spinal engine theory is in fact congruent with Levin’s tensegrity-truss model and Flemon’s

biotensegritymodels.Asclosedkinematicchainmodelstheynaturallyevokethelawofcoupledmotion(seelaterinthischapter).Itbeginstomakesenseofourabilityintheyogaclassroomtobalanceonhandsand head, shoulders and elbows at various angles of poise in all but flat planes and the anatomicalposition.Thespinebecomesthecommondenominator:rotationandcounter-rotationworkbothwaysup.Wecouldsay that lying inCorpsePose(Shivasana)resembles theanatomicalposition.However,eventhen, we can use that pose to experience and sense our natural curvature on the ground, using it forfeedbackdirectly(seeCh.11foraspecificexercise).Weareneverflat.ThisexercisemakessenseofGracovetsky’sviewsuggestingthatthespineacts,albeitupright, inthe

samewayasthespineinanyseamammal,withthelimbsaddingbalanceandballastandfurtherfacility,ratherthannecessarilydrivingororiginatingthemovementpattern.

“Lordosis [lumbar curve] emerges as the singlemost important parameter in controlling the forcetransmissionbetweenthelegsandtheupperextremities.”12

Gracovetskyshows that the limbshelp to translate forces,drivenby thespine, toandfromtheground,refiningthemtothemostappropriateamplitude,orshape,forthespinetoreceive.Hisresearchsuggestsitisasophisticatedmechanismandreliesuponthecollagenmatrixtobalanceourabilitytomoveoverthegroundandspringoffit,without“breakingoursesamoidbones”(seequoteabovefromLevin).Italsogoesa longway towardsexplaining thehelicalbasisofourmovementsasawholestructure inall thepostureswe candescribe. (Walkinggait canbe transformedwhen appropriate attention is paid to thisrotationalintegrity).

SittinginStaffPose(Dandasana)itispossibletofoldthearms,slightlybendandstiffenthelegsand“walk”upanddownthematonthesittingbones,slidingthelegsalongthemat(bendthekneesandlightlyplacetheheelsonthemat).Itrevealsthenaturalrotationalreflexthroughthespinetomakethesemotions.After“walking”upanddownthematonsittingbones,tryitinstandingwiththeadditional“lift”ofthelegs.Itseemstoimmediatelyfacilitatealightnessofstepandqualityofelasticmomentum.Thereisachangeinamplitudebutnotinthefundamentalabilitytomakethemovements.

PrimaryandSecondaryCurvesThe curves of the spine (Fig. 7.2) can be considered from both an evolutionary (phylogenetic) and adevelopmental (ontogenetic) point of view. The reason the spinal curves are named primary andsecondaryisthattheprimarycurvesareformedbeforeweareborn(inutero)andthesecondarycurvesdevelopovertime,later(exutero)throughmovementpatterns.13

OneorTwoLegs?Oneofthenotuncommonmisunderstandingspresentedinmovementresearchisthedistinctionofhopping.Animals“hop”ontwolegs.Humanbeingshoponone leg.Thesamewordmeans twoverydifferent thingsdependingon thespecies it isapplied to.Whenwe

walk,althoughthetransitionisseamless,thebalanceisunipedal.Ifwelearntosprintweeffectivelyanimateaseriesofpowerfulhops,injoinedupkinaestheticwriting,atincreasingspeed.

Levingoesfurthertosuggestwearedesignedforunipedal,ratherthanbipedalposture.Oncewelearntostandontwolegs,wefrequentlyusethemoneatatime.Indeed,inwalkingwespendupto80%ofourmovementononelegandinsprinting,thebodytravelsthroughtheairandisinvariablyononelegortheother.We even tend to favour standing on one leg rather than two. (Ask your students which is theirfavouritestandingleg–mostpeoplepreferoneasadefaultpattern).Wecancertainlyaffordtoexplorethisideawithsomeenthusiasm,giventhemostbasiclistofyogicasanasthatdevelopexactlythataspectofbalanceandphysicalliteracy.

AnimatingourCurvesinThreeDimensionsGracovetskyshowsthatvarious lawsofmovementareanimatedbythefundamentaldesignofacurvedspine.His researchmakes senseof our yogapractice by acknowledgingwhole spinal performance. Inwalking,running,dancingandevensitting,weactuallyusethewholebody,aswebreathe.Gracovetskyemphasisesthevalueofacurvedcentralaxis,ratherthanastraightone,suchasourprimatecousinsarelimitedto.Heembellishesthepurposeoftheprimaryandsecondarycurves.Wehavethenaturalabilitytorotate,counter-rotate,side,forwardandbackbend.(Wecandoalotmorebesides,incorporatingsubtlemovementsinbetweenthesemainclassificationsthatarenotsoeasytolabelinclassicalbiomechanicalterminology. See Ch. 18.) The spinal engine theory clearly makes sense of the natural design of ourstructuralrelationshipstotheground.WewillexplorethisthroughpracticeinPart2.

Figure7.2Wecanactuallyconsiderthebackofthebodyasacontinuoussystemofprimaryandsecondarycurvesfromtoe-tipstocrown.

Verysoonafterbirth,theforward-foldedformofthecurledball(primarycurve)ofahealthynewbornwillattempttoliftitsrelativelylargeandheavyhead(pressingdownonmother’sshouldertopushup,forexample) and naturally begin to activate (through instinctive usage patterns) a curve at the neck(extension).Thisisthefirstofthetwosecondarycurvesofthespinal“S”,crucialtoourabilitytospringandtothespine’sabilitytorotateandcounter-rotateoncewebegintofulfilourarchitecturalpromise.Lumbarlordosis,thesecondarycurveatthebackofthewaist,isformedafterthesecondarycurveat

theneck.Itisprescribedasthebabylearnstoliftupfromthegroundandtotwist.Animatedbynaturalcuriosity, a baby uses rotational movements and side bends, as well as forward bending and backbending, to roll over, lift its head (and eventually chest) off the surface it is resting on. Ultimately itstrengthensitsbackenoughtoraiseheadandtorso,curvingthespineback(secondary)aswellasforward(primary).This takesmonths, sometimesyears, to fully elaborate to thepointof standing.To fulfil thepotentialofbalanceon two legs rather than four (commonly termeduprightbipedalposture) andwalktakestime,andthehumanpelvisdevelopsgraduallyoverthefirstsixyearsofgrowthinresponsetotheseeffortsandtheircumulativeloadingpatterns.

CurvedPoles

Figure7.3Aleverisanopentwo-barchain:shownhereasamodelforthearm(notablyexcludingotherjointsandstructures).

Whatifwestartfromanimaginarycurvedpolethroughthemiddleofthebodyinsteadofastraightone?The lawsofmovementgoverningcurvedpolesareverydifferent fromstraightpoles.Furthermore, thebiotensegritymodelchallenges thenotionof levers,whichapply to linear structures.Astandard lever,such as described for themovement at the elbow, for example, is represented as a “2-bar open chainmechanism”(Fig.7.3).Thisreferssimplytothefact that thereare twobars(theupperandlowerarm)and one pin (the elbow) representing a hinge joint. In biotensegrity architecture everything is joinedtogetherandweareseekingexplanationsforwhatwecandoinayogaclassroom,whichfarexceedthelimitations and range of levers.We do notmove in straight lineswith levered joints. In Jaap van derWal’stissue-sparingdissectionoftheelbow,therewasnoangleatwhichthejointwasnotundertension.This expands the context to a new explanation that can be found in “closed kinematic chains” (seemarginalnoteandFig.7.4).Fromthegroundup,closedkinematicchainstructuresgiverisetomultidirectionalandunpredictable

motionpatternsthatmakefarmoresenseofwhathappensonayogamatthanmanyclassicaltheoriescanaccountfor.Inconsideringsomeofthem,thereaderisinvitedtoexplorefromexperienceandreadfurther(seesuggestionsforfurtherreadingattheendofthischapter).InPart2,wewillconsiderthesequestionsappliedtoadjustmentinyogaspecifically.Theychangeourviewpointconsiderably.

Figure7.4Thisisafour-barlinkagesystemwithafixedbar(whereitisattached).Itcansqueezeandstretch(givenitsslidinghingeatthefixedbar)andremainsinaclosedkinematicchain.The“levers”arealljoineduptoformanenclosedlinkagesystemthat,inthissymmetrical,example,has

thepropertiesofalattice.Inasteamengine,thebarshavedifferentlengths,astheydoinbiologicsystems.

Ashumanbeings,wemightorganisefroma“centrifugalsense”;however,thereisnostraightverticalaxisforthebodyinitsphysicalexperience.Itiscurved.Our“nullpoint”ofembryonicdevelopment(seeCh.5)formsideallyintoachanging,continuousS-shape,justasLeonardodaVincifirstdrewit.Weuseitasanupright referencebut that is abalancingact in itself.Wecan“straighten it”;however, itsdefaultdesignisaseriesofbeautifulcurvesthatallowusalltheprivilegesofhelicalmotion.Furthermore,ourmost fundamental design is organised based upon mobility rather than stability. We have to activelystabilise,establish,releaseandre-stabiliseourselvesfrommomenttomoment.Itisanintegralpartofourmovement skills. In Chapter 8 we will look deeper into elasticity and make sense of this as ourexperience as a pre-stressed, non-linear, biologic system that changes itself (as a whole) from onemomenttothenext,justbybreathing,justbybeingalive.Peoplearemadeupofthree-dimensionalshapesoccupyingspaceinroundishchambers.Wearetubes

withintubes,includingvariousarchitecturalformsthataremostlyabletochangeandmodifyinabalanceofmotion and internalmotility.We are constantly interpreting internal and external forces in gracefulbalance,whereverwecanallthetime.Thegeometriesofbiotensegrityandtheadaptablefabricof thefasciaarethecommondenominatorsofalltheseforms.Notionsofbiomechanicsdependentonflatplanes,straightlinesandexactsymmetries(orspinalstacks)wereoriginallydeduced,atleastinpart,fromdeadbodies that were moved by the anatomist, rather than on observation of living forms that animatethemselves.Thedifferencebetweenthetwoconditionsisvast,howeverestablishedthelinear,right-angletheoriesare.

LeverstoLatticesFrom linear theories, levers were devised as an explanation for howwemove, joint by joint. In theabsenceof connective tissue a lever (a two-bar open chain linkage) answers thequestionof amusclemoving a bone at a joint, like a hinge, in one plane. This would give rise to the classical theory ofantagonisticpairsofmuscles tobalanceandcounterbalance the lever. (It also satisfiesNewton’s thirdlawthattoeveryactionthereisanequalandoppositereaction.)Butwenowknowwedonotmoveonemuscleatatime(ortwo)andwedonotmoveonejointatatimeeither.Thisisa“local”viewanditisa

struggletomakesenseofitinitsnaturalcontextofglobalmovements.Whilealevermayshowaversionofhowwecanmove,inthepresenceofthefascialmatrix,itsuggestsalimitedfunctionwhenthatmatrixis based entirely on linkage,woven through and aroundour tissues on every scale, in omnidirectionalcontainment.Itsfoundingcontextisconnectivity.Itbeginsconnected.IfwethinkinvanderWal’sterms,weformfromthewholenessandcreatedisconnectionswithin it inorder topermitmovement.Thushereferstotheelbow,forexample,asa“disjoint”inthetensionedcontinuumofthearm.

Biotensegritymodelsexplainthevarietyofourmovements,includingthehelicalpatternsweenjoyaspartofourbiomotionalstructure.The actual biotensegritymodels frequently include individual straight struts or lines of compressionmembers and lines of tensionalmembers,todemonstratehowthewholephenomenonofatension–compressionstructureworks.Itisjustanexample,however.14Itisnota literal reiterationof linear tissue,butacogentmodelof theircombinedcharacteristics.Consideraspider’sweb. (It isnotatensegrityarchitecturebecauseitneedsanexternalframe.Howeveritisatensionalstructure.)Thereareapparent“straightlines”ofpull (spokes) and lateral lines or cross-links forming theweb but taking themout of context in isolation, as if they represent linearorganisation,misrepresentstheirbiologicfunctionandstructureasawhole.Italsoignorestheiroverallabilitytorespondtomovementoftheframetheyareattachedto.

Perhapsonereasonitissocomplicatedtolearnaboutleversandhumanmovementsisbecauseleversdonotrepresentwhatactuallyhappensinmovinghumans.Afterall, thesetheorieswerededucedwhenfasciawas routinely discarded by anatomists.Deductionwasmade in the absence of the connectivity.Could it be that we incorporatemore intelligentmeans of leverage?Aswe have noted, there are noleversinbiologicforms.15

ClosedChainTheymay appear as a web, across the branches of a rose tree, for instance, in more than one flat plane, even though it seems“flattened”.Itoccupiesspaceinamuchmoreadaptablewaythanitsflatplanerepresentationcanrevealorimply.Thekeythingisthatin the living body, united, the webs form various types of lattices, or weaves, or helical envelopes or fractal polygons betweenstructures, depending onwhere they are in our form and how they are used.That is “in the round”.However you describe them,“straighttheyain’t”inthebody.Wecutandstraightenthefasciaoutintoflatpiecestoexamineit,orlookforstraightconnectionstomakediagramsofthem,butthatdoesnotlendthemlinearmechanicalproperties.

Ifthechainis“closed”,thenthebarsarenotlevers,assuch.Theybecomewhatiscalledafour-bar(ormulti-bar) linkagesystem,whichhappenstobetheminimumtorepresentourmovement.Itsuggests thepossibility of thekindof dexterity andvarietywe can enjoy in our fingers and toes, at the endof ourlimbs.Thestructurebecomesself-containedandthecontrolmechanismchangescompletely.Inaclosedsystem, the control at one end is reiterated throughout the structure. In his article “The Scapula is aSesamoidBone”16DrLevinsuggeststhatthecontrolofthearmandhandcomesfromthespine,viatheshoulder blade (scapula). Thus it can authorise the integrated movement and subtle coordination weappreciate,basedonamodelsuchas thefour-bar linkagesystem.Weenteramuchmoresophisticatedrealmofgeometry,congruentwithourbiotensegrityarchitecture.Itissomethingthatmakessenseofthepostures,thewaywedothem.Somethingmagicalbeginstohappentothegeometryofastructureatfourbars(ormore)inaclosed

linkagesystem.Theyacquireashiftinstabilityandenterastateofpotentialmobilityatdifferentanglesand position, at higher frequency. The slightest movement is communicated throughout and affects thewholeconnectedstructurebecauseit islinked.Thereisintegrityofformandmovement:anychangeiscommunicatedandtransmittedkinematically(i.e.throughtheanimationofthegeometryofthestructure).Evenwhen it is squeezed, the structure “closes” but it does not reduce to a straight bar or a lever. It

multipliesuptoalattice.Attheveryleastitisawovenfabric.If,asKennethSnelsonsuggests,weavingisthemotheroftensegrity,thenapathwayofenquiryfromawovenlattice(thefascialmatrix)toafour-barsystem(ofarchitecturaldesign)seemsworthyofsomecarefulresearch.Afour-barcan“squeeze”and“stretch”withoutlosingitsstructuralintegrity(Fig.7.4)orrelationships.Four-barsystemshaveonefixedbar,fromwhichtherestoftheclosedchaincanbeanimatedinacoordinated,intercommunicatingway.Whatever movement occurs, despite the different amplitudes, the whole structure is part of theorganisation.

Whatisaclosedkinematicchain?Kinematicreferstothegeometryofastructure,independentofthekineticforcesactinguponit.Aclosedchainmeanseach link isattachedatbothends.A lattice isanexampleofaclosedkinematicchain,whereeverymovementmovestheparts,asawhole.Theminimumnumberofbarsinaclosedkinematicchainisfour.(Threebarsgiveyouarigidtriangle,thatisastablestructure.)Weareessentiallyunstablestructuresthatactivelystabilise.Thistoomakessenseofouryoga.Theworkisnotsomuchtobeabletodoahandstand,orone-leggedposture,buttoholditthere.Afour,ormulti-barclosed-chainstructurehasonefixedbar, fromwhich itmoves the rest. (See the shavingmirror inFig.7.4, for example.)Consider the ground as our “fixed bar”,changingeverytimeweplaceourselvesuponit,dependingonwhichpartweplaceandwhere.

If thebars in a closedkinematic chainhavedifferent lengths, they canmodify the available shapes,movements,rangeandoverallorganisationthat isavailable to thestructure.However, theystill remainintimately interdependent and related.With ball and socket joints added to the variety of frictionlesshinges(likeourjoints),thearcsandellipsestheycandescribebecomethree-dimensionalundercontroloftheorganisingmotor.Ifthespineisthecentral“motor”,thencontrolofthelimbscanexpressthekindofpatternsandshapesweseewhenwemovethemthewayweactuallydo.Whenyouconsiderthedifferentshapes we make and balances we manage in a yoga class, the spine tells a much more mobile andintelligent story thana straightor stackedsegmentedpolecanbegin toaccount for.Weuse thestraightmidlineaxisasametaphor–butdowerememberitisamodelofapillaroraright-angledbrick-builthouse when we struggle to interpret it as the basis of human biomechanics to explain Triangle Pose(Trikonasana)?Tobalanceinthisposture,wehonouratriangleshapebetweenthelegsandthegroundbutwemanage it throughacounterbalanceof the spine, armsandhead.Ourcentral “midline” is a “mid-wave”throughacurvedtubethatallowsustodowhatwedoonthemat,withallourhelicalmovementsanddeeptwistingandbindingposturestoaccountfor.

Thewheelsonasteamengineweredesignedasmechanicalclosedfour-barlinkagesystems,enablingalong,segmentedtraintobeoperatedbyonlyonemotor.(Thereisnomotorrequiredateachwheel.)Thewholetrainwaspreciselylinkedbytherotationofthewheels via the closed kinematic chain of the linkage system.This is a type of economical, integrated,mechanical system.We arecapableoffarmoresophisticatedmotionsthanasteamenginebutthissuggestssomethingmultipliedupfromlevers,notreduceddowntotheirmostlimitednumberorfunction.

Weseethreeessentialfeaturesofourmovementpatternsarisinginafour-barclosed-chainlinkage:• Thestructureisself-contained,enclosedandvariablewithintherangeoftheonewholeorganisation.• One “motor” can drive the whole shape economically. Nothing is redundant or separated from thewholeform.

• Everything affects everything else in a self-regulating architecture, based on its innate shape and thecoordinatinganglesandrodlengthsoftheclosedchain.

“Biologicallinkagesfrequentlyarecompliant.Oftenoneormorebarsareformedbyligaments,andoftenthe linkagesare three-dimensional.Couple linkagesystemsareknown,aswellas five,sixandevenseven-barlinkages.Four-barlinkagesarebyfarthemostcommonthough.”17

In biology, many creatures favour a closed kinematic chain structural arrangement, based on four-barlinkage, such as the jaw dynamics ofmany fish.A perfect and obvious example (one ofmany) in ourbodies is thekneejoint,whichattaches theupper legbone(femur) to the lower legbone(tibia)bythecruciateligaments.ThesearereferredtoasanX-bararrangement.18

Figure7.5Thewholemovement,integratedviathefixedbaroftheground,isseeninitsentiretyasamulti-barlinkage.Thesystemiscompliantandself-

motivated–aclosedkinematicchain.

A linkage designed as a network, such as our body matrix, models a closed kinematic chain. Asreferredtoearlier,onebarinsuchasystemisfixed;fromthistheclosedchaincanmoveasawhole.Ourfixed bar is the ground.We ourselves are not fixed.We are indeed compliant, butwe can change ourwholearrangementfrommomenttomomentbyincorporatingthegrounddifferentlyaswemove(Figs7.5and7.6).Effectively,wetakethegroundwithuswhereverwegoonearth,usingitunderandbetweenthepartsofusonitssurface,asweneedtoatthetime.AsGracovetskysuggests,weexploitgravitytoourenergeticadvantage.

“Life is the ultimate example of complexity at work. An organism, whether it is a bacterium or ababoon, develops through an incredibly complex series of interactions involving a vast number ofdifferentcomponents.Thesecomponents,orsubsystems,arethemselvesmadeupofsmallermolecularcomponents,whichindependentlyexhibittheirowndynamicbehavior,suchastheabilitytocatalyzechemicalreactions.Yetwhentheyarecombinedintosomelargerfunctioningunit–suchasacellortissue – utterly new and unpredictable properties emerge, including the ability tomove, to changeshapeandtogrow.

Althoughresearchershaverecognizedthisintriguingfactforsometime,mostdiscountitintheirquesttoexplainlife’sfundamentals.Forthepastseveraldecades,biologistshaveattemptedtoadvanceourunderstandingofhowthehumanbodyworksbydefiningthepropertiesoflife’scriticalmaterialsandmolecules,suchasDNA,thestuffofgenes.”19

DynamicandWholeWhereverweareandwhateverposeswearein,weformaclosedlinkagesystemincludingthegroundasone of the bars: the temporary fixed one. The simple recognition of our curved structures begins to

accountforhowwemightseewholemovement(asitisperformed)andrecognisethat(1)weareclosedchainsand(2)therearenoleversinournon-linearbiologicsystems.Thedynamicarrangementsofbones,myofascialcontinuitiesanddynaments(JaapvanderWal’sterm

fordynamicligaments)formwebs,linkagesandcross-linksthroughoutourtissues.Obviouslytheyarealljoined up; as we are. Human biomechanics are far more sophisticated than levers, although we canincludelever-likemovements.Weincorporatemanymoreoptionsinourthree-dimensionalcompliance,naturallyintegratingfasciathroughoutourform.Theclosedkinematicchainmightbegintoredefinewhatwegenerallyknowasfunctionalmovementintheclassicalsense.

Figure7.6Itisthesameprincipleinanypose.Inabiotensegrityarchitecture,thesystemisalsoundertension,whichtheexternalmeshinvitesustoimagine.(Itactsasavisualmetaphorfortheinternallivingstructure.)Ineveryposture,thegroundisthefixedbarfromwhichwemove.

Asteachers,itisimportantforustounderstandthis,particularlyinthecontextofadjustment.Ifwearemovingsomeone’slimbasifitwerealeverwhenitispoisedandactivewemightbeunawareoftheimpactonthe“joined-up”natureofthewholeform.Changeonepartandyouareinevitablyprovokingacounter-moveelsewhereinthechain.Ifyouworkfromaviewthatreduceslivingformtoatwo-dimensionaldiagramorifyoutreatonepartasifitisonlyrelatedviathenextjoint,youcandisturbbalanceratherthanconfirmit.Effectively, ifyou touchonepart,youareaffectingallof itmechanically, ifwe recognise thismodel.Onceweconsider the fascialnetworkasasubtleandsensorybody-widesystem,itisseenasevenmoresophisticated.WewillputtheseaspectstogetherinPart2andconsidertheminpractice(Ch.16).

IntrinsicallyBiphasicMovementsMovingonepartalways influencesanotherpart.Figures7.5and7.6are takenasmoments in timeandspace. In the joined-up moment-by-moment sequence of their living performance they incorporate“biphasic movement”. This is a feature of the body as a tensional matrix, in a closed chain. Eachmovement automatically triggers a correspondingbar.Twouseful examples of this canbeoffered: thefirstisabicyclewheel,thesecondisthechildren’stoyknownasaJacob’sladder.Abicyclewheel(minimum12spokes)isabiotensegritystructureintheround.Thehubandtherimare

thecompressionmembers,whilethespokesprovidethetensioningmembers.Imagineifthewholewheelistwisted(itresemblesaMöbiusstrip).Assoonasyouattempttountwistit,itgoespastthemid-pointandtwiststheotherway.Itnaturallycounter-twists.Thisisbiphasicmotion.

Figure7.7Jacob’sladdertoy,showingpoisedtensionalbalancebeforethebiphasicmovements“clickclack”throughthelengthofthechain.

Move into the squat position, then stand up intoMountain Pose (Tadasana). Then repeat. Anymove of any part of the leg, from astandingposition,causesacorrespondingmoveinthenextsegment.Youcannotbendthekneewithoutthehipand/oranklebendingtoo.Itisthebasisofourdesign,i.e.biphasicmovementinaclosedkinematicchain.Thatchainincludesthegroundunderandbetweenthefeetasthefixedbar.

InaJacob’sladdertoy,ifyouholditundertensionalbalance,everymovementcounter-movesthenextblock.Thepartsareorganisedbytheribbonsasaclosedkinematicchain(Fig.7.7).Thereisaparticularbalancingpoint,on theothersideofwhich thewholestructureclick-clacks itswaynaturally throughaseries of moves and counter-moves biphasically. The structural organisation naturally responds bychangingthedynamicsofthewholestructure,becausetheyarealllinkedasaclosedchain.Youonlyholdthe“engine”ofthemovement(undertension).Thesearetechnicaldescriptionsofjoined-upmovementswenaturallymasterinyogasequencesandin

everydaylife.Justbywalking,climbingstairs,sittingdownorstandingupweactivatetheseprinciplesoffunctionalmovement.Trymovingyourforearmwithoutmovinganyaspectofyourwrist,handorupperarm,oryourlowerlegwithoutaffectingtheankle,footorupperleg.Theyarepartofaclosedchainanditisnotpossible.

Multi-barMovementintheRoundIfyouholdtheballshowninFigure7.8verylightlyyoucaninstantlyfeelthesenseofitsarrangementaspoisedforpulsing,breathingmotionandthewayitoccupiesspace.Itimmediatelymakespalpablesenseofthekinaestheticexperienceofbreathing.Thelanguagebecomesmoreelusiveanddifficultindescribingitbutthesenseismorecongruent.

Multi-barmovementintheroundappearsalittlemorecomplex(Fig.7.8).Whenitcomestomovementssuch as the breath through the torso, for example, anothermodel is very useful to show that the sameclosedkinematicchainprinciplesofamulti-barsystemcanwellapplyheretoo.Everyjointisinterconnectedandnoonepartcanmovewithoutactivatingtherest.Atthemostbasic

mechanical level it is a force transmission system that relays the motion forces throughout thearchitecturalgeometry(kinematics)ofthewholeform.Sincetheribsarecurved,likethespine,andtherearenostraightstructuresinthethorax,itinvitesusagainintoaworldofcurvedgeometries.20

Figure7.8Thismulti-barlinkageballexpandsandcontractskinematicallyasaclosedchain.Itrepresentsthelinkedsystemofbreathingmotionasa

possibilityforabiotensegrityarchitecture.

ThesimplemodelinFigure7.8pulsesand“opensandcloses”withtheslightest“effort”,muchlikethespring we will consider in the next chapter. We can breathe in all sorts of different ways. This issomethingwe deliberately explore in yoga.What becomes apparent is that our biological compliancemeanswecanmakedifferent shapesvoluntarilybut theyarenonetheless linked. Ifyouactively“hold”onepartoftheribcagestill,forexample,toletanotherpartmoveinaparticularbreathingexercise,itisstill part of an intimately linked chain reaction (see Ch. 15). It demonstrates our power to activelystabiliseonepartandmobiliseanotheratwill.Itconfirmstheirinterrelatedfunctionandadaptability.The ball in Figure 7.8 represents the kinematics of our biotensegrity architecture as we see and

experience it. There is no need to imagine a vertical line in the body. This happens as a curved,containing, three-dimensional structure, actively occupying three-dimensional mobility and moving intime, still frame after still frame in close transition: whole and complete throughout. It ismuchmoresophisticated than levers (open chain mechanisms) can describe. The sum of the parts behaves verydifferentlywhen it is united into onewhole enclosed system (as a closed chain).We seem to includevarious types of link (joint patterns) to enable range at each bar in our systems but our movements(particularly in the yoga classroom) are clearly not restricted to balancing levers and sticks in purelyhorizontalandverticalplanes.

SlidingMotionSlidingmotionisworthemphasisinghereasafundamentaltenetofourstructureanditsfascialintegrity.Theabilitytoglidebetweenlayersiscrucialtoourmovementfunctionseverywhereinthebody:atthejoints(sothattheyarefrictionless),betweenthelayersoftheskin(asweobservedinCh.3)andaroundtheorgans(sothatwecanmovearoundwithoutcompromisingthem).Thesameabilityallowsthevesselswithinustomovewithus.Theserousfluidaroundthelungs,forexample,isfundamentallydesignedforfrictionlessglideateverybreath,containedbythevisceralfasciallayersandcontainers.Wherearethelevers in the lungs?The idea that theycanbedescribedasseparate functionalsystems tomovement isdifficulttomakesenseof.

Figure7.9Inyoungmobiletissue,thelayersoffasciaappeartobelaiddowninalternatingdirections,withacrimpfeature.Ageingorsedentarytissues

canshowamoremattedconfiguration.Therereallyarenostraightlinesinthebodymatrix.

AUniversalPatternThepatternofalatticeisanotherkindoffour-barsystem.Thelatticeisauniversalpatternthroughoutthebody, a basis of fascial tubing. It forms around vessels, muscles and muscle fibres (Fig. 7.9).21 Thelayered tunicae of the blood vessels, for example, spiral around each other and these overlappingspirallingtubes,incross-section,formalatticearrangement(Fig.7.10).22

Thegeometryof thesepatterns is the sameonevery scaleandcommon throughoutbiologic forms.23Chiralityintrees,forexample, isapartof therepertoirefortreemerchantsandtheindustryconcernedwithforestry.Treegrowthringsareknowntooccurincounter-chiralpatterns,24althoughitisnotknownwhether they are genetically determined or based upon environmental responses through the growthperiod of a specific tree. It is known, however, that if a log cabin ismade from a tree that does notcounter-chiral itsgrowth rings (togrowstraight), itwillappearstraightat firstbut twistwhen itdriesout.25

Multi-barMobility

Figure7.10ThismodelwasmadebyGrahamScarrusingtensegrityprinciples;thearrangementshowsaspiralstructure.Notethatthepatternofspiral

andcounter-spiralincross-sectionisalattice.Thisstructureholdsitselfopen.

Whatallthisinformationaddsuptoisacomplex,self-containedorganismdesignedformobilityviatheground,asweuseit.Itaffectsbothendsofagivenlimb,asafeedbacksystemunderconstanttension.(Wewillexplorethetensionalpartinthenextchapter.)Whichactsasourfixedbartomovefromdependsonwhichpartofusisengagingwiththeground.Wecanappeartohangthelimbsfromthebody,sotheylookasiftheymovelikeopenchainlevers,as

inCorpsePose(Shivasana)aswelieflatonthefloor.Thiswouldbeananaestheticview.However,assoonasweanimate(ourselves)andmove,weinstantlyengagewiththegroundtogetupfromit.Wealsochoose differentmeans of creating our four-bar patterns,whetherwe place our hands and feet on theground folding forward, backwards andupsidedownoronour sides, twistingorbalancing.All of usresponds.Thinkingaboutthevarietyofyogapostures,andofthebodypartsweplaceonthegroundtodothem,

from head to toes, draws us towards a very compelling explanation of whole body movements. Thecommondenominatorbecomesthegroundandspinerelationship,viathegirdlesandthelimbs,howeverwe choose to use them, seen as awhole organising shape, including the head – if not initiated by it.AccordingtoLeonidBlyum:

“actuallyIshouldputthisstatementevenstronger–headcontrolisnotsimplyimportantforwalkingetc – head control is the single most important factor, the absolutely necessary condition andprerequisiteofANYcontrolledlocomotionwhereahumanbodyisinthecontactwiththeground!”26

Figure7.11TheS-shapeofthespineinthissketchbyLeonardodaVinciarisesevenonaclassroommodelfromthedesignandshapeoftheinterlocking

spacesbetweenthevertebraethatthesomitesoriginallyprescribed.

We have the “motioning” ability to changewhich anglewemove in andwhich parts of us create the“joint”withthefixedbar(theground),giventhevariouslengthsofthebars(i.e.thebonesofourlimbsandtorso)andthecurvatureofthewholespine(Fig.7.11).Thissuggestsourrelationshiptothegroundisasprofoundandresponsiveasmanyayogaguruwould

have us believe. Certainly, the yoga matriarch Vanda Scaravelli,27 for example, attributes integratedmovementtoexactlythatrelationship,ofbreathandspinalwave,respondingtotheearth.Whatevershapewearemaking,ifweincludethegroundinthewholenessoftheposture,webegintoseehowweuseitconstantlyandevenunconsciously.

Whenyounextdoyogaorwatchaclass,observeeachposeasifitispartofamulti-barchain.Includethechanginginvisible“joint”atthegroundandnoticehowthewholesystemmoveseverybarinthe“chain”fromtheground.Itcouldbetheheels,butequallyitmightbethetoes,theheelsofthehands,thesittingbones,theelbows,andsoon,dependinguponthepose.

FindingStillnessForcenturieswehavededucedanatomyandfunctionfromstaticbodies–deadformsthattheanatomisthad tomove, using assessment based on non-biological linear systems, rather than non-linear biologicsystems.What isparticularly interesting is that inreal (animated) lifeweactuallystruggle tobringouractivemobilitytoconsciousstillness.Inabodydesignedformovement,itactuallytakesalotofpracticetostandorsitstillinaheldposeoraperiodofmeditation.Stillnesscaneasilybecomeeithersedentaryorrigidasweslumporexperience“stiffeningup”.Wedo

notalwaysnaturallyenjoybeingstaticinanactiveordynamicway.Thewordstillnessisusedhere,asdistinct from slumped, or immobile. To see someone relaxed, awake, aware and attentive in quietstillnessisarelativelyrarethinginourmodernculture–youdonotobserveitoften.Yogaexploresandseeks exactly this ability to be still.We can do poses (and hold them) with the spine in all sorts ofpositions.So,howdowemakesenseoftheclassicaltheoriesofleversandstraightverticalpoles?

“Inmanypostures,theadulthumanspinedoesnotfunctionasacolumnorevenasimplebeam.Whenthespineishorizontal,thesacrumisnotabaseofacolumnbuttheconnectingelementthattiesthebeamtothepelvicring.”28

Doclosedkinematicchainsandspinalenginesbegintoinviteusintorealmsofbiomechanicsthatmakesenseofyoga?Ifbiotensegrityarchitecturesaccount forwhole,multidimensionalstructuressuchasweappear tobe ineveryyogaclassroom,does itdrawus towardsmoreholistic explanationsofhowweinterpretthis(andanyother)movementart?Webegintoseeapictureemergingthatisworthyoffurtherexploration.WhileTable7.1comparesthe

differencebetweentheclassicalandcontemporarymodels,it isworthnotingthatthecontemporaryonerepresentsaparadox.InawayitgoesfullcircletotheancientknowledgeoftheVedicsages(seeCh.21)andcanbefoundinthedrawingsoftheSacredGeometrystudiedbyphilosophersandarchitectsreferredtoinChapter2.Perhapsweareexploringaunifyingprocessbeyondthelimitsofdualisticthinking,therebirthofwhatyogaactuallystandsforandareturntoadeeperunderstandingofancientwisdom.

NewEyes

Wesaidearlierthatwedonotstandintheanatomicalpositionandourspinesdonotbehaveasverticalcolumnsthathavetobeuprighttofunction.Wearealsobeginningtoestablishthatakeyaspectoffasciaandproprioception(ourawareness inspace) isourability tosenseourselves.Thisdoesnot justmeaninternally, absorbed inhowwe feel. It isour instinctive innerworld response toourouterworld;ourrelationships to it.Wemove through the body, not just from it and our physical literacy includes thatwhichisaroundus.WewillexplorethisintermsofbodyreadingandadjustmentinPart2.

Figure7.12Thisisamomentofsuspendedanimation,showingthebodyinaseriesoflateralturns,fromathree-pointDogPose(AdhoMukhaSvanasana)

toathree-pointwheel(Chakrasana).Thisposturecanbeshownaspartofamulti-barlinkagesystemfromtoestohand,whereAlexisnaturallybalancingandcounterbalancingthemovementsatspeed.ReproducedwithkindpermissionfromAlexanderFilmerLorch.

Figure7.13Thesamemeansofrecognisingthewholepostureinspace,asamulti-barlinkagesystemusingtheground,canbeworkedwithanypose,asa

wayofseeingthewhole.Thiswasamomentintime,capturedaspartofasequencethroughoutwhichAlexexperiencedandexpressedbalance.(Atnotimewashisspinelikeanuprightorstraightpole.)ImageusedwithkindpermissionfromAlexanderFilmerLorch.

Table7.1

Classicalmodel ContemporarymodelParts(cogs–bio-mechanical) Whole(re-cog-nise–bio-motional)Compression Biotensegrity(tension-compression)2-Ddiagrams(duality) 3-Dholograms(triunity)2-Barleversandpendulums 4-BarandmultibarlinkagesOpenchainmechanisms ClosedkinematicchainsDivideddownintoplanes Multipliedupintocontainers

Linearbiomechanicalsystems Non-linearbiologicsystems

Finally, let us consider seeing the body geometry in the context of our environment, or at least thatwhichimmediatelysurroundsusfromtheground.Itisthebasisofourabilitytoknowwhereweareinrelationship to andwith all that (and those) aroundus (Figs7.12 and 7.13). Spacialisationwithin thebodyappliestoouroutersenseofspatialawarenessbeyondtheskin.Visuallywecanbegintopointtothis,byseeingbeyondtheformandincludingthehiddengeometrythatincludesthearcofourmovements.Biotensegrityforcesdonotjusttransmitfromthebonestotheskinandbackagain.Theydonotstopatthebark and the outer growth rings of a tree.They relate profoundly to the forces operating around them,whichrespondto theshapes thatallowthewind toblowatamplitudesanddirectionsaccording to theterrain and what is upon it. The relationships from sunlight and hydration, to earth and gravity arerelentlessandgobeyondourindividual“inner-sphere”,toitsrelated“kinesphere”(seeCh.14).

Notes1. StephenLevin,http://www.biotensegrity.com/tensegrity_truss.php:“TheTensegrity-trussasaModelforSpineMechanics”.2. http://www.fasciacongress.org/2007/.SergeGracovetsky,FasciaCongressPart#1of3,Boston2007.wmv.AvailableonYouTube(with

parts#2of3and#3of3).3. ThepresentationsbySergeGracovetskyarenowavailableat:http://www.bodyworkcpd.co.uk/index.php/bpd-videos.4. SergeGracovetsky;hispresentationonthespinalenginetheorygiveninBrighton,England,inSeptember2011.5. Needsourceofquotationaboutgroundreactionforce6. Gracovetskyquote7. StephenLevin:www.biotensegrity.com.8. SergeGracovetsky;seesuggestionsforfurtherreading,below.Seealsohttps://sites.google.com/site/gracovetsky/home.9. StephenLevin,http://www.biotensegrity.com/tensegrity_truss.php:“TheTensegrity-trussasaModelforSpineMechanics”.10. SergeGracovetsky’sspinalenginetheory;seesuggestionsforfurtherreading,below,andhttps://sites.google.com/site/gracovetsky/home.11. Ibid.12. Ibid.13. LeonidBlyum (http://blyum.com/) refers to the secondarypartsof theupright “S”as “super curves” rather thandemoting them to the

term“secondary”.Sincetheygiverisetoamuchgreaterrangeandarticulacyofmovement,ithonourstheadvantagethespinalenginetheoryelaborates.Ratherthansuggestingtheyarelessimportant,orsecondary,thiselevatesthecurvatureattheneckandwaisttotheassetsitbestowsonourrange,elasticityandnaturalstyleofmotion.

14. GrahamScarr,www.tensegrityinbiology.co.uk/, article: “Geodesic”.See also:Biotensegrity:TheStructuralBasis ofLife, HandspringPublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.

15. StephenLevin,personalcommunication,2013.16. StephenLevin,“Thescapulaisasesamoidbone”:www.biotensegrity.com.LettertotheEditor,publishedintheJournalofBiomechanics

38(8):1733–1734;2005.17. Wikipedia,BiologicalLinkages,Linkage(mechanical).18. X-bar linkagereference inN.Farhat,V.Mata,D.RosaandJ.Fayos,“AProcedure forEstimating theRelevantForces in theHuman

KneeusingaFour-barMechanism”,ComputerMethodsinBiomechanicsandBiomedicalEngineering13(5):577–587;2010.19. DonaldIngber,“TheArchitectureofLife”,ScientificAmerican,FeatureArticle,January1998.20. GrahamScarr,www.tensegrityinbiology.co.uk/, article: “Geodesic”.See also:Biotensegrity:TheStructuralBasis ofLife, Handspring

PublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.21. R.Schleip,W.Klingler andF.Lehmann-Horn, “ActiveContractionof theThoracolumbarFascia: Indicationsof aNewFactor inLow

BackPainResearchwithImplicationsforManualTherapy”,inA.Vleeming,V.MooneyandP.Hodges(eds),TheProceedingsoftheFifthInterdisciplinaryWorldCongressonLowBackandPelvicPain,Melbourne,2004.T.A.H.Järvinen,T.L.N.Järvinen,P.Kannus,L.Józsa and M. Järvinen, “Collagen Fibres of the Spontaneously Ruptured Human Tendons Display Decreased Thickness and CrimpAngle”,JournalofOrthopaedicResearch22(6):1303–1309;2004.

22. StephenLevin,personalcommunication,201323. GrahamScarr,www.tensegrityinbiology.co.uk/, article: “Geodesic”.See also:Biotensegrity:TheStructuralBasis ofLife, Handspring

PublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.24. Jian-ShanWang,GangWang,Xi-QiaoFeng,TakayukiKitamura,Yi-LanKang,Shou-WenYuandQing-HuaQin,“Hierarchicalchirality

transferinthegrowthofTowelGourdtendrils”,ScientificReports3:3102;2013.25. JeffMitton(2005),“Spiraltreesonwindyridges”.Online:http://spot.colorado.edu/~mitton/webarticles/Spiral%20Grain.htm.26. LeonidBlyum(http://blyum.com/)is thedirectorofAdvancedBiomechanicalRehabilitation(ABR).Hisextensiveworkandresearchin

the practical application of biomechanical principles is richly documented through clinical experience and an advanced education inmathematics. He translates complexmodels into practical applications for practitioners and parents of childrenwhere rehabilitation isrequiredandintherehabilitationofcomplexsyndromeswherebiomechanicalfunctionisimpaired.

27. VandaScaravelli,AwakeningtheSpine,2ndedition,PinterandMartin,London,2012.28. StephenLevin,“TheTensegrity-trussasaModelforSpineMechanics”;http://www.biotensegrity.com/tensegrity_truss.php.

FurtherReadingThespinalengine theoryput forwardbySergeGracovetsky,PhD, isexplainedand illustrated inveryaccessible forminErikDalton’sbookTheDynamicBody(ErikDalton,TheDynamicBody,FreedomfromPainInstitute,Oklahoma,2011;http://erikdalton.com/products/dynamic-body/).Gracovetskyoriginallypublishedhistheoryin1987andupdateditin2008.SeealsoAppendices6and7ofhis2010publicationNon-Invasive Assessment Of Spinal Function Automatizing The Physical Examination: An Application Of The Theory Of The SpinalEngine.AppendixSixdiscussestheconceptofstability,anissueofimportanceforthedeterminationofbestposture,includingtheroleofthesacroiliacjoint.AppendixSevenexplorestheimportanceofthecoupledmotionofthespineanditsapplicationtosportsmedicine.Thebookis available from the author (gracovetsky@videotron.ca); from Amazon; or from the publisher (www.lulu.com). Space does not permitreproductionofanyofitherebutit iswellworthfurtherresearchbythereader.Seealsohttps://sites.google.com/site/gracovetsky/home fordetailsofotherpublicationsbySergeGracovetsky.

StephenM.Levin’swebsite (www.biotensegrity.com)containsvarious articles examining the logicof closedkinematic chains andhowourbodieselaboratethismodel.TomFlemons’swebsite(www.intensiondesigns.com)isfulloftensegritymodelsandarticlesthatcarefullyexplaintheapplicationoftensegrityprinciplestohumananatomyandbiomechanicalmodelling.GrahamScarr’swebsite (www.tensegrityinbiology.co.uk) is fullofhighly informativearticlesand illustrations. Italso includesmodelsof thegeometrybehindtheforms,referredtoasGeodesicGeometry.See,BiotensegrityTheStructuralBasisofLife,HandspringPublishing,Edinburgh,2014.

CHAPTER

8TheElasticBody

“Ithasbeenshownthatfascialstiffnessandelasticityplayasignificantroleinmanyballisticmovementsofthehumanbody.Firstdiscoveredbystudiesofthecalftissuesofkangaroos,antelopesandlaterofhorses,

modernultrasoundstudieshaverevealedthatfascialrecoilplaysinfactasimilarlyimpressiveroleinmanyofourhumanmovements.Howfaryou

canthrowastone,howhighyoucanjump,howlongyoucanrun,dependsnotonlythecontractionofyourmusclefibres;italsodependstoalargedegreeonhowwelltheelasticrecoilpropertiesofyourfascialnetwork

aresupportingthesemovements.”1

RobertSchleip

Everyonehasamotionpatternthatwecouldcallasignature.Workinginyogaandteachingclasses,wedevelopan evenmore refined senseofpeople’s individual style andexpression,with reference to theasanas.Astimegoesonandexperienceaccumulates,wedevelopfinerdistinctionsforrecognisingthem.We are trained to see form and shape, to “identify” the forms of the postures and assist people in

expressing them congruently.We learn to do this faster when we add the transitions in the joined-upkinaestheticwritingof a sequence. It could be thought of as a creative (physical) language skill thatgrowswithusandourpractice.In the yoga classroom, it is tempting to think that good formmattersmorewhenwe are in a pose,

officially“doingyoga”.Therealtestorvaluemightbeinwhatwecanaccumulatetoimproveourposturewhenwearenotdoingyoga.Itisstillauniquemovementsignature,butcanwesignitwithvitalityandaflourish,ordowestruggletofindrelativeeaseandbalance?Howcomfortablydowerelaxinourownskin?(This includesourrestingposture.)Understandingfasciaopensanewcontextforassessmentandtraining.

Body-writinginOurOwnHandThereisnosuchthingasarightorwrongmovementsignature.Itiswhatitisforeachindividual:akindofpersonalhallmark.Intheyogaclassroomwecansometimesgetcaughtupinevaluatingeachbodyincomparisontoaperfectperformanceoftheultimateasana.However,onesizeneverfitsall.Flexibility and stretching tend to be the celebrities in yoga, or at least, they are often afforded high

status.Thosewithnaturallybendybodiescangettopmarkswhilethestiffpeople,whofeeltheycannotstretch to twist and contort with ease, are often considered “not as good” as their naturally flexiblecompanions.“I’mtoostifftotouchmytoes”isanotuncommonresponsefrompeopleexplainingwhytheythinktheyareunabletodoyoga.Thereis,however,amuchmorevaluableandpowerfuldistinctionavailable,onceweappreciatethe

myofascial body and its structure, which lies in recognising elasticity as paramount. Elasticity is thesource of our energy storage capacity.Oncewe understand it – and there are a lot ofmisconceptionsaroundit–wehaveanimmeasurablyvaluableresourceforvitality.Stretching isoneelement thatcancontribute toelasticity. Itcan,however,beexactly theoppositeof

whatanalreadysuper-bendyandhypermobilebodyneedstodotoimprovetheirelasticrecoilcapacity.

Stretching?ItDependsFor some people, stretching can actually compromise their natural elasticity. Elasticity is a feature offascianotonlyintermsofitsrecoilproperties,butalsoofourrestingarchitecture,ournaturalpersonalposture.Becauseofthewayweareorganised,undertension,standingorsittingstillremainspartofthatindividualmovementsignaturejustasmuchasbeinginmotion.Wecanallintuitivelyreadmovementsignatures.Itispartofrecognisingafriendwalkingtowardsyou

bytheirrhythmandpattern,gaitandstyleofgesture.Asyogateacherswearenaturallyinclinedtousethisaspectofourproprioceptiveawareness instinctively. Identifyingelasticity,oncewedistinguish its truedefinition,isanextremelyvaluableteachingtoolandanimportant“kinaestheticdictionary”tobuildandrefer to.This ispartlybecauseof itsglobalapplication in readingbodiesandpartlybecause itmakessenseofstructuralintegrity.Themeansofobtainingstructuralintegritymightincludestretching,butitisbynomeanslimitedtoit.Itmaynotbeusefultoeveryone.

ElasticityWemeasuremusclesusingEMG(electromyography),whichisbasedonactivemusclecontraction.However,thereismoretotheroleofthemuscleaspartofacontinuoustensionalmatrix,spacedbythebonesinatension–compressionsystem.Evenatrest,amuscleispartofthetensioningpropertieswithoutbeinginactivecontraction.2AtthistimeitwouldbeEMG-silent.Thisisoneofanumberofwaysmeasuring systems have affected howwe attributemovement to specificmuscle units. The distinction of elasticity or,morespecifically,elasticintegrityprovidesahealthyandintelligentfoundationuponwhichtoguideamovementpractice.Itrelatescloselytomuscletone;however,wearenotusingthetermhere,inordertoestablish“wholebodyawareness”andencouragethinkingintermsoftheentireorganismratherthantheparts.

Schleip refers to the elastic recoil properties of fascia in ballistic movements. However, as closedkinematicchains, ifbiotensegrityis thebasisof thearchitectureofourcollagenmatrix, thenitalsohaselasticintegritywhenwearestill.ThebodybenefitsfromthevalueofelasticityjustasmuchsittingonameditationcushionasitdoeswhenspringingthroughanAshtangaseries.Understandingandrecognisinginnateelasticityismademoredifficultbythemanydifferentmeanings

wehavefortheword“elasticity”itself.Thereisageneralperceptioninyogathatitisassociatedwithbendiness,stretchinessandflexibility(thearchetypalheroesinouryogamovementstory).Theenemiesmightbeseenastension,stiffnessandstrainorstress.Theyaremuchmaligned!We need new and more favourable terms for these powerful “bad guys” because they are vastly

misunderstood.Farfrombeingtheenemy,theyareguardiansindisguise.Wearedesignedtostiffenupto

resistdeformation,ortomanageamovementthatrequireshightensionalintegrity.Tension,stiffnessandstrainneedtobepresented,freeoftheirnegativeconnotations,asvaluesonagraphorscaleofphysicalattributes that allow us to fine-tune and foster elastic integrity. If we focus only on stretching, thenelasticity can get lost in translation. Elasticity is a powerful resource that the body exploits to saveenergy.Stretchingisjustonesubjectinamuchbroaderpicture.

ExploringNewTermsInordertoseethisasageneralandglobaldistinctionformovementintegrityandoverallvitality(atrest)wecanincludethefourmainattributesofelasticintegrity(Fig.8.1).Atfirstglancewecouldbeforgivenforaskingwhatstiffnessisdoingonachartforyogaandassumingthatweshoulderrtowardsthebottomrighthandcornerofthefigure.Fascialstiffness,however,hasawholeothermeaningandwithoutitwecanexperienceseveredifficultieswithstretchingandspeed.Itsabsenceprofoundlyaffectsourrangeandelasticvitality.

TheMiddleWayTheusefulschematicinFig.8.1isdeceptivelysimple.Balanceandaccesscomefromthecentre;itisabalanceofsuitablestiffness,whichmeanssuitableresistancetodeformation.Infact,“BendyWendy”(seeFig.8.13)mightneedmorestiffness,notmorestretching.Theterminologyneedssomereframingandtheideathatyogaissynonymouswithstretchingmightbea

disservicetoitspowerfulcontributiontoelasticintegrity.Elasticenergyisverylow-costmetabolically;itistheessenceofhealthy,vitalmovement.Onoroffthemat,weseekasignatureourbodysignswithvitality.Confusionisalsocreatedbytheuseofelasticbandsinbuildingbiotensegritymodels.Theconfusionis

between elasticity as a property of any material and “elasticated” bands. Biotensegrity models areactuallyoptimisedusingnon-elasticatedmaterials,todemonstratestrengthandaccurateexamplesofhowcollagen behaves in our body architecture. It is the sum of their combined tension–compressionorganisation, thebalancebetween the lengthof thestrutsand thedensityof the tensionalelements, thatprovideselasticitytothedifferentaspectsofouroverallform.ThiscanbedemonstratedwiththemodelsinFigs8.2and8.3.

Elasticityiscanbecomparedtoonesideofacoin.Theothersideofthatcoinisstiffness.Stiffnessistheresistancetodeformationofamaterial.Elasticityistheabilityforreformation.Theliteraldefinitionis“storedenergycapacity”whichisafunctionofelasticityandstiffness inbalance.Theamountofstoredenergycapacity is relative to thestiffnessandelasticityofamaterial.On thisbasis,steel has higher energy storage capacity (elasticity) than rubber. A steel car spring has high stiffness, while a Slinky toy has lowstiffness.Bothhaveelasticity.Thecarspring(higherstiffnessandelasticity) isbetterable to resistdeformationand therefore tobesupportive.

Viscoelasticity. In liquids, this sameprinciple ismeasured inviscosity (thickness).Honey ismoreviscous thanwaterbecause itresistsdeformationwhenyoustirit.Waterhasrelativelylowerviscosityandislessresistanttodeformation.Viscoelasticityactsasa“damper” (i.e. such aswould be placed on a stiff car spring tomodify the rate of elastic return). It is a time-dependentway ofregulatingelastic“spring-back”.

Poroelasticity is a feature of geology that is also relevant to the extracellular matrix.3 The combination of our tissues andcontained fluids includes thesecharacteristics as essential ingredientsofourarchitectural form, fromembryo toelder.Theychangeconstantlyandyetremaininintegrity,ifwedonotforgettheyareonascaleandremaintooattachedtooneendofit(i.e.byfocusingonstretchingonly).

Figure8.1Tobalancethebodyinitsfullrangeofcapabilities,weliveintherangearoundthemiddleaspre-stiffenedforms.Thisisimportantandoneof

themainreasonsthatelasticityandstretchinggetconfused.Stretchingisjustonepartoraspectofelasticity.

StiffnessasanAttributeofBiotensegrityThe models shown in Chapter 4 are made of steel (compression) struts and strong, non-elasticated(tensional)wires(alsosteelinsomecases).Themodelsmadeintheclassroomincludeelasticbandsforeaseofconstruction(Fig.8.2).5Theyappeartobe“bouncy”becauseoftheirdesignandtheirelasticatedconnections.Theseparticularonesareactuallyagoodexampleofanuntensionedtensegritythathaslowresistance, low stiffness and therefore low elasticity (it does not bouncemuch). It still represents thegeometry,albeitwithlessthanoptimaltensionalintegrity.Infact, toappreciatea tensegritymast, it isnotnecessarytohaveonemadeofelasticatedmaterials.

ThestructureinFigure8.3ismadeofguitarstringsandhollowsteelarrowshafts.6Whathappensassoonas you hold it is that you kinaesthetically appreciate how this multidimensional structure works. It isexceptionally light and encloses a maximum of space with the fewest materials. It is a triangulatedstructure and reveals a host of properties that we have throughout our tissues. It stands up, in alldirections,byitselfand,asawhole,itcanbounce.(Itisalsoamodelofaclosedkinematicchainwithmultibarlinkageandnolevers(seeChapter7.)

Figure8.2Youmaybeabletoseethatthetoyontheleftis“soggy”;ithasverylowtension,orstiffness.Theoneontherightcanbouncemore.Theseare“Tensegritoys”(seenote5),withelasticatedtensionmembersand“compression”shaftsmadeofwood.Theymakethepoint,however,

becausetheyareidenticalinsize,buttheleft-handtoyhaslostitstensileintegrityandismorecollapsed.Ithaslowstiffness.

Figure8.3Thisbiotensegritymasthasnoelasticatedcomponents.Itdemonstrateshighelasticity,becauseithassuitablestiffness.Modeldesignedby

BruceHamilton(seenote6)andconstructedbytheauthor.

Whilethetissueitselfhasrecoilproperties,acommonmisunderstandingisthatthebalanceofelastinandcollageninthefascialfibresgivesrisetoourelasticity.Elastinfibrescanelongateupto150%oftheirlengthandrestoreorreform.Itis,infact,oneofthesuiteoftissuesthebodycallsuponinwoundhealing.4Suitabletensilepropertiesinourtissuesandtheiroverallelasticintegrityrelyuponthestiffnessofthecollagenmatrix,whichisessentiallylowindeformationandrelativelyhighinresistancetoit(i.e.stiffness).(Itstretchesuptoabout5%only.)This,inbalancewithourarchitecture,createsoverallenergystoragecapacity.Ifweweretoo“elasticated”wecouldnotfunction:theenergyliterallyleaks.Itcanlooklikeasoggystructurethatneedsstrengthening.

Whateverdirectionyoupullorpushitin,thestructurenaturallyresistsdeformationbecause:• theforceistransmittedthroughoutthestructure• thearchitectureresistsyou,whetheryoupull,push,bendortwist• itnaturallycountersanymovementbystiffening• thewholestructurebouncesendtoendinanyplane• itisindependentofgravity,needingnosupporttoholdituporout• itcanmoveinanydirection(assumingitisnottornorbroken)• itreformsimmediatelyfromdeformationwithinitsresiliencerange• itconformstothegeometryofabiotensegrityicosahedralform• anychangeanywhereinthestructureaffectsthewhole.In thesemodels, the “soggiest”one (Fig.8.2) is themost stretched,whichmakes it theweakest of thethree.Stretching isan ingredientofbiotensegrity,butonly inbalancewith suitable stiffness.Themast,withnoelasticatedfabric,retainsitselasticitywhenitisstill,justaswecan.

StretchingHerewe are not saying that stretching is not valuable; rather,we are placing it in a specific context.Exploringstretchingandelasticity inanimalsprovidessomeinterestingcluesas to thevalueofcertaintypesofstretching.Fascialresearchisreframingnotionsofstretchingaspreparationforaction,inpeakperformanceforexample.7Inoursearchforsomeofthecommondenominatorsofwhatmightwork,andwhenandwhy,weare invited tosee throughadifferent lensaswelearnaboutpandiculation,8and thespecificvalueofyawningstretches,toourfascialsystem.

“It isnowrecognizedthat themyofascialsystemis integrative, linkingbodyparts,as the forceofamuscle is transmittedvia the fascialstructureswellbeyondthe tendinousattachmentsof themuscleitself(HuijingandJaspers,2005).Itisarguedherethatpandiculationmightpreservetheintegrativerole of the myofascial system by (a) developing and maintaining appropriate physiological fascialinterconnections and (b) modulating the pre-stress state of the myofascial system by regularlyactivatingthetonicmusculature.”9

IsthisperhapsNature’swayofmaintainingthefunctionalintegrityofthemyofascialsystem?10

AnimalStretchingBigcats.Consider thecheetah,forexample(Fig.8.4).Allcatscanrestandrelax,stretchatasuitabletimeandmoveatgreatspeedwhentheyneedto.Tochaseorpounceontheirprey,theycansprint,leapandbound,deployingtheirpowerfulelasticrecoilabilitiesinaction.Whentheyrest,theybecomelanguidand serene. After they have rested, they yawn-stretch their whole body to wake up their tissues afterreleasing them(i.e. throughrest) foraperiodof time.Thisparticular typeofstretchingyawn iscalledpandiculation.11 It isa featurewithapurpose innature. It reactivates the tissuesafter resting themandreorganisestheinternalbondsandfluids,readyformobility.Whenacheetahanticipatesprey(thinkintermsofpreparingforapeakperformance),thelastthingit

appearstodoisstretch.(Canyouimagineacheetahturningtoitscub-in-trainingandsaying:“keepaneyeonthatstraywildebeestwhileIstretch,won’tbelong…”).Quitethecontrary,theysqueezetheirtissuesby actively stiffening them. They stalk their prey, and seem to shrink their bodies by tightening – theoppositeofstretching.Itisaglobalactionthatcanreducethespacetheyoccupyanddrawin,orcontain,alltheirtissues.

Figure8.4Thisisayawningstretchorpandiculation(seetext).AwildcheetahinUp-DownDogPose,itsownversionofAdhoUrdhvaMuhka

Svanasana.(ReproducedwithkindpermissionfromShaneMcDermott,www.wildearthilluminations.com.)

Thissqueezing,whichseemstobepartofprimingtheirbodies,makestheanimalreadytodeploythepotentialtopounceorsprintasrequired.Itseemstheymaximisetheircatapultcapacitybytensioningthewholematrix.Eventheirfurstandsonend,perhapsforsuper-sensitivitytothetask.Cheetahs,likemany

othermammals,focusanddrawtheirtissuesintomakethemfitforpurpose,globally.Thereisatimeandaplace,adoseanddegreeforthemtostretch–anditisnotbeforepeakperformance.Springboks. On this theme of priming and tightening tissues to elaborate their recoil properties,

springboksprovideanotherdetailthatisofinterest.Ifyouwatchthem,evenatplay,theyseemtopractice“pinging”upintheairforthesakeofit.Aretheyprimingtheirtissues?Whenyoulookatalargecatandaspringboktogether,onechasingtheother,youseetwoverydifferent

means of deploying elastic recoil. Each depends on their particular kind of movement signature tosurvive.Thecat,aswehavepointedout,spring-loadstosprintandpounce,leapinginlongstridesathighspeed,incleardirections.(Theirvelocityistheiradvantage,nottheirturningcircles.)Nowthespringbokno longer pings upwards “for fun”, but uses its ability to do this to run and leap in many differentdirectionstoevadecapture.Itdartsandgallopsinanythingbutastraightline,usingshort,sharpturninganglestoconfuseandtirethecat.Bothtypesofanimalspeaktheirownkinaestheticlanguageasasurvivalmechanism,withbothdependentuponelasticintegrity.Notealso thedistinct anddifferent resting tensionof the twoanimals.The springbokhas long, stiff,

highly tensioned legsanddoesnot appear to indulge in the languid serenityof a cat, evenat rest.Thebodiesof springboksaregeared for tightlycontained, ready-to-reboundstructure.Thecat,on theotherhand,hasadistinctivestateof“restingtension”thatseemstooccupyamuchbiggerrangebetweenrestorreleaseandstiffenedanimationorstrength.Althoughtheyaredesignedforconsiderablespeed,likemostcats they have an almostmeditative ability to rest,which the spring-loaded signature of the springbokdoesnotseemtoinclude.Dospringboksyawnandstretchasmuchascats?

Recent research suggests13 that optimal preparation for peak performance in elite athletes does not include stretching during theirwarm-upperiod,asitdepletesstrengthjustbeforeasprint,forexample.Primingthetissueswithshort,elastic-typerecoilorreboundmovements,suchasjumpingonthespotorspringinginvariousways,isreminiscentofwhatweseeintheanimalkingdom.Itdoesnotnecessarilymeanstretchingiswrong,butitbringsusclosertorefiningthedose,degreeandtiming(andtimeandplace)ofhowandwhenweuseit.

Bears.Attheotherendoftheactivescale,aresearchprojectonGrouseMountaininBritishColumbiastudied how hibernating bears12 survive a winter of sleep without experiencing osteoporosis ordegenerative conditions in theirmuscles even aftermonths of inertia. The hidden camera in their denrevealedaninterestinginstinctivehabit.Theygetuparoundmiddayeverydayanddo20–40minutesofmovement.Theydogentleyoga-likestretchesinalldirections,yawningandwrigglingandpacingaround,reanimatingthetissues,beforetheysettlebackandsleep(hibernate)forthenext24hours.Theydothisintheloweststateofenergeticdemandandvitality.

NewStrategiesPerhapswewillbenefitfromconsideringstretch-likemovementsafterrestorasmaintenance,ratherthanbefore performance. That does notmean entering amovement sessionwithout suitable preparation. Itsuggestsratherthat“postrest”isagoodtimeforstretching,whilepreparationforpeakperformanceatleastmightincludemicro-movementsofthetissuesand“mini”versionsoftheworkbeingpreparedfor,atlow amplitudes. Gradually increasing the amplitude towards performance is worthy of consideration.Beforeweconsidertheimplicationsin(orapplicationsto)yoga,justintermsofeverydaylife,wemightaskourselveshowoftenwe remember to stretchandyawnafter aperiodof relative inertia, given themany hours we spend in cars, in beds or sitting at desks. Do we counterbalance these periods with

yawningstretchestoreanimateandmaintainourtissues?Nocat,dogorbearwouldforgettodothisafteraperiodofinactivity.We,ontheotherhand,willforce-stretchtoreachthemostextraordinaryshapesasifthatisthepurpose

ofyoga.Ourfascialmatrixisactuallydesignedasaprofoundlysensitivesystemtotransmitandrespondtomovementforces,asdistinctfromforcedmovements.Forsomepeoplewhoarealreadyatthestretchyendofthescale,stiffeningortighteningtheirtissuesmaybemorevaluablethanspendingtoolongfocusedonstretchingforitsownsake.Letusfirstestablishwhythiswholeprincipleofelasticityreliessoheavilyonsuitablestiffnessandwhyitisalsoimportanttounderstanditasafeatureofourbodiesatrest.

ElasticIntegrityasaNewValueAusefulexample is in researchon theAchilles tendon.Classicalkinesiologicalmodelssuggest that injumping, for instance, the Achilles tendon is the strong, supportive, relatively less mobile binding,connecting the calf (gastrocnemius)muscle to the heel (calcaneus) at the back of the ankle joint. The“movement”occursat,orhasbeenclassicallyassignedto,thecalfmuscle(gastrocnemius),asitactivelycontractsandreleases(i.e.basedontheactionassignedtothatparticularmuscle).(See Fig.8.5.)Usingmodernultrasoundequipmentcapableofmeasuringthemusclesandthefascialtissuesinvivo,

however,researchersweresurprisedtodiscoverthatinoscillatorymovement,themusclefibrescontract,orstiffen,almostisometrically(withoutchanginglength)andtheAchillestendoninfactactslikeastrongelasticspring(Fig.8.5 ).14Thiswouldmeanthemusclecanactmorelikeabrakeonthespring-loadedrecoiloftheAchilles,undersuchcircumstances.Thismightsuggestthemuscleshavearoleinmodifyingorregulatingstiffnessandelasticityinappropriatelengthtotensionalbalance.Over recent decades, the accumulation of research investigating the various and subtle roles of the

tissueshasgivenrisetotheveryparadigmshiftwearenowin.Itevenhighlightsdifferentqualitiesofstretchingtoincludeclassicalstretchingandthedifferenceofactivelyloadedstretching(Fig.8.6).

Figure8.5ImagesofresearchbyKawakamiandcolleagues(seenote14),afterSchleip,showingthecooperationofmusclesandfascialtissues.

Effectivelythissuggeststhatthemusclesactmorelikebrakes,whilethetendinoustissueslengthenandshortenlikesprings. isclassicalassumption. showsfindings(afterKawakami).

Thearticlefromwhichthequotationbelowistakenpointstotheimportantroleoftendonbehaviour,

relatingtolackofstiffnessand thesubsequent impactonadaptabilityandelasticstoragecapacity.Theresearchersalsoconsideredthedifferentrolesoftendonsandtendinoussheets(aponeuroses)mediatingourresponses:

“Duringlowtensileloadingorwithpassivelengtheningnotonlythemuscleiselongated,butalsothetendonundergoessignificantlengthchanges,whichmayhaveimplicationsforreflexresponses.Duringactiveloading,thelengthchangeofthetendonfarexceedsthatoftheaponeurosis,indicatingthattheaponeurosismaymoreeffectivelytransferforceontothetendon,whichlengthensandstoreselasticenergysubsequentlyreleasedduringunloading,inaspringlikemanner.”15

Figure8.6“Inan‘Activelyloadedstretch’themuscleisbothactiveandalsoloadedatthelongendofitsrange;itincludeslongmyofascial

chains.Mostofthefascialcomponentsarebeingstretchedandstimulatedinthatloadingpattern.”AfterRobertSchleip,TerraRosae-magazine,Issue7,April2011.

TheAnatomyTrainsHumanDissectionprogramme(Ch.6)wasalsothefirstoccasionofdissectingtheSuperficialBackLine(SBL)inasoft,continuous,seamless,uninterruptedcontinuityoftissues.Ofcoursethebonesnolongertensionedit.Thusassoonasitwasremoved, it tookonaslightlydifferentshapefromtheaspectof thebody ithadbeenremovedfrom.Once itwas laidoutasasoftlayer,itscontinuityirrevocablychangedanynotionsofmusclesworkinginisolation.Thetissuesthathadconnectedtheso-calledSBLoneitherside,orunderneath it, to theadjacent layershad tobecutaway.Nothing interrupts theircontinuousconnectedness in life.Eveniftheyhavebeensurgicallycutduringlife,theadhesionsappearasboundinterruptionsinacontinuity,somethinglikeadarninasock.Itaffectsthecontinuityoftissuemobilityandglide (layersareclearlyboundtogether inscar tissue)but itdoesnot fail tobeconnected.Thisisthebasisofchangesinsurgicalproceduressuchashipreplacement.Ratherthancuttingacrossmyofascialsheaths,theyarepartedsomewhatlikethesegmentsofanorangebutthefascialsheathsaremostlyleftintact.Thisisthestructuralbasisforavoiding extra scar tissue and one of the reasons that hip replacement patients can walk within hours or days of such modernprocedures.

Oneway it translates into the yoga classroom is that passively stretching alone (seeking length at allcosts)isnotnecessarilythecommondenominatorofpreservingourelasticenergystoragecapacity.Thereisvalueinfindingbodymovementsthatengagethelongmyofascialcontinuities16whileactivelyloadingthemusclesinrhythmicalmovements,suchasinasequencedclass.Thequalityoftransitioninvitesustofind a level of containment and refinement in thewaywe join up themovements.The achievement oflength is not necessarily a forced stretch. It is amore subtle distinction of using ourwhole body in acontainedway.Magnusson and colleagues go on to elaborate the significant role of the fascia in maintaining

adaptabilitywherethereisasuitablebalanceofstiffness.Theyshowthatfarfromplayingapassiveroleinourstructure,thereisremarkablyhighmetabolicactivityinhumantendonwhich“affordsthetendontheabilitytoadapttochangingdemands”:

“With ageing and disuse there is a reduction in tendon stiffness, which can be mitigated withresistance exercises. Such adaptations seem advantageous for maintaining movement rapidity,reducingtendonstressandriskofinjury,andpossibly,forenablingmusclestooperateclosertotheoptimumregionofthelength–tensionrelationship.”17

Weareinvitedbyvariousresearchintothefascialmatrix18toviewthemusclesaspartofthecontinuityofmyofascialbalancethroughoutthetensionalwebofourarchitecture.Thetissuesclearlyparticipateinthesubtle translation and mediation of all types of movement. While this research focuses on differentspecifictypesoftendinousorganisations,wemustrememberthatthebodyitselfdoesnotgoaboutgettingagreement fromeach separatepart. Itorganisesandactsasan instinctivewholeand the fascialmatrixmaybetheunitingmediuminwhichthesespecialisationsoccur.AnatomyTrains19encouragesustoseethemuscles-in-fasciainlongitudinalbandsofcontinuity.This

means both fascia (inclusive of tendons, ligaments and tendinous sheets) and muscle (in which it isprofoundly invested)formintegratingbandsfromheadto toe(seeCh.12).Whetheryouagreewith theanatomicalcontentofindividuallines,slingsorlayers,Myerstakesustowardsananatomicalviewofthebody that endorses wholeness. He refers to the myofascial meridians as “lines of pull”, which is animportantdistinctionintermsofelasticity.Theyare“pulled”evenwhenweareresting.Thebonesofourbiotensegrityarchitecturemaintainthemundertension.Theyhavetohavesomethingtopullon!

Figure8.7TheSuperficialBackLineisametaphorforcontinuity.Itisnotseparateinthelivingbodyfromthelayerbeneathorthoseeithersideofit.Ina

movementclasswedonothavetimetoassessmusclebymuscle–nordoesthebodymovethatway.(SeeCh.12foramoredetailedexpansionofthistheme.)

WithregardtoFigure8.7,theso-calledSuperficialBackLine20ofAnatomyTrains(whichincludesthetissuesof thefoot, theAchilles, thecalfandall thewayupthehamstrings,erectorspinaeandover thebackoftheheadtothebridgeofthenose)formsacontinuouslayerandband,undertension.Wehavetoexpandourviewtoincludethewholebodytogetasenseofwhythebonesplaysuchan

importantrole increatingsuitable tensioning,orstiffness, inour tension–compressionform.This is thequantumleap, frommusclesas levers tomusclesasmoderators of stiffnessand stretch,or stretchandsqueeze,intheweaveofourthree-dimensionalarchitecture.Thisimportantdistinctionistodefinethisessentialscaleofelasticrecoilasapredisposingpropertyof

ourrestingtension.IstherearelationshipbetweentheAnatomyTrainslines,ormyofascialcontinuities,Chineseacupuncturemeridians,andyogicnadis?Doeselasticityas“energystoragecapacity”provideabridgebetweentheesotericassociationswiththe“energymatrix”andthescientificallyrecognisedenergy(storage)matrixofouranimatedarchitecture?

“BIO-TENSEGRITYENERGETICS:Both Snelson andFuller emphasized that tensegritymodels arephysical representations of the underlying invisible forces that hold them together. The differentpatterns and geometries described [above] can be used to understand curvature, changinginterconnectionsandtransformationsinenergy,aswellasmultipledimensionsinspace,butthereisstillalotmoretodotopullitalltogether.”21

Understandingsomefundamentaltenetsofelasticitymightprovidesomecluesaboutwhatprovidesthefoundation stones of our balanced structure as we search for a context for all the postures and ourrespectivewaysofinterpretingthem.Therearethreemainthemes:• theabilitytogloballyexpandandsqueeze• low-costenergyanimation

• thebasisofcomplianceandcommunicationthroughoutourtissues.

GlobalExpansionandSqueezeWehavetoexpandthethinkingfrom“circlestospheres”andrecognisehowtensionalintegrityworksinanon-lineartension–compressionssystemwith360degreesofmovementpotentials.Althoughwecandoall sorts of things with our bodies, they rely on this particular biological architecture for one veryfundamentalfeature:wecangloballyexpandandgloballysqueezetostiffenasawhole.(Anexampleofthiskindofmovementpatterncanbeseeninacreaturesuchasapufferfish.22) It isanattributeof themovementofhumanstructure;weconstantlyuseiteverywhereinourphysiology.

DemonstrationTakeholdofastrongelasticband(Fig8.8)andplaceafingerateachendinsideitsloop,toholditopenbutuntensioned.Thenpullyourfingersaparttothehalfwaypoint.Thenstretchittoitsfulllimit.Youhavejustdemonstratedthreestagesofstiffness:(1)restingtension,(2)semi-tensioned,(3)fullytensioned.Beyondthethirdstageisthe“elasticlimit”,pastwhichthebandeithertearsorbreaks.

Simpleexamplesofthisarefoundinvariouspartsandfunctionsofthebody,frombreathingtogivingbirth, from emptying the bladder to the movement of food through the gut via peristalsis. Although itoperatesalongatube,themethodisanancientrhythmicalabilitytoexpandandsqueezethetissues.Theyrestinthe“middlestate”,sothatglobalexpansionandglobalsqueezearealwayspotentials.

Low-costEnergyInthelastchapterweelaborateduponthebody’sprimaryconcernforenergyconservation.Itstartswithapre-stiffenedstateofpoise:Whenyoutensiontheelasticbandandstretchit,youaresensingitsresistancetodeformation,thatis,

its stiffness. When you release it you are demonstrating its elasticity, that is, its ability toreturn/reformation.Twoimportantfactsarisefromdoingthisexercise,whichare:• Youneedsufficientresistancetodeformation(stiffness),orthebandisfloppyandpulledoutofshapetooreadily.

• Byfullyreleasingthebandyoudonotdemonstraterestingtensioninthehumanbody.Itisthehalfwaypointoftheelasticband,thesemi-tensionedstageB(Fig8.8),thatdemonstratesrestingtensioninthehumanbody.Weare“pre-stiffened”or“pre-tensioned”becausewedonotdeflate.Wedonotexperiencethestaterepresentedbytheelasticbandatrest.Inthedemonstrationabove,wewouldstartatthesecondstage,themiddleway,whichisourdefaultelasticity.Wefindappropriatebalanceinlife,essentiallyaroundthemid-point.Itisakeytovitality.

Figure8.8Demonstrationofpre-stiffening.

Serge Gracovetsky points out that we are designed for mobility, rather than stability.We know fromexperience in the yoga classroom that stillness takes asmuch focused attention asmovement.Holdingposturesisaskillinitself.Holdinganelasticbandatthemid-pointoftensionalbalanceshowspreciselywhy.WelivebetweenstagesBandCinourdemonstration,(B&CinFig.8.8)intermsoflivingelasticintegrity. Ifwego beyondC, however, and venture beyond our elastic limit,we can enter one of twostates:theseareplasticity(permanentirreversiblechange)andinjury.Plasticitycanbeanadvantageoradisadvantage,dependingonthematerialandreasonforchangingit.Likeelasticityitisapropertyratherthanavalue.Itcanmarkimprovementorinjury,dependingonwhetherthechangeitpresentsisvaluableonthatoccasion,atthattime,forthatindividual–ornot.

Beyondtheelasticlimitofamaterialisastatecalledplasticity.Plasticitymeansthatthereisnoabilitytoreform.Betweenelasticityandstiffness,deformationhasreversibility,i.e.acapacityforreformation.Themomentthatnaturallimitisexceeded,deformationisnolongerreversible.Thematerialretainsthedeformation.

Imagineflickingapaperpelletwithametalschoolruler.Withinitselasticlimit,therulerwouldcatapultthepelletacrosstheroom(highelasticenergystoragecapacityinthemetal).If,however,youpulledtherulerbacktoofarandexceededitselasticlimit,itwouldbendandstaythere(itisnon-reversible,noreformation).Itwouldfailto“ping”thepellet.Thisisademonstrationofitsplasticity.Theexact boundary between plasticity and breaking point depends on the ruler’s bendiness (ductility) or brittleness.23 The ruler willeffectively tireuntil itbreaks,at theplastic limit.Aplastic ruler,whichhashighbrittlenessand lowductility,willbreakatapointofmuchlessstrainthanametalone.Thesearepropertiesofallmaterials;however,theyaremeasuredonalinearstress–straingraph.Moreconfusionthereforearisesforhumanbodies,sincewe“don’tdo”linearstress–straingraphs.Ourtissueshavetobecontinuallystretchedand strained repeatedly ifwewant them to retaindeformation (see, for example, thepracticeof ear stretching,usingearplugstoexpandtheearlobegraduallyovertime,butpermanently).AgraphofthisviscoelasticdeformationhaswhatiscalledaJ-shaped stress–strain pattern. It is “non-linear” becausewe are non-linear systems and it never goes to zero becausewe are pre-tensioned.24Weneverstartatnothing;wealwaysstartatsomething.J-shapedstress–straincurvesdemonstrate lowerenergycost.Note the same principle can apply if we wish to improve our abilities by repeatedly practising new, useful patterns. The time-dependencyaspectofthisprincipleofviscoelasticitycanbetoouradvantage.

Ifwebecomeoverstretched,overtimewecanlosethat“spring-back”facilityiftissuesarerepeatedly

forcedtoexceedtheirelasticlimit.Plasticdeformationthenbecomesirreversible.Iftheelasticlimitisreached toorapidly(theseare time-dependent features), thendamagecanoccur in theformofa tear,abreakorthesnappingofatendon.Ourtissuesaresensitivetotemperature,hydration,rangeandchemistryaswellasrateofchange.One of the values of warming up (besides all the known benefits of stimulating circulation and

preparingthebody)istowakeupthetissuesandactivatetheirelasticpotentialand“interfascialglide”afterrest.Elasticityisanenergyassetthroughoutmanyformsofourinternalandlocomotivestructure.“thevisco-resilientnervesareunderaconstantinternaltension.Thestrengthoftheseforcesisseeninrupturednerves.Simplybecauseoftheirtremendouselasticity,thetwoseverednervestumpsshortenbyseveralmillimetres.Inrepairprocedures,thesurgeonhastouseaconsiderableamountofstrengthto bring the two nerve ends together again … It is elasticity that allows nerves to adjust to themovementofajointwithoutlossoffunction.”25Therearemanyaspectsofour anatomyandphysiologyandbiomechanics that relyonelastic integrity.Theseinclude,andarenotlimitedto,thenerves,bloodvessels,lungs,bladder,guttubeandlocomotingtissues(Fig.8.9).“The collagen molecule exists in many different configurations and is a major component of theextracellularmatrix (ECM) that surrounds virtually every cell. Thematrix attaches to the cellularcytoskeletonthroughadhesionmoleculesinthecellmembraneandformsastructuralframeworkthatextendsthroughthefasciatoeverylevelinthebody.”26The focus of this chapter is to recognise and apply these principles to whole body movements. Theclassicalmodelsrelyonleversandinvertedpendulumstoexplainhumanmotion.However,watchingaflowingyogaclassforexample,thebodyclearlyhastheabilitytodistributeforcesthroughoutthesystem,changingthefulcrumsandmanagingtheformtransitionsseamlesslyfromthecrowntotheground.Thesetwo-bar(lever)mechanicsfailtoexplainfullyhowwecanachievethefabulousformsofyogapracticewithoutshearing,breakingorfallingoffourownstructuralparts(asweexploredinthelastchapter).

Figure8.9GrahamScarr(seenote26)providesdetailedexplanationofhowthegeometricprinciplesofbiotensegritytranslateintoarecognisablemodel

ofcapillaryformation,boneformation,“musculo-skeleto-fascia”formationandmanyotheraspectsofourform.(ModifiedafterGrahamScarr,www.tensegrity.co.uk)

Furtherstudy27revealsthepowerfulpotentialofthebiotensegralmodelasanexplanationofournaturalmovements.Whatwedosee,fromtheoutside,isinfactrelativelyintegratedmovementsthat,overtime,becomemoreandmorerefinedaswepractise themandtrainour tissues,oneveryscale.Theresearchthatisaccumulatingonthestudyofbiotensegrityisperhapssocompellingbecauseitsuggestsascale-freeexplanationofourmovements;fromorganelleswithinacelltothewholeorganism.Werecapitulateatthecellular level the samemicro-patterns aswholebodiesperformingmacro-movements, ona scale fromembryo to elder. This is simplified, but nevertheless honoured, if we recognise the whole “volumecontrol”betweenstiffnessandstretchiness,cross-referencedbyspeedtostillness.Altogetheritformsaplatform forguiding refinement towardselastic integrity.The focusononlyoneorotheraspectof thiscrucialcontextofourformcanbeattheexpenseofthewholebalanceweseekthroughoutthepracticeofyoga.

TheGraphinPracticeWecanseethisinFigure8.10,withthex-axisrepresentingstiffnesstostretchiness.They-axisisspeedtostillness.(ItiswhatIcalla“softgraph”.Itisnotreallytobeconsideredinalinearway,moreatooltointerpretthanaformula.)Appropriatetensionisanotherwayofsayingstiffnessinthiscontext.Tensioninasysteminvariablyinsistsonthepathofleastresistancetoequilibrium.Whatmakesthetensionworkistheopposingcompression.GrahamScarrreferstothisasattractionandrepulsionforces.Forourbenefitwehavetorecognisethattheseopposingforcescoexistandcreateathirdforcethroughtheircombinedpolarities.Wewillstillrefertothatthirdforceasneutral;itisthecentreinthis“graph”.ThetypesofyogathatcananimatethedifferentaspectsofthegraphhavebeenaddedtoFigure8.10.

These are by no means definitive; they simply show a qualitative link between the different generalthemesofyogapractices.Manystylesincorporateaspectsofalloftheseattributes.(SeeCh.13for thedifferentbodytypesandpredispositionsthatmatchthisgraph.)

RhythmicalSpringsBetween the pathways from speed to stillness, rhythm and direction also play a role in optimisingbalancingforces,undertheheadingofelasticintegrity.Schleipusesamodeltodemonstratethis(Fig.8.8).

Figure8.10Alldifferenttypesofyogacanbeplacedherefortheiremphasisondifferentstyles/typesofmovement.Thisschemacanalsoincludemany

ways,orpathways,foragivenindividual.

DemonstrationFindalengthofcoiledspringwithasmallweightontheendandaloopatthetop(Fig.8.11).Yourfingerbecomesthemuscle(activator)andtheweightrepresentsananchor,suchasthecalcaneus.ThespringisthemodeloftheAchillesinthiscasebutitsymbolisesfascialtendon. If you bounce the spring very gently, you will immediately be aware that it moves easily and continuously with very little“muscular”effortfromyourfinger.Theotherthingyouwillexperienceisthatifyouchangetherhythmalotandalterthedirectionofthe“action”,thespringleaksitselasticintegrity,itfoldsandjerks.Thisreadilydemonstrateshowrhythmplaysasignificantpartandsuggeststhatitmaybeanadvantageincoveringdistancestoestablishnaturalrhythm;thisisaknownfeatureofmarathonrunning,forexample.

Figure8.11Thisisanexampleofhowthefasciacanbehave,tohelpappreciaterhythmandrateaswellashowlittlemusculareffort(representedbythe

fingerholdingthering)isrequiredtoreleaseelasticenergytomovetheweight.

Itseemsthatthesensoryfeedbackofoursubtlepatternsisprofoundlylinkedtorhythmandresonance:

“Theneuronalcircuitcontrollingtherhythmicmovementsinanimallocomotioniscalledthecentralpatterngenerator(CPG).Thebiologicalcontrolmechanismappearstoexploitmechanicalresonancetoachieveefficientlocomotion.”28

This iswhathappenswhenwe findandbuildourown rhythms, suited to the task.They are naturalenergy conservation patterns. If you allow the spring to bounce in a staccato way, or to go in manydirections,ithastohavesuitablestiffnesstodothiswithoutbendingandfoldingtooreadilyorrandomly.(Thinkback to thespringbok’s legs; theresting tension is longand taut,so theirspring-likemovementscanappear likevertical jumpsfromstanding.)For longdistancesandsteadyrhythm,perhaps thecat isbetterassigned.Withitsextraordinaryspeed(anditscounter-abilitytocompletelyrelax)itcanharnessthebroaderextremesseenonthechartfromspeedtostillness.

Yogahasmanydifferentforms.Oftentheyfocusononeorotheraspectasprimary,suchaspoweryogaorrestorativeyoga.Thereisa case for suggesting that eachof usmight benefit fromapractice that includes someof everything (at least, that is, for optimumvariability).

“A recognised characteristic of connective tissue is its impressive adaptability.When regularly putunder increasingphysiological strain, it changes its architectural properties tomeet the increasingdemand.”29

Whicheverwaywedoyogawearelookingforaplaceofelasticintegrity,whereverweare(atthetime)intermsofrestingtension.Whilewearealive,wedonotgettoabstainfromthischoice.The“vote”forinertiasetsupitsownstrain(orlackofstrain)patterns.Whatiscrucialisthetimingofhowourstrainpatternsareaccumulated.Trainingatspeedor traininginstillness isnot justabout joininganAshtangaclassanddoingitsevendaysaweekortakingupmeditationfull-time.Ourbodiesself-regulateinveryintelligentways.The“myo”partofthe“myofascia”(tensionedaswearebythebones)workstogethertomodifystiffnessandelasticityinbalance.Eachaspectrespondsindifferenttimeframes.

MuscleFocusversusFasciaFocusNapoleonwasawareofthecrucialvalueoftimingandrestforhistroops.Inwalkingthemfromoneregionorcontinenttoanotherforbattle, thepatternhe adopted forhis army included45minuteswalkingperhour,with15minutesof rest.One and ahalf hoursofmovementrequiresseveralhoursofresttoachievethesameoptimalpattern.(Stress–straingraphsinnon-linearbiologicsystemsdonot conform to linear mathematical formulae.) The result of Napoleon’s method was that his armies could continue moving overextendedperiodsthroughoutalongdayandarrivewithfewinjuries,despitetheloadstheycarriedandtheterrain.

Themyo(fascial)meattendstoreacttotrainingrapidlyandthusthegeneralexperienceofjoiningagym,forexample,istoseeafairlysteepgraphofimprovementoverarelativelyshortperiodoftime(weeksora fewmonths). This is based on resistance training that focuses on isolatedmuscles in the upper andlowerbody.Bydoingthis,themyopartofthemyofasciaisthefocusandtheeffectisoneofstiffeningthematrix.(Theyneverworkinisolation–itisnotpossible.)Thepattern, in themostgeneral terms, isasix to twelve-weekrapidchangeandthenasteadier line

reachingaplateau.Ifyoustoptrainingitalsotendstodropfairlyrapidly.Typicallyabodybuilderwholeaves the gym for a two-month holiday knows it can cost them their “peak form”. It is a high-maintenance,metabolicallydemandingtraining.Thefrequencyisusuallyadvocatedatalternatedays.Bycontrast,thefascialaspectofthemyofasciarespondstotimeperiodandtimingoftraininginavery

differentway. In the short term it takes time to “deconstruct and reconstruct” after a period of intensemovement.Thisprocessofreorganisationiscalledcollagensynthesis.Research30showsthatbeforethisstagecanbereached,thebodyrequiresaperiodoftimeduringwhichitentersaphasecalledcollagendegradation(Fig.8.12).

Figure8.12Perhapsthisbeginstoexplainwhymostinjuriesinathletics,sportsandexercisearesofttissueinjuries.Whateverthetraining,ifitisintensely

pursuedwithoutsufficienttimetorestandrestorethebody,thenthecollagenmatrixisinaphaseofdegradationandhasnotnecessarilyreachedsynthesisbeforethenexttrainingsession.Itisaclearindicationofwhyforcedmovementandovertrainingcanconflictwithelastic

integrity.ModifiedafterMagnusson30.

Inthelongterm,includingtheshort-termrepetitions,thesoft-tissuetraininggraphtakessixtotwenty-fourmonths to facilitate collagen transformation.31 This supports the value ofworking at less frequentintervals,overalongerperiodoftime,toseethesteadyaccumulationofbalanceandoptimaltraininginthefascia.Schleiprecommendswetaketheapproachofa“bamboogardener”whonurturesandwatershis seedlings for many months, until they grow into healthy resilient plants that can reach their fullpotential.32Thistakesyears,notweeks.

StephenLevinwasthefirsttobringtheseprinciplesofbiotensegritytothestudyofhumanpostureandmovement.WhileTomFlemonshascreatedanatomicalmodels,Levinhasconsideredtheevolutionaryaspectsofourrelianceonthisstructuralformation.

Asfarasyogaisconcerned,thisperhapsconfirmsanaspectofthedifferencebetweenatwenty-fourday(consecutivedays)intensivetrainingprogrammeandthesamenumberofdaysincorporatedovertwoyears,oncepermonth.Themathematicsmaybethesameonpaper,butnottothebody.Wemightsay“useitorloseit”andaddsomethingabout“graduallytrainedforchangesustained”.

Fascia-inclusiveTrainingReferencingLevin’swork, Scarrwrites:“The erect spine and bipedal weight bearing capability of humans has traditionally

beenviewedasatowerofbricksandcompresseddiscjointsthattransferthebodyweightdownthrougheachsegmentuntilitreachesthesacrum;butaverticalspineisarelativerarityamongstvertebrates.Mostotherspecieshavelittleornouseforacompressivevertebralcolumn,whichisfrequentlyportrayedasahorizontaltrussandcantileversupportsystem.Asthemaindifferenceinvertebrateanatomiesisinthedetailitseemsreasonabletosupposethattheyhavesomestructuralpropertiesincommon.Tensegritiesareomni-directionali.e.theyarestableirrespectiveofthedirectionofloading,andthespine,pelvisandshoulder all demonstrate this property (within physiological limits), enablingdancers to tip-toe onone leg andacrobats tobalanceononehand”35…andofcourseyogastudentstoperformallkindsofbalances.

This points to why the concept of training the fascial matrix is a valuable addition to many fitnessapproaches.Thetraditionalmainaspectsareneuromuscularcoordination,strengthandconditioning,andcardiovascularandendurancetraining.Thesearecompletedandcomplementedbyattendingtotheelasticcomponentofourstructuralintegrity.Itincludesworkingatadifferentpace,withaspecificfocusonthefascia and its elastic recoil and rebound properties. However, it requires sufficient and suitable rest.Yogacananddoesenhancethiscomplementaryquadrant,ifitincludesabalanceofallfouraspectsonthescaleofstiffnesstostretchinessandspeedtostillness.Meditationisawareandconsciousrestingofthebody,quitedifferent fromsedentarynon-activityorsleep. Itoffersdeepandsuitablecounterbalance tohighlevelsofactivitythatallowsthemind,bodyandbeingtoenjoyallaspectsofelasticintegrity.Whatthissuggestsisthatwerelyonelasticityperhapsmorethanwerealise.Therevelationsaboutthe

fascialmatrixareshiftingtheexplanationswehaveforbiomechanicalfunction.Theyalsoraisemanynewquestionsandbegintomakesenseofwhydescribingtheexperienceofanimatingyogaposturesintermsoflevers,forexample,issoawkward.AccordingtoDrLevin

“therearenoleversinbiologicsystems.Anywhere.”33“Muscles arenot functional units, nomatter howcommon thismisconceptionmaybe.Rather,mostmuscularmovementsaregeneratedbymanyindividualmotorunits,whicharedistributedoversomeportionsofonemuscle,plusotherportionsofothermuscles.Thetensionalforcesofthesemotorunitsarethentransmittedtoacomplexnetworkoffascialsheets,bagsandstringsthatconvertthemintothefinalbodymovement”34

This “final body movement” is contained. In yoga sequences, for example, it rapidly and seamlesslytransitionsintoanotherfinalbodymovement.Eachoneislikeastillframe,literallyanimatedbyusintoafluidmotion-picturesequenceoftransitions.Furthermore,webreathecontinuouslywhilewemove.Howdoesthisgetsogracefullyintegratedinourpractice?Wedonotchangeformwhenweareholdingapose,rather thanperforminga sequenceofpostures.Wemight change the shapewearedescribingwith ourform butwe remainwhole aswe transition.Thismeanswe resist deformation andhave the ability toreform,whichisthesameassayingthatwehaveelasticintegrityofform.(Andsuitablestiffness!)The quotation at the beginning of this chapter refers to the fascial recoil mechanism in ballistic

movements. However, once we start to examine what biotensegrity means as a three-dimensionalarchitecturalmodel(asabasisofourelasticintegrity),itinvitesustoconsiderthatelasticityisactuallyfundamental, invaryingdegrees, to everypart of ourhealthymobility and internalmotility at rest.Allthese tissues are organised and tensioned (or pre-stiffened) in three dimensions, evenwhenwe are inseatedmeditation.Weareperhapsdefinedasbiotensegrityarchitecturethatis“elasticityincorporated”tovaryingdegrees.Thinkabouttheelasticbandwestretchedtoposition(B)(seeFig.8.8).Thispositionisthemostdifficulttohold.Thisisourrestingtension,designedformobilityandpoisedforit.

Figure8.13Super“BendyWendy”typesmightnotalwayshavethebestadvantageforelasticintegrity!

Sohowdoweputallthistogether?Weuncoverabody-wideexplanationthatincludesusingmusclesfor strength and tensioning, while benefiting from using tissues for stretch and flexibility. It begins toexplainmotionin360degrees.Posture Profiling® (see Part 2, Ch. 13) compares different body types to what we might call the

“movementarchetypes”thatwehaveaddressedhere(i.e.speed,stillness,stretchandstiffness).Fascialbodytypesarelinkedcloselytoreadingbodiesthroughtheirelasticintegrity.(Everyonehasit;thereisno“good or bad” classification.) The questions to take with us are (1) “Does this individual’s elasticintegrityservethemoptimally?”and(2)“Isthereayogapracticetheycoulddoovertimetoenhanceandpreserve it?”This skillof recognition togetherwithyourexperiencecan serveasa fast-trackguide tooptimumpractice,onethatcanembraceeveryone,andnotjustthe“BendyWendytypes”(Fig.8.13)!

Figure8.14Thisisawonderfulimageofbiotensegrityinactionasaglobalaspectoffunctioningform.Perhapsapartfromitsears,thisbassethoundis

containingitswholearchitectureinafocusedbalancingacttoavoidtipping.(ReproducedwithkindpermissionfromShaneMcDermottPhotography.)

ThedoginFigure8.14isnotactuallystretchinginthetechnicalsensetoreachthepoolanddrink,eventhough it is “a stretch” to get there. In order to do so without falling in or swimming, it is actuallystiffeningitstissuesthroughoutthelengthofthewholeform,tobalancefromthetipofitstailtotheendofitsnose.Infact,itevenreachesoutitstongueverycarefullytoavoiddisturbingthewhole-bodybalancingactrequiredtoreachthewater.Everypartofitsstructureisengagedincoordinatingthetaskitintendstocomplete.Thiscanobviouslyalsobesaidofdoingyoga.

Notes1. RobertSchleip,“Foreword”,inLuigiSteccoandCarlaStecco,FascialManipulation:PracticalPart,EnglisheditionbyJulieAnnDay,

forewordbyRobertSchleip,Piccin,Padua,2009.2. Stephen Levin, personal communication at the Biotensegrity Interest Group, Belgium, 2013;

http://www.biotensegrity.com/muscles_at_rest.php; A.T. Masi and J.C. Hannon, “Human Resting Muscle Tone (HRMT): NarrativeIntroductionandModernConcepts”,JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies12(4):320–332;2008.

3. LeonidBlyum(http://blyum.com/).4. Adjo Zorn and Kai Hodeck; Erik Dalton, The Dynamic Body, Freedom from Pain Institute, Oklahoma, 2011;

http://erikdalton.com/products/dynamic-body/).5. TomFlemonsmadeandsoldtoysdesignedontensegrityprinciplesformanyyears.His“Skwish”toyswerelicensedtoalocalcompanyto

manufacturein1987.ManhattanToyssubsequentlyboughtthatcompanyandthelicensingrightsin1995.(SeealsoCh.4.)6. BruceHamilton’sdesignscanbeseenatwww.tensiondesigns.com.

7. A.G.Nelson,N.M.Driscoll,D.K.Landin,M.A.Young and I.C.Schexnayder, “AcuteEffects ofPassiveMuscleStretchingonSprintPerformance”,JournalofSportsSciences23(5):449–454;2005.

8. LuizFernandoBertolucci, “Pandiculation:Nature’sWayofMaintaining theFunctional Integrityof theMyofascialSystem?”, JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies15(3):268–280;2011.

9. Ibid..10. Ibid.11. Ibid.12. GrouseMountaininVancouver;http://www.grousemountain.com/wildlife-refuge.Thereisa“BearCam”facilityanditispossibletowatch

bearsCoolaandGrinderinhibernation.Researchersandrangersintheparkrunablogandshowfilmsaboutthebears(andotherwildlifeatthereserve)andtheirhibernatinghabits.

13. A.G.Nelson,N.M.Driscoll,D.K.Landin,M.A.Young and I.C.Schexnayder, “AcuteEffects ofPassiveMuscleStretchingonSprintPerformance”,JournalofSportsSciences23(5):449–454;2005.

14. Y.Kawakami,T.Muraoka,S.Ito,H.KanehisaandT.Fukunaga,“InvivoMuscleFibreBehaviourDuringCounter-MovementExerciseinHumansRevealsaSignificantRoleforTendonElasticity”,JournalofPhysiology540:635–646;2002.

15. S.P.Magnusson,M.V.Narici,C.N.MaganarisandM.Kjaer,“HumanTendonBehaviourandAdaptation,InVivo.”JournalofPhysiology586:71–81;2008.

16. ThomasW.Myers,AnatomyTrains:MyofascialMeridiansforManualandMovementTherapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,Edinburgh,2009(seealso3rdedition2014).

17. S.P.Magnusson,M.V.Narici,C.N.MaganarisandM.Kjaer,“HumanTendonBehaviourandAdaptation,InVivo.”JournalofPhysiology586:71–81;2008.

18. RobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody,ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.

19. ThomasW.Myers,AnatomyTrains:MyofascialMeridiansforManualandMovementTherapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,Edinburgh,2009.

20. Ibid.21. GrahamScarr,www.tensegrityinbiology.co.uk/, article: “Geodesic”.See also:Biotensegrity:TheStructuralBasis ofLife, Handspring

PublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.22. StephenLevin:www.biotensegrity.com;lectureattheUniversityofLeuven,Belgium,October2013.23. Doug Richards, University of Toronto, Assistant Professor, Medical Director, David L. MacIntosh Sport Medicine Clinic. Also see

www.youtube .com/watch?v=7qYYhkfu_vcfora45minutepresentationbyDougRichardscalled“Stretching:TheTruth”.24. Stephen Levin, www.biotensegrity.com: “Tensegrity: The New Biomechanics”; Fig. 18. Published in M. Hutson and R. Ellis (eds),

TextbookofMusculoskeletalMedicine,OxfordUniversityPress,Oxford,2006.25. Jean-PierreBarralandAlainCroibier,ManualTherapyforthePeripheralNerves,ChurchillLivingstone,Edinburgh,2007.26. Graham Scarr, www.tensegrityinbiology.co.uk/, Biology page. See also: Biotensegrity: The Structural Basis of Life, Handspring

PublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.27. GrahamScarr’swebsitewww.tensegrityinbiology.co.ukoffersarangeofexplanatorypageswithwell-referencedmaterialwritteninclear

andconciseterms.Itincludesvariouslinkstocurrentresearchaswellasawiderangeofapplicationsoftheseprinciples.28. Y.I. Futakata and T. Iwasaki, “Formal Analysis of Resonance Entrainment by Central Pattern Generator”, Journal of Mathematical

Biology57(2):183–207;2008.29. RobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody,Churchill

Livingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.30. S.P.Magnusson,H. Langberg andM.Kjaer, “The pathogenesis of tendinopathy: balancing the response to loading”,Nature Reviews

Rheumatology6:262–268;2010.31. RobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody,Churchill

Livingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.32. R.Schleip,D.G.Müller,‘TrainingPrinciplesforFascialConnectiveTissues:ScientificFoundationandSuggestedPracticalApplications”,

JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies17:103–115;2013.33. StephenLevin:www.biotensegrity.com:HomePageandseveralarticlesunderPapers:Tensegrity:TheNewBiomechanics.34. Robert Schleip, “Introduction”, in Robert Schleip, Thomas W. Findley, Leon Chaitow and Peter A. Huijing, Fascia: The Tensional

NetworkoftheHumanBody,ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.35. GrahamScarr,www.tensegrityinbiology.co.uk/, article: “Geodesic”.See also:Biotensegrity:TheStructuralBasis ofLife, Handspring

PublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.

CHAPTER

9SenseandSentience

“Biologytextbooksoftenstatethatthemostimportantcharacteristicoforganismsistheabilitytoreproduce,andthenproceedtogiveanaccountofDNAreplicationandproteinsynthesisasthoughthatwerethesolutiontothefundamentalproblemoflife.Theabilitytoreproduceisonlyoneofthepropertiesoflivingorganisms,anditcouldbeargued,noteventhe

mostdistinguishingone.Forthereareanumberofothercharacteristics,scientificallyspeaking,whichleaveusinnodoubtthattheyarealive;theirextremesensitivitytospecificcuesfromtheenvironment,theirextraordinaryefficiencyandrapidityofenergytransduction,theirdynamiclongrangeorderandcoordination,andultimately,their

wholenessandindividuality.”1

Mae-WanHo

Sensoryrefinementisanimportantqualityinallouryogapractices.Newdiscoveriesaboutfasciashifttheperspectiveonhowitarises,whyweseekitthroughthesomaticawarenessthatyogafosters,andhowintimatelyitrelatestoourself-sensingregulationandautonomicfunction.2Fascia,inallitsrichnessandvariety,providesanewcontextforunderstandingmovement.Thisfundamentalchangeincontexthastakenplacewhile,asyet,wehaveonlytheoldlanguagetodescribeit;wethereforeneedtodevelopnewandsubtledistinctions.Alistoffunctionaloranatomicaldetailisinterestingintermsofmechanics(whichisoftenthebiasof

technicalinformationaboutfunctionalmovement),butthereisaninvitationhere(particularlyforthoseofuswho teachany formofmovement) to findnew terms todescribe somatic refinementandsensitivity.Apart from anything else, scientific research is discovering new proportions and ratios for assigningsensesandsensoryresponsestotheforcesthattravelthroughourtissuesinmotion.Thediscoverythatthefascia is one of the largest and richest sensory organs of the body3 has made many people start toreconsider the traditional view of how the nervous system animates. As a new context, it is ground-breakingnews.Itdoesnot,however,makethenervoussystemredundant.Rather,itredefinesthequalities,transitionsandcharacteristicsofhowwesenseandwhatpartsofusareactuallysensing.

SixSensesorMore?

Wehitsemanticdifficultiesheretoo.“Touch”,“feelings”and“sensing”areallwordsthathaveamultitudeofpossiblemeaningsintheEnglish language.Youcanbe touchedphysicallyoremotionally;youcan touchsomething literallyor findasentiment“touching”. Inusing theword“feel”youcouldbedescribingamultitudeof experiences thatprovide an evenwidermixtureofpossiblemeanings,fromaliteralchangeintemperatureortexture,forexample,toaprofoundemotion.“Feeling”somethingcanbeaphysicaldescriptionof a shape, an esoteric response to a poem,or a comment about its non-physical properties. “Sense” can also takemanydifferentaspects,andanyefforttodefineitsmanymeaningsinscientificlanguageisalittlelikeherdingspiders.

Howwouldourculturalhistoryhavebeendifferentif,ratherthanlearningthatwearecreatureswithfivesenses,able,ideally,tohear,see,touch,tasteandsmell,wehadlearnedthatwehadsixsenses,ormore?The phrase “sixth sense” is often used to describe intuitive or inexplicable knowing. It is thought toexplainthemysteriesofhiddentalentsinindividualsandcansometimeshintatoccultdomainsthatmaynotalwaysbemeasurablebythephysicalsciences.Inbasicanatomyandphysiology,asgenerallytaught,youwillfindthenervoussystemtreatedasoneentity(withacentralandaperipheralaspect),includingthefivesensesofsight,sound,smell, tasteand touch.The lastof these, touch, isusually thehardest todefineandtheonethataccountsforabroadrangeofsensoryfaculties.Perhaps inherent to the languageweuse toexpressourselveshere isadeepknowledge that there is

muchmoretoit,certainlywhendescribinghumanbeings.Isthereaplacewhereourprimarysensingandourfeelingsactuallybecomeoneinthebody?Couldthe

newdefinitionsof the fasciaunite thephysicalwith themetaphysical, honouring thewholepurposeofyogainitsancientwisdomandcontemporaryvalues?Sentienceisnotusuallydiscussedundertheheadingofthenervoussystem,althoughitisarguablyoneoftheaspectsofbeinghumanthatyogalivestoexplore.

EmergingDefinitionsIn another field entirely, thatof robotics, these changes inhowweview the livingbodyare corresponding todevelopments in “softrobots”.Newlyinventedroboticdogs,forexample,markadeparturefrompreviouswaysofthinking:ratherthanjustbeingguidedbybiggerandbettercentralcomputers(i.e.abiggerbrain),theyhavebeengivenmanymoresensoryprocessorsinthejointsandfabricoftheactualmodel.“BigDog”(BostonDynamics)isanexampleofthisthinking:

Different branches of scientific research (neural science, developmental biology, psychology,embryology, fascia research and so on) are confirming that not only does the fascial “proprioceptivesubstrate”constituteasensoryorganbut,givenitsexceptionalsurfaceareathroughoutthebody,itisthelargestandrichestwehave.RobertSchleiphascontributedhugelytothisexpansionofourknowledge,organisinganetworkofscientists tocometogetherandvalidatefindings.That isbymeansofpracticaldissection and via the most authoritative research laboratories around the world,4 using advancedtechniques to measure and explore the fascia (including in his own laboratory and by the group ofcollaboratorsatUlmUniversity5).ThankstonotablefiguresinthefieldsuchasThomasFindleyandPeterHuijingfacilitating theFasciaResearchCongresses,manyhighlyrespectedscientistsandspecialists inthisareahavebeenabletodrawtogethertheirextensivebodiesofworktobringaboutthisparadigmshiftinourunderstanding.6

“BigDog’s on-board computer controls locomotion, processes sensors and handles communicationswith the user. BigDog’scontrol system keeps it balanced, manages locomotion on a wide variety of terrains and does navigation. Sensors forlocomotioninclude jointposition, joint force,groundcontact,groundload,agyroscope,LIDARandastereovisionsystem.Other sensors focus on the internal state of BigDog,monitoring the hydraulic pressure, oil temperature, engine functions,batterychargeandothers.”7

Theubiquitousnetworkoffascialtissuesthatexiststhroughoutthemostfinelydetailedaspectsofthehumanbody is sensory in nature. It is being described asmaster of our sixth sense of proprioception.However,furtherdifferentiationsinhowweperceiveourinnerandouterworlds,andhowtheyrespondtous,areencouragingnewareasofresearchanddistinctionthatmightat firstseemunconnectedbut intruthareanythingbut.Theseincludeoursenseofourinnerselvesandourautoimmuneresponses,and,aswewillcometosee,canaddresstheprofoundlyintegratedpracticeofyogaatitsbestandmostvaluable.

MechanoreceptorsThis means that the robot dog can walk over different terrains, such as ice and mud, and orientate different loads without beinginterrupted.Anadaptive space- and surface-sensing system that can respond topressureand frictionchanges, joint and locomotionforces isproducingamore“sensitive”robot.We“non-robots”canalreadydoall that,andnewresearchisevokingnewdistinctionsabouthowexactlywemanageit.

Recognisingthefasciaasasensoryorganmakessenseofexactlythisfacilityinthehumanbody.Thereare “sensors” (mechanoreceptors) of different types of sensitivitywithin the fascialmatrix.8 They aresituatedinthetissues,particularlyatjoints,alongthefasciaatthebones(bonyperiosteum)andbetweenthelayersofthefascia,wheretheycandetectthesubtlestshiftsinmotionandchangesinterrain,throughglide, through shape change and through deformation of the tissues. They sense, communicate andessentiallyrespondtovariationsintemperature,tensionandtorsion,layerbylayerandevencelltocell.Thebodyyou live in really isexquisitely sensitiveand interconnected.Sensorybiotensegrity isanewuniverse fordistinguishingmovementand its revelation is inspiringonceyou translate the fascia, formandfunctionalmovementitorganisesandauthorises.Thesemechanoreceptors (whichwemight also consider as types ofmotion sensors) give us all the

differentfacultiesdescribedabove,andmore.Theybegintoexplainthefinesseanddetailwithwhichwecanmodifyouractionsandresponsesinsuchrefinedways,adaptingtothegroundwewalkonandtheterrainweexplore,onoroff theyogamat.Theyplaya role indetecting subtlemechanical changes inlocaltensiontogiveusnotonlysomeofourfinerskillsofdexterity,buttoanswerwhywecandothings(includingyoga)thewaywecan.Themain“sixth”senseisconsideredtobeoursenseofproprioception(seeCh.1).Itisusedtojudge

whereour internalmovementsare in relation toeachother. Italso“calibrates”us, instinctively,soweknowwhereweareinrelationtoourinnerandouterenvironmentsasweunifybothandbringthemtoastateofoptimalcongruencyandtheneutralbalancewereferredtoinChapter6.Itisoursenseofspaceandrelativepositionindistance,timeandformasitinformsthebodyofsuchtangiblesasweight,densityandtheenergyrequiredtobalanceortransmitaload,withoutusnecessarilythinkingaboutit.Thatisthe“load”ofaneedleandthread,justasitisthe“load”ofmovingourselvesthroughayogasequence.

Fascia:aSensoryOrgan?Farfrombeinganinertconnectingmaterialthathappenstocontainthevesselsofthenervoussystem,thefasciaisshowntobeasensoryarchitecturethatfeels itswayintoformingandourwayintotheforms.Thedistributionoffreenerveendingsthroughoutthetissuesshowsthatitisfarmorethanakindofcarpet,overandunderwhichlotsofwiresarelaiddown.Theactualcommunicatingmeansorthe“current”isalsointhetissueitself.Thishighlyresponsivematrixdoesnotjusthavenervesinit,inthattheyresideinits matrix (although it does, and they do); it is far more detailed than that. Rather, it is completely

innervated.11Byitstensional,ormorespecificallytensioned,natureitisalsoextremelysensitivetotheslightestmovement (or resonance, of vibration). The presence of different types ofmovement sensors(mechanoreceptors)inthelayersandjointsthroughoutthetissueshasrevealedavarietyofsensitivitiestoavarietyofsubtlemovementsorforcesonorthroughthestructure.Tensionalintegrityisanessentialcharacteristicofbiotensegrityarchitectureandelasticity(seeChs4

and8). It isdeformation that themechanoreceptors can detect: a change in tension or a shift betweenlayers.Essentially,thetissuedetectsthesesubtlechangesintheinternalandexternalbodilyenvironment.Notably,theessenceofsuchastructureisthattovaryingamplitudes,aforceisdistributedthroughoutthestructure, almost instantly. The corresponding movements required to balance (to naturally seekreformationandrestore“neutral”)andorganise inrelation to thosechanges include theresponse to theradial forces of gravity (and therefore ground reaction force). By its architecture it can respondbiomechanically inverysubtlewaysvia thewholesensory,communicatingmeshof thefascia.Bear inmindthatwhiletheunderstandingisemerging;theabilityisnaturalandancient.This calls forth new distinctions and provides an altogether different perspective on the nervous

system.RobertSchleippointsout:“Manypeople thinkof thenervous systemasanold-fashioned telephone switchboard systemof theindustrialageandthereforeincapableofrepresentingfinerandmorecomplexprocessessuchas‘lifeenergy’etc.Thereaderiscordiallyinvitedtoconsiderthistobeanout-datedmodel.”12

Definitions:

Proprioception.ThiscomesfromtheLatinproprius,meaning“one’sown”,andthewordperception,soittranslatestooursenseofself-perceptionandrelatesdirectlytoourpositionalsensingfacility–knowingwhereweareinspaceandhowwerelatetoobjects.Atasksuchaspickingupaglasstodrinkfrom,forexample,involvesmanyrefinedrecognitionprocessestoassessthecontent,weight,balanceandenergyrequiredtoensurewedonotendupwearingthecontents.Tosipadrink,asdistinctfromgulpingit, touseandadjusttherightamountofeffortasthecontentgoesdown,areallrefinementsofourproprioceptiveawareness,communicatedthroughourtissues.Childrendevelopthissensegradually,progressingfromgrabbingwildlyatacuptobeingabletopickitupbyitshandleandeventually handling an open glass without tipping it too much or dropping it. These are progressive sensory refinements ofproprioception.Weusethemconstantly,ifnotconsciously.

Interoceptionreferstotheinternalsensingthatcouldbelikenedtoa“gutreaction”.Itisnotnew,althoughnewlynamed.Itwasoriginallytermedcoenaesthesia:“theneurologicalmodelofamostlyunconscioussenseof thenormalfunctioningof thebodyanditsorgans”.9There ismuchnewresearcharound this facultyandproposedcorrelateswithconsciousness.10The interoceptive centresare distinct from proprioceptive centres in the brain. Interoception includes the sensation of pleasant touch but it refers to a lesstangible,butneverthelessaware,instinctiveknowing.

Nociception is the perception of various stimuli throughout the body, including the sensation associated with pain recognition.Interstitialfreenerveendingsareknowntobeabletochangefromnociceptivequalitiestoproprioception.

In1991,morethantwentyyearsago,DavidButlerwroteofthenervoussystem:

“Arguably,thereisnootherstructureinthebodywithsuchconnectedness.Stressesimposedupontheperipheralnervoussystemduringmovementaretransmittedtothecentralnervoussystem.Conversely,tensioncanbeconveyedfromthecentralnervoussystemtotheperipheralnervoussystem.Ifthenervoussystemweretobeconsideredasanorganratherthanthemulti-segmentedstructureit

iscommonlythoughttobe,itwouldleadtoafarbetterunderstandingofthesystemandofthepatho-mechanical and patho-physiological consequences of altering its mechanics. One of the greatestimplicationsof‘organthinking’isthat,ifthereissomechangeinpartofthesystem,thenitwillhaverepercussionsforthewholesystem.Thecontinuoustissuetractmakesthisinevitable.”13

Butlergoesontorefertothedistinctaspectsofthenervoussystemthatfocusonconductionofsignalsandalsodefinesthoseothersthatprimarilyprotectelasticityandmobilityofthesignallingbranches.Whatiscurrentlyhappeninginresearchisthediscoveryofthatinterconnectivitythroughoutallthephysiologicalsystems.Thereisacollectiverecognitionofthefascialmatrixastheconnectingorgancommontoallthesystemsofthebody,including,butnotlimitedto,thenervoussystem.Effectively,theyareredefiningeachother.Theconnectivity(andelasticity)Butlerreferstoispartofthecirculatoryandlocomotingandstructural

systems too. It is the body-wide architecture which effectively forms lattice-like tubing and webbingaroundmusclefibres,circulatoryvesselsandneuralvessels(neurovasculartracts),withcross-linksandstructuralwebsbetweenthem.Italsoforms“ropesandladders”(tendons)andsheetsorplanesoftissues(aponeuroses), aswell as the looser layers under the skin and between organs, for example.Togetherthese form amechanoreceptive substrate throughout the body, intimately embedded in the extracellularmatrix. This includes the tendons and ligaments (or “dynaments”, as van der Wal refers to them). Itincludes the wrappings of the muscles and their fibres and fibrils, as well as the tendinous sheets(aponeuroses)offascialfabricbetweenmusclesandsurroundingthem.ItincludesthejointsvanderWalcallsdisjoints.VanderWal terms theentirematrixa“proprioceptivesubstrate”andpointsout that themechanoreceptors reside between the layers where, as subtle movement sensors, they can detectdeformation,thatkeycomponentofelasticity(Ch.8).

Figure9.1

Thismeans the fascia detects or sensesmovement anywhere and everywhere because it is, in fact,sensory.This discoveryvalidatesButler’s presentation and expands it somewhat to include thewholearchitecture. Indeed, the patterns he describes as beneficial to the protection of the nervous system’sarchitecturewhenthebodyismobileareapparentlythoseofthefascialmatrixthroughoutthebody.14(SeeFig.9.1)“If one studiesa typicalmusclenerve (e.g. the tibial nerve), it consists of almost three timesmoresensoryfibersthanmotorfibers.Thispointstoafascinatingprinciplethatsensoryrefinementseemstobemuchmoreimportantthanthemotororganization.”15

SensingtheSensingWerarelystoptodescribehowthetendonsslideoneachother–unlesstheydonot.Ifyouinviteaparticipant todoDogPoseandtheyhaveaconditionsuchascarpaltunnelsyndrome,wherethemovementofthewristcanbeimpairedtovaryingdegrees,theymightdescribe in detail what hurts and why they cannot do it. It may not be apparent that the lack of neck pain, for example, is anexpressionof a healthybody experiencing its own fascial compliance and innate coordination. If that begins tohurt too, theymightbegintoexperienceaconnectionbetween thewristand theneckorupperspine. In termsof thefascialmatrix, theyare intimatelyrelated,not justbecausetheyappearonthesamemyofascialmeridian.16It isalsobecause the tissueconnecting themissensory in

natureandrespondingtoelasticity(orthelackofit)throughtheirwholetensionalnetwork.Itbeganasonepieceembryologicallyandonecouldsay,itcontinuesthatway.Wearestillonepiece,justbiggerandmorecomplex.

Wepractiseyoga,thinkabouttheposesandhowwechangefromonetoanother,whiletakingitentirelyforgranted that the lymph,blood,nervevesselsandglands,organs,soft tissuesandboneswillall justparticipateinouractivity,foldingwheretheyneedtofoldandrestoringthemselvesrapidlyaftertheevent(ofapose).Theyusuallydo!Wedonothavetocheckwecanbendourelbows.Webendourelbowsandfindoutwhetherornottheycan“do”thepose.Thetissueitselffeedsbackandsays“yes”or“no”totheattemptbycarryingouttheaction(ornot).Italsograduallyrespondsovertimetoourrepeatedeffortstotrainit.Theinvitationistodevelopourawarenessandabilitytodistinguishthesignalsaccuratelyenoughtopreventinjurytoourtissuesandtobenefitfromtheiraptitudeforadaptability.Thisisthepointofbeingtaught,coachedandguided.Asguides,weseektheoptimalwayofdoingthisandcommunicatingsuitablefeedbackforeachoftheindividualsweareinvitedtotrain.Thehardestpartofanyyogateachertrainingisgettingthepracticediarywritten.Oneofthedifficulties

is that the language of movement is written in movement, which occurs in the moment. In seeking todescribemovement,particularlyintermsofsensitivitytoit,weareoftenleftwiththelanguageofpainordifficulty.Whenourbodyisworkinginhealthyresponseandfeelswillingandabletodowhateverweask of it, be that Tree Pose, Headstand or a Vinyasa Flow sequence, then it is the lack of pain anddifficultythathallmarkstheeaseandgraceofthemovements.

TheCommonDenominatorResearch suggests that the fascia, including the extracellular matrix (they are not separate, althoughdistinct), becomes the common denominator of all the tissues’ connectedness and sensoryintercommunication. We are invited to consider it as an important context for mobility and internalmotilityofallvessels,organsandstructuresofthebody,oneveryscale.Bearinminditisallinafluidenvironment,includingtheneuralnetwork.RobertSchleipseekstodebunkthetraditionalnotionofthenervoussystemasabeinganythinglikean

electricitywiringdiagram:“Current concepts in neurobiology see the brain more as a primarily liquid system in which fluiddynamics of a multitude of liquid and even gaseous neurotransmitters have come to the forefront.Transmissionof impulses inournervoussystemoftenhappensviamessengersubstances that travelalongneuralpathwaysaswellasthroughtheblood,lymph,cerebrospinalfluidorgroundsubstance(Kandel, 1995). This global system for rapid body regulations is inseparably connected with theendocrinal and immune system. Rather than picturing the nervous system as a hard-wired electriccablesystem…pictureitinyourmind’seyeasawettropicaljungle(Schleip,2000).Thisjungleisaself-regulatory fieldwithanamazingamountof complexity, continual reorganisationandplasticity,eveninadults.”17

So far a lot of work can be found in terms ofmechanical function and anatomical structure, and even psychological implications.However,thosearenotnecessarilythemosthelpfulinaclass.Weneedalanguageofcontextforthefeltsensethatswiftlytranslatesatthespeedofclassroomactivity.Ithastocomefromthesameplaceas,forexample,learningtorideabikeorswim:discoveredbytheparticipantas theirownsensoryexperience.Wemightdescribe the learningprocessof theseeventsasmore“transformational”than“informational”.Theyrelyuponthepersondoingthemtodiscoverhowtheycanwork.Itisalanguageofparticipation,spokeninstructureandaccumulatedinsubtlestrokes.

This local regulation is an intimate expression and finely detailed feedback system of both themechanoreceptorsandthearchitectureinwhichtheyreside.Itrevealsacontinuityofthenervoussystem,anexpansionthat includesandtranscendswhat itwasclassicallyconsideredtobe.Imaginethecentralnervoussystemasrepresentedbytheprimarycoloursred,blueandyellow.Thesecolourscanappearinmany shades and variations to symbolise all that we are familiar with in descriptions of the neuralnetworkanditsrangeofsub-branches;thesecondarycoloursperhaps.However,thefasciaexpandsthiswholerealmofcolour to includeall the tonalvariations,subtlemixturesofpastelshades,warm,cool,hot,cold,bright,andtherichvarietyofthemillionsofshadevariationswecanmakeonacolourwheel.Theyarenotseparate,rathertheycanbeseenasamuchmorerefinedpotential,forfinerdifferentiation:amore subtle palette. Fascia expands and deepens our understanding of the nervous system, rather thanreplacingit.

AModelofMovementIfweregardthenervoussystemasanelectricalcircuit,wetreatsignalstoandfromthelimbs,forexample,asmessagesthattraveltothebrain(centralfusebox)andback,inordertobeconducted.Whatismeantbya“mechanicalresponse”inthiscontextisthattheshape resists naturally, it responds automatically, in a manner of speaking. The tissue itself is responsive, via the variousmechanoreceptorsfoundinit.Theyformpartofthepathwaythatcanconvertastimulustoanerveimpulseorachemicalresponse,making the range, complexity and subtletyof our sensorynaturemuchgreater thanhistoricallypresented. It is a kindof instinctiveintelligence.Theimplicationmightbethatoursensoryvocationisperhapsmorearticulatethanwerealise–ithasabroadervocabularyandqualitativenaturethanisoftenaccountedforinscientificreasoning.

Howthisbody-widesensorysystemworkscouldbelikenedtoakindofhierarchyinawalledcity,whereeverydaydetailsof thehousekeepingdonotbother the“headoffice”of thecentralnervoussystem: thebrain.Inthismetaphortherearegatekeepers,regulatingatvariouslevelsofmanagement,throughoutthewhole connected sensory architecture. Not every subtlemovewemake is amajor “call” to themaincables, firing a neuron that goes direct to the brain. Even at the level of individual cells, there is abiomechanicalresponseorself-regulatoryfacility,asIngberhasshownthroughhisextensivestudies intensegrityarchitectureasaprincipleoflivingmicro-organisms.18

“Ingber (1993) and his co-workers elegantly provided evidence that the entire cell behaves as onetensegritysystem.Theydevised ingeniousways toapplyprecise, localmechanical forces to thecellmembranes.Forexample,specificreceptor-proteins in themembraneare individually taggedwithamicroscopicferromagnet,which,whentwistedinamagneticfield,causedtheentirecelltostiffenuptoresistthetwisting.Theseandotherexperimentshaveshownthatmechanicalsignalsareinvolvedinregulatingmanycellularfunctions”19This isexcitingknowledge, ifweare tostepout intowhatButlercalls“organ thinking”andbeyond

systemsthinking.Inyoga,weworkin“organism”thinkingaswemovethewholebodyandexplore itssensory awareness and howwe respond to our sense of attention. It encourages us to see the sentientbody–mind–beingasawholeandlookforwhereitisintegratedratherthanwhereitissegregated.Itisaviewtocelebratefromourpositionasyogateachers.Itseemsmuchmorecomplexbut,paradoxically,itisactuallysimpler–allofyouissensory.

ANewWayofSeeinganOldWayofBeing

Ihavebeenchallengedwith the statement “justbecause therearenerves in the fascia,doesn’tmake itsensory”.PeterHuijing’sanswertothatquestionprovidedasegueintothescaleofmisunderstandingweoperateunder,whileweseektounderstandfasciafromtheoutmodedcontextofanatomysuchasithasbeen classically taught. New understanding requires new language and Huijing invited me in to thatdomainwithanotherquestion: “Haveyoueverheard the soundofaneuron firing?” Ihavenot (or if Ihave,IdonotknowthatIhave).PeterHuijingtookthetroubletoexplaintomethatthedegreeandqualityofsensitivityinthehumanbodyissuchthatifeverysignalittranslateshadtogoviathebrainthenoisewouldbeunbearable:“Manythingscanwork,functionandoperateinself-regulationinthecontextofasensorymatrix.Thesoundofaneuronfiringisveryloud.Actually,youcouldn’tstandthenoiseifeverylittlethingyoudidtofunctioneverydaywasn’tselfregulatingtoanappropriateextent.”20Insearchofaclearexampleofhowthisworks,IhavefoundtheimageinFigure9.2,whichprovidesoneaspectofthisstorybutliftsitintoapplication.Itshowsmanyspiderwebsaroundahedgeandperfectlyillustrates,inthreedimensions,oneaspectofthemanywaysinwhichthefascialmatrixgivesusaccesstoour“extremesensitivity”.Youcanreadilyseethat ifyouweretoreachunder thishedgeandshakethestemof one of the branches, itwould shake the other branches, and the connecting tissues of thewebwouldbedisturbed,becausetheyareheldundertension.Inotherwords,withouttouchingthewebitself,youcanaffecthowitisstructuredbecauseitconnectsalltheleavesandbranches.Nopartmoveswithoutaffecting (or communicating the vibration to) the other parts to some degree; the amplitude changes.Imaginethisnetworkwascontainedinaverydenseskinandthatthewebbingitselfwassensitivetoshiftsinresonanceandmovements,abletocommunicateitasasignal,joiningtoandthroughtheskinandlayersbeneathit.Thusanychangewithinoraroundthecontainedareawouldbedetectedandtherelatedforcestransmittedthroughit.Furthermore,sensitivitywouldnotberestrictedtothemovementorvibrationofthefibres;thewaterdroplets(visibleinclose-up)andthegasesandothersolidscontainedwouldalsoaffecteach other and the surrounding webbing, by moving them and being moved by them. They wouldexperiencethevibrationalforces,togreaterorlesserdegrees,throughouttheirindividualandcollectivearchitectures.Thedetailisunimaginable.Theessenceisthatit issensoryand,essentially,self-sensing,via the tensions, oscillations and micro-movements of the inner-to-outer force transmission andtranslation.Humansdothatconstantlyandprecognitively.Wedoitwithoutnecessarilythinkingaboutit.Weenclosethisfacilityentirelyandinstinctively.Animalsdotoo.Wejustwanttobeabletoexplainit!

Figure9.2

Theimpactofthisrevelatoryinformationisnotonlyinthescienceitself.Italsoresidesinthescientificconfirmationof thesentientnatureof thehumanarchitecture.This isan importantstatement.Whenyoumakeitcleartopeoplethattheyarefeelinginthislevelofdetail,theyoftenlightupwiththevalidationoftheirpersonalexperience.Itcanconfirmthatfeelingssometimestreatedasmetaphysicalmightbeamorephysicalsensation.Whatwedoontheyogamatisinviteexactlythisinnersensing,inahealthyway.Itisasubtleresponse

totheouterforcesandanequallysubtle influenceover them.Thedevelopmentof thissenseofsensingand sensitivity, and the ability to purposefully manage, move and expand it, is the basis of healthypractice.Wewilllookintooptimalwaystoprepareaclasswiththisgoalinmind.First,letusfleshoutsomeof the sciencebehind the sensorynature of the fascialmatrix and then explore howwe can findappropriateandusefullanguageforthisinclass.

ManualandMovementTherapyThewholeareacalls fornewdistinctionsofpain,as itcan includeavarietyofsensations.Certainly, thesensationofstretchingand“releasing” stuck tissues, or that associatedwithmyofascial release, is very different to stubbing your toe, for example. One (thestubbedtoe)seemstohaveapromiseofrandomincreaseandrisingamplitudeofdiscomfort,whiletheotherstopsassoonasyoudo(orthepractitionerdoes).

RobertSchleiphasdevotedhisresearchtoexploringtheneuraldynamicsoffascialplasticityandmakingthe practical implications known to manual practitioners and movement instructors in every field ofendeavour.21Medicalpractice isgraduallychanging toobecause thisonepieceof information, that thefasciaistherichestsensoryorganofthebody,transformsthewayweperceiveourclients,studentsandpatients.Ithasimplicationsineveryfieldofmedicine,frompainmanagementandsurgicalinterventiontorecuperationandrecovery:bothphysiologicalandpsychologicaltherapeutics.Itgoesbeyondpathologytoperformancerelativetoanyindividual.Pathology is outside the scope of this book; however, it is noteworthy that research includes the

discovery that proprioceptive input strongly inhibits spinal cord processingofmyofascial nociception.(Nociceptorsrespondtoavarietyofstimuli indifferentpartsof thebody.Theyalsocarrypainsignalsfrom the peripheral to the central nervous system.)22 This is a complex area of study and any briefsummary greatly oversimplifies it. However, what it means fundamentally is that if someone canconsciously develop their body awareness, interoception and proprioception, they are less likely toexperiencemyofascialpain.Inpractice,thispointstothevalueofyogaasapursuitthatdeliberatelyseeksto bring us into more conscious awareness of our body, both internally and externally, improvingproprioceptionandinteroception.Bysodoing,thereisanactivepossibilityofreducingmyofascialpain,or even preventing it. The system can work in a cumulative way, building both gradually over time.Structuralintegrityappearsasanassetforbody,mindandbeing.Weoftentendtokeepstill inordertoavoidchronicpain.Researchintolowbackpainsuggests that

such immobility results inmatted tissues (seeFig.7.9) and patients show decreased proprioception.23Thus, the implication is that improved proprioception, and the fostering of appropriatemovement andawarenessofit,decreasestheexperienceofpain.Thisdoesnotnecessarilymeangrossmovementsthatinvolve huge effort and range. It includes tiny micro-movements that encourage and foster subtleproprioceptiveawarenessinthetissues.Ofcourse,therearedifferentcircumstancesmitigatingeachcaseandalotofnewresearchisemergingallthetime.However,theresearchdonesofarhasalreadychanged

the general view and it certainly endorses the reasons to do yoga in an intelligent way and apply itappropriately,dependingon theage, stageandconditionofagivenparticipant. Italsopoints towhyarestorativepracticecanhaveasmanyadvantagesasapower-basedone;andviceversa.Itdependsupontheindividual.

MorethanMechanicsSchleip,asapractitioner,movementteacherandresearcher,hascoveredmanyaspectsofthefasciaasasensoryorganinaseriesofarticlesfortheJournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies.24Inthesehedemonstrates that the tissue has many and various properties beyond the purely mechanical; neuraldynamicsforexample.Therearethreeaspectsparticularlyrelevanttoyogapractice.Theyare:• Adjustment:howdoweenterthekinaestheticconversationwithourclients?(seePart2,Ch.14)• Howdowefostersensoryawareness?• Thedirectrelationshiptoautonomicsystemregulation.

Oneparticipantinmyweeklyclass,whobeganyogaat75yearsofageandis84atthetimeofwriting,commentedonedaythathefrequentlystandsinTreePose(Vriksasana)whilecleaninghisteeth,justtotesthisbalance.Inthemorninghedoesitonhisleftleg,atnighttherightleg.Helovesitbecausehehasthesinkforsupportifneeded.Perhapsunsurprisingly,hewalkseasilyforsomedistancedailyandclaimstobegrowingyoungerbytheday.Uponfallingonamuddyslopehelaugheditoffandshowednomoreilleffectsthanwouldbeexpectedofayoungman.Perhapsoursensorycalibrationiscumulativetoanextent?(Casepresentedwithpermissionoftheparticipant.)

Yoga knows how to deepen our self-sensing of conscious and autonomic functions. It is, arguably, animportantpartofitspurpose.However,itisfascinatingtoseehowscienceisrevealingthesubtletiesofexactlywhatworks, andwhy.There is a great deal of compelling evidence to show that themoreweexploreourproprioceptiveandinteroceptivequalitiesofsubtlemovement,themorevaluethisawarenesscanaccumulateforourwholebodyandbeing.

“MechanoreceptorshavebeenfoundabundantlyinvisceralligamentsaswellasintheDuramaterofthe spinalcordandcranium. It seemsquiteplausible thatmostof theeffectsof visceralorcranio-sacralosteopathycouldbesufficientlyexplainedbyastimulationofmechanoreceptorswithresultingprofound autonomic changes, and might therefore not need to rely on more esoteric assumptions(Arbuckle1994).”25

It is reasonable to suppose that the subtle movements and quiet aspects of certain yoga practicesreplicatetheeffectofsomegentletreatmentmodalitiesinmanualtherapy.Self-sensingthecranialrhythmthroughsubtlebreathingtechniquesandmeditationhasalsobeenshowntohaveabeneficialeffectontheautonomicnervoussystem.26Realisingtheconnectingtissuesofourformaresensorybringstogetherthereasons why understanding fascia can have such far-reaching and valuable effects. In some ways itvalidatestheexperienceofacongruentyogapractice.

TheMechanoreceptors

Golgi

Golgi receptors are found atmyotendinous junctions,where tendinous sheets (aponeuroses) attach, ligaments and joint capsules, or“dynaments”.Theirstyleofresponserelatestomuscularcontractionandstrongerpressureoftouch.

It was originally thought that Golgi receptors (Fig. 9.3) respond to slow stretch, such as would beachievedthroughHathaYogapostures.However,ithasbeenshownthatthishappensonlywhenmusclesarebeingcontractedatthesametimeastheyarebeingstretched(seeFig.8.6),becauseof theway theGolgi receptors are organised with the myofascial fibres. They assist in decreasing tonus in skeletalmyofasciae,modifyingthearchitecture.Thispromotesanapproachwithanunderstandingoftensioningorprimingthebodytoallowforlengthtobeaccommodated,ratherthanpullingontissuesforlengthatallcosts.Stretchingwithyawningorsqueezing(i.e.alengtheningcontraction)hasadifferenteffectonthebody

and stimulates the Golgi tendon organs to provide feedback for dynamic changes. Actively loadedstretches,suchasthoseinHathaYogathatincludestrongerholdingpatternsorrhythmicalsequences,canalsobebeneficialandwewillexploretheseinPart2.Wefindourbalanceworkhasacloserelationshiptodevelopingsuitablereflexes:

“StudiesofthefineantigravityregulationinbipedalstancehavealsorevealedanewfunctionalroleforGolgireceptors.Inordertohandletheextremeantigravitybalancingchallengesasabiped,ourcentral nervous system can reset the Golgi tendon receptors and related reflex arcs so that theyfunctionasverydelicateantigravityreceptors.”27

Levin28goesfurthertosuggestwehavetheabilitytobeunipedaland,sinceweexplorebalanceononelegagreatdealinyoga,itisarguablyavaluableresourceinpursuitofsensoryrefinement.Inthe“useitorloseit”paradigmthatthefasciainvitesustoexplore,thepracticeoftheseposturesplausiblydevelopsever finer distinctions for the Golgi tendon receptors to play a part in and expand their powerfulcontributiontosensoryrefinement.

PaciniThePaciniancorpusclesarefoundinmyotendinous junctions,deepto thespinal ligamentsandavarietyofmyofascial tissues.Theirstyleofresponseistovibratoryorexcitatorystimulus;increasinglocalproprioceptiveattention.

Pacinianmechanoreceptors(Fig.9.4)arethoughttoberesponsivetodeeppressureandexcitatory,fastorvibratorytechniques,increasinglocalproprioceptiveattention.Thesecategoriesapplytomanualtherapy.However,inmovementtheyareusedasdeepproprioceptivefeedbackforkinaestheticcontrol.Thismayimproveourmoresubtleadjustmentstoremainingcontainedduringfastsequences.Whileitisveryusefultousethismetaphor,wehavetobearinmindthatthesereceptorsworkinconcert.Thedangerofapplyingreductionistthinkingisimaginingtheyseparatetheirrolesorworkinlinearorisolatedways.Wearenon-linearbiologicsystemsthathaveaccesstoallkindsofsubtlepossibilitiesthatthesedistinctionsinviteustoexpandintoandincludeatanygiventime.

RuffiniRuffinicorpusclesarefoundintheperipheraljointligaments,theduramater,andintissuesthatareassociatedwithstretching.Theirstyle of response is particularly to lateral stretch (in manual therapy) and they can also increase local proprioceptive attention.

Stimulatingtheminhibitssympathetictonus.

Ruffinimechanoreceptors(Fig.9.5)areespeciallyresponsivetotangentialforcesandlateralstretch,andslower, more sustained pressure. They are associated with longer-term changes. Unlike Pacinianreceptors, theytendtoignoreexcitablemovesandenjoylong,slow,deepchangestothetissues,whichwouldboretheirPacinianbrothers!Theyareinvolvedintheinhibitionofsympatheticactivity(fightorflight)andsonaturallypromoteacalmingeffectonthewholesystem.Theireffectmaynotbelimitedtotheirlocality.InthepreparatorypracticeofPawanMuktasana(seePart2),itmaybethesereceptorsthatmostenjoythesenseofgentlebalancetotheoverallsystemandcalmnessoffocus.

InterstitialReceptorsThe“interstitialsisters”inSchleip’smetaphor–thatis,theinterstitialfreenerveendings–areshowninFigure9.6.Freenerveendingsarebyfarthemostabundantofallthereceptors(seeFig.9.2).Theyarefoundalmosteverywhereinthetissuesofthebodyandhavetheirhighestdensityinthefasciacoveringthebones(periosteum).Theyarepressure-responsive,halfrespondingtohigh-pressureandhalftolow-pressurechanges.

Figure9.3

Figure9.4

Figure9.5

Figure9.6These“sisters”,theinterstitialreceptors,aresometimescalledthe“witchesandangels”ofthesystembecausetheycanmovearoundand

changetheirnature.Halfofthemrespondtohighpressureandhalftolowpressurestimulus.Theyalsoawakenlocalproprioceptiveattention.Theirrelationshiptotheautonomicnervoussystemisgaininggreatattention;theyincreasevasodilationandrateofrespiration.Their

relationshiptonociception(thesensationofpain)iswheretheygettheirnicknames.(Notetheinverserelationshipbetweenproprioceptionandnociception).

“Itseemsthatamajorfunctionofthisintricatenetworkofinterstitialtissuereceptorsistofinetunethenervoussystem’sregulationofbloodflowaccordingtolocaldemandsandthatthisisdoneviaverycloseconnectionswiththeautonomicnervoussystem.”29

Schleippointsoutthat

“whendiscussinganychangesinmotororganisation,itisimportanttorealisethatthecentralnervoussystemdoesnotoperate‘inmuscles’,i.e.amuscleisneveractivatedasawhole.”30

Helikensthetissuestoschoolsoffish,changingdirectionenmasse;whenoneortwogotheotherway,othersmightfollowifamorecoordinatingoroptimalflowisinvited.Itisamovementresponsealittlelikestarlingsinairflow,circlingandmakingpatternsacrosstheskies(exactlywhatweobservedinthe“embryonic soup”ofCh.5).The collectivemovements of starlings invite a change to the airflow thataffects the air currents themselves, thus inviting different collective responses. The one and all worktogetheratthesametime,momentbymoment.Theysenseandcausechangesimultaneously.AccordingtoProfessorDarrellEvans,31thisisalsoafittingdescriptionofhowtheembryoniccellsflowandformin

whatwemightcall“crowdcontrolpatterns”,wherethefluidflowsinducedbythekineticchangeschangethekineticpatternsandtheinfluencesofthemovementsinconcert.Bodiesarenotlinearsystemsanddonotrespondinalinearmanner.Ayogapracticeinvitesustotake

thetissuesintodifferentdirectionsand,overtime,theyrespondbygraduallyaccumulatingsomechangesandreleasingothers.Thisbuilds the loadingresponses in thefabricof thebodyandsoweareable torespondtothecumulativeeffectoftrainingorteachingthebody(Ch.8).

“An attitudinal shift is suggested, from amechanical body concept towards a cyberneticmodel, inwhichthepractitioner’sinterventionsareseenasstimulationforself-regulatoryprocesseswithintheclient’sorganism.”32

Oneofthepointsofphysicalyogapracticeistobecomemorereadilyandrelativelysteadyandbalancedin a variety of directions. Another is to develop the ability to be still, as a matter of choice andcounterbalance. This research suggests that such a practice is very valuable for its support of neuralregulation and function. It validates many of the suggestions of established yogic practices that theyenhancebalance and calm thebody, byworkingon thenervous system.This suggests there is perhapsmorethanpoeticvalueintheideathatchangingthebodytooptimalfunctionhasareciprocaleffectonthemindtherein,andthebeing:“asanasaredesigned tohavespecificeffectson theglandsand internalorgans, and to alter electrochemical activity in the nervous system” (from the teaching of SwamiSathanandaSaraswati).33

SixthorFirstSense?Thissenseofproprioceptionisbeingreferredtoasour“sixthsense”.Coulditbethatthesenseprovidedbythistissueoforganisationisnotsomuchoursixthsensebutratherourprimaryorformativesense(ifindeedthereisahierarchy)?Couldthefasciaprovidethecontextinwhichthegenerallyacceptedfivesensesoccur?Someepigeneticistssuggestthattheembryoformsandsenseschemically,mechanicallyandbiomotionallyasitgrows.34Itcertainlyseemsfeasiblethatwecontinuetodothataswegrowup.

Researchimpliesthatweactuallyhaveatleastsixsenses,includingtheproprioceptivesenseassociatedwiththefascia.Ifwegobacktoembryogenesis,inthelightofourformingblueprintthismightnotbesosurprising.Giventhatthemesenchymeandso-calledmesodermallayerariseoriginallyfromneuralcrestcells, one might be forgiven for asking the most naïve of questions, which is “Why wouldn’t ourconnectivetissuesallbesensory?”Untilrelativelyrecently,however,therehasbeennocontextforthatquestiontobeexamined,letaloneanswered,onquitesuchaglobalscale.The fascialmatrix transformsproprioceptionand itsdistinctaspects intoTHEcommonsenseofour

organisingmatrix. It changeshowwe seenot only the “musculoskeletal” functionbut also thenervoussystemandthecategorisationsassignedtophysiologicalsystemsingeneral.Not only does the fascia act as a body-wide sensory organ, but itwould also appear that there are

differentqualitiesofsensoryorchestration fromdifferentorgans.While researchsuggests thatwehavespecific interoceptiveawareness, likea“gutbrain”,otherareasof sciencesuggestwehavea specificabilityorsensoryawarenessinthe“heartbrain”.35

Heart-feltBecomingIntheembryo,theheartbeginsitsdevelopmentjustbeyondthecrown,wheretheupperandlowerlayers

oftheembryonicgermdiscareformed(seeCh.5).Thusthehearttakesneurologicaltissueswithitasitdevelops,forming,foldingandfeedingthemasititselfisformedandsurroundedbythem.Itgrowsatthesame timeas itprovides foodfor thebrainandspinalcord togrow,deepening itsownfacultyas it iscalledon toprovide thenourishment for therestof thebodyandorgans todeepen theirs.Thesensory,fluid,formingmatrixisoneattheoutset.Needlesstosay,thearchitectureoftheheartisentirelyformedinfascia.36

“Theheart isnota soloplayer in thequantum jazzof life. Instead it is in symphonywithallotherplayers, intermeshingand syncopatingwith their varied rhythms… it is the complex rhythmof theorganismdancinglifeintobeing,inwhicheverysingleplayerisfreelyimprovisingandyetkeepingintuneandinstepwiththewhole.”37

The last 20 years have also seen considerable advances made in heart research. The Institute of HeartMath® (in Bolder Creek,California), for example, has shown that key information about how the heart functions lies in understanding the variability of thespaces in its rhythms.Heart rate variability is an important non-invasive tool for the assessment ofwell-being as it correlateswithhealthandasenseofhappinessonanumberofmeasurablelevels.38“The heart has an extensive communicative network with the brain. Input from the heart not only affects the homeostaticregulatory centres in the brain but also influences higher brain centres involved in perceptual, cognitive and emotionalprocessing.”39

Althoughwegenerallydonotconsiderthehearttobeacomponentofthenervoussystembutrathertobepartofthecardiovascularsystem,agrowingunderstandingoffascialarchitecturemaybechangingthisview:

“HeartMathresearchersproposethattheheart’selectromagneticwavesmayinteractwiththefieldsoforgansandotherstructurestocreatehologram-likeinterferencepatternsthat‘informtheactivityofallbodilyfunctions’.Theotherhalfoftheprocessisthattheheartisalsoinformedbytheactivityofallbodilyfunctions,whichisreflectedinitsrhythmicvariationfrommomenttomoment.”40

Wearebuildingapicturehereofwhysegregatingyogaintotheclassicalconstructofreductionistthinkingdoesnotwork.Yogaonlyeverespoused theheart-feltwholenessofbody,mindandbeing.Thismakessenseofapracticethatcentresonself-awarenesstohonourthesource(you)inordertoserveandbecomearesourcetoothers.Scienceisendorsingyoga.Thereisnoneedtobreakitdownintocomponentpartsthatsuggestafarlesssophisticatedorganismthantheonewemovearoundinandsenseourselvestobe.

PresenceandPre-senseThe joy of a yoga practice is that state of presence to itself. It contains all our knowing and remainsuntroubledby themeaningsweattach toourknowledge. It is simply the experienceof the experience.Thiskindofconsciousnesscanbedeveloped,practisedandaccumulated. Itallowsus,undistracted, togiveattentiontoourbodiesandour tissuesas theychange, in themomentof themovement. Itdoesnothave tobeaself-absorbedwayofbeing.On thecontrary, it isnurturing thecentre fromwhichwecanteachinaquietkindoflistening,withoutthecommentaryofabusymind.Meditationispractisedtoultimatelyreleasethesenseof“suffering”inthebodyandseekstotranscend

it.Therearemanyhighlyadvancedyogapracticesthattakethisabilitytothepointofsubduingtheentirephysicalbodytoastateakintohibernationandevencontrollingpranicenergy(lifeforce)toitsminimum

expressionof stillness,while still alive.Ultimately aSwamiYogi can attain “mahasamadhi”which isdescribedas“ayogicaccomplishmentofdiscardingthebodyatwilltobecomeonewiththeuniversalconsciousness”.41Most of us find this extraordinary.Yet the discoveries about how subtle and intricate our structural

matrix really ismove us closer to the idea that we are all bornwithmore exceptional faculties thanperhapstraditionaleducationhasledustobelieve.Imaginediscoveringthattheveryarchitectureofyourhousewasasensory,communicatingorganandalwayshadbeen!Theclassicalmodeloftheskeletonisoneofaframethatismovedbymuscles,andinwhichmuscles

areorganisedviaakindofelectricalwiringsystemtothebrainandback.Thisideahas,however,lostitshold,takingwithitthenotionthatamusclepullswithequalforceontheoriginandinsertionpointofitsattachmenttotheskeleton.Thefinerinstrumentationnowavailableshowsthisisnotthecase.This is why understanding biotensegrity is so crucial to recognising the fascia in our form and

functionalmovement.Asasystemundertension,itissensitivetotensionalchangesthroughoutthematrix,including very finely tuned vibrations at subtle amplitudes. If you hold an elastic band at the half-tensioned point, it is extremely difficult to keep it there.This is the kind of poisewe live at, even inrelaxation.Thisisoneofthewaysthatoursensoryawarenesscandistinguishwithsuchrefinementandsensitivity.Thebiology,chemistry,physicsandgeometryofthisarrangementallfacilitatesophisticatedmeansto

regulateandmanageourresponsiveenergyconservationthroughoutoursentientlives.Intheresearchandpresentationsarisingfrominvestigationthereisarecurringthemewhichincludesthe“spacesinbetween”partsandprocesses,theconnectionsandtransitions.Themechanoreceptorshavebeen found toproliferateat jointsand interfaceswhere the layersmove

over each other.42 The reason they are called “mechanoreceptors” is because they sense mechanicalchanges.Thismeanseffectivelythattheycanrespond“instinctively”,addingtothefacultiesofthefascia.They contribute to its role as a sensory organ that is supremely sensitive to changes in movementperception and able to adjust to them in self-regulation. The tissue will respond sensitively andinstinctivelytomeetdemandandthisiswhyitissoimportanttoensurethatweprovidesuitableloadingpatternssincetheycanbecomehabitualorrepetitivestrainpatternsifthesameplanesofmovementarerepeatedtoofrequentlyorundertakenfortoolongatatime.Usedwisely,however,theycanexpandourrange and become more refined and resilient as we mature. We are designed for variability andadaptabilityandwecantrainthebodytooptimisethoseassetsasweage.Yogapracticelivesrighthere,encompassingmanyaspectsofexploringourform,viaourfeltsenseand

our sense of self, so that we can welcome this expansion of the basis of our personal anatomy andphysiology. Yoga is certainly not comfortable if it is restricted to the biomechanical analysis of theposturesonaone-size-fits-allbasis.Ifanything,thiscontainmentandtimespentinmovingonourmat isdesignedtobringusintothepresentsenseofourpresence,oreven“pre-sense”,tobecomemoreawareandmoreattentivetotheexperienceofbeing-in-a-body,forthesakeofit.Itcanalsoenhanceourabilitytoanticipate.Wedonotnecessarilydivideourpracticeintoaninnerworldandanouterworldbutwedoaccumulate

verysubtlelevelsofdistinctionsforourselves.Ratherweseektobeaconsciousinterface,orakindofconduit,thatcanmakesenseofthedifferencebetween,say,afeelingofpoiseandasenseofbeingstill:beingreadytodanceandenjoyingbeingpresenttobeing.Webecomethebalancebetweeninnerandouterforces,developingsensoryrefinementasthemembranebetweenthem,momentbymoment.

Notes1. Mae-WanHo,TheRainbowandtheWorm:ThePhysicsofOrganisms,3rdedition,WorldScientificPublishing,Singapore,2008.2. Theautonomicnervoussystemisthesectionofthenervoussystemthatcontrolstheinvoluntaryactionsofthesmoothmuscles,heart,and

glands.3. RobertSchleipandHeikeJäger,Ch.2.3,“Interoception:ANewCorrelateforIntricateConnectionsBetweenFascialReceptors,Emotion

andSelfRecognition”,inRobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody.ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.UlrichHoheisel,ToruTaguchiandSiegfriedMense,“Nociception:TheThoracolumbarFasciaasaSensoryOrgan”,Ch.2.4.

4. See www.fasciaresearch.de (Ulm University) for detailed information and various articles for both scientists and clinicians; RobertSchleip, ThomasW. Findley, Leon Chaitow and Peter A. Huijing, Fascia: The Tensional Network of the Human Body, ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012;RobertSchleipandAmandaBaker,FasciainSportandMovement,HandspringPublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.

5. Seewww.fasciaresearch.de (UlmUniversity) for furtherdetails.P.Barlas,D.M.Walsh,G.D.Baxterand J.M.Allen, “DelayedOnsetMuscleSoreness:EffectofanIschaemicBlockuponMechanicalAllodyniainHumans”,Pain87(2):221–225;2000.R.Schleip,A.ZornandW. Klingler, “Biomechanical Properties of Fascial Tissues and Their Role as Pain Generators”, Journal ofMusculoskeletal Pain18(4):393–395;2010.RobertSchleip,AdjoZorn,FasciaResearchProject,InstituteofAppliedPhysiology,UlmUniversity,Ulm,Germany.WernerKlingler,DepartmentofAnesthesiology,UlmUniversity,Germany.

6. See www.fasciaresearch.de (Ulm University) for detailed information and various articles for both scientists and clinicians; RobertSchleip, ThomasW. Findley, Leon Chaitow and Peter A. Huijing, Fascia: The Tensional Network of the Human Body, ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012;RobertScleipandAmandaBaker,Fascia inSportandMovement,HandspringPublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.

7. Seehttp://www.bostondynamics.com/robot_bigdog.html.8. RobertSchleip,“FascialPlasticity:ANewNeurobiologicalExplanation”,parts1and2, JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies

7(1):11–19;7(2):104–116;2003.9. RobertSchleipandHeikeJäger,Ch.2.3,“Interoception:ANewCorrelateforIntricateConnectionsBetweenFascialReceptors,Emotion

andSelfRecognition”,inRobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody.ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.

10. A.D.Craig,“HowdoyouFeel–Now?TheAnteriorInsulaandHumanAwareness”,NatureReviewsNeuroscience10:59–70;2009.11. Examiningthetissuecellmake-upiscalledhistologicalstudy,whichisthebasisuponwhichtheextensiveresearchhasbeenconducted.12. RobertSchleip,“FascialPlasticity:ANewNeurobiologicalExplanation”,parts1and2, JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies

7(1):11–19;7(2):104–116;2003.13. DavidS.Butler,MobilisationoftheNervousSystem,ChurchillLivingston,Edinburgh,1991.14. SeeDrGuimberteau’swork.Jean-ClaudeGuimberteau,MD(www.guimberteau-jc-md.com/en/).BothEnglishandFrenchversionsare

availableatthisaddress.HisDVD:InteriorArchitectures, isavailableonthesamesite.SeealsoTheArchitectureofLivingFascia:TheExtracellularMatrixandCellsRevealedThroughEndoscopy,HandspringPublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.

15. RobertSchleip,“FascialPlasticity:ANewNeurobiologicalExplanation”,parts1and2, JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies7(1):11–19;7(2):104–116;2003.

16. SeetheArmLinesinThomasW.Myers,AnatomyTrains:MyofascialMeridiansforManualandMovementTherapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,Edinburgh,2009.

17. SchleipAsnote8.18. Donald Ingber, “TheArchitecture ofLife”, ScientificAmerican, FeatureArticle, January 1998. Ingber’s research has since advanced

considerably;seehiswebsiteathttp://web1.tch.harvard.edu/research/ingber/Tensegrity.html.AnarticleonIngberintheEncyclopediaofTensegrity is hosted on the wiki: http://tensegrity.wikispaces.com/Ingber,+Donald+A. Available in full onhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/35190367/Architecture-of-Life-Scientific-American-by-Ingber.

19. Mae-WanHo,TheRainbowandtheWorm:ThePhysicsofOrganisms,3rdedition,WorldScientificPublishing,Singapore,2008.20. PersonalconversationattheBelgianFasciaResearchConferencein2012,Brussels.21. RobertSchleip,Seewww.fasciaresearch.de,www.somatics.defordetailedarticlesandRobertSchleip,FasciainSportandMovement.

HandspringPublishing,Ltd.,Pencaitland,2014.22. Schleip,Asnote8.23. H.M.Langevin,“ConnectiveTissue:ABody-WideSignallingNetwork?”,MedicalHypotheses66(6):1074–1077;2006.24. Robert Schleip (2003). “Fascial plasticity: a newneurobiological explanation.” Part 1 and part 2. Journal ofBodywork andMovement

Therapies7(1):11–19;7(2):104–116.25. Ibid.26. AlexanderFilmer-Lorch,InsideMeditation:InSearchoftheUnchangingNatureWithin.Matador,KibworthBeauchamp,2012.27. RobertSchleip,“FascialPlasticity:ANewNeurobiologicalExplanation”,parts1and2, JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies

7(1):11–19;7(2):104–116;2003.28. Stephen Levin, “The Tensegrity-Truss as a Model for Spine Mechanics: Biotensegrity”. This paper was first presented at the 12th

InternationalConferenceonMechanicsinMedicineandBiology,Lemnos,Greece,September2002.

29. RobertSchleip,“FascialPlasticity:ANewNeurobiologicalExplanation”,parts1and2, JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies7(1):11–19;7(2):104–116;2003.

30. Ibid.31. SeeCh.5.32. RobertSchleip,“FascialPlasticity:ANewNeurobiologicalExplanation”,parts1and2, JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies

7(1):11–19;7(2):104–116;2003.33. QuotefromteachingsofSwamiSathanandaSaraswati:AsanaPranayamaMudraBandha:YogaPublicationsTrust,Munger,Bihar,India.34. DonnaJeanneHaraway,Crystals,Fabrics,andFields:Metaphors thatShapeEmbryos,NorthAtlanticBooks,Berkeley,CA,1976,

2004.ForewordByScottF.Gilbert,anotherepigeneticist.35. Mae-WanHo,TheRainbowandtheWorm:ThePhysicsofOrganisms,3rdedition,WorldScientificPublishing,Singapore,2008.36. Doris Taylor, PhD, Director, Regenerative Medicine Research at Texas Heart Institute,

http://texasheart.org/Research/RegenerativeMedicine/.37. Mae-WanHo,TheRainbowandtheWorm:ThePhysicsofOrganisms,3rdedition,WorldScientificPublishing,Singapore,2008.38. Christopher-MarcGordon,PhysiotherapeutPT.hcpc.UKHeilpraktikerOsteopathieNaturheilmedizin;researchatUlmUniversity.39. Mae-WanHo,TheRainbowandtheWorm:ThePhysicsofOrganisms,3rdedition,WorldScientificPublishing,Singapore,2008.40. Ibid.41. FromtheSatyanandaYogaTradition.42. RobertSchleip,“FascialPlasticity:ANewNeurobiologicalExplanation”,parts1and2, JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies

7(1):11–19;7(2):104–116;2003.

FurtherReadingPathology isoutside thescopeof thisbook.However,yoga isbecomingas interested in the therapeuticeffectsof itsscienceas it is in theperformingoftheart.Weareinevitablyworkingwiththefasciaand,ifweareabletoimproveitsresilience,adaptabilityandhealth,itcouldnaturally have profound overall effects onwell-being. The following interesting extract from an interview betweenDrRobert Schleip andProfessor Stuabesand may be indicative: “Another and more specific aspect is the innervation and direct connection of fascia with theautonomicnervous system. It nowappears that the fascial tonusmight be influenced and regulated by the state of the autonomic nervoussystem.Plus and this aspect should have ramifications for yourwork - any intervention in the fascial systemmight have an effect on theautonomicnervoussystemingeneralanduponalltheorganswhicharedirectlyeffectedfromtheautonomicnervoussystem.Toputitmoresimply:anyinterventiononfasciaisalsoaninterventionontheautonomics.

http://www.somatics.de/artikel/for-professionals/2-article/120-interview-with-prof-staubesand

CHAPTER

10TheFascialForms

“Itiseasytoforgetthattheconcentrationquotientsofsalts(NaCl,KCl,CaCl2)ininterstitialfluid[inthebody]andinwaterofanoceanare

nearlyidentical.Ourcellsare,inamannerofspeaking,swimminggel-likestructuresinanoceanofinterstitialfluids,andwearecarryingthat

oceanaroundwithus.”1

GuidoF.Meert

WhatisFascia?Allfasciaisconnectivetissue;however,notallconnectivetissueisfascia.Blood,forexample,isaformofconnectivetissuethatisnotfascia.Inthenomenclatureusedinthisbook,bones,cartilageandbloodareexcludedfromfascialterminology.(Pleasenotetheyareconsideredconnectivetissuesbutnotfascia.)Thisraisesdifficultiesamongsomeresearchers(seeCh.3)whosuggest that theperiosteum(the tissuesurroundingthebones)mediatesandplaysasignificantroleintheembryonicformationofcartilagethatossifiestobecomebone,butremainsanintimatelylinkedinnertissuetotheperiosteum.Otherssuggestthatbone isadenserandmore stiffenedconnective tissue that is so intimatelyengaged in the tension–compression forces of biotensegrity that to segregate these tissues is to challenge their profoundinterrelatedness. According to Dr Levin’s research, to refer to bone as “starched fascia” is notinappropriate.The term “fascia” is gradually being accepted in bodywork circles as the overarching term for the

connective tissue of our body architecture, particularly, but not limited to, the forms of the“musculoskeletalsystem”,orwhat isknownas the locomotorapparatus: thestructuralmeansbywhichwemove.Whatfollowsisanoverviewofhowfasciaformstoencloseeverythinginourbodies,foraswellasitselfbeingpartoftheformsofmusclesandbones,fasciawrapseverything,includingthevesselsandorgans.Italsoincludesthematerialthatjoinsallthosepartstogether:theextracellularmatrixthatisthesurroundingtissuesandfluidsofallourorgansandsystems.Itisthe“stuffofthein-between”,anditformsandcontainsthebasicmaterialsfromwhichwearebuilt.

Lines,LayersorVolumes?One reason connective tissue is difficult to define is that it has different qualities depending upon its

regionaland localsituation in thebody. It takesonshapesandpropertiesaccording toorganisation. InGuimberteau’s films of the soft “shearing zone” under the skin (seeCh.3), it appears open and fluid.Betweenthemusclesitappearsassheets,andaroundthebonesitisatightwrapping.AccordingtoDeaneJuhan:

“Inthetendonsandligamentsitstensilestrengthissuperiortosteelwire;inthecorneaoftheeyeitisastransparentasglass;itaccountsforthetoughnessofleather,thetenacityofglue,theviscosityofgelatin.Investittovariousdegreeswithhyaline,anylon-likesubstanceexudedbychondro-blastsanditbecomesthevariousgradesofcartilage;investitwithmineralsaltsanditbecomesbone.”2

WhereDoestheFasciaBegin?WelearnedinChapter5thatthefascialtissuearisesfromthemesodermallayer(themiddle,betweentheectodermandendoderm)oftheembryonicform.Manytissuesorganisefromthemesoderm;however,thisoccursinconcertwithallthelayersandforms.Theseincludevariousfibres(fibroblasts)andconnectivetissues, such as cartilage cells (chondroblasts), bone (osteoblasts), marrow, muscle, blood, lymph,ligament,tendon,theliningsofthebodywallsandcavities,thecoveringsaroundthebones(periosteum),thejointcapsules,andmanyofthewrappingsaroundtheorgans,theurogenitalsystemandducts.Wehavealreadynotedhowthisubiquitousfabricbindseverythingtoeverythingelse,wrappingnervesandvesselsandweavingalltheinternalstructuresintoplace.Itisreferredtoasthe“organoforganisation”.

Whenyouareabouttocookachicken,examinethewhite,shinyfilmaroundthechickenbreast,oraroundthebones,orbetweenthembeforeyouheatit:thisistheconnectivetissue.Itismadeofaproteincalledcollagen.Itcomesindifferentforms,notjustinthedensesheets of these filmy layers. It can appear likewebbing or lace between structures or like dense, fibrous parcel-strapping holdingcertain joints together andaspartof the joint capsule.As Juhan suggests, it is the samematerial (albeit investedwithhyaline) thatformsthecartilageorknuckleofthebones.AccordingtoLevin,thebonesthemselvesarelikeastarchedfascia,investedwithmineralsalts,andsoon.

AccordingtoJuhan,collagenisthe“mostabundantproteinintheanimalkingdom”.3Inshort,fasciatoan animal or human body is cellulose to a plant. Cellulose occurs in asmany and various forms andthicknesses as the different types of fruit, flower and vegetable that can grow. It also has differentqualitieswithinthepartsofaparticularformofplant.ThinkbacktotheorangeweexaminedinChapter3.Althoughthepithbetweentheskinandthefruitisdifferentfromthelayersofsegments,itisthesameprinciple at work, namely the architecture of forming structure: chambers within chambers containingfluidoneveryscale,infinerandfinerpocketsofconnectivetissues–themetamembrane.WealsosawthisprincipleofformationofchamberswithinchambersinChapter5,describingthedevelopmentofthehumanembryo.

IntheBeginningAllthesequestionsarebeingaskedinnewways,nowthatwetakethefasciaintoaccountandnolongerdiscardit inthecadavericbins in anatomy laboratories.No longer consideredunimportant, it is recognised ashavingavery significant role in the runningandorganisingofthe“house”wekeepandlivein(ourbody).Thusfasciahasbeenaffectionatelynicknamed“theCinderellatissueofthelocomotor system”. Fascia is also referred to as amatrix, an organ, a system and a context for all the othermatrices, organs andsystems.Definingitisthereforesomethingofanissue.

“asgroupsofcellsbegantomergeintoprimitiveorganisms–somekindof‘metamembrane’becameequally necessary in order to glue thewholemass together, again to resist the scattering forces ofcurrentsinthesurroundingliquidmedium.”4

Thechemicalbuildingblocks in theoriginal“motheringsea” inwhichprimordial lifebeganarestillarequirementtothelifeofeachcellwithinthemultitudinouscomplexlivingorganismsthathaveevolvedtosurviveinthesea,intheairandonland.Thusthe“metamembrane”hadtoforminsuchawaythatfoldsandforms,tubes,pocketsandpouchescouldcreatethenecessaryshapestoorganisemoresophisticatedorganisms. Nevertheless, the tissues of the folds had to maintain the motion of fluids appropriately,throughouttheinternalstructuresoftheseforms.Fortheorganismtostayalive,thechannelsandtubeshadto allow for the inner and outer fluids within and surrounding the membranes to be moved around,sustainedandkeptfreshandflowing.Thisistrueregardlessofthesizeoftheorganism(thelogicoftheformingprinciplehastoworkinawhitingaswellasinawhale).The“metamembrane” is thebody-wide fibrousmesh thatbrings the skin togetherandaroundusand

also fixes it to thestructuresunderneath,connecting them toeachother.The logicofhowwemoveonland is related to howwe solve the problemofwalking around, holding this internal “sea” up,whilemaintainingstructuralandfunctional integrity. Indeed, inyogaweaskourstructure todo farmore thanwalking;weexploremanymoredirectionsthansimplybalancinginuprightbipedalposture.Weseektobeableto“swimandbalance”onlandalmostasifwewereinwater!Howdoesthisnetworkdivideus?Howdoesitprovideabindingagentthatunifiesallourdetailsinto

one, yet keep them all distinct? How does it allow us to do all that and move around? How can ittransformthepullofgravityandkineticforcesintothemathematics,physicsandchemistriesofavolumethat canmovearound in space,on land, in sucha self-containedway?Howdoes it translate all thosefunctionswithinourbiologicalformscoherently?Fasciaisalsoanorganofadaptability.Itchangesatarelativelyrapidrateaswegrowandslowsdown

asweage,althoughmanyaspectsofitremainversatileandadaptableaslongasweareabletokeepithydrated and activated. The remarkable human blueprint is such that the way we incorporate thesedifferentconstituents(betheyfluids,cellular,fibrousorcrystallinecomponentsofthetissues)canchangeand respond to change.While the body honours the basic organisation of our species, the shape (ormorphology)oftheconnectivetissueisinvariablyexpresseduniquelybyeachoneofus.Thatisbecauseitrespondstouse,tonutrition,tohydration,togestureandtous,asindividuals.Itdependsonwhoandhowweareandhowweuseit,allthetime.

GroundSubstanceWhatfollowsispurelyhypotheticalandmetaphorical,butIlikentheideaofthebody’sgroundsubstancetothe“body’searth”,justtoget a sense of how fundamental it is. Its quality and chemistry matters; its balance of hydration has structural and supportiveimplicationsaswellasimportantrolesinmetabolichealth.Justasvariationsinthequalityofsoilaffectwhichvegetablesandflowersaparticular patch of earth can support, so the ground substance has different characteristics and capacitieswhich affect how it cansupportus.Itisasintimateapartoftheextracellularmatrixasearthistoagardenoraforest.Itisnotthewholegarden,butwithoutittherecanbenogarden. Itshealth is crucial to thequalityofeverything thatgrows there. Itbinds the treesandplants,mossesandferns, fauna and flora which reciprocally bind and nourish it. They work together. Without the one, the other does not survive.Connectivetissueandgroundsubstancesaretheextracellularmatrix.Theydonotfunctionwithouteachother,anymorethanthefluidsthey guard and translate.Like the layers ofwater and aquifers in a forest ecology, so ground substance and the connective tissuematrixpermitfluidflowandtranslationofthedetailedchemistriesinourbodies.Itisamajorpartofanexquisitelydetailedandintricateinternalecology.

Presentinallofthebody’sconnectivetissuesissomethingcalled“groundsubstance”,formingpartofthe“internal sea”we contain.Ground substance,which resembles eggwhite, is a viscous fluid that playsmultiple roles in the body everywhere there is connective tissue. It is distinct from blood plasma,hormones,nutrientsorthematerialsandwastefrommetabolism.Theextracellularmatrixfacilitatesthetranslation,or“transitioningmedium”,throughwhichtheseotherfluidexchangescantakeplace.Groundsubstance is also produced by the fibroblasts that originally occur in (but are not restricted to) theembryonicmesoderm.Differentpartsofthebodyhavedifferentkindsofgroundsubstance.Theyprovidesomethinglikethe

mesenchymalmilieuintheembryo,andthe“internalenvironment”completedbytheextracellularmatrixintheadult.(Intheembryo,mesenchymeincludesthecells.Bydefinition,theextracellularmatrixreferstothatwhichisoutsideofthecells.)Like earth, (seemargin note) ground substance can takemany and various forms, from viscous and

gooeytothinandfluid.Itcaninfluencetheexchangesitallows,ofgases,antibodiesandvariousbodilychemicals.Itcanformmanysizesofmoleculestoallowdifferentstatesorthicknesses(gel-likeormoresoluble)inthebody.Itfacilitatesirrigationandtranslationofchemicalexchangesandcanactasabarriertoo.Groundsubstanceisthebody’sglue,essentiallycomposedofcomplexcarbohydratescombinedwithaproteinchain.Itispartofakindofintelligentinternalmanagementsystem.Consideringabodyfromthepoint of view of only themuscles and bones is like focusing all your attention on the roses in a rosegardenandignoringthesoil,thehydrationandthestructureoftheplants.Theirenvironmenthasadistinctandreciprocalroletoplayinthebeautyandsustainabilityoftherosegarden.Thusitisforthebody.

CollagenFibresCollagenfibresformthematrixinwhichthegroundsubstancesreside.(Toreturntoourmetaphor,thinkofdeforestation leaving the land as a dustbowl to get a general sense of how the binding nature of thefilamentsandfibresholdsthematrixanditsessentialfluidstogether.)Thetoughstrandsofcollagengiveformtoallourbuildingmaterialsandtheirfinestfibrilsmaintaintheecologyonamicroscopicscale.Intheembryo,thesefibresformakindofneutralfacilitatingrangeofbuildingpotentials,respondingto

what is required locally but invariably connected to the global network of tissues. Some researchersconsiderkineticstoplayascrucialaroleasgeneticsinhowourpartsareformed.Thistissuenetworkisconsideredtorespondtotensionandcompressionforcesaswellaschemicalandgeneticsignals,therebyorganisingaccordinglyas itgrows.For example, tissuesunder themost compressionpossiblybecomedenselypackedandcloselywoven into thehardestbone.Tissuesunder themost stretchare tensioned,forminglattice-like layersaroundtheforms(muscles).Together, these twoaspectsformour tensegrity-type structure. Between these extremes and their corresponding chemistries are the different buildingmaterialsofthetissues,fromcartilageandmyofasciatotheduraofthenervetothewrappingofalung.Therearedifferentdensitiesofsofttissues,forexampletheslidinglayerbetweentheskinandthedeepermuscle(myofascial)layersofthebodywalls.Variabilityisthehallmarkofthefascia.

Research intocadaveric specimenswhere theconnective tissue is carefullypreservedhas shown that it is structured somewhat ascontinuousbandsandstratifiedlayers.However,Jean-ClaudeGuimberteau,inhisfilmInteriorArchitectures,6isatpainstopointoutthat this is something that becomesmore obvious in cadavers. Stephen Levin endorses this view, suggesting that the basis of ourstructureallowscertainvariabilitythroughoutourlives.Inthelivingbody,theconnectivetissueisubiquitous,andwemustguardagainstassuming that it forms definitive lines and layers the same way in everyone, or the same way that it appears after the tissue isdeceased.Inmanycasestherearesubtlegradationsofdensitybetweenwhatseemtobelayersbutarenotspecificseparateentities.

It appears that the structures respond toproportion,use, typeand treatment.Thesehaveuniqueelements toeachbody in termsofexactlyhowtheyorganisetheindividualform.

Onthemacroscopiclevel,theextracellularmatrixandgroundsubstance(s)remainpartofthepartsandthewholeofalltheseforms.Togethertheyenclosethis“motheringsea”inwhichallourorgansandcellsreside.Onthemicroscopiclevel,thefinestvariationsofthesetissues(microfilamentsandmicrotubules)form the cytoskeleton inside each cell. They connect from within the cell to the extracellular matrix.Wheredoesitstop?

AdvancedTechnologyThe variety of lattice arrangements and layering in the fascia is becoming better understood withadvancingtechnologyandtheopportunityitprovidesofseeingsubtleglidingandchangesintissues.Themodern instrumentation also allows scientists to observe tissue continuity with more specificity.Improved detail at increasingly finer layers from ultrasound and MRI, for example, is enablingresearcherstoseethedifferentwaysthetissuesrespondtovariousforcesandsubtlechangesinhydrationandchemistry,movementandmetabolism.It appears that the responsive nature of the tissuesmeans that theybecomemore hydrated and agile

whentheyaremovedandmoresolidand“matted”whentheyareimmobile.Inyoungertissues,thefibresshowacrimpedpatternwhileinoldertissuestheycanappearmorelikemattedfelt(seeCh.7).Thisisthought to relate to hydration and the level of toxins in the body tissues, from accumulatedmetabolicwasteaswellasmobility(orlackofit).Itseemswearedesignedformovementeverywherewelook,topromotetissueglideandhydrationaswellascirculationandhealthyposture.This isnotnews,but theideaofhowessentialitistoallpartsofushasaglobalcontextgiventheconnectivityandcontinuityofthecollagennetwork.Theextracellularmatrixandgroundsubstancesplayaroleinourimmunesystemtoo,sokeepingthis“sea”freshandflowingisanessentialcontributiontoahealthyorganism.Thebody is known to respond to its loadinghistory and it seems that appropriate dynamic stresses

encouragemobility,responsivenessandelasticityofthesetissues.Smallgesturescanaccumulatetomakeabigdifference (after all, that is howwe learnyoga).Variability and adaptability, even at themicro-movementlevel,5seemtoarisefromexactlythoseattributes; it isasif thefasciaworksona“useitorloseit”principle,atleastinpart.Itgrowsandchangesaswedo.Letusconsiderabriefoverviewofhowthematrixofconnectivetissueforms.

TheWebweWeaveThecollagenmoleculeisonethatwecouldsayisspecificallydesignedtomakenettingandcablinginthebody,asitoriginallyformsinlongstrands.Itisalsodesignedforweaving,bothintoflatfabricsandtoform volumes (tubes for example, such as the tunicae of the blood vessels). Snelson, who firstmadetensegrity structures (Ch. 4), suggests that weaving is the mother of tensegrity.7 Levin shows howtensegrityvolumeformsstructures thathesuggestsbecomeclosedkinematicchains (Ch.7).8 In away,thesemakeourlimbsandtorsosomethingmorelikearticulatedsoft“baskets”,woventogetherwithinandaroundeachother,ratherthanmechanicaljointsboltedtogetherlikearobot.(Thoughthatisnotapreciserepresentationofhowwefunctioneither.)

TheCollagenMoleculeIn the fibroblast, thecollagenmoleculebegins its formationasa longchainof freeaminoacids in thecell’sprotoplasm.These amino acids link in an order, so the chain is made of repeated similar units. The

attraction/repulsion nature of these complexes results in the chain forming a left-handed spiral, as ahelicalchain. It is fragileand floats randomly.As theycome intocontactwitheachother thesehelicalchainsbegin tospiral together in threes, twisting toformintoastrandwitharight-handedspiral.Thustheybecomelikeathree-strandedrope.

HydrogenBondsWenotehere the innatepropertiesofpolarity,paired to forma triunewhole.This isnot just the three-strandednessof thecollagenchains. It is the left chirality of the individual strands, uniting in a right chirality arrangement when they twist together. Theircombinationformsonecollagenfibre. Inancientyoga, this is“triuneharmony”. (Wewillexplore this triuneharmony inPart3. It isinnatetoourgeometryandfundamentaltothemetaphysicalaspectsofyoga.)

Thischain(thethree-strandedrope-likehelix)isasinglecollagenmolecule,eventuallyattachingtoothersimilarmoleculesbyhydrogenbonds.Onceformed,theyareexudedintothegroundsubstanceasseparateunits,withnospecificstructure.

“Specificlocalqualitiesofthegroundsubstanceandthesurroundingtissuesthendictatethespecificmanner in which these molecules join together to create the collagen structure with the qualitiesneededforthatspecificarea.”9

Thesamesequenceofeventsrecurs.Justasthechainsformedfibres,sothefibresthenbindwithfurtherhydrogenbonds,overlapping likebricks and forming strong tensile cables called collagen fibrils (Fig.10.1). (These can be stronger than steel wire, which requires a load 10,000 times its ownweight tostretchit.)Wealsohaveverystretchyfibrescalledelastin.Theyarepartofthesuiteoftissuesthebodycallsuponinwoundhealing.Werelyontheveryhighresistancetodeformationinthecollagenforourtrueelasticity.

In our bodies connective tissue is the fabric looselywoven under the skin (loose areolar connective tissue) and the gossamer-likenetworkbetweenmuscle fibres, for example. It can alsohave specific directional fibres (inmyotendinous chord-like structures, forexample), or it can be organised in densely packed, multidirectional fibres where structural reinforcement is needed (such as thelumbodorsal fascia). This is called dense connective tissue.At themicroscopic level between themuscle fibrils it is so fine that itcannotbeseenbythenakedeye.

The fibrils bind into all the structures we refer to in this work, including the muscles, ligaments,tendons and so on that form the locomotor apparatus. Despite their different characteristics, they areessentiallyallbeingcalledfascia(Fig.10.2).However,carehastobetakenregardingthenamesofthespecificformsofthesefascialtissues.Clinicalandmovementpracticeshavedifferentneedstosurgeonsand anatomists.As everwith a new paradigm, a new language is required. These different structuresappeartohavetheabilitytovaryandchange,sodirection,densityanddestinyaredifficulttoseparateinassigning theirdefinitions.Theydonothave identicaldemarcation lines in eachbodyand theyare allconnected.

Connective tissue is also one of our most reliable repairing mechanisms, acting as a barrier tounwantedchemicalsaswellashealingwoundstorestoreintegrityafterinjury.Fasciaiseverywhereinthebody. It constitutes the immediateenvironmentofeverycell, “wrappingandunitingall structureswithitsmoist,fibrous,coheringsheetsandstrands”.10Modernschematicdiagramstendtoshowmuscletissuesinpreferencetothefascia.Strictlyspeaking,amusclecannotbe,orfunctionas,amusclewithoutconnectivetissue.Whatwehavetorealiseisthatthecontractivepowerofmuscleiscompletelyuselesswithoutthetensioningcablesoftheconnectivetissuesinwhichthemuscleresides.Itcontractstotensionatensionalnetworkthatconnectsthebodytoitselfandcontainseverything.Ithastopullonsomething.Thus it is referred to as a pre-tensioned or a pre-stressed structure; thewhole body is in a tensionalnetworkofthesetissues.

Figure10.1Afibroblastexudingtropocollagen(freecollagenmolecules).Thiswillthenassembleintofibrilswhichwillorganisethemselvesintostructures.

(ImageafterDeaneJuhan,1987,Fig.3.17;seenote2.)

Figure10.2Thesearethetwelvemaindistinctionsofthefasciawithinthebody.Besideseachoneisanoteoftheparticularareaorqualityitrefersto.Notethatinthisterminology,bone,cartilageandbloodareexcluded.Theyareconsideredtobeconnectivetissue,ratherthanfascia.Inthe

caseofbone,forexample,thisisduetothefactthattheyarediscontinuouswhereasfasciaistechnicallyconsideredtobecontinuouslytensionedthroughoutthematrix.Thereiscontroversyoverthisfact.JaapvanderWal,forexample,suggeststheperiostprecedesand

mediatestheboneandLevinconsidersittobe“starchedfascia”.Intensegritystructuresthecompressionmembersarediscontinuousbydesign;theycoexistinamutualsynergisticrelationshipwiththefascialcontinuity.

ThatWhichDoesnotKillusMakesusStrongerExtensive research is now being done into the nature ofwater and its structure in the body, its profound structural relationship toproteinandtheintimaterelationshipbetweentheconnectivetissues.Asimpleexampleisthatofgelatin.Ifyoumakeajellyinamould,thefinishedproductisstill98%water.Yet,attherighttemperature,itstandsalone.Ifyoutakeaspoonfuloutofit,nowaterleaks,nordoesthestructurenecessarilycollapse.

The ability of the collagen to bind andmake fabric and form in our bodies is alsowhat can cause usdiscomfort when it binds too much or, through injury or lack of movement, becomes sticky anddehydrated. Over time, some tissues tend to pack more closely and form denser hydrogen bonds,especiallyif theyarenotused.Simpleyawningstretchesareconsideredtoassist thereleasingofthesebondsafterperiodsofrestasanaturalwayto“recalibrate”andrevitalisetissues(seethediscussionofpandiculationinCh.8).Chronicpressure and immobility can cause this gluing togetherof the tissues to thedegree that they

becomeverystuck.Forthisreasontheyarecalled“adhesions”.Oneparticularareaofnewresearchisinto the nature of scar tissue.Recent findings11 suggest that gentle tissuemanipulation can prevent theover-production of fibroblasts in wound healing and reduce the adhesions that result from it. Theprinciplesbeingresearchedinthecontextofthefascialmatrixaretherelationshipsbetweenmacro-andmicro-mobility, hydration and adhesion.We need sufficient adhesion to hold us together and act as abarrier,whiletoomuchcanreducemobilityandinhibittissueglide.Thesearchforbalancebetweentheextremesisparamount;themiddlewaybecomesavaluablecontext.

TheOneandtheWholeWater is alsobeing reconsidered in the lightof its ability tobindand release.12 It isnowconsidered tohave four, rather than threephases.Typicallywethinkofitasvapour(steam),liquidorsolid(ice).Thefourthphaseiscalled“liquidcrystal”;herethemolecularstructure is more organised13 and bound in the tissues (bound water) rather than freely flowing (bulk water). The fascia, in thisinstance,actssomethinglikemoss,holdingboundwaterinandtothetissues.(Interestingly,timbermerchantsareveryfamiliarwiththetreatmentofwoodtoaccountforwhattheycallboundwaterandfreewater.Sinceweliveinareciprocalrelationshipwithtreestobreathe, perhaps they can teach us more about our organisation. They live at the opposite end of the scale from stiffness tostretchinesstous,buttherearemanymorestructuralandchemicalcorrelatesbetweenournaturalforms.)

Nowthatweknowthefascia isalsoasensoryorgan(Ch.9),webegin toaccount for things thathavemore commonly been spoken of inmore holistic terms of “energy” or “intuition”. It seems the fascialmatrixoffersbridgesandnewpathwaysinthesehithertoseparatedomains.Whatwespeakofintermsofdevelopingsubtleawareness,orsensoryliteracy,orrefinementofmovementseemstobeaccountedforintheseconnective tissues,onewayoranother. It alsoneeds tobeunderstoodasaglobalmatrixandanenergystoragesystem.Thefascialmatrixholdsus togetheratevery level. It ismore thanourorganofform,abletotransmitforcesthroughoutourtissuestopreventinjurywhereverpossible.Italsoaccounts

forourabilitytopushourselvestoexceedourstandardperformanceandreachhigherlevelsofhealthandagility,asappropriate.Itcommunicatesandsignalsandaccumulateschange.Two of the most important characteristics of the fascia are its ubiquitous nature and its continuity.

However,blithelycallingeverything“thefascia”mayleadustothrowoutthebabywiththebathwater.While fascia lends itself to all the aspects of yoga in which we celebrate wholeness and body-wideintelligence,itdoesnotreplacemuscleandbone,butexpandsourconceptofhowtheyworktogether.

FasciaDistinctionsAsresearch intoconnectivesoft tissuesbecomesmorewidelyknown,someschoolsappear to insist that“fascia iseverything”anddecline tomentionmuscle.Whilstanypractitionermaybenefit fromseeing the tissueasentirelyconnected, it ispatentnonsense tosuggestthateverythinglearnedinmedicalorsportssciencetodatehasbeenoverturnedbyfasciaresearch.

Figure10.2suggestsclarificationofthegeneralterminologythatthetermfasciaencompasses.Thereasonwhysomanycliniciansarekeentouseonetermisexactlywhyyogabenefitsfromunderstandingfascialanatomy. Its unifyingnature throughoutour form is relentlesslypresent and connected.Bynaming eachaspect of it separately, the invitation is to break it down into parts and risk misunderstanding itswholeness.Thecontinuity itself shifts certainperspectivesandallowsus to see it asacommunicationsystem, a force transmission system, an organising matrix, a means of sensory refinement andproprioceptiveawareness.Thatitisubiquitous(everywhere)cannotbeemphasisedenough.Intheend,itistheunityofthesecharacteristicsthatmakesitsocompatibleabasisfortheunderstandingofyoga,inallitsvarietyofforms.Inthemoreadvancedpracticesofyoga,thesubtlequalitativeaspectsoftheenergysystemarenoted.

Perhapsthisisthedirectioninwhichtheprocessoflanguagingthefasciaisgoing.

TheWholeStructureAsfarasoverallstructureisconcerned,focusedonthroughoutthebook,wholebodymovementincludestheseelementsoftheconnectivetissuematrix.Hydrationandform,structureandfunctionalmovementareintimatelyrelated.Thatiswhatweareworkingwithontheyogamat.

Surgeons andmanual practitioners both legitimately require very specific definitions for locations in the body.What is called for isclearlyanexpansionofdistinctions,perhapsrecognisingthetissuecontinuityanditsmultipleroles.Itcertainlychangesmanyacceptedexplanations of howwe function. Perhaps what we sense as yoga teachers, while it might not replace the anatomical specificityrequiredofanexpertsurgeon,mayguideourinnersenseofmovementbeneficially.Sensoryawarenessiscertainlykeytopracticeandreferringholisticallytothewholenessmakesiteasiertoexplainandteach.However,itdoesnotreleaseusfromtheneedtorecogniseandrespectwhathasgonebefore.Itexpandsourunderstandingofthetopographicalmapswehavelearnedandallowsustoincludethethree,orevenfour,dimensionalawarenessofourselvesmovingthroughspaceandtime.

InPart2,wewillconsider thefascialmatrixfromthepointofviewofhowweworkwith it–asawholeandonthemat.Wewillconsiderhowto“seeit”inawaythatisrelevanttothevolumetricforminwhichwe(andourclassparticipants)movearoundinit(andmoveitaround),i.e.uniquelyandvariously,justasthereareuniqueandvariouswaysofpractisingyoga.Wewill also refer towhatwe feel fromourownmat andhowweassess instinctivelyand learn to

adjustothersappropriately.Giventhatthetissueisthelargestsensoryorganofthebody,itsuggestssubtlepossibilitiesforhowtoassiststudentsinfosteringself-regulationandsafepracticeforthemselves.The

fasciaisinfluencinghowwedefine“functionalmovement”.Itmightbeaveryindividualmatter.Wewillalsoconsiderhowthebreathfacilitateselasticityall thetime.Movementis,afterall,asignoflifeandourabilitytobreatheistheevidence.Vitalityismadeupofmorethanjustfunctioninganatomicalparts.

Notes1. GuidoF.Meert,“Fluiddynamics infascial tissues”,Ch.4.5 inRobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,

Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody,ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.2. “ConnectiveTissue”,Ch.3inDeaneJuhan,Job’sBody:AHandbookforBodywork ,StationHillPress,Barrytown,NY,1987.3. Ibid.4. Ibid.5. R.Schleip,D.G.Müller,‘TrainingPrinciplesforFascialConnectiveTissues:ScientificFoundationandSuggestedPracticalApplications”,

JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies17:103–115;2013.6. SeeDrGuimberteau’swork.Jean-ClaudeGuimberteau,MD(www.guimberteau-jc-md.com/en/).BothEnglishandFrenchversionsare

availableatthisaddress.HisDVD:InteriorArchitectures, isavailableonthesamesite.SeealsoTheArchitectureofLivingFascia:TheExtracellularMatrixandCellsRevealedThroughEndoscopy,HandspringPublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.

7. KennethSnelson,http://www.kennethsnelson.net/icons/struc.htm.8. StephenLevin,www.biotensegrity.com;“Tensegrity:TheNewBiomechanics”.Published inM.HutsonandR.Ellis (eds),Textbook of

MusculoskeletalMedicine,OxfordUniversityPress,Oxford,2006.9. DeaneJuhan,JobsBody.com.10. Ch.3,“ConnectiveTissue”,inDeaneJuhan,Job’sBody:AHandbookforBodywork ,StationHillPress,Barrytown,NY,1987.11. G.M.BoveandS.L.Chapelle,“VisceralMobilizationcanLyseandPreventPeritonealAdhesionsinaRatModel”,JournalofBodywork

andMovementTherapies16(1):76–82;2012.12. GeraldPollack.TheFourthPhaseofWater:BeyondSolid,Liquid,andVapor,EbnerandSons,Seattle,2013.13. Mae-WanHo,LivingRainbowHO,WorldScientificPublishing,Singapore,2012.

PARTTWO

Animatingtheinstinctivebody:applyingthenewparadigm

Chapter11AnimatingtheArchitecture

Chapter12YogaandAnatomyTrains

Chapter13YogaandPostureProfiling

Chapter14AdjustmentoftheFascialForm

Chapter15TheElasticBreath

Chapter16YogafortheFascialBody:ASimplePractice

CHAPTER

11AnimatingtheArchitecture

“thefasciamaybeviewedasasingleorgan,aunifiedwhole,theenvironmentinwhichallbodysystemsfunction…Thefasciaistheone

systemthatconnectstoeveryaspectofhumanphysiology.Langevin(2006)1andLangevin&Yandow(2002)2suggestthatthefasciaisa

metasystem,connectingandinfluencingallothersystems,aconceptwiththepotentialtochangeourcoreunderstandingofhumanphysiology.”3

JamesL.Oschman

Wearriveontheyogamatmuchaswefirstarriveintheworld,completeandpre-tensionedbyourwholearchitecture-occupying space.We then exploremoving, taking the ability to “feel ourway into forms”throughtheposturesandpractices.Theymaybemoresophisticatedthanourfirstattemptstomoveinthegravitationalfieldsoonafterbirth,butthemovementsthemselvesarenonethelessemergentresponsesinthemoment.Theyaccumulateashistoryofourformbuttheyactuallyoccurinpresenttime.Toexperiencethisphysicaleventisquitedifferentfromactivatingtheintellectualaspectofus,thinking

abouthowwemove.Itoccursatadifferentspeed,wherethebodybehavesinitsownfieldofanimation.Evenifseveralpeoplearedoingthesameposeorsequence,theycannotexperienceitforeachother.Norwilltheyexperienceitinidenticalways.Thephysicalintelligenceofthemovingbodytakesonaqualityofawareness thatcanabsorbourattention inadifferentway,unique toeachofusbutuniversalat thesametime.Weincorporateparadoxviatheproprioceptivenatureofouranimatedfascialform.

IntellectualInformationThequestionmostoftenraisedin teachingworkshopsis thatof theoptimalbalanceof theoretical topractical training.Thepracticalsessions, even if they take up half the training period, are often experienced as seemingmuch shorter than the studying time.Theinstinctivemovementcentrelearnsatthespeedofinstinctivemovement.Itismuchfasterthanthinking.

There isanobviousparallel in learning todriveacar.Thinkofa firstdriving lesson.Everystick, lever,wheel,mirror,pedalanddirectionseemstocompeteforyourattention,withdifferentinstructionsforeachlimb.

When we are writing or reading about our movements, we tend to sit relatively still, absorbed byacquiring the intellectual information.Onceweareon themat, however,we are invited to absorb thethinkingprocess itself and expand to include it,whilewe pay attention to the shapes of the postures.YogawasdevelopedforWesterncultureinaparticularway.Themovementshaveaprimarypurposeof

gettingusoutofourconceptualisingthoughtsandenteringthemoving“business”.Alltheattributesofthatworldbecomeavailablethroughbeinginitandparticipating.Onceyouhavepractisedandrepeatedapracticephysically,however,somethingaccumulates“insoft

developmentalstrokes”(seeCh.5)thathasaresonanceandamomentumofitsown.Whetheritisdrivingacarordoingyoga,overtime,aprocessthatisinitiallyintellectualgraduallybecomesinstinctive,soyoucanbegintodoitwithoutthinkingabouteverylittlemove.Whenthathappens,youcanbegintorelaxandyourattentionisnotabsorbedinrememberingthingsaboutwhatyouaredoing.Youcanfocusonthetaskin hand, the present situation (constantly changing), and, with practice and experience, anticipate andrespondrapidlyandappropriately.Youcanrecallandpre-emptwithpresenceandprescience(seePart3).Thisisthewitnessstateinpractice.Thisisyoga.

InstinctiveMovementThereareawholehostofexternalvariablesyouneverimaginedwhenyouwatchedsomeoneabletodriveinstinctivelybecausetheyhavedoneitforyears.Experienceddriversappeartocarryoutthenecessaryactionsseamlesslyandwithoutthought.Whatmakesitevenworsethatfirsttimeisthatyouarealsosupposedtoanticipatewhatalltheotherdriversontheroadaregoingtodo.(ThereisenoughtodorememberingtheHighwayCodeandallthesedifferentmechanisms,withoutworryingaboutthefuture.)Untilandunlessthepracticehasbeenrepeatedenoughtimestobecomeinstinctive,thetaskcanappearfragmented,complicatedandfullofconflict.

Movementisinstinctive.However,humanbeings,unlikecertainanimals,canonlylearntostandupandwalkaroundindependentlyoveraperiodoftime.Justlikethedevelopmentalmovementpatterns,learningspecialisedmovements, such as dance or yoga, can also become second nature.We can use the samemethodofimitationandrepetitiontoestablishnewmovementpatternsthroughoutourlives.Yoga is an opportunity to practise animating our tissues intelligently, if we honour the innate

intelligenceofourphysicalbodyandactcongruentlywithandfromwherethebodyisatthetime.Itdoesnotdiscriminatewithregard tosize,age,ability, religion,health,orhumanperformance.Yoga ismuchlessofanouninmanywaysthanitisaverb.“Toyoga”istopractiseat,andexploreunifyinginpractice.Itconfoundsthemind–anditissupposedto.

AlreadyListening

In the LandmarkWorldwide education programme5 (a public self-development forum) there aremanydistinctions, one of which takes us into the domain of practical yoga with grace. It is the concept of“already listening”.When describing themind, such a term refers to the past, like being “stuck” in amindset.Itpointstoanaturaltendencyofhumanbeingstoseetheworldthroughaprescribedfiltermadeupofourexpectations,interpretationsandhistory(i.e.ourpreviousexperience).Wedoitallthetime.Wefilter what we see through the mesh of what we are looking for. If you are looking to validate howmuscles and bones move the musculoskeletal system and operate the machinery of the locomotorapparatus,guesswhatyouwillfind?In the domain of the fascial matrix, we can shift the context of “already listening” to a powerful

recognition.Thefascialmatrixisalreadylisteningproprioceptively,inpresenttime,allthetime.(RecalltheratiooflisteningsensorynervefibrestomotornervefibresinCh.9.)Itisadoorwaytobeingpresent,awayof“changingthebodyaboutthemind”.6

ThePowerofListeningMy favourite yoga class of all time was a workshop with Elizabeth Pauncz. This took place long before I knew anything aboutanatomy.WewerelearningherinterpretationoftheEgyptianSunSalutation.4Oncethepostureshadbeenexplainedanddemonstratedandwehadfamiliarisedourselveswiththetransitions, thechoreographybegantocometogetherinthegroup.Elizabethhadstoppedtalking altogether.Despite the fact that therewere over twenty participants at different levels of ability,wemoved instinctively, insilence,asonegroup.Thesalutationtothesunwassalutingitself.Nowordswerenecessary.

The essence of “already listening” for the body (as distinct from themind) is that our form, with itspreferenceforlistening,isalreadyawareofwhereandhowweare,relativetoourselvesandtheworldaround us. It does not “talk” about it. It experiences it. The body is an intelligent, self-awarecommunicationsystem,soweneedtotakecareofit(andtheartofmovingit)withduerespect.Yogaisarichandrewardingforumforexploringthisrespectfulness.However,itisaprocessoftrial

anderror.SergeGracovetskysuggeststhatweuseagaugeof“howwefeelthenextmorning”.7Atoneendoftheextreme,ifwesitonthesofareadingabookaboutyoga,nothingmuchwillhappen.Attheotherend,ifweover-stretchorforcemovementsthebodyis likelytoraiseitsproprioceptivevoicethenextdayandpointitouttousinnouncertainterms.Somewherealongthisscalewehavetheopportunitytoworkoutourownoptimum.Asteachers,wegettoexperiencefindingourownbalancepointsandthenworkingwithotherstoestablishtheirs.Wegraduallylearn(onepracticeorclassatatime)torecogniseand communicate this ability to our class participants, if they choose to invite us. Teaching this is aprocessofimitation,repetitionandmutualrespectfulnessthatengendersmoreofthesame.

APointofEthicsThesensorynatureofourbeingisahottopicinsomeareasoftherapeuticpractice.Mostteachertrainingshaveseveralreferencestoitwithintheircodeofethicsaboutappropriatebehaviour.ThemostpowerfulcommentIhaveheardinthisareais“Whatisinyourheart?”.Ifyoudonotknow,orifitisnottoteachyoga (if you are teaching yoga), thenwhat are you doing there?Being grounded is not just a physicalprinciple,butanethicalonetoo.Ifyouareteachingyoga,thenSatyaandAhimsa(theconceptsoftruthandnon-violence)arethegracefieldyouworkin.Donotworkthereifyoucannottellwhattruthandnon-violencemean.Honestyandgoodmannersandrespectaresimpleenoughgroundrules.

GroundControlWhatbeginstohappenaswesurrendertoandpractisethisinstinctiveaspectofourbeingisthatwemovetowardslesseffort,moreenergyandmoreconsciousawareness.Thisisvitality.Itisessentiallyanimatedfromthegroundup,whicheverwayupweare.

“Thepullofgravityunderourfeetmakesitpossibleforustoextendtheupperpartofthespine,andthis extension allows us also to release tension between the vertebrae. Gravity is like a magnetattractingus to the earth, but this attraction is not limited topullingusdown, it alsoallowsus tostretchintheoppositedirectiontowardthesky.”8

Whenourmovementpracticespontaneouslydeliversthiseffortlessqualityofelasticrecoil,itfeelslikearevelation. Scarvelli’s reference is to a “revolution”,which her original approach to yoga effectively

provoked.

“Wemakeuseoftheforceof‘anti-force’,whichgivesusanewflowofenergy,–asortofanti-gravityreflex,likethereboundingspringofaballbouncingontheground.”9

Thisexperienceofexpansionandelasticreturnisinnatetoourbreath-in-motion.Itpointstotheintimaterelationshipbetweenmovementandbreathingthatwewillexploreinmoredepthinachapterofitsown(Ch.15)andtakeintoamoremeditativepracticeinPart3(Ch.18).Thereisanaturalandinnatequalityof elastic recoil available in every pose, as Scaravelli points out, “through themuchmore powerfulwave…producedbygravityandbreathing”.Thereferencealsopointstotherhythmicalsenseofthebodymoving.Itrevealsitselfasawavethrough

thespinethatispalpablefromgroundtocrowninstanding(Tadasana)orfromsittingbonestocrowninsitting.Inaheadstandthesamesensecanbefoundfromcrowntofeet,sincethebodyisinvertedbutthegroundreactionforceremainsthesame.Ourwholefascialformformsaresponsive,closedkinematicchain,frommomenttomomentinevery

pose(Fig.11.1).Betweenthetwopolarities(ofthepreparatorycounter-movementandthereleaseintheoppositedirection)wefindandcontainourbreathingspace:neutral.Perhapsthisisthejoyofintelligentbody-wisemovement.

Figure11.1InthisWheelPose(Chakrasana)thehandsandfeetpressinadownwardsdirectiontoreleasethefrontbodyintoanopenuppercurve,awayfromtheground.ItisexactlythesametheotherwayupinDogPose(AdhoMukhaSvanasana),wherethehandsandfeetgodowntopush

thebackbodyup.

BiotensegralMovementBiotensegrity structures are economical space-containing mobile organisations. This is our breathingspace, changing breath by breath from the inside out, the outside in, and through the middle of ourstructure. Its compliance and fluid transition hallmarks our yogic “performance”. Locomotion andrespiration are not separate in living organisms, and biotensegritymight provide a context thatmakessenseofbothaspectsofourphysiologyasitworksinclass.Yogamanifeststhisunifyingcontext.

BeyondWordsThereisadifficultyinbringingbiotensegrityintothedomainofexperience.Thedescriptionsofbiotensegritystructuresmaymakelittlesenseuntil you can actuallyholdone inyourownhands, or buildoneyourself. Immediately their nature translates intokinaestheticlanguage.

Whenyouexperiencethequietspring,oranimatedreleaseintoaheadstandorabackbend,asifyouareuncovering your own body’s innate elastic integrity, its “already listening”motion-in-potential, it is awonderfulfeelingandastrikingexperienceofapparentlyeffortlessmovement.Onealmosthastogetoutof the way to reveal it. It naturally springs. It is impossible to describe, even having experienced it,althoughyoucanrecogniseitimmediatelyonceyoudiscoveritforyourself.OnceonthematwebegintofeelandsenseourwaytotherevolutionarythinkingScaravellireferredto

thirty years ago. In essence, her teachings and work accounted for the natural elasticity of our(biotensegrity)architecture.Ourawarenessofthisarchitectureispartlyinthelivingsenseofaforceandananti-forceunitedinneutralbalance inanypoisedposition.Thosethreeaspects,unified,are theoneandthewholetogether.Itissosimpleandyetcanremainsoveryelusivetoourlearnedwayofthinking.Howdoweseethatinpractice,andhowdowefosteritforourstudents’benefit?

BiotensegrityinAction

Figure11.2Westandinuprightcurves.Thespineisnotdesignedtobestraight.

“Allmovement,ofthebodyasawholeorofitssmallestparts,iscreatedbytensionscarriedthroughthelivingmatrix.”10

Whether or notwe understand the biotensegrity details of icosohedral or triangulated geometry in ourhumanform,wecanbegintoexplorethespring-loadedandadaptablenatureofourtissuesandawakenourspinesinaccordancewithitsnaturallaws.Thereisanelementofsurrenderinthepractice,toaninnatebalanceofforces.Thetissuesofourform

are “already listening”; we cannot think that balance into place. It is a natural expression of ourorganisation.Havingsaidthat,“surrender”issometimestakentomeanslumping,orbereferringtoakindofsoggyrelease.“Softeningintoapose”,as ifoneisgivingupholdingthebodytogetherbyreleasingtension,isamisinterpretationofsurrender.Itactuallyreferstoaquieteningofthemindandapermissiontoallowthenaturalforcesofmovementtodosomeofthework.Itistherevealingofwhatispresent;therevelationScaravellidescribes.Somewherebetween theextremes isaplaceScaravelli refers toachieved insending theparton the

grounddownandreleasingthepartmovingawayfromtheground,away.Thespaceoccurringbetweenthetwoiseffectivelyasenseofthespinereleasingintwodirectionssimultaneously(Downandup).Inordertoexperiencethisfeelingofspaciousnessandcontainmentthroughoutthetorso,weworkwith

simpleposes,suchassittingandstanding.Oneplacewherewecan“tripup”onsemantics,however,isthatwedonothonourthespinebysittingorstandingup“straight”(Fig.11.2).Wecanhonourthespinethroughabalanceofcurves,whether in theuprightorsupineposition.Wedonot force thecurves intoplaceorhold them inplace rigidly. It isamoresubtledistinctionof releasingcompromise rather thancontrollingshape.We are poised in semi-tensioned potential at all times, curved. Our self-contained, breathing

architectureispoisedformotionanddesignedformobility.Wedonothavetodoit.Ratherwecanbewith it how it is, and then explore, enhance and develop. If we can find it, it is available throughexperimentingwiththissenseofrecoil,inperson,onthemat.Ironically,itisnotactuallyaccessiblefromreadingaboutit;despitethefeelingofrecognitionifit“speaks”toyou.Youstillhavetoworkwithitinparticipation.Whateverstyleofyogayoufavour,beingabletostandorsitstillinanimatedeaseprecedesbeingable

tomoveintotheposturescomfortably.Itallowsustorestoreeaseinthenatural,spring-loadedpotentialofourrestingtension.Beforewegettoanyextremeasanas,wecandevelopthepracticeitselftobringthesimplestofmovementstoaplaceofease.Yogacandeeplyenhancethe“middleway”ofbeingrelaxedinthese apparently simple positions of standing and sitting. For although they may appear relativelyeffortless,theyarenotnecessarilytheeasiestposturesforeveryonetobein.

BeforetheRepertoireGracovetskyemphasisesthatwearebuiltformobilityandthis isendorsedbythedifficultymanyofusseem to experience in sitting still in an animated way, or standing in quiet comfort. There is a hugedifference between conscious or dynamic stillness and a sedentary slump that might be described as“still”, but only because it is not moving. Rather it expresses inertia. In yoga, we learn the value ofstillnessasananimatedoption,apersonalchoice,avitalaspectofanypose.Inawayitisanexpressionof poised movement. We practise the ability to restore this elusive, neutral condition of balance

throughoutthetissues,fromspeedtostillnessandbackagain,developingtheabilitytoadaptfromonetotheotherinsmoothtransitions.Yogahasasignificantcontributiontomaketoourwell-beingifitonlyteachesustositinawaythat

does not build in sedentary slouch patterns. If they are not countered, these patterns, left in place asdefaultpositions,accumulate in the tissuesandbecomeour loadinghistory.Thecumulativeeffectovertimecanleaveourabilitytomovearoundimpairedbyposturalstressandcompensation.Yogacantrainus to sit and stand still in comfort, generating a state of quiet attentive awareness that is nonethelessrestful.Itisalsopromisingamoreoptimalloadinghistorytogrowintoanddevelopfrom,atanyage.

TheSit‘n’SlouchGymIf there is a twenty-first-century side-effect to the joys and benefits of driving, travelling and Internetcommunication, it is the consequences of sitting for long periods of time in anything but aware andattentivestillness(Fig.11.3).Theresulting“sedentarystoop”isadailypracticeforahugemajority(andIincludemyselfinthis).Considerthedailyrepetitionsofthisposeatthefrequencymanyofustendtodoit.Itisoftenthecasethatwearenotsittingonoursittingbonesassuchbutonacombinationofthebackofthepelvisandthesacrum.Thisinevitablychangestheshapeofthetrunkandallthingsconnectedto,andenclosedbyit.

Figure11.3Manyofussitforlongperiodspeeringforwardstocommunicateorengagewiththescreeninfrontofus.Thereisaconsequencetothe

posture.Itisnotcomplicatedtorectifyanditisimportantforoptimalfunction.

Figure11.4Intheuprightpositiononthesittingbones(ischialtuberosities)thesacrumisfree(ratherthanbeingsaton)andthetorsocanhingeatthehip,

ratherthanthespine.Theposturecanhonourthesecondarycurves(cervicalandlumbar).

Thisisnotrocketscience.Thebodyrespondstoloadingpatterns.Ifweloaditinthefetalpositionforlong enough it will adapt to it until that pattern becomes comfortable. This does not imply that it isoptimal. It just means it becomes habitual and easier in the short term. It changes the position of thepelvis,thetorsoisdistorted,thespacesbetweenthespinalsegments,theshapeoftheabdomen,thorax,neck and shoulder girdle, diaphragm, lungs and viscera, all changewith the dominant slumping of theinternalandexternalform.Theyaredesignedtorespondtoandaccommodate their loadinghistoryandadapttoit.Howcanourorgansfunctionproperlyiftheshapetheyresideinisdistorted?We are not structurally designed for quite somuch stability or for the sedentary loading patterns of

inertia.Wehaveextraordinaryrangeandpotential,soanunderstandingofatleastthefascialcomponentsofthisinvitesusintoahugepossibilityforhealthandperformance.Practice(ofusefulloadingpatterns)getsusclosertooptimisingboththesepossibilities.Ifwe continuously fold the body in half for long enough and carry on feeding it and expecting it to

functionbyitself, itwillnotbelongbeforeitneedssomehelp.Attheveryleast, thetensionalbalancebetweenfrontandback,spineandabdomengoesout.Ofcourse,weadapteventuallybutdowewanttoadapt function to optimise the slumping, or adapt the slump to optimise function? The choice is notcomplexifyouhavethehealthandmobilityatyourdisposal.Happily,itisnotdifficulttocorrectthedefault“sit‘n’slouch”training.Thekeyiswhatyouaresitting

on.Itdoes,however, takepractice ifyouhavebecomecomfortable inyourhabitualslump.Justasyoubuiltinalessthanoptimalpattern,soittakesrepetitiontobuildinabetterone.Thereisaneedtostayconsciousofextendedperiodsofsedentaryslouchingifyouprefernottodevelopthedisadvantagesofthesit‘n’slouchtraining.(Itgetsreinforcedovertimebycontinuousmicro-movementswedonotevennoticeifourattentionisfixedonscreen,phoneormanaginganinbox.Thebodyadaptsifitcan.)Ouroptimalpositionallowsthespinetomoveinalldirections,safely.Thisiswhatwearedesigned

for.Thenet results of this change are frequentlydescribed in the following terms: I feel somuch lesstired…Idon’tgetheadaches…I’mmoreattentive…Idon’tgetindigestion…Icanthinkmoreclearly…Ibreathebetter…I’mmoretunedin,it’sasifmymindisclearer.

Part1Sitinaslouchedposition,onthebackofthetailbone,withthespinecurvedasinFigure11.3.(Acommonlyobservedvariationincludescrossing the ankles and tucking themunder the chair.)Keeping the slouchposition inplace, try to sidebend, then to rotate.Note therangeofmotion,withoutgoingtoextremes.Next, change the shapeof the seatedposturewith twomovements: (1)place the feetunder theknees and (2) sit “up”on the sittingbones, finding the frontpartof thepelvicbase.Usually the lumbarandcervicalcurves“appear”naturally justbyactivating thesittingbonesandplacingthefeet(Fig.11.4)Takeasecondtofeelthealignmentofabalancedhead,supportedfrombelow,relaxtheshoulders.Nowrepeatthesidebendingandtherotation.Inmostcases,thesetwosmallchangesinposition(ofthefeetandthesittingbones)giverisetoafullerrangeofmotionthroughthespineinalldirections.Part2Next lean forward from thesittingbones.Thisactivatesa foldat thehip (insteadof themidspine,as ifwestillhadadorsal finoradorsalhinge).Ifthedeskisattherightheight,andyousitonacushionthatslightlyraisesthehipsabovetheleveloftheknee,thiswillallowanopenangleattheelbowandarelativelyrelaxedheadposition.

Inatherapeuticcontextthebenefitsoftrainingthisin,asapreferable“defaultpattern”,changingthe“Sit‘n’Slouch”forthe“Sit‘n’Smile”,areremarkable.

FreeingtheTailboneIfwe sitonour sittingbones, as theyaredesigned,wehonourboth the foldat thehipand the lumbarcurve(lordosis).Theglutealmusclesaremeanttofeel“behindus”.Ifwesitslumpedontotheverybackofthesittingbones,withthe“tailtuckedunder”,wearesittingonthesacralroofofthepelvis,insteadofallowing thecoccyx to float in itsnatural tensegrity architecture11 and the tailbone tobe free.Weareeffectivelyfollowingtheprimalinstinctsofananimal,wearingour“tailbetweenourlegs”inthesamewayasadogthatisunhappyorfrightened.By throwing out the second secondary (lumbar) curve, since the spine is naturally an S-shape, we

throw out the first secondary (cervical) curve and are obliged to recruit all kinds of neck and backmyofasciaetopulltheheadupandpeerforward.(Thebodywillalwaysseekrelativebalance.)Theactiveneedtolifttheheadup,outofadefaultslump,iseffortfuland,initsmissiontosaveenergy,

the body will eventually accept and adapt to that loading pattern as a requirement, at least to savemusculareffortofmaintainingit.Oneday,afterenoughtimehaspassed(andloadinghasaccumulated),itwillnotelasticallyreleaseandwillbecomethenorm.Thetissuesarethenrecruitedforalessfunctionalholdingpattern.Therein lies the beginningof a negative feedback loop.Often pain (such aswould beattributed to a chronicpostural set) leads to lessmovement (note theway they can express an inverserelationshipinCh.9)sowecangetstuckinacycle.Ifyogacanbeginasagentlerestorativeenquiry,toteaseout (and easeout) habitual holdingpatterns, there is hugebenefit to the smallestmovements andsenseofamoreoptimumposition.(SeeCh.17foraseriesdesignedspecificallytotrainoptimalsittingpatternsforthespine.)Wejusthavetorepeattheoptimalversionlittleandoftenenough(onceortwiceaweekmightbeenough,given theactiveattentiononnot building the lessdesirablepattern).As Ihavesaid,weareacontinualworkinprogress,andwehavepoweroverwhichdirectionweprogresstowards(Fig.11.4).

GroundControl

TheABCofGroundControlThisisamoreformalformattotheaboveexercises,asabasisforanypreparatoryworkandasimplesequence to enhance sitting and standing postures. The exercises bring about a naturally more comfortable place for the body,whatever poses are being taught. They are pre-poses in a way. Rather than simply focusing on the “right posture” for achievingspecificasanashapes,wearebringinginawarenessforthebodyineverydaylifetoenhancestructureandfunctionasawhole.Fasciarespondsallthetime,sowecanconsiderwhatwedoinourdefaultpatternsaspartofitstrainingandloadinghistory.Ignoringitalldayandthenrememberingto“sitright”justfortheyogasession,isaskingalotofthatyogapractice.

Theimageshowsthethreesetsofmetaphorical“feet”wehavetoactivate;thefeetatthebottomofthelegs, the “feet” at the base of the torso (sitting bones) and the “feet” at the base of the head (atlanto-occipitaljoint).Thefirsttwowillgiverisetothethird.

AnklesThisreferstothespaceabovethefoot.Itwantstorestoverthefootinsuchawaythatitisbalancedandfeelsspaciousandpoised,directlyundertheknee.Thusthefootisabletofeelthegroundinitsentirety,informingtheupperleg.

BaseThisreferstothesittingbones.Theyaredesignedtosupportthetorso,biasedtowardstheanterioraspectbecausethatishowthepelvisisdesignedandorganisedtoexpressouruprightgaitblueprint.Thisallowsforanaturallumbarcurve.Ifthehipjointisraisedslightlyabovetheleveloftheknee(withacushionforexample) it naturally encourages this posture. This frees the sacrum and coccyx to “float” as they aredesignedtodo.

CraniumThe“feet”ofthecraniumthenalignnaturallywiththesittingbones,andmoveinanappropriatewaytobalancethehead,supportedfromunderneathbythewholetorsoandneck.Thespaceisfacilitatedfortheuppervertebralbones(atlasandaxis)toworkastheyshould,offeringallkindsofsubtlemovementsofthehead.Ifthespineisdroppedintoonecontinuousprimarycurve,giventhatthetopofthatcurveisthehead,thentherelativelyheavycranialvaulthastobeactivelyliftedfrombehindtobringtheeyeslevelwiththehorizontoseeascreen.Wenaturallyshortenthebackoftheneck.Whenthetorsoisbalanced,innatural support of the head, these extra “holding positions” are simply not recruited. The architectureleadsnaturallytoabalancedheadposition,poisedforitsnaturalrangeofmotionandattentivetoallthatsurroundsit.Typicallycomputerscreensmightneedtoberaised,justasrear-viewmirrorsincarsseemtobeinthewrongplacewhenpeopleadoptthisposition.

Figure11.5

Thisbasicpracticeunderpinsalltheseatedyogaposesandhelpsallthestandingones,ifwetranslatethe“polarity”principletoallaspectsoftheasanas:downtogoup,backtogoforward,andsoon.12Webreathemoreeasilyinthespacebetweenthetwo.TomMyersnicknamedthelevatorscapulaemuscles“capituspreventusgoingforwardus”,anditisan

apt description in the hugemajority of cases I see in class or on the bodywork table. It is tiring tomaintainaseatedslouchposition.Thelevatorscapulamyofasciaanditssurroundingtissues(Fig.11.5)getknottedandtensedaspartofa

storyofsustained“dis”-integrationandit leads toaclassicalconditionIcall“mouseshoulder”.Therearecaseswherethe“lump”intheshoulder(initiatedaroundthelevatorscapulabeingtrainedforsolongeachdayinthe“hang-on-in-there”gym)isparticularlyclearandpalpableonthesidetheclientusestheircomputer mouse. (It can also be counterbalanced on the other side, so it is not always a simplecompensatorypattern.)Reliefcomesfromlengtheningthefronttissuesandencouragingtheclienttositupinthiswayandraisetheirposition,toopentheangleattheelbow.(Itcanalsohelptotrainourselvestousethemouseontheothersideandregularlyalternate.Takingbreakshelpstoo!)Itfrequentlytransformsthe dailyworking demeanour and canmake a huge difference to overall postural issues over time. Ifnothingelse, italsoallowsformoreoptimalbreathingpatternsbecause thediaphragmisnotsquished.(Thisoptimalposturecanaffectdigestivefunctionandvisceralmotility inabeneficialway,where theabdominalorganscanmovemoreappropriately.)

Figure11.6

People at desks with their elbow dropped below the height of the wrist often exacerbate “mouseshoulder”.Itismyrepeatedexperiencethatbyraisingtheheightofthechairandthecomputersothatthehip and the elbow can work at a slightly open angle, while the eyes look straight forward, “mouseshoulder”andextraneousposturaltensionarerelievedtotheclearlyrelatedbenefitofimprovedattentionandtensionalintegrity(Fig.11.6).Thefeetbecomeanactivecomponentoftheseatedposture.Thebodyoftenseemstosufferlessfrombeinginertandenjoythesedailyat-the-deskmicro-movementsthattrainthefascialloadinghistorytoaccumulateamuchmoreusefulandvaryingpattern.

BackupSit(curved-upright)slightlytowardsthefrontofthechaironthesittingbones,(Fig.11.7A)withfeetplacedcomfortablyapart(hipwidth)andflattothefloor,kneesatright-angles.Contain(orstiffenthebodyveryslightly),rockingbackonthesittingbonesalittle.Thisisasmallmovement:aslightrockingbackbeforerockingforwardasthefeetarepusheddown(totheground)tothengoup.Itisonesmoothtransition,althoughrepeatingtherockingfirstcanhelp.Withpracticetheclientmaynotneedtousethehandsatall.Themovementcueis“backtogoforwardanddowntogoup”.FeetoffthegroundasthebodyrocksBACK(holdingtheright-angleattheknee)itoiiRockFORWARDonthesittingbones,untilthefeettouchtheflooriiiPressthefeetDOWNasthetailliftsivPushintothefeettosendthebody/headUPinonefluidmovement,tostandingv

Figure11.7A

SeatedposesSittingposturesonthematcanincorporatetheuseofblockstobeginwithtoopentheangleatthehipslightly.Thishelpstolearntofindgracefulupright sitting,withcomfort. (Pleasenote, this isoptimised if care is taken toavoidhyper-extending theknee;ahalfblock is

ideal,orarollputintotheendofthemat,toslightlyliftthesittingbones;Fig.11.9.)

Figure11.7BIntermsoffascialelasticity,thisprinciple,whichScaravellireferstoasa“rebounding(ii-iii)”,istermed“preparatorycountermovement”.Thebasisisincorporatedhere:byrockinggentlybacktogoforward(B–C);thenpressingthefeetdown(iii-iv)togoup–thereisanaturalelasticrecoilthatisexperiencedaseffortlessmovement.Ifanything,theparticipanthasto“manage”thespring-loadedbouncetoarrivesteadilyand

sweetlyintoStandingPose(Tadasana)(v).Sthiram,Sukham–thesteadyandthesweet–areancientprinciplesoftheyogicpostures.

InBetween:TheSit-to-standingTechniqueAsIwork frequentlywitholderpeople, Ihaveobserved that if thebody is tiredoraches, inorder tostandupfromsitting,aclientwilloftenfoldforward,placetheirhandsontheirkneesandpressdownhardontheir(upper)legstopushthemselvesupfromachair.Alovelyfreedomarisesfromteachingthissimplesit-to-standingexercise(Fig.11.7AandB).People are amazed howeffortlessly they canmove by containing the tissues, using this principle of

polaritythatoperatesourbiotensegrityarchitectureasawhole.Forthemoreactive,itcanalsobeusedtorisefromasupinepositiontosittingup(Fig.11.8).(Fortheverycontained,itcanbetakenfromsupinetostanding,viaasquatposition).Whenmatureparticipantsdiscoverthis, theybecomehighlyanimatedbytheirbody’sabilitytomove

moreeasilythantheyimagined,justbyusingittocounterbalanceitself.Itinvigoratesandinspiresthem.Itisgreatpracticeformanyagegroups(withthecaveatthatyouareworkingwithindividualsyouknowandregularlyteachandtheyhavenospinalinjuries).

Figure11.8

Beginlyingsupine.Onelegremainsheldasshown,bothhandsbehindthekneewithfingersinterlocked.Theleadinglegswingsupandovertheheadtogaintheelasticmomentum.Asitswingsbackdowntowardstheflooragain,theheadandtorsoliftfromthegroundintositting.Interlockthehandsbehindoneknee,takethelegsbacktowardsthebody(andslightlyuptoliftthepelvisoffthefloor)andswingthembacktogoforwardanddowntogoup(intositting).Atthesametimerelaxthesittingbonesdownintothegroundanditreleasesthetorsoupasthelegsswingdown,elastically.Itfeelscompletelyeffortless.

SensingtheCurvesoftheSupineSpineInPart1,we established the importance of the organisation of the spine in its primary and secondarycurves. These play a key role in postural organisation, structural support and the optimal breathingpatterns:allfoundationsofourfascialforminfunctionalmovement.

Figure11.9

Beforewe explore the breath in a chapter of its own,we can use this simple preparation exercise,whichhelpsparticipantstorelaxuponarrivalandsimplysettlebeforethestart.Thispreparationasanacanbeusedtobringawarenessandattentiontothebodyandsensethesecurvesinrelationtotheground.Italsohelpsinpreparingthebodywithanysupinebreathingtechniquesasthegroundprovidesasensoryfeedback.Ourbodieschangethroughouttheday,becominggraduallymorecompressed,andtheyusually

decompressthroughrestovernight.Developingsensoryrefinementincludesthetimetakentobeawareofhowandwhenwepractise.Forcingstretchesrarelyworksbutfordifferentreasonsatdifferenttimesoftheday.Encouraginggentleyawningstretches,afterrestperiods,primesthetissuesandcanserveusinaccommodatingthesedifferences(seeCh.8).Wefindourselvesinauniqueplacethatyogacantakeusto.Itisaplacewherethereisnothingtodoas

such. It is a state of being, conscious of sitting and standing upright, curved.We can be in our form,respondingmovementbymovementinsubtle,pulsatoryawarenessoftheground,theshapewemakefromit and the heart-centred balance this awareness can bring us. Sensing ourselves as a sensory, whole,animatedarchitecture.

Figure11.11

SupineSpineCurves(Fig.11.10)Lie on the backwith knees bent, feet hip-width apart and toes turned inward slightly to allow the knees to drop softly together.Thissimply relaxes the legs and helps to release extraneous tension in the lumbar spine, pelvis and particularly the inner thighmyofascialorganisation.Placethehandsunderthebackofthewaistsothatthemiddlefingertipstouch.Thisallowsthesenseofagentlelumbarcurve,notsomuchthatthebackofthewaistdoesnottouchthebackofthehandsandnotsolittlethattheyarepressedtothefloor.(Thehandscanthenberemovedandplacedcomfortablyonthefloorortheabdomen,oncethissuitableshapehasbeenfound.)Thismakessensingoftheprimarycurvesveryclear,fromthetoetipstothecrown,archingunderthetoes,themedialfoot,fromankletohipatthebackoftheleg,thelumbarspineandcervicalspine.

Figure11.10Westartbyfeelinghowthetissuesmeetandgreetthegroundtoregistertheminoursensoryfield,therebybecomingmore

consciousofwhereweareinspace.

Bringinggentle,subtleattentiontohowthecurveschange(iftheydo)asthebreathmovesthroughthebodyisasimplewaytoencouragesensoryrefinement,whilethebodyremainsrelaxedandsupportedbytheground.Thisalsoservestobringanuncomplicatedfocusinwardtobeginaclass,ifitisappropriatetoyourstyleofteaching.PURPOSE:Thepurposeofthisexerciseistosenseandexperiencethearrangementofprimaryandsecondarycurvesthroughthebackofthebody.Thisusesthegroundasfeedback.SUPPORT:Thebodyisfullysupportedbytheground,whichcanbefurtherengagedasasensoryfeedbackmechanismforthebreath.Anappropriatesupportattheheadcanbeusedifaparticipanthasastrongthoraciccurve(kyphosis)suchthattheyhavetotiptheheadbackinorderforittorestonthemat.Asmallblockorcushionmaybeusedsothattheycanclearlyfeelthebackofthecraniumasaprimarycurve.Ingeneral,however,Idiscourageuseofacushionorblockundertheheadunlessitisnecessary.Neckdiscomfortisoftenalleviated by a rolled blanket or towel supporting the secondary curve at the neck.While the “automatic block support”might seemuseful,itcanalsoencouragetheexactdefaulthabitweareseekingtotransform.

Notes1. H.M.Langevin,“ConnectiveTissue:ABody-WideSignallingNetwork?”,MedicalHypotheses66(6):1074–1077;2006.2. H.M. Langevin and J.A.Yandow, “Relationship ofAcupuncture Points andMeridians toConnective Tissue Planes”, TheAnatomical

Record269:257–265;2002.3. JamesL.Oschman,“FasciaasaBody-wideCommunicationSystem”,Ch.2.5inRobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowand

PeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody,ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.4. ThisisavailablethroughHelenNoakes,onvideo.Itisabeautifulpracticethatcanbedownloadedviahttp://www.helennoakes.net/shop/.5. LandmarkWorldwideeducationprogramme,http://www.landmarkworldwide.com/.6. ThiswasoneofTomMyers’sstrap-linesfortheKinesisMyofascialIntegration(KMI)School)(visitwww.anatomytrains.comfordetails

ofthetraininginStructuralIntegration).7. SergeGracovetsky,presentationattheLighthouseCentre,Brighton,UK,September2012.8. VandaScaravelli,AwakeningtheSpine,2ndedition,PinterandMartin,London,2012.9. Ibid.10. JamesL.Oschman,“FasciaasaBody-wideCommunicationSystem”,Ch.2.5inRobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowand

PeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody,ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.11. SeeStephenLevin,www.biotensegrity.comforananimationofthebiotensegrityofthepelvicgirdle.12. InFascialFitnesstrainingprinciplesthisisreferredtoaspreparatorycounter-movement.R.Schleip,D.G.Müller,“TrainingPrinciplesfor

FascialConnectiveTissues:ScientificFoundationandSuggestedPracticalApplications”,JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies17:103–115;2013.

CHAPTER

12YogaandAnatomyTrains

“Allorgansofananimalformasinglesystem,thepartsofwhichhangtogether,andactandre-actupononeanother;andnomodificationcan

appearinonepartwithoutbringingaboutcorrespondingmodificationsinalltherest”.1

BaronGeorgesCuvier

The concept ofAnatomyTrains™, as laid out in the book of the same name by TomMyers, remainscontroversial. Ihavehad theprivilegeofworkingcloselywithboth thebookand theauthor, firstasastudentandlaterasanassistantandteacher,soIremembertheearliestchallengesandeffortstotranslateanatomicalcontinuityintosomekindofmanageableandmeaningfulportrayalforpracticalapplication.Myerscarvedapaththroughaverydenseforestandclearedthewayforkinaestheticallybiasedpeople

totravelmoreeasilybetweentheclassicalanatomytextsandtheworldofpractice.Itisonethingtodothatformanualtherapyandanothertodoitformovementprofessionals;usedinaparticularway,Myers’workisaresourcefulcontributiontoboth.Aswehaveseen,anatomycanbecomelostintranslationsomewherebetweenthepageandtheperson

itisbeingusedtodefine(inrealtime).Myershascreatedameanstotraversethatdivide,articulately,inakinaestheticallyappropriateway,with some relevantandapplicableguidelines.Thepathwaysof theAnatomyTrainsareworthlearning,ifonlytosteeracoherentcoursebetweentheschematicsofmuscleunits(asclassicallytaught)andtheconceptofcontinuity,asmyofascialunityisphysicallyexperienced.Itisarelativelyunchartedroute.Yogaposturesoccurasanexpressionofnaturalcontinuity,sothisworkisavaluablebridgefromhistoricalanalysistothecontemporaryclassroom.

Myershaschallengedassumptionsaboutthearchitecturalorganisationofthebody.Foralongtimehischapter“TheWorldAccordingtoFascia”2wastheonlyavailableworkonthefascialmatrixthatsomeoneoutsidescientificresearchcouldusetopointtothewholebodyatonce,includingthecontextofconnectivetissue.Beforebiotensegritywasfullyappreciatedandtestedtotheextentitisnowbeginning tobeunderstood,TomMyersoffered itasapossibility forconsideringhowbodiesoccupyspaceandmove inaway thatmakessenseofthem,essentiallyasawhole.Thisisverydifferentfromtryingtofitbodiesintoanatomicalcategoriesandtheoriesofmotionmechanicsthatfeelreductionistinthecontextofafull-bodiedyogaclass.

Asyogapractitioners,weseeklightnessoffootandspirit,anchoredinanarticulateconversationwiththeforcesofgravity,framedandexploredinforms(asanas).Someofthisresidesinseeingtheobvious:oftenthingsarenotquiteascloakedinmysteryasscientificreasoningmightatfirstseemtoimply.Itiscertain,forexample,thatmovementdoesnothappeninindividualunitsofactionthatsomehoworganisethemselvesintotheasanasdonebythecoherentbeingsthatattendourclasses.Peoplecanalreadymove.

Yogais,amongmanyotherthings,oneofmanywaystospecialise,refine,practiseanddifferentiatethedetailsofourmobilityor“motionality”,ifwecanusesuchaword.Itsverynatureisjoinedup,asisours:“these meridians [Anatomy Trains] girdle the body, defining geography and geometry within themyofascia,thegeodesicsofthebody’smobiletensegrity.”3Inourroleasteachers,weareimpartingwaysofexploringthose“geodesics”thatwrapourformsin

the formswe canmake.Wearenot teachingmovement as ifmovement itself is amystery. Ifwehaveinvitedateachertoraiseourgameorrefineourstyle(orbeeninvitedasateachertodothisforsomeoneelse),thenthepurposeistoshareaccesstoanotherdomain.UsingAnatomyTrainstodothis,intermsofreading whole postural balance in asanas, is a great tool to have as a reference for finding thecoordinates for an individual expressing a particular posture in theirway. There are, however, a fewpointsworthemphasising,especiallyformovement.

TheAnatomyofContinuityAnatomyTrains is lessofananswer toeverything than it isapossibilityof stepping-stones towardsavantagepointthatyogateacherscanusetogreatbenefit.Itbecomesparticularlyusefulinadjustment(seeCh.14).Teaching someone to drivedoesnot include the assumption that every car is the same, everydriver thesameandevery journeyprescribed inadvance.AnatomyTrains isa firstclassvehicle fromwhichtogenerateexplorationforyouandyourparticularstyleofteaching.

Acareful readof themany resources thatMyersdescribes inhis introduction to the secondeditionofhisbookAnatomyTrains ishighlyrecommended.Inthissection(“LayingtheRailbed”4),thereisareferencetotheGermananatomistTittel,5whodepictswhathecalls“muscleslings” in theactiveposturesofathleticpursuitsanddynamicmovements.Myers refers to themasmore“movementspecificandmomentary”asdistinctfromtheAnatomyTrainsfascialfabricconnections,“whicharemorepermanentandpostural”.6

The point is to recognise the echo of Blechschmidt,7 perhaps, who suggests that even from ourembryonic origins ourmuscles, tissues and boneswere formed according to a plan that grew themasslings, incontinuity (Ch.5).Givenourbasichumandesign format,our expressionof these“slings” inactionispartiallyindividual,asisourpersonalform.However,theircontinuityisglobalanduniversal.Paradoxically,whilethatmakesusallunique,wearethesameinthat.Theremayindeedbeseveralwaysofpresenting thesecontinuities–asslings,meridians, trainsorplanes, forexample.However, the factthatmovementisexpressedasslingsthroughoutthebodyisthekeynote.Perhapstheyarenotsomuch“setinstone”(asclassicalanatomymightsuggest)astheyareorganisedanddevelopedaccordingtouseand,tosomeextent,whatisavailable.Inotherwords,whiletheyarepartofourdesign(ascontinuities)theyalsoexpressourindividualformandmovementabilities.Bothresources(Myers,Tittelandothers)suggestthevalueofseeingincontinuityandthisisthebasic

premiseoflearningeitherview.TitteldidnotnamethefunctionalbandshedescribedinthewayMyershas; however, his depictions are visually very powerful in terms of making sense in the movementclassroom.Wehavetoworkinjoined-upmomentsandoncewedevelopappropriatewaystoseeincontinuityof

form,wecanintervenewiselyandsparinglytofosterawarenessandbalancewithoutimposition(Ch.14).Otherresearchers8alsorefertoslingsinspecifictherapeuticorpathologicalcontextswhicharebeyondthe scope of this work. It is, however, an essential foundation to the recognition of whole, animated,healthymovement.

MappingContoursAnatomyTrainsprovidesakindof“contourmap”oftheanatomicalcontinuitiestogethersurroundingthebiologicalarchitectureofourform.Fromabiotensegritypointofview,theyareindeedconsidered“linesof pull” and are necessarily optimum lines, or common denominators of general posture.Aswith anybookonanatomy,theselinesofferanaveragepossibility:indeed,insomecasesevencommonposturaltendencies.Theycertainlyprovideuswithvaluablemetaphorsforunderstandingthelimitationsimposedbyconsideringmusclesasisolatedanddiscreteunits(sincewenowknowthatthisisnothowmusclesreallywork9)andmoving towardsseeingcontinuous“myofascialmeridians” (althoughwemaynotyetknow exactly how thesework in everyone).We could sayAnatomy Trains provides an exceptionallyusefulandhonestwayofseeingthebodyinjoined-upanatomicalwriting.Itisamostvaluableresourceinanyyogatrainingtoseebalanceasaglobalpossibilityifwerememberitisametaphorandholdthefollowingfourfundamentaltenetsinmind:• AnatomyTrainsisaparticularkindofmapthatemphasisesconnectivityandconnectingpathwaysandlayers.Itisnearerrealitythanmanytopographicalmapsbutstillnottheterritory.

• MyofascialMeridiansarenotnecessarilysynonymouswithfunction.Theyareusefulpossibilitiesthatsuggest how refined balancemight be found or revealed in thewhole structure. It depends howyouapplythem.Theyareanexcellentplatformuponwhichtostandwhiledevelopingtheartandtheskillsinvolvedinseeingmyofascialcontinuity.

• Therateofapplicationisentirelydifferentinamovementclasstoamanualtherapysession,wheretheclientspendsmuchofthesession(relatively)passiveonthetablereceivingtreatment.Hereinlies thequantumleapwehavetomakeasmovementteachers:toharnessthepowerofthetoolandbenefitfromaparticularaspectofitsgenius,whichwewillexplore(seebelow,forexample).

• The body occurs in volumes (somethingMyers refers to) rather than in lines. If themetaphor of theanatomy train tracks is tobe reallyuseful in amovement class, the trackshave towork (at least) inpairs, relative toeachother.Thentheycanbeusedfordenotingform,rather thanfixtures.Otherwiseyouneedmuchmoretimetobodyread,thusleavingtherealmofthemovementclassroomandenteringintotherealmoftherapeuticpractice.Howevervalidthatisinitself,itisnottheremitofthisbook.Inamovement class we are using this valuable tool to read bodies in motion at speed and optimalalignment,inyogasana.Thusweneedpairstoseevolume,aswewillexplorebelow.

Speed-ReadingPromptsAn individual inmotion cannot be globally defined at the speed of the class,whether using classicalanatomy,biomechanicsorAnatomyTrains,sincemovementisnotanintellectualprocess,particularlyinrealtime.IfwerememberthatAnatomyTrainsisaguide(andanupgradeonsinglemuscles-as-means-to-move), thenwe can now travel first class into the territory called contemporary yoga usingAnatomyTrains appropriately. It is an invitation to see in shapes and identify useful balance and less usefulrestriction,viaaposeinprogress.Yoga does not really fit into the Anatomy Trains lines (there are no lines, flat planes or perfect

symmetriesinthebody;wedonotallmovethesame,orslowlyenoughtoreadorbereadaswemove;norarelinesofpullthesameineachperson).AnatomyTrainscan,however,bemadetofitintoyogainanextremelyintelligentandusefulway.Youwillneedabroadbrush,arelaxed“watercolour”style,andaneyeforlightandshadowandfor

“relativeto”.WewillassumeyouhaveacquiredthetextofAnatomyTrains(orat least thepostersforreference)asitisthoroughandwellillustratedandanexcellentresourcefortheanatomicaldefinitionsofeach“line”,referencingthemuscleunitsintheirfasciallycontinuousandbonyintegrations.(Asummaryofeachisincludedhereforeaseofreference.)

BroadBrushstrokesInamovementclass,specificallyyoga,weadaptandbalanceaccordingtoourstructureandtheposeweintend to incorporate. Animated movement uses all of the body all of the time. Some parts of it areengagedinstillnesstocounterbalanceotherparts.Somepartsareengagedinmoreobviousmobilisation.Inbalancetheseform(together)thesumtotalofourtransitionsatanygivenpointintime.AspreviouslystatedinChapter7,therearethreestates:move,countermoveandtheneutralsumoftheircombination,atanypointintime.

IhavepersonallydissectedalltheAnatomyTrainslinesand,whilethatdoesnotmakethem“real”inthelivingformitdoesmakethemvalid forconsiderationasaway to representcontinuity inour tensionalbody form.How theywork foreach individual isone thing.Whether they exist in the body as separate or distinct “entities” is another. They do occur in continuity, as continuous layers ofcompositetissues,justasindividualmusclescanbefoundindissection.Itisnottheirrealitythatisbeingdiscussedhere,however,butwhatwemakethemmean.AnatomyTrainsinyogaisasubjectforawholeotherbookonitsown.Itworksatthespeedofinstinctand intuition inclass, so itwill seem like theFastTrackversion in this format.Youwill seewhywhenyouseek toapply it. Ihaveincludedsomefunexercisesforlearningitattheendofthischapter.Afteryouhavelearnedallyouroriginsandinsertions,itprovidesausefulcontextinwhichtheycanmakesenseofourfascialform.

Wehavetolearntoseeinsweepingmotionsandgetasensebothofbalance,andofwherebalanceismissing.Wesometimesworkin“stillframes”ifthefocusistoholdapose.However,thisisaveryactiveordynamickindofstillness,engagingthebodyinslingsofmyofascialcontinuitiesoveraperiodoftime.It is not experienced as static or sedentary by the body, as it has to be actively held in place,whichrequires strength and poise. (Aswe have noted previously,we are designed formobility, so globallyspeaking it takes specific focus to hold a “still frame” in a posture.) It is invariably an expression ofbalancebetweentensionandcompression,attractionandrepulsion.Equilibriumequalsthebalanceandfreedombetweenthesestates.Anatomy Trains starts off as a very useful interpretive guide to upgrade this seeing and we find

ourselvesviewinginbandsratherthanbits.Weareleftreadingthebodyatspeedand,inordertodothis,wefirstfocusonbalancingbetweenpolarities:backtofront,fronttoback,sidetoside,spiraltospiralorposetocounter-pose.Wedevelopasenseofuptodownandeventuallyanabilityrapidlytoseewheregraceisandwherecontinuityisinterrupted,relativetotheindividualinaction(andtheirrelationshiptotheground).

MotionalModificationsAnother very useful work is Dynamic Body, Exploring Form, Exploring Function, by Erik Dalton.10 Myers is one of thecontributing authors to this book and his overviewofAnatomyTrains is an excellent resource and introduction,without all the finedetailsofapplicationtotherapeuticinterventionincludedinthefullversionoftheoriginalwork.11

Weareenteringadomainthatgoesbeyondscientificanalysisintothebeautifulrealmofaestheticmovement.Itcannotbeappreciatedusing purely anatomical knowledge based on postmortem studies or the onlymechanical principles ofmotion.Dancers, and someyogis, particularly those working really fluently in Vinyasa Flow, know something that is simultaneously exquisitely complex and

profoundlysimpleabouttheexperienceofmovementinwholebodysequencing.Itissomethingthatresonateswithbiotensegrityandis,to some extent, answered by it. There is, however, a lot more research to do in considering exactly how we animate thesecomplexgeometriesonthescaleofjointanatomy:

Movementcomesthroughthebody,ratherthanfromit,atthislevelofperformance.Italsousesthegroundandthegravitationalfieldinavery instinctiveway.Adancer leadswith theirhead,movingforwardfromthebackbody,backwardfromthefront,andsoon.Dancersaretrainedinthepolaritiesthatbecomesorefinedtheyareonlydescribedbythebodymoving,incontinuoustransition.Theanalysisisonlyanalysis.Freedomofexpressionusingthekindofmovementthatadancercancommandcanbringanaudiencetotearsofemotion,a fact that isnoteasy toexplain. It issomething inandof itself thatevenabsorbsand transcends thedancer. It isas ifdancingisdancing.InVinyasaFlow,whichmeans“toplaceinaspecialway”,itisexpressedascontinuousmovement.Thequalityofothernessbeyondanalysisisharnessedandsurrenderedto,throughpractice.

BelowyouwillfindafewnotesforworkingwithAnatomyTrainsinmotiontooptimisetheirapplicationinamovementclassroom.TheseareadaptationstothefullAnatomyTrainsdetailsfoundinMyers’book.Somekeypointsare:• TheDeepFrontLineisacontainer,whichatspeedwereadviathebreath.Itrepresentsavolumeand,sincewecannottouchitdirectly,itmaybethatwatchingandcueingthebreathcanbetheaccess.Italsomeans that breathing and movement integration (Ch. 15) are distinguished as a basis of optimalorganisationandfunctionalmovement.

• The Functional Lines do not “function” as such in yoga, unless you include the feet and hands andcontinuethelinesbeyondMyers’definedlimitoftheelbowsandknees.Wedonotmovebyhoveringabovetheground.Weintegratefromit.WhatevertheargumentforcallingFunctionalLinesfunctionallines,theyreachthegroundinthisimpressionistartofrecognitiononthemat.Furthermore,movementis usually our response to a task and our intention. We choose to do yoga, explore Eagle Pose(Garudasana),forexample.Handsandelbowsworkinconcert,soanylinestoppingattheelbow(orknee)doesnotgettobeidentifiedas“functional”inthiscontextunlessitisactuallythephysicalendofthatextremity.

• Fascia is not limited to Longitudinal Bands such as defined by the Anatomy Trains. They are anextremelyusefulmeanstoreadoverallbodyshapeinsuchawaythatgivesusrelativelyfastaccesstoseeing continuity of form and balance.We can also learn to recognisewhether breathing function isoptimisedorcompromised,byseeingtheirrelationships.Theemphasis,however,isoncontinuityandbreathingratherthanonanyspecificlineperse.

• ThereisindeedsomethinglikeaBackSpiralBand!Manydancers(particularlyballet)andYogaFlowpractitioners learningAnatomyTrainsanimate thesenseof theexactoppositeof theso-calledSpiralLines. They report a long continuous band down the front (recapitulating and overlapping theSuperficialFrontLinefromthebackoftheheaddownthefronttotheforefoot),tostabiliseahelixthatwrapsaroundtheback.Thehelixisaccountedfor,inpart,bytheBackFunctionalLine.However,thereisamuchmorecomplexandintegratedrelationshipbetweenthefrontandthebackinhelicalmotion.The body interprets sequential transitions in ways that are not always readily reduced to AnatomyTrains’ configurations. As Myers points out, Tittel offers bands that are related to “momentarymovement”ratherthanposturalset(Fig.12.1).

Inlife,peopleacquiresomethingwemightrefertoasthepossibilityof“biotensegralchoice”whentheirbodies become strong and variable in fast movement sequences. They will use all the power ofanticipatory motion that the myofascial matrix can bring them, balanced in elastic integrity, betweenstiffnessandtheabilitytostretchorlengthen.Inotherwords,therecruitmentofmyofascialcontinuitiesofaSpiralBackBandwrappingaroundinahelix(oranyothervariationonthiskinaesthetic theme)willdependtosomeextentonthenextmove.Itcertainlyleavessomequestionsinexperientia.

Figure12.1

LongitudinalMyofascialMeridians

Figure12.2TheFrontBand(s).

Figure12.3TheBackBand(s).

Figure12.4TheLateralBand(s).

LongitudinalMyofascialMeridians

Figure12.5TheSpiralBand(s).

Figure12.6TheBackandFrontArmBand(s)(superficialanddeep).

Figure12.7TheDeepContainer(DeepFrontLineinAnatomyTrains).

Figure12.8TheFrontandBackFunctionalBand(s).

StartingPointsforAnatomyTrainsinYoga

Findingthe“BackSpiralLine”feelslikeacombinationoftheBackFunctionalLineandtheSuperficialFrontLine,mediatedalwaysbythefullbody’sbreath.Perhapsitcannotbeexplained.

Technically,ifyoufollowtherulesaccordingtotheAnatomyTrains,thereisnomeanstotakeahelicalbandaroundthebackofthebodyonacontinuouslayer.Iamthereforeleftwiththequestionofhowitfeels.Intruth,thelineswillnotgetyoutothepractice.However,theycanhelpyoutousefullyreadit.

These bands provide starting points, or references in the conversation between practitioner andparticipant.Theyarelanguagedkinaesthetically,aswewillseewhenwegoontousetheminadjustment.Wewillbeginwith:showingthelinesassweepingimpressionsofcontinuities,orpartsofcontinuous

sheaths or bands, which is how they appear in the clothed participants that we see arriving in theclassroom;presentingtheimpressionsofeachlineinpairedsoftarchitecturestogiveanoverallsenseoffascialform,inmotionatspeed,relativetoeachother;emphasisingthatallthelinescanbedistinguishedindividuallyorcollectivelyinanyposture.Theyareveryusefulindicatorsinpairs,ofrestriction,balanceorlackoftensegrity;workinginwholeness.Wewillnotgointothedetailofallthelayers,asfoundinAnatomyTrains.Ratherwewillfocusonrelationships:seeingthefrontrelativetotheback,forexample,insimplerterms,suchasweseeinclass.N.B.ALLthelinesarerelativetotheDeepContainer;itisseenviathebreath;whichgivesusaccess

tothestructuralbalancebetweenthelines(Fig.12.15).

LongitudinalMyofascialMeridiansofyogabasedonAnatomyTrainsPleasenote these arebroadbrushstroke impressionsof thebands that aredetailedcomprehensively inAnatomyTrainsbyTomMyers.Theseareinnowaydesignedtoreplaceorchangetheanatomy.Theyareprovidedhereasareference,withoutspecificlabels,asaguidetowhatisactuallyseenintheclassroomandhowwecanworkwith theminnaturalmotion. It ishighlyrecommended thatyouobtainyourowncopyofMyers’book.

WorkinginRelatedPairs(Overview)Intheyogaclassroomweareworkingwithanimatedbeings.Thesesketchesaredesignedtogiveanoverviewofhowto“see”thebandsrelativetoeachotherbalancingfront-to-back,side-to-side,spiral-to-spiralandsoon.

Figure12.9Seethefrontrelativetotheback.

Figure12.10Seethebackrelativetothefront.

Figure12.11SeetheLateralLinesrelativetoeachotherinthetorsoandtotheDeepFrontLine,inthelegs.

Figure12.12SeetheSpiralLinesrelativetoeachother.

Figure12.13SeetheBackandFrontFunctionalLines(workingfromthegroundtotheotherextremity).

Figure12.14SeetheBackrelativetotheFrontArmBands.

Thearmbandsarecomplicatedbythefactthatwecan(asseeninthisimage)rotateourarms,suchthatthefrontandbackcanbetwistedinyogaposes.Thefrontandbackbalancereliestosomeextentuponreading the postural balance between themain Front andBackLines and seeing the shoulder suitablyalignedwith the side (LateralLine)–as shown.By seeing the lines inpairs,youare thenable to seebalancebetweenthem,viatherelationshipsofthebodyvolumetoandfromtheground.Itisnotcomplexanditisdesignedtofacilitatetensionalbalanceinthetorsoandensurethatposturesarenotdoneattheexpense of length, depth or breathing. These are paramount features preparing the body for practicesthroughwhichwecanprogress.

Figure12.15TheDeepContainer(DeepFrontLineinAnatomyTrains).

Allthelinescanberelatedtotheideaofthebreath“filling”thedeepcontainer.

Thereisagreatdealmoregoingoninthefascialformat thedifferent joints.However, thispremiseworksextremelywellasaglobalbalanceinlying,seated,inverted,standingandbendingposes,aswellastwists(givenourbroadbrushstroke,water-colourapproach).Ifthespinalintegrityoftheprimaryand

secondary curves is honoured, strength, length and tensional balance are progressively optimised. Theelasticintegrityofthewholebodycanthenbefosteredasweworkwiththedifferentpractices,detailedinlaterchapters(orthosespecifictoyourownstyleofyoga).

ThePurposeThe purpose of putting the lines into pairs and reading the balance between the lines, or bands, is toensure thatmovement of a given line, in a pose, is not at the expense of its opposite line. This willencourage the integrity of the volume that the lines outline, especially if youworkwith the breath asmediator.Essentiallyitisquitesimple.Forexample,inCobra(Bhujangasana)itisonethingtosimplyliftthehead,pushingthegroundwith

thearmsandstretchingthefrontof thebody.However, if this isat theexpenseof freedom, lengthandbreathingthroughthebackbody,thenitislessthanoptimalforthatindividual.Thesamecanbesaidforforwardbend– if it isachievedat theexpenseofa longback,or incounter to thenaturalcurves, it isencouragingalessthanoptimalposture.ThisisclearinFigures12.16and12.17.

WorthpractisingItmayseemlikealottolearnforsuchasimplepurpose;however,itismuchmorestraightforwardinpracticeanddeceptivelypowerfulinhelpingyourclients:• movehonestly• progressappropriatelyinrelationtotheirownarchitecture• exploreposturesfromwithintheirownlimits• expandtheirownlimitsatanappropriaterateforthem• gainconfidenceasthebodyfeelssafeinbalancedpolarities• integratesensoryawarenessandrefineit• animatefocusedattentioninpresence,whateverthepose• accumulateelasticintegrityasaresource,graduallyovertime.

Asateacheryoucanreadily:• deepenyourabilitytoseeandassess• recognisemovementforcesexpressedineachperson• confirmbalancerelativetoindividuals• ensuresafepracticethatispeoplecentred,notposecentred• manageprogressatasuitablerate• facilitateawarenessandattentioninneutralbalance• establishabasisforconfidentadjustments(seeCh.14)• becomeadeptatoptimisingelasticintegrity.

These features can expand your confidence as a teacher and the confidence a group has in you.Once thisway of seeing becomesinstinctive,youcan(justasyoudidwhenyoulearnedtodrive,forexample)relaxabouttheappliedanatomyandcallforththedeepenedbreath,themomentofattentiontoaheelandtheawarenessofapartofthebodyinitscontextofthewholemyofascialorganisedform.Justaswithdriving,eventuallytheknowledgebecomessoinstinctiveitallowsustodirecttheclassandanticipateatthesametime.Intimethisgivesrisetomoregraceforeachpersonastheyacquiremasteryinthedifferentposes,whateveryourpreferredstyleofyogaandyouruniquewayofteachingit.

The same can be seen in side bending or rotating. It is a fast way to identify someone forcingthemselvesintoposturestheyarenotreadyfor.Italsoshortensorsquashesthecavitiesofthetorsoandthespinecanthenbeforcedtoaccommodatethis.Atitsmostbeautiful,andwhenapersonisreadyforitsfullestexpression,aposeinvitesthebodytoexpressitsintegrity.Allthis,inordertositrelaxedandquietandstill,ateaseandwithoutcompromise.

GoingBehindtheLinesTheessenceoftheDeepFrontContainerandthefoundationofthebodyasavolumeinspacearevisibleand outlined from every angle bywatching the breath. We will examine this further in Chapter 15;however, it is fundamental to every aspect of the body. Apart from anything else it may be that bybreathingmoreconsciouslyintoagivenaspectofthetorso,wecanbringitintoconsciousawarenessandrevitaliseitthroughthebreathingmovements.Whentheyareincongruencewithournaturalrhythm,gaitisenhancedandsomethinglight,anelusivespring,restoresourstep.Ihaveseenithappentimeandagain.Itarrivesspontaneouslywhenwestopstriving.

Figure12.16

Figure12.17

ApplyingAnatomyTrainsinMotionOne of the values of working with the Anatomy Trains idea, given that our form occupies three-dimensionalgeometry,isreadingthebalancebetweenthe“lines”.Ofcourse,althoughtheymightappearaslinesinthattheyaresilhouettesinprofile,theydonotactaslines.Thesilhouetteisinvariablyaroundavolume.Theybehaveaslongitudinalcoordinatesofcurvedplanesandtheyarepowerfulbasicguidesformovement and tensional integrity, ifwe learn to read them in relation to (not in isolation from) eachother.Theillustrationsprovidedheresimplydenotewherethelineswouldbeonthebodyifitwerestatic:

capturedinamomentintime.TheycanbeusedtoguidebothPostureProfiling(Ch.13)andadjustment,exploredinmoredetailinthefollowingchapters.This approach generates the “field” referred to in Chapter 1. It is a grace field that works as a

collective of people with a common interest, passionate about making a difference to each other.Intellectuallyyouareapplyingaworkinganatomythatmakessenseonthemat.Instinctivelyyoubecomemoreandmoreadeptatinterpretingitinanappropriateplacetomeet.Intuitivelyyoucanacquiremasterythatlookslikethesmallestintervention(adjustment)fortheoptimumdifference.Enjoyexploringthefield“beyondideasofrightdoingandwrongdoing”(Rumi).

Notes1. BaronGeorgesCuvier,HistoiredesProgrèsdesSciencesnaturellesdepuis1789, vol. I, p. 310., quoted inE.S.Russell,Form and

Function,1916(http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20426).2. Ch.1,“TheWorldAccordingtoFascia”, inThomasW.Myers,AnatomyTrains:MyofascialMeridians forManualandMovement

Therapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,Edinburgh,2009.3. Introduction, “Laying the Railbed”, in Thomas W. Myers, Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement

Therapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,Edinburgh,2009.4. Ibid.5. ThomasW.Myers,AnatomyTrains:MyofascialMeridiansforManualandMovementTherapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,

Edinburgh,2009;KurtTittel,BeschreibendeundFunktionelleAnatomiedesMenschen,UrbanandFischer,Munich,1956.6. Introduction, “Laying the Railbed”, in Thomas W. Myers, Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement

Therapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,Edinburgh,2009.7. ErichBlechschmidt,TheOntogenetic Basis ofHumanAnatomy: TheBiodynamicApproach toDevelopment fromConception to

Adulthood,editedandtranslatedbyBrianFreeman,NorthAtlanticBooks,Berkeley,CA,2004.8. Introduction, “Laying the Railbed”, in Thomas W. Myers, Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement

Therapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,Edinburgh,2009;D.G.LeeandA.Vleeming,“ImpairedLoadTransferthroughthePelvicGirdle–aNewModelofAlteredNeutralZoneFunction”, inProceedingsfromthe3rdInterdisciplinaryWorldCongressonLowBackandPelvicPain,Vienna,Austria,1998.

9. “The simple questions discussed inmusculoskeletal textbooks ‘whichmuscles’ are participating in a particularmovement thus becomealmostobsolete.Musclesarenotfunctionalunits,nomatterhowcommonthismisconceptionmaybe.”RobertSchleip,“Introduction”inRobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody,ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.

10. ErikDalton,TheDynamicBody,FreedomfromPainInstitute,Oklahoma,2011(www.erikdalton.com).11. ThomasW.Myers,AnatomyTrains:MyofascialMeridiansforManualandMovementTherapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,

Edinburgh,2009(seealso3rdedition,2014).

CHAPTER

13YogaandPostureProfiling

“Therearethoughtswhichareprayers.Therearemomentswhen,whateverthepostureofthebody,thesoulisonitsknees”1

VictorHugo

PostureProfilingisnotlimitedtoanyoneparticularprotocol(suchastheAnatomyTrainsdiscussedinCh.12).Rather it isused tounderstand someof thegeneral fundamentaldifferencesbetweendifferentfascial“bodyarchitectural” types.Theword“profile” isusedhere inaneutralway; it impliesneitherrightnorwrong,betternorworse.Itexistsrelativeonlytoitself.ThevalueinPostureProfilingliesinfinding suitable coordinates for appropriate change. This amounts to accessing a starting point andchoosingasuitabledirectiontomovetowards.Thecautionistobewareofbecomingtooliteralorusingthisto“brand”people,sincethatispreciselywhatPostureProfilingisdesignedtomoveawayfrom.

TheGroundRulesPostureProfiling isnotdesigned tobea substitute for suchpracticesasBodyCentredPsychotherapy,Hokomioranyof themanyvaluable protocols that speak in specificways to the psychosomaticwholewe live and dance in. It is an accessible, softly spokenframework, like a sketching template, for movement teachers. It captures a moment of the physical, connected soft-tissue livingarchitectureandplacesitinatemporalcontextwithusablecoordinates.

We are not anatomists, carefully studying dead or inert forms in miniscule anatomical detail. Thisprofiling is for movement teachers, and more specifically yoga teachers, working at speed. We areinvitingindividualstodiscovermorepossibility,rangeandcomfortforthemselves.Partofourroleistoprovide useful feedback. Perhaps we can provide fast track access to that process of processinginformationtoallowtransformation,physically.Essentially,however,thediscoverybelongstotheparticipant.Wearenotteachingthemhowtomove,

fortheyalreadyknowhowtodothat.Wesimplyhaveaccessandmorepracticeinourfavouredmodality.PostureProfilingbeginsasamapofasetofcoordinates,basedonfasciatypes.Usingthismap,our

task is to recogniseandplacean individualonausefulpathofprogress. Itprovidesa senseofwhichdirectiontotakethemin.Italsoexpresseswholeanatomyatthespeedofmovement,whichistherealmweworkin.

Intellect,InstinctandIntuitionHere iswhere anaesthetic, kinaesthetic and aesthetic come together in action.By learning to trust our

instinct and intuition we can develop the skill of Posture Profiling. Eventually it supports clients tobecomeself-referencingintermsoftheirownbalanceandwell-beingandself-sensoryrefinement.Itis,tosomeextent,aninterpretiveart.Asayogateacher,youhaveahugeadvantage,whichistheabilitytobepresent.Thisistheblankpage

everyonebeginson.Thedifficulty (whichdiminisheswithpractice) is the speedatwhichyouhave torecogniseprofiles.Youdonothavemonths todevelopyour ideaandproveyour theory.Youhave justmomentstodownloadyourinstinctivesense,toactivate,animateandilluminatethemovement.Thenyougettodoitoverandoveragain.Eventuallysomethingextraordinaryhappens.Yourintuitionkicksin,sofastitfeelslikeitisinadvance

ofyou.Itbecomesanawarenessthatispre-emptiveinnature.Itcanbebrilliant,yetitishardtoexplainbecausebydefinition it ismomentary;anyexplanation isof something that isalreadypast. It is in thisdomain thatwehave tobuild theappropriateexperience, frompeople-watchingandclassobservation,overandoverandover,todevelopthisskillatintuitivepre-emptivespeed.Fasciaitselfisananticipatorytool(Ch.9).Withcumulativepractice,webecomeliketheexperienced

car driver who eventually relaxes at the wheel (of familiar protocol) and instinctively recalls theirhistoricalknowledgeofdueprocedure,anticipatingeventswithwisdomandhindsightoperatingtogether.Itisaninvaluablepartofyourrepertoire.Below,wedividePostureProfilingintoitsintellectual,instinctiveandintuitiveaspects.

TheIntellectualAspectTheinformationuponwhichthisisbasedisfoundedonfascialbodytypeandmorphologicalbodytype.This is a tool in the field, so to speak. It is a metaphorical sketch of a person in real life. It is notcompetingwithscientificoracademiccharts.Weareworking innatureandnon-linearbiologic forms,animatedbyextraordinaryindividualpeople.Itisinvaluableforensuringdifferentfascialbodytypescanoptimise and balance their training in amore personal or specificway. These are considered to livewithin a range designated as being between the extremes of what Robert Schleip refers to as the“Obelisk”cartooncharacterandtheIndianDancertypes.3Inthisiterationwewillcallthatrange“VikingtoJungle”andmakeitthex-axis.

TheX-axisThissystemhasevolvedoutofalongtrainingandteachinginBodyReadingattheKMISchool.2Pleasebesuretosensethesetypesasarchetypalpossibilitiestodistinguishoptimalpractice.Theyarenotinanysensegoodorbad,rightorwrong,betterorworse.Theyareabsolutelynottobeusedtocriticiseordiminishpeopleorsuggesttheywouldbe“betterifonly...”.

Viking: this is thebuildofthestrong,resilientbodythat iscapableofendurance,particularlyat lowertemperatures.SchleipinvitesustothinklikeaViking,wrappedinfurs,carryingthefamilyandworldlygoods,trekkingstoicallyacrosstherockyaltitudesoftheNorthernEuropeanlandscape.Atthecampfire,theVikingbodyshieldsthefamilyfromthecoldwithstrengthandresilienceandplacesahighpriorityonstamina, bulk and brute force to carry everyone through. The shoulders are broad and the fortitude isarchetypallypowerful. If there isa small spacebetweensomeboulders, theVikingmaynotbeable tobendorsqueezethroughthegapbutinsteadmaybeabletomove,removeorovercometherocks.Intermsoftheelasticbody,wewouldplacetheextremeVikingbodytowardsthestiffnessendofthescale.

Jungle:thisisaverydifferentbuildtotheViking,representingtheoppositeendofthescale.Althoughitisnolesspowerful,ithasaverydifferentkindofability.Thereisnobulkorbruteforce,ratherafine-limbedorsinewykindofpotentialthatmightbeassociatedwithatropicalclimateandtheabilitytomovesilentlythroughtangledundergrowth.TheVikingwouldfindthatkindofmovementdifficult.ThisJunglemovementarchetype,however,wouldbelessnaturallyequippedforenduranceandmoreformomentumandthekindofflexibilitythatcouldswingandbound,slidethroughsmallerspacesandbendandtwistwithrefineddetailandtheleastof tracks.Theymight lackthe“bruteforce”andfortitudebut theywillembodya lighter,wirierframeforswiftermotionanddexterity. In termsof theelasticbody, this is thestretchinessendofthescale.Therearemanyvariationsonthesethemes,ofcourse.Theylivesomewherealongthisparticularlinein

termsoffascialtypesinamovementclassroom.Itisasoftmotionalinterpretationanditisfurtherdefinedbytheverticalory-axis.Atrightanglestothehorizontalaxis,isthey-axisthatdenotesshape.Thesetypesareusedasmuchfor

their general application in biology, referring to inner,middle andouter, as they are for anyhistoricalapplicationsofparticularpersonalityorphysiologicaltraits.

TheY-axisThese“somatotypes”wereoriginallydescribed in the1940sbyWilliamH.Sheldonandwerecloselyassociated with different body types as regards their fat-storage tendencies and also psychologicalpatterns.(ThisisreminiscentofAyurvedicprinciplesofhowdifferenttypescontainbodilyfluids.)Theyareusedhereinaverysimplewayandchosenfortheirassociationtoshape(morphology),whichissuchakeystoneoffascia.Froma slightlydifferentperspectivewecouldconsider thesemorphologies froma sensorypointof

view.Thereareallhighlyresponsivetotheinternalandexternalenvironmentandinthiscontexttheyareused to express movement preferences, in a neutral way, as much as they represent physiologicaltendencies.Forexample,ifVikingisWestandJungleisEast,thenEctomorphisNorthandEndomorphisSouth.

Mesoisinthemiddleand,justasitisintheembryo,itactuallydenotesthein-between.Thatistheplaceotherthanalltheotherplacesthatdistinguishesthemfromeachotherandalsounitesthem.Itisnotagoalofperfection.Weareusingtheseassymboliccoordinatestoguideourinstinctivesenseofdirection.Itisadirection thatwemove throughatdifferent timesandactuallybeginfrom,as thepre-stiffenedrestingtensionoftheelasticbody.Everyone hasMesomorph in them.We are looking to point towards a preference, given the whole

context. Does the individual have a tendency towards a “neurological” bias and tend to prefer theirintellectualcentre,a“locomotive”biasthatpreferstheirmovementcentre,ora“digestive”biasthatlikestotaketimetoconsiderthings,toactmoreslowlyperhaps?Wewillusethesecategoriesandaddsomenoteshereforease.Pleaseexpandthemandaddyourown

finerdistinctions.Itisasmuchtodifferentiatewheresomeoneisnotasitistoassesswheretheyare.Ectomorph:theectodermallayercomesfromtheGreekwordmeaning“outside”orthespacebeyond

anexternalboundary;theoutsideoftheshape.Theectomorphictype,inthiscontext,denotesasharpnessofmoreactiveattentionoutward:ananimal suchasabird,perhaps,ora squirrel,withahighly tunedsenseofalertness to itssurroundings.This typehasa tendencytowardsanervousdisposition,staccato

movements,high-speedburstsofenergyandveryfinelytunedawarenessandattentiontodetail.Itmighttendtofocusonwhatishappeningoutsidethebody,whileremainingsensitivetowhatoccurswithin.Meso(morph):mesocomesfromtheGreekfor“middle”orintermediate.Itsuggestsahalfwaypoint

butcanalsorefertosomethingbetweentheinternalandexternalfunctionandorientation.Insomecasesthiscanrefer to“moderate”andleadsintothesenseofmediator,as infindingthemiddleway.Hereitsuggeststheplacebetweentheothermaintypesbutalsoonethatexpandstoincludethem.Intissuetermsitisabalanceofbothoutwardandinwardattentionandawareness,possiblymoreinwardlyfocusedthantheextremeectomorphiccharacteristicsbutlesssothanthemoreextremeendomorphiccharacteristics.Thistypetendstopreferabalanceofactivitywiththoughtfulorreflectivepursuits,needingtooccupy

theirphysicalorinstinctivebody,withhighregardforsteadyenergyoutput.Itsitsinthemiddle,onthehorizontalaxis,becauseitcanincludeboththestrong,muscularbodyandthestrongsinewybodyoftheViking to Jungleextremes.At restingcentre, it impliesneutral,meaning“bothandneither”at the sametime.Endomorph:thiscomesfrom“endo”,meaning“within,internal”,fromaGreekorigin.Theendodermal

layerof theembryonicstructurerefers to theinternalgut tube, theformingofourdigestivelyorientatedsystemsandorgans.Thistypecanappearcalmerormorereflective,certainlypreferringaslowerormoredeliberating styleofmovement to theEctomorph. It isnotnecessarily any less sensitiveor fast, ratherpreferring a different rate of flow and a less staccato rhythm. If we were to use a sound scale, theEctomorphwouldtakethehighnotes,whiletheEndomorphwouldtakethelowernotes.Theirfocusmightnaturallybemoreontheinnerworldthanwhatishappeningoutsidethebody.We could say that we all have elements of all these morphologies; however, there is a tendency

towardsoneofthem,orsomemorethanothers.Centre: if someoneappears tobeperfectlybalanced,bothphysicallyand in termsof their rangeof

movement, then place them in the centre. For all people on the chart, the task is tomove towards thecentralaspectasitprovidestheoptimumchoiceandrange.Ifsomeoneisalreadyatthecentre,thenthegameistofillinthecircleoutbeyonditandpracticeexpandinginallareas.

PostureProfilingChartTheGoal

Figure13.1depictsaPostureProfilingchart.Thegoalissimplytomovepeoplefromwhateverpointtheyareattowardsthecentre.Itisnottomakeeveryone the same. Rather it is to invite a strongViking type towards a greater range or balance, byincreasingthelengthening,stretch-stylemovementsoftheJunglebody.Theaimisnottoturnthepersonintoadifferenttype,buttoinviteforthemagreaterrange,amoreoptimalbalanceandelasticintegrity.

Figure13.1Usingabroadbrushstrokechart,webecomeartistsmorethanscientiststo“place”peopleonitandfindappropriatecoordinates.

AnaturallyveryflexibleJunglebodywillbemorelikelytoexperiencebalancebyconsideringmoretensionalpatterns,higherstiffnesstoensureoptimalstrengthandwhatwemightcall“biotensegrity”inthetoneoftheir tissues.Thatmightincludeamoreactiveorpower-basedyogastyle.Itmightmeanlongerholdingpositionsinsuitableposturestotunestrength,forsuitablestiffness,ratherthanstretch.Aslower,moresedentarymorphologicaltypecan“improve”bybecomingmoreactiveandmightfind

morevitalitybyattendingawell-pacedclassona regularbasis. If theywereplaced towards the rightside of the chart, then perhaps bringing in a strengthening focuswould animate them and sustain theirvitality. If they found themselvesexperiencingstiffnessorhavinganaturallystrongbuild thenpossiblystretchingwouldbalancetheirparticularprofile.The ectomorphic type,which is associatedwithmore staccatomovements and a tendency to fidget,

willwant theopposite.For them,practising toenhance theirability to slowdowna littleand find thepowerofstillnessmightbeofmorevaluethanfocusingonspeedandchange.TheycanbenefitinfindingtheMiddleWaytheirway,throughtrainingalittlemorestrengthandrestfulnessinthebody.IftheyresideintheVikingsideofthechart,itmaybethatlonger,slowerstretchesarehelpful.PostureProfilingisswiftandsimple.Itisdesignedtogiveageneralcuetomanagingaclassinwhich

everyone isdifferent. Itallowsus,as teachers, tooptimise the fascialmatrixofagivenbody typeandassist that participant to find their balance in a way that is appropriate for them and the way theirtensionalmatrixisgenerallyorganised.Itisdesignedtoimproveelasticintegrityovertime,forthetypetheyalready,naturallyanimate.

Examples

Here are four practical examples to show these broad brushstrokes, or archetypalmovement patterns,placedonthesoftgraph.Tooptimiseelasticintegrityforeachtype,theoptimumfocuswillincludethecommentsin“towardsthecentre”foreachexample.

Figure13.2ExampleA.

ExampleA(Fig.13.2):strong,Vikingtype.Veryfit(weighttrainingandhasstrongbiastowardsstrengthandconditioningstyleworkouts).Veryactive,tendstobelesshappyrelaxingandsittingaround.Candoyogaoutofstrengthratherthansensoryinvitationorsubtlecuesforsensoryrefinement.Towardsthecentre:stretchingandstillnessoptimal.Meditationrestorativepractice,withemphasisonlengthoverstrength.

ExampleB(Fig.13.3):verybendyandabletostretch,althoughsometimesexperiencesover-tirednessorlethargy.Wellbuiltwithatendencytowardsslowermovements.Candoyogaposesinvolvingflexibilitywell but has more difficulty with contained movements that require control. Tires relatively easily.Extensionpostureseasy,tendstoneedholdingbackfromnaturallyachievablerangeascan“drop”intoextremeswithoutdifficulty.However,canstruggletocomeoutoftheextremeorfindthecounter-pose.

Figure13.3ExampleB.

Towardsthecentre:strengthandspeed.Morecontainmentthanstretchmaybeoptimal.

Figure13.4ExampleC.

ExampleC(Fig.13.4):early20s,notveryflexibleorbendy,goodstrongbuild,neitherpetitenortough.Preferenceforsedentarypursuits,prefers to“chillout”.Think“bear”-like lopeandverycalm.So laidbackitcomesacrossasindifference.Prefersthesofatothematbutwantstobemoreagileandorganised,wantsflexibility.Towardsthecentre:stretchandfasterpractice.Speedandagilityoverstrength.

Figure13.5ExampleD.

ExampleD(Fig.13.5):fastmovingtype,thinksquirrel,quiteagitated.Thinandreasonablyflexible(nothypermobilebutdoes“hangofftheknees”inforwardbend)butcannotsitstill.Wantstodoyogatorelaxandbuildstrength.Enjoysthestretches,doesthemeasily,butdoesnotwaittoexperienceorassimilate.Seeksmorestrengththanfurtherlength.Towardsthecentre:strength,stillnessoptimal.Meditationandstrongpractice.Thisisnotmeanttobecomplicated.Itisdesignedforeaseofuseandimprovedcongruency,intermsof

practice, and recognising fascial typing as a component in choosing ideal typesofpractice.Bothyogapracticestylesandyogis/yoginiscanbeusefullyplottedonthissoftgraph.Tostartwiththeyaresimplyplaced in terms of the x and y-axes. To foster elastic integrity, they are invited towards the oppositetendencyviathecentre.

TheInstinctiveAspect

Havingdevelopedasenseforthesegeneralquadrantsandpositions,andwherepeople“sit”atanygiventimeinthesquares,youthenhavetohonetheinstinctforwheretheyarerelativetowheretheywanttobe.Ifwehavethegoalofoptimalbalanceandvariability,thenwemoveinageneraldirectiontowardstheiroppositequadrantvia themiddle.This isdonegraduallyover time. If thecollagenmatrix takes12–24monthstochange,thepurposeistograduallyaccumulateasuitableloadingpatterninasuitabledirectionforthepersoninquestion.Itmightmeanchoosingadifferenttypeofyogaentirely.Ifsomeoneisinanextremecombination,theywilllandinasquare,outsidethemain(dotted)circle.

Thefirsttaskisbringtheminsidethemaincircleatleast.Ittakestimeandpracticetoestablishthatfirstphase.Thekey thing is that it is unique to everyone andyou areworkingwith that individuality.Verysmallstepslooklikeprogressrelativetotheindividual.Iftheparticipantisintheir80sandtryingyogaforthefirsttime,itisnotnecessarilytheyogaformthatwillinspirethem.Progressinsmalldegreesthatimprovestheirmobilityandbalancewillberelativetotheirability.Tomakeprogress,weseektomovefromwithintheouterring,intothecentrecircle.Forthosepeople

that find thecentrepoint, the task is then toexpandout fromit, to improverangeandpossibility inalltypes of physical expression and movement. They gradually move in the opposite direction to theirtendency,establishingbalanceandelasticity.Muchlikelifeitself,itisagameinwhichthereisalwayssomethingforustoworktowards,bothsowecanplayitandsowecanexpandwhatwedidbefore.

ArchetypalMovementPatterns

Clearly,anOlympicshotputterdoesnotwanttoliveatthecentre;itisnotoptimalforthem.TheywanttobeintheVikingsideofthex-axisandfreetomovewithstrength.However,theymaygainmorepowerintheiroverallfascialmatrixfromoccasionallypractisingatworkingtowardsthecentretooptimisetheirflexibility andglide in the fascial architecture. Just a little.Yoga that focuses on power and improvesstrength,speedandflexibilitymightbeidealforthemoccasionally.HowevermuchtheymightlongtobeanOlympicgymnastonthebalancebeam,itisarchetypallybeyondtheirscope.If youhave a studentwho comes in to your class, clearly built as amesomorphic type but soft and

flexible relative to theViking, although notwiry, theywill settle somewhere along the x-axis right ofcentre.Iftheyhaveatendencytobenervouslyoriented,theywillbeabovethathorizontalline.Thevalueof this chart is that you look towards the centre. If youneed togoup thex-axis, you are

seekingmoremovementandpossiblyspeed.Ifyouneedtogodown it toget towardthecentreyouareseekingmorerelaxationandstillnessandthevalueofslower,moredeliberateandcontainedmovements.If,togettothecentreyouneedtogorightonthey-axis,youareseekingmoreflexibilityandlength.If

you need to go left then it is more containment and strength that will optimise balanced tone in thebiotensegrity(orelasticintegrity)ofyouroverallform.Thepoint(andthevalueofthischartintermsofoverallfascialawareness)isthatgivingsomeonewho

ishypermobileandtired(exampleB)asessionoflong,slow,stretchymovementsmightnotoptimisetheirtissue in thewaythatafasterandmorepowerfulpracticewill. Itmaytake timefor themtobeable tofullyparticipateinaflowingorstrengtheningclass(e.g.VinyasaFloworAshtangaorPowerYoga),butthe valuemight become clear in a fewweeks of gradually strengthening their tissues bymoving themtowards(notto)astrongerandpossiblyfaster-pacedpractice.If,ontheotherhand,youhaveastudentwhoisverystrong,Viking-likeandnaturallylovesstrengthand

conditioningtraining,forexample(exampleA),theymightnotneedanymoreofthatkindoftraining.Thebeauty of yoga is its versatility.This personmight find huge benefit in the occasional slower, stretch-basedclassthatmighthaveexhaustedourpreviousclient.A recovering “sofa slouch”, or someone with a tendency to a more sedentary life-style or who is

recuperatingfrominjury(exampleC)willbenefitfirstandforemostfromsimplymoving(upwardalongthex-axis) and keeping up some kind ofmomentum. For them a shift from sedentary to any degree ofregularmovementwilloccurasabigchange.Iftheyareaseniorparticipant,thatmightbeinverysmallandappropriateincrements.Thepointisthedirectiontowardswhichtheirpracticeisheadedwillbeupthex-axisandangledtowardsthedottedcentrecircle,ratherthanacrossthelateralcoordinatetheystarton.Dose and degree of any (movement) “medicine” has to be grounded in common sense and softly

implemented. The effect accumulates. Schleip recommends we have the approach of a “BambooGardener” as the tissue changes over 6–24 months, while the fascial architecture responds fully tooptimalloadingpatterns.4Thistissuerespondscumulativelyovertime.Itresistsfastandforcefulsuddenmovementunlessitistrainedforit.Itisdesignedtoresist,inordertopreventinjury.Thisisonereasonwhywarmingupandcoolingdown,or“primingthetissues”,issoessentialtopreventsofttissueinjury(Ch.7).At the topof thechart is the staccato-style, fastburningcharacter (exampleD) forwhomrest is the

bottomoftheirlist.Theymaybeverystrongiftheyhavechannelledtheirenergyintotraining(placethemleftofcentre).Theycouldalsotendtobeofasofterarchitectureandholdextraneoustensionawkwardlyinthebody,butthetissuetoneortexturedoesnotmatchtheinnertaughtness.(Inthatcasetheywouldberightofcentre.)Itisaninterestingcombination.

YogicGunasTheprinciplesofpreservation,creationandtransformationcanberelatedtomesomorphicsymbolism.Thinkofthehungrycaterpillar,active,animatedanddriventoseeknourishmentwithurgencytopreservethespeciesandprogresstowardsfreedom.Itspinsathreadtowardstheoppositestate.Attheoppositeendofthescale,thenextstageisoneofdarknessandinactivity,boundbyacocoon,astateofbeingretainedandstill.Theresultoftheseopposingforcescombinedistheemergenceofthebutterfly:abletowalkontheground,butalsoabletoflyandexpresstransformation.Thebutterflylaystheeggsthatarethenextgeneration,symbolicoftheunitedforcesofcreation. It is important to recognise that all three forces arepresent in all threegunasor tendencies.Likea tension–compressionsystem, they all reinforce each other in honour of balance, order and clarity. A point in time marked by the cycle of creation:metamorphosisoneveryscale.

Thischartcandeepeninrelevancetocontemporaryyogastyles,byincorporatingtheancientwisdomofthe yogic trigunas. These are three tendencies that correlate to the ectomorphic, endomorphic andmesomorphic attributeson thevertical axis.The threegunas couldbedescribed as rajasic, satvic andtamasictraits.Agunaliterallyreferstoathreadinthesenseofanaturalpropensityoratendency.TheyareusedinAyurvedicmedicineandassucharenotentirelyunrelatedto the“humours”ofHippocrates(Ch.2).TranslationfromSanskrit,whichisasymboliclanguage,ismuchmoresubtlethantheliteralmeanings

wemighttrytoascribe.However,inthissenseitisactuallyveryusefulhere.Webegintofindconfluencebetween themanner of applying anatomy to understanding fascial form and yoga complementing eachother rather than conflicting.Theydonot represent states and actions, but rather tendencies and innatepreferences.Innatetounderstandingthegunas,istherespectforthethemethroughoutthisworkofbalancebetween

opposingforces,unitedtoformathirdstate.Satvicmeans“being”,theessenceofthepure“is-ness”,soitmightbeseenas theneutralcentre.Thegunasalsoencapsulate forceandanti-force,bothofwhichareneededtoanimatechangeortransformationasabalancedexpression(Table13.1).Thusoneisactiveanddynamic,one ismorepassiveand still (associatedwithholdingback) andbalance is foundbyunitingthem.Itispreciselyhowbiotensegrityworks.

Table13.1

Balance

When there is congruency in someone’smovement loading, a balance of strength, length and tensionalresilience, their tissues have natural elasticity. It can be synonymouswith vitality,which iswhy suchemphasisisplaceduponit.Aparticipantcanfeelwhereitismissingandyoucanseeit.Itisnotrightorwrong,itcanjustbemoreorlessoptimalfortheircomfortandabilitytodoyogatotheextenttheymightlike to.When the balance of practice is right for them you see it reflected in their architecture. It isdifferentineveryoneanditusuallyworkswithcontainmentaswellasflexibility.Itisthekindofpoiseandgraceofmovementthatcomesfrombeingrelaxedandateasebutfreetorun,ifrequired,orreadytorest andbe still in comfort.Theprinciplesof elasticity andbiotensegrity (as anexpressionofoptimaltensional integrity)are reflectedhere.At its simplest, it is expressedas theability todoaposeandacounter-posewithbalancedabilitytoreachandreturninbothdirections.Thisbuildsacongruentloadingpatternandmagichappens.

WhatNext?

Oncepeopleareplacedonthechart,waysofdoingyogagetoverlaidtodirectthestyleofpracticeortheoverallemphasis.Theycanchoosewhichpathwaytotake,viastrengthandstiffeningworkorstretchandsofteningwork.What seemsmost suitable from your observation and their self-sensing awareness? Itbecomesclearer fromrecognising theirmovementarchetypes.Wecanbegin toput twocharts together.Onedenotestheparticipantandtheotherguidesthepractitioner(Fig.13.6).Thisinterpretiveartalsoincludestheteachingexperience,thestyleofyogaandthelengthoftimeyou

have known the individual. Another example to consider is the theoretical case of the finely bonedgymnast who wonmedals for Olympic ribbon dances deciding to go for a weight-liftingmedal. It isarchetypally incongruent. This whole approach lives inside the variations either side of centre. Theextremesaremoreobvious.Ourgymnastcanmoveawayfromstretchiness tostiffnessandstrengthbutevenwiththebestteacherintheworld,thegoldmedalforliftingweightsmightremainelusive.

Figure13.6Thisisnotadefinitivechartoftypesofyoga,asmanyteachersinterpretdifferentcombinationswithinastyle.Itissoftguideforinterpretation,

aframeworktoprovideacontextforrecognisingfascialbodytypes.

TheIntuitiveAspect

Oncepeopleareplacedonthechart,youcanuseothertoolsthatmightbemorespecific,suchasBodyReading (Ch. 12), for example, or any other assessment tool that applies in manual practice. For amovementclass,theseareswiftlyseenandsensedatspeedwhenworkingtofulladvantage.There are threemajor rules to follow to become adept at PostureProfiling.They are:observation,

observationandobservation!Youwill learn to see subtlety and to interpret soft expressions of congruency and balance, reading

movement signatures in individual writing styles. You will even accumulate or refine the ability toanticipate imbalance.You can sensewhenyouhave taken someone beyond their comfort zone to theirbenefit, or if they need to hold back from their limits to becomemore contained, centred, or stronger.Thesearetheskillsoftopchoreographersandteachersinelitedance,athleticsandsportsfieldsaswellas in yoga. Experienced coaches recognise what is missing and call for something beyond what theindividualthinkstheycando.Nottoomuch,incasetheyinjurethemselves,notsolittlethatitmakesnodifference.Overtime,optimalbalancebecomesavailable.Onceyoulearntoseemanydifferentbodiesmoving,observingasmanyclassesasyoucangetyourself

into,youwillbegintobuildthisintuitivesense.ItisworthyourtimeoneverylevelbecausetherewardishigherdegreesofsensoryrefinementinyourownPostureProfiling,assessmentandadjustmentskills(Ch.14).Youwillmatchaprofiletoaposeandawayofdoingitthatspeaksalmostinstantlytotheindividual.It is transformative knowledge and it can literally alchemise the participant. Time and again I havewatchedstudentseyeing thematsuspiciouslyand thenrelaxedandgrinningas theyfind theposture forthemselves.Itgrowsalmostonitsown.They“flower”intoit,fromtheirownnaturalway.Here are some great ways to craft this skill and develop mastery in it. Observe people in these

environments.Asyoutravel,youwillnoticeculturalfascialarchetypes,includingtendenciesorstylesofmovement:Onholiday:pool,beachorhotel.Atthegym:weighttraining,cardiovascular,enduranceandsoon.Classes:inallkindsofmovementratesandstyles.Theshoppingcentre:noticemoodsandspeedsofmovement.

Thepark,whereyoumaystarttowatchthemovementsignaturesofpeopleofallages(Nottomentiontheirdogs!).

DevelopingyourIntuition

IthasbeenmyprivilegetotrainwithCarolineMyssforseveralyearsandfinddeepconfirmationintheidea that intuition isnot thegiftofachosenfewbut ratheraskill thatwecanallpracticeandbecomemoreskilledatrecognising.Wehavetolearntodistinguishthevoiceofintuitionfromthevoiceofreason.Thetwohaveverydifferenttonesandqualities(Ch.19,Part3).Withpractice,youcanfine-tuneyourinnerlisteninganddistinguishintellectfrominstinctandintuition.

Yoga is designed to develop these skill-sets naturally, since we spend time in meditation becomingpresenttobeingpresent.Itisthemostwonderfulwayoflearningtocreateablankpageorakindofinnersilence,uponandinwhichfinedetailcanbeseen,heardandrecognisedaccurately.Itusuallyarrivesinswiftsymbols,verydifferentinnaturetoreasonedargumentandlogic.Itbecomespossibletogetoutofyourownwayandgenerateaneutralobservationplatformuponwhichsomeonecanbeclearlyseenandrecognised.Theyarenotsomuchjudgedasobserved.Thisisafieldofgrace,notgovernment.ThekeynotedistinctionoftheintuitiveaspectofPostureProfilingisits“instantaneous”fleetingnature.

Myssrefersto“firsthit,besthit”.Itisinvariablyfasterthantherationalethatfollowsit.Thatrationalecomesfromtheintellectandusesthechart.Itistheconfirmation.Youwillbesurprisedhowmanytimesyouplacesomeoneveryaccuratelyifyousimply“sense”themapand“placeyourpin”intuitively.

SeeingSkillsforLivingFormsLetusconsideraveryclearaestheticexampleofthis,whichmakessomesenseofwhyitworksandwhyitisworthperseveringwiththepractice.

“Thefirstchallengeinfiguredrawingistoseethewholefigureasoneshape.Ourpriorknowledgeofthe figure as an individual person encourages us to see it as a collection of various parts, whoserelative importance is skewedbyexperience.Wemightbeparticularly interested ineyes,butnot inelbowsandifwedrawinthiswaythentheresultingdrawingswillneverbecohesive.”5

Thetextgoesontoteachyoutoseean“assemblyofforms”asoverallshapes,whichisessential.PostureProfilingisakindofvisualsketchingandfollowssimilarrulesofseeing,inwholeness,theunifiedform.Although it is in honour of the individual, paradoxically, it is impersonal. That is in the sense that anarchetypeisconsideredtranspersonal.Formandmorphologyaretranspersonalandthese“inspirationalsketches” are designed to be exactly that, even though they support the individuality of each classparticipant.

PractisingPostureProfiling

Askyourselfaseriesofquestionsandpractisebygoing toanyoneof theplacesmentionedaboveand“pinning” randomly chosen people on the chart. Stay detached and work at speed. The essence ofdeveloping your intuitive impression is to work fast and observe yourself doing it. Suspend your

judgementofyourself(theobserver)andthoseyouareobserving.It issimplytopractiseplacingmanypeopleonthechartforthefunofit.Ausefullistofquestionsmightbe:

• Whatisyourinstantimpressionofwherethispersonsitsorlivesonthechart?• Whatmadeyouchoosethatparticularaspect?• Iftheywereinaline-upapplyingforanOlympicteam,woulditbeweightlifting(strength),gymnastics(flexibility),athletics(speed),ageneralsport(needingalltheabove,suchasswimming,diving,fieldevents), cycling (stillness and endurance) or would they prefer to watch it from the sofa and notparticipate?(Thisisdesignedtoplacethemrelativetotheextremesonthechart.)

• Couldtheydoalloranyoftheabove?• Makeupyourownquestions.

Thisisforasoftimpressionistsenseofwherethatindividualmightberelativetothemiddle.Justplayingthisobservationalgamewillimproveyourskillinmakingmorerefineddistinctions.Itisasmuchabouttrainingyou,theobserver,asbeingaccurateaboutthoseyouobserve.Thatwillcomewithtime,trialanderrorinaccumulatedstrokesofexperience.

Notes1. VictorHugo,Frenchromanticpoet,novelistanddramatist1802-1885.2. KMI(KinesisMyofascialIntegration)School;http://www.anatomytrains.com/at/kmi/.3. RobertSchleip,variouspresentationsonFascialFitnessandFascianatingFascia.4. Ibid.5. JohnRaynesandJodyRaynes,HowtoDrawtheHumanFigure:ACompleteGuide,ParragonPublishing,Bath,2000.

CHAPTER

14AdjustmentoftheFascialForm

“Theheartofhealingliesinourabilitytolisten,toperceive,morethaninourapplicationoftechnique…interventionsareaconversationbetween

twointelligentsystems.”1

TomMyers

Fascia research isshiftingmanyof theparametersbywhichwemeasureandaccount forchange in thebody. Its impact on manual therapy has been considerable, and although movement teachers are notgenerally classified asmanual therapists, adjustment in yoga is an area inwhich these two fields canoverlappowerfully.ItwasoveracenturyagothatAndrewTaylorStill,thefounderofosteopathy,wrote:

“the soulofmanwithall the streamsofpure livingwater seems todwell in the fasciaofhisbody.When you dealwith the fascia, you deal and do businesswith the branch offices of the brain, andunder thegeneral corporation law, the sameas thebrain itself, andwhynot treat itwith the samedegreeofrespect?”2

ImaginaryShapesChapter7describesthestandardclassicalbiomechanicaltaskofworkingfromanimaginaryaxis,viewedas a straight pole or vertical line down themiddle of the body that acts as a reference point for thesagittal, coronal and transverse planes.What happens if instead of imagining a straight pole we startimagining a tube enclosing the participant we view? Let us call it themembrane between us and the“kinesphere”surroundingus.Theyblendbeautifullyintowhatwesee.Weshallrefertowhatisinsidethekinesphereasthe“innersphere”.Thischangedviewpointexpandstheposturesfromtwodimensionsintothethreedimensionstheyactuallyoccurin.Itcanprovideaccesstoacompletelydifferentunderstandingofadjustment.

WhatisaKinesphere?SallieBrook isagraduateofanatomyscienceand theLabanschoolofdance.At the timeofwritingSallieworked in theanatomylaboratoryatKing’sCollegeLondon.Herfascinationwiththefascialmatrixledhertojoinmyworkshopsand“kinesphere”washerword.Itisabrilliantdescriptionofsomethingthatwecandistinguishbutnotnecessarilydefineinliteralterms.

Intheyogaclassroom,theplacingofthehandsinprayerposition,withasmallbow(denotingrespect)

andtheword“Namaste”isasalutation,meaning“thedivineinmesalutesthedivineinyou”.ItdenotesaGraceField,asilentshapearoundeachofus,whichwenaturallysense.Wealsoknowimmediatelyifitisignored.Eveniftheyaresubtle,thekinesphericlanguageofproprioceptionisfullofsignsandcodesthatweinstinctivelyunderstand.Weknowwhenthosecodesarebrokentoo.We“know”whensomeoneisjusttooclose,orjusttoofaraway,sothattheiradjustmentfeelslikeaplacatorytapratherthananawareconversationbetweenintelligentsystems,asthequotationfromTomMyersatthebeginningofthechaptersuggests is desirable. It is “body language” by any other name, but this ismore specifically about the“shape”ofthatlanguage.Thereisnoquestionastoitspresencewhenwebecomepresenttoit.Oncewerelinquish the biomechanical language of levers and recognise the expression of our wholeness inkinespheres,webecomeeager toarticulate thesubtledistinctionsof thatsignalling.Nowheredoes thisapplymorethaninappropriate,proprioceptiveadjustment.

ProprioceptiveAwarenessIt is this field that each of us animates, that fosters self-containment and self-regulation, once werecogniseitsvalueandincludeitinouradjustmentrepertoire.Itiskeytoaself-practicethatisfun,safeandappropriatelyaccumulated.Wecanimprove,wecangrow,andwecangobeyondourownlimits.Atthe same time,we are invited as teachers to feed back to any participantwhere their own kinespheresurrounds them. They can then become more refined and sensitive to safe practice and gradualaccumulationofpostural range in thevariousasanapractices.Givingparticipants thiskindofacuity isextremelyvaluableonanumberof levels,not leastofwhich is self-regulationandsensory respect fortheir own boundaries. If we imagine ourselves as having a kind of “energetic bank account”, it is anadvantage tous ifwedonotoverspendorover-stretchourvitalityand tempt injurywhilewearestillexpandinganddeepeningourinvestment.Exploringthisideaofaninnersphereandkinespherefromwhichtoseetheposturesgaverisethetothe

images thatwere taken and developed inside tubes of fabric, as seen in the photographs used for theopeningspreadsofParts1,2and3.3 It is immediatelyobvious that these tensionalsurrounding“skins”provided sensory feedback to thewholebody.ThemodelsKatieandSamira reportedadeep senseofconfidenceandresponsiveawarenessfromworkingwithinthem(seealsoFigs14.1and14.2).

ANewPerspectiveThreeverysignificantpointshavetobemadehere.Intheseterms,themomentwetouchsomeone,thetwoorganismscombinetobecomeoneclosed,joined,kinematicchain.Thisisveryimportant.Whenyou,thepractitioner,adjustaparticipantyouabidebythesamerulesrunningthroughoutyogapractice.Thisisthelawofthree,inwhichtherearetwopolaritiesandathirdaspectoftheircombination.Youjointobecomeoneenclosedkinesphere:oneclosedkinematicchainwithalargergroundprint(Figs14.3–14.5).

Figures14.1(Seecoverphotograph)Thesetensionalsurrounding“skins”providedsensoryfeedbacktothewholebodyandprovideavisualmetaphorfor

thetensionalnetworkoftheinnerfascialnet.

Apose is not a suit of armour that a yogaparticipant is obliged to fit. It is a reference for them toexpressandworktowardsfromwithinthebody.Byaddingoneortwoinformativelinkstoimprovetheirfeedbacksystem(theirmanagementofgroundreactionforcethroughouttheirownmatrix),youneedverylittleaction.Twowhole intelligent structuresarenowworking together asone,both speaking the languageof thebody.Onebodydoesnotbecomedisabledwhiletheabilityoftheotherisreliedupon100%.Teacherandstudentareworkingat100%capabilityplus100%capability,asonewholeinformationexchange.Justasourpartsadduptosomethinggreaterthanthesumthereof,sotoocantheappropriatecombinationoftwoorganisms,inmutualrespect,bringaboutunpredictablepossibilitiesandhelptotransformourpractice.Itisonewaythatwemightgobeyondourbeliefsaboutourpersonallimitations,tothebenefitsofrenewedconfidence.

Figures14.2

Adjustmentbecomesarelationshipformedwiththegroundoveralargersurface(anextendedground

print)withmoretensionandcompressionstruts, joinedat thepointofengagementbetweenteacherandstudent,practitionerandparticipant.Inpractice,thischangesafewassumptionsaboutadjustment.

TheGeneralBasis

Figure14.3Animaginarykinesphereallowsaperspectiveinclusiveofboththeadjustorandtheadjustee,movingtogetherasoneclosedkinematicchain.

Adjustmentisamajortopicinyogateachertrainingprogrammes.Manybooksonthesubjecthavethreecommondenominators that our enquiry into fasciamay shift or expand andpossibly influence to somedegree. The first of these is the emphasis on the posture, or asana, i.e. asana-centric; the second isassistance;andthethirdisplacement.Posture being adjusted Authors readily acknowledge that the participants in a yoga class are alldifferent.Nevertheless, thekeyorpurposeof an adjustment is usuallybasedon the ideal shapeof theposebeingactivated.Adjustmentinstructionsarebasedupontheultimateaimoftheparticularasanaandthecorrectformitpredisposes(punintended).Thesecondoftheseisassistance.

Assisting the participant If someone in the class is aiming to complete a pose, towhatever level isappropriateforthatclass(beginners,intermediate,advanced,etc.),theideaistoprovideaidsotheycanreach or achieve the posture by helping them to extend or (and this the word most commonly used)“stretch”sufficiently.Thethirdoftheseisplacement.

CorrectplacementforadjustingorassistingtheposeWheredoyouplaceyourhandsorbodyinordertoachievetheabove,i.e.helptheparticipantstretchorreachintotheposture,thecorrectform,thattheyareseeking toemulate?Mostbookssuggest themostappropriatepositioningof theadjustinghands(orfeet)inordertoachievethepose.Theseareallvaluableassetstoteachingandkeycomponentsofadjusting.IfsomeoneisinaWarrior

Pose,forexample,andtheirkneeisoutofalignment,thenasmalladjustmentoftheirkneecantransformtheirabilitytointeractwiththeposeandfindtheiroptimumbalance.However,inadifferentcontext,yourhand upon their standing foot or spine might animate a self-corrective alignment response, so theparticipantnaturallydrawsthekneeintoamoreappropriateplace.

Figure14.4Thegroundprintinthisimageincludesfourlegs–thesumoftheoverallshapesisapartoftheadjustmentprocess.

Figure14.5Thegroundprintinthisimageincludesthewholebodybalanceofthefacilitatoraswellasthefourlimbsoftheparticipant.Foramomentthey

formonearchitectural“body”.

TheAdjustorTouch is an essential means of communication throughout the animal kingdom, including among humans. Human beings do notnecessarilysufferordiewiththeonsetofblindness,ordeafness,oraninabilitytosmellortaste.However,lackofappropriatetouchdoes diminish them.Understanding the fascial network as the keystone ofwhat is possibly ourmost important sensing faculty, bymeansofwhichwedifferentiatelife’srichlandscapeandnavigateourwaythroughit,isessential.Theimportanceliesinupgradingthequalityandunderstandingofthisparamountaspectofyogatraining.

When you join a class, you seek to learn something you do not know from someonewho does know.Indeed,whatisthepointofgoingtoaclass,iftheteacherdoesnotassistandadjust?Youmayaswelldoit at home alone, with a book or a DVD. Touch skills are an essential part of teaching a physicalmovement form, if only because they occur in the same kinaesthetic language as the movements.Nevertheless,adjustmentisadomaininwhichthepowerdifferentialcomesintoplayandthisisahottopicfordebateinmanualtherapy.Howcanwe serveour students, adjust appropriately,yethonour the self-regulatoryadvantagesof a

take-homewisdomfortheirpersonalpractice?Aspractitioner,youcanprovidenecessaryfeedback.Howcanthatbestservetheparticipantsotheyretainitandalchemiseitfortheirownbenefit?Heretoo,weneednewdistinctionsandnewdefinitions.Understandingfasciaandtensionalintegrity,

givenitsroleinsensoryrefinement,callsfornewviews.Theauthenticexplorationofstructuralbalancecanbringusan“upgrade”onthejourneytowardsawarenessandself-confidentself-regulation.Isthereanoptimumwaytoconsiderthis,betweentwointelligentsystems?

Dose,degreeanddirectionThe fascial matrix, and its highly tuned role in proprioception, shifts the foundations of traditionalprinciples,soweneedtochangefromabasisofbiomechanicaladjustment(basedoncorrectform,anglesof joints and so on) to something that can facilitate self-regulation. I like to call it “biomotional”interaction,whichisbasedonrespectforself-sensory“nous”.Ifthefasciaisthelargestsensoryorganofthebody,thecommunicationnetworkfromskintobrainand

back,thenadjustmentraisessomeinterestingquestions.• Howsubtleatouchisneeded?• WhereshouldItouch,ifthefasciaiseverywhere?• Aretherekeyplacesthatmakeadifferencetoeverypose?• Aretherefundamentalprinciplesthatweshouldadhereto?• Whatisthepointofadjustment;shouldweinterveneatall?• Ifnotposture-centric,thenwhatguideorgridmakessenseofposes?• Doesfasciaaffectthebiomechanicsofadjustment?

FindingsomeCoordinatesRobert Schleip’s two-part series on “Fascial plasticity”, published in the Journal of Bodywork andMovementTherapies,4answeredsomeofthemanyquestionsmanualtherapistshaveaboutwhatexactlychangesundertheirhands,whentheyeffectivelyadjusttheirclients.Schleip recommends an attitudinal shift that is clearly beneficial to both manual and movement

practitioners. It errs towards fostering self-regulation as the purpose of any intervention, rather thancreatingdependencyupontheteacher.(Table14.1).

Table.14.1

ClassicalApproach ContemporaryApproachTeacherasguru Teacherasguardian

Postureasperfectidealorresult PosturesaspotentialideaorreferenceSeparatedefinitionofstructureandfunctionupon

whichformisimposedIntegrateddistinctionsofstructureandfunctionasunitedexpressionsofform

Painasasignalofthenervoussystem Refinedsensoryawarenessasapre-emptiveguidetopreventpainsignalsAdjustmentseenasauthoritativeintervention Adjustmentseenasrespectfulinvitation

Localdirectiveofcorrectpositioning Subtleimplicationofcongruentself-placementTeacherasmasterofform Teacherasmidwifeinformation

Leadinghands ListeninghandsPerformanceinduction Pre-formanceintention/preparationImposedcorrection Exposedcongruency

Bodyaslinear,mechanicalstructure,governedbylawsoflinearrelationships

Bodyasaself-assembled,self-organisingnon-linearbiologicsystemofconsciousawareness,attentionandvitality

Competitiveandstrivingattitude,towardgoal-orientedperfection

Presenceofinnerstillness,enquiryandcuriosity

Localviewofjointanglesingravity Globalviewofwhole-bodyresponseascontainedgroundreactionforceGuidancetomaximisestretchandreachgoalofpose Restoringsenseofcentreandself-containmenttounfoldintopose

Poseatallcosts PoiserelativetoposturallimitControlledbreathingtomanageandpresenttheposture Freedomtobreatheandexpressthepostureappropriately

Maximisedreach Elasticintegrity

Directproximaladjustment SubtledistalimplicationMacro-movement Micro-movementExternalcorrection Internalcontainment

Conversionfromweaktostrongforms ConversationinbalancingformAssertiveorzealousencouragementtoachievethe

poseGraciousinvitationtotouchandmovebeyondlimitstowardsthepose

Demandthebest RevealthebestAchievetheasana Accumulatetheabilitytoexploreasana

GeodesicGeometry“Naturealwaysfindsthemostefficientwayofdoingthings,andthatincludesgeodesicgeometry–theconnectionofpointsover the shortest distance, and the closest packing of objects together. Geodesic geometry provides the most economicutilizationofspaceandmaterialsandconfersstrength;itisattheheartoftensegritywithmanyeasily-recognizedexamplesinbiology. In two-dimensionsacircleencloses the largestareawithin theminimumboundarywhichmakes itaminimal-energystructure.”5

Ifweimaginea“kinesphere”,itisachangingoutlinearoundaparticipant,inanypose(i.e.changingfrommomenttomoment,justaswedo).Itcanincorporatealltheso-calledAnatomyTrains,acollectivetermincludingtheentire“immediately-outside-and-around-them”layer.Theyareinsideit,formingatension–compressionsystemthatreflectstheinternalpatternsthatwecannotsee.Ifwetension(stiffenorsqueeze)the whole shape and then expand (stretch) to our own sense of our elastic limit in a subtle, pulsingmovement,wecanbegin toanimateaglobal feelingofoverallbalance-and-breathing.The longitudinallinesoftheAnatomyTrainscontourthatoverallbalance;indeedMyersdescribesthemasthegeodesicsofthearchitecture(seeCh.12).Adjustmenthasmoretodowithchoosingtheoptimumofamultitudeofpossibilitiesfromwithinthanplacingtheparticipantinapose.Thisisanintuitiveskillthatdevelopswithpractice.

SubtleTouchSkillsThere aremanyworking possibilities from this point of view of adjustment. It is possible to use theAnatomyTrains examples inChapter 12 to encourage balance between the bands (lines) as shown indetailinthatchapter.Thisensuresthatapostureisnotperformedforonesideattheexpenseoftheother.Onceagain,itisthematerialofmanytraininghours;however,asausefuloverviewwewillhighlightthemainthemes(seeTable14.2).

Newword:nous“Nous” is not a new word but an old one. It comes from the philosophers of ancient Greece, where the principles of form andarchitectureandSacredGeometryarose.Noesisisawordoverwhichthereismuchdiscussionbutitpointstowards“knowing”asasense of awareness. Using your “nous” (pronounced in British English like “mouse”), in common parlance, refers to using yourcommonsense:doingwhatmakessenseratherthanwhatyouaretoldorwhatiseasiest,withoutthinking.Anotherderivativeofnoesisisgnosis:thedeepknowingofintuitiveguidance.Itreferstosomethingthatsometimesinspiresusbeyondourintellectualknowledgeandleadsusevenifwe“don’tknowwhy”.Itisapersonalself-sensing“knowing”thatcouldhaveascientistdrawntoaPhDprojectoranartistinspiredtodoapainting.Itdoesnotdiscriminate.

Adjustment invites themost subtleof touch skills.Whenwe realise thatweare touchingan intelligentinternalnet(withanintelligentinternalnet),thenanypointwilleffectivelycommunicatethroughoutand

between the system(s). Adjustment can harm or heal, impose or invite; the hands are used more asmagnets than as hammers. Fingertips are eloquent tools and, depending to some extent upon theparticipant,suitableguidancemightfollowa“lessismore”direction.Firmquiethandsgiveclearsimplemessages;kinaestheticcommentswithsignalsdesignedtoencourageself-organisation.Invitingcontainment,steadinessandwholebodyparticipationfromtheground to theextremesof the

poseisacommentonintegrationratherthangoal-seeking.Thebodyusuallylovesfindingbalancewithinasmallerrange,whichcanbegraduallyexpanded.

Table.14.2

AdjustmentTheme

Overview

Groundcontrol Adjustmentisbaseduponthegroundprintoftheparticipant,usingthehandstodeepentheirengagementwithitSpinedesign AdjustmentisfocusedongivingsubtlefeedbacktothefreedomoftheprimaryandsupercurvesofthespineCounterbalance AdjustmentisplacedintheoppositeplaneanddirectiontothemovementExpansive Adjustmentisbasedonaparallelmovementthatsupportsdistaltothegroundbutexpandsthegroundprint(baseof

support)byreplicatingorincreasingitRestorative Adjustmentisminimal,butgivesthelimbbacktothespineorsupportstheasanabyresistance,theoppositeof

encouragingstretch.ItrestoresthecentreratherthanencouragingmovementawayfromitAnatomyTrainsinyoga

ThisisdevelopedbasedupontheAnatomyTrainsprinciplesbyTomMyers:seeChapter12forhowtoworkwiththeminmotiontoexpressvolume.Theadjustmentisbasedonbalancingoropposingbands(lines),encouragingthedeepinnercontainertorespondandholditsshape.Seetextforvarietyofpossibilities

GroundControlWhatis theparticipants’relationshiptotheground?Bysimplytouchingthepartof theirbodyengagingwiththeground,youcanfacilitateadeepeningsenseofanchoringtotheearth.(Fig.14.6,Fig14.7)Notetheteacherisincludedinthenewkinespheretheyformtogether,sotheemphasisgoesbeyondthelocalsiteofthetouchcuetothewholegroundprinttheyformascombined.

Figures14.6and14.7Thefeetandthehandsareallengagedwiththegroundinthispose.Byemphasisingthatengagementwithsubtletouch,thepostureisanchoredandAlexcanself-sensetonaturallycontainhisfulfilmentofthepose,downintoandawayfromtheground,simultaneously.

SpineDesignSpinedesignis thespinalpositionpulledintoaprimarycurve,orcantheparticipantbebroughtintoalessextremeversionofthepose,thatfacilitates(ordoesnotdisturb)thesecondarycurves,ortheabilitytowavesubtlythroughthem,fromtoestonose?(Cantheybreatheeasily?)Handplacementisonthespinetogivefeedback,butthehandisusedmorelikeamagnet.Thepurposeistoensureparticipantsarefreetorespondtothebreath(Fig.14.8).Iftheyarepulledout

ofshape,morecontainmentandless“pull”invitesthelimbsbacktothespine.Stretchingistheoppositerequirement. If a student isunable todo thisposeat first (easily seen ina forcedprimarycurveoranunnatural breathingpattern) then, by thesemethods, itwouldbe consideredbeyond that personon thatoccasion.Amodificationthatsupportedtheirabilitytohonourthecurvesandbreath(suchasachair,forexample,toraisethehandsabovetheground)wouldbeusedandgraduallylowered,todeveloptheposeovertimewithoutcompromisetothespine(seeCh.13,PostureProfiling).

CounterbalanceCounterbalance is the possibility of providing feedback to the opposite aspect of themovement. If theparticipant is working towards a back bend, an upward, extending motion, then feedback from acounterbalancinghandimplyingadownwardflexioncanprovidethemostusefulreference.Thiscanbeappliedfromonesidetotheother,orasanimpulsetorotationandcounter-rotation.Itcanalsobedonebycounterbalancingthewholeposture.(Fig14.9)

Figure14.8Alexiscompletelycapableofgettinghisheelstothefloor.However,tensioningthroughthebackbands(seeCh.12;SuperficialBackLineinTomMyers’AnatomyTrains)allowshimtofeelhiswaybetweenstiffnessandstretch,ascalealongwhichhecanself-adjusttohonourhisspinalcurves.Theadjustinghandenhanceshissenseofspinalfreedomtobreatheandwavethroughthenaturalspinalcurves.Theasanais

dynamic,notstatic.Thehandrests(onthespineatthebackofthebreath)toprovidefeedback.Thereisnopressureappliedatall.

Figure14.9Thefacilitator,orteacher(right)ismirroringthepose.Theadjustmentprovidesthecounterbalancingforcefortheparticipanttocounter-move.

ExpansiveThisiswhereyouprovideawider,broaderorsteadierbaseofsupportfortheparticipant.Youexpandtheirgroundprintbystandingrelativelyclosetothembuttouchingdistaltothebaseofsupportthatyouemphasise.Inabalancingpose,forexample,youmightprovideawidebaseandoffersubtlesupportorfeedbackattheextremeofthebalance.Thismaybestandingalignedwiththemtotheside(asiftoexpandtheirbaseofsupportwidthways),whileyouareholdingtheextremities,toreassuretheirbalance.Oryou

canstandinfrontoforbehindthem,asiftoenhancethelengthoftheirgroundprint(baseofsupport),as,forexample,inFigure14.10.

RestorativeThisiswhereyousupportaposewithminimalintervention,fortheparticipanttouseiftheyneedto.AnexampleofthiswouldbestandingbesidesomeoneinWarriorPoseandsuggestingalifttoanarmoranalignment of the front knee, for instance, with the slightest of touches that the participant can use forresistanceshouldtheyneedto.(Thelightesttouch,however,createsonelargerclosedkinematicchain,atthepointofcontact,outofbothbodies.)Theinvitationhereistolimittherangeandprovidefeedback.Theother important feature of this kindof adjustment is the possibility of restoring a limb toward thespine,ratherthanstretchingitaway.Itallowsanexceptionalsenseofreleasetoastrainingparticipant.Theinvitationistodolessandbreathefully,exploringtheposebyfeedingbacktothecentre,ratherthanreaching from it, to their limits.Theparticipant is invited toexplore the in-betweenanddevelop theirownsenseofthoselimits,toeventuallyexpandtheminaverycongruentandappropriatewayforthem(Fig.14.11).

Figure14.10Inthispose,theadjustmentisexpansiveinthesensethatitcreatesabroadergroundprintandsupportivebase–asiftheparticipanthasclose

accesstofourfeetontheground.Theguidinghandsareattheextremityoftheupperhandandtheapexoftheshapemadebythelegs;assubtlesupport.Theparticipantisnotbeingpulledintoshape,ratherguidedtofindit.

Figure14.11Inthisrestorativeapproach,thearmisinfactbeingguidedbythefacilitatorbacktowardsthespine.Herhandsaredrawingtowardseachother,notpullingonthearmtostretchtothefoot.(Itisextremelydifficulttoshowvisuallysuchsubtletiesofadjustment.)TheresultofthisisthatAlexcanremainrelaxedandfoldforwardincrementallytofindwhatlengthcomesnaturally.Itisgiventothespine,ratherthantakenby

pullingorstretchingawayfromit.

SummaryThese five adjustmentparameters are amongst several that canbeusedappropriately, according to theposeandtheparticipant.Thecommondenominatorsofallofthemare:• Yourbalanceandsimplicityofpositionerringtowardsleastintervention.• Optimalchoiceorplacementofyourkinesphereandadjustmentcue,fortheposeaccordingtobalanceandbreathinbothyouandthestudent.

• Optimalself-regulationfortheparticipantwithneutral,ratherthandominantorover-correctivesensoryfeedback.

• Self-sensingyourownbalance,priortoenteringtheparticipant’skinesphere.• Usinghandsasmagnetsandasmovementcues;sometimestheplacementofthehandisalmosttodrawthetissueawayfromthedirectionofthemovement,ratherthanpushtowardsit.Invariablythegestureiswithoutforce.

Wearefosteringmorerefinedunderstandingandtransmissionofmovementforces,notforcedmovements.Assuchthelanguageofadjustmentisasoftlyspokenoneandinvitesself-confidencetothepractice.

AnatomyTrainsinYogaGuidelinesIfwenaturallyfollowthroughtheideathateachofthelinesdesignatedbyAnatomyTrainsisacontinuousline of pull, then their organisation can be usefully used as amore detailed guide.Using theAnatomyTrainsbookasreferenceforthelongitudinallines(seeCh.12forfastguide)wecanusefullyworkwiththefollowingthreemainpossibilities:

Figure14.12Example(1)ofusingatouchcuetoadjustalongthemyofascialmeridianorbandbeinglengthened.Inthisinstance,thefacilitatorisgently

encouraginglengthinthebackband(Myers’SuperficialBackLine).Asherbodyandtheparticipant’sformonewholeshape,thenthebreathguidestheresponse,viatheground,alongthatband(seeCh.12).

Figure14.13Example(2)ofusingatouchcuetoadjustalongthemyofascialmeridianorbandbeingstiffened.Inthisinstance,thefacilitatoris

counterbalancingthestiffeningrequiredintheFrontFunctionalBands(Myers’FunctionalLines).Asherbodyandtheparticipant’sformonewholeshape,thenthebreathguidestheresponse,viatheground,alongthatband(seeCh.12).Thefocusinaposturesuchasthis,isto“hold”thebalancewithsufficientstructuralintegritytodotheoppositeofstretchingandreleasing.Althoughthehandsarestretchedout,thestructure

ismaintainedthroughappropriatetensioning.

• theMyofascialMeridianorBandbeinglengthenedorstretched• theMyofascialMeridianorBandbeingstiffenedorsqueezed• bothoftheaboveincombination.

Figure14.14Example(3)ofusingatouchcuetoadjustalongboth(all)ofthemyofascialmeridiansorbandsbeinglengthenedorstretched–andbeing

tensionedandstiffened–atthesametime.Inthisinstance,thefacilitatorisgentlyencouragingasuitablecombinationofstiffnessandstretchbetweenthebackandfrontbands.Astheyformonewholeshape,thenthebreathguidestheresponse,viatheground,betweenthosebands

(seeCh.12).

If the fascia is in continuous communication, then these lines can be used with the basic principlesoutlinedabove.Youcanchoosewheretowork,alonga line,as itscontinuitycaneffectivelyallowtheparticipanttorespondthroughoutitslength.Itisanartandaskill,whichcanbecomeeffectiveatevokingoptimumbalancewithleastintervention(Figs14.12–14.14).

AdjustingtheBreathTherearemanywaysto“adjust”thebreath.Mypreferenceistousethreekeyhandpositions,illustratedhere.Thehandsbarelytouchthebody;theymakejustenoughcontacttofeedbacktotheparticipantthesenseof themovementsofbreathing.Theparticipantcan focus inwardly, to feel thebreathexpand theDeepContainer(Myers’DeepFrontLine,whichisnotaline,butverymuchexperiencedasavolumeinthisexercise.)Thepurposeiswidereachingandbeneficial.Itallowsthestudentto“fill”theirstructureandexperiencetheomnidirectionalpossibilitiesofbreathingalittlemorefully.Thereisnoforceused;ratherthehandsarelikemagnets–encouragingalltheprinciplesinthetable(Table14.1)andthreekey“directionsofbreathing”.Thepositionsareshownbelow(Figs.14.1514.17).

The three positions encourage fuller breath in the lower ribs, front-to-back body and upper chest. The student is guided to gentlyexpandthebreath,fromthebreathinginnersphere–insideout.(Asdistinctfromactivatingmusclestoforcebreathingactionfromtheoutside-in.)

Figure14.15

Figure14.16

Figure14.17

AdjustingthebreathInFigure14.15thepractitionerplacesfingertipsonbreastboneandspinetoassistthesenseofbreathingthemapart(inhale)andtogether(exhale)withthemovementoftheribbasket.InFigure14.16thepractitionerplacespalmsonthelowerbackribstoassistthesenseofexpansioninthebackandsidesofthebody.Thereisalsoelasticityandglidebetweenthefasciallayersasthe“bucket-handleaction”ofthe ribs becomes compliant with the movement of the rib basket. In Figure 14.17 the practitioner places palms on the shoulders to

discourageover-recruitmentofshouldersintheupperribbasketandencourageglideoftheshoulderbladesoverit(i.e.withherthumbslightlyplacedontheshoulderblades).Bringingthebreathintotheupperpartoftheribbasketisencouragedhere.(SeeCh.15fordetail.)Pleasenotetheseexercisesarebriefandgentle.Forcingthebreathcancausedistressandstimulateover-breathing.Theseexercisesarekinaesthetic reminders to encourage fuller use of the breathing volume. They can be done in class in pairs with the caveat of wisedirectionregardingdoseanddegree.

AQuestionofEthicsAdjustment is necessarily part of an interpretive art. It is one of the many skills developed in yogateaching. It is intimately related to the sensory faculties of the body, profoundly affecting them andaffectedbythem.Effectivenesscomesdowntomanyaspectsofintegrity,whetherintraining,inteachingortransferringskills,onalllevels.InChapter9,thesensorynatureofallourorganswasexploredandyoga,givenitsapproach,speakseloquentlyinthelanguageofouroriginalheart-centredforming.

Themost powerful question I have ever heard with regard to ethical practice around this point is“Whatisinyourheart?”.Ifyouareintuitivelyintelligentenoughtounderstandthesemovementsandtheirintegration,thenyoucanusethatsamesensetoknowyourownagenda.Ifitisnottoadjustandassist your student to honestly optimise their own yogapractice for them, thenwhat are youdoingthere?Intentionalintegrityandtensionalintegrityarethesame.

FAQsLetusconsiderthemostfrequentlyaskedquestionsinadjustment,referencingthechapter.

Howsubtleatouchisneeded?Wearenotforcingmovementsomuchasregisteringmovementforcesasanenhancedfeedbacksystem.Thehandscanbeusedasmagnets,orsubtleremindersoftheground,thecentre,thespineorbreath,etc.Theleastforcecanmeanthemosteffectiveresponseinmanycases.

WhereshouldItouch,ifthefasciaiseverywhere?Using the categories of ground control, spine design, counterbalance, expansive and restorative, thepurposeofaspecificadjustmentistowardoptimumcongruencyforthatparticipantinthatposeandthatpointintime.Asthefasciaiseverywhere,appropriateplacementbecomesspecifictothatoccasion.

Aretherekeyplacesthatmakeadifferencetoeverypose?Therearekeymeridiansthatareincludedineverypose,suchastheAnatomyTrainslines,whichwrapthebody.Thebreath, thespineand theengagementwith thegroundariseaskeyplaces,commontoallposes.However,asin(2),thisisoccasion-centred,ratherthanposture-centred,sincethestate,dayandanatomycanallbevariable.

Aretherefundamentalprinciplesthatweshouldadhereto?Integrity,subtletyandrememberingone’sownkinesphericbalance,beforecombiningitwiththepersonbeingadjusted. It isaconversationbetween two intelligent systems thatbecomeone in thatmomentofadjustment.

Whatisthepointofadjustment;shouldweinterveneatall?Itistoenhancepracticeforthepersonbeingtaughtandtodeveloptheirsenseoftheirowncontainmentandability.Ifyoucannotknowyouaredoingthat,thendonotadjust.

Ifnotposture-centric,thenwhatguideorgridmakessenseofposes?See thedetails of kinesphere/innersphere and applyyourheart-felt integrity and experience, fromyourown sense of balance. Using or applying such systems as Anatomy Trains can be a useful guide,particularlyatthebeginningwhileyoudevelopyourownconfidence.

Doesfasciaaffectthebiomechanicsofadjustmentaswellasmoving?Wemightsayitisthemediumoftranslation,transmissionandtransformation.

Notes1. ThomasW.Myers,AnatomyTrains:MyofascialMeridiansforManualandMovementTherapists,2ndedition,ChurchillLivingstone,

Edinburgh,2009.2. AndrewT.Still,PhilosophyofOsteopathy,A.T.Still,Kirksville,1899.3. Photographs used in the part opening pages are reproduced with kind permission from photographer: David Woolley,

www.limitlesspictures.com.Models:KatieCourtsandSamiraSchmidli-McBriar.TherearealsosomedrawingsofthesamemodelsandAlexanderFilmer-Lorchusedinthischapterandelsewhereinthebook,reproducedwithkindpermissionofthemodels.

4. RobertSchleip,“FascialPlasticity:ANewNeurobiologicalExplanation”,parts1and2, JournalofBodyworkandMovementTherapies7(1):11–19;7(2):104–116;2003.

5. GrahamScarr,www.tensegrityinbiology.co.uk/, article: “Geodesic”.See also:Biotensegrity:TheStructuralBasis ofLife, HandspringPublishingLtd.,Pencaitland,2014.

CHAPTER

15TheElasticBreath

“Thereisanintimateconnectionbetweenthebreath,nervecurrentsandcontroloftheinnerpranaorvitalforces.Pranabecomesvisibleonthe

physicalplaneasmotionandactionandonthementalplaneasthought.Pranayamaisthemeansbywhichayogitriestorealisewithinhis

individualbodythewholecosmicnature.”1

SwamiSivananda

PranayamaIntheyogaclassroom,wegenerallyclassifythebreathing“techniques”asPranayamapractice.Thewordprana translates as “life force” and ayama means “extension or expansion”. We could say it is theexpansionoflifeforceinthebody.Whenwe become conscious of the breath it feels like an expansive expression of the life force: a

deepeningofpresenceandawareness.Yoga is keenly focusedon clearing the internal energy threads, pathways (nadis) and channels.This

encouragestheflowofprana,innatetoourlivingform,optimisingandbalancingmovementandstillness,inner andouter states.This encouragesour self-regulatory functions, enablingus tovary appropriatelybetweenthosestatesinhealthyeverydayperformance.In yoga we explore what Scaravelli calls “the force of anti-force”,2 the opposite of that active

animationofprana,byexploringitsfullrange,intoactivestillness.Wecandothisinmorewaysthanone.We consciously explore the rate and range of our movements in the postures, expanding both, toaccumulate a broader basis of elastic variability (see chart in Posture Profiling, Ch. 13). Range isexploredbypractisingthepostureswhilerate isexploredbysequencingthem.At theotherendof thatscale, variability is accommodated in stillness, by holding the postures and/or through meditation.Pranayama isalsoakey featureof self-regulation:youcangauge instantly,by thebreath,howyouaredoing.

Simplypausinginyourday(atyourdesk,intheshower,whereverworks)onceortwiceadaytotakeafewbreathsandbepresenttobreathing as an expression of vitality contributes to expanding our awareness.Over time it enlarges the ability to gradually bring thisfundamentalbodilyrhythmintoconsciousness(notthinkingaboutitbutbeingconsciousofit,whichisdifferent).Tryitrightnow.Breathe.Inhaleandexhale,thenletitgo.

Pranayamaissometimesthoughttomean“breathcontrol”.Theyogicpathisconsideredtoincludethewaysknownas“yamas”and“niyamas”(personalwaysorobservances)followedbydevoteesofyoga.Thesearesometimesassociatedwith“waysofcontrolling”thesensesorthemind,forexample.ThewordPranayama,however,isnotpranaplusyama.Itcomesfrompranaplusayama,soitinvitesustoextendourselvesbeyondthephysicalrealm,tothebenefitsofexpandingawareness.Itdoesnotactuallymeanimposingcorrectactions(i.e.breathingtechniques)uponthebody.Itstruemeaninginvitesustoexpandintoafullerpotentialorpossibility,ratherthanbeconstrainedbyamethodofcontrol.Itcanbecomeaverysimpleandrewardingpractice.Wemightholditas“pre-position”ratherthan“im-position”asavaluablewaytobecomefamiliarwithbeingawareofwhereweareinspaceandhowweareatthetimeasabody:adeepeningofourproprioceptivesense,onemomentatatime.

TheultimateexpressionofPranayamaisVipassana.Thisisastateofcompletestillnessthroughoutthephysicalbody.Inthisaspectofthetraining,thebreathispassivelyobserved,withoutidentificationwithphysical sensationsormental conversations. It isused toconsciouslybringourmental commentary,or“mindchatter”(chittavritti),tostillnessandsilence.Itisinessenceaquietplacewherethebodysimplybreathes,sometimescalledastateof“Iam”.Here,thereisnothingtodo:tobeisall.Vipassanaissomethingofaspecialisedskill,oratleastaguidedpracticetostartwith,asittakestime

todevelopandaccumulate.Ineverydaylife,ourbreathingpatternsareoftensounnaturalanddisruptedthat suchpracticesaregenerallynot adviseduntilonehasat leastdevelopedaclear foundation in thebasicsofpractisingobservationofthebreath.Whilebreathingisanaturalandrequisitephenomenon,wedo not always achieve an optimal breathing pattern. In yoga, as in some other fields, such as certainmartialarts,forexample,breathingisexploreddistinctly.Pranayama“techniques”haveancientorigins,designedtoaccumulaterange,variability,respiratorystrengthandresilience.Theyogicsagesunderstoodbalanceand thebenefitsofnatural compliance.Anatural, compliantbreathing rhythm is a fundamentalexpressionof elastic integrity, from theheart.Both literally and symbolically, it canmakeanessentialcontributiontohappinessorjoy(ananda).

ThePowerofPauseOne of the themes to emerge from our growing understanding of fascia is the power to be found incumulativesmallandsubtle strokes.Small impulsesaccumulateand, sinceweallbreatheall the time,everyday,thereisacontributiontobemadebysimplypausingtoobservebreathingeverynowandagain,purelyforthesakeofit.Yogadoesnothavetobejustaboutthegrandgestureofoneortwohoursonthemat.Itcansneakintodailymovementpatternsandslowlybringaboutimportantbeneficialhabitchanges.Itisbothdeceptivelysimpleandhugelyvaluable.Thefasciawillrespondgloballytoevenatinygestureofrecognition.

Using yoga poses and meditation to develop the range and compliance of our breathing architectureinevitablyimpactsmanymoreofourphysiologicalsystemsthanrespiration.Justassessionsinthe“sit-and-slouch”gymaccumulateposturalset(injoinedupmoments),so“pauses”cangraduallybringustobeingpresentforlongerperiods.Althoughourcultureisnaturallygoaloriented,thisisamysteriousbasisupon which to practise yoga. It is, of course, possible to become competitive about achieving thepostures, even with ourselves. (In fact, I have often seen people cross with themselves because theyperformedaposturebetteryesterdaythantheycanachievetoday.)Itis,however,difficulttoseehowthismindsetcanbeintegratedintoyoga,sinceyogaisaboutbeingpresenttopresenceitself.Justletyourbodybreatheyou foraminuteandyouwillexperiencewhat Imean.Eachpractice isanopportunity for thebodytoinformthemindhowitisatthatpointintime.Itneednotberemarkable.

“Althoughbreathing ismainlyanunconsciousprocess, conscious control of itmaybe takenat anytime. Consequently, it forms a bridge between the conscious and unconscious areas of the mind.ThroughthepracticeofPranayama,theenergytrappedinneurotic,unconsciousmentalpatternsmaybereleasedforuseinmorecreativeandjoyfulactivity”3

Justbypausing,wecantakeamomentandexpandintoit.Wedonothavetoknowanythingaboutit tovalue itasamoment. It is fun inayogaclass tosimply“presspause”andallowthegroup toobservewhereverandhowevertheyareatthatmoment.Nodescriptionorsharingisrequired,justtheexperienceof observation for its own sake. That is the most profound basis of developing a yoga practice, inmovementormeditation.Theabilitytocatchourselves(witness)andexpandintobeingcantakejustasmuchconscioustrainingasthetwistsandbalancesofthepostures.YoucancallitPranayamabutactuallyitisasecretingredientinenjoyinglifeandseeinggrace.Itisthereanyway,butwecanforgetthat.As we improve and expand our ability to regulate the usually involuntary aspects of our breathing

functions, yoga can influence and improve various aspects of other physiological systems as a naturalconsequence.Eventually,initsmoresubtleforms,thisyogictrainingisconsideredtoprovideaccesstohigherstatesofconsciousnessthanareordinarilyreached.Pranayamaisavehicleforthispotentialinallofus.

ThePranicBodyYogaconsidersthebodyinverysubtleways,includingourenergeticfield,orsomethingthatmightrelatetothe“kinesphere”and“innersphere”wealludedtoinearlierchapters.ComparedtoWesternanatomyandphysiology,itincludesdifferentaspectsofourbeingandourfunctionsinitsdistinctions.Consideredtobethemostvitalprocessofthebody,Pranayamainfluencesandnourisheseverypartofus;however,itis understoodasmore than just functionalbreathing. It represents an essential aspectofourmovementpractice.Like thehubofabiotensegritywheel, itgivesusaccess tohealth inpsycheand soma, inalldirections.Yogis believe that if Prana does not flow through the channels (the nadis, considered as threads or

meridians throughout the body and limbs), or if it becomes blocked, it is a reason for disease ordysfunction.This isobservedat thephysical levelofnon-complianceinthetissues.Inthiscase,ratherthan breathing with natural elastic integrity, the body recruits extra muscular effort to “fund” theseotherwisenatural rhythmswhen theyare structurallyoremotionallydisturbed. Itdoes this instinctivelyand it can directly link to the dis-ease and distress that ill health or injury can cause. Relentless orunresolvedstress,poordiet,sedentaryactivitiesoroverexertionandotherfeaturesofalifestylethat isnotinbalancecanobstructpranicflowanddepletevitalenergy.ThepracticeofPranayamaisconsideredtoberestorativeandrevitalisingifthe“pranas”canbebroughtintobalance.However,thisisnotasetof“symptoms”forwhicha“pill”canbeadministered.Itismoreakintoaseriesofeventsorevenfeedbackloopsthatseemstuck.Needlesstosayitisnotanintellectualprocessofthereasoningmind.Wehavetoparticipateinanimatingitconsciouslytobegin.Fasciarespondstoloadinghistory;thisissubtlyaccumulatedinthemotionofbreathingjustasitisin

themovementsof thepostures. Inanimated real life,on themat,wecaneffectively restoreshalloworirregular breathing patterns. These develop for a variety of reasons but they can be managed andorganisedinamorehealthywaysothattheyeventuallyallowthebreathtorespondinmoreinstinctiveand adaptable compliance, naturally expressive of elastic integrity. As teachers we can guide and

facilitate this process, but this is an area where forcefulness (self-imposed or otherwise) fails. Theparticipantmustwanttoparticipate.Weareworkingtoenhanceandrecognise(orevenreveal)themostprofoundandsubtleforcesthatarealreadythere.

TheVitalEnergyofBreathingYogaconsidersthehumanframeworktoconsistof(andoperatein)morethanonedimension,includingthematerialbody,thementalbody,thevitalenergybody,thepsychicbodyandthetranscendentalbody.4Thisisadifferentvitalanatomybasedonlivingbeings(asdistinctfromthatinferredfromtheevidenceofcadavers). It is not necessarily more right or wrong but it does lend itself to a more sophisticatedpossibilityforhowweareashumans.Thesepranicbodiesfunctiontogethertoformanintegralwhole.Itistheirmutualcongruencythatyoga

seekstoreflectinourbody.Itisthevitalenergybody(PranamayaKosha)towhichthemainpracticesofPranayama refer. These are known as the five Pranas (capital ‘P’) including: prana, apana, samana,udanaandvyana.Betweenthemtheyallowaninterestingandsubtlecontextforourbalancedbreathingpatterns,distinctfromclassicaltextsontheanatomyofthebreath.Thesequalitativedistinctionsaremorerecognisableintermsofourearliestexpressionoflife,inembryogenesis(Ch.5).

“The techniques of pranayama provide the method whereby the life force can be activated andregulated inorder togobeyondone’snormalboundariesor limitationsandattainahigherstateofvibratoryenergyandawareness”5

Prana (that isPranawith a capital “P”) is all pervading life force.The fivepranas (small “p”) listedabovearewithinthebodyandexpressPranainrelationtoitslocationanditsfunction.Theyarecalledthe five vayus, or “inner winds”. They imply direction; for example, apana is associated with theeliminativeorgans.Themovementassociatedwithitisthroughtheskin,viatheurogenitalsystem(birthandexcretion)andthroughthemouth(asexhalationorregurgitation).Withintheseclassificationsarefive“sub-pranas”whichincludehiccoughing,sneezing,andsoon.Itisadifferentqualityofclassificationthatneverthelessaccountsforallourbodilyfunctions.Aswewoulddescribetheweatherintermsofperhapsalightbreeze,orastrongwind,oragale,theyogisusesimilardistinctionstodenotedifferentlevelsofenergyandqualityofenergyfloworcurrent.Thedirection is relevant, as the flowofprana in thenadis (energychannels throughout thebody) is

consideredparamount.Whenoneofthepranasis“out”itthrowsthesubtleandinterrelatednetworkout.This is expressed as “dis-ease”or imbalance in thebody.When the flow,quality anddirectionof thepranas are appropriate, they are thought to express health and vitality. These arewhatwe refer to as“autonomic” functions aswhen they functionnaturally andcongruently theydo sowithoutushaving tothinkaboutit–theyareinvoluntary.Thebreath,however,isbothinvoluntaryandvoluntary.Thusitcanbeconsideredasaportaltoanimatingandevenilluminatinglifeforce(Prana)withinus.

pranarefers,inthiscontext,totheflowofenergygoverningthecavityofthethoraxfromthethoracicinlettothediaphragm(pleuralandpericardialcavities).Itincludestheheartandmainorgansofrespirationtogetherwiththenervesandallthetissuesthatdirectlyactivatethem.The fabric and forces that draw the breath into the body are included here. (The animation of the inhale and themesodermalfeaturesoftheembryonicforming).

apanareferstotheflowofenergygoverningthecavitybetweenthediaphragmandthepelvicfloor(peritonealcavity),includingthelarge

intestine,kidneysandurogenitalsystem.Theseanimatethefabricandforcesthatfullyreleasethebreathoutof thebody.(Exhalation;relatingtotheendodermallayerintheembryo.)

samana is between the heart and the navel, activating the digestive system and associated with transformation (solar plexus andumbilicus;theoriginalembryonicconnectiontothenutritivematernalsource).Literallythisisthetransformationoffoodintonourishingnutrients.Itcanalsosymbolisethetransformationoftheconceptustotheembryo(ofbirthandexpansionofconsciousness).

udana refers to theneckandhead, including the sensoryplatform (of eyes, ears,nose, tongue)harmonising the sensory tissues, skin,nervesandjointsofthelimbsandspine.Itactivatesefficient,easyspinalpostureandresponsivenesstotheoutsideworld.Itreferstoandgovernssensoryawareness.Wemightconsideritinclusiveof,butnotseparatefrom,theoriginalorganisationoftheectodermallayerintheembryo.

vyanaiseverywhereinthebody,regulatingallmovementandorchestratingtheotherpranas.Itisdescribedastheir“reserveforce”.Wemightrelatethistotheroleofmesenchymeintheembryo,beingeverywhere,andtheextracellularmatrixintheadult.

Eachdifferent styleofyogaexploresdifferentwaysofutilizing thebreathing techniques.Theyareuniversal;however, theycanbemisused if knowledge is inadequate or sufficient attention is not paid to their subtleties and power.Ayoga therapist or aKundaliniMasterunderstandsthenuancedqualitiesandabilitiesassociatedwiththedifferenttechniquesandtheappropriatetimesforteachingand animating them in an individual. It is recommended that they should not be usedwithout appropriate knowledge, guidance andrespect.

Yogabreathingpracticesaredesignedtofacilitateandenhanceanoptimalconnectionwiththisforce.OurabilitytonaturallyrecogniseandassimilatePranais theliteralexpressionofcongruencyinlifeaslifeforceexpressedinus.Itistheunionthattheyogicjourneyexplores.Breathissynonymouswithspiritinmanylanguages:“Allah”meanstheGreatBreath;inspira(Spanish),inspirer(French)meanbothinhaleandinspire;inEnglish“respiration”comesfrom“re-spiriting”orbringingspiritin,asinspirationimpliesillumination.Wecanbeinspiredbyanewidea,anewposeoranewproject.Itisthespiritoflifeitself,expresseduniquelyineachoneofus,whateverpathwetakeinlife.Weallbreathe.Thegeneralapproachofbecomingconsciousofthebreath,however,isafoundationinitself.Whatis

offeredhere isa relativelysimplewayofconsidering thebreath thatcanactasastartingpoint forallothers.Itcanalsotravel,enhancingthemostfundamentalwaysofbringingthebreathintoconsciousnesswherever you are. It permits and further improves elasticity and compliance,which can be defined instrictscientifictermsas“storedenergycapacity”.Essentially,thatenergyisPrana.

ElasticBreathCycleClassical anatomy addresses individual breathingmuscles, such as the diaphragm, the intercostals, thescalenesandsoon,asseparateentities.Thebodydoesnotexperiencebreathing in thisway,however,although we are capable of focusing on a single area of the body at a time as an exercise. From abiotensegritypointofview,theconnectivetissuesaccountforthegeometryofourbreathingarchitecturein360degrees.Ifwerememberhowtheembryoformsthespineandthecavities,growingthemaroundanddown fromfolding them togetherandenfoldingspaces to form thecavities (Ch.5), thenwemightreasonablyassumethatthebodydoesnotseparateitsbreathingmusclesintocategorieseither.Indeed,weknow it does not function as individualmuscles, but asmotion. It breathes as awhole, amplifying therhythm according to requirement, echoed throughout the force transmission system that is the fascialmatrix.Leversaredifficulttofindinourbreathingapparatus.

Figure15.1Theelasticbreathcycleelaboratesthebiotensegrityarchitectureofourfascialforminbreathing.Itworksinpracticeasasimplefoundation,

recognisingthemiddlephaseasourrelaxedstate.©TheArtofContemporaryYogaLtd.andreproducedwiththeirkindpermission.

ThemultibarballthatwefirstexaminedinChapter7isclearlyrepresentativeofabreathingmodelinthree-dimensional form. It demonstrates how the body seeks compliance, not permission, from eachmusclegroup.AnexampleofthistypeofmultibarstructurecanbeseeninFigures15.2–15.5.AgreatexampleofthisistheChineseFingerPuzzle(Fig.15.6).Theweaveofourtissuesaroundthe

thoraxisformedintheembryonicpulsesofourmostprimitivedevelopment(Ch.5).Theformingcavitiesworkasawholeandinreciprocalresponsesbetweenthediaphragms.Beforeweconsiderexercisingthebandhas individually, there is value in recognising amodel of how theywork in a united rhythm as acompletely enfolded form. The basis of the exercises associated with them is to improve elasticcompliancethroughout.

“In biotensegrity, the ‘four-bar’ is a 3-D vector equilibrium tensegrity icosahedron. It naturallyoscillates.Theratecanbechangedbychangingtension(tone)inthesystem.Atanyinstant,theremaybeaphasechange,andtensionmaybecomecompressionandviceversa.Themodelswemakeareonlyaninstantintimeandonlyexistinourimagination.Evenwhen‘paused’,movementispresentatsomescale.”6

Figure15.2-15.5Thefirstimageshowstheballatitssmallest,neverreducedtozero,modellingthesqueezeofthefulloractiveexhalationrepresentedbythe

lefthandsideofFig.15.1.Thesecondimageshowsthesamestructuretowardsthemid-point.Itbeginstorepresentthemiddlephaseofthebreath,whichisneitherstretchednorsqueezed:ourrestingtension.Thisistheplaceofnaturalmobilityratherthanstability,poisedfor

movement(weareatrest,withthelungssemi-inflated).ThisisapproximatingthemiddlephaseinFigure15.1.Inthethirdimagetheballisalmostexpanded,modellingthemovementofthefullerinhalation.Thelastshowstheballfullyexpanded,modellingthemovementofthefullinhalation.Togethertheselinksencloseaspace.Ifyouweretoaddfabricandtensionit,connectedtoandspacedbyfloatingcompression

members,youwouldhavesomethingresemblingthearchitectureofourtorsorespondingintherangeinwhichwebreathe.(Thebonesdonottoucheachother,but“float”intheweaveofthefascialmatrix.)

Figure15.6Chinesefingerpuzzle.

It is almost impossible to represent this in two dimensions but in your hands, by opening and closing(pulsing)themuli-barstructureillustratedabove,yousensetherhythmofyourpulse,thebreathandtheoscillationof thewhole body as a part of the expressionof elasticity.All the “linkage”points of thismodelconformto thegeometriesofabiotensegritystructure.Theprinciplesofbiphasicmovementandelasticityareheldinthemidpointbalancethatrepresentsourrestingtension.Thiseffectivelymeanswebalance and counterbalance every breath we take. We live in poised potential, balanced betweenextremes,breathingfromthemid-pointofthesemi-tensionedelasticbandinChapter8.7Whenelasticity,ortherangebetweenstretchandsqueeze,iscompromised,itshowsupimmediatelyin

theabilitytovarythebreathoradapttothedemandsofspeedtostillness(ornot).Thiscanbeobservedatbothendsofthescale,forexamplebybeingoutofbreathashorttimeafterbeginningaPowerYogaclass,orbecomingrestlesswhenslowingdownorpreparingformeditation.Bothrepresentalimitationinthisrangeandvariability.Bothcanbesuitablytrainedtoenhanceourrepertoireofbreathingresponses.Wecanmeasurerangeeasilybygoingtoclassesandfindingouthowlongittakesustoreachapoint

wherewecancompleteawholeclasswithoutbeingoutofbreath. Ifwecan then followsuchaclasseasily with a period of meditation, we can gauge that range and sense where we are in the journeytowardsmastery.(ThisisthesameprincipleasthatofPostureProfilingthatwedescribedinCh.13.Wefindthemiddlewayandworkfromit.)The fascialmatrix responds to its loadinghistory, so as long aswemodify dose anddegree (fairly

easily detected by self-regulation) and practisewith patience. It is remarkable how soonwe developrangefromspeedtostillness.Thebreathistheperfectgaugebecauseitcannotdeceiveus.Wecaneitherbreatheeasilyorwecannot.Itdoesnothavetobecomplex.Donotforcethebreath:itwilltellyouwhereitis.Itisalmostlikeasense,asmuchasafunction.

NaturalBreathingRhythm

Manyyogicbreathingpracticesaredesignedtoanimateandstrengthendifferentaspectsofthebreath.Ifweconsiderthemfromtheperspectiveofbiotensegrity,however,thefundamentalthemeofelasticityandcompliancerunsthroughthemall.Inclass,whatevertheabilityorageofthegroup, thisonevalue(ofelasticcompliance)canprovide

powerful access to breathing well. The elastic breath cycle is designed as an exercise to be doneconsciouslyforafewminutes,atmosttwiceaday.Thebreathingbodyisinstinctiveanditisnotdesignedforustothinkitthroughtheday’sactivities.Inhealthybodieswecan,forthemostpart,senseourownbreathingrhythm.Wecanquicklytellifourbreathingrhythmisoptimalandthemessageweshouldtakefrom this is to try it, and if itworks,keep it (bydoing it again).MajorPranayamasessionscancausedistressifpeoplechangetheirbreathingpatternstoorapidlyorholdthemtoanimposedrhythmthatdoesnotsuittheirbody.Itispossibletoover-breathe.Startsmall,fromwhereverthepersonisatthetime.Although it makes it harder to teach, we should be aware that breathing exercises are not about

“controlling the body”. This is amyth. They are intended to contain the body appropriately, or ratherfosterthebody’sabilitytoexpressthatcontainmentnaturally.Theycanbringstrengthandresiliencetothefunctionalform.Itbecomesaresourcetodrawonwhenyouaretired,orpoorly,likeakindofreserve.Itisnotareligioussetofinstructionsdesignedtobringenlightenment.Ifyoupayenoughtimeandattentiontoaprocess that isdesigned tobe instinctive inyourbody, itwill rewardyouwith time inadifferentway. Youmightmovewithmore agility and less effort; youmight even find that spending some timebecomingconsciousofthebreathgetsyoumorequicklytowhereveritisyouareheaded.Youhavebeenactivatingyourbreathsinceyouwerethesizeofanacorn.Yourinstinctivebodyalreadyknowshowtobreathe.Thisworkistoenhancethatinnerknowing(nous).From thepoint of viewof structural tensional integrity, there are three stages of thebreathing cycle

ratherthantwo,fromthefullexpansion(inhale),throughthemiddlephase,tothefullsqueeze(exhale).Infact,indeeperstudy,thereareconsideredtobefivestages,toincludethepeakoftheinhaleandthepeakoftheexhale.Thesearevaluablemoments.Thereismoretobreathingthanatwo-phaseinhaleandexhale,althoughinsmoothtransitionthroughthe

middle phase it can appear like that. The three phases subtlymerge in smooth transition between theextremes of stretch and squeeze to form onewhole cycle.However,we first need to identify them asdistinct in order to define and recognise them. Our fascial form rests in tension, pre-stiffened, as thenetwork of ourmatrix, at themiddle phase (Ch. 8). This gives us the ability to expand globally andsqueezeglobally.Theelasticbreathcyclepractises this andevokes thebenefitsofhealthy respiration,includingstrength,variability,resilienceandhydration.Itsupportsournaturalprocessesbeforewegoontodothemoredetailedandrefinedbreathingpracticesofanadvancedyogaprogramme.This subtle and simple practice can, over time, lead to improved regulation of the breath andmore

refinedandexpansiveutilisationofthefullbreathingcapacity.Thisinturn,fromthefascialperspective,balancesthepolaritiesofelasticityandstiffness.Itcanexpandoursenseof lifeforceandoursenseofbeingpresentinthebody,whichcanhavefarreachingpsychosomaticbenefits.

“Sothephysicalandthebreathingcomponentsareactuallyfacilitatingthiscentralprocess,whichisthemeditativeprocess.And themeditativeprocess isnot justacognitive technique;you’reactuallychangingbrain function.Whenyouchangebrain functionyouchangebrainphysiology youchangebrain anatomy. Literally the brain is plastic, so as you do different tasks mentally, the brain willactuallychangeinthatdirection,sothisendsupbeingveryprofound.Eventhoughmanypeoplearethinking‘wellitsjustamentalgame’,butitsactuallychangingbrainstructureandfunction.”8

Inessencetheseexercisesarenotdesignedtoimpose“rightways”ofbreathingonthebody.Rathertheytrainthebreathingmovementsforenhancedcomplianceandexpandthecapacitytovarythebreathingrateandelasticitynaturally, tomeetafullerrangeofpossibilities.Theyimprovethenaturalfunctionofourmostprimitive,originalmovement.WeknowfromChapter8 thatelasticity isparamount to thehealthandvariabilityofourarchitecture

anditsstructuralintegrity.Perhapsthisiswhylearningtogeneratethepresenceandstillnessassociatedwith Pranayama in each of the postures and extended into meditative practice can be so valuable incounterbalancingtheeventsofeverydaylife.

FoundationWorkAs far as the anatomy is concerned, it raises interestingquestions. If you accept biotensegrity as thebasis of our architecture andinclude the fascial matrix as a body-wide tensional system that is literally everywhere, then what myofascia is not involved inbreathing?Thebreathitselfmustbeaprimarysignallingmotion,communicatedthroughoutthearchitecture;momentbymomentandbreathbybreath.Whateveryourbeliefs,theideaofoperatingonmorethanonelevelofawarenessiscommonsenseinaway.Breathisuniversallyacceptedasasignoflifeforce.Placingvalueonelasticity(i.e.energystoragecapacity)asanimportantfeatureofitsarchitectureisaglobalgesturetowardseverylocalaspectofourvitality.Youdonothavetobeayogitoappreciatethisnotion(ortoenjoythebenefitsofbreathingwellandbeingabletorespondaccordinglytolife’scircumstances).

Thepracticeofsomeverysimpleexercisesbeginstodevelopawarenessofthislife-givingresourcewehappilyignore(becauseitgenerallyworksprettywellwhetherwethinkaboutitornot).Itisimportanttodothisfoundationworkbeforegoingontomoreadvancedpractices;inthiswaychangescanbenaturallyincorporatedwithoutanyadverseorextremereactions.Fasciarespondstoitsloadinghistoryandittakesa long time to develop an inefficient pattern, sowe have to be prepared for it to take a long time toincorporateanew,moreefficientone.Breathingisalifelongpractice,soitisrewardingtotakeitslowlyandalmost imperceptibly throughsubtle layersof improvement,developingoptimumpatternsgraduallyandreleasingoptimalones.Weseekthebalanceofsthiramandsukham (thesteadyandthesweet), toallowtheinfluenceof the

breathtopervadethebodywithoutinterruptionordiscomfort.Itiscommunicatingsubtleawarenessandappropriateattentionthroughalloursensorycommunicationsysteminsubtleelasticbalance.Ittakestime,but, gradually,weare able to find this steadyplace to sit inVipassanamoreandmoreeasily, and forlongerperiodsoftime.Adulthumansbreathe21,600timesperday9andformanyofusthisbreathingislocal and shallow compared to our full capacity to bring life-giving oxygen into the body, for all itsmyriadfunctions,andallowwastegasestobeefficientlyreleasedandrecycled.Westayaware,however,ofdoseanddegree.AthemeinsomeofSriAurobindo’swritings10isthatweshouldnotusemeditationasa“runway”toflyawayfromeverydaylife.Thisisasimpleaccesstoenhancingit.

RespiratoryTensionalIntegrityThelungsrestsemi-inflated,atabout50%full(or50%empty,dependingonyourpointofview).Thatistheirrestingtension:thepre-stiffenedstateofourrestingarchitecture.Compliancereliesonthisfeaturefor the ability to expand from it (towards fullness, exceeding 50%) and squeeze from it (towardsemptiness,lessthan50%).The initial purposeof thebreathingpractices is to strengthen and enhance capacityof the lungs and

surrounding tissues, relative to the individual. This can improve balance between the various related

systems of the body (all of which could be considered to benefit from efficiency of respiration). Intension–compression balance, this full range of capacity between full exhale and full inhale (betweenwhichextremeswefindrestingtensionatthemid-point)couldbeconsideredasbiotensegrityregulationofthewholebreathingapparatus.This ishow tensional integritycanwork in360degrees. If thespine isable to relaxand restore its

naturalcurvature,withoutunduestrain(i.e.youcansitcurved-uprightincomfort),thenitfollowsthatthemorphology of our integrated breathing apparatus is less compromised and more optimised (i.e. theprimary curve of the ribs is in place and the secondary curves of the waist and neck allow for theexercisestobedoneinoptimalpositionsfortheheadandtail).Thisisoneofthereasonsitisimportanttolearntositwell,sothatbreathingpracticecanbedonewithoutcompromisetotheelasticintegrityofthe spine and breathing motion, throughout the body. Using support to maintain ease in the spine ispreferable to forcing “uprightness” for its own sake, with muscular effort. The reason for practisingPranayama in sitting is to work with attentiveness without falling asleep! (It is also recommended topracticePranayamaonanemptystomachsothatthebodyisnotpreoccupiedwithdigestion.)Thepracticeitselfcanimprovetheabilitytositatease.Theyaremutuallybeneficial.Transitions become the key. After five rounds, rest and return to normal breathing. Over time, this

exercisecanbeincreasedinsmallincrements:moreroundsandslightlygreaterrange.It isdesignedtotrainelasticintegrityandthemeditativeabilitytoobservethebreath.Iteventuallybecomesinstinctive.

ElasticBreathExerciseFindacomfortableseatedposition.(Initiallyitmaybeusefultoworksupinetoestablishtherhythm,orinacomfortablesupportivechairoroncushionswiththebacksupportedbyawall.)Theactiveinhale Letthebreathsettleatthenaturalmid-point.Softlyinhale,experiencingthebreaththroughthenostrilsandintothebodywithafeelingofexpansion. Inhaleasfaraspossible,withasenseofstretching thewhole torsoandall thedetailsof the tissuesbetweentheribs,underthearms,throughouttheback,frontandsides,theupperandlowerpartsofthebody.Observethe“peak”oftheinhaleforamoment.Thepassiveexhale Letthebreathreleasegraduallyanditwillnaturallyfindthemid-pointofthebreathastheexhaleisreleasing.Thebreathingactioncontinuesthroughthispoint.Itdoesnotstopthere.(Ashallowbreathingpatterncanbeobservedinpeoplewhoinhaleandexhaletoandfromthispointonly; theyareusingonlytherightsideof theschemainFig.15.1.)Theexerciseasksus tocontinuethroughthemiddlephase,insmoothtransition.Theactiveexhale Assmoothlyaspossible,begintoactivateandsqueezetheexhale.Thetissuesthatwerestretchedontheinhalearenowbeing tightenedandstiffened.Keepsqueezing themuntil thewhole torso is squeezed in,along the lengthof the spine.This isanactivesenseofdrawinginwardoftheribsandabdomen,tighteningallthetissuesofthebodywalltowardthespine.Observetheend-pointofthisactiveexhalewhenall thebreathfeelssqueezedoutofthebody,withoutcollapse.Thetorsoistensionedandstiffenedbysqueezing.Passiveinhale Letthebreathreleasegraduallyandthebodywillnaturallyfindthemid-pointagain,onlythistimeitisapassiveinhaleasrelease(seeFig.15.1).Thisisonewholebreathingcycle.Insmoothtransition,itelaboratesexpansionandsqueezeatbothendsofthe elasticity scale.A healthy bodywith a naturally compliant breathing patternwill do this anyway.A less compliant pattern can beobservedusingonlyonesideofthechart.Ineithercase,thereisvalueinobservingthebreathandextendingthroughthefullcycle.Repeattheexercisequietly,withoutoverworkingthebreath,simplybecomingawareofthetorso’sabilitytoexpandgloballyandsqueezeglobally, throughthe“middleway”ormid-pointoftherestingtension.Thelungsresthereatabout50%inflatedwhenwearerelaxed.Pausebetweencyclesifrequired.

TransitionsThere aremany andvariousPranayama techniques in yoga.Kapalabhati, for example (SkullShining), animates the left sideof theschemainFigure15.1andcontributespowerfullytoelasticintegrity.Theelasticbreathexerciseisnotdesignedtoreplaceestablishedancientandvaluableyogapractices.Itismerelyofferedasarelativelysimplewaytoprepareformoreadvancedworkwiththeyogicbandhas and traditional Pranayama techniques. “Skull Shining” is a metaphor for “polishing” the inner pathways; it is a cleansingbreath. The cleansing practices are theKriyas, designed to purify the body. In this case theKapalabhati serves the central nerve

pathways,hence thereference to illuminating thebeing–makingtheskullshiny. (Weengageasimilar idea inphrasessuchas“herfacelitup”.)Indeed,afterdoingtheKriyas,peopleoftendolookshiny!Theyarelitupwiththeeffectofthedeeperbenefitsofyogicpractice.It isadvisable tobeguidedin thesepracticesbyanexperiencedteacher.KriyasandPranayamapracticesarenota listoftechniques that can be simply taken off the Internet and applied without wisdom. Their benefits are many and varied, but (likeeverything)theyworkinanappropriatecontext.

The quality of the transitions in the Pranayama exercises, even at theirmost simple, is the essence ofcontainmentandthemainfocusofthisexercise.Throughmasteringthequalityoftransitions,theflowofthe breath canbecome rhythmical andharmonious at various rates.The stillness ofmeditation and thespeed of a Vinyasa Flow class with the variations in between can all eventually be readily andinstinctivelyaccommodatedwithoutneedingtooverstrainthebody.Atfirst,anoviceinaVinyasaFlowclassmightfeeloutofbreathafteronlyashorttime;attheother

extreme,theymightbecomealittleagitatedandrestlessafterarelativelyshorttimeinseatedmeditation.As the body responds to these cumulative loading patterns (i.e. training and practice), this gradualprogress can optimise experience of both these extremes. Just aswe get stronger andmore containedthrough training in a sport, so, too, can the body learn the micro-movements of breathing for addedcomplianceandenhancedvariability.Thesamemethod–accumulatingapattern throughrepetition–isusedforboth.By reinforcing thenaturalelasticityofbreathingcompliance thequalityof reboundofelasticenergy

storage eventually renders these movements relatively effortless. While the breathing becomes moreefficient and acquires more range, so the elastic balance of the tissues improves and demands lessmetabolicallyexpensivemusculareffortandholdsmorenaturalspring.Ithappensoneveryscalebecauseayogapracticepayssuchspecificattentiontobreathingforitsownsake.Itiscapableofendorsingthebenefitsofbreathcontainment,andjustbycarryingoutasmallpracticeonaregularbasis,inappropriatedoseanddegree,thetissuesofyourwholefascialmatrixcanbecomecumulativelymoreresponsive.

ParadoxicalBreathingParadoxicalbreathingisbothcommonandquitecomplex;however,itisworthmentioningsothatitcanatleastbe recognised.This typeofbreathing isoftenassociatedwith traumaand specificpathologies. Itinvolves reverse responses internally to the natural motion and pressure balances between the bodycavitiesinthenormal,healthybreathcycle.Inpractice,themovementofbreathbehavesasparadoxicaltothepressureresponseofstretchandsqueeze.Itcanbe inevidencewithoutspecificpathologies,andisoftenpartofapicturethatincludesfatigue.

NotetoteachersInmyexperiencewhenworkingwithclientstherapeutically,manypeoplecangenerallyexperiencethefirstpartofthecycle(activeinhaleandpassiveexhale:rightsideofthechartinFig.15.1)astheirwholerangeofbreathing.Oncetheybecomeawareoftheactiveexhale,theyareabletoextendthebreathingcyclethroughthemiddle,usingbothsidesofthechart.Thechartprovidesameanstovisualisethissubtletransition(likeaMöbiusstrip).Itisamorphologythatcan,atfirst,beverysmallandgraduallyexpandasthecapacityimproves.AMöbiusisthenamegiventoashape,likeafigure-of-eight,withaparticularquality.Ifyoutakeastripofpaperandjointhetwoendstoformacircle,butaddatwisttothepaperfirst,itformsaMöbiusstripinwhichtheoutsidebecomestheinside;theyuniteastheoneform.Ifyoutracetheoutsideoftheshapewithyourfingeryouwillfindyourselfontheinside(andviceversa),asyougoaroundit.Itbecomesausefulmetaphor/visualisationinthispractice.

This type of breathing is most readily demonstrated in supine or seated position, in abdominalbreathing.The participant breathing paradoxicallywill tend to squeeze the abdomen back towards the

spineontheinhalationandstretch(orpushitout)ontheexhalation.Thisisacounter-instinctivepressureresponse,mostclearlyunderstoodthroughdemonstrationandmosteasilyadjustedthesameway.It isacomplexphenomenon,becauseitcaninvolveaccumulatedcompensatorypatternsbetweenthethoraxandabdomen.However, if it isdetectedsoonand theparticipantcan recognise itbefore it createschronicpatterns,itcanbearewardingreliefthatrestoresbalance.

CorrectBreathing?Inyogaclassrooms,dependingonwhich“school”yougo to, there isdiscussionabouthowweshouldbreatheandwhetherposesshouldbeactivatedontheinhaleortheexhale.Insomeschoolstheinstructionis torestontheinhalationandact(i.e.dothepose)ontheexhalation.Otherschoolsequatebackbend(extension)withtheinhalationandforwardbend(flexion)withtheexhalation.Inthesecases,thebodyisencouragedtoact(dothepose)ontheinhalationandreleasethemovementontheexhalation.

ExerciseforParadoxicalBreathingPattern

Figure15.7Bothpractitionerandparticipanthaveonehandontheirownabdomen,theotherovertheotherperson’shand.Reproducedwithkind

permissionfromArtofContemporaryYogaLtd.

Sitbesidetheparticipant,eachinacomfortablechair,orifonthefloor,withbacksagainstthewall.Thiswayyoubothfeelrelaxedandsupported.Sitonthesittingbonessothatthespineisupright.Placeyour(outermost)handonyourabdomenwhiletheparticipantplacestheir(outermost)handontheirs.Invitethemtoplacetheirotherhandoveryours,whileyouplaceyoursovertheirs(Fig.15.7).Youbreathegently inandout,slightlyexaggeratingtheexpansionof the inhalationandthereleaseandsqueezeof theexhalation.Youinvite the participant to follow you and do the same. The hands act as guides, slightly emphasising the appropriate direction of theabdominalmovement.Iftheparticipantisparadoxicallybreathingtherewill,atfirst,beresistanceunderyourhandandtheywillfeelthedifferenceinyourbreathingmovement.Inmyexperience,thisworksveryquicklytore-educatethesystemkinaestheticallyasitdoesnotimposebutinvitesreorganisationthroughthefelt,proprioceptivesenses.Itmayhelptoworkwitheyesclosedoritmaybepreferabletoallowtheclienttoseethemovement.Thisisamatterofpersonaljudgementforthepractitioner.Inanycase,itcanguidetheparticipantbacktoamoreoptimalpattern.Afterashortwhile,theparticipantistheninvitedtoplacetheirownhandsovereachotherandworkalone,usingthehandstoassistwithslightpressureonthebellyontheexhale,whileexpandingthebreathintothehandsontheinhale.Abdominalbreathingisrecommendedinsupineorsupportedseatedpose,so that internalstructuralsupport isnotcompromised.This teaches theparticipant tobecomeself-regulating.Ifleftinaparadoxicalpattern,thebreathofteninfluencesposture,invitingamore“collapsed”appearancewiththeexhalationandaneffortful“lift”oftheupperbodyontheinhalation.Itcanbeveryrelievingtorectifythispattern.

Thepsychosomaticaspectandassociationsof thebreathandbreathingpatterns isadomainof therapeuticpracticeaboutwhich a great deal has been written and researched. This is not a comment on correct or incorrect breathing. In my

experience, assisting a participant in managing their breathing, especially if they have fallen into a default pattern ofbreathingparadoxically,canhavefar-reachingbenefitsfortheirsenseofwell-being.Itiswisetobeginslowlyandtheaboveexerciseisdesignedonlytosuggestonepossibility.It isnotadefinitivemethod,asthismustbeleft to thepractitionersandtheir individual relationships with their clients and students. Please also note that in certain states, over-focusing on thebreathcanbringastudentintodistressandmightnotbeadvisable.Thisdoesnotreplacemedicaladvice.

Personally,Ithinkthereisagreatdealtobesaidforconsideringthebodyactivelyabletoself-regulateandmanagetheappropriatebreathingforthetask.Ifeelfarmoreconcernwhenthebreathisbeingheld,when it is not rhythmical, orwhen it is forced. This can imply a participant is straining or forcing aposture, which defeats the purpose. While education and re-education (from patterns that aredisadvantageous)isvaluable, thereisalsoacost toover-managementofournaturalbreathingpatterns.From a global point of view, elasticity and variability are paramount. They tend to be naturally self-regulating.Afterall,wehavebeenbreathingsuccessfullyasaspeciesformillennia.The structural integration classroom, dedicated as it is to optimum fascial organisation, is home to

many a conversationwith regard to optimal breathing patterns.The yoga class can be very interestingwhenbreathingis taughtusingcountsforretention,forexample.Ihaveseensomepeople thrive,whileothers become distressed by the same count. Breathing is very closely associated with emotionalexpression and instinctive responses, whichwe cannot always account for. It is worth approaching itgently,withhugerespectforindividuality.Buildingarepertoireofbreathingexercisescanfundamentallyassist participants of all ages to find balance and integration naturally. Starting gently and graduallyprogressing fromthe foundationexercisesabovecan readilyaccomplish this.Understanding theelasticbreathcycleasanexpressionofthearchitecturecanbeveryhelpful.

GuidedBreathingInChapter13onAdjustment,weconsideredsubtletouchcuesthatinviteanomnidirectionalbreathandencourageafullerrangeforthebreathingcapacity.Iprefertoerronthesideofnon-intervention,asforme there is a huge difference between conscious breathing and self-conscious breathing patterns. Thelatter are useful as education tools but, where there is no pathology to remedy, once a naturalunselfconsciouspatternisrestoreditcanbelefttotheinstinctsoftheindividual.

MeditativeBreathingOnce the foundations of breathing techniques are established, there are various specific practices(particularlyformeditationpurposes)thataredesignedtograduallyrefinePranayamaintheindividual.Weeventuallydeveloptheabilitytobestillandobservethebodyfromthequietandcalmperspectiveofthe witness. Using various breathing techniques can improve refinement and the ability to move andbalance energywithin the body.This is at levels thatmight not be immediately available to us beforedevelopingapracticeinPranayama.Likeanyotherpractice,onceitbecomesinstinctivewedonothavetothinkaboutit.Here,weseeanddiscoverthethreeaspectsreferredtoatthebeginning.Biotensegrityarchitectureisa

tension–compressionforceincludingthreestates.Notwithstandingthefactthatitisbasedontriangulation,aswehavesaid,thereistension,thereiscompressionandthereistension–compression:theneutralstateofthecombination.Inyoga,thisneutralityissymbolisedinShushumna,thethirdchannelthatresideswithIda (feminine) and Pingala (masculine). However, it arises spontaneously and it cannot be animated

unlessthereisbalancebetweenthepolarforces.Meditationisdesignedtoenhancethepossibilityofthatbalance.Once we have established balance in the fascial architecture of the breathing form, it becomes a

resource. This can then evolve into practices such asmeditation (Part 3) that can take us beyond theanimation of the physical body to the illumination of the more subtle bodies (koshas) that yoga alsorespects.

Notes1. SwamiSivananda,TheScienceofPranayama,DivineLifeSociety,Tehri-Garhwal,UttarPradesh,Himalayas, India.Firstpublished in

1935.Theonline(2000)editionisfreelyavailableathttp://www.dlshq.org/.2. VandaScaravelli,AwakeningtheSpine,2ndedition,PinterandMartin,London,2012.3. TheBiharSchoolofYoga.4. TheBiharSchoolofYoga.TheteachingsofSwamiSatanyanda.5. TheBiharSchoolofYoga.6. StephenLevin,personalcommunication,2013.7. As noted previously, weaving is considered by Kenneth Snelson to be the “Mother of Tensegrity”

(http://www.kennethsnelson.net/icons/struc.htm).Thisisastunningarticleonhowweavingcanbringustotensegrityarchitecture.8. SatBirSinghKhalsa,AssistantProfessorofMedicine,HarvardMedicalSchool,interviewforwww.yogaintheshadows.com.9. SawmiSatyanandaSaraswati,BiharSchoolofYoga.10. SriAurobindo(1872–1950).See,forexample,thelistofhiswritingsinWikipedia(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Aurobindo#Writings).

CHAPTER

16YogafortheFascialBody:ASimplePractice

Priortoeverything,asanaisspokenofasthefirstpartofhathayoga.Havingdoneasana,oneattainssteadinessofbodyandmind,freedom

fromdiseaseandlightnessofthelimbs.1HathaYogaPradipika(1:17)

Sthiram,Sukham,AsanamSeveralyearsagoIreadaNewYorkTimesarticleaboutinvestmentinsportsshoetechnology.Adoctor(andkeenmarathonrunner)mapped the rise in shoe technology against injuries in elite athletes: injuries were not reduced. He proposed the foot mediates anintelligentlisteningtotheground,feeding-backtothebodyabouttheterrain.Wrappedin“smart”shoes,thefeetandlegssend/receiveinappropriate signals.The journalist,ChrisMcDougall, laterwroteBorn toRun.There is controversy aboutbarefoot versus “shod”running.Research3 suggestspreferenceand trainingwinovereither: itdependswhatyouareused to (congruentwith the idea thatfascia responds to our loading history). JamesOschmann,4 recommendswalking on dew-soaked grass for a fewminutes a day toanimate the feet. Introducingpeople to their toes throughyogacan improvebalanceandmovementandall sortsofdisabilities (SeeFig.16.19).

“Sthiram”meanssteadyand“sukham”meanssweet.“Asanam”referstoapositionorposturethatisbothsteady (firm, strong) and comfortable. In a way it echoes the simplicity Vitruvius bestowed uponarchitecture:“firmitas,utilitas,venustas”,makingsomethingstrong,fitforpurposeandbeautiful(seeCh.2).Weare,ofcourse,referringheretoournaturalphysicalarchitectureratherthantothebuiltstructuresofVitruvius.TheposturespresentedinthischapterundertheheadingFoundationSeriesaredesignedtonaturally clear the energy channels and psychic centres. From the point of view of the fascia, theyperfectlyconfirmthekindofpracticethathonoursindividualformandpromoteselasticityandhydration.Onepurposeistoenhanceproprioceptiveandinteroceptiveawareness.By focusing on the relationship of any posture to the ground, to startwith,we naturally deploy our

biotensegrityarchitecture to fulfilourmultidimensionalpromise.Thepractice isanexplorationof that.Firstandforemostisthetechniqueofbringingourselves“downtoearth”,andbacktobeinginourbodies.Thenweuseourawarenessandattentiontodevelopourrelationshiptoitinthesimplestofways.Thefeetbecomeour“ears totheground”andsincetheyhavesuchaconstantrole insomanyof the

thingsweseektodo,thereisavalueintakingspecialcareofthem.Thesetechniquesarepresentedasaclass.However,feelfreetoselectwhatworks.Youwillseeexceptionalresultsfrom10–15minutesatthebeginningofanysessionspentonreleasingandeasingextraneous tension in thefeet.Theyrespondwithenthusiasmbyanticipatingour responses to thegroundandbecomingmore intelligent andaware.(See Fig.16.19 for specific techniques.) This foundation series is designed as a useful basic practice

though even very advanced yogis and yoginis have used itwhen they are travelling orworking underpressure,withnotimeforafullerpractice.Itisalsoextremelyvaluableafterillnessorinjury,whenthebody is under stress. It allows for a deep strengthening and calming of the system. Counterintuitivelyperhaps,itcanhelptofacilitatestrengthandspeedonademandingscheduleandrestoresperformance.

FoundationSeriesParticipants have been able gradually to introduce the very subtle movements involved, even aftersurgeries or during pregnancy, under careful supervision. In this way, over a suitable period of time(whichisuniquetoeverycase),theyhavebeenabletorestorethevaluablerangeofmovementoptimallyavailabletothem.It isadvisedthatinallsuchcases,anindividualseektheguidanceofatrainedyogateacher or yoga therapist, as a book cannot provide thewatchful eye of an experiencedwitness.As ateacher,youareencouragedtopractiseandmodifythesefoundationalasanastosuityourownprogramme.Theseasanasareusedtoprepareorrelaxthebodyandmightbedonejustonceperweektogivethe

body permission to simply explore where it is and enjoy your undivided attention. I have used theseasanaswith people of various ages over longperiods of time, atweekly intervals.The intention is topromotefascialglideandsensoryrefinementthroughthelongitudinalaspectsofmyofascialcontinuities,with particular focus on the limbs.All the practices throughout this series are designed to release thefasciallayersinthetorsoandaxialbody.

FasciaMuktasanafortheTorso,NeckandHeadAll themovements in the Foundation Practice are designed for freeing the fascia of the torso andbody.Atthesametime,theyfacilitatethebreathingsothewholebodyisbenefitingfromthepractice,with gentle attention to the breath. The series presented later, in Chapter 17, invites more subtlemovementsforallthemainjointstofreetheenergypathwaysorchannelsofthesubtlebody.

Basicclasswithvariations Notes1 BacktoEarth(AandB) Findingtheground2 FillingtheSpace Listeningtothebreath3 LittleBoat Freeingthebreath4 SpinalTwist(AandB) Twoparts,includingrelease5 TheWave(AandB) Twovariations6 Stretch-and-squeeze Theelasticbody7 FasciaMuktasana Usingmyofascialmeridians8 EarstotheGround 12Toeandfootexercises9 HonouringtheCurves(AandB) Threevariations10 SimpleStandingRotation Gentlerotationandcounter-rotation11 SunSalutationofyourchoice SeeChapter2012 PranayamaandShivasana SeeChapter15

1ABacktoEarthPURPOSE:Thepurposeofthisistokinaestheticallynotetheprimarycurves(touchingtheground)and

thesecondarycurves(nottouchingtheground)andbringthebodyintorelaxed,butattentivestillness.Itallows for life to be left outside the door and gentle attention to return inward for the period of thepractice.

SUPPORT:Thereareschoolsof thought thatplaceasupportunder thebackof thehead.Thismaybehelpfulinsomecases;however,itisoftenevenmorevaluabletosupportthebackoftheneckandallowtheheadtoreturntoamoreoptimalposition.Arolledblanketisidealasitprovidesaminimallift,butallowsthenecktorelaxandbegintoaccommodateamoreoptimalposture.Asmallfoldedtowelintheback of the waist can also assist in bringing a participant to a “felt” sense of their natural spinalcurvatures.

TIMING:Thispositioncanbemaintainedfor2–12minutes,withthecaveatthatatanytimeaparticipantcanhugthekneestorelieveanystrainfeltatthebackofthewaist.Itsvalueisinslowingdowntheracingmindandbringingtheattentionbacktothebody.

• Lieontheback,feethip-widthapart,toesslightlyturnedin.

• Letthekneessoftlyresttogetherallowingthebodytorestdown.

• Slidetheshoulderbladesdownwardsandslightlytogether.

• Allowthetoetips,ballofthefootandheeltosoftendown.

• Allowthepelvis,ribes,shouldersandheadtofeelthefloor.

• Notethatwhichistouchingthefloorandthatwhichisnot.

• Letthebreathbecomerelaxedandeven.

Figure16.1

1BBacktoEarth;FindingtheCurves(asperCh.11)PURPOSE:Thepurposeofthisistosensetheprimaryandsecondarycurvesofthebackbodyfromthecrownoftheheadtothesolesofthefeet,includingtheheel,arch,balloffoot,spacesbetweentheballofthefootandthetoetipsandtheendsofthetoes.Wefollowthe“wave”ofthecurvesusingthegroundasareferenceforthewholelengthofthebody–primarycurvestouchthefloor,secondarydonot.(Thenotion

ofpressingthebackofthewaistortheneckintothefloorisactivelyavoided:astraightspineisnotanintegratedone.)

SUPPORT: This comes from the ground and is aided by the hands initially supporting the subtle andnaturalcurveatthebackofthewaist.

TIMING:Thiscanbeatthediscretionofateacher,asafinishingpose,astartingpose,orarestingpose.If it is tospecificallyencourageprimaryandsecondarycurve recognition itcanbeusedasa repeatedreference.

• Placehands(palmsdown)undermidback,middlefingerstouching(SeeFig.16.2b).

• Slidetheshoulderbladestogetheranddown,restingintothefloor.

• Feeltheprimarycurves:head,shoulders,hips,heels,toes(Fig.16.2a).

• Theprimarycurvestouchthefloor.

• Nowfeelthesecondarycurves:neck,waist,backoflegsandfootarch.

• Releasethehandsifpreferredandsensethecurvesasawave.

• Takeattentiontothesidesandfrontofthebodyrelativetotheback.

Figure16.2a

Figure16.2b

2FillingtheSpacePURPOSE:Thepurposeofthisistodeepenthesenseofelasticitythatthebreathcanoptimise.Itisnottoforcethebreathorinducefastorheavybreathing.Ratheritistofamiliarisethebodywiththesenseof

itsbiotensegrityarchitecture:inhalingfullytoexpandtothepointofresistance,exhalingfullytosqueezetothetensional limit.Ineachcase, thereleasereturnsthetorsoto itsnaturalrestingtensional integrity.Thisexercisecanberepeated2–12timeswithoutforce(andrestingbetweencycles).Itisapreparationtoinvitetonetothetorsoasanoverallvalueinanymovement.It isenhancedbythespecificbreathingexercisesinPranayamapractice;however,thisisdesignedasanintroduction.

SUPPORT:Asfor1.Anotherbenefitofthisistoinviteparticipantstofeelthebackandthefrontofthebody, and fill into the sides so that they experience their three-dimensional “support” of their ownboundaries.Thefloorbecomesanimportantresourceandafeedbacksystemasawarenessisencouragedby“pushingtheflooraway”duringthefullinhaleandsurrenderingtoitduringtheexhale.Itbecomesanenquiryastohowthatchangesontheextraexhaleandreleaseduringthethreephasesoftheelasticbreathcycle.Donotforceorinduceover-breathing.

TIMING:Asbelow.Atanytimeaparticipantcanhugthekneestorelieveanystrainfeltatthebackofthe body. This is usually done as part of the “back to earth” rest, once attention becomes inwardlyfocused.

• Allowthetonguetorestsoftlyontheroofofthemouth.

• Breathethroughthenose,inhalingandexhalingevenly.

• Graduallyfeeltheinhaleexpandthetorso,followingit.

• Atfirstlettheexhalegoandrestatactivetheendoftheexhale.

• Thenexplorethe“extraexhale”squeezingthewholetorso.

• Letthatgoandexperiencetheinhaletoreleaseit.

• Explorethisseveraltimeswithoutforcetobecomefamiliar.

Figure16.3

3LittleBoatVariation(PasvaPavanaMuktasana)PURPOSE:Thepurposeofthisistogentlyallowthespinetofinditsrotationalability,withtheshouldergirdleandpelvicgirdleworkinginoppositedirections.Thisshouldnotbeforced.Itisasmallmovement

allowingthespinetofinditsnaturalrotation,gentlyandcumulativelythroughthelengthofthespine.Itisessential that this is done in a small and comfortable range,without force, as the breathing continues.Ideally thebreath is inhaled at centre andexhaled toward the twist but thiswill becomenatural if theposture is not forced and allowed to find an instinctive rhythm. There is also a lovely bonus in“massaging”thelongmyofascialcontinuitiesoftheerectorspinaealongtheirlengthonthefloor.Fluidityofmovementismorevaluablethanrangeinthisasana.

SUPPORT:Asfor1,althoughbythistimeparticipantsoftenfeeltheyneedlesssupportaftertheworkofthefirsttwopartsofthispreparatorysequence.Themovementcanbeamicro-movement,sosuchasmallrangewillnotdisturbthesupportunderneck,headorlumbarspine.

TIMING: This postural twist can be explored for 1–3minutes, as preparation for the fuller twist tofollow.Itisdesignedtorelievetensionandimproverangeinasubtlewayandatanaturalspeed.

• Withanextraexhaletosupportthelumbarspine,squeezeandpressintoonefoottosendtheotherkneetothechest.

• Wrapthehandsaroundthefoldedkneeandonthenextexhaledrawtheotherkneetothechest,releasingthelumbarspine.

• Re-establishthesoftcurvesofthebackbody,huggingtheknees.

• Begintorockthekneesgentlyfromsidetoside(asmallrange).

• Softlyaddtheheadtothemovementintheoppositedirection.

Figure16.4

4ALyingSpinalTwist(SuptaMatsyendrasana)PURPOSE: The purpose of this is to gently deepen the spinal twist that number 3 prepared for. Theinvitation is to release into this posture as an opportunity to “unwind” the spine, using the breath toexplore the spaces between the ribs, the “corners” of the lungs and sense the breathing in the neck,abdomenanddiaphragm.Alovelycueistoimaginetherightdomeofthediaphragmasthewingofadove(Idonotknowwherethisinspiredideafirstoriginatedbutitwasnotmine).Theimageofadoveopeningonewing to let the sunlight (of the breath) through its feathers and allow that to release and open the

breath isdelightful.Theweightof thepelvisandshouldergirdlewillnaturally facilitate the twist.DONOTFORCE.

SUPPORT:Blockscanbeplacedoneithersideofthebodytoensurethetwistiswithinnaturalrange.Itisverycommonforthenumberofblockstobereducedwithinafewweeksofpracticeiftheparticipanthonourstheircomfortzoneanddoesnotforcethetwist.Sometimesablockortowelbetweenthekneesismorecomfortable.Theangleofthekneecanbeadjustedforcomfort too.Focusis“through”thespinallengthof cumulative rotation evenly along the spine.There is noneed for forced twist at thewaist orneck.Thiscanbedetrimentalandattheexpenseofsubtleunwinding.

TIMING:Thispostural twistcanbeexploredforafewbreathingcycles.It isusedtofindtherelaxedunwinding,nottobepushedintoachievingatwist.Thenextposeiscomingoutofthisposturesafely,viathebreath.

• Findthecentreposition(seeFig.16.6)andtaketherightarmouttotheside.

• Placetherightpalmontheground,anchoringthepose.

• Inhaleanddonothing,sensingtherightarmmovingdownward.

• Exhalethekneestowardstheleft,continuingtheextraexhale.

• Restbothkneesonblocksortheground,ascomfortable.

• Whenready,gentlyturntheheadtolookalongtherightarm.

• Relaxthebodyandexploretherightsideofthebreath.

Figure16.5

4BReleasingLyingSpinalTwist(SuptaMatsyendrasana)PURPOSE:Thepurposeofthisistogentlyreturnthebody,withoutputtingpressureonthelumbarspine.Italsoincreasestheproprioceptivesenseofawarenessregardingthedistinctdifferencebetweenleftandrightsidesafterdoingtheposetooneside.Thereisusuallyasenseofmoreopenness,orthatonesideofthe body is “lower” than the other. The pose also facilitates the fascial release and awareness of thebreathandallowsthetissuestobegentlystretchedandopenedinanon-invasivebutattentiveway.Theoneruleof thisposture isDONOTFORCE.Therangeofmotionwillaccumulategraduallyover timeandthebenefitsofincreasedbreathingcapacitywillbenaturallyincorporated.

SUPPORT:As4A.

TIMING:Therestbetweentwistingfromonesidetotheotherisamatterofpersonaljudgement.Usuallyafewbreathingcycleswhiletheparticipantappreciatesthedifferencebetweenleftandrightissufficienttoexperiencethevalueofthispose.

• Breathein,donothing.Ontheexhalereturntheheadtocentre.

• Breathe in, do nothing.On the extra exhale, squeeze and bring the upper knee back to the chest andallowthelowerknee(closesttothefloor)tofollow.

• Itisverycommontoexperienceadistinctdifferencebetweenonesideandtheother.

• Havingconsciouslynotedthatdifference,repeat4Atootherside.

• Hugthekneesandlistentothesenseinthebackofthebody.

Figure16.6

5ATheWavePURPOSE:Thepurposeofthisistobringconsciouskinaestheticawarenesstothespineinallitsdetailandsynchronisebreathandwave.Tobeginwiththereisoftenafeelingofsectionsofthespinemovingtogether; however, this will foster micro-movements that eventually build a much more sensitiveresponse,gentlymovingeachvertebraandallowingthespacesbetweenthemtofreeupandbringmoresupplenesstothewholespine.Thekeynoteofthispostureispatienceandallowingthespinetorespondto the feet going down.Onebegins to surrender to the sense of awave fromcoccyx to crown. It is apowerfulpreparationforshoulderstandbutshouldnotbeforcedattheneck.Notensionisneededinthebackofthebody,asthisisanexerciseinlessrecruitment,notmore.Thebuttocksdonotneedtotenseto“push” the pelvis up. It is designed to encourage thewave of release through the spinal architecture,safelysupportedbytheground,asaresponsetothefeetgoingdownintoit.Oneseeksfluidmovementqualityratherthanheightorforce.Avariationofthiscanbetakentothewall(5B).

SUPPORT:Ideallynosupportisrequired,asthispostureneednotbetakenbeyondasmallsacraltiltiftheparticipantcannoteasilylift theweightofthepelvis.Noforceisneeded.Thepurposeis tofindorrevealthenaturalwave,notperformalift.Eventuallyitfindsabreathingrhythm:breathandwaveworktogetherinsynchronicity.Thisisthepurposeofthispractice.

TIMING:Thiswavecanbedoneforseveralcyclesupanddownthespine.

• Returnthefeettothefloorsothattheyareparallel,kneesbent.

• Findthegroundandpressthefootprintdowntomovethesacrum.

• Exploreandexperiencethesubtleactivationofthisrelationship.

• Asthefeetpressthefloor,thesacrumsoftlyrollsbackandforth.

• Withlegsandfeetparallel,weexplorethis“downtorollup”.

• Onevertebraatatime,peelingthespineoffthefloor.

• Returningonevertebraatatimetothestartingposition.

Figure16.7

5BTheWaveInvertedPURPOSE:Thepurposeofthisistobringconsciouskinaestheticawarenesstothespineinallitsdetailandtointroduceinversion.Forolderparticipantsinversionmaynotbesuitable.However,usingthewallallowsanyfeartodiminishandincreasesconfidencewithasenseofthebenefitsofinvertedposes.Italsofacilitatestheliftofthepelvis.Itcanbeeasiertoencourageanarticulatespinefromthisstartingposition.Again, this will foster micro-movements that eventually build a much more sensitive response. Eachvertebraisgentlymoved,allowingthespacesbetweenthemtofreeupandbringmoresupplenesstothewholespine.Thekeynoteofthispostureispatienceandallowingthespinetorespondtothefeetpressingthewall.Onebegins to surrender to the senseof awave fromcoccyx to crown. It is also apowerfulpreparationforshoulderstandbutshouldnotbeforcedattheneck.Notensionisneededinthebackofthebody,asthisisanexerciseinlessrecruitment,notmore.Thebuttocksdonotneedtotenseto“push”thepelvisup.Itisdesignedtoencouragethewaveofreleasethroughthespinalarchitecture,safelysupportedbythefeetagainstthewall.Oneseeksqualityofwaveratherthanheight.

SUPPORT:Asfor5A.

TIMING:Thiswavecanbedoneforseveralcyclesupanddownthespine.

• Pressthefeettothewallsothattheyareparallel,kneesbent.

• Findthewallandpressthefootprintintoittomovethesacrum.

• Exploreandexperiencethesubtleactivationofthisrelationship.

• Asthefeetpressthewall,thesacrumsoftlyrollsbackandforth.

• Withlegsandfeetparallel,weexplorethis“pressawaytorollup”.

• Onevertebraatatime,peelingthespineoffthefloor.

• Returningonevertebraatatimetothestartingposition.

Figure16.8

6SimultaneousStretch-and-squeezePURPOSE:Thepurposeofthisistobringthevalueofanactivelyloadedstretchtothewholebodyafterhaving been on the floor for 12–20minutes altogether. It primes the body and invites participants torememberhoweasyandhowimportantitistostretch-and-squeeze(i.e.yawnandstretch)afterthetissueshavebeenresting.Personally,Ibelievetheminimumdailypracticeofspendingacoupleofminutes,eveninbed, simply stretchingandyawningandwaking thebodyup (likemost self-respectinganimals) is amostvaluableandforgottenresource. Itserves the tissuesbutprimarily itservesus tobeconsciousofthemaswe transition from sleep and rest tomotion.Longperiods of sitting in cars, not tomention atdesks,areusefullycounteredwithshortyawningstretches.

SUPPORT: Rolling onto the right side of the body and using the hands to push up from the groundprotectsthespineasitrisestoasittingposition.Forsomeolderparticipants,itisusefultogoroundontoallfourstobringthemselvesupwithoutstrain.

TIMING: Enjoying the experience ofmoving from supine to sitting in a different placementally andphysically,havingpaidattentiontothebodyforaquartertohalfanhour,encouragespresence.

• Returntothematandsimplyyawnandstretch.

• Yawninginclasstendstobecatching,sosetupawave!

• Encouragenaturalstretchesonesidethentheother.

• Thenoppositehandstofeet,thensameside.

• Gentlelongarchandcurls,feelingintothecornersofthebody.

• Reachingintothefingersandthetoes,astheylengthenaway.

• Rollontotherightsidetopushupintositting.

Figure16.9

7AFasciaMuktasana(LEGS)PURPOSE:Thepurposeistobringmoredetailedawarenesstothelongitudinalmeridiansinthelowerlimbsandfreetheglidingcapacityofthefasciallayersandtissues.Itisimportanttopracticethisgently,with the sense of a yawning stretch, while remaining within personal elastic limits. Done withsupervision, toavoidover-straining, this is themostvaluable“flossingthe tissues”experience.It freesthefascia,layerbylayer,accordingtohowitisintheindividual.Anexcellentcueistoensurethefeltsense of pushing floor and ceiling apart (keeping the hip on the floor), so that the knee is nothyperextendedandthespinalcurvesarenotpulled.Itisnotaboutstretchingthewholelegandfoldingitbackto thehead.Forpeoplewhocando thateasily, the taskcalls formore tensioningof the tissue, toexperiencetheglidebetweenthelayers.Forthosewhofeelshortness(whichtheymaywelldescribeasstiffness)oradhesion,itisimportanttodothisslowlyandinquisitivelytofindglideandlengththroughthelowerlimbs,withoutforcefulpullingonanymeridianattheexpenseofanyother.

It is also essential to pause, both knees bent, before doing the other side, to appreciate the differenceresultingfromfreeingthefascia.Greatbenefitsarereportedfromdoingthisforeveryagegroup,andithasbeensuccessfullyusedinrehab,asitcanalsobedonesittingup.(SeeSUPPORT.)

SUPPORT: Instandardpractice, thegroundand theotherbent leg,withfootwellplacedon thefloor,willprovidethebaseofsupport.Thefingersinterlockedaroundthebackofthelegpreventover-effortintheleg.Itisanexplorationoftissueglideratherthananexerciseinstrengthorreach.Rangeexpandsasthelayersfreethemselves.Inseatedversions,thelegmustbefullysupported,foldingatthehipjoint,andthebackuprightandsupportedifnecessary(useablocktoensurecomfortinsittinguprightandhavethebackagainstawallifthatencouragesaneasy,seatedpose).

TIMING:1–3minutes for eachvariation, taken relativelygently,willpaydividends,withpausesandreleasesasrequiredthroughout.

• Lieonyourback(see9A,Honouringthecurves).

• Presstheleftfootdownintothegroundtoraiserightkneetochest.

• Interlockthefingersbehindtherightkneeanddorsiflexthefoot.

• Relaxingbackintotheground,pressthefoottowardstheceiling.

• Imaginepushingtheceilingawayfromthefloorwiththefootand…

• Simultaneouslypressthefloorawayfromtheceilingwiththehip.

• Thisnaturallyopensthebackoftheknee,keepingfootflexed.

• Graduallyreachthefoottotheceilingandtowardstheface.

• Youwill feel the SuperficialBackLine (Ch 12) gliding (or not) through the back of the leg as youstraightenit.

• Releasethefoot,withasoftbendattheknee,andrepeatgently.

Figure16.10

• Thenpointthefoot(plantarflex)stronglytowardstheceiling.

• Graduallyreachthefoottotheceilingandtowardstheface.

• YouwillfeeltheSuperficialFrontLine(Ch12)gliding(ornot)throughthefrontoftheleg.

• Releasethefoot,withasoftbendattheknee,andrepeatgently.

• Thenflexthefootandinvertit(faceinward),reachingtoceiling.

• Takethefootacrossthemidlineofthebodywithastraightleg.

• YouwillfeeltheLateralFrontLine(Ch12)gliding(ornot)alongthesideoftheleg.

• Releasethefoot,withasoftbendattheknee,andrepeatgently.

• Thenflexthefootandevertit(faceoutward),reachingtoceiling.

• YouwillfeeltheDeepFrontLine(Ch12)glidingdeeptothecorelegasyoureachup.

• Taketheinneranklebone(medialmalleolus)acrossthemidline.

• Keepingthelegasstraightaspossibleandtowardstheface.

• Youwillfeelthelongitudinal“pull”ofthedeeplegcompartment.

• Releasefoot,withasoftbendattheknee,andrepeatgently.

• Hugthekneetothechest,stretchtheotherlegawayandthen…

• Returnbothlegstothestartingpositionobservingthedifferencefromonesidetotheother.

• Thenrepeattootherside.

Figure16.11

Figure16.12

Figure16.13

Figure16.14

7BFasciaMuktasana(ARMS)

PURPOSE:ToreleaseandexplorethelimitsoftheFrontArmLines,bothSuperficialFrontArmLinesandDeep.Thisfacilitatesglideandmobilityoftheshoulderjointaswellasreleasingcommonholdingpatternsfromseatedposturesandactivitiessuchasdrivingandworkingatacomputer.

SUPPORT:Instandingpractice,Tadasanasupportsthispose.Ifdoneinsitting(onastoolwithnoback)besuretobeuponthesittingbones.

TIMING: 1–10 repetitions for eachvariation, taken relativelygently,will paydividends,withpausesandreleasesasrequiredthroughout.

• Sitcomfortablyinanuprightposturewithspacearoundyou,or…

• StandinTadasana,withfeethip-widthapart.

• Takethearmsouttothesidesatshoulderheight,palmsdown(Fig16.15).

• Graduallyrotatethehandsbehind(Fig16.16),leadingwiththethumbs.

• Keepingthelengthfromhandtohandacrossthetorso,asyourotate.

• Gentlyallowthethumbstoleadthebreastboneupintoanarch.

• Holdtheelasticlimitoftherotationandgraduallyreverse(Fig16.17).

• Leadingwiththelittlefinger,reversebyturningthehandsforward.

• Maintainingthelengthfromhandtohandacrossthetorso,rotate.

• Allowthebacktoroundslightly.

• Feeltherotationofthehandscurlthespine.

• ReleasethehandsdownbythesidesandfindcentreinTadasana.

• StandinTadasanawithfeethip-widthapart(Fig.16.18A).

• Clasphandsbehindyouatsacrumandinterlockthefingers,forefingerstogether.

• Restthehandsonthesacrum,sothattheelbowsarebent.

• Inhalegentlyanddonothing,relaxingthearmsandshoulders.

• Withtheexhale(Fig.16.18B),begintopointdownwardoverthesacrumand…

• Squeezethewrists,elbowsandshoulderbladestogether.

• Squeezethebreath,pressingthefeetdownandcrownupwards.

• Releasethebreathwiththearmsandrelaxbacktostartposition.

• Repeatasrequired(workingupto10).

• Variationonthisincludesfoldingatthehipinforwardbend.

• Allowingthelongarmpositiontocontinuetoarcoverthehead.

• Thisisquiteadvancedsopleasemovearmsforwardwithoutforce.

• Letthearmsdropbackbeforeunrollingthebodybacktostanding(Tadasana).

Figure16.15Startposition.

Figure16.16

Figure16.17

Figure16.18AInhale

Figure16.18BExhale

8EarstotheGroundPURPOSE:Thepurposeistobringmoredetailedawarenesstothefeetandenhanceproprioceptionand“groundcontrol”.Thefeetareourearstotheground.Themoredetailedand“literate”theybecome,themore articulately they respond.We will go on to explore using the feet to guide us in activating themyofascialmeridians.Thispreparationisvaluableforgraduallyimprovingco-ordinationofthetoesandphysicalliteracyinthefeet.A10minuteweeklypracticeoftheseexercisestransformstheabilitytodothemover3–12months.Theyseemtoprovideadisproportionateconfidenceinthebody,comparedtotheapparentlysmallscaleoftheachievement.Sincethefeethaveto“understandus”alldaylong,thisoffersanopportunitytoencouragethemtobemorerefinedanddetailedintheirfeedbacksignalstotherestofthebody.Iamconvinceditpreventsfallingand,whenafallisinevitable,itseemstoencouragebounce!Trybalancingandrockingonthefeetinstandingbeforeyoudotheotherside.Thedifferenceisobviousandpalpablebetweenthetwofeetbefore/after.

SUPPORT:Ideallythisisdonebarefoot.

TIMING:Thiscanbedone5–10timesforeachexercise.

• Useablockunderthesittingbonestoensurecomfortinsittingupright.

• Alternativelyhavethebackagainstawalltoencourageaneasyseatedpose.

• Situponsittingbones,avoidingslump.

• Massageonefootinaseatedposition,includingthewholefootandankle.

• Placethefingersoftheoppositehandbetweenthetoesandhold.

• Placeonefootonthefloorspeadingthetoes(A).

• Youcanhugthekneeforcomfortasyou“talktoyourtoes”.

• Liftandlowerthebigtoeonitsown,movesidetoside(B).

• Placethebigandlittletoedownandlift/lowermiddlethree(C).

• Raiseallfivetoesup(D),loweringjustthebigandlittletoealone.

• Attempttomovethesecond,third,fourthtoesontheirown(E).

• Drumthetoes,seekingtolowerthemoneatatimetothefloor.

• Repeatontheotherside.

Figure16.19

9AHonouringtheCurves:TadasanaPURPOSE: The purpose of this is to rediscover the sense of the primary and secondary curves instanding, to develop the self-sensingof a long torso, able to create space throughout its length. It alsohonoursthesubtleposturalchangesofthebreath(Ch.14)andpermitstheconfluenceofbreathandbonesintheirsofttissuearchitecture.Itbecomesrelaxedandbeautiful,withoutstiffnessordiscomfort.Ittakespracticebutisworthexploringforthesensoryrefinementthatnaturallyaccumulatesastheextraexhaleisexploredandreleased.

SUPPORT:Thiscomesfromtheground; thefeetareconsciouslypressingintoitbutattentively,ratherthanforcefully.It isveryrewarding,withpractice,as thebodyquietlyfindsconfidenceandrestfulnesswithoutstrain,revealingitstensionalintegrityinthisnaturalandeasyposethatactuallyisnotsonaturaloreasyatfirst.

TIMING: This can be at the discretion of a teacher but 1–2minutes may feel a lot initially. Ensureparticipants are not over-breathing. This is a subtle animation of the previous asana and is, in somepractices,consideredtobeanadvancedpose.Stillnessinstandingtakespractice.Ifitistospecificallyencourageprimaryandsecondarycurverecognitionitcanbeusedasarepeatedreference.

• StandinTadasana,withfeethip-widthapartandactivated.

• Spreadintothetoesandfindthegroundthroughthefoot.

• Findthesenseofgoingdown(viafeet)togoup(viacrown).

• Imaginethepelvisasatiltedheartshape,slightlyanterior(Fig.16.20).

• Imaginethefirstribsasatiltedheartshape,(seeimage).

• Alignthecentresofthetwoheartshapes,overeachother.

• Sensethecurvesasawavefromgroundtocrownandbreathe.

• Theinhaleexpands,theexhalewavesandlengthensthetorso.

• The“heart-shapes”stayovereachother,theircentresaligned.

Figure16.20Thisislessfancifulthanitmightfirstappear.Ifyoulookataclassroomskeleton,thepelvicringandthefirstribsappearastiltedheart-shapesifyoustandinfrontofthem.Thiscueisveryeasyforparticipantstofollowandeveninexperiencedmembersofclasscanbringaboutalovely

andeasy-to-rememberpoiseinuprightposture;standingorsitting.

9BHonouringtheCurves:FromtheDiaphragmPURPOSE:Thepurposeofthisistobecomeconsciousofthebreathing,integratedpsoasanddiaphragmrelationship.Italsohonoursthelumbarcurveandallowsthesomaticsenseofthebreathingmovementtofilter through the pelvis. This should not be forced. Again, these are micro-movements to encourageelasticity.Thesensationistoallownaturalelasticityatthehiptoberevealed,gentlyobservingtheswingandbreathingrhythmically.

SUPPORT:Thiscomesfromthegroundunderthestandingfoot(ablock)andthehandonthewallorbar,resting gently so the body does not activate balancing as such. This is not a leg raising or swingingexercise. It is a subtle observation of howwe breathe down into the legs, via the lumbar spine, andexperiencethespinewiththeirmovements.

TIMING:Thiscanbedoneforaminuteortwoandrepeated,butisnotadvisedforlongperiodsoneachsideasitcan,atfirst,feelunbalancedbeforebothsidesareanimated.

CONTRAINDICATIONS:Participantsshouldtrythisonlyafter9A,especiallyiftheyaresedentaryorexperiencinglumbarpain.Itcanhelptorelieveit;however,thereturntostandingmustbecautiousandattentive.

• Standonablock,onefootcentred,withahandonthewall.

• FindaneasyTadasana,onthestandingfoot,knee“unlocked”.

• Allowtheotherfoottohangofftheblock.

• Thehangingfootoftenbeginstoswingveryslightly.

• Feeltheswing,thewaveofthebreath,andallowthefoottohang.

• Graduallyfindthesensethatthefoothangsfromthediaphragm.

• Theswingissmall,effortless,feelingthecurvesthroughthespine.

• Takeattentiontothelengthofthetorso,subtlemicro-movement.

• Releasegently,standingdownfromtheblocktofeelthetwosides.

• Repeattootherside,preparingattentivelyandusingthewall.

Figure16.21

10SimpleStandingRotationPURPOSE: The purpose is to guide the body gradually into rotation to give the spine kinaestheticinformationastoitsrotational,elasticlimits.Donotforceanytwist.Remainclearwherethegroundisandhavethesenseofrotatinginaspiraltofacilitatesmoothglidingrotationsthroughout.Gradually,overtime, this facilityaccumulates in the spine,without forceandwithoutcompromising thenatural lumbarandcervicalcurves.Theeffortisinfluidslideratherthanrange.

SUPPORT:Thiscomesfromthefeet.Thebackofachaircanbeused,releasingtheleadinghand(i.e.tothesideordirectionoftherotation)asthetwistiscompletedandbringingitbacktothechairbyreturnandchangingsides.

TIMING:Threerepetitionsorrounds,withafewsecondsholding(asabove)canbebuilttomorewithlongerholds.However,thepointistofreeandreleasethespine.

• StandinTadasana,preparingtorotateupanddownthejointsasfollows:

• Gentlyturnonlytheanklesoverthefoot,totheright…

• Thenthekneeovertheankles,thehipovertheknee…

• Thentheribsoverthehips,theshouldersovertheribs…

• Thenthechinovertheshoulders,cheekbonesoverchin,eyesovercheeks.

• Lookaroundbehindyou,softeningthestance,feetplanted,andkeepthebreathevenandsoft.

• Holdfor30–90seconds,relaxing.

• Returnthroughthejointsinreverseorder;thatis,eyestocentre…

• Thencheeks,thenchin,thenshoulders,thenribs,thenhips…

• Thenknees,thenanklesoverfeetandbackintoTadasana.

• RestinTadasanaandrepeatjointbyjointtotheotherside.

Figure16.22

Figure16.23

11SunSalutation(seeCh.20)PURPOSE:Thepurposeistointegrateallthedifferentpracticesintoaconscioussequence,withfluidtransitions and integrated breathingmovements.The body stays in communicationwith the ground andnaturally responds to it. Speed accumulates; however, quality of movement through transition isparamount and will soon become more elegant as the body moves from contained relaxed structuralintegrity.

SUPPORT:Thiscomesfromtherelationshipthatdevelopswiththeground,throughthehandsandfeetinall theposturesof thesunsalutation. Italsobecomespartofour torsostrengthandcontainment,as thebreathisfollowedwithfluidgrace.Musiccanbeveryhelpfultofindthenaturalrhythmandhelpthebodytodropintoitsinstinctivemovement.

TIMING: One or two rounds of Sun Salutation (SuryaNamaskara) after a long practice can be veryrewarding. Over time this can be built up; however, supervision is advised if any difficulty isexperienced.SunSalutation(SuryaNamaskara)isagift,ratherthanachallenge.Itcanbringenergytotheawakenedtissuesandbenefitsfromconsciouspreparation.

• ChooseyourownfavouriteSunSalutationorusetheonedetailedinChapter20.

• Standcomfortablyatthefrontofthemat.

• CarryoutyourfavouriteSunSalutation(SuryaNamaskara).

• Experiencethecongruentflowofthebreathingandalso…

• Thecontainedwaveofthespine,fromgroundtocrown.

• Thisisanopportunitytogentlyputalltheaboveintopractice.

• Youcanslowlyincreasethenumberofmovesincorporatedandthenumberofrepetitions.

• Chapter20includesaPostureMandalaofthispartofthepractice.

Figure16.24

12PranayamaandShivasana(seeCh.18forfurthermeditation)PURPOSE: The purpose is to begin the practice of stillness and contemplation as a preparation formeditation.Itispartlytoallowthebodytosimply“be”:focusingthemindonmovingthebreathinsubtleways,whilerelaxinginaclearstillpositionthateventuallybecomeseffortless.

SUPPORT:This comes from thebaseposition, the cross-leggedposeor theblock/cushion and/or thewallifitisused.Besuretostayuponsittingbones,orevenuseachairtostartwith,untilthebodyisusedtostillness.Meditationisnotnecessarilyeasy,howeversimpleitmaylook.Thebodyrespondstoloadingpatternsandittakestimetoaccumulateattentivestillnessinabalancedbody.Thatisthepoint.

TIMING:Tobeginwith,thiscanbedonefor3–5minutes,buildingslowly.Supplejointsandimprovedcomfortinsittingaretwoofthemanybenefitsofthisdeceptivelysimpleseries.

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,withlegscrossed.

• Useablockforaddedcomfortorleanagainstthewall,upright.

• Closetheeyesandletthetonguerestontheroofofthemouth.

• Inhaleandexhalethroughthenose,breathinggently,noforce.

• Feelthecoolnessoftheinhaleatthetipofthenostrils.

• Invitethebreathinandupviathecrowntothe12-fingerpoint(Fig.16.25).

• Holdtheinhaleforamoment,thenallowtheexhaletodropdown.

• Thesense is that theexhaledropsdownthefrontof thespine to theground,belowthesittingbones,spreadingdown/outasroots.

• Inviteaquietpauseattheendoftheexhale,squeezethebreath.

• Releasethebreath(inhale)andcontinuesmoothlythroughinhale.

• Allowthistotravelupward,throughthecrowntothe12-fingerpointandrepeat.

• Pauseforeasybreathingatanypoint.

• Ensurethattheeyesremainstill,quietlyclosed,withoutfollowingbreath.

Figure16.25

Shivasana

Figure16.26

Figure16.27

Figure16.28

Figure16.29

Figure16.30

Ensuringthebodywillremainwarm,liedownforShivasana(OptionsFigs.16.2616.29).Ifthebackisatalluncomfortableafteraclass,aparticipantmayprefertoreturntothestartposition,withkneesbentandsoftlyrestingoneachother,orplacingacushionunderthekneesiftheyarelyingsupine.Otherwisesidelying,withasmallpillowattheheadmaybepreferable.Ifaparticipanthastoleaveaclass early, it is recommended that they take a 3–5minute rest such as this before going, rather thanskipping this important stageof assimilationof the practice.Abrief periodof sittingupquietly to re-orientateafterShivasanaisalsorecommended.

Pleasenote,thissequenceispartofaRestorativeYogaclassandhasbeenusedthusformanyyearsforpeopleranginginagefrom8to84years,includingparticipantswhoarepregnantandotherswithavarietyofconditions.However,thereisaclearcaveatthatanyonesufferingfromdischerniationshouldnotdothespinaltwists.Inallcases,anyinjuryisspecificallysupervisedandthissequence,likeanyother,doesnotreplacethemedicaladviceofadoctororsuitablyqualifiedpractitioner.

Notes1. HathaYogaPradipika(1:17)2. SergeGracovetsky’sspinalenginetheory(seeCh.7,notesandsuggestionsforfurtherreading).3. B.M.Nigg, “The Role of Impact Forces and Foot Pronation: ANew Paradigm”, Clinical Journal of SportMedicine 11(1):2–9; 2001.

HumanPerformanceLaboratory,FacultyofKinesiology,UniversityofCalgary,Alberta,Canada.4. James Oschman, private conversation 2011 and part of his workshop presentations. For further information see: James L. Oschman,

“Fasciaas aBody-wideCommunicationSystem”,Ch.2.5 inRobertSchleip,ThomasW.Findley,LeonChaitowandPeterA.Huijing,Fascia:TheTensionalNetworkoftheHumanBody,ChurchillLivingstone/Elsevier,Edinburgh,2012.

PARTTHREE

Illuminatingintuitiveawareness:integratingthenewparadigm

Chapter17FreeingtheFasciafromWithin

Chapter18TheInnerSenseoftheFascia

Chapter19PresenceandPre-senseoftheFascia

Chapter20PostureMandalas

Chapter21ArchetypalGeometries

CHAPTER

17FreeingtheFasciafromWithin

“Trueyogaisnotjustdoingapostureasdictatedbyoutsideroboticinfluences,butmoreanobservationfromwithinatwhathappensinthebodyalongthejourney…Nomatterhowstillwethinkwearethereis

alwaysatinymovementsomewhereinside,visibleonlytous,Ithinkitiscalledlife…Justbecomequietenoughinthethinkingbraintoobserve

movementthatishappeninginthephysicalbody.Relaxing–trulyrelaxingisbecomingquiet,watchingthepatternofthebreathingandkeepingyourattentionthereuntilthepatternofthebreathingtakesoverandgovernsthemovementwithin.Thisiswherethestillnessinyogacomesfrom,notdoingamovementbutobservingthemovementthathappenswiththe

breath…Inthehustleandbustleofeverydaylifewedon’thavetimetoobservethisdeepmovement,we’redoingnotbeing.It’slikeabseiling

downthethreadofbreath.”1

PatriciaMarySparrow(12March1935–13April2006)

Wecanbeginto“abseildownthethreadofthebreath”oncewefeelateaseenoughtoobserveitandbepresenttoit.Thischapterisfocusedonthemoresubtlepracticesofyogaandseekstoprovideapracticethatcan:

• freetheinternalchannelsofthesubtlebody,symbolisedbythechakras(seeCh.20)

• freethefasciaofthejointstoallowthesubtleenergiestoflowmorefluentlyandthetissuetoglideandhydrate

• facilitateoursensoryrefinementthroughmicro-movementsandattentiontothebreathatthesametime.

The termPawanmuktasanameans “freeing thewinds”.2 It refers to the vayus (winds) or pranas of thesubtlebodydefinedinChapter15.TheseformpartofthepracticeofPranayamaandheretheyunitewiththemovementsuntiltherhythmofthebreathtakesover.Theactualtechniquesfacilitateseveralthingsatonce.

Foundation Practice

1 Toes2 AnklesA

3 AnklesB4 AnklesC5 KneesA6 KneesB7 KneesC8 KneesD9 HipsA10 HipsB11 PelvisandSpine12 Fingers13 WristA14 WristB15 ElbowA16 ElbowB17 ShoulderA18 ShoulderB19 ArmReach20 NeckandHeadA21 NeckandHeadB22 NeckandHeadC23 NeckandHeadD24 Shivasana

The gentle rotations, flexions and extensions through the joints free the fascia in every direction,withoutstraining.Whenthesemovementsareunitedwiththebreath,therespiratoryrhythmcantakeoverandwebegin tobepresent to themotion.There is also a senseof stillness in thoseparts that arenotmoving.Theexerciseistodivideourattentionbetweenthepartofthebodythatismoving(seesequencebelow) and the remainder,which is still. Eventually the breath unites both parts.Once that happens –whenwe arrive at this sense of “abseiling down the thread of the breath” – something else begins tooccur.Itisasifourvitality,theessenceofthebeing,isnourished.By doing Pawanmuktasana regularly, the stillness of awareness and the dynamic balance of our

attentionaretrainedsimultaneously.Eachmovementcallsforattentiondividedbetween,ontheonehand,thejointbeinggentlyandrhythmicallyreleasedandsimultaneously,ontheother,thesteadinessoftherestof the body to quietly support it. It is the physical practice in present time, bringing together all thepolarities we have referred to throughout the book. We are becoming the witness; observing andfacilitatingsthiramandsukhamtogetherinpresenttime:awarenessandbreath.Justbreatheandbeawareinrhythmwiththetenmovementsineachset.(Unityisthethemebehindthispracticeandalsobehindthenumberten,aswewillseeinCh.20.)Restingtension,orelasticintegrity,isnaturallyfosteredbythisfirstPawanmuktasanaseries.Whatever

one’sageorlevelofskill,theresultseemstobethesame:agradualimprovementinseatedandstandingposture and in the ability to integrate themovementswith the breath and develop a self-practicewithease.Itisasifthefasciaisfreedfromwithin,whichisexactlythepurposeofthissubtlepractice.As participants become adept, the rhythmical breathing andmovements begin to resonate in unison

expressingexactlywhatyogameans.Itisadeceptivelysimpleandhumblepractice.Ittakescouragetobringthemindtocalmandcontinuedoingitonaregularbasis.Itisdesignedtodrawtheattentionaway

fromthinkingandconceptualisingandgraduallyinvitethespace(literallyandsymbolically)ofourinnersensetodevelop.Webegintofindthespacesbetweenourthoughtsbytransitioningalongthebreathandfocusinggently

onthis,inrhythmicallistening.Ifthemindwanders,asitisinclinedsometimestodo,assoonasthisisnoticed, simply and gently return the attention to the breathing movements. Over time, the mentalcommentaryswitchesoffsoonerandthebodymorereadilybecomesaquietreflectionofthebeing.Thenwehavechoiceastohowwecanbe,stillorinmotion,atwill.

ThePracticeThere isno fanfareorcelebrationwith thisquietapproach.Wearebuildingabridgebetweenactiveposturesandat thesame timefeedingthesupplenessandself-containmentneededtositinmeditativestillness,whichwewillexplorenext.Thishappensasaresultofthefascialmatrixworkinginallitsmanyaspects.Ittakesustowardsattainingthenaturalabilitytoself-regulateandenjoymoving,breathingandstillnesswithquiet integrity, asappropriate.Perhaps there is a clearcorrelationbetween themicro-movementsof thebodyandthesubtleawarenessof thebeing?Yogapracticesuggests this,andsince thefascia isour largestsensoryorgan, itwouldnaturally benefit from the soothing focus of these rhythmicalmovements.Theybegin to resonate in their ownway,with the subtlerhythmofthecompliantbreath.

This series has been devised partly as a result of working with the foundation postures described inChapter15 andpartly also using adaptations from theBiharSchool ofYoga3 series (PawanmuktasanaFoundation).4Ithasbeentaughttoavarietyofagegroupsand,onceindividualscanovercomethemind-chatandsurrendertotherhythmicalmovements,naturalcomfortinsittingseemstobethemostcommonexperience.Thispracticealsodemonstratestherapeuticvalueforamultitudeofproblemsinvolvingtheshoulders,

hips,neckandsoon,byintegratingpartsofthebodythathavebecomeisolatedthroughpainorinjury.Atfirsttheremaybeaslight“pinsandneedles”sensationfromleaningbackontheheelsofthehands;ifthishappensreleasethehandsregularlyandgentlyshakethemoutorrubthemtogether,restingasfrequentlyas needed.Also sit comfortably on a cushion, supporting the back of the knees if necessary, until theabilitytositbecomesmoreestablished.Ittakestimebutitisworthaccumulatingthisqualityofstillnessinourloadinghistory.Thespinerespondswellandseemstobeablegraduallytoenjoysittingnaturallyandexpressing itscurveddesign ineasybreathing. It isasubtlepracticeand, if the fascia responds tomicro-movementsinitsloadinghistory,thisseriesoptimisestheirbenefitsgraduallyandefficientlyfromtheinsideout.Participants report an inner sense of calm and a greater ease or cumulative comfort with various

functions, from breathing and digestion to movement and sleeping. It is an excellent preparation formeditation.

FoundationPractice(Pawanmuktasana)

(AdaptedfromtheteachingsofSwamiSatyanandaSaraswati,BiharSchool)5This foundation practice is recommended to begin with to bring any student into a place of self-

awareness while reaping the benefits of strengthening the body. Regular resting periods between theposturesareadvised,sittinginthebaseposition,observingthebreathandpausingasnecessary.Itisalsoidealaspartofthepreparationfor(thoughnotimmediatelybefore!)peakperformanceactivities(suchas

sportsoreventslikegoingonstage,forexample)andafterillness,particularlystressortiredness.Itissuitableforallagegroupsandalllevels.

1ToesPURPOSE:Thepurposeistobringmoredetailedawarenesstothefeetandfreethejointsofthelowerlimb.Havethearmsstraightbutrelaxedbehindyouandrestbacksupportedbythem.Remainlonginthetorsosothebreathisclearandyoucanengagethroughtheinhaleandextra-exhalecycleasyoucurlandflexthetoes.

SUPPORT:Thiscomesfromthebaseposition,particularlythehands.Atfirsttherecanbemildpinsandneedlesinthehands.Ifso,releasethemperiodicallyandrestbetweentherounds.Withregularpractice,theywilleasilysupportyou.

TIMING:Tobeginwiththiscanbedone5timeswithfocusonthefeetand5timesmoreintegratingthebreath. As the choreography of the Foundation Practice becomes familiar, you can go straight to theintegratedbreathingandincreasethenumberofroundsto15.Thepointisnottorushthroughandbeattheclock. It is toexperience thebodyfreeingeach jointandstrengtheningas itdoesso.Supple jointsandimprovedcomfortinsittingaretwoofthemanybenefitsofthisdeceptivelysimpleseries.

Figure17.1ABaseposition.

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,handsbehindyou,asshown(Fig.17.1A).

• Havetheheelsrestingalittlemorethanhip-widthapart.

• Dorsiflexthefeetsotheyareatright-anglestotheground.

• Focusonthetoesandsimplydorsiflexthemtogethertowardsyou.

• Thenplantarflexthemawayfromyou,bycurlingthemdown.

• Isolatethemovementtothetoesonly,ifyoucan,for5rounds(Fig.17.1B).

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingthetoesup,exhalingtoecurls.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

Figure17.1BExercise

2AnklesAPURPOSE: The purpose is to bringmore detailed awareness to the ankles and free the joints of thelowerlimb.Havethearmsstraightyetrelaxedbehindyou.Restbacksupportedbutlonginthetorsosothebreath isclearandyoucanengagethroughthe inhaleandextra-exhalecycleasyoumovetheanklejoint.

SUPPORT:Thiscomesfromthebaseposition,particularlythehands.Atfirsttherecanbemildpinsandneedlesinthehands.Ifso,releasethemperiodicallyandrestbetweentherounds.Intime,withregularpractice,theywilleasilysupportyou.

TIMING:Tobeginwiththiscanbedone5timeswithfocusonthefeetand5timesmoreintegratingthebreath.

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,handsbehindyou.

• Havetheheelsrestingalittlemorethanhip-widthapart.

• Dorsiflexthefeetlengtheningintotheheelopeningthebackknee.

• Thenpointthetoesinplantarflexion.

• Isolatethemovementtotheanklesonlyifyoucan,for5rounds.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingindorsiflexion,exhalingasyoupoint.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

Figure17.2AandB

3AnklesBPURPOSE:Thepurposeistobringmoredetailedawarenesstotheanklesandcalvesandfreethejointsof the lower limbs.Have thearmsstraightyet relaxedbehindyou.Restbacksupportedbut long in thetorsosothebreathisclearandyoucanengagethroughtheinhaleandextra-exhalecycleasyoucircletheanklesandexploresmoothmovements.Thekeytothisisfindingsmoothevenmovementsthroughouttherange,ratherthanjerky,clickymotions.Ittakespractice.

SUPPORT:Thiscomesfromthebaseposition,particularlythehands.

TIMING:Tobeginwiththiscanbedone5timeswithfocusontheanklesand5timesmoreintegratingthebreathforeachround.Eventually10timeswiththebreathissufficient.Itisanexcellentpracticeforstrengtheningankleswhilemaintainingsuppleness.

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,handsbehindyou.

• Havetheheelsrestingalittlemorethanhip-widthapart.

• Circlebothanklesclockwiseforacompleteround.

• Circlebothanklesanti-clockwiseforacompleteround.

• Circlebothanklesawayfromcentre,foracompleteround.

• Circlebothanklestowardsthecentre,foracompleteround.

• Isolatethemovementtotheanklesonlyifyoucan,each5rounds.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingtheupperhalf,exhalingthelower.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

Figure17.3

4AnklesCPURPOSE:Thepurposeistopassivelyencourageameditativesittingpositionandfreethejointsofthelowerlimb.Havetherighthandsupporttheankleandremaintall.Staylonginthetorsosothebreathisclearandyoucanengagethroughtheinhaleandextra-exhalecycleasyoumakethecirclingmovementswiththeleginthisposition.

SUPPORT: Support the anklewith the samehand andworkgently but firmlywith the opposite hand,encouragingrangeofmotionwithoutforce.Supportisinthetorsonow,soensureyouaresittingupright.(Useablockifithelps,preferablyalowonetoavoidhyper-extendingthekneeoftheoutstretchedleg.)

TIMING:Tobeginwith thiscanbedone5 timeswith focuson thecirclingmotionand5 timesmoreintegratingthebreath.Lateryoucando10withthebreathonly.

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,oruseablocktositup.

• Takeyourrightfootandcrossitoveryourleftthigh.

• Placeyourleftfingersbetweenyourtoes,orholdthefoot.

• Gentlycircletheankle,usingthehandsandrelaxingthefoot.

• Thencircletheotherway.

• Isolatethemovementtotheankleonlyifyoucan,for5rounds.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingtheuppercircle,exhalinglower.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

• Repeattootherside.

Figure17.4

5KneesAPURPOSE:Thepurposeistostrengthentheupperlegandensuresupportaroundthekneejoint.Havethearmsstraightbutrelaxedbehindyouandrestbacksupportedbythem.Staylonginthetorsosothebreathisclearandyoucanengagethroughtheinhaleandextra-exhalecycleasyousqueezetheknees.

SUPPORT:Thiscomesfromthebaseposition,particularlythehands(Fig.17.1A).

TIMING:Tobeginwiththiscanbedone5timeswithfocusonthefeetand5timesmoreintegratingthebreath.Eventually10withthebreathingcycleissufficientwithintheseries.

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,handsbehindinbasicpose.

• Havetheheelsrestingalittlemorethanhip-widthapart.

• Squeezethekneecapsup,sothatthefrontofthelegengages.

• Holdthesqueezeforacountof5.

• Thenrelease.

• Isolatethemovementtothekneesonlyifyoucan,for5rounds.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingandholdingthebreathonsqueeze.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingto10.

Figure17.5

6KneesBPURPOSE: The purpose is to strengthen the legs and abdomen, integrating the breathing pattern.Eventuallythisposecanbedonewithbothlegsatthesametime,finding“BoatPose”(Navasana),butthisshould not be attempted until there is established strength and this version is easy. Please notecontraindication(below).

SUPPORT:This comes from theextended legand the sittingbonesand, eventually, fromaccumulatedabdominal integrity. The arms are quite strong in this pose and should not be pulled into a slouchedposition.

TIMING:Tobeginwith thiscanbedone5 timeswithfocusonthestraight legandstrongarmsand5timesmore integrating the breath. The extra exhale is designed to help stabilise the lumbar spine andstrengthensitbydoingso.

CONTRAINDICATION:Theadvancedversionofthispracticewithbothlegsisnotrecommendedforpeoplewithweakabdominalmuscles,lowerbackissues,highbloodpressureorheartconditions.Overtime,thissequencecanstrengthenthelumbarspineandabdominalsbutitisstronglyadvisedthatitisonlyattemptedononesideatfirstandwithfewrepetitionsuntilstrengthisestablished.

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,handsroundonethigh.

• Bendthisknee,withfootflattothefloor,otherlegflatandlong.

• Straightenthelegoutinfrontofyou,holdingitupwiththehands.

• Focusonkneejointandhamstringsasyoubendthelegtorelease.

• Isolatethemovementtothekneeandlegifyoucan,for5rounds.

• Addthebreath,inhalingthefootdown,exhalingitstraightup.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingto10.

• Changesidesanddotheotherleg.

Figure17.6

7KneesCPURPOSE:Thepurposeistostrengthenthetissuesaroundthekneejointandassistitssupportstructures,as itbearsagreatdealofweightandorganisation.“Theseasanasrejuvenate thejointbyactivatingthehealingenergies”,accordingtotheBiharSchool.

SUPPORT: This comes from the straight (other) leg and the hands.Use them around the leg you areworkingwith, to “hold” the torso straight.Youcan interlock the fingers, or cross the armsholding theelbows.Thefocusisonglideratherthanrange.

TIMING:Tobeginwithwiththiscanbedone5timesclockwisefocusingonthequalityofthecircularmotion,and5timesmoreintegratingthebreath.Thenincreaseto10whenyoufeelconfidentandthekneestrengthens.Pleaseavoidthispracticeunlessspecificallysupervisedifyouhavekneeissues.

Figure17.7

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,holdingonelegupwiththehands.(Fig.17.7).

• Describeagentlecirclewiththefootwithoutstrain.

• Don’tforcetheknee.Thisisdesignedtoencouragemovement.

• Focusonthecircles,seekingtostraightenthelegatthetop.

• Theupperlegandtorsoshouldremainstill,thecirclessmooth.

• Isolatethemovement,ifyoucan,for5roundseachdirection.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingtheupperhalf,exhalinglower.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

8KneesDPURPOSE: The purpose is to facilitate comfortable sitting positions, cross-legged for example,withfreedombetweenthekneeandthehipjoint.Afterperformingthisexercise,takecaretostraightenthelegpartiallywiththehands,benditbacktoafoldedposition(heelatthegroinifpossible)andthenstraightenitoutcompletelytoensurethekneejointisalignedcorrectly.

SUPPORT: This comes from the (other) straightened leg and sitting up on the sitting bones, withoutslumpinginthespine.

TIMING:Tobeginwith this canbedone5 times,with focuson theknee andhip relationship,whileintegratingthebreath.Oncestrengthenedandadaptable,thisposturecanbeextendedtoaddsmallpulsesat thebentkneeandan increased rangeat the“opened”hip joint.10–20pulses (not forcedandnotasstrongasbounces)aresufficienttoencouragethehiptorelease,ifitcandosowithoutstrain.

Figure17.8

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,onefootonthigh,asshown(Fig.17.8).

• Breatheingentlyandliftthiskneetothechest.

• Exhaleandgentlypressitawayfromthebodytowardsthefloor.

• Thetorsoremainsstillandnoforceshouldbeused.

• Thesame-sidehanddoestheworkratherthantheleg–itispassive.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

• Gentlystraightenthelegthenplaceheelagainsttheinnerthigh.

• Thenlaythelegoutstraightandlengthenfully,toaligntheknee.

9HipsAPURPOSE:Thepurpose is tobringmoredetailedawareness to the leg jointsandfree thehip.As thekneeandhipbecomesupple,youcanresttheankleontheoppositelegandcirclethekneewiththehands.Staylonginthetorso,sothebreathisclearandyoucanengagethroughtheinhaleandextra-exhalecycleasyourotateatthehip.

SUPPORT:Thiscomesfromthebasepositionandthehands/armsholdingtherotatingleg.

TIMING: To begin with, this can be done 5 times with focus on the hip circles then 5 times moreintegratingthebreath,workingupto10.

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,foldingoneleg.

• Holdtheoutsideofthatknee,cradledinthesamesidearm.

• Cradletheanklejointintheotherarmasabove.

• Usethearmsratherthantheleg,whichremainspassive.

• Circleatthehipjointclockwise,thenanticlockwise,5times.

• Isolatethemovementatthehipifyoucan,forthese5rounds.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingtheuppercircle,exhalinglower.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

• Repeatontheotherside.

Figure17.9

10HipsB(Fig.17.10)PURPOSE:Thepurposeistopreparethebodyforseatedposturesandrelievetensioninthegroinfromlonghoursofsitting,standingorwalking.Theseposturescanrelievetirednessafterlonghoursonyourfeetatwork.

SUPPORT: This comes from the base position, which gradually becomes optimal as the heelsmoveclosertothepelvis.Besuretositup(usingablockifnecessary)andplacetheheelstogetherinfrontof

youwheretheyarecomfortable.Asmorerangeisintroducedatthehipjoint,theycancomeclosertothebody.

TIMING:Thismust bedonewithout force, always respecting theknees andhips andnot pressingonthemtoohard.It istoinviteandencourageasubtleimpulseratherthanabouncingforce.30timesisasufficientmaximum.

CONTRAINDICATION: This posture is not recommended for anyone with sacral issues and/orsciatica.

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones;placethefeettogether.

• Holdbothfeetinthehands,pressingtheheelstogether.

• Theheelsshouldbeasclosetotheperineumaspossible.

• Relaxtheinnerthighmusclescompletely.

• Hookthefingersaroundthebigtoetosealtheposture.

• Gentlyraiseandlowertheknees20–30times,breathingnormally.

• Gentlypressthekneesdown20–30timesifyouarecomfortable.

Figure17.10

11PelvisandSpinePURPOSE:Thepurposeistofeelthegroundintheseatedpositionandinvitearotationfromit,withoutforce. It can be nice to fold forward over the legs after this and rest for a minute or two, if that iscomforting.

SUPPORT: This comes from the base cross-legged position. It is used to engage downwards andexperience theupwardsenseof rotation.Noforce is required. It isanenquiry toaskhow thespine isrightnowandencouragetheoptimalandnaturallumbarcurveinsitting.

TIMING:Tobeginwiththiscanbedone5timestoeachside,workingupto10.

• Sitcomfortablywithlegslightlycrossedonthefloor.

• Findthesittingbonesandusethelegstositup“tall”.

• Inhaleanddonothing.Ontheexhale,rotatethetorsototheright.

• Gentlycontinueuntiltheheadislookingovertherightshoulder.

• Inhaleasyoucomebacktocentre,thenexhaletheotherway,tillheadislookingoverleftshoulder.

• Donotforcethisrotation.Itisanenquirynotachallenge.

• Crossthelegstheotherwayandrepeattoeachside.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

Figure17.11

12HandA:StretchandSqueezePURPOSE:Thehandsareconsideredtobeontheheartline,growingfromtheembryonictorsotowraparoundit.Thisopenstheenergymeridiansthroughthearmandthoraxanditissurprisinglydemanding.Toaddavariationtothisasana,itcanbedonewiththearmsouttothesideatshoulderlevel.

SUPPORT: This comes from the base position, particularly cross-legged. It is important to becomfortablesittingupright,sothattheheartisopen.Ifthearmstirequicklyatfirst,restthembesideorbehindyoubetweenpractices.

TIMING:Tobeginwiththiscanbedone5timeswithfocusonthehandsand5timesmoreintegratingthebreath.Workupto10.

• Sitonyoursittingbones,inbasepositionorcross-legged.

• Useablockifpreferred,torestcomfortably.

• Reachthehandsoutinfrontofyouasshown(shoulderlevel).

• Stretchthehandandfingersapart,palmsfacing(Fig.17.12).

• Thensqueezethehandintoafist,thumbinsidethefingers.

• Thisisslowanddeliberatebutstrong,for5rounds.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingthehandopen,exhalingclosed.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

Figure17.12

13WristAPURPOSE:Thehandsareconsideredtobeontheheartline,growingfromtheembryonictorsotowraparoundit.Thisopenstheenergymeridiansthroughthearmandthoraxanditissurprisinglydemanding.Toaddavariationtothisasana,itcanbedonewiththearmsouttothesideatshoulderlevel.Itisdesignedtofacilitateglideatthewristsandstrengthenthearms.

SUPPORT: This comes from the base position, particularly cross-legged. It is important to becomfortablesittingupright,sothattheheartisopen.Ifthearmstirequicklyatfirst,restthembesideorbehindyoubetweenpractices.

TIMING:Tobeginwith,thiscanbedone5timeswithfocusonthehandsand5timesmoreintegratingthebreath.Workupto10.

• Sitonyoursittingbones,inbasepositionorcross-legged.

• Useablockifpreferred,torestcomfortably.

• Reachthehandsoutinfrontofyouasshown(shoulderlevel).

• Keepthepalmsopenandfingersstraightandtouchingeachotherthroughoutthepractice.

• Pressthehandsup(asifagainstawall)thenpointfingersdown(Fig.17.13).

• Elbowsarestraightandsoarethehands.Dothisfor5rounds.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingthehandup,exhalingdown.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

Figure17.13

14WristBPURPOSE:Thehandsareconsideredtobeontheheartline,growingfromtheembryonictorsotowraparoundit.Thisopenstheenergymeridiansthroughthearmandthoraxanditissurprisinglydemanding.Ithelpsconsiderablyifyouhavespentalongdayatthekeyboard,orworkingwiththehands,asitrelievesunnecessarytensionandencouragesglidingandhydrationinthewristjoint.

SUPPORT: This comes from the base position, particularly cross-legged. It is important to becomfortablesittingupright,sothattheheartisopen.Youcanusethearmyouarenotpractisingwithtosupportyoufrombehindifitiseasier.Ifthearmtiresquicklyatfirst,restitbesideorbehindyoubetweenpractices.

TIMING:Tobeginwith, this canbedone5 times ineachdirection focusingon thehandand5 timesmoreintegratingthebreath.Workupto10foreachhand.

• Sitonyoursittingbones,inbasepositionorcross-legged.

• Useablockifpreferredtorestcomfortably.

• Reachonehandoutinfrontofyouasshown(shoulderlevel).

• Withasoftfist,thumbinside,rotateatthewristclockwise.

• Reversetherotation(anticlockwise)keepingwristfacingdown.

• Thearmshouldbestillandthecirclesaslargeaspossible.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingthefistup,exhalingdown.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

• Repeatwithotherhand.(Movementisisolatedtothewristjointifpossible.)

Figure17.14

15ElbowA:FlexandExtendPURPOSE:Thehandsareconsideredtobeontheheartline,growingfromtheembryonictorsotowrapthe arms around it. This opens the energymeridians through the arm and thorax and it is surprisinglydemanding.

SUPPORT: This comes from the base position, particularly cross-legged. It is important to becomfortablesittingupright,sothattheheartisopen.Ifthearmstirequicklyatfirst,restthembesideorbehindyoubetweenexercises.

TIMING: To begin with, this can be done 5 times with the focus on the hands and 5 times moreintegratingthebreath.Workupto10.

• Sitonyoursittingbones,inbasepositionorcross-legged.

• Useablock,ifpreferred,torestcomfortably.

• Reachthehandsoutinfrontofyouasshown(shoulderlevel).

• Withpalmsfacingup,bendtheelbowtotouchtheshoulder.

• Thenstraightenthearmsagain,maintainingshoulderheight.

• Thisisslowanddeliberatebutstrong.Dothisfor5rounds.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingthearmsopen,exhalingflexed.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

• Repeatthewholesequence,startingwitharmstotheside.

Figure17.15

16ElbowB:RotationPURPOSE:Thehandsareconsideredtobeontheheartline,growingfromtheembryonictorsotowrapthe arms around it. This opens the energymeridians through the arm and thorax and it is surprisinglydemanding.

SUPPORT: With the other hand at the elbow joint, supporting the working arm to keep it steadythroughoutthepractice,encouragingsmoothcircularmovements.

TIMING:Tobeginwiththiscanbedone5times,withfocusonthesmoothmovementoftheelbow,andthen5timesmoreintegratingthebreath.Workupto10.

• Sitonyoursittingbones,inbasepositionorcross-legged.

• Useablock,ifpreferred,torestcomfortably.

• Reachonearmoutinfrontofyouasshown(shoulderlevel).

• Supportthisarm,justabovetheelbowwiththeotherhand.

• Bendthearmattheelbow,rotatingthejointclockwise.

• Thearmremainssteady,handbrushingtheshoulder.

• Dothisfor5rounds.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingthearmsup,exhalingdown.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

• Repeatthesmoothcirclinginananticlockwisedirection.

• Repeatthewholesequencewiththeotherarm.

Figure17.16

17ShoulderA:RotationPURPOSE:Theshoulder joints receivegreatbenefit from thispractice to relievestrainpatterns fromcarryingbags,lifting,orsittinginrelativelysedentarypositionsforwork.Thissequencecanrelievethestrainofdrivingandavarietyofactivitiesinvolvingarmwork.

SUPPORT:Tobeginwith,theotherarmcansupporttheworkingarm.Oncesittingupiscomfortableandsustainable,botharmscanpractisetogether.Thepointistoencouragesmoothcircularmovementsthroughthefullrangesothattheshouldergirdlecanrestcomfortablyoverthethoraxandmovementisisolatedtotheshoulderjoint.

TIMING:Tobeginwith,thesecanbedone5timeswithfocusonthesmoothmovementattheshoulder,then5timesmoreintegratingthebreath.Workupto10.

• Sitonyoursittingbones,inbasepositionorcross-legged.

• Useablock,ifpreferred,torestcomfortably.

• Reachoneelbowouttotheside,samehandonshoulder.

• Rotatethiselbowinalargecircleclockwise,smoothly,5rounds.

• Repeatinananticlockwisedirection,5rounds.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhalingthearmsup,exhalingdown.circles.

• Thiswholesequencecanthenberepeatedwithbotharms.

• Leftarmonleftshoulderandrightarmonrightshoulder.

Figure17.17

18ShoulderB:SqueezeForwardandBackPURPOSE:AsintheShoulderAexercise,theshoulderjointsreceivegreatbenefitfromthispracticetorelievestrainpatternsfromcarryingbags,lifting,orsittinginrelativelysedentarypositionsforwork.It

alsohelpstoopenthefrontofthebodyafterlongperiodsofsittingatadesk,atacomputerorinacar,forexample.Thissequencecanrelievethestrainofdrivingandavarietyofactivitiesinvolvingarmworkandcanbereadilyincorporatedduringwork,asabriefinterludetopreventstrainpatterns.

SUPPORT:Botharmsworktogethertosensebalanceofrangebetweenleftandright.Ensurethespinedoesnotfoldforwardwhentheelbowsaredrawntowardseachotherinfrontofthebody.

• Sitonyoursittingbones,inbasepositionorcross-legged.

• Useablock,ifpreferred,torestcomfortably.

• Reacheachelbowouttotheside,samehandonshoulder.

• Keepbothelbowsatshoulderheight.

• Squeezeelbowstogetheratthefront,pause,thentotheside.

• Takeelbowsinasmoothmovementasiftomeetattheback.

• Thenaddthebreath,inhaleelbowsforward,exhalingback.

• Forwardandbackisoneround;repeat10rounds.

• Maintainshoulderheightfortheelbowsandpauseasrequired.

Figure17.18

19ArmReachPURPOSE:Thehandsareconsideredtobeontheheartline,growingfromtheembryonictorsotowrapthe arms around it. This opens the energymeridians through the arm and thorax and it is surprisinglydemanding.Itensuresafullrangeofmotionisencouragedattheshoulder.

SUPPORT:Thiscomesfromthebaseof thepose.It is recommendedthat ifyouare inacross-leggedposition,youchangethefavouredsideregularlythroughoutthepractice.

TIMING:Tobeginwith,thiscanbedone5timeswithfocusonthesmoothmovementofthehandsupanddown,then5timesmoreintegratingthebreath.Workupto10.

• Sitonyoursittingbones,inbasepositionorcross-legged.

• Useablock,ifpreferred,torestcomfortably.

• Placethehandstogetherinprayerandreachthemoverthehead.

• Bendtheelbowssoftlyuntiltheheelsofthehandstouchthehead.

• Lengthenthehandsup,topositionC,thenreturntoA.

• Thehandsstayinlineoverthecrown,5rounds.

• Thenaddthebreath,exhalingthehandsup,inhalingthemdown.

• Dothisinsequencewiththebreathfor5rounds,workingupto10.

• Thereisaslightfeelingofliftandextensionthroughthespine.

• Handsremainpalmtopalmthroughout.RestinBasrequired.

Figures17.19AandB

20NeckandHeadAPURPOSE:Thepurposeistorelievetensionandfreethetissuesoftheneck.Allnervesconnectingthedifferentorgansandlimbspassthroughtheneckandthemyofasciallayersandorganisationcanholdextratensionandbeover-recruitedbydisorganisedposture.Theseasanasaredesignedtofreetheirmobility;

however, they must not be forced. There are delicate structures in the neck and subtle mobility andsensoryrefinementissoughtratherthanlengthorrangeforthesakeofit.

SUPPORT: This comes from the base position, particularly the hands. Be sure to use the hands forsupportifnecessary.Otherwisesitup“tall”asthefirstsecondarycurveisessentialtothenaturalefficacyofthesemovements.

TIMING: To begin with, this can be done 5 times with focus on integrating the breath and sensingbalance.Workupto10rounds.

Figure17.20

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,handsbehindyouasshown.

• Youcansitcross-leggedifyouprefer.Closetheeyes.

• Exhale,takingthechindowntothechest,lengtheningtheneck.

• Inhaleasyoutaketheheadupandbackwardsasfarasiscomfortable.

• Repeat5timesandworkupto10;however,donotstrainorforce.

• Pleasenotethecontraindicationsfortheneck/headpractices(below).

CONTRAINDICATIONSFORALLNECKANDHEADMOVEMENTS:Thesemovements shouldnotbeperformedbyelderlypeopleand thosesuffering from loworhighbloodpressure,vertigoorextremecervicalspineconditions,suchasherniationorspondylosis.(NB:Cervicalspondylosispatientsmustavoidforwardbendingoftheneck.)

21NeckandHeadBPURPOSE:Thepurposeistorelievetensionandfreethetissuesoftheneck.Allnervesconnectingthedifferentorgansandlimbspassthroughtheneckandthemyofasciallayersandorganisationcanholdextratensionandbeover-recruitedbydisorganisedposture.Theseasanasaredesignedtofreetheirmobility;however, they must not be forced. There are delicate structures in the neck and subtle mobility andsensoryrefinementissoughtratherthanlengthorrangeforthesakeofit.

SUPPORT: This comes from the base position, particularly the hands. Be sure to use the hands forsupport ifnecessary.Otherwisesitup“tall”asthenaturalspinalcurvesareessential totheefficacyof

thesemovements.

TIMING: To begin with, this can be done 5 times with focus on integrating the breath and sensingbalanceandsymmetry.Workupto10rounds.

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,handsbehindyou,asshown.

• Youcansitcross-leggedifyouprefer.Closetheeyes.

• Inhaleincentreposition,thenexhaletakingrighteartoshoulder.

• Inhalebacktocentre,exhalelefteartoleftshoulder.

• Repeat5times;workupto10.Donotstrainorforce.

• Itisnotnecessarytogettheeartotheshoulder.

• Pleasenotethecontraindicationsoftheneck/headpractices(Ex20)andcaution(below).

Figure17.21

CAUTION:If there are any neck injuries or disc herniation, then all neck movements should be done undersupervisionorwith the adviceof adoctororphysiotherapist.Where improvedmobility is sought,these movements should be modified and minimised to micro-movements, gradually increased asrangeisimproved.

22NeckandHeadCPURPOSE:Thepurposeistorelievetensionandfreethetissuesoftheneck.Allnervesconnectingthedifferentorgansandlimbspassthroughtheneckandthemyofasciallayersandorganisationcanholdextratensionandbeover-recruitedbydisorganisedposture.Theseasanasaredesignedtofreetheirmobility;however, they must not be forced. There are delicate structures in the neck and subtle mobility andsensoryrefinementissoughtratherthanlengthorrangeforthesakeofit.

SUPPORT: This comes from the base position, particularly the hands. Be sure to use the hands forsupport ifnecessary.Otherwisesitup“tall”asthenaturalspinalcurvesareessential totheefficacyofthesemovements.

TIMING: To begin with, this can be done 5 times with focus on integrating the breath and sensing

balanceandsymmetry.Workupto10rounds.

CONTRAINDICATIONS:SeeEx20and21.

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,handsbehindyou,asshown.

• Youcansitcross-leggedifyouprefer.Closetheeyes.

• Inhaleincentre,thenexhaleturningheadoverrightshoulder.

• Inhalebacktocentre,exhaletheheadovertheleftshoulder.

• Repeat5times,workupto10.Donotstrainorforce.

• Itisnotnecessarytogetthechinovertheshoulder,keepheadlevel.

• Pleasenotethecontraindicationsfortheneck/headpractices(p.•••).

Figure17.22

23NeckandHeadDPURPOSE:Thepurposeistorelievetensionandfreethetissuesoftheneck.Allnervesconnectingthedifferentorgansandlimbspassthroughtheneckandthemyofasciallayersandorganisationcanholdextratensionandbeover-recruitedbydisorganisedposture.Theseasanasaredesignedtofreetheirmobility;however, they must not be forced. There are delicate structures in the neck and subtle mobility andsensoryrefinementissoughtratherthanlengthorrangeforthesakeofit.

SUPPORT: This comes from the base position, particularly the hands. Be sure to use the hands forsupport ifnecessary.Otherwisesitup“tall”asthenaturalspinalcurvesareessential totheefficacyofthesemovements.

TIMING: To begin with, this can be done 5 times with focus on integrating the breath and sensingbalanceandsymmetry.Experiencethesensationsoftheheadandneckandkeeptheeyesstill,eventhoughtheyareclosed.(Theydonotneedtomoveupanddownwiththehead).Workupto10rounds.

CONTRAINDICATIONS:SeeEx20and21.

• Sitcomfortablyonyoursittingbones,handsbehindyou,asshown.

• Youcansitcross-leggedifyouprefer.Closetheeyes.

• Rolltheheadontheneckinasoftclockwisedirection.

• Reversetherollintheotherdirection,inhalingtheheadup.

• Exhaleastheheadrollsdown,goingbackthewayyoucame.

• Repeat5times;workupto10.Donotstrainorforce.

• Itisnotnecessarytopullontheneck.Keepitrelaxed.

• Pleasenotethecontraindicationsoftheneck/headpractices.

Figure17.23

24ShivasanaPURPOSE:Thepurposeistorelaxandletthetissuesorganisethemselves,afterhavingbeeninvitedtoconsciouslymoveandholdavarietyofpositions.Pawanmuktasanaallowstheenergychannels toopenandflow.Ifthisisdoneforthefirsttime,theremaybedisturbancewheretissueisbeingrevitalised,thebodilyfluidsarereorganisedandextraneoustensionisreleased.Ensurethatyoudrinkplentyofwaterandtake2–5minutestorestthebodyinthispose.

SUPPORT:Asabove,ensurethatyouarecomfortable.Ifthereisanypossibilityofbecomingcoldafterthepractice,youareadvisedtoensureyouhavealightblanketoveryouduringtherestperiod.

TIMING:This isarguably themost importantpartof thepractice. Ifparticipantseverhave to leaveaclassearly,itisrecommendedthattheystop5minutesbeforetheyleavetoensuresometimeinShivasanabeforetheyreturntothedemandsofeverydaylife.Openingthechannelswithoutgivingthebodytimetoassimilate and absorb can leave the body feeling unprepared and vulnerable, which depletes the richbenefitsofthispractice.

• Liedowncomfortablyonyourmat.

• IdeallyShivasanaincludesthewholebodyrestingsupine.

• Ifitismorecomfortable,eitherbendtheknees.(seeCh.16Ex12)

• Orplaceacushionorrolledupmatundertheknees.

• Alternatively,lieonyoursidewitharolledtowel,blanketorpillow.

• Thepostureisdesignedtoallowthebodytocompletelyrelax.

• Allowthebreathto“breatheyou”withoutforceoreffort.

• Restwhiletheposturesintegrateandthebodyassimilates.

Figure17.24

PostscriptThisseriesisdesignedtobringthebodyintocomfortinstillness.Themindeventuallyletsgoandallowsustoenterthe“zone”:akindoftimelessness,absorbedintherhythmofunitingbreathandmotion.ThispracticemaybeusedaspreparationfortheshortmeditationinChapter18.

Notes1. FromthepersonaldiariesofPatriciaMarySparrow(12March1935–13April2006),oneofmymostlovedyogateachers.Usedwiththe

kindpermissionofStephanieSparrow.2. InSanskrit,pawanmeanswind;muktaistoliberate,free,orrelease.3. TheBiharSchoolofYogawasfoundedbySwamiSatyanandaSaraswati in1964;http://www.biharyoga.net/bihar-school-of-yoga/about-

bsy/.4. SwamiSatyanadaSaraswati,AsanaPranayamaMudraBandha,YogaPublicationsTrust,Bihar,India.5. Seenotes3and4.

CHAPTER

18TheInnerSenseoftheFascia

“Wecreateandrespondirresistiblytocircles,cylindersandspheresbecausewerecogniseourselvesinthem.Themessageoftheshape

bypassesourconsciousmentalcircuitryandspeaksdirectlytothequietintelligenceofourdeepestbeing.Thecircleisareflectionoftheworlds-andourown–deepperfection,unity,designexcellence,wholeness,and

divinenature.”1

MichaelS.Schneider

Inthepracticeofyogaposturesweexploremovement.Wechangetheshapeswecanmakewiththebodyandoutwardlyexpressandevolvetherangeandbalancesoftheformswecancontain.Inthepracticeofyoga meditation we explore stillness, the unchanging sense of being that is inwardly expressed andformless. The invitation is to expand consciousness through containment.We draw a symbolic circlearoundourselvesandpractisewhatiscalledinvolution,justforawhile.The fascia responds toourpast loadinghistory. It is alsoourorganoforganisation inpresent time,

reacting towhereandhowweare inspaceatanymoment in time.Thischapter iswherewepause toreflectthataccumulationofgestures,bybeingconsciouslyinactive.Ofcourse,itcouldbearguedthatwearegesturingbysittingstill.However,thepurposeofthepreviouschapterwastomakestillnessavailableinawaythat iscomfortableandallowsussimply torelax,withoutcollapsing.Fromafascialpointofviewit involvessuitablestiffnessforustoholdstillcomfortablyandsufficientsoftnessforustobeateaseforaperiodoftime,relativelymotionless.Itisallowingtheinwardmotionandmotilityofthebodytoslowdown,consciously.Eventually,wecancome toa statewhere themind isquietand reflective,where there is little or no sense of discomfort in the body, andwe canbewith our form, in time andspace,asitis.Thematrixbecomesawareofitself,being.

Unitingboththeinnerandtheouterpracticeofyogaisthebreath,expressedbytheshapeandrhythmicalpatternoflife-forceinourform. Fascia both connects and separates the forms it produces (or unites as a whole). Indeed, yoga and fascia have very closecorrelationswithunityitself.(Thisiswhyfascialanatomymakessomuchmoresenseofyogathansomeoftheclassicaltheoriesofanatomywhichoftenexcludethefascia.)

At this levelofyogapracticewe seek to transcend the intellect and theoretical conceptualising.Welooktothesymbolicrealminwhichthelanguageofyogabeginstoflourish.Whilewecanscientificallyquantifytheresultsofmeditationfrombrainscans,wecanbecomeitsbeneficiaryonlybyparticipatingand “realising” them for ourselves. No one can do this for us, and, arguably, we cannot teach it

authentically toothersunlessweknowit fromourownexperience. Itsimplywillnotmakesense.Thefascialmatrixisnowconsideredtobeourlargestsensoryorgan.Itispossiblethatwemakesenseofitonthissymboliclevelbysimplybecomingmoreawareofit.

InnerPresenceFinding the depths of our innerworld, fromdeeperwithin it, is the purpose ofmeditative practice. Itoffersaprofoundstillnessasthenaturalcounterbalancetoactivityandmotion.Tensionandcompressionforcescombinetocreatemultipleformstogether,inbiotensegrityarchitecture.Silencecancounterbalancesoundhere, uniting the active and the passive elementswithin us. Something else can occur,when theapparentandtheinapparentunitetoformatransparency.Itissomethingwecanseethrough,ratherthansomethingwecansee.After all the striving for evolution,we surrender to something.We reflect our selves, orwithin our

selves;whichever formwepersonally take.Through thisportal,wecanbegin topractice involution,adeepening sense or our inner universe. It is not an intellectual exercise. It is designed to train us intobecomingmoreawareofmind,ofbodyandofbeing.Theyariseinbalance:mindandbodybecomequietandstill.Being,theimmeasurableandqualitativeessenceofus,isnourishedbyourpresence.Wewitnessthewitnesswitnessinghere.Weseeourselvesatpause, listening to the listeningnatureofour sensoryform.Itmaybesmellingarose,readingthepatterninaleaforseeingaspider’swebasmorningsunlightlendsitsradiantilluminationtothemagicofthedesign.Itiswhateveritis,asitis.

ASimpleMeditationThemeditationpracticethatfollowsiscalledSelf-CentringMeditation.Itisnotaninvitationtositdownandwriteamentaldiaryabouteachfeeling,thoughtandnuanceinaself-centredcommentary.Thatisthemindworking.Thisissomethingelse.Itisawayofdrawingacirclearoundyouandbeinginit.Nothingmore,nothingless.Nothinghappens.Thatisthepoint.Thispartofthepracticeisneithereasynorimmediatelyobvioustothemind.Doitonceortwiceaday

foramonthandseewhathappens,andwhathashappened. In thiswayyoucancome toknowwhat isinvolved.Ifyoufindthatyouenjoyyourteachingmoreorrecognisecolourwithincreasedintensity,thenthatiswhathappened.Youmaysimplyfindyourselflisteningtosomeoneaspresence.Thiscanbeaboutdeliberatenon-motion–biomotionalstillness.

Inyoga,“thepoint”isthebindu,thedotatthecentreofthecircle.Youbecomethecentreofthisparticularcircle,drawnbyyouatthispointintime…acircleinwhichtobestill.

Thisisthegiftofthepresent,whichwewillexploreinthenextchapterasthebasisofgenerating“theField”Rumirefersto“outbeyondideasofrightdoingsandwrongdoings”.ThisistheGraceFieldofanewbeginningyoucreateeverytimeyouchoosetoteachaclass.Youliterallycreateitandwewilllookathowwedothatsymbolicallyinadvanceinthenextchapter.First,however,wecanworkonourselvesinpreparationforworkingwithothers,fromexperience.

Meditation

Thismeditationhasbeenwrittenespeciallyforthisbook,byAlexanderFilmer-LorchandisreproducedwithhiskindpermissionfromhisschoolInsideMeditation.2Themeditationexerciseisdetailedbelowwithsketchestoassistvisualisationintheabsenceofateacher.Theyarenotadefinitiveprotocolbutapictorial senseofhow the instructionsmightbeusefully interpreted.The invitation is togowithinandquietlydiscoverwhatunfoldsfortheindividualmeditatingand,indeed,theindividualmeditations.Theyaccumulatewithregularpractice,onceortwiceeveryday.Itisagentleloadinghistoryforthefascia!

TheMeditationSitupcomfortablyeither inachair(withyourspinesupported)orwithyourbackagainstawall,onacushion.Legsarecrossedorout in frontofyou,whatever iscomfortable,with the spineasuprightaspossible,butnotrigidlyheld.Closeyoureyesandallowthebreathtosettleintoanaturaleasyrhythm.Placethetonguesoftlyontheroofof themouthandallowthebreathtocomeinandgoout throughthenose.

Whilstkeepingyoureyessoft,bringyourattention to the tipofyournose,noticing thesensationof thebreath, slightlycooler as itdraws into thebody.Becomeawareof the risingand fallingawayofyourbreath,withoutimposinganythingonyourbreathing.Whilstyoureyesdisengage,restinyourawareness.Be with the appearing screen in front of you. Allow your attention to rest behind your eyes. (In themeditationensuretheeyesdonotmoveupanddownwiththedirectionsforthebreath;itcangiveyouaheadache.)

Yourattentionfollowsyourmostgentleinhalationthroughtheverytipofthenoseuptothecrownofthehead.Itisheldinsidethecrown,ratherthangoingbeyond(Fig.18.1).

Figure18.1

Pausebrieflyatthecrown,foronlyasecond,withinthespaceatthetopoftheinhalation.

Very gently allow the exhalation all theway down through the body, channelled along the spine, in adownwarddirection.Yourattentionmovesdown,withthebreathtoyourcoccyx(Fig.18.2).

Pausebrieflyatthecoccyx,foronlyasecond,withinthespaceattheendoftheexhalation.

Then,withthenextinhalation,theattentionmovesgentlyupalongthebackoftheinnerbodytothelevel

ofthethirdeye.Breathandattentionmovetogether,loopingforwardfromthebackofthebodytothethirdeye(Fig.18.3).Thismovesinacontinuousloop(withoutapause)asasubtletransitiontothenext(seeFig.18.4).

Continuethelooptoexhaledownthefrontintothesolarplexuscompletingtheloop.Pauseatthesolarplexus,readyforthenextinhalationwiththeadditionofamantra(Fig.18.4).

Inhalementallysayingtheword“I”duringthe inhalation,allowingthesolarplexusandthenthewholebody to fill and expandwhilst feeling the resonance and reverberationof the silent soundof “I” (Fig.18.5)asyoudrawitin.

Letgointotheexhalationbymentallysaying“AM”(Fig.18.6).

Feel and merge with the formless state of “AM” during the pause after the exhalation. Rest theremomentarily;noticethepause.

Returntothebeginningandrepeatthewholeprocessforsevenrepetitions(Fig18.7).

(ThesketchinFig.18.7isanimpressionofashape.Itmayfeelquitedifferentforeachindividualandeachmeditation.Itishereasaguidetothegeneralshapeoftheenergypatterntobegin.)

Figure18.2

Figure18.3

Figure18.4

Figure18.5

Figure18.6

Figure18.7Sevenrounds.

BacktoyouThe“I”candisappearandthesoundof“AM”resonatestoaplacewecannotdescribe.TherearevarioustranslationsofthepoemsofWittgensteinbutthisisoneofmyfavourites.

“Whereofonecannotspeak,thereofonemustremainsilent”3

WelcomeyourselftotheFieldwheresoundandsilenceunite,becomingoneandthesame.Ananda (en-joy),alsomeans“yourbliss”.

ThePurposeofYoga“Yoga arose at the beginning of human civilization when humankind first realised their spiritualpotential and began to evolve techniques to develop it. The yogic sciencewas slowly developed byancientsagesallovertheworld.”4

You can read many books but you can never experience the personal value of a yoga practice andmeditationunlessyouanimateitandtakeitoninpresenttimebyparticipation.The invitationofmanyyogaschoolsistogobeyondthatexperience,ormoreaccuratelythroughit,tofindanabilitytogeneratepresenceandGraceandcompassion.TherereallyisaFieldbeyondideasofrightdoingsandwrongdoings.Itishere,now.Thisisit.Itisa

deepeningofoursenseofourselves,withnothingadded.Thefascialmatrix,asoneofthelargestsensoryorgansofthebody,isinvitedtosimplysensethebodyforthesakeofit;backtoitselfasthewitness.Itisakindofself-sensingstillness.Whenthisaccumulatesinthebody,itcanprovideametaphysicalspace,areserveinwhichwecanseeclearlyandmoredirectly.Thiscanfacilitateforeseeingwhenitprovidesaneutralcontextfromwhichtoperceive.Theuseofchantingandmantrasisdesignedtoassisttheprocessofbecomingstill.Inthispracticewe

simply witness it.We use themantra to attract our attention and develop the ability to observe whathappens.Awarenesscanthenexpand.Ifwecanacquiresomethingofthisqualityofstillness,weexpandourabilitytosensesubtlechangesandpossiblyanticipatethem.

TheTreeofLifeThere isan interestingcorrelatehere in theYogicSutras.Sanskrit isa languageof theWisdomTraditions. Itcontainsalphanumericcorrespondenceswhichmeans thesoundsof the languageeachhaveanumericvalue.Theyrelate tomusical scalesandgeometricpatterns,alsoreflectedinthechakras(seeCh.21).Yogicwisdomwashandeddownthroughwordofmouth,inverseform,asintheSutrasofPatanjali,forexample.Sutrameansthread.(Thisistheoriginofthewordsuturesasusedinsurgeryandmedicalpractice,whenjoiningthingstogether.Suturesarealsothenameof theintricatethread-likepatternsof thebonesof theskullformation.)TheversesoftheSutraswerepearlsofwisdom,joinedorthreadedtogether.However,inthereciting,thepausesbetweenthesoundswereconsidered tobeas importantas thewords themselves;as in theplayingofamusicalpiece.They formsoundwaveswith specificresonances.Theunifyingofthesoundandthesilencesgaverisetothetriunity,ortriuneharmony,oftheircombinedeffect.

Meditation does not always have to be about sitting in a roomwith incense and cushions or perfectlyplaced candles,waiting for the “right time” for silence, as beneficial as thatmight be. It can becomeanotherthingonyourlistof“thingstodo”,puttingyouunderevenmorepressure,whichdefeatstheobjectsomewhat.Oneofthemostvaluableresourcesistodeveloptheabilitytocreatea“circle”aroundyou–elaborateyourownkinesphere–andsilentlywithdrawintoit.Thereisbarelyagesturetobeseen;itismoreofademeanour;aquiet,temporaryshiftinfocus.Afewmoments,takenfromwithinandbehindthebustleofeverydaylife,canbecomejuicyminutesofrestoration.Adelightfulwaytoanimatethisstillnessisto“thinktree”(Fig18.8).Thereis,ofcourse,noneedto

actuallybeinTreePosetodothis!Simplyfindsomewheretobestillandletyourfeetrootdownintotheearthandtherestofyouoccupythespaceyouarein;sensingyourcrownuptowardsthesky.Breathingsoftly, thewayyoudo, literally takingtime tobepresent to it isavaluablewaytodeepenthepauses.Theytendtoaccumulateandcontributesomethingsubtleandvaluable,beyondthetinyamountoftimetheytake.

Figure18.8ThissketchwasdonefromthesessioninwhichKatieandSamiramodelledinsidethetubesasawayofpresentingatensionnetwork,albeit

aroundthebody.TheywereplayingwithTreePose(Vrksasana)andexperiencingthequietinnerpoiseaffordedbytheextrasenseofthenetthatthetubesgavethem.Bringingthatattentionintothefasciathatalreadyensheathsusisthepurposeofthislight-heartedexercise.

InChapter21wewillconsiderinmoredepththesymbolicaspectofthegeometriesweincorporate;presented in all their polyhedral chaos by the fascia. In the next chapter,wewill experimentwith anexercise that generates the witness state in a very rewarding and light-hearted way. It also fosters acreativeapproachtodesigningaclassandcanbefuntoparticipatein.Meditationcanappeartobequiteaseriousundertaking.Infact,onceunderstoodandappreciatedasakindofpersonalrewardor“playfulpause”toseasonyourday,itislikegivingthebodytimetosmileback.

Notes1. MichaelS.Schneider,ABeginner’sGuidetoConstructingtheUniverse:TheMathematicalArchetypesofNature,Art,andScience,

HarperCollins,NewYork,1994.2. Alexander Filmer-Lorch, www.insidemeditation.co.uk; Alexander Filmer-Lorch, Inside Meditation: In Search of the Unchanging

NatureWithin.Matador,KibworthBeauchamp,2012.3. WittgensteinfromTractatusLogico-Philosophicus,proposition7.4. TheBiharSchoolofYogawasfoundedbySwamiSatyanandaSaraswati in1964;http://www.biharyoga.net/bihar-school-of-yoga/about-

bsy/.

CHAPTER

19PresenceandPre-senseoftheFascia

Closingallthebodydoors,confineyourmindwithintheheart,retainthebreathwithinthehead,onyogicconcentrationstart1

BhagavadGita

The fascia is omnipresent in the body.We have learned through the research into this “fascia-natingfabric”2thatthedesignofoursensoryselvesisorganisedforlisteningmorethandoing(Ch.9).Wemightsaywearemadeofalisteningtissue.Atthelevelofsocialinteraction,andcertainlyteaching,tuninginandlisteningcanberichlyrewarding.Thefascialsystemis,amongotherthings,anintelligentmeanstosensewhereweareinspaceatthat

time. Speaking in a fascial dialect of body language, is it possible to expand our ability to listenkinaestheticallyjustbybeingstill?Canwegobeyondthattoo,toaplaceofintuitivesense?Wemightcallit “pre-sensing” but it has little to do with “seeing into the future”. Rather it seems to reside as adeepeningofourabilitytobeawareandexpandintothemoment,ratherthanforwardfromit(Fig.19.1).

ThreeAspectsoftheBreathOneofthefastestwaystobringourselvesintoastateofpresenceandawarenessisbygivingourattentionto thebreath.Simply stopandnoticeyourbreathing,without imposingon it at all. It shiftsmoodsandchangespacewithinafewmoments.In Chapter 14, we explored the elasticity of the breath as a simple way of nourishing the natural

breathing rhythm. It provides a bridge to this next level of practice in more ways than one.We canapproachworkingwiththebreathonthreelevels,justaswehaveapproachedthethreepartsofthisbook:intellectually,inphysicalpracticeandtowardsdeepeningawareness.Wecouldsaythatthefirstiswhatwelearn,thesecondiswhatwefindoutandthethirdiswhatwedonotknow.Itisintheimmeasurabledomainofbeing(Fig.19.2).Theancientyogishadaprofoundunderstandingofthesedifferentlevelsandthesubtlequalitiestheypossess.

Figure19.1Thinkingiscontainedindoing,whichiscontainedinbeing.Meditationpracticeincludesthewholecircle,becomingconsciousofeachlayerand

theirinterfaces.

Figure19.2

TheBreathasThreeKindsofKnowledgeInthebreathexample,thefirst(inner)ringistheintellectualaspectofourunderstanding.Itincludesthechemistry,physicsandbiologyofbreathing.Atthis levelwethinkit through.Weactivatethemindandlearnaboutcompliance,functionandsuitablewaystofosteritinthefascialmatrix.Fromayogicpointofviewwe can go further into the study of the subtle energies such as the pranas and vayus, gatheringinformationtobroadenourunderstandingofhowfascialanatomyandyogapracticecanbenefiteachotherinpracticalandsubtleways(seeCh.15).Thisrelatestothepastaswegatherinformationanditbecomesa part of our personal learning: our own historical database. We build upon it to become suitablyqualified,expandingourlearningaswego.Webuildtheinnerarchivesandtheirloadinghistorybythephysicalprocessoflearning.Wethinkintentlyandattentivelyatthislevel.Inthesecondaspect(themiddlering),weputthebooksaside.Weanimatetheinformationanddatain

presenttime.Wedothisbypractisingitand/orteachingit.Wecanbringourattentiontoourownbreath,toseehowitmovesusandhowwecanmoveit.However,evenwhenwearenotfocusingonitdirectly,itworksinstinctively.Thustheinformationweacquiredatthefirstlevelcanbeameanstoexploreatthissecondlevel.Itaccumulatesintopatterns.Wecanreflectuponandexplorethesepatternsinourselvesand

expand that enquiry with our students. At this second level, we work with integrating breath andmovementsofluently(onthemat)thattheybecomeinstinctivelycongruent.Wedonothavetothinkaboutit.Inamovementfield,drawingfromthatphysicalexperience,webecomeourownresourcethroughtheexperientialknowledge fromwhich to teach.The inner ring is absorbed andwe evolve to teach fromboth.Mindandbodyexpresstheirunderstandinginpresenttime.(Itismorethaninformationatthislevel.Itisincorporatedintoknowledge.)Inthethirdaspect(theouterring), thepracticecanbetakentoadeeper level.Herewecanbecome

quiet or still. It is less about either thinking or doing.At this levelwe focus inwardly, in periods ofreflection ormeditation, to feed the source of our ideas and inspiration, without necessarily knowingexactlywhattheywillbecome.Wepause.WecangowithinorbeyondthetechniquesofPranayama tobeing(andbe-coming)thebeneficiary.Thisisthebenefitofexpandingourawareness.Thislevel–evenharder to describe – is a deepening of the presence. It is hallmarked by the quietness of theconceptualisingmind. It includesand transcends it.This isnota seekingofsilence. Itcomeswhen the“seeking”stops.Itiswithinthepresence:aconcentrationofthesourceofbeing,whenwehavepaused“doing”forawhile.Inthisplaceofreflectionthebreathisexactlythewaythebreathis,atthetime.Thisisthestateofpresence.

TissueTimeFramesCertainschoolsofancientyogicphilosophybelievedthatthesethreelevelsofawarenessoperateatthreeverydifferentspeeds.Thinkingistheslowest,animatedinstinctivemovementisconsiderablyfaster,andfasterstilliswhatwewillrefertoasintuitiveawareness.Thislevelhasasenseoftimelessness.Itcanbringustoaplaceofhighlycreativeinspiration.Onepurposeofpractisingallaspectsofyogaistobringallthesedifferentcentres,oraspectsofus,intocongruentbalance.Wedonothavetothinkaboutthem;theybecomemoreofafacilitythatwecancallupon,consciously.

Yogareferstosamadhi,theultimatestateofunionthatmeditationisconsideredtoassistusinreaching,ifthatisthegoal.ItisastateofbeingatonewiththeDivineforceoflifeitself,nolongerknowingourselvesasseparatefromthatoriginalstateofwholeness.Itisconsidered tobe theoriginalstatefromwhichweemerged.Lindad’Antal3hasaninterestingwayof interpretingthis:Samameanssame,DhicomesfromDhiyana;meaningconcentrationandmeditation.Inthissense,concentrationdoesnotonlyrefertothefocusofattentiononanobject.Italsoincludestheconcentration(asdistinctfromthedilution)ofasubstanceintoitspurestessence.Thisissomethingaboutalchemy,inthesymbolicsenseoftransformation.Itreferstothepureessenceof(the)being.Inthiswayabroaderormore subtle interpretation of samadhi is the one (same) concentrated essence. It symbolises the wholeness of the being and thecollectiveunionof theoneandall at the same time,withinus: animatedby the essential living force. It is the elixirwecall vitality.Perhapsmeditationisnomorethanallowingourselvestorememberouressence,orreplenishit,withoutthinking,byjustbeingpresent.Coulditbethatthepresenceitselfconcentratestheessence?Oreventhatitallowstheconcentratedessencetodiffuseoutintoourawareness?

We each have a tendency to favour one particular aspect,whether intellectual learning, kinaestheticlearningortheintuitiveapproach.Noaspectisbetterthananyother.Thepurposeofthisworkistofindbalance and access between all of them, through learning, through practising andmoving, and throughpausingtoacknowledgeandassimilatetheknowledgethatisaccumulatinginthetissuesofourbodyandbeing. This last part requires something beyond reasoning – which is where meditative or reflectivepracticesfacilitateourawareness.Onecannotdoitlikemixingingredientsforarecipe,butbypractisinginthekitchenitbecomespossibleintuitivelytocreatesomethingdelicious–eventuallyworkingwithouttherecipebook.Wecanlearnallthenamesofallthepartsofthebodyandspeak“fluentanatomy”.Thiswouldbean

anaesthetic,intellectualapproach.Theindividualnamedpartscouldallbecutoutofacadaver,orfoundinabody,buttherelationshipsbetweenthemandtheircontextmightbelost.Inthedomainofinstinctivemovement,ontheotherhand,wewouldfindoutthroughexperiencewhichpartsrelatetoeachotherandrapidly respond and explore through trial and error, action and animation.Kinaestheticallywebuild ahistoryofpractice,trainingthroughtraininginpresenttime.Wemightnotallhavetheidenticalanatomy,butwemayallfindawayofanimatingthemovements.Atthethirdlevelwehaveaninexplicableabilitytosensesofastitcanseemtooccurinadvance.Indeed,thisaspectaccountsforanticipatoryawareness.Itissorapiditfeelslikeforesight.Thisstateofpresence(whichcouldbedescribedasjoineduppausesreally)istheplacefromwhich

the sense of “pre-sense” can be developed. It is the blank page uponwhich true creativity can occur:whereinspirationcomesinandcanberecognised.Wesenseit.

TheBlankPageWefirst create theblankpage (meditation) inside, inorder toacquire theability to find stillness.Onepurpose of themeditative part of yoga is to train ourselves, at least for brief periods, in stillness asactivelyaswedoinmotion.Itmightseemcounterintuitive.Whenwearebusy,thelastthingwewanttodoisslowdown.However,itseemstopayadifferentkindofdividend.Itallowstheinspirationtocometo us or become visible, audible or tangible (however it comes to you). If we are preoccupied withthinkingandachievingandworrying,itisdifficulttoseeinspirationwhenitdoescomein:the“page”istoocluttered.Orifwearebusy,wedonottaketimetobestill.Wecanmissit.Theresultofitisthatcreativitycanseemtotakelesstimetolearn;inotherwords,itanimateswhatwe

aredoing.Wefindourselvesincreasinglyabletodesign,fromwithinaclass.Confidenceandself-esteemcangrowandweworkwithprecisionandappropriately,fromexperience.Indeed,wecanbegintotrustsomethingbeyondourselvesandourknowledge;somethingunmeasurable.Webecomeable towitnessourselvescreating.We“re-present”aclass,inpresenttimeforourstudents.Webecomethesourcethatistheirresource,

whiletheylearn.Itispossibletoworkveryintuitively(andrapidly)atthislevel.Thispracticenaturallyinvitesconcentration(asinamoreconcentratedessence).

TheArtofNotKnowingThere is a lovely art exercise that is a practical study for recognising (and fostering) theWitness anddeepeningthissenseofbeingpresent,whenthemindisquiet.Itillustratesthesethreelevelsveryclearly.Itisalivelychallengeandgreatfuntodo;onlydon’ttakeittooseriously!

BettyEdwardswroteabookcalledDrawingontheRightSideoftheBrain.4Itfacilitatestheabilitytowitnessyourselfseeingandtranslatingtheoutsideworld,throughyourvision.Atthesametime,itallowsyou to recognise thevoiceof themind (chittavritti)asdistinct.Thedrawingsbecomea reference forchangeandprogress.Oneoftheexercisesinthebookistoplaceapaperandpencilinyourusualdominanthandanddraw

your non-dominant hand. The key is to turn away from the drawing, so that you cannot see the page(Edwardscallsitcontourdrawing).Youthenwatchtherestinghandveryattentivelyanddrawit,withoutlookingaway from it.Keepyoureyeson thehandyouaredrawingat least90%of the time.Focus is

almostentirelyonthehandbeingdrawn.Yourmovements(withthepencil)thenhavetotranslatedirectlyfrom eyes to drawing hand,without seeing or commentating on how you are “doing” it.We do notrealisehowmuchourthinkingandbeliefsinfluenceouractions.Inthisexerciseyoubypassthecriticalmentalcommentaryandsimplyfollowwhatisthere.(Itcanfeelveryfrustratingatfirst,sobepatientwithyourself.) You begin to look really intently. However, the ability to do that comes after at least twoextraordinarythingsoccur:• The mind can become bored, agitated, grumpy with anything from needing to move, needing thebathroom,gettingaheadache,rememberingsomethingessentialoranyothertrickforgettingoutofthesituation.Ifyoucan,simplyletthecommentaryrun.Itcanbeanythingfrom“thisisridiculous,Ican’tdoitanyway”to“thisisacompletewasteoftime”.Notice,thankthecommentatingmindforsharing,andcarryondrawing.

• Over time, if you simply observe the commentary and practise the drawing anyway, the excuses themindcomesupwithgetbetter–andsodothedrawings!Somethingtakesplaceforwhichyourmindhasnospecificexplanation.

What occurs is anemergingability.Usually, themind eventually just takes a break and leaves you toenter the “zone”.We do not have any adequatewords for this place. Time literally takes on awholedifferentdemeanour.Youcan“comeround”fromadrawingwithnoconceptatalloftimepassingintheusualway.(Oncethemindgetsfedupwithtickingoffminutes.)Themetaphorfortakingour“beginner’smindset”tothematisobvious.Theilluminationofabilities

beyondyour(mind’s)beliefsystemisofhugevalue(Figs19.3and19.4).Thispracticeisatrainingindeepeningpresenceanddesignedtofacilitateawarenessforthesakeofit.

Theconsequenceisvariousfordifferentpeople;inteachingyogaitisinvaluable.

Figure19.3Firstattemptsatcontourdrawing.

Figure19.4Contourdrawingafter3monthsofpractice.

“whileinsamadhi,yogisandyoginisexperienceapowerfulalterationintheirsenseofbothtimeandspace.Ibelievethisisduetoradicalshiftsinbrainfunction(meditativestatesgreatlyincreasealphaand/or thetaactivity). In theserelaxedbrainstates, timeseemsmore fluidandspaceoften takesonstrangeattributes…Whatmightlastanhourinlineartimemaybeexperiencedaslastingforeonsorforjustamoment.”5

Inessence, thepower togeneratepresence is theability towitnessoneselfwitnessing. It isessentiallyuneventfulandittakeshonestandsimpletrainingto“bestill”,justasittakeshonestandsimpletrainingtolearn “to do” yoga. Sitting, standing or walking in meditation (or self-observation) is part of such apractice.Itmightjustbeabalancethatbringsasenseofquietandeasetowhateveryouaredoingatthetime. Itmight benothingmore than a suppleness of spirit tomatch the samebiomotional agility in thebody.

TimeLetusdivideourexperiencesintothreedomainsoftime(Fig.19.5).Ratherthanpast,presentandfuture,wecanputthemintopast,presentandpre-sent–wherewhathasnothappenedyetcanoccurasifgiventous,orcreatedinadvance.Itissomethingweconsciouslyanticipate.Wecandesignaclass,thenre-createitor“re-present”it,intheactualclassroom.Thiscouldbereferredtoas“designingthefuturefromthefuture”,which, in away, iswhatwedowhenweprepare a classbeforehand.Weare just adding thesensehere that ithasalreadyhappenedandcome from that,aswedescribe it toourselvesandchoosewhatwewill teach (orwill have taught, ifwe imaginehavingdone it, just for this exercise).DeepakChoprarefersto“wakingupthewizardthatisdeeptoallofus”.HepresentsthiswayofworkingfromthefuturesymbolicallyanddelightfullyinhisbookTheReturnofMerlin.Theprincipleofdesigningthefuturebycreatingitfromthepowerofyourpresentimaginationisametaphorthroughoutthebook:

Figure19.5Thisisausefulwaytopresentthedifferentaspectsorlevelsoflearning,containedwithineachother.Theycorrelatetodifferenttimeframes.

“This is thewizard’s secret: the spirit is never overshadowed by the form or the phenomenon. Thewizardknowsthattobetrulyalive,shemustdietothepastineverymoment.Tobealivenowistobedeadtothepast.Tobealivenowistohavelife-centred,present-momentawareness.Ifyouhaveyourattentiononwhatis,seeitsfullnessineverymoment,youwilldiscoverthedanceofthedivineineveryleaf,ineverypetal,ineverybladeofgrass,ineveryrainbow,ineveryrushingstream,ineverybreathofeverylivingbeing.”6

AnticipationThepast is a useful resource, an archive.Regular practice inmeditation seems to enhanceournaturalabilitytoleaveitthereanddrawonitwhenweneedto.Thatenablesustobemorepresenttowhatandwhereisrightnow.Itcanaccumulategraceandresponsiveness,whiledeepeningourlisteningfacultiesinwhicheversituationweare in.Can itpossiblyenhance thevitalityof theentire fascialmatrixas ifbylistening to it?Weactuallydonot think somuchbutactmorecongruently and intuitively, trusting theinnervoiceofintuitionmore.Inyogictermsthiswouldimplybalancebetweenthepranas.Inexperienceofteaching,itcantranslatetoakeenersenseofwhatishappeningintheclassroomandanappropriateandswiftabilitytoadjustandmanageagroup.Wegobeyondsimplygivinginstructionandbecomefreetoparticipateandhaveaccesstothisthirddomainofanticipation.Thisisessentiallytheintuitive“pre-sense”wearereferringto.Justasanyonewhocansigntheirname,accordingtoBettyEdwards,canlearntodraw,somighttheintuitiveabilityto“pre-sense”behonedasaskill.Thevitalexperienceofanticipation isoneofpre-empting thepotential futureasadeepeningof the

presence,occurringfromwithinit.Itmaybelessofanesotericnotionandmorewhatourfascialtissuesare doing anyway. It is the basis of adjustments when we become instinctive in our practice: subtleinterventions that can sometimes alleviate potential issues before they become a problem.We do notnecessarily need to think about them, yet we are very attentive and conscious aboutmaking accurate,subtle suggestions. It is awareness, from presence, in action; a kinaesthetic conversation wherein thetissuesspeakdirectlyandintuitivelytoeachotherintheirastutesensorylanguage.

“Intuitionisneithertheabilitytoengageprophecy,norameansofavoidingfinanciallossorpainfulrelationships.Itisactuallytheabilitytouseenergydatatomakedecisionsintheimmediatemoment.I

firmlybelievethatintuitiveorsymbolicsightisnotagiftbutaskill–askillbasedinself-esteem.”7

IntuitionCarolineMyss(thesourceofthequotationabove)referstothisdomainofintuitionasmovingataratesofastitlivesinourexperiencein“still-spin”.Myss,amedicalintuitivewhohasbeentestedundermedicalresearchparameters,claimsweallhavethesepowers.Aswedevelopourinstinctiveskillsofpresence,somethingbecomesavailableintherealmofteachingmovementandpractisingmanualtherapy. This “something” is not entirely answered in books on anatomy or psychology. It lives in the stories of what happens inpracticeandhowwe(andourstudents,clientsandcolleagues)experienceit.

“Intuition”isasubjectthatcanoftenbeassociatedwithasortofmysticalabilitytoreadintothefutureandseethingsforwhichthereislittleevidenceinthephysicalworld.However–andthisisimportantinunderstandingfascia–itisadifferentrateofknowingratherthannecessarilyaspecialknowledgegiftedonly to the chosen few.The fascialmatrix proprioceptively anticipates all the time. Far from needingspecialpowers,thesearespecialisationsofyourbody’spowersofrecognitionanddistinction.Yourbodybuildsup itsmovement repertoire in time. Itconstantlyanticipateswithsuchease thatyoudonoteventhinkabout it,unless thesenseofanticipation“makesamistake”. Inayogasequence, forexample, themovementsarecompletions(ofthepreviousmove)andpreparations(ofthenextinthesequence),allatthesametime.Thisproprioceptiveabilityoccursataconsiderablyfasterratethanthinking.Proprioception seems to embrace more subtle distinctions, that we can incorporate through the

sensitivity of our systems, crafting their art. Our art is yoga and it speaks to the value of practisingwhicheveraspectofitthatyouwishtoteachanddevelopinyourselfandyourstudents.Asyogateachers,weliveinthedomainofthebodymoving(assumingyoupractisewhatyouteach).

We become profoundly familiar with the nuances of form and subtle gesture. So much so that afterdecadeswedevelopacertainmasterythatallowsustointuitmoreeasily.Sincethefascialsystemisacommunicatingandsignallingnetwork,perhapswearehighlightingthemoresubtleandarticulateformsof that communication. Perhaps our tissues are “speaking directly” to someone else’s, livingmatrix tolivingmatrix,viaourabilitytosensebeyondthepurelyphysicalandmeasurable.Thisintuitionseemstoarriveinadvance,akindof“nous”;itistheintuitiverecognitionofapotential.

Itishasadifferentqualityto“knowing”.Itismerelyapossibility,a“lightbulbmoment”.Whenenoughofthesemomentsjoinup,thereisacertainilluminationthatseemstocomewithconfidenceorenhanceself-esteem.Onecanbegintotrustoneselftoknowtheaccuratethingtodoatthetime.

LearningfromTeachingTeachingtheposturesincludesfarmorethanlearningthem.Partofthetaskisorganisingthem,creatingclassplans,invitingstudents,beingontime,makingsureofthedetailsanddramasthatinevitablygoalongwiththeactualprocessofgettingyourselfinfrontoftheroom.Todothatwithparticipantstoteachis(inaway)anactof creation,ofgoing fromnothing to something.Aswebecomemoreagileandadeptatcreatingthestill,blankcanvas,soitseemswecanbecomemorecreativewiththeclasseswehavenottaughtyetandcraftingtheconfidencetore-createthem.Being present, while it starts with being able to reflect and meditate, goes way beyond your own

meditativepractice.Itincludestheparticipantsinsidethecircleyoucreatecalled“theyogaclass”.Youbecome a resource onmany levels, so a practice for yourself that enhances yourwell-being and your

calmnesssothatyouenjoyitseemsaninvaluabletool.Thisisaboutfeedingthesource:thesourceoflifeforce(Prana)andthesourcethatyouareinlife.Pranayamameansexpansionoflifeforce,whichmightalsobeassociatedwithexpandingoursenseof

happiness, community and relatedness. Yoga practice at this level works quite simply: a fewminuteseverydaysimplybeingwith(andawaketo)thatlifeforce(consciouslydoingnothing,essentially).Ifthefasciaisourtissueofrelatedness,ourinnermatrixconnectingourwholenesswiththepartsofusoneveryscale,thencanloadingstillnessandquietreflectionintoitshistory,accumulatecalm?Orevenvitality?(Asacounterbalancetomovement,thatis,notasareplacement!)

Pre-sensewithinPresenceThefastestwaytoaccesspresenceasasense is throughthebody.Askingaclassparticipanttofollowtheirbreath,ormakingasubtleadjustment,bringsthesensoryawarenessimmediatelyintopresenttime.Practisingthisenteringintopresenttimeislikejoiningupnumerousmomentsinrepetition.Joining up moments in repetition is essentially what we did in order to learn the yoga poses and

sequences. It ismuch the same process for learningmeditation and practising stillness.By connectingmanymomentsofpresentawareness,wecanjointhemupinmeditationandbecomestill,morereadily.Fromthisplace,wecancreateclassplans,bydesigningtheminadvanceontheblankcanvasofour

listening,ourpresence.Recreationis thebasisofhavingfun.This iswherewecreateandrecreate thepotential for enjoyment: the active en-joy-ment (ananda) of working congruently, inviting our classparticipantstodothesame.Thisissomethingmorethanwritingalistofposturesonthewaytoteachingaclass.Itisaconsciousactofcreatingafield,onethatcancontaintheideasof“rightdoingsandwrongdoings”andworkbeyondthem.Itcanmakeforsomefascinatingclassesandisaninterestingdomaintoteachfrom.Inthenextchapter,wewillconsidersomeclassplansfromthiscreativeplace.Webecometheintuitive

creativeforce,literallyandsymbolicallydrawingthecircleforotherstostandin.

Notes1. Ch.8,TheBhagavadGita,AVerseTranslation,byGeoffreyParrinder,Oneworld,London,1996.2. Robert Schleip signs his emails “fascianatedly yours”;AndryVleeming refers to people in the field as “Affascianados”, others prefer

“Fascianistas”.3. Linda d’Antal, www.treehousestudio.co.uk; Vinyasa Flow Yoga; Advanced Yoga Teacher, Head of Yoga Faculty at the Art of

ContemporaryYogaLtd.4. The first editionwaspublished in1979 and it is still in print.BettyEdwards,Drawingon theRight Sideof theBrain:ACourse in

EnhancingCreativityandArtisticConfidence,4thedition.NewYork:PenguinBooks,2012.5. TheMagdalenManuscript,byTomKenyonandJudiSion:www.tomkenyon.com.6. DeepakChopra,TheReturnofMerlin,CenturyLondon,London,1995.7. CarolineMyss,PhD,MedicalIntuitive.CarolineMyss,WhyPeopleDon’tHealAndHowTheyCan,BantamBooks,London,1998.For

furtherinformationseewww.myss.comorwikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_Myss

CHAPTER

20PostureMandalas

“Isawthateverything,allpathsIhadbeenfollowing,allstepsIhadtaken,wereleadingbacktoasinglepoint–namely,tothemid-point.Itbecameincreasinglyplaintomethatthemandalaisthecentre.Itistheexponentofallpaths.Itisthepathtothecentre,toindividuation.IknewthatinfindingthemandalaasanexpressionoftheselfIhadattained

whatwasformetheultimate.”1

C.G.Jung

AcircletosymboliseaFieldofGracewithinwhichtocreateaclass.2

Oncewehaveexperienced themeditationpracticeandbegun to tune in to theability tocreateablankpage,werecapitulatethesymboliccycleofcreativity.Thischapterisdesignedtosimplyconveythistoyou to animate for yourself. The idea behind the Posture Mandalas is primarily the preparation, inadvance,ofaGraceFieldinwhichtoteach.Itisalsoafieldfromwhichtoteachandintowhichyoucanwelcome your participants. It forms a kind of connective tissue framework for the relationships youchoosetopresentinrealtime,betweenpostures.Itisthefield:yourfieldtoworkfrominyourway.

TheCircleDrawing a circle is symbolic of an act of creation fromwhich the hidden geometries of life can all be found. The ancient yogisprofoundlyunderstoodtheseformsinnatureandincludedtheirresonanceinmanyaspectsofthedeeperyogicteachings.InChapter21wewillconsiderthechakrasandtherelationshipofthegeometriestheyrepresenttobiotensegrityandourfascialarchitecture.

Thisfieldissymbolisedintheactofdrawingthecircle(seedrawinginmargin).Thiscanbecomearitualin itself. It is just a quiet conversation between you and your own intuitive awareness, prepared inadvance.Thepairofcompassesareusedsymbolically.Onelegrepresentsthepositive,oractiveforce(Pingala) and the other leg represents the negative or passive force (Ida). The opening of the pair of

compasses forms a ray of light, the Sun (Pingala) and theMoon (Ida). The point represents stillnesswhilethepencilisthedynamicelement,describingthe“whole”.Whenyouremovethecompasspointitleavesthemarkinthecentre,inyogictermsthebindu.Itisthedot,anothertinycirclewithinthecircle,representingtheoneandtheallatthesametime(Fig.20.1).

Figure20.1

Thecirclecontains(encircles)theemptiness,the“no-thing”thatzerorepresents.Atthesametimeascontainingtheemptiness,withtheboundaryofthecircumferencethecirclealsorepresents“something”,emergentfromthedot,becomingtheline,tojoinandformintoacircle.Wewillseeinthenextchapterthatthesymbolof“one”istheMonad:acirclewithadotinit.Togetherthelineenclosingthespaceitcontainsformsthissymbolofthefieldthatcontainstheoppositesandpresentsthemasunited.Themandalais thenmadebymakinganothercirclearoundthefirstoneanddividingthecirclesinto

upperandlowerhalveshorizontally.Theoutercircleisdividedinto12equalsections,sixaboveandsixbelow(Fig20.2).

TheClassPlan

Figure20.2Abovethelinewillbetheposesandbelowthelinethecounter-poses.

The simple premise behind these Posture Mandalas is pose and counter-pose, with two poses perdirectionofmovement. Itmeans thataseriesofpostures inaclassassure that thefascialmatrixof thebody enjoys different ranges ofmotion, in forward andbackbending (flexion/extension), side bending(lateral flexion) and twists (rotation/counter-rotation). It is also versatile enough that these can bedesignedwithposturesofdifferentlevels.Inthecentreyouplacethekeyormainposeyouintendtoteach,withitscounter-poseunderneath.We

willusetheexampleofDogPose(AdhoMukhaSvanasana).Inthetopsixsegmentswewillchoosetwoposesthatemphasiseeachofthemovementdirections.Thenacorrespondingcounter-posewillbeplacedintheoppositesegmentofthelowerhalfofthecircle(Fig.20.3).

PresentingaBalancedClassThisformatinvitesaclassdesignthathonoursoverallequilibriumofthefascialbody.Itensuresthatthereisbalanceandvariabilityofforcesanddirectionsofmovementactivatedinalesson,throughthechoiceofpostures.This isacommonbasisofany teacher training,althoughprior toa fullerunderstandingofmyofascial anatomy in practice, priority is often given to the type of yoga rather than the type ofindividualsundertakingit.Thoseformsofyogathatarebiasedtoaparticularrepetitivesequence,emphasisingonedirection,can

buildstrengthandabilityatfirst.However,fromamyofascialpointofviewthiscaneventuallybecomearepetitive strain pattern if it is repeated over a period of time without suitable counterbalance. Bygraduallyintroducingacounterbalancingsequence,overasuitableperiod,thepracticecanbemodified.If it is interspersedwithallmovementdirections, insuchawaythat it isnaturallybalancingthe tissueloading, such strain canbe avoided.Balance and counterbalance, including the three directions, betterensuresvarietyandelasticintegritywithinthelevelorabilityoftheparticipantsorclassbeingtaught.

Figure20.3ThePostureMandala;thistypeofPostureMandalahasposesinthetophalfandcounter-posesinthelowerhalf.Itislikeavisualtableof

poses.Thisparticularoneisnotpresentedasasequence,butratheravisualteachingaid,toensurethatpostureschosenforasuggestedclassplanarebalancedoverall.Theelementsincludeforwardandbackbend,sidebendandtwisting;eachwithposeandcounter-pose.

Please note that a balanced practice includes all three “planes ofmovement” discussed in Chapter 7. Forward and back bendingmovementsarejustonedirection,acounterbalancetoeachother.Ihaveseenseveralcasesofindividualsdoingregularsessionsofthesamerepetitivesequenceof thesameyogaseries,biased towards forward folding(flexion)only, formonthsandevenyears.Theycannotunderstandthepaintheyexperiencedespitetheirconsistentpractice(“Idomypracticereligiouslyeveryday”).Theyassumetheirdisciplineand thedesignof theclasswillhelp them“because it’syoga”.Thebody isdesigned tomove inavarietyofplanes,however,and itsbasicblueprint includes forwardbendcounterbalancedbybackbend,sidebendcountered fromtheotherside,androtation(withoutforce)alsocounterbalancedfromaboveandbelow.Therearesubtleexpressionsofthesemainplanesofcourse,andyogainvariablylookstodoposturestoeachside.Restrictingthebodytohoursofheavilybiasedmovementsprioritisingonedirection(e.g.forwardbend–flexiononly)cananddoesaccumulateinthefascialtissuesasarepetitivestrainpattern.Abalancedpracticeisconsideredtoincludebalancebetweenthemainthreeplanes,withinappropriatestructurallimitsfortheindividual.

PostureMandalas

Primarilytheseareawayofplanningaclasslistinavisualformatthatcanbereadinstantly,atthespeedofaclass.Itoffersawellconsideredandrecognisabletemplateforyoutodevelop.Whatfollowsarethreesimpleexamplesofthistypeofmandala,ratherthanprescriptions(Figs20.4–

20.6). The idea is to adapt them for your own style of yoga. This format encourages you to base theposturesofagivenclassaroundanoptimaldesignfortensionalbalance.Asateachingtool,theysimplyallowacreativeclassplantobestructured,savedandbuiltintoaportfolioasyourexperienceandrangeofteachingdevelopsoraccumulates.Itisreallydesignedtoencouragecreativityandabalanceofasana,adaptedtoworkinaclass,aworkshoporoveraterm.Theyprovideinstantvisualorganisation,ratherthanalistinanotebook.The ideaof firstdrawingacircle isalsoaverypracticalwayofworkingwith thepostures (inany

order) to ensure a rounded, variable training programme per class, per term or per event. (It is scalefree!)Thepurposeofdoingtheseistocreateaclearandaccessiblewayto:

• designabalancedclass/lesson/personalpracticetooptimisefascialformoverall• ensurebalancebetweentheasanaschosenforeitherageneralgrouporanindividual• containathemethatcanbecarriedthroughforanindividualbysession,orseriesofsessions(suchasatermorcourseofwork)

• retainausefulat-a-glancerecordofclassplansandprogress• createacirclefromyourownintention,inadvance,liketheGraceFieldthatRumispeaksof(seetheopeningofCh.1).

These are three basic class plans (Fig.20.4, 20.5 and 20.6). The idea is themed around amain asana(pose)tobasetheclassupon,suchasDogPose(AdhoMukhaSvanasana).Inthisexample,(Fig.20.4)

Figure20.4

FaceUpDog(UrdhvaMuhkaSvanasana)andFaceDownDog(AdhoMukhaSvanasana)orCobraPose(Bhujangasana)couldbeused.Theyareplacedat thecentreof themandala,onedesignating themainposeandtheotherthemaincounter-pose.Theotherposeschosenareputinfortheirvalueincontributingto themainposeand findinga suitablebalance for the levelof theclass.The leadingsixposturesareplacedintheupperhalf,oneineachofthesixsegments,andtheirrespectivecounter-posesareplacedinthelowerhalf,intheiroppositesegment.HerethemainposesareaForwardBendandaBackBend,sotheotherposturesincludedaretwotwists,twomoreforward/backbendsandonesidebendingpose.Theaimistoproviderangeofmotionforthelimbs(notethedifferentarmpositionsandlegpositions)aswellasthespine.

Figure20.5

Beingcreativedoesnotnecessarilyrequirethatyourmandalashavetohaveperfectlydrawnfiguresinthem.Stickmen(Fig.20.5)andwordswilldo.Alltheexamplesaredesignedtodemonstratethisideaindifferentways.Mandalasdonothavetohave“goaloriented”posturesinthecentre.Inthisone,(Fig.20.6)thethemeis

oneofrestingthespine.Theclassplananimatesitinbalanceandontheground,whilethemainfeatureofthisclasswouldbethecomfortofrestandrestoration.ItcouldequallybedonebyswappingLordoftheDancetoeitherside,forexample,withtheproneandsupineposturesinthemaincentre.

Figure20.6

MandalaFlowsInaVinyasaFlow-basedclass,forexample,oranysequencingprogramme,theposturescanbepresentedaspartofaflowingsequence.Inthiscase,thesamemandalacanbeused–butthepostureswork“aroundtheclock”fromonetothenext(Fig.20.7).

Figure20.7Inaflowsequence,thenumberscanstartwhereyouchoose;itisamatterofpersonalpreference.Somepeoplepreferthenumberingto

followaclock.

Ifyouare teachingsequentialclasses,youmaychoose todesignonebiased toonemovementplane,counterbalanced by another whole mandala biased to a different movement plane. This is based oncommonsenseandtheideathatthebodyrespondswelltorangeandvarietyaswellasbeingtrainedbyrepetition.Asever,itisourtasktofindbalancebetweentheseaspectsoflearning.Itisforyouto“pitch”themandalastotheage,range,abilityandscopeofyourparticularpracticeandstyleofteaching.Theycanbeusedone-to-onetodevelopaparticularparticipant,orforaclassorgroup.A well-known example of a flowing mandala sequence is the Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar)

(Fig.20.8).PostureMandalasareanartformintheirownright.Theycanbedevelopedintoclassplans,workshop

plans and term plans (see www.aocy.org for more detailed examples). In the meantime, it is highlyrecommendedthatyoutakethetimetodrawthecircles,makeyourowntemplatesanddesignyourownclassmandalas.Apartfrombeingfun,theyareawonderfulresourceintheirownright.

Figure20.8Thissequencefollowsthenumberingofaclockface.SunSalutation(SuryaNamaskar)FlowMandala.

Themandalasaredesignedtobringyou“presentto”theclassyouintendtocreate,inadvanceofitbeingpresent-ed.Itoccursinthedomainofintuitivelisteningtothegroup,asanactofanticipationalpre-sense.Itcanfreeyoutobepresenttotheparticipantsaswellascreativeaboutwhatyouwillteachthem.Themandalascanbecomeaportfolioofyourcreativeideas.Thecirclesymbolisesthatactofcreation...

Notes1. C.G.Jung:TheRedBookofCarlJung:http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/red-book-of-carl-jung/the-red-book-and-beyond.html2. ImagebyMartinGordon(www.mothcreative.co.uk)

CHAPTER

21ArchetypalGeometries

“Unityalwayspreservestheidentityofallitencounters.Wemightsaythat‘one’waitsquietlywithineachformwithoutstirring,motionless,never

minglingyetsupportingall.TheMonadistheuniverse’scommondenominator.TheancientGnosticscalleditthe‘silenceforce.’The

universewascarvedofthisprimevalsilence.Everythingstrivesinonewayoranothertowardunity.”1

MichaelS.Schneider

Any number divided by ormultiplied by one, preserves its identity andwholeness. If we go back toconsideringancientwisdominthehistoryofanatomy(Ch.2),wecanviewitinaslightlydifferentlight.Whenitcomestounderstandingyogaatasymbolicandarchetypallevel,beyondtheposturesandgeneralpractices,wecanperhapsbegin to seehowyogaand fasciaprovide fascinatingpathways towards theunityeverythingstrivesfor.Thecommondenominatorofbothisthegeometryofform.Geometryhasprofoundsignificanceinthestudyofthefascialmatrix.Ifwecouldconsidergeometryas

akindofstructuralcodeofnature, itsuggests theformulaeofformingthatbiotensegrityisbeginningtoreveal.Asweexplorewediscover thateachnumberweuse(from0 to9)hasasymbolicroleandanarchetypalcharacter,aswellasitsmathematicalmeaning.2Itispossiblethattheancientsunderstoodmysteriesthatthestudyoffasciaisprovidingnewaccessto,

for long before yoga came to theWest, the patterns used to symbolise the chakras, for example,wereschematised in the architectural designs of sacred sites.3 While modern technology is supporting ourefforts to seenew things, itmay simplybeallowingus to explorenewways of seeing things, perhapsreunitinguswithmysteriesthatourancestorsunderstoodbeforetheadventoftechnology.(Indeedtheyareatthesourceofthemathematicaloriginsofthattechnology.)

BacktotheRenaissanceAlongsidetheotherdiscoveriesmadeatthetimeoftheRenaissanceinEuropecamethediscovery(forEuropeans)ofcivilisationstotheeastandwest,asChristopherColumbussetsailtoIndiaanddiscoveredtheAmericas. The first European to reach the Indian subcontinent wasVasco da Gama, a Portuguesesailor whose journey prescribed the first trading lines – the earliest “connective tissue” pathwaysbetween theEast andWest.Alongside the exotic spices and silks they found in the rich and colourful

marketsofIndia,daGamaandtheearlytravellerstoIndiabroughtbacktheconceptofzero.Foritwasinthesemarketsthattheancientsageshaddevisedthenumericsystemofsymbolsweusetoday(Fig.21.1).

Figure21.1TheSanskritnumerals.

Zero:EnteringNothingZeroinSanskrit:sunya-m“emptyplace,desert,naught”.

ThisconceptprovidednumericalrelationshipsinawaythathadnotbeenconsideredintheWest.Zeroasaconceptgaverise tonewpossibilitiesofunderstanding.This isexactlywhere theconceptofneutral,referredtothroughoutthiswork,resides.Theoppositescanbeunited,throughzero:plusandminusliveeithersideofit.Together,allthreepermitparadoxbutalsounitetogiveeachothertheirrelativemeaning.

Figure21.2Thedotinthedecimalsystemrecapitulatestheplacementeithersideofzero(i.e.showingwhetheritisanegativeorapositivenumber)by

showingifitisaso-calledwholenumberorafraction.Itisascaleablewholesystem.

“But thenext step, the truemiraclemoment, is to realize that that ‘symbol fornothing’ that you’reusing isnot justaplace-holder,butanactualnumber: that ‘empty’and ‘nothing’areone.Thenullnumberisasrealas‘5’and‘2,002’–that’swhenthedoorblowsopenandthelightblazesforthandnumberscomealive.Withoutthat,there’snomodernmathematics,noalgebra,nomodernscience.Andas far as we know, that has only happened once in human history, somewhere in India, in theintellectual flowering under the Gupta Dynasty, about the 6th century C.E. There was no ‘miraclemoment,’ofcourse.Itwasalong,slowprocess.”4

Figure21.3TheMonad.29

Negativeandpositivecanonlybeknownmathematicallyinthecontextoftheexistenceofzerobetweenthem(Fig.21.2).Plusoneandminusonearesobecausetheysiteithersideofthis“non-thing”:neitheronenortheother.Wecallit“nought”.Itwasconsideredtobe“naught”.Yogabeginsandendswiththecircle, the symbolofzerowhichat the same time representsoneness. It is an aspectof everykindof

practice.Thesymbolforzeroisacircle.Thesymbolfor“one”istheMonad(Fig.21.3).It isacircle,withadotatthecentre.ThewonderfulsayingsooftenheardinAsia,“same-samebutdifferent”,appliesperfectlyhere.Itisaconundrumthatyogaembraces;theoneandtheallultimatelybeing(becoming)thesame.

TheUnifyingPrincipleofZeroIntheRomansystemofnumerals,thenumberandthenumberofdigitshavetobetranslated,addedandsubtracted.Lettersstandfornumbersandtheplacementofaletter(orletters)beforeorafteranotherindicateswhetheritshouldbeaddedorsubtractedfromthemainnumber(letter).Thus,forexample,IV(4)isV(5)minusI(1)(5–1=4);VI(6)isV(5)plusI(1)(5+1=6).Inthesameway,IX is 9,XI is 11,XII is 12,XIII is 13, and soon.Onehas to count inorder to count.Additional letters are added as thenumbersincrease(Lis50,Cis100,Dis500,Mis1000).ThereisnozeroinRomannumerals.

DuringtheRenaissance,theseIndiansymbolscametoreplacetheRomannumeralsthatwereincommonusageatthetime.ThelogicoftheRomansystemwasnotaselegantandscaleableastheVedicnumerals.Itdidnotincludethesymbolortheconceptofzero.

“TheVedicmathematicianshaddevelopedthedecimalsystemoftens,hundreds,thousands,etc.wherethe remainder fromone columnof numbers is carried over to the next… it has been said that theintroductionofzero,orsunyaastheIndianscalledit,inanoperationalsenseasadefinitepartofanumbersystem,marksoneof themost importantdevelopments in theentirehistoryofmathematics.TheearliestpreservedexamplesofthenumbersystemwhichisstillinusetodayarefoundonseveralstonecolumnserectedinIndiabyKingAshokainabout250B.C.E.5Similar inscriptionsare found incaves near Poona (100 B.C.E.) and Nasik (200 C.E.)6These earliest Indian numerals appear in ascriptcalledbrahmi.”7

ItisapparentfromfurtherstudiesbyDavidOsborn,thewriterofthearticlequotedfromabove,thattheneed for numeric reference, the discovery of algebra and so on, developed in India from the culturehonouringitsspirituality,ratherthansimplystudyingmathematicallogicforitsownsake.Byfollowingthephasesof themoon, for example, or cycles innature, the sages could ensure appropriate timingofritualandriteinthecontextoftheirreligiousculture.Numbersformedpartoftheirdevotionalexpressionandpoetry.Theydidnot segregate that knowledge and applyone (mathematics) to theother (things tomeasure)as if thepracticeofmathematicswasseparate fromthecontextofnatureanddevotion toherforms.Itwasconsideredpartofthemeansbywhichthoseformsexpressthemselves–orwemightsay,bywhichNatureexpressesthem.Body,mindandspiritwerenotrelegatedtoseparatedomains;norweremathematics, physics and biology separated. The vision remained whole, seeking explanations ofdifferentiationsinscaleratherthanbetweenthecomponents.Theseancientsagesplacedtheboundariesinverydifferentways.

“After700C.E.anothernotation,calledby thenameIndiannumerals,which issaid tohaveevolvedfrom the brahmi numerals, assumed commonusage, spreading toArabia and from there around theworld. When Arabic numerals (the name they had then become known by) came into common usethroughout theArabianempire,whichextended fromIndia toSpain,Europeanscalled them ‘Arabicnotations,’ because they received them from theArabians.However, theArabians themselves calledthem ‘Indian figures’ (Al-Arqan-Al-Hindu) and mathematics itself was called ‘the Indian art’(hindisat).”8

Inalphanumericcorrespondencesadifferenceofoneisallowed.TheGreekword“Monad”addsupto361,symbolisingthenumberofdegrees inacircle.OneparticularSanskritverse10 has anumericvalueof0.31415926535897932384626433832792.That is p (pi),dividedby10,to32decimalplaces.Itisunlikelytobepurecoincidencethatpiisthenumberderivedfromdividingthecircumferenceofanycirclebyitsdiameter.Itisaninfinitenumber.ThepoemisaprayertotheDivine.

InIndiannumeralsonlytenfigureswererequiredinapatternbasedonnumericarchetypesthatrepeatthemselves in a decimal logic. These archetypes incorporate the universal basis of nature’s forms,presentedinallhergeometricmystery.Thedifferentnumericvaluesandgeometriesarefoundinflowers,plants,snowflakes,trees,growthpatterns,featuresandfacesoffish,animalsandhumans.Thepatternsofleaves, insects, atoms, molecular arrangements and planetary orbit patterns contain these archetypaldesigns.Spiralsandchirals,formsofwood,flowsofwaterandthestructureofcrystalsallpresentthevariationsonathemerepresentedbyeachofthedifferentnumbers.Everywherefromthecosmostothemicrocosmosandbackagain,theseshapesconformtotheformulaefoundinsymbolicmathematics.Thearchetypaloneandzero (1,0)broughtaboutwhatwecall thedecimal systemand thebinarysystemofcomputercodingthatmoderntechnologyisfoundedupon.

“To ancientmathematical philosophers, the circle symbolised the number one. They knew it as thesourceofallsubsequentshapes,thewombinwhichallgeometricpatternsdevelop.TheGreektermfortheprinciplesrepresentedbythecirclewasMonad,fromtherootmenien,‘tobestable’,andmonas,or‘Oneness’…theynotedthatunityexistsinallthingsyetremainsinapparent.”9

LiteralandSymbolicBeginningsThis principle is important to understand in order to appreciate themetaphysical aspects of yoga andrecognisehowthisnotionofunitygivesitsuchasignificantrelationshipwiththefascia,fromthemomentofourconception.Itlivesinthegeometryofourform,whichisthebasisofthebiotensegritymodel.Itisnocoincidencethatembryologically,webeginasoneconceptus,representedbytheMonad(Fig.21.3).The fascial matrix arises from the “middle layer” which emerges from within the one conceptus,symbolisedbythecircle(representingthesphere itisoriginally:containing thenucleus–bindu– thatsubdividestobecomeatinypartofeverypart;everysinglecell inourbodyderivesfromthisoriginal“Monad”).Theactual formingprinciplesof theembryo, fromamysticalpointofview,conform to theconceptzeroprovides.Itisrecapitulatedthroughoutthedevelopmentalprocess.Thezero,ornullpointofaxisinthreedimensions,iswherethenotochordisshown(seeCh.5andFig.5.10) incross-sectionatevery stage (Fig. 21.4). There are three states required for the two to exist, or know themselves asdistinct.Wecanonlydistinguishmusclesfrombonesbecauseof theconnecting tissuesdifferentiatingthem.Itisthecontextforbothofthem,yetitisneitherofthem,atthesametime.Thethirdaspectconnectsandunitestheothertwo,coexistingasonewholewhentheyarisetogetherintriuneharmony.Thesamecanbesaidofthemesoderm.Fromthissymbolicpointofview,itarisesfromthe“no-thing”betweentheupper and lower layers of the bilaminar embryonic disc growing away from each other: the spacebetweenthem.Mystically,itisnotalayer,ratherafieldof“middleness”,theessenceofwhichisthein-between,distinguishingandconnectingtheotherlayers(JaapvanderWal,torespectthat,referstoitas“theMeso”11). This is what Chapter 14 points to in considering adjustment as a moment of balancebetweentwoseparatekinespheres(practitionerandparticipant)joiningandcreatingonebalancedshape;itistriuneharmony.Theyconnectthe“no-thing”betweenthemandformonewhole,greaterthanthesum

of the parts. That is practitioner + participant = their combination. Biotensegrity offers the sameopportunitytounifytensionandcompressionintoathirdfacility,resultingfromtheircombination.

Figure21.4Thisisasketch,reflectingthesymbolicmathematicalarrangement,deeptothegeometryofembryonicforming.ItistakenfromFigure5.10,

showingtheembryologicalannotationrepresentedhereintheupper(ectodermal)layer,thelower(endodermal)layerandthemiddle(mesodermal)layer.Thatmiddlelayerthensubdividesthreetimeseithersideofthe“nullpoint”orcentralaxis,notochord,whichprescribesthe

neuraltubeaboveit.

ArchetypalNumberingSanskritwasthe“higherform”oftheVediclanguageofIndia.

“AlthoughVedicmathematiciansareknownprimarilyfortheircomputationalgeniusinarithmeticandalgebra, the basis and inspiration for the whole of Indian mathematics is geometry. Evidence ofgeometricaldrawinginstrumentsfromasearlyas2500B.C.E.hasbeenfoundintheIndusValley.12Thebeginnings of algebra can be traced to the constructional geometry of theVedic priests,which arepreservedintheShulbaSutras.”13

Figure21.5TheDyad.Therearenowthreeshapes:one,anotherasareflectionofitselfandtheMandorla(almondshape)betweenthem.29

Inhisexcellentbookon thearchetypesofnumbers,MichaelSchneiderelaborateson thesymbolicandarchetypalsignificanceofnumbersineveryaspectofourlives.14Hereferstonumbersandshapesastheuniversallanguageofnatureandart.One(theMonad) (Fig.21.3)andTwo(theDyad) (Fig.21.5)areconsidered tobe theparentsofall

numbers. Three (the Triad) unifies them and is their first offspring, the eldest of the subsequent sixnumeric “siblings” that, between them, give rise to the many. The Triad also brings us to “triuneharmony”,athemecommontomanydeitiesandreligiouscultures(seebelowandFig.21.8).Fourtakesusfromareatovolume:“threepointsdefineaflatsurface,butittakesafourthtodefine

depth”. The tetrahedron is a volume in space (one of the Platonic Volumes or Solids) that has fouridenticalsides.Itprovidesthefouraspectsoftriangulationthatallowustomakebiotensegritymasts.

TogettoFive,“beyondtheMonad’spoint, theDyad’s line, theTriad’ssurfaceandTetrad’s three-dimensionalvolume”,thePentadrepresents“theintroductionoflifeitself”.15ThisshapecompletesthesetoftheFivePlatonicSolids(Fig.21.6),alldrawingsofwhicharederivedfromtheoriginalMonad.Theirgeometriesaredeeptothestudyofmotion,whentensegritystructuresarebeingdesigned.

Figure21.6ThefivePlatonicSolids.29

There are an infinite number of irregular polyhedrons in nature, beautifully depicted, for example, in Jean-Claude Guimberteau’s“polyhedralchaos”ofthepatternontheskin(seebelow)andthepatternsofthefasciaundertheskin(seebelow),seenthroughanendoscopiclens.Thereare,however,onlyfiveregularpolyhedrons,knowncollectivelyastheFivePlatonicSolidsorVolumes.Otherscanbederivedfromthese.Theseformthefoundationofquestionsbeingexploredthroughbiotensegrityarchitecture,althoughitisnotlimitedtothem.

Theimagesareinspiredbythepatternsoftheskinaboveandthefasciaundertheskin;©VictoriaDokas(www.ariadne-creative.com).

Representing 2× 3, theHexad holds the secrets of structure, function and order in the shape of thehexagon,whichwesawinChapter3asthebasicshapeoftheendomysium.Doubletriuneharmonygivesthese three assets to the archetype of “six-ness”. The hexagonal shape interlocks exactly and so hasstability such as is seen in a honeycomb, for example (which is formed by the bees’ bodies movingthroughit).Thisisatessellatedpattern(wherethesidesofeachshapefiteachother).Theendomysiumisatthemicroscopiclevelofclosefittingstructureswithinthebody:thecloselyorganisedfibrilsandfibresof themusclebodieswithin theirmyofascialmatrix.Formsorganise in thesepatternsandaccording toStephenLevin,accountfortheorganisationofourinternalworldofcolloidsandemulsions.Thearchetypeofseven,welearn,isaparticularnumberthatdoesnotfitwithitssiblings.Itcanonly

beapproximatedwiththegeometer’stools(ofapencilandapairofcompasses).Familiarasthenumberofnotes inascaleanddays in theweek, theSeventhDayisfamousasoneofrest–differentfromtheothers. It has unique numeric properties. The ancient philosophers considered there to be only sevennumbers,sinceone,twoandtenwerethesource,orresult,oftheothers.Assuch,ithasauniqueplaceinthe system: “Seven represents a complete yet ongoing process, a periodic rhythm of internalrelationships”:16

“useacalculatortodividethe360degreesbyeachofthevaluesonethroughten.Whileeveryoneoftheten,exceptseven,divides360withoutremainder,onlytheseven-sidedpolygonpresentsanendlessdecimalandanunmeasurable,elusiveanglefromitscentertoitscorners.”17

Coulditbethatpartofthedifficultyinreducingbiomechanicsdowntothepropertiesofthemoreregulargeometricpatterns,isthatsomeofthemdonotfit?Doesthatquestionbiotensegrity,orthelogicthroughwhichweseektoexploreit,toexplainourstructure?Eight(fromtheSanskrito-cata-srahmeaning“twicefour”)givesustheOctad,whichisaboutpolarity

and pulsing cycles (see Ch. 15). The number itself reveals its cyclic nature; it is represented as theMöbius:thecontinuousnatureofthebirth–life–death–birthcycleinherenttoyogicphilosophy.“Composedof three trinities (9=3×3), thenumberninerepresents theprinciplesof thesacred

Triadtakentotheirutmostexpression”.18Suchpatternsasthemagicsquare(Fig.21.7)helplendNineitsmysticalsenseofcompletionthatis,thesymbolofnewbeginnings.Itgivesrisetopatternsuniqueuntoitself.

Figure21.7Inamagicsquarealllinesanddiagonalsaddupto15inalldirections;eachsquarewithinthesquarecontainingauniquedigit.Nine,inSanskritisnava,andwaspartoftheglyphsforthesunriseandthenewmoon,representinganewcycle.ThereafteristheOneandtheZerocreating

thenextwholecycleinadecimalnumericsystem.

SteppingintoTenrepresentsarecapitulationofthewhole.Itholdswithinitselftheparentsofnumbers(zero,one,andisthefirsthavingtwodigits)andtheirsevenchildren(threethoughnine).Expressingthepropertiesofallnumbers,Ten representsawholegreater than thesumof itsparts,beyond thenumberitself.Oneof thedifficulties inreconcilingsymbolicmathematics, is that thefirst threedigitsarezero,one

andtwo(notone,twoandthree).Oneandtwoareconsideredtobetheparentsofsubsequentnumbers,sothreeisthefirstborn(andthefourthdigit).Symbolically,everythingiscontainedbythewholenessofthenextlevelintheholarchy.19

FromCirclesEverytimewedrawacircle,weinvitethesearchetypalpatternsintoourawareness.Itisaninvocationofcreating wholeness. In itself the action of drawing the circle contains the balance of opposites: thestillnessofthepoint(thebindu)andthedynamicmovementofthepencildrawingthecircumference.Thatfirstcircle iswholeandcomplete;however, inorder to“see”or“know” itself, ithas tocreate“otherthan”itself.Inordertocreateasecondcircle,wekeepthecompassesexactlyastheywere,topreservetheexact

radiusandreversehowweholdthem.Byplacingthepoint(stillness)ofthecompassanywhereuponthe(dynamic)circumferenceofthefirstcircle,withoutchangingtheradius,wereversethepositionsofthetwolegsanddrawanexactreflection(Fig.21.8).InyogathisistheillusionofMaya.Thissymbolisesthereflection that can only be formed accurately in the presence of itself. (Mirror images are alwaysreversed.)Itscircumferencepassesthroughthecentrepoint(bindu)ofthefirstone.Thusthefirstcircle

has been precisely imitated; it forms the imitation, the illusion of “other” as amirror image of itself.However,thisistoprovidethecoordinatesforthree:thetriuneharmonythetwogivebirthtoorcausetoarise.

Figure21.8Fromthebirthoftheline,thisconstructsthetriangle,whichsymbolisesareaorsurface.29

Everybiotensegritymodelrepresentsaclose-packingarrangementofsphericalshapes.The“joints”representthecentrepointsoftheoverlappingspheres.Imagineacrateoforanges;ifyousomehowphotographedittransparentlyandturneditintoa2-Ddiagram,youwouldgetoverlappingcircles.Theycanclosepacksuch thateach layersits in thegapsof the layerbeneath.Or theycanpackbysittingoneontopof theother,dependingontheboundariescontainingthem.Ifyoudrewlinesfromcentrepoint tocentrepointandthen“disappeared”theoranges;youwouldhaveageometricaldrawingmodelledbyonekindofbiotensegritymast.Ourcellsaresoftbiologicalversionsof thesemoment-by-moment,movement-by-movementgeometries-in-motion.Theyalso contain the fluid flows inwhich they reside. The fascia forms the substrate in which the close-packing arrangements are organised and organise thesetransitions. It is profoundly interrelated.Weorganise in nonlinearways,motioning through combinations of these various subtle andconstantlychanginggeometricpatterns.Eachshiftintheclose-packingarrangementrepresentswhatiscalleda“phasetransition”.Ithas far reaching geometrical significance on every scale of our inner and outerworlds.That is the structure of our chemistry, ourbiologyandourmovementmathematics.Itisthestructureofourstructureanditsimplicationsarebothuniversalandancient,eveniftheyappearnewtous,nowthatweareseeingthisfabricofthe“in-between”.

The two circles form an opening between them: the possibility of a third entity. It gives birth,geometrically, to the (coordinatesof the) lineandprovides thepathway,oraccess, to the thirdaspect.(These are precisely symbolic of the forming principles of the layers in the embryonic process ofgastrulation.)The ectoderm and the endodermmove away fromeach other as the space between thembecomesthethirdlayer.Itemergesfromthem.Thethirdshapethatthetwocirclescreate,sometimescalledtheVesicaPiscis(pronouncedPie-Sis),is

fundamental in many shapes of our physical forms (mouth, eyes, etc.) It is the “almond-shape” orMandorla.ThispatternofcirclesrepeatedisthebasisoftheFlowerofLifesymbol(Fig.21.9),withinwhichcanbefoundtheTreeofLife(Fig.21.10),whichhasprofoundsignificanceforourform.Itmapsthegeometriesfromwhichweareformed;theclose-packingarrangementsofourcells.Originallythesearetheorganisationoftheearliestdivisionsoftheconceptusthatrepresenttheblastocyst(seeCh.5).

Figure21.9FlowerofLife.29

Figure21.10TreeofLifesymbolintheKabbalah.Manydifferenttraditionsandancienttheologiescontainedandpresentedknowledgeinthesegeometries

throughartandsymbols.29

In Sacred Geometry the Flower of Life, originating in Ancient Egypt,20 denotes the containment of all geometries, arising fromrepeatedoverlappingcirclesof thesamesize.TheSeedofLife(in twodimensions)and theEggofLife (in threedimensions) (Fig.21.11)aretheformsrepresentingthepre-embryonicstageofcleavage,atthethirddivision,inthehumanembryo.Theyarealsothebasisofclose-packingarrangementsofourcellsinmicroscopicorganisationofthesofttissues.21

These geometries all have deep significance in various theologies. They are fundamental to thearchitectureoftheearliestcathedralsandsacredsites.Theyarefundamentaltothepatternsofhoweverycell in our body is “close packed”. They are fundamental to the Golden Ratio, or Divine Proportionwhichallbodiesnaturallymanifestandconformto,intermsofshapeandstructure.Wearetheprinciplesofnature’sclose-packinggeometries,walkingaround.Oncewehavedrawntwocircles,identicaltoeachother,wecanjointhepointsandformacross.From

therewehavethecoordinatestocreatesurface(Fig.21.12).

Figure21.11Theflower,theseedandtheeggoflife.29

Figure21.12Fromthebirthoftheline,thisconstructsthetriangle,whichsymbolisesareaorsurface.29

Figure21.13Trianglesjoinedformthetetrahedron.29

When the two lines are drawn, they provide the possibility of opposite directions. However, theycoexist,arisingfromthesamesituationoropening(theVesicaPiscisrepresentingaportal).Symbolicallythisisthedomainofparadox,thegatewaytothenextlevel.Thesesymbolicpolarities,representedbythetwolines,inviteustounitethembyappreciatingtheirdifferences.Verticalandhorizontalcanbewoventogetherasif theyaredifferentthings,suchaswarpandweft.Whenthesetwoaspectsbecomeunified,theycombinetoformmaterialandsurface.Theircombination,workingtogetherasopposites,permitsthepossibilityofsomethingfarbeyondthesumoftheirparts.Weaving,accordingtoKennethSnelson,isthemotheroftensegrity.22Thuswesecuretwo-dimensionalityfromwhichtoexplorethree;byjoiningthreeflattriangles,afourtharisesfromthespacetheyleavecontained(Fig.21.13).(Notethatthisgivesrisetoafour-sidedshape;eachnumbercontains thepotential for thenextandisheldwithin it;siblings in thefamilyarisingfromtheoriginalparentnumbers.)

Figure21.14Threeoverlappingcirclesreunitetocreatetriunity.Eachcanknowitselfandbeconsciousofothers.29

The archetype of the parent numbers, one and two, gives birth to the third form, considered to re-

establishtheharmonyofunity.Combined,twoproducesthree,theessenceofcreation.Thethirdformcanthenunitethetwo.Aswedrawthethirdcircle,eachindividualhasaccesstoareflectionofthemselves.Between them, acting together they can create “three-ness” and transcend the illusion of Maya(separateness or duality). This is known as TriuneHarmony or Triunity (Fig. 21.14). There aremanyliteralexamplesinourbodies,suchasthetriplehelixofthecollagenfibres.Thisarchetypalthree-nessisthebasisofthefieldRumirefersto“outbeyondideasofrightdoingsandwrongdoings”.Inotherwords,theduality isunitedand transcendedby the fieldcontainingboth; theharmony inwhich theyenter fourdimensions.Triunity is very familiar as a significant concept frommany religions, for example a tripledeity, or

triplefunctionofadeity.Inthiscontextitisrepresentativeofthreelevelsofawarenessthatallowustoexperienceunity.Atthislevel,mathematicsandmythologyaresymbolicandmeaningful.Everynumberhasitsowninnategeometriesandtheyallhavecorrelatesinourenergymatrix,whichwewillseethroughthe“windows”ofthechakrasasweexaminetheirarchetypalgeometries,below.

ExpandingAwarenessThisgeometryissymbolicofourapproachtomeditation.Itisapartofthepurpose.Wesit,literallyinreflection,allowingtheillusionofdualitytodissolveaswelearntoobserveourselveswitnessingfromtheplaceof thewitness.We sit still and quietwhile the things concerning us, the considerations andjudgmentsandopinions,goodandbad,valuableandcostly,rightandwrong,canbethewaytheyare.Wesimplyobservethemcoexistinginthecircleofsilencewecreate.Fromthat(third)placeofobservationwebecomeunitedwithouroriginalbeing.Itisalwayspresent.Wearisefromit,orweself-assembleit.Someditation can be seen as away of temporarily returning to, or remembering the source. It is notcomplex.Itisalreadylistening.Wereflect,inordertomovethroughsomethingalreadydeepwithinus,tothe“silenceforce”:theOne.CarolineMyssdescribesthemindas“aninadequatetool”inthisdomainofawareness.23That does notmean it cannot participate or learn. It justmeans the logicmight require acertainexpansionbeyondthelimitsofitsusualreasoning,toonethatcancontainthatreasoning.

Thefasciabeginsasadot(fibroblast)whichexudesathread(spiral)whichuniteswithtwootherthreadstobecomeacollagenfibril(line). These three can then weave themselves (in complementary directions) into fabric (surface) and form shapes (volume) inbiotensegral organisation. It getsmore complex and detailed but if every number is seen as an archetypal possibility of geometricforms,ateveryonethereisacorrelatedaspectofthefascia.

It is in our ability to draw a circle around ourselves or around others, to create the opportunity ofcommunity.Evenartandsciencemeethere,inthespiralforms,theshapesofsoundwaves,lightwavesandwhatMae-WanHo24calls“quantumcoherence”,whichisascientificexpressionforwholeness.Fascia, for its wholeness and active unifying, represents our unity. Symbolically it embellishes the

purpose of yoga, allowing our anatomy to make sense to us on every level: literal, symbolic anduniversal.Byworkingwiththechakrasassymbolsofeachlevelofourawarenessatevermorerefinedfrequencies,wecanevolvethebeingandthewayitcontainsthebodyandmind.Geometry could be considered the language of form, spoken in shapes and profoundly organised

relationships. Fascia is our Organ of Form. It expresses itself through geometry – as geometry isfundamental to its every formation. Therein lies the segue that biotensegrity seeks to model in threedimensions.Theybecomefour-dimensionalifyouaddthetimeelementthatthesemomentsofmovementsarecapturedin.

Wecanonlyexaminethemasmodelscaughtinsuspendedanimation.Wemightnotbeabletoexplaintheminliteralmathematics,anymorethanwecanreasonthemintosubmissionwithintellectuallogic.

ArchetypalGeometriesoftheChakras“though we are discussing the subtle body, nadis, samskaras, chakras and the like, as if they areconcretethings,wemustalwaysbemindfulofthefactthatthisistheresultofourlanguageandnottheirsubtle,symbolic truenature.Nomatterhowbeautifulorseeminglycompleteadescriptionyoumay find in any ancient or modern text, it will always be incomplete … the seeker must alwaysmaintain the finest levels of discrimination to properly understand the boundaries betweendomains.”25

This, in away, returnsus towherewe started.Fascia seems tobe about the studyof the “boundariesbetween domains”: literally, symbolically and archetypally. In Chapter 2 we suggested that thekinaestheticrealmwaslostsightofinearlyWesternscientificreasoning.IntheEast,thesensoryaspectofthekinaestheticwasleftintact,ifonlybecausetherewasnodefiniteseparationofmind,bodyandbeingastherewasintheWest.Theyweredistinguishedbuttheywerenotdissectedortreatedasbeinganythingotherthanwholepartsoftheonewholebeing.

Figure21.15Thenadis(meaningcurrent,orflowasinWindCurrent)aresaidtobevisibletosomeonewithpsychicvision.TheBiharSchooldescribes

themas“blueprintsforphysicalmanifestation”.Theyareconsideredtobeeverywhereinthebody(72,000inthepsychicbody).

The ancient yogic historymay not have engaged in the anatomical journey of discovery ofWesternscience, examining the finest details of separate muscles or individual cell tissues in human bodies.However, it did study and describe the most sophisticated detail of the patterns in nature that were

commontocelestialbodies,humanbodiesandthebodiesofmanylivingphenomenaandhowtheyrelateinacontinuum.InmanyEasterncultures,thehistorybehindyogaisadifferentkindofstorytothatoftheWesternstudyofhumanbeingsandhumanbodies. Ithas included theaspectof thesubtle energybodywhich is understood in yogic philosophy to form channels, or threads, throughwhich the pranic (life)forcesflow.TheseflowingcurrentsarebroughtintobalancebythepracticeofPawanMuktasana(seeCh.17).Itis

designedto“freetheinnerwinds”,meaningtheflowsthroughthesemainsubtleenergypathways.Theyarecallednadis(floworcurrent)andcanberelatedtonervecurrentsorenergyflows,justaswewouldrefertowindcurrentsandelectricalcurrents,meaningexactlythat;energyflows.Thethreemostsignificantofthesenadis,themainonescentringaroundthespine,areIda,Pingalaand

Shushumna,spirallingalongthelengthofthespinalaxis(echoingthetriplehelicalpatternofthefasciainCh.10)(Fig.21.15).Closelyrelatedtothecrossingpointsofthesesubtleenergychannels(ornadis),islocatedachakra(meaningwheelorcircle). Ifwethinkin termsofcurrents, theneachchakramightbeunderstood as a whirlpool or vortex of pranic energy. They are considered to be like an energeticinterface,ordatabank,betweenthelifeforceandthesubtlebodyanimatingusandmanagingtheflowofthat force. Each chakra is considered to represent what we would call a “psychosomatic” (literallymeaning soul-in-the-body) aspect of us and has a particular set of characteristics and a Sanskrit name(Table21.1).Italsorepresentsageometricpattern;asymbolicqualityportrayedinmanysubtlewaysinthelettersused,thesoundsmadebyintoningthemandthecoordinateseachchakrarepresentsinthebody.Sanskrit,thehigherformoftheVediclanguage,isknownasa“languageintheWisdomTradition”.In

this extremely sophisticated means of expression, each letter in each name has a numeric value, likeancient Greek and Hebrew (known as alphanumeric correspondences). Those correspondences areresonance fields; they represent farmore subtlemeanings than their spelling appears to denote. Theirsoundshavespecificmusicalconnotationsandtheyunitemanyaspectsofourlivesthatwemightconsiderseparate.

Table21.1

Theuseofspecificsoundsofwordstodescribepostures–andmantrastouseinmeditation–wasnotarbitrary. They denote forms and particular ways in which the sound waves resonate with certaingeometric patterns or subtle energies. As we have mentioned, even the numeric values of the versesthroughwhichtheteachingswerepresentedholdsignificantshapes, justas theenergypatternofa lightwaveorasoundwave(oraheelstrikepulse;seeCh.7andtheworkofSergeGracovetsky)resonates.Indeedwhenwebegintolookalittlecloseratthesymbolassociatedwitheachofthechakras,itrevealsitsgeometry.Eachchakrarepresentsaparticulargeometryandgeometricconfigurationandplaceinthebody(Fig.

21.16). Once we begin to explore the hidden geometry of all life, we discover that the chakrasincorporatespecificaspectsofit;thenumbers,letters,soundsandimagespresentingthemallcorrespondand the mysteries of the energy system are encoded by that geometry. The patterns on our skin, thepolyhedralchaosof thefascialmatrixseenunderendoscopicmagnification–alladhere to the lawsofGaiaMater.Geometrynames the fieldofknowledge thatdealswith spatial relationships (Greek:geo,meaningearthandmetria,meaningmeasure).GaiaistheGreekEarthGoddessandtheoriginofthewordmetria is shared withmater (mother). The word “geometry” incorporates the symbolic meaning themeasureofMotherEarth.

Figure21.16Thechakrasystem.

Wearejustbeginningtounderstandthegeometryofourstructure,throughlearningaboutbiotensegrityarchitectures.Thehiddengeometryineveryformweknowisfoundonvariouslevelsandinallnaturalforms,beit thechemicalstructureofanelement, thecrystallineformofinertrocks, theorganisationofpetals and leaves on a flower or weed, the dimensions of a snow flake or the structure in fluidarrangementsofeverythingfromwatertochocolate.

ChakrasasLevelsorFrequenciesIn ancient India, each letter/number had a resonance field, so each chakra had a series of subtleannotations including its specific name, an image (yantra, meaning sacred journey, represented by amandala) and a sound (mantra,meaning sacred sound, represented by aSanskrit term, designed to bechanted).Each termalsohasnumericvalue indicatinga specific typeofgeometryassociatedwith thatvalue.This geometrygave rise to theparticular forms and shapes assigned to the chakra. Indeed, theyeach have a corresponding symbol and colour. Bearing in mind the exquisite precision of thismetaphysical annotation, thewholeness of each chakra is embodied in the repeated image of the lotusflower.Thenumberofpetalsateachlevelhassignificantlinkswiththe“bijamantras”(seedsounds)oftheSanskritalphabet.Liketherulesofbiotensegrity,nothingisredundantandeachpartisself-containedyetremainsan intimatepartof thewhole.Thedetail is traceableateveryscaleandit isuniversalandintimateat the same time.Besides theyantraand themantra, themovements (tantra)were thephysicalmanifestationsofthosereferencesinthebody.Regardlessofwhatwehavecometomakethemmean,theywereoriginallydesignedasatriuneharmony.At a literal level this is the gross and the subtle, the form and the formless: visible and invisible

aspectsthatunite.Whentheyareinbalance,athirdstatearises,whichwearereferringtoasneutral(as

we have throughout this book). In yogic wisdom this third aspect is symbolised in Shushumna: thespontaneousreleaseofenergyflowingthroughadistinctenergychannel.Thisisthoughttobeatthespinalcord,possiblyrelatingtotheoriginalaxisdefinedbythenotochordintheembryonicstructure.Shushumna is considered to arise spontaneously as an expression of unity between the other two

principal forces. Thus, together, they can be referred to as “tri-unity” or “triune wholeness”. Idarepresents theMoon (negative, passive) and Pingala represents the Sun (positive, active). Shushumnarepresentsthe“zero”,the“non-thing”betweenthemthat,intriuneharmony,allowsthemalltobe.Wecouldconsiderthatalocationofthechakraonthespineisits“apparent”manifestation.Theenergy

of that centre, or its frequency, is inapparent. Together, however, the chakras themselves provide thetransparency: the thirdunitingaspect thatallowsusaparticularview tosee through, that iscongruentwithitscolour,soundandsymbolism.Italsoincorporatesitssubtlerelationshipstotheotherchakras.

OpposingDirectionsThewhole subtle energy system of the bodywas thought to includemore andmore subtle or refinedfrequencies working up the spine, from the first base or Root Chakra (Mooladhara) to the Crown(Sahasrara),upwardtotheenergycentrebeyondit.Intheotherdirection,workingdownthespine,energybecomesmore dense and is considered tomaterialise andmanifest from the collective consciousness(above)totheindividual(downwardthroughtotheearth).DivineInspirationissaidtomovedownfromthe crown and is then “made real” in the community in themetaphorical sense of “giving birth” to anemergingidea,onceithassufficientgravitastobemanifest.26Throughout this book we have alluded to the unity arising from a third state; the combination of

apparentlyparadoxicalideascreatingathirdaspectoncetheycanbecombined.Theabilitytomovetheenergyupanddownthebodyisrealisedasthefreeflowoftheinnerwinds,orcurrents(seeChs15and17).Polaritiesbecomepairedattributeswhentheirsumisunited.Movingenergyupanddownthebodyallowsforcirculatorypathwaystoremainfreeandflowing.Thisispartofthephysicalandmeditationalpractices of yoga.Thedirections, or symbolic polarities, unite to becomea realm, or field, of neutralpossibilitycombiningallpossibilities.Thenotionthatweworkupfromthegroundandbackdowntoitisrecapitulatedinallyogicpractices.

This is in the physical act of balancing in the postures, upright and inverted. In meditation, it is tocounterbalancemovementitself.Ifeverydaylifeismainlyaboutouroutwardfocusandevolutionofourabilities,thenmeditationcouldbeframedasouropportunitytofocusinwardlyfortheinvolutionofourpotentials.Wefosterbalanceandcounterbalanceoneverylevel,byincorporatingboth.

Inmeditation we sometimes begin by focusing on a dot: the centre (or bindu) of the circle. If, forexample, that dot is visualised as a stone dropping into a pool of still water, it ripples outward inconcentricrings.Thestonerepresentsourfocusedattentionandtheseringssymbolisethelargercirclesofourexpandedawareness.Welearn togenerate the“witness” inorder toseeourselvesseeing thestoneand the circles. We explore our own triune harmony through participating in witnessing ourselveswitnessing.Anexampleofthechakrasystem,representingthedifferentlevelsofawareness,isfoundinrecognising

thedifferentwaysweconsiderwhatispersonal.Figure21.17representsaperson.Wecouldsaythatthelevels of the chakras as an energy system reflect different aspects of being a person at each level.Workingupfromtherootchakrainthisexample(presentedinreverseorder):(SeeTable21.2above).

Figure21.17Thechakrasarepresentedhereinrelationshiptothedermatomes–apurelyspeculativecorrelateonthepartoftheauthor.Thebindu(see

Fig.21.16),shownhereonbackview,isnotincludedinthemainchakrasinsomereferences,asitisintheBiharSchoolofYoga.Thisisofferedasawayofconsideringthechakrasinacontemporarycontext.

SymbolsoftheChakrasInthesystemofthechakras,thesenumericarchetypesaresymbolisedbylevelsinthebodyinrelationtothespine.They furthercorrelate tospecific levelsofawarenesson the journeyof theself towardsso-called enlightenment. That is, the journey from the first chakra (earth) to the highest chakra (heaven)symbolisesajourneyfromdenser,earthlylevelsthroughthecolourspectrum,themusicalscalesandtheirrelatednumericarchetypes,tothelight(fullspectrum)beyondthecrown.InSacredContracts,CarolineMyss27suggeststhatourindividualpowerisexpressedintheabilitytobringanideaorinspirationbackdown through these distinct levels of awareness into manifestation, formed in a particular shape thatconformstoeverydaylifeandcanbebirthedintoit.Thecyclebeginsagain,oneverylevelandineveryaspect.Perhapseverytimeweteachaclass,weareinfact“givingbirthto”anidea.Webringitdownfrominspirationtomanifestationthroughaprocessoftransformation.Thenwegiveitaway,tohavealifeofitsowninthecommunity.Thus thesegeometriescanbeconsidered toexpressdifferentqualities found inour form,correlated

directly to our physical well-being and our metaphysical way of being. They relate to the geometryassociatedwitheachnumber.Theyunitetheprinciplesofenergyinmotion,thevibrationsofsoundwavesandlightwavesandthegeometriesofnature’sforms.Theyarenotliteral,dissectiblestructures,anymorethanthoughtsoremotionsare.Sanskrit,aswehavenoted,wasalanguageintheWisdomTradition.Itwasthe refinement of sounds, expressed by priests, versed in its nuances and very precise expressions ofsubtle feelings, qualities andmetaphysical states. It took lifetimes to learn, experience and teach thiswork.The flowingof thesesubtleenergieswasconsideredparamount to theability tobeateasewith

one’sself(asdistinctfromdis-eased).Theideaisfarfromnewbutitmightbemademoreaccessiblebyrestoringthesenseofunitybetweenbody,mindandbeing,andunderstandingthematrixbetweenthem.Perhapsunderstandingthefasciawillunitenotonlythedifferentaspectsofscience,suchaspsychology

andphysiology,affectedbytheparadigmshift it iscausing,butalsotheriftbetweenscienceandart.Itinvitesapathway–orperhapsaconnectivetissuenetwork–betweenmathematicsandmusic,movementandform,anatomyandyoga.(Wemightheartheechoof“firmitas,utilitas,venustas”fromVitruviusinCh.2.)

HiddenGeometry“Thebeautyexpressedbyaflower’shiddengeometryisasnecessarytotheworldasitsreproductivefunctionistotheplant.Howfascinating,though,thattheirbeautyiscommunicatednotbytheplant,butbyus.Itiswewhorespondtoitsbeauty.Itishumanitythathasalwaysembeddedthisgeometryinthe world’s greatest works of sacred art and architecture, simply because we resonate with thesehiddenpatterns.We,too,aremadeupofthemand,thus,wecontaintheuniversethatcontainsus.Or,asthetraditionalphilosophyforwhichKeithspeakswouldphraseit,weareeachamicrocosmofthemacrocosm.”28

Theworld that contains us and theworld thatwe contain expresses the idea of themicrocosm in themacrocosm. Understanding the fascia from a view ofmultiplying up to connect and unite, rather thancuttingaparttodissectanddivide,isaninvitationtowardsrecognisingtheexperienceofunifying,aswesaid at the beginning. That is, unifyingmindwith body and being, not just unifying the parts of us tobecome one body. It goes further, to suggest the community (common-unity) of beings together in auniversalwhole.For theancientyogis, themetaphysicaland thephysicalarepartsofeachother.Theycoexisttoformawholeness,withinoneanother.ThisistheprincipleoftheembryonicdevelopmentandtheideaintroducedinChapter4ofaholarchy.A“holarchicstructure”isoneinwhicheachpartiswholeandcomplete,aswellasbeingapartofanother(wholeandcomplete)partorwholeness.Itdrivesthemindincirclesuntilitisexperienced.Thenwecansimplyrecogniseit.Weareperhapsbeginningtomovefromthetwo-dimensionalworldofthe“musculoskeletal”systemto

a three-dimensional world of the body, where the connectivity is honoured and wholeness andrelationshipsfeature(andeventakeprecedence)inthestory.Thisisaculturalleapoffaith.Ittakesusbythehandintothatfieldinwhichthethingthatmakesusallthesameisalsowhatmakesusallunique,yetmakes us all the same, continuously, like a circle within a circle: the endless cycle of a continuum.Perhapsthegreatestgiftofyogaiszero;thecirclewithnothinginit;thesymbolofwherewebegin.Fromheretheonlythingtodoiscreateaway–yourway,uniqueinallitsgloriousforms.Enjoythefield!

Notes1. MichaelS.Schneider,ABeginner’sGuidetoConstructingtheUniverse:TheMathematicalArchetypesofNature,Art,andScience,

HarperCollins,NewYork,1994.2. Ibid.3. http://pearlsofwar.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/chakras-and-cathedrals.html.4. ©2001–2013DouglasHarper.5. HerbertMeschkowski,WaysofThoughtofGreatMathematicians,Holden-Day,SanFrancisco,1964.6. HowardEves,AnIntroductiontotheHistoryofMathematics,RinehartandCompany,NewYork,1953.7. DavidOsborn,“MathematicsandtheSpiritualDimension”,originallywrittenforClarionCallmagazine.(Thisarticleisnowincorporated

withillustrationsinNarasinghaChaitanyaMatha.)(http://www.reocities.com/athens/delphi/2745/dimensin.htm)8. Ibid.9. MichaelS.Schneider,ABeginner’sGuidetoConstructingtheUniverse:TheMathematicalArchetypesofNature,Art,andScience,

HarperCollins,NewYork,1994.10. DavidOsborn,“MathematicsandtheSpiritualDimension”,originallywrittenforClarionCallmagazine.(Thisarticleisnowincorporated

withillustrationsinNarasinghaChaitanyaMatha.)(http://www.reocities.com/athens/delphi/2745/dimensin.htm)11. JaapvanderWal,privateconversation.12. E.J.H.Mackay,Further Excavations atMohenjo-daro, 1938. Reprinted in 1998 byMunshiramManoharlal Publishers, New Delhi,

India.13. DavidOsborn,“MathematicsandtheSpiritualDimension”,originallywrittenforClarionCallmagazine.(Thisarticleisnowincorporated

withillustrationsinNarasinghaChaitanyaMatha.)(http://www.reocities.com/athens/delphi/2745/dimensin.htm)14. MichaelS.Schneider,ABeginner’sGuidetoConstructingtheUniverse:TheMathematicalArchetypesofNature,Art,andScience,

HarperCollins,NewYork,1994.15. Ibid.16. Ibid.17. Ibid.18. Ibid.19. Ibid.20. DrumveloMilcheisedeck,TheAncientSecretoftheFlowerofLife,books1and2,ClearLifeTrust,Flagstaff,AZ,1990,2000.21. StephenLevin,BiotensegrityInterestGroup,September2013,Ghent,Belgium;www.biotensegrity.com.22. KennethSnelson,http://www.kennethsnelson.net/icons/struc.htm.23. CarolineMyss(www.myss.com),variousworkshopsandtrainings.24. Mae-WanHo,LivingRainbowH2O,WorldScientificPublishing,Singapore,2012.25. FromKundaliniRising:ExploringtheEnergyofAwakening,aseriesofessaysbroughttogetherbyTamiSimon(publishedbySounds

True,Boulder,CO,2009).“Kundalini;HerSymbolsofTransformationandFreedom”iswrittenbyLawrenceEdwards,PhD.26. CarolineMyss,AdvancedEnergyAnatomy,SoundsTrue(audiopresentation).27. CarolineMyss,SacredContracts,BantamBooks,London,2002.28. FromtheForewordbyHRHThePrinceofWalestoTheHiddenGeometryofFlowers,byKeithCritchlow(K.Critchlow,TheHidden

GeometryofFlowers,FlorisBooks,Edinburgh,2011).29. AllgeometricimagesbyMartinGordon(www.mothcreative.co.uk).

INDEX

A

abdominalbreathing,266abdominalcavity(peritonealcavity),110,111

embryonicdevelopment,91,93abdominalwall

embryonicdevelopment,91,93posterior,muscles,104

Achillestendon,145activelyloadedstretching,145–6,170,276adaptabilityofconnectivetissues,153

fascia,180adhesions,185AdhoMukhaSvanasana(DownwardDogPose),43,44,134,194,324,326adjustment(ofposes/offascialforms),237–52

adjustor,241contemporaryvs.classical

approach,242dose/degree/direction,241ethics,250–1FAQs,251–2findingcoordinates,241–2fivethemes,244–8generalbasis,240–1touchinseetouch

AgeofReason,26Ajna,344,345,348Albinus,BernardSiegfried,28–9,58algebra,335–6amnioticsac,78,83,90,96Anahata,344,345,348ananda,234,322anatomy,3,115

broadbrushstroke/water-colourapproach,209–10,216,217

challengeto,47–8classicview,44–6continuous,45–6,207–8history,17–32learning,10–11,44–5seealsotransanatomicalarchitecture

AnatomyTrains,206–20adjustmentand,243,244,248–9continuity,147–8,206,207–8,210,211,214,248inmotion,219–20startingpoints,214

ancientwisdom,17–32animals

Borelli’sstudiesofmovements,27stretching,142–4,157

ankles

Pawanmuktasana,291–3sittingandthe,199

antagonistpairsofmuscles,4,13–14,45,71,124anticipation,10,320–1,321

cheetah,142fasciaand,222,320

apana,256,257Arabicnumeralsystem,333archetypes

geometry,chakras,342–6movement,156,227,230–1numbers,334,335–8,349

architecture(body)animatingthe,190–205historicalperspectives,18,19,23,24living,42–3,56–7,62science,31,32,33–53sentientnature,167transanatomical,39–42,100

ArdhaChandrasana(HalfMoon),43,44,66,107arm(s)

fasciamuktasana,278–9reach(Pawanmuktasana),301–2

ArmBandsBack,213Front,213,216

artofcontemporaryyoga,8–10ofnotknowing,317–18asscience,LeonardodaVinciand,23–4tensegrityand,58–61

asana(s)(poses;yogapostures),270–85adjustmentseeadjustmentbiomechanicsand,103foundationseries,270–85fascia-freeing,289–305

learningfromteaching,321PostureMandalas,323–30softeninginto,195tissueglideand,101–2

asanam,269assistingtheparticipation,adjustmentfor,240athletesseesportspersonsautonomicnervoussystem,169,170,172awareness(self-awareness),341–2

breathing(andbringingattentiontoit),263,265,289,313,315expanding,254,315,341–2inmeditation,308,311inPawanmuktasana,290ankles,291,292calves,292feet,291legjoints,296

threelevelsof,314–16axes

inbiomechanics,117imaginary,117,237midline,126inPostureProfiling,223–5

axialskeleton,proportionandprimaryrole,113–14

ayama,253

B

BackArmBands,213BackBend,123,218,267,327BackFunctionalBands,214BackFunctionalLine,211,214,216BackLines,217

Superficial,147,148,245,259backpainandproprioception,168BackSpiralBand,211BackSpiralLine,214BacktoEarth,271

FindingtheCurves,272balance

adjustor’s,245class,324–5gunasand,232seealsocounterbalance

ball,multi-barlinkage,129,239“BambooGardener”,155,231bandhas,112,259bears,144Bhujangasana(CobraPose),218,327bicepsbrachiimuscles,45bicyclewheel,128BiharSchoolofYoga,290,343,349bijamantras,346bindu,308,324,334,338,344,345,348,349biomechanics

ofadjustment,241,252asanasand,103axesin,117biotensegrityand,72fascialsensingand,162Newtonian,120

biomotional(newword),37,38,42,100,241,308biotensegrity(biologicaltensionalintegrity),54–73,135,151,178

1stlaw,67–82ndlaw,683rdlaw,68artand,58–61breathingand,258,259,260,261,262,263,264,268definition,54–5energetics,148everywhere,70geometryand,59,60,339gravity,64–5,66,68historicalperspectives,57–8frommicrotomacroscale,62–3inmovement,70,194respiratory,263–4stiffnessand,140–2threedimensionsand,54,58,65,156,342wholenessand,71–2yogaand,63–4

bipedalpostureandmovement(motion),121,122,123,170,180

biphasicmovement,128–9,260blankpagecreation,222,234,316–17,323blastocyst,80,82–3,339Blechschmidt,Erich,86,87,95–6,97,207bloodvessels,5,42,60,95

tunica,6,35,131,183blueprint,human,74–98Blyum,Leonid,64,131–2“BoatPose”,294body

anatomyseeanatomyarchitectureseearchitectureelasticityseeelasticityfreeingthefascia,270historicalperspectives,17–32language,32,102,238,239,313morphologicaltypes,222,224–5,226physiology,learning,10–11planesofmovement,117,120,175,325pranic,255,256speed-reading,209,210volumesseevolumeswall(oftorso),breathandbonesand,111–12

bones,33,34breathingandseebreathingfasciacovering(periosteum),35,49,161,172,178learningabout(andinskeletonmodels),44,45aspartofmusculoskeletalsystem,3,4bonesandmusclesandconnectivetissueworkingtogether,68,102–3

sitting,196,197,199,201book-printing,Gutenberg’s,20Borelli,GiovanniAlfonso,21,27,40brain,embryology,91breathing,253–68,313–14

abdominal,266adjusting,249–50,251,267touchcues,267

awareness/payingattentionto,263,265,289,313,315birthand,94–5bonesandandbodywalloftorso,111–12andskin,100,113,114

breathasthreekindsofknowledge,313–14continuityand,211correct,266–7elasticity,253–68,313exercises,261,264,266,267guided,267inmeditation,308,309,311–12meditative,267–8movementand,193paradoxical,263–4rhythms,261–3spineand,114threeaspectsofbreath,313–14transitions,264,265vitalenergyof,256–8watching/observingthebreath,210,219,254,264,288seealsoexhalation;inhalation;lung

Butler,David,163,164,166

C

cadaversconnectivetissuein,182historicalanatomicstudies,23,25,29seealsodissection

calvesawarenessinPawanmuktasana,292muscle(gastrocnemius),145

cats(big),stretching,142–3,143–4cavities(unifiedwhole-body),110

patternoforganscontainedby,112cells,30,62,339

evolution,180cellulose,179centralnervoussystem,163,165,168,170,172

embryology,80,91centralpatterngenerator,153centreinPostureProfilingcharts,225

notwantingtoliveat,230towards/intothe,227,228,229,230seekingtomove,225,230

chains(kinematic)closed,123,125–7,129,133,139,193,239open,45,123,124,130

chakras,342–50archetypalgeometry,242–6aslevelsorfrequencies,346–7symbols,349–50

Chakrasana(WheelPose),134,194cheetah,stretching,142–3chemistry,76ChineseFingerProblem,259chirality,59–60

trees,59–60,62,131chittavritti,3,254,317Chopra,Deepak,319church,Renaissance,19–20circles,14–15,338–9

dot/pointatcentreof(bindu),308,324,334,338,344,345,348,349drawing,323–4,325,338overlapping,14,339,340,341Vitruvius’circleandthesquareriddle,19,21

classbalanced,324–5plans,322,325,326,328,329

cleandissection,7,25,29,115cleavageofzygote,82closedkinematicchains,123,125–7,129,133,139,193,239CobraPose(Bhujangasana),218,327coccyx,109,199

meditation,209collagen(andcollagenfibres),5,7,150,179,181–2,183–4,185

degradation,140hydrogenbonds,183,185spinalenginetheoryand,118trainingand,155triplehelix,183,341

compression

discontinuous,55,67–8floating,57,58,61tensionandseetension

connectivetissues,6–7,178adaptabilityseeadaptabilitybonesandmusclesand,workingtogether,68,102–3asforgottenplayer,76,97formingofmatricesof,183–5layersof,179linesof,179loose(shearingzone),36,149repairingrole,184research,75volumesof,179

connectivity,100,125,163,182,208,351universal,6seealsocontinuity;unifying

contemporaryyoga,artof,8–10continuityoftissue(andconnectionsbetween),43,45–6,147,186,206,207,207–8

anatomyof,45–6,207–8AnatomyTrainsand,147–8,206,207–8,210,211,214,248biotensegritylawsand,67–8breathingand,211Guimberteauand,42myofascial,105,147,210,211,270nervoussystem,165technologyshowing,182vanderWaland,39,97seealsoconnectivity

contourdrawing,317–18contourmapping,208–9CorpsePoseseeShivasanacounterbalance,244,245–6

classintroductionof,324–5craniumandskull

fascia,112sittingandthe,199–200

cube,24,226,344Cubism,48–9curves,195

curvedpoles,123–4spinalseespinestandinginuprightcurves,195

cyclewheel,128

D

daVinci,Leonardo,21–4,60,61,124,132DancePose(Natarajasana),108Dandasana(StaffPose),122decimalsystem,332,333,334,338DeepContainer,213,214,217,250DeepFrontContainer,219DeepFrontLine,107,210,213,215,217,250,278deformation(inmovement),43

mechanoreceptorsand,162,163resisting,59,66,120,139,140,141,156elasticband,149

dermatomes,113chakrasand,349

Descartes,20,21,26,27desks,sittingat,200development,embryonicseeembryonicdevelopmentdiaphragm(s),104

crura,106inHonouringtheCurves,281lateral,111–12

disconnectionsandvanderWal,39,125discontinuouscompression,55,67–8dis-ease,256,258disjoints,163

elbowas,39,125insofttissuelimbgrowth,96spine,95synovialjointas,41

dissection,45,47–8AnatomyTrainsHumanDissectionprogramme,147author’sexperience,11,104,107,109clean,7,25,29,115historicalperspectives,18,20,21,22,25,26,29vanderWal’s,38–9seealsocadavers

DivineProportion,19,76,340dodecahedron,24,336dog,stiffeningandstretching,157DogPose,48,164

Face-Down/DownwardFacing(AdhoMukhaSvanasana),43,44,134,194,324,326Face-Up/Up-Down/UpwardFacing(UrdhvaMuhkaSvanasana),143,327

DownwardDog(AdhoMukhaSvanasana),43,44,134,194,324,326drawings

circle,323–4,325,338contour,317–18figure,235

Dyad,336,344dynamicligaments(dynaments),42,127,163,170

E

EaglePose(Garudasana),43,101,102,107EarstotheGround,280ectoderm,87,90,91ectomorph,224,225,226,227,228,229,231,232Edwards,Betty,317,320egg,fertilisation,80,82EggofLife,340eight,337

chakra,344elasticbands,139,140

tensioning,149,156,175,260elasticity,137–58,163

breathingand,253–68,313default,149recoilseerecoil

elastin(andelastinfibres),5,141,184elbows,123

atdesk,200flexionandextension,299–300rotation,300vanderWaland,38–9,123,125

electricalwiringsystem,nervoussystemas,165,175electromyography,139embryonicdevelopment,74–5,77–97

collagenfibres,181–2fascia,179folding,77,90–1genetics,75,76,78–9,181–2geometry,335heart,78,88,173senses,173sequenceandstages,79–961stweek,80,82–32ndweek,80,83–43rdweek,80,84–84thweek,81,88–925thweek,81,92–56thweek,81,95–67thweek,81,968thweek,81,96–7

inthreedimensions,77,78,90,335wholenessin,77,77–8,82

EMG(electromyography),139endoderm,87endomorph,224,225,226,227,228,229,231,232endomysium,49,50,51,105,337energetics,biotensegrity,148energy,347

flowchannels(nadis),253,256,257,343low-cost,139,149vitalseeprana

engine,spineasan,118–20,122–3,133enjoyment(ananda),234,322epimysium,49,51ethics

adjustment,250–1animatingthearchitecture,192–3

evolutionofcells,180ofmovement,120

exhalation,259,262,264,265,266,267inmeditation,309inspecificposes,273,274,275,276,279,280,281,284,291,292,293,294,295,296,297,298,299,300,301,302,303,304,305spinein,114,266

expansionadjustmenttheme,244,246ofawareness,254,315,341–2oftissues,148–9,193inhalationand,262,263,264,265,266

extensionandflexionofelbows,299–300extracellularmatrix,49,150,164,179,181,182eyedevelopment,95,96

F

face,embryonicdevelopment,96Face-DownDogPose(AdhoMukhaSvanasana),DogPose,43,44,134,194,324,326Face-UpDogPose(UrdhvaMuhkaSvanasana),143,327fascia,vi,viii

adaptability,180anticipationfunction,222,320onbone(periosteum),35,49,161,172,178as“Cinderella”tissue,34,35,180development,179elasticity,137–58everywhere(ubiquity),8,34,36,37,42,50,115,161,164,179,184,186,251asforgottenplayer,76forms,178–87,342adjustmentseeadjustment

freeing,torso/neck/body,270graceandpatienceof,34–5Hippocrateson,31–2asinertpackaging(oncethoughtof),4layersof,179,182learningabout,11linesof,179matrix,10,42,63,144,186geometryand,331,334,337,346listeningseelisteninglisteningto,192,320research,57,147responsetoloadinghistory,256,261trainingseetraining

meaningandterminology,4–7,178–9,186namingitsparts,50organsenvelopedby,6,35,36plasticity,168,241presenceandpre-sense,313–22proprioceptionand,8,173,241research,38,75scientificquestionsabout,76assensoryorgan,8,48,160,161,162–4,168,169,173,186,241,307,310–11tensionalnetwork,7,11,37,116twelvemaindistinctions,185as24/7tissue,33unifying,16,32,75,133,342,350volumesof,179

fasciamuktasanaarms,278–9legs,277–8torso/neck/body,270

feetawareness(inPawanmuktasana),291asearstotheground,269asana,280

fertilisation,egg,80,82fibroblasts,179,181,183,184,185,342fieldofgrace,2,16,193,220,235,238,308,310,323,326FillingtheSpace,272–3Filmer-Lorch,Alexander,308FindingtheCurves,272Findley,Thomas,160five,336

chakra,344Flemons,Tom,54,56,60–1,63,68

spinalenginetheoryand,121flexibility,138flexionandextensionofelbows,299floatingcompression,57,58,61floatingfulcrums,55flow(s)

energyflowchannels(nadis),253,256,257,343Mandala,329Vinyasa,57,164,211,265

flower,hiddengeometry,350FlowerofLifesymbol,339,340folding,embryonic,77,90–1foreseeing,311form(s)(living),43–4

architecture,42–3,56–7,62fascialseefasciaseeingskillsfor,235sensinginto,75–6

ForwardBend,123,218,228,267,327ForwardLunge,43,44four,336

chakra,344four-barlinkagesystem,124,125–6,126,131FrontArmBands,213,216FrontBand,212FrontFunctionalBands,214,249FrontFunctionalLines,216fulcrums,56,71

floating,55Fuller,Buckminster,58,60,148FunctionalBands,208

Back,214Front,214,249

FunctionalLines,210Back,211,214,216Front,216

futuredesigningthe,319pre-emptingthepotentialfuture,320

G

GaiaMater,346Galen,21,25,39Galileo,26Garudasana(EaglePose),43,101,102,107gastrocnemius(calf)muscle,145gastrulation,80,85,85–6,339geneticsofdevelopment,75,76,78–9,181–2geodesicgeometry,60,76,207,243geometry,331–51

archetypal,chakras,342–6embryonicdevelopment,335geodesic,60,76,207,243hidden,134,323,346,350–1LeonardodaVinciand,23,24multibarclosedchainlinkagesystem,125NeedleTower,59

SacredGeometry,19,21,23,60,133,340gliding(sliding)intissues/structures,36,42,71,130–1,182,277

seeingorfeeling,36,40,43,182Godman,JohnD.,29–30,41GoldenRatio,19,340Golgireceptors,170grace,16,34–5,43,68,72,107,110,232

fieldof,2,16,193,220,235,238,308,310,323,326Gracovetsky,Serge,117,118,119,120,121,122,127,149,192,196,345graph,soft,151–2,227,229gravity,193

biotensegrityand,64–5,66,68groundreactionforceand,118,120

Greeks,ancient,18groin,relievingtension,296ground

feetasearstotheseefeetourrelationshipto,119,132,239,269,347SunSalutationand,282

reactionforce(GRF),118,119,120,162,193,239groundcontrol,193,199–200,244

adjustmentand,244,244–5groundsubstance,181,182,183guidedbreathing,267Guimberteau,Jean-Claude,42,63,76,85,179,182,337gunas,231–2Gutenberg’sprintingpress,20

H

HalfMoon(ArdhaChandrasana),43,44,66,107hands

contourdrawing,317–18embryonicdevelopment,96onheartline,298,299,300,301readingtheshadows,35–6stretchingandsqueezing,298

headandneck,Pawanmuktasanas,302–4headfold,90,91HeadtoKneePose(JanuSirsasana),108heart,173

embryonicdevelopment,78,88,173research,174

heartline,handson,298,299,300,301Hexad,337,344Hippocrates,18,31hips

flexors,101,106,107,113hipsA-B(Pawanmuktasana),296–7

historicalperspectives,17–32biotensegrity,57–8RenaissanceseeRenaissance

HonouringtheCurvesfromdiaphragm,281Tadasana(Standing/MountainPose),129,193,278,279,280–1,282

Horizon,344horizontal(X)axisinPostureProfiling,223–4Huijing,Peter,160,166

humanism,Renaissance,22,29hydrogenbonds,collagen,183,185

I

icosahedrons,24,336tensegrity,70,141,259

Ida,12,13,268,323,343,347iliacus,104,105,107iliopsoascomplex,104,106,107

seealsoiliacus;psoasimaginaryaxes,117,237imaginaryshapes,237implantationoffertilisedegg,80,83–4India,symbolsandnumerals,332,333,334,335Ingber,DonaldE.,54,62,63,165,166inhalation,258,259,260,262,264,267

inmeditation,308,309inspecificposes,272,273,279,281,284,291,292,293,294,295,296,297,298,299,300,301,302,304

injuriesnerves,repairingseveredends,150softtissueseesofttissues

innersphere,70,237,238,252,255instinct,315,316,317,320

PostureProfilingand,222,229–30intellectualinformationandknowledge,191,313,316

breath,314PostureProfiling,222,222–5

internalnet,17,27,33,243InternationalFasciaResearchCongresses,100

2007,512009,42

interoception,10–11,163,168,169,173interstitialreceptors,171–2intuition,320–1

PostureProfilingand,222,233–5Iyengar,B.K.S.,vi,ix

J

Jacob’sladdertoy,129JanuSirsasana(HeadtoKneePose),108joy(ananda),234,322Juhan,Deane,179Jungletype,223,224,225,226,227,228,229

K

Kabbalah,339kinaesthetics(kinaestheticlearning/intelligence),15,52,101,138,169,313,316,320,343

AnatomyTrainand,206,211inspecificasanas,271,275,276,282

kinematics,129,130chainsseechains

kinesphere,70,237,238,239,243,244,248,252,255,311,335inner(=innersphere),70,237,238,252,255

kneesA-D(Pawanmuktasana),293–5knowledge

artofnotknowing,317–18breathasthreekindsof,314–15intellectualseeintellectualinformationandknowledge

L

LateralBands,212lateralfold,90–1,92,93LateralLines,45,215,217lattices,124,125,126,131,182layersofconnectivetissue(incl.fascia),179,182learning,315,316

anatomy,10–11,44–5physiology,10–11fromteaching,321

legs,fasciamuktasana,277–8LeonardodaVinci,21–4,60,61,124,132levatorscapulaemuscles,200

AnatomyTrains,206,207,209,210,211,216,243fascialformadjustmentand,237,238,243

levers,4,55,56,57,123,124–5,155Levin,Stephen,54,55,57,61–3,69,70,155,170,183,185,337

picture(byNeedleTower),59spinesandlinesand,116,120,121,122,125

LifeEggof,340Flowerof,339,340Seedof,340TreeofseeTreeofLife

lifeforceseepranaligaments,3,40–1

dynamic(dynaments),42,127,163,170true,40vanderWaland,40–1,127,163

limbs,embryonicdevelopment,92,95,95–6,96seealsoarms;legs

linesAnatomyTrainseealsospecificlinesgoingbehindthem,219paired,217–18readingthebalancebetween,219

connectivetissues,179planesand,117

listening(tissuesincl.matrix),192,320already,192,194,195,342powerof,192

LittleBoatVariation,273–4livingformsseeformsloadinghistory,fascialmatrixresponseto,256,261longitudinalmyofascialmeridians,212–13,216looseconnectivetissue(shearingzone),36,179LordoftheDancePose(Natarajasana),108,328lordosis,lumbar,25,121,123,198

lumbarcurveslordosis,25,121,123,198inwalking,121

lung,263–4embryonicdevelopment,92–3,93,94–5slidingmotion,130–1seealsobreathing

LyingSpinalTwist,274Releasing,274

M

magicsquare,337Mandalas,Posture,323–30Mandorla,336,339,344Manipura,344,345,348mantras,311,345,346manualandmovementtherapy,38,168–9,169,170,206,237,241

attitudinalshiftrecommended,232maps,109

AnatomyTrains,208–9contour,208–9PostureProfiling,222,235

mathematics,333–4Brelli,27LeonardodaVinci,23Newton,27symbolic,334–8seealsoalgebra;geometry;numbers

mechanoreceptors,11,40,41,161–2,162,163,165,169–70,175meditation,155,174,227,229,307–12,316

breathing,267–8focusdotatcentreofcircle,348simple(self-centring),307–12stillness,307,311,316TreeofLife,311–12

mesenchyme,88,91,94,95,96,173,181mesoderm,87,88,92,93,94,173,179,181,335mesomorph,224,226,227,228,229,230,231,232metamembrane,179,180metaphysicalaspects,57,160,311,334,346,350midlineaxis,126mindchatter(chittavritti),3,254,317Monad,324,333,334,335,336,344Mooladhara,344,345,348morphologicalbodytypes,222,224–5,226motionseemovementMountainPose(StandingPose-Tadasana),129,193,278,279,280–1,282mouseshoulder,200movement(motion)

AnatomyTrainsin,219–20archetypal,156,227,230–1architectureand,117biotensegral,70–1,194bipedalpostureand,121,122,123,170,180biphasic,128–9,260Borelli’sstudiesinanimals,27breathingand,193

curvedpolesandlawsof,123–4evolution,120humansbuiltordesignedformobility,133,149–50,156,182,195,196,210instinctive,191lawsof,13,27,27–8,103,122,123Descartesand,23

planesof,117,120,175,325rangeof,63,253restoring,270

sensingand,165–6threeprinciplesof,andrestoration,43wholebody,60,120,127,131,150,186yogaand,3seealsomanualandmovementtherapy

multibarstructures/systems/linkages,125,129–30,249muscles,4,33,34

antagonistpairs,4,13–14,45,71,124bonesandconnectivetissuesand,workingtogether,68,102–3electromyography,139fascia’srolewith,35LeonardodaVinci’sdrawings,23posteriorabdominalwall,104skeletonmodelsand,44–5structure,49trainingandfocusonfasciavs.,153–5

musculoskeletalsystem,3–4,33seealsobone;muscle;skeleton

Myers,Tom,vii,4,104,107,109,147nicknameforlevatorscapulaemuscles,200

myofascia,114continuity,105,147,210,211,270diaphragm(lateral),111,112meridians,107,147–8,208,249longitudinal,212–13,216

paraspinalmuscles,105,107psoas,105,106quadratuslumborum,105

pericardialtissues,111trainingand,153

Myss,Caroline,57,234,235,320,342,349

N

nadis,253,256,257,343Napoleon’sarmy,restperiods,153–4Natarajasana(LordoftheDancePose),108,328Navasana,294neckandheadfascia,freeing,270,302–5NeedleTower(Snelson’s),59,60,61nerves

elasticity,150interstitialfreenerveendings,171–2

nervoussystemautonomic,169,170,172centralseecentralnervoussystemcontinuity,165aselectricalwiringsystem,165,175sensingand,160,162–3,165

neurulation(neuraltubeformation),84,85,86,89neutralfield(witnessstate/witnessingoneselfwitnessing),13,14,43,191,289,307,311,312,317–18,321,341,348neutrality,12–13,268Newton,SirIsaac,26,27–8,57,58,118,120,124nine,337,338nothing,332–3

seealsozerono-thing,324,335noughtandzero,324,332–4,335,338,347,351nous(newword),241,243,262,321numbersandnumerals,331–8

archetypal,334,335–8,349ingeometry,341systems,332–4

O

observation(seeing/watching)breath,210,219,254,264,288livingforms,235PostureProfiling,233–4seealsoseeingskills

Octad,337,344octahedron,24,336Olympians,PostureProfiling,230,233,236one,336

chakra,344symbolof(Monad),324,333,334,335,336,344

openkinematicchains,45,123,124,130orangeasmodelofsofttissue,47organsandtissues

containedbycavities,patternof,112continuityseecontinuityenvelopedbyfascia,6,35,36expansion,148–9,193glideseeglidingsqueezingseesqueezingtimeframes,315–16

orientation,embryo,80,84–5Osborn,David,333overstretching,150

P

Pacinianmechanoreceptors,170–1pain,164,168,198,290

chronic,168paradoxicalbreathing,263–4participationinmeditation,310PasvaPavanaMuktasana,273–4pathology,168patience,34–5pause,powerof,254–5Pawanmuktasanaseries,288–305,343pelvis

Pawanmuktasana,297

sittingonsacralroofof,198tensegritymodels,62

Pentad,336,344pericardialmyofascia,111perimysium,49,50,51periosteum,35,49,161,172,178peritonealcavityseeabdominalcavityphysiology,learning,10–11Pingala,12,13,268,323,343,347piriformis,105placementinadjustingorassistingpose,correct,240planesofmovement,117,120,175,325plasticity,150

fascial,168,241PlatonicSolids,19,23,24,336,337polarity,12–13,20–1,347

beyond,14–15poles,curved,123–4polyhedrons,19,337posesseeasanasposture(s)

adjustment,240musculoskeletalsystemand,3standingseestandingyogaseeasanas

PostureMandalas,323–30PostureProfiling,156,221–36

charts,225–9examples,227–9thegoal,225–7

groundrules,221–2instinctand,222,229–30intellectand,222,222–5intuitionand,222,233–5observation,233–4practicing,235–6

powerofpause,254–5Prana(capitalP),255–6,257,258,321prana(s)(smallp)(lifeforce;vitalenergy),174,253,321,343

breathing,256–8Pranayama,253–4,255,256,257,261,263,264,265,267,268,289,315,321

andShivasana,284–5presence,174–5,308,313–22

offascia,313–22inner,307inmeditation,308,310

pre-sense,175,313,316,318,330printingpress,Gutenberg’s,20proportion(humanform)

DivineProportion,19,76,340spineandaxialskeleton,113–14Vitruviusand,18

proprioception,8,10,12,39,160,168,169,238,320–1fasciaand,8,173,241assixthsense,8,160,161,173

psoas,104–8,109,113psoasicmatrix,106,107,110

Q

quadratuslumborum,104,105

R

rajasictrait,231,232rangeofmotionseemovementreceptors,sensory,161–2,170–3recoil/rebound/return,elastic,137,138,139,140,148,156,193,265

Achilles,145animals,142,143training,155

ReleasingLyingSpinalTwist,274religionandtheology

geometry,340,341Renaissancechurch,20

Renaissance,15,19–22,48,60,332numbersand,332,333

repairingroleofconnectivetissues,184resistancetraining,153respiratorybiotensegrity(biologicaltensionalintegrity),263–4restoration

adjustmenttheme,244,246–7threeprinciplesofmovementand,43

rhythmbreathing,261–3springsand,152–3

ribs,111Rome,ancient,18–19,21

numeralsystem,333rotation

elbow,300shoulder,200–1standing,282

Ruffinimechanoreceptors,170–1Rumi,Jelaluddin,2,16,220,308,326,341

S

sacralroofofpelvis,sittingon,198SacredGeometry,19,21,23,60,133,340Sahasrara,345,347,348samana,256,257Sanskrit,12,232,250

chakras,343,346numerals,332,337,338

SathanandaSaraswati,Swami,173,290satvictrait,231,232scartissue,147,185Scaravelli,Vanda,74,114,120,132,193,194,195,202,253Scarr,Graham,131,151,152,155Schleip,Robert,7,100,107,137,139,152,155,160,162,165,168,169,171,172,223,231,241–2Schneider,Michael,17,306,331,336science

ofbodyarchitecture,31,32,33–53LeonardodaVinciandartas,23–4

scientificquestionsaboutfascia,76specialisationin,27yogaand,vi

SeedofLife,340seeingseeobservationself-awarenessseeawarenessself-centringmeditation,307–12sensing(ourselves),134,159–77

fascial,8,48,160,161,162–4,168,169,173,186,241,307,310–11ofform,75–6receptors,161–2,170–3rhythmandresonanceand,153sensingthesensing,164sixthsense,8,160,161,173spinalcurvesinsupineposition,203–4onyogamat,194

Septad,344seven,337

chakra,344shearingzone(looseconnectivetissue),36,179Shivasana(CorpsePose),66,121,131,305

Pranayamaand,284–5shoulders

rotation,200–1squeezingforwardandback,301

Shushumna,13,268,343,347SimpleStandingRotation,282SimultaneousStretch-and-Squeezeseesqueezingsitting,196–201

poorpostureanditscorrection,196–201tostandingfrom,201,202–3

six,337chakra,344

skeletonaxial,proportionandprimaryrole,113–14ligamentattachmentto,3models,44–5,175

skinandbreathandbones,100,113,114skullseecraniumslouchorslumpwhilesitting,196–8Snelson,Kenneth,57,58,59,60,125,148,183,341softgraph,151–2,227,229softtissues

injuriesprevention,231sportspersons/athletes,154

orangeasmodelof,47spinal,psoasmusclewoveninto,105

softeningintopose,195somatotypes,224–5somites(embryonic),formation/growth,86,88,90,91,91–2,95,113spacialisation,134

embryonic,78–9spine,113

Sparrow,PatriciaMary,288specialisationinscience,27speed-readingthebody,209,210spider’sweb,54,125,166,307spinalcorddevelopment,86,87,91spine,65–7,113–14,116–36

curves,121primary,122,123,199,204,244,245,272secondary,122,123,198,203,217,245,272sensinginsupineposition,203–4

design(adjustmenttheme),244,245embryology,85,86,88enginetheory,118–20,122–3,133inexhalation,114,266foundationasanasBacktoEarth,271BacktoEarth:FindingtheCurves,272HonouringtheCurves,280LittleBoatVariation,273LyingSpinalTwist,274Pawanmuktasana,297SimpleStandingRotation,282TheWave,275TheWaveInverted,276

moving,117proportionandprimaryrole,113–14psoasandthe,105,107,108–9structure,65–7LeonardodaVinci’sdrawings,132

tensegritymodel,62,63vertebrae,65–6,68,95,105,113,155

SpiralBand,213Back,211

SpiralLines,211,216Back,214

spirals,chiralityseechiralitysportspersons/athletes

PostureProfilingofOlympians,230,233,236preparationforpeakperformance,144softtissueinjuries,154

spring(s),rhythmical,152–3spring-loading,195

Achilles,145animals,143,144

springboks,143–4squeezing,148–9,170,260,262,264,266

cheetah,142–3exhalationand,259,260,262,263,266shoulders,forwardandback,301stretchingandseestretching

StaffPose(Dandasana),122standing

bipedalposture,121,122,123,170,180foundationasanas,280–4fromsittingto,201,202–3unipedalposture,122,170inuprightcurves,195

StandingPose(MountainPose-Tadasana),129,193,278,279,280–1,282sthiram,202,263,269,289stiffness,139,149,151,226

animals’stiffeningoftissues,142,157biotensegrityand,140–2lackof/reductionin,146,147threestagesof,149

Still,AndrewTaylor,30–2,34,237stillness,133,196,253,254,307

inmeditation,307,311,316inPawanmuktasana,305

Stirk,John,100,106,108stretching,138,142–4

activelyloaded,145–6,170,276afterrest,144animals,142–4,157beforeperformance,144inhalationand,259,260,262,264,266overstretching,150squeezingand(asana),276–7hand,298

yawningandseeyawningsukham,202,263,269,289SunSalutation,282–3,329,330SuperficialBackLine(SBL),147,148,245,259SuperficialFrontLine,211,214,278supinelying

risingtosittingupfrom,202sensingspinalcurves,203–4

SuptaMatsyendrasana,274surrendering,193,195,290SuryaNamaskara,282–3,329,330Sutras,311,336Swadhisthana,344,345,348symbols

chakras,349–50mathematics,334–8

T

Tadasana(Standing/MountainPose),129,193,278,279,280–1,282tailfold,91,94tailbone,freeing,198–9tamasictrait,231,232teaching,learningfrom,321technologyshowingtissuecontinuity,182ten,289,334,338tensegrityseebiotensegritytension

compressionand,43,54,55–6,59,62,65,70,78,120,151–2,162,307,335breathingand,263–4,268

elasticbands,149,156,175,260fascial,162networks,7,11,37,116

networksof,16,41,55,59,67,68,185fascia,7,11,37,116

relievinggroin,296neck,302,303,304

territories,109Tetrad,336,344tetrahedron,24,59,60,336,341theologyseereligionthree,336

chakra,344threedimensions(humanbeingsin),9,13–14,237–8,351

AnatomyTrainsand,219

animatingourcurvesin,122–4biotensegrityand,54,58,65,156,342elasticityand,156embryonicdevelopment,77,78,90,335LeonardodaVinciand,23vanderWaland,40

three-stranded/triplehelixpatternscollagenfibres,183,341,342fascia,343

time,318–19tissuetimeframes,315–16

tissuesseeorgansandtissuestoes,Pawanmuktasana,291torso

bodywallof,breathandbonesand,111–12freeingthefascia,270

touching(inadjustment),238–9,241,251breathing,267subtleskills,243,251

training,fasciain,155–7focusonmusclevs.,153–5

transanatomicalarchitecture,39–42,100tree,chirality,59–60,62,131TreeofLife

meditation,311–12symbol,339

TreePose(Vriksasana),164,169,311Triad,336,337,344triangle,339,340,341TrianglePose(Trikonasana),107,126triceps,45,46,47trigunas(threegunas),231–2Trikonasana(Triangle),107,126triplehelixpatternsseethree-stranded/triplehelixpatternstriunity(triuneharmony),341,344tunicaofbloodvessels,6,35,131,183two,336

chakra,344two-baropenchainmechanism,45,123,124,150

U

udana,256,257unifying,12,133,187,350

biotensegrityand,76fascia,16,32,75,133,342,350whole-bodycavitiesseecavitiesyogaand,12,65,74,78,191,194zeroand,333–4seealsoconnectivity

unipedalposture,122,170unity,289,331,334,341,342,347,350Upward-Facing/Up-DownDogPose(UrdhvaMuhkaSvanasana),143,327UrdhvaMuhkaSvanasana(Up-Down/Upward-Facing/Face-upDogPose),143,327

V

vanderWal,Japp,38–41,42,76,163continuityoftissue,39,97disconnectionsand,39,125ligaments,40–1,127,163

Vedicism,133,224,343mathsandnumerals,333,335

vertebrae,65–6,68,95,105,113,155vertical(Y)axisinPostureProfiling,224–5Vesalius,Andreas,25–6

JappvanderWalasmodernversionof,38–9VesicaPiscis,339,341,344Vikingtype,223,224,225,226,227,228,229,230,231VinyasaFlow,57,164,211,265Vipassana,254,263Virchow,Rudolf,30Vishudi,344,345,348vitalenergyseepranaVitruvianMan,21,22Vitruvius,18–19,226

circleandthesquareriddle,19,21volumes(body),209

connectivetissue,179Vrksasana(TreePose),164,169,311vyana,256,257

W

walking,spine,121,122warmingup,144,150,231WarriorPose,240,246watchingseeobservationWave,The,275WaveInverted,The,276weaves/wovenpatterns,57,63,181–2,183,341

bloodvessels,60breathingand,259psoasmusclewovenintospinalsofttissues,105Snelsonand,57

Westernbiologyandmedicinehistoricalperspectives,18–32specialisationin,27yogaand,12

WheelPose(Chakrasana),134,194wholebody

cavitiesseecavitiesmovement,60,120,127,131,150,186

wholeness,186biotensegrityand,71–2embryo,77,77–8,82

witnessstateandwitnessingoneselfwitnessing(neutralfield),14,43,191,289,311,312,317–18,321,341,348wovenpatternsseeweaveswristA-B,Pawanmuktasana,298–9

X

X-axisinPostureProfiling,223–4

Y

Y-axisinPostureProfiling,224–5yantra,75,344,346yawning,142,144,170,185,203,276

animals,142,143,144yoga(basicreferences),2–3

AnatomyTrainsandseeAnatomyTrainsarrivingattheclassoryogamat,190beforetherepertoire,196biotensegrityand,63–4contemporary,artof,8–10essenceof,12genesis,98posesseeasanas

yolksac,83,90,91,96

Z

zero,324,332–4,335,338,347,351zygotecleavage,82