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| TRAVEL-Isla Juan Venado |
First a consideration of the 5 senses: sight, smell, touch, sound and feel. In everyday life often are we overwhelmed in one or more of these senses? What do we do? What makes us feel balanced again?
When we smell the garbage truck, we go ugh and plug our nose.
When the disco plays until 2 am and we can almost feel the music, we cover our ears with a pillow or create a white noise to drown it out.
When all of my senses are overwhelmed, I use one of 2 responses: I cry or I withdraw into myself blocking out all sensory input, not unlike a turtle.
Yoga Sutra 2.54 by Patanjali discusses pratyahara: withdrawal of the senses.
"When a yogi withdraws all his senses from the objects of perception as a turtle withdraws its limbs when retracting into its shell, then the yogi is firmly fixed on the path towards wisdom." Bhagavad Gita 11.58
In Kurmasana, we root the sitting bones, flex the feet, engage the legs pointing the toes and feet toward the sky. We come to fold forward, keeping a long spine and creating an anterior tilt in our pelvis as we walk our hands out to the sides under our knees.
It activates the anahata or heart and sahasrara or crown chakras. The heart chakra deals with blood circulation and all forms of love while the crown brings us in touch with the universe, enlightenment and consciousness. Created through increased circulation, love, consciousness, and enlightenment...... with, from and to the universe is a "mystical mood of mental relaxation".
It touches on the manipura chakra also known as solar plexus relating to the internal organs liver, stomach, spleen, digestive system and nervous system. This helps relieve constipation, urinary problems, and aids in treatment of diabetes.
The deep forward bend helps to quiet the senses and the nervous system, dispelling depression and calming anxiety, fear, anger and negative emotions.
"After completing kurmasana, one feels refreshed, as though one had woken up from a long undisturbed sleep." Light on Yoga, BKS Iyengar.
Find out more: Join our Kurmasana Retreat, November 24-26, 2017