What Your Standing Forward Bend Says About You

"Just as breathing patterns reflect mental states and mental states affect our breathing, so does body posture interact with them both. A dejected person may express themselves by walking slowly and shuffling their feet; the head may be bowed, the chest collapsed and the shoulders rolled forward. They might as well shout, "I am sad!" Yoga teaches that, by changing the external form or posture, one changes internal attitudes or mental states, and vice versa versa."

"Yoga asanas, such as Standing Forward Bend ( Uttanasana), are highly stylized expressions of human physical, emotional and mental states. Every position of the body is an asana: as we bring more awareness to any position it becomes yoga. With this in mind, each body position can be examined in two ways: What does it say about my inner state? What effect does it have upon my mental being?"

"The word Uttanasana can be broken into ut meaning intensity and tan meaning to stretch, implying an intense stretch to the spine and the backs of the legs. The beginner is apt to strive to touch the floor, often by bouncing up and down and exerting too much effort. This bouncing and striving represents a mentally aggressive attitude. It expresses the person's attachment to the goal of touching the floor rather than attention to the quality of the action."

Breathing patterns reflect mental states and mental states affect breathing, while body posture interacts with both. Changing external form or posture can change internal attitudes and mental states. Asanas are stylized expressions of physical, emotional, and mental conditions. Every body position becomes yoga when awareness is present, allowing examination of what a pose reveals about inner state and how it influences the mind. Uttanasana literally implies an intense stretch to the spine and backs of the legs. Beginners often strive to reach a goal with forceful effort, which reflects an aggressive mental attitude; gradual release and subtle breath cultivate harmony and inner expression.

Read at Yoga Journal