Circles vs Straight Lines

As slow yogis (anyone who does yoga is a yogi) we often find ourselves reaching for our toes in Uttanasana or reaching our heels towards the floor in Down Dog. 

Whenever you find yourself reaching for something in an asana, posture, try moving in a circle rather than a straight line. 

Now that may be counter-intuitive at first. In western culture we are taught to "think straight," and guard against "circular reasoning." I call this the engineering approach. Applying the engineering approach works well when your goal is to build something inorganic and inanimate, a modern skyscraper for instance. It does not work very well when you are dealing with something organic and animate like your body. 

When you want to reach body part A towards point B on your body or on the floor or the ceiling, start making little circles with A. Continue making circles describing a spiral that moves you towards point B. 

The Ancients believed that a slow yoga practice moves energy along the 7 energy centers in the body that we call chakras. 

Chakra, in Sanskrit, also means circle. 

Peace and Love,

Slowly,

Abhay