A thread that keeps running through all that I have written here is that the body and mind are one unit and what happens in and to one, reflects on the other. Patterns in our behaviours, food and lifestyle choices, actions and thought processes are stored and exhibited in the body. Every physical ailment has an emotional thinking pattern which the sufferer is holding on to, usually at a deep subconscious level. In yogic anatomy, there are seven chakras or energy centres which govern our well-being and quality of life.
The destructive and negative thought patterns we hold on to and nurture can block these chakras and cause ailments in the physical body.
I learnt about these connections in various textbooks, but they didn’t make sense until one day, while nursing an upset stomach, I realised how my binge junk food eating, indigestion and fluctuations in blood pressure happened whenever I was anxious, angry or fearful. The third chakra is located in the region of the solar plexus and governs how we digest and process life, and therefore, food. When we have feelings of low self-esteem, uncertainty, frustration and power struggles, it is an indicator that we are dealing with a blocked third chakra. If you have any of the above symptoms and emotional states, the following posture is a good one to incorporate into your daily routine to reclaim health and recharge from within yourself.
Ardh Chandrasana (Crescent Moon Posture)
Come onto all fours on stacked yoga mats/thick towels/cushion.
Bring your right leg forward and place it in the same line as your hands.
Push your hips forward and press the big toe of the right foot into the ground.
Keep your knee pointed forward.
Push your hips forward till you can feel a stretch in your left thigh.
Straighten your torso and give your body a little time to find balance in this position.
Place your palms together in front of your chest. Take a deep breath and arch your back as you push your shoulders back. Look up at the ceiling.
Focus on receiving a stretch in the space between your breastbone and the navel.
Breathe deeply and hold for 10 counts.
Repeat the same for the other leg.
