Observation I

On Monday, 2/9/09, I observed an all-levels morning yoga class taught by Deb at the Whole Life Yoga studio in Seattle's Greenwood District. It could be characterized as a "gentle stretch" class whose object was to bring all the body's major muscle groups into play while engaging the breath, linking the contractions and relaxations of the muscles to the ebb and flow of respiration. As the class settled in, the instructor solicited individual requests from those present for specific types of movement which might be incorporated into the day's work, and also asked if any had specific body parts needing Rx.

Deb began by describing the breath itself, and during a prelude to asana movement encouraged her clients to incorporate a brief suspension into the respiratory cycle. She suggested the possibility of spinal elongation during aspiration and coached students to feel their lungs expanding "top to bottom, side to side, and front to back."

The class moved into Cakravakasana/Child's pose, then incorporated leg and arm lifts, then leg extensions, producing the "two-legged table" effect. Aspiration accompanied the various lifting movements; exhalation the downward/relaxing aspects of these cyclic sequences. I observed that none of the students, from the most flexible among them to the least, had any trouble executing any of these opening postures, nor any that followed, although there were discernible differences in the ranges of motion exhibited by the participants.

At various times during the class I was able to observe the different effects of respiration on the spine -- the thoracic flattening accompanying inhalation during seated and standing postures and the rounding of the upper back that accompanied aspiration during Child's pose especially. At no time was I able to see whatever abdominal movement may have accompanied the students' controlled breathing.

From the opening poses, the class moved into variations of Bhujangasana, bringing the abdominal muscles into play. Students were encouraged to note the differences between the way inhalation felt in this posture and to contrast the feeling with that which accompanies seated aspiration. From there, the class transitioned to Up Dog, then to Vajrasana, inhaling the arms up overhead while standing on knees, then exhaling the arms sidewards as their bodies folded from the waists toward the floor. Then from an interlude in Child's pose again, Down Dog transitioning to Tadasana followed by Uttanasana.

The sequence of postures during this hour-and-a-quarter class also included a lateral bends sequence and series of balance poses. More students had difficulty with the balance poses than any other, but Deb introduced several variations and adaptations (without singling out anyone present) so that in the end all were able to derive the benefits of this movement.

Throughout the class, I noticed that forward bends were initiated more frequently than any other general type of movement, that in all sequences the time required for thorough breathing determined the velocity of the movement rather than vice-versa, and that I was able to see a lot more lengthening of the entire body during inhalation than any other effect of respiration, such as movement in the abdominals.

The class closed with a back bend, Dvipada Pitham, followed by a knees-to-chest pose reminiscent of Apanasana, and a five-minute Savasana.