May 2020 Pose of the Month: Setu Bandha Sarvangasana/Bridge Pose

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (setu = bridge; bandha = building or lock; sarva = all; anga = limbs; asana = pose) or Bridge Pose

A bridge is a structure built over some sort of obstacle, be it a river, a railroad track, another road, etc. In essence, a bridge is a connector of two things that may originally seem impossible to connect. Spiritually, a bridge can be seen as a union, as our bodies are a union between earth and sky, and a bridge is a link between two different situations. Right now, as we are in the midst of a global pandemic and many of us are following “shelter-in-place” or “stay-at-home” orders, we are, in a sense, on a bridge between the “normal” that we once knew and a “new normal” that has yet to be seen. We have also figured out a way to bridge the gaps in being separated by bringing yoga online via Zoom, by having FaceTime happy hours, by using masks and gloves and other sanitation supplies to move about in the world. Some of us are using this time to open our hearts to see all of the beauty that we may have missed while moving along in a sort of haze that everyday life had once been. Some have been able to use this time to really consider all of the abundances that filled their lives but had been taken for granted, so in understanding that, some have been able to really let go of what once might have been thought of as a key necessity, but in reality was being held or gripped tightly fearing what might happen if we were to let go. So now, we are being asked to let go. 

In yoga, a bridge is one of the quintessential backbends that open our hearts to new and different ways of thinking and of living. We work into deeper backbends by taking it one step at a time, slowly opening our shoulders, deepening our breath, expanding our collarbones, strengthening our legs, lengthening our quads and hamstrings through systematic movement. According to Judith Hanson Lasasater’s 30 Essential Yoga Poses “Bridge Pose symbolizes the connection between the inner and the outer world, the mind and the body, and the individual and the Divine.”  

While we may not yet see what is on the other side of the bridge, we are taking this moment one step at a time and trusting that what is waiting for us is something beautiful that will take us further in our journey of expansion through the heart. Practice bridge with all the joy that awaits.

How To

• Place feet hip width distance apart with heels directly below knees

• Press elbows and shoulder heads down into the floor, lifting chest, and bringing shoulder blades toward one another. Keep your gaze straight up.

• Press into your feet and slowly send your knees forward; then lift your hips away from the floor. 

• Optional: hold outside edges of mat and pull arms apart to bring shoulderblades more underneath the back

• 2nd Option: interlace fingers under body, stretching knuckles to the front of the mat, continuing to open the chest

Variations

• Supported Bridge Pose (shown in image)

  • Bring block, folded blanket or bolster under the the hips/sacrum - triangular flat bone where hips and low back meet.

• Bridge Pose on a chair 

  • holding onto the back of the chair and lifting chest up and out

• Wheel Pose (shown in image)

• Wheel Pose over a bolster

  • Bring your spine - tailbone to shoulders - on bolster, feet on ground, arms overhead w/fingers toward shoulders

• Wheel Pose on a chair (shown in image)

  • sending feet through the opening in the back and bringing arms overhead w/fingers toward shoulders

• One-legged Wheel Pose

  • Step one foot toward middle of body

  • Bring opposite knee toward chest, then lift foot to sky

Benefits

• Strengthens the erector spinae muscles (vertical stabilizing muscles of the spine)

• Strengthens hamstrings, quadriceps, hip and gluteal muscles

• Opens and stretches the abdomen, chest, and shoulders

• Increases flexibility in upper back

• Stimulates thyroid and pituitary glands

• Helps to alter moods

• Give a sense of an expanding, open heart

• Calms the mind

• Energizes the body

Prep Poses: 

• Ardha Bhekasana/Half Frog Pose (also one-legged Bow Pose)

• Anjaneyasana/Low Lunge

• Ashta Chandrasana/Crescent Lunge or High Lunge Pose

• Bhujangasana/Cobra Pose

• Bidalasana/Cat and Cow Pose

• Dhanurasana/Bow Pose

• Garudasana arms/Eagle Arms

• Salabhasana A & C/locust pose arm apart & interlacing fingers

• Supta Virasana/Reclining Hero Pose

• Tadasana/Mountain Pose

• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana/Upward-facing Dog Pose

• Ustrasana/Camel Pose

• Virabhadrasana I/Warrior I

What this Pose Preps You for:

• Urdhva Dhanurasana/Wheel Pose

• Bhujangasana/Cobra Pose

• Eka Pada Rajakapotasana/ One-Legged King Pigeon Pose

• Salamba Sarvangasana/Supported ShoulderStand

Counter Poses: 

• Simple twists

• Apanasana/Knees to Chest Pose

• Supta Baddha Konasana/Reclining Bound Angle Pose

• Ananda Balasana/Happy Baby Pose

• Balasana/Child’s Pose

• Seated forward bends

• Savasana/Resting Pose

Contraindications & Cautions

• Hiatal hernia

• Neck injury

• High Blood Pressure

• Take precaution when pregnant

The Lymphatic System & Yoga

The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in maintaining health and bodily equilibrium.  While it closely parallels the cardiovascular system, which takes blood to and from the heart, it is quite different in its actions. The lymphatic system is responsible for transporting nutrients, hormones and waste throughout the body. It is also responsible for transporting lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells. This helps to mount an immune system response which can fight bacteria or disease.  

The lymphatic system is made up of vessels, lymph nodes and specific organs that rid toxins and regulate lymphatic fluid throughout the body. Often times, this system operates smoothly with no need for special attention. However, when the lymphatic system is compromised, due to illness or disease, we can see changes in the body, such as swelling or infection.   

There are several ways to encourage lymphatic circulation and these often coincide with healthy, active lifestyle choices, including a regular yoga practice. One of the ways you can influence your own lymphatic circulation is to engage in regular exercise that makes muscles contract and relax. This can be as simple as pointing and flexing your ankles if you’ve been sitting for a while, taking a walk or engaging in weight lifting. Another way to encourage lymphatic circulation is through deep, diaphragmatic breathing, especially when combined with some gentle abdominal pressure. When coupled with a yoga pose such as Viparita Karani (legs up the wall pose) we can use the added effect of gravity. This can be especially useful for sore or swollen feet or legs.  

If you are interested in learning more about lymphatic system anatomy and how you can tailor your yoga practice to maintain a healthy lymphatic system, join Jennifer Miller, licensed physical therapist and certified lymphedema therapist in our upcoming Blue Sky Yoga workshop on Saturday, February 1, 2020 from 2:30-4:30. Pricing and specifics can be found on the Blue Sky Yoga Facebook page or on the Mind Body app.  

Legs up the wall pose

Place the short side of your yoga mat or blanket along a wall free from objects.

Facing the wall, sit down on the left side of your mat with your right hip touching the wall.

Your body should be perpendicular to the wall with side of your right hip and right shoulder touching the wall.

As you begin to lie down onto your left side to turn onto your back, begin to walk your legs up the wall.

If your hamstrings or low back are stiff, you may need to scoot your hips away from the wall.

Once your legs are comfortable and supported, ensure that your trunk is even and not rotated.

Place your hands on your belly or one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly.

As you take in a comfortably full breath through your nose, try to expand your belly as if it were a balloon filling with air.

As you breath out through your nose or mouth, let your belly soften.

Your belly should expand with breath as much as, or slightly more than, your chest.

If you would like to add extra stimulation, put firm, but gentle pressure through your hand onto your belly during both the inhale and exhale.

Set a timer to practice for 3 to 20 minutes.