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ThePsoasAwakeningSeriessynergisticallycombinesthestandingposestoawakenthepsoasmuscle.Weaccomplishthisbyfirstcontractingthepsoasin
posesthatfaceforward,theninposesthatfacetheside.Wecompletetheserieswithtwistingpostures.

ClickheretoreviewthedetailsofthisimportantmuscleonourBlog.

Rememberingthatthismuscleisusuallyhiddenintheunconsciouspartofthebrain,wemustfirstisolatethepsoasineachpose,bringingitbackto
consciousness.

Iusethetechniqueofisometriccontractiontoisolateandawakenadormantmuscle.Thistechniquerequiresanunderstandingoftheactionofthevarious
muscles.Forexample,thepsoasactstoflexthehip,i.e.,contractingthepsoaseitherbendsthetrunkforwardordrawsthekneeup.Ifyouarecontracting
yourpsoasononeside,itlaterallyflexesyourtrunk.Itisalsosynergizesexternalrotationofthehip.
Isolateyourpsoas(anditssynergistmuscles)byattemptingtoflexthetrunkorbytryingtolifttheleg.Accentuatethisbyresistingtheaction.Checkout
figure1belowforhowtodothiswithTrikonasana.Youcanthentransportthetechniquetootherposes.

Figure1:Engagingyourpsoas.

Placeyourelbowonyourthighasshown.Then,
attempttopresstheelbowdownagainstyourthighby
flexingyourtrunktotheside(arrow1).Relaxfora
momentandthenattempttoliftyourlegstraightup
againstyourelbow.Finally,pressdownwithyour
trunkandattempttoliftyourlegagainstyourelbow
simultaneously.Neitheryourtrunknoryourthighwill
moveineitheroftheseactions,butyouwillfeelyour
psoasmuscleengageinyourpelvis.

Remember,itisnotnecessarytousemaximum
contraction.Workwitharoundtwentypercentofyour
maxforce.Usegradualengagementwiththesecues
andeaseintothecontraction.Similarly,easeoutof
themovementandpose.

Thisgeneralsequencewillberepeatedforeachpose
throughouttheseries.
Figure2:Cocontractingyourglutesandpsoas.

Balanceandstabilizeyourpelvisbycontractingyourbackleggluteusmaximus.Notethatthepsoasofyourforwardlegcreatesaforcethattiltsyourpelvis
forwardwhilethegluteofthebacklegtiltsthepelvisback.Thesetwoforcesactacrossthestrongligamentsofthepelvistostabilizetheentireunit.Thisis
knownas"ligamentotaxis".Feelhowthisactionstabilizesyourposefromyourcore.

Figure3:BalanceContractionwithStretch

RememberthatHathaYogacombinesoppositesthesunandmoonoryinandyang.Withthisinmind,balancecontractingthepsoasbystretchingit.

Figure3illustratesthegeniusofHathaYogastandingposes.Whileyoucontractyourpsoasintheforwardleg,yourelaxandstretchyourpsoasoftheback
leg.Thus,eachsideoftheposebalancestheother.
Finally,experienceBodyClairvoyance.Thisreferstotheawakenedbodysabilitytoanticipateanactionandusethemostefficientmusclesto
accomplishitwithoutthinkingaboutit.ThePsoasAwakeningSeriessequentiallyactivatesdifferentpartsofthepsoasincrementallyand
synergistically.Whenthebrainseesaconsciouscombinationofactionslikethis,itwillthenautomaticallyusethepsoasinunrelatedactions.Thisis
analogoustorunningupaflightofstairs.Thefirststepsaretakenconsciously,butoncewegetgoingweascendunconsciously(andrhythmically).Theact
oftypingonakeyboardisanotherexampleofthis.

Putanotherway,onceweveawakenedthedormantpsoasmuscle,webegintouseitunconsciouslyinnewtasks.

IdemonstratethisphenomenoninmyworkshopsbyfinishingthePsoasAwakeningSerieswithaninversionsuchasFullArmBalance.Studentsregularly
reportasensationofrocksolidstabilityintheirpose.Thiscomesfromtheunconsciousbrainautomaticallyactivatingthenewlyawakenedpsoasand
stabilizingthepelvis.Experiencethisforyourselfbypracticinganunrelatedasanaattheendoftheseries.

ClickheretolearnmoreaboutaccessingandawakeningyourmindbodyconnectionwiththeYogaMatCompanionSeries.

Practicetips:
1)Alwaysbuildcontractionofamusclegentlyandslowly.Thisaidstominimizetheriskofinjuryandsoreness.

2)Onlycontractthepsoastoapproximately20%ofitsmaximumforce.

3)Awakeningamuscleisaccomplishedbycontractingit.Balanceengagingamusclebystretchingitattheendofyourpractice.

4)Allowampletimeforrecoverybetweenpracticesessions.

5)Alwayspracticeundertheguidanceofanexperiencedteacher.

6)Always,inyourparticularcase,consultyourhealthcareproviderbeforedoingyogaoranyexerciseprogram.

Ifyouarenewtointegratinganatomyintoyourpractice,rememberthatitisnotnecessarytomemorizethistechniqueonyourfirstpass.Beginbyenjoying
thebeautifulimagesofthebodyinyoga.Thisalonewillawakenyourbrain'sawarenessoftheanatomyduringyourpractice.Returnatalaterdatefora
closerlook,andthengentlygothroughthemotionsillustratedaboveasyoudothepose.Thenleaveit.Yourunconsciousmindwillcreatenewcircuitry
whileyourest.Enjoythisprocess,andwhenyoureturntothemat,youwillbesurprisedathoweasilyyouaccessthistechnique.

Youcanapplythissametechniqueofmuscleawakeningtoyouraccessorymusclesofbreathinganddramaticallyexpandyourchestduringyourposesand
pranayama.Clickhereformoreinformation.

Namast,

RayandChris

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Disclaimer:
Always,inyourparticularcase,consultyourhealthcareproviderandobtainfullmedicalclearancebeforepracticingyogaoranyotherexerciseprogram.
Yogamustalwaysbepracticedunderthedirectsupervisionofaqualifiedinstructor.Practicingunderthedirectsupervisionandguidanceofaqualified
instructormayreducetheriskofinjuries.Notallyogaposesaresuitableforallpersons.Practicingunderthedirectsupervisionandguidanceofaqualified
instructor,inadditiontothedirectionofyourhealthcareprovider,canalsohelpdeterminewhatposesaresuitableforyourparticularcase.Theinformation
providedinthisblog,website,books,andothermaterialsisstrictlyforreferenceonlyandisnotinanymannerasubstituteformedicaladviceordirect
guidanceofaqualifiedyogainstructor.Theauthor,illustrators,editors,publishersanddistributorsassumenoresponsibilityorliabilityforanyinjuriesor
lossesthatmayresultfrompracticingyogaoranyotherexerciseprogram.Theauthor,editors,illustrators,publishersanddistributorsallmakeno
representationsorwarrantieswithregardstothecompletenessoraccuracyofinformationonthiswebsite,anylinkedwebsites,books,DVDs,orother
productsrepresentedherein.

2006RaymondA.LongMD.Allrightsreserved.FeaturingillustrationsbyChrisMacivor.
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