Turns out the fountain of youth isn’t as hard to find as it is to pronounce. Svaroopa yoga (roll the “r” and say the “v” as you would in the French voila), a Sanskrit word meaning “your own true self,” involves modified poses that work to relieve stress and bodily compression, keeping you young through flexibility, strength, vitality, and your state of mind. “Svaroopa’s focus on decompressing the spine and opening the [airways] reduces the tension and anxiety that cause tissue damage and premature aging,” says Rama Berch, founder of Svaroopa. Here are the six simple techniques (1 breathing, 1 relaxation and 4 poses) to get you started.
Relaxation and Breathing
Studies show stress causes cellular degradation and speeds the effects of aging. Savasana (corpse pose; universally the last pose of yoga class) lowers your heart rate which dulls your reaction to stress while breathing exercises teach your lungs to take in more oxygen per breath so you have to breathe less frequently leaving your heart to pump as easier and fewer times.
Do 20 minutes of each pose below or five minutes of savasana followed by 10 minutes of breathing in savasana. Then rest two more minutes.
Corpse Pose (Savasana)
1. Set a timer for 20 minutes. Lie on your back on the floor with two bolsters or three pillows under your knees to take pressure off your spine.
2. Place arms near sides with your palms facing the ceiling or place palms on belly.
*If neck tension exists prop a thin pillow underhead so forehead and chin are level.
3. Use a guided relaxation tape or relax each area of your body until you feel peaceful.
Yoga’s Sounding Breath (Ujjayi Pranayama)
In Savasana, narrow your throat passageway slightly in order to exaggerate the sound of your breath.
1. Slow the breath. Create an audible, slow sound on both the inhale and exhale.
2. After 5 to 10 breaths, use less throat tension and quiet the sound of your breath for 5 to 20 more minutes.
The Fabulous Four
This sequence releases core tension, improving your posture and taking compression off the internal organs. Berch says spinal compression caused by muscle tension increases the pace at which the bones, disks, alignment and nerves degrade.
Practice this sequence daily or on days you are not already in yoga class. Make sure to do all four poses in order. They are designed to release tension from the bottom of the spine to the top.
Alternate Leg Pose (Pawanmudtasana) for tailbone release.
“The tailbone is the pivot point in your body. Releasing tension in the tailbone muscles means your whole body begins to even out,” says Berch.
1. Begin in Savasana (see prior page). Bring both knees to the chest and with knees touching, hold them in place for 3 to 4 breaths, allowing your legs to relax.
2. Move both hands over right knee. Lay left leg over bolsters/pillows again. (Do not pull knee to ribs; use hands to keep it from drifting sideways.) Stay 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Repeat on the other side.
The release goes from leg, through the hip and into the spine. This is noticeable when you bring the second leg to join the first one. Feel how much longer your spine is on the floor, from waist to tailbone.
Half Frog Pose (Ardha Mandukasana); the benefit: Sacrum release.
“The most common area of spinal injuries and surgeries is just below the waist at the top of the sacrum,” says Berch. Say hi to your sacrum by putting your hands on your hip bones and creeping your thumbs around toward your spine. With thumbs touching on your back, go down two thumb prints. Releasing this area relieves sciatica.
1. Lie on stomach and bring legs together with big toes touching.
2. Turn head toward your right and tuck chin down toward shoulder to lengthen the neck. Angle the right arm slightly out toward your side, at an A-frame angle, palm faces up.
3. Move right leg out toward your side, bend knee and slide it up to meet right wrist bone. Move foot out to the side until there is a 90 degree angle at the knee. Staying 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Repeat on other side.
*If neck tweaks, stack 2 pillows under belly and chest, with head leaning onto floor. If inner thigh or hip crease ache, pad the space between hip and floor.
Leg of Bow Pose (Dhanurasana); The benefit: Lumbar release.
The lumbar spine is the vertebrae through the waist area. “This pose will give you an elongation through the waist and down through your hip line, smoothing and lengthening that line,” says Berch.
1. Lie on stomach, bring legs together with big toes touching. Turn head toward right and tuck chin down toward shoulder, lengthening the back of the neck.
2. Leave right knee on the floor and bend it so right foot comes up in the air behind you. Reach back with right hand to hold ankle or foot, making sure bent knee stays next to your other knee. *If you cannot reach the foot, lasso it with a belt or necktie. Relax until you feel the right hip crease sinks down toward the floor.
3. Inhale. As you exhale, bend right elbow and pull heel toward your buttock. *Make sure your bent knee is next to your other knee as you allow your leg to soften into the angle; your arm is working. Stay 1 to 2 minutes
4. Repeat on your left side.
Rotated Stomach Pose (Jathara Parivrttanasana); Releases thorasic spine, shoulders, and neck.
“The thorasics have ribs connected to them. If your shoulders hunch, your breath is short and your neck and jaw is tight,” says Berch.
1. Lie on back, holding your knees with your hands, with knees touching. Back will flattens to floor.
2. Roll onto your right side. Release knees and place knees and feet on the floor.
3. Place left palm on your belly; slide it over to the left side of the waist; lower your elbow and shoulder back toward the floor so the chest spirals open and upward.
4. Turn the head back toward your knees. Bring the right arm into an A-frame, palm faces up. Slide knees toward hand until the kneecap of the right leg touches the bone on the side of the wrist. Relax here for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Bring head and knees back to the middle and lie on back holding the knees.
6. Repeat on your left side.
