The Magic of Yoga Twists: Release the Past & Make Room for the Future

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The Magic of Yoga Twists: Release the Past & Make Room for the Future
By Leah Slagenwhite

Stuck. Stagnant. Things are not moving…

Rx? Ignite the fire from within. Burn away the past to create the change you want to see in the future. Drink in breath and feel it unravel the mind. Twist and wring out all the ‘stuff’.

Every aspect of our entire sensory experience is energy: people, places, events, things, and even words on a screen. If we are not conscious in clearing our energy body, it will seep into the breath body, and we may feel a shallow, short breath. When we continue to stay unconscious, it’s inevitable that a chain reaction occurs and all of a sudden, we become affected by the energy around us.

Most of us get it. We are awake and it’s just a matter of how quickly we can catch our breath or that negative thought and reroute ourselves. The beauty of the way yoga has assimilated as more of a physical practice here in the West, is that the very act of moving and contorting the physical body into varied shapes purifies every layer of our being. Internal and External. Mind and Body. Whether we intend to or not.

When we practice twisting in yoga, we physically and energetically wring out the old staleness to make room for the fresh and new. Each twist plays its part in facilitating the process of shedding the restrictive layers of conditioning. Twisting encourages releasing gripping fear, stress, worry and tension around our muscles so that we can relax enough to feel the deepest part of our core, or, energetically speaking, the strength of the manipura chakra, aka., our internal fire or ‘agni’ in Sanskrit.

Try an easy twist, sitting right where you are: 1) Sit tall, lengthening the spine. 2) Begin with one deep ‘ujjayi’ or big filling and ballooning belly breath– inhale and exhale. 3) Inhale and on the exhale, twist toward the right keeping the spine long, bringing the left palm to the right knee. 4) Inhale and twist on the exhale in the opposite direction.

Exhaling on the twists is great for digestion and detoxification on every level. Imagine wringing out the spine and the belly and letting any tension or stress fall toward the earth (coincidence that the belly of the earth is fire?).

Wring it out with us, over at West End Yoga (WEY), where every BODY is welcome at our bohemian yoga haven. Beginners are especially welcome to try 1 Week Unlimited for only $20! The only way to transform your body is to fall in LOVE with your workout and wellness lifestyle.

WEY is located in the heart of Canton, and provides a safe space of healing that promotes connection to ourselves and each other– supporting one another instead of competing. Get our 7-day schedule at: http://thewestendyogacompany.com

Leah Slagenwhite

Leah is the Owner of West End Yoga, WEY was created to hold space, empower women, and accelerate the experience of personal evolution. Located in Canton, it’s a bohemian yoga haven for every BODY. They honor yogic roots while finding the intersections with Traditional Chinese Medicine and aromatherapy. See their schedule at: www.TheWestEndYogaCompany.com

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