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Alignment and Technique
The poses were developed to improve posture, promote health, and increase vitality and energy. We need to be aware of the benefits of yoga, but we also need to be aware of the risks. It is essential that yoga poses are correctly aligned because of the intensity of the positions.
When we build a house we need to be sure that the ground underneath it is solid and the foundation is strong, stable, and balanced. We expect the floors to be level, and the windows and doors to be square. Otherwise, there will be cracks and distortions and the house might even collapse. It is exactly the same with our bodies. We look for a secure and stable foundation, and for alignment and elongation of the spine.
Alignment and technique are essential components of asana practice. Correct alignment prevents injury, promotes healing of existing injuries, reduces stress on the tissues and joints, and improves our overall function and feeling of well-being. Concern for technique does not in any way undermine the spiritual dimension of our practice. Great musicians and dancers have flawless technique. The tremendous sense of repose that we see in statues of the Buddha comes in part from the ease of his posture. Technique alone is not spirit, but provides a vehicle through which spirit and creativity can manifest and express themselves.
Alignment allows the body to integrate and elongate. Energy that was used to compensate for imbalances is freed as our muscles and joints come into better balance. Organs occupy space, and their arrangement and function can also be affected by tension, injury, and psychological states. Internal organs function better when they have sufficient space and appropriate support from the musculoskeletal system. The more precise our alignment, the greater our sense of ease and balance. Gravity becomes our ally instead of our enemy.
As you go on in yoga, correct alignment becomes more and more important. For example, a slight tilt in your neck becomes serious if you are doing Headstand regularly. While the feeling of release and extension is usually clear, it is almost impossible to know if you are straight in a pose. We are so used to our own posture that our inner feelings will often tell us we are straight when we are crooked and vice versa. Even if you are aware of your structural imbalances, you will almost always feel strange or crooked when straightened. You should check your poses in a mirror regularly and, if possible, have someone look at them from time to time. Be particularly careful with backbends and inverted poses.
We often avoid giving kind attention to areas that are problematic, because of the negative feelings associated with them. Perhaps you “hate” your hips, or fear a recurring injury, or become frustrated when you can’t do a pose. Our practice highlights the ways that we punish ourselves. Trusting the process weakens the “inner critic,” enabling us to focus our attention on a tension area and gradually release it. Areas that are out of proportion reveal body blocks. As your body comes into greater balance, these areas will tone and lengthen.
What Is Ideal Alignment?
Understanding your goal while observing the alignment of your poses is essential. There is no clear image of a balanced body in our culture. Ancient Egyptian art shows a much better understanding of structure. Take some time to look at some books on Egyptian art and you will notice the extension and ease in the illustrated bodies —even though the artistic style is very formal.
There are common patterns of imbalance, and teachers or guidebooks may offer general rules or guidelines for correction of the poses. For example, we focus on the outer edges of the feet in standing poses because many people have weak arches. If your arches are too high, then you need to let them relax and drop. You must pay careful attention to your own body, and determine what is appropriate for you. Begin by getting a general impression, then move on to more detail.
Aligning the foundation of the pose creates a horizontal base for the spine. The line of the spine is fundamental to our practice. When the spine is vertical, ankles, hips, shoulders, and ears are in a line, and the back of the head balances over the back of the pelvis. You can use the edge of a doorway as a guideline when you are standing straight, sitting, or in Headstand. The back of your head and the back of your pelvis should touch the doorway. When you are standing or in Headstand, the curve at the back of your waist should be minimal. When you are sitting, the back of your waist should touch the doorway, as the lumbar curve disappears.
Focus on the base of your body in contact with the ground. The base needs to be stable, secure and aligned. When you stand, shift your weight until your pelvis is horizontal to provide a balanced foundation for your spine. (Most people stand with more weight on the dominant side. If you are right-handed, shift your weight to the left, and vice versa.) Similarly, when you are in symmetrical sitting poses, your pelvis should be horizontal. If you do Dog Pose or a Standing Forward Bend with your back to a mirror, you can see whether your sitting bones are horizontal.
The line of your shoulders, shoulder blades, or collarbones will establish the base for inverted poses. Adjust the position of your arms to balance your shoulders. In Handstand, Elbow Balance, and Headstand, you can use a mirror. There is no way to be absolutely sure about the alignment of your head and neck in Shoulderstand by yourself. The best advice I can offer is to place your chin in line with the notch between your collarbones. If possible, ask someone to look at your poses. It is very easy to miss your own imbalances.
Always remember that correct alignment is a goal or an ideal. Never force your body into a position that it is not ready for, even if it’s a “correct” position.
Pain and Injuries
It is important to distinguish between the pain or discomfort of a muscle stretching and a warning pain that indicates strain or stress. Any pain in your back during or after your practice is cause for concern. Necks, lower backs, and knees are particularly vulnerable to injury. Treat them with care. When in doubt, err on the side of caution. If problems persist, consult a doctor or a professional bodyworker such as a physiotherapist, chiropractor, or massage therapist.
Injuries are a reflection of structural imbalance. Even when the injury is caused by an accident, weaker areas are the most likely to be injured. In order to truly heal, you will need to find the source of the problem and work to bring your entire body into alignment. As you balance your body as a whole, problems will gradually be alleviated. The injured area can also be a symptom of tension or imbalance elsewhere.
As your body changes, you will find that you are most vulnerable to injury in times of transition. As a stiff area becomes more flexible, it can be overstretched or slip out of alignment. Old injuries can recur as the area is opened up, very often just when you have made a huge breakthrough. It is intensely frustrating to work through this kind of setback.
If you are injured, you need to allow time for recuperation. The first seven to ten days are considered the classical “RICE” stage —rest, ice, compression, elevation. During this period you can continue your breathing practice. No matter how injured or ill you are, you can always focus on your breath. This focus will bring you back to a quiet center, which is both soothing and healing. You can also do postures that do not involve the injured area. For example, if you have a sprained ankle, you can benefit tremendously from leg stretches or inversions.
As the injury heals, start to work the injured area, but go easy until healing is complete. Soft tissue injuries can take six months to a year to heal. After the tissue is healed, your task will be to restore full function and undo any imbalances caused by compensation for the injury.
There is always tension, compression, and misalignment around an injured or diseased area, no matter how long ago the injury occurred. Compensation patterns will remain until you consciously work on changing them. Release, elongation, and structural balance are essential, but the transition must be gradual enough that the condition is not exacerbated. This is a matter of trial and error. Be patient. It is a very slow process, but the rewards are great freedom and balance.
Repetitive Stress Injuries
Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI) are soft tissue injuries that come from repeating the same action over and over. If you are performing the same movement daily, try to counterbalance it in your practice. Years ago, I taught a flute payer who had developed a scoliosis (curve in her spine) from spending so much time turning to one side. Her yoga practice helped her to stay relatively balanced and pain free.
Computer-related injuries are now becoming more common. They generally start from the middle of the back and then move through the shoulders and down the arms. By the time the problem has reached the arms or wrists it can be quite serious. If you are working at a computer all day, remember to breathe and keep the principles of alignment in mind. Find the support in your pelvis, just as you do in your yoga practice. Take at least 5–10 minute stretch breaks every hour. Regular practice of Shoulderstand, backbends, and sitting twists will also help keep your upper back, arms, and shoulders free and supple.
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