If there was one asana to be flagged as the number one pose associated with yoga, surely it would have to be Downward Facing Dog, Adho Mukha Svanasana. I can’t think of another physical activity that uses the static version of the body in this position the way we yogis do.
And there is so much to love about Downward Dog.
For starters, it’s an inversion. A fairly easy to achieve inversion, unlike trickier ones like headstand, shoulder stands and the like which require a good deal of preparation and counterposing. ( And if you don’t counterpose after headstand and shoulder stand please go ask your teacher why… !)
Inversions can be good for blood circulation, and in yoga there is also a concept connected to inversions around the Agni. Like a little Bunsen burner flame in the abdomen, the Agni gets flipped into reverse when the body is inverted. This is said to assist with removing Apana from the body. Apana is anything that no longer serves us. Whether that is bodily waste, carbon dioxide or negative energy and thoughts, Apana needs to be removed in order to open the body up to receiving beautiful fresh Prana. The lifeforce and energy that sustains us. So, the more thoroughly you can allow Apana to leave the body, the richer your intake of Prana may be.
Now, the other good thing about having Agni on your mind while in downward dog, is that a new neural pathway easing the pressure on your wrists may be being created. Weird? True. Over the years I have been to so many classes that asking me to hold Downward Dog for what seems an eternity, or keep returning the pose over and over and over. Sigh. It always used to upset my wrists, putting much too much pressure on them. Once I started taking my attention to moving into the pose leading with the hips everything changed. There was a stability and lightness in my wrists. I seemed to be hanging from an imaginary hook in the ceiling rather than bearing down on my hands. If your attention as you exhale into to pose is on drawing up the pelvic floor and leading with the abdominals, you will taking a whole lot of pressure of your wrists. It will become second nature to do it this way. A new neural pathway will have been created.
Another thing that really helped me find stability and ease in the pose was changing the width of my hand span. I knew the hands were meant to be shoulder width apart. But I never really took into account how broad my shoulders actually are! I’m no Muscle Mary, but it would seem I had a touch of delusion where my shoulders were concerned. So there is about 30cm between my thumbs these days, and this positions my arms correctly. Have a play and see what works for you.
Because a good yoga practice is all about you. Personalized for your specific body and your specific mind.
Remember to keep your knees and elbows soft, not locked or hyperextended. Your chin should be tucked to lengthen the spine at the back of the neck. And soften your jaw. Be nice to yourself. It’s embedded in one of the principles of yoga, Ahimsa. That means embracing non-violence to yourself and others.
Downward Dog is so good to help lengthen the spine, allowing for a beautiful deep breath and benefiting from the upturned Agni.
Lead the dog with your hips, be kind to yourself and enjoy the benefits of this go-to asana.
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