The Advanced Yogi: Not What You Think

This entry was posted on Dec 4, 2013 by Charlotte Bell.
advanced yogi

Yoganidrasana by a True “Advanced Yogi” (BKS Iyengar)

What is an Advanced Yogi?

Recently I led some yoga students through a rather lengthy series of leg-stretching asanas based on Supta Padanghustasana (Supine Big Toe Pose). I traditionally end the series with a one-legged version of Yoganidrasana (ankles behind the head). Of course, most people in my classes feel pretty flexible if their foot ends up within a few inches of their faces—and honestly, that’s really quite flexible compared to the average person on the street.

The orientation and depth of many people’s hip sockets will never allow the full, Yoga Journal-cover-ready expression of the pose, the ankle hooked easily around the back of one’s neck. I’m one of the few people whose pelvis and femurs are made for this and other poses, like Padmasana (Lotus Pose), that others’ individual structures will not allow. I don’t take particular pride in this; it’s not something I earned through hard work. It’s simply a genetic variation inherited from my gymnast father.

The instructions for moving into Yoganidrasana can be confusing to students, probably because the pose has nothing in common with everyday movement. Often I demonstrate for clarity. In last week’s class I demonstrated the version that most people can accomplish—bending one knee toward the chest, placing the ankle in the bend of the opposite elbow and drawing the leg in toward the chest. As I offered the option—somewhat jokingly—of slipping the ankle behind the head, it occurred to me to do what I’ve often done:  Demonstrate.

For a week prior to this class, I’d been struggling with sacroiliac (SI) pain and sciatica. My genetically loose joints, combined with years of practicing accepted alignment instructions that I later found to be inappropriate for my body—along with youthful enthusiasm that inspired me to try every “advanced” pose I could force myself into back in the 1980s—have produced in me a fragile, hyper-mobile SI joint. My SI joint is the proverbial canary in the coalmine for me now. On one hand, it’s quite useful; it gives me immediate feedback when my alignment is ever-so-slightly unhealthy. I’ve learned volumes about SI-appropriate alignment from living with this extremely sensitive and communicative joint. On the other hand, my SI joint misaligns easily and turns excruciatingly painful at the slightest provocation. Sometimes only a chiropractic adjustment will set it right.

So when I had the option to demonstrate Yoganidrasana, I chose the prudent path and opted out. Not only did I save myself untold SI trouble in a joint that was already inflamed. More important, I walked my talk. I would never encourage a student to push past SI and sciatica pain. The only motivation I can think of for sliding my foot behind my head would be to prove that I could do it, to show my students what an “advanced” yogi I am.

Why Class Levels Don’t Work for Yoga

I’ve long advocated for a different definition of the “advanced” yogi. Defined class levels (Level 1, 2, 3 and 4) seem artificial, limiting and inaccurate to me. Some people come to yoga with bodies that will do almost every pose on the first day. Never mind that their minds are looking forward to their next social engagement while they rise effortlessly into Urdva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow) with straight arms (the requirement for entering some Level 3 classes). On the other hand, a yogi with 30 years’ experience whose shoulder joint is constructed in such a way that the angle of their arms will never allow them to be straight in Urdva Dhanurasana would be barred from this same class. These parameters do not seem useful to me.

For me, an advanced yogi is one who has a two-way communication with his/her body—speaking and listening. An advanced yogi has the experience to know when he/she is too exhausted, injured or fragile to practice a particular pose. An advanced yogi knows that the degree to which you can stretch, the number of Chaturangas (yoga push-ups) you can do, the length of time you can stay in headstand, or having straight arms in Urdva Dhanurasana matters not at all in the grand scheme. An advanced yogi’s ego is in check enough to know that no one’s character is defined by what poses he/she can or can’t do. An advanced yogi knows that just because you can do a particular pose doesn’t mean that you should.

Donna Farhi teaches that advanced yogis are the ones who opt out of doing the most “advanced” variations of poses rather than push themselves to the point of injury. Advanced yogis are the people who know that Yoga is not about performance, but about freedom from the need to perform. I have to agree. My decision to opt out of Yoganidrasana tastes far more of freedom than wedging my ankle behind my head ever could.

Tags

6 responses to “The Advanced Yogi: Not What You Think”

  1. Matthew says:

    As I begin to practice yoga, I need to keep in mind what you have written and not be so goal-oriented. I don’t want to become “advanced” as much as I want to fine-tune my body and my mind-body-spirit connection.

  2. Charlotte says:

    IMO, the key to fine-tuning the body/mind/spirit connection is to let go of the struggle against our bodies as they are. That’s actually the definition of mastery of asana (physical yoga) according to the sutras: “It is mastered when all effort is relaxed and the mind is absorbed in the infinite.”

  3. Amen, amen, amen!

    I will never be allowed into those level three classes, probably not even the level two ones, because I have limited forearm rotation, the kind of pelvis/femur setup that only really goes forwards and backwards with any ease, and an acromium process that somewhat limits me in backbends, especially of the arms overhead variety…

    So I will never be an ‘advanced’ yogi in that sense 😛

    Great post, Charlotte!

    And I must admit, I am a teensy bit impressed that you CAN get your legs behind your ears. I can too, but only if I dislocate one or both SIJ’s.

    • Charlotte says:

      Thanks, Nadine! The most famous sutra on asana says: “The physical posture should be steady and comfortable.” Most people know that one, but I wish they paid more attention to 2.47: “It is mastered when all effort is relaxed and the mind is absorbed in the Infinite.” What this says to me is that it absolutely doesn’t matter what pose you are in or how it looks. Mastery is about relaxing into where you are to the point that you are no longer “doing” but “being” the pose. You don’t have to be flexible to do this.

      When I made the choice not to put my ankle behind my head it was in deference to my SI joint. At this point I’m fine with never doing it again. No yoga pose is worth the pain of SI dysfunction and sciatica!

  4. Danielle says:

    Well said! Thank you for this. It is a great addition to the current discussion regarding why yoga can ‘wreck’ your body…loved the summary.

  5. Charlotte says:

    Thanks, Danielle. I’m really glad that this conversation has been opened up by the “Wreck Your Body” article. I think that the mindset that defines advanced yoga as the ability to do contortionist-style poses is wreaking havoc on people. I hope the conversation will start people seeing things a little differently.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About Charlotte Bell
Charlotte Bell discovered yoga in 1982 and began teaching in 1986. Charlotte is the author of Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice and Yoga for Meditators, both published by Rodmell Press. Her third book is titled Hip-Healthy Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Guide to Protecting the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Pain (Shambhala Publications). She writes a monthly column for CATALYST Magazine and serves as editor for Yoga U Online. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte plays oboe and English horn in the Salt Lake Symphony and folk sextet Red Rock Rondo, whose DVD won two Emmy awards in 2010.