Energy medicine yoga : amplify the healing power of your ...

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CONTENTS

ForewordbyDonnaEdenINTRODUCTIONWhatIsEnergyMedicineYoga?PART1StartingYourEnergyMedicineYogaPracticeWelcometoEnergyMedicineYogaWEEK1WakingUptheBody’sEnergiesWEEK2SunSalutationsandFigureEightsWEEK3WorkingwiththeBandhasWEEK4TheTripleWarmerandSpleenMeridiansWEEK5TheFiveElementsandthePowerofSoundWEEK6EmpoweredWarriorSeriesandtheElectricsWEEK7ChakrasandShockPointsWEEK8WeavingItAllTogetherPART2ExpandingandCustomizingYourEnergyMedicine

YogaPracticeStandingPoses

BackbendsTwistsandSeatedPosesRecliningPoses,RestorativeInversions,andRelaxation

PreparationClosingYourPhysicalPractice:EyeYogaandSavasanaMeditationFinalNotesAPPENDIXTraumaandEnergyMedicineYogaResourcesBibliographyAcknowledgmentsAbouttheAuthorAboutSoundsTrueCopyright

FOREWORD

byDonnaEdenWith its single three-word title,EnergyMedicine Yoga manages to condensetwoverylargedomains—energymedicineandyoga.Oneoftherootmeaningsofyogais“toyoke,”tocombine,toformaunionbetweentwoseparateentities.Insomerenditions,thisisthoughtofasachievingaunionofbreathandbody;inothers,ofbodyandconsciousness; in stillothers,ofhumanconsciousness andtherealmofdivinity.Movingtoaquadrupleentendre,thepurposeofthisbookisalso to create a yoga, a union of two disciplines that are usually practicedindependently.IamhonoredtobeaskedtogreetyouonthisjourneyintoEnergyMedicineYogabyfirstputtingenergymedicine,asitpertainstothisbook,intocontext.

Albert Szent-Györgyi, aNobel Laureate inMedicine, reflected that “ineverycultureandeverymedicaltraditionbeforeours,healingwasaccomplishedbymoving energy.”Our culture is developing a thoroughly fresh approach tohealing by reclaiming this ancient knowledge for working with the body’senergies in a manner that is fully informed by modern scientific knowledge.ChristianeNorthrup,MD,explains:“Inthemedicineofthefuture,asIenvisionit,workingwiththepatient’senergyfieldwillbethefirstintervention.Surgerywillbealastresort.Drugswillbealastresort.Theywillstillhavetheirplace,but shifting theenergypatterns thatcaused thediseasewillbe the first lineoftreatment.”AccordingtoStanfordphysicistWilliamTiller,“Modernmedicineisrapidlyapproachinganagewhereenergywillbeconsideredthemainfactorinthe diagnosis and treatment of disease.” Mehmet Oz, MD, has famouslysuggested:“Energymedicineisthelastgreatfrontierinmedicine.”

Because there are already somanyapproaches to energymedicine, andthis book focuses on the onewithwhich I am associated, I need to begin bysharing a bit about how I came to themethods I use.My approach to energymedicineactuallygrewoutofaseriesofpersonalhealthchallenges.Iwasbornwith vulnerabilities that resulted in asthma and severe allergies. I contractedtuberculosisatagethreeandwasdiagnosedwithmultiplesclerosisatsixteen.Asmybodydeterioratedandmyorgansbegantobreakdown,Ihadaheartattackattwenty-seven and was not expected to live beyond my early thirties.Nonetheless, I had a few things going for me. I had managed to birth twobeautifuldaughtersbymymid-twenties, and Ihadanatural attunement to the

subtleenergiesinthehumanbody,abletoseeandsensetheminmyselfandinothers.

After several doctors told me to get my “affairs in order,” mydetermination to not leavemy daughters joined withmy facility with energy,drivingme to figureout the steps I needed to take tohealmyself. Inbed andoftenunabletowalk,Ifocusedonwheretheenergiesinmybodyseemedstuckorpainfulanddevisedwaystosoothethoseenergiesandget themmoving.Toeveryone’s surprise, I grew stronger and healthier after medical avenues hadbeenabandoned.Bymymid-thirties, Iwas in thebesthealthofmy life,andIwantedtoaidotherswhoweresufferingfromseriousillnesses.Thisbecametheguidingpurposeofmylife.

OnlyafterIhadbecomeinvolvedin thehealthchallengesof thosewhosoughtmy help did I begin to study the healing traditions of other cultures. Ilearnedthatthebody’senergieshavebeenmappedbymanysystems,andIwasfascinated to discover that these maps often correspond with the way I seeenergiesmovingwhenaclientisonmytable.

Threesystems thatstoodout formewere1) theCeltichealingarts thathadbeenpasseddownorallyandwithwhich Ihadan intuitiveconnection,2)drawings and descriptions of energy pathways by ancient Chinese physicians,and3)yogatechniquesandprinciplesthathavebeenpracticedformillennia.Inyoga are found postures (asanas) and breathing techniques (pranayama) torestore,maintain,anddirectthevitalenergiesofthelifeforce.Fusedwiththesepracticesweredescriptionsofvortexesofenergy,calledchakras,andchannelsalongwhichenergyflows,callednadis,bothofwhichIcouldseeandhadbeenregulatingwithmyclients.

IbegantocallthemethodIwasdeveloping“energymedicine,”realizingthat itwasnotsomuchanewsystembutratheranotherapproachforworkingwith the same vital energies that had been the focus of many healing andspiritual traditions before it.Oneofmy students, the author of this book,wasalreadyanaccomplishedyogapractitionerandteacher,andshebeganintegratingmethods I was teaching her into her yoga practice.When I learned of this, Ibecame very interested to see how shewas approaching it. Now after havingreadthisbook,Iamextraordinarilyimpressedwiththesynthesisshehascreated.

Yogais,ofcourse,amongtheoldestexistingsystemsforenhancing thehealth of the body’s energy systems. Sincemy approach to working with thebody’senergiesgrewoutofovercomingmyownmaladies,itaddressesphysicalillness in ways that are much more focused than a typical yoga routine. It

includesstrategiesforassessingtheperformanceofeveryorganandeveryothersystem of the body, healing their disorders, and optimizing their functioning.Throughmyclientsandstudents,Ihavelearnedthatthesemethodsarevaluablenot only for overcoming illnessbut also formaintaininghealth and increasingvitality.

Inmarryingenergymedicinetechniqueswithtime-honoredyogaposturesand positions, LaurenWalker has created a brilliant system that draws on thestrengthsofeachdiscipline,andyouarethebeneficiary.EnergyMedicineYogateachesyouabasicyogaroutine.Buteverystepoftheway—fromwarm-uptocool-down—isinterlacedwithspecifictechniquesthatenhancethephysicalandmentalbenefitsoftheposture.Whetheryouareabeginnerlearningbothenergymedicineandyogafromthebook,aseasonedyogapractitionerwantingtobringthe benefits of energy medicine into your routines, or already proficient inenergy medicine and interested in combining its benefits with the benefits ofyoga,thisworkisapowerfulresource.

IaskedLaurenhowshehadthegumptiontotrytoimproveonasystemthathadbeenreveredbygenerationaftergenerationforthousandsofyears.Shetoldme that asherown footingas ayoga teacherwasdeveloping, she startedtaking classes from someof themostwell-knownyoga teachers andbegan tolook at their impact on students through the perspective she had cultivatedduringherenergymedicinetraining.Fromthatvantagepoint,shefeltthattheirclasses“weren’t shifting thestudents’energiesexceptat themostbasic level.”Evenayogaclassthat“exhaustsyouorexhilaratesyou,”shetoldme,“doesn’twork with the underlying energy levels.” So she set out to introduce energymedicineintoherownyogapracticetoaccomplishthis,andshehassucceededmagnificently.

Thecoreofthebookpresentsaneight-weekprogramthatteachesyou,aweek at a time, specific sets of postures and energymedicine skillswhich, inweek8,aremercifullywoventogetherintoadailypracticethatcanbedoneinameretwentyminutes.Energymedicineisnotasimpledisciplinetomaster.Thebodyhasmultipleenergysystems.Youarefamiliarwithsomeofthem,suchasthe chakras, aura, and meridians, but others such as the radiant circuits andCeltic Weave have not made it into our common vocabulary. Lauren breaksdownthiscomplexitybyintroducinganewsystem(ortwoorthree)eachweekandshowingyouconcretebenefitsofworkingwiththatsystem.

The book is, in fact, laced with detailed ways that energy medicinetechniques can enhance a yoga practice. I’ll mention only a few. Energy

MedicineYogabeginswithatwo-minute“Wake-up”routinetogetyourenergies“movingintherightdirection”sothatyouwillalreadybeinaflowwhenyoubegin the physical postures. Because yoga stretches you—literally andfiguratively—youcomeupagainstpain,tension,orsorenesswhenyouaredoingthepracticescorrectly.Laurenteachesanenergymedicinetechniquethatworkswith reflexpoints thatget thebody’senergiesmoving inareaswhere theyarecongealed.Suchcongealedenergiesareamajorcauseofyourbody’sdailyachesandpains.Ifyouclearthembeforeyouryogastretches,youhavemadespaceforthe energy to flow so the stretch can go a bit further and with a bit lesstenderness.Thatisthecat’smeowasyouryogapracticeadvances.Anotherareawhere energymedicine and yoga team up nicely involves emotions that mayemergeduringayogapractice.Yogateachersarewellawarethatdifferentpartsof thebodymayholdmemoriesor emotions that canbe releasedduringyogapostures. The backmay hold feelings of beingweighted down.The hipsmayhold unresolved sexual feelings. While the release of these feelings may becathartic,theymayalsobeoverwhelmingandpersistlongaftertheyogasession.Laurenteachesyouanothersetofreflexpointsusedinenergymedicinethatcanbe appliedwhenunexpected emotionor the residueof past trauma is releasedandyouareleftfeelingagitatedandunresolved.

Throughout Energy Medicine Yoga, you will also find some of theclearestandmostconcretemetaphorsI’veeverseeninabookthataddressesthebody’senergies.Laurenisanavidskier,andthebookopensbytakingusonaski-lift ride tosurvey thegroomedski runsbelow.The tracksof theskiersaresmoothedeachnightso theydon’tbecomedeepruts thatcan’tbeskied.“Thisdailyprocessoftrackingupandthengroomingthemountainisnotunlikehowtheenergiesof thebodywork,”Laurenexplains. “The ski runsare thebody’senergy systems, and the skiers are all the processes that track up the systems.Everysinglethingwedo—digestfood,move,think,talk—takesthebodyoutofneutralandtipsitsdelicatebalance.Thebodyisthenalwaystryingtogetbackintobalance,justasthegroomersarealwaystryingtokeeptheslopesgroomed.Losing,regaining,andmaintainingthatbalance—thehomeostasisofthebody—isthedanceofbeingalive.”

EnergyMedicineYoga givesyoua system that, in twentyminutes eachday,canhelpsupportyourbody’sabilitytostayinbalance.Whetheryoureadittolearnmoreaboutyoga,tolearnmoreaboutenergymedicine,ortoadoptthepowerfulpracticesitpresentsintoyourdailylife,youwill,foryourefforts,havebecomeabetterskierofyourbody’senergies.

DonnaEdenApril23,2014

Ashland,Oregon

INTRODUCTION

WhatIsEnergyMedicineYoga?What exactly is EnergyMedicine Yoga?” Jen asked, as we pulled down thesafetybaronthechairliftandstartedourseven-minuteascent.Shehadalreadysignedup formy“Introduction toEnergyMedicineYoga” series, because shesaidIwasherfavoriteyogateacherandshe’dtakeanyclassIoffered.Butit’dbeentenyearssinceI’dlivedinMontanaandtaughthere,andmyteachinghadevolvedsignificantlysincethen.JenhadnoideawhatIwasgoingtooffer.

“Youcangivemetheelevatorpitch,”shesaid.“Orthechairliftpitch.”We were rising up the mountain and could see the groomed ski runs

beneathus.Everyday,assoonasthechairliftsclose,hugemachinescomeoutandgroomtheslopes.Theysmoothoutalltheimprintsmadebytheskiers,theypullsnowthathasbeenpushedtotheedgesbacktothemiddleoftheruns,andtheytakenewlyfallensnowandsetallofthatdownincorduroypatterns.Theyworkallnightlong,untiltheentiremountainisorganized,clean,andsetinneat,smooth runs.Then,when the firstchairliftsopen, theskiersandsnowboardersdescendandstarttrackingupthemountainagain.Thewholecyclerepeats,dayafterday.

Thisdailyprocessoftrackingupandthengroomingthemountainisnotunlikehowtheenergiesof thebodywork,IexplainedtoJen.Theskirunsarethebody’senergysystems,andtheskiersarealltheprocessesthattrackupthesystems. Every single thingwe do—digest food,move, think, talk—takes thebodyoutofneutralandtipsitsdelicatebalance.Thebodyisthenalwaystryingto get back into balance, just as the groomers are always trying to keep theslopes groomed. Losing, regaining, and maintaining that balance—thehomeostasisofthebody—isthedanceofbeingalive.

Whenthebodyishealthy,itisabletoeasilyrebalanceitself.Evenwhensomethingextremehappens—webreakalegorcatchtheflu—thebodycandealwithit,healit,andcomebacktocenter.Butwhentheenergiesofthebodyarestressedfor too long, theystart tostay inanunbalancedplace,and itbecomesharderandharderforthebodytohealorcometoneutral.

Ifoneofthegroomingmachinesonthemountainisoutofservice,alltheothergroomershavetoworkhardertogetthemountainreadyforopening.Someof the runs don’t get groomed, and they get less and less skiable. The tracksbecomehuge,deepmoguls,andfewerpeoplehavetheskilltoskithesedamaged

runs. The same thing happens to our bodies’ energies. Consistent imbalancesleadtochronicproblemslikeadrenalfatigue,depression,lingeringillness,andageneralfeelingofbeingunwelloroffinsomehard-to-name,butcertainway.

Ourmountainhasalwaysbeenknownforitsamazinggroomedruns.Thebest groomer operators are the ones who have a deep intimacy with themountain.Theyknoweverybumpandrise,fallline,treeline.Theyknowwherethereisextrasnowtheycanpullfrom,wheretherearebareorroughareasthatneed attention. They knowwhere to open up side trails to connectmain runswhenthecrowdsgettoobig.Theyknowthespotsthatgethabituallyscrapedofsnow, and the ones that get cloggedwith excess snow.They spend hours andhours massaging and clearing the landscape, and the best operators feel asingularloveforthesnowfields.Theverybestones—andtheseareararefew—knowthemountaininallitsseasons.Theyknowwhichtreesandshrubsshouldbe cut back in summer, and they are often the ones to cut themback, to helpcleardebris.Theybuildculvertsandditchesforthespringrunoffsotheslopesdon’terode.Theybuildbikingandhikingtrailsforthewaypeoplemovearoundthemountaininthespring,summer,andfall.Theyknowhowtoworkwithalltheelementsatplayonthesefields.Inmuchthesameway,wewanttocreateanintimacywithourownbodies.Wewant toknowwherethere isexcessenergy,wheretherearelacks,howtomoveanddirecttheenergy,clearbarriers,widenpathways—inallthedifferentseasons.

EnergyMedicineYoga is essentially grooming the body’s energies, theway theoperatorsgroomthesnowon themountain. Ithelpsusmakesure thebody’s energies are awake andmoving, that they are running forward and notbackward(averycommonoccurrence),andthattheenergysystemsofthebodyarecoordinatedandorganized.Someoftheenergysystemsrequireclearing,likeblowingout a kitchendrainblockedbygrease.Someof them require holdingand rocking, like calming a screaming baby. Some of them require gentletappingandsmoothing,likeputtyingoveraholeinawall.Someofthemrequiredeep-pressuremassage,likepressingaballofpiedoughintoapietin.Someofthemrequireweavingtogether,likedarningaholeinasock.

IpromisedJen that inoureight-weekEnergyMedicineYogaclass, shewould learnwhat theseenergysystemsof thebodyareandhowtoeasily takecareof them.Shewould learnhow todevelopherowndaily, twenty-to forty-minute Energy Medicine Yoga practice that would allow her to feel strong,balanced,andstressfreenomatterwhatwasgoingoninherlife.Herphysicalbodywouldfeelmoreeasefulandrecoverbetterbothfromherworkoutsandthe

challengesofhavingthreesmallchildren.Andhermindwouldbeabletodigesther experiences andhelp her identify and achieveher goals, both professionalandspiritual.

“That’salottopromise,”shesaid,withaglintinhereye.Iagreed,butIwasalsoconfident.Iknewfrommyownexperiencethatif

thebody’senergiesarebalanced, if theyhavespaceandroomtomove,and ifthey are being supported by intelligent practices, there is nothing we can’thandle. Combining the two powerful paradigms of yoga and energymedicinehadhelpedmeshiftoutofsomedeeplyembeddedandunsatisfyingpatternsthatwere holding me back and draining my energy. And as I’ve taught EnergyMedicineYogatoothers,manyofmystudentshavetoldmetheywereabletodothesamethings.

At themilitarycollegewhereI taughtforfouryears,mostpeopleknewabout yoga. Even if they thought of it as just stretching, they had some idea,because yoga has infiltrated the mainstream. To a T, those with limitedknowledge were blown away by how EnergyMedicine Yoga helped them toreleasestress,togetmoredoneintheirdays,andtosucceedintheirgoalsinamoreeasefulway.Theyalsocommentedonhow their relationships improved.They thought theywould stretch,which they did.But they did not know thatthey would learn how to breathe, how their bodies worked, how their mindsworked, and how to change both the body and the mind with a directed,intelligent,andeasy-to-learnpractice.

Everyyogabookwilltellyouthatthewordyogaitselfmeans“union”—literally,“toyoke,” tobring twodisparate things together. In theyogacontext,this initially means bringing together movements of the breath and the body.Later, as you go deeper in the yoga practices, it means bringing together thebodyandthemind.

But as Iwaswriting this introduction, I found in oneofmynotebooksfrom the many workshops I’ve taken with my yoga teacher, Rod Stryker, adefinitionthatheldmuchmoremeaning.Yoga,initsultimatecontext,meanstomergewiththatpartofusthatisunchanging,universal,andomniscient.Yogaisa science both of being and of becoming, and how I, as the practitioner, caninfluence the direction of change. It helps us to answer the constant question,“Whatnext?”

ThatunderstandingofyogaisattheheartofEnergyMedicineYoga:itisthepracticeofinfluencingthedirectionofourbody’senergypatternsinordertocreatepositivechange.

Energy medicine is prevalent in our world, and encompasses manydifferentparadigms.Acupuncture,taichi,ultrasound,Reiki,magneticresonanceimaging (MRI), laser surgery, and radiation therapy are all forms of energymedicine.Butthemodelofenergymedicinethatwe’llfollowinthisbookcomesfrommyenergymedicineteacher,DonnaEden:“Energymedicineistheartandscienceoffosteringphysical,psychological,andspiritualhealthandwellbeing.Itcombinesarationalknowledgeandintuitiveunderstandingoftheenergiesinthe body and in the environment. . . . By focusing on your body as a livingsystem of energy, you begin to realize that powerful energy technologies arealreadyinherentinyourhandsandinyourbeing.”

Energy,forourpurpose,isthecapacitytoperformworkandaninternalpowerusedtoproduceaneffect.InEnergyMedicineYoga,weusethepowerofenergy,alignedwithitshealingprinciples,toharnessourownlifeforceandbothtransform ourselves to our highest good and accept ourselves in our innateperfection.

EnergyMedicine Yoga is designed to teach you to communicate withyour body the way your body can understand. This is a two-way street. Ourbodies,andsouls,talktousinnumerousways.Messagescometousthroughourdreams, intuitions, and feelings, as well as through physical sensations likepleasure and pain.We need to learn to speak back to our bodies on a deeperlevel,inthesamelanguagethatthebodyitselfspeaks.Wedothisinavarietyofways: through imagination, visualization, meditation, and through physicalmeans such as touching, tapping, holding specific points, stretching, andmassage.

Part of the development ofEnergyMedicineYoga came frommy timeteachingatNorwichUniversity,theoldestprivatemilitarycollegeinthecountry.AsIsawtheeffectsthispracticehadonthemenandwomenpreparingtoserveourcountry,IdeterminedthatIwantedtoofferittoasmanydeployingsoldiersas possible. Using the template of the eight-week basic training that everysoldier undergoes, I designed a program to give these EnergyMedicineYogatools to people about to face some of the most intensely stressful situationspossible.

Theeight-weekcoursealso turnedout tobe thebestway to teachbothbeginnerandadvancedyogastudentsinthesamesetting.Peoplewhohadneverheard of bandhas learned them, along with the important yoga postures.AdvancedstudentsandyogateacherswereabletogreatlyincreasethepoweroftheirexistingpracticebyincorporatingEnergyMedicineYogatechniquesintoit,

while also learning how to apply the energy medicine principles to the yogabasics.Theeight-weekcourseIdevelopedatNorwichbecamethetemplateforthe series of eight-week workshops I now teach at yoga studios around theUnitedStates,andformstheframeworkforthisbook.

Thiswork isderived frommy intensive studieswith two teachers.RodStryker,whocreatedParaYoga,hasbeenmyteachersince2000andhastaughtmemorethanIeverimaginedyogacouldencompass.Healsoencouragedmetokeep teachingwhen I was close to quitting yoga altogether. Donna Eden, thefounderofEdenEnergyMedicine,came intomy lifewhen itwasat a seriouslowpoint,andshehelpedtosparktheradiantcircuitsthatstartedtofillmewithjoyagain.Beingwelcomedintoherfamilyofstudentsandteachersandstudyinghersystemofenergymedicinetransformedmylife.

Theincrediblewisdomandknowledgeofthesetwomasterteachersformthe basis of EnergyMedicine Yoga: a modern tantra, or weaving, of ancientwisdomtohelpushealandthrive.

Becausetheorganizationofthebookmirrorsthelayoutofmyeight-weekcourse series, you can use part 1 as your own personal eight-week EnergyMedicineYogaworkshop.Spendingaweekwitheachofthechaptersinpart1beforemoving on to the next is a great way to become familiar with EnergyMedicineYoga and build a practice of your own. If you already have a yogapractice that works for you, you can read through part 1 and pull differentEnergyMedicineYogapracticesoutofeachsectionandinsertthemdirectlyintowhatyoualreadydo,empoweringtheposeswiththesimpletechniques.Youcanalso just trydoingaposehereor there tostart to learnwhatEnergyMedicineYogaisallabout.

Part 1 lays the groundwork for your Energy Medicine Yoga practice,includingkeyenergysystemsofthebodyandotherbasicconcepts.Itgivesyouawealthofpowerfulpracticesand,attheend,showsyouhowtheycanbecomeatwenty-toforty-minuteEnergyMedicineYogaroutine.

Thattemplateisamapyouwillusetochartyourcoursethroughpart2,whichgivesyouadditionalEnergyMedicineYogapracticesthatI’vediscoveredordeveloped—dozensofposesyoucanaddtothebasictemplate.Forexample,you can add standing poses into the EnergyMedicine Yoga sun salutation ordirectlyafterit,andyoucanaddmoretwistsorforwardbendsattheappropriateplaceinyourpractice.

Throughout this book, you’ll see many Sanskrit words. Sanskrit, anancient languagewith roots in India, is the languageof yoga, and thoughyou

maynothaveseenthesewordsbefore,you’veprobablyheardyouryogateachersay them. Many yoga teachers, myself included, use both the Sanskrit andEnglish names for poses and practices—sometimes together, sometimesinterchangeably.Sanskrit isaresonant language,whichmeans ithas thesubtlebut real effect of opening up energy pathways in the body as the wordsthemselves are spoken. Using Sanskrit is also the traditional way of teachingyoga. Out of respect and love for these ancient roots, Sanskrit is used (andtranslated)liberallythroughoutthistext.

EnergyMedicineYogadoesnotrelyheavilyonprops,sowhateverpropsyou generally use for your yoga practice are all that is needed here.Amat, ablanket,andoneortwoblockswouldbehelpful.Astrapisgoodtohavebutnotnecessary.

Ifyou’veneverpracticedyogabefore,youwillcertainlybeabletodothepractices laid out here, but the focus of this book is weaving these energytechniquesintoyourestablishedyogapracticeandintoposesyoualreadyknow.ThoughIwilltakeyouthroughthebasicsandbuildeachposefromthetoesup,thisbookisnotallaboutalignment.Ifyouhaveneverpracticedyogabefore,Isuggest takingaclassatyour local studioorgymorwatchingsomebeginner-levelvideos.Ifyou’vepracticedyogaevenonlyafewtimes,orifyouareayogateacherwithyearsofexperience, the techniquesherewillhelp transformwhatyou’vebeendoingandhelpyoutakeyouryogatonew,dynamic,andexcitingplaces.

I inviteyoutodiveinandfindyourownpaththroughtheamazingandbeautifulfieldsofenergyinyourownbody!

PART1

StartingYourEnergyMedicineYogaPracticeHere in part 1, you will learn everything you need to know for an effectiveEnergyMedicineYogapractice.Thefirstsevenweekswillintroducemanynewconcepts and poses. If you’re familiarwith yoga, the poses and practiceswillseem like strange variations on those you already do. If you’re new to yoga,thesepracticeswillbeyourbaseline.TheposesarewhatIcalltheessentialsorthe power poses—theones that give you themost bang for your buck. If youhave only a short time, or your body just needs maintenance, or if you’retravelingorrecoveringfromastrain,injury,orillness,theseposesareyourgo-toposes.

Eachchapterofpart1 also offers concepts to take you deeper—to addeven more power to the poses, help you discover and strengthen your ownenergyfield,andstarttolearnhowyouruniqueenergyworks.Week8willhelpyou tie togetherall theconceptsandpractices fromweeks1 through7 into anideal,twenty-toforty-minuteEnergyMedicineYogapractice.Thistemplatecanbe yourwhole practice, because it is complete and comprehensive and serveswell as a daily routine. It can also serve as the basis for a longer practice, asyou’lllearninpart2.

AllpracticesinEnergyMedicineYogaworkwiththeunderlyingenergysystemsofyourbody.Theseenergysystemscomefrommanydifferenthealingtraditions.ThechakrasareyogicorVedicfromIndianculture;themeridiansandradiantcircuitsgobacktoTraditionalChineseMedicine(TCM).Eachtraditionhasitsownwayofdescribingsimilarenergeticphenomena,andthetwooldestmedicinesontheplanet,Ayurveda(theyogichealthsystem)andTCM,overlapbothintheholisticwaytheylookatthebodyandinthetreatmentstheyprovide.

Each energy system is a discrete, complete system, and they allinterconnect and interrelate. They affect and are affected by each other. Theyalso reflectandare reflectedbackby thehealthof thephysicalbody.Like thesystems of the body in Western medicine (such as the skeletal, nervous,lymphatic, circulatory, and muscular systems), these systems of energy areintegraluntothemselvesyetalsoinfluenceeachother.

Eachweek/chapter,Iintroduceonetothreeoftheenergysystemsofthebodyandsharepracticesthatgetthesesystemsandtheirenergiesworkingwellforyou.Keepinmindthatittakeslongertoreadthepracticedirectionsthanto

actually do them!Once you take the instructions to yourmat and start doingthem,you’llseefirsthandhownaturallyenergymedicinetechniquesblendintoyour yoga poses. And once you see the impact these practices have on youroverallenergy,you’llwonderhowyoueverdidyogawithoutthem.

WelcometoEnergyMedicineYogaInourincreasinglybusyworld,wherethethingspullingourattentionaremyriadand never ending, we have limited time to do a practice to keep ourselveshealthyandbalancedbothspirituallyandphysically.So rather thanaskyou toaddonemorethingtoyouralreadybusylives,Iproposefollowingthemilitaryadageofworking“smarternotharder.”

Onceyoulearnwhatenergymeansinthebodyandhowtoworkwithit,you’ll see how somuch of your time is spent fighting against yourself. Likerowingaboatupstream,youoftenworkharderthanyouneedto,togettowhereyouwanttogo.ThegoalwithEnergyMedicineYogaistoturntheboataround,soyouareflowingeasilywiththecurrentsofenergythatarealreadyworkinginyourbody.Whenyoudothis,youwillalsobeabletoharnessthatenergytousehowyouneedit,likethepowerofawell-placedpower-generatingdam.

Most of us experience energy in only themost pedestrian ofways:wefeeltiredorfullofenergy.Thosetwoendsofthespectrumseemtobeouronlywayofexpressinghowweexperienceenergy’seffectsonus.Unlike the Inuit,whohavemorethantwodozenwordsforsnow,wehavewoefullyfewwordstoexplainthatwhichisessentiallytheunderpinningfactoflifeitself.

Energymedicine gives us amore detailed and complete, but also verysimple,explanationofhowenergyworks,specificallyinrelationtoourphysicalbodies.Itteachesusthat:Energywantstomoveandneedsspacetomove.Energymovesinpatterns.Therearespecificandeasilydefinablepatterns

of energywithin and around the physical body that are always the same.Once you learn these patterns, you can help balance and strengthen theenergyrunningalongtheirpathways.

Energy formshabits. Energy not only runs in patterns, but also formshabits.Thesehabitsarenotalwaysbeneficial.Thegoodnewsisthatenergycanberepatterned,andenergymedicinetechniqueshelpyoudothis.

Energy has priorities, and these priorities are consistent. The firstpriorityofenergyinyourbodyistokeepyoualive.Yourenergykeepstheessentialphysicalsystemsofyourbodyfunctioningandhealthy,sometimes

sacrificinglessimportantsystemstodoso.Afterthat,yourenergiessupportyourintentions,bothconsciousandunconscious.Forexample,ifthebody’senergiesarebusyhealingyourphysicalform,theyarenotavailabletohelpyoufulfillyourdesireforanewjob.

Energyisaffectedbythoughts,environment,andthepeoplewecomeintocontactwith.Bychanginganyof these,youcanchangeyourenergyflowand,therefore,yourlife.Becauseenergyisalsodeeplyaffectedbythepeople around you and by your environment, an important means ofimprovingyourpersonalenergylandscapeistoremoveyourselffromtoxicpeople and from a toxic environment. This change becomes even morecriticalifyouareunwell.

Once I started learning about energymedicine fromDonnaEden, someof thethingsthathadn’tmadesensetomebeforestartedto,suchashowitwassoeasytoshiftandmovecertainenergeticpatternsofthebodybysimplywavingyourhandsaround,tappinghere,andsmoothingoutsomeskinthere.Ialsobegantounderstandhowsomeenergeticpatternsaredeeplyembeddedand,thus,hardtoshift.

Thesepatternsorhabitsareactuallyenergyfields.Anenergyfieldislikea body of water: There aremany things happening on the surface and in thedepths. There are ecosystems that livewithin the field of thewater; there areschools of many different species of fish, as well as aquatic plant life andmicroorganisms.Eachoftheseformsitsownsystem,andtogether,theyformthefieldofthebodyofwater.Ifyouchangeanyoneofthecomponents,theentireecosystem changes. When you drop a rock into the water, ripples of energymove through the field. These ripples follow certain laws of physics, just asenergydoes, andaffect the fieldof thebodyofwater, but the ripples are alsotheirownenergeticevent.Whenyourealizehowyoucanchangethewholefieldbychangingonecomponent,youstarttoseehowinterrelatedeverythingtrulyis.Thesameistrueofourpersonalenergyfields:theyareallinterrelated,andwhenyouchangeonecomponentofoneofyourenergysystems,youalsoaffectalltheother systems. When that knowledge is coupled with very specific tools,miraclesreallycanhappen.

Oftenenergygetsstuckinonespecificlocationorfixedinpatterns.Thisstuck or fixed energy becomes painful, and that pain signifies that something,whether it is physical or emotional, needs to move. Like water getting stuckbehindafallentreeinariver,theenergyhastochangeitsdirectiontogetaround

the impediment.Sometimes the logjambecomesso large that thewater/energyactuallyturnsandheadsbackupstream.Oritbuildsupintoadeepandstagnantpool,waitingforanotherforceofnaturetoremovetheobstacle.Orthebuildupcauses the river of energy to flood its banks, affecting the entire surroundingarea.

Energystartsoutinitssubtlestformandmovestowarditsdensestform.And when it gets dense and slows down, it is going against the first twoprinciples outlined earlier: energy needs to move, and energy needs space tomove. In Donna Eden’s system of energy medicine, all pathologies canessentiallybetracedbacktotheneedtomoveenergyandtogiveitspacetodoso. The primary reason EnergyMedicine Yoga is so powerful is that we aretakingthedensestenergy,ourphysicalform,andopeningupspacewithinitsothatourmoresubtleenergiescanalsomove.

WhenyoufirstbegintopracticeEnergyMedicineYoga,you’llprobablybe asking yourself, howdoes the energymove andwhat does it feel like?Assoon as you start to feel pulses under your hands, energy starts to be lesstheoreticalandmorevisceral.Youactuallyfeelenergiesmoving,comingalive,reorganizinginyourbody,inawayyoumayneverhavebefore.Everytimemyenergetic pulses synch upwhen I’m doing ameridian treatment, for example,I’mastonishedanewathowpowerfultheyare.Trustthewisdomofyourbody.

WEEK1

WakingUptheBody’sEnergiesThisweekyou’lllearnhowenergyworksinthebodyandhowtowakeitup.I’llshowyouhowtoexplorethisenergyusingthebody’sownlanguage.

EnergySystemoftheWeek:TheMeridiansThe meridian system is one of the most well-known and most-used energysystems in the Western world, having the advantage of acupuncture as itsprimaryambassador.Themeridianstransportenergythroughthebodysimilartothewaythatveinsandarteriescarryblood.Theyarespecificpathwaysthatrunin the sameconsistentpatterns ineverybody.Thesepathways rundeep in thebodyandthencomeclosetotheskinatseveralpoints.Itisthesesurfacepointsthat are used in acupressure and acupuncture and that we’ll use in EnergyMedicineYoga.

There are eleven main meridians, each of which corresponds to adifferent organ and feeds energy to that respective organ: liver, lung, largeintestine,stomach,spleen,heart,smallintestine,bladder,kidney,circulation-sex(pericardium),andgallbladder.Thetwelfthmeridian,thetriplewarmer,doesnotcorrespondtoaspecificorgan,butrelatestothreeareasofthebodyandhasitshand inmany of the functions of the body.Because of its enormous role andpower, it is also considered its own energy system; we’ll explore the triplewarmersysteminmoredetail inweek4.Twoothermeridians, thecentralandgoverningmeridians,runverticallyaroundthecoreofthebody.Themeridiansareactuallyallconnectedandformonelong,continuouspathofenergythroughthebody.

Themeridianscanbecloselycorrelated to thenadisofyoga,whicharealso energy pathways. In Ayurveda and many traditions of yoga, there arefourteenmajornadis (some traditionscite thirteen).Eachof thenadis starts atthebaseofthespine,atthekanda,wherethecoiledpotentialenergy(commonlyreferredtoaskundalini) is located.Thenadisruninpairsparallel tothespine,connect to a chakra, and then distribute that chakra energy to the body. It’sinterestingthatinbothTCMandyogatherearefourteenmajorenergeticpathsinthebody.

Eachmeridian is either yin or yang in nature. The concept of yin and

yangisextremelyimportantinEnergyMedicineYoga.Itistheideaofoppositesinaconstantdanceofbalance.Theseforces,bothopposingandcomplementary,existineverything—nightandday,lightanddark,masculineandfeminine.Theyare the dynamic interplay of the universal forces that give rise to existence.Everythingcontainsbothyinandyang.Thebalancecomesfromthecontinuingcycleoflife.Theexpression“Itisalwaysdarkestbeforethedawn”isaperfectrepresentation of the yinyang symbol, which has the big tadpole head turninstantlyintothetinypointofthetailthatthenleadsbacktothehead.Theyingetssmallerandsmallerandsmalleruntilitbecomesthesmallestpoint,andatthatmoment,itburstsintoitsbiggestopposite.Thenitslowlydiminishesagain,smaller and smaller, until it is a point, and then it becomes enormous again.That’sthecycle,aroundandaround.

Allthedifferentprocessesoflifealsofollowthissamecircular,yinyangcycle of both balancing and transforming. Life is like a gyroscope, not a stillpoint. All of the processes at work in our bodies spin and transform, andsometimestheyhavewobblesinthem.Theyspin,andsometimestheyslow,butthey always continue to transform from yin to yang and back again. Thatspinningfromyin toyang is theperpetualenergyof life.When thoseenergiesgetstuckorslow(thewobble),youhavetohelpmovetheenergyalongitspath.EnergyMedicineYoga—oracupunctureoranothertypeofenergywork—canbetheinterventionneededtohelptheenergymovesmoothlyagain.

Yinmeridians flowupward—up the frontor insideof thebodyandoutfromthechestonthesoftinsideofthearmstothehands.Yinenergyflowsupfrom the earth, inward, deep and inside the body. Forces of yin are feminineenergies—receptive, yielding, and inward.They are associatedwith themoon,water,cold,dark,night,autumn,winter.

Yangmeridiansflowdownthefront,back,oroutsideofthebody.Theyflowfromthebackofthehandstowardthetorso,alongtheoutsideofthearmstotheface,anddownthebackofthebody.Theymoveoutwardandgovernouraction in the world. Yang forces come down from the heavens and are themasculineenergies—active,assertive,outwarddirected.Theyaretheenergiesofthesun,fire,heat,light,day,spring,summer.

InEnergyMedicineYoga,weworkwiththedirectionsofthemeridiansinamoregeneralandunifyingway.Ifyouwanttoknowtheexactpathofeachmeridian,DonnaEden’sbookEnergyMedicineoffersgreat illustrations.Thereare also websites with diagrams and specific meridian-point locaters. I likeAcupuncture.comandYinYangHouse(yinyanghouse.com)thebest.

OtherImportantConcepts:ReflexPointsThereareafewotherkeythingstoknowaswegetstartedwiththepracticesforweek1.

NEUROLYMPHATICREFLEXPOINTS

Thesearepointsonthebodythat,whenpressedandmassageddeeply,triggerthelymphtodumpitsdebrisintothevenousbloodsupplyforeliminationfromthebody.The lymphsystem,which is responsible fordetoxing thebody,doesnothave its own pump. It relies on ancillary movement of the body to pump itthroughitsvessels.Apracticelikeyogaishelpfulformovinglymph,butoftenitisn’tenough.

When a doctor taps a hammer on your knee, a reflex is triggered, andyour foot kicks forward. Similarly,when you deeplymassage neurolymphaticreflex points, a reflex is triggered in the corresponding organ, and that organreleasesitslymphintothevenousblood.Itmaybeuncomfortableorpainfultopressthesepointsdeeply,butreleasingthestagnantenergyandtoxinsmakesthediscomfort worth it. Working these points also helps to get meridian energymovingtostartthehealingprocess.

Releasingtoxins(detoxing)viathelymphaticsystemcanmakeyoutiredorevenfeelill,dependingonhowtoxicyoursystemis.Goslowly,workingtheneurolymphaticreflexpointsalittlebiteachdayinsteadoftryingtoworkallofthemhardatonce.Itcanbehelpfultotakeasaltwaterbathafterworkingwiththesepoints,tohelpsupportthecleansingprocess.

NEUROVASCULARREFLEXPOINTS

These points connect the nervous system and circulatory system with themeridians and their elements. (For more about the five elements and theirmeridiancorrespondences,seeweek5.)Holdingormassagingtheneurovascularreflexpointsdirectsblood flow,hormonemovement, andenergeticpatterns to

calm and stabilize the nervous system, which helps to end the emergency-response loop. Because of these effects, massaging and holding these pointshelps train your brain to stay calm in the face of thoughts, feelings,circumstances,anddanger,realorimagined.

Thesepointsalsocorrespondtodifferentorgansinthebody.Whenheld,theybringincreasedbloodflowtothoseorgans,aswellashelptodisperseandrelease the emotional energy connectedwith the organ.Whenmassaged, theywakeupandstarttoreleasetheirexcessenergy,especiallyiftheyaresoreandyougivethemextraattention.

Whensimplyholdingthesepoints,alighttouchisused,becauseyou’restimulatingthecapillarybedssothatbloodreturnstoandstaysintheforebrain.When the forebrain has enough blood, discernment and creative thinking arepossibleduringastressfulsituation;thephysicalresponsesoffleeingorfightingaretriggeredwhenthebloodleavestheforebrain.

Working thesepoints alsohelpsbalance themeridians, andbecause themeridiansareassociatedwithdifferentemotions,thesepointsareverypowerfultoolsforworkingwiththeemotions.

Pranayama (Breathing Practices): Energy MedicineYogaBreathVersusRegularYogaBreathInmostyogaclasses,theinstructionsaretobreatheinandoutthroughthenose.This type of breathing helps contain and build energy. It is also a form ofbiofeedbackthatshowsyouwhereyouareinyouryogapractice;ifthephysicalworkgetstoochallenging,thebreathrateincreases,andyoumayhavetoopenyourmouth to letmoreoxygenin.Butbreathing throughyourmouth incitesastressresponse,theexactoppositeofwhatyou’rehopingtoachievewithyoga.So insteadof defaulting to amouthbreath tomeet thephysical demands, youregulate and slow down the physical practice. As you get stronger in yourpractice andbuild lungcapacity,youare able toworkharderphysicallywhilestillmaintaininganose-breathingpattern.

Inenergymedicine,youbreatheinthroughthenoseandoutthroughthemouth.This breathinghelps to facilitate and reinforce the connectionbetweenthecentralandgoverningmeridians—thecoreenergiesonthetrunkofthebody.They connectwhere the hard and soft palatemeet at the top and back of themouth.Ifyousitstillandbreathejustonceinthroughyournoseandoutthrough

yourmouth,youcanfeelacirclewiththebreath.Youfeelthebreathcominginthenose,andwhenyouexhalethroughthemouth,youphysicallyfeelthebreath,atthetopofthemouth.Theinbreathtouchestheoutbreathhere.Thistypeofbreathing is also the breathing used in the Taoist meditation known as themicrocosmicorbit,whichisameditationandvisualizationtechniqueforcyclingenergythroughthebody.

Anotherimportantreasontoexhalethroughthemouthisthat itreleasesexcessenergy.DuringanEnergyMedicineYogapractice(oranyyogapractice,for that matter), as you move stuck energy, you may feel overwhelmed byemotion. A way to facilitate the release of that emotion from the body is toexhalethroughthemouth.

AsyouspendmoretimeinyourEnergyMedicineYogapractice,you’llstart to build the knowledge and intelligence needed to know when a mouthexhaleisnecessaryorwhentoslowdownthephysicalworktomaintainanosebreath.

For the Wake Up, the opening sequence of techniques in any EnergyMedicineYogapractice,you’llbreatheinthroughthenoseandoutthroughthemouth.Asyoumoveon, you’ll adopt the yogic breath of in the nose, out thenose.Asyoustarttotuneintoyourpractice,watchyourbreath.Itwillbecomeoneofyourgreatestteachers.

PracticesoftheWeek:TheWakeUpThefirststepofyourEnergyMedicineYogapracticeistoawakenthebodyandget all its energiesmoving in the right direction. Just as your computer has apowerbuttonandyour carhas an ignition switch, thebodyhas itsownsetofbuttonsandswitchesforwakingitup.ThesefourtechniquescomedirectlyfromtheDailyEnergyRoutinethatDonnaEdenteachesandthatappearsinherbookEnergyMedicine.Herdailyroutinehasmanymoreelementsthanjustthesefour,butI tookthefour thatwerethemost important intermsofstartingyouryogapractice.

TheWakeUpencompassesfourenergymedicinetechniquestobedoneatthebeginningofanyEnergyMedicineYogapractice.Thesesimpleexercises—theFourThumps,theCrossCrawl,theZipUp,andtheHookUp—areaneasyandquickwaytowakeupyourenergy,getitmovingintherightdirection,andremind it to stay there. Doing all four techniques in sequence should take no

more than twominutes. Ifyouaren’tgoing todoaphysicalyogapractice,butareplanningtositinmeditation,youcanstillusethembeforehand.Evenifyouaren’tgoingtodoanythingbuthurryoutthedoortowork,dotheseonyourwaytotheshower.

THEFOURTHUMPS

Everycellinyourbodyvibrates.Thereisapulseandarhythmtoeverycellandsystem of your body. You’re already familiar with the pulse in your veins,controlledbytheheart,butthatisonlyonepulseinthebody.Yourbreathpulseswithitsin-outflow.Thevalvesinyourbodypulseopenandclosed.Onesimplewaytocommunicatewithyourbodyis to talk to itwithpulsation,andyoudothatbythumping(ortapping)onspecificpointsonthebody.

TheFourThumpspracticeputsthislanguageofbodytogooduse.Putthetips of your first two fingers and thumb together to form a three-point notch.You’llbetappingorthumpingthatthree-pointnotchagainstseveralkeypointsonyourbodyinturn,usingastrongandsolidpressure,asifyouwereknockingonadoor.Thumpone. The first thump is on a pair ofmeridian points known asK-27,whicharetheendpointsof thekidneymeridian.Theyarelocatedintheslighthollowsunderneaththeendpointsofthecollarbones.Findtheround,bonyendpointsofyourcollarboneswithyourfingers.Thencomedownofftheendoftheboneaboutaninchintothehollowrightbeneath.Somepeoplewillmovetheirfingers slightly out about a half inch. If you press in and the points feel sore,you’vefoundthem!Thumpormassagethesepointsvigorously.

All the yin meridians pass through K-27 and then flip over to theircorrespondingyangmeridians,sostimulatingorawakeningthesepointshastheeffect of waking up the entire meridian system and getting the energy in itmovingforward.Thekidneymeridianisconsideredtocarrytheearth’svitallifeforce energy (calledprana in yoga andchi in TCM), soworking these pointsalsohelpstoincreaseanddistributethelifechi.Thisactionhasitsrootsinourancestors,theapes,whentheywouldbangtheirchests.Theyarewakinguptheirmeridiansystemandpreparingfortheday.

Formanypeople,thesepointsaresore.Generally,sorepointsonthebody

indicate where energy is stuck, frozen, or compromised, and massaging orthumping these places will help break up the energy and move it. Just don’tthump on a point if there is a bruise or injury at the site, or if there is someunderlyingissuethatmightbecausingthediscomfort.Thumptwo.The second thump is in thecenterof the sternum,at the thymusgland.Again,thumpormassagethispointstrongly.

The thymus gland supports your immune system and helps to generateandeducateTcells,whichhelpsyourbodyfightdiseaseandcorrectlyidentifyinvaders.The thymusalsostimulatesallyourenergies, increasingstrengthandvitality.Thisisaparticularlygoodpointtoworkifyoufeelanillnesscomingon.Thumpthree.Thethirdthumpistheendpointsofthespleenmeridian,locatedonthesideseamsofyourbodyoutfromthecreaseunderneathyourbreasts.

The spleenmeridian is responsible formetabolizing food, experiences,thoughts,andenergy.Ifyou’veeatenameal thatmightnothavebeenthebestthingforyou,thumpingormassagingthesespleenpointswillhelpenormously.Ifyou’vehadachallengingexperiencewithafriendoracoworker,massagingthesepointscanhelpyoudigestthatexperience.Thespleenmeridianisalsopartoftheimmunesystem.

The meridian carries the spleen energy of metabolizing (thetransformation and transportation of substances) to all the other organs of thebody. The physical spleen is also part of the immune system and the bloodproduction and storage systems. It is not considered a vital organ inWesternmedicine,butthemeridianofthespleen(whichstillexistseveniftheorgandoesnot)isoneofthemostimportantandcrucialmeridianlinesinthebody.

There isasecondsetofspleenpoints,called thespleenneurolymphaticpoints,thatarelocatedalongthesameaxisasthemeridianpoints,butclosertothe center of the body; thumping or massaging these points is also quitebeneficial. I tellmystudents tomassageor thump thewhole triangular-shapedrib-cageareabelowthebreasts;you’resuretohit thespleenpoints.Andwhenyoufindasorespot,workit!Thump four. The fourth thump is on the beginning points of the stomachmeridian.Theyare locatedon thebonedirectlyunder theeye, in linewith theiriswhen theeye is looking forward.Thisdelicatebone requiresa lighter tap.

Usethefirstthreefingersofeachhandsequentiallytolightlydrumonthebone,asifyou’redrummingyourfingersonatable.

Governed by the earth element, the stomach meridian helps to groundyourenergy.Afterwakingupandactivatingthemeridianenergieswiththeotherthreethumps,groundingandstabilizingthemwiththestomachthumpishelpful.Tapping these points also helps us to separate ourselves from a problem byenablingus see thedifferencebetween the issueandour reaction to it. (You’llbegin to see how the meridians have a physical component as well as anemotionalcomponentinweek5,whenyouworkwiththefiveelements.)

Youcanalsolightlydrumtheentireorbitalbonethatcirclestheeye.Thebeginningorendpointsforthreeothermeridians(gallbladder,triplewarmer,andbladder)liearoundtheeyes,andtappingontheentireorbitalbonehelpstowakeupandenergizethosemeridiansaswell.

Seefigure1foracompletemapofthepointstotapfortheFourThumps.

THECROSSCRAWL

The second portion of the Wake Up will get your energies crossing overthroughoutyourbody.Everypartofyourbodycontainscrossoverpatterns,fromthetwistingladdersofDNAembeddedineachcelltothetwohemispheresofthebrain controlling the opposite sides of the body. Through these patterns, yourbody communicates and carries out its most integrated functions. Thesecrossoverpatternshelpthebodytocoordinateitsmanydisparateactivitiesandkeepalltheenergysystemsworkingwelltogether.Iftheenergiesofthebodyarenotcrossingover,yourbodyisatadeficitandhastoworkhardertoexecuteitsactions.

FIGURE 1 In the Four Thumps, we tap on four key sets ofmeridianpoints.

When the body is tired, run down, depressed, or ill, it will start toconserve energy by shifting its natural crossover patterns into homolateralpatterns,inwhichtheenergiesrunparalleltoeachotherinsteadofcrossingover.Thisswitchtellsthebodytoslowdownandrest.Butsometimesourbodiesgetlocked into this pattern of tiredness. If you have trouble gettingwell from anillness, are always tired, aremore tired than energized after you exercise, arechronically depressed, or simply feel off, it is likely that your energies arerunninghomolaterally.Oneexcellentway tocorrect thishomolateralpattern istodotheCrossCrawl.

Start bymarching in place, lifting the same arm to the same leg ten totwelvetimes.Therighthandstrikestherightkneeasthekneerises;thelefthandstrikestheleftknee.

After a total of ten to twelve of these, brush your hands together as ifdusting themoff.Thismomentarybreak inmomentum tricks theenergies intotakingapause.Then,whenyouchangeyourmovement toacrossovermarch,

theenergieswillfollowyou.Nowdotwelvecrossovermarchesinplace,witheachhandslappingthe

oppositeknee(figure2).Therighthandslaps the leftknee; the lefthandslapstherightknee.Ifyoufindthecrossovermarchchallenging,itisquitelikelythatyouneedtodoitmore.

Youcandothiswholeroutinethreetimesatago.Eventuallyyourbodywill begin to respond to the crossoverpattern, but dependingonyour level ofenergy, it may take a while. If you are physically unable to do the crossovermarchstanding,youcandothewholeroutinesittinginachair,movingjustyourarmsandnotliftingthelegsandkneesatall.

Tip:WhenI’mhikinginthewoods,Ioftenfindmyselfdraggingalongbehindmydog.I’ll thumpK-27andthendoaCrossCrawl,andinstantlyI’vegotthepeptokeepupwithhim.ThemoreyouexperimentwiththeseWakeUptechniques and use them throughout your day, the more you’ll find yourselfbeginningtounderstandhowyourbody’suniqueenergiesworkandhowtofeedandcareforthemsotheyworkbetter.

FIGURE2 TheCrossCrawlbringsenergiesfromonesideacrosstotheother,foroptimalintegration.

THEZIPUP

TheZipUpwill protect you fromother people’s energies and the energies ofyourenvironment,aswellasclearyourownmind.Haveyoueverhadsomeonelook you up and down,making you feel naked and slightly icky?Essentially,

whatthatpersonhasdoneisdrawdownyourenergy,makingitflowagainstitsnaturalupwardpattern,andthisweakensyou.Thistechniqueofdrawingdownaperson’scoreenergywasusedinbattleandisstillusedtodayinmartialartstoweaken an opponent. The ZipUp reverses that process, drawing your energyupward.

Holdyourhandinfrontofyourpubicbone,palmfacingyourbody,andrunyourhandupthefrontofyourbody,tothelevelofyourchin.Yourhandcanbeeither touchingyourbodyor justoff thebodyan inchor two.Because thebody is electromagnetic, your hands carry a charge, and your magnetic handdraws the energy of the centralmeridian upward.Themovement is similar toswipingthescreenonanysmartphoneortabletdevice.

Tip:YoucanalsousethismotiontosealinanaffirmationforyourselforsetanintentionatthebeginningofyourEnergyMedicineYogaorregularyogapractice. Simply pausewith your hand at your pubic bone, take amoment toconnect to your affirmation or intention for the practice, and then zip up thewordsalongwiththeenergy.

THEHOOKUP

Thenext stepof theWakeUp is toconnectandstabilize thecentralmeridian,whichyou’vejustzippedup,withthegoverningmeridian.Thesetwomeridiansverticallycirclethecoreofyourbody,andwhenhookedupbecomeevenmorepotent.

Hold one finger in your belly button and one finger at your third eye,between your eyebrows. Push both in and pull slightly up. Take three deepbreaths,inhalingthroughthenose,andexhalingthroughthemouth.

ThistechniqueiscalledtheHookUp.Notonlydoesitlinkyourtwocoremeridians,butitisalsothesinglemostimportantthingyoucantodostrengthenyouraura. (Seeweek2 formore on the aura and how to keep it strong.) TheHookUphelps tostabilize thecoreof thebody,soanything todowithspinalalignmentandemotionalalignmentishelpedbyhookingup.ThisisatechniquethatweuseoftenthroughouttheEnergyMedicineYogasequences.

OptionalWakeUpPractices:HeadMassage,Crown

Pull,andSpinalFlushThenext sequenceof techniquesclearsunwantedenergiesand removes toxinsfromthewholebody.ThispiececanbeaddedintotheWakeUpwhenyouhavemoretime.Itisapowerfultoolforresettingthewholebodyandhelpingtoholdoffacoldorillness.Inweek8,you’lllearnanothertechniqueforworkingwiththe head, utilizing the power of the neurovasculars. The Head Massage andCrownPullserveasaminiintroductiontothattechnique.

HEADMASSAGE

First, letdownyourhair. Ifyou’vegotaponytailorclipsorpins inyourhair,takethemoutandsetthemaside.Nowmassagealloveryourhead,asifyou’reshampooingyourhair.Ourheadsarecoveredinneurovascularreflexpoints,andall of the yang meridians—stomach, bladder, triple warmer, small intestine,gallbladder, large intestine—start or end on the head. Yang is the active,outward-moving, intense energy.Everythingwedowith our senses except fortouch—seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling—is active and engaged and based inthehead.Aswell,weareaculturethatspendsmostofourtime“inthehead.”We figure, plan, problem-solve, communicate, and think, think, think. If wedon’tfindawaytoreleasealltheenergyaccumulatedinourheads,thatenergygetsstuckthereandcausesallkindsoftensionandstress.Nowondersomanyofussufferfromheadaches.

Massagingtheheadstartstoreleasethisbuilt-upenergy.Ifyoufeelasorespot,gotothesameplaceontheoppositesideofyourscalpandseeifthatsisterspotisalsosore.Generallythetensioninourheadsisbalancedandoftenstartsin,or is reflectedbackby, thecorrespondingout-of-balanceorgan.Ifyouholdthesetwinpointsandmassagethem,you’llnoticethatthepainquicklystartstoease.

Pay particular attention to the temporal bone behind the ear and theoccipital ridge, at the base of the head,where the skull connects to the neck.Theselocationsareparticularlysusceptibletotension,andtheyaretheseatsofsomepowerfulenergypoints.We’llworkmorewith theseareas in thecomingweeks,butfornow,ifthey’resore,massage’emmore.

CROWNPULL

Theplatesofthecraniumareinterconnectedbyapuzzlelikelineofjoints.Thesesutures actuallymovewhenmanipulated. The following technique, called theCrownPull,helpstokeepthejointsbetweentheplatessuppleandcanhelpwithheadaches and mental fatigue. It’s a great technique to do if you’ve beenstudyingorreadingalot.

After spending a fewminutes on theHeadMassage, bring your handstogether in front of your forehead, curving the fingers and pressing all of thefingertipsintothecenterofyourforehead(figure3).Pressinandthenpullyourfingers away fromeachother slightly, about an inchor so.Thencontinue thissamemotion—pressinginandpullingapart—upandoveryourhead,alongthecenterlineofyourskull,allthewayoverthecrown,anddownthebackoftheskull,towheretheneckconnectstothehead.

FIGURE3 TheCrownPullkeepsthejointsbetweenthecraniumplatessuppleandhelpswithheadachesandmentalfatigue.

SPINALFLUSH

TheSpinalFlushisoneofthemostpowerfultoolsyoucanusetostayhealthy.Ifyou’re tired, itcanbringyouenergy. Ifyou’reover-energized, itcancalmyoudown.Ifyou’regettingsick, itcanhelpkeepsicknessatbay.Inityou’llworktheneurolymphaticreflexpoints,whichhelpflushtheentirelymphaticsystem.Andbecauseyou’reworkingwithpointsalongthespine,theSpinalFlushalsohelpstostimulatethecerebrospinalfluid.

At the end of theCrownPull, your fingertipswill be at the top of theneck.Fromhere,bringyourfingersandthumbbackintothethree-fingernotch(the same finger position used in the Four Thumps) and massage deeply oneithersideofthespinalcordattheneck;thesearekidneyneurolymphaticpoints.Keepmassagingdowntheupperback,oneithersideofthespine,asfarasyoucan reach.Then pull your fingers,with pressure, over your shoulders. Stop atyourshouldersandsqueezedeeply;thesearethetriplewarmerreleasepoints.

FIGURE4FortheSpinalFlush,reachasfarupthebackaspossibleandmassagedownwardalongbothsidesofthespine.

BringyourhandsaroundtoK-27.Fromhere,continuemassagingdowneithersideofyoursternum.(Theneurolymphaticpointsmirrorthroughthebody,soworkingthepointsinthefrontstimulatesthesamereflexesthattheanteriorpointsdo.)Continuemassagingdownwarduntilyougettothepointwhereyourribsconnecttothediaphragm,inthecenteratthexiphoidprocess,andthendragyourhandsbackaround toyourbackagain.Reachyour thumbsupashighasyou can along your spine and deeply massage down along either side of thespine, all theway to the coccyx.Thenpressdeeply into the centerof thebuttcheeks,which hold points for the circulation-sexmeridian. Pressing here alsohelpsrelaxthehipsandopenupthechakrasystem.

Whenyou’refinished,bringyourhandsupyourbackagain,asfarasyoucan,andsweep themdownandoffyourback three times,helping toclear theenergyyou’vejustreleased.

Tip:DonnaEdenrecommendsdoingaSpinalFlushwithyourpartnerasawaytoreleasepent-upstressandheadoffpotentiallyexplosivesituations,as

wellasawaytolovinglycareforoneanother.Haveyourpartnersitstraddlingachair,withherheadrestinginherhandsonthechairback,orhaveherleanupagainst a wall, as if she’s being frisked. Work down the back, pushing yourfingers or thumbs into either side of the spinal column, with deep pressure.(You’llbeworkingonlydownthebackwhenworkingonyourpartner.)Ifthereisapoint thatfeelssore,spendabitmoretimemassagingthatspot toclear it.Workthepointsdownthespinetwoor three times,andendbysweepingyourhandsdownthebackthreetimes.

MorePracticesoftheWeek:SquatandHangI start everypersonalyogapracticewith a squat and ahang.These arepowerposes—essentialposestodoevenifyou’renotgoingtodoanythingelse;theyaretheposesthatgiveyouthemostbangforyourbuck.

One of the predictors of longevity is how easy it is to sit downon theground and stand up again without assistance. The squat and hang poses arewaystopracticetheseimportantphysicalmovements.

Many yoga poses are simply variations on the squat or the hang. Thesquat is a compression, and the hang is an extension. They are yin and yangmovementsthatcomplementeachother.

WHYSQUAT?Women,men,andchildreninnon-Westernculturesspendmostoftheirworkandleisure time squatting; they squat as they’re cooking, cleaning, shelling peas,sharpeningknives,carvingwood,smokingpipes,playinggames.Thispositionisbeneficial in many ways. It compresses the internal organs, helping to moveblood and lymph and,with them, toxins and other “usedmaterial” out of theorgansintothevenousbloodsystemforexcretionfromthebody.

This position also helps us keep a deep and fluid flexibility in the hipjoints,whichissomethingweallhaveatbirthbutwhichdiminisheswithlackofuseasweage.Thehipjointshavebeencalledtheholdersofemotions,andtheyarealsowheresexualenergyresides—aswellasoneofthemainplaceswheretheenergyofsexualtraumaoftengetsstuck.Ahipjointthatisflexibleisabletomove easily and release emotions instead of keeping them locked intounbeneficialenergeticpatternswithinthebody.Also,havingsupplehipjointsis

crucialtotheproperalignmentofthebodywhenwearewalkingandstanding.Inourculturewespendfartoomuchtimesittinginchairsorincarsandleaningforward,eitheroveracomputerscreenorasteeringwheelorforothertypesofwork. These postures shorten and tightenmuscles in our legs (the hamstringsandAchillestendons)andinourshoulders,necks,andbacks.Thetendencyforthe upper back and neck to be out of alignment can be directly related toheadaches,rapidaging,andbonedeterioration.

Ourinternalorgansneedroomtomoveandbreathe,andhowyoungourbodies stay, especially internally, can be directly related to the mobility andmotility of our organs—the ability of the organs tomove easily, bending andcompressing aswemove, and to have a healthy fluid flowwithin and aroundthemselves,whichhelpsourorgansretaintheirelasticity.Thesquattingpositionhelpstoreinforcetheinherentmobilityandmotilityoforgans.

Thesquatisalsothepreferredpositionforchildbirth,becausegravityandthephysiologyofthebodyhelpthemotherpushthechildoutofthebirthcanal.

Perhaps themost important reason thisposture issobeneficial is that ithelps with elimination. In our Western culture, where our diets are heavy inprocessed food, caffeine, alcohol, and other stimulants and depressants,elimination is a universal challenge. People’s elimination issues can run thegamut, fromextremeconstipation toextremediarrhea.Crohn’sdisease, excessweight,hemorrhoids,andedemaarefrequentcomplaints.

Thecurrentuseofatoiletthatputsthethighsata90-degreeanglefromthe hips can be traced back to the royalty of the Victorian Age (hence, itsnickname “the throne”). The royals did notwant to appear to be close to theearthorclosetothepeasantry,whowouldsquattodefecateintoholesboredinthe ground. But the organs of elimination work best when in a squat, whichallows the rectummuscles to relax and come into alignment for release. Thesquatalsoopensthebuttocksawayfromeachother,creatingaclearpathwayandamorecorrectopeningoftheanusforelimination.

Asittingpositionactuallyputsabendintherectummuscle,whichallowsus toholdour feces in,helpingus tomaintaincontinence.Thisposition isnotbiologicallyoptimalforelimination.

There are many apparatuses that are intended to help the human bodyachieve the squat position in the modern household bathroom. There arefootstools that raise the thighs toamoreappropriateangle, and thereareevendevices that siton topof the toilet seatandprovideaplatformyoucanuse tosquatontheseatitself.

Allof this isa long-windedwayofexplainingwhyweshould“reclaimoursquatter’srights,”asayogateacherofmineinLosAngelesusedtoput it.Thesquattingposeisoneofthemostprofound,mostbeneficialposesthatyoucanmasterandoneofthemostpowerfulforkeepingthebodyyoung.

WHYHANG?The hang is about lengthening and loosening the back of the body, thehamstrings especially, but also the often-tight low backmuscles and shouldergirdle.Hangingoverisalsoaninversionandstartstogetthebodyusedtobeingturnedupsidedown, somethingmostofus stopdoingafterwepass cartwheelage.Allowingthebodytoextendthiswaytakespressureoffthevertebraeandallows the spine to lengthenwithout compression. This also gets us ready forbackbendingposes,wherewearelengtheningthespine,butoftenalsocompressit instead of lengthening and opening between the vertebrae. This pose alsoallowsthemusclesofthelegsandhipstostretch,whileatthesametimestartingtostrengthenthem.Itisalsocalmingtothenervoussystem.Insuccessionwiththesquat,ithelpstofreethehips,calmthemind,andstrengthenthelowerbody.

Thefollowingsquatandhangposesareideallydonetogether,buttheycanalsobedoneseparately.Inmymoreadvancedclasses,I’llgobackandforthbetweenthesquatandthehangseveraltimes,holdingeachposeforonetothreeminutes.

These instructionsassumeyou’llbedoing the squat first, then thehangimmediatelyafter—atwo-poseEnergyMedicineYogapowersequence.

SQUATWITHGAITCLEARING

Comingintothepose.Spreadyourfeetasfarapartasyoulike,orkeepthemclosetogether—whateverismostcomfortableforyourphysiology.(Ifyouhavelargebreasts,itmightnotbeeasytokeepyourfeetclosetogether.)Youcanhaveyourfeetparallelorslightlyturnedoutward.Ideally,youwanttohavetheweightbalancedonthefeet,bothbacktofrontoneachfoot,sothatthereisaniceliftinthearches,andequallybalancedbetweenbothfeettogether.Makesurethatyour

feetarenotpronatingorsupinating—thatyouarenotrollingontotheinsideoroutsideedgeofthefoot.

Ifyouhaveverytighthipsandhamstrings,youmayfindthatitwilltakesomepracticebeforeyoucancomefullydownintoasquat.Puttingarolled-upyogamat or towel into the crease behind your knees and squatting into it asdeeplyasyoucanstarts tohelpopenupthekneesinasafeway.Youcanalsosupportyourselfwithbolsters, blocks, andevenbyholdingonto thewall or achair.Formanyofus,comingintoadeepsquatmaytaketimeandpractice.

Wherever your feet are, make sure your heels are anchored. Place asmuchpaddingunderyourheelsasyouneedinordertoallowyourselfto“stand”steadily on your feet. Putting a rolled-up blanket under your heels is a goodoption.Anchoringtheheelswillallowyoutofocusthestretchmoreinthehipregion than on the Achilles tendons, which can be very tight. It also helpsstabilizeyou,allowingyou to remain in theposefora longer time. (Afteryougetmorecomfortable and stable in thepose,youcan remove thepaddingandallowtheheelstofloatasyousquat.ThisversionwiththeheelsunanchoredwillputthestretchandfocusmoreintotheanklesandAchilles,whilestillopeningthehipsandmassagingtheinternalorgans.)

If you still feel unsteady, evenwith the padding under your heels, feelfreetoputyourhandsonthefloorinfrontofyouforsupport.

Onceyouhavecometoasquatinwhichyoufeelstable,starttodeepenyour breath. Breathing deeply may seem challenging in this intensely foldedposition,butthatispartofthebenefitofthepose.Thesquatisatypeofforwardbend, and taking deep breathswhile in a forward bend helps to flush out theorgansandexpandthembeyondtheirusualprescribedplaceinthebody.

I amabig fanofholdingposes for a long time, especially inpositionssuchasthis,whereyoucanachievestabilitywithoutintensemuscling.Iliketohold this squat for three minutes or even longer.When you start to stretch amuscle, at first it actually goes into contraction out of a reflexive protectiveresponse. It takes forty-five seconds to aminute for themuscle to realize it issafeandbegin to relaxandopenup. (Staying inposes for a long time so thatdeep flexibility can occur is the premise behind yin yoga.) This concept goesperfectlywiththeamountoftimeneededtosynchupthemeridianpulsesintheacupressureposes,whichwedo inweek4. It is also theway to increaseyourflexibility.

I encourage you to begin to use this pose throughout the day. Perhapsread thenewspaperwhilesquatting like this,ordoacrossword,orevencheck

youremailoryouriPhone.IrememberbeingonaboatinNewZealand,andinthefrontoftheboatagroupofJapanesetouristssquattedastheyplayedcards,drankbeer,shelledpistachionuts,andsmokedcigarettes.Theysataroundinaloosecircle,alloftheminadeep,easysquat—forhours!Whentheystoodup,hourslater,theydidn’tshakeoutorcreakaroundandswingtheirlegsbackandforth to alleviate aches. Instead, still squatting, they gathered all theirbelongings,thenstoodup,shoulderedtheirbackpacks,andwalkedofftheboat,movingeasily,lightly,andgracefully.Ican’tthinkofamorehealthfulposturetousewhentraveling.

(Ifyouhaveknee issuesorstrains,youcando thispose lyingdownonyourbackbypullingyourknees intoyourchest.Hug theknees into thebody,either one at a time or both together. You’ll feel a deep compression in thegroins.Try tosoften thosemusclesasyouhold theknees intoyourchest.Youcandothisposeoften,untilyoufeelabletosquatonyourfeet.)Clearing thegaits.There are fivemeridians that start or end on the toes: thebladder (on the pinky toe), gallbladder (on the fourth toe), stomach (on thesecondtoe),liver(ontheinsideofthebigtoe),andspleen(ontheoutsideofthebigtoe).Energyhasatendencytogetstuckandtrappedatthesejunctionpoints,orgaits.Thisposegivesyouaperfectopportunitytoclearthem.

Starting an inch or so back fromyour toes,massage down the tendonsbetweenyourmetatarsalbones.Smoothdownintothegulliesbetweenyourtoesandpresstheskinintothegroundasyoufinish.Ifyoucanliftyourtoesupwhilemaintainingthesquat,massageonbothsidesof thefeetbyreachingunder thetoeswithyourfingersandpinchingoffatthegullies(figure5).

Youcanalsoclearthetoegaitsinthehang,andafterawhileyou’llfigureoutwhichpositionyoupreferforthisclearing.Comingoutof thepose.Untilyourbodybecomesused to thispose, itmightfeel less than comfortable—not aplacewhereyou’dbewilling toplay a longhandof gin rummy.So comingout of thepose requiresusing the intelligenceyou’rebeginningtodevelopasyoulearntospeakyourbody’slanguage.

Removethepaddingfrombeneathyourheels.Then,turningyourfeettoparallel,begintoliftyourbuttocksuptothesky.Keeptheheadhangingdown,releasing any tension in the neck and shoulders. Extend the legs straight, butkeepaslightbendintheknee.Youarenowinthehang,thesecondofourtwopowerposes.

HANGWITHGAITCLEARINGANDINTESTINEDETOXMASSAGEThisversionofthehangisn’tmeanttostretchthehamstrings,buttoreleasethehips and knees, release the compression in the belly region, and release anytensionthatmayexistintheneck,shoulders,andupperarms.

FIGURE5ClearingthefootgaitsinasquatWhile in the pose. As you’re hanging over, gently shake the head back andforth, in yes and nomotions, a few times.Make sure the jaw and tongue arerelaxed.Letthearmshangdown.Ifthisfeelsuncomfortable,hookeachhandintheoppositeelbowcreaseandletthewholeshouldergirdlereleaseoffthespine.Itmayhelptodeepenthebendinthekneeandthenstraightenitafewtimes.

I encourage you to hold the hang for at least a minute. As you feelcomfortable after that, you can begin to straighten the knees more, alwayskeepingatleastamicrobendtoaccommodatethetendency,especiallyinwomen,to hyperextend.With a bit of a straighter knee, you can start to open up the

hamstrings,sayingagentlegoodmorningtothisperenniallytightmuscle.Clearing the gaits. This is the perfect time to clear the energy gaits on thehands.Sixmeridiansstartorendinthefingers:thesmallintestine(outsideofthepinky); the heart (inside of the pinky); the triple warmer (ring finger);circulation-sex, also known as the pericardium (middle finger); large intestine(index finger); and lung (thumb). Between the fingers are common places forenergy to catch or pool. We are also constantly using our hands, which canconstricttheflowofenergythere.

Taketherighthandand,usingyourthumbandfirst twofingersofyourleft hand,massage downbetween themetacarpal bones of each of the fingersandpinchoffthefleshattheendofeachgully.Spendalittleextratimeonthefleshybitbetweenthethumbandindexfinger.Youcanalsomassagedownthelengthofeach finger,pulling theextraenergyoff theends.Changehandsandclearthegaitsoftheoppositehand.(Somepeoplefinditeasiertoclearthetoegaits in thehangandthehandgaits in thesquat.Experiment toseewhichyouprefer.)

Atthispoint,takenoteofhowfaroveryouarebent—notwithanyegointention,butjusttonotewhereyourbodyiscomfortablyresting.Again,makesureyoualwayshaveaslightmicrobendintheknees.

You can slowly stand up to do this next piece, the intestine detoxmassage,orstayhangingover.Ifyoustandup,dososlowly.Somepeoplefinditeasiertocomeoutofthehangforthisnextpart,especiallythefirsttimetheydoit.Afterthat,itiseasytodowhilehangingover.Intestinedetoxmassage.Takeyourfirsttwofingersandyourthumb,againinthe three-fingernotch,andmassage,withsomevigorandpressure, theoutsidepinstripeedgeofyourthigh,aswellastheinsidecenterlineofyourthigh,rightuptoyourpubicbone(figure6).Youcandoonelegatatime,pressingonboththeoutsideandinsidepointstogether.Ifyouarenotfeelinganysorenessorpain,likelyyouaren’tworkingdeeplyenough.

FIGURE6Clearingthelarge-andsmall-intestinemeridians

Thisisadetoxificationtechnique,soitdoesn’tnecessarilyfeelgood,butthebenefitsarehuge. Ifyouareprone to loose stoolsordiarrhea,massageupfromthekneeto thehip.Ifyouarepronetoconstipation,massagedownward,fromthehiptotheknee.Userealandsignificantpressure;don’tbemeekwithyourself! If any points along these leg seams are sore, as they are on mostpeople,youneedthismassage.

You’re working the large intestine and small intestine neurolymphaticreflex points (aswell as some circulation-sex points).You are stimulating thelymphfromtheseorganstodumptheirtoxinsintothevenousbloodsupply.Theintestinesaretheorgansofdigestionandwasteremoval.Onamentallevel,boththe organs and theirmeridians correspond to the decision-making process andlettinggo.Thebodydecideswhatnutrientsitwantstokeepandwhatiswaste.Thatchocolatechipcookieyouatelastweekorthatdoublebaconcheeseburgeryou ate last month is the soreness you’re feeling—the toxic residue ofunnecessary or unusable material. That soreness could also be related to thatdisagreementyouhadatworkthatyoujustcan’tseemtoletgoof.

Thelargeintestinecontainsmoreneuropeptides in thebodythanall theotherorganscombined.It isoftencalledthesecondbrain,becauseithasmoreemotional impact on whowe are than the brain in our head. The gut createshormones, including 95 percent of the serotonin in the body, which regulatessleepandliftsthemood.Therearealsomanystress-reducinghormonescreatedinthegutindirectresponsetothefight-or-flightresponse.Yetanotherreasontoworkthesepointsfrequentlyandkeeptheintestineshealthy.

After you finish your massage, release back into the hang if you hadcomeoutofit,andnoticeifyouareabletohangoverdeeperinthepose.Thereasonforthisdeepeningisthatyou’vejustbrokenupandmovedlymphoutofthe largeandsmall intestines, located in the lowbelly,creatingmoreroomforthebodytofoldinto.Comingoutofthepose.Whenyou’rereadytocomeupoutofthepose,dososlowly.Bendthekneesabitdeeperandbegintorollup,onevertebraatatime,untilyouarestanding.Takeafewdeepbreathstoadjust.Youarenowstandinginmountain pose (tadasana), and ready for the next part of your practice. Ifyou’re not doing anymore yoga, you can come from the hang, back into thesquat, and then liedownon the floor and rest in corpsepose (savasana) forafewmomentsbeforecontinuingonwithyourday.

Doing the Wake Up plus the squat and hang makes for a powerfulcombinationonitsown,aswellasagreatopeningforalongerEnergyMedicineYogapractice.

WEEK2

SunSalutationsandFigureEightsThis week you essentially shake out the sheet of your body to get rid ofexcessenergyandbringtheenergeticbodybacktoaneutralstate.Youthenguidetheenergyinthemostbeneficialdirectionstohelpsupportyou.

Energy Systems of theWeek: The Radiant Circuits,theAura,andtheCelticWeaveThisweek’spracticesgiveyouachancetoplaywiththreemoreenergysystems:theradiantcircuits,theaura,andtheCelticweave.Theyalsosupportandmakeuseofthemeridians,whichyou’vealreadygottentoknowinweek1.

THERADIANTCIRCUITS

Theradiantcircuitsystemisthefirstenergysystemthatisevidentinafetus.InTCM, the first eight divisions of the fetal cell are actually the eight radiantcircuitpaths.Theradiantcircuitsaretheenergiesofjoy.Theyresonatewiththesecond chakra,with the innocence, creativity, andvitality of childlikewonder.These energies flow along specific pathways, the same way energy flowsthroughthemeridians,butwhentheradiantcircuitsareactivated,theyjumpofftheir paths and fly around freely and exuberantly, going wherever they areneeded in the body. I think of them like Tinker Bell, flying around anddistributingherfairydust.

We heal our bodies through the energy of the radiant circuits, becausetheydistribute life forceenergy,bringing itwherever in thebody it isneeded.They revitalize thewhole body and being and penetrate deep into the cells tofacilitatehealingandgrowth.Theyalsostoreexcessenergyuntilweneedit.

Music, singing, dancing, andmaking love are all activities that engageradiant circuit energy. These energies are also highly responsive to thoughts.Whenthatsomeonespecialwalksintotheroomandyoufeelyourselflightup,thisisradiantcircuitenergyatplay.Thefactthatjustthinkingofthatsomeone

specialmakesyoufeelalltinglyisaperfectexampleofthepowerofthoughttoactivatetheradiantcircuits.

EnergyMedicineYogaSunSalutationshelpactivate theradiantcircuitsandencouragethemtogowhereverthey’reneededinthebody.

THEAURA

Theaura,alsocalledthebiofield,istheprotectiveenergeticcoatingofthebody.Itcanextendfromafewinchestoseveralfeetoffthebody.Theaurahassevenlayerssurroundingthebody, likenestingdolls.These layers,oftencalledauricfields, connect with different energy centers within the body, and each holdsdifferentinformation.

The first layer, closest into the body, is called the etheric field andinteractsmostcloselywiththephysicalbody.Thislayercontainsyourspiritualessence and body blueprint. It holds the shape and field of information aboutwhoyouare.Thenextlayeroutistheprotectivelayer.Thislayerfoldsaroundandprotectstheethericlayerandhelpsprotectthebodyfromenergeticassaults,including negative energy from other people and environmental interferences.Theemotional/mentallayerisnext,holdingthoughtsandemotions,images,andyour personal reality. The next layer, called the morphic field or habit field,holdstheenergypatternsofthebody,includingthefiveelements(whichyou’lllearnmoreabout inweek5).Thenext layer iscalled thecelestial layeror theastral body and is connected to the spiritual, guiding forces of your life.Yourconnectiontointuitionanddivineguidanceisheldhere,aswellasyourhigherpurpose.This layer canbe accessed throughmeditation andprayer, aswell asthrough what Ram Dass calls Grace, when peace and joy simply becomeavailabletoyou.Thenextlayerisyourlifecolor,consistingofoneortwocolorsthat permeate the entire aura and hold the themes of your life. The last andoutermostlayeristheCelticweave.TheCelticweavesurroundsandconnectsalltheotherlayersoftheaura.Italsoconnectstheauraandthecellsofthephysicalbody.TheCelticweaveisbothitsownenergysystemandalayeroftheaura,aswellasaspecificexerciseforincreasingthestrengthandvitalityofthebody’senergysystems.

Theaura alsohas sevenbandsgoingup anddown the corebody—onebandatthelevelofeachchakra.Thesebandsconnecteachlayeroftheaurawith

eachchakra,sothetwoenergysystemscanshareinformation.The entire aura is the body’s equivalent of the earth’s atmosphere and

helpsprocessanddigesttheexternalenergeticinformationcomingin,includingtheenergyofsunlightandthemagneticfieldoftheearth.

The aura can develop holes or tears for a variety of reasons, includingtoxins in the environment; using drugs, both prescribed and recreational; andtraumaticexperiences.Theseholesortearscanhaveasignificantimpactonyourhealth,astheyletinenergiesyouwanttoavoidandallowyourpersonalenergiestoleakoutofyourbodyandenergysystems.Illnessanddiseasecanbeseenintheaurabeforetheymanifestinthebody,andyoucanworkatanenergeticleveltostopproblemsbeforetheymanifestonaphysicallevel.

Theauracanbeseenandphotographed,aswellasfelt.Forpeoplewhoworkwithenergy,thisisoftenoneofthefirstenergysystemstheycanfeelwiththeirhandsorbodies,orseewiththeireyes.

Tip:Feelingyourauraissimpleandaneasywaytobegintoexperienceyourenergysystemsasrealandtangible.Holdyourhandsout infrontofyou,palmsfacingeachotherandafewinchesapart.Slowlybringyourpalmstowardeachother.Youmaystart tofeelaslightdensenessbetweenthem,asifyou’repressing against a cloud. This density is your aura. You can also feel otherpeople’s auras by slowly moving your hand toward their body. If you don’timmediately feel the sensation of density as your hand approaches their body,clearyourmindandtuneyourawarenessintoyourhands.

THECELTICWEAVE

All of the figure-eight patterns throughout your aura and your other energysystemstogethermakeupwhatDonnaEdencallstheCelticweave.Toher,thepatternof thisenergysystemlooks like theCelticdrawingof the infinitysign,with no beginning and no end. The outermost layer of the aura is where theCeltic weave resides. The aura is full of figure-eight patterns, and the morefigureeights thereare, thestrongeryouraura is.Theenergieswithin thebodyalsomove in dynamic figure-eight patterns, carrying information and carryingout energetic functions.Themore figure eights there are, the stronger all yourenergysystemsare.TherearealsoothergeometricshapesintheCelticweave,suchasdiamondsandspirals,buttheeightsarethemostplentifulandpowerful.

The Celtic weave connects all of the body’s energy systems, knittingthemtogetherwithaseriesoflargeandsmallfigureeightsandothergeometricpatterns.Justasplantstalksareknittightlytogethertoformabasket,thefigureeights in our energy systemknit together to form theCelticweave.Themorefigureeightsthereare,thestrongeryourCelticweaveis.Themorefigureeightsyou have in your energy field, the stronger and healthier you are. And thehealthieryouare,themorefigureeightsyouhave.

Eden Energy Medicine teaches about the Tibetan rings, which arepowerfulfigure-eightpatternsthatcrossthebodyinlargepatternsonthetorso.Ifyou’veeverhada shoulder injury,youmighthavenoticed that theoppositehip seemsoutofwhack, too.This isbecauseoneof the figure-eight-patternedTibetanringsisoutofbalance.

Thebutterflybonebehindtheeyes,theeyesthemselves,thebreasts,thetestes—allthesearephysicalfigure-eightshapesinthebody.Ifyousimplystandstillandmakeafigureeightwithyourhips,youstarttosendapowerfulspiralup the core of the body. The sashaywalk, which, while generally consideredsexyandcallingouttotheoppositesex,isactuallynature’swayofsendingthefigure-eightpatternthroughthebody.Evenourbloodmovesthroughourbodyinafigure-eightpath.“Wrappedaroundacloverleafoffourtoughfibrousrings,orcuffs,towhichthefourheartvalvesandcardiacmusclesareaffixed,theheartgenerates nonstop power by contracting rhythmically . . . over and over . . .withouttiring...inordertosquirtbloodalongafigure-8path—firstthroughthelungstopickupoxygen,thenaroundthebodytodeliverit,”writesBarryWerthinhisbookTheArchitectureandDesignofManandWoman.

The figure-eight pattern is represented in many different healingtraditions.InWesternmedicine,thecaduceus,withitstwosnakescrossingbackand forth, is the symbol of health. This symbol likely came from the yogictraditionof the threemainnadis,Ida,Pingala,andSushumna. IdaandPingalacrossbackandforthoverthespinalenergyofSushumna,creatingachakraeachtime they all cross each other. Together they draw the picture of energeticenlightenment,energymovingupwardtothecrown.

By drawing figure-eight patterns with and around your body, youstrengthen the Celtic weave, which also helps to strengthen each individualenergy system and the communication between them all. The arm swings inEnergyMedicineYogasunsalutationsareanotherwaytostrengthenthispattern,aswellasstrengthentheaura.

OtherImportantConcepts:TheVayusFromthetantratraditionofyogawelearnthevayus,or“winds,”whicharetheenergyflowsortheforcesofenergyinthebody.

Yoga teacher Bruce Bowditch interprets the writings of SwamiNiranjanananda Saraswati and tells us, “Though the vayus function in unisontogether,eachgoverningaspecificareaof thebody, theycanbe thoughtofaselementalforcesthatarenotjustthephysical,butgovernemotionalqualitiesandmentalenergies,fundamentaltophysical,mentalandemotionalwellbeing.”

Thesepatterns arehelpful toknowasyou start to learn specific energypathways.Energymoves in thebody inmanywaysandonmanypaths. Itcanpulseataspecificpoint,aswellasconcentratethere.Itcantravelonlinesanddesignatedpaths.Itcanalsomoveinlargerwavesorfields.Energymovesfromdisorganizationtoorganizationandbackagain.Asyoulearnabouteachenergysystem, you’ll see yet another path or field or dynamic shift along or throughwhichenergymoveswithinus.Thevayusarethecurrentsandforcesofenergyandhelptocirculatepranaintheirspecificareas.Udana:Governsthethroat.Udanaistheupwardflowofenergy.Itregulates

growth, enthusiasm, and inspiration. It initiates exhalation and governsspeechandsound.

Apana:Governsthepelvicfloor.Apanacirculatesenergyfromthepelvisdownwardtothefeet.Itregulateselimination—bothmentalandphysical—andtheprocessesofsurrenderandforgiveness.

Samana: Governs the navel center. Samana circulates energy in theabdomen. It is the balancing, equalizing flow of energy. It regulatesassimilation and digestion, including howwe draw energy from food andwisdomfromlife.Itistheforceofbringingenergyintosubstance.Also,onamentallevel, itdetermineshowquicklywelearnorhowoftenwerepeatthesamemistakes.

Pran:Governsboth theheartandthehead.Pran is theinternalizingandvitalizing force. It is energizing and recharging. It rules thephysical heartandinhalation,whichbringsuslifeforceenergy.Pranallowsustotakeinthingsrelatedtosensoryawareness.(Pranisdifferentfromprana,whichisconsidered tobe the totalityof life forceenergy fromwhichwecandrawpran. Pranayama, the breathing practices, is the science of using pran to

transformthebody.)Vyana:Governsthemovementofenergythroughouttheentirebodyasthe

distributiveflow.Vyanaintegratesallthevayusandgovernsthecirculatorysystemsbothwithinusandinourcirculationintheworld.Italsobalancesthesympatheticandparasympatheticnervoussystems.

Weneedtohaveallthevayusworkingwellandsmoothlyforenergytobeableto move and integrate throughout the body. For example, apana (downward-movingenergy)andpran(heartenergymovinginwardandupward)mergeintheabdomentointensifytheproverbialfireinthebelly,whichburnsuptoxinsandmeltsourresistancetoourforward-movingpath.

Awell-balancedEnergyMedicineYogapracticewillkeeptheseenergiesmoving,andyoucanencourageoneparticularvayuif thereisaprobleminitsrelatedarea.Forexample, ifyouhavedifficultywithelimination, regulatedbyapana, you might add more squats to your practice (and also massage theneurolymphaticpointsonthesidesofthethighs).Ifyouhavetroublespeakingup for yourself, you might add shoulderstand or fish pose to help encourageudana.(Seeweeks6and7forEnergyMedicineYogaversionsoftheseposes.)

Thevayusarepotentialmovementsofenergy.Theydon’texistwithoutour consciously using them. Unlike chakras, auras, and meridians, which wedon’tgenerallyseebutwhichexistwithinallofusandalsowithinanimals,thevayusareenergeticpotential.Youbringconsciousattentiontothem,startingintheareaswheretheirpotentialresides,andthenyouusethatconsciousattentiontomovetheenergyinthedirectionofthespecificvayuyou’reworkingwith.

Oneverypowerfulwaywecommunicatewithourselvesisbyvisualizing.Youcanbringyourattention to the throat,bringyourconsciousness there,andbegintomeditateontherisingfeelingofudana.Theenergythenrisesthroughthethroat,activatingalltheupward-movingforces.Toactivateapana,bringyourattentionandconsciousnesstothebaseofyourspineandstarttofeeltheenergypulsing there. This begins to activate the downward flow of energy. In yourmind’seye,seetheenergyflowhappeninginthebody.That’showvisualizationworks—it’spreverbalandsubconscious,undertheconsciousmind.WewillusevisualizationconstantlyinEnergyMedicineYoga.Energyflowswhereattentiongoes.

Pranayama:SamaVritti

SamavrittiinSanskritmeans“equalbreath.”Thegoalistomakethelengthoftheinhaleequaltothelengthoftheexhale.Thispracticehelpsbringdisciplinedawarenesstothebreath,aswellasconditionsthelungsandstartstobuildtheircapacity.

Tohelpyoulearntoequalizeyourinhaleandexhale,putacount tothebreath. Slowly and evenly count one, two, three, four as you inhale, and thenexhaletothesamenumberofcounts,untiltheinhaleandexhaleareeven.Asthebreath capacity deepens, the count will naturally get longer; just continue tomakebothinhaleandexhalethesamelength.Thisisapowerfulbreathpracticetobringthebodyintobalance,andyou’lluseitthroughouttheEnergyMedicineYogasunsalutation.

Asyoustarttomoveyourenergyinprescribedways,linkingthebreathtomovementbecomesmoreimportant.Thisbalancedbreathhelpstobalancethenervoussystemandbringmoreequanimity toyourpractice.This is thebreaththat,alongwiththebreathpracticeyou’lllearninweek3,willmosthelpyoutofocus your practice; to start to tune into that important element ofcommunication,listening;andtocalmthemind.

ThePowerofVisualizationVisualizationisoneofthemostpowerfultoolswehaveavailabletous,anditisimportant in tantra yoga, energymedicine, and EnergyMedicineYoga. Therehave been many studies done on visualization and its results. In one study,participants were asked to visualize themselves lifting weights, and theyincreasedtheirmusclemass.Inanother,theyvisualizedpracticingthepiano,andthe brain synapses fired in exactly the sameway aswith the participantswhoactuallyplayedtheinstrument.Onestudyhadparticipantsvisualizethemselvestoorgasm.

Athletesroutinelyusevisualizationtohelpthemreachtheirgoals.Peoplewhoareparalyzedarestillabletomoveenergyintheirbodieswiththepoweroftheminditself.Theplaceboeffectisanotherreminderofthepowerofthoughttotranscendthephysicalform.Believinginsomethingreallycanmakeitso.

Allofthisistosaythatthemindismorepowerfulthanweusuallygiveitcredit for. The mind cannot distinguish between real and rememberedexperiences,which is theunfortunatebasisformuchrecurring trauma; just the

memory of a traumatic event can start the cascade of stress hormones thatrecreates theexperience in thebody.Conversely,wecanharness thispower tovisualize thingswedowant,suchas tocorralourenergiesforourhealingandstrengthening. Working with the imagination also helps to bring us into theunconsciousmind to start to communicatewith it. It is here thatmost of ourinnate power lies, and so opening these lines of communication between theconsciousandunconsciousmindisavaluablethingtodo.

We’ll use visualization to help focus ourminds on creating our bodiesduringEnergyMedicineYogasunsalutations,aswellasinthewarriorseriesinweek6.

SunSalutationsandtheLostArtofYogaYogahasbeenpracticed formore than five thousandyears, but it only startedbeing practiced widely in the West in 1893, when a Hindu monk, SwamiVivekananda,gavealectureaboutyogainChicago.Bringingyoga,anesoteric,previouslyhiddenpractice,intoouregalitarian,materialisticWesternworldwassuretochangeit,andchangeitdid.Notallthechangeswerebad:Yogausedtobetaughtonlytomen.Themostsecret,powerfulpracticesweretaughtonlytothehighest castes and themostholymen.Nowanyonecan learn andpracticeyogaandbenefitfromitsuntoldpositiveeffects.Anyonecanaccessthesacredtextsfromwhichthepracticeswerederived.Butasithasmovedfartherfromitshistorical,spiritual,anddeeplyreverentialroots,yogahaslostalargedegreeofthe power and insight that came along with the cloistered hierarchy of thepractice.

Todayyogacanbefoundeverywhere,anditisoftentaughtdevoidofanylargercontextorintentionalperspective.Youcanfindnakedyoga,hula-hoopingyoga,hotyoga,poweryoga,acroyoga—thelistgoesonandon.Andevenmoretraditional forms, like Ashtanga and Iyengar yoga, are missing the “magical”componentthatcanhelptransformpractitionersinwaystheyaren’tevenawareof. The focus of today’s yoga is mainly on alignment; or strength building,flexibility, and power; or rehabilitation. Some powerful, more esoteric yogapractices, like deep meditation and pranayama techniques, are still taught intraditions suchaskundaliniyoga,ParaYoga (a formof tantrayoga), JivamuktiYoga,andViniyoga.Butvery fewpeopleare teaching theconnectionbetweenintention,spirit,and themagicalcomponent.Oneof themeaningsof theword

tantrais“aclassofmagicalandmysticaltreatises.”WhenIstartedtosynthesizethe tantra tradition, with its heavy emphasis on pranayama, visualization, andtransformation,withtheEdenEnergyMedicinetechniquesthathavethosesamecomponents, Iwas amazedat howmanycrossovers therewere. Iwas amazedagain at the transformations I saw happen so quickly and that I could onlydescribeasmagical.Irealized,then,howmuchtheartofyogahadbeenlostasittransformedintotheyogacommonlypracticedtoday.

Themagicofyogaistheabilitytotransformnotonlyyourbody,butalsoyourmind and, by extension, your spirit.Manypeople feel great after a yogaclass and think it’s because of the endorphins released during a high-energyclass. But people doing slow and gentle yoga can experience the same greatfeelings.Why?Although calming and stabilizing the breath is one big reasonyogahasthiseffectonus,thespecificintentionbehindthemovementsiswhatreallymakes yoga transformative.Many cultures, includingNativeAmerican,Islamic, and ancient Sumerian cultures, have usedmovements very similar tosome of the yoga movements, for prayer, healing, and, we can only assume,physicalwellbeing.Therearehieroglyphsdepictingsomeoftheoldestphysicalmovements performed by humans that look very similar to yoga poses. InEnergy Medicine Yoga, we also use specific movements with a very clearintention, and because of that intention and directed attention, themovementscantransformusoneverylevel.

The sun salutation, a ubiquitous part of almost every yoga class, is theprimary example of movement connected with intention. In this practice, thehandsstartinprayerpositioninfrontoftheheart.Whileinthisposition,manyteachersandstudentsturninwardforinspirationorsetanintentionfortheclass,butafterthat,theintentionisoftenlost.

WhenIstarttoteachsunsalutations,Iaskmystudentswhywedothemat all. The answers vary: to warm up, to bend the body into all the differentpositionspossible, togreet theday, tosetanintention, tohonorthepracticeofyoga.Onlyrarelydostudentssay,“Togettheenergyflowing.”Andwhentheysaythat,theydon’tusuallyunderstandthedeeper,moreexactmeaningofwhatthey’resaying.

I believe sun salutations are designed to get the energy of the bodymovingin therightdirection, in linewith thedirections themeridiansflow.Inaddition,thesalutations’processofmovingthehandsaroundthebodyismeanttostrengthentheCelticweavebyweavingfigureeightsintotheenergysystems,andtosmoothandcleartheaura.Inshort,thesunsalutationisanopportunityto

organizeyourenergysystemsandcorralallthoseenergiesintoworkingforyou—awayforyouto“groomthemountain”ofyourenergy. Ifyourenergiesaremovingonewayandyourbodyismovinganother,youwillbeputtingoutalotofeffortandnotgettinganywhere.

Visualization can help us make better use of the energy-enhancingmovements offered in the sun salutations. As you’re sweeping your handsoverhead,weaveyourhandsbackandforthinfigureeightsandvisualizelightorenergycomingoutofyourhands.Iliketovisualizethatthelightcomingfrommyelectromagnetic hands is paintingmy aura or smoothingout and repairingany holes or tears in it.You’re also addingmore figure eights to your energyfield,which, asnotedearlier, strengthens theCelticweave.When I’mdoingasunsalutation,any timeIsweepmyarmsupoverheadorbringonearmup insideanglepose,orliftbotharmsupoverheadinlowlunge,Iusetheopportunityto weave my hands back and forth in crossover patterns or to deliberatelysmooth or make circles in the aura as I move (like washing a window). Nomovementinthesalutationiswasted;everythingispurposeful.

IntheversionofthesunsalutationpracticedinAshtangayoga,youholdonto the toes and lift the back up before you jump back into staff pose(chaturangadandasana).Thishold-and-movementactivatestheradiantcircuits,as well as strengthens the links between certain meridian pairs. Having thatknowledge as you work brings more intelligence to the practice and deepensyour intention.We’ll talk about thosemovementsmore aswebreakdown theEnergyMedicineYogasunsalutation.

Simply bringing your awareness and attention towhat you are actuallydoingasyoumove throughspacecanhaveapowerful impactonyouroverallwellbeing. Inyoga,wedosomuchspiralingupanddown, swingingourarmsoutandaroundthebody.Ifyouapplyintentiontowhatyouaredoing,youwillfind that you not only go deeper into the “one-pointed mind” of the yogapractice,butalsoalignandbalanceyourenergiesonadeeperlevel.Inthisway,youcanreclaimthelosttransformativeartofyogaforyourself.

Practice of the Week: Energy Medicine Yoga SunSalutation(SuryaNamaskar)TheEnergyMedicineYogaversionof the sun salutation incorporates aCelticweaveexercise,meridiantracing,aradiantcircuitsactivation,andvisualization.

Italsoincorporatesamudra,ayogichandpositionthat influencesyourenergyflow—inthiscase, theflowof thetriplewarmermeridianspecifically.Week4will explore triplewarmer inmoredetail, but fornow it is important toknowthatoneof itsmainfunctions is togovern thefight-or-flight response.For thisreason,anytimeyouhavethechance,youcalmorreleasetriplewarmer.

Once you’ve played and experimented with this sun salutation a fewtimes,you’llseehoworganicitis,andyou’llstarttofigureoutwhichvariationswork best for you.Aswithmanyof theEnergyMedicineYoga techniques, ittakes longer to read the directions than to actually do them. I suggest readingthrough thewhole sequence to understand the reasons behind themovements,andthenstarttoexperiment.

Tadasanawithtriplewarmer/heartmudraandfigure-eightarmflows.Standwith your feet hip width apart, feet parallel. Root down through the outsideedgesandtheballsofthefeet.Feelbalancedevenlyoverthefrontandbackofthe feet. Align your hips over your knees, shoulders over your hips. Lift thechestslightlywithouthyper-archingthelowback.Keepthechinparalleltothefloor.

Inhale, and sweep the arms up overhead. Exhale, and draw the handsdowninfrontoftheheartintothetriplewarmer/heartmudra:Putthepalmsofthehandstogether;placethethumbsinthecenterofthechest,whichistheheartcenter, and the tipsof the index fingers in thehollownotchat thebaseof thethroat(figure7).Thispositionwilllift theelbowsupandencourageyoutolifttheheartcenter insteadofcavingit inward.Your indexfingersarerestinginatriple warmer neurovascular point, which helps to calm the triple warmermeridian, taking stressout of thepose, aswell as connecting triplewarmer toheart energy through the heart chakra, bringing them into communication andbalance.

Asyouinhale,slowlyliftthearmsupandoverhead.Asyouexhale,staystandinguprightandslowlylowerthearmsdowninfrontofyourbody,crossingthembackandforthinbigfigureeights.Introducevisualizationhere:imagineacolororlightcomingoutofyourfingertipsandpaintingasafe,healingcocoonaroundyou.

Inhale again, and this time weave your hands back and forth, figure-eightingeacharmouttothesidesandupoverhead.Exhale,andmakebigfigure

eightswithyourhandsasyoulowertheminfrontofyou.Turnslightlytotherightside,inhale,andfigure-eightupyoursidebody.

Turntotheleftsideandexhale,weavingyourhandsbackandforthbackdownto tadasana.After several of these figure-eight flows, lower the hands to yoursides.Standstill,andseehowyoufeel.

FIGURE7 Triplewarmer/heartmudraconnectstheheartenergytothetriplewarmermeridian,tobalanceandcalmthisyangmeridian.Forwardbend(uttanasana)withmeridiantrace.Inordertogetameridian’senergy running in the right direction, you want to smooth the energy in thedirectionthemeridianflows.Inthenextmovement,you’lltracethenaturalup-and-downflowsoftheyangandyinmeridianswithyourhandsasyoumoveintoandoutofaforwardbend.

From tadasana, inhale and bring the arms up overhead.As you start toexhale,cross the righthandover the topof the lefthandandsmooth the righthandovertheoutsideoftheleftarm(figure8).Asyougettotheelbow,letthelefthandcomeontotherightelbow.Bothhandsnowsmoothdowntheoutsides

oftheupperarmsandthendowntheoutsidesofyourshouldersandupperback,likegivingyourselfahug.Thismovementmayfeelawkward,butjustallowthatawkwardness into thepractice,asyou’re starting to feel the strangenessof thebodyand itscontours. (Youaren’t foldingyour torso forward into the forwardbendyet.)

FIGURE8 EnergyMedicineYoga Sun Salutation: smoothing the yangmeridians in their downward directions, a bit awkward over the elbows,helpsyoulearnthecontoursofthebody.

FIGURE9 EnergyMedicineYogaSunSalutation:continuingtosmooththeyangmeridiansovertheshouldersandthebackbody.

Continuesmoothingdowntheoutsideof theupperback(you’llfeel theawkwardness of the elbows crossing again; figure 9) and then pull the handsacross the lower rib cage or upper belly, firmly pressing into the belly cavity(figure 10). Bringing your hands around the waist activates the belt flow, ahorizontal energy line thatdivides theupperand lowerbodyat thewaist.Theonlyhorizontalenergyflowinthebody,thebeltflowisalsoaradiantcircuit,soby tracing it,youarestimulatingyour joycircuits.Thehandscrosseachotherhereandthencomeout tothehips.Start tobendoverandcontinuesmoothingbothhandsdowntheoutsidesofthelegs,thentheoutsidesofthefeet.Sweepthehandsoff the feet then flickyour hands to flickoff the excess energy they’veaccumulated.

Allofthesemovementsfollowthedirectionoftheyangmeridians,whichrundowntheoutsideofthebodyandintotheearth.Yangenergiescomedownfrom the sun or sky (hence, sun salutation). Running your hands over themeridians in thiswayhelps toenergize themandget themmovingin theright

direction, strengthening their flow. The next movement traces the upwarddirection of the yin meridians, which come up from the earth, helping tostrengthentheirflowanddirectionality.

Inhale,andasyoustarttobringthetorsobackup,slidethehandsalongthe inside edges of the feet (figure 11), then up the insides of the ankles andthighs,applyingsomepressurewithyourfingers.Veryoftentheinneranklesandcalves are extremely sore. The more you work these points, the more thesorenesswill be relieved.Whenyour hands reach the tops of your inner legs,bringthemupoverthefrontofthetorsoallthewayuptoK-27.Stophereanddeeplymassageorgiveaquickbuzz,pressingyourfingersinandpushingthemaroundatK-27.

FIGURE 10 EnergyMedicine Yoga Sun Salutation: bringing the yangenergyacrossthebeltflow,theonlyhorizontalflowofenergyinthebody.

Thenlift thearmsoverheadwithaninhale.Atthetopof theinhaleandthemovement,flickyourhandsandfingerstoflickofftheexcessenergy.

Repeat the entire forward fold with meridian trace again, this time

crossingthelefthandoverthetopoftherighthand.Againsmoothyourpalmsdownthearms,overthebacksoftheshoulders,acrossthebelly.Thenfoldyourtorso forward as you smooth your hands down the outsides of the legs.Here,pause,swingthearmsforward,andflickenergyoffthefingers.

Inhale, and again draw the hands up the inside of the feet, ankles, andcalvesand thenup the frontof thebody.MassageK-27and then lift thearmsoverhead. Flick the excess energy off your hands and fingers. Then take onehand,placeitovertheoppositesideofthechest,andsmoothuptotheshoulderanddown the inside of the arm andoff the hand.Do the other side, and thenshakeoffbothhands.

Dotheforwardbendwithmeridiantraceafewmoretimes,keepingthebreathconnectedtothemovements,andstarttotuneintothewayyourhandsareshapingtheenergyoverthebody.

Tip:Whenyouriseupoutoftheforwardbendandtraceuptheinsidesofthelegs,insteadofbringingyourhandsupthefrontofyourtorso,youcanbringthemouttothesidesofthehips.Fromthere,smooththemupthesideseamsofyourtorsotothearmpits,andthenbringthemdownagain,halfwaydowntheribcage,andbuzzthesepoints.You’vejusttracedthespleenmeridian(figure12).As you’ll see in week 4, strengthening the spleen meridian is important forbalancinganoveractivetriplewarmer.

FIGURE11 EnergyMedicineYogaSunSalutation:atthebottomoftheforward bend, press into K-1 under the foot to start the yin meridianupwardflow;thisisthepointatwhichearthenergyentersthebody.

FIGURE12Pathsofthekidneyandspleenmeridians,themostimportantyin-meridianpathwaysusedintheEnergyMedicineYogaSunSalutation

Wesmooththeyinandyangmeridiansalltogether,asshownabove.Thespleen andkidneymeridians are so important and powerful thatwegive theirexactpathwayshere.Activatingtheyinbridgeflow.Nextwe’llactivateoneof themost importantradiant circuits, the yin bridge flow. This radiant circuit helps to connect thefrontandbackofthebody,aswellasbalancetheyinandyangenergies.Italsohelpstocreateabridgebetweenyoursoulandyourhigherspirit.

Fromtadasana,beginbyreachingyourhandsupoverhead.Lowerthembehindyourheadandpressyourfingersintothehollownotchatthetopofyourneck,whereyourneckandheadmeet.Thisiscalledthepowerpointandistheanchorpointforthisradiantcircuit.

Drawyour hands back up over your head and press in at the center of

youreyebrowswithyour fingertips.Drawyour fingertipsaround the insideoftheeyeatthetopofthenose.Thenmovethemundertheeyetopressinatthecenterofyourcheekbones(thefirstpointsonthestomachmeridian).

Bringyourhandsdowntoyourcollarbone,crossingthemasyoudo,andpressyourfingersintoK-27.Bringyourfingertipstogetherattheheartcenter,inthecenterofthechest,andthentracethreeheartsoveryourbody.Goaroundthebreasts,onehandoneachside, thendownto thebellybutton, thenupthroughthecenterofthebodytothethymusagain.Drawthisbodyhearttwomoretimes.(Seefigure13.)

Lastly,foldyourtorsoforwardasyoudrawyourhandsdowntheinsideofyourlegs.Atthebottomoftheforwardbend,tuckyourhandsundertheballsof your feet. Pull your torso upward, away from your feet, straightening yourbackandliftingyourbutt.Withyourhandsinthisposition,youarestimulatingtheK-1points,thefirstpointsofthekidneymeridian,locatedinthecenteroftheballofeachfoot.Thesepointsareourconnectiontothepowerfulearthenergythat gives us our vitality and rejuvenation. (This is part of the path of theAshtangayogasunsalutation.)Tadasanawithtriplewarmer/heartmudra.Onyournextinhale,riseupoutoftheforwardbend,againsmoothingyourhandsuptheinnerlegsandupoverthebellyandbreasts.BuzzK-27,liftthearmsoverhead,andflickoffexcessenergy.Then exhale and bring your hands in front of your heart, with the thumbstouchingtheheartcenterandyourfingertipsinthetriplewarmerneurovascularhollowinthethroat.Takethreefulldeepbreathshereandcenteryourself.

FIGURE13PathoftheyinbridgeflowForward bend to chair pose (utkatasana) with penetrating flow. Inhale intadasana,andasyouexhale,comeintofullforwardbend.Releasethehandsandclasp them behind the back, letting your arms fall forward over your head tostretchtheshoulders.Holdhereandbreathe,openinguptheshouldergirdle.Youmayfindithelpfultobendthekneesabit.

Release your clasped hands and bring both palms to the lower back,directlybehindthebellybutton.Rubyourhandsaroundandaroundinacircle,inbothdirections.Thismovementstimulatestheming-menpoint,whichsitsonthetrackofaradiantcircuitknownasthepenetratingflow.Thisradiantcircuitisdeeply connected to thehealthof thehormonal system. It holds the energyofyour life’s purpose and carries information deep into the body and all of theenergysystems.Itisalsothemostspiritualoftheradiantcircuitsandhelpsyoutoconnecttoyoursenseofselfandpurpose.Ourancestralenergy,whichisheldinthekidneymeridian,unlocksinthepenetratingflow.Ifthepenetratingflowis

runningbackward,wegetthethingswedon’twant,andwedon’tgetthethingswedowant.

The ming-men point is one of the most powerful energy points forrejuvenatingsexualdesireandperformanceandvitality,especiallyinmen.Itisalsocalled theIlluminationGateor theLifeGate; thebellybutton is thepointwhere life enters the body (through the umbilical cord), and the LifeGate orming-menpointiswherelifeleavesthebody.Chairposewithpenetrating flow.Deeplybend theknees, coming into chairpose.Keepthekneesbent, thebacklifted,andtheeyesgazingforward.Finishrubbingcircleson thebackandpullyourhandsaround thewaist to thepubicbone. Stay in chair pose as you draw your hands up the front of the body,betweenthebreasts,anduptothemouth.Cupyourhandsoveryourmouthandexhale through themouth,with a deep sigh, three times. Then fold the handstogether, one over the other, on top of the heart center. Stay in chair pose forthree more breaths, with the hands over the heart center. This activates yourpenetratingflow,which isalso themain trackof life forceenergy in thebody.Chairposehelpsyourootdownintothebodyasyou’redrawingthisenergyup.

To come out of chair pose, inhale, and push the legs straight, to stand.Dropthehandsbyyoursides,closetheeyes,andrelaxintoyourself.Forwardbendwithmeridiantrace.Inhale,andcomebackintochairposewithyourhandsintriplewarmer/heartmudra.Stayforthreebreaths.Exhaleandfoldforward,smoothingthehandsdowntheoutsidesofthelegs.Atthebottomoftheforwardbend,reachforwardandflickexcessenergyoffthehands.Chairposewithspleentrace.Bendthekneesandliftthetorsoagainintochairpose.Asyoucomeup,moveyourhandsfromyourfeet,insideyourlegs,overyourgroin,uptothefrontofthewaistandthenouttothesidesofyourwaist.Movethemupthesideseamsofthetorsotothearmpitsandbackdowntothesidesofthebreasts.Buzz,orquicklymassage,thisspot.Thismotiontracesthespleenmeridianagain,somethingyoucannotdotoomuch.

Stillinchairpose,bringyourhandsbackintotriplewarmer/heartmudraandtakethreetofivebreaths.Inhale,andstraightenyourlegstostand.Exhale,andthentakeafewbreathshereintadasana.

Forwardbendwithfigureeights.Inhalethearmsoverhead;exhaleandmoveyourhandsinfigureeightsasyoubringyourarmsdownandfoldintoforwardbend.Lowlunge(alanasana)toextendedsideanglepose(parsvakonasana).Inhaleandsteptheleftfootback,leftkneeonthefloor,comingintolowlunge.Makesuretherightkneeisdirectlyovertheankle.Sinkthehipsandallowthegrointosoftenandopen.Takethreebreaths.

Inhale, and slowly lift the right armup in theair,weaving small figureeightswith the hand as youmove it upward.Keep the left hand on the floor,creating a gentle spinal twist in your torso. You can extend the right armforward,overyourhead,orbackdownalongsidethebody.

Experiment with alternately weaving the hand in figure eights andsmoothingthroughyouraurainacircularpatternasyoumovethehandupward.Youcanalsoflickeachfingerwiththethumb,bothtoreleaseexcessenergyandtowakeup themeridianrunning througheachfinger.Tapping(or in thiscase,flicking)thefirstorlastpointonameridianawakensthewholemeridian.Thesemovements with the hands and arms are powerful, and as youmove throughyourpractice,youcanincorporatethemanywherethatfeelsright.

To come into extended side angle pose, exhale and bring the right armdown,balancingtherightelbowontherightthigh.Extendtheleftlegtolifttheleftkneeoffthefloor,androtatetheleftheeldown,sothattheheelshiftstowardthebody,andthetoespointforwardatabouta30-degreeangle.Seeifyoucanfeel the left femurrotatingoutwardasyoumake thismove.Youcanreach theleftarmoverheadorkeepitonthesidebody.

Again,use thisopportunity toclear theaura, shakeoff excessmeridianenergy,andweaveinfigureeightswithyourlefthand.Takeseveralbreathshere,then rotateyourbody toward thegroundandstep forwardwithyourback leg.Comedownintoasupportedsquat forabreathor two,and thenstepback therightlegandrepeatthesequenceontheotherside.Whenyoufinishthesecondside,comeontoallfours.

Eachofthesehandandarmmoves,andanyothersyoumayadd,canbeinfusedwith themovementsof themeridians (aswedidcomingupanddownthe body at the start of the sun salutations), the flicking of the fingers (whichawakensthemeridianenergywithoutdirectingit),theweavingoffigureeights,andthesmoothingoftheaura.Themostimportantthingistoremainconsciousand present, no matter what movements you’re making. Continue breathing

sama vritti (equal breath), and visualize the beautiful, safe, and empoweringcocoonofyourenergyfieldsurroundingyou.Downward-facing dog (adho mukha svanasana) or snake dog variation.From all fours, come into downward-facing dog:Lift the hips up into the air.Keep a slight bend in the knee as you extend the buttocks up toward the sky,lengthening the low back. Feel an outward rotation in the upper arms,embeddingtheshoulderbladesintotheback.Don’tallowthespinetosinktothefloor,hyperextendingtheback.Thegoalislengtheningtheback,stretchingthebacksofthelegs,andstrengtheningthecore.Ifyourwristsfeelsore,trystronglypressing your fingertips into the mat and slightly pulling your body forward,almostlikeacatpawingattheground.

Takethreetofivebreathsandreturntoyourhandsandknees.Manyyogaclassesstressthealignmentofdownwarddog,usingmanyof

the principles I’ve just shared. I’d like to introduce you to a more dynamicdownwarddog,one thatexpressesandengagesyouruniqueenergies. ItcomesfromAngelaFarmer,oneofthefirstseniorIyengaryogateachersintheUnitedStates, who went on to develop her own intuitive style of yoga that includesenergy work. She calls this version of downward dog “snake dog,” and youmightunderstandwhywhenyoutryit.

Insteadofcomingupfromallfoursintoastandarddownwarddogtryingtomakesureyouralignmentiscorrect,starttobreatheintoyourbodyandletitmoveyou.Lettheenergyofyourbreathandyourbody,andwhatevertightnessor constriction you feel, loosen up as you wriggle, wiggle, stretch, articulate,expand, and contract your body. Don’t worry about getting into the properposition, but listen towhatwants to happen from inside.Youmight flow intovariationsofupwarddog,three-leggeddog,child’spose(balasana),sideplank,plank, or any combination of poses, or maybe into an unnamable position.Throwouttheyogaguidebookandtrustyourbodytoopenitselfupaccordingtoitsownperfectenergyflow.Tryshakingyourselfandwigglingyourspineasyoumove,andyou’llsoonseewhereFarmerfoundthename“snakedog.”

Long-holdplank(kumbhakasana).Fromdownwarddog,comeforwardintoplankpose,orapush-upposition.Makesureyourhandsaredirectlyunderyourshoulders.Forbuildingstrengthinthecoreofthebody,includingthearmsand shoulders, hold plank for up to three minutes. Start building up to thisamountoftimeslowly,addingmoretimeanddeepbreathsdaybyday.

Then, start to bend the elbows, keeping them close into the body (not

pokingoutwardtothesides,likeinaregularpush-up),andlowerdownallthewaytothefloor.Ifyoucanholdthebodyinastraightplaneasyoulower,youcanpause instaffpose,withyourbodyhelda few inchesoff the floor.Try tohold here for a fewbreaths.However, if this hold is too challenging, you canloweryourkneestothefloorfirstandthenslowlyloweryourupperbody,stillkeepingtheelbowstuckedintothesidebody.

Nowslowlylowertheentirebodyallthewaytotheground.Cobrapose(bhujangasana)withtriplewarmerrock.Withyourhandsonthefloor under your shoulders, lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor.Don’tputanyweight intoyourhandsat first.Pressyourhips into the floor toextend your low back, and keep your legs and feet on the floor. Engage yourstomachmusclesbydrawingyourbellybuttonup towardyour spine. Itmightseemcounterintuitivetoengageyourbellyasyou’reliftingyourupperback,butthis, in fact, helps to support the low back and prevent it from overstraining.Engaging the stomach also helps to release the tight backmuscles and createmoreflexibility.

Holdyourhead,neck,andshouldersupforthreetofivebreathsandthenreleasethembackdown.Layyourhands,oneovertheother,onthefloorinfrontofyourheadandloweryourforeheadontothebackofyourhands,completelyreleasingyourneck.

Inthisposition,rockyourhipsbackandforthseveraltimes.Thissacralrock releases the triplewarmermeridian and helps to calm the entire nervoussystem.Halflocust(ardhasalabasana)withtriplewarmerrock.Nowlifttheleftarmandextenditforward.Lifttherightleg,andthenlifttheheadandneck.Holdforthreebreathsandreturntothestartingposition.Rockthehipsagain.Repeatontheother side, lifting the right armand left leg.Thesemovements are exactlywhatababydoesashe isbuilding theneuralpathwaysnecessary formoving,establishingthecrossoverpatternsofthebody.Itisimportanttoreleasetheheadonto the hands and rock the hips in between lifts to help calm the nervoussystem.Slowcobrawithtriplewarmerrock.Nextbringyourhandsbackunderyourshouldersagain.Pressingthehipstothefloor,liftthehead,neck,andshoulders.

Afterthreetofivebreaths,lowerdownandturnyourheadtooneside.Keepingthehandswhere theyare, rock thehipsbackand forth.Turnyourhead to theothersideandrockyourhipsagain.

Nowscootchyourhandsbackaninchandslowlystarttocomeup.You’llhavemoreweightinthehandsthistime,andtheworkwillbeslightlylowerintheback,maybebetweentheshoulderblades.Stayhereforthreebreaths,lowerdown, turnyourhead tooneside,androck thehipsbackandforth.Turnyourhead to the other side and rock the hips again.Now scootch your hands backanother inch and slowly start to come up again. You’re beginning to see thepatternhere.

Whileslowlycreepingthehandsbackalongthesidebody,yougraduallyallowtheworkofthebacktoshiftfromthebottomoftheneck,wheretheneckmeets the torso, all thewaydown to the lowback.Theamountofpressure inyour hands increases,while thework of the body is still focused on the backmuscles. Make sure you don’t feel any strain, and continue to engage yourstomachmuscles,liftingthestomachawayfromthefloortostabilizetheback.The legs stay on the floor the whole time and as relaxed as they can be. Inbetween slow lifts and three to five breath holds, you’ll rock the hips tocontinuallycalmtriplewarmerasyou’redoingtheposture.You’llliftasmanytimesasyouwant,workingtheenergydownthespineandlookingforthemostdifficultorweakestspot.Onceyoufindit,holdthereforanextrabreathortwo.Iusuallycomeupfour tofive timesbeforeIholdat theweakestpointand thenrelax.

Whenyou’vecompletedallofthelifts,bringyourhandstogether,oneontop of the other, and let your forehead rest on the back of the hands. Thisposition helps to release excess energy that gets stuck in the head, aswell ashelpstobalanceyourownenergywiththeearthenergies.Locust (salabasana).Havingdonehalf locust pose, you’ll nowcome into thefullexpressionofthelocustpose.Liftthehead,neck,andshouldersoffthefloor.Liftthearmsaswell.Thearmscanbealongthesidesofthebody,straightoutfromtheshouldersinaT,orinfrontofyou,Supermanstyle.Liftthelegsoffthefloor,too,engagingthelowbellyasyoudo.Stayintheliftedpositionforthreeto five breaths.When you come down, rest the forehead on the backs of thehandsandrockthehipsbackandforth.

Youcandothisseriesofsunsalutations,addinganyotherpiecesintoitthatyou like, foras longasyouwant.Whenyoufeelcomplete,comeback to

standing in tadasana, or if you’re finishedwith your yoga practice now, bringyourself into savasana and rest for a fewminutes, continuing to visualize theenergyfieldsyou’vejustcreatedandcleared.

WEEK3

WorkingwiththeBandhasNow that you’ve learned how to move your body’s energy along itspathwaysaswellastheflowsofthevayus,you’lllearnaboutthebandhas,thelocksinthebodythathelpbuildandcontainenergyandmoveitaroundinlargerareas.Theseworkinconcertwiththevayusaswell.

Pranayama:Ujjayi(Victory)BreathThe ujjayi or victory breath is the breath used most often in yoga classes. Itincreasesphysicalpowerbypressurizingandcontrollingthebreath.Itworksinconjunctionwiththeuppermostbandha,jalandharabandha.Itisalsoaheatingbreathandameansofdissipatingandcontrollingpain.

To practice it, slightly constrict the glottis at the back of the throat,forming a whispering sound. Some people call this the Darth Vader breathbecauseofhowitsounds.Yourbreathshouldbeaudibletoyou,butnotsoloudthatsomeoneacrosstheroomcanhearit.Youcandothisbreathwiththemouthopenorclosed.Ifyou’rehavingdifficultygettingthehangofit,putyourhandinfrontofyourmouthandexhaleabreath intoyourhand,as ifyou’refoggingawindoworapairofglasses.Thentrythefoggingexhaleagain,thistimewiththemouth closed. You should hear the fogging, Darth Vader sound on both theinhaleandexhale.

Ujjayi ispowerful tousewhenpracticingposes,but it isnotusedwithotherpranayamapracticesorwithmeditation,whenthefocusisonothertypesofbreathing.Thisisthebreathyou’lluseduringmostofyourEnergyMedicineYogapractice,exceptduring theWakeUp,whenyou’llbreathe in through thenose andout through themouth.With ujjayi, you’re still continually trying tobalancethelengthofinhalewithexhale,asdoneinsamavritti.

Bandhas:LocksforLiftingandContainingEnergyOneofthemostimportantideasrelatedtoenergyiscontainment.Thinkaboutagardenhose.Ifthereisnoattachmentontheendandyouturnthehoseon,thewaterwillsimplypourfromtheopenspout,withoutmuchforce.Butifyouputa

triggerheadontheend,thepressureinthehosebuildsupandcanbereleasedina powerful and directed streamwhen you pull the trigger. Energymoves andbuildsupinthebodyinasimilarway,andthebandhasactlikethetriggerhead,helpingustocontaintheenergyandthendirectandreleaseittoaspecificareawiththestrengthwewant.

Thebandhashelpdirect theenergyofagni, or fire, in thebody tohelpclear blocked energy. The internal fire builds with the directed use of breath,intention,andmovement.Thewordbandhameans“totietogether,ortoclose”;italsomeans“tolock,”asinlockinginenergy.Usingthebandhasisawaytoliftandholdspecificareasofthebodysothatcorrespondingenergyiscontainedandmoved.

Thebandhasarebothphysical,locatedasdeepinthephysicalbodyaswecan go, and energetic, responsible for three volumes of energetic space in thecoreofthebody.Whatissobeautifulaboutthemistheyofferaphysicalwaytogetintotheenergeticbody.

I’vefoundthatT.K.V.Desikachar,inhiswonderfulbookTheHeartofYoga,offersthemostaccessible,easy,andintelligentwaytolearnandpracticethebandhas.Heencouragesyoutofindateachertoguideyou,andIencouragethat aswell. It is always helpful to have someonewith experience guide youthroughnewandphysiologicallydifferentpostures.Butifyoudon’thaveaccesstoaskilled teacher,donotbeafraid toexperimentonyourown.Relyonyourinnerwisdom(whichyouarebuildingdailywithyourpersonalEnergyMedicineYogapractice)andbemodestinyourattempts.Youwouldn’ttrytosetaboneonyour firstdayofmedicalschool,andyet, ifyouwerepresentedwithabrokenboneand therewasnoonemoreadvancedaround tohelp,youwoulddoyourbest,intelligently,toattendtothesituation.

The first bandha to learn andworkwith is jalandhara bandha. It is the“netlock”locatedatthethroat.Thisistheuppermostbandhaandallowsyoutocontainenergyinthehighestpointinthebody.Becausepartoftheenergeticsofyogais tomoveenergyupwardfromthebaseof thespine to thecrownof thehead,itisthemostimportantlocktomaster.Again,thinkofthehose:Ifyoudonot have a system in place at the top, you will lose all the energy. Andconversely, if youhave adefective system inplace, you couldhave toomuchwatershootingoutof thehoseanddodamagethatway.Youwouldn’twant toblastadelicateflowerwithafull-powerflowofwater,andyouwouldn’twanttoblastyourupper-bodyenergycenterswithatoo-powerfulflowofenergy.

Jalandharabandhaistheeasiestbandhatolearnandmaster.Tiltthechin

slightlydown,towardthenotchinthethroat,andpullitslightlyback,towardtheneck.Thispositionisn’tatotalcompressionoftheneck,chokingoffbreathandcreatingadoublechin.Thinkofitinsteadasholdingaripepeachbetweenyourchin andyour throat—youdon’twant to squeeze toohard and squish the softfruit.

Thisbandhacanbepracticed instandingposesand,onceyougetmorecomfortablewithit,inseatedposes.

The next bandha to learn isuddiyana bandha, or the “flying-up lock.”Thisbandhaislocatedinthecenterofthebodyatthediaphragm,anditismosteasilyaccessedbyexhalingall thebreathand thendrawingthebellybutton inand up toward the spine.This action helps to lift the diaphragm,which is thegoal.Uddiyanabandha ispracticedon theexhaledbreath.Thisbandha shouldnotbepracticedifyouaremenstruatingorpregnant.

Usinguddiyanabandhahelpsyou tobringyourawarenessandfocus tothenavelcenter. Ifyouwant tocontainandsolidifyyourenergy,youmustbeanchoredinthenavel.Thisisthehomeofthethirdchakra,whichisthecenterofyour ego self, your place in theworld, and your feeling of self-empowermentabout that place. In order to achieve union with the higher aspects ofconsciousness (as expressed in the higher chakras of love, communication,intuition,andconnectionwiththedivine),youmustfirsthaveasolid,positive,andgroundedplace inyourself,whichcomes frombeinggrounded in the firstthree chakras (the chakras of home and safety, creativity and sexuality, andpersonalpower,respectively).Byanchoringyourattentioninthethirdchakra—called thedan tien or power center in other traditions—you are able to reachhigher levels of consciousness and fulfillment without losing yourself. Thisawareness in the thirdchakra is theproverbial fire in thebelly.Thenavelalsoholdsourprimordialchi,theoriginallifeforceenergythatanimatesus.Thatfireisboththepassionyouneedtodoyourworkintheworld,aswellastheinternalenergyyouneedtohelpdestroytoxins,bothphysicalandmental,thatmaykeepyoufromfulfillingyourpotential.Helpingdestroyinternal toxins isoneof thepurposesofthebandhas.

Atreecanonlygrowashighasitsrootsgodeep,andsodeepeningyourrootsandgroundinginyourlowerchakrasisimportant,especiallywhentalkingabouttheflowandpowerofenergywithinthebody.Byusinguddiyanabandhatoplaceyour awareness andbringphysical activity into the abdominal center,youanchoryourself inaveryrealandprimalplace.(Formoreonthechakras,seeweek7.)

The thirdbandha ismulabandha, the“root lock.” It is locatedbetweentheanusandthegenitals,attherootofthebody.Theeasiestwaytobegintofeelmula bandha is to practice stopping the flow of urine. Engagingmula bandhafeels similar to doing Kegel exercises, which pregnant women are taught tostrengthen the muscles of the perineum on the vaginal floor. It is equallypowerfulformen,justperhapsnotasfamiliar.JivamuktiYogaco-founderDavidLife (one of the most important yoga teachers in the US) once said it isimpossibletobedepressedifyou’reusingmulabandha,becausewithityou’redirectingyourenergyupward,whiledepressionisaconstantdownward-movingenergy.Mulabandhaisthebandhamostoftenusedinyogaposes,asithelpstostrengthen and stabilize them, and it is the one that you will find mostimmediatelybeneficial.

Uddiyana bandha andmula bandha are often linked together; uddiyanabandhaholds theuppermusclesof thecore,andmulabandhaholds the lower.Theycanalsobeseparatedandpracticedeachbythemselves.

Mulabandhahelps to lift energyupward, uddiyanabandhaholds it up,and jalandharabandhakeeps it fromexplodingout the top.Afterdirecting thevayustohelpincreaseagni,thefireenergy,toburnthroughtoxins,youthenusemulaanduddiyanabandhas to lift andhold the fire energyup, and jalandharabandhatokeepalidonit.

So how do the bandhas actually work after you learn how to activatethem? Imagineaballoon filledwith sand—a large,oblongballoon,maybe thesizeofamediumpumpkin.Atthebottomthere’satie:thefirstlock.Halfwayuptheballoonthere’sacinch,likeabelt;thisisthesecondlock.Atthetop,there’saseesawleverthatwhenpresseddowninfrontliftsuptherubberoftheballoonintheback;that’sthethirdlock.Whenyoumovethesethreepiecesaround,youchangehow theballoonmoves in relation to itself andhow it holds its shape.Youmovethebottomtietotherightandthesandstartstospilloverleft,soyoupressoneendoftheseesawleverupanddisplacesomeofthesandthere,andthecenterrealignsandrebalances.Theballoonnevertipsover;itjustkeepsshiftingtostayinbalancedependingonwherethosethreefulcrumpointslie.

Thebodyisnotbuiltasaweight-bearingstructurelikeahouse.Itisbuiltinspirals,anddomes,andoppositionandtensegrity.Tensegritymeansthatthereis an internal and ever-moving center point that everything lifts around andoperates from.There is no downward tension save for gravity.The bones andmuscles align and suspend under alternating tension and compression. Theydon’tconnectandhang.ThesearetheprinciplesthatBuckminsterFullerusedto

designhisdomes,themoststableman-madestructuresthereare.What keeps that tensegrity intact in our bodies is the bandhas. The

bandhasarebothautomaticandmoveable,likethebreath.However,ifwedon’tmovethemourselves, intentionally,bypracticingwiththem,theywillceasetowork on their own.You can see the results of that in the sagging, downwardtrendsofenergyinagingpopulations.

Workingwith thebandhasphysicallyhelpsyou tounderstandhow theyworkenergetically.Youstarttoseethattheenergybodycanbeamirrorofthephysicalbody.

Thebestway to familiarizeyourselfwith thebandhas isbystanding intadasanaorbylyingonyourbackwithyourarmsoutstretchedoverhead(tadakamudra).Inthosetwoposturesyoucanstarttoengagethebandhas,firstoneatatimeandtheninconcertwitheachother.Youstarttogetafeelingforthepowerandcontroltheyoffer.

Toengagejalandharabandha,lengthenthespineandtiltthechinslightlydownandtowardthenotchinyourthroat.

To engage uddiyana bandha, as you exhale, draw the belly button intoward the spine. By the end of the exhale, the belly button and diaphragmshouldbeliftedinandup.

Toengagemulabandha,squeezethemusclesattheflooroftheperineum,the lowestmuscles in the core of the body.This can be done on an inhale orexhale, but as you’re starting to learn it, the best way to practice it is on anexhale. Then you can start to see how uddiyana bandha works together withmulabandhaontheexhale.

It is a good idea to practice the bandhas one at a time until you feelcomfortable and understand their functions. Then you can begin toworkwiththemtogether.

Slowlyyoucanbegin to introduce thebandhas intoyouryogapractice,makingsurethatyouarenotdisruptingyourfocusandbreathingbyaddingtoomanyelementsatonce.Takeoneposeonceaweek,tryusingonebandhawithit,and seehow itmakesyou feel.Onceyou feel comfortableusing thebandhas,youcanusethemmodestlywithinyourpractice.

Tip:Itisimportantnottooverusethebandhas.TheyshouldnotbeusedthroughoutyourentireyogaorEnergyMedicineYogapractice.Theyaremostusefultohelpbalanceandstabilizeyouinbalancingposturesandtohelpfocusattentioninmeditationpreparation.Theyalsocanhelptostabilizeandfocusthecoreinstrengtheningexercises.

SPECIALNOTETOWOMEN

ManywomenlearntheKegelexercisestobeusedbeforeandafterpregnancytostrengthen the perineal floor. Kegels are a good precursor to using andunderstandingmulabandha.But as awoman,youhave an additional tool andcenterofpowerthatmenarelacking.

Thevagina,whichisactuallytheentirecanalfromtheexterioropeningtothemouth of the cervix, is amuscle that can be strengthened and represents,truly,theinnermostcorestrengthofawoman’sbody.Therearemanypracticesthathavebeenused for centuriesbywomen for this exactpurpose. In ancientChina, such practiceswere hiddenwisdom, used only amongst the empresses.Thepracticeswereknowntocontributetolongevityandstrengththatwentwellbeyondawoman’sphysicalage.

The Kegel exercises are a way to start utilizing these muscles. If youdraw your focus deeply inside your body, you can begin to contract and feelthese powerfulmuscles.Themore you practice, themore accessible theywillbecome.Strengtheningthesemusclesnotonlyhelpswithchildbirthandsexualpleasure,butalsohelpskeepthereproductiveorganshealthyandcontributestotheoverallvitalityofthebody.Therearereferencesinthebackofthebookformoreinformationontheseesotericandpowerfulpractices.

PracticesoftheWeek:WorkingwiththeBandhasThe first two poses you’ll learn will help you understand and experience thebandhas. There is also a power pose, incorporating more neurolymphaticcleansing inamodified inversion. I also introduceanother radiant circuitposeandawaytoconnectwithandcalmthenervoussystem.

CATPOSE(CHAKRAVAKASANA)WITHMULABANDHAThis pose is a powerful way to experience mula bandha for the first time ordeepenyourfocusonitifyou’realreadyfamiliarwithit.

Come onto your hands and knees. Make sure your hands are directlyunderyourshoulders.Spreadyourfingersout,butdon’tstraintomakethemas

wide as they can possibly go. Experiment withmaking a slight claw of yourhand,therebyawakeningthearchesofthehandandallowingthemusculatureoftheentirearmtobeengaged.Inhalehere.

Exhale and come back into child’s pose,with your hips on your heels.Makesureyourhips landfirst, thenyourelbows,and lastlyyourhead. Inhale,andcomebackupontoall fours.Do thismovement several times,working toequalize and expand the breath and connect the breath smoothly to themovement.

Engage mula bandha on the exhale, drawing the perineum up as youbring your hips back. By exhaling as you sit back, you can really feel theengagementofthebandha,almostasifyou’resittingintothebandhaitself.

THREADTHENEEDLE(SUCIRANDHRASANA)WITHYANGBRIDGEFLOWComeintoneutralpositiononallfours.Taketherighthandandreachitthroughthespacecreatedbytheleftkneeandthelefthand.Drawthearmandshoulderthrough until the back of the right shoulder is on the ground or close to theground.Takeseveralbreathshere.Deepeningyourbreathintwistingposessuchasthisonehelpstocleartoxins.

Nowtaketheleftarmandreachitbehindthebody.Starttodrawfigureeightsonthebackasfarupanddownthespineasyoucanreach,usingeitherthepalm or back of your hand. This activates the yang bridge flow, one of theradiantcircuits.Ithelpstoconnectthefrontandbackofthebody,aswellastobridge theopposites in thebody: thepolarities, theyin andyangenergies, theimpulsesmovinginandoutofthebody.Theyangbridgeflowhelpsusconnecttootherpeopleaswell,toseetheirtrueessenceandtoseethemclearly.

Drawseveralfigureeightsonyourback,thenunwindandcomebacktoallfours.Repeatthetwistandtracingontheotherside.Onceyou’vedonebothsides,comebacktoallfours.

Nowbringthetopof theheadtothefloorandreachbothhandsbehindyourlegstoholdontothebackoftheknees.Holdingthebacksoftheknees,leanforward, with weight on your head. The backs of the knees hold two of theanchorpointsfortheyangbridgeflow,andholdingthemhelpstoanchortheseenergiesinthebody.Thisisavariationonrabbitpose(sasangasana),withtheholdat theknees insteadof the feet. If thisposition feels challengingonyourneck or if you have any neck issues, don’t do this. You shouldn’t have real

pressureonyourneck,butitmayfeelawkwardifyou’renotusedtoputtinganyweightontheheadatall.Ifyoudon’twanttodothisspinelengthening,youcancome into child’s pose, with your hands pressed to the backs of the knees,compressedbyyourfoldedlegs.

Tocomeoutof eithervariationof thepose, simply removeyourhandsfromthebacksofyourkneesandcomeintochild’spose.

CHILD’SPOSE(BALASANA)WITHSPINALFLUSHChild’sposeoffersawonderfulopportunitytodoavariationontheSpinalFlushyou learned inweek1.After doing the thread the needle sequencewith yangbridgeflowandthenrestinginchild’spose,reachyourhandsupyourspineasfarupasyoucanandmassagedownalongeithersideofthespinalcolumn.Thisisthepathofthebladdermeridian,whichgovernsthenervoussystem.Withthismassage, you are connectingwith and calming thenervous system, aswell asclearinglymphandstimulatingthespinalmuscles.

Afterworkingyour fingersdownalong the spine to the coccyx,deeplyworkthepointsatthecenterofeachbuttcheek—keypointsofthecirculation-sex meridian. Working them helps to calm and open the first chakra, whichsupports theopeningofall theotherchakras.Thosepointsalsoopenandcalmthe energy of the legs. You can finish by massaging the bottoms of the feet,whichisthestartingpointofthekidneymeridian,andthensqueezingthewidestpartofthefoot,whichstimulatestheradiantcircuitsandcompletestheworkonbladder,whichendsatthepinkytoe.

DYNAMIC BRIDGE POSE (SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA) WITHNEUROLYMPHATICCLEARINGBridge pose, a backbend donewhile lying on your back, is one of the powerposesofEnergyMedicineYoga—oneofthose“morebangforyourbuck”posestoincludeinyourdailypracticeorinashortpracticewhenyoudon’thavealotoftime.Bridgestrengthensandstabilizesthehips,thighs,andback.Itisalsoaninversion,andhelpsbringbloodflowtothebrainandstimulatesthethyroidandparathyroid.Itisaneasilyaccessiblebackbend,greatforbeginners,withmanywaystomakeitmoreadvancedanddynamic.Itisalsooneofthebestposesforexperimentingwithallthreeofthebandhas.

Begin by lying on your back, arms by your sides. Bend the knees andplaceyour feet flat on the floor, hipwidth apart.Make sure thatyour feet areparalleltoeachother,notduck-toedoutorpigeon-toedin.

To begin, inhale and lift the hips off the floor until your body is in astraight line from the hips to the knees.Your bodywill be at an angle to thefloor,butallinoneplane,withoutthehipspressingupaboveordroppingbelowtheplaneofthespineandthighs.Exhaleandreturnthehipstothefloor.

Now inhale and lift the hips again and, at the same time, lift the armsoverheadonto the floorbehindyou.Thisactionhelps toopenup the ribcage,deepening thebreathandbringingstabilizedmobility to theshoulders.Exhale,returning the hips to the ground and the arms to your sides. Repeat thismovementafewmoretimes,thenpauseandholdatthetopofthemotion—hipsup,armsup.

Inhaleand,keepingthehipslifted,lowerthearmsbackdowntothesides.Continuetobreathewithasmooth,equalbreathwiththehipsstilllifted.Releasethe gluteus (butt) muscles; this will strengthen the back and keep you fromjammingthelowerbackmuscles.Itmayseemchallengingtokeepyourhipsupwithout these large muscles, but what you notice is that almost instantly theworkoftheposewillgointothelowbackandthelowbelly,helpingtostabilizethepose. Itwill also forceyou touseyour feet to reallyanchor thepose.Theweight should be on the shoulders and the feet. This version of the posewilltrainyou touse thesmallermusclesalong thecoreof thebody, insteadof thelargergluteusmusclesthatweusuallydefaultto.

Afterthreeorfourbreathsinthisposition,loweryourbodydowntothefloor.Letyourkneesfallinwardtowardeachothertoreleasethelowback,andtakeafewbreaths.Finishbysimplybreathingintheposeandreleasingexcessenergy,perhapswithoneortwoexhalesthroughthemouth.

Ifyou’reunfamiliarwiththepose,giveyourselftimetolearnit,andthen,asyougetmorecomfortablewithit,takeonetothreebreaths,practicingeachofthe bandhas. The neck position naturally engages jalandhara bandha. On anexhale breath, contract the belly button into the spine, engaging uddiyanabandha,and lowerdown to the floorholding thebandha.Whenyouget to thefloor,releasethebandhaandtakeaninhale.Trythisacouplemoretimes:liftuponaninhale,exhalethebreathandengageuddiyanabandha,andthenreleasetothe floor. After three of these, do the same practice withmula bandha. Afterthree of those, you can try holding all three bandhas for a moment and thenreleasing.

Thenholdtheposeagainwithoutengagingthebandhas.Simplybreathethereandreleasetheexcessenergythatwillhavebuiltupfrombeingcontainedbehindeachlock.Takeoneortwolong,slowexhalesthroughthemouthtoexpelthatenergybeforeloweringthehipstothefloor.

FIGURE14Theneurolymphaticreflexpoints

Whileyou’relyingonyourback,thenextpartofthisposeistomassagetheneurolymphaticreflexpointsalongthefrontandsidesofyourbody.Youcanrefertofigure14,butthesepointsprettymuchcoverthetrunkofthebodyandtheinnerandouterseamonthethighs(you’vealreadyworkedthesethighpointsinthehang).Gotowhereyourhandsaredrawn.Ifyoucometoanareathatfeelsparticularlysore,spendsomeextratimethere(aslongasthesorenessisn’tduetoabruiseorinjury).Workingtheneurolymphaticreflexpointshelpsconnectallthemeridianstogether,aswellasdeeplydetoxesthebody.Workingthematthis

pointinthedynamicbridgeposesequenceispowerful,becauseyou’llbeliftingup into the inversion onemore time, and that will helpmove the lymph andtoxins you’re releasingwith themassage.You can also try clearing the pointswhileliftedinbridge.

Whenyou’ve finishedworking thosepoints, comeupagain intobridgepose.Again,releasethebuttocksanduseyourlowbackmuscles,makingsuretostand solidly on your feet so that you aren’t crunching up the low back. Thistime,ifitfeelsright,youcanrollyourshouldersunderyourbody,bringingyourshoulder blades together, and clasp your hands under your back, forming aconvexarchwithyourback.Keepliftingyourbreastboneupandpressingyourhipsupasyoubreatheslowlyanddeeplyforthreetofivebreaths.

When you’ve finished, come down and breathe. While relaxing forseveralbreaths,continuetoworktheneurolymphaticpoints,especiallyanythatwereparticularlysore.Ifthepointsarequitesore,justworkafewatatime.Ifyouwork toomanypoints toodeeplyandall atonce,youcould releaseabigdetoxloadintothebodythatmaymakeyoufeelsick.Begentlewithyourself,evenasyou’reworkingstrongly.

WEEK4

TheTripleWarmerandSpleenMeridiansThis week you’ll discover the power of balancing the triple warmer andspleen meridians, and learn how to work in a more direct way with themeridians to affect the endocrine system and calm the stress response.Havingjustlearnedthebandhas,you’llnowlookatthethreelocksfromthewindowofthetriplewarmerenergysystem,whichgovernstheareasofthebodythebandhascontrol.

Pranayama:ThePureBreathRodStrykercallsthepurebreathoneofthemostpotentbreathingpracticesforsmoothingout long-standingpsychological issues. It is alsoa simplebreath tolearn, though not so simple to master. This breath helps calm hiddendisturbancesinthebody.Practicingthisbreathafteryou’vedonetriplewarmer-calmingposescanbeveryhelpful.

Thebreath isa reflectionof theemotionalbody.Conversely, thebreathcanaffecttheemotionalbody.Asyou’vebeendeepeningyourbreathingpracticewith sama vritti, you’ve probably noticed that the breath isn’t always smooth.There are gasps, held spots, sharp inhales, blowing exhales. With the purebreath,youstart to smoothout these impurities.Thegoalof thispractice is toentirely erase any fluctuations in the breath, including the pause at the top ofinhaleandthepauseatthebottomofexhale.

Thispracticeisbeststartedlyingdown.Whenyou’remorecomfortablewithit,continuetopracticeinaseatedposition.

Whilelyingdown,inhaleslowlyanddeeply.Youwanttocreatenosoundandnowindwiththebreath.Itshouldbealmostinvisible.Ifyounoticethereareskipsor stuttersor roughmovements, try toeaseover them thenext timeyoupass by.When you get to the height of the inhale, you have to deeply relax,especiallyinthediaphragminordertoturnthebreatharoundwithoutthepause.Thesamethinggoesforthebottomoftheexhale.Littlebylittle,you’llshiftintoabreaththatisquitedeep,butslow,andhasnosound.Breatheasifthebreathwereonecontinuousflow. It isno longer inhale,pause,exhale,pause,butonecontinuous,smooth,purebreath.

I suggest working with this breath several days a week or making a

commitment tospendone to threemonthspracticingdaily.Youcandoashortpractice with the breath before or after your physical practice. You can alsospendsometimepracticingthispurebreathinbedinthemorningbeforeyougetup,aslyingdownistheeasiestwaytostarttosmoothouttheimbalances.

EnergySystemoftheWeek:TripleWarmerThetriplewarmerisasinglemeridian,andwhenpositivelyactivated,itcanactlikearadiantcircuit.Becausethetriplewarmermeridianissostrongandplayssuchapowerful role in thebody,DonnaEdencategorizes itas itsownenergysystem.“Triplewarmeristhemeridianthatnetworkstheenergiesoftheimmunesystemtocounteraninvader,”shewritesinherbookEnergyMedicine.Sheaddsthat triple warmer “is governed by the hypothalamus gland, the body’sthermostat and the instigator of the fight-or-flight response.” Its name comesfromthefactthatithasthreesections—thelower,middle,andupperwarmersorburners—eachofwhichoccupiesandgovernsaspecificareaofthebody.Oneofitsprimaryfunctionsistodistributeheatandmoisturethroughoutthebody.

Thelowerwarmerisinthelowabdomen,themiddlewarmerisbetweenthechest and thenavel, and theupperwarmer is in thehead,neck, andchest.Triplewarmergovernsthefunctionsofalltheorgans,gatheringanddistributingto the organs energy taken in from food and liquid. It also regulates heatinternallyandontheskin’ssurface,keepingtheheatbalancedoradjustingittofight or flee a stressful situation. It floods the upper body with heat whenpreparing us to fight, or floods the legswith heat to prepare us to run.Triplewarmerisincommunicationwitheveryorganandmeridianand,therefore,everyprocess of the body. It gathers and disseminates information throughout thebody.

Theareasofthethreeburnersroughlycorrelatewiththeareascontrolledbythethreebandhas.Bylearningtousethebandhaswithintelligence,youcanstart to tap into the deeper power of triplewarmer.Whenyou start to use thebandhas and triple warmer together—for example, using the triple warmer-calmingposesyou’lllearninthischapterinadditiontothebandhas—youstarttogainmoreaccesstothisenergysystem,aprocessthatcanseemconfusing.Byutilizing the bandhas, you let triple warmer know that you understand themovementofenergyandknowhowtosupport thebody,so that triplewarmercan relaxand stop throwing thebody into the fight-or-flight responseat every

loudnoise.The energy of triple warmer is the energy that activates the immune

system. As a meridian, the triple warmer is considered to be one half of theimmune system and acts as the general in that system. The triple warmermeridian is responsible for themovement anddistributionof solids and fluidsthroughout the body, as well as the movement of energy responsible forregulatingall theorgans.Italsorulesandisruledbythehypothalamus,whichgovernsallthehormonalactivityinthebody.Thetriplewarmermeridianhastheability to take energy from every othermeridian in the body, except the heartmeridian.Theproblem is that triplewarmerhasnot evolvedasquickly as theworldaroundus,andasaresult,itoftenoverreactstoperceivedthreats,whichthenthrowourimmunesystemintooverdrive.

Allergies are perfect examples of an overactive triplewarmer. There isnothinginherentlythreateningaboutapeanut,butsomepeoplewillliterallydieiftheyingestone.Thisisbecausetriplewarmeridentifiestheallergenasbeingmoredangerousthanitisandactivatestheimmuneresponse.Indeadlyallergycases,themeridianrefusestoseetheinnocenceofthesubstanceandcontinuesto conscript all the energies of the body to essentially fight itself. ImmunesystemdiseaseslikemultiplesclerosisandParkinson’sarealsoexamplesofthetriplewarmermeridiangonehaywire.Triplewarmeridentifiesthestructuresandfunctionsofitsownbodyasdangerousandstartsuptheimmunesystem’sfightresponse.

“The problem solved by the human immune system is the problem ofdetermining ‘self’ from ‘nonself.’ This . . . involves sophisticated notions ofidentityandprotection—atcellularandmolecularlevels,”writesBarryWerthinThe Architecture and Design of Man and Woman, his book with AlexanderTsiaras.But sometimes that systemofdeterminationgoeshaywire and seriousproblemsensue.

OneofthemostpowerfulthingsEnergyMedicineYogacandoistocalmtriple warmer and reeducate it to be more intelligent. We have specifictechniques to let it know that thebody is safe, that there isnothingdangerousgoingon,andthatitcancalmdownandsupportthehealthyprocessesofliving.Othertechniquesusetriplewarmertohelpminimizetheimpactofstressonthebodybycalming the stress response ina stress-inducingpose.Thisallows thebodytopracticestayingcalminthefaceofchallenges.

There are times when strengthening triple warmer is needed, such asduringanasthmaattackorwhensomeoneisgoingintoanaphylacticshock.You

cansee,by theextremityof thoseexamples,howpowerful triplewarmer is inkeepingusalive.

Triplewarmeralsogovernsourhabitfields.Thereasonyoucangetintoacaranddriveisbecausetriplewarmerholdsthehabitmemoryofhowtooperatea car.But it can alsokeepyou stuck innegativepatterns, such as smokingordrinking, evenwhen youwant to quit. The energetic habit field is simply toostrong;whatthismeansisthattheenergyofthehabitisdeeplyengrained.Theneural pathways in the brain have created a strong connection, and just yourdecidingtochangethatconnectionisnotenoughtodoso.Neuroscienceshowsusthatneuronsthatfiretogether,wiretogether.Intheyogictradition,ourhabitsare governed by our samskaras, or the deep imprints in our mind, and ourvasanas,orourtendenciestomakeparticularchoices.Beingabletounderstandandworkwiththeseimprintsandtendenciescanhelpshiftpatterns,andutilizingsome of the techniques outlined in this book can help you to interrupt andchange the flowof thesehabitpatterns.But first,youneed tounderstandhowtriplewarmeroperates.

When triplewarmer acts as a radiant circuit, it allows you to see yourconnection with all that is. You are connected to the universe and see youronenesswiththeworldandyourowninherentperfection.Andthatisthegoaloftheyogicpathaswell.Triplewarmercanhelpusactivatetoourhigherpurpose.Feelingsafemakestriplewarmerrelax.Ourpurusha,oroureternalsoul,knowsthat we are safe, but our earthbound bodies sometimes struggle to rememberthat.Partofhealingthisdivideisworkingwithtriplewarmer.Whenthisdivideis bridged and triple warmer becomes a radiant circuit, and we have regularaccesstothatfeelingofsafety,contentment,andonenesswiththeuniverse,wehave an easier time following our dharma, or our life path—an easier timefulfilling our purpose or destiny.We have the clarity to seewhat needs to bedoneandthecouragetodothework.

The fact that triple warmer does so much and can be so confusing toidentifyandcalmwhenenergysystemsgoawry iswhy itqualifiesas itsownenergysystem.

BalancingTripleWarmerandtheSpleenMeridianThere are many energy medicine techniques that balance the energy of triplewarmer with that of the spleen meridian, which is the second meridian that

governstheimmunesystem.InDonnaEden’sbookEnergyMedicine, she tellsus about the importanceof the spleenmeridian: “Spleenmeridiangoverns thespleen and pancreas, and it is also involved with the thymus, lymph, lymphnodes, tonsils, and bone marrow. It oversees your blood supply, metabolism,homeostasis, the production of antibodies, and the distribution of nourishmentthroughoutyourbody....Itsmodelofprotectionistofosteravitaldefensebymaintainingavitalorganism.”

Thespleenmeridianworkstokeepalloftheenergysystemsstrongandhealthy.Itisconsideredthemostyangoftheyinmeridiansinthatitisthemostactive.Eachmeridianhasadailytwo-hourtimeframeinwhichitisatitspeakorhightide—whenitsenergyisthestrongest.Forthespleenmeridian,thattimeis9to11a.m.Duringthissametimeperiod,triplewarmer,whichsitsoppositespleenonthistwo-hourflowwheelofthemeridians,isatitslowtide.Thetidesofthesetwomeridiansarereversedtwelvehourslater:from9to11p.m.,triplewarmerisatitspeak,andspleenisatitslowtide.Thisrelationshipmeansthatwhentriplewarmerisweakandneedstotakeenergyfromanothermeridiantostrengthenitself,thefirstmeridianitwilltargetisspleen,itsopposingenergyonthewheel.Sincethespleenmeridian’sjobistomakesurealltheothermeridiansandenergy systemsaredoing their jobs, our entire energy system isdisruptedwhentriplewarmerstealsspleen’senergy.

Imaginethis:You’refeelingill,andthespleenmeridian,beingthegreatmother of the meridians, is corralling its forces to help. Among its tasks arefeeding the blood, removing the toxins that aremaking you sick, andmakingsure all the othermeridians are doing their jobswell. But triplewarmer feelsthreatenedbythis illness.Becausetriplewarmer isoftenonhighalert, it takesallofspleen’senergyforitselfandampsthebody’sresponseupanothernotch.So now, instead of being able to heal, your whole body is trying to stop thesoldiersfromfightingamongstthemselves.

Triple warmer often feels threatened and goes into an overactiveresponse,rousingourentireenergeticarmytogetexcitedaboutthingsitreallydoesn’tneedtogetexcitedabout.Asimplethinglikehearingaloudnoiseputsthe subconscious at high alert and often compels triplewarmer to respond.Afightwithyourspouse,apieceofbadnews,acomputercrashingbeforeyou’vesavedthefile—allthesecantriggertriplewarmerintoaction.

On theotherhand, ifwe strengthen the spleen,which in turnhelps theother yin forces of the body runwell, triplewarmer can relax. Triplewarmerfeelssafeandcanrelaxitshypervigilancewhentheyinmeridians,controlledby

thespleenmeridianandresponsibleforthelion’sshareofenergythatkeepsusaliveandfunctioning,aredoingtheirjobs.

Inmost people, the spleenmeridian’s energy is depleted. Especially inourWesternculture,wherestressisendemic,constantlydepletingspleenenergycan unbalance the immune system, weaken the hormonal system, and lead tomajor stress-related and immune-system disorders. For most people,strengtheningspleenmeridianandcalmingtriplewarmerarecalledfor.

When in balance, the triplewarmer and spleenmeridiansworkwell toprotectus.Whenthey’reworkingtogether,theypromotefeelingsofsafetyandsupportourabilitytohandlethedemandsoflife.Theycanalsoliterallysaveusinanemergency.Whenbalanced,thismeridiancouplingfostersfeelingsofjoy,forgiveness,andgratitude,andinspireswarmandbalancedsocialconnections.

Because themostpowerfulmeridiandynamic thatcannegativelyaffectus is between triple warmer and spleen, balancing the energies of these twomeridiansissomethingwe’lldoofteninEnergyMedicineYoga.

Another important reason to strengthen the spleenmeridian is that it isone of the two meridians that tend to weaken most as we age (the kidneymeridianistheother).“Spleengovernsthemetabolism...howquicklythebodycanrestoreandreplacenaturalhormones,thebody’sabilitytorenewitself,andthe vitality of the sexual organs,”Donna Edenwrites inEnergyMedicine forWomen. “Strengthening spleenmeridian is away of keeping your entire bodystrong.”

Helpingthebodystaystrongandyoungisalsooneofthemostfrequentlygiven reasons fordoingyoga.Therearepracticesdescribed in theHathaYogaPradipika(oneoftheoldestandmostreveredyogatexts)thatsayyouwillretainthebodyofasixteen-year-oldboyifyoudothem.Inversionsareregularlycitedasrecipesforanti-aging,literallyturningyourbody,anditsclock,upsidedown.AlthoughwhenyoulookatpicturesofB.K.S.Iyengar,Krishnamacharya,andDesikachar, threeof theforemostpractitionersof“modern”yoga,youwillseebodiesthathaveindeedaged,allthreeremainedvitalandpowerfulintotheiroldage (and Iyengar still is).Their internalorgans remainedyouthfulandhealthy,evenasthecontaineraged.

Sincedoingyogaandstrengthening thespleenmeridian throughenergymedicinecanbothhaveamajorimpactonhowweage,itonlymakessensetocombinethetwopractices.

TheLiverMeridian:TheSpleen’sSpecialPartnerThelivermeridianisonthecontrolcyclewiththespleenmeridian,whichmeansithelpstodeterminehowmuchenergythespleengetsorreleases.Theyarebothyin meridians, which means they work constantly, without ceasing. The livermeridianisconstantlyflushingthingsoutofthebody,andthespleenmeridianisconstantlymetabolizing.

These two meridians are often out of balance, and if they’re not inharmony,theythroweachotheroff.We’vealreadytalkedabouttheimportanceofthespleenmeridian,but thelivermeridianisequallyimportant.Theliverisresponsible for the smooth flowof chi in the body.The livermeridian is alsoassociatedwiththesmoothmovementofemotions.Whenbloodmovesthroughthebodyinbalancedflow,ouremotionsmovewithasmoothflowanddon’tgetstuck.

The physical liver has more than seven hundred unique tasks that it’sresponsiblefor,anditisaprimaryplayerintheproductionandmetabolizationofhormones. (Hormones are produced by either amino acids or cholesterol, andcholesterolisproducedintheliver.)Italsoprocessestoxinsandpoisons,storesenergy in the form of glycogen, and aids the immune system. It governsligaments and tendons,whosehealth is crucial to thephysical body.The livermeridianmakessuretheliverhasenoughenergytoperformallitstasks.

Becausetheenergyofthelivermeridianisonthecontrolcyclewiththespleenmeridian,ithelpsdictatetheenergyofthespleen,andwhenoneisstrong,theothertendstobedeficient.Mostoften,theliverenergytendstobeexcessive,whilespleenenergytendstobedeficient—yetanotherreasonwhyit’simportantforustostrengthenthespleenmeridian.

Other Important Concepts:Meridian Strengthening,Sedating,andControlPointsWe have built-in systems of the body that soothe, calm, and repattern thenervoussystemandmanyof theenergysystems.Thereare specificacupoints,placeswherethemeridianlinesriseclosetothesurfaceofthebody,thatwecanhold to help release trauma, help our immune system to function better, helpcalmthestressresponse,andhelpmovepainoutofthebody.Thesearelocations

where there is a lower electrical resistance than in other areas. Donna Eden,David Feinstein, and Gary Craig, in their book The Promise of EnergyPsychology,notethatMRIstudieshaveshownthat“stimulatingspecificpointsontheskinnotonlychangedbrainactivity;italsodeactivatedareasofthebrainthatareinvolvedwiththeexperiencesoffearandpain.”

These holds are simple to learn, and you canworkwith them inmanydifferentposes.Asageneralrule,sedatingpointsareusedtohelprelievepain.Holdingthesepointsislikepullingthepluginatub,allowingthewatertorunout,clearingthetub.Thestrengtheningpointsaregenerallyheldwhenyouwanttoinfusethemeridianandtheassociatedorganwithmoreenergy,likepluggingthetubtofillitwithfreshwater.Thecontrolpointsareusedtostopandsolidifytheprocessofeitherstrengtheningorsedating.

You’ll notice the strengthening and sedating points for a meridian areactually located on two different meridians. For example, to strengthen thespleenmeridian,youholdapointonthespleenmeridian(spleen2)andapointontheheartmeridian(heart8).Thereasonforthisisrelatedtothecontrolandflowcyclesof themeridians,howtheyrelate toeachother,and thefact thatadifferentelementcontrolseachpointonthemeridian.(Seeweek5formoreonthe five elements.) The specific points allow the meridian whose high tideprecedesor follows theoneyou’reworkingwith to eithergiveor take energyfrom thatmeridian. The points are chosen so that the differentmeridians cancommunicatemoreeasilywithoneanother.

ManyofthepracticeswedoinEnergyMedicineYogahelptheenergiesin the body cross over from one side of the body to the other. Meridians,however, work in parallel lines, running up and down the body. Meridianstrengthening and sedating points come inmirrored pairs.And you’ll learn toholdthesepairsonthesamesideofthebody,oneof thefewnon-crossed-overpatterns.

Ihadaclientwhokept trying to sedatekidney tohelpwithpain inhisAchillestendon(oneoftheusesofsedatingameridianistoalleviatepain).Hecomplained it wasn’tworking. I checked how hewas holding the points, andsureenough,hewascrossingthepoints—holdingonepointononesideof thebody and the other point on the opposite side—instead of holding both of thepointsonthesamesideofthebody.Assoonashecorrectedthis,hewasabletoeasehispain.

Practices of the Week: Working with the TripleWarmer,Spleen,andKidneyMeridiansThemostimportantbalancingthingyoucandoforyourmeridiansonaregularbasisistobalancethetriplewarmerandspleenmeridians.Formostpeople,thismeanscalmingtriplewarmerandstrengtheningthespleenmeridian.Istrengthenspleeneveryday,usuallyduringmyyogapractice,butI’llalsodopracticeslikethetriplewarmer–spleenhugwhilewatchingamovie,Skypingwithafriend,orriding in a car (though not when I’m driving!). Balancing triple warmer andspleenisthatimportantandthateasy.

Workingwiththekidneyandspleenmeridians,themeridiansthattendtoweakenmostwithage, isalso importantforouroverallvitalityandwellbeing.Soincludedinthisweek’spracticesisaforward-bendsequencethatworkswiththekidneymeridian,andonethatstrengthensthespleenmeridian.Finally,you’lllearn how a mudra you’re probably already doing in your yoga practice ishelpingtoboostyourspleenmeridian.

Youcandoallofthesepracticesinyourdailyroutineorrotatethem.I’mgoingtoshowyouthewayImostoftenpracticethem,butfeelfreetotakenoteofthemeridianstrengtheningandsedatingpointsandusetheminanyposethatseemsbestforyourbodyoryogapractice.

THETRIPLEWARMER–SPLEENHUGThe triplewarmer–spleen hughelps balance these two energies that otherwisecanleadtofeelingsofoverwhelm.Maintainingtheirbalancecanalsohelpwithweightissues,cravings,moodswings,andbloodsugarimbalances.

Wrap your right arm around your body under your breast, so that yourhandisrestingontheleftribcage.Wrapyourlefthandaroundyourbody,withthelefthandjustabovetherightelbow.Holdjustabovethebend,ontheoutsideof the arm. In this position, you are covering the spleen and triple warmeracupressure points; theywill start to synch together, thereby listening to eachotherandbeingcalmedbyeachother.Ifyoutuneintoyourhandswhileyou’reholdinghere,youcanstarttofeelthesetwoareasstarttopulsetogether.

Youcandothishugwhilestandinginaline,sittinginfrontoftheTV—anywhere really. Incorporating it into some yoga poses can help you groundmoredeeply,aswellaskeeptheenergysystemsfrombeingnegativelyimpacted

bythestressintroducedbytheyogaposeitself.Oneofmyfavoriteusesofthetriplewarmer–spleenhugisinwarriorI.We’llalsouseitinslowsit-ups.

SLOWSIT-UPSWITHTHETRIPLEWARMER–SPLEENHUGThesesit-upsaredifferentfromyourusualrun-of-the-millsit-ups,andI taughtthem tomymilitary students with great results. Don’t be discouraged if theyseemimpossibleat thebeginning.I’veseenmalecadetswhocandead-lift twohundredpoundsbeunabletodoevenone.Butthemuscleslearnthisworkveryquickly,andyou’llnoticea rapid increaseofstrength ifyoupractice thesesit-upsregularly.

Lieonyourback,withyourkneesbent,feetonthefloor,hipwidthapart.The farther away your feet are from your body, the easier the sit-ups are, soadjustaccordingly. Ifdoing thesit-upswithbentknees isstill toochallenging,youcanextendthelegsallthewayinfrontofyoustraightonthefloor.

Wrapyourarmsaroundyourtorsointhetriplewarmer–spleenhug:righthand on the left rib cage, left hand holding right above the bend in the rightelbow,ontheoutsideofthearm.

Applyjalandharabandha,tuckingthechinintowardthethroat.Thiswillalsohelptaketheweightoftheheadofftheneckandkeepyoufromusingyourneckmuscles in this posture. If you feel any strain in your neck, you can dothese sit-ups with your head in your hands, being sure to soften the neckcompletely. You are using your stomach muscles and core strength, so bemindful.

Begin to slowly liftyourbody towardyourbentknees.Donotuseanymomentum—thatisthekeytothisposture.Goslow,slow,slow,usingthedeepcore muscles. Press your belly down into the floor as you lift your body uptowardyour thighs.Comedownwith the same incredibly slowspeed,makingthemusclesworkonthedownasmuchastheup.(Seefigure15.)Applymulabandha to help you tap into the deep core strength you need. Think aboutpushingdowntoliftup.Ifyougettoapointwhereyoucannotliftanyfartherwithout thefeetpoppingup,stayat thatpointandkeeppressingyourstomachmuscles toward the floor. Don’t rock yourself up by pulling on your arms orcheatingyourfeetoffthefloor.Whenyouneedtorelease,slowlylowerdownatthe same speed. This point is your weakest-link spot, and if you muscle ormomentumyourwaythroughit, itwillstayyourweakest link.Asyoubreatheandstrengthenslowlyuptoit, thislinkwillgetstronger.Andyou’llbuildthat

strengthremarkablyquickly.If you incorporate these sit-ups into your practice consistently, you’ll

begintonoticeadifferenceinamatterofdays.Thesearesuper,superslowsit-ups. Generally youwill work up to doing only five of them—theywork thatstrongly.

Deepnose breathing allows the body to hold a stress-inducing positionwithout provoking a stress response.The use of the triplewarmer–spleen hugalsokeepsyourbodyfromexperiencingstressinthispose.Byaddingthehugtothepose,yougivethebodyonemoretooltohelpitremaincalmandtoimprintitselfwiththeenergeticpathwaysofcalmversusthepathwaysofstress.

THE HOOK UP: ALTERNATE VERSION, WORKING WITH THEBANDHASWorkingwiththeHookUp,oneoftheenergymedicinetechniquesthatcomprisetheWakeUpsequence(seeweek1),isanotherwaytotapintothebandhasandtriplewarmertogether.TheHookUpencouragesthemeridiansthatrunaroundthecoreofthebodytoalignandstrengthen,whichhelpskeepourcorestrong.Itis indicatedanytimethereissomethingstructuraloroutofalignmentwiththespine, such as scoliosis, vertebral imbalances, back pain, or problems withposture. It also corresponds to our ability to support ourselves, to “stand upstraight”andfaceourresponsibilities.

You’velearnedtheHookUpwithonefingerinthebellybuttonandoneon the thirdeye.Analternateversion is tohaveone finger in thebellybuttonandonefingerinthepowerpoint, thedeephollowatthecenterofthebackofthehead,wheretheheadconnectstotheneck.Trybothofthesehandpositionsandseewhichinducesagreatershiftintocalmness.

FIGURE15Slowsit-upwithtriplewarmer–spleenhug

You can also experiment with applying deeper pressure in your bellybutton.Ifyoureachindeeplyandpullup,youaretouchingyourdiaphragm,theseatofuddiyanabandhaandthemiddleburnerof triplewarmer.Thiscanbeavery tactileway to feelanupward lift in thebodyand tohelpyou focusyourattentionatthenavelcenter.

DonnaEdensaysshedoesn’tgetoutofbedinthemorningwithoutfirsthooking herself up. It is one of those quick energy medicine techniques thatmakes a huge difference in your overall feeling. The Hook Up helps tostrengthenyouraura,aswellastoconnectyouryinandyangenergiestogether.Iencourage you to do a Hook Up several times during your EnergyMedicineYogapractice.

KIDNEYTHREE-POINTPOSE

Thissequenceworkswiththekidneymeridianandcomprisesthreeseatedfloor

posesandmeridian-pointholds:

FIGURE16PointsusedintheKidneyThree-PointPoseKneelingspinaltwistwithkidney-sedatinghold Half ankle-to-knee pose (ardha agnistambhasana) with kidney-

strengtheningholdCobbler’spose(baddhakonasana)withkidney-control-pointsholdFigures16 and20 show all of the kidney sedating, strengthening, and controlpoints.Kneelingspinaltwistwithkidney-sedatinghold.Kneelandsitbackonyourhaunches.Allowthespinetobestraightandlifted.Gentlybegintotwisttotheright.Takeyour righthandandbring it toyour right foot, pressing the thumbintothecenteroftheballofthefoot.Wrapyourfingersoverthetoes(thetopsofwhicharetouchingthefloor),andcoverthepointontheinsideedgeofthebig-toetoenail.(Seefigure17.)

Your thumb ison the firstpointof thekidneymeridian (kidney1),and

yourfingerisholdingthefirstpointofthelivermeridian(liver1,seefigure20).Holding thesepointssedates thekidneymeridian, flushingoutstagnantenergyandtoxins.Thisholdiswonderfultodointwists—evenagentletwistlikethisone—astwistsarealsodetoxifying.

Holdthepointsfortwotothreeminutes.You’llstarttofeelaslightpulse,almost likeabloodpulse,under these twopoints,andbyabout threeminutes,theywillsynchronize.Releasethepoints,slowlyuntwist,andrepeatontheotherside.

FIGURE17 One option of the kidney-sedatinghold, in kneeling spinaltwist

Kidney-sedatingpointsexactlocations(figures16and20):Kidney1:Undertheballofthefoot,almostinitsexactcenter.Wherethe

ballofthebigtoeandtheballoftheotherfourtoesmeet,thereisaslight

indent.Liver1:Onthebaseofthebig-toetoenail,onthesideclosesttothepinky

toe.Tip: You can also hold the kidney-sedating points in half seated spinal twist(ardhamatsyendrasana). Ifneitherof these twists ispossible foryou,youcancomeintocobbler’sposeanddoallthreeholdshere.Half ankle-to-knee pose (ardha agnistambhasana) with kidney-strengtheninghold.This pose is a very challenginghipopener, andyoumaywanttostartbysittingontheedgeofafoldedblanketortwo,toraisethehipsoffthefloorandhelpyoukeepyourlowerbackstraight.

Straightenyourleftlegandbendyourrightkneeouttotheside.Crosstheankleoftherightfootabovetheleftknee.(Ifyourhipsaremoreopen,youcandothisholdinthefullpose:Stackyourcalvesoneontopoftheother.Makesureyouranklesarebothflexedtoprotectboththekneesandankles.)

FIGURE18Kidneystrengtheningholdinhalfankle-to-kneepose

Nowtakeyourrighthandandcover thepointaboutonehand’sbreadthup the calf from the center of Achilles tendon (kidney 7) in line with theAchilles. Take your left hand and hold the thumb-side edge of the rightwrist(lung8).(Seefigure18.)Youdon’thavetoworryabouttheexactlocationofthepoints; the wisdom of your body will find them. Hold them for about threeminutes,andtheywillstarttopulsetogether.Isuggestusingyourwholehandtocovereachpoint, tomakesureyou’vegotit.Byholdingthesetwopoints,youarestrengtheningthekidneymeridian.

Holdfortwotothreeminutes,thenswitchsides.Kidney-strengtheningpointsexactlocations(figure16):

Lung8:Nexttotheropeytendononyourinnerwrist,onthesideofyour

thumb.Itisonefingerspanbelowthefoldofyourwrist. Kidney7:Behind theanklebone, find thecenterof theAchilles tendon,

thengodirectlyupthecalffourfingerwidths.Cobbler’s pose (baddha konasana)with kidney-control-points hold. Sit onthefloorwithyourlegsextendedinfrontofyou;bendyourkneesouttothesideandbring thesolesofyour feet together,coming intocobbler’spose.PutyourthumbsdirectlyinthecenterhollowoftheAchillestendononbothfeet;you’reholdingbothofthekidney3points.Stretchyourfirstthreefingerstothesideofthe ball of the foot and hold them on the downhill or heel-side edges; you’reholding both spleen 3 points. These are the control points for kidney, andholdingthembalancestheenergythatyou’vejustbroughtintothemeridianwiththeprevioustwoposesandholdsinthesequence.

Begintoleanforwardfromthehips,keepingthebackstraight(figure19).Hold foraminuteandahalf. (Thecontrol-pointsholdsarehalfas longas thesedatingorstrengtheningpoints.)

Kidneycontrolpointsexactlocations(figure16):Spleen3:Onthedownward-sloping(towardtheheel)outsideedgeofthe

ballofthefoot. Kidney 3: Directly behind the anklebone, in the center of theAchilles

tendon.

Tip:Ifyouwantamoredetaileddescriptionoflocationsofanyofthepointsinthesetechniques,checkoutAcupressure.com.

When doing a three-point hold (the technique outlined above—holding ameridian’s sedating, strengthening, and control points), we are essentiallyoverhauling the meridian completely. We first clear it (sedate), then fill it(strengthen),thenallowittosettle(controlpoints).Wedon’talwayswanttodothis full technique on everymeridian, and the reasons vary. For example, youneversedatetheheartmeridian,andyourarelystrengthentriplewarmer.

Ournexttechniqueistostrengthenthespleenmeridian.Again,therearetimeswhen youmightwant to sedate the spleenmeridian or do a three-pointholdwhereyousedatespleenfirst,butthereasonsfordoingsoarespecifictoauniquesetofcircumstancesandindividualenergyneedsofthemoment.Forourpurposeshere,weonlywanttostrengthenthespleen.

HEAD-TO-KNEE POSE (JANU SIRSASANA) WITH SPLEENSTRENGTHENINGI like to do a spleen-strengthening hold in half-seated forward bend and fullforwardbend.Figure20providesamapofthespleenstrengtheningandcontrolpointsusedinthispractice.

FIGURE19Kidneycontrolpointsheldincobbler’spose

Beginseated.Liftyourhipsupbysittingontheedgeofafoldedblanket.Bendyourrightkneeouttothesideandplacethesoleofyourrightfootalongtheinsideoftheleftleg.Inhale,lengtheningoutofyourwaist,liftyourarmsupoverhead,andslowlyexhale,foldingoveryourlegs,lettingyourarmsdriftwithyou, smoothing out the auric field. Inhale, curl the body back upright, andlengthenyourarmsupoverhead.Exhaleandfoldagainoveryour legs.Repeattheup-and-downmovementafewtimes,toacclimatethebodytothemovement.Whenyoufeelready,staybentoveryourlegs.

Now, in the bend, you’re going to hold the first set of spleen-strengtheningpoints.

Ifyou’reflexibleenoughtoeasilyreachthefootoftheextendedleftleg,you’llholdthepointsontheleftsidefirst.Takeeachfingerofthelefthandandthreaditintothespacebetweeneachtoe,startingwiththepinkyfingerbetweenthepinkytoeandfourthtoe.Yourthumbwillbefreetoholdthesecondspleenmeridianpointon theballof the foot (spleen2).Then take the righthandandslidetherightpalmunderthepinkysideofthelefthand.Theeighthpointontheheart meridian (heart 8) is located on the palm, between the fourth and fifthmetacarpalbones.(Whenyoumakeafist,thepointiswherethetipofthelittlefinger touches.) The fingers of your right handwill be resting on the heart 8pointofthelefthandinthisposition.(Seefigure21.)

FIGURE20Spleenstrengtheningandcontrolpoints

Ifyoucan’tbendforwardfarenoughtoeasilyreachyourleftfoot,don’tworry;youcanworkwiththespleen-strengtheningpointsonthebentrightleg.Bringyour righthand to theballof the foot andhold theuphill slope, towardyour toes (spleen2).Nowwrap the lefthandover thepinkyedgeof the righthand, so that the left fingers curve around into the edgeof your right palm tocoverheart8ontherighthand.(Seefigure22.)

Whichever position you’re in, stay there and continue to deepen yourbreathandyourstretchasyouhold thepoints.Payattention to thepoints,andsoonyouwillfeelaslightpulsationunderyourfingers.Afteraminuteortwo,thepulsations should synchronizewith eachother.This is the spleenmeridianenergyhookingup.Youcancontinuetoholdtheposeandthepointsaslongasyoulike,breathingevenlyasyoudo.Thelongeryouholdhere, thedeeperthestretch gets and the stronger themeridian charge becomes. I like to hold thisposethreeminutesorlonger.

FIGURE 21 Spleen-strengthening points held in head-to-knee pose,advancedposition

Whenyou’rereadytorelease,simplyexhale,letgoofthepoints,andsitbackup.Straightenthebentlegandtakeabreathortwotoadjust.

Repeatontheotherside.Spleenstrengtheningpointsexactlocations(figure20):

Heart8:Onthepalm,betweenthefourthandfifthmetacarpalbones.When

afistismade,thepointiswherethetipofthelittlefingertouches.Spleen2:Infrontoftheballofthefoot,towardthebigtoe,attheoutside

edgewheretheskinofthesoleandthetopofthefootmeet.

FIGURE 22 Spleen-strengthening points held in head-to-knee pose,beginnerpositionCobbler’sposewithspleencontrolpoints.Whenyou’vecompletedthespleen-strengtheningholdonthesecondside,youarereadytoholdthecontrolpoints.Thisturnsofftheincreaseofenergytothemeridianandstabilizesit.

Bring the soles of the feet together, knees out to the side. Sit up tall,lifting the torso out of the hips, and lean forward from the low belly (not theupperbody).Whilesittingincobbler’spose,placethefirsttwofingersofeachhandonthebottomcornersofeachbig-toetoenail.Thefirstpointonthespleenmeridian(spleen1)islocatedonthebottomouteredgeofthetoenail(theedgeclosest to thearchof thefoot).Thefirstpointof thelivermeridian(liver1) islocatedonthebottominneredgeofthetoenail(theedgeclosesttothepinky-toesideofthefoot).

Leanforward,andbreathe.Youcanholdthisposeforonetotwominutes,andyouwillalsobegintofeelthepointspulsingtogether,hookingup.

Whenyoufeelcomplete,inhale,andsitup.Tip: If you are more flexible, you can hold the control points in full

forward bend (pashimottanasana), with both legs straight out in front of you(figure23).

FIGURE23Spleencontrolpointsheldinfullforwardbend

YOGICTOELOCK

Ifyouhavepracticedyogaforawhile,youhaveusedtheverypowerfulspleen-strengtheningpoints—spleen1andliver1—unwittinglyintheyogictoelock.Inthislock,youholdthebigtoewiththefirsttwofingersandthumb.Asexplainedearlier,theliverandspleenmeridianshaveasymbioticrelationship,andholdingthesetwopointsbooststhespleenwhilecalmingtheliver.Liver1,thefirstpointon the livermeridian, located at the base of the big toenail, is known as “theetheric point of the whole body.” Accessing this point helps you open to theethericfield,thepartoftheaurathatholdstheessenceofyourspirit,aswellastheblueprintforyourbody.Itistheinnermostlayerofyouraura.

These two points, held and pressed in concert with each other, form apowerful dance of healing and building resiliency and adaptability, aswell ashelp tobalance thehormones.WhenI learned the importanceofholding thesepoints together inenergymedicine, Iwasagain impressedwith thewisdomof

the ancient yogis and wanted to reintroduce the energetic importance of thismudratomyyogastudents.

Theyogictoelockisusedinmanyposes:legextensionswhilestanding,forward bends with the legs together or apart, and seated forward bends. Invirtuallyanyposewhereyoumightreachandholdontoyourfoot,usethishold.

COBBLER’SPOSE(BADDHAKONASANA)WITHGAITCLEARINGAfterdoingkidney-andspleen-meridianwork,Iliketocleartheenergygaitsinthe toes again. Clearing the toe gaits helps to clear the liver, since the livermeridianrunsdownbetweenthebigtoeandthesecondtoeandendsatthebaseofthebig-toetoenail.

Returntocobbler’spose.Usingyourfingersandthumbs,firmlymassagealong themetatarsal bones that separate each toe. Be sure to pinch off in thegullybetweenthetoes,openinguptheenergychannelsandreleasingconstrictedenergy.Youcanalsomassageandpinchthetipofeachtoe.

Thensqueezebothsidesofthefeetandgiveafirmmassagetotheinstepboneon theupward-facing interiorsofbothfeet.Thebones thatstart fromthetopofthebigtoe,riseupatthearch,andendattheheelbonemimicthespine,andinreflexology,thesebonesaremassagedtohelpreleasespinaltension.

Ifyouwanttostayincobbler’sposeabitlonger,youcanalsoclearthehandgaitsandthenvigorouslyshakeexcessenergyoffthehandsbeforecomingoutofthepose.

WEEK5

TheFiveElementsandthePowerofSoundThis week we discuss the transformative power of sound in EnergyMedicineYogaand introduceapractice that linksyou to the seasonsandthephysicalworld through the five elements ofTCM.This system ishowourindividualenergyexpressesitselfinphysicalform.

ChantingandSpeaking:ThePowerofSoundWhenI taughtyogaatamilitaryuniversity,chantingSanskritmantraswasnotthe most obvious thing to do. For yoga teachers who teach in churches,communitycenters,orgyms, itmaybeachallenge to introduce the incrediblypotentuseofsoundvibrationtotheclasswithoutoffendingsomeofthestudents’sensibilitiesorcrossingovertherulesorboundariesoftheteachingvenue.Butdo not let this discourage you from accessing this powerful tool fortransformation. Inyourownpersonalpractice, ifyoudonotusesomeformofsoundorvibration,pleaseconsideraddingit.

Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, the spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute,writes about the use of sound in The Power of Mantra and the Mystery ofInitiation: “Personality, speech, emotions, and the sense of attraction orrepulsionareafewofthewaysinwhichthelife-forceradiatesfromus.Wealsoradiatedifferentdegreesandshadesoflight,sound,electricity,magnetism,andgravitational energy.Every cell of thebodyhas its ownvibratorypattern and,basedonthispattern,soundwavesemergefromeachcell.Butallthecellsinanorganismmustfunctioninacoordinatedmanner,theymustallvibratewithinaspecificspectrum.”

Chanting helps to entrain the cells—to create a cohesive pattern in thephysicalbodybyharmonizingthecellbodies.

Thescienceofcymatics is thestudyofvibrationmadevisible.Youcangoonlineandlookatnumerousexperimentsthatilluminatethepowerofsound.Inone,ahigh-fidelityspeakerisplacedunderneathametaltrayonwhichsandisscattered.Thespeakerthenproducesasustainedtone.Afterafewmoments,thesandmiraculouslyshiftsintoageometricpattern.Asthetonesriseinpitch,thepatterns of the sand continue to switch, in instant, jumplike phases, becomingmoreandmoresophisticatedandcomplex.Itisincredibletowatchthebeautiful

patternsthatemergesimplywiththeapplicationofsound.The following is excerpted from pioneering sound healer Eileen

McKusick’sbookTuning theHumanBiofield:HealingwithVibrationalSoundTherapy(HealingArtsPress,2014):Thehumanbodyiswiredtobeexquisitelysensitivetosound.Thefaculty

ofhearingisoneofthefirstsensestodevelopinutero,andthelasttodepartbefore death. In addition to perceiving sound through our ears, the journalNature recently published a paper (November 26, 2009 issue) detailing aNIH study that shows that we also “hear” the pressure waves of soundthroughourskin.Water,ofwhichourbodiesarelargelycomposed,conductssoundatarateapproximatelyfourtimesfasterthanair.

Ourbonesalsoconductsound,asevidencedbynewerhearingaidsthatconductsoundthroughtheskulldirectlytothecochlea.

Ithasbeendiscoveredthatinadditiontothewell-knownlockandkeystructureofreceptorsoncellmembranesthatreceiveandrespondtophysicalmolecules, therearealsoantenna-likestructures that respond tovibrationalfrequencies.BruceLiptonwritesinTheBiologyofBelief(2005):“Receptorantennas can also read vibrational energy fields such as light, sound, andradiofrequencies.Theantennasontheseenergyreceptorsvibrateliketuningforks. Ifanenergyvibration in theenvironment resonateswitha receptor’santenna, it will alter the protein’s charge, causing the receptor to changeshape.Because these receptors can read energy fields, the notion that onlyphysical molecules can impact cell physiology is outmoded. Biologicalbehaviorcanbecontrolledbyinvisibleforcesaswellasitcanbecontrolledby physical molecules like penicillin, a fact that provides the scientificunderpinningforpharmaceutical-freeenergymedicine.”

Consciousandintentionaluseofthehumanvoiceinchanting,singing,andtoninghasbeenusedformillennia,oftenwithinareligiousordevotionalcontext. Numerous studies have been done to determine what exactlyhappens when we chant or sing or tone, whether alone or in groups.Neurological imaging has shown changes in blood flow to the brain, inaddition to other biological markers of increased wellbeing, whenexperienced meditators are engaged in chanting meditation (Lazar, 2000).One study noted a positive emotional effect and immune competence asdeterminedby thepresenceofsecretory immunoglobulinA insalivaswabsafterachoir rehearsal,andevenmoremarked increaseafteraperformance(Kreutzetal.,2006).

Theprocessoftoning,whichhasgainedsomepopularityinrecentyears, is a sort of informal chanting where the individual simply intonesextended vowel sounds that are supposed to help release energy blockagesfrom the body. Chanting is said to have a similar result of facilitating theflowofenergythroughthebody.

Anotherpowerful and scientific reason touse sound inyourEnergyMedicineYogapractice is the effect it has on the vagus nerve.This nerve is one of thelongest nerves in the body, starting at the base of the cranium and taking awandering path through the body before ending in the abdomen. It controls avariety of functions, including the heart rate and breathing. It also relaysinformation from the digestive system to the brain. The digestive system isfrequentlyreferredtoas“thesecondbrain,”becauseofthehundredsofmillionsofneuronsembeddedinthegutwall.Themicrobesinthegutwallmanufacture95percentofourbody’sserotonin,aneurotransmitterresponsibleforfeelingsofhappinessandwellbeing.Manystress-relatedchemicalsarealsoproducedinthegut,andthesechemicalscanaltertheserotoninlevels,disruptingtheproductionofpositive-mood-supportingchemicals.Thevagusnerveispartofthecomplexdancebetweenourgutbrainandheadbrain.Finally,thevagusnerveisinvolvedinphysicalfunctionsinthethroat,larynx,andears.

Chantingandtoninghavebeenproventostimulatethevagusnerveandtofacilitate feelings of wellbeing. If you have never chanted or toned before, agood way to start is to use the sound ah and hold it as long as you can. Tocontinue,youcan tone thesoundooh, thenmmmm. Inmyclasses, I challengemystudents toseewhocanhold thenote the longest.Thiscompetitionallowsthemtotonewithoutfeelingstrangeorawkward.Aftergoingthroughthevowelsoundsinthealphabet,theyareallfairlyhummingwiththeresonanceandquitepleased with themselves. Chanting also helps to deepen your breath andconcentrateyourfocus.

The sound ofOM or AUM is considered the primordial sound of theuniverse, fromwhich everything emerged. It is the “word” thatGod spoke tocause everything to come into being. It is also considered to be the waking,dreaming,anddreamlessstatesofconsciousness,or thegeneratingenergy(A),organizingenergy(U),anddestroyingenergy(M)oftheuniverse.

It is a good practice to begin and end every Energy Medicine YogasessionwiththreeOMs.YoucanpracticechantingOMwhilecomingintooroutofdeep forwardbendsorwhile standing in abalancepose.This fulfillsmany

purposes: it adds the power of vibration to the practice, brings in an open-mouthedexhale,andcreatesanintenseinternalfocus.

Sanskrit, the language of yoga, is a resonant language that affects thebody, harmonizing and opening up energies. “Sanskrit is also the language ofmantra, word formulas that were discovered by the ancient sages of India asbeing a particular combination of sound vibrations that, when chanted ormeditatedupon,hada specific result on themind,psyche,or even thenaturalrealm,”notesAja,presidentoftheAtmaInstitute,inhisonlineessay“Sanskrit:TheLanguageoftheGods.”Soevenifyoudon’tknowwhattheSanskritwordsmean,theyhaveatransformativeeffectonthebody.Eachcellmembraneinourbodies is alivewithantenna-like structures that respond tovibration.Byusingthislanguagethatisattunedtoopeningupenergyflowsinthebody,youarenotonlygettingsteeped in theyoga tradition through its language,butalso tuningyourenergytoahighervibration.

EnergySystemoftheWeek:TheFiveElementsOur lives run in cycles.Wehaveourdaily cycleofwake,work, recreate, eat,sleep.Wehavetheweeklycycleofwork,school,commitments,weekends.Wehavetheannualcycleoftheseasonsandholidays.Ifyou’reawoman,youhaveamonthlymenstrualcycle.Ourbreathhasacycle—onethatfavorsonenostrilovertheotherforninetyminutesatastretch.Eachofthesecycleshasarhythmandatimeelementtoit,aswellasaspecificpurpose:torejuvenate(thesleep,hormonal,ormenstrual cycles), to educate (the school-year cycle), to energizeandcalm(thebreathcycle).

The cycle of the seasons is also purposeful for us. It is a constantreminderof both the renewalof life and the endof life.The seasons teachusaboutgrowth,abundance,decay,anddeathinacontinual,ever-changingpattern.Thecyclestartswiththecold,dark,andwetofwinter,whereeverythingisstillandinwardfocused.Itisbothatimeofcessationandatimeofgestation.Thisisfollowed by spring, a cycle of messy, wet, muddy brown earth, followed byburstsofgreeneryandnewlife,theoutermanifestationofseeds’wintergrowth.Summeristhetimeofripeningandburning,hotandfiery.Thisisfollowedbyautumn,theseasonofbothharvestanddecline.

InenergymedicineastaughtbyDonnaEden,thefiveelementsofTCM—water, wood, fire, earth, and metal—play a large and important role. Each

person has a primary element,which, like the doshas inAyurveda, is alignedwithaparticularseasonandformsablueprintthatoverlaysaperson’sbehavior,choices,andlifestyle,aswellashisorherpsychology.Thisprimaryelementisthe lens throughwhich you operate in the world, as well as the lens throughwhichyougetillandhealfromillness.Forexample,ifyourprimaryelementiswater, the themes that run through your life are new beginnings, new ideas,philosophy, and symbolism. Water people can be childlike, curious, andendearing, but also selfish and tactless. Their downfalls are fearfulness,suspicion,andnegativity.Watergovernsthebones,fluids(excepttheblood),andteeth.Sowaterpeoplemayfindthetendencytoillnessorinjuryinthoseareasoftheirbody.

Water,wood,earth,andmetaleachhavetwomeridiansthatgovernthem,ayinandayangmeridian;fire,thefifthelement,hasfour.Eachelementalsohasemotions that correlate with it. The yin-meridian emotion is a more inward-turning expression of the emotion, while the yang is amore outward-lookingexpressionofthesameemotion.Eachofthefiveelementsisalsoconnectedwithoneoftheseasons.

In EnergyMedicine Yoga, we follow the Eden EnergyMedicine five-elementseasoncyclebasedonTCM:Winter/water.Thechallengingemotionsarefearandshame.Thebalancing

emotionsarecourage,trust,andgentlenesswithself.Spring/wood.Thechallengingemotionsarerageagainstyourself,general

anger, and judgment. The balancing emotions are tolerance, kindness,certainty,andassertiveness.

Summer/fire.Thechallengingemotionsareheartache,anxiety,andpanic.Thebalancingemotionsarediscernment,peace,inspiration,andjoy.

Solsticeandequinox/earth.Thechallengingemotionsareover-compassionand excessiveworry.The balancing emotions are compassion for self andsympathy.

Autumn/metal.Thechallengingemotionsaregrief, thedesiretocontrol,andholdingon.Thebalancingemotionsarelettinggo,inspiration,andfaith.

Originally the Chinese five elements were four elements arranged around across.Earthwas in thecenter,andeachseasonwouldcomeback to thecenterandregrounditselfbeforemovingtothenextseasonandelement.Youcanseetheeleganceofthis,asthesolsticesandequinoxesmarkthechangeofthefourseasons.Andboththecrossandthenumberfourarebalanced.Atsomepointin

thedevelopmentofTCM,earthwasmovedtotheoutsideofthecircle,andtheseasonalflowthatweseetodaywasputintoplace.

We are all prone to imbalance in our lives.Every single action you dotakesthebodyoutofhomeostasis,andthegoalofanyhealthpractice,includingyogaandenergymedicine,istobringitback.Balanceisaconstantdance,anartform really, rather than any specificor static location.During ayogapractice,you see that themost clearlywith the power of the balancing poses.You areconstantlymakingmicro-adjustmentstoyourbody,thebandhas,andthebreath,inordertomaintainbalance.

Justasbeingoutofbalancephysicallycanmakeusfalloverwhenwe’repracticing treepose (vrksasana), beingout ofbalancementallyor emotionallycanmakeusfalloutoftheflowofourdailylives.Ifourdietistoostressfulonthe digestive system, or our work lives require too much energy, or ouremotionallivesaredraininginsteadofnourishing,wecanfeeloverwhelmedandfalloutofourplaceofbalanceandcontentment. If these imbalancesget largeenough,theycanleadtoinjuryanddisease,forcingustoabandonouractivitiesandreevaluateourroutines.

Stress is such a big part of our lives and is now recognized to be theleadingcauseofmostdisease.Stresscanbecausedbyanynumberof factors,but one of the biggest culprits is our inability to process emotionswhen theyoccur. Most of us have had experiences where we feel overwhelmed by ouremotions, whether they are fear, anger, anxiety, or the inability to let go ofthings.Even thefeelingofcompassioncanoverwhelmus,especiallywhenwethink about the state of the world and the suffering of so many people.Undigested emotions are what set up our problems, as they throw off ourbiologic systems.Workingwith the five-elements flow is away tocontinuallyreleaseandcalmouremotionalbody.

Thefiveelementscompriseacomplexandpowerfulenergysystemthat,once understood, helps to illuminate the rest of the energy systems. The fiveelementsareaboutmovementandchange.Everythingchangesbecauseenergywants tomove, so our goal is to stay in dynamicmovementwith the shiftingtides.Thefiveelementsarewoventhroughalltheenergysystems.Theyarelikea pattern that overlays each of our unique energy systems, with a beat or anaccent on our specific element. Our personalities and our tendencies towardcertain imbalances are intimately connected with one or two of the fiveelements.Ourconnectiontothenaturalworldandtheseasonsoftheyearisalsoreflectedintheseelements.Thechallengeisthatwegenerallyonlyseethefive-

elementsenergysystemwhenitisoutofbalance.Whenitisinbalance,weareresilient.

It can be helpful, and fun, to know what your primary and secondaryelementare.Therearemanysimplefive-elementsquizzesyoucanfindonlinetohelp determine this.Once you know, youmay find it helpful to practice yourspecific elemental movement on a more regular basis if the issues connectedwiththatelementresonatewithyou.

The five-elements systemoffersahugebodyofwisdom,more thanwecan go into here, and can seem enormous with all its variables and possiblecombinations.Butoncelearnedandunderstood,itprovidesapowerfultoolfordiagnosing and treating specific disorders, as well as for keeping the wholebody-mindcomplexbalancedandhealthyinrelationtotheenvironmentandthecyclicalnatureoflife.

PracticeoftheWeek:TheFive-ElementsSalutationDonnaEdenhaswrittenextensivelyaboutthefiveelements,andcreateduniquemovement and breath exercises for each one. I’ve taken those exercises and,with her permission, woven them into one continuous flow—a five-elementemotional-releasevinyasa,or seriesof flowingpostures.The fiveelementsarethemeridiansinrelationship,anddoingthisflowhelpstobalancetheemotionsaswellas theenergeticsystems. Italsohelps tobalanceout theextremitiesofthe seasons. Donna sees energy, and when I showed her the five-elementsalutation, she remarked on the beautiful transformation of energy aroundmybody.Shesawhowtheenergychangedfromstarttofinish.

Any one of the individual elemental exercises can be taken out of thisflowandpracticedbyitself,asDonnateaches,ifyoufeelyouneedmoreofitsspecific benefits. For example, in summer, which is the season of fire, manypeople feel they’re burning out of control, full of anxiety for everything theyneed todoandfixandparticipate in.This is fire in itsunhealthystate.This iswildfireburningout of control.The exercise calledBringingDown theFlamehelps to re-educate the fireandseat it in thesolarplexus,whereyouwant thefiretobe.Thisisthefireinthebelly.Thisistheplaceofpowerandinspiration,burning up your toxins, feeding your willpower so you can accomplish andachievewhatyouneedto,andinspiringyoutoburnbrightlyandbealightintheworld.Insummer,orwhenyou’refeelinganxious,perhapsyouwilladdonlythe

fireexercisetoyourpractice.Otherwise, to keep you in a healthy balance, I recommend you do the

entirefive-elementsalutationdaily.Cyclingthroughtheseasonsoftheyearandtheemotionseverydaywillkeepyouinbalance.

Eachelementhasacorrespondingsound,andtoningthatsoundwillhelpyou release the emotions connected with the element. These sounds werediscovered by ancient practitioners of TCM. Each organ and meridian has asound,andtheelementsoundsarederivedfromthose.

I’m going to first describe the reasons and meaning behind eachmovement,thengiveyoutheinstructionsfordoingthemalltogether.

THESEASONS,THEIRELEMENTS,ANDTHEIREMOTIONSWinter. The element is water, and the challenging emotion is fear. The yinmeridian iskidney,and theyangmeridian isbladder.Winter is thestartof theseasonal cycle, andas such, it is like ayoungchild, uncertain, unsure, feelingisolatedandalone.Thefearistheprimalfearofthedark.Themovementforthisseason is called Blowing Out the Candle, and by doing this movement, youmove from fear to courage and trust—trust that even in the darkness of thisdeep-growthseason,youaresafeandprotected.Spring.Spring’selementiswood,andthechallengingemotionisanger.Theyinmeridianisliver,andtheyangmeridianisgallbladder.ThespringmovementiscalledExpellingtheVenom,andoncethevenomisexpelledthereisnoangerorrighteousness. In itsnegativeaspect, anger is that feeling thatnothing is right,nothing is goingwell. You’re like a car stuck in themud of the spring rains,unabletomoveforward.Butreleasingandtransformingthisangerbringsaboutthepowerofthewoodelementofspring—thepowerofaplantshootthatbreaksthroughtheconcreteinthesidewalk.Peoplewhoseetheworldfromthepointofviewofthewoodelementarepowerfulmanifestors.Theyunderstandthattherearethingsintheworldthataretheirs,andtheytakethem.Theydon’ttakeinagreedy way; there is no grasping or hoarding. It is just the confidentunderstanding of what is theirs. They ask for and get the raise they deservebecausetheydeserve it.Theirs is thepowerof the tree thatbends in thestormbutstaysrootedandstrongintheplacethatbelongssolelytothattree.Theytaketheirrightfulplaceintheworld.

Summer. The element for summer is fire. The yin meridians are heart andcirculation-sex. The yang meridians are triple warmer and small intestine. Inbalance,summerisexcitementandinspiration.Outofbalance, it isanxiety.Inthesummermovement,calledBringingDowntheFlame,were-educatetheout-of-control fire by drawing the energy from around and outside of us, into thespinalcolumn,orSushumna,wherethechakrascantemperthewildnessoftheseason. Lastly, we seat the fire in the naval center where it can work for usinsteadofagainstus.Solsticeandequinox.Theelementisearth,andthechallengingemotionisover-compassion.Theyinmeridianisspleen,andtheyangmeridianisstomach.Themovement for thesepivot points between seasons is calledCradling theBaby.Sometimeswefeelsodeeplythepainofeveryonearoundus,eventhepainofthewholeworld,thatwetrytodoeverythingwecantohelpeveryoneweknow,buttheendresultisthatoftenweburnourselvesoutintheprocess.Manypeoplewho do body work or healing arts or who are parents or caretakers findthemselves in this position.They give until they give out.The balance comeswhen we turn that over-compassion for others into deep compassion forourselves.Thefirstruleoffirstaidistomakesureyou’reokay.Youcan’thelpanyoneelseunlessyouarebalancedandstableandyourcupisfull.Autumn. The element ismetal, and the challenging emotion is grief. The yinmeridianislung,andtheyangmeridianislargeintestine.Theautumnpathisthepathoflettinggoandhavingthewisdomtoknowwhatisnecessarytoholdontoandwhatisnecessarytorelease.Totransformgriefintoitsmorepowerfulandbalancedcomponent, lettinggo,weneed tosurrenderourbelief thatweare incontrolandthatweknoweverything.Whateveryourbeliefsystemis,itisahugerelieftosurrendertothetruththatsometimesyousimplydonotknowthebestpath and that you simply cannot be responsible for everything. The autumnmovementiscalledHumanTouchingDivine.

THEPRACTICES(INSEQUENCE)BlowingOut theCandle (winter). Start in a squat,with your armswrapped

around your knees. You can have your heels propped on a blanket to helpsupportyou. Ifyoudon’t feelcomfortableyet in this full,deepsquat,youcanstart inachair,withyour torsofoldedforwardandarmswrappedaroundyourknees.

Bowyourhead.Inhale,lifttheheadup,andexhalethroughpursedlips,as if you’reblowingout a candle in front of you (figure24).Make the soundwhhhoooo as you exhale. Curl your head down again, take a deep inhale, liftyourheadup, andblowout thecandleagainwithawhhhoooo sound.Do thisoncemore.ExpellingtheVenom(spring).FromthesquatorseatedpositionattheendofBlowingOuttheCandle,releaseyourarmsfromaroundyourlegsandcomeupinto chair pose. If you’re doing this pose on its own, simply come into chairpose.Dropyourhandsinfrontofyouandmakeeachhandintoafist.Grabintothosefistsallyourfearandallyouranger.Circleyourarmsfirstaroundbehindyou and then up over your head.With a strong shhhh sound, throwyour fistsdown toward the ground, opening them up and emptying them onto the earth(figure25).Dothisagain.Grabthejunk,thefear,theanger,therage—whateveris holding you back—circle it around and up, and then throw it down to thegroundwithastrongshhhh.Do thisone last time,but this time,moveslowly,withintention,asyougrabyouremotionsandthrowthemdown,expellingthemwithastrongshhhh.

FIGURE24TheFiveElementsSalutation:BlowingOuttheCandleBringingDowntheFlame(summer).Standstraightupintadasana,withyourhandsonthefrontofyourthighs.Takeadeepinhaleandexhalewiththesoundhaaa.Feelagroundingenergybuildinginyourhandsandgoingdownyourlegsintotheearth.

Inhale,andcircleyourhandsoverhead,bringingthemtogethersothatallthefingersandthethumbsaretouching.Exhalewiththehaaasoundandbringthethumbsdowntothetopofthehead,thecenterofthecrownchakra(figure26).Youarebringingthewild,out-of-controlfireelementintothewisdomandstrength of your crown chakra, your connection to the divine. Think aboutpouringthefiredownintothespinalcolumn,thecoreofthenervoussystem,aswell as the energetic core of the body. You are realigning this fire with theintelligenceofthechakras,whichreachintothiscentralchannel.

Releaseyourhands from thecrownof theheadandcircle themaroundagainonaninhale.Exhalewiththesoundhaaaandbringthefingersandthumbstogether, this timewith the thumbs touching themiddle of the forehead.Withthis movement, you are re-educating the fire by aligning it to the third eye,

whichisyourinnerspiritualconnection,yourintuition.Again,releasethehandsandcirclethemaround,exhalingwiththehaaa

andbringingthethumbstotheheartcenter.Hereyouarere-educatingthefirebyaligningitwithlove,bothgivingandreceiving.

FIGURE25TheFiveElementsSalutation:throwingdownyourangerinExpellingtheVenom

Inhale,circle thearmsagain,andbring the thumbs to thenavel.This iswhere the fire wants to be seated, in the navel center. Exhale with the haaasound,keepingyourthumbsthere,andtentyourfingerssothepinkyedgesarerestingon the pubic bone. Inhale, exhalewith thehaaa sound, and flatten thehandsontothelowbelly,keepingtheindexfingersandthumbsconnected.Thispositionisempoweringthefiretoburnstrongoverthefirstthreechakras,wherewegenerallyhavethedensestlayersofenergy.

Inhale,andsmoothyourhandsdowntheinsideofyourlegs, thendownandofftheinsidesofthefeet,shakingthemoffinfrontofyou.Thenexhalewiththehaaa sound,drawing thehandsup the insidesof the legs.From thegroin,

traceoutatthehips,moveuptheoutsideofthebodytothearmpits,andcomebackdownthesides,buzzingthespleen-meridianpoints.

Note:Youmayhavenoticed thatweskip the throat chakra inBringingDown the Flame. Donna sees the throat chakra as a series of chamberscorresponding toeachchakra,and it functionsmuch like thesortinghat in theHarryPotterbooks,decidingwhatincomingenergeticinformationshouldgotowhich chakra.We skip this chakra here becausewe don’twant fire energy tobecomemorecomplicatedorhavetogointoa“sortinghat,”butrather,wewanttoguideitontoamorecalmingandeasefulpath.

FIGURE26TheFiveElementsSalutation:BringingDowntheFlameCradling theBaby (solstice and equinox). Stand in tadasana and slide yourhandsaroundyourmid-sectionsoyou’regivingyourselfahug(figure27).Rockyourselfsidetosidewhileinhalingandexhalingwiththeujjayibreath(seeweek3).Hugyourselfforabit,andtheninhaleandreachyourarmsoverhead.Holdthebreathinasyoustretchtherightarmup,thentheleft,rightagain,thenthe

left.Exhalewith theujjayibreathandfold forward, reachingyourarmsout infrontofyou,intoafullforwardbend.

Reachyourhandsunderthearchesofyourfeet,eitherfromthefrontorsides of your feet, and pull up your torso, away from your feet, straighteningyourarmsandliftingyourbuttintotheair.Exhale,andreleaseyourhandsfrombeneaththefeet.Inhale,andstandbackup,tracinguptheinsidesofyourlegs,outatthehips,upintoyourarmpits,anddowntothespleenpointsatthesideofyour ribs. Buzz the spleen points. Continue smoothing your hands under andaroundyourbreastsandthenmovethemupuntilbothhandsareoveryourheartcenter,oneontopoftheother.Takeanotherujjayibreath.Human Touching Divine (autumn). From tadasana with hands at the heartcenter,inhale,thenexhalewithassssssoundasyoureleaseyourhandstoyourthighs.Inhaleandtakeaslightbackbend,openingupyourhandsatthelevelofyourhips(figure28).Visualizeyourselftakinginthewholeworldaroundyou,imaginingallthepeopleyoulove,allthepeopleinyourtribe,andthentakinginthewholeuniverse.

FIGURE27TheFiveElementsSalutation:CradlingtheBaby

Exhalewithassssssoundandbringyourhandsforward,roundingyourarmsasthoughyouwerehuggingalargebeachballinfrontofyou.Yourpalmsface toward your body, and your fingers are almost, but not quite, touching.Withinthecircleofyourarms,imagineeveryoneinyourworldwhomyoulove,andalltheworldanditsgriefandpain.

Inhaleagainandtakeaslightlyhigherbackbend,yourarmsopeninguparoundthelevelofyourwaist.Thisbackbendisslightlyhigherinthespine.Feelasifyouarelettingeverythinggo.Itisn’tyourresponsibilitytohealallthetrialsandtribulationsoftheworld.

Exhale with the sssss sound and bring your fingertips close, but nottouching.Yourarmsareinfrontofyourchesthere.FeelasifyouareAdamontheSistineChapelceilingandGodisreachingdowntoyou.Feelthatinexorablejoythatcomeswhenthedivinespiritisindeedreachingoutforyou.

Inhale again, this time taking a full backbend, with your arms eithershoulder height or above your head. Release everything to a higher power,trusting that there is a bigger plan and a divine intelligence at play.Surrenderyourneedtounderstandorcontrol.

FIGURE28TheFiveElementsSalutation:HumanTouchingDivine

Exhalewiththessssssound,bringingyourhandstogetherinfrontofandabove your forehead, only this time allow the fingers to touch. Smooth yourhandsovertheoppositearms,asifgatheringyourselfintoahug,andbringyourhands toyour chest, so theyare crossed, restingonepalmoneach sideof theupper chest over your lungs. Inhale and exhale the sssss sound. Take severaldeepbreaths,exhalingwiththessssssound;alternatelyholddearwhatyouloveandletgoandsurrenderinfaith.

Note:WhenIstartedexperimentingwiththeFive-ElementsSalutation,Iloveddoingit,andIcouldreallyfeelhowthesoundhelpedmereleaseemotionwitheachposeasIcycledthrough.ButitwasnotuntilIwentthroughaperiodofdeepandunexpectedgrief that thisvinyasa, especially theautumnpractice,revealed its power tome. I did the autumnpractice several times aday, and Ifoundmyselfoftenjustsittingorstandingwithmyhandsovermylungs,makingthessssssound.Sometimesforhours,Iwouldjustcryinasssss.Ididn’tknow

whythissoundwashelping(thiswasbefore Iknewwhere thesoundsderivedfrom),butthesounditselfseemedtodissipatemygrief.Also,crying,thereleaseoftears,isimportant.Tearsarethefluidoftheliver.Whenunderstress,wecry,and this releases excess hormones from our body in the tears themselves,relievingpressureontheliver.Cryingisabiologicaltoolandnottobeseenasweaknessorover-emotionality.Griefcomesinwavesandatunexpectedtimes.Iusedthesssssoverandoveragaintohelpmovethegriefoutofmybody.Youcanusethesoundsoftheelementstoreleaseemotionsanytimeandinanypose.Theyarepowerfulandeasytoolstoworkwith.

After you do the entire Five-Elements Salutation a couple of times, you canbegin todo itmorequickly.Youdon’tneed tostopateverymotionand thinkthrough the feelingprocess.Youcan simplymove thebody,make the sounds,andletthepowerofthisflowrevealitselftoyou.

Pranayama: Alternate Nostril Breath (NadiShodanam)This breath is calming and balancing. By switching nostrils consciously, youhelp to balance the hemispheres of the brain.This technique is good to use ifyou’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, tired, or anxious, as it brings you backintoabalancedstate.

Sincethisistheweekwe’reworkingonbalancingouremotionalbodies,it makes sense to start to use this breath here. If you take a few minutes topracticethisbreathpriortodoingtheFive-ElementSalutation,youwillincreaseevenmoreyourabilitytoprocessandsmoothouttheemotionalripplesthatarethrowingyouoffyourgame.Youcandothisbreathpracticebeforeorafteryourphysicalpractice.

Bringyourrighthandtoyournosewiththefirsttwofingersbentintothepalm,intovishnumudra.Theringfingerandthumbwillbeoneithersideofthenose.

Inhale through both nostrils. Close the right nostril with the thumb,makingsureyou’repressingrightupagainst theboneat the topof thenostril,andexhalethroughtheleft.

Inhalethroughtheleftnostril,andcloseofftheleftnostrilwiththering

finger,againtouchingthebone.Exhalethroughtherightnostril.Continue this pattern. Inhale, exhale, switch. Inhale, exhale, switch. If

yourhandgetstired,youcanholduptherightelbowwiththelefthand,orplacethefirsttwofingersoftherighthandonthethirdeyetohelpholdupthearm.

Continuethisbreathforseveralminutes.When you feel complete, finish with an exhale from the left nostril.

Allowtherighthand tocomeback toyour lapandyourbreathing to return tonormal.Sitquietlyforafewminutesbeforemoving.

MENTALALTERNATENOSTRILBREATH(PRANASHUDDHI)Thisbreathisthesameasabove,butinsteadofusingyourfingerstoclosethenostrils, you simply imagine the breath ascending through one nostril anddescendingouttheother.

Again,you’llstartwiththeleftnostril.Seethebreath,onetotwoinchesfromtheendofthenose,risinguptheleftnostrilintothemidbrain.Thenexhaleand see the breath descending out the right nostril. Putting a color onto thebreathcanhelpthevisualization.Noticehow,asyoucontinue,youcanactuallyfeelthebreathmoveinonesideandthenouttheother.

Whenyoufeelcomplete,exhalethroughtheleftnostrilandrelax,lettingyourbreathingreturntonormal.

These two breaths, while helping balance the hemispheres of the brain, alsobalance the nadis of Ida and Pingala, bringing the energy into Sushumna, orspinal column (see week 2). Alternate nostril breath is used to balance thesenadis,bringingthepranaintothecentralcolumn.Again,thebalanceofleftandright,anddrawingintothecenterline,isemphasizedhere.

WEEK6

EmpoweredWarriorSeriesandtheElectricsThisweekyou’lllearnadifferentkindofwarriorseriesandanotherwayofworkingwith visualization.You’ll also learnhow to get into the electricalsystem of the body. Hooking in to this energy system, which is the mostphysicallytangibleofalltheenergysystems,afterworkingwiththeenergyof thewarrior, can help bring your intentions into amore visceral place,bringingthemonestepclosertoreality.

EmpowermenttheApacheWayBynowyou’vedoneabitofvisualizationandyou’rehopefullygettingadeeperunderstandingofitspower.Maybeyouvisualizedsmoothingyourmeridiansthismorningandimmediatelyfeltyourenergymoving.Maybeyouvisualizedoneofthe radiant circuit flows and felt a surge of joy.Now Iwant to add onemorecomponenttoyourvisualizationpractice.

Itookalongbreakfromteachingyogainthemiddleofmycareer—afullseven years off. Soon after I stopped teaching, I met Donna Eden and beganstudyingherenergymedicineworkonmyown,butitwouldbeanotherbunchofyearsbeforeIenrolledinherformalprogram.Duringthatinterimtime,IfoundmyselfimmersedintheworldofTomBrown,Jr.,andhisprimitiveskills.Iwenttohistrackerschool,firstinCaliforniaandlaterinNewJersey,whereIlearnedtomakeafireusingfriction,buildawarmshelterwithleavesandsticks,trackanimalsandlearntheirdailyhabits,buildabowbyhand,flintknapstones,tananimal hides, and most profoundly, meditate like an Apache warrior. Tom’sguidingforcewasthetimehespentwithGrandfather,anApacheIndianwhomTomhadmetasayoungboy.TomspentadozenyearswithGrandfatherinthePine Barrens of New Jersey, learning the way of the scout—how to movesilentlythroughtheforest,howtosurviveinanyconditionwithnothingbutthenaturaleartharoundhim.Asanadult,Tomdedicatedhimselftoteachingotherstheseskills.

Tom’soutdoorclassroomsandprimitive-skillscurriculumwereafarcryfromthepolishedyogastudiosIwasusedto,andtheirelementalnaturewasjustwhatIneededatthatpointinmylife.ButitwasduringthephilosophycoursesthatIreallyunderstoodwhyIwasthere.

Tom, through the wisdom of Grandfather, teaches what I can onlydescribeasyoga.Heteachesabout the“spirit thatruns throughall things.”Heteachesabout thedualityofhumannatureandthatbalancingthephysicalwiththe spiritual can bring you to oneness. He teaches about the shaman path ofwalkingbetweentheworlds.Andheteachesaformofmeditationthatblewmymind! It was almost an exact version of the yoga nidra meditation that RodStrykerteaches.Itopenedmymindinadifferentwaytothepowerwehaveifwecanonlylearnhowtotapintoit,whetheryou’reayogioramountainman.

Grandfatherwasnotafanofsittingmeditation.Asawarrior,heneeded

tobe in theclearandopenmindofmeditationwhilehewasactivelyengagedwiththephysicalworld.Heoftendidn’thavetheluxuryofbeingabletositstillwith his eyes closed. He used a form ofmeditation called wide-angle vision,which iswhenyourelaxandopenyour focus toyourperipheralvisionasyouwalk.Itisoneofthetoolsthescoutusestokeepthemindasopenastheworldaroundhim, alwaysonhigh alert at the same time as beingdeeply relaxed. ItservedasanentrypointtothewalkingmeditationsthathetaughtTomandthatTom then taught to us, his students. Wide-angle vision is the window to theunconsciousmindandtothespirit.It isintheunconsciousmindthatourhugepotentiallies,andthewaytoreachitisthroughmeditation.

Youalreadyknowhowthepowerofvisualizationcanhelpyoubegintoworkwithunderlyingforcesandenergy.Inalecturecalled“TheMetamorphosisofPower,”Tomteachesthatweneedtobalancecontrolofourvisualizationwiththe vividness of it. In most visualizations you are the audience; it is two-dimensional.Toreallyaccess thepowerofvisualization,youwant tostep intothemovieinsteadofwatchingit.Andyoudothisbyenvisioning.

Whenyouenvision something,youaddemotion and feeling.Tomsaysyourenvisioningmustbepackedwith emotion and feeling.Youmust becomeempassioned aboutwhatyouarevisioning,whatyouare trying tomanifest. Itisn’tenough toseeyourselfwith thenewgirlfriend,orwinning thataward,orlivinginthenewhouse.Youmustfeelyourselfthere.Whatisthesetting?Canyoufeelthewindonyourskin,yourhairblowingaround,thepowerfuloverheadlights? What does it smell like? Is something baking in the kitchen? Didsomeonebringyouflowers,andthescentisdelicious?Whatareyouwearing?Isit too tight? Is the fabricsilkysoftor itchy? Is itcoldout?Areyousweating?Canyoufeelthesweatrunningdownyourbody?

As you start to work with your desires and what you want to trulymanifest, these tools will help you bring it to life. As Grandfather said,“Whatever is spiritually manifest becomes physically manifest provided it isempowered.”

TheHuntingWarrior:ManifestingYourDesiresWarriorenergyisonethatisoftenchallengingtotalkaboutinyogaclasses.Howcanwesquaretheyogicemphasisonnonviolencewiththewarrior?

“TheBuddhisttraditiondefinestheWarrioras‘onewhohasthecourage

toknowoneself.’ . . . [T]heTibetandefinitionofa‘warrior’ is‘onewhofacesone’s own fear.’ . . . [T]hey both define theWarrior path as inside your ownbeing,”saysconflictresolutionpioneerandauthorDanaanParryinWarriorsoftheHeart.

I’vespentalotoftimecontemplatingthesedefinitionsofawarrior,doingthe practices in Parry’s book, as well as practicingmartial arts and the moretraditionalwarriorartsofshooting,bothbowandarrowsandguns.Manypeopletalkabout thewarriormindasbeing fierceand fighting forwhatever it isyoubelieve in. Some people talk about the peaceful warrior, withdrawing fromconfrontation, in the vein of Gandhi andMartin Luther King, Jr. Some viewwarriorsasfiercelydevotedtoachievingtheirgoalsinaheart-centeredway.

Iwas intenselycuriousas towhytherewouldbe threewarriorposes inyoga.Mostyogaposesarenamedforanimals(lion,dolphin,eagle,peacock)ornature(tree,mountain,halfmoon)orsimplebodypositions(intensesidestretch,sidearmbalance).Whythreeposeswiththenamewarrior?Whynotjustcallitextendedbent-kneepose?

Asanavidarcher,Icouldn’thelpbutseethewarriorposesasasequenceof archery moves: reaching for your arrow, nocking the arrow on the bow,pulling back the bowstring, releasing the arrow, and resting in the stillness ofnon-movementimmediatelyafterrelease,sothearrowfliestrue.Istartedtodomywarriorposesasanarcher.Ialsowantedtointroduceahuntingaspecttotheposes.Iwasn’tnecessarilyhuntingforprey,butwhatwasIshootingmyarrowat?WhatwasIaimingforinmylife?AndhowwasIdoingit?WasIfocused,quiet, intense, and certain? Or was I flailing around, reaching for everything,hopingI’dhitthemark?

WhenIbroughtthisdeeperintentiontotheposes,ofshootingmyarrowtoadefinite target, they felt infusedwith somuchmeaning that I enjoyed theintensityofwarriorIIinsteadofwonderingwhenIcouldstraightenmyfrontleg.If you’ve ever sat in the forest waiting for a wild animal, you know theincrediblepatienceandstillnessrequired.Ifyoumovequicklyorsuddenly,youareimmediatelyseen,andtheanimalwilldashaway.Theskillsrequiredtobeawarrior arepatience, stillness, calmand steadiness, and then, the ability to actpowerfullyinaninstant.Shootthephotographbeforethebearleaves;fireyourgun or arrow before the deer runs away. Immediately act on that once-in-a-lifetimechancethat,afterallyourhardwork,hassuddenlypresenteditself.This,in my opinion, is the path of the warrior. And the following Three-WarriorVinyasaishowtoprepareforit.

PracticeoftheWeek:TheThree-WarriorVinyasaThroughthisseriesofposes,“thetarget”iswhatyou’reaimingfor—whatyouwanttomanifestinyourlife.Ifit’sanewjob,seeyourselfinyouroffice,oronthe stage, or at the computer—whatever the job setting is. See and feel,empower, the specificsof thesituation:Whatdoes thespace look like?Who’saroundyou?Howdoyou feelhere?Areyounervous,happy,content, excited,overwhelmed?Applythetoolofenvisioningtoyourvisualization,andyouarestrengtheningyourabilitytoexperiencetherealityyouwanttoexist.

Standintadasana.Steptheleftfootbackasfarasyoueasilycanandturnthetoesout30degrees.Bendthefrontknee.Bothhipsarestillreachingtofaceforward.ThisiswarriorI.

Startwithyourhandsinfrontofyourheartintriplewarmer/heartmudra,thenextendthem,palmstogether,straightoutinfrontofyou.Nowtakethelefthand, sweep it overhead, and cross it up, over, and behind your head to yourrightshoulderandsqueezethetopoftheshoulder;thisisatriplewarmerrelease.Ifyoucan’tquitereachtheshoulder,youcanmimepullinganarrowoutofthequiveratyourback(figure29),whichestablishes theever-importantcrossoverpatterninyourbody’senergies.

Nextextendbotharmsstraightinfrontofyouagainandbringyourhandstogether,palmtouchingpalm(figure30).Withthisposition,youarenockingthearrow,orpositioningitonyourbowstring.Holdhere,groundthroughyourfeet,see your target, and breathe three to five breaths, establishing a stillness andquietinside.

NowcomeintowarriorII.Lightlyslidetheleftfootslightlyfartherback.Inching back the left foot establishes a stabler base fromwhich to shoot yourvisualizedarrow. It isalso thepositionyouneed toholdasyou’rewaiting foryourtargettocomeintoposition.Shiftthehipssotheyareopenandbothfacingleft.Thefeetareaboutthreefeetapart.Anchorthroughtheoutsideedgeofthebackfoot.Deeplybendthefrontkneeso it isgoing towarda90-degreeangle,makingsurethekneeisdirectlyovertheankle.Makesurethetorsoisdirectlyover the lowerbody;don’t lean theupperbodyover the front legas ifyou’rereachingforsomething.Keep theweightevenlyanchoredoverbothfeet.NotethatthisisaslightlynarrowerwarriorIIstancethantypical.

FIGURE29 TheThree-WarriorVinyasa:warrior I, takingarrow fromquiver,reinforcingthecrossover

Atthesametimeyouaremovingthefeetandopeningthehips,start topull the bowstring back: slide the left hand along the inside of your extendedrighthandandarmacrossyourbody,untilyouropenlefthandrestsaboveyourheartwithyourthumbonthefirstpointoflungmeridian.(Seefigure31.)ThisiswarriorII.Stayhere,sinkintothepose,andbreathethreetofivebreaths.

Now that your bow is drawn, take your left hand and tap along thetemporal bone around your ear. Tap lightly on your skull from the temple,travelingbehindtheearasifyouweresmoothingbackyourhair,fronttoback,three times. The temporal tap is an ancient technique that was used for paincontrol inTCM. Ithelps to calm triplewarmer, as it liesdirectlyon the triplewarmer meridian and is moving against the natural flow of triple warmer. Ithelpstosuspendsensorystimulation,makingiteasierforthebraintoreceiveanew, more directed form of input. The subconscious mind processes twentymillion environmental stimuli per second.The consciousmindprocesses fortyenvironmentalstimulipersecond.Usingthetemporaltaphelpstointerrupttheinput of external stimuli, so the vision of your target, what you’re trying to

manifest, can enter the subconsciouswithout the distraction of twentymillionotherstimuli.

FIGURE30TheThree-WarriorVinyasa:warriorI,nockingthearrowonthebow

Yourrightarmisstillextendedinfrontofyou,holdingthebow.Continuetobreathesmoothlyandsteadily.

Onceyouhaveseenandfeltandtappedinyourtargetclearly,releasethearrow,whichlaunchesyouforwardintowarriorIII.Yourwholebodyfollowstheflying arrow, like the arm following the throw after the baseball has left thehand. (See figure32.)But it is a slowmovement. Look at your target as youreleaseyourarrowandtheleftarmcomesforwardtomeettherightinfrontofyou.The left leg lifts up in the air behindyou, hip and toepointingdown, tostabilize thepose.Thismovement happens slowly anddeliberately; it is not arushtogetthere.Thesteady,equalbreathhelpstokeepyourbalanceandfocus.Your standing leg is strong and straight, with a slight microbend at the knee(figure33).

FIGURE 31 The Three-Warrior Vinyasa: transition fromwarrior I towarriorII;notethatwarriorIIstanceisnarrowerthanusual

Afterthreetofivebreaths,duringwhichyouseeyourselfandyourtargetmerge intomanifestation, step down lightly, back intowarrior I,where you’llpullanotherarrowandbegintheseriesagain.Aftershootingtwoorthreemorearrows,comebacktotadasanaandswitchsides.

FIGURE32 TheThree-WarriorVinyasa: transition fromwarrior II toIII,releasingthearrow

EnergySystemoftheWeek:TheElectricsOneof themostelegant systems inenergymedicine,and theonlysystem thatcan be measured with outside instruments, is the electrics, or the electricalsystem.Alltheotherenergysystemsinteractwiththeelectricsystem.Everycellin thebodyhaspositiveandnegativechargeswithin it, and thedistributionofthose charges causes the cells to vibrate. This vibration is electrical in nature.Theenergysystemshaveeitherelectricalenergiesorelectromagneticenergies,which aremeasurable fields. In Introduction to Electrics, Donna Eden,DavidFeinstein,PhD,andVickiMatthews,ND,explain:Themovementofelectricallychargedionsatthecellularlevelisthebasic

building block in the complex electromagnetic workings of your “bodyelectric.”Everymuscleyoumove,everythoughtyouthink,everymorseloffood you digest, involves electrical activity. Your feelings, memories, and

thoughts are coded in patterns of tiny electrical impulses. Electrical fieldshelp regulate tissue growth in the fetus and promote tissue regeneration inadults.Electricsrelatetotheheart,asitisthestrongestelectricalgeneratorinthe body. The heart makes hormones, has its own nervous system, andregulatesyourrhythm.Itcreatesanalchemyofhealingforces,assistingyourimmunesysteminkeepingyouwell.TheElectricsassisttheheartinflowingthesepowerfulhormones,thoughts,andfeelingstotherestofthebody.

FIGURE33TheThree-WarriorVinyasa:warriorIIIGenerally,workwiththeelectricsismostefficientandpowerfulwhendonewithapartner.Theintroductionofanotherperson’senergyfieldhelpsyoutoaccessyourelectrics.Butyoucanholdyourownelectricpointsaswellandstillhaveapowerful,ifsubtler,effectonthissystem.

Therearepointsonthebodythroughwhichyoucantapdirectlyintotheelectricsystem,similartothewaytheoutletsinyourhousetapintoyourhome’selectricalwiring.Through thesepoints,youcaneitherdirectelectricenergy tospecific parts of the body or hold points that activate the natural electricintelligenceofthebody,whichwillgotoworkwhereneeded.Themainelectricpoints, which we’ll hold in two poses this week, hook us into this powerfulenergyfieldinordertoaffecttheheartandthenervoussystem,subtly,butalsodirectlyandpowerfully.Unlikeworkingwiththemeridians,whereweguidethe

energytodowhatwewantittodo,withtheelectrics,wejusttapin,anditgoeswhereitisneeded.

MorePosesof theWeek:RestorativeInversionswithElectricHoldsIn my Energy Medicine Yoga classes, I regularly offer my students twoinversions,bothcombinedwithpowerfulelectricholds.AfteryoudotheThree-WarriorVinyasa,takethepotencyofyourtarget(thedesiresyou’reaimingfor)andbring themwithyouduring these twoposes.Remember thatyourfeelingsand thoughtsarecoded in“patternsof tinyelectrical impulses.”Envisionyourdesireasyouholdyourelectricpoints.

SUPPORTED SHOULDERSTAND (SIRSASANA) WITH ELECTRICHOLDMany people love shoulderstand, and it has incredible benefits, includinghelpingtoflushoutandstrengthenthethyroidandparathyroidglands.Butthereare people who can’t practice this pose because of neck or back issues,glaucoma, chronic headaches, or other contraindications. During regularshoulderstand,itisimportanttousepropscorrectly.Butoftenpeopledon’tknowhowtocorrectlyusetheirprops,ortheychoosenotto,onlytofindlateronthatthey’vedamagedtheirvertebrae.Thismodifiedversionoftheposegivesyouallthebenefitsoftheregularpose,withnoneofthedangers.

Have a blockhandy.Lie downonyour backwith your knees bent andyourfeetflatonthefloor.Liftthehipsoffthefloorandbringtheblockunderthelow back. For beginners, I recommend using the shortest height of the blockwith thewidest expanseon thebody.More-advancedpractitioners canuse thehighestheightoftheblock.Releaseyourhipsdownontotheblock.Itshouldbelocated at your sacrum, andmost of your bum should be off the block. Thispositionshouldfeelextremelycomfortable,soadjustituntilthisisso.

FIGURE34SupportedShoulderstandwithElectricHold

Nowliftbothlegsstraightupintheairsotheyareata90-degreeangletothefloor.Ifyoucankeepyourlegsstraight,doso,andifyoucankeepyourfeetflexed,dothis,too.

Bendyourelbowsandbringyourhandsbehindyourheadtotheoccipitalbone,whereyourheadconnectstotheneck.Intheverycenter,thereisadeephollowborderedbytworopytendons.Movethefirsttwofingersfromeachhandover these tendons to the slight hollow on either side. These are your mainelectricpoints.(Seefigures34and35.)

First,deeplymassagethesepoints.Youcanalsomassagealongthisentirebone rightback tobehind theear.Then find thehollowsagainandpressyour

fingersin.Youdon’thavetopressdeeply,butholdwithsomepressure.Remaininthisposeforthreetofiveminutes,deeplybreathing.(Youcanstaylonger,ifyoulike,buttrytostayforatleastthreeminutes,theamountoftimeittakesforthebloodintheextremitiestoreturntotheheartforoxygenation.)Youmayfeelyourfingersstarttobuzzorgrowhot.Thetwopointsmaystarttopulsetogether,like themeridian acupressure points. This is the electrical systemwaking up,respondingtoyourinputofenergyandstartingtocycleitthroughthebody.

FIGURE35Locationoftheelectricpoints

Toreleasethehands,pressintothehollowsagainandmassagedeeply,asifyouarenowunpluggingyourfingers,thensmooththehandsoutward.

Bendthekneesandputthefeetflatonthefloor.Liftthehipsandremovetheblock.Let thehipscomeback to the floorand let theknees soften towardeach other to release the back.You can also bring the knees into the armpits,gently folding the back in while still lengthening the spine by pressing thebuttockstowardthefloor.

LEGSUPTHEWALL(VIPARITAKARANI)WITHELECTRICHOLD

This pose is similar to supported shoulderstand, but you use the wall to helpsupport the legs, turning this pose into a deep relaxation and restorative pose.Viparitakarani, or legsup thewall pose, is an inversion that canbepracticedwhenyouaremenstruating,unlikeotherinvertedposes.Ifyouaremenstruating,do not use a block to elevate the hips, but keep them on the floor. This poseallows thevenousbloodreturning to theheart tomake the tripmoreeasily,asthevenousbloodsystemdoesnothaveitsownpump.Thisposeisalsogoodforhelpingvaricoseveinsorswollenankles.

Lieontheflooronyourside,withyourbuttattheedgeofawall.Slowlyrolloverontoyourbackandextendyourlegsupthewall,inchingyourhipsasclose to thewallaspossible.Youmaywant toexperimentwithputting foldedblanketsorafoldedmatunderyourhipsforutmostcomfort.Youcanalsobringablocktotheedgeofthewallandputitunderyoursacrumtoelevateyourhips.You’ll beholding this pose for up to tenminutes, so it’s a good idea tobe ascomfortableaspossible.

Onceyouarecomfortable,bringyourhandsbehindyourhead,withyourelbowsouttothesides.Putyourthumbsinthetwohollowsoneithersideofthethick,cordedmuscleatthebackofyourneck,rightatthejunctionofyourneckandyourheadintothemainelectricpoints.(Youcanexperimentwithwhatfeelsmorecomfortable,thethumbsintheelectricpoints,orthefingers,asdescribedabove.)Withyour thumbs in the electrics, interlaceyour fingers and restyourhead in your hands. Just as you felt with the neurovascular points and theacupressurepoints,youwillsoonfeelaslightpulsingandthenasynchronizingof thepulses.Asyouholdhere longer,youmayalso feelheat—quite a lotofheat—or buzzing, as if your hands are falling asleep. You can stay hereanywhere from three to ten minutes. This is also a great pose for helping torebootyourenergywhenyou’rehavingthatmiddaylag.

Whenyouarereadytocomeoutof thepose,releaseyour thumbsfromthe electric points by pressing in and twisting them slightly, to disengage theelectricalcurrent.Thenbendyourknees,slideyourfeetdownthewall,androlloverontoyour rightside.Rest forseveralmomentshere, letting theenergyoftheposesettleintothebody.

Tip:IfyoudotheseposesrightaftertheThree-WarriorVinyasa,youcanuse theopportunity tocontinuevisualizingwhat it isyouwant tomanifest, asyou’re holding the electric points. This helps to synthesize your thoughts intotheirelectricalcharge.

WEEK7

ChakrasandShockPointsThisweekyoulearnhowtoreleasetheenergyofshockfromthebodyandhow to work with the chakras. Donna says that if you have only oneopportunity toworkwith an energy-medicine client, do a chakra session.Thechakrasarethatpowerful.Theyaretheharddrivesoftheinformationthatmakesuswhoweare.Workingwiththechakrascanbringsomeofthedeepesthealingpossible.Startingtoreleasepresentorpastshockfromthebodycanhelpasweaccessthedeeperinformationstoredinthechakras.

Shock-PointReleaseShockcanhappentothebodyquicklyandwithoutwarningandbetriggeredbymyriadevents.Evenperceivedeventscanputus intoshock.Wecanalsohavetheenergyofoldshockstillresidinginthebody.Ifashockissevereenough,itcan disrupt the basic systems that deliver the cellular needs of glucose andoxygentothebody,causingthebodytostarttoshutdown.

Nature knows how to release excess energy, as we see in a volcanicexplosion,shiftingtectonicplatesintheearth,orflooding.Wecanseeitinadogwhoshakeshisbodyafteraharrowingencounter,oradeer,quiveringallovertorelease excess energy after being chased. Releasing shock is something wehumansneedtolearn.Ifwedon’tshakeoffthisenergy,thatshakingwillhappeninternally, working against our natural stillness, and disrupt our biologicalfunctions.Usingbreathandmovementcanhelptocleardisturbingenergysothebodyremembersbalance.Wesimplyneedtohelpitonitsway.

Workingwithwhatareknownastheshockpointscanhelptobalancethesympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, as well as help to balancetriplewarmerandspleenmeridians,allsystemsthatgetthrownoffwithshock.

When I teach thisprotocol, I passout small semiprecious stones tomystudents.Youcanchooseastonethathasaparticularpowertoitthatresonateswithyou.

First stand in tadasana and begin to pound your heels on the ground.Poundbackandforth,tryingtocreateasmuchforceasyoucan.Keepweightonyourtoes,andbendthekneestopoundtheheels.Soon,thewholebodywillbeshakingasyou’redrummingyourheelsbackand forthon theground.Let the

bodyshakeandtrembleandreleaseexcessenergy.Youcandothisforuptoafullminuteortwo.Slowlybringyourselfbacktostillnessandthenstandthere,breathingdeeply,andfeelthecontinuedreleaseofenergy.

Now take the small stone and place it under one of your heels.You’regoingtorolltheheelaroundonthestone,standingandpressingintothestoneatdifferent points under the heel. The main shock point is in the center, at thefleshiestpartoftheheel,andtherearesimilarpointsinlinewiththatclosertothe center of the foot and closer to the heel. When you find a point that isparticularly sore, spend a bit more time here. Once you find a shock point,pressingitshouldfeelgoodandrelieveyourpain.Youcanspendasmuchtimeasyoulikeonthefirstheelandthenswitchthestonetotheotherheel,ortaketwo stones and do both heels at the same time. You’ll feel a natural internalimpulsetostopthispracticewhenthebodyhasreleasedenough.

YoucandothisreleaseaspartoftheWakeUporbeforeyoustartthesunsalutations.Formoreonreleasingtraumaandshock,seetheappendix.

EnergySystemoftheWeek:TheChakrasForanyonewhohasstudiedyoga, thechakraswillbe themost familiarof theenergysystems.

TheSanskritword chakrameans “wheel,” and the chakras are seen aswheelsofenergythatconnectdownintothebodyatthespine.Thesevenmajorchakrasaresituatedalongthespine,andtherearemanysmallerchakrasfoundthroughout the body, including in the palms of the hands and the soles of thefeet.

Each chakra consists of both an outward-and an inward-moving spiral.Thesetwoopposingspiralsservetobringenergyandinformationbothintoandoutofthebody.Eachchakraalsohassevenlayers,whichholddifferentkindsofinformation, from themundane to the exalted and everything in between.Thedensest layerofachakra isclosest to the spine,and the leastdense is farthestfromthebody.DonnaEdenseesthelayersconnectingtoeachotherwithsmallfigure-eight patterns that look like a sleeting rainfall. These eights helpmoveenergyandinformationbetweenthelayers.

The chakra system is basically the hard drive of the body’s energeticsystems,holdingeveryexperienceandallourpastandpresentinformation.Thechakrasalsofeedenergytothemeridiansandtheorgansfoundintheirvicinity.

Thechakrasystemiscloselyrelatedtotheendocrinesystem;eachchakraworkswiththeendocrineglandsinitsrealm.Eachchakraalsocarriesspecificenergies:Therootchakra,muladhara,islocatedatthebaseofthespineandcarries

energiesrelatedtofamily,tribe,andsecurity. The second chakra, svadhisthana, is located in the lower abdomen,

between the belly button and the pubic bone, and carries energies ofcreativity,innocence,joy,andsexuality.

Thethirdchakra,manipura,islocatedatthesolarplexusandcarriestheenergyofego,ourpersonalidentities,andoursenseofpowerinourselvesandintheworld.

Thefourthchakra,anahata,islocatedintheheartcenterandcarriestheenergyoflove—ourabilitybothtoreceiveandtogivelove.

Thefifthchakra,vishuddha,islocatedinthethroatandcarriestheenergyof communication and expression. This chakra also carries a pathway ofenergy for each of the other chakras, deciding, as energetic informationcomesintothebody,inwhichchakraitbelongs.

Thesixthchakra,ajna,islocatedatthethirdeye,betweentheeyebrows,andcarriestheenergiesofintuition,insight,andvision,andourconnectiontoourowninnerworld.

Theseventhchakra, sahasrara, is located at the crownand carries theenergies of our connection to the larger world and to the cosmos or thedivine.

Inyoga,allof theasanas,orpostures,worktoshift theenergyofoneormorechakras,andyoucaneasilydesignanEnergyMedicineYogapractice toworkspecificallywithchakraenergies.Asyoulearntheattributesofthechakras,youcanseewhereyourparticularweaknesseslieandlearntostrengthenthem.Forexample,youcanseewhereyoumaybeweakphysically,recognizeifyouarealso lacking strength in those chakras’ energies, and design your practice tostrengthenthem.Maybeyourhipsarealwayssoreortight.Thiswouldberelatedtothefirstchakra,andyoucouldaddmorehipopenersaswellasworkwiththecirculation-sex meridian neurolymphatic points to help release tension here.Conversely,youmayhavedifficultyexpressingyourself,feelinglikeyouneversaywhatyouneedorthatyou’reneverheardwhenyouexpressyourconcerns.Thesesymptomsarerelatedtoweaknessinthethroatchakra,andyoumightaddthis week’s fish pose with chakra clearing to try to bring more energy and

attentionthere.

Practices of the Week: Chakra-Clearing and -BalancingSequenceThe following two poses introduce the chakras into the practice of EnergyMedicineYoga.Thefirst,fishposewithchakraclearing,helpsopenupthefifthchakra,whichisnotonlythechakragoverningourcommunicationabilities,butalso the chakra facilitating communication between all the other chakras. It iscommandcentral.Byworkingwiththechakrasviathefifthchakraspecifically,you can start to actually feel, through soreness in the channels in the throat,whichotherchakrasmayneedmoreenergyorsupport.

The second pose, a chakra-enhancing savasana, allows you to give thechakrasinneedthatextraattention,aswellastoattendtothehealthandvitalityofallthechakras.

FISHPOSE(MATSYASANA)WITHCHAKRACLEARINGDonnaseesthefifthchakra,locatedinthethroat,asmarkedlydifferentfromtheothers.Insteadofbeingaroundswirlofenergy,itislaidoutalongtheneckinchannels like thepipesofapipeorgan.Eachchakrahasacorrelatingpathwaythrough the throat chakra, and each chakra transmits and translates itsinformationandenergythroughthischakraofcommunication.Thethroatchakraisliketheconductorofanorchestra,harmonizinginformationbetweenthelowerchakrasandthechakrasinthehead.Thethroatchakraalsodecideswhichchakratosendincomingenergeticinformationtoforstorage.Manypeopleconsidertheheartchakra,thefourth,tobetheconnectionpointbetweentheupperandlowerchakras,butDonnaseesthisconnectionhappeningclearlyinthethroatchakra.Bymassagingandopeningthethroat inthefollowingpose,youarehelpingtoopenandcleareverychakra.Noticewhichareasmaybesore,as thissorenesscouldpoint you to a chakra imbalance that you can thenwork to correctwithotherpractices.

Lieonyourbackwithyoursarmsbyyoursides.Putyourweightonyourelbowsandcome to sit uphalfway.Lift theheart center and slowly allow theheadtomovebackward,creatingadeepupper-bodybackbend.Slowlymovetheelbowsalongthefloor,loweringtheheaduntilthecrownisonthefloor.Balance

here,withthecrownofthehead,thebuttocks,andthelegssupportingthepose.Youcanalsohaveweightintheelbows.Ifyouwant,youcanbringthearmsupand overheadwith the palms touching. This position can be very hard on thecervicalvertebrae.Ifyouhaveanyissueswithyourneck,head,orthroat,modifythis pose by keeping theweight fully on your elbows and/or letting the headhangfree,nottouchingthefloor.Youcanalsoputabolsterundertheupperbacksotheheadandneckaresupportedbutstillallowedtoopenandflex.

Thisposecreatesadeepstretchat thethroat,uppershoulders,andbackandhelpsstrengthenthethyroidandparathyroidglands,whicharelocatedatthebaseofthethroat.Itisalsodeeplyoxygenating,openingtheupperlungs.Ifyouarecomfortablehereandarenot restingweightonyourelbows,you’ll stay inthis position while doing the chakra clearing. If the pose is already intenseenough, release from fish pose as described at the endof these directions andthenclearthechakras.

Forclearingthechakras,bringthefingertipsofbothhandstothecenterofyour throat.Smooth the fingersofonehandupand the fingersof theotherhanddown,withgentlepressure,alongthecenterlineof thethroat.(Seefigure36.)

FIGURE36Clearingthechakrasinfishpose

Move your fingers one inch to the right, keeping them level with theAdam’s apple, and smooth the fingers of one hand up toward the jaw, andsmooth the fingers of the other hand down toward the collarbone.Move yourfingers another inch to the right and again smooth up anddown.Move to therightonemoreinch,andyoushouldbealmostinlinewithyourear.Smoothup

anddownonelasttime.Comebacktothecenterline,attheleveloftheAdam’sapple,andsmooth

upanddownagain.Nowmovethefingersoneinchtotheleft.Smoothupanddown.Moveanother inch left,smoothupanddown.Move the last inch to theleft,almosttotheear,andsmooththelastchannel.

Thecenterlineofthethroatcorrespondstotheseventhchakra.Movingtothe right,youareworking theyangchakras,coming to the first, the third,andthenthefifth,whichisalmostinlinewithyourear.Movingfromthecentertotheleftaretheyinchakras;fromcenter,youcometothesecond,thenthefourth,andthenthesixthchakra,almostinlinewiththeleftear.

Tocomeoutoffishpose,bringyourelbowsbacktothegroundifyou’veliftedyourarms,andputyourweighton them.Slowly liftyourheadand thenslowly lower your upper back and neck, making sure there’s no strain in theneck.Relaxhereforseveralmoments.Ifyoudidnotdothechakraclearinginthefullpose,dosonow.Noticeif thereareanytenderchakracolumns.You’llworkwiththosethatstoodoutduringthefollowingversionofsavasana.

SAVASANAWITHCHAKRALINK

In thisvariationonsavasana,you’llconnect theenergiesof twochakras.Yourhandsactlikejumpercables,mixingtheenergyofonechakrawiththeenergyofanother. You can look at the description of the basic energies of each chakraearlier in thischapter to seewhich twoenergiesyou’d like toconnect.Maybeyou already have an idea of which chakras you’d like to work with. Maybeduringthefishposewithchakraclearingyoufeltthattwoofthechakrachannelswere particularly sore.Ormaybe you’ll simply let the intuition of your handsfindthetwochakrasthatwouldbenefitthemostfromconnecting.

Lieinsavasana,withyourlegsslightlyseparatedandrolledopenintheirsockets.Allowyourjawtorelax,andrelaxthetongue.Relaxtheeyesintheeyesockets.Releaseanycontroloverthebreath.

Firstmoveyourhandupanddownthecoreof thebody, linkingall thechakras togetherwith figure eights.Weaveyour hand in a figure-eight patternover thefirst twochakras, thenthesecondandthird, thenthe thirdandfourth,and so on, until you’vewoven yourself right up the centerline of the body toyoursixthandseventhchakras.

Nextbringonehandtocoveronechakraandtheothertocoveranotherchakra. Perhaps you want to link your creativity with your sense of personalpower,soyou’lllinkthesecondandthirdchakras.Trustyourselfandsurrender.Youcanusepaddingtohelpelevateyourarms,whichisusefulforrestingyourhandsonthehigherchakras,soyoucancompletelysurrender.

Youcanstaywithyourhandsonyourtwochosenchakrasfortheentiresavasanaoruntilyoufeelcomplete.Thenreleaseyourarmsbyyoursides,palmsfacingup,andcontinuetodeepenyourrelaxation.

If, after connecting the chakras, you still feel that a particular chakraneedsmore attention, you can “spin” the chakra to help it release or bring inenergy. Bring your hand over the chakra and make circles, first in acounterclockwisedirection,forthreeminutes.Thenmakecirclesinaclockwisedirectionforthreeminutes.Endbyholdingbothhandsoverthechakrayoujustcleared,andvisualizeitbeingbathedinlight.

WEEK8

WeavingItAllTogetherThisweek,I’llshowyouhowtoarrangeallthepracticesfromthepreviousseven weeks into a complete, comprehensive Energy Medicine Yogapractice. This practice serves well as a daily routine and is the idealfoundationforalonger,customizedpractice.BeforeIgiveyouthetemplate,I’llgiveyoutwomorevaluablepracticestoinclude.

Coming Back to the Head: Powerful Points andDisruptiveForcesThefirstofthisweek’spracticesmakesuseofthehealingandcalmingpowerofholdingthehead.Alloftheprimarysensesareinthehead;thewayweinteractwith theworld starts here.All those bumps and knobs on your head aremappointsthathelpyoufindthemanypowerfulpointsonthehead—neurovascularreflex points, meridian starting and end points, electric points, and the powerpoint itself, which is on the governing meridian. (The power point facilitatescommunicationbetween theheadand thebodyandhelps to relax thebody,aswellastoincreasepsychicabilities.)Massagingorholdingthesedifferentpointscan help relieve and release tension and built-up emotion, as well as help todissipatetrauma.

Anytimeyouareinayogaposeandcanreleasetheheadintothehands,do it!Forwardbendsare theprimeexampleofposes thatallowyou to releaseyourhead—inotherwords,tostopusingthemusclesinyournecktosupportit.Whenyouareinaforward-bendingpose,youcanuseayogablockorabolstertoallowtheheadandnecktobesupportedandrelaxcompletely.Ifit’spossible,release your head into your hands, allowing your hands and fingers to touch,massage,and/orholdpointsonyourskull.

Alsoontheheadaremanypointswhereenergiescalleddisruptiveforcescan enter the body. The disruptive forces are environmental energies that cancomeinandwreakhavocwiththebody’senergies.Theseenergies—wind,heat,damp, dry, and cold—can overwhelm the triplewarmer response andmake ithardtounderstandwhythingsaren’tgoingwellinthebody.Butthereisalsoaflipsidetotheseenergies.Sometimesit’sgoodforustobedisrupted.Someofthebestthingsinourlivescometousincrazy,unplannedways.Andifweare

closedtothem,we’llmissout.Wedon’twant tobarricade thedoorsagainst theseenergies; insteadwe

want to keep ourselves balanced sowe can not onlywithstand them, but alsoutilizethem.SeniorEdenEnergyMedicineteacherDr.SaraAllenteachesaboutthe disruptive forces using the wonderful metaphor of “keeping our screensclean.” Ifwekeep thesepointsclear, the fiveenvironmentalenergiescanflowintous,bringingchange,buthaveanexitaswell.Sincemanyof thesescreenpointsarelocatedonthehead,doingtheCrownPull(seeweek1)ishelpful,asaremassaging, holding, and releasing thehead into thehands as noted above.AlsohelpfulisapracticeIdevelopedcalledBeanwithHeadHeal.

PracticesoftheWeek:HealingandCalming,theEndofYourPracticeHere are two final practices to include in your basic Energy Medicine Yogaroutine.Thefirstbringsusback to thepowerfulpointson theskull,whichweworkedwith inweek1.The second draws the power of visualization into thecloseofanyyogapractice:savasana.

BEANWITHHEADHEAL

We start in child’s pose and eventually lean forward onto the elbows. This“growingout”ofthechildalwaysremindsmeofasproutingbean—hence,thenameBeanwithHeadHeal.

Startinchild’spose.Bringyourhandsbehindyourheadandmassageallalongtheoccipitalridge,allthewaytothebacksoftheears.Spendsomeextratime at the hollow right behind your ear lobe; this is triple warmer 17, theShieldingWindentrancepoints—oneofthescreenswewanttokeepclean.

Next,massagedeeplyseveraltimesaroundtheear,fromthetopoftheeararoundtothelobe.Gorightagainstthefoldoftheearandallthewayouttothetemporalbone,thehard,bonyridgethatfollowstheear.

Bringyourelbowsforwardandpropyourheadonyourhands.Theheelsof the hands should be on the cheekbone, pressing into the stomachmeridianpointsbeneaththeeyes,aswellasotherpointsthataffectthenasalcavity.Thethumbs rest lightly above the ears near the temples; these are triple warmer

neurovascularpoints,andholdingthemisverycalming.Thepalmsofthehandscovertheeyes,whichhelpstocalmandsooththeopticnerve.(Seefigure37.)Almost80percentof thetensioninthehumanbodyresidesintheeyes,andifyoucan relieve someof this tension, you cango a longway toward releasingtensioninthebody.Palming(coveringtheeyeswiththepalms)isonewaytodothis.Thefingersextendupontheforeheadintothehairline.Theyarecoveringthefrontalneurovascularpoints,themainpointsintheneurovascularsystem,aswellastheliverneurovasculars,whichenhancesthebody’sabilitytometabolizehormones.

Whileyou’reholdingyourheadinthisposition,experimentwithexactlywheretheelbowsshouldbeplacedinrelationtotheheadandnecktomaximizethe relaxation of the neck. Let the jaw go completely, allowing the lowerjawbonetofallforward.Inthispose,youcanreallystarttofeelthearchitectureofyourbones.

Stayaslongasyoulike,continuingtobreathedeeplyandtosurrender.Ifemotions comeup, just staywith them, allowing the energy tomove through.This is a powerful pose to start to transmute the energetic charge of intenseemotions. (Theappendixwillalsogiveyoumore tools for transmuting intenseemotions.)

FIGURE37BeanwithHeadHeal

SAVASANA WITH ENERGY SYSTEM

VISUALIZATION

Savasana isawonderful time topracticevisualizing theenergysystemsof thebody,lettingyourmind’seyeactuallyturnonandmovetheseenergies.Severalteachers, includingDonnaEden, teachhowtomovetheenergywith themind.There are many tantra yoga techniques, as well, in which you visualize andmoveenergywithyourmind.

In your relaxation, you can see energy systems moving, activating,integrating.Youcanopenupyourchakras,makingthemspinbothinwardlyandoutwardly.Youcantracetheflowsofspecificmeridians.Youcantracetheflowoftheradiantcircuits,knityouraura,drawfigureeightsintheCelticWeave—allwhile you are in this deeply resting, open state.Energy flowswhere attentiongoes.

There aremanywonderful bookswith photos or drawings ofwhat theenergy systems look like, if you’d like some visual templates to start with.Donna has drawings in her book Energy Medicine. Energy medicine teacherBarbaraBrennanhassomewonderfulillustrationsinherbooks.TheartistAlexGreyalsocreatesincredibleartbasedontheenergeticsofthebody.

Savasana is a perfect time to tune in and follow the energies that aremovingasaresultofyourpractice.Feelwhereenergyismoving,andhow.Doesithaveacolor?Asound?Followitasitmovesthroughthebody.Youmaybefollowing a particular flow of energymoving naturally up ameridian path orthroughachakra.Inthisway,youstarttodevelopthemorerefinedsensesandbecomeawareoftheenergythatisanimatingyourbody.

After you’ve felt and moved some energy, release the visualizationpractice and spend time in savasana simply being, with the mind open andempty.

When you feel complete, anywhere from five to fifteen minutesdependingonthelengthofyourphysicalpractice,slowlystarttowakeyourselfup.Deepenyourbreathandmoveyourhandsandfeet.Rolloverontoyourrightsideandtakeseveraldeepbreathshere.Thenslowlybegintositup.

PuttingthePracticesTogether:YourEnergyMedicineYogaPractice

Ifyoucombinekeypracticesandtechniquesfromweeks1through8,youwillhave an ideal Energy Medicine Yoga practice. If you choose to do them alltogether, youwon’t do them in the exact order you learned them in, becausesometimes the concepts that lead to the poses need to come earlier in theteaching cycle than the physical poses come in the sequence. Intelligentsequencing, calledvinyasakrama, helps us lay out a practice that follows theenergypatternsofthebodyandhelpsusopenthebodyupinanintelligentway.

Westart,asalways,wakingthebodyup.Thenwefollowwithstandingposes, inversions, backbending poses, seated poses and twists, restorativeinversions,andsavasana.

Thetemplateonthefollowingpagesgivesyouthemostimportantposesfromtheprecedingsevenweeks.Ifyoudojustthemostpowerfulandnecessarypractices,theroutinewilltakeyoutwentytofortyminutes.Youcanadjusthowmuch time you spend in the poses as you start to get the feedback fromyourbody. Hooking up the meridians, for example, takes longer when you’re justbeginning to work with them, but soon you’ll find them synching up morequickly, giving you more time for other things. That’s the cumulative andempowering effect of Energy Medicine Yoga; the results are tangible andteaching you. The optional practices listed can be added into your practice orsubstitutedforothertechniquestogiveyoumorebalanceandvariety.

ConsistencyandDedicationI encourage you to dedicate a certain amount of time every day to anEnergyMedicineYogapractice,justasyoudedicateacertainamountoftimeeverydaytobrushingyourteeth.Youarededicatingtimetoyourself.Evenifyouaretoobusytodothetemplatepractice,youcandomanyofthepracticesontheirownatanytimeduringyourday.Evenfiveminutesadayisavaluablepieceofrealestateandapotentgemtostartwith.Energymovesquickly,butdeeppatternsinthe body need time and space to shift.Many ofmy students have found thatusing these techniques actually make them more efficient in the rest of theirlives,allowingmoretimetopractice,whichthenmakesthemmoreefficientandless stressed in the rest of their lives, providing a positive feedback loop forcontinuedself-care.

ENERGYMEDICINEYOGATEMPLATE

CHECK-IN:HowdoIfeelatthestartofmypractice? THEWAKEUP(week1)

TheFourThumpsTheCrossCrawlTheZipUpTheHookUpOptional•HeadMassage,CrownPull,SpinalFlush•CatPose(chakravakasana)withmulabandha(week3)•ThreadtheNeedle(sucirandhrasana)withYangBridgeFlow(week3)

SQUATWITHGAITCLEARING(week1)

HANG WITH GAIT CLEARING AND INTESTINE DETOXMASSAGE(week1)

ENERGYMEDICINEYOGASUNSALUTATION(S)(week2)

Optional•Additionalstandingposesandinversions•Three-WarriorVinyasa(week6)

FIVE-ELEMENTSSALUTATION(week5)

DYNAMIC BRIDGE POSE (SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA)WITHNEUROLYMPHATICCLEARING(week3)

Optional•FishPose(matsyasana)withChakraClearing(week7)•Additionalbackbends•SlowSit-UpswiththeTripleWarmer-SpleenHug(week4)•Additionalseatedposesandtwists

KIDNEYTHREE-POINTPOSE(week4)orHEAD-TO-KNEEPOSE(JANUSIRSASANA)WITHSPLEENSTRENGTHENING(week4)

Optional•Cobbler’sPose(baddhakonasana)withGaitClearing(week4)•Child’sPose(balasana)withSpinalFlush(week3)•BeanwithHeadHeal(week8)

SUPPORTEDSHOULDERSTANDWITHELECTRICHOLD(week6)orLEGSUPTHEWALL(VIPARITAKARANI)WITHELECTRIC

HOLD(week6)

Optional•Eyeyoga SAVASANAWITHCHAKRALINK (week7) orSAVASANAWITH

ENERGYSYSTEMVISUALIZATION(week8)

Optional•Pranayamapractice—amountoftime:

Type:samavritti,ujjayi,alternatenostril,mentalalternatenostril,purebreath.

•Meditationpractice—amountoftime:

CHECK-IN:HowdoIfeelaftermypractice? Lengthoftotalpractice:

WhatdidIlearnintoday’spractice?

What’sNext?WhenIfirstcameoutwestatsixteenyearsold,Ilearnedhowtobushwhack—towalkoff thedesignated trailand finda routeonmyown.Bushwhacking isaneasywaytogetlostanddiscombobulated,anditisapowerfulwaytolearnhowtoreadterrainanddiscoveryourownpaththroughthewilderness.

Inthesameway,youcanchoosetoleavethetemplateandfindyourownwayinyourEnergyMedicineYogapractice.Part1hasgivenyounotonlyposesand practices, but also the tools and skills for listening to your body and itsenergies. As you’ve been doing the practices, you’ve been developing yourability to sense what is going on with your energy systems and how to shiftthem. So through your practice and your breath, you can discover what feelsgood. What opens up your body? What allows you to move through youremotionsinsteadofholdingontothem?Whatgivesyouthatextrachargetogetthrough your day?What helps you get through that stressfulmeeting?Followyour body andyour energy, and you’ll start to be able to answer the question

“Whatnext?”ineverysituation,notonlyonyourmat,butinyourlife.Inpart2,therearemanymoreposesthatyoucanexperimentwith.You

can fold them into the template, to start to really customize your EnergyMedicineYogapracticeandmakeituniquelyyourown,oryoucanaddthemtoyourregularyogapracticetogetmorebangforyourbuck.

PART2

Expanding and Customizing Your Energy MedicineYogaPracticeThepracticesinpart2willhelpyou takeyourEnergyMedicineYogaroutinedeeper.Ifyouareusedtopracticingyogaforanhourorlonger,theseposeswillhelpyouroundoutyourroutine.Therearealsosomelongerpracticesequences.They are arranged by type so you can easily find, say, a standing pose or abackbend,toinsertintoyourpracticetemplate.

Asyou’vebeenworkingandlearningtheconceptsfrompart1,hopefullyyou’vebeentuningintohowyoufeelphysically,mentally,andemotionallyasyou’repracticing.Thistuning-inwillgiveyouthefeedbackthatwillguideyoutocustomizeyourpractice.Ifyou’vebeennoticingpointsonthebodythataresore,you’llspendextratimetappingandmassagingthemtogetthestuckenergymoving. Ifyou’vegot lotsof sorepoints,you’ll spendmore timeworking theneurolymphaticpointsinposeslikebridgeandhang.Ifyoufindthatthechakralinesonthethroatinfishposearesore,you’llspendtimeworkingthosechakraareas.Youmightaddmoretwistsifthefirstthreechakrasareingreaterneed,ormorebackbendingifit’stheupperchakras,ormoreinversionsifit’sthetoptwochakras.Ifyoufindareasofthebodythatfeelclosedoff,youmightworkmorewith the vayus and the breath. If you’ve discovered that thumping, crossovertechniques,andweavingfigureeightsonandaroundyourbodymakesyoufeelmorealert,you’lladdmoreofthosetoyourpractice.

Keepinmindthatlessismore.InEdenEnergyMedicine,welearnabouttheconnectivityof thebody’senergysystems.Thebody-mindtruly isholistic.Therearefrequentlymanysystemsorpartsofsystemsthatareoutofbalance.For example, it is not unusual for someone to have three, four, five, ormoremeridians that are under-or over-energized, throwing off all the meridians, aswellasaffectingothersystemsandtheoverallhealthoftheclient.Butthebodyis beautifully orchestrated, and you don’t need to spend the entire sessioncorrectingeachofthedisruptedmeridians.Often,ifyoucorrectandworkwithone,itbalancesandstrengthensallofthem.Andbalancingandstrengtheningthemeridians,inturn,balancesandstrengthensotherenergysystems.Thiseleganceisatworkinallwedo.Thebodywantstofindbalance.Thisisitsnaturalandmost desired state. And it wants to find its balance in themost efficientwaypossible.

Youdon’tneedtopracticeEnergyMedicineYogaforhours(thoughyoucertainlycan,andyou’llfeelgreat!).Youneedtofindtheareasorsystemsthatarenotworkingoptimallyandstart tobringattentiontothem.Andifyoutakethe timetodoadailypracticeandkeepallof themajorsystemsofyourbodyworkingwell,youcankeepthedanceoflivinginafinebalance.

AsyouexpandandcustomizeyourEnergyMedicineYogapractice,hereare some important concepts to remember. They are a part of every EnergyMedicineYogapracticeIdoand teach.You’vealreadylearnedtheminpart1,thoughyoumaynothaverealizedit.Breathe!Useadynamic,fullbreathandconnectbreathtomovement.Allowthebodytobeeaseful,steady,andcalm.Thisistheyogicconcept

ofSthiram,Sukham,Asanam.Worktowardthecenterline,bringingyourawarenessintothespine.Shakeoffexcessenergyfromhandsandbodyasyoupractice.Crossandweaveasmuchaspossible—asimpleswipefromtheshoulderto

the opposite hip, or weaving your hands in crossover patterns as youtransitioninto,outof,andthroughposes.

Hookupthecentralandgoverningmeridiansseveraltimesduringyourpractice.

Attheendofeverypractice,takeageneroussavasana.Thisisthetimethebodyintegratesandtransforms.Don’tskipthisstep!

StandingPoses

CrossingandLiftingEnergiesintheCoreTheposesinthissequenceallincludesimpletechniquestohelpclear,organize,orcalmtheenergygeneratedbytheintensityandstrengthofstandingposes.

SPINALSUSPENSIONTWIST

Thespinal suspension twisthelps to rejuvenateandenergizeyou. It affectsallthemeridiansandchakrasbyelongatingandstretchingthespineandopeningtheshoulderblades.Italsohelpstoreinforcethecrossoverpattern.

Standwithyourfeettwotothreefeetapart,toesturnedslightlyoutward.Lean forward and press your hands onto the tops of your thighs, above yourknees.Thisposeisknownashorseposeorgoddesspose.

Drop your left shoulder forward, twisting your spine, and, using yourarms as fulcrums, press out of your waist (figure 38). Take three long, deepbreaths,inhalingthroughthenoseandexhalingthroughthemouth.Switchsides.

FLYING-UP LOCK (UDDIYANA BANDHA) WITH FIRE KRIYA(AGNISARADHAUTI)Inthesamelegpositionasthespinalsuspensiontwist,centerthebodyandleanoverwithyourhandsonyourthighs.Exhaleallyourairoutthroughthemouth,andwhileholding theairoutof thebody,draw thechindownandslightly in,applyingjalandharabandha.Thendrawtheinternalorgansinandup,applyinguddiyanabandha.Finally,drawmulabandhaup.Holdallofthebandhasasyouholdthebreathout.

When you feel the need to inhale again, release all three bandhas and,slowlyandwithease,inhale.Whenyou’vecompletedyourinhale,standup.

It is important that you release the bandhas first, before inhaling andstandingup,andthatyoudon’tholdtheairoutforsolongthatyouneedtogaspwhenyou’rereadytoinhale.Begentle,andgoslowly.

Once you feel confident with this practice, you can try flapping theabdominalwall.Exhale all thebreathout, apply thebandhas, and thenpull inandpushout thebellyseveral times,creatingasuction.Thebreath isheldoutduringtheentiretime.Again,whenyoufeeltheneedtoinhale,releaseallofthebandhas first, and then gently inhale as you come to stand.Thismovement isknownas the firekriya.Akriya is a cleansingexercise, and this isoneof themostpowerfulforhelpingthedigestivefire,aswellastoningandmassagingtheabdominalorgansandthediaphragm.Italsostimulatesthefivevayus,especiallysamana,withitsmainlocationintheabdomen.

FIGURE38Spinalsuspensiontwist

Doingthespinalsuspensiontwistfollowedbyuddiyanabandhaandthefirekriyaisdeeplycleansinganddetoxifying.Thistwo-practicesequencehelps

to separate the lowerbody from theupper body, creatingmore awareness anddemarcation in the core. It gives you more space into which to bring yourattentionforfocusedconcentrationandmeditationifyouchoosetoaddthesetotheendofyourphysicalpractice.

Note:uddiyanabandhaandthefirekriyaarenottobepracticedifyouaremenstruatingorpregnant.

ILEOCECAL AND HOUSTON VALVESRESET

Directlyafterdoingtheprevioustwopracticesistheperfecttimetoresetthesetwomost importantvalves in thebody: the ileocecalandHoustonvalves.Thiscan seem likea strangeandesotericpractice,but it is easyandquickandcanyieldbigresults.

Theileocecalvalvecontrolstheflowofdiscardedwaste,chemicals,andhormonesfromthesmallintestinetothelargeintestine.Thisvalveislocatedontherightsideofthebody.Mirroringit,ontheleft,istheHoustonvalve,whichisactually more of a bend in the colon than a true valve, but acts in a similarstopgapmannerbetweenthedescendingcolonandtherectum.

As noted in the materials for class 1 of the Eden Energy MedicineCertificationProgram,“Donnatalksfrequentlyaboutthehavocthesetwovalvescanwreak in the body if they are out of synch,mimicking at least 27 seriousillnesses.Resettingbothvalvestogethercreatesasymmetrybetweenthem.Therhythmicpulsingofthesevalvesare[sic]alsolinkedtoalltheothervalvesinthebody,andsoitisbeneficialtothemallifthesetwomastersarereset.Andthisiseasilydone.”

To reset these valves, put your hands on your low abdomen,with yourpinkyfingersrestingontheinsideedgeofthehipbone,ortheileaccrest(figure39).Asyouinhale,pressallyourfingerswithequalpressureintothebodyandsmoothupseveralinches.Exhale,throughthemouth,andshakeoffyourhands.Dothisthreemoretimes.Finally,startatthetopoftheswipe,inhale,andasyouexhale,pressyourfingersintoyourbodyandsmoothbackdowntothestartingpoint.

Tree Pose (Vriksasana) with Triple Warmer/HeartMudratoWarriorIII(VirabhadrasanaIII)Standintadasanaandgentlyshiftyourweighttoyourleftfoot.Besurethatyoudon’tcollapseyourhips,buttrytokeepthehippointsbalancedandlevel.

Bendyour rightkneeand turn thekneeout to the side, rotating the legfromthefemurbone,notthehip.Bringthesoleofthefoottothestandingleg.Ifbalancingisachallenge,youcankeepthetoesonthefloorandtheheelpressedagainst the left ankle.You can also use awall for balance. If your balance isstableandyouwanttocontinuedevelopingthepose,begintoslidetherightfootup the leg, keeping the right knee bent and the right femur rotating outward.Drawthefootupashighasyoulike;justdon’thavethefootrestingagainsttheknee, as this is theweakpointof the standing leg.Youcanuseyourhands toreachdownandbringtherightfootallthewayupintothegroin,andifyou’requiteflexible,feelfreetobringthefootintohalflotus,aslongasyoucankeepthefoottherewithoutholdingitwithyourhand.

FIGURE39IleocecalandHoustonvalves

Draw the energy of the pose into the centerline of the body. Press theright foot into the left legasmuchasyoupress the left leg into theright foot.Applymulabandhatohelpincreasethebalance.

Nowliftyourhandsupintotriplewarmer/heartmudra,withyourthumbsintheheartcenterandthetipsofyourindexfingersinthethroathollow.Allowyour shoulder blades to deepen into the spine aswell as sink down the spine.Alsoallowaslightopeninginthefrontofthechestbypressingthechestupintoyour hands, as if you were opening up into the space between your hands.Activatethisliftfromtheupperback,notfromthelowerribcage.Findapointtofocuson,ateyelevel,andbreathedeeply.

Ifyouwant todevelop thepose further, lift the armsupoverhead, intodancingtree,andslowlydroptherightelbowontotheliftedrightkneeandtakea gentle side bend. Allow yourself to be playful here, and don’t worry about

fallingoutofthepose.Feelyourselfasgroundedasyouarelifted.Whenyoucomebacktocenter,openbotharmsupoverheadinawideV.

Liftupfromtheheartcenterandbringyourgazeupto thesky.This isaposecalledHeavenRushing In, and in it you can gather inspirational energy fromyour“source,”whateveryouconsiderthatsourcetobe.

Whenyou’veallowedthisenergytobatheyou,comebacktocenterandbringyourhandsbacktothetriplewarmer/heartmudra.

Fromhere,youcanstepoutofthepose,oryoucanreleasetherightfootfromtheleftlegandbringitstraightforwardintoextendedhand-to-big-toepose(utthitahastapadangusthasanaC).Don’tlettheliftedlegpushthetorsoback,butkeep thebodystraight.Engageuddiyanabandhaand jalandharabandha tohelpmaintainthisintenselystrengtheningpose.

Nowmove the leg through centerwithout letting it touch the floor andbringthelegstraightbackintowarriorIII(virabhadrasanaIII).Keepthehandsin the triplewarmer/heartmudra tohelpyoukeep theupperback fromcavingforward.Trytokeeptheextendedrightlegparalleltothefloor.Breathedeeplythreetofivebreaths.

Return to standing and step down, release your hands, and close youreyes.Allowyourselftofeelthestabilityandstrengthofthetree.

Repeatthesequenceontheotherside.

Belt Flow to Side Twist (Parivrtta PrasaritaPadottanasana)Mostoftheenergiesofthebodyrunupanddown,likethemeridians,andcrossover,liketheCelticweave,ortheyhaveintricatepatternsthattheystartinandthenmove off from, like the radiant circuits.There is only one energy,whichalsohappens tobea radiantcircuit, that runshorizontally through thebody,atthewaist.Thisisthebeltflow.Asexplainedinweek2, thisenergyflowhelpsconnectanddistributetheenergiesoftheupperandlowerbody.Itcalmstriplewarmer and helps open the energy flow between the threewarmers. It is alsoresponsibleforhowgroundedweareandhowhighwecanreach.Thinkaboutthetrunkofatree:Therootsdescendbelowtheearthdeeply,andthebranchesreachuptothesky.Iftherootsaretooshallow,thetreecan’treachupwardtoitsfullpotential.Helpingusgrowtoourfullpotentialisoneofthejobsofthebeltflow.

Thisflowisperfecttoactivatepriortodoingtwists,whichinitiateinthemidsection.Byactivatingthebeltflowfirst,youassurethatthetwistingisdoneholistically and isn’t separating your body, but is rather helping the body tointegratetheup-downflowofenergy.Thebeltflowrunsthroughthebodycavityand works with the diaphragm as well as the digestive organs. It helps toincrease samana vayu.Unresolved feelings and emotions can get stuck in thebeltflow,soworkingthisregioncanhelpmoveandresolveemotions.

Standintadasanaandreachbothhandsaroundtotheleftwaist;youcanevenreachthembehindthewaist,ifpossible.Withpressure,smoothbothhandsaround the frontofyourwaistacross to the right side.Goback to the startingplace,farontheleftwaist,andsmooththehandstotherightagain.Dothisonemoretimeandthensmoothyourhandsdowntheoutsideofyourright legandofftherightfoot.Shakeyourhandsoff.

Repeatthismovementontheotherside,smoothingfromtherightwaisttotheleftandultimatelyofftheleftlegandfoot.

Nowseparateyourfeetthreefeetapart,andkeepyourtoesparallel.Openyourarmsuptoshoulderheight.Twistaroundandreachyourleftarmacrossthefrontofthebodyanddowntotherightleg,bendingatthewaistintothisdeepforward-bendingtwist.Youcanplaceyourhandanywhereonthelegthatfeelscomfortable—theknee,theankle,thefoot.Ifyou’remoreflexibleandthehandcomesallthewaydowntothefloor,putyourhanddownontheoutsideofyourfoot.Whereveryourhandis,makesureyouturnitsothefingertipsarepointedbackward.

Inhale,and return tostanding.Do thisdynamicpreparation three times:inhale tostart,exhaleandreachacrossanddown, inhalebacktostanding,andexhale.Afterthethirdbreath,remaininthetwistandbreathedeeply.

Becauseof thepositionof the legs, the lefthipwilloftenswingwidelyforwardtoaccommodatethistwist.Thismaymakeyoufeellikeyou’redeeperin the twist, but actually you are just turning thebody. Instead, bring thehipsbackintoalignmentandkeepthemcenteredoverthelegsandallowthetwisttocomefromthenavel.Trytokeepthehipsequallybalancedoverthecenterlineasyoutwistfromthecore.Togodeeper,extendyourarmsvertically—onedowntothe ground, the other stacked straight on top, so they form a straight up-and-downaxis.

Youmaywanttodoanotherbeltflowbeforeyourepeatthesequenceontheotherside.

Triangle Pose (Trikonasana) with SLK and StomachLineClearInthisposeyou’llworkwithapotentmergingofthreepoints,aswellasworkapartofthestomachmeridiancalledthestomachline.

Fromtadasana,separateyourfeetthreefeetapart.Turntherighttoes90degreestotheright,andturnthelefttoesinslightly.Slightlytiltthehipsbacktotheleftandleantherighthandoverintotrianglepose(trikonasana).Lifttheleftarmstraightupintotheair.

Bringyourrighthandtotheinsideofyourrightcalf,alongthetibiabone.Withyour thumb, press in deeply along theback edgeof thebone,where themusclemeetsit.Deeplypressintoandsmoothdownthecalfasfarasyoucango.(Seefigure40.)Threemeridians—kidney,spleen,andliver—allpassinandoutofthiszone.Thisisanareathatishabituallysoreandwheretheenergiesofthese threemeridiansget stuck.Massagingdown thisarea,against the flowofthe meridians, helps to clear this stuck energy. If there are points that areparticularlysore,workthemmore.(Youhavetokeepthelegsstrongandactiveherewhileusingyourhand tomassage thesepoints.Becareful thatyoudon’thangoffthemusclesorhyperextendtheleg.)

Youmightfindthatyourthumbdropsrightintoahollowhalfwaydowntheedgeofthecalfmuscle,slightlyoutfromwhereitmeetsthebone.ThisistheSLKpoint,apowerfulconvergenceofthesethreeyinmeridians.Itisguardedbythe massive yang muscles of the calf. It is at this point that the yin energydecidesifit’ssafetomoveupintothebody.Workingthissectionoftheleg,andespeciallytheSLKpoint,helpstorelaxtheyangmusclesandmeridians,ledbytriplewarmer,andtotellthebodyitissafefortheyinenergiestorise.Theyinorgans run thebody,andwithout theyinenergy tokeep themstrong, theyareunabletodotheirendless,myriadtasks.

FIGURE 40 Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)with SLK and StomachLineClear

Whenyou’redone,moveyourfingersbackuptothekneeandthentotheoutsideofthesamecalfbone.Smoothyourfingersstronglydowntheoutsideofthebonewhereitmeetsthemuscle.Hereyouareworkingthestomachline,orthebottompartofstomachmeridian.Thishelpssendenergydowntotheearthsoyoucanpullkidneyenergyup.Italsoreleasesabdominalgasandhelpswithdigestion.Youcansmooththismeridianacoupleoftimes,fromthekneedowntotheankle.Youcannothaveastrongkidney1point ifyoudon’thavestrongstomachchi,anddeeplyworkingthislinehelpstobuildstomachchi.You’llalsomoveoverstomach36,whichcomesafterthebendinthekneeandisconsidered

oneofthemostpowerfulacupressurepointsonthebody.After themeridianmassage, remain in triangle pose for a few clearing

breaths.Nowextendtherightarmup,paralleltothefloor,andusingthemusclesofthesidebody,inhalebacktostand.

Repeatontheotherside.

VARIATION:LOWLUNGEWITHSLKANDSTOMACHLINECLEARYoucanalsocleartheSLKandstomachlineinalowlunge.Steptheleftfootwayback.Lettheleftkneecometothefloor.Bendtherightkneeata90-degreeangle;makesurethekneeisrightovertheankleandnotleaningoutorin.Liftthe arms overhead (this is another great chance to weave the arms back andforth),thenreleasethearmsdownandbringthehandstoeithersideofthecalfmuscle where it connects to the bone. Smooth down the muscle, then spendsomeextra timeon theSLKpoint.On theoutsideof the calfmuscle, smoothdownthestomachline(figure41).Repeatontheotherleg.

WayneCookPoseTheenergymedicinepracticecalledtheWayneCookposecankeepyoutogetherwhen you’re about to lose it. Itwas developed byWayneCook, a pioneeringresearcherofthebody’senergyfields.Itissopowerfulbecauseitconnectsthebackbrainandthefrontbrain—theprimalbrainandthemodernbrain—andthuslinksourancestralfearimpulseswithourmoredevelopedreasoningfaculties.Ithooksupallthemeridiansandhelpstointegratethebodyandmindsothatyouaren’tworking at cross-purposes fromyourself, but are able to calmly see thesituationyou’reinandyournextstepforward.

Eagle pose (garudasana) in yoga is nearly an exact execution of theWayneCookpose,andIbelieveitwasusedforsimilarpurposes.Eagleposeisaboutsoaringhighandeasefullyabovethesituationathand,whilebeingabletosee it all clearly laid out in front of you, just like an eagle able to see a tinymouseahalfmilebelowhiminafield.Itisalsoaboutdeepintegration,asthebody iswrapped up as tightly as possible,while stillmaintaining stability; inother words, it integrates all the systems together into a coherent, groundedwhole.

Therearethreeoptionsforthispose.

HIPSTRETCHWAYNECOOK(CHAIRPOSEVARIATION)Standintadasanaandgentlyshiftyourweighttoyourleftfoot.Balancingontheleftleg,bringtherightankletorestabovetheleftknee,asifyouweresittinginachair.Thenbegin tobend the left leg (this is amodifiedchairpose).You’regettingadeepthighstretchinyouroutwardlyrotatedrightthighasyoubalanceonyourbentleftleg.

FIGURE41LowLungewithSLKandStomachLineClear

Nowholdtherightanklewithyourlefthand,andtaketherighthandandwrapitaroundtheballoftherightfoot.(Noticethatyou’reholdingthefootandhandsinacrossoverpattern.)Asyoudeeplystretchandbalancehere,pullyourbodyslightlyupandawayfromthebentlegonaninhale.Exhalethroughyourmouthandrelaxbackintothepose.(Seefigure42.)Dothistwomoretimes.

Slowlyunpretzelyourself,flyingthelimbsopen,andswitchsides.Nowyou’llbe standingon the right leg,withbentknee,andcrossing the left ankleovertherightknee.Holdontotheleftanklewiththerighthandandtheballoftheleftfootwiththelefthand.Again,inhale,andpulltheupperbodyawayevenasyousinkintothelegs.Exhalethroughyourmouthandrelax.Taketwomore

breaths,andthenreleaseandstandup.Inhale and circle your arms around overheard and bring your palms

together.Bringyourhandsdown to the levelofyour forehead,andplaceyourthumbsinthecenterofyoureyebrows,overyourthirdeye.Inhalehere,andasyouexhale,smooththethumbsapartontheforehead,spreadingtheskin.

Inhaleagainandnowcurlyourfingersintothecenterofyourforehead.Exhaleandsmooththemapart,spreadingtheskin.Releasethearmsandrelax.

FIGURE42HipStretchWayneCook(chairposevariation)

SCHOOLYARDHOOKUP

ThesecondoptionfortheWayneCookiscalledtheSchoolyardHookUp.Ifyouhavedifficultybalancingordoingfulleagle,oryouwanttoteachthispracticetokids,thisversionistheoneforyou.

Standintadasanaandcrossyourrightfootoveryourleft,continuingtostandonbothfeet.Bringyourhandsstraightoutinfrontofyou,turnyourpalmsawayfromyou,thumbsfacingdown,andcrosstheleftarmovertheright.Bringthe hands together, interlacing the fingers, and then scoop them up and underyourchin.(Seefigure43.)Takethreedeepbreathshere.

FIGURE43SchoolyardHookUp,avariationoftheWayneCookpose

Switchsides.Nowtheleftfootwillcrossoverinfrontof theright,andtherightarmwillcrossoverthetopoftheleft.Interlacethefingersandscoopthearmsupandunder.Again,takethreebreaths.

Release both the feet and the hands. Again circle your arms up andoverhead, and then bring them down and press the thumbs into the third eye.Inhale,anddrawthethumbsapart,smoothingouttheskinasyouexhale.Thenpressthefingersintothecenteroftheforeheadanddrawthemapart,smoothingouttheskin.

Tip:Fortheabovetwoposes,trybreathinginthroughyournoseandoutthroughyourmouth.Thenforfulleagle,comebacktoyogicbreathing, inand

outthroughthenose.

FULLEAGLE

The thirdoption is thefulleaglepose.Fromtadasana,balanceyourweightonyour left leg and bend the left knee. Cross the right knee over the left kneetightly,andifyoucancrosstherightanklebehindtheleftankle,dothataswell.

The arms here are different from the second variation. This time youcross the left arm over the right, but keep the backs of the hands facing eachother.Then, ifyoucan,cross therightarmupandover theforearmof theleftarmtobringthepalmsofthehandstogether.

Todeepenthepose,sinkdowninthelegs,andbringthearmsup,whilekeepingtheshouldersdown.Activatingmulabandhawillhelpyoubalance.Finda fixed point to look at, at eye level, to also help you balance. Take severalbreathshereandthenswitchsides.

Tip:Gazingatafixedpointisalsoameansofgettingafeelforwhatitisin your life that you want to focus on and go after. Look at the point, andvisualizeyourgoals.

Afteryoucompleteeagleposeontheotherside,flyyourbodyoutofthepose by releasing your leg outward and both of your arms out and up.Circleyourarmsoverheadandbringyourhandstogether,withyourthumbsatthethirdeye. Spread apart the skin of the forehead here to complete theWayne Cookposture.Thenpressyourfingertips into thecenterofyourforeheadandspreadaparttheskin.Releaseyourhandstoyourside,pause,andrelax.

InversionsIn the science of yoga-pose sequencing (vinyasa krama), standing poses arefollowedbyinversions.Ifyoupracticeheadstandorshoulderstandorhandstand,you’llinsertthemintoyourpracticetemplateafterstandingposes.Youdothemat this point so there is enough time in your practice to counter the cervicalvertebralstress,aswellastocalmthenervoussystemdownaftertheexcitementandenergyintensityofinversions.

TheinversionswedoinEnergyMedicineYogacouldmoreproperlybe

considered restoratives. Therefore, they come later in the practice, before therelaxation poses. In some traditions, like Ashtanga, the intense inversions arepracticedattheendoftheclasstoincreaselucidityinsavasana.

Backbends

CamelPose(Ustrasana)withMeridianPointHoldsCamelpose isagreatbackbend that isgood forbeginnersaswellas themostadvancedpractitioner.Becauseyou are onyour knees, it helps to stabilize thehipsandisagoodwaytolearnhowtokeepthevertebraeofthelowbackfromcompressing.

Startonyourkneeswithyour toes tuckedunder.Bringyourhands intotriplewarmer/heartmudra in frontof thechest.Lift thechestupandpress thechestintothehandsasyoustarttoleanback.Keeppressingthehipsforwardaswell,tryingtokeepthehipsdirectlyovertheknees.Thinkaboutlengtheningupthe spine as you’re leaning back. Continue looking forward for this firstpreparationpartofthepose.Takethreetofivedeepbreaths,andthenslowlyliftthebodyupandreleasebackdownontothehaunches.

Ifthatmuchwaschallenging,continuetoworkwiththepreparationpartoftheposeuntilthespineisstrengthenedandtoned.Ifthatmuchwaseasefulforyou,considerdeepeningthepose.Thenexttimeyouliftupandopenthespine,bendbackasifyou’rebendingoverabeachball.Reachthehandsdowntothefeet.TakeyourthumbsandpressthemdeeplyintothehollowsontheinsidesoftheAchilles tendons.Thishelpsactivate thearmsand theupperbody,makingthebendintheupperbacklighterandmoreopen.

Your thumbsarepressing into thekidney3 (K-3)points,whichare thesourcepointsforthekidneymeridian.Theyareconsideredthesourcepointsofallsourcepoints.Sourcepointsconnectthemeridianenergydirectlytotheorgantheyfeed,nourishingandenergizingthatorgan.InthecaseofK-3,notonlyareyou sendingpowerful energy to the kidneys, but you’re also helpingmeridianenergy feed all of the organs. Because this pose is a backbend, you are alsogently squeezing and releasing the kidneys themselves, helping to flush andcleanse them. Holding K-3 in this pose is a powerful aid to help cleanse thehardest-workingcleansingorgansinyourbody.

When you’re ready to release, slowly lift up out of the backbend and

come tositbackonyourheels.Takea fewbreaths inpreparation for thenextlift.

The next time you lift up, move your thumbs to the outsides of theAchillestendons,andyourfingerswillcomearoundtotheinsideofyourheels.Thishandpositioncreatesanoutwardrotationofyourupperarms,openingupthewholeupperback.

OppositeK-3on theoutsideof theAchilles tendon is thepointbladder60. The bladder meridian rules the nervous system, is connected to all theorgans, and brings energy to fuel the brain. (It is the longestmeridian, goingfromthetopofthehead,downthebackandlegs,andoffthetoes.)Thebladder60 point in particular helps activate the back body, which is important in abackbend.Many times in backbends,we actually collapse the back instead ofenergizeit.Holdingthispoint,aswe’redoinghere,helpstocounterthatcollapsebysendingenergyupthespine.

Holdforfivetosevenbreathsandrelease.Youcandothisposeagain,releasingthe topsof thefeet to thefloor to

accessanevendeeperbend.Continuetomovethehipsforward.Ifyoufeelverycomfortablewiththispose,youcanbegintheposewithyourhandsonK-3andthenpress thehipsup.Just remember toopenup the lowerbackby lifting thespine up and over an imaginary ball at your back. There should be nocompressioninthelowspine.Youcanalsoreleaseyourheadbackifyourneckfeelscomfortable.

Whenyou’recomplete,releasedownontoyourheelsandcupthebackofonepalmintotheotheronyourlap.Relaxhereinthismudraofcompletionforseveralbreaths.

Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotanasana) withNeurovascularHoldThisisawonderfulbackbendintoadeeprelaxation.Startingeitherindownwarddogoronallfours,bringyourrightkneeforwardandplaceitinbetweenyourhands. The outside of the knee and legwill be on the floor. The knee can bedeeplybent,or,ifyou’remoreflexible,goingtowarda90-degreeangle,withtheright footand rightkneespanningbetween thehands.Thispositioncalls foradeepoutwardrotationinthethigh.

Pressdownfirmlyonthegroundwith thehandsandliftupthroughthe

heart center. Try to keep your hips equally balanced. You may want to slidesomepadding, suchas a foldedblanket, underyour righthip tokeepyourselffromleaningovertotherightside.Youcantuckthetoesoftheleftfootundertoextendthatheelbackandtohelpstabilizethepose.Stayhereandbreatheuntilyoufeelthehipsrelaxandopen.

After you’ve opened up the shoulders and back, lean forward andcontinuetoopenupthehipswhilerestingtheupperbodyonabolster,ablock,oryourhands.Youcanuncurlthetoesofyourleftfoot.

Nomatterwhat your head is resting on, bring your forehead into youropenpalms.Youcaneitheruseonepalmacrossthewholeforeheadorputbothpalmson your foreheadwith the fingertips reaching into the hairline.You arestimulatingthemainneurovascularpoints,whichDonnacallsthe“OhmyGod”points.Thesepoints,locatedonthefrontalprotuberanceoftheforehead,helptokeep blood in the forebrain.During any stressful experience (including stress-inducingyogaposes), theblood tends to leave the forebrain inpreparation forfight-or-flight.Thebloodgoes to the extremities and stopsbeing available fornormal cognitive processes.Byholding the hands over these points, youkeepthebloodinthebrainandavailableforcreativeandintelligentthinking.You’lllearnmoreaboutthesepointsintheappendix.Anytimethatyou’rerestingyourheadinanyyogapose,holdyourforeheadinthisway.(Conversely,restingyourforehead on the backs of your hands helps to balance your polarity with thepolarityof theearth,averysimplewaytobringyourself intoconcertwith theearth’senergies.)

FIGURE44PigeonPosewithRoosterCombHold

VARIATION:PIGEONWITHROOSTERCOMBHOLDAnotheroptioninpigeonposeistheroostercombhold,whichhelpstostimulateandbalance thehypothalamus,pituitary, andpinealglands.We’ll alsouse thishold inoursavasanapreparation,andyoucanexperimentwithdoing thisholdwhenyou’refoldedforwardorwhenyou’relyingonyourbacktoseewhichyouprefer.

Inpigeonpose, slightly turnyourhead toward the front foot.Bring theheelofonehandtotheforehead.Allowthefingerstocomeupandovertheheadtorestonthecrown.Takeyourotherhandandbringtheheelofittothebackofyourhead,directlybehindyourbrows.Allowthefingers tocomeupandoverthe head tomeet the fingers of the other hand on the crown. (See figure 44.)Hold for threeminutes. This hold stimulates all themaster glands and bringsthem into communication with each other. There is also the added benefit ofholding the liver neurovascular points, because liver metabolizes all the

hormones.

TwistsandSeatedPoses

Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana) withNeurolymphatic Cleanse and GallbladderNeurovascularHoldSometimes working the neurolymphatic reflex points while standing is morechallenging than working them in seated or supine poses. This pose is analternativewaytocleartheneurolymphaticreflexpointsonthelegs,helpingyoutoincreaseyourforwardfoldandtodetoxify.

Sitonthefloorwithbothlegsextendedinfrontofyou.Reachunderneathyour butt and move the flesh out of the way, so the sitting bones are moredirectlyonthefloor.Ifyouhaveapronouncedbackwardcurveinthelowback,duetotighthips,elevatethehipsbysittingonsomefoldedblankets.

Inhale, and extend the arms overhead. Exhale, and fold over the legs,weavingyourhandsinafigureeightasyoufold.Makesurethefoldiscomingfromthehipsandnottheupperbackorthewaist.Inhaleandsitupagain;exhaleandfoldforward.Dothistwomoretimes.Inhalebackuptositting.

Now bring your fingers and thumbs of both hands into the three-pointnotch,andvigorouslymassagethepinstripelinesontheoutsidesofyourthighs—the large-intestine neurolymphatic points. And then massage on the insideseamof the thighs—the small-intestine neurolymphatic points and circulation-sexneurolymphaticpoints.Youcanmassageone legat a time,workingupordownthethighwithonehandoneachseam.Remembertoworkfromthekneeup if you tend toward loose stools, andwork from the hips down if you tendtowardconstipation.(Seefigure6inpart1.)

Whenyou’refinished, inhale thearmsupoverhead,andexhale, foldingoverthelegs.Holdforonetothreeminutes.Ifyoucaneasilyreachyourfeetinthisposition,youcanpulseorholdontothekidney1pointinthecenteroftheballofthefoot.Thisisdeeplygroundingandnourishing.

Ifyoucan’t reach the feet, slideyourhandsunderneath thebackof theknees. Hold here gently as you fold forward. Behind the knees are three

gallbladder neurovascular reflex points, three of the few neurovasculars thataren’t on the head. Gallbladder neurovasculars are emotional balancers. Thegallbladder meridian’s peak or high-tide time of day comes just after that oftriple warmer. Holding the gallbladder neurovascular points takes the yangenergy out of triple warmer and helps to calm it. Notice how you feel afterholdingthesepoints.

FIGURE 45 Half Ankle-to-Knee Pose (Ardha Agnistambhasana) withCirculation-SexSedation

Half Ankle-to-Knee Pose (Ardha Agnistambhasana)withCirculation-SexSedationThe circulation-sexmeridian governs the hips and the reproductive organs, aswell as theprotective layerof theheart, called thepericardium.Thismeridiantapsdirectlyintotherootchakraandconnectstoalltheotherchakras,calming

and relaxing them. It also helps to relax the hips on a physical level and todissipate the emotional component of tight hips, which is often related to asexual imbalance. Sedating the circulation-sex meridian also has a systemic,balancing effect on all the othermeridians that help to balance the hormones.Indeed, the spleen,kidney, andcirculation-sexmeridiansare threeof theeightmeridiansthatmostaffectthehormones.

Donna has said that most people need to sedate the circulation-sexmeridian; however, if you feel off after doing the sedating, youmay need tofollow it with strengthening. I’ve included both sets of points, sedating andstrengthening,inthecirculation-sexexerciseifyouwanttousethem.Ifyoudoboth sedating and strengthening, you should also use the control pointsafterward.We’llstartwithcirculation-sexsedating,becausedoingthisaffectsalltheothermeridians.Andbyhelpingtoopenandrelaxthehips,itmakesforwardfoldsandhipopenerseasier.

Siton thefloor,andextendyour left leg.Bendyourright legandcrosstherightankleovertheleftthigh,justabovetheknee.Youcanliftthehipsoffthefloorslightlybysittingonafoldedblanket.

Takeyourrighthandandcoverspleen3ontherightfoot.(Fortheexactlocation of spleen 3, see the instructions for the Kidney Three-Point Pose inweek4.Thispointisalsoacontrolpointforthekidneymeridian.)Takeyourlefthand and cover circulation-sex 7, located in the center of the right inner-wristcrease.

Asyouholdthesetwopoints,leanforwardoveryourlegs,bendingatthehips, not the back. (See figure 45.) Youmay start to feel pulsing under yourfingers at the points. Eventually, the pulsing will synchronize and strengthen.This is themeridianenergysynchingupanddoing its job.Don’tworry ifyoudon’tfeelit;afteraboutthreeminutes,theenergywillbeconnectedevenifyoudon’tfeelit.Eventually,afteryoupracticeforsometime,you’llstarttofeelthisenergy.Youwon’tbeuncertainwhenyoufeelitforthefirsttime.Itispowerful!

FIGURE46Cobbler’sPosewithCirculation-SexStrengthening

Afterthreeminutes,switchsides.If you’ve decided to do circulation-sexmeridian strengthening aswell,

you’lldothatnow.Comeintocobbler’spose,withthesolesofthefeettogetherandkneesouttotheside.Putthefourthfingerontoliver1,ontheinsideedgeofthebig-toetoenail.Takeyourthumbsandholdthetipofthemiddlefingerontheedgeclosesttothethumb.(Seefigure46.)Youcanholdthepointsonbothfeetandhandsatthesametime.Again,holdthesepointsforthreeminutes.

Toholdthecirculation-sexcontrolpoints,yourrightlegwillbeextended,andyourleftlegbentatthekneewiththeankleovertherightthigh.Holdkidney10,attheedgeofthefoldintheleftknee,withyourlefthand.Holdcirculation-sex3,atthecenteroftheinsideelbowcrease,withyourrighthand.(Seefigure47.)Maintaintheholdforaboutaminuteandahalfandthenswitchsides.

Seefigure48forthelocationsofallthecirculation-sexstrengtheningandsedatingpoints.

FIGURE47HalfAnkle-to-KneePosewithCirculation-SexControlPoints

Source-PointMudraWalk:FeetWe’vebeenusingacupressurepoints toaccess themeridians tostrengthenandsedatethem.Buttherearealsopointsalongthemeridianscalledsourcepoints,whichareusedtosendenergydirectlytotheorganassociatedwiththatmeridian(aswelearnedwithK-3).Iusesourcepointsinseveralways.Someofyoumaybe familiarwith “the headache point.” This point, large intestine 4, is locatedagainst theboneof the indexfinger,where thefingerand thumbjointmeet. If

youapplydeeppressurehere,youcanalleviateaheadache.In themeditationsection,youcanfind thesource-pointmudrawalkfor

thehands.Followingisthesource-pointmudrawalkforthefeet.Note: thepoints large intestine4 (theheadachepoint) andkidney3are

nottobeusedduringpregnancy,asbothhavethepotentialtoinducelabor.Halfhero(ardhavirasana)withkidneyandbladder sourcepoints. Start inhalfheropose,withyourleftlegextendedandyourrightkneebentback,withtherightfootcomingtorestnexttotherighthip.Thiscanbeanintensestretch,andyoucansitontheedgeofablankettotaketheintensityoutoftheknee.

Westart themudrawalkwiththewater-elementmeridians.Whendoinghealingworkon themeridians,youalwaysstart inwater, thekidneybeing thebirthplace of the meridians and the place from which they all emerge. Thekidney source point is themaster source point; it sends energy anywhere it isneeded.(Note:usingthispointiscontraindicatedforpregnantwomen.)

FIGURE48Circulation-sexsedating,strengthening,andcontrolpoints

Thefirstsourcepointsonthemudrawalkarekidney3(K-3)andbladder

64.K-3 is locateddirectlybehind theanklebone, in thehollowof theAchillestendon on the big-toe side of the foot. (See figure 16.) Bladder 64 is locateddirectly in front of (toward the toes) the protruding bone halfway down theoutside edge of your foot. (See figures 49 and 50.)You can tap these points,massage themdeeply,orsimplyhold themandwait for thepulses tocomeupandsynchronize.HoldK-3withyourthumbandwrapthehandaroundtoholdbladder64withyourpinkyorringfinger.Byworkingboththesepointstogether,you are energizing and strengthening both the yin and the yang of the waterelement,bringingthemintobalance.

As you’re holding the points, visualize your kidneys. See the actualorgans, located on either side of the small of your back, at the height of thewaist.Therightkidneyisslightlylowerthentheleftone.Theyareabitlargerthanthesizeofyourfist.Theirmainphysiologicaljobistofilterwastefromtheblood and tomanufacture urine.As you’re holding the kidney points, see theorganreceivingthisdirectenergy.HoldingK-3alsohelpsrelievelow-backpain.

As you’re holding the bladder point, visualize the bladder itself. It islocated behind the pubic bone and holds urine that is waiting to be released.Holdingbladderpointssendscalmingenergyupthespine.

FIGURE49SourcepointsfortheSource-PointMudraWalk:Feet

Whenyou’recompleteonthefirstside,straightentherightleg,bendthe

leftlegback,andholdkidney3andbladder64ontheleftfoot.Tip:Ifyou’recomfortableinfullhero’spose,youcanholdbothsetsof

pointsonbothfeetatthesametime.Fromwaterwemovetowood.

Forward-bending twist (marichiasana I)with liver and gallbladder sourcepoints.Bringtheleftfootbackdowntothefloorwiththekneeupintheair.Therightlegwillremainextended.Themeridiansforwoodareliverandgallbladder.Liver 3 is located an inchback from the gullywhere the big toe and first toemeet, between themetatarsal bones. Gallbladder 40 is located in front of theankleboneontheoutsideofthefootinthediptowardthebottomofthefoot.(Iftheankleboneisaquadrant,thedipisinthelower-leftsquare.)

Again, hold,massage, tap, or pulse these points. (See figure 51.)Yourrighthandwillreachoutandholdthebigtoeofyourrightfootinyogictoelock.(Seeweek4fordetailsaboutwhytheyogictoelockisimportant.)Ifyoucan’treachyourrightfoot,bringyourhandbehindthekneeandholdthegallbladderneurovascularpoints.Thisposeresemblesanarcherholdingbackthebow.

FIGURE50Source-PointMudraWalk:Feet,halfhero(ardhavirasana)withkidneyandbladdersourcepoints

As you’re holding, visualize your liver. This is the yin, wood organ,working all the time, as the yin organs do. It is attached to the bottomof thediaphragmandalmostcompletelyfillstheupper-rightabdominalregionandthetopoftheleftregion.Theliverstoresandregulatesbloodvolume;breaksdowntoxicsubstances,includingalcohol;andcreatesandstoresaminoacids,proteins,andfatsandcholesterol,whichareusedinthecreationofhormones.Thesearejust some of its functions. The liver is the only organ that has the ability toregenerate itself, so it is appropriate that it is theorganof spring,which is allaboutrebirthandnewlife.

Thegallbladderisapear-shapedorganconnectedtotheundersideoftheliver.Itstoresextrabiletobereleasedtoaidinthedigestionoffats.

When you are complete on the first side, transition to the other side,maintainingcontactwitheithertheliverandgallbladderpointsortheyogictoelock as you do so. You can straighten the left leg and switch your fingers toyogic toe lock; thenpull your right leg inbypullingbackon thebig toe, andswitch to hold liver 3 and gallbladder 40when the foot is in place.Hold the

secondsideaslongasyouheldthefirst.

FIGURE 51 Source-Point Mudra Walk: Feet, forward-bending twist(marichiasanaI)withliverandgallbladdersourcepointsSeatedforwardbend(paschimottanasana)withstomachandspleensourcepoints.Whenyou’vecompleted thewoodmeridians,you’llmove to the earthelementand thestomachandspleenmeridians. Ifyoucan’t reachyour toes infull forward bend, bring your feet to your body in cobbler’s pose. In eitherposition,wrapyourhandsaroundyourfeet,withyourthumbdrapingjustbelowtheballofthefoot;thisisspleen3.Yourhandshouldspanoverthehighestpointof the topof the foot; thatpoint is stomach42. (See figure52.)Youcanholdboththesepointsonbothfeetatthesametime,lendingacohesionandaclosingtothismovingmudra.

While you’re holding these points, visualize the spleen, the yin, earthorgan.Thespleenislocatedontheleftsideofthebody,highupintheabdomen.Thespleen filtersandcleans theblood,aswell asclearingbacteriaand toxinsfromthebody.Italsoproduceslymphcellsandstoresbloodforadditionalbodydemands. The stomach takes up the rest of the space in the left upper bodycavity.Nestledunder thediaphragmandbetween the left lobeof the liverandthe spleen, it holds food during its breakdown stage and then moves food

throughthedigestivetract.

FIGURE 52 Source-Point Mudra Walk: Feet, seated forward bend(paschimottanasana)withstomachandspleensourcepoints

Whenyou’recompletewiththishold,shakeoutyourlegsandshakeoffyourhandsbriskly.

Reclining Poses, Restorative Inversions, andRelaxationPreparation

Laughing Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana) with K-1MassageLieonyourbackandpullyourkneesintowardyourarmpits,withyourlegsbentat90-degreeangles, so the feet look like theycouldwalkon theceiling.Eventhoughyou’repullingyourlegsin,trytoextendthroughthespine,pressingyourlowbackto thefloor.Thisoppositionalstretchhelpsopenthehipsevenmore.Reachyourhandstoyourfeetandgentlypullthekneesdeeperintothearmpits.Alternately, if it feels more comfortable, you can pull the knees outside thearmpitstowardthefloor.

Squeeze around thewidest part of the foot.Thishelps to stimulate andawaken radiantcircuitenergy.Nextdeeplypress inandmassageK-1, the firstpoint of kidney meridian. Now pulse it, pressing and releasing, pressing andreleasing.Thepointislocatedwheretheballofthebigtoemeetstheballofthesecond/third toes, in that slight indentation. This is the entry point of earthenergy into thebody. It iscalled the“WellspringofLife”point,andpulsing itresetstheenergysystemsofthewholebody.

Upward-FacingTripleDiamondPosewithElectricsAnotherlovelywaytousetheelectricsisinupward-facingtriplediamondpose.Thisposeisadeephipandheartopener.Theteacherwhotaughtmethisposesaiditisforreleasingangerandgreed.Youcansimplybringtomindanythingthat resonates with you in those realms, and let it release as your body isrespondingtothiselectricalinflux.

Lieonyourback,with the solesofyour feet together, kneesout to thesides. This is the first diamond.Bring your arms overhead, elbows out to theside.Thisistheseconddiamond.Nowbringyourthumbsintotheelectricpoints

atthebackofthehead(seeweek6),andinterlaceyourfingersunderyourheadasacushion.Yourhands,connectedtoyourhead,formthethirddiamond.(Seefigure53.)Allowyourselftosurrenderandreleaseintotheposeasyoubreathedeeplyintothebelly.

When you feel complete, slowly straighten the bends in the body,stretchinglongasyoudoso.

Downward-Facing Triple Diamond Pose with Third-EyeHoldThisdownward-facingformofthetriplediamondposeistoreleasesadnessandgrief.Allowanyemotionstoleaveyou,enteringthefloorandtheearth,whereeverythingcanbegrounded.

Lieonyourstomach.Bringthesolesofthefeettogether,kneesouttothesides; this is the first diamond. Bring your hands above your head with thethumbs and index fingers together; this is the second diamond. The thirddiamondisformedbyyourbentelbows.

FIGURE53Upward-FacingTripleDiamondPosewithElectrics

Resttheforeheadonthethumbs,withthetipsofthethumbsintheindentat the topof thenose,where itmeets theforeheadat theareaof the thirdeye.

Adjust until you find a comfortable place for the head. Release the jawcompletely,lettingthelowerteethfallforward.(Seefigure54.)

This is a deep hip opener, and lots of emotion can arise from it. Justbreatheintothebelly,lettingitliftthebodyoffthefloor,andletyourselfreleaseasmuchaspossible.

Whenyoufeelcompletewiththispose,slowlystraightenthebendsofthebody,stretchingalongthefloor.Rockthesacrumbackandforth tocalmtriplewarmerandfurtherreleasetensionandstress.

Plow Pose (Halasana) with GallbladderNeurovascularsandCalfMassageAnothergentleyetpowerfulinversionistheplowpose(halasana).Thisposeisoftenpracticedwiththesamesetupforshoulderstand:afoldedblanketundertheshoulders,withtheheadofftheblankettoallowroomforthenecktoextendandnot compress. But there are many variations of this pose, and you can stillreceivethebenefitsevenwithmostofyourbackonthefloorandonlyyourlegsfolded over you. This is like seated forward bend (paschimottanasana), butupsidedown.IntheEnergyMedicineYogaversionofplow,youwillworksomevery powerful points on the lower legs. Lie on your back, with or withoutpaddingundertheshoulders(butnotunderthehead).Useyourhandspressedonthe floor, aswell as your stomachmuscles, to lift your legs up and fold thembackoveryourbody.Ifyou’remoreflexible,youcanbringthelegsallthewayoverheaduntil the toes reach theground.Youcanalso justbring the legsoverthebody.

FIGURE54Downward-FacingTripleDiamondPosewithThird-EyeHold

Nowreachtothelargest,fleshiestpartofthecalfandstarttomassageit,focusingonthelowest,diminishingpartofthemuscle.Thismuscleiscalledthesoleus. It is considered to be the second heart because it is responsible forsendingvenousbloodbacktotheheartandthebrain.Thismuscleisoftensoreand tight, andmassaging it is crucial for keeping it supple andworkingwell.Thisinversion,whichisalreadyhelpingeasetheflowofvenousblood,isagreattimetoworkthismuscle.

Afteryoufinishmassagingthesoleus,workyourwaydowntotheankleandmassagethere.You’llendupontheAchillestendon.TheankleandAchillesarepartofthetendonguardreflex,whichisareflexdeeplyrelatedtothefight-or-flightresponseandtocommunication.AshortenedAchillestendonhasbeenlinked to learning disabilities and to difficulty communicating. Studies haveshown that lengthening this tendoncanhelpwithcommunication.High-heeledshoescanalsoshortenthistendon,andsoifyouwearhighheelsregularly,makesuretoworkthecalvesevenmore.Aftermassaginghere,holdandsqueezetheAchilles tendon.This stimulates both theK-3 and bladder 60 points. (See theinstructions for Camel Pose [Ustrasana] with Meridian Point Holds in thebackbendschapterformoreontheseimportantpoints.)

FIGURE55 PlowPose(halasana)withGallbladderNeurovascularsandCalfMassage

Nowbringbothhandstothebacksofthekneesandholdthere.Thesearethe gallbladder neurovascular points (figure 55). These points are intimatelyconnectedtotriplewarmer,asthegallbladdermeridianbothfeedstriplewarmerenergyandisfedenergybytriplewarmer.Gallbladderrulesdecisions,andwhenitisoutofbalance,itcanbecharacterizedbyangerandrashdecisionmakingorindecisionandtimidity.Balancingthismeridiancanhelpmakedecisionmakingeasier.Thegallbladdermeridiandistributesenergythroughthebody,andwhenyou’re balancing the neurovascular points of gallbladder, the heart meridianenergyalsobalances.Asexplainedinweek4ofpart1,eachmeridianhasatwo-hour cycle duringwhich it is at the height of its energy.When the energy ofgallbladderisatitsheight,theenergyofheartisatitsweakest.Sobybalancingandenergizinggallbladder’senergy,youhelpkeepitfromstealingheartenergy,therebyallowinghearttobalancealso.

Thegallbladderneurovascularsarealsoemotionalbalancers,asnotedinthe directions for Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana) withNeurolymphaticCleanseandGallbladderNeurovascularHoldinthechapterontwistsandseatedposes.Gallbladder isat itspeakenergy in the twohours justafter triple warmer’s two-hour peak, and holding gallbladder’s neurovascularstakes the yang, intense energy out of triple warmer, helping to calm it.

Gallbladder is also the digester of what seems impossible, bringing you thestrength to do challengingwork. Holding these points is deeply soothing andenergizingtothewholebody,bothphysicallyandemotionally.

Whenyoufeelcomplete,slowlyrolldownfromthepose,bendingyourknees to release the feet to the floor. Lift and lower the hips a few times inconjunctionwithyourbreath, to release the lowerback.Youcanalso fold thekneesintothechestandhugthemtighttofinishthispractice.

Tip:Thisentirecalfsequencecanalsoeasilybedone in laughingbabypose.

Closing Your Physical Practice: Eye Yoga andSavasana

EyeYogaI rememberdoingeyeyogawhenIwas inmy teacher trainingandhating it. Ithought itwas so slow andboring.But as I learnedmore andmore about theeyesandtheirconnectiontohealing,Ibecameadevoteeofsomeofthesemoreesotericpractices.

“Theeyesare thewindowstothesoul”—atruerstatementcouldnotbemade.Onaverygrosslevel,theeyescontainablueprintforwhatisgoingoninall theother tissuesof thebody.Learning to read thisblueprint is thestudyofiridology.Justasthefootandhandbothcontainreflexpointsfortherestofthebody,so,too,dotheeyes.Thevisualsystem(whichincludesyoureyesandtheirsupporting nerves and tissues) usesmore than 25 percent of the nutrients thatyouabsorbfromfood.Theeyesalsohold80percentofthetensionofthebody,sorelaxingtheeyeshasanenormousoveralleffect.

The following eye-yoga exercises help tone the optic nerve and, byworkingtheeyemuscles, increasecirculationtothedelicatetissuesandnervesthatmakeuptheeyeitself.Doingthesecanhelpimproveeyesightandreleasestressandtrauma.Youcandotheseexerciseswhenyouliedownonyourback,immediatelybeforesavasana.

COMPASSGAZING(NETHRAVYAYAMAM)ANDPALMINGYou can do these exercises in a comfortable seated position or lying on yourbackonthefloor.Makesureyouaremovingonlyyoureyesandnotyourhead.Moveslowlyanddeliberately.Don’trush.

First,openyoureyesandlookupasfarasyoucan.Comebacktocenterandlookdownasfarasyoucan.Comebacktocenterandlookasfarasyoucanto the left.Comeback tocenterand lookas farasyoucan to the right.Comebacktocenter.

Nowlookdiagonally,firstuptotherightandthendowntotheleft.Comebacktocenter.Lookdiagonallyuptotheleftandthendowntotheright.Comebacktocenter.

Nowslowlyworkyoureyesaroundinacircleclockwise.(Althoughtheposeisnamedafteracompass,itmightmakemoresensetonameitforaclock.Itinvolvesasimilarideaoffollowingdetailsaroundinacircle.)Startbylookingup at a twelveo’clockposition, thenmoveyour eyes around to threeo’clock,down to six o’clock, around to nine o’clock, and back to twelve.Do this twomoretimes.Keepyourbreathslowandsteady.Noticeifthereareanyareasoftensionorconstriction.Ifoneareaisdifficult,spendabitoftimegoingbackandforthoverit.

Then circle the eyes several times in the counterclockwise direction.Again,ifthereistensionordifficultyorthebreathbecomesragged,trytorelaxand remain on the challenging point. You can bring one hand to the frontalneurovascular points on the forehead to help dissolve any stress youmay feelwhenyoufindaplaceoftension.

Afteryou’ve finishedcircles, takeonehandand,withyour fingers inathree-pointnotchaninchortwoinfrontofyourface,traceafigure-eightpatterninfrontofyoureyes,crossinginbetweentheeyes.Asyoudrawthefigureeight,follow your fingers with your eyes. Go slowly. Again, if this action feelsstressful or challenging, bring your other hand to the forehead to cover theneurovascularpointsthere.

Afteryou’vefinished,rubyourhandstogether,generatingheat,andcupthemoveryourclosedeyes.Theheelofthehandisonthecheekbone,andthepalm is over the eye cavity, but not touching the eye. Hold here for severalbreaths.Youcanactuallyholdthispositionforquitealongtime,andthelongeryou hold it, the deeper the relaxation response and benefit to the eyes. Thistechnique, called palming, is used quite extensively in natural vision-healingprograms. The heat and electromagnetism from your hands help to relax themusclesthatmovetheeyeandtoenergizethedelicateeyeballtissue.

NaturalvisiontherapypioneerMeirSchneiderhealedhiseyescompletelyfrom severe cataracts and botched surgeries that left him legally blind.At theoutset,hewouldpalmthemforseveralhoursaday.

OTHEREYEYOGATECHNIQUES

Tappingandpinchingtheorbitalbone.Firstlightlytapandthenpinch,withaverysoftandsmalltouch,aroundtheorbitalbonesurroundingtheeye.Thendothesamewiththeeyelid.Thisreleasesstuckenergiesandrebalancesthevisioninbotheyes.Tappingtheeyeball.Layonefingerovertheclosedeyelidandgentlytaponitwiththeotherhand.Thishelpswitheyefatigueandcreatesawavethatpulsesall the way to the back side of the head and upward throughout the brain,connectingenergypatternstotheopticnerveandreleasingeyestrain.Clearingmeridianpointsaroundtheeyes.Liver,kidney,andstomacharethethreeprimarymeridiansassociatedwiththeeyes.Clearingthelymph,aswedidin Triangle Pose (Trikonasana) with SLK and Stomach Line Clear (standingposeschapter)andintheKidneyThree-PointPose(week4),iswonderfulfortheeyes.ThefourthoftheFourThumps(week1),whichtapsthestomach-meridianpointbeneaththeeye,andtheCrownPull(week1)arealsogoodtechniquesforhelpingtheeyes.

Ifeyeyogaissomethingyouwanttoworkwithmore,therearemanywonderfulnatural vision-therapy resources available. There are alsomany traditions thatbelieve theeyesholdourpatternsandcontainour trauma.Techniques suchasEMDRworkwith this concept and can be very powerful. Tracing the figure-eightpatternwhileholdingtheforeheadneurovascularpoints,aswedidabove,issimilartosomeoftheEMDRworkforreleasingtrauma,butmuchmorebasic.

DeepRelaxation:SavasanawithRoosterCombHoldSavasana is considered themost difficult pose in yoga.Many students skip itcompletely, sneaking out of class before savasana or not including it in theirhomepractice.Savasanaisthetime,however,whentherealbenefitsoftheyogapracticetakehold.Inthispose,whenthebodyisdeeplyrelaxed,thecellsabsorbthework.

Thisisalsotheposewhereweexperienceandpracticedying—hencethenamecorpsepose.Weessentiallydietothismoment,lettingthemomentpassbywithoutgraspingit,andallowthenewmomenttoarise.It’satimewherewecanexperimentwiththetransienceofthephysicalbody,knowingthatwearenotthebody. So what are we? It is in this time out of time that those ideas cangerminate, returningyou toyourselfnewand lessattached to the false ideaofpermanence.

Asyou’regettingreadytoendthepracticewithsavasana,youcometoaquietermind.

The Rooster CombHold, which is also used in the backbends chapterwithpigeonpose(ekapadarajakapotanasana),issomethingyou’lldoagainherein preparation for savasana. After you try it in both poses, you’ll find if youprefer todo thisholdwhile folded forward (inpigeon)orwhile lyingonyourback(insavasana).Again,theroostercombholdbalancesallyourhormones.Itbalancestheinterplaybetweenthehypothalamus,whichisconsideredtobethemastergland,andthepinealandthepituitaryglands.Theneurovascularpointsforthelivermeridian,thebigmetabolizerforthehormones,arealsoheld.

FIGURE56SavasanawithRoosterCombHold

Liedownonyourbackinsavasana.Turnyourheadslightlytooneside

andbringtheheelofonehandtotheforehead.Drapethefingersoverthetopofthehead.Takeyourotherhandandeitherputtheheelofthathandonthetopofthehead,wherethefingertipsoftheotherhandend,orplacethefingertipsofthesecondhandnexttothefingertipsofthefirstanddrapetheheelovertheupperbackofthehead.Eitherway,you’llbecoveringthepointsonthefrontandbackofthehead.(Seefigure56.)

Holdthesepointsforanywherefromonetotenminutes.Whenyoufeelcomplete,releaseyourhandstothesides,andcontinuetorestinsavasana.

MeditationMeditation isasimple tool thatcanchangeyour life indramaticways.Thereare somany reasons tomeditate, andmore andmore studies are coming outabout thevalueandpowerofmeditation.Peopleuse it to reduce stress, lowerblood pressure, and increase concentration and performance in a variety ofdisciplines.Itseemsoddthatsittingstillandfocusingthemindononething,likethebreathoramantra,couldhelpyouineveryotherareaofyourlife.Butthestudiesarepowerful.

If you want to understand how your mind works so you can begin todismantlebehaviorsthataren’tservingyou,meditationisthetoolforyou.Ifyouwant to bringmore calm and contentment to your life, connectmore to yourintuition andwith the world, and experience your own divinity,meditation isyourpractice.Doabitofyourownresearchtodiscoverthemanybenefitsofthispractice,andIencourageyoutobringitintoyourlife.

Youcanpracticemeditationaftersavasanaoronitsown,firstthingwhenyougetupinthemorning,atnoon,orlastthingbeforeyougotobed.Thosearetheidealtimestopractice.Themostauspicioustimeisbetween3:30and5:00inthemorning, before the day begins, just as dawn is breaking.This is also thehigh tideof lungmeridian,whereyouhave themost access to thebreath.Myteacher says this is thebest time to practicemeditation.Thenext best time topracticeiswheneveryoucan!

Simply sitting still and watching the breath, or focusing on a SanskritmantrasuchasHamSaorSoHum, canbe avery easy and accessibleway tobegin.

A general rule of thumb is that twenty minutes a day is necessary tomaintainabalancedandequanimous life.But tobegin, fiveminutes isagoodplace tostart.At theendofaweek,addanother fiveminutes,untileventuallyyou are up to twenty. If you have more time and want to take your practicedeeper,youcanbuilduptoforty-fiveminutesoranhour.

BreathMeditationThemost basic andwidespreadmeditation technique is simply towatch yourbreath.AlthoughIsay,“simply,”onceyoutrywatchingyourbreath,youwillseehowchallengingitcanbe.Andthatchallengeispartoftheprocess.Byslowingdownyourbreath,body,andmind,youbegintoseehowyourmindworksandbegin to create space around your egoic preferences and drives. You becomecalmer,more centered, better able tomake informed decisions,more in touchwithyourintuition,andeventuallyabletofeelyourconnectiontotheonenessoftheuniverse.

Beginbysittinginacomfortableposition.Youcansitonthefloorwithsome cushions underneath your sitting bones to lift the hips above the knees.Youcansitonachairwithyourfeetplantedflatonthefloor.Youcanalsodomeditationlyingdown,ifsittingpresentsachallenge.

Close the eyes and begin to watch your breath. You can focus on thenostrils,feelingtheairasitmovesintothebody.Youcanwatchtheriseandfallofthechestortheexpansionandcontractionoftheabdomen.Youcanlistentothesoundofyourbreathinyourearsorfeelthebreathwithyourinnersenses.Ifyourmindstartstowander,gentlybringitbacktoyourbreath.Ifthoughtsarise,thinkofthemlikecloudspassingbyinthesky,withoutfixatingonanyofthem.Trustthatifathoughtisimportant,itwillcomebackwhenyouarereadytodealwith it. The most powerful studies I’ve seen show that the importance ofmeditationpracticecomesfromseeingthatthemindiswanderingandbringingitbacktothebreath.Thatmomentistheonethattrainsthemind.Andthismindtraining is actually training you to be happier, more content, and moreempoweredinyourlife.

MantraMeditationSometimes, themindissobusythat itseemsimpossible toquiet it,evenforamoment.Thisiscalledthemonkeymind,asitseemstobejumpingfromthoughttothoughttothought,likeamonkeysoaringfrombranchtobranchandtreetotree.Ifthisisthecase,thebreathmaynotbeastrongenoughfocalpointtokeepyougrounded.Youcanuseasimplemantratobegintodisciplinethemind.

Amantraisawordorphrasethatyourepeatinthesilenceofyourmind.Themost often prescribed mantra for a beginning meditator is the phrase SoHumorHamSa.Eachisbasicallythesamephraseinreverse,onethatmeans“Iamthat”or“Itisso.”Ithasnoreligiousordeity-basedsignificance.Itissimplyadeclarationthatyouarehere,inthisbody,sittingstill.TheSanskritlanguageisa resonance language,whichmeans thevibrationof thewords actually affectsyouatacellularlevel.Itdoesn’tmatterifyouknowwhatthewordsmean;yourbodyrespondsregardless.Thisisoneofthereasonschantingissopopularandpowerful in theyogic tradition. It transformsyou.Sosaying thismantrahasapowerfuleffectonyourbody,aswellasgivingthemindsomethingtodo.

Ifyouwanttoworkwithmoremantras,IsuggestthebookThePowerofMantra and the Mystery of Initiation, by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait (see thebibliography).Therearemanymantrasavailableon the Internet,butnotallofthemwillbeappropriate touse.Findagoodandqualifiedteachertohelptakeyoudeeperintomantra-meditationpractice.

Source-PointMudraWalk:HandsIlovethismeditation,asithelpstofocusthemind,givingitapointofcontact.Usingthesource-pointmudraissortoflikeusingmalabeads,whicharebeadsusedtohelppracticemantrameditation.Here,themudraservesasthepointoffocus.

One of the most common, widely used, and powerful mudras is chinmudra.Itisthemudramostoftenusedformeditationpractice.Itisthelinkingoftheindexfingerwiththethumb.Theindexfingerrepresentsindividualwill,andthe thumb,universalwill.With thismudra,youbow the individualwill to theuniversalwill.

Ialsolovetheenergeticcomponentofthemudra,whichisrarelytaught.

Thetipofthethumbistheendofthelungmeridian,theyinmetalelement,andthe tipof the index finger is the start of the large-intestinemeridian, theyangmetalelement.Connectingthesetwomeridiansactuallyrunstheenergycycleofthese twometal elements, the element of lettinggo.Lung runs over the lungsandoffthethumb,andlargeintestinerunsupthearm,startingattheindexfingerandendingbelowthenostril.Itistheperfectconnectiontohelpamplifytheeaseofbreathandallowthebodytoletgobothemotionallyandenergetically.

The Source-PointMudraWalk on the hands follows a similar path forconnecting the elements.Themeridians in thehands relate tometal, aswe’veseenwithlungandlargeintestine,andalsofire.Firerelatestobothinspirationandanxiety.Byholdingthesepointsinmeditation,youarebothcalminganxietyand balancing inspiration. You are also working directly with the organs byusing the source points. With this mudra, you activate the physical smallintestine,heartandpericardium,lungs,andlargeintestine.Triplewarmeristheonlymeridianinvolvedinthemudrathatdoesnothaveacorrespondingorgan.

You’ll begin with the triple warmer–circulation-sex connection. Sit inyour comfortablemeditative seat, either in a chairoronameditationcushion.Withyourlefthandrestingpalmup,bringthemiddlefingerofyourrighthandtotriplewarmer4,andthethumbtocirculation-sex7.Triplewarmer4islocatedonthebackofthewrist,intheslightdipatthewristcrease,inbetweenthelargetendonofthepinkyfingerandthejoinedgroupoftendonsfromthefirst,second,and third fingers. Circulation-sex 7 is located at the center of the front wristcrease,inlinewiththemiddlefinger(figure57).

Holdthetwopointsuntilthepulsesbeattogether.(Thispulsecanbethefocusofyourmeditation.)Atthesametime,visualizethepericardium,whichisthemuscle that protects the heart and keeps the heart rhythm in synch.Triplewarmercontrolsallthreeregionsoftheabdomen,soyoucouldalsofocusonthebalanced heat distribution through your core. After you feel the pulses of thepointsbeatingtogetherandstrongly,movetothenextsetofpoints.

FIGURE57SourcepointsfortheSource-PointMudraWalk:Hands

Holdsmallintestine4withthemiddlefingerandheart7withthethumb.Tofindsmallintestine4,slideyourmiddlefingerdownthelongboneatthesideofthehand(thekarate-chopbone); justas thisbonemeets thetopof thewristjoint,thereisasmalldip.Thisissmallintestine4.Heart7islocatedatthefrontcreaseofthewrist,justinsidethelasttendon,inlinewiththepinky(figure57).

Again, hold these points. Visualize the heart. Maybe you can feel itbeatinginyourbody.Seetheoxygenatedbloodcomeinandthede-oxygenatedbloodgoout.Seethesmallintestine.Itstartsitsattachmentatthestomachandfillsmostof theabdominalcavityalongwith the large intestine.This iswherethe bodymakes the decisions as towhat is valuable to digest and absorb andwhatiswaste.

Whenyou’recompletewiththathold,walkyourrightindexfingerunderthehandandoverthethumbtothebackoftheleftindexfinger,whereitmeetsthethumb.Atthatjunctureofboneislargeintestine4.Thisisalsothepointtomassageifyou’vegotaheadache,butdon’tmassageitifyou’repregnant.Yourthumbwillslideacrosstheinsideofyourwristtolung9,locatedontheinsidewristcrease,justinsidethethicktendonatthethumbside(figure57).(Youwillfeelastrongbloodpulsehere.)

Again, hold these points and visualize the organs of elimination. Thelungs,fillingtheentirethoraciccavity,replacecarbondioxidewithoxygen.The

largeintestine,connectedtothesmallintestineandemptyingitscontentsouttheanus,furtherprocessesfoodandwasteandremovessolidwastefromthesystem.

Whenyoufeelcompletewiththathold,curlyourleftmiddlefingerovertherighthandtotriplewarmer4andbringtheleftthumbontocirculation-sex7,tobeginthewalkontherighthandnow.

Whenyouarecomplete,continuetositstillandfeeltheenergymovingthroughyourwholebody.

FinalNotesBynowyou’ve seen that there aremanyways to useEnergyMedicineYogaboth inyourdailyyoga and as standalonepractices.There are techniques thatyoucanuseinanypose,andthebeautyofthispracticeisthatyoucancustomizeittofityourneeds.Beexperimental,beplayful.Findwhatworksforyou.

EnergyMedicineYoga isawayof learning to listen toyourbody.Younowknowtheplacestothump,totap,andtohold.Youknowhowtoweaveyourenergysystemstogether.Youknowhowtofindtheplaceswhereenergyisstuckandhowtomassage it free.Get intimatewithyourself.Feel theuniquenessofyour body and all of its quirks. You will start to discover all the amazing,incredible, subtleways the body communicateswith you.Youwill be able todiscoverwhenitisgettingsick,beforethesicknesstakeshold.You’llbeabletohear thingswhen thebody is stillwhispering, before it is forced to scream itsmessages.

Iencourageyoutolistenandtuneintohowyoufeel,bothonaphysicallevelandonanemotionalandmentallevel.Getquietandcomeintothepresentmoment.Releasethedistractionsofyourdailylife.Comeintothecenter,comeintoneutral,whereyoureleaseyourdesireforthingstobeonewayoranotherandacceptthingsjustastheyare.Thenaskyourself:howdoesthatfeel?Learnand remember that feelingof neutral, that feelingof contentment and ease, sothatyoucancomebacktoitagainandagain.

IalsoencourageyoutogetintothehabitofdoingsomeformofEnergyMedicineYogaeveryday,inthesamewaythegroomersgroomtheskimountaineverysingleday.Youdon’thavetodoaton,butdosomething.Bynowyou’vediscoveredthatalittlegoesalongway.Buildthepositivehabitfields.Buildthepositiveenergyconnections.Getyourenergyhabituatedtowakingup,togoingin therightdirection, toworkingwithandforyou.Excepton thefirstdaysofyourmoon(menstrual)cycleorduringaseriousinjuryorillness,practiceeveryday.Bringyourselftoyourmatandstarttomove.

Andbringallofyourselftothemat.Thepartofyouthatislazyorangryortired.Thepartthatisboredordisbelievingordisenchanted.Whenyouaretoobusy,orwhenyouarediscontent,whenyourlifeistranscendent,andwhenitisfallingapart,practiceanyway.Cometothemat.Giveyourselftothepractice.

Lifeisaconstantrepetitionoftasks.Thereisnevercompletion.Thereareonly more tasks—many of them the exact same tasks you did yesterday—washingdishes,doinglaundry,makingbeds,cooking,eating,cleaningup.Ifyoulearn to enjoy the tasks and not the completion of the tasks, you can findhappiness.Butyoumustpracticeenjoyingthem,becausethenaturaltendencyisto long for the endof the task, to long for completion. In the sameway,yourEnergyMedicineYogapracticeis,atfirst,thepracticeofenjoyingthepractices.

Firstyou tapbecause thebook tellsyou to tap.Thenyoustart to feelaresult from the tapping. You slowly do more and continue to try out newpractices.Afterawhile,usingEnergyMedicineYogatechniqueswillbecomeahabit,likebrushingyourteeth,andyouwonderhowyouevercouldhavedonewithoutit.Andthenallofasudden,yourbodyissimplydoingthesepracticesbecause itknowsthem.Youhavebecomefluent in the languageofyourbody.Youhaveattainedalevelofmastery.You’llknowyouhavereachedthatbecauseifyoustart todothesepracticesdaily,you’llfeel itmarkedlywhenyouskipaday or two. That is when EnergyMedicineYoga becomes themost potent—whenyoufeeltheneed,thelongingforthework.

Littleby little,yourpracticewill showyouwhoyouare, and itwillbeimprovingyou,ineverymoment—notmakingyouhotter,sexier,orslimmer,butallowingyoutorecognizeyourowndivinityandyourownhumanity.Youwillincrease your compassion for yourself and thereby increase it for others. Youwillfeelyourselfapartoftheuniverseandbegintoseetheinterconnectionofeverything.Youwill learn and discover things that I do not know and cannotwrite of here, because they will be your own secret mysteries. And yourcontinualdailypracticewillalsomakeyoustronger,moreflexibleinbodyandmind,moreresilient,calmer.

YourEnergyMedicineYogapracticewill teachyou to find the joyandpresenceofeverymoment.Bydevotingyourselftothiswork,youcandiscoveryourown innerstrength, resilience,and intuition—theskills thatwillhelpyoubecome the person that you truly are, powerful and potent in your own life,manifesting your desires, and content with your experiences. When you aredeeply grounded, you can reach great heights. This practicewill give you thetoolstoclearawaythelimitationsthathavebeenshroudingyou.Itwillgiveyouthecourageand thewillpower to followyourpath. Itwillallowyou to let thelightofyoursoulshineforth.

APPENDIX

TraumaandEnergyMedicineYogaBecausesomanyofussufferfrompainandgriefandtrauma—bothlargeandsmall—that gets stored in our energy systems, I’m includinghere a primer onsomeeasywaystodealwithandreleasethem.Thisisahugesubject,butthereare some simple tools I’d like to give you to help you start to dissipate thesechallengingenergies,soyoucanexperiencemoreeaseinyourlife.

Therearemanytypesoftrauma.Wecanexperiencephysicaltrauma,likeabroken leg.Wecanexperienceemotional trauma,suchasbeing fired fromajoborlosingachild.Wecanexperiencespiritualtrauma,likeacrisisoffaithora feeling of despair. And every type of trauma, not just physical, affects thebody.

Theenergyofanytraumalivesintheenergeticfieldsofthebodyandinthe chakras. It also lives in the tissues and cells of the body. Sometimes itappearsinthephysicalbodyortheenergeticbody,andsometimesitappearsinboth.Sometimestheenergyofnonphysicaltraumacansitintheauraandslowlyseepintothephysicalform,eventuallycausingphysicalproblems.Emotionalorresidualphysicaltraumathatisstuckinthephysicalbodycanincreaseovertimeandbecomedenser,migratingfromtissuesintoorgans,hardeningintostuckorfrozenmusclesortumors.

However it appears andwherever it sits, trauma isdisruptive.After theinitial event that caused the traumahas ended, thebodycan relive it over andover again. In fact, this is the description of post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD):Thebodyisunabletodistinguishrealeventsfromimaginedevents.Ifyou have been traumatized and you think about the traumatic event, the samestress chemicals thatwere released into thebodyduring theoriginal eventgetreleasedintothebodyasyouthinkaboutitagain.Thebodythinkstheeventisactuallyhappeningagainandre-firesthesamechemicalandemotionalresponse.Thishappensoverandover,damagingthefragilenervoussystem,andcausingstresstobuildupandimprintpatternsinthebodyandthebrain.Re-experiencingthebody’sreactiontotheoriginaltraumastopsmanypeoplefrombeingabletogetpasttheevent,integrateitinahealthyway,andmoveforward.

There aremany books and studies linking the psychological andmindprocesseswiththephysicalbody.LouiseHay’swonderfulbookHealYourBodylistssomeofthepossibleemotionalcomponentstoaphysicalailment.Sheuses

positiveaffirmationstohelpreleasethephysicaldisease.Butoften,becauseofthehabitsmaintainedinourbody’senergyfields,“wishingyourselfwell”isn’tenough.

One of the main purposes of any type of yoga, including EnergyMedicine Yoga, is to keep the body supple and flexible. The body holdsmemoriesandemotionsinitsphysicalform.Manyyogateacherstalkaboutthesexual or family issues held in the hips. Struggles with finances and feelingoverburdenedbylifearesaidtobeheldintheback.Troubleswiththeneckpointtoourstubbornnessorinflexibilityonissues.

Themoreopenandflexible thebodyis, themoreopenandflexible themindcanbe.Openingupspacein thebodyallowstheenergyofstuck,deeplyheldemotionstomoveandbereleased.

The problem is, while experiencing an emotional release from, say, adeephipopenerorbackbend,canfeelcathartic,itcanalsofeelterrifying.Andifyou are dealing with a trauma like sexual abuse or deep grief, it can feeloverwhelming.

Inpart1,Italkedaboutthefrontalneurovascularpointsontheforehead.These“OhmyGod!”pointsareamongthemostpowerfultoolsyoucanusetohelpreprogramyournervoussystemandkeepitfromgoingintostressresponseatthememoryofatraumaticexperience.Iusethosepointsconstantlyduringmyyoga practice. Sometimes I use them to diffuse the energy of trauma, andsometimesIusethemjusttokeepmyselfmorepresentandfocusedinapose.

Ifyouareinayogaclassandstartingtohaveanemotionalrelease(orifyou are anywhere and starting to have an emotional release), immediately putonehandoveryour forehead.Youcanalsoputbothhandsoveryour foreheadandyourthumbsonyourtemples,whichisatriplewarmerpoint.Youcanalsocover your eyes with your palms and let your fingers come up over yourforeheadintoyourhairline,likewedidinthepalmingexerciseintheeyeyogachapter.

All of these holds help to calm the nervous system, keep blood in theforebrain, and interrupt the fight-or-flight response. They allow the story tooccur without the emotional charge of the story. The longer you hold thesepointswhilethestoryrunsthroughyourmind,themorethechargedissipates.

Youcando the same thing intentionally, aswell, todiffuseold trauma.Bringupthedifficultstorywhileholdingthesepoints.Thisinterruptstheflowofenergy to the limbic system of the brain and stops the stress response fromsendingoutthecascadeofstresshormones.Thestorydoesn’tgoaway,butthe

physiologicalresponsetoitlessensandlessensuntilitbecomesjustastory,justa part of your history, not something that triggers you into a full emotionalmeltdown.

Youcanusethosehandpositionsinalmostanyyogapose,butespeciallythosewhereyouareonyourbellyandreturningyourheadtothefloor.IrestmyheadinmyhandseverytimeIreleasemyheadbacktothefloorinbellyposes.Itiswonderfullycalmingandnurturingandallowsyourheadtocompletelyreleaseallitsstaticandclutter.Iliketoholdmyforeheadinforwardbendstoo.Ifyou’relessflexibleandcan’tbringyourarmsorelbowstothefloorinaforwardbend,useabolsterorblocktorestyourarmson,soyoucanreachyourhandstoyourhead.

Holding the triplewarmerneurovascularpoint in the throathollowalsocalms the nervous system. I use this point oftenwhen I’m on the phonewithsomeonechallengingorwhenI’minthecarandsomeonecutsmeoffintraffic.Holding thispoint has the effect of immediatelybringingyouback tobalanceandclarity.Youcanholdthispointinmanyposes,whichiswhyIusethetriplewarmer/heartmudraforalltheprayerpositions.

ThebookThePromiseofEnergyPsychology,byDavidFeinstein,PhD;DonnaEden;andGaryCraig,teachestheEmotionalFreedomTechnique(EFT)fordischargingtrauma.EFThasbeenusedtogreateffectwithveteranssufferingfromPTSD.Itusestapping,andasyouknow,tappingspeakstothebodyinitsown language. When you feel an emotional wave start to engulf you, tapsuccessivelyonthefollowingpoints: • theoutsideof theeyes•between the eyes, at the edgesof the

eyebrows•directlyundertheeyes•underthenose•underthelowerlip•K-27

•thethymus•thespleenpointsonthesideseamsofthebody•theoutsideedgesofyourthighs,wherethefingersnaturallylandifyourarmsareatyoursides•theouteredgeofthehand—thekarate-chopside

Theresearchonwhytheseparticularpointsworkisrelatedtotheconnectionofthesemajormeridianpointstotheamygdala,thepartofthebrainresponsibleforactivating and remembering emotional distress. Tapping on these pointsinterruptstheflowofelectricalenergytotheamygdalaatthesametimeyou’reremembering the traumatic event. This interruption changes the flow of theneuralpathways.

The Promise of Energy Psychology also has many poses useful for

activatingtheradiantcircuits,whichcanhelpdiffusetraumabyincreasingjoy.If you are struggling with deep trauma, I encourage you to seek

professional help. There is no need to suffer alone with trauma, and manyresourcesareouttheretohelpyou.

RESOURCES

Innersource (innersource.net), website for Donna Eden and Eden EnergyMedicine.

ParaYoga(parayoga.com),websiteforRodStrykerandParaYoga.The Gold Standard for EFT (emofree.com), website for Gary Craig and theEmotionalFreedomTechnique.

TheSucculenceRevolution(thesucculencerevolution.com),resourcesforsacredwomenpracticesmentionedinthe“SpecialNotetoWomen”neartheendofthebandhasection(seeweek3).

Lauren K. Walker: Writer, Teacher, Yogi (lkwalker.com), website for LaurenWalkerandherwork.

angela-victor.com,websiteforAngelaFarmer.Jivamukti (jivamuktiyoga.com), website for Jivamukti and co-founder DavidLife.

LifeSpa®(lifespa.com),websiteforDr.JohnDouillardandAyurvedicresearch.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Craig, Gary, Donna Eden, and David Feinstein, PhD. The Promise of EnergyPsychology.NewYork:Tarcher/Penguin,2005.

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Lipton, Bruce, PhD. The Biology of Belief. Santa Rosa, CA: Mountain ofLove/EliteBooks,2005.

Macdonell, Arthur Anthony, MA, PhD, Hon. L.L.D.A. A Practical SanskritDictionary.NewDelhi,India:MunshiramManoharlalPublishers,1999.

McCall,Timothy,MD.YogaasMedicine.NewYork:BantamDell,2007.Ober, Clinton, Stephen T. Sinatra, and Martin Zucker. Earthing: The Most

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Satchidananda, Yogiraj Sri Swami. Integral Yoga Hatha. Buckingham, VA:IntegralYogaPublications,1995.

Schneider,Meir.YogaforYourEyes.Boulder,CO:SoundsTrue,1999.Showkeir, Jamie, andMaren Showkeir.YogaWisdomatWork. San Francisco:Berrett-KoehlerPublishers,2013.

Snyder,Kimberly,CN.TheBeautyDetoxFoods.HarlequinBooks,2013.Stryker,Rod.TheFourDesires.NewYork:DelacortePress,2011.Takahashi,Takeo.AtlasoftheHumanBody.NewYork:HarperPerennial,1989.Tigunait, Pandit Rajmani, PhD. The Power of Mantra and the Mystery ofInitiation.Honesdale,PA:HimalayanInstitutePress,1996.

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secrets-of-your-second-brain.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

EnergyMedicineYogaisasynthesisofmanytechniquesI’vestudiedovertheyears.However,therearetwothatarethemostimportantandmostinfluentialonmyownpracticeandteaching.

The first is ParaYoga. I’ve been studying with ParaYoga founder RodStryker since 2000 and was initiated into the lineage in 2007. This ancient,methodical, spiritual, and scientific approach toyogahasbeenawellspringofsolace and power for me. The inclusion of deep meditation practices,visualization, and articulate asana, as well as devotion to prayer, mantra, andguru,haveallowedmetoenteraworldofyogapreviouslyunknowntome.Myinitiation into the lineage further melted my attachment to ego, allowing meever-deeperaccess to theprofoundtechniquesofParaYoga.Ibowdownat thelotusfeetofmyteacher,Yogarupa,andhisteacher,andhisteacher’steachers.

The second most profound synthesis of ideas I’ve discovered is EdenEnergy Medicine. Founded by Donna Eden, Eden Energy Medicine (EEM)supportsandhealshundredsofthousandsofpeopleworldwidewithitssimple,powerful,andaccessibletechniques.Basedonthetruththatenergyisallthereis,EEM practitioners begin to work with their own basic essential nature at itssource:vibrationandenergy.Mydevotionand loveforDonnaareunbounded.Her unconditional support and openhearted generosity are a rare gift to thisworld,andIamnotaloneinconsideringheralivingmaster.

Itisverypowerfultohavebothoftheseteacherspresentinthesynthesispractice of Energy Medicine Yoga, because this yoga system is both themasculine and the feminine, the yin and the yang. In order for us to becomewhole and healthy beings in this world, we have to balance these elementswithinourselves.Ifinditparticularlyinterestingthatuntilbothoftheseteachersappearedinmylife,Iwasnotabletotrulymoveforwardwithmyowndharma.Onceagain,theuniversewasatplay,bringingpowerfulfeminineandmasculineenergiestogethertoteachmesomethingthatismorethanasumofitsparts.

Althoughwriting is a very solitarypractice, the creationof a book is agroup effort.My endless thanks go out to all the peoplewhohave helpedmealong thewaywith encouragement,material and spiritual support, and succor,andforholdingstrongthebeliefthatwhatIwasdoingwithmylifewasgoingto

bevaluablebothtomyselfandothers,evenwhenitmaynothaveappearedtobeso.

My mother has unwaveringly supported me through a long and oftenstrange-looking career path, always championing my unique, out-of-the-boxapproach,neveraskingmetobemore“normal.”Iwillneverbeabletothankherenoughforherloveandconfidenceinme.Tomydad,whoIonlyeverwantedtomakeproud:I’mdoingyourworkintheworld—Iamateacherandawriter.Ilove you endlessly for your faith inme.My sister, Jennifer, has providedmewithmore insightandwisdom, truth telling,and love thanevensheknows,aswellasbeingthebestfirstpairofeyesandyogatechforthiswholebook.

I’mforever indebtedtoMichaelandLeslieGaffinfor theirunequivocalsupportandlove,andthespacetowritethefirstdraftofEnergyMedicineYoga.ToKristyGangeforintroducingmetoDonna’sworkandforeverchangingmylife.ToPJdeGrootforshowingmethepowerofDonna’sworkandhelpingmeto be a better writer. And an enormous debt of thanks and gratitude to AnnHood,forhelpingtomakemearealwriterinthefirstplace.

ThankyoutomystudentsatNorwichUniversityformakingmeabetterteacher and helping to birth Energy Medicine Yoga. Thank you to ColonelMichael Kelley, former commandant of cadets, for his unwavering trust thatyoga would help the cadets and for spearheading our yoga study. Thank youVermontStudentAssistanceCorporationforyourgenerousfinancialsupportofmystudiesofEdenEnergyMedicine.Ahuge thankyou toTitanyaDahlin forinsisting I finally take theEEMcertified practitioner programand for seedingtheideaofthisbook,toDondiDahlinforherincrediblesupportandencouragingmetowriteit,toDavidFeinsteinforhiswisdom,grace,unendinghelp,andtruefriendship.

Myprofoundgratitudegoes to theentire teamat Innersource.Aspecialthanks toRogerDevenyns; toall the teachersat Innersource, especiallySusanStone,LisaBuford,SaraAllen,KelmieBlake,AmyMcDowell,CamillePipolo,andDonnaKemper;andtoallmyco-studentsintheEEMcertifiedpractitionerprogram,especiallyMeredithMills.ThankyoutoMariaPetrovafortensegrity.Thankyou to thebrilliantDr. JamesOschmanandDr.BruceLipton, for theirincredibleinsightsthatarechanginghowwethinkabouttheworld.

My thanks to EileenMcKusick, who helpedme understand sound andhealingintheauraandforourbarefootwalkscomparingnotesonthisprocessofwriting our books. Thank you to all my fellow Para Yogis, especially TraceeStanley.Thankyoutomyamazingfriendsandco-travelersonthepathwhowere

instrumentalinkeepingmeinbalanceandjoyasthisbookbirthed:ElaineDoll,LizaTaylor,MaryPerson,JenniferMicheletti,PaulaKoch.ThankyouTBGrayforthegroomerrides.Tomysecondmomandbiggestteacher,DoraSilver,myloveandgratitudeareyours.

At Sounds True I found the best publishing family I ever could havehoped for. Thank you, Jennifer Brown, for everything! Amy Rost is the besteditorIcouldhaveimagined,pushingmetoproducemybestworkandtellingmewhen Igot there.Thankyou toStevenLessard,DrummondWest,HaydenPeltier,AronArnold, andKasmahMcDermott.Thankyou toLisaKerans andthe whole art department for making this book beautiful. Thank you to DeeSandella and Michael Myers. Thank you to Matt Samet, Leslie Brown, andHavenIverson.Thanks to themarketingandpublicity teamandall theplayerswhohelpedget thisbook into thehandsof somanypeople,especiallyWendyGardner,LisaTrank,andTuckerCollins.

ThankyoutoDavidLife,myfirstyogateacher,whoshowedmethetruepowerofyoga.Thankyoutomyteacher trainer,SwamiRamananda,whowasthefirstonetoseetheteacherinme.

Ibowdownatthelotusfeetofallmyyogaandspiritualteachers.Andmybiggestthankyouofallgoestomystudents,whowillalwaysbe

mybestteachers!Ibowdownatyourlotusfeetinendlessgratitude.

ABOUTTHEAUTHOR

LaurenWalkerhasbeenteachingyogaandmeditationsince1997.Shesplitshertime between New England and Montana. A writer since childhood, LaurenpublisheswidelyandhaswrittenfeaturesfortheNewYorkTimes,theJerusalemPost,andSalon.com.ShehasaperiodicyogacolumnatMNN.comandhasbeenfeaturedinYogaJournal.Laurenisawanderingspirit,andhaslivedandworkedallover theworld.Shecontinues to traveland teachworkshopsandclasses intheUnitedStates,Canada,andabroad.She isalsoacomposer,hockeyplayer,avid skier, and primitive-skills enthusiast. For more on Lauren and EnergyMedicineYoga,pleasevisitlkwalker.com.

ABOUTSOUNDSTRUE

SoundsTrueisamultimediapublisherwhosemissionistoinspireandsupportpersonaltransformationandspiritualawakening.Foundedin1985andlocatedinBoulder, Colorado, we work with many of the leading spiritual teachers,thinkers,healers,andvisionaryartistsofourtime.Westrivewitheverytitletopreserve the essential “livingwisdom”of the author or artist. It is our goal tocreateproductsthatnotonlyprovideinformationtoareaderorlistener,butthatalsoembodythequalityofawisdomtransmission.

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SoundsTrueBoulder,CO80306©2014LaurenWalkerForeword©2014DonnaEdenInternalphotographs©2014MichaelMyersSoundsTrueisatrademarkofSoundsTrue,Inc.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in anymannerwithoutwrittenpermissionfromtheauthorandpublisher.Thisworkissolelyforpersonalgrowthandeducation.Itshouldnotbetreatedasa substitute for professional assistance, therapeutic activities such aspsychotherapy or counseling, or medical advice. In the event of physical ormental distress, please consult with appropriate health professionals. Theapplicationofprotocolsandinformationinthisbookisthechoiceofeachreader,who assumes full responsibility for his or her understandings, interpretations,andresults.Theauthorandpublisherassumenoresponsibilityfortheactionsorchoicesofanyreader.CoverdesignbyJenniferMiles

BookdesignbyBethSkelley

PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmericaLibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDataWalker,Lauren.Energy medicine yoga : amplify the healing power of your yoga practice /LaurenWalker.pagescmIncludesbibliographicalreferences.ISBN 978-1-62203-354-6 (alk. paper) 1. Hatha yoga. 2. Energy medicine. I.Title.RA781.7.W3452014613.7'046—dc232014011680

EbookISBN978-1-62203-384-3

10987654321

TableofContents

ForewordbyDonnaEdenINTRODUCTIONWhatIsEnergyMedicineYoga?PART1StartingYourEnergyMedicineYogaPracticeWelcometoEnergyMedicineYogaWEEK1WakingUptheBody’sEnergiesWEEK2SunSalutationsandFigureEightsWEEK3WorkingwiththeBandhasWEEK4TheTripleWarmerandSpleenMeridiansWEEK5TheFiveElementsandthePowerofSoundWEEK6EmpoweredWarriorSeriesandtheElectricsWEEK7ChakrasandShockPointsWEEK8WeavingItAllTogetherPART 2 Expanding and Customizing Your EnergyMedicineYogaPractice

StandingPosesBackbendsTwistsandSeatedPosesReclining Poses, Restorative Inversions, and RelaxationPreparation

ClosingYourPhysicalPractice:EyeYogaandSavasanaMeditationFinalNotesAPPENDIXTraumaandEnergyMedicineYogaResources

BibliographyAcknowledgmentsAbouttheAuthorAboutSoundsTrueCopyright