Creative Serpent
Feb 10, 2013 – The adventurous year of the Dragon is paving way for the cautious year of the Snake. The Ancient Chinese horoscope advises us to revert to self-healing techniques, practice meditation, save energy and perform every action with a sense of prudence and tactfulness. It brings conscious mobility and dynamism in our lives and requires a high degree of adaptability and accurate timing. Knowing when to push and knowing when to incubate, mapping our journey carefully and being open to surrender the plan if it doesn’t fit the status quo. The key to doing well in the year of the snake is refining every aspect of one’s life by making meaningful and mature choices. By mastering the art of diplomacy, nurturing balanced relationships and leading a more harmonious life style. Moving from the adrenaline-ridden dragon to the wise and prudent snake is like switching from the sympathetic to the para-sympathetic nervous system – from fight-or flight, to relaxation. The best ancient yogic technique for that instance is “Nadi Shodana Pranayama” – the breathing that allows us to alternate our states of being and attain equilibrium.
As a yoga fledgling it always struck me how a simple breathing exercise would alter my state of mind and body in an instant. I definitely had an attention disorder when I first began my yoga practice. Focusing the mind on a fixed object during meditation was virtually impossible. My mind would race chaotically. I wandered through a roller-coaster of emotions until it exploded into a brain traffic that I failed to pacify for hours. Then I was stormed by a sense of anxiety and preoccupation. And that went on for months, until I started practicing alternate nostril breathing on a regular daily basis. The creative visualization that preceded this practice is just as vivid today as it was 18 years ago.
In one of the variations of alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodana pranayama) the flow of air inserts into the sacral triangle of the pelvis and begins to journey from the right side of the sacrum into the left nostril reaching the mid-brain, and then travels back down from the right nostril into left half of the pelvis creating a loop of infinity at the heart of the navel. Once it completes a cycle it ascends up to the third eye to descend down into the sacred seat of the soul, the well of creativity. It is very helpful to imagine the specific trajectory of the breath like a serpent coiling around the central column, very much like the ancient symbol of “Ouroboros” – the snake devouring its own tail. The snake symbolizes our dormant wisdom that once awakened generates the energy of awareness, also known in Yoga as “Kundalini.”
The snake is enveloping itself as the past (the tail) appears just to disappear and move into an inner domain of reality, vanishing from view, but still existing. It hints the fine line between the tangible and intangible dimensions and reminds us that we are self-inclusive organisms of cyclic flow. The snake also acts as a symbol of resurrection as it is continually reborn as it sheds its skin. Similarly, we all possess an embedded self-regulatory regeneration program that functions optimally when consciousness is expanded and the fusion of opposites is attained – duality transcended into renewed creativity. Once unleashed this creativity is potent enough to pierce any coils of belief clogging the energetic pathways of the body. As a result life force also known as “prana,” or “qi” floods the cells and recalibrates the entire organism to sustain itself from its latent source of power. The male and female channels are purified and the right and the left brain hemisphere begin to function in tandem. A rather pacifying and balancing effect is obtained as the mental capacity is enhanced. Imagination is fostered and creativity abounds in every aspect of one’s life.
Heed the creative wisdom of the Water Snake this year, and work on refining your practice and attaining more subtlety in your actions and relationships. The focus is on nuance and sophistication and the conscious beauty generated from a job well done.
Creative Serpent Yogea Breathing
(variation of alternate nostril breathing)
The creative intro to alternate nostril breathing activates the DNA codes in the body and focuses on releasing mental, emotional and psycho-somatic debris from unresolved fears, attachments and doubts. As you focus on the ascending and descending spirals coiling around the vertebral column you are asked to surrender any clinging to the past while balancing the right and left side of the brain and revitalizing the entire body. This breathing improves brain function and enhances concentration, leading to mental clarity and creative insight. It also cleanses the respiratory organs, as it removes stale air from the bottom of the lungs. Because it switches the body to a relaxation response it calms the agitated mind and promotes a balanced emotional state. The “fight or flight” tendency of the body is tamed as this practice improves sleep and sooths the nervous system. It regulates the cooling and warming cycles of the body by oxygenating the blood while promoting even blood flow to all organs to prevent sluggishness. While enhancing rest and relaxation Alternate Nostril Breathing is a great precursor to meditation and divination.
Leave a Reply