Opening up our side (lateral) body can allow for more freedom of movement. Tightness in the sides of our body will show up the most in twisting and side bending, but because of the way some of our muscles “overlap” at the side seam of the body, tightness in the sides can also have an impact on both forward and backward bending.
As one might expect, opening the side body can also create more space for the diaphragm, ribs, lungs, and organs to expand. This opening up of our “gills” allows for more breath and prana (energy) to move though out the entire body, and positively affect the functioning of all of the systems (respiratory, digestive, lymphatic, etc).
On a psychic level, when we allow this space to expand, we give ourselves permission to take up more space in the world, allowing our brilliance to radiate and truly be seen.
In this workshop, we'll begin by using SATYA, a non-weight-bearing method of movement developed by Tias Little that allows “stuck” parts of our body to release through slow gliding, sliding, and circular movements. Afterwards, using common yoga poses, pranayama, and mudra we will then continue to explore expanding our lateral body dynamically, working with the force of gravity. The end result will be a feeling of more ease and spaciousness in both one's asana and meditation practices.