What Is The Yoga Asana For Joy? My Journey With The French Connection
I must say that I was in a terrible mood. The winter clouds and routine had exhausted me and made me, to be honest, a little bit unhappy. I have done it all–coffee, inspirational podcasts, and so on. Nothing stuck. Then, as I started digging deep into the current trends in the wellness sector around the globe, I continued to get lost in an interesting idea. I found out that French yoga therapists and teachers have been promoting the particular, strong pose over decades to fight melancholy and develop the real sense of pleasure.
This prompted me to my scalding query what is the yoga pose of happiness that appears to be a secret whisper within French wellness? The search of the answer did not only teach me a new position; it changed my attitude to the mental well-being entirely. Of what I discovered, I will tell you, and how you may employ this uncomplicated practice to bring more light into your own world.
Smiling: It is More Than a Stretch.
Prior to arriving at the particular pose, I needed to know the reason why it worked. I tend to be a nihilist, therefore a simple, do this, and feel happy was not going to work. I needed data. What I got to know was very interesting.
The effects of yoga on the feeling of joy are not simply a mystical nonsense, but rather have physiological basis. In the process of practicing certain asanas we do two important things:
We Stimulate the Vagus Nerve: This is a huge nerve which is located between your brainstem and your abdomen. It is the control tower to your rest and digest (parasympathetic nervous system). Turning it on makes your body slow down your heart rate, decrease stress hormones such as cortisol, and encourage feelings of the safety and calmness the very foundation of happiness.
We Boost Who Feels-Good Chemicals: The physical postures (particularly, the back-bends and heart-openers) promote the discharge of endorphins (natural painkillers), dopamine (the reward molecule), and serotonin (the mood stabilizer). It is comparable to a self-prescription of a natural, side-effect free happy pill.
An interesting study that was published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2017 conducted a follow-up on a group of individuals with mild depression. In participants that were subjected to 12 weeks of regular yoga session based on back bends and chest opening poses, the level of GABA, a neurotransmitter that, in low levels, is associated with anxiety and depression, had increased tremendously. This was the hard stuff I required. This was not only a matter of flexibility, this was a matter of rewiring my brain to be happy.
And What Is The Yoga Asana Of Joy? Meet Ustrasana.
Having done all the research, I have come across a single name, that is, regarding European and French yoga: Ustrasana, or Camel Pose.
It is not an easy pose to look at at first sight–a deep backbend to which your knees are pressed, and your heels are pulled behind. I figured, I could not do that. The beauty of yoga is though that it is a journey of self and there are always variations of poses available. The French manner of Ustrasana, as I have been taught by a Parisian teacher, is not so much about the ideal and profound inclination, but about the heart-opening intention and consequent emotional discharge.
The Reason Why Ustrasana is the FinalPose:
Full Frontal Heart Opener: It is a physically stretching of the whole front part of your body- the chest, shoulders, abdomen, the hip flexors. Any of these are the places where we usually have stress, anxiety, and grief. We are opening them and hence, symbolically and physically creating space to new, positive energy.
Combats the Modern Slog: I was a sitting posture that the Modern Slump attacked: I was sitting at a desk, working hours that amounted to crouching in a hole. The direct opposite of this is ustrasana, the antidote to rounded shoulders and forward head position which actually might make you feel depressed and can even slow down your breathing.
Stimulates Key Systems: The light compressing of the spine may stimulate the nervous system and the opening of the throat may enhance the activity of the thyroid gland. It also rubs the digestive organs which we would term as our second brain given the gut-brain relationship.
My Step-by-Step Guide to a Happy Ustrasana (No Contortionist Needed!).
It was this very sequence, and it was the one I used, and continue to use, to be able to practice Ustrasana safely and efficiently. Keep in mind, it is not a strain one has to achieve, but sensation.
Equipment: Yoga mat and possibly a folded blanket or pillow to place your knees on.
Step 1: Non-Negotiable: Warm-Up.
Always stand in a backbend warm. I warm up my body by always taking 5-10 minutes. My go-to sequence includes:
Cat-Cow will stretch to mobilize the spine.
Light low lunges to stretch out hip flexors.
Puppy Pose to open up the shoulders and the upper back.
Step 2: Get Found: Your Kneeling Foundation.
Get yourself on your mat with your knees hip-wide. A folded blanket can be put under your knees in case they are sensitive. Stomp the soles of your feet into the floor. You have your thighs floorwards.
Step 3: Cuirass Your Center and Strauss Your Spine.
Your hands are down and your fingers are facing down. Pull in your belly so that it will support your lower back. It is essential to curve your upper back into a long and elegant line by lifting the chest, and the sternum towards the ceiling as you breathe.
Step 4: The Reach Back (Select Your Variation)
This is the key part. And do NOT, by any means, take yourself to seize your heels.
Novice Variation: Simply lean backwards keeping your hands on your hips and keep your chest raised. Hold here for a few breaths. This is almost a strong force in itself!
Intermediate Variation: Put one hand at a time to get your heels. You can have your toes tucked in to expose the heels better, or you can have your feet with the tops flat.
Advanced Variation: When it is comfortable, fully place both palms on your heels and keep your hips upright over your knees.
Step 5: Hold and Breathe
When you get in your preferred variation, maintain a straight posture of your neck or allow your head to fall gently at the back in case it does not hurt. Do not strain your neck. Take 3-5 deep, full breaths. Your chest is swelling with every breath.
Step 6: Come Out Slowly
To leave, put your hands back on your hips, use your core and gradually return to an upright kneeling posture. The next step that is the most important is Counterpose. I will always rest on my heels into Child Pose at least 5-8 breaths. This will enable your spine to be brought back to neutral position and will enable you to combine the great impacts of the backbend.
Beyond the Pose: Living a Happy Life.
The initial step that was necessary was to learn what is the yoga asana to be happy, but the magic began when I no longer perceived it as a kind of exercise. The philosophy I came across was the French philosophy which focused on the art of living- l’art de vivre. Ustrasana turned out to be my physical note to open up to the world.
I began to combine the attitude with the simple pleasures:
I would drill it in the morning sunshine through my window.
I would maintain the position as I mentally dwelt on three things that I was grateful about.
Even when I was not initially feeling like smiling in the pose, I would smile gently (the fake it till you make it strategy has a scientific basis of causing neurochemical changes).
This habit taught me that happiness is not a spontaneous feeling that befalls us. It is something that we actively can cultivate, and our bodies are the most significant resources that we possess in order to do it.
My Personal Results: A Little Case Study Happiness.
My first practice was to take 5 rounds of Ustrasana (holding 3-5 breaths each) every day during a month. I had a simple journal where I had to write about my mood, energy, and stress.
Week 1: Felt awkward and tight. The chief feeling was physical, a pulling in my thighs and chest. However, I realized some minor energy shift following it, the sensation of lightness.
Week 2: The pose became easier. I was able to experience my breath touching deeper in my chest. I began to anticipate this little ceremony. I have noticed that my partner told me that I appeared less irritable in the mornings.
Week 3/4: This is the period where the mind had changed. Days when I was not doing the practice, I could notice a difference, I was more responsive to minor stressors. During practice days I had a stronger fundamental of composure and optimism. It was not maniacal happiness but a stable and silent joy that was sustainable.
For me, the data was clear. This was the most basic type of practice that lasted 3 minutes and made a deeper and more permanent impact on my mood everyday than any other quick fix that I had undergone.
Now You Can Start Your Happy Life.
It came as a revelation that what I was seeking to know was the yoga asana of joy and its niche in the French yoga culture. Ustrasana is not just a backbend, it is a key to unlock the happiness that has always been inside of you, buried deep at the bottom of stress and bad posture. You need not be a bending or an experienced yogi. All you have to do is to want to have a try, to breathe and to open your heart, both physically and figuratively.
Then plunge into it, boys, roll out your mat. All you need is one pose towards a happier, freer, and bright you.
The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Q1: I have a bad back/neck injury. Is it possible to use Ustrasana?
Safety first! You should seek the advice of a physician or a qualified yoga teacher in case you have a severe back or neck ailment, in particular herniated discs before trying Ustrasana. Hands on hips is a much safer position to begin with but never ever ignore the signal of your body and do not subject it to any acute pain.
Q2: Are there any other joy poses of yoga other than Ustrasana?
Absolutely! Ustrasana is a star and he plays in a team. Other marvelous joy-producing postures are:
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose): A less intense backbend.
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana ( Bridge Pose): The Bridge pose is excellent in opening the chest but does not strain the neck.
Matsyasana (Fish Pose): A wonderful pose in the heart that is performed lying on the back.
Just lifting your arms above your head and smiling!
Question 3: How soon do the mood-boosting effects occur?
In my case, I experienced a slight lift right after the pose due to the change in the breathing and energy. The effect upon my overall mood base was sustained and cumulative, and required 2-3 weeks of regular, daily practice.
Q4: What is the relationship between French yoga and this pose?
The French, especially in the contemporary wellness, are preoccupied with bien-etre (well-being) that combines physical, mental, and emotional health. They might take yoga not so much as a sport and more as a means of emotional quality and joie de vivre (joy of living), thus the use of Ustrasana is so widespread.
Q5: In what time of day is it better to practice this pose to be happy?
I discover that mornings are a great thing because it establishes an open tone that would last the whole day. Nevertheless, it is a nice thing to have two in the afternoon so that the energy and mood decline in midday can be defeated. Deep backbends should not be done just before sleeping, the reason is that they are invigorating to some individuals.