level 1 module 2 tadasana & metaphysics

TADASANA Tadasana (Mountain Pose) forms the basis of all our standing (and many sitting) postures. This

classic asana enables the body to function as it was designed to work, and to correct the

distortions from stress, sitting, standing or even walking in unnatural ways. Standing in

Tadasana at first may seem like a simple pose, yet with awareness and practice it will reveal

itself to be very profound. In Tadasana we become an open channel, able to not only receive

the higher energy, but to also transmit it.

The feet are grounding into Mother Earth and the legs are drawing up powerfully, as if

harnessing the energy of the Earth. The big toe always plants in first, whilst lifting and spreading

out the remaining toes. Then, the remaining toes plant and lengthen, as the outside edges of

the feet ground down. The inner arches of the feet naturally lift up. When the feet are in perfect

position, the meridians (internal energy lines) through the legs activate and provide an inner

passage for the prana (vital life-force energy) to flow. If the feet are not positioned correctly,

alignment for the rest of the body is difficult. A pose always starts from foundation and works up.

The legs draw up, engaging the knee caps by contracting the quadriceps muscles. The inner

thighs roll inward and towards the back wall. This further assists the quadriceps to engage. It is

as if every fibre of the legs lifts in an attempt to absorb the healing and radiant earth energy.

Mother Earth stimulates the inner feminine by transferring wisdom, compassion and love.

The spinal column also elongates and draws energy upwards, as if the crown chakra could

pierce Father Sky. This creates the connection to the heavenly realm and provides higher

awareness, ideas and inspiration.

The balance of the head is naturally upright. Imagine a thread passing from the feet through the

body and emerging at the crown of the head. Correct head positioning ensures that no

abnormal pressure is exerted on the muscles of the neck or the cervical vertebrae (neck bones).

LEVEL 1 YOGA TEACHER TRAINING METAAPHYSICS & TADASANA MODULE | PAGE 2 OF 12

The neck is fully lengthened which gently and slightly closes the chin towards the chest

(however, the chin in no way touches the chest).

The shoulders are comfortably balanced, not hunched around the ears, nor pushed back too far.

Dropping the shoulders creates energy flow through the trapezius muscles, running from the

neck to the shoulder. This relieves built up tension and stress from an area where most people

typically ‘hold on’.

The heart centre lifts and opens, yet the ribcage draws back towards the spinal column. The

ribs moving back toward the spinal column ‘puffs out’ middle back. The heart chakra then

opens automatically, pulling energy to the upper back and drawing in love, joy and peace for

self and others.

The arms are fully extended, as are the hands. The fingertips extend towards the Earth and

energetically draw out the Earth energy. Being that the internal meridians begin at the hands

(and feet), the outstretched fingers create pranic flow within the arms, flowing then into internal

organs. Our open and flowing meridians mean purification for the inner workings of the body.

The stomach muscles naturally protrude slightly during inhalations; however, the stomach is

held fairly flat by the proper tension created through ‘mula bandha’. ‘Mula Bandha’ is a lower

abdominal lock created by tucking the pelvic bones under and drawing up through the lower

belly (as if ‘zipping up’ through lower abdominals). Another way to describe this subtle lock is to

seal energy in from the perineum to the navel.

The lower back has a natural curve and as such, the buttocks will protrude slightly.


Tadasana is the MOUNTAIN. Within any asana, we adopt the spirit of the posture and ‘become’

the pose. Write down some descriptive words for the MOUNTAIN and then when you next

practice this ‘in the moment’ asana, see if you can become your descriptions.

Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Description:

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Sukhasana

The same techniques for Tadasana through the upper carriage of the body apply to Sukhasana

(happy pose, easy crossed legs).

Generally we use Tadasana or Sukhasana to begin a yoga class/practice.


METAPHYSICAL WELLNESS

Body Parts and their Metaphysical Understanding – How to be a Body / Mind

Reader

The physical body communicates to the individual regarding the individual’s emotional, mental

and spiritual state of being. When the body is free of disease and physical injury or problems,

the soul aspect of that person can be connected to the highest energy. When the body is

carrying some sort of dysfunction, there is a corresponding weakness in the metaphysical

(emotional, mental, spiritual) bodies. Being that our physical and metaphysical bodies are

inextricably linked, we cannot ignore what the physical body symbolically tells us about our inner

state. It is said that the physical body is the final ‘layer’ for a problem to manifest. Therefore, had

the individual been aware of unbalanced energy within and had dealt with this, the physical

symptoms would not have appeared. Yoga assists us with moving into stillness in order to firstly

become aware of any spiritual, mental or emotional imbalances and secondly to transform these

imbalances. However, we don’t always notice the negative fluctuations within and thus the

physical will speak to us in a more tangible form in order to ‘wake us up’ to the fact that we need

to deal with our emotions. We learn through our spiritual path that ‘FEELING’ is paramount to

healing and to being whole. It is through FEELING all aspects of our self that we and our lives

become complete. God gave us the whole range of emotions and we learn to be in the moment

with whatever emotions need to surface and move through these emotions. Humans have been

conditioned to ‘bury’ the negative emotions and this is what leads to physical dis-ease and other

problems. Paradoxically, when we embrace our ‘negative emotions’ they disappear as quickly

as they appeared, and they become something of beauty as they allow us to FEEL deeply and

learn invaluable universal life lessons.


PHYSICAL METAPHYSICAL

LEFT side of the body:

Feminine, emotional

RIGHT side of the body:

Masculine, work

FEET: The feet are the closest thing to Mother Earth and as such, they give us a sense of grounding. When you become aware of the feet firmly planting into the earth, this helps to balance and ground the emotional body.

ANKLES: Ankles are the joints that move the direction of the foot and leg. Thus, ankles metaphysically are associated with your direction in life.

KNEES: Knees are also joints that can easily fill with stagnant or ‘inflexible’ energy. To be inflexible emotionally is to be stubborn – not wanting to ‘bend’ for anybody else. Not ‘bending at the knees’ could lead to a fall so metaphysically bad knees can mean big ego – “pride comes before the fall”.

LEGS: Legs carry us forward in life, so it could be said that leg problems indicate a fear of the future.

HIPS: Hips are known as storage areas or "saddlebags" of the physical body. Like all joints, stagnant energy is easily trapped in the hips. Metaphysically, the hips store emotional baggage, generally from the past. However, our past "negative" patterns are only being played out in our present life if we haven't developed our awareness. As such, what may be stored in the hips from the past could well be associated with present day issues. It is of little wonder that many aged people who are unlikely to be on a path of self-discovery and development, end up with chronic hip displacement or even hip replacements.

BUTTOCKS: The buttocks are the seat of your power.

BACK: "Stuff back there". The back represents the past. How many of us have back problems?? There is a world of discovery and acceptance to be made regarding our past!

LOWER BACK: The lower back is all about how supported you are feeling about life. This can relate to emotional support that is being offered by lovers, family, friends, and work colleagues. The lower back can also be representative of financial support and it is said that when your money is tight, so too is your lower back!

MIDDLE BACK: The term "crippled with guilt" conjures up images of someone bent over from their middle back. Also when someone puts too much pressure on you, it causes you to scream, "get off my back"!

UPPER BACK: Too much stress and tension in your life can lead to a tightening of the upper back.

SPINE: Your spine is your lifeline physically and spiritually. A weak soul is said to be "spineless".

NECK: The neck muscles allow you to look in all directions. Being inflexible in terms of seeing all sides of an issue can cause neck stiffness.



GENITALS: The genitals and sexual organs are related to sensuality and intimacy. Many people have a core belief that sex is bad or "dirty" and will develop sexually transmitted diseases or other problems which affect these organs and body parts.

STOMACH: Fear, anxiety and depression are held in the stomach. Know that saying "I was so scared I felt sick to my stomach"? Think about when you are anxious, your stomach "churns" or when you are nervous you have "butterflies in your stomach". Ever heard anyone comment when they are depressed that they feel "down in the guts"? It is amazing how we unknowingly include metaphysics in our everyday language.

KIDNEYS: When the kidneys are not operating well, there could be someone or something that is a source of irritation in your life. Being that the kidneys process the urinary fluids, it is said that problems with the kidneys means that you are "pissed off".

LIVER: If someone is described as "liverish" it means they are a volatile person. Therefore, the liver can hold anger.

GALL BLADDER: The gall bladder and the liver work together. The gall bladder creates bile which is also related to anger - "I was so angry, I could feel the bile rising in my throat".

PANCREAS: The pancreas governs the sugar levels in the body so if you are not feeling the sweetness of life, the pancreas may be affected. Generally, when you are craving sugar, the pancreas is dysfunctional. Try to get natural sweetness, from fruit or even better, orange vegetables.

SPLEEN: Problems with the spleen may make you obsessive about things.

INTESTINES: Digesting ideas. Sometimes when the large intestine is blocked (constipation) there is a refusal emotionally to let go of old ideas. So the past is often playing itself out destructively in the present day. With diarrhea, the opposite occurs where the person may not be integrating new ideas but instead trying to let them go too quickly.

BLADDER: Think about how when you retain your urine for too long, it can make you feel extremely anxious. Bladder problems may therefore cause anxiety attacks. These people need to let go, let go, let go.

LUNGS: The lungs take in the breath or life-force. Lung problems could mean that the individual is denying themselves the right to take in life, or to have the full richness of life. There are generally issues of unworthiness.

HEART: The heart pumps the blood around the body. Metaphysically, the heart pumps the love around your consciousness. Problems arising with the heart tend to mean the person has a lack of joy in their life. Heart attacks generally relate to a person putting money and status as a first priority instead of love.

PERICARDIUM: The pericardium is the muscle that surrounds the heart. So when someone has a fear of being loved, they overprotect their heart so as not to let anyone close to them. When this inability to be vulnerable occurs, the pericardium (the wall around the heart) becomes restricted.



BREASTS: The breasts are for nurturing and compassion. Many women, whilst they may be able to nurture others well, often put themselves last and this invariably leads to breast cancer.

THYROID: Thyroid has a lot to do with expression. When one is not expressing themself adequately, there is a feeling of not having circumstances go their own way. This leads to frustration.

THYMUS: This is the gland that controls the immune system. When the immune system is down, the body is under attack. Metaphysically, this leads to feelings of being attacked, whether it is by people in your life seemingly conspiring against you or psychic attack.

THROAT: Expression, communication and creativity are linked to the throat. Too much swallowing means that the individual is suppressing what they want to say. This could be an inability to confront someone due to fear of not being liked. Say what you mean, mean what you say. Unblock the throat before it gets sore! To assist throat, thymus and thyroid function, chant and sing!

SHOULDERS: The weight of the world can rest upon the shoulders. Feeling burdened, "snowed under" "under the pump", "weighed down" and "heavy" can bring upset shoulders.

ARMS: Reaching out and gathering to you all that's needed to take you to your next highest level is the function of the arms metaphysically. Arms are also used for embracing so if you find it difficult to reach out and give love, the energy in the arms may be restricted.

HANDS: Hands are concerned with how well you are "handling" or coping with your experiences in life. The wrists relate to your flexibility with these experiences. The fingers represent the little details of your life experiences.

JAW: Someone who is said to have a "strong jaw" is proud and confident. When the jaw is too tight or tense, a person may be too arrogant or self-assured. A droopy jaw often indicates the person is dense or unexcited by life.

TEETH: The teeth symbolise decisions. Teeth problems, therefore, can mean you are "chewing" over your choices not enough or too much, and indecision and confusion results.

NOSE: The function of the nose is to take in the breath and life to lungs. Blocked nose can signify an inability to take in life. Runny nose can also mean inner crying.

EYES: Your eyes help you to see past, present and future. Eye problems can mean you are not looking at things in your life with love.

EARS: The ears help you to listen. Earaches often means there is fighting around the individual and they are shutting down, not wanting to hear.

HAIR: Your hair represents your spiritual roots. Dull dry hair can indicate an unfulfilled spirit.

BRAIN: The brain is the computer of the body. Brain problems show that a person is not "switched on" but may be living in a dream world (e.g. mental patients).



BONES: The bones are the structure of the body. Bone problems often show that a person has no structure or balance in their life.

SKIN: To be "happy in your skin" is to be happy with your own uniqueness.

Spend some time writing down your physical problems

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

What does this mean for you metaphysically? Emotionally? (i.e. what feelings or emotions are linked to your physical problems?)

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

MENTALLY? (i.e. what thought processes are linked to your physical problems?)

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

SPIRITUALLY? (i.e. what affect does this physical problem have on your ability?) to connect to the highest energy/God?)


___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

How can you heal this problem?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

NOTES:


Tips on Presentation when Teaching a Yoga Class

v Come to class looking tidy, well-groomed and clean (pull your hair off your face);

v Wear appropriate clothing – clothing should suit stretching and should not be inappropriately

revealing as all eyes are on you. Sometimes it is nice to wear clothes that show a sacred

symbol. Only wear jewellery if it is not cumbersome;

v Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to commencement of class. Of course, you may wish to

come earlier and do your own practice so you are really ready and prepared for class;

v Greet and treat all students with love. They are a reflection of you and if you truly love

yourself, you will find it easy to extend love to them. Work on remembering your students’

names and details about their life. It is not a hidden fact that as a yoga teacher, you may

also be put into the counsellor’s role, so be prepared to listen to your students. Always listen

with compassion and offer spiritual wisdom;

v Choose spiritual music for class. It doesn’t necessarily have to be slow – slow is great for a

beginners class, however, for some intermediate and advanced classes, chose something

with high-energy. Drumming music, for example, gives rhythm and charge to a power yoga

class. Change music for meditation – something relaxing, slow and spiritual. Chanting music

can work as meditation music. Music works at a subliminal level so be careful with your

choice of music and never play anything that does not have a high vibration;

v Offer a prayer to the universe at the commencement of class, so that only the highest

vibrations are channelled through you whilst teaching. As a new teacher you may wish to

have your class completely planned, however, with confidence, you will be able to stay more

in the moment and ‘channel’ your class. This means students will receive information and

postures that are appropriate for them at that moment;

v Speech is very important when facilitating a yoga class. Speak confidently and yet in a soft

and caressing manner. It is vitally important that your voice is relaxing to listen to. Chanting

will assist to give you a beautiful speaking (as well as singing) voice. Never underestimate

the importance of sound. Sound is one of the most potent cosmic-energies and if you sound


bad, chances are you are unbalanced in some way. Your students will improve their yoga

practice faster if you lead them, through your speech, into deep relaxation and meditation;

v Candles may be burnt around the room but only if it is safe to do so. Incense may be burnt,

yet many people do not like incense, so check with the class first. Be careful that you only

purchase high-quality, all-natural incense otherwise it does more harm than good. Oil

burners may be used – again check with class to ensure no-one is allergic to essential oils.

Choose quality essential oils, as cheap oils are extracted with chemicals;

v Try doing Reiki on students as they meditate, if you don’t do Reiki, you may gently massage

their feet;

v At the end of the class, thank your students. Yoga teachers often end the class by saying

‘namaste’ – this means; ‘I honour the place in where we are both one’. Another way is to

place the hands in prayer and touch them to the third eye, saying ‘for clarity of thought’,

touching the hands to the lips, saying ‘for purity of speech’’, then touching hands to the heart

chakra, saying ‘for purity of heart’, ‘Namaste’ and bow; and

v Energetically disconnect after your class. In order not to take on your students’ energy,

imagine a waterfall cleansing your aura. If you continue to think about one particular student,

say a prayer to disconnect from their energy. People can unknowingly attach to your aura as

they feel uplifted around you. Whilst you are the facilitator, each student actually heals

themselves. It is important not to adopt a ‘saviour’ mentality and give your own personal

energy away or feel you have to release someone’s negative energy. Always conduct

Universal energy and be sure to protect and cleanse your aura after each class/private

session.

level 1 module 2 tadasana & metaphysics

Documents