Need Wrist Love? Align With Yoga Therapy

Good alignment is good therapy, and optimal alignment is what brings the freedom in yoga therapy.

This can be anything from knowing how to place your hands and feet to aligning with your intention and coming into the natural pulsation of the breath.

One thing that comes up a lot for people is pressure or pain in the wrists. However, when you use the alignment principles of Anusara® yoga and apply them to your own body, that pressure and pain can disappear.

When you’re in a weight bearing pose on your hands (downward dog, handstand, push-ups, plank, gardening, etc.) your foundation has a lot to do with what you feel in your wrists. This means the way you place your hands and fingers translates to what you feel.

The following video that explains three of the most important points to know about how to align your hands.

Though this video speaks mostly to the added challenge of having your hands on uneven ground, this alignment goes for any surface and position where your whole hand is on the ground. When you practice outside or on carpet, the stakes are higher and it becomes even more important to align mindfully. Watch to find out why…

Yoga Therapy- Alignment for Wrists

The foundation is only one part of the alignment, and everything else builds from there. Once you have your foundation set as described in the video, here are some other alignment cues which are based on Anusara yoga’s Universal Principles of Alignment™.

It’s a good idea to practice this in a non-weight bearing pose first. Placing your hands right there on your desk will do.

1. Foundation: Wrist creases parallel to mat, 4 corners of hands and 5 fingertips rooted

Keeping that:

2. Muscular Energy: Hug your forearms toward each other and, without moving your hands, draw your hands toward your body to tone the undersides of your arms. You should feel like your arms are plugging into your heart.

Keeping that:

3. Organic Energy: Extend from your heart through the bones of your arms, all the way out through all 4 corners of your hands and all 5 fingertips. This balances the engaging aspect of Muscular Energy.

The alignment of your shoulders counts as well, but I think this is enough for now. Remember, this alignment is universal, so any time your hands are on a surface you can use it.

If you’re fully in alignment you shouldn’t have any pain. If your body hurts it’s telling you something is off, so please listen to it and consult with your local Anusara yoga teacher so they can help you discover what adjustments are needed. Sometimes the tiniest adjustment is all it takes, and sometimes a full yoga therapy session is in order. Either way, learning how to optimally align can make all the difference and give you incredible freedom so you can enjoy your practice and life that much more!

Please click the following link to find out more about yoga therapy in Kamloops.