Better health via Inversion Yoga

Inversion poses involve any asanas (or poses) that place the feet above the head.  To gain the proper pose and make it part of your daily practice, hi yoga etc. offers guided inversion classes featuring progress to your new inversion skill set. Progressions ensure your practice expands with equal importance given to your body’s and mind’s ability. Our core goal is to reach the benefits of inversion yoga while avoiding the risks of strains or falls.

Why inversion? Aside from an increase in strength, flexibility, and range of motion, inversion yoga assists the body in purging impurities. Specifically, inversion yoga

 promotes the cleansing of the lower abdominal area or solar plexus chakra. Opening your solar plexus develops a healthy sense of self-worth, growth as a leader, become more effective and cleans impurities held in the lower abdominal area.

When we invert the body and raise your feet above your head, gravity moves impurities towards the digestive tract. While clearing the body is important and a key benefit, there are more reasons to get inverted. Our minds also gain a new perspective when inverted in a relaxed and positive environment As our head hang upside down, the blood flow and cerebral spinal fluid moves and clears and calms the nervous system.

The Yoga Journal talks of how “Inversions may also affect the movements of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the juice of the central nervous system which flows from the brain to the spinal cord. The top of the skull receives intense pressure in headstand, which, when properly done, may promote elasticity in the cranial bones, thus stimulating the production of CSF in the ventricles of the brain.”

So far, inversions help clear the lower abdominal area and our minds. If that is not enough to try our Hi Flyers Club, here are a couple more reasons to get inverted with hi yoga etc..

Reversing gravity moves new blood in new directions. Our faces are flushed when we hang upside down during an inverted pose. When inverted, capillaries experience the new flow of blood and toxins are moved. Our skin gains fresh blood flow

Inversions motivate the lymphatic system and clear toxins from your body. Inversion yoga motivates the lymphatic system also improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the immune system.

A recent study conducted on inversions found muscle tension declined by more than 35 percent within 10 seconds of inverting. Muscle tension can contribute to feelings of anxiety as well as insomnia so it’s important to flush it from your body.

Last and definitely not least, becoming invested in yoga stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. Sometimes called the rest and digest system, the parasympathetic system conserves energy as it slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and relaxes sphincter muscles in the gastrointestinal tract. Once motivated, the parasympathetic nervous system helps you relax and find new levels of calm.

Better than reading about the benefits of inversion yoga, come experience it. We are ready for first timers and proven yoga veterans as hi yoga etc. teaches inversion yoga as a progression to a pose. And as we all strive for new levels of yoga achievement, remember the even basic poses bring the benefits of inversion yoga. While Downward Dog may not completely invert the head below the feet, it is the first step in your inversion practice.

We are looking forward to seeing you at hi yoga etc. on Saturday at 11am, August 19th. Bring a friend and get inverted with us!