Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE: WHAT IS MYOFASCIAL YOGA?

CHAPTER TWO: Superficial BACK LINE and Superficial Front Line
CHAPTER Three: Lateral Line, Our internal fishiness
CHAPTER Four: spiral Line or Mbius strip
CHAPTER Five: deep front line, our core
CHAPTER SIX: The Arm lines and Functional Line
CHAPTER Seven: Alignment, Touch and Body Reading
CHAPTER eight: eastern MEDICINE
CHAPTER nine: Sequencing your myofascial yoga class
 Myofascial Yoga

A movement and Yoga Therapists guide

to ASANA

Kirstie Bender Segarra, PhD LMT ERYT

 Myofascial Yoga
A movement and Yoga Therapists guide to ASANA
 Copyright 2013 Kirstie Bender Segarra
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author. Permission may be sought by
contacting balinesetraditionalmassage.com.

First Edition 2013

ISBN: 10-1484838785
ISBN-13: 978-1484838785

The author/publisher has made every effort to trace holders of copyright in original material and
to seek permission for its use in Myofascial Yoga: A movement and yoga therapists guide to
asana. Should this have proved impossible, then copyright holders are asked to contact the
publisher so that suitable acknowledgement can be made at the first opportunity.

In dedication with loving memory to Mary Owen

Dean Scott, Ph.D.
a.k.a. Tutu.
Table of Contents
MYOFASCIAL YOGA
A MOVEMENT AND YOGA THERAPISTS GUIDE TO ASANA
FORWARD
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE: WHAT IS MYOFASCIAL YOGA?
CHAPTER TWO: SUPERFICIAL BACK LINE AND SUPERFICIAL FRONT LINE
CHAPTER THREE: LATERAL LINE, OUR INTERNAL FISHINESS
CHAPTER FOUR: SPIRAL LINE OR MBIUS STRIP
CHAPTER FIVE: DEEP FRONT LINE, OUR CORE
CHAPTER SIX: THE ARM LINES AND FUNCTIONAL LINE
CHAPTER SEVEN: ALIGNMENT, TOUCH AND BODY READING
CHAPTER EIGHT: EASTERN MEDICINE
CHAPTER NINE: SEQUENCING YOUR MYOFASCIAL YOGA CLASS
CONCLUSION
WORKS CITED
CONTRIBUTORS AND MODELS
FORWARD
Given how sedentary and routinized our post-industrial society has become,
we can salute and encourage all forms of movement training, because each
has a value to different people at different times in their lives. Yoga is of
course one of the oldest attempts, along with martial arts, to reform the
person through the body, to make a better human being via how that person
positions themselves or moves. As yoga has blossomed into our western
world - just speaking of the one 'limb' of hatha yoga - it has become so very
popular (and popularized) and has at the same time diversified into many
different forms in various venues, from the most meditative to the most
vigorous. Long live all these approaches!

I myself am not very knowledgeable about the depths of yoga, so I cannot

comment on the superiority of any method over any other. It is not a
question of 'better than', but simply 'what does this living being need right
now to become more awake, alive, and adaptable to whatever their future
may hold?' In my own observation, the worst yoga done with full attention is
better than the best yoga done with your attention elsewhere. The next
question becomes: attention to what?

Here then is where I am very happy with this book. Kirstie Segarra has
turned our attention kindly but firmly toward a systems point-of-view. She
has employed some of my anatomical ideas (thank you) and taken them
beyond my original conception to show how the various asanas engage
whole systems of muscles and their surrounding fascia.

Applying standard Western musculoskeletal anatomy to yoga is a frustrating

experience. Our standard anatomy is an anatomy of parts, a reductionistic,
scalpel-based approach that breaks the body down into smaller and smaller
parts, thinking that if we put all those parts together we will come up with
the whole. But as the greatest systemic thinker in my lifetime, Buckminster
Fuller, showed us, there are behaviours of wholes unpredicted by putting
together the behaviours of the parts - this is how he defined synergy.

Yoga has always been synergetic, and yoga has always been a systemic
approach, not a series of exercises for different 'parts'. The Anatomy Trains
schema (and it is just that, simply a map), a subset of the holistic point of
view subsumed currently under the name 'fascia', presents us with a lot
easier way to understand the intention of the yoga asanas.
In the book you hold, Kirstie Segarra has laid out clearly, concisely, and
usefully how the asanas relate to the Anatomy Trains, and how to take up
and teach (whether teaching yourself or others) the anatomy of asana in a
way that makes sense to the body and to the person. Enjoy the ride.

Intuition and scientific knowledge are not opposed, they are simply two
different ways of knowing. This book allows you to blend both ways of
knowing in mutual service to each other to develop your inner and your
outer knowledge of yoga in your own living body.

Tom Myers
Clarks Cove, Maine
2013

INTRODUCTION
I began practicing bodywork and yoga asana in 1996 while completing my graduate
studies in Whole Systems Design with Antioch University in Seattle, Washington. I
had the amazing opportunity of working with Dr. Rodney Donaldson studying second
order cyberneticsbiological systems. Much of our work focused on understanding
Dr. Gregory Bateson, author of Steps to Ecology of Mind, as well as Dr. Humberto
Maturanas work in cognition, ontology and the biology of love. This work inspired
me to become a massage therapist in order to work with individuals to achieve
freedom of movement and experience joy.
My first yoga experience was watching my mom stretch on the living room floor in
the 1970s. I was very much an athletebasketball being my first love. I would not
give any thought to stretching until I studied in Bali, Indonesia with traditional
healers where they tricked me into starting a practice in Hatha yoga. I have yet to
stop my explorations in yoga from the physical to the spiritual.
In the 2000s, a colleague introduced me to Thomas Myers, Rolfer and creator of
Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists. Without
Toms enthusiastic understanding of anatomy and physiology, I would not have
made the leap to exploring yoga asana, which is integrated and grounded in
western anatomy. At that time, Tom hadnt created the manual for yoga therapists,
so I dove in and began creating courses and coined the term Myofascial Yoga.
Myo means muscle and fascial is the connective tissue of the body. I have been
profoundly altered by my discoveries along the way and see this book as an
opportunity to share what I have learned.
My guru, Ganesh Lee Veal, DC, graciously took me on as a student in cranial
sacral therapy and I am indebted to him for his transference of knowledge and
understanding of the wisdom body and neuromuscular therapy.
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to develop integrative health programs. I
teach full-time at the University of New Mexico-Taos, which has been my practical
testing ground for the material presented in this book.
The goal of Myofascial Yoga: A Movement and Yoga Therapists Guide to Asana is to
show how teaching asana should include fascia, connective tissue, as an integrative
and necessary step to bring yoga asana fully into movement therapies in the West.
This approach integrates Eastern and Western techniques and is truly a unique
opportunity to explore ourselves from a somatic level of awareness while moving
through and changing patterns that keep us from living more freely in joy and
health.
One of my favorites, philosopher, and author Alan Watts wrote We do not come
into this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. As the ocean waves, the
universe peoples. Every individual is an expression of the whole realm of nature, a
unique action of the total universe. This fact is rarely, if ever, experienced by most
individuals. Even those who know it to be true in theory do not sense or feel it, but
continue to be aware of themselves as isolated egos inside bags of skin.[1]
Namaste,
Kirstie Bender Segarra
February, 2013
PS. Special thanks to Thomas Myers for his support on this project. If you are
interested in purchasing Toms book, which I highly recommend, or attending a
webinar designed for yoga teachers and/or the hands-on workshops around the
world go to AnatomyTrains.com. Every workshop I have attended has reshaped my
practice on the most profound level.
CHAPTER ONE: WHAT IS MYOFASCIAL YOGA?
One of the challenges of teaching yoga in the West
is that there are so many different lineages of yoga
emphasizing different aspects of the yogic
pathway. Often, Pantajali is accredited with being
the founder of yoga as we know it in the West.
Nicolai Bachman, scholar, writes that Pantajali did
not create yoga. He brilliantly compiled its
essence entitled Ptajala-Yoga-Daranam,
meaning view of yoga according to Pantajali and is known in the West as the
Yoga Stra-s.[2] The Yoga Stra-s are the predominant source of how we interpret
yoga and its philosophical meanings today. Of course, it seems thatsana, the
physical practice, is the most popular.
Modernsana as we know it is often a direct lineage from Krishnamacharya, who
trained T.K.V. Desikachar, B.K.S. Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois. Desikachar, Iyengar and
Jois went on to train students who then created their own styles of yoga. In addition
to the big three, there is Kripalu, Bikram Choudhury, Yogi Bhajan (Kundalini),
Neem Karoli Baba (Bhakti), Swami Satyananda Sraswati, Swami Vivekananda, and
many others. A humorous take on the complexity of the lineage can be seen in
the documentary Kumar by Vikram Gandhi. So, what is the difference between all
the styles of yoga?
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika written by Swami Swatmarama in the 15 century, is said
th

to be the oldest text on Hatha Yoga. The Hatha Yoga Pradipikadescribes thesana,
purifying practices, mudras, bandhas, pranayama and more. Throughout my years
of teaching, I have seen enough in-fighting and judgment between lineages to bring
me to a place of questioning the integrity of different people on the yogic pathway.
It seems that the source is the same and whether you teach from the big three or
one of the other primary lineages, you will find that the myofascial approach will
benefit your instruction.
When you take a yoga class, the teacher often references the eight limbs of yoga
from ashtanga sana (postures), pranayama (mindful breathing),
pratyhr(turning inward), dharana (concentration), dhyna (meditation), samdhi
(union of self with object of meditation), yamas (five moral restraints) and niyamas
(five observences). sana, physical postures, as well as the other limbs are one
aspect of the whole. To truly understand yoga is to explore the whole system
through the The Yoga Stra-s,not justsana.
Myofascial Yoga is an integrative approach to yoga that looks at how to sequence
with regards to the fascial connections in body. We will first learn the criterion in
order for it to be considered Myofascial Yogaincluding the fascia, body types,
breath, static poses and seeing the whole body. Then we will look at the individual
myofascial meridians and some relatedsana. We will finish with how to sequence
using a myofascial approach.
Myofascial Yoga focuses on an anatomy of wholes instead of a reductionist view of
parts. When we study anatomy we do break things down, literally taking a scalpel to
dissect the human body in order to view the bits and parts. As an alternative, with
thanks to Tom Myers, we will be observingsana through a wholistic lens, a
macroscopic view.

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT?
Oftensana is presented with a breakdown of the muscles involved, a picture of how
to do it, and specific cueing. Sometimes, the postures make sense and feel good.
Other times, you hate the pose. We can even get hurt in poses we dont understand
or that are inappropriate for our body type and personal injuries. With Myofascial
Yoga, an attempt will be made to clarify some of these errors and hopefully
empower the practitioner to make wiser decisions for their own body.
Anyone who has practiced yoga knows that it does not feel like just our muscles
lengthening. There is a stronger experience of wholeness throughout the body,
mind and divine.
Furthermore, if you have the opportunity to experience dissection, one learns that
everything in the human body is interconnected through the fascial net. We really
cannot separate out the tibialis anterior (frontal compartment of the leg) from the
rectus femoris (quadriceps) nor the abdominis rectusthe proverbial six-pack.
Our body is interconnected by day 14 in utero through fasciamesoderm. We are
literally born into our fascial patterns. Every day that we live and inter-relate with
our environment, we adapt and take on our fascial patterns. In essence, how we do
what we do is who we become.
Before I move on, I want to acknowledge that there is an element of falling from
grace just by becoming an observer and looking at something. With heart-felt
intent, I will try to minimize breaking things down to the bits and parts. However,
sometimes we need to in order to understand the whole. The first criterion for being
Myofascial Yoga is that it looks at the body as a whole.
A couple more points of clarification. First, Sanskrit is the mother tongue that much
of yoga is presented in, and I am not a Sanskrit scholar. Thus, I will spell words such
as asana without the traditional accents from here on out. Furthermore, in my
research I have encountered several spellings asanaeven different names. I chose
to error with the common spellings listed in Yoga Journal Magazine. However, this
does not mean they are correct. I would defer you to Nicolai Bachmans work in The
Language of Yoga.
Second, Gregory Bateson continually stated that the map is not the territory[3] in
his article on Form, Substance and Difference.[4] Furthermore, Bateson points out
that We say the map is different from the territory. But what is the territory?
Operationally, somebody went out with a retina or a measuring stick and made
representations which were then put on paper. What is on the paper map is a
representation of what was in the retinal representation of the man who made the
map; and as you push the question back, what you find is an infinite regress, an
infinite series of maps. The territory never gets in at all. [] Always, the process of
representation will filter it out so that the mental world is only maps of maps, ad
infinitum.
One always has to keep this in mind in the practice of asana. Each individual is
unique and has their own sets of unique patterns that they spent a lifetime learning
and coming into balance. As a yoga teacher or movement therapist we must always
respect the inherent patterns of our clients and students. I prefer the term client
because student supposes that the teacher knows something more than the student
and creates a power differential.
Creating change in somatic patterns is to enter into a cosmic dance with our clients.
We can further explore this dance by acknowledging that all knowing is doing, and
all doing is knowing.[5]
WHAT IS FASCIA?
Author Thomas Myers writes Fascia is gaining popularity as a term for all the
structural connective tissues and the various substances that they produce to hold
us together as a being on this planet. It is made mostly of various types of collagen
protein, a pliable fiber stronger than steel. These fibers are imbedded in a mucousy
colloidal gel - somewhere between silicone and cornstarch - that eases when it is
warm and stretchy, and clogs up when it is cold or held still too long. Yoga in
general and the yoga in this book in particular - is designed to both stretch the
fibers and activate and hydrate the gel. Thus, all our tendons, ligaments, sinews,
cartilage, and other protective layers of biological fabric are all part of the body-
wide, 'keep us from being a blob on the floor', 'shaping our movement' fascial
system. Of course the muscles are important in moving and standing too hence
our name, myo- (muscle) fascial yoga.
The fascia starts just below your skin, and it has many interwoven layers. The first
layer is literally a carpet backing for your skin. Below this is a soft fatty layer that
protects us from bumping but also protects us from getting infection from outside.
Deep to the fat is a unitard of tough fascia that really determines our shape. Below
this are the various layers that surround and invest the muscles, and form walls
between muscles and muscle groups - these are the layers actually called the
myofascia. Deep to the muscles are the ligaments and periosteum (the plastic wrap
around the bone). The fascia extends to other parts of the body as well: all the
organs are wrapped in fascial bags and attached to the body wall, and the brain is
surrounded in a unique fascial suspension system that runs from your skull to your
sacrum, and out with the nerves and their myelin (also fascial) sheaths.
I like to think of fascia as the cosmic glue that forms who we are. Fascial research
is unveiling results daily and I consider the study of fascia cutting edgeno pun
intended.
Tom Myers introduced me to the idea of tensegrity geometry, originated by artist
Kenneth Snelson and developed by Buckminster Fuller, as a new way of
understanding the engineering of bones, muscles and fascia. These wonderful
models offer a look at how the change in structure in one aspect of the body creates
a change throughout the whole system (figure 1.1). The Skwish toy is an example,
commonly found in the baby section of toy stores, but more complex body-like
models by the same inventor, Tom Flemons, can be found at
www.intensiondesigns.com.

Not only does fascia carry our form, it is a communication organ. Your kinesthetic
body sense comes mostly from your fascia, not so much from your muscles, via
sensory receptors that sense stretch, pressure, shear (Golgi, Pacini, and Ruffini
endings respectively), and also touch. A myriad of tiny unmyelinated free nerve
endings, which are found almost everywhere in fascial tissues, but particularly in
periosteal, endomysial and perimysial layers, and in the visceral connective tissues,
give us a sense mostly unconscious of where we are in space and how we 'feel'.
Our fascia is the largest and richest sensory organ of our body - with more nerves
imbedded in it than even the eye or the tongue. In embryological development,
fascia forms the morphogenetic blueprint for our specific personal form. Once we
are born and progress toward standing and moving on our feet, fascia is constantly
working for us, shifting, changing, and doing its best to hold us together while
allowing us to move. It is a wonderful and self-adjusting design. Unfortunately,
physical trauma or psychic 'holding' can create pain in our systems. It is possible to
change the pattern of the system through yoga, exercises, or good manipulation -
to stop the holding and move through our pain and suffering but it does require a
mind shift and a physical shift. The yogic pathway offers an opportunity for such
healing.
So the fascia is my organ of shape and also tells me how I feel!? Why didn't we hear
about this in school?
Thus, the second criterion of Myofascial Yoga is that it includes the fascia. Without
looking at the fascia, we cannot determine the pattern of the client - patterns that
we will now explore using a typology from Ayurveda.

Figure 1.1 Homemade tensegrity model.

WHAT IS AYURVEDA AND BODY TYPES?
yurveda is a system of healing that has its roots in ancient India. It is thought by
many scholars to be the oldest healing system extant on our planet.yuh means life
and vedameans knowledge. The knowledge contained inyurveda deals with nature,
scope and purpose of life, and includes its metaphysical and physical aspects
health and disease, happiness and sorrow, pain and pleasure.[6] Life is defined as
the incorporation of body, mind and spirit in the Cosmic Consciousness and
embracing all of Creation. Furthermore, Dr. Lad writes,according toyurveda,
every individual life is a microcosm of the Cosmos.
Within the medical science ofAyurveda there are the doshasan expression of the
five elements in each of us. Dr. Amit Goswami states that a fundamental
assumption ofyurveda is that one is born with a given body typea particular
base level imbalance (called prakriti in Sanskrit). The contingencies of life,
lifestyle, and environment take one to further imbalances (bikriti), causing
disease.[7]
The doshas are often expressed in Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Vata reflects air and ether.
Pitta is fire (digestive fire, enzymatic reactions and transformations within the body)
and water, and Kapha is earth and water. Clearly, to understand this requires further
study. For now, keep in mind that Ayurveda is also a way of experiencing and
observing the human body and life.
Vata is often associated with a thin build, changeable demeanor and even strong
rope-like muscles. Pitta is a medium build and sharp intellect. Kapha has a larger
more robust build and moves more slowly. Often, people are a combination of two,
or even all three. Remember Goldilocks and the Three Bears? Just as for Goldilocks,
there are the experiences that are just right. The key is that for the Vata, Pitta and
Kapha there is a just right.
When we observe our clients, we may see an expression of any of these doshas and
each aspect lends itself to asana in different ways, especially when we account for
lifestyle choices, any history of trauma, and injuries. A just right asana may look
quite different between dosha types and still be a beautiful expression of the intent
of the pose.
Thus, the third criterion is that Myofascial Yoga includes the different modifications
for the doshas or body typesthe Goldilocks principle.
WHAT ABOUT THE BREATH!
Pranayama, breath control, is central to a practice in yoga. As with other forms of
yoga, Myofascial Yoga places a lot of emphasis on the breath but with some
differences.
The diaphragm is a dome-like muscle attached to the base of the ribs. It separates
the viscera and internal organs, from the pleura cavityheart and lungs. However,
it really isnt separate! The pericardium sac that surrounds the heart is directly
interdigitated with the central fascia of the diaphragm. In fact the diaphragm
doesnt have a lot of muscle. It is a thin layer, maybe a couple pieces of
construction paper thick, of mostly fascia. The red meat, or muscles, is at the
edges. You dont see this in the picture books! The diaphragm is often represented
as a solid muscle in the picture books. After I completed dissection, I was profoundly
disappointed at how I had been misled by some anatomy textbooks, but also
equally grateful for the new knowledge.
When we inhale and expand our bellies, the diaphragm flattens and everything that
is attached to it heads south toward the pelvic floor. With each exhale; as we draw
our navels back, the diaphragm goes back to a neutral dome position.
The breath is often directed through the nose. Breathing through the nose while
making a gentle wave-like sound in the back of the throat is a Pranayama technique
known as Ujjayi breath, or victorious breath.
The goal is to create a long smooth breath 5 to 8 seconds in length equalizing the
inhale and exhale. I would like to acknowledge that there are other Pranayama
techniques where we change the way we control the breathing. For now, we will
stick with perfecting the Ujjayi breath.
The second piece to the Myofascial Yoga breath work is to not over engage the
pelvic floor. Mula Bandha, root lock, is often taught as an engagement of the
perineuma muscle between the anus and genitals. If you engage and lift up on the
perineum and inhale notice that the diaphragm does not move as far south as
compared to when you gently lift on the pelvic floor (levator ani and fascia) with
less of a physical lift and more of an energetic engagement of the pelvic floor. The
actual energetic spots of Mula Bandha are behind the cervix and behind the root of
the penis.[8] By using an energetic lift, you increase the capacity of the lungs.
Thus, the fourth criterion is long Ujjayi breath with an energetic Mula Bandha.
STATIC VERSUS DYNAMIC
After studying several lineages of yoga, I finally realized you could break them down
to two componentsstatic or dynamic. Static is when we hold a pose for five
breaths, 5 to 8 seconds per breath, or more. With a static pose, we give our fascial
body more time to adjust to the new form. In a dynamic pose, we hold the pose for
less than five breaths, as practiced in vinyasa flow or ashtanga styles of yoga.
This is not to suggest that static is better than dynamic. Rather, in order for our
bodies to learn new postural patterns, we must start with slower static forms. Then,
we can incorporate dynamic poses from a healthier pattern, and invite strength. As
a fan of hot yoga, I thought that the heat was somehow involved with helping to
melt the fascia. I have since learned that is not the case. It is the longer holds that
make a difference.
So, the fifth criterion is that we start with slow static postures in correct alignment.
In order for it to be classified as Myofascial Yoga, it must include all the
following criteria:
1. It looks at the body as a whole.
2. It includes the fascia.
3. It includes modifications for the different doshas or body typesthe
Goldilocks principle.
4. The breath is included via long Ujjayi breath with an energetic Mula
Bandha.
5. We start with slow static poses in correct alignment, then follow with
dynamic poses for strengthening.
CHAPTER TWO: Superficial BACK LINE and Superficial Front
Line

Superficial Back Line in Downward Facing Dog pose (Adho Mukha

Svavasana).
We begin our journey with the superficial back line (SBL) and the superficial front
line (SFL). We need both the SBL and SFL to mediate being on all fours and coming
up to standing. We cannot have one without the other.
Have you ever heard a yoga teacher speak of being grounded? It makes sense to
start at the feet to get to the nature of being grounded. Asana, unless they are
inversions, should be built from the base of our feet. The SBL begins at the bottom
of our feet in the plantar fasciaa thick, strong, fibrous band. The plantar fascia is a
huge communicator to the whole body for where one is in space. Not being
grounded through the plantar fascia is literally to be out of balance.
Understanding the feet and the fascia that stabilize the foot is an important
component to building a healthy and vital asana. For example, Mountain pose
(Tadasana) (figure 2.1) is taught in many ways such as hip width apart or feet
together. So, which do you do?

Figure 2.1 Mountain pose (Tadasana).

Our gravity line falls from our ears, through
the nipple line, through the pelvis, down the
legs and through the ankles. I suggest that
we stand in what is our own gravity line with
soft kneesnot hyperextended knees.
We should be anchored in our feet behind the
big toe and second toe back to the heel for
strength. Next, draw a line from the pinky
toe to the heel for balance. We need
both balance and strength to find our ground. Dont fall in the trap of doing
something that doesnt feel good for you or the client. We are all different and what
is optimum for one client might not be for another. Here is the danger for standard
cueing in large yoga classeswe are not all the same.

Figure 2.2 Displaying the SBL and SFL with muscles labeled added to original
image.
Moving up the line is the Achilles tendon into the gastrocnemius musclesthe calf,
as shown in the above image (figure 2.2). From the calf, the line connects the
hamstrings to the sacrotuberous ligamentwhich attaches to the lower aspect of
the sacrum. The sacrotuberous ligament keeps our tailbone, the sacrum, from
popping upward. Starting from the bottom of the feet, continuing up the back of the
legs, and on to our tail are the beginnings of the SBL.

Stretching the back of the legs is relatively straight forward as we see in Seated
Forward Fold pose (Paschimottanasana) (figure 2.3).
Figure 2.3 Seated Forward Fold pose (Paschimottanasana)).
Whether to plantarflex (point the toes) or dorsiflex (toes to the nose) depends on
which line you are engaging. When we point our toes like a ballerina we are
shortening the SBL and lengthening the SFL. When we dorsiflex, toes to the nose,
as if we are standing on the earth, we are lengthening the SBL and shortening the
SFL.
I often teach the toes to nose version engaging the SBL because when we sleep,
we naturally shorten the back of our calves with our feet pointed. I have found that
sleeping can be quite dangerous for waking up with all sorts of aches and pains. To
combat plantar fasciitis and the ballerina point while we sleep, engage the toes to
the nose and lengthen your superficial back line.
What should happen at the knees?
The knee is a hinge joint. When it is in flexion it allows us to rotate the lower leg, as
in turning when skiing downhill. The knee is a secondary curve in the body because
it is held in place by the muscles above and below unlike primary curves which are
defined by the bone, such as the ankle. I encourage a soft knee, not hyperextended
backward, and not a deep bend. One can think of the soft knee bend or tai chi
knees that gently straighten with an inhale and softly bend on the exhale (figure
2.4).

Figure 2.4 Mountain pose (Tadasana) with soft tai chi knees.
Another aspect of the knees is medial and lateral rotation as in Warrior II pose
(figure 2.5). Ideally, our knees are neutral and stacked on top of the ankle at 90
degrees or behind the anklenot hyper lunging (figure 2.6).

Figure 2.5 Medially rotated knee and laterally rotated knee.

Figure 2.6 Ninety degrees in the knee for Warrior II pose.

Do you tuck your tail?
Tucking your tail comes from ballet and works just fine for
someone with an anterior tilt of the pelvis. An anterior tilt is
measured by looking at the side of the client and the top
of the pelvis is tilted forward relative to the femurleg
bone (figure 2.7). But, if you have a posterior tilt and you tuck your tail, the sacrum,
you will just exaggerate your posterior tilt! Remember that some of us have to be
happy playful cats with our tails swinging around.

Figure 2.7 (a) Posterior tilt with anterior shift, (b) posterior tilt with posterior
shift, (c) anterior tilt with anterior shift and (d) neutral.
This brings us halfway up the SBL to the erector spinae muscle group. The erector
spinae are three long muscles running up both sides of the spine. One of my
students gave me the ideogram I Like Spaghetti to remember the muscles
iliocostalis, longissimus and spinalis! The erector spinae are extensors of the spine.
You use them in conjunction with the SFL to help lift you up from a forward fold and
control the flat back in forward folds.
Do you flatten your back in forward folds?
Have you ever watched a cat move and noticed the fluidity they have in their spine
from front to back as well as side-to-side? Ideally, we are able to have the same
freedom. Thus, becoming rigid in forward folds to the point you are locking up the
spinal vertebrae is not ideal. A healthy back is not a flat back.
We have 24 articulating vertebrae that form the cervical (7), thoracic (12) and
lumbar (5). Each section of our spine has a natural curvature; the cervical forms a
posterior bend (back bend); the thoracic is an anterior bend (forward bend); and the
lumbar is a posterior bend (back bend). In cases of structural scoliosis this will be
different and many people have some form of functional scoliosiswhich is a bend,
tilt (lateral bend) and/or rotation in the spinal vertebrae due to the fascia and
muscles shortening/lengthening and creating a rotation to the vertebrae. Of course,
there can be both functional and structural cases of scoliosis amplifying each other.
Learning to understand the spine can be confusing. Taking the time to understand
each segment of the spine and how it articulates will aid you in finding freedom of
movement which invites the Kundalini to flow with Ida and Pingalathe moon and
sun aspects of energy that move up the channel, Sushumna, of the spine.
Cueing in forward folds should maintain the fluidity and strength of the back and
front body. Folding with a flat rigid back is not anatomically correct. We have the
opportunity to invite fluidity of movement and not rigidity. The spine is stabilized by
the deep front line (DFL) through the iliacus, psoas major, psoas minor and
quadratus lumborumwhich we will get to later in Chapter Five.
Oh, my head hurts!
We have arrived at the top of the head, the epicranial fascia (galea aponerotica),
which continues from the erector spinae at the base of the skull over the top of the
head and into the brow. Connecting at the skull, the SBL and SFL meet, but not in
our foreheads! They meet through the lambdoidal suture along the back of the skull.
Bring your thumbs together and form a football goal post (figure 2.8) and place
them on the occipital ridge at the base of the back skull. Gently move your eyes
around. Do you feel the muscles at the occipital ridge moving? Our eyes adjust with
the feedback coming from the occipital ridge muscles. Like a cat, this is one way we
find our ground!

Figure 2.8 Goal post of thumbs on occipital ridge muscles.

The tendency in our fear-based culture is for the SBL to be locked long in the back
and locked short in the front so we end up in a classic forward head posture (figure
2.9). To correct this through asana, we lift the xyphoid (tail of the sternum) and
bring the ears in line with the tops of the shoulders.

F igure 2.9 (a) Ears over shoulders for normal posture with lifted xyphoid process.
(b) Forward head posture from shortening of SCM and splenius capitis.

The superficial back line is made up of more slow twitch muscles which are great for
endurance. This is very fortunate for many of us need the stability of the SBL to go
from sitting at a computer to working in a garden. The SBL does not work alone. It
works in partnership with the SFL as we will see in the following section. The
superficial front line is composed of more fast twitch muscles which helps us react
in fight or flight response when we are running away from the tiger in the bush.

Superficial Front Line in Mountain

pose (Tadasana).
Moving on to the SFL!
I could descend down the
superficial front line (SFL). However, I will return to the feet for consistency. The SFL
works with the SBL; they are in a cosmic dance together to keep us standing, sitting
up straight, and moving in Cat/Cow pose (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana).
The SFL starts with the tendons of the toe extensors and continues up the frontal
compartment of the leg to tibialis anterior. There is a beautiful piece of fascia that
forms a band around the anklethe retinaculum. The retinaculum keeps all the
muscles from just flying off of the leg! Of course, it can also prevent the slide and
glide needed if it is bound down too tight.
Tibialis anterior is generally the strongest muscle in the frontal compartment. It is
extremely important in understanding the relationship to the gastrocnemius
muscles of the calf. They work together synergistically in a healthy state.
Classically, this is explained in the concepts of agonist (a contracting muscle that is
resisted or counteracted by an antagonist) and antagonist (a muscle that opposes
the action of another). I prefer to think of synergy between muscles that work
together. After all the intent in yoga is to achieve balanceSattva.
The next muscle group is the quadriceps, specifically the rectus femoris. The
quadriceps muscles are an extension of the patellar tendon where our kneecap is.
We could also say that the quadriceps meet together at the top of the knee to form
the patellar tendon. I am reminded of the chicken and the eggwe cant really say
which came first.
Rectus femoris joins the hip on the medial side of the iliacus. The SFL continues
through the mechanical relationship between rectus femoris and rectus abdominis
that begins at the pubis. The pubis is the middle portion at the base of the pelvis. If
we shorten the rectus femoris the rectus abdominis has to lengthen to compensate
for the shortening in the rectus femoris muscle. This mechanical relationship allows
for the continuation of the SFL. I call this the fascial swimsuit. If you have every
tried on a one-piece swimsuit that was too short, then you may know what it is like
to have a shortened rectus abdominis (figure 2.8).

Figure 2.8 (a) Lengthened quadriceps with shortened abdominis rectus, (b)
shortened quadriceps with lengthened abdominis rectus.
Our proverbial six-pack is often associated with a strong core. In fact, it is not our
core. It plays a wonderful synergistic relationship with our quadriceps, helps us
create long back bends if it is not pulled short, as in Wheel pose (figure 2.9).
Functionally, it keeps our guts inside which keeps things tidy. Additionally, the rectus
abdominis draws the torso toward the pelvis as in a sit-up. The six-pack really isnt a
lot of protection for guts or viscera. You can do sit ups until the cows come home
and you will be missing the point of how to stabilize your low back and create a
strong corewhich is through the deep front line.

Figure 2.9 Wheel pose (Chakrasana)

or Upward Bow pose (Urdhva
Dhanurasana).
The final pieces of the SFL run from the
rectus abdominis, up the sternalis muscles
on both sides of the sternum, into the SCM

(sternoclavicularmastoid muscle).
A few points on SBL and SFL.
Notice that there is a right and left SBL. One can be long or short in either. Most of
us have a dominant sidegenerally right in our culture. Navigating asana such as
Tree pose (Vrksasana), can be difficult for many clients as they discover their
weaker side (figure 2.10).

Figure 2.10 Tree pose (Vrksasana) with foot on

the knee joint, which is incorrect. The foot should
be above or below the knee joint. Also, notice the
compensatory pattern of an elevated hip on the
clients right side.
There is a right and left side of the SFL in the legs and
upper body. The rectus abdominis is indeed more
complicated as there is a relationship to the transverse
abdominis as well as the internal and external
obliques. All of these can create tensional patterns
across the front of the body. I often refer to the need for
slide and glide between all the muscles so that they
work synergistically.
You cant have one without the other. They work in relationship and that takes
commitment. Incorporating SBL and SFL stretches in the beginning of an asana
practice is helpful to warm up the superficial fascial layers. Along with the lateral
line presented in Chapter Three, the SBL and SFL create a safe warm up for the
client.
CHAPTER Three: Lateral Line, Our internal fishiness
Lateral Line in Warrior I pose (Virabhadrasana
I).
The lateral line (LL) is a container that holds us
together from the sides. I often think of our fishy
nature as we swim from side to side. We should
have a freedom of movement in our lateral
lines. Unfortunately, due to the dominance of
sitting all day in front of computers, behind the
steering wheel, and the school desk, we have lost
our fishy nature.
Yoga sequencing that does not include lateral
line work keeps us in our front/back rigidity and
limits the opportunity for us to return to our
seashore ancestors.
Again, I will start from the base of the feet to review
Tom Myers work and hopefully make it more coherent for you and how it applies to
asana. The LL line begins behind the base first and fifth metatarsals (1 & 5 toes)
st th

on the bottom of the foot. We follow the tendons of insertion to the peroneal
muscles. The peroneal longus aids in everting (medial tilt) the ankle and plantar
flexion of the foot.
We already met tibialis anterior in the SFL. Tibialis anterior is an inverter (lateral tilt)
of the ankle. The peroneals step in to assist the ankle when it is injured as well as
taking up a lot of the responsibility for proprioception that moves through the ankle
for eversion. Any client who has a history of ankle sprains and strains will need
assistance with their lateral lines. Finding balance with ankle injuries is indeed a
challenge. The standing and balancing poses are great for becoming somatically
aware of how we find our balance in relation to the ground. As we move through
each of the lines, you will see how all the lines create lines of pull through the foot
and the ankle.
 Figure 3.1 Lateral Line, Reprinted
from Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists
with permission from Elsevier. Lateral Line with added muscle labels to original
image.
The infamous IT band!
Do all the foam rolling you want to stretch the iliotibibial tract (ITT band), and you
may find you still have pain in this strong fibrous fascial band which turns into the
tensor fascia lata (TFL). The ITT band aids in stabilizing the knee in flexion and
extension. When we walk, run or cycle, our ITT band is working hard for us. When
you do a Warrior pose with the knee in 90 degrees the ITT band is keeping it
together for you in the LL. Even yogis have tight ITT bands.
The challenge is that foam rolling doesnt give the lift you need to invite slide and
glide. With a foam roller you are pushing the ITT band into the legouch! To pick up
the ITT band, you can grab either side with your hands to give it some space to
move again (figure 3.2).


Figure 3.2 Scooping the ITT band to create more space and unglue it from
being locked down to the layers below. The ITT is a superficial layer. So dont
go too deep with your scooping! It often binds with the hamstrings, toward
the back, and the quadriceps on the front.

Gluteus Maximus!
Gluteus Maximus is what I call a Harry Potter spell muscle. The gluteus maximus
is the largest and most superficial of the butt muscles. Its most powerful action is to
bring the body erect after stopping, by drawing the pelvis backwards from an
anterior tilt. We use it every time we go up steps. I personally find that most
peoples gluteus maximus is on vacation at the beach with a margarita. Getting the
client somatically aware of using the gluteus to do its work is important for
stabilizing the lateral line. I teach a modified chair pose with arms out in front
(figure 3.3) and have the client practice lifting with their gluts as they come to
standing. Then, I have them stand on one foot at a time and lower down to identify
the weaker gluteal muscleright or left side. Then the client practices repetitions on
their weaker side.
Figure 3.3 Modified Chair pose (Utkatasana) with dowel to
increase gluteus maximus strength.
How is your belly breathing?
We now continue up the line to the internal/external obliques
that aid in rotation of the torso. They are also related to
respirationbreathing. Every time we inhale and expand the
belly, the internal obliques push outward to increase the
visceral cavity. When we exhale, the internal obliques
contract.
Learning the muscles involved in respiration helps us to
understand how interconnected and necessary it is to
somatically breath. Just breathing into the upper chest does not engage our full
potential. If we truly want to be vital and healthy individuals, we need to breath
fully, with awareness. This leads us to the external and internal intercostals the
smaller muscles that continue the basket weave with the obliques between our ribs.
The intercostals aid in inhalation and exhalation. Take a deep breath and feel the
movement between your ribs.
Sit in a chair and wiggle from side to side laterally. Gently fan open you rib cage on
both sides. Notice as you move into your fishiness, how much movement is required
through the lateral line.
Standing crescent pose (Indudalasana) (figure 3.4) or gate pose (Parighasana)
(figure 3.5) are both great lateral line poses.

Figure 3.4 Crescent pose or Standing Lateral Bend pose

(Indudalasana).

Figure 3.5 Gate pose (Parighasana)

with variation.
We end at the neck again!
We find ourselves back up to the top at
splenius capitis and the
sternocleidomastoid (SCM). In some
forms of yoga, hyperextending the
back of the neck is taught in several
poses. I dont know where this comes
from originally. I can say from my
experience in bodywork and
working with neck injuries that cranking the back of your head backwards doesnt
seem to offer any real benefit and may cause more injury. My recommendation is to
bring the head to neutral where the chin is parallel to the floor above the sternum.
Specific neck stretches can be employed to specifically target the splenius capitis
and SCM (figure 3.6).
The LL is a great line for reconnecting with our ancestral roots and reopening our
ability to swim gracefully through our lives.

Figure 3.6 (a) A gentle neck stretch allowing the arm to rest over the head. It is the
weight of the arm that creates the stretch, not pulling or forcing it. One can do a
gentle resistive stretch as well by pressing the ear into the hand with an exhale. (b)
Incorporating the stretch to 45 degrees to stretch splenius capitis while reaching

through the opposite arm to draw the shoulder down.

CHAPTER Four: spiral Line or Mbius strip
Spiral Line in Seated Spinal Twist pose
(Ardha Matsyendrasana).
When I first read about the spiral line (SL), it
reminded me of the mbius strip or band,
which is a surface with only one side. You can
make one by taking a long strip of paper,
create a half twist and connect the ends. Run
your finger along the inside and you will find
that there is no inside or outside to the mbius
strip! It takes this level of understanding to
understand the complexity of the spiral
line, which is one of my favorites.
There is a right and left spiral line defined by
which side of the head it begins. Pictured above is
the right spiral line. Beginning at the back of the head, the occipital ridge, take the
loop downward on the splenius capitis into the rhomboid and serratus anterior. The
rhomboid/serratus complex is strongly connected and it is difficult to separate them,
even in dissection (figure 4.1). They work together to hold the shoulder blade
(scapula) to the rib cagesometimes they do too good of a job!
We use the rhomboid/serratus complex every time we are in a twisting asana. Try to
twist between the shoulder blades in the thoracic vertebrae without moving the
scapula. It is very difficult, if not impossible.
Figure 4.1 Rhomboid/Serratus complex.
The SL continues around to the front of the body on the external obliques,
continuing across linea alba and abdominal aponerosis to the internal obliques
(figure 4.2).

Figure 4.2 Spiral Line. Reprinted from Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for
Manual and Movement Therapists with permission from Elsevier. Spiral Line with
added muscle labels to original image.
So how do we twist safely?
The low back has approximately 13 degrees of rotation in total. Two degrees
between T10 to L5 and 5 degrees between L5 and S1. The upper back, thoracic
spine, has between 7 to 9 degrees rotation per segment or 39 degrees total. It
makes sense anatomically to keep the rotations minimized in the low back and
maximized in the upper back. The lower back is not designed for rotation and
isolating the twist in the upper back minimizes low back injuries. No yoga therapist
wants to be responsible for injuring their clients because of incorrect cueing.
To keep it simple, twist at the heart. Examples of twisting asana such as the poets
twist use the whole spiral line (figure 4.3).
Figure 4.3 Poets Twist pose
(Bharadvajasana) with support of blanket to
even out top of hips.
The SL continues down the IT band on to tibialis
anterior, wrapping under the foot, then back up
through peroneous longus to biceps femoris
on the outside of the leg. Then the SL
continues across the sacrotuberous ligament
at the base of the buttocks, up the sacrum,
to meet up with the erector spinae muscle
group on both sides of the spine. Does this sound familiar? We have met some of
these muscles previously in the SBL, SFL and LL.

Figure 4.4 Spiral Line in Crescent Lunge Twist

pose (Parivrtta Anjaneyasana).
It is fun to play with this line by shortening the top
at the head and feel how it moves through the whole
body.

Spiral line compensations happen to those of us who rotate in the hips and
shoulderswhich are many people. You can identify your rotation by standing in
front of a full-length mirror (figure 4.5). Gaze at your belly button and see if it points
straight ahead (neutral), toward the right (right rotation) or toward the left (left
rotation). You can do the same thing from the sternum to notice rotation in the
shoulders. Quite often we counter rotate the shoulders over the rotation in the hips
to bring us into a semblance of straight aheadso we can keep walking forward.
 Do you feel twisted yet?
I often equate the mental feeling of being twisted with physical rotations in our
body. Remember, our whole body is connected and indeed, as we twist in the body,
we twist the dura mater (tough mother) and fascia in the brain.
Now, if you are dealing with a pregnant client, especially in the third trimester, you
will have an added component of how the baby is lying inside and how the pregnant
mamas body is twisting around to maintain some semblance of balance (figure
4.6).
Figure 4.6 Notice the rotation in the pelvis necessary to compensate for the
growth of the baby. Additionally, the moms low back has a hyper lordotic
curvature (excessive posterior bend).

Below are some more twists of the spiral line in Modified Seated Chair Twist pose,
Lord of the Half Fish pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana) and Modified Seated Spinal Twist
pose (figure 4.7).

Figure 4.7 Modified Seated Chair Twist pose, Lord of the Half Fish pose (Ardha
Matsyendrasana) and Modified Seated Spinal Twist pose.
In modified seated spinal twist, the client has the internal arch of the foot a hand
width apart from the knee of the opposite leg. The pelvis is rooted into the earth
and the client maintains the twist between the shoulders with a neutral gaze over
the sternum/heart (figure 4.8).

Figure 4.8 Modified Seated Twist. Ideally,

the toes are to the nose in the left leg to
root the ischial tuberosity of the left
pelvis. Here, you see a common mistake of
a relaxed left leg not anchoring the pelvis.
Lord of the Half Fish pose (Ardha
Matsyendrasana) requires the flexibility
and body type to achieve without injury
(figure 4.9).
Figure 4.9 Lord of the Half Fish pose (Ardha
Matsyendrasana), not over-twisting in the
lumbar spine.
The stretch can be increased through the SL by
engaging the shoulder blade toward the spine
shortening the rhomboids. For example, in a right twist
you draw the scapula toward the spine and may
add tucking the chin toward the right breast at 45
degrees, which stretches the left splenius capitis.
The SL is an opportunity to untwist our minds, balance rotation in hips and
shoulders, and to come into freedom of movement through the cosmic dance!
CHAPTER Five: deep front line, our core

Deep Front Line in Warrior II pose

(Virabhadrasana II).
Take a deep breath. You have finally arrived at your
destination and you will be able to get out and stretch
your legs. Tom Myers calls it the deep front line (DFL)
because it is the anatomical front of the leg.
However, it really is a core line. When we are working
with clients who are healing from trauma, you
will end up here. After all, this is where the magical
psoas is.
Another way to understand the DFL is as a
trauma line. A lot of healing from trauma
happens in the DFL and the more we can open our
understanding, the more people we can help heal. The first trauma, in this lifetime,
for most people, is at birth. In the West, we have successfully brought birth and
death into the isolation of the hospital setting. Many children have been born via C-
section, forceps, vacuumed out or with the mother knocked out under anesthesia.
The birth process is where we get our postural setthrough a vaginal birth in an
anterior position the baby head is squeezed through the birth canal and has to turn
left or right to get around the mothers sacrum. This determines our pattern right
from the beginning! Under ideal conditions such as water birth, the baby comes out
with less trauma and a healthy postural pattern. However, C-section babies and
babies pulled out forcefully develop fascial tension and trauma. It is no wonder why
we have so much trauma in our culture with scheduled C-sections encouraged!
Sometimes a C-section is necessary for the life of the mother and child. This is
where cranial sacral work for infants can be such a wonderful way to begin
treatment right at the beginning. When healing from our own trauma, as yogis, we
will find ourselves emphasizing the DFL poses.
The DFL begins at the base of the foot with tibialis posteriorthe main portion is on
the base of the navicular bone on the medial arch and the sustentaculum tali of the
calcaneus. Tibialis posterior is a key muscle in stabilizing the lower leg and
maintaining the medial arch of the foot. Anyone with flat feet will have to explore
here. The tibialis posterior plays a role in inversion of the ankle as well as plantar
flexion.
 Figure 5.1 The Deep Front Line,
our core or trauma line.
It is difficult not to make this line personal. I was born with a congenital fusion in my
subtalar joint and spent a youth filled with sprained ankles. I ended up with severe
osteoarthritis at 19 years old. After several surgeries, led to a complete fusion, a
few weeks in a wheel chair and months on crutches I was still left with little
information on how to heal and find balance. It is through yoga and structural
integration that I have been able to heal to the best of my ability. Like many of my
colleagues, our personal wound has led us to structural integration and yoga as a
pathway for support and healing.
My personal story brings me to share the importance of joints and maintenance.
Anyone with chronic conditions will have to pay attention to joint mobility, create
and increase healthy joint spaces, daily maintenance through somatic stretching
and anti-inflammatory diets. There is no quick fix for chronic pain but it is possible
to heal with a disciplined self-care program.
Why does somatic stretching work?
Schleip, in his article Fascial mechanoreceptors and their potential role in deep
tissue manipulation, refers to four types of mechanoreceptors in fascia. The Golgi
tendon (Type 1b) reflex arc and organs involved in muscle contraction are noted by
Cottingham to respond to slow stretch. However, Schleip states it is too badit is
not a simple reflex! As later research shows, that passive stretching of a myofascial
tissue does not stimulate the Golgi tendon organs. Stimulation happens when the
muscle fibers are actively contracted. For example, when a client takes seated
forward fold and their toes and legs are relaxed they are in a passive mode, thus the
Golgi tendon organs are not stimulated. However, if the client engages the back line
and brings the toes to the nose while pressing through the heels they will
stimulate the Golgi tendon organs.
The Golgi receptors are involved with balance!
Dietz (1992) states that In order to handle the extreme antigravity balancing
challenges as a biped, our central nervous system can reset the Golgi tendon
receptors and related reflex arcs so they function as very delicate antigravity
receptors.[9] To translate, our Golgi tendons give us the neurofeedback we need
for balanceoften a key in every asana.
What about the other mechanoreceptors?
There are four other types of mechanoreceptors. Three are classified as Type II and
the fourth, Interstitial, is a Type III and IV found almost everywhere inside bone with
the highest density in the periosteum. The Interstitial mechanoreceptors respond to
rapid and sustained pressure changes. Of the Type II mechanoreceptors, the first are
the Pacini (Type II), which respond to rapid changes in pressure and to vibrations.
Next are the Paciniform (Type II) corpuscles which perform a similar function as the
Pacini with an increased sensitivity. Last are the Ruffini (Type II), which respond to
sustained pressure. Ruffini endings will also be activated by slow and deep melting
quality soft tissue techniques.[10]
These mechanoreceptors are found in all types of connective tissuethe fascia. The
slower deeper techniques have an affect on lowering the sympathetic nervous
system inviting the overall feeling of relaxation. It makes sense! Our largest sensory
organ is our muscle with the related fascia. The fasciae are an interconnected web,
like a school of fish or a flock of birds. When one fish shifts, as in a change of a
singular motor unit, the rest follow.
With the discovery of the Ruffini mechanoreceptors, we have our explanation of how
we are able to shift patterns, like a school of fish changing direction, in our fascial
net. In fact, I have found that a combination of slow and deep targeting of the
Ruffini mechanoreceptors, muscle contractions or engagement for Golgi tendon and
sound vibrations for the Pacini and Paciniform mechanoreceptors work wonders.
Our role as teachers and therapists is to guide the client through the subtle
awareness of engaging a line. When the client is activating their muscles through
the myofascial meridians they may realign the firing of the muscles in a healthy
pattern. The small verbal cues such as lift your internal arches of the feet and
press through the heels can be very effective in creating awareness and change
for the client.
Back to the Deep Front Line.
Tibialis posterior is a huge player in stabilizing and sending information from the
ankle joint up the core. Stand on the ground, and gently lift up the medial arch and
feel the tibialis posterior engaging right behind the tibia bone (top bone of the lower
leg). You may feel the peroneals and tibialis anterior trying to join the party. They
form a stirrup in the base, which affects the arch of the foot. If you have a flat or
high arch, note the stirrup. The DFL works with the LL to create the balance in the
medial arch of the foot.
The DFL is akin to the feminine energies rising up from the earth and it is not
surprising, with our block on the feminine in our Western culture, that we are
physically blocked as well. To open up your internal goddess, you need to work the
DFL.
By cueing an awareness of the base and slowly bringing your clients into somatic
contact with each piece, change will naturally happen.
I cue through starting with Tadasana and have my clients lift their internal arches
while rooting through the triad in the feet. Then, begin yin breathing with an inhale
up the insides of the legs, drawing the breath up the front of the spine to the top of
the head, then exhaling down the SBL.
The next pose is to gently bend in the knees and do the Wave, which in Sanskrit
would be called Taranga (figure 5.2). It is similar to Cat/Cow pose, only it is done
standing up. Place the hands on the quadriceps and as you inhale filling up the belly
with yin breathing, lift through the sternum and take a gentle gaze upward. We then
exhale, drawing the navel back and rounding into Cat pose.

Figure 5.2 The Wave pose (Taranga).

Through the wave you feel the DFL moving and engaging the deeper aspects of the
core. This pose can also be done seated in a chair or in Easy pose (Sukasana).
The DFL follows the tibialis posterior, up to the intermuscular septum of the femur,
to the pelvic floor and up the tail of the spine-anterior longitudinal ligament. Tom
Myers is quite thorough here with the three aspects one can take from anterior,
medial and posterior through the thoracic cavity. I will not go into such detail here.
The most anterior aspect arises at the neck on the infrahyoid muscles (location of
Jallarbandha, the throat lock), medial on medial scalenes and posterior longus colli
and capitis. Any work that offers a release to the infrahyoids, scalenes and longus
colli/capitis will offer a profound release of the DFL. We literally hang from our heads
imagine a fascial wedding dress that drapes downward. When we adjust how we
hang from our heads, the shoulders soften downwards and connect with a smoother
line to the sacrum and pelvis. This allows for our body to find a balance in our
cranial sacral rhythm!
Back to breath!
In learning how to breathe correctly, Pranayama plays an important part of a full
yoga practice. The DFL is strongly correlated to how we breathe. Often in trauma,
such as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), the client will have shallow upper
chest breathing. To assist in healing one must learn the deep belly breaths. If we
over engage the hammock sling of the pelvic floor we lock our diaphragm down
from heading further south (figure 5.3)! Thus, the gentle energetic pelvic floor lift is
preferred, to maximize our breath capacity.
Figure 5.3 This faithful reproduction of a lithograph plate from Gray's Anatomy, a
two-dimensional work of art, is not copyrightable in the U.S. as per Bridgeman Art
Library v. Corel Corp.; the same is also true in many other countries, including
Germany. Unless stated otherwise, it is from the 20th U.S. edition of Gray's Anatomy
of the Human Body, originally published in 1918 and therefore lapsed into the public
domain.

Another way to experience the breath is to divide the three diaphragms of the
thoracic cavity. We have a pelvic balloon located in the whole pelvis. Secondly, we
have a visceral balloon that contains the internal organs and guts. Lastly, we have a
thoracic balloon with the lungs and the pericardium. Sometimes, I teach my clients
how to breathe and expand each of these balloons individually, then articulate the
breathing into all three simultaneously. This teaches the yogi that there is more to
breath work, and that there is a consequence to bringing the breath in to conscious
awareness. Pranayama is a wonderful opportunity to transfer the unconscious
patterns and bring them to the surface to reflect the change.
As fascialists, we are yoga astronauts seeking space in our bodies all the time.
We want our diaphragms, as well as all our viscera (organs), to have more space to
do their work. I am all about encouraging happy livers, spleens, kidneys, etc. If you
choose a more rigid, locked down pelvic floor, the result is less breath capacity and
hypertonicity of the pelvic floor muscles!
Nicole Crawford, MS in Biomechanics states that a Kegel attempts to
strengthen the pelvic floor, but it really only continues to pull the sacrum
inward promoting even more weakness, and more pelvic floor gripping. The
muscles that balance out the anterior pull on the sacrum are the glutes. A
lack of glutes (having no butt) is what makes this group so much more
susceptible to pelvic floor disorder (PFD). Zero lumbar curvature (missing the
little curve at the small of the back) is the most telling sign that the pelvic
floor is beginning to weaken. An easier way to say this is: Weak glutes + too
many Kegels = PFD.[11]

Yoga squats or Garland pose (Malasana) are a great poses to teach in class
especially when you have women who are prenatal and post partum. Yoga
squats can be taught against a wall, on a bolster for extra support or free-
style without support (figure 5.4).

Figure 5.4 Supported Garland or

Yoga Squat pose (Malasana).

Another great pose for connecting with the

pelvic floor is while entering into Pigeon
pose, pause for a minute in Modified Swan Pose
(Eka Pada Kapotasana) (figure 5.5). When the
knee is between the hands, one can draw the
torso over the hips and gently soften the pelvic
floor to the earth.

Figure 5.5 Modified Swan Pose (Eka

Pada Kapotasana).
As a yoga teacher, it is essential to practice
Ahimsa, non-harming, and correctly teach how
to breathe with correct engagement of the pelvic
floor. Now that you know the difference, you are
empowered to make an informed choice.
How to teach the DFL?
I have given some clues earlier in the examples of the breath, Wave, and the
goddess. Each yoga teacher will find his or her own language to share the
profoundness of the DFL. I am always teaching the DFL implicitly, as I believe the
DFL is the seat of our souls, our body as a temple, and the most direct way to
download the cosmic knowledge (Ishvara) and enter into unconditional love.
There seems to be a balance between cueing and silence to allow a space for
healing in the DFL. Additionally, we are bringing more sensory awareness to the flow
of breathyin or yang breathing. The breath work can move with the yin
meridians moving up the front of the body, then descending down the back body.
This would be an activating technique, or one can use a yang sedation technique
of breathing up the back body and descending down the front.
Energy loves to get stuck and it is particular fond of the adductors. The track up the
inside of the legs with the intermuscular septum includes adductor magnusthe
deepest of the adductors. Poses that are helpful in stretching adductor magnus are
Extended Hand to Knee pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana) and its
modifications (figure 5.6).

Figure 5.6Extended Hand to Knee pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana) to stretch
adductors, in three variations.

M odifications of Bound Angle pose (Baddha Konasana) are also helpful for
stretching adductor magnus as long as the heels are about one foot from the

pelvic floor (figure 5.7).

Figure 5.7Bound Angle pose (Baddha Konasana) to stretch adductors, in three

variations.
The position of the heels relative to the pelvic floor determines which adductor
muscle is being stretched; the closer the heels are to the groin stretches the gracilis
muscles, the farther away from the groin stretches adductor brevis muscles.
The psoas major track is another fun local myofascial meridian to work with asana.
Figure Four/Modified Pigeon poses and Pigeon pose (not pictured) offer an

opportunity to stretch the psoas which can be quite difficult (figure 5.8).

Figure 5.8 (a) Knee squeezes with block between the kneesinhale; press feet into
the mat and exhale, squeeze the knees (realigns adductor muscles). Keep pelvis on
the mat. (b) Figure Four pose with block to lengthen psoas. Place block below knee
joint, hold down opposite knee to keep from hiking up. Inhale, lengthen psoas with
block and exhale, press knee into block and resist. (c) Figure Four pose drawing
knee to chest to stretch opposite piriformis.
Conversely, the piriformis will sneak its way into the picture when you are stretching
the psoas, as in Figure Four pose. The piriformis arises from the sacrum and
attaches to the lateral hip on the greater trochanter (top of the leg bonefemur). In
general, the piriformis is considered a lateral hip rotator. In an unfortunate 17% of
the population, part of the sciatic nerve may arise through the piriformis causing
piriformis syndrome or chronic sciatic nerve pain. The piriformis assists with
balancing the sacrum and sacroiliac (SI) joint. It is not often pointed out that it is
involved with the subtle balancing when we walk, through its biomechanical action
of stabilizing the sacrum and SI joint. This action happens when we heel strike in our
gate pattern and the piriformis contracts to force close the SI joint. [12]Thus, along
with the other deep five hip rotators, the piriformis is an important muscle to target
in stretching.
The piriformis is not labeled as part of the DFL. However, in structural integration
work we include piriformis balancing as part of the DFL. The DFL is an opportunity to
assist our clients with amazing experiences of healing and I hope you will take the
challenge.
Another gentle psoas stretch for lengthening and balancing out right and left psoas
(figure 5.9).
Figure 5.9 (a) Start with both knees at a 90 degree angle ,bend, then hug in
left knee. (b) With an exhale, extend slowly through the right leg. (c) Fully
extend the right leg, then inhale slowly, draw the right leg in and repeat for a

total of three repetitions.

CHAPTER SIX: The Arm lines and Functional Line
Deep Front Arm Line and Superficial Front
Arm Line in Modified Hero pose (Virasana).
Almost every asana involves the arms. Tom
Myers clearly delineates four arm linesthe deep
front arm line, superficial front arm line, the deep
back arm line and superficial back arm line
(figure 6.1). The back arm lines, pictured
above, can be very helpful in deciding how to
cue the arms in relation to the whole asana.
Although the lines are not part of our structural
support, except in inversions supported by
the arms, they are involved in almost
everything we do and help define how we
observe and experience the world. We do so much with our arms and hands from
knitting, gardening, cooking, hugging, driving, working on computers, to playing on
iPhones. The arms play an important role in how our shoulders and neck feel, as
well as affecting our breath or simply carrying the weight of the world on our
shoulders.
The muscles involved with the deep front arm line (DFAL) are pectoralis minor,
biceps brachii, and thenar (thumb) muscles. The superficial front arm line (SFAL)
consists of the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, and the flexor group. The deep
back arm line (DBAL) is rhomboids and levator scapulae, the rotator cuff muscles,
triceps brachii, and to the hypothenar muscles. Finally, the superficial back arm line
(SBAL) runs from trapezius to deltoid on down to the extensor group
Figure 6.1 Arm Lines. Reprinted from Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for
Manual and Movement Therapists with permission from Elsevier.
The positioning of the arms in the posture will affect which arm line is being used.
For example Warrior II pose with palms up is an opening of the front arm lines,
especially the deep arm lines. In a classic Warrior II pose, where the palms are face
down, there is more emphasis on the back arm lines (figure 6.2). Stand up and try it
and feel the difference.

Figure 6.2 (a) Classic Warrior II pose (Virabhadrasana II) with palms up (b) Warrior II
pose with shorter stance and palms up.
I invite my clients to feel the difference between loose arms (cooked spaghetti
noodle arms) and engaged arms. There is often an interplay between both of them
in order to let go of tensional patterns in the arms and increase strength.
In a full inversion, such as tripod headstand, it is necessary to have the strength in
the arms and upper back. I have seen too many students attempt inversions with no
regard for potential injuries in the cervical vertebraeneck. I feel inversions should
be taught very carefully in small advanced groups of practitioners or ideally, one on
one.
Since there isnt an asana that doesnt use the arms, bringing the clients into
somatic awareness in how they use their arms can really change their daily lives.
Modified Cow Face pose (Gomukhasana) is a wonderful pose for stretching the front
of the chest via the pectoralis muscles, as well as shortening the rhomboid muscles
on the back. I encourage my clients to use a strap so that they maintain a lifted
heart and chin parallel to the floor. Modified Eagle pose (Garudasana), with arms
only in Hero pose is another asana that allows stretching the upper back,
lengthening the rhomboids (figure 6.3).

Figure 6.3 Eagle pose (Garudasana), with arms

only in Hero pose (Virasana) to stretch
DBAL.

O
ther ways to play with arms is to use a wall.
For example, have someone go into a seated
twist to the right and reach back with
theirright arm with the palm on the wall.
This increases the stretch through the front of the chest (figure 6.4).
Figure 6.4 Modified Seated Twist pose with arm reach to the wall to stretch DFAL.
The Functional Lines
The Back Functional Line (BFL) and Front Functional Line (FFL) are lines of
movement. For example, when we serve in tennis, the motion moves through the
right arm, if you are right handed, descending down the BFL latissimus dorsi,
gluteus maximus, vastus lateralis to the patella and subpatellar tendon. Likewise,
the movement descends down the FFL from the humerus, pectoralis major, rectus
abdominis to adductor longus. This one movement crosses over several key joints in
the body (figure 6.5).

The crossing over of joints in movement is important when we are working with
pain. When the joints are open, pain can move freely with the pattern of movement.
When the joint spaces are stuck or closed, the pain gets stuck like a traffic jam.
Inviting freedom of movement, as in dance, helps free up the joint spaces.
 The latissimus dorsi is an important
and strong muscle. It spreads like wings across the back body. We use the lattismus
dorsi with many of the asana such as Four-Limbed Staff pose (Chaturanga
Dandasana) (figure 6.6). I think of the lattismus dorsi as an extension of the
shoulder girdle in movement.

Figure 6.6 Four-Limbed Staff pose (Chaturanga Dandasana).

Chaturanga Dandasana is a challenging pose to teach correctly and is similar to a
push-up. It is not meant for anyone with shoulder injuries or those who have not
developed some strength in the front and back lines. In general, I do not teach this
pose in my regular yoga classes. I leave it for special strengthening classes where I
can focus specifically on the pose and how to do it correctly. Common errors are
winging the elbows out when coming from high to low and not using the core
strength to support the pose. Remember that repetition leads to injury and
Chaturanga Dandasana is often used in transition in Ashtanga sequences in high
repetitions!
My tendency is to reflect on the movement patterns we invite through the
sequencing in asana, especially with Vinyasa Flow styles with regards to the
functional lines. I am often drawn to lateral knee pain and its relationship to the
back functional line. Often pain is not local and the shortening is distal to the site of
pain. The pattern in the BFL would move to the opposite side of the body for
movement patterns such as throwing a ball. This is especially important when
someone has a tendency to be dominant on either side of the bodyvisualize a one
armed push-up!
Keep the functional lines in mind when a client is having difficulty with movement
patterns and pain. With more pain, reduce the repetitions and restructure the
practice for slower myofascial release. Once the client relearns appropriate
movement patterns, they can move back with caution towards poses that
encourage strength through repetition. The arm and functional lines are helpful in
interpreting functional movement patterns and developing an awareness of arm
variations in asana.

CHAPTER Seven: Alignment, Touch and Body Reading

Have you ever gone to yoga class and the teacher walks up and adjusts you, in the
pose, to what they believe is the correct posture? This happened to me once in
triangle pose on the wall, as the yoga teacher attempted to push my left hip against
the wall. I normally have a right rotated pelvis to compensate for my left fused
ankle. This resulted in a month of injuries as my left fused ankle determined how far
I could go. This is the moment I started my pathway to becoming a yoga teacher.
Adjustments are tricky and, at best, belong to the more skilled teacher who has
been trained in touch therapy and knows their clients medical history. If you dont
know your clients, you have no business touching them. It is not enough for the
client to give you permission in a class setting. Some asana are already pushing the
clients boundaries and abilities. That is simply enough!
I am clearly biased here and experience has taught me to be extremely cautious.
Remember, our role is to do no harm.
Touch, in the west, is a sensitive business. We transmit so much through touch.
Many people only experience touch in close personal relationships. To enter into a
persons energetic space requires an invitation. Sometimes, a person may say it is
okay but energetically, they are not ready. It is easier to keep your distance and
give verbal cues until the appropriate moment arrives. I recommend taking
introductory courses in massage therapy to understand touch more fully. Through
touch therapy training, one can learn how humbling it is to be in relationship with
others through touch, and it is truly an art.
What about alignment?
There are several alignment based yoga systems that claim to be alignment
based. They are alignment based in a sense that they align a client within the asana
as the teacher sees fit. They are not alignment based in relationship to the body
and how the parts of the body relate to each other. Myofascial Yoga addresses the
discrepancy between what is projected to be correct, and working within the
relational patterns of the client. To project a classical picture of an asana on a
student of yoga is inherently incorrect teaching and will cause harm. Myofascial
Yoga is an alignment based yoga that is based on the myofascial meridians and the
anatomy of wholes, not parts.
Learning to observe the client in relation to the myofascial meridians and applying
this to the particular asana is the secret to success. The purpose of this book is to
teach movement therapists and yoga teachers to be smarter in how they teach
asana and to include the myofascia.
As stated previously, there are different body typesVata, Pitta and Kapha. Each
body type, as well as the personal history of the client, will lend itself to different
asana and modifications. Always teach the modifications and build up to the
advanced asana.
I remember when I completed my yoga teacher training and they recommended
B.K.S. Iyengars Light on Yoga. Flipping through the book I was shocked at the level
of contortion involved. This isnt possible for most people. So, here the journey
began in getting to know the baby steps to asana. In fact, modern asana is
derived from Swedish gymnastics in the late 1930s and the contortionists of India
from the late 1800s.[13] With the emergence of fascial anatomy, and other somatic
disciplines such as Feldenkrais, neuromuscular therapy and cranial sacral therapy,
there is no reason for us to hurt ourselves.
Having bolsters, blocks, straps and yoga chairs will make your life easier. Yoga is the
poor mans gym. You can turn yoga into an amazing experience with the correct
support, following your own wisdom body and working with an experienced
teacher.
CHAPTER eight: eastern MEDICINE

With the influence of Eastern medicine coming from acupuncture and Ayurveda, one
might ask, how do the myofascial meridians relate? The myofascial meridians are
solely fascial meridians. However, one cannot ignore some similarities.
I will first present the five elements as taught in Chinese Oriental Medicine as this
is my training. However, there is five elemental theory in Ayurveda which has some
similarities and differences to how the Chinese system is presented. Classically, one
could say that the Chinese system tends toward the yin and yang where as the
Ayurvedic system is with Vata, Pitta and Kapha. As one explores both these
systems of medicine one can make distinctions that are helpful in observing a
client. I am not suggesting that one system is better than the other, rather that they
both have relevance to the practitioner and one should know from where they are
observing.
There are two distinctions in Eastern medicine I would like to make. Acupuncture
descending from China can be seen as five element theory or yin and yang
theory. The five elements describe the vital body through the elements of earth,
metal, water, wood and fire. They are often depicted in a circular graph with arrows
showing the influence they have on each other (figure 8.1). Each element serves as
a mother, which will promote the growth of another, the child. For example, fire
provides the foundation for earth, earth nurtures metal, etc.
Each element has an association of emotion, season and acupuncture meridian.
Wood is yang in nature. Characteristics associated with wood are flexibility (as with
bamboo), generosity, idealism and leadership. Wood regulates the Liver and Gall
Bladder Meridians. The season is spring and the color is green. Emotions associated
with wood are anger and the sound of shouting.
Fire is yang in nature. Characteristics associated with fire are dynamism, strength,
persistence and restlessness. Fire regulates the Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium,
and Triple Warmer meridians. The season is summer and the color is red. Emotions
associated with fire are happiness and the sound of laughing.
Earth is balance and is both yin and yang in nature. Characteristics associated with
earth are patience, thoughtfulness, practicality, hard work and stability. Earth
regulates the Spleen and Stomach meridians. The season is the fifth season or
Indian summer and the color is yellow. Emotions associated with earth are
sympathy and the sound of singing.
Metal is yin in nature. Characteristics associated with metal are unyieldingness,
rigidity, persistence, strength and determination. Metal regulates the lungs and
large intestine meridians. The season is autumn and the color is white. Emotions
associated with metal are grief and the sound of weeping.
Water is yin in nature. Characteristics associated with water are intelligence,
wisdom, flexibility, softness and pliancy. Water regulates the kidney and bladder
meridians. The season is winter and the color is blue. Emotions associated with
water are fear and the sound of groaning.
Yin and yang are often represented by the Taiji symbol consisting of a circle divided
into two with one black and one white half. The circle represents the Taosthe
undifferentiated unity out of which all of existence arises. The two halves
represent the yin-qi and yang-qithe primordial feminine and masculine energies
whose interplay gives birth to the manifest worlds.
While teaching the myofascial meridians, it can be nice to have an understanding of
the nature of Eastern medicine to use in teaching the course. For example, while
teaching the lateral line, which corresponds to the Gall Bladder meridian one, one
can point out the element of wood and its associated characteristics.
In the first edition of Anatomy Trains, Tom Myers did not compare the myofascial
meridians to the acupuncture meridians. It was hard for me not to notice the
similarities. In his second edition, he did add an appendix to address this. The
corresponding meridians are as follows: SBL and Bladder meridian, SFL and
Stomach meridian, LL and Gall Bladder meridian, SFAL and Pericardium meridian,
DFAL and Lung meridian, SBAL and Triple Warmer meridian, DBAL and Small
Intestine meridian, DFL and Liver meridian, SL and Stomach meridian for anterior
and Bladder meridian for posterior.
Acknowledging that there are similarities is the first step. However, there are also
differences especially with regards to the sinew channels. The Acupuncture Manual
by Deadman outlines detailed sinew channels and a side by side comparison will
allow you to see the difference in how the meridian arise.[14] My preference is to
error with the fascial continuity of the myofascial meridians.
I have found it helpful to illuminate my personal understanding of the two systems.
It is has benefited my growth and assisted me in understanding the experience of
my clients. Clearly, it requires additional study beyond the scope of this text.
What about Ayurveda and the Chakras?
In Chapter one, I discussed the doshas and the relative prakriti. Ayurveda, as the
science of life, does require further study and I would refer you to the experts in the
field. The chakras are another perspective that has evolved from the East. I should
note that there are different presentations of the chakras and I draw on Dr. Anodea
Judith. There are seven chakras in the body. Each chakra corresponds to a plexus
the nerve plexuses-coccygeal, sacral, lumbar, brachial and cervical.
Each chakra has its own ideology, characteristics, color and feelings associated
with it. For example, the root chakra or Muladhara is located at the base of the
spine at the coccygeal plexus. According to Dr. Anodea Judith, author of Eastern
Body Western Mind, the central issue of the root chakra is survival and the goals are
stability, grounding, physical health, prosperity and trust.[15] The basic right is to
be here, to have and the demon is fear. Dr. Judith has a wonderful way of
describing and incorporating the chakras in with western psychology. I would
encourage you to explore Eastern Body Western Mind for further explanations.
Below is a summary chart of the seven chakras and their corresponding physical
location (figure 8.2).
When teaching a yoga class, notice the season you are in. Often, clients will walk-in
and express frustrations that are directly related to the five elements. This is a
wonderful opportunity to bring in reflective thoughts and notice stuck energy along
the associated meridians. For example, Gall Bladder meridian is associated with
springa time of new growth. When a client has not prepared themselves in the fall
season for new growth by cleansing/detoxifying their gut and body or has lived in
excessiveness through the holiday/winter season they may find themselves
expressing anger or shouting. One can bring the client awareness through
detoxifying Pranayama such as fire breathing (Kapalabhati) which involves
breathing in and out quickly through the mouth while pumping the abdomen. When
excessive anger is present, this Pranayama technique is contraindicated. The client
may slow it down and focus more on lengthening of the exhalation to invite balance.
Incorporating the Eastern Medicine techniques with the yoga therapy is profound
and fun!
CHAPTER nine: Sequencing your myofascial yoga class
The last step is how to sequence your class. Over the years, I have played with
several formats and honestly I love opening the DFL first through the gentle
awareness of the breath, Mula Bandha and the wave. Then, following the
superficial lines of SBL, SFL and LL lines. Spiral lines are intermixed through the
twisting asana.
In a one-hour class I pick one to two advanced asanas. I teach Pranayama with
meditation for 10 minutes, 15 minutes of warm up, 20 minutes of strength and the
baby steps to an advance asana and 15 minutes of cool down to meditation.
Below are some examples of sequencing to guide you:
Warm Up Sequences

W
arm up sequences should slowly warm up the body so that the client
can be prepared for the more advanced asana without getting injured.
Reclining supported pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) uses bolsters and
blankets to support the client in the appropriate pose for their lumbar
low back.
Reclining pose with support from bolsters and blanket to lengthen the back of the

head and not hyperextending the back of the neck.

Reclining Childs pose (Supta Balasana) supported with bolster for third trimester of

pregnancy.

T ransition to seated position with extending the left leg and planting the left
hand. Lift through the pelvic floor, then slowly restack the spine from the low

back to the upper back.

E
asy pose (Sukhasana) with supported blankets to keep pelvis at 90 degrees.
Sits bones are to the front edge of the blanket. This allows a lengthening of
the hamstrings.
S
taff pose (Dandasana) with toes to the nose. Balancing of SFL and SBL.
Prepping for Seated Forward Fold pose (Pachimattasana) with a strap at the
base of the toes and lifted heart. Slowly hinging from the true hip where
the femur inserts into the acetabulum, not rounding through the low back

lumbar.

Transition to a full forward full by tucking the chin which creates the full stretch for
the SBL.

The Great Seal pose (Mahamudra) with support on a blanket, toes to the nose, and
extension of the spine. The Great Seal pose emphasizes the root lock and gently
engaging the pelvic floor. The client should establish the energetic connection
between the pelvic floor and behind the navel. Balances of SBL and SFL.
One Legged Forward Fold pose (Janu Sirsasana) variations with and without straps.
Client should maintain toes to the nose and be balanced through both sits
bones. Stretching SBL.

R evolved Head to Knee pose (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana) variations. Client sets up
by turning their heart/sternum over the bent knee, then reaching the arm to the

sky lengthening through the lateral line.

B ound Angle pose (Baddha Konasana). Client should be balanced through both
sits bones and lengthen through the spine. Focus on opening adductors for

DFL.

M
odified Turtle pose (Kurmasana). Client brings their feet together about one
foot in front of their pelvic floor which emphasizes stretching the adductor
magnus for the DFL.
T
ransition to all fours with hands below the shoulders, hands and fingers
spread wide, knees below the hips for Cat/Cow pose
(Marjaryasana/Bitilasana). Balancing SFL and SBL and engaging the core

through the DFL.

Resting in Childs pose (Balasana) either supported with bolster, knees

together or wide knee with hands above.
S
trengthening core through Bird/Dog pose which is a prep pose for
Downward Facing Dog pose. Either lifting alternating arms parallel to
the floor, then bringing opposite leg out with opposite arm. Another
variation is adding a third step of drawing elbow to the knee on an

exhale. This pose strengthens the DFL.

Downward Facing Dog pose (Ardho Mukha Svanasana) with variations.

Balancing of SFL and SBL with engagement of DFL.

Second and third trimester pregnancy should be up on blocks to prevent the

baby from invertingunless they are breech.

Forward Fold pose (Uttanasana) variations with chin tuck. To be a true SBL
posture, the knees would not be bent. However, for many clients a soft knee
bend takes the pressure out of their low backs. Also, some clients have a
tendency to hyperextend the back of the knees and lock them. We invite
them to a more neutral soft knee.
M
ountain pose (Tadasana) with hip width or ankle width apart in the
feet. Learning to properly engage internal arch of feet, finding
balance in strength behind big toes and balance in lateral side of the

foot. Balancing between SFL and SBL.

Middle Section
The middle section of a yoga class is often the focus that is chosen by the
teacher. Now that the clients are safely warmed up, you begin the sequence
of choice, whether you choose warriors for strength, heart openers, back
bends, hip openers and core strengthening, etc.
It is beyond the scope of this edition to cover all asana and their
modifications. However, we will share a few examples.

Standing Postures

W
arrior II pose (Virabhadrasana II) with seated for pregnancy safe
for all three trimesters. This pose is great for learning how to
bring your torso over the hips and it lengthens the pelvic floor
fascia. Stretching DFL in back leg, with awareness in the arm

lines.

Warrior I pose (Virabhadrasana I) with long and short stance. Hips are
forward. Variation in arms with a wide stance to help keep shoulder down the
back and hands together in prayer. Balancing of SFL and SBL, and stretches

the DFL of back leg.

Chair pose (Utkatasana) with variations. Hip width apart in the feet shown
with a dowel to maintain balance and engage the gluteal muscles.

Triangle Series
Triangle pose (Trikonasana) in its full glory requires the fascial length and
strength in the base. Many clients will need to build up to it over time.
Stretches the DFL, SL and LL. A shortened leg stance that evolves from
Warrior I pose is a true Triangle pose. The longer stance from Warrior II
pose shown to the left is an Extended Triangle pose (UtthitaTrikonasana).

R evolved Triangle pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana) with modifications. Focus

should be on keeping the twist out of the lumbarlow back. Stretches

the DFL, SL and arm lines.

Intense Stretch pose (Parsvottanasana) with modifications taking the twist out of
the lumbar spine. Stretches DFL of the front leg.

W
ide Legged Forward Bend pose (Parasarita Padottanasana). Feet are
parallel or the toes can be turned in slightly to parallel the outer edges of
the feet. This is an intense LL stretch and also requires the DFL lifting

through the core.

Wide Legged Forward Bend pose (Parasarita Padottanasana). Supported with bolster
and blankets.
Balancing Postures

Tree pose (Vrksasana) with wall for support. Balancing postures require the lifting of
the DFL to stabilize through the core.

L
ord of the Dance pose or Dancer with strap (Natarajasana). Begin with
balancing on one leg and create a loop at the end of the strap around foot or
ankle. Use wall for support. The goal is to create a back bend between the

shoulder blades and not in the low back.

Then take both hands to strap and create your bow.

Arm and Shoulder Stretches
Most asana involve the arms lines. With the exception of inversion, the arms are do
not require strength. There are many great arm and shoulder stretches. One of my
favorites is a modified Cow Face pose (Gomukhasana) sitting in Hero pose
(Virasana) on top of a block, then using the strap to create a safe stretch of the
shoulders.

Clients often over tuck their chin in this pose. Invite chin parallel to the floor to
assist the client to find balance and so they do not go into forward head posture.

T ransition between with a heart opener in Hero pose (Virasana) with arms
outstretched.


Eagle pose (Garudasana) with arms only in Hero pose (Virasana).

Seated Spinal Twist pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana) with front arm line being
stretched using the wall.

One-Legged Frog pose (Eka Pada Bhekasana) is another wonderful arm and
quadriceps stretch.

Front Body Openers

Baby Cobra pose or Modified Cobra pose (Bhujangasana) using belly breathing,
engaged knee caps with top of feet on the mat. It is the strength of the belly
pressing into the floor that allows the body to rise up like a cobra. Hands can be on
the floor, with gaze downward and balanced neck. Opens heart, SFL and DFL.
Sphinx pose (Salamba Bhujangasana) offers another modification for clients who are

unable to come into a full Cobra.



Supported Wheel pose (Chakrasana or Urdhva Dhanurasana). Begin seated in a

chair. Bring your bum to the front of the chair with bent knees. Lower down very
slowly to back bend at the bra line using the chair for support. Opens DFL and SFL.

Supported Wheel pose with bolster and blocks for support. Back bending over the
back and of the bolster.
Deep Front Line Openers
Knee to Chest pose (Apanasana) can be done statically, holding knees to chest or

dynamically inhaling, with legs at 90 degrees and exhaling knees to chest.

Knee squeeze with block between the kneesinhale, press feet into the mat and
exhale, squeeze the knees (realigns adductor muscles and sacrum).

Figure Four pose with block to lengthen psoas. Place block below knee joint, hold
opposite hip down from hiking up with opposite hand. Inhale, lengthen psoas with
block and exhale, press knee into block and resist. Then Figure Four pose or
Modified Pigeon pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) drawing knee to chest to stretch
opposite piriformis.

Modified Reclining Supine Twist pose (Supta Matsyendrasana) may be done

statically, with legs relaxed on the floor or dynamically, to strengthen the
internal and external obliques.

During dynamic variation, one can extend through the legs as well, to invite
a psoas release.

Leg Openers
S tanding Big Toe pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana) can be done on
the wall with a strap for those that do not have the flexibility for this

pose. It is working the DFL on the standing and extended leg.

Reclining Hand to Big Toe pose (Supta Padagusthasana) is a gentler way to

achieve the same benefit of lengthening the adductors for the DFL.

Final Resting Postures

Legs up the Wall pose (Viparita Karani) is a great restorative posture for supporting

the immune system and offering an inversion without the strain.

Corpse pose (Savasana) is a great opportunity to slow down and connect with the
primary curves of the SBL.
Conclusion

Myofascial Yoga has taught me how to honor my body and its limitations. I
have learned to be more present in each asana and find new ways to achieve
health and balance. The Myofascial meridians, as conceived by Thomas
Myers, are an amazing mapping of patterns in our bodies. Through the
mapping, we are able to unravel common postural problems, shortening and
lengthening pulls that run through the body and facilitate the healing process
to restore balance and come into our wisdom bodies.

I am deeply grateful for our fascial net and the movement forward many
other fascialists have made to bring awareness and understanding to the
important role our connective tissue plays in our health.

My intention is that this book will add to the wealth of existing knowledge as
well as facilitate the next step forward in understanding the importance of
fascia in our day to day lives.

Namaste!
Works Cited
1. Aaron, Ben Ben Aaron Finds The Nameless Dance Walk Guru
Master http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSy7h3TPB-M June 3,
2012.
2. Bachman, Nicolai, The Yoga Sutras: Workbook (Sounds True, Inc.
2011) 6.
3. Bateson, Gregory Steps to an Ecology of Mind (Chandler Publishing
Co. 1972).
4. Buddhananda, Swami, Moola Bandha: The Master Key (Yoga
Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India 1978) 19.
5. Chronic Pain: Research and Clinical Applications, by Diana
Thompson, Massage & Bodywork magazine, July/August 2011.
6. Crawford N http://breakingmuscle.com/womens-fitness/stop-doing-
kegels-real-pelvic-floor-advice-women-and-men.
7. Deadman, Peter A Manual of Acupuncture (Journal of Chinese
Medicine Publications 2007).
8. Earl, James and Myers, Thomas Fascial Release for Structural
Balance (Lotus Publishing 2010) 124.
9. Frawley, David Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound: Secrets of Seed (Bija)
Mantras (Lotus Press 2010) 88.
10. Goswami, Amit Ph.D., The Quantum Doctor: A physicists guide
to health and healing (Hampton Roads Publishing, Co. 2004) 107.
11.Frawley, David Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound: Secrets of Seed (Bija)
Mantras (Lotus Press 2010) 88.
12. Greenman, PE, Principles of Manual Medicine, 2003, p10.
13.Judith, Anodea, Eastern Body Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra
System as a Path to the Self (Celestial Arts, 2004) 38.
14. Korzybski, Alfred remark attributed to Polish-American scientist
and philosopher,en.wikipedia.org/wiki/map-territor-relation 2013.
15. Lad, Vasant M.A.Sc., Textbook of Ayurveda Fundamental
Principles (The Ayurvedic Press 2002) 1.
16.Maturana, Humberto and Varela, Francisco, The Tree of Knowledge:
Biological basis of human understanding, (Shambala 1992).
17.Myers, Thomas W. Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and
Movement Therapists, (Third Edition, Churchill Livingston Elsevier 2013).
18. National Centers for Health Statistics, Special Feature: Pain,
 Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans 2006, accessed
May 2011, www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus.pdf.
19. http://scienceofmom.com/2012/10/11/why-consider-delayed-cord-
clamping/.
20. Schleip, R., Chart: Fascial mechanoreceptors and their potential
role in deep tissue manipulation, Fascial plasticitya new
neurobiological explanation. Journal of Bodywork and Movement
Therapies 7(1):11-19 and 7(2):104-116.
21. Schleip, R., Fascia as an organ of communication, Tensional
Network of the Human Body (Elsevier Ltd. 2012) 77.
22. Sherman KJ, Cherkin DC, Hawkes RJ, et al. Randomized trial of
therapeutic massage for chronic neck pain. Clinical Journal of Pain.
2009;25(3):233-238.
23. Singleton, Mark Yoga Body: The origins of modern posture
practice. (Oxford University Press 2010) 114.
24. Thompson D, Chronic Pain: Research and Clinical Applications.
Massage & Bodywork, July/August 2011.
25.Watts, Alan The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are (1966).
Special thanks to Thomas Myers for his support on this project. If you are
interested in purchasing Toms book, which I highly recommend, or
attending a webinar designed for yoga teachers and/or the hands-on
workshops around the world go to AnatomyTrains.com. Every workshop I
have attended has reshaped my practice on the most profound level.

Contributors and Models

K
About the Author
irstie Bender Segarra, PHD LMT ERYT has been practicing bodywork
(structural integration) and yoga since 1996. She is a full time faculty at
the University of New Mexico-Taos and Chair of Integrative Health and
Medical Massage. She trains yoga teachers and medical massage
therapists. Her passion for movement therapy comes with a desire to assist clients
in finding their balance with regards to chronic pain conditions. She is a Doctor of
Integrative Medicine.
Ross Jenkins, photographer and editor, has been practicing yoga since the 90s and

is currently working on becoming invisible.

A
lana Grier, LMT and RYTbegan her studies in Eastern Medicine and
Meditation in 1987 at the New England Shiatsu Center in Boston. She has
been a dancer and yoga practitioner for nearly 30 years and enjoys
sharing movement with children and adults both therapeutically and as a
personal trainer. Alana has enjoyed a well-rounded career in wellness for over 20
years. She has been practicing as a Licensed Massage Therapist since 1990. She is
a graduate of the Career Ladder Nursing Program at Kauai Community College. She

is an instructor in the UNM-Taos Yoga Teacher Training Program.

C
elestia LeePearl Carson, a mom of three beautiful daughters and is currently
a student in the UNM-Taos Integrative Massage Therapy Program. She was 8
months pregnant during the photos shoot and her third daughter was born

May 2, 2013.

Nicole Nikki Rodriguez, a mom of three wonderful children and is currently a

student in the UNM-Integrative Massage Therapy Program.

[1] Watts, Alan The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are (1966).
[2] Bachman, Nicolai, The Yoga Sutras Workbook (Sounds True, Inc. 2011) 6.
[3] Korzybski, Alfred remark attributed to Polish-American scientist and
philosopher,en.wikipedia.org/wiki/map-territor-relation 2013.
[4] Bateson, Gregory Steps to an Ecology of Mind (Chandler Publishing Co.
1972).
[5] Maturana, Humberto and Varela, Francisco, The Tree of Knowledge: Biological
basis of human understanding, (Shambala 1992).
[6] Lad, Vasant M.A.Sc., Textbook of Ayurveda Fundamental Principles (The
Ayurvedic Press 2002) 1.
[7] Goswami, Amit Ph.D., The Quantum Doctor: A physicists guide to health and
healing (Hampton Roads Publishing, Co. 2004) 107.
[8] Buddhananda, Swami, Moola Bandha: The Master Key (Yoga Publications Trust,
Munger, Bihar, India 1978) 19.
[9] Schleip, R., Chart: Fascial mechanoreceptors and their potential role in deep
tissue manipulation, Fascial plasticitya new neurobiological explanation.
Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 7(1):11-19 and 7(2):104-116.
[10] Schleip, R., Chart: Fascial mechanoreceptors and their potential role in deep
tissue manipulation, Fascial plasticitya new neurobiological explanation.
Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 7(1):11-19 and 7(2):104-116.

[11] Crawford N http://breakingmuscle.com/womens-fitness/stop-doing-

kegels-real-pelvic-floor-advice-women-and-men.
[12] Earl, James and Myers, Thomas Fascial Release for Structural Balance
(Lotus Publishing 2010) 124.
[13] Singleton, Mark Yoga Body: The origins of modern posture practice.
(Oxford University Press 2010) 114.
[14] Deadman, Peter A Manual of Acupuncture (Journal of Chinese Medicine
Publications 2007).
[15] Judith, Anodea, Eastern Body Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra
System as a Path to the Self (Celestial Arts, 2004) 38.