Understanding Yogic Direction of the Spine

Many of us arrive on our mat to practice yoga with the expectation that we will move our bodies and hopefully step off our mat feeling less physically tense and more clearer headed. We understand at a high level - the focus on our breath and movement have a lot of positive effects. But there is a more subtle aspect to how classes are constructed that helps us to achieve some of those yummy feelings.
In Western medical terminology, we move in 3 planes of motion - the frontal plane, which divides our bodies into the front and back and is associated with side bending movements; the sagittal plane, which divides our bodies into the left and right sides and is associated with forward and backward movements; and the transverse plane, which divides our bodies into top and bottom portions and is associated with twisting movements.

In the yogic terminology, this is expanded to include all directions of the spine. So all the planes of motion are incorporated, and expanded upon to include samasthiti, or neutral spine and viparita, spinal inversion. Spinal flexion, pascimatana, and spinal extension, purvatana, happen in the western sagittal plane. Parsva, spinal lateral flexion, happens in the frontal plane, and parivrtti, spinal rotation, happens in the transverse plane (which was easily remembered by one of my yoga sisters as the “twisty twisty” plane. Thanks, Laura!).

Your yoga teacher will intentionally move you through all of these 6 directions in the course of a class, encouraging you to send your breath and attention to all parts of your body, naturally increasing blood flow in the process. So the next time you roll out your mat, take a moment to notice your spine as it moves through the six directions, bringing your body and mind into balance.

Intend to Shine,

Carrie Green

Lightbearer 2022