Part 7: Abdomen
21 Yoga Practices For Body Flexibility
Abdomen is the space between the thorax (chest) and the pelvis. The abdominal cavity contains a greater part of the digestive tract, the liver and pancreas, the spleen, the kidneys and the adrenal glands located above the kidneys.
The main function of the abdominal cavity is digestion, as all the digestive organs are contained in this cavity. Muscles essential for posture, balance and breathing are located in this place. The brain has direct effect on the stomach and intestines.
The gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to emotions like anger, anxiety, sadness, elation etc.
These emotions can trigger symptoms in the gut resulting in stomach disorder or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and can also cause pain. Hence, abdomen is said to be the emotional center.
Any disturbance of emotion is directly related to the physiological disturbance in the digestive system. To overcome this, one should do the abdominal breathing.
The diaphragm plays a major role in abdominal breathing. It is positioned as a cap of abdominal cavity. The dome shaped diaphragm separates the abdominal cavity from the chest cavity.
On inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and flattens, thereby enabling more space in the chest cavity. This creates a vacuum to pull air into the lungs. During this process, the abdomen gets bloated out. Lungs receive maximum oxygen for circulation. On exhalation, the diaphragm get relaxed and regains its dome shape by expelling the air out of the lungs. Here the abdomen goes inwards and upwards. The practice is done without engaging the chest.
Abdominal breathing ensures maximum supply of oxygen to the lungs, and hence each cell receives a fresh supply of oxygen, more than it receives via chest breathing, where the involvement of diaphragm is absent. More oxygen in lungs ensures the replacement of waste (in the form of toxins) in the blood stream, thereby making the person feel fresh and agile. It also enhances good sleep if performed in 1:2 ratio of inhale to exhale.
Please learn the practice of abdominal breathing here.
Children refusing to attend school because of stomach pain on a Monday morning is a common occurrence. After spending a comfortable and carefree weekend, the very thought of the class room brings an emotional imbalance in their mind resulting in the form of stomach pain. As an adult, one might have experienced butterflies in stomach just before attending an interview or a solo stage performance in front of a packed auditorium. Anxiety or fear due to imbalance in emotions is the reason for this. Under such circumstances, practicing abdominal breathing with focus on exhale, by contracting the abdominal muscles will relax the body and mind.
This practice was developed in accordance with Yoga Therapy, a branch of yoga that requires the ailing person to perform a set of asanas to cure prevailing health issues. Read more about Yoga Therapy here.
Read the previous title in this article series. Part 6: Hip joint
Read the next title in this article series. Part 8: Chest
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