RMTips: Dragon’s Pose

These humid summer days are perfect for becoming acquainted with your spleen. It’s a juicy, warm, wet organ engorged with blood, a deep pool or reservoir for when the body is thirsty for lymphocytes and for fresh oxygen and nutrients that blood carries. It is an organ about equal in size to the heart. Maybe you can sense its deep energy centre behind the stomach, on the left side. Your body can live without your spleen, as the physical system as a whole will take over its function in novel ways, but its energetic qualities continue to flow through the meridian associated with it. Spleen chi is multifaceted, but to me it is best associated with the sense of being at home inside myself. When I feel this way, I feel it deeply in my spleen. On the other hand, we sometimes say we experience anxiety and restlessness as butterflies in our stomachs. I wonder if, in more embodied states, we would experience anxiety, pensiveness and sympathy craving more precisely in our spleens!!

It so happens that a great Restorative / Yin yoga posture, intended to help stimulate and release blockages in the spleen meridian (as it passes through the groin, stomach, spleen, diaphragm, chest, and heart). This is one of my favourite stretches to give my massage clients. It is called Dragon Pose.

You may want to grab a towel or something soft to rest under your knee if they are sensitive. This is intended as a restorative pose, so wherever you land in your posture make sure it is comfortable enough and stable enough to stay in for 3 to 5 minutes. There should be no pain at any point. If there is pain, back out, adjust, take your time and trust the posture. A simple place to start with breathing is to inhale for four seconds, and exhale for four seconds for the entire pose. If you can lengthen your breath, awesome. You can rest your hands or fingertips on the floor, on blocks, or whatever works best for you right now. If you’re pregnant, you can bring both arms to the inside of the knee in front of you, to create room in front. The back leg extends far behind you and the toes are extended. You can hold this pose on both sides for the same amount of time. Check in with how you feel, experience whatever arises and trust the pose.