32. Why do Yogis Go Upside Down?
Yoga Studies in Five Minutes - Theodora Wildcroft
Matylda Ciołkosz [+]
Jagiellonian University, Kraków
Matylda Ciołkosz is scholar of religions and an Assistant Professor at the Institute for the Study of Religions, Jagiellonian University in Kraków. In her research, she explores how religious concepts and doctrines are formed under the influence of different biological and sociocultural factors. As a longtime yoga practitioner, rock climber, and musician, she is especially interested in the significance of movement practices as one of these factors. In her studies- so far focused mainly on modern yoga- she applies the methodologies of cognitive science and lingustics.
Description
Yoga practitioners commonly believe that inverting the body during āsana practice has numerous beneficial effects on the mind and body. Inverted postures are a relatively new addition to the āsana curriculum, however, the practice of turning the body upside down is ancient, and has been associated with diverse benefits for the practitioner.