The rationale of this yog-asana and prāṇāyāmasequence is to indirectly ‘touch’ and stimulate each of these three parts of the abdominal cavity and exert a positive effect on the gut-brain axis thanks to meditative prāṇāyāmatechniques.

The abdominal area is here ‘divided’ into three portions and the sequence is aimed at contacting and stimulating each of them. The upper digestive tract is where the stomach and liver are. The central part of the abdomen is mainly occupied by the gut; while the lower part is where bladder, rectum, prostate and uterus are. Kidneys and adrenals glands occupy the posterior part of the upper abdominal cavity. Moreover, being aware of research evidences that tend to establish a strong relationship between stress-related psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety with gastrointestinal disorders, I also pay attention to embodied practices that can help balance in the autonomic nervous system.

The fourth part of the practice employs backestensions, #purvapratanasthiti. Here, the expected beneficial effect of back extensions is to help stimulate the kidneys and adrenals glands while extending the digestive system.

Thanks to the #padmasana positioning of the legs, the two variations of #simhasana allow to reach and extend the lower part of the abdomen. A rolled blanket underneath the abdominal aorta area stimulates circulation. The belt tightened at the legs creates an elongation in particular in the middle longitudinal part of that is usually difficult to reach.

The supported #ustrasana and #laghyuvajarasana emphasize the abdominal extension even more. Supports help to stay in the pose in a quiet and un-contracted state.