śvāna sāraṇī

Śvāna sāraṇī or the “dog series” is a combination of 5 sequences:

  • Pre-opening sequence: trikoṇa upa-krama (triangle pre-sequence);
  • Opening sequence: trikoṇa krama (triangle sequence);
  • Opening sequence’s concomitant: śvāna krama (female dog sequence);
  • Main sequence: āvarjita uṣṭra krama (prone camel sequence);
  • Closing sequence: hala krama (plough sequence).

Śvāna sāraṇī is practised on daśamī (the 10th lunar day of both the brightening and fading phases of the moon). Śvāna krama and āvarjita uṣṭra krama are the core of this series. Trikoṇa upakrama and trikoṇa krama (from Grounding & Opening) prepare the body, while hala krama (also from Grounding & Opening) takes the practitioner into pralaya while sustaining the same anatomical focus throughout the series.

The whole series focuses on anterior stretch, while extending the spine in two distinctive directions:

– from the lumbar to the thoracic (trikoṇa and āvarjita uṣṭra krama);

– from the thoracic to the lumbar (śvāna krama and hala krama).

Despite the same “orientation” of the spinal extension — the  base, the gravity, anatomical focus, and energy of these two types of anterior stretches are in antithesis. Practitioners learn to clearly distinguish them in practice.

Spinal extension from the lumbar to the thoracic is generally referred to as the anterior stretch of standing poses. In this case, the base is the lower body, gravity falls on the parts of the feet and legs in contact with the floor, the sacrum is tucked in, and it is stabilised by the glutei and the muscles at the back of the hips. Poses such as uṣṭra, āvarjita uṣṭra, tiryañc-mukhottāna, aṅgulibandha pādāṅguṣṭha pūrvottāna, etc., have spinal extension from the lumbar to the thoracic.

Spinal extension from the thoracic to the lumbar has to be understood as an inversion of anterior stretches. The base and gravity fall on the upper body in contact with the floor. The thoracic vertebrae (T1, T2, and T3) are tucked in and stabilised by the rhomboids and the muscles of the arms and back. Poses such as ūrdhvadhanu, piñcha-mayūra, dvipāda ratni-śīrṣa, etc., have spinal extension from the thoracic to the lumbar.

Understood the difference it is clear that ūrdhvadhanu and āvarjita uṣṭra have opposite extension of the spine. In the history of vyāyāma (training and gymnastic exercise) “āvarjita uṣṭra” was generally referred as “dhanu”. This is due to lack of understanding of the anatomy of the pose. In Navakaraṇa Method the anatomy and bio-mechanism of the movement are extremely important. Thus we name what was called “dhanu” as “āvarjita uṣṭra” because shares the same anatomical focus of uṣṭra (spinal extension from the lumbar to the thoracic) in the prone position. 

Śvāna krama was choreographed by mimicking the movements of a dog. The main objective of the first bhāga is to prepare the practitioner for ūrdhvadhanu. This is done systematically based on kinaesthetics principles of the Navakaraṇa methodology. In this sequence, the practitioner first experience the connection of brain and the muscles which are responsible for the ūrdhvadhanu (such as: pārśva ūrdhvamukha śvāna karaṇa, srāma adhomukha śvāna karaṇa, parivṛtta srāma adhomukha śvāna karaṇa) then reach the peak pose (ūrdhvadhanu) in the third bhāga, when the connection between brain and muscles is clear and the muscles responsible for the movement are very well warmed up.

Śvāna krama major anatomical focus

Main anatomical focus: anterior stretch (agra-dairghya) with spinal extension from the thoracic to the lumbar.

Agonist muscles (contracting): trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, deltoid, glutei, biceps femoris, semitedinosus, gastrocnemius.

Antagonist muscles or elongating with reverse tracking: hip-flexor (psoas major and iliacus), rectus femoris, tensor fasciae and illiotibial tract (I.T. band).

Āvarjita uṣṭra krama is a specific training for spinal extension (lumbar to thoracic) in a prone position. The sequence has been choreographed to allow proper rest between the poses while keeping fluidity and high intensity. Āvarjita uṣṭra krama is based on a very important synergetic arrangement of anterior stretch sets, as follows:

– full-recovery of the back (āvarjita laya-karaṇa)

– anterior stretch / back contraction (āvarjita uṣṭra)

– half-recovery (adhomukha śvāna-karaṇa)

– posterior stretch (paścimottāna-karaṇa)

– core-contraction (lola)

– return to full-recovery of the back (āvarjita laya-karaṇa).

Āvarjita uṣṭra krama main anatomical focus

Main anatomical focus: anterior stretch (agra-dairghya) with spinal extension from the lumbar to the thoracic.

Agonist muscles (contracting): glutei, biceps femoris, semitedinosus, gastrocnemius.

Antagonist muscles (elongating): hip-flexor (psoas major and iliacus), rectus femoris, tensor fasciae and illiotibial tract (I.T. band).

Remarks

Practitioner with limited mobility on the lower spine or poor flexibility of the quadriceps, psoas major and iliacus will find āvarjita uṣṭra krama extremely hard as they will have to add extra energy from the glutei and leg muscles in order to fight the gravity and sustain the pose. 

Precautions

– a towel may be placed under the pelvic bone to reduce the friction and pressure on the floor;

– practitioners with body-piercing on the navel and nipples should remove the piercing to avoid bleeding and minor injuries of soft tissues.