The Endless Knot
Register here for The Endless Knot workshop, in-person on June 16th! ♡
Knots in yoga are more than muscle tension!
Some knots in yoga practice carry auspicious meanings and beneficial value. Others are considered obstacles to liberation and supreme realization. In Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, we practice both knotting and unknotting…
In the theory of Hatha Yoga (which applies to Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and Kundalini Yoga), there are energetic knots known as granthis, or psychic contractions, that obstruct the free flow of Prana, vital energy, and block the awakening of Kundalini.
Kundalini is our sacred and dormant energetic potential, coiled like a snake at the root of the spine, and often described as the Goddess (Shakti) sleeping within us. When Kundalini is awakened from Her slumber through yoga practice (and sometimes through direct life experience), this powerful and primal force is said to rise through the central channel of the spine (Sushumna Nadi) like an electric current illuminating all the chakras, energy centers, and bringing liberation from the suffering of Samsara through expanded awareness and supreme realization.
Three main granthis are said to disrupt Prana's flow and Kundalini's awakening. These are:
Brahma Granthi: the psychic knotting or energetic blocks related to survival, sensuality, and creativity (generally associated with the Muladhara & Svadisthana chakras)
Vishnu Granthi: the psychic knotting or energetic blocks related to personal ego and power (generally associated with the Manipura, Anahata, and Vishuddha chakras)
Rudra Granthi: the psychic knotting or energetic blocks related to subtle discernment in spiritual knowledge and devotion (generally associated with the Ajna & Sahasrara chakras)
Each granthi seems to correspond to patterns of bondage at a certain energetic level of our being and the corresponding chakras. Yoga practice is intended to help us recognize and unknot these granthis to liberate the flow of Prana and facilitate the awakening of Kundalini.
See further reading for this below.
Meanwhile, other knots in yoga practice are cultivated intentionally to carry auspicious meaning and to support spiritual realization!
For example, intentional energetic knots or “locks” known as bandhas are cultivated in Hatha Yoga (including Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga) to harness the flow of Prana through the mind-body and facilitate the practice of Asana and Pranayama (and subsequently, the unknotting of the granthis).
The three main bandhas are:
Mula Bandha (Root lock or knot): subtle contraction of the pelvic floor. Stimulates the Muladhara (root) chakra.
Uddiyana Bandha (Abdominal lock or knot): inward and upward pull and “hallowing” of the abdomen toward the spine. Stimulates the Manipura (solar plexus) chakra. Uddiyana Bandha is often used with breath retention practices (kumbhaka).
Jalandhara Bandha (Throat lock or knot): downward press of the chin towards the chest while lengthening the back of the neck. Stimulates the Vishuddha (throat) chakra.
In addition to bandha, let’s look at another auspicious knot!
In the visual culture of the Dharma, such as in Tibetan Buddhism, there are 8 Auspicious (Good Luck) Symbols, known as Ashtamangala, that represent key concepts related to the enlightened mindstream and the Buddha's teachings. One of them is the Endless Knot, or Shrivatsa (that which is “beloved of Shri” the consort of lord Vishnu).
This Endless Knot can represent the mind's infinite (beginningless and endless) true nature, the indestructible presence of Dharma, and the interconnected and interdependent bond of Wisdom and Compassion.
In Ashtanga Vinyasa, we are both knotting and unknotting through the Endless Knot of yoga practice!
This is especially evident in the many forward folding postures, twists, and binds in the Ashtanga Primary Series.
The Ashtanga Primary Series, known traditionally as Yoga Chikitsa (yoga therapy), is renowned for its many forward folding postures and their variations (such as Marichyasana A, B, C, and D) that are less frequently practiced in other streams of yoga. These asanas have health benefits for the physical body, and they also have psychological and emotional benefits that apply to the different energetic levels of our being.
In addition to stretching the hamstrings and toning the abdominal organs, forward folding can be seen as a somatic experience of turning inward to a contained space for self-reflection and introspection, a way to digest one's thoughts and emotions and create a sense of protection or sanctuary within oneself.
In addition to increasing the mobility of the spine and stimulating digestion and visceral detoxification, twisting can be seen as a process of transformation and adaptation, a way of navigating challenges and changes with the determination to find new perspectives by revolving and evolving through different vantage points.
In addition to deepening the power of folds and twists, binding (wrapping one part of the body with another and clasping the hands to secure the postural depth) can remind us of the power of our attachments, restrictions, and commitments.
Join me in my workshop The Endless Knot to more deeply explore folding, twisting, and binding in the Ashtanga Vinyasa Primary Series and the many ways that Yoga practice and Dharma philosophy can help us to refine the art of knotting and unknotting our very lives!
Further reading:
“Untying The Knots That Bind Us” by one of my former yoga teachers from NYC, co-founder of Jivamukti Yoga, David Life.
Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Svatmarama, 15th century CE, online reference.
Note: it is said that - in the way that electricity can be dangerous depending on its context, so too can the awakening of Kundalini if one is not prepared. Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a gradual path to cleanse, prepare, and stabilize the mind-body for the potential energetic intensity of awakening.
