32. Why do Yogis Go Upside Down?
Yoga Studies in Five Minutes - Theodora Wildcroft
Matylda Ciołkosz [+]
Jagiellonian University, Kraków
Matylda Ciołkosz is an assistant professor at the Institute of Religious Studies, Jagiellonian University in Kraków. She earned her PhD in culture and religion studies in 2019 for her research on the meaning- making role of kinesthetic experience in the practice of modern postural yoga. In her research, she draws from cognitive approaches to the study of religions to explore the influence of sensory, motor, and social contexts on the formation and application of religious concepts.
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.