I am a skeptic. I respect the skepticism of others when they hear about Yoga and its therapeutic benefits. SO, to satisfy the skeptic, here is some ‘hard’ science to back up the ‘soft’ science of Yoga. This is the first part of a series of articles addressing the basic relationship between Yoga and modern day science. Specifically, this article concerns the chakras and how these correspond with the major glands in the body (the endocrine system) and what these glands do and how certain postures interact with their functioning.
Let’s start with the top of the head and work our way down. First there is the pituitary gland, often called the master gland. In Yoga it is associated with the Third Eye/Ajna chakra and it controls and regulates secretion in all the other endocrine glands. To activate this gland and that of the pineal gland (associated with the crown/Sahasrana chakra, mood, spirituality and intuition) the Headstand/Sirsasana is the most beneficial, hence why it is considered the King of Asanas.
Moving down to the Thyroid and Parathyroid glands. The Thyroid is located in the throat and associated with the Vishuddha chakra. It is responsible for controlling metabolic rate, growth and therefore, cell processes. Functioning of the parathyroid determines how much calcium and phosphate are in the blood and if you regularly do the shoulder stand/Sarvangasana (Queen of Asanas) and the fish pose/Matsyasana you might just find your teeth are stronger and your sleep and appetite regulated. Due to it’s ability to increase bone density, this is especially beneficial for women and the prevention of osteoporosis.
Below the Vishuddha Chakra in the location of the heart resides the Anahata Chakra. This chakra is associated with the thymus gland which produces cells for the immune system. Postures that open the chest and increase oxygen intake help to activate this chakra. Virsasana, Supta Virasana and Virabhandrasana I, II are good examples. With these postures you also have the added benefit of working with the Root/Muladhara chakra as well as the Manipura chakra. The Anahata chakra is also important for digestion, but this will be discussed further in another article.
Below these glands we then come into contact with the Pancreatic Gland (Solar Plexus/Manipura Chakra) and the Adrenal Glands which are associated with the and the Root/Muladhara chakra. (These glands work closely together so I put them in the same paragraph and left the Sacral/Svadhisthana Chakra for the end). The pancreas aids in digestion while the adrenal glands guide our ‘fight or flight’ response. Doing postures that massage these glands as well as the spleen and pancreas helps in digestion, nutrient uptake as well as regulating blood sugar levels, which has a huge impact upon both physical and emotional well-being. Working with these chakras can also help with weight-loss due to the regulation of insulin that occurs as a result of massaging the aforementioned glands. Mayurasana, or the Peacock, is great for this, but often too advanced. Doing twists such as Ardha Matsyendrasana or back bends like Dhanurasana (The Bow), as well as Supta Virasana can help to active these glands as well.
Finally, we move to the ovaries and testes where the Sacral/Svadhisthanachakra resides. Postures such as Samakonasana, Utthita Parsvakonasana or variations thereof, that open the legs and work the pelvic floor are usually quite beneficial as they bring blood flow to this area and can help with issues of fertility and/or menstruation. These postures also work with the Muladhara chakra.
This is a VERY brief summary of what certain Yoga postures and their associating chakras have to offer modern medicine. As you can see from the above summary, most postures have an effect on more than one chakra at a time. That is the beauty of the holistic nature of Yoga. It will be interesting to see if in years to come if various asana’s and breath work will become routine practices among everyone from cancer patients to birthing mothers to rehabilitation patients. Forever the optimist, I certainly hope so!
Goode Yoga 