By Aviva Tulasi
I think I first heard about fascia about 5 years ago when my step-mom asked me to go to a Yin Yoga class with her. She said that the class was great because you stayed in each asana for extended times so that your fascia could get stretched. I had no idea what she was talking about. Was fascia another one of those yoga terms? I took many biology and anatomy classes in high school and college and yet fascia was never discussed. You don’t find fascia listed as components in biological systems. But you hear it all the time in yoga classes. Why? What exactly is fascia?
I thought I had the answer to this mysterious word in one of my yoga anatomy classes. An image that was supposed to show how muscles stabilize the joint, and there it was in very small print: Fascia. I finally figured it out, Fascia is a type of muscle cell secondary to the ones that contract. Nope, I was wrong.
Fascia isn’t a minor component of our structure; it is critical for our overall being. Fascia holds the entire body together. I wanted to classify fascia nicely into one system with one function. When in reality, fascia is present in every system. There are four types of fascia (structural, intersectoral, visceral and spinal). It is connective tissue that supports and connects all other connective tissue. Fascia is part of every system in our body. It surrounds organs, muscles, blood and can also be found on its own. It is the intricate framework that allows for movement, communication, stability, pain and balance and so much more. It is difficult to define fascia because its form, function and location are so varied.
Our overall health is related to elastic, flexible, supple and free gliding fascia. Most yoga asana moves, stretches, calms, strengthens and warms up the entire body which positively impacts fascia (not just Yin Yoga). Yoga focuses on increasing awareness of where we have tension in the body, breath and mind, to support calming, opening spaces and improving glide in fascia, thus improving mobility and reducing pain. Understanding your fascia and how you can learn your system takes time. We have many classes available for you to investigate your own scientific inquiry into your fascia.
In the next few weeks, I will dive deeper into the science of fascia explaining why we practice yoga the way we do.
Aviva Tulasi is Dogwood Studio’s newest intern. She is a registered yoga instructor (RYT) who is currently enrolled in a IYAT certified 800 hour yoga therapy program.
Click on the link HERE to sign-up and go to the ‘Classes’ tab to sign-up for any sessions, including Joint Freeing Yoga, Yin Yoga, and Mindful Movement & Yoga Classes.
For the latest schedule on the website, click HERE.
On Demand Line-up for January 31st through February 8th & available for signing up:
For more information about On Demand classes, visit our website page HERE or email us at info@dogwoodstudioyoga.com.
A Reminder:
One Session Remaining!
Open Heart/Open Mind Workshop: A Yoga, Movement, and Writing Series with Leesann Shefa
Date: Online Saturdays January 30th
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. EST
Cost: Regular class price ($10 for individual class, or use one from a class package for savings.)
Sign-up: HERE. Go to each date and register. If you need help signing up for one or more, please email: info@dogwoodstudioyoga.com.