Chest pain

[Questioner]

I had been teaching for almost 3 months now. Most of the time I do the poses and talk about the poses at the same time. Today, I had 2 classes in a row (which was not the first time). After the classes, several students told me that the class was relaxing. But when I sat down to drive home, I noticed that my mid-chest felt like as if someone had punched my xiphoid process. Though a mild one. It is the first time I had such a feeling since I do Yoga. Could talking while doing the pose at the same time cause that, and my speaking and my breadth are ?reversed? and hence my prana did not flow properly? (I did noticed that when I did an extended leg forward bend with side twist, one of my sentence was cut short as if my breadth just stopped. I suspected that is what caused it.) But from pranayama perspective, can you elaborate on what might have happened? And how to avoid that in the future?

Thanks, M

[Mukunda]

This is a great question a wonderful experience is coming to you. While indeed it is not recommended from Swami Muktananda, my guru, to talk while doing yogasanas and thus do not demonstrate poses as you are teaching, this is unlikely to be the cause. If it is the cause then demonstrate pose then talk about it or use a model. The more likely explanations are two possible reasons and time will tell you which is correct. First is change in anatomy, the stretching of the cartilage surrounding the sternum occurs from your opening your chest in backbends and Uddiyana bandha (stomach lock). This is good as it gives the thoracic cavity more space. Nothing to do except relax and allow the popping and changes of tissue to occur. Second is the opening of the heart that can be on either of 2 levels ? chakra (energy and emotional dimension) and granthi (knot, which is on the spiritual level. In either case just relax and open yourself to the transformation of the dimensions of self (koshas ? details in my book Structural Yoga Therapy page 43 ? more to come in next book).