Open or closed jaw?

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi, everybody, my first time here. I’m on Day 25 of a Bikram Yoga challenge. I’m normally a boot-camp, weight-lifting type of gal, but I decided to shake things up this month. Anyway, I’ve got a question that the teacher couldn’t answer for me.

In many of the postures where I lean my head back (cobra, camel, etc.) I’m not quite sure if my jaw should be open or closed. My lips are closed, so breathing through the mouth is not the issue; it just seems like my jaw wants to flop open and I’m not sure if I should let it do that or if I should consciously close it (gently, without clenching.)

#2

Hello and welcome to the community.

I wonder how you’ve perceived a physical practice performed in 105? heat for 90 minutes to be a departure from or a “shake up” from boot camps and weight-lifting? But that is not the point of your post.

Different styles of practice will refine poses in different ways - assuming of course that there is any refinement at all instead of rote repetition. So it’s really best to get that information from a more qualified teacher in the style you’ve chosen.

Generally speaking, for the poses you mention (Bhujangasana and Ustrasana) the lips are closed, the front teeth are slightly separated and the back of the jaw is relaxed (lower half dropping down from upper half).

Best,

gordon

#3

Well, then, it sounds like by doing what comes naturally, my jaw is in the proper position.

As far as that first comment, I guess you’re asking why I’m doing yoga instead of my usual? I’m trying to accomplish a few things:

  1. Better heat tolerance.
  2. Better balance.
  3. More flexibility.
  4. More focus on breathing and breath control.

Maybe I’m reading between the lines, but do I sense a bit of skepticism about the benefits of Bikram yoga? That’s OK…I’m skeptical, too! I’m feeling limited by the fact that the positions are always done exactly the same: the same order, the same timing, and even the fact that the right side is always done before the left. In the body-building/weight-lifting community, these very things are discouraged. In particular, I think that always doing one side before the other can cause muscle imbalances.

The fact that I’m only doing this for 30 days is what makes it bearable! I’m pleased to say that I AM accomplishing the four goals that I listed, at least in the context of the Bikram studio. I’m anxious to get back to my regular gym workouts to see if these benefits carry over, or if I’ve lost any strength or endurance.

If I do indeed perform better, then I’ll continue to incorporate some of the postures into a daily routine, and possibly an occasional return to the Bikram studio.