Joint Freeing Series - foot to head

[Questioner]

Hi Mukunda: Thanks for the workshop last weekend. I came out of it with a few questions: 1) what is the reasoning for starting the joint-freeing series at the feet and working up to the head. I am wondering this because a warm-up sequence that I was taught for Yoga for Cardiac Rehab. Goes from the upper body to the lower body. I am more comfortable going from the feet up, and I have actually modified what I do in Cardiac Rehab. Classes because feet-up fits better with our overall flow. What is your understanding of the effects of going feet-up vs. head-down? I have the same question about progressive relaxation -- feet-up or head-down? A

[Mukunda]

The series goes from feet to head, as this is the flow that releases prana the most naturally. Spiritual energy is udana prana and it rises to head, so doing the series lessens physical tensions that are obstructing the spiritual prana. On a circulatory level, blood moving back to the heart (venous return) is to be stimulated first before arterial flow. This is because we want to promote elimination before improving quality of input. Progressive relaxation can be done either way, starting from the head is best as we want to drain excess mental energy and increase bodily attention ending at the feet has a grounding effect.