Spinal Twists and Peristalsis

[Questioner]

Dear Mukunda,
I’m a little confused about spinal twists. During my training with the Sivananda organization we were taught the importance of performing the twist always to one side and then the other due to the peristalsis of the intestines (esp. the colon). Which side first??? The Sivananda teacher manual contradicts some of their other texts. Yourself and Donna Farhi describe twisting to the right first however the Coulter and the American Yoga Association say to twist to the left first! I wonder if I could trouble you for your thoughts. Do you think it is important to always twist one way first?
Thank you, M

[Mukunda]

M - Twisting can be confusing depending upon what is stationary and what is mobile. In seated twists the upper body is moving, lower body fixed. In lying twists the upper body is fixed and the lower body moving. The colon lies like an inverted U on the outer regions of the abdominal cavity. The ascending colon begins from the right lower quadrant inside the iliac pelvic crest and rises up adjacent to the surface of the abdomen to the liver where it bends (hepatic flexure) at a right angle going across the top the folds downward around the spleen (splenic flexure) going more to the back down into the rectum. My feeling is to twist to the left first in seated poses and twist to the right with lying poses as that opens the splenic flexure and can move peristalsis downward thus compacting the fecal material. Reversing the procedure is fine when there is excess water in the system as this can move the material forward to the next stage of digestion. Thus I do not hold a strong opinion on the importance of doing the twists to one side first. True peristalsis is heard and felt when the spinal twists are held long enough with relaxation of outer musculature. When one exerts too strong of an effort on the part of the arms or back muscles there will not be a parasympathetic reflex that would create peristalsis.