Inspirations by Emily J. Weitz

The Anatomy of the Shoulders

Have you ever noticed that as we age, we tend to hunch more and more forward? You see a six-year-old girl running around in a field, and her heart is shining from her chest. You notice a little boy playing in the surf of the ocean, and his shoulder blades rest on his back like two sharp triangles. But then we head to first grade, where we all sit at desks and learn to write, hunched over our papers. Then we get hooked on TV, where we sit effortlessly on the couch, sinking further into ourselves. And then we join the corporate work world, where we sit with our fingertips tickling a keyboard and our shoulders inevitably rolling forward.

In keeping with this progression, we see older people with their backs rounded out, and in extreme cases, even finding it impossible to lift their heads completely. We need to start counteracting this tendency now, and the way to do it is to remember our shoulders.

The shoulder girdle is composed of three parts: the scapula (or shoulder blades), the clavicles (or collar bones), and the sternum. There are many other bones, joints, and muscles that allow the shoulders to have the fantastic range of motion that it enjoys. We are able to shrug, to roll the shoulder blades onto the back, to move the shoulder blades away from the spine (like when hugging), and much more. By keeping the shoulders healthy and in good alignment, we will be able to preserve these functions.

So, why do we want to help open up our shoulders? In yoga, one of the primary goals is to balance the natural tendencies of our bodies to bring ourselves into alignment. Therefore, many practices have been focused on opening up the shoulders and broadening through the chest to counteract the slumping and slouching that comes with age. Backbending motions helps neutralize the spine and shoulders.

In Anusara yoga, this "opening in the heart" not only allows you to have a healthier anatomical alignment. It also allows you to open emotionally in places where you may have been closed. The body holds on to experiences long after you may believe you've moved past them. When you try to bury difficult things, you often end up manifesting them in the body. Even something as simple as stress manifests itself as tightness in the neck. For example, the Lavator Scapula is a muscle in the neck that is attached to the shoulder girdle. It allows you to perform actions like holding a phone to your ear without any hands. And it has a tendency to get very tight from stress or consistent, unbalanced stretching. The best way to help the Lavator Scapula is through massage.

The tendency to round the shoulders is also a way of closing yourself off from the world. When you are turned inward like that, your heart is physically more sheltered than if you were walking around with your chest out. But being closed off from connections robs you of important experiences like meeting new people and forging new opportunities for yourself. And you will find that by standing up taller with your shoulders back and your heart open, people are more likely to approach you. By physically opening yourself up, you become more approachable.

So what are some ways to arrive at this profound opening?

Come to your hands and knees. Set your foundation so that your hands are flat on the floor just below your elbows, which are just below your shoulders. Spread the fingertips wide and make sure the creases of the wrists are parallel to the front of your mat. Check that your knees are directly below your hips, and tuck your toes under. Now, widen your back and look down towards your knees. Let your back arch completely like a cat trying to scare away a big dog. Feel how round you get in your back. Now, as you take a deep breath in, sink your heart down, roll your shoulder blades onto your back, lift your chin in line with your spine and open your chest up to the front of the room. Feel how open you become in the front of your body as your shoulder blades narrow towards each other. On the next exhale, round the shoulders again and turn inward, and on the exhale, soften in the heart and look up. Repeat this series of "Cat/Cow" as many times as needed until you feel that contrast between being open and closed. Then find a neutral spine. When you go out into the world, try to remember this balance.

Back to Contents