Yoga Wall Workshop

A brief history of the yoga rope wall:
Did you know that bats and sloths are the only two mammals in the animal kingdom that do not get arthritis? The one thing they both uniquely have in common is that they spend much of their lives hanging upside down. Because of this their joints escape the typical wear and tear that other creatures experience, and they suffer from less joint degeneration as a result.

The rope wall is yoga’s answer to achieving some of the same healthful benefits. It was first developed by BKS Lyengar, who used it as a prop to support and intensify his asana practice. He called the rope work “yoga kurunta,” which means “yoga puppetry.”

Benefits of using the yoga rope wall:
The ropes work by using gravity as a natural form of resistance, causing the body to open much further than in regular yoga practice. Like the bats and sloths hanging upside down, this releases tension from the joints and deeply stretches the entire muscular-skeletal body.

Rope poses are especially beneficial for spine health through use of traction to relieve pressure from compressed vertebral discs. They can also be used to create deep opening in the organic body, which nourishes the organs, soothes the nerves, and quiets the mind.