• Table of Contents
  • First Initiation by Swami Veda Bharati
  • Something Swamiji Said by Four Sadhakas
  • This Journey by Lucia
  • A Spiritual Retreat in Thailand by Stoma Parker
  • The Birth of Swami Prashant Bharati by Joanne Sullivan
  • Kamadeva & Valentine by Lalita Arya
  • Dr. George Mann
  • SRSG Impressions by Ian Stenlund
  • Back to the Himalayas by Gustavo Plaza (Arjuna)
  • Anatomy in Clay by Mary Bowman-Cline
  • Reeny Rowny Cookies by Margaret Woods
  • 2011 Events and Beyond
  • Full Moon Meditation Dates
  • Location of our SRSG ashram
• AHYMSIN Newsletter Archive

Anatomy in Clay

by Mary Bowman-Cline

(Click for larger photo)

Anatomy In Clay Workshop: Learning the Key Muscles of Yoga Asanas in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, at The Meditation Center.

Learning Anatomy and Physiology is part of the Teachers Training in our Himalayan Tradition, not only so that our teachers have an understanding of the physical workings of the body to teach but also to have a deeper understanding of themselves.

In my own experience, if we can visualize what is under the skin and how it works, the mind can move beyond the skin and superficial layer of the gross body and into the workings of it.  Being a visual person, I will visualize all my bones, muscles, organs and glands individually during my own systematic relaxation and find it very effective in letting go of deep tension.  This is a great thing to do on airplane flights.

(Click for larger photo)

The Anatomy in Clay™ system of learning brings the hands into the process; the muscles are molded from modeling clay and attached to a 1/4 size skeleton, learning the shape, size, origin and insertion points.  The Anatomy in Clay ™ system uses the phrase "The Mind Cannot Forget What the Hands have Learned ™”.  The skeletons, clay and tools can be purchased at anatomyinclay.com; they run around $200 US apiece.  My own was purchased for anatomy class at Massage Therapy School.  At The Meditation Center, we use just one skeleton in the class, and students take turns placing their molded muscle on the skeleton, so it's not necessary for each person to have their own.

During the class the students also palpate their muscles, as they are contracting/relaxing them, to feel in themselves how the muscle works.  Asanas are done in class and the students name which muscle and joint actions are involved. 
There is repetition used during class so that visual, tactile and audio learners can benefit.

In order to learn every muscle in the body, the class would have to run about 12 to 14 weeks.  I have narrowed it down to the key muscles and can get through about 70 muscles in an 8 hour series (we only physically make about 40 muscles since we do just one half of the body).  Also the class can be done in an all day workshop or split into two weekends.

Editor’s Note:

Mary Bowman-Cline, E RYT500, teaches Hatha and Anatomy classes at The Meditation Center in Minneapolis, MN, USA.  In addition, Mary is a massage therapist and artist. This is link to her website: http://yogamary.com/