There’s something quietly powerful about moving your head below your knees. In yoga, forward folds are not just stretches — they gently turn our world upside down. When the head lowers beneath the heart, perspective shifts. The eyes soften. The breath deepens. The nervous system begins to settle.
Physiologically, this shape invites a subtle calming response. Energetically, it releases what we no longer need. And mentally, it opens space — space to see differently.
In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali offers the practice of pratipakṣa-bhāvanā (2.33): when disturbed by unhelpful thoughts, cultivate their opposite. When you get stuck, considering an opposite point of view helps create movement. Moving into an inverted position can make that inner shift feel more accessible. When the body changes orientation, the mind often follows.
From this space, viveka — discernment — becomes clearer. We are no longer reacting from habit but choosing with awareness. And in that choosing, there is a taste of freedom. Not freedom from life’s circumstances, but freedom in how we meet them.
Sometimes all it takes is a simple forward fold, a long exhale, and the willingness to see from the other side.
Tip:
Pause and take one slow breath in. As you exhale, imagine softening your point of view. Ask yourself: What is another way to see this? Let even the smallest shift open space for clarity.
