The 9 Levels of Functional Description
Relaxation and Observation.
S.Pucelle -
"Relaxation is the way, observation is the key to practice" - Santi Prasad.
If we examine the trajectory of yoga in general, it appears as an inward movement, a withdrawal from the periphery towards the center. In the various expressions of yoga, such as Jnana Yoga (path of knowledge), Laya Yoga (path of dissolution), Raja Yoga (royal path) or Hatha Yoga (posture/breathing exercises), to name but a few, we observe a form of involution, or at least a search for balance between our inner world of perception and the outer phenomenal world.
In postural yoga, this is achieved through the interplay of gross and subtle sensations, balanced by a moment of stillness. Yin yoga encourages introspection, slowness, abandonment and contemplation, qualities that converge in the search for absorption, embodied in relaxation and observation.
Beyond the mechanical and anatomical impact on the body of practising Yin, the practitioner develops a particular awareness, either directly on the breath or by choosing a sensation emerging from the Asana. The physical sensation most likely entails an emotional content rooted in thought and intention. Through continuous body relaxation and the development of objective observation, the inner movement of yoga promises a transpersonal journey.
This approach emphasizes the subject-object relationship and the realization that "I am not what I can observe".
Relaxation is pivotal in self-observation, allowing the author of a thought, feeling, or sensation to step back and observe her/himself. In this configuration, she/he is the knower but is not limited or defined by these experiences.
This process allows a gradual erosion of the layers of identification, stripping away what we are not and bringing us closer to our true nature.
To sum up, we could say that this self-pedagogy takes place in two stages:
1. Internalization, encouraged by the quality of relaxation.
2. Withdrawal of our attention towards our inner psychology and an expanded space of physical sensations.
The 9 Levels of Functional Description
The first time I encountered an articulated pedagogy of introspection was in the teaching of Paul Grilley, who defined the role of postural practice as an "appointment" with the body as a vehicle for introspection. Already then, he was talking about the 9 levels of consciousness or the 9 levels of functional description, pointing the finger at the heart.
To undertake this inner journey, our attention shifts from the gross to the subtle. By redirecting our attention from physical sensations to psychology, we open up a dialogue within the body/mind complex.
The progressive list of nine levels of functional description begins with bones, connective tissues and muscles, corresponding to the mechanical aspects of the body.
We then move on to the physiology of the body, focusing on the vascular system, the nervous system and breathing.
The energetic aspect of our being is apprehended through Qi / Prana (vital energy).
The last stage covers our psychology through the emotions and the mind.
Tips on functional awareness
As a science, yoga offers a systematic approach. Practice is a privileged moment to cultivate our sense of introspection. The list below is by no means exhaustive, but it will contribute to a successive progression by refining the quality of the mind/body connection. Inspired by Sri Patanjali's famous sequential classification of the eight limbs (Ashtanga Yoga), this list begins with an obvious field of physical experience, then becomes more refined with each step, finally moving on to the sphere of consciousness through knowledge.
Bones: The dense, rigid mass of the skeleton is undoubtedly an immediate means of access. The 14 skeletal segments make drawing attention to the various compression points during the Asana easy. The most common compression points are at the hip joints, but it is easier to feel compression on smaller joints, such as the lumbar segments or the shoulders.
Another way to get in touch with the bones is to feel their weight by experiencing the skeleton as a whole during Shavasana, or by concentrating on the weight of the head or a specific part of the skeleton.
Connective Tissues: A significant shift from the skeleton to the connective tissues occurs when we focus on the body's joints. The densest connective tissues, such as ligaments, capsules, cartilages, tendons and fascia, are mainly located around the joints (except in the case of fascia, which is found throughout the body). We experience these tissues directly, particularly in the first few moments, when we come out of the posture and settle into the rebound. For instance, it is important to note the subtle difference between the sensation of muscle stretching and connective tissue traction, allowing a better awareness of the body's structure.
Muscles: This level of perception is perhaps the most noticeable as muscles are located on the body's surface, as opposed to bones and connective tissues. Muscles are easily perceived during contraction and relaxation, as well as when resisting stretching during a pose. All muscle groups have been defined as part of the functional approach(see article Yin Yoga & The Functional Approach).
Vascular System - Heartbeat: We move on to the body's physiology and improve cardiac and emotional syntony (integration). We can virtually feel our heartbeat anywhere in the body, for instance, in the main, radial and femoral arteries, or directly in the centre of the ribcage where the heart is located, and again in the abdomen when we are lying in a prone position towards the earth. The link with the heartbeat brings a calming quality when the attitude is relaxed, acting as a natural biofeedback device (applying psychophysiology).
Nervous System-Proprioception: This corresponds to our ability to determine the location of our body and its various parts in space, which helps us to assess muscular strength in movement and coordination skills. This will be more evident in a Yang form of yoga, but don't forget that the functional approach is relevant to all forms of yoga.
In Yin Yoga, we naturally move away from the central nervous system to refer to the distribution networks of Qi/Prana.
In this context, the intention is to balance the parasympathetic/sympathetic nervous system. This will reduce the amount and intensity of information coming from the outside world via the nervous system so that we can concentrate on our inner feelings and psychology. The modification of attention, and therefore of being, is fascinating because of its similarity to the sleep process on consciousness.
Breath: is widely used in yoga to mediate between the body and mental activity. The different forms of pranayama maintain the practitioner's attention at this level of awareness according to place, rhythm and duration (Patanjali 2.50). This sutra defines all the breathing techniques as inhalation, exhalation and suspension.
Then, in the next sutra (Patanjali 2.51), he mentions a fourth phase of breathing that lies beyond the first three.
If we return to our attitude towards the breathing process, we can adopt a more deliberate attitude, as described above. We use the different ways of manipulating the breath. For example, diaphragmatic breathing has a complementary quality to the practice of Yin. We could say that it is a Yang approach within a Yin practice.
A more passive intention towards the breath is to allow the asana to modify the breath while maintaining a simple position of observation. This is known as Yin within Yin.
If we can define these two seemingly opposite approaches, the next step is to play with the modalities of the Yang approach to influence the outcome of the Yin moment.
Qi-Prana: Qi/Prana is the vital force that permeates our physical and emotional world and, to a certain extent, the mental sphere. However, it is generally less obvious and requires more extensive qualities of relaxation and calm.
Dr Motoyama distinguished between Ki/Qi and Psi energies, or bio-energy and bio-psychokinesis while establishing a scale between these two types of energy. The rebound of the practice is the key moment in the gradual progress of relaxed immobility and its effects. Our energy body is accessible during the rebound, where we can experience Qi directly by disengaging from the posture. The rebound is often experienced as an expansion of the boundaries of the physical body. This process is involuntary and natural; the question is whether we can consciously refer to it.
The energy body, a profound aspect of our being, houses seven chambers that store prana. These regions, known to practitioners as chakras, are not just physical places, but gateways to our spiritual journey. Yoginis and yogis, in their quest for Self-realization, focus on one or more chakras linked to the manifestation of prana, a systemic approach that opens the way to liberation and realization (see The Yogi's Guide to Chakra Meditation).
It's also worth noting that it's possible to use the old Jing-Luo/meridians map to influence the regulation and reharmonization that occur after rebound.
Emotions: The most delicate psychological dimension in this functional approach to consciousness. Emotions are always present in their essential forms when we express a positive, neutral or negative response to an experience, sensation or feeling. Our environment affects our psychological content similarly to how our physical posture influences our physiology.
Understanding our emotional responses during a yoga class is a crucial part of the process; it's not the physical body or the sensations it experiences that are the main obstacles. Rather, it's our emotions that play an important role in shaping our sense of identity. Initially, disidentification involves observing our emotional states and establishing a certain distance between our feelings and our subjective identity.
In this context, there is a state beyond our conventional psychology, impartial and without emotional colouration, which enables yoginis and yogis to observe the nature of emotional content and discern its pathos. Our journey begins with an awareness of the atmosphere in the room, the impact of the teacher's speech, and, above all, our state of satisfaction, disinterest, or disappointment. The distance between emotional content and experience provides the qualities of slowness necessary for a sense of emancipation and clarity in the space we occupy.
Thought-Mind: The other facet of our psychology is the elusive Citta-vritti, better known as mental chatter. In this constant mental activity, every thought, feeling and reaction to physical sensations manifests itself, leaving an imprint on the surface of our consciousness that will remain in our memory bank.
The mind is a complex entity, the ultimate entanglement of the Self through identification. It can be an obstacle, but it also has the potential to free us from our conditioning. Our ability to differentiate the content of thoughts that promote calm and tranquillity from those that fuel desire and reaction would be a judicious means of entry.
A pragmatic approach is to develop an anchor point by using a support for the thoughts while systematically channelling their flow towards that same support. This will allow practitioners to open up the observer's space gradually and then, through repetition, settle into it.
The stability of this new configuration does not eradicate the mind's incessant comments, but it does reduce the influence of and identification with them.
This process requires patience and endurance; finding a simple support like the breath and repositioning oneself on a subtle but tactile sensation offers the possibility of calming mental activity. Once the mind is pacified, it becomes possible to develop concentration and discernment.
Yoga aims to control the citta-vrittis by slowing down mental activity, while strengthening awareness of the Self and the ability to experience reality as it is.
Conclusion: Depending on the intention, it is possible to limit practice or teaching to a single level of this functional description, or to work on each of them sequentially.
Each entry level is a unique field of exploration, with the quality of interoception evolving at each stage. This progression refines our internal sense of perception, sharpening our ability to focus on the subtlety of the information. As the object of our attention becomes more defined, the information field widens, but our strategy and attitude remain the same.
It's worth remembering that all sensations, feelings and thoughts are transitory. By learning to discern their content, we can distinguish between what is beneficial or detrimental to our well-being. Ultimately, we can become simple observers of any stimulus.
If you'd like to practice the 9 levels of functional description with us, we offer Sunday classes on three different themes. Click on the button below to view our online courses.
