Half Scissor Asana

Within the honored Five Element Theory perspective, the Half Scissor Asana Release is a glorious and very desirable asana for the receiver as well as the giver. The Half Scissor Asana is associated with accentuating and normalizing three important nadis [meridians]. These nadis are named: the spleen nadi, the liver nadi and the kidney nadi. All three nadi/meridians are located along the medial aspect of the legs.

There are many books available which authorize education about this subject.

Such books include Masunaga’s Zen Shiatsu,
Diane M. Connelly’s The Law of The Five Elements,
Dr Frank Ros’s The Lost Secrets of Ayurvedic Acupuncture
and T. Lobsang Rampa’s book entitled: Doctor from Lhasa.

From Dust the Body Came and To Dust the Body Will Return

The benefits accrued from The Half Scissor Asana Release are fantastic and immediate. These benefits include both physical and emotional influences. The energies living within the nadi receives activation and their corresponding viscera organs of digestion, assimilation and elimination become targeted too. These functions are not simply representative of the physical aspects. They also include representation of the more subtle sensitivities included within one’s psychological make-up and personal spirituality. Regarding this, we must understand an essential fact: massage therapy’s tantamount purpose is to integrate an individual’s spiritual and physical awareness during a session. For example, it is a fundamental concept that the stomach nadi or channel is not exclusively representing the physical stomach or the physical stomach’s dis-eases. During our execution of The Half Scissor Asana, as a practitioner we are empowered  with the knowledge that the stomach, for example, is also a corresponding component represented in our pranic/thought body. Hunger, as indicated by the stomach energy, represents also hunger for life’s more subtle conceptual energies such as hunger for love, hunger for truth, hunger for connection and hunger for soul revelation. This energy lives parallel within the pranic anatomy also.
The same is true for each of the organs. Each organ function has representation in all of the five koshas or soul-bodies.
Another example would be the heart. The heart is NOT just representing the physical heart. The heart is also representing the psychological heart. The ‘psychological’ heart  embodies vital feelings associated with yearnings such as love for God/Goddess, love for wisdom, love for  life and love for connection etc.
This is the spirit that we are to proceed with as we offer any yoga-massage asana stretch/release to a recipient. It is recommended to repeatedly direct our awareness to the psychological aspects of the asana and the marvelous benefits being generated within the other koshas too.

TECHNIQUE
Table
Begin by standing at the base of the table and then step to the side of the table [left side for a woman/ right side for a man] next to the receiver’s ankles, facing forward. Assume a simulated ‘Tree Pose’ posture while cradling the receiver’s ankle upon the crease/nape of your outside leg [where the thigh meets the hip]. Place your opposite hand [mother hand] upon the resting leg of the receiver just above the knee joint to stabilize the resting leg. Stretch the active leg outwards [laterally] by stepping away into an extended lunge position [warrior’s pose], bringing the receiver to their physiological [and consequent psychological] threshold. Pause and take a complete breath before releasing and repeating the Half Scissor Stretch twice more. Incrementally increase the intensity with each offering. Be sure to pause and ‘listen’ for a moment to the ultra subtle myo-facial release [the echo] occurring after achieving a full expression of the stretch. It is important to be very respectful and courteous during this stretch. Along with considerable positive benefits, The Half Scissor Stretch has a very high ‘intimidation’ factor. It is most successful when offered without an attitude of judgment. Focus on the breath [both yours and the receiver’s] to insure the therapeutic adventure’s ultimate outcome.

TECHNIQUE
Floor/Mat