Marichyasana C is also know as the “Wind reliever pose” for its tendency to induce farting.
Bob is so embarrassed. It finally happened. He could control it no longer. Bob was working on Marichyasana C pose when he farted. Unfortunately it was not one of those silent ones. Everyone in the room heard it.
But should Bob be embarrassed because he farted during yoga class?
Is there a problem with farting in yoga class?
No. Farting is an accepted part of a yoga class. Everyone will ignore an occasional fart, however Bob may get a chuckle or two if he keeps on farting throughout the class.
Some poses are known for their ability to remove gas from your body. Marichyasana C the pose that Bob was debug when he farted is commonly know as the “Wind reliever pose” for its ability to relieve the body of gas.
Focusing on containing the gas rather than focusing on the pose will reduce Bob’s enjoyment and the benefit he is getting from his yoga practice. Being distracted by the impending fart may lead to Bob injure himself.
Bob will be much better off if he moves forward and deals with the impending fart.
What to do when you feel a fart coming on
There are a couple of actions that Bob can do as soon as he feels the potential for a fart building in his body.
Get it over with right away
Trying to hold the fart in until the end of the class is going to destroy your focus on your yoga practice. The best thing that Bob can do is get it out of the way as soon as possible.
If instead Bob struggles to hold the gas in and continue with his practice, the fart when it comes maybe be louder and more disruptive than if he had let it out right away.
Leave the room
How to avoid farting
– Use the toilet before class.
– Check the food you are eating.
– Avoid eating big meals before yoga class.
If Bob has a history of loud and or smelly farts then he may wish to leave the room and take care of his small problem in private.
Once he has removed as much gas as possible from his system Bob can return to his yoga practice with renewed focus and confidence that the rest of his practice will be soundless.
Bob can plan ahead and potentially avoid the farting event all together.
How to avoid farting in yoga class
There some steps that Bob can take before his yoga class starts to help him eliminate farting.
- Use the toilet before class. Evacuating your bowels just before class will get rid of any gas that you may have accumulated during the day. This one event will make your yoga class more comfortable.
- Check the food you are eating. Bob has discovered that some foods make him gassy while other foods leave him gas free. Avoiding these gas producing foods on the days that he has yoga class will reduce the likelihood of a fart occuring.
- Avoid eating a big meal. There are several things wrong with eating a big meal just before yoga class. Putting a lot of food into your system will tend to compress whatever gas you have in your system and make it more likely to escape during your yoga practice.
Despite your best efforts to eliminate the possibility of a fart Bob may get surprised.
What to do if you are surprised by a fart
This time Bob knew his fart was coming on and was struggling to contain it. You however may be surprised by the sudden escaping of gas from your body.
You can ignore it and continue on with your practice or you may quietly say “Excuse me” or “Sorry” once the event has occurred. There is no need to be embarrassed.
Summary
Bob now knows that everyone from time to time may have some excess gas that is forced out of their body by a particular yoga pose.
Farting is an accepted part of a yoga practice. No one in the practice space will be upset by the occasional fart from their neighbour.
It is better to get the farting event over with rather than struggling to contain it for the entire yoga class. This will distract your from focusing on your yoga practice.
Bob knows the steps that he can take before class to reduce the likelihood that he will be releasing gas from his body during his yoga class.
Next Step
Before your next yoga class you may want to check your gas level especially if you have been eating foods that tend to make you gassy. Reducing your level of gas will allow you to focus on your yoga practice with peace of mind.
Additional Reading
Farting is not the only thing that can distract you during a yoga class. Read How to make your practice worse, check out the shiny objects for another example.
