In 1884, he published a series of pictures “The Man In Pelvis Cloth Performing Contortion”. Why is this relevant on a yoga blog? These photos are particular fascinating considering the fact that all of them are physical positions that today are considered asana.
To illustrate this, we’ve picked a few photos as examples. We have selected the same position performed by three teachers of early-mid twentieth century yoga—Buddha Bose, Swami Vishnudevananda and BKS Iyengar—to compare the poses as well as to elaborate on what the yoga teachers have to say about them.
In Muybridge’s photos, the positions are clearly labeled as contortion and there are no accompanying instructions that we’re aware of, only the photos themselves.
“Man in Pelvis Cloth Performing Contortion”, 1884
The first position is what we know today by various names such as Leg Behind the Head, Tortoise, Upward or Lifting Tortoise.
Essentially this is two legs behind the head with the body upright, lifting up away from the ground on the arms. This now goes by the Sanskrit name Utthita Kurmasan(a).
Swami Vishnudevananda writes that the posture, “is one of the most difficult poses and therefore should be done only by advanced students. This puts great pressure on the shoulder muscles and abdominal muscles”.
“Uttitha Kurmasana” by Buddha Bose, 1938
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“Utitha Kurmasan [tortoise pose, in balancing]”, plate 74, Swami Vishnudevananda in Complete Illustrated Guide to Yoga, 1960
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Here we can see the Man in Pelvis Cloth attempting to reach the same position that Buddha Bose calls Parbatasana and BKS Iygenar calls Gorakasana.
Iyegnar writes that this position is “Gorakasana”. He explains that Goraksa means cowherd. When one performs this position, Iyengar believes “one feels elevated even if one can only balance for a few seconds” (p. 142). He also writes that “the coccyx gets elasticity by the practice of this pose” (p. 142).
“Man in Pelvis Cloth Performing Contortion”, 1884
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Parbatasana, Buddha Bose 1938
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“Goraksasana”, Plate 117, BKS Iyengar, Light on Yoga, 1966
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For several years around the time of these photographs, Muybridge traveled between England the US. Given the British occupation of India at that time and the heightened interest in South Asia, it’s possible that Muybridge developed an interest in photographing ascetic practices.
However, this is also the era of circus and magic performance. It is unknown, to us at least, where the photos were taken or who was the Man in Pelvis Cloth. Regardless, these particular positions are documented as “contortion” in Muybridge’s work. They certainly become more widely known and practiced as asanas—and therefore as part of contemporary yoga—throughout the decades of the twentieth century and still today.
“Man in Pelvis Cloth Performing Contortion”, 1884
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BKS Iyengar, Light on Yoga, 1966, pg. 294
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Buddha Bose – 84 Yoga Asanas
BKS Iygenar – Light on Yoga
Swami Vishnudevananda – The Complete Illustrated Guide to Yoga
Wikicommons
Science Museum Group: https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/ap28178/muybridge-eadweard
