Yoga

[nature]

Yes I meant in french, so thank you very much, Thorbiorn! :D

 

[Thebull]

Well I have got to day 13 following the Richard Littleman book. I've gradually improved gaining flexibility slowly. I think I took note of Loreta's post and that's when I've started to enjoy yoga and improve.

I find when breathing during my asana's or postures I naturally stretch deeper into the pose during the out breath and no force is necessary. I wanted to mention day 13 as there were a couple of new postures. The shoulder stand, The plough and the back stretch which we'd done previously. I have been in the office all day to day and it was flat out. I normally practice yoga on a morning but I put my son to bed and decided to give it a go.

I was shocked after the practice I felt completely revitalised and fresh. I was alert and aware and I felt great. I cannot remember feeling this good. The book said that been inverted the blood naturally flows to the head/brain and its very healthy boost to the brain. The shoulder stand also works the thyroid and can help people with weight issues. I can only agree with the author that the effect one me has been surprising and remarkable. I don't want to get carried away so I'll take a day at a time and try to keep going. My main weakness is I struggle to flow as I have to refer to the book to remember which exercise is which when I'm following instructions.

I feel this yoga practice while still reguarly completing EE Sessions has so far seen me improve my energy levels markedly. I feel stronger, my thought processes seem clearer and I've been at ease with myself. I know it's early days and this needs to become a way of life for me. I can easily fall off this path so I'll try and remain centred and continue to enjoy the practice.

Thank you for all the comments here it's been useful to read.

 

[Harmony99]

[quote='Awapuhi]
Thank you for starting this new topic thread genero81 :)
When it come to the knees always start with bent knees, knee injuries are common in people who stretch 'to much to quickly' in yoga classes. The muscles behind the knees take time to loosen and stretch so take it easy.

I always share that slow and steady wins the race Be open to what you are experiencing in the moment and be kind to your self and your body! Yoga is just a practice with no final destination, with practice comes experience and before long you will remember and your body will remember (muscle memory) what comes next.

Agree, nice and easy. For me yoga is one of way to meet yourself and not only on just physical level. The reason why I love yoga so much is because connects breathing (life) and physical movement. Helps you to be more conscious and very calm. And that's all I need.

Also, so many different types of yoga is result of commercialization of origins. Yoga is simple and if you try to 'improve' the thing that is already precious you will not get better results.

The best book about yoga for me is Yoga in Daily Life. If you scroll down the link you will found The Chapters. Each level has is own poses/asanas with great explanation when to inhale and when to exhale. Also, explains what are the benefits of each pose.

My yoga routine always start with stretching, from head to the toes. After that one of the most important asana is Anandasana/Lie on the back or abdomen or Deadman pose ;). This is starting position and final. In this pose when you reach moment when is hard to move part of your body that is indicator that you are fully relaxed. Don't stay to long in this position because you have work to do :P.

After that I usually practice poses that I need the most, depends the problem that I'm try to solving. On the end of this book you have also categories of asanas for each problem that you dealing with.

One other thing, if you're doing pose to lean towards you feet the next one should be streaching on opposing side. And always try to listen what your body tells you.

Sometime I practice yoga in the bed also, and most of the yoga poses one could easily do it in the bed:

Marjari - The Cat
Benefits:Relaxes the muscles along the spine making it supple and flexible. Strengthens the digestion, relieves menstrual problems and encourages deep breathing into the abdomen and back.

For people that spend lot of times in the front of computes something like this is very helpfull:

Twisting with Legs Bent
Benefits:
Relaxes the neck and entire back. Promotes flexibility of the spine. Deepens and harmonises the breath.
Caution: This Asana should not be practiced with a slipped disc in the acute stage.

This one is really awesome:
Manduki Asana
Benefits:
Stretches the muscles of the inner hip, which is good preparation for meditation posture. Strengthens the back, especially in the area of the shoulder-blades and helps to counter a rounded back. The exercise promotes flexibility of the spine and hips, and also encourages deep breathing.
Caution:
This exercise should not be practiced when there is pain in the knee or hips.

And the last one that everyone likes:
Shashankasana or The Hare
Benefits:
Improves blood supply to the head and therefore nourishes the eyes and all brain functions. Helps to relieve fatigue and promotes concentration. Anxiety and depression are relieved due to its calming effect. The whole spine and muscles of the back relax in this position and the breath deepens into the back of the lungs. Abdominal breathing gently massages the digestive organs.
Caution:
Avoid this Asana with high blood pressure, glaucoma or dizziness.

After this I feel like I have to do it right now ;).
[/quote]


I wish to express my appreciation for this information. I have been slowly practising yoga for the past two year and is happy for all information I can obtain. I have been using a book title Light on Yoga . I find some of the poses very challenging. I prefer to practice on my own,however,I will try and enroll in a class very soon.

 

[Marina9]

The last link is not about physical injury, but mentions the possibility that some poses might trigger strong emotions in some people who have been exposed to traumatic events. The language of the article ends a bit new agey, but the idea and intention is alright.
_http://www.spiritvoyage.com/blog/index.php/dos-and-donts-of-teaching-yoga-to-trauma-survivors/

Thank you thorbiorn, in regards to this topic about healing trauma with yoga, came across with this article about how yoga in addition to therapies like CBT for example can be such a helpful aid for depression, PTSD, anxiety, and other disorders. I was thinking about the testimonial from Konstantin's brother, so I guess this is another great way to stay away from antidepressants.

http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/052217p18.shtml

Yoga is progressively being incorporated into treatment and recovery programs for individuals with substance use disorders, in inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation settings, prisons, 12-step programs, and other community environments. At the same time, many health care professionals and therapists in private practice, including social workers, are adding yoga to their therapeutic toolboxes, becoming trained themselves to employ yoga therapy as an adjunct to their work with people in treatment and recovery.

[...]And considerable research shows that yoga therapy—the use of yoga principles and poses within the therapeutic setting—is an effective complementary approach to a range of illnesses and psychological conditions.

[...] Although there isn't a large body of research supporting yoga therapy's direct effect on people with addiction, there's significant evidence supporting its benefits for those with conditions believed to underlie addiction, including depression, anxiety, and trauma. Yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system and increases levels of neurotransmitters that improve mood and enhance relaxation

One thing yoga has in common with the 12-step experience, according to Elkhart Kornfeld, is that it's an internal process. "It's a journey that has to be done by the individual," she says, "and it's inside that the transformation takes place." The 12 steps, she explains, "are very cerebral, and while there's a spiritual component to them, they mostly work through behavior and intellectual changes, like those achieved through cognitive behavior therapy. But trauma affects parts of the brain that can't be reached by CBT [cognitive behavioral therapy], by talking, or by going to meetings. Those things can help, but you have to work with the body to be able to achieve long-term change."

Which I think makes sense knowing how our bodies store trauma and every single pose has a purpose, not just the exercise per se. I think the thing with yoga is precisely that, getting to know our bodies, and as mentioned before, listening to what each pose is telling us; if one pose makes you feel all anxious or angry cause you can't seem to do it "right" then I think, the thing to do is continue to practicing that asana and really thinking why you're feeling that way, of course without pushing urself to injuries, that's the other thing: learning to be compassionate with yourself. There's some institutions mainly in the US that give yoga this particular focus:

http://www.chimeyogatherapy.com/
http://y12sr.com/
http://www.traumacenter.org/clients/yoga_svcs.php

And some others mentioned in the article :)

Recently at the yoga certification for teaching I joined, one of the books recommended by the teacher was: Yoga Sequencing: Designing Transformative Yoga Classes by Mark Stephens. It's a pretty big book, and although it's supposedly addressed to people learning to teach yoga, I would say it's for everyone that wants to know more about the asanas, the philosophy and different sequences for different purposes. It offers a big bunch of information, im not even near to the middle of the book hehe, but until now, IMO, it's been a very educational read with lots of tools.

For anyone who might be interested, the review from Amazon says:

Yoga Sequencing: Designing Transformative Yoga Classes presents the essential principles and methods for planning and sequencing yoga classes. Addressing one of the most popular topics in the yoga profession, this book offers sixty-seven model sequences of yoga poses (asanas) that cover the broad range of yoga student experience, including multiple sequences for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students; yoga for kids, teens, women across the life cycle, and seniors; classes to relieve depression and anxiety; and sequences for each of the major chakras and ayurvedic constitutions. Each sequence provides guidance for teaching the different breathing (pranayama) and meditation techniques that give yoga its transformative power.

Enhanced with over 2,000 instructional photos and an elaborate guide to the constituent elements of over 150 yoga asanas, the book draws equally from ancient yoga philosophy and contemporary insights into functional anatomy, biomechanics, and kinesiology. The nuanced interrelationships among asanas within and between the seven asana families are explored and the anatomy of opening and stabilizing each pose is explained for sequences designed around specific needs and intentions. A comprehensive appendix includes a glossary of yoga-related terms, an alphabetical asana index with thumbnail photographs of each asana, a class planning worksheet, representative sequences from several popular styles of hatha yoga, and a list of resources for further exploring sequencing and the larger practice of teaching yoga.

So in addition to Hittleman and Iyengar, this one, IMO, may also help.

He also has a YouTube channel, explaining several poses:

https://youtu.be/AqIB66KZpLM

Well I managed to hurt myself pretty good. Missed a couple nights work. So y'all be careful. Good news is it motivated me to seek out chiropractic care and I found a place that's very reasonable. Something I needed anyway. I plan to return to the yoga as soon as I feel it's safe to do so, and much more gently next time!

I do hope you are doing better now genero81, we do certainly need to be very careful with the poses. Every body is different and maybe some are more flexible, others not, and so on. Of course with some practice you get there, but IMO it has to be little by little :)

Thanks so much everyone for the information

 

[scotseeker]

I am going to a local Yoga studio this week, they have been in business since 1969 and have many great instructors. Rave reviews and I am looking forward to starting with them. I broke my back (T-14) a month ago and had a Vertibroplasty done in the hospital as it was an acute fracture. On top of that I have 3 herniated discs in my lower back due to the fall. That is the only thing giving me pain and causing my lower back to to into spasms. The studio and practitioners are well versed in regenerative yoga, I am really looking forward to practicing with them and getting my back into good shape again.

If anyone has a similar experience and has received help from Yoga I would be appreciative of any advice.

 

[genero81]

The last link is not about physical injury, but mentions the possibility that some poses might trigger strong emotions in some people who have been exposed to traumatic events. The language of the article ends a bit new agey, but the idea and intention is alright.
_http://www.spiritvoyage.com/blog/index.php/dos-and-donts-of-teaching-yoga-to-trauma-survivors/

Thank you thorbiorn, in regards to this topic about healing trauma with yoga, came across with this article about how yoga in addition to therapies like CBT for example can be such a helpful aid for depression, PTSD, anxiety, and other disorders. I was thinking about the testimonial from Konstantin's brother, so I guess this is another great way to stay away from antidepressants.

http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/052217p18.shtml

Yoga is progressively being incorporated into treatment and recovery programs for individuals with substance use disorders, in inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation settings, prisons, 12-step programs, and other community environments. At the same time, many health care professionals and therapists in private practice, including social workers, are adding yoga to their therapeutic toolboxes, becoming trained themselves to employ yoga therapy as an adjunct to their work with people in treatment and recovery.

[...]And considerable research shows that yoga therapy—the use of yoga principles and poses within the therapeutic setting—is an effective complementary approach to a range of illnesses and psychological conditions.

[...] Although there isn't a large body of research supporting yoga therapy's direct effect on people with addiction, there's significant evidence supporting its benefits for those with conditions believed to underlie addiction, including depression, anxiety, and trauma. Yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system and increases levels of neurotransmitters that improve mood and enhance relaxation

One thing yoga has in common with the 12-step experience, according to Elkhart Kornfeld, is that it's an internal process. "It's a journey that has to be done by the individual," she says, "and it's inside that the transformation takes place." The 12 steps, she explains, "are very cerebral, and while there's a spiritual component to them, they mostly work through behavior and intellectual changes, like those achieved through cognitive behavior therapy. But trauma affects parts of the brain that can't be reached by CBT [cognitive behavioral therapy], by talking, or by going to meetings. Those things can help, but you have to work with the body to be able to achieve long-term change."

Which I think makes sense knowing how our bodies store trauma and every single pose has a purpose, not just the exercise per se. I think the thing with yoga is precisely that, getting to know our bodies, and as mentioned before, listening to what each pose is telling us; if one pose makes you feel all anxious or angry cause you can't seem to do it "right" then I think, the thing to do is continue to practicing that asana and really thinking why you're feeling that way, of course without pushing urself to injuries, that's the other thing: learning to be compassionate with yourself. There's some institutions mainly in the US that give yoga this particular focus:

http://www.chimeyogatherapy.com/
http://y12sr.com/
http://www.traumacenter.org/clients/yoga_svcs.php

And some others mentioned in the article :)

Recently at the yoga certification for teaching I joined, one of the books recommended by the teacher was: Yoga Sequencing: Designing Transformative Yoga Classes by Mark Stephens. It's a pretty big book, and although it's supposedly addressed to people learning to teach yoga, I would say it's for everyone that wants to know more about the asanas, the philosophy and different sequences for different purposes. It offers a big bunch of information, im not even near to the middle of the book hehe, but until now, IMO, it's been a very educational read with lots of tools.

For anyone who might be interested, the review from Amazon says:

Yoga Sequencing: Designing Transformative Yoga Classes presents the essential principles and methods for planning and sequencing yoga classes. Addressing one of the most popular topics in the yoga profession, this book offers sixty-seven model sequences of yoga poses (asanas) that cover the broad range of yoga student experience, including multiple sequences for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students; yoga for kids, teens, women across the life cycle, and seniors; classes to relieve depression and anxiety; and sequences for each of the major chakras and ayurvedic constitutions. Each sequence provides guidance for teaching the different breathing (pranayama) and meditation techniques that give yoga its transformative power.

Enhanced with over 2,000 instructional photos and an elaborate guide to the constituent elements of over 150 yoga asanas, the book draws equally from ancient yoga philosophy and contemporary insights into functional anatomy, biomechanics, and kinesiology. The nuanced interrelationships among asanas within and between the seven asana families are explored and the anatomy of opening and stabilizing each pose is explained for sequences designed around specific needs and intentions. A comprehensive appendix includes a glossary of yoga-related terms, an alphabetical asana index with thumbnail photographs of each asana, a class planning worksheet, representative sequences from several popular styles of hatha yoga, and a list of resources for further exploring sequencing and the larger practice of teaching yoga.

So in addition to Hittleman and Iyengar, this one, IMO, may also help.

He also has a YouTube channel, explaining several poses:

https://youtu.be/AqIB66KZpLM

Well I managed to hurt myself pretty good. Missed a couple nights work. So y'all be careful. Good news is it motivated me to seek out chiropractic care and I found a place that's very reasonable. Something I needed anyway. I plan to return to the yoga as soon as I feel it's safe to do so, and much more gently next time!

I do hope you are doing better now genero81, we do certainly need to be very careful with the poses. Every body is different and maybe some are more flexible, others not, and so on. Of course with some practice you get there, but IMO it has to be little by little :)

Thanks so much everyone for the information

Yes thank you. The chiropractic has been great! I felt I made a full recovery but then tweeked my back again doing dead lifts at the gym. I had some stiffness from that but not as bad. I asked my chiropractor about it yesterday and he mentioned stretching. So possibly a combination of strength training and yoga? I haven't started back with the yoga yet. If I do, it will be very cautiously.

 

[987baz]

He also has a YouTube channel, explaining several poses:

https://youtu.be/AqIB66KZpLM

Thanks Marina, interesting stuff, well more advanced than I am at the moment but, something to work towards for sure :) And his explanations for what to watch for are very informative too.

 

[beetlemaniac]

Thanks for the article on Yoga being an alternative to thinking-based therapies like CBT. I'm doing both at the same time now. It's been a month into the internet CBT course that I signed up for. I'm also attending weekly Yoga classes, and practicing in the mornings and evenings after work, and have been doing so for approximately 5 months. I owe a lot to yoga for helping me with becoming more aware of my body. It will be interesting to see how both these therapies work together. I seem to have my work in mind and body cut out for me.

There is a website which I find quite interesting if one is looking for nicely illustrated yoga postures. He does them in a skeletal format and in 3d. He also has a few books with these types of illustrations. It's at _http://www.dailybandha.com/. Like another member I enjoy "Yoga with Adriene" on youtube as well. I like the emphasis she puts on body awareness and slow, deliberate movement. This is one example of a very simple pose that can be done even with jeans on:

https://youtu.be/n6jrC6WeF84

 

[Marina9]

He also has a YouTube channel, explaining several poses:

https://youtu.be/AqIB66KZpLM

Thanks Marina, interesting stuff, well more advanced than I am at the moment but, something to work towards for sure :) And his explanations for what to watch for are very informative too.

You're welcome Baz. It is a tough one, but he also has several sequences for beginners also. And another thing is that our bodies are completely different, some people with loads of experience might not even get there and will need to do an alternate pose for example. Some people might have compression, tension, hypermobility -which we might think that it's a great thing cause we are super flexible- but this could be a misconception, lots of injuries can be created from this, so it's always good to be aware of these things while we practice.

Another very important thing, IMO, is not to always listen to that teacher that wants you to really push urself, as with everything, teachers are our guides, and we also have to pay attention to what we are feeling. Nowadays lots of teachers, not all of course, tend to push students so they can get into all this fancy poses, but that's not the goal..

Some articles about this:

https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/tension-versus-compression-in-yoga
https://www.yogitimes.com/article/yoga-hypermobility-hyper-flexibility-too-very-flexible-poses

Tension:

This doesn’t mean you can just push through muscle tension, thinking you should be able to go deeper. Your body is like a little child; if you push it too much it will close down more to protect itself. However, if you gently and lovingly stretch the boundaries, a little at a time, still respecting its boundaries, your body will respond positively by releasing tension and opening more. This optimum place of stretch is often called “the sweet spot”.

Compression:

This means that you have hit a boundary that won’t and cannot change over time. This is the skeletal structure of your body reaching its limit: bone hits bone.

Thanks for the article on Yoga being an alternative to thinking-based therapies like CBT. I'm doing both at the same time now. It's been a month into the internet CBT course that I signed up for. I'm also attending weekly Yoga classes, and practicing in the mornings and evenings after work, and have been doing so for approximately 5 months. I owe a lot to yoga for helping me with becoming more aware of my body. It will be interesting to see how both these therapies work together. I seem to have my work in mind and body cut out for me.

There is a website which I find quite interesting if one is looking for nicely illustrated yoga postures. He does them in a skeletal format and in 3d. He also has a few books with these types of illustrations. It's at _http://www.dailybandha.com/. Like another member I enjoy "Yoga with Adriene" on youtube as well. I like the emphasis she puts on body awareness and slow, deliberate movement. This is one example of a very simple pose that can be done even with jeans on:

https://youtu.be/n6jrC6WeF84

It will be interesting bm, and I look forward to read about ur experience with these both tools. Sometimes in yoga we release lots of emotions, and sometimes we could feel like, ok what is this trying to tell me or why am I feeling this way?? So having CBT is great. If people go to a yoga class just for the sake of exercise, which is also good, well whenever an emotion may come up it could be a little complicated to point out where that's coming from, so having extra tools is IMO great, or maybe also journaling about the experience in yoga classes.

That website is awesome bm, thanks so much! There's another tool, a great book about the anatomy and also it teaches you with what chakras you're working with in every muscle and pose, for anyone interested: https://www.amazon.com/Key-Muscles-Yoga-Scientific-Keys/dp/1607432382/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1499625655&sr=8-2&keywords=yoga+anatomy

This book offers a scientific approach to understanding the practice of hatha yoga. Through four-color, three-dimensional illustrations of major muscles, tendons, and ligaments, Ray Long describes the practice and benefits of hatha yoga. Specific anatomical and physiological descriptions highlight the agonist, antagonist, and synergist muscles that come into play with each pose. Volume I of the series describes the key muscles of hatha yoga and how they are utilized. From beginners to experts, this book will become a constant companion.

It has lots of terminology that make ur face go BUT with the images and the explanations it's a bit clearer. And yeah, Adriene can be a bit "love is all you need, lets all be happy," but I agree that she pays lots of attention to our bodies and breathing.

 

[987baz]

You're welcome Baz. It is a tough one, but he also has several sequences for beginners also. And another thing is that our bodies are completely different, some people with loads of experience might not even get there and will need to do an alternate pose for example. Some people might have compression, tension, hypermobility -which we might think that it's a great thing cause we are super flexible- but this could be a misconception, lots of injuries can be created from this, so it's always good to be aware of these things while we practice.

Another very important thing, IMO, is not to always listen to that teacher that wants you to really push urself, as with everything, teachers are our guides, and we also have to pay attention to what we are feeling. Nowadays lots of teachers, not all of course, tend to push students so they can get into all this fancy poses, but that's not the goal..

Some articles about this:

https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/tension-versus-compression-in-yoga
https://www.yogitimes.com/article/yoga-hypermobility-hyper-flexibility-too-very-flexible-poses

Tension:

This doesn’t mean you can just push through muscle tension, thinking you should be able to go deeper. Your body is like a little child; if you push it too much it will close down more to protect itself. However, if you gently and lovingly stretch the boundaries, a little at a time, still respecting its boundaries, your body will respond positively by releasing tension and opening more. This optimum place of stretch is often called “the sweet spot”.

Compression:

This means that you have hit a boundary that won’t and cannot change over time. This is the skeletal structure of your body reaching its limit: bone hits bone.

Yeah that makes sense, we are all different, I notice in yoga class that some things I can do that others struggle with and other things other people have no problem with I can't get anywhere close to doing :)

Thanks for the article on Yoga being an alternative to thinking-based therapies like CBT. I'm doing both at the same time now. It's been a month into the internet CBT course that I signed up for. I'm also attending weekly Yoga classes, and practicing in the mornings and evenings after work, and have been doing so for approximately 5 months. I owe a lot to yoga for helping me with becoming more aware of my body. It will be interesting to see how both these therapies work together. I seem to have my work in mind and body cut out for me.

There is a website which I find quite interesting if one is looking for nicely illustrated yoga postures. He does them in a skeletal format and in 3d. He also has a few books with these types of illustrations. It's at _http://www.dailybandha.com/. Like another member I enjoy "Yoga with Adriene" on youtube as well. I like the emphasis she puts on body awareness and slow, deliberate movement. This is one example of a very simple pose that can be done even with jeans on:

https://youtu.be/n6jrC6WeF84

I second that, thanks bm, cool site :)

It will be interesting bm, and I look forward to read about ur experience with these both tools. Sometimes in yoga we release lots of emotions, and sometimes we could feel like, ok what is this trying to tell me or why am I feeling this way?? So having CBT is great. If people go to a yoga class just for the sake of exercise, which is also good, well whenever an emotion may come up it could be a little complicated to point out where that's coming from, so having extra tools is IMO great, or maybe also journaling about the experience in yoga classes.

That website is awesome bm, thanks so much! There's another tool, a great book about the anatomy and also it teaches you with what chakras you're working with in every muscle and pose, for anyone interested: https://www.amazon.com/Key-Muscles-Yoga-Scientific-Keys/dp/1607432382/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1499625655&sr=8-2&keywords=yoga+anatomy

looks interesting too, will add it to my ever growing book list :P

 

[Nico]

Thank you so much for the informations reported in this thread. I do breathing and short yoga poses, focussed mainly on the general circulation, for some months now.

I recently started a new yoga exercice called nauli which I found really complementary with the discovering of my body, it focuss on the facias and the unsticking of internal organs. I found also that Reiki is flowing better, and the richness of my senses are increasing fast !

I begin by focussing on the belly and singing clear letters as "A" "M" "N", sychronizing the cells that does want to align with the chant. It really helps to connect the nerves and attain a smoothier practice for the yoga session. I, then, empty my lungs and contract the diaphragm, and mass the organs with a kettlebell : the handle is for the large area of the belly, and the ball part is to go in deeper tissue. With focussed awareness it really soften the tissues, without it doesn't do much.

I am really glad about the book Thorbiorn mentionned "Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha" as it appears to have a method to enhance the flow of electrons in the body.

https://youtu.be/1bmTXD2bLmU

 

[Marina9]

Came across this little article today on the web and thought it could be worthy to everyone interested in yoga. From the information we already have about how trauma is stored in our bodies, these poses may be of benefit :) I haven't had the chance to read the book mentioned, but here is the article: https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/colleen-saidman-yees-poses-hidden-trauma#gid=ci020756aac0062620&pid=colleen-saidman-yee-doing-pyramid-pose

7 Poses to Release Trauma in the Body

[...] "If my accident at age fifteen had any upside, it’s that I have a heightened empathy for the traumas, large and small, that my students have experienced," she writes in her book. "At times, I can see where the trauma is held in their bodies, and I try to figure out sequences that can create relief and release for them. Trauma can show up as tension, anxiety, or illness. Some common places of binding are the pelvis, the diaphragm, the throat, the jaw, the hamstrings, and the shoulders and neck."

What i've been noticing from my classes and being aware of the people that attend as well as the teacher, I came to realize that sometimes it is a bit necessary to point out that certain poses can actually make you feel in some way or another. Instead of just performing the poses and that's it, cause talking to some of my peers after classes I do notice that some of them might feel anxious, sad, or angry, and I think if those emotions are not well managed then things instead of getting better could get a bit worse, or just shut those emotions down, dunno if I explained myself correctly hehe.. But anyways, hope this article is of interest for you guys.

 

[Marina9]

It crossed my mind a couple of days ago sharing a breathing exercise used in yoga. Added to my EE breathing exercises I do this one also, daily and usually when I just wake up or a quick round if I start feeling anxious. It is called nadi shodhana or alternate nostril breathing. We saw the different pranayamas (breathing exercises) in our last module and for some reason this one in particular got my attention, the main thing is that it helps balance the nadis (our energetic channels of the body) hence it helps to put in equilibrium our both hemispheres, and of course helps a lot with anxiety, with mental clarity, balances hormones, among other benefits. I think with a constant and daily practice it could be of great benefit to anyone who's interested. In my personal experience I do find it very helpful.

Now here is some information for anyone interested:

From the clinical psychologist Dr. Paula Watkins:

Conscious breathing exercises, or pranayama, are a big part of yoga, and they're among the key tools I use as a psychologist — particularly when working with clients who are experiencing stress or anxiety. In Western contexts, diaphragmatic breathing is the most commonly known breathing technique but new scientific research is beginning to shed light on other pranayama techniques and their benefits.

Breathing consciously is a powerful act. The process of breathing sits directly at the interface of our voluntary nervous system (aspects of our physiology under our conscious control) and our autonomic nervous system (aspects generally not under conscious control). It’s a direct path for us to communicate quickly to the brain via what we do with our body. It also offers a direct link for balancing the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-relax) branches of the nervous system.

Nadi shodhana, or alternate nostril breathing, has a long history in Ayurvedic medicine and yoga, where it’s thought to harmonize the two hemispheres of the brain, resulting in a balanced in physical, mental and emotional well-being. While science has yet to really explore what might be going on in terms of hemispheric functioning during this practice, recent studies have confirmed some pretty powerful effects of this practice.

So here are three good reasons for practicing this pranayama:

1. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system and reduces blood pressure.

2. It enhances respiratory functions: increases respiratory strength and endurance.

3. It improves attention and fine-motor coordination/performance.

And here's a video with the explanation of the how to for anyone interested:

https://youtu.be/8VwufJrUhic

 

[987baz]

Thanks Marina, I will give it a go, looks like it could be another beneficial exercise to have in the tool kit :)

 

[Rashi]

I agree yoga ‍ is very powerful to increase your inner strength and it helps a lot in concentration. Yoga is an ancient practice that not only focuses on the body’s overall well-being, but also has a structured and focused asana for each body part, both internal and external. It aims to strengthen the body, mind, and soul alike, ensuring harmony among all the elements and constituents of the human body.
Some asana which helps in day to day life routine.

1. Padahastasana – For A Flat Tummy

2. Makarasana – To Relax The Nervous System

3. Dhanurasana – For Stress Release And Relief From Menstrual Cramps

4. Ardha Salabhasana – To Stimulate The Digestive System And The Autonomic Nervous System

5. Bhujangasana – To Stimulate The Svadhisthana Chakra And Increase Metabolism

6. Utthanpadasana – To Improve Blood Circulation

7. Virabhadrasana – To Increase Stamina

8. Vrikshasana – To Improve Balance And Stability

9. Vyaghrasana – To Strengthen Hip And Back Muscles

10. Naukasana – To Reduce Fat And Strengthen The Lower Body