The first and most important of all yamas is ahimsa or non-violence. This could also be stated as non-harming. All of the other restraints should be filtered through this lens of non-harming. We also know this as compassion toward ourselves and others.
Heart attack symptoms are not unisex. In an article published this month in Prevention Magazine, women may experience these seven symptoms that are warning signs that a heart attack may be on the horizon.
1. Fatigue –Weeks before a heart attack 71% of women have flu-like symptoms. Closer to the time of an attack even lifting items may be too taxing.
2. Non-Chest Pain- 43% of women don’t experience any chest discomfort at all, instead pain may be felt in the jaw, neck, shoulders or upper back.
3. Sweating–You might be sweating for no apparent reason.
4. Dizziness or Nausea–During an attack, women often feel like they might pass out or vomit.
5. Breathlessness–58% of women report panting or inability to carry on a conversation.
6. Sleeplessness–Half of women have trouble sleeping in the month before a coronary.
7. Anxiety– “Many women experience a sense of impending doom or fear before a heart attack.” says Dr. Legato. “That’s your body telling you to pay attention. Trust those instincts.”
Examining our thoughts can help us create the best conditions for a healthy weight. Here are two areas to examine:
First: I am not my body. If I said, “I need a new transmission, or I got a huge crack in my windshield yesterday.” There would be no doubt that I was talking about my car. Even if I spend many hours a day inside my car, my car and I are separate. I am not my car and never will be. Its the same with the physical body. I am not my body.
So if I say, “I have arthritis, or I cut my finger badly yesterday,” I am actually talking about my body. This body is experiencing arthritic or this body has a cut. I am separate from my body even if I live in that body for 90 years. I am separate.
What is the “I” that is separate? I like to call it my spirit and it is my belief that the spirit uses the body as the vehicle to be in the physical world. The spirit is perfect with no disease and no injury ever. The body is the tool to teach the spirit different lessons. Knowing this – that I am not my body, can bring a better perspective to the journey of weight loss or healing.
Second idea: How am I treating my teammate? Let’s say we are watching a doubles tennis match. One team is working together fabulously. They encourage each other and each works very hard at communicating positively at all times. They enjoy the game and seem to work as one. They will likely win many times with this unity.
The other team is sad and embarrassing to watch. They fight and bicker and play mean tricks – and not in a fun way. They are truly enemies and sometimes one of them misses the ball deliberately as if trying to sabotage the game. They speak in cutting and disrespectful ways most of the game. They will likely lost many times with this fighting.
I and my body are on the same team. So which kind of team are we? How do I treat my team member?
This week examine thoughts about our internal dialog and external actions toward our team member. Awareness is the first step to change.
5) My body is my friend. How much do you believe this?
Think about the qualities you most desire and appreciate in a friend; loyalty, compassion, truth, perceptiveness. A friend will be the one who when you most need help – even if that help is a kick in the pants or a call to the police, will give that help. A friend wants the best for you, even if you don’t want it for yourself yet.
This is the kind of friend our own body is to us. Our body gives us messages thru weight, injuries and illnesses that something in our attitude or behavior needs to be examined. We might ignore this message for a long time and even think our body is an enemy because it sends this message, but like the loyal friend that it is, the body will keep sending the message, keep doing the harsh thing until we listen and change something.
We are raised in the culture to view our body as the enemy. We must train it, subdue it, fight it, drug it, judge it in order to get what is culturally acceptable from the body. This fight is exhausting and not making use of an ally in our own camp for health and wellness – the body.
The body is my friend. If we have uploaded all the programming from childhood into the unconscious mind, then we don’t believe this in our heart. So to change that we will use the temporal tapping and the affirmations to go along with that. A more detailed explanation of temporal tapping is here
When you tap on the left side say these affirmations:
My body is not my enemy
I don’t want to view my body as my enemy
My body doesn’t sabotage me
When you tap on the right side, say these affirmations:
My body is my friend
I can trust my body’s messages
My body helps me achieve my goals
| “Truth lies within ourselves: it takes no rise from outward things, whatever you may believe. There is an inmost center in us all, where truth abides in fullness and to Know rather consists in opening out a way whence the imprisoned splendor may escape than in effecting entry for light supposed to be without.” |
| Robert Browning |
The focus in October is the shoulders and specifically as it relates to the upward bow or wheel pose. The article that we are referencing this month is by Roger Cole and published in Yoga Journal.
It reminds us about the need for flexible shoulders and the role of the latissimus dorsi muscle in shoulder flexibility. In looking for a safe, accessible way for most in the class to do this backbend, we recommend using the large fitness ball.
Its easy to see the energetic message of the shoulders. Think about the metaphors we use, “shoulder the responsibility,” illustrates that the shoulder is our doing center – the place where we carry responsibility and duty. “Shoulder to the wheel,” illustrates putting all your strength into a task. “Standing on the shoulders of giants,” illustrates the legacy of hard work that others have done and that legacy is still standing. “Standing shoulder to shoulder.” illustrates the group strength put towards fighting a battle or winning a soccer game.
Shoulders carry burdens. Shoulder pain or discomfort then leads us to ask, “What is my belief and attitude about my responsibilities?” Think about the Christmas Carol story where Bob Cratchet carries Tiny Tim on his shoulders and he remarks that the burden seems weightless and easy. That’s because Bob loves Tiny Tim and believes it is easy to carry him. So it all goes back to our attitude and belief about our duties and responsibilities.
Here are beliefs that can lead to shoulder issues: I have to do all the work around here, It’s me that carries the burdens of this family. I do all the clean up work after everyone else’s fun. I am the hardest worker here. There is so much to do and not enough time. Life is hard. It’s my responsibility alone to see that my family has enough. I will do it myself.
As we develop posture over a lifetime, our attitude can take on the picture of our posture. For example, hunched over shoulders contribute to the feeling of insecurity.
Our yoga practice this month will teach proper alignment of the shoulders as we do back bending poses. We always encourage strong, confident posture and this month we encourage you to examine your thoughts, beliefs and feelings about work and responsibility if you have painful shoulder issues.
The word Bandha means “voluntary contraction of a group of muscles.” The Mula Bandha is the contraction of the perineum or the zone between the genitals and the anus. Be patient in acquring this skill it can take years of practice and the key word is cultivation. It is a journey of concentration and diligence.
One way to begin this work is to start with exhalation. As you do this you begin to engage the pelvic floor drawing it up towards your navel. Try to maintain this contraction for about six seconds while breathing in and then our for another six seconds. Make the breath calm and smooth and slow. This is not about holding the breath.
Some of the benefits include internal heat for the body, vitality, and strength coming from the center or core of the body. Over time you may feel a greater sense of lightness and support in your yoga poses. The following is an easy way to begin this process.
Kneel in Hero pose. Take time to find your neutral lumbar curve. Relax your abdominal muscles while you establish slow but moderate breathing out your nose. Allow your ribs to expand breathing with the diaphragm. On the out breath, gradually start to contract your perineal muscles. This could feel like stopping the flow of urine. As you do this, keep breathing. After two or three breath cycles, relax.
I made some mp3 audio files for some family and I will share them here too. There will be 3 eventually. Each one is about 7 minutes long of a guided breathing practice. It was made to help remind the body, thru a calm and centered breath and gentle movement that the world is a safe place to be. I hope you enjoy
Go here.
Its called Guided Breath 1
May 2010 finds us exploring the core muscles of the body; the soft structures in the front body. We have explored 3 postures this month:
lolasana, mula bandha (root lock or kegels) and yoga roll ups.
The previous months we have learned the metaphors in the structures of outside support and movement in the world – feet, legs, hips and spine. These are all outside structures of support.
We have a totally different metaphor this month and lolasana is very different and much more individually accessed and practiced. The change and difference is that the core of the front body, digestives system and abdominal muscles are all soft tissue and internal.
There are many messages in the 3rd chakra solar plexus or the core but the one I want to focus on this month is that balance and maturity in the solar plexus means we no longer need outside institutions, people or influence in order to determine our own beliefs.
Each of us have our own internal guidance system, our gut, our stomach. This area is a 2nd brain, helping us to make wise choices, if we listen.
The message in this part of the body is to trust your own wisdom. act out of personal integrity. Give up and release the idea of who you are “suppose” to be and you might find the indigestion going away. Choose and follow your own beliefs based upon what your gut tells you. This is an internal focus.
As you practice these core strengthening poses like mula bandha and lolasana there is no way for a teacher to see from the outside if you are doing it correctly. It must come from an internal feeling and trust. This is practicing with integrity.
April is our month for low back care.
The low back is part of the second chakra or energy center along with hips and pelvis. Think of these metaphors for a clue about the message in the low back:
I’ve got your back.
I’ll back you up on that.
He backed me into a corner.
These have to do with working with a partner and either having support, or not.
Three pieces to this puzzle and if either piece is too little or too much, then second chakra issues will eventually surface – one of those being chronic low back problems.
A partner This is a business partner or a love relationship partner.
Money. This is financial support and the ability to bring forth the abundance of the world.
Love Matters of the heart: Marriage, commitment, sex, children.
If you have chronic low back issues, carefully examine these three pieces and you will likely find something is out of balance. Your body is sending the message to change the dynamics between love and money.
Our feature pose this month is the balancing cat. There are many variations to this posture but it is a gentle and very effective way to strengthen the core muscles of the body including low back and abdomen.
A Yogic Approach to Back Pain
Suffering from back pain? Yoga can help.
By Timothy McCall, M.D.
Each year, millions of Americans suffer from debilitating back pain. Despite Western medicine’s phenomenal advances and powerful technology, two of the most commonly prescribed solutions—painkillers and surgery—do little to address the underlying causes of pain and can potentially cause side effects. In truth, a one-size-fits-all solution is impossible given that the causes and manifestations of pain—arthritis, strained ligaments, scoliosis, and herniated disks, to name a few—vary widely.
But as many practitioners can attest, yoga can offer effective healing that’s relatively free of side effects. The key is to proceed with caution and be willing to treat your healing as a process. It will likely take time and perseverance to find a treatment program that is help- ful. Here’s how I suggest you get started.
RULE OUT SERIOUS CAUSES. While potentially life-threatening causes of back pain, such as cancer, infections, and rupturing aortic aneurysms, are a lot less common than muscle spasms and sciatica, you should check with your health care practitioner to make sure it’s safe for you to practice yoga as part of your healing program—especially if you are over 50 or if you have worrisome symptoms like fever or unexplained weight loss.
TREAT THE INITIAL INJURY WITH CAUTION. When tissues are acutely inflamed or when you’re feeling a lot of pain, it’s important to proceed slowly. Aggressively working to improve strength or flexibility at this stage can backfire, causing even more pain, inflammation, and injury. However, studies have shown that strict bed rest causes more harm than good. Try breathing exercises and a gentle asana practice as soon as the first day of pain.
FIND AN EXPERIENCED TEACHER. Back problems are complex, so it’s important to find a teacher with adequate training and as much experience as possible. A yoga therapist not only will suggest exercises but will be able to create a unique and personalized program that’s appropriate for your levels of fitness, strength, and flexibility as well as your medical condition. By observing your practice and tracking how your body responds, he or she can gauge which elements are likely to be helpful and determine whether modifications are necessary.
BALANCE STRENGTHENING WITH STRETCHING. Doctors often prescribe stomach crunches to prevent future episodes of back pain. From a yogic perspective, such an approach is imprecise. Indeed, doing too many stomach crunches or other ab exercises can increase tightness in the hip flexors, like the psoas, potentially exacerbating back problems. The yogic approach is to determine which muscles need strengthening and which ones need stretching and to design a program to address those specific needs.
MAKE YOGA YOUR ALLY, NOT YOUR ENEMY. Avoid poses that could make the problem worse. If you have a lumbar disk problem, be careful with forward bends, particularly those that include a twist, like Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose). Also take care during transitions, when attention tends to wane: Avoid sudden changes of position and try stepping rather than jumping into poses.
CONSIDER PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS. While I don’t believe that stress, anger, and other emotions are typically the sole cause of back pain, they can play a role. Psychotherapy as well as yogic tools such as svadhyaya (self-study) and meditation may help.
In the Yoga Sutra (II.16), Patanjali taught that future suffering can be avoided. When applied appropriately and intelligently, yoga not only can help you recover from back pain, it may prevent it from recurring.
Timothy McCall is Yoga Journal’s medical editor. To suggest story ideas for future columns, e-mail drmccall@yogajournal.com. You can also find McCall through his Web site, www.drmccall.com.
November/December 2004
email: leslie @ rexburgyoga.com
208-569-7437
email: shellyspratling @ gmail.com
208-206-8390
