A different kind of flow

If every yoga class you walked into started with the same breathing chants, same movements, same flow, same timing, same pattern from start to finish, would you be bored, or would you embrace the routine? Would the routine become dogmatic movements or could you, would you, keep refining and exploring your breath, your postures, your movements so that they were seamless and graceful, fluid and strong? Would you be able to vary your effort and modify the poses based on how you felt that day, or would you keep trying to "perform" the same every single day?

Sometimes, you just have to change things up completely to break the ritual to prevent it from becoming habitual. No where that I have studied has it said that you MUST do Surya Namaskar A exactly as in a textbook. No teacher that has imparted their wisdom has faulted me for exploring different ways to express my movements. In order to make yoga mine (or, yours), it must fit what you need, integrate your essences and help you grow your understanding of yourself.

So, why not move a little differently? 

Create your own flow that focuses on subtle graceful movements, and focused muscular engagement rather than pure momentum and power to get you thru a sequence. Refine from the ground out, from the inside out, rather than just taking the form of the pose and then trying to force the body to a static hold.

Try circling the arms and lifting one knee up, balacing on one foot not just at the ankle, but inside the foot, up the calf, around the front and back of the thigh, deeply into the hip, reaching the spine up up up the arms up up up, shoulder strongly rooted on the back and the drshti soft in front of you. Hold the lifted leg with integrity, rather than like a dead weight. Breathe fully into the thoracic cavity, then as your sweep the arms with control back down, bring the lifted leg down. 

With minimal transition of weight to the other side, repeat with the other leg. Continue a few cycles, left up, right up, engaging the low belly, strong upright posture and healthy spinal curves, with minimal extra movements - don't let the energy "leak out" through inactive limbs (limp ankles or wrists) or be drained away by extra movement made with momentum (aka "flinging body parts"). Like strong cables wrapped around a healthy framework move seamlessly through the sequence, not really pausing but transitioning very slowly, guided by the breath. Placing the foot down is a silent and easy process - noiseless and gentle.

Add on to this movement, take the leg back, side, twisting the body, straightening the leg, even bowing forward. All this work in the core, all this control with the raised arms, all this lengthening of of the body and intentional placement of limbs creating a harmonious, integrated yet unconventional flow that just may take you deeper into a practice of mindfulness.

You can intensify by adding stepping forward (or back, or sideways) to lunges or straddles but doing so place the limbs quietly, shifting your center of gravity and really call the muscles into action. I like to conjure images of a dancer in my mind, each movement strong without being forceful, controlled without being rigid, energy stored and released in just the right way to make the entire being vibrate with light. 

Or you can intensify by taking deeper and long inhales and exhales, and slowing down your movements even more, practicing balancing along each increment of body positions, feeling the heart rate calm and noticing subtle shifts in energy as the heart beats and the internal seems to move more quickly than the external!

Just a few suggestions  - let me know what works for you!

Diagnosis and Treatment of Injuries, Pains and Aches

I am not a doctor. Nor physical therapist. Nor any kind of licensed health worker. I am a certified yoga instructor. I am a science-curious, anatomy-fascinated, yoga practitioner who studied so that she could share information about yoga with other people in a safe, productive, interesting and functional way. I am learning about how the body works (or doesn't work) through my own practice, and self-study, and hope to inspire other people to do the same.

That being said, I MAY have had an experience or studied about an experience that MAY be able to help you improve your practice AND prevent injury during it. I MAY, however, not be able to.

Some yoga instructors in fact ARE PTs or MDs or PhDs in the health profession and may be able to not only diagnose a problem but also offer a route to wellness.

So, if you have a condition/problem/ache/pain that has been bugging you for more than, oh, say, two weeks and hurts MORE when you practice yoga (or when you are still), PLEASE go see a qualified medical professional to diagnose the problem and hopefully send you down the path of healing that may include a yoga practice.

Some modalities of self care and healing may be more obvious.

1 - If it hurts when you engage the muscle, it's possible you have injured the muscle, the tendon, or fascia. Stretching may NOT be the smartest option. You just may need to REST it. Take an Epsom salt bath, drink a lot of water, do the anti inflammatory meds thing if you are so inclined. Exercise in a way that doesn't exacerbate the discomfort. Seems obvious, but I can identify two stories just this week where someone had pain when using a muscle, told me it had gone on for years, yet they continue to overwork the area of discomfort instead of letting it heal/rest.

2 - If you have a lump, a bump, a bruise that won't go away, or a sharp pain when you move, PLEASE see a doctor. Growths that cause pain, things that don't heal, and sharp pains MAY be indicative of something that may not be fixable with a lunge pose or just a deep breath. They may be nothing, but seriously, if your child or best friend winced in pain when you touched something on their body, wouldn't you recommend they go to see a specialist versus try to just "asana it out?" It may be a tumor, it may not be. But you won't know unless you check it out.

3 - If you take a pose and you feel like it's your bones that just won't let you move more deeply in a pose, it may very well be that you have an anatomical structure that disallows that variation of a pose. Few folks have hip joints that allow opening the legs to 180 degrees, and as few have shoulders that rotate fully with arms parallel. Sacral joints are ones of stability, not flexibility (quote from Judith Lassiter). Destabilizing a joint without proper support (and instruction in a practice like Yin yoga) can, yes, lead to injury, so, be okay with where your body is (and is not).

4 - If you get really dizzy when standing up quickly or moving from standing to bending forward or vice versa, you may have a blood pressure issue (If you get nauseated this could mean something more dire - see a doctor asap). Make sure when you stand up from a forward fold or squat that you move on the inhales, to help counteract drops in blood pressure. If you typically have low blood pressure, don't expect your body to "fix" this - enjoy your sought-after systolic/diastolic status and stand up SLOWLY to minimize the chance you'll end up back on the ground without warning.

5 - Drink a lot of water, even during your practice. Yes, some practices of yoga dictate when you can drink water and when to take breaks, so if you like that dogmatic style then fine. But even if you are participating in those practices, if you feel faint, dizzy, weak, or sick, then DRINK, for heaven's sake.

6 - Let any injury heal, and know that it may change your practice drastically once you do, or it may not change it at all. But you have to be open to observing how that injury affects even the small movements, and be willing to start slow and be patient. The bigger the injury, the more acceptance you may have to do. Hamstring tears take months (or longer) just to heal, and overstretching or overworking them too soon will just re-injure.

7 - Contrary to popular tee shirts, pain is NOT weakness leaving the body. Pain is the sign something is amiss. It may be small or large, but you need to go within to figure out if it's physical discomfort, emotional discomfort, small ache, or real pain. Be honest with yourself, try not to react but rather observe, whatever the scenario, Be open to solutions that your intuition offers and try not to second guess yourself. Ask for a professional opinion, Don't judge yourself for taking care of yourself. And don't suffer. PLEASE.

Three Extremely Healthy Herbs That You Must Start Consume Right Now

Sesame, The Best Plant That Protects Against Cancer & 

High Blood Pressure

  Sesame is an old plant that almost 5000 years is grown and used as food.

 Previously it was thought that there is no special healthy effect, but today, scientists increasingly refute this opinion.

  Sesame is an herb that grows up to 2 meters. The flowers of sesame can be colored differently, and seeds can be white, brown and black. People often use sesame as a spice because it gives a special and distinctive flavor to the food.

  In the last two decades, sesame oil and sesame made a real boom because they were made and cited a number of useful research on it. In addition, we present some of them.

Sesame against high blood pressure

  According to scientists the sesame oil is great for fighting high blood pressure, lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and reduces fat in the blood.

With sesame to a reduced risk of cancer

  According to recent research sesame has excellent elements fighting against the occurrence of malignant tissue and is efficient in fighting cancer on:

- Prostate

- Breast

- Lungs

- Pancreas

- Bones

With sesame to healthy skin

  Scientists have repeatedly stated that sesame has a significant amount of vitamin E, so the sesame oil is great against stretch marks and keeps the skin healthy and glowing.

Basil, TastyAndHealthyCure

  Forthousands ofyears, people are usingthe healing properties ofbasil. Besidesthe pleasanttaste, magical aromaandgood looks, which provides hima secure place inthe kitchen, basil(Ocimum basilicum)hascharacteristics for whichis recommended from doctorsandnutritionists.It is believedto have originatedin India, and itwas known to Egyptians5000yearsago.
  According to the writtendata, this plantwas brought in Europearoundthe 12thcenturybymonks. Aromaticbasilfromtime immemorialis usedforreligiousceremonies, as a spice, butalso asa greatallyin the recoveryofill health. Because ofthe beneficialingredientsare usedhis twigs, leaves andflowers.

  It is known also as “King OfThe Garden” andisrich inmedicinalingredientsandsubstancessuch asfiber, glycosides, essential oils, camphor, methylchavicol,mineralsalts, saponins, cineole.

  Usedas a spice, basilgivestasteand improvesdigestion ofheavyfoodsandkeep her fromspoiling. Chefsrecommendit in additionto foodfrom potato, corn, cauliflowerandeggplant. InevitableinMediterranean cuisineforpreparingdressings, andisbestcombinedwithtomatoes.

  Healingproperties ofbasilparticularlyapparent inthe fightagainstacne, treatment ofanxiety, asthma, diseases of the bladderandurinarytract, liver, muscle pain, migraines, ulcers, abdominal pain, depression, diarrhea, eczema, menstrual problems, coldsand flu, circulation problems, various infections.
  Mostly is useda teafrom basil(do not leave leaveslong toremaininhotwater), butyou should notforgetbasiloilremindexpertsaseffectivein solvingproblemswith the skin.

  Basilis actingalso as a sedative, can reducepainanda goodagainst cramps.  Becausethe sedativeeffects it is notrecommendedfor pregnantwomenin the firsthalfof pregnancyor forbabies.

The PowerfulMaca

  Macaisa plantthat originated intheAndeanregionandgrowsto a heightof 2400to4400metersabove sea level. AncientIncawere used powder from the rootofthis plantbeforetheir long marchestoincreasethe resilience ofthe body.
  Because ofthe largebenefitstothe human body, Macaislocatedinthe categoryofsuper food.She isa naturaladaptogen,meaning thatitsconsumptionincreasesbodyenduranceandresistanceagainststress, anxiety, exhaustion.

The rootofMacacontainsalkaloids, amino acids, dietary fiber, essential fattyacids, microandmacro nutrients, vitaminC, B2, B3, B6, minerals likecalcium, iron, zinc, potassium-minded, manganese.

  MacacontainsuniquealkaloidsMacamides and Macaenes which can not be foundin any otherherb.Thosealkaloidshelps the bodyto useallthe nutrientsthat Maca contains.Healthybenefits of usingMacaare asbig asfor thewomenandmen.

  Macaimproves the functionof the endocrinesystemwhich isresponsible for the operationofhormones, and establisheshormonalbalancein the body.Shealso alleviatesmenstrualpain, contributes toa regular monthlycycle, relievessymptomsofmenopause(changeofmood, insomnia, heat waves, osteoporosis).

  Macastrengthens thelibidoandpotencyin men, helpswithinfertility(positiveaffectsperm productionand increases thevolumeofseed)forwhich some arecallednaturalviagra.Shepositivelyaffects theimmunesystem, improves the functionof the brain (improvesmemory and concentration), itslows downthe aging processofthe body, increasesenergy levels, positivelyaffect thehealthof the heartand bloodvessels, helps with anemia.

Extra: NaturalPrescription FromParsleyAndHoneyFor Healthy Heart

  The recipeismore than 800years old, and because successfullyhelps withheart problems, doctorsstillrecommendit.
  The recipecomes from thenunHildegard von Bingen, who lived 800 years ago, andto this dayis transferredfrom many famousdoctors.
  Thisnatural remedyforheartprovedto be successfulforheart disease. It is usedwhen youexperience anyproblemswiththe heart, such asstabbing, vibrations, skipping because ofstress. It is also useful and with people who have anginapectoris.
Ingredients:
-10stalksfreshparsley(no root)
-A liter ofhomemaderedorwhitewine
-Twotablespoonswinevinegar
-300grams of naturalhoney.

  Preparation: Tenfreshstalksofparsleyalongwiththe leaves put intooneliter ofpure naturalwineandadd1-2tablespoonspurewinevinegar.

Cook10minutesover low heat(be careful, it can begin to foam). Afteraddition of300grams of realhoneybeecookover low heat foranother 4minutes.
  Strain the hotwineand while is stillhotputinbottles, previously washedwithstrongalcohol. Close. The precipitatethat formsis not harmfulandcan besafelyconsumed.
Use:
The drinkis useddaily, one tablespoonuntilthe symptomsstop. Formore serious illness needtobeused for a longer period of time.