I haven’t, but as things are flowing naturally this year, I am excited and enthusiastic about being able to get back to my physical yoga practice.

Over the years, my body has undergone many ailments. Because of that, I have usually had some type of body work done to assist me in realigning my body before I return to yoga classes after a long break, so that there is less of a chance of me throwing something out during my yoga class.

So that is what I did last week. I had a session of body work to remind my body where the parts are supposed to be placed in order for me to attain better balance.

Yikes! Ouch!

For the past three days, I have been very diligent about being aware of how I hold my body. Last year, I had issues with my shoulders that resulted in my footing being off balance. I was discouraged to find that, even though I’d been working on it for months, my body was not being very responsive. However, now that I’m having my body work done, I can feel the tension releasing.

It’s been like a slow unwinding of one of those twisted donuts. My muscles and tendons have to re-learn where they are supposed to be – and I am so relieved to feel that unpleasant ache start to ease up.

I know I am not quite there yet, but it will be wonderful to be able to step back into my yoga class. However, I’m fully aware that I have to be very careful at this stage, so I’m either going to start with the beginner’s gentle class or just go to Mommy and me again.

Whatever class I go to, I know that yoga is going to rejuvenate my body and soul and leave me feeling at peace with myself.

Tags: shoulder pain, yoga class, mommy and me, yoga practice, body, soul

Recently, while visiting with a fellow yoga buddy, I tried to relax by sinking into a comfy chair, but I let out a few winces of pain. Where did that come from?

My shoulders were extremely tight, my neck was stiff, and I was feeling a bit foggy. And I hadn’t even earned it from a fun night out!

Stress, work fatigue, and not being aware of my posture while working late in front of the computer had finally taken hold of my body.

Thankfully, my friend gave me a knowing “Did you use yoga to help with those aches and pains?” look (she has a very talkative look). I admitted that, although I had done a few rounds of Sun Salutations that morning, I had thought it best to not overextend myself with too much exercise.

A big grin came over her face and she gently encouraged me to try doing a revised inversion pose. She instructed me to sit on the floor near a wall, lie back, lift my legs up so that they were supported by the wall, scoot my hips and back as close to the wall as possible, stretch out my arms – and breathe. Just breathe. I wanted to try the pose immediately, but thought it best to not break up the party.

Once I got home, I followed her instructions and, within minutes, I felt my shoulders begin to release the tension. My chest filled up with purifying air and slowly my neck realigned itself back into place. And for the first time in many days I had a sound uninterrupted sleep.

Now if I can only work at my computer in that position!

Tags: stress, work fatigue, neck pain with yoga, stress relief with breathing, Sun Salutations, gentle yoga poses

One of the most common areas of tension strain occurs in the neck. A crick in the neck can happen for a variety of reasons, ranging from sleeping in the wrong position to spending too much time at the computer. And that ache in the neck can also rapidly spread to other areas of our bodies, giving us headaches, pinched nerves, and a general feeling of pain in our bodies. I’m sure most of us have experienced this. But what can we do to relieve the pain?

Well, the staff at the KSEE 4 News, of Fresno, California recently found out when they were introduced to specific yoga poses that can help relieve a pain in the neck (and we’re talking about actual pain here, not a disgruntled person who’s making your life miserable)! Katie Blunt, a yogini at COIL Yoga, guided the news staff through a series of yoga postures that are thought to beneficial in relieving stiffness and pain in the neck area. Katie, who had used these same poses to repair her own neck trauma caused by her last childbirth, demonstrated specific yoga poses such as the Locust, Warrior 1, and Partner Boat.

Physical therapist and yoga teacher Julie Gromstead has seen her share of neck strains and injuries, and she concurs that “yoga can do wonders for neck problems while simultaneously teaching safer, healthier posture habits.”

So if you’re suffering from neck pain and would like to learn more about the specific yoga poses that can provide you with some relief, check out the following website: Getting Rid of Nick Pain with Yoga Poses.

Tags: neck problem, neck stiffness, shoulder tension, neck pain, yoga poses, relief of pain, relief of tension

In this month’s Yoga+ magazine, Doug Keller takes a thorough, holistic view of how individuals can manage the painful formation of bunions and halt its progression.

As Doug explains in his article “Bye-Bye Bunions!” this ailment is often attributed to “constrictive shoes, coupled with the fact that we rarely stretch, massage, or otherwise properly exercise our feet.” Although the medical field considers bunions hereditary, Doug points out that they can equally be caused by “tight shoes – combined with a habit of walking with the feet turned out.”

To help alleviate the painful effects of bunions, Doug clearly lays out a series of exercises and yoga poses that will help relieve stressed feet and perhaps even prevent the growth of bunions. With foot exercises ranging from “activating your arches” to “yoga handshake,” the demonstrations are useful tools for learning how to care for your feet.

To read the full article and find out more about exercises that will help reduce pain and fatigue in your feet, check out www.himalayaninstitute.org.

Tags: painful feet, stiff toes, bunions, tense ankle, yoga for healing injuries

Don’t give up, though.

If you persevere, the poses will eventually become easier to do and your breath will come into balance.

But consider how much more difficult it would be if we had a serious illness that resulted in the loss of a limb? That is exactly what Deena Quinn had to cope with when, at the age of ten, she was diagnosed with a type of bone cancer known as osteosarcoma, which resulted in her lower leg having to be amputated.

Years after going through that devastating experience, Deena, heeding the advice of her friend and massage therapist Shannon Gillmarten, decided to try yoga as a new way to try and find balance, confidence and security, which she had not yet experienced through her regular weight training routines.

At the Heartsong Yoga Center in Massachusetts, she found a welcoming environment and an understanding instructor in yoga teacher Sheila Magalhaes. In order to place less strain on her residual limb, Deena decided to try practicing yoga without her prosthetic one. She admitted that

“At first I felt uncomfortable, but once I got through the initial shock of going into a room without my prosthesis, I was able to relax.”

And even though she found the first class frustrating and challenging, Deena said she left

“feeling great! Unlike the endorphin rush I was used to from my usual cardio/weights workout, I left with such a sense of peace.”

With the help and guidance of Sheila and Shannon, Deena was able to adapt various yoga poses to accommodate her needs, finding ways to utilize a chair, blocks assistance from a partner to ensure that she could have a thorough yoga practice.

By practicing her adapted yoga regularly, Deena began to see a marked improvement in her balance, flexibility and strength. As an added benefit, yoga helped Deena calm her mind and alleviate her feelings of anxiety.

Now, at the age of 30, Deena is a confident and self-assured woman who credits yoga with helping her deal with her trauma. And for others who are facing physical challenges and are looking for ways to help themselves, Deena has the following advice:

“…just do it! Take a big swallow and do it!”

For more information, check out Deena’s inspiration story.

Tags: Deena Quinn, bone cancer, osteosarcoma and yoga, Shannon Gillmarten, Sheila Magalhaes, yoga and trauma

Sean and Karen Conley, owners of Amazing Yoga in Pittsburgh, are regular teachers at the Pittsburgh Steelers training center. Players from the Steelers are being offered regular yoga classes as part of their in-season training. As a skilled instructor who recognizes the benefits of a regular practice due to his own football injuries, Sean is able to encourage other football players to explore this new avenue of exercise.

Given the nature and goals of his football player students, Sean has specifically designed a program that is both therapeutic and athletic. The program he provides has been well received and supported by Garrett Giemont, the head strength and conditioning coach for the Steelers. “This is something that will always be used in my program,” Giemont says. “It helps the players with balance, pro-receptive strength and flexibility. It’s also a mind break.”

Although it may not be every player’s choice of exercise, Sean and Karen have seen an ongoing interest and growing participation in their yoga sessions. As Sean points out, “We live in such a driven, competitive world that yoga can be a nice complement to all athletic endeavors.”

If you found this blog interesting, you may be interested in reading about yoga for basketball players, or how golfers practice yoga to improve their game.

For a full article read on Sean and Karen’s Amazing Yoga, go to the Post Gazette.

Tags: yoga for athletes, football and yoga, Sean Conley, Amazing Yoga, Steelers do Yoga, yoga for healing injuries