Categories
Yoga

What is Yoga Therapy?

Spent the whole weekend at Niroga Institute for the Muscular System module taught by Baxter Bell, MD, Yoga Therapist/Teacher. At the Sunday workshop, really enjoyed working with a very capable peer, Mallery to practice on our visiting guest/client – Thank you R for being such a lovely soul – such receptive and open-minded guest willing to try everything. Hope you can try out the protocol that we sent you home with. If you could stick with it for few months, we have faith that you will see some positive shifts. We really believe in the power of yoga so … I am praying that the protocol can serve to effect a positive improvement in your overall health. Hope to hear from you sometime in the near future ! ( You have such a beautiful caring friend, who brought you there yesterday so we thank her for her support of the program.) Love his way of teaching – lectures and then it’s all about practical application: Learning is Doing.

“Yoga therapy is of modern coinage and represents a first effort to integrate traditional yogic concepts and techniques with Western medical and psychological knowledge.”

– George Feuerstein, Ph.D.

As therapists, our job is not to provide diagnosis or replace the mainstream medicine but rather to complement, supplement and collaborate with integrative western and other alternative medicine. I mean really – these are the trying times sometimes – whatever works (and we know yoga works) so why not assemble a team to attack armed with varied methods and moralities to if not win the battle, at the very least alleviate and better cope. This extensive training in holistic approach to our fellow human’s suffering can be a humbling experience. We learn to view the person who stands before you as a WHOLE person – not a cancer patient or a victim of violence, or whatever the scary sounding condition – having to make mental notes of symptoms, body parts affected, formulations drawing from extensive medical training. That’s someone else’s job who does it better.

We instead provide the “soft”care, recognizing and valuing that person who is so much more than the sum of all the symptoms that ails them – and there’s no need to identify the person with what afflicts them. Empathize, yes, but no labeling – yeah, that person with Scoliosis or that person with cancer or that person with this or that disability where – that does not identify them. Instead, identify with what could bring that person some of the lost joy – where’s the spark? Where is that glimmer of light hidden under the layers? In fact, that student or client is … an extension of self. Their suffering is your suffering – there’s is no difference; just happened to be assigned another unique mind and body reading another script of life this time around. Banishing ego, yes, it’s humbling and powerful at the same time. Training is most helpful in defining the scope of our role (when to help; when to refer, clearly recognizing our limitations, not letting ego do harm – we do no harm) and knowing how we may best help that person who seeks out this therapy. Without the training, no matter how well intentioned, one can do more harm than good.

IMG_8048_smallRecipe from Jyoti’s class on Ayurvedic cooking …
IMG_7895_small another twist on smoothies – depends on what dosha you are what type of smoothie to make.
IMG_7887_small Turmeric tea from Japan … it’s golden. Golden-green.tumeric teaIMG_9896_small Spring time – finding ways to alleviate my allergy as I deal with teary itchy eyes and sore throat. Self-care should not be overlooked if I am to be serious about being more of service, to be more present – to be more purposeful in living a life more in alignment with my truth. On the verge of adrenal fatigue … self-care time. Restoration of software taking place in order that I can restore others. It’s going to be a

BEST DAY EVER !
IMG_8061_smallYes, headache remedy that works. No drugs.

Categories
Beautiful People

Covering for each other – it’s sisterhood:)

Lovely Nancy C. will be subbing Sunday …This yogini to me is a goddess of a being and I am so happy she’s covering for me because
then I know, students are so well taken cared for. I don’t even need to come back, lol. Thank you Nancy.

Sooooo excited as I will be in the Yoga Therapy 500/800 hrs. immersion weekend with Baxter Bell MD …again, have read articles written by him but to get to directly study under him? I am all smiles. The focus? Muscles … the theme for the entire weekend is … MUSCLES. Yes, we learned about them in 200 hrs. basic teacher
training way back when but … never cared much for memorizing those sometimes unpronounceable names. Maybe I was brought up to think that’s more the male domain and not feminine (my mother was quite old fashion aka typical Japanese mom from that era – opting more for just walking, singing and clipping flowers for Ikebana – flower arrangement…having muscles would be so … unlady-like in her opinion- way back when thinking of yesteryears ) but ladies need the muscles – maybe not trying to be a “buffed” hulk (ugh…again – not my idea of aesthetics yet admire the effort … ) but just to feel strong and be strong.

I never really cared much for anatomy either (that’s the irony & why I love Judith’s teachings that’s so vast she can zoom in and zoom out :), never wanted to study it when in school, opting more for the non-science … but now … I find anatomy fascinating.
Our body is so mysterious and interesting to learn about.
I guess you never think or notice your body until something goes wrong with it. Then you really notice what you had taken for granted.
All our experiences are possible because we have this precious … body. AND Mind – they go hand in hand, closely connected of course. It does not need to be “whipped into” shape; but cared for like a parent caring for her/his child –
Kindness = Strength for these tissues made up from trillions of cells that constantly cycles through rebirth.
Muscles – sitting at a desk all day, they do get stiff and weaken, don’t they? Yoga to counter that deterioration As I make time for 10,000 steps … and evening yin yoga stretches. High maintenance? Isn’t it worth it? Aren’t you worth it?

IMG_9979_smallThe Original Flagship Lululemon Store … rather funky a bit caught in the 60’s kind San Francisco-ish – I was not there but – feel of a throwback place but told they will be moving to a larger place – going to be larger and modern… a little sad.
IMG_9982_smallIMG_0078_smallThis is a restorative class … Canadian take on a restorative class seems a bit different. A bit of a therapeutic session taught by a Sports Medicine guy. Restorative is restorative in many ways. Here it’s sports medicine-ish by a young father chatting about his wife, his son, what he ate, on and on, etc. so so different. Maybe guys have a different take on this practice – I don’t know – BUT it’s all good.

Categories
Yoga

What is Restorative Yoga?

Restorative yoga is a blissfully serene healing practice that invites relaxation of the body and calmness of the mind. Supported, safe and at ease, the practice honoring our needs to “rest & digest” (& defrost) ultimately leads us to a portal more receptive to healing. Abiding in the state of peace, we induce a condition more prepared for meditation, deeper rest or revived sensory energy level to smell the roses alongside life’s many paths. It’s … sweet. When deep relaxation is embodied through the restorative yoga poses, all the organ system of the body benefits.

According to BKS Iyengar, this practice “creates space inside the body and flushes out the impediments” and “clears the energy blocks in the nervous system” thereby balancing out our whole system. These benefits are reaped with the use of props such as blocks, bolsters, straps and blankets. Restorative yoga classes are accessible to all.

More on Restorative yoga can be found HERE.

It takes courage and trust to truly let go and when we do the results are immeasurable.

Refreshed, Rejuvenated, it is amazing how the world becomes brighter, shapes and colors sharper and thoughts clearer where creativity comes easily as intuitions and ideas bubbles up to the surface of consciousness more abundantly.

Buoyancy returns to our eager steps and once again, we are childlike in looking at the miracles around us with sense of wonder.

I am grateful I found this peace within through this practice.

I am even more grateful I found the teachers who can distill the teachings in such a manner that I remain curious and eager to learn more and more. Namaste.
bks iyengar I hold space for our restorative yoga practice Sunday evenings – Replenish. No need to dread the impending workload or whatever that burdens you – Instead genuinely WELCOME the challenge (the “upside of stress”) and anticipate with joy the upcoming week with own batteries fully charged. We are well aware that Energy/Prana do not just appear out of thin air – we need to tap into our inner source … and then, we need to harness it. With intention.