American Astanga Vinaysa teacher David Swenson once quoted a definition of yoga and the yogi:-
"A yogi is one who leaves a place a little nicer than when they arrived"
Just because we practice yoga does not make us yogis. A lot of people mistakenly imagine the world of yoga to be different from the rest of the world, whereas actually in a lot of cases yoga amplifies us more, defining not just our better qualities but also those not so nice ones as well. Those prone to ego can grow an even bigger one as it were.
Practicing yoga doesn't change a person overnight. All the difficulties of everyday life are still there as soon as you get off your mat and the only thing we can control is our reaction to these difficulties.
We are all human and we all make mistakes. However hard we try we will probably continue to make mistakes. And while it is easy to spot flaws in other people it is maybe not so easy to spot them in ourselves.
There is much competitiveness in the yoga world today and a lot of this comes out in our projections onto ourselves and other people. For example, and strong flexible teacher battling with their equally strong ego may berate and chastise a scoliosis sufferer because they cannot perform the asanas to the incredibly high standard they expect from themselves, they do not understand the condition and their lack of understanding and empathy comes out in aggression and ego. However there are two sides to the same coin. Yoga practice can also amplify that lack of self-esteem and self-acceptance that the scoliosis sufferer may have; the negative thoughts towards their body for not physical postures in the way they thing they should, the lack of acceptance towards their own body just the way it is. The strong flexible teacher reacts negatively to the condition of scoliosis and the scoliosis sufferer reacts negatively towards their practice. While both may be practicing yoga, neither is a yogi. Neither leaves the practice room nicer than when they arrived.
We have to cultivate patience, we cannot control the actions of others, and it is not these actions or statements per se that we must concern ourselves with but rather the way in which we react to them. We can choose to listen, to participate, in competitiveness, ego and negative feelings or we can tread our own path and try to create examples of openmindedness and compassion, transcending not only the competitiveness around us but also our physical bodies themselves, wonky spines and all. It is our choices in life that define us, and thus we should all strive to become yogis rather than yoga practitioners.
Yoga, as a wise and wonderful woman once told me, is not about standing on your head. It is about standing on your own two feet.
Friday 28 September 2007
Monday 17 September 2007
Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and yoga practice
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are the "Holy Trinity" of Hindu mythology.
Brahma is the Creator, who brought the whole universe into being; the impetus for all life.
Vishnu is the Sustainer, the provider of all we need to grow and evolve in the physical universe. Without him life could not exist.
Shiva is the transformer or destroyer, responsible for the changes of everything, breaking down the old to allow it to be reborn. The concept of Shiva is sometimes feared because he is associated with death, but without the transformation, new life could not occur.
These three aspects of life can be brought into yoga practice - and thus into our life off the mat - by remembering that every one of us, and everything around us, is born, will live and will die. When I first come into a yoga pose, I am creating it, finding my alignment and my breath, by breathing into the pose rather than resisting it I can open myself to the pose and the aspect of Brahma.Then I must sustain the pose, quieting the mind and surrendering into it. By experiencing Vishnu sustaining the posture, I can move more deeply into it. Finally, I release the pose. Rather than just stop doing it, I must come out of it mindfully using the breath. By remembering Shiva when exiting the pose I can transform the pose ready for the next one.
These concepts can change the perspective of yoga practice for the scoliosis sufferer. Some postures are difficult, alignment proves hard, modifications, adjustments and props are essential, but by using the archetypes of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva on the mat, I become away of the essence of the posture rather than the posture itself. As mentioned in an earlier entry the move is away from any sort of hierarchy of pose, how "well" the pose can be performed, towards examining the more subtle aspects of the pose and how I feel in the pose, thus deepening its effects without forcing myself into something that could have contraindications for me. I can work on a more subtle energetic level.
Particularly important is the aspect of Shiva. How we come out of a pose is as important as how we go into it and maintain it. Desikachar uses the story of the monkey who climbed the tree but couldn't get down again. Don't go up if you don't know how to get down. Attaining full posture is never as important as maintaining and coming out of the posture with the same strenth, stability and gentleness.
Away from the mat, these three aspects can then be applied to life, by everyone, not just the yogi. By balancing the three aspects within ourselves we can live a more balanced life. It's not easy because each aspect brings with it fear. We must learn not to fear the new territories and experiences that Brahma's creation brings, we must learn to trust in the abundace of Vishnu's sustenance, letting go of worries about safety, security, finances and love and trusting that there is enough of everything to go around, and we must move away from our fear of death, not just of ourselves or our loved ones, but of the various stages in our lives.
Brahma is the Creator, who brought the whole universe into being; the impetus for all life.
Vishnu is the Sustainer, the provider of all we need to grow and evolve in the physical universe. Without him life could not exist.
Shiva is the transformer or destroyer, responsible for the changes of everything, breaking down the old to allow it to be reborn. The concept of Shiva is sometimes feared because he is associated with death, but without the transformation, new life could not occur.
These three aspects of life can be brought into yoga practice - and thus into our life off the mat - by remembering that every one of us, and everything around us, is born, will live and will die. When I first come into a yoga pose, I am creating it, finding my alignment and my breath, by breathing into the pose rather than resisting it I can open myself to the pose and the aspect of Brahma.Then I must sustain the pose, quieting the mind and surrendering into it. By experiencing Vishnu sustaining the posture, I can move more deeply into it. Finally, I release the pose. Rather than just stop doing it, I must come out of it mindfully using the breath. By remembering Shiva when exiting the pose I can transform the pose ready for the next one.
These concepts can change the perspective of yoga practice for the scoliosis sufferer. Some postures are difficult, alignment proves hard, modifications, adjustments and props are essential, but by using the archetypes of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva on the mat, I become away of the essence of the posture rather than the posture itself. As mentioned in an earlier entry the move is away from any sort of hierarchy of pose, how "well" the pose can be performed, towards examining the more subtle aspects of the pose and how I feel in the pose, thus deepening its effects without forcing myself into something that could have contraindications for me. I can work on a more subtle energetic level.
Particularly important is the aspect of Shiva. How we come out of a pose is as important as how we go into it and maintain it. Desikachar uses the story of the monkey who climbed the tree but couldn't get down again. Don't go up if you don't know how to get down. Attaining full posture is never as important as maintaining and coming out of the posture with the same strenth, stability and gentleness.
Away from the mat, these three aspects can then be applied to life, by everyone, not just the yogi. By balancing the three aspects within ourselves we can live a more balanced life. It's not easy because each aspect brings with it fear. We must learn not to fear the new territories and experiences that Brahma's creation brings, we must learn to trust in the abundace of Vishnu's sustenance, letting go of worries about safety, security, finances and love and trusting that there is enough of everything to go around, and we must move away from our fear of death, not just of ourselves or our loved ones, but of the various stages in our lives.
Wednesday 12 September 2007
The things yoga can do for scoliosis...
To bring the practice of yoga into the everyday life of a person with scoliosis (or indeed without scoliosis!) it is important to begin by re-aligning the body and breath. This is something that can come off the yoga mat and into day to day life. Whilst washing the dishes, for example, think about standing in Tadasana with the navel drawn in towards the spine and the shoulders, head and pelvis aligned. Whilst out walking, draw awareness to the breath. Ask yourself if you are breathing into the chest or the abdomen, if the breath is even or or uneven, smooth or ragged and begin to allow yourself to breath with more ease. With practice and positivity lifelong habits can be overcome.
Choosing the path of yoga to remediate scoliosis is a lifelong commitment. With guidance from a good teacher and by developing awareness of our own bodies; our movement, our muscles, our structure and our breath, we can use our pain and discomfort to guide us into an awareness adn understanding of the curvature of our spines.
The practice of yoga is a continuous journey where, whatever our experience, we constantly re-treading the same ground as we realise our own bodies, our capabilities, our limitations. Through my practice and my teaching I have come to realise that every person has a body as individual as their fingerprint - postures that work in an asana practice for one person may be painful and unbeneficial for another. A yoga practice helps each of us to learn and read our own breath and bodies from day to day, being to learn what we need and, as Desikachar says, "to attain what was previously unattainable" (The Heart of Yoga p. 5).
Whilst for some this may be attaining full Astanga Vinyasa Primary Series, for others it may be attaining the ability to sit in stillness with a straight spine for 10 minutes, overcoming discomfort. Neither of these attainments are more or less beneficial than the other in themselves, and yoga practitioners should not feel any pressure to attain what another person has attained – we should instead let go of our ego and be comfortable with our own achievements and our own bodies.
In many ways I look upon my scoliosis as a blessing. Rather than it being an obstacle to my yoga practice I have come to understand the curvature of my spine as a lesson in self-observation and self-acceptance. This is the body I have been given and I will work with it to attain what, to me, was previously unattainable. My scoliosis helps me, as I develop my yoga teaching, to understand to a greater degree the limitations and abilities of my students.
Yoga practice is not a “cure-all” for back problems of any kind, or scoliosis specifically, and should always be undertaken with a qualified (and sympathetic) teacher who understands the back problem and in conjunction with advice from a physical therapist. It is also important to find a style of yoga that is right for you. For me this has been predominantly the Viniyoga developed by TKV Desikachar in the 1960s, which is a gentle posture and breath practice, taught in small groups and catered to the individual. This said, yoga practice by its very nature will strengthen and stretch the back muscles and focus the mind on lengthening the spine.
For me, however the most important part of the yoga practice is its ability o lead the practitioner towards acceptance of themselves and their bodies, to be happy with the skin they are in and to love themselves just the way they are.
Choosing the path of yoga to remediate scoliosis is a lifelong commitment. With guidance from a good teacher and by developing awareness of our own bodies; our movement, our muscles, our structure and our breath, we can use our pain and discomfort to guide us into an awareness adn understanding of the curvature of our spines.
The practice of yoga is a continuous journey where, whatever our experience, we constantly re-treading the same ground as we realise our own bodies, our capabilities, our limitations. Through my practice and my teaching I have come to realise that every person has a body as individual as their fingerprint - postures that work in an asana practice for one person may be painful and unbeneficial for another. A yoga practice helps each of us to learn and read our own breath and bodies from day to day, being to learn what we need and, as Desikachar says, "to attain what was previously unattainable" (The Heart of Yoga p. 5).
Whilst for some this may be attaining full Astanga Vinyasa Primary Series, for others it may be attaining the ability to sit in stillness with a straight spine for 10 minutes, overcoming discomfort. Neither of these attainments are more or less beneficial than the other in themselves, and yoga practitioners should not feel any pressure to attain what another person has attained – we should instead let go of our ego and be comfortable with our own achievements and our own bodies.
In many ways I look upon my scoliosis as a blessing. Rather than it being an obstacle to my yoga practice I have come to understand the curvature of my spine as a lesson in self-observation and self-acceptance. This is the body I have been given and I will work with it to attain what, to me, was previously unattainable. My scoliosis helps me, as I develop my yoga teaching, to understand to a greater degree the limitations and abilities of my students.
Yoga practice is not a “cure-all” for back problems of any kind, or scoliosis specifically, and should always be undertaken with a qualified (and sympathetic) teacher who understands the back problem and in conjunction with advice from a physical therapist. It is also important to find a style of yoga that is right for you. For me this has been predominantly the Viniyoga developed by TKV Desikachar in the 1960s, which is a gentle posture and breath practice, taught in small groups and catered to the individual. This said, yoga practice by its very nature will strengthen and stretch the back muscles and focus the mind on lengthening the spine.
For me, however the most important part of the yoga practice is its ability o lead the practitioner towards acceptance of themselves and their bodies, to be happy with the skin they are in and to love themselves just the way they are.
The things that yoga can do....
Yoga incorporates the whole person, not just the physical body - it promotes the balance between body, mind, emotions and spirit. The emphasis is on awareness and encouragement to learn about all aspects of your personality through yoga. By awakening individuals' awareness and inherent self-healing power, physical dis-ease and mental stress can be managed and relieved. By steadying the emotions and calming the mind, a sense of perspective can be gained, bringing a feeling of peace and freedom and inner strength.
Practicing yoga detoxifies and rejuvenates all systems of the body, to purify thoughts and emotions and promote deep stress release. Almost all yoga postures are woven around the spine to ensure its flexibility and strength. If the spine is healthy, the central nervous system is strong and steady, and energy can flow freely in the body preventing dis-ease and promoting wellbeing. Asana practice is a means to deepen our self-awareness in order to bring about self-transformation.
This last paragraph ties in with the concepts of nadis and shusumna in relation to scoliosis which I will explore soon.
Practicing yoga detoxifies and rejuvenates all systems of the body, to purify thoughts and emotions and promote deep stress release. Almost all yoga postures are woven around the spine to ensure its flexibility and strength. If the spine is healthy, the central nervous system is strong and steady, and energy can flow freely in the body preventing dis-ease and promoting wellbeing. Asana practice is a means to deepen our self-awareness in order to bring about self-transformation.
This last paragraph ties in with the concepts of nadis and shusumna in relation to scoliosis which I will explore soon.
Friday 7 September 2007
Pranayama - the breath's journey
Breath practice (or pranayama) is of great benefit to the scoliosis sufferer. Not only does a limited thoracic capacity lead to short, uneven breath, usually up in the chest rather than down in the belly where the diaphragm is engaged, but the constant pain of socliosis can lead to breath retention. Holding the breath during the asana practice is counterproductive as it can block the movement of pranic energy and lead to exhaustion. Scoliosis sufferers commonly simultaneously suffer from conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. From a physical perspective this is not surprising as their chest capacity and length of breath can be limited. However, from a more metaphysical point of view we can liken the spine to a fibre optic cable, such as that used for an internet network; to work correctly the fibre optic needs a clear line of sight, the energy it carries cannot go round corners. In the same way the path of energy that travels up the scoliatic spine finds limitations in its movement. By working on a feeling of lengthening and elongating we can help the energy within us to flow more freely.
Donna Farhi suggests in The Breathing Book that holding the breath in an attempt to relieve pain will not get the sufferer anywhere. Instead she recommends using the breath itself as pain relief.
The breath provides a natural massage to the entire body. This massage, in and of itself, is a pain reliever, signalling to the nervous system that all is well. When we hold our breath in response to pain or in the hope that htis will eliminate the pain it will actually increase the pain. What causes pain is often not the original sensation but our reaction to it and our imagining of what might happen if the pain continues or gets worse.
-- Donna Farhi - The Breathing Book (Henry Holt & Co Inc - 1996) (p.222)
Farhi goes on to suggest exhaling as soon as painful stiumli is anticipated, as our natural impulse is to inhale and hold the breath. We must try to stop this habit, we must try to stop dwelling on the possible outcomes of pain if it increases, and instead direct our breath into the area that is causing us pain. Once again we are practicing breaking lifetime habits in order to attain ease.
More on Prana and Pranic Body and pranayama practices to follow!!
Donna Farhi suggests in The Breathing Book that holding the breath in an attempt to relieve pain will not get the sufferer anywhere. Instead she recommends using the breath itself as pain relief.
The breath provides a natural massage to the entire body. This massage, in and of itself, is a pain reliever, signalling to the nervous system that all is well. When we hold our breath in response to pain or in the hope that htis will eliminate the pain it will actually increase the pain. What causes pain is often not the original sensation but our reaction to it and our imagining of what might happen if the pain continues or gets worse.
-- Donna Farhi - The Breathing Book (Henry Holt & Co Inc - 1996) (p.222)
Farhi goes on to suggest exhaling as soon as painful stiumli is anticipated, as our natural impulse is to inhale and hold the breath. We must try to stop this habit, we must try to stop dwelling on the possible outcomes of pain if it increases, and instead direct our breath into the area that is causing us pain. Once again we are practicing breaking lifetime habits in order to attain ease.
More on Prana and Pranic Body and pranayama practices to follow!!
Core Strength and the Bhandas
Abdominal strength is vital to an asana practice, but even more so to anyone with back problems as power in the deep abdominal core takes pressure off the lower back. This is not just important when practicing yoga, but also when carrying oout many day to day tasks, such as lifting and even walking! We can achieve this core strength by gently drawing the navel upwards and backwards towards the spine. You will probably notice the pelvic floor muscles contracting slightly as well. Both of these movements work the deep core muscles, which we can feel particularly well when we cough, sneeze or laugh. You will notice that this movement will give you extra strength and freedom in strong postures such as Adho Mukha Svanasana, balances and Viabhadrasana (Warrior) postures.
More on Core and Bhandas to follow!!!
More on Core and Bhandas to follow!!!
Friday 31 August 2007
Step by step...
A step by step approach to asana, breaks down both the hierarchy and the posture itself and is beneficial to all yogis, regardless of limitations or capabilites. It is important never to forget the roots from which the posture grows. Remember, each step of the posture is as important as the posture itself.
A good example of this breaking down technique can be seen in Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Facing Dog, a posture which crops up in most styles of yoga and is vital for the Surya Namaska sequence.
Some students, including those with scoliosis, may find that they do not have the strength or stamina to hold this pose for very long and in some practices they may be required to hold it for as long as 10 breaths. If practiced incorrectly, without alignment and breath focus, trying to hold Ahdo Mukha Svanasana for this long can lead to areas of tension developing in the shoulders, back, arms and legs. This is not beneficial!!
Instead we can break the posture down, getting to know the feel of Adho Mukha Svanasana before coming into the full posture. Firstly we can practice lying down with our legs up the wall, making sure the buttocks are as close to the corner of the wall and floor as possible. Flex the feet as though standing on the floor and raise the arms over the heads so they are lying on the floor shoulder width apart, keeping the shoulders relaxed away from the ears. This is Adho Mukha Svanasana. Then we can practice the posture standing. Begin by standing in Tadasana as detailed in a previous post. On an inhale raise the arms alongside the ears, making sure you do not hunch the shoulders up. As you exhale bend forward to a ninety degree angle, trying to keep the back straight. This is Adho Mukha Svanasana. When we are happy with the sensation of the posture we are ready to practice the full asana.
There are of course many yoga asana that are beneficial to students with scoliosis. I find that many asymmetrical standing postures such as Trikonasana and modified Parsvakonasana help the student to become aware of teh asymmetry in their spine and body as they notice the difference between one side and the other. Balances such as Vrksasana assist with distributing the weight evenly between the two feet and elongating the spine to maintain balance throughout the postures and standing and seated forward bends help by allowing the spine and the muscles around it to relax. I find holding forward bends for 10-15 breaths very beneficial; exhaling to feel the spine extending and visualising the crown of the head drawing away from the bottom of the back. Backbends, twists and shoulder openers are also helpful.
Various asana sequences helpful for scoliosis will appear in this blog in due course.
A good example of this breaking down technique can be seen in Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Facing Dog, a posture which crops up in most styles of yoga and is vital for the Surya Namaska sequence.
Some students, including those with scoliosis, may find that they do not have the strength or stamina to hold this pose for very long and in some practices they may be required to hold it for as long as 10 breaths. If practiced incorrectly, without alignment and breath focus, trying to hold Ahdo Mukha Svanasana for this long can lead to areas of tension developing in the shoulders, back, arms and legs. This is not beneficial!!
Instead we can break the posture down, getting to know the feel of Adho Mukha Svanasana before coming into the full posture. Firstly we can practice lying down with our legs up the wall, making sure the buttocks are as close to the corner of the wall and floor as possible. Flex the feet as though standing on the floor and raise the arms over the heads so they are lying on the floor shoulder width apart, keeping the shoulders relaxed away from the ears. This is Adho Mukha Svanasana. Then we can practice the posture standing. Begin by standing in Tadasana as detailed in a previous post. On an inhale raise the arms alongside the ears, making sure you do not hunch the shoulders up. As you exhale bend forward to a ninety degree angle, trying to keep the back straight. This is Adho Mukha Svanasana. When we are happy with the sensation of the posture we are ready to practice the full asana.
There are of course many yoga asana that are beneficial to students with scoliosis. I find that many asymmetrical standing postures such as Trikonasana and modified Parsvakonasana help the student to become aware of teh asymmetry in their spine and body as they notice the difference between one side and the other. Balances such as Vrksasana assist with distributing the weight evenly between the two feet and elongating the spine to maintain balance throughout the postures and standing and seated forward bends help by allowing the spine and the muscles around it to relax. I find holding forward bends for 10-15 breaths very beneficial; exhaling to feel the spine extending and visualising the crown of the head drawing away from the bottom of the back. Backbends, twists and shoulder openers are also helpful.
Various asana sequences helpful for scoliosis will appear in this blog in due course.
Wednesday 29 August 2007
Asana and Hierarchy
By practicing yoga, we are not working towards some mythical day when suddenly the scoliosis is gone and the spine is perfectly straight, but instead towards a feeling of ease with our bodies. A revolution within the body occurs as we focus on remediation rather than cure. We must begin to release the muscles that have become so tight and painful over years of making so much effort to stand up straight, and use the extension of the exhalation to open the body and bring new life to the spine.
When it comes to asana practice there may well be need for modification in some of the postures for a student with scoliosis to get the most out of yoga. However, it is important to remember that a modified posture is no less beneficial than practicing the full posture. Too much emphasis is often placed on achieving the "perfect" asana at all costs, with no thought to the fact that all our bodies are different and what may be good for one person may be nigh on impossible for another. The asana practice itself is merely one of the eight limbs of Patanjali's yoga and a stepping stone to achieving Samadhi, it is not so much the posture itself as the mindset behind the posture, getting into the posture and leaving the posture (all of which aspects including Samadhi will be examined later in this blog). It is therefore important to remember not to regard yoga asana with any sense of hierarchy. Just as a very flexible, strong student should not look down upon those unable to do full posture, a student with postural or skeletal difficulties should not feel inferior in any way in the presence of those to whom asana practice comes easily.
It does not matter what kind of shape your body is in when you start your practice. Just having a body - being alive - is sufficient qualification for doing yoga.
-- Total Yoga - Tara Fraser (Duncan Baird Publishing 2001 - p.28)
Asana practice is one step of yoga; it is just as important to cultivate stillness, compassion and deep yogic breathing (which I will discuss further at a later stage). It is also important to release the temptation of rushing ahead into a posture we are not ready for, but instead to listen to our bodies and work within our own personal limitations and capabilities.
...if we are to be complete human beings we must incorporate allaspects of ourselves, and do so step by step
-- The Heart of Yoga - TKV Desikachar (Inner Traditions International 1999 - p.7)
When it comes to asana practice there may well be need for modification in some of the postures for a student with scoliosis to get the most out of yoga. However, it is important to remember that a modified posture is no less beneficial than practicing the full posture. Too much emphasis is often placed on achieving the "perfect" asana at all costs, with no thought to the fact that all our bodies are different and what may be good for one person may be nigh on impossible for another. The asana practice itself is merely one of the eight limbs of Patanjali's yoga and a stepping stone to achieving Samadhi, it is not so much the posture itself as the mindset behind the posture, getting into the posture and leaving the posture (all of which aspects including Samadhi will be examined later in this blog). It is therefore important to remember not to regard yoga asana with any sense of hierarchy. Just as a very flexible, strong student should not look down upon those unable to do full posture, a student with postural or skeletal difficulties should not feel inferior in any way in the presence of those to whom asana practice comes easily.
It does not matter what kind of shape your body is in when you start your practice. Just having a body - being alive - is sufficient qualification for doing yoga.
-- Total Yoga - Tara Fraser (Duncan Baird Publishing 2001 - p.28)
Asana practice is one step of yoga; it is just as important to cultivate stillness, compassion and deep yogic breathing (which I will discuss further at a later stage). It is also important to release the temptation of rushing ahead into a posture we are not ready for, but instead to listen to our bodies and work within our own personal limitations and capabilities.
...if we are to be complete human beings we must incorporate allaspects of ourselves, and do so step by step
-- The Heart of Yoga - TKV Desikachar (Inner Traditions International 1999 - p.7)
Friday 24 August 2007
Scaravelli, Tadasana and the breath
One of the most influential books I have read about yoga and the spine is Veda Scravelli's Awakening the Spine. Her most powerful metaphor is likening the human back to the trunk of a tree. A tree grows in two opposite directions - the roots are pulled deeply down to the centre of the earth whilst the trunk grows up towards the sky, elongating and spreading into branches. The deeper the roots grow, the stronger and taller the tree.
Likewise the spine moves from the waist up into the air and down into the earth.
If the spine is not straight, however, there is a feeling of not being grounded. Scoliosis sufferers often complain of a feeling of not being balanced. Whilst the spine is growing in two opposite directions from the waist it is not in a direct way. Scoliosis sufferers commonly simultaneously suffer from conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. From a physical perspective this is not suprising as their chest capacity is limited. However from a more metaphysical point of view we can liken the spine to a fibre optic cable, such as that used for an internet network; to work correctly the fibre optic needs a clear line of sight, the energy it carries cannot move around corners. In the same way the path of energy that travels up the scoliatic spine finds limitations in its movement. By working on a feeling of lengthening and elongating we can help the energy within us to flow more freely.
As we grow older our skeleton becomes more rigid and heavy, and so if a skeletal problem is not diagnosed until adulthood (as with my scoliosis), there is very little chance of being able to fix the problem with bracing and surgery. Instead we have to re-educate the spine and release tense muscles. Chiropractors and massage therapists can help with this re-education, but so can the concept of breath and movement that is yoga. it is extremely important therfore for scoliosis sufferers to practice a feeling of lengthening and elongating their spines.
A simple asana for practicing symmetrical alignment is Tadasana or mountain pose. Stand with the feet hip distance apart, rotating the thighs slightly away from each other, lifting the arches of the feet whilst making sure the big toe joint remains firmly on the floor. A good way of grounding the feet in Tadasana is to think about three points on each foot, the big toe joint, the little toe and the heel, drawing down into the floor. Then draw the navel gently in towards the spine, make sure the shoulders are back and down and the shoulderblades are flat. It is important to take some time to come into the posture correctly.
Now notice if you are leaning to one side, if there is more weight on one foot than the other. If there is try to evenly distribute the weight between the two feet. Using a mirror or a partner notice and observe whether the shoulders and hips are at even height. Spend some time now trying to re-align your "plumbline", evening up the shoulders and aligning the head over the pelvis. At first this re-alignment may feel crooked! This is because you are starting to break na habitual stance.
As you learn to realign the "plumbline" of your body you are realigning bones, muscle and tissue. This will help you gradually learn to relax in a standing posture instead of gripping or overworking to remain upright. You may find that you are gripping on to the floor with your toes rathern than allowing your feet to be soft. Lift the toes, place them gently on to the floor without gripping and realign yourself again.
Bring your awareness to your breath with each exhalation feel that the spine is stretching and elongating. Some yoga students with scoliosis find that visualising the breath travelling up and down the spine helps.
...yoga encourages us to focus our minds and be aware of the internal flow of energy."
-- Total Yoga - Tara Fraser - Duncan Baird Publishing 2001 (p.13)
There is no better way to practice this awareness than watching the path of the breath within our bodies.
Likewise the spine moves from the waist up into the air and down into the earth.
If the spine is not straight, however, there is a feeling of not being grounded. Scoliosis sufferers often complain of a feeling of not being balanced. Whilst the spine is growing in two opposite directions from the waist it is not in a direct way. Scoliosis sufferers commonly simultaneously suffer from conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. From a physical perspective this is not suprising as their chest capacity is limited. However from a more metaphysical point of view we can liken the spine to a fibre optic cable, such as that used for an internet network; to work correctly the fibre optic needs a clear line of sight, the energy it carries cannot move around corners. In the same way the path of energy that travels up the scoliatic spine finds limitations in its movement. By working on a feeling of lengthening and elongating we can help the energy within us to flow more freely.
As we grow older our skeleton becomes more rigid and heavy, and so if a skeletal problem is not diagnosed until adulthood (as with my scoliosis), there is very little chance of being able to fix the problem with bracing and surgery. Instead we have to re-educate the spine and release tense muscles. Chiropractors and massage therapists can help with this re-education, but so can the concept of breath and movement that is yoga. it is extremely important therfore for scoliosis sufferers to practice a feeling of lengthening and elongating their spines.
A simple asana for practicing symmetrical alignment is Tadasana or mountain pose. Stand with the feet hip distance apart, rotating the thighs slightly away from each other, lifting the arches of the feet whilst making sure the big toe joint remains firmly on the floor. A good way of grounding the feet in Tadasana is to think about three points on each foot, the big toe joint, the little toe and the heel, drawing down into the floor. Then draw the navel gently in towards the spine, make sure the shoulders are back and down and the shoulderblades are flat. It is important to take some time to come into the posture correctly.
Now notice if you are leaning to one side, if there is more weight on one foot than the other. If there is try to evenly distribute the weight between the two feet. Using a mirror or a partner notice and observe whether the shoulders and hips are at even height. Spend some time now trying to re-align your "plumbline", evening up the shoulders and aligning the head over the pelvis. At first this re-alignment may feel crooked! This is because you are starting to break na habitual stance.
As you learn to realign the "plumbline" of your body you are realigning bones, muscle and tissue. This will help you gradually learn to relax in a standing posture instead of gripping or overworking to remain upright. You may find that you are gripping on to the floor with your toes rathern than allowing your feet to be soft. Lift the toes, place them gently on to the floor without gripping and realign yourself again.
Bring your awareness to your breath with each exhalation feel that the spine is stretching and elongating. Some yoga students with scoliosis find that visualising the breath travelling up and down the spine helps.
...yoga encourages us to focus our minds and be aware of the internal flow of energy."
-- Total Yoga - Tara Fraser - Duncan Baird Publishing 2001 (p.13)
There is no better way to practice this awareness than watching the path of the breath within our bodies.
Thursday 23 August 2007
The Practice Begins
As I began in earnest to practice yoga asana again I noticed a lot of tightness in my upper back, neck and shoulder girlde that had not been there as a teenager. It was amazing to me how quickly and easily we can allow our bodies to fall into disrepair and neglect. Just a few short years seemed to have set me back a lifetime. I hadn't put on weight, I still swam and walked everywhere but a lack of full body movement exercise combined with sitting at a desk all day had exacerbated the tightness and immobility that the curvature of my spine caused.
I decided to consult a chiropractor, recommended to me by a yoga teacher, and my scoliosis was officially diagnosed for the first time. The subsequent Xray and chiropractic report can be seen in the first post of this blog. On seeing the evidence and, to my mind, severity of the Xray and hearing the report I was initally in shock. But luckily my years of yoga practice had done more than help my scoliosis physically. The philosophical and inward reflecting nature of yoga had helped me to understand that we are all here for a reason, we are all different and we have to love the bodies that we are given.
I will go into the concepts of letting go of our material nature and emotion at a later date, but for now suffice to say that my yoga practice helped me to come to terms with my spine and I soon began an intensive course of physical therapy to compliment my asana practice and to help reverse the muscle develompent which had occurred as a result of my scoliosis causing pain numbness and tightness. As my neck and shoulders started to release, I began to release a lot of emotion. I had been holding that tension in my back neck and shoulders for years. Because that is the part of me that is "made wrong" it's where all the negative emotions had gone and I finally started to let stuff go. I rode the wave of these emotions for weeks and veered from crying to giggling uncontrolably often!
And so I began to explore and heal my body with yoga, a course of action which led to yoga teacher training and beginning to teach yoga to others.
I have come to love my Xray. It still takes my breath away but for quite different reasons. It is something I can't change. It makes me unique. It reminds me of the uniqueness and indivicuality of all the bodies in the universe. It reminds me that our physical bodies are temporary. This is the body I've been given and I must love it for it houses my Spirit. Crooked spine and all. It's also made me more aware in my yoga practice and what my body was created to do. I can translate my own weaknesses into those of my students too and really try and understand their bodies, their areas of tension and weakness. In many ways, my spine is a blessing.
Yoga practice teaches us and gives us the tools to let go.
Developing this ability to let go builds inner strength and helps relieve suffering.
-- Yoga Therapies - Jessie Chapman - Ulysses Press 2003 (p.11)
I decided to consult a chiropractor, recommended to me by a yoga teacher, and my scoliosis was officially diagnosed for the first time. The subsequent Xray and chiropractic report can be seen in the first post of this blog. On seeing the evidence and, to my mind, severity of the Xray and hearing the report I was initally in shock. But luckily my years of yoga practice had done more than help my scoliosis physically. The philosophical and inward reflecting nature of yoga had helped me to understand that we are all here for a reason, we are all different and we have to love the bodies that we are given.
I will go into the concepts of letting go of our material nature and emotion at a later date, but for now suffice to say that my yoga practice helped me to come to terms with my spine and I soon began an intensive course of physical therapy to compliment my asana practice and to help reverse the muscle develompent which had occurred as a result of my scoliosis causing pain numbness and tightness. As my neck and shoulders started to release, I began to release a lot of emotion. I had been holding that tension in my back neck and shoulders for years. Because that is the part of me that is "made wrong" it's where all the negative emotions had gone and I finally started to let stuff go. I rode the wave of these emotions for weeks and veered from crying to giggling uncontrolably often!
And so I began to explore and heal my body with yoga, a course of action which led to yoga teacher training and beginning to teach yoga to others.
I have come to love my Xray. It still takes my breath away but for quite different reasons. It is something I can't change. It makes me unique. It reminds me of the uniqueness and indivicuality of all the bodies in the universe. It reminds me that our physical bodies are temporary. This is the body I've been given and I must love it for it houses my Spirit. Crooked spine and all. It's also made me more aware in my yoga practice and what my body was created to do. I can translate my own weaknesses into those of my students too and really try and understand their bodies, their areas of tension and weakness. In many ways, my spine is a blessing.
Yoga practice teaches us and gives us the tools to let go.
Developing this ability to let go builds inner strength and helps relieve suffering.
-- Yoga Therapies - Jessie Chapman - Ulysses Press 2003 (p.11)
Tuesday 21 August 2007
My scoliosis
My own scoliosis was not diagnosed unil relatively recently. I was well into my journey along the yoga path by this time so I was able, upon diagnosis, not only to understand the difficulties and limitations I had been finding in my asana practice but also to understand what my yoga practice, relaxation and meditation exercises and philosophical mindset had done to prevent even more severe problems relating to the curvature of my spine. I can't begin to imagine the state I may have been in if, say, I had taken on the life of a couch potato in my teens and stuck to it!
When I was born the only noticable structral malformation of my scoliosis was my breastbone which showed a classic example of funnel chest. This is where the sternum dips in towards the chest cavity, forming a concave surface on the chest (example picture attached, I'm not quite ready to publish a picture of my own chest. Give it time!). My parents showed some concern about this but where told that it was merely a congenital defect of only cosmetic importance. This misdiagnosis has, in many ways, done me a favour in that at least I have never had to endure spinal fusion or bracing, as such things are thought futile on a mature skeleton.
As I grew older I began to realise that my lung capacity and stamina seemed much less than that of my peers. This was, for many years, incorrectly diagnosed as asthma and while an asthma inhaler does assist in times of shortness of breath, none of the other symptoms of my breathing are particularly in line with the symptoms of asthma. As I grew I also became aware of my posture being quite unusual' one shoulderblade protuded mroe than the other and my ribcage seemed very assymmetrical.
I was a relatively active child and teenager, traning hard in ballet and other forms of dance from the age of four and also practicing yoga to some degree with my parents and brother. Interestingly, my mother first sent me to ballet class because she was mildly concerned about my lack of co-ordination. In hindsight, knowing what I do now about my spinal curvature, it is really a wonder I wasn't falling over sideways (I have no compensatory curve - which I will explore in more detail at a later date), never mind slightly unco-ordinated!
Unusually for a teenage girl, I was never particularly concerned with the shape of my body. I was always prone to skinnyness, was short and easily blended into the background when I needed to, so my increasing round-shoulderedness never really bothered me, and at this point it didn't cause me any physical pain. After laving colleage at 18 and going to university, my practice of dance and yoga went out of the window and my posture became worse. It wasn't unitl I started to work in an office in my 20s, however, that I began to notice a severe pain and numbness on the right-hand side of my back and discomfort in my right ribcage. It was at this point in my life that I returned to yoga to find some relief from the discomfort I thought simply to be the result of a deskbound career.....
When I was born the only noticable structral malformation of my scoliosis was my breastbone which showed a classic example of funnel chest. This is where the sternum dips in towards the chest cavity, forming a concave surface on the chest (example picture attached, I'm not quite ready to publish a picture of my own chest. Give it time!). My parents showed some concern about this but where told that it was merely a congenital defect of only cosmetic importance. This misdiagnosis has, in many ways, done me a favour in that at least I have never had to endure spinal fusion or bracing, as such things are thought futile on a mature skeleton.
As I grew older I began to realise that my lung capacity and stamina seemed much less than that of my peers. This was, for many years, incorrectly diagnosed as asthma and while an asthma inhaler does assist in times of shortness of breath, none of the other symptoms of my breathing are particularly in line with the symptoms of asthma. As I grew I also became aware of my posture being quite unusual' one shoulderblade protuded mroe than the other and my ribcage seemed very assymmetrical.
I was a relatively active child and teenager, traning hard in ballet and other forms of dance from the age of four and also practicing yoga to some degree with my parents and brother. Interestingly, my mother first sent me to ballet class because she was mildly concerned about my lack of co-ordination. In hindsight, knowing what I do now about my spinal curvature, it is really a wonder I wasn't falling over sideways (I have no compensatory curve - which I will explore in more detail at a later date), never mind slightly unco-ordinated!
Unusually for a teenage girl, I was never particularly concerned with the shape of my body. I was always prone to skinnyness, was short and easily blended into the background when I needed to, so my increasing round-shoulderedness never really bothered me, and at this point it didn't cause me any physical pain. After laving colleage at 18 and going to university, my practice of dance and yoga went out of the window and my posture became worse. It wasn't unitl I started to work in an office in my 20s, however, that I began to notice a severe pain and numbness on the right-hand side of my back and discomfort in my right ribcage. It was at this point in my life that I returned to yoga to find some relief from the discomfort I thought simply to be the result of a deskbound career.....
Sunday 19 August 2007
What is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a “C” or “S” shaped curvature of the spine, its name derived from the Greek “skol” which means twists. Pictures of people with scoliosis appear in Prehistoric cave paintings and the first recorded treatment of the condition with braces was in the fourth century BC by the Greek doctor Hippocrates.
The condition can have a known cause and is common in connective tissue disorders such as Marfan Syndrome, homocystinuria and Ehlers-Danlos for example, it can be a feature of rickets, when the bones become soft due to decalcification, or the result of an accident; the spinal curve developing after the ribcage, pelvis or shoulder girdle has been knocked out of alignment.
Scoliosis with no known cause is referred to as “idiopathic”, although some researchers say that this term is becoming outdated as studies are beginning to show a clear link between congenital scoliosis and low bone densities. My own scoliosis is “idiopathic” and both my mother and maternal grandmother suffer from osteoporosis, but I think that to try to find a singular genetic cause for "idiopathic" scoliosis is simplifying the problem. Bone density, for example is influenced by a wide variety of overlapping factors such as hormone levels, nutrition, exercise and medication. The causes of "idiopathic" scoliosis are still far from clear and is is illogical to presume that they are the result of a single gene factor alone.
The lateral curvature of the spine rotates not only from side to side but back on itself as well, rotating the affected vertebrae towards the concave side, twisting the ribcage and making the sides of the back uneven. The results of this can be seen clearly in the yoga asana Setu Bandhasana; once the back has lifted from the floor to its full extent in that particular person a direct line of sight down the middle of the front torso will clearly show one side of the ribcage (usually the convex side of the spinal curvature) is substantially higher than the other.
Not only does the scoliosis sufferer have spinal deformity and rib displacement, but the shoulders and hips can become twisted and the body’s centre of gravity shifted. While one of the most obvious symptoms is a cosmetic one, severe pain and heart and lung compression, due to compression on the thoracic cavity, are common as well. As the body maintains the upright posture it is comfortable with over the years, muscles will begin to tighten and painful masses of muscle tissue will develop in the ribcage, shoulders and neck.
Spinal curvature can take place anywhere in the spinal column. For unknown reasons 90 per cent of thoracic and double curves curve to the right, 80 per cent of thoraco-lumbar curves also curve to the right whilst 70 per cent of lumbar curves curve to the left. Seven times as many women as men have scoliosis, a statistic that brings us back to the question of bone density.
Conventional treatment of scoliosis has varied over the years. Braces and spinal fusion (an operation in which metal rods are inserted next to the spinal column, similar to the idea of a runny bean growing straight if tied to a beanpole!) were common 20 years ago to prevent the curvature worsening. Browning Miller, in her article Yoga and Scoliosis describes herself as feeling “appalled” (Yoga Journal November 1999) by the idea of such treatment and instead consulted an orthopaedic surgeon who advised “a regimen of exercise and stretching” (ibid). As a young graduate she turned to hatha yoga and noticed that when stretching in yoga asanas “the numbness on the right side of my back went away, and the pain started to dissolve” (ibid).
While the medical profession still tend to accept the premise that exercise does not have a place in scoliosis treatment, it is slowly becoming a more widespread belief that posture training and exercise are important for scoliosis prevention (when a scoliosis curve may occur due to the result of a misalignment after an accident) and treatment, as it had been prior to the popularity of surgery and bracing in the 1940s.
As part of my purpose for writing this blog/journal/book, whatever you would like to call it, I hope to put forward enough evidence of both my own personal journey and that of other people to prove that exercise, especially a subtle exercise like yoga, has every effect on the curvature of the spine, both physically, spritualy and emotionally. That by changing our attitudes towards our spine we can change our lives.
The condition can have a known cause and is common in connective tissue disorders such as Marfan Syndrome, homocystinuria and Ehlers-Danlos for example, it can be a feature of rickets, when the bones become soft due to decalcification, or the result of an accident; the spinal curve developing after the ribcage, pelvis or shoulder girdle has been knocked out of alignment.
Scoliosis with no known cause is referred to as “idiopathic”, although some researchers say that this term is becoming outdated as studies are beginning to show a clear link between congenital scoliosis and low bone densities. My own scoliosis is “idiopathic” and both my mother and maternal grandmother suffer from osteoporosis, but I think that to try to find a singular genetic cause for "idiopathic" scoliosis is simplifying the problem. Bone density, for example is influenced by a wide variety of overlapping factors such as hormone levels, nutrition, exercise and medication. The causes of "idiopathic" scoliosis are still far from clear and is is illogical to presume that they are the result of a single gene factor alone.
The lateral curvature of the spine rotates not only from side to side but back on itself as well, rotating the affected vertebrae towards the concave side, twisting the ribcage and making the sides of the back uneven. The results of this can be seen clearly in the yoga asana Setu Bandhasana; once the back has lifted from the floor to its full extent in that particular person a direct line of sight down the middle of the front torso will clearly show one side of the ribcage (usually the convex side of the spinal curvature) is substantially higher than the other.
Not only does the scoliosis sufferer have spinal deformity and rib displacement, but the shoulders and hips can become twisted and the body’s centre of gravity shifted. While one of the most obvious symptoms is a cosmetic one, severe pain and heart and lung compression, due to compression on the thoracic cavity, are common as well. As the body maintains the upright posture it is comfortable with over the years, muscles will begin to tighten and painful masses of muscle tissue will develop in the ribcage, shoulders and neck.
Spinal curvature can take place anywhere in the spinal column. For unknown reasons 90 per cent of thoracic and double curves curve to the right, 80 per cent of thoraco-lumbar curves also curve to the right whilst 70 per cent of lumbar curves curve to the left. Seven times as many women as men have scoliosis, a statistic that brings us back to the question of bone density.
Conventional treatment of scoliosis has varied over the years. Braces and spinal fusion (an operation in which metal rods are inserted next to the spinal column, similar to the idea of a runny bean growing straight if tied to a beanpole!) were common 20 years ago to prevent the curvature worsening. Browning Miller, in her article Yoga and Scoliosis describes herself as feeling “appalled” (Yoga Journal November 1999) by the idea of such treatment and instead consulted an orthopaedic surgeon who advised “a regimen of exercise and stretching” (ibid). As a young graduate she turned to hatha yoga and noticed that when stretching in yoga asanas “the numbness on the right side of my back went away, and the pain started to dissolve” (ibid).
While the medical profession still tend to accept the premise that exercise does not have a place in scoliosis treatment, it is slowly becoming a more widespread belief that posture training and exercise are important for scoliosis prevention (when a scoliosis curve may occur due to the result of a misalignment after an accident) and treatment, as it had been prior to the popularity of surgery and bracing in the 1940s.
As part of my purpose for writing this blog/journal/book, whatever you would like to call it, I hope to put forward enough evidence of both my own personal journey and that of other people to prove that exercise, especially a subtle exercise like yoga, has every effect on the curvature of the spine, both physically, spritualy and emotionally. That by changing our attitudes towards our spine we can change our lives.
Chiropractic Report and X-ray
The scoliosis is congenital and appears to be a failure of formation, genetic aberration that prevents full ossification and results in a hemi vertebra type abnormality. This appears to occur in the lower one third of the left T2 vertebra and continues over the T3 and T4 and the upper one third of the T5 vertebra. The curve is convex to the left with the apex of the curve between T3 and T4 thus making a thoracic curve which is not compensatory. It is an adult presentation which is any curve presenting after skeletal maturity. There is a mild left cervico-thoracic rib hump. There is a +1 apical rotation of the pedicles, this is mild. Congenital scoliosis often presents with other boney abnormalities in your case the sternum which is described as pectus excavatum or more commonly known as funnel chest.
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