I have looked at various modifications of classical yoga postures for scoliosis and fibromyalgia over the last few months and now I think it's time to put it all together into a sequence.
The following sequence is suitable for whatever time of day you like to practice. It is a slow, gentle sequence focussing on drawing in and retaining energy and working on lift and alignment. It should take about 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Begin lying down - knees bent, feet flat on the floor hip width apart. Bring the arms onto the floor beside you, away from the body with the palms up then bend the elbows and allow the palms to rest on the lower ribs being aware of their movement as you breath. Take some time to let go and connect with your breath. Be aware of your alignment and allow the shoulderblades and lower back to sink into the floor.
When you are ready as you inhale bring the arms out to the sides again, straightening the elbows, opening out the chest. As you exhale bend the elbows again and draw the palms back to the low ribs. Continue for as many breaths as feels good for you, visualising yourself drawing energy in on the inhale and sealing that energy in on the exhale.
Stretch the arms out to shoulder height along the floor with the palms facing up for supine twists - 3 dynamically to each side and then holding for 3 breaths to each side. I would recommend to people with scoliosis not to turn the head and just concentrate on the spinal twist and the breath.
Come up to sitting back on the heels and take 3-5 rounds of modified surya namaskar as described in my post of 20th Jan 09.
Come to standing and take the Virabhadrasana 1 sequence as described in my post of 13 Jan 09.
Take 3-5 repetitions of modified Uttanasana (see post of 10 Sept 08) to release the lower back and then return to sitting on the heels.
Take one repetition of modified Surya Namaska - this time holding the down dog for 5-10 breaths, thinking about maintaining length and releasing the back and shoulders.
Finish sitting, either cross legged or kneeling, whichever is more comfortable for you. Place the palms on the lower ribs once again. As you inhale stretch the arms out to the sides visualising yourself drawing in energy, as you exhale return the palms to the low ribs once again and visualise yourself sealing that energy in. Repeat for 5-10 breaths.
Finish by sitting in stillness for a while, listening to the rhythms of the breath and body.
When you are ready bring the hands into namaste infront of the heart centre and bow the head - aknowledging without judgement how you feel right now.
When you are ready, open the eyes and enjoy the rest of your day!
Thursday 29 January 2009
Tuesday 20 January 2009
Modified Surya Namaska
It occurs to me that there is one overriding factor that links both scoliosis and fibromyalgia - chronic tiredness. With fibro it's a given but one forgets with scoliosis how exhausting it can be to just stand or sit upright all day long when the spine has other ideas - muscles go into spasm, vertebrae can become inflamed. The fibre optic cable of the spine doesn't quite transmit its data correctly and the next thing you know you're zonked.
Sometimes then (and nearly all the time for me) full sun salutations are just not a possibility. If you suffer from chronic fatigue a series of Surya Namaska can drain you of the energy it is meant to be creating! So the question is, can we create a flowing sequence that feels like Surya Namaska, energises and opens the heart like Surya Namaska but at the same time conserves the energy? Of course! With yoga anything is possible and I have found that the trick is to do a floor based sequence rather than one that requires constant movement from standing to floor.
Begin sitting back on the heels with the hands on the thighs and check your alignment and breath.
As you inhale come to standing up on the knees raising the arms alongside the ears, stretching the fingertips to the ceiling and opening out the heart.
Exhale down into a long child - buttocks to heels, forehead to the floor, arms stretched out ahead of you (try to keep the arms alongside the ears as you lower down).
Inhale to all fours and cow stretch - lengthening the pelvis, opening the chest and lifting the head.
Exhale, tuck the toes under, push down through the hands and come up into Downward Facing Dog.
Inhale all fours, cow stretch.
Exhale long child.
Inhale standing up on the knees stretching the fingertips to the ceiling (trying to keep the arms alongside the ears as you raise up).
Exhale back to sitting on the heels checking in on the alignment and the breath.
Can be repeated as many times as you feel you need. You could try holding the down dog for a few more breaths each time, building up to holding dog for 8-10 breaths.
Work to the rhythm of your breath and to your own individual needs each day.
And enjoy the flow of breath, movement and energy!
Sometimes then (and nearly all the time for me) full sun salutations are just not a possibility. If you suffer from chronic fatigue a series of Surya Namaska can drain you of the energy it is meant to be creating! So the question is, can we create a flowing sequence that feels like Surya Namaska, energises and opens the heart like Surya Namaska but at the same time conserves the energy? Of course! With yoga anything is possible and I have found that the trick is to do a floor based sequence rather than one that requires constant movement from standing to floor.
Begin sitting back on the heels with the hands on the thighs and check your alignment and breath.
As you inhale come to standing up on the knees raising the arms alongside the ears, stretching the fingertips to the ceiling and opening out the heart.
Exhale down into a long child - buttocks to heels, forehead to the floor, arms stretched out ahead of you (try to keep the arms alongside the ears as you lower down).
Inhale to all fours and cow stretch - lengthening the pelvis, opening the chest and lifting the head.
Exhale, tuck the toes under, push down through the hands and come up into Downward Facing Dog.
Inhale all fours, cow stretch.
Exhale long child.
Inhale standing up on the knees stretching the fingertips to the ceiling (trying to keep the arms alongside the ears as you raise up).
Exhale back to sitting on the heels checking in on the alignment and the breath.
Can be repeated as many times as you feel you need. You could try holding the down dog for a few more breaths each time, building up to holding dog for 8-10 breaths.
Work to the rhythm of your breath and to your own individual needs each day.
And enjoy the flow of breath, movement and energy!
Tuesday 13 January 2009
Virabhadrasana 1
I've been letting this slide recently, but one of my goals of 2009 is to update more regularly. I've got so much info on yoga and scoliosis as well as doing some research into yoga and fibromyalgia (which I was diagnosed with in summer 2008), that I have to share it somewhere and this blog should help me get it into a more coherant order.
So today I'd like to look at Virabhadrasana 1.
This can be quite a hard pose - it puts pressure on the lower back and pelvis both of which are problem areas for people with scoliosis.
The trick here is to use the posture dynamically rather than trying to hold it and create tension in problem areas.
Standing with the big toe joints together turn the left foot out slightly and take a big step forward with the right foot, bringing the hands to the hips to ensure that both hips are pointing to the front of the mat. Then release the arms down by the sides. Stepping forward in this way ensures that your feet are at the appropriate distance for you (as opposed to some assumed distance to create that never to be found "perfection"!)
As you inhale bend the right knee so it is over the right ankle and simultaneously raise the arms alongside the ears, hands should be at least shoulder width apart -- if you feel that the shoulders are raising up the ears or rounding , separate the hands a bit more and slightly bend the elbows or even just raise the arms so they are parrallel with the floor.
Push down with the back heel to really straighten that left leg and lift up out of the hips to release the lower back. As you exhale straighten the leg and release the arms down by the sides.
Repeat 3-5 times before holding the position. When holding, keep remembering that back heel! You might also find it beneficial to hold with the arms out to the sides at shoulder height, palms facing forward, to really open out the chest and release shoulder tension.
Hold for 5 breaths - thinking about:-
To come out, inhale straightening the leg, exhale releasing the arms and then step back to the back of the mat with the toe joints together again to repeat to the other side.
Maybe not the classical posture, but a lot less strain on the back here!
So today I'd like to look at Virabhadrasana 1.
This can be quite a hard pose - it puts pressure on the lower back and pelvis both of which are problem areas for people with scoliosis.
The trick here is to use the posture dynamically rather than trying to hold it and create tension in problem areas.
Standing with the big toe joints together turn the left foot out slightly and take a big step forward with the right foot, bringing the hands to the hips to ensure that both hips are pointing to the front of the mat. Then release the arms down by the sides. Stepping forward in this way ensures that your feet are at the appropriate distance for you (as opposed to some assumed distance to create that never to be found "perfection"!)
As you inhale bend the right knee so it is over the right ankle and simultaneously raise the arms alongside the ears, hands should be at least shoulder width apart -- if you feel that the shoulders are raising up the ears or rounding , separate the hands a bit more and slightly bend the elbows or even just raise the arms so they are parrallel with the floor.
Push down with the back heel to really straighten that left leg and lift up out of the hips to release the lower back. As you exhale straighten the leg and release the arms down by the sides.
Repeat 3-5 times before holding the position. When holding, keep remembering that back heel! You might also find it beneficial to hold with the arms out to the sides at shoulder height, palms facing forward, to really open out the chest and release shoulder tension.
Hold for 5 breaths - thinking about:-
- Drawing down with the soles of the feet (esp the back heel)
- Lifting up through the sides of the waist.
- Keeping both hips straight.
- Lifting up through the ribs to elongate the spine
- Lifting the neck out of the shoulders.
- Keep looking forward so as not to bring unnecessary pressure on to the neck and lower back.
- Keep releasing the shoulders away from the ears - this may mean having the hands wider than shoulder width apart.
To come out, inhale straightening the leg, exhale releasing the arms and then step back to the back of the mat with the toe joints together again to repeat to the other side.
Maybe not the classical posture, but a lot less strain on the back here!
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