Easy does it...

Just a note on coming back from injuries surgeries and illnesses.

Easy does it. Having recovered from serious injuries before, I know that our bodies do recover and what we could do before we can often do again with a bit of effort. I say a bit, because one does have to do to be able to do. You cant do a warrior 3 by practicing your skills at couch potato. However, I recommend to wait the recommended time period to allow proper healing and then to start slow. Slow and steady is what has brought me back to health.

In the mean time Pranayama can be part of a daily routine as well as Meditation and Mindfulness practice and Savasana.

Pranayama: The breath work I recommend for healing are the simple ones. However, if your torso is not affected in your condition, you may be able to do some of the more advanced techniques that you know and have practiced in the past.

Simply counting while you breath so that your inhalations and exhalations are equal is a good way to start. If you can feel your pulse or heart beat this is a good pace for the count. This way your exhalation will be slightly longer than your inhalation because while exhaling our heart beat is slower. This is relaxing. If possible breath in and out through your nose keeping your jaw and tongue relaxed. You can do this sitting in a chair or comfortable seated position on the floor, or lying down.

Meditation and Mindfulness: It takes just 10 or less minutes a day of mindfulness to promote health and longevity on the level of your DNA. Formal meditation, mindful walking or eating, doing tai chi or yoga all count toward this benefit.

To be mindful, just concentrate on your self in the moment whatever you are doing and however you are feeling. When your mind wanders to another time and place bring it back to the moment by focusing on the breath, a sound, a physical sensation, an emotion, or a combination of 2 or more of these at once. Even a thought that pops into your mind can be used as a moment marker as long as you dont jump on the thought train that takes you out of the moment. Allow your attention to drift between these moment markers and when you realize your mind is wandering away, bring it gently back without judgement. Each time you notice you are thinking instead of observing, gently with equanimity bring your mind back. This kind of focus can even help with your pain and help you get off harmful pain medication. Your pain is a useful indicator for what your body is ready to do. If you try to start up a physical practice and it hurts, back off until it doesnt hurt. This is easy when you are mindful-focused in the moment. If you are dissociating from your pain instead, you can injure yourself. It is helpful to practice mindfulness by sitting in a chair or a comfortable seated position on the floor. Once you have practiced and had some success try it while walking, eating, or even washing the dishes.

Savasana: Deep relaxation promotes healing. Tension creates problems. It is important to practice Savasana daily, especially while healing. Just 5 minutes of deeply relaxing is more rejuvenating than a whole night of sleep, especially if you are restless or tense in your sleep, and Savasana can promote better sleep.

Lie down on the floor or on your bed on your back if possible. Lengthen the back of your neck by bringing your chin down to your chest, then let your head relax onto the surface of the floor or bed. Release your jaw, tongue, neck, and shoulders. Let your arms and hands, legs and feet rest onto the surface you are lying on. Let go into the support underneath you. Allow your head and your heart to forget and forgive everything, just for now, to release tension and allow yourself to relax completely. Note: if you are uncomfortable on your back then you can lie on your stomach and turn your head to one side. Raise the leg and arm on the side you are facing straight out from the hip and shoulder. Make right angles at your knee and elbow. Palm on the floor. Relax into the support underneath you.

Winter

During winter we get cold and contract. This creates tension especially in our shoulders. Try to take a deep breath and let go of that tension. Look around and see the beauty. Smile.

Warm up with some Ujjayi breathing, or agni-prasana also called the breath of fire. Please see the contraindications for this latter breathing technique before beginning to practice and use Ujjayi instead if you have any of the conditions that make Breath of Fire not advisable for you. Do not practice agni-prasana if you are pregnant or menstruating. There are many videos and written instructions posted online about yogic breathing, but do pay attention to contraindications and start slowly. A good yoga teacher will incorporate breathing technique into classes.

The first yoga book I read recommended to practice breathing exercises for a full year before doing any postures. This is a very strict teaching recommendation, however, it would be extremely helpful to the foundation for your practice. Please at least spend time weekly learning to breath correctly for your yoga practice.

Pranayama : extension of the life force. Breath is Life

Happy New Year!

I would like to relate one of my favorite Buddhist tales;

2 Monks, one older, one younger were walking. They came to a river which they had to cross to continue their journey.  There, a "woman of the night" was waiting and she pleaded to be carried across the river.

The older monk picked her up, waded into the river, crossed, and put her down on the other side. The younger monk followed and then they continued their journey. They walked together for an hour in silence, the younger monk fuming in anger.

Finally he spoke. "How could you help HER?" he raved.

The older monk simply replied, "Are you still carrying that woman? I put her down an hour ago."

Transformation

A butterfly transforms itself. It begins its life as larvae and grows to a caterpillar. In this stage it eats and eats for energy.  It then spins a cocoon and remains inside hidden. Is it still working or resting? To emerge as a butterfly it must let go of its old form completely.

The older monk is trying to teach this complete form of letting go to the younger monk. This simple story contains so much. The monks journey together and encounter an obstacle-the river-and a challenge-the woman. The older monk recognizes temptation as more difficult in youth and does not ask the younger monk to carry the woman but more appropriately and compassionately undertakes the task himself. He does not judge. Yet the younger monk judges the woman's path whether chosen or most likely not chosen.  He possibly judges more harshly due to the difficulty of temptation, yet he views his own way as "right" and hers as "wrong" and thus is angry at the older monk for helping her.  In one gesture and one simple statement the older monk demonstrates, self control, lack of judgement of self and others, and compassion.  He leaves the whole experience at the river, right or wrong, and moves on.

May we let go of that which no longer serves us and transform in 2014.