Yoga with Elderly Persons/ Movement is a Great Healer

Yoga with the elderly-

Working with persons of advanced age in assisted living has been a most rewarding experience. They remind me of what really matters in life, even if someone can’t remember my name, hear or see me well they know about relationship, hugs and smiles, how simple playing can be a joy. Attention is greatly appreciated and giving attention is easy. These things are true with all the many individuals I have the honor to work with. I experience some stories they tell me beyond just hearing, because they are not to caught up in being “together” and show emotion so beautifully that the stories resonate in the heart. It is sad that the generations get separated so much in this American culture. It would be such rich education for children to know elders, hear their stories. 

When I started I had no idea what to expect, and didn’t listen to the people who said they’d never come.  I didn’t realize I’d spend so much time rounding them up, pushing their wheelchairs helping them stand and open doors for them with their walkers, and convince some each week saying “you know you always feel better when you exercise”.  I don’t get all the residents and the ones who come don’t make it every time, but I don’t give up and this part of the process is how I’ve gotten to know them little by little. 

I came to realize that unless it involved social interaction and it was fun they wouldn’t come. So over time I have built relationship with them. The classes don’t look like yoga, it is all adaptive and we throw soft balls around, sing songs, cajole and it is all fun. Elderly people know how to have simple fun just like children; it’s all of us from teens to 40’s who have forgotten how important community, laughter, acceptance and sharing are!  Oh, and hugs, these people give and receive hugs so well!

If I had any advice for someone who wanted to help elderly people, it would be to never give up, form relationships with them and always respect their dignity. Don’t be afraid to look foolish, be playful and keep showing up 100%.  Soft balls and passing them around and a basket to throw them into will go a long way. Doing the name-game often because there are new people or they just don’t remember. Singing songs (You are my sunshine, What a wonderful world…) allow 20-30 minutes of this kind of interaction and then you can easily get them to move and stretch. In all my  other yoga classes it is easy to have students close their eyes and focus on deep breathing, with the elderly it has taken a year to get some of them to do it for 3 minutes. But it is worth not giving up when you begin to see their faces relax more and their posture align even a little bit. I was thinking to myself; Sshould I keep trying to get them to do meditation? Then, when one woman told me she does it before bed every night now and it helps her sleep, I knew it was worth the effort and I persist.   I know I am there to serve them, yet I feel so blessed to be with them and learn from them. 

Movement is a great healer. We have the wrong idea in this society: if it hurts don’t move it. Though this is true when bones are broken, yet in most cases muscles, tendons and joints heal through movement. The reality is not moving just leads to more weakness and inflexibility, therefore more pain when you have to move, which is inevitable.  When injured you have to be very mindful and never push to the point of pain, but to find the range you can move in and gently, in a relaxed way.  MOVE and keep reclaiming your range of motion patiently, gently. Do activities where you can enjoy moving such as dance and games.

We have to monitor our loved ones who are injured or been inactive (for whatever reasons) and be sure we help them to keep moving,  and as we get older, we need to remember to stretch and move in many ways- not just sit, walk, and lay down. Again I will talk about eastern and third world countries because they do things that make perfect sense, they keep hip flexibility, back strength and good organ functioning because the sit on the floor or low to the floor on rugs, pillows or mats. They move in a much greater range of movement and strengthen all those muscles at least 5 times a day.  These are body-wise habits. If you look at all the most common physical problems in America it is knees, hips and back. These are not so common in cultures that sit on the floor. In these cultures activities like tai chi, yoga, dance and martial arts or done at all ages!!! Here I recently met a couple in their 50’s who were ready to give up dancing because they “get out of breath” – that getting out of breath is is telling them to dance more often, not give it up!  We love our chairs, and couches but they are not serving our bodies well. My bed is on the floor, I eat seated on the floor, and I’m typing now on a yoga ball at my desk, because I have been seeing and experiencing the ill effects of the furniture habit particularly in our elderly.

My own experience after several months of sitting and working on the computer (12-14 hours a day) lead to 60% loss of the flexibility in my back and legs, if not more. This happened in  just months! I also experienced strains and sprains over the years and reacted by not moving. Recent strains I have moved and moved and moved with patience and they healed much faster and the range of motion came back 100%. What amazed me the most is re-pulling a hamstring that initially was pulled back in my early twenties and I pampered and re-pulled so many times that I accepted a loss of range in motion for decades. Now, in my 50’s, as a yogi, I healed a recent strain through moving!  I thoughtfully kept moving and patiently re-gained and increased flexibility in both hamstrings, beyond what I ever had in my life!

Movement is a great healer. So move every day, get down on the floor and roll around, dance in the privacy of your own home if you are shy about dancing in public. Get your blood circulating. Get your heart-rate up, stretch. It will improve how you feel in so many ways- and it’s never too late to start.  If you have been inactive for a long time I recommend Tia Chi or gentle yoga classes to start.  Embody your Spirit, Enjoy inhabiting and nurturing your body through mindful movement.

 Namaste, Christina

Your Strength is not in your muscles. It does not come from fighting negative situations or winning against a negative enemy. Your strength is in your calmness, in the clarity of your mind. Strength comes from putting the negative aside without reacting. Win in calmness, in consciousness, in balance. Win without fighting.     ~~ Yogi Amrit Desai  ~~

Another Quote I'd like to share is from Ghandi " Shaking the world Gently"

Often we seem to forget that yoga was developed to help meditation. Meditation is the true Yoga practice- all the asanas evolved for supporting better meditation, which in turn supported more asanas and better physical flexibility and strength, which supported better meditation, which supported more mental clarity and flexibility in the mind..... Namaste, ~CB ~

As a yoga instructor it is important to serve students responsibly and ethically. Yet so often the people who most need yoga (those who are Obese, out of shape or suffer from disabilities, and the aging are put off by classes were instructors do not know how to meet their needs- There are instructors around who can serve these people, but not unless studios and instructors welcome them and meet them where they are at. - Namaste, ~CB~ 

it's never to late to begin yoga- article

Backbends in her 80's!? She started yoga at 65, and yes she backbends after 15 years of classes and *Home Practice.
Her advice, "Find well trained teachers, learn correct alignment, be consistent in attending classes and home practice."

What is home practice? Here is a blog I wrote about it that will answer this question. 


One of my students shared this article with me - you'll  love this one!

Yoga helps Fatique- article

One of my students recently shared this short article with me-

 

Re-training your body's stress response through yoga practice

  

      There are so many benefits of yoga that are scientifically proven. 

So why is it that many people don’t “get-it”; don’t stay with it long enough to experience the real benefits?

 I think one of the main reasons is that it takes time to "see" results. Allowing enough  time to get to know the subtleties within your own being.  Initially the changes are subtle and experienced within your mind and life, long before they are seen!

       Another reason people often don't stay with yoga is not finding the right class; the right level  and a teacher they can trust.  Be an empowered student ask questions.  Try several different classes, until you find the right one and then stick with it!

 I highly recommend reading this article, from Psychology Today Magazine,

Yoga: Changing The Brain's Stressful Habits,  by Alex Korb, Ph.D.

  “Yoga can supposedly improve depressive symptoms and immune function, as well as decrease chronic pain, reduce stress, and lower blood pressure.  These claims have all been made by yogis over the years, and it sounds like a lot of new age foolishness. Surprisingly, however, everything in that list is supported by scientific research. 

As a neuroscientist, despite my initial incredulity, I came to realize that yoga works not because the poses are relaxing, but because they are stressful.  It is your attempts to remain calm during this stress that create yoga's greatest neurobiological benefit.

Your brain tends to react to discomfort and disorientation in an automatic way, by triggering the physiological stress response and activating anxious neural chatter between the prefrontal cortex and the more emotional limbic system.  The stress response itself increases the likelihood of anxious thoughts, like "Oh god, I'm going to pull something," or "I can't hold this pushup any longer".  And in fact, your anxious thoughts themselves further exacerbate the stress response. The physiological stress response means an increase in heart rate, breathing rate, muscle tension and elevation of cortisol and other stress hormones.

The fascinating thing about the mind-body interaction is that it works both ways.  For example, if you're stressed, your muscles will tense (preparing to run away from a lion), and this will lead to more negative thinking. 

 Relaxing those muscles, particularly the facial muscles, will push the brain in the other direction, away from stress, and toward more relaxed thoughts. 
Similarly, under stress, your breathing rate increases. 
Slowing down your breathing pushes the brain away from the stress response, and again toward more relaxed thinking.

After going back to my Dad's yoga class a few times, I eventually came to the realization that not only can you practice yoga in real life, but, conversely, you could go to a yoga class and not really be doing yoga…. focused on something else entirely.  Without the sustained intention of focusing on the present, and calming the mind, going to a yoga class is literally just going through the motions.” Alex Korb, Ph.D.

Enjoy your practice!
 Namaste, Christina

#re-trainingYourBody'sStressResponse #yogapracticeand life #Balancing
 #mental focus

The beauty of the morning is enough joy.
The light returning is enough joy filling the earth.
The sun is bathing us in love
The fullness of light is love and joy through the day.
The beauty of evening is enough joy,  The cooling off is peace as the day's light fades and the moon and stars make love to us all.
There is no darkness, only variations of light, love, joy.
Everything else is illusion. ~CB~2012

Lemon water

Muscle tendon ligament injury? follow this link-
  I was first advised to do this by a wonderful woman chiropractor- I had injured several muscles in my back, and I found this very helpful. This article explains why it is so helpful.

The Amazing Health Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water by Ann Heustad, R.N. After visiting some friends recently who drank copious amounts of water spiked with fresh organic limes and lemons from trees in their yard and freely offered this delicious concoction to all their guests, the following article reminded me of the value of our mutual dedication to planetary health and wellness through simple healthful remedies. There are basic lifestyle habits that are important to incorporate into your daily life, and this is certainly one of them. However, we are talking about organic lemons that are tree ripened. If you are buying commercial lemons from the store, learn kinesiology and muscle test the lemons you buy so that you know one way or another whether the lemons you are purchasing are actually therapeutic for you. “When life gives you a lemon... squeeze it, mix it with six ounces of distilled water and drink twice daily.” The value of eating lemons is reported by Jethro Kloss in his book Back to Eden: “The medicinal value of the lemon is as follows: It is an antiseptic, or is an agent that prevents sepsis [the presence of pathogenic bacteria] or putrefaction [decomposition of tissue]. It is also anti-scorbutic, a term meaning a remedy which will prevent disease and assist in cleansing the system of impurities.” Due to the digestive qualities of lemon juice, symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching are relieved. By drinking lemon juice regularly, the bowels are aided in eliminating waste more efficiently thus controlling constipation and diarrhea. On page 659 of Back to Eden, Mr. Kloss points out that, “The lemon is a wonderful stimulant to the liver and is a dissolvent of uric acid and other poisons, liquefies the bile, and is very good in cases of malaria. Sufferers of chronic rheumatism and gout will benefit by taking lemon juice, also those who have a tendency to bleed, uterine hemorrhages, etc.; rickets and tuberculosis. In pregnancy, it will help to build bone in the child. We find that the lemon contains certain elements which will go to build up a healthy system and keep that system healthy and well. As a food, we find, owing to its potassium content, it will nourish the brain and nerve cells. Its calcium builds up the bony structure and makes healthy teeth. “Its magnesium, in conjunction with calcium, has an important part to play in the formation of albumen in the blood. The lemon contains potassium 48.3, calcium 29.9, phosphorus 11.1, magnesium 4.4. Lemons are useful in treating asthma, biliousness, colds, coughs, sore throat, diphtheria, la grippe [flu or influenza], heartburn, liver complaint[s], scurvy, fevers and rheumatism.” Since many people today suffer from what they used to call biliousness, it is important to edify our readers to the definition. Biliousness -- 1. A symptom of a disorder of the liver causing constipation, headache, loss of appetite and vomiting of bile. 2. excess of bile; a bilious fever. Why the lemon works so well On page 19 of A.F. Beddoe's book “Biological Ionization in Human Nutrition,” he states that: “Man does not live off the food he eats but off of the energy that is produced from the food he eats.” The energy you get from your food comes from the atoms and molecules of energy in your food. A reaction takes place as cationic food enters the digestive tract and encounters anionic digestive enzymes. To explain further, an ion is part of a molecule con-atom or a group of atoms that carry an electrical charge. Ions which carry positive charges are “cations.” Lemons are considered to be anionic, having more electrons (negatively charged ions) of energy as compared to cations (positively charged ions) in their atomic structure. Saliva, hydrochloric acid, bile and the stomach's other digestive juices are also anionic. Lemon is one of the only foods on the planet that has more anions than cations in its atomic structure. When considering the electromagnetic properties of food Dr. Beddoe points out that all foods are considered cationic with the exception of fresh, raw lemon juice. Some have suggested that the reason fresh lemon juice is similar to digestive enzymes is due to the low amount of sulfur in lemons. It should be noted that pasteurized and packaged lemon juice is cationic and, therefore, ineffective as a health remedy. Who Can Benefit From Lemon Water Dr. Beddoe continues on page 194: “Lemon water is used in every person that can tolerate it. That is, if there is no allergy to lemon (a very few have a true allergy to lemon) and no active ulcers, then all adults and most children should use the lemon water. The purpose of the lemon is to: provide a natural strengthening agent to the liver enzymes when they are too dilute. The liver can make more enzymes out of fresh lemon juice than any other food element. The lemon helps fix oxygen and calciums in the liver because it regulates blood carbohydrate levels which affect the blood oxygen levels.” In the above book, Dr. Beddoe also cites an article by Dr. Michael Lesser on the medical promise of citric acid in “Anabolism, Journal of Preventive Medicine.” He uses this article to validate the value of using fresh lemon juice daily: “It appears that citric acid, the major carrier of biochemicals in the body's energy system, shows important promise, primarily because of its excellent properties as a chelator. Its ability to form soluble complexes with calcium offers major promise in the successful treatment of pancreatic stones and has also been employed to dissolve kidney stones. Since calcium deposits are of major significance in the much greater problem of hardening of the arteries, citric acid may possibly contribute to a safe and effective reversal of this widespread degenerative disease.” Even though medical doctors are not currently employing lemon juice in the treatment of the above conditions, this article substantiates the fact that one of the benefits of fresh lemon water is the way the citric acid is able to act upon the body's systems differently than any other food. Lemon Remedies Published by Jethro Kloss in Back to Eden For sore throat, dilute lemon juice with water and gargle frequently. Dilute one-half lemon juice with one-half water. It is even better to use straight lemon juice. A slice of lemon bound over a corn overnight will greatly relieve the pain. A slice of lemon bound over a felon [pus formation on a finger joint] will not fail to bring the pus to the surface where it can be easily removed. To relieve asthma, take a tablespoon of lemon juice one hour before each meal. For liver complaints, the juice of the lemon should be taken in a glass of hot water one hour before breakfast every morning. To break up la grippe [flu or influenza], drink a large glass of hot water with the juice of a lemon added, while at the same time have the feet in a deep bucket or other vessel of water with mustard added to it. The water should be deep enough to where it comes nearly up to the knees. Keep adding hot water to the patient's tolerance and until the patient begins to perspire freely (about 20-30 minutes). Be sure there is no draft on the person while this is done. The patient should be near a bed so he can get in it easily and avoid any danger of getting chilled. If convenient, a full hot bathtub would be good in place of the foot-bath. The lemon water should be taken every hour until the patient feels that all the symptoms of the cold are gone. A teaspoon of lemon juice in half a glass of water relieves heartburn. For rheumatism, one or two ounces of lemon juice diluted in water should be taken three times a day: one hour before meals and at bedtime. In cases of hemorrhage, lemon juice diluted in water and taken as cold as possible will stop it. Scurvy is treated by giving one to two ounces of lemon juice diluted with water every two to four hours. In excessive menstruation the juice of three to four lemons a day will help check it. Best to take the juice of one lemon at a time in a glass of cold water. Mr. Kloss explains how lemon juice can even help someone with stomach ulcers: “How can one with an inflamed or ulcerated stomach partake in the juice? Would not a strong acid like that of the lemon act as an irritant? That would depend on how it was taken. If in quantity, yes. But to take it very weak at first [diluted sufficiently in water], it will cease to burn. The sufferer afflicted with ulcerated stomach has to use great perseverance to affect a cure, and it can be cured if care and patience is used. The gastric juice in the stomach is four times as strong as lemon juice.” In these cases, I recommend one to two tablespoons of Aloe Vera Gel before the lemon water. Taking 500 mg. of Bromelin has also proven to be helpful. Buying a sweet lemon Some lemons are more sweet than others. A rule of thumb for selecting a lemon that is both sweet and high in mineral content, is to pick one that has a high specific gravity measurement and is heavy for its size. By comparing equal-sized fruit, the one with the greatest weight will have the most mineral content and sugar. A thick skinned lemon will not be as heavy as a thin skinned lemon and will not have the desired sweetness or mineral content. The method I use to ensure the purchase of sweet lemons is to look at the stem end of the lemon. There are two ends on the lemon. One end has a point where the blossom started to grow; the other end has a stem or a dimple where the stem used to be located. On the stem end of a highly mineralized, sweet lemon, you will see little lines radiating out of the stem like sunbeams. These little lines can look like a star shaped structure and is called a calyx. The calyx may have three, four, five or more points to the star. The greater the number of points on the calyx, the higher the mineral content of the lemon. How much lemon to use If you are in good health and weigh less than 150 pounds, squeeze the juice of one half a lemon (one ounce) into a glass of purified water and drink this mixture twice a day (one whole lemon a day.) If you weigh over 150 pounds, squeeze the juice out of an entire lemon (two ounces) into a glass of purified water and drink this mixture twice a day (two whole lemons a day.) The lemon juice can be diluted more according to taste. To help your body get the energy from the food you are eating, drink lemon water regularly. Next to drinking plain purified water, drinking lemon water daily is the most important thing you can do for your health.

The most important thing is to listen to your body- and believe you can heal 100%.  There are always people who heal way beyond what the experts say is possible- so why not shift to believe you can heal? - the mind is the most powerful healing tool anyone has access to!

Thinking About Furniture…

Furniture is everywhere, in a multitude of styles, materials, colors, but is most of it really even necessary? Is it smart? Healthy? There is the status of having the latest or fashionable furniture all over the house, Another consumer thing.  Does Modern Furniture Design  promote healthy posture and body? NO, not most of it and not the constant use of it, the dependence on it because it limits how we move.

It is only on rare occasions that many western people move to the ground and up- picnics are about the only exception and more and more people are bringing chairs out to nature, picknics and soccer games too! 

There seems to be  ideas about ease and comfort,  as if moving up and down from the ground is a chore rather than a natural or joyful part of life.

Sitting all day in a chair at a desk causes all kinds of problems.  These modern conventions for “comfort “actually  cause weak muscles in the back and legs inevitably disrupting alignment, core strength and health.

If we rarely move down to the floor and back up those muscles become weak, the whole sequence of muscular movement, and balance used to sit on the floor are important for our continued  physical health.  Just consider your hips and the range of motion used to get to the floor and back up again.

Many of our elderly people, here in the west  have weak hips and legs and poor balance; this is in part, directly related to how we don’t use our bodies through mid-life. In the west we start limiting the range of motion beginning  with 1st grade, we sit for longer and longer periods on chairs and couches.

Two very good solutions for this:  Cutting off the legs off the dining room table and sitting on pillows, and putting your mattress on the floor. Doing these two things will assure you are going down and up from  the floor 4 or more times a day.  Also your ceilings will appear higher  (o; and room more spacious! 

 I always remember seeing elder people when I was in Tunisia; They would  move with so much  more agility and grace, lowering and raising from the floor with ease, and such great posture. Then returning to America, I noticed  people  strain to sit on the ground and middle aged and older people avoid it like it is dangerous!  What is more dangerous is not doing it and losing that strength and range of motion!

Christina Bouajila      www.happymountainyoga.com

The One of Hearts 

Ecstatic Writers and Poet-Saints
This showed at the Kimo theater in Alb.NM with live sacred music and a Sufi Dancing, June 6th,2012
It will show in Sante Fe Sept 8th. You can see the trailer on website The 1 of Hearts.  I had the honor of being an actor in this beautiful film project. The process was such a pleasure. The locations, and working with Jan, the director. We went out several times so he could capture the landscape in just the right weather and light. His direction was clear and his vision solid.

 I have seen it and it is glorious, visually spectacular and the poetry read so well. I  love the Native American writers included in this.

How does this relate to yoga? For me the ecstatic poetry of Hafiz and Rumi, and many spiritual writers are continuous and beautiful reminders of the places of bliss attainable through yoga and meditation.  I often read poetry in my yoga classes  for the same reason. Yoga has also improved my acting skills of embodiment and movement through space and dance.

This is a still shot from film- 

was such an amazing day -mist drifting along -

glorious sunset - 

Chair Yoga?? What's that?

What is Chair Yoga?   

Chair yoga is Adaptive yoga; it is for people who cannot get down to the mat at all, or who need a chair to transition to the floor and up, or are confined to a wheelchair, but who want to improve their range-of motion for general health, body awareness and mental/emotional functioning. This is a large part of the population who need yoga more than the already fit athletic student. Often Doctors recommend it after physical therapy is completed. I have heard numerous stories from people whose yoga practice brought healing for conditions which they were told only surgery will heal. My own healing from a back injury was through yoga and I do very many things the doctors told me I would never be able to do.  These people chose to believe differently and took responsibility for healing and often made changes in lifestyle to support the healing.

Why do I teach Chair and Adaptive yoga? Because I want to share the practice of yoga and the vitality and joy it awakens.. I teach yoga to help people become aware of their energy body and to use the mind and heart for self-healing.  Understanding the mind-body connection and energy is why so many Eastern and ancient healing methods work. We are so much more than just matter, which science has proven. Western medicine is just beginning to understand this. The health benefits from meditation (the most important aspect of yoga) have been widely documented. It has helped people overcome depression, cope with ADD and ADHD, lower blood pressure and help with metabolism, and more.

The misconceptions of chair and adaptive yoga as being easy or ineffective are simply not true.  Of course if you do not practice regularly, or listen to your body you will not reap all the benefits from any yoga. The reality is if you don’t use muscles and your current range of motion you lose it and it is harder to get it back as we get older.  I’ll say it again and again- if you can breath – you can do yoga. I have seen people who are paralyzed on half of their body show up happy to try doing what they can and benefit so greatly. These are the students who surprise themselves with progress that seems “miraculous”.

So much of our day and live the focus of the mind is outside our bodies, when you quiet the mind, and breathe deeply you can understand your own body, and then it shows you how to heal.  The rhythms of the body return to harmony. The metabolic and systolic heart rhythms return to optimum harmony which is healing throughout our physical bodies. That is just the beginning. Sustaining the stillness of mind allows you to experience your essence which is joy, energy and beauty.  We remember our beautiful innocent selves, we remember being love and being one with all that is.  Commitment to yoga is life-changing, but like most truly life changing things it takes commitment and patience over time. I wouldn’t be teaching it if I didn’t believe in it wholeheartedly. Yoga is holistic, benefiting the mind body and spirit. I worked as a fitness trainer and aerobics instructor for years; if it was just about “getting physically fit” I wouldn’t be sharing it. I have been there, and done that. Yoga has been a path for me to find joy and peace, losing extra weight, having better skin and more energy are just added benefits.   Namaste, Christina

8 original Haiku poems

Ego shadowed soul 

when I was all that and more. 

Tripping as Buffoon

 

 Lost and confused

When you know the one true self

You’ll know what you want

 

Turned the other way 

Not participating now

Abandoned drama 

Enough of  sleeping  

Dancing in the vastness here, 

now be One with All

 Shhh, Quiet. Listen.

mind being still, Soul Dancing

Celestial Song

  

Turning into wind            

Everywhere nowhere wondering

Spinning into self

 

Out of the small mind 

 Immersed in heart via spirit

Not coming back soon

Rather be crazy

Wondering inside of heart      

Than function outside

Christina Bouajila, 2011