“I’m not ready to do yoga”

 The biggest reason I hear from people for not doing yoga, dancing or anything physical is…“I’m NOT ready to do yoga” “I ’m not ready?
Really? Not ready? Why?
 "I'm too out of shape, I’m too fat, I’m not flexible” " I can't even touch my toes any more" 
Really? these are reasons to get moving, as soon and regularly as possible, rather than an excuse not to start. 
 Another thing I hear is that "You can't change the way the effects of the years (decades) of habits with your body".  
 I have made big changes and so have many other people, in spite of what popular thought, media and medicine may say.  Most of the best yoga teachers I know have had learn to heal themselves at some point and succeeded despite limiting diagnosis's from health professionals.  


What is it YOU are going to DO to get ready? If the answer is nothing, Then I have to ask... 
How is the quality of the life in your body?
What is your aging going to look like if you can't do it now? 
Are you waiting to have the doctors fix it with surgery?

 I’ve been researching this and watching and experimenting with techniques on myself..  This is what I’ve found out, it has more to do with energy than anything else – the energy that these not-ready thoughts carry and the fact that most people in western culture don’t even breath, sit, stand, walk, reach, and lift and lay down in the correct ways! Poor alignment and tension causing blocks in the flow of energy.

WHAT???
Now you are saying “REALLY?”
 YES, REALLY. With learning  to have better posture and body mechanics for your day to day activities you can have more energy and be ready to do yoga classes sooner than you think!

This is why  I teach beginners Class and the I_AM workshops.
So the beginning yoga classes I teach now might not even look like a yoga class to yoga purists, but we do not live in India, people have not grown up using the range of motion required when sitting on the floor, squatting (especially to eliminate waste) Many westerners have grown up without having good models showing us how to lift, reach, bend carry loads and walk. These things are learned generationally and kinesthetically. 

In India and many other cultures, the daily use of a wider range of motion and good posture are a given. Yet, unfortunately, in the west, all of this this is rare.

So, how the heck are people who have lived this way for decades going to do yoga? This is my own burning question, for the last few years as I teach older students, people who have been sedentary, or have injuries.  The answer I have found  is re-education about how tI am using my the body the other hours of the day, in-between classes.  
I started to realize that western culture: the culture of sedentariness and rarely sitting on the ground, where slouching became the model for illustration and fashions beginning in the 1920’s….where even medical illustrations do not illustrate optimal posture any more,(they show typical western posture). Where back problems abound, and hip and knee replacements are ever more common amongst younger and younger people. 

 The biggest mistake people make in yoga or any “fitness” activity is to forget to tune-in and honor your own limits- where you are at, today. 

The second biggest mistake is to forget you are more than a mechanical body, that the mind, spirit and emotions all are involved. Yoga is more about training the mind than anything else. 

The physical moves or postures are just the tip of the iceberg, what is underneath is discipline, practice and process, change of attitudes, calming of the mind, focus and Breath.

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. 

 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!!!  

We love our chairs, and couches but they are not serving our bodies well.  I have been seeing and experiencing the ill effects of the furniture habit, particularly in our elderly.  This is why I incorporate the training I’ve had in Alexander technique (Google it) and  from the work of Eric Franklin and Ester Gokhale. I began to realize how westerners don’t even walk correctly. Ester Gokhale’s keen observation of multiple cultures and diverse person’s posture and body mechanics transforms into effective non-surgical healing methods for back, hip and knee problems.

 I want to share my own experience, when recently I spent 21 days walking 45 minutes 2 times a day and consciously changed the way I walk, my alignment, posture and how I propelled myself forward.  It was profound; I began to have an incredible amount of ENERGY all day. Energy on all levels, mentally as well as physical endurance, I even had more energy for socializing as well! So I began sharing this with students. I see this as the key to really making a difference for my all my students/especially for the inactive or overweight or injured or older students.  Walking is a very therapeutic healthful exercise!!!

If people stand, sit, bend reach and lift with optimal alignment and minimal stress (strain), they are actually gaining strength and flexibility from their everyday activities.
This prepares them for yoga, and they don’t leave the beginning class saying “yoga is not for me” instead they learn about the body, and movement. They begin to understand how to gain energy, strength and flexibility throughout their day rather than wear themselves down.  

 If we believe only gravity-energy is affecting our body- that is all that affects our bodies! When we shift our thinking and began experiencing the energy-body profound changes are inevitable. The Awareness within the mind is so powerful, even our thoughts carry energy. 

Dance - here's why we all need to dance-

I praise the dance             Saint Augustine

I praise the dance, for it frees people
from the heaviness of matter and binds the isolated to community.

I praise the dance, which demands everything:
health and a clear spirit and a buoyant soul.
Dance is a transformation of space, of time, of people,
who are in constant danger of becoming all brain, will, or feeling.

Dancing demands a whole person,
one who is firmly anchored in the center of his life,
who is not obsessed by lust for people and things
and the demon of isolation in his own ego.

Dancing demands a freed person,
one who vibrates with the equipoise of all his powers.
I praise the dance.

O man, learn to dance,
or else the angels in heaven will not know what to do with you.

by Saint Augustine

 

This Article by Madisyn Taylor of the Daily Om  eloquently says everything you need to know about dance- Our bodies were made to move and flow and within our movement we find a deeper connection to our bodies and the earth. As children, most of us were encouraged to dance on a regular basis, freely and openly, in whatever way felt best. A few of us may have retained or regained our ability to engage in dancing unselfconsciously, but by the time we reach adulthood, many of us have stopped dancing altogether. We may have hang-ups about our bodies, or we may fear being judged. Then again, we may simply have fallen out of the habit for so long that we don‚t even realize we never dance anymore. Whatever the case, there‚s no time like now to rediscover the healing pleasure of moving your body to music˜alone, as part of a couple, or in a group. Opportunities to dance abound, once you start looking for them. If you haven't danced in a long time and feel too self-conscious to start in a public situation, find some time alone to reintroduce yourself to the joy of listening and responding to music with your body. Turn the lights down low and remember that it‚s much more fun when you‚re not thinking about what you look like. It won't take long before your body remembers how much it loves to move. Feel the music in your soul, feel the vibrations healing your body. Treat the time like a meditation session in which you agree to allow yourself to fully inhabit your amazing body. If you feel awkward, remember that every culture since time immemorial has celebrated life and the body with dance. All people carry the memory of dance in their blood and bones. In other words, you were born to do this, it is in you already; all you have to do is start moving. If you prefer more interaction, take a class one night a week. In most cities, you can find everything from modern dance to African dance to ballroom and salsa. Whatever you choose, you won't regret choosing to rediscover your birthright˜the healing, joyful thrill of dancing. "In many shamanic societies, if you came to a medicine person complaining of being disheartened, dispirited, or depressed, they would ask one of four questions:... "When did you stop dancing? When did you stop singing? When did you stop being enchanted by stories? When did you stop being comforted by the sweet territory of silence?"    Gabrielle Roth

Happy New Year of Yoga

All the reasons for not getting to a yoga class are actually the reasons too get to one.

This is what I hear, over and over from people of varying ages.  and then the truth …

“I’m not flexible”--- yoga helps you become more flexible!

“I’m out of shape-“-- yoga helps you get in shape!

“I’m too overweight” yoga helps with weight loss!

“I’m too old”--- You are never too old to reap the benefits of yoga! (yoga is age defying***)

“I don’t have the energy”- Yoga gives you energy!

“I tried it once ….”Try a different class or teacher –e.g. if your over 50 look for a teacher over 50

                I am most concerned for boomers people getting older (older than they have to be).

 These are all statements related to ego- the ego doesn’t want you to feel better, be better, find peace. Ego says,  " have to be great immediately.   Truth is; yoga is non-competitive!!!!  The other yoga students are focused on themselves not YOU!!!  The inner spirit on the other hand knows what is best and that health, energy and peace come from mindfulness in movement.

 Yes, for some it might be better to start with Tai Chi, senior or gentle yoga. But to lessen your movement more and more is choosing to age faster, is eliminating future joy from dancing, playing with children, easily getting up from and down, sitting in the grass on a sunny day.

  The less you move the less energy you have, the less you move the less you are able to move and the more likely you are to become injured when you have to move. The more likely you are to fall. The less you move the faster you age. Moving mindfully after injury is the best way to heal and re-gain flexibility.

  The biggest mistake people make in yoga or any “fitness” activity is to forget to tune-in and honor your own limits- where you are at, today. The second biggest mistake is to forget you are more than a mechanical body, that the mind, spirit and emotions all are involved. Yoga is more about training the mind than anything else (as are  Martial Arts and Tia Chi)   The physical moves or postures are just the tip of the iceberg, what is underneath is discipline, practice, process, change of attitudes, calming of the mind, focus and Breath.    

 

 ***check out this link

 a-meeting-in-central-park-with-the-oldest-living-yoga-teacher-in-the-world-photographed-by-robert-sturman/

and this link    never give up- this is a super inspiring video! 

Thanks for reading my Blog-  Christina (an over 50 year old Yoga teacher)

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