Posts Tagged ‘yoga practice’

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Q: I have a concern; a student, who has been studying with me for a while, came to me and said that she experiences pain on the inside of her knees when sitting cross-legged, also in Sukasana forward fold.

I have suggested to avoid this pose and switch to sitting on her heels instead. Was not sure, though, what could be the cause of this pain and what ideas I could give her to move away from this discomfort.

A: Hatha Yoga can be the remedy for pain, or the cause of it, in some cases. This student should see her family physician or a specialist. We can guess what the source of pain is, but an MRI will tell the real story. A good modification is preparation for Sukasana.

One leg remains straight, while the other leg is bent at an angle where the knee does not encounter pain. Obviously, if the knee is bent into a sharp angle, the student will experience pain in the preparation pose. Therefore, this preparation should be practiced carefully, with a wide angle on the bent knee. This same principle holds true for any asanas where the knees are bent.

Q: I have a query from a student who wants to attend my Yoga classes. She is an older women, in her late 50s, but she had a bunion removed about 5 months ago on her foot – would it be advisable to come to class?

Or, shall it be only private Yoga practice? Also, what would be your idea, in terms of therapeutic practices; and which asana would she need to avoid?

A: You might want to schedule a private session first – just to do an evaluation. You won’t know much until you see her.

Bunion surgery is usually the procedure to remove the bone of the big toe and foot. The procedure varies and recovery does as well. Bunion surgery reconstructs the big toe bone and may require screws and plates to be placed in the bone during recovery.

All that said: Any postures that put pressure on the big toe, or roll the big toe under the foot, should be practiced carefully, or avoided altogether.

She should be observed in private to see if she can modify them for regular classes with other students. Have her go easy and carefully.

Q: There is something I would like to find out from you. Many of my students, after class – as they are beginning Yoga (but some also that stick to the mat for a while) do say that they feel stiff, some even lightly sore. I do use intelligent sequencing and pay special detail to injuries and modifications.

What would be my best reply if they mention they are stiff afterwards (although it’s an antidote as they come to Yoga class to become more open and work on their flexibility)?

Beside that they are loving the classes, they do feel very relaxed and centered. I want to be in their best service, so I want to be able to explain to them what is actually happening to their bodies and the reason why they feel stiffer then beforehand.

A: My guess is they feel sore in the legs. This usually happens when students’ bodies are not prepared for a standing series. If they give Yoga a chance, the soreness will disappear in a week or two.

If they still feel pain, you may want to reduce the standing series practice time, and gradually increase it over a period of months. However, if students do not attend regularly, or practice at home, their bodies will never adapt to the standing series.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

When you think about teaching Yoga classes, you always see the positive side of your life experiences. Every Yoga instructor realizes that the act of organizing, and teaching classes, becomes a life mission. Yet, life has “ups and downs” for all of us. There are days when students are seriously ill, you feel ill, or worse.

What is one to do? There is a belief that Yoga teachers, gurus, and swamis, should be in good health at all times. If we deeply believe that we are something beyond mere mortals, we are in for a “reality check.” Life has good and bad times. No matter who you are, you have feelings; and you can become ill. The best we can do is prepare for life’s many challenges.

There are Yoga teachers who are blind, deaf, have ailments, are in a wheelchair, or are experiencing grief. The following is a strategy for the obstacles we might encounter in life. No matter what we encounter, please remember that a positive mindset, and the power of prayer, can help in the worst of times.

Accept and Plan for Life’s Challenges

Each one of us looks at life from a different angle, but we cannot deny that life is full of challenges. Worrying or complaining about an obstacle will not make it go away. Look at challenges as a learning experience – to solve problems based upon your personal practice.

If we regularly practice pranayama, asana, meditation, and teach Yoga classes every day, but fail to handle our emotions during a crisis, is it a sin? No, but it does indicate that our Yoga practice did not prepare us for the emotional challenge we encountered. Life is the area where we apply the Yogic knowledge we learn and practice. If something needs to be improved, life and reality will let us know.

Have a Game Plan

Some people say life is not a game. Please explain that to my cats. To them, life itself is complete entertainment. They are mindful of every little thing, but not too serious about anything. Children also have this quality, and each of us does, as well. We all have an “inner child,” starving for a game, a laugh, and the desire to have fun.

When we become adults, we suppress the inner child and start to become rigid in our thinking. The mind is just like the body. So many people focus on training the body, but how many focus on training the mind? The key is to be flexible in the mind and prepare yourself for the twists and turns on this journey of life.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

Prepared by: Dora Szabo

“The body becomes strong and healthy. Too much fat is reduced. There is luster in the face. Eyes sparkle like diamonds. The practitioner becomes very handsome. Voice becomes sweet and melodious”  /Swami Sivananda/

1. Introduction

Practicing yoga is the path towards the wholeness of our lives. An individual is a complex unit, where all the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual layers are in interaction.

While western medical science focuses on the symptoms of disease and various health disorders, yoga takes an effect on the deeper lying causes. The physical body and its health or illness reflects the subtle body of a human being. It shows their mental state and emotions, how they use their mind, approach the world and themselves.

Regular yoga practice starting from the more subtle layers can gradually shape the physical body too towards a more healthy, harmonious and energetic existence. It helps us understand that happiness is the basis of a healthy and harmonious body and soul. It also helps us find it inside ourselves as yoga practice can lead to a physical, mental and spiritual equilibrium that is the source of all happiness. In this condition our vitality is inexhaustible, we stay clear of the negative impacts of aging and reduce the risk of getting sick. Then we live in direct connection with the infinite energy of the universe and can master our own existence.

Naturally all of the above is a simplified explanation of what exactly happens when the different layers of a human being interact. Yoga provides a scientific, precise and logical approach to healing physical disorders. Besides its effect on the subtle body, each yoga exercise has a specific physical impact on the body too. Each exercise is a unique way to help us understand and harmonize a specific area of existence – be it a touch of flu, insomnia or a more serious disease like diabetes.

2. What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disorder that affects the way the body uses food for energy. Normally, the sugar taken in is digested and broken down to a simple sugar, known as glucose. The glucose then circulates in the blood where it waits to enter cells to be used as fuel. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps move the glucose into cells. A healthy pancreas adjusts the amount of insulin based on the level of glucose. But, in case of diabetes, this process breaks down, and blood sugar levels become too high.

There are two main types of full-blown diabetes. People with Type I diabetes are completely unable to produce insulin. People with Type II diabetes can produce insulin, but their cells don’t respond to it. In either case, the glucose can’t move into the cells and blood glucose levels can become high. Over time, these high glucose levels can cause serious complications.

There is also a condition referred to as Pre-Diabetes. Pre-diabetes means that the cells of the body are becoming resistant to insulin or the pancreas is not producing as much insulin as required. The blood glucose levels are higher than normal and it is a warning sign that diabetes may develop later.

3. Can Yoga help control diabetes?

There have been numerous studies over the years on the health benefits of Yoga, including its effect on controlling diabetes. There has been some dialogue over whether the benefits achieved with Yoga practice are short-term or long term. However, there is no doubt that Yoga can control diabetes at significantly reduced insulin levels for Type I diabetics and can also control diabetes without any external medication for Type II diabetics. Naturally, Type I diabetes (no production of insulin) is more difficult to treat with Yoga but Type II diabetes can be treated very effectively. Regular Yoga practice can also prevent and heal the ravages of the complications caused by diabetes with the body’s own medicine.

As we know, diabetes affects the pancreas, and endocrine gland due to a sympathetic-parasympathetic imbalance in the body. Yoga recognizes this and helps to restore the balance through a set of practices, including Yoga poses, breathing exercises, diet, meditation and relaxation practices. Let us now look at the five key elements of Yoga practice to see how each one of them contributes to a healthier organism from the point of view of diabetes.

3.1. Proper Breathing

The average person uses only 10% of their lung capacity. This shallow breathing pattern is associated with the “fight or flight’ syndrome which drives blood glucose levels high and also inhibits the body from producing insulin. Pranayama teaches us to maximize the use of the lung capacity as much as possible. It also helps us neutralize the stress that contributes to high blood sugars associated with diabetes. Some of the breathing exercises found particularly beneficial in curing diabetes are:

1) Bhastrika Pranayama

2) Kapalabhati Pranayama

3) AgniSar Kriya

4) Bahya Pranayama

5) Anuloma – Viloma Pranayama

6) Bhramari Pranayama

7) Udgit Pranayama

It is important to note that at-least half an hour per day needs to be invested in the Pranayama practice for its benefits to manifest. While performing the breathing exercises to control diabetes it is recommendable to focus on the pancreas, imagining the normal secretion of insulin. For beginners, it is best to practice Pranayama in the presence an expert Guru at first.

Pranayama has calming effect on nervous system, which reduces stress levels, helping in diabetes treatment. The abdominal muscles and diaphragm are used intensely which puts pressure on the internal organs. Some Yoga schools also claim that diabetes is caused to a large extent by breathing mainly through the right nostril and breathing techniques like Anuloma – Viloma Pranayama can help balance the flow of air through both nostrils.

3.2. Proper Exercise

Asanas are beneficial in treatment of diabetes because they act like insulin, reducing blood glucose levels. During continued moderate exercise glucose is more effectively used in the muscles and they can take in more glucose than they normally do. Due to various twists and stretches in the body, these postures cause the internal viscera to stretch, bringing stimulation to the pancreas and other glands and organs that otherwise receive no stimulation. This increases the blood and oxygen supply to the organs increasing the efficiency and functioning of the organ. Improved blood flow also helps prevent complications of diabetes linked with impaired blood flow. Stretching various glands result in increased efficiency of the endocrine system, have a positive effect on the pancreas and also insulin functioning. Exercise helps remove fatty acids from the blood and builds more muscle mass, so it generates a positive spiral as more muscles can take in more glucose and there is less fat to block the process. Some of the Yoga postures found particularly beneficial in curing diabetes are:

 1) Shavasana

2) Sukhasana

3) Padmasana

4) Vajrasana

5) Surya Namaskar

6) Matsyasana

7) Pashimottanasana

Janushirasana

9) Sasangasana

10) Ardha Kurmasana

11) Ardhmatsyendrasana

12) Pawanmuktasana

13) Ustrasana

14) Bhujangasana

15) Salabhasana

16) Dhanurasana

17) Tadasana

18) Trikonasana

It is important to maintain the Asana for longer duration after attaining the position while relaxing the muscles. Diabetics taking insulin or oral medication must monitor their blood sugar levels before during and after exercise because it can drop radically.

However, if applied correctly, the above postures can help reverse diabetes. The positive spiral induced by Yoga is not yet understood completely, but it has been linked with the increased muscular relaxation, lower blood pressure and weight loss. It is also related to stretch on the pancreas, which stimulates the pancreatic function.

3.3. Proper Relaxation

It has been shown that stress alters blood glucose levels as it blocks the body from producing insulin. Therefore proper relaxation and the resulting reduction in stress levels is key to managing diabetes, especially in type II diabetics.

The reduced stress levels and level of ‘stress hormones’ (adrenaline, noradrenalin and cortisol) in the blood are believed to improve the insulin action. However, for relaxation to be efficient, the brain waves have to be slowed down. This means that the common western ways of ‘relaxing’ (watching movies, dancing, etc) does not actually release stress from the body. It could also happen during sleep but people who are constantly stressed often have trouble entering deeper states of relaxation during sleep. Therefore the conscious relaxation promoted by Yoga (i.e. physical, mental and spiritual relaxation) can be highly beneficial in reducing stress levels and in lowering blood glucose levels.

3.4. Proper Diet

Yoga promotes a simple diet of natural fresh foods as this ensures maximum vital energy intake. Processed, refined and overcooked foods are avoided as these processes destroy much food value. There are many possible explanations for maintaining a vegetarian diet, physical, mental and spiritual. On the physical level, recent research shows a link between the amounts of processed and red meat eaten and the development of type II diabetes. One study published in Diabetologia showed that the high intake of total meat increased the risk of diabetes by 17 per cent, red meat increased the risk by 21 per cent and processed meat by 41 per cent. Meat consumed never completely breaks down but ferments and rots in the gut, releasing uric and nitric acid. In the long run, this leads to the destruction of intestinal villi in the small intestine, therefore maintaining a light vegetarian diet can be very beneficial in preventing or controlling diabetes too.

3.5. Positive Thinking and Meditation

As described earlier, stress is considered a leading cause of diabetes. Research studies suggest that practicing meditation regularly helps reduce the body’s responses to stress by lowering blood pressure, slowing heart rate, reducing oxygen intake, and changing the brain waves to a more relaxed state. Moderating the stress response is also likely to lower blood glucose levels.

On the other hand, constant negative thought vibrations emitted obstruct the organism’s healing process. As David Spero puts it: „When you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, MS, or one of hundreds of others, negative thoughts like those can be crippling.”

It is therefore essential for diabetics to control the thoughts emitted, as thoughts soon become emotions and emotions become our actions. Meditation has been found to be the most efficient method to enhance both our attitude and control for greater self-awareness, better relationships, less stress, depression and anxiety.

4. Summary

As we have seen there are various ways in which diabetes is preventable and even reversible through proper diet, exercise and lifestyle change promoted by Yoga. It will help balance the endocrine system, tone the abdominal organs, stimulate both the nervous and circulatory system, and reduce stress. However, it is important to remember also that none of the above can be considered the primary aim of Yoga. The final goal of all Yogic teaching is to achieve a state of union with the Supreme Soul, where there is no duality. Therefore the real challenge is not to see yoga as a treatment for disease, but as an opportunity to see something deeper in the self. As Elliott S. Dacher puts it: “While many doctors and patients demand proof that yoga really can help certain medical conditions, they risk overlooking yoga’s far-reaching benefits.”

Studies on how Diabetes can be benefited by Yoga published by Timothy McCall, MD :

Shembekar, AG and Kate, SK. Yoga exercises in the management of diabetes mellitus.
Journal of the Diabetes Association of India, 1980 (20) 167-171.

Jain SC, Uppal A, Bhatnagar SO, Talukdar B. A study of response pattern of non insulin dependent diabetics to yoga therapy.
Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 1993 Jan;19(1):69-74.

Monro R E, Power J, Coumar A, Nagarathna R, Dandona P 1992 Yoga Therapy for NIDDM.
Complementary Medical Research 6: 66–88.

Singh S, Malhotra V, Singh KP, Madhu SV, Tandon OP. Role of yoga in modifying certain cardiovascular functions in type 2 diabetic patients.
Assoc Physicians India. 2004 Mar;52:203-6.

Malhotra V, Singh S, Singh KP, Gupta P, Sharma SB, Madhu SV, Tandon OP. Study of yoga asanas in assessment of pulmonary function in NIDDM patients.
Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2002 Jul;46(3):313-20.

Singh S; Malhotra V; Singh KP; Sharma SB; Madhu SV; Tandon OP. A preliminary report on the role of Yoga Asanas on oxidative stress in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.
Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry. 2001 Jul; 16(2): 216-20

Malhotra V, Singh S, Tandon OP, Sharma SB. The beneficial effect of yoga in diabetes.
Nepal Med Coll J. 2005 Dec;7(2):145-7.

Malhotra V, Singh S, Tandon OP, Madhu SV, Prasad A, Sharma SB. Effect of Yoga asanas on nerve conduction in type 2 diabetes.
Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2002 Jul;46(3):298-306.

 
List of References:

1. Internet Resources:

Diabetes, Yoga and Meditation. 5/25/09

http://diabetes.ygoy.com/2009/26/diabetes-yoga-and-meditation/

Joseph B. Nelson, MA, LP: Meditation and the Art of Diabetes Management. 6/24/06 http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/articles/alternative-medicine-complementary-therapies/meditation_and_the_art_of_diabetes_management/all/

David Spero: Changing Killer Thoughts. 6/15/09

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/david-spero/changing-killer-thoughts/

Meat Causes Diabetes and Cancer. 11/03/09

http://articlesofhealth.blogspot.com/2009/11/meat-causes-diabetes-and-cancer.html

Kathryn Watson: Can Relaxation Techniques Help Me Manage My Diabetes?

http://ezinearticles.com/?Can-Relaxation-Techniques-Help-Me-Manage-My-Diabetes?&id=445804

Julian Goldstein: Is Therapeutic Hatha Yoga A Cure for Diabetes?

http://www.bikramyoga.com/testimonials/Diabetes.htm

Dr Sujit Chandratreya (MD, DM, DNB, Endocrinologist, Diabetologist): Diabetes & Yoga

http://www.yogapoint.com/therapy/diabetes_yoga.htm

Timothy McCall, MD: 50 Health Conditions Benefited by Yoga (as shown in scientific studies)
© 2007 (Updated June, 2009)

http://www.drmccall.com/50updatedwithreferences6-09.pdf.

Dr Sujit Chandratreya (MD, DM, DNB, Endocrinologist, Diabetologist): Yoga & Diabetes
http://www.yogapoint.com/therapy/diabetes_yoga.htm

2. Other Publications

D. Aune, G. Ursin, M.B. Veierod: Meat consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.
Diabetologia, November 2009, Volume 52, Issue 11, Pages 2277-2287
The pH Miracle Revisited, Dr. Robert and Shelley Young, July, 2010.

Singh S, Malhotra V, Singh KP, Madhu SV, Tandon OP: Role of yoga in modifying certain cardiovascular functions in type 2 diabetic patients.
Department of Physiology, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, Shahdara, Delhi 110 095.

Malhotra V, Singh S, Tandon OP, Sharma SB: The beneficial effect of yoga in diabetes.
Nepal Med Coll J. 2005 Dec;7(2):145-7.

Malhotra V, Singh S, Tandon OP, Madhu SV, Prasad A, Sharma SB: Effect of Yoga asanas on nerve conduction in type 2 diabetes.
Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2002 Jul;46(3):298-306.
Madhu Kosuri, Gumpeny R. Sridhar: Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders.
2009 December,7(6): 515-518.
Online Ahead of Print: November 9, 2009

A preliminary report on the role of yoga asanas on oxidative stress in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
2001 July, 16 (2): 216-220
Journal Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry
Publisher Springer India

Badr Aljasir, Maggie Bryson and Bandar Al-shehri: Yoga Practice for the Management of Type II Diabetes Mellitus in Adults: A systematic review
University of Ottawa, Ottawa and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Elliott S. Dacher, M.D:Whole Healing: A Step-by-Step Program to Reclaim Your Power to Heal
Pub. Date:  8/1/1997
Publisher(s): Penguin Group USA

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

The motto of every Yoga session is “live in the moment.” Many of us try to live for now, but we wait in anticipation for better weather to come, a bill to be paid off, or our soul mate to arrive. We might put tasks off and create a new method for wasting time. Let us look at taking our Yoga practice off the mat, and bring it into practical use for daily life and solve two common problems.

Anticipation: This is a wonderful human quality, based upon planning for the future. Yet, life should be enjoyed right now. It is good to have plans for the future, but never forget to enjoy this day. While looking at a long-term goal, it is easy to forget those who love us. Enjoy your friends and family each day – as if it was your last day on earth.

Even during Yoga teacher training sessions, some interns become so fixated on completion of their work, that they realize later how much happiness they have missed. It is great to be focused, but we must allow ourselves to experience inner peace when an opportunity arises. A strong work ethic is a wonderful quality, but humans are not designed to be one dimensional.

How do you balance work and play? This is an age old question, but the keyword is “balance.” We need to be moderate in every aspect of life. Work too hard and you run yourself down. Play too much and the world passes you by. The answer is: Live a moderate lifestyle and you will receive the best of both worlds.

Procrastination: This quality is often associated with laziness. We may see it in work most often. It is a method for getting rid of friends and making the world a smaller place for ourselves. Who wants to defend a co-worker, who puts off completing assignments? Who wants the added burden of extra work to make up for someone who never finishes his or her work?

On a personal note: How often do you hear someone say, “I’ll practice Yoga after I lose 50 pounds?” In other words: This person will never practice any form of Yoga, but you can clearly see that Yoga practice would help the quality of his or her life. You may maintain a relationship with this person for life, but it is hard to watch someone put everything off, including the time each of us should invest in maintaining the quality of our health.

If we want to enjoy our life, we have a choice. Some of us enjoy life to our last day, while others look back, too far forward, at the stars, or sleep through it as if life was a boring movie. If we practice any form of Yoga long enough, we begin to realize the value of each precious moment.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

By Sandra McGuire

I was introduced to Yoga at the age of twelve, and though I have not had a consistent practice all of the years since then, Yoga has been a healing thread that has wound its way through my life. Yoga has always been a place I come home to, a safe, secure place where healing, peace and connection with my body, mind and soul can occur. Recently I went through a very difficult couple of years, where though I needed it the most, I became disconnected from Yoga. In the course of just a few years I went through the breakdown of my marriage, the death of my mother, my own diagnosis with thyroid cancer, major surgery to remove my thyroid, and a car accident, I was a real mess. Again, Yoga was silently and gently waiting in the wings for when I was ready to return to its wonderful healing.

I had a foundation in Yoga, having had the great good fortune to discover it at the age of twelve. I embraced it wholeheartedly, coming home from school and practicing for two hours a day. I fasted once a week and became vegetarian. Although I went through the typical trials of puberty, Yoga gave me a great deal of strength and insight to help me through. I wavered from this path at 14 and became an embittered teenager. Circumstances in my life, including a move affected me enormously, and combined with puberty, I became angry and deeply insecure.

I believe my foundation in Yoga helped me, as I had that memory within of a place of comfort and gentleness. By age 16 I had returned passionately to my Yoga practice, and went through a wonderful transformation. My tough, angry teen image faded away with no conscious effort, just a regular Yoga practice. My insecurity lessened considerably. Instead of feeling anxious about my weight, bad skin and not feeling attractive enough, I found my body naturally balanced out. My weight toned down, my bulges shifted and became taut, my skin cleared up and developed a healthy glow, my hair grew thick and lustrous, and I began to feel beautiful inside, which of course made me feel more attractive outwardly.

In my angry time I had formed friendships with people of a similar temperament, and was very much in the wrong crowd. As my Yoga practice deepened, I just naturally drifted away from them, and established more meaningful friendships with more appropriate people. I made other changes in my life that broke some self destructive habits, and helped me establish myself on a more true path for me.

Due to youth, busyness and various factors, I drifted away from Yoga somewhat. I found though, that whenever I was troubled or stressed, I instinctively returned to it.  Many years later after the birth of my first child, I felt exhausted, stressed, and very body worn. Wonderfully, a friend steered me back to Yoga. Again, I found my body healing, my mind finding peace and I was once more equipped with the techniques I needed to regain balance and a sense of peace in my life.

My practice continued and deepened, and I found things shifting inside again. I realized that I was not as happy as I had thought with my life as it was. Very disturbingly, I realized that I was not married to the right person for me. Ironically, as Yoga helped me find my own inner peace, it highlighted the discord in my life that I was trying to ignore. Healing can be powerful and not always easy.

My marriage dissolved not too much longer after that, and I entered into the struggles of a single parent now with two young children. I returned home to my parents house, where my always strong bond with my mother deepened. We grew very close and for a short time we all lived very happily together. I was just settling back into a Yoga routine, when chaos struck with such force that our lives were completely turned upside down.

We were in the middle of a major move across the country when my beloved mother was diagnosed with metastatic thyroid cancer so advanced she was given just two months to live. This was shocking enough as it was, but was made more so by the fact that this woman was famous for her healthy lifestyle and fantastic degree of physical fitness. It seemed impossible that this could be the case. It was terribly disillusioning to those of us who had truly believed that living a healthy life would somehow protect us. Yet she was deteriorating rapidly. We were in the middle of this enormous move, and there was nothing to do but carry on. I think I lived on nothing but adrenalin, and was in a constant state of extreme stress.

Somehow, we got through the move, and Mum re-joined us after a series of radiation treatments. We settled into our new house in rural Cape Breton, and I as a single mother began to be a full time caregiver for my mother as well. We prepared for her death as best we could, and cared for her with love and support. She ended up living seven months instead of two, but as she died there was an enormous sadness that descended on our house, and the sense of loss I felt seemed insurmountable. Numbly, I carried on.

I put my energy into the new place, establishing gardens and trying to regain peace. I tried to practice my Yoga a few times, but I was so deeply stressed, I just couldn’t do it. I was worried I would hurt myself, as I found it so hard to relax and slow down. I couldn’t breathe properly, although I was aware of this, and knew what I should do, I just couldn’t get there.

Just five months after my mother died, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer myself. This blow was almost too much, yet I was still so numb that I went through the motions of life. I prepared for surgery facing it with enormous fear and trying to comfort my children who were equally shattered and afraid. This was the same cancer my mother had just died from.

Everything felt wrong. As I prepared for the hospital, I was hastily tidying up. I injured my shoulder which went into extremely painful spasms. In this completely messed up state I entered the hospital. After my surgery I awoke groggy from anaesthetic, and finding that I could neither talk at all or swallow. Outside was a terrible thunder storm crashing and raging and dropping enormous hailstones. The power went out and the hospital ran on back up. A nurse appeared with an enormous pill I was somehow to swallow, and morphine for my pain.

Never in my whole life have I felt farther away from the peace, comfort and solace of Yoga. I felt fractured physically and spiritually. My hospital stay was very difficult. No one could give me anything that really helped the pain. The medication they gave me made me feel sick and hallucinate, yet didn’t really help. I spluttered and gagged whenever I tried to swallow anything, even water. I had a drainage tube coming out of my chest, a huge bandage across my throat, an IV tube in my arm and a heart monitor on. The atmosphere of the hospital was noisy, disruptive, intrusive and unpleasant. The hospital food also did nothing to promote healing. I was stunned, miserable and desperate to heal. I was acutely aware that I was in a downward spiral. The pain, stress, emotional strain and frustration I was feeling, were all pulling me further into what felt like a very unhealthy place. My reserves of strength were gone and each drug and strain seemed to compound the problem, rather than help it.

After two weeks in hospital I returned home. It took almost two months before I could talk again, and almost as long for my shoulder pain to ease. The pain from that had not been helped by being stuck in a hospital bed with tubes in me that prevented mobility. This had led to the pain spreading into my back and up my neck. As a result of this, plus the surgery, I was breathing very shallowly and with difficulty, sometimes really struggling. Although I was still unable to properly swallow, I made myself herbal tea and quietly tried to drink it and return to a healing path.

It didn’t take long till I had my Yoga mat out. However, my body was such a mess, and felt so different and fragile, that I did little more than sit on it and try to breathe. Gradually, I tried some gentle movements of my shoulders. Day by day, bit by bit, I gently stretched, rolled and breathed my way back into establishing a connection with what felt like a different body.

My pain began to ease, my swallowing slowly improved, and the vice grip of shock I had been in ever so subtly began to lift. I wanted to return to Yoga, but in this remote place, I had no teacher, and my body was so different. I no longer had a Thyroid and I was terrified of working my neck area. I was still on a medication roller coaster too, as the doctors tried to regulate and find the balance of Thyroid replacement medication and calcium that was now essential for me to take.

So I breathed. I breathed and breathed. I felt energy (Prana) gradually filtering through my body. It felt like a wave of life washing through me. It reminded me of balance, healing and vitality, although I still felt very wounded and anything but vital. That breath turned things around though, and returned me to the Yogic path. Before too long I was practicing some gentle leg stretches, reconnecting with my body, becoming acquainted with this new me. Though it was a minimal practice, it opened the door to a familiar path.

Eventually, I was doing something close to a normal practice, though still shying away from anything to do with the throat area. The sense of healing that Yoga offered me was enormous. To me it encompassed such power and vitality that was in sharp contrast to the state I had been in. Prana washed through me, pushing out the pain, the fear, the medication, the poison that I felt was there. Most importantly, Yoga offered the reminder that I could heal. That I could take charge of my body again. I had felt like such a puppet at the mercy of doctors, now I was returning to myself. I was connecting again with my centre that I knew was a place of balance and tranquility. Yoga felt like silk threads returning me to myself. Soft and gentle yet so remarkably strong.

After a few months I felt relatively normal. However, emotional turmoil and all the chaos I had lived through, can’t just disappear. I was on my way back to wholeness, but it was not an easy journey and I was not there yet. Just after this my car crashed. I was shaken, and hurt my other shoulder, but was basically ok. However, my confidence felt shattered. I was living in a place where driving was a necessity, and yet, now driving put me into panic attacks. I was terrified. I had no choice but to do it anyway, which is probably the best. However, several times I nearly caused another accident by panicking and having to suddenly pull over.

It has now been eight months since the car accident. I have resumed a full Yoga practice and that has helped my body heal, strengthen and regain much depleted energy. Pranayama and Meditation have helped me to control the panic attacks and to breathe effectively again. Living with severe long term stress, I had developed very shallow breathing that had made my doctor think I was suffering from Asthma. I feel well again, I feel balance, I feel deeply connected to the spirit within and without and I feel a much deeper peace with the world.

Yoga definitely helped me regain this. Its gentle power has been a phenomenal healing force for me. Yoga is all about connection, balance, vitality, tranquility and inner strength. I can’t imagine anything that is a more magnificent source of healing power.

I am very grateful to the doctors and the medical system that I was involved with, it probably saved my life. That system though, is about intervention, medication, surgery, and operates on such a huge scale, that a holistic, personal healing journey needs to come from another place. Yoga was there for me, once I was again able to open myself to it, and it has provided me with the healing path that I so needed.

The wonder of Yoga to me is that pretty well no matter what stage you are at, or how deep your practice is, it nudges you gently in the direction you need to go. When only able to practice hesitant, tiny little movements, it was enough for my body to say YES.

Ever so slowly, ever so gently, Yoga opened me up and brought me back to a considerably more solid place. Those tiny stretches, those initial painful breaths, have now made way to deep stretches, full, deep breaths and I am now greatly enjoying Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand) again, although I thought I never would.

Just as it did for me when I was an insecure teenager, or an insecure, frazzled new mother, or raw from complete physical and emotional chaos, the gentle thread of Yoga was there to catch me, and pull me up and restore me. It is a truly marvellous healer.

Sandra McGuire teaches Yoga in the Mabou, Nova Scotia, Canada area.

Dr. Rita Khanna

The powerful Sanskrit word, Sankalpa, means resolve. It is a chosen resolution made during the practice of Yoga Nidra. It is a process of training the mind to develop trust and faith in yourself and provide a direction for your whole life – if you use it wisely. Its effect is to awaken the willpower within, by uniting the conscious awareness with the unconscious forces, lying dormant. It takes the form of a short phrase or sentence, clearly and concisely expressed – using the same wording each time, to bring about a positive change in one’s life.

THE PURPOSE OF SANKALPA

The purpose of Sankalpa is to influence and transform the whole life pattern, not only the body, but also the mind, the emotions, and the spiritual forces. These forces are normally dissipated by inner conflicts, or confusion, or by various external demands and responsibilities of life. Sankalpa is a tool to focus the energy, the Prana – the life force, so that it becomes like a laser beam.

STAGES OF SANKALPA

Though the Sankalpa is one – in order to recognize the deepest quality of Sankalpa, we may have to go through some of the stages along the way, like stepping-stones across a river – each step within reach of the previous one.

It can be described into four stages:

(I) The reforming of bad habits

(II) Improving the quality of life and living

(III) Creating a real change within our personality

(IV) Realizing what we are trying to achieve in this life

FIND A SANKALPA

The choice of the kind of Sankalpa we make is very important and should always aim to bring out the best within us. We should first deliberate to find out what level we are at and what changes can be attempted to begin our way over. It means recognizing – reducing and eliminating some negative quality that we know is holding us back. If that negative quality can be successfully managed, and dealt with, then we are in a position to recognize a positive change we can make, which would improve the quality of our life. Find a Sankalpa, which is short and sweet; only a few words. It need not be influenced by words alone. It should be visualized symbolically as an image and felt as a sensation. It should bring up with it a feeling of complete surrender and faith towards God. Consider well before making your Sankalpa. Once you do find your Sankalpa, then meditate on it, read it each day, or journal on it. Don’t change it, until it comes true.

PHRASING THE SANKALPA

The phrasing of the Sankalpa can be either in the present or the future tense; whatever works for you. For example, when I make a Sankalpa and use the future tense, what this means to me is that I will do something; I will do it using all my willpower; and I will complete it. There is no doubt in my mind of this. That is what the word “will” implies here – I will do it. The word “will” refers to the future tense, as well as to willpower.

HOW TO FORMULATE THE SANKALPA

Sankalpa should only be made when one understands its real purpose and meaning. In the beginning, most people do not know what Sankalpa is or which Sankalpa they should make. Therefore, they should wait until their understanding develops. To come to this state, begin with something very basic: changing the habits; changing the limitations that inhibit your growth. Try to understand yourself, observe yourself, find the blocks, and overcome one thing at a time. Don’t have an abstract idea or an unattainable concept without prior training.

POWER OF THE SANKALPA

The power of the Sankalpa arises when we tune into our desires, into what we really want to achieve, and to get away from the confusion, doubt, and conflict; as seed has tremendous power – but only if it is sown in fertile ground, looked after, and tended daily, with the inner certainty that the seed will produce its fruit in its own time. In the same way, you have the mind and you have an idea. If you prepare your mind, and then sow the seed in the bed of your mind, and if the mind is clear, then the Sankalpa grows very well and becomes willpower.

YOGA AND SANKALPA

Sankalpa should be used every time before we begin our Yoga practice. The practice of Sankalpa, in Yoga, allows us to spend a little time contemplating and trying to tune into what we really want in life. It is a fundamental practice because it provides a foundation for everything else. The problem is that we are so tense – that our past is tense, our present is tense, and our future is tense. Yoga teaches us that focus on the present. Ignore the insecurities of the future. If something is going to happen in the future why are you worried now? Perfect your present. If you practice Yoga (which includes Yoga Nidra and Meditation), it would guide you towards a steady calm body mind; and then Sankalpa will have more force and be able to penetrate more deeply, than when the mind is dissipated.

YOGA NIDRA AND SANKALPA

Sankalpa is an important stage of Yoga Nidra, in which the mind can receive your Sankalpa. It is a determination to become something or to do something in your life. Sankalpa is made twice in Yoga Nidra – in the beginning and at the end. When we make resolve in the beginning of the practice, it is like sowing a seed, and the resolve at the end of the practice is like irrigating it. The aim of Yoga Nidra depends mostly on the practitioner. One can develop the memory, increase knowledge, do astral travelling, transform your nature, and eliminate many vicious habits of thinking and living. If you know what you wish to achieve in life, Sankalpa can be the creator of your destiny.

CONCLUSION

Sankalpa is not making a wish every New Year’s Day. It is taking a step forward; and once you take a step forward, stepping back has no meaning. Remember that the more positive, optimistic, and Sattvic you are, the more strength you will gain, and the further you will go.

If you feel inspired by this article, feel free to publish it in your Newsletter or on your Website. Our humble request is to please include the Resource as follows: Courtesy: Dr. Rita Khanna’s Yogashaastra Studio. A popular studio that helps you fi nd natural solutions for complete health.

Mobile: + 919849772485

Ph:-91-40-65173344

Email: yogashaastra@gmail.com

Website: www.yogashaastra.in

Dr. Rita Khanna

Dr. Rita Khanna is a well-known name in the field of Yoga and Naturopathy. She was initiated into this discipline over 25 years ago by world famous Swami Adyatmananda of Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh (India).

She believes firmly that Yoga is a scientific process, which helps us to lead a healthy and disease-free life. She is also actively involved in practicing alternative medicines like Naturopathy. Over the years, she has been successfully practicing these therapies and providing succour to several chronic and terminally ill patients through Yoga, Diet and Naturopathy. She is also imparting Yoga Teachers Training.

At present, Dr. Rita Khanna is running a Yoga Studio in Secunderabad (Hyderabad, India).

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

How often do people wish for changes? How can people make more effective resolutions? Where do beginners go wrong in maintaining a steady Yoga practice? There are many benefits that occur when practicing Yoga, but these benefits are not instant. Yet, those who stay on the Yogic path, experience benefits because of Yoga’s systematic plan of action.

How often do people wish for changes? The answer is: Most of the time, people wish to improve their lives, but wishing or wishful thinking, without action, leads nowhere. Whatever one does, says, or thinks, is karma to some degree. Yet, failing to take action (non-doing) is also a form of karma. Simply wishing, without action, is not enough to change oneself or the world around us.

A decision to do something (resolution) is sometimes taken very seriously. The beginning of the year is often a time of self-reflection because of time away from work. Depending on where we live, with respect to our culture and our climate, each of us has precious time during the course of the year. When we have time away from the daily grind, we are able to think more clearly about our purpose in life.

How can people make more effective resolutions? Developing a strategy of motivation and inspiration is the key to making great changes within us and the world around us. What inspires you, burns within, like an eternal flame. Inside each of us is an inner voice that would like to make a difference.

We cannot just wish for a cleaner planet, world peace, social changes, or a better diet. We have to take part in it. We have to feel good about what we do. We have to be inspired by a cause to be a part of a lifestyle change. True inspiration is what gives each of us gratification, and it can move the world.

Inside the philosophy of Yoga is a strong belief in tolerance, loving kindness, forgiving, and self-realization. The first to change must be oneself. In order to help others, we must help ourselves. This change from within is an age old process, but it always works.

Where do beginners go wrong with maintaining a steady Yoga practice? Beginning Yoga students want to change themselves in an instant to make up for lost time. The Yogic path must be a gradual walk – not a sprint. Time is not our enemy because it is eternal. When you enjoy each second of your existence, you have achieved the state of self-realization.

Yoga’s systematic plan of action requires us to enjoy life – one step at a time. Enjoy all that is good in life and always focus on the positive. There is no need to worry about making up for lost time if you are on the Yogic path.

© Copyright 2009 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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