Archive for the ‘yoga for ailments’ Category

Teaching Yoga to Students Recovering from Surgery or Living with Chronic Illness: Reclining Healing Meditation

Friday, April 12th, 2013

500 hour yoga instructor certification programBy: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed

Teaching Yoga to students who are living with a chronic illness, injury or healing from a surgical procedure is both a challenge and a wonderful opportunity to make a substantial difference in a student’s life. By modifying Yoga asanas according to your students’ individual needs with Yoga props and creative sequencing, you will allow students of all levels to participate more fully in a multi-level class. In addition, if you allow time for a reclining healing meditation at the end of class, you will support your students in practicing the time-honored tradition of Pratayahara or the withdrawal of the senses, which will allow them a grace period of rest when they can focus on sending healing energy throughout their body and mind.

* Reclining Healing Meditation

This meditation is wonderful to do lying down, ensconced in blankets and supported by a Yoga bolster under the knees. Before beginning the Reclining Healing Meditation, it is recommended that you ask your students if they need a bolster or an extra blanket. If eye bags are available at your Yoga studio, you may also want to suggest that your students cover their eyes with the eye bags, in order to further facilitate the withdrawal of the senses from the external world.

When your Yoga students are ready to begin the Reclining Healing Mediation, instruct them to lie down on their Yoga mats and place a bolster under their knees. They may wish to cover themselves with a blanket and place an eye bag over their eyes. To begin the meditation, have your students take five complete, slow breaths. As they complete the fifth breath, suggest that your students visualize a healing white light (or a color of their choice) pouring gently into their Crown Chakra. As they breathe fully, gently guide them in visualizing the healing light flowing like honey throughout their entire body, filling them with a nourishing, warming energy.

After the warm, honey light has filled their bodies completely; if there is one part of their body that needs special attention today, guide your Yoga students to focus the healing light even more strongly in that particular area. Allow at least a full ten minutes for this Reclining Healing Mediation. When your students have completed the meditation, instruct them to remove their eye bags and Yoga bolster and roll to their right hand side. After pausing for a few breaths, instruct your students to gently push themselves up and pause in Easy Seat on their mats as they feel the reverberation of the healing energy throughout their entire being.

© Copyright 2013 – Virginia Iversen – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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Can Yoga Help Parkinson’s Disease?

Monday, February 25th, 2013

yoga teacher training intensive courseBy Kimaya Singh

Yoga has built a reputation worldwide for giving physical and physiological health, mental peace, and emotional and intellectual clarity. It involves therapeutic asanas (postures) and modulation of breath (pranayama) to achieve the goals trying to be met. Within the last several years the popularity has becoming increasingly popular because of its therapeutic benefits. Parkinson’s disease affects the way that one moves his or her body. It occurs when there is a problem with nerve cells in the brain. Although there has been no medical proof that yoga can help to cure Parkinson’s disease it certainly has shown some control of it.

Practice can certainly help a patient gain more control and better endurance. One thing that is very important for someone with Parkinson’s disease to do is to constantly keep the body moving on a daily basis. However, exercising to the point of exhaustion is not recommended.

Physical movement and activity can improve everyone’s overall health. That is why gentle and therapeutic forms of yoga training could be the perfect exercise for people with this disease. Some patients have even shown that their signs have significantly decreased.  Recommended yogic activity involves stretching the body and goes at a slow pace, which is perfect for anyone to adjust to new body movements. This can help with one’s mobility and range of motion. There are specialist classes specifically designed for people with special needs that are affiliated with hospitals and out patient clinics. Here is a list of what these yoga training sessions usually consist of to help better their overall health.

Balance Training

Gentle Yoga Asanas

Back Strengthening Postures

Shoulder Movements

Meditation

Proper Breathing Techniques

All of these techniques are crucial to helping patients who are dealing with Parkinson’s disease. They also help reduce stress, which is another very important factor. Doctors additionally recommend that people with this disease find some sort of physical therapy to help them through it. Physical therapy is usually asked to be used to get those muscles that are otherwise not being in use, to get some movement. That is why yoga has become a viable and less expensive outlet. Yogic movement can help also to improve muscle strength and increase mobility.

With many different types of poses and strategies, yoga will not stop Parkinson’s disease from moving forward throughout the body. It can only improve quality of life, lessen some of the symptoms, and help patients toward the goal of physical and mental health and strength. Therapeutic yoga can be an uplifting activity for people with this disease that need an outlet. It is always important to consult a doctor about your disease, yogic exercise, and the steps you want to take toward it.

© Copyright 2013 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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Yoga Teacher Training: Tailbone Pain

Sunday, July 22nd, 2012

how to become a yoga instructorBy Bhavan Kumar

Like many other conditions we learn about in Yoga teacher training, pain in the tailbone can be both helped and aggravated by exercise. Although some asanas present problems, others alleviate pain and relieve inflammation. The key to success is knowing your own body and finding a good yoga instructor.

Pain in the coccyx, or tailbone, is a common condition that affects five times as many women as men. Although the disorder stems from a variety of causes ranging from falls to pregnancy, an unstable coccyx is frequently the culprit. Discomfort varies from mild to acute and is usually aggravated by sitting.

Located in the root chakra at the tip of the spine, the tailbone is closely related to the sacroiliac, or S-I, joint. Misalignment of the spine in this area can lead to emotional concerns related to the first chakra and physical pain caused by instability and stress. Difficult to diagnose and to treat, the condition can become chronic if not properly managed.

In “Yoga Journal,” author and pioneering Restorative Yoga instructor Judith Lasater recommends several practices to eliminate stress on the S-I joint and reduce tailbone pain. Among these are the following:

• Strengthen the S-I joint and backbone with standing poses and simple backbends.

• Be aware of forward bends and other poses that stress or unlock the S-I joint.

• Don’t sit cross-legged.

• Evenly distribute weight between both legs.

• Keep feet hip-width apart in poses like Tree Pose or Warrior I.

• When doing twists, move the sacrum and pelvis together.

• Avoid poses that stretch the piriformis muscle and exercise caution with standing twists.

• Line front heel with the back heel instead of the arch when doing poses like Warrior II or Triangle.

The following Yoga postures may help to relieve discomfort and restore mobility to the sacroiliac joint.

• Root Lock

• Child’s Pose

• Cow Pose

• Cat Pose

• Cobra Pose

• Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose

• Bridge Pose

• Spinal Twist (lying on floor with knees bent)

Any asana that aggravates or worsens pain should be avoided or practiced with modifications and supervision. Some poses can be approached gradually with the help of a well-trained Yoga instructor; others may need to be avoided altogether. Moderation is the key.

Side Notes for Yoga Teachers

Understanding basic body mechanics is something we should have learned in our foundational Yoga teacher training.  If the skeletal body was not covered. we must enhance our knowledge through continuing education that is specifically designed for a Yoga instructor.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

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If you are a Yoga Teacher, studio manager, 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! 

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Wrist Injuries and Yoga Part II

Saturday, June 2nd, 2012

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 (Director of Yoga Teacher Training at Aura Wellness Center) provides detailed information about grades of sprained wrists, ways to identify wrist problems, and the long term effects of practicing Yoga while a wrist injury is healing. This video is useful to Yoga practitioners, those looking to become a Yoga teacher or those who are already teaching.

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Teaching Yoga to Protect the Knees

Saturday, May 19th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

It is not uncommon to hear about former students, who dismiss the practice, due to the knee pain they experienced during a complex pose.  At the same time, it is not uncommon to encounter devoted students, who point to Yoga practice as a therapy and practical cure for the knee pain they once experienced, prior to beginning practice. As a result of these two conflicting ideas, people might wonder what is the truth.

Just like anything in life, the truth about Yogic exercise, and knees, is both simple and complex. It is simply true that some asanas (postures) place strain on the knees, and that incorrect form can lead to knee pain or injury. It is also true that good therapeutic Yoga sessions can effectively end years of knee pain and debilitation.

This is where the complexity comes in: Practicing correctly can be difficult for many students because poses are often complex and challenging. Padmasana (lotus pose) looks easy enough, but an adult from a chair-sitting culture may cause harm to the knees or hips by trying to get into the posture. For this reason, new Yoga instructors should be aware that students would be better off working with Ardha Padmasana (half lotus posture) as a warm-up to Padmasana. It is possible for a student to attempt Padmasana for life and not be able to master this posture. Rather than frustrate our students, half lotus or Sukasana (easy posture) are viable options.

How Does Yoga Protect Knees?

Knee injuries occur under a variety of circumstances. Often, knee pain is a result of torn or strained ligaments or of a worn down meniscus, which is the cartilage within the knees meant to provide padding and cushion during movement and impact activity. Knee pain can also be caused by osteoarthritis in the knee or by misalignment of the kneecap.

In many cases, these knee injuries are related to a sudden injury (auto accidents, sports-related injuries, etc.) or a muscular imbalance. In the case of a muscular imbalance, quadriceps that, in their strength, over-compensate for weaker hamstrings, can cause an over-rotation of the knee, which results, over time, in pain and higher risk for tears, sprains, and osteoarthritis.

Therapeutic Yoga protects the knees by strengthening the knee and bringing stabilizer muscles in balance with each other, which aids in correct knee alignment and a more equal muscle strength distribution.

Tips for Teaching Yoga to Protect the Knees

1. In order to avoid the risk of knee injury inherent in some poses, a Yoga instructor must emphasize that students not force themselves into high risk poses that strain the knee. Often, these poses require flexibility that takes time to acquire, and students need to be reminded that this is a practice in patience and mastery rather than quick progression.

2. Yoga students, recovering from knee injuries, should also avoid quick transitions from pose to pose, as more abrupt movements, especially in complicated poses, can cause injury.

3. Yoga teachers should emphasize that some stretching sensations are necessary to improve flexibility, but practitioners should back off if knee pain flares up, regardless of the perceived level of expertise.

4. Legs should be thoroughly warmed up and stretched before a student launches into a pose, such as Padmasana, which can put pressure on the knee. Yoga instructors should consider modifying poses for students with persistent knee pain, ailments, or injuries.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga teacher training and continuing education courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

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If you are a Yoga Teacher, studio owner, 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!

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Mindfulness Meditation and Hatha Yoga for Trauma Survivors

Friday, November 25th, 2011

online yoga teacher coursesBy Faye Martins

A relatively new niche in the practice and teaching of Yoga is the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in trauma survivors through the emotionally sensitive practice of Yoga asanas, pranayama exercises and mindfulness meditation techniques. Physical and psychological trauma often occurs when a survivor experiences a life situation in which he or she is terrified, in a potentially life-threatening situation and completely unable to stop the experience from happening. This sense of helplessness is one of the key areas that trauma-sensitive Yoga classes can address and heal. The psychological defense mechanism of emotional numbing or freezing is also an area that the practice of mindfulness meditation techniques during a Yoga class can successfully begin to heal.

Yoga classes come in all shapes and sizes today. There are gentle, restorative classes and very vigorous challenging power Yoga classes that are held in rooms heated up to 104 degrees. Often a Yogi or Yogini is admonished during a Yoga class to go deeper into postures and to hold the poses for longer than he or she normally would. This self-competitiveness is great for most people who enjoy going to their physical and emotional edge and pushing through that edge as they surpass their previous accomplishments.

With trauma survivors, it is very important to allow the survivor to not dissociated when the “going gets tough” by supporting the Yogi or Yogini to be intimately aware of his or her emotions, memories and physical sensations while practicing Yoga. As the ability to remain in the body and tolerate uncomfortable physical sensations, thoughts and emotions develops over time, the critical skill of affect-regulation will also develop, in addition to a sense of empowerment when the trauma survivor is supported by his or her Yoga teacher to choose whether or not to even practice the asana or pranayama exercise.

If the trauma survivor does practice the Yoga pose or prescribed breathing exercise, it is also critical to allow the student to immediately stop practicing the asana or pranayama as soon as he or she sees fit. A terrifying sense of helplessness is one of the most damaging aspects of a trauma experience. This mindfulness meditation technique of being in the body and tolerating the physical and emotional sensations that the Yoga pose or pranayama is bringing up will support the trauma survivor in being grounded, aware and empowered to stop practicing the posture or pranayama if it is not nourishing to his or her well-being. This is one of the key healing aspects of incorporating mindfulness meditation techniques into a trauma-sensitive Yoga class, the empowerment of a trauma survivor to say “no” to what does not feel good regardless of the reason or the expectations of the teacher or other students.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

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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!

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Yoga Poses to Release Neck and Shoulder Tension

Saturday, November 5th, 2011

yoga teacher trainingBy Kimaya Singh

Many of us struggle with the discomfort of accumulating neck and shoulder tension throughout the day. Neck and shoulder tension can be caused by too much time on the computer or behind the wheel of a car. Neck and shoulder tension may also be caused by anxiety, stress or bottling up our emotions. Tension in this area can easily block of the flow of chi or life force energy and leave us feeling uncomfortable, drained and exhausted. The optimal alignment of our spine and neck may also be compromised.

There are many Yoga poses that target and tease the tension out of the neck and shoulder areas. Practicing the Sun Salutation Series is a vigorous way to warm-up the entire body and begins the process of relieving tension throughout all of the major muscles groups. Standing poses such as Triangle Pose and Eagle Pose are very powerful at releasing muscular tension in our neck and shoulder areas. Dolphin Pose is great half-inversion that is also very effective for releasing shoulder and neck tension.

Trikonasana or Triangle Pose

Before practicing Triangle Pose: Warm-up with at least five Sun Salutations. If you have the time, practicing five rounds of Sun Salutation A and five rounds of Sun Salutation B will effectively warm up your body so that you can practice Triangle Pose more deeply. After warming up with a number of Sun Salutations, stand at the top of your mat in Mountain Pose. Take one complete Yogic breath and with your next exhale, jump your feet three and a half to four feet apart. Your feet will be parallel to the ends of your Yoga mat. Extend your arms to shoulder-height above your feet with your palms facing the floor.

Turn your left foot in at a 45-degree angle facing the front of your Yoga mat. Turn your upper body to face your right hand. Extend your torso several inches to the right. When your reach the limits of your stretch, gently bend your upper torso and tilt your body so that your arms are at a right angle to the floor. Without compromising the correct alignment or your spine, i.e. hunching over or twisting, extend your right hand down to your knee, shin or ankle. Hold this asana for three to five breaths. Repeat Trikonasana for the same number of breaths on the left side. You may wish to finish your practice of this asana by moving through a vinyasa and coming to rest in Samasthiti before proceeding to the next asana.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

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!

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