30 Days of Relaxation - Day 25

Using the Therapeutic Spinal Strip for Shoulder Release + Thoracic Spine Backbend

Many of my classes begin with "Laying on the Spinal Strip." This is based on the therapeutic work of Susi Hately Aldous. We have firm foam strips at the studio but you can make do with a rolled up mat, a tightly rolled towel, or even a swim noodle.


Setting up: Fold your strip in half (or roll up your mat/towel tightly), place it lengthwise on the floor behind you, and then lay down on it. Once you lay down, the bottom edge of the strip should be at about T7 or T8 on your back.

Settling in: If you don’t know what I mean by that here is how to tell: place your finger tips on your breast bone then slide them down to the soft spot just below the breast bone. The spinal strip should be just opposite that soft spot where your finger tips are resting. Run one hand behind you to feel for the spinal strip.

Now notice if you have any discomfort in the low back or if your lower ribs are flaring up. If you notice either of these things, try lifting your hips, elongating your tailbone and laying your hips back down again, keeping the knees bent.

If this does not really help, then you need to lift your hips up again and place a folded blanket under your hips/sacrum area. Keep your knees bent. Notice if this has lessened your discomfort and/or your flaring ribs.



If you still have discomfort or flared ribs, unfold your strip and lay on it in a single layer. Or if you are using a rolled towel or rolled mat, just unroll it a little to make your spinal strip a bit smaller. If you feel like your head is tilting back place a small pillow or thinly folded blanket under your head.



Allow yourself to settle here for at least 5-10 minutes, letting the shoulders settle in around the spinal strip. Focus on your breathing. You might play around with rolling the shoulders or floating the arms overhead (never moving into clicks, cracks, or discomfort).

Coming out of the pose: To come out of the pose, or if at any point laying on the strip becomes uncomfortable, push the blanket out from under you, roll gently to one side, push the strip out of the way and then lay on your back in Savasana.

Enjoy!

40 Days of Relaxation - Day 28

Friday, Feb 25, 2011 - Day 28

Deep Peace Wellness Studio

Tonight I teach Yin which I do find to be relaxing but which I cannot count as my relaxation since I will be teaching. So, today I treated myself and attended Jodi's noontime Relax and Renew class at Deep Peace Wellness Studio. The studio is in a lovely space in downtown Duluth. It has huge windows which let in plenty of sun and light. Very nice to come in to after the icy winds outside. She was playing Tibetan Bowl gonging music with running water sounds in the background. It was so soothing. It was like being in summer for a brief respite.

Jodi taught a lovely and restorative therapeutic spine class with multiple heart openers and spine releasing poses. We did a lot of work with the therapeutic spinal strip which I think was good for me because I am a bit sore after attending the Back Arch class at Yoga North last night. "Multiple" makes it sound like we were rushed but we weren't. We spent around 10 minutes per pose (I'm guessing) and really settled in.

This class was a little bit early for my relaxation since I am usually choosing to relax between 4-8 pm. I felt pretty alert and even kept my eyes open some of the time. I didn't feel distracted though. The ceiling had pretty beams which I enjoyed looking at. Of course, I didn't have my glasses on so pretty much everything is a blur. Very soothing - like a Monet painting.

30 Day Relaxation Challenge - Week 3

Congratulations! You are at the half-way point in this 30 Day Deep Relaxation Challenge.

My hope for you is that by creating a new habit of softness in your breath and body, and by setting your intention (sankalpa) and repeating it to yourself every day, that you will start to feel an opening, an ease in your body and your life. Check back in your journal and see how you were feeling at the beginning of the practice. Then take stock of how you feel now. Note any differences. Note if there are not any differences. Continue to do your homework, claiming 10-15 minutes (or more) each day for 30 days to consciously relax.

For our first week we practiced building breath awareness with Equal Breathing or Sama Vritta Pranayama.  The 2nd week we learned the 3-Part Breath or Dirga Pranayama. This week we will learn one of my favorite breath practices: 2 to 1 Breathing.

2 to 1 Breathing: 2min48sec.

The postures we learned this week are Supported Lumbar Stretch and Supported Side Reclining Twist.

 Supported Lumbar Stretch

To do the Supported Lumbar Stretch, get yourself a felted pad or a firm blanket or even a big towel (like a beach towel) and make a roll that is about a handful for you. Lay down, bend your knees, lift your butt off the floor and come into little bridge pose. Place your roll under you so it is at your waist - center it behind your bellybutton. Now start to lower your seat towards the floor, arching your spine over the roll.  When you settle your seat down to the floor, your back should feel like "Ahhhh" not "Ow, ow, ow." You should not look over arched. Your belly is not raised by the roll under your back. If you are not comfortable, lift your seat (into little bridge again) and make your roll smaller until your back is happy. Sit on the tail of the blanket if you have extra. Conversely, if you feel nothing, you will need to lift your seat into little bridge and make your roll a little bigger. Please click here to view the main post on this pose to see additional pictures and instruction.

Supported Side Reclining Twist

To come into Supported Side Reclining Twist, sit on your shins on the floor with a bolster at your side (next to one thigh). The bolster should extend long-ways away from the body. Let your seat slide off of your legs towards your bolster / blankets so that you are seated with your knees bent and your feet are slightly away from your body, off to one side. Turn the torso so the belly is facing the bolster, place one hand on either side of the bolster, lengthen the spine, then start to lay the body down on the bolster for a side-reclining, supported twist. Head can rest facing either side. Arms can rest in a comfortable position. Take this pose on each side for about the same length of time. Fore more details on this pose click here.

Next week we will learn 2 more poses and a new breath practice. I encourage you to continue to journal your experiences, noticing how you feel, and taking note of any changes in your attitude, mind, body or spirit.

Best of luck relaxing. Enjoy!

Supported Lumbar Stretch

I learned this lumbar stretch from my teacher Susi Hately Aldous during one of the Therapeutic Yoga Trainings I have taken from her. I'm a bit of a hyper-extender so I was surprised that this pose would be good for me. What it does is lengthen your lumbar vs. kink it - which is a typical move for me in any kind of backbending posture. Here's how it works:


Step 1. Get yourself a felted pad or a firm blanket or even a big towel (like a beach towel) and make a roll that is about a handful for you. Sit on the tail of the blanket if you have extra.

Step 2. Lay down over the roll, supporting yourself on your elbows to ease your body down.

Step 3. As you lay down, lift your seat up so you are in a tiny bridge pose. Adjust your roll so it is at your waist - not your sacrum). You know if it is in the right place if it is centered behind your bellybutton.

Step 4. Now start to lower your seat towards the floor, arching your spine over the roll. When you settle your seat your back should feel like "Ahhhh" not "Ow, ow, ow." You should not look over arched. Your belly is not raised by the roll under your back. If you are not comfortable, lift your seat (into little bridge again) and make your roll smaller until your back is happy. Conversely, if you feel nothing, you will need to lift your seat into little bridge and make your roll a little bigger.

Step 5. Lay here for 5-10 minutes or until you are feeling done.

Enjoy!

Susi's Newsletter

I just received Susi Hately Aldous' newsletter. She was talking about doing less, instead of more; of relaxing into a pose instead of pushing into a pose; of letting go of the "no pain, no gain" attitude. I can't agree more. When it comes to Restorative and Yin you cannot push yourself to relax more. There is no competition to see who can be the most relaxed. There is just you, your breath, and your body, settling in and softening.


Here's Susi's rules:

1. Relax into your movement. If you think about relaxing as a segue to movement, you will automatically "let go." As you continue to move with relaxation, your strength will improve. Remember, tight muscles are weak muscles, so as tight muscles relax, they will become stronger.

2. Breathe easily. Notice if there is any tension when you use breathing techniques like Ujjayi. If there is tension, back off in order to find the ease. Remember, you want to use your breath to breathe, not to stabilize.

3. If you feel strain or ache, ease out to a position of strain-free or ache-free. Feel for the emerging non-pain sensations.  (If you have pain or strain constantly through your day, then be sure that your pain symptoms don't increase with your practice).

4. Don't believe that your "bad back" or "bad knee" will be "bad" forever. I have seen so many people increase their range of motion, strength, and stability while at the same time reduce or eliminate their aches, strains, or pain.

5. Remember, relaxing is not doing nothing.  As Indira Gandhi said, "You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose". It may be helpful to consider relaxation in movement as relaxed resilience. This will help you cultivate greater strength.

6. Instead of saying to yourself, "Ooooh, a little further," say, "Relax just a little more."

Thanks for the great tips Susi. Aren't these lovely rules to live by? Relax and settle in.

Pain, Fear, or Fear of Pain?

More Teacher Training Ah-ha's

I have noticed a tendency both in myself and in some students to hold back in a posture because of a previous bad experience, a chronic pain issue, or because of a perception that something bad will happen.

I try to do a couple of 40-day practices throughout the year. In one of my 40 day practices last year I laid on the foam strip every day (in addition to other postures). It felt so good that I would stay for quite some time. I don't keep a clock in the room where I do yoga so I can't say for sure how long it actually was.

After a couple of weeks I started to have extreme discomfort in my mid-back. I had a hard time taking a full breath and I felt like I needed to crack my back all the time. The only time I didn't hurt was when I was laying on the strip.

Finally the pain got to be too much and I made an appointment with my chiropractor. Turns out my back was all out of whack - especially around T7 and T8 - the exact region where the end of the foam strip would rest. My chiropractor was able to get me adjusted but I became misaligned again within a few days and had to go back.

After that experience I became fearful of the foam strip. I didn't want to lay on it at all but we were using it a lot in the classes I was attending so I often had to lay on it. So I modified the pose and used the strip in 1 layer instead of 2, placed a blanket under my bum and only stayed for a couple of minutes.

Then I had a training with Susi Hately Aldous and she wanted us to use the foam strip doubled up. I was so scared of creating pain again in my body that I started to cry. Susi talked me through it, saying to breathe to the area and ask myself if I was actually having pain or if I was having fear. An interesting question. Something we could all ask ourselves about many things. In this case it turns out I was having fear of pain, not pain itself.

In the book, The Yamas and Niyamas Deborah Adele talks about Svadhyaya (Self-Study). This idea of breathing into an area of the body and asking it what is going on in there (self-study) has been helpful to me in figuring out old hurts and habits and in working out new patterns and postures.

Now I can lay on the foam strip (doubled) without pain but still with a little fear - I like to call it caution. I stay only as long as I feel comfortable. I keep my awareness in my spine and as soon as I start to have discomfort I remove the foam strip. With this new awareness I am able to reap the benefits of the opening that comes from using the foam strip in the doubled up position without crossing the edge into pain.

Happy exploring.

Therapeutic Teacher Training Ah-ha's

Are you Married to Your Breath?

This is a good one. Watch yourself move, watch yourself breathe, watch yourself breathe and move. Can you move counter to what you have trained yourself? Can you exhale when you open your chest and inhale on contraction? Sounds backwards I know. And it feels backwards too but the point is....Are you married to your breath and/or your movement patterns?

A couple of examples...

1. We were practicing Marching Abs (bent knee leg lifts) with an engaged core. I noticed that I could not lift a leg until I had taken a deep inhale and a full exhale (to relax? to prepare? for what purpose?). Only then could I engage my core with purpose and lift a leg. I was stuck in a breath and movement pattern. I had practiced this pattern so many times that it almost became a superstition: inhale-exhale-relax-engage core-lift leg. I couldn't lift my leg without the first 4 steps happening in exactly that way. Now, after practicing this I am starting to be able to engage my core and lift my leg without the first 3 steps. But I still want to revert to my pattern. Curious.

2. Another woman was not stuck so much in a breath pattern as a movement pattern but the example is still relevant. We were practicing finding a twist solely from our torsos by moving from the spine first. We were laying on one side with bent knees, top arm raises to point at the sky and then you try to twist open, bringing the heart center towards the sky without leading with the arm and without letting the top knee slide off the bottom knee. Her issue was that she couldn't lift her arm to the sky without twisting at the same time. Normally she can move her arm, but in this particular exercise she became so stuck that she couldn't lift her arm at all without her habitual movement pattern. Someone helped her lift her arm skyward a few times, she developed a new pattern and was able to move her arm without twisting. Interesting.

I invite you to watch yourselves. Watch your breath, watch your movement, watch your breath and your movement together. Notice your habits, experiment, play, and have fun with this.

Namaste.

Therapeutic Teacher Training

Today I am starting a 5 day Therapeutic Teacher training with Susi Hately Aldous. See the Therapeutic Yoga for the Shoulders and Upper Back blogs for more information about some of the teachings I have already taken from her. I'm looking forward to the training, to learning more about how to relieve pain in the body, and to sharing this new knowledge with my students.

Namaste.

Laying on the Foam Strip - Step 5

Therapeutic Pose for the Shoulders and Upper Back

Step 5: Lay for 5-10 minutes, allowing the shoulders to settle in around the black strip. Focus on your breathing. To come out of the pose, or if at any point laying on the strip becomes uncomfortable, push the blanket out from under you, roll gently to one side, push the strip out of the way and then lay back down on your back in Savasana.

For more information about exercises you can do while laying on the black strip see my blog post: Therapeutic/Restorative Yoga Help. For more information on the book by Susi Hately Aldous which inspired this pose, check out: Therapeutic Yoga for the Shoulders and Hips

Review Step 1, Step 2, Step 3 or Step 4.

Namaste.

Laying on the Foam Strip - Step 4

Therapeutic Pose for the Shoulders and Upper Back

Step 4: If you still have discomfort or flared ribs, unfold your strip and lay on it in a single layer. If you feel like your chin is higher than your forehead place a pillow or folded blanket under your head.

Review Step 1, Step 2, or Step 3.

Laying on the Foam Strip - Step 3

Therapeutic Pose for the Shoulders and Upper Back

Step 3: If your low back hurts or your lower ribs are flaring and lifting the hips and resettling the spine (as described in Step 2) didn't help, then you need to lift your hips up again and place a folded blanket under your hips/sacrum area. Keep your knees bent if you are using a blanket. Notice if this has lessened your discomfort and/or your flaring ribs. If not, stay tuned for Step 4.


Review Step 1 and Step 2.

Laying on the Foam Strip - Step 2

Therapeutic Pose for the Shoulders and Upper Back

Step 2: Once you are laying down notice if you have any discomfort in the low back or if your lower ribs are flaring up. Try lifting your hips, elongating your tailbone and laying your hips back down again. If this doesn't help, stay tuned for Step 3. If you missed Step 1 click here.

Laying on the Foam Strip - Step 1

Therapeutic Pose for the Shoulders and Upper Back

Sometimes in class I offer a pose based on the therapeutic work of Susi Hately Aldous. We have firm foam strips at the studio but you can make do with a rolled up mat, a tightly rolled towel, or even a swim noodle.



Step 1: Fold your strip in half (or roll up your mat/towel tightly), place it on the floor behind you and then lay down on it. Once you lay down, the bottom edge of the strip should be at about T7 or T8 on your back. If you don’t know what I mean by that here is how to tell. Place your finger tips on your breast bone then slide them down to where your body becomes soft just below the breast bone. The strip should be just opposite that soft spot where your finger tips are resting. You can feel for the strip with your other hand.

Stay tuned for Step 2.

What are the Benefits of Restorative Yoga?

Restorative poses offer benefits to both the body and mind, for conditions ranging from insomnia, asthma, chronic pain, migraines and depression.

According to Bill Gallagher,

Yoga is an effective rehabilitation tool. There is a growing body of evidence indicating that Yoga appears promising for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, asthma, arthritis, epilepsy, burns, stroke, multiple sclerosis and chronic pain syndromes including low back pain and repetitive strain injuries.

So how can Restorative Yoga be helpful for rehabilitation? Restorative Yoga provides a low-load, prolonged stretch, elicits relaxation, improves breathing patterns and is compatible with gentle manual therapies like myofascial release.

A low-load prolonged stretch is an effective way to restructure muscle tissue. A restorative posture allows the client to remain still for an extended period of time so muscles lengthen and broaden safely without eliciting a stretch reflex. As the client “lets go” and the body relaxes, the therapist can then provide manual therapy that can further address the structural and functional issues observed. The synergistic combination of a supported Yoga posture with manual therapy is a powerful way to address soft tissue restrictions, improve flexibility, increase range of motion and improve body awareness.

Sara's note: I have seen this "letting go" happen first hand in my classes. I wrote about it in A Student Observation.

What is the History of Restorative Yoga?

Judith Lasater says,

The development of these poses is credited to B.K.S. Iyengar, of Pune, India. Author of the contemporary classic Light on Yoga and numerous other books, Iyengar has been teaching yoga for more than sixty years. Widely recognized as a worldwide authority, he is one of the most creative teachers of yoga today.

Iyengar's early teaching experience showed him how pain or injury can result from a student straining in a yoga pose. He experimented with "props," modifying poses until the student could practice without strain. Iyengar also explored how these modified poses could help people recover from illness or injury. It is because of his creativity that the restorative poses in this book (Relax and Renew)-most of which have been developed or directly inspired by him-are such powerful tools to reduce stress and restore health.”

Sara's note: When you can experience the deliciousness of a Restorative pose for yourself you will know why I am grateful to both BKS Iyengar and to Judith Lasater for their work in this area. Visit my Restorative Focus Pose category to see how you can treat yourself to some deep relaxation and stress relief.

What is Restorative Yoga?

I sent my blog link to some friends and one wrote back and said, "Your blog looks great but I have no idea what you are talking about." I thought to myself, "Don't I talk about what Restorative Yoga is?" But I looked back and realized that I really didn't address the question: What is Restorative Yoga? So here goes:

What is Restorative Yoga?

Restorative Yoga is a therapeutic style of yoga which utilizes props to make it easier for the body to get into certain poses, and thus, surrender to the pose. Practicing poses using props provides a completely supportive environment for total relaxation. The more your body is supported in the poses the deeper the sense of relaxation. Relaxation is a state in which there is no movement, no effort, and the brain is quiet. Typically, Restorative poses are sustained for ten minutes or for as long as you are comfortable.

MasalaYoga.com says: Restorative Yoga, the yoga of non-doing, is a core practice underlying the very essence of yoga. Even those with an active dynamic yoga practice will benefit from the inner quietude and deep release of Restorative Yoga. Restorative Yoga is the practice of entering into yoga postures using an assortment of props: blocks, bolsters, blankets, straps, walls, chairs, tables, eye pillows, the floor, and even another yoga practitioner. Supported and stabilized by various props, one experiences the yoga postures as profoundly relaxing and deeply rejuvenating, invoking a natural state of healing rest, renewal and equanimity.

Santosha.com reports: This is a gentle, therapeutic style of Yoga that uses props to support the body to deepen the benefits of the poses. It is a soothing and nurturing practice that promotes the effects of conscious relaxation.

LizOwenYoga.com says: Restorative yoga might best described as a supported, conscious body/mind relaxation practice.

So I hope that helps everyone to understand a little better what exactly Restorative yoga is. If you want to see some poses check out my Restorative Yoga Poses.

Enjoy!

Therapeutic / Restorative Yoga Help

Can Restorative Yoga help me with my shoulder issues?

Question: I have damaged nerves in my left scapula and a frozen left shoulder, and because of the imbalance I am getting pain in my right shoulder also. Could you suggest a restorative pose that would gently stretch my shoulders out?

Answer: Sometimes in class I offer a pose based on the therapeutic work of Susi Hately Aldous (see a link to her Therapeutic Shoulders and Hips book below). We have firm foam strips at the studio but you can make do with a rolled up mat, a tightly rolled towel, or even a swim noodle.

Here's what you do: Roll up your mat (towel) tightly. Lay it lengthwise on the floor behind you and then lay down on it. The bottom of the mat/roll should be at about T7 or T8. If you don't know what I mean by this, here is how to tell. Place your finger tips on your breast bone then slide them down to where your body becomes soft just below the breast bone. The rolled up mat should be just opposite that soft spot where your finger tips are resting and the top should be sticking straight up from the back of your head. Keep one hand on the soft spot just below the breast bone and feel for the mat placement behind you with your other hand.

Now, you can just lay there if you want (this is what we do in Restorative class) or you can do some movement with your shoulders (this is what we do in Hatha class). Raising the arms to point at the ceiling (thumbtips touch so the arms move at the same rate), lifting the shoulders towards the ceiling and then letting them settle back towards the floor so they hug the mat can help relieve tension in the back and shoulders. Repeat 5-10 times slowly, moving with the breath.

Don't stay too long on the rolled up mat. If you are really frozen up it might be painful. Or in my case - I'm too mobile and I ended up getting misaligned (couple of ribs) by staying too long. Also, if you are uncomfortable in the low back or sacrum, place a folded blanket under your bum and keep your knees bent.

Check out this link if you are interested in exploring Therapeutic Yoga for the shoulders or hips: Therapeutic Yoga for the Shoulders and Hips

Check out Laying on the Foam Strip to view images and other ideas for relieving shoulder pain.