Heal Back Pain

Weekly Education Topic
8/22-8/28/2011

Yoga reduces spinal compression and helps overall body alignment to reduce back pain.  Therapeutic Massage and Reiki both relieves tension and stress in the musculature, physical body and energetic body to relieve back pain.

It has been reported that 90% of the American population has experienced lower back pain.  Are you one of them?  Yoga and healing techniques can be just what you need in order to live a pain free life.  Increasing the flexibility and range of motion of the spinal column and hips can do wonders for your back.  Play around with a few of the following  postures to help your back.  When working with the lower back please be mindful that the spine is long and extended.  This creates space in the spine rather than compression.

Core strength is another important component to healing your back. The number one support for the lower back are the lower abs. And the number one support for the lower abs is the pelvic floor. In a yoga class you will likely hear these called the navel lock and the root lock. The navel lock is a gentle pull in and up of the lower abdominals (below the belly button). The root lock is a gentle pull up and in of the pelvic floor, similar to a Kegel. These two energy and muscular engagements lock or seal in energy to support the body. You will notice if you practice these in a class or even at home doing dishes that your posture will improve. You will stand taller and feel more energetic.

Childs Pose

Half Lord of Fishes

Seated Straddle Splits

Cactus

Knees to chest

Mindy will be practicing Triangle, Trikonasana, in every class she teaches in the month of August.  Triangle is a great pose for opening the hips and lengthening the hamstrings.  It develops core strength and offers a new way to approach the world.  You know what they say, “Lateral movement leads to lateral thinking.”

Triangle

This month’s meditation, So Hum, holds its power in its simplicity.  So Hum is a practice of listening to the breath.  The inhales sound like so and the exhales make the sound hum.  If you sit quietly and listen you will hear this mantra.  It is always with us.  When translated from Sanskrit, So Hum means “I am that, that I am.”  It is a reminder that we are more than just our body and mind.  We are all connected to the Source and can live in that presence always.  This meditation is very calming and soothing to the body and mind.

Weekly Education Topic: Improve Your Posture with Yoga and other Healing Techniques

The very nature of yoga teaches the practitioner how to hold and control one’s body in a more healthful position. Through consistent practice, your posture will improve so that you look more confident and healthy.

Virabhadrasana 2 - Warrior 2

Poor posture is caused by an imbalance of overly weak and tight muscles. The weak muscles of the core (abdominals and back muscles) as well as the pelvic floor are the primary cause of poor postural habits. The number of muscles it takes to sit or stand with good posture are fewer than those we use with poor posture. They get so tired when we attempt good posture because they are not well trained. Properly practicing Tadasana (Mountain Pose), Virabadhrasana 2 (Warrior 2) and seated forward folds are a wonderful way to improve the overall condition of your posture.  Utilizing the Root Lock, Mula Bandha, is the perfect way to strengthen the pelvic floor.  Mula Bandha is similar to a kegel that your doctor may prescribe.

Natarajasana - Dancer

Tightness in the chest and neck and inflexibility of the spine is where mobility comes in. When the shoulders roll forward and the head is in front of the body we begin to create poor postural habits. I know this one well as it is one of the primary things I have been working on with my yoga practice for the last 13 years. Opening the chest and front shoulders with simple stretches like chest expansion and Natarajasana (Dancer) are a great way to release tension from the front of the body. The spine can improve its flexibility with twists and back bends. Releasing muscular tension through massage is another beneficial tool to use when working with your posture.

Poor posture can also be an energetic protection device that the body has created to help you feel safer in your life. Improving your posture not only makes your body feel better but you also stand taller, look and feel more confident and tend to smile more. Working with a qualified reiki practitioner can aid in shifting this energetic patterning the body has developed.  You can also play with Surya Namaskara, Sun Salutations, which are wonderful for balancing the front and back of the body.

Improving your posture could be just the thing you need right now to get you through the stress of the summer. Give it a try. You don’t have to fix it in one day. Through patience and consistently being aware of your posture you can make wonderful improvements!



Written by Mindy Arbuckle

Weekly Education Topic: Yoga and Metabolism

Having a balanced metabolism results in maintaining a healthy weight and controlling hunger. Consistent yoga practice helps find the balance and creates a more efficient metabolism.



“Rather than building muscle, yoga builds muscle tone,” says Shakta Kaur Khalsa, author of the K.I.S.S. Guide to Yoga. “Because yoga helps maintain a balanced metabolism, it also helps to regulate weight. Additionally, yoga stretches muscles lengthwise, causing fat to be eliminated around the cells, thus reducing cellulite.”

“As circulation is increased in the thyroid, adrenal and pituitary glands that send out endorphins and hormones throughout our bodies, balance can be restored in our metabolic system. Through breath and movement, more oxygen and nutrients are introduced to the blood, and toxins that interfere with metabolic balance are released. Even in a short period of time, cravings and fatigue can be reduced, and with regular practice, weight loss is possible. “If your weight problem is caught early, it’s manageable with a yoga practice that caters to you and your schedule,” she says. Lieb generally encourages daily practice, as you’d alter your diet daily not once a week to see results, but incorporating the following postures and breathing techniques as often as possible can begin to provoke change and rebalance your metabolism.”  Rachel G. Horn, Yoga Cures: Slow Metabolism.



Sun Salutations can boost energy and vitality while getting the body moving.  View a video about how to practice Sun Salutations.



Inversions such as Plow and Shoulder Stand are also great energy boosters for the metabolism as they activate the thyroid.

Plow - Halasana

Shoulder Stand - Sarvangasana

July Pose and Meditation of the Month

Join any of Mindy’s classes this month to play with Seated Straddle Splits (Upavista Konasana) and remove obstacles with the Ganesha Mantra “Om Gum Ganapataye Namaha”.


The hips are an area of physical tightness for many and have the ability to hold deep seeded emotions. Moving and stretching the hips offers a chance for both physical release as well as emotional freedom.


The Ganesha Mantra will assist us in this process of release by setting intentions to remove obstacles in our lives. Cleaning out the emotional and energetic bodies with vibration and movement will help you feel like you.

Mindy’s Schedule:
Monday, Wednesday and Fridays: 9:00 am All Levels
Sundays: 9:00 am Bliss and 10:30 am Yoga for Weight Loss and Toning
Schedule a class with Mindy online.

Om Gum Ganapataye Namaha Video from YouTube

Seated Straddle Splits

Saluting the Sun – Reflections on Fatherhood

by Lizanne Flynn

Video of Sun Saluations

We take it for granted, I think, that our sun will always be there for us to light our days, to nurture our plants and animals and provide us with the very essence of life.  So it is, too, with our human fathers – they are often taken for granted and just as essential as the sun to our lives.  Let’s face it – Mother’s Day does get most of the hype.  Fathers though, are just as special in their own way.  I’m thinking of my dad, brothers, friends, brothers-in-law, uncles, cousins, and co-workers who are all fathers.  The great thing about fathers is that they sometimes come in the form of step-fathers and fathers who although they don’t have children of their own are filling the role of father for some lucky child.  Chances are someone you are close to is a father – a Dad, a Pop, a Papa, and a Daddy – and several other silly-sweet variations of the word father.

Fathers are always available to lend a hand, offer advice and fix a broken something like a faucet or at times a heart.  Steady, never wavering, solid, and comforting they often repeat the same tasks over and over again just like the sun does day in and day out.  Never asking for much for themselves, sun fathers are the perfect counterpart to the warrior mother as they support and defend the path the mother and her children – sometimes his children, too – sometimes not – are on in life.  They do this by going to work, going to school, cooking, cleaning, caring – none of it very glamorous.  Just getting up each day – like the sun – and going out into the world (or staying at home) simply to make sure they do their part for their children and their children’s mother.



It’s important to salute the heart warmth of sun fathers as often as possible so that we see the honor and integrity that comes from repeating mundane tasks as a way of building a solid foundation for those we love.  The repetition of Sun Salutations comes to mind as way to illustrate the energy it takes to move with grace and power as a sun father through life.



Standing tall in Mountain Pose a sun father squares his shoulders to the world and brings his hands to rest in prayer mudra as a reminder to begin each day with an inward thought of gratitude.  Raising his arms overhead a father reaches for the sky seeking energy from the sun as he starts his day.  A swan dive forward connects the father with the continual fluidity of movement needed in order to be flexible in meeting his challenges.  Flat back extend or monkey pose tells the father to be straight and true with those in his path and forward fold shows the sun father his need to remain grounded to the energy at his feet.  As one leg steps back to runner’s lunge the father feels the wide scope of his responsibilities that he stretches to meet each day.  The other leg joins the first leg in plank pose with the father’s shoulders and toes strong beneath him.  His body is held straight and steady for anyone needing a firm connection in walking from one point to the other.  Elbows bending close in to the body the father lowers to chaturanga showing to all his ability to remain strong should extra burdens cause him to bow momentarily under the pressure.  Moving forward with his shoulders on his wrists, hands, and feet the sun father raises and exposes his magnificent heart in upward facing dog.  He does this knowing the example he is setting for his children is that leading with the heart and mind in concert is the best way to become sun-like in other’s lives.  Curling his toes over with hips reaching for the sky downward facing dog gives the father a momentary respite from actively supporting others while still keeping a large space underneath his body should a small child or animal need some shade.  Raising his eyes forward the sun father steps or jumps so that his feet meet his hands in forward fold once again.  From there he reverses his initial swan dive once again seeking the energy of the sun as his hands come down in prayer position and a second silent thought of gratitude.



He continues these movements, switching legs as necessary to provide consistency and balance to those under his care.  Up and down, backward and forward he moves, breathing steadily, mind turned inward and reflecting upon his life as a father.  He reviews the moments of joy and of sorrow, of laughter and of tears and knows that his path would simply be incomplete were it not for this glorious role of sun father to his children.  Such are the thoughts of good men who are made of honor, integrity and love.  We are all so very fortunate to have had or have now a sun father in our lives.  Like our beloved shining sun it is a gift to be celebrated on more than one day a year.

Vasisthasana

Plank Pose

An excerpt from Myths of the Asanas by Alanna Kaivalya & Arjuna van der Kooij

Sometimes called side plank pose, Vasisthasana is a challenging arm balance that strengthens all the major muscle groups of the body – arms, legs, core and spine. The practitioner balances on one arm, with the body straight and the feet flexed sideways on the floor.

Even the Kings need inspiration
Vasistha was a great sage who took up the challenge of being a teacher to king Ram, who is one of the Avatars of Vishnu. Ram appeared on the earth to restore the path of righteousness, or dharma, which had become corrupted by negative influences.


Ram’s father, King Dasharatha, was concerned for his young son after he returned from some travels and seemed really disillusioned with the state of the world. Ram’s apathy was uncharacteristic, and King Dasharatha hoped he revered sage Vasistha would be able to help. Then Dasharatha described Ram’s state of mind to Vasistha, the wise sage was actually pleased to hear about it, because he knew that the kind of dispassion young Ram was experiencing was actually a precursor of the spiritual path. One must first see cracks in the ceiling before one can start to see the light shining through it. Vasistha saw Ram’s discomfort as an opportunity and went to Ram to introduce himself.


Ram expressed skepticism at the great sage’s ability to lift his spirits. He was in a deep depression, and it seemed as if the whole world had lost its luster. Vasistha began explaining that this dulled vision was precisely what was needed to regain his clarity, and that he had already begun on his spiritual path. He just needed some guidance and direction, which a good teacher could provide.


As many of us know, sometimes we have to hit rock bottom before we can begin our journey back into the light. It is this soul who is interested in transformation and sees where things could be better in the world that is best suited for spiritual pursuits. This doesn’t mean that we aren’t content with the way things are, but that we are not content with that which doesn’t serve our spiritual practice. When we realize this subtle difference, as Vasistha explained to Ram, we can use the process of yoga to be more and more content while letting go of what no longer serve us.



Lessons of Liberation
The dialogue between Ram as a student and Vasistha as a teacher comprises the Yoga Vasistha, one of the foremost texts in yoga philosophy and mythology. It is in this text that we learn about the state of jivanmukta, the soul who is liberated while living. The jiva is the individual soul, the unique person who expresses himself or herself though work, family, career, talent, and passions. Mukti is a Sanskrit word for “liberation” or “freedom”. It refers to freedom from the mind’s continual insistence that one is merely mortal and it is difficulty in recognizing the divinity that lies within us. The magic occurs, explained Vasistha, when the individual soul merges with absolute freedom, so we can be, as the saying goes, in this world, but not for this world.

Crows & Coconuts
One recurring metaphor within the Yoga Vasistha is that of the crow and the coconut. Vasistha encourages Ram in the same way the Buddha encourages us to “act as if everything you do makes a world of difference, knowing all the while that everything you do makes no difference to the world.” Yoga is full of these kinds of paradoxes. In this case, Vasistha talks about the crow who alights on a tree, and at the same moment, a coconut falls to the ground. Now, does the crow’s momentum cause the coconut to fall? Or, is it just the coconut’s time to fall, which coincides with the exact moment the crow lands on the tree? Vasistha poses this question to Ram several times. It refers to an idea found throughout many yogic scriptures, such as the Bhagavad Gita: We are entitled to the action, but not to the fruits of the action.


We can think of the world as a great practice ground or perhaps a proctored exam, in which the Universe is giving us the opportunity to get it right. Whether it is our actions that cause coconuts to fall or it is simply the coconut’s time doesn’t really matter. What matters is that we continue to apply our actions – our thoughts, words, and deeds – so that we can hopefully influence more coconuts. We never know when the random comment of kindness will touch a friend’s heart. It may be their time to receive that kindness, or it may be our utterance of it, but either way, it’s important to our spiritual progress that we speak. It’s important that we never give up hope that our uplifted actions will change the world, even if it is just world’s time to change.

Vasistha’s Legacy
After this great lesson from Vasistha, Ram went on to be one of the most renowned kings in history, as well as the main character in the great epic the Ramayana. His pursuit of equality and happiness for all of his people’ his great love of his partner, Sita; and the bravery of his best friend, Hanuman, who rescues Sita from a demon, are all well-loved tales. None of these would have been possible without the patience and teachings of Vasistha. He was persistent in offering his wisdom to young Ram, and Ram was open and willing to receive his teaching.


So the crow and the coconut work together to make fate happen. For yogis, there is not such thing as luck. There is only being in the right place at the right time, after doing a lot of preparation so that all the elements fall perfectly into place.

Mountain Pose: Find your foundation

By Mindy Arbuckle, E-RYT

Mountain Pose, Tadasana, is a wonderfully simple pose with deep hidden power. It is a standing pose that is the foundation of all other yoga postures. It is said that an element of Mountain can be found in all other yoga postures.

The basis of this posture is to stand firmly on the earth, rooting down through your feet and toes. Connecting to the earth’s energy and allowing it to support you. You feel that energy rise up through the legs and into your pelvis. The spine gracefully grows up out of the pelvic bowl. Your shoulders rest easefully on your body and the arms are empowered yet show no sign of strain. The head and neck sit majestically on the body and display your beautiful peak.

Tadasana is the ultimate expression of neutral in the body and the mind. The body is fully aligned, your joints are stacked, the spine has its natural curvature, the muscles are balanced between effort and rest and the breath flows easily. The mind is calm. It is centered in the self, deep within the mountain. It does not worry what it looks like or its surroundings. The mind knows it is perfection.

This posture promotes the strength, stillness, gentle power and firm stability we associate with mountains. When you are in the mountains you are connected to the beauty, power and grace that nature holds.

When you stand in mountain, connect to your spirit center, the peak of your mountain and imagine yourself receiving the gift of rain water from above. Feel it purify and enliven your fortitude toward a higher goal in life. Allow this life giving rain to run down your body and condense into rivers and share this sustaining energy with the world as a river sustains life throughout the land.

All Mountains are perfect no matter what they look like. The base creates a foundation, the core of the mountain lends strength and commitment which allows the peak to rest gracefully atop it all. Let Mountain Pose create support in your life, to be dedicated to yourself, manifest your dreams and live a life of spirit and grace. Find your perfection in Tadasana.

View this video to learn more about how to practice Mountain Pose.

About the author:
Mindy Arbuckle is the owner of Green Mountain Yoga in Arvada, CO. She has been studying and teaching yoga for most of her adult life and is passionate about helping people through positive and intentional self transformation.