A new post finally - new yoga props.. new level of experience ....

What a struggle its been to write the last few weeks but today I mustered the energy and write. My last post was nearly a month ago on Feb 17th discussing "Igomania" and a snapshot of my one on one session with Nuvana. I took off for Pune the next week on a very short 5 day trip for work. I packed three private sessions with one of my intermediate teachers Abhay at his studio in his house and what an amazing experience it was. He read my body and my mind without me saying much. I have been unable to perform handstands and pinchmayursasan for the last many months. He had me in Pinchmayurasana in minutes. I grabbed the rope hooks at the base of the wall, he pressed my right lower arm with his foot and off I flew.
"You need to feel light in the hips" and "I want your calves to be soft"! We did a lot of hip work and leg work, lots of variations of uttanasana, adhomukha svanasana, navasana, pagangusthana, wall, floor chairs, round blocks, ropes, Abhay standing on my back while I was in a restorative adhomukha virasana. There was a lot discourse on yoga philosophy, my doshas, improving my tejas etc etc etc. Three sessions of complete enlightenment. I had little jet lag on this trip. I packed in 15 hours of work per day and I mustered the courage to bring back some great props, including my favorite "Viparita Dandasana Bench" in lieu of luggage. I travelled light and that allowed me to replace baggage with props. All made it back in one piece.

So finally it all got assembled last Friday with Nuvana's assistance. I am still learning to use them, but 15 minutes on the bench was amazing and well deserved... there will be more coming in the future but enjoy the following pictures for now.

Life has been its usual self for me lately, it seems like there is no end to my misery and pain, but that is the test of the universe and it the test of my resolve to bear it, take it, all for my two munchkins, who I care about and love the most. As Nina said in her tough level 3 class today "try to be still in the pose a bit longer and try to bear the pain as the sutras say..."! I am trying ... my best... In the meanwhile Iyengar yoga keeps moving forward and not look back and the props just make this journey more interesting than ever. I do know one thing for sure, it has given me strength to bear and not react, but observe, be still and try to be neutral.

Namaste

The Yogi

Hang upside down and let your aches and pain dissipate...

On Saturday I attended Nuvana's back care class at Sunset Yoga after a Friday evening back care regiment in private session with her. We determined that forward bends were aggravating it, so there were a number of supported back bends performed, along with twists. She avoided the traction with belts. My back pain was isolated to the lower left and heavy lifting was responsible in aggravating an old injury many years ago playing racquetball. Nuvana has no background in human physiology or anatomy, but she has a knack for isolating the area and using her skills to twist, stretch and turn you to relax the area. It is interesting to observe and feel your back pain slowly disappearing albeit for a short while.

Back to Saturday morning. The pain had moved to the center of the lower back and any forward bending would aggravate it. It was bearable. The class had many who were in some sort of pain. We started with some sitting poses and I could feel my shoulders tighten. Did I sleep wrong. The class was hard and eventually we ended up at the ropes. The best 10 minutes were hanging down in sirsasana. I had done rope sirsasana in some time and that just relaxed me completely. I would highly recommend it....

Namaste

The Yogi

Lower back pain - A revisit

I received a nice comment from an anonymous reader on an earlier lower back pain post - his lower back melted away I guess!!! Well little did he or she know that my lower back pain re-appeared on my left side. There was heavy lifting of 60 pound munchkins and that did the trick to my lower back. Old injuries have an interesting way of re-appearing when you think yoga took care of it. Coincidentally my knee pains disappeared. Its like a see-saw. Knee pains goes Back pain comes and vice-versa.

Monday night advanced yoga was hard, I failed miserably on the arm balancing poses, the poses I love the most have become my nemesis and my back hurt horrendously. Its been a horrendous three days till this evening. But I have chosen not to be miserable and didn't give permission to my backache to make me miserable nor the person who threatened to make my life miserable in utter mindless behavior. I rejected the pain both in my back and landed in my Wednesday night class with Nuvana at the gym. There is back ache, but there is resolve to get through the class.

I cannot bend to properly complete Uttanasana, so I bend as far as I can. The poses are challenging, but I choose not make them my nemesis, especially revolved triangle pose. Nuvana is great in moving the class along, there are many new yogis, all jazzed by her precision. The class has ballooned from about 10 to 25. I manage a good Vriksasana on my left foot, but not the right. It was an hour class - there were several variations of the triangle poses from Adhomukasvanasana. We ended with a small resting pose. I had kept my backache at bay, but it would appear in sharp intervals. So I checked in with Nuvana at the end of the class.

"Get into Adhomukhavirasana" she remarked! "Now!" Yeah right now she said. So off I went in the middle of the class dismissing itself. She walked over and stretched my spine. It felt good. Then she asked me to grab her ankles and while holding my lower back down she pulled her legs back. It It resulted in an intense stretch of the spine and the back. She asked me to get up and asked if it helped. "Of course it did!" I let out... The backache just melted away...it was a 30 second yoga therapy session with long lasting effects.

I learnt another lesson - by not giving permission to the pain and misery I have permission to myself to be relieved from the pain. Fear of pain is the cause of misery in life - I freed myself from it today.

Namaste

The Yogi

Bad Knees equate to bad posture....

The clicking and pain in my knees while performing standing poses returned after the new year. My right knee is especially bad. Any sort of step climbing or squats makes my brain automatically go into protection mode and my leg avoids extreme pressure. The knee clicking got bad enough, that it was time to get a yoga therapy session for knees this Friday with Nuvana.

We did several modified poses. The whole idea was to relax the knee and there are several poses such dandasana, supta padangustasana, badha konasana and a half form of dhanurasana that Nuvana combines with traction using belts and ropes to achieve relaxation of the knee. The stretching of the calf muscles and the muscle at the back of your leg right behind the knee lets the knee reposition. She also observed my bad posture. I was putting more weight on the right leg and it was possible that my really bad knee was the left one, forcing me to use more of the right and overwork it. She based it on another interesting phenomena. After the first round of knee traction, my painful right knee felt better, but the left knee became tight. I was reminded of an earlier post on bad knees I wrote in August 2008.

A balanced standing posture is important in maintaining balance of work our body has to do including the knees. I am very aware of it, and ever since I started practicing yoga, I make efforts to maintain a balanced standing posture described in the Tadasana pose in Light on Yoga. But its easy to fall back to the old habits, so its important to observe yourself standing. I guess there is a life lesson in what I just wrote - "be observant of your bad habits and make ongoing efforts to correct them or avoid them!"

Back to the Friday session, by the end of the 90 minutes, I was climbing stairs with no pain in either knee. This is the magic of Nuvana's Iyengar yoga therapy. Its been three days, no pain in the knee, and I am very observant of maintaining a balanced posture while standing.

I have re-learnt another life lesson. To get to a balance sometimes requires gentle tugging. You may think you have the bull by the horns, but sometimes gentle tugging is required on both sides to tame a rowdy bull.

Namaste

The Yogi

Yoga for Cold, Sore throat and Cough - Back to Basics

Yesterday was back to the basics with my personal yoga session with Nuvana. The knee problem is under control but I have been off yoga for a week while I as away to Chicago. We focused our attention on my lost ability to kick up to Adho Mukha Vrksanasana. We tried several arm strengthening positions and then hand positions as well, looking at ways to focus the weight on the palms and off the wrists, which get painful quickly. No kick up luck - I was thinking too much.

Then we worked on the sirsasana balancing techniques. I have yet to experience this in any of the classes I take at Sunset. We practiced away from the wall and Nuvana went through the subtle positions of the hands, the little fingers, the wrists, and pushing the shoulders in. I never kicked up. The legs were in half sirsasana position with feet firmed against the wall and I spent time just holding firm in the tripod position and just using my arms and shoulders. We ended with a chair sarvangasana and supported halasana...

I have been suffering from a cold and sore throat for a week. She told me to practice Sarvangasana and Setubhand for my cold and Ananta Asana for cough. I need to get my halasana bench assembled and start my home practice again.

Namaste

The Yogi

Restorative poses for bad knees - Restart of yoga practice with Nuvana

I arrived home after a long journey from Frankfurt. The return journey from India is most unpleasant, as it is difficult to get any sleep. Next time I will try Tylenol PM. For the first time in 6 years I had no trouble at customs. I was first to pick up luggage and first to be directed to the bus at PDX (Portland International Airport). I was prepared to explain the yogs props, including a bolster, halasana bench, belts and ropes. But no questions except for the usual "do you have any food items?". I had none to declare, so I received a simple directive to the exit.

Historically, I am part of the crowd usually from India and other "third world countries', that is directed to extra checks including opening and Xray of all bags to ensure we are not carrying banned food items, drugs or anything that may interfere with national security .

I have had a word or two with customs and the city of Portland a few years back when I and several of my Indian employees who used to live in Portland were given a difficult time at PDX. "Third world, developing nations, Aliens" - I hope some day these terms would just melt away from our society. For now I keep holding on to my indifference, but coming through US customs at PDX is one of my most stressful moments.

I returned to my usual jet-lag, where around 6 pm I am out like a light. The break in Frankfurt helped, as the nap lasted just a couple of hours and I was frequently woken by my kids, which helped. My knee pains returned. They started 8 weeks ago and have become worse, especially my right knee, which I had injured nearly 20 years ago in a skiing mishap. Walking up and down the stairs is excruciating.

I decided to skip yoga classes and wait till my Friday session with Nuvana. I am certain now that long plane rides of more than 4 hours hurt my knees. There is only so much "sucking up of my knees" I can do throughout the day. For those not familiar with this term, it is frequently used by Pune Iyengar teachers to instruct you to pull your knees up.

Nuvana started with a Dandasana, by the window. It is a built in bench at the base of the window in the room we practice. Its high enough to get my arms on the bench to allow me to pull up straight, with my back and behind completely touching the wall. Then some blankets between my knees and a hard push on my feet to get the legs completely straight. This puts pressure on the glute muscles, the calves, and the back of the thighs, stretching the back parts of your legs to release the knees. You can see a portion of this window bench in the pictue.


Next was a Viparita Karani , with my legs strapped at various parts and the buckle directions alternating. The picture says it all. This pose lasted for nearly 15 minutes and ended once my legs were pretty numb. "You achieve a different kind of blood circulation" remarked Nuvana and it is actually helpful re-aligning the ligaments on the knees that get mis-aligned as we live our life in bad posture hell.


I felt immediate relief, not to mention increased blood in my brain, making me more alert. Usually this is a relaxing pose - it seemed to make me more alert and aware. We followed this sequence with a BadaKonasana, sitting high on blankets and then Nuvana wrapped the ropes around the knees, and I had to pull those ropes out, while tightening the loops to give space between the knees. It was followed by a supported Navasan, with my back on the steps of her stairwell and legs at an angle supported by a chair, shoulders rolled back, with the steps for support. Its interesting how objects and items in her house become props.


We ended with a "knee traction". I lied down on my stomach with the knees on a blanket and then a rope is wrapped around the knee and pulled back while my foot and calf was pushed down towards my back. This traction is simply amazing and can release locked knees. Its brilliant. After several iterations of this action, I was done. As I rose up I could hear the crackle of knees being released. It was a good crack! I could immediately feel the relief. There seem to be some feeling of pressure, but the pain was gone.


I imagine my knee pain is mostly due to bad posture which over time can cause the pain to build up in the knees. I could get into some life analogies here but this time I shall refrain. The readers are invited to draw their own analogies, and if you do have some please comments.


Comments are always welcome; though I have come to know the regulars on here and I thank you all for visiting and spending time. I hope these posts help you. They certainly help me. If you haven't, please do try an Iyengar yoga class from a certfied Iyengar Yoga Teacher. Next week my classes at Sunset will resume. I have heard good things about Nina's substitute Jen. I am looking forward to taking a class or two from her in Nina's absence. Nina is blogging her experience in Pune at Nina's Yoga Life.


Please visit another interesting blog called Yogue Style by Insiya Rasiwalla Finn from Vancouver, Canada.


Namaste


The Yogi

Monday Night Advanced Class with Nina - Intense groin opening pose to make you sweat and relieve back pain!

Yesterday night's class finally made me sweat. The theme of this class was "groin opening poses". Read "intense poses that generate heat and really make you sweat". So all of you who think yoga doesn't give you an intense workout - eat your heart out! This was hard, intense and sweaty.

The class was estrogen majority. I was the only male (what happened to the other two) in class and probably most "pose challenged". With tight hamstrings, I couldn't dare stretch the back leg in "Hanuman Asana". We did a number of groin openers and supporting poses to allow the groins to really open. Supta Virasana, variations of Adho Mukha Svanasana, Raj kapot Asana (Pigeon Pose).

Nina borrowed some inspiration from Nuvana's back-care class. Its strap trick. A small strap tight around your lower waist. The belt is wrapped around your sacrum, and high part of the gluteus muscles real tight. I use this trick when I have lower back ache or when I am long flights to India. Then you add a wider belt at your sacrum in loop around the tight belt. You then pull down the wider belt with your feet. It pushes your buttock muscles down, releasing the back. This provides amazing relief to your back.

This trick was taught to me by Nuvana early on in my training with her. Back and shoulder ache were to most persistent problems I encountered - both of which are now much better since I started yoga. There are so many benefits to yoga, but I must say I use this Nuvana trick all the time to relieve lower back pain. If you are in metro Portland or visiting try the saturday morning back care class at Sunset Yoga. You will be amazed!

Namaste

The Yogi

Back on the yoga practice track this week

I had a busy week. I finally got back in the groove. I have been on a roll. Monday was advanced class with Nina. Wednesday evening was a gym class with Nuvana. Friday afternoon I taught Surya Namaskar to the kids class at school. 30 of them all at once. It was my last class before summer break. They made a thank you card and then did a puppet show with yoga poses. It was fun. All of them including their teacher are true yogis. I felt on cloud nine. We will back again in September.

Two hours later there was a personal yoga session at Nuvana's house. Given my trouble with hand stands we worked on chest opening poses and arm strengthening. The stress and the lack of practice had collapsed my chest and work was needed to push. We did several arm strengthening poses starting with dog pose and then variations of chest openings. At the end she asked me to try the handstand again. I did much better. I could kick up higher and my shoulders and arms felt much stronger. We will be focusing on this for weeks to come. That is the magic of Nuvana. She is simply the best.

Its Saturday morning - another class with Nina. Today's class like Monday night's advanced class was one of the best classes I have attended this semester - maybe the best ever. I like restorative poses - its something I enjoy doing and got a plenty of it at RIMYI in Pune this April. Many of my private session with Nuvana are similar. They are a great way to relax your mind and at the same time stabilize your emotions and your blood pressure.

Nina's theme was out of the last few pages of Light on Life by Guruji. Asana's for emotional stability - how appropriate! Asanas for balancing your head with your heart, balancing emotions with intelligence. We started with a restful Adho Mukha Svanasana with the forehead on a block. We spent several minutes in that pose. It was followed by a supported Uttanasana. This really allows your mind to relax and is excellent for managing and controlling high blood pressure. This was followed by a 5 minute shirsasana. I HAD NEVER DONE 5 minutes, but the relaxed approach and focus on keeping myself up helped me stay for 5 minutes. Combination of balance and wall support helped. These poses according to Guruji are to calm the mind.

The next sequence included Viparita Dandasan on chair, Chair Sarvangasana, Nirlamaba Sarvangasana, and supported Halasana, followed Setu Bandha Sarvangasana - my favorite restorative poses. Yes there were weights on my thighs. All these poses were done in an extended manner, with Nina setting the timer. These chest openings were to balance the heart intelligence. The next three poses were to balance the heart with your mind, that included Upavista Konasana, Badakonasana, supported Paschim Uttanasana using the chair or bolster, and then Viloma Pranayam (sitting or in raised Shavasana pose) and then ending with Shavasana.

My week of yoga is not over yet. Tomorrow there will be another on hour class in the morning at the gym with Nuvana. I have rekindled my yoga practice and I am committed to keeping up with it. My next few blogs will hopefully have more pictures and videos of my home practice where I will show some of these restorative poses. So if you are feeling stressed, lethargic or demotivated that your practice is not what it was - its never too late to restart. Get up and get to class and then repeat the practice. Practice makes perfect.

Namaste

The Yogi

Advanced Yoga with Nuvana - My yoga is getting rusty

I have been travelling the last two weeks and therefore missing yoga classes. Yesterday was a once in a month advanced yoga session with Nuvana at Sunset Yoga. Lets call it a level 4 class. I bombed in every way. I have lost the ability to push up into adho muka vriksasana, my sirsana was not the best, I was balancing using my back. I have become rusty.

"You are thinking too much!" said Nuvana as I struggled to get up on my hands and arms. The class was all about working the glute muscles and creating space around your lower waiste to peform perfect adho mukha svanasana. Its wonderful to understand this concept of creating space. There was an aha moment for many when she commented that when you point your feet upwards while in sarvangasana you are in water - a relaxed pose. But if your feet and legs are waving too much - you are asked to point your feet down, which is earth! This provides more stability to your sarvangasana. I presume it wouldn't be as relaxing.

What an amazing interpretation. I have to fix this gradual loss of practice. I have to overcome the daily torments, insanity and rage impeding my life and give yoga priority. This afternoon, I drove through one of the most beautiful places on earth. I stopped to watch the roaring rapids of a river in the mountains of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Surrounding these rapids I saw pools of calm water and a raven quietly searching for food. There was serenity despite the roar and rage around it.

If nature can have calmness and contentment to exist amongst turmoil and rage - so can we! May peace and calmness be around you despite any turmoil and rage. You have to remain in the calm pools and be indifferent to the rage and an insanity that may surround you. As I drove down the mountain I watched the flow of the river change from raging waters to a calm flow in the valley. I have to remember there will be another valley coming soon in life bringing with it some peace and calmness.

Namaste

The Yogi