Healing With Yoga

“Healing is not just a physical process, but a process of consciousness” ~ Doug Keller

The body knows how to heal itself. I gashed my thumb the other day and am just amazed at how in just two days, the skin is growing back. We tend to think of using yoga for healing in terms of the injured or sick but that is not always the case. I think an important understanding is that we can have general good health but still merit from a yoga practice that strengthens and supports the immune system, the rest and digest mechanisms, and recognize that managing stress plays a huge part in keeping our minds and bodies fit, resilient and efficient.

Taking our body for granted is a big mistake. Too much activity and not enough rest can interrupt the proper functioning of our inner body/mind and overload it so that it may impede recovery time. If you start to consider balancing out your practice so that there are different components – strength, flexibility and stillness, you are helping to prevent illness, helping to facilitate the miraculous movements that our bodies do silently in 24 hours.

Join me for class to explore a balanced practice, try my breathing for balance exercise or see me for a personalized exploration of healing body, mind, spirit

healing

healing

Being Kind To Your Body Through Yoga

“You have to learn how to listen to your body, going with it and not against it, avoiding all effort and strain and centering your attention on that very delicate point, the back of the waist (where the spine moves in two opposing directions). You will be amazed to discover that, if you are kind to your body, it will respond in an incredible way” ~ Vanda Scaravelli , Awakening The Spine

What a beautiful picture this is ~ flowers blossoming where the rib cage is and the pelvis mirrored as a butterfly. If we can learn, and I believe yoga therapy assists this, to open our body with mindful intentionality ~ whether that be with a well placed yoga prop, or just an acknowledgement that we don’t need to ‘attack’ asana, we get better results in the way of improved range of motion, ease and transformation of pain into peace.

Patience and perseverance matter as does practice (time and frequency)  Tissues will adapt according to the demands imposed on them.  That means any ‘stretch’ once a week probably won’t be sufficient  to counter the demands of the rest of the hours of the week.  Make sense? There is no fast track to flexibility, but this does not mean that all yoga therapy is ‘gentle’ however, it can be used as a treatment plan for a healthy and pain free body, or just for better performance in your daily life/sport etc.  Approach practice with kindness and you will be surprised at the benefits.

In reality, we are all individual and should be assessed and treated as such.   I’m available for private yoga classes to help you get on the right track for you.

the body as a miracle of nature

Yoga as self-care

This infographic brings “taking care of yourself” to a new level. Asana practice is more than physical, and a therapeutic practice will re-balance all systems of the body in addition to promoting strength and flexibility. Consider joining me this weekend for a restorative workshop, or perhaps you will treat yourself to a private yoga class to lead you into a healthier 2014the systems of the body