Britty asked that I start a thread on yoga, so here it is. I've done it for two years now and it has completely loosened by lower back. Evolution screwed up by giving our torsos an inadequate base of support, which is why back pain is so endemic for us. My routine was formerly 45min-1hr long, but I've pared it down to 20 minutes everyday and it allows for me to move as well as I did at 16.
i have done bikram yoga or hot yoga...it is 21 (22) stances that repeat...the room is kept quite warm...i sweat like crazy...it's a good workout for a 90 minute class...i have gotten away from it...perhaps this thread will be a little inspiration...
Yay Yoga!! I've never done it but I've always wanted to, LoL. I have a Yoga mat and some kind of a poster type of thing with different Yoga poses and how to do them and what they do for you. So Saty, that's cool to read what it can do for the lower back. I have some kind of lower back problem going on. I better get yoga-ing. Were there any specific poses you did that loosened your lower back or do you think just any Yoga pose would do? What Yoga poses are you all capable of? Just curious. What would experienced Yogans suggest to the Yoga novice?
I have been practicing Yoga for about 7-8 years now. I do Bikram 2-3 days a week. Bikram is more of a strenthing type of yoga than most of the others. Yoga is very beneficial and can help with many diseases and injuries. It works by causing a damning affect on blood flow. You cut off blood flow with the positions and hold for a while, then when you release the blood rushes back to the area with great force causing it to open smaller arteries and capalaries and driving them deeper into muscle tissue. It has been very beneficial to me (I have SLE). I dont believe I would get around as good as I do without it. And I have never had back problems, most people with lupus do. I can do all 26 positions in Birkram, just some of them have to be modified for my knees not bending due to scar tissue. When I get a chance I like to go into Dallas to a Sufi masjid that has Muraqaba classes. Muraqaba is a form of meditation and has many disciplines. I really like the breathing and movement exercizes. They are similar to yoga and tai chi but with a more spiritual emphasis.
How deep is meditation is in the practice of Yoga? Is visualization for mind training an important part of Yoga?
This is fairly good intro to basic back loosening exercises. Proper breathing is critical to good yoga practice. Space your movements out over six second intervals. Breathe in 1,2,3,4 . . . and let your exhale dovetail with the end of every individual movement. Spend some time breathing just like this over the course of a day. [YOUTUBE]<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sUYLyBSw2r8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sUYLyBSw2r8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]
Awesome! I'm going to that website it shows on the video after I post this and check that out too. I'll practice that breathing too. Thank you! Anyways, I thought I could post a couple websites for someone interested in taking up yoga but may feel like they might not be able to do it because they aren't skinny with model bodies: http://www.ehow.com/how_2337644_modify-yoga-poses-larger-bodies.html http://www.expandinglight.org/free/yoga-teacher/round-bodies/introduction.htm
Making meditation and visualization an important part of yoga lies with the practitioner and a good instructor. I enjoy using both during yoga. But I've had instructors that just powered through the asanas with no nod to meditation and visualization.
They did help! I actually printed out info from one of them. I just decided to ask more than one person, that's all.
Brit, Thanx for the link. I wanted to do yoga for a while but never got around to it, will start with this post. Thank you for your contribution.
Oooh, okay, I'm glad. Yea, that's a good idea, to ask more than one person! I understand. Good luck! You are welcome. I'm glad you're thankful for my contribution It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
When I lived in Cleveland I took yoga classes with a woman whose specialty is kundalini yoga. There were some classes where the special breathing techniques would leave me feeling high. One of our classes was very trippy for me. She turned down the lights and had us lie on our backs and cover ourselves with our blankets. We closed our eyes and breathed the special way that she told us, and she talked us through all of our chakras and the color of each chakra. She started with the first chakra and color, and each time she went to a new chakra, I knew what color she was going to say before she told us the color. When she got to the final chakra, I had a vision of a swirl that moved in a circle and was bluish/purple. I didn't know much about kundalini yoga and this meditative exercise and when I got home that night I googled it and was surprised by how much of it came naturally. I work out now, but I haven't done much yoga. I need to find a class to go to around here. I'm an atheist but I swear that going to yoga classes was like going to church for me.
There are many different types of yoga. I practice Hatha and Raja. Hatha is very meditative and I honestly do not think I could do it without the presence of my instructor. If you are looking for the more meditative yoga (which I'd highly recommend) then definitely find an instructor.
oh wow, my friends do it too. I don't think I could ever do it, my pression is always law and I can't stand the heat too much.
I've done Hatha yoga with an istructor, but she descibe it to be as the "yoga of the body". Not much maditation there. What's up with that?
