Doing vs. trying.

OK, let's address your tight hamstrings first. CAUTION: When stretching your chronically tight hamstrings (which directly contributes to your chronic back pain), you must not try hard to stretch them. In fact, you must HARDLY try. If you follow my instruction exactly to the letter, it's probable you won't feel much stretching at all, at least not initially. This is common, so again, DON'T TRY hard to stretch them.

http://www.extensionyoga.com/Pain_Management_4.asp#Sequencing

Dr. Dean Ornish, five sequential asanas.

Dean Ornish M.D.'s

Feeling stressed, tense, or disconnected? In these five sequential yoga tutorials, experience gentle stretching positions and breathing techniques designed to rebalance your equilibrium and to restore your peace of mind and body.

Segment #1 (11:52) Enlivening Through the Breath
RealPlayer: 28K | 56K | 128K Windows Media: 28K | 56K | 128K
(select a stream speed)

Segment #2 (12:19) Lower Body -- Warm up
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(select a stream speed)

Segment #3 (10:47) Sun Salutations -- Flow
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(select a stream speed)

Segment #4 (9:09) C-Series -- Strengthening
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(select a stream speed)

Segment #5 (5:42) Calming and Cooling
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(select a stream speed)

You'll need either RealPlayer or Windows Media Player to view these clips. Download a player for free.

28k presentations are audio only.

© 2001 WebMD Corporation. All rights reserved.

You can become tranquil by repeating "Pepsi" 100 times.

"Can you still feel frustrated and inadequate even though you may have meditated for many years?" a journalist asked me recently, "or do you go around with a permanent smile on your face?"
That made me think of a woman on one of our meditation courses. When she came home after the meditation, her children rushed boisterously up to her and hugged her. She wanted to remain in the tranquil state she had reached during the meditation. She therefore tried to keep them at a distance imagining that the children would disturb her.

How Low Should You Go? The Role of Stance in Tai Chi

William C. Phillips

One of our readers this week asked, "How deep should my stance be while practicing Tai Chi?" Of course, there is no single answer for this that fits everyone, as some people may need to take a higher stance than others, if say, they have knee trouble, for example. However, many teachers answer this question with "as deep as you can comfortably go," implying that most people should take a very deep stance. This view is one that I respectfully disagree with.

Taking a low stance is a good way to strengthen the legs, but a mid-stance can provide even greater benefit, as it teaches some important lessons that are otherwise a challenge to learn and provides unique benefits beyond merely strengthening the legs, which a mid-level stance can do quite well.

Here are 4 benefits of a mid-level stance:

1) Easier to attain a true 70/30 stance. We all know of the importance of standing in a 70/30 stance. After all, the vast majority of the postures in Tai Chi use it. But attaining a true 70/30 stance is not that easy. Think you have attained it? Try this simple test: while standing in the posture in question, lift the leg which you believe to be carrying just 30% of your weight cleanly off the floor for a moment with minimal movement of your head. Can you do it? If you can, that's great! If not, it means you're not quite 70/30 yet. If you practice with a mid-level stance instead of a deep stance, you will be able to achieve this much quicker, and your Tai Chi form will be better overall.

2) The development of strong, yet relaxed legs. When strength is developed gradually over time, the muscles have time to adapt. They maintain their flexibility and softness as they get stronger. Taking a low stance can hinder this process, as the muscles fatigue much more quickly and can get injured, even slightly, which then causes them to tighten as they heal. A mid-level stance helps to guard against this problem.

3) Easier to attain proper alignment. In the Cheng Man-Ch'ing form, a lot of emphasis is placed on not only keeping the spine straight, but also keeping it vertical instead of tilted. This is only possible if one is in a proper 70/30 stance and is also relaxed, as this will create a straight line down the side of the body from the armpit to the knee pit.

4) The cultivation of ch'i. This last benefit also assumes the success of the other three. Once a relaxed, 70/30 stance has been attained, with a straight line down the side of the body, the ch'i is able to rise much more easily. This is not to say that it cannot flow in other positions, but this type of stance creates an optimal flow.

Are you still wondering if a mid-stance can effectively strengthen the legs? Try standing in the posture Play Guitar for a while. Just about everyone who has held this posture for a short while can attest to the incredible leg fatigue that sets in when you do it long enough! That was the posture recommended to us by Professor Cheng at his school for leg strengthening. In order to get the maximum benefit from standing in this posture, it is helpful if you relax the front leg while hanging back on the body to strengthen the rear leg.

So, in summary, if leg strength is your main or only goal in Tai Chi, using a low stance is fine. You will probably achieve it faster that way. But if you wish to develop proper structure and alignment, leg muscles that are strong yet relaxed, and greater ch'i flow, a mid-level stance is the way to go.

---

Go to source >>

Selected Article Resources on Yoga Injuries

I found this very interesting document, excerpts of which are given below. It's an 180 page document listing out all the possible causes of injuries while doing yoga. Most of the notes are by Roger Cole, Ph.D. who is an Iyengar-certified yoga teacher (www.yogadelmar.com), and Stanford-trained scientist. He specializes in human anatomy and in the physiology of relaxation, sleep, and biological rhythms.

It seems, that while yogasanas are meant to improve the spine, current practices tend to worsen the situation. That requires, according to me, a fresh look at the entire issue of the Westernisation of asanas.

"...Of all the disks in the entire spine, the L5-S1 disk is subject to more mechanical stress than any other, so it is injured most often. The L4-5 disk is subject to the second-largest amount of mechanical stress, so it is injured the next most often. The reason these disks take such a beating is that they lie at the "bottom of the totem pole," the base of the vertebral column. This increases mechanical stress in two ways..."

"...Practicing asanas is one of the best things your students can do to maintain healthy backs. However, there are a few mistakes in practice that can seriously injure their backs. One of these is the improper practice of forward bends and twists, which can damage the disks near the base of the spine..."

"...Lotus Pose (Padmasana) is a supreme position for meditation, and Lotus variations of other asanas can be profound. However, forcing the legs into Lotus is one of the most dangerous things you can do in yoga. Each year, many yogis seriously injure their knees this way. Often the culprit is not the student but an overenthusiastic teacher physically pushing a student into the pose..."

"...In a way, Mr. Iyengar may have inadvertently contributed to neck problems in Sarvangasana by pointing out that a truly vertical Shoulderstand is a more powerful and effective pose than a nonvertical one. As more and more people try to mimic Iyengar-style alignment in the pose without using the props he recommends, they run smack into their limited neck flexibility. It's not that a completely vertical Shoulderstand without support is a "bad" pose--in fact, it might be the ideal pose--it's simply that it is so extreme for the neck that only advanced yogis can do it without risking injury..."

"...Sirsasana (Headstand) increases blood pressure in the head the most, because the legs and trunk are maximally elevated and the head is as far below the heart as it can get..."

Courtesy:
http://shivarea.com/Websites/shivarea/Images/Articles%20on%20Yoga%20Injuries.pdf

Which asanas are essential?

This link provides some clues. (e-blogged, in case the original page vanishes).

Essential Asanas

Christophe Mouze   2/27/2005

Gheranda Samhita ( a eighteenth century treatise on Hatha yoga), there are eighty four thousands asanas. However, to the best of  my knowledge, the largest collection of asanas in one single publication is Dharma Mittra's Master yoga chart, which presents a whooping 908 postures. Mr Iyengar's "Light on Yoga", a book which is still considered by many to be the ultimate reference in this field, describes little more than 200 asanas - still far too much to fit into a daily practice - and far more than most people will master in a lifetime.

Which ones are essential?

To find the answer to this question, and decide which asanas must be included in my regular practice and taught in my classes, I decided to look at various styles of yoga and at a number of yoga texts. The results of these investigations are summarised in the table below. I have used the Sanskrit names, but a translation of most of these is included at the end of the article for the benefit of those who prefer to use English.
But first, here's a short explanation of what the various columns contain.

Iyengar yoga: Mr Iyengar gives in "Light on Yoga" a list of important asanas. I have shortened the list slightly, based on my own experience with this style of yoga.

Ashtanga yoga: I consulted Patthabi Jois' "Yoga Mala". I have included asanas from the Surya Namaskar sequences and from the closing sequence, which are considered essential and should be practiced on a daily basis. Standing postures were not included, but had they be, the list would look even more similar to the Iyengar list (hardly surprising, since both styles come from Krishnamacharya)

Sivananda: These are the twelve basic postures which teachers of this school of yoga include in all their classes.

Classical texts: The Gheranda Samhita describes thirty two asanas, which must have been considered essential by its author. Most of these thirty two asanas are also listed in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. The main difference between the two texts is that the GS lists some standing postures, while the HYP doesn't. I have left out some the lesser known asanas listed in the GS, but not in the HYP.

Theos Bernard: describes in his book "Hatha Yoga" how he was given a number of asanas to practice on a daily basis. This is a list of these asanas.

Dharma Mittra: Mentions 8 asanas as essential in his book "608 yoga poses". Savasana isn't included in these, but in his guidelines for practice, he advises to end all asana session with a "relaxation posture such as Savasana", which has therefore been included.

1. Iyengar
2. Ashtanga
3. Sivananda
4. Classical texts
5. Theos Bernard
6. Dharma Mittra

Standing asanas

1.Trikonasana, Parivrtta Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana, Prasarita Padotanasana Virabadrasana, Ardha Chandrasana, Uttanasana

2.Uttanasana, Utkatasana, Urdhvasana, Virabadrasana

3.Trikonasana, Uttanasana
4.Utkatasana, Vrkasana, Garudasana,

5.None
(although pictures of Vrkasana  and Padhahasthasana appear in his book)

6.None

Inversions

1. Sirsasana, Sarvangasana, Halasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana

2. Sirsasana, Sarvangasana, Halasana, Karnapidasana, Urdhva Padmasana, Pindasana, Ado Mukha Svanasana

3. Sirsasana, Sarvangasana, Halasana,
4. Vipararita Karani (from the description given in the HYP this is Sirsasana)

5. Sirsasana, Sarvangasana, Halasana

6. Sirsasana, Sarvangasana,

Backbends

1. Ustrasana, Salabhasana, Dhanurasana

2. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

3. Bhujanghasana, Salabhasana, Dhanurasana
4. Dhanurasana, Bhujanghasana Salabhasana, Ustrasana

5. Bhujanghasana, Salabhasana, Dhanurasana

6. Bhujanghasana, leading into, Dhanurasana

Forward bends

1. Janusirsasana, Paschimottanasana

2. Utanasana

3. Paschimottanasana
4. Paschimottanasana, Kurmasana,

5. Paschimottanasana

6. Paschimottanasana, Maha Mudra

Twists

1. Ardha Matsyendrasana, Marichyasana

2. None

3. Ardha Matsyendrasana
4. Matsyendrasana

5. Ardha Matsyendrasana

6. Matsyendrasana

Sitting asanas
1. Sidhasana, Virasana, Badhakonasana, Padmasana
2. Padmasana, Baddha Padmasana, Yoga Mudra
None (but this school of yoga always include some sitting practice)
3. Siddhasana, Padmasana,  Vajrasana, Svastikasana, Virasana, 4. Badhdrasana, Baddha Padmasana, Gomukasana
5. Padmasana
6. Siddhasana, Padmasana,

Balancing asanas
1. None
2. Uth Pluthi (Tolasana)
3. Bakasana / Mayurasana
4. Mayurasana, Kukutasana,
5. None
6. None

Other asanas

1. Navasana, Matsyasana, Savasana

2. Matsyasana, Uttanapadasana, Savasana

3. Surya Namaskar, Matsyasana, Savanansana
4. Simhasana, Savansana (called Mirasana), Matsyasana

5. Matsyasana

6. Savasana

As can be seen from this table, most sources agree to include some backbends, and at least one forward bends, one twist and one sitting asasa.

While classical texts do no list inversions amongst asanas, they mention Viparita Karani, which is probably Sirsasana. Nearly all other sources include Sirsasana, Sarvangasana and Halasana. It comes as no surprise that Iyengar yoga places a particular emphasis on standing postures, which are simply ignored by some other sources (the Hatha Yoga Pradipika does not mention any standing postures, although the Gheranda Samhita  lists three).
While only one mild backbend and no twists are listed here for ashtanga, this has to be seen in the context of the whole system, in which the second series actually contains a number of strong twists and backbends and was meant to be practiced regularly. However, beginners do not get much  practice at backbends, and this has been pointed out by some as a shortcoming of the ashtanga system.
All sources insist on the importance of finishing the practice with a relaxation time in Savasana.
Although the shortest list includes only 9 postures, it seems to be difficult to go below 12 if you want to include some standing postures.

Here's my own list (in no praticular order), for what it's worth: Uttanasana, Trikonasana, Sirsasana, Sarvangasana, Halasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana,  Dhanurasana, Marichyasana or Baradhvajasana, Siddhasana, Padmasana, Baddhakonasana, Supta Virasana, Navasana, Matsyasana, Savasana.

Glossary of postures names:
For those who are not familiar with the Sanskrit names of postures, here's a translation.

Standing
Trikonasana: Triangle
Parivrtta Trikonasana :Reversed (twisted) triangle
Parsvakonasana: Sideway strech
Prasarita Padotanasana: Wide leg forward bend
Virabadrasana: Warrior posture
Ardha Chandrasana: Half moon pose (balancing on one leg)
Uttanasana: Standing forward bend
Utkatasana: Half squat
Vrkasana: Tree pose
Garudasana: Eagle posture

Inversions
Sirsasana: Headstand
Sarvangasana: Shoulderstand
Halasana: Plough posture
Karnapidasana: Knee to ears posture (a variation of Halasana)
Urdhva Padmasana: Shoulderstand with legs in lotus
Pindasana: Inverted embryo posture
Ado Mukha Svanasana: Downward facing dog

Backbends
Ustrasana: Camel
Salabhasana: Locust
Dhanurasana: Bow,
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana: Upward facing dog
Bhujanghasana: Cobra

Forward bends
Paschimottanasana: Sitting forward bend
Janusirsasana: One leg head to knee forward bend
Kurmasana: Tortoise
Maha Mudra: The great seal, a variation of Janusirsasana

Sitting asanas
Badhakonasana: Cobbler's pose (sometimes called butterfly)
Siddhasana: Perfect posture
Padmasana: Lotus
Vajrasana: Diamond posture (kneeling)
Svastikasana:  Easy posture (simple cross legged sitting posture)
Virasana: Hero posture (kneeling)
Baddha Padmasana: Bound lotus
Gomukasana: Cow face posture
Balancing asanas
Tolasana: Scale posture (lifting up in lotus)
Bakasana: Crow posture
Mayurasana: Peacok
Kukutasana: Cock posture
Miscellaneous asanas
Navasana: Boat posture
Matsyasana: Fish posture
Savasana: Corpse posture
Uttanapadasana: a variation of Matsyasana
Simhasana: Lion posture

Christophe runs a yoga retreat centre on an island of the West coast of Ireland. We thank him for sharing his work. See his site about the Clare Island Retreat centre, www.clare.yogaholidays.net .

Source

The 12 basic Sivananda asanas

Traditionally, Yogis practice Surya Namaskar, the sun salutation, before the Asanas. Although there are many Asanas (8,400,000 according to the scriptures) the practice of the 12 basic postures brings out the essence and all major benefits.

These 12 Basic Postures are:

1. Headstand (Sirshasana)
2. Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana)
3. Plough (Halasana)
4. Fish (Matsyasana)
5. Forward bend (Paschimothanasana)
6. Cobra (Bhujangasana)
7. Locust (Shalabhasana)
8. Bow (Dhanurasana)
9. Spinal twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
10. Crow pose (Kakasana) or Peacock pose (Mayurasana)
11. Standing forward bend (Pada Hasthasana)
12. Triangle (Trikonasana)

Sitting postures for meditation and Pranayama include the Padmasana, the lotus pose.

http://www.yuj.nl/yoga_basic_exercises.htm

Always end every session with proper relaxation in Savasana, (Corpspose). Meditation could follow the exercises.

Bikram Yoga aftermath

"No, I won't make someone else responsible for my neck pain. It was my fault. I should have known better. I was too ambitious. My neck problems come from the first pranayama exercise of that Bikram series. One has to force the head back with the elbows in order to breath deeply. This exercise was repeated 10 times and then again 10 times. There is always a second set. This was too much. My body was not familiar with this movement either.

Fact is I cannot move anymore. I cry when I make a wrong movement. Every movement is a wrong movement. I cannot lay on my back either. There is no position where I am without pain. This morning I had difficulties to lift my cup of coffee in order to drink. To sip from my cup of coffee was almost impossible as well, because I had to bend my head slightly backwards. I often shout: Aua , Aua. I don't know what to do taday. I can only sit and this hurts, too. What a nightmare. In the heat I didn't feel my limits. I went behind my limits because my body couldn't give me signs that it was too much.

When we went to the Bikram class the owner of the studio was very busy to have us sign a piece of paper, that we are responible for ourselves. I had to cross out that I had been at a doctor before class.

We had to follow exactly what the teacher wanted us to do. Again this was my fault. I should have been much more carefully."

http://my-yoga-blog.blogspot.com/2006/05/bikram-yoga-aftermath_14.html

Tai Chi vs. Yoga

The postures of hatha yoga provide many of the same health benefits as tai chi chuan. Unfortunately, most of the yoga positions are held for three minutes or longer, which can be very taxing on the body. Brief rest periods are therefore needed. Tai chi practice, on the other hand, does not require any rest period because the postures change too quickly to tire the body.

Yogic inverted postures, such as the headstand and shoulderstand, offer two advantages not found in tai chi chuan. First, they relieve the gravitational pressure on the internal organs and glands. And second, they ease the strain on the heart caused by having to pump blood against the force of gravity. Yoga exercises, however, do little to promote cardiovascular endurance.

Moreover, many people cannot perform certain yoga exercises because of health problems. Tai chi chuan, in contrast, may be practiced in virtually any state of health.

The yoga breathing techniques, known as pranayama, have many health benefits. They increase energy levels within the body, strengthen the immune system as well as the internal organs and glands, reduce stress, purify the body and improve memory. They also enhance the cellular expulsion of carbon dioxide, increase arterial circulation to the brain, reduce levels of lactic acid in the muscles, and stimulate intestinal peristalsis.

Unfortunately, if these exercises are practiced incorrectly, they can cause serious mental disturbances. Tai chi chuan does not present these problems. In tai chi, deep breathing is never imposed on the student; it is developed step by step. The student learns to gradually coordinate his breathing with the movements. This is perhaps the greatest advantage tai chi has over yoga.

In 1978, noted tai chi instructor Lawrence Galante and an associate conducted an experiment to determine whether tai chi chuan is effective in stimulating cardiovascular development. They used 25 tai chi students, ranging in age from 20 to 60 years old, as their models. The students had been studying the yang-style tai chi short form for a period of one to seven years. Galante and his assistant monitored the pulse rate, blood pressure and heart rate of all the students before and after they practiced the form. In all cases, the researchers found that if the form was practiced in a low stance, great cardiovascular stimulation occurred-between 60-80 percent of the maximum heart rate established by the American Heart Association (AHA). On the other hand, if the tai chi movements were performed in a high stance, there was very little heart stimulation (less than 60 percent of the maximum heart rate). However, for people who suffer from high blood pressure, or those recovering from heart attacks or heart surgery, the high stance is a better option. According to Galante, a person can easily meet the standards set by the AHA by practicing tai chi chuan three times a day.

Dr. John Painter, a Fort Worth, Texas based teacher of internal Chinese martial arts, claims that "When the movements of tai chi chuan are performed quickly or in a lower formed stance, they have the same beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system as jogging or high-impact aerobics, but without the stress and strain."

http://web.utah.edu/stc/tai-chi/articles.html

Never more than half your strength.

I am sure that intelligently read, even a single sentence can explain a lot:

"Ayurveda's rule is that you should never exert more than half your capacity." Robert Svoboda, Prakruti, pg. 107)

Viniyoga is taught at Chennai at the Krishnamachari Yoga Mandiram by TKV Desikachar, BKS Iyengar's brother and his assistant teachers. The courses are designed with the individual in mind and are very flexible. It is said that after J Krishnamurti harmed his body by too strenuous a Yoga regime (he was originally taught by BKS Iyengar), he had to be re-taught by TKV.

TIME magazine Yoga article. Both true and false.

By strange coincidence(?!), TIME has an article on "Yoga" in its current issue. (October 2007). That fits in perfectly with the "Post New Age" theme of this blog, and the first post.

True:

"Amy Toosley was standing in a split pose when her yoga instructor gave her leg a little prod. "I heard the loudest pop I've ever heard, and the instructor said, 'Ooh! Good release, huh?'" Toosley recalls. "Not really--I could hardly walk." With her hamstring muscle snapped, Toosley, 32, avoided yoga for the next three months, and almost a year later, she is still in pain."

Never do more than you are capable. Never hold a position. Always relax after each exercise. No yoga teacher in the world will be able to judge whether you are over-compressing or over-stretching.

False:

"The truth is, yoga, regardless of the form, doesn't offer a comprehensive way to get fit. According to a study by the American Council on Exercise, a national nonprofit organization that certifies fitness instructors and promotes physical fitness, dedicated yoga practitioners show no improvement in cardiovascular health. It's not the best way to lose weight either. A typical 50-min. class of hatha yoga, one of the most popular styles of yoga in the U.S., burns off fewer calories than are in three Oreos--about the same as a slow, 50-min. walk. Even power yoga burns fewer calories than a comparable session of calisthenics. And while yoga has been shown to alleviate stress and osteoarthritis, it doesn't develop the muscle-bearing strength needed to help with osteoporosis."

If the American Council of Exercise (sic) thinks that burning calories is the prime aim of exercise, then I guess that we are pieces of carbon. Yoga (actually "asana") exercises will show an effect in conjunction with diet, reduced stress, and proper sleep.

Read the entire article in TIME magazine.