Yoga: Hurts or Heals?

Happy birthday to all those lucky people born today friday the 13th!  Lucky indeed… or more like grateful we all get to live another day.

This is what my yoga practice has helped to cultivate… a sense of gratitude, simplicity, happiness, and healing.

I’m sure you’ve recently read about the yoga bashing, How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body, and the voice of advocates on  how to avoid injuries during yoga.  I really didn’t want to jump in on this conversation, but since the article shines light on how a yoga posture can wreck your body, I’m prompted to re-ask a question that came up for me last year while in a class with Bryan Kest… ”why do you practice a yoga posture and more importantly how does practicing a yoga posture contribute to the world? how does it make you a better person?”  

Have I gotten injured while doing a yoga pose?  Yes.  Have I gotten injured while participating in another activity or sport?  Yes.  Have I gotten injured from simply bending over to pick up something on the floor?  Yes.  The point is, the possibility of getting injured doing anything is highly likely.  This isn’t the only point.  Perhaps a better question is why do we go to the point of injury during yoga or whatever sport we’re doing?

While it’s only day 13 of the handstand challenge, I’m feeling great and confident.  I can see the progress I’ve made in such a short amount of time.  I can see the progress my students have made.  I can also hear the voice in my head get more confident arrogant.   The voice celebrates every time I reach a milestone… every time I land a handstand.  It chuckles.  It grins.  It wants more… not tomorrow, but “do it again, right now.”  It doesn’t hear my shoulders crying with fatigue.  ”Just one more,” the voice says.

Hmmm… the Voice who often goes by the name, Ego.  We know all this voice and how it’s capable of bullying us around.  Can you say, “INJURY?”  Enough said.

The first time I got injured, I was able to distinguish that voice in my head from the voice in my body.  In that moment, I learned how yoga can hurt but it also can heal. 

My practice has healed me physically.  Made my body stronger.  Straightened my posture.  Lengthened my spine.  Expanded my lung capacity.

It has healed me mentally.  Took me out of my head.  Out of the sickening, self destructing negative thought patterns and outbursts of irresponsible outbursts and reactions. 

It has healed me spiritually.  It gave me a way to connect to my spirit. To connect with others.  To see that we are all one in the same.  To see that I am an infinite light full of love. 

Hmmm… what a great side effect of practicing some yoga postures.. some often very odd looking. 

Here’s to handstands this year:

Making progress everyday and one day I will be able to just lift up.. ok that was my ego voice talking, but not at the expense of an injury.  This challenge has brought together so many new friends, inspiration, motivation, and a sense of healing in our own ways.

I’m grateful for another day to be able to practice my handstands.  Lucky day indeed!

How To Video: Handstand Prep Tip#2

I am inspired by the number of people who have taken the 365 day handstand challenge and have committed to practice at least one handstand a day for the rest of the year.  People who were afraid are now having fun.  People who are able to handstand are helping those who are just starting.  Oh my heart!  Is it possible that practicing a single pose can create community?…. wow.. the heart of yoga in action.

More handstand prep techniques using straps.  One step at a time…

 

Thank you to those who have sent me some pictures and videos already of you practicing… it inspires me.. so keep sending them in (snikkin at yahoo dot com).

365 Day Handstand Challenge

I’m committed!  I’ve been practicing my handstands for the last 4 months or so and told myself that I would be able to hold it without touching the wall by end of 2011.  I know it’s “not suppose” to be about the end result or the goal, but hey! it surely helps motivate me.  The difference I think is that “yoga” begins to happen when you don’t beat yourself up during the process… you’re learning, you’re discovering, you’re finding  your own strength is limitless and you are more capable than you think, and mainly you’re having fun in between point A to point Z. 

So when I saw this challenge posted on my friend Adrienne’s FB status, I jumped on it.  I’m over joyous!  Since I’ve been practicing my handstands over the course of the last 4 months, I can now invert without touching the wall (on most days).  Some days it’s impossible because my wrist hurts or my shoulder hurts or I just ate too much junk.  On those days, I come back to what is important.  What matters is  how I’m connected to my  breath in and breath out, my inward gaze, and cheesy smile that probably would turn into a burst of laughter instead of whether I did a handstand or not.

Join me… a handstand a day.  Are you up for this?  And if you’re shaking your head ‘no’ and doubting your abilities, watch my video.  Take one step at a time.

 

As Pattabhi Jois says, “Practice and all is coming…”