Primary Series is called "Yoga Terpahy" (Chikitsa), and that is ingrained in my brain, so I knew it would help. I trust this system so much I had been waiting until I could harvest a little energy.
That moment I was waiting for never came, and my FIRST ATTEMPT was a pretty melodramatic event given to me by the grace of James, my husband, with eternal patience and dedication to the practice. Thank you J.
The post: "Asana Meltdown" generated so many comments I cannot even count anymore, I am grateful, VERY grateful for all the cheering and all the good wishes from you guys! it made me determined to get on the mat, yes, to actually roll out the real mat, a second time as soon as I could, which was, the next morning
2ND PRACTICE
So the day after that touching first encounter with primary series I actually felt good, did not last long but for about two hours I did, so I pulled my hair back and unrolled the mat.
Seeing the mat on the floor again was new, beautiful, ahhh I suspired.
It was impossible for me to do any sun salutes due to fatigue, so I started with the Prasaritas A,B,C,D. I decided not to focus on how much flexibility has been lost, actually I could not focus on anything other than on my breathing and on working with the energy I had. It was yoga at its finest
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| The forward bend of the prasaritas makes this standing pose accessible |
Then the sited poses were easy. Slow, hard, but easier. At least being sited the fatigue element was not so harsh, especially as I breathed deeply and concentrated fully.
I did not do any jump through and jump backs in between each side of the poses, I only did them in between every other pose, or where my body allowed. I skipped a lot (only one janu no mari D, and only one boat pose).
ONE DISCOVERY: When I got to Mari C my body ASKED for it again. I think the Lyme does not like the twisting... so I did it again.
Backbends, what backbends? only a baby one. Inversions were possible but my sense of balance is totally off, so I lasted only three breaths in both shoulder and headstand.
RESULT: The Lyme gave me a strong reaction to this practice, maybe even stronger than the antibiotics when I first started taking it. For two days after this my shoulders felt dead, like they would not move and I was sent straight to bed. It literally felt like my shoulders wanted me buried under ground, dead. Not a chance Lyme! not if I can help it and that is the will of the creator!
MY CONCLUSION: I knew doing yoga would speed the process of healing, so after two days, when I "got my shoulders back", I got a little bit of energy again, AND....
3RD PRACTICE
This time I was able to do 1 sun salute A (in spite of the fatigue). Krishnamacharya would be proud of me for the slow and coordinated breathing. Ain't that right Tirumalai?
No triangles or anything like that just yet, so I went into prasaritas again and utitta hasta this time DID come back. Surprisingly good, not as good as in the video but pretty good. I breathed 4 counts on it.
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| Uttita Hasta came back on 3rd practice. Our bodies are A M A Z I N G! |
Then the sited went so well that I almost lost focus at some point, but something seemed to tell me: "Claudia this is time to pay close attention", the voice was right, and I did.
The sited was exactly as practice one except I added Mari D. I could not bind, who cares?! I am doing Mari D!
5 boat poses, even kurmasana! (you don't want to know)
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| EVEN KURMASANA! although it did not look like that |
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| I did ONE full bridge pose. Felt it for the next 48 hours alright |
YESTERDAY was a moon day. Good thing because my back did not like the practice. I have a feeling the Lyme disease does not like anything that gets on the way of healing the nervous system, so bridge pose is not something she is prepared to tolerate.
I love moon days.
WHAT IS NEXT:
I have zero expectations, I am taking it one day at the time. If there is energy I practice and do what I can, I am determined yet surrendered to the healing process.
I am ever so grateful to have yoga in my life, Thank you! Whatever Forces that might be, thank you for bringing yoga to me!
Also:
Lyme Desease: 10+ Days With No Practice
The River That Flooded My Street To Take Me Out of Bed, Sick and All
Dear Claudia
ReplyDeleteHappy that you are positive enough to do your yoga practice inspite of your illness . Did u have a chance to write to or talk to my friend Karen who has gone through a lot with regard to this Lyme disease ? May be she can share some valuable inputs on how to handle this .
As regards your practice my suggestion is you can try doing Yoga Nidra and Mantra Chanting ( you can chant Dhanwantri Mantra as Dhanwantri is Lord Of Medicine ) .Both these practice does not require you to strain physically but at the same work at cleansing the astral /pranic body .Will keep u in my prayers and send you my healing energies for your speedy recovery .Take Care .
Hi Krishna, I hope you dont take it personally but no I have not contacted your friend yet, I haveveryy little energy and have been receiving advise and things to look up from everywhere. I have been able to do very very little, that is why.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning when I could not move that is what I did, japa and prayer and reading about kundalini when I could tolerate light. I also did dream yoga the whole month and that was fun (as per the post on Monday)
I did not know about the Dhanwantri Mantra
Nobel suggested the Buddhist chant namyoho rengekyo which worked too, I have been singing to Tara, Shiva, Divine Mother, Native American songs of healing, the Divine Light Invocation (laying down) of Swami Radha, and some prayers that I make up too. They di lilft my spirit
Thank you for the suggestion
Claudia
ReplyDeleteNo probs ,I do understand your situation and trust you know what is best for u and your situation . I know this is a challenging time for you but at the same time I believe that you have the inner strength and clarity to convert challenging situation in to an opportunity for self healing .Take Care .Om peace .
Wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery, Claudia. Sounds like this process has the potential to reveal much to you about yourself through the rebuilding of the practice. Enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteYou are a phenomenal! Woman! Cheers to your first 3 practices since Lyme. ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing your practice and healing process here, Claudia. We are learning so much from your process. Yes, please take everything one breath, one day at a time; but then again, that's all anybody can do, Lyme Disease or no, if you think about it :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm happy that the Nam-myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo is working :-)
I'm not sure why I think this, but something also tells me that backbends are also good for healing. Probably because they open the front body and encourage the circulation in the lymph glands. Maybe try holding the backbends for a couple more breaths the next time you practice, and see what happens?
May the Force be with you.
So happy you managed to practice Claudia, know how frustrating it's been for you. The third one must have been such a relief, to know it's still possible for you. As you say, not everyday perhaps but little by little. Five navasanas though! God, would have thought Lyme would be a good excuse to skimp on those. best wishes for number four.
ReplyDeleteSuch great news! So glad to hear you are improving!! My thoughts and prayers are with you.
ReplyDeleteMegan it does, true that!
ReplyDeleteWay Thank you Requiem! I love that word, love that poem too... you just reminded me...
Nobel, yes the mantra helps a lot, I appreciate you telling me. And as per the back bends I think you are right, anything healing and opening ot the nervous system disturbs the lyme... today I am too collapsed but hope to have energy for another practice soon, and will try more. one day at the time :-)
Thanks Grimmly, yeah is kind of funny the ones that are a total NO NO, like warriors or extended side stretches or revolved poses, yaicks, but to feel the utitta hasta with the leg coming to the hand rather than the other way around was such a relief, is like discovering the practice all over again, is like being a kid in a candy store... when they come back... then there is kurmasana... that is when it gets uggly, and I dont even wanna think about the other ones in the core of the sequence (garba kukutasana etc)... but yes, one day at the time, or every other day at the time, however it may come I will take it!
Anon thank you!!!
Really glad to hear you are pulling this off despite your Lyme disease. I know people who do not suffer from any serious illness yet refuse to try out a gentle hatha yoga class with me. I think if we don't acquire some skills when we're still healthy, it'll be really difficult to deal with our bodies and pain when diseases hit us. I sincerely hope yoga helps you in the path of healing (even just the meditation and breathing part should help a little bit right?)
ReplyDeletehi claudia-
ReplyDeletegreat post on doing what you can with what you have.
okay, you have heard a thousand recommendations for sure, but i just thought of one - wheatgrass - it has always upped my energy dramatically and i believe it has been known to remove toxicity. might be worth researching. i usually mix mine in with morning orange juice. just thought i'd throw it out there for a possible thing to look into.
keep up with the healing journey. wishing all good vibes your way.
Hi Claudia,
ReplyDeleteHave spoken with your husband briefly via twitter etc. I have Lyme myself, almost died. Would be more than welcome to answer any questions you have or just provide moral and mental support if you need it. It is a brutal illness and recovery is slow, but possible! My own saving treatment was the Marshall Protocol. Keep a positive attitude! : )
Rachel Callaray
Yyogini, totally! I think of the practice as medical insurance, it is always there for recovery purpose and not just for disease, also for common things like jet lag, or stress... I feel for people that do not want to give your class a try... It makes such a difference ... And what you say about the part on just meditating on the breathing, yes, it helps enormously, reminds me of the early days when all I could do was wait, in bed, until the breath would even out, and then just focus on it... It was most helpful.
ReplyDeleteAnon, thank you. Earlier on so done recommended it and I tried it and loved it. I don't have a wheatgrass machine at home and is not easily available in my village, gotta go all the way to the next town, but when James drags me there or we have a scoter appointment or something, I get one and love it! Matter of fact last time I got two, the guy in the counter looked at me like I was crazy, but he made it anyway... Must admit...two is pushing it.... But yes great idea.
Rachel, I am sorry to hear! And I appreciate the offer, funny thing wih Lyme is people try to help but we have no energy to talk, right? But I appreciate it. I read about three books on Lyme, the first thing I read about was the Marshal protocol and it hit me cause on the first check the doctors told me I was very low on D vitamin..... Is as if my body knew!!! So I started taking more!!! UNTIL I read the Maarshal protocol, now I am starving my body from vitamin D and never get under the sun, I am the vampire yogi...hee hee...
Go, Claudia!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are re-emerging with renewed vigor understanding.
Thanks for sharing your first 3 practices. It really got me pondering on all the things one can motivate ones self to do in life.
Thank you....
hi claudia-
ReplyDeleteyou probably already know this, but i'll post it anyway. best doctors from new york magazine in 2000 for lyme disease in nyc were laura fisher (ny-cornell), christopher busillo and christopher lerner at ny university. my understanding is that nyu langone center doctors are generally speaking some of the best out there - i could be wrong when it comes to lyme though. another thought, maybe it's worth it to get a small pad in nyc which will allow you to be closer to the network of doctors given the window of energy.
you seem awesome. keep on coming back!
"I have zero expectations, I am taking it one day at the time. If there is energy I practice and do what I can, I am determined yet surrendered to the healing process"
ReplyDeleteDear Claudia there's no way, you're right.. "Surrender" .. let me say..
Try to forget where were you before and now in terms of flexibility, strength if you get any frustation sensation around, give up quickly.. go back on those feelings with love and passion to get the stuff again.. dhristi will help; pay attention on your body's messages...do your free breathing with the awareness of spreading the oxygen everywhere that's should be your main energy charger.. and maybe the most important: Now, time to be patient.
In my case the practice equalizes everything after sometime. The same surrender you already know on your "standard problematic" asanas would be applied now. But, think on this, that surrender of five supta kurmasana (in my case) breaths versus your full two hours experience.. oh my God... pure ashtanga... a nice oportunity to go further, no doubt, go ahead..
Really happy to see an ashtangi again on the mat..
Cheers
Thanks Deepa :-) and yes, I go! slowly, but I go!
ReplyDelete;-)
Anon, thanks for letting me know about those doctors in NY, I did not know. I already went to a specialist and following one theme for now, dont want to try all at once. Thanks for the support
Juanba, thank you. Other than in the first practice which was really a melodramatic soap opera, in the subsequent ones when it was just me with the mat, there was no way NOT to be present, the fatigue and beating of the heart will not let me lose attention, and so yes, the dristi happens and just as you say, it helps.
I appreciate the cheering. Something is happening with me with all of this, something changed and I definitely have a whole new appreciation for ashtanga yoga, for the series just as they are, which I never knew.
It is all good, it is all new.
Thank you!
You are incredible Claudia!! Keep up the good spirits! Do what you can each day; focus on the present and nothing else. Soon you will be back to your regular practice! Sending you a big warm aloha hug!
ReplyDelete