Yoga for People with Disabilities OR Yoga For When You Are Sick

I don't care who's wrong or right, I don't really wanna fight no more.

During the past 6 weeks I've been on a roller coaster that extended from being able to do nothing at all, all the way to getting on the mat and practicing primary series of Ashtanga Yoga for the fourth time and for an hour and a half yesterday (see here for the previous three attempts)

I have been in the position where some people with disabilities may find themselves, unable to do anything, even think, even read, not to mention move. The first two weeks were exactly like that for me. But as always with yoga come gifts, no matter what the state.

Later on the next two weeks I was able to start thinking and reading a little, but still light disturbed me.

I have realized that the tremendous toolbox of yoga has something for everybody, even if you have no limbs, even if you cannot move, even if all you can do is stare at the ceiling, there is help and hope in yoga. I am nowhere near being back, and that is OK, I also learned to surrender, what a gift!

If you have disabilities and want to practice yoga I have news for you. As long as your mind is working, even if it is working somewhat then you have a chance with yoga, then you have a chance at a miracle, and miracles do exist, if we are willing to slow down and pay attention. I know, I have experienced them.

So, here is the break down. If you are disabled you are either:

1.- Incapable of doing anything, but you have some of your mind.

2.- Somewhat able to think

3.- Able to start moving

4.- More Able to move

There maybe more steps along the way, but I have identified these four, and for each of them I have a proposition of yoga, here it comes:

If you are:

1.- Unable of doing anything, but you have some of your mind:  Then prayer is the way of the yogi yearning for the light, trusting that you can heal, trusting the process and doing japa or mantra repetition.

I will not lie to you.  Even this was impossible for me in the first two weeks.  My Doctor recommended some anxiety pills, there are also natural alternatives in herbs, whatever you can get. The important thing is to get to a state where you can breath easy, so you can pray.

I laughed when I read a Kripalu article where an MD recommended kapalabhati for Lyme disease. I believe this doctor has never had the disease or else he would not be making such a recommendation.

When all you want is to hold on to life or let it go if it is to continue like this (yes I mean when the disease is attacking your nervous system to the point where you want to die), the only thing that can help is MAYBE a three part breathing, or a slow breathing process to get back from the panic attack, the tears, the fear.

• Here is the prayer I used. It is said that if you use it for 40 days you get a miracle. I could not do it in full cause it is supposed to be standing up, yet I got my miracle. After 40 days I was able to see things from a different perspective. That is a miracle in my book.

• Later on Nobel recommended the Buddhist Nam Moho RengeKyo mantra.  This mantra was made popular by the movie about Tina Turner. 

• In the movie, after being abused by her husband, Tina finally manages to escape.  She starts singing the mantra given to her by a friend.  Then one day, as she is about to go on stage to sing "I don't care who's wrong or right I don't really want to fight no more", her husband appears backstage with a gun.  She is calm, coming from wisdom and tells him to do what he has to do.  Then she gives HER BACK to him, to go down the spiral case towards the stage. He does not do anything and I believe that is the last we heard of him.  

The mantra is powerful, thank you Nobel.

• I also prayed to the Divine Mother, The Gayatri Mantra, and others.  

• I also talked directly to God, for example saying:

"Dear God, this is way too much for me and I am scared, I will keep on taking medication and doing what I can to heal, but please you take care of the bigger details"

So that is prayer, OR JAPA YOGA.

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2.- When you are Somewhat able to think

When you are somewhat able to think, even though you still may not move much, there is DREAM YOGA.  Dream yoga is a way to connect with the energy that permeates everything, with the purusha, with what some people call God.

The subconscious will always have messages of new directions if we are willing to pay attention. There is a lot of information given to us in a gentle, sweet way.

Here is a very effective way I used to interpret my dreams, to make them part of my life, to get hints and awareness from them, to ask questions (which you can do) and get specific answers.

So that is DREAM YOGA

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3.- When You Are Somewhat Able to Move

I started slowly(and quite dramatically) practicing the primary series of Ashtanga Yoga. I wrote a book about it, about things to know before starting Ashtanga Yoga. Read it or ask me and I will email you a PDF for free. Get into it.

The primary series of Ashtanga Yoga is called "Yoga Therapy" and there is a reason for it: it heals.  I started doing what I could, when I can, being absolutely present, and noticing that when my mind wanders away then I am not really there working with what I can, I am likely vanished into self pitty.

It takes a lot of guts to do this, to start, to take the first step and to humbly do what one can. 

I love Ashtanga but you knew that. If you do other types of yoga, then that is good too, although in my opinion I would stay away from the hot stuff.  Getting the body stretching and breathing is good, under natural conditions. Adding the coordination of the breathig and focusing points of Ashtanga makes the whole thing a lot more magical.  The true lineage behind Ashtanga makes it a gem, a gift.

So that is Asana Yoga

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4.- If you are more able to move

Then you can continue with asana, slowly and with full attention doing what you can, finding your edge, never forcing.  Noticing your life and how it unfolds. Noticing where you lie to yourself and where you are not living to your fullest, where you are stuck, just noticing.

Putting your whole focus on recovering, yet finding the edge, moving again, practicing, incorporating all four steps, making your life, all of it, a yoga practice. Here are 32 suggestions on how to start paying attention to your breath, and here is a very basic breathing exercise anyone can do, even laying down.

Wonderful if you can add some pranayama and meditation. Even if it is laying down in the beginning, even if you need mantras to calm you down and get to a state of calm where you can stay quiet, just with what is for a few minutes.  See if you can observe without judging, just be a witness.

That is Asana Pranayama Meditation Yoga

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The most important points here are:

1) Never Blame Yourself for the disease.  That is not true. You are not being punished.  Use it however as an opportunity to explore yourself, your thoughts, your mind.  Rest and get well, focus on YOU for a change.

2) Use the toolbox of yoga. It has all this and more, and it helps.

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I am still going through with Lyme Disease, I am still dancing the dance of healing, and I am eternally gratefully to:

a) Have a chance to re-discover the asana practice, and how it is all new, all bright, every binding a smile, every milimiter forward bend reached an opening of the soft palate, every backbend an inner smile.

b) Have improved focus (I cannot afford not to, or my heart will let me know)

c) Have rediscovered prayer, mantra, singing, and dream yoga.

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May we all be well, may we all be healed.  May we all practice yoga which calms the mind and brings about a more peaceful world.