How was that Saturday rest day? Unfortunately mine was nothing like this.
Unprecedented response to my article "Extreme Lower Back Pain" from way back two days ago, I am grateful to everyone that chimed in to offer suggestions either there and on Facebook. Read through all of them. Still digesting and going through.
First thing I did was find a book recommended by David Garrigues through Joy, they are both "workshopping" in beautiful British Columbia but were kind enough to pass along the tip. The book is "Mind Over Back Pain" which turns out is not in kindle so I ended up reading the updated version (which Martina had downloaded into my I-pad on her visit last year).
This one, the updated version, is called "Healing Back Pain", is a couple of decades more recent, and decidedly confirms even through research how in many cases (where there are no cancers or actual tremendous issues) back pain is pretty much a deflection of hard-to-cope-with-emotions, meaning: "I don't want to face this anger or resentment therefore my back goes"... hm... great finding! Thanks Joy and David, and Martina.
So much this resonates with me, that I even ventured into reading an excellent post I had avoided before, perhaps out of fear? The emotional Journey of Back-Bending, by Kino.
It must have been because I confess, when I read the article that Kino linked to -within her article-, I cried. The linked blogger does her first drop back to the floor alone, (with Kino nearby) and oh, we can all so easily feel it with her. I certainly did, tears and all.
Nobel pointed me to a really sweet tip he got from some senior teachers a little way back on how to prepare for deep backbends and that includes a pose I had never heard of called Mandukasana. Much appreciated read.
I must admit that the further along this ashtanga path the more interesting it gets. There is no way around an intense physical practice like this one coined with the intent for yamas and niyamas but to bring about "issues".
Grimmly this week posted a video of modified Suryas for when the back is "acting out", which from now on should be a cue to "re-direct and see what emotional issues may be lurking"... At least for me.
I have been using the Theracane which Susan recommended in Mysore earlier this year when James got his own issues with lower back pain and I am loving it more and more as I get acquainted with it. It is best to get it with the accompanying book that discusses trigger points, of course. I am getting to it, for now have just been experimenting with the cane.
Another of the people commenting in the pain post directed me towards a video that shows what happens and how to massage the lower back should you ever need to (hope not). I wanted to make it video of the week because of the clarity of where things are within the body on the back. I am certainly learning quite a bit:
I have been throwing around the term "Quadratus Lumborum" like there is no tomorrow. Try it, it takes some tongue twisting, yoga of the tongue indeed.
Any advise, reference or topic discussed in this article should of course, always be run by your teacher, doctor, chiropractor, Chinese medicine practitioner, Ayurveda consultant, acupuncturist, God, The Universe, The Self, The Observer, et all, -
LAST SUNDAY'S YOGA BLOG TIMES: THANK YOU RICHARD FREEMAN
Unprecedented response to my article "Extreme Lower Back Pain" from way back two days ago, I am grateful to everyone that chimed in to offer suggestions either there and on Facebook. Read through all of them. Still digesting and going through.
First thing I did was find a book recommended by David Garrigues through Joy, they are both "workshopping" in beautiful British Columbia but were kind enough to pass along the tip. The book is "Mind Over Back Pain" which turns out is not in kindle so I ended up reading the updated version (which Martina had downloaded into my I-pad on her visit last year).
This one, the updated version, is called "Healing Back Pain", is a couple of decades more recent, and decidedly confirms even through research how in many cases (where there are no cancers or actual tremendous issues) back pain is pretty much a deflection of hard-to-cope-with-emotions, meaning: "I don't want to face this anger or resentment therefore my back goes"... hm... great finding! Thanks Joy and David, and Martina.
So much this resonates with me, that I even ventured into reading an excellent post I had avoided before, perhaps out of fear? The emotional Journey of Back-Bending, by Kino.
It must have been because I confess, when I read the article that Kino linked to -within her article-, I cried. The linked blogger does her first drop back to the floor alone, (with Kino nearby) and oh, we can all so easily feel it with her. I certainly did, tears and all.
Nobel pointed me to a really sweet tip he got from some senior teachers a little way back on how to prepare for deep backbends and that includes a pose I had never heard of called Mandukasana. Much appreciated read.
I must admit that the further along this ashtanga path the more interesting it gets. There is no way around an intense physical practice like this one coined with the intent for yamas and niyamas but to bring about "issues".
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| Don't know about yours but my issues are very 2.0 without the cat's flexibility mind you |
I have been using the Theracane which Susan recommended in Mysore earlier this year when James got his own issues with lower back pain and I am loving it more and more as I get acquainted with it. It is best to get it with the accompanying book that discusses trigger points, of course. I am getting to it, for now have just been experimenting with the cane.
Another of the people commenting in the pain post directed me towards a video that shows what happens and how to massage the lower back should you ever need to (hope not). I wanted to make it video of the week because of the clarity of where things are within the body on the back. I am certainly learning quite a bit:
I have been throwing around the term "Quadratus Lumborum" like there is no tomorrow. Try it, it takes some tongue twisting, yoga of the tongue indeed.
Any advise, reference or topic discussed in this article should of course, always be run by your teacher, doctor, chiropractor, Chinese medicine practitioner, Ayurveda consultant, acupuncturist, God, The Universe, The Self, The Observer, et all, -
LAST SUNDAY'S YOGA BLOG TIMES: THANK YOU RICHARD FREEMAN
Love the video Claudia, how cool is that. Not sure I buy the emotions/back pin idea, a little stress carried in the neck and shoulders is as far as I go, never had an emotional reaction to backbending other than "yay, ankles" but perhaps I should look at the book maybe it's a better treatment than other things on this I've read. Nice job bringing all this back material together.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was skeptical at first but the more I read the more I gave it a chance that it is probably true. Funny thing is that it is working for me in this case, to actually talk to my brain and let it know the pain is a deflection of other issues I need to work on, long story, perhaps for another post.... thanks for the compliment, thought it was a nice collage on the backbending emotional stuff indeed.
ReplyDeleteGosh, my own encounters with back pain have made me pretty well-acquainted with my QL too. My own experience was a result of coming up to standing from a backbend - not enough strength in the front of the body and legs, and so the spine and back muscles took the hit. I went to see an osteopath recently and it turns out that my QL was spasming, which was what caused the pain. She did some osteopathic manipulation, which is probably similar to the trigger point therapy technique, and the pain is gone. Whichever course of treatment you choose, I hope it resolves the pain for you quickly and painlessly!
ReplyDelete(Also, thanks for the video - going to make my husband watch it, hehe!)
Hm, good idea on making the husband watch, hm, where is James? he MUST watch it, you are totally right! :-)
DeleteI can understand what you say about not enough strenght on the legs for coming back, seems I have the same issue and sometimes I have felt something similar to spasms when attempting, sort of as if there is, in my case, so much fear, that the body acts up... strange...
Yes, the fear!! The fear is definitely there, and for me it manifests on the right side of the body, from the shoulders to the hip. This is fear mixed with stress and everything else from life of course, not just backbends, although backbending is a real trigger.
DeleteIt is so true what Kino says, we tend to give up the moment an asana goes wrong. I hit my head the other day while working on my headstand and got up right away and left, I was so scared. I tried again but days later.
ReplyDeleteHi Priscilla, good to read from you... I get scared too... BUT here the good thing is you DID GET BACK! congratulations, that takes a lot of courage! I am right there with ya sister!
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