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AYPforum
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Posted - Jul 07 2005 : 6:11:40 PM
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641 From: "nearoanoke" <nearoanoke@yahoo.com> Date: Fri Apr 8, 2005 0:57pm Subject: Re: Backstretch as prelude to meditation nearoanoke Offline Send Email Hi David,
I agree with you on the advantages of backstrech. When i do it i clearly feel some shake/movement kind of thing in the back.
During mornings asanas are hard to do (body is not flexible) while evenings i feel it really flexible. is there anything i could do before asanas in the morning to enhance my flexibility?
Also how about the idea of meditating in shoulder stand? i know it can be very difficult but it can be very useful also. what do u guys think?
Love, Near
--- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, "obsidian9999" <obsidian9999@y...> wrote: > > > > Dear Ram, > > I meant that backstretch itself, done for a long time, is great > prelude to meditation. Were you wondering if I thought others were > good as a prelude to meditation? Probably the two that also stand > out most are shoulderstand and headstand. If shoulderstand and > headstand are the king and queen, I would say backstretch is the > president. Or the prime minister. :) > > When you get really flexible and comfortable with the backstretch, > it's a great one to hold for a long time. When you are really > comfortable with it, you can use a strap so that you can relax in the > backstretch and use it as a meditation in itself; you can make a > loop with it and wrap it around your legs and hold this loop with > your elbow; this strap can be used not so much to pull extra tightly > rather but to allow the body to relax deeply. > > It's one to go slow with, just like all the postures. being able to > easily do a six or ten-minute stint in it might be the fruit of > months or years of build-up. > > Speaking of overdoing it, I once got this great sense that I > was "overcoming a major block" when doing a backstretch and I wanted > to do it harder and harder. And I probably was releasing something > at the time. But I got hold of a strap and pulled really hard and > held for a really long time. And my leg started to get a bit numb. > And I said 'hell with it, it'll be fine, I've got this major block > being released and that is really important'. I held for about a > half-hour. The numbness in my leg did not go away when I stopped. > Nor the next day. Nor the next day. Nerve damage basically. Nerve > damage. Pride of the Yogis. Many weeks later, it was eventually > gone, so I think I got away with no permanent damage. I was a > fool, and got away with it this time. I learned my lesson. Never > again. Sometimes you might be overcoming a major block but that is > no reason to behave foolishly. > > > Best regards, > > -David > > > > --- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, Ram Narayan Gupta <rngupta31@y...> > wrote: > > > > dear David! > > Would you please be a bit specific about what type of asanas do you > think are good for backstrech as prelude to meditation. > > Thanks & regards, > > R N Gupta > > > > obsidian9999 <obsidian9999@y...> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > I have found shoulderstand wonderful. > > > > I'd like to mention to anyone who is looking for a meditation- > > enhancing pose (and yes, they are all, in a way meditation- > > enhancing); > > > > I was glad of a tip that backstretch done for a long time can be a > > great prelude to meditation. I don't know why this is, and I cannot > > claim to be an expert on hatha yoga. Maybe it's something about > > stretching those lower back muscles? Maybe it's the huge mass of > > muscle stretched, since so many leg muscles are stretched and leg > > muscles are more than half of the body's muscle mass. But whatever > > the reason, the backstretch done and held for a while (maybe five > or > > six minutes or so when you are used to it) can be a great prelude > to > > meditation. A wonderful one. I've found my chitta-levels drop to > > say maybe even a third after a good long backstretch. > > > > By the way, if you do a long backstretch, come out nice and > > slowly. This can be relative to the time you've spent in it. > > > > Blessings -- David > > > > > > --- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, "jim_and_his_karma" > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > Victor knows this, but I'm just chiming in to add that while > > shoulderstand is indeed > > > important to counteract headstand, and soothe nerves, it also > does > > a lot more than that. > > > Shoulderstand and headstand are the cruxes of asana > practice....the > > queen and king of > > > poses, respectively. The benefits of shoulderstand are too many > to > > list. > > > > > > So since it's great to do...but also risky to do....it makes > sense > > to limit the risk. Hence, my > > > piles of blankets. I haven't done the pose sans blankets in over > 20 > > years. But the pose is so > > > important that....words fail. It's really important. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, victor yj wrote: > > > > > > > > Jim described it well. The 7th cervical vertebrae (vertebrae > > prominans) is at the base of > > > the neck just before the first thoracic. This is the spot that > > tends to get the brunt of > > > shoulderstand. Shoulderstand seems to be a problematic posture > for > > many and most > > > chiropractors advise against it. If one does headstand however it > > is important to releive > > > trhe pressure on the neck afterwards and that is an important > role > > for shoulderstand and > > > plough. It also soothes the nerves and gives an inverted pose > that > > helps counteract some > > > of the impact of gravity. > > > > > > > > jim_and_his_karma wrote: > > > > > > > > There are better people than me to answer this (victor, > probably, > > for that matter). I'm > > > not > > > > real schooled in anatomy, just well trained in yoga. But let me > > take a stab, and others > > > can > > > > correct. > > > > > > > > The vertebara which gets crunched in shoulder stand (and, less, > > halasana) is the one > > > right > > > > at the base of where neck joins shoulders. It's easy to > > confirm...do a shoulder stand, and > > > > notice what's sitting on the floor bearing all your weight. > > That's the one. Poor little guy. > > > > > > > > Try doing shoulder stand on smooth, carefully folded blankets > (no > > lumps!). A rise of as > > > > much as like 4 inches is fine. Make sure that the rounded part > of > > the fold is the part > > > facing > > > > your neck, and let your neck extend a couple inches past this > > (i.e. the edge of the > > > blankets > > > > shouldn't actually touch your neck). Shoulders and arms on the > > blankets. You'll see that > > > > this vertebra is now free and clear and bearing no load. > > > > > > > > Try an experiment. Next person you meet who practices yoga, ask > > if they use blankets > > > in > > > > shoulderstand. If the answer is "no", ask to touch this > vertebra. > > It will almost certainly be > > > > swollen. It's an intrinsic problem with yoga. Note, though, > that > > some smart people (as > > > > experienced as I am) believe the dangers are overblown. But why > > take the chance? > > > > > > > > Work hard to move all your weight up, up, up. Aim to walk on > the > > ceiling. And don't let > > > > your elbows splay out. I use a belt to keep them narrow and > > parallel. And don't let the > > > > weight of trunk and legs fall on your neck. It's shoulder > stand, > > not neck stand. Keeping > > > the > > > > body quite straight, slowly move your feet in the opposite > > direction of your head until > > > the > > > > weight is truly on your shoulders. It may seem hard to sustain, > > but you'll get used to it! > > > > > > > > --- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, "Greg" wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Very interesting. I thought I was pretty safe doing these > > shoulder > > > > > stands due to my slim but relatively muscular physique. But > in > > light > > > > > of what you've written here, I'll certainly have to > reconsider > > that. > > > > > Tell me... I haven't had much experience w/ spinal anatomy. > > How > > > > > exactly do I find C5/C6? Is C6 the one that juts out the most > > at the > > > > > base of the neck before it starts curving back? > > > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > > > > > Greg M. > > > > > > > > > > --- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, "jim_and_his_karma" > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > But all the senior teachers, to my knowledge, use multiple > > blankets. > > > > > Iyengar has disavowed > > > > > > many things in LIght on Yoga...he's learned much in the > half > > century > > > > > since the book came > > > > > > out. And I think you may be understating his rationale for > the > > > > > blankets. It wasn't an "oh, > > > > > > what the hell" thing. Consider: Patricia Walden (one of the > > two top > > > > > Iyengar yogis in US, > > > > > > famed for being able to do every pose in Light on Yoga, > does > > 100+ > > > > > dropbacks into urdva > > > > > > dhanurasana, etc) has recently gone from three blankets to > > two in > > > > > her shoulderstand > > > > > > practice, only because after decades of work she is finally > > able to > > > > > elevate the cervical > > > > > > vertebra on her own...a little (Iyengar himself creates an > > enormous > > > > > tunnel in the spinal > > > > > > cavity - you can plunge your fist in easily when he's in > > shoulder > > > > > stand or halasana...so he > > > > > > doesn't need blankets). > > > > > > > > > > > > And since (at least in strict Iyengar practice) > shoulderstand > > > > > follows immediately after > > > > > > halasana, without pause, it's hard to imagine how the > blanket > > stack > > > > > could be modified on > > > > > > the fly. > > > > > > > > > > > > That said, the whole point of yoga is to do what you think > is > > right > > > > > for you, plus Iyengar is > > > > > > just one system, anyway, so I'm not arguing with you, > Victor! > > I > > > > > think we can at least agree > > > > > > that blankets are a good path of caution. I know that I'd > > have a > > > > > much better neck today > > > > > > (and a vertebra less reminscent of a squashed kiwi fruit) > if I > > > > > hadn't done a few years of > > > > > > blanketless shoulderstand and halasana practice. I wasnt' > > then (and > > > > > still am not today, > > > > > > decades later) able to get c6/c7 off the ground through > sheer > > > > > physical control. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, victor yj > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > While the blankets are certainly helpful (and not at all > > mentioned > > > > > in "Light On Yoga") I do > > > > > > not find them as necessary in Halasana as in the > > shoulderstand. I > > > > > would certainly fold up a > > > > > > blanket or two to put under the shoulders in Halasana if > for > > no > > > > > other reason than to > > > > > > prevent the occiput from taking too much pressure on the > > floor but I > > > > > also see a trend > > > > > > towards too much reliance on lots of blankets. Iyengar > > developed > > > > > this blanket usage for > > > > > > people with stiff necks and then decided that it would be > > safer for > > > > > everyone. I still > > > > > > recommend it especially in shoulderstand but you need less > in > > plough > > > > > as the weigh is also > > > > > > distributed through the feet rather than in a line directly > > over the > > > > > neck. > > > > > > > This use of the blankets should be folded flat and > stacked > > with > > > > > two or three blankets > > > > > > stacked and placed on the floor. the head lies off of the > > vblankets > > > > > on the floor while the > > > > > > arms and shoulders are supported by the blankets. One should > > > > > experiment with how many > > > > > > blankets rtanging from 1 to 4 depending on your length of > > neck, size > > > > > of blankets, stiffness > > > > > > etc. Don't worry about beineg beginner or advanced with > this, > > use > > > > > what feels the most > > > > > > comfortable, supportive and encourages the lift in the neck > > that I > > > > > talked about. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > jim_and_his_karma wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Greg, I'd very strongly recommend this book: > > > > > http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/ > > > > > > > detail/-/0679722874 if you have no choice but to work > from > > books. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > There are great Iyengar school teachers in SF. Ping again > > if you > > > > > need reccos. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, "Greg" wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hello Victor, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yes, indeed. It helps very much. Thank you. I look > > forward to > > > > > > > > making the adjustments for this morning's practice. > > Given that > > > > > > > > explanation, I can see now how proper instruction is > > considered so > > > > > > > > necessary. Right now, where I live, that's not an > > option, but soon > > > > > > > > (hopefully) I'll be moving down to the Bay Area (CA) > and > > will most > > > > > > > > assuredly be getting proper instruction at that time. > > Until > > > > > then, the > > > > > > > > book and this forum are my only resources. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thank you, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Greg M. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, victor yj > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > What you want is to roll the shoulders towards the the > > > > > > > > shoulderblades so that the bodyweight is balanced as > much > > as > > > > > possible > > > > > > > > on the shoulders and not on the neck. the feeling > should > > be that the > > > > > > > > neck is somewhat lifted from the floor by the roatation > > of the > > > > > > > > shoulders. The sequence for hand placement in halasana > is > > first to > > > > > > > > hold the back as in shoulderstand. In some months as > this > > > > > becomes easy > > > > > > > > then take the arms over the ehad on the floor towards > the > > feet. Then > > > > > > > > when this becomes easy one take the hands and arms in > the > > opposite > > > > > > > > direction from the feet but not interlocking. The final > > grasp of the > > > > > > > > hands is the icing on the cake. It should go along with > > the lift of > > > > > > > > the neck from the floor and the weight on the > shoulders. > > There > > > > > should > > > > > > > > feel no pressure on the 7th cervical vertebrae and the > > neck should > > > > > > > > retain as much of its natural curve as possible rather > > than being > > > > > > > > flattened on the floor or lengthening. Do not try to > > lengthen > > > > > the neck > > > > > > > > but feel that the neck is light with minimal stretch to > > > > > > > > > the back of the neck. stretch should be at the throat > > with > > > > > the chin > > > > > > > > untucking and soft as the chest moves towards the chin. > > > > > > > > > Does that help? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Greg wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I thank you for your concern, but I consider myself > to > > have a very > > > > > > > > > good sense of bodily awareness developed through > years > > of > > > > > training in > > > > > > > > > other disciplines. Given the nature of yoga, I find > my > > level of > > > > > > > > > consciousness heightened even more as I do the > > exercises. :) > > > > > What > > > > > > > > > then is the best way to increase the requisite > > flexibility in > > > > > this > > > > > > > > area? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thank you, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Greg M > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, victor yj > > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Don't worry about the interlock, just keep the > hands > > loose > > > > > or hold > > > > > > > > > tghe back with them at first. Halasana takes time and > > to try > > > > > to push > > > > > > > > > too far too fast will do more harm than good. Just > take > > it > > > > > slow and go > > > > > > > > > with the breath and the feeling. This pose and > > shoulderstand > > > > > should > > > > > > > > > really be taught by a good teacher though rather than > > from a > > > > > book as > > > > > > > > > the neck is very delicate and you don't want to > injure > > your neck. > > > > > > > > > Trust me on that. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Greg wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hello everyone, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I just recently started doing Hatha yoga and am > > following the > > > > > > > > > > beginner's regimen as outlined in BKS > > Iyengar's "Light on > > > > > Yoga". The > > > > > > > > > > second to final asana in the first two week course > is > > called > > > > > > > > > > Halasana (Pgs 216-220 if you have the book). I'm > > having > > > > > trouble with > > > > > > > > > > interlocking my hands and most especially with > > turning them > > > > > over. > > > > > > > > > > Does anyone have a tip or two that will help with > > this? I'm > > > > > uncertain > > > > > > > > > > if it's a matter of simple flexibility or if it's > > more the > > > > > case of > > > > > > > > > > muscle getting in the way. Any advice is welcome. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thank-you, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Greg M > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > PS I hope this is the right forum in which to post > > this. > > > > > If not, I > > > > > > > > > > apologize. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > For the AYP Lessons and Books, go to: > > > > > > > > > > http://www.geocities.com/advancedyogapractices -- > > > > > > > > > > To change your email delivery to "daily digest," > send > > a blank > > > > > > > > email to: > > > > > > > > > > AYPforum-digest@yahoogroups.com -- > > > > > > > > > > To stop email delivery and use "web viewing only," > > send a blank > > > > > > > > > email to: > > > > > > > > > > AYPforum-nomail@yahoogroups.com -- > > > > > > > > > > To resume "individual email delivery," send a blank > > email to: > > > > > > > > > > AYPforum-normal@yahoogroups.com > > > > > > > > > > You can also make these changes in "Edit my > > Membership" on > > > > > the group > > > > > > > > > home page. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! 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