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Asanas - Postures and Physical Culture

Asanas and Sensitivities

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Dogboy

USA
2001 Posts

Posted - Apr 11 2022 : 02:54:09 AM

Hello Yogis

I was fortunate to have had AYP as my first spiritual practice to open myself to experiencing conductivity. The design of the program worked as advertised: gently opening my system over time in a controlled and stable way, and as a result, I am able to generate (and radiate) a lot of energy by holding asana poses to full expression. Because of AYP, I also have the knowledge of self pacing, grounding, and Radiance (along with a healthy imagination) to temper the excesses and foster stability, thus avoiding overloading of any consequence these past five years of conductivity.

Knowing how powerful asanas may be in generating energy, I was wondering if those of you who are energy sensitive, whether from premature awakening or overdoing in the past, do you even practice asana? Does an asana practice help or hurt with your sensitivity? Do you need to limit or prepare yourself (ground) before or after an asana practice? How does asana fit into your spiritual journey?

Wil

Sweden
108 Posts

Posted - Apr 19 2022 : 1:27:29 PM

Hi Dogboy,

For me, I can't trust to do any energy practices fully but during the past couple of weeks I have done the simple AYP set of Asanas after my morning sit. I have attempted doing Asanas prior to sitting in meditation and it always ended with restlessness no matter how much I did grounding activities.

quote:

Does an asana practice help or hurt with your sensitivity? Do you need to limit or prepare yourself (ground) before or after an asana practice?

Your questions are the same ones I have actually.. although Asanas seems to make me more dynamic and smooth in daily life now, better than coffee

I do the poses before starting school and other daily activities so it�s followed by much of grounding.

Good thread for us whom are sensitive

Dogboy

USA
2001 Posts

Posted - Apr 20 2022 : 1:26:26 PM

quote:
Asanas seems to make me more dynamic and smooth in daily life now, better than coffee

Agreed! As you have noted, asana before DM does open the body for energy, so imagine if one is energy sensitive, it would be best to forgo asana. Do you consider yourself �energy sensitive� in the respect you must avoid it, or is it more of a preference? Can you share which grounding techniques you find most effective?

Though I can tolerate energy (at present), I have a preference to avoid the more extreme varieties of asana (ashtunga, hot and/or power yogas) due more to age and desire; I�m firmly in the Yin/restorative camp.

Wil

Sweden
108 Posts

Posted - Apr 21 2022 : 12:23:50 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Dogboy

quote:
Asanas seems to make me more dynamic and smooth in daily life now, better than coffee

Agreed! As you have noted, asana before DM does open the body for energy, so imagine if one is energy sensitive, it would be best to forgo asana. Do you consider yourself �energy sensitive� in the respect you must avoid it, or is it more of a preference? Can you share which grounding techniques you find most effective?

I see myself as a sensitive practitioner in the AYP community, that is my experience and it may slowly be changing. I have to be on the safe side, I have been very sensitive and I do try to avoid energy practice for now.

For grounding there is emailing people, working with busy people, attending classes, in general to do things that are considered civilized and serious to me.
Why civilized and serious? Because I feel that spiritual states and their image is literarily ungrounded(specially the non dual kind) and uncivilized because it may bring frivolous hippie connotations to mind. Is this the reason I want to engage in the 'oh so serious' other states, schemes and appointments?

It maybe...Writing this is a bit of self inquiry for me. Although, I don't get along with these 'serious things' all the time, who does?

. Dancing the 'serious' out of proportion is often good medicine for me.

If I feel in the mood, just being engaged in friends or acquaintances is the best grounding. Specifically if there is more of dancing and less of talking, poetically and literarily. I have found that I care a lot about being with the drama and giving my attention to people, there is a grounding sense of belonging.

Furthermore, walking or dancing in a determined way is grounding for me. I think I saw a recent post where you too experience this with walking. Even today I had the experience of walking determined to a workout class feeling like I was walking on the spot, going nowhere. Stillness in action!

Dogboy

USA
2001 Posts

Posted - Apr 22 2022 : 03:50:06 AM

What a great take on grounding!, seeking it in the company of people, finding belonging, playfulness, and humor. You�re right, so much activity happening inside us does not translate well outside, unmoored in �reality� as it is, so companionship is a good counterbalance. None of my close friends are yogis, nor my wife (we have a �safe word� she uses when I get too esoteric [:D) and I find myself the butt of the joke at times, it�s all in good fun and friendship

who doesn�t like a laugh?

As a yogi and writer, I spend a lot of time alone, and can�t help but be inside my head. I am hoping Witness/Guru will improve my editing, and use self-inquiry in the writing process. How can this sentence be better? and then drive into silence.

My practice is energetically strong at present, aware in order to be steady and stable requires daily, honest assessments of my body and the day�s activities, as Yogani has cautioned. I praise you Wil for staying apprised of yours

BlueRaincoat

United Kingdom
1729 Posts

Posted - Apr 22 2022 : 11:02:28 PM

Hello Dogboy

quote:
Originally posted by Dogboy
Knowing how powerful asanas may be in generating energy, I was wondering if those of you who are energy sensitive, whether from premature awakening or overdoing in the past, do you even practice asana? Does an asana practice help or hurt with your sensitivity? Do you need to limit or prepare yourself (ground) before or after an asana practice? How does asana fit into your spiritual journey?

Yes, I do some asanas, the bending and twisting helps with energy flow.

Being sensitive, a little goes a long way. I would not attend an asana class these days, as it would be one of two things: I'd either get a nice deep asana session, which would be too long for my sensitivity level, or be put off by the teacher's incessant talking (I remember that that was the case years ago when I last went to asana classes).

By the way, that's not to say I have a problem with talking in general, it is of course necessary when doing the sort of "civilized and serious" stuff that Wil talks about, particularly work stuff.

Dogboy

USA
2001 Posts

Posted - Apr 23 2022 : 02:38:52 AM

Greetings BR

quote:
Yes, I do some asanas, the bending and twisting helps with energy flow.

Being sensitive, a little goes a long way. I would not attend an asana class these days, as it would be one of two things: I'd either get a nice deep asana session, which would be too long for my sensitivity level, or be put off by the teacher's incessant talking (I remember that that was the case years ago when I last went to asana classes).

This winter I found a new studio, attending asana classes for the first time in two years. What attracted me was the large studio for social distance, the attention to pandemic mediation (air purification, mask off only on your mat, live stream class option), and a host of qualified teachers that didn�t annoy me

. I really missed community yoga with the likeminded as well.

During the pandemic, most asana was done outside (super grounding) so the return to studio made me aware to incorporate stronger grounding intentions during class, and making time for conversation at the end, grounding through radiance.

Thank you for engaging!

Cato

Germany
179 Posts

Posted - May 01 2022 : 5:27:37 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Dogboy
Knowing how powerful asanas may be in generating energy, I was wondering if those of you who are energy sensitive, whether from premature awakening or overdoing in the past, do you even practice asana? Does an asana practice help or hurt with your sensitivity? Do you need to limit or prepare yourself (ground) before or after an asana practice? How does asana fit into your spiritual journey?

I still am not quite certain about how to handle asanas. I know that an energy intensive style is too much for me. I integrate 30 to 40 minutes of intuitive asanas here and there, doing some cardio or body weight exercises on other days. I would love to do asanas every day, but am still kind of on the brake pedal regarding that. Perhaps I will start experimenting with that again some day in the future. I guess that yin yoga should be safe, even on a regular basis. However, doing regular sessions of intuitive asanas would be nice.

Christi

United Kingdom
4154 Posts

Posted - May 01 2022 : 10:33:32 PM

Hi Cato,

I would suggest following Yogani's advice on asana practice. A short, gentle asana sequence before sitting practices twice each day, with self-pacing as needed, in order to "loosen the nerves".

Video's showing two of the AYP asana sequences can be found here:

Addition 71.5 - Videos: AYP Asana Starter Kit

Addition 383.4 - Videos: Enhanced AYP Asana Routine

The routines can be adjusted quite easily for any practitioner, and simplified versions of any asana can be used if necessary. By doing this, it is easy to find a balanced routine, that you can do twice each day without any difficulty.

Christi

Cato

Germany
179 Posts

Posted - May 02 2022 : 1:42:12 PM

Christi, yes, you're right. I should have been more precise. It should be doable to integrate the given gentle asana sequence twice a day. I was referring to an intuitive sequence that varies in length, form and intensity each day. I enjoy doing it and would love to integrate it some day. However, it is more of a side-quest, other practices have priority.

Christi

United Kingdom
4154 Posts

Posted - May 02 2022 : 7:13:18 PM

Hi Cato,

I would say that what you are looking for is really something that someone with long-term stability would be able to experiment with. If you are having ongoing energetic issues, then finding something that you can do every day, and which is the same every day, could be the wisest option. What�s the expression? �we have to learn to run before we can fly?!� #128578;

Those intuitive asana sequences will still be there when we are ready for them!

Christi

BlueRaincoat

United Kingdom
1729 Posts

Posted - May 02 2022 : 7:41:43 PM

HI Cato

I'm sensitive too and the way I look at it is this:
I do not need to spend a lot of time practicing. It's happening by itself! All I need to do is make sure that I have an inner silence practice going. that's it. Meanwhile, the energy is taking care of itself. A few stretches, bends and twists are good for energy flow. It takes about 5 minutes to do them.

The net effect is: more time in the day to do other things

Dogboy

USA
2001 Posts

Posted - May 03 2022 : 02:02:42 AM

It�s good to learn that asana can still be a tool for the sensitive. As Cato opined, intuitive daily asana is a part of my practice, and it would certainly sadden me if I should lose that.

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