June 2008
Namaste To You All
What’s Your Biggest Challenge At This Time?
Welcome to your June Bulletin, it’s good to be here with you and I hope you are all keeping well.
The Headline above – “What’s Your Biggest Challenge At This Time?” Is, I would like to know what they are and how you are dealing with it from the yogic perspective.
Is yoga helping you in whatever areas in your life? If so where and how? What motivates you? What are your goals? What makes you tick? What’s your PASSION? Tell me. If you want to reply and be anonymous that’s ok too.
I really want to know how yoga is helping YOU. Physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. You may have had an experience where yoga has helped you and someone else is going through the same phase as you did. So, by telling us you can help them.
There have had a few key issues this month with back pain and shoulder pain. A gentleman in Dubai has asked “I have 15 drivers who suffer with back pain and we lose 3-4 drivers every now and again as a result, what can we do?”
Those who teach in the classroom who have shoulder and neck issues …
Knee issues … stress … etc.
To some degree we ALL have muscle imbalance and sometimes we aren’t aware of it, the body is wonderful at compensating as I’m sure you know.
So with regard to the above have a look at this:
Bones do not move by themselves.
Muscles move them.
Muscles do not move by themselves.
Nerves tell them.
Nerves do not give the instructions by themselves.
The brain tells them.
Now what can we learn from this?
Ok, let me tell you something that have stayed with me. When I was training with my Spinal Therapy course – Spineworks, my tutor Ian Jarvis ingrained this into our minds. Quite simple really, and when you start to break it down it makes sense. Your can visit Ian’s site at http://www.spineworks.co.uk it will widen your horizons and give you a different perspective.
So, Bones do not move by themselves.
Muscles move them.
Muscles do not move by themselves.
Nerves tell them.
Nerves do not give the instructions by themselves.
The brain tells them.
What that means is that the body will only do what you tell it to do!
So how can we apply that in our every day lives? Do you remember where we touched on in the last newsletter/bulletin, I mentioned “you become your environment”? It’s all relative.
Let me give an example. See what you can make of this. You see a person walking male or female it doesn’t matter. They are walking with their feet at ‘ten to two’ that’s walking with their toes pointing outward.
The head is dropped, the shoulders are rounded and drooping, and with the chest leaning forward. They are walking without a spring in their step. Can you see what dosha (body type) they are?
Let’s reverse it. Now find someone who is walking upright, their feet more central to 12.00 o’clock. Shoulders are back, chest is open and walking sprightly.
Now who would you say has a positive attitude and who has a negative attitude? Remember these are general observations.
So we become what our thoughts are, positive or negative. Now I know we ALL get our own fair share of ‘negativity’, however when we realise this we can change it.
How does this relate to the drivers, teachers etc?
If we have ‘back/neck pain’ etc what can we do about it? If you feel you need to visit your doctor, health professional do so, have a wide opinion base, then decide.
Ok, someone has back pain. How did it happen? Do you lift anything heavy, (it doesn’t always need to be heavy) have you always had the pain? There could be a multitude of reasons. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. The point is there is a muscle imbalance which needs to be addressed.
If you bang your knee or elbow what do you do? You ‘rub it better’ as we were told as children. So what are we doing when we rub it better? Well when we rub it the skin gets warm and we are creating blood flow and helping to free the area of any blockages.
The same is true when you have a massage. When was the last time you had a massage? Why so long?
And in many ways just by doing a simple leg stretch can help your back pain. You are stretching the area, creating blood flow. It may not seem your doing much. It’s a start and YOU are sending the right messages to the brain.
How is your life style? What can you do to improve your life style to give you less stress, tension, muscle and back ache? There is always something you CAN do. It may not seem like it at the time, search and you will find.
I hope you have enjoyed this bulletin and found something of use. If you have any questions please do ask. I will be interviewing Maria Mercati at the BodyHarmonics centre soon, so you still have time to submit your questions to Maria. Send them, I’ll only be too happy to ask on your behalf anonymous if you wish.
I wish you well on your journey
Warm regards until the next time
Glen
Namaste
