Beginning this Saturday, September 3rd, I will be teaching 4 yoga workshops that focus on four of the fascial meridians found within Tom Myers theory of Anatomy Trains.  Our first workshop will cover the Superficial Back Line.  To sign up please click here. The following post is to provide you more information about fascia and yoga.

What is fascia?
Simple put fascia is connective tissue. There are many types of fascia within the body but in our workshop we will specifically be working with long sheaths of fascia that are part of Tom Myers theory of Anatomy Trains.
One of the key jobs of fascia is to distribute force throughout the body.  When you walk the weight of your body transmits from your foot up the entire structure of bones and muscles. These bones and muscles are wrapped in fascia which helps to distribute the workload throughout your body.  Fascia not only supports the structure of your body but also affects your posture and movement.   

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Last night was the first yoga class of a new "no-dog" series that I am teaching at Castle Hill Fitness in Austin Texas for the month of April.  After everyone had an opportunity to introduce themselves one student raised her hand and asked a very relevant question.  

​"Why is down dog taught SO much in yoga class...I mean, what's the point?!"

The importance of knowing why to do a particular pose, when to teach it and how much to practice it is crucial!  I feel yoga teacher trainings often leave teachers unable to answer these questions and thus the fall back plan becomes teaching the familiar.  Unfortunately for people with compromised shoulders this leads to a lot of painful downward facing dogs and injuries from repetitive chaturanga dandasana (the yoga push-up).  

Her questions of "why" highlights that many students are being led through their yoga class with no information about the therapeutic effects of the postures they are finding themselves in.  With that being said let me take the opportunity to highlight the benefits of adho mukha svanasana (down-dog pose).

Benefits of Downward Facing Dog Pose

1. Structurally speaking down-dog builds strength in the arms and shoulder girdle and when practiced without injury will eventually become a "resting" posture.  It also can reduce stiffness in the shoulder joints and lumbar spine as and assists in lengthening the hamstrings, calves, ankles and feet.
2. This pose is instrumental in preparing for other arm balances such as headstand, handstand and forearm balance. 
3. Being that the practitioner is somewhat inverted there is an increase in blood flow to the heart and brain which helps with fatigue and loss of energy.  There is also an increase in lymphatic drainage as gravity assists in the movement of interstitial fluid when you go upside down.
4. Downward facing dog also frees up restrictions in the ribs and diaphragm which allows for a more relaxed rhythm of breath.

Bad Dog!
I feel quite strongly that a healthy yoga practice is one that works with the bodies limitations (not against them).  It may be the case that at some point doing down-dog is not going to serve your wellbeing, and in that case, there are alternatives!! 




You can lengthen your hamstrings similarly to down dog by folding forward and then bringing your hands onto your shins and straighten your spine.  You can also work with the arms and shoulder girdle by doing down dog at the wall or using a chair for the hands.   If you have access to a yoga wall you can practice the posh version of down dog in which your upper legs are strapped in and your arms get to extend without any weight bearing- that is my favorite!!

Whatever you do, take the time to ask yourself if the postures are benefiting you, and if the answer is no then modify or skip it all together!  When done correctly yoga has the power to heal and bring your body into a place of ease.  
​Enjoy the process!
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There are a variety of reasons for practicing inversions on a regular basis.  The therapeutic highlights of inversions are enhanced circulation of blood, the suspension of the organic body which frees up restrictions around the organs, and gravitational assistance of lymphatic drainage.  Not to mention the energetic effects of changing your perspective and encouraging greater internal reflection.

There are also many reasons why students do not practice inversions.  Sometimes this has to do with structural limitations such as rotator cuff injuries or lack of strength in the required muscles.  Other times the very thought of taking the feet overhead is anxiety producing or students don't trust their own ability to support themselves.  Even for a seasoned yoga practitioner holding an handstand or head stand for 5 minutes is quite demanding.

All of the above pros and cons are exactly why one of my favorite ways to practice sirsasana is supported on two chairs.  As someone who has suffered from bursitis in my shoulder this variation was the perfect way for me to invert without hurting myself.  Also due to the pressure of the chair on the upper trapezius muscle this supported posture has similar effects as getting a trigger point massage in the shoulders! 


HOW TO GET INTO SUPPORTED SIRSASANA

• Take two folding chairs face to face with just enough room to squeeze your head through and set them up against a wall. Pad the chairs with two thick blankets or towels if you have sensitive shoulders.
  

This coming weekend I will be teaching a therapeutic yoga workshop for women only. I think a lot of women could benefit from learning yoga techniques that will support the inner workings of their bodies for the rest of their lives.  I certainly view my own practice as one that will nurture and support my health until I am old and a practice that can modify with my body as it goes through inevitable changes of time.

The holiday eating season is upon us and the truth is that many of us are going to overeat at some point or indulge in rich foods that are not in our regular diet.  As a yoga teacher I could give advice on good food choices to make but even I know those kind of rules are difficult to follow when you are face to face with a bourbon pecan praline pie.  

So here are some yoga postures for that inevitable moment this holiday season when you are feeling bloated and stuffed like the turkey everyone just ate.  Sneak off to a quiet room in the house, unbutton your pants and take some time to literally decompress your belly.  Don't worry if anyone discovers you!  It will either confirm you are the fruit cake they always thought you were or they just may follow in your footsteps.

Begin with some simple twists.  This can be done laying down or sitting up.  Twists help to wring your belly out and flush fresh blood into your organs.  They also help your intestines move their contents along for elimination.

Next work on creating more space in your organic body.  My favorite pose for digestion is supta baddha konasana supported on a big stack of pillows.  This pose should feel very comfortable!  Take supports under your knees or head if needed.  Once you are there you can also gently rub your belly in circles moving from top, to your left, then around the bottom and up the right side.  

Last, but definitely not least, take some time to invert.  Vipartta Karani is a great pose for sending blood into the belly and for restoring your energy after the exhaustion that often comes with group gatherings.  This is another pose that should feel good and easy.  If your low back is uncomfortable take a smaller lift under your sacrum.  Focus on taking long slow breaths and feel how the expansion of your ribs and diaphragm affect your belly.  Every time you take a big breath it is like an internal massage on your organs so enjoy and breath.

Wishing you a cozy holiday season filled with good health,  peace and joy!

The Above image is of the Jnana Mudra aka the wisdom mudra.  There are many different interpretations of this hand gesture depending on where you look.  However my favorite explanation is that the forefinger represents the self and the thumb represents the universe or the Supreme Reality.  When the two come together it exemplifies the notion that there is no separation between the self and God or the universe and that with that understanding comes wisdom.

This mudra is often used while sitting in a meditation and can be seen in countless statues of the buddha.  I personally like to use this mudra as a little reminder of a few things.  One being not to get too caught up in the dialog that is running through my head at any given moment (meditation included).  It can be comical, if not a little frustrating, to come to see that I've been sitting on a cushion attempting to connect to that higher self or the Supreme Reality only to discover I've actually been talking with myself the entire 15 minutes. There is that blasted ego again!  So thumb and index fingers together just to simply recall my intentions to step outside of my small self for a moment.

There is another way that I like to use this mudra and that is to serve as a reminder that I am not alone in this world and everything I do has an effect on someone else.  Embodying this understanding means offering love and kindness to all others- even people I don't like or don't know.  It is becoming more and more relevant and important for me to attempt to see myself in others simply because doing so breaks down barriers.  So thumb and index fingers together to serve as a nudge in the direction of non-judgement and compassion.

There are many types of yoga out there and hundreds of asanas (postures) to go along with each style of yoga.  The type of yoga that I prefer to practice and teach is hatha yoga with an emphasis on alignment and intention.  When I sit down for my opening meditation I take the time to be quiet and still and ask myself what I am needing from my practice at that moment.  The answer varies from day to day and my practice responds accordingly to those changing needs.  As Donna Farhi suggests in Bringing Yoga to Life "consider your practice in terms of how it can balance and serve the rest of your life."  In light of this concept of asking ones self "why am I doing this particular pose today?" I would like to investigate the value and importance of Salamba Sarvangasana also known as shoulder stand.

In his book, Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar refers to shoulder stand as the "Mother of asanas" and states that the importance of this pose "cannot be over-emphasized".  In order to understand the value of the shoulder stand you must first understand the role of the lymphatic and circulatory systems in the body.  The lymphatic system is part of the circulatory system and is comprised of a network of lymphatic vessels that carry lymph fluid to the heart.  The movement of this fluid is essential for a healthy immune system as it transports white blood cells and nutrients around the body and also assists in elimination of metabolic waste.  

Unlike the circulatory system the lymphatic system does not have an organ designed specifically to push the fluid through the veins.  So the ways in which the lymph fluid is moved is through contraction of muscles i.e: exercise and movement, manual lymphatic drainage, breathing and gravity.  So this brings us back to the benefits of yoga and the shoulder stand.  

When you go into an inversion such as shoulder stand you have several therapeutic actions happening.  Possibly the most obvious is the affect of gravity on the body's fluids.  As you settle into the pose you notice all of the blood in your body moving downward towards your heart, face and throat. Instantly your thyroid and parathyroid glands are bathed in blood which assists in hormone secretion.  Also while you are upside down lymph fluid has an opportunity to move towards the clusters of lymph nodes in the groin, belly and throat which not only helps your body to combat viruses, bacteria and cancerous cells but also to eliminate toxins.  Another thing to consider here are the organs in your belly.  Being upside down allows your bowels and internal organs to move more freely and have a momentary "lift" from the daily compression caused by prolonged sitting.  Iyengar also writes, "It is no overstatement to say if a person regularly practices sarvangasana he will feel new vigor and strength.. new life will flow into him."  Not bad just for being upside down for 10 minutes huh?

Now to address how to practice shoulder stand.  The photograph below shows a few options ranging from easiest to most difficult.  I personally enjoy shoulder stand towards the end of my asana practice after my body has been moving around and warmed up.  I also feel it is important to practice with several blankets under the shoulders and arms with the head off of the blankets to avoid any compression in the cervical spine.  One thing to note is that shoulder stand is contraindicated for those with high blood pressure and props or alternative therapeutic postures should be used by those with spinal injuries or complication in the cervical spine.  This brings us back to that important point of honoring and respecting your body and it's needs!  "The rhythm of pausing and surrendering to life is the most daring, for here we can learn to just be."- Donna Farhi.

After your practice and whatever variation of inversion you may choose, take the time to sit and meditate.  Observe how your body responds to the postures and what may have arisen for you.  A dear friend and yoga teacher Jenny Russo once told me "As things start to change on the outside they also open and evolve on the inside".  It is my hopes that your living practice connects you to your highest self and help you to be present with all that you experience upside down or not.

"Evening news is where they begin with 'good evening', and then proceed to tell you why it isn't." - unknown

I know I am not alone when I say it can feel very overwhelming and depressing to watch the news.  No matter where you look there seems to be struggle, violence and suffering.  This has led me to ask myself time and time again "What is wrong with people? Why are they doing that?!".  As I write these words the divide between me and them grows larger. However I know that they are not all that different from me.  We all want to do what we want to do right?  We all have the same basic needs in this life and if put to the test will fight tooth and nail to be secure.  As Pema Chodron puts it "there's some fundamental pattern that we have in which we're always trying to avoid the unpleasantness and grasp the pleasantness."  Does this mean humans are hopelessly self serving and flawed at our most instinctive and basic level?  

I optimistically answer that question with a resounding no way! We are not inherently bad so much as held hostage by our egos on a daily basis.  Ego is frequently the mastermind behind our choices, its what pushes us to react and get even, its why we talk poorly about others and on the flip side often why we do good deeds.  However how we view the ego doesn't have to be so negative and self deprecating.

Like many people somewhere along the way I adopted the notion that my ego is a bad thing and a part of myself that I need to "fix". Unfortunately that only serves to take me further away from self acceptance and honest understanding.  The explanation that Pema offers in regards to the ego is very illuminating!  She says "One might think we're talking about ego as enemy, about ego as original sin...Rather than original sin, there's original soft spot.  The messy stuff we see in ourselves and that we perceive in the word as violence and cruelty and fear is not the result of some basic badness but of the fact that we have such tender, vulnerable, warm heart of bodhichitta, which we instinctively protect so that nothing will touch it."  So where does this leave us?  Jaded with a fortress around our hearts and an army to defend our pride?   

I think the first and most difficult step in gaining a deeper understanding of self requires letting go of the "trip" and sitting with the reality of what's really happening.   Instead of hardening to what we see and closing off we can engage a sense of curiosity about why we feel the way we do.  Deepak Chopra suggests “if you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved, and the need to judge. Those are the three things the ego is doing all the time.”  But beyond the work of self reflection there is the equally difficult task of finding compassion and acceptance for the parts of ourself that we are ashamed of. However, once we begin to ease up on our own condemnation, bit by bit we are able to extend that compassion to others.    

"We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think that yours is the only path." - Paulo Coelho

This work is the work of the peaceful warrior.  As much as it requires a commitment to being present it also demands a certain amount of softening.  Can you sit with the pains you have suffered and keep your heart open?  Can you recognize that the aggressors out there in the world that are featured on the nightly news are people like you and I?  If we all can keep our hearts open without pushing away all the unpleasantness then we being to understand that there is no bottom of the heart.  Its a wide open space that has room to share and needs to be explored with openness and curiosity.  Although staying present and compassionate can be a lot of work I wonder why not try it?  I've heard people say life is suffering and then you die but I beg to differ.  I think pain is inevitable but suffering is optional.  Why not make the choice everyday to lay down your judgement, open up and receive the fullness life has to offer?  

Say not, "I have found the truth," but rather, "I have found a truth."
Say not, "I have found the path of the soul." Say rather, "I have met the soul walking upon my path."
For the soul walks upon all paths.
The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed.
The soul unfolds itself like a lotus of countless petals. - Kahlil Gibran 

Spring is officially in the air and if you live in Austin like me you can already feel the approaching heat of summer.  All around signs of new life are visible. Trees tops are bursting open with green foliage, flowers are blooming and pretty much all of nature is buzzing with the energy of new life!  This season offers a unique opportunity for humans to follow suit and get rid of left over toxins to encourage vibrancy and rejuvenation in the body.  One of the ways in which we can facilitate this change is by working with the liver.

Most people know that the liver is in charge of filtering toxins out of the body but are unaware of just how many other functions it performs.  It’s responsible for making bile to break down fatty acids, converting sugar into glycogen for muscle energy and synthesizing proteins and cholesterol.  Contrary to popular belief the liver is not a storage organ for toxins but it is a storage organ for many important nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, K, B12 and folic acid, and minerals such as copper and iron.  

This large and important organ is nestled in the upper right quadrant of your abdominal cavity just below the diaphragm. Because of its location it is easily affected by the action of breathing.  To feel your liver try this exercise: Sit on the edge of your chair, raise your hands over your head and interlock your fingers, lean slightly to the left, and take a deep breath.  On your exhale make a “shhhhh” sound with your breath and notice the gentle tug this gives your liver. 

In your yoga practice there are a variety of ways to work with the liver.  Use twists, forward bends and deep breathing to squeeze and massage the blood filled organ.  These actions act as a natural pump which irrigates the liver with new blood and help it to perform its many functions.  Since the liver is fascially connected to other organs, the ribcage and the diaphragm it is important to open and stretch the chest cavity to avoid restricted movement and blood flow.  One way to encourage this opening is through backbends and twists.