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 The Healing Journal Magazine

The Healing Journal

PO Box 371

5525 West Boulevard

Vancouver, BC

V6M 3W6

 

604-603-3840

 






  

 

April / May 2007

 

 

 

Flip the Fear

by Barbara Davies, ND


Pressure Points

by Freddy Silva


Fire the Grid

by Shelley Yates


Beyond the Secret: The Law of Attraction for World Peace

by Julia King


RAW versus PASTEURIZED MILK - part one

by Lisa Marie Bhattacharya (Whitaker)

 

Horoscopes for February and March (pdf file format)

by Laura

 

Marketing for Healing Professionals

by Juliet Austin, MA, Marketing Coach

 

Yoga
RELIEVING LOWER BACKACHE

by Yoga Teacher Sheri Kauhausen

 

Inspirations
THE SECRET OF GRATITUDE

by Devrah Laval

 

 

Yoga - RELIEVING LOWER BACKACHE

by Yoga Teacher Sheri Kauhausen

 

Now that you know how to warm up, breathe and relax (past three issues), I thought it’s time we work on some specific conditions.

Lower backache problems are probably one of the most frequent complaints I hear as a Yoga teacher. So in this issue, that’s exactly what we’ll work on.

The Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) relieves backache by lengthening the spine and making it more supple. It brings circulation to the upper body and head, improving the blood flow to the pineal, thyroid and other surrounding glands. It can reduce excess fat around the waistline and improves digestion, while massaging the abdominal organs. People with high blood pressure can practice the Table Top position where the back is parallel with the ceiling, rather than folding completely forward.

When practicing the Forward Bend you want to make the movement happen at the hip joint, not at the waist. If you bend over and place your fingers at the top of the thigh in the bend, you’ll feel a soft spot. As you straighten back up, you’ll feel that soft spot harden a little. That’s where you want the folding forward to come from. Try to keep the length in the spine and the rib cage lifted away from the pelvis. If your back hurts doing the Forward Bend with straight legs, put a slight bend in them.

  1. Stand erect with your feet slightly parted. Place your fingertips at the front of the groin, in the position we just talked about at the hip (thigh) joint.
  2. Inhaling, lift your ribs vertically away from your pelvis.
  3. Exhaling, slowly bend forward from the hips, keeping your spine straight. You can stop here, or continue moving down.
  4. Slide your hands to the back of your legs or, if you’re down far enough, rest the palms of your hands on the floor. Pull your chin towards your chest and the crown of your head toward the floor. Lift the back of your hips up toward the ceiling to help keep your legs straight.
  5. Hold posture and breathe.
  6. Inhale. Exhaling, bend your knees, round your spine and uncurl, one vertebrae at a time to an upright position.

The Spinal Twist (Matsyendrasana) has a very therapeutic effect on the nervous system. Like the Forward Bend, it massages the abdominal organs and helps to reduce fat around the waistline. This is an excellent posture to help realign the vertebrae, increase flexibility throughout the entire spine and reduce tension in the shoulders and neck area.

  1. Sit with your legs extended, arms at your sides.
  2. Bend your left leg, bringing the sole of the foot onto the floor. Bring the heel into your groin, keeping your foot on the floor. Place your left hand on the floor behind your left hip.
  3. Inhaling, sit tall and bring your right arm around your left knee to hug it in towards your chest.
  4. Exhaling, continue to lengthen your spine and twist the torso to the left, bringing the right side of the ribs towards the upright knee.
  5. Look over your left shoulder.
  6. Hold posture and breathe.
  7. Inhale. Exhaling, release.
  8. Repeat with the right leg bent, twisting to the right.
  

 

 

 

 

The Knee Press (Pavanmuktasana / Vatayanasana) is very well know for relieving gas, indigestion, and cramping. Along with relieving backache, it helps to keep the hips and legs limber and again aides in reducing the abdomen.

  1. Lay on your back with your legs straight, arms at your sides, palms down. Inhale.
  2. Exhaling, tighten your abdominal muscles and push your lower back into the floor. Inhale.
  3. Exhaling, raise your right knee into your chest. Clasp your hands around your knee, pulling it toward your chest. Keep the back of both hips on the floor.
  4. Hold posture and breathe.
  5. Inhale. Exhaling, return your leg to the floor.
  6. Repeat on the left side.

The last posture for this set, but certainly not the least is the Leg Overs (Jathara Parivartanasana) Creating a spinal twist, it will help to align the vertebrae. For those of you that go to a chiropractor, you’ll probably see this posture up on the wall, if not experienced it with a little help from your doc. This is a good posture to help relieve sciatica. Move the knee away from the side with the pain.

  1. Lay on your back with your legs straight, your arms extended out from your shoulders at right angles to your torso, in a ‘T’ position, palms on the floor.
  2. Inhaling, bend your left knee and bring the sole of the foot onto the floor next to the inner edge of the right knee. Place your right hand on the outer edge of your left knee.
  3. Exhaling, push your left knee down toward the floor over top of the right leg, rolling onto your right hip.
  4. Keep your right leg straight. Look up toward the ceiling or turn your head to the left. Keep both shoulders on the floor.
  5. Hold posture and breathe.
  6. Inhale. Exhaling, bring your knee back tothe center and lower your leg.
  7. Repeat with the right knee bent rolling over onto your left hip.

It is always wise to consult with your physician before beginning any exercise program, including Yoga. People who have undergone recent surgery, or have high blood pressure, heart problems, or any other major physical ailment, should obtain their doctor’s approval.

ENJOY your Yoga practice. ALWAYS move slowly. NEVER feel pain and NEVER move past your “edge”. Your edge is the farthest point to which you can take a posture without experiencing pain. Everyone’s edge is different. Pain is your body’s way of saying “STOP”. Respect it!

SHERI KAUHAUSEN, founder of INTO YOGA, brings the wisdom of her studies and many years of teaching to her students at their work place and in community centres. Also offered are pilates, massage, reflexology and Baby Sign Language. Sheri is the author of “Into Yoga” and both she and her book can be found at www.intoyoga.ca