Any Yogis/Yoginis out there?

[painbrain]

I have been trying to use yoga to help manage my pain levels.  I find some works, some doesn't.  But along with the yoga practice I am studyingh the Yoga Sutra.

Anyone else round here similarly inclined?

:)

[NurseMia]

I have found that Hatha yoga helps my pain best. It practices allowing your body to do as it wants, not forcing yourself into ungodly poses. The stretches feel great.

[hava]

Another pranayam you can do after kapalbhati, to wind down.
Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 21  times
Udgeeth Pranayam  
Breathe in deeply, and chant 'Om'. OOOOOOOOOmmmmm ( long O and short m )
5 times.

Kapalbhati points- check that your strokes are not faster than 60 a minute.(one a second).Do it daily and increase the timing gradually.You are energizing your cells with the extra oxygen and helping the body to awaken the senses which were sent to sleep by medication.
Anulom vilom points - breathe in and out, a little less with the partially blocked nose, and it will gradually open. This unbalanced breathing is causing some of your problems.
Do not stop anulom vilom.
Concentration - just focus on the breathing and you will get control of your mind.

The pranayam will tackle your pain and anxiety issues. Keep a journal of your progress
and medication, and the timings of each pranayam you do. Note what people say about you. Your smile is the most visible and brought a smile to me.
Your feedback is very useful for me, and will help millions realize the power of pranayam to get your health back naturally. Meditation follows when you reach the maximum timing of each pranayam.

[painbrain]

I have been doing the Anulom Vilom, and the Kapalbhati.  (Although I have done this one already for a few months a few times a week (not a steady daily practice yet) I learned it as "breath of fire"?  Is that the same or different?

When I do Kapalbhati (Shining skull/skull/brain polishing, or shining) I can really feel the difference afterwards.  The first few times I tried it it made the roof of my mouth go numb which was really weird....but.......I guess I felt like that meant I was doing something right if I experienced a change in sensation.

My biggest reasons for the breathing exercises (aside from the spiritual) is for Chronic Pain Management, and PTSD/anxiety issues.

The Kapalbhati has recently been giving me a really pleasant sensation of litghness and tingles after doing it for awhile. (LOL, "awhile" for me is still only a few minutes.  I am working up to being able to sustain it for longer, but I am not there yet.... :D)  

The anulom vilom is kind of hard for me to do still.  But....partly I think it is because I had my nose broken really bad and one of my nostrils is almost closed. But......I like doing it because it almost feels like it is making the "weaker" nostril "stronger" (wow, that just sounds silly, :)

In general.....after dloing the exercises.....I notice I am smiling.  I don't know why, or what It is that makes me smile afterwards, maybe it is sheer delight at how goofy I might look, ;)  either way......The exercises make me smile, and that is more than the most expensive prescription pain med had ever done for me!

I started a meditation group on MedHelp for anyone else like me, or anyone curious etc.  What should I be concentrating on during the exercises?
Just breath concentration?
Or visualization of energy i.e. sushumna cleansing etc.?

Also, if you don't mind, could you please repost the breathing exercise instructions in the new Meditation group?  I would like to kind of "track" my progress with it in the group. :D

Any other suggestions? i am all ears!



..........Hava wrote:
Anulom Vilom –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30  minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.

Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day. Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.

[Dalubaba]

Thamks for acknowledging my post. In fact in initia stages of learning computer and surfing (5 years back) i had started Taoist yoga group , Yahoo group or some other website. Because of lack of experience,  i could not continue the group. I am invilved in yoga since my childhood. I have maintained interst in yoga, reading all avalable material and trying new techniques. Pillate is also one of the usual usuful practice.Yes MH needs yoga group. we need an enthusiastic yoga moderator.I will join and participate if the yoga group is formed.
Painbrain, I have tried restorative yoga. I have done three sessions of few minutes for the three postures. In fact I was in searbh of this type of yoga to pass time for 4a.m to 8 a.m. as i get up before 4 am and do yoga and meditaion, resting in between.Resting in restorative yoga postures will be very convinient. Meditaion can be done in restorative postures. In fact asanas are designed for developing ability to remain one posture like a statue to meditate.Philosophy apart, it is interesting to find the chantes in body and psyche taking place in our body. Sorry for the long post.
Margypops: you must be wondering why i am taking interest in sexual forum. Kundalini yoga, taoist yoga and other few modalities focus on converting sexual energy into mental and spiritual energy.Instead of supression, transformation is the right way.Yes yoga group can be useful to almost all the members of MH.

[margypops]

i dint reaise you knew about yoga aswell as hava thank you for this input I have typed it out for future use..very interesting and helpful...I love India

[painbrain]

Thank u both for your help.  I have tried the Anulom Vilom before and it caused s strange sensation in the roof of my mouth, but generally was doable.....

I have not heard of the other one before and am excited to try it out.  I am curious about the basis for these exercises being nervous system related.  Do you know about the nadis?

I have just tried the first one for a few minutes and I feel less fatigued and more centered just from the few breaths.

Thanks for you Links Dalubaba!  It is good to see the poses being done as well as reading about them.  Don't worry about your spell-check, :)    I usually do understand what you mean by using context, and if I ever get confused, I don't minbd asking :)

Maybe we do need a Yoga group :)

I will report back on how I am doing with the exercises :)

[Dalubaba]

sorry for speilling mistakes. I hope you will understand the meaning by refefence to contest.

[Dalubaba]

Just now i happen to get a good yoga  restorative yoga web site. at present i could see only three postures. In this postures you are supported by some pilloww like props. with this support you cab renaub in that posture for a longer perios without much stress. and it would serve as a good stretch. here is link
http://yoga.about.com/od/yogaposes/a/beginnersposes.htm
I am sure you can do this posture without practice and without anybody's help. I will be trying this in the next morning. I do this postures without any prop but for shorter period. Now i will do each posture for exteded time as i like all the postures mentined. This is called a pleasant coincidence.

[Dalubaba]

Recently i had visited Chair tai chi website. You will find number of easy postures, massage for many ailments. Research the word Chair tai Chi. there is a regular blog as well. Very interesting exercises for all age group.

[Dalubaba]

Have has provided two most important pranoyams which will help anyone in many ways.If visulize the pain leaving you while exhalatioon, it will be more effective as pain healing pranayam. for in depth study, you may visit www.anmolmehta.com. it procide free ebook on meditation,Asanas(postures),Pranayam( brething exercises),Mudras( finger psoitioning along with asanas). It also provides videos. All are free. It sends News letter as well. However since last mont, i have not receved its newletter and blog. I find this site to be the best. As it is quite comprehensiive you have to concentrate more on following the links to a particuar section. Anyway visit and find out. Sorry for -no spell -check.

[hava]

I will try to tackle your nervous system with pranayam. Do the anulom vilom(as I have have described) initially and then do kapalbhati as well.After your feedback, and more details about the pain, we will discuss further.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after one minute.
Anulom Vilom –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30  minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.

Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day. Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.

[margypops]

I believe a member called    hava   specialises in Yoga she has givem many exercises . I think she has put posts up on the diabetes forum,