It's really disconcerting to me that the neck/shoulder/back injury that almost immobilized me for a few months last year started coming back - at exactly the same time of the year. My massage therapist speculates that the body holds memory that responds with the seasons, and while I can't quite parse out the logic behind that, it's certainly a bit eerie that this should threaten to reoccur almost to the day.
I'm trying to be proactive with lots of restorative poses. This one is my tried and true pose, a blanket roll under the neck as described by Barbara Benagh. I first learned of it in an article she wrote in the Dec 2005 Yoga Journal (perhaps the only reason I picked up YJ!) and since then, it's been a staple for me. I was even happier when it showed up on her DVD, Yoga for Stress Relief, another go-to resource for all manner of overwork and overuse related discomfort.
Even without injury, I really find that passive and restorative poses are necessary for me to help ameliorate the effects of some of my other activites. I practice with my children at their judo club, I like to do some weight work and I love to run. But I do wonder if those are the types of activites that contribute to the tension that needs to be tamed down with more restful poses. Thus, I find that my personal practice when I'm involved with other activities tends to lean towards restorative poses and gentle sequences with a more therapeutic approach. I know it can seem contradictory - lie down and be still, so you can get out and be active the next day. But it seems to keep me going, and increasingly important as my body matures; I need to respect that balance between activity and passivity, and be more mindful of it each year.
I'm trying to be proactive with lots of restorative poses. This one is my tried and true pose, a blanket roll under the neck as described by Barbara Benagh. I first learned of it in an article she wrote in the Dec 2005 Yoga Journal (perhaps the only reason I picked up YJ!) and since then, it's been a staple for me. I was even happier when it showed up on her DVD, Yoga for Stress Relief, another go-to resource for all manner of overwork and overuse related discomfort.
Even without injury, I really find that passive and restorative poses are necessary for me to help ameliorate the effects of some of my other activites. I practice with my children at their judo club, I like to do some weight work and I love to run. But I do wonder if those are the types of activites that contribute to the tension that needs to be tamed down with more restful poses. Thus, I find that my personal practice when I'm involved with other activities tends to lean towards restorative poses and gentle sequences with a more therapeutic approach. I know it can seem contradictory - lie down and be still, so you can get out and be active the next day. But it seems to keep me going, and increasingly important as my body matures; I need to respect that balance between activity and passivity, and be more mindful of it each year.
Makes sense to me Sophie!
Posted by: Sharon Frost | October 17, 2009 at 01:03 PM