Yoga

Yoga can be very helpful when trying to repair an injury if used carefully and with awareness.  The practice of yoga is almost like oiling the body and can help muscles to heal through the gentle use of them.  Working them slowly and remembering that you are not pushing the practice but healing the body will almost always inspire regeneration in the muscles that are injured. 

Recently I pulled the muscles at the base of my spine, exactly in the centre.  I was practicing my ashtanga series in a class and just was not concentrating.  I learnt a very valuable lesson that morning.  Practicing yoga whilst being unaware and not concentrating on what you are doing, not being present in that moment can bring about, very easily, injured muscles.

I was getting an adjustment in supta komasana (the turtle).  This is one of my favourite postures, it stretches me and I feel as though I always have somewhere to go with this asana.  Will my hands meet and how will I hold them?  Will my legs get around my shoulders and will my feet join together?  A lot to think about here but more importantly, a lot of awareness of the body. 

This particular morning I was thinking about the shopping, the kids, my friend’s engagement ring opposite me and I did not concentrate.  As my teacher brought my right leg over my shoulder I was daydreaming.  At this exact moment I felt the muscle at the base of my spine in the centre (the rotators) just snap!!  Ouch!!  I immediately realised the errors of my ways but it was too late.

I felt a bolt of electricity flow through my body as it went into shock and the muscles reacted by freezing up.  I finished my practice there and practiced pranayama (extended breathing exercises) to calm my body down and left class.

The rest of the day was filled with immense pain and I quaffed pain killers for the first time in years.  What a head rush a hurt body can become. 

The days to follow I changed my normal course of recovery, which used to be just pushing on and trying to ignore the pain.  This time I rested for around 5 days and walked a little bit.  Still moving my body with the walking but placing no strain whatsoever on the muscles that were injured.

After 5 days I went back to yoga.  My first practice I took very easily and made myself be totally aware of each set of muscles in my body as I performed each asana.  A great and fantastic lesson starting with just that.

 Each asana I protected my lower back by activating udiana bandha, the hollowing of the lower belly and increased awareness of the surrounding muscles.  This coupled with slow movement worked very well and I found myself surprisingly free of pain.    Practicing the yoga was helping to release the tension in the hurt muscles and allow my body to realign after the injury.  I finished the class and reminded myself to take it easy on my body.  Something new for me. 

The following classes I practiced the same things, not pushing the yoga, slow movements and total awareness of all muscles groups in my body.  It worked.  After one week I feel as though the muscles have almost repaired themselves and my practice is flying again.  I feel reinspired by my yoga practice and the understanding that I can heal myself through gentle yoga and newfound awareness of my body.

Ahimsa, non violence is the first of the yamas and one of yoga’s first lessons to all of us.  Awareness in class and through your yoga practice is kindness to oneself  and an invaluable lesson to learn.

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