Yoga victory: recovery continues

I posted this little celebratory update recently:

The biggest victory in my rehabilitation started a few weeks ago…I’ve now attended about 10 yoga classes…out in the real world!! I LOVE going to classes…it’s bringing my practice to a whole new level!

Yoga has been one of my foundational practices for my complete rehabilitation. I started with totally atrophied muscles having been bedridden for a couple of years due to protracted psych drug withdrawal syndrome. I pursued rehab on my own using the internet and youtube as my only teachers. It worked. I feel completely at home in a class full of long-time yogis now. What a wondrous miracle.

What is particularly great about yoga classes is that now, while I remain unable to make commitments in general, yoga classes are drop-in. I go when I can…and it’s okay not to go when I can’t.

And finally having real live teachers and being surrounded by other students is helping me learn so much more.

So I went from atrophied and unable to even sit up in bed to this:

I share this so others might realize that they too can do something similar. I was very sick and yoga (among many other things) has been profoundly helpful and critical to my healing.

Recovery continues to be an up and down thing. Today it’s been a week since I’ve been able to go to a yoga class, but I still do yoga at home on the days I’m not able to make it to class. There are different benefits to yoga at home and I wouldn’t trade my home practice for anything. So when I can’t manage a class, home yoga is still here and now my home practice is also benefitting from what I’m learning in classes.

Here are some links that can get people started if they’re still ill or if they’re just beginning a yoga practice:

these sequences have also been very healing…belly breathing is also really really good for the calming of the nervous system:

Yoga postures, breathing and waking-up
Belly breathing and a bit of yoga …pick and choose what feels appropriate for you…at bedtime I mostly do legs against the wall.

The above can get you started with baby steps. Don’t feel beholden to do all of any of these videos. Pick and choose from what your body likes and wants.

Here are a few longer but very gentle routines as well…again, remember only do that which your body likes.

And for a list of all yoga posts on this blog go here YOGA on Beyond Meds

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