The memory of the trauma is imprinted on the human organism. I don’t think you can overcome it unless you learn to have a friendly relationship with your body. The big question: How can you help people confront their internal sensations? … [click on title to read and view more]
Sitting still in meditation may be the common image that comes to mind when one thinks of Buddhist practice—but just as important is cultivation of awareness through movement. … [click on title to read and view more]
Sometimes we refer to our instinctive wisdom as “gut feelings.” Maybe we don’t know why we feel the way we do or how we know the answer to a question. We just do. Some of us chalk it up to instinct or a sixth sense while others discount the phenomenon altogether. Could there be a scientific explanation? The answer may be the vagus nerve, a physical link to the mind-body connection. … [click on title to read and view more]
I'm sharing info about this yoga studio for multiple reasons really. I'm happy and honored to raise their profile on the internet so as to help support them. They are truly in service to the community and so I too want to give back. Also, it would be lovely to see such studios opening up all over the country and the world. I hope that this post might plant seeds so that this sort of vision can be replicated elsewhere. So many yoga studios don't seem to have the true spirit of yoga. Yoga has become a part of popular and hip culture, so that in some circles the yoga as lifestyle and philosophy gets lost. We need more yoga studios that are, as this one is, deeply in service to the community. Number two is that the folks in the video talking about how yoga and the community there at Asheville Community Yoga are real people talking about their real experiences. I, too, have found that being part of that particular community and practicing yoga regularly, both, has radically helped support my healing process. Three, I want to again, talk about how yoga has helped me in my life, in general. It literally raised me from my bed, where I had been bedridden for 2 years. My muscles were completely atrophied. I started with leg and arm lifts and turning my feet and hands in circles. Serious baby steps. And now I can do all sorts of stuff. … [click on title to read and view more]
Lately I've not been able to go to my yoga classes. I was going to 2 to 4 classes a week in the spring. Summer brought lower energy last year too. I'm needing to be slow and careful with my body again this summer too. But the change in energy, while reminiscent of last year, is far less impactful this year. Last year I was having far more trouble with this shift and was much more exhausted and just felt really sick again. This year, it's far easier to see it as a natural rhythm my body goes through with the seasons. I do miss my classes but I seem to be able to go to about 1 a week. Maybe a little less, but it's clear to me this year that this is not a setback...this is a natural rhythm for me and I need to respect my body's needs. In that alone there is great healing. I continue to listen to the wisdom of my body. (includes video) … [click on title for the rest of the post]
This is the most vigorous video I've posted. As I get better I'm able to do more and more. On good days some of the yoga classes I go to in the community are really quite advanced. Still I always need to listen to my body/mind/spirit and I often leave classes early. My nervous system (and a lot of my readers who also have protracted withdrawal issues) is very delicate and so it's not so much about strength of my muscles...it's about some sort of threshold that is reached in my nervous system. When I get to that point I need to stop doing yoga. Period. And it's often when I'm doing seemingly gentle stuff too. In fact sometimes I find that the most vigorous yoga triggers me less. It's always a mystery...the moment. What will my body/mind/spirit be up to today? … [click on title for the rest of the post]
Friend of mine who was very helpful at critical moments when I was figuring out how to use yoga to get out of bed after being struck bedridden from drug iatrogenesis is teaching this class. I highly recommend Kaovarii as a teacher. … [click on title for the rest of the post]
Yoga has been one of my foundational practices as I recover from a gravely disabling and long-term chronic illness. My healing protocols have been many and diverse and yoga is an absolutely critical part of it. The dark side of yoga really boils down to failing to listen to our body/mind/spirit needs. Injuries can happen. There is a learning curve involved when one is new at this. Be kind and gentle with yourself as you learn. … [click on title for the rest of the post]
Monica what do you think has been helping you the most to get better? I figured I'd answer by putting this post together for both her and my readers here on Beyond Meds. The bottom line is that everything I do is important. Yup, again, Everything matters. It's impossible for me to determine exactly what is doing what! It all works together synergistically. It's all part of the holistic whole that is my life. Below are many of my daily practices which are always subject to change. … [click on title for the rest of the post]
As my regular readers know, I'm all into moving the body in many different ways. In yoga too I've been practicing (some of the time) like the guy in this video is teaching. My favorite yoga class at the moment is one that allows dance and movement of all kinds. We are told at the beginning of the class to do whatever we want including ignoring the teacher entirely. It's an incredibly healing and dynamic class where movement and sound (vocalization) are both encouraged. … [click on title for the rest of the post]
Everything matters 
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