I'm Not Fit enough to do Yoga!

I think it is safe to say that most people who start attending yoga classes are what they might describe as being a bit out of shape, a bit overweight, stiff and inflexible, off balance and/or experiencing stress or anxiety. They may be influenced by their doctors or other health professionals to try yoga or by a friend who is already feeling the benefits of regular yoga practice.

Of those who attend probably half keep with it for a while and the other half fall at the first yoga mat.

Of those who sack yoga sooner rather than later it is a particular category of triers who I feel most for.

Take a not uncommon situation: two middle aged lady friends (or sometimes males friends) book a yoga class together. One has tried yoga before in the past and scanty exercise since and has become stiff and inflexible and a little overweight but could be just a few weeks away from getting back on track. The other person has never tried yoga or much of any physical exercise perhaps since school days, they are well over weight as well as being stiff and inflexible, they may also be experiencing poor balancing skills and poor range of movement at the best of times.

After one class either the first person keeps attending - alone – or both stop attending.

I am not over worried about the first person as they are not so far from getting back into practice and may soon try again or take up some other exercise dumping the yoga out of loyalty to their disheartened friend.

It is the second person, the disheartened friend, my heart goes out to. They may simply retreat into giving up and never experience the great benefits of a regular yoga practice.

I understand that for a person with poor flexibility, range of movement and balance, a typical scheduled yoga class can be daunting. They look around the room and see most people at least moving in the right direction with some success while they are struggling to get off the floor and come into the most simply of poses. It's hardly surprising they give up and they probably cant wait to get out of the room in some cases.

At this point I thinks it's important to remember one of the well used yoga slogans:

“yoga meets you where ever you are in life”

This is a very true saying. Yoga is in fact for anyone. There is always some technique you can use even if you are laid up in bed recovering from a road accident.

I know this because just a few years ago a yoga student of mine was in a serious motorcycle accident. After a lot of surgery to save his leg and general health he ended up at home in bed for many weeks awaiting further surgery. He emailed me asking me if I could put together a collection of yoga postures that he could use while restricted to the confines of his bed. I sat down and worked out a regime for him and he used it daily to help the progress his recovery.

This was an extreme case but there are many people who are chair bound in nursing homes benefiting from yoga every day. People in wheelchairs, people with cerebral palsy who can only walk with the aid of sticks, blind people and the list goes on. Yoga meets all these people where they are.

All its takes is a little more courage and perseverance and commitment and the disheartened friend might never look back.

I am often amused by some of the conversations amongst students after class It's surprising what students will reveal about themselves after just a few sips of herbal tea! Lemon grass, green tea, lemon and ginger can sometimes have that wonderful power of lowering peoples barriers.

I have had students who attend for months if not years and then one evening out of the blue while intoxicated by the delights of nettle tea divulge their yoga secrets. One recently said to another fairly new attender “Yoga was the best thing I ever started...” and “I could not do without my yoga” and ”Even after a couple of weeks on holiday I miss it and start to feel it physically”.

As a yoga teacher I know that even the disheartened friend if they persevered and tried to stick with yoga they would never look back. If they tried to resolve to do a daily practice even if only for 5 minutes to complement their weekly class they would start to see progress in weeks. After a few months they would notice they were calmer, more toned and flexible and that their range of movement was noticeably better. This should be true even if their initial worry was their overweight. Yoga helps people to handle weight better and can even put them get back on track to begin to lose some unwanted weight.

You might say but how would they survive that scheduled class where everyone seemed to be coping but them. Well, the best thing to do is not just go to the first class that comes up and be a little wary of a class a more nimble friend attends. Look for a class that is for beginners or if this still seems challenging look for a restorative or remedial class where the spirit of yoga asana is still practised but on a much lower key to accommodate various needs and gradual progress. Don't be scared of ringing up or emailing a teacher you have in mind and asking them what might be suitable if you believe you would struggle. Ask if you can meet them at their studio just for a quick chat so you can find out what to expect and get the flavour of the environment. You could even ask about private sessions for a while until you feel more confident – this would incur more cost but you may have the means to do this.

A good Respite Yoga Class still sticks to the spirit of yoga but does not push the classical postures. It rather modifies them so that attendees can learn to move in the right direction. In addition it's important to point out that if you are new to yoga there are a lot of yoga techniques that are more subtle than posturing but equally as important. These include correct breathing, relaxation and even some of the psychological buttresses of yoga such as tapas that seeks to bring thoughtful daily regularity into your practice, svadhyaya that helps us to learn the great value of self enquiry and ishvara pranidhana that teaches us to release our worries and concerns to a non-religious spirit higher than ourselves and one of our choosing.

If you are thinking of trying yoga because everyone you know who has tried it says it is great remember another thing: you don't need to use your body as a tool for yoga but use yoga as a tool for your body. In other words yoga techniques are there to use in the service of our physical, mental and emotional well being and as you get to know yourself more through the practice of yoga so you get to know how to choose what technique to use, when to use it and exactly how much effort to apply.

Barry Todd (HathaYogaMan)

Yoga practitioners out there will be aware of the renowned yoga sage Patanjali who it is claimed put together 2500 years ago the Yoga Sutras (or threads of wisdom) as a guide or framework for yoga practice. These were threads of wisdom that were meant not as a practitioners manual for practice but more as principles upon which to base practice.

 There is also a claim that because of the way the sutras were worded they were intended for practitioners already on the path of yoga practice not really for beginners and if you start reading them for the first time they can be a bit of a handful to follow. With perseverance however as you practice their meaning begins to reveal itself. Having said this the late great B.K.S. Iyengar known for his precise interpretation insisted that the sutras were not just for experienced yogis but were also intended for anyone wanting to take up the practice.

 As with a number of other contemplative paths Patanjali did however suggest a preparatory way for beginners to use the sutras and this has come to be known as Kriya Yoga.* This is not the Kriya Yoga associated with Kundalini – the Kriyas – the latter are a set of around 20 definite practices each of which can bring together asana, breathing, mudra and visualization.

 The Kriya Yoga Patanjali referred to for getting practice under way or even for getting it back on track is the application of the principles of the last three Nyamas in his Eight Limbs contained in the 2^nd pada or chapter of the sutras, that of Tapas (resolve), Svadhyaya (mental perceptions) and Ishvara Pranidhana (devotion).

 These can seem like lofty principles but they are accessible by everyone as they they need not be as demanding as they appear.

Take for example Tapas. Strictly defined as a burning resolve or discipline. Applying oneself to ones goal of yoga with such determination so as to burn off any impurities in our lifestyle that stand as obstacles to our evolution. Sounds like hard discipline. Even Patanjali put such importance in the idea of discipline that he included a section in the sutras that referred to Abyasa and Vairagya (see below). Abyasa simply means never give up (discipline) but always let go Vairagya (be non-attached).

Don't be disheartened as even some of the great masters of yoga have claimed that applying tapas can be a gentle process rather than one of extreme austerity. If we look at the concept of discipline it is the action rather than its severity that counts.

I love a Taoist reference to discipline I came across a few years ago which said that if your discipline was to get up each morning at 6am and jump in your local river in any season this was a powerful discipline...it could also be powerfully life threatening! What's important really is the regularity and timing rather than any possible pain that can be attached to it. So it would be equally as powerful if you got up at 8am (if that was a more civilized time for you) and moved three stones from one end of your garden to the other or even if you took three glasses out of your cupboard and then put them back. The timing is important in this however, so instead of saying I'll do whatever “action” at 8am, which can eventually become “about 8am”, resolve to do it at a precise time such as 8.01am or even 8.29am. Believe me there is still some pain with keeping such simple actions going day in day out!

 If you want to bring your yoga into the equation then resolve to start your meditation at 8.01. Remembering that severity is not necessarily so important, if you were wanting to get into a daily discipline with your personal yoga asana practice, it's not so vital to start a full practice at 8.01. If you are struggling to get off the mark then resolve to do asana for just 1 minute starting at 8.01. Do this for a month and then increase the time. The action of the daily discipline will start to make a difference in your life as the repetitive action firms up your resolve to make choices, to persevere in your practice, determination not to give up (abyasa) and coping better with distractions and temptations. This is true not just of your yoga practice but also in your day to day life and yoga off the mat is just as important as yoga on the mat.

(Next time Svadyaya.)

 Barry Todd (HathaYogaMan)

 *Two other great paths of yoga are Jnana Yoga and Bhakti which also have a preparatory approach.With Jnana it is viveka (mental perceptions come first here)) or the use of insight meditation loosely to discriminate between body, mind and spirit, then vairagya (devotion) and shatsampatti (resolve)With Bhakti it is pranipata (devotion comes first) then pariprashna (mental perceptions) and then seva (resolve)

The Miracle of Chair Yoga

I suspect many seasoned and accomplished yogis would not give chair yoga much consideration.

When it first came into the yoga arena it was directed mainly at those who struggled to stand and do yoga and also as a useful exercise for desk bound office workers.

These two uses are still valid but the amazing value of chair yoga became apparent to me a couple of years ago when introduced as a unit on the yoga teacher training course. Even then it was intended to give trainees another tool in their kit when trying to accommodate struggling students.

What was amazing was that the trainees group feedback after practising chair yoga was surprisingly positive rather than dismissive. They thought it had left them feeling like they had done a regular yoga practice despite their not having been on their feet for an hour. What's more I had to agree with them.

Admittedly, you are using a prop that many yogis would feel unnecessary but the secret around chair yoga is to use the chair creatively while still keeping as close as possible to yoga posturing.

Like any yoga flow the practitioner can put as much or as little effort in as they like depending on their desired outcomes or their physical capabilities.

A flow can be adopted that will work from the feet right through to the upper body.

 So to begin with sitting towards the edge of the chair you can flex the toes as if beginning the attempt to stand but simply applying the pressure of that effort on the toes into dorsi flexion. Then pointing the toes to the rear of the chair below the seat and pressing the upper toes down into the floor as in plantar flexion. These are humble beginnings but effective for toning the feet.

 From here we can do a rounded selection of work with the legs and hips from extending the legs alternately clasping behind each thigh to flexing and clasping each knee for flexing hips.

 A modified version of Warrior II is accessible keeping the sit bones on the seat of the chair and a kind of Tree Pose which sees the legs extended in front with the ankles crossed while clasping the hands above the head.

One pose I like for core and hip strength is simply lifting the feet off the floor and bringing the soles together.

 Then there is the chair twist using the back of the chair to stabilize the rotation and yes even the Chair Pose itself but a more accessible version and without quite lifting the sit bones off the seat.

 There's many more in the flow I use culminating in some neck and shoulder work and even a meditation if we have time.

 I have used Chair Yoga a number of times with my “remedial” yoga group and it is always a winner with them. What's more they never think it is a soft option even those in the group with greater range of movement and strength. What's more once familiar with the chair yoga flow it is easy to practice at home. All you need is a kitchen or dining room chair and you're away.

 Barry Todd (HathaYogaMan)

Hummus

Home made Hummus has no comparison with the  commercial stuff.  it's like trying to compare real coffee with the powdered instant sort.

And it is so easy to make that I don't know why they ever sell any in the supermarkets

 

Here's how.

The short cut version:

Take a tin of chick peas and drain the liquid but retain

Put chick peas in a mixing bowl. add one table spoon of tahini, a good squeeze of lemon and some zest. a clove of garlic a little olive oil

Blend everything together, if it is dry then add some of the drained liquid or more oil . Season  There you have it done.

To make it even more special add to the ingredients a small handful of fresh herbs.

More ideas:

If you want to be extra authentic you can use dried chick peas, soak overnight and boil then simmer until tender DON'T THROW THE WATER AWAY*

If you want to make your own tahini it is just sesame seeds roasted and ground with pestal and motar into olive oil with a little seasoning

You can add chilli instead of herbs

Balsamic vinegar instead of some of the liquid and a thousand other things - just experiment and use your imagination.

* Excellent for soups and stock:  The flavour of commercial stock tends to influence the flavour of the dish you are making whereas the pure water from veg or chick peas just provides a backdrop for your dish =- this is especially relevant with soups.

I was first introduced to yoga nidra almost a decade ago when it was mainly seen as another yoga relaxation tool. It still is but I have come to realize that there is much more potential in yoga nidra than merely helping us relax.

 What is Yoga Nidra mean?

 Well, loosely interpreted it translates as Yoga Sleep and when used as a relaxation technique a half hour of nidra is said to be equivalent to 2 hours conventional sleep.

 Nidra is practised mainly while in savasana but any position will work provided you can relax.

 The elements include opening only ones audio perceptions and listening to the instructions of the person conducting the nidra.

 Rotation of Consciousness and Visualizations

 There is a period in the nidra when we are invited to visualize a number of arch type objects such as clouds, deserts, temples, beaches etc and then another period when we experience what is called rotation of consciousness.

In rotation of consciousness the “narrator” takes us on a journey around the body making reference to each body part from the right to the left systematically. This has the effect of relaxing the body and the mind bit by bit calming down those neural pathways between the brain and body. The visualizations are said to have the effect of smoothing the minds level playing field allowing for the alleviation of the effects of our mental and emotional patterns that are our deeply ingrained often negative habits and known in yoga as samskaras. They are likened to muddy cart tracks that have hardened to the extent that they keep pulling successive carts onto the same exact path. So it is with our minds where we create over time deep rutted neural pathways that continually take us down the same mental and emotional roads. Visualization can help to smooth out these notional tracks.

 So even in its basic form Yoga Nidra can have a positive effect on our minds and bring us great relaxation and calmness.

 Sankalpa or Resolution and Yoga Nidra.

 We can make resolutions whilst relaxed any time and they can be very beneficial but in Nidra they become one of its prime movers. In Nidra practice we make a sankalpa or resolution close to the start and at the end of the practice with reference to something we would like as an outcome. As this resolution is done in deep relaxation it can have a very profound outcome mainly because it is more likely to register deeply with our subconscious. The difficulty is coming up with the right sankalpa.

 I have come to the conclusion over the years that it is necessary to have some resources within us to make the sankalpa achievable. So if for example we ask for something material such as a large mansion or to become a millionaire within 6 months this might be possible provided we truly know we have deep within us the resources to make that happen and we are only prevented from achieving it by some obstacles. This has to be genuine and not an illusion. The sankalpa can help remove those obstacles. If you do not have those resources and still ask for the lofty outcome your mind can be thrown into conflict trying to deal with the demand.

 So depending on your resources it might be best to start with simple resolutions. Those that are within your grasp but for some reason allude you.

 The thing about Nidra is that you can progressively use it to build your strengths until you have greater resources over time. You may never have the resources to gain the mansion or the millions but there can be many gifts along the way. I have found that it is best not to be preoccupied with what you want materially or socially or anything else that concerns personal development but rather to think more about what kind of person you would need or like to be to achieve the things you truly desire which may not be material.

 Using Nidra in this way can often lead to more profound and lasting change. Remember that the yoga sages of old used nidra to develop their spirituality. Gradually over time cultivating their body, mind and spirit to move them ever closer to samadhi or the ultimate being state in yoga.

 Finally, if you think that by practising nidra and listening to the instructions of a stranger might be risky it is important to point out that you can actually record a nidra script on to your own mobile and listen to your own voice while relaxing. This way you can use the same script for some time and periodically change the sankalpa.

 Many sages and yoga masters have claimed that their advancement and progress on the yoga path was made more possible because of their systematic use of yoga nidra. All the more reason why nidra should not be ignored.

 Barry Todd (HathaYogaMan)

What is a Chauvinist?

noun.. a male who patronizes, disparages, or otherwise denigrates females in the belief that they are inferior to males and thus deserving of less than equal treatment or benefit.

Even if it's who can get the nearest to the bin some people have reign supreme

Well thats the commonly accepted term for the word but is that the only meaning?

You might guess, by the word, that chauvinism comes from the French language.

It originated during the Napoleonic wars when Nicholas Chauvin was injured during this period.  Depite his debilitating injuries he switched his fanatical obsession to Bonapart in the face of great hostillity prejudice and overwhelming opposition.  His single minded devotion to his cause resulted in the term chauvanism.

Jingoism is the term we use nowadays in this country, which means an agressive approach to foreign policy, believing in aggression as opposed to peaceful negotiations.  It also means a strong belief that your own country is superior to any others.  What we might now call extremism too.

Even in its currently accepted form chauvanism does not just apply to men it applies to any group who believe they are superior to other groups and fanatically defend that group to the extent that they treat outsiders with contempt or hostillity at best.

So apart from males, and other groups that spring to mind who tend to believe they are superior, some feminists could also fall into the catagory of chavinist if they have little regard for men and treat them as inferior beings.

Why do People become chauvanists?

Any form of agression towards another person, organisation or group of people is pretty much always through abject fear.  This is of course,is often  irrational and so the fearful person becomes the one to be feared as they turn to aggression in one form or another to detract from their inferiority.

From the man who says 'Good Girl' to the woman in an effort to dismiss her equality, to the terrorist who is willing to blow themselves up to hurt the perceived  enemy.

One is downright annoying the other is downright dangerous and a menace.  They are simply bristling up like the dog in danger

Drip feeding the attitude of even the mildest form of put down, can be very annoying to the 'victim' and eventually could lead to aggression if the victim continues to communicate with that aggressor.  If victim doesn't walk away and doesn't get aggressive then they are likely to become that inferior being that the agressor needs to feel superior.  Unless they can talk about what is going on and begin to understand each other a little better they are lost.

These people feel inferior to almost everyone and they don't really know why, nor do they believe that they can stop others from dicovering  that they are inferior so they have to use every tactic to express their superiority.  That normally includes at the very least putting people down and at the ultimate eradicating them.

Most often that behaviour is so well inbedded that no amount of talking would do any good.  It would be a locking of antlers.  What is needed is for that aggressor to realise that they have a problem and to be prepared to do something about it.

The office or workplace aggressor who maybe gets right up peoples noses but at the same time may have a group of weak people who are prepared to follow and support is unlikely to recognise that there is anything wrong with her/him. Similarly the chauvinist who is aggressive towards family either thinks the family is argumentative or the family have become submissive and the aggressor is sanctified as right (and safe).  However, as we all know  behaviour is not just about what you say and do, it is also about your body language, your internal tensions and your supressed fears.

They're all  bubbling away under there waiting until you have time to notice them.  When the children let go of the apron string and don't need as much from you, when you retire and no-one looks up to you or there is no one to take your rantings... thats the time when you start to notice your body tensions and your mind overloads.  Thats when you find sleep difficult and you are unhappy for no real reason....that's the time when you could possibly start to think that you need help.

Your fear has become an embedded belief and you are so good at transferable skills that you have enabled yourself to transfer that fear onto something that you can really get your teeth into and make an impact on.   It's exactly the same with terrorism.  There is a lot of locked away anger within terrorists - not about anything to do with what they are targetting but about long ago when they couldn't do anything about it.  They're using the skill of transfering that anger to feel that they are doing something about it.

Amazingly or maybe not so amazingly, these fearful people would rather put down and fight someone of the opposite sex, someone who they feel is inferior to them or even  another country or race they looked down upon, they would rather do that than simply face their own fears.

It starts in childhood and needs addressing there.

We have too long looked upon children as non beings who we can boss around and order about.  In some cases beat and take all our aggression out on.  That's what makes broken adults.   It's time we started treating our children as little adults with respect and good example but that's another blog.

Andrea Lowe (Senior Hypnotherapist)