Because the neck is the link between the head and the body in a physical sense, metaphysically it joins the spiritual and the material world. The neck represents the ability to be flexible in our thinking, to see the other side of a question, and to see another person’s point of view. You may be in a situation that you feel you can’t control as you wish. You may feel that someone or something around you has become a “pain in the neck”. Perhaps you are uncomfortable with what you feel is going on behind your back… Whatever the issue, you pretend it does not bother you, but in fact you feel as if stuck in an emotional roller coaster. When we suffer with probably we have leaned toward a certain decision that you must straighten out by altering your belief system. Tips for bringing relief and understanding to your neck pain: Remember that your reality is based on your perception and is therefore completely within your control. Check with yourself what thoughts and beliefs are holding you back or stuck in the situation and then search within yourself or carry out practical researches to see if you can find other points of view or perspective to arrive to different answers and solutions. Opening your mind and your heart, to different solutions can bring you the release on the pain. Flexibility in your mind and heart can help you to release body stiffness and pain. If your fear is related to what is going on behind your back, become aware that this is the result of your mind working overtime. Check with the people concerned and express your beliefs and fears. As a simply rule you can check when you feel more pain on your neck moving your head (saying yes, so back and forward – saying no, so moving side to side) asking yourself what it is you need to make a decision about at this time: If you feel more pain in the yes movements, your body is telling you that a decision you are postponing should be yes and that your inflexibility are the obstacles your face in making the appropriate decision. If you feel more pain in the no movements, ask yourself what it is you are afraid of and evaluate this fear. Check with the person to see if you fear are justified. Affirmations to help Neck pain: I am willing to open my mind and heart to new ideas and thoughts. I am willing to change. I am open myself to new ideas and ways of being.
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Shoulder pain signifies a feeling of being emotionally burdened. You have “the weight of the world on your shoulders”. You want to do too much for others, so prevent yourself from doing what you want because of that inner obligation to them. In focusing on keeping others happy, you fail to reach out and grasp your own happiness. You have tremendous capacity for working hard. Your body isn’t telling you to stop doing so much, but to do it out of love instead of obligation. If you have difficulty moving your arms, you may be apprehensive about embracing a person or a new situation. Shoulder pain is a message that you are overburdening yourself for no real reason; you are taking burdens that do not belong to you. Liberate yourself by allowing other to live their own lives and make their own mistakes. It is time to establish your limitations and personal needs and take on your shoulders only what corresponds to what you want for yourself. Take care of yourself as if you were someone you cared about. Other will respect your needs when you learn to respect them yourself. Allow yourself to be flexible, embrace anyone or anything you want and let go of your belief that the consequences will be harsh. Remember to relax often and ask to yourself and your body what is you need to know or change… Affirmations to help shoulders pain: “I love myself enough to respect my limits” “ I respect myself and my needs and others respect me as well” ” I release, I relax and let go. I am safe in life.” “I am flexible and I flow with life easily” “I choose to allow all of my experiences to be joyous and loving.” The arms represent our ability and capacity to embrace life. Pain in the arms signals that you feel you are no longer useful and you doubt your capacities. Or it could be that you have difficulty holding someone close to you. You may feel some guilt surrounding this issue. Which arm is causing you pain? Be aware that the right arm signifies giving and the left receiving or acquiring. Right arm is also related with the masculine aspect (in yourself or a masculine presence in your life or related with the doing or having) Left side is related with the feminine aspect of your life (yourself, other persons, creative aspects) It may be that you feel you have all that you need to embrace a new situation but you’ve been influenced by others or by your thoughts and you are preventing yourself from grasping the situation fully Since the arms are an extensions of the heart region, they are used to express love. Rather than feeling the weight of the obligation, embrace the person or opportunity with open arms as this is the natural reaction of the heart. Tips for bringing relief and understanding to your arms pain: If you doubt your ability or your usefulness, realize that this mindset is the result of listening to a little voice in your head that is bred by the ego. Trust that the Universe only gives you what you can handle and that you will reach your goals with a confidence and capability. Doubts and fears are your only obstacles to reaching your goals. If you find it difficult to show affection and there is a resulting ache or pain in your arms, your body is giving you a signal to reach out and demonstrate how you really feel. Affirmations to help arms pain: I lovingly hold and embrace my experiences with ease and joy. I am capable and worthy. I have all the abilities and skills I need. I say yes to life with open arms The back provides the greatest support for the physical body, therefore, any problem indicates that you don’t feel enough support. Too often we think we are only supported by our job or by our family or spouses. In reality we are totally supported by the Universe, life itself. The power that creates us has given us enough breath to last as long as we shall live, can we not trust that everything else we need will be also supplied? LOWER BACK PAIN (SACRAL REGION): Indicates fear of losing your freedom when others needs your help or fear for your own survival. LOWER BACK PAIN (LUMBAR REGION): Lower back is connected with the HAVING of your life (home, money, spouse, children, a good job, a diploma, etc.) You believe you must have it all in order to feel supported, but you don’t want to admit this to yourself or other. You want to do everything for yourself. You also tend to be very active because you think that it is the best way to have things. MIDDLE BACK: Middle back pain has to do with guilt. All that stuff that is in the back of us. Are you afraid to see what is back there? Are you hiding what is back there? Do you feel stabbed in the back? UPPER BACK PAIN OR NECK AREA: Represents emotional insecurity. Doing is very important to you. It’s your way of showing and giving love to others. If someone does something for you, you feel loved and secure. However your back pain might provide the perfect excuse not to do everything for others as you may fear that doing too much, other won’t help you anymore. You expect a lot from others and when your expectations are not met you may feel you have a lot on your back. You have difficulty asking for help or support from others. When you do finally decide to do so and don’t receive the help, you feel stuck and your back worsens. Upper back pain could also mean that your feel somebody is watching you, that they are on your back all the time… TiPS TO BRING RELIEF TO YOUR BACK PROBLEMS: Relax often and go inside to bring awareness and find out what your body is telling you through this pain. When we listen and understand the emotional cause of the pain it will be more easy take the necessary steps to release the pain and recover your personal power. Acknowledge your limitations and express them to others. If you feel your survival is at stake, realize that is your emotional dependence that generates this fear and keeps you from believing that you can’t survive alone. You have all the tools to take care of yourself. Start voicing your needs and believe that you have the right to do so. Stop believing that you need to expend all your energy to ensure other’s happiness. Realize also that others don’t have to do everything in order for you to be happy! Affirmations for back problems: I am supported by life itself. I now trust in the process of life. I feel emotionally supported. I release all fears. I feel Loved and protected. Life supports me and brings me everything I need and more. A restorative practice frequently relies on the use of props and the prolonged holding of a few simple poses to achieve a deep level of relaxation. But what exactly makes this style of yoga unique? Here are some of the benefits a restorative yoga practice has to offer. Slows Down the Pace of Life Restorative yoga is an excellent opportunity to disconnect from the frenetic activity of daily life and let your speedometer return to 0 mph. It offers a welcome respite among all the turbulence of life and helps to prepare the mind and body for the inward stroke of meditation and deepened awareness. Moving slowly through the poses allows you to explore your mind and body at a steady and natural tempo. Soothing to the Nervous System The slower pace and deep breathing that you get in a restorative yoga class triggers the parasympathetic nervous system from the very first pose. This activation helps to mitigate the effects of the regular fight-or-flight stress response that can be damaging to your physiology and well-being. The overall calming effect on the nervous system sets a deeply relaxing tone for the class that comforts your mind and body down to the cellular level. Encourages Mindfulness Restorative yoga could just as easily be called “mindful yoga” due to the expanded awareness of self and body that comes through the practice. Slower movements cultivate space for a deeper experience of the poses and the breath. Awareness of the physical sensations, the thoughts or emotions that arise, or sounds in the environment, can all take on a much more profound significance in the depth of the restorative practice. Simply put, you’re able to notice and feel more of the world through your yoga experience. Fosters Transcendence On the whole, many forms of Hatha yoga are considered a precursor to extended periods of meditation. Through the practice, muscles, joints, and subtle energy centers are enlivened to help facilitate a deeper and more comfortable experience of meditation. However, the practice of restorative yoga in and of itself often leads to a transcendent experience of deep oneness with the universal level of consciousness. Each pose and each breath serves to lead you further up the ladder of expanded awareness. As the practice expands, the vehicle of yoga carries you from the waking state of consciousness into the silent space between your thoughts—the space from where you’re able to glimpse the soul and awaken the divinity within. Cultivates Heightened Body Awareness The comfortable pace of restorative yoga opens the doorway to a deeper understanding of your own body, letting you actually feel what it means to be a spiritual being having a human experience. Sadly, many people aren’t intimate with their own bodies. Through a restorative yoga practice, however, such intimacy can be explored and embraced. Deeper levels of bodily strengths can be integrated and owned and a more profound sense of self-love and acceptance can emerge. Deepens Self-Awareness and Introspection The subdued quality of a restorative yoga class often helps you draw attention inward and away from external events and situations of the world. With your awareness directed within, the practice becomes a sanctuary for the mind and spirit from which you can take a deeper look at who you are, what you want, and how you can serve the world. Restorative yoga opens us up to new levels of self-exploration and contemplation, allowing your inner being to shine forth. Creates Deliberateness of Action Through the mindfulness of the practice, you become increasingly aware of your actions or karmas, and how they influence your level of comfort or discomfort. You can see the direct cause and effect relationship between your poses, breathing, and overall level of well-being. As this experience continues to deepen, you begin to make more deliberate and attentive choices, both on and off the mat. Strengthens Acceptance and Detachment By its very nature, the restorative yoga practice is the antithesis of the “no-pain-no-gain” mentality. You receive the greatest benefits from your practice not through forcing yourself into a pose, but by releasing and surrendering to it. This mentality helps to cultivate acceptance of your body and its inherent limitations. Further, it strengthens your ability to let go of preconceived notions of your body and how you think it should look or feel, both in and out of a pose. When increased ease and comfort are the theme of your yoga practice, acceptance and detachment naturally emerge as a result. Helps You Feel Safe and Nurtured In daily life it’s easy to get pulled into the insecurity that is a byproduct of the modern world. Many people move through their days haunted by fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Restorative yoga provides you with a safe harbor wherein you can reconnect with your true nature, which is immortal, invincible, pure, and nourishing. Making that connection through your poses, breathing, and deep relaxation restores the memory of who you are and helps you to reclaim the fearless nature of your soul. From this refuge, you emerge feeling secure in the inherent goodness within your heart and in the world. Connects You to the Divine and Establishes You in Pure Being The ultimate goal of yoga is union with the divine. Therefore, your practice should be a means to that end. Luckily, restorative yoga is the perfect vehicle to help you reconnect with the divinity within. Through the techniques of the practice, you awaken grace, poise, flexibility, balance, strength, and present moment awareness. This combination creates a mind and body ideally suited for seamlessly merging into the non-local field of awareness, or pure being. As a tool for self-transformation, restorative yoga facilitates the integration of all the layers of life—environmental, physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual—culminating in the goal of all goals, awakening to your own divine nature. The benefits listed here may not be isolated solely to restorative yoga, but they are some of the most defining benefits to this type of practice. If you’ve never explored this style of yoga, this is your open invitation. Get the most out of your “golden years” – now that you finally have time to do something for yourself and your own physical and mental development. Some of the key benefits of yoga for seniors would include: Physical: increased flexibility getting in and out of the car, tying shoe laces, putting on socks, tying your bra, picking thinks up that drop on the floor, better sleep, improved posture making you look younger. Emotional: increased self esteem, confidence, less depression, emotional well being, more focused, better memory, sociable, make friends, relaxing. Many problems associated with ageing such as circulatory disorders, arthritis and digestive complaints are a result of lack of exercise, poor eating habits and shallow breathing. Proper breathing is especially important for older people. Yoga, with its positive effects on the endocrine and nervous systems, can also be beneficial in dealing with the discomforts of menopause. Tapping new sources of energy at any age In just a short amount of time, specially adapted yoga exercises can awaken the body’s power of regeneration, leading to more energy, enhanced physical well-being and a more positive attitude towards life. Many complaints associated with ageing such as sleeplessness, lack of drive and initiative, insufficient circulation and digestive trouble can be corrected. – Yoga is a superior form of weight-bearing exercise for preventing osteoporosis: Bones grow stronger in response to use. In the presence of adequate supplies of calcium in the diet, bone growth is stimulated by any activity in which bones bear weight or muscles pull them. Yoga stimulates bones throughout the body. In Yoga the weight is systematically applied to bones in the hands, arms, upper body, neck and even the head, as well as the feet and legs. Because yoga postures are learned gradually, the weight applied to the bones increases safely, incrementally as the student becomes stronger and can hold postures for longer periods of time. Bones continue a healthy process of regeneration and remain strong. - Yoga prevents and helps to overcome arthritis: Regular gentle movement helps reduce pain and maintain mobility. Yoga based exercises expand range of motion without stressing or straining joints. Movement increases circulation which, in turn, reduces swelling and increases delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the joint tissues to facilitate their healing. Breathing and relaxation techniques used in yoga help to relieve stress and tension. The general consensus in our society seems to be that yoga is only for women. In Yoga Fitness Dublin we are determined to change that perspective!. Once men realize the many ways that yoga can also benefit them, they have a change of heart about this yoga-is-for-women mindset. For starters, yoga works the entire body — and that’s all bodies, not just the bodies of women! Did you know that during sports, we tend to only utilize about 10 – 15% of the body, whereas, yoga provides a workout that covers every muscle, joint and organ. Yoga gives the term “full body workout” a whole new meaning! The practice of yoga oxygenates the blood, thus, creating more post-yoga energy as opposed to depleting the body of energy as is often the case after sports and gym workouts. Yoga, however, is ideal for removing stiffness in the bodies from sports and workouts. Did you know that yoga also has some “private” benefits, too? (Wink, Wink!) For instance, Guarasana (Eagle pose) sends fresh blood and oxygen to the sexual organs. Trikonasana (Triangle pose) increases cardiovascular endurance and is the only known posture that utilizes every organ, muscle, and joint in the body. Studies have shown that yoga also helps men to be more mindful during that “intimate” time with their partners. It’s well-known that a regular yoga practice can reduce stress! The mindfulness of yoga helps the practitioner identify tension held in the body and mind, and then the postures combined with conscious breathing help release it. Since men are known to have higher stress levels than women, they can certainly benefit from the stress-relieving effects of a regular yoga practice. Still not sold on how yoga can be equally as beneficial for men as it is for women? Here are a few more physical benefits yoga has to offer: Men are especially prone to low back pain, and yoga can help reduce and/or alleviate that pain. Yoga can also lower blood pressure, plus, make one smarter! Since the ability to recognize a problem is critical for the exercise of good judgment, a yoga practice may help those who practice it make better decisions about key areas of their lives. Then, with the large degree of stress reduction and mind-clearing yoga offers, one is able to see things from a new, smarter perspective. More benefits of the yoga practice for Men: - Yoga can help you develop a better breathing technique while it improves your balance, flexibility, core strength, and endurance. - If you participate competitively in sport or simply join the occasional fun run on a whim you are aware of the impact breathing can have on performance. Deep, relaxed breathing is the foundation of reducing performance anxiety and improving concentration. Yoga will help you develop a habit of breathing correctly. - Yoga practice integrations the mind-body connection and athletes can benefit from this combination of skills training. - Increase Core Strength: Yoga poses are all about building core strength. The slow, focused movements require a strong mid-section and the isometric contractions of many exercises will add a new form of resistance training to your typical machine-based workouts. - Increase Flexibility and Range of Motion: Yoga routines incorporate slow, steady flexibility exercise that is ideal for athletes. Frequent yoga training may increase flexibility, and range of motion while relieving muscle tension. Whether you are a runner or a golfer, improved range of motion can often help improve performance. - Improve Balance. Yoga is a perfect way to incorporate balance exercises into your training routine. Balance exercises are often overlooked by athletes, but are one of the most effective ways to correct muscle imbalance or body mechanic problems. With most sports and weight training routines you tend to perform repetitive motions that develop some muscle groups while others are ignored. Yoga can fix these imbalances. - It’s Great Cross Training. Yoga is a great low-impact way to cross train. Cross training is necessary for athletes who do the same sport or exercise routine year-round. Adding new exercises can help reduce injury, relieve training boredom, add variety and help recover from hard aerobic or strength workouts. |
Claudia Gutierrez
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Yoga Fitness BlogI am Claudia Gutierrez, owner of Yoga Fitness, originally from Argentina and proudly Irish Citizen since 2012. Archives
November 2021
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