Self Care Stepping Stones- Yoga Pt1

Getting ready for class at OM Beats Yoga Studio in Miami FL.

As I sat in the doctor's office listening to a well meaning specialist finally tell me more about the pain I had been putting off for months, all I could think about was jumping into a treatment. My first question, “Can I start doing yoga to help with this?” was met with his flat response, “is it helping you now?”

I look back on that moment and at the time I had not been doing any type of exercise for over a year and a half so I couldn’t really respond. But my spidey sense wanted to shout back at him, admonishing him for not having the skills to provide information on self care. Lucky for me, I continued asking my physical therapist and then my doctor when I had my car accident and received positive recommendations for yoga. I learned from that experience that although the medical community on one hand is a wealth of knowledge and provides valuable information on my care, they are no substitute for me knowing my body and learning what works for me. Medical professionals may not be trained in all types of care, and so it was up to me to do the research I needed to help find a plan to fit my goals. Why yoga you ask? Well, I did yoga about a year and a half ago so I knew the benefits it offered, however was not sure about it from pain management. I used yoga in the past on what I would call the power side, building strength in my body. I did not use it for the gentle, do not harm aspect, however I knew that part had been available to me at any time.

Yoga may not be for everyone but I want to share some of the benefits. There are other low impact activities that are great substitutes (swimming, walking etc) so if you plan to use them, do what works for you and listen to your body. One important note, if you are taking any classes, make sure to tell your instructor all of your injuries so they can provide you with any modifications needed to prevent further injury.

MY PRO YOGA CHECKLIST

• The twists and stretches are great for my tight muscles
• It builds natural heat in the body providing an added benefit of blood flow to affected areas
• Poses build muscles around the affected helping to take pressure off the area
• The relaxation session at the end of class gives your mind and body a much needed release
• The movements help to lengthen body (i.e the spine, torso, upper and lower) taking pressure off affected areas
• The mix of both power and stillness provide me the opportunity to challenge parts of my body that are not injured and be gentle to the parts that are.
• If you can’t do a pose or movement you can always just lay on your mat...with no judgement
• I learn more about myself, my body and celebrate small victories during each session
• You don’t have to be a professional yoga instructor or advanced student to see benefits