Yoga - it's good for your back!

Two good friends of mine are experiencing serious back issues. Currently, they are seeing doctors and trying to determine exactly what the problem is with the back. They are going through examinations and MRI's. They've been prescribed medications and there's talk of potential surgeries. Now, I'm not a doctor. And, I'm not a Physical Therapist. But, I do know that yoga has been found to be beneficial for some people with low back pain. A recent article in the New York Times discusses the latest study that shows practicing yoga on a regular basis can help to relieve the symptoms of low back pain. You can read the full article here.

Now I want to give a "plug" to Peggy Cappy's Yoga for the Rest of Us - Back Care Basics DVD. I ordered two copies of this wonderful DVD for gifts and previewed it today. As with all of Peggy's DVD's, her explanations are clear and easy to follow. The program has six segments which include leg and back stretches for strengthening back muscles. As a bonus, she added restorative poses to help relax and bring comfort to the body. The total time for the DVD is 123 minutes but you can easily choose to do a short session by selecting a specific "scene" from the menu. This is a terrific DVD and if you have back issues - and your doctor has suggested exercises - this may be just what you need!

What I love about October

I follow several "yoga" blogs and get lots of yogic inspiration and ideas there. I'm borrowing a topic from Nadine today. She prepares a list of her favorite things called the "love" list. I'll give you my love list for October - and then you'll want to check out Nadine's list - and her lovely blog: http://nadinesyoga.blogspot.com/.

We recently moved from a house to a condo, so much of what I love about October is unique to this year. For the most part, though, the fall is such a beautiful season...what's not to love?

1. My birthday


2. Celebrating with a family dinner


3. Crisp, bright blue weather


4. Continuing to "down size" and declutter


5. Fixing up the new condo


6. The variety of apples that are available


7. The smell of zucchini bread baking in the oven


8. The season's first pot roast in the crock pot


9. Butternut squash with cinnamon


10. Wearing sweaters


11. My wedding anniversary - still going strong after 42 years!


12. Celebrating my daughter's birthday


13. Baking birthday cakes


14. Leaves starting to change colors


15. Discovering dried plums (prunes) are good for your bones


16. Ordering books online (Chair Yoga: Seated Exercises for Health & Well Being and on my Kindle, Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah)


17. Walks along the boardwalk


18. Watching the sunrise each morning and noticing the different colors


19. Checking out new restaurants and stores where I now live


20. Meeting new friends and neighbors

It's a start!

Our new place has a balcony overlooking Lynn Beach. From this perch, I can see Egg Rock which is named for the birds that nest and lay eggs there. It's an egg-shaped rock island in Nahant Bay. The ocean was calm and the weather fairly warm this morning. So, I was able to start my daily practice right on the balcony with a beautiful scene in front of me. A few sun salutations, warrior II, side angle stretch, triangle, chair and eagle poses - in no time at all, I felt renewed and refreshed. It's a start!!!!

My Daily Practice...

...is practically non-existent right now!!!! And, although I truly had lots going on these past few weeks, stepping on to my mat for even 5 minutes would no doubt have helped with the stress level. Yes, moving is stressful. We sold our home of 24 years and moved to a condo. We had boxes and milk crates filled with our "stuff" and frankly, I'm not sure where my yoga mat was! I did unearth it, though, and from this point forward, I intend to bring my practice back to where it should be...and will be more faithful to the "blog" as well. Namaste~

A Little Prop Work

Although my yoga classes are geared specifically for the senior set, there's no reason why they can't be fun, too! Today I brought an assortment of ties with me to help with our warm-ups and stretches. We used the ties to begin the warming of our arms and shoulders. Once they were well stretched, we did the cow-face pose. Of course, the image of the cow-face brought lots of laughter into the class.

Using the ties for props enabled the class to go just a little bit further in the poses but I could tell that, for some, this was a bit of a challenge. So, once we put the ties away, I suggested "partner" massage. The timing seemed to be just right and it was obvious from the murmured sounds of oohs and aahs, that this was indeed welcome. Loved the feedback!!!!

An Oldie but a Goodie

A friend had recommended The American Yoga Association's books to me and I purchased Easy Does It Yoga and the Beginner's Manual by Alice Christensen. Although the books were originally published over 30 years ago, there is some valuable information for the practicing yogi and/or teacher.

The author provides a step-by-step yoga "warm-up" sequence that I have found particular helpful with my "seniors" class. For example, in the section on neck stretches, she gives 3 bullets describing the benefits (limbers neck and improves circulation throughout neck region; reduces tension in neck muscles; and limbers cervical spine). She then lists several options for arm positions while doing the exercise. She shows 7 pictures of each neck position and offers several variations of the pose. She completes the instruction with suggested reminders: breathe normally; do not lift your shoulders; move slowly, etc.

The attention to details and the emphasis on being safe and careful make this book a great addition to my yoga library.

Ask and you shall receive...

Since completing my yoga training with Peggy Cappy, I have been volunteering my yoga practice at a local senior center. I've been fortunate to have found a really nice location with wonderful students who come to class on a regular basis. The only problem for me is that it is quite a distance from home. And, this year with skyrocketing gas prices, I considered dropping this class and looking for something a little closer. But, then I thought I would approach the council on aging about being reimbursed for my gas costs. I just asked. And, lo and behold, they have a "friends" group who graciously offered to reimburse me.

The universe provides. I have heard this before...but now was witness to it first-hand.