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ISBN: Print 978-1-64152-339-4 | eBook 978-1-64152-340-0
R0
To Norm
For your love, support in every way, and for laughter
Contents
Welcome as we embark together on this healing yoga journey! Yoga has supported my wellness and recovery through various health challenges; I hope you will be similarly supported by the practices in this book. I was first drawn to the meditative aspects of yoga through my musical heroes, the Beatles. At first, I had no idea how to meditate and no one to teach me. I attempted to practice yoga poses along with Lilias Folan on television, but I didnt have a clear sense of how to move my body. Eventually, I became a professional counselor and college faculty member. I began sharing yoga movements and breathing to help my students manage the physical and emotional symptoms of stress. As my yoga curiosity increased, I watched more practice videos, devoured yoga books recommended by friends around the country, and participated in formal yoga teacher training with world-renowned teachers, such as Baxter Bell, Tias Little, and Jill Miller.
Yoga also helped me manage my own stressit was (and is) crucial to my mental equanimity as well as my physical self-care. I have suffered from frozen shoulder, sacroiliac dysfunction, and cough variant asthma. If it weren't for my holistic yoga practice, I know these disorders would have defined many of my days. Even when Im not experiencing lower-back or shoulder pain, the stress-reducing and preventive benefits of yoga provide low-cost relief when my life gets too hectic.
In 2008, I transitioned to teaching yoga full time. Ive deepened my learning and practice and guided thousands of students of all ages, conditions, and abilities.
All of it has come down to this message: I want you to practice your yoga!
Let me explain. When my students arrive to class or private sessions, they already have a variety of preconceived notions and diverse histories with yoga. Their yoga experiences range from watching YouTube videos to attending classes that were too fast, too hot, or too slow. Some of my students thought their bodies were not meant for yoga, that yoga was only for the young, slim, and flexible, or that their minds were too lively and scattered to take a class. Even so, something positive and healing drew them to try yoga again. Regardless of your background, the practices in this book will support you in practicing your healing yoga!
Its common for physicians, physical therapists, or counselors to recommend yoga to enhance holistic healing or manage a condition. Yoga provides a proven mechanism to address the multidimensional aspects of healing and pain relief. With the help of the poses and sequences in this book, youll learn that one of the keys to harnessing the healing effects of yoga is connecting the breath, the mind, and the physical movements. As you go through the different sequences, youll find that yoga practice is more effective than the sum of its parts.
This book is a complement to traditional health care and will empower and support you to participate in your health. Youll have the flexibility to pace yourself, repeat a sequence several times at your own speed instead of at the pace of a video or a class, and practice anytime. You may have a regular class you enjoy attending, but a current condition or injury is making it difficult to participate. This book can be your practice companion for any situation. If you are working with a medical professional, share this book so your provider knows you are doing this complementary practice. They may even have suggestions for particular poses or sequences.
Remember, its your yoga!
Understanding the human body is an important aspect of healing through yoga. Educating yourself about your body helps you develop self-compassion, mindful awareness, and the empowerment to create a personalized healing experience. In this chapter, youll explore the poses, grasp the simple coordination of breath with movements, and learn about the role the brain plays in yoga healing. Welcome to the journey!
What Is Yoga?
The root of the Sanskrit word yoga is the verb yuj, which means to yoke or harness. The concept of unification also originates from yuj; this gives us the definition of yoga: the process of uniting the mind, body, and breath in a holistic experience for the health and well-being of the individual. In the broader sense, the ultimate goal of yoga is self-realization.
