ANATOMY &

YOGA THERAPY
CO N F E R E N C E
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CONTENTS
Antifragility and Human Variation 2-11
with Bernie Clark

Yoga and Lower Back Pain 12-23

with Tiffany Cruikshank

Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy for Chronic Pain Management 24-32

with Kathryn Templeton

Yoga Therapy for Headache Relief 33-37

with Aadil Palkhivala

A Trip Around the Hips 38-49

with Christina Sell

This manual was created from notes

Yoga Therapy for Scoliosis 50-62
that were meticulously taken by the
Yoga International editorial staff as they with Maggie Reagh
watched each conference presentation.
Yoga as a Healing Modality for Trauma 63-71
with Molly Birkholm

Yoga Therapy for Wrist Pain and Conditions 72-83

with Steffany Moonaz

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ANTIFRAGILITY & W E ’ L L L O O K AT • US Air Force study

HUMAN VARIATION • The question “What stops

me?”
• Just as the Air Force
customized the cockpit, as
yoga teachers, the onus is on
The concepts of tension and
WITH BERNIE CLARK us to customize the yoga, not
•
compression. to change the person to fit
In this presentation, we’re going to • The concept of stress, and the yoga.
look at antifragility and the reality why teachers may want to
of human variations, specifically
your variations.
stop using the word “stretch”
and start emphasizing the
HUMAN
You’re unique! Nobody else has
word “stress” instead. VA R I AT I O N
your biography and your biology, • Why stress is important for No one is average. You might
so your yoga will also be unique. developing antifragility. be average in one category (for
• The difference between a example: height) but you may not
functional approach to yoga be average in others (for example:
and an aesthetic approach. weight/arm length). And yet while
• How to apply these concepts no one is average, many people are
to yoga poses. what we call “normal.”

Keep in mind as we go through this

N O B O D Y I S AV E R A G E presentation: 95 percent of people
• The story of Norma and may be “normal,” but that’s only in
Normman one category. When you start to

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increase the number of categories, of both worlds” together? the surface of your body Some people come to yoga and
you start to decrease the number Suppose we have someone provides a resistance to being right away they’re stuck with
of people who are actually who has 150 degree femoral stretched. And then we have compression. It has nothing to do
“normal.” (Refer to presentation shaft/neck angle, and the fascia, and the muscles, with their muscles being short or
and see bell curve slide.) suppose the acetabulum tendons, and the ligaments tight; it’s just the shape of their
was also more vertical. and the joint capsules. All bones.
How we do our yoga poses and These people could easily these tissues can resist being
how we look in our yoga poses come into the full splits, just stretched and can provide There are also some people who
is going to be determined by our because of the shape of their a tensile resistance to your never get to compression. Their
unique human variations. bones. It doesn’t mean they’ll movement. joint capsules are so loose that
automatically come into full they just keep going, and their
Samakonasana (sideways split) Compression: The impingement of bones allow them to go further,
example: “Stiff Steve” and “Flexy samakonasana, though. They
may still have to work through one tissue upon another. but now they’re moving into a
Flora” destabilized stretching of the
tension in the muscles and • Compression is noticeable
• You don’t really know what’s fascia. But it does mean tissues and going further may
in the direction of the
stopping a student at the that they can get there put their joints at risk. They can
movement.
point where they’re stopped eventually, whereas other go further, but they probably
• Compression occurs when shouldn’t.
in a pose/can’t go any further people can never get into full
the body hits the body. Once
(tension or compression), samakonasana because their
you’ve hit compression, that’s
but we do know that (in the bones won’t allow for it. WHERE IS THE TENSION
it.
example of samakonasana) COMING FROM?
the shape of the bones is • Compression can range
going to affect how far W H AT S T O P S M E ? from a soft, medium, or hard • The skin contributes about 2
someone can abduct the legs. compression. percent of the resistance that
Any time you’re in a pose, you can
you feel halfway through your
• Images of pelvises from ask yourself: “What stops me?” Both tensile resistance and range of motion. 41 percent
PaulGrilley.com (see video The answer is going to come into compression form a bit of a is coming from the muscle
slide). The acetabular angle of one of two categories: tension or spectrum. (Refer to video slides.) itself. 10 percent is coming
abduction is one factor. compression.
from the tendons. The biggest
• The femoral shaft/neck angle
(the angle between the neck
Tension: The resistance of a tissue “TYPICAL” single contributor to tension
are the joint capsules and the
being stretched.
and the shaft) is another
Tension is noticeable in
YOGA JOURNEY ligaments, which contribute
factor. •
47 percent. (Re: study from
the direction away from When we think of the typical
Before puberty, these bones the 1960s)
movement. yoga journey, we think of working
are still malleable. What we It also turns out that 30
through tension and eventually •
do as children affects the • Tension can be found in many
reaching compression, and for percent of what we call
angle. different tissues. Tension
many people, that is the case. “muscle tissue” is fascial
starts right from your skin—
• What if you put “the best But it’s not the case for everyone. tissue. The muscle fibers are

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encased in bags of fascia. the fascia is stuck together,

LIGAMENTS AND JOINT
then that fascial line may be WHY ARE CAPSULES
M Y O FA S C I A L what’s stopping you from
MUSCLES
bringing your arm up. But if
RESTRICTIONS Just like the fascial bag around the
you’re unaware of that fascial SHORT OR muscle can contract, the fascial
The sensations of myofascial restriction, you may think it’s bag around our joints can contract.
restriction can actually be quite the shoulder that’s restricting TIGHT? (1960s study mapping ROM [range
mysterious. you, and that you need to (There’s a lot of debate.) of motion] of average American
Fascia can be a big thing work on it. housewife)
• • Is it the nervous system’s
that stops us, but the fascial • Seated forward fold example. interaction with them? • If we don’t move and stress
restriction may not be in the these tissues, they can
Summary: Fascial restrictions can • Or is it that the fascial bags
area that we’re actually trying “shrink-wrap.” In addition to
be another answer to the question that the muscles are inside
to mobilize. immobility, disease can also
“What stops me?” It might not have have shrunk? (Hot dog
Arm lift example (see cause a contracture in the
•
anything to do with the muscles analogy)
presentation): Our fascia is joints and ligaments, as can
themselves. • Each muscle fiber is
like a three-dimensional body stress.
encased in a fascial
stocking/matrix. It envelops Of course, your muscles may be • The nervous system can also
wrapper. It may be
all of our organs, muscles, stopping you. They may be short or cause fascia to contract.
that it’s not the muscle
and bones. If you have an tight. Fascia is alive. It reacts to our
fiber itself that’s gotten
adhesion or scar tissue where immune system, it reacts to
shortened, but that the
our nervous system. There
bag has gotten tight.
are cells inside our fascia
Fascia contracts—
called fibroblasts that secrete
especially as we get
collagen fibers—the protein
older. It “shrink-wraps.”
that becomes the fascia.
That’s another theory.
They also secrete molecules
• Or there may be adhesions that keep the body moist.
between one muscle fiber and Sometimes there are a certain
the next. type of fibroblasts called
Summary: There may be many myofibroblasts that have
reasons. We haven’t fully worked the ability to contract/shrink
out exactly how muscles get short (spider analogy). One of the
or tight or how they restrict our things that could be making
range of motion. But it’s clear that us tight is an immune system
they can tighten up and restrict our response by our fascia. (Think
range of motion. So maybe what’s of how you feel stiff when you
stopping you is your muscles. have a cold or the flu.)

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• Inflammation is another big 3. Hard compression: Where the spinous processes very elastic). You can
form of fascia restriction. the bone hits bone. (Backbend of the vertebrae are do yoga for decades
When the body swells up, that example: If you have a lot of space coming into contact. and you won’t work
also stiffens the fascia. between the spinous processes, • If you’re feeling tension, through all of the tensile
you have a lot of room to move. If it will be through the resistance there. And
Remember the study by Johns there’s no reason why
you don’t have a lot of space, then front of the body.
and Wright: 47 percent of what you should.
you don’t have a lot of room to
restricts us is the ligaments and the It doesn’t take too long
move).
joint capsules. in a yoga practice for • Generally, people are stopped
• Ultimately, what’s going to people to start feeling in upward facing cat through
Remember that stretching the stop us at the end of our yoga compression in this compression and downward
muscles is important, but that journey is compression. That’s pose. facing cat through tension.
that’s less than half of what the end of the game for that
• Then go in the other direction:
restricts us when our range of pose in that direction.
Practice a downward facing
motion is restricted by tension.
• But sometimes you can cat where you round your ANTIFRAGILITY
go around the point of back up, drawing your chin We need to stress tissues of the
COMPRESSION compression. (Refer to video toward your chest. body. Acute stress, stress that
doesn’t last for too long, is very
for examples.)
REVIEW • What’s stopping you
here? Why can’t you go
healthy. But chronic stress is not.
Experiment: Experience Tension
When the body comes into contact
and Compression in Your Own further? If you feel it in
DEFINING TERMS:
with itself, you can’t go any further. the back, that’s tension.
Body
This is noticeable in the direction If you feel it in the front, Fragile, Robust, Antifragile
of the movement. • Come onto all fours. Do a few that’s compression. It
upward/downward facing cats Fragile: any sort of stress that can
could be compression
(Remember: Tension is noticeable (i.e. cat/cow) to loosen up cause damage (think: wine glass).
stopping you, but most
in the opposite direction of the first. Robust: stress that doesn’t change
people, even students
movement.) anything. Generally, you can stress
• Then do an upward facing who have been doing
cat (cow pose). Notice what yoga for a long time, still and stress and stress something
that is robust and nothing will
THREE QUALITIES OF you’re experiencing. What are feel tension in the back.
change (think: pewter stein).
COMPRESSION you feeling? Where are the • One of the reasons for
sensations strongest? What’s that is that beneath Antifragile is a word coined by
1. Soft compression (flesh hitting stopping you from bringing Nassim Taleb. Living organisms are
the layers of muscles
flesh). This type of compression your head back further to antifragile. Stress makes us
and fascia in the spine,
has a soft, squishy feeling. your tailbone? Do you think healthier. (See graphs on video
we have six layers of
2. Medium compression: When the it’s tension or compression? ligaments that join the slides.) If there’s no stress there’s
bones hit flesh. It has a “pinchy” • If you’re feeling vertebrae together, and no health. We increase health as
quality to it. (lunge example) compression, it will be some of these are very
in the lower back, where tight (though some are

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we increase stress—up to a point. If 13 to 14 hours a day had a 25 and osteoporosis because they
N O T O N LY D O Y O U
you go over that limit you damage percent lower mortality rate have opposite causes.
the tissues. than women who didn’t. A
NEED STRESS, YOU
13-hour fast is (for example), W E D O N ’ T WA N T T O B E ALSO NEED REST
JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN when you finish eating dinner
AFRAID OF STRESS • “The last straw”: We keep
at 6 pm and you don’t eat
DO TOO MUCH DOESN’T Unfortunately, in yoga we
stressing the tissue, and the
breakfast until 7 am the next •
MEAN YOU SHOULD DO morning—that’s 13 hours. have euphemisms for stress:
amount of stress is the same,
but the tissue’s tolerance
NOTHING “crunch” or “collapse.” “Don’t
is going down until we add
crunch into the neck” in
This is an important realization in THE THEORY OF down dog or “Don’t collapse
stress one last time and the
tissue breaks.
therapy in general, but also in the
yoga world. EXERCISE into the lower back” in seal
pose. These are just terms for • If we allow the tissues to
Stressing tissues is part of a theory stress. rest, then the body heals
What happens if you’re injured
called the theory of exercise. the tissues that we stressed.
or sick? You still follow the • Remember, all tissues need
The theory of exercise has two The tissues that we just used
antifragility curve (refer to video stress. The question is how
components: become more useable. We
slides), but it changes. Your “edge” much stress, though? (Refer
stress, and then we rest.
changes; it becomes less. You have 1. Stress: We must stress to video slides/stress curve.)
to be careful because you have less tissues.
range of error, but you still need to
2. Rest: We must rest.
stress the tissues.
“We’re under-rested more than
COMFORT IS we’re overstressed.”

FRAGILIZING
JOINTS
• All tissues need stress,
Two main pathologies people talk
but unfortunately, it’s not about:
comfortable to stress the
tissues. (Shoe/arch support 1. Osteoarthritis: Wearing
example.) out the joint from too much
stress.
• Example of human faces
getting smaller over time 2. Osteoporosis: Bones
because of our food. (Wisdom become thin and hollow from
teeth needing to be removed.) a lack of stress (too little
stress).
• Study looking at mortality
rates in breast cancer patients It’s rare (but not impossible) for
found that women who fasted a joint to have both osteoarthritis

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Indications for How Much Is Too Ask yourself: What is your

Much (Refer to video slides.) intention for the pose? Do you DEFINING TERMS Whether you’re trying to stretch the
Stress and Stretch tissue or not is irrelevant. What we’re
need to go further? Or do you just
• Painful sensations: Different trying to do is stress the tissue.
need some stress there to exercise Really, what we’re trying to do
tissues have their own
the tissues? in yoga is stress tissues. That Physical yoga involves stresses.
qualities of pain. Don’t be
afraid of stress, but be aware stress may be tension or it may Maybe it results in a stretch, maybe
when you’re getting close to
DEFINING TERMS be compression. not. As yoga teachers, the term
your edge. Flexibility and Mobility “stress” is more accurate to what we
As we stress the tissues, a stretch intend than the term “stretch.”
• Part of the yoga practice is to may result. We may stretch the
Sometimes we use the terms
become more attuned with muscles. But you’re also stressing
“flexibility” and “mobility”
the sensations in your body,
interchangeably, but in reality, the ligaments and the joint THE
and to develop wisdom over
time to know what is and isn’t
these are different terms. capsules.
DIFFERENCE
an appropriate sensation—if
you should stay, back off, or
Flexibility is related to your range
of motion. If you have great range
ALL TISSUES NEED BETWEEN A
come out. of motion, you’re said to be very STRESS FUNCTIONAL
• Answering the “What flexible; if you have limited
ROM, relatively inflexible.
• It’s not true that we should
never stretch a ligament.
APPROACH TO
stops me?” question and
understanding the reality of
Mobility is related to the ease of
There’s a ligament in the back YOGA AND AN
of the neck, for example,
human variation allows you to
know when to go for greater
motion.
called the neutral ligament AESTHETIC
range of motion, or when to SIT/RISE TEST that’s very stretchable
(elastic). Same with the
APPROACH TO
accept that you’ve reached
the fundamental limit of what • Flexibility is part of mobility, ligamentum flavum along the YOGA
the body will provide you. but mobility also includes spine. The Achilles tendon is Aesthetics is based on how you look
your strength and your also very flexible, and so is in a pose. Functional yoga
• Unless you ask the question
muscular coordination. the IT band. is about what you intend to
“What’s stopping me?” and
understand the reality of your • Correlation between mobility • You never want to overstretch accomplish in a pose.
variation and uniqueness, and a ligament. You don’t want to
and life expectancy.
overstretch a muscle either, H AV E A N I N T E N T I O N ,
the difference between
tension and compression, you
• Your ease of motion is more
though. T H E N PAY AT T E N T I O N
important than your range of
do risk hurting yourself. Your • Just because we can To adopt a functional approach, you
motion.
limits to your range of motion overstretch something first have to have an intention. And
are unique. doesn’t mean that we should then you pay attention to make sure
never stretch it. you’re achieving your intention.

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This leads us to the idea of a butterfly, to get rid of that mean? Heels and toes If someone has a high degree of
target area. the unwanted touching? Toes touching tibial torsion, asking them to bring
sensation. and heels slightly apart? the feet together requires a lot of
Example of Intention and Paying internal rotation at the hip. Most
• Why do we want any of these
Attention: Target Area
A P P LY I N G T H E things? people don’t have that amount of
Why would you put someone C O N C E P T S T H AT W E ’ V E • If we look at other modalities
internal rotation available to them.
in butterfly pose or baddha
COVERED TO YOGA like ballet, they teach heels E X E R C I S E I N E M PAT H Y
konasana?
POSES together, feet apart (first
• Maybe we want to stress the position). So why is it okay to • Come to standing. First, stand
We know that alignment is with your feet together. Then
hip sockets. Maybe when we stand like that in ballet, but
important. Alignment is there to do an easy half sun salute.
come forward we want to not in yoga?
help protect the tissues, to avoid Notice your experience.
stress along the spine. Or
overstressing them, or to help us Three Variations That Will Affect
maybe you want to stress the • Now, keep your big toes
to get some stress in the tissues. Where Your Feet Should Point if
adductors. together, and move your feet
But there are no universal Your Intention Is to Keep the Hips
• If you’re feeling a stress in as far apart as you can. Maybe
alignment cues. No cue is going to Neutral:
these three areas, then you’re you can actually keep the toes
work for every body because every
doing the pose. If not, then 1. Tibial torsion together, or maybe you can’t.
body is different.
maybe you want to modify it. 2. Femoral torsion Now you’re internally rotated
The challenge is to find out what at the hip, which is what
• Maybe you put a block 3. Acetabular Antiversion
alignment cues work for you, given you’re making someone do if
between the feet to
your unique biology and your they have a lot of tibial torsion
get a bit more stress in
the target area of the
unique biography. Be aware of TIBIAL TORSION and you ask them to stand in
standardized alignment cues that tadasana with their feet
adductor muscles. (Refer to video slides.)
may not work for you. together. Now, try an easy half
• If you’re getting a • Every long bone in the body sun salute. When you come
sensation in the knee, Example: Standing in Tadasana has a torsion, or a twist. Some up, do you crave bringing the
that’s not a target area. (Mountain Pose), Which Way have more than others. heels in? Maybe even the toes
You might modify the Should Your Feet Point? out a little?
pose by putting some
support under the
W H AT ’ S T H E R A N G E O F What teachers should be looking
• One cue is that your feet
knees, or maybe by should be parallel to each T I B I A L R O TAT I O N ? at are a student’s knees. When
straightening the legs a other. What do we mean by knees are pointing straight ahead,
(Refer to video slides.)
bit more. Or you could parallel? hips are neutral.
modify the pose in One study found that the average
Or, are your feet supposed to
THE ANGLE OF THE HIP
•
another way, or do a tibial torsion was 38 degrees.
be together? If so, what does
different pose. Maybe Don’t worry about the average so SOCKET
you practice janu much. Look at the range. The
sirsasana, or half range was from 14 to 46 degrees. (Refer to video slides.)

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Retroverted: Hip socket pointing straight ahead. But feet as wide as the mat, but
FEMORAL
•
facing the side of the body. what happens if you have turn your feet inward. For
Antiverted: Hip socket facing
forward.
TORSION tibial torsion of 45 degrees?
Your foot is naturally pointing
some people, this might
feel like the best down dog
(Refer to video slide.) out, but your knee is pointing they’ve ever done.
• If someone is retroverted,
their femur is already pointing straight. If you want to find
• This is going to affect how Where your feet point is not
to the side. If someone is the classical alignment, you’ll
your femur comes into the hip important. What’s your intention in
more antiverted, their femur have to internally rotate your
socket. down dog? Why do you want to do
is pointing more inward. hip to get the aesthetic of the
• If you have a very high torsion down dog? Why would a teacher
foot pointing straight ahead
• If the hip sockets are very (femur coming into the hip want to put a student in down dog?
in the lunge.
antiverted, it will feel more socket from the back), then What do they intend them to feel or
normal for someone to have your feet  may be pointing What about down dog? experience? Are they getting it? If
their feet together. out a bit more out. not, change the pose.
• Like in mountain pose, for
If the hip sockets are very Less torsion (femur coming some people, feet pointing HYPEREXTENSION
• •
retroverted, their feet are into the hip socket more from straight ahead feels great in
going to be pointing outward. the front), you might be a bit down dog, but that is not the There are lots of occasions in yoga
• The knees are still pointing more internally rotated. case for everyone. when people hyperextend their
straight ahead in these • Depending on how this joints. From an aesthetic point of
instances. This is just what’s torsion of the femur shows T E S T: view, it “looks wrong.” But if we
happening with the hip up, it’s going to affect if you actually look at the knee joint, the
• Come into an easy down dog. knee joint is supported by a whole
socket. feel neutral with an internally Have your feet aligned as you bunch of ligaments. There’s no
rotated foot or an externally normally would (feet parallel, natural bony stop where bone hits
N O T I C E T H AT W E ’ R E rotated foot. hip-width apart). Notice the bone. Here, it’s just soft tissues that
NOT SYMMETRICAL These three anatomical variations experience that you’re having. prevent the bones from sliding
affect where your foot is when Now, bring your heels away from each other.
Many people are very good at half •
you’re in neutral alignment. together, but keep the toes
lotus on one side, but they can’t
apart so that you’re making a Hyperextension is extending past
do it on the other side. But on the
other side, they’re very good at W H AT A B O U T O T H E R V-shape with your feet. How 180 degrees. 85 percent of what
stops hyperextension comes from
eagle legs. One hip may be very POSES? does that feel? For some
the cruciate ligaments.
internally rotated and the other people, this will feel really
Where should your feet be when weird/not good. If so, this is
may be very externally rotated. We’re designed to hyperextend.
you’re in a lunge? not your dog. For others, it
The knee is designed to go slightly
Often, we hear that the foot will feel like the best down
• backward. This is called “locking
should be pointing straight dog you’ve ever done. This is
the knee” sometimes or “hanging
ahead: The knee over the your dog.
out in the joints.” The ligaments are
second toe, the second toe • Now, try this: separate your protecting us here.

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And that's good. yoga teachers would probably pounds of tension.) That’s still remember, all tissues need stress.
tell someone to bend their a fair amount of tension that
We’re designed to do that because knee if they’re hyperextending it can withstand. Hyperextension is not inherently
if we didn’t do that, if we were because they’re afraid that they’re dangerous for the majority of
microbending all of the time then people, though there are some
all of the muscles would have to do
overstressing the ligaments.
WHEN WE people, for example, people
the work. Muscles take energy, so HYPEREXTEND, HOW who have a very damaged knee, or
we’d have to burn a lot of calories THE ANTERIOR MUCH STRESS ARE WE a connective tissue disease, who
to do this. As we walk the back leg
hyperextends about 10 degrees.
C R U C I AT E PUTTING ON THE KNEE? hyperextending might be a problem
for. But in those cases, even walking
And that creates a little bit of LIGAMENT (ACL) If a person hyperextends 5.5 to 6.5
degrees, that equates to about 120
and standing can be a problem.
stress—a little bit of rebound in (See video slides.) newtons of stress (roughly
that joint that allows us to bounce
27 lbs.). Remember, a young and
T H E A C L I S AT R I S K I N
forward again. If you watch chimps • The main ligament to focus on
healthy ACL can tolerate 470 lbs. DYNAMIC MOVEMENTS
walk, they have to bend their is the anterior cruciate
knees. It takes 30 percent more of stress and an older ACL about Almost every reported case of the
ligament (ACL). This ligament
calories for a chimp to walk the 146 lbs. You’re not putting that damage to the cruciate ligaments
prevents the femur from
same distance as a human, because ligament at risk by standing with a happened in a sudden movement:
sliding back. It keeps the knee
we use our ligaments. We actually hyperextended knee. like a football player running and
forward as it flexes.
“hang out in” the ligaments. Now, Triangle Pose Example cutting, or while skiing and hitting
• What we’re afraid of when we the mogul or falling. In these
that sounds bad, but this is another (Refer to slides.)
hyperextend may be situations, you can get a lot more
way that we disguise stress as a
overstressing that cruciate than 400 lbs. of stress on the
negative. We need to stress our
ligament. WHY DO WE ASK
ligaments. Yes, you can do too ligament.
much, but just because you can do • Studies have shown that PEOPLE WHO ARE
too much doesn’t mean do nothing. a healthy young anterior HYPEREXTENDING THE The worry isn’t in the static holding
of poses, it’s in the dynamic
cruciate ligament can KNEE TO MICROBEND?
stresses that come when you’re
RANGE OF withstand about 2,100
A useful intention: to bend the making a very strong movement
newtons of force (470 pounds
HYPEREXTENSION of stress). “Young”
knee a little in order to strengthen and add a twist or a turn, or if
(See video slides.) the quads. But if that is the you’re in an accident. That’s when
in this instance means 25 to
intention,  why only ask that of the this ligament is really at risk.
35 years of age. As you get
The range of hyperextension hyperextender? Why not ask that
older, that ligament starts
at the knee goes from almost
to lose its tensile strength and
of everyone in the class? B E A W A R E O F C R E AT I N G
straight to about 17.5 degrees of
hyperextension. That’s 95 percent
will tolerate less. In late 60s, If your intention is that you asked FRAGILITY
70s, 80s, it may tolerate about a student to microbend because
of the people (“normal”). Don’t be afraid of stress. All tissues
650 Newtons of force (146 they’re “stressing their ligaments” need stress, including the
The question is, should you? Many pounds—about 340/50 or “hanging out in the joints,”

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ligaments. And what we talked uniqueness allows. Based on that

about here in regard to the answer, then you set your course.
strength of the ACL applies to
all of the tissues of the body. Be
aware of creating fragility in the
joints.

REMEMBER INTENTION,
A N D PAY AT T E N T I O N
For example: It’s controversial to
say that you don’t have to correct
hyperextensions, but it depends on
the person. Everyone is unique.
And all tissues need stress,
including our joint capsules and
including the ligaments.

IN SUMMARY
You are unique! You have your own
unique biology, your own unique
biography. And your yoga is also
going to be unique. Stress is not
bad. We need stress. Painful stress
and painful tension are bad. If
you’re in pain, get out of the pose
and see a specialist. When you’re in
your poses, continue to ask
yourself: “What’s stopping me?
What am I feeling? What’s
the experience I’m having? Is it
tension? Is it compression? Is it
wise to stay here? Is it wiser to
come out? Should I go further?”
The answers to these questions are
going to depend on what you’re
experiencing and what your

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YOGA & LOWER

BACK PAIN Most people experience some sort
of lower back pain at some point
there are also a lot of common
themes.
in their lives, which is why this
W I T H T I F FA N Y C R U I K S H A N K is a relevant topic for most yoga PA I N C A N B E M O R E O F
classes. Whether you have back
This workshop is for students or teachers A SIGNALING ISSUE
pain, or whether you’re looking to
who want to dig a little bit deeper into how Both within the nervous
prevent it, you’ll get tools that you •
to work with lower back pain. system and the fascial
can apply to your practice as well
as your teaching. Below, Tiffany system we see a body-
shares poses, cues, and concepts wide communication that’s
that you can use to work with incredibly complex and
lower back pain. intelligent. But there are
many different access points
If you have pain or are working with that can potentially go faulty
an injury, it’s always best to consult and cause issues within this
with your healthcare provider as signaling system.
well as to work with a teacher one
• As yoga teachers and
on one.
students, there are a lot of
There are many different root really simple, helpful tools
causes for lower back pain and that we can use to help

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with this signaling, or the pain may no longer serve us. sympathetic nervous system potentially be more awkward or
communication within the For the body to determine (SNS) and the tension in the precarious than others as well.
body, and help to optimize whether or not pain serves body so that the body is
how the body communicates us any longer, sometimes we capable of relaxing. PRESSURE ON THE
with itself. really just need to slow down.
DISCS
• There are a lot of different • Even just three to five minutes SUMMARY
things that can influence this lying on your back, noticing Let’s look at the pressure on the
This is a simplification of a huge discs, and the spine in general.
communication system: stress, your breath, can be effective.
topic in the scientific world, but Because everyone’s body is
trauma, emotional influences, It doesn’t necessarily need to
what’s important to remember is different, look at this as more of a
even chronic pain itself can be a specific body awareness
this signaling aspect. Take a few ratio than as specific numbers.
become issues that the body practice as much as just
minutes at the beginning of your
has to learn how to process tuning into your internal
practice to lie down. If nothing For example:
and may have difficulty with. experience.
more, just to close your eyes and
• The amount of pressure on
• Notice sensations, emotions, notice the sensation, no judgment,
the discs is greater when
B O D Y AWA R E N E S S thoughts, and an energetic bias, need, or expectation for
we’re standing than when
awareness, if that’s something things to change. And maybe add
Within a yoga practice, some we’re lying down. It’s greater
• that feels reasonable and a little bit of breathing, just
of the most important things when we’re slightly folding
accessible to you. focusing on the exhalation.
we can do involve simple forward (slouching) than
• The ability to lie down at the when we’re standing with
body awareness and
beginning of a practice and
breathing exercises. MECHANICAL ISSUES good alignment. It’s even
notice this baseline is part greater when we’re folding
• At the beginning of a yoga of what allows the nervous The physical state of the body also
forward further (like you
practice, spend a few minutes system to adjust. plays a big part when it comes to
would when transitioning
lying on your back. This pain.
• The key is being able to through yoga poses and
is actually one of the most
notice it without judgment, When we look at the spine there folding forward). If you hold
important things you can do.
without evaluating it, and are a lot of different things that something in front of you—
• Lying on your back may without even needing to which might even just be your
can happen:
sound overly simple, but change it. hands in a yoga class (folding
it gives the body a chance to • Issues with the discs: forward with your arms in
• You might be able to linger
tune in and notice herniations, bulges, front of you)—it goes up even
there with the breath. It might
this signaling system. It’s degenerated discs more (how much depends on
be a great time to add in
important for the body’s Musculoskeletal issues what you’re holding).
pranayama; noticing how •
capacity to appropriately
even something as simple as • Things that can happen within • You can also imagine that
process pain signaling.
that the exhalation allows you the spine itself there’s a point when one folds
Obviously there’s an
to relax can be helpful. The forward, both seated and
appropriate time for pain but In the context of a yoga class
exhalation is a really helpful standing, if they’re flexible
there’s also a time where there are some scenarios that can
part of downregulating the

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enough, where that number/ doesn’t mean that we should so that we can easily move less movement there.
pressure goes down quite a never do these things or that our head around and see
bit. they’re bad for us, because in everything around us. Then ERECTOR SPINAE
a healthy scenario, it’s really we have the thoracic spine,
MUSCLES
TYPES OF POSES important to move the spine which is fixed because of the
in all different directions. But attachment of the ribs and • For many of us, the erector
• When we look at twists as
there are some important the rib cage. Then we have spinae muscles tend to
well, the pressure on the spine
influential factors to consider. the lumbar spine which is, become hypertonic or overly
is going to intensify. So think
If there is some irritation again, free floating, and then worked. Any time we’re sitting
about doing a seated twist
in the back, there might be we have the pelvis, which is a upright or standing, these
with a little bit of rounding,
areas that you want to avoid pretty well-fixed structure. muscles have to work really
and you can also imagine that
for a little while, or you may hard to keep us upright. They
the amount of pressure on the • The two free-floating parts
want to do simple things don’t really have a chance to
discs goes up quite a bit. of the spine tend to be more
like paying attention to your take a break very often. They
vulnerable to injury.
• There are a lot of influential posture and trying to keep an tend to become really tight
factors, but what’s helpful to • The cervical spine is free- and even somewhat strained
elongation of the spine as you
understand if you have lower floating, but it also has a when we slouch and put a
go.
back pain or work with people lot less weight on it; it just little bit of stretch into those
with lower back pain is that carries the weight of the head
DEEPER SUPPORTIVE around. The unfortunate thing
muscles as they engage.
supine (lying) poses are the
most accessible. Doing poses MUSCLES OF THE SPINE about the lumbar spine being
• They like to take over for the
other muscles. And then the
on your back can be a great • Three pillars of support: free-floating is that it carries
tension on the spine and the
relief for the discs and the The psoas, the quadratus the weight of everything
discs starts to shift. Rather
supportive muscles that work lumborum (QL), the multifidus above it—including the weight
than being centralized over
all day. and erectors (refer to of the arms and shoulders—
each vertebrae in its original
presentation slides). any time you’re upright.
• Standing poses will be the and optimal position, it starts
Most of us will at some point
next most accessible. to shift as one part of the
experience some sort of
• Transitions (which we will THE STRUCTURE OF THE lower back pain, and part of
support system begins to take
discuss more later) are a key SPINE that has to do with the lower
over (puppet string analogy).
part of keeping the back back’s susceptibility to injury.
• One of the challenges in What tends to become irritated is
healthy as we move through a
regard to the lumbar spine is • It’s a give and take, though, not only the soft tissues, but also
yoga practice.
that it’s a free-floating part of because the fact that the the joint structures. In this case
• Seated poses and especially the spine. lumbar spine is free-floating potentially the discs and the nerves
seated twists can potentially is what allows us to move around them can become irritated,
• When we look at the spine
be the most awkward, even around and articulate. If the both short and long term.
itself we have the skull, we
though for many people lumbar spine were not free-
have the free-floating cervical
they might feel great. So it floating, we would have a lot
spine, which is important

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TRANSVERSE sorts of different movement play a big part in lower back how they get hydrated, as
capacities. This is a really big pain as well. they don’t get direct blood
ABDOMINIS support for our lower backs flow. That movement is really
• Its purpose is to draw the as we move through our lives. THE PSOAS important, but you also need
contents of the abdomen in It’s a muscle that’s made to to be able to move in a way
• The psoas attaches at
toward the spine. It becomes kick in automatically, but also that’s not going to irritate the
the front of the spine and
a really valuable player when to be really subtle. It’s not the system. So you want to focus
provides deep anterior
working with lower back pain. core that we feel when we do on that balance.
stability there.
• Activating the transverse a lot of crunches. Training the • The curves of the spine are
subtlety of this muscle is key.
abdominis is not dependent ENGAGING THE also an important part of
on movement. Our rectus the health of the spine. This
abdominis engages during Q U A D R AT U S L U M B O R U M TRANSVERSE is what gives the spine its
spinal flexion, and the • These are the muscles that ABDOMINIS resilience.
obliques are triggered during sit deep on the sides of the Take your hands and find
• • The lordosis of the
rotational movement or side- spine. You won’t be able to your frontal hip bones, go just cervical spine that goes
bending movements or palpate them very well. inside of that, and palpate forward
somewhere in between, but there. Think about drawing in
• They’re important lateral • The thoracic spine
the transverse abdominis or cinching in or hugging in
stabilizers. kyphosis going
is a muscle that simply draws around your waist. You’ll feel
in around the waist and can • They can often get backward
the muscle turning on there.
be activated in all overlooked, get tight, and can • The lumbar spine
You may also feel like you get
a little bit taller. lordosis going forward
• A little kyphosis in the
T H E I M P O R TA N C E O F sacrum
BALANCE • Like with anything, the
• Getting the abdominal wall middle path is important.
working with those three We can exaggerate anything
pillars (psoas, QL, and to an extreme. We have
multifidus/erectors) is an these curves in the body,
important part of distributing and we want to be able to
stress throughout the system find a balance: not flattening
so that our body can move in the lower back, and not
a healthy way. exaggerating the lumbar
curve.
• Our ability to move and
create changes in pressure Also keep in mind the
around the spinal discs is difference between tension

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and tone. When we look 1. The capacity of the joint to 2. The quadratus lumborum pelvis level.
at engaging some of these move 3. Piriformis
muscles we’ve discussed and 2. The flexibility of the tissues IN YOGA PRACTICE
4. The hamstrings
turning them on, we want
3. The stability • If you’re standing in an easy
to engage the muscles and Note that any of these can get version of crescent lunge
to create a sense of tone or 4. Optimal joint position
tight or weak, but these are areas and you put your hands on
activation of them without that commonly get tight/weak.
In order to have really good joint your hip bones, you have an
creating more tension.
function, all of those things have awareness of them being
Next we’re going to look at ways to
to come together. This means that somewhat level. The gluteus
POSTURE work with these in the context of
medius is going to be part
when we look at lower back pain,
your practice.
Also consider the importance of we have to look at what’s tight and of what draws the hip into
posture. (See video slides.) the socket to level off the
what’s weak, look at the alignment,
GLUTEUS MEDIUS
look at the posture, and look at pelvis in this side-to-side
• Hyperlordosis = “laying” in
all of the different aspects of this • A “side of the hip” muscle. orientation.
the lumbar spine and sinking
mechanical system. • It connects right below the It’s also important when you
forward into the abdomen. •
top of the pelvis (iliac crest) come into any pose where
The tendency to overround
AWA K E N I N G M U S C L E S
•
and goes down onto the top you’re standing on one
the upper back/our tendency
to slouch. Consider how much T H AT T E N D T O G O of the femur. leg, where there can be a
tendency to “lay in the hip,”
that increases the pressure in DORMANT AND • It’s importance to us in
relation to the lower back to draw the weight-bearing
the lower back. RELEASING MUSCLES side of the hip into its socket
is its ability to stabilize the
• Flattening the lower back T H AT T E N D T O D O T O O pelvis. You can think of the and feel yourself lifting up out
• “Swayback/“laying” in the hip MUCH WORK pelvis as the pot for the of that. Every time you come
joints, which also changes flower of the spine. The into a one-legged standing
Muscles that tend to become a
how the pressure sits in the spine “grows” out of the pose in a yoga practice
little more dormant or less active
lumbar spine. pot, and the pot creates the you have the opportunity
• Balanced posture: the healthy 1. The transverse abdominis orientation of the spine. to strengthen these really
middle point, not too much, 2. The psoas (can get weak or important stabilizers just by
The importance of gluteus medius paying attention to that.
not too little. Being able to tight)
for us is really the stability
connect to the concepts that 3. The gluteus medius mechanism. One place that this Only stay in these poses as long as
we’re going to look at without
4. The lower part of the shows up in a yoga practice is in you can maintain those things.
overexaggerating any one of
gluteus maximus our ability to stabilize and square
them.
the pelvis. TRANSVERSE
Muscles that tend to become
When we look at the function of
It’s helpful to understand how to ABDOMINIS
any joint, we have four main issues hypertonic/tight
use this muscle to stabilize the It wraps around the waist.
that we look at: 1. The erectors
•
pelvis and to look at keeping the

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It myofascially attaches all the feet, and notice how little the psoas in a lengthened other leg out. It’s helpful to
the way to the backside of engagement it takes around position. start in a comfortable range—
the body and fills the space the abdomen to maintain the be able to see your toes.
between the rib cage and the transverse abdominis support. To explore this: Grab a yoga block Your toes and your knee are
pelvis, and it attaches to the It’s not a big contraction, but and lie on your back. pointing straight up. Keep
front side of the body as well. you can keep the position • Place the block under your that as you go.
• It’s important for drawing of the pelvis and the spine sacrum. If you don’t have a • You’re going to lift and lower
the contents of the steady. block, you can roll up your your extended leg. You
abdomen closer to the spine. yoga mat and place it under also want to pay attention
The idea is that eventually, rather
Remember the importance of your sacrum instead. The to not bouncing/not just using
than a movement-dependent
the subtlety of this. As soon block can be at its medium or momentum. Keep the pelvis
activation of the muscle, you can
as you vigorously contract lowest setting. and the back steady and just
keep that sense of awareness as
the abdominals, the rectus • Start by just letting your lift and lower the leg a little
you move through most of your
abdominis and the obliques pelvis get heavy. bit.
practice, especially when you’re off
kick in and take you into You’re eccentrically engaging:
the floor. • When you come into this •
spinal flexion. So make it lengthening the muscle as you
(you’re going to be lifting
subtle. That’s key.
THE PSOAS your feet off of the floor and engage it and teaching the
extending/hovering one leg), muscle both to turn on as well
To explore this: Lie on your back • The obstacle of the psoas for
just notice that if your lumbar as how to elongate. Find the
(knees bent, feet flat on the floor). most of us is that we spend a
spine and pelvis move further right amount for you.
• Find this activation again by lot of time sitting.
away from the floor that it’s • Then, it’s also helpful to take a
bringing your hands slightly • What tends to happen is going to be really easy to few repetitions going down a
inside your two frontal hip not only does the psoas get your extended-leg foot little further—without letting
bones. Think about drawing in sometimes get weak, it also to the floor. If you keep your the pelvis/spine move—until
around the waist. gets tight. pelvis and lumbar spine from you feel just a little stretch.
• Feel that muscle turn on. • If we strengthen this muscle moving further away from Your toes might disappear, but
See if you can make it more like we often do in yoga, the floor (which is what you you’re still keeping your foot
subtle, but still feel it turn on. which isn’t necessarily want to do), it’s going to be a off the ground.
See how subtle you can make an awful thing, but if we totally different scenario.
• Keep your upper body
it and still feel the muscle turn strengthen it in a shortened What you’re trying to do
• relaxed.
on. position (like boat pose), here is not necessarily a core
we’re encouraging that state • You’re going to fatigue with
• Try to keep that, maintaining exercise, but you’re trying
of tension in the muscle. about half of your repetitions
the neutral position of the to activate just a little bit
being small enough that you
pelvis and the spine, pick up • One thing that can be really around the belly (transverse
can see the foot and half
your feet, and just tap one helpful for people who have abdominis).
where you can’t, but still keep
foot at a time to the floor. lower back pain is to find Keep one leg just loosely in
• your foot off the ground.
Walk back and forth and tap a way to gently strengthen toward you and stretch the

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• Then just take a moment or erector spinae muscles. or may not be possible. This is
PIRIFORMIS
two—maybe about a minute— • Gluteus maximus is a pretty a process of trying to relearn
to rest the extended-leg foot how to use the muscles. Explore this in a supine figure 4
large muscle, and the higher
on the ground and hug the pose:
portion triggers more external • Then, if you’re able to relax
bent knee so you feel a more rotation, which can be a lot that, bring your hands to • As you come into this one,
passive stretch. more compressive and create your sitting bones. See if you when you place the ankle on
a lot more pressure through can activate there without the knee and draw the leg in,
For most people: Start with about
the lower back, especially in a activating that upper portion you’re just looking for a pose
10 repetitions up high, 10 down low,
backbending practice. around the sacrum. that gives you a little bit of
and then maybe 30 to 60 seconds
What you want to do in a release. You’re not coming
resting in the passive stretch. As •
This is a really subtle practice. As
more general sense, is soften into it as deeply as you can.
you experiment, you’ll find the you spend more time doing this,
some of the higher portion Find a clasp where you give
right number of repetitions for you each time you come to your yoga
of glute max and engage the your tissues permission to
or your student. mat or a few times a week, it will
lower portion, right around soften. When you come really
become a lot easier to just come deeply into a pose, it doesn’t
Then repeat on the other side. the sitting bones.
into bridge pose and feel the really leave them any space to
Notice the differences between
Explore This in Bridge Pose: activation around the sitting bones soften.
sides. You don’t necessarily have
and soften around the sacrum
to change anything, but notice. Do • Lie on your back, set up for • For people who are really
so that eventually it becomes a
the same number of repetitions on bridge pose, and just begin resistant, there are two things
normal habit.
the second side unless there’s a by relaxing. Stay there long that can be helpful:
really significant difference. enough—maybe use some Now let’s look at the things that
1. If they’re really comfortable
breathwork—so that you can are a little more helpful to release.
there, find a little bit of
THE LOWER GLUTEUS get the muscles of the back The key to these poses and
rocking (not the whole body,
MAXIMUS and the hips to relax. exercises is finding ways to set
mostly just the legs). You’ll
And then as you or your yourself up so that you can relax.
• This is a really important • feel different fibers through
students are ready, come up That’s the most important part—
stabilizer that’s not directly the musculature of the
into a loose bridge—a few more important than how far you
in the lower back, but it’s an back of the hip starting to
inches off the ground or a can go or how deep you go. And
important supportive muscle lengthen. You can get more
little higher. Stay below the it’s not just “how much can I relax?”
that tends to go dormant in a of a variety of effects here,
point of being in a straight it’s about being able to relax the
lot of people, and because of rather than just focusing on
line from knees to shoulders. lower back. Keep your gauge on
that we tend to overuse the one group of muscle fibers.
that specifically to adjust the pose.
erectors even more. • Then, take your hands around 2. The other option for people
• Activating the lower part of to the back of the pelvis The important thing is doing these who are feeling really tight
the gluteus maximus is an and palpate along the sides things regularly. or having a lot of trouble
important part of pulling of the sacrum. Notice if relaxing is to do it at a wall.
some of the tension out of the there’s tension, and see if it’s Just make sure you’re at a
possible to relax it, which may comfortable distance where

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you can relax. You can also Try to relax your neck. Draw are often very tight, but don’t If it is, either move the ball a
use the arm like a kickstand your heel toward your hip necessarily need to be stretched little bit (until it’s not), or skip
(make sure the elbow is on just enough to activate the because most of us tend to it completely.
the ground and the hand is hamstring. Hold there for overstretch and strain these • For this exercise, you can use
wedged somewhere on the about five seconds. muscles posturally. tennis balls or you can get
thigh so that both your arm • Then relax, and investigate to myofascial balls.
and your leg can relax). see if maybe the leg can go P R E PA R I N G F O R T H E • To begin, you’re going to
back a little further (while still M Y O FA S C I A L R E L E A S E place one ball on each side
HAMSTRINGS staying close to the belly).
EXERCISES: of your spine so that there’s
Explore this in a variation of supta No expectations or force, just about an inch in between
padangusthasana (supine hand to allow the tissues to soften a • Myofascial release is a nice
them.
big toe pose). It’s really helpful to little deeper if it’s relevant way to rejuvenate these
there. muscles, to bring a little bit
have a strap.
of blood flow and hydration EXPLORING
Repeat two more times:
• Lie on your back for a supine •
into them, reinvigorate them, M Y O FA S C I A L R E L E A S E
Hold for about five seconds,
hamstring stretch, bend one
drawing the heel toward the
and also hopefully relax FOR THE ERECTORS:
knee in toward your chest and them a little so that the other
wrap the strap below the ball sitting bone a little bit, just to • Lie down with knees bent and
muscles can help out and do
of the foot. feel that activation, trying to feet on the floor.
their jobs.
relax the rest of the body, and
The other leg can be bent or • Lift your hips and place the
•
then soften. • We’re going to look at
extended. tennis balls on each side of
working around the erector
• Once you’ve done that a few your spine with a little bit
• For this variation, focus on spinae muscles, the big ropey
times, stay in the release for of space between them, and
keeping the lifted-leg thigh muscles in particular around
about 30 to 60 seconds and start by just relaxing.
close to the belly, so that the lumbar spine, and then
breathe as you relax, and then
as you come into it, the we’re also going to look at • From here, there are a lot of
slowly switch sides.
knee will probably still be the quadratus lumborum (the different variations. These are
bent. Just straighten the leg Research has shown that these lateral stabilizers). The QL is all just different options. What
as much as you can while proprioceptive neuromuscular deep to the erectors, and it we’re trying to do is apply a
keeping the thigh on or close facilitation (PNF) exercises are one also sticks a little out to the little bit of a stimulus to the
to the belly—as close as you of the best ways to increase range side of the erectors. tissues to get them to relax.
comfortably can. of motion in the short term. Pick the one that helps you
• We’re going to roll right along
soften the tissues the most—
• Then use a little bit of the erectors, and then we’re
the stimulus that feels the
activation: Think about THE ERECTOR SPINAE going to roll just a little bit
most helpful. And it might be
drawing your lifted-leg heel A N D Q U A D R AT U S laterally into the QL zone.
just lying there. Or:
toward your sitting bone.
LUMBORUM • When you do myofascial
Lift your hips and just
Pull a little bit on the strap release, you want to make
•

to provide a bit of resistance. Myofascial release: The erectors rock a little from side to
sure that none of it is painful.

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side. Stay off the spine. remind the tissues to relax • What you’re looking for is • Take the top flap of the blanket,
If you’re on the spine, and release. that when you lie back, you’re lift your head up, and roll the
move the balls a little going to get a little bit of top flap down to fill up the
wider apart. Just a few minutes of this can be opening for the pec minor. It’s space behind the neck.
really helpful. Some people like to really important that you’re in
• Keep the hips down and • You can also tuck the edges
do this at the beginning of their a position you can stay in for
draw one knee in toward underneath the neck (see
practice, though it may be most a while.
you at a time. You’re not demonstration in video)
helpful at the end.
necessarily trying to pull • Have your body on the to give you a bit of lateral
the knee in as far as you
PECTORALIS MINOR second blanket; hopefully support to help the neck to
can, it’s just to put more there’s enough blanket left relax, so that it doesn’t have to
weight over the balls. Pec minor can be hard to address, unrolled so that your hips work at all.
because often when we feel a chest are on it. The little roll you
• You can come up onto • Rest your arms along your
stretch, we’re targeting pec major. made is going to go about
your elbows and roll up sides, however they land
Know that when you come into this where your bra strap would
and down. comfortably. It doesn’t have to
pose, it will feel like a nice opening, be or where you would wear a be palms up. Remember, you’re
For the QL: but it’s probably not going to feel heart rate monitor, in the mid trying to target the postural
like a stretch because pec minor is thoracic spine.
• Move the balls out a little muscles (pec minor). If you take
just a small postural muscle.
wider and, lying on them with • You want to feel like you your arms up, you get a nice
knees bent, rock your knees For this, you’ll need two blankets can rest your shoulders on stretch for pec major, but you
from side to side, so you’re or towels. This is a great way to the ground (between the don’t really get into pec minor.
alternately putting pressure end your practice. two blankets). Your shoulder • In this pose you also get
on one side and then the blades are draping toward the restorative benefits, which
• Have one blanket set up so ground and able to rest.
other. benefit the parasympathetic
that you have two folds of it
• You can stay on one side for • Then, move the top flap of the nervous system (PSNS), which
and it’s in a shape similar to
a bit and then switch sides, or first blanket out of the way is really important for the lower
the rectangular shape shown
you can keep rocking. and move the bottom flap back.
in the video.
down until it’s in line with the Stay for at least five minutes.
• If you’re doing this at home, • You want the two ends of
•
spine of the scapula. (If you
and you have a couch, you the blanket (they will be the palpate over your shoulder All of these poses and exercises
can put the legs on a couch fringe ends if your blanket from your traps, you’ll feel a are great to add into your practice
and open up one side at a has fringe) facing toward you ridge of bone. The lower edge or to do all together as a short
time. at the top of your mat (as of the blanket will come right sequence in addition to your
• What you’re trying to do is demonstrated in the video). down to there—the spine of regular yoga practice. Or, you can
position the body weight • Take the second blanket and the scapula.) That will provide go through and pick out some of
over the tennis balls. Use make the width of it about a little bit of support so that the poses that feel most helpful to
the stimulus as a reminder the width of your torso. Then your shoulders can really focus on.
to gently apply pressure to roll it up a little at the top. relax there.

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Repetition is the most important

T W O I M P O R TA N T • What you want to think about to avoid both rounding your
thing. It’s recommended to repeat as you come into that lunge back and arching your back,
them at least a few times a week, if
C O N S I D E R AT I O N S F O R position (with the back heel which is going to be harder
not every day. L O W E R B A C K PA I N down or up) is pushing down on the hamstrings.
1. Using yoga to balance the through the front foot to feel • You want to find a neutral
REVIEW support system the muscle around the front
sitting bone turn on.
spine and a little bit of
transverse abdominis support
2. Minimizing perpetuating
AWA K E N factors that are in our lives • Then feel your belly pull away and maintain that. Bend the
and in our yoga practice from the thigh so that the knees at any time if you feel
core turns on, and you want like you need to in order to
to feel those two opposing maintain that.
CRUCIAL POINTS IN
movements: Foot pushes
A YOGA PRACTICE down, belly draws back, and
• And you want to keep that
same awareness, drawing
T H AT C A N B E R E A L LY it lifts you up so that you in around the waist and the
I R R I TAT I N G T O T H E don’t have to use your back awareness of the sitting
LOWER BACK muscles to bring you up each bones turning on.
time.
1. Transitions • For most people it’s really
If you can figure out how to do that helpful to bend the knees,
If you’re a vinyasa practitioner, sun coming up, it’s a lot easier to do it even just a little bit. Even
salutes, etc., but even just coming down. just microbend the knees
transitioning from standing so that activation of the
• Just taking an extra moment
upright to coming down to the glutes working with the core
RELEASE ground is important to look at
when you come into some
of these poses to pause, transfers the weight down to
within your practice. It really just the floor.
set the foot, connect to the
requires a simple awareness.
sitting bone, and draw the And the same thing coming
Two elements that we’ve already belly away from the thigh so back up:
discussed: The transverse that you can feel those two
abdominis activation with the use working together, can make it • Push down through the feet
of the glutes working together to so that you can just repeat it to activate the sitting bones;
transition. in reverse on the way down, draw the belly away from the
using that same awareness. thighs to come back up.
The easiest way to feel this is
Folding forward into a pose like This change can make a huge
as you’re stepping forward from
uttanasana (standing forward difference, particularly if you
something like downward facing
bend) is a little trickier, but similar: practice a lot of vinyasa and have
dog to come up into a pose.
lower back pain.
• When you’re folding forward
into uttanasana, you want

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2. Backbends muscles turn on, right above This same technique can be applied • That can be a good test for
the pubic bone. If you grip to all of your other backbends. students. If they can lift up
When you come into backbends,
and push, there’s a clenching out of the pelvis, but they
especially for people who have a • In camel, for example, you
and sense of compression lose that when they lift their
lot of pain and compression, there’s can’t press your pubic bone
in the lower back vs. trying hands away from the floor,
two main things to look at: the into the floor, but you can
to soften the glutes a little they probably want to remain
subtle activation at the core and lengthen through the sacrum
bit more and pressing with upright with their hands on
trying to release the gripping and to draw the pubic bone
the pubic bone activating the ground. Most people
clenching of glute max that puts forward, draw in around the
the abdominals, where you’ll in that scenario will feel a
pressure into the lower back. waist, and try to take that into
feel a little bit more of a stretch there already.
your backbend.
A great way to learn this is in cobra broadening of the lower back.
• If they’re able to keep that lift
pose: • The challenge is keeping that 3. Forward Folds with their hands off the floor
• When you come into it, connection as you come up and they’re able to walk it
Remember that forward folds
think about pressing your into the pose. forward, then at some point
can be more accessible when
pubic bone down. Instead of • This is a great one to do at if they’re comfortable there,
they’re done supine. If you do
gripping the glutes to do this, the beginning of your practice they can let the spine round
want to approach them in other
finesse it and press the pubic in your first few sun salutes. and relax a bit there because
orientations, one important thing
bone down lightly, and you’ll the pressure is going to be
to keep in mind is the plane of the
feel the lower abdominal quite different on the spine
sacrum.
when you’re folding forward
• You want to be able to come quite a bit than it is when
into a starting point where you’re slouching.
the sacrum is perpendicular
to the floor. For many of us, Because of the pressure on the
it helps to either roll up the discs and that irritation to the
back of your mat to sit on or spine, you really want to pay
to sit on a blanket. You want attention to just keeping the spine
to be on the edge of it so that in a perpendicular position to start
your pelvis tips forward. This with, and then as you fold forward,
is so that when you come into hinging from that before you let
your forward fold the pelvis the spine drape forward.
isn’t tipping back from that
Remember, if you have lower back
perpendicular position.
pain, you want to avoid or modify
• If you’re able to maintain that any poses that are painful.
lift and lift your arms up off
the ground, it’s going to be
relevant to come forward.

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THE ENERGETIC BODY with that allow you/them to students, that you/some people responding slowly over time so
relax and appreciate stillness. may respond to any one of these that we have a cumulative effect
I N R E L AT I O N T O L O W E R more. that we can often palpate or feel
Find even just 10 minutes a
B A C K PA I N
•
day to carve out to connect right away—but really, the effects
Experiment and find what’s are in the long term.
• As it relates to Chinese to that nourishment, be still,
helpful, and focus your energy and
Medicine in particular downregulate the sympathetic
your awareness there, knowing Know that you might feel some
(Tiffany’s background). fight or flight mode, and
that since lower back pain often effects right away, but that the big
In Chinese Medicine, lower enhance the parasympathetic
• ends up being a chronic issue, stuff is going to come after doing
back health is directly related response. This is important
that repetition of these things is this for a few months, and then
to the kidneys/the functioning for any pain, but in particular
really what reshapes the nervous you can look back and really notice
of the kidneys in an energetic lower back pain, as it relates
system, the energetic body, the how much things have changed
sense. to the kidneys in Chinese
musculoskeletal system, the fascial after that period of time.
Medicine, and our ability to
• In Chinese Medicine the layers. All of these things are
balance out what we do, how
kidneys relate to the water
we expend our energy, how
element.
we take in energy, and how
• There’s a strong correlation we nourish ourselves in the
between lower back pain and process.
our tendency to overwork.

From a Chinese Medicine REVIEW OF THE THREE

perspective, the water element is MAIN COMPONENTS
very nourishing to the lower back
1. The signaling issue:
and it’s nourished by simple things
about introspection and
like stillness. Never underestimate
inquiry.
the power of something like a
restorative practice, a meditation 2. The mechanical issue:
practice, or a good restorative about informing the tissues
savasana. and starting to create new
patterns and inspiring new
ACTIVE REST ways of moving.
3. The energetic side:
• Learn to carve out active
about nourishing the body
rest, meaning a very specific
with a sense of stillness.
practice of either restorative
postures or pranayama— It’s about the balance between
poses that feel comfortable these three components.
to you or to the patients or
students that you’re working You’ll find, with yourself or your

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AYURVEDIC HOW YOGA U N D E R S TA N D I N G

YOGA THERAPY THERAPY VIEWS
C H R O N I C PA I N
YOUR UNIQUE
BLUEPRINT
F O R C H R O N I C PA I N In yoga therapy we work with Each of us experiences life
the body, mind, and spirit. We differently. For example, if you’ve
injured a joint, the way that injury
W I T H K AT H R Y N T E M P L E T O N work with the breath, diet, and
lifestyle. The aim is to support occurred is specific to your life,
“Our interest is in changing your what’s already happening with your and the way you experience pain
relationship with your pain. We want to chronic pain management and to it is unique to your own DNA and
shift the focus away from your pain and support other professionals who RNA—the way your tissues are
toward the quality of your life. We want might be involved in your care. organized.
to enhance, in very specific ways, your
Our interest is in changing your In ayurveda, we attempt to
role as an active participant in your own
relationship with your pain. We understand these specificities
self-care.”
want to shift the focus away from through the doshas so that we can
your pain and toward the quality help the individual manage their
of your life. We want to enhance, reality of pain.
in very specific ways, your role as
Your dosha, or unique blueprint,
an active participant in your own
offers us a way to begin to
self-care.
understand:

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How you moved out of force. We say in yoga and Working with the mind requires
HOW YOGA
•
balance. ayurvedic medicine that prana working with the breath and the
• How to use your specific THERAPY WORKS moves on the breath. It’s not
the breath, but it has this
body. The reverse is also true.
Working with the body requires
inherent strengths to move
you back toward balance. The idea behind the body in yoga quality of animation. Prana working with the breath and work-
and ayurveda is very simple. It works with the breath but ing with the mind.
In other words: How did you first works on a paradigm called the it isn’t the breath. It’s more
subtle than the breath. These three aspects of the ko-shas
begin to experience this pain koshas. These are the five “sheaths”
are inextricably intertwined to
sensation, both its intensity and or different layers of our being. 3. Manomaya kosha—the mind
support our awareness. So the way
its frequency, and how did it begin sheath. The brain is part of
As we move forward, keep in mind: that we work with pain in yoga
to create some sort of pattern of the food body—anamaya
From the top of your head to the therapy and in ayurvedic therapy
deterioration in your quality of life? kosha—the mind is its own
tips of your toes is the finite set of is to understand what’s happening
layer.
All of the various reasons for why tissues that makes up your physical operationally in any one of these
we have chronic pain, and all of body. The brain is part of those The breath is what connects the three areas. We can walk through
the various ways we experience it physical tissues. mind to the body and the body any one of these three doors and
make it difficult to say “Do this one back to the mind. We need the unlock whatever is blocking the
The mind is separate from the brain prana or the ability of the body to
thing, and you’ll have relief.” In fact, mind and body to work together
—remember this point when we talk self-regulate.
if yoga therapists were to say that, so that, when we need it to,
about brain and mind and how they
we would be leaving our integrity without us thinking about it, the
operate together. RECAP
behind. We need to be able to see sympathetic nervous system
you as an individual. In this kosha model, the first three (SNS) lights up, and we have an • You can begin working with
realms—the most outer aspects of appropriate response to get out of the breath (pranayama) to
In this discussion we’re going to harm’s way.
being—are really where we see the support the body and the
be looking at a general overview
idea of pain become associated. mind—it’s the thread that
of some ways that yoga therapists But we don’t need that all the
support the healing of our clients, time, and when this “fight or flight” unites them (pranamaya
1. Anamaya kosha—the “food
and to bring some of these ideas response happens often, the body kosha).
body” or “food sheath”—our
to you so that you might be able to physical body or “water sack.” attunes to it very quickly and • You can begin working with
pull from this talk to help yourself The idea is that it’s made up doesn’t attune to the “rest and conscious awareness, like in
to: of the foods and the liquids digest” or relaxation response. a meditation practice, or a
that we take in. Metabolic, deep relaxation practice, or
• Decrease the intensity of your We can begin to attune to the re- by reading a spiritual text
anabolic, and catabolic
pain. laxation response by doing (manomaya kosha).
activities are related to this
Decrease the frequency that specific breathing techniques—like
• outermost kosha. • You can also work with
you’re experiencing your pain. alter-nate nostril breathing—or
2. Pranamaya kosha—the “pranic changing the way that you eat
prac-ticing deep relaxation, or
• Enhance the quality of your sheath” or “energetic body.” certain foods or drink certain
mindful awareness, or being out in
life. Prana is the animating life beverages (anamaya kosha).
nature where it’s a little bit calmer.

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The ideal in yoga therapy and higher quality of life. There are a couple of areas of the Change your habitual daily action
ayurvedic therapy is to work a little brain that are really supported by and you’ll change your thinking.
On the biological level, there’s a
in all three of these planes (body, internal practices—specifically Change your thinking and you’ll
lot that we’re looking at. We’re
breath, mind) at the same time to meditation and deep relaxation. change your habitual daily action. It
looking at the brain specifically.
create a larger “boon” or a shift doesn’t matter which comes first,
in our understanding of who we are THE ANTERIOR they both correspond to each other.
—a shift away from identifying with SWITCHING C I N G U L AT E C O R T E X
our pain and a shift into iden- THE INSULA
tifying who we are in a conscious, THE LOCUS OF The anterior cingulate cortex is
Another area of the brain that
aware manner.
CONTROL FROM important for the integration of
thinking and feeling. It begins to
we have to bring on board is the
insula. This resides within the
It’s very difficult to do. It requires
dedication, determination, prac-
EXTERNAL TO thicken with meditation (studies
temporal lobe of the brain. This part
with long-term meditators). And
tice, and support (an “intentional INTERNAL when we integrate the thinking and
of the brain “understands” that
community,” or at least one other there’s an emotional component to
feeling aspects of the brain we can
While there’s pain, perhaps you our physical body. The physical
person). We need a plan, some in- begin to change the way we
associate it with the tender places body has an emotional response,
tention, and we need to have some experience our daily lives.  This is
in your body. If you focus on those and the emotions will have a
understanding as to the “why.” what we, in the world of pain
tender places for too long, you’re physical response.
“Why are we doing this?” We also management, are attempting to do.
going to become less aware of the
have to be interested in self-care.
expansive consciousness. It’s not The insula is activated by
Try to identify an intentional “Neurons that fire together, wire
that you shouldn’t explore those meditation.
community or a person who can together” (Hebb 1949).
tender places and engage in pain
support you in a way to validate
your efforts and accept you and
management, but we do want to It may sound a little wacky, but S H A R E D E M PAT H Y
the issues that you’re struggling
bring the awareness more internal. research supports that when “TEND AND BEFRIEND”
Eventually we want to switch we think thoughts about having a
with without trying to fix you. Oxytocin is released when there’s
the locus of control from the better quality of life, having
external and become more aware decreased frequency of pain, subtle touch on the body—one of
HOW IT WORKS the reasons why touch therapy can
of what’s happening in the mind. having less intensity of pain, we’ll
What we’re looking at is a Once we do this, we can turn even actually start experiencing that in be so useful to create more pleasure
biopsychosocial model. further inward and look at what’s our physical body. and decrease pain. And it also
happening in the vijnanamaya happens in just being
All three aspects—your biology, One of the ways we do this is not with somebody (intentional
kosha, or wisdom body.
psychology, and the social aspect by thinking “less pain, less pain,” community).
of how you interact with others— The trajectory is this: We’re asking but rather by thinking “greater
are crucial for you to have some you to turn awareness away from freedom, greater freedom.” Two of the practices that we offer in
success in feeling either a decrease the outer world to the inner world yoga and ayurvedic therapy for
in the frequency or the intensity of This helps us in yoga practices chronic pain management are dry
and then up to a more conscious
pain and/or to be able to feel a like sankalpa.
awareness.

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brushing the skin and abhyanga or Youtube videos do you to dinner. What kind of foods do the body to have good
(self-body massage) with oils. watch? you eat? Do you have a group that moisturizing qualities
• What is it that you’re you identify with, such as being • Eating foods in season
The gentle touching of your own vegetarian or vegan or paleo or an
nourishing your senses with? Including food fats in your foods
skin—even though there may be omnivore?
•

pain in the sensation initially—will, What you take in through your Think about how you can be
over the course of time, create senses will begin to create how W AY S T O N O U R I S H around other people or find
this tending and befriending you’re thinking and feeling.
quality, support the insula in the O U R S E LV E S cookbooks, or cooking channels,
or recipes that will support you in
temporal lobe, and begin to The senses bring all kinds of
• External nourishing with warm beginning to feed yourself in a
support the body having more of a material in from the outer world
oil massage way that’s more nourishing. Even if
relationship to oxytocin. It won’t into our conscious awareness. And
Internal nourishing with that just means changing your
happen immediately. if we can’t digest it well, or if what •
breathing practices lifestyle so that you’re eating three
we’re digesting is somewhat
If you don’t have an intentional meals a day:
negative or at least not • Nourishing the muscles, the
community that can give you a nourishing, then we’re going to joints, the tendons—shleshaka • Have something for breakfast,
sweet touch that’s gentle and increase our experience of that in kapha—with our exercise or even something small. Coffee
kind, then doing something like our physical body. our yoga practice is not a food group. Have
this for yourself can be a way to coffee after you eat food
Being able to change some of • How we feed ourselves is also
increase your quality of life. You because coffee expedites
your daily habits and hanging very important: Find a group
can decrease the frequency and digestion.
out with people who have a more of like-minded people who are
the intensity of your pain by
expansive worldview will offer you interested in healthy foods, or • Then have your biggest meal
working with this tend-and-
an opportunity to expand your even just seasonal eating. of the day in the middle of the
befriend concept.
consciousness. Who you hang out • Using spices in our foods is day because that’s when your
As you change some of your brain with—your intentional community very important. digestive fire is strongest,
biology some of your psychology —is important to both your and we want to give that fire
• Eating anti-inflammatory
will change. And then we can work psychological and your social something to do.
foods
in the opposite direction, we can world. • Then have a supplemental
• Eating foods that are less
change some of the psychology to meal in the evening.
Bio, psycho, and social all relate to pungent, less heating in
change the biology. How would
each other. They’re not as nature, is important from a This will help with daily
we do that?
compartmentalized as they sound, yoga therapy POV. evacuations. Evacuating daily,
We would begin to think of things and one will definitely support the • Also being aware of eating moving the waste out of the body,
like: internalization or the foods that aren’t as dry or will help to move the lymph and to
• Who do you hang out with? astringent because dryness unblock the prana.
enhancement of the others.
• What kind of books do you doesn’t allow our body to
Think about who you hang out Getting a good night’s sleep is
read? have proper moisture levels,
with to go shopping or to go out important for pain management. If
What kind of television shows and we want the tissues of
• you have a tendency to be okay

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with managing your pain during with asana in such a way that it
the day, but when you’re getting T W E LV E being? What’s the paradigm that
I’m using? creates the movement of the prana
ready to go to bed at night you SUGGESTIONS in the body.
start having issues with (for 2. Explore your habitual daily
example) restless legs or a racing F O R C R E AT I N G actions and make small 5. Add turmeric and ghee or other
mind, or you start feeling the pain
more intensely because you have
YOUR OWN changes. digestible fat to your cooking.
Try to get some turmeric into your
fewer distractions around you, T R E AT M E N T Take out a journal and jot your
habitual daily actions down. Be system via good, nurturing fat.
then you can begin to think about
How can I create that internal locus PLAN honest with yourself. What do you Example: Put a tablespoon
of control? do during your day? How do you of turmeric in some ghee (or
Start off by picking three items to
wake up? What do you do to keep coconut oil, or avocado oil) and
begin to engage with.
Maybe it’s by turning your your energy going all day long? let the spice gently “open up”
awareness to a pranayama practice Remember: It’s going to require What are your go-tos to support in the ghee, which creates an
before bed or beginning to do you to be determined, to be patient yourself? What are your go-to ayurvedic “medicine” that’s used,
a deep relaxation practice with with yourself, to embrace support— distractions? for example, over rice (or sauteed
guided imagery. identify a support person, someone vegetables, or meat). You can even
who will accept you and validate Become curious and interested in
add in a little ginger if you don’t
Examples: you. what your daily habits are, because
have too much inflammation.
31 points we are each an amalgam of what
61 points 1. Change the locus of control from we do every day. (But remember Adding that into your foods once a
Yoga Nidra external to internal. the 80/20 rule!) day will greatly support your ability
to experience the food body being
These practices can help us calm Change your focus from the To implement small changes, start
nourished in a way that decreases
the mind and turn our awareness in outermost layers of the koshas with going to bed around 10 pm
inflammation.
and up instead of toward the pain (external locus of control) to being and waking around 6 am; change
we’re feeling. able to access the innermost layers your wake/sleep daily pattern to
6. Work with a seasonal cleansing
of the koshas (internal locus of live in relationship with the sun/
Finding a way to work with our control). moon cycle. and rejuvenating program.
biology, our psychology, and our
At the change of seasons, we tend
social world is critical to support Begin to explore this idea of an 3. Eat your food warm and moist to need to “slough off” the residual
our moving away from identifying internal locus of control through and eat seasonally. effect of the season before so
completely with our chronic pain books and/or videos, and ask
that we can move into the new
and toward seeing ourselves as yourself: What are the ways that I 4. Do a gentle yoga practice. season with greater ease. This is
individuals who may have pain, but begin to identify my internal locus
Not anything super challenging. important for chronic pain issues
who are attuned to conscious of control? How do I go within
Work with identifying how to because if we move from the heat
awareness, with a sense of who myself to learn how to self-value,
use your movement in a deep of summer into winter and we
they are beyond the physical body. how to self-appreciate, how to think
relationship with your breath. Work haven’t “sloughed off” the heat
of myself as a conscious
that our body has accumulated in

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our tissues, then we’re going to bridge we have to cross between feeling gratitude upon waking and We want to increase your quality
have more agitation as we go into beginning to work with stillness doing some gentle breathing or of life, help you connect you to
winter. and beginning to work with stretching. It should be something your consciousness, and we want
meditation, and one of the ways that’s nourishing you, something to encourage you to take an active
Cleansing and Rejuvenating we build that bridge is either that is self-care. It might feel role in your own self-care and
Resources on YI: through a pranayama practice indulgent. It should feel indulgent. healing.
Detox? Cleansing? What’s and/or a guided meditation or a
In the evening, try a restorative This means building a bridge
Ayurveda’s Take? deep relaxation practice.
yoga pose or listen to some from the three outer layers—
BIG Spring Cleanse
devotional music or other lovely or physical body, pranic/energetic
10. start a meditation practice
Consider: Is there something that calming music or chants, or make a body, and mental body—and to
you’re ready to do at this seasonal Create space in the mind and special “nighty-night” drink to help cross that bridge to being more
change that might help decrease distance from the association of yourself sleep, or practice some related to your discerning body,
what ayurveda calls the ama, or the pain, once the nervous system meditation to relieve anxiety and your vijnanamaya kosha, to your
undigested residue, to keep it from learns to relate to stillness. agitation before bed. conscious awareness. And that
building up and blocking the prana? way you’ll be able to connect to
11. Explore your conscious Remember: These are “practices,”
yourself more fully. You’ll be able
not “perfects.” It’s okay if you have
7. Unblock your prana. awareness. to live in a biopsychosocial context
a hard time one night and can’t get
that’s going to nourish and
Use your daily yoga and pranayama Allow yourself to explore conscious it done. Just try it again the next
support you.
practice to keep your srotas awareness: in books, lectures, yoga night.
(channels) clear so prana can move practices to gain more access to
with greater ease in your system. moving inward and strengthening Remember: Just start with three
your internal locus of control from the list! Or if you have a hard
time getting started, just start with
8. Find a group of like-minded 12. Create “little anchors” two. Let yourself begin to turn
people inward.
Create a little anchor (10 minute
Share your experiences and offer daily routine for self-care) in the
yourself the opportunity to be morning and in the evening. SUMMARY
accepted and valued; “tend and
Set up a 10-minute daily routine for Ultimately, what we’re saying here
befriend.”
the morning to decrease decision about chronic pain and the use of
ayurveda and yoga therapy is this:
9. Start a deep relaxation practice fatigue and to keep a little more
to support the body to practice openness in the mind as you move We want to remind you that you
stillness and tone the nervous through the day. It might be the are the captain of your ship and
abhyanga (body oiling) and the dry help you change your relationship
system.
brushing, it might be having with your pain so that you can
It can be difficult to be still when a glass of room temp water with stop identifying yourself as your
there’s chronic pain. There is a a squeeze of lemon, it might be pain.

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MANAGE YOUR CHRONIC

PA I N : P R A C T I C E
A yoga practice to support the management of chronic pain.
Follow along by doing the practice with the video, or by
watching/listening first and then playing the video again
later and joining in on the asana and pranayama practices
that feel comfortable for you.

A LT E R N AT E N O S T R I L B R E AT H I N G ( S I T T I N G
IN A CHAIR)
• Bring hands into vishnu mudra (bringing index and
middle fingers of the right hand to the right thumb pad).
• Bring the thumb and the ring finger of the right hand to
lightly rest on either side of the nostrils.

Begin on the left side.

• Lightly close the right nostril, and inhale through the
left nostril, bringing all of your awareness to the space
between your eyebrows.
• Then lightly close the left nostril and exhale through the
right nostril.

Do three rounds.

Eyes can be open or closed, whatever feels most

comfortable for you.

“JOINTS AND GLANDS”

PRACTICE
• Start by gently rolling the wrists in both directions.
• If this is where your pain is stemming from, you’re
going to do a much smaller range of motion than
what is demonstrated.

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• Bring hands onto shoulders and roll shoulders.

M O V I N G TA D A S A N A ( M O U N TA I N P O S E )
• Inhale, elbows up.
• Inhale for (for example) four counts as you reach the
• Exhale, elbows down. arms overhead and lift the heels off the ground.
• After three rounds, go in the opposite direction, • Hold for just a moment at the top.
continuing to move with the breath.
• And then exhale for a little bit longer than the inhale on
• Inhale, lift the elbows. the descent (six or eight counts, for example).
• Exhale, lower. Do several rounds.
Do three rounds in this direction as well.
B H R A M A R I P R A N AYA M A ( B U M B L E B E E
If your pain stems from joint issues and you’re feeling that B R E AT H ) S I T T I N G I N A C H A I R
moving the shoulders in this way might be too
stimulating, make smaller rotations or leave this one out. • Close your eyes if you’re comfortable doing so.
• Bring your thumbs or your index fingers to rest on the
GENTLE TWISTING internal lobes of your ears (you’re not going to put much
• Lower arms down, step your feet out a little wider. pressure on them).

• Arms alongside the body, moving as you twist. • Inhale through the nose.

• You can lift up the heel on the opposite side that you’re • Then make a humming or buzzing sound out through the
twisting to if you like. nose as you exhale.

If this rotation is too intense, you can sit on the ground or a Do three rounds. (You can do up to nine rounds.)
chair and do a gentle, seated version of twisting.
Move onto your back in whichever way is most comfortable.
Perhaps via a sun salutation.
S H I TA L I P R A N AYA M A ( S I T T I N G I N A C H A I R )
• For that option, stand at the top of your mat, bend your
• If you’re able to, roll your tongue like a straw. Otherwise,
knees, and take a forward fold.
roll your tongue like a sideways straw.
• Either take cat/cow or downward dog, and then (lowering
• Slurp in through the straw (through the center or the
your knees if in down dog) roll over onto your back.
side, depending on if your straw is sideways or not) on
your inhale 3x. This can be a really challenging transition for a lot of us
• Inhale through the tongue. because sometimes the chronic pain is localized in the joints
—the wrists, the ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders.
• Exhale out through the nose.
If that’s the case for you, then find a way to get to the ground
You could take this practice for about nine breaths if you
that allows you to take your time. Take as much time as you
were feeling really moist and hot from your practice.
need getting to the ground.

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MOVING BRIDGE POSE • You want to allow the feet to turn out a little in savasana
so that you’re not gripping with the thighs. You can
• Lie on your back with knees bent, heels underneath windshield wiper your feet back and forth a few times if
knees, arms alongside the body (palms down), and spine it’s comfortable for you, to release any tension that may
long. have accumulated in the hips from moving.
• Inhale, press into the feet, reaching the arms overhead, • Option to place a sandbag on the pelvis and lower belly.
and lifting the hips into a bridge pose. If you don’t have a sandbag at home, you can use a
• Exhale, bring the arms and the hips back down to the folded blanket.
ground at the same time. • As you breathe, you’re pushing up against it.
• After a few rounds, begin to gently lengthen the • If the weight of the sandbag is too much, or if it
exhalation, just like we did in the moving mountain pose. feels uncomfortable, you might replace it with a
• (For example) inhaling up for three, four, or five folded blanket.
counts. • The sandbag (or blanket) on your belly as you
• Taking about twice as long to exhale and come breathe helps you to identify where to put your
down. focus/attention in the body.
• Stimulating the lower lobes of the lungs helps to
If this is straining for the back, you may come down with the support the rest and digest relaxation effect. That’s
back/hips more quickly than the arms. the primary reason for doing this particular practice.
Do several rounds, then rest, bringing your hands wherever • Remove the sandbag for guided relaxation practice in
it’s comfortable. savasana. You can replace it with a folded blanket.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS G U I D E D I M A G E R Y ( “ M E D I TAT I O N P R E P ” )

• Separate your feet wide on the mat so that you can I N S AVA S A N A
windshield wiper your knees from side to side. • Beginning with a traditional tantric practice called
• Arms extended out to a T. chidakasha.
• Exhale, to one side. • Body Scan: Awareness of tension and relaxation.
• Inhale, back to center. • Coming out of the practice.

Do this movement in the range of motion that’s May this practice serve you as a way to feel more at home
most comfortable for you. in your body. To bring forth a sense of self-acceptance,
self-valuing, and more of a united awareness of what’s in
S AVA S A N A the physical body, what’s in the mind, the movement
between those two points of awareness (mind and body)
• Option for bolster (or rolled blanket) under knees to
by working with the breath, and what’s internal with your
support the lower back.
conscious awareness.

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YOGA THERAPY FOR

HEADACHE RELIEF U N D E R S TA N D I N G
6. Hormonal imbalances
7. Blood pressure
HEADACHES 8. Excitotoxins
W I T H A A D I L PA L K H I VA L A 9. Toxicity in colon/general
W H AT A R E H E A D A C H E S ? internal toxicity
In yoga we look to the cause, not
the effect. In this workshop we will Aadil states that a headache 10. Eye strain
address the causes and not the reveals a message from the body
11. Nutrition and oxygen
symptoms of headaches. that isn’t being heard. The aim is to
deprivation
discover what issue is causing the
symptom of the headache. 12. Head injury

THE 12 MAJOR CAUSES M E N TA L

OF HEADACHES
CENTERING
1. Subluxations and a reversed
From Heartful Meditation™
cervical curve
by Savitri
2. Muscular tension
The four petals of purna yoga:
3. Emotional tension
1. Heartful meditation
4. Electromagnetic fields
2. Asana and pranayama
5. Dehydration
3. Nutrition and lifestyle

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4. Applied lifestyle 3. The intention: • Visualize the light in your humility and offer them to the
heart center. light of my soul.”
To gather the erratic, fluctuating
M E N TA L waves of the brain (electro • Once you’ve made that
connection, lift your arms,
Do this practice first thing in the
ensethalic waves) and take this
CENTERING AND dispersed energy and bring it palms facing your ears, just
morning, just before you go to bed
at night, anytime you’re stressed.
B R E AT H F O R into the central line of the body
(sushumna nadi) and down toward
a few inches away from your
ears. Set your intention: “I
When you do this practice just
before bed, your sleep will be
HEADACHES the heart center. This process is gather my senses.” When
beautiful. When you do this
called pratyahara, the movement hands are together, inhale.
From Heartful Meditation™ practice first thing in the morning,
of the senses from their constant Then exhale hands to heart
by Savitri your day will be beautiful.
outer reach. center, saying: “I offer my
senses to the light in my heart Mental centering is a practical
M E N TA L C E N T E R I N G Why the heart center? center.” way of making the mind calm and
This exercise in mental centering Because this is where we live. This focused.
• Feel the brain becoming calm
involves four things: is our home. When we have deep
and beautiful feelings inside of
feelings, beautiful feelings, they Second part of practice:
1. Movement you waking up.
are always in the heart center. Your
2. Breath • Lift hands once again so they • Once you have your mind
soul lives there.
are next to your ears. Once inside your heart, feel white
3. Intention
You take the scattered energy your hands are there, inhale. light in the air around you.
4. Self-talk of your mind and offer it to your Exhale hands together, saying: Imagine this white light and
spirit. “I gather my thoughts of the sense it.
1. Let’s start with movement:
past and the future.” • Once you feel this light, infuse
• Bring both hands up, palms 4. Self-talk for practice:
• Once hands are together, it with a beautiful feeling
facing ears, just a few inches “Oh mind, come into my heart. such as love, gratitude, inner
inhale. Exhale hands down to
away from the ears. Feel, think, what my soul wants me peace, and bliss.
heart center: “I offer them to
• Fingers point up, not to think.” the light in my heart center.” • Inhale this white light infused
backward. with this beautiful feeling
“I gather my senses, I gather my • Lift hands so they are next
• Draw your palms together in thoughts, I offer them to the light up through your nostrils and
to your ears. Once they are
front of your face, thumbs at of my spirit.” into your headache. Let it
there, inhale. Exhale hands
eyebrow level. fill the headache, and on the
together, saying: “I gather
Then draw your hands (palms Become aware of light at the heart exhalation feel the headache
• all my thoughts. I gather my
together) down to heart level. center. being drawn out, into the
senses.”
• You can do so by placing the light, feeling your brain and
2. The breath pattern: • Once your hands are together, your head glowing in white
middle finger of your right
inhale. Exhale hands down light as the headache leaves.
Movement on exhalation, stillness hand on your sternum and
to the heart center, saying:
on inhalation. gently presssing in. • As you inhale, once again,
“I bring them down with

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inhale that white light with in the head caused by an

the beautiful feeling into your old injury or by sleeping
head. And on the exhalation, incorrectly on the skull for
exhale the headache into the many years, it may be helpful
white light. to seek craniosacral therapy.
• Repeat this several times. • For nutritional deficiencies:
Eat high quality organic

T R E AT I N G food. In addition to this,

supplement with a high
HEADACHES: quality food product to
ensure that you are getting
LIFESTYLE the nutrients that you need.
Aadil’s recommendations

• For subluxations and a T R E AT I N G

THE PRACTICE strap even more.
reversed cervical curve: Find
a good chiropractor.
HEADACHES: • Make sure that the belt is very
You’ll need one yoga belt.
• For light-related headaches: UPPER BACK • Make a large loop with the
close to the neck, touching
the neck. The inner edge of
Get rid of fluorescent and
LED lighting and switch to
AND NECK belt. the belt should touch the

incandescent lighting. RELEASE • Bring the loop over your

head, and rest the belt over
right side of the neck and
pull on the neck. You might
• For dehydration: Drink water Many headaches come from an think that it would be more
your right shoulder with the
or water with some lemon (or excessive buildup of tension in the comfortable to have the belt
buckle right in front, near the
fruit juice) in it. Take body upper back: the area between the away from the neck, but that
sternum, and the tail of the
weight in pounds, divide it occipital ridge and upper shoulder can cause problems for the
belt pointing downward. Hold
by two, and drink that many blade; where the levator spinae, sternoclavicular joint (see
the loop with your left hand
ounces of water per day. upper trapezius, and rhomboids video demonstration).
as demonstrated (around the
• For headaches from toxicity: are. When there is a lot of tension outer palm and between the • Your left hand is back near
A strong practice (like surya in that area (from sitting at a thumb and index finger). Pull the buttocks. Press down on
namaskar) may help. Flushing computer all day, or poor posture on the tail with your right the strap with your left hand
the body with liquid may also in general) the tightness of the hand to tighten the belt to tighten the belt even more.
help. Toxins that are stored in muscles prevents blood flow to and (make sure it’s tight!). You Make a fist with the left hand
fat cells need to be addressed from the brain, which can cause should just be able to as you hold the belt.
clinically. Also consider doing headaches. The following exercise straighten the left elbow. • Then, swing the belt forward.
a bi-annual cleanse. can be used to help release this Then, move your left hand
tension. • When you move your left
• For headaches related to back behind you. Press down
hand forward you are “de-
injury: If there is pressure into the strap to tighten the

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hunching” yourself (see video blanket to make contact times). If needed, do this practice twice
demonstration). with C7 (the seventh • Once you’ve done this three a day to re-establish the cervical
• After you’ve done that, to cervical vertebra at the times, place your right hand curve.
further release, make sure bottom of your neck). on the right side of your
Treating Headaches: Palming
your head is straight, and • Your head must not head and push the right side
Often, headaches come about from
then rotate your head to the touch the floor. If your of your head into your right
having too much tension in the
left. Then bring your head head is touching the hand (three times).
head. Palming is a beautiful way
back to center. Then tip your floor, your blanket is too Once you’ve done that three
• to release this tension. It has been
head to the left. small. You may need to times, place your left hand used for years in ayurveda.
• Then come back to center. use two blankets rolled on the left side of your head
• To release, gently bend your
together. and push the left side of your THE PRACTICE
left elbow, remove the belt, • Press the heels of your palms head into your hand (three
• Sit in a comfortable position
and change sides. on your chin. times).
with a couple of bolsters in
• Exhale, gently push the • This awakens the muscles
• Repeat this two more times. front of you. (You can also
heels of your palms into of the neck so that they can
do this while sitting at your
your chin. Inhale, release. handle the weight of your
T R E AT I N G • Do this three times in a
head when you come out.
•
desk.)
Rub your hands together,
HEADACHES: row, then release your • Creating a curve without
training the muscles
making them warm.
hands to your sides.
ENHANCING • Then, imagine your head
of the neck can create • Then wipe off “excess past”/
problems later on (old) energy from your hands.
THE CERVICAL dropping down toward the
because the muscles Or you can wash your hands
earth and your shoulder
C U R V E & PALMING blades and your collarbones
become loose. in water (first in cold water,
then warm water, and then
dropping down toward the • Bend your knees and keeping
A reversed cervical curve can cause rub them together).
earth. your neck relaxed roll over to
headaches. Here is a simple Overlap the hands with the
your right-hand side. •
practice you can do to restore this • Just imagine. Don’t right hand closer to the body
natural curve. Prop(s): one or two actually use your • Gently push the floor with
(just the fingers overlap, not
cotton blankets. muscles. your left hand to sit up.
the palms).
The curve of the blanket
THE PRACTICE This blanket roll is a wonderful
• • Place your hands over your
creates the curve of your prop to use in savasana; however, eyes making a V-shape over
• Roll a blanket tightly and neck. in savasana, use a slightly thinner your nose.
thickly (refer to video). • Prepare to come out by roll so that the back of your
• Cup your hands so that your
Lie down and place this rolled placing your left hand on head can rest lightly on the floor.
• eyelashes don’t touch your
blanket under your neck. your forehead and gently You don’t want to practice this
palms.
push your forehead into your technique, which utilizes the thickly
• Ideally you want the • Open your eyes and make
hand and then release (three rolled blanket, for too long.

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sure there is no light entering often. Even two or three minutes

through your palms. can be helpful.
• Then, slowly bring your
elbows down to the bolsters
or desk.
• Release tension in your neck
so that it becomes completely
relaxed and the weight of
your head falls into your
palms.
• Feel your breath coming into
your nose and into your eyes
and then out.
• Visualize an indigo curtain
(the color indigo is a
representation of the third
eye).

Palming is more effective the

more time you spend doing it. The
effect begins after five minutes, 15
minutes is powerful, and after half
an hour your eyes will feel “young”
again.

To come out, lift your belly so you

are not using your back muscles.
Keep the contact with your hands
and face. Lift your elbows off the
desk or bolsters, and keep your
eyes closed. Release your hands,
feel the light penetrating your
upper eyelids, and then gently
open them.

This is a lovely thing to do

throughout the day, especially if
you look at a computer screen

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A TRIP AROUND
THE HIPS Props Needed

2 blocks
1 strap
WITH CHRISTINA SELL
2 blankets
This workshop is about hip
opening and hip stabilizing. You
will work your hips in a full range
SEQUENCE
of motion and work on actions and Begin in sukhasana (easy seat) with your hands at heart
postures that create both stability center.
and mobility in your hips.
WA R M - U P
• Tabletop
• Balasana (child’s pose).
• Make this an active child’s pose. Transition into it
by bringing the big toes to touch and separating
the knees wide. Lift your chin up, and keeping
your arms straight and strong, bring your hips
back to your heels. Keep your chin up for another
few moments and push your hands down and
forward, draw your navel in and back, and bring

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your hips heavier and heavier toward your heels. • Return to the chair pose variation with the block
• Keeping that, crawl your hands out a little bit between the shins.
further in front of you so you can find more • Keeping the legs firm and strong, fold forward and
length through the sides of the body and the press the fingertips into the mat as you draw your
spine. Then bring your forehead and nose to the heels back and up toward your hips.
floor. • Return to tadasana and rest.
• Tabletop
• Wide-legged adho mukha svanasana (downward facing • Return to the chair pose variation with a block between
dog pose) with the feet mat-width apart. the shins.

• Walk your hands back to your feet and fold in a wide- • Keeping the legs firm and strong, fold forward and
legged uttanasana (forward fold). press the fingertips down and forward as you draw
your heels back and up.
• Place your hands on your hips, draw your shoulders
toward each other, lift your chin, and then come up to • Keeping that engagement, slowly straighten your legs.
stand. If your low belly lifts way up off the thighs and the
back begins to rounds significantly, stop straightening
C H A I R P O S E VA R I AT I O N S your legs.
• Remove the block and return to tadasana.
• From tadasana (mountain pose), place a block
between your shins and squeeze it to turn on your
adductor muscles (inner thighs). • Return to the chair pose variation with a block between
• Engage the outer shins by lifting the outer edges of the shins.
the feet and all of the toes besides the big toe (you • Find the engagement in your calves, quads, and
should have a dull ache in your outer calves because hamstrings.
you are targeting your peroneal muscles). • Then crisscross your wrists and place your hands on
• Then place the outer edges of your feet and your toes the upper inner thighs. Maintaining that engagement in
back down on the earth, but keep squeezing the block. your legs, roll the thighs in with your hands, push them
• Next, bend your knees to activate your quadriceps apart, and rest the forearms on your thighs. Now think
(you can rest your hands on your thighs) and lift about widening the thighs apart here.
the outside edges of your feet again to engage the • As you roll your thighs in, reach them back and
peroneal muscles once more. Firm your legs even more push them apart; balance the action by continually
and notice the sensations of the dull ache in the outer squeezing the block between your shins.
calves, firmness in your inner thighs, and the toning on • Then, remove the block and come to stand and rest.
the tops of your thighs.
• Remove the block and return to tadasana. • Return to the chair pose variation with a block between
the shins and repeat once more, following the previous
cues.

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Then, remove your block and come to tadasana. you had your hands crisscrossed on your upper inner
thighs).
D O W N WA R D FA C I N G D O G A N D • Then come back to a lunge and make your way to
D O W N WA R D FA C I N G D O G L U N G E downward facing dog pose.

• Begin in tabletop.
• Lower your knees to the floor and sit back on your
• Curl your toes and lift your hips to downward facing
heels and sit in vajrasana (thunderbolt pose).
dog.
• Bend your knees and come onto the balls of your feet.
• Now, repeat the down dog lunge with the same cues
• Imagine you have a block between your shins and above on your left side.
squeeze it.
• Then come back to downward facing dog pose.
• Lift the fourth and fifth toes just a little bit until the
• Walk your hands back to your feet, place your hands
dull ache comes to your outer shins.
on your hips, draw your shoulders toward one another,
• Even with your legs loaded here, draw your heels inhale and then come up to stand.
toward your hips.
• And now, as though your hands were crisscrossed on S TA N D I N G F I G U R E - F O U R VA R I AT I O N S
your upper inner thighs, roll the thighs in, reach them
• Take your right ankle over your left thigh, bend the
back, and with strong shins, widen the thighs apart.
left knee and sit back (like chair pose), crisscross your
• Stay up on the balls of your feet, lift your low belly up, wrists, take the palms of your hands to your upper
and straighten your legs, then reach your heels toward thighs, roll your legs in, push your hands back, and
the floor. resting your forearms on your thighs widen your thighs
apart.
• Look between your hands and step your right foot • Come up and repeat on the other side.
outside of your right hand, spin your left heel down to
the floor, and walk your hands out to the left for down
• Then, the next time, take your right ankle over your left
dog lunge.
thigh and your fingertips to the floor or blocks. This
• Firm your legs, isometrically draw your right heel variation of figure four is not meant to be a balance
toward your left arch and your left arch toward pose and should include support.
your right heel (this action will help you tone your
• Take the ball of your right foot to your left bicep and
hamstring on your front leg and the inner thigh on
push your foot into your arm and your arm into your
your back leg).
foot. Now, lift your right knee slightly toward your
• Lift from your knees up into your hips to tell your armpit and as though your hands were crisscrossed
quadriceps to tone, and activate your shins by across your thighs, roll your thighs in and reach them
spreading your fourth and fifth toes dynamically. back and apart. Continue to push your thighs apart
• Now, move your upper inner thighs back (as though until a sense of lateral broadening comes to the back

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of your pelvis. your foot and bring the heel of your right foot in
• During this action, an anterior (forward) tilt of the toward your right hip.
pelvis may occur. To realign, move your navel in and • Keeping that, turn your hand in to take hold of the top
back and externally rotate your right leg; move your of your foot.
right sitting bone toward your inner left thigh (as a • Then release and repeat on the other side. Then come
result of that turn, your right knee will move away from to sit.
your left shoulder). Sit a little deeper in your left leg
and allow your chest to come closer to your shin.
• Come back onto your belly and move through the right
• To come out, take your left hand to your right foot to side again.
lower the foot to the floor and fold into uttanasana.
• This time, to take the lengthening out of the rectus
• Place your hands on your hips, draw your shoulders in femoris, push the right thigh back to the heel and lift
toward one another, and inhale up to stand. Repeat on up the torso (you should be resting on the top of the
the other side. thigh near the knee).

DOWN DOG LUNGE • Then you should be able to draw the foot even closer
to the hip.
• Christina talks you through down dog lunge on each
• Keeping that, draw the hip back down to the floor.
side once more with all of the cues you explored
earlier. • Then release, and repeat on the other side.

• Once completed, return to down dog. • After that, make your way onto your back.

P S O A S W O R K LY I N G O N Y O U R B A C K
H A L F B O W P O S E VA R I AT I O N W I T H Q U A D
STRETCH The following cues will help you to line the psoas up well,
tone it, and then lengthen it.
• Lie on your belly and rest on your forearms.
• Begin lying on your back with your knees bent and the
• Press your right hand into the floor and bend your
soles of your feet on the mat, about mat-width apart.
right leg.
• Reach your arms overhead, and let both knees fall to
• Take your right thumb out in front of you, out to the
the right.
side, and then out back behind you. Then take your
right hand on the inside of your right foot. • Flare the fourth and fifth toes of your left foot and get
your outer shin to tone. Draw your left knee gently
• The more you can press down into the left forearm and
toward the floor until your inner thighs tone.
lift up through the chest, the easier it will be for your
shoulder. • Imagine your hands were crisscrossed on your upper
inner thighs. Roll your left hip toward your belly button,
• Now, bend your right elbow, and lift your right shoulder
reach your inner pubic bone back toward your inner
way up and back.
sitting bone, and widen your left thigh away from the
• Slide the heel of your right hand around the top of midline of your body.

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• Now, take your tailbone in, lift your low belly up, and
S U P TA PA D A N G U S T H A S A N A ( R E C L I N E D
bring your belly button back toward your spine (now
you’re moving the top of the pelvis slightly back).
HAND TO BIG TOE POSE) WITH A STRAP
• Now push out through your left heel to tone your left • Take your strap and make a loop small enough to fit
buttocks, take your right foot to your left thigh and around your foot.
your right hand to your left wrist. • Before beginning, lie down into supta tadasana
• Using your right foot, stretch and lengthen the left (reclined mountain pose) to get an understanding of
thigh away from your body, and using your right hand, where you are starting from. If you’re tight along the
pull your left arm up. front of your body, in the hips, the thighs will be lifted
up away from the floor. How much are your thighs
• Release back to center and repeat on the other side.
resting on the floor and how much pressure do you
• After that, come back to center, take your hands feel?
underneath the small of your back, and press yourself
• To begin, press your left thigh into the floor, bend your
up to seated.
right leg, loop the strap around the ball of the right
foot, and then, holding the strap with both hands,
• Repeat on each side once more while really trying to extend your right leg up toward the sky.
visualize your psoas muscles.
• Keeping the left leg pressing down, press the ball of
• Then come up to seated. the right foot into the strap, and stretch your arms
overhead (both hands still holding the strap).
• Your right leg is in deep flexion which allows the
hamstrings to lengthen.
• As you push the ball of the foot into the strap,
isometrically draw the heel down toward your hip.
• Next, take the strap behind your neck and thread it
into your left hand.
• Pull your left hand off to the left.
• Firm your outer right shin and hip and then lower your
right leg to the right.
• Your left arm pulling the strap is what determines how
far the right leg goes out.
• Then bring your right leg back up to center and stretch
your arms over your head again.
• By pulling in the overhead plane, the vector of
the force in the leg changes the movement of the
hip socket. This is a different variation than just

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using your hand on your foot and drawing it in. yourself to relax with your forearms resting on the
• Release your right leg back down to the floor, and then earth, your hands stacked on one another, and your
pause is supta tadasana and notice if your right leg forehead resting on the back of your hands.
feels different from your left. Also, notice if the right • With a hard block on the soft tissue of your
leg is now closer to the floor. abdomen, relaxation may not be your first
• Then repeat the same action on the left side. response, but relaxation is important for you to
get the most out of this exercise.
• After you’ve completed the left side, come back to
supta tadasana to check in once more. • Now, roll to the right side of the block. Gently press the
right knee down into the mat to allow for hip flexion
• Then place your hands underneath the small of your
right until you feel that tender psoas muscle activate.
back and lift yourself up to seated.
• Then with your toes turned under, slowly straighten
P S O A S PA L PAT I O N your right leg.
• And then lower your knee to the floor and move to the
• Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and
other side.
place your hands on your frontal hips bones with index
and middle fingers pointing in. • Then, lower your left knee down, come back to the
center of the block, and then up to seated.
• Using those first two fingers, slowly and curiously
press them into your abdomen toward your spine.
• Now you’ll move laterally (away from the midline) on
• Move your navel toward your spine.
your psoas. This time the block will rest right along
• Then, slowly lift each foot off the floor a little bit the inside of your hip bone once you move into the
at a time and look for a muscle that starts to tone position.
underneath your finger.
• First, lie face down with your psoas on the block like
• You can palpate your fingers around a little until you you did in the previous exercise. Then allow yourself
feel that sensation. to relax with your forearms resting on the earth, your
• It may feel tender. hands stacked on one another, and your forehead
resting on the back of your hands.
PSOAS RELEASE WITH A BLOCK • Doing the left side first, take your right leg to the right
• Locate the area above your pubic bone, below your with your knee bent on the floor and the hip in external
navel, and between your two frontal hip bones. rotation.
• Place a block on its highest height toward the center of • Then, move the block a little laterally to the left so the
your mat. left edge of your block is right on the inside of your
left hip bone.
• Lie face down with your psoas on the block—the
block should be between your hip bones and your • Hold the block firm with your right hand and let your
navel on your lower abdomen (similar to where your head hang.
fingers were in that palpation exercise), and then allow • You will feel some pressure where the block is pressing

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into your psoas. right foot, holding onto the tail of the strap with both
• Then, with toes turned under on your left foot, gently hands.
press your left knee into the floor and slowly straighten • Extend the left leg long (the block beneath you allows
your left leg. for a bigger hip extension on the front of the left leg).
• Lower your knee back down and move to the other • Keeping the left leg pressing down, press the ball of
side. the right foot into the strap, and stretch your arms
overhead with both hands still holding the strap.
SUPPORTED SETU BANDHASANA • Your right leg is in deep flexion which allows the
(BRIDGE POSE) WITH A BLOCK AND LEG hamstrings to lengthen.
EXTENSION • While you push the ball of the right foot into the strap,
isometrically draw the heel down toward your hip.
An important note: Teachers often teach this pose with
the block supporting the sacrum, but often, when the legs • Next, take the strap behind your neck and thread it
extend long, it doesn’t feel good in the back or allow for the into your left hand.
proper stretch and opening along the front of the hips and • Pull your left hand off to the left and really focus on
the psoas muscles. Try the following instead. keeping the left thigh pressing down.
• Begin on your back with your knees bent and your feet • Lower your right leg to the right.
flat on the ground. • With the hips elevated, not only will your inner
• Lift the hips and slide a block (on its lowest height) right thigh release, but you’ll also experience
underneath your bottom so that the very center of the fascial release across your left hip, your lower
block is aligned with the bottom of the sacrum and the belly, and the transverse abdominus. In order to
center of the glutes are resting on the block. get the full benefits, your left hip must remain
stable by pressing down toward the block.
• Then, extend the legs and feel the extension along the
front of the hips. • Come back through center and release to repeat on
the left side.
S U P TA PA D A N G U S T H A S A N A W I T H A • When you’ve completed the left side come back to
BLOCK BELOW THE GLUTES FOR SUPPORT center and extend both legs long.
• Then, plant the soles of your feet on the earth, firm
• Begin on your back with your knees bent and your feet
your buttocks, and lift your hips to remove the block
flat on the ground.
and set your hips on the earth.
• Lift the hips and slide a block, on its lowest setting,
• Extend both legs long to find supta tadasana again and
underneath your bottom so that the very center of the
observe your thighs and how close they may be to the
block is aligned with the bottom of the sacrum and the
floor now.
center of the glutes are resting on the block.
• Then come up to seated.
• Press your thighs down and then keep the sole of your
left foot on the floor as you wrap a strap around the

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E X P L O R I N G T H E H I P S I N TA D A S A N A W I T H
A BLOCK BETWEEN THE SHINS
• Standing in tadasana, grab a block and place it
between your shins and squeeze it to turn on your
adductor muscles (inner thighs).
• Think about rotation when squeezing the block this
time:
• Spit the block out behind you by turning the
knees in (trying to keep the feet parallel here).
• Now, spit the block out in front of you by
externally rotating the thighs.
• Then come back to neutral.

• From here take your hands to the backs of your hips

and rotate your knees inward to spit the block out
behind you and feel the lateral broadening across the
back of your hips.
EXPLORING THE HIPS IN BADDHA
• Then, turn the knees out and spit the block out in front
KONASANA (BOUND ANGLE POSE)
of you and feel where the muscles in your gluteus Feel free to sit against the wall for support during this next
medius are toned. exercise.
• When you turn your legs in, the external rotators • Come to sit in baddha konasana.
release and broaden. When you tack your shins
• One of the things to notice here is how if you
back, the external rotators turn on.
move your feet closer and closer to your body,
• Remove the block and come to stand. over time it allows for deeper flexion of the knees.
• Next, shift the weight onto one foot and lift the And, when you are able to move your knees
opposite knee (the foot on that side will lift off closer to the ground, it means a greater degree of
the floor), moving back and forth while feeling the external rotation has been achieved.
backs of the hips with the hands to see how they are • Place your hands on the floor behind you and push into
engaging. Those same muscles act as stabilizers with them to lift the hips, shift them forward, and then sit
this type of movement. back down closer to the heels.

As you move through the next few poses think about the • Push your heels into each other.
cue of moving the outer shins back (while squeezing the • Now, take your outer shins back like you’re spitting a
block) and the action of trying to spit the block out behind block out in front of you.
you.

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• Grip those muscles where you felt an indentation on

the back of your hips (or squeeze there) to help turn • You can take the next baddha konasana one step
your legs out more in the hip socket. further by turning the block horizontal on the lowest
• If you are able to turn the legs out more, your knees height or staying with the previous version if you’ve
can open wider. You do not want to press the knees reached your edge.
down first, because then the femur will have a • With the block at this height your feet won’t be as
tendency to pop up in the hip socket. close so you can push your hands down into the floor,
• Extend your legs long on the floor for a moment. lift the hips, and shift forward.
• Push your heels into the block (this may be harder in
this position).
• Then, come back into baddha konasana with a block
(vertical and at its middle setting) between your feet • Tack your outer shins back, take your inner thighs,
(this is a stabilizing pose for the outer hips and a stretch out.
lengthening or stretching for the inner thighs).
• Push into the block with your heels. • Now, take the block out and go back to the initial
position with the feet touching.
• Now, take your outer shins back like you’re spitting a
block out in front of you. • Can you bring your heels a little closer to your hips and
your hips a little closer to your heels? Compare once
• From your inner thighs, stretch out through your inner
again to your starting point.
knee as though you were making your bones longer
(though that’s not actually possible). • Push your heels together, draw your outer shins back,
and grip your hips. Stretch out through your inner
• Remove the block and extend the legs long again.
thighs.
• Remove the block and extend the legs long.
• Then, come back into baddha konasana with a block
(vertical and at the lowest setting) between your feet.
S U P TA PA D A N G U S T H A S A N A A N D E A G L E
With the block at this height your feet won’t be as
TWIST
•
close so you can push your hands down into the floor,
lift the hips, and shift forward. • Begin lying on your back with both knees bent and
• Push your heels into the block (this may be harder in your feet flat on the floor.
this position). • Then, lift your right leg to the sky and extend your left
• Take your outer shins, tack them back, take your inner left leg long with your heel on the ground.
thighs, stretch out. • Take the left hand to the outside of the right shin and
• The muscles will realign a little bit differently with push the hand and the shin against one another to
strength than they will with stretching, so you want to “turn on” your outer leg.
be at the place right before you reach your edge. • Keeping the left hand at the outer right shin, lower
• Remove the block and extend the legs long. your right leg across your body while keeping both

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sides of the hips as close to the floor as you can. • Turn your toes under, lift your hips up, and take your
• Return to center, release, and then do the left side. feet wide to the edges of your mat.
• Come up onto the balls of your feet and bend your
• Then release, and move back to the right side to take knees.
it deeper by reaching for the outside edge of the right • Flare your fourth and fifth toes, resist your legs toward
foot with the left hand (if you can). Otherwise reach each other (to tone your outer shins and inner thighs).
for what you can.
• Roll your inner legs in, and then widen them apart.
• This time the right hip can come up off the ground.
• Move your navel in and back.
• Really push the foot or leg into the hand and vice versa
• Stay on the balls of your feet and straighten your legs.
as you slowly lower the right leg down toward the
floor. • Tack the outside of your legs slightly back.
• Return to center, and then lower the right leg down • Push down and forward with your hands, and lower
and move to the other side. your heels.
• Push with your arms, press with your legs, lengthen
• Now bend both knees and wrap the legs (right over your spine.
left) into garudasana (eagle pose) legs, and then twist • Lower your knees to the floor and find child’s pose.
to the left. Keep your gaze toward the ceiling (don’t
turn your head). WINDING DOWN
• To go deeper into the hips and stabilize the pelvis, • Lie on your back with the soles of your feet mat-width
squeeze your outer legs together, press the back of apart and let the knees fall in to touch.
your head down into the floor, lift your rib cage, and
• Place your hands on your torso somewhere that brings
twist to your right.
you comfort.
• Then come back to center and repeat on the other
• Take a moment to consciously relax your brain.
side.
• Settle inside yourself and let your thinking mind relax.
• After you’ve completed the left side, extend the legs
long, place your hands at the small of your back, and • Find comfort here.
come up to sit. • Stay here if it feels good, or extend the legs long for
savasana.
D O W N WA R D FA C I N G D O G ( W I P I N G T H E
S L AT E C L E A N )
• Begin in tabletop.
• Tone your navel.
• Make the sides of your torso long.
• Move your upper back in.

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those three things have to be external rotation. Some Even with the amount
I M P O R TA N T
•
threaded together intelligently people wake up and get out of anatomical variables,

NOTES over a long period of time. of bed with more internal

rotation and some with more
there is a lot of uniformity,
consistency, and similar
• The action of moving the upper
• Don’t worry if you miss a few inner thighs in, back, and apart external rotation. So we want ways that we can generally
cues, there are a lot of rights aims to move the entire inseam to know what the poses find to work with these
and lefts and you can always of the legs back, to move the require and who we are. If you poses. An example of this
come back and try again inside edge of the femurs back, are someone who has more is that everyone’s femur
tomorrow! and even tilt the pelvis slightly external rotation naturally, is going to function well
• Working to engage certain forward, and then there is a you will get the most out of when moving toward the
muscles as you lengthen them broadening on the back of the the pose when you focus on back part of the hip.
will allow you to lengthen pelvis. internal rotation actions and • When the bone is in its
other muscles. An eccentric vice versa. optimal place it’s both
• The more you can imagine these
contraction is when you cues (even if you aren’t feeling • Pay attention to habits and stable and free to move.
engage a muscle and it them right away or are unsure patterns in the body. It takes • When working on the front of
lengthens. if you are doing them correctly) a lot of time to change these the hips you will be using four
• Reciprocal inhibition is when you start to train the mind to things, so don’t force yourself. muscles: rectus femoris, vastus
you tone one muscle group move into the body. • In down dog lunge, the “in, lateralis, vastus medialis, and
like the abductors (outer • Any cue that is beneficial can be back, and apart” action vastus intermedius (these make
thighs) and can release the overdone or underdone to one’s is great for your back leg up your quads).
opposing muscle group like detriment. Be on the lookout because it helps move your • The release of the quadriceps
the adductors (inner thighs). for what serves you and what femur back. have a lot of benefits for us.
• When your hamstrings doesn’t. • The femur and the hip • When your hip is in
contract they bring the heel • One of the things we are using socket have a “sweet extension, the rectus
up by the hip. Isometric props and hands-on adjustments spot” and there are a lot femoris is lengthened, and
contraction is (in this for is to help make the cues of variables at the level when your knee is bent you
example) the action of something tangible—a “felt of the bones. What’s get a double-lengthening
moving your heel toward your thing” in your body. When you different from person action.
hip without actually doing it. are using a manual assist or to person is the depth
• When you’re working on
• “Adduction,” “hug the some other outside force, you of the hip socket, the
your thighs you are also
midline,” and “firm your legs can get more movement than width of the pelvis, the
working on your hips.
in” are all ways to describe you can without it. So a cue like length of the femoral
head (the neck of • In the trunk you have a deep
the action of drawing in. "as if your hands were on your
your thigh bone), and muscle called the psoas. It’s one
• Cues need to be balanced thighs” won’t feel as strong as
where the hip socket is of the prime muscles used in
with each other. When giving them actually being there.
actually located on each walking.
cues there is the posture, the • Some poses require big internal
individual’s pelvis. • The Iliopsoas (psoas and
actions, and your body, and rotation and some require big

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iliacus) is a hip flexor body’s starting point, you may

and will help you in never be able to get a pose
poses like malasana like baddha konasana to look
(deep squat) and deeper like a picture of somebody in
marichyasana folds. a book. What you’re looking
• The more freedom to do is use techniques and
we have in the deep strategies to move one step
muscles in the front closer toward your capacity.
of our body, the more • Let “Whenever in doubt, back
freedom we will have in out” be your motto.
our backbends.
• There are three hamstring
muscles that live in the back
of your thigh, and they join
right up to the hip with the
bottom of your buttocks.
They help to bend your knee.
So the action of drawing your
heel toward your hip in supta
padangusthasana and acting
as though you were going to
bend your knee will help the
hamstrings to tone here.
• “Progressing” in a pose
can refer to progress in
understanding, ease, clarity
of action, or by physically
moving deeper in the
posture. But don’t discount
one layer of progress over
another. You’re working to
create a whole experience of
yourself in and through these
postures.
• Depending on where your
femurs are placed in your hip
socket and depending on your

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YOGA THERAPY 4 TYPES OF

FOR SCOLIOSIS SCOLIOSIS
1. Right thoracic
PRINCIPLES, PRACTICES, AND CASE STUDIES 2. Left lumbar
3. Right thoracolumbar

WITH MAGGIE REAGH (C-curve)

4. Right thoracic left lumbar
(S-curve)
T W O V E R Y I M P O R TA N T
W H AT D O “ C O N V E X ” YOGA THERAPY POINTS
A N D “ C O N C AV E ” With scoliosis, you’ll have both
MEAN? lateral curves and rotations in the
Convex refers to the part that’s spine.
rounded out (sometimes appearing
The vertebrae will rotate toward
as a hump).
the convex side. If you have
The concave part is the other side convexity on the the right the
of the convex curve. Think: on the vertebrae rotate right; if you have
other side of the convexity is a convexity on the left they rotate
cave. left. And on the concave side,

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that’s where you’ll have muscle

LEFT LUMBAR is convex and and the left lumbar they’re experiencing pain; the pain
tightness/shortness. side is convex. If you were to draw can be on both sides (the concave
Affects the lower back. The left this double curve it would resemble and the convex side).
To make this easier to understand, side is convex and right side and backward “S.”
let’s talk about this in terms of a is concave. When a person is
C-curve : standing straight you won’t see PRINCIPLES
If you have concavity on your left very much, but the right hip could GENERAL AND PRACTICE
side then you’ll often have muscle be higher, it depends on the
person. When they are leaning
ASSESSMENT Lateral bends will probably always
tightness on that concave side.
The convex side is normally weaker forward you can often see a hump QUESTIONS FOR be very helpful for anyone with
scoliosis. If you remember nothing
in all types of scoliosis. In yoga
therapy we are often stretching the
on the lower back.
STUDENTS WITH else, remember this.

concave side and strengthening the RIGHT SCOLIOSIS • Think about poses that work
convex side. THORACOLUMBAR 1. “Which side is tighter, shorter,
upper back laterally versus
lower back laterally. The
(C-CURVE) more collapsed (concaved)?
upper back poses will utilize
L O O K I N G AT In this type of scoliosis, 80% of the
Is it left or right?”
the arms and torso more,
EACH TYPE curves are to the right. Generally
the right side is convex and the left
2. “Is the shorter, tighter
(concave) side just affecting
and the lower back poses will
focus on the legs and hips.
OF SCOLIOSIS side is concave. The left hip might the upper back or also
• De-rotate the spine. If your
the lower back? Where do
I N G R E AT E R be higher as a result of this and the
left side of the body will generally you have shortness? Is it a
spine (or your student’s spine)
is rotated toward the convex
D E TA I L feel quite tight because of the C-curve? Are you feeling
tightness just on the left
side then de-rotate the spine
concavity on the left. If you were to toward the left. On the lower
RIGHT THORACIC draw this curve it would resemble a side?” Again, look for a hump
back, concerning a left lumbar
backward “C.” on the back (upper or lower)
curve where the spine is
Affects the upper back and mid when the person is standing
rotated to the left, de-rotate
back. 90% of these curves are to
the right.
RIGHT THORACIC LEFT straight or leaning forward.
the spine to the right.
LUMBAR (S-CURVE) Maggie also does tests on the • Practice or teach
The right side is convex. The left asymmetrical poses
This type of scoliosis combines the rotation of the spine.
side is concave. The right shoulder because there will be a lot
first and second types of scoliosis;
will often be higher and there can of differences between the
it’s a double curve that affects Yoga therapy tip: Never treat
often be a hunch or a bump on the left and right sides of the
both the upper and lower back. someone based just on diagnosis.
back. When a person is standing body. Any pose that has the
S-curves are more complicated, Always get the person to move and
straight you can see the hump on word “parsva” in it will be
but for the person who has it, this see what their range of motion is.
the upper back. asymmetrical and it will often
is the most balanced curve. Most See what’s comfortable and what’s
of the time the  right thoracic side not comfortable. And see where also be a lateral bend.

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• You’re working with • When lying on the back in

strengthening and supine poses, you can put
stretching alternatively blankets or washcloths in the
when you work with concave spaces. This helps
asymmetrical poses. the nervous system feel more
As you test your (or balanced. It changes the
your student’s) range alignment of the person; how
of motion remember to the scoliosis appears and
explore what feels best affects them.
and most comfortable • Lying on your belly, same
for you (or them). principle: fill in the gaps/
• Strengthen the convex spaces with blankets or
side (with poses like washcloths.
side plank pose). • Simple backbends (such as
When working with bridge) are also important
the lumbar spine, work because they activate the
asymmetrically with the glutes and strengthen the
legs (cat-cow balance). back.
And strengthen the core
• Forward bends can also
(the entire core: the
decompress the spine. Focus
pelvic floor, abs, neck, This pose balances the two sides of forward bend at the wall. Or, if
on traction, lengthening the
back—everything) for the spine: it will lengthen one side you’re a teacher, you can use this
spine, when you practice
stability. as it strengthens the other. pose to assess your students.
them.
• Work with the breath and the
nervous system. Practice or
• Work with hip openers and
ASSESSMENT 1 S P I N A L S T R E T C H AT
with opening the hip flexors
teach relaxing poses, such
in particular. With left lumbar
T H E WA L L : A R D H A
Brenna (Right Thoracic Curve
as forward bends and legs
scoliosis, there is often Scoliosis)
U T TA N A S A N A ( H A L F
up the wall, and work with
relaxing pranayama practices.
tightness in the right psoas F O R WA R D B E N D )
(hip flexor). Work on opening This type of scoliosis is easy to
When belly breathing understand. Brenna has kyphosis • Stand facing the wall and
that side.
(diaphragmatic breathing), in her upper back and the right place your hands on the wall
imagine you could breathe • Leg stretches are fantastic for
(convex) side sticks out more than • Walk back and lengthen your
into the concave side. The balancing the pelvis.
the concave side. spine into a half forward fold
lung on the concave side • Practice meditation. (hands remain at the wall,
often cannot fully inflate; To check and see if there is any
hips are over ankles)
focusing your awareness on If you have scoliosis or you have scoliosis in the lower back, have
a student or client who does, try someone assess you in a half • There is nothing major going
that side can be helpful.
parsvakonasana (side angle pose). on in Brenna’s lower back.

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But you can still see the to starting position. Repeat What the assessment tells us: To Stand a few inches away from the
convex side on the right and on the other side.   address the fact that it’s more wall, with your back facing the wall
the concave side on the left, challenging for Brenna to twist to • Bend the knees slightly, arms
though this stretch decreases Brenna can come down further on the left, Maggie will incorporate are relaxed at your sides
it (this is a good stretch for the lefthand side, which means that rotation work in the upper back
the left side of her body is tighter. • Inhale (into the upper chest,
this type of scoliosis. into the following practice. She will
lower chest, full belly) as you
The practice below is quite similar also try to decrease the kyphosis
Another thing to look for with straighten your leg and reach
to the practice that Maggie would in the upper back and work on
scoliosis: sometimes the right your arms up and back
give someone with C-curve scoliosis. lengthening the left side of the
shoulder is higher than the left. body. • With scoliosis there
You can assess this in tadasana There is not a huge difference in
might be a tendency for
(mountain pose). how you’d address a right thoracic
one hand to come to the
curve and a C-curve. You want to PRACTICE 1: wall before the other.
To test which side feels tighter, use work on lengthening the concave
lateral bends. side and strengthening the convex A PRACTICE Try to touch both hands
to the wall at the same

L AT E R A L B E N D S
side.
FOR  RIGHT time if you can.

Brenna doesn’t have much pain

To assess difference in the rotation
of the spine, practice a seated spinal
THORACIC • Exhale, lower your arms and
re-bend your knees slightly.
from her scoliosis, but when she twist. Have a block/bolster/and CURVE Relax your head, neck, and
does have pain she has it on her chair handy. The bolster will help
left (concave/short/tight) side; you stabilize the pelvis as you SCOLIOSIS shoulders.
• Repeat these actions 3 to 6
which is quite typical.   rotate.
times: inhaling the arms up,
Stand against the wall with PA R T 1 : O P E N I N G T H E
•
Remember: there is a tendency to exhaling them down.
your back to the wall, feet a CHEST
rotate toward the convex side. For
little wider than your mat.
Brenna, this is the right side. So This practice is designed to VA R I AT I O N O F WA R R I O R I
• Inhale, bring your arms up twisting to the right side will be lengthen the left (concave) side of • Stand with your right foot
and out to the sides (fingers easier for her. the body and strengthen the right forward, left foot back.
almost level with shoulders, (convex) side. Brenna, the model,
palms down) S E AT E D S P I N A L T W I S T specifically deals with a feeling of
• Inhale, bend the front knee
and open your arms out wide
• Exhale, lean to your right, • Twist toward the side that feels being hunched over in the upper
(shoulder level, palms up)
lowering the right hand down most natural/easiest for you. back. Maggie gave her a morning
bending the elbows, elbows
as the left arm lifts, coming To demonstrate this, Brenna practice; a vigorous standing
pointing slightly forward
into a lateral stretch (side twists to the right. practice. The first part of the
and thumbs back (externally
bend). Inhale and untwist. practice deals with her kyphosis.
• rotating the shoulders),
• Inhale your right arm back Exhale and twist to the other opening the chest.
TA D A S A N A E X E R C I S E AT
•
up as you lower your left arm side. Brenna twists to the left, Exhale, straighten the front
T H E WA L L
•
down on the exhale, returning and this side is harder for her. leg and draw hands down to

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touching the wall and of the spine, the nervous

fingertips pointing down). system has a hard time
Inhale as your press your tracking where you are
hands into the wall and in space. Using the wall/
lengthen your spine. Draw props can be helpful
the shoulder blades together to orientate yourself in
slightly. space.
• Exhale and release the spine • Inhale bringing your right arm
into a full forward bend. Bend up (right hand is almost level
the knees deeply, resting your with your right shoulder).
belly on your thighs. Exhale bend your right knee
• Clasp opposite elbows and over your ankle and release
keep that as you inhale, the right forearm to the top
coming up with a long spine, of the right thigh, inhale your
keeping the upper arms in left arm overhead
line with your ears as you • Be mindful of the
lengthen the thoracic spine. tendency to rotate to
rest over the heart.
COUNTER POSE: • Once you’re standing tall, the right
• Repeat this movement cycle U T TA N A S A N A reach arms up, fingers • Add in “dynamic stay”
two more times. As you reaching toward the ceiling, (as shown in the video
inhale, you can visualize the Ut can be translated as “up” and then release your arms at demonstration). Exhale, reach
sun opening from the heart, tana can be translated as “stretch.” your sides in tadasana. your left arm up to the sky,
visualizing rays of light in all This pose helps to decompress. draw your left hand behind
• Repeat this flow three times.
directions. Taking it to the wall supports the you (opening the shoulder) as
lower back. you look down toward your
• Then repeat on the other
• Stand with your buttocks at PA R T 2 : L AT E R A L
side. Once you’ve finished right knee. Inhale, reach your
the wall, feet forward of the STRETCHES AND left arm over your left ear and
both sides, repeat the breath/
movement cycle one more
wall R O TAT E D S T R E T C H E S gaze forward.
time on the side of the body • Inhale, bring your arms up. Do these movements a total
PA R S VA K O N A S A N A
•
that is tighter. Legs can be straight, palms of  three times, staying
can be facing forward or in parsvakonasana and
• Remember: the tendency • Stand with your right foot
toward each other. beginning with the inhale,
is to rotate toward the forward, outer edge of the left
convex side, so the work • Exhale, bend the knees, foot against the wall reaching the arm alongside
in this pose is to keep coming into a half forward the ear, moving slowly with
• Left hand to the wall
yourself from rotating fold with your arms extending the breath.
back toward the wall (hands • With scoliosis, because
toward it. • Repeat parsvakonasana on
are hip height with palms of the twists and curves
the second side

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On this second side, where exercise. Then, exhale the left arm • There are different ways
the left foot is forward and down. you can do this for different
the right foot is back, if PA R T 3 : • Inhale the left arm up and curves, but in Brenna’s case
you or (if you’re a teacher) it’s beneficial to walk the
STRENGTHENING exhale the left arm down a
your student doesn’t have total of three times. hands forward (really far
tightness/shortness on the S I D E P L A N K AT T H E WA L L • Once you’ve complete this
forward) to get traction in the
right side (as Brenna does upper back (hips remain over
We want to strengthen the convex side, repeat on the second
not, since her concave side is heels).
side (in Brenna’s case, that’s the side (and add in three
on the left) you don’t have to • If you and/or your
right side). We are going to place repetitions of arm lifts).
work on lengthening the right student is tight on the
more emphasis on this side. Again, be careful not to
side by reaching the right arm left side, it  can also
collapse on the left side. On
overhead; you can keep the • Stand about a foot away from be beneficial to bend
this side, as you lift the right
arm down. If it feels good to the wall with your right hand the right arm slightly
arm, try not to reach through
raise the right arm overhead on the wall (about shoulder and bring the left arm
that right arm too much; keep
and practice the dynamic level, fingers pointing to slightly forward of the
it neutral.
stay on this side too, then you the right). Your arm can be right arm. Expand the
can. It’s up to you and/or the • Once you’ve completed the belly on the inhale,
straight or have a microbend.
preference of your student. second side, repeat the first contract the belly on the
• It’s common  for the side once more (right hand to
On this side, too, if you exhale.
• right shoulder to dip the wall); doing double work
and/or your student’s forward on the convex • You can also focus the
for strengthening the convex
convex side is on the side of the body, and mind on breathing more
side and lengthening the
left, make sure that turning the right hand into the left side.
concave side.
you/they work on out in this way can will • When you’re ready, come out
strengthening (rather help to counter that of the pose but without using
than collapsing into) tendency.
P R A S A R I TA
too much muscular strength.
that left side. PA D O T TA N A S A N A Bend the knees a lot, place
• Step further away from the
• Once you’ve completed the wall. As long as you are (or ( S TA N D I N G W I D E - the hands on the thighs, and
second side, repeat the first your student is) feeling work L E G G E D F O R WA R D come up lazily (to prevent
side once more (where the then you’re on the right step. BEND) muscle spasms).
right foot is forward and the If you don’t feel anything
left foot is back) to lengthen • Stand, legs wide, on the mat
make it harder. If it’s too hard
the left side once more make it easier. That’s yoga
(facing the long end of the R O TAT E D T W I S T
(if it’s the concave side). mat).
therapy: step up, step down. • Sit down in a chair
Because you’re purposefully • Inhale, bring your arms
• Inhale, lengthen the left • Something between the legs
lengthening this side, you overhead. Exhale come
arm up and overhead. can be nice (like a bolster) to
want to lift the left arm and forward, leading with the
(Lengthening the left side isolate the upper body from
add in the dynamic stay heart, not the head.
as you strengthen the right.) the lower body.

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Twist to the left (derotating are shorter, you may want to put • OM shanti • In this pose, it’s hard to spot
the spine), gaze toward the blocks under your feet. • May our obstacles be scoliosis in the upper back.
left. removed. Tadasana is easier.
• With your arms behind you
• Add in a dynamic stay: and the strap looped over
Inhale, turn head to the right your upper arms, hold the
You can end your practice with this TA D A S A N A
(for flexibility of neck and relaxed forward fold; you could
back of the chair. • The first thing you can see
shoulders). Exhale, draw the also move into a supine practice
Inhale and draw the shoulder is that the right shoulder is
belly in, and return the head
• (floor practice); such as a
blades together. Draw your higher, and that the right
to the left. restorative chest opener and a
upper arms apart, pressing shoulder blade is winging
counter pose, then savasana.
• Repeat this dynamic stay them into the belt, and notice (common with the convex
for three repetitions. If it’s how the shoulders go down. side).
comfortable for you to do so,
• Exhale, start to hinge forward
ASSESSMENT 2: • Susan’s major curve, however,
close your eyes as you move Susan (S-curve Scoliosis) is her lower back curve.
and lengthen the spine (still
through it.
holding the sides of the This is an example of an
• Repeat on the opposite side, chair). Inhale, lift the chest TA D A K A M U D R A
assessment Maggie would do with
twisting to the right. This side as you come up and press Lie down with your feet
a private student. •
will likely feel easier. your upper arms into the belt. facing the end of the mat.
Practice three repetitions
• There may be a S P I N A L S T R E T C H AT • Lying here, you can witness
tendency for the right of this: exhaling forward,
shoulder to drop down inhaling lifting up. T H E WA L L : A R D H A whether or not one hip is
higher than the other. In
when you twist to Let go of the chair and
U T TA N A S A N A
• Susan’s case, her right hip is
the right. Again, on release the arms from the • Turn and face the wall, place higher than her left and her
the convex side, the belt and finish with a relaxed hands at the wall and walk concave side is actually on
shoulder often will go forward fold. away. Try to align hips over the right. This is showing that
up, so this pose can help ankles as you come into a half there is a rotation of the hips
• Breathe to the count
you get it down. forward bend (hands remain toward the left; her convex
of four: inhale (1,2,3,4),
• Once you’ve completed the exhale (1,2,3,4). on the wall). side.
second side, counter pose Susan has concavity on the You’ll often see this in the
• After a while, as you • •

breathe, begin to repeat right side. Maggie can feel upper back as well; one side
COUNTER POSE: on the inhale “let” and this when she places her of the ribcage will be higher
hands on her lower back: her
F O R WA R D F O L D I N G , on the exhale repeat than the other. In this case,
“go.” left hand is higher than her Susan’s ribcage on the left is
S E AT E D O N A C H A I R right. higher than the right. This is
• Rise up lazily. Visualize the
Note: if you have long legs, sitting Remember: the convex side because in her upper body
light at your heart, and if you •
on a flat block (in addition to the sticks up and the concave she is rotated toward the right
like you can put your hands
chair) is an option. And if your legs side caves in. (again the right in her upper
on your heart.

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body is the convex side, the in this practice you can improvise.
left is the concave side.) Instead of the soft blocks Maggie
• To come out, bend your uses, you can use pillows or
knees, hug them in, and roll blankets. Instead of the 15-pound
over onto your left side. sandbags, you can use
a bag of rice or beans. Instead of
the hard blocks, you can improvise
PRACTICE 2: with books.

A PRACTICE Susan has quite a bit of lordosis in

her lower back. Putting a blanket
FOR S-CURVE underneath her buttocks (no higher

SCOLIOSIS than the waist) helps comfort her.

(Maggie also fills the concavity on
Susan has a classic S-curve. the right side of her lower back
with a washcloth.)
Remember: S-curve is like a reverse
S. The right side of the thoracic Remember: Yoga therapy is very
spine is convex and the left side of individualized. Your client/student
the lumbar spine is convex. Susan is co-creating the experience with
you exhale, draw the belly floor with the palm up to help
will be on her back for this entire you. It is a collaboration. Always
button in and engage the the right shoulder roll down.
practice because this is a late ask them: “Is this comfortable?”
pelvic floor. • You can do this asymmetrical
evening practice she’ll do before
If your lower back is not variation up to six times if you
TA D A K A M U D R A W I T H
•
bed. It’s a relaxing practice.
comfortable in this pose, want.
Susan’s S-Curve ARM RAISES bend your legs. If you have a

Upper back: Convexity on the right, • Begin lying on your back with wall, put your feet at the wall D W I PA D A P I T H A M
(it can help align your spine
concavity on the left arms alongside you, palms (BRIDGE POSE
down. better).
Lower back: Concavity on the right, VA R I AT I O N )
• Inhale, bring arms overhead • Asymmetrical version:
convexity on the left Inhale, bring the left arm This is a special version of
(palms up). Exhale hands
up overhead (palm up). For bridge pose that comes from the
Susan has pain on the convex side back down to sides (palms
Susan, this stretches the left Krishnamacharya lineage. Maggie
of both her upper back and her down). Let the breath be
concave side of the upper uses this a lot for many different
lower back. longer than the movement.
back. Exhale, the arm comes conditions, including scoliosis.
Do this three times.
With Scoliosis It Can Be Very • Breathe from chest to belly down. Repeat two more
She keeps the same prop setup
Helpful to Use Props if possible. If this is not times.
because it reduces Susan’s lordosis
If you don’t have the props we use possible, do belly breath. As • The right arm rests on the and fills in the concavity in her

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right lumbar spine. Susan is still of the inhale. 15-pound sandbag on • Exhale, draw your right leg
lying on her back, but her knees • Exhale, lower your hips and top of it. back in (both shins are now
are now bent. your left hand to the floor. • Take three deep breaths parallel to the earth) and start
(ujjayi breathing): Inhale, to bring your arms back down
First Part of the Pose: Working on • Repeat one more time.
expand the belly. Exhale: 1, 2, as you draw your knees back
Concavity on the Left Side of the • We are working on into your chest for apanasana
3, 4.
Thoracic Spine concavity on both the (again: both hands rest just
left thoracic and right • Rest.
• Still lying on your back, bend below the knees on the shins).
your knees (feet flat on the lumbar. • Teachers: When the student
• The real trick of this
floor). Begin with the left Another variation of this pose is ready, gently remove the
• pose is to time the
palm down and the right palm is to add a block between the sandbags one at a time.
movement of the arms
up. legs. This can help with pelvic • Again: Keep in mind that this and legs. This takes
• Inhale, lift your hips up and stability. is an evening practice so we mindfulness.
bring your left arm overhead. are trying to really calm the
• Do at least three rounds of
• Exhale, lower your hips and COUNTER POSE: HAPPY nervous system.
this. You can do up to six
your left hand to the floor. BABY • Students: Release from the rounds.
pose by placing your feet flat
• Again, we are working • Again, keep the same prop • Once complete, rest in
on the floor, legs bent.
with the left arm setup. apanasana and observe your
because it stretches the Susan requested core work, breath.
• Come into happy baby and
left thoracic side (which separate legs to comfort. although Maggie wouldn’t always • Inhale so, exhale hum.
is concave). put core work in an evening
• Try to bring your tailbone and
practice.
Second Part of the Pose: Working your shoulders down.
on Concavity on the Left Side of Tip for teachers (as this is
the Thoracic Spine and the Right
•
CORE WORK IN
hard for a student to do
Side of the Lumbar Spine on their own): If you have A PA N A S A N A ( K N E E S T O
• Bring your right foot forward sandbags available, first ask CHEST POSE)
a little bit. (This works on the permission and know your • Hug your knees into your
concavity on the right side student well, then (if you chest; hands just below the
of the lumbar spine.) Again, have permission) place the knees, on the shins. Inhale,
begin with the left palm down sandbag on the buttocks. bring your arms overhead
and the right palm up. It can help lengthen/ (palms up) and both shins
decompress the lower back about parallel to the floor. On
• Inhale, lift your hips up and even more.
bring your left arm overhead. that same inhale, touch your
• The sandbag Maggie right big toe to the floor. Left
• An important cue: Lift
uses is 15 pounds. You shin stays parallel to the floor.
the buttocks on the end
could even add another

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WINDING DOWN FURTHER six breaths. Focus on the belly breath: inhale expanding the
belly, exhale contracting the belly.
Here we balance the pelvis and help to decompress the
lower back more, one side at a time. The first practice we To come out of the pose, bend your right leg in and remove
are going to do uses two belts (one belt longer than the the shorter strap. Then extend your right leg back out to
other). This is from the Iyengar tradition. meet your left, holding onto the end of the large loop with
your hands once more.
Step one: Begin in apanasana (with the same prop setup
we’ve been using). Take a looped strap (the longer strap), Susan will do this practice two times on the right side to
wrap one end of the loop around the balls of your feet, work with bringing the right hip down. But she will also do
and hold onto the other end with both hands (see video). the left. You never want to do just one side (this is more of a
Extend your legs long on the mat. Having your feet at the yogic idea than a physical therapy idea) because there could
wall can be helpful. be secondary imbalances that come from doing only one
side.
Step two: Bend your right knee in toward you, bringing the
shin parallel to the earth. You can now let go of the strap Maggie always works with both sides, but she may double
with your hands. (Note: You’ll want to have the buckle of the up on the side that is ready for more or do less on the side
strap off to the side and not at the hip crease—that would that is in a lot of pain. It depends on the client.
be really uncomfortable.) Then, take your other belt loop
Make sure when your client initiates the pose on the
(the shorter belt), and wrap one end of that loop around the
opposite side that you ask them if it still feels good. Notice
ball of the right foot, holding onto the other end of the loop
how there’s a tendency for Susan’s right shoulder to lift as
with your hands. Then straighten the right leg (sole of the
she initiates this pose on the opposite side. Maggie places a
right foot toward the ceiling). Note on the hand clasp on the
sandbag on her shoulder to weigh it down. Teachers: If you
strap: There is a tendency for Susan’s shoulders to rotate
do this for your students, ask them: “Is this helping you?”
forward, so she will have her palms facing her as she clasps
the belt. This will help her to roll her shoulders down and Susan’s right hip is staying down, but if it wasn’t, a teacher
keep her elbows down. could place a sandbag there as well. Maggie demonstrates
this. Sometimes Susan’s hip lifts, but today it doesn’t.
You can add movement (as you inhale, you can stretch your
right leg long. As you exhale, you can bend your right leg Tip for yoga therapists: Every day is different. You are
into your chest). Or if you feel warmed up, you can just keep working with individuals. Prepare to meet your students
the leg extended and breathe. where they are day by day. Whatever your plan is, be ready
to throw it out if you need to.
Press your left foot away from you (left foot is flexed). This
helps to get the right hip down (for Susan, the concave side, Additional prop option for teachers: You can place a block
her right lumbar). A note for teachers: You can assist the behind the sole of the extended leg’s foot to replace a
student by placing a sandbag on the left hip; remember to wall if there is not a wall available. This is helpful for Susan
ask your student if it feels good. particularly because she has a tendency to turn her foot out
(away from the midline) in this pose. Having the block at the
Stay in this pose, with the right leg extended, for three to

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sole of her foot helps her stay aligned.

P O S E C R E AT E D B Y left leg won’t open too
MAGGIE much.
Release the second side as you’re ready. Then do one more • The right hip may lift; just
on the first side (where the right leg extends toward the The next pose was created by
notice that. (We will address
ceiling and the left leg is on the floor). Maggie to treat her own scoliosis.
it soon.)
Keep the same prop setup you’ve
been using. This pose provides a • Maggie then takes Susan’s
Another variation for this pose: You can keep the leg that’s
groin stretch and a thigh stretch. right foot and moves in over
lifted extended, but inhale in toward you and then exhale it
to the left.
away from you.
You’ll need a belt loop (the short • The pose begins to look
belt loop). We will repeat this like banana pose, but
If a student has very tight hamstrings you can have them
variation on the left side twice and it’s not. It also looks like
bend the leg that’s on the floor (if they aren’t using a belt)
on the right side only once. parivrtta janu sirsasana.
and press the heel of the lifted leg into a wall.
• Still lying on your back with • If the right hip is lifting, now
Again: We are doing the right side twice because Susan has legs extended, put a soft you can add a sandbag to
concavity in her right lumbar spine. block next to your left hip. that hip.
• If you don’t have a soft • Come out of the pose by
block you can use a bending the left knee,
blanket. removing the belt loop, and
• Lift your left leg up, bending coming back to center (a
the knee in toward you to neutral savasana).
loop the strap over the ball This pose decompresses the right
of the left foot. Hold onto the side. It doesn’t have a name. It is
other end of the loop, and quite a strong pose. Don’t do this
start to straighten the leg with beginners.
(sole of the left foot toward
the ceiling again). Susan finds a lot of relief through
the right side of her body when
• Then, hold the belt in your left
she does this pose. She has been
hand and open your left leg
doing this practice for a couple of
out to the side.
weeks. She is already noticing that
• Hold the belt in a she has less back pain. Most of her
comfortable way; you pain is on her convex lumbar side
can wrap it around the (on the left side). We still want to
left hand. work with the root cause, which
• The reason that Maggie is likely the concave side on the
puts a block next to the right lumbar spine. That’s Maggie’s
left hip is so that the hypothesis, and it seems to be

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working. If it wasn’t she’d change convex side, often the is bent and your left leg is where she draws the
her hypothesis. There is quite a lot psoas will be tight. straight. right hip down. (See
of experimentation in yoga therapy. • In the upper back Susan • Rotating to the left video.)
It is not a set protocol situation. does rotate toward her decompresses the right • It’s harder to practice
We try things out. convex side (which in lower back concavity. belly breath in a twist, so
the upper back is to It can be helpful to put notice that and focus on
• Repeat on the other side •
the right). In this case, something underneath the the breath.
(remember: only once on this
Susan is being mindful right knee (maybe a bolster). Release from the pose by
side). •
to keep her left shoulder coming back to center
• With scoliosis the • Try to keep the right shoulder
down. This pose is also (neutral hips) with both knees
quadratus lumborum down.
stretching the concavity bent, feet flat on the floor.
(QL) on the convex side in her left upper back. • Ideally you are at the
Then shift your hips over to
(of the lumbar spine) Breathing into this place center of the mat. If you
the left slightly and repeat
can often get tight. can be helpful. Inhale need to, come out and
this pose on the other side.
This variation works so into it, and think about shift your hips to find a
well for Susan because neutral position and then • On the second side, it
de-rotating on every
it addresses both the come into the pose once may be more challenging
exhale.
concavity on the right more. to keep the left shoulder
• Repeat this pose on the first down (remember: this is
side and the pain that
side one more time (where • The left foot could be
comes from her convex the concave side in the
the left leg is lifted and the pressing into a wall, or a
side. upper back). Be aware
right leg is on the floor). teacher could bring a block to
of this.
• She is now stretching the sole of that foot.
the convex side of her If you/a student finds
R O TAT E D T W I S T:
•
• Your left hand can rest on
lower back (the left side) that the concave-
where she has her pain. J AT H A R A PA R I V R T T I the right thigh (just above
side shoulder is
the right knee). Your right
You’ll notice on this side, Susan still has the original prop uncomfortable, you
arm can be extended out to
she’s not rotating to the setup, but at this point Maggie could always prop it
the right, shoulder level (to a
right so her left hip stays removes the washcloth. up (with washcloths or
half-T position).
down. Remember: We blankets).
usually rotate toward • Lie on your back with your • Avoid putting any
• They/you could also
the convex side so her knees bent, feet flat on the pressure on that right
bring the left arm
natural rotation would floor. We’re going to be knee joint with your left
alongside the left ear,
be toward the left. rotating to the left using the hand.
which will help lengthen
There is no need for a right leg. Teachers: You might
• the concave side of the
sandbag, but it might • Shift your hips a bit to the try the hands-on assist upper back.
provide a nice release right and bend your right Maggie offers (if your
• After repeating on the second
for the psoas. It could knee, drawing your right leg student is comfortable
side, repeat one more time on
still feel good. On the over the left. Your right leg with hands-on assists)

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the first side to re-lengthen of them when you don’t need them • After some time, Susan invites the wall to lengthen her spine.
the concavity in the right anymore. movement into her hands. Then she turns onto her right
lumbar spine. Maggie removes the sandbags side and comes to a seated
• Practice each side for three to FINAL POSE and belt from Susan’s legs. position.
four breaths. Susan bends her legs into her
Legs up the wall or savasana with a
chest and hugs her knees in Om shanti.
bolster under the legs
Teachers, remember: S-curves are and then presses her feet into
Remember to fill in the gaps with
complex and you have to consider
props.
the upper and lower body. Maggie
says that when she can’t remember • Susan concludes in legs up
the anatomy, she just looks at the the wall.
body. Also, don’t force alignment. If • She sits against the wall, at
alignment isn’t creating more ease the edge of the right side of
for the person, if it is stressful, then the mat, with the left side of
don’t do it. her body at the wall. She lies
down and swings her legs
FINAL STRETCH onto the wall.
• Take a belt loop and loop it • Maggie loops a strap around
over the balls of your feet, her shins and places a
holding the other end of sandbag on her feet.
the loop in your hands, then • Susan lifts her left arm next
stretch both legs up. to her ear to reduce the
• Keep the shoulders down. concavity in the left upper
• Focus on long exhales. back.

• When you’re ready, hug the • Lifting the arm like this
knees in, release the belt, and can also help to draw
rest in knees to chest, hands the right shoulder down.
resting on the shins just below • This didn’t help Susan to
the knees. draw her right shoulder
• Inhale: so. Exhale: hum. down, so Maggie bends
her right elbow and she
Prop point: The concavity on the manually tucks her right
right lumbar side has gone down. shoulder under.
Maggie removes the blanket to
• Susan then rests and
demonstrate. Use props as needed:
breathes, practicing a so’ham
Don’t use them just to use them.
meditation.
Use them intelligently and let go

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YOGA FOR
TRAUMA
W I T H M O L LY B I R K H O L M
In this workshop, we’ll go over some We’re also going to look at the healing trauma.
basics about how trauma affects meaning we can find in our
the body and mind, as well as how adversity, and how we can carry Sometimes when we hear the
yoga and meditation can counteract the principles of yoga into our daily diagnosis “post traumatic stress
those effects. lives. disorder,” we begin to feel like
something is broken in us or
Molly shares her own experience wrong with us, that somehow
with trauma, how she benefited we’re damaged by the experience
from the practices of yoga and we went through. In reality, post
meditation, her work sharing yoga traumatic stress is the body’s
with veterans, and her clinical normal biochemical response
research with the department of to going through a traumatic
defense and the NIH. experience. There is nothing broken
or wrong with you. This is a natural
In that research, they began part of the healing process.
looking at how and why yoga and When we go through a traumatic
meditation can be so effective for

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experience, oftentimes we get us to feel stress. A recent study meditation can create the exact first levels is our body’s physical
stuck in the moment of time in by Harvard University found that opposite effect. When we evoke response to trauma. After we
which the trauma occurred (record 25% of Americans are experiencing the relaxation response using these experience a trauma we can
analogy). It’s the body and mind’s a state of extreme stress, which tools, we actually do the exact oftentimes feel detached from our
attempt to process a traumatic can play out in very similar ways opposite in the brain: bodies. We’re not fully embodying
experience. to trauma as to how it affects the the present moment. And, of
• The amygdala starts to shrink.
body and mind. course, that’s a natural response.
When we go through trauma, our • The hippocampus starts to
The body experienced something
sympathetic nervous system (SNS) When we experience trauma grow.
traumatic. Sometimes the body
is activated. This is our body’s or extreme stress, a cascade of • The prefrontal cortex comes
was the scene of a crime. It
natural response for survival. The experiences happens in the body. back online.
wouldn’t feel safe to be back there.
problem is, oftentimes we get When the SNS stays locked on,
The studies in which this was
stuck in the SNS. we start to feel more emotionally The beautiful thing about yoga
researched found that in as little
reactive. There’s a reason for this: and meditation is that it gives
We need tools to shift us back as six weeks, with only 20 minutes
us a pleasurable experience to
into the parasympathetic nervous • After experiencing trauma a day, these changes started to
reawaken sensation in the body.
system (PSNS). Those tools are or prolonged stress, our happen.
We find a new way to come back
yoga and meditation. Keep in amygdala start to grow,
Another effect of stress is that it home to ourselves. To come back
mind that you may also need talk making us more emotionally
“turns on” or upregulates stress to living with a sense of health and
therapy, physical therapy, or other reactive.
genes. That means that if in your pleasure in our lives, in our bodies,
forms of treatment. Our hippocampus starts to and in our minds.
• genetic makeup, you have a
shrink, meaning it’s hard to predisposition for hypertension
When we use practices like In addition to that, yoga and
place things in the context (high blood pressure), diabetes,
breathing exercises, asana, meditation help us learn to
of time; we find ourselves cancer, and other things such as
and iRest Yoga Nidra to heal understand our breath. The breath
dwelling in the past or these, going through a stressful or
a traumatic experience, we’re can be one of the most powerful
worried about the future. traumatic experience can actually
evoking the relaxation response. tools in triggering the relaxation
We’re giving the body tools that • In addition to this, the upregulate those genes.
response. Breathing exercises are
support it in shifting over to the prefrontal cortex starts to extremely easy to do. We’re going
In research by Dr. Herbert Benson
PSNS. go offline. This means we to do several in this workshop that
at the Benson Henry Institute
have a more difficult time very naturally and easily evoke that
It’s in this shift from the SNS to at Harvard University and
making decisions, we have a relaxation response. Therefore,
the PSNS that we’re able to learn Massachusetts General, he found
harder time thinking through next time you’re having trouble
resilience—the ability to withstand that doing 20 minutes a day of
how we’re going to handle a falling asleep at night or find
increasingly difficult circumstances a relaxation-response-evoking
situation, and we have trouble yourself getting stuck in ruminating
while still maintaining our peace. activity starts to downregulate or
with higher-level thought thoughts or anxiety, you’ll be able
“turn off” stress genes!
The reality of life is that it’s not processes. to use these breathing exercises to
peaceful. There are thousands of The good news is that yoga and Yoga and meditation practices naturally get yourself out of that
things every day that can cause work on many levels. One of the sympathetic response, into the

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PSNS, and into a calmer state of of those physical sensations, all of experience occurred. We start to anything you don’t want to look at.
mind. those emotions will still be present, wrap that part of ourselves up in What we will do is evoke a sense
but we don’t have to be fused with love and nurturing. We learn to of safety and comfort in your body
We’re also going to be using them. We can learn to cultivate care for ourselves deeply so that and mind. Whatever is ready to
iRest Yoga Nidra to relax. iRest witnessing awareness where we we can start to feel safe again. We be seen will naturally arise, but it
Yoga Nidra is a form of guided are the observer of the experience. learn to access a part of ourselves will arise when you feel safe and
mindfulness meditation that We are not the trauma. The trauma that is untouched by our traumatic comfortable to address it.
welcomes and supports you at is something that happened in our experiences. When we learn to
every step of your journey. lives to us, we are the witness of
the trauma.
find that place of wholeness and
stillness in ourselves, we’re then
POST
Yoga nidra can be helpful for
insomnia. It can be a powerful tool We’re not trying to erase the
prepared to meet, greet, welcome, T R A U M AT I C
and respond to whatever happens
for helping you, in some ways, to
file the thoughts of your mind, get
traumatic memory or event. These
in day-to-day life. GROWTH
traumatic experiences actually
you in touch with feeling physical contain some of the most valuable Often it is through challenging
Often, after suppressing things
sensation—feeling the thoughts, life lessons that we can possibly experiences that we find our
long enough, we realize that we
feeling the memories—and then find. That said, we can’t find those wisdom, our truth, and we’re
can’t possibly keep them down any
allowing yourself to enter the deep lessons if we just keep reliving the empowered to bring that truth to
longer. Eventually we do need a
sleep state. trauma and being fused with it. We life for the world.
process to learn to be present with
have to learn to find spaciousness that traumatic experience. We need We’re now not just saying “post
The word nidra means “sleep.” You
and objectivity, so that we can to learn to find a way to let it be traumatic stress” instead of “post
can think of it as the sleep of the
look at our experiences, still feeling seen, and felt, and heard (crying traumatic stress disorder.” We’re
yogis.
them fully, and letting ourselves baby analogy). moving even further than that.
Yoga nidra can also help us to welcome them, but learning to be Instead of just calling it “post
cultivate a state of “witnessing objective about them. Oftentimes we need to pick
traumatic stress”—the body’s
awareness.” When we go through ourselves up and say What do
Many of the methodologies we use biochemical response to trauma—
a traumatic experience, oftentimes you need? What do you want?
to deal with trauma are unhealthy we’re actually starting to add
we fuse with that experience. This How can I support you in healing?
things. Sometimes people turn a new word at the end: post
is also a normal part of the process. Oftentimes these traumatic
to things like drugs and alcohol traumatic growth.
However, when we cultivate the experiences want to be seen and
in order to move through the heard and listened to. And there’s If you look throughout time, the
relaxation response and use tools
experience or to try to silence a good reason for it: There’s most powerful life lessons, the
that really help us access that
it. Or a lot of times people make tremendous meaning in them. most powerful mythological stories,
state of witnessing awareness, we
themselves really busy so that they the most powerful religious stories,
realize the traumatic events are That said, it can feel very scary
don’t have to think about it. you will find people experiencing
not us; we start to slowly extract and unsafe to suggest that we may
ourselves from the traumatic event, Through the practice of yoga trauma. They don’t find their peace
want to look at something that’s
and eventually we learn to observe and meditation, we learn to feel in spite of the trauma. They find
so traumatizing. In this practice
ourselves. All of those feelings, all safe even though a traumatic their peace because of it. You don’t
we will never force you to look at

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get to kiss the princess until you not the problems. The problems are that they apply to other people. be that person for others. And in
slay the dragon. our path. In order to navigate that doing that, we start to form those
path we need tools and resources. Find or create a community in your deeper human bonds that help
Oftentimes we have to go through local area so that you have people unfold the meaning in our lives.
these experiences in order to find who lift each other up and support
our strength, our truth, and the T H E VA L U E O F each other on the journey. What follows is a full yoga for
light within ourselves.
COMMUNITY It’s said that we’re twice as likely
trauma class and an iRest Yoga
Nidra. We’ll start with breathing
The practice of yoga and One of the most important things to do something if we tell someone exercises that you can use any
meditation is a support for that. that can support you in your else that we’re going to do it. They time in your daily life. Then we’ll
We never know exactly how the experience of healing trauma is say we’re five times more likely move through a trauma-sensitive
journey is going to unfold, and community because it helps us to do something if someone else yoga practice, and we’re going
that’s part of the magic. The truth to feel supported in the journey. holds us accountable. Sometimes to conclude with an iRest Yoga
reveals itself. You can think of We need each other. We are more when we’re going through Nidra—a guided meditation that
these tools like the banks of the likely to stick with something when challenge in life we need that will help you feel present in this
river. You don’t know exactly where we have a community of people support system. We need people moment and support you on your
the river is going to go next, but around us who also do that. who make us show up when we journey.
when you have those banks, they don’t want to. We also need to
support you in the process. Find ways to give back. Once
you have stabilized yourself, you
The reality of life is that more can begin to help others. Even
trauma will eventually happen. sometimes before we have fully
When we learn to cultivate this stabilized ourselves we can do
mentality, we don’t flee from things to help others. You can
problems, we learn to embrace always smile at someone. You
them. We learn ways in which to can provide quality attention.
find our peace and our meaning in Sometimes just listening—to
the midst of them. We don’t have yourself, to another—is one of the
to run away to the mountains or to most powerful things you can do.
a beach to escape our problems;
we can find our peace in the midst There are countless ways to serve
of them. in every community. So often
a powerful part of our healing
If you don’t believe it’s possible, process is helping others who are
look at your heros. Look at the suffering to heal. It is in this that
people you admire most. They we find deeper meaning in our life,
did not become great in spite of that we’re better able to distill our
their problems. They became great truths. We learn new things about
because of them. The problems are these truths, we learn new ways

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Become aware of your natural breath.

YOGA FOR TRAUMA:
•

S W E E P I N G B R E AT H
PRACTICE
• On an inhalation extend your arms above your head.
This practice includes breathing exercises and yoga poses
Bring your legs together.
and  concludes with an iRest Yoga Nidra guided mindfulness
meditation. • Begin breathing from the soles of the feet up through
the body right out through the hands.
B E G I N LY I N G O N Y O U R B A C K . • Each inhale sweep the breath up through the body,
each exhale sweep the breath down through the body.
B E G I N T O F E E L W H AT I S P R E S E N T. Take several of these very full, deep breaths.
Observe any sounds or smells around you. Any tastes.
KNEE CIRCLES AND SUPINE TWIST
•
Notice the temperature of your body. What is present
in just this moment? • On an inhalation, draw your right knee up toward your
• Now feel the whole plane of contact between your chest. Hug the knee in toward your chest. And now
body and the floor. Feel how supported your body is. make some big circles with that bent knee. Go in one
Feel that these practices are supporting you. direction, and then, whenever you’re ready, switch
directions.
• Feel the heart. Observe if there’s any intention arising
from the heart. A way you hope to feel when the • Then place the sole of your right foot just above your
practice is over. It could be something physical you’re left knee. Bring your left hand onto your right knee and
working with or something mental. Perhaps an emotion gently draw the knee over to the side as you extend
or a memory. It could be a prayer for yourself or your right arm out and gaze toward your right
someone else. Affirm your intention, really feeling it in fingertips.
your whole body. • Right here breathe up and down the spine several
times. With each inhalation, feeling as though you’re
INNER RESOURCE calming and soothing your nervous system, and with
each exhalation releasing a little more deeply into the
• Bring to mind a place where you feel very calm,
stretch.
nourished, and safe. An inner resource. It could be a
real place, perhaps a place in nature, or it could be a • Come back to center, place the sole of the right foot on
completely imaginary place. Use all of your senses to the mat, and slide your foot out and away from you.
open up to this safe place. If a safe place isn’t present • Inhale, bring the left leg up, hug it into your chest, and
for you, that’s okay. Just bring to mind a feeling of repeat on the second side.
well-being. What does it feel like when you really feel
good in your body, with your breath? In harmony. Let KNEES TO CHEST AND ROCK UP TO
the experience evoke a feeling of well-being through S E AT E D
your entire body. Know that you can return here
anytime, either during the practice or in daily life. • Notice how your hips feel. And then draw both knees

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into your chest, and give yourself a hug. Make some

C AT / C O W
circles in one direction and then the other direction.
• Remove any props from beneath your seat, and then
• And then rock yourself lengthwise along the spine a
come onto all fours with your hands under your
couple of times if it feels okay for you, and then you
shoulders and your knees under your hips. If you
can rock yourself up into a seated position.
would like to you can close the eyes, otherwise you’re
welcome to leave them open.
F I N D A C O M F O R TA B L E S E AT F O R
On an inhalation, lift your head and your tailbone up.
B R E AT H I N G P R A C T I C E
•

• On an exhale, arch the back, bring the head down, and

• Once you’ve found a comfortable seated position, tuck the tailbone under.
you’re welcome to close your eyes or leave them open.
• Repeat a few times.

F E R R I S W H E E L B R E AT H • Then return to a “flat back” position.

• Focus your attention on the spinal column. Bring your

LUNGE
attention to the base of the spine and visualize a long,
narrow ferris wheel that runs from the base of the • On an inhale, step the left foot forward between your
spine all the way up to the crown of the head. hands, coming into a lunge. Leave the right knee
down. If you’re comfortable here, you can stay in this
• At the base of the spine feel as if you’re getting on the
position. If there’s any tension in the right knee, you
ferris wheel, and on an inhale, breathe up the whole
can place a blanket beneath it.
front plane of your body right to the crown of your
head. You’re going to notice that moment of transition • If you’re comfortable, bring your hands up onto your
at the top where inhale becomes exhale. You’re going left thigh.
to exhale down the whole backside of the spine right • If you’re still comfortable, you can lift the arms up
to the tip of the tailbone. Notice the moment of above your head.
transition at the bottom where exhale becomes inhale
• If you’re still comfortable, you can tuck your right toes
and then inhale all the way up the spine to the crown
under and lift your right knee up off the ground.
of the head. Observe that moment of transition at the
top, and exhale down the backside of the spine. • Then slowly lower down, bringing the hands to the
ground, the knee down, and step your left leg back.
• Continue at your own pace, moving through the
breath, slowly and gently, becoming absorbed in those • Return to all fours and do three cat/cow poses.
moments of transition where inhale becomes exhale • Once you’re finished with that, step the right foot up
and exhale becomes inhale. between your hands and repeat on the second side.
• Once you’ve finished your breaths you can observe • Return to all fours and do three cat/cow poses.
how you’re feeling. Notice the effects of the practice • Return to “flat back” position.
on the body and on the mind.

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L AT E R A L F L E X I O N F R O M A L L F O U R S head if that’s comfortable for you.

• Then press back into that extended child’s pose once
• Bring your right leg out to the side.
more.
• If you can, you can lift the right foot off of the ground.
• Move back and forth through this very slowly, calmly,
• Now trace a line behind the body and bring the leg several times at your own pace.
all the way over to the left side as far as you feel
comfortable, letting your head follow your foot. EXTENDED CHILD’S POSE
• Inhale, bring the leg back over to the right and look Relax back in the extended child’s pose, taking a couple of
toward your toes over the right shoulder. deep breaths to find your center. Stepping back into that
• Exhale, bring the leg around and gaze over the left state of witnessing awareness. Where you’re aware of the
shoulder. body, aware of sensation, but also aware of the peace that is
• Move back and forth like this. always here, pervading every moment.

Do several rounds, and then bring your knee back

LEGS ON A CHAIR POSE
•
down, returning to all fours.
• Repeat on the second side. • Place a chair onto the mat. You can also use a wall/
bring your mat close to a wall for legs up the wall pose
• Return to all fours.
instead.

HIP CIRCLES • If you’re using a chair, make sure that all four legs
of the chair are on the mat so that it doesn’t slip
• Bring both of your knees together, bring your hands as anywhere.
wide as the mat, and make really big circles with your
• Bring your calves onto the seat of the chair and then
hips.
lower your back onto the mat. Stay for several breaths.
• You can even bring your hips all the way down toward
your feet.
HAMSTRING STRETCH IN LEGS ON
• After you’ve gone one way for a while, switch
A CHAIR POSE
directions.
• Bring your right leg up, interlace your hands behind the
• Then come back to center.
thigh or calf—anywhere except the knee.
WIDE CHILD’S POSE TO BACKBEND FLOW • You can point and flex the foot several times.

• Bring your toes together and your knees as wide as the • Make some circles in one direction with the foot. Then
mat. the other direction.

• Very slowly, bring the hips down toward the feet for an • Then place the foot back down on the chair and switch
extended child’s pose. Take a deep breath here. legs.

• Then, on an inhalation, bring your torso forward and • Lower the leg down and take three more deep breaths
come up into a backbend, lifting your feet toward the in legs on a chair pose.

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Then you can move the chair out of your way, or if you were
at the wall, come back to your place in the room. S E AT E D F O R WA R D F O L D
You can extend your legs out in front of you.
GENTLE BACKBEND OVER BLANKET ROLL
•

• On an inhale, extend your arms up above your head.

• Take a blanket and roll it up into a nice, tight roll.
• On an exhalation, come out and down over your legs.
• Place the blanket behind you so that when you lie back
• Inhale, draw your fingertips up the legs, up the side
on it it will run right along your spine.
body, reaching up.
• Lie over the blanket (you can sit on the blanket and lie
• Exhale, flow down.
back over it). If you have neck issues, keep your head
on the blanket. If you don’t have any neck issues and • Repeat, feeling as if you’re a wave emerging from the
you feel comfortable relaxing your head back, you can ocean, and then melting back into its source.
bring the head off the blanket so that it comes down • Do this several times, until you feel ready to settle into
to the ground. your forward fold.
• Once you’re in position, you can extend your legs • Once you come into the pose, let it be steady and
like savasana. Relax your arms out to the side, and comfortable.
bring your palms to face upward in an open, receptive
• If there are any places of tension in the body, you can
position.
psychologically make a little space around the tension,
• Feel the expansion in the chest. Take some really long, and then let your body relax into that space. You can
full, deep breaths. also add the breath into that experience to deepen it a
• If it’s helpful, you can breathe up from the soles of your little bit more.
feet, through the whole body right out through the • On an inhalation, extend your arms out in front of you,
crown of the head. And then on the exhale, breathe rise up.
down through the whole body and out the soles of the
feet. INCLINED PLANE POSE OR REVERSE
• These full body breaths are a tool that you can use TA B L E P O S E
throughout your day. Any time you’re feeling tension in
a particular place, you’re welcome to breathe your way • Bring your hands onto the ground behind you. If you
through it. It’s a great way to bring yourself back into have wrist issues, you can point your fingertips toward
the present moment and find peace no matter what is you. Otherwise you can point your fingertips backward.
going on in day-to-day life. • You can leave the legs straight and come to an inclined
• Then lift one arm up above your head, draw your knees plane pose, lifting your seat up.
in, and roll to one side. Relax here for a moment, and • If you have a healthy neck you can relax your head
then you can remove the blanket. back. If you have any history of neck or head injuries
• To come out of the pose, hug your knees in toward your you’ll want to keep the chin tucked and not bring the
chest, and then rock yourself up into a seated position. head back.

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• You can also choose to do a reverse tabletop position the blanket you use. Choose soft things for comfort.
by bending the knees.
• Bring the hips down and come up and down in this
pose a couple of times, moving with the breath (inhale,
up; exhale, down)

S E AT E D K N E E S T O C H E S T
• Come down, draw the knees in toward you. Hug the
knees, and gently tuck your head down toward your
knees. You can even rest your head on your knees if
that’s comfortable for you.
• Give yourself a hug. Give yourself credit for all the
good that your body is doing to keep you healthy and
alive. Think of all of the things that are happening right
in your life, even if adversity may be present.
• Take a deep breath, knowing that every moment will be
paired with its perfect response. Trusting in yourself.

P R E PA R E F O R I R E S T Y O G A N I D R A
• Gently roll down onto your back and extend your legs
in front of you. Bring your arms out into a T-shape.
Take a couple of deep breaths here.
• If you’d like to place a bolster beneath your knees you
can do that.
• You’re welcome to keep your legs close together, or
you can bring them out farther, letting your toes fall
out to the sides.
• You can find a comfortable place for your arms to fall;
some people like them closer to the body, some people
like them further out. You can also place your hands on
your belly if that feels comfortable for you.
• Then, grab a blanket. Staying warm is very soothing for
the nervous system.
• Always use your yoga and meditation practice as an
opportunity to nurture yourself. Consider the texture of

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YOGA THERAPY
FOR WRIST PAIN In this portion of the conference
you will learn about a variety of
different wrist conditions as well
place of medical guidance. If you
are experiencing wrist symptoms
and haven’t seen a doctor, please
AND CONDITIONS as how your yoga practice can do so to get a proper diagnosis.
be modified to address those
conditions. Additionally, you’ll WRIST ARTHRITIS
W I T H S T E F FA N Y M O O N A Z
explore ways that you can use all • This is the most common
Some people live with limitations and of the tools of yoga in order to wrist condition.
painful challenges and have to modify their change the way that you or your
• Wrist arthritis can be
practice all of the time. This workshop is students live with wrist pain.
rheumatoid or osteo arthritis.
meant to help people who have wrist issues It’s important to know which
to customize their yoga practice and to
help their yoga teachers to better serve
COMMON type of arthritis you have so
you can better treat it.
them. WRIST • There is a deterioration of the
CONDITIONS & connective tissue at the wrist.

L I M I TAT I O N S • Common symptoms are

swelling and stiffness.
This segment will lay out some • Pain during wrist extension is
common wrist conditions and ways another symptom.
that they might impact a yoga
practice. This doesn’t take the

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Risk factors: C A R PA L T U N N E L • Avoid movements that particularly in poses that

exacerbate pain. require weight bearing on
• Overuse
• A common symptom is pain the wrists. This can be done
• When you have wrist when flexing the wrist. by changing the surface and
time with the fingers below
arthritis, continued using props to support the
• It can be resolved without the wrists.
overuse can cause wrist or the palm of the hand.
surgery, but there are also You may need to change what
additional wear and tear •
surgical options available. happens with the hands in • You may want to take steps to
and can lead to more
• Avoid spending too much your yoga practice in addition immobilize the wrist by using
extreme symptoms.
time with the fingers below to the wrists. a brace. It will also help to
• Repetitive movements reduce the movements in the
the wrists (i.e., if you sit at
For your yoga practice: a computer adjust the angle GANGLION CYSTS wrist.
so as to reduce the pressure
Tends to happen in women
Movements that help to
SPRAINS, STRAINS, OR
• •
on the nerve that’s moving
lubricate your wrist joints and ages 20-40.
move some synovial fluid
through the wrist). TENDONITIS
• The root cause is unknown.
• Common symptoms are
through that area can bring • Affects the soft tissue in the
numbness, tingling, and forms • It’s possible to have the cyst
some relief. wrists.
of sensation that extend into drained or removed, but it’s
• Do things for a shorter time or the hands and the fingers. also possible that it may • Can be short term or can be
with fewer repetitions to avoid recur. chronic and include flares,
• It can last for weeks or
discomfort. which may need long-term
months. It can also become • Some ganglion cysts may be
It’s important not to do care.
•
chronic, and that is when asymptomatic and require
anything that is going to no intervention. Some have • Playing sports can cause
you may need to look at
increase or exacerbate the very mild symptoms and don’t an injury. Oftentimes it may
intervention.
pain you are feeling in your impact daily life. occur from a fall.
wrists. Risk factors: Acute care would be splinting
• For people who do experience •
• Notice if you feel anything • Overuse or repetitive pain, it is caused by the or using a brace.
sharp or shooting instead of movement. pressure on the surrounding • Steps can be taken to reduce
the pain that you may be used tissues including the nerves. inflammation, and you can
• Carpal tunnel is more
to (due to your arthritis) and consult a doctor to find out
common in people who • The combination of extension
back off. what will work best for you.
have systemic inflammation of the wrist plus weight
• Reduce or avoid weight conditions. bearing can cause discomfort
bearing on the hands, which For your yoga practice:
in a yoga practice.
• During pregnancy there is a
can put pressure on the wrists. • In the short term it is best to
higher risk of experiencing For your yoga practice:
Use props to help support the put no pressure on the wrists
• carpal tunnel.
joints. • Reduce the extension of the and to not bear weight on
For your yoga practice: wrist by minimizing the angle, them, so avoid any poses that
would require putting weight

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in the hands or wrists. incredibly painful to put comfort (adjust as necessary).

• In the long term you can weight in the hands or wrists MOVEMENTS TO • Then shake out the hands,
adapt your poses to avoid
exacerbating pain or
or to flex and extend the
wrists in certain ways.
LOOSEN TIGHT wrists, and arms.

inflammation in the wrist • If you find your practice to be WRISTS • Extend the arms long again and
move one finger toward the
that could be caused by exacerbating the pain in the
This sequence will help to loosen thumb on both hands
tendonitis. joint during a flare, find ways
up and lubricate the wrists. simultaneously. Continue to
to adjust the posture or skip it
breathe deeply.
GOUT entirely.
THE BENEFITS • Spread the palms wide and
One of the most common
WRIST FUSION then bring them into fists.
•
• Fluid movement of the wrists
forms of arthritis. If you are unable to make a
can help to move synovial
Gout is a result of the buildup • This means there is limited or tight fist it can be a loose one
• fluid through the joints which
of uric acid in the tissue that no mobility. or you can just bring the fingers
can lubricate them and reduce
causes crystalline structures, • It can happen naturally due to tension and discomfort. to touch.
which put a lot of pressure arthritis or surgically when it’s Roll the wrists in both
• The same movement can help •
on the tissues and can be warranted. directions, again to your
you let go of muscular tension
incredibly painful. There may not be a lot of comfort.
• that sometimes happens
• Flares can be short term pain in the wrist if it’s fused, when we are feeling pain or • Next extend and flex the wrists
in duration, but this is a but the range of mobility is discomfort. by reaching the fingertips up to
recurring condition. significantly reduced. the ceiling and then down
• Diet is a way to control the
For your yoga practice:
THE SEQUENCE toward the floor (skipping
amount of uric acid that is anything that may exacerbate
• Begin seated on the edge
produced. • If you have a fused wrist, your pain and finding a version
of a chair so you can sit up
you will have to modify your that works for your range of
Risk factors: straight.
practice to accommodate mobility).
the limited range of mobility • Ankles, knees, and hips are
• Family history • Then with the same movement
using props to change the aligned.
• Being overweight of extension and flexion,
distribution of weight or • Use your breath to reduce alternate the wrists moving
• Being male changing the orientation of stress and tension by taking them in opposite directions.
• Consuming alcohol the pose so it doesn’t rely on full, deep breaths.
the wrists. • Shake it out again.
• Take the arms out in front of
For your yoga practice: • Then extend the arms and
you so they are parallel with
During times that gout is windshield wiper the hands
• the thighs and wiggle the
dormant it’s okay to practice with your version of wrist
fingers.
yoga. extension (fingers pointing up).
• From there, roll the wrists
• During a flare it may be in both directions to your

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• Roll the wrists a few times through modifications and the use wrist to weight bearing (for some the hands down on the mat
and then shake it out. of props. conditions the reverse is true). and letting the fingertips rest
• Lower the hands to the thighs on the blanket.
Yoga therapy means looking at the Wrist pain can change over time so
and release tension in the • Another way to achieve a
whole person and considering any the modifications that are
shoulders by rolling them reduction in wrist extension
challenges or imbalances and using appropriate may also change over
forward and backward. with even more stability is to
yoga practices to address those. time. So if something stops
Alternate the shoulder rolling. use a wedge. They come in
• Yoga therapists don’t diagnose, working or feeling good, consider
different sizes (which would
• Then pause and notice treat medical conditions, or using some other options.
determine the height of the
sensations, breath, and the operate in the biomedical model
Modifications for poses like prop which affects the angle
mind. that’s used in medicine.
tabletop, down dog, and plank: of the wrists) so find the one
Instead yoga therapists use that is right for you. The heel
THE the pancha maya kosha model that
• Fold the top of your mat over
one time so that the heels of
of your hands will be placed
considers all aspects of on either the high end or the
DIFFERENCE an individual. Not just the
your hands are on the mat
shorter end depending on if
and the fingers are on the
BETWEEN musculoskeletal system and how it
might be directly affected by the
floor (creating a little bit of
you need less extension or
less flexion.
lift in the wrist).
ACCESSIBLE wrist condition, but how that wrist
• Another option is to roll
• You can use dumbbells (that
condition affects all aspects of a aren’t too heavy) with a flat
YOGA AND person’s life including their energy the mat up a few times and
edge so they can’t roll away.
position the heels of the
YOGA THERAPY and their mood. When looking at
yoga therapy for wrist conditions, hands on the mat and fingers
Hold the dumbbells while
they are on the floor so the
F O R W R I S T PA I N the practice may not be related to
the wrist at all.
on the floor so the angle of
extension at the wrist is
wrist is straight and you are
avoiding both extension and
When talking about wrist pain, reduced.
flexion. You will have to adjust
injuries, or conditions, it’s HOW TO MODIFY POSES • You can also use a blanket your wrists to make sure
important to distinguish the folded in fourths and place
F O R W R I S T PA I N they are straight. This action
difference between accessible yoga it flat on the mat. Again, the can actually strengthen the
and yoga therapy that is related to For people with wrist pain or wrist heels of your hands are on muscles that stabilize the
the symptoms of the condition. conditions, some of the most the blanket and the fingertips wrist which can be helpful
difficult poses involve weight on the mat to support the for prevention or reduction in
Accessible yoga is the practice of bearing on the hands, especially on wrists and reduce extension. pain for the long term.
making yoga accessible, and that the floor. There are a lot of ways to
• If you have carpal tunnel
can be to anyone regardless of modify those poses and make • Tabletop is a good
and reducing extension is
their circumstance. In relation to them accessible. example of a pose
uncomfortable, the reverse
wrist pain, it’s about making yoga that would work well
The biggest problem for many is may be beneficial. This would
accessible to people who have with dumbbells facing
the addition of the extension of the include placing the heels of
wrist conditions. This can be done vertically. A horizontal

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orientation could work slide away). Rest the forearms the wrist and lean over to the
as well as long as the on the chair for poses like ASANA left creating opening in the
dumbbells are stable and
will offer support.
tabletop or downward facing
dog.
PRACTICE side body and the wrist.
Release and come back to
WITH WRIST
•

• To remove the wrists from • You can also place the hands hands at heart center.
the equation completely you on the chair and play with the
placement of the hands and
M O D I F I C AT I O N S • Then do the other side and
can rest your forearms on move through that flow a few
blocks (using the height that feet (by walking them closer PROPS times.
makes the most sense) with or further away) to adjust
• A chair • Pause in tadasana and take
the hands in any comfortable how much wrist extension you
A yoga wedge a moment to notice how you
position. A good example experience in down dog. •
feel.
would be cat-cow. • Fingertips or fists on a chair,
• Use a chair to get the hands blocks, or the floor is always SEQUENCE Uttanasana (standing forward fold)
out of the way and reduce the another option. Tadasana (mountain pose)
• Slowly lower down with a long
amount of weight in the upper • Place the hands or fingertips • Rub the hands together to spine.
body. Place the chair legs on the wall to reduce the create heat and then place • Hands can be on thighs, or
on the mat for stability and weight in the wrists if this is your hands on the area of hands or forearms (and head)
to avoid injury (if it were to most comfortable for you. your body that needs a little may be on the chair to find
love (maybe the wrists). comfort).
• Roll the shoulders, wiggle • If it’s accessible to you, you
the fingers, and roll the head may try a gorilla variation
around. bringing the tops of the hands
• Shake out the whole body. to the earth and sliding them
• Roll the wrists and shake it under the feet (you can bend
out. the knees if your hamstrings
are tight). If this doesn’t feel
• Bring the hands to heart
comfortable for you then this
center (if it feels okay press
is not the variation for you.
the palms together and
draw them down for more • Another option if you don’t
extension). Another option have the flexibility to fold
is to bring the fingertips all of the way forward is to
together in front of the heart. place the backs of the hands
on blocks or a chair (do not
• Reach the arms overhead and
put too much pressure in the
take hold of your right wrist
wrists wherever you are).
with your left hand. Lengthen
all the way up without pulling

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Adho mukha svanasana (downward • Left foot turns out. • Options for the arms to help both ourselves and others). It’s the
facing dog) • Left hand comes to a support find comfort in the wrists: most commonly referenced of all
(wedge, block, chair). • Fingertips to the earth the principles. It is said that all of
• Hands can be on a wedge,
the other principles should be
blocks, or any other variation • Stack the hips right over left. • Fists to the earth
practiced from a place of ahimsa.
that is most comfortable for • Left knee is not locked, but • Forearms to the earth
you, and then step back into strong and soft. • In our yoga practice we want
or a block
your down dog. to make sure that we aren’t
• Right hand is on the hip, up • Uttanasana doing any harm to the wrists
• Find length through your toward the sky, or reaching
• Tadasana or any other part of the body
spine and keep soft knees. If out past the head.
that may be sensitive or at
your hands are on a surface • Make sure the stabilizing wrist • Repeat the sequence on the
greater risk.
(like a chair) you can press feels good (the left wrist), other side (starting with
the palms into the chair and downward facing dog) and • We want to carry that
and adjust by coming onto
lift the fingers. modify where necessary. practice of ahimsa throughout
the fingertips or trying a
our day as well by avoiding
• You can bend one knee and different prop if necessary.
then the other here, beginning
Virabhadrasana II (warrior II)
A P P LY I N G T H E activities that can be harmful
or exacerbating to a joint
to loosen the hamstrings (an
additional wedge can be nice • Bend deeply into your left YA M A S A N D condition.
underneath the heels here). knee and bring your torso
upright.
N I YA M A S T O Satya
Parsvottanasana (pyramid pose)
• Options for hands W R I S T PA I N Satya is the concept of truthfulness
• Right foot back first. or honesty in our communication,
 On hips While we think about the yoga
Make fists on the floor if it’s actions, and thoughts. When it
•
 Extended long (typical practices, in addition to what can
accessible to you, or place the comes to a wrist condition it can be
variation) be done physically, as well as the
hands on blocks. thought of in our relationship to
breath, meditation, mindfulness,
 Cactus/goal post ourselves. It’s important to recog-
• Move left hip back and right it’s also important not to leave out
Elbows bent with hands nize when we are telling ourselves
hip forward.  the philosophy of yoga.
on the shoulders falsehoods.
• As you exhale bring the
The philosophy of yoga should be • Don’t lose sight of what is
sternum closer to the left
Prasarita padottanasana (wide- the foundation from which all of actually possible for your
thigh and release the head.
legged forward fold) the other practices spring. wrists and what your wrist
• Notice where you feel the
condition really means.
stretch (it should be in the • Place the hands on the hips,
YA M A S :
belly of the muscle and not in straighten your front knee, • When you are experiencing
and turn the feet parallel to Ahimsa symptoms, don’t dismiss them
the joint like the back of the
knee). the long edge of your mat. The most essential of all of the as nothing.
• Hinge forward at the waist yamas and niyamas is ahimsa • Be honest with yourself
Trikonasana (triangle pose) and fold. (non-harming or non-violence to in your yoga practice and

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throughout your day about • If you have a condition that’s practice, healthy wrists, or can be thought about externally
what you are experiencing. systemic and associated with lack of disease/symptoms. and internally. We want to make
fatigue, your energy is much sure we have cleanliness in our
Asteya more limited. That is where N I YA M A S : surroundings and our physical
the practice of brahmacharya body. An example would be
Asteya is the concept of non- Tapas
becomes even more essential. caring for a wound that needs to
stealing or not taking what isn’t
Tapas is discipline, steadfastness, be cleaned. Additionally, it’s about
freely given. It can be applied to • Be particular about the
and effort. If we apply dedicated purity of thoughts and having
belongings or ideas from someone choices that you make around
effort to one thing over time, then hopefulness instead of despair
else, but also time. How can we be rest and self-care and how
you will use your energy. we move in the direction of our about our circumstances.
stealing time away from someone
dreams. At the same time we don’t
else or even from ourselves? • Find a way to tailor your yoga
want to attach to the outcome of Svadhyaya
Avoid using up your time on practice so that it gives you
• our effort. Applying tapas to wrist
frivolous things that are not energy instead of depleting Svadhyaya is self-study, which
pain is all about being dedicated
meaningful and therefore not you of energy. is often thought of as study of the
to our own self-care.
allowing the time you need to ancient texts and spiritual
Aparigraha • If you are required to do principles as a lens to see yourself.
recuperate or rest your wrist
physical therapy, are you However, it can also be thought of
in order to practice asteya. Aparigraha is about non-grasping doing that physical therapy as self-study of your own being.
or non-greed and is related to with dedication and diligence
Brahmacharya This niyama is meant to provide an
wanting what isn’t yours. Non- as you were prescribed every opportunity for us to become even
Brahmacharya is often thought of grasping when you are morning and every evening? more attuned with ourselves and
as celibacy, but it is also translated experiencing pain or a flare in
• It can also be a dedication our needs so that we can better
as conserving energy so we have symptoms of your wrist might
to your practice so that over care for ourselves.
that energy available for the things mean not wishing for something
time you can build strength Studying yourself should help
that are most important. When we other than what you have. •
and flexibility along with a you to be a more effective
are talking about the wrists, that Try not to dwell on the time
• steadiness of mind. communicator with your
means having energy available for that your wrist was more
self-care. medical providers and yoga
healthy, or when you were Santosha teachers so that they can
• If you need to soak the wrists, younger or more energetic.
Santosha is contentment or help to guide you properly
wrap them, take medication, • Don’t grasp on to the future when you recognize what is
being okay with things exactly as
or get to your doctor, you either, yearning for a time happening in your own body.
they are. It’s not an elation, but
want to make sure that you’ll when this pain might recover rather an “okayness” for • It can also be applied to
have the energy to do those and be behind you and over whatever this moment brings. other forms of study and
things, which requires not with.
understanding. This may
focusing our energy on things
• It also means not grasping on Saucha mean reading up on your
that won’t allow us to do
to someone else’s experience condition and getting a better
them. Saucha is purity or cleanliness and
like someone else’s yoga sense of what the symptoms

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are and what it means and is constantly changing and is

how it’s treated. impermanent. Whatever is going NON-ASANA PRACTICES
Ishvara Pranidhana
on in the physical body, the
spiritual body remains untouched.
F O R PA I N M A N A G E M E N T
A yoga practice is not asana alone. When thinking about
Ishvara pranidhana is the ultimate • When we tune in to that how we might use a yoga practice in service of the wrists,
of the yamas and niyamas, where divine nature within ourselves especially when considering pain, we want to think more
we eventually are able to shed and around us it allows for broadly about what a yoga practice is beyond the
the outer layers of the self and less attachment or concern physical postures.
recognize that there is a spark with the changes that may be
of the divine Self within us all. going on in the physical body B R E AT H I N G P R A C T I C E S
We each exist in a body that at any given time.
• One strategy is to extend the exhale slowly to affect
pain processing in the nervous system. A long exhale
engages the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS),
which counters the stress response.
• Consider three-part breath (dirga pranayama) for a
fuller exchange of oxygen in the body. This allows for
us to receive more nutrients on the inhale and release
more of the waste product that leaves our body on
each exhale. So it becomes a cleansing breath.
• Reminding yourself to take full, deep breaths can
actually be useful for moving yourself through a
process of healing.
• In an asana practice, it’s important to pay attention
to the breath. If you notice when you move into a
particular pose that your breathing is shortened,
labored, or staggered, it’s a good indicator that it’s
time to back off. Breath awareness is an essential part
of a safe asana practice.
• Use the breath to direct energy to the wrist, because
it has been shown that visualization can change our
physiology. This means we have more power to affect
change and healing than we realize.

MINDFULNESS PRACTICES
• Mindfulness means being fully present in this moment

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without being distracted by what happened in the past traction in the wrists.
or what might happen in the future. • Holding on to the wrist is another good practice.
• It’s important to bring mindfulness into your asana It is an opportunity to offer a little love and
practice. kindness to a place that’s having difficulty healing.
• If you’re experiencing wrist pain, it’s important to let • Practice gorilla pose as long as flexion is not
go of what may have led to that. Act in the present uncomfortable for you, and find the version that is
moment to change how we feel now instead of being best without going too deep.
hung up on what got us there. • For people with carpal tunnel or other issues that
• Mindfulness can be carried with us all day long. It’s make flexion uncomfortable, bring the hands into
good to notice how your wrist can be affected by daily an anjali mudra (hands in prayer at the heart). If
activities. Notice patterns for things that make you feel palms touching is too deep, you can just take the
worse or better to adjust your lifestyle. fingertips toward each other.
• To feel the energy between the palms in this
R E L A X AT I O N P R A C T I C E S mudra, you can rub your hands together first
• If you’re too overwhelmed or in too much pain to move to create friction, and then feel the heating
through a physical asana practice or you get easily energy in that space as you move your hands
fatigued, a relaxation practice may be best for you. Yoga or fingertips together.
practice is always available, it’s just a matter of what that • Another option is to make a fist and hold it with
might look like. the other hand at the heart which requires less
• You can do a body scan lying in bed and allow yourself to movement in the hands.
relax each part of your body from head to toe. • Buddha mudra can be practiced with the palms
• A savasana practice, which is critical to relieving stress face up (fingers in opposite directions) and the
and tension the body is holding, happens at the end of an hands stacked on top of each other. It’s thought
asana class, but it can also be practiced on its own as a of as an energetic expression of humility and
form of relaxation. gratitude. It’s a way to practice being thankful
for the challenges in our lives and what they can
• Consider a restorative practice with a lot of supportive
bring us.
props to find comfort.
• You can also use recorded guided relaxation practices. M E D I TAT I O N P R A C T I C E S
• Using imagery can allow you to facilitate the relaxation
• All of the physical postures were originally designed to
process of the body as well.
help the body find balance to sit in meditation for long
• Mudras, or “binds,” are executed physically but operate periods of time without distraction.
on an energetic level that can be beneficial for the wrists.
• Today there is scientific evidence that meditation
• Ganesh mudra: cupping the hands and holding on to practices greatly benefit the body.
the opposite fingers while pulling away. Meant to
• We know that meditation practice builds gray
help remove obstacles. Physically, it helps to create

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matter in certain parts of the brain—specifically between the mind and body.
the gray matter that is deteriorated when you are
living with chronic pain. G R AT I T U D E P R A C T I C E
• Meditation can reverse the effects in your brain This type of practice can be a way to harness some of yo-
that make you feel more sensitive to pain. ga’s philosophy and to remind us of what really matters.
• It can help you find equanimity and change your It’s great to practice at the end of the day before bed, in
perspective on what you experience. the morning when you first wake up, or at any time.
• Meditation also affects the parts of the brain that Practice
tie pain to emotion. It can help you separate the • Get comfortable by sitting or lying down in a place
observation of the pain from the emotions that where you can be undisturbed for a little while.
arise when you are experiencing the pain, like
• Notice sensations in your body, and see what is
frustration, anxiety, depression, and overwhelm.
speaking to you. Acknowledge your body and thank
• Concentration meditation your body for all of the messages that it has to send to
• It’s when you focus on just one thing like the you.
breath, a mantra, or an image. This allows for • If it’s comfortable, place your hands in a buddha mudra
everything else to fade away and your focus, over to facilitate gratitude and humility.
time, to move away from the pain.
• Allow yourself to be grateful for the sensations in your
• Mindfulness meditation body that mean you are alive, that mean you are able
• Sitting with an awareness of the sensations to be in a body and experience the richness of life.
that are happening in you and around you, • Focus on a place in the body that feels good, content,
whatever those stimuli may be (sounds, light, and or at ease and allow yourself to be grateful for just
temperature). Seeing that nothing is static can that ease in that part of the body at this particular
help you to realize your symptoms will change moment.
and shift as well and that nothing is permanent. • Be grateful for the constant change that is life,
• Loving-kindness meditation knowing that whatever sensations you are feeling are
only for the moment.
• You can send loving-kindness anywhere in your
meditation practice. • Bring your awareness to the breath, feel the fullness
of the breath, and thank the body for breathing. Be
 It can be to yourself to find more compas-
thankful for the energy that arrives with the breath.
sion and acceptance.
• Allow yourself to be thankful for whatever it is that
 It can be to others to help you find a new
your energy and breath allow you to do in life.
perspective.
• Notice the mind and where its attention has gone.
 It can even be to the wrist that is experienc-
ing discomfort or other challenges as a way • Now bring yourself to the present moment and be
to shift the dynamic that may be happening grateful for the you that gets to decide what will be in

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your mind.
• Be grateful for the opportunity to do practices that
actually change your brain and your mind.
• Be grateful for the pathways of your nervous system
from the body to the brain and the brain to the body
that allow you to be aware of your body and therefore
attend to its needs.
• Then notice the you that is not the mind, body, or
breath, but the perceiver of it all, sitting outside
watching the experience of your being. Allow yourself
to be grateful for that deeper place inside of you.
• Be grateful for something that has already happened
today or something you look forward to later, people
who are special in your life, anything you are grateful
for about the body, mind, heart, and soul.
• Be grateful for whatever blessings there are to count
and remind yourself of all there is to be grateful for.
• When you’re ready, open your eyes, bring your hands
to your heart (however it’s comfortable), and bow your
head in gratitude.

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