guruji-to Anis

[Guest guest]

Anis,

The doctor told me that swimming was the best thing that I could do for my

knee... but finding a pool & keeping a membership isn't that easy... whereas

yoga is (so to speak).

 

When I first started, I took classes from a Kripalu certified instructor,

unfortunately, I had that competitive mind to start, but learned quick that I

was doing the class for me & no one else. I started taking classes 8 years ago

& so much has changed, every now & then my knee will bother me.

 

But the gentle/beginners class is where I started & loved it... I developed a

new outlook on life & living, there were a lot of things that I couldn't do &

that other people older than me (I was 22 at the time-first knee surgery was at

17 & the second was at 19) could do & that was frustrating... but I saw very

quickly that if I did what I could, I could make a lot larger steps than if I

tried to push to do what others could.

 

All along I have had (& still do) good days & bad days, but that is all in

life's experiences... it is just teaching me that awareness is the key in every

detail from meditation to practicing to brushing my teath to hugging my

husband... once you loose that awareness, you loose yourself ( & misplace

important things like tax stuff )

 

But back to the practice... about a year ago I started practicing Ashtanga yoga,

on & off, not until a couple months ago have I really buckled down & seeing

what this practice can do for my body & mind is truly amazing...

At first I was only able to do Sun Sal A ( only 2 times)... then both A & B,

then a couple of poses after that... only once have I gone through the whole

practice, but that is where I am right now & that is fine with me... & there are

really no teachers (maybe 1) in Youngstown, Ohio that teach this

 

There are a number of poses that I need to modify because of my knee, standing

on it during balancing poses for a long time sometimes causes it to lock up &

become just uncomfortable, so I have to be careful. When I first started, going

from plank down & then into updog hurt my knees, so instead of full plank, I

would keep my knees on the floor & then lower my torso to the floor & then do

cobra instead of updog. My muscles built up quickly because I truthfully became

a fiend at first, practicing Sun Sal A both in the am & then in the pm... Then

when I had my breath & some strength, I did both A&B in am & then again in pm...

I wasn't able to do all 5 of the B at first... I was happy with 1... Now doing

all 10 is no problem & most of the time I jump back into chataronga dandasana.

 

WOW... I didn't think I had this much to say, but to sum it all up, every day is

different, be more aware of your knees in your practice, be very gentle with

them, don't over do it, USE PROPS, sometimes the "easiest" poses are the most

difficult. Meditate, the mind is a very powerful source to tap into. I think

that I am just happy to be able to do something... & also at first swimming did

hurt. I did cry a lot before I found yoga & now there are no limits... just

props

 

Hope this helped!!!

Namaste,

Maureen

[Guest guest]

Hi Maureen,

Thanks for your words.

I'm not giving up yoga, though it's realy hard sometimes. Yesterday

I´ve finished class sobbing out. My instructor asked me if I was

crying because of the pain or if it was because I was afraid of what

the pain could cause (giving up ashtanga). I told him that I was in

pain indeed, but I was also very afraid of not being possible to go

on with ashtanga anymore. He was very nice and told me no to worry

and that I should go to class to just breath if that was the only

thing I could do. ) The truth is, I can´t immagine my life without

practice anymore. I know that I'll feel better eventually, but at

this point, I'm almost hopeless... :´-(

Namaste

Anis

 

 

ashtanga yoga, Maureen Lauer <mlauer93>

wrote:

>

> Anis,

> The doctor told me that swimming was the best thing that I could do

for my knee... but finding a pool & keeping a membership isn't that

easy... whereas yoga is (so to speak).

>

> When I first started, I took classes from a Kripalu certified

instructor, unfortunately, I had that competitive mind to start, but

learned quick that I was doing the class for me & no one else. I

started taking classes 8 years ago & so much has changed, every now

& then my knee will bother me.

>

> But the gentle/beginners class is where I started & loved it... I

developed a new outlook on life & living, there were a lot of things

that I couldn't do & that other people older than me (I was 22 at the

time-first knee surgery was at 17 & the second was at 19) could do &

that was frustrating... but I saw very quickly that if I did what I

could, I could make a lot larger steps than if I tried to push to do

what others could.

>

> All along I have had (& still do) good days & bad days, but that is

all in life's experiences... it is just teaching me that awareness is

the key in every detail from meditation to practicing to brushing my

teath to hugging my husband... once you loose that awareness, you

loose yourself ( & misplace important things like tax stuff )

>

> But back to the practice... about a year ago I started practicing

Ashtanga yoga, on & off, not until a couple months ago have I really

buckled down & seeing what this practice can do for my body & mind

is truly amazing...

> At first I was only able to do Sun Sal A ( only 2 times)... then

both A & B, then a couple of poses after that... only once have I

gone through the whole practice, but that is where I am right now &

that is fine with me... & there are really no teachers (maybe 1) in

Youngstown, Ohio that teach this

>

> There are a number of poses that I need to modify because of my

knee, standing on it during balancing poses for a long time sometimes

causes it to lock up & become just uncomfortable, so I have to be

careful. When I first started, going from plank down & then into

updog hurt my knees, so instead of full plank, I would keep my knees

on the floor & then lower my torso to the floor & then do cobra

instead of updog. My muscles built up quickly because I truthfully

became a fiend at first, practicing Sun Sal A both in the am & then

in the pm... Then when I had my breath & some strength, I did both

A&B in am & then again in pm... I wasn't able to do all 5 of the B at

first... I was happy with 1... Now doing all 10 is no problem & most

of the time I jump back into chataronga dandasana.

>

> WOW... I didn't think I had this much to say, but to sum it all up,

every day is different, be more aware of your knees in your practice,

be very gentle with them, don't over do it, USE PROPS, sometimes

the "easiest" poses are the most difficult. Meditate, the mind is a

very powerful source to tap into. I think that I am just happy to be

able to do something... & also at first swimming did hurt. I did cry

a lot before I found yoga & now there are no limits... just props

>

> Hope this helped!!!

> Namaste,

> Maureen

[Guest guest]

Anis,

Maybe trying another form of yoga might help you... try a gentle class... or

even just going & breathing would kick but... I just read about this other form

of yoga called Vajra yoga... check it out & read about the woman who founded

it... I don't have much time to explain, but it seems like a meditative form of

yoga... www.vajrayoga.com

 

Don't give up!!! Right now Ashtanga might not be for you... or not all the

poses... try another form like I said... talk to the instructor first & tell

them about your knee, also try swimming... that is one of theeee best things for

you... it takes the pressure off the knee when in water...

 

And remeber, the asanas are only 1 part of the 8 limbs of ashtanga yoga... there

are 7 others you could work on!!! (to find more info. check out

www.yogajournal.com & search the 8 limbs of ashtanga yoga.

 

Keep your head up, it only gets better, trust me... I've been through it 2x

 

Lastly, there is a documentry out on ashtanga yoga I saw it on fit tv... you can

find out more about it at: www.ashtangafilm.com

 

 

Om shanti,

Maureen