neck problems.

[Guest guest]

Avtar Kaur, Satnam

 

I have a neck problem that I have never had adjusted. It just hurts and is

a part of a complex of problems that stem from lower back right sided

arthritis. Since I have begun kundalini yoga, the improvement is much

greater than any other kind of yoga that I have done (mainly Ashtanga) As I

said in my description of my current 40 day commitment, I am working on it

using ideas from Gary Kraftsow, Yoga for Wellness. For you, if the disc

slips out, it must seem very serious. I think the spine is very sensitive

and it can feel the least movement. It is not as though the disc were

moving very much.

 

I agree with Raniit Kaur. For my own problem, the pain in my neck and it is

very much a 5th chakra problem. For me, it is a problem with speaking my

truth in a compassionate but direct way.

 

Gururattan Kaur seems to think I should avoid shoulderstands, but in my case

the spinal energy is stuck at the neck and I need to get the energy moving.

Doctors call it arthritus. So the shoulderstand is very helpful. For a few

seconds the shoulderstand can cause a painful rush of blocked energy. For

example, I had a high fever last night and my joints felt like they were

loaded with toxins when I awoke this morning without a fever. So today when

I went up into a shoulder stand, my head hurt for a few seconds (not my neck

or shoulder). I think this is ok. The blocked energy needs to go somewhere

and into my head is the best route.

 

I have a feeling that these physical problems might just disappear if only

my meditations would get deeper. Today I got the feeling that I am really

passing energy though the neck area. The asana is about that passage. If

only that area would open up, the rest of the spine is amazingly free.

Trying won't change this blockage. It just has to open on its own. What

do you think? To me, understanding is different from trying to force and

issue. Maybe the affirmation that Raniit suggested will help me focus on

the real issue and not on the physical spine.

 

But the body is also part of our reality. If your disc is slipping, it

would seem that strengthening the energy in that area is necessary. It is

not a matter of blocked energy. These are opposite problems. But like me,

balance is an issue. Is there a way to physically strengthen the neck on

the side where the disc slips to? Gary Kraftsow also talks about

hyper-flexibility. That is a bit hard to imagine for the neck, but

possible??? You would be hyper-flexible on weak side of your neck, I

think??? Is your neck long? Mine is short -- therefore blockage?? Which

postures are problematic for your neck? In what way? I love to flex my

neck even though it is slightly painful, dull pain. Can you relate the

physical imagery of the neck and the 5th chakra imagery to your metaphysical

experiences?

 

Am I making any sense?

 

Blessings,

 

Gian

[Guest guest]

Dear Avtar Kaur,

 

Tell yourself you can sleep on your back. Do a yoga exercise like stretch

pose where you have a great desire to do deep relaxation and then lie down

on your back and go to sleep. It is cheaper than new pillows and chiro

adjustments. Make sure you have a bed that you love to sleep in. I sleep

on my back and I love it.

 

Sat Nam,

 

Gururattan Kaur

[Guest guest]

Dear Avtar Kaur,

 

I definately think sleeping on your back should help with your neck

problems. I used to get neck pain and was constantly getting my neck

adjusted by my chiropractor. I also used to always sleep on my side, I

couldn't sleep any other way. I started sleeping on my back by first laying

on my side and breathing deeply through my left nostril for about ten

minutes and then turning to my back. I fall asleep immeadiatly this way and

I wake up still laying on my back. I haven't had many problems since and my

chiropractor has also noticed the difference, he hardly ever needs to adjust

my neck or my back for that matter. I still go for my hands and arms (work

related) any yoga suggestions for helping with those problems would be

appreciated. By the way I have had neck pain this week. I know it's

because I went camping this last weekend and I was too cold to sleep on my

back so I slept fetal position on my side and my neck is still recovering.

 

Namaste,

 

Amanda

 

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[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Avtar Kaur,

 

I'm sure people have told you this and you are probably already doing it,

but the pillow and neck support is key to any sleeping position.

 

Blessings,

 

Gian

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Gian and everyone else,

 

Thank you all very much for your imput. I think my neck problem is a

manifestation of my fear of moving to the next level. For a while I've

felt I needed a push , so I'm going to the Master's Touch where I will

have no choice but to do yoga and meditation all day every day for three

weeks !

 

I do feel that physical ailments are a manifestation of a spiritual

problem, or a blockage to be worked through.

 

As far as physical postures are concerned my biggest problem is stretch

pose. It really hurts and strains my neck and trying to build it up

slowly didn't work. It just made it worse so I gave up on it. I really

don't know what to do about this because it seems to me that stretch pose

is very important to KY. I haven't been doing shoulderstand because I

don't want to aggravate the problem any further.

 

I'll certainly give lying on my back another try. Sounds like it will be

worth it.

 

Thanks to everyone,

 

Love to all,

Avtar

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear Avtar Kaur,

 

problem is stretch pose. It really hurts and strains my neck and trying to

build it up> slowly didn't work. It just made it worse so I gave up on it.

 

THere are other exercises for the navel. Do them instead.

 

I really> don't know what to do about this because it seems to me that

stretch pose> is very important to KY.

 

RElax and do leg lifts.

 

I haven't been doing shoulderstand because I

> don't want to aggravate the problem any further.

 

Honestly after taking an Ienger (sp) class to learn postures, I stopped

doing shoulder stand myself. Even with all the props it can be hard on the

neck.

 

Did you get any good advise on these at Teachers Traiing?

 

Sat nam,

 

Gururattan Kaur

[Guest guest]

Dear Gururattan Kaur,

 

I did get some advice about stretch pose at MT. From the postures class

to pull the legs in to the hipbone. Root the navel/sacrum area into the

earth. Lift the heart up towards the chin while pulling neck lock. Keep

shoulders down. If necessary bend one leg at a time, alternating.

Latest advice from YB is to let the arms be where it feels most natural.

 

I asked different teachers about my neck problem and got some interesting

answers. From the chiropractor who taught anatomy/physiology to

strengthen the navel and to do three mins of stretch pose after having

an adjustment to make it 'stick'. This applies to any adjustment. I've

learned to support my neck with my hands until the problem is resolved.

>From the postures teacher not to ever put my head straight back - always

to lengthen the neck first and rise up and back from the chest. He saw

me with the habit of leaning back a lot to look up. He said NEVER to do

this - he doesn't himself. From the yogic anatomy and the ten bodies

class I got an answer about what is causing the problem in the first

place. Yipee ! Guruchanader told me that C2 - my vertebrae that keeps

slipping out of place-is connected to old trauma. He said the problem is

in my heart chakra - as a child I was taught to distrust my feeling and

have to learn to trust them. He told me I know exactly what is going on,

what people are doing and thinking, I just don't trust it. He suggested

learning Sat Nam Rayasan. Next day I was having lunch with some Sikhs

and the subject of my neck came up. One of them looked at me and said

that the problem was a weight on the left side of my heart - I had not

mentioned anything about what I had been told the night before. So I got

a double message. Guruchander gave me a meditation to do for my

numerology and I've been doing it since I got home. It's for the heart.

For a long time I've been very drawn to kryias and meditations for the

heart, so I did know what I really needed. It just needed to be fine

tuned. All very interesting and informative. I'm holding off getting

another adjsutment until I feel more strong in my navel area. I'm doing

stretch pose with the modification of bending the leg every day, and

holding my neck.

 

Master's Touch was an incomparable experience !!!!!

 

Sat Nam !

 

Avtar

 

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