New & Doing Asanas With Pain

[Guest guest]

I am new to this group and appreciate any advice.

 

I have been practicing asanas and meditation twice every day (2 hours total/day)

since the first of the year. I practice first thing in the morning and sometime

in the evening (usually early).

 

I have also purified my diet about a month ago by cutting out all junk and

highly processed foods. My diet was pretty good for years before that (about 50%

high quality food).

 

I have had a history of neurological problems similar to multiple sclerosis for

the past 20 years including fatigue and joint/muscle soreness/pain. It has been

more of a nuisance than any thing else and I have stayed fully functional

throughout.

 

Over the past 2 months, I have noticed tightness/soreness that comes and goes in

my lower back especially when I wake up. Just over a week ago, I noticed my neck

was really sore on one side. So much that I was having a hard time turning my

head in either direction. That went away after a few days. Yesterday morning, I

noticed my neck and shoulders were sore and this morning it hasn't changed. At

first, I thought the discomforts were possibly related to my longstanding

problems but they seem different.

 

I have persisted with my practice through the physical discomforts mainly

because after years of never maintaining a practice for more than a month or

so...always falling away from it, I was concerned that I might fall away again.

Maybe after 7 months of consistent practice, I could take time to let my body

heal but I really don't want to take a chance that I'll lose my discipline. I've

tried to modify my asanas based on the areas affected but probably haven't done

that good of a job.

 

I am not taking yoga classes so I realize that I may be doing some of the asanas

less than perfectly although I have read books and it seems that I am doing a

pretty good job. I'm not doing anything too advanced...mostly sun salutation,

forward bend, triangle, side angle, warrior 1,2,3, mountain, tree, etc.

 

I have heard that with regular practice a person can experience detox and that

may be what I'm experiencing. The question is should one continue their practice

through the physical discomforts of detox? And does this sound like detox

symptoms?

 

Any insights are greatly appreciated.

[Guest guest]

Hi Paul,

 

It is not a good idea to keep doing the same postures if you are

experiencing pain. You might want to try experimenting with some of the

asanas and see if by skipping certain ones your pain becomes less. Have

you ever gotten a diagnosis for your neurological problems?

 

Sat Nam,

 

Deva

 

 

Kundaliniyoga , Paul Ladendorf <paulladendorf

wrote:

>

> I am new to this group and appreciate any advice.

>

> I have been practicing asanas and meditation twice every day (2 hours

total/day) since the first of the year. I practice first thing in the

morning and sometime in the evening (usually early).

>

> I have also purified my diet about a month ago by cutting out all junk

and highly processed foods. My diet was pretty good for years before

that (about 50% high quality food).

>

> I have had a history of neurological problems similar to multiple

sclerosis for the past 20 years including fatigue and joint/muscle

soreness/pain. It has been more of a nuisance than any thing else and I

have stayed fully functional throughout.

>

> Over the past 2 months, I have noticed tightness/soreness that comes

and goes in my lower back especially when I wake up. Just over a week

ago, I noticed my neck was really sore on one side. So much that I was

having a hard time turning my head in either direction. That went away

after a few days. Yesterday morning, I noticed my neck and shoulders

were sore and this morning it hasn't changed. At first, I thought the

discomforts were possibly related to my longstanding problems but they

seem different.

>

> I have persisted with my practice through the physical discomforts

mainly because after years of never maintaining a practice for more than

a month or so...always falling away from it, I was concerned that I

might fall away again. Maybe after 7 months of consistent practice, I

could take time to let my body heal but I really don't want to take a

chance that I'll lose my discipline. I've tried to modify my asanas

based on the areas affected but probably haven't done that good of a

job.

>

> I am not taking yoga classes so I realize that I may be doing some of

the asanas less than perfectly although I have read books and it seems

that I am doing a pretty good job. I'm not doing anything too

advanced...mostly sun salutation, forward bend, triangle, side angle,

warrior 1,2,3, mountain, tree, etc.

>

> I have heard that with regular practice a person can experience detox

and that may be what I'm experiencing. The question is should one

continue their practice through the physical discomforts of detox? And

does this sound like detox symptoms?

>

> Any insights are greatly appreciated.

>

[Guest guest]

Deva,

 

Thanks for the input.

 

>Have you ever gotten a diagnosis for your neurological problems?

 

No. After doing a lot of research on neurological disorders I did not feel that

there would be much if any value in a diagnosis. The treatment is almost always

the same regardless of the condition...drugs...and I'm not willing to take them

unless wholistic methods failed and my quality of life was severely reduced.

 

I have managed quite well without conventional treatment although I have used

quite a bit of wholistic treatment.

[Guest guest]

You sound like you are doing Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga is the umbrella

yoga of which Hatha Yoga is included, but the kriyas are slightly

different, not necessarily involving flowing for one position to another

as in sun salute, but repetition of a particular movement that almost

anyone could do with modifications. I teach both types and always notice

similar physical problems with the typical Hatha or flow type yogas you

are describing. Google Kundalini Yoga, course online- gentle exercises for

beginners or try to get a video from that site (that site is:

www.kundaliniyoga.org or www.yogatech.com) or the 3HO Foundation if

you can't find a teacher. Perhaps that would help with understanding the

basic types of kriyas in Kundalini Yoga and keep your injuries down. Good

luck and keep it up! Kathleen

 

Kundaliniyoga writes:

 

 

>I am new to this group and appreciate any advice.

>

>I have been practicing asanas and meditation twice every day (2 hours

>total/day) since the first of the year. I practice first thing in the

>morning and sometime in the evening (usually early).

>

>I have also purified my diet about a month ago by cutting out all junk

>and highly processed foods. My diet was pretty good for years before that

>(about 50% high quality food).

>

>I have had a history of neurological problems similar to multiple

>sclerosis for the past 20 years including fatigue and joint/muscle

>soreness/pain.

[Guest guest]

Hi Paul,

 

I can understand that....I have lupus and get lots of the same kind of pain as

you describe....I do not take anything that the doctors want me to take

:-)....but have adjusted my diet and do specific pranayamas and mantras for the

immune system.

 

Hope today is good,

Deva

 

 

" Life and living is a flow, and if we accept that flow and get into that flow,

life can be tremendously simple. " Ramesh S. Balsehar

-

Paul Ladendorf

Kundaliniyoga

Thursday, August 07, 2008 6:22 PM

Re: Kundalini Yoga Re: New & Doing Asanas With Pain

 

 

Deva,

 

Thanks for the input.

 

>Have you ever gotten a diagnosis for your neurological problems?

 

No. After doing a lot of research on neurological disorders I did not feel

that there would be much if any value in a diagnosis. The treatment is almost

always the same regardless of the condition...drugs...and I'm not willing to

take them unless wholistic methods failed and my quality of life was severely

reduced.

 

I have managed quite well without conventional treatment although I have used

quite a bit of wholistic treatment.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

If you have nerve problems like MS but it's not, you might want to get

tested for celiac disease, which can affect the nerves. I have it. I

have been gluten free for almost 3 years and my nerves continue to

heal. Part of the healing is that I get sore a lot, perhaps because my

muscles respond to the changes in the nerves.

 

Alisa in CT

 

Kundaliniyoga , Paul Ladendorf

<paulladendorf wrote:

>

>

> I have had a history of neurological problems similar to multiple

sclerosis for the past 20 years including fatigue and joint/muscle

soreness/pain. It has been more of a nuisance than any thing else and I

have stayed fully functional throughout.

[Guest guest]

Hi Deva,

 

I have almost same immune system deficiency and I was diagnosed having

demylineating disease of the nerves. Can you please cite to some good diets and

specific pranayamas and mantras for the immune system.  This may help me so i

can minimize the taking of medicines and drugs prescribed by doctors. I am

taking a lot.

Thanks a lot, julie

--- On Sat, 8/9/08, Linda Callanan <annaicenter wrote:

 

Linda Callanan <annaicenter

Re: Kundalini Yoga Re: New & Doing Asanas With Pain

Kundaliniyoga

Saturday, August 9, 2008, 4:39 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Paul,

 

I can understand that....I have lupus and get lots of the same kind of pain as

you describe.... I do not take anything that the doctors want me to take

:-)....but have adjusted my diet and do specific pranayamas and mantras for the

immune system.

 

Hope today is good,

Deva

 

" Life and living is a flow, and if we accept that flow and get into that flow,

life can be tremendously simple. " Ramesh S. Balsehar

-

Paul Ladendorf

Kundaliniyoga

Thursday, August 07, 2008 6:22 PM

Re: Kundalini Yoga Re: New & Doing Asanas With Pain

 

Deva,

 

Thanks for the input.

 

>Have you ever gotten a diagnosis for your neurological problems?

 

No. After doing a lot of research on neurological disorders I did not feel that

there would be much if any value in a diagnosis. The treatment is almost always

the same regardless of the condition... drugs...and I'm not willing to take them

unless wholistic methods failed and my quality of life was severely reduced.

 

I have managed quite well without conventional treatment although I have used

quite a bit of wholistic treatment.

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Hi Julie,

 

What I have found that is helpful for me is to avoid nightshades such as

tomatoes, potatoes, etc., as well as the usual suspects of sugar, chocolate,

caffeine and I try to keep my alkaline balanced. The warm weather is always

hard on me and I work with anti-pitta formulas from Banyan Botanicals.

 

In my research I discovered that immune problems relate to the fourth chakra

(which made perfect sense to me based on my personal life) so I do meditations

and pranayamas that work with the fourth chakra. One of my favorites is to

place my hands flat against my chest with the fingertips facing one another and

almost touching. I then breathe for five seconds, exhale for five seconds and

hold out the breath for fifteen seconds, the eyes are 9/10 closed and focused on

the tip of the nose. The other one that I do is to have the hands in prayer

pose with all of the fingertips including the thumbs touching but there is a

space between the palms. The breath is inhale for 5, hold for 5 and exhale for

5. For me, it is really important to keep down inflammation so I will often do

Sitali breath. Unfortunately, my favorite breath---breath of fire is something

I generally do only in the colder weather.

 

Guru Ram Das mantras are excellent as is the Ra-ma-da-sa-sa-say-so-hung---you

can find many versions of these on the Yoga Technology website---I will chant

the mantras and often play them as I go to sleep---the version by Singh Kaur and

Kim Robertson is excellent for listening to as well as going to sleep. I have

had to change my style of yoga a bit in the past few years and try to do sets

with lots of gentle stretching as well as spinal flexing (the spinal flexing is

really important and I will do lots of cat/cow variations)---I have found that

even a few minutes of breathing and stretching is helpful and that when I do

nothing at all my body definitely feels worse.

 

Hope this helps and that you are having a good day.

 

Sat Nam,

Deva

 

 

 

 

" Life and living is a flow, and if we accept that flow and get into that flow,

life can be tremendously simple. " Ramesh S. Balsehar

-

Julie Morales-Lava

Kundaliniyoga

Friday, August 08, 2008 10:29 PM

Re: Kundalini Yoga Re: New & Doing Asanas With Pain

 

 

Hi Deva,

 

I have almost same immune system deficiency and I was diagnosed having

demylineating disease of the nerves. Can you please cite to some good diets and

specific pranayamas and mantras for the immune system. This may help me so i

can minimize the taking of medicines and drugs prescribed by doctors. I am

taking a lot.

Thanks a lot, julie

--- On Sat, 8/9/08, Linda Callanan <annaicenter wrote:

 

Linda Callanan <annaicenter

Re: Kundalini Yoga Re: New & Doing Asanas With Pain

Kundaliniyoga

Saturday, August 9, 2008, 4:39 AM

 

Hi Paul,

 

I can understand that....I have lupus and get lots of the same kind of pain as

you describe.... I do not take anything that the doctors want me to take

:-)....but have adjusted my diet and do specific pranayamas and mantras for the

immune system.

 

Hope today is good,

Deva

 

" Life and living is a flow, and if we accept that flow and get into that flow,

life can be tremendously simple. " Ramesh S. Balsehar

-

Paul Ladendorf

Kundaliniyoga

Thursday, August 07, 2008 6:22 PM

Re: Kundalini Yoga Re: New & Doing Asanas With Pain

 

Deva,

 

Thanks for the input.

 

>Have you ever gotten a diagnosis for your neurological problems?

 

No. After doing a lot of research on neurological disorders I did not feel

that there would be much if any value in a diagnosis. The treatment is almost

always the same regardless of the condition... drugs...and I'm not willing to

take them unless wholistic methods failed and my quality of life was severely

reduced.

 

I have managed quite well without conventional treatment although I have used

quite a bit of wholistic treatment.

 

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